Assignment 5 (675) Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment 5 (675) - Case Study Example The challenge is therefore incorporating the new ideas into the current curriculum and implanting them successfully. 2. Forcing the new area into a curriculum that is already considerably full will call for a very articulate strategy so as not to hurt the students already entrenched in the old curriculum. As a district supervisor, my strategy would be to employ the curriculum development process and planning cycle. It will important to ask ourselves the purpose that our schools seek to achieve, how to select learning experiences that are useful in the attainment of the same and organising the experiences so as to instruct effectively. The final issue is evaluation of the effectiveness of learning experiences. Thus through evaluation of the old curriculum it can be possible to drop what have become obsolete and incorporate modern ones such as life skills.The strategy would therefore involve conducting a survey among the students and stakeholders to determine how many would like the inclusion of life skills in the curriculum 3. In todays and the technological schools of the next decade the programme would take the theme of inculcating technology skills that are necessary for survival in the modern economy. By incorporating and teaching technology in the curriculum, learners would be allowed to appreciate the central place technology is occupying in the modern daily life. Many learners are likely to enjoy practical skills such as working with computers hence would tend to contribute to their own learning. 1. In the second case study, the major issues are resistant to change and the fear among principals of losing their autonomy when it comes to choosing books. The principals want to control and organise the function at the building level for they benefit in a way e.g. through the â€Å"Wines and Cheese† parties hosted by companies selling books. 2. As a new

The Us Federal Reserve VS European Central Bank Essay Example for Free

The Us Federal Reserve VS European Central Bank Essay INTRODUCTION This paper will analyze the difference between U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.   Provide assumption on which central banking system is able to provide stability on its respective country based on their approved mandates and what are the degrees of independence does Central Bank benefit from both in theory and reality and determine which central bank is able show better results in keeping the overall economy of its respective countries stable. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE US FEDERAL RESERVE AND EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK The comparison of the Eurosytem and the Federal Reserve System is based on the following: institutional structure, the monetary policy strategy, the monetary policy instruments and the operating procedures of the two central banks as the focal point.    In the study conducted by Karlheinz Ruckriegel and Franz Seitz they concluded that the structure of both institutions has similarities but the main tasks and the legal status are by far different.   The main task of the Eurosytem is price stability while Federal Reserve objective is price stability and full employment achieving both all at the same time. Ruckriegel and Seitz believe in the importance of the independent status of the Eurosytem by international law (EU Treaty) gives an edge of the Federal Reserve System since the status of the Federal Reserve depends on Congress.   The Constitution gives Congress the power to set its value. Therefore, the Federal Reserve’s power is limited to views of the Congress.    They also noted the similarities in the operating procedures of monetary policy of both institutions, similarities in the design of the minimum reserves and the operating target. In both cases the overnight interest rate is the operating target of monetary policy. Apart from required reserves, the instruments of monetary policy are different. The differences can be traced back to historical factors, legal problems of the change of existing arrangements and a different understanding of monetary policy. In this context the Eurosytem has the advantage of introducing all arrangements according to the knowledge of monetary policy and theory. Therefore both writers classified the Eurosytem as the superior system under efficiency viewpoint. Especially, the obvious absence of strategy on the side of the Fed for several years. INFLATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT The difference between the US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank is that the first has a dual mandate which has an objective of prioritizing full employment and price stability at the same time whereas ECB is under the hierarchical mandates which the principal objective is stability other objectives is pursued once the inflation objective is met. The dual mandate of the Federal Reserve helps stabilize the inflation and unemployment situation of the country.   The dual mandate simply states to promote price stability and maximize employment meaning full-employment without pressure on inflation.   The key to dual mandate is to implement both objectives at the same time whereas European Central Bank has hierarchical mandates that prioritize price stability before pursuing other objectives.   ECB will only pursue other objective one’s price stability has been achieved.   Hierarchical mandates set inflation objectives in terms of forecast or as mid-term objectives this allows them to gradually return to their inflation objectives if there are changes in inflation. United States have the largest economy in the world their monetary policy has economic and financial effect on other countries.   The U.S. monetary policy involves influencing short-term interest rates and the supply of money and credit to promote basic goals established by the Congress.   According to Congress price stability normally implies that inflation should be low enough not to play a significant factor in economic decision making while â€Å"Maximum sustainable economic output and employment† goes well together with economic output and employment, it steadily grows consistent with the economy’s long-run ability to develop while strengthening price stability. In Euro the simultaneous decline in inflation and the labor share of income over the past two decades have motivated significant interest in how these phenomena might be connected.   In the summary of Katharine Neiss and Edward Neslon â€Å"Inflation dynamics, marginal cost and output gap:   Evidence from the three countries monetary policy analysis, suggests a different path from what is currently emphasized. They found little support that wage markup movements are an important source of inflation dynamics for a given output gap, and therefore concluded that more detailed modeling of labor market rigidities is not a high priority in analyzing inflation. On the other hand, they find that modeling the dynamic effects of real shocks not only productivity shocks but also preference shocks on potential GDP is crucial for understanding inflation behavior. They explicitly relate potential output dynamics to underlying shocks, hence the importance of optimizing models in monetary policy analysis. CENTRAL BANK’S DEGREE OF INDEPENDENCE For many years many countries has made progress in towards adopting legislative proposals removing their central banks from government control thus making them independent. Based on the empirical and theoretical studies it showed that there is no clear answer was shown that there can be an economic benefit to be gained in having an independent central bank.   In summary, empirical studies provide evidence of a negative correlation between central bank independents and inflation and central bank independence and fiscal deficits. Theoretical studies indicate that independent central bank can increase policy conflicts with the government whenever preferences of the two differ and in so doing worsen the economic performance of the country.   Both studies however do not provide support for the idea that countries should place monetary policy in the hands of the executive or legislative branches of government. Therefore empirical studies put emphasis on price stability and freedom to pursue these goals are primary determinants of independence whereas, theoretical studies equates independence with non-cooperation between the fiscal and monetary authorities in policy implementation. Each central bank representative on the panel brings with them instrument of independence this is used to isolate central bank from political interference.   This interference can be politically motivated.   The purpose of this insulation is not to allow the central bank to pursue policy preference.   The governments are consistent in defining broad goals for central banks, commitment from the government through central bank is to achieve different goals but their main objective is price stability. The Congress structured the Federal Reserve to be independent within the government therefore it is accountable to the Congress and its goals for economic performance are set by law. According to Governor Laurence H. Meyer on his speech At the National Association for Business Economics Seminar on Monetary Policy and the Markets, Washington, D.C. on May 21, 2001 in his speech he said: â€Å"Central bank independence is in part the result of formal institutional arrangements typically incorporated in the legislation defining and creating the central bank. The most important requirement is that the central bank is the final authority on monetary policy decisions. That is, monetary policy decisions should not be subject to the veto of the executive or legislative branches of government. This is further protected if other institutions of the governmenttypically the Treasury Department or the Ministry of Financeare not represented on the monetary policy committee. A lesser protection would be to allow such representation, but only in a non-voting capacity, as is the practice at the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan†. Instrument independence is facilitated by long overlapping membership terms, by limited opportunities for reappointment, and by protecting committee members from removal. Therefore the degree of independence that central bank enjoys is based on imposed mandates.   Though independent it is clear that it has its limitations there is generally an attempt to balance independence and accountability. CONCLUSION In conclusion it is believed that both European Central Bank and Federal Reserve has advantages.   It is predominant that it is the people, culture and society dictates which form is more advantageous.   Therefore applicability is based on culture and racial orientation. REFERENCES Bruha, Jan and Podpiera, Jiri, Inquirers on Dynamics of Transitions Economy Convergence in two Country Model working paper series No. 791August 2007 De Grawe, Paul Is the ECB Handicapped in Stabilizing Output Because of Rigidities? University of Leuven, 3/27/2007 Eurointelligence Some Notes on theReturn of Inflation ECB watch, 3/6/2007 Lawless, Martina and Whelan, Karl Understanding the Dynamics of Labor Shares and Inflation Working paper series No. 784, July 2007 Neiss, Katharine and Nelson, Edward Inflation Dynamics, Marginal Cost and Output Gap: Evidence from Three Countries February 2002 Pollard, Patricia, Central Bank Independence and Economic Performance Ruckriegel, Karlheinz and Seitz, Franz The Eurosystem and the Federal Reserve System Compared Facts and Challenges February 2002 Wyplosz, Charles Wake Up Call For The ECB, Institute of International Studies, 2/7/2007

Adult And Community Care Case Study Social Work Essay

Adult And Community Care Case Study Social Work Essay This assignment focuses on Adults and community care case study. The work highlights the main issues that need immediate attention and attempts to provide an account on how to address them. An improvement of the quality of life for Jan and Magda may be realized so that they could live a fulfilling life in old age. On the other hand investigating the main issues, demands a discussion the importance of interdisciplinary and multi-agency working. It is also possible to explore the policies and legislative mandates and frameworks that inform both the assessment and intervention. This exploration provides guidance as to what is acceptable under law and policies. At the same time, the importance of incorporating theories and approaches will be discussed and analysed. Then l will draw attention to the importance of incorporating theories into practice, guides what a social worker may need to look out for; and enables one to account for the values and situation in society of day to day work of social workers. The last part shall analyse the importance of interventions in an anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive way. This essay draws reference from the code of practice and other relevant professional guidelines under the law. The work being a course assignment may not explore all the needs due to limit of words, but major topics discussed in this assignment are interlinked; therefore it is not going to possible to discuss one issue alone without refereeing to the other. A summary is given at the end. Assessments of significant issues The key issues highlighted in the case study may be categorised as medical, financial, mobility and social needs. In-order to address the issues highlighted, an assessment for Magda is required. Consultation with interdisciplinary and multi-agency bodies should be carried out as observed by Macka(1990). Information can be gathered through meetings, in Magdas case key attendees would be the general practitioner, the community nurse and the community mental health team and a social worker. The multi-agency meetings facilitate sharing of information between all organisations in a safe and secure manner. (Surrey Council) Information collected will help the assessor to make an informed assessment and risk assessment. However the consent of service user to sharing of information should be sought as suggested by Milner and OByrne(1998) It is important for Magda and Jan to attend such meeting however it is possible for professionals to hold meeting without service users. When using single assessment process, it is important to acknowledge that there are 4 types that fall under the SAP; these are contact, overview, specialist and comprehensive. More than one assessment can be carried out at once. Different local governments authorities may implement SAP using slightly different assessment tools and the threshold of eligibility may also differ from one local authority to the other. Under the NHSCCA 1990 Section 47 (1) (a) Magda has the right to an assessment, and within the same act; S 47 (1) (b) will help the assessor to determine the eligibility criteria known as the Fair Access to Care DH 2010. Here the assessor will be working in accordance GSCC code of practice which states that Social workers should promote the independence of service users and promote them as far as possible from danger and harm. GSCC (2002) Eligibility is graded on four bands, the low, moderate, substantial critical (Surrey Council, 2011). The White paper caring for people (DOH 1989) aims to enable people to live a normal life as much as possible in their homes or in a homely environment in the community. Assessments should help Magda and Jan to identify not only their needs but also their strengths and abilities under this paper. The wishes of service users should be kept on the forefront of the care planning and service delivery. This upholds the GSCC code of practice ref. 4.1. GSCC (2002). Hence the interventions led to promoting good health and quality of life in the community. The (DOH 1989) also states that the right amount of care and support provided helps people achieve independence by maintaining basic living skills to achieve attainment of daily living activities Johns (2005) p.79. The Carers (Recognition and services) Act 1995, extended the duty of assessment to rights of carers to have their needs assessed alongside those of the person whom they are caring Referring to the case study Jan appears not coping well as Magdas carer. Here probably with adequate and appropriate support package Jan will be able to carry out his caring duties if Magda was to stay in the community. The task for social workers in this case involves helping Magda to overcome the structural, institutional, cultural, professional and personal barriers that may contribute to physical disability, in line with views of Adams et al (2002). It appears that Magda is unable to communicate her personal wishes due to a language barrier; she may need an option of having an independent advocate who can represent her. There are issues around the use of relatives as interpreters as relatives may be biased towards their personal wish that may be contrary to wishes of the service user. The amendment to the Race Relations Act 2001, states that no one that uses public services should be disadvantaged because of their race, colour or faith as advocated in Br J Soc Work (2010). In Victoria Climbers case, where interpretation was done mainly through an aunt, stands as an example where vital information was missed despite being seen up to 40 times by social services, the police and the NHS. It is most likely to be true that the use of professional interpreter could have led to changes and outcomes for Victoria Climbers case. Thus in Magdas case it is only right to gather information in regards to Magda through a professional interpreter. In line here Magda has capacity and has the right to make decisions about her care plan. The key legislation essential in this assessment is The National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (NHSCCA) which addresses the provision of information about services, assessment and service delivery principles. Section 47 of this act requires a local authority to assess all those who may be in need of community care services, and having regard to the results, decide whether the needs call for provision according to Johns (2005). An initiation of an assessment for Magda may be done through the powers of this Act. The first piece of legislation to materialise that would involve Jan is the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995. This Act is an important step towards recognising carers and the supporting role they play in looking after their family members, and the difficulties they face. This Act gives carers like Jan the right to an assessment both physical and mental. This would be carried out annually. However if the person being cared for refuse an assessment, then the carers would not be entitled to an assessment. The department of Healths publication Building Bridges (1998) also provides the legislative framework recognising the carers role. The Carers and Disabled Children Act (2000) strengthened the rights of carers to an assessment of their needs. This is irrespective of whether the person they are caring for receives the service or not. The help ranges from driving lessons, counselling and or even money to replace a broken machine. After all the considerations of the laws and boundaries the needs and resources, a care plan is formulated. The social worker should promote the right of Magda to self- determination to where she should live. If on the assessment Magda is found to have capacity and is adamant to stay in her home, in such a case weighing the risks available to Magda if she remains in her own accommodation. If there are no majooor risks her wish should be respected. Even though self-determination is a basic principle in social work practice, all practitioners know that there are situations in which the client should not be given the right to self-determination. Part of the community Care Act (1990), highlights choice, Kemshall (2002, p76) states how this can be conflicted with ones own personal view, choice, a central principle of community care, can be significantly undermined by professional desires to prevent risk. Magdas has had her leg amputated due to gangrene, which causes mobility difficulties. Her poor sight due to diabetes adds on to mobility needs. The aim is to prevent disability where Disability is defined under the DDA1995 as physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on a persons ability to carry out normal day to day activities(Mandelstam 2005) p 490. Magda is already known to the mental health services; however she appears to being violent to Jan. It is important for Magda to have a specialist mental health assessment. Ulasand Connor (2000) Through the mental health route, Magda may be eligible for services through the Mental Health Act 2007 which has introduced the supervised treatment in the community. This Act modifies the 1983 Act and amends the 2005 Act. If Magda lacks capacity a named person can make a decision on Magdas best interests under the Mental Capacity Act 1 (5). Under this acts the social worker would be able to promote healthy, safety and personal wellbeing of both Magda and Jan. It may be suggested that in situation where risk is low Magda may also be entitled under section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948 to a mandatory grant for essential adaptations that will enable her to move around her home more easily Brayne, et al (2001). Examples of the type of adaptations that may be carried out are: Installing a stair lift, providing a toilet and shower downstairs, installing a ramp. Bornat, J. (1994). Magda may get funding for adaptations through Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act (1996), disabled facilities. Magdas diabetes and schizophrenia and amputation places a duty on the local council to assess needs provide services through the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act (1970). Under this act, the Local Authority has a duty to assist a service user with practical help in and around the home. This includes the personal care, transport services and meal facilities for the service user, sharky (2000). A home carer may be arranged for Magda under section 2 of the CSDPA 1970 to provide personal care, such as assistance with bathing and dressing, help with getting in and out of bed, and help with medicines. It also includes practical assistance in the home to improve safety, comfort, and convenience and manage with daily tasks more easily and independently as suggested in Maczka, K .(1990). The 1968 HSPHA (section 45 DHSS Circular 19/71) instructs the Social Services to cater for the delivery of hot meals to Magda at her home by a meals-on-wheels service. However a charge is usually made for each meal. Section 21 Sch. 8 of the 1977 National Health Service Act provides a laundry service for people who are incontinent or who for some reason cannot do their own laundry in line with Vernon, S. ( 1997). If the risk is high for Magda to live in her house and does not want to go into residential homes, supported housing may be an option. The National Assistance Act 1948 Sec 20 facilitates provision of appropriate accommodation. This Act may be used if Magda is voluntarily moving, however her condition should satisfy two requirements and one should be medical. Supported housing offers a wide range of support tailored needs. Service users in supported housing can live as independent and as private. There is an option of companionship from staff if one needs it. Most services offered in Magdas home are available if she chooses to go in supported housing in Heywood et al. (2002). It is probably possible that, after the assessment Magda had been seen as unfit to live in the community even with support, and has to go to residential home against her wishes. The National Assistance Act gives compulsory powers to put Magda in a care home. This decision may be made in her best interest of Magda. The General Social Care Council codes of practice that call for attention towards empowerment and choice. The guidelines are aimed at employers and employees to maintain to a reasonable standard of practice within the social work field. The General Social Care Council, codes of practice expects social care workers to, Supporting service users rights to control their lives and make informed choices about the services they receive; (G.S.C.C. 2002 p1). The other issue is that the couple are experiencing financial issues; Jan is accumulating debt in the local shop. There is need to investigate the reason why Jan is accumulating debt. There is need explore whether the accumulation of debt is not due to alcohol, drug abuse and or gambling. There is a possibility of Jan being vulnerable and experiencing financial abuse from a member(s) of the community. In order to get the true picture of what is taking place, it is important to discuss the debt problems with Jan. It is equally important to check if Jan and Magda are getting all the benefits that they are entitled to. The assessment of peoples needs is a local authoritys responsibility part of the section 47, NHSCCA 1990. The assessment of needs guides whether service provision by community care is required. Needs led assessments are being highlighted in order to move away from resource led assessments. This act allows professionals to fit a person into an existing service rather than getting the service to fit the persons needs. Limited resource eliminates availability of choice. An example would be, a home carer being sent to an elderly person home to provide caring duties. Due to lack of resource and money the carer has to provide home care at an early time of 7pm. This is considered too early for the client who wishes to go to bed after 8pm. But as there may be no other services the client could settle for what is provided, this is a violation of the clients choice. These issues can be magnified as forms of discrimination and oppression. The principles of consumerism underpin many of the objec tives from community care provisions, this is what is in line to Thompson (2003): Station 1998. The Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995 and the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 established statutory intervention in the caring field. Direct Payment scheme does allow users to obtain cash instead of services from local authority. Direct Payment scheme promotes a caring service, which revolves around contracts and employment law, Crawford and Walker (2006). Personalisation of service promotes independence, enabling individuals to have a greater choice and gives clients the responsibility for meeting their housing related support needs The local authority still has an overall say, local authority has discretion over whether to offer someone direct payments and can decide whether they are appropriate and whether the disabled person can manage them (DOH 1998a in Sharkey, 2000). The White paper Caring for people (DOH, 1989), aims hope to enable people to live a normal life as much as possible in their own homes or in a homely environment in the community. It also states that the right amount of care and support should be provided to help people achieve independence by maintaining basic living skills to achieve daily living activities. The main aim, which highlights empowerment, is the prevention of gate keeping allowing individuals to have a greater say towards how they live their lives and the service provision. Kemshall and Littlechild (2000). Ungerson and Kember further state how feminist research looks at the significance of women in informal care and the effect this has in differences between male and female participation in the labour market. Feminists such as Mc Laughlin and Glendinning (1994), Lewis (1992), Ungerson and Kember (1997) etc. have recognised that gender relations in the welfare state are not as simple as mainstream theorists such as Esping-Anderson would have us believe. On the same line, the other feminists such as Barnes (1997) have also looked into gender differences in the welfare state by studying informal care, and the gendered imbalances surrounding it. Barnes claims that women have the main responsibility for informal care. (1997:13). It can be assumed that many policies of the welfare state are at the present, not geared towards Mclaughlin and Glendinnings de-feminisation. According to Henwood 1998, 1in 8 persons is an informal carer to either a relative or a family member, which has led this group of people to become more recognised for the support they give to clients. Supporting carers not surprisingly has proved increasingly popular with the government, because it helps to reduce the demand of local authority funded service, reasserting the responsibility onto families and individuals. However as straightforward as this may seem, the government cuts has added to the difficult task of translating the support into actual rights and benefits in my view. Finch and Groves (1977) argue that policies for community care were, within a context of public expenditure cuts, and were fundamentally incompatible with policies for equal opportunities for women. They claimed that in practice community care equals care by the family, and in practice care by the family equals care by women. (Ungerson, 1987: 494) Because of feminist contributions and increased knowledge of community care the Equal Opportunities Commission commissioned a study of carers and for the first time a serious effort had been made to plot the incidence of caring and to discover the sex ratio. The results found, Out of the 116 carers, 87 (75%) were women and 29 (25%) were men. (Equal Opportunities Commission, 1982b, 3) The Equal Opportunities Commission then published a set of recommendations for the support of carers, in terms of services, financial benefits and employment rights, (The Equal Opportunities Commission). The carers visible to government statistics are married men aged less than 64 years old caring for their disabled wives and single people caring for infirm parents. Carers are only visible to policy makers when they receive some kind of state benefit, yet many welfare benefits exclude married womenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.(Equal Opportunities Commission, 1982b: 3) Further to this councils have adopted a top down model in which local disability organisations are not closely enough involved within. Social workers need to work in partnership with service users and not make assumptions about what they feel is the best for them, even if it appears obvious and the wishes of the service user must be respected. It requires skill and professional judgement on behalf of the social worker to balance the wishes of the adult with the need to protect them. There are no specific laws relating primarily to old people like there is for children under the Children Act 1989 therefore social workers must draw on legislation from different areas in order to provide the best outcome. The training and specialist knowledge the social worker has, the more positive the outcome is likely to be. Also the available resources within the local authority have a significant impact on the care and support that an old person receive and varies widely in different regions. This lack of resources inhibits the proper application of the law, Crawford and Walker (2006). As a social worker it is important to be aware that people are different and where there is difference there is the potential of unfair discrimination. Stanton, (1998). Anti-discriminatory practice is a complex area with many and diverse dimensions such as disability, race, gender, age and sexuality. Much of the discrimination inherent in social work can be seen to be unintentional, due to lack of awareness rather than deliberate attempts to oppress. Thompson (2001). It is important to intervene in a non-discriminatory and non oppressive manner when working with older people. Thompson, (2001) p 88, explained that social work with older people has a considerable discriminatory potential. Society has a tendency of marginalising issues relating particularly to problems of old age. This behaviour can be referred as ageism, and ageism behaviour is in itself discriminatory. Hughes and Mtezuka (1992) describe ageism as the social process through which negative of and attitudes towards older people based solely on the characteristic of old age itself, resulting in discrimination. There is a lot of reference to empowerment and choice in social work settings when in actual fact, one wonders if this is fully promoted. Given that the majority of disabled people are on low incomes or are reliant on welfare payments, their choice is effectively limited to services chosen for them by the local authority social services department. Barnes et al (1999) cited in Kemshall and Littlechild (2000) p 218 On the same subject, Hugman (1998) cited in Kemshall , stresses that these services are made possible through the tax payers money and the same people paying into the taxes are the professionals that control the budgets which poses are a question to the idea of choice made by the consumer. The government cost cutting scheme has negatively affected welfare services, making reference to empowerment and choice meaningless. The power I hold as a social worker, could be used constructively as a useful tool for empowering this family in order to take steps to combat the imbalances that exist between us, and, if used appropriately can enhance their lives, whereas abuse of this power would reinforce the power imbalance and oppression. These power issues can be used to inform my practice and as Stein (1976) in Williams, F. (1989:172) suggests, the relationship between races, social classes and between helping professionals and their clients are all variations of unequal power relations in society. The power imbalance between white social workers supporting ethnic minority clients, places the professional on a privileged position, this may contribute to discrimination and oppression. Thompson (2003). It is possible then to address these imbalances of power, discrimination and oppression? By developing an understanding of the concept of race and cultural differences and identities and oppression. Race and oppression cannot be fully understood without also understanding the notion of power and as Thompson distinguishes the social worker may not be sufficiently sensitive to issues of power/powerlessness and oppression. Thompson 2001: 139. As it has been argued by Thompson (2003:p49,80) that a sophisticated understanding of the presentations of power and its significance within social work are crucial in order to challenge inequality, discrimination and oppression. (Total of 3660 words) CONCLUSION please get the current Copy

Evolution of Individual Rights :: essays research papers

Evolution of Individual Rights Prior to the Constitutional Convention Religious freedom is one main reason for the founding of our country. The concept of ideological and religious freedom remains as strong today as it was at the time of the founding of the United States. The founding fathers left their homelands for a country, which promised freedoms well beyond those, available to the masses during the times of early U.S. immigration. Representatives at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia (1787) intentionally avoided making strong statements regarding religion due to a firm belief that religious provisions were unnecessary to preserve religious liberty. This omission was not taken lightly by six states, who went on to propose amendments guaranteeing religious freedom. In fact, two states refused to ratify the document until a Bill of Rights, including religious freedom, was adopted. In 1789, a compilation of modifications and amendments were assembled, which included the statements we collectively call the First Amendment to the United Stat es Constitution (Alexander and Alexander, 1998). The pertinent section of the First Amendment that refers to religion simply states: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The first part of the statement is commonly known as the "establishment" clause, while the second part is known as the "free exercise" clause. Though intended to be clear, concise and decisive in its presentation of the two clauses, the potential for individual interpretation based on individual biases and ephemeral passions continues to allow for impassioned argument to this day. It is the balancing of these two clauses that makes the analysis of religious freedom questions difficult for teachers, administrators and legal professionals.

Initiation Sylvia Plath

Chantal Chau Analysis of a Key Passage, Initiation by Sylvia Plath In Initiation by Sylvia Plath, the author suggests that conformity and having friends is a wonderful idea, yet the idea of having an individual identity and being an individual is stronger. In the excerpt, Millicent is slowly realizing that conforming and being a part of a sorority is not as exciting as it sounds, and being an individual offers more opportunities to become a unique person. Millicent is an average girl who no one really notices, when one day, a sorority group decides to allow her to join, but she must past their initiation test first.At first, Millicent is ecstatic, and proud that she can finally be a part of society, but slowing, and in the beginning of the excerpt, Millicent finds that being an individual can offer more. As she is talking to Liane Morris, another sorority contestant, she finds that in the sorority â€Å"they have a meeting once a week†¦ each girl takes turns entertaining at her house†¦ †, and how this is not all as exciting as she imagined. Millicent’s desire to know what the group does reflects the idea of hesitation, and how Millicent is now wondering if she really wants to be a part of this group.As she considers both sides of her decision to join, she realizes that joining the sorority would simply allow her to approach Herb, a male student she likes. Her thought â€Å"would he ask her out (if he ever did) just for herself, no strings attached? † bring the desire to be unique and original up and pushes past the need to be popular. Millicent is constantly considering the idea of not joining the sorority, and visualizing them as â€Å"pale grey-brown birds in a flock, one like the other, all exactly alike†. This analogy of conformity is very strong, because in a sorority, every girl is alike, with shallow personalities and beautiful exteriors.The sparrows are described to be â€Å"chirping†, which brings the idea o f being plain and restrained to the mind, because when birds are chirping, they are not expressing themselves; rather they are simply copying the other birds, with no desire to stand out from the rest. In Millicent’s mind, freedom and originality is described as â€Å"swooping carefree heather birds, they would go singing and cooing out across the great spaces of air, dipping and darting, strong and proud in their freedom and their sometime loneliness†. Heather irds are a mythological animal, meaning freedom has no defined description that originality does not exist in a solid form. They are described to be â€Å"swooping, carefree†, meaning there is no worry of being judged, and â€Å"dipping and darting, strong in their freedom† describes the happiness of a worry free life, where style and opinions are not judged or withheld, unlike the â€Å"chirping†, trapped, restrained sparrows which symbolize the sorority. Heather birds were â€Å"singing a nd cooing out across the great spaces of air†, showing that they could express their ideas and opinions without worry, though loneliness was a consequence.In the excerpt, it was stated that the heather birds were â€Å"strong and proud in their freedom and their sometime loneliness†, meaning that there will always be unique people in the world Millicent can relate to, though at times the individuality will stand out, and she will be alone. Through this mental debate, Millicent learns discovers that she could enter her imaginary great hall through â€Å"her coronation as a princess labelling her conclusively as one of the select flock†, or use â€Å"other ways of getting into the great hall, blazing with lights, of people and life†.When read closely, we can see that the mentions the sorority as a flock, demoting them to nothing but a group of beautiful shells with hollow insides, one alike the other. It is then that her decision to use â€Å"other waysâ₠¬  to enter this great hall, without being simply a hollow princes. Just before she is actually accepted into the sorority, the door to the basement opens, and the description of the â€Å"ray of light† that â€Å"sliced across the soft gloom of the basement room† shows the difference between identical, shallow girls and the deeper, unique members of the world.The ray of light that sliced across the room symbolized the epiphany she had, how she now knows that she cannot be a part of the â€Å"soft gloom of the basement room†, where everyone is the same, there is nothing special about anyone. As Millicent is leaving the basement, she hears the â€Å"song of the heather birds as they went wheeling and gliding against wide blue horizons through vast spaces of air, their wings flashing quick and purple in the bright sun† and in her final decision, her heart and soul joins the heather birds she has always been.From the beginning, Millicent has always seem to have known that she could never be a shallow pretty girl; throughout the story, there are little clues of her reluctance to be part of the sorority, such as when she was talking to Lou, a member of the sorority, and discovering the many useless things the sorority does. But when she realizes she has more than just one option, Millicent suddenly becomes hopeful, and more positives changes arrive, such as â€Å"how she could still be friends with everybody†, how she can still be herself, while still being in a group. The group of original people.

Confucianism as a Philosophical System Essays

Confucianism as a Philosophical System Essays Confucianism as a Philosophical System Essay Confucianism as a Philosophical System Essay Essay Topic: Tao Te Ching Confucianism is a philosophical system that was developed by Confucius. It mainly focuses on humanism i. e. treating others well. This can be described by Confucian idea Ren which means showing humanity by acting appropriately and benevolently toward others (lecture, Oct 2). It basically means to love others. Confucius defines an ideal person as the one who knows how to act nicely in all situations (Analects, 165). The master said, A young man should be a good son at home and an obedient young man abroad, sparing of speech but trustworthy in what he says, and should love the ultitude at large but cultivate the friendship of his fellow men (Analects, 165). This statement describes what an ideal person has to be like. He has to be true and honest with his relations, and be responsible toward them. The 5 main relationships are between a parent and child, husband and wife, ruler and subject, between siblings, and friend to friend. An ideal person will maintain his relations responsibly. These relationships play an important role in connecting one person to another, and lead to harmony in society. Performing sacred rites and education are also important for Confucius. Once a person becomes a responsible and principled human being, he is called Junzi which means a gentleman or an accomplished person or a scholar (lecture, Oct 2). Confucius emphasized social harmony by stressing more on interpersonal values and proper behavior. Unlike the Chinese legalists that said social harmony can be achieved through strict laws and rewards, and the Mohists that said it could be achieved through love among people, Confucius believed that social harmony can be achieved by emphasizing sacred rites and education because if everyone learns the humanistic values, they can act according to what they learned, nd then make rational decisions. A person needs to learn these values in order to become a gentleman. He also needs to know his place in the family and the society, and perform the required duties to keep a positive relationship. The recognition of the relation is the key point because that is what will lead to the right behavior toward the relationship. An accomplished person needs to be able to understand the use of language meaning that he needs to know how to use language wisely and correctly. (lecture, Oct 2) The phrase from Confuciuss Analects: The master said, When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self shows that Confucius believed in learning from others (Analects, 166). He believed in learning the good points from others and if you find something bad in others, you can find that in yourself and correct it to become an accomplished person with moral values and humanity (Analects, 167). Practicing arts and culture (Wen) such as music can also help to bring harmony to thoughts by appreciating those traditions (lecture, Oct 7). These are the processes that a person needs to go over in order to become an ideal person and achieve social harmony. According to Daoism an ideal person has three key ideas: Dao, Wu-Wei, and Ziran. An ideal person is the one who does things according to the way they are naturally done (Dao), acts without agenda (Wu-Wei) by working with the natural processes, and be the own self (Ziran) are similar but the only difference is that in wu-wei there is no action involved, you let things happen by themselves, and in ziran you are actually acting naturally. (lecture, Oct 7) The goal of Daoism is to be in harmony with the nature. To be in harmony with Qi, a balance of Yin and Yang is needed. Qi is the generating force that is in every living thing that connects them to universe. Yin and Yang are the opposite forces of each other that create a rhythm when they interplay, but one cannot exist without the other. So if one has Yin but not Yang, harmony will not be achieved because Qi is not generated. The goal should be to harmonize ones own qi with the qi of universe. And a balance is needed between yin and yang to achieve harmony. Practicing Taichi which is a form of physical exercise is also important for health in Daoism, and it helps to achieve harmony. Philosophers of Daoism such as Laozi and Zhuangzi are the competitors of Confucius, and following their teachings of Daoism can help a person to become an ideal person in terms of Daoism. (lecture, Oct 7) Confucianism and Daoism differ in many subjects. Both use the word Dao, but they have different meanings. Dao in Confucianism means the right way of performing human activity and moral activities that were performed by the people from past, that will help to bring harmony in the society (lecture, Oct. 7). While in Daoism it eans to make way according to the way things are naturally. De in Confucianism means when a person behaves with high moral standards by being truly what he is. While in Daoism it is the power of the things to be themselves when they make a way to the way things are naturally. (lecture, Oct 7) Both have their own sets of values. While Confucianism focuses more on developing moral values, Daoism focuses more on emphasis in naturalness of human being for becoming an ideal person (lecture, Oct 9). In Confucianism an ideal person needs to have a set of principles of what is right and wrong, and then act according to it. Daoism focuses more on acting without any principles and leaves everything on the nature. An ideal person according to Confucianism has a self that is social, and it respects the relations like a relation to parent, or sibling, or a friend, etc, and values social harmony. In Daoism the self of an ideal person is completely natural and is individual, but is in harmony with the nature. (lecture, Oct 9) Gentle man- a scholar Social harmony last paragraph De and Dao- compare and contrast in Junzi Translated as rites, propriety, ritual, or appropriate behavior Holy Rite. Appropriate behavior within the five constant relationships out of which society is built. parent-child husband-wife elder-younger sibling friend-friend Wen- The arts†specifically music, literature, song/poetry, painting† practiced by the chon tzu. The practice of wen brings harmony to thoughts and feelings by appreciating and renewing tradition Li- rites Chun Tzu- a man with highest ethical standards, prince. Ren Cen)- goodness, benevolence 5 realtionships Daoism Chi- Chinese word for vital or generative force that is a matter-energy throughout the universe and within each thing or person. The goal is to harmonize ones own qi with the qi of the universe. Yin and Yang: The Chinese name for two complementary but opposite forces in the the two in any given situation Balancing yin and yang is harmony. Connect it with chi and acupuncture (become an ideal person) wu wei- action through non action. The principle teaches that unnecessary action is usually not productive. Instead, it urges aligning one s inner self in harmony with the Tao, so that energy and activity will flow spontaneously and naturally. (how to become ideal person) The goal of Taoists is to attain harmony with the Tao. This attainment of harmony with the Tao is also seen as living in accord with nature. Taoism is profound in its naturalism. Nature is something that should not be exploited and abused, it should be befriended not conquered. The ideal man in Taoism is one who through the naturalness of his existence became self-sufficient and not dependent upon wealth or social realms. It was this way that true happiness could be found Ziran- self or auto- + being so Daoist term for the Way of Nature to be emulated by the Daoist sage: the spontaneity of acting naturally so that things automatically happen of hemselves. (ideal person) Being in harmony with Ying and yang, has qi, through the practice of Taichi, practicing Taichi brings you to harmony with nature, and thats the goal of Taoism. Question: In her book on Indian philosophy, Sue Hamilton argued that Indian philosophy generally has a soteriological or personally transformative purpose, meaning that philosophy is supposed to make the person a b etter person in some way. Apply that thesis to Chinese philosophy. In what sense do both Confucian and Daoist philosophies try to make people better or more sagely? Compare and contrast Confucianism and Daoism in terms of: (b) the process by which one can become such a person. Note: This is an exam, not a term paper. Therefore, to answer the question requires nothing other than material from assigned readings and lectures. No special research is needed. To cite those materials you can simply use the following system of notation: For articles, Just put authors last name plus page number in parentheses, for example: (Ames, 23) For material from lectures, Just state lecture plus date of the lecture as given on the title pages of the PowerPoint slides, for example (lecture, Aug 1) No need for bibliography at end. Please remember the plagiarism warning given on the syllabus. In submitting your paper, be sure each page is numbered with you name on it and that the pages are stapled together (not paper-clipped). That is the best way to ensure your pages are kept together and you can get full credit. Compare and Contrast De and Dao- compare and contrast in last paragraph Confucianism focuses more on developing moral values, while Daoism focuses more on emphasis on naturalness and spontaneity for becoming an ideal person. (Oct 9)