Assessment task †SHC 21 Introduction to communication in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings Essay

Communication is about making contact with others and being understood. When communicating, people send and receive messages continuously. As an early years practitioner working with children and young people, effective communication is essential to ensure that I can create the best provision for the children and young people I am work with. In my setting, when you look at all the interacting and communications between children, young people and adults through the activities, it shows there are so many reasons why people communicate. Making relationships When we communicate, we make new relationships with children, parents, carers or colleagues. I should use positive communication skills to make a good first impression in relationships, for example, being friendly, smiling, shaking hands when I greet the person. Developing relationships As an early years practitioner, I should develop a relationship with children, young people, their parents, carers and colleagues by maintaining a friendly and supportive approach and by being interested in what other people are doing and feeling. This enables them to feel comfortable and secure, knowing that they can trust and rely on my professional service. Obtaining and sharing information As an early years practitioner, I may need to obtain and share information about children and young people who I work for with colleagues and other agencies to ensure the team is fully informed. I also need to communicate with children and young people or their family members about the care and support they received or about the kinds of services and facilities that are available in our setting. Expressing thoughts and ideas I may need to communicate with my colleagues to share my thoughts and ideas about aspects of practice in my setting, and also I should use effective communication skills to encourage children and young people to talk about what they have learnt, say what they think or express themselves imaginatively. Giving and receiving support Children and young people often seek reassurance from adults as a way of developing their self- confidence. As a practitioner, I should use my positive communication skill to praise them, give them time and attention to reward their efforts and achievements. I also should communicate with my manager and colleagues to receive the support and reassurance about my work performance. Expressing feelings, wishes, needs and preferences As an early years practitioner, I need use my positive communication skills to encourage children and young people to express their feelings and needs and to talk about how they wish to be treated, as well as to say what they like and dislike. In the early years setting, there are so many reasons people communicate, I should use communication skill positively and effectively to ensure good quality service.

Harry Harlow Essay

Harlow was researching the primates at the Henry Vilas Zoo, to study learning and memory in monkeys. While doing this Harlow discovered something very interesting, the monkeys were starting to develop strategies for Harlow’s tests that he set up. They were known as ‘learning sets’ but then later to be said as ‘Learning to learn’. To further this development, Harlow was in need of regular access to infant primates. He then thought breeding his own colony of Rhesus monkeys in the year 1932. To help the studies Harlow decided to hand rear the infants in a nursery setting, where he would separate the infants from their mothers 12 hours after birth and place them in wire cages on their own with a cloth on the floor. While caring for the infant monkeys, Harlow was intrigued as to why every time they took the cloth away to give them a clean one, they would cry and through a fit. In human infants we would call this behaviour a tantrum. They often cling on to the cloth with their little hands as hard as they could and while sleeping they would cuddle up to it. Most scientists didn’t pay much attention to this, they would say that it’s because of reduction of food, that if they could feed like they would of a mother, the infant would be satisfied. Harlow did not accept this answer and was rather intrigued with what he could find about this matter. The scientist learned to hand rear the infants properly, but when they were with other infants, they huddled in a corner while clinging to the cloth, the infants were unable to socialise. With this as inspiration, Harlow wanted to test the ‘bonds between mother and child’. In those days scientists were to believe that if you fussed over your child to much that it would become spoilt. It was a big thing to neglect your Child’s cries unless for feeding or changing. With the infant monkeys, Harlow wanted to prove this theory wrong, that babies do need nurturing to develop better in life, that they need the bond between mother and child. To begin the tests Harlow invented what he called a surrogate mother. Separated from their mother about 12 hours after birth, the infant monkeys were raised with a surrogate mother. Harlow tried 2 different types of ‘mother’; Wire mother who was made completely out of wire with a nipple so the infant monkeys can feed, the other was a ‘cloth mother’ made with wood wrapped with cloth. Both surrogate mothers were equipped with a light bulb to keep the infants warm by imitating the warmth from a real mother. Eventually the infant ran and clung to the ‘cloth mother’. Thinking that the infant would let go when it is hungry, the scientists observed the infant for hours to notice that when the infant became hungry it would hang on to the ‘cloth mother’ and reach over to the ‘wire mother’ to feed. It would repeat this actions several times. While Harlow was undergoing all this research, he noticed that the infants who were being raised by a wire mothers were having difficulties in digesting the milk. Although the cloth surrogate infant was gaining the same weight as the wire surrogate infant, the wire mother infants were having constant diarrhea. Harlow’s interpretation on this particular behavior was that the lack of contact and comfort was psychologically impacting on their stress levels which was effecting their digestive system.

Managing Diversity in the Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Diversity in the Company - Essay Example In exploring the article about managing diversity, I will start by outlining the reasons why I chose this article. The main reason why I chose this article is that it gives a comprehensive discussion of the issue of diversity in organizations. In addition, my choice of the article emanates from the fact that it has discussed current issues affecting diversity by describing diversity in the 21st century. The article is appealing in its discussion and is relevant to management issues and why diversity should be part of any formal organization. Moreover, my choice of the article was determined by the fact that it has outlined various frameworks and approaches, which are essential to valuing and managing diversity. My interest in the article was also driven by the range of topics that are discussed. For example, the article has provided a description of terms such as workforce diversity, cultural diversity, affirmative action, valuing diversity, equal employment opportunities, as well as multiculturalism. All these topics are crucial in enhancing the reader’s understanding of diversity in organizations.I also chose the article because it discusses the importance of diversity in both private and public organizations. Moreover, the article has provided the advantages that accrue when there is diversity in organizations. In the article, the author has discussed the many positive effects of diversity and the benefits that an organization derives from embracing diversity. In addition, the article is relevant to the issue of managing diversity since it has provided the conceptual values, as well as perspectives of diversity from various parts of the world. For example, from the article, one can derive that institutions in the American context are more concerned with the protection of the rights of minority groups. The dominance of the majority towards the minority is seen to hinder diversity in organizations.

The Hindu Religious Thoughts and The British Rule Essay

The Hindu Religious Thoughts and The British Rule - Essay Example This essay describes how politics and religion each influence the functioning of each other. Politics denotes the art of governing the affairs of a nation or a people. Different governments have risen in differing fashions. Religion on the other hand, underscores a collection of beliefs that determine or dictates a people’s moral and spiritual undertakings. Politics intersects with religion in the sense that they both influence the lives of the people that are under their control. Most of the European colonial powers used religion to colonize parts of the world. In this essay, the researcher discusses Hindu religious thoughts in light of the British rule. From the discussion, the researcher can conclude that religion and theology follow the same principles and that they serve to influence the lives of the followers. The discussion has revealed that religion and politics influence each other and that religion can help conquer and subdue imperialistic governments. The role of th e Hindu religious thought in the liberation of the people of India from the shackles of the British colonialists serve as an example of how a dedicated people can rise against oppression. The persistence of the Hindu religious thought also goes to show how a philosophy has withstood the various challenges and remained to command a massive following to this day. This discussion reveals what unity and determination can do. It also goes to show how difficult it is to convince a loyal follower of a philosophy to abandon his ways for a new one.

Why Jails and Prisons Are Not Deterrents To Criminals Research Paper

Why Jails and Prisons Are Not Deterrents To Criminals - Research Paper Example 1055). This occurs more often when low risk offenders are placed together with high-risk offenders. Being in prison cuts ties with family members, which has a negative impact on the inmates. As a result, of severed ties with family, deviant bonds are strengthened within the prison society, and the pressure to abide by law is dampened. Prisons offer dangerous conditions in which an inmate has to live. These are in the form of brutalization; where guards utilize violence against inmates, and inmates use violence against each other which makes prisons one of the most dangerous places on earth. Violence against inmates by guards has severe psychological consequences (Pritkin, 2009, p. 1057). From it, a prisoner loses all sense of being human and, as a result, affects their sense of self worth. Apart from this, violence by prison guards causes the prisoner to feel that they do not belong in the outside world and, therefore, lowers the prisoner’s willingness to abide by the set laws. In addition, prisons promote the need to protect oneself due to the violence perpetrated there. Due to this, inmates create gangs to protect themselves; which then proceed to the outside world. Due to their sense of not belonging, they continue their violent activities from prison in the external world. Crowding in prisons is a common occurrence that has beaten the entire concept of deterring crime by locking prisoners in prison. Overcrowding leads to inefficient sorting, classification and monitoring of inmates. From this, the inmate population is not managed effectively which leads to increased rates of criminal activities such as sexual violence and rapes among prisoners. Overcrowding in prisons, also, causes strain on the few available resources (Pritkin, 2009, p. 1058). This is because; the resources assigned to the entire inmate population are not enough due to the high numbers

Degree Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Degree Plan - Essay Example With my current military experience, I have confidence in my ability to remain focused therefore allowing me to accomplish these two long-term goals Concentration I believe the concentration of courses that that I have selected constitute a well-focused, in-depth program that will grant me the ability to perform well in my desired career goal. I started my studies at Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC), and focused on criminal justice related courses such as Ethics in Criminal Justice, Juvenile Delinquency, and Introduction to Criminal Justice. These courses were introductory level components that have prepared me for more advanced courses at Empire State College. These courses increased my knowledge within the criminal justice field, and they also fit the degree program similar to MVCC. The courses that I selected at Empire State focus primarily on social science related subjects. They include a broad range of subjects within this field which will make me a well-rounded individua l. I have focused heavily on advanced-level courses not only to meet Empire State advanced standards, but to increase my knowledge extensively within the field of criminal justice. The course that I have chosen in my degree program that focuses heavily on terrorism is Terrorism and Homeland. This study will offer me the in-depth focus on terrorism by examining the roles of law enforcement in managing terrorist events. It will also familiarize me with history, politics, and policies of terrorism. Having a subject in terrorism will benefit me if I look into a Homeland Security field as a career goal. In addition, I selected a class on deviant behavior, and it will allow me to explore socially deviant behavior of adults, and youth. General Learning and General Educational Requirements In every degree program, I believe a breadth of learning is necessary in order to become a well-educated individual, instead of being narrow-minded towards education. In my criminal justice program, I fin d it to be extremely important to have the required liberal arts classes to understand the complex nature of the world around me. Throughout life an individual is met with tasks on a daily basis that require a broad-range of learning, and having a variety of liberal arts courses can provide that. For example, when I traveled to many countries and saw ancient buildings, I was unaware of the architectural features these buildings had. I took a class called Western Architecture, and it provided me with the knowledge to understand these magnificent architectural masterpieces. Without this course I would have simply looked past the design aspects. Many of the courses that I have taken, and the ones I selected to develop my degree plan provide me the opportunity to enhance my knowledge and skills in writing, math, history, science, art, and language. During my service in the military I have gained a great deal of knowledge that correlates with some educational aspects at Empire State Coll ege. These courses include Physical Education, Military Science, Ethics, First Aid and Safety, and Principles of Leadership. All of the skills gained from these courses will enable me to become a more productive individual with my desired career choice. Not only does my military education bring breadth into

Ethical Decision Makin Process Speech or Presentation

Ethical Decision Makin Process - Speech or Presentation Example The father of the child is also a stakeholder because as a father, he needs to provide for his child. But in cases where the father leaves the mother, as in abandonment or a crime like rape, the father does not have any responsibility to the child as his choice. But the major stakeholder of the situation is the mother of the child. The mother is the host of the child. The fetus is a child, and it is quantified as a person for the pro-life movement and as just another organism for the pro-choice movement. The child, according to a New Jersey Superior Court, â€Å"If a fetus is a person, it is a person in very special circumstances – it exists entirely within the body of another much larger person and usually cannot be the object of direct action by another person.† With pregnancy, the mother is put at risk because childbirth is a potentially fatal process. Pregnancy also leeches the mother of her health as the fetus needs a lot of nutrients that it can’t directly get its nutrients from food. The stake is enormous for the society and the mother. The quote, â€Å"It takes a whole village to raise a child† applies here. The society is also responsible for the nurturing of the child in terms of providing the societal needs of a person: social needs, jobs, etc. The mother also has a huge stake when it comes to pregnancy and abortion. The mother, when deciding to have an abortion, would be judged as a murderer in most cases. Most mothers undergo abortion because of reasons that typically pressure the mother into choosing abortion, like her low economic status, unstable job, genetic anomalies, etc. This is because, naturally, if the mother had a lot of resources, she would not undergo abortion. Politically, the mother also has a lot of stake put on it because the debate on the legality and morality of abortion is still widely debated and the legalities of it are still very difficult to grasp, because of the moral and ethical issues associate d with it. Stage Three: The pro-abortion argument is valid because the mother has her own right on her body. It is her own and she should have the right to use her body and decide for it. Her body is being compromised because of the pregnancy. Other arguments for the pro-abortion movement is most conceptions are naturally unsuccessful and are naturally aborted within a month, making abortion natural and therefore, not criminal (because it is natural). Thus, criminalization of abortion implies criminalizing a natural act. However, anti-abortion arguments are also quite valid. They argue that a fetus is a person, and it can feel pain. When that happens, when you intentionally get rid of a person (fetus) it is murder, and therefore should be treated as a crime. The anti-abortion argument can be a bit confusing because the proponents of this argument do not really want to incriminate the mothers who decide to have abortion performed on them. These proponents actually want to incriminate the doctors who have â€Å"brainwashed† the mothers in order to get money from them. However, these are not quite convincing because if indeed it’s a crime, it is indeed murder because it is premeditated. Then again, these pro-lifers do not want extreme methods of punishment performed on the mother. For me, abortion should be legal but it should have conditions in order for it to be performed

Research some initiatives that reduce the devasting impact that Essay

Research some initiatives that reduce the devasting impact that hospitality operations have on our environment - Essay Example Political rationality is based on the ability to solve problems and arrive at effective, collective decisions. Technical rationality is dependent on the value of efficiency. These modern environmental management methods require a rationality of both means and ends. They specify the means by which given ends can be achieved. Those ends are environmental goals such as less pollution and the conservation of water. There is a close relationship between hotels and the environment. Various features of the physical environment are an attraction for tourists. The environment covers all of people's natural and cultural surroundings. The natural environment is what exists in nature such as the land and its soil and topography. The built environment consists of man-made physical features consisting of infrastructure development. Tourist facilities and infrastructure constitute one aspect of the built environment. The ensuing tourism development and tourist use of an area generate environmental impacts. Hotels have signified their commitment to ensure a healthy and clean environment. There are three international hotels which have implemented very successful environmental initiatives. The Shangri-la Hotels and Resorts Hong Kong has initiatives on environmental management. In the area of environmental sustainability, the hotel's focus is primarily in five areas: climate change; ozone depletion; water use management; waste disposal management; and indoor air quality. Shangri-La is ramping up energy conservation initiatives so that it will reduce 2006 group-wide energy consumption figures by 12 percent by the end of 2008. Currently, the group practices a wide array of environmentally friendly measures such as fitting all guestrooms with water-saving devices in taps and showers as well as using energy-saving lamps in more than half of the group's guestrooms. Shangri-La was an industry leader in initiating environmental procedures even before its hotels began to receive ISO14001 certifi cation, the international Environmental Management System Standard. The group has an extensive list of internally developed environmental best practices that all hotels have implemented, with inspections to monitor for compliance. The inspection results affect each hotel's annual performance and development review scores. In addressing impacts on climate change, the group is working on reducing carbon dioxide emissions per room night by 6.7 kg., as compared to 2006 figures. Shangri-La has three broad methods for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases: through existing systems and processes; the use of new technologies and alternative energy sources; and by building more efficient buildings. In new hotels, Shangri-La seeks to save energy and resources through a variety of techniques involving rainwater harvesting, hot water production using solar panels or heat pumps, and improvements in building envelope design to reduce heat loss or heat gain as well as air filtration. (Shangri-la Company website). Another international hotel with a sterling reputation on environmental

Research Paper Rough Draft Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Rough Draft - Research Paper Example f the supernatural powers existed, manifestation of such beliefs in the form of witch hunts and witch trials became much more frequent during the Renaissance and culminated in the 16th and 18th centuries in the Germanic speaking areas. The practice of witchcraft and witch hunt subsided in the late 17th century, and by 18th century the last trials and executions took place in some parts of the medieval Europe. The causes for the decline of witchcraft and witch hunt are many and fairly complex.1 A general examination of the factors that led to the decline of the practice of witchcraft, witch hunt and witch trials include; introductions of new Legislations in the society, new socio-political phenomena and the new way of thinking by people in the growing scientific age. Western minds are fully confronted by the problem of what the term sorcery or witchcraft means in their culture, they shall assume most of the comfortable attitudes and categories of the informal and formal cultures exhibit. When women and men find themselves in a fearful and helpless state before the awesome forces of the invisible world and cannot explain; they traditionally seek to reach the inaccessible forces beyond the world. Naturally, it is in order to increase their human powers and their abilities to control their esteemed destinies. It is understandable with varying degree why the holders of such magical powers are the most feared people in the society, and why people’s behaviour towards them must take some specific and peculiar behaviours forms. The ordering and explanation of magic may appear to be so insufficient or inchoate, but at the overall end human preserve the sense of the final clarity and comprehensibility of such phenomena in the society. The witchcraft in the early medieval Europe period was essentially common folk magic or sorcery, developed over a period in the ancient period of 15th to 18th century2. The decline of witch hunt and witchcraft in Europe was a gradual

Public Health--Discuss the health problems and health service issues Essay - 1

Public Health--Discuss the health problems and health service issues that are associated with homelessness - Essay Example These differences make it difficult to harmonize the statistics (Engelkirk & Duben-Engelkirk, 2008). A common definition of the term homelessness is ‘people who sleep rough (Glover-Thomas, 2002). This definition, however, has to meet certain criteria to qualify one as a rough sleeper. People who qualify for this classification have to be between the ages of 16-20 and above. Besides, they must have been previously under certain care or some custody, or were prior to being rendered a hard sleeper was a member of the HM forces, or was forced out of their former abodes due to family feuds, violence, threats of violence, etc. (Henderson, 2014). This paper will rely on estimates made by the different states to illustrate the magnitude of the problems within. Some factors determine the health factors that are faced by rough sleepers in different nations. These factors as Oliver (2013) notes are different and severe in the developing worlds compared to the developed regions. Rough sleepers in the UK experience a wide array of health problems owing to the increasing number of new entrants who stream into the streets and hostels every year due to homelessness and associated factors. This paper centers in focusing on the health issues facing the homeless persons in the UK. The 21st century has seen the increasing demands for healthcare attention for the homeless persons in the UK. As Baggott (2011) denotes, disease manifestation and occurrence have increased in the wake of global environmental change and disease proliferation through time. The homeless people are more exposed to various health dangers than the other populace. Be sides, the increasing number of homeless persons in the UK, a lot of whom are victims of circumstances such as asylum seekers, jobless immigrants, and other related persons makes policy formulations to curb homelessness in the region a terrible nightmare. The paper discusses some of these health related issues in relevance to public health

Teen Pregnancy Research Essay Example for Free

Teen Pregnancy Research Essay Social Construction of Teenage Pregnancy in the United States: Race, Class and Gender In the United States, an estimated forty five percent of all female teenagers have premarital sex. As a result, about forty percent of all female adolescents become pregnant at least once before age twenty; and about four-fifths of these pregnancies are unintended. Twenty percent of these female adolescents bear a child, and about half of them are unmarried (Lawson and Rhode, 2). In a society that associates age appropriate sexual behavior and marital status with the welfare of the family and community, this is a very alarming statistic to many. Throughout the past several decades American society has developed very strong, and many times mythical opinions about teenage pregnancy, the consequences it has on teen mothers, and the type of women contributing to these statistics. These mythical opinions consistently revolve around race, class and gender. Therefore, in this paper I will be examining the social constructions American society has developed about teenage pregnancy in relation to race, class, and gender as well as the misconceptions these social constructions lead to. It will be seen that societies views on teenage pregnancy often mask the understanding of the issue, and hinder the development of a solution. Teenage motherhood is an issue that has developed a very negative social construction in the United States. When this social construction is paired with that of racial minorities, the issue becomes even more daunting. While teenage pregnancy in general has attained a very negative stigmatization, the distress about minority groups, and especially African Americans, is expressed much more frequently and dramatically than that of their white counterparts. This has resulted in many misconceptions about the relationship between race and teenage motherhood as well as masked the understanding of the teenage motherhood trend versus aiding it. When examining the negative social constructions that have been created in the U. S. , that of African Americans cannot be ignored, especially in relation to teenage pregnancy. The African American community has been labeled as the sole proprietors of the teenage motherhood phenomenon. Black mothers under the age of twenty are paid much closer attention to than white mothers under age twenty. This is especially true when they are single. Black teenage mothers are assumed to be producing problematic children who contribute very little, if anything, to society. If one were to ask a majority of Americans their thoughts on African Americans and teenage pregnancy, they would be very similar to the thoughts of a man recorded on a radio talk show when he stated, â€Å"Black teen mothers children grow up in fatherless households with mothers who have few moral values and little control over their offspring. The boys join gangs; the girls stand a good chance of becoming teen mothers themselves†. This man’s opinion very clearly illustrates the negative association between blacks and early motherhood (Kaplan, xviii). The idea that African Americans are solely responsible for the teenage pregnancy phenomenon is highly influenced by the belief that black teenage mothers and fathers are morally unfit. Many believe them to have different moral values than those of non-minority teenagers of similar age. They are said to make their life decisions based on unmoral grounds and aspirations. This is a very inaccurate perception in many ways, however. When creating this presumption, many tend to look at the results of decisions made by young African American mothers, versus the environment influencing these decisions. In areas around the United States where teenage pregnancy is very common for African Americans, a number of social ills can be seen; unemployment, poor housing, gangs, drugs, and disrupted families are just to name a few (Kaplan, 19). Therefore, it is very important to recognize that the high number of teenage pregnancies seen in these areas is not simply a result of high African American demographics, and their so-called â€Å"unmoral values†. They are a result of the environmental conditions these African Americans are exposed to. One would see the same heightened percentages of white teenage pregnancies in a highly white demographic area, which was exposed to these same environmental and social ills. Another way in that the â€Å"morally unfit† argument is unreasonable, is in the fact that the majority of African American teenage mothers have the same life aspirations as their white peers. In a book written by Elaine Bell Kaplan, this very idea is explored in depth, through extensive interviews with black teenage mothers. In an interview with a mother named Diane, Kaplan asks Diane her reasoning for no longer being in a relationship with her babies father. She stated that, â€Å"He had a ghetto mentality. Hes the kind of person who likes a casual living style. I want to get as far away as possible from this life, even if it means giving up my son. My fantasy is to give him to his father, to get married, to live somewhere else, like in another state. To marry a professional, someone who has values and ideals like I have. Have more children, be a corporate attorney, have a big beautiful house, and a car. Have money. Have four children, all with my husband. Raise them and send them to college. Theres a real good sense of self-worth in that†(Kaplan, 95). The same could be said for many mothers Kaplan worked with throughout her study. These mothers were by no means morally unfit; they had simply made poor decisions, due to the environment in which they found themselves surrounded. The negative association between black women and teenage pregnancy does not exclusively revolve around teenage mothers, but the African American community as well. Many people believe that the black community condones teenage pregnancy. This could not be further from the truth. The black community shares the same expectations in regards to teenage pregnancy as any other community. In the eyes of the black community, and especially family members, teenage mothers are breaking three very essential social norms about motherhood and sexuality. The first being that, â€Å"Young women should certainly not have children until they reach adult status, and not before marriage† (Kaplan, 82). This social norm, which revolves around age, motherhood, and marriage, can be viewed many times as a silent, but mutual agreement within African American families. Mothers of teenage mothers often feel as though they were taught to follow these social norms as children, and therefore, these norms should be passed on and accepted by their children. In a statement by a mother in Kaplan’s book, this idea is very clearly demonstrated when the mother says, â€Å"You better not even discuss sex, let alone have it, with anyone until you get yourself married and talk about it to your husband. No man wants to marry soiled goods† (Kaplan, 81). This first social norm lights the pathway for the second, which is the idea that â€Å"sexually active unmarried girls become soiled goods†(Kaplan, 82). Throughout Kaplan’s study she found that African American mothers were embarrassed by the fact that their friends and coworkers knew their teenage daughter was sexually active. She was not only embarrassed for her daughter, but herself as well—she found it to be a big blow to her reputation. In another statement made by an African American mother whose teenage daughter was pregnant, it was stated that, â€Å"Only poor, ignorant, and mentally ill girls become pregnant at an early age. Nice girls dont† (Kaplan, 82). This quote clearly exemplifies that approval was the last thing experienced by black teenage mothers in regards to their pregnancy. The third, and final social norm African American families find to be broken by their daughters is â€Å"The notion that successful mothering means passing on social values to children† (Kaplan, 82). Black mothers view their daughter’s teenage pregnancy as an insult to their parenting abilities. They feel as though they failed at passing proper values onto their daughters, and view themselves and their daughters as moral failures. This is a very difficult aspect of the pregnancy for mothers to deal with, as it questions their definition of motherhood, and the views they have developed in regards to what motherhood entails. In many ways society has turned teenage pregnancy into a black and white issue. It is important to recognize, however, that teenage pregnancy is not simply an issue that revolves solely around race. And it most certainly does not lie completely in the hands of African Americans. The rates of young, white, single mothers have vastly increased in the United States in recent decades. (Lawson and Rhode, 89). Since 1988 young women have been giving birth at a much higher rate, regardless of their skin color (Luker, 7). Therefore, if teen pregnancy rates are rising in all racial communities, other factors contributing to this rise must be examined. This leads us to the next social construction revolving around teenage pregnancy: class. â€Å"It is true that young mothers tend to be poor women, it is much more meaningful to say that poor women tend to become young mothers† (Luker, 12). This statement is one that society has failed to truly grasp, and one that has lead to the social construction and belief that teenage pregnancy causes poverty. The idea that teenage poverty is an automatic sentence to poverty, and a contributing factor to poverty is one that is supported in the media, literature, and by society as a whole. In an article written by a social scientist named Lloyd Eby, it is expressed that â€Å"Teenage mothers and their children experience increased levels of depression, stress, and aggression; a decrease in some indicators for physical health; higher incidence of needing the services of mental health professionals, and other emotional and behavioral problems. All these effects are linked with lifetime poverty, poor achievement, susceptibility to suicide, likelihood of committing crimes and being arrested, and other pathologies† (Eby and Donovan, 44). Another author states that â€Å"Teenage pregnancy—the entry into parenthood of individuals who barely are beyond childhood themselves—is one of the most serious and complex problems facing the nation today†¦the birth of a child can usher in a dismal future of unemployment, poverty, family breakdown, emotional stress, dependency on public agencies, and health problems of mother and child† (Luker, 73). However, these indicators and symptoms of teenage pregnancy are ones that are also seen within impoverished communities that do not contain teenage mothers. They are symptoms that plague both communities containing poor teenage mothers and poor communities without teenage mothers, and cannot be pin pointed simply to the latter. Therefore, it can be seen that the concept above, which states that teenage mothers cause poverty should be viewed in a different way, as poverty is the true cause of teenage pregnancy. Eighty percent of teenage mothers come from poor backgrounds (Luker, 112). And, in order to understand the social construction mentioned above we must first examine and understand the reasons why such a large percent of these teenage mothers come from economically unstable backgrounds. The first major factor that can be explored is the fact that impoverished teens typically begin to have sexual intercourse at earlier stages in their lives. In addition to this fact, when they do start having sex they delay the use of effective contraceptives, and use them very inconsistently. This delayed and inconsistent use gives them many more opportunities to find themselves impregnated. All of these factors are ones that poor teenagers affluent peers tend to not take part in. They begin having sex at a later age, and when they begin to take part in sexual practices their use of effective contraceptives is much more consistent (Luker, 114). In addition to sexual practices, poor teens are at a disadvantage in terms of educational development and ambition. The majority of teenage mothers, before getting pregnant, show very few educational aspirations, and perform poorly in school. They come from much less affluent background than their counterparts, have lower scores on cognitive and ability tests, as well as have a long history of behavioral problems, truancy, and absenteeism. In other words these teens are young people who â€Å"were already experiencing difficulties in life on several fronts and who had little optimism about their futures† (Luker, 116). This separates poor mothers from their more affluent peers, as those who are more affluent tend to have higher career goals, better overall performance in school, consistent attendance and a greater sense of optimism about their futures. Not only do poor teenage mothers suffer from educational disadvantages, but their environment tends to influence them in a negative way. They live in poor areas, surrounded by few people who have any hope for their future. A teenager who lives in a poor area, surrounded by poor people, and who has no successful role models, is much more likely to find herself seventeen and having a baby than a more affluent teen living in the suburbs with successful parents. Affluent teens view pregnancy as an obstacle, whereas poor teens many times view teenage pregnancy as a normal stage in life. This clearly plays a crucial role in higher teenage birth rates within non-affluent communities. The evidence above clearly shows that circumstances the majority of poor young teenage mothers find themselves in are very bleak. These circumstances result in a higher percentage of teenage pregnancies within impoverished communities, and are ones that influence teenage mothers decision-making before conception. However, it is also important to examine the circumstances poor teen mothers encounter post pregnancy, in order to see that, while poverty is a large contributor to teenage pregnancy, the stresses it has on teen moms results in a vicious cycle of poverty, that they very seldomly escape. The centerpiece for the cycle of poverty teenage mothers find themselves in post pregnancy is education, or lack there of. It is important to recognize that critics of the theory I am examining would argue that teen mothers lack of education is the centerpiece of their argument as well. They believe mother’s lack of education is the attributing factor to the poverty seen throughout the nation, and would therefore state that teenage pregnancy is clearly the main cause of poverty. However, this is not necessarily the case. When teen moms are â€Å"faced with the demands of a baby and schoolwork, hey tend to drop out of high school; and teen mothers who have dropped out lose any educational chances they may have had, condemning themselves and their children to lives of disadvantage. But since the teens who become pregnant are discouraged and disadvantaged to begin with, and since the fact that they are living in bleak circumstances increased the likelihood that they will get pre gnant† the inference that their missed educational opportunities caused their poverty is incorrect (Luker, 116). Unfortunately, a majority of these young women would experience the same educational deficiencies whether they became pregnant or not. While a large majority of teenage mothers would struggle with their educational pursuits, regardless of if they became pregnant or not, it is still important to examine the specific ways in which teenage pregnancy effects the education of teenage mothers. As stated above, when teens become pregnant the stress they experience between motherhood and schoolwork is too much to handle. â€Å"Pregnancy is the most common cause of school dropout among adolescent girls in the United States†. (Luker, 119) And, once a student drop’s out of school, they find it very hard to go back and finish their degree (Luker, 119). Adolescents without a high school diploma find themselves with restricted job opportunities, unable to earn wages that will sufficiently support themselves and their child. They are trapped in the cycle of poverty, and the cycle is very hard to escape. It is very clear that the relationship between poverty and teenage pregnancy is very strong. While it would be very easy to assume that teenage pregnancy is the largest contributor to poverty, it is impossible to ignore the ways in which poverty influences young teens to become pregnant, and the role poverty plays in the lives of teenage mothers. By blaming teenage mothers for poverty we are masking the understanding we need to acquire in order to obtain a true insight into teenage pregnancy and teenage mothers. The third and final social construction I am examining is gender. As a society we have created the idea that in the majority of cases, women are meant to take inferior roles to men, and are here to please them. This idea has carried over into teenage pregnancy, and has had immense effects on teenage mothers before, during, and after their pregnancy. And in many cases has played a major part in why teenage mothers get pregnant in the first place. Not only does society create gender role expectations that confuse teenage mothers, but it also sends mixed messages about the roles teenage moms are supposed to play in their own life, as well as the life of their child. The first way in which teenage mothers are affected by traditional gender roles is in the fact that they fail to put themselves first in their relationships. They may have sex to please a man, and they may fail to use contraception because the man either objects or makes it difficult by complaining that contraception reduces his pleasure. Because of the way teenage girls have been influenced by outside sources, they many times read this as a way he is trying to solidify the relationship (Luker, 6). They see contraception as a barrier between them and their relationship, and therefore welcome the idea of not using it. Many teenager mothers have stated they purposely got pregnant in attempts to obtain a committed relationship. They fail to recognize they have as much control over their relationship as their partner, and instead of looking for some forms of control and assertiveness they simply seek acceptance and the feeling that they are wanted. These feelings are all associated with the idea that men are superior to them, and that women should seek the acceptance of a man more so than finding acceptance within herself (Luker, 4). Another concern within gender roles is that as a society we view young mothers as young women, we want them to be sensitive to the needs of others, committed to relationships and nurturing to the next generation. However, at the same time we want them to be careful, forward-thinking, attuned to the market, and prepared to invest in themselves and not others. This clash of ideas and messages causes a great deal of confusion in the lives of teenage mothers, and causes them to feel stuck between different sets of expectations and roles. In many ways it causes them to never feel satisfied with the role they are playing, and diminishes their chances of a brighter future (Luker, 6). Not only have we created gender role expectations for women that make teen pregnancy a much more difficult experience, but the gender roles we have created for men have made teen pregnancy a much more difficult experience as well. Women are given the responsibility of full-time care for their child, whether the male figure has involvement in their life or not. They are expected to deal with the daily stresses and issues that have been talked about above. Instead of assuming men should take these same responsibilities, we expect them not to play a large role, and have low expectations of their performance as teenage fathers. We quite simply let them off the hook. However, in order to aid teenage mothers in their daily hardships these expectations and gender roles need to be heightened for men. We cannot continue expecting them to fail at being acceptable fathers. In conclusion, we can see that race, class, and gender play large roles in the lives of teenage mothers, and influence their lives in many ways. The roles they play depend largely on the social constructions society chooses to accept, develop, and pursue. By looking past the traditional social constructions society has developed, the ones that we have seen are often misconstrued and misguided, we can obtain a true understanding of the lives of teenage mothers, and the causes of their lifestyles and decision making.

Timeless or Everlasting God Essay Example for Free

Timeless or Everlasting God Essay The definition of an everlasting God would be a God that has existed throughout time and space, linked to God’s characteristic of being omnipresent, basically meaning that He is present everywhere at all times. This would mean that he is a personal God as he is immanent and is involved with humanity. This back up events like miracles and revelations within the world, as they are caused by God so are evidence of his personal relationship with humans. The definition of a timeless God would mean that God exists outside of time. This links to the characteristic of God which some believers believe he is; transcendent. This means that God exists outside of time and space so therefore has an impersonal relationship with humanity, meaning He would not be able to influence humanity in the form of miracles or revelations. This view is commonly thought by believers of deism, who believe that an omnipotent God created the world, but then left it to ‘do its own thing and learn from its own mistakes’ and no longer looks over it. There are more benefits to an everlasting God, mainly because it would explain how miracles occur. However it also means that there can be revelations in the form of praying as a personal God may answer one’s prayers as He is within the universe. Another advantage would be that a personal God can also try to teach us right from wrong and would discipline us like a parental figure. This is shown in Genesis chapter 1, where God is also shown to have more human-like characteristics and he punishes Adam and Eve much like a parental figure showing his personal relationship with humans. Also the biggest benefit would be that it be proof that Jesus was the Son of God. However an advantage of having a timeless God would be that as God exists outside time and space then he would see all events and therefore he would know everything; past, present and future. This would mean that he would be an omniscient God.

Japan and South Korea Economic Developments

Japan and South Korea Economic Developments Japan and South Korea within several decades made their way from being destroyed by the war and poverty-ridden to industrialized, highly developed and quite rich countries. At first glance, it seems that stories of Japanese and Korean miraculous transformation are rather similar to each other. Both counties faced similar problems and challenges in the beginning of their growth path. Moreover, both Japan and South Korea received strong growth incentives from abroad. Thus, foundations of Japan’s growth were laid during the American Occupation period, whereas South Korea after the Second World War was also occupied by the American forces and received huge financial support from the United States. But were their ways of economic development actually alike and to what extent? So, let us look closer and try to answer this question. Many scholars agree that Japan’s and South Korea’s outstanding economic performance was a result of strong government policies and efficient reforms. The countries’ approaches to economic development appear to be similar in several aspects. One of the most obvious common features is interventionist policies. In Japan, the MITI shaped industrial policies, while also consulting with private actors and guiding them to the â€Å"right† direction. South Korean government also applied direct intervention in economic system by controlling prices and taking part in decision-making process of private actors. Government guidance and supervision over economic processes significantly contributed to the Japan’s and Korea’s outstanding economic performance. Comparing the main government economic development policies, several parallels can be drawn here. In both cases, high and rapid economic growth was achieved through intensive industrialization and export promotion. Japanese and Korean government counted primarily on development of heavy and chemical industry sectors as the main driving force of development. The key industries were provided assistance and various benefits, including loans, subsidies, and tax privileges, etc. At the same time, investment was strongly promoted. The success of industrialization and export-promotion policies owes to several specific policy instruments and approaches, which were effectively used both by Japanese and Korean governments. Among the most important are mobilization and allocation of capital, adoption of foreign technologies, cooperation with business conglomerates, and restriction of imports. The success of industrialization and export-promotion policies was closely linked to the efficient mobilization and allocation of capital by managing savings and investments. The Japanese and South Korean governments were particularly effective in promoting domestic saving of financial institutions, enterprises, and households by means of monetary policy instruments. Likewise, they also succeeded in channeling these funds as capital investments to industrial production (and also services sector later). The factors of production were moved from low-productivity sectors to more productive ones (Pilat 1993). While conducting industrialization and promoting export, Japanese and Korean governments paid special attention to importing foreign technologies. Investments and loans were provided ‘selectively to those firms capable of adapting and improving imported technology’ (Odagiri Goto 1993). Successful adoption of foreign technologies became a basis for modernization of Japanese and Korean industry and increased competitiveness of their goods on the international market. Within the framework of industrialization and export encouragement policies, Japanese and Korean governments maintained close relations with big business. Similarly, due to historical and cultural tradition, Japanese as well as Korean business is dominated by the large conglomerates. This tendency has become apparent in Japan since the 19th century. Although zaibatsu were dissolved by the Occupation government in the late 1940s, business conglomerates reemerged later as keiretsu. The Korean analogue known as chaebols appeared the second half of the 20th century. The rise of keiretsu and chaebols was both a consequence of state policies of industrialization and export-promotion as well as its main force. Industry and big business benefited from this policy receiving strong support from the government, which led to the growth of business conglomerates. Rise of conglomerates, in its turn, resulted into increase of industrial production and growing competitiveness of Japanese products on the international market. Thus, cooperation between government and big business conglomerates reinforced industrialization and stimulated exports, which, undoubtedly, played a significant role in economic growth in Japan and South Korea (Ohno 2006; Shin 2003). Another common feature of Japanese and Korean governments’ approaches to export promotion is trade policies, which played a significant role in economic progress in both cases. At the initial stage, governments were promoting protectionist policies. Various import restrictions, such as tariffs, quotas, and other, were imposed in order to protect domestic producers from international competition. While import was restricted, export was intensively stimulated. The combination of these policies proved to be very effective in stimulating economic growth. Foreign capital as an instrument of industrialization and of increasing exports was used both by Japan and Korea. However, the role assigned to foreign funds and their contribution appeared to be considerably different in each case. Thus, in Japan foreign direct investment was restricted from considerations of being unhealthy for Japanese economy. Foreign borrowing was practiced by Japanese government, but in moderate size. Japan mostly relied on domestic capital for financing investment, while foreign loans constituted less than 1% of the total amount. Meanwhile, in South Korean case, domestic capital could not cover the need for investment, so, to a greater extent, it was financed from foreign loans (which, interestingly, were borrowed mostly from Japan). Foreign direct investment was also strongly promoted by Korean government and supported by special legislation. Moreover, in contrast to Japanese approach, one of the main sources of financing investment in Korea was direct state investments and various state loan programs, which also constituted a considerable share in total investment (Shin 2003). Thus, both Japanese and Korean governments focused on export-promotion as a main driving force of economic development. Apparently, in both cases this policy was implemented in a quite similar way. However, there was one important difference. While promoting export, Japanese government also paid attention to domestic market and stimulated domestic consumption. In that way, newly produced consumer electronics such as TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and cars went to domestic market in the first place, and only then for export. Thus, domestic consumption became one the main drivers of growth together with export. On the other hand, Korean approach was based on export-first principle. According to this policy, ‘Korean firms were marketing their products in overseas markets rather than in domestic markets’, while many of consumer goods were inaccessible for Koreans and sometimes even prohibited to sale. For instance, color TVs were admitted to domestic market only in 19 80 (Harvie Lee 2003). The government economic development policies in Japan and South Korea were framed into economic plans. Economic planning became an important instrument in supervising economic processes and implementing policies of industrialization and export-promotion. Being used reasonably, planning played a significant role in achieving economic growth. The plans did not take a form of strict programs like in central planning economies, but served as indicators for the further development and informed the public about the government expectations for the future. Economic growth in Japan was accompanied by the several economic plans. The plans usually included the medium-run scenario of development, stated the goals and priorities of the policy, and, finally, indicated the possible line of action for the private sector. The first one – the Economic Self-Reliance Five-Year Plan was adopted in 1955. It was followed by the Doubling National Income Plan in 1960, which became the most efficient one. Aiming at doubling national income, the plan was put into practice even more successfully than it was expected. The 1970s were also marked by several economic plans; each of them was designed accordingly to the situation to address current problems. The Economic and Social Development Plan of 1967-1971 and the New Economic and Social Development Plan of 1970-1975 were focused on the problems that appeared as a consequence of the rapid economic progress and emphasized balancing economic development. Further, the Economic and Social Basic Plan, wh ich was dealing with the development of Japan internationally and welfare of society, was in force between 1973 and 1977. The first oil crisis brought changes to the Japan’s government economic policies, so the Economic Plan for the Second Half of the 1970’s introduced for the period of 1976-1980 promoted initiatives for energy-saving (Otsubo 2007). Likewise, in South Korea, economic planning was an essential element of government developmental policies. Economic plans were developed by the special agency, The Economic Planning Board, established in 1961. Altogether, seven five-year economic development plans were implemented during the economic miracle period of 1960s-1990s. Plans were establishing targets of various macroeconomic indicators, such as rate of growth, rates of investment and saving as a share of GNP, as well as exports and imports targets. The general direction of development and goals to achieve were indicated in the plans. Plans also included the development strategies. Generally, Korean economic development plans paid special attention to industrialization and exports as the main factors of economic growth. At the initial stage, emphasis was put on promotion of light industries development and import substitution, whereas later, focus shifted to heavy and chemical sector, and also exports expansion. In the las t three plans the course was taken on gradual easing of government control and liberalization of trade (The Federation of Korean Industries 1987). Although the government policies and reforms clearly made the greatest contribution to the Japan’s and South Korea’s economic growth, it is worth to mention one more important factor, without which economic miracle would not, probably, happen at all. This refers to the cultural peculiarities of the Japanese and Koreans. Japan and South Korea are both East Asian countries with strong collectivist culture influenced by Confucianism. Being the two basic cultural features, Confucian tradition and collectivism create a unique and favorable environment for economic development. Confucianism as an official ideology was dominating in East Asian countries from the end of the 13th century. By the end of the 19th century its influence became weak and limited, and today Confucianism does not exist in its original understanding as the social and political system. Nevertheless, Confucian ethics and values still remain relevant in the modern East Asian societies. The value system alon g with the social structure in Japan and Korea are strongly influenced by the Confucian tradition, which is quite evident in everyday life. Primarily, the Confucian teaching stressed the humaneness and the harmonious relations between the people. In practice, this principle means the respect to the authorities, to parents, to elder people, placing collective interests prior to the personal, and taking care of other members of the group. The dominance of the Confucian system of values contributed to the formation of the strong collectivist culture in East Asian countries, in contrast to the Western European individualism. The importance of nation, society, community and family over the individual has become the main feature of East Asian cultures, Japanese and Korean particularly. Obviously, such attitude of Koreans and Japanese to the collective interests and their strong feeling of responsibility before the community are among the main factors that contributed to the prosperity of these nations. Generally, owing to these national traits, East Asia has become the most dynamically developing region, growing stronger and gaining more influence on the international arena over the last decades (Hang 2011). To conclude, Japan and Korea came to the economic miracle in quite a similar way. Despite the deep economic crises and social and political instability brought by the wars, Japan and South Korea successfully transformed into economically advanced countries within several decades, which are quite rare cases in world history. Although sometimes different in details, Japanese and Korean approaches, generally, coincide in many aspects. Economic development in both cases was led by intensive industrialization and export-promotion implemented through the system of administrative guidance and economic planning. Consequently, it appears that this particular combination of instruments against a background of East Asian cultural tradition led to such outstanding results and created economic miracle in Japan and South Korea. Conclusion In the second half of 20th century, Japan and South Korea presented to the world two notable cases of remarkable economic transformation known as economic miracle. Many scholars agree that much of a credit for their success belongs to the government policies. This thesis has been a study of the mechanism of Japanese and Korean economic miracles in the context of government policies in historical perspective. The first goal of this research was to find out what were the fundamental policies that contributed to their economic miracles. And secondly, it aimed to determine if Japanese and Korean approaches were similar. It was supposed that economic development strategies of Japanese and Korean government were partly similar, while based primarily on policies of industrialization and export-promotion. At the beginning of their path, Japan and South Korea were heavily affected by the war and, as a consequence, plunged into the deep social and economic crises. To recover their economies, countries’ governments undertook quite similar approaches. Primarily, their development patterns were characterized by government intervention into the market processes through administrative guidance and with the help of economic plans. While not going to extremes, Japanese and Korean approach allowed avoiding both deregulation of the free-market system and over-regulation of central planning. The policy of reasonable, balanced and appropriate intervention into economy proved to be very effective in Japanese and Korean cases (Liu 2012). Economic development policies emphasized intensive industrialization and promotion of export as the basis of economic growth. The industrialization and exports were stimulated by means of effective mobilization and allocation of domestic and foreign capital, import of foreign technologies, maintaining strong relations with business conglomerates, and also restriction of imports. Noteworthy, the success of this particular development strategy in both Japan and South Korea was not accidental, but owes to the East Asian cultural background based on Confucian and collectivist tradition. Similarly to Japanese and Korean experience, other East Asian countries, including Singapore and Taiwan, also managed to achieve high economic growth within quite a short period of time through this scheme. The examples of Japan, South Korea, and other countries of East Asian region that reached high growth allow assuming that this approach forms the basis of so-called East Asian model of economic growth. To conclude, during the last 25 years Japanese economy recorded average growth rate of around 1.3% annually. Certainly, this figure can not be compared with the high growth of the 1960s. However, against a background of the world trend towards economic decline, this rate does not look that bad and is in line with growth rates of other developed countries. In spite of slow growth, Japan still remains one of the largest economies in the world. Moreover, official statistics showing economic decline do not reflect actual Japan’s reality. Japan is a highly developed and rich country with one of the highest standard of living. On the other hand, South Korea is one of the most rapidly developing countries being the 15th largest economy in the world. Korea is known as one of the Asian Tigers together with Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Over the last several years, its economy has been growing at a stable rate of around 3% per annum. Korea and Japan together are among the world lead ers of technological innovation (Blaauw 2014; Dadush 2014). Much of the present economic attainments of Japan and South Korea can be traced to their economic miracles of the second half of 20th century. Despite some recent and current difficulties, Japan’s and Korea’s history demonstrates their great potential, so it is to be believed that even better achievements are yet to come.

Fatherhood and the Unmarried Adolescent African-American Male Essay

Just about a quarter of all children are now born out of wedlock.... Add to that the substantial fraction of children born into marriages that will not survive.... What do these high rates of marital instability imply for patterns of childbearing, and especially for fathers’ involvement with their children? (Furstenberg & Harris, 1992, p. 199) The vast amount of research on the topic of adolescent pregnancies has historically focused on the female (such as Furstenberg, 1976 and Stack, 1974). Social scientists have tried to understand the problem and also help the adolescent mother following her decision to give birth to a child. In some places, such as Oakland, California, 73% of adolescents giving birth are African American (Smith, 1988, p.269; Massey, 1991, p. 117). With this in mind, social workers have spent most of their efforts helping adolescent African-American women. The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and Aid to Families of Dependent Children (AFDC) offer help for many women and their children. Unfortunately, the social workers usually â€Å"viewed Black adolescent fathers either as a cause of the problem of adolescent parenthood or as a partial solution in their assigned role of financial provider† (Smith, 1988, p. 269). Introductory quote focuses on an important public conversation about children born out of wedlock and fathers' involvement with their children. Furtstenburg is considered an expert on the topic of pregnancy among adolescents and the changing American family. The writer further identifies the context for the research as the social sciences and suggests how this research has influenced social workers. Sources provide general background information, sp... ...ing American family: Sociological and demographic perspectives (pp. 197-223). Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. Furstenberg, F. (1976). Unplanned parenthood: The social consequences of teenage childbearing. New York: Free Press. Hendricks, L. E. (1988). A preliminary report on three ethnic groups. Adolescence, 91, 711-720 Horton, C. P. & Smith, J. C. (Eds.) (1990). Statistical record of Black America. Detroit: Gale Research, Inc. Massey, G. (1991). The flip side of teen mothers: A look at teen fathers. In B. P. Bowser. (Ed.), Black male adolescents: Parenting and education in community context (pp. 117-128). New York: University Press of America. Smith, L. A. (1988). Black adolescent fathers: Issues for service provision. Social Work, 33. 269-272. Stack, C. B. (1974). All our kin: Strategies for survival in a black community. New York: Harper & Row.

Ethics of Psychoanalysis - Lacan’s Antigone and the Ethics of Interpretation :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Ethics of Psychoanalysis - Lacan’s Antigone and the Ethics of Interpretation My paper examines Lacan’s reading of the Antigone as an allegory of our own textual and ethical obligations as readers and critics. This paper addresses both the ethics and the aesthetics of our encounter with the text. In 1959, Lacan presented Sophocles’ Antigone as a model of pure desire for his seminar on The Ethics of Psychoanalysis: Antigone presents herself as autonomos, the pure and simple relationship of a human being to that which it miraculously finds itself carrying, that is the rupture of signification, that which grants a person the insuperable power of being—in spite of and against everything—what he [sic] is. . . . Antigone all but fulfills what can be called pure desire, the pure and simple desire of death as such [i.e., of that which is beyond the pleasure principle]. She incarnates this desire. (1986: 328-29) Lacan notes that Antigone’s decision to defy Creon consciously seeks death. She makes no effort to defend Polynices’ actions (Lacan 1986: 290, 323-25). Her choice takes her beyond the realm of rational discourse and the collective norms of human satisfaction it implies (Lacan 1986: 78, 281; Zizek 1991: 25). Hers is a position that transcends the comfortable binary oppositions that structure our daily ethical and social lives. Because her choice of death cannot be understood according to strictly rational norms, she cannot be read as representing some simple antithesis of freedom to tyranny, or the individual to the state (Lacan 1986: 281; Zizek 1992: 77-78). In fact, as she acknowledges, she had chosen death before Creon’s decree against the burial of Polynices, and she defines herself to Ismene as one already belonging to the realm of the dead (ll. 559-60; Lacan 1986: 315, 326). Creon is not a tyrant who forces Antigone to make an impossible choice between life and freedom; rather, he embodies the civic norms that her pursuit of a desire beyond the bounds of those desires articulated within the realm of common life both requires as defining foil, and transcends. Her choice thus represents a pure ethical act shaped neither by a self-interested selection among communally recognized goods nor the self-loathing of conforming to a code that is recognized and despised (Zizek 1992: 77). Such an ethical choice, as Lacan acknowledges, is Kantian in its devotion to a pure concept of duty, but psychoanalytic in its predication on a highly individualized desire whose content cannot be generalized into a universal ethical maxim (Lacan 1986: 68, 365-66).

last words of Christ Essay -- essays research papers

JESUS LAST WORDS ON THE CROSS The seven last words of Jesus on the cross demonstrate both his humanity and his divinity, and capture the last moment Jesus went through to gain our forgiveness. 1. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do: (Luke 23:34) Forgiveness for those who arrested condemned and executed Jesus†¦but also forgiveness those who drove the nails into the hands of Jesus, and those who mocked him. It is amazing to see the boundless mercy of Jesus. The first words He utters when he goes onto the Cross are words of forgiveness. This echoes what Jesus feels today when he looks down upon us and says the same words of forgiveness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Parallel verse: Matt 5:44 Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you-- Jesus is putting in practice his own teachings! 2. Today, you will be with Me in Paradise: (Luke 23:43) There were two thieves crucified on either side of Jesus, both gasping for life, and in horrible pain. The thief on the right had been watching Jesus; he knew this man was innocent. He just heard Jesus asking God to forgive the people—the thief hears about forgiveness straight from Jesus. So the thief says this man is innocent. He defends Jesus, while no one else does! He knows he’s close to death†¦so he asks Jesus remember me when you come to your kingdom†¦he turns to Jesus for forgiveness, and Christ accepted him—today you will be wi...

Ethical Analysis of Abortion

P. Ruiz Stevens Phil 3340-106 12/5/11 Ethical Analysis of Abortion Abortion could not be ethically justified because it is killing an innocent human being. It is arguable that a right to an abortion is a right to control one’s body and the death of fetus is an unavoidable consequence of choosing not to continue a pregnancy. That people have some claim to personal, bodily autonomy must be regarded as fundamental to the conception of any ethical, democratic, and free society. Given that autonomy exists as an ethical necessity, the question becomes how far the autonomy exists.If a woman consented to sex and/or didn’t properly use contraception, then she knew pregnancy might result. Being pregnant means having a new life growing inside. Whether the fetus is a person or not and, whether the state takes a position on abortion or not, it’s arguable that a woman has some sort of ethical obligation to the fetus. Most debates on the ethics of abortion focus on whether the fetus is a person. Even if it is not a person, however, this doesn’t mean it can’t have any moral standing.Maybe this obligation isn’t strong enough to eliminate abortion as an option, but it may be enough to limit when abortion can be ethically chosen or justified. According to the best interest principle, the best interest would be to have the baby so it can live a long and fulfilling life. It is argued that in these tragic cases the great value of the mental health of a woman who becomes pregnant as a result of rape or incest can be safe-guarded by abortion. It is also that a pregnancy caused by rape or incest is the result of a grave injustice and that the victim should not be obligated to carry the fetus to viability.This would keep reminding her of the violence for nine months and it would increase her mental anguish. â€Å"It is reasoned that the value of woman’s mental health is greater than the value of the fetus. In addition, it is maintained t hat the fetus is an aggressor against the woman’s integrity and personal life; it is only just and morally defensible to repel an aggressor even by killing him if that is the only way to defend personal and human values. † It is concluded then, that the abortion is justified in these cases.According to the best interests’ principle, in this case it might be ok for the mother to abort the fetus since she might end up resenting the fetus later in life. If life begins at conception, then it follows that all fertilized eggs are morally important. However the problem with that is that when one attempts to have children though normal reproduction it is estimated that â€Å"only 50 to 60 percent of conceptions advance to beyond twenty weeks of gestation. Of the pregnancies that are lost, 75% represent a failure of implantation and are therefore not realized as clinical pregnancies . † (Norwitz, E.R. . â€Å"Implantation and the survival of early pregnancy. † The New England Journal of Medicine vol. 34508 Nov. 2001 1400-1408) This indicates that the decision to attempt to have children leads to the death of many fertilized eggs, which, according to the pro-life position, are fully significant individuals. The death of these eggs is not justifiable the only motivation is to have children. Another objection to this argument would be what if the baby is malformed? We should not kill an unborn baby to alleviate the suffering of the mother any more then we should kill her infant to alleviate her suffering.Neither should we commit an abortion of a malformed fetus to prevent his or her suffering later in life. Being handicapped is not a capital crime. â€Å"The intentional destruction of health is not compassionate and it is not healthcare; is it assault. We must not be swayed from our pro-life ethic by emotional appeals that admittedly swell our eyes with tears. Truth and compassion prevent us from this fatal compromise. We must respond to all tragic circumstances of pregnancy from the unshakeable foundation of two indisputable premises: human life begins at conception, and it is always wrong to intentionally to kill an innocent human being.The unborn child’s right to life and liberty is given by his or her creator, not by his parents or by the state. The right to life is inalienable: that is, not to be trespassed upon another. In tragic circumstances such as rape or incest, we want to care for both the mother and her unborn baby. We want to relieve the suffering of the mother and her unborn baby. It is never right to intentionally kill an innocent human being, even if it does relieve another’s emotional or physical suffering. It is not up to a vote, and our obligation to submit unto divine judgments does not sway with our circumstances

Personal Writing †Learning to understand Essay

As unc extincth George s vertexped at the local sweetly shop on his expressive style to crop. It was the identical old woman at the preclude Mrs. Meridew. She never smiled or thanked anyone. Gorge was non actually bo in that locationd by this since he only went to the shop to buy sweets.50p of sens Bottles and 20p of the Suga Snakes. George always ordered the same social occasion so the old woman had started packing material his sweets before he had finished congress her his order.As he headed out of the door, with the sweets safely in his pocket, he saw his aged sidekick, David, walking to naturalise with a young woman he had never seen before.She was short, about louvre feet tall, with auburn fuzz. She was walking bum David and she now and then ran ahead to say some thing and then returned to her position, behind him. He watched them both turn onto the school road and then made his way to the school as well.He got to the school gates just in measure to see them b oth entering by the main entrance and handout to their identify class boards. He didnt see all of them for the whole day.George got home at approximately 4 oclock and called for his brother who appeared not to be home. His parents were at exert so it was just him and Ginger, his old and slight cat. He got changed and made himself something to eat when he perceive the front door idle and the voice of his brother calling for him. David was not look foring his normal self. His feel was seemed as though he was hypnotized and his look were full of exhaustion. He dropped his bag and without other word, he made his way upstairs, purportedly to his room.After about half an hour, George resolved to check on how his brother was. He quickly clim experience up the stairs and walked into Davids room without disastering. David was at his desk and as curtly as he saw George rest in the doorway, he festinate to sporting everything, from his desk, out of site.Why didnt you knock ? David screeched.Why does it matter? It only could if you had been doing something, eh? George was invite cheeky. There was just a look of plain rage on Davids face. George thought it would be the best thing to leave the room, so he did, and went downstairs. He knew now that there was something suspicious going on between David and the girl he had seen walking with him. He just demand to read those garner to find out what was going on. He shouldnt really interfere with his brothers life, should he?Suspiciousness got the better of George and the following morning, he was going to try hard to get his brother out of the house, entirely David remaining-hand(a) much earlier than normal without George regular trying.This was his perfect chance to read those notes David had been musical composition yesterday evening. He hurried up the stairs and scampered along the landing to Davids room. He had to open the door quietly since his mum was still asleep in the room next door. David had evidently cleaned up his room before leaving the bed had been made and all his belongings were in position. George went straight for Davids desk and started to empty its confine onto the floor. The pile he was making was get bigger, but there was no brand of any sort of abnormal letters or pieces of writing. Could he have cognize that George was going to rummage through his room?George started to replace everything back into Davids desk as it was before his careless search. Just then, there was the sound of the front door macrocosm swung open very loudly. He knew at once what had happened. David had realized that he had left George at home and now had rushed back to make sure he didnt go through his room. GEORGE WHERE THE underworld ARE YOU David was screaming at the top of his voice.George could hear him running around aspect for him downstairs as he was fertilisation all of the bits of paper and books into Davids desk. George heard him running up the stairs and his sp eed of clearing up the mass got faster, but not quite fast fair to middling as David burst in the room. His hair was in a state and his face was burning with fury. He was very wheezy and was spitting at odd moments. George felt nothing, but the greatest fear, as his brother looked as though he would gain him, there and then

Health and Fitness on nutrition needs for body Essay

Nutrition can perform with a function .Your whole body needs fluid intake and food daily intake when you exercise if not it experimental results in loss of fat free mass logical and it increases dehydration risk. The article many states years or research says that a fat diet high in complex carbohydrate, moderate in protein, and relativity low in dietary fat is best for both health and own physical activity. Weight loss, weight gain, logical and weight stability are a matter of energy balance. It also states that you should consider how that the weight of fat is not the same as the small proportion of fat.Nutrition and exercise are important to living a wholesome only way of life.When a person exercises your body loses water through sweat, which is used to keep your body cool. That’s what why when you are exercising its very important to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated so fluid intake is very important.Water helps regulate your body temp. Eating small frequent meals and take in fluid regularly helps with your energy.

Additionally, the free meals can be served to boost his desire.Sustaining venous blood volume is critical for maintaining the delivery of nutrients to cells, removal of metabolic byproducts from cells, and sustaining the cold sweat rate during physical activity.Everyone loses fluids while sweating. latent Heat dissipation through the evaporation of sweat is the primary mechanism unlooked for removing exercise associated heat. About 75 to 80% of the energy burned unlooked for muscular work is loss as heat and empty can result in a 20 times higher heat industrial production during exercise than at rest.As we age our bodies change.Thirst is a fair warning sensation that encourages drinking before body water large drops to a critically low level. A person should drink little small amounts frequently to avoid thirst. A person needs metallic sodium when they loss sweat. Sodium also encourages a first person to drink.

It start using any nuclear fuel source it could find if it lacks sugar.Since the only human body doesnt store Zinc, its critical to obtain it.Ultimately, there plan is a diet greater than creating a deficit.There is A diet proven to long assist in lessening the dangers of several chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

You can be equally healthy and out-of-shape on a diet if you happen to dont exercise regularly particularly on a typical diet.Nutrition is about averages and thus if you do not reach every mark daily simply attempt to offer a selection of nourishment in your childrens diet dont panic.Nutrition can help boost check your childs growth and development.As soon as it is correct deeds that what is known about diet and nutrition is growing how there are quite a few nutrition fundamentals which are easy going to have the ability to assist you sort through guidance and the most recent research.