Sunday, December 29, 2019

8 Ways to Help Students with Dyslexia Succeed

Homework is an important part of the school learning experience. Guidelines for homework are 20 minutes for elementary age children, 60 minutes for middle school and 90 minutes for high school. It is not unusual for students with dyslexia to take 2 to 3 times that amount of time to get their homework completed each night. When this happens, any benefit a child might derive from the extra practice and review is negated by the frustration and exhaustion they feel. While accommodations are often used in school to help students with dyslexia complete their work, this is rarely done with homework. Teachers need to be aware that it is easy to overburden and overwhelm a child with dyslexia by expecting the same amount of homework to be completed in the same amount of time as the students without dyslexia.The following are suggestions to share with general education teachers when giving homework: Outline assignments Write the homework assignment on the board early in the day. Set aside a portion of the board that is free of other writing and use the same spot each day. This gives students plenty of time to copy the assignment into their notebook. Some teachers provide alternate ways for students to get homework assignments: A bulk email is sent to all students, or their parents, listing the homework assignmentAn online calendar lists homework assignmentsThe classroom telephone message is changed each morning to reflect the homework assignments. Students can call the classroom to get the assignmentStudents with dyslexia, ADHD or other learning differences are paired with another student who checks the students notebook to make sure the homework assignment was written correctlyForm a homework chain. Each student writes the name of two other students in the front of their notebook who they can call to ask questions about the assignment. If you must change a homework assignment because a lesson was not covered, give students plenty of time to amend their notebooks to reflect the change. Be sure each student understands the new assignment and knows what to do. Explain the reasons for the homework. There are a few different purposes for homework: practice, review, previewing upcoming lessons and expand knowledge of a subject. The most common reason for homework is to practice what has been taught in class but sometimes a teacher asks the class to read a chapter in a book so it can be discussed the following day or a student is expected to study and review for an upcoming test. When teachers explain not only what the homework assignment is but why it is being assigned, the student can more easily focus on the task. Use less homework more frequently. Rather than assigning a large amount of homework once per week, assign a few problems each night. Students will retain more information and be better prepared to continue the lesson each day. Let students know how homework will be graded. Will they receive a checkmark simply for completing the homework, will wrong answers be counted against them, will they receive corrections and feedback on written assignments? Students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities work better when they know what to expect. Allow students with dyslexia to use a computer. This helps to compensate for spelling errors and illegible handwriting. Some teachers allow students to complete an assignment on the computer and then email it directly to the teacher, eliminating lost or forgotten homework assignments. Reduce the number of practice questions. Is it imperative to complete every question to receive the benefits of practicing skills or can the homework be reduced to every other question or the first 10 questions? Individualize homework assignments to make sure a student gets enough practice but isnt overwhelmed and will not be spending hours each night working on homework. Remember: Dyslexic Students Work Hard Keep in mind that students with dyslexia work hard each day just to keep up with the class, sometimes working much harder than other students just to complete the same amount of work, leaving them mentally exhausted. Reducing homework gives them time to rest and rejuvenate and be ready for the next day at school. Set time limits for homework. Let the students and their parents know that after a certain amount of time working on homework the student may stop. For example, for a young child, you may set 30 minutes for assignments. If a student works hard and only completes half of the assignment at that time, the parent may indicate the time spent on homework and initial the paper and allow the student to stop at that point. Specially-designed Instruction When all else fails, contact your students parents, schedule an IEP meeting and write new SDIs to support your students struggling with homework. Remind your general education partners to protect the confidentiality of students who need accommodations for homework. Learning disabled children may already have low self-esteem and feel as if they dont fit in with other students. Drawing attention to accommodations or modifications to homework assignments can further damage their self-esteem. Sources A Dyslexic Child in the Classroom, 2000, Patricia Hodge, Dyslexia.comEffects of Instruction in an Assignment Completion Strategy on the Homework Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities in General Education Classes, 2002, Charles A.Hughes, Kathly L.Ruhl, Teaching LD Newsletter,Volume 17, Issue 1

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Influence Of Consumer Behavior On Corporate Social...

Part I. How Consumer Behaviour has, should or could actually influence CSR issues? The current report aims to highlight the influence of consumer behaviour on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) issues and present a broad understanding of the role of sustainability in consumption by reflecting on my own personal consumption practices. For the purposes of this report, we will use the European Commission’s definition of CSR as being â€Å"the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society† (European Commision, 2011). Gathering several definitions, sustainable consumption can be described as a behaviour pattern of consumers towards products and services that minimizes the strain on environmental systems and take into account the†¦show more content†¦The Millenial Report also highlighted the fact that 50% of consumers perceive a company differently depending on their social performance and behaviour. In 2002, Environics International presented another study (the CSR Monitor) showing that about a third of consumers reward ethical firms and punish the unethical ones (Papafloratos, 2009). More recently, the 2010 Corporate Social Responsibility Perceptions Survey stated that more than 75% of consumers believe it is crucial for companies to be socially responsible and 55% of them are more likely to buy a product associated with a certain cause than when choosing between similar products (Burson Marsteller, 2010). There is a profusion of studies on the perceptions of CSR and sustainable consumption by consumers. They mainly focus on their awareness of the CSR concept and their willingness to join causes or pay more (for example buy organic products and pay more for fair trade goods). The polls we have previously analysed visibly detect that consumers are changing and turning into â€Å"sustainable† ones. However, several issues – such as old habits, perceived or actual characteristics of eco-friendly products and a lack of empowerment related to the feeling of not actually making a difference when purchasing fair trade goods – lead to the attitude-behaviour gap: green consumers are in fact a very small minority when we take into account actual behaviour instead of awareness

Friday, December 13, 2019

The Collector Essay Example For Students

The Collector Essay John Fowles The CollectorThe Collector by John Fowles deals with a mans obsession with a woman that turns to kidnap and eventually death. What attracted me to this book was the unusual topic of obsession and intriguing title. In my review I intend to study how the writer, John Fowles, portrays an obsessive personality though Fredericks actions, dialogue, and his changing relationship with his obsession Miranda. The book is set around the two main characters of Frederick and the girl he is obsessed with Miranda and is mainly set in Sussex around the middle of the 20th century. His obsession with Miranda begins in his hometown where he merely watches her from afar but she then moves away to London to go to college so his obsession dies away. After winning the pools, however, his obsession takes a new turn. He moves to London, on the advice of the pools people, where he sees Miranda again and his obsession grows once more. Once in London he starts to develop a fantasy to capture Miranda but never really intends to act upon it until he come across a house that fits perfectly into his fantasy. The buying of this house then encourages him to carry out his fantasy and kidnap her. This book is arranged in an unusual way. The first chapter is told from the view point of Frederick of the capturing and after the capture of Miranda. The second chapter is in diary form; this is told from Mirandas point of view. In this she recounts people and events from before she was captured and also describes her escape attempts. This chapter is very good in letting us see how Miranda perceives the events that are happening to her and provides a contrast to Frederick. The third is back to Fredericks point of view and is about Mirandas illness, Fredericks attempt to help her and his reactions. The fourth chapter is very short and is about Frederick finding Mirandas diary, chapter two in the book, and realising that she never felt anything but resentment for him. It also introduces the idea that he may do it again for a comparison. Frederick, looking back on his experience with Miranda, tells the book in the form a dialogue with the reader. The writer, Fowles, demonstrates Freder icks obsessive personality through his actions. One of these is the way he marks down the viewing of Miranda in his diary. In the evening I marked it in my observations diary, at first with X, and when I knew her name with M. In this the writer is showing first that Frederick is organised to the point of obsession. He is also meticulous in his actions making sure that he never forgot a viewing of her. Another event where Fredericks obsessive and precise personality comes across to the reader very clearly is when Frederick is fitting the house out in preparation for Mirandas kidnapping. I worked for a month or more getting my plans ready. I was alone all the time; not having any real friend was lucky. Fowles shows here that Frederick has a forward thinking, precise mind in the phrase month or more getting the plans ready. This shows he worked out the details of the house making sure everything was right. He also shows that Frederick is someone who is determined by the phrase a month or more. This shows that although it took a long time he still carried it through. Fowles mentions here that Frederick was alone for this time, as before this Frederick has made sure that he wont be disturbed by people from the village by telling them, when they came to the door, to go away. An Introduction To Royal Dutch Shell EssayAt this point of the relationship they have a great deal of hatred towards each other. Fredericks hatred arose because of Mirandas disgust and constant abuse towards him but Mirandas hatred has always been with her. Youre not a human being. Youre just a dirty little masturbating worm. The relationship changes once more. Miranda becomes sick and Frederick then feels sorry for her and believes again that he can make her love him. However this obsession of wanting to make her love him stops him from helping her. This becomes a fatal mistake. I know I could have gone to the village and phoned or got a doctor but for obvious reasons I neverAlong with actions and the changing relationship between Frederick and Miranda, the writer also uses dialogue to show the obsessive personality too. One place where Fowles uses dialogue effectively to demonstrate Fredericks obsession is when he is comparing Miranda to the subject of his hobby, butterflies. Throughout the book he makes many references to this comparing her beauty and her situation to them. One of these takes place just after an escape attempt,It was like not having a net and catching a specimen you wanted in your first and second fingers it wasnt easy like it was with a killing-bottle. And it was twice as difficult with her, because I didnt want to kill her, that was the last thing I wanted. Fowles here is suggesting that Fredericks obsession spawned from his love of his hobby, collecting butterflies. The significance of this to me is that Fowles may be using this to hint about the ending that Miranda will end up dead the same as his prize butterflies he is comparing her to. This is made clear in piece of dialogue that took place just before the escape attempt. Arent you going to show me my fellow-victims?I pulled out one or two of the most attractive drawers. Did you buy them?Of course not, I (Frederick) said. All caught or bred by me and set and arranged by me. Theyre beautifully done,The tone of the Mirandas dialogue is sarcastic and joking. The fellow-victims are the butterflies that he collects and is very proud of. This is shown by the repetition of the word and. Suggesting he spent a lot time on them. The joking use of fellow-victims is ironic because at this point Miranda is still confident of escaping. However in fact she does end up like the butterflies. Another important piece of dialogue showing Fredericks obsessive personality was when Frederick is showing Miranda around the house. The reason why it is important is because it once again refers back to his hobby, butterflies. She saw some old pictures of butterflies I bought in an antique shop. I chose them, I (Frederick) said. Theyre the only decent things here. Fowles is once again comparing Miranda to the butterflies suggested by the only decent things talking about the butterflies that in fact he is talking about Miranda in her surroundings of the cottage and in the company of Frederick. In this book Fowles sets out to show the character of Frederick to have an obsessive personality and I think that he has succeeded in doing this. He manages to do this in the way that Frederick acts, what he says and though his relationship with his obsession, Miranda. Word Count 1880Words/ Pages : 1,833 / 24

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Connection between Habit and Moral Character free essay sample

The connection between habit and moral character In defining the connection between habit and moral character my groups views were very similar. Most described certain habits such as nail biting or smoking as being a habit but one that does not define someone as having bad moral character. Someone who is a habitual liar, steals or intentionally harms other people as a habit would be defined as someone who has bad moral character. However the question was what is the connection between habit and moral character, it did not say bad moral hearted which we all Just assumed.A person could be one who always volunteers to help others or someone who consistently picks up trash off the ground even if they did not put it there or someone who always stops to give a couple of dollars to someone in need on the street. This person would be defined as having a good moral character, someone who is caring or compassionate. We will write a custom essay sample on Connection between Habit and Moral Character or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I believe all things that we do from the most miniscule habit defines us morally. Some good, some bad, and some habits that are Just horrific.Habit (psychology), an acquired pattern of behavior that often occurs automatically. Moral character or character Is an evaluation of a particular Individuals durable moral qualities. The concept of character can Imply a variety of attributes Including the existence or lack of virtues such as Integrity, courage, fortitude, honesty, and loyalty, or of good behaviors or habits. IMMORAL, ad]. Inexpedient. Whatever In the long run and with regard to the greater number of Instances men find to be generally Inexpedient comes to be considered wrong, wicked, Immoral.If mans notions of right and wrong have any other basis Han this of expediency; If they originated, or could have originated, In any other way; If actions have In themselves a moral character apart from, and nowise dependent on, their consequences then all philosophy Is a Ill and reason a disorder of the mind. I Ambrose Bierce quotes (American Writer, Journalist and Editor, 1842-1914) Book: Devils Dictionary quotes I Connection between Habit and Moral Character By Between Moral character or character is an evaluation of a particular individuals durable moral qualities.The concept of character can imply a variety of attributes including he existence or lack of virtues such as integrity, courage, fortitude, honesty, and IMMORAL, ad]. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men fi nd to be generally inexpedient comes to be considered wrong, wicked, immoral. If mans notions of right and wrong have any other basis than this of expediency.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Discounted cash flow Essay Example

Discounted cash flow Essay What Is a capital Investment? Using money to buy goods or services issuing shares of stock of the corporation authorizing and issuing shares of common stock by a multinational corporation committing resources to projects that have costs and benefits well into the future Correct! Question 2 Estimating the expected cash inflows and outflows from proposed projects is performed in what step of the capital budgeting process? Estimating the expected cash inflows and outflows from proposed projects is performed in what step of the capital budgeting process? Eject identification project evaluation project monitoring project review Question 3 Which capital budgeting technique Is preferred In all major Industrialized countries? Net present value internal rate of return payback period none of the above Question 4 Why is it believed that Japanese companies prefer the payback period over the discounted cash flow methods for evaluating capital investment alternatives? Why is it believed that Japan ese companies prefer the payback period over the discounted cash flow methods for evaluating capital investment alternatives? It is consistent with their corporate strategy of investing in new technology. Japanese companies compete using very short product life cycles. Cash flows over a long period of time are difficult to predict with much accuracy. All of the above Question 5 Why is the multinational capital budgeting process more complex than capital budgeting in a domestic environment? Why is the multinational capital budgeting process more complex than capital budgeting in a domestic environment? Cash flows must be predicted. An appropriate discount rate must be selected. There are additional risks involved. The payback period is shorter. Question 6 Clamps Co. Is considering building a manufacturing facility in Country Z, which has changed it labor laws frequently and dramatically in the past decade. What kind of risk is created by these legislative actions? Clamps Co. Is considering building a manufacturing facility in Country Z, which has changed it labor laws frequently and dramatically in the past decade. What kind of risk is created by these legislative actions? Physical risk political risk financial risk economic risk We will write a custom essay sample on Discounted cash flow specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Discounted cash flow specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Discounted cash flow specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Question 7 Hyperinflation causes what kind of risk for a multinational corporation? Question 8 The possibility of loss due to unexpected changes in currency values or interest rates is called: The possibility of loss due to unexpected changes in currency values or interest rates is called: business risk Question 9 Cash flows related to a proposed capital investment project are subject to what kind of risk? Cash flows related too proposed capital investment project are subject to what kind of risk? All of the above Question 10 0/2 puts Skip to question text. Johnson Ltd determined that the net present value of an investment in technological improvements at its plant in France would be ?10,000,000 if pending litigation was resolved in the companys favor and would be ?2,000,000 if the courts ruled against the company. Johnnys attorneys in France assessed the probability of a favorable ruling at 70%. What is the expected net present value of the project? You Answered Correct Answer Question 1 1 Why is management control particularly complex in decentralized multinational organizations? Why is management control particularly complex in decentralized litigation organizations? Managers abroad are not as well-trained as managers of domestic operations. Decision-making authority is not delegated to the local managers of foreign operations. Managers of foreign operations may be motivated by local goals rather than parents goals. Financial risks are always higher for the local managers of foreign operations than for managers of domestic operations. Question 12 Under what condition should the gain or loss from translating foreign currency profit of subsidiary into the parents home currency be included in the subsidiarys assure of performance? Under what condition should the gain or loss from translating foreign currency profit of subsidiary into the parents home currency be included in the subsidiarys measure of performance? If the subsidiary manager is authorized to hedge the translation exposure if there is a translation gain, but not if there is a translation loss if the multinational corporation is using the same method of translation for performance evaluation as it does for financial reporting

Sunday, November 24, 2019

History of Computers essays

History of Computers essays Computers are such an integral part of our society that it is sometimes difficult to Imagine life without them. However, computers as we know them are relatively new devices. In fact, the first electronic computers were built just over fifty years ago. Since that time, the technology has advanced at an astounding rate, with the capacity and speed of computers approximately doubling every two years. Today, pocket calculators have many times the memory capacity and processing power of the mammoth computers of the 50's and 60's. The abacus, which emerged about 5,000 years ago in Asia is still in use today, may be considered the first computer. This device allows users to make computations using a system of sliding beads arranged on a rack. In 1642, Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the 18-year-old son of a French tax collector, invented what he called a numerical wheel calculator to help his father with his duties. The history of computers can be divided into generations, roughly defined by technological advances, which led to improvements in design, efficiency, and ease of use. First Generation Computers (1945-1956)- As the Second World War was about to start, governments sought to develop computers to exploit their potential strategic importance and to help them develop new computerized weapons and new technology. This increased funding for computer development projects. Second Generation Computers (1956-1963) - In 1948, transistors were developed which greatly changed the development of computers. The transistor replaced the large, cumbersome vacuum tube in televisions, radios and computers. As a result, the size of electronic machinery has been shrinking ever since resulting in the creation of new small computers with new transistors and new technology. Third Generation Computers (1964-1971) - Though transistors were clearly an improvement over the vacuum tube, they still generated a great deal of heat, wh ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Impact of Globalization on the Human Resource Management of Dissertation

The Impact of Globalization on the Human Resource Management of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) - Dissertation Example This is carried out with a view of ensuring that these corporations are able to counter the challenges they experience in achieving their set objectives and remain competitive in their trade activities. This research proposal intends to utilize the following academic publications on assessing the impacts of globalization on the human resource management of transnational corporations. Key Academic Publications 1. Kayode, O 2012 ‘Impact of globalization on human resource management,’ Science Journal of Business Management, vol. 2012, no. 3, pp. 1–4. The science journal by Kayode on the impact of globalization examines the impact of the work force on the human resource department of an organization with offices that are local or based in other countries. It discusses different issues that drive the aspect of globalization within the workforce along with the challenges that confront these departments on the global scene. The author, Kayode, begins by giving an introdu ction to the current trends of globalization and also provides the definition and the roles of the department. He suggests that it is in charge of managing the human resources in a transnational corporation. ... It will also help my research by highlighting the benefits, challenges and other issues that are affecting these departments. 2. Hunter, LW & Katz, HC 2012, ‘The impact of globalization on human resource management and employment relations in the US automobile and banking industries,’ The International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 23, no. 10, pp. 1983-1998. The authors, Hunter and Katz, discuss the effects of globalization on employment relations and its differential impact throughout the different types of capitalism. They suggest that globalization affects different industries in specific ways. In addition, the journal discusses issues like job security, work organization, remuneration systems, and enterprise governance within transnational corporations in the US. It specifically addresses the issues which affect the transnational organizations that are headquartered in the US. The article additionally makes a comparison of the changes that occur in these two industries and their nature of correspondence to the American liberal economy (Hunter and Katz, 2012). The article will help my research by providing more insights into how employment relations in transnational corporations have been affected by the issue of globalization. 3. Friedman, BA 2007, ‘Globalization implications for human resource management role,’ Employee Responsibilities & Rights Journal, vol.1, no. 19, pp. 151–171. The article discusses the influences that globalization has on transnational corporations competing for customers who have very high expectations as regards the cost, quality and performance of the products they buy. It highlights the pressures that the globalization process has imposed on their human resource

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Communications Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Communications Study - Essay Example Despite this, the fans have seen a more settled and confident United in the past few weeks, reminiscent of the spirit instilled by the iconic Sir Alex Ferguson, with a sharp attacking force that combines brilliantly with the ever- improving defense. Without the services of the injured and robust Diego Costa, the attacking force of the Blues is jeopardized. Given his seven point lead at the top of the table, the cunning Jose Mourinho will opt for a mere draw, as his team requires only three wins from a possible eight to be crowned the new English Champions. With his tactical prowess, Mourinho will look out to shut the on-form Manchester United midfielder, Maroune Fellaini who has proven to be a menace in aerial ball control. The ex- Everton man’s abilities have stretched the defenses of many fierce sides, such as Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspurs. Despite this, Louis van Gaal and his devils are out to spoil the party for the Chelsea fans at their own home turf, the Stamford Bridge. Previous records show that Chelsea are a hard side to beat at this stage of the competition, but football lovers and followers know that the story is totally different when dealing with an on-form Manchester United squad. With the Chelsea manger taunted for his over defensive tactics, the rhetoric Louis van Gaal was quick to tame the tension. â€Å"To build a champion team, you must have a system that not only scores goals, but also brilliant in defense,† said a relaxed van Gaal. Mourinho, on the other hand, hopes to rub salt in the wounds of the Red Devils, who are on a revenge mission having had a disappointing start of the year. He is out to put a stamp on his name â€Å"The Chosen One† having led Chelsea to the first trophy success of the season against Tottenham Hotspurs in the Capital One Cup finals. The timid Mourinho, however, is quick to write out the threat

Monday, November 18, 2019

British Airways Logistics and Operations Management Assignment

British Airways Logistics and Operations Management - Assignment Example Some of the respective areas where the organization has ventured include investing in latest modern technology that has since brought considerable improvement in terms of flexibility, dependability, quality and cost (Greasley 2013). Thesis statement: British Airways has implemented innovative approaches in its logistics and operations management. Communication and coordination technology According to Greasley, (2013), for an effective and efficient coordination, an airline company must consider reliable communication systems, which are made available at the control towers or throughout other respective departments. The British airways has invested heavily in technological personnel and the expatriates responsible for the management for the flight operations, dispatch of cargo to and from the airport, ground maintenance staff and members who assist the passengers with the reservation amongst other issues. Firstly, the organization has put in place integrations of information systems t o the center of control that facilitates coordination and effective communication throughout all the branches. For instance, the automation improves dissemination of information relevant both at the internal operations and to external operations. Consider personnel such as air traffic controller, the pilot on board and the rest of the colleagues who are actively involved with maintenance at the hangers. The use of information systems allows them to have faster exchange of data or any other relevant information more rapidly and efficiently. Through the integration of the information systems, British Airways has succeeded in reduction of miscommunication either from the center to the centers of controls or, the employees of the other departments since the information is available in real time to almost all the relevant bodies concerned. Moreover, automation has also led to economical advantages such as conservation of fuel, proper usage of time and appropriate time management through effective planning of cargo handling. This process of operations has successfully led to the total improvement of returns based on reception of new cargo on transit and those under dispatch (Slack et al 2011). Automated flight dispatch British Airways has an automated flying dispatch intercepted through special tracking device systems in almost all its active flights. The flight dispatch systems have enabled efficient conservation of flight fuel through the modern planning mechanisms. The use of this technology helps in the moderation of navigation of planes automatically. Moreover, such systems are interconnected to the flight management system on board a craft and are capable of calculating the flight speed based on the weight of the plane and the current atmospheric pressure thorough cost indexing. In addition, through the vertical integrations of the minima, the system is able to locate fuel-efficient routes of the planes. In this case, the automated flight dispatch help in econ omizing fuels by avoiding extended duration of waiting before a plane is dispatched. The use of global positioning systems has also helped in the control of winds and turbulence associated with international flights (Christopher 2011). Resource management system The British airline has implemented a resource management system that incorporates intelligent technologies to enable all people involved in this organization to access and

Friday, November 15, 2019

Reviewing The Identity Of Looked After Children Social Work Essay

Reviewing The Identity Of Looked After Children Social Work Essay This essay explores how the identity Looked after child contribute to oppression and discrimination in two specific areas of Education and Health. The essay will analyse the role of legislation and policy in combating or promoting discrimination and oppression. The history, societal attitudes, views of the children and theories underpinning looked after children will also be discussed within the essay. Finally I will focus on the implications and relevance to Social Work practice. For the purposes of clarity I will start by defining oppression, discrimination and stigma. Thompson (1997) identifies oppression as the disregarding of individuals or group of peoples rights resulting in inhuman or abusive treatment with dominance and power by one group over another. For Thompson (2006), discrimination refers to a process of unfair or unequal treatment of individuals or groups resulting in undermining the interests of people from a less powerful category within society. From the two definitions of Oppression and Discrimination it can be deduced that the common elements are abuse of power and privilege associated with degrading treatment of the less fortunate individuals or groups of people in society. Apart. from discrimination and Oppression it is important to mention Stigma as another attribute that is prevalent and used as a tool for social exclusion. Diversity in Society Assignment 1016433 Goffman, (1963), and Parker and Aggleton, (2003),s theories of stigma help us to understand how stigma is constructed and its influence in peoples lives. Goffman (1963), describes stigma as an attribute that is deeply descending within a particular social interaction, where the person possessing the attribute falls short of societal expectations. Parker and Aggleton (2003) interpret stigma as a tool of preserving or undermining social structures. They view stigma and discrimination as functional systems which maintain boundaries between those in power and those without. Through such power, social inequalities are developed leading to creation of social norms. Social norms formulate stigma as they govern interactions between people and reinforce power structures that serve to isolate those that are regarded as outsiders. Both theories help us to understand the roots of stigma, prejudice, negative attitudes and its impact to Looked After children after Children. The last three decades have experienced a huge overhaul and introduction of legislation and policies seeking to address the needs of children. The Childrens Act 1989 (CA 1989) reformed Law relating to children and in particular set out the framework for the provision of support for children and families and for the protection of children in England and Wales. This was in line with the the United Nations on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC 1989) which was the first legally binding International instrument to promote the rights of children throughout the world. Burke and Parker (2007). Diversity in Society Assignment 1016433 It is important to mention them following initiatives when discussing issues relating to the welfare of children: The Quality Protects 1998, Chidren Leaving Care Act 2000, Adoption and Children Act 2002, the Choice Protects policy, the Childrens Act 2004, Every Child Matters 2004, Care Matters (Green and White Papers) and The Children and Young Persons Act 2008. Some of these initiatives and legislation were introduced to reinforce Safeguarding children and also in response to reports of abuse, neglect and harm to children in different institutions of residential care in the UK with the most publicised individual cases such as the deaths of Victoria Climbe ( 2000). It was revealed that Staff working with vulnerable children were not adequately trained, rigorously checked on recruitment, no support and vigilance towards diversity and openness. A number of inquiries like Laming Report (2003) recommendations are also worth mentioning which revealed significant failings within the indivi duals and organisations which are meant to be looking after children. As a result there was a lot of media coverage and society as a whole questioned the role of government, laws and all individuals working with children and vulnerable people. The Childrens Act ( 2004) emerged in response to addressing these shortcomings and to improve services. In 2009 Lord Laming was also asked by the government to provide an emergency progress report on issues surrounding safeguarding children following yet another death of a child Baby P in 2007. He identified and reinforced that systematic and individual failures as the cause of death to a child whom they were supposed to look and care for. Laming report (2009) .. Research has questioned how effective and how far the above initiatives reduced the discrimination of Looked after children. Examples of such research just to name a few: Children experience of the Children Act (1989), Discrimination Against Young People in Care: Remember my message (1993), The Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care in England Project (2006), Barriers to change in the Social Care (2000),Busting at the seams (2010) and the recent Panorama BBC programme on experiences of children leaving Care. The UK is a multicultural society and Diversity should be understood and be a tool for most of the policy makers and legislators to make laws which promote equality. Diversity according to Blaine (2007) is associated with the presence of differences in society in relation to gender, race, ethnicity, religion, social class and sexual orientation. These differences are neither good nor bad but some of the differences are associated with inequality and disadvantage. Social work p ractice is concerned with empowerment, anti discriminatory practice, social justice and redressing inequality in line with human rights. Burke and Parker (2007) Cocker and Allain (2008) identify Looked After Children and Young People as children in the care of the local authority, through a Care Order made by a court or voluntary agreement with their parent(s) to accommodate them. They may be looked after in a childrens home ,by foster carers, or other family members. All unaccompanied asylum seeking children are also Looked After Children. Diversity in Society Assignment 1016433 According to (Dfes Statistics 2010) reveal that there were about 64,400 looked after children as at 31 March 2010, an increase of 6 per cent from 2009 and an increase of 7 per cent since 2006.. Mostly the main reason of being in care, was because of abuse or neglect (52 per cent.There were 3,400 Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) who were looked after at 31 March 2010. This is a decrease of 12 per cent from 2009. As these statistics reveal there is an increase in the number of Looked after children to date although there is a decrease in the Unaccompanied Asylum Seeker Children (DfES 2010) Hogg and Vaughan (2002) views identity as associated with the process an individual becomes who they are in the sense of personhood and others view of who they are. Furthermore a person has multiple identities and these needs to be seen as part of the whole individual as disregarding some aspects would be misleading and reductive of the individuals identity. Graham (2000) further highlight that identities have different meanings and are not fixed but change over time as a result of environment, personal circumstances and outside influences. These influences will significantly affect the social experience and the self image of those defined, through, for example the experience of negative discrimination. Diversity in Society Assignment 1016433 All aspects of a childs identity needs to be recognised and acknowledged regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or religion. By developing a positive identity children are motivated and their self esteem is enhanced for them to feel a sense of value, belonging and worth Blaine (2007). However Cocker and Allain (2008) argue that not all environments are positive in fostering this idea. When this occurs the child becomes withdrawn and shy to open up and engage. Having a looked after child identity endangers a child to be different, socially excluded, marginalised and denied equal opportunities in accessing services. Assessing Children in Need and their Families: Practice Guidance (2000) As such Social workers need to adopt and work with a culturally sensitive approach and apply the balancing act to enhance the resilience concept. Masten (1994) cited in Daniel et al (2002) Burke and Parker (2010) further argue that the Social Work context and the involvement of a Social worker in a childs life applies and identify the child as different. This is revealed by the bureaucratic and comprehensive paperwork, regular review and educational meetings, visits, contact arrangements and procedures and guidelines are associated with the looked after child but are not experienced by most children in normal life settings. However this arguement is dismissed by Garret (2003) cited in Burke and Parker (2010) when he affirms that paperwork and bereacratic procedures are essential tools for a social worker to use in helping them identify and address important developmental needs of the child but should however encourage more one to one contact with the child rather than spending time on paperwork. In Education Research has revealed that Looked after children do not perform well and are likely not to have (GCSE) and most likely risk being expelled from School due to behaviour. Statistics show that a third of the 60 0000 looked after children obtain a GCSE and a further fifth obtain fewer than five GCSEs. Although these figures are lower than a few years ago, they are still much higher than for children as a whole: more than half not obtaining five or more GCSEs compared to less than one in ten children as a whole. this includes Black minority and white as well DfES (2010). Because of their identity as Looked after children they are disadvantaged and discriminated against at School and in matters related to education. The Social Exclusion Unit (2003) published a document ( A Better Education for Children in Care which highlighted 5 reasons for the low attainment levels ranging from Instability caused by insecure placements, bullying, lack of support and encouragement at home , t ime out of school due to expulsion, support and encouragement and emotional, mental or physical health. From the above five highlighted issues it can be summarised that the home environment plays a crucial role in enhancing education. Schofield and Beek (2009) suggest parents and people at home where the child lives need to be supportive and encouraging to the child learning success. School environment should promote learning that develops a child holistically to facilitate the self discovery method and accepting themselves as they interact with other children. This is not always the case as children are disrupted of continuity in settling and making friends if placement breaks down. Sometimes bullying at school results in low self esteem Although most local authorities have put in place a number of inter disciplinary services looking at the physical, mental well being of children. However in Jackson and McParlin (2006) in their article (the education of children in care professionals are seen to be making assumptions and jumping into conclusions ending up giving labels and long prescribed long term solutions to short term problems unnecessarily. This is associated with neglect and discrimination. More training and awareness of diversity, anti discriminatory practices and individualised person centred approach should be reinforced.(Every Child Matters 2004) Roger Morgan (2010) argue that the problem of poor school performance in looked after children lies in the care and education system not in the children. They argue that the care and education systems do not address pre care experiences of the child low attainment and also failure to address the aftermath or the impact of separation when children are removed from their families. The child may be suffering from undiagnosed post traumatic stress which can erupt in any confined environment such as school classrooms. They also argue that teachers have no knowledge of the childs history. Teacher training does not equip teachers with knowledge of the care system and on addressing behaviour from Looked after children. There is also the emphasis on exaggeration of difficulties and the overuse of the term ( Challenging behaviour focuses to address the present problems arising from the childs pre-care experiences and disappointments of being in care. The Authorities should rather focus on expl aining and addressing the underperformance. They further highlight the study by (Jackson et al.2005) where a research with students in Higher education who had a care background was carried out over a 5 year period. The respondents experienced a high level of trauma, abuse and neglect but were placed in foster homes that were supportive and valued education. The findings revealed that foster families who support education and celebrate the childs achievements are more likely to compensate to some level the pre care experiences and promote higher attainment in education. It is important to place children in placements which are supportive to the childs success in education, foster resilience and offer a safe place to grow and achieve. To support childrens wellbeing the government has put in place the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 with a commitment to promote the wellbeing of children and those who are involved in their care. Children Act (2008) In accessing Health facilities Looked after children face difficulties with mental health issues. Mostly their Health needs are overlooked and not met as they are labelled. Axford (2008) in her article exploring social exclusion noted this difficulty as more prevalent among children from Black Ethnic Minority background who face a cultural, language and racism within organisations that are meant to support and look after them especially asylum seekers. There is lack of relevant and appropriate delivery of service in assessing the physical and mental wellbeing of children before placement and continuous monitoring of wellbeing through individual health plan. This can be attributed to lack of awareness and knowledge on the part of and role of carers and foster parents. This leaves the responsibility to the child who will most of the time ignore health issues and abscond appointments. (Young Minds )Training of carers and foster parents need to be promoted to improve delivery of service In working with looked experiences of the Children Act (1989) highlighted that there are continuing myths about the Act which are still disadvantaging Looked After children. Also children still feel they are not fully aware of their rights under the Act as they face day to day regulations and successive barriers. Children still feel they do not receive what the law says they should. A typical example was in socialising with restrictions on risk assessments for overnight stays by teenagers in care. This has brought a sense of discrimination and marginalisation as it is for normal teenagers to do overnight stays. Prout (2000) cited in Glenny and Roaf (2008)further picked up another conflict and tension among within government departments and targets when he mentions that control and self realisation are both present in legislation and policy but in tension. On one camp there is the idea of viewing children as individuals with a capacity for self realisation within a safe societal envi ronment while in the other camp there is the idea of viewing children as vulnerable and requiring control, regulation and surveillance. One example Youth Matters four challenges to help teenagers achieve the ECM outcomes.( DfES 2005, 2:12) Social workers need to listen, engage and work in partnership with looked after children. In a research by Sally Holland (2010) Journal of Social Work to explore the Ethics of Care as being marginalised and not being implemented and recognised it was evidenced that lasting relationships are disrupted by placements and children often acknowledged their links to their past and significant people in their lives. This highlights the importance of their individual pathway in promoting their wellbeing and interpersonal relationships and future achievements. Clarke (2010) emphasises the need to sustain and promote lasting care relationships with formal carers and social workers to avoid the consequences of loss ,neglect and worthlessness by listening to their story, exploring and putting their needs and choices first. Oliver et al (2010) Briefing Paper Advocacy for Looked After Children when they unveiled that Reseach has also highlighted that there were some ambivalence within professional s as to what extent children must be involved in decision making to matters concerning their care as well as resource barriers. To overcome these constraints Winter (2009) suggested regular contact, feedback, advocacy and putting the needs of the child first need to be priority as children value being listened to and having their wishes fulfilled by active participation in matters concerning their wellbeing. I also have personal experience when I was involved in a consultation exercise with Young Persons leaving care as part of my coursework.. The Young Persons highlighted that sometimes they did not receive any feedback from social workers when they contact them. Also they mentioned that there was a lot of bureaucracy which they felt treated them as different and treated them discriminatory for example social work visits at school and regular reviews or educational meetings. They felt they wanted to be treated as normal children not Service users. Barriers to Change in the Social Care (2000) suggest and support that there should be a Human rights approach in working with looked after children. Glenny and Roaf (2008) suggested Early intervention is essential to support children and families before problems either from within the family or as a result of external factors, which have an impact on both the child and family. Government departments, statutory and voluntary organisations have an obligation to work in partnership for the success of early intervention agenda. These teams should work together establish protocols which will help to ensure early indications of being at risk of social exclusion are addressed and receive proper attention. McLeod (1998) highlighted the need to acknowledge Child development stages. He mentions that children accept and discover themselves through stages and exposure to promote self awareness, confidence, self esteem and positive attitudes. McLeod highlighted Freuds psycho-analysis theory (1859-1939), Ericksons psycho-social development theory (1950) and Bowlbys attachment theory(1969,1973,1880,1988). This view is shared in the literature review by Hunt (2003) cited in ( Charlotte Ritchie 2005 Critical Review) which highlights that although there is no concrete evidence of kinship care over non kin foster care there are indications that chances are the former promotes the childs wellbeing and welfare than the latter. This shows how important it is for Social Workers to be aware of child developmental needs and how valuable family ties are. Schofield and Beek , (2005) cited in Shaw (2010) shares the same views that past relationships with family and professionals has an impact on the child s wellbeing and ability to cope with life on their own. Active parenting focusing on the childs needs and positive engagement with the child will help and promote skills to deal with difficult situations in life. It is also good to for social workers to promote resilience as a tool of empowering children so that they are equipped to face challenges and deal with their past and future. Daniel and Wassell (2002) The importance of identity is further echoed by (Goerge, 1990;Testa et al., 1996; Testa, 1997; Wulczyn and Goerge, 1992) cited in (Charlotte Ritchie 2005) in her critical Paper of exploring the significance of Kinship care when she states that Identity, attachment, cultural heritage and self esteem are further maintained and consolidated when a child remains with their family and relatives than non relative placements. This will also go a long way in alleviating the Placement shortages currently experienced by ethnic minority foster placements and also reinforce the value of cultural sensitivity in Social Work. Bates et al (1997) suggests that assessment framework should foster identity and acknowledge diversity in order to promote a childs perception of themselves and their environment. Social workers need to employ anti-discriminatory practice with a lot of opportunities and resources for self discovery. They need to support the child to discover and accept themselves. It is import ant to offer options to situations that promote identity in order to understand themselves and others as children need to have their own identity to mirror on.(:Assessment for Children in need Practice 2000) The Children and Young Persons Act (2008) also emphasise that its commitment to promote a childs well being and the people involved in the care of the child. Although there has been notable initiatives in addressing the needs of Looked after children for the past ten years a lot still has to be done in terms of societal attitudes, resources and safeguarding. To achieve the every child matters outcomes all the stakeholders need to work together by putting the needs and act in the best interest of the child. By listening and engaging with Looked after children practitioners, politicians and policy makers will be able to improve Childrens quality of life. Anti discriminatory practice, empowerment and equal opportunities practices are part of the answer. . 3624words

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Art Values Essay -- essays research papers

People from all eras have communicated what they value through art, architecture and style. This statement is obvious. The first example I will discuss is that of the ancient Egyptian society. Their society was one that was based upon death. Everything in their lives revolved around preparing themselves for the afterlife. Included in that is their paintings; they contained the entire figure of the human, making sure their was no limb left unseen, for fear that it would not be their in the after life. Another example of how the ancient Egyptian’s values were expressed through art was the lavish funerary complexes built for their pharaohs. They were monstrous, and intended entirely to help propel the deceased pharaoh into the next life. Ancient Greece was a society of self-perceived beauty. They loved to look at themselves, especially if they were male. They male gender was perceived as perfection in that time period, and as such it should be portrayed in all of its glory, hence the no clothing policy. They sculpted, painted and created in what they believed to be perfection. They created all buildings in perfect rectangles, since they believed that rectangles were the epitome of perfection, the â€Å"golden section† if you will. Greek art was a portrayal of their ideals, which is why most people call this period the idealistic stage in Art history. The Romans were very much like their Greek counter parts. Romans, as a whole, loved Greek art. They enjoyed looking at it and even t...

Sunday, November 10, 2019

An In-depth Analysis of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Essay

Aside from the Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet is probably also one of the most famous tragedies that William Shakespeare has ever written. Just like any other tragedies that Shakespeare has written, the story ended with the killing of many people including the main character, Hamlet. It also shows Shakespeare’s writing style with the concept of revenge, denied love, and many others. Before we can analyze the character of Hamlet, let us first take a glimpse on the story. The setting of the story is in Denmark. The story began with the late King Hamlet haunting the night as a ghost. Later on, Prince Hamlet’s friend, Horatio and the prince himself was told by the ghost that he was murdered by Claudius, the King’s brother. After murdering King Hamlet, Claudius got the throne and King Hamlet’s wife Gertrude. With all of these things being known by the young hamlet, he then plans for revenge. This plan consisted of acting mad and hiring and acting troupe to re-enact the said murder of the king. After the acting, Gertrude scolded Hamlet for being disloyal to the King unaware that Polonius is hiding behind the curtains. Hamlet accidentally killed Polonius for he mistaken him as the King. Because of this, Prince Hamlet was sent to England without knowing Claudius’ plans of killing him there. However, Hamlet manages to escape the guards and was able to go back to Denmark. But the story did not end there, with the death of his father Polonius, Ophelia lost her mind. Because of this, Laertes (Ophelia’s brother) went to Denmark to take revenge especially when he found out that Ophelia has drowned herself. Laertes planned his revenge to be done in a fencing battle and that he will stab Hamlet with a poisoned sword and that the king would give him a poisoned cup if he wins. But the plan went crazy when Gertrude drank with the poisoned cup because of Hamlet’s near victory and when Laertes stabbed hamlet with the poisoned sword. They then exchange swords and Hamlet managed to stab Laertes with the poisoned blade. Realizing that the three of them are going to die, Hamlet decided to stab Claudius and make him drink the rest of the poisoned drink (Kriszner). Analysis of Hamlet’s Character After having read these things happen and done by our Shakespearean character, we can say that Hamlet does not have a constant or fixed characteristic. Hamlet never fails to let the readers know that there is more to him that meets the eye. At first, it seemed that Hamlet is just a prince that is curious about his father’s death. But as the story progresses, the readers were seeing more and more of him. Hamlet, I must say, is a rational, truth-seeking character. If we are not to find the depth of Hamlet’s character’s it may seem that he is just a revengeful character. But planning for revenge is different from seeking the truth. Before planning his revenge, Hamlet first wanted to confirm if the Claudius is guilty. With his actions when he hired an acting group, we can see that he is being rational and that although he seemed to be very angry at the King, he still chose to see first if the King is really guilty. Hamlet is also very contemplative because all the evidence that may prove that the King murdered his father is there but still he was so eager to prove that Claudius is guilty. Although any person or reader would believe that the evidence is enough, Hamlet still shows doubt and asks questions in his mind. Aside from being contemplative, we can say that the character of Hamlet is also impulsive. A proof to this is the accidental killing of Polonius. Hamlet did not even spend time to check if it is really the king or not. Because of this impulsiveness, more revenge was triggered just like the planned revenge of Laertes which took part as the story progressed. He is also very impulsive when his character suddenly shifts to being a madman. Hamlet’s impulsiveness is also seen through his over toned speeches and allusions. The character of Hamlet also shows discontent, not just to his family but to current status of Denmark and eventually, the whole world. This can be seen when he was disappointed about his mother when he married Claudius right after King Hamlet died. It is also noticeable in the play that he executes a particular dislike for women. This can be seen when he did not like the actions of his own mother and when he denied his love for Ophelia (â€Å"Hamlet Character Analysis†). Hamlet is also a character of will and passion. His character in the play perfectly suits his being young and enthusiastic. Because of his â€Å"youngness† and being enthusiastic, it seemed to us that he does not take time to reflect. Again, an example is when he killed Polonius. He just does things that he thinks would fit the situation. He does things according to his will that is why the impression it gives the audience is that he is a character that is full of strength. Another characteristic of the Shakespearean hero is being undecided or puzzled. These are manifested with his asking about the afterlife, suicide, etc. Another part of the play wherein we can see Hamlet’s being undecided is when he changed his mind in killing King Claudius when he saw him praying. He then decided to kill him when â€Å"he is drunk, asleep, or in a rage† which could be a more lethal opportunity. Because he cannot decide on when to kill the King, he resorted to first proving that the King really murdered his father. Different emotions can also be seen in the character of Hamlet. As the play progresses, different emotions are shown by our Shakespearean hero. At some parts, we can see an angry Hamlet where there are some parts where we see Hamlet as a character of despair. There are also parts that he seemed to be affectionate with Ophelia. Hamlet also executes betrayal and commit lies when he switched the letters and when he acted as a mad man. Also, in some other parts of the story, we can see a grieving Hamlet (Mabillard). Hamlet is also a responsible character and is very willing to sacrifice. Although it is apparent that he wants revenge, we can say that he is just being responsible in seeking justice for his father’s death. He is responsible because he did not stop until he found justice for his father’s death. He sacrificed a lot of things like his love for Ophelia and even sacrificed his own life just for the sake of justice. Lastly, Hamlet shows a different lose of faith in people. One part of the play is when he lost his love for Ophelia. Also, there are some parts of the story wherein he seemed to have lot his interest in life and that he thinks of the world as impure and unclean. Hamlet became very pessimistic about the world after finding out what his father has gone through. He showed disappointment and discontent not only to Denmark but to the whole world. Character Development, Dramatic Structure, and Presentation The development of Hamlet’s character started from being vengeful, to fighting for his life and justice, then grieving for the death of loved ones and the current state of his nation. Hamlet, I must say, is one of the most â€Å"flavorful† characters that Shakespeare has ever made. His character started from being angry which resulted from planning revenge. Because of his plans, he then changes to a character who struggles from the situation he put his self into. And lastly, he shows grief with the loved ones he had lost (â€Å"Hamlet†). The dramatic structure of the play is obviously a tragedy. Of course, the dramatic content of the play includes conflict. Many of Shakespeare’s plays show order or unity. Many of them involve a group of people or society which will then be broken. This situation would seem to be unresolved until the end of the story or until everyone is killed. Another part of the structure of this drama is the existence of the supernatural. This could be seen in the presence of the ghost of King Hamlet. This was also done by Shakespeare in some of his works like Macbeth and Midsummer night’s dream. This will then cause the disturbance of the situation. In the case of Hamlet, the ghost of King Hamlet triggered young Hamlet’s emotions which resulted to seeking revenge. Since the story is a tragedy, we expect that the conflict can only be resolved with the death of the main character. However, not all tragedies end after the killing of the main character. Some tragedies end by grieving to the death of the fallen hero or carrying the hero’s dead body. This will then show the â€Å"bringing back† of unity amongst the broken society. Such dramatic structure was made by Shakespeare especially for the 18th century where in the concept of tragedies are not yet or less accepted by the public (Jhonston). Cultural Significance Hamlet has its effects on culture. It showed the people to face reality and not hide from the truth. In the century when the play was made, social hierarchy is a big deal. Social status is an important issue that is why the play addresses that we should be true to ourselves and that we should not beautify the harsh realities of life (Cook). It seems that Shakespeare wanted to show the imperfections of man through Hamlet’s dissatisfaction of the world. The play seems to whine about the current state of our culture and society and that people should not beautify the mistakes of the society and the culture they built upon. Reference: Cook, Hardy M. â€Å"The Meaning of Hamlet†. 2004. July 18 2007. . â€Å"Hamlet†. 2006. July 19 2007. . â€Å"Hamlet Character Analysis†. 2005. Absolute Shakespeare. July 18 2007. . Jhonston, Ian. â€Å"Darmatic Structure: Comedy and Tragedy†. 2007. July 19 2007. . Kriszner, Laurie G. Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. 6th ed: Thomson-Wadsworth, 2006. Mabillard, Amanda. â€Å"Hamlet Character Analysis†. 2000. Shakespeare online. July 19 2007. .

Friday, November 8, 2019

An Analysis of The selling of Joseph by Benjamin Franklin †American Literature Essay (200 level Course)

An Analysis of The selling of Joseph by Benjamin Franklin – American Literature Essay (200 level Course) Free Online Research Papers An Analysis of The selling of Joseph by Benjamin Franklin American Literature Essay (200 level Course) There is no doubt that slavery is one of humankind’s worst experiences. Humans have been practicing slavery for centuries. From the big Roman Empire to the small kingdoms of Asia and Africa, slavery was a common and acceptable practice. In all these societies slaves were traditionally kept and used as domestic servants and it was also an indication of power and wealth, but they were not used for commercial gains. Things changed with the discovery of the New World, the need for quick and cheap labor increased. Benjamin Franklin’s satire on the defense of slavery makes a lot of sense. He bases his argument on religion, wealth, civility and power. His use of Divan of Algiers to further illustrate his point was a good and valid idea. The Divan uses all this points to argue that slavery in fact is good for the continuation of their civilization. The Divan feared the fall of Authority if slavery was to be abolished. Religion has been used a lot of times to justify the continuity of slavery and the slave trade. This is also demonstrated in Franklin’s letter. Franklin writes that the divan of Algiers emphasizes that by bringing or capturing slaves they are civilizing and showing them the light of God. â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ is their condition then made worse by their falling into our hands? No; they have only exchanged one slavery for another, and I may say better; for they are brought into a land where the sun of Islamism gives forth its light and shines in full splendor, and they have an opportunity of making themselves Acquainted with the true doctrine, and Thereby saving their immortal souls†¦ â€Å" (Franklin 759) The divan of Algiers does insist that slavery is good for the so-called â€Å"infidels† and their captivity is good because it helps them become better individuals and Muslims at the same time. He also raises points that aren’t the individuals and Muslims at the same time. He also raises points that aren’t the individuals already slaves from wherever they come from? (Franklin 759). This is true since most of the people the Algerians were capturing were sailors from European ships and the Algerian assumed that they were slaves since they got treated bad by the ship owners. The Divan suggests that the captives are just changing from one slavery to another better one. Religion was used everywhere in his defense of slavery. The divan was not the only individual to use religion to his defense, the king of Bonny (now the Nigerian Delta) also used religion to legitimize slavery. The British declared all slavery being illegal and this forced the king to respond,  "†¦we think this trade must go on. That is the verdict of our oracle and priests. They say that our country however great, can never stop the trade but god himself†¦.† (The Story of Africa 2). The author Phillis Whetley in one of her poems also praised slavery â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦twas mercy that brought me from my pagan land†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Whitley 1104). The use of religion to argue on slavery was a common practice and Franklin exhibited it to us using the Divan. The Divan did not use religion only, he also used economics or wealth as a reason to try further his arguments. The Divan tried to illustrate that by abolishing slavery, the government and its people will lose a lot of money and things will be worse. The land they occupy will diminish in value and there will be no one to cultivate the farms. The government will lose a lot of money and it will not be able to pay its citizens for whatever loss they have incurred (Franklin 759). The government will also lose most of its revenues from the slaves owners. This economic argument was also used by a lot by the plantation owners in the Americas. Franklin’s Divan tried to persuade the council that the country ‘s economy will be in ruins if they do go ahead and let the slaves free. His argument is valid and makes sense when you look it in an economic perspective. The Divan states that the slave being inferior and ignorant, will not be able to establish good government and govern themselves â€Å"†¦but they are, I doubt, too little disposed to labor without compulsion, as well as too ignorant to establish a good government†¦.† (Franklin 759) The divan argues that the slaves will be treated fairly and better if they stayed. Franklin’s divan was not the only one to be concerned about the future of freed slaves, Samuel Sewall who spoke out against slavery also showed some concern on what will happen if the slaves in America were freed. In his memorial â€Å"The selling of Joseph† Seawall says about that â€Å"†¦. few can endure Negro being set free, and indeed they can seldom use their freedom†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Seawall 414). Seawall’s statements goes on to show that even though he was a pre-abolitionist he was not necessarily a supporter of an integrated society and so was the Dian of Algiers. To conclude Franklin’s use of the Divan’s argument made a lot of sense since we could compare the Algerians to the plantation owners in the Americas. Slavery is bad there is no doubt about that but I do agree with the Divan’s a4rgument when it comes to the economics of it. The whole argument takes a different turn and makes a lot of sense even though it is such a bad idea. Franklin clearly illustrates and satirizes the Divan’s argument. The points are clear and easy to understand in spite of being such a hard topic. Overall the argument makes a lot of sense and it is valid. The only thing it misses is it does not take into consideration the feelings and opinions of the slaves. Franklin clearly does a great job explaining slavery to us through the Divan. Franklin, Benjamin from â€Å"On the slave Trade† The Heath anthology of American Literature, Vol. I. 3rd ed. Paul Lauter. Bostson: Houghton, 1998.758-760. Seawall, Samuel from â€Å"The Selling of Joseph† The Heath anthology of American Literature, Vol. I. 3rd ed. Paul Lauter. Bostson: Houghton, 1998.413-418. World Service, BBC from â€Å"The story of Africa† BBC World Service website (bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica) London: 05-23-2001 Wheatley, Phillis from â€Å"On being brought from Africa† The Heath anthology of American Literature, Vol. I. 3rd ed. Paul Lauter. Bostson: Houghton, 1998.1104. Research Papers on An Analysis of The selling of Joseph by Benjamin Franklin - American Literature Essay (200 level Course)19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraQuebec and CanadaBringing Democracy to AfricaComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresHip-Hop is ArtEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThree Concepts of Psychodynamic

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

What is it that makes life interesting

What is it that makes life interesting? Better yet, does life even have a purpose? Right away most people would have answered yes to this question, but how sure are we if yes is the right answer. I too question myself if everyone on Earth or this whole universe has a meaning to live. Sometimes I even wonder if our purpose is just to live life and die. Not everyone actually sits and ponders whether or not we are here for a purpose. We just all assume we have a purpose. Why? Well, because we all have been told from the very beginning by our parents, family members, and even friends that life has a purpose. And we all believe it too, which is normal. But still the question arises, How sure are we if life truly has a meaning? Everyone is entitled to his or her own beliefs and opinions whether it is right or wrong. If a person feels God gave them a purpose to live, then so be it. Likewise, if a person feels life has no purpose, or better yet, God gave that person no purpose, or even his or her own self-fulfillment is their purpose of life, then again so be it. I want to believe my purpose of life is to succeed, to be all that I can be. That is my purpose, my one self-fulfillment, and my own wish. Most people feel that yes, God did give everyones life a purpose. He wants all of us to live in his own image. His son even died for us to give life a stronger purpose. He is our savior. Most religions teach this concept too. God made us all to serve a purpose. Like a doctors purpose is to help or save a patient. Though, on the contrary, we must look at a different aspect of the equation. How do we really know whether of not God even exists? Did he give all of our lives a purpose? We are all in the inside living our own personal lives, but we are never on the outside looking of what is really around us, or not having an open mind and thinking of all the different views that can pos

Monday, November 4, 2019

Social Disorganisation Theory of Criminology Essay

Social Disorganisation Theory of Criminology - Essay Example The latter serves to reinforce cohesion in society and curbs crimes or delinquency. Social organisation was limited to small communal groups such as local councils but was later applied to larger groups such as nations, continents and the like. (Kapsis, 1978) Thomas and Znanieki (1918) explain that the social disorganisation theory was initially applied in the City of Chicago by psychologist working for the University of Chicago; this was in the early twentieth century. The City of Chicago was quite conducive for the application and study of this theory because it had been associated with numerous migration cases from different parts of the worlds at that time. The social cohesion that had been witnessed in that City was now a thing of the past because there were numerous changes occurring. The sociologists claimed that arrival of immigrant populations within the City led to a breakdown of some of the well know social rules that had prevented occurrence of crime. Edwin Sutherland (1924) did extensive work in the field of social disorganisation through his book 'Principles of criminology'. In his book, he starts with the values that make peasant societies more stable and less prone to crime or delinquency. Such societies are harmonious and influences are derived from consistent sources. However, with the introduction of western societies, peasant societies were transformed by capitalist idea. Communal values no longer took precedence and instead individualistic tendencies took over. The relationships that initially dispensed cultural values and traditions disintegrated and there was 'disorganisation'. He also believed that systemic (organised and persistent) cases of crime could be overcome if society was rearranged to deal with it. But because society is random and individualistic, cases of crime will continue to occur. Henry Mackay and Clifford Shaw (1929) also collaborated in this filed of criminology. They were also members of the University of Chicago. In their research, they reaffirmed that there were links between the level of social 'organisation' and crime rates. They conducted research and found out that cases of delinquency and crime were more popular in areas nearer to Chicago city than those further away. They also concluded that societies with high rates of delinquency had equal proportions of adult crimes. According to the two, high crime rates were prevalent in areas where there was physical deterioration. They also reported that some location were associated with high crime rates regardless of the fact that their populations were changing. Their explanations for these were that populations were faced with certain social challenges irrespective of their biological predispositions. Consequently, those social challenges would lead to high crime rates even when those societies had minima l cases of immigrant arrival or population changes. The two sociologists put forward the argument that traditional norms were disoriented when there was introduction of commerce. This made social systems weaken and with time, they would eventually disappear. This could eventually lead to higher cases of crime and maybe even permissiveness towards it. Sutherland (1939) argued that there was a direct relationship between two aspects; social disorganisation in society and crime organisation. He asserted that the latter was propagated by the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Ethical and Legal Issues in the Workplace Research Paper

Ethical and Legal Issues in the Workplace - Research Paper Example In terms of workplace conditions, modern racism does not lead to hate against women and other minorities; however, they cause discomfort and avoidance from members of the majority (Cornelius, 2002). Where the workplace or organization has some groups which represent minority populations, they usually create a crucial group of people who can also protect these members from unfavourable stereotypes (Cornelius, 2002). In some instances, the increased number of women in the upper rungs of management is linked with a decreased tendency towards stereotyping. Authors discuss the significance of indicating threshold points where there is a sufficient number of minorities in groups in securing diversity change techniques (Kosek, et.al., 2003). Tsui and Gutek (1999) also point out consistent indications which express more similarities among supervisors and subordinates in terms of age, ethnicity, and gender correlations with human resource outcomes performing better and having less role ambigu ity and conflict. Leck, et.al., (1995) discuss that some organizations which are more diverse (i.e higher female population), also manifest with lesser wage gaps. Among groups, studies indicate that there are varying results and outcomes from diverse setups. Analysis by McLeod and colleagues (1996) indicate that more diverse groups were likely to engage in improved quality solutions in terms of brainstorming, mostly in relation to homogeneous groups; they also displayed more coordination and cooperation.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Impact of Class Size on Students' Achievement Essay

Impact of Class Size on Students' Achievement - Essay Example Class size is an issue that is largely at the center of the school system, especially since it influences not only the size of classrooms but also the number of teachers in a school (and by extension in the country), hence, it is naturally a concern to parents, teachers, school administrators, the government and all other stakeholders in the education sector (Mosteller, 1995). The research that has been conducted concerning the impact of class size on students’ achievement is particularly wide- and far-reaching, but has on several occasions yielded different and sometimes even conflicting results, thus raising the question, what in fact is the impact of class size on students’ achievement? Another question that arises is whether class size has similar impacts across the grades in elementary education (if impacts are found to be present), and finally whether any present impacts of class size on students’ achievement are residual after the students are integrated back into regular-size classes. Some studies have concluded that class size does have an impact on learning while others dispute this, and this fact alongside the research questions make this an interesting and important area of inquiry. A review of relevant literature based on the premise that class size has an effect on students’ achievement is the backbone of this inquiry, alongside the implications of this literature review and their potential applications in an actual school setting. The literature on the effects of class size on students' learning achievement was collected through a search in education journals, databases and relevant sites. This review consists of primary sources and secondary ones that were obtained after refining the search to focus on the impact of class size on elementary school education.... ievement is particularly wide- and far-reaching, but has on several occasions yielded different and sometimes even conflicting results, thus raising the question, what in fact is the impact of class size on students’ achievement? Another question that arises is whether class size has similar impacts across the grades in elementary education (if impacts are found to be present), and finally whether any present impacts of class size on students’ achievement are residual after the students are integrated back into regular-size classes. Some studies have concluded that class size does have an impact on learning while others dispute this, and this fact alongside the research questions make this an interesting and important area of inquiry. A review of relevant literature based on the premise that class size has an effect on students’ achievement is the backbone of this inquiry, alongside the implications of this literature review and their potential applications in an actual school setting. Literature Review The literature on the effects of class size on students' learning achievement was collected through a search in education journals, databases and relevant sites. This review consists of primary sources and secondary ones that were obtained after refining the search to focus on the impact of class size on elementary school education. A great deal of work has been done in this area over the last three decades, with conflicting results; most studies have suggested that reduction in class size leads to considerable improvements in student learning, while others conclude that class-size reductions may not bring with them any appreciable or significant effects (Pritchard, 1999). Besides this, the other matter that arises is the model of investigations into class size.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Marshall Plan Essay Example for Free

Marshall Plan Essay How important was the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall plan to the crystallization of Cold War Tensions in Europe in the years 1945-1951? When considering the crystallization of Cold War tensions in Europe one can not overlook the impact of both the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. Although events were often ‘a cycle of action and reaction which makes the identification of ultimate causes difficult and probably impossible’ both the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall plan signaled a turning point in relations between east and west Europe. The solidification of Cold War tensions in Europe is, for the sake of this essay, the point at which it was clear that relations between the United Sates and the Soviet Union were unsalvageable as their ideological differences became increasingly polarized. Although the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan were considered by the American administration as ‘two halves of the same walnut’ to fully explore the consequences of the American policies one must look at them separately. The Truman Doctrine hailed in a new era for the US’s foreign policy through the definition of containment and the introduction of formal institutions such as the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence agency and the Department of Defense. This showed a move towards a more assertive foreign policy, arguably provoking the Soviet Union and escalating tensions between the two powers. Similarly the Marshall Plan’s encroachment on what the USSR saw as their sphere of influence through their offer of financial aid triggered a threatened Soviet Russia to intensify their authority over satellite states. Their dramatic actions in Czechoslovakia can be seen as evidence of the importance of the role the Marshall Plan played in escalating tensions in Europe as these events can be viewed as a direct consequence of changing US foreign policy. However to fully appreciate the complexities of the issues covered when looking at the development of Cold War tensions in Europe one must place these events in a wider contextual framework. To ignore the political, social or economic issues which form the background of this timeframe would be to oversimplify the issue. It is therefore imperative to look as the situation from both US and Soviet viewpoints whilst considering the issues the nations were dealing with domestically. By 1951 Europe was undeniably divided, with two power blocs emerging, east and west. Whilst the formulation of these tensions had originated from a shared history dating back to before the war, the culmination of these tensions is undeniably linked to both the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall plan as they ‘solidified divisions of Europe’. The Truman Doctrine, through the role it played in outlining the Soviet Union as the enemy and defining the American policy of containment, was a hugely significant step towards the crystallization of Cold War Tensions in Europe. The Truman Doctrine argued that, after Britain’s need to reduce its participation in aiding Greece, congress must ‘immediately extend financial aid’ because of the threat of ‘communist domination’. However, far from solely asking for economic and military aid for Greece and Turkey the doctrine took on the role of calling for the ‘global containment of communism’. The combination of a definition of the United States’ foreign policy towards communism and the demonstration of their commitment through action did help the move towards a divided Europe. Furthermore it solidified and defined the ideology upon which US foreign policy was made. A key consequence of the Truman Doctrine was the changes it caused in the United States’ decision-making process. As Painter explains, the support elicited for the strategy of containment meant that American administrations were ‘able to act on their beliefs about the relationship between politics, economics and US security’. This signaled an era in which the US would base their foreign policy around their capitalist ideology, one completely at odds with the Soviet Union. These beliefs were strengthened by the introduction of new governmental institutions such as the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence agency and the Department of Defense arguably moving towards a more ‘activist foreign policy’ presenting a clear threat to the USSR. Kennan, seen as the father of containment was a crucial figure in the emergence of Cold War tensions in Europe through his writings that inspired the Truman doctrine. Whilst looking at the effects of the Truman Doctrine it is imperative that we look at the role Kennan took in not only promoting containment as a strategy of foreign policy but also defining the Soviet Union. From Moscow Kennan sent the ‘Long Telegram’ suggesting that the USSR was an aggressive nation and that the only successful form of American foreign policy would be a long term strategy of containment. Kennan encouraged the US to view the Soviet Union as ‘inherently expansionist and aggressive’, in effect suggesting that the USSR should be seen as the enemy. While Kennan explained his actions as not ‘directed at combating communism but restoration of economic health’ in Europe it is clear that his constant rhetoric describing the Soviet Union as a threat that needed to be contained did much to not only encouraging domestic fear and anti communist views but also to provoke the Soviet Union into changing its foreign policy. Kennan would further influence the escalation of tensions through the role he played in the Marshall Plan. The Marshall Plan, like the Truman Doctrine, may not have intended to divide Europe, for a number of reasons this was the final outcome. Based around the ideas that ‘The seeds of totalitarian regimes are nurtured by misery and want’ the Marshall Plan was seen as necessary to avoid the spread of communism. The Marshall Plan was seen by the American administration as the ‘next important step against the perceived Russian threat’ as it was imperative to remove the misery and want which was rife in an economically ruined Europe. However, to the USSR the Marshall Plan was perceived quite differently, it was a western attempt to encroach on their sphere of influence. The Marshall Plan had far wider reaching consequences that simply supporting a recovering Europe economically. Through looking at the Soviet reaction to the Marshall Plan we see that it played a key role in the crystallization of Cold War tensions in Europe. The reaction to the Marshall plan by the Soviet Union marked a turning point in relations between east and west Europe as they served to split countries whose ideologies were drifting further apart. As the Marshall Plan was arguably the spark set off the chain of events it can be seen as hugely important in the crystallization of Cold War tensions in Europe. Whilst the Truman doctrine may have put a strain on relations between America and the Soviet Union the Marshall Plan as Myrdal, who guided the Economic Commission for Europe saw it, it would ‘secure the iron curtain and bring on war’. The Marshall plan therefore seems to have been the point at which Europe was split as it presented to the nations of Europe the choice between the two great powers and their ideologies. To revisionist historians such as Kolko the Marshall plan served the purpose of bringing Soviet fears to the fore and thus increasing tensions. It is clear that the Marshall plan ‘forced Stalin to reassess his stance towards East and West Europe’ which escalated Cold War tensions. Many revisionist historians will argue that the Soviet reaction to the Marshall Plan was one natural for a country that felt weak and under attack. It could be argued that the Marshall Plan in the eyes of the USSR was a concerted attempt by the United States to undermine Soviet influence in Eastern Europe. To Taubman and Kolko it is therefore clear that it was the Marshall Plan that sparked the escalation of tensions. Whilst it could be argued that this was not the case as the Marshall Plan was open to Soviet participation Crockartt shows that the US administration took steps to avoid communist participation in the plan. Kennan, who as aforementioned had been clear about his views on containment and the Soviet Union made sure that the plan ‘be done in such a form that Russian satellites would either exclude themselves†¦or agree to abandon the exclusive orientation of their economies’. This therefore encouraged divisions within Europe, as now there was a clear indication of whether or not the country subscribed to East or West ideologies. Furthermore many argue that the inclusion of Soviet states was due to a ‘desire not to invite the charge that the ERP was an anti-communist measure’ rather than a genuine offer of financial aid. One could therefore argue that it was not surprising that the plan caused tensions, as soviet inclusion was highly unlikely. The extent to which the Soviet Union felt threatened can be seen through actions taken as a result of the Marshall plan, seen by historians such as Gaddis as a turning point in the development of the Cold War. The Soviet Union now seemed to act on a wish to unite the communist parties around Eastern Europe through the introduction of organizations such as Comiform. The Communist information Bureau can be seen as an attempt by Stalin to bring the communist parties around Europe under more soviet control. Furthermore the Molotov Plan, seen by many as a Soviet version of the Marshall plan, aimed to provide financial aid for struggling economies that fell under soviet influence. The influence the Marshall Plan can be seen clearly through the introduction of the Molotov plan as it suggests that either Eastern European countries were so affected by their rejection of the Marshall Plan they needed a similar proposal or Stalin felt so threatened he felt the need to create his own version. However perhaps the most striking Soviet reaction to the Marshall Plan was the events that took place in Czechoslovakia in 1948. The impact can be illustrated in the fact that the only remaining non-communist leader in Eastern Europe was removed, shocking the United States and heightening the divisions between east and west, polarizing both powers. The Czech coup, in which the communist part, with strong Soviet support assumed total control over the Czech government and purged any non communist political figures. Furthermore the ‘Stalinization’ of both Czechoslovakia and Hungary’s societies due to fears brought about by the Marshall plan further intensified the differences between east and west. Through the introduction of the collectivization of farming, an emphasis on manufacturing and a suppression of opposition eastern European countries were forced to become more extreme in their politics, separating Europe and increasing Cold War tensions. The reaction by the US illustrated the impact of events in Czechoslovakia as they it aided the swift implementation of the Marshall Plan, the creation of West Germany and in under a year the creation of NATO. It is clear to see therefore that the Marshall Plan played a key role in escalating tensions between the east and west in Europe. However, these views have been challenged. Although the impact of the combination of the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine was undeniable in moving Europe towards a period of Cold War tensions the extent of their impact is a source of debate. The importance of the Marshall Plan is undermined by a number of issues that show that although it may have played an important role in the crystallization of Cold war tensions in Europe it was by no means the only influence. Historians such as Crockartt will point out the fact that one needs to consider the fact that both nations had hugely differing political styles and circumstances. The Soviet Union entered this period with ‘enhanced prestige after playing a key role in defeating the Nazis’and possessed, through ruling communist parties, tight control over their sphere of influence. The United States however placed a much greater emphasis on the justification of their actions abroad through official documents and formal organizations, as they did not, as the communists did, have puppet rulers in foreign governments. Therefore it could be argued that these differences in political style were the truly important factors in the consolidation of Cold War tensions rather than particular events or policies. However, whilst the differing political styles may have been important these were long term issues that had a constant role in the diplomacy between the USSR and the US. It would be difficult therefore to argue that these played any decisive part in the crystallization of the tensions these differences helped to create. Therefore it could be argued that actions such as the announcement of the Marshall Plan and documents such as the Truman doctrine were the real cause of the solidification of these tensions. One must look at this period of time not just as a chronological series of events but place these events within the framework of the political, social and economic features also prominent at the time. Much of the post-revisionist historiography, with the benefit of hindsight, takes into account these complexities and sees the causes of Cold War tensions in Europe as far more diverse. When these issues are taken into account we see that there was a host of issues at the time all culminating to solidify Cold War tensions in Europe. As aforementioned the Soviet Union entered the period with a new identity, that of a great power of the world. Both the US and the Soviet Union had to react to this change of order and historians such as David Reynolds will even argue that the Cold War was inevitable given the shared history between the two powers. However although tensions may have been inevitable, as mentioned earlier, the solidification of these strains seems to revolve around the implementation of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan as they polarized the nations ideologies and pulled them further apart. As Crockartt explains revisionist historians view American economic expansionism for capitalist profits as at the heart of tensions between the United States and the USSR and it was the differences in the two nations ideologies that solidified divisions. American determination to keep ‘western Europe (as a) safe arena for international capitalism’ was the fundamental force of strains between the US and the Soviet Union. The wording of President Truman’s message to congress on March 12 1947 regarding US involvement in Greece and Turkey arguably shows the intertwined nature between American foreign policy and capitalist gains. In his address persuading congress to assist Greece and Turkey Truman refers to capital spent on the Second World War as an ‘investment’ in world freedom. The document makes it clear that, to the US administration economic stability and freedom from communism are inextricably linked. The Marshall Plan can hoever be seen as the manifestation of these ideologies and therefore this argument suggests the Marshall Plan had an even greater influence. Furthermore the importance of the Truman Doctrine in heightening Cold War tensions in Europe is called into question as Painter points out Stalin did little to significantly support the efforts of the Greek communists. Whilst some may argue that this because of the success of US aid, others would see it as undermining the significance of the Truman doctrine as Stalin only showed slight concern for the success of communist rebels in Greece. However this could be because of strains in Soviet relations with Yugoslavia being a greater priority that the potential of a Greek communist uprising. Furthermore although Soviet reaction to the Truman Doctrine may have shown reluctance to act on Stalin’s part, US actions in Greece, Turkey and Iran showed their ‘determination to maintain Western access’ to overseas trade zones. The Truman Doctrine and the Marshal plan played an undeniable role in escalating Cold War tensions between 1945 and 1951. Although they may not have formed the basis of these tensions, which had built up in the post-war years, they seem to act as the nail in the coffin for US/Soviet relations. One could argue that as a result of the definition of not only their differences, but also the definition of the Soviet Union as aggressive and expansionist, the Truman Doctrine waved in an era of hostility. The Marshall Plan further polarized European states as one either subscribed to Marshall aid, or didn’t, in effect the Iron Curtain was drawn. One must never overlook the issues that formed the basis of tensions between the US and the USSR as these similarly contributed to the crystallization of cold war tensions. At the crux of strains between the US and the USSR were the disparate ideologies the two nations held at the heart of their foreign policy and as a result the contrasting ways of looking at events and actions. This period sees the polarization of these ideologies and therefore the solidification between the two nations can be seen as inevitable. However, fundamentally the Marshall Plan and The Truman Doctrine provided a platform for these tensions to develop and escalate and because of this they were hugely important in the crystallization of Cold War Tensions in Europe. Bibliography: Primary Sources: President Trumans Message to Congress; March 12, 1947; Document 171; 80th Congress, 1st Session; Records of the United States House of Representatives; Record Group 233; National Archives. Secondary Sources: Crockatt, R., Fifty Years War: United States and Soviet Union in World Politics (London 1996) Barros, J., Trygve Lie The UN Secretary-General Pursues Peace, 1946-1953 (Illinois 1989) P.125 J. L., Gaddis, We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History (1997) J. L., Gaddis, Strategies of Containment†¬: A Critical Appraisal of American National Security Policy During the Cold War†¬ (Oxford 1982)†¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬ Hogan, M. J., The Marshall Plan: America, Britain, and the Reconstruction of Western Europe, 1947-1952 (US, 1990) Review by Charles S. M., in American Visions and British Interests: Hogans Marshall Plan Kolko, G., The Limits of Power: The world and United States Foreign Policy, 1941-1949 (1970) Painter, D. S., The Cold War: An Interdisciplinary History (London, GBR) Taubman, W., Stalin’s American Policy: From Entente to Dà ©tente to Cold War (New York 1982) p.172-3