Sonnet 43

â€Å"I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. †Ã‚   ? Markus Zusak,  The Book Thief â€Å"Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness. †Ã‚   ? Markus Zusak,  The Book Thief â€Å"I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant. †Ã‚   ? Markus Zusak,  The Book Thief â€Å"She leaned down and looked at his lifeless face and Leisel kissed her best friend, Rudy Steiner, soft and true on his lips. He tasted dusty and sweet. He tasted like regret in the shadows of trees and in the glow of the anarchist's suit collection. She kissed him long and soft, and when she pulled herself away, she touched his mouth with her fingers†¦ She did not say goodbye. She was incapable, and after a few more minutes at his side, she was able to tear herself from the ground. It amazes me what humans can do, even when streams are flowing down their faces and they stagger on†¦    ? Markus Zusak,  The Book Thief â€Å"Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day. †Ã‚   ? Markus Zusak,  The Book Thief â€Å"I carried [Rudy] softly through the broken street†¦ with him I tried a little harder [at comforting]. I watched the contents of his soul for a moment and saw a black-p ainted boy calling the name Jesse Owens as he ran through an imaginary tape. I saw him hip-deep in some icy water, chasing a book, and I saw a boy lying in bed, imagining how a kiss would taste from his glorious next-door neighbor. He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It's his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry. †Ã‚   ? Markus Zusak,  The Book Thief â€Å"He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry. †Ã‚   ? Markus Zusak,  The Book Thief â€Å"The consequence of this is that I'm always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both. (Death)†Ã‚   ? Markus Zusak,  The Book Thief â€Å"Somewhere, far down, there was an itch in his heart, but he made it a point not to scratch it. He was afraid of what might come leaking out. †Ã‚   ? Markus Zusak,  The Book Thief

Brooklyn Cop by Norman MacCaig Essay

â€Å"Brooklyn Cop† written by Scottish poet Norman McCaig, is a poem that conveys a police officer in Brooklyn to be an aggressive yet affectionate man. Throughout the poem McCaig uses word choice and imagery techniques to express the dual sided nature of the cop. We see that the way he behaves on the streets of Brooklyn contrasts with how he is at home with his wife. The dual sided nature of the cop is shown through the physical description that McCaig uses to convey him. McCaig does this with the use of imagery and word choice. In the poem the line ‘Built like a gorilla’ shows through the use of simile, the tough exterior of the cop and gives the reader a clear view on what his physical appearance is like. The comparison of the cop to a gorilla is effective as it shows the cop’s top heavy, muscular build and strength, meaning he could be potentially dangerous and violent like a gorilla. McCaig also shows in the metaphor ‘with two hieroglyphs on his face that mean trouble’ that his eyes are dark and fierce, causing the reader to believe that he is naturally a violent person. This is also conveyed in the line ‘Thick fleshed, steak coloured’ in which the use of metaphor conveys the physical appearance of the cop as ‘thick fleshed’ which shows that the cop is tough and can take a lot of abuse, along with ‘Steak coloured’ which shows the colour of skin associating it with the colour red to suggest he is red with fury and anger naturally. This highlights on his personality and the environment he works in where it is appropriate to be tough and brutal in order to cope. The dangerous environment in which the cop works shows how he has to be a violent person in order to cope in these rough areas and the people he will encounter. In the line ‘He walks the sidewalk and the thin tissue over violence’ the metaphor is affective as it shows the potential of criminal acts that could take part on the streets of Brooklyn and the threat that violence could erupt at any moment causing him to be an aggressive, tough man in order to deal with the trouble he faces to keep the streets of Brooklyn a safe environment for others. The use of alliteration in the ‘T’ makes a harsh sound which resembles the area and the lingering violence. The cop’s victims are shown to be treated violently and McCaig conveys this through the use of rhetorical question and word choice. This shows the aggressive, violent nature of the cop and his behaviour on the job. In the last two lines of the poem ‘And who would have to be his victims,’ McCaig uses a rhetorical question which is effective as it shows how savage the cop is when met with violence and crime. The word ‘have’ shows that he will not back down while dealing with criminals and that they are most likely to be hurt or violently treated when met with the cop, making it clear that no one wants to be involved with him on the streets and including the reader and their thoughts on being in the same place as a criminal. McCaig uses repetition and word choice to convey the cop’s dual sided personality from how he treats criminals on the tough streets as opposed to the way he treats his wife at home. This is conveyed in the line ‘This morning, when he said ‘See you babe to his wife, he hoped it, he truly hoped it.’ This is effective as the use of affectionate language in â€Å"babe† conveys his soft side as opposed to his tough nature while on the streets of Brooklyn, which is not expected as he is a violent savage. The use of repetition in ‘he hoped it, he truly hoped it’ Is effective as it shows the strong hope to return home safe and the genuine want to see his wife after an unpredictable day at work. This shows that he may seem fearless but in the inside he has a violent yet caring nature. In conclusion ‘Brooklyn Cop’ by Norman McCaig focuses on the dual sided nature of an aggressive police officer who works on the touch streets of Brooklyn. McCaig conveys the cop as savage and violent man while in the run down environment of ‘Brooklyn’ as opposed to his softer side where he shows love and affection towards his wife at home.

The Minimization of Tension (to be decided) Essay

The Minimization of Tension (to be decided) - Essay Example However, this paper illustrates how tension occurs in the workplace and how the company and the personnel involved deal with the dilemma of minimizing the tension in the daily business operation by adopting various mechanisms to minimize it such as keeping the organizational structure relatively flat, adding female to its managerial level, and employing emotion management and humor at workplace. These mechanisms are applicable to corporations that are experiencing similar problems because the above methods are proven effective in reducing the likelihood and degree of tension at workplace.    The industry moves very fast and the market could change at anytime. To cope with this situation and the very large amount of work, it is already a common practice for people to stop eating lunch out at the workplace. Instead, they take their lunch to work and eat it while staring at the computer screens. One time, in a break of this monotony, James, a vice president in our division was nice enough to invite all of us summer analysts for lunch at the cafeteria down stairs. During the lunch, we talked about many aspects of the business practice in our division as well as the recent bad performance of the stock market. In the conversation the ensued, the vice president mentioned, â€Å"when two stocks are perfectly correlated, if one stock goes down by 25%, the other one will also decrease by 25%.† Jonathan, a summer analyst from my team blurted out:† I don’t think that’s right, James.† In front of all the other five interns, James paused, and then sai d in a distinct voice: â€Å"I am right.† Jonathan looked at the other interns and said: â€Å"Well, I guess I am wrong, sir.† At this moment, Annie, another intern quickly raised another question and the conversation between the group continued. On the way back to our desk, I whispered to Jonathan: â€Å"Hey, what you were saying is correct!† He

Facebook Investigation Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 14500 words

Facebook Investigation Scenario - Essay Example On February 17th, 2014 at 9:30 AM, I discovered that Ms. Jones was a 20-year-old criminal justice major at the University of New Haven. At about 8:00 AM that morning, one of Ms. Jones friends texted to ask whether she has seen Peter Sampson’s Facebook post. It was at this point that I confirmed the post to be true. Ms. Jones stated that she had â€Å"sexted† the picture MR. Sampson back in the fall of 2012 when they had just begun dating. Upon further investigation, Ms. Jones explained her dating relationship with Mr. Sampson and she had broken off their engagement with Mr. Sampson. She said that it was after breaking off her engagement weeks earlier that she began dating Michael Davis who happened to be Mr. Sampson’s roommate. Ms. Jones, therefore, felt that it was due to these relationship issues that Mr. Sampson decided to post the picture. On February 17th, 2014 at 2:45 PM I also discovered that Peter Sampson was a 21-year-old criminal justice major in his junior in the same university. During an interview in Mr. Sampson’s dorm room, Mr. Sampson confirmed his relationship with Ms. Jones as well as the breakup. However, he denied having anything to do with the posting and commenting on the picture on Facebook. Mr. Sampson started that in his discovery of Ms. Jones with Mr. Davis, he deleted all digital photos as well as the correspondence between him and Ms. Jones. Mr. Jones further claimed to have used his Toshiba laptop which no one else had had access to over the past 24-hour period.

The Gilded Bronzes of Cartoceto di Pergola Essay

The Gilded Bronzes of Cartoceto di Pergola - Essay Example The late Republican period was known to use monumental images to underline Roman power (The Famous Gilded Bronzes). The fact that these spectacular sculptures were discovered in 1946 as mostly fragments in a shallow pit by two farmers working in their field near the City of Pergola makes their reproduction in such detail quite amazing. However, because they were in fragments, the sculptures were saved from being melted down for re-use of the metals, a common practice in ancient times. Gian Mario Spacca, president of the region of the Marches, is quoted as saying, "This group of gilded bronzes conveys all the beauty and mystery of Ancient Rome . . . Their unknown story and accidental discovery are a remarkable demonstration of the miracle of these lands, the Marches, which can reveal superb works of art, testimony to the talent and importance of a culture recognized all over the world" (The Famous Gilded Bronzes). It took from 1948 to 1986 to restore and reconstruct these statues. The very fact that these statues were destroyed triggers the imagination. The figures are obviously based on actual mo dels. Could it be that the group fell out of favor at some time, and that is why the statues were crumbled and buried Could the figures be related in some way to Augustus It has been determined that they were created in the 1st century B.C., but when were they buried and why were they destroyed Historical Background The Roman Republic was established in 509 B.C., but political rivalries in the first century B.C. led to civil wars and the eventual collapse of the Republic. The Roman imperial period began in 30-27 B.C. with the principate of Augustus. Between 27 B.C. and A.D. 14, Rome was transformed into a city of marble. Julius Caesar had been assassinated in 44 B.C. and his nephew Octavius ruled as Emperor Augustus. The Hellenistic or Augustan period introduced the accurate depiction of age from children to adult to old age. Use of bronze made possible immediacy and naturalistic detail (Hemingway 3). Comparison of the gilded bronze family group of Pergola with the Greek sculptures of 50 B.C. to 1 B.C. indicate many similarities in style. Because it is not known or even conjectured that any specific sculptor created the family group, it is quite possible that a Greek sculptor was responsible or that the style was copied. The Romans first came into contact with the Greeks in the 3rd century B.C. in Southern Italy and in Sicily where Greek colonies had been established five hundred years earlier (Roman Sculpture). The illustrations on page 7 offer comparisons with each other. The knight (A) in the family group (late 1st century B.C.) is bald with one lock of hair towards the forehead, closely set eyes and bitterly straight mouth (The Gilded Bronzes: Knight). He is thought to be mature, between 40 and 50 years old. The tunic worn by the knight is one worn by a Roman officer of high rank. The statue of the young boy (B), thought to be Gaius, adopted grandson of Emperor Augustus, also resembles the knight, but with a softer expression (Portrait Statue of Young Boy). Another statue (C), dated 1st century B.C./A.D., shows a man carrying two ancestral busts. The one on the right could be the knight in the family gro

Funding proposal for center for bioethical mentorship for clinicians Essay

Funding proposal for center for bioethical mentorship for clinicians working with chronically disables patients &their families - Essay Example Therefore, several projects would be fundamental for a bioethical center that seeks to advance high moral character for the clinicians. The first project is the inquiry into societal change, which makes some values that were upheld in the past virtually inapplicable in the present society. Another key element that would serve as a vital project for the bioethical center is human abuse, which calls for a thorough inquiry into various forms of human abuse, both psychological and physical, which acts as a deterrent to the recovery of patients. The nature of interactions and how they impact on the patients and their relationship with clinicians is yet another relevant area of inquiry, with a view to developing basic essentials of interactions that impact positively on the patients. Any project undertaken in the above three areas will be essential part of informing the development of moral character for clinicians, owing to the fact that the areas address all the moral components that eme rges from any interaction between clinicians and

Michael Jordans biography as a sportsperson as well as a non-sports Essay

Michael Jordans biography as a sportsperson as well as a non-sports person - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, Michael Jeffrey Jordan (MJ) is one of the most famous professional basketball players not only in America but also in the world. He has played around 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the 80s and 90s. Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards were the major clubs for which MJ had displayed his basketball skills and abilities. It is believed that no other professional basketball players are as popular as MJ. MJ was instrumental in popularizing basketball not only in America but also across the world. Even though the popularity of MJ as a basketball player is unquestionable, his life is not free from controversies. It is believed that MJ was interested not only in sports activities but also in some of the other unacceptable social activities such as gambling. During the playoff season in 1993, Jordan has reported gambling in Atlanta just before one of the crucial match es of his club.   He admitted in the same year that he had lost around $57,000 in gambling. Moreover, author Richard Esquinas claimed that he had won $1.25  million from Jordan on the golf course (Anderson, 1993). In short, the weakness of Jordan towards gambling is well recorded in the history.   Apart from a great basketball player, MJ is a good businessman also. â€Å"Jordan is involved in a number of business ventures, including several restaurants".

Nature and Causes of the Declining Political Participation in the Research Paper

Nature and Causes of the Declining Political Participation in the United States - Research Paper Example 2008). Ultimately, numerous people think that the government is not functioning in a useful way in society and fails to grant authority for the system they resist by taking part in it. A Brief History of U.S. Political Participation Historically, the United States has the lowest ranks of political participation, as determined by voter turnouts, of any leading industrial democracy. The United States is ranked below other highly industrialized democratic countries, excluding Switzerland, a country known for its steady electioneering and repudiation, until in recent times, to grant women suffrage rights, in cross-country turnout. G. Bingham Powell Jr. (1986 as cited in Crotty 1991), evaluating trends of political participation across 19 modern democratic countries, assumed that â€Å"voter turnout in the United States is severely inhibited by its institutional conflict†¦ the U.S. was disadvantaged by voluntary registration, unevenly competitive electoral districts, and very weak l inkages (perceptual and organizational) between parties and social groups† (pp. 25-26). Powell (1986 as cited in Crotty 1991) concludes that party system and institutional variables slow down turnout and registration processes, primary causes of the low ranking of the United States in terms of political participation compared to other countries. Robert W. Jackman, in a similar study of levels of political participation in 19 modern democratic nations, although opposing Powell over the function of the political traditions of a country in influencing the political participation rates, stresses the role of political institutions, such as electoral guidelines, political... Historically, the United States has the lowest ranks of political participation, as determined by voter turnouts, of any leading industrial democracy. The United States is ranked below other highly industrialized democratic countries, excluding Switzerland, a country known for its steady electioneering and repudiation, until in recent times, to grant women suffrage rights, in cross-country turnout. G. Bingham Powell Jr. (1986 as cited in Crotty 1991), evaluating trends of political participation across 19 modern democratic countries, assumed that â€Å"voter turnout in the United States is severely inhibited by its institutional conflict†¦ the U.S. was disadvantaged by voluntary registration, unevenly competitive electoral districts, and very weak linkages (perceptual and organizational) between parties and social groups† (pp. 25-26). Powell (1986 as cited in Crotty 1991) concludes that party system and institutional variables slow down turnout and registration processes, primary causes of the low ranking of the United States in terms of political participation compared to other countries. Robert W. Jackman, in a similar study of levels of political participation in 19 modern democratic nations, although opposing Powell over the function of the political traditions of a country in influencing the political participation rates, stresses the role of political institutions, such as electoral guidelines, political parties, and national electoral districts, in forming electorates (Ramakrishnan 2005).

The blue sky laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The blue sky laws - Essay Example It is a common practice for the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to regulate the security trading activities and enforce laws which are against fraudulent trading. However, the sky blue law has granted authority to state officials to share the responsibility of the SEC (the reduction of fraudulent securities trading and/or ensuring the punishment of violators). The sky blue law has been successful, to a significant extent, in regulating the securities trading. Even though every state implements the law, but take a different approach, there are similarities which form the basis of the effectiveness of the law. First, every state, in pursuant to the law, demands the registration of all players in the security market. The law requires that the stock brokers, the brokerage companies, and private security sellers register or be excused from the requirements of the registration (Legal Information Institute par. 1). Based on the registration strategy, the security agency of various states has successfully managed to reduce the fraudulent securities trading by denying a trading license or certificates to unqualified brokerage companies and/or individual stock brokers. Second, the sky blue law contains subsections that compel companies to release true and fair information to facilitate informed decision making. Third, the law provides for the punis hment of individuals or entities that engage in fraudulent securities trading and/or the release of false information. However, the law has not been very successful in the security regulation of national securities such as those listed on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ among others (Legal Information Institute par. 1-3). In conclusion, the law has been successful in regulating securities trading. The registration process required to be followed by the players in the security market, the issuance of qualification certificates, the pressure to release true and fair information, and the punishment to

Please write a thoughtful response to one or more of the readings Essay

Please write a thoughtful response to one or more of the readings - Essay Example When the swordfish started attacking and killing the people of Singapore, Sultan Padouka Sri Maharadja became utterly devastated and hopeless. He did not know how to stop the mysterious swordfish attack. His first response was to use his soldiers as barricades against the attacking swordfishes. But this strategy seems so inhumane. So a young boy suggested using banana trees as barricades. The sultan accepted the suggestion and it proved to be a wise decision. The swordfishes attacked the banana trunks, and because these trunks were solid the people were eventually protected from the swordfishes’ deadly attacks. Fortunately, the swordfishes were not merely stopped, but their long snouts were also stuck in the banana trunks. The numerous swordfishes that were caught provided food for the people. On the surface, the story seems to promote wisdom and cooperation. The swordfish attack was successfully halted due to a young boy’s wisdom and the people’s cooperation. However, the story has an underlying moral message: valuing nature and other creatures of the earth. Asians, especially ethnic groups, are environmentalists by heart. The story expresses resistance to irresponsible fishing. The angry swordfishes symbolize how nature would take revenge if people do not change their attitude toward other creatures of the planet. It shows that the damages we do to the environment will return to us tenfold; it could be even lethal. The young boy’s suggestion, on the other hand, symbolizes effective ways of taking care of the environment. Our concern for the environment will definitely pay off in the end, just like how the swordfishes became a constant food supply for the people of Singapore. The second story, Kancil and Sang Buwaya, is a fable about wisdom, or, more specifically, shrewdness. Kancil, a mouse deer, usually goes to the river to drink. However, Sang Buwaya, a crocodile, wants to eat Kancil. And so the poor mouse deer has to

Female Genital Mutilation in the Middle East and North Africa Essay Example for Free

Female Genital Mutilation in the Middle East and North Africa Essay Values and beliefs of a certain society can be illumined through the traditional cultural practices that often span from one generation to another. Globally, every social group has its own traditional cultural practices that are considered to be beneficial for the community. However, there are many instances that such practices may be harmful for some groups, most especially for women. Terrible traditional cultural practices are committed directly against females around the world. Despite the atrocities of such practices and its violation against human rights, many women-violent practices still exist and are prevalent in other countries. One of the most prevalent forms of harmful traditional practices is the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) (Office of the High Commisioner of Human Rights-United Nations Organization [OHCR-UNOG]). The pervasiveness of FGM is attributed to people’s inability to question the morality of such action that should be addressed to those who practice female genital mutilation. As such, despite of the interventions of many international communities, in order to achieve gender equality, women are still violated and continue to be denied of various human rights. Hence, it can be perceived that many traditional cultural practices, including female genital mutilation is carried out for the benefit of the male populace (OHCR-UNOG). Historical Background of Female Genital Mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as ‘female circumcision’ or ‘female genital cutting’, involves procedures that are centered in the partial or overall removal of the female’s external genitalia, or the infliction of injury to the genital organs of female for non-medical reasons. More often than not, the practice is performed by traditional circumcisers who are believed to play a significant role in the community where they belong. However, records have indicated that FGM is also carried out by medically trained professionals (World Health Organization [WHO]). FGM is considered to be an age-old practice existent in various communities globally because it is known to be a custom (OHCR-UNOG). However, FGM’s origin has not been well established. Certain theories indicate that female genital mutilation predates male mutilation (Davis 158 qtd. in Lightfoot-Klein). In one study, it was shown that FGM occurred in areas that are considered to be restricted to the rest of the world which includes Islamic, Semitic and Christian nations. It was contemplated that â€Å"the more ancient a custom or belief, the more universally it is found† (Lightfoot-Kline). All throughout history, reports regarding female circumcision has been existent. The very first historical reference of FGM can be traced from the literature of Herotodus, who wrote that FGM already existed during 5th century BC in Ancient Egypt. He even pointed out that the practice had its beginnings in Egypt or Ethiopia because FGM has been performed by Ethiopians, Phoenicians, and Hitties (Taba qtd. in Lightfoot-Kline). One Greek papyrus dated 163 BC found in the British museum indicated that circumcisions were performed on girls by the time they received dowries. Different authors claimed that FGM was practiced by early Romans and Arabs (Kline). Methods employed in order to repress women’s sexuality has been well recorded in history. In ancient Rome, women slaves are required to wear metal rings which were passed through the labia minora in order to prevent procreation. During the absence of their husbands, women from medieval England wore chastity belts to avoid promiscuity. Tsarist Russia, as well as France, America, and France during the 19th century already practice clitoridectomy; while evidences from mummified bodies of ancient Egypt indicate that excision and infibulation has been performed, thereby giving rise to the existence of pharaonic circumcision (OHCR-UNOG). Types of Female Genital Mutilation Various types of female genital mutilation are performed depending on the cultural history and traditions of a certain community. Basically there are three common types of FGM: (1) Type one or Sunna circumcision. â€Å"Sunna† is an Arabic term which means tradition in English. This form of FGM is done by removing the prepuce or the clitoris’ tip. (2) Type two also called as clitoridectomy or excision is widely practiced in Egypt. This procedure involves the removal of the whole clitoris including the prepuce, glans and the adjacent labia. (3) Type three which is commonly referred to as infibulation or pharaonic circumcision is the procedure commonly applied in Sudan and Somalia. Considered as the most dramatic type of FGM, infibulation, which literally means â€Å"to fasten with a clip or buckle,† involves not only the removal of the clitoris and the nearby labia, but also include the sewing of remaining parts of vulva with the use of a catgut or thread. Such form of mutilation leaves only a tiny hole in the female genital that serves as a passage for the urine and menstrual blood. Women who are infibulated are cut open during their wedding night in order to perform sexual intercourse. However, right after the act, they are sewn again in order to avoid infidelity. More often than not, the groom is responsible for opening the bride’s sewn genitalia with the use of a double-edged dagger. There are some instances that women are cut open and are sewn back together during the time of their separation with their husbands. (4) The remaining type of FGM which is categorized as type four mutilation includes procedures that inflict damage to the female genitalia. Such form of mutilation may range from piercing, pricking, and stretching of labia or clitoris; burning of the clitoris and other tissues of the genitalia through cauterization; scraping of vaginal orifice; vaginal cutting; placing corrosive substances to cause vaginal bleeding, and the introduction of herbal substances to narrow or tighten the vagina (Rosenthal). The most common type of FGM is the clitoral and labia minora excision which constitutes about 80% of all FGM case. However, infibulation is considered as the most extreme form which accounts to 15% of all the mutilation procedures (Steiner, Alston, and Goodman,). The Cultural and Religious Tie: Middle East and African Areas Located Above the Equator The principle of female genital mutilation is prevalent in the societies of African territory. The extent of such phenomena can be seen in 25 countries of Africa. Infibulation is widely performed in areas including Djibouti, Mali, Somalia, selected parts of Ethiopia, Egypt and the northern region of Sudan. Meanwhile, excision and circumcision are evident in Benin, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad, Guinea, Guinnea-Bissau, Kenya, Mauritania, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Uganda, Togo and other areas in the United Republic of Tanzania (OHCR-UNOG). Currently, WHO estimated that annually about three million African girls are at risk for female genital mutilation and about 92 million of the female populace, age 10 years and above have already undergone mutilation. The prevalence of FGM in the said areas is associated primarily with myths and the ignorance of people towards biological, medical, and religious perspectives. As noted by Hanny Lighfoot-Klein: â€Å"The clitoris is perceived as repulsive, filthy, foul smelling, dangerous to the life of the emerging new born, and hazardous to the health and potency of the husband† (Lightfoot-Klein, n. p. ). Majority of African countries adhere to such beliefs that it has been well embraced and became a value, causing FGM to become a customary practice over time. In Sudan, the clitoris is believe to grow to the length of the neck of a goose; long enough to dangle between the legs which could rival the male penis if left uncut. Such concept influences the perception of males, thereby reinforcing them not to marry a woman who is uncircumcised or â€Å"unclean† (Lightfoot-Klein). Among the Bambara’s in Mali, it is widely viewed that once the clitoris touches the head of a child being born, automatically the child will die. As the clitoris is considered to be the male characteristic of females, its removal is seen as an action that would result in the enhancement of femininity. In Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Somalia, females are imposed to undergo mutilation in order to control their sexuality and ensure their virginity until marriage and their chastity right after (OHCR-UNOG). Because childbearing and marriage are the only options for most of African women, majority of them are forced to submit themselves to the practice genital mutilation which they also have to pass on to their daughters (Lightfoot-Klein). The institutionalization of patriarchal system within the society also plays a significant role in the perpetration of FGM. In ancient Mesopotamia, the code of Hammurabi embarked the presence of some features of patriarchy in public veiling and sexual repression of women. It was stated in the code that fathers were entitled to treat his daughter’s virginity as a ‘family property asset. Due to this system, women were categorized as â€Å"respectable,† meaning they were chaste and conforming, and â€Å"disreputable,† which translates to low class or slaves. As a result, women who bowed to the system benefited from it by securing their own safety as well as that of their children. However, they became the steadfast advocates of the system, thereby imposing it to their daughters. Present-day Africans follow the same patriarchal outlook. Female circumcision is then performed to the daughters of the women, who, during the time they were young, experienced mutilation. Although perceived by many as a violation against human rights, the practice is defended by the women themselves because they consider it as an essential part of their tradition that ensures the social standing of their family in the community they belong (Lighfoot-Klein). The existence of patriarchal society is attributed to economic reasons. Historically, fathers are known to be keen in identifying their â€Å"real† children, in order to know who is going to handle his property. Hence, it could be perceived that the establishment of systems including moral and religious values, as well as legal aspects became an imperative in order to protect the economic interests that uphold the society. In this regard, it is hard to abandon a custom that benefits the economic interest not only of the family but the whole society as well. The existence of such system guarantees profit for many, thereby catapulting â€Å"dayas† and medical practitioners to resist changes in the practice of female genital mutilation. Likewise, the family woman can gain considerable bride price if she is mutilated by the time of the marriage. Moreover, women continuously submit themselves to FGM for the fear that their husbands will divorce them for a second wife. This perspective serves as a threat for the women in the society who have no economic recourse and access to own properties and relies only on the â€Å"bride price gold that she wears on her body. † As such, it can be concluded that female genital mutilation is the result of the economic interest permeating within the society (Lightfoot-Klein). While many experts hold that female genital mutilation is an African custom, there are few reports regarding the existence of FGM in the Middle Eastern territory. This is understandable because it is difficult to study sexual relations in societies of Middle East. Almost everything regarding sexuality and personal matters are kept in private sphere. Likewise, books and research pertaining to Middle Eastern sexual habits are almost non-existent or at the most, heavily guarded by the comprehensive rules based from the Islamic law. However, recent finding from northern Iraq suggests that FGM is also practiced widely in societies outside of Africa. The case study of Iraqi Kurdistan served as an instructive case. In 2003, a German-Austrian NGO called WADI took the initiative to take medical and social support to the women in Kurdish areas. More than a year later, women who received support spoke about the practice of FGM. It was found out that Kurds used the sunna circumcision and were performed by midwives. Subsequent studies found out that of 1,544 women, 907 had undergone FGM, which further suggests that 60% of the population view mutilation as a normal practice. The discovery in Iraqi Kurdistan debunks the assumption that FGM is solely an African practice. As Fran Hosken quoted: â€Å"There is little doubt that similar practices—excision, child marriage, and putting rock salt into the vagina of women after childbirth—exist in other parts of the Arabian Peninsula and around the Persian Gulf (Hosken 278 qtd in Osten Sacken, and Uwer). The absence of medical records tackling FGM in the whole region does not necessarily mean that the Middle Eastern territories are free from female circumcision. Such issue is left undetected due to the lack of freedom to permit formal studies regarding the subject. Taboo also plays a significant role in the undercutting of researches in Arab nations. Many scholars and NGO in Arab countries prohibits the criticism predominant culture of Arabs and Muslims. Because of these findings many questions were raised by the critics of FGM, one of which is whether the said phenomena is a religious issue in the Middle East (Osten-Sacken and Uwer). Many Muslims and academics from the West claim that FGM is not based from religion rather it is a practice shaped by culture (Simonet qtd in Osten-Sacken and Uwer). However, in a village level, the people who are committed to the practice perceive the action as mandate by the religion. Although the law of Islam does not have any justifications regarding FGM, many Islamic clerics in the Northern part of Iraq advise women to undergo mutilation. If the women wish to abandon such practice, she must suffer the consequence of appearing disreputable in the eyes of the public (Mackie qtd ini Osten-Sacken and Uwer). Some Islamic scholars may disagree with FGM but others refer to the mention of FGM in the Hadith as a defense for the persistence of such practice in Middle East. The claim was further sufficed by the Islamic law specialist Sami Aldeeb Abu Salieh when he stated: The most often mentioned narration reports a debate between Muhammed and Um Habibah (or Um ‘Atiyyah). This woman, known as an exciser of female slaves, was one of a group of women who had immigrated with Muhammed. Having seen her, Muhammad asked her if she kept practicing her profession. She answered affirmatively, adding: unless it is forbidden, and you order me to stop doing it. Muhammed replied: Yes, it is allowed. Come closer so I can teach you: if you cut, do not overdo it, because it brings more radiance to the face, and it is more pleasant for the husband. (Aldeeb Abu Sahlieh 575-622 qtd in Osten- Sacken and Uwen). Aldeeb Abu Sahlieh’s claim is further reinforced by other Islam scholars by stating that Islam condones sunna circumcision but not the pharaonic circumcision (Omer qtd in Osten-Sacken and Uwen), and that since the prophet Muhammad does not condemn the act, thereby making it permissible and cannot be outlawed (Aldeeb Abu Sahlieh qtd in Osten-Sacken). Ultimately, the practice of female genital mutilation in the Middle East may have its roots in the cultural scope of the region. However, its religious ties cannot be disregarded. Effects of Female Genital Mutilation The implications of FGM can be short-term and long term. The immediate consequences of the practice are hemorrhage, acute pain and infection. The infections are commonly acquired from the usage of unsterilized instruments performed in unhygienic areas and introduction of substances. The infections may range from tetanus, general septicamea, chronic pelvic infections, and recurrent urinary tract infections. Recently the transfer of HIV has also been a concern for the FGM researchers (OHCR-UNOG). Obstetric complications are also common among mutilated women. Pregnant mutilated woman put the life of her child in danger because the fetus is at risk of acquiring infectious disease. Likewise, the head of the child may be crushed during the delivery due to damaged birth canal. Furthermore, infibulated women are needed to be opened during child birth and are commonly reinfibulated after every delivery resulting to the scarring of the genitals. Cyst commonly referred to as epidermal clitoral inclusion cyst may also develop among women who undergo type 3 FGM (Rosenthal). Female Genital Mutilation has also psychological implications. These include sexual phobias, depression, and lack of libido which result in the premature ejaculation among women’s partners, personality disorders like rebellion which may eventually lead to psychiatric disorders (Rosenthal). Some evidences indicate that children who undergo FGM experience recurring nightmares (OHCR-UNOG). The socio-economic problems associated with FGM include higher divorce rate and drug abuse which are commonly associated with the males. It was found out that a male with mutilated wife has the tendency of using narcotics to give sexual pleasure to his wives (Rosenthal). Response to Female Genital Mutilation In 1997, World Health Organization (WHO) together with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) issued statements against the continuous practice of female genital mutilation. By 2008, a new statement was issued supporting the increased advocacy of totally condemning FGM which was backed heavily backed by more countries of the United Nation. The 2008 statement include data concerning the past and present practice of FGM. The statement also gave emphasis on the increased recognition of human rights and provided evidences regarding the extent of the issue. The damaging effects of FGM were also presented in order to affect changes in the public policy. From 1997, various government and non-government organizations both in the international and local levels ratified laws abandoning FGM (WHO). Conclusion Based on the study, it is apparent that female genital mutilation predominantly place women in a disadvantaged position. Immense cultural pressure is considered to be the root cause of FGM. However, based from several findings, religion also serves as an encouragement for the existence of such practice. The impact of FGM does not only affect women but also the society where it is widely recognized as a custom. Although, international interventions reduced the prevalence of FGM in African regions during the past years, its practice may not be totally eliminated if practicing communities will not abandon the act itself. Hence, organizations as well as government agencies should further promote awareness regarding the issue of FGM. Works Cited Lighfoot-Klein, Hanny. â€Å"Prisoners of ritual: Some contemporary developments in the history of female genital mutilation. † The Female Genital Mutilation Cutting Education And Networking Project. 30 April-03 May 1991. 10 December 2008 http://www. fgmnetwork. org/Lightfoot-klein/prisonersofritual. htm. Office of the High Commisioner of Human Rights-United Nations Organization. â€Å"Fact sheet no. 23, harmful traditional practices affecting the health of women and children. † Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 2008. 10 December 2008 http://www. unhchr. ch/html/menu6/2/fs23. htm#ii. Osten-Sacken, Thomas and Uwer, Thomas. â€Å"Is female genital mutilation an Islamic problem? † The Middle East Quarterly. 2007. 10 December 2008 http://www. meforum. org/article/1629#_ftn38. Rosenthal, Sara. The Gynecological Sourcebook. Chicago, IL: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003. Steiner, Henry, Alston, Philip and Goodman, Ryan. International Human Rights in Context: Law, Politics, Morals: Test And Materials. New York: Oxford University Press US, 2008 World Health Organization. â€Å"Female genital mutilation. † May 2008. 10 December 2008 http://www. who. int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/.

Communication Healthcare

Communication Healthcare This essay will look at communication within a healthcare setting and will give examples from literature to demonstrate the importance of communication. It will use the work of (Ellis Beattie, 1986) and also (Egan, 1990) as models for effective communication. It will discuss whether these models are adequate alone to enable effective communication and will also draw on personal experiences from the clinical area. Communication underpins all other nursing interventions (Minardi Riley, 1997). Communication is a fundamental tool for healthcare delivery (Rungapadiachy, 1999). To listen to another person is the most caring act of all, Listening and attending are by far the most important aspects of being a nurse (Burnard, 1992). (Roper, 2001) Emphasizes communication as an integral part of the unique function of nursing. (Peplau, 1988) used the term, psychodynamic nursing, to describe the dynamic relationship between a nurse and a patient. Peplau described four phases of this relationship: The orientation phase, in which the person and the nurse mutually identify the persons problem. The identification phase, in which the person identifies with the nurse, thereby accepting help. The exploitation phase, in which the person makes use of the nurses help. The resolution phase, in which the person accepts new goals and frees herself or himself from the relationship. Peplau also identified six nursing roles of the nurse: Counseling Role working with the patient on current problems Leadership Role working with the patient democratically Surrogate Role figuratively standing in for aperson in the patients life Stranger accepting the patient objectively Resource Person interpreting the medical plan to the patient Teaching Role offering information and helping the patient learn (Betts, 1992) states that people have a basic drive to relate to one another, which is expressed through communication. Even if conversation doesnt take place, smiling as is not smiling a form of communication albeit non verbal. Communication can be conceptualized as a series of components that require a message, transmitter, receiver and a channel for transmission. All of these elements can be categorized into either verbal or non-verbal components. Both of these categories combine in the skill of active listening, which is a cornerstone of effective communication (Minardi Riley, 1997). (Ellis Beattie, 1986) used a diagram to illustrate the communication system, (appendix a). The communication system is divided into verbal and non-verbal parts. The verbal communication consists of words, clauses and sentences, which enables the exchange of information, clarification of issues, demonstrating understanding and to offer support and direction. The non-verbal system contains four elements: Prosodic, which is used to give emphasis to verbal communication through intonation and rhythm. Paralinguistic, which are the vocal but non-verbal expressions such as mmm, ah which will allow the person offering the information the confirmation that they are being listened to. Kinesic, is body language, for example facial expressions, gestures, position of the recipient. And The standing element, which may include physical appearance, personal space. Although a model of communication can simply demonstrate the communication process it can also oversimplify. A model only provides a framework for observing, understanding and predicting what occurs when two people communicate (Heath, 1995). Effective communication between a nurse and a patient is a conscious, goal directed process that differs from casual or social interactions. It is undertaken as a tool with which to develop trust, effect change, promote health, provide limits, reinforce, orient, convey, identify and work towards goals (Schultz Videbeck, 2002) An important aspect within effective communication is the ability to understand the message. Each element of communication must be examined separately. For example, within the Kinesic element, (Egan 1990) offers the acronym, SOLER, when considering the aspect of body language. Egan suggests to: Sit Squarely in relation to the client, Maintain an Open posture, Lean slightly towards the client, Maintain reasonable Eye contact, Relax. Through personal experience whilst in the clinical area I have implemented this acronym and found it effective although needing to examine my own actions later to assess whether its was used to its full potential. I have found that to sit squarely with the client isnt necessarily the best position this has offered periods of discomfort both for myself and visibly to the patient. By sitting in this position there is less opportunity to break eye contact without appearing distracted or disinterested. Open body posture can give a sense of disinterest as well as increasing anxiety in myself in situations where there may be a risk of physical aggression. In the suggestion that Egan gives of relaxing, this has been easier at times when the other suggestions of Egans have been modified. (Betts, 1992) states it is important not to stare at the patient for too long as this can be seen as an intimidating gesture as also can distance where too close can be seen as an invasion or a threat or too far can be interpreted as the nurse being unable to cooperate. Within the verbal element it is also important for the nurse to recognize the difference between a person saying what they mean and meaning what they say (Minardi Riley, 1997). An example of this from my own clinical experience was whilst having a conversation with a patient, they told me that they just wanted to kill themself. When we explored this statement further the patient said that they didnt actually mean they wanted to kill themselves but rather that they felt they couldnt cope with current problems. By sitting and discussing these problems, a number were able to be resolved and others discussed. In this situation and with such an alarming statement for a student nurse it would have been an easy get out to dismiss the statement. (Speight, 1991) however, states that by responding in this way could have led to the patient being unwilling to explore this statement further. Speight suggests that reflection can be used as a communication technique. For example, when the patient made the statement, the response that could be used is one of â€Å" you want to kill yourself?† and thereby encouraging a further response from the patient about the statement. To enable effective communication the healthcare worker must also be aware of the individual factors involved. All communication between individuals has internal factors that can influence the sending or receiving of the message, these may include beliefs, goals, physical and emotional states and the perceptions of others roles, status and personality. External factors may include environmental, social, biological, psychological and economic influences (George, 1990). (Minardi Riley, 1997) suggests that it is also important in being an effective communicator to ensure that the language used during communication is at a level that can be understood through familiarity of words. Once the basics of communication are understood, in order to turn this into effective communication it is important for the healthcare worker to examine their own actions through reflection (Minardi Riley, 1997). This may be done with the aid of a model of reflection such as Gibbs reflective cycle (appendix 2). Gibbs identifies five points for reflection. Description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action. By using Gibbs reflective cycle I have been able to identify obstacles either personal, environmental or on a physical level. This I believe has led me to a greater understanding of my own actions, thoughts or feelings and helped me identify solutions to these obstacles. Conclusion In conclusion, this essay has identified and examined models of communication and discussed the various elements involved. It has given examples from literature to stress the importance of communication and identified elements needed towards communication being effective within healthcare. It has drawn on personal experience form the clinical area to demonstrate the skills required in maintaining a therapeutic relationship and also identified the need for ongoing reflection during the communication processes.

Politics Essays Radical Islam Uzbekistan

Politics Essays Radical Islam Uzbekistan Radical Islam Uzbekistan Preventing Radical Islam and Conflicts in Uzbekistan If one thing hasn’t changed in Central Asia and especially in Uzbekistan after US War on terrorism, it’s the authorities fear of â€Å"Hizb-ut-Tahrir† and â€Å"IMU† Islamic movements banned in all Central Asian countries, with its headquarters in Europe, that strives to recreate an undivided Muslim caliphate, encompassing all Muslim lands. Soon after Uzbekistan gain independence after Soviet Union’s collapse, Uzbekistan like other 15 former Soviet countries began its own way in socioeconomic and democratic development. As we can see from 1991 till about 1998 Uzbekistan achieved some progress comparing other four Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Great potential of Uzbekistan like rich natural resources, industrial and agricultural sectors and human resources (Uzbekistan is most populous country in Central Asia and during Soviet period was fourth most important country in whole Soviet Union) and other factors helped Uzbekistan to become the first country in Central Asia in the early stages of Independence. It is still the region’s most militarily capable and populous country, and large Uzbek minorities live in neighboring states. But those great reforms of too corrupt and repressive government were short term and self interests of President, his family and too much corrupt centralized Government and their authoritarian rule showed that Uzbekistan could not achieve those ideal results, which were promised before by President. Socioeconomic decline caused and still causes many conflicts inside country and Uzbekistan’s unequal relations with its neighbors and efforts trying to be dominant country in the region resulted many conflicts among other Central Asian Countries. Uzbekistan is multinational country consisting majority of Uzbeks and 85 percent of the country is Muslims (99 percent Sunnites). My great fear is that soon after Uzbekistan President’s rule ends, who has been on the post more than 18 years, a civil war for Uzbek throne will be began by Fundamental Islamists Groups and main Governmental clans and it may last long time spreading to other Central Asian states and could be bloody. That the conflict in Uzbekistan poses a threat is largely a result of government policies that have led to a combination of authoritarian rule, economic decline, social discontent, and a polarized political arena in which radical Islamist groups have begun to occupy an important underground role. These domestic pressures are played against a backdrop of poor relations with neighboring states, and in a region characterized by instability and may cause many conflicts. Authoritarian Regime The government is highly centralized and personalized around President. Uzbekistan has neither any opposition nor democratic parties. Uzbekistan is now considered as one the ten most repressive and authoritarian countries in the world and the situation is becoming more and more severe. Evidence continues to mount that Uzbekistan’s â€Å"unique state-construction model† is falling apart. However, now after recent Andijan (an east city of the country) massacre in 2005, where thousands of people led by mainly local businessmen protested against President’s brutal regime, the President showed no intention to leave his post killing hundreds of innocent civilians. Decisions are largely made by President only and parliament is nothing but a puppet show. There is widespread evidence of human-rights abuses by the security forces against political opponents of the regime. Media has no democracy and the main role of media is propaganda and informing people that Uzbekistan is achieving great results in development and plays great role in International arena, and praising the President for his merits. Besides, the fact is that one cannot get access for Independent Internet web sites which shows the real picture. Any International media, organizations, and NGOs criticizing Uzbekistan is banned and prohibited in the state. Elections are held both to the presidency and to parliament do not meet international standards of free and fair elections. OSCE and other International Organizations refused many times to participate in elections announcing all elections of Uzbekistan against democratic standards. However, the first election for presidency after independence was fairly democratic, but still taking into account the fact that current president Mr. Karimov was at that time a First Secretary of the Communist Party of the state (same as President of a State), the elections were viewed as not free and fair by international observers. After independence Mr. Karimov encouraged anti-Russian nationalist sentiment and millions of Russians and many other nations fled Uzbekistan. Activities of missionaries from some Islamic countries with absence of real opportunities to participate in public affairs contributed to popularization of radical interpretation of Islam. In 1999, 2000, and 2004 some terroristic acts were held in Uzbekistan and even an attempt to kill President but President Karimov nearly escaped an attempt. The government blamed the â€Å"Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan† (IMU), â€Å"Hizb-ut-Tahrir†, â€Å"Wahhabism† and other Radical Islamists Groups in the attacks. In result of law-enforcement operations, thousands of people were suspected and imprisoned. During the early stages of independence, many observers considered Uzbekistan’s relative socio-economic and political stability to President Islam Karimov’s authoritarian policies. Despite the country’s often abysmal human rights record, and over the protests of human rights organizations and increasingly repressed opposition groups, most international financial assistance (including security aid) has continued to flow. Ironically, in past the Uzbekistan government’s frequent abuses out of concerns regarding Islamist radicalism in the region, the international community has inadvertently helped create exactly the conditions that it has always feared the most. Growing political repression and poverty now provide a fertile breeding ground for violence, instability and increasingly active Islamist extremist groups. The authoritarian approach has at best postponed, but not defused, economic and political crisis. It requires relatively enormous financial, human and other resources for the government of Uzbekistan to maintain authoritarian rule and keep control over competing internal factions based on regionalism, ethnicity, and patronage networks. The establishment of near absolute power by the executive branch has only been achieved though a brutal crackdown on moderate voices and through power-sharing arrangements with leftover Soviet-era bureaucrats in the â€Å"power† ministries. Tashkent’s authoritarian domestic approach has sparked a political crisis marked by mismanagement, the emergence of a strong Islamist opposition, broad economic dislocation, endemic corruption, growing dissatisfaction with the government, poor relations with neighbors and continuing regional turmoil. Radical Islam Thus as mentioned before, Uzbek government’s eliminating all oppositions and democratic leaders created exactly the conditions that it has always feared the most. Socioeconomic decline, human rights abuses, corrupted government acts and other factors caused many people who are tired of government to follow only existing leaders Radical Islamists Groups leaders. Two major groups opposed to the regime have been active after independence. These are the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and â€Å"Hizb ut-Tahrir†. Main ideology of these groups is almost the same: to overthrown the President’s regime and to create a â€Å"Caliphate† Islamic State according to â€Å"Sharia† (Islam Constitution) not only in Uzbekistan but also in some other Central Asian countries. The main difference of these two Islamic groups is that Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) is a military violent group, while Hizb-ut-Tahrir is more a politic group and against violence, which is based on Islamic Ideology. However, both of them are considered as Radical Islamist Groups. IMU Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan The unrest that led to the formation of the IMU began in late 1991, when some unemployed young Muslims seized the Communist Party headquarters in the eastern city of Namangan, incensed at the mayors refusal to give them land on which to build a mosque. The men were led by Mr. Tohir Yuldeshev, and Mr. Jumaboi Khojaev. Mr. Yuldeshev, a 24-year-old college drop-out, was a well-known â€Å"mullah† in the Islamic underground movement, while Mr. Khojaev was a former Soviet paratrooper who had served in Afghanistan where he was said to have developed a high regard for the â€Å"mujahidin† against whom he fought and revitalized his Muslim faith. The group led by Yuldeshev and Khojaev, who later adopted the alias Juma Namanganiy, after his hometown (Namangan city), were members of the recently formed Uzbekistan branch of the Islamic Renaissance Party (IRP). Disillusioned at the IRPs refusal to demand the establishment of a Muslim state, these men set up their own splinter movement, â€Å"Adolat† (or Justice) which called for an Islamic revolution in Uzbekistan. President Karimov banned â€Å"Adolat† party in 1992, arresting many of its members. The groups leadership fled to Tajikistan, enlisting with the IRP there. With the outbreak of that countrys civil war, Yuldeshev moved to Afghanistan, later beginning a networking odyssey around the worlds Islamic states, visiting Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. He also met with various intelligence agencies, requesting funds and sanctuary. He received both from Pakistans Interservices Intelligence, and was based in Peshawar from 1995 to 1998. It has been claimed that Yuldeshev was also funded by intelligence services and Islamic charities in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey. He also met with Chechen rebel leaders during the first Chechen war of 1994-96, as well as establishing underground cells of the â€Å"Adolat† party across Central Asia which would be crucial in the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) campaigns five years later. Meanwhile, Namangani fought in the Tajik civil war, establishing a reputation for himself as a daring fighter and becoming a revered and charismatic leader. When the war ended, Namangani at first refused to accept the cease-fire. Eventually he was persuaded to do so, settling with his family and some fifty of his men at a farm in the village. Here he began working in the transportation business and, it has been alleged, first became involved in heroin smuggling as a way of feeding his growing camp of followers, which attracted many of Central Asias Islamic radicals, disaffected at the ceasefire in Tajikistan which many viewed as a sell-out. Proceedings from drug smuggling were also used to finance the group which, in 1998, became known as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). This connection with drug trafficking has continued, and the organization reportedly handles 70 percent of the heroin and opium traffic through Central Asia. The IMUs creation was announced from Kabul by Namangani and Yuldeshev, the latter having settled here by this time as a guest of the Taliban. Yuldeshev was also given a residence in Kandahar, where Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Talibans spiritual leader, and Osama bin Laden also lived. By now Yuldeshev had met Bin Laden, who recognized the Uzbek as a potential ally in Central Asia, a region where al Qaeda had few contacts and cultivated him as such. Namangani and Yuldeshev decided to move their operations to Afghanistan in 1997 in the face of fresh crackdowns in Uzbekistan, provoked by a series of bloody murders attributed to the Uzbek Islamic extremists. Moreover, the ceasefire in Tajikistan made it an unreliable sanctuary, while the Taliban made natural allies for Yuldeshev and Namangani, not least in that Uzbek President Karimov was supporting the anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan. The United States believed that bin Laden supplied most of the funding for setting up the IMU, with some Uzbek and Tajik officials saying the al Qaeda leader encouraged Yuldeshev and Namangani to organize such a the group in the first place, which declared a â€Å"jihad† against the Uzbek government and sought to establish an Islamic state in Uzbekistan. The organization is also believed to have received funding from Saudi sources, including some close to Prince Turki al-Faisal, the head of Saudi intelligence. The IMU, like the Taliban and al Qaeda has no overarching political manifesto, being more interested in implementing â€Å"sharia† not as a way of creating just society but simply as a means to regulate personal behavior and dress code for Muslims a concept that distorts centuries of tradition, culture, history, and even the religion of Islam itself. The organization also lacks the legitimacy of the Tajik Islamicists, drawing its idea of Islamism from foreign sources, namely, Saudi â€Å"Wahhabism† and the Talibans version of â€Å"Deobandism†. Central Asias Ferghana Valley, where the Uzbek, Kyrgyz, and Tajik borders converge, has been the main area for IMU operations, and the organization has launched punitive campaigns here in 1999, 2000 and 2001, which have affected all three countries and disrupted relations between them. There were some fights between Uzbek military forces and IMU units came through borders of Tajikistan and Kirgizstan. Uzbekistan responded by laying mines on much of its border with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which have led to the deaths of scores of local people. Moreover, Uzbek Air forces bombed a village in Kirgizstan which was occupied by IMU warriors. These and other events led to disrupted relations among Central Asian countries. In addition, the IMU was responsible for a series of car bombings in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent which killed many people in 1999, as well as numerous kidnappings. The group also fought in the civil war in Afghanistan, and is currently fighting alongside Taliban and al Qaeda forces. Pakistani sources claim that the IMU may have supplied bin Laden with fissile material for manufacturing an improvised nuclear explosive device. More recently, significant numbers of IMU fighters were involved in the battle in the Shah-I-Kot valley, and there is little doubt that the organization has suffered heavy losses at the hands of U.S. and coalition forces. There has also been speculation that Namangani was killed in earlier U.S. air raids. If so, his death did not stop his men putting up fierce resistance at Shah-I-Kot. Moreover, the IMUs power base lies not in Afghanistan, but in the Ferghana Valley itself, a region the organization has found to be a fertile recruiting ground, largely due to the brutal and counterproductive reprisals of the President Karimov regime. It may well be there that any final show-down with the remnants of the group that poses the greatest threat to Central Asias security will take place. Hizb ut-Tahrir Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami (The Party of Islamic Liberation) stands apart from better known radical Islamist movements by its apparent opposition to the use of violence. But its views are highly radical, advocating the overthrow of governments throughout the Muslim world and their replacement by an Islamic state in the form of a recreated â€Å"Caliphate†. It has grown quickly in Central Asia and been met with a heavy-handed repression that threatens to radicalize members still further and sow the seeds of greater Islamist extremism in the region. Hizb ut-Tahrir first emerged among Palestinians in Jordan in the early 1950s. It has achieved a small, but highly committed following in a number of Middle Eastern states and has also gained in popularity among Muslims in Western Europe and Indonesia. It began working in Central Asia in the mid-1990s and has developed a committed following inside Uzbekistan, and to a lesser extent in neighboring Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. Estimates of its strength vary widely, but a rough figure is probably 15-20,000 throughout Central Asia. Its influence should not be exaggerated it has little public support in a region where there is limited appetite for political Islam but it has become by far the largest radical Islamist movement in the area. Hizb ut-Tahrir is not a religious organization, but rather a political party whose ideology is based on Islam. It aims to re-establish the historical â€Å"Caliphate† in order to bring together all Muslim lands under Islamic rule and establish a state capable of counterbalancing the West. It rejects contemporary efforts to establish Islamic states, asserting that Saudi Arabia and Iran do not meet the necessary criteria. According to Hizb ut-Tahrir, the Islamic state is one in which Islamic law Sharia is applied to all walks of life, and there is no compromise with other forms of legislation. Hizb ut-Tahrir claims to reject violence as a form of political struggle, and most of its activities are peaceful. In theory, the group rejects terrorism, considering the killing of innocents to be against Islamic law. However, behind this rhetoric, there is some ideological justification for violence in its literature, and it admits participation in a number of failed coup attempts in the Middle East. It also has contacts with some groups much less scrupulous about violence. But despite the allegations of governments, there is no proof of its involvement in terrorist activities in Central Asia or elsewhere. Government responses have been contradictory and often ineffective. In much of the Middle East, the organization is banned from acting openly, and many of its members have been imprisoned. Central Asian governments have taken particularly harsh stances, with Uzbekistan leading the way by arresting and sentencing thousands of members to long prison terms. In some other Muslim countries, such as Indonesia, Hizb ut-Tahrir acts more or less openly, as it does in much of Western Europe. Wider policies of governments in Central Asia have probably contributed to the growth of Hizb ut-Tahrir, particularly in Uzbekistan. Repression by the Uzbek government has given it a certain mystique among some of the population, and the lack of alternative forms of political opposition or expression of discontent has ensured that it has attracted members from the mass of those opposed to the regime for political reasons. Poor economic policies have further undermined support for the government, and induced discontent among traders a key Hizb ut-Tahrir constituency. Uzbekistan’s restrictive border regime has also increased support for a group that advocates a universal Muslim state, with no national distinctions. For a small but significant group of predominantly young men, Hizb ut-Tahrir gives an easy explanation for their own failure to achieve change in their personal lives, in society or in the state system. It provides young men with some meaning and structured belief in an era of otherwise confusing and difficult social change. It also offers occasional material benefit and social support in states characterized by extreme poverty and social breakdown. Repression of its members, and often of those merely associated with them, has radicalized the movement, and had an impact on wider societies. Given the radical ideas of the group and the conspiratorial nature of its political struggle, it is understandable that governments are concerned about its impact on stability. But too often governments in the region, particularly in Uzbekistan, use Hizb ut-Tahrir as an excuse for their own failure to carry out political and economic reform and for continuing suppression of religious activity outside narrow official structures. Too often the international community has turned a blind eye to this repression. The West, and the U.S. in particular, is in danger of damaging its reputation in the region by close association with Central Asian dictatorships. Concern over Nuclear Terrorism Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asia and especially Kazakhstan with Uzbekistan played an active role in the development of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) due to its massive reserves of uranium tapped for fissile material. As the Soviet Union collapsed, the Soviet military-industrial complex left behind significant amounts of WMD as well as poorly guarded reactors and facilities for uranium enrichment. These facilities have been of increasing concern for the states in the region, as well as the United States, as nuclear weapons and material could get into the hands of terrorists or rogue states. The Institute of Nuclear Physics in Tashkent has been considered as especially vulnerable to terrorism due to the presence of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) in the country and their ties to Al Qaeda. Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama Bin-Laden’s top deputy, reportedly bragged that they would send their people to Moscow, to Tashkent, to other Central Asian states, and they negotiate, and Terroristic groups would purchase some suitcase nuclear bombs. The truth behind this could be disputed, but the fact remains that the United States have since 9/11 invested large sums to prevent such a development in Central Asia. Clans Warfare The Samarkand and Tashkent (two biggest cities of the state) clans are believed to be the most powerful on Uzbekistan’s political scene. And it looks like the rivalry between the two has deepened lately. President Islam Karimov, a native of Samarkand, a former finance minister in the Uzbek Soviet republic, came to power in 1989 with the support of the head of the Samarkand clan. Since the early days of independence, Karimov not wanting to damage his own position has attempted to achieve a balance of power among different political groups. However, that has fueled rivalries even more. Actually, President Karimov benefits from the rivalry most of all. He can be calmly sitting in his office, watching, and feeling very safe. What happened recently to top officials, and what is likely to happen to many others is nothing but clan rivalry. The rivalry between the Interior Ministry (MVD) and National Security Council (SNB) (former KGB) is typical in ex-Soviet countries. But in Uzbekistan this rivalry has deepened lately. One is inclined to think that all processes are driven by inter-clan relationships. The two strongest clans for the time being are the MVD and the SNB. They compete and fight with each other all the time. Does President Karimov, who has skillfully maintained the balance of power among the clans for several years, have full control over the situation? Or has he been influenced by those clans? Analysts say that Karimov doesn’t have full control. President Karimov benefits from the rivalry among the clans. However, he is playing a dangerous game, as one of these clans is likely to overthrow President Karimov and put in power someone from their clan instead of him. I don’t know how long this agony will last, but society could explode any moment, triggered by some insignificant event that will then have a chain reaction. People are on the edge. The authorities haven’t grasped the situation. They don’t understand how strong people’s despair is and what the people are capable of doing at this moment. But within more than 16 years of Independence any conditions for a peaceful and democratic handover of power have not been created, statehood remains clannish, and no politicians with public personas have appeared in the last 16 years. Conclusion Closed political systems, lack of freedom of speech, lack of economic progress, socioeconomic decline and unreformed and brutal security services all contribute to the growth of radical opposition groups. In order to avoid future conflicts the followings should be implemented by the Government of Uzbekistan such as: Decentralization, the delegation of power to a lower level, and the expansion of the power and opportunities for local self-governance bodies and local government authorities in Uzbekistan today must be combined with the establishment of judicial oversight independent of executive bodies, the strengthening of the role of civil-based organizations and the development of an independent mass media. Without the simultaneous development of all the aforementioned components, decentralization and the promotion of local self governance may result in continuing management by the authorities of the local community organizations, limiting the citizens’ participation in local governance. Such a reduction of people’s participation in community actions is likely to increase social tension. The government should permit secular as well as religious opposition groups, including the â€Å"Birlik People’s Movement† and the â€Å"Erk Democratic Party† and other Islamists Parties, to register as political parties. Moreover, government should to allow Representatives of Islam to join and actively act in the Parliament. The government should allow human rights groups of Uzbekistan to register officially as non-governmental organizations and should direct the security services to stop intimidating their staff. More resources should be channeled directly into improving national living standards, rather than enlarging the already considerable role of regional police and military forces. The constitutional right to practice religion in private and public, freely and without interference, should be upheld. The government should implement the constitutional separation of state and religion and end its practice of designating state-sponsored Islamic leaders. The separation and equality of the executive, judiciary and legislative branches declared by the Constitution should be upheld. The government should combat unlawful practices by security agencies, such as the harassment of journalists and human rights activists. The International Community The International Community has a key role to play and it is in the security interests of the international community to ensure that political opposition to unpopular regimes does not by default coalesce into a more militant group, with a more violent and dangerous agenda than the present-day some Radical Islamists Groups. The international community, in particular the United States, the European Union nations and Japan, must be more discriminating in their response to the problem of Islamist extremism, recognizing that unquestioning support for secular dictatorships only antagonizes Central Asian Muslim communities, thus encouraging extremism and an anti-Western orientation. Government donors to Uzbekistan should make it clear that their assistance will be predicated on political liberalization, including such measures as registering opposition parties and human rights organizations to encourage the establishment of a legitimate political opposition and an unhindered civil society. The U.S. Russian and Chinese governments should withhold security assistance until Uzbekistan’s human rights record, including performance of the security services, improves significantly, and, in keeping with the International Religious Freedom Act, should condition the future of the Joint Commissions on Uzbekistan’s efforts to combat human rights abuses based on the religious convictions of its citizens. The United States, the EU and Japan should demand investigations into the case of the Human Rights Defenders and other Political â€Å"Enemies† of Uzbekistan who are right now in jails of Uzbekistan or were killed by regional police and military forces. The international financial institutions should condition their aid on the Uzbek government making considerable progress in opening the economy, developing the rule of law and fostering democracy. Bibliography and References Uzbekistan at ten Repression and Instability, International Crisis Group Report, Brussel/Osh, 21 August 2001 Civil society, religious freedom, and Islam Karimov: Uzbekistans struggle for a decent society, John R. Pottenger, Routledge, March 2004 Uzbekistan: Transition to Authoritarian on the Silk Road, Neil J. Melvin. Amsterdam, Harwood, 2000 Islam and Central Asia, S. Eisenhower and R. Sagdaeev, Washington, DC. The Eisenhower Institute, 2000 Civil conflict and the construction of democratic polities in the Muslim world: The cases of Algeria and Uzbekistan, European consortium for political research Joint Sessions of Workshops Uppsala, 13-18 April 2004 Central Asia Caucasus Analysthttp://www.cacianalyst.org/index.php Fergana.ruhttp://enews.ferghana.ru/index.php?cid=2 History of Uzbekistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Uzbekistan International Crisis Grouphttp://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=1432l=1 Stop dictator Karimov! Stop totalitarian regimes around the world! http://dot-stopdictatorkarimov.com-614467.namezero.com//id6.html Terrorism Projectshttp://www.cdi.org/terrorism/imu.cfm Hizb ut-Tahrirhttp://hrw.org/reports/2004/uzbekistan0304/6.htm

Leonardo Da Vinci :: Visual Arts Paintings Art

Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci is a world renowned Italian painter, sculptor, architect, musician, engineer, and scientist. His curiosity for the things around him and the research was the fundamental point of his artistic and scientific accomplishments. His creations in painting influenced Italian art centuries after his death and his scientific studies (anatomy, optics and hydraulics) have helped made many developments of modern science. His famous paintings for example the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper are known world wide. People crave to own his paintings, or even just to have a look at them; Leonardo had influenced everyone up to this present day. Even Bill Gates used $30 million US for Leonardo’s painting ‘Codex Leicester’! Who is this remarkable man? And what did he do that taught the world to look at art and science in a new perspective? Leonardo told us that he was born on April 15th 1952 in the city of Vinci in Italy and was the son of a notary and a peasant girl. His parents had a lot of kids, but not with each other and having him ending up with 17 half sisters and brothers. He said that living in Vinci was the place where he developed his creativity and interest in nature. He was also exposed to the ancient Vinci painting tradition at that time. In 1466, he moved to Florence where he was apprenticed in the famous workshop of ‘Andrea Del Verrochio’. While working there, he painted an angel in Verrochio’s ‘Baptist of Christ’. His painting was so much better than his master that Verrochio never painted again. In 1482, Leonardo wrote a letter to the Duke of Milan telling him that he could build portable bridges that would enable dry routes for people to travel. At this time, he carried notebooks and started to keep all his ideas, opinions on everything including domestic, personal, scientific and philosophical along with explanatory sketches. These notebooks were full of advice for science and art not only for the people in the Renaissance but also useful painters now. The Duke gave lots of jobs to him that included designing weapons, buildings and machinery. He produced lots of ideas for nature, flying machines, geometry and mechanical things. His eager to start new things made it hard for him to complete the things that he had started making him only completing 6 of 17 works that he had done. He started to find himself interested in painting, architecture, the elements of mechanics and human anatomy from 1490 to 1495. He spent this time studying science or locking himself up in his room

Gender Stereotypes in Culture Essay -- Gender Issues

1. Describe our cultural gender stereotypes, objectification, and media portrayals of women and how these lead to violence against women. Gender is the psychological characteristics and social categories that are created by human culture. Doing gender is the concept that humans express their gender when they interact with one another; it is done every day without thinking about it. Messages about how a male or female is supposed to act come from countless places. According to Helen M. Eigenberg in Woman Battering in the United States, â€Å"Gender construction starts with assignment to a sex category on the basis of what the genitalia look like at birth. Then babies are dressed or adorned in a way that displays the category because parents don’t want to be constantly asked whether their baby is a girl or a boy† (2001, p. 32). Schools, parents, and friends influence a person. Treatment of one gender differs from those in another. Gender roles also change. Another major factor that influences millions of impressionable females and males is television. Not only does the television teach each sex how to act, it also shows how one sex should expect the other sex to act. In the current television broadcasting, stereotypical behavior goes from programming for the exceptionally young to adult audiences. In this broadcasting range, females are portrayed as motherly, passive and innocent, sex objects, or they are overlooked completely or seen as unimportant entities. In the United States, as well as throughout the majority of the world, people are bombarded with commercials, ads, and articles on a daily basis. The information is used to appeal to the masses. Society perpetuates violence against women through the use of the medi... ...d forcing villagers to carry their food, ammunition, and gear into the jungle. Women cannot even walk to the market without being grabbed by the throat and raped. Domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, rape, and so on all intersect with one another. Many forms of violence are used in combination with one another to establish power and control over the victim. In addition, gender stereotypes, objectification, media portrayal of women, and victim blaming increase and cause the use of violence against women. Works Cited Eigenberg, H. (2001). Women battering in the united states. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland Press, Inc. Herbert, B. (2009, August 7). Women at risk. The New York Times , p. A19-A20. Russell, D. (1993). Pornography causes violence. Against pornography: the evidence of harm (p. 149-151). Berkeley, CA: Russell Publications.

The Horrifying Details of Mad Cow Disease Essay -- Mad Cow Disease Hea

The Horrifying Details of Mad Cow Disease   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mad Cow Disease, scientifically referred to as (BSE) Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, is a disease that affects those humans who eat the meat from infected cows. Mad Cow Disease is one of several fatal brain diseases called (TSE) Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy. (USDA) There was evidence of a new illness resembling the sheep disease scrapie. It was technically named BSE but quickly acquired the mad cow tag because of the way infected cattle behave. (CNN) In 1997, there was an award given to Stanley Prusiner, for concluding that a distorted protein called a prion was responsible for Mad Cow Disease, noted the long incubation period made it difficult to distinguish (Bryant). Another name for Mad Cow Disease is the new variant Cruetzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), similar to the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, which is a deadly brain illness that strikes about one per million per year (USDA) due to genetic or unknown causes while the vCJD is contracted from eating in fected cows (USDA). Both CJD and vCJD are so similarly named because of the similar effects from the illness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This case study shows the effect of CJD. The story has been said to be on the natural occurring CJD but is still in the family with the same kind of effects as vCJD. It is just contracted differently. According to Rocky Mountain News in an article written by Lou Kilzer, Tracie Mcewen noticed something wrong for the first time on Mother’s Day of 1998 (Kilzer). Doug, her husband, always made her homemade cards for Mother’s Day, but he did not this year. Although Tracie thought Doug was mad at her or just being forgetful, he died ten months later from a rare brain ravaging disease (Kilzer). After his death an autopsy showed that it was not Mad Cow Disease. Some scientists wondered if his and four other deaths were somehow connected to a related disease in deer and elk called (CWD) Chronic Wasting Disease, considering that Doug was an avid hunter (Kilzer). Before losing Doug, Tracie wrote the following accounts of the ravages for a support group, serving families of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease victims (Kilzer). Tracie’s letter was written in January of 1999.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tracie was twenty-eight years old at the time, and Doug was thirty years old. They have two girls, Sharon who is eight years old and Rilee who is three years old. They li... ...ases that are just as bad like CWD, but people have known about them. Mad Cow, BSE, vCJD--it is here and real and will kill anyone who gives it a chance. It does not pick an individual. It does not pick innocent or guilty. The people choose it. Mad Cow will either stop a person in his train of thought or fly past like a busy bee. This disease is not as well-known as some but is just as deadly. BSE has many terms all under the same definition. Whether a person sees this brain ravaging disease as a threat or a joke, it is up to each individual. Works Cited â€Å"A Beef With Beef.† USDA. 8 Feb. 1999. Ask Jeeves. 29 Aug. 2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bryant, Gerry, Dr., and Monk, Philip, Dr.â€Å"The Queniborough Report† 26 Aug. 2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Cannibals to Cows the Path of a Deadly Disease† Newsweek. 12 March 2001 â€Å"Fear and Mystery Of Cross Species Killer.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CNN 26 Oct. 2000. Yahoo. 26 Aug. 2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kilzer, Lou. â€Å"A Family Grieves: Young Utah Hunter’s Untimely Death Attributed To CJD   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But Survivors Want Closer Look At Venison Connection.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rocky Mountain News 1 June 2002. Google. 29 Aug. 2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Mad Cow Update.† Consumer Freedom. 20 March 2000. Ask Jeeves. 29 Aug. 2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

The Learners and The Lesson

During this class I could notice that the students are able to communicate in an efficient way in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange and interaction of information requested by the teacher. They were able to use and apply the prepositions of place accordingly; however, I believe they should focus more on using the language in other contexts in order to have them practice more and facilitate the recognition of the given structures.Their interaction with the teacher and among each other showed grammar, lexis, and pronunciation mistakes and errors, but this is a crucial part of the learning process, so I believe it is appropriate to their level. CONCLUSION The importance of evaluating the learner's spoken language is greatly high since we need to be aware of their needs in order to plan lessons that truly help our students. We should take into consideration that it is very important to make feel our students comfortable and in a safe environment so they can practice the language without fear and nervousness.Developing productive skills always suppose a challenge for both learners and teachers. If we have a good class atmosphere, students will perform freely and enthusiastically.

Examine the factors affecting the domestic division of labour among couples Essay

The Division of Labour refers to the range of tasks within a social system. This can vary from everyone doing the same thing to each person having a specialised role. The division of domestic labour is the tasks given to each person in a house unit. For example the wife may do the housework, whilst the husband goes out to work. The division of domestic labour can also include childcare and emotion work, two things that previously were completely down to the wife but now are becoming more evenly spread between family members. Cultural factors that affect the division of labour are aspects like lagged adaptation. Jonathan Gershuny said wives who are in paid work do less housework (men do 27%), but the tasks are still sex-typed: men focus on DIY where as women cook. His explanation was there are gradual changes in values- known as lagged adaptation, and that over time parental role models will show children that men do housework too. Different ethnicities have different family structures- in many American families especially, the man is still the breadwinner and head of the household, while the wife cooks, cleans, and bears and raises children. Conjugal (marital) roles will vary depending on culture, if the society around a family typically has the man working then spending his leisure time with colleagues, that’s how that family will function because they are socialised that way. Some legal factors influence the division of labour, for instance it’s now easier and more socially acceptable for couples to get a divorce, so in a way there’s more pressure on men to keep things civil in the household. If the wife is unhappy, she can just leave. On the other hand, men and women don’t always have equal pay, which affects the division of labour as a popular belief in families is that the highest earner should do the least domestic work. Economic factors have had a significant impact on the division of labour,  ¾ of married/cohabiting women in the UK make money, which has resulted in ‘The New Man’. This is the idea that since women are bringing in an income, men are more willing to do domestic work. Rosemary Crompton pointed out that men do more in the home when the woman’s economical power increases (though the DOL is still unequal). However, women only earn  ¾ of what men earn, so men can never do quite as much housework based on their wives income. Feminists on the other hand feel that instead of a change in men, all that has altered is that women now bear a dual burden; this is the combination of paid work and domestic work. They believe modern men are benefiting from their wives’ financial income on top of them doing the housework and looking after the children. Lydia Morris found that even when the male partner is unemployed, the woman still does the domestic work as the male suffers a crisis of masculinity, so they refuse to demean themselves with housework. Women’s working hasn’t impacted on the division of childcare either; fewer than 4% of men were deemed the main child-carer in 1996. Additionally, Hochschild defined the concept of emotion work as a job where you manage someone’s emotions (for example an air stewardess). Feminists say women are working, looking after children/domestic labour, and are emotionally supporting the family. Jean Dunscombe and Dennis Marsden call this a triple shift (emotion work + domestic labour + paid work). So, in reality, the division of labour hasn’t changed through economic factors as much as perhaps it should have done. Many technological advances have made domestic labour easier, including effective contraception (the pill, implant and condom) as modern families are often smaller than in previous years. Most births are planned, and so the household is well prepared for the extra work. In addition, labour saving devices, like the Hoover and dish washer have resulted in men being more likely to help with housework as it’s now less time consuming and strenuous. Social factors that have influenced the division of labour include the lack of stigma attached to cohabiting couples; consequently they feel no pressure to get married. This could mean that gender roles aren’t as strictly enforced. Another important consideration is that in recent years, religion has become a less prominent aspect of life, a lot of families now won’t be religious at all and therefore don’t feel the need to treat each other a certain way as dictated by religion. Most social interaction of the current day can be traced back to religious codes of conduct, it’s possible than non-Christian societies expect wives to be treated differently to Christian ones. Theoretical perspectives such as functionalism and the new right support the division of labour. They state that families need segregated conjugal roles because it’s biological instinct and that it benefits everyone, they feel these marital roles help to organise the family. One functionalist, Talcott Parsons believed that males should take on an instrumental role; they should work and will be the ones to achieve success, while females should assume the expressive role (looking after the children, and catering for the emotional needs of the family). A popular view in right-wing politics, functionalism and the new right is that couples shouldn’t be equal, as the male should be the head of the family, while retaining the role of breadwinner. March of Progress sociologists (like Elizabeth Bott, Young and Willmott) argue the family is becoming more symmetrical with joint conjugal roles. These joint roles have become typical of working class life, in Young and Willmott’s opinions. Feminists like Ann Oakley disagree and say that segregated conjugal roles are socially constructed by men to benefit men as we still live in a patriarchal society. Her research found that men only have to do a small fraction of the domestic work for the household to qualify as symmetrical. This shows that although the UK advertises itself as a modern society, sexist views of the past are a frequent occurrence in our families. (A.N: This was marked by my AS-level Sociology teacher and was given 18/24 marks, making it a Grade C essay. Some tips she gave- Use AO2 phrases to show evaluation, and cite evidence to support perspectives. It is written in UK English. Apologies for any spelling errors and incorrect Sociologist names.)