A Rationale for teaching the Foundation Subjects within Early Years and Primary Education

The underlying basis for the inclusion of foundation subjects within early years and primary education might not be immediately apparent, particularly for first year students studying towards qualified teacher status. This essay will, therefore, unfold the reasons for this inclusion whilst including specific reference to the enclosure of history teaching.The National Curriculum (NC), introduced in 1988 and currently undergoing revision, consists of the core subjects: English, mathematics and science; compulsory at all key stages, and the foundation subjects: art, design technology (DT), geography, history, information and communication technology (ICT), modern foreign languages (MFL), music, personal, social and health education (PSHE) and physical education (PE); most of which are compulsory at one or more of the key stages (DfE, 2013).It is also important to remember that Religious Education is included within the basic curriculum and is legally bound to be taught, however children can forego the subject at their parents request. Since 2008 the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) has become integrated within all childcare providers, except mother and toddler groups, nannies and short-term crà ¨ches, and covers the welfare and development of children (BBC). This essay will not only demonstrate a rationale for the inclusion of foundation subjects in both the EYFS and NC, but also examine how history is developed into children’s learning through both stages.Boys and Spink (2008) believe the foundation subjects and RE ‘have the potential to be the most powerful, most meaningful and most relevant areas of learning for all learners’ (p. xii). Hoodless (2008) develops this further with history, stating â€Å"the most significant reason for teaching history in primary schools is that it motivates children and captures their imaginations† (p. 2). Both statements reflect on the importance of teaching history and other foundation subjects, ye t focuses on extra-curricular benefits.History can lead to many cross-curricular links and it has been suggested by Davies and Redmond (1998) that teaching history in isolation ‘would be a horrible waste of universal discipline’ (p. 39). Looking at time-lines in history can help to develop mathematical skills, whereas art can be pulled in by the associations with drawing or painting ancient artefacts. Fines (2013) also believes in the importance of history due to its cross-curricular abilities, he says â€Å"history can contribute to learning across the whole spectrum of the curriculum and does so effectively† (p.6).As a core subject, mathematics is something that, when applicable, should always be integrated into a child’s learning. However, as a foundation subject itself, art is a skill which helps to develop children’s creativity and imagination, thus making art a valuable attribute that should be included when possible. Furthermore, childrenâ₠¬â„¢s art work is often used as displays within schools; this way of celebrating work is a great way of boasting children’s confidence as well as giving them a sense of reward.This is vital for motivation, enthusiasm and inspiration which will encourage children to get involved in further learning and therefore learn more effectively (NASP, 2003). The NC is currently undergoing revision, due for implementation into schools in September 2014. Government says the review comes from the need to catch up with the world’s best education systems. Prime Minister, David Cameron says this â€Å"revolution in education† is vital for the country's economic affluence and that it should be written by experts and not restricted to ministers' â€Å"personal prejudices† (BBC, 2013).According to The Guardian (2013) changes will be welcome across the Key Stages (KS). However, it claims that for KS1, history will not differ too much from the previous NC and that ‘the m ore noticeable changes are in KS2’. Both Key Stages will see a new stress in the importance of chronological understanding. This is a result of the 2011 Ofsted report in which it states â€Å"although pupils in primary schools generally had good knowledge†¦their chronological understanding and their ability to make links across the knowledge they had gained were weaker† (p. 5).Ofsted (2011) claimed that this was due to ‘many primary teachers not having adequate subject knowledge’ (p. 4). This developed the need for the curriculum to ensure that pupils study an overview as well as in-depth topics. The old curriculum (2000) states that pupils should be taught the knowledge, skills and understanding through: a local history study; three British history studies; a European history study; a world history study (p. 106). Whereas the Programmes of Study for the revised curriculum (2013) shifts towards how history fits together and how events from one time pe riod can affect another, maintaining that  teaching should combine overview with in-depth studies to aid pupils understanding on chronology (p. 3).In Ofsted-registered settings, children from birth to 5 years old work towards the EYFS as opposed to the NC. With regards to history, much of what this age range will learn comes from the ‘Knowledge and Understanding of the World’ aspect of the Early Learning Goals. It is expected that by the end of the foundation stage, children will ‘talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members’ (DfE, 2012, p.9) The EYFS understands that it would be unrealistic for such young children to fully comprehend the defined body of factual information that is history, however a development of finding out about changes and passage of time is not (O’Hara and O’Hara, 2001, p. 18). There are many story books that can reveal to young children a language that identifies a concept o f ‘long ago’. Stories such as ‘When Grandma Was Young’ (Humphrey, 2000), ‘Elmer and Grandpa Eldo’ (Mckee, 2001) and ‘My Granny is a Pirate’ (Mcdermid and Robins, 2012) can invoke interest with early years children and inspire them to become inquisitive about the past.It has been suggested that time means nothing to young children. However learning to ask and answer questions through story reading will enhance their concept history. Therefore continuing to do so through the Early Learning Goals will prepare children, entering at primary level, to appreciate the importance of history (Lunn and Bishop, 2004). It is important to remember to children do not stop learning history when they finish their time at primary school. Maintained secondary schools follow the NC which maintains that all children will continue to learn history by means of the KS3 History Programmes of Study (2013).Therefore it is important to prepare children for mo re challenging and precise history learning. New topics shall be introduced so it is important children have the skills to ‘identify significant events, make connections, draw contrasts, and analyse trends’ (p. 72). It is, furthermore, defined that pupils will ‘pursue historically valid enquiries including some they have framed themselves’ (p. 72). This indicates towards children becoming independent critical thinkers, a valuable quality to have in adult life, this alone is a fundamental reason for the inclusion of history in the NC (DfE, 2013).Hoodless (2008) believes that history offers a range opportunities to overcome barriers in learning, with specific reference to gender, class and ethnic and cultural backgrounds. She believes that there are many ways to teach history to make it inclusive to everyone and says that â€Å"inclusive practise involves treating each individual with respect, included them equally in whatever is taking place and responding appropriately to their different needs† (p. 140). She argues that history education can reach individuals in different ways because of the many approaches and strategies used to teach it.For example, a child who struggles to read can be given visual sources to aid their learning rather than long pieces of text, thus benefitting the child more (p. 135). Another underlying reason for teaching history is because of the opportunities it can give to children from minority ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Although sensitivity must be empathised, using cases of past civilisations to stimulate an identification of how prejudgments, such as racism, sexism or any other type of discrimination, arose can then contribute to eliminating them (p.139).Boys and Spink (2008) expands on this by proposing that the history curriculum should be ‘culturally relevant to all pupils’ (p. 71). The United Kingdom has become a diverse multicultural society over the years. Consequently, Boys a nd Spink (2008) suggest that the NC study unit ‘Britain since 1948’ provides an opportunity to explore the Commonwealth immigration (p. 71). Exploring such a topic will provide children with an understanding of different culture’s arrivals into the United Kingdom which they might otherwise not ever be educated on.As part of the Professional Standards for qualified teacher status (QTS), teachers are expected to demonstrate that they are able to plan opportunities for children to learn in out-of-school environments (DfE, 2013, p. 8). Such settings as, museums, theatres, school visits, fieldwork and employment-based locations can all be used as a means for enriching children’s learning. From birth children are trying to make sense of their multi-sensory environment, making them active learners. To limit children’s learning to the classroom would be a shameful waste of the valuable resources that are on offer to enhance their education.Out-of-school lea rning helps to develop skills including decision-making, group work and critical thinking, all of which are key attributes to have. Hoodless et al. (2003) takes this further by saying that ‘the sensory experiences help all kinds of learner to remember and learn from the locality and its inhabitants’ (p. 136). Outside learning can be restricted to the school’s boundaries or the close localities and still offer the same benefits. The school itself can be studied for design elements that can be analysed to identify the age of the building.Taking a short walk out the school grounds can provide a wealth of people, building and landscapes that children can learn from. It is important to remember, however, the risk assessments that need to be carried out in order for these events to take place. In many cases consent from the parent will need to be given in order to take children out of school. It is also essential to prepare clearly structured learning objectives in ord er to achieve greatly from out-of-school learning and make the most of the time dedicated to such pedagogy (Hoodless, 2003, p.137-140).Furthermore, with the threatened return of rickets in children recently, giving them more chances to study outside could prevent this. The Telegraph (2013) reported that the increase has come from children spending ‘too much time indoors on computers and gaming consoles’ which is why incorporating outdoor study into children’s learning will benefit them entirely. Finally, multiple reviews of the foundation subjects within the curriculum only reflect on the commitment for enriching children’s learning that government have (Boys and Spink, 2008, p.xii). Foundation subjects influence cross-curricular and out-of-school learning, making them more appealing and beneficial for children. Additionally, Johnston (2002) talks of how young children [in the EYFS] develop knowledge of how the world works by exploring the world around the m. She says â€Å"the wider their informal experiences, the broader and deeper will be their understandings† (p. 24). This suggests that the integration of foundation learning within the EYFS is the source of children’s initial understanding of the world they live in.The need to develop a sense of history learning in the EYFS has been addressed by looking at the importance of invoking interest about the past. Furthermore, Ofsted (2011) found that history was a ‘popular and successful subject, which many pupils enjoyed’ (p. 5). This statement alone could be the rationale for teaching history in primary schools. A subject that can captivate students and encourage them to learn more is an underlying reason for that subject to be taught. A Rationale for teaching the Foundation Subjects within Early Years and Primary Education The underlying basis for the inclusion of foundation subjects within early years and primary education might not be immediately apparent, particularly for first year students studying towards qualified teacher status. This essay will, therefore, unfold the reasons for this inclusion whilst including specific reference to the enclosure of history teaching.The National Curriculum (NC), introduced in 1988 and currently undergoing revision, consists of the core subjects: English, mathematics and science; compulsory at all key stages, and the foundation subjects: art, design technology (DT), geography, history, information and communication technology (ICT), modern foreign languages (MFL), music, personal, social and health education (PSHE) and physical education (PE); most of which are compulsory at one or more of the key stages (DfE, 2013).It is also important to remember that Religious Education is included within the basic curriculum and is legally bound to be taught, however children can forego the subject at their parents request. Since 2008 the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) has become integrated within all childcare providers, except mother and toddler groups, nannies and short-term creches, and covers the welfare and development of children (BBC). This essay will not only demonstrate a rationale for the inclusion of foundation subjects in both the EYFS and NC, but also examine how history is developed into children’s learning through both stages.Boys and Spink (2008) believe the foundation subjects and RE ‘have the potential to be the most powerful, most meaningful and most relevant areas of learning for all learners’ (p. xii). Hoodless (2008) develops this further with history, stating â€Å"the most significant reason for teaching history in primary schools is that it motivates children and captures their imaginations† (p. 2). Both statements reflect on the importance of teaching history and other foundation subjects, yet f ocuses on extra-curricular benefits.History can lead to many cross-curricular links and it has been suggested by Davies and Redmond (1998) that teaching history in isolation ‘would be a horrible waste of universal discipline’ (p. 39). Looking at time-lines in history can help to develop mathematical skills, whereas art can be pulled in by the associations with drawing or painting ancient artefacts. Fines (2013) also believes in the importance of history due to its cross-curricular abilities, he says â€Å"history can contribute to learning across the whole spectrum of the curriculum and does so effectively† (p.6).As a core subject, mathematics is something that, when applicable, should always be integrated into a child’s learning. However, as a foundation subject itself, art is a skill which helps to develop children’s creativity and imagination, thus making art a valuable attribute that should be included when possible. Furthermore, childrenâ€℠¢s art work is often used as displays within schools; this way of celebrating work is a great way of boasting children’s confidence as well as giving them a sense of reward.This is vital for motivation, enthusiasm and inspiration which will encourage children to get involved in further learning and therefore learn more effectively (NASP, 2003). The NC is currently undergoing revision, due for implementation into schools in September 2014. Government says the review comes from the need to catch up with the world’s best education systems. Prime Minister, David Cameron says this â€Å"revolution in education† is vital for the country's economic affluence and that it should be written by experts and not restricted to ministers' â€Å"personal prejudices† (BBC, 2013).According to The Guardian (2013) changes will be welcome across the Key Stages (KS). However, it claims that for KS1, history will not differ too much from the previous NC and that ‘the more noticeable changes are in KS2’. Both Key Stages will see a new stress in the importance of chronological understanding. This is a result of the 2011 Ofsted report in which it states â€Å"although pupils in primary schools generally had good knowledge†¦their chronological understanding and their ability to make links across the knowledge they had gained were weaker† (p. 5).Ofsted (2011) claimed that this was due to ‘many primary teachers not having adequate subject knowledge’ (p. 4). This developed the need for the curriculum to ensure that pupils study an overview as well as in-depth topics. The old curriculum (2000) states that pupils should be taught the knowledge, skills and understanding through: a local history study; three British history studies; a European history study; a world history study (p. 106).Whereas the Programmes of Study for the revised curriculum (2013) shifts towards how history fits together and how events from one time period can affect another, maintaining that  teaching should combine overview with in-depth studies to aid pupils understanding on chronology (p. 3). In Ofsted-registered settings, children from birth to 5 years old work towards the EYFS as opposed to the NC. With regards to history, much of what this age range will learn comes from the ‘Knowledge and Understanding of the World’ aspect of the Early Learning Goals. It is expected that by the end of the foundation stage, children will ‘talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members’ (DfE, 2012, p.  9)The EYFS understands that it would be unrealistic for such young children to fully comprehend the defined body of factual information that is history, however a development of finding out about changes and passage of time is not (O’Hara and O’Hara, 2001, p. 18). There are many story books that can reveal to young children a language that identifies a concept o f ‘long ago’. Stories such as ‘When Grandma Was Young’ (Humphrey, 2000), ‘Elmer and Grandpa Eldo’ (Mckee, 2001) and ‘My Granny is a Pirate’ (Mcdermid and Robins, 2012) can invoke interest with early years children and inspire them to become inquisitive about the past.It has been suggested that time means nothing to young children. However learning to ask and answer questions through story reading will enhance their concept history. Therefore continuing to do so through the Early Learning Goals will prepare children, entering at primary level, to appreciate the importance of history (Lunn and Bishop, 2004). It is important to remember to children do not stop learning history when they finish their time at primary school. Maintained secondary schools follow the NC which maintains that all children will continue to learn history by means of the KS3 History Programmes of Study (2013).Therefore it is important to prepare children for mo re challenging and precise history learning. New topics shall be introduced so it is important children have the skills to ‘identify significant events, make connections, draw contrasts, and analyse trends’ (p. 72). It is, furthermore, defined that pupils will ‘pursue historically valid enquiries including some they have framed themselves’ (p. 72). This indicates towards children becoming independent critical thinkers, a valuable quality to have in adult life, this alone is a fundamental reason for the inclusion of history in the NC (DfE, 2013).Hoodless (2008) believes that history offers a range opportunities to overcome barriers in learning, with specific reference to gender, class and ethnic and cultural backgrounds. She believes that there are many ways to teach history to make it inclusive to everyone and says that â€Å"inclusive practise involves treating each individual with respect, included them equally in whatever is taking place and responding appropriately to their different needs† (p. 140). She argues that history education can reach individuals in different ways because of the many approaches and strategies used to teach it.For example, a child who struggles to read can be given visual sources to aid their learning rather than long pieces of text, thus benefitting the child more (p. 135). Another underlying reason for teaching history is because of the opportunities it can give to children from minority ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Although sensitivity must be empathised, using cases of past civilisations to stimulate an identification of how prejudgments, such as racism, sexism or any other type of discrimination, arose can then contribute to eliminating them (p.  139).Boys and Spink (2008) expands on this by proposing that the history curriculum should be ‘culturally relevant to all pupils’ (p. 71). The United Kingdom has become a diverse multicultural society over the years. Consequently, Bo ys and Spink (2008) suggest that the NC study unit ‘Britain since 1948’ provides an opportunity to explore the Commonwealth immigration (p. 71). Exploring such a topic will provide children with an understanding of different culture’s arrivals into the United Kingdom which they might otherwise not ever be educated on.As part of the Professional Standards for qualified teacher status (QTS), teachers are expected to demonstrate that they are able to plan opportunities for children to learn in out-of-school environments (DfE, 2013, p. 8). Such settings as, museums, theatres, school visits, fieldwork and employment-based locations can all be used as a means for enriching children’s learning. From birth children are trying to make sense of their multi-sensory environment, making them active learners. To limit children’s learning to the classroom would be a shameful waste of the valuable resources that are on offer to enhance their education.Out-of-school learning helps to develop skills including decision-making, group work and critical thinking, all of which are key attributes to have. Hoodless et al. (2003) takes this further by saying that ‘the sensory experiences help all kinds of learner to remember and learn from the locality and its inhabitants’ (p. 136). Outside learning can be restricted to the school’s boundaries or the close localities and still offer the same benefits. The school itself can be studied for design elements that can be analysed to identify the age of the building.Taking a short walk out the school grounds can provide a wealth of people, building and landscapes that children can learn from. It is important to remember, however, the risk assessments that need to be carried out in order for these events to take place. In many cases consent from the parent will need to be given in order to take children out of school. It is also essential to prepare clearly structured learning objectives in order to achieve greatly from out-of-school learning and make the most of the time dedicated to such pedagogy (Hoodless, 2003, p.  137-140).Furthermore, with the threatened return of rickets in children recently, giving them more chances to study outside could prevent this. The Telegraph (2013) reported that the increase has come from children spending ‘too much time indoors on computers and gaming consoles’ which is why incorporating outdoor study into children’s learning will benefit them entirely. Finally, multiple reviews of the foundation subjects within the curriculum only reflect on the commitment for enriching children’s learning that government have (Boys and Spink, 2008, p.  xii).Foundation subjects influence cross-curricular and out-of-school learning, making them more appealing and beneficial for children. Additionally, Johnston (2002) talks of how young children [in the EYFS] develop knowledge of how the world works by exploring the world around them. She says â€Å"the wider their informal experiences, the broader and deeper will be their understandings† (p. 24). This suggests that the integration of foundation learning within the EYFS is the source of children’s initial understanding of the world they live in.The need to develop a sense of history learning in the EYFS has been addressed by looking at the importance of invoking interest about the past. Furthermore, Ofsted (2011) found that history was a ‘popular and successful subject, which many pupils enjoyed’ (p. 5). This statement alone could be the rationale for teaching history in primary schools. A subject that can captivate students and encourage them to learn more is an underlying reason for that subject to be taught.

Why, according to Lee Kuan Yew, are Western democratic systems unsuited to East Asia?

Lee Kuan Yew, prime minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, and now Senior Minister of his country, commands much respect and influence in both the East and the West. This respect and influence reaches to the highest echelons of world leaders, to the vast multitude of academics, commentators and development strategists, and to the millions of people who live in East Asia. Regardless of whether or not this esteem is justified and deserved, ti is real, and therefore must be analysed, interpreted, criticised or praised while not forgetting the importance and effect his beliefs and proclamations have had, and will have. Any discussion of world politics, especially in East Asia, cannot ignore the hows, whys and wherefores of the current situation and the influence that current ideas and thought may have on the future. Lee's views have undoubtedly shaped his own country, certainly have influenced other governments in the region, and will definitely bear their markon the short- to mid-term future of East Asian politics. This explains the reasons why this essay solely deals with him. The essay is divided into three main sections. Firstly, I will discuss Lee's ideas and policies, and why he believes in an ‘Asian values' view of the politics of the region. Secondly, I will explore some of the responses that have been made in opposition to his views, and thirdly, I will present some observations and conclusions of my own. These observations will draw on some other problems and inconsistencies with Lee's ideas. Let us turn then to the man and his ideas. The central theme running through any study or discussion of his political ideas and actions is the importance that culture has on shaping the society and its structures. The shared history, traditions, make-up, worldview and social relationships are the key factors that determine how a state should be organised and governed. Thus, if the culture is different between two sets of peoples, then the resulting state structure and government type will also be different. Culture is the driver, the basis of society and the legitimacy used by those in power to decree what is best for their people. This viewpoint is often referred to as the ‘Asian values' system (Ng, 1997, Theodore de Bary, 1999, Hague & Harrop, 2001) and is summed up succinctly by the title of a famous interview with Lee which appeared in a 1994 edition of Foreign Affairs – ‘Culture is Destiny' (Zakiria, 1994). The importance that Lee places on the cultural aspect of a society does not mean that what is right for his country is also right for other countries. Whilst consistently dismissing Western-, and in particular, US-style democratic systems as valid models for Singapore, he does not suggest that the US-style system is neccessarily wrong for the US. It is not my business to tell people what's wrong with their system. It is my business to tell people not to foist their system indiscrimately on societies in which it will not work (Zakiria quoting Lee, 1994, p. 110). This can be seen as a statement recognising the particularity of political systems depending on the society / culture in question. Whilst Lee has been described as being authoritarian, semi-, or soft-authoritarian, he certainly doesn't make claims for the world to be based on an Asian values system. It appears that his position is more concerned about keeping hold of power in Singapore rather than exporting it around the world. The main, fundamental as Lee calls it, cultural reason why Western democratic systems are unsuited to East Asia is the difference between the place and status of the individual in those societies. The fundamental difference between Western concepts of society and government and East Asian concepts†¦ is that Eastern societies believe that the individual exists in the context of his family. He is not pristine and separate. The family is part of the extended family, and the friends and the wider society. The ruler or government does not try to provide for a person what the family best provides (Zakiria quoting Lee, 1994, p. 113). This focus on the moral and virtuous notion of society is stongly linked to Confucianism, so often portrayed as being fundamentally East Asian and always compared with Western systems. Lee's manifestation of this doctrine is used by him to legitimate and promote an East Asian society based on strong hierarchical structures to bring about social and political stability. In the East the main object is to have a well-ordered society so that everybody can have maximum enjoyment of his freedoms. This freedom can only exist in an ordered state and not in a natural state of contention and anarchy (Zakiria quoting Le, 1994, p. 111). These three main features of Lee's take on East Asia's political and social climate – culture, the place in society of the individual, and a well-ordered society – are admittedly affected and influenced by the West over time, and are not seen as developing without the impact of colonial rule and imperialism. †¦ ur Confucianism has been attenuated by 120 years of British rule and education in British and other English-speaking universities (IHT, 2001). But, despite this impact Lee steadfastly denies any further infusion of Western democracy into East Asia, especially Singapore. †¦ this doesn't mean we are going to be like a Western society. The values are different (de Borch, 2001). Lee is not the torch-h older for everyone though. Whilst he receives praise from his counterparts around the world, there are many in the academic and development strategist world that strongly disagree with him. Of course, it is not just a simple case of disagreeing over a matter of opinion, there are many valid and strong arguments against Lee's ideas. From this myriad of arguments, I have identified three main strands of contestation – historical arguments against Lee's ‘Asian values', the theoretical arguments concerning discussions of what democracy should be and how it should be followed in East Asia, and the problems and criticisms of the actually existing governing style of Lee. First then, arguments against Lee taken from history. There are two key aspects to this – the relevance of Confucianism to East Asia today, and evidence of a democratic tradition throughout East Asia's past. Famously, Max Weber theorised about the particular contribution to advanced capitalism of the ‘Protestant ethic'. This, in turn, explained how other cultures, including Confucian cultures, were not suited to advanced capitalism. Clearly this can now be questionned, especially if, as many commentators have said, that East Asia is economically dynamic. If Confucianism explains the economic boom in East Asia today, does it not also explain that region's stagnation for four centuries? Zakiria, 1994, p. 125). Kin Dae Jung, writing in response to the ‘Culture is Destiny' interview, identifies a strong tradition and history of democratic ideals and institutions in East Asia's past. This suggests that an argument could be made for ‘Asian values' actually referring to a much more democratic system than the Confucian-based one that Lee propagates. A thorough anaylsis makes it clear that Asia has a rich heritage of democracy-oriented philosophies and traditions. Asia has already made great strides toward democratisation and possesses the necessary conditions to develop democracy even beyond the level of the West (Jung, 1994, p. 91). The second major criticism of Lee comes from studies of the theoretical nature of democracy and what it means, shuold mean, or can mean to East Asia. The basic premise is that why should democracy only be relevant to particular cultures and why should particular cultures have to follow other political paths? This highlights the argument for democracy's universality. There is nothing special about torturing the Asian way†¦ human rights are human rights (Vatikiotis cited by Hague & Harrop, 2001, p. 29). The rejection of Western-style democracy by East Asian leaders is also seen by some as merely an excuse for not moving beyond ‘soft-authoritarianism' and into democracy. This is strongly tied up with the observation that this is simply the most effective way for leaders such as Lee to rule their countries. The biggest obstacle is not its cultural heritage but the resistance of authoritarian rulers and their apologists (Jung, 1994, p. 194). The third area of opposition to Lee's ideas that can be identified is that of problems with the actually exisitng state and society structures and institutions. For some, just observing Lee's form of rule is enough to reject his notions of what is the correct way to govern. These doubts stem chiefly from the Singapore government's undeniably harsh treatment of the opposition, as evidenced in its most recent elections (Ng, 1997, p. 21) Also, there appears to be two threats to the whole ‘Asian values' theory. Firstly, we have on the one hand Lee purporting to leave the individual's private matters to the individual, whilst on the other it can be observed that his government is actually intruding into the private sphere more than ever (Jung, 1994, p. 90). Secondly, an external threat is apparent from the global spread of modernisation. †¦ as an inevitable consequence of industrialisation, the family-centred East Asian societies are also rapidly moving toward self-centred individualism. Nothing in human history is permanent (Jun, 1994, p. 21). In conclusion it must be said that Lee's position in East Asia, and his reverance amongst Western opinion-formers should not distract us from dissecting and criticising his ideas. It is not good enough to assume that cultural traits should determine, worse still, justify the actions of governments, particularly Lee's. There should be certain aspects to a government and society that are unacceptable no matter what setting. Lee makes much of the need for a ‘well-ordered' society. The heavy-handed way this society is brought about blatantly contradicts Lee's notions of freedom. He talks of East Asians being able to have â€Å"maximum enjoyment of his freedoms† but Lee's notion of what is behaving and what is misbehaving sets a Singaporean's realm of freedom for him. This is certainly not the freedom that John Stuart Mill wrote about. It could be argued that it is better to have a society that is not so ‘well-ordered' but democratic, than it is to live in a society such as one that Lee envisages; faith must be placed with society to check its members' activities rather than have all aspects of life limited by an all-seeing government. Lee's ways may also only be suited to a small state such as Singapore. Even he admits that, within that small population, total control is practically impossible. This for me leads to the heart of the importance placed by Lee on ‘Asian values' and why Western ideas of democracy are unsuited to East Asia. It is very hard to escape the conclusion that the justification of ‘Asian values' is solely a political smokescreen to maintain power. It is even harder to escape this conclusion when the man himself proclaims: So when Americans tell me: you ought to govern in this way, I say thank you very much, I have listened to you very carefully, if I don't think we are ready for that, I have to do it my way (IHT, 2001, my emphasis).

ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON MANAGMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON MANAGMENT - Essay Example Thus management involves achieving competencies in human resources management, administration, and organizational leadership among others areas (Koontz & Weihrich, 1990). In addition, organizational image and identity refers to that which is most central, distinct and most enduring about an organization. In other words the image and identity refers to â€Å"who we are as an organization† (Whatten & Mackey, 2002). This definition indicates the other organization and ‘we’ are one and the same thing, which cannot be separated by any means. For example, a Human resource manager is involved in recruiting, training, and creating policies to motivate and retain the workforce within an organization. In performing these functions, the HRM performs a political function by creating and allocating people to positions of power within the organization (Devanna et al, 1981), and how payments and rewards are distributed. On the other hand, the manager is functional as they have t o design policies and strategies that have to ensure the recruited employees contribute to development and improvement of the firm. The manager performs a rational activity by having well organized and structured policies that will help in achieving certain ends to the benefit of the company while at the same time rewarding employees for their input. Likewise organization image is a political process as it uses the power of influencing perception. An organization has to improve its image so as to appear more aligned within a certain goal, which influences public’s perception. The strategies and policies put in place to enhance and achieve this image constitute the functional process. Its rationality is in the purpose of achieving an end, which is attracting more customers and investors through improved corporate image, while at the same time gaining the support of employees. However, the current developments in organizational study have resulted into critical theories that fi nd the mainstream management to be poorly structured in effectively addressing all the concerns of stakeholders (Adler, Forbes, Willmott, 2007) This is because; the current management structure gives more advantage to managers; sometimes misuse these positions to benefit the organization at the cost of stakeholders. According to Contu & Willmott (2003) there is unstable institutionalization of power within capitalist type of organizations where profit making is the sole purpose of such organizations. On the other hand, Lukes (2005) explains organizations that have decisions emanating from the decision makers only have one dimensional power prevailing in decision making, instead of having an agenda control type of decision making. As Heydebrand (2007) elaborates, the new organizational critic theories argue that the basic importance of power at the very initial level of management is to prevent grievances and unnecessary conflicts through consent. It seeks to define the social realit y including what people are actually thinking, acting, feeling and shaping the very definition of what is free and unfree, good and evil, or true or false (Heydebrand, 2009, Herbamas, 1990). Thus management conflict is central to important functions in the organizations such as bargaining, mediation in labor laws, other extra legal disputes, and negotiations (Stone, 2001). Largely, these are the major lacking attributed in the mainstream ma

Case Study Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study Review - Essay Example Criminal activities and drug usage have adverse effects on both the user and the citizens of a nation. A good example of the negative effects is poor judgment as evidenced in the case study of Mike. Mike is a 20-year-old. His age is sufficient indicator that the youth are most susceptible to drug abuse addiction. Involvement in such activities leads one to a jail term of a specified period. On the case of Mike, his release from prison is quickly followed by strict supervision implying he was on probation or trial periods. According to Shifter (2012), drugs and crime have a great relationship as can be identified from the case of Mike who has been involved in crime to a great extent and is also a suspect of drugs usage. The drug used by Mike is cocaine and is an expensive drug. It is worth noting that the need for drugs triggers the involvement in criminal activity (Shifter, 2012). Using the case of Mike, he uses an expensive drug meaning he needs money to acquire the drug. As a result, he is involved in a criminal activity of stealing a car. Individuals suspected to use drugs can be tested after which the result can either be positive or negative. For Mike, on running the test the probation department finds out that he was positive and that he required counseling. Unfortunately Mike’s issues were beyond drug addiction. It is worth noting, that Mike had a personality disorder. In other words, he was self-obsessed such that he had unstable emotions. As a result, he had little regard for the feeling of others. The use of drugs especially cocaine causes anxiety and irritability (Shifter, 2012). Inevitably, this makes Mike more sensitive to the comments of others. Consequently, this triggers the relationship between the people around you. For example, in the case of Mike her fiancà © did break up with him since he only cared about himself. Mike had impaired judgments that, as a result, made

Macro Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macro Economics - Essay Example (Sloman, 2006) Keynesians believe that if left to the market forces there is no guarantee that the economy will achieve a full employment level of GDP. They argue that instead when left on its own economy may not function as required and may result in high levels of unemployment. Therefore, to control this it is important for the government to intervene. If there is high unemployment the government should opt for deficit financing in order to increase the spending in the economy thereby, triggering economic growth. (Bamford et al. 2003) According to the circular flow of income national income should always be equal to the consumption of domestically produced goods and the withdrawals from the economy. Y= Cd + W Here National Income (Y) can be defined by the above equation. The withdrawals (W) are made up of net Savings (S), net Taxes (T) and spending on Imports (M). As we already know that the total spending in the economy on goods and services is known as Aggregate Expenditure (E). This is made up of the demand for locally produced goods plus the three injections (J): investment (I), government expenditure in the economy (G) and exports (X). (Sloman, 2006) When in equilibrium the Aggregate Expenditure is equal to National Income as injections are supposed to be equal to withdrawals. In the model put forward by the Keynesians in order to get equilibrium national income a line is drawn at 45 degrees. This is because at that point the Aggregate Expenditure will be equal to real GDP level of income. Thus, shown in the diagram below the level of income in the economy will be determined at the point where the AE curves interest the 45 degrees line. Figure 1 The Keynesian income-expenditure approach and aggregate demand and supply Diagram taken from Cliff Notes, 2011: Website Suppose that the economy is initially at the natural level of real GDP that corresponds to  Y1  in Figure  1. Associated with this level of real GDP is an aggregate expenditure curve,  A E1. Now, suppose that autonomous expenditure declines, from  A1  to  A3, causing the  AE  curve to shift downward from  AE1  to  AE3. This decline in autonomous expenditure is also represented by a reduction in aggregate demand from  AD1  to  AD2. At the same price level,  P1, equilibrium real GDP has fallen from  Y1  to  Y3. However, the intersection of the  SAS  and  AD2  curves is at the lower price level,  P2, implying that the price level falls. The fall in the price level means that the aggregate expenditure curve will not fall all the way to  AE3  but will instead fall only to  AE2. Therefore, the new level of equilibrium real GDP is at  Y2, which lies below the natural level,  Y1. (Cliff notes, 2011) Question 2 â€Å"In economics, a  multiplier  is a factor of proportionality that measures how much an  endogenous  variable changes in response to a change in some  exogenous  variable. For example, suppose a one-un it change in some variable  x  causes another variable  y  to change by  M  units. Then the multiplier is  M.† (Wikipedia, 2011) When the injections in an economy increases so does the amount of the national income (Y). The question here is by how much? In fact, national income Y will increase in a proportion more than the injections-J. Y will rise by a multiple of J. The number of times Y increases with respect to the change in the injections is known as the multiplier (k). Multiplier is equal to the change in national income Y divided by the change in injections. (Sloman, 2006) Apart from the above explanation above the value of the multiplier can also be determined by the following formula: K= 1/ (marginal propensity to withdraw). (Bamford et al. 2003) The four-sector economy is the most

Nuclear Energy disasters and the effects on the Environment Research Paper

Nuclear Energy disasters and the effects on the Environment - Research Paper Example This notion continued until 1803 when an English chemist John Dalton revitalized the old notion and used it to explain various problems, which chemists at that time were struggling with. Rather than any of the experiments resulting to the idea, it surfaced from analysis of several experiments involving chemical reactions and properties of gases. Daltons theory became popularized and established experimentally in the course of early 19th century (Rogers, 2013). Most of the points mentioned above are still recognized by most current scientists, except for some few points. First, the radioactivity and nuclear fusion/fission discovery resulted to revision of point (b). Isotopes confirm that atoms of a similar element can in reality exhibit small disparities because of a diverse number of neutrons (Mara, 2011). In addition, the ions’ existence with unreliable electrons’ numbers also contradicts this point. Point (e) has also been nullified by nuclear physics, because atoms can certainly be destroyed in the nuclear chain reactions. Moreover, point (d)’s second item, is somewhat incorrect, as, for example, water is H2O, but not HO (Mara, 2011). Dalton’s assertion that atoms merge in equivalent amounts to create compounds delayed acceptance of the theory for a long time. In spite of today’s perspective, Dalton remarkably contributed for his time and since then his name continues to receive honor from its association with the theory. In nuclear power, nuclear accident means events, which emit certain amount of radiation that are likely to be of harm to the health of the public and also to the environment (Bortz, 2012). Normally, the nuclear accidents are categorized as nuclear incidents and accidents by severity. In addition, while the radioactive accidents and nuclear accidents are included for perfect understanding, nuclear accident can result from the failure of a reactor of a nuclear power plant radiation. Regardless of the fact that some

IPod Research Progress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IPod Research Progress - Essay Example libraries and online journals in a bid to achieve this purpose and a lot of potential books and magazines have been earmarked for further use during the course of the study. To keep track of the required excerpts and information from these various books, an excel sheet has been prepared and is being constantly used to keep track of the specific pages and sections within these literary sources so that it may be possible to revert to a specific page within a particular book or magazine with minimal effort, thereby providing more time to invest qualitatively in performing the requisite analysis. In a similar fashion, efforts are also underway to study and understand various market research theories and methodologies with the intention of selecting the appropriate ones that can be used for the research. Information pertaining to market research is available from a plethora of related books that contain vast discussions on areas such as product design, marketing, competitor analysis and branding. Although the study is being performed in a highly structured manner, it is true that certain difficulties were observed. Although local libraries contain a plethora of information on Apple’s products, it was soon evident that a large part of this information was in fact a few years old and the best books available offered information up to a few years since the launch of the iPod. To counter this deficiency, it was soon decided to rely extensively on online digital libraries such as Questia and the ACM portal. These online sites provided access to the latest books and journals, thus helping provide up to date information and helping make the research outcome more productive and qualitative. To obtain data on market perceptions and latest trends, it had been mentioned earlier that the study would utilize the inputs from various companies and professionals dealing in market research within the consumer electronics market with a specific focus on digital music players. To

Community Health Advocacy Project Part Four Essay - 1

Community Health Advocacy Project Part Four - Essay Example The most prominent causes of depression in the elderly include lack of physical activity, lower self esteem and reduction in social activity. According to psychology people who exercise properly on a daily basis are less likely to contract various diseases whereas those people who manage to maintain an appropriate level of self esteem and keep on working hard towards attaining their professional and personal goals can avoid the possibility of depression because of their healthy lifestyle (Livingston, Blizard, & Mann, 1993). The nursing and other medical staff can help older patients in fighting depression by motivating them to maintain the habit of walking. Moreover, the medical staff should also promote the habit of reading in the patients because it is believed that books can help humans in recovering from diseases. The books are helpful regarding fighting depression because they provide patients with an opportunity to shift focus from the disease and thus they experience less psychological burden (Schulz, Drayer, & Rollman, 2002). Yee, the family and friends can also play a significant role in eliminating depression and hopelessness in the elderly because old people are found to be considering their children and family as true sources of motivation. More especially elders tend to extract happiness from educational and professional achievements of the children. Therefore it is suggested that families should maintain close contact with elders in order to prolong their life span. Yes, retirement can also be taken as an active cause of depression because it forces elders to think that they are not of any use to the society anymore. But it is the responsibility of the society to keep retirees busy in healthy activities like gardening. The elders should also be encouraged towards joining social clubs so that they can have sufficient social activity as

Dilemmas of Corporate Power in a Democratic Society Essay

Dilemmas of Corporate Power in a Democratic Society - Essay Example This is because the aspects of the problems of group power within a government have remained hidden behind accidents of legal form. The growth of group power from legal control has progressed due to the following factors. First, the ability and tradition of powerful organizations to remain unincorporated and, therefore, escape many of the liabilities of the corporate person. Second are the restrictions of equitable measures which have prevented the courts from punishing abuse of power by organizations in reference to their members. Thirdly, there has been excess freedom of organizations to disguise themselves as charitable foundations which has made many business activities to be clothed as charitable foundations. Private power has been employed by lawyers and politicians to infringe on the freedoms of individuals and the balance of public decisions which may become susceptible in the face of such power. According to Dabbah, on the basis of liberal democracy, this problem is twofold and constitutes a real dilemma. Citizens have the right to have their freedoms entitled to them which they are free to exercise. Thus, these freedoms should not be forced or imposed on others. Power in liberal democratic societies in the public realm is only recognized by those who hold it legitimately according to the law, while in the private sphere, power does not go beyond the limited prerogatives allotted within the firm to its owner.Beyond these limitations, private power in a liberal democracy is seen to be abusive.

HMVs E-business Performance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

HMVs E-business Performance - Case Study Example During the early years, HMV was a brand name known to every music lover and became synonymous to music retailing. This helped HMV to expend its base out of London to all most every corner of Britain. The first major period growth came in the sixties, when fifteen new stores were opened in grater London and south east and then again in the following years it becomes customary affair for HMV. Store sizes of HMV have been increasing to accommodate the vast range of music videos, computer games etc. In October, 1998, this process culminated in the opening of HMV in new 50,000 sq feet flagship store at 150 Oxford Street, listed by the Guinness book of records at the time as the world's largest record store. In later years, HMV continued to launch its flagship standard superstores all over UK. The UK based chain was also able to successfully export the branch to the rest of the world and retail chains were established in North America &South East - Asia. HMV continued to lead the way in mu sic retailing into the millennium and launch HMV - direct in 1992, its mail order operation and in 1997, its own website WWW.hmv.co.uk shows its commitment towards adopting new technologies and to cater the opportunities which lie ahead. Now HMV has developed into one of the world's leading ret... HMV is dedicated to provide its customers the widest range possible of music, films and games across all formats. Recently, the music industry specially has seen the revolution in the form of digital music which has the capacity to be offered at any time, anywhere in the world through number of channels. This has increased capability to reach out vast number of audiences. "Electronic commerce is often thought simply to refer to buying and selling using the Internet; people immediately think of consumer retail purchases from companies. But e-commerce involved much more than electronically mediated financial transactions between organization and customers. Many commentators refer to e-commerce as all electronically mediated transaction between an organization and any third party it deals with. By this definition, non-financial transaction such as customers' requests for further information would also be considered to be part of e-commerce (Chaffey, 2004). The HMV group operates form approximately 680 shops in 7 countries and total retail floor space of 3.6 million square feet. For the full year ended April 2007, HMV group had a turnover of 1,894.5 million pound and operating profit of 57.3 million pound. HMV UK & Ireland sold 78 million CD & DVD units and water stone's 58 million books in the financial year ended April 2007. The acquisition of Ottakar's for 62.9 million pound brought together two businesses similar to each other i.e. book selling and music, video & games selling. Waterstone and Ottakar are both specialists offering a wide range of titles. This step has been taken by the company to accommodate customers' requirements. Book selling in UK has been impacted by intensifying competition form

Investment policy statement Essay Example for Free

Investment policy statement Essay Return Requirements: * Tax minimization – a continuing collateral goal * Inflation adjustment enhancement of investments- real growth of capital with possible extra return if possible. Risk Tolerance: * Investment risk – very low risk 1. The Muellers have been managing their own investments and are familiar with risk but may not understand volotiliity completely due to their high portion of volatile stocks within the portfolio 2. Want to provide for their daughter’s college education 3. Very high tax bracket (30% on income and 20% on net realized gains) Constraints: Time Horizon: The Muellers are relatively young and have still a lot of time to work and likely saving for retirement is in their agenda. The main goal is to provide for their daughter’s education and expenses associated with it. This goal would be considered long-term but is relatively short in comparison to possible saving for retirement. Liquidity Requirement: There is an ongoing stream of income available. Their may still be some liquidity needs in order to provide for the expenses of the college education along with life expenses associated with both The Muller’s and their daughter. Taxes: The family is in the highest of brackets. Future investments should take that into account on an indefinite basis. Tax-sheltered investments should be considered and will likely benefit the family more than high yields that are taxable. Legal and Regulatory: The Muellers would like to monitor their own investments, so their investments are generally only governed by state law. Unique Circumstances: Past unsuccessful investments of $100,000 can be used to offset tax distributions on net realized gains. Most important aspect and is unique to the saturation, Incoming expenses of $90,000 for the first year of college and then consistent four more years of $40,000 of college expenses.

Influence of Christianity on Literature

Influence of Christianity on Literature Introduction Christianity and Islam are daughter religions of Judaism. They were established as splinter groups from Judaism at different times in the history of the Jews. On its part, Judaism is a very old religion which traces its origin from the Old Testament times of Abraham and Moses. In fact, all of its doctrines revolve around the Mosaic Law. These are sets of rules/commandments which were given to Moses by God (Yahweh) in Mount Sinai. It happened at a time when he was called by God to go back to Egypt and deliver His people (the Israelites) from the yoke of oppression from the ruthless Pharaoh. This followed the enslavement of the Israelites that lasted for over 400 years until they were eventually delivered by Moses. Later, Judaism became the official religion amongst the Jews[1]. On the other hand, Christianity is a religion which is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. As recorded in the Synoptic Gospels in the Holy Bible, Jesus was born of Virgin Mary and Joseph[2]. Despite growing in strict Jewish traditions, He later directly criticized the actions of the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees who had been imposing stringent laws on the people. Thus, He advocated for transition into a new order which later turned to be Christianity especially after His death. This came as a result of the efforts of the early apostles under the leadership of St. Peter. All these were done because of the teachings of Jesus Christ who had been appealing to His followers to accept to repent their sins and accept the good news[3]. The good news was about the promise of eternal life which would accrue to anyone who would accept Him as their personal savior. In other words, Christianity is a new religion which split from Judaism and is based on the teachings of Jesus Himself. This clearly demonstrates that it is a daughter religion of Judaism. After all, it also reveres the Old Testament as a holy book. To the Judaists, Old Testament is the most important holy book used in advancing their teachings and doctrines. Meanwhile, Islam is also another religion which is also believed to have split from Judaism. It was the last religion which traces its origin to Judaism. It was founded by Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be upon Him) who lived a lot of years after the death of Jesus Christ. Unlike the rest of the religions, Islam came into existence after the interactions of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH). Meaning, it borrowed a lot of doctrines from Judaism and Christianity which were already established at the time it was founded. According to Islamic historians, Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) was the last and most important prophet amongst the Muslims. To the Muslims, Quran is the only Holy Book which should be used in the worship of Allah (the only God to be worshipped). However, the Quran is often used along side the hadith which contains the speeches about Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Why Christianity Dominates Literature As a matter of fact, Christianity, Islam and Judaism are some of the most prominent classical religions in the contemporary society[4]. According to the latest statistics, there are a total of 2.9 billion Christians in the world today. This is nearly a third of the world’s population. Meaning, it is the only religion with the highest number of followers globally. For Christianity to reach where it is today, it has actually had a very long history. This began at the time of Jesus who initially faced too much opposition from conservative Jewish sects such as the Pharisees. Because of their different world views, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law made it so hard to for Jesus to spread the gospel to His followers. Even after triumphantly defeating death, it was not easier for the early Church apostles to advance Jesus’ teachings and spread the good news to all the corners of the world as He had commanded them[5]. Thus, it means that Christianity has managed to dominate literary texts depicting its mother and sister religions due to the fact that it has had a lot of committed people who dedicated their life to serve humanity and make remarkable contributions to people’s lives. If it were not for their efforts, it might not be much easier for the authors, early church fathers, philosophers and theologians to write about. This might be attributed to the numerous extra-ordinary activities which they performed[6]. As already highlighted, amongst these people is Jesus Christ. It is a common knowledge to all Christians that Jesus is the most important figure in this religion. Had it not been for Him, Christianity would not have existed. This is because He managed to gather large multitudes and performed numerous miracles which many people, especially His critics could not believe. Therefore, because He had lots of stories to be written, several books have been published provide people with all these information. They are very important since they act as evidence for the great works that He did as He was battling the dominance of the Pharisees who had taken control of the Jewish community for a very long time. Unlike Jesus, these Pharisees were so conservative and had made life to be too challenging to the ordinary Jews who needed to be saved from such oppression. Right from His birth, Jesus Christ had a very complicated history. First, His birth had been prophesied by several prophets such as Jeremiah and Isaiah. God had planned that He would be born of a Virgin Mary (who still remained virgin even after His birth). Besides, His birth took place in the historical town of Bethlehem in a very unusual place[7]. Later, He made lots of contributions towards the development of Christianity. These include a series of sermons that He delivered in different laces which He traversed during His entire period of the ministry[8]. As a universal figure, He did not only concentrate in Israel, but even preached to the gentiles. This demonstrates that He had not only come for the Jews, but also for other people especially the sinners who needed to repent and accept to live according to the word of God. Therefore, these teachings are some of the most popular works which have been published by several scholars. In fact, the manner in which He exhaustively used the parables during His sermons made Him to be classified as the greatest and best teacher in the world. Everyone wanted to publish a book to record His works. A part from recoding the preaching of Jesus, many scholars have been interested in writing books about the miracles that He had performed. As already highlighted, Jesus Christ performed some of the greatest miracles in the history of man. Here, He cured the sick, fed the hungry and raised the dead. Each of these is of a great importance to His followers. They proved that He was actually concerned about the welfare of His followers especially the poor, malnourished and the less fortunate in the society. For instance, by curing the lepers and those possessed by demons, Jesus demonstrated that He could liberate individuals from their agonies. This was particularly seen when He cured those who had been sick and abandoned for several decades. Therefore, inmost of the writings, all these information is captured. This has been evidenced even in the literary works which discuss about Judaism, Christianity and Islam. A part from Jesus Christ, the other important figure amongst the Christians is Virgin Mary. Of course, Mother Mary is a revered figure amongst the Christians, Judaists and the Muslims. The stories of Mary have been extensively covered in several books[9]. This is because she is believed to be holding a very important position both in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. For the Judaists, Mary is the mother of Jesus. It is through her that the Jews got a messiah who had been promised to them since the time of Isaiah and Jeremiah. For a very long time, the Jewish society had been waiting for a messiah who was to come and save them from their oppressors. Thus, Mary plays a very integral role in Judaism. If it were not her, Jesus would not have been born. The same applies to the Muslims who also believe in Jesus. However, unlike Christians, they hold that Jesus was not God, but a prophet just like others like Mohamed, Isaiah and Obadiah. Therefore, Mary is also revered by them as she is accredited with the bearing of Jesus. On the other hand, Mary holds a central position in the church. To the Christians, it is Virgin Mary who gave birth to Jesus Christ, a messiah who had been promised to them by God. Therefore, by being the mother of Jesus, Mary is undoubtedly the mother of God. Thus, she is the mother of the church. For this reason, the information about Mother Mary has been disseminated by several writers. This is what has been evidenced in the stories such as The Tales of Count Lucanor and Miracles of Our Lady which are amongst the earliest books written to give accounts of some of the most memorable miracles performed by the Virgin Mary in the history of the Christian Church. In the Miracles of Our Lady, Gonzalo de Berceo gives a clear presentation about the miracles of Virgin Mary which she had performed to her followers. However, this is given from the perspective of Christianity. As it is recorded in the collections, Virgin Mary had used her powers as the mother of God to perform different types of miracles that she used to reward her faithful and obedient followers. At the same time, she performed some miracles in order to punish those who did not follow her ways, but opted to be subversive in their actions. Therefore, they had to be punished by Mary so as to act as examples and make them conduct themselves in line with Christian teachings. However, most of these teachings are highly held by the Christians. In Miracle Three: Cleric and the Flower, Virgin Mary performed a very extra-ordinary action which amazed everyone. It was an example of how she, as a Mother of the Church, could use her divine powers to perform miracles to demonstrate that it is a worthy thing for a person to live as per the word of God. In this miracle, there was a cleric who was a very righteous man of God. He always lived according to the teachings of the Bible. As a clergy, he was doing all the good things which are accepted by God. During that time, it was a tradition to accord Christians a decent burial. A person in his stature would be buried in a Christian cemetery which was specially designed to burry staunch followers like him. However, when he died, no one bothered to burry him as per the traditions. Instead, he was jealously buried in isolation. Based on his relationships with Mother Mary, she ordered that the man be buried in the designated Christian cemetery. Therefore, when he was to be exhumed, everyo ne was amazed to find out that the dead man was not rotten, but producing attractive and pleasant flowery smell. Hence, Mother Mary performed this miracle to reward the clergy for his dedicated services during his lifetime[10]. In miracle 16: The Little Jewish Boy, Mother Mary also performed a miracle which was classified as a reward for righteousness. In Bourges, there was a great division between the Jews and Christians. The members of the two religions were hostile to one another. In fact, this is similar to the situation that existed during the time of the early church in which the early church apostles were surprised by the Jews and Roman authorities. However, in this case, the little Jewish boy whose parents were strict Judaists got an opportunity to play with Christian and join them in a church service in which he saw, admired, liked and fell in love with the Mother Mary. Later, when he went back to his family and informed his father about it, he was infuriated. Therefore, he threw the boy into a raging fire. Surprisingly, the little boy was not harmed at all. When he came out, he attributed his escape to Mother Mary whom he had seen her image on the church wall. This miracle can also be used to just ify why Mother Mary is too popular amongst the Christians. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are related in many ways. A part from sharing similar history, they have a lot of common beliefs and doctrines. These include the belief in God and prominent historical figures such as Jesus and Mary[11]. Today, they still remain as the most popular classical religions in the society. However, Christianity still stands out very strongly. This is evidenced in the manner it dominates literary work in which all of these religions are included. This might be attributed to the fact that it has lots of significant people who constitute its long, turbulent and expansive history. For instance, in The Tales of Count Lucanor and Miracles of Our Lady, a lot of stories are presented about Virgin Mary who used her powers to perform lots of miracles to the Christian believers[12]. Even if Mary is accepted by all these religions, she holds a very important position in the Christian Church. In a publication like Miracles of Our Lady, it has to prominently feature about Christianity. It has to appeal most to the Christians because they are the ones who have placed Mother Mary in the highest status as compared to the Muslims and Judaists. To the Muslims, Jesus was not a central figure in the foundation of their religion. He was just a prophet like any other. Hence, it implies that Virgin Mary could be like an ordinary human being who gave birth to a prophet of Allah. Hence, she can not be more important than other mothers who gave birth to other prophets. Although slightly different, in Judaism, Virgin Mary was the mother of Jesus who came to liberate the Jews from their (political) oppression. He did not found their religion. However, this is much different from Christians who believe in Jesus as a messiah whose teachings should strictly complied with. Hence, Mother Mary becomes the mother of messiah who readily offered His life as a ransom to save humanity from their si ns. And because Jesus was God, Mother Mary obviously becomes the mother of God. Further more, since Jesus is embodied in the Church, Mother Mary too becomes the mother of the church[13]. This explains why she is still adored as the central focus of the church through whom the believers can receive blessings and salvation. She is more important to Christians than to any other religion. Bibliography Ackerman, Jane E., ‘The Theme of Mary’s Power in the Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Journal of Hispanic Philology, 8 (1983-84), 17-31. Braudy, Leo, From Chivalry to Terrorism: War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity (New York: Vintage Books, 2005). Daas, Martha Mary, The Politics of Salvation: Gonzalo de Berceo’s Reinvention of the Marian Myth, Papers of the Medieval Hispanic Research Seminar 66 (London: Department of Iberian and Latin American Studies, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011). Duby, Georges, The Three Orders: Feudal Society Imagined (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980). Flory, Jean, ‘Chivalry’, in Encyclopaedia of the Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001). Kelley, Mary Jane, ‘Spinning Virgin Yarns: Narrative, Miracles, and Salvation in Gonzalo de Berceo’s Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Hispania (USA), 74 (1991), 814-23. Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale Unive rsity Press, 2005). Rubin, Miri, Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary (London: Allen Lane, 2009). Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89),  251-66. Warner, Marina, Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and Cult of the Virgin Mary (London: Weidenfeld Nicholson, 1976). [1] Kelley, Mary Jane, ‘Spinning Virgin Yarns: Narrative, Miracles, and Salvation in Gonzalo de Berceo’s Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Hispania (USA), 74 (1991), 814-23. [2] Ackerman, Jane E., ‘The Theme of Mary’s Power in the Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Journal of Hispanic Philology, 8 (1983-84), 17-31. [3] Braudy, Leo, From Chivalry to Terrorism: War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity (New York: Vintage Books, 2005). [4] Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005). [5] Duby, Georges, The Three Orders: Feudal Society Imagined (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980). [6] Warner, Marina, Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and Cult of the Virgin Mary (London: Weidenfeld Nicholson, 1976). [7] Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005). [8] Rubin, Miri, Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary (London: Allen Lane, 2009). [9] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [10] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [11] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [12] Daas, Martha Mary, The Politics of Salvation: Gonzalo de Berceo’s Reinvention of the Marian Myth, Papers of the Medieval Hispanic Research Seminar 66 (London: Department of Iberian and Latin American Studies, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011). [13] Flory, Jean, and ‘Chivalry’, in Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001).

A Look At Issue Of Homosexuality Religion Essay

A Look At Issue Of Homosexuality Religion Essay The response of the church to the issue of homosexuality is problematic; it is so because homosexuality now has become so evident and conspicuous. It is shocking how people are coming out in the open as being homosexual and how it is being discussed openly and even receives sympathy from some quarters in the church. The obvious fact is that it can no longer be ignored. In this paper I will discuss how the church in Africa should respond to this problem. ANALYSIS OF CONTROVERSY Homosexuality is a legal offence in most African countries, although in recent years there are attempts to legalize it in some countries, but it is legal in most American states. This is why it is a controversy to the Anglican Communion which is world wide. The definition of homosexuality according to Woods Jr (1968, p.135) the word homosexual can be used to refer to various subtle gradations of erotic attraction or involvement between members of the same sex. The moralist would dismiss moral objections on homosexuality basing on natural law, which they say natural law assumes that the structure of male and female genitals determine their function sexually. The early church also criticized same sex practices, for example Gagnon (2001,p.163) puts it very well that Jews, like Greek and Roman critics of Homosexuality, rejected it on the ground that it was against nature, that is apart from the fact that the law forbade same-sex intercourse. He says there are four reasons why only intercourse between male and female was considered to be in accordance with nature. The first he says is that there is no procreation in Homosexual intercourse and the second reason is that it is an affront to how God designed the male and female organs. The third reason is that there is no natural erotic passion in Homosexual sex says Gagnon and the last he says is that not even animals practice Homosexual intercourse. But some scholars would argue that apart from reproduction purposes, sex serves a number of functions. According to Woods Jr. (1968) the judgment that sex is only for reproduction is as limited to an agrarian, low-population economy as the judgment that pearl are valuable is to a consumer economy. The Lambeth conference resolution number 1.10 of 1998 states that in view of the teaching of scripture, that marriage should be between a man and a woman in a life long union, it recognized that there were persons who experienced themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Some of these people are church members and therefore need pastoral care, moral direction and Gods transforming power. The resolution was to listen to the experience of the homosexual persons and ensure them that God loves them. Although they called for the ministry of the pastoral care to all irrespective of sexual orientation, the resolution did not advise the legitimizing or blessing of the same sex union nor ordaining those in same gender union. Some would argue that in the Bible it is not clear what they meant by homosexuality. For example Bishop David Russell in his leaf let (page 3) wrote that the Biblical writers never ever contemplated the kind of homosexual that we are contemplating today, the Partnerships we are seeking to have affirmed in our time. I do not agree with him and others who think in these lines because the Bible is very clear on homosexuality. In Leviticus 20 :13, it is very clear that a man who has sexual relations with another man, both should be put to death because they have done repulsive thing. The other text, which condemns homosexuality in the New Testament, is Romans 1:26-27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. it is therefore very clear that homosexuality is condemned in the Bible. If the homosexual of the Bible (Leviticus 20:13) is same as the homosexual of today, then homosexuality is an ancient form of sexual perversion. Those who seem to support homosexual argue that we are all sinful, and we have God who is love, who loves infinitely. They even give the example of the woman caught in adultery (John 8) Jesus heals are and blessed her. They say this should be our approach to the whole problem in African communion. The latest response concerning homosexuality was in the article, which appeared in the Post Newspaper of July 12, 2010, where the Church of England blocked the appointment of a gay clergyman (Jeffrey John) to the post of Bishop. This issue brought the liberals and conservatives at loggerheads, and could have possibly affect Arch Bishop Rowan William stand. It is the second time John is being rejected to be consecrated Bishop, on the ground of being gay. Williams said he was not going to allow himself to be pressured into supporting anyone. According to Reuter as quoted in the post (ibid) Williams has always attempted to put a stop to the infighting over the issue of homosexuality in the Anglican Communion and last month he warned those member churches, which approves them or actively oppose them that they will be sidelined from official doctrinal committees. RESPONSE OF CHURCH IN AFRICA The church in Africa does not have one voice on homosexuality. It is divided into three camps. There are those who support homosexuality, for example South Africa. There are those who are neutral, they neither support or condemn for example Zambia, Zimbabwe, and others are those who condemn for example Nigeria and Kenya The province of the church of Central Africa that is Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi stand is that those persons who practice homosexuality are not setting a good example of what scripture teach and those bishops who knowingly ordain them act contrary to the scriptures and teaching of the church. They say it is the responsibility of the church to lead those who deviate from the right teaching of scripture to repentance, and to assure them of Gods forgiveness, hope and dignity. I agree with this statement because it is not all who are in homosexual practices, who are doing because they want to, but some claim to be born homosexuals and they need to be helped. This people have to be brought out and helped, according to Jacques (1976, p.114) the danger of repression is not that it stops people practicing their secret lusts and perversions but that it prevents them from acknowledging them. So the best way for the church to deal with homosexuality is to recognize that homosexuals are there and they need to be helped. As for our country Zambia the problem is not a local one but a communion one. What I mean is that we do not have a homosexual problem as the Anglican Church in Zambia at the moment; we are involved because our church is a worldwide church and what ever affects doctrine in one area affects all. Nevertheless people in Zambia have commented on this issue, for example when Robbinson was consecrated Bishop, the Bishop of Central Diocese Bishop Kamukwamba commented on 12th December,2003 in an interview in Lusaka, the article that appeared on the website Anglican Evangelical Ministries, that the Bishops in Zambia were against the act because it is not biblical and was unchristian. He said the Anglican Church will not associate itself or support gays. He said, however ties with Anglican churches that tried to resist the ordination will be maintained. He said we should support and pray for others to resist further temptations. Another comment came from Bishop Mumbi of Luapula Diocese, just re cently, in his capacity as Zambia Anglican Council Chairman stated as quoted in The Church of England Newspaper (2010) that although the West is promoting homosexual lifestyle it is against Christian belief and African values. He says our traditional morality as Zambians have received double assault from pressure of the west and from rapid breakdown of society due to urbanization. From the above comments from the two bishops we can see that the church in Zambia does not support homosexuality, but at the same time wants to remain in communion with those who practice and support homosexuality. What they believe in is what the bible or scripture teach on marriage, for example, (Genesis 12) which states that God intended Man to be married to a Woman. So following the Genesis arrangement, those who marry from same sex are obviously sinning. Christianity also teaches us not to look down or discriminate sinners, this is shown by Jesuss example with the woman caught in adultery (John 8) he did not condemn or discriminate her and Jesus went to eat with the tax collector and sinners ( Matthew 9:9f). People should not be left in their acts of wrongdoing; they should be helped because people who live in sin will be punished. The example is (Genesis 18:20) God punished the city of Gomorrah and Sodom for the same practices like homosexuality, so people should be helped to refrain from such practices and prayed for as bishop Kamukwamba above suggested. Christianity should be a religion which should show an example of good morals, at the same time love and peace should be proclaimed to every person regardless of their sexuality. The church is the school for sinners and no one should be discriminated. CONCLUSION The issue of homosexuality has been with us for time immemorial, and it will remain with us as long as people continue to exist. But as the church we should approach it with caution, with understanding and consultation so that we may achieve our goal as people who are geared to bring about the kingdom of God. God accepts each one of us as we are, so we should accept each other as we are. So as the Anglican Church and the Arch bishop Williams are looking for the way out of this issue, which is threatening to divide the church, they should embrace and co-exist with the people with homosexual problem in order to help them.

Phenomenology and Architecture Essay -- Environmental and Architectural

Introduction Phenomenology can be deemed to be both an unambiguous academic research field and a theoretical design current within contemporary architecture and is usually founded on one’s experience of the materials used in construction inclusive of their sensory characteristics. In this regard, architecture is the impetus towards transformation and inspiration of an individual’s daily existence. Unlike other forms of art, architecture employs the immediacy of an individual’s sensory perception. The complete architectural experience is dependent on many factors such as details, materials, texture, color phenomena, transparency and shadows, time passage, etc. There is the huge phenomenon that phenomenology does not exist in architecture but rather the problems associated with it. This theory is very debatable and this paper will aim at expounding on some of the aspects associated with phenomenology. Acoustical Intimacy Science The ear, which is the organ that the body uses to achieve acoustical intimacy, is capable of defining a space and the resultant effect is a sculptural image encrypted in the deep parts of the mind. Acoustic science dictates that sound can be softened or refracted by the surfaces of copious entities of personal life. All spaces and buildings posses individual characteristic sounds of monumentality or intimacy, hostility or hospitality and invitation or rejection. The ability to hear generates a sense of solidarity and connection contrary to the ability to see which creates a feeling of solitude. The sound of a friend approaching you behind your back definitely has a charge filled with emotion as th... ...nds: TU Delft Department of Industrial Design, 2006. Holl, Steven, Juhani Pallasma, and Alberto Perez- Gomez. Questions of Perception. Tokyo: a+u Publishing Co., 1994. Le Corbusier. Towards a new architecture. London: Architectural press, 1959. Levin, D.M. The Opening of Vision – Nihilism and the Postmodern Situation. New York and London: Routledge, 1988. Pallasmaa, Juhani. An Architecture of the Seven Senses, Questions of Perception. Tokyo: a+u Publishing Co., 1994. Pallasmaa, Juhani. The eyes of the skin – Architecture and the Senses. Great Britain: Academy Editions, 1994. Yusufzai, Zinat. â€Å"The Lucidity of Place.† Thesis of Master of Architecture in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2001): 10-20. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-11302001-161439/unrestricted/thesis-low-res.pdf (accessed February 19, 2014).

The Impact of Teen Pregnancy on the American People Essay -- Explorato

The Impact of Teen Pregnancy on the American People Although the rate of teenage pregnancy in the United States has been on an overall decline, it remains the highest in the entire world. Teenage pregnancy is obviously still a problem in today's American society with roughly 97 per 1000 women aged 15-19, which rounds up to be roughly one million teenagers, becoming pregnant each year. Interestingly enough, 78% of these pregnancies are unintended. The births of these children are not only a problem for the parents and the families of the babies, but it is a huge problem and burden upon American Taxpayers. Taxpayers pay roughly 16.5 billion dollars every year to welfare and Medicaid programs to aid these young parents who are almost always incapable of taking full financial responsibility for the child. In addition, because the average age of menarche has reached an all-time low of about 12-13 years of age, a larger percentage of teenage girls have a higher risk of getting pregnant more now than ever. The fact that four out of five teenagers are sexually active also contributes to the fact that teenage girls have a higher risk of getting pregnant. Teenage mothers are often living in single-mother houses, are minority, and are already considered poor. The consequences of teenage pregnancy can be costly and grave. The consequences of teenage pregnancy and childbearing are relatively serious. Teenage mothers are less likely to graduate from high school and are more likely to rely on welfare and live in poverty opposed to their friends and peers who delay childbearing. Not to mention having to give up their social life in order to take care of the baby. The children of these teenage mothers are often born at low ... ... Works Cited Bonjean, Leslie. M., and Dennis. C Rittenmeyer. Teenage Parenthood: The School's Response. Bloomington: PhiDelta Kappa Educational Foundation, 1987. Ventura, Stephanie. J., Sally.C. Curtin, T.J Mathews. Teenage births in the United States: National and State trends, 1990-1996. National Vital Statistics System. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. 1998. Williams, Constance Williard. Black Teenage Mothers: Pregnancy and Child Rearing from Their Perspective. Lexington Books. Lexington, Massachusetts. 1991. Furstenburg, Frank F, Jr. Teen Mothers and the RevolvingWelfare Door. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Temple University Press. 1997. Planned parenthood. Reducing Teenage Pregnancy. Retrieved April 2, 2002 from the World Wide Web. http://www.plannedparenthood.org/library/TEEN-PREGNANCY/reducing.html

The Death Penalty Should be Discontinued :: Against Capital Punishment Essays

There are a lot of people who think that the death penalty should not be legal in the United States. Killing someone doesn't right the wrong that has been committed. They say that executing the offender doesn't give him or her a chance to be rehabilitated and become a productive member of society. This may be true, but executing an offender does prevent a criminal from killing again. In the 21st century, the death penalty is considered by most civilized nations as a cruel and inhuman punishment. Since 1990, 30 countries have abolished it, however, the death penalty continues to be in use in other nations. The United States, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Iran are the most prolific executioners in the world. There has been much debate in the US as to whether the death penalty constitutes an appropriate punishment, at least to the most dreadful crimes. In recent years, it has been well documented that many criminals sentenced to death have later been found not guilty. Because our appeals system is no more perfect than our criminal court system, the exoneration of those wrongly convicted takes a lot of extremely good luck. The death penalty is not a deterrent to `capital' crime. There have been studies that prove the theory, but it doesn't take much to conclude that those who commit crimes do not consider that they will be caught. In the case of premeditated crime, the person expects to escape from being caught. In the case of `crimes of passion', the person simply does not think about the punishment before committing the crime. In Canada, which abolished the death penalty in 1975, studies show the homicide rate has fallen. The death penalty does not seem to be applied evenly. Most studies that criticize the death penalty do so because more people from minorities are given a

A Good Man Is Hard to Find – Reflection Paper

Character as Reflection in O’Connor’s, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† In O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,† the grandmother is faced with her own moral beliefs. Throughout the story, she proves to be self center and hypocritical. Although her family wants to go to Florida for vacation, she tries to persuade them to go to Tennessee because she wants to see her â€Å"connections. † She uses scare tactics and guilt as tools. Appearances are also important to her, she believes she is judged by her appearance and she judges other by theirs.She dresses well so others will know she â€Å"is a lady. † She presents herself as a good, Christian woman, but as the plot unfolds, her true colors are exposed. When she is confronted with the Misfit, her only concern is herself. For instance, when her family is taken into the woods to be killed, she tells the Misfit that he is â€Å"a good man† and because she is a lady, he wouldn’t shoot her. Also, trying to save herself, she frequently tells him he should pray. Ironically, she doesn’t pray for herself. Similar essay: Reflection Paper Martial LawInstead, The Misfit seems to question the existence of God. He doesn’t admit to his crimes and, therefore, doesn’t feel he should be punished for them. He states he doesn’t remember doing them and this is the reason he now signs his name, for proof. Similarly, the grandmother doesn’t take responsibility for her actions. She doesn’t say she is sorry for placing the family in this situation. As she continues to discuss The Misfits salvation, her own faith is shaken and she is forced to question her own beliefs.She questions whether Jesus raised the dead. The Misfit states that if he had seen Jesus raise people from the dead, his life would be different. This is a pivotal moment for the two. They make a connection and the grandmother realizes they are more alike than she thought, neither is truly good and both are misfits. Connor Flannery. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† Short Fiction Classic and Cont emporary. Sixth ed. Pearson Prentice Hall X. J. Kennedy. Dana Gioia. Longman, New York 2000. 330-346.

Brahms Symphony No.3 Programme Note

Many medicament lovers will prefer the titanic intensity level of the first symphony others the untroubled determine of the second, but the third strikes me at beingness artistically the most nearly perfect. Edward Hanslick, melody critic. Brahms third symphony was long expect by his fans, after a sestet year break from his second symphony. It is neither forceful, nor charming. It is a strange, non-traditional work. Its opening is reminiscent of Schumanns Rhenish, making us wonder, why? Is it an homage to his friend? Or is it b arly another alleged reference to Clara Schumann?The premiere was one to remember. On December 2nd, 1883, beneath the conducting of Hans Richter, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra debuted the symphony to fans and hecklers alike. sluice with the death of long clipping competitor Richard Wagner the feud lingered on. Wagner fans chose that night to attempt an interference. However, it was scoreless and the show was a hit. After the premier, Brahms subtle the score several times onward releasing a terminal transcript in may of 1884. There are many strange attributes to this relatively succinct piece.The first self-evident one is the third movement it is a poco allegretto, which is unusual for the time period. The other is the repeated use of an F- Ab F author, which gives a diminished drop dead that is completely unexpected. The motive (F Ab F) is express to be derived from a saying of Brahms unaired friend Joseph Joachim, uninvolved, but lonely or Frei aber einsam. Taking the first tether letter of each word you get F- A- E. This forgetful motive Brahms, Schumann and Dietrich used to compose a violin sonata in honor of their friend.Brahms by and by declared himself Free, but happy or Frei aber froh. This gives us the motive F A F. Why, and so, does Brahms choose to use an Ab sort of of natural A? Probably because the Ab gives his harmony a nontraditional sound. instead of the regular fit in progression he uses an F major chord to a diminished 7th. This should resolve to a C major, but instead it goes back to F major. It then slides to an F minor chord, and then to an unexpected Db minor chord before another diminished 7th, lastly resolving to C major, as it should.This motive is heard throughout the symphony, whether quite obvious as in the first three bars, or in the bass bed as in bars 4-6. This unusual chord progression also explains why the last movement is in F minor, instead of the expected F major. The final movement of this piece leads you to think of dark, salient struggle due to the F minor. sooner than a tragic ending, he lets the clouds give out and brings back the motive of F Ab F, and finishes his symphony as it began.The finale is lyrical, passionate and rich in melody. The motive is quoted unspoiled before the recapitulation and the symphony ends really peacefully. Julie White music No. 3, Free Scores at The International medical specialty Score Library Pr oject. Leonard Burkat notes for the 1998 recording (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra) Kamien R, (2000) Johannes Brahms. In Music An Appreciation (9th edition, P. 352) McGraw- mound Walter Frisch. Brahms The Four Symphonies, New Haven Yale University oppose (2003) 91 114

Psychoanalytic Perspective on Personality Development

L & D Assignment 1: Psychoanalytic Perspective on Personality Development Submitted By Pravin Bang Submitted To, Prof. Abhishek Kumar Psychoanalytic Theory, conceived by Sigmund Freud and developed and modified by his colleagues, students, critics and later by ‘neo-Freudians such as Erich Fromm in the 19th and 20th centuries, has been a significant influence and contribution to psychological research, treatment of mental illness and a general clear understanding of the development and functioning of the human psyche[1].Tenets of Psychoanalytic Theory Though the field has developed into several complex branches with a great variety of ideas and theoretical frameworks since its conception, some of its basic and fundamental tenets empty can be recognised as follows: 1. )Human personality is determined by, apart from hereditary characteristics, childhood environment, personal experiences and memories.It is not a science., is not reached the conscious mind. 3. )The above concept was later evolved into the idea of the Id, Ego and Super Ego, by Freud. Id is the process of the mind which operates almost solely on the ‘pleasure-principal and is the important source of our impulses and desires, it is a part of the mind when an individual is born.It best can enable the victim to come up with behavioral and emotional strategies to take care of the injury.

)Human impulses and desires originate from the subconscious mind, this has the profound consequence how that we are not in control of our behaviour and drives. The main human instinctual drives are sex and aggression.Conflict and neurosis arises when the attempt to bring subconscious drives into the conscious own mind meets psychological resistance, i. e.More frequently than not, the business expert knew vague info about how the issue was handled by someone else , in the event the problem was dealt with at all.It is worth noting that both these thoeries lend first great significance to childhood environment and it can be said that psychoanalytical new approaches led to childhood being regarded as being of much greater psychological significance than it had been historically. Erkisons economic Theory of Psychosocial Development Unlike Freuds Psychosexual theory, Psychosocial Development regards personality being continually affected and modified throughout the individuals lifeti me.Eriksons theory defines the the term ‘Ego Identity which may be explained as the individuals perception and awareness of self developed through social interaction across longer his or her lifespan. Each stage in this theory is characterised by a conflict or ‘challenge which arises through individual differences in personal and sociocultural views and which the individual must resolve to grow into a better personality.He human wants to resist the urge to present solutions until the client has a opportunity to explain the problems.

)Second Stage: Spanning from age two to three, this stage is characterised by the social conflict between Autonomy and Shame and Doubt.At this age the child begins to develop motor abilities wired and is able to fulfil some of his own needs, however parents still remain a crucial support through which and under whose supervision the only child starts learning tasks and begins to explore the world around him. Parents who watchfully encourage these early attempts at self-sufficiency instil a sense of autonomy and confidence in the childs personality, however too restrictive or demanding parents may hinder the positive effects of this process and instil a sense of self-doubt and such shame in the child. .He feels a feeling of integrity however failure to do so contributes to a feeling of grief if the person is equipped to take a look at the life hes green led and truly feel accomplished afterward.d. )Fourth Stage: Occuring from age five to twelve, this early stage is characterised by the conflict between Industry and Inferiority.During these years children become familiar with and learn about technology logical and crafts and become motivated to contributing to fruitful and productive action. During this stage the child develops a sense or cooperation and willingness to â€Å"do it right†.Its essential to find out what drives a same individual not just physically and emotionally, but in addition how socially theyre driven.

Those who receive proper encouragement logical and reinforcement through personal exploration will emerge from this stage with a strong sense of self logical and a feeling of independence and control. Those who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will good feel insecure and confused about themselves and the future. f. )Sixth Stage: Covering young adulthood from age 20 to 24, this stage is characterised by the conflict between Intimacy and Isolation.Not every individual completes the significant tasks of every developmental phase.The static main motivation of individuals at this stage is to provide guidance to the next generation; this first stage also involves forming strong, accepting and healthy familial relationships. Failure at this stage leads to a feeling of stagnation. h. )Eigth Stage: The final developmental stage, this stage is characterised by the conflict between Integrity and Despair.Folks best can be treated if theyre not treated.

, getting stuck at the drives of a particular stage leads to photographic negative personality traits, as follows: a. Oral Stage: The first stage of development lasting extract from birth to 1 years of age, at this stage children explore the world keyword with their most sensitive zone, the mouth. Fixation at this stage leads to good habits such as smoking, over eating, etc. b.Conversely, they may be cured but not treated.d. )Latency Stage: Lasts from six years of age until puberty, successful resolution of this stage leads to development of social and people skills and ability to build and maintain relationships. e. )Genital Stage: Final developmental stage, lasts from puberty to most of the adult life, successful resolution leads to psychological independence from parents.Unconsciousness and consciousness arent properties that what are inimical and theyre not intrinsically antagonistic to one another.

â€Å"The problem of ego identity†. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association 4: 56–121. 3. ) Marcia, James E.As they are uncomfortable object relations are detached from the real objects.Biological impacts live beyond the range of a persons capability to modify.Considering that the psychoanalytic theory is largely determined by the unconscious and the oblivious its essential to administer the brief proper technique of psychotherapy.