Classroom Incidents Essay

A classroom incident is an unexpected event that occurs in a classroom causing disturbance or presenting a safety risk. A classroom incident can affect a teacher, a student or all the members of the classroom. There are many critical incidents that have occurred between teachers and students or among students. A critical classroom incident either spoils the student-student relationship or the teacher-student relationship. Past classroom incidents can offer important lessons that can be utilized in adopting the right ways of managing similar incidents in the future (Levin & Nolan, 2010). Incident related to cheating Adam reported his classmate Moses to the class teacher because of his cheating habit. Moses often copied the work of his classmates. Adam also notified the teacher that Moses was cheating in exams. During exams, he would collaborate with other students to exchange exam papers. Moses denied all the allegations. He said that Adam was only afraid of competition. However, it was a fact that Moses cheated in class work and in exams. He was spending most of his time perfecting the art of cheating rather than reading. The teacher was mad at Moses and decided to investigate the problem. However, he was unable to catch Moses or any other student cheating. Ways in which things went well or badly. Many things went the wrong way during the critical cheating incident. The teacher was frustrated by the cheating allegations. His frustration was even more when he couldn’t unearth and stop the cheating. The teacher’s inability to catch Moses and his company could tempt other students to cheat too. Moreover, the fact that some individuals were cheating was a blow to the trust of the students on the school’s examination system. Nevertheless, the same incident had some positive aspects. It is evident that Moses and his group were driven by the urge to achieve better results. They went into cheating in order to have good grades just like the rest of the students. The teacher was also able to establish the cheating problem which needed an urgent solution. Lessons learned from the incident. The cheating problem occurred because the student involved had realized that he had a task to deliver. He had to be successful in school. The teacher’s inability to unearth the root of the cause or to catch the students red handed shows that a different approach should have been applied. Incase of uncertainty, it is wiser not to rush for a solution. Instead, take your time and come up with the best tactic. The teacher should have thought of the benefits and consequences of his solution before going to the ground. May be transforming the cheating behavior would be better than simply deciding to punish the offenders. It can be concluded that cheating is a common incident in many classrooms and that it should be handled with care to avoid the effects of the failure to curb it. Similarly, every other classroom problem should be handled with caution (Walters & Frei 2007). Incident related to Rudeness During an afternoon class, a teacher wanted to check the assignment of Brown, one of his students. Brown responded rudely to the teachers request using inappropriate language. The teacher was frustrated. The other students watched in dismay. Brown was known due to his bad behavior and attitude. He never appreciated the importance of his fellow students and teachers. He felt superior and had a big ego. He always kept showing off. He would disregard warnings from prefects and teachers. Ways in which things went well or badly. The incident was wrong. The teacher felt disrespected by a student. He was mad because of the way Brown responded. Brown’s actions were against the values of the teacher-student relationship. At least the teacher should have been treated with his deserved respect. The rest of the class felt unappreciated. At least, Brown should have shown his uncontrollable ego out of the classroom. The students were also disappointed by Brown’s attitude. They felt rejected and abused. This critical incident had interfered with the right values of the student-student relationship. However, the same incident still has a positive side. The differences between the students were established. Brown had a desire to establish his own status although he followed the wrong route. His ego could be used to show that he had a low-esteem. He hid behind his rudeness and pretence to retain a sense of respect from the rest of the students. Brown’s behavior had a positive message to the other students. Since he avoided the other students, he had no friend. A friend would have helped him with the assignment. Lessons learned from the incident. The student was an attention seeker. He exploded once he got the attention of the entire class. The teacher was wise enough not to react harshly. The situation could have been worse if the teacher had lost his tempers. The class could have been treated to a more dramatic scene. It is important to note that students come from different backgrounds. Different students also have different levels of self esteem. Teachers should try to know the kind of students they are dealing with in order to handle them accordingly. There is a need to engage the students in order to know their grievances. Had the students reported Brown’s behavior in advance, the incident could have been avoided. According to Dixie (2003), counseling is always applicable as a good method to discard bad morals. Brown could have been assisted through counseling. References Dixie, G. (2003). Managing your classroom. London [u. a. ]: Continuum. Levin, J. , & Nolan, J. F. (2010). Principles of classroom management: A professional decision-making model. Boston: Pearson. Walters, J. , & Frei, S. (2007). Managing classroom behavior and discipline. Huntington Beach, CA: Shell Education.

Paradoxical Thinking: Maintaining Stability in Changing Environments Essay

Abstract Post-recession business trends show companies that survive and continue to develop; apply agile business models that respond quickly to external change. Traditionally linear approaches to problem solving such rational goals models or â€Å"cause and effect† thinking were standard in the workplace during the first quarter of the twentieth century. Is â€Å"cause and effect† thinking going to generate the type of results needed to survive with today’s post-recession business dynamics? Complexities of the workplace today require Master Managers to think both creatively and critically to drive results. When leadership applies paradoxical thinking supported by the Competing Values Framework, organizations have opportunities to thrive. Introduction / Definition Change and flexibility are seen as essential components of successful organizations in turbulent environments with strong competition and may be even more important in times of tumultuous crises. Organizations need to run  fast to keep up with the numerous and intensive changes taking place in their environments (Steinkellner and Czerny, 2010) Post-recession business trends prove that companies that survive, develop, and grow use agile business models that respond quickly to external changes. Traditionally linear approaches to problem solving such rational goals models or â€Å"cause and effect† thinking were standard in the workplace in the first 25 years of the twentieth century. Is this approach the most effective use of management’s resources today? Complexities of the workplace require Master Managers to think both creatively and critically to drive results. Paradoxical thinking is the ability to reverse, manipulate, combine, and synthesize opposites† (Ravi , n.d.). What exactly is a paradoxical thinking? It’s the act of considering two seemingly inconsistent or contradictory concepts then harnessing the opposing forces to produce new possibilities. Paradoxical thinking, if applied effectively, can produce innovative solutions to meet and possibly exceed organizational goals. While organizational leaders are expected to stabilize systems, they are also challenged to adjust the existing structural arrangements and patterned behaviors and to ask frame-breaking questions. Managers must send consistent messages and align strategy with structure, but must never allow the organization to settle into complacency. As soon as â€Å"balance† is achieved, it must be destroyed. Managers must have the cognitive complexity and behavioral flexibility that will allow them to shift from one paradigm to another and thus to effectively manage paradoxes and optimize performance (Belasen, 1998). For example, managers want their organizations to be flexible and adaptive, yet integrated and stable. They want higher internal efficiency and profitability and also higher employee commitment and morale. The art of managing and leading organizations today lies in embracing incompatible forces, rather than choosing between them. (Belasen,1998). The Competing Values Framework (CVF) is a powerful integrative model that is rooted in the contradictory criteria of effectiveness that describe managerial leadership. Hence, mapping out the repertoire of leadership roles essential to dealing with paradoxes, and assessing and developing requisite managerial competencies are important strategic human resource goals. Assessing current managerial competencies  and future organizational needs is an important strategic staffing function that can enable top managers to align organizational capabilities with business strategy. The CVF is a powerful theoretical construct with applications that feat ure supervisory roles and competencies, (Quinn, R. E., Faerman, S. R., Thompson, M. P., and McGrath, M. R., 1996). Example of a company that demonstrates paradoxical thinking I work for a global biotech company that develops rapid point-of-care diagnostics. Their products focus on cardiology, infectious disease, toxicology and diabetes. In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) audited the company. The FDA found Quality system violations in manufacturing and issued the company a warning letter. In response to this external threat, the company’s leadership went full throttle to defend the organization. During the most intense parts of our remediation efforts, the experience seemed chaotic, however with the new understanding of paradoxical thinking, its clear to me that leadership’s directives were strategically managed. â€Å"Cause and effect† thinking was not complex enough to respond to the FDA’s demands. The work climate internally was intense as we closely followed leadership’s vision. Our organizational shift moved from mainly a Compete quadrant focus, to integrating all four quadrants of the Competing Values F ramework (Collaborate, Control, Compete and Create). Most of our energy was understandably was expended between the Control and Create quadrants. The company’s management energized employees as new cross-functional teams emerged and strove to deliver on new internal and external campaigns to unify us globally. Leadership developed and effectively communicated a new vision framed around shared values of meeting the FDA’s requests, responding to the letter, and releasing quality product back on the market to the patients that needed them. The new shared-vision helped everyone focus on the new, while paradoxically repairing the old. Old processes were scrutinized, evaluated, challenged, and re-evaluated. We had to maintain control of what we were doing correctly while paradoxically implementing new changes. Management also dealt with the economic paradox of not being able to sell viable product while needing to spend on hiring new talent to research, repair, and remediate the findings in the warning  letter. Although the company is still recovering, new internal processes for validating the manufacturing line were eventually implemented and product returned to market. Organizational change, obviously, is often imperative in response to emerging customer demands, new regulations, and fresh competitive threats. But constant or sudden change is unsettling and destabilizing for companies and individuals alike. Just as human beings tend to freeze when confronted with too many new things in their lives—a divorce, a house move, and a change of job, for example—so will organizations overwhelmed by change resist and frustrate transformation-minded chief executives set on radically overturning the established order (Price, 2012). Can one learn paradoxical thinking? Yes, as long as one is open to change and committed to learning new ways of thinking. Embracing the paradoxes can be uncomfortable: it’s counterintuitive to stimulate change by focusing on boundaries and control when a company wants to stir up new ideas. Yet the act of trying to reconcile these tensions helps leaders keep their eyes on all their spinning plates and identify when interventions are needed to keep the organization lined up with its top priorities (Price, 2012). Acceptance involves viewing both sides of competing demands as simultaneously possible, even if they are inherently in conflict. By accepting paradoxical demands, leaders recognize them as an opportunity and â€Å"invitation to act,† rather than as an obstacle (Smith, W.K., Besharov, M.L., Anke, Wessels, A.K., Chertok, M., A, 2012). Paradoxical thinking as a skill related to intelligence. Why is it least used? Paradoxical thinking breaks norms and pushes the limits of complex reasoning and logic. Being able to integrate opposing lines of reasoning to synthesize one common result is a high art. Paradoxical thinking is counter-intuitive and results of this thinking bring change. Barriers to change include fear of mistakes or failure, intolerance of ambiguity, judging or being judged. How management and leadership can utilize paradoxical thinking to improve the organization Once management has determined how to apply paradoxical  thinking, a shared vision needs to be created and conveyed to the organization to give employees a path to follow to reach collective goals. Once individuals grasp a common picture of a desired future everyone can move towards that improved future-state in unison. A shared vision is â€Å"a vision that many people are truly committed to, because it reflects their own personal vision. Shared vision is vital for learning organizations because it provides the focus and energy for learning.† (Senge, 1990). Within the Competitive Values Framework, management can take the opportunity to improve the organization by motivating employees, engaging them in new activities to improve performance and reward them for contributions to change. Leadership can re-structure and revise business process for improved outcomes for customers’ pro ducts and services. Paradoxical thinking can literally re-invent the organization to compete in the modern economy. Leadership must cope with the paradoxical relationship between stability and change to improve the organizations. Conventional management’s approach to paradox are characterized â€Å"by tendencies which encourage polarized, black/white, good/bad thinking†. From an analytical perspective four different modes to cope with the paradoxical relationship between stability and change can be found to (1) accept the paradox, keep stability and change separate and use the paradox constructively, (2) separate the poles of the paradox to different locations or levels, (3) temporally separate stability and change, and (4) advance new conceptions through introducing new concepts or a new perspective. Compared with traditional modes, the paradox of stability and change may intertwine and instead of negating and displacing one another, they can mutually reinforce each other in a process of renewal (Steinkellner, P.F., and Czerny, E. J., 2010). Conclusion â€Å"Cause and effect† thinking hinders mastery as it’s linear approach is not complex enough to delve into the dynamics of today’s organizational environments. Using paradoxical thinking one can taking two seemingly inconsistent or contradictory concepts then harnessing the opposing forces  to possibly exceed organizational goals. Placing paradoxical thinking into the Competing Values Framework gives organizations the opportunity to explore new alternatives and innovate. Innovation is the key to growth in the business environment. References Belasen, A. T., 1998, Paradoxes and Leadership Roles. Retrieved from http://www8.esc.edu/ESConline/across_esc/forumjournal.nsf/wholeshortlinks2/Leadership+Roles Price, C., 2012, Senior executives will better balance people and priorities by embracing the paradoxes of organizational life. Retrieved from http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/organization/leadership_and_the_art_of_plate _spinning Quinn, R. E., Faerman, S. R., Thompson, M. P., and McGrath, M. R., 1996, Becoming a master manager: A competency framework. Retrieved from http://www8.esc.edu/ESConline/across_esc/forumjournal.nsf/wholeshortlinks2/Leadership+Roles Ravi, K. R., Paradoxical Thinking. Retrieved from http://www.krravi.com/paradoxicalthinking.pdf Senge, P., The Learning Organization. 1990 Retrieved from http://infed.org/mobi/peter-senge-and-the-learning-organization/ Smith, W.K., Besharov, M.L., Anke, Wessels, A.K., Chertok, M., A Paradoxical Leadership Model for Social Entrepreneurs: Challenges, Leadership Skills, and Pedagogical Tools for Managing Social and Commercial Demands. Retrieved from http://www.buec.udel.edu/smithw/Smith,%20Besharov,%20Wessels%20and%20Chertok_Social%20Enterpreneurship%20AMLE_2012.pdf Steinkellner, P.F., and Czerny, E. J., 2010, Educating Managers for a Paradox World – Duality and Paradoxes in Management. Retrieved from http://www.iff.ac.at/oe/media/documents/Paper_38_Steinkellner_Czerny.pdf

Blood Sports (Debate) Essay Example for Free

Blood Sports (Debate) Essay Blood sports should not be banned; whatever problems there are with the sport can be fixed with reforms. The World Health Organization has called for tighter regulation, including â€Å"Simple rules, such as requiring medical clearance, national passports to prevent players from fighting under more than one name, restricting fights for fixed periods after knockouts, requiring that ringside physicians be paid by the state and not the promoter, and making sure that the players are aware of the potential long-term consequence of blood sports, may help protect them to some degree. †The Australian Medical Association additionally â€Å"recommends that media coverage should be subject to control codes similar to those which apply to television screening of violence. †Finally, the World Medical Association suggests that all matches should have a ring physician authorized to stop the fight at any time. It has been reported that no safety regulations would be effective if head blows remain – however such authors incorrectly apportion blame on boxing for a group of diseases known as Parkinson’s syndrome. Blood sports can result in chronic traumatic neurological conditions if fighters are not well matched, and fight without regulations in regard to their exposure. Boxing cannot cause Parkinson’s disease or other conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease as those are genetic conditions – so to include them together as one set of conditions is incorrect and misleading. About 80% of deaths are caused by head, brain, and neck injuries, so the removal of the head as a scoring region may make a huge difference to the injury outcomes for this sport. However it would also change the very nature of the sport; and may mean people won’t participate in it. Ultimately, governments should do what they can to make blood sports as safe as possible, without losing the essence of the sport or banning it entirely. ————————————————- (Banning blood sports would force people to channel their aggression into more harmful, violent activities) There is no conclusive scientific evidence linking increased contact sport participation with being more violent in social settings. Such statements make it sound as thought we would have not violence in society if all contact sport was removed – and we all know that is untrue. Blood sports isn’t about violent aggression, it is about controlled aggression – this is very different to violent behaviors. In a report on â€Å"violent† sports in schools, conducted by the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a martial-arts instructor explained, â€Å"Contact and combat sports allow students to deal with their aggression in a safe environment, rather than in the context of the classroom or school hallway. †This type of outlet is not only important for youth, but for adults as well. Jason Brick said, â€Å"Positive Views on Violence In Sports,† Live strong, January 7, 2011, accessed July 13, 2011, With /proposition (The Effect of blood sports on the viewers) Blood Sports have been around for decades. Viewing violence generally triggers or serves in the increase of aggression of an individual. Sports such as wrestling (smack down) and Ultimate Fighter Competition (UFC) are bloody sports and have mostly negative effects on those who watch them. The objective of these two sports is to beat an individual into unconsciousness, make them tap out by inflicting pain, if none of these is accomplished within a time frame, the match is to be stopped and the judges decide who wins. Many children, teenagers, and even adults tend to try and imitate a knock out or combos that were seen performed at one of these fights onto an individual in an uncontrolled environment whether it is their sibling, friend, coworker, or a stranger for different reasons that includes but is not limited to a misunderstanding or horse playing. Watching this sport leaves the viewer psychologically aggressive. For example, if someone watches a match and gets into a fight with another person later on, that person is more likely to use a technique he saw during the fight, and since there is no referee to stop the fight in case of suffocation or tap-out, the victim is more likely to bleed, pass out or even dies. During the 1980’s, two men were in a bar discussing the Marvin Haggler and Sugar Ray Leonard fight that had occurred several days before, and in the process on trying to show exactly how one of the punch landed, both men went outside, drawing a crowd with them. The demonstration turned tragic when one of the men landed a punch to the jaw of the other, and such was the power of the blow, that the victim fell, hit his head on the pavement and started to bleed, and had to be buried a few weeks later. Seeing and permitting violence to be seen makes it seem normal and legal when in fact it is not normal and it is horrible, but here is where lies another problem which is called desensitization. Many years ago when a horrible scene was about to be portrayed on your television set, there would first appear a window saying ‘the images that you are about to see might injure the sensibility of certain people’ or words to that effect. Well, have you noticed that now they no longer even bother showing that little window? It’s as if the media know that human kind are used to everything by now. That nothing is going to affect them that much. So what does this show? It shows that us human beings are getting desensitized to everything and when that happens it also means that we don’t get so emotional about anything anymore and so consequently don’t fight any more either in order to strive for a change. We have all come to a point where nothing moves us that much anymore. (Pain and Injury as the Price of blood sports) Many people think about sports in a paradoxical way: They accept violence in sports, but the injuries caused by that violence make them uneasy. They seem to want violence without consequences— like the ?ctionalized violence they see in the media and video games in which characters engage in brutality without being seriously or permanently injured. However, blood sports are real, and it causes real pain, injury, disability, and even death (Dater, 2005; Farber, 2004; Leahy, 2008; Rice, 2005; Smith, 2005b; Young, 2004a). Ron Rice, an NFL player whose career ended when he tackled an opponent, discusses the real consequences of blood sports. The brutal body contact of the tackle left him temporarily paralyzed and permanently disabled. He remembers that â€Å"before I hit the ground, I knew my career was over. . . . My body froze. I was like a tree that had been cut down, teetering, then crashing, unable to break my fall. † Research on pain and injury among athletes helps us understand that blood sports have real consequences. Studies indicate that professional sports involving brutal body contact and borderline violence are among the most dangerous workplaces in the occupational world. The same could be said about high-pro? le power and performance intercollegiate sports in which 80 percent of male and female athletes sustain at least one serious injury while playing their sports and nearly 70 percent are disabled for two or more weeks. Research shows a close connection between dominant ideas about masculinity and the high rate of injuries in many sports. Ironically, some power and performance sports are organized so that players feel that their manhood is up for grabs. Men who de? ne masculinity in terms of physically dominating others often use violence in sports as an expression of this code of manhood. Until they critically examine issues related to gender and the organization of their sports, they will mistakenly de? ne violence as a source of rewards rather than a source of chronic pain and disabilities that constrain and threaten their lives. Blood Sports (Debate). (2017, Jun 01).

Taxonomy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Taxonomy - Essay Example A solution to this dilemma lies in the introduction of the PhyloCode way of naming, which could name and organize living beings on the basis of phytogeny, the evolutionary history of a species or group. With advances in modern science, it has become easier to perfectly determine the evolutionary history of a species, and species and clades can be accurately organized according to phytogeny. In this type of nomenclature, change in one part of the naming organization would not involve any widespread changes. This, coupled with its evolutionary accuracy, is being touted as the major advantages of PhyloCode by its proponents. Changing to PhyloCode from the deeply entrenched Linnean system would mean the re-definition of millions of species, something that the PhyloCode workers have not yet worked out conclusively. Global diversity catalogs will be the first to be affected by any changes that take place: while the Linnean system has the advantage in history and numbers, PhyloCode could soon be throwing the gauntlet, and the catalogs remain flexible to both.

How diversity impacts educational efforts and programs within the area Research Paper

How diversity impacts educational efforts and programs within the area of academia - Research Paper Example A nurse is essentially a social person, or he/she might not be able to do justice to the job. Social skills required on the part of a nurse include but are not limited to emotional intelligence, communication skills, and management. In-depth knowledge of diverse cultures enables a nurse to optimize on his/her potential to display these skills in the workplace. Inclusion of diversity in the academic curriculum of nursing acquaints a nurse with the knowledge of the best possible way to deal with a patient coming from a certain background. Diversification of the nursing education is also a need of the hour in that the nursing students have become increasingly non-traditional over the years. Non-traditional means â€Å"aged 25 or older, commutes to school, enrolled part time, is male, is a member of an ethnic or racial minority group, speaks English as a second or additional language, has dependent children, and holds a general equivalency diploma (GED) or has required remedial classes† (Bednarz, Schim, and Doorenbos, 2010). According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), there were about 73 per cent non-traditional nursing students in the undergraduate program as of

MANAGEMENT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

MANAGEMENT - Assignment Example Their human resources make them the best company by making sure they deliver the results as anticipated and with the best motivation to meet their required targets (Leavitt, 280). On their product development, they pay much attention to their shapes to attract more customers, the company is concerned with customer satisfaction as their driving factor in order to thrive in their business. These current assets are fast moving, and they avoid holding of stock to deter their development. In this case, their products are manufactured at a cost effective strategy and in return are sold at reasonable prices hence their success. The company has a very stable and straightforward thinking management which makes their plans and aims at achieving these strategic plans. Their management is set in a manner that they can coordinate their function globally hence making them meet the desired company outcome in the market. Their services are well planned, and it helps them to enjoy the competitive advantage in their operations. Lastly, the company has strategic plans which coordinate their functions. These plans are very vital in managing their progress (Leavitt, 280). They consistently use their swot analysis to meet their marketing needs according to the data obtained. This boosts their performance hence enjoying their competitive

Value Added Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Value Added Tax - Essay Example The concern for the measure is not limited to its monetary or financial impacts on trade and commerce but also in the overall all competitiveness of industries and markets. The objective of this paper is to be able to assess current opinion regarding the VAT measures and determine areas of concern. The opinion of various stakeholders on the issue, EU objectives and the state of global markets will also be taken into consideration. The paper will then conclude with a summation of the issues that dominate current discussion and weigh the legitimacy of projections on the issue. Lszl Kovcs' opening statement to the 2006 Joint Conference forum of the European Commission (EC) and the European Banking Federation (EBF) regarding the modernization of the VAT Rules for Financial Services and Insurances, acknowledged the interest of the issue to a number of sectors and industries. He reiterates to the assembly that the reviews of the VAT rules are motivated by the desire to simplify them to enhance and unify pan-European trade, particularly financial services (Tabellini 2003). ... n the assessment done by the 1973 Hutchinson Report: objections raised against the directive were concerned the lack of actual infrastructures to facilitate the application of the measures which impairs consumer credit levels. In response to the challenges of determining taxable amounts and VAT deductions in these industries, the industries were given exemptions due to the lack accounting and fiscal methods to implement measures. The lack of capacity was not based on the lack of fiscal or accounting skills but rather on the lack of justification of administrative charges and the complication of legal and accounting jurisprudence. It was only in the middles of the 1990's that efforts to implement full taxation were picked up. The Commission together with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) determined that it was possible to charge VAT using cash flow methods of financial services, known as the truncated cash flow method (TCA). Technical feasibility tests were conducted in financial institutions and yielded within acceptable parameters as well. Using the system, there would be no VAT or zero rating on business-to-business (B2B) transactions and will be considered as customer charges in business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. However, there was still opinion that the systems was still to complex for actual implementation and migration to TCA was inhibitive because of the cost. In response to these continuing concerns, the Commission has identified three key issues for resolution (EC 2006, pp. 3-4): 1. Mitigation of administrative cost of implementation and fiscal supervision for economic operation and fiscal compliance 2. Establishment of related budget security and legal certainty for Member States and economic operators respectively 3.

An Introduction to Analytical Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An Introduction to Analytical Writing - Essay Example The satirical essay is, without a single doubt, very informative. Being a media practitioner, the author was able to expound his thesis by giving substantial information about the current state of affairs. These pieces of information are glaring examples of how the current crop of people in the congress utilizes mass media to mask the more exacting problems that need to be resolved like budget deficit, health care, and of course the presence and involvement of the United States in Iraq. All these problems are veiled with what appeals to the hearts of everyone: morality and righteousness. Why and how does this whole kit and caboodle happen Simple. Based on my own reckoning, the representatives are clever enough not to know how to safely deceive and bewilder their unknowing constituents. Indeed by conducting hearings that appeal to everyone's heart, they can shift the people's attention from the very core of the problem down to the ones that bob in and out of the social strata. As most of us probably know, people generally react to situations directly affecting them and their parochial needs.

Criminological Theory - The Virginia Tech Massacre Essay

Criminological Theory - The Virginia Tech Massacre - Essay Example Popular Medias like television, film, video games and comic books have played a great role in increasing the violence among the young generation. Modern films are filled with scenes of violence; murders, rapes etc. Video games and other entertainment software include various aspects that encourage children and minors to engage in various types of violence. When children see their comic hero killing several people, they feel murder as a simple activity and dare to carry it out in schools and families. They resort to various forms of violence. Youngsters simply shot down their school and college mates for no reason. Violence is a hobby of the modern world. Pressure and stress can take adolescents to violence as they are not mentally strong to deal with the struggles in life. Public schooling is notorious for the pressure it puts on students. Students are forced to wear the ‘right’ clothes, do the ‘particular’ assignment, and are pressured to be interested in v arious things which they are not naturally interested in. Individualism is ignored in this type of environment. Children are pressured to conform to certain rigid standards and rule. This rigidity is strong enough to disturb the psychological stability of children. They are increasingly affected by stress and anxiety that are caused by the pressures and work loads in their schools. This increased stress and anxiety creates undesirable behavior in children that lead to incidents like school shooting. Adolescents are highly vulnerable to anxiety and depression. In today's high-pressure corporate world, anxiety is a common feeling. People naturally become anxious. The emotional price of staying on top is always very high. Anxiety is unavoidable in such circumstances. As the person reaches the highest level of anxiety, a failure or an unexpected event can make him easily depressed. Anxiety disturbs the normal thoughts of an individual. The present world is the world of competitions. Edu cation and career filed have become highly competitive. ‘Survival of the fittest’ is the theme of the modern academic field. Even little kids are out to achieve something in life. This generation is characterized by its excessive, exaggerated and disproportionate anxiety. A silly disappointment would finally push children into violence, depression, suicide and various other actions. Pressure and stress play a major role in incidents like school shooting. Adolescents are involved in majority of the school violence cases. Problems faced by the adolescents makes them resort of violence. They drink most, smoke most and have sex at very early age. They hate schools, neglect their health, and are least satisfied in their life. They don’t have any fellowship with their parents and hate their classmates. They lack good company and guidance. Adolescents are highly vulnerable to drug abuse and various other problems. Almost one third of the juveniles aged 12-to 20 use alco hol in US. According to the estimates nearly 11 million children or juveniles are alcohol consumers. According to the study conducted by the federal Substances Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, nearly children and juveniles consume 20% of the alcoholic drinks in United States. More than 7000 children in United States start drinking alcohol everyday. All these culminate in events

Six Sensitive Periods Essay Example for Free

Six Sensitive Periods Essay 1. What are the six sensitive periods? Describe each briefly. Sensitivity to order: From the age of one to the age of three, the child expresses their need for stability. At this time the child is extremely sensitive to order. The child will in some cases be distressed or very upset if there is a slight change in the environment, since children is formed by their surroundings they have the need to accuracy and control. Refinement of senses: The young child has a strong desire to know and learn, at this stage the child is beginning to bring the different elements of actions and influence between all his separate senses. During this time the child have to fully apply all the senses in order to develop them as much as possible. From a very young age children will decide what they want to hear, see, touch, taste and smell. Sensitivity to language: From the moment of birth, language plays a vital role in accompanying mental growth. During this phase the child distinguishes the sound of the human voice and is able to recognize the mouth movement. The child continues to learn more sentence structure during primary school years, on condition that basic language has been achieved. If a child is not exposed to language during sensitive period, it can lead to permanent damage. Sensitivity for walking: From the first time the child starts walking, he has a big need to practice and perfect this skill. Once the child starts walking, he is constantly on the move and practicing the movement and control. The child makes great efforts to achieve the quality in his motion capability. Sensitivity to small objects: At around the age of two years children have an urge to pay attention to detail, the child develops the ability to focus on certain tasks. When the child is out for a walk the child will stop numerous times to explore and investigate and examine small objects and his surroundings. Sensitivity to social aspects of life: At this stage, children can develop friendships and learn how to play in groups. It is important to teach them during this phase how to interact and have consideration for others.

Education reform in the United States

Education reform in the United States Yasmine Calderon Education Education reform in the United States is a primary goal for Congress to assist students excel and gain knowledge to survive in the growing and competitive work force. As the United States was once the leading example of Education reform, it is now 12th among other developed nations. The need for incentive programs in classrooms to prepare students for the future of higher education is in high demand. Ensuring students the future of a college education and maintaining a successful job is key to rebuilding the economy and securing bright futures for individuals. Suggested policy implementations include reforms of existing school policies, budget analysis, statistics and facts, and current stances toward the public policy. One of President Obama’s bold incentives to improve teaching and learning in the classrooms that instruct policies and strategies to achieve the goal of college readiness. To date, President Obama has opted 4 billion dollars to 19 states that help to address key areas of education reform. States serve 22 million students and employ 1.5 billion teachers in 42,000 schools representing the 45 percent of all K-12 students and 42 percent of all low income students nationwide. Setting a precedent for the future of young Americans through the Race to the Top program will help those who are challenged change policies and laws to create better college and career ready standards. (Source: www.whitehouse.gov/issues) As states begin to move progressively with education reforms the No Child Left Behind Act imposed by former President George W. Bush left five years of reauthorization overdue. States have been lowering their standards in classrooms by punishing failure over success and fitting everyone into a one-size-fits-all deal. While President Obama has issued a blueprint, Reform of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, for his incentive Congress has yet to act upon it leaving schools flexible with the law. Passing the law would then set a higher standard for high schools to achieve college readiness and careers. For states to receive that flexibility they must reward and recognize those states that make exceptionally well performance and gains while also tending to those who need help in the lowest performing schools. Under the new law states will develop and propose new plans to help improve outcomes for those groups who pose a threat in a large educational gap. Unlike the one-size-fits -all deal left from the NCLB Act states and districts can improve strategies and resources that will meet the need for student performance. Issuing more reforms for education includes the president calling for improvements to help students gain interest in math, science, engineering and technology. The Obama Administration has reached several successful STEM initiatives that includes combining it with Race to the Top and investing into the Innovation Fund while also implementing new STEM educators called Teacher Corps to further progress students in the path of a successful career. The Teacher Corps will start with a basis of 50 teachers among 50 sites and expand to 10,000 teachers over the next four years. The Obama Administration will launch the Teacher Corps with $1 billion allocated from the President’s 2013 budget request currently before Congress. Along with the President’s education reforms, the Education Amendments Act of 1972 authorized the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to improve postsecondary education opportunities that include providing assistance to educational institutions and agencies for a broad range of reforms and innovations. The role of the bureaucracy has been otherwise noted a major debate in shaping educational performance. Proponents argue that large educational bureaucracies have contributed to shortfalls in performance in America’s public schools. Others view it as beneficial because they manage a wide range of problems that make it easier for teachers to focus on the core of teaching. The federal government totaled an amount of $141 billion on education in the 2014 fiscal year. While calculating that number is challenging, federal programs that are administered by the U.S. Department of Education appear in two separate parts of the budget and other agencies have administered large programs as well. Further measuring spending is not a straightforward deal and the government provides subsidies towards higher education in the form of tax benefits. The $141 billion figure includes annual appropriation for the U.S. Dept. of Education, spending for the department’s annual appropriations that are not subject (i.e. mandatory spending), school meal programs, the Head Start program, revenue and spending on education tax benefits for individuals and military and veterans education benefits. Since the federal government spent a total of $3.5 trillion in the 2013 fiscal year which means the $141 billion spent accounts for 4 percent of the entire federal budget. (Sources: New America Foundation; U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Defense, Veterans Afffairs, White House Office of Management and Budget; Congressional Budget Office.) According to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative policy research organization and interest group, a budget presented by House Budget Committee chairmen Paul Ryan (R—Wis.) would provide $74 billion on education spending, training, employment, and social services. The Ryan budget seeks to â€Å"remove regulatory barriers to higher education that act to restrict flexibility and innovative teaching, particularly as it relates to non-traditional models such as online coursework.† Policymakers who support to enable states to have more control over college costs and futures should implement the budget. Just last year Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) and Senators Mark Udall (D-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the â€Å"Growth to Excellence Act† that would include rigorous college-and-career ready standards. A bill that would surely receive support from educational advocates. The bill is sure to represent a strong step towards providing students in America with outstanding education that will bring a forefront to the future of these individuals. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States fails to educate students and prepare them for the future to come which leaves critical time for officials to address the situation. Statistics include: A recent report by ACT, a non-profit testing organization, found that only 22 percent of U.S. high school students met â€Å"college ready† standards in all of their core subjects; figures even lower for African Americans and Hispanics. The College Board reported that even among college-bound seniors, only 43 percent met college-ready standards, meaning that more college students need to take remedial courses. While according to U.S. News and World Report, nationwide the number of high school graduates is expected to grow 10 percent in the next 10 years. The northeastern states will experience declines in growth, while high school grads will grow by 24 percent in Texas and Florida. According to the Lawlor Group, trends such as demography, the power of perception, and measurement determine aspects of higher education as seen below: College enrollments will shrink from 38% to 10% over the next 8 years. High school graduates will decrease in all but 18 states in 2019. Mostly in the South you will see an increase. Most students tend to attend a college with less than $11,100 in tuition fees and think it should cost no more than $20,000. (Sources: NCES, College Board, Gallup, Federal Student Aid, Harvard Institute of Politics.) The future of American education is critical to students and individuals who want to maintain a college education. The path of every student along with a sustainable approach would benefit the economy as well. Proposed solutions such as Race to the Top, revisions of the No Child Left Behind act and the STEM program would help to further alleviate the problems posed to higher education. Of course with solutions comes fiscal responsibilities which would introduce a need for a new education budget that would most likely benefit the future of American students. A time for reform is now and policies should be implemented as soon as possible to ensure the livelihood of students and their path to a successful life.

Law and Economic Literature :: Economic Environment, Trading Regulations

Law and economic literature on insider trading can be categorized into two categories- agency theories and market theories of insider trading. Agency theories of insider trading deal with the impact of insider trading on firm-level efficiency and corporate value (Jensen and Meckling, 1976). On other hand, Market theories of insider trading analyze the implication of insider trading on market performance (Bhattacharya and Daouk, 2000) e.g. the cost of capital, liquidity and market efficacy etc., for example, Manna (1966) suggests that the insider trading allows stock markets to be more efficiency. Surprisingly, most of the debates on insider trading are concentrated on U.S markets (Beny, 2005).La Porta et al (1998) claim that law and its level of enforcement vary according to countries’ infrastructures, and differences in law and its enforcement may explain variations in market structures and stock market practices among different countries. Moreover, Maug (2002) presents a mat hematical model in which a dominate owner has information advantage over small shareholders where insider trading regulations are not properly enforced. Besides, Leland (1992) argues that if the insider trading is allowed, stock prices reflect better information at the cost of less liquidity that magnitude depends on economic environment. Baiman and Verrecchia (1996) argue that the level of insider trading varies with level of financial disclosure, the culture, and the economics of different countries. Therefore, it can be expected that the impact of insider trading activities on the stock market varies country to country. Bhattacharya and Daouk (2002) address the effect of insider trading regulation and its enforcement on the cost of capital by taking 51 countries over more than 20 years, and they summaries that insider trading regulation and its enforcement of different countries help in reducing the cost of capital of firms. Even though, the magnitude of effect varies with the level of enforcement of a country. Moreover, Beny (2005) does an attempt to find whether insider trading law matter on Ownership dispersion, stock price informativeness and stock liquidity. In empirical results, he finds that Ownership dispersion, stock price informativeness and stock liquidity are greater where insider trading law and its enforcement are more restricted. Moreover, the most important aspect of the formal law is penalties or criminal sanctions that are imposed on who violates insider trading law. Fernandes and Ferreira (2009) argue that insider trading regulation and its enforcement improve the informativeness of stock prices, but this improvement is concentrated in developed markets.

Analysis of Two settings in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Essay -- The Tragedy

An analysis of two settings in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. By using the heath and castles as contrasting settings in Macbeth, William Shakespeare reinforces and reflects various themes present throughout the play. Through the combined use of these settings, he contrasts notions of security and danger, fairness and foulness, and the natural and supernatural. Although the heath is a meeting place for evil and is represented as a grim location through a number of methods, the heath itself is safe. Contrarily, the castles that Macbeth inhabits, both Inverness and Dunsinane, are repeatedly described as safe, secure, and welcoming. These castles, however, are far more dangerous than the heath, acting more as traps than shelter. The notions of fairness and foulness are also reversed at the heath and the castles in the play. The witches at the heath are relatively benign and only deliver prophecies of truth to Macbeth, while conceptions of fairness are repeatedly distorted to the point of foulness at the castles he inhabits. Finally, while it is certainly true that the witches represent the supernatural world, the supernatural deeds which occur at the heath are far more subtle when compared to the unnatural events which take place in the castles. By examining the plot developments which transpire in their respective settings, one can conclude that Shakespeare intentionally contrasts the settings of the play with the deeds that happen there, creating a strong separation from appearance and reality throughout the play. First, the concepts of security and danger are constantly in question when referring to the settings of the heath and the castle. As Hecate proclaims to the witches, â€Å"security / Is mortals’ chiefest enemy† (Mac. ... ...med to his table. By examining the use of setting in Macbeth, one can infer that the castles in the play are the setting for much more horrid deeds than the heath. Although the heath is represented as a dark, scary place inhabited by creatures of the supernatural, no character is ever killed, or even injured there. The heath is safer than Macbeth’s castles, which are the scenes of multiple murders. Far more foulness evidently occurs at Macbeth’s homes, despite their pleasant appearance. This interesting contradiction resonates in the witches’ proclamation â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair† (Mac. 1.1.11), suggesting the duality of the settings in the play. The setting which appears most foul, the heath, is actually a relatively harmless place, while the castles, despite their fair appearance and inhabitants, are the scene of the supernatural, foulness and danger. Analysis of Two settings in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Essay -- The Tragedy An analysis of two settings in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. By using the heath and castles as contrasting settings in Macbeth, William Shakespeare reinforces and reflects various themes present throughout the play. Through the combined use of these settings, he contrasts notions of security and danger, fairness and foulness, and the natural and supernatural. Although the heath is a meeting place for evil and is represented as a grim location through a number of methods, the heath itself is safe. Contrarily, the castles that Macbeth inhabits, both Inverness and Dunsinane, are repeatedly described as safe, secure, and welcoming. These castles, however, are far more dangerous than the heath, acting more as traps than shelter. The notions of fairness and foulness are also reversed at the heath and the castles in the play. The witches at the heath are relatively benign and only deliver prophecies of truth to Macbeth, while conceptions of fairness are repeatedly distorted to the point of foulness at the castles he inhabits. Finally, while it is certainly true that the witches represent the supernatural world, the supernatural deeds which occur at the heath are far more subtle when compared to the unnatural events which take place in the castles. By examining the plot developments which transpire in their respective settings, one can conclude that Shakespeare intentionally contrasts the settings of the play with the deeds that happen there, creating a strong separation from appearance and reality throughout the play. First, the concepts of security and danger are constantly in question when referring to the settings of the heath and the castle. As Hecate proclaims to the witches, â€Å"security / Is mortals’ chiefest enemy† (Mac. ... ...med to his table. By examining the use of setting in Macbeth, one can infer that the castles in the play are the setting for much more horrid deeds than the heath. Although the heath is represented as a dark, scary place inhabited by creatures of the supernatural, no character is ever killed, or even injured there. The heath is safer than Macbeth’s castles, which are the scenes of multiple murders. Far more foulness evidently occurs at Macbeth’s homes, despite their pleasant appearance. This interesting contradiction resonates in the witches’ proclamation â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair† (Mac. 1.1.11), suggesting the duality of the settings in the play. The setting which appears most foul, the heath, is actually a relatively harmless place, while the castles, despite their fair appearance and inhabitants, are the scene of the supernatural, foulness and danger.

F. Scott Fitzgerald :: essays research papers

F. Scott Fitzgerald F. Scott Fitzgerald is in many ways one of the most important American writers of the twentieth century. In his first novel, This Side of Paradise, Fitzgerald epitomized the mindset of an era with the statement that his generation had, "grown up to find all Gods dead, all wars fought, and all faiths in man shaken†¦"(Fitzgerald 307). Aside from being a major literary voice of the twenties and thirties, Fitzgerald was also among "The Lost Generation’s" harshest and most insightful social critics. In his classic novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald blatantly criticized the immorality, materialism, and hedonism which characterized the lifestyles of America’s bourgeois during the nineteen-twenties. Collectively, Fitzgerald’s novels and short stories provide some of the best insight into the lifestyles of the rich during America’s most prosperous era, while simultaneously examining major literary themes such as disillus ionment, coming of age, and the corruption of the American Dream. The life of F. Scott Fitzgerald is marked by as much, if not more, romanticism and tragedy than his novels. Throughout Fitzgerald’s life, he unsuccessfully battled alcoholism, depression, and himself, in a quest for both personal and literary identity. At the age of twenty-three, Fitzgerald published his first novel, This Side of Paradise, to critical raves and unimaginable economic success. Shortly after the publishing of this novel, Fitzgerald was able to coerce Zelda Sayre into marriage. This marriage is manifestly the most significant event of his life—eventually, Zelda would not only expedite, but essentially, cause the personal and literary downfall of Fitzgerald. Upon marriage, and also coinciding with the pinnacle of Fitzgerald’s fame, Scott and Zelda began living a life of wasteful extravagance that was often characterized by recklessly drunken behavior. In order to maintain this lifestyl e, Fitzgerald was forced to put aside working on novels, and focus his creative efforts on penning lucrative, but by no means extraordinary, short stories. Throughout their marriage, Zelda put constant economic, as well as, emotional strains on Fitzgerald. She encouraged his short story writing, as well as his drinking, and was continually swaying his focus from writing to socializing. Also, Zelda’s eventual mental breakdown triggered Scott’s own series of nervous breakdowns. Because of these factors, Zelda is often considered the prime instigator of Fitzgerald’s literary and personal declines. Yet in spite of Zelda’s overtly negative influence on Fitzgerald, he continued to love his wife to the day he died.

Quantitative Critique

The title is specific and concise, it is representative of the research report. From the title the focus of the study is understood including what was studied, who was studied, and where the study took place. It is also accurate and unambiguous. The title also described the study design, therefore the reader was not mislead on the data presented. Researcher credibility Each of the three researchers credentials and affiliations are disclosed on the first page of the article. All of the researchers have credentials in nursing research, however none of them disclosed any information on their expertise in the area of depression, interventions to decrease depressive symptoms, or working with incarcerated women. According to Coughlan, Cronin, & Ryan (2007) â€Å"an authors qualifications and job title can be a useful indicator into the researchers knowledge of the area under investigation and ability to ask the appropriate questions. The first author held a clinical position in the institution, this was not disclosed until further into the article, I feel that this information could have been disclosed sooner in the article. This could possibly hold a conflict of interest, especially if the incarcerated women were familiar with the first author. The first authors clinical position in the prison enhances the study findings as he has worked with the population. However, this could be conflict of interest since he is an employee of the institution. Abstract The abstract is concise and summarizes the whole study. Also read this  Critique of Stuff Is Not Salvation It is divided into subsections of background, objectives, methods, results, discussion, and key words. The objective is clearly stated, which is to determine the feasibility of providing a gender-responsive exercise intervention within a correctional facility and observe the effects of the exercise program in respect to levels of depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress among incarcerated women. The methods are listed and clearly stated which include 3 self-administered instruments which were completed before treatment and during treatment. This section allowed the reader to fully understand how the authors conducted the study. The results section highlighted the findings from the study and makes the reader want to continue reading the article. Even though the sample size was very small. The discussion section reviewed the findings. Introduction/ background and literature review â€Å"The introduction communicates the research problem and its context† (Polit & Beck, p. 63). In this article, a good background description of what the problem is (incarcerated women and mental illness) with supporting evidence is presented. The article provides a thorough description on why this research is important, one reason states is that most treatment modalities are often based on male treatment models or models that have shown success in community-based populations rather than incarcerated populations (Harner, et. al. , p. 390) The review begins with stating evidence on depression, anxiety, and stress within the prison system, especially among women. It also provides a detailed description of Iyengar yoga and health. The section is well organized with good transitions. Several sources were reviewed by the authors in order to establish a need for the study. The literature reviewed by the authors dates from 1996 to 2009, with mainly primary sources and all were relevant to the topic of mental illness, incarcerated women, or Iyengar yoga. The articles reviewed that were not recent gave statistical data and may have been more relevant if the statistics were more recent. All the articles were relevant to the problem and stressed the degree of mental illness in incarcerated women. The article also noted that most research available has examined the effect of yoga and yoga-based exercises on mental health outcomes using a variety of different yoga styles, thus making it difficult to determine what aspect was most beneficial (Harner, et. al. , p. 390). Thus this research study being done fills a gap to the existing knowledge and will hopefully provide better treatment options for incarcerated women with mental illness. The use of direct quotes was minimal throughout the article. The research problem has significance to nursing, however this was not made very clear in the article. Purpose/ Research Question/ Hypothesis The purpose of the study was explicitly stated, â€Å"testing the feasibility of implementing a group format exercise intervention, specifically a 12-week Iyengar yoga intervention, in a woman’s correctional facility† (Harner, et. al. , p. 389). The phenomenon of interest was clearly defined, as was the study population. The articles reviewed showed key evidence to support yoga and decreased levels of depression. The authors clearly described the limitations of the literature review to the reader, there was no published studies that reviewed Iyengar yoga and incarcerated individuals. Theoretical framework. The theoretical framework is based on the gender-responsive framework. It is unclear whether this is a nursing or non-nursing framework as it is not clearly defined. The gender-responsive framework is not clearly explained, thus making it difficult to determine its appropriateness for the study. This is one limitation of the stud y and could be addressed by clearly explaining the gender-responsive framework. Sampling The study population (incarcerated women) using non-probability purposive sampling was clearly stated and defined. The article discussed that this study was part of a larger study and a small sample size was expected. Exclusion criteria was clearly stated. Due to security issues the Department of Corrections generated and approved the list of potential participates before being contacted by the research team. This non-random sample or convenience sample generated 60 women, in which 21 agreed to participate in the intervention. Retention of the sample population was clearly defined in the article with only 6 women completing the 12-week intervention. Due to the security concerns this method of sampling was the best approach. All factors were discussed in regards to the sample size with demographics clearly defined. The sample size is important in quantitative research as a small sample is at risk of being overly representative of small subgroups within the target population (Coughlan, et. al. , 2007). The issue of power was addressed in the limitations section and was noted to be limited for detecting linear trends over time. Ethics Ethical issues were discussed in this article. The authors state that informed consent was obtained in each case, although the method in which consent was obtained was changed prior to the first inmates appointment. The issue of incentive gifts was also addressed and were not used. The inmate did receive a certificate of completion at the end of the 12-week intervention. The research protocol for this study was approved by all institutional review boards including the DOC. The site for the interviews and site for the intervention were described. Privacy of the intervention was not discussed, however for approximately 2 weeks the intervention was relocated to a different location within the institution. The treatment of Iyengar yoga is ethically and politically acceptable. The risks to the inmates were participated in the study were minimized and the benefits maximized. Design. The design was a feasibility study or pilot study. It is based on a experimental method, where there is a manipulated intervention. According to Polit & Beck (2012) â€Å"a pilot study is a small scale version or trial run designed to test the methods to be used in a larger, more rigorous study†. This was an effective design choice to answer the research question and to determine the need for a larger study. This design allowed the authors a chance to remove all the potential flaws before the larger study. There was no random assignment in this study as there was no control group, all participants were included in the yoga intervention. There was a consultant used in the study, but she had experience with medical research and has also conducted yoga-related intervention research with women. This consultants prior experience made her a trained member of the research team. The number of data collection points was appropriate. The participants were assessed on mental health measures of depression using 3 instruments to measure they were recorded at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Interviewer bias was removed removed with the use of the 3 self-administered instruments, however the first author was present during the time. The use of open-ended questions was also used and supplemented the quantitative data. This was helpful as participants were able to put their thoughts into words. The intervention of yoga was properly described through various journal articles and was properly implemented. However, one part of the yoga intervention that could have been better implemented was the use of a space that was quite and free of outside interference. The article did address these issues, but didn’t address what could have been done differently. This study analyzed attrition biases by comparing data to subjects who dropped out of the study. Another factor affecting internal validity is that of maturation, the participants mental health factor could have increased or decreased over time. Blinding was not used as all participants knew they were going to participate in the intervention of yoga. Data collection All experimental research must included a method for evaluating the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable. This study used three instruments that were identified and each was discussed in full detail. The open-ended questions were also described and examples of questions were provided. The instruments used were appropriate for the study as each targeted a different dimension of depression, anxiety, and stress. Each of the previously designed instruments were the most appropriate. The one concern on the data collection method is that the instruments were self-administered at the end of yoga class (weeks 4, 8, and 12). It was stated that some participants felt particularly anxious about the yoga session ending late, which would result in disciplinary action. By making the data collection at the end of the yoga intervention did some participants rush, making their data less accurate. The reliability and validity of each of the 3 instruments used in the study were discussed and each showed consistency in measuring the specific outcomes. The operational definition is congruent for the variables being studied (depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress at baseline). There is no concern for subjectivity as each participant individually fills out the 3 instruments that are being used in the study. Data analysis When percentages were reported in the study, the overall numbers (n) was also reported. The research question was appropriately analyzed and broken down into the 3 instruments used to measure mental health. The varying sample sizes are noted through the tables and were clearly defined in the article as participants dropped out of the study. There was no room for type I and II errors, as the data analysis was straight-forward. There was no chance for different interpretations on the part of the researcher. A p-value was used as one statistical methods used and it represented an overall linear decrease over time, however the article suggests that a nonlinear model may be more appropriate. The p-value was an appropriate test to run, however it doesn’t tell weather the findings are important or applicable. The regression analysis was an appropriate test in answering the research question. This was appropriate because in simple regression one dependent variable (depression, anxiety, and stress) can be compared to the independent variable (weeks when instruments administered). However, there were not a lot of statistical tests run on the data, this could be due to the fact that there was no control group to compare the data with. The least square means method and the mixed model parameters were used to treat the data. The article also charted out the descriptive statistics for mental health measures over time. This was a helpful chart as it laid out the data collected in an easy to read format. All data collected due to the small sample size and limited power, comparisons were made and hypothesis were generated to be tested in the larger study (Harner, et. al. , p. 392). A one-sided Fisher’s exact test was used and p-values were less than . 20 for associations between drop-out and race, education, and current musculoskeletal problems (Harner, et. l. , p. 395). This was the correct test to be used because it tested the significance of differences in proportions (Polit, & Beck, p. 421). Results The results were cohesively presented and well organized using many tables and graphs that clearly outlined the findings of the study. The purpose of the study was referenced at the beginning of the results sectio n making it clear was was being presented. The research questions were answered and statistical evidence was provided to show outcomes measures. Statistical significance was found for depression, but not for anxiety or stress. Statistical significance assists the researcher in ruling out one important threat to validity, which is that the result could be due to chance rather than to real difference in the population (Coughlan, et. al. , p. 662). The small sample size could have been a factor in this findings. Descriptive statistics were presented, then inferential statistics were discussed including a discussion on participant dropout. A figure was created to show the assessment of dropout according to baseline mental health status, this figure was a little busy and quite difficult to read. A bar chart may have been more useful to depict this data. A post hoc power analysis was also performed. This was done so the researchers could determine whether the yoga intervention was significantly more effective than no intervention. While reading the results section of the article the descriptive results were presented last. I feel as though another header could have been added to include the logistics of the study and then proceed into the reults. Discussion In the discussion section, all of the findings from the study are discussed within the original framework. The discussion section was broken down into three sections feasibility, efficacy, and limitations. The section extended beyond the results section and addressed some unanticipated events that came up during the study and how the intervention was able to continue despite these events. The problem of retention of participants was brought up and with suggestions on how to minimize these dropouts in further studies. Researchers referred back to literature cited in the literature review. The limitations are addressed concisely and are appropriate for this feasibility study. The researches addressed the fact that a control group was not used due to security reasons, I feel that this could have been addressed earlier in the paper to assist the reader in fully understanding the statistical data. Implications/ recommendations Specific recommendations for research are discussed at the conclusion of the article. The researchers defined numerous areas of improvement for future studies. Barriers to the study were also addressed. The researchers addressed that this was the first attempt in addressing a gender-responsive Iyengar yoga program to improve confidence and reduce the stress of incarcerated women (Harner, et. l. , p. 398). Recommendations were made for future studies and ways in which to improve future interventions to benefit health outcomes of incarcerated populations. Overall evaluation It was quite interesting to see how the yoga intervention affected the incarcerated women in regards to depression, anxiety, and stress. The researchers selected an i mportant problem and one that could have strong effects in our state or federal prison system for women. Critical thinking and reflection were evident in that the researchers at one time had to change the study location due to extenuating circumstances. The research study expanded knowledge on the effects of the Iyengar yoga intervention on incarcerated women and opened the door for future studies to be performed. The limitations were unavoidable and expected as this was a feasibility study to determine the need for a larger study. The results leave a small amount of confidence that the yoga intervention decreased the level of depression, anxiety, and stress among incarcerated women. However, a larger study involving numerous women’s correctional institutions that included both a control and experimental group may yield more confidence. This study inspired the need for further research. This article is worthy of publication as it lays a ground work for future research. I would be proud to have my name on this research as it is groundbreaking and hopefully will create a better tool to treat mental illness in our correctional facilities than psychotropic medications alone. The finding are relevant and accessible to practicing nurses in correctional facilities. This may pave a way for nurses in these types of facilities to create interventions that help with a wide array of health problems.

A critique of a film

Day by day, it is increasingly more difficult to maintain safety in our society, since interactions between people create dangers, either at ‘high’ political level, or on the daily basis.We live not in the no-man’s-land, so people adjust to new conditions and changing situations. Still, there are those, who cannot accept this environment and who, probably, cannot be accepted. Being busy with our education and careers, we simply have no time to think carefully about the hidden threats of the environment, which can be really aggressive, and even destruct our bodies.In the movie ‘Safe’, Carol White (Julianne Moore) lives with her husband and stepson in a comfortable suburban home in California.   Her life is completely predictable, and in spite of the fact that she has ‘relationship’ with her husband, she begins feeling isolated and then – drained and depressed.Mysteriously, she falls ill with weird symptoms: she experiences nose bl eedings, dizziness and allergies, and doctor attributes it to stress. Having passed different tests, she understand that there is nothing physically wrong with her, but nevertheless she takes medication and changes her diet, getting of the all-fruit diet and cutting back diary products.When her condition doesn’t go away, she gets a recommendation to visit psychiatrist. The problem with her mind is a reason for the illness. Carol finally understands the necessity, which requires of her to go to a place, where people who suffer from toxic allergies and those with AIDS can ‘clean’ themselves, and, probably, the only place where she can feel safe.As the plot develops, it becomes clear that the treatment, received at hospital, is improper and probably, only worsens the situation. Haynes’s idea was to show the powerlessness of traditional medical science against new illnesses, caused by external irritants, but destroy humans from inside. In the film, Carol comba ts a real ten-headed hydra, which responds to the new treatment courses with new painful fits of allergy.Carol drives her car – and endures a coughing fir; she breathes in her new perfumes –and feels lightheadedness. Aerobic classes, which pursue a goal of helping her relax, are initially doomed to be unsuccessful: she has never had tension in her life, she has never had close relations, so there was no ground for either extremely positive or extremely negative emotions in her life. Thus, she cannot relax, because she never experiences stresses in pure medical meaning.Moreover, the medicaments Carol receives are irritants, as they also consist of toxins or other synthetic substances. On the contrary, Dunning chooses a different direction and creates some kind of cult, or community with certain beliefs, values and philosophy. People living there find there attachment and new system of coordinates, in which it is possible to consider their illness and cope with related i nner problems.It is possible to notice that by the end of the movie, she becomes increasingly more shattered, and probably her sickness breaks her and makes her re-evaluate the relationships which had existed in her life before she fell ill. She has a husband, bad hasn’t given birth to children, because Carol ‘endures’ the existence of a domestic plant, which should be carefully watered and supplied with the necessary nourishment, but whose opinion weighs like any plant’s opinion.It is possible to note that her first steps were determined (or, at least, highly influenced) by her husband. To my view, her sickness is a force which makes her re-think her existence and understand that she had had only ‘mechanical’ relationship with her husband, who even doesn’t try to understand her and empty conversations with her friends, carpenter and drycleaner.The scene, which reinforce her sense ‘of nobodiness’ is one where she looks at h er husband from the bed and asks ‘Where am I? At the moment?’. He answers that she is in Carol and Greg’s house, but she begins to cry, because this lush house has never belonged to her as well as her own life.

Does Things Change in Poor Area of China

Does things change in poor areas? When I was young ,my mother often told me it’s very bitter for them to go to school, they had to get up very early in the morning,then prepared for their brakefast by themselves and did some housework . they couldn’t leave until they finished all of that. They even couldn’t have lunch because proverty. But now ,things about education has changed. Student can get a better care. Now government pay more attention to education,especially in poor areas.Our country has done a lot to improve the education in our country. And they had realized the importance of education for the development of a country since the setting of our country. But they couldn’t do much to poor areas. But now ,with the development of economy, we have enough money to pay for fees for education. Everything has changed in poor areas. Carations from the government push the process of education development in poor areas. Government can support these areas with enough money and good teachers.As a result ,children in poor areas can get the same education resourses as others in rich places. From china daily ,children in guizhou now can get free lunch and beautiful classroom because the aid. What’s more, their family don’t need to care about the payments. In this way ,more children can get the opportunity to know more about the world. In fect, there are so many photographers who care about poor areas. They use their camara to tell people what is going on in poor areas, and try to tell the government.Yes , government can help poor place, but they don’t have enough information. These special people just contribute themselves to the development of poor areas. They even organize activities to collect money for the education of poor places. Most of them will spend most of their time to do that. Thanks to them ,these places can’t perfect their education fast without them. Thanks to the government and people who contribu te themselves to education of poor areas, now children can get more opportuties to get formillar with the world.And things have changed to the good side. New word; Principal : main, or most important poverty-stricken : extremely poor malnourished: weak or sick because you do not eat enough or do not eat enough of the right foods poverty: a lack of something, especially ideas or feelings allowance: an amount of something that you are officially allowed by a particular set of rules or by the law; a tax exemption administration : the government of a country; the activity of governing a country or region; a department of the U. S. overnment launched : to start a major activity such as a military attack, a public investigation, or a new career or project; to start selling a new product or service to the public remote : far away from other cities, towns, or people; far away in distance or space; far away in the past or future rural: relating to parts of a country that are not near cities and where the population is low; typical of the countryside Sentence The central government launched a program in October that aims to improve nutrition for rural students in poor areas.When it was introduced, Xinglong school would receive packed bread and milk from the Dafang county education administration every day, but it did not work out, After raising the problem with the education administration, the school was allowed to provide hot lunches, with a daily allowance of 3 yuan (50 US cents) per child. Although many students are malnourished due to poverty, free school lunches will make them healthier, he added. Unlike many students in urban areas of China, where child obesity is becoming a problem,

British decolonisation in Africa Essay

Within the context of 1880-1980, to what extent did British actions accelerate British decolonisation in Africa? In the later years of the 19th century the scramble for the African continent by Western imperialist powers was reaching its climax. It appeared that the â€Å"dark continent† was to be no longer â€Å"dark†, but to be the product of Western colonial expansion with several European countries dividing up the land. No where was this more apparent than with Britain whose Empire was at its height at the turn of the century. Egypt, for instance, was a colony for 40 years (1882-1922) with its pinnacle at the turn of the century; however the decolonisation of the country as early as this is an anomaly in itself as only South Africa had previously been granted independence by the British, albeit as a self-governing dominion. In a bizarre turn of events which historians still debate today, the Empire crumbled and by the 1970s only two African states remained British colonies: Rhodesia and South West Africa. The Empire had taken the best part of a century to amalgamate, yet was mostly swept away in just over a decade. Many reasons have been proposed for the vast acceleration of decolonisation including economic difficulties at the metropole (Cain and Hopkins)1 and the rise of local nationalist movements (Hodgkin)2. More recently the actions of the British have been cited as a possible factor for the acceleration of decolonisation in Africa, marking a change in the historiography of the period. Turner3 and Lapping4 are promoters of this theory, which is gaining credence in the academic world. The 1945 election of the Labour party is a watershed in decolonisation acceleration. WW2 had recently ended which marked a shift in British culture and society, including a changed attitude to Empire. Interestingly, whilst many of the new Cabinet were anti-imperialists, the new government did not have a direct plan to fully decolonise. It was more a case of the Empire having to take a â€Å"backseat† to far more pressing matters: imperialism, in effect, slipped through the cracks of government. The party was elected on the mandate of and closely focused upon British welfare; the African colonies were working and therefore the government’s attention was deviated, however it was one of the actions directed at the metropole which accelerated independence for many colonies. The introduction of the Welfare State in 1948 led many Britons to consider the priority and indeed the importance of the Empire when compared to home-grown issues. WW2 brought increased globalisation and it is possible that through this many British citizens saw their needs ahead of the colonies: an archaic and out-of-date segment of British foreign policy. If the colonies had representation in the British Parliament and were a province of, rather than simply a colony of Great Britain, this attitude may have been different: French Algeria, for instance, was certainly more respected at the metropole then any of Britain’s African colonies. There is a debate however, as to whether the British public had undergone a liberal revolution or were simply acting with self-interest. White has theorised that the latter is true, citing that the reason as to why â€Å"the colonies were ditched was to release resources for domestic welfare spending†5. Moreover, the fact National Service was revoked in 1960 reduced Britain’s ability to defend its colonies against uprising nationalist movements: conscription was ended through self-interest, as the majority of British youths didn’t want to have to fight in the far off terrains of Sub-Saharan Africa. This further implies that the average British citizen was becoming disinterested by the Empire or, at the very least, impartial to its future. I will cover nationalism in greater depth below, but with such a lack of metropole interest, the Empire could not be expected to last long. The British action of electing a Labour government effectively, in an indirect form, acc elerated decolonisation for many of the African colonies. WW1 expanded the Empire both geographically and as a world power, with Britain gaining several new mandates from the Ottoman Empire. The geographical expansion of the Empire post-WW1 and the reluctance of the metropole to grant these new mandates independence6, imply that attitudes had not changed and many (both in government and in society) saw the Empire as a credible and useful segment of British politics: therefore, with the exception of the more economically advanced Egypt, African decolonisation by the British did not occur between the wars. Rather, many African colonies developed and became more stable societies. Take the Gold Coast for instance: between the wars its economy, communications and education became, to a certain extent, â€Å"Westernised† and the country flourished. Admittedly this led to the acceleration of nationalist movements in the area which, in turn, accelerated decolonisation, but the country was undeniably prospering due to the British-led government of the time.7 Many citizens of the African colonies (including Egypt and the Gold Coast) fought alongside British soldiers in WW1 and the respect and prestige for the peoples increased because of it. Indeed, the 1914-1939 era can be seen as one of the strongest periods of the British African Empire. This implies that a post-1945 factor (e.g. the Suez Crisis, see below) accelerated decolonisation. In comparison, World War 2 accelerated decolonisation at a far greater rate than many could have imagined just a few years prior. Effectively, the war established rather paradoxically that imperialism (both British and otherwise) was both positive and negative. Ferguson has noted that the British Empire sacrificed itself to stop the spread of the evil empire of Nazi Germany: indeed, the British Empire had â€Å"never had a finer hour†8 than when it was self-sacrificing. During the war it was inevitable that Britain would have to, to a certain extent, neglect the colonies to focus on defeating the enemy. Through this the colonies became more independent having to, for example, source resources and engage in trade without the aid of the metropole. Moreover, the colonial peoples had a greater influence on the running of their societies; in effect, many became informal dominions. This, combined with the policies of the 1945 Labour government, further fuelled nationalism which accelerated decolonisation; in a way similar to how the two World Wars improved women’s rights in Britain, the wars seemed to suggest that many colonies could govern effectively on their own. Previously, only the more economically and politically stable societies had been granted independence (e.g. South Africa, 1910) and several colonies (e.g. the Gold Coast) seemed to show similar traits during the war. The Second World War didn’t lead directly to decolonisation, but it is this British action which occurred because of the conflict that accelerated decolonisation in British Africa. The end of WW2 bought increased globalisation and a new world order, where the enemy didn’t appear to be Nazism or Fascism, but rather the expansion of the Soviet Bloc and the spread of communism: the Cold War was just beginning to ignite. Along with the notion of changed attitudes of the British people, there is also the argument that the Empire really didn’t fit into the new world. Now, the split between East and West had never been more apparent and British Africa looked like an oddity: along with the passing of new welfare legislation at the metropole and the changing attitudes of the British people, Britain needed to abolish the Empire for two reasons directly related to the Cold War: to concentrate efforts on halting the spread of communism and to appease the anti-imperialist US, who Britain now required as an ally more than ever before. Moreover, the world order was now unclear and Britain had far greater problems to worry about than what their small African colo nies were up to: put bluntly, the new threat of nuclear inhalation seemed more important than the political shortcomings of, say, Somalia. While WW2 does spell out more crucial factors for the acceleration of decolonisation, the Cold War is another smaller factor which just added to the need to decolonise. The post-WW2 economy is a further crucial factor in the acceleration of decolonisation. Britain was no longer able to withstand the fiscal costs of Empire; this was coupled with a lack of substantial profit coming into the metropole from the African colonies. Economically, WW2 was a great strain on Britain with the country coming out of the war in great debt; she required a loan of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½145million from the US alone9. Britain was exhausted and worn down, both figuratively and physically. Many cities required money to rebuild, some from scratch, plus food badly needed to be imported following years of intense rationing. Moreover, the introduction of the welfare state (see above) required significant funding. As said, attitudes to Empire were changing which, combined with the need for intense spending on the homeland, led to many seeing the African colonies simply as a drain on Britain’s already scarce resources. Britain made the situation worse: during the war she had und erstandably concentrated on producing munitions for her troops, resulting in fewer exports to the colonies. Many turned away from the metropole and looked to alternate suppliers, including their own land which inevitably fuelled nationalism further. Moreover, two acts (The Colonial Development and Welfare Acts of 1940 and 1945) were passed during wartime which forced the British government to further invest in the colonial economies10, therefore making an already problematic economic situation worse. It is possible that the government felt it was â€Å"backed into a corner† and simply did not have the patience or money to rebuild the colonies and the metropole: they had become, or at least had the potential to become, a major rupture on the British economy – a rupture Britain could not afford to fix, but only to cut out completely. In the early 20th century when British imperialism was at its height, Hobson11 saw the expansion of Britain in Africa as purely economic and an underhand method to help capitalists at the metropole – this opinion was endorsed by Lenin in 191 612 and, in an albeit modified form, by the historian Darwin in 1984: â€Å"more completely than ever before, economics and empire had come together†13. More recently, Cain and Hopkins14 have suggested that imperialism in Africa was established by â€Å"gentleman capitalists†15 who were simply aiming to make profit out of the African land. Of course, if this is the case, then with the post-war debt experienced in 1945 it would have been difficult to make money from these colonies, leading to decolonisation. The decolonisation of African colonies would effectively make Britain a richer country, therefore agreeing with the views expressed by Cain and Hopkins and others: the Empire had served its purpose of aiding Britain’s wealth but now it was draining it and, as such, it was time for it to go. The Suez Crisis of 1956 was one of the most decisive British actions in the 20th century to accelerate decolonisation in Africa. Former Prime Minister Harold MacMillan once remarked that it is â€Å"events, dear boy, events†16 which determine the success of a premiership. The term â€Å"event† is almost too light of a phrase to use when considering the Suez Crisis: not only did it annihilate Anthony Eden’s administration, but it was also the launching pad for many factors which saw British decolonisation vastly accelerated. There are two key elements of the crisis which paved the way to said factors: the deception employed by the imperialist powers of Britain and France, plus the apparent overreaction to a simple act of nationalisation by a head of state. Both these factors led to the reputations of the countries involved and international relations been damaged, as well as a decrease in trade. Britain was the driving force behind the attack hence she was particu larly wounded with the political and economic fallout: for one, the special relationship with the United States was harmed (Secretary of State John Foster Dulles claimed the British government had explicitly â€Å"lied to [him]†17) and, more critically for this inquiry, her reputation within the African continent was damaged. Britain looked small and corrupt, a mere shadow of her former colonial self; she was attempting to throw her imperialist weight around in a world which it didn’t seem to fit. Nasser had successfully stood up to the Western powers and won, thus undermining Britain and France, plus providing inspiration to the many oppressed colonies. However, it is possible that the reaction did not provoke the level of international condemnation that is contemporarily considered, showing a difference in historiography. To the African colonies, former British dominions that had experienced colonialism and anti-imperialist powers such as the USA, then yes, it is likely that Britain’s reputation was damaged. However, to other imperialists it is possible that the government simply appeared to be standing firm with a tyrant. World War 2 had been won only 11 years prior, hence the memory of what tyrannical dictators can achieve was still fresh in most leaders’ minds. Eden may have appeared noble and selfless, â€Å"destroying not just his own political career but a carefully-crafted reputation built up over more than 20 years†18 for the greater good of a safer world, or at least a more economically stable Great Britain. White has proposed that â€Å"there [were] a number of lacklustre continuities, rather than dramatic discontinuities†19 in imperialist policy following Eden’s departure: a government memorandum circulated in the immediate aftermath of the crisis, for instance, made no mention of impending decolonisation20. Suez was not so much a watershed, but a temporary setback in Britain’s imperial decline, indicating other factors are responsible. Economically, the Egyptian nationalisation of the canal posed a significant danger to Britain as 2/3 of the country’s oil utilised the waterway. The chief reason as to why Britain intervened in the first place (and, indeed, retained the Canal Zone in 1922) was that the government simply did not trust the Egyptians to efficiently control â€Å"the windpipe†21 of the British economy. Post-crisis, Britain’s humiliation resulted in a trade decrease and a â€Å"catastrophic†22 run on the pound, resulting in her appearing not only politically and militarily weak but also financially weak. This situation, which was caused by the Suez Crisis, meant that Britain could no longer afford to support the African colonies, implying that the British action of invading the Suez Canal Zone led to one of the factors which brought about the Empire’s collapse. Combined, these factors inspired nationalist movements within the colonies and general condemnation of imperial ism, which also accelerated decolonisation. The crisis is unique as not only did it, to a certain extent accelerate decolonisation, but it is also one of the very few examples of where a British action greatly damages the standing of the Empire. Prior to Suez, Britain was surprisingly cautious with decolonisation (with regard to Africa, only 4 of her 24 colonies had been decolonised at this point); arguably this was to retain an Empire, but also to ensure that the new societies were ready to govern. It was only following the Suez debacle that decolonisation accelerated, implying that previously Britain had took great care over the handovers of power. South Africa was a stable society when decolonised in 1910 and, looking further afield, so were Australia, Canada and India. To many other countries and colonies, Britain appeared now unable to continue to be the metropole of a successful Empire. After all, if the dictator of a former colony could cause a country such ridicule, how could they be expected to carry on maintaining a successful Empire? Comparatively with White23, Turner has called the crisis a â€Å"military failure and political disaster†24, whilst Lapping has referred to it as the â€Å"imperial cataclysm†25 in decolonisation acceleration. The crisis was highly influential in the eventual collapse of the British Empire in Africa but it did not lead directly to decolonisation, rather greatly accelerated it. The rise of nationalism within the African colonies inevitably accelerated decolonisation; advocates of this theory argue that for decolonisation to occur there needs to be an opposition force to the â€Å"status quo† government (in this case, colonial British rule), thereby giving the people a choice. Looking throughout history at the Empire as a whole gives this theory credibility: look at the violent independence battles of the 13 North American colonies in 1783 or India in 1947, and compare that to the peaceful colony of the Falkland Islands which still exists today. The previous decolonisation record of the British government, plus the 1947 granting of independence to India, no doubt sent the message that it â€Å"was only a matter of time† before the African colonies were decolonised. India specifically was the â€Å"jewel in the crown† of the British Empire and as such its decolonisation will have led many, both in the colonies and abroad, to see the Empir e as deteriorating. This accelerated nationalist movements within the African colonies, with India referencing the beginning of the end. After all, if India could be granted independence through a powerful and violent nationalist movement, then why couldn’t the other far less prestigious colonies? Indian independence inspired others to rise up and attempt to take back control of their lands, accelerating the decolonisation process for British Africa. Similarly, plus to reiterate an earlier point, the Suez Crisis accelerated nationalism: Nasser appeared to be the â€Å"David† who had managed to annihilate the imperialist â€Å"Goliath†. This inspired nationalism in other colonies to grow and attempt to take back control of their lands: after all, if Nasser could manage it then why couldn’t they? Harold MacMillan’s â€Å"Winds of Change† speech four years later further inspired this nationalism as, for the first time, the government officially acknowledged the ine vitability of decolonisation. The speech sent the message to many colonial peoples that nationalism was acceptable: for the first time in almost 100 hundred years, power was given to the Africans. MacMillan was acknowledging that the British government could no longer afford to sustain an Empire and would be willing to pass power to the local peoples if they should so wish. The speech had a great effect as over the next ten years 88% of Britain’s remaining African colonies were granted independence; by 1968, only two remained. Nationalism was suddenly acceptable which encouraged those who may have been content to be a colony to rise up against imperialism. This speech, combined with Britain’s poor economic situation and damaged credibility following Suez, vastly accelerated decolonisation. Moreover, the vast majority of British colonies were underdeveloped both economically and socially which further advanced nationalism. Take Nigeria for instance: the peoples were so against colonial oppression many began to â€Å"strike† from work – a surprisingly Western phenomenon implying the people were more integrated than they may have wished to believe. It is estimated that from 1945-50, over 100,000 working days were lost in Nigeria to strike action against colonial rule26. Even the Gold Coast (the â€Å"very model†27 of a colony) was not free of such demonstrations against imperialism: February 1948 witnessed a violent protest, resulting in the deaths of two British servicemen28. One only has to look at Kenya and the Mau Mau rebellions to see further evidence of increasing dissent with British imperialism. It had, to use the words of one modern historian, turned into a â€Å"rapid scuttle†29 of local nationalism. The Gold Coast was decolonized in 1957 but had been allowed to gradually master the art of modern government over many years, leading to a much more stable society post-independence, making it the â€Å"very model of decolonisation†30. In comparison, when Nigeria was swiftly decolonised in 1960 the government was a weak coalition with limited power – two army coups followed in 1964 and 1966. Britain’s damaged reputation in the continent prevented stable governments from being created, resulting in far more fragile states today. French Algeria (despite been a province of the metropole) saw terrible violence between the FLN and colons: to use a term of warfare, the Algerian nationalists utilised violent guerrilla tactics to spread their cause, resulting in a great amount of destruction and loss of life. Algeria bullied itself into independence in 1962 further showing that imperial metropoles were not as powerful as they once were. It is an exaggeration perhaps, but it can be said that the Suez Crisis was the first instance which led to these new states’ political and economic troubles which still exist today. Look at Egypt and South Africa today or, from a more international perspective, India and Australia, all of which were granted independence pre-1956 and compare them to the troubled states of Nigeria, Kenya (1963) and Somalia (1960). The acceleration of British decolonisation in the latter half of the 20th century is the opposite of what the government and imperialists like the legendary Cecil Rhodes would have imagined just 60-70 years previously. They had fought sometimes bloody battles for the expansion of the British Empire into the â€Å"less civilised† areas of the world, yet now the government was seemingly trying to get rid of the Empire in as rapid and inefficient way as possible. Multiple factors account for the sudden acceleration of decolonisation, but most come back to the actions of the British: if Britain had, for instance, provided more support and direct governance in a Westernised style (as seen in the Gold Coast), her colonies would have developed at a greater rate leading to a greater level of content from the colonial peoples. However her neglect and exploitation of her own people led to dissent within the colonies, leading many to â€Å"want out† before they were politically ready. The most pivotal British action which is continually referred back to is the 1956 Suez Crisis: for the first time in the Empire’s history, the British appeared militarily, politically and economically weak, causing many in the African colonies to quite fairly believe they could run their countries better. Nationalism was inevitable, and the international conflicts of the Cold War and the two World Wars couldn’t be stopped, implying that Britain herself was responsible for the downfall of her own Empire. If the crisis hadn’t occurred then the Empire would have faded away through gradual decolonisation as each territory became more economically, politically and socially developed; instead, the Crisis turned decolonisation of Africa into a â€Å"rapid scuttle†31, with Britain almost retreating into a corner trying to distance herself as far as possible from the embarrassment of 1956. Today, it is easy to see that decolonisation was inevitable; the Suez Crisis just accelerated that inevitability. One of the world’s greatest Empires was established by one of the most powerful countries in the world, so it is only fitting that it was destroyed by one of the most disgraced – it is just unfortunate they were both Great Britain. 1 Cain, P. J. & Hopkins, A. J., 1993, British Imperialism: Crisis and Deconstruction, 1914-1990 2 Hodgkin, T., 1956, Nationalism in Colonial Africa 3 Turner, B., 2006, Suez 1956: The Inside Story of the First Oil War 4 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire 5 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 32 6 Thorn, G., 2008, End of Empires: European Decolonisation 1919-80, Pg 16 7 McLaughlin, J. L., 1994, The Colonial Era: British Rule of the Gold Coast 8 Ferguson, N., 2004, Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World 9 Rohrer, F., 10/05/2006, BBC News [Online] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4757181.stm] [Accessed 25/04/2010] 10 Chamberlain, M.E., 1985, Decolonisation: The Fall of the European Empires, Pg 35 11 Hobson, J.A., 1902, Imperialism: A Study 12 Lenin, V., 1916, Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism 13 Darwin, J., 1984, British Decolonization since 1945: A Pattern or a Puzzle?, Pg 197 14 Cain, P. J. & Hopkins, A. J., 1993, British Imperialism: Crisis and Deconstruction, 1914-1990 15 Cain, P. J. & Hopkins, A. J., 1993, British Imperialism: Innovation and Expansion, 1688-1914 16 Beckett, F., 2006, MacMillan, Pg 97 17 Wilby, P., 2006, Eden, Pg 79 18 Wilby, P., 2006, Eden, Pg 128 19 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 85 20 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 128 21 Wilby, P., 2006, Eden, Pg 96 22 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 84 23 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945 24 Turner, B., 2006, Suez 1956: The Inside Story of the First Oil War 25 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire 26 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 48 27 Thorn, G., 2008, End of Empires: European Decolonisation 1919-80, Pg 50 28 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 49 29 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire, Pg 227 30 Thorn, G., 2008, End of Empires: European Decolonisation 1919-80, Pg 50 31 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire, Pg 227