The Global South Water Crisis Analysis Environmental Sciences Essay

Water is humankind ‘s most basic necessity. Approximately one in eight people are without entree to clean, safe imbibing H2O ( JMP 2008:56 ) . The H2O crisis of the planetary South — Buenos Aires, Jakarta and Cebu in peculiar — is a complex, locally defined and combative issue ; debates about whether H2O is a public human right or a in private owned consumer trade good are taking precedence in development discourse on the international phase. Built-in to this issue is a historic power relationship between the West — Europe, Canada and the US — and these aforementioned planetary South states in which the former has tended to profit at the latter ‘s disbursal. Yet the inquiry of bureau still remains: who has non merely the power, but the willingness to ordain alteration? Many Canadians have a minimum consciousness of the perpetuating H2O crisis, yet it is a common misconception that a solution lies non in the custodies of single agents, but national leaders. Until late, I held similar beliefs. While analyzing the quality of assorted H2O beginnings with a local concern, I realized that much of our society is to the full reliant on bottled H2O and that, most significantly, the sum of money spent on the added convenience could be used to assist extenuate the annihilating effects of this H2O deficit. First, this paper examines the current conditions of the crisis by detecting Nigeria, India and China. To be clear, H2O â€Å" crisis † refers to a deficiency of handiness, an inadequate or non-existent public supply web, and taint, all lending to a deficit of safe imbibing H2O. Furthermore, after analysing the ignored potency for Western multinational corporations ( TNCs ) to relieve the state of affairs in Buenos Aires, Jakarta and Cebu, and so rese arching the extent of H2O ingestion in the West, it becomes apparent that there is an chance for Canadians to lend to a solution. Before foregrounding this single bureau, it is necessary to get down by depicting some of the current conditions inherent to the H2O crisis. Although conditions vary and each instance in itself can non supply a entire representation, the illustration of Lagos, Nigeria demonstrates colonial and political hindrances ; Imphal, India reveals the troubles of supply and intervention ; and China provides penetration into the effects of pollution. First, the metropolis of Lagos — although the largest in sub-Saharan Africa — is plagued by a low quality of life and an unequal supply of H2O services despite economic growing ( Gandy 2006:371-72 ) . Sections of the deteriorating substructure, such as the absence of a working public sewage web, are chief subscribers to this issue of H2O handiness ( ibid:372 ) . Although non the lone cause, it can be traced in portion to a colonial history. As a prevailing trade Centre in West Africa, European presence left a permanent impact vis-a-vis a contrast in life criterions between colonial elites and the African bulk in Lagos who were non even considered portion of â€Å" the populace † ( ibid:375, 377 ) . British decision makers neglected the malignant urban conditions by concentrating on bettering affluent countries alternatively, proposing that these issues resulted from public upset instead than a deficiency of accountable policy enterprises ( ibid:375-76 ) . Such in equality was heightened in 1949 when colonial leaders responded to increased H2O deficits with limitations on the African population, forestalling them from rinsing and other everyday activities ( ibid:377 ) . Finally, merely 10 per centum of homes were left with direct entree to the municipal H2O system ( ibid:378 ) . Most devastating of all were the power structures set in topographic point by colonial swayers, which over clip have come to bring forth the bequest of a weak African province ( Gandy 2006:372 ) . With a high degree of national debt, local capacity to change by reversal the paralyzing effects of the H2O deficit are limited ( Biswas 2005:234 ) . Despite being the top industrial Centre of Nigeria after independency, the crisis was so permeant that it forced local industries to pass 20 per centum of their capital on buying their ain H2O ( Gandy 2006:381 ) . A current bastard and independent authorities unable to react to the demand for investing, coupled with disabling economic and cultural hindrances inherited from a dark colonial yesteryear, has been one of many subscribers supplying the evidences for the H2O crisis to go a powerful force. The fact that reconstituting this post-colonial system in locations like Lagos has non succeeded, unluckily, is partially due to an academic discou rse which lacks critical penetration into the nature of current conditions in Africa and beyond ( ibid:372 ) . Second, the state of affairs in Imphal, India provides an first-class presentation of jobs associated with H2O supply and intervention. Although moderate-sized metropoliss like Imphal are frequently ignored in current literature on the crisis, the atrociousnesss are merely as important ( Anthony 2007:224 ) . Harmonizing to the World Bank, scarce supplies and unjust monetary values have remained unchanged over the past three decennaries ( ibid ) . Of the legion substructure jobs confronting developing states, a deficiency of safe imbibing H2O is the hardest to decide ( ibid:223 ) . In a study conducted in Imphal, 50 per centum of families â€Å" spent more than a fifth of their income on H2O † ( ibid:229 ) . As supported by the aforesaid instance of Lagos, elites frequently have personal inducement in keep backing such a necessity ( ibid:224 ) . To supply a little cross-section of the fortunes, the beginnings, quality and handiness of H2O in Imphal will be considered. Refering the assorted beginnings of H2O that locals rely on where the public web is deficient, those with private connexions merely have entree for no more than three hours each twenty-four hours with unequal commissariats for storage, and those trusting on private or neighbourhood pools face dry seasons that greatly affect their supply ( Anthony 2007:228 ) . Water intervention workss lack the equipment to efficaciously supervise the quality of H2O, and since storage armored combat vehicles are non protected, taint is a major reverse ( ibid:234 ) . Both pool and piped H2O beginnings — although piped H2O is â€Å" treated † ab initio — normally have to be filtered by families to guarantee imbibing quality ( ibid:230 ) . The handiness of H2O, particularly refering the piped H2O system, is dependent on the location and income of families, although merely half of those designed to have entree do ( ibid ) . Third, to supply another illustration, China represents the dangers of pollution. Seventy per centum of river H2O in China is undrinkable as a consequence of taint from industrial waste, sewerage and agricultural chemicals ( Wu 2006:35 ) . The longest river in China, the Yangtze, is merely 28 per centum beverage, cutting through the most thickly settled countries and transporting waste H2O along with it ( ibid ) . At the present rate, harmonizing to Robin Clarke of World Climate News, an tremendous impact will be felt in the signifier of both nutrient deficits and a damaged universe ecology ( Coles 2005:14 ) . With astonishing effects, there is no denying the extent of the job ; nevertheless, the existent issue that needs to be addressed is the demand for a solution — investing. Now that some of the H2O crisis ‘ conditions have been identified, it is important to discourse the combative procedure of declaration. Although there are many prospective responses, including revamping dysfunctional political and economic constructions, one of the most common is that of investing. To do sense of the manner in which development organisations and Western histrions have participated, the influence of TNCs will be discussed, followed by specific surveies from Buenos Aires, Jakarta and Cebu. First, one must understand the connexion between the discourse on H2O denationalization in the alleged development universe and the function of TNCs. In 1992, the Dublin Conference on Water and Environment provoked a monumental alteration in the definition of H2O, labelling it foremost and foremost an economic good, while keeping that it was a human right ( Robbins 2003:1076-77 ) . With many developing provinces being unable to supply the substructure necessary for providing equal H2O and disregarding its economic value, the international development community deemed their actions both a failure and the cause of the crisis, governing that the World Bank, every bit good as other development bureaus, would alternatively go responsible for pull offing H2O as a private trade good ( ibid:1074, 1076 ) . Their primary agents, so, would be TNCs. Harmonizing to both the World Bank and former UN Commission on Trade and Development ( UNCTAD ) Secretary General Kenneth Dadzie, H2O must be suppli ed by agencies of denationalization, non the populace sector ( ibid:1077 ) . To keep an indifferent position, there are two sides to this argument to see. Those recommending for the private direction of H2O resources adopt the neoclassical economic attack by reasoning that shooting foreign direct investing into these â€Å" struggling † economic systems will supply additions for both participants ; in their eyes, mobilising the private sector is the lone solution to guaranting that public demands are met ( Robbins 2003:1074-75 ) . In contrast, local communities criticize TNCs for non merely being profit-seeking, implementing services to the disadvantage of the hapless, but besides for commanding denationalization as an oligopoly of a few corporations ( ibid:1074, 1076 ) . The issue that H2O is a human right that should be without cost besides comes into inquiry ( Anthony 2007:225 ) . Nevertheless, in utilizing Foucault ‘s construct of power, it is incontestable that TNCs use their planetary prominence to sell the apparently opposing thoughts of d evelopment and sustainability as one and the same ( Robbins 2003:1076 ) . Now that the phase has been set in supplying the background for this denationalization discourse, detecting a few instance surveies will be helpful in measuring the effectivity and influence of TNCs in the procedure of deciding the H2O crisis. With a important diminution in foreign assistance since the 1980s, TNCs are now considered the armory of development agents, foreign domestic investing being the quintessential ingredient for economic stimulation ( Fisher and Urich 2001:7-8 ) . Harmonizing to Anthony ( 2007:224 ) , the denationalization of H2O takes two different signifiers: either a complete coup d'etat by private companies, or a private-public cooperation. The undermentioned instances will uncover both the pros and cons of these options. First, the illustration of Buenos Aires describes the work of Suez, a TNC among the first one 100 of the Fortune Global 500 ( Robbins 2003:1075 ) . After doing a contract with local private H2O company Aguas Argentinas, Suez created a figure of policies refering the supply of H2O ( ibid:1078 ) . Ignoring occupants busying ownerless land, the company expanded H2O connexions by bear downing clients six hundred dollars and metering their use, coercing the hapless to pay more and doing connexions unaffordable ( ibid ) . Although Suez promoted their concern as â€Å" pro hapless † by widening entree to four destitute countries antecedently unconnected, â€Å" bettering † the life conditions, their successful â€Å" mean 19 per centum rate of return † during the first five old ages ended in 2002 with economic prostration ( ibid ) . Despite initial advancement being made, Suez counted the venture as a $ 200 million failure, finally showing their profit-oriented mentalit y ( ibid ) . Second, Suez ‘s work can besides be traced to a contract made with the Jakarta H2O service in 1997 ( Robbins 2003:1079 ) . They established 31 per centum more H2O connexions than had existed antecedently in a metropolis with half of its population life in the slums, yet those who benefited the most from this enlargement were from â€Å" really modest countries † ( ibid ) . It is of import to observe that although some perceive policies that are advantageous to the wealthy as negative, one must follow a wide position by every bit sing how both the hapless and rich are affected. However, despite new connexions being established, it did non intend that more hapless dwellers received running H2O ; on the contrary, most of them still relied on street sellers, with 70 per centum still without entree ( ibid ) . Local reaction to the Suez intercession came in the signifier of environmental and student protests, kicking about increased monetary values and a 48 per centum H2O esca pe ( ibid ) . An applied scientist from the public system claimed that the company â€Å" robbed everything [ they ] had, † and critics of denationalization emphasized Suez ‘s inefficiency every bit good as their deficiency of desire to convey betterment to the full system ( ibid ) . Third, in 1995 in Cebu, the Alliance — another TNC — proposed the Bohol-Cebu Water Supply Project aimed at both supplying H2O for under-supplied Cebu and well-needed gross for Bohol ( Fisher and Urich 2001:9-10 ) . Hazards were high — of the major concerns were happening a significant H2O beginning to pull from, covering with deposit and human waste saturating the H2O tabular array, and shrieking within a seismically active zone ( ibid:10 ) . Despite these factors, the Alliance promoted the â€Å" great investing † while disregarding intervention criterions and puting the authorities responsible for temblor hazards ( ibid ) . Sing themselves as â€Å" experts † in understanding the positive results, the company neglected the rights of stakeholders — including involvement groups — and the local populace to cognize how the undertaking would impact them, avoided their input and failed to utilize linguistic communication that would be unde rstood by all, finally bring forthing a deep misgiving ( ibid:11-12 ) . As a consequence, analysts declared that although TNCs have a immense function to play, economic involvements will ever endanger to acquire in the manner of environmental and societal demands ( ibid:17 ) . Whether one considers accomplishments or focuses on local resistance to denationalization, it has by and large resulted in more failures than success ( Anthony 2007:226 ) . The extent of the job was summarized in 2003 when Suez announced that they were retreating investing from â€Å" poorer † states and discontinuing to supply it in the hereafter due to high instability and a deficiency of short term returns ( Robbins 2003:1080 ) . Planing to recover the losingss accumulated as a consequence of these â€Å" Third World failures, † they declared a displacement in investing towards the â€Å" soundest † markets of the West — including Europe and North America — unless the IMF and World Bank could minimise hazards ( ibid ) . But it was non Suez entirely that adopted this stance ; most H2O companies held similar concerns about low rates of return in states of the â€Å" Third World, † being unable to trust on the hapless to supply gross ( ibid:1 080-81 ) . Although this is debatable for establishments like the World Bank who guarantee that the denationalization of H2O is the lone solution, TNCs are expressed about where their motivations lie: no net income means no investing ( ibid:1081 ) . European and North American TNCs have helped determine this procedure of relief, yet after neglecting to perpetrate to doing a permanent impact, the inquiry of where this investing will come from becomes pertinent. Although there are ever other options to see, one such solution Centres on the single bureau of Canadians. To analyse this, it is of import to first observe the extent of H2O ingestion in Canada and the West, followed by how persons can proactively react to the H2O crisis. With UN Millennium Development Goals taking to cut the unavailability of H2O by 50 per centum by 2015, any benefits from TNC denationalization — to whatever extent they provide them — are non plenty to replace the demand for assistance ( Cain and Gleick 2005:79 ; Peter and Urich 2001:17 ) . For those keeping authoritiess responsible, states have contributed a meagre 0.4 per centum of their gross national income to development aid on norm ( Cain and Gleick 2005:80 ) . Harmonizing to Cain and Gleick ( ibid:81 ) , consumers spend about $ 100 billion each twelvemonth on bottled H2O for gustatory sensation and convenience — probably less than the cost needed to supply H2O services — when tap H2O is 100s of times cheaper every bit good as normally safe for imbibing. Bringing these facts together, Canadian persons have the possible to take portion in planetary development, giving the â€Å" convenience † of the bottled trade good and lending the ensuing nest eggs to assist relieve the H2O crisis by run intoing the demand for assistance. Some undertakings such as LifeStraw fund the usage of instant microbiological purifiers to supply efficient H2O intervention for contaminated beginnings ( Vestergaard Frandsen 2011 ) . Others, The Water Project in peculiar, construct Wellss that supply safe imbibing H2O ; ten dollars gives H2O to one individual for 10 old ages ( The Water Project 2010 ) . Either manner, chances exist to change over Western ingestion into significant solutions. The H2O crisis is clearly non simplistic, easy to understand, or discernible on a individual degree, but instead, it plays out in many ways, with conditions changing depending on states ‘ political, cultural and economic characteristics. What can be analyzed is the extent to which Western TNCs have attempted to relieve these atrociousnesss by concentrating on investing through H2O denationalization ; unluckily, although non universally, most have chosen economic net incomes in leu of supplying basic human demands. There is a hope, so, that Canadian persons can enlist themselves as agents of alteration, giving some of their ain stuff amenitiess. By lending these nest eggs as a signifier of assistance, Canadians can rethink the manner they take for granted the luxuries of running H2O. As in most instances in development surveies, the first measure is to understand the many-sided nature of a argument. One can recognize that there will ever be differing positions based on the facts , with no right reply or perfect solution. Of greater importance, nevertheless, is that when persons learn to follow this critical oculus, they can no longer claim that Western â€Å" expertness † and methodological analysis is superior. Furthermore, disclosure demands application — conveying consciousness to non merely a freshly discovered duty as agents to run into these cosmopolitan demands, but a duty as members of a planetary community.

Americanization in Poland

These days in Poland we can notice that the process of Americanization has proceeded. Every step we take, we face the influence of the American culture in our country and it does not surprise anybody or we do not even surmise that we take part in this phenomenon. Firstly, I have noticed that more than 90% of the music I listen to is in English. Even if the bands come from Sweden or Hungary the lyrics of their songs are still in English, usually in American English. Some people say that it overshadows Polish music a bit but it also makes us study the language to understand foreign lyrics. What is more, most of the movies I watch are American. They are from Hollywood and the cast of each movie is also American. It makes our national movies look a bit poorer than these from the USA but we have to admit that some of the American motion pictures are astonishing. However, really bad tendency is that we eat more and more junk food. Fast-foods are tasty but really unhealthy, full of carbohydrates and fats which in too big amounts can be dangerous for our lives. All in all, the phenomenon of Americanization is present in Poland. Its’ influence on our culture is huge but we can not define it as unequivocally good or unequivocally bad. It has a lot of good aspects but also many disadvantages. Tomasz Tomaszewski photo exhibition â€Å"Rzut beretem† Every young person who likes photography should visit the photo exhibition of Tomasz Tomaszewski called â€Å"Rzut beretem† which can be seen in CK Zamek in PoznaÅ„ from the 6th to the 26th of February, 2009. It is the summary of all the photographer’s work that he did in 2008 when he was traveling around Poland. As soon as we enter the hall of CK Zamek, we can notice that all the photographs are black and white. That discoloration was done deliberately to make the photos look more amazing and to present the topic of the exhibition as best as possible. All of the 60 most interesting photographer’s pictures show the forgotten places in Poland such as old villages, homesteads, etc. It refers to the name of the exhibition, which means that the places shown on the pictures seem to people who live in the city to be far away from them but the truth is that they are nearby being undiscovered and underestimated. Photographs presented on the exhibition are of incredibly high quality, the contrast is also high and the frames are considered, they were not made accidentally but to present the photographer’s point of view. I recommend this exhibition to every young people interested in photography. â€Å"Rzut beretem† is worth seeing it to discover the forgotten and underestimated places in Poland.

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U.S. Imperialism In 20th Essay The United States’ first attempt at imperial expansion can be traced back to 1898. Feeling the effects of economic recession and depression up to 1897, many felt the future security of the U. S. capitalist system rested heavily on expansion, not only on the North American continent but even into the Caribbean, Hawaii and Asia. Given the United States’ agenda to expand its territorial boundaries their involvement in Cuba, beginning at the Spanish-Cuban-American war, comes as no surprise. The implications of the United States’ involvement in Cuba, however, have been quite considerable. The argument that the U. S. imperialism was the primary cause of the Cuban Revolution of 1959, therefore, bares some amount of weight. The United States’ presence in Cuba, the de facto power they wielded over that country’s economy and politics, was one of the major forces that drove the Cuban people to rebellion and fuelled the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro. 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According to Spalding this struggle â€Å"represented a class war as well as an anti-colonial and anti-imperialist one. † The struggle between the European colonial power and its colony was heated but up to 1898 seemed no where near resolution. Popular sentiments among the United States populace were that U. S. intervention in the struggle between Spain and Cuba was necessary. Simons argues that the United States’ perspective was that â€Å"the Spanish presence in the Western hemisphere was an impediment to economic expansion of the US. † It is with this that the United States entered the struggle. The Cuban people of course may have assumed that U. S. intervention in the war had no strings attached. But the U. S. government saw such intervention as a way of advancing its â€Å"Manifest Destiny. † As Cordero highlights â€Å"†¦ the principle of Manifest Destiny and the pursuit of economic expansion made Cuba a target of opportunity. † Lazo believes that U. S. involvement in other nations’ affairs is inevitable because of â€Å"the great power which it wields by virtue of its prestige, wealth, and strength† . At the time of the Spanish-Cuban war, the U. S. was just rising to super-powerdom and thus successfully defending Cuba against its imperial aggressor was an unavoidable move by the U. S. government. The economic and political power that the United States wielded over the Cuban economy subsequent to the Spanish-Cuban-American war of 1898 is probably the most significant factor that contributed not only to the 1959 revolution, but to the other failed revolutionary attempts prior to 1959. After successfully winning the war for the Cubans, the United States, on paper, promised political freedom to the Cubans. This, however, was not practiced in principle and did not prevent the United States attempting economic expansion on the island. In fact, one of the United States’ first order of business in Cuba was to open up the Cuban economy to U. S. investors. Additionally, even though the U. S. turned over political rule to the locals, they maintained a strong influential hold over the leadership of the country. As a matter of fact, the U. S. ’ political influence was so strong that after their approved candidate lost elections the Platt Amendment was imposed as a condition for independence. Therefore, though the U. S. government was not successful in maintaining direct control of the local government, they were able to control the island’s foreign relations via this new plan. The Platt Amendment gave the U. S. the final say in foreign related issues. This meant that the country could not independently enter into foreign treaties or borrow on the international capital market. Above every other provision of the Platt Amendment was the unilateral right the U. S. took to intervene militarily in Cuba whenever it saw fit. Essentially all these provisions meant that, even though the United States did not exercise direct control of the island in the political arena, in terms of foreign affairs, militarily and economically the U. S. had a tremendous amount of control over the island. Ibarra, in the first chapter entitled â€Å"Finance Capital and Economic Structures of the Republic,† demonstrates how critical U. S. investments became to the Cuban economy. With the boom in the sugar industry in the 1920s a number of U. S. investors were attracted to the Cuban agricultural economy specifically as it relates to sugar production and export. During the period of greatest economic prosperity for the sugar industry a number of U. S. investors offered reasonable prices to Cuban plantation owners. Unwilling to resist these attractive rates, many planters quickly transferred their property to U. S. investors. Overtime U. S. investors controlled a significant portion of the country’s economy. Ibarra mentions the increasing importance of â€Å"U. S. investments in all sectors of the Cuban economy, agricultural exports, transportation, banking, utilities, and industry. † This economic control severely hindered the island’s economic development as, not only were local planters unable to compete with the U. S. investors, but the Cubans at the lower class found themselves to be benefiting very little from the growing sugar industry. When the price of sugar began to fall in the early 1930s because of international shifts in the demand and price of sugar, the country suffered even further. It is therefore not surprising that, with the growing economic downturn in the country, the population became increasingly disgruntled with the status quo. In their struggles for independence against Spain they had cried for a free Cuba ? Cuba Libre! What they got instead was a substitution. They were traded one imperialist power for a next. In the same way that Spain had exploited the country’s prospering sugar industry and reaped the profits without it filtering down to the masses that needed it the most, so the economic presence of the Americans in Cuba did nothing to improve the situation. The American policy of opening up the country’s economy to U. S. investors, and the later disgruntlement with the diminishing returns that were being filtered into the island from these investments contributed significantly to increasing calls for not only political but also economic and military independence.

The Psychology in African American Essay Example for Free

The Psychology in African American Essay ?Over the last 500 years, our country has established and battled one of the largest socio-tragedies known to man: racism. While this pestilent issue has affected many ethnic groups, the most publicly known is the racial discrimination concerning African Americans. By my reasoning, along with many sociologists and psychologists, racism is the root cause of African American race socialization. Race socialization is the theory of verbal and non-verbal messages being transmitted to specific ethnic groups for the positive or negative development of behaviors, philosophies, morals, and attitudes concerning the significance and importance of racial stratification, intergroup interactions, and personal and group identity. The timespan in which I will be surveying connects milestones of race socialization with many of the most significant moments in United States history. The primary sources I will be using as support for this paper will be several works by W. E. B. Du Bois1 and a book by Dr. Faye Belgrave entitled African American Psychology: From Africa to America2. The psychological effect that racism and race socialization has had on African Americans is more than apparent not only through texts written by various sociologists and psychologists, but also throughout history. I will focus on a specific fifty-year span when race socialization took effect, racism was socially acceptable and ultimately racism was combatted. It is my purpose in this paper to discuss, examine and determine the psychological effect that racism and race socialization has had on American citizens of African descent between the timespan of 1870 to 1970. To better recognize the psychology behind African American race socialization, the idea of racism has to be understood. Racism is the belief that all members of each race possess the same characteristics and abilities. Racism came about when the Caucasian race felt superior to other ethnic groups and began categorizing them by their combined racial and ethnic traits. The problem with the categorization is that race and ethnicity are not the same thing3. Racism uses ethnic traits and forces them onto a group of people as their â€Å"race†. Ethnicity is considered to be similar cultural factors like nationality, culture, ancestry and language. While race is comparable physical appearances like skin, eyes, hair and jawbone structure. Combining these two factors and using them against people who appear to be similar is exactly where racism stems4. Another strong belief is that racism plays on the weaknesses and self esteem of the targeted group. In Dr. Faye Belgrave’s book African American Psychology: From Africa to America, she discusses how racism and racial identity are directly influenced by the Western ideology of self-esteem. Dr. Belgrave concludes that racism, in regards to anyone of African descent, should not be defined by Western ideologies because they are not of Western descent. This is explained on page 11 of her book5. In understanding what self-esteem is from an African as well as a Western perspective, one must understand the difference between Western and African conceptions of the self. Using a Western definition, self-esteem can be defined as a feeling of liking and regard for one’s self. From an Africentric perspective, the personal self is indistinguishable from the self that is derived from membership in the African community (Nobles, 1991). Therefore, one’s affiliation to one’s group defines one’s view of self. The African proverb, â€Å"I am because we are and we are because I am,† characterizes this notion of the self. Thus, the self-esteem of people of African descent may be different from that of Whites, and it also may function differently for African Americans than for Whites. Dr. Belgrave continues her thoughts on self-esteem and the many other factors that contribute to racism in chapter 9 of her book. It is the belief of many that racism is a part of human nature. I, however, believe that to be untrue because it is well known that the terms â€Å"race† and â€Å"racism† are modern inventions originating from the 1500s. Racism has historically been used as a form of oppression to make a particular group feel inferior because of a difference in inherited characteristics. The Civil War6 abolished slavery and struck a great blow to racism. But racism itself wasn’t abolished. Just as racism was created to justify slavery in the colonies, racism as an ideology was modernized and since majority of blacks still remained in the South, this affected the entire race. It now no longer warranted the enslavement of blacks, but it justified second-class status for blacks as inferior individuals. Racism also remained one of the main ways that the upper class used to keep colored and white workers divided. After the Civil War, Southern legislatures commenced the business of determining the social status of freedmen. Some laws, known as the Black Codes7, granted to freedmen were legally recognized marriages, the right to own and sell property, and the ability to enter into business relationships. However, in most cases the black codes also prohibited African Americans from serving on juries, providing legal testimony and the right to an equal education. The codes also outlawed interracial marriage and created segregated public facilities. The codes prohibited younger African Americans from associating with any white peers. This meant that their so-called education was of a severely lesser quality. Historians believe that one of the main reasons why Southern legislatures shied away from granting educational opportunities for blacks wasn’t because of ambiguous racism but because historians saw the African factor†8 as the difference between success and failure. This suggested that the white’s racist view undermined any motivation for national unification through mass education. Well-known sociologist, W. E. B. Du Bois believed that the overall shortcomings of the black race fell entirely on the fact that blacks were not given the same opportunities as whites and it affected the psyches of each member of the targeted group. In an essay by Du Bois entitled â€Å"Race Intelligence†9 Du Bois discusses the psychological effect of racism on younger African Americans: Then came the psychology: the children of the public schools were studied and it was discovered that some colored children ranked lower than white children. This gave wide satisfaction even though it was pointed out that the average included most of both races and that considering the educational opportunities and social environment of the races the differences were measurements simply of the ignorance and poverty of the black childs surroundings. 10 Du Bois spent majority of his career observing the sociological factors surrounding African Americans and the hindrances in their paths. Du Bois’ works do not focus on making African Americans appear as victims but as something to learn and grow from. Du Bois believed racism had no place in this world. When the 1900s began and the Roosevelt Administration11 took over, race socialization was still being transmitted from older generations to younger. In 1903, Du Bois wrote a collection of essays entitled, The Souls of Black Folk12. In this book, Du Bois clearly states that the â€Å"problem of the twentieth century is the color line. † The color line was the segregation between blacks and whites and what many African Americans believed would be the biggest problem for their race. This however, was untrue. What African Americans at this time didn’t know was that their daily dose of racism and discrimination was only the surface of their problems. What wasn’t seen at the time was the aftermath of what this entire decade of racism would cause for the entire race. The psychological affect of racism and eventual race socialization every future generation would face would be equally if not worse then what had already been suffered. W. E. B. Du Bois believed that one of the race’s biggest struggles was constantly seeing themselves with such little respect and diminishing their self worth because of what the so-called ‘dominant’ race thought of them. This is also shown in Du Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk: â€Å"After the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world, —a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness, —an American, a Negro two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife, — this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. † 13 Du Bois life mission was to make a name not only for himself but also for his race and his country. This is reflected in his diary when he wrote, â€Å"I therefore take the work that the Unknown lay in my hands and work for the rise of the Negro people, taking for granted that their best development means the best development of the world†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 14 Understanding racism in this way implores the strategy that we use to combat racism [socially] and the belief that racism has caused race socialization and directly influenced the slow progression, both academic and social, of African American people. Over the last 50 years, psychologists and sociologists alike have tried to study the effects of racism on ethnic groups, especially African Americans, and have been uninspiringly successful. I believe that Dr. Faye Belgrave has the answer why. In her book, African American Psychology: From Africa to America, she explains why: â€Å"Some of the methodological issues that were historically problematic in studying African Americans remain today. The best methods for studying African American populations may differ from the methods for studying other ethnic groups. For example, the experimental method is the favored method in psychology and has been considered the gold standard for con- ducting research. However, it may not always be the best way to arrive at an understanding of the psychology of African Americans. Other methods such as interviewing and observing may be more appropriate, depending on what is being studied. African psychology considers self-knowledge and intuition to be as important as source of knowing as observable data. Self-knowledge is derived from asking people about themselves not from observing them under experimental conditions. †15 Perhaps the reason why we’ve had such a hard time pinpointing the real root of racism and thus a ‘cure’ is because it isn’t being studied or treated properly. The concept of racism is treated like any other social problem, not the disease that it is. Racism has developed from its initial form of discrimination into an entire ideology [race socialization]. Antiracist education is crucial, but not enough. Because it treats racism only as a question of â€Å"bad notions† it does not speak to the core surface conditions that allow the acceptance of racism among large sections of the country. Entirely defeating the hold of racism on large sections of ethnic groups involves three circumstances: a larger group retaliation that ties together members of the ethnic group along the color line, attacking the circumstances (lesser pay, treatment, education, etc. ) that allow the attraction of racism to a so-called ‘superior’ ethnic group and the mindful involvement of antiracists to fight racism in all its forms and to win encouragement for interracial class unity.

Religious Depictions in Art

Religious Depictions in Art The Human Experience The Vladimir Madonna The Vladimir Madonna is a Russian icon painted during the 12th century. It is recognized by the arm of a child around the neck of the mother. It is designed in that the face the mother is facing the audience. The face out-shows human warmth and comprehension, as well as deep concern and sadness (Cooper, Dana, and Claire, 150). The Mosaic Dome of the Great Mosque of Cordoba It is the most important building and monument in the Muslim religion. It is beautifully decorated with no seat or altars inside and is used as a place of worship (Darke, 90). The monument symbolizes religious changes Cordoba has undergone over the centuries. It also reveals Islamic art and architecture of the 8th century (Darke, 91). Giotto Lamentation (Burial of Jesus) The work reveals the mourning of Christ. The monument consists of the painting of the body of Christ being held by three women that wear halos and biblical costumes (Lubbock, 248). The painting of the face depicts extreme sadness and lays the foundation of the Renaissance. Giotto is the artist and is commonly referred as the father of western painting (Lubbock, 248). Duccio di Buoninsegna: Maesta (Virgin Mary Enthroned) Duccio is one of the most influential artists in Italy. In his Maesta, the Virgin is painted sited on a marvelous inlaid throne. The face is painted to reveal a hint of a smile (Keith, 40). Durham Cathedral (England) It is one of the monuments founded in 1093. The building still remains centre of worship to date. The walls are whitewashed while the shrines of Cuthbert are substantially destroyed. The exterior displays are the stained broken glass windows (Ch’ing, Mark, and Prakash, 370). Grunewald ‘Crucifixion’ from the Isenheim Altarpiece The Crucifixion altarpiece is an impressive art by Matthias which depicts the crucifixion of Christ (Gardner, Helen, and Kleiner, 504). The monument was constructed and painted in early 1500s, essentially containing a box of statues covered by folding wings. The art generally consists painting of Christ with the witnesses of the crucifixion scene and as revealed in the biblical teachings (Gardner, Helen, and Kleiner, 504). Raphael: The â€Å"Alba Madonna† and the â€Å"School of Athens† Alba Madonna and the School of Athens depict the works of Raphael in 1500s. in his school of Athens, Raphael is celebrated for his paintings ranging from the depiction of Plato to Aristotle other sages that reveal human sentiments. El Greco: â€Å"The Burial of Count Orgaz† The burial is one of El Greco’s panting and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. The art was created in 1588 and is considered his greatest masterpiece of all time (Scholz-Hansel, Michael, and Greco, 51). The burial contains heaven painting above and a moral burial scene below. Bernini’s â€Å"David† â€Å"David† is a marble sculpture created in 1623 depicting Bernini’s architecture. The painting consist the sculpture of David of the bible in a position suggesting his confrontation with the giant Goliath (Janson, and Anthony, 5). ‘Values’ The Vladimir Madonna The Vladimir Madonna reveals part of the life of the Russian history, accounting for the religious beliefs of that time. The icon was founded in 1395 and has remained since then (Cooper, Dana, and Claire, 150). The icon account for the miraculous interventions ascertained to it which makes the Russian people attached to it. The icon symbolizes the Russian’s acknowledgment of the Vladimir Virgin favors as contained in the scriptures. For instance, it symbolizes how Moscow was saved thrice from the Tartars on august of 1395 (Cooper, Dana, and Claire, 152). The Russian believe that the icon roused blazing enthusiasm in her defense during the attacks by the poles. The icon was later restored with the participation of religious leaders. It was then celebrated thrice a year in 1500s where the Russian held feasts in honor of the icon. It was considered a sacred treasure for them as it defended them against the Poles attacks of the Muscovites (Cooper, Dana, and Claire, 154). The Vladimir icons exist in two groups. First is the Odigitria also known as â€Å"The Guide†. In this group, the Virgin is painted holding the child Jesus on her left arm while pointing to him with the right hand. The manner in which the icon is placed is interpreted to mean that the Virgin is guiding people, or rather communicating to the Russian that the child (Jesus) is ‘the chosen one’. The second group is the â€Å"tender hearted†. In this group, the Virgin holds the child (Jesus) with her right arm in manner as if cuddling ‘Him’ in a gentle way filled with maternal tenderness. Through the two groups, the icon depicts the attitude of the iconographer which symbolizes the religious perception at the time. Personal opinion The icon depicts the Russian art and architecture during the 12th century. It also depicts the Russian religious beliefs at the time. This explains why the icon has been preserved up to date. More importantly, the icon helps us understand the human behavior in regard, as well as in connection with religious faith. The monument also reveals the great works and creativity of the artists of that time. The monument is an illustration of the continued revolution of human life, both socially and economically, as well politically. The transformation to the current world of civilization is also depicted. Through the icon, the Russian history is well revealed and described. For instance, Russian experienced three exceptional iconographers who cooperated in their painting talents to come up with a strong architecture. Through the Vladimir Virgin, we learn more of the Biblical teaching and Christian faith, especially the Catholic faith. For instance, the prolonged gave of the Virgin to the baby Jesus reveals the deep concern of a mother-child love. The divine reveals the mother’s concern for her son’s future. The Virgin is aware of what awaits her Son, as it is revealed through the scriptures, â€Å"†¦and a sword will pierce your own soul† as contained in Luke 2-35. In ancient times, the Jerusalem school of icon painters prevailed against Greek and other influences. For instance, the Virgin is depicted as a conservative Palestinian girl with her head covered in accordance with the culture. As written in the scriptures, the clarity of Virgin Mary is crystalline. In the same manner, the veil of the icon is painted white to pass the same message. In that regard, there is a connection between the early architecture and the religious, as well as the culture of the people at tha t time. Likewise, the same values are passed from one generation to the other. Giotto Lamentation (Burial of Jesus) Giotto lamentation is similar to Vladimir Madonna. The monument consists of the painting of the body of Christ being held by three women that wear halos and biblical costumes (Lubbock, 248). The painting of the face depicts extreme sadness and lays the foundation of the Renaissance. Giotto is the artist and is commonly referred as the father of western painting. He creatively used Byzantine techniques to create an emotional biblical story that combines traditional Byzantine elements of painting (Lubbock, 248). For instance, Giotto uses the dimensional layout and iconography in his painting to bring about emotion revelation of the death of Christ. The manner in which he displays his painting invites the viewers to witness the pain the Christ experienced during the lamentation. The paintings are displayed in that one can almost hear the sobs of the women around the body (Lubbock, 249). In the same manner, one can feel the shrieks from the angels above at a close look of the painting of the angles. Giotto’s lamentation depicts a realistic turn of events, turning the paintings into real human beings with real emotions. The painting consists of the body of Christ, some women and men, and angles (Lubbock, 250). They all surrounding the body of Christ and preventing it from touching the ground. At Jesus’ feet is a woman whom we believe is Mary Magdalene from the biblical teaching. We are able to recognize her from her long red hair. The entire painting reveals the burial of the Christ as explained in the scriptures. The painting is about 7.5 feet square and relies entirely on the Bible, including the meditation on the life of Christ as described in the monk of the 13th century (Lubbock, 250). Personal opinion Giotto’s painting was done between the 12th and the 13th centuries when Christianity was widely spreading across the Roman Empire. It was during the reign of Emperor Constantine and Christianity emerged the most powerful institution in Western Europe. With the spread of the Christianity came the foundation of the Renaissance. The Renaissance was kinder like the birth of the ancient Greek and Roman culture. This came during the time economic prosperity in Europe and this gave birth to art which mainly concentrated on the human culture. Giotto mainly opened the way into a new style early painting by creating a world that is symbolic. His understanding of human form is well expressed through his painting skills as an artist. He clearly separates the human forms from the saintly counterparts. Heaven and earth are well demonstrated as well as joined together through the body of Christ. Giotto’s architecture mainly focuses on the birth and the spread of Christianity from one generation to the other. His work has proved to be one of the most influential architecture in Europe. Lamentation depicts the process of the burial of the Christ. In other word, the painting is self explanatory of what is written in the scripture. It enables readers understand the roman cultures, especially the Roman Catholic faith. It serves also as a quicker revelation of the roman culture relation the events that took place during the burial of Christ with the current faith of the Christians. With the painting, Christians can easily and effectively relate with the reality that the followers of Christ faced by then. The paintings are emotional to carry out the message effectively. Durham Cathedral (England) It is one of the monuments founded in 1093 (Gardner, Helen, and. Kleiner, 181). The building still remains centre of worship to date. It was the first cathedral in Europe and is made of stone rib vaulting, with the earliest pointed transverse arches in England. The main entry is through the north door. The door contain a sanctuary knocker made of bronze and is specifically used during medieval times by those seeking sanctuary. The Durham Cathedral’s nave is surrounded by attractive massive curved pillars, 6.6 meters high and round (Gardner, Helen, and. Kleiner, 181). The pillars have stood for more than 900 years. The building contains a long narrow slab of frosterly stone where women remained as they were not allowed to enter the building. The walls are whitewashed while the shrines of Cuthbert are substantially destroyed. The exterior displays are the stained broken glass windows (Gardner, Helen, and. Kleiner, 182). On the west end is the Galilee chapel, very large and beautifully decorated, and was built in 1170 (Ching, Mark, and Vikramaditya, 370). The chapel contains a tomb and monk built in the 8th century. The northern side walls contain painting of the 12th century (Ch’ing, Mark, and Vikramaditya, 370). Additionally, the quire contains finely curved wood stalls along which the daily services take place. The chapels also contain the bishop’s throne where the bishop used to seat. Separated from St. Cuthbert’s shrine is the high altar which is the focal point of the chapel. There is a Castell’s clock situated in the south transept which is believed to have been provided by Thomas Castell in 1494 (Ch’ing, Mark, and Vikramaditya, 370). The entire monument is well maintained in its original form is acts like a museum for tourists. Personal Opinion Durham Cathedral is one of the biggest Cathedrals and was kept to symbolize the origin of the Christian Catholic faith. The building has been kept in its original form apart from few changes which include paintings on the walls but its interior and exterior outlays have been maintained. The chapel is used as the center of worship and mainly acts as a sign of unity among the believers. The chapel takes after the main chapel of all time; the old St. Peter’s situated in Rome. Just like the Old St. Peter’s square in Rome, Durham Cathedral plays a major role in England. Durham Cathedral depicts the origin of the Catholic faith which signifies the cultural beliefs of its followers. It also signifies the traditional roman architecture of all time. The chapel can be used to study human behavior and perceptions towards a particular subjected. For instance, most Christians belief in life after death, and that Christ died on the cross for our sins. This might be different from Islamic religion. Additionally, Christians can use the chapel to trace their root of their faith, as well as trace or find answers about a particular issue. Nonetheless, the chapel can as well be used as a museum, especially for artist who want to learn and explore their skills in the field art. Work Cited Ching, Francis D. K, Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2011. Internet resource. (pg, 370) Christiansen, Keith. Duccio and the Origins of Western Painting. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2008. Print. (Pg 40) Cooper, Dana, and Claire Phelan. Motherhood and War: International Perspectives. , 2014. Print. (Pg150) Darke, Diana. Syria. Chalfont St. Peter: Bradt Travel Guides, 2010. Print. 90 Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardners Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. (Pg 255). Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardners Art Through the Ages: A Concise Global History. Australia: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. 181-182 Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardners Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. (Pg 504) Janson, H W, and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice-Hall, 2004. Print. Lubbock, Jules. Storytelling in Christian Art from Giotto to Donatello. New Haven [u.a.: Yale University Press, 2006. Print. (Pg,248) Scholz-Hansel, Michael, and Greco. El Greco: Domenikos Theotokopoulos, 1541-1614. Hong Kong, China: Taschen, 2006. Print. (Pg, 51)

Folk tale Genre :: essays papers

Folk tale Genre The greatest treasure of every nation is its language. Fairy tales are part of the oral traditions of literature all over the world. The fairy tale is one of the forms of the people's linguistic arts where life and social system are reflected. Folklore, mythology, fables, tall stories, and other classic tales have been handed down, generation through generation. Countless treasures of human thought and experience still accumulate and live in the world even after thousand of years. Fairy tales appeared in the world a long time ago. Every culture has it is own variety of these stories. Although, fairy tales differ because of places, cultures, and periods their unique impact on teaching and entertaining of people has not been changed. Every class of people, in all parts of the world, has passed down this great tradition for generations, giving it popularity. Some scholars have studied reasons of why fairy tales still exist and continue to be told everywhere. They state that "stories may differ in subject from place to place, the conditions and purposes of tale telling may change as we move from land to land, from century to century, and yet everywhere it ministers to the same basic social and individual needs (15-18)". Fairy tale allows the reader and the wrier to go into a new imaginary world. There are many things to learn from the fairy tale. Tales in their simplest form have many reasons for being told. The psychologist, Bruno Bettelhiem, studied what is being learned from folk tales. He states: " Folk tales tell about the agonies of sibling rivalry, of wishes coming true, of the humble being elevated, of true merit being recognized even hidden under rags of virtue rewarded and evil punished (45-46)". In every telling of a fairy tale, an audience is eager to listen and retell the story to a new audience. The social values can be taken back to the history, and around to all parts of the world. The tales take the pulse of existence and of man's faculty of dreaming and communing. According to M.K. Thompson: " Curiosity about the past has always brought eager listeners to tales of long ago which supply the simple man with all he knows of the history of this tale (484-485)".

Franklin Essay -- essays research papers

Can some man arrive at moral perfection in this life, or is it impossible? Benjamin Franklin was an extremely brilliant and talented individual. He constantly sought ways to improve himself. After he read â€Å"The Spectator† he put in a very dedicated effort to imitate their style of writing because he loved how precise the authors wrote out their thoughts. Franklin was also a relatively religious man or at least believed enough to try to be a morally righteous man so that he would avoid his way into hell. Through these beliefs and virtues Franklin created a plan to achieve moral perfection. Although finding the task somewhat more difficult than he first imagined he stayed with his convictions and deduced thirteen virtues to improve upon and follow. These virtues were: order, silence, temperance, resolution, frugality, industry, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity and humility. Now how did he come up with the virtues and what did the virtues consist of? After concocting this ingenious plan towards moral perfection did Franklin ever see it through and reach moral perfection? Benjamin Franklin was raised as a Presbyterian by his parents. Although not completely religious some of the teachings stayed on with him. â€Å"I never was without some religious principles; I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the deity, that he made the world, and govern’d it by his providence; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal; and that all crime will be punished and Virtue reworded either here or hereafter; these I esteem’d the essentials of every religion, and being to be found in all the religions we had in out country I respected them all† (BF, p65). Franklin later also goes on to say that he did not go to sermons on Sunday that often because that day was his day to study and relax, but when he did go he noticed that all sermons that he was listening to were rather â€Å"dry† as he put it and seemed to focus more on being a good citizen and not a person instead. These two instances in from Franklin show were he was coming from when he decided to create his list of virtues that would lead him to moral perfection. Now that he was focused on his goal he need do dome research on the topic. â€Å"In the various enumerations of the moral virtues I had met with in my reading,... ... he just fell short of his goal. Yet this did not discourage Franklin for he was made a better and happier man than he would have been. Franklin also realized that it was good not to be perfect because friends would hate and envy him; so it is better to keep a few faults in order to save face. All is well that ends well. This statement best describes Franklin’s endeavor into morality. Even though he was not able to accomplish what he set out to do, he still managed to come out a better man because of it, and he learned a few things along the way. Sometimes reaching the end of something is not important, but the journey you took to get there is what really matters. I’ll finish with a quote from Franklin’s autobiography. â€Å"It is †¦. Necessary for every person who desires to be a wise man, to take particular notice of his own actions, and of his own thoughts and intentions which are the original of his actions; with great care and circumspection; otherwise he can never arrive to that degree of perfection which constitutes the amiable character he aspires after.† [BF, p227(Source P, 8: 128)]. Qoutes from "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin"

Aging Workforce

When searching through the help wanted ads there seems to be thousand and thousands of available jobs; this number increases daily as companies have employees leave the organization. More and more employees are retiring or are nearing retirement age; once these employees leave so does all the years of experience acquired during their tenure with the company. This is going on in many industries and one industry that I am personally familiar with is corrections. The corrections industry has a vast number of older, seasoned employees retiring and with each year more are leaving the workforce. Added value of aging workforce when recruitingThe population is aging and as people get older more are leaving the workforce. As those known as baby boomers age and begin to leave the labor force their will be fewer workers available to fill those positions. The majority of specialized jobs, professionals such as educators and managers, and government workers are older workers. With the changing wo rk environment, such as the utilization of technology the HR recognizes the need of older workers in particular to acquire or refresh their skills. New technologies may intimidate older workers that are reluctant to learn the skill; which lack of the skill may limit advancement opportunities.However, more employees are working past the age of 65. This may be for several reasons. Some older people work longer because of a desire to feel â€Å"alive† and needed. Others work because of insufficient retirement plans or financial distress. Whatever the reason is there are many workers passed retirement age still active in the work force. At the state prison where I am employed the majority of managers and supervisory staff are over fifty. There was little room for advancement for new employees because the older workers were not retiring, but working after thirty even forty years of service. Challenges/Issues HR faces from aging workforceOne major issue that employers face with an aging workforce is retaining older employees. Compared with the past, older the number of older workers can be expected to grow disproportionately in the years to come. Organizations losing experienced employees that have skills and knowledge critical to the success of the organization make efforts to convince aging employees to remain with the organization, if only on a part-time basis. When an organization loses experienced workers the HR managers anticipate a loss of knowledge and talent and also offer benefits and flexible scheduling in order to retain employees.Currently, my organization is facing the exact dilemma. In the Records department there are ten employees, six which have been employed over twenty five years and are eligible to retire. Of these six eligible employees, there are four employees that are retiring this year; two of which are the office supervisors. Since HR has learned of their intention it has offered bonuses, salary increases, promotions, and flex schedu les to convince them to stay. None of them have taken the offers and did not consider the option. Another issue is numerous job vacancies in the near future.The recruitment process will be draining on resources such as time, staff, and compensation because of the dwindling pool of younger workers. Moreover, it may be difficult to find new workers with the appropriate skills required to perform job duties effectively. Another issue is health issues such as chronic conditions which may lead to excessive leave time taken by aging employees. However, the implementation of better wellness programs and similar initiatives offers possible ways of avoiding excessive time off for illness. Another issue with the aging workforce will be age discrimination.With older Americans still in the workforce, an increasing number of lawsuits regarding age can be anticipated in the future. â€Å"Thriving† employer brand An employer brand is the image of that an organization. It is a positive way t o promote the organization either among employees or stakeholders. It is that employer brand that attracts potential employees and stakeholders. It is what makes someone want to invest capital and be connected to the organization in some way. According to Minchington and Estis there are six steps to an employer brand.These six steps are determine how branding is viewed within the organization, define the employer brand and project scope, relation between HR, marketing, and communications, discovering the employer brand, CEO and senior management involvement, and communications planning (2009). In my organization the â€Å"thriving† brand is public safety, public service, social responsibility, and striving for excellence. The organization has received a lot of recognition for its efficiency and its stellar performance in keeping the community safe and giving back to the community.The name of the organization alone is a brand in itself and several of our compliance officers tr avel throughout the United States to assist other agencies with becoming a â€Å"thriving† brand as well. There are always new people looking to become employees or those that are writing stories or articles on the organization. Qualitative and quantitative data HR may gather to show value added by aging workforce Qualitative data is characterized attributes and characteristics; quantitative data is measured numerically.HR can use some quantitative data to measure employee productivity. Some of examples would be number of units produced, number of days missed, number of errors, and number of disciplinary action. This information can be tracked monthly, quarterly, or yearly. This can help HR determine if the employee is an average, poor, or great employee. Personally, I think this information can be leading because it does not take contributing factors into account such as illness. An employee could have had no absences for years and then may become ill and had to miss many da ys.If the data collected only shows attendance for the past month it looks as if the employee has poor attendance; which is not true but merely a recent and isolated incident (www. smallbusinesschron. com). Qualitative data is what is gathered through human observations. These observations can include observing workers work habits, attitude, behavior, or any factor that may affect his/her ability to perform their job effectively (www. smallbusinesschron. com). This is reliable information to a point because everyone works differently. What seems counterproductive to one may be effective for another.One also has to consider the observer may not be objective and may see things through tinted glasses. Using both methods can add value to an aging workforce but it can also devalue it as well. Conclusion The aging workforce is definitely a concern for HR because once these people leave the organization there will be many vacancies to fill and a small pool of qualified workers to fill thos e vacancies. Although workers are working longer the future of many organizations are definitely are in jeopardy. As the baby boomers retire and begin to enjoy their golden years there will be no one left in the workforce to replace them.

Planning for the Future Essay

Hopes and Dreams A. Even if you have not done much research on the topic what are your hopes and dreams for your employment future? â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up? † -When I grow up I want to be an ultrasound technician. I’m very interested in the female body and reproductive system. I also love babies so it was keep me interested in my studies. I want to be able to help women out with the beautiful experience of birth and child development. B. What do you want your life to look like in 10 years? In 10 years I want to be a successful ultrasound technician. I will also make my own schedule so I can spend time with my amazing future family. I want to be living by the beach with my husband, Jason Zeigler, and my two children, Carson and Brayden. I will be in the upper-class and have a river house. We will have two dogs, Jackson and Parker. C. What do you want your life look like in 5 years? -In 5 years I will be in college. Hopefully University of Riverside after I get my general education done at Chaffey. I will also be moved in and engaged to Jason Zeigler. That will be the biggest turning point of my life in my own personal opinion mainly because I will be focusing on my major and my career, which will in turn determine the rest of my life. Either successful or a failure. D. What are you doing now that will affect the rest of your life? -Things that I am doing now that will affect the rest of my life is graduating high school, going to college, and working and becoming independent. Graduating is a huge step in life. It’s the start of the rest of our lives. There’s no more messing around anymore. We are growing up and now we must be independent and do things on our own. Going to college is another big step in what is going to affect the rest of my life. There is no more free education. Especially when your parents are making you pay for it by yourself like I am. At least I have a very good, well-paying job, In N Out. In N Out has really taught me how to be responsible with my money. It has made me realize how fast your money can disappear. It has also broken me out of my shell. In N Out has taught me how to deal with angry customers and how to talk to anyone. These are some very important traits I feel that I will need for the rest of my life. Step 2: Evaluate your Current Job A. What are the tasks that you are performing in your current job that will transfer to future jobs and your career? * The tasks that I am performing in my current job that will help me transfer to future jobs and my career is dealing with agitated people, working at a fast pace, being able to talk to anyone, and being able to do what people tell me quickly and efficiently. Dealing with angry and/or agitated customers is probably the hardest part of the job. Not only is it awkward, but it is also very agitating for you. I normally want to just scream in their face that it’s not my fault but I always keep my cool. Working at a fast pace without stressing is also a very good skill to have. You have to be able to work very fast at In N Out. We are constantly busy and having to please hundreds of customers a day. B. What are the possibilities for advancement at this current job, and what are the skills you could still learn at this job? * In N Out runs off of a level system. A level 1 cleans the dining room. A level 2 takes orders and can work the back pay window. A level 3 can take orders outside with something we call a hand held, and can also hand out food for the drive through. A level 4 works fries. A level 5 dresses, puts the condiments, on the burger. A level 6 actually cooks the burgers. Lastly, a level 7 is a manager’s assistant. They help run the shift when the manager isn’t around. Then after all those are the managers. Each separate store has 4 different mangers. They move up as well. They all start out as 4th managers and then move up to a 1st manager, which is a â€Å"store manager†. After that they can move up to district managers and then a regional manager. I am currently a level 3 but I am hopefully getting my level 4 soon. I’ve been working and learning fries. In N Out is definitely my fall back if the ultrasound technician fails. Step 3: Interests A. What do you like to do? * I love to hang out with friends, my boyfriend, go out to eat, and sleep. I can hang out with my friend and Jason for days. Probably like every other teenager but that’s when I have the most fun. Going out to eat is my favorite thing to do. I don’t really care if it’s bad for you. I love food. Sleeping is what I do in my free time. I am constantly tired so I love sleep when I actually have the time to do so. B. What is the best experience you have ever had? The best experience I’ve ever had was probably my senior prom. Basically it was the best night of my life. It was amazing. From getting ready, to pictures, to dinner, to the bus, to the dance, to the bus again, and then Kyle Wades spa. I got to get ready with my best friends and my boyfriend’s mom paid for me to get my makeup done. I love that woman. The pictures were great with m y boyfriend and best friends. We got some really cute ones. Dinner was delicious at chilis. The bus was the best part in addition to the actual dance. We had a stripper pole and all the guys got on it. This is the irst dance I’ve been to that the teachers didn’t care how we danced. By the time we got off the dance floor everyone was dripping sweat. My legs were sore for 3 days after. After that we hopped back on the bus, made a quick stop to In N Out and then chilled in Kyle’s spa. Jason and I had to sleep in my truck that night but we woke up early and went to Denny’s for breakfast. C. What makes you the happiest? * My boyfriend and friends are definitely my top priority at this point. They have made me who I am today. D. What makes you feel most satisfied? * Making everyone around me happy and accomplishing a new goal. E. When have you felt the most rewarded? * When I reached my level 3 and got my raise because I earned it all on my own with no one else’s help. Step 4: Aptitudes A. What are you good at? * I am very good at following orders. When someone tells me to do something I will get it done right away and get it done very well. B. 1. After the first set of questions, what are the top 10 careers that come up? * 1. Choreographer / Dance Instructor * 2. Correctional Officer * 3. Director of Photography * 4. Director * 5. Athletic Trainer * 6. Security Guard * 7. Vending Machine Servicer * 8. Kinesiologist * 9. Auto Detailer 10. Stock Clerk 2. How do you feel about these careers? I don’t this a lot of these careers suit me at all. 3. What are the results now, how did they change? 1. Bailiff 2. Artist 3. Special Effects Technician 4. Computer Network Specialist 5. Stuntperson 6. Director of Photography 7. Cardiologist 8. Doctor 9. Anesthesiologist 10. Nurse Practitioner 4. Did your t op 3 interests appear? What are they and why do they interest you? My top 3 interest groups did not appear at all. Ultrasound technician, Crime Scene investigator, or working in advertisement. They all seem like jobs you can’t get bored of.

Future Trend of Crisis Intervention Essay

Future Trend of Crisis Intervention in the Human Services Delivery System In the United States Human Service profession continues to expand yearly. Despites the yearly gross for this profession many people still strive to continue to succeed in this profession. It is unfortunate that sadly human service workers are the first to become victims of budget cuts and layoffs because of low funds. This paper will focus on the trend of human service, the practice of crisis intervention in human services, challenges likely by the trends as a result of the impact and how human service workers should deal with these trends. Purpose of Crisis Intervention Crisis intervention is mainly important for those who have been in some type of crisis. Those who have experienced emotional, mental, and physiological distress are among those who make use of crisis intervention methods. Normally a person who experiences crisis intervention cannot function normally, need help coping and not capable of solving problems by him or herself. Kidnapping, sexual assault, criminal victimizations are several crises that people face. One of the main issues that human services face today is meeting the needs of people. Crisis intervention has evolved into a human service subspecialty to help people who cannot afford high costs for mental health issues. Crisis intervention core goal is to help decrease victim’s reaction to a crisis that may be behavioral, mental, and physical. It helps victims return to their normal selves by removing ineffective coping skills. Some of these are substance abuse, alcohol abuse, aloofness, and a host of others. Often time’s people recover from their crisis by speaking about what occurred and other lifetime achievements. It depends on the individual to determine the time frame that its takes a person to seek help after a crisis. Crisis intervention program can take place in a hospital, clinics, mental health centers, and other social service agencies. Unfortunate it is not appropriate for people suffering long-standing problems.

“Everybody knows what religion is, and so, we do not need to define it.” Essay

The study of religion may be as old as humankind itself according to one author. Defining religion is difficult as there are many definitions as there are many authors. The word religion is the most difficult to define because of the lack of a universally accepted definition. Specifically the root meaning of the word religion can be traced to Latin. Relegare or religion means to bind oneself, emanating from the Latin religio, which is translated to re-read emphasising tradition passing from generation to generation. Douglas Davies says â€Å"some have simply described religion as a belief in spiritual beings.† (10). In the book The World Religion there is a suggestion of approaches for tackling the question of religion such as viewing it anthropologically, sociologically, through history, in a scholarly way, theologically and by reductionism. In this paper I will try and assess the definition of religion from aforementioned views and identify the problems of defining religion. James Cox states that in their introductory textbook on religion the American scholars Hall, Pilgrim and Cavanagh identify four characteristic problems with traditional definitions of religion; these are: vagueness, narrowness, compartmentasation and prejudice (9). The authors argue that vagueness means there are so many definitions that they do not distinguish the matter of religion from other fields of study. Tilich’s defines religion as ultimate concern or a simple idea of religion meaning living a good life (9). Living a good life is subjective to an individual since the concerns and values we have are influenced by culture and the community that we live in. The definition of religion may also be viewed as narrow by means of compensating for the vagueness. In most cases the study of religion is fixated on a certain field or line of thought. Hall, Pilgrim and Cavanagh use Thomas Aquinas’ claim that religion denotes a relationship with a God, thereby excluding non-atheistic or polytheistic forms of religion (Cox 9). Most definitions are narrowed down to religious beliefs such as Christianity among other world religions. In narrowing down the definition of religion it excludes other religions such as African Traditional Religions. Due to the fact that African religions lack most characteristics needed of World religions they are excluded from being religion. Atheism is a growing phenomena in the world that does not believe in a God, which I feel have its own belief system. Many definitions focus too narrowly on only a few aspects of religion; they tend to exclude those religions that do not fit well. It is apparent that religion can be seen as a theological, philosophical, anthropological, sociological, and psychological phenomenon of human kind. To limit religion to only one of these categories is to miss its multifaceted nature and lose out on the complete definition. The same authors by way of compartmentalisation explain religion in terms of just one single, special aspect of human life. This compartmentalisation reduces religion to one part of human life and ignores its relevance to the totality of human existence. They also argue against Schleiermachers’ definition of religion as a feeling of absolute dependence which might reduce religion to a mere psychological condition, (Cox 9). By compartmentalisation you are taking the part of the whole to be the whole, thereby reducing religion to one aspect of human existence ignoring the totality of existence. Religion is not just a feeling but encompasses the totality of existence in a human being his beliefs, culture and language. Religious or religion is not static but dynamic from one generation to another and they are ever developing in accordance with time and nature. Religion is not only a compartment in life of a human being but a totality, a large elephant it is huge and complex. Most definitions of religion may be viewed as prejudice because they are evaluative in process which cannot present an objective picture of what religion actually is. The same scholars argue giving the example of Karl Max that religion is the opium of the people which is clearly biased (Cox 9). A scholar by the name of Barnhart criticizes traditional definitions of religion identifying in them five issues in prejudice: belief in supernatural, evaluative definitions, diluted definitions, expanded definitions and true religion. In his argument, Barnhart denies that religions must not hold a belief in God or supernatural beings to qualify as religions. He believes that such definitions restrict the subject matter of religion and thus are too exclusive, (Cox 9). In the same argument he concurs with Hall and company call on narrowness of definition of religion.  In the same view disagrees with E.B Tylor ‘religion consists of beliefs in spiritual’ beings as too narrow. In asserting that religion definitions are evaluative in nature, Barnhart concurs with Hall that these definitions are prejudiced. He argues against Marx and Freud saying the ultimate concern is itself an evaluative concept imposed on religion from the perspective of Western philosophy. Citing Clarke’s statement that ‘religion is the life of God in the soul of man’ tells us nothing about either God or the soul thereby diluting the definition and affirming other scholars view that religion’s definition is vagueness. Compartmentalisation of the definition of religion can also be likened to what Barnhart calls expanded definitions. He argues against Russell who tries to expand the definition of religion so far as to make it seem an effort to seek comfort in a terrifying world. The argument follows that by trying to define religion as a way of expanding a list of what comprises religion to accommodate one compartment of human existence it has an opposite effect of diluting the definition rather than searching for consolation, (Cox 10). Lastly Barnhart finds a problem in defining all religions in terms of one religion which by definition claims itself to be true. He gives the example of ‘Religion is belief in Jesus’ or ‘there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet’. This clearly categorises the definition of religion are subjective (Cox 10). The example also clearly shows how exclusive some definitions of religion are and proves the earlier mentioned problem of prejudice against one belief system or being traditionally fixated on belief systems of faith. The problem of plurality according to Roger Schmidt religion is difficult to define because it is a collective term applied to a wide range of phenomena. The phenomena include beliefs and practices that all religions have in common. Closely related to plurality is the problem of culture as religion and culture are closely linked. Religion is a child of culture, which is a result of religion being found in a certain contextual culture, therefore, difficult to define religion in all cultures. Religion itself is dynamic the Buddhism of a hundred years ago is not the same today. This shows that religion is not static but dynamic.

Analyzing The Journeys End Of Regeneration English Literature Essay

Analyzing The Journeys End Of Regeneration English Literature Essay In the two works that I will be analysing, ‘Journey’s End’ and ‘Regeneration’, class refers to the social values that distinguish between the lower, middle and upper class men. The theme of class is central to both of the works and is personified in two predominant characters, ‘Trotter’ in ‘Journey’s End’ as well as ‘Prior’ in ‘Regeneration’, they will both be fundamental subjects in my essay; in which I will discuss how ‘Sheriff’ and ‘Barker’ explore this theme of class, concerning similarities and differences in the various methods employed. Three palpable contrasts between the works should at the outset be mentioned. Firstly ‘Journey’s End’ was written by a man, ‘Sheriff’ who had firsthand experience of the war, himself being a captain in the East Surrey Regiment. Therefore, we can assume that some events in ‘Journey’s End’ and characters used are most likely influenced by genuine soldiers. Thus themes of class and the harshness of war are even more authentic and realistic; â€Å"How awfully nice – if the brigadier’s pleased† – is a typical, if not sarcastic, response from a proverbial soldier; Stanhope, concerning Osborne’s death, showing little respect for those in higher command and also his repression of emotion. Sheriff explores the theme of class through the effects on the characters; how differing people handle the constant stress of war, for Stanhope, it is to â€Å"drink like a fish†, in contrast to Trotters circle drawing, perhaps showing a lack of imagination. On the other hand the writer of ‘Regeneration’, ‘Barker’ is a woman and more importantly a lot younger than ‘Sheriff’ with no direct experience of the war. ‘Regeneration’ seems to focus more on the aftermath, which allows a broade r sense of themes such as roles of women and the altered mental states of the class men. â€Å"You seem to have a very powerful anti-war neurosis†, is Rivers’ reply to Sassoon, who asks if he is mad, it shows the effect of the war, that it can make an educated and brave man question his own sanity. It also explores the theme of class; Rivers and Sassoon immediately create a bond with one another, coming from similar backgrounds and viewpoints, as opposed to the perpetual antagonism between Prior and Rivers. Secondly ‘Journey’s End’ is a play, as opposed to a novel, and ‘Sheriff’ employs staging. This coupled with the need for a play to be entertaining, does not give ‘Sheriff’ the luxury of including pages full of background conversation which allow subtle character progression. ‘Barker’s’ work in general could be seen as symbolically internal with the characters thoughts and deep emotions shown through i ntrospection, â€Å"†¦ and thought oh God, it’s going to be another one of this†, this allows the audience to understand the characters in greater detail, to relate to them based on our personal experience, perspective and class. Whereas ‘Sheriff’s’ is driven by actions, and what other characters say. â€Å"(He puts the box on its side and sits on it. It is too low for the table, and he puts it on its end. It is then too high†¦)†, When ‘Trotter’ is first introduced the stage actions show him to be a comical character, at odds with the more serious Stanhope or the â€Å"hard as nails† Osborne, however ‘Trotter’ is a much more deep individual below the surface, which is shown by the end of the play with his promotion to second in command; Similarly ‘Prior’ in ‘Regeneration’ is first introduced as a mute, with a case of ‘dumbness’, differing to the other characters , but throughout the novel he conveys himself to be highly intelligent and profound.