Eliminating Human Resource Problems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Eliminating Human Resource Problems - Essay Example Altogether, these led to lower level of production and product quality. The problems stated above indicates greater core concerns which should be looked into. These are not the real problems but merely symptoms of the company's failure to establish an organizational structure suited to its human resource. These problems can be attributed to the grievance and dissatisfaction of the workforce as their needs remained unmet. I have come up with four recommendations which you can do in order to enhance employee morale and product quality in your department: employee empowerment, more open communications, motivational tools, and employee evaluation. 1. Employee Empowerment. The traditional approach of leaving decisions to the managers is now considered obsolete. I strongly believe that this is not working in your department. I believe that employees should be given the chance the chance to participate. It has been demonstrated that giving employees the chance to participate in the decision making of business organisations directly and significantly contributes to their job satisfaction. As human beings, employees have this innate desire to enhance their self worth. Without their participation and involvement, employees are left with the feeling that they are no more than the equipment that the company uses.

Black Aesthetics Essay Example for Free

Black Aesthetics Essay Black Aesthetics The word â€Å"aesthetics† can be defined as a branch of philosophy that critically reflects on art, culture, and nature. It is a view, opinion, or an attitude toward what is considered offensive or acceptable. It is more scientifically defined as a critical judgment of the sensory emotional values that exude from the nature of beauty, art, and taste. Aesthetics as it pertains to the black community or simply â€Å"black aesthetics† refers to ideologies and perspectives of art that centers around back culture and life. Black aesthetics spawned from the Blacks Arts Movement of the 1960’s where blacks demonstrated that you didn’t have to assimilate into white American culture. The movement refers to a period of African American creativity beginning in the mid-1960’s and continuing through much of the 1970’s. It was a pivotal moment in African American literature. It inspired black people to establish their own publishing houses, magazines, journals and art institutions. It led to the creation of African American Studies programs within universities. It all precipitated from the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965. Linked both chronologically and ideologically with the Black Power Movement, The BAM recognized the idea of two cultural Americas: one black and one white. The BAM pressed for the creation of a distinctive Black Aesthetic in which black artists created for black audiences. The movement saw artistic production as the key to revising Black American’s perceptions of themselves, thus the Black Aesthetic was believed to be an integral component of the economic, political, and cultural empowerment of the Black community. The Black Arts Movement called for an explicit connection between art and politics. This movement created the most prevalent era in black art history by taking stereotypes and racism and turning it into artistic value. The concepts of Black Power, Nationalism, Community, and Performance all influenced the formation of this national movement, and it proliferated through community institutions, theatrical performance, literature, and music. One of the biggest problems that black Americans have been dealing with since being removed from our homeland is self-identification within western civilization. American culture was initially shaped by many European races and cultures coming together through shared ideals and values in which, has attributed to our diversity. However, other races did not always have a choice; all of the enslaved Africans were forced to assimilate. During the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, many African nations were struggling for their independence from Europe. Their struggles correlate to the struggle of blacks in the United States during the same time period. Since the 1880’s, when European nations colonized Africa, Europe had almost complete control over the continent, but this changed during the 1950’s and 1960’s. By 1958, ten African countries had gained their independence, and sixteen more joined the list in 1960 alone. With these nations gaining heir independence, it demonstrated the ability of blacks to overpower their white oppressors. The Black Power and Black Arts Movement in the United States were the result of just that. Who are black people, what are black people, what is their relationship to America and the world? It must be repeated that the whole myth of Negro citizenship, perpetuated by the white elite, has confused the thinking of radical and progressive blacks and whites in this country. The broad masses of black people react to American society in the same manner as colonial peoples react to the West in Africa, and Latin America, and had the same relationship that of the colonized toward the colonizer. Too long have we allowed white people to interpret the importance and meaning of the cultural aspects of our society. We have allowed them to tell us what was good about our Afro-American music, art, and literature. How can a white person who is not part of the black psyche (except as the oppressor) interpret the meaning of the blues to us who are manifestations of the songs themselves? Black people concerning the contributions that we have made in shaping this country must make a thorough re-examination. If this re-examination and re-evaluation is not made, and black people are not given their proper due and respect, then the rivalries and contradictions are going to become more and more evident, more and more intense, until there is a national uproar.

Maine’s Commercial Lobster Industry Essay -- Business Essays

Maine’s Commercial Lobster Industry Summary Scientists predict a major population crash of Maine lobsters in the near future, due to over-harvesting, increasing demand, and a lack of successful regulatory measures reflecting such factors. The attempt to introduce various policy measures creating more limited access to the resource has been largely ineffective due to the unique ecological, economic, and social characteristics of the state. Further complicating the issue is the matter of thriving lobster populations during recent years when other marine wildlife populations are experiencing severe losses along the same region of the eastern seaboard. This paper examines the conflict between lobster fishermen, scientists, and policy makers regarding attempts to work toward a more sustainable lobster fishing industry. Introduction The issue of Maine lobster fishing is an ideal case illustrating the challenge of the "tragedy of the commons", since the lobsters belong to no one until caught. They have been harvested commercially in New England (the "birthplace" of the nation’s fisheries) since the 1800’s. At that time, they "were so plentiful they could be caught by hand or, with less hazard (because the average lobster was so large), with a gaff, a pole with a large hook stuck in the end" (Formisano, 13). Since the early 19th century, the industry adopted more efficient techniques (such as the use of lobster "pots", or traps, and boats that could carry lobsters over longer distances) to capture more lobsters faster. This led to a significant population decline by the late 1800’s, prompting the first lobster regulation (prohibiting the harvesting of egg-bearing females). Lobster populations remained relatively st... ...Globe 4 Mar. 1995: 14 Larabee, John, and Richard Price. "Tide of Troubles has Fish Industry Reeling/ Crisis Caused by Pollution, Development, Over-Fishing." USA Today 10 Mar. 1994: 9A Libby, Sam. "Trying to Save the Lobster Population." The New York Times 23 Jan. 1994: 6 McQuaid, John. "Seafood for Thought." The Times-Picayune 24 Mar. 1996: A38 Nifong, Christina. "Plan for Preserving Lobster Population Stirs Storm in Maine." 5 June 1996: 4 Schneider, Jan. "The Gulf of Maine Case: The Nature of an Equitable Result." American Journal of International Law 79:3 (July 1985): 539-577. U.S. General Accounting Office. Commercial Fisheries: Entry of Fishermen Limits Benefits of Buyback Programs. Washington: Government Printing Office, 2000. Woodard, Colin. "A Run on the Banks: How Factory Fishing Decimated Newfoundland Cod." E Magazine Mar/Apr 2001:

What Dilemma Did to Him :: Free Essay Writer

What Dilemma Did to Him We realize our dilemma goes deeper than shortage of time; it is basically a problem of priorities. We confess, We have left undone those things that ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. Charles E. Hummel. In a time of national dilemma what better way then a good book about over coming a dilemma. â€Å"The Crucible† By Arthur Miller does just that you could almost center the word dilemma around Arthurs’ character John Proctor. Only Miller could show how dilemmas reveal much about some persons personality or how it affects the lives of all. The Salem witch trail well there’s a dilemma and for Proctor as soon as he got over a dilemma wham bam another one is thrown into to his face. How do you describe John? Well he’s a simple man, stay out of his business and he’ll stay out of yours. As soon as the girls of Salem get busted of â€Å"witchcraft† John faces the first of many new events that would show John as more then anyone would have thought. When Abigail tells Proctor what really was going on in the woods that night, â€Å"We were dancin’ in the woods last night, and my uncle leaped in on us. She took fright, is all.† the right thing for everyone would be for him to tell them all the truth about what happened. If it wasn’t for the fact that John himself was no angel: Stopped going to church, and the big thing that makes everything that much more complicated is that Abigail and John who is a married man have had tender moments. Now how can he rat her out without busting h imself in an act that would kill his wife’s heart and muddy his name. So he does what any man would do, nothing, nothing at all just goes home and leaves it to the towns people. Well so far Mr. Proctor doesn’t sound much like a guy I like too out with but this story is only just begun. Not soon after John goes home to his wife, pushing the whole thing out of his mind. Was this the right thing to do for him or for the town or really for anyone involved in this stupid lie this was a dilemma only he could make right and everyone is involved in it is affected in a different way but most their very lives relied upon the truth Proctor knew.

Popular Culture and Gender Equality

Popular culture continually mutates and occurs uniquely in place and time. It represents a complex of equally interdependent points of view and values that influence society and its organizations. It also influences people in various ways: this is important because it creates balance between certain societies in our everyday lives, but can also have a negative impact as it creates inequality which may lead to conflict. A good example of this is gender inequality in decision-making at all levels. Despite the widespread movement towards democratization in most countries, women are largely underrepresented at most levels of government. They have made little advancement in reaching political power over the years or in achieving the target certified by the Economic and Social Council of having 30 percent women in positions at decision-making levels by 1995 (image 1). Inequality in the public can often begin within the family when power relations between men and women are unbalanced with unfair attitudes and activities (image 2). The unequal division of labour and responsibilities within households based on unequal power relations also limits women's potential to find the time and develop the skills required for participation in decision-making in wider public environments. Power and knowledge is not the same thing, however they are both very dependent on one another. Therefore without knowledge, power cannot be initiated. Feminists theorize that it is man that holds the key to knowledge in society today; therefore, power naturally follows. As for the entertainment world, the opinions of screenwriters and producers become implanted into our culture and present a base for gender roles. Traditional female roles are still being presented in the mass media, and as feminism takes the spotlight, more viewers are taking notice and little films are presenting equality. A good example of this is Sandra Bullock in the movie called Miss Congeniality (image 3). As a woman with many masculine qualities, (image 4) Gracie somehow becomes the last resort for a F. B. I. assignment as undercover Miss New Jersey in the Miss United States Pageant. Gracie follows the path to a cuter, mannered woman, but still keeps many characteristics of her masculine personalities by the end of the film. Another common area of popular culture where gender inequality takes place is the PC gaming world. The awful sexist plot of Starcraft 2 is not at all a secret: it is widely mocked and insulted (image 5). The single-player campaign storyline for one of 2010?s best-selling PC games stands between bad writing and extreme social politics as it comes across to be very offensive. Not many people like it, although in the testosterone-filled world of hardcore PC gaming, most people haven’t taken too seriously just how sexist it is. In everyday life, people are forced to deal with gender equality in their workplaces (image 6). Some believe that gender inequality persists in the modern world because men and women are different in behavior and preferences in so many ways. Social institutions know that, and some try to work around it in ways that don’t disadvantage women unreasonably. That is why most employers don’t pay women less than men for the same occupations, but acknowledges that women choose different occupations than men, usually occupations paying less (image 7). One of my favourite examples of promoting change in society is the song called Cant Hold Us Down by pop artist Christina Aguilera in which she creates a female empowerment anthem, expressing her disgust with the double standards of society (image 8 and 9). She feels that male stars are respected and worshipped for bragging about their wild sex lives, but when women like Aguilera try to express their sexuality, they get labeled as whores. Although it may sometimes be challenging to live in a world filled with inequality, it is important we realize that nothing in life is easy and woman all need to stand together in order to change the society in positive ways that promotes complete equality.

The ways in which poets make use of form and language to present their views on love and marriage Essays

The ways in which poets make use of form and language to present their views on love and marriage Essays The ways in which poets make use of form and language to present their views on love and marriage Essay The ways in which poets make use of form and language to present their views on love and marriage Essay Essay Topic: Poetry The two poems studied from the nineteenth century on love and loss give a very different view on love and marriage. A woman to her lover, by Christina Walsh gives a view of a woman wanting co-equal love, whereas in My Last Duchess by Robert Browning, there is a view of patriarchal love and dominance by man. These are both very different views on love, however in A Woman To Her Lover, the views expressed in these days would be seen as rational and what is accepted. In the days which it was written it would be seen as discordant. This essay will focus on comparing the form and language of both poems and how these techniques help to present their views on love and marriage. Along with form and language, this essay will also comment on the use of rhetorical questions, personal pronouns, the use of exclamation marks, imagery and repetition. In A Woman To Her Lover the poem is based on a four-stanza reply to a question, If that be what you ask. We can see that she has been asked to marry and she is setting out the guidelines. The poem also has no set rhyme scheme or rhythm; it also rejects traditional conversion and rules. In the nineteenth century there were rules which women had to follow and what was expected of them, but this freedom in which the poem is written expresses the freedom that the writer is asking for in the relationship between her and her lover. The freedom in the poem represents the freedom asked for in marriage. My Last Duchess is written as a dramatic monologue, the speakers personality is revealed through what he is saying. It is written in iambic pentameter and rhyming couplets, which gives the effect of strictness, with a patriarchal and restrictive view of love. There is also enjambement in this poem, which gives it a natural flow, this suggests that what he is saying comes naturally and it is the only way that he thinks. The language in both poems is archaic and of the time but Christina Walsh uses an unusual word order, no servant will I be. This makes the statement more direct with a suggestion of harshness. It also emphasises her disgust at the traditional view of love. In My Last Duchess the duke has an ostentatious voice, worked busily a day. This shows that he has high expectations of his employees and he will also have high expectations of his wife. The Duke also tries to make people fear him, if they durst. This would show that he feels that people should be scared of him, which would include his wife, so he would not be very close to his wife if she were scared of him. The use of questions and rhetorical questions are used in both of the poems. The woman in A Woman To Her Lover uses questions in a reply to an assumed proposal of marriage, Or if you think to wed. These questions are the theme for the whole poem. This can show that he has asked her a question, but before she can answer she has to know things about him. This makes us feel that she is not rushing into marriage but is thinking carefully about if she wants to marry him. The duke, on the other hand, answers his own question, whod stoop to blame. He wants the envoy to agree with his anger and disgust at his disobedient wife. He expects correct answers and is single minded about other views. Along with this he always expects people to agree with him. He would not expect his wife to have her own views, even her view of if she wanted to marry him. Cristina Walsh uses the words we, you and I a lot in her poem, A Woman To Her Lover. This shows that the woman wants co-equal love as she involves the man in the poem. She says what we want rather than I want. It shows partnership in the relationship and togetherness. My Last Duchess has a lot of the personal pronoun, I. This shows that he sees love as ownership and will see his wife as a possession rather than a partner. Love does not account for his choice of wife and will only have a trophy wife, someone who will look good to other people. Cristina Walsh uses exclamation marks in her poem to emphasize her disgust in patriarchal views of love at the end of the stanza, I refuse you! If the exclamation mark were not there we would not be able to see how much she despised the view of patriarchal love she is talking about. Robert Browning uses the exclamation mark also to emphasize his disgust but it is when he remembers his wife having her own views, Sir, t was all one! We can see that he is very dominant and gets angry when she does what she wants. Once again the exclamation marks lets us see how angry he gets and how much he hates her having her own views. A Woman To Her Lover uses quite a lot of parallel structure throughout the whole poem If that be what you ask. This use of parallel structure gives the effect that she is ranting and raving about her disgust of the ideas that she is talking about. The parallel structure also gives the effect that she is shouting very fast and gives fluidity to it. My Last Duchess does not have any parallel structure as I think that the duke is trying to give a note of dignity to himself. Therefore the use of parallel structure will give the effect that he is shouting and getting excited. He tries to make himself sound better than he really is which makes him sound fake about love and that women dont see him for what he is. Christina Walsh uses repetition at the beginning of a sentence to try to get a lot of points through. There are three sentences one after the other all beginning with And. This tells us that the woman has a lot of conditions and points for her love to her lover. Robert Browning uses repetition further apart in his poem; that spot of joy, this gives us the feeling that he is wrapped up in one thing only and can only think about that one thing. This repetition makes us think that he is obsesses with the bad behaviour of his wife and cannot let simple things drop. This makes us think that he is strict with his wife and is not caring or forgiving. These two poems both give very different views of love and marriage in the nineteenth century. Christina Walsh gives a modern view of a relationship, which is what most couples try for today. She lists the conditions for her love. These conditions however are not biased but things that will balance the relationship. Whereas in Robert Brownings, My Last Duchess the Duke talks about a relationship where he has complete dominance over his wife. He also expects her to look up to him at all times and be thankful of everything he has and for her to not acknowledge any other men. Robert Brownings patriarchal view of love, which he talks about in My Last Duchess, was seen as acceptable in the nineteenth century, especially by men. Women yearned for the view of Christina Walsh, but nothing was done about it, we can now see that this view is now a reality in todays world and any other view, i.e. Robert Brownings view, would be unacceptable.

JazzFrock essays

JazzFrock essays ROCK is a Melbourne-based jazz ensemble focusing on original compositions and improvisation. The group promotes a high standard of performance and professionalism gained through the years of experience and learning of its individual members. All of its members have studied music and improvisation at the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). Two of the members in FROCK have returned to lecture there, while the remaining members are educators at tertiary and secondary school level around the state of Victoria. The VCA brings together the finest musicians in Australia, both as teachers and students, and is representitive of the ethnic culture in Australia. It is from this cross-cultural melting pot that the ensemble has been born. Drawing on a wide range of influences, and using a typical jazz instrumentation, the group creates a sound that combines styles in the jazz music of the new and the old and sets a trend for the future. Traditional acoustic instruments meet their modern electric counterparts, classical European folk forms get a modern jazz treatment, A unique sound experience. Vibraphone, Marimba Tuned and untuned percussion Craig has been a performer and educator for fifteen years. He studied with Dave Samuels and has recorded for the ABC with Doug de Vries and Edward York. Craig teaches at the VCA and Box Hill TAFE. He performs regularly as a sideman with people such as Joe Camillieri and the New Guinea Bharatam Dance Troupe. Craig writes a column for the national magazine DRUMSCENE. For the past thirteen years Anthony has performed as an accordianist and pianist throughout Australia. He has worked in all genres from folk to funk and back to jazz. Anthony teaches at the VCA and is a full-time lecturer at Box Hill TAFE. ...

How to Write an Abstract for a Scientific Paper

How to Write an Abstract for a Scientific Paper If youre preparing a research paper or grant proposal, youll need to know how to write an abstract. Heres a look at what an abstract is and how to write one. Abstract An abstract is a concise summary of an experiment or research project. It should be brief typically under 200 words. The purpose of the abstract is to summarize the research paper by stating the purpose of the research, the experimental method, the findings, and the conclusions. How to Write an Abstract The format youll use for the abstract depends on its purpose. If youre writing for a specific publication or a class assignment, youll probably need to follow specific guidelines. If there isnt a required format, youll need to choose from one of two possible types of abstracts. Informational Abstracts An informational abstract is a type of abstract used to communicate an experiment or lab report. An informational abstract is like a mini-paper. Its length ranges from a paragraph to 1 to 2 pages, depending on the scope of the report. Aim for less than 10% the length of the full report.Summarize all aspects of the report, including purpose, method, results, conclusions, and recommendations. There are no graphs, charts, tables, or images in an abstract. Similarly, an abstract does not include a bibliography or references.Highlight important discoveries or anomalies. Its okay if the experiment did not go as planned and necessary to state the outcome in the abstract. Here is a good format to follow, in order, when writing an informational abstract. Each section is a sentence or two long: Motivation or Purpose: State why the subject is important or why anyone should care about the experiment and its results.Problem: State the hypothesis of the experiment or describe the problem you are trying to solve.Method: How did you test the hypothesis or try to solve the problem?Results: What was the outcome of the study? Did you support or reject a hypothesis? Did you solve a problem? How close were the results to what you expected? State-specific numbers.Conclusions: What is the significance of your findings? Do the results lead to an increase in knowledge, a solution that may be applied to other problems, etc.? Need examples? The abstracts at PubMed.gov (National Institutes of Health database) are informational abstracts. A random example is this abstract on the effect of coffee consumption on Acute Coronary Syndrome. Descriptive Abstracts A descriptive abstract is an extremely brief description of the contents of a report. Its purpose is to tell the reader what to expect from the full paper. A descriptive abstract is very short, typically less than 100 words.Tells the reader what the report contains, but doesnt go into detail.It briefly summarizes the purpose and experimental method, but not the results or conclusions. Basically, say why and how the study was made, but dont go into findings.   Tips for Writing a Good Abstract Write the paper before writing the abstract. You might be tempted to start with the abstract since it comes between the title page and the paper, but its much easier to summarize a paper or report after it has been completed.Write in the third person. Replace phrases like I found or we examined with phrases like it was determined or this paper provides or the investigators found.Write the abstract and then pare it down to meet the word limit. In some cases, a long abstract will result in automatic rejection for publication or a grade!Think of keywords and phrases a person looking for your work might use or enter into a search engine. Include those words in your abstract. Even if the paper wont be published, this is a good habit to develop.All information in the abstract must be covered in the body of the paper. Dont put a fact in the abstract that isnt described in the report.Proof-read the abstract for typos, spelling mistakes, and punctuation errors.

Solar Energy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Solar Energy - Research Paper Example This means that there is no limit to the amount of solar energy that can be captures since the energy itself is renewable. The maintenance costs of solar power are also quite low compared to other forms of energy (Thomas 11). It is also quite easy to install solar panels which are available at relatively low costs. Solar energy can also be used in any setting, be it at home or an industrial setting. Another main pro of solar energy is its reliability. This is an energy source that will never be affected by geographical, economic or political upheavals (13). One of the major disadvantages of solar power is the fact that it is only available in places which have lots of sunshine. People who come from countries that are usually cold throughout cannot get as much solar energy as they would need for their daily use. Another disadvantage of solar energy is that it can only be captured during the day when there is enough sunlight. This means that one needs to have other forms of energy storage devices with which to store solar energy that has been captured during the day (Benduhn 34 and Thomas 22). Today, solar power is being used for many different purposes. It is used for domestic purposes that include heating, cooking, lighting, communications, operating spacecraft many others. People are turning to solar power as an alternative source of energy for use both at home and in industries. Solar panels are the most commonly used solar energy capturing equipment. In many cases, solar energy is being used as a source of backup energy in case of power failure. Healthcare facilities are embracing the use of solar energy in emergency situations. Production industries are also slowly opening up to the idea of using solar power for their everyday operations. The future does look brilliant for solar energy. More and more people are becoming aware of the effects that fossil fuels have on the environment and they are turning to the safe

3D Virtual World Environments for L2 Learning and Teaching Assignment

3D Virtual World Environments for L2 Learning and Teaching - Assignment Example From the discussion it is clear that the virtual reality environment is at the foremost an immersive experience. In order for it to appeal to the user it needs to be as close to our real 3D world as possible. This is why there is a need to develop the 3D environment further for the user to get really comfortable in that world.This study highlights that visual and audio components are given great priority when designing a 3D virtual world. At present, scientists are trying to find ways to incorporate the sensory component into the virtual environment. A user would feel more immersed within a particular virtual environment if he is able to make use of his sense of touch, just the way he uses his visual and auditory senses. Currently, there is also a need to refine visual graphics in order to make the virtual world appear more lifelike. Also, special attention has to be paid to the fact that enabling a real-time environment within such a virtual system is the key to its success with the user.  The user is made familiar with the concept of real-time with regard to a 3D virtual environment. This idea of using 3D reality has already been applied to gaming with games such as Metal Gear Solid and System Shock. A relatively new usage of the 3D virtual environment is in the field of education. Educationalists have considered the use of incorporating the 3D virtual environment in class rooms and educational institutes with varying degrees of success.

Learning Game Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Learning Game - Article Example At first all we did was throw the tennis ball to one another and we spent around thirty minutes doing so. It seemed like a simple enough idea but it didn't merit any innovation on our part. We all wanted to do better and beat our own record. Also it did take awfully long to just get the ball from one person to another and we ended up spending too much time on that. The second time we played the game we all managed to pass the ball between us in only half our previous time and that was 15 minutes. We did this by standing in a new kind of circle, a much smaller one, where all of us were standing much closer to each other than before. We had achieved our goal twice and actually managed to cut down our time by a significant amount in our second try. Unfortunately, we could not carry on our winning streak to our third try because at that point a conflict arose which disrupted everything. When we started thinking about taking a third shot at our little project I had a great idea. I had been thinking of ways in which I could cut down the time even further by exchanging the ball even more quickly. While I was thinking about it I came up with a great solution and all of my classmates even liked my idea. Everyone was willing to give it a try and see if it works out or not; everyone except one person. This was where things started to get a little ou

UK Medical Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

UK Medical Law - Essay Example Terminally ill patients are also adaptable to a high level of disability as they value what little quality of life they have left. The legal position in respect of selective non-treatment was addressed by the House of Lords in Airedale NHS Trust v Bland1, wherein the applicant, a health authority sought an order to discontinue life-sustaining treatment and that the only medical treatment to be furnished should be for the purpose of enabling a peaceful and dignified death with the minimum of pain. The family of the patient supported this application. The respondent, 21-year-old Anthony Bland, had been in a persistently vegetative state for 3 years and though not brain dead, he had no cognitive function. The unanimous opinion of all the doctors who examined him was that there was no hope of recovery or improvement. Under these circumstances, it was considered appropriate to cease further treatment. The judge granted the order as requested and this was confirmed by both the Court of Appeals and the House of Lords. The House of Lords held that a doctor, who has to care for a patient who is incapable of consenting t o treatment, is under no obligation to prolong the patient's life regardless of the quality thereof. The court referred to ... sts of the patient, the court used the test laid down in Bolam v Friern Hospital Management Committee3, namely whether the proposed conduct would be in accordance with the opinion of a large informed and responsible group of medical practitioners. As the cessation of life-supporting treatment in this case was in accordance with the criteria set out in a discussion paper by the British Medical Association4, the court found that there had been compliance with the Bolam requirement. In this case Lord Mustill pointed to the need for legislation relating to euthanasia stating that, "The whole matter cries out for exploration in depth by Parliament and then for the establishment by legislation not only of a new set of ethically and intellectually consistent rules, distinct from the general criminal law, but also of a sound procedural framework within which the rules can be applied to individual cases." In R (Pretty) v. Director of Public Prosecutions5, Lord Steyn reiterated that reform of the law on assisted suicide should be undertaken by the legislature rather than by judges. Case law demonstrates the paradox that results from the current law. As Dame Butler-Sloss P. emphasised in B v An NHS Hospital Trust6, a competent patient may refuse any form of medical treatment, even life-prolonging medical treatment, for whatever reason. B was able to insist that the ventilator, which kept her alive, was to be disconnected.Diane Pretty was also able to make a competent and autonomous choice about the timing and manner of her death, but was unable to implement this decision due to a prohibition of assisted suicide and thus died in exactly the way she had tried to avoid. Bland, who could not make such a choice, was deemed to have an existence whose futility justified the

Psychological and Physiological Benefits of Physical Exercise Essay

Psychological and Physiological Benefits of Physical Exercise - Essay Example Physical activity is mainly undertaken to attain and sustain a healthy body weight. Its benefits incorporate a healthy mind, mood and improved general health of an individual. According to Gledhill (2007), the physiological and psychological significance of exercise are relevant to the current society. This is because sedentary lifestyles affect the health of the public leading to increased costs. Moreover, lifestyle diseases that can be prevented such as diabetes, coronary heart diseases and cancers have become frequent. This has amplified the mortality rates. The collective effects of inactive lifestyles, physical inactivity and excessive calorific intake significantly contribute to compromised health state. Furthermore, these trends lead to increased pervasiveness of obesity in developed nations. According to Gledhill (2007 p. 57), scientific evidence indicates that lack of physical exercise is a major risk factor that contributes to mortality rates, age related complications and compromised mental performance. Consequently, physical exercise has both psychological and physiological benefits that improve the overall health of a person (Gledhill 2007). Psychological benefits of exercise The psychological aspects of physical exercise are clear in the affiliation between the body’s physical movements and a person’s mental and emotional health. The biological fitness of a person influences their behaviour and mood. Consequently, an undisputed link exists between physical exercise and the psychological well-being. Psychologically, exercise triggers the release of vital hormones that promote the mental and emotional processes. Gledhill (2007) affirms that physical fitness stimulates the nerves; thus, enhancing glandular secretion. This helps to increase vivacity, speed, aesthetic appeal and physical agility. During exercise, critical endorphin hormones are released in the body (Fox, Biddle, & Boutcher 2002). These natural hormones make one feel energ ised and optimistic. Moreover, the endorphins block pain creating euphoric feelings in the brain cells. This is necessary for people coping with emotional or physical pain. Endorphins are mainly produced during stressful times; furthermore, they compliment the adrenaline hormones. Therefore, exercises are effective means of maintaining high spirits and motivation because it is a natural anti-depressant (Gledhill 2007). In addition to aiding mental recreation, physical exercise reduces anxiety by boosting a person’s mood (Buckworth & Dishman 2002). It promotes a general wellbeing in all the psychological functioning of an individual. For this reason, therapists employ it as a remedial treatment of anxiety neuroses, depression and mental illnesses (Buckworth & Dishman 2002). Therefore, maintenance of overall fitness is a vital component of promoting self-esteem and self-efficacy among individuals. This is because through exercise, moods are contained; thus, enabling a person to attain their goals efficiently (Fox, Biddle, & Boutcher 2002). Another psychological benefit is the promotion of IQ levels and cognitive alertness in individuals. Regular exercise improves short-term memory that improves fluid intelligence. This process boosts verbal reasoning and mental constructs that are vital in psychological health. Besides, exercise leads to the regeneration of new cells in the brain by facilitating

UK Medical Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

UK Medical Law - Essay Example Terminally ill patients are also adaptable to a high level of disability as they value what little quality of life they have left. The legal position in respect of selective non-treatment was addressed by the House of Lords in Airedale NHS Trust v Bland1, wherein the applicant, a health authority sought an order to discontinue life-sustaining treatment and that the only medical treatment to be furnished should be for the purpose of enabling a peaceful and dignified death with the minimum of pain. The family of the patient supported this application. The respondent, 21-year-old Anthony Bland, had been in a persistently vegetative state for 3 years and though not brain dead, he had no cognitive function. The unanimous opinion of all the doctors who examined him was that there was no hope of recovery or improvement. Under these circumstances, it was considered appropriate to cease further treatment. The judge granted the order as requested and this was confirmed by both the Court of Appeals and the House of Lords. The House of Lords held that a doctor, who has to care for a patient who is incapable of consenting t o treatment, is under no obligation to prolong the patient's life regardless of the quality thereof. The court referred to ... sts of the patient, the court used the test laid down in Bolam v Friern Hospital Management Committee3, namely whether the proposed conduct would be in accordance with the opinion of a large informed and responsible group of medical practitioners. As the cessation of life-supporting treatment in this case was in accordance with the criteria set out in a discussion paper by the British Medical Association4, the court found that there had been compliance with the Bolam requirement. In this case Lord Mustill pointed to the need for legislation relating to euthanasia stating that, "The whole matter cries out for exploration in depth by Parliament and then for the establishment by legislation not only of a new set of ethically and intellectually consistent rules, distinct from the general criminal law, but also of a sound procedural framework within which the rules can be applied to individual cases." In R (Pretty) v. Director of Public Prosecutions5, Lord Steyn reiterated that reform of the law on assisted suicide should be undertaken by the legislature rather than by judges. Case law demonstrates the paradox that results from the current law. As Dame Butler-Sloss P. emphasised in B v An NHS Hospital Trust6, a competent patient may refuse any form of medical treatment, even life-prolonging medical treatment, for whatever reason. B was able to insist that the ventilator, which kept her alive, was to be disconnected.Diane Pretty was also able to make a competent and autonomous choice about the timing and manner of her death, but was unable to implement this decision due to a prohibition of assisted suicide and thus died in exactly the way she had tried to avoid. Bland, who could not make such a choice, was deemed to have an existence whose futility justified the

Uses of coal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Uses of coal - Research Paper Example Coal is a fossil fuel and is the altered remains of prehistoric vegetation that originally accumulated in swamps and peat bogs. The energy we get from coal today comes from the energy that plants absorbed from the sun millions of years ago. All living plants store solar energy through a process known as photosynthesis. When plants die, this energy is usually released as the plants decay. Under conditions favorable to coal formation, the decaying process is interrupted, preventing the release of the stored solar energy. The energy is locked into the coal. Coal formation began during the Carboniferous Period - known as the first coal age - which spanned 360 million to 290 million years ago. The build-up of silt and other sediments, together with movements in the earth's crust - known as tectonic movements - buried swamps and peat bogs, often to great depths. With burial, the plant material was subjected to high temperatures and pressures. This caused physical and chemical changes in th e vegetation, transforming it into peat and then into coal. (World Coal Association) Coalification The quality of each coal deposit is determined by: varying types of vegetation from which the coal originated depths of burial temperatures and pressures at those depths length of time the coal has been forming in the deposit The degree of change undergone by a coal as it matures from peat to anthracite is known as coalification. Coalification has an important manner on coal's physical and chemical properties and is referred to as the 'rank' of the coal. Ranking is determined by the degree of transformation of the original plant solid to carbon. The ranks of coals, from those with the least carbon to those with the most carbon, are lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous and anthracite. Initially the peat is transformed into lignite or 'brown coal' - these are coal-types with low organic maturity. In contrast to other coals, lignite is quite soft and its color can array from dark black to various shades of brown. Over many more millions of years, the continuing effects of temperature and pressure produces further change in the lignite, progressively increasing its organic maturity and transforming it into the range known as 'sub-bituminous' coals. (World Coal Association) Further chemical and physical changes occur until these coals became harder and blacker, forming the 'bituminous' or 'hard coals'. Under the right conditions, the progressive increase in the organic maturity can continue, finally forming anthracite. (World Coal Association) In addition to carbon, coals contain hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and varying amounts of sulphur. High-rank coals are high in carbon and therefore heat value, but low in hydrogen and oxygen. Low-rank coals are low in carbon but high in hydrogen and oxygen content. Coal is one of the world’s most important sources of energy, fuelling almost 40% of electricity worldwide. In many countries this figure is much higher: Poland rel ies on coal for over 94% of its electricity; South Africa for 92%; China for 77%; and Australia for 76%. Coal has been the world’s fastest growing energy source in recent years – faster than gas, oil, nuclear, hydro and renewables (The Coal Resource). Coal has a very long and varied history. Some historians believe that coal was first used commercially in China. There are reports that a mine in northeastern China provided coal for smelting copper and for casting coins around 1000 BC. One of the earliest known references to coal was made by the Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle, who referred to a charcoal like rock. Coal cinders found among Roman ruins in England indicate that the Romans used energy from coal before AD 400. Chronicles from the Middle Ages provide the first evidence of coal mining in Europe and even of an international trade as sea coal from exposed coal seams on the English coast was gathered and exported to Belgium. (The Coal Resource). Coal ha s played this significant role for centuries –

A Black Mans Tribute to His White Mother Essay Example for Free

A Black Mans Tribute to His White Mother Essay James McBride, has a personal element in its origin that is carried throughout the text. The author attempted to discern his race, and uncovered the touching story of his Jewish mother who experienced her own personal Diaspora: she immigrated from Poland to Virginia, and from Virginia to New York City. The latter move took much courage, because she had to abandon both her faith and her family in order to follow her heart, ultimately marrying the titular black man and founding a lasting family. The aforementioned personal element really helps carry the narrative forward: James McBride wishes to tell his own story, but realizes that he cannot tell his own without telling his mother’s. Intentionally or not, this works quite well on a meta-textual level, as it reinforces how tightly tethered his family is to one another, which serves as an extreme counterpoint to her other family (indeed, her other life) that she left behind in Virginia. See more: Homelessness as a social problem Essay The work also serves to broker a much-needed (then, as much as now) discussion regarding racial division within America. A neutral observer might view the subtitle of the work and ask why race is so important to the narrative; as McBride illustrates, one cannot discuss this particular tale of immigration, life, and success in the context of America without discussing the racism that permeated the country†¦how, even in the shadow of civil rights triumphs, many saw race as an excuse to divide, as opposed to an opportunity to come together. Despite the rather serious premise, the book ultimately comes across as more uplifting than depressing. The memoirs of times when race relations are so bad also serve to make one grateful that present day America is much more tolerable regarding matters of race (though not, of course, perfect). McBride cleverly embeds this idea in the very title of his work, implying that the color of water—transparent clarity—can only come through a mixture of race as opposed to segregation. The notion of reconciliation within the work is not limited to matters of race: the epilogue of the story features McBride becoming more in touch with his Jewish heritage, effectively bringing the journey of his mother full circle: as she had to leave Judaism behind in order to forge a new life and a new identity, James McBride has to re-discover it as a way of determining his own identity. Throughout the work, there is an undercurrent of the importance of education. The text emphasizes that all twelve of Ruth McBride’s children become college-educated, and readers feel every bump along the way as she tries to get them through college. However, even while reading about these economic difficulties (a relatively touchy subject in the shadow of near economic collapse), readers are offered a glimpse of hope: the work alternates chapters written by James and chapters written by his mother, so even as the narrative makes one concerned for how the children will turn out, the gripping narrative of James reminds audiences that they will turn out just fine. In a way, that is the pattern of this book: tension and release, tension and release†¦the tension of Ruth’s struggle with her old family, and the release of the success with her new family. There is the tension of financial hardships and the release of financial success. And in a story that is essentially about the American dream, tension comes from the possibility that America may not be ready for Ruth’s dream. In turn, the release is the joy of Ruth not settling for the American dream: rather, she creates and actualizes her own. The Gentle People: A Portrait of the Amish by James Warner provides an intimate look into a group that is still a mystery to many Americans: the Amish. True to its word, the book is primarily comprised of photographs of the Amish that are artificially made to look like washed-out, â€Å"antique† photos. These are usually accompanied by a biblical verse, so one is able to more properly get into the Amish mindset. The old versus combined with the old-timey feel of the photographs really gives a feeling that one has become â€Å"unstuck in time,† as Vonnegut might say. Would-be sociologists will find this book to be a treasure trove of information regarding Amish society, particularly regarding relationships. According to the book, public affection between married individuals is highly frowned upon by Amish society, as their affection for one another is too sacred to be shared with outsiders. As should not be surprising, many of the ideas are founded in Christian writings and have been espoused by Christian writers, though the Amish take things to their logical extreme: John Donne, for instance, counseled lovers not to weep at their beloved’s funeral, because the affection was too valuable to share with outsiders. The Amish have taken Donne’s advice about love after death and have applied it to love during life, which can be something of a shock when one first reads about it. Of course, modern day feminists will find much within the book that is upsetting to their cause. The Amish have taken Ephesians to heart, and strictly expect wives to submit to their husbands in all matters. There are even limits to how much children can be exposed to the school system, with the assumption that only God can provide wisdom, and everything else is foolishness. While these are basic precepts for Mormons and taken for granted in their society, it is jarring for onlookers (particularly liberal onlookers) to first see the number of restrictions that are placed on people and expressions. Fortunately, the author has a built in ethos: James Warner was born to a Mennonite household, so he has quite a bit of background regarding this issue. However, that is what makes the book disappointing on several levels: it does not concern itself with any deep revelations about Amish history, and does not serve well as an introduction to the Amish lifestyle simply because no historical context is offered. The book and its photos are put forth as a kind of â€Å"slice of life† view of the Amish†¦however, considering that it was first printed over four decades ago (and was arguably offering out-of-date content even back then), the work struggles to find a proper audience in the modern day. After all, it is not a book for the Amish: its pictures and passages are simply redundant for them, and more conservative Amish may even consider its author something of a traitor†¦a man who abandoned their private lifestyle, only to make a profit by publically invading that privacy. The book is also not intended for those wanting to fully learn about the Amish: as elaborated on above, it does not delve into their history, and offers no context for the actions taken by the Amish. The ideal audience for this book, interestingly enough, would be modern photography buffs: the pictures are quite striking, and the measures taken to make them seem more ancient than they are may very well offer the aspiring photographer new tricks for his or her toolbox. For everyone else? There are far better books about the Amish, especially for those who wish to know their full story.

Critical Enquiry Reflection Sheet Social Work Essay

Critical Enquiry Reflection Sheet Social Work Essay The moment of learning that has grabbed my attention in this supervision session is that I need to research and identify my practice framework when working bi-culturally with tangata whenua and cross-culturally. During my sixth supervision session my supervisor assessed me using the second direct practice observation relating to my second learning outcometo demonstrate competency when working with young people cross-culturally. This assessment led to discussions around my practice cross-culturally as I have been closely working with young people and their families who are of a different culture from my own. Also in my practice at the alterative education centre where I am placed two days a week I am the only pakeha person there. My supervisor stated in the assessment that Working in the school setting as the only female and pakeha person, has enabled her to identify the differences in culture but also helped her to work cross-culturally with other staff and clients. Family visitation has also helped her to identify areas that need more training in. When my supervisor asked me to identify how I work bi-culturally with tangata whenua and cross-culturally with clients I was unable to articulate easily how I practice in this setting. My response was that in the alternative education setting because I am the only pakeha person there, I work biculturally and cross-culturally: By respecting the Maori culture of the centre Removing my shoes when I enter I have had to learn the words in order to participate in the morning waiata and karakia I eat my lunch with the young men and the other tutors each day as sharing food together is part of the Maori culture Following on from this I have stated that during home visits with clients and their families I respect the different cultures; by removing my shoes and accepting food and beverages from cultures where the sharing of food is important. These responses were very vague and did not give a clear answer as to how I practice bi-culturally and cross-culturally. I am aware that I have been trained at university to practice from a bi-cultural and multi-cultural perspective but I have found it hard to articulate how I do this. As my supervisor has noted I have identified through this supervision session that I need to critically reflect on my practice cross-culturally and identify the areas that I need more training in order to become a competent bi-cultural and cross-cultural practitioner. For the benefit of cross-cultural practice and working with tangata whenua I as a social worker need to recognise that: As a professional helper, one can feel uneasy when challenged by striking difference is the first step towards self-reflection. This attitude has a better chance of leading to genuine accommodation of the client than pretending to be politically correct. The creation of collegial support structures and the cultivation of a climate of trust and open sharing within the service setting might encourage this attitude, to be affective in cross-cultural practice (Tsang George, 1998, p.87). Looking backward The assumptions and biases that are present in this moment of learning is my own cultural awareness; In Tatum (2000) she discuses the concept of identity and what it means for the individual and how the roles of the dominant over the subordinate can influence a persons view of themselves: This looking glass self is not a flat one-dimensional reflection, but multidimensional. How ones identity is experienced will be mediated by dimensions of one self: male or female; young or old, wealthy or poor, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or heterosexual; able-bodied or with disabilities: Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, or atheistà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Tatum, 2000). The role and the devaluation associated with it will differ in relation to the socio-cultural context that the subordinate person/s and the dominant groups are part of (Wolfensberger, 1972, as cited in (Wills, 2008b). Discourses are systemic ways of talking, discussing something of significance. They are the consequence of a combination of social, political even economic factors and often have voices of authority. Discourses are often informed by beliefs, ideas and understandings that are implicit; taken for grantedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦even ideologicalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Some forms of discourse are legitimated and validated but still one cannot be confident, and assume that such discourses have become established as a result of well-rationalised, carefully researched, developed and rigorous argument/debate (Wills, 2008a). Looking inward Looking outward Looking forward I identify to the families that although I am from a different culture to them I have been university trained to work cross-culturally and I am happy to enter into discussions around what this means for our social work relation Question construction 300 Literature300 In defining competence one must also consider the meaning of culture. Essentially, culture is understood to relate to some shared elements which connect people in a common way of experiencing and seeing the world. These perceptions of the world guide day-to-day living, influence how decisions are made and by whom, and determine what is perceived to be appropriate and inappropriate behaviour within any given context (Connolly, Crichton-Hill Ward, 2005 p.17, as cited in SWRB, 2007, p.5) To work with Maori clients the social worker must competently understand what Te Ao Maori means, the same goes with working with other cultural and ethnic groups. Using Tsang and Georges conceptual framework of attitude knowledge and skills the SWRB created its competence standards of practice. To understand what competent practice for Maori and other cultural and ethnic groups means for social workers in New Zealand I will be critically discussing in this essay; what the ANZASWs standards of practice are that inform competence and what it means for social work practice in New Zealand, I will identify and describe the constituent elements of Te Ao Maori the Maori world view, critically examine Tsang and Georges conceptual framework and apply their framework to an aspect of Te Ao Maori in a practice setting. Members of the ANZASW are accountable to the association and expected to abide by their policies and procedures, competent social work practice being one of them, the following ten standards for social work practice in Aotearoa New Zealand were set and ratified by the National Executive of NZASW (now ANZASW) in June 1990: The social worker establishes an appropriate and purposeful working relationship with clients taking into account individual differences and the cultural and social context of the clients situation. The social worker acts to secure the clients participation in the whole process of the working relationship with them. The social workers practice assists clients to gain control over her/his own circumstances. The social worker has knowledge about social work methods, social policy, social services, resources and opportunities. In working with clients, the social worker is aware of and uses her/his own personal attributes appropriately. The social worker only works where systems of accountability are in place in respect of his/her agency, clients and the social work profession. The social worker constantly works to make the organisation and systems, which are part of the social work effort, responsive to the needs of those who use them. The social worker acts to ensure the clients access to the Code of Ethics and objects of the New Zealand Association of Social Workers. The social worker uses membership of the New Zealand Association of Social Workers to influence and reinforce competent social practice. The social worker uses membership of the New Zealand Association of Social Workers to influence and reinforce competent practice (NZASW, 1993). To illustrate how these standards for practice work in professional social work practice I will select one standard and show how two aspects of the standard apply. For standard four: the social worker has knowledge about social work methods, social policy and social services, this standard can be shown in practice with how Child, Youth and Family services work within a bicultural framework and the Treaty of Waitangi: Child, Youth and Family acknowledges its duties and obligations to the tangata whenua as a Crown partner to New Zealands founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi. We are committed to ensuring that services we deliver and purchase are fully responsive to the needs and aspirations of Maori, and that our actions are consistent with the Principles for Crown Action on the Treaty of Waitangi. Our commitment is reflected in a key result area improved outcomes for Maori, the alliances and partnerships we have built and continue to foster with iwi and Maori social services groups and communities, our human resource policies, and in our work programme (especially the development and implementation of a strategy for improving outcomes for Maori children, young people and their families) (CYF, 2008). In relation to the social policy part of this standard the CYFs social workers are aware of the legislations of Aotearoa New Zealand and how other aspects of the law: Child, Youth and Familys statutory role is defined by the following legislation: The Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989 The Adoption Act 1955 The Adult Adoption Information Act 1985 The Adoption (Inter-country) Act 1997(CYF, 2008). Child, Youth and Family services are an excellent example of how an agency has set guidelines and policies around the standards set out by the SWRB and ANZASW to implement competent practice by their social workers. In the next part of this essay I will identify and describe the constituent elements of Te Ao Maori the Maori world view. To understand the Maori world view we must examine what are the Maori behaviour and conduct in social relationships or korero tawhito are; then what the Maori social structures of whanau, hapu, iwi mean and what the three classes of Maori society are, and what mana and tapu mean for Maori people who are the tangata whenua of Aotearoa. Korero tawhito are they ways in which Maori behave and conduct themselves in social relationships: Korero tawhito reflected the thought concepts, philosophies, ideals, norms and underlying values of Maori societyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The values represent ideals, which were not necessarily achievable but something to aspire to (Ministry of Justice, 2001, p.1). These underlying values of Maori society are the ways in which Maori people socially interact with each other. The next step in understanding what the Maori world view is, is to understand Maori social structures: The Maori social structure was based on decent, seniority and the kinship groupings. Maori recognised four kin groups: Whanau the basic unit of Maori society into which an individual was born and socialised. Hapu the basic political init within Maori society, concerned with ordinary social and economic affairs and making basic day-to-day decisions. Iwi the largest independent, politico-economic unit in Maori society. An iwi would be identified by its territorial boundaries, which were of great social, cultural and economic importance (Ministry of Justice, 2001, p.2). The kin group a person belongs to affects their world view because it influences their place within society. The fundamental concepts of mana and tapu are those which govern the framework of Maori society: Mana was inherited at birth, and the more senior the descent of a person, the greater the mana. Tapu invariably accompanied mana. The more prestigious the event, person or object, the more it was surrounded by the protection of tapu. The complex notions of mana and tapu reflect the ideals and values of social control and responsibility. The analysis of mana endeavours to identify the role of mana in relation to responsibility, leadership and birthright. The examination of tapu illustrated how tapu operated and affected the everyday lives of Maori (Ministry of Justice, 2001, p.6). In examining the elements of Te Ao Maori I have examine the different concepts of Maori behaviour and conduct korero tawhito, the Maori social structures of kin and class and what mana and tapu mean. Theory 300 CRITERION FOR CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE THEORY/MODEL OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE Identifies and is based upon beliefs and values of Pacific Islands culture. Explains problems and concerns in a manner that is relevant to Pacific Islands understanding. Uses Pacific Islands helping traditions and practices. Incorporates a Pacific Islands understanding to change the process. Can differentiate aspects of the behaviour which are associated with Pacific Islands cultural patterns from those resultant in dominant palagi cultural interpretations. Avoids cultural pathological stereotyping. Encompass macro and micro levels of explanations and interventions. Incorporates the experiences of the community and individuals in New Zealand Society. Can guide the selection of appropriate knowledge and practice skills from other cultures. (Adapted from Meemeduma, P. (1994). Cross cultural social work: New models for new practice, Advances in social work welfare education, Montash University.) Ethics 300 Skills 300 The Social Work Registration Board of Aotearoa New Zealand released in 2007 a policy statement in regard to the competence of registered social workers to practise social work with Maori and different ethnic and cultural groups in New Zealand. The release of this document was to set the levels of competency that are needed for social workers to work effectively in a positive way to empower those who are disadvantaged by society.   As Mason Durie comments, cultural competence about the acquiring of skills to achieve a better understanding of members of other cultures (SWRB, 2007, p.5). To be competent when working with other cultures one must understand the differences and similarities between other cultures and know what is culturally appropriate and inappropriate; the social worker needs to respect the clients culture and use recourses available to them to effectively work with the client to achieve the best possible outcome Bicultural code of Ethics In the next part of this essay I will critically examine Tsang and Georges (1998) Integrated Conceptual Framework for Cross-cultural Practice of attitude, knowledge and skills. I will do this by describing the three elements and examining these elements by assessing their significance and importance in social work practice with mana whenua. To understand what the significance and importance of Tsang and Georges conceptual framework in relation to mana whenua we must first examine what mana whenua are: Mana whenua(noun):territorial rights, power from the land power associated with possession and occupation of tribal land. The tribes history and legends are based in the lands they have occupied over generations and the land provides the sustenance for the people and to provide hospitality for guests (Maori Dictionary, 2008). Now we know what mana whenua means the next apart is to describe the three elements of the framework: Attitude Commitment to justice and equity Valuing difference Other-directed: Openness to cultural difference Self directed: Critical self-reflection Knowledge Specific cultural content Systemic context of culture Acculturation and internalized culture Dynamics of cross-cultural communication and understanding Skills Management of own emotional response Professional intervention within institutional contexts Communication, engagement, and relationship skills Specific change strategies (Tsang and George, 1998, p.84). The concept of attitude relates to the social workers own behaviour and their use of self as a tool when working with clients, the concept of knowledge relates to the knowledge theories behind cross-cultural practice and knowledge learnt from a practitioners own experiences. The concept of skills relates to the practical aspect of working with clients. To use the element of attitude when working with mana whenua, one needs to be aware of their own limitations, lack of knowledge and understanding of other cultures: This awareness has both self-directed and other-directed implications. The other-directed expression of this awareness is an openness to cultural difference and a readiness to learn form a client. Such openness is based on acknowledgement and positive regard for the cultural differences that exist between the client and the practitioner, respect for client cultures, and readiness to accommodate alternative world views or ways of life. The self-directed expression of this awareness is a readiness to engage in self-reflection, including the examination of possible cultural biases, assumptions, values, and ones emotional experience and comfort level when challenged with difference (Tsang and George, 1998, p.84). For a social worker to be aware of their own limitations and lack of knowledge is the first step in establishing a working relationship with mana whenua, their own ability to acknowledge the differences and similarities between their own culture and their clients culture is a huge component of their attitude when working with their clients. Supervision is needed in this context for the social worker to be able to discuss with others their own reflections and feelings associated when working cross-culturally, for personal and professional growth. Knowledge is the next element in which the cross-cultural practice framework discusses the four elements of knowledge: We can identify four areas of cross-cultural knowledge. First is the knowledge of specific cultural content as captured by the cultural literacy model. In agreement with Dyche and Zayas (1995), it is probably not realistic to expect cros0cultural practitioners to be knowledgeable in a large number of cultural systems. It may be more practical for practitioners to focus on the other three kinds of knowledge: the systemic context of culture, acculturation and internalized culture, and the dynamics of cross-cultural communication and understanding. Consistent with an ecological perspective adopted by many social workers, cross-cultural clinical practice is understood within the broader systemic context of current structural inequalities, racial politics, histories of colonization, slavery, and other forms of racial oppression (Tsang and George, 1998, p.85). For a worker to work effectively cross-culturally they must understand and have knowledge of other cultures, historically, ethnically, their value and belief systems, their customs and day-to-day living. To have a comprehensive understanding of a clients total living and life experience a practitioner must have an appreciation of the effects of their socio-political systems. In this context in New Zealand it would be effective for social workers working with mana whenua to have knowledge of the Treaty of Waitangi and what it means for Maori people and the political aspects that go with it. The final element of Skills in Tsang and Georges model related to the specific skills a social worker needs when working biculturally with the mana whenua and cross-culturally: Social work skills are specific courses of action taken by practitioner to achieve positive changes needed by their clients à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Appropriate attitude and knowledge in cross-cultural practice, therefore, must be translated into specific professional behaviour which addresses practitioner, client, institutional and contextual realities. A variety of skills have been recommended by authors in cross-cultural practice, covering professional behaviour within institutional contexts; communication skills, specific interviewing skills such as ethnographic interview, relationship-building skills, and change strategies (Tsang and George, 1998, p.85-86). Practice skills can not be effective without the social worker having a sound understanding of knowledge and the appropriate attitude when working with mana whenua. Skills are the practical component on Tsang and Georges model, and when working with mana whenua the practitioner must use the appropriate skills from their knowledge base for their work to be effective. Their interactions with their clients are an important part of their role as a social worker. Mana whenua need social workers with the specialist cross-cultural skills. In this part of the essay I have examined Tsang and Georges model of attitude, knowledge and skills by describing the three elements and examining the elements by assessing their significance and importance in social work practice with mana whenua and other cultures. Evidence 300

Dream Job Essays -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Career Project A career I would be interested in pursuing is being a park ranger. This job interests me because I love spending time outdoors and with people. It also is an interest of mine to keep our wonderful parks and woodland environments safe and to have them still be around for many more generations to come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The job of a park ranger is to enforce laws, regulations and policies in national, state, county, or municipal parks with dangerous wildlife, bad terrain, or in bad weather situations. Park rangers do task such as vehicle and personal registration, fee collections and issuing of permits. They must give information about the park use, safety requirements and special points of interest. Park rangers also help in the care and maintenance or parks. They help visitors utilize the natural surroundings that they visit. Park rangers are involved in the police aspect of parks also. They direct traffic, investigate accidents, and patrol to help prevent fires, theft, and vandalism. They can evict or arrest persons who violate park rules and regulations. Park rangers take part in rescue and first aid when needed. Rangers in certain climates might specialize such as snow safety or avalanche control. Conservation is key with park ranges. They study wildlife behavior, plants, wa ter, and pollution, plus the use of parklands. Some may be involved in the planning, construction, maintenance, landscaping, or management ...

The Spark of World War I :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The conflicting national interests in western and eastern Europe drove the major countries to form protective coalitions, even with nations that had once been bitter enemies. Smaller countries were forced to choose sides, and by 1914, Europe was separated into two heavily armed camps. Any spark would have been enough to ignite the war everyone expected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  That spark was touched off in Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In an attempt to ease tensions between Austria-Hungary and people in the Balkans, the Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife made a ceremonial trip to Sarajevo.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ferdinand was in line to be the next emperor of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. The Archduke had made enemies in the neighboring kingdom of Serbia because he once favored the reorganization of the empire to create a third kingdom of Croatia. At the same time, Serbia was attempting to expand its power by bringing all of the ethnic Serbs under its dominion, so it had designs on Croatian territory as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Ferdinand’s caravan of open cars made its way through Sarajevo, it was attacked by a group of bomb-throwing terrorists who hoped to assassinate Ferdinand. Their grenade missed the Archduke but killed others in the caravan. Terrified, the Archduke’s driver tried to escape by turning the carriage around and racing towards the train depot. In an ironic twist of fait, he got lost and entered a street where nineteen-year-old Gravilo Princip, a young Serbian nationalist, was hiding. Princip was part of the terrorist group, and he quickly realized a second opportunity to kill the Archduke was a hand. He pulled out a pistol and began to fire, hitting Sophie, who had tried to shield her husband.

Compare and Contrast the spread of Christianity and Buddhism Essay

Both Buddhism and Christianity from their origins to the sixth century C. E. had similarities in that the diffusion was attributed through missionary work and conquest. Meanwhile, Christianity spread through the down fall of Rome and Buddhism spread by Ashoka who sent monks to share the teachings of the Buddha. Christianity and Buddhism both spread through missionaries. Specifically, Buddhism, towards part of South and Southeast Asia and, Christianity the Middle East through Europe. Buddhism’s missionaries were in forms of monks that lived in monasteries and taught the Buddhist’s beliefs. On the other hand, Christianity, was spread through the downfall of Rome by groups of missionaries, like Paul, that taught to European and Middle Eastern cities. The diffusion by conquest was different with Christianity than Buddhism in tactics used to convert the religion. German tribes such as Saxons, Angles, and Jutes were impacted by missionary workers in the Western empire spreading Christianity and overtime they adopted the religion. When the tribes invaded and conquered most of England, they made the conquered convert to Christianity. Meanwhile, Buddhism is stationed on the belief of non-violence. Ashoka was a Hindu when he was younger and after witnessing many bloody battles and becoming troubled by the effects of wars on humanity, he decided to convert to a life of non-violence. Ashoka being a king made him be able to adopt the religion of Buddhism and he sent monks to surrounding territories to share the teachings of Buddha. Buddhism and Christianity had several similarities in how they diffused. However, they each had different roots and beliefs. Buddhism began in India in the late sixth century B. C. E, while Christianity began several centuries later in Israel and started spreading from Jerusalem. Buddhism shared some beliefs with Hinduism and soon became rooted in China. Meanwhile, Christianity shared roots with Judaism and Islam. While both religions spread with the help of missionaries, Christianity also spread when Constantine converted. Buddhism believed in nirvana and Christianity believed in heaven and hell. All in all, Buddhism and Christianity have many different beliefs and roots that each contributed to their diffusion. Buddhism and Christianity are two of today’s major world religions, but they each gained followers in many different ways. Spreading from Eastern Asia to Europe, both religions influenced a variety of people and groups as they spread their beliefs. With the help of missionaries, they each continued to impact people from their origins to the sixth century C. E.

A number of factors disqualified the ‘deserted wife’s equity’ from recognition as a property right in National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth [1965] AC 1175:

Introduction I suggest you look at the developing concepts of fairness, because this is why the MHA 1967 was developed. Proprietary Estoppel for cohabitees is becoming less prevalent due to the decisions in family home trust. Thus, fairness is at the centre of the approach, except the clear provision of a proprietary interest is necessary and not merely the provision of a roof over the other’s head. This is common to Ainsworth, proprietary estoppel and the family home constructive trust. The rationale is that it would not be fair to impose a proprietary right without a proprietary intention. The case of National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth [1965] AC 1175 holds a limited approach to understanding non-occupier’s rights in property. National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth held that the common law right for the husband to provide a roof over the head of the deserted wife was merely in personam. This means selling the property to a third party will allow the husband to avoid his obligation to his deserted wife It is important to note that it predates the Matrimonial Homes Act 1967 (MHA 1967). The MHA 1967was developed to remedy the flaw in National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth, which indicates that the legislature recognised that the existing law with respect to deserted wife’s equity and its enforceability against third parties was manifestly unfair. The law on proprietary estoppel provides that the third party find their rights will be interfered with. The elements of proprietary estoppel can result in an in personam right defeating an in rem right if the following element is fulfilled: Reasonable belief that the person will have interest in property Acts reasonably in reliance Gillet v Holt This is illustrated in a number of cases that have expressed that the main factor is that there is a clear expression of a proprietary right in the property (Thorner v Major [2009] UKHL 18). The case of Walsh v Singh [2010] 1 FLR 1658 held that conduct plus detriment is not enough is not enough to allow a claim for proprietary estoppel. In addition, the case of Negus v Bahouse [2008] 1 FCR 768 held that statement to provide a roof over the individual’s head or a determination to move in is not enough to allow a claim for proprietary estoppel. The Negus v Bahouse Case is, in part, applies the same formulaic approach, as The implication is that there has to be a clear expression of a proprietary right, in order for proprietary estoppel to be used. There are a series of cases on the constructive family home trust, which may change the goal posts on what an expression of a proprietary right when it comes to a spousal/partner interest. These cases are Oxley v Hiscock [2004] EWCA Civ 546, which identified that in family relationship there is an obligation to ensure that there is fairness in the rights of a non-property owning spouse/partner. In these cases the use of the constructive trust would be better for the family member who has relied on a property right inferred by the property owning spouse/partner ( The â€Å"deserted wife† (partner) has to show that she â€Å"has any interest in it [the property] at all† (Stack v Dowden at 56). This means the intention is imputed through the relationship (i.e. relationship plus contribution = share in the property). Thus, both proprietary estoppel and the family home constructive trust has move away from the in personam right not trumping an in rem right. However, for this to work there has to be a clear expression of a proprietary interest and not merely providing a roof over the individual’s head (Negus v Bahouse cf. National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth for similarity). The impact of the fairness rulings in Oxley v Hiscock. Stock v Dowden and Jones v Kernott may change the mere expression argument if the nature of the relationship imputes an assumption of a proprietary right. Thus, potentially the obligation to provide a roof over the head of the other party is sufficient. Additional References to Consider on top of Proprietary Estoppel: Baroness Deech, ‘Cohabitation’ [2010] Family Law 39 Fretwell, K â€Å"Fairness is what justice really is: Kernott v Jones in the Supreme Court† (2011) Family Law 41(7) Hayward, AP â€Å"Family Property and the Process of Familialization of Property Law† (2012) Child and Family Law Quarterly 24(3) McGhee, M â€Å"Shifting the Scales of Social Justice in the Cohabitation Context: The Juridical Basis for the Varying of interests in Residential Property† (2012) Oxford University Law Journal 1(19) Mee, J â€Å"Burns v Burns: The Villain of the Piece?† in Probert, R, Herring, J and Gilmore, S Landmark Cases in Family Law (Hart, 2011) Mee, J â€Å"Ambulation, Severance and the Common Intention Constructive Trust† (2012) Law Quarterly Review 128(500) Miles, J â€Å"Charman v Charman (No 4) [2007] EWCA Civ 503 – making sense of need compensation and equal sharing after Millar: MacFarlane† (2008) Child and Family Law Quarterly 20(376) Pawlowski, M â€Å"Joint ownership and the family home† (2011) Property Law Review, 1(68) Probert, R â€Å"Cohabitation: Current Legal Solutions† (2009) Current Legal Problems 62(1) Probert, R â€Å"Cohabitation in Twentieth Century England and Wales† (2004) Law and Policy 26(1) Smithdale, J â€Å"Inference, Imputation, or BothConfusion Persists over Beneficial Interests in the Family Home† (2011) CSLR 74, p 79

Eastern European Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Eastern European Politics - Essay Example At a certain point in these transformations, the communist parties gave up their monopoly of power -- often removing a constitutional clause on that subject and admitting rival parties -- and submitted to competitive elections, which turned over power to their opposition. There were significant differences, for example, with regard to the abruptness or completeness of the change among the elites, ranging from the purge of the old elites in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) to the sliding-scale, power-sharing arrangements in many other postcommunist societies (Robert, 1985). As in Southern Europe and Latin America, the ruptura with the old regime transferred authority only with certain de facto limitations to the new elites. Whereas in the former areas, the army and both private and foreign big business often continued to wield powerful influence, in Eastern Europe it was more often the bureaucracy and large, state-owned firms and farms. In Russia, the entire military-industrial complex at first survived the meltdown of communist control. The new governments began to make inroads into the realms of state-owned and cooperative enterprises whose managers had somehow inherited command from the defunct state planning commissions at the center of their command economies. In many cases, this left the economy half in and half out of the range of authority of the new democratic governments (David, & Bruszt, 1998). There is no need to go into the complexities of the transfer in each country, except to stress the paramount role of particular elites -- political or nonpolitical -- along with the rebellious masses in the unraveling of the old and the consolidation of the new regimes. The masses effectively challenged the authority of even the last hard-line dictatorship. "We are the people" was the chant of the East German demonstrators in Leipzig and elsewhere as they confronted the claims of popular legitimation of their communist government (Samuel, 1991). Were the economic crises of the old regime or its dictatorial character at the roots of rebellion Most immediately, the latter, although the multiple failures of the communist economy played a significant role under the surface. Crucial to the final collapse of the old regimes were also the defeat of the repressive apparatus at home -- especially the secret police and other repressive forces such as the workers' combat groups in large factories -- and the end of the outside military threat, both of Soviet power to reformist regimes like that of Alexander Dubcek and of the Western military counterpressure that had for so long been the alibi of Soviet pressure on the satellites. Once Mikhail Gorbachev had renounced the Brezhnev doctrine of Warsaw Pact intervention against nonconforming communist regimes and, in fact, encouraged them to follow in his path of glasnost and perestroika, hard-liners in Czechoslovakia and East Germany were on their own, with predictable results (Joseph E., 1 994). The complex requirements of a working democratic system, of course, did not automatically fall into the laps of the aspiring peoples of Eastern Europe when communism fell. Far from it, each element had to be acquired separately, and, as of this moment, some are still missing, incomplete, or in

How does decentralised cooperation help Asian cities adopt and Essay

How does decentralised cooperation help Asian cities adopt and implement the integrated approaches to urban heritage conservation by setting up the appropriate - Essay Example cooperation strategy precede the actual live case study of a successful development cooperation between the cities of Chinon and Luang Prabang.The case study exemplifies that the ten year old development cooperation was a success owing to active funding, lively and positive political will, international and domestic partnering, involvement and empowering of local population, creation of a regulatory framework, creation of an accountable and audited nation wide system of organizations entrusted with the task of urban regeneration integrated with harmonious protection of cultural heritage and proper system of regeneration and conservation skills transfer and training. Further discussions reveal that many Asian cities can benefit by replicating the Chinon and Luang Prabang model. The paper suggests that future research can continuously probe the need to apply this model to various regions in Asia which will not only result in harmonious urbanization of these areas without damaging their culture but also work to broaden the horizons of international partners who would also gain from the Asian context. Asia-Pacific region is privileged to possess a vast and ancient cultural heritage. For such a long time, this heritage has shaped much of the lives and value systems of the regions’ peoples. However, heritage is more than a mere historical record of the past; on the contrary, it is an integral part of the identity, and a symbol of the cultural identity of the citizens and the communities of the region. Notwithstanding this, Asia is under pressure from various influences. For one, there is globalisation and the need to modernize, two, from unabated increase in population of the region, and, three, from the burgeoning demands of tourism. As a consequence, many cities have come to recognise that their time-preserved cultural heritages are facing the danger of being destroyed in the name of economic development and modernisation. Rapid and large-scale industrialisation and

Race and gender assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Race and gender - Assignment Example But Crashs weaknesses far outweigh its strengths. It fails to delineate and explain the differences between forms of bias found in different communities, reduces discussions of race to discussions of feeling and bias, ignores social institutions and different access to privilege and resources, and focuses discussion on race while masking other important factors such as class and gender. Jensen and Wosnitzer explain, â€Å"The central theme of the film is simple: Everyone is prejudiced -- black, white, Asian, Iranian and, we assume, anyone from any other racial or ethnic group. We all carry around racial/ethnic baggage that’s packed with unfair stereotypes, long-stewing grievances, raw anger, and crazy fears. Even when we think we have made progress, we find ourselves caught in frustratingly complex racial webs from which we can’t seem to get untangled†. This is a fair enough point, but is it true? Is everyone equally embroiled? No. Internalized racism is certainly a problem, as is racialized resentment towards a dominant class (e.g. whites, men, etc.) But not all groups are made equal when it comes to their expression of racism and bias. Blacks express the desire to live in integrated communities overwhelmingly; it is whites who are opposed (Defina). Further, more subtly, there is a big difference between the prejudiced attitudes of those who are the oppressed, the underdogs, of societys social structure, and the attitudes of those who are on top. It is the difference between the hatred that the Jews in the Warsaw ghetto felt for the Nazis and the hatred the Nazis felt for the Jews. The hatred might be equally virulent and violent, but the first is defensive and is in response to the perceived actions of the second. The Jews did not think that Nazis were genetically or culturally inferior, vermin who needed to be extinguished; blacks did not think whites were too stupid to manage their own affairs and deserved to be enslaved. It is the dominant group that

Data Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Data Analysis - Assignment Example Using the Sharpe ratio, the mutual funds for FLCSX are still the best when comparing the risk and return for the investment. JFMAX is the stock that has been greatly diversified. This is because it sells in many countries in different countries. That will ensure that the risk of loss is reduced because it will be subject to a few issues and hence it will have a high probability of doing good as compared to the other investments. Beta is a measure of the volatility of an investment towards market forces. That measures the rate at which an investment is affected by changes in the market. An investment that has a beta greater than one is very volatile to market forces and it is affected highly by market forces. That ,means that they are relatively risky and usually associated with high risk and returns. For investments that have a bet lower than one, they are less risk and also associated with lower rates of returns. From the 1990’s, china has become a huge player in the industrial area. This is because the country has emerged as a super power in business. The country has been giving stiff competition to the prior year super powers that included the united states. That made the country a super power in businesses. The other thing that made china develop tremendously was its ability to come up with new products that could be sold in different countries at a lower cost. China also took advantage of FDI. FDI is a system whereby a country or business relocates to regions where there is availability of low cost goods or labor. That ensures that the cost to the company are low and the company is able to supply the products to the target market. That means that the availability of cheap labor and raw products will make the supply and production of goods relatively cheaper. China also takes advantage of the countries whereby there is a huge target market. In that case, the target market becomes l arge and it is able to make more profits as compared to

ANALYTICAL SUMMARY (English Class) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

ANALYTICAL SUMMARY (English Class) - Essay Example As a student at high school where she had to work on composition exercises, this divide between the linguistic roles she had to take alternately had caused immense difficulty for her. She had to hide her readings and writing exercises for school from her family, and had to take ultimate care not to use the English language or its particular expressions of her home for her school exercises. In her opinion, this situation leads to a stifling experience when one is supposed to take writing as a mode of self expression. However, the conflicts in her day-to-day life could have also made her a perceptive writer. She feels the new generation of students, even if they are monolingual, face a similar problem when they have to differentiate the so-called ‘pure use of language with that of the real versions of language which they encounter outside the class. She feels the differences should be narrowed down from the very beginning in order help them use the language to the best of their a dvantage and make writing classes less stifling and prescriptive. Andrew Jacob’s article ‘Shanghai is Trying to Untangle the Mangled English of Chinglish’ reveals the way English had been used in road signs, restaurant menus and utility centres. Some of the examples, like ‘†fried enema† for â€Å"fried sausage† and â€Å"Racist Park† for â€Å"Minorities Park†, would bring a smile to anyone who knows English. These maladaptations are found to be the result of the use of an unreliable computerized dictionary named Jinshan Ciba. People who have studied the issue had been of two opinions. Oliver Lutz Radtke feels that â€Å"[I]f you standardize all these signs, you not only take away the little giggle you get while strolling in the park but you lose a window into the Chinese mind†. He has produced a book which features Chinglish signs that

United States Policy On China Essay Example for Free

United States Policy On China Essay The United States policy on China has a long history. In the Shanghai Communique, signed between the US and China in 1972, the United States of America acknowledged the People’s Republic of China assertion that, all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait believe there is only one China, and that Taiwan is part of the mainland. Other Communiques have also been adopted by subsequent administrations to determine various policies for the United States, on the basis of the original one, signed in 1972 by President Richard Nixon. The US later shifted its diplomatic base from Taipei to Beijing in recognition of the Mainland. In Taiwan the United States has maintained vibrant unofficial contacts in commercial and cultural aspects. America’s ‘’unofficial’’ friendship with Taiwan has being a source of discomfort for mainland China over the years. It is sad to note that in 2005 Mainland China passed an anti-secession law stating; The People’s Republic of China will turn to non-peaceful avenues to tame Taiwan, if it declares self independence. The US has had to trade cautiously when it approaches China’s internal affairs. This diplomacy has often bore fruits and avoided facing head-on the root problems. The US taking hard stances on China and Taiwan affairs can certainly be counter-productive. Hence, the justification of its present position on the said matters as matters stands. Today, the main threat to the Security of the United States is from Terrorism. Other Global challenges, are to be found in Climate change and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. To suitably address these issues the United States must engage China, to jointly tackle these problems. Taiwan has historically been allied to the US. The Taiwan Relations Act in the US domestic law allows for ‘’unofficial’’ contacts to thrive between the two countries. This status quo has to be maintained, so as to protect the traditional interests of the United States of America, while observing the protocols of the various Communiques binding China and the US. The United States stands as the only superpower with an economy that has great influence globally. China on the other hand has the number with a population of over 1 billion people been the most populated nation. Its economy has also been steadily rising as many US firm outsource their operations to China, though many do so with the prime aim of maximizing profits and cutting down their operational costs. The Chinese economic growth has certainly been â€Å"food for thought† for the policy makers. And the US residents concerned about the â€Å"job loses† East Asia is a strategic trading partner for US Companies and products. A China policy has to defend the interests of these trading companies operating in this region, from Japan to Indonesia. East Asia’s security is threatened by North Korea developing nuclear weapons. This threat can be effectively contained with the co-operation of China. The US should advocate for a policy which will eventually unite the two Koreas. In exchange of the ultimate unification of China and Taiwan, the US may opt to root for One Korea which is free and democratic. The emerging liberal Korea will open up new markets for the existing US companies found in these regions. As the grave concerns of North Korea acquiring nuclear weapons been a major US concern. The US has often seen China in a better position to pile pressure on North Korea to abandon its quest for nuclear weapons, as the US seeks for a peaceful solution to avert the nuclear proliferation: currently threatening to tear the region apart. The end of the cold war ushered in new global rivalry between the US and China solely based on historical and economic mistrusts. Rapid industrialization of China has had a ripple effect on the economies in East Asia, which now look up to China as a partner and protector, a role which was previously a prerogative of the US. Repressive politics has managed to put a check on dissenting voices within China thus enabling the leadership to look beyond the borders and assert China’s regional hegemony. Japan, though an economic power house, embraces a culture of anti-militarism and has not been at par to counter the monstrous growth of neighboring China, despite their historical rivalry. As China increases its regional influence, her other aim is to unite with Taiwan. Their modern approach to achieve this pursuit is through Soft Power. In Political Science, Military and economic power is considered as Hard Power while other means of coercion to achieve political gains such as; Cultural norms, political ethics, Uniting Ideas and accommodating Foreign Policies are classified as Soft Power. China, through its Soft Power has managed to win the trust of many countries across the Globe. Recent research indicates that, China has surpassed the US as the most trusted country in the world. China’s domestic development and stability has made it a world power and is now bent on edging out the US from East Asian affairs. After the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, it dawned on Chinese bureaucrats the need to consolidate power in the State. Previously an authoritative powerful State was considered a deterrent to economic growth. In China, power was centralized in the CCP. Later, the open door and reform policy led to a revolutionary change in the social-economic well-being of its citizens. The transformation of lifestyles has imbibed a sense of pride and confidence in the Chinese, breeding nationalism in the country. It is this renewed Nationalism which is a threat to the crisis in the Taiwan Strait, Chinese nationalists feel China should be forcibly united to Taiwan. Across Taiwan, political liberalization and economic empowerment has created a new Taiwanese identity. Political parties which advocate Taiwanese interests and consciousness fair better in National polls whereas parties which lean towards the Mainland are shunned. Majority in Taiwan favor the political situation to remain as it is. The rise of Nationalism in the Mainland has coincided with emergence of a Taiwanese identity. These two aspects are bound to repel any forces which aim to unite them and might even isolate the US bid to act as an intermediary. The US, recently concentrated its military might in fighting the Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. The recent world economic crunch has also dented the military war chest of the US. In the Far East, North Korea’s acquisition of nuclear weapons has polarized the entire region. It is obvious The Japanese who looked upon the US as protector are starting to feel vulnerable. As China vows not to recognize the independence of Taiwan, it would be only appropriate to front for the remilitarization of Japan. This will eventually ease the burden on the US military in the Far East and contribute to peace and stability in the region. China and the United States can without doubt be argued to be the world’s two indomitable â€Å"super powers†. An idea has been mooted to establish CHIMERICA a G2 alliance to mediate on contentious world affairs. The two countries have however initiated the US-China strategic and Dialogue forum to tackle issues on global warming, humanitarian crisis and proliferation of nuclear weapons. Chinese authorities have adopted policies set to improve co-operation on both sides of the straits. China hopes to maintain a Status Quo in her favor; which simply means Taiwan will never be independent from the Mainland, especially taking into account its economic benefits. In 2010 the US proposed an arms sale to Taiwan which was vehemently opposed by mainland China. The US administration was to further antagonize Beijing when President Obama decided to host the Dalai Lama. The US today has its hands full in fighting terrorism at home and abroad. In the Far East, China’s increased economic might and international clout has tilted the power balance in her favor. A China Policy in tandem with the previous communiques will ease the existing security tensions in the Far East Region. The US has over time pursued a policy of close co-operation with a reformed and modernized China. This is to augur well with the over 48 Billion dollars worth of investments by US companies operating in China. The United States of America faces a formidable challenge as it tries to maintain hegemony in a region which has been transformed radically by an emerging economic power, China. Many US firms have often been accused of setting up tax heaven in China. These firms are viewed by those opposed to the whole idea of US firms outsourcing to China, as using US market to make huge profits and evading the responsibility of paying their fair share of national tax. This has forced the US lawmakers to devise ways and means to curb these loopholes, though its success rate is questionable. The Shanghai communique and others thereafter have managed to harmonize the relationship between the US and the People’s Republic of China. Each new US administration comes up with conflicting policies but which are based on the original communique, which advocates for one China. The signed documents are not binding and US interests, particularly in trade, are known to override these communiques. The above concerns raised have led policy makers on both sides of the equation to carefully assess their short and long-term policies towards each other. Some of the approaches that have been laid on the table for debate and implementation are:- Approach 1: Envision a crumbling China Most debates in America as concerns China policy tend to dwell on the emerging might of China, a big and threatening East Asian economic and military giant. Many others see a prosperous and cooperative Mainland China, which can is also be a ‘’Strategic partner’’ to the US. Rapid modernization may as well overwhelm the existing political structures in China to destabilize the country. At the moment, various provinces in the Mainland are agitating for self rule. An unstable Chinese State would reduce the government’s capabilities to contain serious vices in this vast country Industrialization in China has had its drawbacks as witnessed by the high pollution in urban areas. Stern laws are a deterrent to industries which pollute the environment. A weak, broken China will barely be able to enforce or control the resulting polluting culprits. A disintegrating China is a more serious threat to the US interests while a United China is a Strategic advantage. An American policy on China ought to advocate for a stable domestic China. As the worlds largest producers and consumers, China and the US should be in the forefront stemming global warming. To monitor levels of environmental degradation in a splintered China would be a nightmare. With a thriving and united mainland, the US can also count on Chinese support to disarm North Korea of its nuclear arsenal though peaceful negotiations. The prospects of a failing China are a disadvantage to the US trade interests in Eastern Asia, where numerous US multinationals have invested heavily. A China policy should support a strong Cohesive State; for floundering domestic China will deal a destabilizing blow externally. All the neighboring countries economies are dependant on China, a spill over effect of instability can be disastrous for the entire region. As China economy comes to par with the western world, improved lifestyles and access to information is bound to ferment discord as Citizens seek an outlet to flaunt their new wealth worldwide. A China policy should encourage cross cultural exchange between Citizens of the two States. An informed public will discard the deep rooted mistrusts of East verses West rivalries which are mostly myths. The success story of the Chinese economy would also boost the US tourism sectors as wealthy Chinese splash their wealth on US tours. Approach 2: Pursue ‘’One China’’ Dialogue In China the Taiwan issue is a matter close to the hearts of many. It is an emotional subject which can erupt negatively if not checked. The US has always been sympathetic towards Taiwan because of her liberalism and democratic ideals. This does not go down well with the Chinese who insist Taiwan is the 23rd province of the Mainland. To ease the tensions along the Taiwan Strait, China policy ought to lean on One Nation, which encompasses the Mainland and Taiwan. As mentioned before, the US can also bargain for a united China in exchange for ‘’One Korea’’ in the North. This will strategically secure North East Asia for the US as Japan is located in the neighborhood. The US should thereafter lobby for her trading concessions to be maintained. A sound and trusting relationship with China will eventually ensure world peace. Though some may feel that the US policy at times are viewed by many around the globe to be a bit forcefully, China’ s policy especially on foreign issues has been a bit laid back. Whereas, the US may favor sanction of countries that it considered a threat to its national security. China has not been in favor of those sanctions and may only favor them as a last result. When it comes to China’s internal affair especially on human rights issues, media freedom and democracy the Chinese have not taken lightly the US offshore comments on its internal affairs. It may seem that the standards of human rights issues are as far as the east is from the west when comparing china and the US. Across to the North East Japan’s economic muscle may eventually arouse Nationalism fronting for the re-armament of their country. After the testing of Nuclear weapons by North Korea, Japan must be feeling threatened. The emergence of new political players in Japan who profess aggressive military ideals can not be entirely ruled out. Historically a highly militarized Japan has been proved to be a global tyrant. It is whispered that ‘’ The Japanese have never learnt from their past military crimes’’, so they might as well be contained. Plus, given that Iran is also pursuing nuclear weapons and more nations are joining the nuclear club. Japan which has been traditionally enjoying military and economic superiority may be forced to rethink its policy. Though, China cannot be said to be a threat to Japan’s national security. The US has been advocating for nuclear non-proliferation and whether it will be able to convince the Chinese to reduce its nuclear stock pile is another hard rock to crack. The process of pursuing ‘’One China’’ Policy will maintain the Status Quo, China is known to prefer things to remain as they are, while plotting ways of controlling Taiwan. The US is a major supplier of arms to Taiwan and as things stand, the Status Quo serves well the profits of US multinationals. The rise of Taiwanese Identity has altered the mindsets in the Island, where majority now are against reunification with the Mainland and prefer the Status Quo remain. The split in the two China’s was fueled by Nationalists and Communists, as found in Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China respectively. It is highly probable that integrating the two will strengthen the renewed Nationalism in the Mainland. Political optimists believe China will eventually transform itself into a Democracy, though the process might take a while. With fast changing technology especially the fast growth of the internet China may find it hard to maintain its control of information freely flowing within its borders and would be forced to embrace democracy as viewed by the Americans. Some may argue that the US is playing double standards when it advocates for democracy whereas its own records are questionable. Especially, when Issues related to fighting terrorism are concerned. With some of the view in China and many other nations within the region feeling that the US policies should be toned down and they should bring more dialogue on the table. Approach 3: Engage Top-level Bureaucrats The US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue initiative is an example of Top-level bureaucratic engagement. The US Secretary of State heads the team in this initiative while the Chinese delegation is led by the Deputy Premier. High level consultations between the two countries have in the past opened the way for China to join the World Trade Organization. Bi-lateral Summits by the Presidents of the two powers have in the past yielded reforming solutions to global issues. With almost two digit growth rate been recorded by China, one may project and see that China may soon overtake the US economy which is growing at a much lower rate than China. Comparing the two countries one may see that the national cake is more evenly distributed in America than China. Even though the wide gap between the poor and rich may at times benefits the US in the sense that they can outsource labor intensive projects at a relatively lower cost. Meetings between the Top leadership increase the level of Trust and diminish any hostile perceptions held. Apart from China, the US should play the role mediator in issues affecting the East Asia region. America’s policy in the region will determine the relations with China. US national interests in diplomacy, military and economics will only be well protected when top government executives engage directly with the leadership of this region. US standing among the Nations of East Asia will affect China’s views on issues. The US diplomats should push to strengthen existing alliances, while assessing the composition and capacity of stationed troops to fulfill their missions effectively. China should also be engaged so as to participate in regional issues such as counter terrorism, Disaster management and peacekeeping. To check on North Korea, Trilateral consultations with the Republic of Korea and Japan should be intensified. Further consultations with Beijing and Moscow needed to pressurize Pyongyang to cede developing nuclear weapons. Within the East Asia region, the US should support sound structural economic reforms in particular countries. This will provide the foundation for a sustainable economic growth in the 21st century. Aid ought to be granted to establish regional institutions which are comfortable with America’s involvement in East Asia affairs. Approach 4: Arms Trade On January of 2010, the US was closing a deal worth $6. 4 billion selling arms to Taiwan. Mainland China immediately threatened to impose restrictions on the US firms selling the arms. PRC later suspended consultations on certain regional and international issues. The US gesture (arms sale), was seen as a snub to the spirit of ‘’One China’’. However the US-Japan alliance is favorable to the interests of China. Japan, due to her bloody military past is viewed with suspicion in the region. The US has effectively put on check any Japanese military ambitions. China has in the past borne the brunt of Japan’s military might and is comfortable with US limiting her capabilities. Japan is a nation with great capability when it comes to acquisition of military superiority. It has not lately been in the arms race seen within the region, which has played very well with the Chinese. This can partially be attributed to the US check and balances on Japan. Though the whether the status quo remains is a thorny issue that would need to be addressed in future. Across Japan, North Korea is flexing her nuclear muscle from a tightly closed and controlled society. This scenario best presents the US with an opportunity to re-arm Japan on terms strictly dictated by the US. Thereafter this process will eventually offer US firms a lucrative avenue to invest in Japan’s, National Security industry. The level of militarization will however be in tandem with China and Russia’s aspirations, who can also act as mediators in the balancing of power along the Sea of Japan.