Eymp 2 1.1

Explain each of the areas of learning and development and how these are interdependent |Area of Development |How it is interdependent | |PSED – This area ensures children make positive relationships |Communication and language for e. g. aking relationships as often| |with other children and that children have awareness of their |communication can be the foundation of building relationships | |body and have self-confidence, children will also be able to | | |manage their feelings and their behaviour. | |Physical Development- moving and handling, Health and self-care, |PSED- need self confidence to join in physical activity with | |understand how important Physical development is. |friends. | | |Self confidence for self care | | |Positive relationships with someone to teach self-care. |Communication and Language |PSED- may not have confidence to speak | |Listening and attention |Literacy-may not be able to read something out to speak | |Understanding | | |Speaking | | |Li teracy |Physical Development If the child doesn’t have fine motor skills | |Reading |then they will struggle to hold a pencil to write their name | |Writing |Communication- Have trouble reading out loud | | |PSED – no confidence to read aloud, don’t have anyone to read | | |with so it’s hard to make progress. | |Mathematics |Literacy- Cant read, won’t understand numbers. |Numbers, Shape, space and measure |PSED- Counting together- self-confidence can’t play games won’t | | |be able to communicate properly. | |Understanding of the world |PSED- Begins to have their own friends- needs this to progress | |People and communities |knowledge | |The world |E. A. D Need pretend play to imitate every day actions | |Technology |P.D-need fine motor skills to make noises and explore the | | |environment | |Expressive arts and Design |PD- If you don’t have fine motor skills then you can’t develop | |Exploring Media and materia ls |your drawing skills e. g. can’t hold a pencil | |Being Imaginative |Communication – not understanding colours for example literacy | | |will be difficult to use media. | | |U. O. T. W, Can’t be imaginative as nothing to base it on. |

Teaching English For Specific Purposes Education Essay

How is English for Specific Purposes ( ESP ) different from English as a Second Language ( ESL ) , besides known as general English?The most of import difference lies in the scholars and their intents for larning English. ESP pupils are normally grownups who already have some familiarity with English and are larning the linguistic communication in order to pass on a set of professional accomplishments and to execute peculiar job-related maps. An ESP plan is hence built on an appraisal of intents and demands and the maps for which English is required. ESP concentrates more on linguistic communication in context than on learning grammar and linguistic communication constructions. It covers topics changing from accounting or computing machine scientific discipline to touristry and concern direction. The ESP focal point is that English is non taught as a topic separated from the pupils ‘ existent universe ( or wants ) ; alternatively, it is integrated into a capable affair country of import to the scholars. However, ESL and ESP diverge non merely in the nature of the scholar, but besides in the purpose of direction. In fact, as a general regulation, while in ESL all four linguistic communication accomplishments ; listening, reading, speech production, and authorship, are stressed every bit, in ESP it is a needs analysis that determines which linguistic communication accomplishments are most needed by the pupils, and the course of study is designed consequently. An ESP plan, might, for illustration, stress the development of reading accomplishments in pupils who are fixing for alumnus work in concern disposal ; or it might advance the development of spoken accomplishments in pupils who are analyzing English in order to go tourist ushers. As a affair of fact, ESP combines capable affair and English linguistic communication learning. Such a combination is extremely motivative because pupils are able to use what they learn in their English categories to their chief field of survey, whether it be accounting, concern direction, economic sciences, computing machine scientific discipline or touristry. Bing able to utilize the vocabulary and constructions that they learn in a meaningful context reinforces what is taught and increases their motive. The pupils ‘ abilities in their subject-matter Fieldss, in bend, better their ability to get English. Subject-matter cognition gives them the context they need to understand the English of the schoolroom. In the ESP category, pupils are shown how the subject-matter content is expressed in English. The instructor can do the most of the pupils ‘ cognition of the capable affair, therefore assisting them learn English faster. The term â€Å" specific † in ESP refers to the specific intent for larning English. Students approach the survey of English through a field that is already known and relevant to them. This means that they are able to utilize what they learn in the ESP schoolroom right off in their work and surveies. The ESP attack enhances the relevancy of what the pupils are larning and enables them to utilize the English they know to larn even more English, since their involvement in their field will actuate them to interact with talkers and texts. ESP assesses demands and integrates motive, capable affair and content for the instruction of relevant accomplishments.The duty of the instructorA instructor that already has experience in learning English as a Second Language ( ESL ) , can work her background in linguistic communication instruction. She should acknowledge the ways in which her instruction accomplishments can be adapted for the instruction of English for Specific Purposes. Furthermore, she will necessitate to look for content specializers for aid in planing appropriate lessons in the capable affair field she is learning. As an ESP instructor, you must play many functions. You may be asked to form classs, to put larning aims, to set up a positive acquisition environment in the schoolroom, and to measure pupil s advancement.Forming CoursesYou have to put learning ends and so transform them into an instructional plan with the timing of activities. One of your chief undertakings will be choosing, planing and forming class stuffs, back uping the pupils in their attempts, and supplying them with feedback on their advancement.Puting Goals and AimsYou arrange the conditions for larning in the schoolroom and put long-run ends and short-run aims for pupils achievement. Your cognition of pupils ‘ potency is cardinal in planing a course of study with realistic ends that takes into history the pupils ‘ concern in the learning state of affairs.Making a Learning EnvironmentYour accomplishments for communicating and mediation create the schoolroom atmosphere. Students get linguistic communication when th ey have chances to utilize the linguistic communication in interaction with other talkers. Bing their instructor, you may be the lone English talking individual available to pupils, and although your clip with any of them is limited, you can construction effectual communicating accomplishments in the schoolroom. In order to make so, in your interactions with pupils try to listen carefully to what they are stating and give your apprehension or misconstruing back at them through your answers. Good linguistic communication scholars are besides great risk-takers, since they must do many mistakes in order to win: nevertheless, in ESP categories, they are handicapped because they are unable to utilize their native linguistic communication competency to show themselves as intelligent grownups. That s why the instructor should make an ambiance in the linguistic communication schoolroom which supports the pupils. Learners must be self-assured in order to pass on, and you have the duty to ass ist construct the scholar ‘s assurance.Measuring StudentsThe instructor is a resource that helps pupils place their linguistic communication acquisition jobs and happen solutions to them, happen out the accomplishments they need to concentrate on, and take duty for doing picks which determine what and how to larn. You will function as a beginning of information to the pupils about how they are come oning in their linguistic communication acquisition.The duty of the pupilWhat is the function of the scholar and what is the undertaking he/she faces? The scholars come to the ESP category with a specific involvement for larning, capable affair cognition, and well-built grownup larning schemes. They are in charge of developing English linguistic communication accomplishments to reflect their native-language cognition and accomplishments.Interest for LearningPeoples learn linguistic communications when they have chances to understand and work with linguistic communication in a contex t that they comprehend and find interesting. In this position, ESP is a powerful agencies for such chances. Students will get English as they work with stuffs which they find interesting and relevant and which they can utilize in their professional work or farther surveies. The more scholars pay attending to the significance of the linguistic communication they hear or read, the more they are successful ; the more they have to concentrate on the lingual input or stray linguistic communication constructions, the less they are motivated to go to their categories. The ESP pupil is peculiarly good disposed to concentrate on significance in the subject-matter field. In ESP, English should be presented non as a topic to be learned in isolation from existent usage, nor as a mechanical accomplishment or wont to be developed. On the contrary, English should be presented in reliable contexts to do the scholars acquainted with the peculiar ways in which the linguistic communication is used in maps that they will necessitate to execute in their Fieldss of forte or occupations.Subject-Content KnowledgeLearners in the ESP categories are by and large cognizant of the intents for which they will necessitate to utilize English. Having already oriented their instruction toward a specific field, they see their English preparation as complementing this orientation. Knowledge of the capable country enables the pupils to place a existent context for the vocabulary and constructions of the ESP schoolroom. In such manner, the scholars can take advantage of what th ey already know about the capable affair to larn English.Learning SchemesAdults must work harder than kids in order to larn a new linguistic communication, but the acquisition accomplishments they bring to the undertaking permit them to larn faster and more expeditiously. The accomplishments they have already developed in utilizing their native linguistic communications will do learning English easier. Although you will be working with pupils whose English will likely be rather limited, the linguistic communication larning abilities of the grownup in the ESP schoolroom are potentially huge. Educated grownups are continually larning new linguistic communication behavior in their native linguistic communications, since linguistic communication acquisition continues of course throughout our lives. They are invariably spread outing vocabulary, going more fluid in their Fieldss, and seting their lingual behavior to new state of affairss or new functions. ESP pupils can work these uncondi tioned competences in larning English. Copyright AA © 2005 Lorenzo Fiorito. This article is for educational intents merely. It may be freely redistributed in its entireness provided that this right of first publication notice is non removed.

Snickers Chocolate’s Global Share

Global Candy Sales | | |Market Share |$ Sales in Millions | |Brand |Company |2011 |2012 |2011 |2012* | |Snickers |Mars Inc |1. 7 |1. 8 |$3,286 |$3,572 | |M&M's |Mars Inc |1. 8 |1. |$3,380 |$3,494 | |Trident |Kraft Foods Inc |1. 8 |1. 7 |$3,354 |$3,321 | |Reese's |Hershey Co, The |1. 3 |1. 4 |$2,553 |$2,679 | |Galaxy/Dove |Mars Inc |1. 3 |1. 3 |$2,407 |$2,597 | |Milka |Kraft Foods Inc |1. 3 |1. |$2,530 |$2,510 | |Cadbury Dairy Milk |Kraft Foods Inc |1. 3 |1. 3 |$2,414 |$2,506 | |Orbit |Mars Inc |1. 3 |1. 3 |$2,441 |$2,501 | |Extra |Mars Inc |1. 1 |1. 2 |$2,115 |$2,231 | |Kit Kat |Nestle SA |1. 0 |1. |$1,933 |$1,979 | |Mentos |Perfetti Van Melle Group |0. 9 |0. 9 |$1,649 |$1,711 | U. S. Candy Sales | | |Market Share |$ Sales in Millions | |Brand |Company |2011 |2012 |2011 |2012* | |Reese's |Hershey Co, The |7. |7. 7 |$2,479 |$2,603 | |M's |Mars Inc |6. 8 |6. 8 |$2,238 |$2,300 | |Snickers |Mars Inc |5. 5 |6. 0 |$1,815 |$2,020 | |Kit Kat |Hershey Co, The |2. 8 |2. 8 |$917 |$948 | |Twizzl ers |Hershey Co, The |2. 3 |2. |$746 |$801 | |Trident |Kraft Foods Inc |2. 2 |2. 0 |$732 |$674 | |Twix |Mars Inc |1. 8 |1. 9 |$598 |$655 | |Extra |Mars Inc |1. 8 |1. 8 |$598 |$610 | |Orbit |Mars Inc |1. 7 |1. |$561 |$549 | |Milky Way |Mars Inc |1. 6 |1. 6 |$516 |$539 | |Galaxy/Dove |Mars Inc |1. 6 |1. 5 |$523 |$504 | |Starburst |Mars Inc |1. 3 |1. 4 |$433 |$467 | |Godiva |Yildiz Holding AS |1. 1 |1. |$373 |$391 | |*2012 figures are projections. Source: Euromonitor Internationa | | | | | |Snickers Surging to Top of Global Candy Race | |Mars-Owned Candy Bar Set to Pass Sibling M&M's, Kraft's Trident in New Euromonitor Ranking | |By: E.J. Schultz Published: September 20, 2012 | |208share this page | |[pic][pic][pic][pic] | |There is a new candy kingpin. | |Snickers will pass M&M's as the top international confectionery brand by the end of the year, giving the 82-year-old candy bar a satisfying | |victory in the global chocolate wars, according to a projection by Euromonitor Intern ational. |Snickers is â€Å"definitely on target to surpass M&M's,† Lee Linthicum, Euromonitor's global head of food research, told Ad Age. He cited U. S. | |innovations and strong growth in emerging markets as factors in moving the candy bar from No. 3 to No. 1, also surpassing Trident. Going | |forward, the race for the top is now a sibling rivalry because Mars Inc. owns Snickers and M&M's, which are separated by a razor-thin | |margin. | |While a win for Mars, the rankings are a loss for Kraft Foods' Trident. The gum brand fell from second to third place as projected 2012 | |worldwide sales slipped to $3. 2 billion from $3. 35 billion in 2011. Kraft remains the global leader with 14. 7% share when all confectionery| |brands are totaled. But the food giant's share of the category fell from 14. 8% in 2011, while No. 2 Mars jumped to 14. 4% from 14. 1%, | |according to Euromonitor. | |The shift at the top was first reported by Candy & Snack Today, a publication by the Nationa l Confectioners Association. | |Among individual brands, the worldwide candy battle remains close and fragmented, with only a fraction of a share point separating the top | |10. |Snickers is expected to surge from $3. 29 billion in global sales last year to $3. 57 billion for 2012, capturing a 1. 8% share, according to | |Euromonitor projections. The brand, whose ad agency is BBDO, has been backed with major media investments in recent years, including Super | |Bowl spots featuring Betty White and Roseanne Barr, who have both stared in the ongoing â€Å"You're Not You When You're Hungry† campaign. | |But M's — which Mars featured in this year's Super Bowl spot– is not far behind, growing from $3. 38 billion to $3. 9 billion in global | |sales, according to Euromonitor projections. | |Mr. Linthicum attributed Snickers' climb to its strong performance in the U. S. , which accounts for a huge share of the global candy market. | |Domestically, the candy bar has aggr essively pushed a line extension called Snickers Peanut Butter Squared, which launched last year and | |features two square-shape bars that adds peanut butter to the familiar mix of peanuts, caramel, nougat and milk chocolate. | |Globally, the brand is benefiting from strong growth in Eastern Europe.In Russia, sales have doubled since 2007 to $300 million, partly as | |a result of distribution gains Mars has made by acquiring some ex-Soviet chocolate companies, he said. While that should also help M's, | |the bite-size candies face more competition in the region, where smaller candies are more established and familiar, Mr. Linthicum said. By | |contrast, candy bars like Snickers are more of a novelty, he said. | |In the U. S. , Hershey Co. ‘s Reese's is expected to remain the top brand, with a projected $2. 6 billion in sales capturing 7. % market share | |for 2012, according to Euromonitor, which uses a variety of sources to track all sales channels, from Walmart to vending m achines. M&M's, | |which is also handled by BBDO, is projected to hold onto the No. 2 slot stateside with 6. 8% share, followed by Snicker's (6%) and Hershey's | |Kit Kat (2. 8%). | |Still, Reese's remains stuck in fourth place globally with 1. 4% share, according to Euromonitor projections. The reasons are twofold: | |Hershey has less of a global footprint than Mars, Mr. Linthicum said. Also, peanut butter is not as popular in Europe as it is in the | |States.It is a â€Å"very uniquely American thing,† he said. â€Å"That sweet-savory juxtaposition of flavors is something of an acquired taste. † | |Mr. Linthicum pinned Trident's struggles on stiff competition from Wrigley 5, the Mars-owned brand that launched in the states in 2007 with | |slick packaging, innovative flavors and a highly produced ad campaign by Energy BBDO called â€Å"Stimulate Your Senses. † | |The flashy appeal has resonated globally. â€Å"It's even gaining share in Greece of all places,â €  Mr. Linthicum said. â€Å"Everywhere they release it| |around the world †¦ it's worked. † In the U.S. , Wrigley 5 is now the 4th-largest gum brand with a 7. 43% share, according to SymphonyIRI, | |which excludes Walmart. | |Kraft, which on Oct. 1 will split off its candy and snacking business into a company called Mondelez International, is fighting back with | |its first global ad campaign for Trident by Saatchi & Saatchi that is more emotional than previous efforts, which had touted functional | |benefits such as oral health and vitamins. Meanwhile, in the States Kraft recently rolled out â€Å"ID Gum by Stride,† featuring artsy packaging | |and a gimmick-filled campaign by Droga5. |

Baroque and Classicism

The Baroque style in art that flourished in the seventeenth century is characterized by â€Å"intense emotions, monumental decors, and even a kind of artistic sensationalism (Hunt, Martin and Rosenstein 473). † It is a movement that was heavily embellished and very complex, primarily because it wanted to evoke a strong sense of emotion from the viewer. The artists who subscribed to this particular movement â€Å"embraced dynamism, theatricality, and elaborate ornamentation, all used to spectacular effect, often on a grandiose scale (Klein 649). The term itself is believed to have come room the Portuguese word barroom, which referred to an irregularly shaped pearl. It somewhat fitting, as baroque sculptures, particularly, have many complex textures as part of their ornamentation. A prime example of the baroque style in sculpture is the work of Italian sculptor Giant Lorenz Bernie, Ecstasy of SST. Teresa of Г?vial. The sculpture is distinctly baroque, first in terms of its form. Looking at the sculpture, it is easy to see how diverse the visual textures are in Bering's work. The large, thick folds of the clothing of SST.Teresa contrasts with the lighter, thinner texture of the clothing of the angel piercing her with an arrow. These textures are also clearly discernible and different from the smoky texture of the cloud below, the smooth, porcelain-like skin of both SST. Teresa and the angel, and the ordered rays representing God behind the primary figures. This diversity in textures is a manifestation of the baroque style's obsession with ornamentation, as the complexity it creates is almost overwhelming to the viewer. Another aspect of Bering's work that exemplifies the baroque is its whitetail presentation of emotion.The choice of the subject matter is already lends itself to such theatricality, since the sculpture is depicting the SST. Teresa in one of her trances after her conversion to Catholicism after the death of her father, which she describes as being caused by â€Å"the fire-tipped arrow of divine love that an angel had thrust repeatedly into her heart (Klein 654). † The emotion on her face as rendered by Bernie is one of an almost sexual climax, on display for everyone to see. This equation of an orgasmic, painful pleasure is a means to let the viewer understand on hysterical terms the transcendent experience of the divine.Only the baroque style, with its emphasis on emotion can capture and manifest such a state. Classicism is an art movement that was also popular during the seventeenth century, but more so in France, compared to the primacy of the baroque in Italy. It was espoused by the French king, Louis XIV as the preferred style for French artists. Classicism reflected the ideals of the art of antiquity: â€Å"geometric shapes, order, and harmony of lines took precedence over the sensuous, exuberant, and emotional forms of the baroque Hunt, Martin and Rosenstein 510). It recalls the classical period, whic h in the arts refers to the traditions of the Greeks and the Romans. There is a stronger emphasis on symmetry and straight lines in classicism, which embody the order and reason prized among artists that subscribe to this movement. The work by French artist Nicholas Poisson, Discovery of Achilles on Gyros, is an excellent example of classicism. Looking at the forms in the painting, it is easy to see how ordered everything is. There is a dominance of straight lines, not only in the classical architecture depicted behind Achilles and his sword, but also in the poses assumed by the figures.The arms of the women are carefully positioned to create straight lines. The use of color is also very harmonious and ordered, as Poisson uses complementary colors of blue and orange to make the clothing pop out. The skin tone of the all the women are also clearly fairer than that of the men, so as to make the viewer clearly recognize differences in gender. There is a distinct lack of emotion in the painting, as the facial expressions of the figures are very stoic and subdued.

Commonalities and Divergences Essay

The dichotomy of Eastern and Western in terms of global geography is something that has been examined on many levels, as the culture of the two hemispheres contrast in a very blatant manner. Ideology about social interactions to the value of education, food, music, art, religion, etc. all play a key role in what makes each civilization so unique and gives the people of each area a strong sense of a global, national, and, on a micro level, personal identity. The ethos of Japan, in particular Heian period Japan (which lasted from 794 to 1185), is perceptibly different from modern era Western civilization not only because of location but due to a huge lapse in time. This is not to say, however, that these cultures are so isolated from one another that there is no common ground or intersection between the mentalities. In spite of such glaring dissimilarities, it is possible to find parallels in the attitude between the characters in Murasaki Shikibu’s 11th century novel, The Tale of Genji, and people today. First and foremost, there needs to be a direct definition and establishment of what comprises an aesthetic. Aesthetics, as defined by the American Heritage dictionary, is â€Å"the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature and expression of beauty, primarily [but not solely] within the arts† (14). It is important to clarify that while a painting could be said to have â€Å"an aesthetic appeal† or a song is â€Å"aesthetically pleasing to the ears†, the concept of aesthetics is not exclusive to the art realm. In this context, it is also a core value that an entire society upholds as sensible and proper, which can range from the general to the minutely specific. More often than not, it is a concept that is ingrained into a culture from birth and propagated with each generation; when asked to describe why these rules of society are in place, the most common answer would probably be, â€Å"that is just the way it is†, with little to no further discussion. If one were to go against these aesthetics, he/she would be in jeopardy of becoming a social pariah, depending on the rigidity to which a culture sustains its view. With the definition of what an aesthetic is in mind, there should be a clear distinction between Heian-era Japanese and modern Western aesthetics. One of two Western aesthetics that are germane to this discussion is a heightened level of openness and candor in all forms of media and discourse. A strong personal voice is encouraged, especially in America, which is based on democracy. The claim to fame for Western musicians, filmmakers, and authors lies in their lack of censorship and ability to connect with people’s emotions on a very primal level. Nothing is held back, no matter how psychologically taxing the material may be; the aim of their art is catharsis. Another main component of Western aestheticism is a general embrace of human sexuality and its various forms of expression. The most noticeable difference in how the West handles sexuality can be seen in today’s â€Å"hook-up† culture, where onetime sexual encounters with several partners over a span of time is commonplace. Going against the tradition of abstinence until marriage (which is an equally common phenomenon), the modern approach to sexuality actively shifts the focus from the emotional to the physical, forgoing personal, monogamous relationships for instant gratification. The media is a very large promoter of this movement, in addition to introducing sex to younger and younger generations. The approach of promoting younger girls to get in touch with their sexuality too early tied with the age-old practice of female objectification has partially contributed to the cultural deterioration of the West. A thousand years earlier and on the other side of the world, however, the Japanese embraced four major aesthetic elements, two of which are mono no aware and miyabi. The first of the two, mono no aware, is a â€Å"cultivated sensibility to the transient nature of the world† (Ikegami, Class notes). Mono no aware can be found primarily in the early Heian poetry, which was compiled in the Man’yoshu and Kokinshu, two well-known collections. Cherry blossoms are often associated with the sentiment of mono no aware, as exemplified in this excerpt from the Kokinshu: For cherry blossoms To be descending like snow is sorrow enough How do the blowing breezes Propose that they should scatter? (110) The sadness at the scattering of the cherry blossoms and the ultimate recognition that it is all part of nature’s design is a key component in mono no aware; the cherry blossoms, like most flowers, do not stay in bloom permanently and die in accordance with the seasons. This aesthetic is, in essence, the ability to appreciate the artistic merit in this death and see that it is, in itself, beautiful. It is very unlike Western culture as mono no aware requires a keen understanding for subtlety and an appreciation for seemingly inconsequential matters, like blossoms blowing in the breeze. Miyabi, the second relevant Japanese aesthetic, roughly translates to â€Å"courtly elegance, which entails personal refinement, restraint, and indirectness† (Ikegami, Class notes). Contrary to the Western aesthetic of frankness, the Japanese actively follow the method of bottling up their emotions and metaphorically wearing a mask around the public that might not reflect how they actually feel inside. On some levels, one could equate miyabi with E. B. Du Bois’ theory of the â€Å"double consciousness†, which was developed in the late early 20th century to describe the inner struggle of African- Americans during the period of inequality and segregation; just as the blacks had to present themselves differently around whites in order to survive, the Japanese sacrifice dealing with interpersonal conflict in order to maintain a surface level of peace and harmony within the community (McWhorter). Through the lens of these four aesthetics, one can notice some overlap within the opening five chapters of Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji. In the second chapter, â€Å"The Broom Tree†, Genji and several friends are shut-in during a bout of bad weather and the conversation eventually turns to the subject of women. The men begin listing off their likes and dislikes, not straying far from the superficial. At one point, the 11th century courtiers make a statement that mirrors a Western ideal about women that, while now antiquated and offensive, is still propagated. In gross objectification, Genji and his men proclaim that, â€Å"a wife’s main duty is to look after her husband†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tyler 25). The men further objectify women, talking about them like they’re moldable clay on a pottery wheel that they can knead to their liking; a woman, for example, must be â€Å"seen, not heard† but not too passive as to never stick up for herself. A woman must be dutiful in the house but not work too hard as to let her looks go. She can’t be too intelligent. She has to always smell nice. The list goes on; just like modern man, Genji and his friends describe women that could not possibly exist.

Elder Abuse Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Elder Abuse - Assignment Example The impact that physical and emotional abuses have on old persons exacerbate the process of aging and the diseases that accompany the process. This complicates the ability of elders to leave the abusive relationship. Kinship obligations and use of extended family to resolve emerging issues complicate the resolution of abuses, especially if the victim is a woman. This paper is a case analysis of Harriet Fields case of elder abuse. Case Analysis A Summary of the Facts in the Case The case centres on elder abuse. The case is about Harriet Fields, an 88-year-old widow. Mrs. Fields lives with her son, Bernard, who is 55 years old and has lived with his mother all his life. Bernard has been unsuccessful in finding work, partly because he is unenthusiastic about it and because of his age. Mrs. Fields’ advanced age restrains her from undertaking many activities; this has contributed to her growing isolation from the rest of society. She no longer attends church services regardless of her strong religiosity (Payne, 2005). This prompted her pastor to visit her monthly. At some stage in the visits, the pastor became aware of Mrs. Fields’ injuries, which she had sustained from physical abuse by her son, Bernard. However, this was not an isolated incident as Mrs. Fields had been suffering successive physical abuse. She had not sought medical attention nor reported the incidences to the authorities. The pastor sought help from protective service workers, an unpleasant decision to Mrs Fields. Mrs. Fields’ case exhibited a lack of caregiver support. Mrs. Fields is also neglected as exhibited by unkemptness. She was also suffering from the diseases associated with aging such as poor vision and hearing capability (Payne, 2008). The protective officers notified the nurse and the police who visited her and offered her attention. Mrs. Fields was less enthusiastic about the recommendations of the police and the nurse. On confronting Bernard, the protection offic er learnt that he was unapologetic, blaming it all on her provocation. Mrs. Fields’ elderly relatives were also defensive of Bernard’s actions by dispelling accusations that he was an alcoholic. Main Problems in the case The problems highlighted by the case encompass abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Bernard subjected his mother to physical abuse and financial exploitation as well as mistreatment. In addition, Bernard subjects her to emotional abuse arising from verbal attacks and threats, which degrade and humiliate her (Grande, 2004). Mrs. Fields’ life also manifests abandonment fueled by loneliness and self-neglect whereby she disregards personal hygiene and health care. Her own actions or inactions such as unwillingness to seek medical care manifest self-harm and endangerment (Payne, 2005). Isolation aggravated the risk to abuse since Mrs. Fields kept a low social profile thus making the abuse go unnoticed. How the two theories explain the problems and the n eeds Feminist theory Feminist perspectives explain and respond to oppressive positions of women in most societies. Feminist perspectives delve more in increasing consciousness on women’s roles and positions. Feminist ideas lean towards radical transformation in societies (Payne, 2008). Feminists hold that social and institutional factors shape the positions of women in a patriarchal society. Feminists believe that the patriarchal society manifests increased domination in terms of privilege and empowerment of men. The provision of varying insights depending on the feminist premises yields different types of feminism, which are diverse, competing, and often contradictory (Grande, 2004). The five key feminist theoretical perspectives include liberal

The difference between chinese and british consumer behaviour on Literature review

The difference between chinese and british consumer behaviour on coffee consumption - Literature review Example The literature review will give information on how the attitudes affect consumer behaviour. It will investigate the actual and post purchase behaviours where it will include information such as where and how coffee is purchased in the two countries. It will also explain about the factors that affect the post purchase behaviour of the consumers. The literature review will describe the coffee shop atmosphere and how it will influence consumer behaviour. Other models of consumer behaviour will also be discussed under this topic. Consumer behaviour on coffee consumption in China Gillespie, Jeannet and Hennessey have argued that coffee consumption depends on the consumer income. Starbucks gave coffee market in China a priority as it believed in Chinese youth consumers. Coffee sales have increased and shown a positive growth. Starbucks has improved its marketing strategies by reducing coffee prices. The writers have stated that coffee is mostly consumed by elite consumers, tourists and exp atriates as they are the most targeted group by the coffee operators. They influence other consumer to have a coffee preference. Consumers that are attracted or like the luxury products tend to consume more coffee than other consumers. Increase in consumption level has lead to increase in coffee stores in the country who are competing amongst themselves (Gillespie, Jeannet, & Hennessey, 2010). Nagel has also argued that Starbuck has helped to increase coffee preference in China. An increase in coffee consumption has been experienced in the large cities such as Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. These cities have been flexible enough to adapt western culture such as coffee drinking, due to the attraction of the western lifestyle. The Chinese in the big cities have changed their consumer behaviour due to the influence of different cultures and westernisation. The growth of coffee consumption in some cities has been affected by the government and the Chinese traditions. Nagel also believ es that consumer behaviour among the Chinese youth have changed towards coffee consumption. They have accepted the coffee culture and its associated lifestyle. They now prefer premium coffee and they are drinking grounded coffee, due to its sweet smell compared to instant coffee. Nagel also complements that coffee consumption in China is seen to be a luxurious lifestyle, due to its exceedingly high cost. He concludes that the coffee consumption in China is increasing especially among the youth who grew after culture revolution (Nagel, 2008). Zinzius has states that China has been a tea drinking country but it has slowly adapted coffee drinking culture. This has been greatly influenced by the coffee shop atmosphere. Coffee consumption in China is quite low as many have not adapted to its bitter taste. Others complain that it is keeping them awake till late in the night. Starbucks is one of the companies that have affected the consumer behaviour on coffee consumption in China. The com pany has opened stores that increased coffee consumption and has targeted the youth such as students, young managers and employees. Despite the coffee being expensive, the consumers prefer coffee shops to tea shops as they are mostly filled with smoke and a lot of noise. The tea shops are mostly dominated by the adult population. The company has also offered training in coffee classes to enlighten them

Should the Chinese be allowed to continue to fix the Yuan Essay

Should the Chinese be allowed to continue to fix the Yuan - Essay Example The exhibitions held at Guangzhou, Beijing every now and then, attract a lot of participants from the world to buy and sell their products. This has become a platform for Industries to show-case their products. This has taken away the hosting rights from Germany and France, where Industrial Expo used to be held in the past. (ChinaDaily 2009) According to the leading businessmen in China, it is reported that the appreciation of their currency has surpassed the growth of their business beyond their dreams. Due to the higher valuation of Yuan, the exporters who have been making money on Dollar denomination found to be declining in their profits. At the same time the exhibitors are afraid that the process may slow down their export due to the valuation. However the associations and the chamber of commerce in China say that this is only a passing phase and in due course of time it will become normal, as the economy worldwide is improving. (ChinaDaily 2009) The Chinese government, in order to reduce the gap with the major buyer like United States of America, revalued its currency against U.S dollar, to avoid the fixation of the rate of Yuan against U.S dollar. The stronger Yuan will result in the Chinese products being priced higher. By that the sales in US will increase sales in the market and thus bring in a greater amount of dollars. There is a fear in the US market that the Chinese products will cost more due to the fixed rate of Yuan. (Isidore, 2005) The US Senators rather welcome the change of Chinese financial decision though it is not appreciated by the congress. The financial analysts say that the change though small in stature, it is very significant since they have revalued the currency that will pave way for further future valuations. The Global Economists feel that it may not cause an immediate impact on the economics of the trade but will open the doors to strengthen the Chinese currency. But, the incident resulted in the US stocks soaring immediately, only to become normal after some time. (Isidore, 2005) It has been established that the fixed rate of the currency with US $ has widened the trade gap between the two and kept the Chinese made goods cheap buy at US. The Central Bank of China assured that the exchange rate band would be adjusted when necessary according to market development as well as economic and financial situations. In a survey conducted in US it is reported that there will not be much impact on the trade due to the revaluation of the Chinese currency but, there could be market stabilization favoring China in the long run. The US is trying to impose trade sanctions on Chinese imports if market based valuation of Yuan is not allowed. (Isidore, 2005) The major move by the Chinese Government in the currency conversion is backed by the exporters, manufacturers and the suppliers and also the trade bodies /associations in the country. This is a great step forward by them to strengthen the financial and economic stability of the country. The President of China Hu Jintao told US President at a meeting, that in the scene of outbreak of International financial crisis, China has maintained stable Yuan exchange rate despite the difficult economic conditions. When there were Asian financial crisis during 1990's, China earned plaudits for

Gender picture analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gender picture analysis - Essay Example The man has left children up to their mom and has made pose on one side wearing a shirting that tells his position of a lifeguard. The man is free, while the woman is lost in children. Her hair is uncombed, and she is wearing a faded bedraggled gown. She spent time making meal for the kids that she is holding in one hand, yet the load of eight or nine babies is just too much to handle simultaneously. The picture clearly writes masculine and feminine underneath each of the two characters. This means that the way characters have been portrayed is typical of their social roles and responsibilities as a mother and a father. Online gender tests have gained much popularity in the recent years. The following text tells how gender is judged through tests in the contemporary age. Guys and girls are different in ways only we realize. In fact, without asking about your clothes, grooming, or chest, our Gender Test will predict, with 100% accuracy, whether you're a guy or a girl. The purpose of s uch texts is largely fun. The person going through the test is well aware of his/her gender identity. However, because of certain behavioral traits, people tend to tag an individual opposite to his/her real gender. In such circumstances, such texts do clarify people’s doubts they have developed over the years because of excessive consciousness about their gender identity. Such tests have tension revealing effects on individuals because more often than not, the tests produce fanciful and optimistic results.

Black Boy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Black Boy - Essay Example Accordingly, the author has chosen to focus on 5 unique situations that are indicative of the hardships caused by Jim Crow on Richard Wright’s formative years in Part 1 of the autobiography (the part that details his life in the South prior to a move to Chicago). The first of these is the general lack of work and economic hardships that is such a mainstay of the opening pages of the story. The hardship and deprivation were of course felt by many in the Deep South; however, none more so than the African American community. As these were both the least educated and most repressed, finding steady and gainful employment was nearly impossible. Something that is further evidenced by this is the fact that no one was able to fall back on their savings or any form of contingency plans they had made. Whereas many individuals in our current society have the ability to stash away a bit of savings in case the unthinkable happens, Richard Wright’s family was living on the very border of destitution even when the mother was employed and working multiple jobs. Of course this meant that when disaster struck and she was taken ill, there was no recourse but to fall back on the mercy and kindness of her extended family. ... A further evidence of how Jim Crow affected the life of young Richard Wright is seen in the fact that he regularly misses school and eventually drops out early on in his youth (Wright 18). However, what is noticeably absent is the mention of any type of truancy officer or guidance counselor that is able to check on young Richard Wright and encourage the family to keep the young boy in school. Rather, it is painfully evident that the educational system cares little for the loss of one little black boy from the system. Such an eventuality acquaints the reader with the net worth that the Jim Crow South placed on the black person’s role in society. Richard relates that life became noticeably better when he was able to move in with his aunt and uncle who, by the standards he was accustomed, earned a very good living. Richard’s uncle, Hoskins, ran a successful saloon in town and was able to adequately provide for all of the family members under his roof in this way. Howvever, the jealousy and horror of racism and Jim Crow reared its head again in this location and affected the murder of Hoskins at the hands of an angry and jealous group of white men in town. At the heart of Jim Crow one understands there is a primal fear that the black person would rise and better himself; thereby freeing himself/herself from the constraints of slavery and servitude that had for so long defined his/her existence. In this way, the reader is made aware of the fact that Hoskin’s death was merely an extension of the problems and issues of racism and Jim Crow that had been experienced in various ways previously in his story. The final instance of this which will be discussed in this brief paper is concentric around the

Self Appraisal for Initial Personal and Professional Practice Assignment

Self Appraisal for Initial Personal and Professional Practice - Assignment Example This study is an analysis of self appraisal of my initial personal and professional practice based on SWOT analysis and two metric tests; the MBTI typological test and a career test. The self assessment metric tests are first discussed informing the SWOT analysis. A conclusion is then arrived at about my initial personal and professional practice disposition after the self evaluation. MBIT Typological Test According to Vos, Clipeleer and Dewilde (2009, p. 761), there is a strong relationship between personality and career progress as indicated by structural equation modelling testing of career plan theory. Personality heavily influences an individual’s professional practice and ultimate career success. This is because personality not only determines an individual’s career planning but also their behaviour when in the professional field. As a result, a number of personality type tests and aptitude metrics have been generated to help individuals to determine their persona lity and their preferential professions and employers determine whether the candidate employees have the right personalities needed for the jobs. The MBIT is a typological metric test for personality; the test has been proven to discern an individual’s personality, thus, informing its choice for my personality testing. After taking the MBIT test at Human Metrics (2011), the results indicated that I am of the ENFJ personality type explained by the following scores; 56% extraverted, 75% intuitive, 38% feeling and 45% judging. The description of the EFNJ personality type indicated that such individuals are highly expressive and good communicators, enthusiastic and passionate about their roles, close connection with those around, imaginative, idealistic and intuitive. The results also suggested a range of areas that may suit my career aspirations basing on my personality; these were management, counselling, psychology and education. Career Planning Test According to Abele and Wie se (2008, p. 735), the contemporary world, more than ever, needs individuals to plan and self-manage themselves in order to develop their professional lives. Changes in the socio-economic structures of the modern world and the dynamics of the labour market translate to a situation where it is necessary to plan career development. One of the ways through which career planning can be initiated involves taking a career test which details an individual’s likely career path based on their interests and personality. Career planning tests entail not only the skills and qualifications that a person has but also their interests and the styles they employ to execute tasks. Thus, taking a career test was selected as an approach to self-appraisal as it is effective in establishing the initial considerations for personal and professional practice. The test I selected in this case was the Career Planning Test by Career Path (2012), where 24 statement pairs are used to discern the individua l’s career preferences, interests and styles of performing tasks. The results cover the areas of interests and styles of executing tasks and are colour-coded as red for expediting, blue for planning, green for

Analyse geopolitical risk of refugees fleeing from Libya to Europe Essay - 1

Analyse geopolitical risk of refugees fleeing from Libya to Europe - Essay Example Instead, now the greatest threat to Europe’s geopolitical stability is external. Europe has been final destination of majority of immigrants from Africa, Middle East, and Asia. However, after the eruption of democratic revolution, ‘Arab Spring’, in 2011 in Tunisia, which swiftly spread to Syria, Egypt, and Libya, the enormous number of refugees and asylum seekers from these countries and other parts of Africa have been risking own lives in overcrowded, decaying boats to enter Europe. According to the reports of Frontex, the European Union’s border control agency, over millions of migrants from Northern Africa, especially from Libya, have attempted to enter Europe via Mediterranean Sea route in the last 2 years. Libya, which is currently suffering from the clashes between two rival governments and their militia, possesses a serious threat to stability and peace in Europe as major terrorists organizations are regularly threatening to infiltrate Europe with a great number of terrorists through massive migrant flow from Libya to Europe’s s outhern coast. Furthermore, the economic burden and the ineffectiveness of EU to tackle the issue of Libyan refuges is intensifying political and social unrest in affecting states, like Italy, Malta, and France. The present paper highlights the growing issue of North African refugees in Europe, which is significantly affecting the geopolitical stability and peace in the region. The root causes of rapidly increasing number of African refugees fleeing to Europe lies in the 2011 Arab spring and ineffective policies of the EU towards it. In 2011, widespread demonstrations against housing shortages and political corruption in Libya quickly turned into violent clashes between government forces and anti-government rebels. In April 2011, when the Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was about to succeed in crushing growing opposition of rebels, the US and major European

An Evaluation of WKMNs A Newbies Guide to Wireless Networks Tutorial Research Paper

An Evaluation of WKMNs A Newbies Guide to Wireless Networks Tutorial - Research Paper Example    These concepts include the radio frequency technology, mobile telephony, wireless area network (LAN), wireless personal area network, fixed wireless wide area networks (WAN), practical applications of these technologies in various business set-ups and other references that can be useful to the student who wants to learn more. Each of these topics contains subtopics that are detailed to the technology. Although the terminologies can give a complex impression especially to hearing of it for the first time, the tutorial is designed to ensure a simplified translation of such concepts that can be comprehended in the understanding level of its students. How the student grasp the concepts and ideas are critical to the objectives of creating this newbie tutorial as it will determine the productivity that they can make out of this wireless technology knowledge that a student will gain after going through the tutorial. I believe that WKMN has done an effective tutorial for this Newbieâ₠¬â„¢s Guide to Wireless Networks. The tutorial can be both beneficial to a beginner in wireless technology and someone who has a background already on this topic. The colorful multimedia design of the slide lessons itself included with audio, animation, text, and innovative quizzes allow the tutorial to impart the basic concepts of wireless LANs, mobile telephony networks, fixed last-mile wireless networks, personal area networks, and Bluetooth. It also discussed other important aspects to consider in employing wireless technology in a business such as the costs and efforts associated with physical cabling and the basics of radio frequency technology. There is also a segment on how the different frequency band-sharing schemes work which is another critical aspect. It simplified teaching the process on how analog and digital channels are cut by time or by frequency by using animations. The contents are also presented in what it calls â€Å"bite-sized nuggets† to maintain its s implistic approach and ensure the focus on conceptual understanding of the student. With the thousands of websites and resources available on the internet today, it is indeed easy to be overwhelmed especially on wireless technology topics. Since this is an online course, it caters to university students or company professionals who have little time for extra activities like this.  Ã‚  

A comparative study of IVF (in vetro fertilization) Essay

A comparative study of IVF (in vetro fertilization) - Essay Example Therefore, due to the high scientific relevance for human beings, this topic of study has been chosen. It has been a fact in the US and other countries that there has been an increase in the infertility rates. Especially, there are almost zero chances of women getting pregnant in their late 30s and 40s. IVF acts as a problem solver to almost around 90% of such cases. The procedures that are incorporated in the IVF treatment, the benefits associated with such a treatment which eventually results in a healthy mother and baby. The minimum specification of this treatment is getting a healthy baby. Kiplinger’s Personal finance March 1989 issue, â€Å"Changing times: The American dream† discussing about the IVF technique says â€Å"IVF is most effective in surmounting tubal problems, endometriosis or sperm scarcity† The American Dream. Changing Times: Kiplinger’s Guide. 1989. Web. 31 January 2012. In this issue the author talks about the IVF technology and in which cases this should be used. The author also states that IVF should be the last option that should be tested and all other options should be tried and used before going for IVF. â€Å"IVF is the process of combining an egg and sperm not in the body, but in a laboratory dish. When the IVF procedure is successful, the process is continued with a procedure known as embryo transfer, which physically places embryo in the uterus† Barbados Fertility Center. Healthy Travel Media. 2010. Web. 31 January 2012. In this book the author talks about the procedures involved in the IVF technology and how an IVF process could be assumed to be successful or not. This book also discusses the costs and expenses associated

Economic Collapse of 2008 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economic Collapse of 2008 - Research Paper Example When events like this occur, we automatically look back at the control systems that are supposed to alert us and in fact prevent such a fiasco from assuming alarming proportions. In this case, obviously something went wrong somewhere or the signs were ignored. This paper will look at the main factors that led to the collapse, the consequences of the collapse, who should be held accountable for it, where we stand today and how it has impacted on our hopes for the future. Main Factors Which Led to the Collapse It all started with an excess of lending in the sub–prime mortgage sector of the USA. The economy was going well and life was good. It seemed that the good times were here to last and there was no letting up. And then it finally happened. Bankers who had previously considered even people with a bad credit history as good enough for taking a loan now began to cut back on lending in the interests of risk control and compliance. As the economy shrunk and credit dried up, bank ers began to call on the sub-prime mortgages and the consumers were left with nowhere to turn to. Imagine their predicament as interest rates rose up and they had to let go of their precious mortgages. It was havoc and pandemonium in the housing sector. As the crisis deepened, even the banks that had not provided adequately for bad debts in the real estate sector were affected. Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers in the USA and Morgan Stanley in the UK were institutions that were brought down by the crisis; others have had to sell off, divest and re-organize themselves. For institutions like international banks, who have diversified their investment portfolios across the world in different continents to spread risk, it was inevitable that their holdings were impacted in some way or the other. AIG and Citibank in the USA, Deutsche Bank in Europe, Citigroup in the USA and Standard Chartered in the UK were all offered stimulus packages that have helped them recover rather than join the r anks of the bankrupt companies. To date in excess of 400 small and large banks have had to bite the dust. One contributing factor it seems that too much power had been given to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in relation to credit and control over the housing and real estate sector in the USA. The burgeoning housing sector has been hard to control. With their disbanding, and control in the hands of another regulatory agency, things are expected to become better. Another factor that has us bogged down is our insistence on continuing the War on Terror, a war we cannot win so easily. After nine years of fighting in Afghanistan and five in Iraq, we have little to show for it. We are spending millions of dollars per day and the average US citizen is being mired in debt without his consent. The 9/11 attacks were a blessing in disguise to the faltering Bush Administration who wasted no time passing the Patriot Act, creating Homeland Security and terrorizing citizens with different alert levels, racial profiling and enhanced security checks at airports. Bush had famously announced the names of countries he regarded as the Axis of Evil nations in a speech. He vetoed many of the expenses on the War on Terror, over the combined judgment of Congress representatives. The result is trillions of dollars in debt which we cannot possibly correct in our lifetimes. Many have criticized the

Leadership and management Style Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership and management Style - Assignment Example My past experience tells me that nowadays there is a lack of alignment between goals of an organization and leadership style. I, being a leader, want to align the strategy of the organization with leadership style. Management style varies depending upon the nature, size and kind of the organization. The authoritative leadership style works well when the job is monotonous and does not require much innovation and input from employees e.g. Military organizations and hospitals. Through my past experience I have found that I am good at leading people authoritatively. But my weakness is that I crashed during stress times and critical decision making. Although I always came up with the right decision but I got extremely nervous when I had to complete more than one task at a time. I was more involved in taking suggestions from others regarding taking decision. But my experience has told me that this job cannot be done without being authoritative as it is the matter of life of patient. In fut ure, I would not repeat this mistake of mine and will improve my leadership style. The trait theory of leadership says that there are certain traits that are required in individuals who want to become at the leadership positions and the leaders are born as leaders. These traits describe basic qualities leaders possess like achievement drive, motivation, self-confidence, knowledge of business, cognitive ability, emotional maturity and few others like charismatic personality and flexibility. It assumes that leaders are born with these qualities and cannot be made (Trait Theory). Task 2 When applying this theory on my own personality, I come to a conclusion that I am a born leader. Throughout my job experience, I observed my behavior at certain situation which told me that I possess the leadership qualities. My past experiences were all of this kind that helped me getting to know about my own talents and abilities. I have always been supportive and cooperative. There have been times wh ere I had to take some decisions authoritatively as the job of nursing is a very important job where there is not much room for flexibility. My self-confidence and cognitive ability enabled me to manage stress and time but not that well as I want to. Knowledge of business is the most important trait of a leader in my view. When one does not know what his or her business is, he cannot be an effective leader. My educational qualification as well as past job experiences were fruitful enough to give me a knowhow of the field of nursing. However, in my view the traits of the leaders are not always present in the leaders in every situation. There are times when changes in traits are needed. In my view I lag in the flexibility part of the traits and in my view this trait can be acquired by the experience. What kind of situation will be most helpful for what kind of trait, these are few things on which I need to focus and learn. My personal development objectives are To become a part of an organization where I can apply my leadership skills I want to add value to the enterprise rather than being just a part of it I want to learn more about the decision making importance in nursing field Given the sense of autonomy, I want to utilize my potential to the maximum I want to learn where do I lag when it comes to managing the people I want to improve my communication skills and be more supportive I want to increase the flexibility of my traits so that I can be a

The Benefit of Management Information System Research Paper

The Benefit of Management Information System - Research Paper Example Informational system software’s corresponds to the needs of the end users and promises to be central to all future application systems. It enhances the information’s management to select diverse applications from the market in regard to the needs and cost appropriately while offering the guarantees and capacities to interlock with the global system. Dr S.shajahan (2004). Basing on informational researchers and practitioners; the requirements to curtail emergent technological risks has been a contentious point. Informational accessibility, confidentiality and integrity have been viewed as an integral aspect, nevertheless, the development of protective measures against a potential threat such as viruses, hackers and system failures have been the primary concern. One of the major challenges that management and precisely information technology managers face is keeping track of management information systems and optimizing the benefits of information technology derived from meeting current processing demand and strategic processing demands. Information technology is difficult to determine what systems to invest in. The question that lingers is whether to invest in information technology solutions that are currently needed or invest in information technology solutions that cater to the future needs of the organization. Technology is fast moving and management systems have evolved over the years from performing basic payroll tasks to complex tasks such as providing information regarding sales, inventory and decision making processes.

Critically explore and analyse concepts and debates in contemporary Essay - 2

Critically explore and analyse concepts and debates in contemporary health and - Essay Example This issue is challenging for the physicians and the care givers. It also suggests the fact though the UKNHS policies and interventions really strive to reach each and every people but they also fail in some specific sections of the population. In this article the conceptual problems leading to this discrepancy of policy and manifestations are elucidated and discussed.(Unal,2004) Though there has been literature regarding the issues there has been very little work done as to how to improve from this issue. The Health Development has the task of developing the evidence base in health to inform policies and practice to reduce inequalities. The HAD has done reviews on issues like low birth weight, social supports in pregnancy, prevention of drug In fact the HAD reviews implicated that the dimensions of social positions and social differences such as ethnicity, disability, gender, age , place and geography was though not been explicitly denied as important but are underdeveloped empirically and theoretically. Thus the question of social work requires much more prominent role in policy making in health planning services. In Britain social inequalities has been evaluated by occupations. The occupation of the male head household was used to determine social class positions of all the members of the society including the aged population. Hence in the mind of policy makers the women were thus not distinguished for the social class positions and hence their was little allowance for kinds of social difference other than the occupation of the male head to determine for the health inequalities. Though the society has changed with the women and the geriatric population actively been employed, the decline of manual work that has taken place but the policy makers abide by the earlier rule of occupation based data capture for formulating policies. There are a number of factors of social

Female Acceptance into a Computer Based Society Essay Example for Free

Female Acceptance into a Computer Based Society Essay INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Advancement on technology had brought different changes into the society. These aims to provide additional comfort and making things work more efficiently. But there are changes that people cannot prevent to happen. These are biological changes such as getting old.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People respond to the aging process as a negative thing. Misconceptions arises that lead to common negative behavior towards the aging process. Getting old is a natural process. Anti-aging solutions are invented to prevent physical changes that it may cause like gray hair and wrinkles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Its no secret that our bodies change as we age. Physical as well as psychological changes as effect of aging can be experienced.   Some changes are obvious, while others are more subtle. Others, may experience the effects of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, which can gradually diminish their abilities to participate fully in activities. While there are still people age comfortably and remain active, alert and vibrant throughout their lives. Their physiologic age may be quite younger than their chronological age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of the negative connotation on the process of aging, women who are known to be more conscious than men generally find it an issue to accept aging as a natural process of life. OBJECTIVES This study aims to discuss the impact of aging to the female group given in a modern and more advance society. This will provide description on how female cope, adapt and react to the aging process. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The research covers the issue of aging on female point of view. . It also provide an overview on what is aging and the physical and mental changes it bring to a person. This also identify some misconceptions about aging. SIGNIFICANCE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study is significant to discuss the impact of aging to women. It identifies the reasons on how the female gender response to the stage of aging. It discusses the common misconceptions regarding aging that can be properly addressed. This study is also significant for future researches related to the topic. RELATED LITERATURE Misconceptions on Aging There are a lot of misconceptions about getting old. It is a negative connotation that aging means getting near to the end of growth. And that old age is a lonely stage of life. It is also a misconception that when one is old, he/she believes that there are only limited to certain activities especially in the physical aspect. One fears getting old because of the fear of loosing independence. Another misconception is that people think that the happy days of their lives were experienced when they are young. According to a recent study shown, these several misconceptions vary from the reality regarding the issue of aging.   The research was conducted by VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and University of Michigan researchers to 540 adults who were between the ages of 21 and 40, or over age 60 . They were asked to rate their level of happiness through answering questions. The results are published in the June issue of the Journal of Happiness Studies, a major research journal in the field of positive psychology. There is a stereotype existing between the old and young in the society. One thinks that the happy days of his/her life happens only when he/she is young.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In another research by Linda M. Woolf, Ph.D., the concept of ageism was examined between younger and older men and women in the present study. It was entitled â€Å"Effects of Age and Gender on Perceptions of Younger and Older Adults†. The study discusses the older adults are perceived more negatively than younger adults. Through gender interaction effect, a significant age by was found. Both younger and older men rated stimulus older adults significantly less positively than stimulus younger adults. However, older women rated stimulus older adults significantly more positively than they rated other stimulus-age groups. Older women were the only subject group that did not exhibit a consistent negative bias against older adults. Conversely, younger women rated stimulus older adults more negatively than any subject group. Biological   Effects   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The effects of aging are obvious on the body. Our body is made up of cells and tissues that keep on regenerating and replenishing to keep our body sustaining. As we grow old, this process decreases where replacement of old to new cells are slowing causing the signs of aging to appear.   Physical changes like poor hearing and declining vision takes place. The strength of muscles lessens due to soft tissues like skin and blood vessels that became less flexible are some general changes that occur in the human body as it ages. Skin starts to become dry and wrinkled. It looses its elasticity and the glands function less so sweating occurs lesser than the usual. Moreover, there is an overall decline in body tone that can be observed. The body’s performance becomes less efficient. Not all people experience decreased organ function to the same degree—some individuals are healthier due to good diet and exercise when they are younger. Aging also affects the immune system of a person. Human antibody lessens their act against free radicals. The immune system also changes with age. The antibodies, disease-fighting proteins, protect the body against bacteria, viruses, and other harmful agents in a healthy immune system. A healthy immune system also prevents the growth of abnormal cells, which can become cancerous. With advancing age, the ability of the immune system to carry out these protective functions is diminished—the rate of antibody production may drop by as much as 80 percent between age 20 and age 85. This less-effective immune system explains why a bout of influenza, which may make a young adult sick for a few days, can be fatal for an elderly person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For females, these changes on the body due to the advancement of age have a greater issue.   Aging causes changes on the physical aspect of a person and one of the major effects of aging occurs in the female reproductive system. With aging, a womans breasts lose tissue and subcutaneous fat, reducing breast size and fullness. There is also a decrease in the number of mammary ducts. The breasts lose support. Aging breasts commonly flatten and sag, and the nipple may turn in slightly. The areola (the area surrounding the nipple) becomes smaller and may nearly disappear. Loss of hair around the nipple is common. Breast cancer risk increases with age. Women should perform monthly breast self-examinations. However, because breast self-exams do not always pick up early stages of breast cancer, women should also talk to their health care providers about mammograms. It also affects the fertility cycle of a woman. Menopausal stage takes place on about age 45 to age 55 of a female where the ovaries does not longer produce egg cells. This means that she can no longer bear a child. This is also the end of the menstrual cycle since there is no longer the release of sexual hormones that motivates the cycle. Although the average onset of menopause occurs in the early part of the sixth decade there is an observable, real and significant decline in the 10 to 15 years before menstruation ceases. Scientific studies on natural populations (those with high marital rates and no birth control) and on â€Å"infertility populations† all confirm the presence of an age related decline in female fertility independent of all other factors. This effect becomes most prominent after age 35.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aging cause loss of female fertility. Although menstrual irregularities generally begin to show in the last half of the 5th decade (a time termed perimenopause) there is a marked decrease in fertility in the 10 years preceding this that appears to be independent of male or pelvic factors and despite the occurrence of regular menstrual cycles and ovulation. Similarly a decrease in success rates for IVF is seen in this population as well. The discussion then seems to focus on whether this decrease in fertility is due to ovarian factors, uterine factors or both. In other mammals there does appear to be a host of age related uterine changes that do limit fertility however, initial studies in humans failed to show consistent aging changes. Furthermore it now seems that the endometrium of an ovulatory older woman with appropriate levels of estradiol and progesterone should be able to be appropriately receptive to and supportive of implantation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The catch here is that as we age, even while still regularly menstruating, there are subtle shifts in hormonal patterns that may make the endometrium less receptive. As an example, luteal phase defect is far more common at the edges of reproductive life (very young, very old, newly delivered) but progesterone supplementation, which in theory should overcome the defect, does not appear to have made a significant difference in pregnancy rates for older women. More compelling support for the idea that the problem is primarily ovarian in nature comes from the fact that pregnancy rates for younger women and older women undergoing IVF with donor eggs are quite comparable. There are however, still some questions about uterine receptivity and study is ongoing in attempts to isolate out the effect of the â€Å"older uterus† from the effect of aging eggs of poor quality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The bottom line for now seems to be that although everyone agrees that egg quality and ovarian reserve definitely decline with age and are perhaps the primary factors causing an age related decrease in female fertility, there may be uterine factors in play as well. Further study to elucidate the mechanisms at work and, hopefully, to devise new treatment options are indicated. A number of other studies investigates the effects of aging. Scientists have found, for example, a possible explanation for why women have longer average life spans than men. The difference seems to be biologically determined, and male and female sex hormones are probably responsible. The blood levels of female sex hormones drop sharply during menopause. At that time, the incidence of heart disease and high blood pressure in women increases to match the incidence in men, suggesting that the presence of female sex hormones offers some protection against heart disease. Aging Population   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In developed nations, life expectancy has increased more in the 20th century than it has in all of recorded history. A person born in the United States in 1995 can expect to live more than 35 years longer than a person born in 1900. Today more than 34 million Americans are 65 or older, accounting for about 13 percent of the population. By the year 2030, their numbers will more than double: One in every five Americans will be over age 65. A person who lives 100 years or more—a centenarian—was once a rarity, but today about 60,000 Americans are 100 years or older. By the year 2060, there may be as many as 2.5 million centenarians in the United States. The number of supercentenarians—people 105 years of age and older—will probably be as commonplace in the next century as centenarians are fast becoming now. How to Counteract with Aging   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Knowing what to expect and taking steps to counterbalance the effects of aging can help you maintain a young spirit and an independent life. A healthy diet, regular exercise program and positive attitude can help delay the onset and slow the progression of many age-related changes. Many of the changes in our musculoskeletal system result more from disuse than from simple aging. Fewer than 10 percent of Americans participate in regular exercise, and the most sedentary group is over age 50.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stretching is an excellent way to help maintain joint flexibility. Weight training can increase muscle mass and strength, enabling people to continue their daily routine activities without maximal exertion. Even moderate amounts of physical activity can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and some forms of cancer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Much recent research has been conducted on the effects of exercise on aging. In all of the studies described above, exercise had positive effects on aging. It has been found to increase reaction time, assist in predicting good aging, and improve psychological well-being. Factors such as health, social support, efficacy, and motivation are indicators of the maintenance of exercise. One should acknowledge the factors influencing exercise, recognize the numerous benefits of exercise, and take action at any age in order to live a more healthy and happy life now and in old age. Long-term regular exercises may slow the loss of muscle mass and prevent age-associated increases in body fat. Exercise also helps maintain the bodys response time, as well as its ability to deliver and use oxygen efficiently. Just 30 minutes of moderate activity, incorporated into your daily routine, can provide health benefits. An exercise program doesnt have to be strenuous to be effective. Walking, square dancing, swimming and bicycling are all recommended activities for maintaining fitness into old age. The 30 minutes of moderate activity can be broken up into shorter periods; you might spend 15 minutes working in the garden in the morning and 15 minutes walking in the afternoon. It all adds up. But if youve never attempted an exercise program before, be sure to see your doctor before starting one now. Psychological Aging   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Behavioral medicine research over the past several years has identified a umber of psychosocial characteristics that affect the development and course of a wide range of life-threatening illnesses. Included among these psychosocial risk factors are hostility, depression, social isolation, high job strain, and low socioeconomic status. The specific mechanisms whereby these factors influence the patho ­genesis and prognosis of major causes of death such as coronary heart disease (CHD) and cancer have not been identified yet, but considerable research points to accompanying health behaviors (smoking, dietary habits, and alco ­hol consumption) and biological characteristics (altered functions of the sym ­pathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems [SNS, PNS], of the hypothal ­amic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis, and of the immune system) as likely mediators. Finally, research evaluating interventions targeting psychosocial risk factors in groups of patients with CHD and cancer offer considerable promise that secondary prevention will be shown to have an important place in the treatment and rehabilitation of major chronic diseases . Anti-aging can be a difficult topic to address. A war is currently being fought over the meaning of anti-aging (as research, medicine, brand, or simply adjective) and thus even mentioning the term is likely to prejudice many readers. Defining Anti-Aging   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like it or not, anti-aging now has a number of quite different common meanings and connotations. Each is championed by a particular group or loose coalition of interests, but advocates for these groups have a way of diving into the fray without defining their terms. This makes reading about anti-aging techniques, technologies, medicine, products, and debates very confusing for the newcomer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For the scientific community, anti-aging research refers exclusively to slowing, preventing, or reversing the aging process. There is, as of 2007, no medical technology that allows this to be done although the jury is still out on calorie restriction in humans. Nor is there any currently available method (short of waiting for people to die) to accurately measure the effects of an alleged anti-aging therapy. In the medical and more reputable business community, anti-aging medicine means early detection, prevention, and reversal of age-related diseases. This is quite different from tackling the aging process itself, and a wide array of strategies and therapies are currently available. Calorie restriction, for example, is a demonstrated way to lower risk for a wide range of age-related degenerative conditions. The wider business community including a great many fraudulent and frivolous ventures views anti-aging as a valuable brand and a demonstrated way to increase sales. At the worse end of the scale, this leads to snake oil salesmen, anti-aging creams that may or may not make your skin look younger, and infomercials that tout the anti-aging benefits of exercise machines. Broadly, and very charitably, we can look at these varied definitions of anti-aging as meaning to look and feel younger in some way which has no bearing on how long you live or how healthy you actually are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The confusion of most interest is between the first two definitions. Many interventions lengthen life span for individuals by preventing or curing specific age-related diseases that would otherwise prove fatal. For example, ask yourself whether preventing heart disease or diabetes is anti-aging medicine. This would have no effect on the aging process, but it would help many people to live longer, healthier lives. Is this anti-aging research? Scientists say no, some medical and business groups say yes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aging is such a bad word in our society. We dont want to see old people, much less sit next to them. Even old people dont like to be around other old people.But maybe the reason that many seniors cant embrace their golden years is that they have never had it modeled for them. People today just live longer. The fastest growing segment in todays society is those 85 and older. Its a whole new ballgame for seniors today. A lot are unsure what to do or whats expected of them. In some ways, were pioneers showing younger folk what to do and what they can do when they are this age. Indeed, the work of a person growing old is that of becoming an elder, discovering spiritual treasures and passing them along to others. Despite physical limitations, there are many positives about aging, including more time to be spent in meditation and prayer, working on a closer connection to God and selves. That meditative work can encourage elders to review their lives, see how they made a difference as well as bringing up old wounds and pains. Its here that seniors need to work on forgiving others, themselves and God as they let go of past hurts, grudges and pains. AGING ON FEMALE’S PERSPECTIVE Response to Physical Changes It is a much issue for women when they feel they get old considering females to be a more conscious gender when it comes to the physical aspect. After discussing the physical changes that it can bring, without proper caring, one’s body can be a total wreck. Another issue that aging brought is that it lessen one’s self esteem. Women are conscious of their age. Youth implies beauty. Something that one tries to preserve while she is still has the youthfulness. That is why anti aging creams, pills etc. are in demand to most women. For example, there is a preference of choosing a younger female.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As women age their concerns about health grow—and rightfully so given that women are at greater risks for some health conditions. For example, according to the Illinois Department on Aging, heart disease is the No. 1 leading cause of death among older women. Women are twice as likely as men to die within the first year of having a heart attack. The second leading cause of death for women is cancer—specifically lung and breast cancer—and the third leading cause of death is stroke. Women who have hypertension or diabetes are at greater risk for heart disease and strokes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like all women, lesbians are at risk for health problems associated with aging. Some evidence suggests that they may even be at greater risk for some age-related health problems. For example, because lesbians as a group are less likely to have been pregnant, more likely to drink alcohol and smoke—and more likely to be overweight—their risk of breast cancer may be greater than the risk among women in the general population. However, we need much more research before we can say much of anything for sure about lesbians’ risks for breast cancer or the other leading causes of death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women (CHLEW) study we are collecting information about these and many other health concerns of lesbians. We are happy to report that, in general, the 450 lesbians in our study are overall very healthy—in fact, when we first interviewed them in 2000-2001, 74% of them rated their health as good or excellent; only 7% said that their health was poor. Very few women in the study reported being diagnosed with breast cancer , heart disease, or diabetes. However, 17% said that they have high blood pressure (hypertension). One of the reasons for these low rates of problems is that the women are relatively young—the average age of the women in the study is 39 years (only about a quarter of them are over 45 years old). As they get older, lesbians, like other women, face higher risk for these serious health problems. Because we have not yet discovered the cure for aging it is important that we take care of ourselves in order to reduce these risks and improve our overall quality of life. Among the most important ways that we can take care of ourselves include getting regular exercise, not smoking, and using sodium (salt) and alcohol in moderation. Some misconceptions of women and the truth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The older I get, the worse my body will feel. The increasing stiffness and aches pains that often come with age are not a result of age, but are due to lack of movement. Although there are some changes in the tissues in the process of aging, one can continue to remain remarkably flexible and free of pain through something as simple as regular stretching.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Its too late to start taking care of myself it wont do any good at this age. A healthy lifestyle has been found to be one of the most important factors in how people age. Improvements in lifestyle (with the 3 key areas being good food, exercise and regular relaxation and rest) will bring improvements at any age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Im getting too old to learn new things Research shows that older people can, and do, learn new things. Attitude plays an important role. People who believe they can learn new things do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sex is only for the young. People can, and do, continue to enjoy sex well into their senior years. People are sexual beings throughout the life cycle, but sexuality is experienced differently at different ages. Changes in hormones affects the experience of sex, and one may need to find different ways to be intimate. Relaxation is key here so that we dont panic when things dont happen the way they used to. Aging does not imply that they are too old for sex but simply they need to give themselves some breathing room to become familiar with our changing physiologies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The older I get, the less attractive I become. There is nothing more attractive than someone who has aged well. There is a special radiance in a elderly person who is at peace with themselves and life. Attractiveness has absolutely nothing to do with age. Its never too late to change the two most important ingredients to graceful aging attitude and lifestyle.   At the risk of sounding like a broken record to those of you whove read my previous articles there are two very simple but essential lifestyle ingredients for successful aging -relaxation and stretching.       References: http://www.hope.edu/academic/psychology/335/webrep2/ageexercise.htm http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2006-06/17/content_619419.htm http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2006-06/17/content_619419.htm http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/ageismwoolf.html http://www.seniorwomen.com/articles/articlesElginOld.html http://www.riversidehealth.com/articles/aging.htm http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=224topcategory=Wellness http://infertility.about.com/cs/femalefactors/a/femaleage.htm

George and Marthas Essay Example for Free

George and Marthas Essay The very title of Edward Albees Whos afraid of Virginia Woolf? has immediate connotations as to the relationship between the two main characters of the play, George and Martha. The well known nursery rhyme in fact goes, Whos afraid of the big bad wolf? As we find out in further reading of the play, the big bad wolf is obviously supposed to be seen as Martha, and the victim is George, her long suffering husband. However, in hindsight, both characters suffer just as much as each other. The title of Act one is Fun and Games. This proves to be slightly ironic as the games Martha and George play, mind and verbal matches, do not seem at all fun, but appear as more of a power struggle. Apparent simple requests from Martha become games for both her and Martha to play. Martha says, Why dont you want to kiss me? whereupon George replies, Well, dear, if I kissed you Id get all excited As one critic of the play wrote, They (George and Martha) club each other on the head with gleeful scorn and leave huge patches of scorched earth. Emotions from both George and Martha become integrated into an ongoing power struggle, and Martha dwells in Georges anger as she likes to see the stirred up effect she has on him. As the night wears on, more alcohol is consumed and the clearer it becomes that it is not blood running through Martha and Georges veins, but booze, spite, nicotine and fear. When Martha first rants about a Bette Davis film that she quotes from, Hey, wheres that from? What a dump, it seems that George almost ignores her. Marthat ahs already appeared as the stronger character in the play, but in retrospect, she relies an George for a great many things, such as the name of the film that Bette Davis was in, and the name of the professor coming to have drinks. Both characters appear to totally confront one another. Martha, according to George, brays, and George shows a passive display of apathy. However, this is not merely strength versus weakness due to Marthas obvious reliance on George. In Martha and Georges relationship, Martha firstly behaves like a mother towards George, saying, Cmon over here and give Mommy a big sloppy kiss. She then acts more childlike, with (imitating a child), Im firsty. It is as though Martha cannot decide as to whether she is the controlling mother or the child who needs protecting in their relationship. The action of this Act takes place in George and Marthas cosy yet cluttered home. In an outline, Martha is furious that George, an academic, hasnt advanced at the college where her father is President, that is, George hasnt become President himself. The fact that George didnt even fight during the War, but stayed in the History Department at the college, makes George and Martha doubt his manhood all the more. In a sense, George almost feels below Marthas father. Understandably so, as Martha calls him a flop and continues to praise her father. George and Nicks (the slightly self contained younger guest) chosen departments in the college are again an example of total contrast in the play. George appears to be bogged down in his department and not going anywhere academically or in his career. He is almost a relic of the past himself. Nick, however, is at the forefront of new discoveries and is also young, handsome and extremely successful. This is the type of man whom Martha initially wanted to marry, yet the type of man to whom George could not fit the bill. George is therefore understandable threatened by Nick and his young, liberal way of thinking. George pretends to shoot Martha in another of their games, but this is almost the opposite to the restrained George we are used to seeing. Laughter and arguments between the characters of Martha and George demonstrate to us the dialectic of love and hate in Act one. When Martha demands a kiss from George, a display of affection to his own wife, George knocks it back and rejects her. The fluctuation in their relationship demonstrates that hating each other hasnt precluded form simultaneously loving and needing one another. Illusion appears to be a very important part of the play. George and Martha both had an illusion of what life would be like when they got married; they saw George becoming president of the college and living a happy married life under its roof. Clearly this did not happen, and both feel somewhat bitter for it. Honey and Nick also appear almost as an illusion of a happy marriage, so it seems. They seem to slip into the background in that they both pretend not to notice George and Marthas arguments and laugh at things that they dont particularly find funny. Another example of an illusion is that of Marthas and Georges apparent son. Martha is always very keen to talk of him whereas George is not so, almost closing down the subject. We never actually see the son in Act One and there is even confusion between the two as to when his birthday is. The supposed perfection of the boy, blonde hair and blue eyes, and the fact that George refers states, Dont bring up the bit about the boy, depersonalises and deludes his actual existence. This is obviously a particularly sore point of conversation between George and Martha, as it results in a number of heated arguments. Martha and George constantly hurl abusive and hurtful words at each other, as though throwing knives. In striking out at those closest to them, that is each other, they represent the typical dysfunctional couple. However, in doing so the romantic notion of love keeps their relationship almost together. Both saw each other as the way to a new, perfect way of life yet the fantasy was not fulfilled, and in verbally abusing each other, they take the blame from themselves and place it on each other. Albee has captured perfectly the way two completely different people can come together and the dramatic consequences it can have on each other, not always in bringing out the negative.

Assess one sociological theory of religion

Assess one sociological theory of religion Using examples critically assess one sociological theory of religion In most traditional societies, religion is an important form of social togetherness. It augments a feeling of community and promotes a set of shared values and beliefs in some form of god. Religion also plays a central role in cultural life; people often synthesize religious symbols and rituals into the material and artistic culture of the society: literature, storytelling, painting, music, and dance. It is the focus of the society that is of interest to religious sociologists, in particular theories concerning the way religious behaviour differs between and within societies. Beckford notes that theories revolving around how social interaction benefits or holds back societies, has made sociology a renowned area of study. In order to establish a fundamental starting point in this thesis, the foundations of sociology and the sociology of religion will be described in context. Furthermore, it will discuss, in some detail, the sociological theoretical approach of functionalism by sociologists; a critical analysis will aim to show the differences in their approaches to functionalism and will include supporting and critical statements from preceding and subsequent sociological theorists. Sociologists generally define religion as a codified set of moral beliefs concerning sacred things and rules governing the behaviour of believers who form a spiritual community . Auguste Comte (1798 1857) describes sociology as the study of human societies. A classical view is that, it is a social science that, uses varied methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis, and is often used to develop theory about human social activity. The sociology of religion therefore takes into account the aforementioned and a lso includes the practices, historical backgrounds, developments, universal themes and roles of religion in society. Jones (2003) describes Comte as the first to proclaim the virtues of an empirically based social science, a type of sociology that would have enormous implications for someone like Comte, who had been born during the aftermath of the French Revolution. Bilton et al (1996) explain this further: Positive social knowledge could offer the means for peaceful reconstruction of social order by the elite of enlightened scientists and intellectualsSocial change need not depend upon revolutionary violence and the manipulation of the mob Comte was able to make use of the new science for the progression of society and the re-establishment of order as well as being able to apply the positive method to social theory . Comte and his fellow Frenchman Durkheim are said to be the forerunners in creating the discipline of sociology. Thompson (1982) describes Comte as giving the subject its name and an ambitious prospectus, whilst Durkheim gave it, academic credibility and influence. Functionalist sociologists focus their attention on the nature of institutional relationships in society. To understand this further, one can use Talcott Parsons functionalist ideas as an example. Parsons, [who supported functionalism in the United States] used the functionalist perspective to group institutions in society into four related functional sub-systems; economic, political, kinship, and cultural. This theory stressed the importance of interdependence among all behaviour patterns and institutions within a social system to its long-term survival. In a similar way Durkheim In trying to explain the value of social and cultural character, illuminated them in terms of their contribution to the operation of an overall system. Furthermore, Malinowski, who promoted functionalism in England, endorsed the idea that cultural practices had psychological and physiological functions, such as the reduction of fear and anxiety, and the satisfaction of desires. Another Englishman Radcliffe- Brown contended that, all instituted practices ultimately contribute to the maintenance, and hence the survival, of the entire social system, determining the character of inter-group relations. It is Parsons sub-system of culture that encompasses religion that we now turn to. A functional definition of religion is fundamentally based on the social structure and drawing together of people, it pays particular attention to how religion guides and influences the lives of people who are actively involved, and through this promotes unity and social cohesiveness. Durkheim believed and argued that, religion was a socially constructed institution, serving the needs of society by socialising members into the same norms, values and beliefs, therefore reinforcing the collective conscience upon which the stability of society rests. He looked in depth at the origins, meaning, and function of religion in society. His belief was that religion was not so much about God, but more about the consolidation of society and the sense of identity that this creates within a particular society. He fully believed that individuals who accepted their role within their own society develop a form of social conscience as part of that role, which Durkheim labels as the Conscience collecti ve, which in simpler terms could be labelled as, a common understanding. Published in 1921 and penned by Durkheim, The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, is renowned as the best-known study on the sociology of religion. Using secondary data, Durkheim studied native totemism in primitive Australian tribes, in effect the totem is a symbol that is an integral part of the group, and during ceremonies will be the magnet that draws everyone together to form a collective whole. Therefore, totemism in this instance is explained not in terms of what it is, [what the content of its doctrines and beliefs are] but what it does, that is, the function it performs for the social system. Durkheim claims that, the totem, the sacred object is a representation, by which society symbolises itself, which according to Fulcher and Scott, he believed to be the real basis of social solidarity. From his observations Durkheim developed his theory of the sacred and profane, believing that all things in society can be separated into these distinct categories, as a fundamental d ichotomy the sacred and profane are seen as two separate domains or worlds. For Durkheim the sacred meant the unity of the group embodied in symbols, as in his example of totems, the profane was more about the mundane or the individual, and less concerned with the group. However the British anthropologist Evans-Pritchard (1937) observed that sacred things may be profane at certain times, an example he gives is the case of the Azande , who, when their shrines were not in ritual use, were used as props to rest their spears. This analysis of the sacred and the profane was extended to all religions by Durkheim and his followers, making a focus on what is similar about what they each do, and about the integrative functions all these religions perform on their social systems. He therefore viewed religion within the context of the entire society and acknowledged its place in influencing the thinking and behaviour of the members of society. Furthermore he believed that order flowed from con sensus, from the existence of shared norms and values, for him the key cause of social upheaval stems from anomie, the lack of regulating norms. Without norms constraining behaviour, explains Durkheim, humans develop insatiable appetites, limitless desires and general feelings of irritation and dissatisfaction. Radcliffe-Brown continued Durkheims sociological perspective of society; he particularly focused on the institutions of kinship and descent and suggested that, at least in tribal societies, they determined the character of family organization, politics, economy, and inter-group relations. Thus, in structural-functionalist thought, individuals are not significant in and of themselves but only in terms of their social status: their position in patterns of social relations. When regarding religious ceremonies Radcliffe-Brown contends that ceremonies, for example, in the form of communal dancing, promoted unity and harmony and functioned to enhance social solidarity and the survival of the society, in this he agreed with another renowned anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski. Malinowskis functionalism was highly influential in the 1920s and 1930s, a British anthropologist, he conducted one of the first major studies of religion from an ethnocentric perspective, on the people of the Trobriand Islands. The first anthropologist to undertake a long-term piece of field research, Malinowski lived among the Trobriand islanders for four years. In studying the functions of religion in a small scale, he agreed with Durkheim that religion reinforced social norms, values and promoted social solidarity. Malinowski also believed that religion could relieve social anxiety and could provide a sense of security especially when people are faced with situations in which they have no control, an example Malinowski gives is based on his observation of the Trobriand islanders fishing in a calm lagoon, no religious practice was attached, however when faced with the perils of fishing in the open ocean, religious rituals were always performed. In this way Malinowski believed huma ns could exert a perceived control over a world in which they held no significant, individual power. This individual, perceived control can be seen to be used by people facing a personal crisis. Often in a situation where they have no control over the outcome, people will turn to religion looking for guidance and sanctuary; thereby giving them a sense of power. For Malinowski then, religion also helped to conciliate periods of life crises and events such as death, marriage and birth, these rituals, known as rites of passage are marked by ceremonies, that by their very nature, are a form of social togetherness that help to create social order and contentment. These rites however can be seen to be controlled in that to a certain extent one is prepared for new life, death and marriage, these events form part the circle of life and therefore come with some prior knowledge. Ceremonies that relate to these life events could be seen as a predictable common bond that will help to reinforce social solidarity. Malinowski argues that religion minimizes the disruption, in particular, of death. He believes that the assertion of immortality gives rise to feelings of comfort for the bereaved, whilst the act of a funeral ceremony binds the survivors together. Coser (1977) explains further: Religion can counter a sense of loss, which, as in the case of death, may be experienced on both the individual and the collective level therefore religion as a social institution serves to give meaning to mans existential predicaments by tying the individual to that supra-individual sphere of transcendent values which is ultimately rooted in his society. So far we have seen that collective or communal gatherings are generally aimed at promoting social solidarity and cohesion, this is backed by the empirical evidence offered by Malinowski in his study of the Trobriand Islands. Hamilton (1995) offers that these gatherings can also be interpreted as involving the recognition of divisions, conflict and disharmonies inherent in the society and rituals may be seen as a means of coping with and defusing them. Concerning Malinowskis empirical evidence, a contrasting point is noted by Casanova (1995) who questions functionalism on empirical grounds, he argues that religion does not provide consensus and unity, instead he says that most conflicts [an example he gives is the Iran/Iraq war] in society have religious foundations. Marxist sociologists also criticise functionalists on a theoretical level. Marx claims that religion does not create societal consensus, instead it creates conflict between those that have wealth in the ruling class and those that do not in the working class. Therefore according to Marx, the only norms and values that are conserved by religion are those of the ruling class. Functionalist theory could therefore be said to neglect the areas in which religion has been dysfunctional for society, whereby religious divisions have caused disruption and conflict rather than promoting social order. History provides numerous examples of this including the aforementioned Iran/Ira q dispute, Northern Ireland and Bosnia. An Extreme functionalist assessment of religion, declares William Stevens, is put forward by American sociologist Robert Bellah. Bellah fuses Parsons argument that America derives its values from Protestantism, with Durkheims belief that the worship of god is the disguised worship of society. From this Bellah develops a new kind of religious concept, that of a civil religion. Therefore despite the individual belief systems of American citizens, it is the overarching faith in America that unites Americans. Wallis (1983:44) cited in Jones, explains that Bellah finds evidence of civil religion in Presidential inaugurations and ceremonials such as Thanksgiving Day and Memorial Day are similarly held to integrate families into the civil religion, or to unify the community around its values. A further point to be made here is that generally civil religion does not hold to a belief in the supernatural. Bellah disagrees and says examples of confirmation in the supernatural can be seen or hea rd on a daily basis, phrases such as God Bless America and the words In God we trust on the national currency, he believes are prime examples of this. However Stevens asserts that this is not the god of any particular creed, but a god of America. For Bellah then civil religion creates a social cohesiveness by gathering people together to collectively partake in some form of ceremonial event. Therefore flag waving at a sporting event or lining the street to celebrate a royal marriage or death can bring about a united outpouring of joy or grief that in itself generates order. A contemporary example is the untimely death of Princess Diana. Her funeral witnessed a monumental combining of people, faiths and nations in a symbolic act of grief. Functionalist sociologists tend to emphasize what maintains society, not what changes it and are criticized for being unable to account for social change because it focuses so intently on social order and equilibrium in society. Functionalists have to take into account that change does happen in societies and that change is a good thing, and can represent progress. Jones says that the functionalist way around this is to use an organic analogy social progress occurs as it does with organisms as an evolutionary change. Bilton et al explain that this takes shape in the form of structural differentiationdifferentiation is a type of splitting or separation of a previously undivided unit, the new units differ in that they are more specialised in the functions they perform. Talcott Parsons, in his approach to social change, emphasises differentiation. According to Parsons, Institutions change, if the need of the system changes. An example of a system change stems from The Industrial Revol ution, which was facilitated by capitalism, was increasingly demanding technological advances to increase profit. In order to make this possible there was a need for more educated workforces. As a result the industrial economy needed a new form of family to perform these specialist functions. Thus, as one aspect of society changed the economy and production it required a comparable change in the educational system, bringing social life back into equilibrium. This new modernization of society, explains Marske, is associated with the increasing indifference of the individual from the traditional social bonds of an intimate network of diffuse social relationships. Due to a greater demand in the workforce people from all walks of life came together causing an increase in the cultural diversity within a particular society. As a result individuality became a more prominent feature; religion it seems was becoming less social and more personal. Durkheim would disagree with this statement as he believed it was possible to be an individual as well as social institution, he explains, In reality, the religion of the individual is a social institution like all known religions. It is society which assigns us this ideal as the sole common end which is today capable of providing a focus for mens wills. Dillon (2003) explains that social scientists and Western intellectuals have been promising the end of Religion for centuries, Comte announced that, as a result of modernization, human society was outgrowing the theological stage of social evolution and a new age was dawning which the science of sociology would replace religion as the basis or moral judgements. Durkheim predicted the gradual decrease in formal world religions; in post-enlightenment society he felt that there would be a greater emphasis on the individual. This he believed would lead to a weakening of ties in the modern world. In addition he envisaged that social solidarity and the collective conscience would be taken up by other institutions that would evolve into new forms of religious experience. Furthermore a maturing modernity would see scientific thinking replace religious thinking. As a consequence, Durkheim considered the concept of God to be on the verge of extinction. In its place he envisioned society as promoting civil religion, in which, for example, civic celebrations, parades, and patriotism take the place of church services. If traditional religion were to continue, he believed it would do so only as a means to preserve social cohesion and order. Parsons disagrees with this synopsis, with modern life will come structural frameworks that are more competitive and specialised, however they would still persist because religion is an adaptable structural framework for the explanation of inexplicable social phenomena. A criticism applied to the functionalists perspective stems from Durkheims analogy that societies and social institutions have personalities. To imagine that a society is a living, breathing organism is a difficult concept when in fact it is seen as an inorganic object. This creates what can said to be a philosophical problem and an ontological argument that society does not have needs as a human being does; and even if society does have needs they need not be met. The view here is that society is alive in the sense that it is made up of living individuals. What is not taken into account is that each individual is a different entity, with their own wants and needs. As part of the unit they can function and integrate within the group as a viable member. However individual life choices may not always create a positive function for the society as a whole. Functionalists in general tend to have a too positive view by believing that everything that exists in society does so because it has some kind of functional purpose. Robert Merton believed that it was entirely plausible for society to have dysfunctional elements. Durkheim also recognised that some forms of social life could be seen in the same way, however he did not use the term dysfunctional. In his work on crime, he noted that crime was functional to society, this seems to be a contradiction in that he also said, too high a level of crime might not be functional, because it could create a state of confusion regarding what constitutes the norms that applied to peoples lives. As a society dysfunctional actions, in particular criminal actions are frowned upon, and as a society we can become mob-handed in the way people come together to condemn an act of crime. Durkheim has a point to make here in that, people combine together, forming a collective cohesion in defining themselves against what they are not. Picturing society like a vast machine, Merton argues that a society should best be considered as a cross bet ween the cultural goals of a society-what it holds its members should strive for-and the means that are believed, legally or morally, to be legitimate ways that individuals should attain these goals. In an ideally organized society, the means will be available to deliver all of its members to their goals. One must take into account when analysing such theories that at the time of writing the world was a very different place to the one we live in today. Social anthropology has come under criticism for looking into primitive societies as a representation of unchanged societies criticism in particular stems from the lack of historical records that could confirm or deny any findings. Radcliffe-Brown considered this type of work a mistakehis belief was that the religious and ritual systems had to be understood in the context of the existing society and their role in that society. One could linger on Durkheims prediction that religion would decrease with modernity, religion here being in reference to the act of attending a social gathering in the worship of some form, whether it be totemic or divine. However an important point to note is that at the time when the Sociology of Religion was in its infancy, religious practice was more of a regular occurrence than one would perhaps find in todays society. However individuals are still irrevocably influenced by the role of religion in their own lives. Their beliefs and values allow them to feel supported in their everyday life; religion sets aside certain values and infuses them with special significance. Culture plays an important part here, as values, customs and beliefs combine to become a moral code by which societies adhere to and live by and pass on to future generations. Religion encourages collective worship be it in a church, mosque, temple, home or some other specified gathering place. Through the act of collective worship the individual is encouraged to feel part of a wider community. Today, societies are classed as more secular in their nature, yet if one consider the earlier statement about religion being an important form of social togetherness it would be easy to make analogies with the different groups that make up the society we inhabit. For example schools hold assemblies, awards evenings and performances all which can be seen as an example of community spirit and social cohesion. People as individuals, have interests outside of their immediate social groupings, this does not make them an outcast or outsider, and instead it promotes a sense of identity, individualism and the self. The writings of sociologists such as Durkheim, Comte, Radcliffe-Brown and Parsons are still important today, especially in comparing the way society sees religion. 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