Sexism in Othello Essay -- Othello essays

Othello: the Unquestionable Sexism  Ã‚        Ã‚   Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello features sexism as regular fare – initially from Brabantio and Iago, and finally from Othello. Let us in this essay explore the occurrences and severity of sexism in the drama.    In â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† Valerie Wayne implicates Iago in sexism. He is one who is almost incapable of any other perspective on women than a sexist one:    Iago’s worry that he cannot do what Desdemona asks implies that his dispraise of women was candid and easily produced, while the praise requires labour and inspiration from a source beyond himself. His insufficiency is more surprising because elsewhere in the play Iago appears as a master rhetorician, but as Bloch explains, ‘the misogynistic writer uses rhetoric as a means of renouncing it, and, by extension, woman.’ (163)    Even the noble general yielded to the sexist remarks and insinuations of his ancient, thus developing a reprehensible attitude toward his lovely and faithful wife. Angela Pitt in â€Å"Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies† comments on the Moor’s sexist treatment of Desdemona:    Desdemona has, therefore, some quite serious faults as a wife, including a will of her own, which was evident even before she was married. This does not mean that she merits the terrible accusations flung at her by Othello, nor does she in any way deserve her death, but she is partly responsible for the tragic action of the play. Othello’s behavior and mounting jealousy are made more comprehensible if we remember what Elizabethan husbands might expect of their wives. (45)    In the opening scene, while Iago is expressing his hatred for the general Othello for his selection... ...reason to the same extent, or even greater than, men; and that men are passion-driven moreso than are women. The tables are turned on sexism at the very climax of the drama!    WORKS CITED       Jorgensen, Paul A. William Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1985.    Pitt, Angela. â€Å"Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare’s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wayne, Valerie. â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello.† The Matter of Difference: Materialist Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Ed Valerie Wayne. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991.

Computer Technology Shapes the Future of Education :: Teaching Education Essays

Computer Technology Shapes the Future of Education The accessibility of computer education is stratified between the classes. The higher socio-economic schools, homes, and businesses are able to receive computer education and have daily contact with computers. However, in the lower socio-economic areas the computer usage is very low. To break down the divide many school districts and corporations have begun computer education programs, in lower-socio-economic areas. These advancements can assist the students to reach higher levels of education, which can lead to higher level careers. The advancements of computer use in the education field illustrate the benefits of computers on student’s lives. The requirement of technological knowledge has been raised. The ideal way to educate children on computers is to include computers in their everyday activities. Many schools need extra support from the community to achieve such a high standard. Also, many schools in lower socio-economic areas have experienced a difficulty in merely getting the children to school on time or at all. The lower attendance issues can stem from unreliable transportation to the parent keeping the student home to help with the household (Milone/Salpeter, 46). Therefore with assistance from companies and the community, schools are able to propel the students into school more regularly and to learn more with and about computer technology. Many corporations have assisted in the advancement of the equipment to all students by giving schools computers or payment plans to purchase them. In the fall of 1996, â€Å"Microsoft and Toshiba gave 8,000 students from kindergarten to 12th grade a Toshiba Pentium notebook loaded with Microsoft Office and full modem connectivity (Levin 30).† The computers boosted the school’s attendance to almost one hundred percent. In comparison most of the schools that benefited from this program exhibited a 50% daily attendance average, among the lower socio-economic students (30). Microsoft and Toshiba are not only donating computers, but they have also instated a special lease program for schools. Their plan is modeled after a similar successful program in Australia, and primarily sets it up so that each child pays $35 a month for three years and after that time, they can purchase their computer for one dollar (Levin 30). This program has been very successful because all children in the classroom have access to these computer notebooks. Computer Technology Shapes the Future of Education :: Teaching Education Essays Computer Technology Shapes the Future of Education The accessibility of computer education is stratified between the classes. The higher socio-economic schools, homes, and businesses are able to receive computer education and have daily contact with computers. However, in the lower socio-economic areas the computer usage is very low. To break down the divide many school districts and corporations have begun computer education programs, in lower-socio-economic areas. These advancements can assist the students to reach higher levels of education, which can lead to higher level careers. The advancements of computer use in the education field illustrate the benefits of computers on student’s lives. The requirement of technological knowledge has been raised. The ideal way to educate children on computers is to include computers in their everyday activities. Many schools need extra support from the community to achieve such a high standard. Also, many schools in lower socio-economic areas have experienced a difficulty in merely getting the children to school on time or at all. The lower attendance issues can stem from unreliable transportation to the parent keeping the student home to help with the household (Milone/Salpeter, 46). Therefore with assistance from companies and the community, schools are able to propel the students into school more regularly and to learn more with and about computer technology. Many corporations have assisted in the advancement of the equipment to all students by giving schools computers or payment plans to purchase them. In the fall of 1996, â€Å"Microsoft and Toshiba gave 8,000 students from kindergarten to 12th grade a Toshiba Pentium notebook loaded with Microsoft Office and full modem connectivity (Levin 30).† The computers boosted the school’s attendance to almost one hundred percent. In comparison most of the schools that benefited from this program exhibited a 50% daily attendance average, among the lower socio-economic students (30). Microsoft and Toshiba are not only donating computers, but they have also instated a special lease program for schools. Their plan is modeled after a similar successful program in Australia, and primarily sets it up so that each child pays $35 a month for three years and after that time, they can purchase their computer for one dollar (Levin 30). This program has been very successful because all children in the classroom have access to these computer notebooks.

Art versus Pornography Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Art versus Pornography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Her head rests on her left knee, with her hands clasped on her ankle.   Locks of hair are thrown about in an auburn blaze.   Her tight rosy lips are as red as her cheeks.   Her dark-blue eyes reveal a half-seductive, half-submissive look.   Her legs are in a subdued spread-eagle formation, leaving her crotch area quite visible.   Her white panties leave little to the imagination. The sexual overtones are more than just a coincidence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Suspend your imagination for a minute and ask yourself if the description formed in your mind a work of art or, instead, a photograph of softcore pornography, found in such magazines as Hustler or Playboy?   Where this description is taken from will be disclosed later, but let us concern ourselves with a problem that this... ...ed them.   A person at the time looking at his works would recognize them as prostitutes, a fact that is less distinct today.   His display of the "product" in some cases, could be seen as propaganda against prostitution.   Hence, he had an intellectual, not a pornographic intent.  Ã‚   This debate will continue, and perhaps no end may come of it until viewers have understanding of the artist's intent.

Welcoming Country

Today, Many people in our society have faced many challenges whether it is because of their religion, gender, physical ability and sexual orientation. The United states has always prided themselves to be an open and welcoming country that does not judge one another on any basis. Under this administration the challenges that many immigrants are facing have become greater than ever. Hate crimes against the jewish people have been occurring way more frequently now. Many people in the United States have Xenophobia where they think their country, and their way of life is far superior than everyone else's, and when someone comes in from another country they tend to not accept them or even want to talk to them. Since 911 happened people tend to associate every muslim as a terrorist and they come here to this country to get the opportunities that everyone else has and they are not getting it because Islamophobia. Many young black teens are at a disadvantage because many schools have the zero tolerance policies that end up pushing them out of the school and into the juvenile and the criminal justice system instead of giving them a chance and help within the school system. The United States has come a long way over the years from slavery, and not letting women vote but many improvements can be made for us to truly become a country that accepts all people no matter if they're black, white a women or gay. Furthermore if this country wants a better future for their children then we have to work on these issues and have to become more open minded when it comes to immigrants, religion, women, and people who are gay that are in this country. Women have also gone through struggles facing discrimination because of gender. They have being doing the same job that men do but a lot of the time they do not get the same pay. It was not until the civil war that women were even allowed to work. Women were not hired for jobs that were considered jobs for males. In the 1960's women only occupied two percent of managerial positions. This showed that gender discriminations was still prevalent.This portrait that women had to accept jobs which did not require high skill nor get high pay. Even with all these issues women were strong and gathered in groups to fight these issues. In time, gender discrimination against women in the workforce has alleviated. In 1963 the equal pay act for women was passed meaning that men and women doing the same job had to get the same amount of pay or it was illegal. Groups like The National Organization of women were formed to help women get the same rights that men had like being able to play the same sports in college. Women are essential to society because they are just as capable as men and they have proved themselves in the workforce time and time again. An important reason why people come to this country is to be able to practice their religion freely and openly without any prohibition, harm or even trying to be oppressed . The founding fathers of our nation came to this country to practice their religion. Although, one of the roots of immigration into this country was the search for freedom of religion, many entities have been discriminated as a people. If we take a look at our history, we can find some examples. One of them is General Ulysses S. Grant who issued an order to take out the Jewish people from states Tennessee,Kentucky, and mississippi that were under his control. Most of the states in the U.S do not let people of the same sex marry. Within the last ten years states have been letting up, and are letting gays and lesbians marry each other under the law. These people have been discriminated since this country has been formed . When HIV first came out it was known as a â€Å"gay man's disease † meaning that you had to be gay to get that disease. Donald Trump and vice president Mike Pence do not believe in gay marriage and this is another barrier facing the LGBT community. They have been targeted and bullied in many schools around the country. Sexual discrimination was seen in the armed forces. Commanders used to launch what they called â€Å"witch hunts† to find gay troops and boot them out of the service. Many citizens that do not have the physical ability have been left behind and not taken care of the way they should be. These people for a long time and still today get bullied in school, have no friends, and do not get the support that they need and deserve to be able to do the things that they want. A lot of times these people get harassed in the workplace because they do not have the same ability as others. To help these people out the government passed a law called American with disabilities act to ensure that people with disabilities get proper accommodation in the workforce and also get protection under being fired just solely because they are disabled. I have learned a lot in the course. All the issues that this country is facing surrounding racism and people accepting one another for who they are and what they represent. I have also been exposed to many different things like people's cultures and the hardships that they face on a daily basis. The class has made me more aware of how deeply discrimination exists in our society, and the struggles that people have gone through to overcome make our country a more acceptable society. I learned that we have gains but still have a long way to go. After taking taking this class I have become a better person. Fixing these issues that society fights as a whole is not an easy task. In order to make changes with have to start with our young generations, and make it an empathize in the school systems to teach and focus on accepting one another no matter what the circumstances surrounding that person. Once we make the citizens aware that no matter what we believe, or how different we look, or whatever sexual orientation and gender we may be we are all part of the human race. If we make these social changes starting with our young children then this country will get back on track to fulfill its promise of being a nation which accepts everyone no matter color, race, gender. Furthermore we have to elect politicians that follows these ideologies that we are looking to have in this country. Many people in our society have faced many challenges whether it is because of their religion, gender, physical ability, and sexual orientation. This country has come a long way from discriminating against these groups but we still have a lot of work to do if we want this country to be fully accepting of everyone. A lot of these issues that we face as a culture need to be stopped from the top down. If the president can become more open and tolerant of others then that would be a major step in fixing this mess between different groups. What I have discussed in this essay about the current trend of racism, sexism and discrimination is not new, As the famous adage goes†History repeats itself†. At the founding of our american democracy with the Declaration of Independence (`1776) and the US Constitution (1789)all men were supposed to be equal under the law. However, women did not receive the right to vote until the year 1919 with the adoption of the 19th amendment of the constitution. Most states did not allow married women to keep their property until the beginning of the 20th century. Prior to the 29th century , women's legal status was that of chattel- they were the legal property of their Husbands and fathers. The few women from the late 19th century to the mid twentieth century who were able to get law degrees, medical and engineering degrees found themselves underemployed because employers did not want to hire women in these professions. It wasn't until the late 1970 that most states passed discriminations law to protect bias agent gender. Historically, Blacks have also been discriminated the legal and political system of our country. Although the 13th amendment ended slavery in 1865 and the 14th amendment (1868)guaranteed equal protection under the law for all persons, segregation and the denial of voting rights to blacks and other racial minorities persisted until the adoption of the federal voting rights in 1965. Discrimination in job hiring and access to housing was also rampant until the adoption of the Civil rights Acts in 1964. Historically, many different immigrant groups were discriminated and prevented from entering the United States. For example, the chinese exclusion act enacted in 1882 prohibited immigration of all chinese laborers even though –ironically– previous generations of chinese laborers were exploited to build the great railroad system that expanded the wealth and growth of the continental United States. Many of these laws were not repealed until after the second world war in 1948. Other ethnic groups (e.g. Irish and eastern europeans) had strict limited quotas for entry into the United States. Finally, protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation has only recently been enacted by only 24 states. There is still no federal civil rights protection based upon sexual orientation. Hence, for example, in the states of North Carolina and MIssissippi employers can fire or deny promotions to gay employees. We should remind ourselves of this history as we put into perspective the need to recognize and address the current problems of discrimination based on gender, race, ethnic origin and sexual orientation.

Dykeman Article Essay

Imagine studying divorce and the effects it has upon children. These kids act out as a result of aggression for many reasons, which include guilt, attention from the parents, and the inability to maintain a long-term relationship. They have lifelong issues, and do require some form of counseling, whether it is in the school or with social services in their state. According to the article, these youngsters and parents were subjects in a study to help determine how to help them through this transition in their life, and to help them become high functioning both in the school and home. What was found in the article is quite significant. According to an article in Newsweek, Peg Tyre believed that children, â€Å"feel strongly and intensely that their parents are polar opposites, even if they don’t fight. They feel they must take care of their parents rather than be taken care of. They feel loss and anger. They also feel their spiritual life is damaged because God’s image as a parent is painful for them† (2005). Dykeman agreed by saying that divorce effects a child’s emotional well-being and self-esteem as well can give them anxiety, depression, guilt, and at times aggression (2003). However, Heubusch says in regards to Stewarts study, â€Å"But it’s particularly damaging for children under age 9, and for children who are drawn directly into the hostility. There is a very direct relationship between children’s psychological well-being and that of their parents. When separation and divorce enhance parents’ well-being in very straightforward and direct ways, it’s reasonable to expect that children will benefit from the improvement† (1998). In regards to the research finding presented in the article, they are worth noting as well. Here is what they found. One, pre-referral intervention reduces the quantity of students put into a special education class for aggressiveness. Two, the school counselor plays a vital role in helping these students and families with coping in regards to divorce. Three, conflict theory is important in handling out aggression in children, who are going through divorce because it can help with problem solving skills, few incidents of hostility, and home behavior effects school behavior (Dykeman, 2003). However during the study, the researchers found that the child had more reasoning during that time period, according to â€Å"t(14) = 4. 294, p < . 01† (Dykeman, 2003). Another is that the child learned is that a decrease in verbal aggression as seen with â€Å"t(14) = 3. 623, p < . 01† (Dykeman, 2003). The researcher did experience limitations and assumptions with the study as it relates to statistics. Some limitations include that the researchers were not able to follow up as frequently after six months, such as a monthly basis. However, a decrease was found amongst the six month treatment to follow up in regards to verbal aggression by 3. 87, whereas prior it was 4. 87 times (Dykeman, 2003). Another significant finding is that prior to treatment, the child used physical aggression 1. 73 times, but afterwards, during the follow up, it was 1. 33 times. Another, is that teachers and researchers are subjective in their viewpoint, which can show up in a study as well. All students were required to partipate in their first semester of the school year. Many of them completed intervention within two months, but by the end of the school time had much improvement, which was seen by a 5. 40, and indicates improvement by â€Å"p < . 05† (Dykeman, 2003). The researchers, then assumed, that an â€Å"increased use of reasoning and reduced use of verbal aggression corresponded to improved behaviors in the classroom† (Dykeman, 2003). Another investigator also agrees with this issue by saying, â€Å"Most felt that they should have been consulted about visitation and dual residence decisions during the divorce† (Siatis, 1997). This study showed that making assumptions about what has happened in a child’s life are at times beneficial because it helps them study in more depth ways to help them through their ordeal. The individuals can become subjective, but in their study, it showed a lot of objectivity, and what Dykeman did actually worked both for the children and school setting by teaching them the necessary skills possible to cope with their divorce situation in the home. Last, no evidence is shown of the parents involvement with their children because they too would have impacted the study on how they have coped, whether it was positive or negative. All the reader finds out is about mainly the researchers and the teachers. This too can hinder the results of a study by not including everyone that had a part in the family, who was going through the divorce. Children learn best when taught ways to cope with divorce. The Dyekman study proves that it can occur, especially with pre-treatment and follow up. These individuals were taught ways to reason, which was probably changing their negative thinking to positive at the time too. The students’ teachers were also involved by giving observations in the classroom in regards to improvement or not, which also made a difference in how he or she completed their school work, and acted in the home, which is an excellent positive result. This gave the study a third party involved in monitoring the behavior of the kids, which made an optimistic outcome for everyone involved. References Dykeman, B. F. (March 2003). The Effects of Family Conflict Resolution on Children’s Classroom Behavior. Journal of Instructional Psychology . Heubusch, K. (1998, January). Divorced From Reality. Retrieved February 2009, 23, from Gale: Siatis, P. C. (1997, Augusst). Divorce Has Lasting Effects on Children, Study Says. Retrieved February 2009, 23, from Gale Group: . Tyre, P. (2005, October 24). Fast Chat: The Secret Pain of Divorce. Retrieved February 23, 2009, from Gale: http://find. galegroup. com/ips/start. do? prodId=IPS

Problem on Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is one of the biggest problems facing our schools and businesses today. A week rarely goes by without a reminder of the pervasiveness of sexual harassment as a social problem. Sexual harassment is a growing problem in the government agencies, schools, and the corporations of the world; however, many corporations are now adopting new anti-harassment policies. (Conta) The definition of sexual harassment is any unwanted or inappropriate sexual attention. That includes touching, looks, comments, or gestures. A key part of sexual harassment is that it is one sided and unwanted. There is a great difference between sexual arassment and romance or friendship, since those are mutual feelings of two people. Often sexual harassment makes the victim feel guilty, but it is important for the victim to remember that it is not their fault, the fault lies totally on the person who is the harasser. Many times fear is involved in sexual harassment because it isn't about physical attraction, it's about power. In fact, many sexual harassment incidents take place when one person is in a position of power over the other; or when a woman has an untraditional job such as a police officer, factory worker, business executive, or ny other traditionally male job. Typical victims of harassment are young, single, college-educated, members of a minority racial or ethnic group (if male), in a trainee position (or office/ clerical positions if male), or have an immediate supervisor of the opposite Presently, it is hard for courts and others to decide when sexual harassment has taken place because the definition of sexual harassment is much too broad. Clearing up the legal definition of sexual harassment would discourage and punish harassers and bring comfort to the victims. Here are some points to remember in deciding hen sexual harassment takes place: Sexual harassment is one-sided and * It is about power and not attraction. * Subtle sexual behavior is sometimes socially acceptable, but some would consider it offensive and want it stopped. * Moderate sexual behavior is not socially acceptable, reasonable * Severe sexual behavior is never acceptable. (Swisher 28) Sexual harassment is a major problem in public schools, colleges, and universities. Surveys on college campuses show the number of respondents reporting to have been sexually harassed ranging from 40-70 percent. Only two percent of campus harassment ases involve a professor demanding sex in return for a good grade. Most cases involve male and female students. In public schools current sexual harassment definitions are inappropriate, since bad sexual behavior of today's children isn't sexual harassment, but it is a reflection of the vulgar, violent, and the sexually explicit nature of our media and culture. When little six-year-old children get suspended from school for kissing girls on the cheek, it is not an example of sexual harassment but of political Sexual harassment is still a big problem in schools and every school district in Washington now has an antiharassment policy. Junior high or middle school has the biggest problem with sexual harassment mainly because of their immaturity and out-of-control hormones†. Says Viki Simmons of the YWCA. â€Å"Many times in high school, students don't think anything about it when harassment happens, but schools are now cracking down on it†. Simmons interview) In the business world employers are now on notice that sexual harassment will no longer be tolerated in the workplace. Claims brought against alleged harassers include wrongful termination, invasion of privacy, violation of due process and free speech rights, efamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Sexual harassment usually happens to women in low-paying jobs, or women that have to have a job in order to support themselves and children. If sexual harassment happens at work, write down a detailed description of what took place, so that it is well recorded and you don't have to think back to the incident. You should keep a note pad handy for this purpose, or write it on a napkin to help you * What actually took place and what the offender said Another way to do this is to write a letter to the harasser. Be sure to keep a copy. Tell the person clearly in the letter that his behavior toward you is unwanted. Tell the person that he will be reported if the behavior doesn't stop (Kolbert). According to the research group Catalyst, recent studies have found that 40 percent to 60 percent of woman say they have been harassed sometime in their Employers have a duty to investigate allegations of sexual harassment, and their employees have a legitimate interest in knowing what activities could result in their termination. Ever clearer definitions of sexual harassment are being implemented by more and more corporations around the country. As this happens, an ncreasing number of companies are searching for new ways of protecting themselves against allegations, adopting their own anti- harassment policies to combat this growing problem. CEO's should do a variety of things to stop sexual harassment in the work place. The most important thing is senior management makes it clear to workers that harassment in any form won't be tolerated. If top managers don' take the issues seriously, employees won't either. Managers must also understand they are responsible for their Companies need an explicit written policy on sexual harassment that is widely available in the workplace. Most consultants advise companies to do more than just post the policy on bulletin boards. They should distribute it company wide, repeatedly. Copies should be included in new employee orientation packets. Employees should have clear definitions of what sexual harassment is Many companies are now offering employee training sessions on sexual harassment, and many say that follow up training is a good idea. Training programs should include all employees, rather than just managers. The tone should be gender neutral and avoid heavy discussions on male harassment that might cause some resentment among the male employees. Many times programs aren't effective because they spend a lot of time just attacking men and not the crime. Companies need a good system to deal with complaints. A clear process for handling complaints shows that a company takes them seriously. Until 1991 it was harder for woman to make allegations of sexual harassment, since woman felt like there was nothing that they could do about it. But the highly publicized hearings of Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill in 1991 changed everything. During the fall of 1991, the subject of sexual harassment grabbed news headlines. Everyone began discussing this issue and motions ran high. Judge Clarence Thomas was nominated to be a Supreme Court Justice, which is America's highest court, and Supreme Court Justices have their jobs for life. They cannot be fired. Before a person can be made a Justice, he or she must be questioned and Judge Thomas was ounce the head of a U. S. agency called the EEOC. The EEOC makes sure everyone is treated fairly when applying for a job. It also enforces laws against sexual harassment. Anita Hill is a law professor who worked with Judge Thomas at the EEOC many years ago. A few weeks into the Congressional Questioning she came orward and accused Thomas of sexual harassment. She claimed that he used to constantly ask her for dates and spoke to her about pornographic films he had seen. Anita Hill said that she was deeply offended by these remarks but felt that she could not complain. Clarence Thomas was her boss, and she thought that her career could be Anita Hill was a very believable witness. But Judge Thomas denied her charges in the strongest possible terms. Who was telling the truth? The country was divided. But the issue was being discussed everywhere. Women from all across the nation told of their experiences with sexual harassment. And many men admitted being Finally, the senate voted to approve Judge Thomas. But the vote was close. Many senators had doubts about Thomas's character. Others did not the, Thomas's career should be destroyed because of one person's story. They said there was not enough evidence to prove there was wrongdoing. In the end, everyone agreed that sexual harassment is a serious problem everyone must become more sensitive It's important to know that men have trouble too. Women are not the only victims of sexual harassment. More and more men are being harassed in the workplace, classrooms, and locker rooms. Whoever is in the position of power tends to be the harasser. Men can be victims of both woman and other men Sexual harassment is very wide spread, but there are ways of avoiding it, such as: Keeping everything strictly on a business level. If working in the same room as the harasser, create a barrier between the two work stations with a desk or file cabinet, etc. Do not ask for personal favors or special treatment from the harasser so that he won't feel he is owed anything. Do not talk about anything personal. Sexual harassment is always wrong. No one deserves it. And it is always hurtful to the victim.

Kiva Instead

Instead, informal systems and relationships, including loans from neighbors or relatives, and rotating savings/ credit clubs, have filled this gap. While such solutions have worked for some and are often the only option available, they can be inconsistent and unreliable during times of tremendous need. In addition, poor entrepreneurs can become trapped in vicious cycles of borrowing from local moneylenders, who may demand exorbitant interest rates.Traditionally, banks were unwilling to provide loans to poor entrepreneurs due to the perceived risk. Common concerns included the fact that the unbanked were often illiterate, had no collateral, no prior credit history, and were not employed by anyone other than themselves. However, in 1976, Muhammad Yunus, seen by many s the visionary behind the microfinance movement, bucked conventional wisdom and loaned the equivalent of $27 of his own money to 1 This section is excerpted and modified from the Stanford 6SB case: Equity Bank (A), case no .E-260. Bethany Coates prepared this case under the supervision of Professor Garth Saloner as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright 2008 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, e-mail the Case Writing Office at: [email  protected] stanford. du or write: Case Writing Office, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 518 Memorial Way, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5015. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means † electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or 0th the Stantord Graduate School of Business. Kiva E-288 erwise wit hout the permission ot some poor craftsmen in Jobra, Bangladesh.After all of the borrowers repaid, he repeated the experiment with more villages, and over the years, grew his series of xperiments into a multibillion dollar bank that has provided small loans to over 5 million people worldwide. Years later, Yunus noted, â€Å"At Grameen, we don't have any legal instrument between the lender and the borrower†¦. Everybody asks, What will happen if nobody pays back? I say, ‘But everybody pays back, so why should I worry about Grameen Bank charged 20 percent interest and reinvested all but 10 percent of earnings back into its operations.As Grameen grew, other leading microfinance institutions (MFIs), including ACCION International and Opportunity International, began to emerge and based their work on the same old ideas as Yunus: that the poor could reliably repay their loans, with interest, and could use the profits to grow their businesses. Mission-driven, nonprofit MFIs also entered the market. These organizations tended to pursue very rural or otherwise unreachable clients, even at great cost. They were ab le to provide financial services, including credit, tailored to the unique needs and limitations of the poor.