Thoreaus Message in Walden Essay example -- Thoreau Walden Essays Phi

Thoreau's Message in Walden    In Walden, Henry D. Thoreau presented a radical and controversial perspective on society that was far beyond its time. In a period where growth both economically and territorially was seen as necessary for the development of a premature country, Thoreau felt the opposite. Thoreau was a man in search of growth within himself and was not concerned with outward improvements in him or society. In the chapter entitled "economy," he argued that people were too occupied with work to truly appreciate what life has to offer. He felt the root of this obsession with work was created through the misconstrued perception that material needs were a necessity, rather than a hindrance to true happiness and the full enjoyment of life. He felt that outside improvement can't bring inner peace and also working took all their available time. That is why he disapproved the idea of Industrial revolution as it provided work for the people. Walden was written at the time of the Industrial revolution. The Industrial revolution created enormous opportunities for the people. Everyone had his or her own work, doing the exact same things day in and day out. As Thoreau stated, "He has no time to be anything but a machine"(3). He argued that excess possessions not only required excess labor to purchase them but also disturbed the people spiritually with worry and constraint. As people supposed that they need to own things, this need forces them to devote all their time to labor, and the result is the loss of touch with their inner selves and also nature. He believed that people did not know the true meaning of life. That was why Thoreau voluntarily went to live in Walden Pond for two years. He discovere... ...ole concept of work, for it not only separated man from nature but also destroyed it. For instance, trains needed railroads to function. Trees were needed for the foundation of the tracks. Therefore, the cost of building these railroads and other technological improvements was the destruction of nature. Throughout the reading, it is evident that Thoreau is trying to portray to us that man is one with nature and that nature is the universal provider. However, at times he does seem to contradict himself, when he himself states that he gains satisfaction from working with his beans. All said and done, Thoreau still believed that people could do without excessive worldly possessions and just rely on nature.    Work Cited: Thoreau, Henry David. Walden.   Norton Anthology of American Literature.   Shorter Fourth Edition.   New York:   W.W. Norton, 1995.

Acting To Save Mother Earth Essay -- essays research papers

Everday we hear more bad news about our planet. Reports tell us that wildlife and forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Newscasts give the latest word on how quickly earth is losing its protective shirld and warming up. Newspapers lament the pollution of our air, water, and soil. What can we do in the face of such widespread gloom? In fact, we do not have to feel helpless. We can each learn practical ways to better our environment. For example, saving and recycling newspapers has a number of positive results. First, recycling newspaper saves trees. The average American consumes about 120 pounds of newsprint a year-enough to use up one tree. That means close to 250 million trees each year are destroyed for paper in this country alone. If we recycled only one-tenth of our newpaper, we would save 25 million trees a year. Second, making new paper from old paper uses up much less energy than making paper from trees. Finally, this process also reduces the air pollution of paper-making by 95 percent. Another earth saving habit is "precycling" waste. This means buying food and other products packaged only in materials that will decay naturally or that can be recycled. The idea is to prevent unrecyclable materials from even entering the home. For instance, 60 of the 190 pounds of plastic-especially styrofoam-each American uses a year are thrown out as soon as packages are opened. Be kind to your planet by buying eggs, fast food, and other products in cardboard in...

Fins Assignment

Learning Outcomes: At the completion of this assignment, you expected to acquire and demonstrate: 0 C] C] D the relevant technical skills in making quantitative and qualitative assessments of a private company at the early stage of its development cycle the ability to apply and discuss the relevant theories related to endure capital investment the ability to collect and compile important financial information as well as to produce and present a detailed and convincing investment proposal report the ability to work cooperatively In a group Scenario: Your task is to act as a consulting firm to a small or medium enterprise In the United States, to develop an investment proposal and to seek funding for the proposal. Each group will be given a firm that requires expansion and bridge-to- listing capital. Preliminary Information on the each of the firms Is provided to you on Blackboard, mainly in the form of disclosure documents (filings) made by the firm to he US Securities and Exchange Co mmission (SEC). Should you require more Information to complete the assignment, It will be up to you to gather It. There are SIX firms pre-selected by your lecturer as this year's assignment materials. These films are about to list on one of the US stock markets or have applied (filed) for listing.Whatever the case, the assumption we make in the assignment is that due to weak conditions In the PIP market, these firms decide that they are not actually at the stage or In a time where they should be raising capital on the stock exchange. Instead we assume that they now abandon their PIP plan and consider seeking venture capital/private equity funding instead. Each group should choose ONE firm and prepare the funding proposal/report based on that firm. You should select the firm based on whether Its activity suits your Interests / expertise / knowledge. The background information given to you is in the S-l or F-1 form filed by the company to the SEC, which is essentially a preliminary p rospectus.You should rely on this Information; however, you must make the assumption that the company is still private firm seeking venture capital funding. So when you rely on the prospectus for information, you must discard details related to the proposed listing (e. G. Invitation to subscribe for shares In a public offer, offer share price, number of shares offered to the public, pro- formal flannel statements, etc. ). However, you can rely on the prospectus' share offer information to make assumptions about (1) how much money the firm is raising in new capital (excluding issuing costs and amount sold directly by selling shareholders), (2) how the money raised would be used, and (3) the appropriateness of the original prospectus price (If available).You must also assume that your report proposal is written at some time after the closing date stated in the prospectus. Market and industry conditions at such times should be taken into account. Some of ‘OFF your report is due. In this case, you can consult all available pricing information but this must not be used as input to your valuation. Team Setup: The assignment is a group assignment and must be done in groups of your choice of either 3 or 4 students (inclusive). If you cannot find a group by the end of week 4 then you should email the tutor and he will assign you to a group. You need to be proactive in the tutorial regarding forming a group.A starting point could be to talk to people that you have known in other subjects. If you do not know many other students, do not be shy about talking to as many other class members as you can. If you find it difficult to catch up with other students, ask your tutor to allocate some time at the end of the class so that all students who have not formalized their groups can Join together and discuss with one another. It is a requirement that all group members must be from the same tutorial class. Contributions and Responsibilities: Group assignments can sometimes attract a free-rider† who fails to make a fair contribution towards the assignment workload.When you establish your group, you should clearly set out the expectations for workload in your assignment plan. You can also write down the division of tasks among group members and a timeline of agreed due dates for various components of the assignment. All of this information can be used to resolve group conflicts, review individual members' performance and penalties students who are deemed to have not made a fair and reasonable contribution by the LECTURER. In order to ensure equity in the group, students will be required to complete a ‘cover sheet' indicating the level of contribution of each student to the assignment, including the number of meetings attended and percentage contribution in three areas: research, synthesis and writing.This cover sheet will be available on Blackboard before the submission date. All students must sign the cover sheet. Otherwise, a mark of ZERO will be awarded to any student who fails to sign to cover sheet. It is also imperative that all group conflicts are brought to the attention of, first, the tutor, and then, the lecturer early (I. E. As soon as they arise) and that records of all immunization, meeting attendances, submission schedules, and input documents are kept by each group member. In the event of a serious group conflict, where there is disagreement about individual contributions, the lecturer will adjust the marks individually based on this additional information.Writing your Proposal: You must write a funding proposal for raising the capital to fund your selected firm's growth opportunities. The proposal should be written for people external to the company, I. E. Managers of a venture capital fund, a private equity fund or a syndicate of funds. You should note that the content, style and level of detail of this type of business plan is different from that of an internal business plan that you would use to run the business. It must market the firm well and provide venture capital funds with the information they need to determine whether they will invest in your firm or not. Your business plan should cover the following topics: 1 . Executive summary / Information memorandum This should be a 1 – 1. 5 page opportunity.It should contain your recommendation regarding the funding decision, the funding amount, price, and main purposes of funding. . Background Business and product description Current owners Management team, personnel and compensation Market and industry competitiveness analysis Production and operational strategy Use of proceeds 3. Financial analysis and projections Historical financial analysis, including ratio analysis (if necessary) Valuation based on peers and the industry average Key valuation assumptions and how they can be linked to market and strategy analyses Forecasting of future profitability and cash flows Capital budgeting for the investment proposal: analyse s of funding requirements and valuation (e. G. Counted free cash flows, AIR, etc. ) Any other valuation techniques considered appropriate for the selected company 4. The deal Pricing and Justification Pre and post-money ownership structures and their implications.

Speech to Persuade Cosmetic Surgery

Liposuction Intro:Introduce myself Transition: What Is Liposuction? Liposuction which Is also known as lipoplasty Is a surgical procedure used to slim and reshape specific areas of the body by removing excess fat deposits under the skin with the use of a vacuum-suction cannula. One thing consider is that a cannula is not always used sometimes an ultrasonic probe is used to break down fat then It is suctioned. Where on your body can you get Liposuction? Liposuction may be performed on the abdomen, hips. thighs, calves. arms. ttocks. back. neck. or face. A liposuction procedure may include more than one area. for example, the abdomen, arms, and thighs all on the same day or various areas that you choose, Liposuction is also used to reduce breast size in men with large breasts (gynecomastia). Who performs a lipo? Liposuction surgeries are performed by plastic surgeons. Any licensed physician may perform liposuction but it is recommended that they have special training Where can you have a procedure done? The procedure may be performed in a doctor's office, surgical center or hospital.Transition: But keep In Mind that It Is Important that It be performed In a clean environment. Emergencies may arise during any surgery and access to emergency medical equipment and/or a nearby hospital emergency room Is Important What to expect during Liposuction and after? During the procedure the physician will mark your body with a pen to Indicate where the fat is to be removed. Then you will receive anesthesia which is medicine that prevents you from feeling pain. Once the anesthesia is working, the physician will ake an incision in the area where the liposuction will be performed.A cannula which is a hollow tube will be inserted into the incision. The physician moves this cannula back and forth to suction out the fat. After the procedure you will stay at where the procedure was performed until the effect of the anesthesia has gone away. The cuts where the doctor inserted the can nula may be leaky or drain fluids for several days. You will wear special tight garments to keep your skin compressed after the liposuction procedure What is the risk of Liposuction? Infections may happen after any surgery including a liposuction.It is important to keep the wounds clean after the procedure to avoid Infections. swelling may occur after liposuction. In some cases swelling may continue for weeks or months after liposuction. Anesthesia can also be a risk if It Is not administered correctly. Poor wound healing. You may have Keloids which is an abnormal growth of scars. What Is the Cost? I ne cost 0T llposuctlon varies Dy states ana doctors It ranges anywnere Trom $7,000 per area. Transition: In spite of the cost I favor Liposuction because if it is oing to help someone feel better about the way they look and improve them I am all for it.https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuctionhttps://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction/procedureht tps://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/men-and-plastic-surgery/procedureshttps://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction/costhttps://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction/candidates

Educational practice Essay

In the United States, bilingualism is a crucial issue that must be addressed. Although bilingualism has no clear cut definition yet, Shenker (no date) provides one appropriate definition of bilingualism. According to him, bilingual children are â€Å"are those†¦ who speak/have been spoken to in two (or more) languages in the home since birth and who are spoken to in only one or both of those two languages at school. † (Shenker, no date). These children may also be spoken in one language at home but acquired (or is exposed to) a second-language when they start attending school. There is a common misperception that bilingual children are more unsuccessful academically than monolingual children. However, researches show that bilingual children have superior performances than their monolingual counterparts. Perhaps the first one to radically change this perception is the study done Peal and Lambert in 1962. They conducted research regarding the premise that bilingualism causes retardation. However, their conclusion proved otherwise. They found that experiences from two cultures provide bilingual children an advantage such as increased mental dexterity and superior ability to think abstractly than that experienced by monolinguals (Peal & Lambert, 1962). Other researches show an association between bilingualism and greater cognitive flexibility and awareness of language (Cummins & Culutsan, 1974; Diaz, 1983; Hakuta & Diaz, 1984). Moreover, bilingual children were proven to have more effective controlled processes. Although their study was conducted among adults only, they generally concluded â€Å"that controlled processing is carried out more effectively by bilinguals and that bilingualism helps to offset age-related losses in certain executive processes† (Bialystok, Klein, Craik, & Viswanathan, 2004). Because of their greater cognitive flexibility, bilingual children outperform their monolingual counterparts in virtually almost every subject including mathematics. Nevertheless, bilingual children, including their parents, still do not have the confidence to learn and interact with others. This is due to a punishment in the early 1900s where bilingual children are severely punished for speaking their home language. Although researches have found that bilingual children have greater cognitive flexibility than monolingual children, none has yet been undertaken investigating what practice can be used in teaching bilingual children to interact with other people. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate what teaching practice can be used in teaching bilingual children, in which they can improve not just their understanding of the project but also their interaction with other people. Statement of the Problem Mathematics is considered as one of the most difficult subjects to understand. Students have difficulty applying the basic computational skills to a more complex mathematics or science (Seceda & dela Cruz, n. d. ). Researchers argue that this difficulty in understanding the concepts of mathematics is due to most educators’ strict observation to procedure (Schoenfeld, 1988). Although there is a steady rise in students’ achievement scores in mathematics since the early 1980’s (Seceda, 1992) showing that educators are successful in teaching basic computational skills to students, they have been less successful in teaching the students when to apply the skills they have taught (Dossey, Mullis, & Jones, 1993; Dossey, Mullis, Lindquist, & Chambers, 1988; Mullis, Dossey, Foertsch, Jones, & Gentile, 1991; Mullis, Dossey, Owen, & Phillips, 1993; Seceda & dela Cruz, n. d. ). Thus, it is important that educators should focus in teaching mathematics for understanding to students rather than in observing strict procedures. However, one must note the fact that teaching for understanding does not just concern the mainstream or majority students. As Seceda and Cruz emphasize that â€Å"teaching for understanding concerns more generally all students including those with diverse social backgrounds. It is believed that mathematics involves considerable use of English, especially word problems† (Seceda & dela Cruz, n. d. ). Due to this belief, it only follows that children who are studying English as a second-language (or second language learners) have difficulty in studying mathematics. In this context, the term â€Å"bilingual children† means students who are second-language learners. Most schools in the United States teach mathematics in a â€Å"procedural† manner. That is, when students solved a particular mathematical problem in an unconventional way (the computations are not presented in the algorithm taught by the teacher), their solutions are marked incorrect and will be drilled further (Seceda & dela Cruz, n. d. ), even though their solutions meant that they understand the problem but resolved to write their solution in their own way. In so doing, bilingual children, feeling that they cannot understand and cannot be understood, are being left out in classroom conversations. When teaching and learning is continued in this manner, this will eventually lead to the bilingual children’s failure in mathematics, adding to the conventional belief that bilingual children cannot engage in mathematics. Another consequence of teaching mathematics in a â€Å"procedural† manner is that children begin to perceive that mathematics makes no sense (Seceda & dela Cruz, n. d. ). This perception will increase children’s capacity to understand something which is not sensible, not practical and not applicable using with the outside world (that is, world outside the classroom). In this paper, the author investigated which educational practice is best to apply in teaching mathematics for understanding to bilingual children. Two educational theories will be examined — Pask’s Conversation Theory and Landa’s Algo-Heuristic Theory. Furthermore, the study aims to find which practice can help students not just understand mathematics but to have confidence in solving problems and in interacting with others. Research Questions The study specifically aims to: 1. compare Pask’s Conversation Theory and Landa’s Algo-Heuristic Theory; and 2. examine which one of these two is best to apply in teaching mathematics for understanding to bilingual children. Significance of the Study Results of the study will help educators find the best way to teach mathematics in which bilingual children will be able to understand and apply outside the classroom. In general, results of the study will help in finding the best way to teach children who are limited English proficient in such a way that these children can understand and apply the lessons with other activities. Moreover, the study will help teachers train their students with confidence. Overview of the Paper In Chapter 2, a review of literature is provided. In this chapter, the definition of bilingualism is discussed. Researches undertaken on bilingual children’s cognitive development are provided. Then bilingual education is defined according to literature. Historical background on the evolution of bilingual education (1800s-1900s) is also provided. The author also discusses emotional, linguistic and academic issues bilingual education is concerned with. Mathematics education is also discussed in this chapter. Theories applied in mathematics teaching are discussed. Problem solving is given importance in the discussion on mathematics education. Cognitive background information on addition, subtraction multiplication and division is also given which provides as basis for the word problems given to the participants of the study. Finally, in this chapter, researches done involving mathematics and bilingualism are provided. Chapter 3 provides the theoretical framework used in the study. The first part discusses Pask’s Conversation Theory and the second part discussed Landa’s Algo-Heuristic Theory. Chapter 4 provides the methodology used for obtaining the results needed. This section explains the research design the study used. Sample, sample setting, procedure and data collection and analysis are discussed. The sample and sample setting for the study is discussed in the first part. In the second part, the author explained the procedures done from the pre-assessment stage to the classroom setting to the final assessment stage. The third part discussed how the data was collected and analyzed. In Chapter 5, results obtained from the experiment are discussed. The students’ scores obtained in the pre-assessment, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and final assessment examinations are shown in the first part. In the second part, results from the interview are discussed. Finally, Chapter 6 concludes the paper. The first part summarized the main findings discussed in Chapter 5. The second part gives recommendations for the teachers on how to teach mathematics for understanding to bilingual students. The third part provides limitations for the study as well as recommendations for future researches that can be carried on from this study. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE Bilingualism Bilingualism has no clear-cut definition yet but Shenker (no date) provided a definition in terms of young children. According to Shenker (no date), bilingual children are â€Å"are those†¦ who speak/have been spoken to in two (or more) languages in the home since birth and who are spoken to in only one or both of those two languages at school. † (Shenker, no date). These children may also be spoken in one language at home but acquired (or is exposed to) a second-language when they start attending school. Bilingual children were perceived to have less advantageous situations than monolingual children. This perception was radically changed in 1962 by Peal and Lambert. Peal and Lambert (1962) conducted a research regarding the premise that bilingualism causes retardation. Their study reached the conclusion that experiences from two cultures provide bilingual children with greater benefits than that experienced by monolinguals such as increased mental dexterity and superior ability to think abstractly (Peal & Lambert, 1962). Other researches prove that bilingual children have superior performances than their monolingual counterparts. Researches show an association between bilingualism and greater cognitive flexibility and awareness of language (Cummins & Culutsan, 1974; Diaz, 1983; Hakuta & Diaz, 1984). Moreover, bilingual children were proven to have more effective controlled processes. Although their study was conducted among adults only, they generally concluded â€Å"that controlled processing is carried out more effectively by bilinguals and that bilingualism helps to offset age-related losses in certain executive processes† (Bialystok, Klein, Craik, & Viswanathan, 2004). Bilingual Education Despite having many researches proving that bilingual children provide greater than (or at least at the same level as) the monolingual children, there is constant debate whether to provide bilingual children with bilingual education or programs that focus uniquely on acquiring English. Bilingual education is the teaching of all subjects in school using two different languages — English and Spanish or Chinese depending which is the native language of the student. Definition According to Ovando, Combs and Collier (2006) bilingual education is not a single uniform program or a consistent methodology for teaching language minority students. Bilingual education includes a number of different program models with a number of distinct goals. Other programs may promote the development of two languages for bilingualism and biliteracy while others use the students’ first language so that students may better learn English. Some bilingual education programs preserve an indigenous or heritage language as an ethnic, cultural, or community resource. There are programs that aim to incorporate students into the mainstream of society (Baker 2001). Thus, as Cazden and Snow (1990) stress, bilingual education is â€Å"a simple label for a complex phenomenon† since not all programs necessarily â€Å"concern the balanced use of two languages in the classroom† (Baker, 2001). (Throughout this paper, the terms L1 and L2 to denote the child’s language, L1 for their native language and L2 for the language they are acquiring. ) The inseparable connection between language and culture brings bilingual programs to include historical and cultural components associated with the languages being used. As Ulibarri (1972) says: In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was made flesh. It was so in the beginning and it is so today. The language, the Word, carries within it the history, the culture, the traditions, the very life of a people, the flesh. Language is people. We cannot conceive of a people without a language, or a language without a people. The two are one and the same. To know one is to know the other (p. 295). Historical Background Discussing the historical background of bilingual education in the United States indicates that there is a cyclical pattern with regard to language policies and programs (Korschun, 2006). Furthermore, studying the origins of bilingual education helps to understand its present undertakings and its future effectiveness. There are few references that account the history of bilingual education. In this paper, I rely predominantly on Ovando et al’s account of the history of bilingual education. The 1800s. Contrary to the common perception in the United States, schools in the United States use for instruction multiple languages other than English during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Because of the increasing establishments of homesteads of different groups of different languages and countries of origin in US territories, a general sense of geographical and psychological openness existed. Some communities were self-sufficient and agrarian based while some were ethnic pockets in urban areas (Ovando, 1978b). According to historical records, many schools in the nineteenth century, both public and private, used languages other than English for instruction. In fact, during this century, following the annexation of the Territory of New Mexico, a school’s curriculum may use either Spanish or English or even both as medium for instruction (Leibowitz, 1971). In 1900, at least 600,000 children in US received part or all of their schooling in German in public and parochial schools (Crawford, 2004; Ovando &Wiley, 2003; Kloss, 1977; Tyack, 1974). Many other states passed laws providing for schooling in languages other than English (Crawford, 1992, 2004). Some public schools provided bilingual or non-English-language instruction during the second half of the nineteenth century. The 1900s. Between 1900 and 1910, over 8 million immigrants were admitted to the United States majority of which came from Europe (Stewart, 1993). Because of this, the struggle for power to control institutions became imminent. One solution to this power struggle focused on schools. This solution came in the form of â€Å"Americanizing† all immigrants. By 1919, 15 state laws had been passed calling for English Only instruction (Higham, 1992). During the first half of the twentieth century, many schools already implemented the English dominant instruction which was impelled by many factors such as the standardization and bureaucratization of urban schools (Tyack, 1974), the need for national unity during the two world wars, and the desire to centralize and solidify national gains around unified goals for the country (Gonzalez, 1975). In fact, from World War I to the 1960s, language-minority students were severely punished whenever they used a language other than English in the classroom, or even on the playground. This policy continued until the 1950s resulting to an enormous loss of many indigenous languages (Crawford, 2004; Ovando & Wiley, 2003). The consequence of this action is still visible today. The ambivalence of language-minority parents toward bilingual education reflects fears that their children will be punished for using a language other than English (Arias & Cassanova, 1993). The early 1920s saw yet another restrictive immigration laws. These immigration laws, passed by the US congress, created a national-origins quota system. These extremely restrictive laws discriminated against eastern and southern Europeans and even excluded Asians. This resulted to fewer numbers of new immigrants while second-generation immigrants dropped the use of their native languages. Moreover, bilingual education disappeared for nearly have a century in US public schools (Crawford, 1992a). Indigenous groups whose land was eventually assimilated into the United States suffered even more repressive experiences. They endured more discrimination than any other language-minority groups. From the 1850s to the 1950s, native Spanish speakers in Texas and California were taught in English Only instructions while Mexican Americans in Texas segregated to other schools. This discrimination only stopped when segregation was ruled illegal. Even though the US government initially recognized the language rights of the Cherokees in an 1828 treaty, records show that many other American Indian groups suffered an oppression of their native languages and cultural traditions which also applied to the Cherokees during that period. In 1879, American Indian children were sent to boarding schools, where they were punished for using their native language. As mentioned earlier, this resulted to the loss of languages of many indigenous groups. In North America, 210 out of 300 original languages remain. In the United States, it is only 175. Of these languages, only 18 are still being passed on to the children, namely, Hawaiian (in Hawaii), Siberian Yupi’k, Central Yupi’k (in Alaska), Cocopah, Havasupai, Hualapai, Yaqui, Hopi, Navajo, Tohono O’odham, Western Apache, Mescalero, Jemez, Zuni, Tiwa, Keresan, (in Arizona and New Mexico), Cherokee (in Oklahoma), Choctaw (in Mississippi) (Krauss, 1996). Reyhner (1996) emphasized the importance of stabilizing and restoring indigenous languages: Many of the keys to the psychological, social, and physical survival of humankind may well be held by the smaller speech communities of the world. These keys will be lost as languages and cultures die. Our languages are joint creative productions that each generation adds to. Languages contain generations of wisdom, going back into antiquity. Our languages contain a significant part of the world’s knowledge and wisdom. When a language is lost, much of the knowledge that language represents is also gone (p. 4). Aside from the fear of severe punishment, this repression of non-English-languages also resulted to the lack of foreign-language skills among the US populace. This became evident when the need for military and civilian personnel who were proficient in many languages during World War II. Because of this, a radical change happened. US personnel returning overseas helped convince the government of the importance of multiple language resources (Pena, 1976a). The United States’ increasing need to compete for international status and power, influenced by the cold war mentality and the Soviets’ launching of Sputnik, led to an increasing need to expand their foreign-language skills. In 1958, the National Defense Education Act was approved providing federal money for the expansion of foreign-language teaching.

Risk Reflection Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Risk Reflection - Coursework Example unication imparted the message that driving under the influence is â€Å"not the best mix.† In addition, the visuals indicated a car dipping in a wine glass full of red wine. The color itself creates the impression of blood. The statistics in the communication indicate that at least 27 people die from drunk driving yearly. The risk communication on drunk driving applies the theory of outrage factors by alerting people and reassuring them (Sandman et al., 2012). The risk communication acts as an alert trying to protect people from the perils of drunk driving. In addition, it offers reassurance that by choosing the right mix (not drinking and driving), the risk would not occur. The statistics provided amplifies the risk by indicating that it is proven that driving under the influence is risky and can lead to death. The communication has some psychological effect on the public. It continues to alert the public that they ought not to be part of the statistic. Such a statement amplifies the risk by have a psychological impact on the public on the need to keep off from drunk driving. The risk communication on drunk driving is still open to modifications to ensure that it addresses the severity of the conditions. As such, it is important the message include the penalties applicable for the offence. The communicator focuses not on the effects of drinking, but the effects of driving under the influence. The message passed across is that individuals should not drink and drive. The main issue is driving under the influence. The hazard evokes a feeling of responsibility towards one’s life. As such, it is so irresponsible for an individual to drive while drunk amid all the communication against such an act. Sandman, P., Miller, P., Johnson, B., & Weinstein, N. (2012). Agency Communication, Community Outrage, and Perception of Risk: Three Simulation Experiments. Risk Analysis, 13(6), 585-598.

Status of Women in Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Status of Women in Islam - Essay Example In India the widow was consigned to flames at the funeral pyre of her dead husband. The religious faiths given to asceticism regarded her as the source of sin, the door leading to transgression and contact with her was considered an impediment in spiritual development and salvation. In most civilizations of the world she enjoyed no place in society. [1] She was contemptible and despised in their estimate. She had no social and political rights. She could not exercise her own free will in any financial deal. She was under the tutelage of her father, later under the oppressive rule of the tyrant of a husband and lastly under the patronizing care of the male offspring. She was not permitted by long standing conventions to challenge their authority and she had no course of justice to appeal to by way of escape from tyranny and excesses--not even a breath of complaint. Undoubtedly she has at times been in the seat of authority in some parts of the world. And it is also on record in the world history that empires and governments have danced to her tune, even tantrums, and it has been a common occurrence that she has had ascendancy in familial, tribal and monarchial activities. In some uncivilized tribes she had enjoyed superiority and rule and there are remnants of it still to be seen. [2] Yet as female of the human species, there was little change in her status and she suffered in silence through the course of history and remained deprived of her due rights as usual. Role of Women in Religion Muslims seek guidance from Allah through His book, the Qur'an, and His messenger Mohammed. Muslims believe that the word of Allah is supreme and takes precedence over all traditions cultures. Muslim women were expected to participate in the prayer sessions as the Mosque along with that of the men. Not only were women granted equality like the men, the women were given the same spiritual status as men. "Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith, Verily, to him will We give new Life, and life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions." (Koran, Sura 16, Verse 97) [3]. As the Islamic state and religion expanded, interpretations of the gender roles laid out in the Quran varied with different cultures. [4] In modern contemporary times, some Muslim women, as well as men, have rejected the limitations put on them and have begun to re-interpret the Qur'an. "I shall not lose sight of the labor of any of you who labors in My way, be it man or woman; each of you is equal to the other (3:195)" [5] "Spiritual equality, responsibility and accountability for both men and women is a well developed theme in the Quran. Understanding the spiritual equality of women in Islam is to understand that equality between men and women in the sight of God is not limited to purely spiritual, religious issues, but is the basis for equality in all temporal aspects of human life." [6] Independence and Freedom of Choice As for what Muslim feminists argue women should wear to conform to Islamic ideals: unlike Islamists, who maintain that the hijab stands as the very symbol of Muslim piety; the most important element for Muslim feminists appears to be the element of freedom of choice in interpreting the Islamic dress code. Mai

Federal elections and policy implications in 2012 Research Paper

Federal elections and policy implications in 2012 - Research Paper Example There are often different types of federal policies in the United States. These policies are usually subdivided according to the subject matter. The policy issues Almanac provides the background upon which information, links, and archived documents to cardinal America’s public policy issues are organized and categorized (Gleick, Christian-Smith, and Cooley 13). The United States has divided its public policies into nine categories: †¢ Criminal justice that include death penalties, drug policies, and gun controls †¢ Cultural and social policies including abortion, art, and civil rights †¢ Economic affairs policies that include taxes and budgets †¢ Education policies that incorporate elementary, secondary, and higher education †¢ Environmental policies that concentrate on global warming and quality of air †¢ Government operation policies that govern the campaign financing reforms and the privatization †¢ Health care policies that include health insurance and Medicare †¢ Social welfare policy that deals with social security and welfare †¢ Foreign affairs and national security policies that govern spending on the national defense ... Notably, during the 2007 elections, president Obama promised much on the economic recovery. At the end of his first tenure, it seems that he did not deliver fully as he had promised and the economy that was affected by Bush policies and administrations still moved to the worse. These facts have made the economic affair policy environment  quite volatile for either party (Coleman 127). Regardless of who could have won the 2012 presidential elections, the economic affair policy environment still remains heated. Additionally, the health policy was also a significant issue in the 2012 presidential campaigns. Despite the differences in opinions concerning the appropriate health care policies to be enacted, at some point Mitt Romney at one point agreed with some elements of the Obamacare (Gleick, Christian-Smith, and Cooley 21). Regardless of these agreements in opinions, the health affairs policy environment also remained a heated campaign throughout the campaign period. Other policies were viewed as one party or presidential aspirants show. For instance, president Obama mainly addressed the cultural and society policy on same sex marriage. Regardless some significant policies were not given concentration  they deserved. For instance, the environment policy is a radical policy that not only threatens United States but the entire globe. The environmental policies are the concerns of the citizens since from the 2008 election campaigns; it seemed the sure way of providing the cheap energy alternative (Gleick, Christian-Smith, and Cooley 54). The 2008 presidential campaign captured the attention of numerous Americans since the â€Å"DRILL, baby, drill† promised Americans cheap and reliable energy that was to be produced at home rather

Lenin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lenin - Essay Example Revolution came about as a result of various political actors as well as funding from foreign powers such as Germany which were interested in making sure that it withdrew from the First World War. Vladimir Lenin was one of the most important leaders of the Russian Revolution and this was mainly because he was a charismatic leader who sought to ensure that the monarchy in Russia was brought to an end. An individual dedicated to the rights of the working class that formed the bulk of the Russian state, Lenin was an individual who not only completely opposed to the monarchy, but also took an active part in ensuring its end (Rice 135). His political activities forced him into exile in Switzerland where he was in constant touch with likeminded people who believed that a communist revolution in Russia was necessary. While this was the case, Lenin and his associates did not have the necessary funding to ensure a successful uprising but this was remedied by the German government which is believed to have funded Lenin as well as organizing the means for him to return to Russia to agitate for a revolution. Germany played a pivotal role in helping the Bolsheviks come to power because it was in its interests to make sure Russia withdrew from the First World War and the only way to do this was to overthrow the monarchy (Pipes 141). It should be noted that during this period, Germany was fighting a two front war with the Allies and Russia’s withdrawal meant that it could concentrate its efforts in the western front. The German government therefore provided Lenin with the means of achieving his revolutionary objective in Russia and it was through German funding and support that he was able to mobilize the support he needed to overthrow the Tsarist government. Alexander Lvovics Parvus was a significant factor in the Russian Revolution and he did this through his association with influential individuals in the German establishment such as Baron von Wangenheim (Karaà ¶merlÄ ±oÄŸlu

Development of Women during the 1920's to the 1930's Essay

Development of Women during the 1920's to the 1930's - Essay Example She says, "No change had a greater impact on women's roles than the transition from primarily an agricultural economy to a corporate, commercial, industrial one, a change that took slowly over decades Harrison (1997)." She goes on to note that this was particularly true of the African American woman's movement in that, "Urban working-class mothers, especially African-Americans, themselves engaged in industrial production or domestic work for pay; by 1920, about 9 percent of married women worked outside the home for wages (Harrison, 1997)." Harrison goes on to note the complex way in which The Great Depression effected the transition of women being housewives to contributing to the working class. During The Great Depression unemployment rates rose to 25 percent and with many men out of work, their wives were subject to do remedial jobs that men wouldn't take like house cleaning, nursing, dry cleaning and secretary jobs, as Harrison notes "in fact most women worked only at jobs that men did not do and so by the start of World War II, almost 15 percent of wives were working, up from 12 percent at the beginning of 1930. The remedial work women suffered through during 1920 to 1930 eventually escalated during World War I when men were sent off to war. There was a void in the working class and women were needed to take on jobs that were traditionally reserved just for men. The image of the hardworking American woman became personified in the billboard plastering's of the "Rosie the Riveter" image. Millions of women gained access to government and non-military factory jobs and as Harrison notes during World War I, "The percentage of women in the work force went from pre-war figures of 25 percent to a wartime peak of 38 percent (Harrison, 1997)." These work figures are significant because it was through employment women could establish self-worth and liberate themselves from a dependence on men for personal survival. These higher paying positions were temporary though, and as soldiers returned from war women were quickly weeded out of industry positions and this began a trend of women leaving the labor force and focusing on raising families leading into the late 1940's on through to the 60's. Despite the transition for equal rights during the 1920's and 30's, women still had slim to no authority over their identity or future as it applied to their place in society in the United States. During this period there were excessive reports of domestic violence, and in the medical world women were habitually over-diagnosed with having psychological disorders and in many cases sent away to medical facilities. No work better captures the complexities of this issue and time in American history than Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar." In her article, "A Ritual For Being Born Twice" Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, Marjorie G. Perloff analyzes the popular appeal the novel holds among young women. The concept of the emotional distress that comes from illness conflicting with the psychological and social boundaries, used to confine women during the 1930's, is interpreted as a major contribution to the books growing fan base. The major draw the book has is the complex nature of Esther's dysfunct ions. She is mentally ill in a way that leaves her situation

Tragedies of Postpartum Psychosis Essay Example for Free

Tragedies of Postpartum Psychosis Essay Tragedies of Postpartum Psychosis: Ethical Decisions and Sentencing Postpartum depression affects approximately ten to twenty-two percent of women and as many as about eighty percent of women suffer from some sort of â€Å"baby blues†. Even so, the much more serious problem of postpartum psychosis only occurs in as few as one in every five hundred births (Williams, 2002). Postpartum psychosis can have catastrophic outcomes, like in the case of Andrea Yates. What should happen to women like Andrea? Prison, the death penalty or a mental institution? Ethical issues, such as postpartum psychosis crimes, are debated using various theories of ethics. Postpartum psychosis tends to have a rapid onset within the first four weeks after giving birth, whereas postpartum depression has a slower onset occurring around weeks six through twelve after childbirth (Williams, 2002). In postpartum psychosis, the symptoms include mood changes, delusional thoughts, paranoia and hallucinations. Symptoms can intensify or lessen. Women suffering are often afraid to ask for help due to the paranoia and guilt felt surround the disorder. Left to manage symptoms themselves, tragedies often occur as affected women committing suicide or infanticide. When such crimes occur, people debate how to deal with the women accused. Being committed to a mental institution is one course of action for such women. The argument for this is that these women are in need of psychiatric treatment, that they are unable to distinguish between right or wrong at the time of act due to their altered view on reality. Andrea Yates, for example, believed that she had Satan inside her and that she was unable to raise the children properly because of it; that they couldn’t be saved and were going to burn in hell (Roche, 2002). Andrea believed that her being evil was causing her children to not be righteous and that she needed to be executed. The only way for that to happen was for Andrea to kill her children. Women accused of such crimes can get the help they need in an institution, where they are unable to harm themselves or their children. These women always carry with them the horror and guilt for what they have done, once they are no longer sick. Postpartum psychosis is a mental disability and should be treated as such. It would be a huge injustice to the affected women to be placed in prison, or worse yet sentenced to death. The crimes that they commit, infanticide and the like, are unspeakable; however it would not serve them or society well to have them locked up in prison and continue to suffer from this illness. If placed in a mental institution they may be rehabilitated into productive members of society once again. However there are opposing views on this subject. One of the opposing thoughts is that the crimes are so heinous that these women must pay retribution for what they have done (Anonymous, 2008). Many believe that convicted women should be paying their debt to society from behind prison bars, that these women are a risk to society like any other murderer and should serve time accordingly. Complicating the situation are the callous women who commit such crimes and then use postpartum psychosis as a defense when they are not suffering from this illness. One example of uch would be Susan Smith, who lied about the disappearance of her two young sons and then later claimed that she suffered from postpartum depression causing her to kill her children. Investigators on her case found that she was dating a man who â€Å"wasn’t ready for a ready-made family (Gibbs, Booth, Gregory, Monroe, Towle, 1994). † Therefore, doubt is cast in the minds of society and they see all infanticides as horrific crimes where justice must be sought for the innocent victims. Committing capital offices such as the murder of children and infants are offenses that are eligible for the death penalty. Due to the appalling nature of the crimes committed many want to see the offender to be put to death instead of wasting tax-payer dollars to keep them in prison for life. This is just another way society seeks retribution for these horrid crimes. People believing that the women accused of these crimes are not really mentally ill may have a couple of different viewpoints for deciding their fates through sentencing. Viewpoints on sentencing convicted women to prison or the death penalty may depend on Kantian and cultural relativism theories of ethics. Kantian views on ethics rely on reason to apply categorical ethical principles (Waller,2008, pg. 21). In applying reason to the murdering of innocent children, ethically the convicted women belongs either in prison or sentenced to death. Kantian views believe in the â€Å"golden rule† – do to others what you would have them do to you. Keeping that in mind then the killing of another person would bring upon punishment to the accused. Kantian also believes that we are responsible for our actions, good or bad, and is a product of free will (Caswell, 2006). In keeping with this view then, these women are morally responsible and choose, due to free will, to end their children’s life; therefore they should be held accountable. Another theory that would support imprisonment or death penalty sentence, for non-believers of the women being truly mentally ill, would be cultural relativism. Cultural relativism is defined as ethical judgments made relative to a given culture. Cultural relativism is basically the relativity of its society’s values, and murder is wrong no matter who is the victim. specially when it involves innocent victims such as infants and children. Therefore, if the murdering of children is wrong then there should be someone held accountable for the crime. It is hard for society to imagine that a child could die at the hands of their own mother. Unfortunately, with the blood on the mother’s hands she is placed in front of the firing squad, so to speak, so that justice can be served for the children. Under cultural relativism then, anyone convicted of such a crime should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. But is this the right solution to the problem? Possibly taking on a more sympathetic view, such as care ethics and intuitionists, can help us in choosing the right sentencing for these women. People who believe in care ethics are more about caring for the person than for justice for the crime (Tong and Williams, 2009). Women committing these crimes need medical help more than they need to be placed behind bars and people looking at this from the care ethics viewpoint can see it this way. They are not blinded by the need for justice and have sympathy for not only the innocent victims, but also the accused. The accused are victims in many ways also. These women have been let done by the medical community and some by their families who have seen the signs and have not gotten them help before it had escalated into tragedy. Care ethicists can see that there truly is a problem and by placing the woman behind bars or worse yet, sentencing them to death, there is a bigger tragedy occurring: the continued victimization of a mentally ill woman. Intuitionist feel they know what is the right thing to do, as in the Waller (2008) he told of Huck Finn debating over whether or not to turn in his friend Jim, a slave owned by someone who had always been kind to him. Huck decided not to turn Jim in and let him go, knowing that ultimately slavery is wrong. This won over the fact that he was â€Å"stealing† Miz Watson’s property by helping Jim escape. The same can be applied to the women that have committed crimes while suffering from postpartum psychosis. Intuitionists know that the act was wrong and should require retribution for their crimes. However, the bigger issue is identifying postpartum psychosis as a medical condition and treating the accused accordingly. In conclusion, I believe that people choosing not to recognize postpartum psychosis as a medical condition seek out more severe punishments for the crimes. In doing so, Kantian views and cultural relativism are two ways that they justify their beliefs on severe sentencing. Kantian views are very strict and absolute – breaks a rule, you need to be punished accordingly. Cultural relativism is based on the societal ethics, break a societal rule punishment ensues. I believe this side of the debate just wants to see justice done for the innocent victims. Whereas care ethicists and intuitionists want justice, but they also want what is intrinsically right done. Sending the accused to prison or to death row, does not provide justice for the innocent victims, it would only add to the family’s suffering and create more victims. Care ethicists look at taking care of the accused as opposed to being out for revenge or justice. Intuitionists look at what they feel is the right decision, and sending someone away for a crime that they committed when they were not in control of themselves does not feel morally correct to them. References http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,218445,00.html http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2009/entries/feminism-ethics/

Effect of Microcredit on Household Consumption

Effect of Microcredit on Household Consumption 1. Introduction Despite the multitude of studies on microfinance, there still exits surprisingly little hard data on the effects of microcredit. This analysis focuses on the effect of microcredit specifically on household consumption, and reviews relevant literature which addresses the relation between household consumption and availability of microcredit. Traditionally Microcredit has been studied as a tool of poverty reduction through increase of consumption. A relatively recent shift in thinking has been to consider microcredit as a means to facilitate consumption smoothing and build assets to protect against risks ahead of time and cope with shocks, leading to widespread poverty alleviation but not widespread poverty reduction. The review is divided into three sections based on the approach used to study the effect of microcredit. The first section examines the works of Pitt Khandeker and Morduch which use non-experimental methods to make claims of causal identification. This is followed by a look at random evaluation studies performed and discusses their conclusions. The final section introduces â€Å"Portfolios of the Poor† by Daryl Collins et al (2009), a descriptive study of the financial activities of the poor. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Non-Randomised Approach The studies by Pitt Khandeker and Morduch are all based on the 1991-92 cross-sectional survey of nearly 1800 households in Bangladesh served by microfinance programs of the Grameen Bank, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), and the Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB). The sample also includes a control group of households in areas not served by any microfinance programs. Pitt and Khandeker (1998 A) apply a quasi-experimental design to this data and use a regression-discontinuity design to estimate the marginal impacts of microcredit while distinguishing borrowing by gender. The study obtains the result that â€Å"annual household consumption expenditure increases 18 taka for every 100 additional taka borrowed by women as compared with 11 taka for men† and hence concludes that microcredit increases household consumption. A key to the identification strategy used in this study is the fact that the factors driving credit choice be exogenous. One of these factors is the eligibility of households for credit (eligible if they own less than 0.5 acre). However this factor as noted by Morduch (1998) suffers from considerable mistargeting: overall 20-30% of borrowers own more than the mandated threshold and are actually ineligible. Consequently a criticism of this paper would be that the lax implementation of program rules undermines the application of the regression-discontinuity design. Morduch (1998) uses simpler estimators as compared to Pitt and Khandeker (1998 A). The study regresses directly on the primary instruments for credit, dummies for credit choice. Morduch measures the average impact of microcredit by first performing simple difference-in-difference estimates and then adding controls. Contrary to Pitt and Khandeker (1998 A), Morduch (1998) finds no significant effect of microcredit on the level of consumption. He however finds evidence that microcredit causes a decrease in the volatility of consumption (coefficient significant at 95% confidence) and also results in a smoothing of household labour supply (coefficient significant at 90% confidence). He asserts that consumption smoothing by households is driven by income smoothing but does not substantiate this with direct evidence. The possibility of seasonal consumption smoothing by landless households (primarily engaged in agriculture) through credit is explored by another study by Pitt and Khandeker (1998 B) and is based on data from the same survey as the two papers discussed above. The premise for this investigation is that, microcredit can help smooth seasonal consumption for credit constrained households by financing a new productive activity whose income flows that do not highly covary seasonally with income from agricultural pursuits. The econometric results generated are consistent with Morduch’s assertion of consumption smoothing through income smoothing. The results strongly suggest that an important motivation for credit program participation is the need to smooth the seasonal pattern of consumption and male labour supply. For male labour supply, as with household consumption, it seems that these group-based credit programs i) have a pattern of seasonal effects that act to smooth flows over the seasons, and ii) have a pattern of self-selection in which those households with the experiencing great than average seasonal variation in flows are most likely to join the programs and borrow. A paper by Morduch and Roodman (2009) revisits the studies by Morduch (1998) and Pitt Khandekar (1998 B). A replication exercise followed by Two-Stage Least-Squares (2SLS) regression is performed for the two, the result of which casts doubt on the positive results of both. In case of the Pitt and Kandeker finding, the replication generates results with opposite sign. However rather than microcredit being harmful, specification test suggests that the instrumentation strategy fails and that omitted variable causation is driving the result. As for Morduch rebuilding the data set revealed errors regarding the labour supply variables of the original set. The changes weaken the result on consumption volatility causing the statistic to no longer be significant. The non-experimental studies discussed above face challenges in establishing causality. A chief problem is that since microfinance clients are self-selected, they are not comparable to non-clients. Also MFIs purposefully choose some villages (non- random program placement) and participants (client selection) and not others. While Difference in Difference estimates can control for fixed differences between clients and non-clients, it is likely that participants in MFIs are on different trajectories even in the absence of Microcredit, invalidating comparisons between clients and non-clients. 2.2 Randomised Evaluation Given the complexity of the identification problem, randomised evaluations are a viable approach to study the effects of microcredit since it ensures that the difference between residents in the control areas vis-a-vis the treatment areas is the greater ease of access to microcredit. Banerjee (2010) conducts randomized evaluation of the impact of introducing microcredit in a new market. Half of 104 slums in Hyderabad, India were randomly selected for opening of an MFI branch while the remainder were not. The outcomes in both sets of areas were compared using intent to treat (ITT) estimates; that is, simple comparisons of averages in treatment and comparison areas, averaged over borrowers and non-borrowers. The results show no impact on average consumption, however the effects observed are heterogeneous and vary between households. Households who have a pre-existing business used microcredit to expand their existing ventures and show a significant increase in durable expenditure in treatment vs control areas. Households without a business but with a high propensity to start a business displayed a significant positive treatment effect on durable spending along with a decrease in non-durable spending. This reduction in nondurables spending could possibly be to facilitate a larger investment than received credit. Finally, household which didn’t have a business and are less likely to start a business showed a significantly large increase in nondurable expenses. These results are echoed in a study by Crepon et al (2011) who conducted a similar evaluation at the extensive margin to check if the effects of the programs but changed the context to a rural setting in Morocco where both credit and business opportunities are thinner in order to check if the effects of the programs would be different. As a possible explanation to no evidence of a positive impact of microcredit on consumption being found, the two studies suggest that, the households which increased durable spending may benefit from increased income and hence increased consumption in the future. In other words, the evaluation period may have been too short to capture the gains from investing in enterprise. Furthermore it would also be pertinent to observe whether households which increase non-durable spending and hence consumption continue to do so, given continued access to credit. 2.3 Financial diaries While looking at the relationship between Microcredit and consumption, a longitudinal survey on how poor households manage money and use financial services would be insightful. The book â€Å"Portfolios of the Poor† by Daryl Collins et al (2009) does this by constructing financial diaries for over 250 households, in Bangladesh, India and South Africa. To create a financial diary, a researcher visits a poor household repeatedly, say, every fortnight for a year, and gathers detailed information on transactions conducted by its members since the last visit. Through the data collection and the associated conversations the researcher has with the household, an intimate portrait of the households financial life is compiled. The book emphasises and shows evidence for the assertion that poor households faced with low and variable income look at all financial services to turn small, frequent pay-ins into occasional, large pay-outs and to smooth the mismatch between fluctuating income and steady outflows. Towards this end, MFIs by providing a reliable source of credit is of great help to the poor. However the canonical form of microcredit bears the disadvantage of being too rigid so as to address all credit needs of the poor (expenditure shocks like unexpected health expenses) and hence the household portfolios feature a diverse range of credit sources both formal and informal. Since they present an intricate picture of the transactions undertaken by the household, financial diaries, and for the purpose of this review the Grameen II financial diaries present a great opportunity to study how microcredit is actually used by the poor. The rest of this section presents a short review presented in the book, in order to give a flavour of the type of inferences which can be drawn from these types of studies. In the following table, 237 loans made by 43 households who were a part of the Grameen II financial diaries are classified into 6 main uses . Taking the first two categories to be productive use of loan, it is observed that roughly half the loans made fell into this category (48% of all loans and 53% of the loan value). This however does not mean that half of the client’s use the credit provided for productive expenses. Of the 43 households in the sample, just 6 were responsible for three quarters of the loan value in the biggest category business and also were recipients of two thirds of the loans issued in this category. These 6 households all have established businesses and borrow to buy stock as often as they are permitted. From this brief and simple look at the financial diaries we observe that, there is a great diversity to the activities the poor use microfinance for, also there is concentration of some uses among distinct types of users. Further, while investment uses account for more than half the value of loans disbursed, it is concentrated among the relatively well placed borrowers. Finally, the claim can presumably be made that the unproductive uses of loans made by the households are being used for consumption smoothing. Conclusion Based on the literature discussed by this review, while the shift to randomised evaluations from non-randomised studies in studying the effect of microcredit is good (considering the relative advantages provided by the former). The effect of microcredit on the consumption levels of households continues to remain ambiguous based on the present academic literature available. Whereas in the case of microcredit inducing consumption smoothing, there simply has not been enough study done exploring this perspective. In order to measure both the effect on both consumption level and consumption smoothing information on money management by poor households is required for many months if not years. The needed time series data can be obtained using the time intensive financial diaries method. Moreover an optimal research portfolio should probably blend the randomised approach with the financial diaries approach. Word Count 1990 References Banerjee, A., E. Duflo, R. Glennerster and C. Kinnan (2010), â€Å"The miracle of microfinance? Evidence from a randomized evaluation.†. MIT working paper. Collins, D., J, Morduch, S. Rutherford and O Ruthven, â€Å"Portfolios of the Poor†, Book Crepon, B., F, Devoto, E Duflo, W Pariente (2011), â€Å"Impact of microcredit in rural areas of Morocco Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation†, MIT Working paper Morduch, J. (1998). .Does Microfinance Really Help the Poor? Evidence from Flagship Pro- grams in Bangladesh, Hoover Institution, Stanford U. working paper. Morduch, J. and Roodman, D. (2009),† The Impact of microcredit on the poor in Bangladesh: Revisiting the evidence, Centre for Global Development Working Paper No. 174. Pitt, Mark and Shahidur Kandker (1998 A), â€Å"The Impact of Group-Based Credit Programs on Poor Households in Bangladesh: Does the Gender of Participants Matter?† Journal of Political Economy, October. Pitt, Mark and Shahidur Kandker (1998b), â€Å"Credit Programs for the Poor and Seasonality in Rural Bangladesh,† Brown University and World Bank, draft, January 9.

The Irony Depicted in Shakespeares Henry V Essay -- Henry IV Henry V

The Irony Depicted in Shakespeare's Henry V As Norman Rabkin has observed, Henry V is a play which organizes critics into "rival camps" of interpretation (35). It can be seen as a play that is ambiguous; a play that exposes the playwright's own indecision; a play that aggressively takes sides in favour of nationalistic fervour which Shakespeare himself didn't believe in (35). All of these views, writes Rabkin, are wrong since according to him the play's "ultimate power" lies in its ability to "point in two opposite directions, virtually daring us to choose one of the two opposed interpretations" (36). In fact, it is Rabkin that is wrong: not in his supposition that the play "dares" the audience to choose, but rather, that a reading of Henry V cannot simultaneously contain all of the above. Another view would be that the ambiguity, the indecision, the disbelief and the forced choice, are all part and parcel of an urgently ironic reading. This can be justified through the ultimate irony of the play: that as "character driven," i t lacks a real character to drive. "The King," after all, is an abstract concept bounded by prescribed rules of conduct in contradiction to subjective agency. This reading borrows from post-colonial critiques such as Spivak, since it leads to authority as being responsible for generating its own excesses by virtue of what it is; it winds up parodying itself. It is a devastating critique of governance and for those that seek to govern; in this reading, Henry V may go beyond Machiavellian orchestrations to undermining the entire project of governance. Many literary critics have argued that Henry can be interpreted as Machiavellian in some respects, and this can be related to recurring themes of interio... ...polemic-- does not diminish but rather provokes and sustains a dialogic discourse. Admittedly, there is little danger of this not happening without an ironic reading; Henry V, after all, continues to be performed hundreds of years after it was written. But certainly an ironic reading brings us closer to unexplored theatrical potentials, not to mention the dismantling --if only temporarily--of societal assumptions of governance. Bibliography: Brennan, Anthony. Henry V. NY: Twayne Publishers, 1992. Rabkin, Norman. "Either/Or: Responding to Henry V," William Shakespeare's Henry V. NY: Chelsea House Publishers, 1988. Siemon, James R. "The 'Image Bound': Icon and Iconoclasm in Henry V," William Shakespeare's Henry V. Shakespeare, William. Henry V. The Norton Shakespeare Histories. Stephen Greenblat, General Editor. NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 1997. The Irony Depicted in Shakespeare's Henry V Essay -- Henry IV Henry V The Irony Depicted in Shakespeare's Henry V As Norman Rabkin has observed, Henry V is a play which organizes critics into "rival camps" of interpretation (35). It can be seen as a play that is ambiguous; a play that exposes the playwright's own indecision; a play that aggressively takes sides in favour of nationalistic fervour which Shakespeare himself didn't believe in (35). All of these views, writes Rabkin, are wrong since according to him the play's "ultimate power" lies in its ability to "point in two opposite directions, virtually daring us to choose one of the two opposed interpretations" (36). In fact, it is Rabkin that is wrong: not in his supposition that the play "dares" the audience to choose, but rather, that a reading of Henry V cannot simultaneously contain all of the above. Another view would be that the ambiguity, the indecision, the disbelief and the forced choice, are all part and parcel of an urgently ironic reading. This can be justified through the ultimate irony of the play: that as "character driven," i t lacks a real character to drive. "The King," after all, is an abstract concept bounded by prescribed rules of conduct in contradiction to subjective agency. This reading borrows from post-colonial critiques such as Spivak, since it leads to authority as being responsible for generating its own excesses by virtue of what it is; it winds up parodying itself. It is a devastating critique of governance and for those that seek to govern; in this reading, Henry V may go beyond Machiavellian orchestrations to undermining the entire project of governance. Many literary critics have argued that Henry can be interpreted as Machiavellian in some respects, and this can be related to recurring themes of interio... ...polemic-- does not diminish but rather provokes and sustains a dialogic discourse. Admittedly, there is little danger of this not happening without an ironic reading; Henry V, after all, continues to be performed hundreds of years after it was written. But certainly an ironic reading brings us closer to unexplored theatrical potentials, not to mention the dismantling --if only temporarily--of societal assumptions of governance. Bibliography: Brennan, Anthony. Henry V. NY: Twayne Publishers, 1992. Rabkin, Norman. "Either/Or: Responding to Henry V," William Shakespeare's Henry V. NY: Chelsea House Publishers, 1988. Siemon, James R. "The 'Image Bound': Icon and Iconoclasm in Henry V," William Shakespeare's Henry V. Shakespeare, William. Henry V. The Norton Shakespeare Histories. Stephen Greenblat, General Editor. NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 1997.

Education for Cosmopolis :: Learning Curriculum Essays

Education for Cosmopolis ABSTRACT: An education for Cosmopolis is a kind of mediation between a cultural matrix and the meaning and value it confers on personal and communal self-appropriation, as genuine human beings, through history. The main strategy for a cosmopolitan educative integrates, around the notion of Cosmopolis, the tasks of an education conceived as a personal achievement and an education conceived as a legacy one generation shares with another. Cosmopolis, as a higher viewpoint of a culture, is based on the power of detachment and disinterestedness of human spirit; it is not an utopia nor an imaginative synthesis. A cosmopolitan education is radically emancipative. It involves a dialectical self-appropriation of the dynamic unit of human consciousness in the variables of development. Self-appropriation involves a fourfold conversion: psycho-affective, intellectual, moral, and religious. A cosmopolitan education also teaches us to think historically, to reach a world-cultural community, and to withdraw from practicality to save practicality. These thoughts are developed from the work of Bernard J. F. Lonergan. I. The Educative Mediation Education (1) mediates between cultural matrices and the meaning and value they give to their personal and communal processes of self-appropriation and self-affirmation as genuine human beings in history. Lonergan means by "mediation": . . . any factor, quality, property, feature, aspect, that has a source, origins, ground, basis, and consequences, effects, derivatives, a field of influence, radiation, expansion, an expression, manifestation, revelation, outcome may be said to be immediate in the source, origin, ground, basis, and mediated in its consequences, effects, derivatives, outcome, in its field of influence, radiation, expansion, in its expression, manifestation, revelation (1984, p. 2; p. 12). Such is the general or simple notion of mediation. Education is immediate in the basis and mediated in its expansion. The basis of education lays in cultural matrices. They generate, transform, and share meanings and values by the product of several patterns of experience (inconscient, dramatic, biological, aesthetic, artistic, practical, intellectual, religious, etc.), and the spontaneous and self-correcting processes of learning, such as the human cooperation in labor, the human intersubjectivity in language and communication, and the cooperation with others as the basis of legitimate power in the community. The expansion of education is an historical self-consciousness that persons and communities would autonomously affirm. Conceived as a mutual self-mediation process, education combines two types of mediation: mutual mediation and self-mediation. As a mutual mediation education is a reciprocal relation, where its elements configure an interchanging "functional whole: there are at least two principles and each mediates the other or others" (p.

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.

A Case Study: Dispatches from the War on Stress

Situation This article discusses the global effects of workplace stress. In this day’s business world, employee’s psychological health is overshadowed by the need to meet numbers and expectations. With a higher demand to meet goals, along with the increased pressure from competing firms, companies have been distinctively increasing employee workload; which in turn, produces a build-up of work-related stress for the employee. As a result, more cases of employee dissatisfaction and burn-out are amounting and becoming more apparent. Many companies are now tackling this growing issue of stress with different thoughts and methods to help reduce it for a more effective and happy employee. Key Issues Mark Ostermann, Chicago office of Boston Consulting Group. Mr. Ostermann was a case at which work-place stress has resulted in him to put excessive hours (60+) for a month and a half straight in order to finish a project. Luckily, the â€Å"Red Zone† police (a group created by the company to help with employee satisfaction) was able to intervene before the stress became unbearable. Not much later, Ostermann was within an action plan to solve his overwork problem. In no time, more people were added to his team to divide the work along with better managerial support. Renault automaker. In the course of five months, three engineers committed suicide who left notes stating about their unreasonable work-loads, immense work-place pressure, and humiliating criticisms in front of colleagues. Known for setting grand targets to boost sales, Renault has acknowledged the pressure put on their employees and committed a plan along with $10 million to alleviate workplace stress. In addition, the company began to train managers on how to avoid negative stress along with psychologists to help educate senior executives. The company also has put an effort to set up more places for socializing and relaxation. Problem There is no question that the workplace is a very stressful place. Most companies who are under a lot of pressure to meet goals are constantly striving to meet these achievements. As a result of the goals set by senior executives, the stress is burdened on the shoulders of the employees. The roblem is not work-stress, but the global lack of prevention of â€Å"over stressing† and lack of knowledge in identifying and managing it. It is the case with Renault Automaker, when it took the deaths of three engineers due to work-related stress before setting a program to alleviate work-related stress. In the case of Mark Ostermann, adequate knowledge in identifying stress by the â€Å"Red Zone† team prevented further development of unwanted con sequences in relation to his project. Alternative Solutions Work-related stress is inevitable, but may be alleviated and contained to a minimum by doing implementing a number of programs. 1. Impose mandatory relaxation and social time during the work day. In the recent cases of Toyota Co. recalling vehicles for numerous â€Å"manufacturing defects†, part of the blame has been pointed towards the Toyota Japan’s work ethic (Holt 2010). Workers for Toyota Japan often put in 60+ hours per week, have shorter break times. 2. Provide better training for managers about psychological stress. Often the problem lies within the inability of managers to spot employees who are experiencing an extraordinary amount of stress. From the ability to realize work-stress to their ability to criticize others, added training can benefit the entire workplace. . Provide onsite programs geared toward stress management. Many companies have resorted to onsite programs to help with stress management (Clabaugh 2009). Resources vary from onsite massage stations, yoga lunch breaks, to onsite oil changes. Selected Solution Knowledge is power. It ensures that the more we know, the more we ca n manipulate it. Providing better training for managers about stress management and the effects of psychological stress can effectively reduce the amount of extraordinary stress on employees within the workplace. Companies strive to achieve higher goals and to get the most â€Å"work† from the employees. Better training in stress management helps set reasonable goals as to maintain efficiency and prevent over-working. With better training, managers will be more likely to notice individual employees experiencing symptoms from over-work. Much stress from the workplace also comes from demeaning criticisms and fear of â€Å"the boss†. Training for managers on effects of psychological stress can help managers choose their words wisely as to reflect the issue at hand without creating a stressful encounter. Case Questions 1. This case study describes various ways that companies try to manage workplace stress. Referring to the types of stress management strategies described in this chapter, which approaches are applied most and least often? In this case study, the strategy applied most is the provision of â€Å"workplace de-stressors†. General Mills provides in-house personal services to help maximize employee time with social and familial aspects of their lives rather than using off days to do errands. From this study, the least used is a survey method to assess stress as mentioned by IBM computers. 2. What stress outcomes are mentioned in this case study? What stressors are noted in association with these stress outcomes? One of the stress outcomes which was mentioned was suicide. Leading to suicide, the engineers left notes stating the insurmountable amount of stress burdened onto them by high workloads, high-pressure management tactics, humiliating criticisms, and exhaustion. 3. Some of the stress problems described in this chapter refer to winning or losing in performance management. Why would the risk of failing to achieve performance goals result in such serious stress outcomes? Most individuals strive for acceptance, especially in the work place. Failing to achieve performance goals brings about the feelings of inadequacy and humility for many. In most cases, employees strive to do their best at the expense of personal time and family in order to earn achievements in the work place. Not being able to reach goals can be detrimental to one’s psyche. References Mueller, C. (2005, December 19). Stress Management In The Workplace: Handling Work Stress. Retrieved March 14, 2010, from http://ezinearticles. com/? Stress- ¬Management- ¬In- ¬The–Workplace:- ¬Handling- ¬Work- ¬Stress&id=115473 Clabaugh, J (November 2009). Employers tackle on-the-job stress. Retrieved March 14, 2010 from Washington Business Journal

Paradigm in Nursing Essay

Nursing as any science is a tentative, testable and falsifiable discipline. It undergoes: empirical observation, hypothesis development, experiment, results/finding and finally conclusion. Basing on the finding, one can accept or reject the hypothesis. Theory has been seen as the model of the ethics of conducting a set up and while forth is in position to predict future occurrences or observations of the same kind and capable of being tested through experiment or otherwise verified through observation. Each theory has set principles on how to verify it known as paradigm. Discussion Paradigms are a set of postulations; practices shared by a particular body, say a community of researchers and stems from a single theme. The paradigm seeks to regulate inquiry into the discipline that is concerned. It can therefore be viewed as the norm which the scientists or researchers can use as platform which they can agree of disagree depending on their findings. The various paradigms have one thing in common. They are characterized by ontological, epistemological and methodological differences in their approaches to conducting research (Demarest, et al 1993). This in return contributes to paradigm shift. Paradigm is seen to supersede mere interpretation of the tabulated finding or basic understanding in general. Superstition of paradigm consequently gives varied contribution in the area of disciplinary knowledge construction. Depending on the researchers sentiments/he may consider these differences so vast that one paradigm is inequivalent to another. Alternatively, these differences may be ignored or combined so as to conduct the research needed. To accomplish the task of developing nursing knowledge for use in practice, there is a need for a critical, integrated understanding of the paradigms used for nursing inquiry. This is arising due to the fact that each paradigm has a shift (Demarest, et al 1993). For instance, Child development defects will be viewed from various aspects and hence differing paradigm. A biologist my evaluate child development in perspective that children will naturally gain knowledge as they physically grow and become older, provided that they are healthy. Others may view that the child gains knowledge depending on its surrounding or what it interact with; while others view that a child is due for school after it starts interacting with environment and people as well. A nurse scholar can thus decide to combine the three theories or ignore all to achieve what s/he is researching on. Conclusion In conclusion the nurse researcher should weigh the pros and cons of a particular paradigm in his/her approach to assess of existing knowledge and thereby fill the informational gaps. This is because dominance of a particular paradigm is influenced by a number of factors. These may include: the source of finance for the research, government influence, biases from the journal and editors of the print, conferences and symposiums held, coverage by the media, educators who are responsible of spreading the paradigm to their students as well as the professional bodies which may favor a particular paradigm. However, paradigm should be natural and operational in all times.