The Thematic Character of Everyday Use by Alice Walker

Often times after a person reads a piece of literature, he or she will form opinions about the motivations of the characters, the effects of the setting, the overall theme or underlying message being conveyed, and the other elements that helped to shape the whole story. After contemplating about their particular beliefs about a work, individuals will find their ideas to be different from others because each of them perceives details of the tale in a varying manner. For this reason, it was not surprising that many of my classmates and I had conflicting opinions about the main themes present in Alice Walker†s â€Å"Everyday Use (For Your Grandmama). Numerous members of the class strongly felt that the story†s central theme lied in the differing values of each the characters. They used textual evidence to prove that Dee†s views on certain issues were so unlike those of her mother and Maggie†s that they actually created a barrier between Dee and her family. Others felt that the setting and the type/amount of education influenced the motives of each of the characters. These people referred to the fact that Dee had the opportunity to obtain a proper education and that Mama and Maggie did not. The rural setting served as a means to enhance their views because it showed that most people had to work instead of receiving an education. In comparison with these viewpoints mentioned, I took a much different approach to interpreting the principal theme of this story. I truly believed that â€Å"Everyday Use† was about the ways in which Dee†s personality affected herself and her family. Using this generalized notion, I developed a more precise theme for this work. Each of us is raised within a culture, a set of traditions handed down by those before us. As individuals, we view and experience common heritage in subtly differing ways. Within many smaller communities and families, deeply felt traditions serve to enrich this common heritage. Alice Walker's â€Å"Everyday Use† explores how, in her eagerness to claim an ancient heritage, Dee denies herself the substantive personal experience of familial traditions in such incidents as the justification of her name change, her comments during the meal with the family, and her requesting Mama for the quilts. Upon arriving at her mother†s new house for the first time, Dee surprises her mother and Maggie with her appearance and her apparent name change. Dee quickly informs her mother that she has made her new name â€Å"Wangero† to reflect her African heritage. She no longer will be named after the people who oppress her. This reference can be attributed to Dee†s possible experiences as a civil rights activist. Among the black community many people adopt African names to reflect their pre-slavery heritage. While this can be a source of strength and affirmation for some, it may represent a rejection of one's past, as it apparently does for Dee. Even her mother†s response that she was named ‘Dee' after her aunt, who was named for the aunt's mother, â€Å"though I probably could have carried it back beyond the Civil War through the branches,† does not have any true effect on her perception of her given name (32). Dee still feels that being called â€Å"Wangero† will give her cultural fulfillment, whereas her real name holds her back from attaining this. She fails to recognize that her mother†s words actually show how the family is proud to pass the name ‘Dee† along generations to help preserve their own traditions. Dee does not feel the pride that is associated with her real name because she possesses a certain prejudice against her family that will not allow her to embrace her own private heritage. This prejudice is rooted in her beliefs that her mother and Maggie are incapable of relating her views due to their lack of education and their unwillingness to accept new ideas. Judging from Dee†s opinions about her name, readers can clearly see that she has misunderstandings about her living heritage that prevent her from feeling the joy of carrying on a family name. Against Dee's claim to her African roots is the thread of tradition in her own family. Not only has Dee achieved an education denied her mother, she has rejected her given name, and she sees self-created symbolism in the food and objects present at the meal. Dee â€Å"[goes] on through the chitlins and corn bread,† â€Å"[talks] a blue streak over the sweet potatoes,† and â€Å"[thoroughly] delights herself [with] everything† (45). Dee finds this meal to be a sort of novelty that she can only appreciate properly because she is now in the proper surroundings to do so. Her usually more sophisticated diet leaves her room to relish such a simple meal and its reflection of her African roots, not her rural family culture. She admits to Mama to not appreciating as a child the benches on which they are sitting, made by her father. Dee can â€Å"feel the rump prints† (46). Yet, when next Dee exclaims to her mother that she wants the butter churn which was whittled out of a tree by her uncle, and that she will use it as a centerpiece for one of her tables, readers suspect her appreciation for the benches and the churn is really as mere artifacts. Dee then turns her attention to the dasher used with the churn. She assures everyone that she will â€Å"‘think of something artistic to do with the dasher'† (53). When the shy Maggie informs them her uncle Henry made the dash, and that they used to call him Stash, Dee exclaims, â€Å"‘Maggie's brain is like an elephant's',† implying that Maggie's knowledge is feral, that she can't help but hold on to facts which are irrelevant (53). Real, human details, such as the name of the man who made the dasher, are not relevant to Dee. She feels the workmanship in the dasher represents good quality art that should be displayed accordingly to mirror her appreciation of her roots. Dee sees the object as a thing of beauty, but not as a part of her very personal culture, a utility reflecting the effort and determination of those who once used it. In turn, she is alienating herself from her personal identification of family†s past through her superficial recognition of the dasher†s value. Dee†s family knows that â€Å"hesitation [is] no part of [Dee's] nature,† and that she is determined to achieve what she desires (6). In the bedroom, rifling through her mother's keepsakes, Dee finds her grandma†s quilts, and tries to lay claim to them. The quilts are made of old dresses and cloths, some handed down from several prior generations. When Dee asks her mother if she can have them, we sense a turning point is reached. Since Dee already rejected them once before, Mama responds to Dee†s request by stating that the quilts have been promised to Maggie. Dee argues that her mother and Maggie cannot properly appreciate the quilts, that the quilts should be displayed. ‘Maggie†¦ [would] probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use'† (66). Dee†s claim to the quilts and her plans to use them as decorations show her outward perception of family heirlooms to be mere objects of display, not treasured items that help people remember their loved ones and make them appreciate the hard work put into them. Dee†s adopted values cloud her mind and thoughts, making her naive to the integrity and genuine nature of her culture. Her mother†s refusal to grant this one favor does not even create any sense of misgivings on her part. Her arrogance and her adherence to her misguided beliefs make her unable to see the true worth of the quilts and their importance to her family†s traditions. Dee†s notions about the quilts thwart her from experiencing the happiness associated with displaying one†s own familial culture to the rest of the world. Our heritage threads through history past the people who contributed to it, to affect us on a personal level. To be fully appreciated and claimed, it must reside in the heart. Dee understands the heritage of people she doesn't know. In this way, her adopted heritage can be understood intellectually, but it is not felt, not personal, and not truly her own. Her rejection of her family†s culture in the rural society will not allow to ever have feelings of personal pride about her true roots. In turn, Dee can never really find happiness in most aspects concerning her immediate family, making it hard for her to have a loving relationship with any of them.

Gaining Independence

Gaining Independence Many parents stand by in frustration wondering how they can help a challenged child develop new skills. The very first step to completing this task is ridding our minds of the word disabled. The dictionary defines disabled as an umbrella term for someone who is being incapacitated by illness or injury or in broad terms physically or mentally impaired. The biggest gift we can give our children is independence. Independence is freedom from dependency of us. That’s what every mother wants, her child to fly from the nest and live a life of happiness and freedom.Another thing we can do for our children is step back and allow them to struggle a bit. Remember the saying: â€Å"necessity is the mother of invention? † What that means is through necessity, people become creative and make do with the things they do have. It makes them more kind, compassionate and grateful towards life. Through struggles a child learns perseverance. Perseverance will fuel a chi ld with the energy to work hard at developing skills and build self esteem. The natural inclination of a parent is to swoop in and rescue the child when they struggle, or cry or attempt to give up because a learning experience has challenged them.Unfortunately, by rescuing our children we are unconsciously conditioning them to be dependent on us. And that is something that can be prevented. Disabled children can be independent; they just need to show them how. First, help them find their own strengths. Everyone has a strong suit or strength. Whether its compassion, or math. But, everyone does. So, develop these strong suits and strengths and capitalize on the things they CAN do. Second, don’t use the word disability as an excuse. Everyone has some adversity or challenge to overcome. EVERYONE.But, where appropriate, hold your child to the same standards as you would with any other child. Doing so, will make him or her stronger in the long run and give them the best chance to s ucceed and function more independently. Third be there to help, Independence doesn’t mean dropping someone in the middle of the ocean. Growing up pis a difficult enough for any child and can be stressful at many different levels. Knowing they have a safety net is critical part of developing confidence and allows them to stretch their abilities without being frozen by overwhelming fear of failure.Fourth, you have to be avoid giving your child directions all the time. Otherwise they will never become independent. It is a good idea to supervise your child, but you should avoid correcting their actions and behaviors in front of others Generally it is best to show your kid how to do things and let them learn from their mistakes. It is always better to help your child rather than criticizing their actions. In conclusion, always put the person first, not their disability. Anyone with a disability would rather people to see them. Not their disability, simply because they are a person . Not a disability.

Nature or nurture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nature or nurture - Essay Example Although at present, the scientific community has tipped the scale towards ‘nature’, an ongoing debate argues that environment is the main factor influencing gender identities of people. This conclusion is drawn from the work of Michael Kimmel, a sociologist who teaches at the University of New York at Stony Brook. Apart from having written on gender in general and men in particular, in â€Å"‘Bros before Hos’: The Guy Code†, Kimmel deals specifically with issues of masculinity. He believes that young men are socialized into their groups and gain ideas of masculinity from the surroundings around them. Studies which have been conducted by James O’Neill, developmental psychologist at the University of Connecticut and social psychologist, Joseph Pleck have shown how little the socializing influences on boys have changed over the years. Kimmel points out how men conform to masculizing influences and perceived masculine behavior because they are anx ious to secure the approval of other men. In the words of playwright David Mamet, women are perceived have such a â€Å"low place on the social ladder of this country that its useless to define yourself in terms of a woman†. Boys tend to identify with their fathers and older male peers and adopt behavioral patterns considered to be â€Å"masculine† in order to win the approval of other men. Freud has put forward the view that an essential part of the process of defining male gender identify is the separation of a boy from his mother and close identification with his father instead. Masculinity is thus achieved through â€Å"repudiation, disassociation and then identification.† To support this argument, psychologists such as Michael Thompson, James Gabarrino and Dan Kindlon also reiterate that a culture of cruelty is created wherein young boys are actively discouraged from crying or showing their emotions. Applying Pollack’s views, a young boy would be pus hed through the influences from other males in his surrounding environment to actively develop the â€Å"mask of masculinity, which is essentially a stoic, unemotional front wherein denying their own emotional needs forms an essential part of framing of gender identity of the boys. In contrast with Kimmel, Hanna Rosin is less certain about the impact of socializing influences and the environment on the development of gender identity. In the â€Å"A Boy’ Life†, Rosin points to the fact that the difficulties transgender children experience, appear to have been exacerbated by parental indulgence. These children take on role-playing at a very early age – usually the role of the opposite sex – and persist with it. The writer also maps the recent preoccupation with biology in the area of human identity and the theories of gender as a social construct. Both Rosin and Kimmel offer a disturbing view of the motivation of peers, parents, communities and professiona ls. These people involved in the negotiation of gender identities, in which a mix of fear of rejection, a need for normalcy and peer approval, and professional ambition leads to a single-minded consideration. Parents, driven by fear of their children’s rejection by society and constant social affirmation

WHY IS IT DIFFICULT (MOST OF THE TIME) FOR PRESIDENTS TO GET CONGRESS Essay

WHY IS IT DIFFICULT (MOST OF THE TIME) FOR PRESIDENTS TO GET CONGRESS TO PASS THEIR DOMESTIC POLICY AGENDA AND WHAT PRESIDENTS DO TO IMPROVE THEIR ODDS OF SUCCESS - Essay Example Presidents are often confronted by the tension of a needed domestic policy change that is tempered with the deliberateness of the US legislative system, and must rely on the traditional impact of the opinion of the American voter. One of the obstacles that impede a President's ability to change domestic policy is the realization that domestic policy must adhere to the principle of 'government by the people'. While this ideal is as valid today as it was two centuries ago, it has been tempered by the influence of lobbyists and special interest groups. While the power of public opinion can speak through the president, "lobbying gives special advantages to vocal vested interests and that negotiations carried on behind closed doors can override the.wishes of the whole community in public decision making" (Public Governance 5). Lobbying can influence key congressional votes that may be required to enact a piece of legislation. While a President has the power to veto unfavorable domestic policy bills, lobbyists have the power to kill legislation that may be favorable to the President before it ever gets out of committee. Special interests have undermined the principle of 'government by the people' and influence pedd ling has presented Presidents with a significant obstacle to their ability to pass domestic legislation. Even without the undue influence of consultants, lobbyists, and campaign donations domestic policy is routinely subjected to an increased scrutiny that is based on ideological concerns. We may hear this characterized as the fight between the left and right, between liberals and conservatives, or the more extreme use of the terms free market and socialism. These opposing philosophical viewpoints have made it difficult to craft legislation that will be favored by one camp, while not being totally unacceptable to the other. Health care has languished in the realm of inaction for decades as the critical need for legislation is outweighed by the fear of creeping socialism. During the early years of the Clinton Presidency, a consensus could not be reached on health care as the support broke along ideological lines and compromise could not be reached. According to Light, "Central to a President's success is conciliation not challenge; cooperation, not conflict" (291). While the details of a health care program can be compromised, ideology does not have the political flexibility that is required to be negotiated. Even conservative European health care policies are typically significantly more liberal than in the US, yet Clinton's relatively conservative health care bill became bogged down on the issue of ideological differences, rather than on the content of the legislation (Starr). Domestic policy is often burdened with ideology as socially progressive Presidents confront the traditional free market forces of the US political system. Presidential domestic policies are by definition grand and ambitious projects that may be impeded simply because of their complexity and cost. These Presidential projects may bear the Presidents name and will become a significant part of the administration's historical legacy. The New Deal could not have been implemented on any

Explain how human resource management techniques can be a major Essay

Explain how human resource management techniques can be a major resource in the management of organisational culture - Essay Example A culture of power and an aura of personal authority extend from the CEO of the company and as the CEO often behaves in a radical, unconventional and anti-organisational way, so does the company follow in his mighty footsteps. At the same time, the traditional levels of secrecy and company loyalty at Apple means that the company manages to hold back the negative implications of having an anti-organisational culture at bay while making the positive implications into an advantage for itself. This peculiar ability of Apple to gain the benefits out of a group of reckless employees while avoiding the disadvantages can be observed with detailed information from examples of various everyday incidents at the company which are provided by those who worked for the company. There is no lack of information about Apple or the one person on which Apple banks for leading the company forward, i.e. Steve Jobs. Perhaps the best resource for the management of the company as well as the personality of Steve Jobs is the website folklore.org that gives details of hundreds of incidents that show how applicable human resources policies are used to define the culture of the company and for the people working for Apple Computers. The subjective analysis given by the writers and analysts working with Apple comes as first hand accounts of the organisation’s behaviour. This objective analysis is also presented in terms of how successful Apple’s products have been in the past and present. However, there is a limitation of how much inside information about the inner workings of the organisation can be obtained while remaining outside the company. Apple Computers is generally taken to be an American company that prides itself on creating innovative products for the consumer electronics and technology sectors (PC Magazine, 2006). In 2005, it

What inhabits governments from simply crushing protest by force Essay

What inhabits governments from simply crushing protest by force - Essay Example We are therefore, going to discuss reasons that the government avoids using force to stop protests as below. The government will never use force to crash protest because this would mean to violate the human rights. For example, black southern student sit-in movement was conducted by Civil Rights activists between 1957 and 1960 and affected at least fifteen cities in Greensboro, North Carolina was a function of well-developed and integrated widespread internal organization of civil right participants. Many demonstrations were organized in black people churches that supported the activists with finance. Some of the leaders of the protests were priest, teachers and heads of local organizations. Therefore, use of force to stop their protest would never be possible because it would go to the worst of killing these leaders. This would make the society to lose important people as they played important role in the society.Instead, the government used interviews to dig deep to the reason of the protest a move viewed to be the right move by the Protestants. The interviewers were given freedom to spe ak out their grievances while the government listening to them.As a result, the participants were able to present their facts in such a way as to enhance their own status. The interviews were appropriate because the accounted for individuals who participated in and were eyewitnesses to the events that were occurring. The government was able to understand about the sit-in that they were connected rather than isolated, initiated through organizations and personal ties, rationally planned and lead by established leaders and supported by indigenous resources thus use of force could not help to end the sit-ins but would have led to more chaos between the sit-ins activists and the government. On the other hand , it was impossible for the government to use force to crash the protests because the cycle of the organization linked to even those involve in the

Analysis of The American People by Nash, Gary B Article

Analysis of The American People by Nash, Gary B - Article Example Though the natives often outnumbered them, they had superior weaponry and tactics and overtook the empires in search of precious metals. Anne Hutchinson was a female who confronted the Puritan leadership in the 1630s on issues that were theologically based. Her presence polarized the population and she was banished and excommunicated in 1637 by the male Puritan leaders (92). She settled in Rhode Island where her followers continued the split in the church that she had started. The Puritans were a religious group that believed the Church of England was tainted by the Roman church and wished to 'purify' it by ridding it of all traces of Catholicism. In addition to being religious reformers, they also rejected the social changes that were sweeping over England at the time and found religion to be a way to confront them (89). During the 1630s, the Puritans believed that they had the destiny to be the rulers of the New World and should conquer and civilize the native savages. They were spurred on by epidemics of smallpox that they interpreted as God's will. Pressured for more land, they sought to rule over the natives leading to the Piquet War of 1637 against the Piquet Indians. This victory gave the Puritans a solid foothold and assured the future of British domination (94). The immigrants to the Chesapeake Bay faced a difficult time upon their arrival.

Unemployment within the labour market is primarily voluntary. Discuss Essay - 1

Unemployment within the labour market is primarily voluntary. Discuss - Essay Example ves mismatches between the demand and supply of laborers with the necessary skill set; it is encouraged by the disruptive technologies and the globalization. The classical and neoclassical economics focuses more on how rigid the labor market entails from the outside, for instance, minimum wage laws, unionization, taxes, and other policies that may put off the hiring of workers. People take unemployment as mostly bad because of voluntary choices by the unemployed and the period it takes to get a new work. Unemployment can come as a result of efficiency wages and sticky wages. Measuring unemployment is different depending on the country; they experience different levels of unemployment. Voluntary unemployment attributes to the personal decisions. Keynes theory argues that the neo-classical economic theory was not applicable during the recession because of private sector apprehension and over saving. Consequently people were thrown out of job involuntary and cannot get another acceptance for employment opportunity (Arestis 2002, p, 174). The neoclassical and Keynesian theories conflict has had a strong influence on the government policy. The purpose of the government is to eliminate and restrain unemployment through an increase in the government jobs and benefits. Government should take the step of encouraging the job seeker to both consider relocation to a new town and new careers. Involuntary unemployment does not exist in developing societies but urban cities such as India or Pakistan and mega cities of Africa (Hammer 2003, p. 220). The countries such as this, unemployed personnel should meet their survival needs at any price, getting a new job, becoming an entre preneur or amalgamating the alternative economy of the hustler. The labor market is not that sure in the sense of the word; this is because there is always some unemployment. Labor market is very special to those who make a difference between non clearing and market clearing. Human transaction takes place

Learning Through Partnership (Education) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Learning Through Partnership (Education) - Essay Example These changes brought about by migration in the globalised world has affected and influenced developments and concerns in contemporary education. This is based on the presupposition that as schools have become the concrete and actual arena with which the presence of people with different cultural backgrounds intersects in the public sphere (Cairney, 1995; Hayes & Chodkiewicz 2006). Moreover, this scenario is confounded by the fact that it is not only the adults who are the common players in the context of schools as public arena but it’s the children as well (Cairney, 2000). Thus, students have to cross the values and beliefs of their homes to the values and beliefs of their schools everyday (Hayes & Chodkiewicz (2006). As such, there is a view that â€Å"schools need to consider the learning activities they institute not as separate skills but as social practices into which people are enculturated (or apprenticed) as members of specific social groups (Scribner and Cole 1981 as cited in Cairney, 2000:166). In lieu with this, another dimension of contemporary education which is of fundamental importance and impact in education is the parents’ involvement in the education of their children. Following the Plowden Report of 1967, steps have been continuously undertaken by all stakeholders in children’s education to â€Å"encourage parents to become more involved in school and support school agendas in a variety of ways† (Cairney, 2000:164). However, the idea and practise of parental involvement in their children’s education necessitate innovative changes for it to authentically respond to current trends and demands in the contemporary education of the children. In response to the need for novel approaches to parental involvement in education, this paper aims to understand the concept of parental involvement in education, to know the theories behind parental involvement, to apprehend the

Chinese Immigration to Canada Essay Example for Free

Chinese Immigration to Canada Essay Canadian culture and the way Canadians live their lives is signi? cantly different from the Chinese. Chinese who are â€Å"fresh off the boat† often struggle with language barriers, cultural gaps and the new environments they are introduced to because they arrived in a strange country with no experience. In spite of the dif? culties many Chinese encounter, they are willing to acquire new knowledge about Canada. Many families who immigrate to Canada lose everything. They encounter ? nancial, employment, and language issues. Although interacting in a new language can be extremely stressful for immigrants and be detrimental to their self-esteem, learning English is inevitable for Chinese immigrants. Chinese immigrants would blend into Canadian society easier if they had previous knowledge of cultural and social differences or a greater language pro? ciency that would allow them to adapt more effectively in their new society as well as interact more comfortably. ! Immigrant children are usually shy when in a class with other Canadians. Most of the time, when Chinese students come to Canada, they usually associate with their friends who speak Chinese and they avoid interacting with other students who speak English. However, when students make friends, they are introduced to a new language and new social behaviours. These new friendships are bene? cial to both the native Canadian as well as the immigrant student because they learn from each other. This learning fosters tolerance instead of breeding ignorance and racism. It is crucial for immigrant students to meet native Canadians because that is the most convenient means of introducing them to their new society. ! Families that have no relatives or friends in Canada immediately experience signi? cant ? nancial and employment problems. These complications prevent new immigrants from feeling safe in their new country, and many seek comfort in church groups. These church groups help new immigrants to adjust to the Canadian lifestyle, and they also provide important resources for the new immigrant to explore in order to adjust to their new community with few problems. Yet, in the recent years, many wealthy Chinese have immigrated to Canada, so factors like ? nancial and employment problems do not apply to them. Many of these wealthy Chinese immigrants operate businesses in China from Canada; therefore, the need to ? nd employment is not problematic. ! Many Chinese immigrants come to Canada because of the numerous opportunities Canada provides. The student life within school and outside of school provides more freedom and the ability to think independently. In China, high school students are loaded with homework and spend most of their free time doing homework and going to tutors. The Canadian scenery provides opportunities of living in a new country with beautiful landscapes and wonders. Families are ? nally able to relax in a non-overpopulated country and enjoy the nice weather. Background History Before The first Chinese immigrants to settle in Canada were 50 artisans who accompanied Captain John Meares in 1788 to help build a trading post on the West Coast of Canada. In 1858, Chinese immigrants began arriving from San Francisco as gold prospectors in the Fraser River Valley, and Barkerville, BC, became the first Chinese community in Canada. By the 1860s, the Chinese population of Vancouver Island and BC was estimated to be around 7000. Many of the first Chinese migrants were young peasants from South China. They laboured under appalling conditions to build the Canadian Pacific Railway. Between 1880 and 1885, 15 000 Chinese labourers completed the BC section of the CPR, but more than 600 workers died during the construction stage. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were more than 17000 settlers in Canada. From 1988 to 1993, more than 167 000 Hong Kong immigrants settled in Canada, By 2001, 82% of people of Chinese origin lived in one of these two provinces. By the start of the 21st century, the 2006 census showed that there were 1 346 510 people of Chinese ancestry living in Canada. The Chinese are the third largest ethnic group in Canada, after the English and French. The major periods of Chinese immigration (from 1858 to 1923 and since 1947) shows changes in the Canadian Government Immigration Policy. From 1885, Chinese immigrants were obligated to pay a $50 â€Å"entry fee† or head tax† before being admitted into Canada. The Chinese were the only ethnic group to pay a tax to enter Canada. By the 1900s, in response to agitation in BC, the Liberal government restricted Chinese immigration by raising the head tax to $100 per person. After the 1903 session of Parliament passed legislation raising the head tax to $500, the number of Chinese who paid the head tax dropped from 4719 to 8 people. Current Situation Chinese immigrants in the 21st century come to Canada for a better education, freedom and hopes to start a new life. The education system in China does not incorporate both physical activity and studying. However, some immigrants only come to Canada to leech money from the government by buying land. Statistics 72% born outside of Canada 45% born in Peoples Republic of China 30% born in Hong Kong 10% born in Taiwan 85% can either speak French or English Why did the Chinese decide to immigrate to Canada? ! The year 1858 marked the start of the Chinese immigration to Canada. None of the colonies at that time had immigration restrictions. The ? rst wave of Chinese immigrants to arrive in Canada were in? uenced by various push and pull factors. The push factors were ? oods, and wars in China which made it dif? cult for people to grow crops for food, live in safety and peace, and make a living. Pull factors for Canada were related to the slow growth of the young country. New settlements and industries often had a shortage of workers. British Columbia was very distant from Europe and eastern North America which meant that China was the largest source of low-cost labour. Other factors such as efforts of labour recruiters and in? uence of family and village networks also in? uenced the decision to migrate to Canada. ! Most Chinese immigrants in the last quarter of the 19th century came from a small area in the southern part of China. There were eight regions but only four regions had rich soil. Only ten percent of the land was usable for growing crops. All the districts were heavily populated and farmers often faced natural disasters such as ? oods and droughts. At the end of the 19th century, China was in a political disaster. Poor living conditions led to revolts and wars, including the Opium Wars against the British. Farmers were dragged into armies, crops were ruined and bandit gangs raided villages during these unstable years. The Chinese government could not maintain law and order in the region. ! Gold was discovered along the Fraser River in British Columbia during 1858. Thousands of workers, including the Chinese, who worked in the California Gold Rush, immediately came to Canada. Therefore, there was a tremendous need of workers in British Columbia to build roads, clear land and construct railways. They also worked in coal mines, ? sh canneries and on farms.

Government Intervention in the Health Care Market

Government Intervention in the Health Care Market Naif Almutairi a) As an economic adviser to the Health Minister, how would you respond to the following question raised by a member of parliament? It is more of a basic human right to have access to food than to health care. Why do governments intervene more directly in markets for health care compared to markets for food? Introduction In the western political tradition, basic human rights are universal: all rights are necessary in order to make up the fundamental requirements of a human being (Donnelly, 2013). However, in practice, human rights are hierarchical. As Montgomery (2002:373) declares, peoples actual experiences with human rights reveal which ones are the most prevalent in their daily lives, and thus provide a possible basis for estimating their relative importance and for adopting appropriate policies. Different cultural groups and nationalities have different experiences of human rights (Donnelly, 2013). For example, people from high income countries such as Britain have few experiences of the right to food, yet frequent (and even inevitable) needs for the right to health care (Macklem, 2015). As a result, it can be argued that while food is more of a basic right to life (i.e. without food one cannot live) than the right to have access to health care, the latter is far more applicable to the delivery of human rights in the social, economic and political context of early twenty first century Britain. This essay will examine the problem of basic rights in greater detail, looking in particular at the reasons why the government tends to intervene more directly in health care markets than markets for food. As will become apparent, in order to understand the issue, it is essential to consider the unique nature of the health care marketplace, and the underlying need for government regulation that this necessarily entails. Government Intervention in the Health Care Market In order to understand why governments intervene more frequently and directly in health care markets, it is essential in the first instance to consider the nature and the function of the marketplace. For most commodities (including food), the market performs a simple function that permits buyers and sellers to exchange a good or service for a fee (Harvey, 2011). Free markets therefore allow the price of the good or service to be determined by: (1) supply and demand; and (2) resources available (Harvey, 2011). Prices for food products are agreed by both the buyer and the seller with supply and demand dictating the pattern of the interchange between the consumer and the producer (Donaldson Gerard, 2005). Viewed from this perspective, in a free market place (i.e. a marketplace that is characterised by an absence of government intervention) consumers are sovereign (Taylor Mankiw, 2014). Consumers are thus free to make choices and producers respond in kind (Taylor Mankiw, 2014). However, the health care market is fundamentally different from food and other commodities that are bought and sold in the marketplace (Klein, 2005). Two points in particular are apparent. Firstly, when a consumer becomes seriously ill and needs to enter the health care marketplace, the costs of goods and services are likely to be extremely high (Donaldson Gerard, 2005). For example, for the vast majority of consumers, the costs of complex surgery will far exceed what the customer is able to afford. Thus, consumers in the health care market place are not sovereign economic actors as they are in food markets where hunger is alleviated according to what kind of food the consumer can afford (Wiseman Jan, 2011). Secondly, unlike consumers of food, health care consumers cannot predict when they will become sick or what their future health care needs might be (Donaldson Gerard, 2005). Therefore, consumption in the health care market is not determined by choice but, rather, by uncertaint y (Wiseman Jan, 2011). As a consequence, in the health care market, most transactions occur between insurers and health care providers rather than between the consumer and the commodity producer (Guinness Wiseman, 2011). This, in turn, ensures that transactions which occur in the health care market place are influenced by complex processes of risk management, information asymmetry resulting from consumer ignorance and negative externalities (i.e. where health care exacts a cost to all consumers regardless of whether or not they are purchasing any products) (Guinness Wiseman, 2011). Consequently, in the health care market, prices are not determined by supply and demand; rather, prices are determined by interactions between insurers and suppliers, and health care providers (Taylor Mankiw, 2014). Furthermore, unlike in other commodity markets, the price of health care is not affected by the quantity or availability of resources: when the consumer is sick they have no option but to purchase the product that can make them better (Wiseman, 2011). As a result, stripped of the power and influence of sovereign consumers, the health care market is fundamentally distorted. Where, in an ideal market, consumers act as a check upon the power of the producers, in a health care market suppliers and producers are predominant (Donaldson Gerard, 2005). Consequently, left to its own devices, the health care market would be subject to endemic failure characterised by problems of distribution, resource inequalities and an absence of price controls (Walshe Smith, 2011). It is for this reason that the government tends to intervene more directly in the health care market than in the food market. Government intervention in the health care market is required to regulate the marketplace, establish the parameters for prices, and allocate and fund scarce resources (Mills, 2011). Without government intervention, the public costs of consumption would exceed the private costs of production (Mills, 2011). Conclusion The Member of Parliament who raised the question has failed to grasp two important points. Firstly, although, from a theoretical vantage point, rights are universal, in practice rights are characterised by hierarchy. In Britain, the right to health care is of more practical value than the right to food. Secondly, because consumers are not sovereign, the health care market is susceptible to market failure. Although the existence of market failure and/or market inequalities is not in itself a reason for government intervention, the extent of the distortions and pervasive incentives that arise in health care renders government intervention in the funding and regulation of the health care market an economic necessity. b) What do you think should be the objectives of a health care system? How would you finance and organise the system to achieve this? Introduction At the dawn of the twenty first century, health care is arguably the most contested area of public policy with the legitimacy of governments depending in large part upon the ability to meet the health needs of ageing populations in times of deep economic uncertainty (Buse et al, 2012). The centrality afforded to health care therefore demands that policy-makers have clear objectives and goals so as to set attainable long and short-term agendas for public health care delivery. This essay will examine the issue of objectives in greater detail, looking in particular at the goals of health care in the contemporary era. In addition, the essay will consider the ways in which the state should finance and organise the system in order to meet its objectives. Over the course of the essay, it will be necessary to discuss problems such as raising funds, paying doctors and financing hospitals and other front-line services. The Objectives of the Health Care System The core objective of any health care system should be two-fold. On the one hand, a health care system should endeavour to improve the health and wellbeing of all of the people who use the system regardless of wealth (Mahon, 2011). On the other hand, a health care system should look to reduce the economic burden of disease upon the state (Robinson, 2011). However, these two objectives cannot be achieved in isolation. For example, aiming to improve the wealth of the population demands that the health care system improves access to primary health care (Mahon, 2011). Likewise, reducing the burden of disease demands that health care systems improve the cost effectiveness of health services, and recruit the best medical professionals available to deliver health care (Donaldson Gerard, 2005). Therefore, the core objectives of the health care system are undermined by an unresolved tension between social and economic goals: where social goals outline the primacy of equity, economic objectiv es underscore the importance of efficiency; likewise where social goals consider quantity, economic objectives emphasise quality (Maynard, 2005). As a result, the objectives of the health care system are determined by the nature of the institutional mix between public and private health care providers (Maynard, 2005). Financing and Organising the Health Care System to Achieve Objectives In order to examine how to finance and organise a health care system, it is essential to contemplate the question of opportunity cost. As Donaldson and Gerard (2005) attest, the principle of opportunity cost is constructed upon the premise that purchasing one item inevitably involves a trade-off against another. For example, a health care manager who decides to invest in a particular treatment cannot do so for a different treatment. Thus, the true cost of the allocation of scarce resources is the inability to pay for other resources that the health system requires (Wiseman, 2011). Therefore, opportunity costs suggests that there is always a trade-off between equity and efficiency (Maynard, 2005). This has been particularly prevalent in the NHS where certain areas of the health care system (for instance, coronary disease) have been prioritised over others (for example, mental health) (Ham, 2009). Financing and organising the health care system therefore demands that public health agen cies incorporate the private sector into models of economic development (Balduzzi, 2011). Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have already become a staple feature of health care economics (Klein, 2005). PPPs allow the state to shunt the responsibility for financing the building, operation and design of hospitals and other clinical and non-clinical services to private sector contractors in the guise of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) (Broadbent Laughlin, 2005). Although PPPs have been criticised for increasing the risk of financing health services back onto the public sector, the merging of public sector interests with private sector imperatives represents an ideal means of alleviating the economic burden of funding health care from the state (Klein, 2005). In particular, institutional diversity is able to address the problem of opportunity cost when there is only the one health care provider (Broadbent Laughlin, 2005). PPPs should thus remain a central means of financing and organising health care services. In addition, in order to raise funds, public health care providers should look to fuse taxation with income from patient charges (Donaldson, 2011). Moreover, significant funds can be raised from public health providers treating private patients. For example, NHS Foundation Trusts (FTs) have seen income from private patients increase by 16 per cent in the past two years, totalling  £395.9 million in 2014-15 (Health Investor, 2015). Private sector initiatives can also be used to help to pay for the expertise that is required to deliver quality health services (Donaldson, 2011). Research undertaken by Donaldson (2011), for example, suggests that doctors respond positively to financial incentives (i.e. remuneration per consultation or per operation). Although financial incentives have been criticised for leading to over-recommend of health services, there is little evidence that this is an inevitable by-product of market-based remuneration (Donaldson, 2011). Contractual performance-rel ated pay where wages are linked to market economies would therefore represent the most viable means of paying for and retaining the best medical staff in order to deliver the objectives of the health care system (Tofts, 2011). Conclusion The objectives of the health care system are both economic and social. On the one hand, a health care system should endeavour to improve the health and wellbeing of the population through improving access to care. On the other hand, a health care system should aim to reduce the burden of disease by improving the quality of health care provision. However, the problem of opportunity cost suggests that there is always a trade-off between efficiency and equity. It is therefore proposed that health care systems are financed and organised according to a public-private model. This, in turn, would help to build hospitals and other front-line services, pay doctors and raise funds for the allocation of resources. In the final analysis, quantity and quality can only be established by locating alternative means of financing and organising the health care system.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   References Balduzzi, P. (2011) Models of public-private partnerships for the provision of goods, in, Journal of Economics and Politics, 23(2): 271-296 Broadbent, J. and Laughlin, R. (2005) The development of contracting in the context of infrastructure investment in the UK: the case of the Private Finance Initiative in the National Health Service, in, International Public Management Journal, 6(2): 173-197 Buse, K., Mays, N. and Walt, G. (2012) Making Health Policy: Second Edition Maidenhead: The Open University Press Donaldson, C. and Gerard, K. (2005) Economics of Health care Financing: The Visible Hand: Second Edition London: Palgrave Macmillan Donaldson, C. (2011) Credit Crunch Health Care: How Economics Can Save Our Publicly-Funded Health Care Systems Bristol: Policy Press Donnelly, J. (2013) Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice: Third Edition New York: Cornell University Press Guinness, L. and Wiseman, V. (2011) Health care markets and efficiency, in, Guinness, L. and Wiseman, V. (Eds.) Introduction to Health Economics: Second Edition Maidenhead: The Open University Press, pp.117-132 Ham, C. (2009) Health Policy in Britain: Sixth Edition London: Palgrave Macmillan Harvey, D. (2011) The Enigma of Capital and the Crises of Capitalism London: Profile Health Investor (2015) NHS private pay income up 14% in two years. In Health Investor [online], available at, http://www.healthinvestor.co.uk/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=4259 (first accessed 24.10.15) Klein, R. (2005) The public-private mix in the UK, in, Maynard, A. (Ed.) The Public-Private Mix for Health Oxford: The Nuffield Trust, pp.43-62 Macklem, P. (2015) The Sovereignty of Human Rights Oxford: Oxford University Press Mahon, A. (2011) Health and wellbeing: the wider context for health care management, in, Walshe, K. and Smith, J. (Eds.) Healthcare Management: Second Edition Maidenhead: The Open University Press, pp.96-119 Maynard, A. (2005) Enduring problems in health care delivery, in, Maynard, A. (Ed.) The Public-Private Mix for Health Oxford: The Nuffield Trust, pp.293-310 Mills, A. (2011) Health systems in low and middle income countries, in, Glied, S. and Smith, P.C. (Eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Health Economics Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.30-57 Montgomery, J.D. (2002) Is there a hierarchy of human rights? in Journal of Human Rights, 1(3): 373-385 Robinson, S. (2011) Financing health care: funding systems and health care costs, in, Walshe, K. and Smith, J. (Eds.) Healthcare Management: Second Edition Maidenhead: The Open University Press, pp.37-64 Taylor, M.P. and Mankiw, G. (2014) Economics: Third Edition London: Pearson Tofts, A. (2011) Managing resources, in, Walshe, K. and Smith, J. (Eds.) Healthcare Management: Second Edition Maidenhead: The Open University Press, pp.399-417 Walshe, K. and Smith, J. (2011) Introduction: the current and future challenges of healthcare management, in, Walshe, K. and Smith, J. (Eds.) Healthcare Management: Second Edition Maidenhead: The Open University Press, pp.1-12 Wiseman, V. (2011) Key concepts in health economics, in, Guinness, L. and Wiseman, V. (Eds.) Introduction to Health Economics: Second Edition Maidenhead: The Open University Press, pp.7-29 Wiseman, V. and Jan, S. (2011) A simple model of demand, in, Guinness, L. and Wiseman, V. (Eds.) Introduction to Health Economics: Second Edition Maidenhead: The Open University Press, pp.37-54

Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia are Moral and Ethical Essay

Euthanasia is Moral and Ethical      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There has been much debate in recent American society over the legality and morality of a patients right-to-die.   Current legal statue prohibits any form of euthanasia, however, there are many moral and ethical dilemmas concerning the controversy.   For the purposes of this essay, I will define euthanasia as the implementation of a decision that a person's life will come to an end before it need stop.   In other words, it is a life ending when it would otherwise be prolonged.   There is an important distinction between voluntary euthanasia where the decision to terminate life coincides with the individuals wishes and involuntary euthanasia where the individual concerned does not know about the decision and has not approved it in advance.   I will be dealing specifically with the concept of voluntary euthanasia, for it seems intuitive that involuntary euthanasia is not only illegal but also profoundly immoral. Opponents arguments against euthanasia which fail to substantiate their claims, many proponents arguments highlighted by the right to autonomy, and empirical examples of legalized euthanasia all prove the moral legitimacy of physician- assisted-suicide.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Opponents of euthanasia generally point to three main arguments which I will mention only for the purposes of refuting them.   First, many cite the Hippocratic oath which reads, "I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such counsel" as a reason to oppose euthanasia.  Ã‚   Clearly, the Hippocratic oath does condemn the practice, however, I do not find this as reason enough to reject the moral permissi... ...voluntary euthanasia will somehow snowball to involuntary euthanasia.   It is also powerful proof that voluntary euthanasia can be carried out legally and with no great harms to society or individuals.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The unsubstantiated claims of euthanasia opponents, many affirmative arguments supporting the moral permissibility of euthanasia, and the successful Dutch experiment with legalization all prove that euthanasia is a legitimate moral practice.   If we do not allow for individual autonomy in determining the scope and extent of medical treatment, then we are sentencing many terminally ill patients to a final stage of life filled with misery and wracked with unrelenting pain.   Instead, the moral and ethical course of action is to grant patients who request euthanasia the mercy and relief of a death with dignity.   

Masters of Disguise :: essays research papers

Finding good day care can certainly pose a problem these days, unless, of course, you're an African widow bird. When it comes time for a female widow bird to lay her eggs, she simply locates the nest of a nearby Estrildid finch and surreptitiously drops the eggs inside. That's the last the widow bird ever sees of her offspring. But not to worry, because the Estrildid finch will take devoted care of the abandoned birds as if they were her own. And who's to tell the difference? Though adult widow birds and Estrildid finches don't look at all alike, their eggs do. Not only that, baby widow birds are dead ringers for Estrildid finch chicks, both having the same colouration and markings. They even act and sound the same, thus ensuring that the widow bird nestlings can grow up among their alien nestmates with no risk of being rejected by their foster parents. MASTERS OF DISGUISE Things aren't always as they seem, and nowhere is this more true than in nature, where dozens of animals (and plants) spend their time masquerading as others. So clever are their disguises that you've probably never known you were being fooled by spiders impersonating ants, squirrels that look like shrews, worms copying sea anemones, and roaches imitating ladybugs. There are even animals that look like themselves, which can also be a form of impersonation. The phenomenon of mimicry, as it's called by biologists, was first noted in the mid-1800s by an English naturalist, Henry W. Bates. Watching butterflies in the forests of Brazil, Bates discovered that many members of the Peridae butterfly family did not look anything like their closest relatives. Instead they bore a striking resemblance to members of the Heliconiidae butterfly family. Upon closer inspection, Bates found that there was a major advantage in mimicking the Heliconiids. Fragile, slow-moving and brightly coloured, the Heliconiids are ideal targets for insectivorous birds. Yet, birds never touch them because they taste so bad. Imagine that you're a delicious morsel of butterfly. Wouldn't it be smart to mimic the appearance of an unpalatable Heliconiid so that no bird would bother you either? That's what Bates concluded was happening in the Brazilian jungle among the Pieridae. Today, the imitation of an inedible species by an edible one is called Batesian mimicry. Since Bates' time, scientists have unmasked hundreds of cases of mimicry in nature. It hasn't always been an easy job, either, as when an animal mimics not one, but several other species. In one species of butterfly common in India and Sri Lanka, the female appears in no less than three versions. One type resembles the male while the others resemble two entirely different species of inedible butterflies. Butterflies don't "choose" to mimic other butterflies in the same Masters of Disguise :: essays research papers Finding good day care can certainly pose a problem these days, unless, of course, you're an African widow bird. When it comes time for a female widow bird to lay her eggs, she simply locates the nest of a nearby Estrildid finch and surreptitiously drops the eggs inside. That's the last the widow bird ever sees of her offspring. But not to worry, because the Estrildid finch will take devoted care of the abandoned birds as if they were her own. And who's to tell the difference? Though adult widow birds and Estrildid finches don't look at all alike, their eggs do. Not only that, baby widow birds are dead ringers for Estrildid finch chicks, both having the same colouration and markings. They even act and sound the same, thus ensuring that the widow bird nestlings can grow up among their alien nestmates with no risk of being rejected by their foster parents. MASTERS OF DISGUISE Things aren't always as they seem, and nowhere is this more true than in nature, where dozens of animals (and plants) spend their time masquerading as others. So clever are their disguises that you've probably never known you were being fooled by spiders impersonating ants, squirrels that look like shrews, worms copying sea anemones, and roaches imitating ladybugs. There are even animals that look like themselves, which can also be a form of impersonation. The phenomenon of mimicry, as it's called by biologists, was first noted in the mid-1800s by an English naturalist, Henry W. Bates. Watching butterflies in the forests of Brazil, Bates discovered that many members of the Peridae butterfly family did not look anything like their closest relatives. Instead they bore a striking resemblance to members of the Heliconiidae butterfly family. Upon closer inspection, Bates found that there was a major advantage in mimicking the Heliconiids. Fragile, slow-moving and brightly coloured, the Heliconiids are ideal targets for insectivorous birds. Yet, birds never touch them because they taste so bad. Imagine that you're a delicious morsel of butterfly. Wouldn't it be smart to mimic the appearance of an unpalatable Heliconiid so that no bird would bother you either? That's what Bates concluded was happening in the Brazilian jungle among the Pieridae. Today, the imitation of an inedible species by an edible one is called Batesian mimicry. Since Bates' time, scientists have unmasked hundreds of cases of mimicry in nature. It hasn't always been an easy job, either, as when an animal mimics not one, but several other species. In one species of butterfly common in India and Sri Lanka, the female appears in no less than three versions. One type resembles the male while the others resemble two entirely different species of inedible butterflies. Butterflies don't "choose" to mimic other butterflies in the same

An Investigation to Show How Water Temperature and Alcohol Concentratio

An Investigation to Show How Water Temperature and Alcohol Concentration Affect Membrane Permeability Aim The aim of the experiment is to show the cell’s membrane permeability is affected by being placed into different temperatures of water. Also the effect of placing beetroot in to different concentrations of alcohol. Beetroot cells contain a red sap, which leaks out of the cells if their membranes are damaged or altered. Cell membranes are made up of a bilayer of phospholipids, which also contains proteins. Which either float around or are fixed. Some are found in the inner or outer layer and some span the whole membrane Carbohydrate chains attach themselves to the external membrane forming glycoproteins and glycolipids. It also contains cholesterol. We will be able to tell how damaged they are because we will see a deeper coloured red in the water from where more of the red sap has leaked out of the cells. Method A fresh cylinder of beetroot was taken and using a scalpel any skin was removed. Care should be taken when a scalpel is used to cut objects into small pieces. It was then cut into 40 discs using the scalpel. Next the discs were placed in a boiling tube and rinsed repeatedly in till the water ran clear. Then two sets of five boiling tubes were set up into racks. Then using a measuring cylinder measured 10cm ³ of tap water was placed in five of the boiling tubes of the set that would be testing the effect of different temperatures. These were then left in the different water baths to adjust to the temperature. The other five had 10cm ³ different concentrations of alcohol ranging from 25%-100%. There was also one with 10cm ³ of water. Next four discs of the beetroot were placed into each boil... ...es down to 24%. I think this an anomalous result as after researching this 100% alcohol is used to preserve food so the light transmission percentage should of gone up but this needed to be repeated. I think the main source of error in these two experiments that could have lessened the accuracy was that there was some variation in the thickness of some of the beetroot discs. I think this is hard to improve as this is generally down to human error of not being able to cut beetroot exactly into 1-2mm discs. The experiment needed to be repeated to see more clearly if there were any anomalous results. Works Cited: Advanced Sciences Biology 1, Mary Jones, Richard Fosbery and Dennis Taylor AS guru Biology, John Graham and Anthony Lewis Biology Principles and Processes, Michael Roberts, Michael Reiss and Grace Monger Www.bbc.co.uk/asguru/biology

Death of a Nation Essay

Clifford Dowdey’s Death of a Nation: The Story of Lee and His Men at Gettysburg is a military history examining the Confederate loss at this epic battle, particularly the decision-making process and the Southern commanders’ failure to perform up to their potential. Partly a fawning defense of Robert E. Lee and partly an insightful study of why the South even dared invade the North, it demonstrates the author’s Southern bias without trying to justify slavery, as well as Dowdey’s fusion of history and storytelling. The book looks almost exclusively at the Civil War’s largest battle, in which Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia invaded the North in hopes of scaring Lincoln into halting the war and recognizing the Confederacy. Instead, as Dowdey’s title implies, it proved the Confederacy’s apex as a military power, beginning its two-year decline and ultimate collapse. Dowdey, a native of Richmond, Virginia, who produced numerous histories and novels about the Civil War, takes a decided pro-Southern stance and offers a rather generous view both of the Confederacy, never approaching its defense of slavery, and of Lee, the inventive, chance-taking commander who proved the South’s greatest leader. The first chapter, â€Å"Rendezvous with Disaster,† conveys in its title how Dowdey sees the battle, yet he is loath to blame Lee for the loss. He opens with an account of Confederate troops invading Pennsylvania, depicting them not as a menacing enemy but as a somewhat merry band: â€Å"[The] Confederate soldiers had not committed acts of vandalism or abused the inhabitants. On the contrary, the troops had been highly good-humored in the face of taunts and insults† (3). The author then introduces the general as a striking, almost godlike figure, quoting an officer who deemed him â€Å"a kingly man whom all men who came into his presence expected to obey† (5); this description recurs throughout the book. Subsequent chapters describe the buildup and the battle itself. In chapter two, â€Å"The Opening Phase,† Dowdey portrays the decision-making process that led to Lee’s invasion of Pennsylvania as a Jefferson Davis-engineered travesty, â€Å"a necessary expedient in the policy of static, scattered defensiveness† (27). The author considers Lee almost a victim of Davis’ vanity, rigidity, and inability to admit his own lack of military expertise, and he absolves the man he believes â€Å"embodied the image of the patriarchal planter who, as military leader, assumed benevolent responsibility for his domain† (33). Throughout the battle, which dominates much of the book, Dowdey introduces Lee’s subordinates as characters in a novel or drama, describing their personalities in lively, even somewhat chatty detail. Jeb Stuart, whose cavalry failed in its reconnaissance duties before the fighting began, appears as a capable soldier who refused to believe he erred; Richard Ewell is a crusty but soft-hearted eccentric whose marriage softened his fighting skills; and John B. Hood is â€Å"a fighter, not a thinker† (174). He reserves his harshest criticisms for James Longstreet, deeming the lone general to openly question Lee’s decision to wage the unwise assault best known as Pickett’s Charge, a lying defeatist. Dowdey claims that â€Å"objective historians and Longstreet partisans have tried to re-evaluate him outside the text of controversy. This is almost impossible. . . . Many other men performed below their potential at Gettysburg, but only James Longstreet absolved himself by blaming Lee† (340). By the end of the book, one realizes that Dowdey will not concede that the figure he admires may have simply made fatal errors at Gettysburg. Dowdey’s descriptions of the battle cover the three days in a generally accurate but not original manner. He alternates between broad, sweeping pictures of dramatic combat and close-up accounts of individual Confederate units and soldiers. (He gives little mention to Union action throughout the book, making clear that his sole interest is depicting Lee’s army and not providing a holistic history of the battle. ) Though his approach provides reliable but not groundbreaking information, Dowdey makes clear that he considers Lee’s defeat not the venerable commander’s fault (despite his own tendency to take long chances against the larger and better-armed Union Army), but rather his subordinates’ inability to perform as competently as they had in previous battles. In this account, Stuart’s ego kept him from realizing he failed in his scouting duties, A. P. Hill lost his usually strong will, Richard Anderson staged a poor excuse for an assault on Cemetery Ridge with undisciplined, poorly-led Carolinian troops (rather than the Virginians that Dowdey, the Virginian, favors), and Ewell did not adequately prepare his troops for their attack. While Dowdey concedes that Lee, â€Å"alone in the center of the vacuum, could not have been less aware of the total collapse of co-ordination† (240). However, he implies, Lee’s unawareness was not his fault, but that of usually-reliable subordinates who curiously failed all at once. The work ends somewhat abruptly, with Lee’s broken army withdrawing from Pennsylvania after Pickett’s failed charge (in which the general whose name it bears appears as a minor figure) and returning to Virginia; the author offers no broad conclusion or explanation of the battle’s meaning within a larger context. Dowdey, primarily a fiction writer and college instructor who also produced numerous histories of the Army of Northern Virginia, approaches the work with a storyteller’s vigor and flair, writing this history with a novelist’s attention to visual details and his characters’ personalities and quirks. Frequently, he aims to stir the reader’s attention by adding what his characters may have said or thought in rich, occasionally overstated terms. For example, he deems Ewell â€Å"this quaint and lovable character† (121); Jubal Early becomes â€Å"the bitter man [who] became as passionate in his hate for the Union as he had formerly been in its defense† (123); and Union general Daniel Sickles (one of the few figures for whom he shows genuine scorn) is â€Å"an unsavory, showy, and pugnacious character from New York who went further on brassy self-confidence and politicking . . . than many a better man went on ability† (203). In trying give his characters personality, Dowdey writes often picturesque and lively prose but also offers a somewhat distorted picture that more detached academic historians may find objectionable. For example, while Lee can do no wrong, Jefferson Davis, the Confederacy’s much-reviled president, appears as nearly as much a villain as Longstreet. Of Davis, Dowdey writes: â€Å"The crisis [in the South’s military fortunes] was caused largely by the defense policies of the president. . . . Among the limitations of this self-aware gentleman was an inability to acknowledge himself in the wrong† (14). As a Lee apologist, Dowdey implicitly blames David for the South’s collapse, though he wavers on this by adding: â€Å"Lincoln had at his disposal unlimited wealth, the organized machinery of government, a navy, the war potential of heavy industry, and a four-to-one manpower superiority. Davis led a disorganized movement in self-determinism composed of proud and fiercely individualistic provincials (15-16). Dowdey comments little about the South in general and does not directly glorify the Southern cause, though he also refrains from any mention of slavery or racism. He seems to simply accept the South as it was, writing his works to illustrate a particularly regionalist sense of pride, if not in its plantation past, then certainly in Lee, its most shining example of military leadership and manhood. He reveals, perhaps unintentionally, his own sense of romance about the South when he writes: â€Å"In a land where the age of chivalry was perpetuated, the military leader embodied the gallantry, the glamour, and the privilege of the aristocrat in a feudal society† (15). Characters like Lee, he implies, gave the South respectability and nobility, while lesser individuals, like the supposedly duplicitous, disloyal Longstreet and the rigid, arrogant Davis, somehow stained it and failed to match its ideals. Despite Dowdey’s biases, he cannot be faulted for failing to do research. He includes a short bibliographic essay at the end, explaining his sources’ strengths and limitations. In addition to using many secondary sources, he relies heavily on participants’ personal documents, such as letters and memoirs, though he concedes that â€Å"the eyewitness accounts are subject to the fallibility of memory, and many of the articles suffer the distortion of advocacy or indictment† (353). This last comment is telling, because Dowdey himself neither advocates nor indicts the Old South, but rather aims to depict the military aspects. The result is a work that shows clear fondness for the South’s self-image as an embattled land of chivalry, but to his credit, Dowdey does not excoriate the North or its leaders. Lincoln scarcely appears in this volume, but the author pays some compliments to Union generals whom historians have seen less favorably, such as Joseph Hooker (whom Lee soundly defeated at Chancellorsville) or George Meade (who won at Gettysburg but failed to pursue and destroy the remains of Lee’s army as it withdrew). Death of a Nation is not a comprehensive history of the battle of Gettysburg, but neither does it claim to be. Instead, it is an often-entertaining, well-researched account of the Southern side’s participation, including its ill-starred behind-the-scenes planning and the personal dynamics among the commanders who underperformed at this key point in the war. Though Dowdey’s conclusion is so brief as to be unsatisfactory, one can draw one’s own conclusion from this volume’s title and the battle it describes: that defeat at Gettysburg meant the Confederacy’s failure to win its nationhood. Dowdey does not openly lament this fact, but instead shows the process that made this failure a reality. Dowdey, C. (1958). Death of a Nation. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Native American Genocide Essay

In this paper, I will argue that the act of genocide as here defined, has been committed by the United States of America, upon the tribes and cultures of Native Americans, through mass indoctrination of its youths. Primary support will be drawn from Jorge Noriega’s work, â€Å"American Indian Education in the United States. † The paper will then culminate with my personal views on the subject, with ideas of if and how the United States might make reparations to its victims. In lieu of the well known and brutal â€Å"Indian Wars,† there is a means of cultural destruction of Native Americans, which began no later than 1611. This method was one of indoctrination. Methods included the forced removal of children from their cultural milieu and enrollment of these children in â€Å"educational programs,† which were intended to instill more European beliefs. As the United States was not formally a Nation, until 1776, it would not be fair to use evidence, before this year in building a case against it. The most damaging, to the United States, are parcels of evidence that are drawn from events after 1948, the year of the Convention on Genocide. Beginning in 1778, the United States Board of War, a product of the Continental Congress appropriated grants for the purpose of, â€Å"the maintenance of Indian students at Dartmouth College and the College of New Jersey? â€Å" The young people who had returned from the schools are described by Seneca leader, Cornplanter as, â€Å"?ignorant of every means of living in the Woods, unable to bear either Cold or Hunger, [they] knew neither how to build a Cabin, take a Deer, or kill an Enemy, [they] spoke our Language imperfectly, were therefore neither fit for Hunters, Warriors, nor Counselors; they were totally good for nothing† (Noriega, 376). Grants given to other schools was just the beginning. In 1820, the United States made plans for a large scale system of boarding and day schools Noriega, 377). These schools were given the mission to, â€Å"instruct its students in ‘letters, labor and mechanical arts, and morals and Christianity;’ ‘training many Indian leaders'† Noriega, 378). In the case of boarding schools, Native American children would be forcibly stripped from their homes as early as five years old. They would then live sequestered from their families and cultures until the age of seventeen or eighteen (Noriega, 381). In 1886, it was decided, by the United States federal government that Native American tribal groups would no longer be treated as ‘indigenous national governments. ‘ The decision was made, not by the conjoint efforts of the Native American tribes and Congress; but, by the â€Å"powers that be† the United States Legal System. This self-ordained power allowed Congress to pass a variety of other laws, directed towards, assimilating, Native Americans, so that they would become a part of â€Å"mainstream white America† (Robbins, 90) By this time the United States Government, had been funding over a dozen distinct agencies, to provide mandatory ‘education’ to all native children aged six through sixteen. Enrollment was enforced through leverage given by the 1887 General Allotment Act, which made Natives dependent on the Government for Annuities and Rations (Noriega, 382). The practice of indigenous religions by these students was prohibited (Noriega, 380). Students were compelled to undergo daily instruction in Christianity. In addition, only the use of English was accepted within these schools. â€Å"The food was not sufficiiently nourishing? health supervision was generally neglected? A sincere effort was made to develop the type of school that would destroy tribal ways† (Noriega, 382). While being held captive at these schools, the students were forced to learn an idealism completely foreign to them. They would study histories, which had no significance to there lives. â€Å"The books talk to him [the student] of a world which in no way reminds him of his own,† (Noriega, ). This is exactly how the students must have felt; as if they were in another world. To compound the torture, the ‘students’ at these institutions were forced to work as maintainers and farmers in order provide for the continued existence of the very establishments, which were destroying them. The methods of forced labor were considered, by the educators to be a â€Å"means of ‘developing’ the native ‘character,’ and as a way of financing further expansion of the system itself† (Noriega, 379). The â€Å"rigid military style† enforced by the schools contributed to the assimilation of the Native Americans’ culture. The students began to not only â€Å"think white† but also to, â€Å"work white† (Noriega, 384). To this point, I have provided enough evidence to make a hypocrite of the United States. However, it is my intent to prove that the United States has performed a criminal act under International law. I will do so by describing genocidal acts committed well after the time of the convention on genocide. The government was not satisfied with only educating the Native American youths, they wished to implant their victims as â€Å"a virus, a medium through which to hurry along a calculated process of sociocultural decay† (Noriega, 379). They turned their victims into witless traitors spreading their insipid ideas, and fracturing the cultural infrastructure. The apotheosis of this implantation project is clearly delineated in â€Å"The Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act† of 1975. In this act, the United States Government declared that â€Å"educated† Native Americans’ should be used to staff the â€Å"various programs aimed at them by federal policy makers† (Noriega, 356). These are the same programs which, â€Å"the government has always viewed as the ideal vehicle[s] by which to condition Native Americans to accept the values, and thus the domination of Euroamerica† (Noriega, 387). Through the implementation of this act, â€Å"nothing really changed? the curriculum taught in Indian schools remained exactly the same, reaching exactly the same conclusions, indoctrinating children with exactly the same values as when the schools were staffed entirely by white people† (Noriega, 387). In this way, the government attempted to mask the face of evil with one of familiar physical origin. It is a classic story of a â€Å"wolf in sheep’s clothing. † These violent acts have not ended, even with the convention on genocide. Indeed, the United States is guilty of committing a law, which it has promised to not only abide by, but also, to help enforce. Does this represent the â€Å"Mainstream American Culture† we so want to instill into the minds of Native Americans? We should begin taking a look at our own culture and worrying about its problems, before we start thinking about spreading it like a dreaded disease. The fact that Native Americans have arrived at this point with any of its culture left intact, is an astonishing feet in itself. It shows a character, which is ostensibly lacking, or at least not shown, within the â€Å"European† and â€Å"American† cultures. Perhaps the United States should be more the pupil than the pedagogue.

Hyten Corporation Essay

Abstract: The structure of this assignment is such that the questions are not just answered directly but that there is a discussion of general premises by the author prior to confronting the complexities of systems re-engineering. The reader is given a few short philosophical insights into the author’s assumption in the â€Å"preferred method† of such organisational change. It is the focus of this assignment to impart how the organisational change will lead to the organisations culture changing. In the second question which is what is to be done to solve the problems and priority I have referred to the problem statements in the first question per number in the first question and then rated them in priority. The author has chosen this method of answering for the sake of continuity and ease of reading. General Discussion:Prior to answering the questions posed in this case study the point of departure will be discussed. Change is ongoing in any organisation and this is to be a managed process. The need for change should be clarified and has to be analysed, the new goal clearly laid out, the change effected and then the whole change measured against the goals initially stated. Then one can see if a new change or further change is necessary. These processes are laid out in Dr. E. Goldratt’s book the Critical Chain as The Theory of constraints. Harvard Professor J.Cotter outlines 8 steps to bridge the change gap. These steps as shown in the following illustration bridge the gap between the current state and the desired state. As in Cotters first step the managers of the company under discussion in the case study are indeed ready to be convinced that current methods are not working effectively and efficiently. The critical mass has been achieved within HYTEN to effect the necessary change. Within HYTEN the emphasis in leading the change should be on the premise that  humans have natural in born strengths and will execute and implement things in a fashion that allows them to express this natural style. The best that managers can do is to take cognisance of this strength and play on those strengths in the individual. To take this assumption a step further in proposing the hypothesis that certain environments and cultural backgrounds assist individuals to develop certain skills. HYTEN has already shown the ability in its past to adapt to changing macro economic climate when it re-tooled and changed production after the first Gulf war. This was very successful in the longer term. This is a positive indication that human resources will change without too much disruption to productivityQuestion 1:Problems1.The company uses an informal project management model and the manner in which new projects are tackled is not as orderly as it could be. (In the complex environment of tight schedules and multi-disciplinary teams the carefully documented and well managed project will mean that ambiguities and duplications will be greatly reduced. The project manager must provided the adhesive force for this team.)†¢This is an architectural problem2.The company has been very successful and managers have been promoted swiftly hence, this relatively young company grew up around the managers. (This has had a positive effect in as much as the managers have become senior manag ers relatively quickly but has also meant that the managers have become complacent and secure in their environment. There also has been no introduction of new blood into the senior management and thus this inbreeding has the effect that cross-pollination with other companies is not happening.)†¢This is a behavioural problem3.The managers for their part are relatively well educated but seem to have become complacent, they have stagnated and failed to study further and thus have not been exposed to some of the newer methods of business structuring/management. The focus of these managers seems to be on technology. (The focus on technology for technology’s sake is not a good thing. In this type of industry it is understandable that managers get caught up in the core function of the business. But the managers can not neglect studies in other fields or fail to focus on neglected areas)†¢This is a behavioural problem4.The business development unit is seemingly ineffectual. The comment that they appear to  be fixing the areas which are not broken seems indicative of the errors they are making. (The business development unit is seemingly not focusing on their core function and is neglecting key performance areas. They are not promoting the efficient running of projects and internal policies. In fact they are having the worst possible effect on the company image by making promises that are unachievable and unrealistic.)†¢This is a behavioural problem5.†The customer has little control over funding, manpower or work done.† This on its own is an over sight as the customer is king. He is the sponsor and as such should demand that the resources and work should follow the projects need as both resource demand and funding are provided by him. This will mean that the production will be a push type and not a pull type.(No further comment or explanation needed here) This is a behavioural problem (Perhaps stemming from the fact that HYTEN was used to â€Å"bit work† for the military.)6.Marketing and sales do not have a say as to what projects will fly and what won’t. (This seems strange as these are the very persons that have front line contact with customers and potential customers and they may see the demand for a particular product.) †¢This is both an architectural and a behavioural problem7.The fact that the authority, role and function of the business development department has gradually expanded means that there are no clear definitions or mandates given to these important project managers. That a charter has not been set up is an indication that senior managers lack the will to tackle functional managers. †¢This is an architectural problem8.No design freeze on products. (This can be very trying for production)†¢This will cause operational problems but the cause is behavioural9.Production items not 100% are being reworked and there seem to be many no-go products being reworked to the determent of products in the system for the first time. (Dr. E Goldratt’s Theory of constraints)†¢This is an operational problem10.There seems to be a big emphasis on the project manager being technically competent and having intrinsic knowledge of technical detail. The other characteristics that are high on the agenda are work assessments of individuals taking part in the project. †¢This is a behavioural problem11.The HR manager is very concerned that the  performance of individuals is correctly captured between the functional manager and the project manager. Sometimes a manager can get a gut feeling about an employee and not be able to document the actual capacity of that individual fully. †¢This is an architectural problem12.The cited problem of an employee at another company not gettting an increase in line with work carried out or that this employee was functioning at a higher level than for which he was employed initially are smoke screens for a basically unsound opportunity and promotion policy at that company and can be avoided by installing proper policies. (Dearth of promotion and training policies) (Quite poignant that the one vocalising these words is the very person who should have the answers. )†¢This is a behavioural problem13.Harold Grimes the plant manager vocalises that internal personnel should be promote to the position of project manager for this new big project as they will have insider knowledge, this is not an on going item like production and as such is a once off situation. His assertions may lead to great unhappiness of the individual placed in such positions. †¢This is not a problem yet as this has not happened but predictions are that this will become a problem in a few years time should this course of action be followed. 14.Herman Hall the I.S. Manager thinks only in terms of what computer package is needed for reporting.( The throwing of software solutions at system problems is very common as the managers attempt to avoid real issues and substitute/relegate control to software.)†¢This is a behavioural problem15.The adaptability of the IS department is very poor as they don’t even consider â€Å"of the shelf solutions† or outsourcing assistance. †¢This is a behavioural problem16.Bub Gustwell Scheduling director for all his good sentiments sees the project management way of managing purely as a vehicle to better schedules. †¢This is a behavioural problemSummaryThe tally of current problems is 15 (One  is a potential future problem) this is not the full tally of all the problems or permutations of problems but the major problems have been highlighted. The score is as follows:Behavioural problems10 1/2Architectural problems 3  ½Operational problems1As is evident from the graphic above the overwhelming problems of HYTEN are behavioural. Having said this the corporation is very successful in a competitive environment. The number of changes are relatively few if one considers the size and extent of the organisation. Question 21-The company not formalising the project management approach is one of the root causes for many of the other ailments, this needs to be addressed as follows:†¢Project charter established for each project†¢Standing of both project managers and functional managers to be clearly laid out†¢All staff working on projects should be briefed on the role that they are to play and duration of their service on that project†¢An exit strategy defined up fount2-The successes of the company and the long serving senior managers: Remedial action to the stagnation of the senior managers could be as follows:†¢Training of existing managers in up-to-date business methods †¢The implementation of a succession policy†¢The introduction of some new managers from other companies†¢Employment of consultants/specialists to re-engineer the corporation3-The failure of managers to keep up to date with studies: This was given a passing mention in bullet point 2†¢Studies in relevant fields other than technology could be arranged by the corporation†¢ Workshops on emergent business methods should be held†¢Subscriptions to relevant business and technology periodicals should be procured for all senior managers and a rotational roster of such periodicals for more junior manages and staff. †¢Establishment of a news server in house where matters can be discussed e.g. troubleshooting, innovations etc.. 4-Ineffectual business unit:†¢The whole business unit needs to scrutinised as to function, this may be outsourced†¢This unit needs to revert to the core function as it has drifted5-The control that customer has over funding and  resources: This needs evaluation and through consultation with stake holders a new level of customer involvement can be reached. The recommendation is that a customer evaluation program be started and that the areas indicated by the customer as high priority be addressed. Not to pre-empt such a program the corporation needs to open communications channels with the client and actively market a positive image to off set the negative one. 6-Marketing and sales not having a say: This ties in with bullet 5 and the marketing and sales should be found to be repeating what the customer is saying. It is not so much a matter that the sales or marketing is not being hear but that the customer is not been heard. Once the customer evaluation of the company is complete the results must be implemented. There after the evaluation forms should be issued with each customer transaction. 7-Expansion of the business development unit:†¢This matter was touched on in bullet 4 with a recommendation that this function be outsourced once it is clearly defined within the corporate structure†¢The right sizing of this department is a second option to outsourcing†¢The outsourced business development unit should be given measurable objectives and clear brief8-Design freeze of products: The fact that there are constant changes in design is a clear indicator that the customer and stake holders are not involved and are not articulating their needs †¢Once better lines of communication have been established with stakeholders design will be reached by consensus, expensive re-tooling for design change will be greatly reduced9-Rework of unsatisfactory items:†¢This can be reduced by continuous quality control. In other words the point of manufacture must be the quality controller thus work pieces would not have to counter-flow to the production line and rework would be immediate†¢Dr. E. Goldratt proposed the critical chain theory where the weakest segment of the chain is targeted and improved this is then repeated till the system is running optimally10-The emphasis on the technically competent project manager: This is just plane nonsense as the team is made up of multi-disciplinary specialists. The only step needed here is to clarify this in the project charter. 11-Concern that staff are to be graded by two managers: On the whole a poor  employee will be seen as such by both managers. The converse being true as well. Having stated this it should be easy enough for each manager to rate the employee and an aggregate be awarded between the two managers on the Key performance areas and the various related weighting for those areas12- Employees not getting equitable increases between plants:†¢This is as described in bullet 11 – The job evaluations and job weighting systems must be overhauled then the system of KPS and weighing need to be put into practice to assess which team is the most productive. It is flawed to award employees differing increases within a work unit. Best practice is the fixed bonus system were there is no separation between rank or individual13-The promotion of only internal staff due to insider knowledge: This is not a problem as yet but may become a problem in future as it may cause a situation of inbreeding. This situation can be remedied easy by correcting the perception early14-The computer package which is the universal panacea:†¢This is yet again a perception that must be corrected early. As any package must follow the real world model and as such the real world model must work first. †¢The systems approach is governed by policies and methods these must be implemented fully and not be sitting on a disused shelf. 15-The adaptability of the IS department:†¢The IS department must be told to evaluate off-the-shelf solutions before considering other alternatives†¢The IS department must ensure that options for roll out of new solutions consider the possibility of out-sourcing16-The perception of persons that project management is only schedules:†¢The only way to change this perception is through educationPrioritization of remedial action and problemsThe first priority is to change the current state of the senior manager studies, once these key persons change their outlook and approach bullet point 3, 2, 5, 6 and 16 will be resolved. The education of managers to a new business approach can not be under stated as they will see the need for customer involvement and even community involvement, the balanced score card will become an intrigue business tool. The changing of the business culture will be then a natural and easy process. The managers will be secure in their positions and will not feel threatened by the change, in fact they will see  the rewards and start to implement the change from within. Second priority is formalisation and implementation of the various company policies which impact on the individuals and structures within the corporation. This must be done in conjunction with the shared vision of HYTEN corp. and thus the corporate strategy will be defined in the process. These are the policies which affect:1-Staffing pay progression and bonuses2-Formalisation and introduction of project management and project charters3-The scope and powers of the business unitsThe systems approach to the documentation and formalisation of the policies and strategic goals will remediate the ills in bullet points 1, 4, 11, 12 and 14Third priority is the resolution of the functional issues such as reworked items, design freeze and others. These issues are of minor concern in relation to the other items which cut right to the core of the problems. The bullet points 8 and 9 are addressed in this priority. The remaining bullet points not dealt with are not preserved to be priority issues but never the less should be dealt with as a matter of course in the manner laid out in the bullet points above. Some are misconceptions others are a lack of insight thus need to be quickly remedied. 4-ConclusionThe over view of this company is that it is in good condition currently but will not stay in that shape if it doesn’t continue to evolve. Many of the points raised as problems are inter-related; this is highlighted throughout the bulleted points. Intervention in some areas will have to be great will in others it is minimal. The one overarching factor needing change is the ongoing education of senior managers. This company is ripe for change and has many eager young individuals who need development. The Policies are basically sound but need to be revisited both for updating content and implementation. If the changes are implemented HYTEN Corp. will go from strength to strength. Bibliography: †¢15th March 2006, The Eight-stage Management Process of Major Changehttp://www.freequality.org/sites/www_freequality_org/Documents/knowledge/ManageChange_MiniTutorial_MT%20_2_.pdf. †¢Program Managing Organizational Transformation, Change and Performance Improvement. Prof. Pieter Steyn and Erik Schmikl†¢The Critical Chain, Dr. E. Goldratt 2nd edition