Corporate Partnerships

Hurley Corporate Partnerships Corporate partnerships allow schools to gain extra cash by advertising a product or service around the school, this allows the school to gain extra money and the company possible sales. The supporters of corporate partnerships argue that it is a necessity for cash stripped schools. However the other side argues that school environment should be ad free and uninfluenced by corporations. I believe that corporate partnerships are a necessary part of our schools and only hold benefits, up to a certain point.Too much advertising could be distracting or even annoying for students, it should be up to the school to decide the perfect balance of education and ads. The advocates for corporate partnerships argue that; it provides schools with money that they possibly couldn't have raised before. They argue that the money gained could be used on multiple things, from things such as buying new updated books, hiring new teachers or even to finance a new wing for the m ain building as In the case of Calcareous HAS. Monitored advertisements for a certain product possibly oldest have an effect on student focus or learning.In Calcareous HAS we have ad banners on the bleachers near the football field. From my experience I haven't seen any student second glance at them or even give them a second thought, but It does provide the school with much needed money for construction projects. Who knows If we would've been able to afford a new wing to replace the portables without that aid. The opposing side argues that corporate partnerships take away from the learning environment. They argue that schools should always provide an environment free room corporate Influence and ads.What the backers of the opposing side don't take into account Is that students are already Influenced by ads every day, from the clothes they wear to the food they eat. Students see ads on TV's, radios, the Internet, the APS on their phone etc. Seeing ads In a school won't affect the st udent dramatically enough to dissuade him or her from learning. The promoters for the opposing side argue that corporate Influence In critical places such as the library or classrooms could distract the student from learning and are too extreme.I agree with this because classrooms and library are the place of learning, you should be able to read a book or write an essay without an advertisement for the new Nikkei shoes In your face. I believe that advertisements In learning areas would be annoying and are a violation of the students rights. This Is a heated topic that requires much thought and research. While advertisements In critical learning areas might be annoying and a hindrance to the average student. Overall It's obvious that corporate partnerships are necessary and re a good source of side revenue for schools.By exaggeratedly books, hiring new teachers or even to finance a new wing for the main building as in any student second glance at them or even give them a second thoug ht, but it does provide the school with much needed money for construction projects. Who knows if from corporate influence and ads. What the backers of the opposing side don't take into account is that students are already influenced by ads every day, from the clothes they wear to the food they eat. Students see ads on TV's, radio's, the internet, he APS on their phone etc.Seeing ads in a school won't affect the student opposing side argue that corporate influence in critical places such as the library or read a book or write an essay without an advertisement for the new Nikkei shoes in your face. I believe that advertisements in learning areas would be annoying and are This is a heated topic that requires much thought and research. While advertisements in critical learning areas might be annoying and a hindrance to the average student. Overall it's obvious that corporate partnerships are necessary and

Kant Ethics Essay

Introduction Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher born in 1724 and died in 1804. He is considered one of the most influential people on modern philosophy for his intensive research in the subject. This paper will discuss various articles written by Kant and analyze his thoughts on deeds that are right and deeds that are morally wrong. It will finally discuss importance of motives and duty of morality as illustrated by Kant’s work. Discussion Kant believed that there is no good that can emerge from the world apart from a good will (Kant, 1998). He said that without good will, qualities that are good and desirable become useless. This is because the person yielding these qualities may at times lack the fundamental will to implement and portray them. He called this lack of good will as bad character. He continued to say that when good will is not present, then Power, honor, health and the overall welfare, contentment and happiness will usually mess with the mind of the person and they will start pretending and believing lies created in their mind. Good will, according to Kant, can be facilitated by application of various qualities. However, these qualities may have no inherent absolute value, but constantly presume a good will, which succeeds the esteem that we simply have for them, not permitting us to consider them as extremely good. He attempted to identify the primary maxims of motives, which people are required to achieve. Kant did not base his opinions on claims about any subjective perception of the good, preferences, moral beliefs or regularly shared desires that people may have. Kant also recognized good will as the only absolute good; he refused to accept that the notion of good will could be established by referring to a tangible good. He believed that nothing could be a moral principle, if it was not initially a principle for everyone. According to Kant, morality starts with the denial of non-globalized principles. This idea was devised as a demand, which Kant termed as the Moral Law. He grouped the maxims in a manner that mediators could refer as â€Å"acting on the only adage that one can, and likewise will, just like an international law†. To clarify the point, Kant gave an example of an agent who gives false promises. He adds to this by saying that the agent’s action in this case does not fit to be termed as an international law. He explains that if the agent was hypothetical, then he would take part in the final outcome and this would make him stop his behavior of giving false promises (Kant, 2009). It is therefore clear that the principle of giving false promises cannot be categorized under universally shared principles. According to Kant, the principle of repudiating false promises is vital and the maxim of giving false morally forbidden. Kant is different from many utilitarian’s who regard false promises as wrong due to their adverse effects. He considers this principle as wrong since it cannot be used internationally. Kant identified two ethical modes of assessment, one of them being the fact that human beings have a high probability of evaluating the maxims adopted by agents. He asserted that if human beings had the capacity of evaluating such maxims, then principles with moral worth would come into being, since humans could decline immoral principles. He stated, â€Å"Those who accept principles that are not universal, have principles that are morally unworthy†. He considered those holding morally worth policies as working out of duty and said that human beings lack knowledge concerning the maxims of one another. Kant added to this by saying that people usually deduce the underlying principles or maxims of agents from the pattern of their actions, though no pattern identifies a unique principle. He gave the example of a genuinely honest shopkeeper by saying that his actions are not different from those of a shopkeeper who is reluctantly honest. Kant said that both shopkeepers deal justly out of an aspiration for a good reputation in business and would cheat if given the opportunity. Thus for common reasons, human beings usually do more than is of their concern with outer compliance to principles of duty, instead of paying attention to claims that an action was done out of such a principle. Kant discussed the relationship between principles of morality and people’s real inclinations and desires (Mac Intyre, 1981). He built the political insinuations of Categorical Imperative, which consists of constitution of the republic and value for freedom, particularly of speech and religion. He linked this with individual happiness which according to him can indirectly be viewed as an obligation. This is because one’s dissatisfaction with the wants of another might turn out to be a great lure to the wrongdoing of duty (O’Neill, 1991). He viewed this from another perspective and claimed that most men possess the strongest tendency to happiness. At this point, Kant gave the example of a gouty patient, who can make a choice of what he likes, and endure whatever suffering that comes with it. If he does this, he does not forego enjoying the present time to a probably wrong expectation of happiness believed to be experienced in good health (Kant, 1994). Kant states that, â€Å"an action from duty has its moral worth not in the aim that is supposed to be attained by it, but rather in the maxim in accordance with which it is resolved upon; thus that worth depends not on the actuality of the object of the action but merely on the principle of the volition† (O’Neill, 1991). The moral worth of a deed does not lie in the result anticipated from it, nor in the action or maxim which needs to make use of its intention from the expected result. In relation to the discussed effects, the endorsement of other people’s happiness could be caused by other reasons (Beck, 1960). Conclusion Significance of motives and the role of duty in morality Motives can either be of good or bad intentions. They often influence one’s roles of duty. The morality of duty is relative to the law and is therefore compared to the morality of religion. It, therefore, does not criticize man for not making full use of his life or by not doing good. He states that, â€Å"There is nothing possible to think of anywhere in the world, or indeed anything at all outside it, that can be held to be good without limitation, excepting only a good will† (O’Neill, 1991). Instead, it criticizes man for not respecting the fundamental principles and necessities required in life. A good example is the moral rule that man should not kill, since this does not have much to do with aspiration but the recognition that if one kills, he has not realized his duty of morality. I do not agree with Kant on the importance of motives and the role of duty in morality. This is because Kant only points out principles of ethics, but the same principles are so abstract that they can’t guide motives. Thus, his theory of the role of duty in morality is not motivating. He does not also give a full set of instructions to be followed. Kant lays emphasis on the appliance of maxims to cases that involve deliberation and judgment. He does insist that maxims must be abstract which can only guide individual decisions. The moral life is all about finding ways of good motives that meet all the obligations and breach no moral prohibitions. There is no procedure for identifying any motives. However, the role of duty in morality begins by ensuring that the precise acts that people bear in mind are not in line with deeds on principles of duty. References Beck, L. W. (1960). A Commentary on Kant’s Critique of Practical Reason. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Kant, I. (1998). Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kant, I. (2009). Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals. London: Thomas Kings mill Abbot. Kant, I. (1994). On a Supposed Right to Lie from Altruistic Motives. Oxford: Oxford University Press. O’Neill, O. (1991). Kantian Ethics. In A Companion to Ethics. Blackwell: Oxford. MacIntyre, A. (1981). After Virtue. London: Duckworth.

Periodic Properties Essay

The halogens F, Cl, Br and I (At has not been included because of its scarcity and nuclear instability) are very reactive non-metals that occur in the penultimate group of the periodic table, hence they all require just one electron to complete their valence shell. All of the elements exists as diatomic molecules (F2, Cl2, Br2, I2) in which the atoms are joined by single covalent bonds. Going down a group of the periodic table, for successive elements there are more energy levels filled with electrons, so the outer electors are in higher energy levels and farther from the nucleus. Fluorine and chlorine are gases, bromine a liquid and iodine a solid that forms a purple vapour on heating. The halogens are all quite electronegative elements. They require just one electron to complete their valence shell, hence they readily gain electrons to form the singly charged halide ions (Fà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½,Clà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½,Brà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½,Ià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½). The ease with which they gain electrons gained is further from the nucleus and hence less strongly attracted. This means that, in contrast to the alkali metals, the reactivity of the halogens decreases going down the group. Method 1) Test the solubility of Iodine: 1. A very small amount of iodine was put into water, cyclohexane and KI(aq) respectively 2. The color changes of the solutions and the solubility in each solvent were recorded 2) Test iodine reacts with starch: 1. Three drops of I2-KI solution were put into a test tube 2. A few drops of starch solution were added after that 3. The color of solution was recorded 3) Test the acid-base properties: 1. A few drops of chlorine water were put in a test surface, and it was tested with universal indicator paper 2. This was repeated first using water and then using iodine solution instead of the chlorine water 3. The color changes were recorded 4) Displacements between halogen elements: 1. 2cm depth of each aqueous solution: sodium chloride, potassium bromide and potassium iodide were put into 3 respective test tubes and labeled 2. An equal volume of chlorine water was added into each test tube and the results were recorded 3. A little hexane was added to form a separate upper layer of a non-polar solvent 4. The mixtures were shook and the changes were recorded 5. Step 1, 2, 3 and 4 were repeated first using water and then iodine solution instead of chlorine water 5) Tests for halide ions [Halide ions (Cl-, Br- and I-) with silver ions]: 1. About 1cm depth of aqueous sodium chloride was put into a test tube 2. A little aqueous silver nitrate was added and then the observations were recorded 3. The test tube was placed in a sunny place, and left there for about 5 minutes and then it was observed again 4. Step 1, 2 and 3 were repeated using aqueous potassium bromide, then aqueous potassium iodide instead of sodium chloride ?Data Collection? 1) The solubility of iodine in different solvent Color Solubility Water Colorless Insoluble Cyclohexane Purple Soluble Ethanol Yellow Soluble KI(aq) Yellow-brown Soluble 2) Test iodine reacts with starch: The color of the solution is black. 3) Test the acid-base properties: Cl2 Br2 I2-KI pH value 4 3 12 4) Displacements between halogen elements: The color change of the solution after Cl2, Br2, I2 added into NaCl, KBr and KI respectively Cl2 Br2 I2 NaCl No change No change Brown KBr Pale yellow solution No change Brown KI yellow yellow Brown The color of the upper layers of the solution after hexane added Cl2 Br2 I2 NaCl No change No change Purple red KBr Pale purple No change Purple red KI purple Pale purple Purple red 5) Tests for halide ions: Halide ions (Cl-, Br- and I-) with silver ions: NaCl White precipitate is produced Darkens after it was placed in sunlight KBr Cream precipitate is produced. KI Yellow precipitate is produced. ?Data Analysis? 1) The solubility of iodine in different solvents: The solubility is larger in non-polar solvent (water, ethanol) and smaller in polar solvents.(cylohexane and KI) The purple color of iodine in cyclohexane is that because in non-polar solvents, iodine froms the violet solution. 2) Test iodine reacts with starch: According to the general knowledge we knew, the phenomenon of this reaction should be blue, but the color observed was black-green. That was because some of the starch hydrolysis in water and produced something could make the color darker. 3) Test the acid-base properties: 1. Cl2: The color of the universal indicator papers showed that Cl2 is strong acid. 2. Br2: The color of the universal indicator papers showed that Br2 is a kind of acid, but not very strong. 3. I2: The color of the universal indicator papers showed that I2 is a strong base. Actually, I2 is acid. The reason is that the original color of I2 is red-brown, that made us can’t see the phenomenon clearly. 4) Displacements between halogen elements: As what I mentioned above in background, the rule of displacements between halogen elements is that more reactive ones displace less reactive ones. That’s the reason why Br -can’t displace Cl -, and I -can’t displace Br – and Cl-. When there was no reaction between two elements, the color we observed was the blend of original colors of the less reactive element and the solution containing the more reactive element. If there’s a reaction between two elements, the color we can observe is the color of the displaced element. According to the information we got from Internet, we knew hexane is a kind of oil and is insoluble in water-solvent. That was the reason why we could differentiate the two layers of each solution very clearly. The colors of each solution’s under layer were the original colors of the saline solutions. There were two kinds of instances of the color of upper layer of each solution. For the solutions those do not have I – ion, they were colorless. That’s because hexane is colorless and cannot react with Cl – or Br -. Another instance is that the solutions include I -, when I – meets hexane, it will show the color of itself. That was why we could observe color of purple in this experiment. 5) Test for halide ions: When halide ions dissolved into silver salts, then the precipitate is appear commonly. The white precipitate is AgCl: AgNO3+NaClà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½AgCl+NaNO3 The off-white precipitate is AgBr: AgNO3+KBrà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½AgBr+NaNO3 The pale yellow precipitate is AgI: AgNO3+NaIà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½AgI+NaNO3 After 10 minutes under the sunshine, photodissociation happened on all of them, so the black precipitate on the bottoms of three test tubes are the products of photodissociation. 1. Going down the group, the elements of this group have the same effective nuclear charge. Atomic radius of these elements becomes bigger because of the increase of the number of energy levels. The attraction between nucleus and valence electrons gets weaker. Less energy is required to remove the first electron from one mole of gaseous atoms. The ionization energy going down the group decreases. The ability to attract electrons becomes weaker. The electronegativity going down the group decreases. 2. Organic solvents always contain the element carbon. Inorganic solvents don’t contain the element carbon. The most common solvent, water, is an example of an inorganic solvent. There are many more organic solvents than inorganic solvents. Compare with organic and inorganic solvent, the solubility of iodine is higher in organic solvent. 3. The oxidizing power of the halogens decrease going down the group as the size of the atoms increase going down the group as the size of the atoms increases and the attraction between the nucleus and the electrons becomes less. In that case, going down the group, the elements become less powerful oxidising agents. This means that a higher halogen will displace a lower halogen from its salts. A lower halogen cannot displace a higher halogen from its salts. 4. When starch reacts with iodine, the typical blue black color will appear. That’s a good way for us to identify starch and iodine. 5. After photodissociation, the color of some precipitates will change. will become black. That’s the most obvious one. Other precipitates will become darken. 1. Because we use solid iodine in the first experiment. If we add the solvent into the test tube first, the test tube will be wet and the solid iodine we put in later will attach on the surface inside instead of fall into the liquid. For this reason we must add solid iodine first in experiment 1. 2. According to the first experiment, we found that the solubility of iodine in pure water is very low. But the solubility of iodine in potassium iodide solution is relatively much higher. So we use I2-KI solution to increase the amount of iodine in order to let the phenomenon more obvious. REFERENCE 1) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Chemistryà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½(for use with the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme) [3rd Edition] First published in 2007 by IBID Press, Victoria, Page 77 to 78. 2) http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/hexane.html 3) http://baike.baidu.com/view/373611.htm 4) http://baike.baidu.com/view/908645.htm

Ethical dilemma Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethical dilemma - Case Study Example Some of them may have sound financial backgrounds while others may not have sound financial abilities. In the given case study, Karen Hathaway has to select one person from the list of three to a higher position. All the three persons in consideration have advantages and disadvantages which made Karen’s task extremely difficult. Carmen was an African American widow of age 34 who has one child. She was an average performer and had eight years experience in the industry, out of which four years was with the company. Her child has some medical problems and she was badly in need of more money. Ralph one among the other two competing for the higher position was a white, aged 57 and had three children. Ralph has been with the company for twenty years and in the industry for thirty. He has always been a steady performer, with mostly average ratings. He has denied promotion earlier because of his reluctance to relocate. However, he had no such problems at present and was ready to relo cate. Yingzi was the third candidate under consideration. She was an Asian, single, aged 27 and had only three years experience in the company. Even though she was the junior among the three, she had outstanding track records and management skills. It is evident from the three cases mentioned above that Yingzi had better performance record than the other two even though she was a junior in the company and had less experience than the others. Her track records show that she was ready to go up to any extent if she faces any employment discrimination. Ralph on the other hand was the most experienced person in the company and it is unethical to deny him the promotion since he is approaching his retirement. Carmen was the best friend of Karen and she was badly in need of a promotion because of her poor financial abilities and the necessity of huge money to treat her only child. In short, the problem in this case study is; what should be given more weightage while deciding promotion; perf ormance merit or ethical principles? If Carmen failed to get promotion, employees may consider it as an example of racial discrimination sine she was an African American widower. Karen may face the charges of prejudice and bias if she promotes Carmen since Carmen was one of the better friends of Karen. Ralph’s son was getting married to the vice president’s daughter which means the influence of ralph in the company is going to be increased. Yingzi on the other hand is engaged to the son of one of the upper management individual. Carmen was also supported by some of the upper managers. In short, all the three candidates had great support from different top managers in the company. Since all the three candidates have their own claims, advantages and disadvantages, it is better to analyze the cases and claims one by one. Karen has three choices; 1) consider the influence of the candidates in the organization 2) consider the merits of the candidates 3) consider the ethical claims of the candidates. The major strength of Yingzi is her performance whereas that of Ralph was his experience. Carmen on the other hand had the strength of moral support and better relations with Karen. At the same time Carmen’s better relations with Karen may become a threat to her promotion scopes if Karen decides to boost her image in the organization. All the three candidates had their influence in the organizat

Mao Zedong Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Mao Zedong - Essay Example The fall of the dynasty rule thus resulted in the communist rule in the country (Stanlaw, P. 44). The Chinese Communist Party was a political party and revolutionary movement that was founded in 1921 as a way of unifying the people of China under one purpose and rule. In the October 1949, Mao Zedong being the leader of the communist party declared the creation of the people’s republic of china, leading to unification of all warring groups in China and uniting the people towards a common purpose following the devastation that the Chinese people had suffered following the Second World War. The period following consolidation of power by the communist party of China thus saw the country enjoying steady strides in economic and social development. Despite the brilliant and intellectual goals that Mao Zedong had for the people of China, his, which began as a liberation movement developed of more restrictive policies, the rule of the communist party became a compare to another of the dynasty rule in the country that perpetrated subjugation and human suffering. The land reform that was adopted by the communist rule in cooperated the confiscation of the land from the rich landlords who in most cases were executed by the local tribunes, these lands were thus briefly passed down to peasants some of who did not have idea about proper management of the land. Land reform adopted by the communist party is one area where the communist rule under Mao could be a compare to the dynasty rule that imposed restrictive land tenure systems (Nathan, P 63). In an attempt to consolidate his communist rule, Mao had ambitious development plans that critics term for being some of the key failures of the communist party. In an attempt to speed up economic growth, Mao based his policies on industrial development and civilization of the agricultural sector. The great leap forward policy adopted by the party called for the

4 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

4 - Coursework Example Researching on legal matters is exciting in that it helps the researcher to be more critical by asking more questions and having realistic expectations and perception of the law. Researching the law is vital because this skill enables the researcher to find answers to legal questions and better understand judicial system. Understanding judicial system and knowing how to get answers is an important skill that helps bring study of law into focus. For instance, one needs to know consequences that surround certain actions particularly to police officers such as the intra agency discipline comprising of anything from negative letters to one’s personal file to being suspended without pay. Therefore, it is important that one to be informed with the ever changing law and knowing how to find out about changes is important. Another important reason as to why it is important to research the law is to keep credibility in that a person is able to research the law correctly so that viable or proper result is found. Using texts or treatise for researching the law is very dangerous because such works are invaluable resources, expensive and frequently multivolume. Though highly effective and commonly used as compared to other methods in learning law, depending on text learning becomes an ultimate predisposition to partial intellectual deficiency. In addition, several pitfalls are likely to come from the rigidity of text-based learning alone. Texts may elaborate on evidence but may not be able to come up with a legal formula on how to handle unique evidences that may arise. iv. The holding and the policies and reasons that support the holding, in this regard, the holding of the case is the rule of law applied to the relevant facts of the case and the actual decision of the court. In addition, legal opinion contain the skills and process needed to read case laws which are drawing inferences, thinking in reverse and untangling the

Economic Analysis of Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic Analysis of Pollution - Essay Example Many individuals as well as international organisations have been involved in advocating for ethical ways of conducting human activities geared towards mitigating the effects of these activities to the environment. It is important to consider the fact that, economists have also been involved in this advocacy. This paper contrasts the relative merit of taxes, legal regulatory limits and tradable emissions in controlling pollution using an economic analysis. Taxes In an economics perspective, taxes can be used as mechanisms or tools for the control of pollution. Levies known as green taxes can be imposed in an attempt to prevent and as well mitigate the consequences of pollution. These taxes can also be referred to as environmental taxes. In definition, green taxes are defined as levies and can be imposed on industries and countries or nations that produce high levels of emissions. The extent of damage to the environment is a significant factor in considering and determining the amount of levies that a country should impose. Unleaded petrol and use of vehicles amounts to the highest levels of environmental pollution hence industrialised countries generate a higher amount of revenues from taxes imposed on these commodities. Commodities that have less impact on the environment in terms of emissions generate low or decreased amounts of revenue. Emissions in terms of green taxes are easier to monitor and quantify as compared to tradable permits (Norregaard and Reppelin-Hill, 2000). Imposing green taxes in these developed and industrialised countries have significantly contributed to the decrease in the amount of emissions that leads to the warming of the environment. In the industrial sector, green taxes have focused on levies imposed based on the amount of carbon dioxide produced by a specific industry. Due to the fact that it is very hard to quantify the amount or level of carbon dioxide produced by a certain industry, estimates are used. The higher the carbon diox ide produced and released to the atmosphere, the higher the taxes. This helps in discouraging industries to use fuels that generate large volumes of gases particularly carbon dioxide and subsequently adapt cleaner sources of energy. Studies done over the recent past have indicated the fact that imposing green taxes can change consumption patterns of most commodities. Imposing high taxes on unleaded petrol force individuals to change to cleaner fuels as they attract fewer taxes. This in the long run cuts significantly the amount of dangerous gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Taxes and tradable permits have divergent merits. According to Norregaard and Reppelin-Hill (2000:7), â€Å"Taxes minimise ex-post efficiency losses if the marginal cost function is steeper than the marginal damage function, while tradable permits are better if the damage function is steeper† Tradable permits Some countries some as the US have adapted the incorporation of tradable permits in the fight against environmental pollution. In contrast to green taxes, permits do not attain better and enhanced results on pollution control as they encourage industries to connive. In general, tradable permits are used with the main objective of managing and regulating the use of substances that contribute to increase in the level of emissions in the atmosphere. It is important for countries adapting this system to ensure they assess the significance and objective of these tradable permits and the benefits they will bring to the management of the environment. Plans of actions also need to be implemented to observe and monitor these emissions to the atmosphere. Permits should not be granted in a manner that would lead to

I don't know Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

I don't know - Lab Report Example ording to Daly (1996, p.78), many worksites are increasingly adopting the use of new technologies and innovative corporate practices to reduce consumption and achieve sustainability. This paper discuses my voluntary worksite experience at Red Cross with particular focus on the aspects of technology and international development as they relate to sustainability. My chosen worksite for volunteer field work experience was Red Cross, and I spent twenty hours working in the organization as a sales team research assistant. American Red Cross was established in 1880s as an independent and neutral humanitarian organization which was dedicated to helping people across the United States. Clara Barton and the other prominent founders of the organization were particularly inspired by the need to help people and save lives following the American Civil War (Moorehead, 1998, p.134). As an affiliation of the international Red Cross movement, the American Red Cross is a non profit organization whose primary humanitarian mission is to provide emergency assistance, disaster relief as well as protect the lives and dignity of victims of violence and wars. According to Gilbo (1987, p.36), American Red Cross currently boasts a nationwide network of nearly 650 chapters and 36 blood donation centers, which are dedicated to protecting and saving lives as well as helping communities to prevent, respond to and prepare for emergencies. Being one of the largest volunteer based humanitarian organizations in the world, Red Cross has adopted a number of technologies and international development strategies that ensure it achieves sustainability in its goals to improve humanitarian standards, saving lives and guaranteeing disaster preparedness. I performed a number of duties during my twenty hours of work at Red Cross as a volunteer sales research team member. My worksite setting not only provided me with an opportunity to work with different technologies but also enabled me to appreciate the

Communication between the superior and employees Assignment

Communication between the superior and employees - Assignment Example The superior-subordinate barrier can cause a poor communication in the organization resulting in inefficient production and ineffective performance. By resolving this dilemma, a smooth communication going to be created between superior and subordinates resulting in employee motivation and better performance. In this literature review, the superior-subordinate barrier is going to be discussed along with highlighting different studies from a number of scholars regarding the research topic.Superior-subordinate communication barrier, which is an important part of the relationship between both parties. The communication within the organization means the flow of information upward from employee or downward from the management and how easy is it to transform the information specifically from the subordinates to their superiors. Information could mean a suggestion from the employee, recommendation, complaining and engaging. Having looked at the literature of different studies, observed that many people prefer to maintain relationships rather than expression insensitive truth, described this phenomenon as the hierarchal mum effect, which is the reluctance of an individual to oppose his or her superior opinion for the purpose of maintaining the relationship between them.(Edmondson, 1999; Morrison & Milliken, 2000) suggested that by encouraging employees to speak up and raise improvements ideas it will lead to a successful implement change and a better organizational performance.

Feminist and psychoanalytic theories of film Essay

Feminist and psychoanalytic theories of film - Essay Example Feminism film theory is concerned with whether or not the role played by women in film works to advance feminism or diminish its agenda. This paper aims at highlighting feminist film theory through psychoanalysis. The way women are depicted in films and movies is of primary concern to feminists because it contributes to the advancement of feminist principles. The way women characters are portrayed in films also contributes to the way that women are perceived in the society. This is because, just as in the real world situations, women in films and movies are also subject to characterisation that is in tandem with societal stereotypes. Feminist film theory tries to explain the way women are depicted in movies and the effect that this portrayal has on society at large. Psychoanalysis of films, from a feminist point of view, illustrates how emphasis is put on what emotion or action that the female character in the film is able to elicit from the viewers. Through this analysis, it emerges that most of the focus is directed at the male audience in satisfaction of what is called the male gaze (McGOWAN, 2008:132). This gives a lot of significance to what the female character represents, and in this context more than the part she plays in bringing out the theme of the film. Psychoanalysis of films through a feminist perspective reveals that women’s role in films is not as weighty as that of men. This because women are supposed to bring out a meaning of feeling from the male character(s) that that inspires the essence and true character of the hero in the film (McCABE, 2012:101). Psychoanalysis of films brings to the fore the fact that women play passive roles. This means that they are objectified and used as objects that are to be adored and exploited to serve the higher needs of men in the film. The most prominent phenomena associated with this are the sexual objectification of women in films (LAPSLEY & WESTLAKE, 2006:231). This is analysed by looking at how men in films perceive women characters in films. It is seen that men advance this notion of portraying women as sex objects to be toyed and played with, but of not much importance apart from that. Men in the film are seen parading women in an exhibitionist manner like trophies to be admired. Their roles in films are already set in the script writer’s mind by the social stereotyping that exists around them. Through further analysis is shown that this objectification also exists in the audiences’ mind because of the responses that are elicited from them. These responses are lined with sexual undertones in every aspect that the film is associated with the society. This is illustrated, by the way, the media reports on film, and the emphasis it puts on the roles played by women (NELMES, 2003:345). Through societal conditioning, the target audience of a film possesses a mind set that promotes the objectification of women not only in cinemas, but also in the real world. Thus, th e world in which feminism exists is aligned to feminism’s demise. All of these features are attributed to voyeurism which promotes the objectification of women as instruments of pleasure (LeBEAU, 2001:78). The best way to advance the ideals of feminism in films is to denounce voyeurism in films and advocate for removal male dominance in films. This can be done by distancing the female character from that of men

Abraham Lincoln and Primary Documents Quiz Essay Example for Free

Abraham Lincoln and Primary Documents Quiz Essay 1. One writer maintains that slaves in the South are the â€Å"happiest† and â€Å"freest† people in the world and workers in the North are not. How this is so? 2. For O’Sullivan, how would California benefit once separated from Mexico? 3. According to Angelina Grimke, what could women do to contribute to the abolition of slavery? Women played a vital role in the campaign to abolish slavery, although they themselves lacked even the right to vote. Their campaign techniques were employed to great effect in the struggle for suffrage. In the early years, women influenced the campaign to abolish slavery, but they were not direct activists. This accorded with the prevalent view of women as a moral not a political force. As the campaign gained popularity, they could publish anti-slavery poems and stories. 4. Why does Lincoln in the â€Å"House Divided† speech believe the pro-slavery side was winning regarding the expansion of slavery in the territories? Why does Calhoun in opposing the Compromise of 1850 think the South was at a disadvantage? Because starting the new year of 1854 found slavery excluded from more than half the States by State Constitutions, and from most of the National territory by Congressional prohibition. Four days later, commenced the struggle which ended in repealing that Congressional prohibition. This opened all the National territory to slavery, and was the first point gained†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Although each side received benefits, the north seemed to gain the most. The North had absolute control over the government. The South 5. Garrison and Fitzhugh refer to Declaration of Independence in their excerpts. How do they use the Declaration? Garrison uses Jefferson’s declaration as a foundation that to prove his thought and to convince the society. his â€Å"Declaration of Sentiments of the American Anti-Slavery Convention† is strongly convincing. He confirms â€Å"that all persons of color, ought to be admitted forthwith to the enjoyment f the same privileges, and the exercise of the same prerogatives, as others; and that the paths of preferment, of wealth, and of intelligence, should be opened as widely to them as to persons of a white complexion.† No matter what are your skin color, and what gender you are in, all people should have the way to be educated, rich and happy. What he advocates is quite similar with Jefferson’s claim that all man have the right to â€Å"pursuit their happiness†. George Fitzhugh’s ideas are totally against Garrison. He is a representative of thought that men are not born equal. Whites are strong, healthy, smart, and blacks are weak, sickly, and foolish. He stated that â€Å"Their natural inequalities beget inequalities of rights.† African American is stupid so they deserve to have no right. Furthermore, African Americans are lower than whites; they cannot survive in society without being â€Å"modified† so they need the white man for survival. However, I disagree with Fitzhugh. I think the reason why black people is â€Å"foolish†, and cannot competitive with white people is they are not allowed to get access to knowledge. White people control their lives and brainwash their minds; therefore, they only have a narrow view that they deserve to be slaves, and they ought to do free labor work for whites. They are â€Å"foolish† because they are uneducated, and because how whites treat them. If African Americans were educated, then they would be a threat to white people. They are kept â€Å"foolish† so it is easy to control them. 6. What were the strategies of Garrison and Douglass in opposing slavery? 7. Compare Lincoln’s First and Second Inaugural addresses. What do you think was his purpose in each? Lincolns main purpose in his First Inaugural Address was to allay the anxieties of the southern states that their property, peace, and personal security were endangered because a Republican administration was taking office. The purpose of Lincolns second inaugural address was to state that slavery was the key component that led to the civil war and he stated that it was possible that slavery had offended God and he retaliated by causing conflict which started the war. He said that since there was now peace, they should take advantage of that and begin a time of reconciliation where there was malice towards no one and charity for everyone†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Lincoln contradicts himself, giving false hope to southerners hoping to hold onto slavery. He says in his first Inaugural address that he has no plans to interfere (directly or indirectly) with the institution of slavery, also saying he had no right to do so. He still holds onto the idea of secession and how we are a perpetual union and by no means should we be divided. Lincoln leaves the idea of taking actions towards slavery in his first address mainly to win some supporters in the middle states, paying off with West Virginias loyalty to the union. Towards the end of the Civil War, Lincoln make a transformation as he turns bolder (evident in his second inaugural address), disowning slavery and all of its practices, issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. This new view of Lincoln sent a loathsome spirit throughout the South, especially for Lincoln.

Peers paper on Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Essay Example for Free

Peers paper on Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Essay Please find attached Rimas paper. Here are the assignment instructions for the peer review: Your instructor will assign and send you a peers paper on Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity. Your job is to critically read the assignment and make corrections/comments using track changes and comments in Microsoft Word. Be sure to assess the paper using the following criteria: 1. Does the paper provide sufficient evidence for its hypothesis or claim? 2. Does the flow of the paper and sentence structure make sense? 3. Should it be organized in a different manner? 4. Are all the items listed in the assignment guidelines and rubric covered and in sufficient depth? This assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore, students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations for successful completion of the assignment. Please submit your completed peer review assignment similar to your submission of previous essays, rather than replying here in the Individual Forum. â€Æ' The purpose of this paper is to identify and elaborate the characteristics of a healing environment, challenges and barriers associated in instituting the atmosphere for effective patient outcomes that will not only treat the patient illness but to help the patients to heal as a whole and biblical passage that support the concept of healing hospital from a nursing perspective. According to Florence Nightingale nurse’s role is to provide external environment and fosters internal environment necessary to heal the patients. We as nurses can manage the health and wellbeing of our patients and their families by providing them high quality, kindhearted care that will collaborate with care of the body, mind and spirit which in turn results in effective patient healing. Benefits  acquired from creating a healing environment has led many hospitals to integrate features that will help lessen stress associated with the illness and promote healing for patient and the family. Healing is not curing an illness by treating the symptoms, eradicating disease or following treatment plan as, a lot of time you are cured but not healed. An example that describe this concept is a person with a chronic illness such as cancer, is peaceful despite of her illness, loss of function rather than grieving for her illness and angry as she has healed from cancer. Healthy healing environment is meant to promote harmony of mind, body and spirit by providing a patient centered care that fulfills the spiritual, social and physical needs of patients. This idea of healing hospital will lower the cost of healthcare, by focusing on specific needs of the patients and create a better healing environment by reducing stressors in the hospitals which be later described in the paper. We as nurses play an important role in addressing the spiritual needs of our patients and incorporating this spiritual needs in plan of care will help facilitates the coping mechanism in our patients. Here in this Paper we are going to discuss about Mercy Gilbert Medical centre which is one of the famous healing hospital which has three key components that facilitates healing that is related to spirituality. Three key parts of this healing atmosphere are as follows: 1) A healing physical environment which includes implementing measures to keep the environment quiet to promote peaceful sleep that help in faster recovery by reducing the sources of noise such as eliminating over head paging or only in time of emergencies by carrying wireless for direct connection, soundproofing with sound absorbing ceiling, avoiding loud cleaning machines rolling down long hallways or replacing patient care areas with carpets and installing silencer to cleaning machine prevent noise created by it (Ebers t, 2008). Prevention of stressors such as noise, glare and poor air quality are shown to have increases patient blood pressure, heart rate and reduce oxygen levels due to environmental concerns. 2) The Integration of appropriate work design and technology plays an important part in enhancing the process of healing such as thoughtful layout that makes easier for frail patients to move around independently, Private patient rooms with larger space for storage of supplies, computer for charting, sink for hand washing, amenities that make it easier for family member to stay overnight. Also it  could reduce risk of infections, provides patient privacy and prevents any disturbances, promote peaceful sleep and caregivers can discuss private matters more freely without hesitating and maintains patient dignity which for some patients may be very stressful (Eberst, 2008). It allows portable equipments to easily move in and out from these rooms and patient does not needs to be transferred to any other room for x rays or procedures while maintaining privacy etc. use of colors, images and appropriate signs to help patient and family find their destination. Separate elevators were designed for patient transfers providing privacy and safety. Patients at this hospital were getting the benefits of most recent digital technology in specialty testing areas which help to get quick results rather than waiting for long hours and creating a stressful situation for patient and family. Primary care providers were able to access results from their personal device at any place which make it easier and convenient to make decision and planning treatment. Hospital designs and interior should be planned in the way that it allows natural light through large windows from where they can get more sunlight which can be helpful to lessen depression; fresh air by helping them to get engage with scenery can extensively reduce their tension, irritation and promote enjoyable thoughts. Skylight system provides in room entertainment such as comedy channel, healing music which promotes laughter therapy and healing. Patients were provided with education specific to their needs as well as patient satisfaction survey which helps staff to improve the patient care. Instituting advance technology with caring environment that delivers highly qualified, loving and patient centered compassionate care has helped this hospital to achieve effective patient healing (Eberst, 2008). 3) A culture of Radical Loving Care at Mercy Gilbert medical centre offers kindhearted care that enhance faster recovery of patients through a holistic approach that not only meets patients bodily needs but also their emotional and religious needs. They hire their employees not only on the basis of the skills but they look for those that consider the work as their passion, rather than just a profession, always willing to help people and go an extra mile for fulfilling their needs. They make sure that every encounter with the patients and families by the staff members is a sacred encounter. Touch Pads outside each patient room encourage the person entering patient rooms to reflect on their role that  can help patient in healing. All this efforts in providing compassionate care helped the patients, families, caregivers and the staff to make the stressful time into a peaceful situation (Eberst, 2008). Some of the barriers that prevent nurses or healthcare team to provide healing environment are as follows: As we all might be familiar with the fact that due to crisis in the health care field, many of the health care organization are working short staffed which means higher nurse patient ratio that results in burnouts and less attention and time spent with patients that they deserve to talk to their nurses regarding their health and concerns, physicians are encouraged to see more patients per day that can shorter interaction between physician and patient and it changes the way they were served (Dunn, 2010). Addressing the spiritual needs of the patient is very difficult especially when you are running out of time due to heavy workload and making sure that every patient is medicated and every task that needs to be fulfilled for the assigned patients is completed can be a barrier in creating a healthy and healing environment. Other possible barriers could be noisy environment due to loud intercoms, overhead pagers, disturbances from transferring patients from one place to another, cleaning machines can interrupt patient sleep which is important for early healing, Medical errors due to stress from all day noise and distractions, failing to address cultural, and spiritual needs due to language barriers can prevent from creating optimal healing environment (Dunn, 2010). The biblical passage that supports the concepts of healing hospital is â€Å"Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth† by Jeremiah 33:6 of King James Version which is describing the aim of a therapeutic hospital that is not only to cure the disease process or the symptoms but along with curing they are encouraging their staff members to address and fulfill the patients emotional and spiritual needs to heal them with compassionate, loving care, as we are aw are of the fact that a lot of times patients are cured but not healed due to lack of addressing their spiritual wellbeing. Healing hospital focuses on treating the patients physically, emotionally and spiritually to provide them peace, comfort and security. Positive experiences among all the members of health care team in providing holistic patient care will result in harmonious work environment, patient satisfaction, improved patient outcomes as well as help  caregivers in identifying the importance of their hard work and dedication towards saving peoples life and help them regain peace, comfort and happiness which is a necessary concept in creating healing environment. References: Dunn, L. (2010). CREATING HEALING ENVIRONMENTS: A CHALLENGE FOR NURSING. Online Journal Of Rural Nursing Health Care, 10(2), 3-4. Eberst, L. (2008). Arizona medical center shows how to be a healing hospital. Health Progress, 89(2), 77-79. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/274635012?accountid=7374 40.0 %Comprehension of concepts of a Healing Hospital Reveals inaccurate comprehension of material and lacks the ability to apply information. Displays a lack of comprehension but attempts to apply information. Presentation of material does not meet minimal requirements of the assignment. Demonstrates no critical thinking aspects. Exhibits comprehension of the material and attempts to integrate it with outside material. Information represents basic thought and formulation of Healing Hospital concepts, values, and practices. Demonstrates integrative comprehension. Student exhibits thorough and thoughtful processing of material. Evidentiary support is creatively interwoven and presented in a  manner that supports the writer?s position and perspective on Healing Hospital concepts and patterns. Demonstrates integrative comprehension and thoughtful application of concepts surrounding the Healing Hospital and circumstances involving application in real world situations. Presentation of material and components include expanded and unique perspective relative to Healing Hospital patterns and value.48.00/48 30.0 %Coverage of subject matter. Subject matter is absent, inappropriate, and/or irrelevant. There is weak, marginal coverage of subject matter with large gaps in presentation. All subject matter is covered in minimal quantity and quality. Comprehensive coverage of subject matter is evident. Coverage extends beyond what is needed to support subject matter.30.60/36 20.0 % Organization and Effectiveness 7.0 %Thesis Development and Purpose Paper lacks any discernible overall purpose or organizing thesis and/or main claim. Thesis and/or main claim are insufficiently developed and/or vague; purpose is not clear. Thesis and/or main claim are apparent and appropriate to purpose. Thesis and/or main claim are clear and forecast the development of the paper. It is descriptive and reflective of the arguments and appropriate to the purpose. Thesis and/or main claim are comprehensive. The essence of the paper is contained within the thesis. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.7.14/8.4 8.0 %Argument Logic and Construction Statement of purpose is not justified by the conclusion. The conclusion does not support the thesis and/or main claim made. Argument is incoherent and uses noncredible sources. Sufficient justification of thesis and/or main claims is lacking. Argument lacks consistent unity. There are obvious flaws in the logic. Some sources have questionable credibility. Argument is orderly, but may have a few inconsistencies. The argument presents minimal justification of thesis and/or main claims. Argument logically, but not thoroughly, supports the purpose. Sources used are credible. Introduction and conclusion bracket the thesis. Argument shows logical progression. Techniques of argumentation are evident. There is a smooth progression of thesis and/or main claims from introduction to conclusion. Most sources are authoritative. Clear and convincing argument presents a persuasive thesis and/or main claim in a distinctive and compelling manner. All sources are authoritative.8.16/9.6  5.0 %Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use) Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of the meaning. Inappropriate word choice and/or sentence construction are used. Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register); sentence structure, and/or word choice are present. Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are used. Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. A variety of sentence structures and effective figures of speech are used. Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.5.10/6 10.0 %Format 5.0 %Paper Format (Use of appropriate style for the major and assignment) Template is not used appropriately, or documentation format is rarely followed correctly. Appropriate template is used, but some elements are missing or mistaken. A lack of control with formatting is apparent. Appropriate template is used. Formatting is correct, although some minor errors may be present. Appropriate template is fully used. There are virtually no errors in formatting style. All format elements are correct.5.10/6 5.0 %Research Citations (In-text citations for paraphrasing and direct quotes, and reference page listing and formatting, as appropriate to assignment and style) No reference page is included. No citations are used. Reference page is present. Citations are inconsistently used. Reference page is included and lists sources used in the paper. Sources are appropriately documented, although some errors may be present. Reference page is present and fully inclusive of all cited sources. Documentation is appropriate and citation style is usually correct. In-text citations and a reference page are complete and correct. The documentation of cited sources is free of error.5.10/6 100 %Total Weightage 109.20/120

Uk British Muslim Identity Sociology Essay

Uk British Muslim Identity Sociology Essay The purpose of this essay is to focus on the historical and contemporary construction of British-Muslim identity in U.K. and analyse its perceived relationship with radicalism. The first part of the essay will shed light on the problem of this umbrella term British-Muslim by highlighting the extent to which the religious identity of Muslims in Britain is beyond ethnic and national identities. In addition to this, this section will discuss whether putting a label of British-Muslim identity is legitimate, in terms of structure, meaning and a body of people who subscribe to the label. The next part of the essay examines why and how the British-Muslim identity has come to be associated with radical extremism. This section will include debates of integration and assimilation and discuss why some Muslims in the UK fail to achieve a sense of belonging in Britain and thus consequently turn to radical extremist organisations. In the end pertinent conclusions will be drawn based on the precedi ng arguments. Contemporary estimates suggest that the total population of British Muslims in the UK is approximately 2 million, or around 3.3% of the national population. This population is comprised of people from approximately 56 national backgrounds speaking around 70 languages including groups originating from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, North-Africa, the Middle East, South-East Asia, Iran and more recently Somalia, Iraq, Nigeria and Afghanistan as well as an increasing number of European Muslims including English converts.  [1]  Within these national backgrounds are a host of further ethnic divisions. For example, within the British Pakistani Muslim population there are Kashmiris, Punjabis, Sindhis and Pathans (Dahya, 2004: 77). Even further, many differentiate themselves based on Biraderi or clan, so that within the British Paksitani-Kashmiri Muslim population, there are Chaudaries, Rajputs, Kumars, Mistries and others. Such divisions based on Biraderi can heavily inform day to day rela tionships, marital and business partnerships as well as political allegiances (Shaw, 2000: 137). Within the wider framework of the British Muslim population there are strong denominational differences. There are the more widely known differences between Sunni and Shia Islam and the classical differences between the Hanafi, Shafii, Maliki and Hanbali Sunni schools of law. Then there are relatively recent denominational sects such as the Wahabi, the Deobandi, the Barelwi, the Ahl-e-Hadith as well as various Sufi brands of Islam (Raza 1993). Amongst British Muslims there are newly arrived immigrants, second and third generation immigrants whose parents and grandparents were born in the UK as well as indigenous converts to Islam whose ancestors came to the UK hundreds of years ago. On top of all these wide ranging attributes we must include the full spectrum of practicing and non-practicing Muslims, beginning with the very practicing for whom Islam is a complete way of life that informs every decision he/she makes, and ending with those for whom Islam is a mere relic of an ancient heritage, no longer important in contemporary life. In addition, socio-economic status can play a decisive role in the formation of identity within Muslim communities. Ansari notes that middle and upper-middle class Jordanians, Lebanese, Palestinians and Syrians appear to possess more multiplex relations with each other than with their own working-class compatriots (Ansari, 2004: 3). With all of these multifaceted differences it is clear that the term British-Muslim is one that is extremely complex and any accurate picture of the typical British-Muslim must be absent of colour, ethnicity, nationality, socio-economic status, political or denominational affiliation. However, one may then wonder, that despite such disparate and potentially conflicting sub-identities, how this term British-Muslim he come to be used so commonly among social scientists, academics, policy makers and the mass me dia. The next part of the essay discusses how, to a significant degree, many Muslims in the UK have overcome these internal differences and increasingly represent themselves as a united group of British-Muslims. Over the past few decades there has been heightened awareness and a greater level of self-representation of a British-Muslim identity among all sectors of Muslims in Britain. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, despite the vast array of varying cultures from which Muslims in the UK descend, Islam as a religion has inculcated a high degree of cultural uniformity across all regions in which it has spread. In the Development of Islamic Ritual, nineteen authors explore different aspects of Islamic ritual that are observed and performed through the Islamic world including the ritual performance of prayer 5 times a day, pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca and fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.  [2]  Many Muslims learn Arabic as a common language, share common names, use the same form of greeting and have the same dietary prohibitions. In recent years, the wearing of the Islamic headscarf has been adopted by females from a diverse range of ethnic and national background s as a powerful and expressive form of Muslim identity. In Why the French Dont like Headscarves, Bowen argues that for many Muslim women, the wearing of the Islamic headscarf is a conscious and deliberate display of Muslim identity that promotes social solidarity and community consciousness amongst the Muslim population. Thus, despite wide variances in the way Muslims from different backgrounds dress, there are numerous outward markers of Islamic identity that bind together disparate groups, whether they be in the performance of Islamic rituals or the wearing of Islamic clothing. Secondly, there has been a consistent drive from leaders amongst Muslims in the UK to form organisations representing Muslims at a national and international level. Mandaville (2003) argues that the media plays a key role in the development of British-Muslim identity, catering to second and third generation Muslims in the UK creating a public space in which issues relating to citizenship and belonging can be discussed. In Imagined Communities, Anderson argues that the invention of the printing press and the subsequent production of literature in vernacular languages across different regions of Europe helped to solidify nationalist sentiments by creating a sense of imagined community amongst those of the same linguistic background. Similarly, the growing British-Muslim media industry promotes a greater consciousness of Muslims from different backgrounds within the UK. The satellite TV channels named above cut across cultural, national and ethnic boundaries and serve as a unifying plat form of dialogue, news coverage and religious transmission heightening a sense of imagined community amongst Muslims in the UK.   ADD STUFF FROM MANDAVILLE and CESSARI Thirdly, despite the differences between the range of backgrounds from which Muslims in the UK originate, there are certain common interests which have brought together disparate groups of Muslims to lobby the government at a local and national level. For example, in 1994, Muslims in the UK launched the Halal Food Authority, an organisation to monitor and authenticate the halal meat and poultry trade in the UK, a service pushed for by Muslims from all backgrounds. Several arbitration tribunals, such as the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal, have been set up around to provide Muslims in the UK with legally binding dispute resolution mechanisms based on Islamic Sharia principles on family matters, inheritance and various commercial and debt disputes. During the outbreak of the Iraq War in 2003, much of the frustration felt by Muslims in the UK towards the government was channelled through peaceful protest facilitated by organisations such as the Muslim Council of Britain and Muslims of all b ackgrounds galvanised to speak with a louder and more unified Muslim voice. Such initiatives have required cross-cultural co-operation to achieve common aspirations amongst Muslims in the UK. Furthermore, Muslims in the UK have rallied together to show solidarity against perceived threats towards their community both nationally and worldwide. Samad (1996) and Saeed (1999) view the mobilisation of a British-Muslim identity as a response to the public devaluation and disparagement of Muslims that has lead to increased in-group solidarity. According to Ansari, the publication of the Satanic Verses (1988) and the first Gulf-War (1991) meant Muslims, more than ever, came to be imagined as outsiders, excluded from the essential notions of Britishness which, steeped in nostalgia, continued to be perceived as homogenous, Christian, white and rooted in past centuries (Ansari, 2004: 1). Such feelings of exclusion strengthened during the conflict in Boznia-Herzegovina (1993-1996), the War on Afghanistan (2001 to present), the War on Iraq (2003 to present), the publication of the cartoons depicted the prophet Mohammed (2005), EU immigration, asylum, race and security polices, includi ng the Terrorism Act 2006, which target Europes Muslim communities (Fekete 2009), the continuous demonization of Muslims in the media (Poole 2002, Gottschalk 2007) as well as Islamaphobia on a street level, which have all contributed towards a defensiveness among Muslims in the UK and a sense of common hardship. Ballard (1996) argues that that the increasing self-identification of second and third generation Pakistanis as Muslim is a reaction to their external rejection by the White majority and it is religion rather than ethnicity that takes prominence because it is the Muslim aspect of their identity which they feel is under attack. Thus, the increased ascendency of the Muslim aspect of a highly complex individual identity among some Muslims in the UK can be partly explained as a defensive reaction to perceived external threats. Moreover, Archer (2001) and Hopkins (2006) have argued that the transcendence of a British-Muslim identity above an ethnic or national based identity among young Muslims in the UK can be partly explained through an analysis of gender stereotypes and the performance of masculinity and femininity. Archer (2001) argues that young men construct a strong Muslim identity to counteract stereotypes of a weaker passive Pakistani or Bangladeshi identity and that talk of violence, action and hardness through religious idealism and martyrdom, drawing inspiration from ancient tales of Islamic conquest and bravery, can be seen as evoking a particular form of Muslim masculinity. Further, Archer argues that Islam provides a channel, whether scripturally legitimate or not, for men to discuss and define female behaviours as un-Islamic and thus an Islamic identity is expedient for the control and domination of women. Conversely, Akram-Nadwi demonstrates in Al-Muhaddithat: The Women Scholars in Islam, t hat Islam has for many generations, provided an avenue for female empowerment as an escape from the culture-bound patriarchy.  [3]  In Women and Islam: Images and Realities, Moghissi (ed.) expound upon the highly complex multifaceted realities of Islam, gender and female empowerment, revealing how both women and men selectively appropriate elements of Islamic doctrine in order to maximise their own empowerment within the scope of their circumstances. The politics of gender has made at least some contribution to the ascendency of a Muslim identity above ethnic or national identity for the UKs Muslim population. Finally, Muslim identity is used as an act of empowerment and to promote sense of belonging to an international body of people. Glynns study of Bengali Muslims in London (2002) shows that Islam provides young Muslims a positive alternative to the drug-culture to which they are exposed to within inner-cities. He writes the growing polarity between the drug culture and Islam is often remarked on. Islamic brotherhood is a potent antidote to alienationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Islam is something to be proud of, with a great history and international presence as well as religious promises of future glory, which can all transport its followers from the grey confines of the inner city (Glynn, 2002: 975). Through Islam, many Muslims obtain a sense of purpose, direction, history and belonging to a community broader than the narrowly restricted confines of their own neighbourhoods. Islam has also been used as a tool for empowerment within the family context. Macey (1999) suggests that Islamic prohibitio n on forced marriage is used by young Pakistanis in the UK to challenge parental pressures. Further, Islam is used to justify inter-racial marital relationships and to challenge the emphasis placed on colour, caste and ethnicity found in many cultural practices. Through Islam, many young Muslims in the UK find internal empowerment and tools to challenge parents and communities. For all of these reasons, a British-Muslim identity has emerged to unite disparate groups of people from a wide range of ethnic and national backgrounds. That there are Muslims in the UK is a fact, but the idea of a strong British-Muslim identity has only relatively recently come in to fruition and begun to assert itself. However, while many Muslims in the UK increasingly subscribe to this identity, it is not yet clear what it means to be a British-Muslim. We are now entering into the period in which the definitional boundaries of the British-Muslim identity are being constructed. In this period, competing fo rces, both internal and external to the British Muslim population, are actively contesting the details of the identity, pushing forward varying images of what a British-Muslim is supposed to be. A key arena in which this contest is taking place is in relation to radical extremism.    In light of these discussions, the next part of the essay will focus on radical extremism and the British-Muslim identity. In the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in New York and the 7/7 bombing in London, much work has gone in to identifying the root causes of how a Muslim, born and raised in the UK, could be brought to take his own life and the lives of others with the sole aim of creating maximum devastation within his home country. Rather than limiting research to the exploration of the potential psychopathic tendencies of those individuals responsible for the terror atrocities, much research has suggested that the terror attacks were symptoms of deep rooted nation-wide problems with British-Muslim identity as a whole. It is alleged that such problems are responsible for the creation of radical extremist mentalities, broadly regarded as mentalities that foster violent hostility towards aspects of the British state. It is within this context that efforts by the UK Government t o prevent violent extremism operate. In order to better understand this context, it is necessary to explore how the perceived problems with British-Muslim identity have come to be associated with radical extremism. In Radical Islam Rising: Muslim Extremism in the West, Wiktorowicz provides a detailed study of Al-Muhajiroun, a UK based organisation aspiring towards the re-establishment of an Islamic Caliphate through both non-violent and violent means.  [4]  Al-Muhajiroun are a banned organisations in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2006 for glorification of terrorism. Wiktorowicz argues that Muslims in the UK who join this group are initially inspired by a cognitive opening which provides individuals with a willingness to expose them to the ethos of the organisation. This cognitive opening takes the form of an internal identity crisis that causes the individual to question what it means to be a Muslim in a non-Muslim society. Wiktorowicz suggests that one of the key triggers to this type of identity crisis is an individuals perception that Muslims are not accepted by British society. It would follow therefore that perceptions of discrimination would precipitate feelings of not belonging to B ritish society and leave an individual vulnerable to the message and ideology of organisations such as Al-Muhajiroun. Maxwells study of the 2003 Home Office Citizenship Survey revealed that according to the survey, there was no significant relationship between an individuals socio-economic well being and their perceptions of being discriminated against on the whole. However, the analysis showed that young university students were more likely than others to perceive that they were being discriminated against, despite being socially and economically better off than those who either could not afford or were otherwise unable to attend university. Wiktorowicz writes the experience of both racial and religious discrimination has prompted some young Muslims to think about their identity and how they fit into British society. This is particularly true of young university students who suffer from a sense of blocked social mobility (Wiktorowicz, 2005 :56).   According to this theory, it is frustration at being unable to accomplish what the individual perceives as being rightfully theirs that results in a heightened sense of alienation. This alienation provides some individuals with the cognitive opening necessary for joining organisations such as Al-Muhajiroun. An alternative theory suggests that young university students are more likely to perceive greater levels of discrimination due to knowledge acquired within the university environment. Taji-Fourakis work on Hizb-at-Tahrir (1996), another organisation aiming towards the establishment of an Islamic caliphate, suggests that the main appeal of Hizb-at-Tahrir for young university students is the organisations intellectual sophistication. University environments provide young Muslims the tools to research and debate issues relating to injustices of European colonisation and the partitions of the current Islamic world, giving some individuals the impetus to question their own place within the wider framework of interna tional political identities. Fouraki suggests that Hizb-at-Tahrir are able to capitalise on such thought processes and provide an avenue for such individuals to channel their grievances in a way that provides them with an opportunity to be a part of the supposed re-assertion of superiority of the Islamic world. According to these analyses, issues of identity play in to some individuals feelings of inferiority and rejection by the dominant host society. Such feelings provoke hostility, particularly among young highly educated Muslims, and lead to individuals wanting to become part of a greater force capable of retaliation towards the UK Government and institutions.  Ã‚   Herriots (2007) work on social identity theory suggests that people join groups and internalise the groups identity for two main reasons. The first reason is to fulfil the human need for self-esteem. Herriot suggests that many of those attracted to organisations such as Al-Muhajiroun and Hizb-at-Tahrir are those potentially lacking in a sense of dignity, acceptance or approval from the wider society. As such, some individuals substitute a divine power in place of society as the source of their self-esteem, finding dignity and validation in the performance of that which is understood to be gods will. The second reason is to fulfil the human need for certainty. Again, such organisations provide members with defined beliefs, values and norms, with the weight and authority of ancient and sacred texts that provide clear guidelines on what should and should not be done. Further, Herriot argues that the process of internalising a groups identity leads to the loss of an individual sense of s elf in favour of acting in accordance with the definition of identity provided by the category to which they belong. He writes individuals then behave as group members. Their actions are those of, for example, a radical Muslim or a born-again Christian. They are no longer those of Mohammed Atta or Howard Ahmanson as unique individuals with personal identities, but rather those same persons as members of categories to which they perceive themselves to belong (Herriot, 2007: 30). The individual is then less concerned about the elevation of the ego and more concerned about the advancement of the organisation as a whole. From this perspective, it is perhaps easier to understand why the actions of some members belonging to such organisations may seem self-deprecating or counterproductive to the individuals status or security, or even, as was the case with the 7/7 bombers, suicidal. Such explanations of the processes by which individuals join radical extremist organisations attribute blame to problems associated with British-Muslim identity. It is suggested that many Muslims in the UK struggle to find a social identity among the mainstream population in which they feel a sense of dignity, self-esteem and belonging and therefore resort to a competing identity which defines itself in opposition to the mainstream. It is within this context that the UK Governments policy directive towards preventing violent extremism finds justification for direct intervention in to the construction of British-Muslim identity. The rationale of such intervention supposes that violent extremism is caused by deep-rooted issues with the way in which Muslims in the UK conceptualise their belonging to British society. As such, the prevention of violent extremism requires intervention to neutralise such complications and promote a greater sense of belonging to British values, beliefs and p ractices among British Muslims. The manifestation of the UK Governments decision to intervene in the construction of British-Muslim identity is the PVE Fund. Chapter One analysed the construction of a British-Muslim identity, identifying the process by which a hugely diverse range of people from different backgrounds increasingly subscribe to this identity. The perceived problems associated with this identity provided a pretext for government intervention in to the British-Muslim identity through the PVE Fund and related measures to prevent violent extremism

Essay --

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in Cupertino, California founded Apple Inc. in 1976 (Glen Sanford 1996). The two first just created Apple Computers in the beginning and as their company became more successful, they branched out to other types of electronics such as laptops, various musical devices, computer software, and e-book compatible machines. Apple Inc was started because both Jobs and Wozniak had always been interested in electronics throughout their lives. Wozniak was part of the creation since he was interested in computer-design. Jobs was the one who encouraged Wozniak to sell the computer to see what would happen. On April 1, 1976 the first Apple Computer was created. The organizational chart of Apple Inc. includes three key elements which are centralization, span of control, and departmentalization. Centralization is defined as the foundation of power and control which in this case is the CEO of the company, Timothy D. Cook. The next part of the organizational chart is the span of control; it refers to the amount of people a manager overlooks (BUSN 235). Since Apple Inc. is a rather large corporation there are numerous managers who overlook lower-ranking employees in the office. There is not a specified amount of employees that are assigned to one particular manager. It is based on what the strengths and weaknesses are of the manager and subordinates, the workload, as well as the location of the staff members (235). The last part of the organizational chart is departmentalization; the breakdown of employees into rational groups such as functional, product, and geographical, customer, and process (235). The ones that apply to Apple is functional, product, and geographical. Functional departmentalization involves separat... ...se and they would not have been prepared for it. Also, to stay on top, companies must have to have a secure global database and Apple does not. Their jobs are mostly concentrated in the United States and then the parts to make the products are made and constructed overseas. Since I could not find a definitive mission statement, they will eventually have one set instead of having a list of achievements passing as their mission statement. A recommendation I would give to Apple is to create products that are cheaper because then more products would be sold. Another recommendation would be to construct offices that are around the world making products that are related to that particular country’s needs and satisfaction. I also agree with Shaughnessy about making Apple’s product market more elaborate and varied as well as to focus on the future instead of in the present.

Elizabeth Barrett Brownings Poetic Style Essays -- Essays Papers

Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Poetic Style Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poetry has been the subject of much criticism. Her elusive style prompted many critics to question Barrett's method of writing. In fact, some critics, like Alethea Hayter, go so far as to propose that an "honest critique of her work must admit that she often wrote very bad poetry indeed" (15). Accusations against Barrett's work were often targeted at her tendency for anonymity, her excessive development of thoughts, unsuccessful forced rhymes, and more often than any other of her familiarities, her tendency to create her own words. Despite being relatively shunned by the world of poetry, Barrett persisted in writing poetry, even though the majority of her writing time just might have been spent on defending her work rather than writing it. John Forster has remarked, "She uses all her thoughts and feelings for whatever she does. The art of knowing what to leave out she has not attained"(19). In defense of her work Barrett writes in a letter to her husband, Robert Browning, "I do not say everything I think (as has been said of me by master-critics) but I take every means to say what I think"(19). Hayter recognizes that Barrett's work was surely not lacking revision, but was the product of constant reconsideration. She was said to have revised after every printing. For Barrett, the main focus of revising was to iron out metre, find perfectly fitting words for her lines, and to produce literature that read with the movement of natural speech. However, Hayter admits that this consistent going over of her work to find "just the right word" was what weakened Barrett's work and formed it into rather exhaustive explanations of what she purposed to convey to her re... ...of women's talk Arose and fell and tossed about a spray Of English S's, soft as a silent hush, And, not withstanding, quite as audible As louder phrases thrown out by men"(26). Saintsbury, who earlier criticized Barrett's rhyming technique, confessed that her ear for metre was, in fact, wonderful (24). Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the braver literary pioneers. Choosing to utilize the vocabulary she favored rather than submit to the harsh criticisms of those who held the power to make or break her is an applaudable novelty about her. Many writers, having been successful in their literary exploits, are susceptible to accusations that their work was catered to critics. Surely, this cannot and should not be said of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Works Cited Donaldson, Sandra, Critical Essays on Elizabeth Barrett Browning; G.K. Hall & Co., New York, NY.

The Total Package of an American Essay -- Literary Analysis, J.D Salin

The definition of â€Å"what it means to be an American† is difficult to outline in exact terms; however, through the characters in Catch-22 and Catcher in the Rye, Joseph Heller and J.D. Salinger manage to do just that. American spirit, identity, culture, and values are four aspects of America that are the basis of what it means to be an American. The characters in Catch-22 and Catcher in the Rye provide the reader with a solid base of what Americans are all about. Most Americans are independent, fun loving, patriotic, and firm in their beliefs; however, some but few Americans are greedy and imbecilic. Through the works Catch-22 and Catcher in the Rye, Heller and Salinger respectively use characters to showcase the true essence of being an American through American spirit, culture, identity, and values. Deep down in every American, a sense of American spirit and pride is contained. Since the birth of America, citizens have put emphasis on their love for independence, exploration, and new places, an aspect of American society that is evident in both Heller’s Catch-22 and Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye. In Catch-22, the American spirit is conveyed through the new roommates Yossarian acquires in chapter thirty-two. When Yossarian catches his first glimpse of the roommates, he thinks, â€Å"They were frisky, eager, and exuberant [...] They were glad the war had lasted long enough for them to find out what it was really like† (346). Heller notes that the boys are excited to be in a new place and to try new things, supporting the idea of American spirit in that the boys are overjoyed at the chance to be in a new place with new surroundings, even if it is in the middle of a war. The same feeling of American spirit is expressed in Salinger’s Catc... ...Holden on the right path in life. Salinger puts Mr. Spencer in the story to symbolize all of the wise Americans, be they teachers, parents, or adults in general, who try to steer children in the right direction, whether it is what is best for the children or not. Unfortunately for Holden; however, Mr. Spencer’s beliefs conflicts with Holden’s own views in that he is not looking for the most excellent education at the most excellent school, he is looking for a place to belong; a home. Salinger creates a sense of the many American values in Catcher in the Rye by using characters who exemplify these values. Throughout both Catch-22 and Catcher in the Rye, Heller and Salinger give the reader a strong insight into what it truly means to be an American by intertwining American spirit, identity, culture, and values through the characters’ personalities and the storyline.

Gender Issues in Special Education Essay

While it is obvious to researchers that males and females are disproportionately served by special education programs, the reasons for the gender bias are not clear. Boys and girls are known to â€Å"comprise equal proportions of the school-aged population;† nevertheless, boys are known to â€Å"account for approximately two-thirds of all students served in special education (Gender as a Factor in Special Education Eligibility, Services, and Results). † Is it because the educational policies of most states of America prefer to send off more boys than girls for special education programs? Or, are there essential differences between boys and girls to account for the gender gap in special education? The present research evaluates the answers to these questions for education professionals to attempt to bridge the gender gap in special education. Are there gender differences to account for the gender gap in special education? Studies on disability have by and large emphasized on commonalities among persons with disabilities instead of addressing gender based differences. This is the reason why there is little known about the different experiences and characteristics of boys and girls with disabilities (Gender as a Factor). It is interesting to note that the problem of the gender gap in special education does not exist in the United States alone. Studies have addressed this topic in relation to the disabled populations in the United Kingdom, Norway, and Canada as well. As a matter of fact, researchers have also noted the differences between the learning needs and academic achievements of boys and girls in the regular classroom. The differences among boys and girls in the regular classroom allow us to infer that boys and girls are, indeed, different in terms of their educational needs and achievements. Hence, the gender gap in special education may exist for a genuine reason. Chapman (2006) writes: Sitting in the same classroom, reading the same textbook, listening to the same teacher, boys and girls receive very different educations. In fact, upon entering school, girls perform equal to or better than boys on nearly every measure of achievement, but by the time they graduate high school or college, they have fallen behind. However, discrepancies between the performance of girls and the performance of boys in elementary education leads some critics to argue that boys are being neglected within the education system. Across the country, boys have never been in more trouble: They earn 70 percent of the D’s and F’s that teachers dole out. They make up two thirds of students labeled â€Å"learning disabled. † They are the culprits in a whopping 9 of 10 alcohol and drug violations and the suspected perpetrators in 4 out of 5 crimes that end up in juvenile court. They account for 80 percent of high school dropouts and attention deficit disorder diagnoses. This performance discrepancy is notable throughout Canada. In Ontario, Education Minister Janet Ecker said that the results of the standardized grade 3 and grade 6 testing in math and reading showed, â€Å"†¦ persistent and glaring discrepancies in achievements and attitudes between boys and girls. † In British Columbia, standardized testing indicates that girls outperform boys at all levels of reading and writing and in Alberta testing shows that girls, â€Å"†¦ significantly outperform boys on reading and writing tests, while almost matching them in math and science. † However, the American Association of University Women published a report in 1992 indicating that females receive less attention from teachers and the attention that female students do receive is often more negative than attention received by boys. In fact, examination of the socialization of gender within schools and evidence of a gender biased hidden curriculum demonstrates that girls are shortchanged in the classroom. Furthermore, there is significant research indicating steps that can be taken to minimize or eliminate the gender bias currently present in our education system. If teachers are, indeed, responsible for giving more attention to boys than the girls, this may very well be a reason why boys are more often referred to special education programs than the girls. Even so, the academic achievement of girls tends to be higher than that of the boys in most regular classrooms. Therefore, there may be no reason to blame the teachers for referring more boys than the girls to special education programs. Vaishnav (2002) writes that boys are more likely to act out in class than the girls simply because boys tend to be more active while girls tend to be more passive. Furthermore, girls are more likely to be compliant, and this attitude on their part can be misleading because girls may be hiding their disabilities behind their compliance. Even so, it is noteworthy that the gender gap in special education varies from school district to school district in the United States. Among the emotionally disturbed children in Milwaukee, for example, only fifty five percent are boys. In Kansas City, on the other hand, almost ninety percent of the students diagnosed as emotionally disturbed are males. In the schools of Massachusetts, males are â€Å"slightly more likely than girls to be identified with hearing or vision problems,† and one and a half times more likely to be identified as mentally retarded (Vaishnav). What is more, males are twice more likely than girls to be labeled with learning disabilities, and â€Å"more than three times as likely to be called emotionally disturbed (Vaishnav). † Are state policies responsible for the gender gap in special education? Data on the gender gap in special education reveals that boys are overrepresented in special education regardless of school district and state. Nonetheless, it is noteworthy that the school districts in Massachusetts, on average, refer students for special education programs according to the following ratio for male to female students: 7:3 (â€Å"District Rates: Students with Disabilities by Race and Gender,† 2004). Perhaps this ratio is based on a state policy that requires more males to be referred for special education programs. Indeed, there are three typical reasons cited for the gender gap in special education, one of which is the â€Å"bias in special education referral and assessment procedures (Tschantz & Markowitz, 2003). † The other reasons include the biological and behavioral differences between male and female students. Even so, the reason that points to blatant discrimination in special education requires the collection of data from states to reveal the actual gender gap in special education in different states and school districts. By knowing that the gender gap in a certain state is wider than the gap in another state, for example, we may very well be able to identify the state policies that may be responsible for the difference (Tschantz & Markowitz). Coutinho & Oswald (2005) have conducted a study on state policies with regards to special education. According to the researchers, states that either have a high or low proportion of students assigned to special education programs are more likely to identify more males than females for these programs. Seeing that the law of the United States does not demand school authorities to refer more males than females for special education programs, the authors recommend that all states must collect data to analyze the gender gap in special education. The data that is collected thus would allow researchers to examine where the problem truly lies. Is it because the teachers are referring more males than females because they observe the differences in the classroom? Or, is it because certain school districts prefer to send off more males than females to the special education classroom? The authors further note that the educators may very well be biased in their implementation of identification and referral policies. Hence, a â€Å"vigorous, systematic evaluation† is a necessity in the identification of the real reasons for the gender gap in special education (Coutinho & Oswald). Analysis of the Findings and Conclusion Sanders (2002) confirms the conclusion of Chapman that there is a difference between the levels of attention received by boys and girls in schools. Some of the reasons for the differences are pointed out by the author as the following: (1) The ratio of boys to girls taking the highest level Advanced Placement Test in Computer Science is 9:1; (2) Eighty five percent of girls from eighth to the eleventh grade report that they have been sexually harassed in school, while the percentage is lower for males; (3) All except one of the school shootings in recent years had been committed by white male students; and (4) The average boy in eleventh grade writes at the level of the average girl in eighth grade. Perhaps, therefore, we must agree with the fact that there is a difference in the learning needs and academic achievements of boys and girls also in the regular classroom. The difference between boys and girls in the regular classroom helps us to understand that the gender gap in the special education programs is perhaps a genuine one. However, there is very little research on the differences between males and females with regard to disabilities. This is the reason why researchers are as yet unclear about the real meaning of the gender gap in special education. Research in future must focus on the differences between males and females with regard to disabilities. Only then shall we conclude with certainty that there is a genuine gender gap in special education, perhaps because there are more disabled boys than disabled girls. Vaishnav’s analysis of the reason for the gender gap in special education is very important, seeing that girls are definitely more passive while boys are certainly more active in the classroom. This is the reason why educators find it easier to identify emotionally disturbed boys. Males are also more likely to show their learning disabilities more easily than the females, for the simple reason that boys act out in class more often than the girls. Females may hide their disabilities from their teachers through their passivity and compliance. This analysis carries an important lesson for teachers: perhaps teachers should learn to identify learning disabilities and emotional disturbance in girls by a different method altogether. Psychological, including IQ testing, should definitely help. Research has also suggested that boys are twice more likely than girls to be identified as gifted students (Chapman). If psychological, including IQ testing, is made mandatory for all students, however, the gender gap may very well be bridged. Lastly, it is important to note that researchers have not yet found differences in state policies with regards to the gender gap in special education. There is no state policy that clearly asks for boys to be referred in greater numbers to special education programs. Nevertheless, there are differences among states with respect to the gender gap. Besides, our research on Massachusetts shows that most school districts maintain an average ratio of boys to girls that are referred to special education programs. Even though research would not identify the reason for this average ratio, Countinho & Oswald are correct to conclude that thorough data collection would allow us to analyze the gender gap more easily. By knowing exactly where the gender gap widens or contracts, educational researchers would be able to study the specific school district policies that relate to the same. This would allow them to identify the real reasons for the gender gap in school education, and why it widens or contracts in certain states or school districts as compared to the others. Regardless of limited research on the real reasons of the gender gap in special education, educators are required to pay equal attention to girls and boys in their classrooms. This is, perhaps, the most important lesson to be learned from the present research. After all, by paying more attention to boys, teachers may be negatively impacting the lives of countless gifted girls. Similarly, there may be countless learning disabled girls who may benefit from special education programs even though their teachers have not identified them as learned disabled. Equal opportunity in education is of the essence. Psychological testing, including IQ testing, is certainly expected to help educators along the way. References Chapman, A. (2006). Gender Bias in Education. Research Room. Retrieved Nov 25, 2007, from http://www. edchange. org/multicultural/papers/genderbias. html. Coutinho, M. J. , & Oswald, D. (2005, Jan 1). State variation in gender disproportionality in special education: findings and recommendations. Remedial and Special Education. District Rates: Students with Disabilities by Race and Gender. (2004, Oct 1). Massachusetts Department of Education. Retrieved Nov 25, 2007, from http://www. doe. mass. edu/InfoServices/reports/enroll/sped05/rg. pdf. Gender as a Factor in Special Education Eligibility, Services, and Results. Retrieved Nov 25, 2007, from http://www. iteachilearn. com/uh/meisgeier/statsgov20gender. htm. Sanders, J. (2002, Nov 1). Something Is Missing from Teacher Education: Attention to Two Genders. Phi Delta Kappan. Tschantz, J. , & Markowitz, J. (2003, Jan). Gender and Special Education: Current State Data Collection. Quick Turn Around. Retrieved Nov 25, 2007, from http://www. nasdse. org/publications/gender. pdf. Vaishnav, A. (2002, Jul 8). Some Say Boys Singled Out for Wrong Reasons. The Boston Globe.