Determining Achievements in the Choice of School

Every parent wants what is best for their child. Though parents do not have control over everything in their child's development, education is one they do control. A person's education is one of the most important factors in determining whether or not they will become a productive member of society. Because education is so important, what kind of education is best? Whether or not a public or private school is best may be an issue worth addressing. The debate over which is better is a battle that has gone on since private schools were first introduced as an alternative. It seems most people are of the opinion that private schools are superior; the issue is simply if it is worth the money. However, this may not be the case. Therefore, how does one gauge the superiority of a school? This very difficult question has no easy answers. The most common and maybe the only way that researchers can rate and measure the effectiveness of a school is by measuring achievement. The American Heritage Dictionary seems to define achievement as â€Å"something that has been accomplished successfully, especially by means of exertion, skill, practice, or perseverance. This efinition is not exactly what researchers are speaking of when they refer to achievement. Though they all seem to define it slightly different, achievement is refered to as an improvement in overall academic excellence that did not exist before or outside the classroom. Many researchers used achievement tests and SAT scores in longitudinal studies for this measure. These reports seem to suggest that public schools seem to perform at equal levels with private schools. But are SAT scores and achievement tests all that are important to a school and what it can provide for children? This question cannot be addressed with these The fact that I was raised in a private environment seems to suggest that I may not be better off than my private counterparts. Since a young age, I have attended private schools. From Kindergarten through all four years of high school, I have been in home schooling with my other brothers and sisters. I was raised on the idea that private schools are better than public ones. My parents and most of my peers still believe this. I might still think this also but with much less fervor. After high school, I then went on to Meramac, my first public school. It was here that I learned, in that large and diverse environment, and from talking to my friends now at public colleges, that maybe the average public and private system are not so different. I am not saying that high school and college are comparable, they are not. Maybe just the idea that private schools provide a superior education is false. I seem to be getting the same if not better education where I am now, at Meramac, than I would at some private college. I am afraid to ask how much my parents have spent on my education. Would I be I the same place today had I gone to public schools, only having a more However, one must keep in mind that the issue over weather private schools are superior to public ones cannot be calculated for just myself or any other individual. The facts and data stated here are averages, not necessarily the best and most accurate information for all children. Also, not all public schools are the same and not all private schools are the same. Again, the results here are supposed to be averages of each. Many schools are not even addressed. Public magnet schools, independent schools, and special education schools, are some examples. Another thing to bear in mind is that there are many more public schools than here are private ones, thus skewing the data some. With that I mind, I have found six journals written on, or pertaining to, the subject of achievement and whether private or public does a better job of promoting it. However, all of these researchers did not just pick a hundred public students and a hundred private ones, test them, and then see who scored higher. Many variables must be taken into account to make the two groups as equal as possible. This logical step included the factoring out of variables such as economic backgrounds, gender, age, race, IQ, and others. By liminating or lessening these characteristics and others like them, more equivalent groups can be made, with a smaller chance of non school influences affecting score results. Before the mid 1970's, the issue of the better type of school had not been seriously addressed. This may be because most students enrolled in private schools were there primarily for religious reasons. This is why most private schools are Catholic. The Coleman report, released a before the 1980, began the battle that still continues to this day. Their conclusion stated that, after all the data was collected, and all the important ariables accounted for, private schools produce better achievement than their public counterparts. Shortly after this research became public, numerous studies have been documented as stating that their conclusion was false. Some of those studies shall be stated here. One of the first reports that confronted the Coleman report was released in 1981 by authors Goldberger and Cain. This study did nothing but address the validity of the report by Coleman, Hoffer, and Kilgore, which was a document that contained 233 pages + appendices. They found that â€Å"the method and nterpretations employed fall below the minimum standards of acceptability for social-scientific research†. Goldberger and Cain do not only disagree with the results that Coleman and his associates released but attack them with a fair amount of vemenance. Their research methods, or, their execution of the methods, are replete with flaws. The presentation of their style are one-sided — pro-private. It is as if they decided to write a brief for the proposition that society shift to the subsidization of private schools and away from the subsidization of public schools. Goldberger and Cain therefore, are not saying anything referring to which type of school is better. They are simply stating that the results shown by the Coleman report are not accurate, and therefore, there is simply no evidence suggesting that private is better. However, in 1983, Alexander and Pallas not only discredited the Coleman report but also did a study of their own. Though a little more discrete in their judgments, they again find the Coleman results flawed. They also address the fact that because most private schools are catholic, it would be wrong to generalize the private school data set by including all private schools. Instead they address the issue as a public-Catholic one. Attempting to correct the errors in the Coleman report, they do a study of their own. Using the NLS and HSB studies, they find that there is not a substantial difference in the results and that private schools are not better. They do however, point out their shortcomings; that â€Å"SAT scores are only available for those students who elected to sit for the test† and that the data are only sampled of sophomores and Another study that furthered the argument that public schools are just as good as private ones were one put out by Sassenreth and her colleagues. In 1983 they used a study that was already in progress, SOMPA, to analyze the correlation between the two. Though the study was extremely brief, by comparing IQ's of students already in the survey, they found that â€Å". . . the public schools are able to hold their own, despite having to enroll an student (good or bad) in their residential area and having to offer a wider range of courses†. With 49 public school students and 49 private school students matched by their IQ and with all outside variables taken into account, â€Å"private and public schooling has (on the average) about the same nfluence on academic achievement†. However they are also the only study reviewed which infer that the decision to select a private school might be for other reasons than achievement. Some of the more recent data no longer refers to the Coleman report, suggesting that it is either outdated or has been successfully discredited. In 1991 Gibbons and Bickel use three SAT data sets to compare public to private. Though SAT tests â€Å"were originally designed to measure aptitude rather than achievement† the authors feel that they are just as good a measuring tool as any. They again find that, once accounting or certain variables, â€Å"public high schools appear to perform better than private high schools, at least with Also in 1991 Rock and associates address the issue of trying to ascertain what promotes achievement. Though it does not specifically address the conflict of private versus public schools, it does seem to provide useful information concerning some of the variables addressed by previous researchers and why they were factored out. Before the following variables are accounted for, * Students from private independent schools perform considerably better on all test than students from Students in private independent schools are more likely than public or Catholic school students to be proficient at higher level math problem solving (private independent: 63 percent, public: 18 percent, Catholic: * Students from Catholic schools have higher mean scores I all tested areas (except higher-level math problem solving) then do public school students. Age, race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, also play a significant role in a students performance. Their data seems to suggest however, that the differences in achievement among public schools and rivate schools seem to stem from variables that are not school related. But what about the things that researchers cannot prove. Many parents, especially those whose children are or have been in private schools, would argue that achievement is only part of the big picture. Lynn Stevens, a public school teacher, has three daughters. Though they all began in public schools, two of them attended private high school. Mrs. Stevens feels that her children received a better academic background in a private school but, due to the variety and larger size of a public school, she feels that they might have suffered. She feels that they might have been â€Å"more involved in a larger variety of things† in a public school. Jennifer and Meredith Stevens, Mrs. Stevens' older daughters, attended Marist, a high pressure, high achievement, private school. Therefore, because it is so competitive, Mrs. Stevens feels it inappropriate to call Marist an â€Å"average† private school,. However, upon discussion of the advantage of social diversity of a public school, Jennifer added that she â€Å"received a more positive influence at Marist† than she would have at Roswell. Jennifer also senses from her youngest sister, now attending public high chool, that there is almost pressure to not do well. Mrs. Stevens also feels that public schools, especially at the elementary level, cannot meet the demands of all the different ability levels present in the large classes. Private schools on the other hand, though not able to help each child as much as possible, can perform a much better job of this with their smaller class sizes. One argument against private schools is that they do not provide a â€Å"real world† type of atmosphere, and that this is a serious disadvantage when the child grows up. Mrs. Stevens feels that this does not necessarily matter. However, because of Amanda's greater opportunity to achieve amongst her peers at public school, Mrs. Stevens would not put her youngest daughter in Marist. Another reason, though not addressed in the interview, for her sending her daughters to private school is due to the religious influence that it provides, which is unavailable in public schools. Basically, it depends on the student, and what will be best for him or her. It seems that for the average student, private schools do not provide better achievement than do public. But what does achievement have to do with the big picture? Will higher SAT and achievement scores roduce a happier, more well rounded, positive, and more self confident youth? Probably not. Every child is unique and has their own strengths and weaknesses. The same things hold true with schools. Some private schools are poor just as many public schools are good. The decision whether private schools are worth the money is another issue. Again, it depends on one's own situation. Therefore, though achievement may be part of the decision making process, it should only be a small concern in a sea of other ones. It depends upon the child as to which concerns are large and which ones are small.

Discrmination, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion in Health

Discrimination Diversity, Equality and Inclusion To understand what discrimination is, we first have to understand the meanings of diversity, equality and inclusion within our society and social health care. Diversity outlines difference and variety; we are all different we have characteristics that make us individual, these come from and include: race, religion, age, gender, beliefs, appearance, abilities, talents and sexual orientation. These characteristics give us our uniqueness in society, not only as individuals but also within groups and different cultures.Equality means treating people fairly, where everyone can participate and has an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential. To be able to understand what diversity and equality both mean, we have to first acknowledge our own prejudices, values and beliefs, and then we can positively accept difference in our society, and in the role of Social Care Workers. By accepting diversity and equality we support, value and respect se rvice users, thus providing a quality standard of care.Inclusion means including all individuals and groups, treating people fairly and with respect, giving choices, not tolerating discrimination, breaking down barriers and providing a supportive and nurturing quality standard care service. Discrimination can be indirect or direct; it means treating an individual or a group of people less fairly than others, giving a lower standard of service because of how we view them. We can discriminate without realising we are doing it. Indirect discrimination can occur when a condition or practice or requirement is provided through a service, e. . information leaflets only printed in English and not providing the information in other formats. We are indirectly discriminating against some of our service users who may have different levels of communication and need information in other forms, e. g. braille, large fonts, different languages or on audio. Direct discrimination can occur in differen t forms. Sometimes people do not realise that what they are saying or doing can be discriminative to others, e. g. stereotyping and generalisations.What is your initial thought when you see a person dressed in a hoodie, homeless person, a coloured person or an old person? If it is a negative thought or fear, the values and beliefs you hold could turn these into prejudices. You possibly formed an opinion based on an assumption rather than on fact. Values are taught to us usually in childhood and we carry these with us throughout our life. Values, beliefs and any prejudices can be changed, usually through knowledge and life’s experiences. By seeing things from a different perspective and keeping a positive attitude, we can all be open to change.There are other ways discrimination can happen in social care. Through communication: the words and expressions we use, derogatory language, belittling people, patronising, humiliating and disrespecting people. These are all discriminati ve. Telling jokes about particular groups of people, based on their race, age, religion, culture, gender, sexual orientation, ability or disability, is discrimination. We must think about not only what we say or do but also what our colleagues say and do. Stereotyping, generalisations and labelling do not define the people we care for.Calling someone little as in ‘ Little Mary’ because the lady is small in height, this does not define her as a human being. She happens to be small, but is ‘Mary’ first. When people who want to take part in society, employment, education, an exercise or activity, or a service, and are excluded or treated less fairly based on their age, race, ability or disability, gender, sexuality or other prejudice, this is discrimination. The effect of discrimination can lead to isolation, impacting on mental and physical health, stress, lack of confidence and low self esteem.The use of Inclusion and anti- discriminatory practice in social care can help us recognise, support, challenge and change any discrimination. We have to keep an open mind and not allow our own values or beliefs to interfere with how we support clients. Because it is not right for us, does not mean it is not right for someone else. Give people choices, ask them or their family. Read through their care plan which is about their life, likes, dislikes, interests and beliefs. This will help break down any barriers.Sometimes in social care we need to act on behalf of our clients, to help them understand, choose and exercise their right. This could be because of a number of factors. There might be emotional, physical or communication barriers that effectively stop people from accessing help, advice or from making decisions about their life. By doing this we are promoting independence and not dependence. Because we live and work in a diverse society, there are laws, regulations and guidance to help you understand discrimination and how to deal with it.Y our workplace will have policies about this that will include: * Equality Act 2010 (this act supersedes all previous acts and covers all aspects of discrimination) * HCPC (Health & Care Professions Council) formally GCSS code of practice You can ask your manager for further advice about: * Duty of care * Safeguarding * Effective communication * Standard of care Other organisations which can provide further help are: * Citizens Advice Bureau * Law Centre Be respectful, polite and courteous, value yourself and others this will help you deliver quality care.

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Psychology - Essay Example Repression is an unconscious reaction to a traumatic event or threatening feelings that enables a child who suffered abuse, for example, to completely block all memory of the event out of their mind. Denial is somewhat similar to repression in that the mind works to ignore a situation, threatening impulse or other unpleasant idea, but in this case, there is some conscious understanding of what has taken place yet the individual denies to themselves that the event occurred the way it did or that it had an effect on them. Displacement allows an individual to transfer negative feelings to a less threatening target as a means of relieving tension. In this case, an individual who has a difficult relationship with their boss might come home from work and be mean to their pet or roommate or drive home aggressively, cutting people off in traffic and yelling at people passing by (Just, n.d.). In addition to the development of the mind, Freud identified several psychosexual stages of development through which a child must pass to become a healthy adult. These begin with the oral stage in which all pleasure comes to the infant through the mouth. The next stage is the anal stage in conjunction with toilet training and represents the child’s first battle between the id and the ego and superego and can shape personality into anal retentive or anal expulsive characters. The phallic stage is when the child becomes aware of his or her genitals and begins to identify with either the mother or the father and results in the child wishing to possess the parent of the opposite sex. Once these stages are navigated, the child enters a latency period in which the sexual drive is dormant, but it reemerges with adolescence in the genital stage as individuals begin focusing their attention on heterosexual relationships in the teenage years. Attributions are basically the human need to offer an explanation for a variety of events. External

Negative ECONOMIC impacts of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil Research Paper

Negative ECONOMIC impacts of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil - Research Paper Example Most available literature has also been limited to the positive aspects of hosting the FIFA World Cup. The argumentative question that this research paper poses however is whether there are no negative economic impacts of hosting the FIFA World Cup. In the opinion of the researcher, there could be some very crucial negative economic impacts that the hostage of the FIFA World Cup comes with, but most of these have been ignored by host countries. In this research paper, Brazil is used as a case study, where the hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup is brought under perspective. The research paper shall be delimited to only the negative economic impacts of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and so will not look into other aspects like social effects. The approach to discussing the negative economic impact would be to look at different variables of economic parameters that may be of concern to the country’s economy, before, during and after the World Cup. At the end of the paper an argumentativ e debate shall be developed with the question given below: 1.1 Research Question Is the 2014 FIFA World Cup an economic imprudence for Brazil? 2.0 Pre-World Cup Effects 2.1 Government spending Government spending is a crucial aspect of the economic determinant of Brazil. This is because already, the government is under much pressure for its inability to live within its annual budget (Bukova, 2013 International Finance Corporation (2009) notes that within the past decade, the Brazilian government has used a supplementary budget in about 7 out of 10 national budgets. The simple reason is that the bid for the World Cup came several years ahead of 2014. For countries to be approved to host the World Cup there are strict requirements laid down by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) that must be adhered to. Greater part of these requirements looks at the availability of sports infrastructure, security, transportation, power supply, accommodation, sanitation, among others (Istomina, 2005). In effect, the very moment that the country announced its intention to host the World Cup in 2014, active preparations started going on. Meanwhile, even though there were some level of sports development in Brazil, it was not adequate to get the country the bid. To this end, government had to start spending, in most cases, beyond its budget to get some of the required requirements underway. As an economic effect however, whenever government is forced to spend beyond its budget, there are sectors of the economy that suffers massively. It is not surprising the number of labor unrest that has hit Brazil since the government started spending on the World Cup preparation (Ivanova, 2004). Already, the government has spent R$9.9 billion (USD1.1 billion) on infrastructure alone; made up of the construction and renovation of existing stadia (Karbalevich, 2011). The upgrading of international airports alone in Brazil ahead of the World Cup has cost the government US$2 .5 billion with some other budget spending that have come up to a total of S$14 billion (). 2.2 Taxation The effect of the World Cup hostage on taxation in Brazil has been analyzed in various peer reviewed literature and economic forums. It has for example been noted that one of the very first economic policies that the government undertook as a way of raising money to cater for the US$14billion budget it was faced with in hosting the World Cup was to raise taxes in several aspects of the

What exactly makes a good counsellor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What exactly makes a good counsellor - Essay Example All a counselor does is dealing and communicating with human beings in need of help and guidance. Therefore, a good counselor should be a compassionate human, a gentle friend and a sympathetic listener, before every other thing. The role of counseling today is evidently on the rise in every walk of life, whether it is work, health, family, personal, social or individual lives of human beings.This paper provides an investigation into the core traits or characteristics that conjure up, in the truest sense, the picture of a good counselor.For this purpose, the paper provides a brief exploration of the term 'counseling' to illustrate what the role of counsellor actually entails and then proceeds to the crux of the discussion, i.e., an evaluation of the essential features that make a good counselor in any field.Counselling, fundamentally is a term used to refer to the collaboration of a person with other people to help them easily cope with the problems encountered in life and guide them to act decisively and hopefully towards their goals. As Burks and Stefflre (1979, p14) define it,"Counseling denotes a professional relationship between a trained counsellor and a client. This relationship is usually person-to-person designed to help clients to understand and clarify their views of their life space, and to learn to reach their self-determined goals through meaningful, well-informed choices and through resolution of problems of an emotional or interpersonal nature". Hence, the authors' words mentioned above comprehensively pen down the complete picture of a counsellor's role and responsibility in effectuating significance and instigating substance into one's life. The main purpose of the counselling profession revolves around the word 'help', i.e., whatever the counsellor does is meant only to help, assist or guide a person or client to bring about change in his life in a successful or at least in a satisfied and confident fashion. Man-tak Yuen (1993, p30) depict that, "in counselling, the client is helped to increase self-consciousness, develop positive self-concept, commit in relationships, achieve in tasks, and strive for meanings in life". What Makes A Good Counsellor At the essence of this paper is the exploration of the aspects crucial for the development of a good counsellor. Observed efficaciously, there appears to be a bundle of attributes that the researchers (e.g. Man-tak Yuen (1993), Combs, Richard and Richard (1976), and Peavy (1997) etc.) point out to be essential in building a good counsellor. What actually is pre-eminent in becoming a good counsellor is a cluster of human, social and professional values instigated into a single personality. These specific qualities or features, as they may be referred to, are important in developing the personality of the counsellor to the extent that he can be able to guide others in an efficient and responsible manner. Some of these dimensions have been specified by Man-tak Yuen (1993, p32) as "positive self-concept, belief in human dignity and potentiality, acuity, and counsellors' capacities to orientate towards goal and communicate respect, empathy, genuineness and concreteness are essential personal qualities of an effective counsellor". All these qualities are, in essence, personal and human qualities that are imperative for a counsellor for the reason that if he lacks these traits for himself, there will remain less probability that he inspires these attributes into other human beings. In order to help clients invigorate effective personal qualities into their lives, the counsellor needs to experience these values primarily. People are different in their backgrounds, approaches, thoughts, feelings, attitudes and responses. To know how to communicate and help different kind of people, a good counsellor should be ready to learn to dig out the perceptions of people he comes across. Combs, Richard and Richard (1976) (as cited in Man-tak Yuen, 1993, p30) explain this as, "when we know how people see themselves, much of their behaviours become clear to us, and often we can predict with great accuracy what they are likely to do next".

Contract Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Contract Law - Assignment Example There parties entering the contract must mutually understand what the contract purports to cover. This phenomenon is called ‘meeting of the minds.’ There must be offer and acceptance in a legally binding contract. The contract constitutes an offer to one party and the consequent acceptance by the other party. The element of offer and acceptance thus involves the expression of willingness of both parties to complete the contract. The parties entering the contract must belong to the age of the majority. However, some contracts may involve the minors such as the contract of will. There must be a possibility of performance in a legally binding contract. The contract must be physically or legally performable. The contract must portray the intention to create legal relations. A general principle, the social promises are presumed not to be legally binding (Turner & Martin 2004). There must be legal consideration in a contract. The legal consideration constitutes the value of the exchange depending on the nature of the objects present in a contract. There must be a legal object in a contract. The contract should not, by nature violate the policy of the public. Otherwise, illegal contracts are enforceable. However, a contract that has all the essential elements is valid.... Adam does work, but Cynthia refuses to pay him. Issue Whether the contract is illegal or not Rule The damages arising from the material contributions of an individual to the performance of an illegal act, with the knowledge that the materials are intend to propagate the illegal activities are irrecoverable. The claim by the plaintiff is aims at settlement of the payments using the earnings from the illegal business. Analysis The case between Adam and Cynthia constitutes illegality by virtue of the element of prostitution. Prostitution at common law is always an act that promotes sexual immorality. All acts that promote sexual immorality are prohibited hence are unenforceable. The difference between an illegal act and an immoral act is so thin that the applied principles are similar in either case. The case of Pearce v Brooks (1866) Lr 1 Ex 213 Exch tries to explain the nature of this case. In the case, Pear the plaintiffs, Pearce coach builders allowed Brooks, the prostitute to hire their brougham. Brooks was going to use the brougham in her prostitution business of attracting her clients. At common law, contracts that promote sexual immorality are unenforceable due to their illegality. Pearce was aware of the business that that Brooks was going to transact, prostitution. Brooks refused to honor the obligations of the contract. Pearce claimed compensation for the damages but, the court refused. The court held that he had participated in an illegal contract with the knowledge of its illegality. The jury did find no evidence that the payments that Pearce was claiming from Brooks were to be derived from the illegal business. However, there were reasonable grounds to believe that Pearce while giving out the brougham for hire knew that

Contemporary Issue in Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Contemporary Issue in Accounting - Essay Example Correspondingly, managers have control but possess relatively small (if any) residual claims.’(Stephen G. Marks, 10 August, 2007, page 694)1 It is said that ‘corporations are easy to create but hard to understand.’(Robert Hessen, 1999-2000)2 The working style of corporations change as such organizations become larger and larger, as only then the intricacies of its decisive feature of separation of ownership and control come to the fore. Apparently this separation of control from ownership feature is the delegation of power from shareholders to managers in best of interests of residual claimants, but this delegation of power also bring a number of complexities and disadvantages for owners that ultimate benefits from it seem so small that entire exercise appear like playing in the hands of managerial omnipotence. However ‘it is argued that separation of ownership and control and managerial omnipotence must be distinguished. While the separation of ownership and management can be explained as a result of the search for efficient capital formation, managerial omnipotence can be understood as the unintended result of government regulations originally designed to protect shareholders’ property rights from managerial opportunistic behaviors.†( Padilla, Alexandre and Kreptul, Andrei, 5 may 2004)3 In fact, ‘Adolf Berle and Gardiner Means coined the phrase ‘the separation of ownership and control’ in their landmark 1932 book The Modern Corporation and Private Property and it remained the most widely used expression in the voluminous literature on corporate governance. It refers to their observation that during the 1920s the structure of ownership in large corporations changed from traditional arrangement of owners managing their own companies to one in which shareholders had become so numerous and dispersed that they were no longer willing or able to manage the corporations they owned.’(Donald G. Margotta, Jan- Feb

To read the syllabus and write about your oppinions Coursework

To read the syllabus and write about your oppinions - Coursework Example Quite often, I disagree with the writers and many a times, I feel that the writers of novels and scripts tend to project their personal opinions in their texts. Those opinions are understandably motivated by their personal experiences, but the writers tend to make a biased approach about discussing the subjects. Such exercises would provide me with a platform to criticize the writers and project my own response to their texts, which would be satiating and interesting. The syllabus suggests that the developers have not only carefully selected the course content, but have also planned and scheduled the delivery by students at different points throughout the course. The contents and exercises have been declared week by week in order to provide the students with a thorough insight into the course from the outset. It is great that the course content or any exercises mentioned in the syllabus. A very important part of the syllabus is the way students’ performance would be analyzed and graded. The grading as mentioned in the syllabus is well-suited to a class at college level and does justice to the activities both that are conducted within the class and outside. Another very appealing aspect of the syllabus is the fact that the professor has clearly outlined the assignments’ criteria and formats right from the beginning. This will help the students develop their assignments to the point. Also, the grading will be fair as everybody would have submitted the assignments in the same format. The syllabus addressed the requirements of a college-level English program and is centered around a range of essentials that include but are not limited to the research process, finding and quoting credible sources, mechanics of writing, and developing an understanding of diction and rhetoric. I am eagerly looking forward to the leadership roles my class-mates and I will be assigned by the professor in the class. Such activities not only enhance group

Mrs. Dalloway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mrs. Dalloway - Essay Example The first hint of difficulty is Mrs. Dalloways scattered thoughts as she moves back and forth in her mind between the present and the past. While her character is very clear, the narrative does not remain rooted on her, instead flitting back and forth between descriptions of the day and her internal reactions to them. It even takes time to drift into the minds of other people who see her or who are nearby until it finally drifts completely free to settle back down on Mr. Smith for a while. The novel is very difficult to read if you try to keep track of all the characters and details, but if you allow your mind to drift free a little bit like the narrative seems to do, then the book becomes much easier to follow. Part of what makes Mrs. Dalloway a difficult book to read is because of the way in which its written. The book is written like a constant stream of thought as it flows from one mind to another through the course of a day. Although the main action focuses mostly on Mrs. Clarissa Dalloway and Mr. Septimus Smith, there are many other characters introduced. Thats part of what makes the story so difficult. The reader has to learn how to quickly filter through which characters are important and which ones are just mentioned for the sake of moving the thought around, usually as it makes its way from Mrs. Dalloway to Septimus Smith and back to Mrs. Dalloway again. An example of this comes when Maisie Johnson asks Mr. and Mrs. Smith for directions in Regents Park. The narrative jumps into her head as she makes her way through the park until she is seen by Mrs. Dempster. Mrs. Dempster thinks about her and her likely prospects as compared to the life Mrs. Dempster has lived until she is distra cted by the aeroplane in the sky, which is also seen by Mr. Bentley. The way these transitions are carried out is very smooth. As Mr. Bentley watches the plane, he thinks of it as a symbol "of

HCS 440 Question 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HCS 440 Question 1 - Assignment Example Time equates money that is, as a result, of trade and its interactions. Culture affects the quality in health care, which is a paramount measure. The impact of trade and choice reveals itself here as these two variables bring health in an ‘equilibrium state. Quality exchange is majorly placed on the capacity of group basis rather than individual basis hence delivery of proper service to prolong ones life in terms of good surgery, well-trained doctors, and medication. The factor of research, technology, and innovation has greatly affected the overhead cost of health care. With research going on various diseases and drugs, it is expected that the taxpayer’s money will play a huge part in this activity. About $2trilion is spent every year on health care system in the research of new drugs and treatment procedures. Without this great heavy input by the government, the otherwise cost incurred in not investing in healthcare system would be of a greater

Homosexuality in the Middle East Essay Example for Free

Homosexuality in the Middle East Essay Homosexuality lacks respect in the Middle East. It is considered to be an immense scandal. Nowadays, the idea of gay marriage is completely disregarded. They don’t display it on Arabic television. The media is controlled by the government, and hence they are not allowed to air or publish such ‘dishonors’. Therefore, most Arabs remain unaware and ignorant. There are undoubtedly many homosexuals in the Middle East who hope to get married. However, the chief problem is that it’s against the law. The Middle Eastern governments have placed rules and regulations against homosexuals. If they were to alter their rules, the Arab community may begin to accept the gay community. Furthermore, another chief problem is that the government is heavily influenced by religion. All prevalent religions do not approve of gay marriage. Hence, if marriage were to become civil, gay marriage might be permitted in the future. But in order for all these actions to take place, the Arab community must unite and try to make a change. Gay marriage should become an acknowledged concept in the Middle Eastern society. The Arab governments are one of the principal obstacles that are preventing gay marriage from happening. They decree many rules and regulations that are against homosexuals. One such example of these laws is Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, a result of French colonialism, in consideration of diehard religious groups and sects. Article 534 states that: â€Å"sexual intercourse contrary to nature is punishable for up to 1 year in prison†. This article, in essence, deprives a large Lebanese demographic from partaking in ordinary civil life, and restricts their civil liberties. By restricting civil liberties, this so-called â€Å"law† prevents the democratic process from occurring smoothly for all citizens, and is an obvious black mark on the face of the supposedly â€Å"free† Lebanese democracy. This article also prevents Lebanese homosexuals from being properly integrated into society, and they therefore seek other Western societies, that are more open to homosexuality, and emigrate in search of a better life. Article 534 includes â€Å"the act of Sodomy, or any sexual intercourse between two men, which includes penetration†. The article, theoretically and legally, does not concern intercourse that does not include penetration, and does not include sexual acts between two women. The execution of this article has been scarce in modern day Lebanon, and so a conclusion can be made that it is used instead to prevent any debate on sexuality from occurring. One Helem article cites that â€Å"The association of unnatural acts with homosexuality contradicts modern scientific foundations, especially psychological and medical studies and research that removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses, something recognized by the World Health Organization on 17 May 1992, a date that was announced as ‘the international day against homophobia’. † (Helem) (Helem is the first LGBT organization in Lebanon). In Islam, homosexuals (called qaum Lut, the people of Lot) are condemned in the story of Lots people in the Quran (15:73; 26:165) and in the last address of the Prophet Muhammad. However, attraction of men to â€Å"beautiful male youths† has been a part of the culture of some Islamic societies and the attraction is not usually looked down upon in itself. When it comes to lesbian homosexuality, some have argued that since penetration is not involved, female homosexual acts should be less severely punished. Islamic law is most concerned with openly gay public behavior, so there is no strong disapproval of homosexuality if it is not displayed in public (Homosexuality, Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions. ) ‘Struggle for Gay Rights in the Middle East’ is an article that was written by Hala Gorani for CNN. One of the situations mentioned in the article is how the Egyptian police invaded a homosexual hangout on the river Nile called the Queen Boat. Some of the people who were involved in the hangout were arrested and imprisoned for sin. The article also notes that when governments raid homosexual gatherings, they do it for political instead of ethical reasons. Brian Whitaker, in his paper ‘Unspeakable Love: Gay and Lesbian Life in the Middle East’, argues that homophobia in Arab Muslim countries â€Å"is not a religious or a cultural issue, but is foremost a political problem of which culture and religion are reliant factors†, arguing that Homophobia in the Muslim world can be attributed to the attitude this world has to its counterpart, the modern secular European and Western civilization. Whitaker goes on to write that attitudes concerning homosexuality in the Middle East have become increasingly intertwined with politics on an international scale, stating that â€Å"claiming that homosexuality is anti-Islamic, or against the Arab ‘nature,’ has become a way to oppose Western policies†. The Muslim world views gay rights as a Western import, imposed on them by the changing world in view of globalization, and the stronger â€Å"imperialist forces†. But, even if the government were to change its laws concerning the issue of homosexuality, the people’s view on the subject might not change at all. Since the conservative citizen’s view on the issue is so deeply rooted in his beliefs already, it wouldn’t matter to him/her if the government changed a few rules and stuck some new wording in the Penal Code. They would still think the same thing, and say the same hateful things. Another major difficulty is the social rejection of gays in the modern Arab society. Most Arab people disregard and disrespect homosexuals. A recent article in BBC news written by John Muir called ‘Iraqi gay men face ‘lives in hell’ describes how a young boy was caught wearing women’s underwear. Men poked the boy with sticks and interrogated him, asking why he was dressed in such a manner. The boy frightfully explained that he was trying to aid his family’s monetary situation. Another event that was mentioned in Muir’s article was harassment. Homosexual Iraqi men were often harassed and brutally murdered for being what they were. Several dead men were found lying near placards with the terms ‘puppies’ and ‘perverts’ written on them. Another article called ‘People Think it’s a Mental Illness’, published in The Guardian, by Brian Whitaker accounts his travels around the Middle East, where he interviewed many homosexuals. One of the people he interviewed told him that his brother actually threatened him at gunpoint when his homosexuality was discovered. Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, mentioned earlier, is used as Blackmail in Lebanon. One BBC article, in an interview with Helem’s co-ordinator George Azzi states that The authorities use this article to blackmail homosexuals by asking for money or using violence or insults, all the while knowing that it will cost them nothing at all to do so. The article also states that many gay men have lost their jobs after being uncovered as gay, and they suffer from verbal and physical abuse and degradation (especially in the case of more effeminate gay men). This hardship also exists within the family, where a majority of gay men have been threatened with murder and are kicked out of their houses. The article goes on to say that if a gay man or woman were to be a doctor or lawyer, he/she would be in a very tough situation, where people would lose f aith in their ability to treat them or give them legal advice. The only for the gay Arab community to escape social judgement is simply by keeping themselves in the closet, and restricting their beliefs only to themselves, in order not to get caught. This repression of attitude would definitely lead to major psychological and social problems for Arab homosexuals, most notably depression and social isolation from one’s social group, in order not to be judged or criticised for who he/she is. The gay individual may also start to feel denial because of his/her sexual orientation, and would start considering suicide as an easy way out. All these factors would not work well for the gay community, and would therefore lead to its downfall, and then the government would have won. Another important issue that needs to be tackled in the idea of civil marriage in the Middle East; traditionally, marriages are conducted by a Priest or a Sheik, with no regard to inter-religious marriages (sort of like a religion caste system). People of different religious backgrounds who want to get married usually travel to European countries, where civil marriages are conducted routinely, in order to obtain a legal marriage license and elope. Civil marriage has not been recognized in many, if not all, Arab countries, and multi-sectarian Arab governments steadfastly oppose the idea of legalizing civil marriage, where the idea of civil marriage takes â€Å"God† out of the sacred bond between man and woman. Since civil marriage is illegal in these countries, so is marriage between homosexual members of society, as they cannot get married in a church of mosque (even though some priests who are open to the idea may officiate gay marriages inside their respective churches, but the marriage would still go unnoticed by the government). Both the former Lebanese Minister of Interior Affairs and the current Maronite Patriarch (surprisingly enough) have voiced their opinions on being with the idea of civil marriage in Lebanon, but no action to pass a law concerning this issue has taken place as of yet. If civil marriages are legalized in these countries, then same-sex partners have the right, and the choice, to get married if they wanted to. In one Guardian article, entitled ‘What’s wrong with being gay and Muslim? , Brian Whitaker talks about how many Arab same-sex couples, or same-sex couples of Muslim descent in Britain are looking to civil marriage there in order to have a legal binding marriage contract. Whitaker gives one such example, writing that â€Å"two lesbians arrived at their local register office to tie the knot, both were Muslims and both were wearing hijabs†; saying that that was the first Muslim gay marriage to take place in England. The question still remains, if civil marriage we re to become legal at some point in the future, would Arab same-sex couples still want to tie the knot locally? They would remain afraid and weary of the repercussions that might result as a product of their marriage, and of the backlash of the conservative religious communities in these countries, and would probably not consider local Arab civil marriage a good solution, and would travel abroad anyway. In closing, the issue of homosexuality in the Middle East is still a taboo topic, regardless of the winds of change that might be sweeping part of the region. The point is they have still not had their effect on the region as a whole. The question of homophobia in these areas should be answered, is it one of culture and rejecting diversity, or is it a question of rejecting foreign politics and holding a united front against the western world? In any case, homophobia should not even still be a phenomenon of our 21st century civilization, whether locally or abroad. It is mainly a discussion on racism in general, and racism as a whole should have been abolished a long while ago. One day, the Middle Eastern governments will alter their challenging policies and people will begin to understand how ordinary gay marriage is. People should not feel troubled to be exposed and generate awareness to others around them. The face of the Middle East should case to be the face of extremism and terrorism, and should start being the face of a shining beacon of revolution and change, and especially of tolerance and unity. Marriage is first and foremost based on love, so why deny same-sex couples their right to love?

Media Representation Of Elderly And Young Offenders

Media Representation Of Elderly And Young Offenders The paper presents a fundamental chapter in the thesis by examining the role that media depiction of crime plays within society. It addresses the question by firstly introducing the connections between the media and crime. The paper addresses three core issues on the impact of media depiction of crime, firstly the impact on human behaviour, secondly the impact on generating a fear of crime and thirdly the role in generating moral panics. This chapter sets the paper up for further consideration of how the media represents youth offending differently and then subsequently elderly offending. The next half of the paper will turn to deal with the latter two issues and will present a final conclusion with a redrafted introduction setting out the overall aims and goals of each chapter. Youth offending; elderly offending; fork devils; victims; media depiction; crime. The differences in the media representation of elderly offenders opposed to young offenders? Table of Contents: Abstract 4 Chapter One: Introduction 5 Chapter Two: The Relationship between Crime and the Media 2.0 Introduction 2.1 Media Depiction of Crime and Human Behaviour 2.2 The impact of criminal images and deviance on fear of crime 2.3 The role of the media in moral panics 2.4 Conclusion Abstract: This thesis explores the differences in how elderly offenders are represented in the media in comparison to young offenders. The thesis highlights the differential approach adopted by the media in portraying elderly offenders to how they represent young offenders. The thesis firstly considers the role media plays in reporting crime by considering the relationship between crime and media. The thesis then progresses to consider youth offending and elderly offending in separate chapters. The final chapter draws conclusions on whether there are differences and considers the rationales for a distinction between a young offender and elderly offender in news reporting. Additionally, consideration is also given to the myth of victims always being elderly and whether this plays any role in the media depiction of elderly crime. Chapter One: Introduction The central aim of the thesis is to explore the differences between how elderly offenders are represented in the media as opposed to young offenders. The key underlying objective is to firstly highlight if there is a distinction and then secondly to go to question the basis for a distinction between the representation of young offenders and elderly offenders in the media. The thesis will begin in chapter two by considering the relationship between crime and the media. This chapter will provide the background context to discussing youth offending and elderly offending depiction in the media. In particular, chapter two provides an insight into three aspects on how media reporting on crime can impact and influence society. The chapter specifically focuses on the impact of the media depiction of crime in three ways, firstly by examining the impact on human behaviour, secondly on the impact of criminal images and deviance on the fear of crime and thirdly on the role of the media in moral panics. The conclusion that can be drawn from chapter two is that the mass media selects the reporting of crime in a way that sensationalises crime by creating sound bite headlines directly designed to target the general public for sales. From the perspective of human behaviour, fear of crime and moral panics, the media play a fundamental role in representing crime to the masses. The public is susceptible to media messages in a passive context which directly influences the public perception of particular crimes reported. The interconnection between law and order media depiction and politics is strongly linked from the 1970s when successive governments have used the media representations of crime to facilitate policy swings and shifts to target crime control. The third chapter investigates the way in which the media represents youth offending. The first half of the chapter primarily focuses on establishing the specific ways in which the media represent youth offending. In particular, reference is drawn to the impact of core criminal acts which have involved young adults and children. The second half of the chapter will investigate the role of media in demonising children in the aftermath of the Jamie Bulger case. The fourth chapter investigates the way in which the media represents elderly offending and in particular focuses on the myth of the perceived stereotype of elderly people as being the victim and never the offender. The second half of the chapter deals directly with how the elderly are reported in the media and draws upon the literature to identify the rationales for how elderly crimes are represented in the media. The final chapter draws together the previous and presents a conclusion firstly on whether there is a distinction between the media depiction of youth offending in direct comparison to elderly offending. The bigger question this chapter presents is whether there are any rationales for the distinction between the reporting of youth offending and elderly offending. This question is answered by examining what the impact has been from the distinction between the media depiction on youth offending and elderly offending. This is examined by dealing with how youth offenders are dealt with in comparison to elderly offenders in the criminal justice system. Chapter Two: The Relationship between Crime and the Media 2.0 Introduction: It is argued by Dowler et al (2006) that the most significant and potentially illuminating area of criminological inquiry is the analysis of crime, media and popular culture. (Dowler et al 2006; 837). The relationship between crime and the media becomes intertwined with a number of disciplines including criminology, psychology, sociology, cultural and media studies. (Carrabine 2008; 2). Initially, academic studies have focused on cinema, radio and television before moving to focus on video gaming and music videos until currently focusing on new advancing technologies such as the internet. The advancing technologies over the past five decades have led to a radical transformation in the way media is reported and in particular, the way information on crime is accessed by the general public. In the wake of the internet, information is readily available to the public on a global scale. The accessibility of vast tracks of information has been fundamental in influencing public perception on issues of politics, crime and contemporary issues. The public perception of crime is heavily influenced by the way in which they are exposed to various forms of media including television, film, video and the internet. (Ibid). The advancement of technology has undoubtedly invoked an information age with a desire to be informed of reports and information. Media arguable occupies a dominant role becoming a central institution of modern life which increasingly centres on television and in more recent times the internet. (Garland 2001; 85). It is argued by Wykes (2001) that a major concern about media reporting on crime centres on the way in which the media can select to report a crime. Although the media is not the cause of crime, it is the way they can choose to exaggerate and sensualise crime which creates and invokes emotions among the public of frustration, anger and fear. (Gerbner 1995; 547-550). Media portrayals of crime and violence have become part of everyday life. (Kidd-Hewitt 1995; 1). It is important to point out that crime manifests itself in many different forms of media. It is ever present in film genres, television shows and gaming genres which have become an entertaining aspect of modern life. Many film productions from the 1920s have used crime plots to entertain the masses, similarly, books have used crime plots to the same extent. Increasingly television production has used reality television shows and soap operas to highlight criminal themes. Crime is central to the production of news in society and is considered newsworthy being produced as informative but plays an entertaining role. (Dowler 2004; 574, Fleming 1983). Although crime is considered newsworthy it is the way that the mass media can present its stories on crime that can become the focus of criminological inquiry. Headline news in the mass media in both the digital and print forms scream for our att ention. (Jewkes 2008; 3). Editors and journalists design these headlines to grab our attention by shocking, frightening and most of all entertaining our senses. It is an appeal to occupy the mainstream space for public attention. However, the focus of this chapter is on the mass media obsession with reporting crime and whether this reporting has become harmful. The first half of this paper will concentrate on dealing with the impact media depiction of crime can have in influencing and impacting society. The second half of this chapter will progress to deal with the specific role media plays in generating a sense of fear of crime in a society which has been played out in the mass media over the past six decades. The investigation of the ways in which the press and mass media report crime is firmly an established field within criminology. (Carrabine (2008); 2). A study conducted by Reiner (2007) highlights that after an extensive review of media content he found that the press and broadcast media concentrated their reporting of crime on two particular categories of crime, violent crime and sex crime. (Reiner 2007; 303-15). Reiners study identified that a pattern of news reporting is identifiable in the press and broadcast media which overwhelmingly focuses on violent and sexual crimes. A further study conducted earlier by Williams and Dickson (1993) found that 65 per cent of reported news media dealt with violent crimes where individuals were affected. (Williams and Dickinson (1993); 40). It is important to note that Williams and Dickinson (1993) cross referenced their study of the reported news against the British Crime Survey (Mayhew 1989) which identified that only 6% of crime involved vio lence. Williams and Dickinsons study highlights an imbalance between actual crime and the reported crime within the mass media in favour of violent crime. It is important to note that other studies have also been conducted which has found similar patterns of publication within the content of press and broadcast media. For example, in Smith (1984) a survey of local papers reporting on crime against actual crime in the area found a similar imbalance towards the media reporting primarily crimes of robbery and assault. (Smith 1984: 290). Smith found that whilst assault and robbery only represented 6 per cent of crime in Birmingham, it occupied a 52.7 per cent of space devoted to crime reporting in the local press. A further study of Scottish papers found that the Scottish media dedicated 45.8 per cent of printing space to violent crimes and sexual crimes but when violent crime and sexual crimes are combined they only represented 2.4 per cent of actual crime in Scotland. (Ditton and Duff y (1983); 164). These studies represent an indication of how crime is reported in the press both at a national and a regional level during the 1980s and early 1990s. It is arguable on the basis of these studies newspapers may be selective in the types of crimes it seeks to publish with a heavy tendency towards crimes that are either violent or sexual in nature. Even though these crimes are arguably not representative of the criminal picture of crime committed, news media selects news that will sell papers by playing to the senses of the general public in generating sensational headlines. However, it should be noted that these studies can be criticised as being too narrow by comparing actual crime rates with news reported crimes rates. It is argued by Ericson (1991) that the actual crimes rates and statistics do not represent the reality of crime in practice as many crimes go unreported. (Ericison (1991): 220). In particular Ericison argues that the statistics produced by the police are primarily for their organisational management and cannot be reliably used to compare media reporting. (Ibid) It can be counter-argued that whilst the studies may be imperfect from the perspective of verifiable data, they do go somewhat to comparing the popularity of crime within the headlines against the proportion of reported crime. It facilitates a snap shot in time of how media report crimes albeit imperfect. Initially, therefore it can be argued that a core problem inherent within news, media and crime reporting is a tendency on the part of the mass media to focus on news or crime that will sell their papers and stories that will intrigue readers. The wider effects of this type of reporting will be discussed below in greater detail. The principal architects within criminology on the study of news reporting were Stanley Cohen and Jack Young work. (Cohen and Young (1973)). Their work proposed two polarised views of news reporting traditions. Firstly their work proposes a Mass Manipulative Model which argues that the public is passive receptors of information and messages waiting to be influenced by the news media. (Ibid: 10). This model proposes that the media is the all-powerful influence on society that serves to reinforce dominant views. (Carrabine (2008); 3). Secondly, this model is contrasted with a Commercial Laissez-Faire model which takes a more varied approach and is viewed as being less manipulative of public perception but rather is seen to further a diversity of opinions. (Cohen and Young (1973): 11). The commonalities within Cohen and Youngs work and the vast array of subsequent literature on media and crime are the focus on the assumption that media reporting may be potentially damaging or detrimenta l to society. There are three main areas of research interest within the literature on the effects of media reporting on society. (Greer 2010: 379). Firstly the effects of media violence on human behaviour, the impact of media images of crime and deviance on fear of crime, and the role of the media in the production of moral panics. (Ibid). The concerns about media reporting influencing and impacting society detrimentally have developed in the literature along two lines. Firstly, research occupies a traditional right view that media reporting and representation of crime influences society by the way it glamorises crime through television programming, film genres, printed and digital press, music and gaming mediums. The focus of the traditional right view is on the message delivered through the media to society and how that message, in turn, is interpreted. In particular, the traditional right concern is centred upon the message being delivered and the likelihood that recipients will engage in violent or criminal behaviour. Secondly, research literature also occupies a left approach. The left approach concentrates concern on the media images of crime and violence which increases the fear of crime within the general public. If media depiction of crime results in a society which is more fearful it will legitimise the state s role in creating new legal frameworks designed to tackle and deal with the law and order issues. Altheide (2009) argues that the media regularly uses its reporting on law and order to invoke moral panics amongst the general public. (Altheide (2009): 79). Moral panics are intense media fuelled bursts of collective concern or outrage directed against particular fork devils. (Ibid). In particular moral panics occur when the media spotlight particular issues which give rise to national concerns which require swift action by the government to implement a policy to counter-act the concern. This chapter will divide into three sections, the first section will discuss the impact of the media depiction of crime upon human behaviour, secondly the impact of the images of crime and deviances upon the fear of crime and thirdly the role of media in creating and generating moral panics. 2.1 Media Depiction of Crime and Human Behaviour: There have been a number of studies conducted to consider the impact of crime depiction within the media over the past five decades. A study conducted by Bandura et al (1963) considered the impact of portraying violent and aggressive films. (Bandura et al (1963): 3-4). The study focused on determining whether objects who are subjected to the depiction of aggression would after watching the film re-enact the aggression from the film or at least be influenced by the aggression. The authors conducted a scientific experiment to investigate whether children who were subjected to aggressive filmed cartoon scenes would display aggressive tendencies after watching their film. The results of the study allowed the authors to conclude that there was strong evidence to suggest that exposure to filmed aggression heightened aggressive reactions in the children under the experiment. The study demonstrated that those children who were subjected to the filmed aggressive behaviour exhibited twice as m uch aggression in the aftermath of the watching the short cartoon as those children who were not subjected to aggression. (Ibid: 9). Additionally, the study found that not only were the children who were subjected to the aggressive cartoons displayed aggression afterwards but those same children were influenced by the type of aggression. (Ibid). The authors selected children as the objects of their experiment as they believed that children represented the most passive receptors for their film which would provide a fertile ground for their experiment. However, it is important to note that many academics have criticised the approach employed by Bandura et al (1963) in the way they conducted their experiment. Many critiques question the methodological and theoretical validity of the study with particular concern in linking the effects of aggression on children to adults. (Gauntlett (2001): 47-49). Although much criticism can be levelled against the study, it does however demonstrate th at people are capable of being passive receptors of media messages and within this passive state they can potentially become susceptible to media influence. Despite considerable criticism in the literature on the methodological and theoretical limitations of empirically assessing the connections between media effects and actions, there remains an insistence on a link between media consumption and criminal behaviour. (Borden (1975), Browne and Pennell (1998), Gauntlett and Hill (1999)). For example in the aftermath of the murder of Jamie Bulger by two ten-year-old boys in 1993 films such as Childs Play III and other violent video games were identified as being the cause for influencing young adults in acting out violent intentions. (Barker (2001)). Although no connection can empirically be made in the Jamie Bulger case to explain why two ten-year-old children would exhibit such violent tendencies. Similarly in Columbine in 1999 when two teenagers shot 12 classmates and one teacher, and further injuring 21 others, the music of Marilyn Manson, the film The Basketball Diaries and violent video games were all identified by various media sourc es as contributing to the cause of such a massacre. (Muzzatti (2003)). Additionally, when a spate of black killings emerged in Birmingham in the 2002/2003 the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, firmed blamed the media for creating a culture of killing as a fashion accessory. (Mueller (2003)). Although logically it may be inferred that increasing violence in films, television and computer games all may contribute to invoking violence tendencies to those who watch them and in particular children and young adults may be more susceptible to the message of violence than adults. However, it should be noted that no connection be made empirically due to the difficult nature of investigating such a connection between crime depiction and criminal behaviour. Nonetheless, in a time of explanation such as the Jamie Bulger case, the Columbine massacre and other instances crying out for the explanation, many point  towards the influence of media messages invoking violence. It is demonstrated by Barker and Petley (2001) that it is possible to good research on media violence and audiences if it is conducted in accordance with rigorous concepts, theories and methods. (Barker and Petley (2001)). It is interesting to note that Barker and Petley consider that by simply trying to count violent scenes/acts or conduct and then to measure them against an effect on an audience purely within a quantitative framework is setting the experiment up to fail. (Ibid: 5-10). The authors argue that a more coherent approach is to explore the meaning that different forms of media violence may hold for different audiences in different contexts. (Greer 2010: 403-404). The authors draw upon other qualitative works and attempt to explore the meanings that different forms of media violence may hold for different audiences. The net effect of Barker and Petleys work is that it demonstrates the possibility of exploring how media may effect different audiences in different ways. Alth ough it is not empirically legitimate in that it inferences meanings from other empirical works, it goes somewhat to explaining the connections between human behaviour and media depiction of crime. 2.2 The impact of criminal images and deviance on fear of crime: It is demonstrated by Ditton et al that there have been at least 73 attempts to establish a connection between media consumption and fear of crime with only 23 per cent of studies finding a positive relationship and 73 per cent fail to make any connections. (Ditton et al 2004: 595-598). Ditton et al argue that one reason why the connections between media consumption and fear of crime may not be found in the studies more frequently is that much of the pre-existing studies do not approach the question from a methodologically suitable approach. (Ibid). All the studies ask the correct the question, whether there is a connection to be made between media consumption and fear of crime, but they fall down on the methods employed to arrive at the answer. The authors in their work approach the question by attempting to overcome the identified methodological weaknesses of previous studies by employing a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches in the exploration of media consumption and f ear of crime. Ditton et als work firstly demonstrates that much of the existing literature on establishing a connection between media consumption and fear of crime uses only quantitative approaches to validate their results, to which the authors refer to as amateurish. (ibid: 595). The authors argue that in order to make fuller more substantiated connections between media consumption and fear of crime quantitative and qualitative research approaches are necessary to engage adequately with media reception and influence. They use qualitative approaches including, interviews and focus groups to explore fully how the media consumers can be influenced by media messages. Their study concludes that there is some fear of crime by media consumers who are subjected to violent crimes through the media depiction of crime. (Ibid: 606-607). Interestingly their study concludes that the fear associated with the media depiction of crime does not result from the localness of the report or the sensati onalist headlines but rather the individuals interpretation of the media content. (Ibid). The importance of the Ditton et al study highlights that individuals who are exposed to the media depictions of crime can and do evidence levels of fear of crime as a result of that exposure. It also highlights that by employing quantitative and qualitative research approaches it is possible to demonstrate that individuals fear of crime is primarily located within their interpretation of the media story. Another important aspect of the impact of criminal images and deviance invoking fear of crime is Cavenders (2004) work on applying David Garlands culture of control theory. (Cavender (2004): 335). Cavender argues that by applying Garlands theories on the shifting of criminal policies over the past century to the development of media studies can provide further support for Garland theories. (Ibid). The author argues that in the 1970s the public perception both in the USA and the UK was centred upon the belief that society in general was becoming more risky which were grounded in the reports of rising crime rates, political manipulation of the media and media representations of crime. (Ibid: 336). The argument being made by Cavender is that during the 1970s media representations in addition to political representations of a rising tide of crime required swift action plans by the government. The various governments from the 1970s used the media representations of crime as the basis to d evelop their policies for election and implementation to manage and control crime. Various political parties used these media representations of criminal activity to present solutions to deal with law and order issues. Cavender points to the 1970s in line with Garland as the turning point for public fear of crime which allowed successive governments to employ varied strategies which were perceived as effective at managing crime. (Ibid: 337). Goode (1989) identifies that the media depiction of crime in the 1980s focused on the drugs problems which later precipitated into policies which were designed to deal with the war on drugs. (Goode (1989)). By employing Cavenders hypothesis it possible to argue that the media depictions of criminal activity in 1970s invoked a fear of crime particularly focusing on both young and adult offenders. The 1980s media depiction of crime represented a fear of drugs and spotlighted the need for tougher laws on dealing with the specific issues surrounding drugs wars. The 1990s can be characterised by a focus on youth crime and serious offending. Cavenders work demonstrates somewhat the impact media depiction can have upon crime and in particular, it can facilitate the use of draconian policies which are perceived to be effective at dealing with crime. Additionally, Ditton et al highlight that media depiction does contribute towards a general perception that crime in the media can contribute towards a fear of crime with drastic effects upon society both in terms of a risky perception and secondly upon the laws governments may enact to counter-act the risk perception. Each decade since the 1970s has focused policy on tackling particular crimes which the media has spotlighted through its depiction of crime. 2.3 The role of the media in moral panics: A moral panic is an intense burst of public outcry at particular issues which are primarily media fuelled. Essentially the issue under a moral panic invokes a public outcry which is perceived to be a threat to societal values and interests. (Cohen (2002): 1-6).

Concepts of Bias in the Media

Concepts of Bias in the Media What is Media Bias? What is media bias? It is the perception, correct or incorrect, that television, print, and online content particularly journalism lacks objectivity and either consciously or unconsciously skews to favor a particular ideology, agenda, or point of view, political or otherwise. The term is generally (though not exclusively) employed by conservatives who are frustrated by their perception that the news media is relentlessly liberal and unfair in its coverage of news events. A simple Google search of the phrase media bias in fact turns up an overwhelmingly disproportionate number of conservative or rightward leaning sites raging against liberal bias in the news. Arguably, then, media bias is a term that is used as a tool in political warfare: The press is often thought of as a unified voice with a distinct bias (right or left depending on the critic). This simplistic thinking fits the needs of ideological struggle, but is hardly useful in coming to a better understanding of what is hap pening in the world. (Cline, 2005) Deeper insight is critical into understanding what media bias is, beyond a buzz phrase. It is perhaps unlikely that true objectivity is possible given the inherently subjective nature of human perception and experience. Human communication always takes place in a context, through a medium, and among individuals and groups who are situated historically, politically, economically, and socially. (Cline, 2005) Balance in journalism, however, is not only possible but also desirable. It is also possible and desirable for journalists to be aware of their own prejudices and/or biases and to adjust the methodology of their news reporting accordingly. Taking pains to seek out as many sides of an issue as can be reasonably included in a story is the minimum a journalist can do to ensure balance, even if complete objectivity is ultimately unfeasible. To the extent that it occurs, however, bias is neither necessarily inherently unfair, nor does it necessarily imply untruth. Facts are facts, and although they can be used selectively and manipulated to support a certain ideological point of view, the truth is ultimately what a good journalist seeks, or at least a fair array of facts which allows the consumer of the news report to come to his or her own conclusion as to what the truth is. In his Media / Political Bias essay, news media professor Andrew R. Cline poses a variety of questions which may be used to determine whether media bias truly exists in any given news story. Here are a few of them: What is the authors / speakers socio-political position? With what social, political, or professional groups is the speaker identified? For example, numerous recent reports have shown that various departments in the United States government (including the Department of Defense, Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services) have been producing news segments, complete with fictional reporters and anchors hired by the government, which are then dispersed to television and radio stations as if they were press releases. In many cases, news outlets have run these spots unedited and without attribution explaining that the source is the government. This practice by the Bush Administration has provoked outrage from all political corners, some of which have dubbed the practice propagandistic and fascistic. Given the conservative ideological slant of the Bush Administration, it is unreasonable to assume that these faux news segments are without bias, particular ly after the Administration publicly rejected the finding of the Congressional Government Accountability Office that such stories designed to resemble independently reported broadcast news stories so that TV stations can run them without editing violate provisions in annual appropriations laws that ban covert propaganda. (Lee, 2005) Who would the government go out of its way to give itself permission to not disclose to media outlets that the Bush Administration produced its pre-packaged news segments? As alluded to above, the mere fact of their engaging in such activity does not mean that the positions advocated by the government are without merit or lacking in factual accuracy, but it is peculiar, if the Administration believes in the factual veracity of its productions, that they are unwilling to let them be subjected to scrutiny. It is therefore incumbent upon the news stations to reveal the source of these news segments, and/or seek other points of view with which to balance t he point of view articulated in these segments. Does the speaker have anything to gain personally from delivering the message? Making headlines of late in the United States is the so-called right-to-life case of Terri Schialvo, a brain-dead woman who has been on life support since an accident in 1990 that left her in a coma. Her husband and legal guardian has on twelve separate occasions received the blessing of a variety of courts to disconnect her feeding tube and allow her to die, saying he is convinced that not only does she have no hope of recovery, but she would not have wanted to live in such a vegetative fashion. However, Miss Schialvos parents disagree and want her kept alive. They hired a spokesman to handle all their media interactions, a man by the name of Randall Terry. Who is Mr. Terry? He was famous as an anti-abortion activist in the 1980s and 1990s, whose organization Operation Rescue advocated harassment and violence as a means to stop abortions and to conduct protests at abortion clinics. A 1998 lawsuit put a st op to Operation Rescues activities, leaving Mr. Terry without his key cause, and, presumably, means to earn a living. Can Mr. Terry be trusted as an objective, fair spokesperson for Terri Schialvo, given his bias? Is his goal an altruistic one, i.e. simply to save Terri Schialvos life, such that it is, or does he have another agenda, to further his own career and the cause of the religious fundamentalists who refuse to accept the various court decisions giving Mr. Schialvo the right to terminate his wifes life? Mr. Terrys own words may give some insight into his ultimate goals: In a 1995 speech, for example, Terry reportedly said of doctors who perform abortions, When I, or people like me, are running the country, youd better flee, because we will find you, we will try you and we will execute you. (Miner, 2003) This is a peculiarly ironic and hypocritical warning, given Mr. Terrys proclamation in defense of the sanctity of human existence: Life is life. (Miner, 2003) Given these fac ts, it is unlikely Mr. Terry can be trusted to be unbiased or objective given his ulterior motives and personal belief system both of which he is entitled to, but ought to be fairly and fully disclosed by those reporting on the Terry Schialvo case. How does the speaker present arguments? Is the message one-sided, or does it include alternative points of view? Does the speaker fairly present alternative arguments? Does the speaker ignore obviously conflicting arguments? If the message includes alternative points of view, how are those views characterized? Does the speaker use positive words and images to describe his/her point of view and negative words and images to describe other points of view? Does the speaker ascribe positive motivations to his/her point of view and negative motivations to alternative points of view? The most effective way to explore this series of questions is to utilize the macro-example of the Fox News Channel, owned by Rupert Murdochs News Corporation, employs the slogans We Report, You Decide and Fair and Balanced, when in fact Fox News is anything but. First, the chairman of Fox News, Roger Ailes, was the campaign manager for George Bush, Sr.s 1988 presidential campaign, and a political consultant for several subsequent Republican candidates. The 2004 documentary Outfoxed obtained internal Fox News memos that documented directives from senior management instructing news editors, assignment editors, and anchors to focus on stories mirroring talking points issued by the Republican Party on a daily basis. Notably, the Republican Party line that Democratic Senator John Kerry, George W. Bushs opponent in the 2004 presidential campaign, was a flip-flopper, is employed dozens of times by Fox News anchors out of the context of editorials, following a March 16, 2004 memo from Fox Ne ws executive John Moody setting the story of the day, which says, Kerry, starting to feel the heat from his flip-flop voting record, is in West Virginia. The documentary also shows several clips in which Fox News anchors deliver other shockingly unfair and unbalanced lines on-air, such as Assuming the unthinkable happen and Senator Kerry becomes president Former Fox News reporter John DuPre details how he was sent to California to cover Ronald Reagans 90th birthday party at the Reagan Library, only to find only a handful of citizens had showed up; when he tried to tell his superiors there was no story to be covered, he was told to lie on air that a huge crowd had amassed nonetheless. Later, DuPre was suspended and then resigned. The media watchdog organization Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) conducted a study analyzing six months of Fox News Channel programming (June to December 2003) to see if, in fact, the proportion of its guests political viewpoints was indeed fair and balanced. The study determined that 57 percent of guests were explicitly conservative, 12 percent were centrist, and 11 percent were liberal or progressive. These data speak for themselves. Another remarkable aspect of Fox News Channels analysis of current events and news is the way in which it characterizes opinions that run counter to the conservative Republican point of view. Outfoxed shows conservative talk show host Bill OReilly repeatedly demanding on several different occasions that his liberal guests shut up when they disagree with him after OReilly denies on camera that he has only silenced a guest once in such a manner. When OReilly guest Jeremy Glick, whose parents were killed in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, expressed his opinion that President Bush had helped create a foreign policy environment which fomented the hatred of Al Qaida against the United States, OReilly flew into a rage and threatened bodily harm on the air to Glick unless he left the building. On the Fox News Channel talk show Hannity Colmes, co-host Sean Hannity taunted actress Janine Garofolos stance against the Iraq war by taunting her: Saddam Hussein loves you. Ultimately, one of the most damning statistics is an October 2003 poll of regular Fox News viewers which showed that 67% believed the United States had found a link between Iraq and Al Qaida, an assertion completely unsupported by facts and explicitly rejected by President Bushs bipartisan 9/11 Commission. Can any reasonable person come to the conclusion that Fox News Channel is seeking to provide the truth to its viewing audience? What is even more chilling, however, is that several Rupert Murdoch-owned media outlets in Australia refused to run ads for Outfoxeds theatrical release in that country, claiming the film was offensive, and (unsuccessfully) threatened lawsuits to prevent its release in the United States. Fox News Channel has the First Amendment freedom to say whatever it cares to on-air, whether it be right-wing propaganda or anything at all; what is intellectually disingenuous is that the channel refuses to acknowledge its bias, and instead employs a blatantly false marketing technique to assure viewers of its journalistic objectivity. Former Fox News producer Jeff Cohen says in Outfoxed that a better slogan for Fox News would be We opine, you recline. This witty remark cuts to the heart of the issue, which is that Fox News is and should be free to be an outlet for right-wing editorializing, but it is nothing less than a travesty for a powerful 24-hour cable news channel to pretend to be a reputable source for objective reporting. To be fair to Murdoch, he has made no public secret of his wish to balance what he perceives to be the liberal bias of such media outlets as CNN, CBS News, and the New York Times, but none of these sources of news employ the crass, manipulative distortions employed by Fox News Channel. The one example, perhaps, is the story on CBS 60 Minutes program in which famed anchor Dan Rather delivered a story purporting to show documents proving George W. Bush had illegally avoided military service during Vietnam. It was subsequently determined that the documents may have been forged, and not properly vetted in a rush to air the story in time to affect the 2004 presidential election. The resulting scandal led to Rathers early retirement. These sorts of incidents, however, are few and far between in comparison to Fox News Channels regular journalistic transgressions. In forming Fox News, what Murdoch may have reacted against legitimately is the irrefutable fact that most journalists are left-leaning in their personal political views. 1997, the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) surveyed over 1,000 journalists, asking What is your political leaning? The results? 61% said Democrat or liberal-leaning; 15% said conservative or Republican-leaning, and the rest identified themselves as independents or centrists. Not only that, but the proportion of journalists identifying themselves as conservative or Republican-leaning had declined 7% since the survey was first taken in 1988, whereas the liberal-leaning/Democratic statistic was unchanged. Is it possible for these 61% to not consciously or unconsciously let their personal views affect the way in which they report the news? The political proportions found in the ASNE rather closely resemble the political proportions of the guests on Fox News Channel, except in reverse. Nobody can say whether this is a coincidence or not, but Murdochs formula is certainly enjoying a considerable amount of success. Fox News ratings are even eclipsing those of longtime cable news giant CNN: [As of March 2, 2005] FNC averaged 1.57 million viewers in primetime, up 18 percent from the same period last year, while CNN fell 21 percent to 637,000 viewers from the same time period The growth appeared across the board at Fox News: On the Record With Greta Van Susteren up 37 percent; Hannity Colmes up 19 percent; Special Report With Brit Hume up 20 percent; and The OReilly Factor, up 9 percent. (WorldNetDaily, 2005) Clearly there is a hunger for what Fox News is peddling, whether it be garbage or truly fair and balanced. The real question is why Murdoch and Roger Ailes arent simply calling Fox News exactly what it is: an unashamedly biased and partisan source of conservative propaganda. What, indeed, is wrong with bias as long as there are a fair number of balanced biased outlets available for people to choose from? As alluded to before, Murdoch and Ailes are perfectly entitled to program their cable channel any way they care to; it is within their First Amendment right to do so. However, given the fact that millions of people tune in to Fox News, in many cases solely to Fox News, to become informed, it is a travesty of journalism that Murdoch and Ailes arent being honest about what their channel is peddling. If they were to claim that CBS and the New York Times are not honest about the liberal slant of their journalistic wares, then the challenge for Fox News is to one-up its rivals in integrity by being honest about what it is. Until such time, as they do, they are the ultimate example of media bia s; they are not a cure for the problem, but a mutation of a terrible virus. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cline, Dr. Andrew R. Media / Political Bias, University of Missouri, 2005. Lee, Christopher. Administration Rejects Ruling on PR Videos, Washington Post, March 14, 2005. Miner, Barbara. Randall Terry Resurfaces: Christian Right Jumps into Terri Schiavo Fray In These Times, November 24, 2003. Outfoxed, documentary produced and directed by Robert Greenwald, Carolina Productions / MoveOn.org / The Disinformation Company, 2004 American Society of Newspaper Editors Survey, 1997. Available from: http://www.asne.org/kiosk/reports/97reports/journalists90s/survey19.html CNN Tanking as Fox News Surges, WorldNetDaily, March 2, 2005

Dorothea Dix Essay -- Biography Biographies Bio

Dorothea Dix – One of the Great Women of the 1800s Once in a while a truly exceptional person has made a mark on the growth of mankind. Dorothea Dix was an exceptional woman. She wrote children’s books, she was a school teacher, and she helped reform in prisons. Some of her most notable work was in the field of making mental health institutions a better place for the patients that lived in them. Dorothea Dix gave a great deal to humanity and her achievements are still being felt today, especially in the treatment of those with mental disabilities. Dix started out though with very humble beginnings. Dorothea Dix was born in Hampden, Maine in 1802. Her mother was not very mentally stable and her dad was an abusive alcoholic. The Dix moved from Maine to Vermont just before the British War of 1812. Then, after the war they moved to Worcester, MA. While in Worcester, the Dix had two more children, both boys. The family would eventually break apart because of the mother’s mental state and the father’s drinking.1 Dorothea Dix and her two brothers ended up moving to Boston to live with their grandmother on their father’s side Dorothea Lynde, who was the wife of Dr Elijah Dix.2 Dix helped with the rearing of her brothers as she had done in her parents’ home. The grandmother tried to instill her Puritan ways of Boston’s wealthy into Dix’s mind. Grandmother Dix tried to turn young Dorothea into a nice proper girl from Boston, but that wasn’t in the cards for young Dix. The grandmother had given her dancing lessons and even her own private seamstress. Dix was not into this style of life and she would give some of her clothes away, and food to the poor; which had infuriated her grandmother. This angered the grandmother enough to send youn... ... Patterson Smith, 1967 Gollaher, David. Voice for the Mad: The Life of Dorothea Dix, New York. Free Press. 1995 Marshall, H.E. . Dorothea Dix, forgotten Samaritan. Chapel Hill. University of North Carolina Press. 1937

Pygmalions Obsession with the Statue of Cyprus Essay -- Bernard Shaw

Pygmalion's Obsession with the Statue of Cyprus Pygmalion decided to portray women as he searched for the most perfect being and he hadn't found any in Cyprus. He placed all his love and wishfulness in his statues and so the most beautiful of his creations was sculpted. Pygmalion, being a man, and having 'animal' urges, must have wanted a partner to share his emotions and get frisky with, so this was the perfect idea for him. What could be better, a woman with beautiful looks, and never talks back or argues with you? Bliss. Since no one came up to his expectations, it became an obsession that he wanted the perfect wife. Or maybe he wanted to show off to his mates that he had the perfect woman in Cyprus, even though it was ivory. Does anything in the earlier part of the story help to explain Pygmalion's behaviour? Pygmalion's behaviour gets a lot more elaborate and somewhat more perverted with each line. As the story progresses, his obsession and passionate love for the statue gets stronger and stronger, until it reaches the climax of what a man can do with a statue, sleep with it. Nonetheless it is possible to retrace the reason for his perversion. It is explained at the very beginning of the text. Ovid writes that the women around Pygmalion spent their time in wickedness, and that he (Pygmalion), was disgusted by their very many vices, which nature gave to women's minds: "quas quia Pygmalion aevum per crimen agentes viderat, offensus vitiis, quae plurima menti feminae natura dedit." It was from this fact that Pygmalion's troubles started. Ever since Aphrodite had turned the women of Cyprus into whores, Pygmalion was never able to be satisfied by the real women on his island. This is what had originally turned his thoughts into creating something female, which was perfect in every way for him. His solution to this was creating a sculpture of a woman. He made this out of white ivory, and it seemed so real that people thought that it could move, and was alive: "quam vivere credas et, si non obstet reverentia, velle moveri". This perfection made Pygmalion fall in love with it, because it was an ideal woman in every way. From this point on Pygmalion's behaviour became more strange; he did many odd things to the statue, for example he gave her presents, kissed it and felt it. Basically Pygmalion became so desperate that... ...wers of a thousand colours, lilies and painted balls of crystal or amber. He adorned her body with clothes and decorations such as jewels for her fingers, long necklaces for her neck, rings of light pearl hanging from her ears and pendants over her breasts. At this point in the story there is a turning point. He comes more normal and real, in that he decides to ask Venus to turn her into a real person. He seems to realise that he can't continue like this and that it would be in his best interests if he had a real person instead of a statue as his 'wife'. It seems at this point as though he is a real person and has completely shrugged off his former madness, by actually having a normal woman and not having anything else peculiar about him. There is however one final moment of madness. When he returns home, he doesn't at first believe that she is real and, although he realises that she is warm, he does not dare to celebrate lest he is proved wrong. Throughout the story he behaves very unlike a normal person and acts very irrationally. However, the very last few lines show that he did manage to overcome it and he did end up being a normal and conventional person.