Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Marriage Is The Most Important Act Essay - 1048 Words

Marriage is the most important act in the life of the majority of men and women. When it is a good marriage, it brings men and women to the fullness of the life God intended for them. The difference is this: in the first case, the existence of any contract is denied; in the second case, the existence of a contract is admitted, and the contract is made, even though at the very moment of making the contract one has every intention of violating it. Is it only a pleasant companionship which may not survive the trials and tribulations of family life? No one can hope to realize the full fruits of a good marriage without first understanding what marriage is. Many erroneous notions regarding marriage are still being circulated these days, particularly in reference to its permanence and its obligations. The reason for these errors is the failure to recognize the sacredness of marriage. Marriage is not, as some seem to think, a legalizing of sexual relationships between a man and a woman. It is, instead, a relationship established by God Himself primarily for the generation and education of children. The very name Matrimony signifies this: it comes from two Latin words. matris munus. meaning the office of motherhood or the duty of the mother, which duty is the generation and education of new life. What Is Marriage? Marriage is an institution as old as the human race itself. It started in the Garden of Eden with our first parents. God blessed Adam and Eve: Increase andShow MoreRelatedDomestic Partnerships Should be Legal Essay961 Words   |  4 PagesConstitution guarantees the right for same-sex couples to marry. Should gay marriages be legal? Clearly we as a nation are undecided on this issue. Gay rights groups are fighting for rights while religious groups are fighting against gay marriage. I do NOT believe it is fair to discriminate against gays for being together. America is a free country and people should be able to be in a relationship with whomever they desire. Gay marriage is only legal in a few states. In some of these states, the unitingRead MoreLocal Religious Freedom Restoration Act905 Words   |  4 PagesLocal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) are controversial in nature, because while they pretend to use the excuse to protect the free exercise of religion, intrinsical ly it is an avenue to attack same sex marriages which have been ruled constitutional by most circuit appellate courts in the United States. Currently the Supreme Court is hearing the cases that might ultimately decide the faith of marriage equality. United States v. Windsor opened the door for most federal appellate jurisdictionsRead MoreLegal Rights Of The United Nations Essay1397 Words   |  6 PagesThe most expected result of lack of ability to exercise one’s legal rights would mean that one has the rights but lacks the power to exercise them. Practically granting of rights is the law’s recognition of the validity of a person’s choices. Legal rights give authority for people to act within the framework of the legal system and makes a human being a subject of the law. Article 3 of the ICCPR mandates member states to promote the realization of the right to self determination and to respectRead MoreTradition And Culture, We Now Pronounce You Man And Wife1608 Words   |  7 PagesMan and Wife What is the purpose of marriage? Do we marry for love? Do we marry for benefits? Is it necessary? Or is it just simply a tradition that we follow because that is what we have been taught through our culture to do? Considering the divorce rate, it’s shocking how many people still get married. Marriage is the institution whereby two individuals are joined together in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (Meriam-Webster). Marriage has existed as one of the principalRead MoreThe Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman1134 Words   |  5 Pageslanguage is through various acts and experiments. Love and marriage are the primary topics of the book, and the author illustrates how to understand their construction, and how they function in society. Love is needed in all areas to fulfill the needs of a human and to succeed in marriage. Society plays a big role on ideal marriages and how it should be based on the defined responsibilities and rights of husbands and wi ves. Three articles were chosen based on love and marriage and analyzed to the bookRead MoreThe Legalization Of Gay Marriage1749 Words   |  7 PagesLegalization of Gay Marriage: A Step to Equality Imagine a world where heterosexuals are the minority. Straight people would be the ones fighting for the same rights as homosexuals. Same-sex marriages would be average and normal, while straight marriages would be frowned upon and considered unholy in the eyes of religion. Heterosexuals would be denied service at restaurants because of their sexuality, they would be called derogatory names while holding their partner’s hand and most importantly, theyRead MoreThe Right For Same Sex Couples Should Be Protected Under The Constitution1041 Words   |  5 Pagesright for same-sex couples to marry became protected under the Constitution, which marked the achievement of the Gay Rights Movement most important goal (Berman, 2014). Still, due to the bigoted qualities of our ruling class, and it’s intensifying defense of conservative social and religious institutions, there continues to be a heated debate about whether or not marriage should include the union of same-sex couples and if the rights of gay couples should be protected under the Constitution. Using KarlRead More`` Sula `` By Toni Morrison1367 Words   |  6 Pagesrounded motif, developed throughout the enlightening 1973 novel, ‘Sula’, by Toni Morrison. As an important motif, sacrifice can be a difficult concept for many people to do themselves and as shown in this novel, the audience is shown how the act of sacrifice has both good and bad consequences. How the act of sacrifice can be done through love and have a positive outcome, but more often than not and most common in ‘Sula’ there are either personal ramifications regarding sacrifice, or outcomes that doRead MoreA Brief Note On The Union Of Marriage1422 Words   |  6 PagesUnion in marriage has existed in our society for ages and is not a recent concept. It is also referred to as matrimony; it is a publicly recognized union throughout the society between two different persons. In fact, you and I are here because your parents and my parents decided to get married to each other and bear children. Marriage is a form of correlation that involves mutual duties and rights where individuals are communally or socially consented to and initiate a family. Thus, marriage is a worldwideRead MoreAthenian Marriage841 Words   |  4 Pages‘Athenian marriages were based on usefulness rather than affection’ How far do you agree with this statement? Give the reasons for your views and support them with details from the Athenian sources you have studied. Marriage was one of the key elements of an Athenian society, alongside the importance of children; the importance of marriage was just as valued and necessary for Athenians. The purpose of marriage in Athens was to represent a business arrangement between the fathers of the women and

Monday, December 23, 2019

My Leadership Experience As A Leadership Essay - 1462 Words

Introduction The reflective paper is about my leadership experience as I utilize Northouse’ Skills Approach to match my present style of leadership. The Skills Approach has three underlying skills for effective leadership namely: technical, human and conceptual skills. Through my discussion with the leadership approach, I further describe the manner on how I direct and lead my unit with my technical and human skills with lesser emphasis on conceptual skills. However, as I identify my strengths, I realize my inadequacies requiring the need for improvement. To resolve the shortcomings as a leader, I develop a leadership plan which includes enhancing skills and setting up goals in order to reach the objectives in becoming an effective leader and in aspiring for career advancement. . Leadership Approach In his textbook, Northouse discussed on the Skills Approach, that leadership is based on three skills which are technical skill that focuses on competence on working with things, human skill that emphasizes on working with people, and conceptual skill that concentrates more on working with ideas. The skills approach suggests that knowledge, abilities and skills are needed for leaders to be effective. To become effective managers or leaders it is important that I acquire the three skills: technical, human, and conceptual. Due to my role as a charge in our unit, I see myself utilizing the technical and human skills more than the conceptual skill. As charge nurse,Show MoreRelatedMy Experience At The Public Health Leadership984 Words   |  4 PagesReflection This paper discusses my experiences after attending the Public Health Leadership subject in 2015, reflecting on important lessons learnt, the relevance to my work and the support required for my improvement. 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I’ve also fallen victim to some leaders, who’ve struggledRead MoreMy Catholic School Leadership Experience938 Words   |  4 PagesLeadership Experience My Catholic School leadership experience stems from years of being involved in my diocese, first as a student, then as an employee and then as a mother who raised and educated three children in that diocese. I am a firm supporter of Catholic education as I have experienced the benefits that only a Christ centered learning environment can provide as a student, parent and educator. Over the years, I have worn many educator hats such as a Director of Resource, classroom teacherRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Leadership Experience1556 Words   |  7 PagesReminiscing on my childhood, I recall many fond memories, but playing with Dominoes on the kitchen table stands out more prominently than the others. Contrary to their intended use, I did not actually play the real Dominoes game; instead, like most other children, I stacked them into lines. 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In my Developing skills for business leadership, the first week the lecture was speaking about the six types of skills and how you should work to improve your skill as a leader or manage in an organization.   Our first focus was on time and stress management how to work on time and how to be efficient and effective on time and overcomeRead MoreMy Leadership Experience With German General Erwin Rommel1516 Words   |  7 Pagesperson’s leadership strengths and weaknesses are directly related to their individual experiences. Participating in sports, the Boy Scouts of America and the Corps of Cadets have all been activities that helped to shape me into the leader I am today. Leadership can be improved upon by studying previous leaders and learning from their mistakes and achievements. I will compare my leadership experience with Ger man General Erwin Rommel. I believe that I have quite a few of the same leadership characteristicsRead MoreFormative Experiences And The Formation Of My Self Leadership Model1175 Words   |  5 PagesFormative experiences and the formation of my self-leadership model Different experiences come a long way to form my model of self-leadership currently. During my first years of my employment, the dean in the department I worked in Vietnam was a transformational leader who motivated me significantly. Among senior faculties in the department, she was not evaluated as the best researcher or instructor. However, no one in the department rejected the fact that she was a very effective leader. She ledRead MoreMy First Leadership Experience : Varsity International Company Essay1358 Words   |  6 Pages My first leadership experience was with Varsity International Company, a book-publishing company in Oxford, MS, from May to August 2009. The company had a summer internship program in which qualified college students were recruited as independent dealers marketing educational books door-to-door. During summer 2008, as a sales intern, I generated $16,000 sales volumes and demonstrated proficiency in all business management activities, such as book-keeping, inventory audit, and weekly sales/expenses

Sunday, December 15, 2019

A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty-seven Free Essays

string(102) " His lips were as soft and red as the worms you found after a rain, and his eyes were vain and cruel\." Sansa In the tower room at the heart of Maegor’s Holdfast, Sansa gave herself to the darkness. She drew the curtains around her bed, slept, woke weeping, and slept again. When she could not sleep she lay under her blankets shivering with grief. We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty-seven or any similar topic only for you Order Now Servants came and went, bringing meals, but the sight of food was more than she could bear. The dishes piled up on the table beneath her window, untouched and spoiling, until the servants took them away again. Sometimes her sleep was leaden and dreamless, and she woke from it more tired than when she had closed her eyes. Yet those were the best times, for when she dreamed, she dreamed of Father. Waking or sleeping, she saw him, saw the gold cloaks fling him down, saw Ser Ilyn striding forward, unsheathing Ice from the scabbard on his back, saw the moment . . . the moment when . . . she had wanted to look away, she had wanted to, her legs had gone out from under her and she had fallen to her knees, yet somehow she could not turn her head, and all the people were screaming and shouting, and her prince had smiled at her, he’d smiled and she’d felt safe, but only for a heartbeat, until he said those words, and her father’s legs . . . that was what she remembered, his legs, the way they’d jerked when Ser Ilyn . . . when the sword . . . Perhaps I will die too, she told herself, and the thought did not seem so terrible to her. If she flung herself from the window, she could put an end to her suffering, and in the years to come the singers would write songs of her grief. Her body would lie on the stones below, broken and innocent, shaming all those who had betrayed her. Sansa went so far as to cross the bedchamber and throw open the shutters . . . but then her courage left her, and she ran back to her bed, sobbing. The serving girls tried to talk to her when they brought her meals, but she never answered them. Once Grand Maester Pycelle came with a box of flasks and bottles, to ask if she was ill. He felt her brow, made her undress, and touched her all over while her bedmaid held her down. When he left he gave her a potion of honeywater and herbs and told her to drink a swallow every night. She drank it all right then and went back to sleep. She dreamt of footsteps on the tower stair, an ominous scraping of leather on stone as a man climbed slowly toward her bedchamber, step by step. All she could do was huddle behind her door and listen, trembling, as he came closer and closer. It was Ser Ilyn Payne, she knew, coming for her with Ice in his hand, coming to take her head. There was no place to run, no place to hide, no way to bar the door. Finally the footsteps stopped and she knew he was just outside, standing there silent with his dead eyes and his long pocked face. That was when she realized she was naked. She crouched down, trying to cover herself with her hands, as her door began to swing open, creaking, the point of the greatsword poking through . . . She woke murmuring, â€Å"Please, please, I’ll be good, I’ll be good, please don’t,† but there was no one to hear. When they finally came for her in truth, Sansa never heard their footsteps. It was Joffrey who opened her door, not Ser Ilyn but the boy who had been her prince. She was in bed, curled up tight, her curtains drawn, and she could not have said if it was noon or midnight. The first thing she heard was the slam of the door. Then her bed hangings were yanked back, and she threw up a hand against the sudden light and saw them standing over her. â€Å"You will attend me in court this afternoon,† Joffrey said. â€Å"See that you bathe and dress as befits my betrothed.† Sandor Clegane stood at his shoulder in a plain brown doublet and green mantle, his burned face hideous in the morning light. Behind them were two knights of the Kingsguard in long white satin cloaks. Sansa drew her blanket up to her chin to cover herself. â€Å"No,† she whimpered, â€Å"please . . . leave me be.† â€Å"If you won’t rise and dress yourself, my Hound will do it for you,† Joffrey said. â€Å"I beg of you, my prince . . . â€Å" â€Å"I’m king now. Dog, get her out of bed.† Sandor Clegane scooped her up around the waist and lifted her off the featherbed as she struggled feebly. Her blanket fell to the floor. Underneath she had only a thin bedgown to cover her nakedness. â€Å"Do as you’re bid, child,† Clegane said. â€Å"Dress.† He pushed her toward her wardrobe, almost gently. Sansa backed away from them. â€Å"I did as the queen asked, I wrote the letters, I wrote what she told me. You promised you’d be merciful. Please, let me go home. I won’t do any treason, I’ll be good, I swear it, I don’t have traitor’s blood, I don’t. I only want to go home.† Remembering her courtesies, she lowered her head. â€Å"As it please you,† she finished weakly. â€Å"It does not please me,† Joffrey said. â€Å"Mother says I’m still to marry you, so you’ll stay here, and you’ll obey.† â€Å"I don’t want to marry you,† Sansa wailed. â€Å"You chopped off my father’s head!† â€Å"He was a traitor. I never promised to spare him, only that I’d be merciful, and I was. If he hadn’t been your father, I would have had him torn or flayed, but I gave him a clean death.† Sansa stared at him, seeing him for the first time. He was wearing a padded crimson doublet patterned with lions and a cloth-of-gold cape with a high collar that framed his face. She wondered how she could ever have thought him handsome. His lips were as soft and red as the worms you found after a rain, and his eyes were vain and cruel. You read "A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty-seven" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"I hate you,† she whispered. King Joffrey’s face hardened. â€Å"My mother tells me that it isn’t fitting that a king should strike his wife. Ser Meryn.† The knight was on her before she could think, yanking back her hand as she tried to shield her face and backhanding her across the ear with a gloved fist. Sansa did not remember failing, yet the next she knew she was sprawled on one knee amongst the rushes. Her head was ringing. Ser Meryn Trant stood over her, with blood on the knuckles of his white silk glove. â€Å"Will you obey now, or shall I have him chastise you again?† Sansa’s ear felt numb. She touched it, and her fingertips came away wet and red. â€Å"I . . . as . . . as you command, my lord.† â€Å"Your Grace,† Joffrey corrected her. â€Å"I shall look for you in court.† He turned and left. Ser Meryn and Ser Arys followed him out, but Sandor Clegane lingered long enough to yank her roughly to her feet. â€Å"Save yourself some pain, girl, and give him what he wants.† â€Å"What . . . what does he want? Please, tell me.† â€Å"He wants you to smile and smell sweet and be his lady love,† the Hound rasped. â€Å"He wants to hear you recite all your pretty little words the way the septa taught you. He wants you to love him . . . and fear him.† After he was gone, Sansa sank back onto the rushes, staring at the wall until two of her bedmaids crept timidly into the chamber. â€Å"I will need hot water for my bath, please,† she told them, â€Å"and perfume, and some powder to hide this bruise.† The right side of her face was swollen and beginning to ache, but she knew Joffrey would want her to be beautiful. The hot water made her think of Winterfell, and she took strength from that. She had not washed since the day her father died, and she was startled at how filthy the water became. Her maids sluiced the blood off her face, scrubbed the dirt from her back, washed her hair and brushed it out until it sprang back in thick auburn curls. Sansa did not speak to them, except to give them commands; they were Lannister servants, not her own, and she did not trust them. When the time came to dress, she chose the green silk gown that she had worn to the tourney. She recalled how gallant Joff had been to her that night at the feast. Perhaps it would make him remember as well, and treat her more gently. She drank a glass of buttermilk and nibbled at some sweet biscuits as she waited, to settle her stomach. It was midday when Ser Meryn returned. He had donned his white armor; a shirt of enameled scales chased with gold, a tall helm with a golden sunburst crest, greaves and gorget and gauntlet and boots of gleaming plate, a heavy wool cloak clasped with a golden lion. His visor had been removed from his helm, to better show his dour face; pouchy bags under his eyes, a wide sour mouth, rusty hair spotted with grey. â€Å"My lady,† he said, bowing, as if he had not beaten her bloody only three hours past. â€Å"His Grace has instructed me to escort you to the throne room.† â€Å"Did he instruct you to hit me if I refused to come?† â€Å"Are you refusing to come, my lady?† The look he gave her was without expression. He did not so much as glance at the bruise he had left her. He did not hate her, Sansa realized; neither did he love her. He felt nothing for her at all. She was only a . . . a thing to him. â€Å"No,† she said, rising. She wanted to rage, to hurt him as he’d hurt her, to warn him that when she was queen she would have him exiled if he ever dared strike her again . . . but she remembered what the Hound had told her, so all she said was, â€Å"I shall do whatever His Grace commands.† â€Å"As I do,† he replied. â€Å"Yes . . . but you are no true knight, Ser Meryn.† Sandor Clegane would have laughed at that, Sansa knew. Other men might have cursed her, warned her to keep silent, even begged for her forgiveness. Ser Meryn Trant did none of these. Ser Meryn Trant simply did not care. The balcony was deserted save for Sansa. She stood with her head bowed, fighting to hold back her tears, while below Joffrey sat on his Iron Throne and dispensed what it pleased him to call justice. Nine cases out of ten seemed to bore him; those he allowed his council to handle, squirming restlessly while Lord Baelish, Grand Maester Pycelle, or Queen Cersei resolved the matter. When he did choose to make a ruling, though, not even his queen mother could sway him. A thief was brought before him and he had Ser Ilyn chop his hand off, right there in court. Two knights came to him with a dispute about some land, and he decreed that they should duel for it on the morrow. â€Å"To the death,† he added. A woman fell to her knees to plead for the head of a man executed as a traitor. She had loved him, she said, and she wanted to see him decently buried. â€Å"If you loved a traitor, you must be a traitor too,† Joffrey said. Two gold cloaks dragged her off to the dungeons. Frog-faced Lord Slynt sat at the end of the council table wearing a black velvet doublet and a shiny cloth-of-gold cape, nodding with approval every time the king pronounced a sentence. Sansa stared hard at his ugly face, remembering how he had thrown down her father for Ser Ilyn to behead, wishing she could hurt him, wishing that some hero would throw him down and cut off his head. But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. â€Å"Life is not a song, sweetling,† he’d told her. â€Å"You may learn that one day to your sorrow.† In life, the monsters win, she told herself, and now it was the Hound’s voice she heard, a cold rasp, metal on stone. â€Å"Save yourself some pain, girl, and give him what he wants.† The last case was a plump tavern singer, accused of making a song that ridiculed the late King Robert. Joff commanded them to fetch his woodharp and ordered him to perform the song for the court. The singer wept and swore he would never sing that song again, but the king insisted. It was sort of a funny song, all about Robert fighting with a pig. The pig was the boar who’d killed him, Sansa knew, but in some verses it almost sounded as if he were singing about the queen. When the song was done, Joffrey announced that he’d decided to be merciful. The singer could keep either his fingers or his tongue. He would have a day to make his choice. Janos Slynt nodded. That was the final business of the afternoon, Sansa saw with relief, but her ordeal was not yet done. When the herald’s voice dismissed the court, she fled the balcony, only to find Joffrey waiting for her at the base of the curving stairs. The Hound was with him, and Ser Meryn as well. The young king examined her critically, top to bottom. â€Å"You look much better than you did.† â€Å"Thank you, Your Grace,† Sansa said. Hollow words, but they made him nod and smile. â€Å"Walk with me,† Joffrey commanded, offering her his arm. She had no choice but to take it. The touch of his hand would have thrilled her once; now it made her flesh crawl. â€Å"My name day will be here soon,† Joffrey said as they slipped out the rear of the throne room. â€Å"There will be a great feast, and gifts. What are you going to give me?† â€Å"I . . . I had not thought, my lord.† â€Å"Your Grace,† he said sharply. â€Å"You truly are a stupid girl, aren’t you? My mother says so.† â€Å"She does?† After all that had happened, his words should have lost their power to hurt her, yet somehow they had not. The queen had always been so kind to her. â€Å"Oh, yes. She worries about our children, whether they’ll be stupid like you, but I told her not to trouble herself.† The king gestured, and Ser Meryn opened a door for them. â€Å"Thank you, Your Grace,† she murmured. The Hound was right, she thought, I am only a little bird, repeating the words they taught me. The sun had fallen below the western wall, and the stones of the Red Keep glowed dark as blood. â€Å"I’ll get you with child as soon as you’re able,† Joffrey said as he escorted her across the practice yard. â€Å"If the first one is stupid, I’ll chop off your head and find a smarter wife. When do you think you’ll be able to have children?† Sansa could not look at him, he shamed her so. â€Å"Septa Mordane says most . . . most highborn girls have their flowering at twelve or thirteen.† Joffrey nodded. â€Å"This way.† He led her into the gatehouse, to the base of the steps that led up to the battlements. Sansa jerked back away from him, trembling. Suddenly she knew where they were going. â€Å"No,† she said, her voice a frightened gasp. â€Å"Please, no, don’t make me, I beg you . . . â€Å" Joffrey pressed his lips together. â€Å"I want to show you what happens to traitors.† Sansa shook her head wildly. â€Å"I won’t. I won’t.† â€Å"I can have Ser Meryn drag you up,† he said. â€Å"You won’t like that. You had better do what I say.† Joffrey reached for her, and Sansa cringed away from him, backing into the Hound. â€Å"Do it, girl,† Sandor Clegane told her, pushing her back toward the king. His mouth twitched on the burned side of his face and Sansa could almost hear the rest of it. He’ll have you up there no matter what, so give him what he wants. She forced herself to take King Joffrey’s hand. The climb was something out of a nightmare; every step was a struggle, as if she were pulling her feet out of ankle-deep mud, and there were more steps than she would have believed, a thousand thousand steps, and horror waiting on the ramparts. From the high battlements of the gatehouse, the whole world spread out below them. Sansa could see the Great Sept of Baelor on Visenya’s hill, where her father had died. At the other end of the Street of the Sisters stood the fire-blackened ruins of the Dragonpit. To the west, the swollen red sun was half-hidden behind the Gate of the Gods. The salt sea was at her back, and to the south was the fish market and the docks and the swirling torrent of the Blackwater Rush. And to the north . . . She turned that way, and saw only the city, streets and alleys and hills and bottoms and more streets and more alleys and the stone of distant walls. Yet she knew that beyond them was open country, farms and fields and forests, and beyond that, north and north and north again, stood Winterfell. â€Å"What are you looking at?† Joffrey said. â€Å"This is what I wanted you to see, right here.† A thick stone parapet protected the outer edge of the rampart, reaching as high as Sansa’s chin, with crenellations cut into it every five feet for archers. The heads were mounted between the crenels, along the top of the wall, impaled on iron spikes so they faced out over the city. Sansa had noted them the moment she’d stepped out onto the wallwalk, but the river and the bustling streets and the setting sun were ever so much prettier. He can make me look at the heads, she told herself, but he can’t make me see them. â€Å"This one is your father,† he said. â€Å"This one here. Dog, turn it around so she can see him.† Sandor Clegane took the head by the hair and turned it. The severed head had been dipped in tar to preserve it longer. Sansa looked at it calmly, not seeing it at all. It did not really look like Lord Eddard, she thought; it did not even look real. â€Å"How long do I have to look?† Joffrey seemed disappointed. â€Å"Do you want to see the rest?† There was a long row of them. â€Å"If it please Your Grace.† Joffrey marched her down the wallwalk, past a dozen more heads and two empty spikes. â€Å"I’m saving those for my uncle Stannis and my uncle Renly,† he explained. The other heads had been dead and mounted much longer than her father. Despite the tar, most were long past being recognizable. The king pointed to one and said, â€Å"That’s your septa there,† but Sansa could not even have told that it was a woman. The jaw had rotted off her face, and birds had eaten one ear and most of a cheek. Sansa had wondered what had happened to Septa Mordane, although she supposed she had known all along. â€Å"Why did you kill her?† she asked. â€Å"She was godsworn . . . â€Å" â€Å"She was a traitor.† Joffrey looked pouty; somehow she was upsetting him. â€Å"You haven’t said what you mean to give me for my name day. Maybe I should give you something instead, would you like that?† â€Å"If it please you, my lord,† Sansa said. When he smiled, she knew he was mocking her. â€Å"Your brother is a traitor too, you know.† He turned Septa Mordane’s head back around. â€Å"I remember your brother from Winterfell. My dog called him the lord of the wooden sword. Didn’t you, dog?† â€Å"Did I?† the Hound replied. â€Å"I don’t recall.† Joffrey gave a petulant shrug. â€Å"Your brother defeated my uncle Jaime. My mother says it was treachery and deceit. She wept when she heard. Women are all weak, even her, though she pretends she isn’t. She says we need to stay in King’s Landing in case my other uncles attack, but I don’t care. After my name day feast, I’m going to raise a host and kill your brother myself. That’s what I’ll give you, Lady Sansa. Your brother’s head.† A kind of madness took over her then, and she heard herself say, â€Å"Maybe my brother will give me your head.† Joffrey scowled. â€Å"You must never mock me like that. A true wife does not mock her lord. Ser Meryn, teach her.† This time the knight grasped her beneath the jaw and held her head still as he struck her. He hit her twice, left to right, and harder, right to left. Her lip split and blood ran down her chin, to mingle with the salt of her tears. â€Å"You shouldn’t be crying all the time,† Joffrey told her. â€Å"You’re more pretty when you smile and laugh.† Sansa made herself smile, afraid that he would have Ser Meryn hit her again if she did not, but it was no good, the king still shook his head. â€Å"Wipe off the blood, you’re all messy.† The outer parapet came up to her chin, but along the inner edge of the walk was nothing, nothing but a long plunge to the bailey seventy or eighty feet below. All it would take was a shove, she told herself. He was standing right there, right there, smirking at her with those fat wormlips. You could do it, she told herself. You could. Do it right now. It wouldn’t even matter if she went over with him. It wouldn’t matter at all. â€Å"Here, girl.† Sandor Clegane knelt before her, between her and Joffrey. With a delicacy surprising in such a big man, he dabbed at the blood welling from her broken lip. The moment was gone. Sansa lowered her eyes. â€Å"Thank you,† she said when he was done. She was a good girl, and always remembered her courtesies. How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty-seven, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Democratic Transition and Consolidation System †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Democratic Transition and Consolidation System. Answer: Introduction: All religions are equal. It is believed strongly by all the mmuslim clerics in this saying. They want the world to be a happy place. Being a Liberal Muslim Clerics, one is tolerant towards all regions and believe that there are some or the other kinds of hardships still going on around in different parts of the world. They embrace the Muslim religion but they are also of a very open-minded and try to keep a modern and liberal approach. As they are living in South East Asia they can very well see the atrocities that are being caused to people after the implementation of the Sharia law. A competitive democracy is something that allows all the individuals to use their voting rights freely. All the individuals will be given equal rights irrespective of their caste, social status, and religion. Indonesia has been chosen because there are still issues existing about the inclusion of the Islamic people in the process of voting. Many people were not registered as voters and so they could not vote. Many are of the opinion that Islam is no longer a major significant force in Indoneisa. The politics is really becoming very narrow. Many people fear that Muslims will become a minority. As a result of this the Sariah law has been adopted that will safeguard the interests of muslim people. Many clerics are a believer of the Sharia law but at the same time, they believe that the major concern of all religion including the Sharia Islamic religion must be to be compassionate towards people and promote equal rights for them (Hegland 2018). As the very beginning lines of the every Surah In the Quran, begins with the words in the name of the most merciful and the most compassionate, then It is my duty as a progressive or as a liberal Muslim to inculcate those qualities within myself and all the other fellow mates of my religion. Many liberal Muslim clerics are a follower of Sharia law like many others as there are some really very good aspects. The basic problem lies in the fact that people are not usually well acquainted with the exact tenets of the religious order and start using it in the wrong way. Sharia is a code of conduct that dictates the lives of each and every individual of the Islamic religion. It starts from how the Muslims must dress, how they must act in public and also in private. It also dictates the ways they interact with their friends and their colleagues. It governs the eating, dressing, fasting, praying and all the other normal activities of their lives. This religious order believes that each and every individual must lead their lives at every step by devoting themselves to the Almighty God or Allah. They embrace Sharia as it is a good and liberal, justified religious order. Being a Muslim cleric, they have studied the Sharia law in details and know what it actually means. Sharia is an Arabic word that implies a route to be followed and it is a road that leads to water. As water is the sustenance of life so Sharia is a particular road that will lead people to God. It is a purely religious path of making man attain Godliness (Mller 2016). Water is one of the basic necessities of human life and so is the blessing of Allah. It basically signifies the Halakhah, which is a path which is a path that one walks. Being a religious leader they always try to practice what they preach. They want the Sharia followers to know the actual meaning of this religious order and then try to follow them accordingly. They believe that it is essential for all the Muslims to follow this particular religious order as it dictates the overall routine of the life of the individuals (Griffith News 2018). One of the most important and the foremost things that the liberal muslim clerics follow are the five basic things of life that Sharia law mainly aims at protecting. They are life, honor, learning, property, and family. It is the act of saving and guarding these activities will surely require some strict laws that need to be followed. Many Muslim clerics have witnessed that some places in South East Asia have started following the Sharia law. One such province is Aceh. In Aceh, it was implemented in three phases. The first phase mainly tried imposing laws like paying fines and penalties for not following the Ramadan, the regular visit to Mosques, their prayers. The second phase had continued with the same and the third phase mainly talked about applying death penalties to those who were convicted of crimes like homosexuality, sex outside marriage, rape and other such cases. So, being Muslim clerics, one with liberal bent of mind had to be a part of the group that was helping in spreading these Sharia principles but they did snot somehow like some of these principles. As the muslim clerics are of a liberal and open mindset they cannot really withstand seeing the rights and the freedom of people being curbed only by the false name of religion (Rabasa 2014). Religion does not say that man has to be tied in chains. Re ligion must not really dictate on whom a person must love or marry. There are decisions that people must always be free to make on their own. As per this Sharia law, there has to be a strict ban on the drinking of alcohol. Strict punishments are to be given to people who consume alcohol. However, this must not be the case (Theaustralian.com.au 2018). Drinking alcohol has now become a part of life. People living in the 21st century have to live their lives as per the modern and accepted standards of living. Religion must not really interfere in the personal lives of the people. People often drink alcohol due to some sort of refreshments. Unless they are getting drunk to extreme levels, there must not be any ban or any restrictions on consumption of alcohol. There can, however, be some punishments for those people who get drunk to extreme limits and lose their self-control. If there are cases where people have committed crimes like hitting each other or abusing people after getting dr unk then there have to be some of the other penalties imposed on those people. There has been a situation where some people were sentenced to jail and also to whipping with lashes after they were found guilty of drinking alcohol. Sentencing people to jail for consumption of alcohol must not be the case. It has been reported that after the Sharia law was imposed in Aceh, fifteen men were beaten up mercilessly in front of a mosque for gambling (Church 2017). This is something that many liberal clerics could not really agree with. Being a clerical do not entertain the act of gambling but beating people so mercilessly in public front is not the best solution always. Liberal Muslim clerics think that people who have a habit of gambling must be arrested by the police and then they should be explained that they must not carry on this act of gambling. His only lead them to ruin. We have to remember that Sharia wants to govern the lives of Muslims so that they lead an organized life and they can slowly reach God through their activities. So, if they are beaten up in an open place in front of all people, then this might hurt their self-respect and might also enrage them. Rather than checking themselves from this activity of gambling, they might retire it even more. There are cases where a person who was convicted of gambling was sentenced to a punishment of getting 80 strokes as a punishment. Apart from this Sharia law is often harsh on women than men. So, Muslim clerics believe that there has to be a constitution that will be able to amalgamate the Sharia law and the democratic rights of individuals in a way that would be very beneficial for all people. So, there have to be some tenets that will not breed violence but justice (Miaari et al. 2018). People found drinking in any social gatherings or in any official friendly outing must not be subjected to harsh extreme punishments like getting beaten up publically. Punishments are to be used only when people drink in uncontrollable amounts and behave in an insane manner that harms the social decorum. People drinking in and around the drinking prohibited areas like mosques, schools, and the localities must be subjected to punishments. However, the nature of the punishments must not be too harsh. There can be some monetary penalties or fines. In extreme cases, those found guilty can be imprisoned for a certain time period (Ethier 2016). However the motif the law is good it thinks that alcohol drinking has to be banned so that people can abstain from all sorts of addictions and stay fit and healthy. The method of implementing this law has to be good and in a proper manner. Sharia law must be implemented to protect women from all minds of harms and not for bounding them in chains. They must not be kept confined within their houses. They must be given proper rights to study and to choose their dresses and their life partners as per their choice. So, women must not be arrested for wearing trousers in place of hijabs. There must surely be this rule that women will be wearing hijabs while they are going to any religious ceremonies. However, there must be no strict rules imposed on them to wear some particular kinds of clothes that are accepted by the religion or by the Sharia society. There have been many instances where Sharia law said that a man can keep multiple wives but a woman has to lead a very organized and strict life with only one husband, even if they know that the husband is dishonest and is torturing them. The law must be flexible enough for the women as well. There must be this flexibility allowed for both the husband and the wife to get a div orce from each other and remarry the partners of their choice (Means 2017). There must be laws implemented for men who think that their wives are their properties and they can handle their wives just the way they want. There have to be laws against the domestic violence. Husband trying to follow polygamy have to be punished and they are to abide by the code of law. They are to be sentenced to life imprisonment or they will have to pay the lifelong expenses of all the women that he has married. He can keep only one wife at a time and has to follow the legal procedure for a divorce. Extramarital affairs cannot be entertained. If one partner registers a complaint against the other, the police have to investigate the matter and then make sure that the one who wants to come out of the marriage has a valid reason for it. If the husband enters into any extramarital affairs by ditching his wife he has to pay a huge sum of money as a penalty and also has to make sure that they are paying the ransom or the security money that the wife claims. He also has to pay for the educational and other expenses of his children if any (ucanews.com 2018). Sharia law cannot dictate the sex life or the conjugal life of people. Aceh are free countries and people must be able to lead their lives as free and independent individuals. However, there had to be a law regarding the minimum age bar for both a girl and a boy getting married. They can get married and lead a normal conjugal life after becoming adults and after reaching a certain age. However, if some teenagers are caught having some intimate moments with their partners in any closed rooms, they must not be subjected to extreme punishments like lashes or whipping in public. However, they must be taken under arrest and explained this entire matter by any adult members with patience. They must be dealt with care and understanding and not by physical violence (HuffPost India 2018). However this ban on engaging into sexual intercourse is also required in some places because the adolescent individuals are often very desperate and they lack the quality of judging skeptically what is wrong or what is right for them. So, if there is a strict law then they will be checked from committing any blunders at an early age. Homosexuality has to be recognized by Sharia law. It must not be seen as a crime. If Sharia is aimed at uniting man with God then, man cannot be tortured because of his sexual orientation. If a man has been created by God or Allah, then sexual orientation is also something that has been made by God. If people are not blind towards science and biology then they must at least keep faith in God and believe that homosexual people are normal human beings just like all others. Staying with a partner of the same sex does not make a person a criminal. Crimes like rape and murder must be treated very carefully. If the victim is killed in this act then the guilty must be subjected to a dealt penalty. No one has the right to hurt and kill other lives that have been created by God (Acharya 2014). Theft is also a crime and needs to be checked at the root levels itself. However, there has to be a proper investigation. Shariah law sees theft as a serious crime and dictates huge punishment for the same. This is indeed a good practice because theft makes people lazy and people actually develop into serious murderers and criminals from small crimes like theft. If it is not checked strictly right at the grassroots level, then people will not fear the law and will freely continue committing such crimes. A child might be very poor and hungry for days. So, he might steal food from a shop. In such cases, he must not be whipped publically. People must show affection and not anger. That child must be given food immediately and must be taken proper care of. However, if some young boys are stealing money or jewelry from any houses or from passengers on street, then they must be arrested and sentenced to imprisonment. There must be a proper trial for each and every case (Ethier 2016). Thereby, It is believed that the Sharia law is good and has a positive motif. It mainly tries to make man lead a healthy life free of all sins. This law wants man to abide by the rules that would prevent him from going onto any wrong paths like that of addiction and theft. However the methods of implementing the laws have to be changed. People must be given a free and healthy life. They must be made to abide by the laws through a changed vision and affection and not violence. It has to be implemented in such a way that the democratic rights and the freedom of people are not hindered. This law must promote the freedom and the equal rights for people rather than tying them in chains. References Acharya, A., 2014.Constructing a security community in Southeast Asia: ASEAN and the problem of regional order. Routledge. Americanthinker.com. 2018.Top ten reasons why sharia is bad for all societies. [online] Available at: https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2005/08/top_ten_reasons_why_sharia_is.html [Accessed 3 Apr. 2018]. Chin, J., 2016. Malaysia: Heading for Sharia Domination?.The Round Table,105(6), pp.737-739. Church, P., 2017.A short history of South-East Asia. John Wiley Sons. Ethier, D. ed., 2016.Democratic Transition and Consolidation in Southern Europe, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Springer. Formichi, C. and Feener, R.M. eds., 2015.Shi?ism in Southeast Asia: ?Alid Piety and Sectarian Constructions. Oxford University Press. Griffith News. 2018.The troubling reality of Southeast Asias democratic recession. [online] Available at: https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/news/2017/12/07/the-troubling-reality-of-southeast-asias-democratic-recession/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2018]. Hegland, M.E., 2018. Gender and religion in the Middle East and South Asia: Womens voices rising. InA social History of Women and Gender in the Modern Middle East(pp. 177-212). Routledge. HuffPost India. 2018.5 Things You Need To Know About Sharia Law. [online] Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/5-facts-you-need-to-know-about-sharia-law_us_5788f567e4b03fc3ee507c01 [Accessed 3 Apr. 2018]. McGee, R.W., 2016. Do Views toward Homosexuality Differ based on Income Level? An Empirical Study of United States Opinion. Means, G.P., 2017. The role of Islam in the political development of Malaysia. InReligions and Missionaries around the Pacific, 15001900(pp. 11-31). Routledge. Metcalf, B.D., 2016. Islam in contemporary Southeast Asia: history, community, morality.Defining Islam: A Reader. Miaari, S., Khattab, N. and Johnston, R., 2018. Religion and ethnicity at work: a study of British Muslim womens labour market performance.Quality Quantity, pp.1-29. Mller, D.M., 2016. Paradoxical normativities in Acehi Darussalam and Malaysia: Islamic law and the ASEAN human rights declaration.Asian Survey,56(3), pp.415-441. Rabasa, A., 2014.Political Islam in Southeast Asia: Moderates, Radical and Terrorists(No. 358). Routledge. Theaustralian.com.au. 2018.Subscribe to The Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone Android apps. [online] Available at: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/what-exactly-is-sharia-law/news-story/4e3c627f248841b46d465b4c79dec59a [Accessed 3 Apr. 2018]. ucanews.com. 2018.Where is Shariah law enforced in Southeast Asia? - ucanews.com. [online] Available at: https://www.ucanews.com/news/where-is-shariah-law-enforced-in-southeast-asia/77399 [Accessed 3 Apr. 2018].

Friday, November 29, 2019

Black Holes Essay Research Paper Black HolesThere free essay sample

Black Holes Essay, Research Paper Black Holes There are many unusual and fantastic phenomenons being discovered throughout our Universe. One of the most challenging is the construct of a black hole in infinite. Astronomers have discovered a black hole merely 1,600 light old ages off from Earth. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory cataloged this black hole in the configuration Sagittari on a star called V4641. A black hole is one signifier of a dead star. A star has three picks when it dies, it can: shrivel until it is a white midget, shrink until it is a neutron star, or maintain on shriveling until it is a point in infinite with an infinite denseness known as a black hole. A black hole is an highly heavy outer infinite organic structure that has been theorized to be in the existence. The gravitative field of a black hole is so strong that, if the organic structure is big plenty, nil, including electromagnetic radiation, can get away from its country. We will write a custom essay sample on Black Holes Essay Research Paper Black HolesThere or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The organic structure is surrounded by a spherical boundary, called a skyline, through which visible radiation can come in but non escape ; it hence appears wholly black. The thought of a mass concentration so heavy that even light would be trapped goes all the manner back to Laplace in the eighteenth century. Almost instantly after Einstein developed general relativity, Karl Schwarzschild discovered a mathematical solution to the equations of the theory that described such an object. The radius of the skyline of a Schwarzschild black hole depends merely on the mass of the organic structure, being 2.95 kilometer ( 1.83 myocardial infarction ) times the mass of the organic structure in solar units ( the mass of the organic structure divided by the mass of the Sun ) . If a organic structure is electrically charged or revolving, Schwarzschild # 8217 ; s consequences are modified. Harmonizing to general relativity, gravity badly modifies infinite and clip near a black hole. As the skyline is approached from outside, clip slows down comparative to that of distant perceivers, halting wholly on the skyline. Once a organic structure has contracted within its Schwarzschild radius ( radius of the skyline ) , it would theoretically fall in to a dimensionless object of infinite denseness. Although Schwarzschild discovered black holes, it wasn # 8217 ; t until much later with the work of people such as Oppenheimer, Volkoff, and Snyder in the 1930 # 8217 ; s, that people thought earnestly about the possibility that such objects might really be in the Universe. These rhenium seekers showed that when a sufficiently monolithic star runs out of fuel, it is unable to back up itself against its ain gravitative pull, and it should fall in into a black hole. In general relativity, gravitation is a manifestation of the curvature of spacetime. Massive objects distort infinite and clip, so that the usual regulations of geometry Don # 8217 ; t use any longer. Near a black hole, this deformation of infinite is highly terrible and causes black holes to hold some really unusual belongingss. In peculiar, a black hole has something called an # 8216 ; event horizon. # 8217 ; This is a spherical surface that marks the boundary of the black hole. You can go through in through the skyline, but you can # 8217 ; t acquire back out. In fact, one time you # 8217 ; ve crossed the skyline, you # 8217 ; rhenium doomed to travel inexorably closer and closer to the # 8217 ; uniqueness # 8217 ; at the centre of the black hole. You can believe of the skyline as the topographic point where the flight speed equals the speed of visible radiation. Outside of the skyline, the flight speed is less than the velocity of visible radiation, so if you fire your projectiles hard plenty, you can give yourself adequate energy to acquire off. But if you find yourself inside the skyline, so no affair how powerful your projectiles are, you can # 8217 ; t flight. The skyline has some really unusual geometrical belongingss. To an perceiver who is sitting still someplace far off from the black hole, the skyline seems to be a nice, inactive, nonmoving spherical surface. But one time you get close to the skyline, you realize that it has a really big speed. In fact, it is traveling outward at the velocity of visible radiation! That explains why it is easy to traverse the skyline in the inward way, but impossible to acquire back out. Since the skyline is traveling out at the velocity of visible radiation, in order to get away back across it, you would hold to go faster than visible radiation. You can # 8217 ; t go faster than light, and so you can # 8217 ; t flight from the black hole. Scientists had no cogent evidence that black holes existed until 1994, when the Hubble Space Telescope uncovered the first convincing grounds that black holes exist in Galaxy M87. Second and 3rd black holes were discovered in 1995 in Galaxy NGC 4258 and NGC 4261. By the way, the name # 8216 ; black hole # 8217 ; was invented by John Archibald Wheeler, and seems to hold stuck because it was much catchier than old names. Before Wheeler came along, these objects were frequently referred to as # 8216 ; frozen stars. # 8217 ;

Monday, November 25, 2019

buy custom Computer Engineering essay

buy custom Computer Engineering essay Computer engineering is one of the career paths that are quite challenging and require enough time for one to fulfill. In order to become an excellent computer engineer a person must have enough practice and an in-depth education of not less than 6 years. Computer engineers offer both data and information required by firms, companies, or organizations. These individuals are entrusted with the role of conducting research, the tasks of designing new computer based devices, and coming up with new strategies and problem solving principles that can play a crucial role in transforming the technological urge. This research paper expounds specific facts about such issues as education requirements, responsibilities, skills, payment, education job or work, and benefits associated with the career. The history of Computer engineering as a career path may be traced to China because of the invention of the Abacus. This history dates back to hundreds of years ago. An Abacus was a manual (man-operated) calculator. The operation of the calculator was achieved through the use of beads. The movement of the beads was in such a way that when it went forward and backward it could allow such mathematical operations like addition and subtraction. There were other inventors working on this issue, one of them was Blaise Pascal, who improved an arithmetic machine invented by his father. Also Charles Babbage, who is considered to be a father of the current computers, invented an Analytical Engine that was utilized in solving mathematical calculations. The paper is aimed at analyzing the computer engineering as a career and everything that pertains to it. This research is performed to summarize all the information related to computer engineering such as education, benefits, market statistics, a s well as the roles that are expected from an individual called a computer engineer. Methodology/Approach Used The research hasbeen conducted on 150 identified respondents of both genders, from different age groups and with different backgrounds. The data collection methods have been applied through the use of the following methods: Use of questionnaires: a set of printed questions were distributed to all the respondents Interviews: a sample group of 30 respondents had to be interviewed. Researching on other online resources and in computer engineering books and journals. Findings After the analysis of the collected data, the findings of the research were as follows: Roles and Duties Associated with the Career According to the findings, a computer engineer just like any other professional in the market has some tasks entrusted and expected from him irrespective of how big or small the organization or company is. These duties and responsibilities also do differ in respect to the level of the position a person is occupying. The research also shows that in bigger organizations or companies, a computer engineer can be employed at the position of an assistant engineer and will grow up through experience to senior management position. Through years of experience and after showing a good track record of a certain kind of work, one is capable of climbing way up to senior position and maybe even engineers manager. Benefits From the respondents, it was noted that the benefits in this career are only directed to the individuals who are defined as having an attitude of appreciating challenges and working towards solving them. The career itself puts an individual in challenging positions; a person will always work hard to come up with the best solution for an already existing problem in the society. In the studdy made in the USA in regards to salaries and wages of different professions, it has been revealed that a computer engineers salaries are really captivating (the USA stands at a scale of around $1667 and $5417) per month. From the research, it is advised that if a computer engineer wants to get a senior position and rise up the rank, he/she should take an initiative of gaining experience from the time they are still pursuing the college or university education by participating in internship opportunities (Hamen, 2011). Educational Qualification In our in-depth analysis of the profession, we have noted that for one to be crowned as a true engineer, he/she has to pass through years and years of intense education and also have substantial know-how in the area that is gained through having worked in a real-time environment (Ito, 2009). One requires at least a university 1st or preferably 2nd degree. In the university, the individuals are taken through an education curriculum that covers some essential areas that pertain to the field. Most of these units disclose computer and engineering related concepts that will usher them to a real-time environment during their internships programs. After some years in college, one requires to undergo a real-time working for some years to gain experience from the field (Career Opportunities, 2007). In essence, it is a piece of advice for young individuals in the profession who are in a college: they should ensure that they put what has been learnt in class into practice; this will help them i n gaining experience and industrial skills. From our analysis of the findings, it may be revealed that Computer Engineers are groomed from their high school studies. Back into the secondary education curriculum, some of the subjects like computer, mathematics, and sciences help and prepare an individual in advance for these advanced and technical careers (Parhami, 2009). Buy custom Computer Engineering essay

Friday, November 22, 2019

The challenges in the 21st century and where the trade unions Essay

The challenges in the 21st century and where the trade unions currently lie - Essay Example The essay has various elements including the way unions work and the purpose of the initial unions to the purpose of these unions today along with the external influences such as privatization and globalization which have had a huge impact on the unions. Trade unions and how they operate Trade unions or labor unions are labor organizations which aim for the betterment of the labor force. Various employees join the trade union and are known as its members. Basically, the union focuses on achieving the common aims and goals by the employees such as higher wages and better working conditions. Solely, a worker or an employee has almost no control over the employer and therefore, he/she has a very less control in the work that he/she is doing. For example, if an employee asks the employer to increase the wage, the employer is likely to reject this demand put forward by the employee. However, a trade union has a greater say and a greater power against the employer as there are several members attached to the organization. The aim of this essay is to point out the key reasons for the fall in the importance of labor unions. Also, the reasons for a constant trade union membership decline are discussed. There are several problems which the unions face in the 21st century which are due to globalization and these changes and the reactions needed by the unions are disxussed. A trade union leader has the power to negotiate with the employer. However, the decision will not be totally in the favor of the union but the laborers will be better off through bargaining. Usually, the issues put forward by the union leadership include higher wagers, better working conditions, fringe benefits, safety at work, promotion policies and policies for firing the employees. The trade unions received a lot of popularity in the 18th century after originating from Europe as a hope for the employees. It started developing after the industrial revolution. The initial was to make the laborers better off but this quickly changed as trade unions started developing for professional employees and for skilled employees. The unions usually call for a strike when their demands are not met by the employers. "Trade Unions Towards the 21st Century ; European Trade Union Institute." Transfer : European Review of Labour and Research. 3.3 (1997): 464-605. Print. Trade unions were initially required for the low skilled workers, however, the basic focus changed and it became a community for the people who are working in a similar company or in a similar field. While representing the different types of employees, the unions grew in numbers and the movement started in several different countries. The old rules applied to the older trade unions and the 21st century changed the entire foundation for the unions. Even though there are several unions still available for professional skilled employees and for unskilled laborers, the old policies don’t apply the new era. The industrialization age has been long gone and today, a different set of rules apply for both, the employers and for the employees.. The challenges in the 21st century and where the trade unions currently lie The main thing that needs to be understood is that there in the current era, businesses and employers no longer come under the same old strategies by the unions. They need to lower their costs and they will do so by keeping a low wage for the employees. The unions, today, have a relatively less power in negotiating against the employers. As the number of members decreases, the unions’ power to bargain falls with it. They no longer have the potential to face the employees for the interest of the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Analyzing And Improving The Appropriateness Of The Exams Term Paper

Analyzing And Improving The Appropriateness Of The Exams - Term Paper Example To determine these factors, a myriad of assessment methods are used on the exam questions, including basic statistics to determine the performance of the students, qualitative and quantitative item analysis. In this case, basic statistics include the mean of each question in the exam and the entire test (Black, 2003). Qualitative item analysis refers to the careful reading of the contents of the exam to determine the accuracy of the exam, find proofreading errors, and determine whether any components of the exam could tip the students towards the correct answer (Triola, 2003). This paper will analyze the hypothetical psychology test presented using the methods discussed above, after which a suggested method for improving the exam is given. The first part of this analysis will focus on basic statistics, followed by the qualitative item analysis and the quantitative item analysis. The quantitative analysis will be focused on determining a difficulty-rating index for each question in th e test. The mean for the entire test is found by adding the total scores by each student, as represented by the totals column. The mean is then found by adding all the total scores and dividing the sum by the number of students taking the test (Black, 2003). As previously mentioned, the analysis of the test will include an analysis of the basic statistics, which in this case is the mean for each question and the entire test. The mean score for the first question is 1.8, which indicates that the pass rate is high among all the students.... Basic Statistics: Mean for Entire Test Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5 Total Student 1 2 2 0 2 0 6 Student 2 2 2 0 2 0 6 Student 3 2 0 0 2 0 4 Student 4 2 2 0 2 0 6 Student 5 2 2 2 2 2 10 Student 6 2 0 0 2 0 4 Student 7 2 2 0 2 0 6 Student 8 0 0 0 2 0 2 Student 9 2 2 0 2 0 6 Student 10 2 2 0 2 0 6 Mean 5.6 The mean for the entire test is found by adding the total scores by each student, as represented by the totals column. The mean is then found by adding all the total scores and dividing the sum by the number of students taking the test (Black, 2003). Graphs for Each Question Analysis As previously mentioned, the analysis of the test will include an analysis of the basic statistics, which in this case is the mean for each question and the entire test. The mean score for the first question is 1.8, which indicates that the pass rate is high among all the students. Question 2 has a mean score of 1.4, while questions 3 and 5 have mean scores of 0.2. Question 4 has a mean score of 2. The mean scores indicated above show the average pass rate for each question for each question, and can be sued as an indicator for the difficulty rating for each question in the test. This indicates that the easiest question is question 4, and the most difficult questions are questions 3 and 5. The mean for the entire test is 5.6, and indicates that the pas rate was evenly distributed among the students. This pass rate is depicted by the graphs shown above, which indicate the scores for each question. To determine the difficulty and appropriateness of each question, we have to conduct both qualitative and qualitative analyses.

Monday, November 18, 2019

The Creation of a New Emotional Language in Art by Bernini with His Literature review

The Creation of a New Emotional Language in Art by Bernini with His Apollo and Daphne - Literature review Example In fact, the statues have improved with the revival of Villa Borghese, which harbors Apollo, and Daphne. The statues get subjected to constant cleaning as well as scientific analysis as well as the commemoration of Bernini’s birth sparkled a lot of interest as seen with the many photographs, essays and bibliographies. In spite of the documentary data connecting to the statue group's formation, the representation that comes out of its sense and approach is anything but apparent (Bolland, 2000, 309). According to most arguments, the Apollo and Daphne are said to commemorate the intelligence based delights of fine art or may be to warn against the evil of passionate poetry brought about by the bitterness of the beauty of the world (Bolland, 2000, 309). The artwork can be seen as erotic the people assume that it might have made for a pleasure seeking client or sponsor. The artwork can also be considered a symbol or metaphor for sensual desire or desires specifically sculptured for a principal person in the society. The artwork can either be viewed as Marinist and Petrarchan when using imagery or anti-Marinist and anti Petrarchan as per its message (Bolland, 2000, 309). ... The essay also has its focus on the contradictory relationships that come under the eroticism that is created, as well as anti sensuality of craving and ploy (Bolland, 2009). Poetry, sculpture, and artwork are regarded as sister arts in that they have common effects on the senses of a person as they rouse the desires and pleasure as well as provide an avenue for obtaining understanding. Vision, although seen as divine, can easily be deceived or mislead and therefore, seen as the most efficacious way to provoke someone to commit a practice any sexual offence. The transformation of Bernini can be seen to emerge from the poet-god who happens to be Apollo and provides him with the model that he utilizes to build his mythical and stylish uniqueness by reproducing the poetics that come from within him. The sculptures were custom-made for Cardinal Scipione Borghese, and were used to beautify his well-lavished villa exterior to Porta Pinciana (Bolland, 2009). Soon after delivery of the colle ction of artworks, it marked the end to production of Bernini’s artwork in large scale for the cardinal as well as an end to production of impressive work that can still be credited today. It also suggested a change or transformation to the existence of both parties that are the cardinal and Bernini (Bolland, 2007). The change in the lives was noted in the life of the cardinal whose status declined soon after the death of Pope Paul V and the taking of the office by Pope Gregory XV. Borghese soon recovered from the changes that took place, and during this period, his influence had quite deteriorated compared to the period that Pope Paul V was in power. The sculpture of Apollo and

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Sociological Imagination Of Individual Problems Sociology Essay

The Sociological Imagination Of Individual Problems Sociology Essay This assignment will explore C. Wright Mills concept of a sociological imagination when looking at the problems of the individual, and explain how this theory might assist social workers. It will then look at a contemporary social problem encountered by social workers, in this case poverty. It will explore and discuss by reference how three sociological theories (Marxism, Feminism and Functionalists) offer useful insights into the socially constructed nature of poverty. C. Wright Mills (1916 62) had a vision of reforming society and popularising sociology with his theory of the sociological imagination, Slattery (1991). Leon-Guerrero (2005:2) explains The sociological imagination links our personal lives and experiences with the social world. It is the ability to look further than the individuals personal issue, recognising and linking macro scale environmental factors (economic, political and other societal institutions). Mills (1959:12) argued that this theory à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is the idea that the individual can understand his own experience and gauge his own fate by locating himself within his period, that he can know his own chances in life by becoming aware of those of all individuals in his circumstances. Mills is supported by Cunningham and Cunningham (2008) who argue, instead of focusing on the individuals inability to cope as the main problem; step back and look at the bigger picture. Cunningham and Cunningham (2008) support this by using a n example of someone experiencing depression post redundancy. They argue that instead focusing on the individuals failure to cope; the problem could exist due to social structures within the macro environment, such as, current economic or political conditions. Cree (2000) adds that the failure by social workers to make such links will result in oppressive practice. Additionally, Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:7) argue learning to think sociologically is one of the most important skills a social worker can bring to their practice as it enables social workers to step back from taken for granted assumptions about social life and to critically unpack these assumptions (2008:7). This is further supported by Leon-Guerrero (2005:14) By continuing to develop a sociological imagination and recognising the larger social, cultural and structural forces, we can identify appropriate measures to address these social problems. In summary, the sociological imagination is able to assist social workers by allowing them to reject common sense explanations for the consequences of social actions. It enables practitioners to develop skills which help them to work in an anti-oppressive manner. Fundamentally, it helps distinguish between individuals private problems and wider social problems; one cannot be properly understood without the other. The contemporary social problem to be discussed is poverty, as this an ongoing social issue that is common amongst service users. Consequently, a large amount of social work practice takes place around poverty. This is supported by Smale et al (2000:18)  Those who use, and are required to use, social work services continue overwhelmingly to be poor and disadvantaged. Social workers have been criticised for their lack of knowledge surrounding poverty. Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:32) who argue The relationship between poverty and social work is not new, yet it is one that remains understated and implicit in social work training courses and practice. Becker (1997:114) claims Social workers have little understanding of the complex processes that generate and maintain poverty; they have limited insight into how their political and welfare ideologies and attitudes to poverty affect their daily practice with poor people; they have failed to place poverty on the agenda for social work theorising, education, policy and practice. Krumer-Nevo et al (2009:225) (16/12/09) takes this further, arguing despite the profound commitment of social work towards people living in poverty, the social work profession has failed to develop practice based on awareness of poverty. Sociologists have favoured two definitions of poverty; these are Absolute and Relative poverty. Giddens (2006) suggests the concept of absolute poverty is grounded in the idea of subsistence the basic conditions that must be met in order to sustain a physically healthy existence. People who lack these fundamental requirements for human existence such as sufficient food, shelter and clothing are said to live in poverty. Relative poverty emphasises the disparities within society. Leon-Guerrero (2005:224) refers to this as a situation whereby some people fail to achieve the average income and lifestyle enjoyed by the rest of society. Leon-Guerrero (2006) suggests that the construction of social problems arise from social conditions that lead to negative consequences for both the individual and the social world. Moulder (2000:2) claims sociologists came to define social problems as problems that concern large numbers of people, have social-structural causes, and require social-structural solutions. Poverty has many negative factors that affect individuals and society, this is supported by a report conducted on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions called Living with Poverty (2009:10) (2310/09), which claims the impact that poverty can have on peoples lives shows that the experience of poverty is almost always overwhelmingly negative, and can have psychological, physical, relational and practical effects on peoples lives. These findings are supported by Beresford et al (1999). For a social problem to become defined as an actual problem it must have both objective and subjective realities. The objective reality comes by acknowledging that a social condition does exist. Leon Guerrero (2006) states A social condition does not have to be personally experienced by every individual in order to be considered a social problem. The objective reality of a social problem comes from acknowledging that a social condition does exist. Poverty can be seen through media, charities campaigning to help the less privileged in Britain and even on the streets in the forms of homelessness and big issue sellers. A report by Hirsch (2008) (3/12/09) estimated that child poverty costs around  £25 billion a year in losses, stating Child poverty imposes huge costs on those affected but it is also costly to us all. This suggests everyone is affected by poverty, as taxes are used to eliminate poverty. According to the report Poverty and Wealth across Britain 1968 to 2005 (1997:14) Ove r the past 15 years, more households have become poor, but fewer are very poor. Although the number of extremely poor has decreased there was still a systematic rise in poverty defined as breadline poverty. A report by Kempson (1996:1) (3/12/09) further identified that One in four of the British population live in homes with less than half the average disposable income. This report also identified issues that showed people living in poverty were suffering from a variety of shortcomings including poor health, underprivileged housing, and unemployment. A subjective reality addresses how a problem becomes defined as a problem, Leon-Guerrero (2005:6). This is through powerful groups who look at tackling such problems, such as, government and media. This process is what is known as social construction. Giddens (2006:154) Rather then assuming that social reality objectively exists, social constructivists work to document and analyse the processes through which social reality is constructed, such that the construction then serves to confirm its own status as social reality. Poverty has been termed a social problem in society by the UK government. The Department of Work and Pensions (2009) have clearly stated The Governments target is to halve child poverty by 2010 and be on the way to eradicating it by 2020. This message is supported and reinforced through various forms of media and charities who work towards this goal. Leon-Guerrero (2005:6) in discussing social problems states they become real only when they are subjectively defined or perceived as problematic. This assignment will now explore functionalism, Marxism and feminist theories in relation to poverty. Functionalism was developed by Emile Durkheim (1858-1917).Leon-Guerrero (2005:10) asserts Functionalists use a macro perspective focusing on how society creates and maintains social order. According to Durkheim, society can be viewed as an organic object; every aspect of society is co-dependant and contributes to society as a whole. Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:12) uses a biological analogy to explain functionalism Just as biologists understand the ways in which different bodily organs such as the heart, the brain, the kidneys, the lungs and so on, perform a specific function to keep the human body alive, so with society, its different components work in harmony with one common end à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ . The body is termed as whole organism with each function depending on the other to ensure healthy functioning. In social terms these organs can be used to describe social institutions and the relationship they have with different institutions. Slattery (1991:63) also uses a similar anal ogy to describe this theory: It functions like any other natural organism as a system of independent parts the economy, the family, the government and so on held together by not a central nervous system but a central value system, a set of sociological guidelines called norms based on underlying moral consensus, or collective consciousness. Giddens (2006:21) states Functionalism emphasises the importance of moral consensus, in maintaining order and stability in society. This is achieved through shared values and beliefs, learned through socialisation. Social control is desirable and change tends to be seen as disruptive. Social problems are seen a result of deviance; this is due to lack of conformity, failing to conform to the norms of society. Acknowledging that poverty does exist within the social structure, functionalists believe that poverty is a beneficial function to society. Leon-Guerrero (2005:228) argues that Functionalists observe that poverty is a product of our social structure he further adds that poverty is seen as a natural consequence of system stratification. This refers to technological advances which have left behind a workforce of unskilled workers. This theory implies that inequality is both natural and essential, as it provides an incentive for people to work harder and better themselves. This is s upported by Davis and Moore (1945) who argue, social inequality is thus an unconsciously evolved device by which by which societies ensure that the most important positions are conscientiously filled by the most qualified persons cited in Best (2005:9). Poverty is regarded on a macro scale in terms of the benefits it provides for society as a whole, rather than for the individuals in poverty. It would provide jobs for those who are tasked to alleviate such problems such as social workers. Theresa Funicello (1993) cited in Leon Guerrero (2005:230) observes The poverty industry once again substituted its own interests for that of poor people. Parsons (1953) backs this up, arguing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ that lack of equality of opportunity would clearly have an impact on an individuals opportunity to make a contribution to the organisation or the wider social system cited in Best (2005:27). H. J. Gans (1971), argued that poverty exists because it is functional for society, cited in Leon Gurre rro (2005:228). Gans (1971:2-4) (18/10/09) claimed the existence of poverty ensures that societys dirty work will be done, and poverty creates jobs for a number of occupations and professions that serve or service the poor, or protect the rest of society from them. Furthermore the poor can be identified and punished as alleged or real deviants in order to uphold the legitimacy of conventional norms. Gans believes poverty will be eliminated only when it becomes dysfunctional for the affluent or powerful, or when the powerless can obtain enough power to change society. In summary, Functionalists seem to justify the social status quo and the effects of poverty on individuals/society. The poor are seen as less able and deviant as they do not conform to societys norms. Taking into consideration the current economical state, the recession has lead to unemployment, forcing more people into poverty; functionalists would agree that institutes were not working together, and that this was just a temporary problem. The role of a functionalist social worker would be to support deviant service users back into societys norms. The ideas of Karl Marx (1818-93) contrast sharply with those of Comte and Durkheim, but like them he sought to explain the changes that were taking place in society during the time of Industrial Revolution, Giddens (2006:14). Marxism is a conflict theory, and like the functionalists they too view society on a macro scale. However, Marxists argue that society operates in a permanent state of conflict at all levels as a consequence of the clash of interests between two classes (bourgeoisie and proletariat). Leon-Guerrero (2005) suggests that conflict theorists believe poverty exists due to class division in society; it helps those in power to maintain and expand their position leaving little to share with others. Marxists would argue that poverty is caused by capitalism, which concentrates wealth in the hands of the ruling class. According to Best (2005) the bourgeoisie were the owners of capital (rich) who employed the proletariat, who had only their labour to sell (poor). Marists bel ieved that the bourgeoisie exploited and made profit from the proletariat by not paying them full value of their work. By accepting a low wage is creating a conflict of interest, as one social group is benefiting on the back of another social group. Giddens (2006:16) argues that the conflict occurs due to inequalities between the classes, The relationship between classes is an exploitive one, since workers have little or no control over their labour and employers are able to generate profit by appropriating the product of workers labour. In an article Poverty in the Big Issue, Searing (2007) claims poverty is structurally constructed as a result a modern capitalist society. Poverty and inequality seem to be an intrinsic part of modern capitalism. She argues This Labour government, by continuing the neoliberal, modernising agenda of the previous government, regards poverty and inequality as the inevitable price to be paid to maintain competitiveness in the global economy. Searing (2007) also believes that social class plays a big part in society, arguing Social work may endorse anti-oppressive ideas but class inequalities, which give rise to and perpetuate income inequalities, remain as wide as ever. Clearly, anti-oppressive practice is at its weakest when it comes to the issue of class. Furthermore, she asserts that The social class a child is born into is a major determinant of their life chances. Searing (2007) argues that the UK government chooses to minimise the part played by social and economic factors, outside the control of the individual, in causing poverty and implies that in most cases personal inadequacy is at the root of peoples failure to remain independent and self-supporting. In summary, Marxists believe that the source of poverty lies within societal structures and the existence of poverty are beneficial to the ruling class. As long as there is poverty, capitalism will exist. Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:22) state as a Marxist social worker you would help people to adjust to their difficulties, by providing services, or a listening ear; and in doing so, structural problems become individualised with attention shifted away from the real cause. This is backed by Payne (2005: 231) who suggests that social workers are seen agents of class control enhancing the oppression by capitalist societies of the working class. They simply enable the capitalist system to reproduce itself in the next generation by helping people to cope with the difficulties of the system. There are different views of feminism. Dealamont (2003:17) identifies three feminist perspectives, liberal, Marxist and radical, all of which were developed in the early 1970s. Chafetz (1988) cited in Dealamont (2003:18) argued that all feminist theories were defined so that gender is a central focus where gender is systematically related to social contradictions, inequalities and pressure points, additionally it can be used to challenge, counteract or change situations in which women are devalued or disadvantaged. This is supported by Trevithick (2005). Feminists would argue that women are more likely to experience poverty than men due to their disadvantageous position in society, Taylor (2002:179). Neubeck and Cazenave (2001) agree, arguing that the government is moving towards maintaining a patriarchal society where the male continues to dominate the welfare policy. Moore (1998:27) asserts Majority of people in poverty are women and the economic and welfare systems conspire to keep them there. They argue that the government Need to recognise this and alter the system to give woman the chance to escape from poverty. Furthermore, feminists argue that women earn less and have less sexual power in society. Glendinning and Miller (1995) agree with these arguments stating women are more likely to live in poverty because they are seen as secondary workers whose main role is seen as domestic. Additionally, More women than men rely on benefits as their main source of income; lone parents are vulnerable to poverty, and a large majority are women. The majority of pensioners are also women cited in Haralambos and Holborn (1995:145). During the early 1970s the media and government created an image of women where they were portrayed to be abusing the welfare system, aimed at mainly single mothers these women were believed to be having more children to avoid having to work and gain more financial benefits (Leon-Gurrero 2005). Feminists theories of poverty tend to highlight that women are overly represented in figures of poverty. This is because of their weaker position in society, their weaker economical position. Moore (1998:70) argues that the proportion of children and population living in poverty are likely to be women, as they form the majority of the elderly, the disable, single parents and the low paid. If you look at benefits figures it shows the vast majority of people claiming benefits in this country would be women, because they head single parent families and women tend to earn less. This is supported by Moore (1998:70) who states, As single parents, women are unable to work. So statistically in old day s, women were more likely to encounter poverty. Moore (1998:71) states Since the 1970s there has been a rapid increase in the number of lone-parent families in the UK. Additionally, Today, more then one in every six families is headed by a lone mother. This is caused mainly by the growth in the divorce rate and by the increase in lone parenthood (that is women having and raising children on their own). These arguments are supported by an article by the BBC News website (2008) Womens low pay behind poverty, which argues 40% of households are now headed by single mothers, and this has concerning implications for tackling child poverty. Moreover, The TUC said that mothers were being trapped in part-time, low-paid jobs. More than 75% of part-time workers were female. The gender pay gap for full-time workers was 17.2%. It further adds that Women in Britain were more likely to be poor than others in Europe from the moment they conceived. Haralambos and Holborn (1995:145) support this, arg uing household incomes are not distributed equally. Women tend to have smaller independent incomes than men and there is no guarantee that they will share fully the income of their husbands or partners. Moore (1998:70) argues that the proportion of children and population living in poverty are likely to be women, as they form the majority of the elderly, the disable, single parents and the low paid. Radical Feminists argue that women form the majority of the poor because they are restricted by family as It is generally regarded as the womans role to take primary responsibility for the care of their family Moore (1998:95). They see the nuclear family as a major contributor towards womens oppression. Both Giddens (2006) and Haralambos and Holborn (1995:592) support this argument stating the family is often seen by radical feminists as the key institution producing womens oppression in modern societies. Radical feminists also argue political and economic power is in the hands of men. As a result of this, decisions about economic matters, as well as about issues of health and welfare, reflect the interests of men, and may well harm women. This situation of male power is known as patriarchy, Moore (1998:23). This is supported by Leon-Guerrero (2005:230) who claims Feminist scholars argue the welfare state is an arena of political struggle. The drive to maintain male dominance and the patriarchal family is assumed to be the principal force of shaping the formation, implementation, and outcomes of the U.S. welfare policy. Radical Feminists believes that poverty is caused by gender, men forever superior and women relentlessly submissive. Regrettably with the perpetual fragmentation and modification society is experiencing this theory is old-fashioned. Relationships are not always, heterosexual and same sex relationships have been thriving. However, Liberal feminists would agree with radical feminists that the role of the nuclear family is repressive towards woman, but they argue that patriarchy is not the cause of womens oppression. This is supported by Giddens (2006:468) who claims liberal feminists look for explanations of gender inequalities in social and cultural attitudes. Additionally Cunningham (2008:97) also states that liberal feminists believe that the roots of womens oppression lie with the irrational prejudice, stereotyping and outdated attitudes and practices that lead to sex discrimination occurring in all spheres of life. Furthermore, Giddens (2006:470) suggests liberal feminists tend to focus their energies on establishing and protecting equal opportunities for women through legislation and other democratic means. Liberal feminists work to bring about change through legislation, such as, equal pay act as opposed to radical feminists who try to defeat the system. Finally, Cunningham (2008:99) states that liberal feminists argue Women lose out on the ability to develop their talents; business loses out because it fails to harness the potential and ability of 50% of the population, and men lose out because they are denied the opportunity to develop close ties with their children. This assignment has explored Mills theory of a sociological imagination and how it may assist social workers when considering the problem of an individual. Furthermore, it has looked at how three different sociological theories can offer useful insights into the socially constructed nature of poverty. It will now focus on the impact of these theories upon social work practice. Sociologists have made a significant contribution towards the understanding of poverty, through their theories. Mills (1959:8) stated Social work is fundamentally about values and about value-judgements. Sociological knowledge can provide us with a framework for anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive practice, by giving us the analytical tools with which to begin to explore the relationship between individuals and society Mills theory of sociological imagination is one which does not have a bias and can be applied readily to any case. This theory enables social workers to see the bigger picture and protect service users against anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice. Cree (200:5) argues that this is the reason social workers need a sociological imagination. Moreover, Cree (200:209) argues that sociological theories do not provide all the answers to social problems but, the questions themselves lead to the potential development of sensitive, anti-oppressive practice. Sociology theories inform social workers of differing views on the existence and continuation of poverty. The contribution of liberal feminists has raised positive awareness that changes in the social structure can bring about positive chance in the social structure. Giddens (2006:26) states What sociology gives is as an awareness of cultural differences that allow us to see the social world from many perspectives. Giddens (2006:27) asserts that There is often a connection between studying sociology and the prompting of a social conscience. This is supported by Cree (2000:7) who argues sociology offers social work the opportunity to explore meanings beneath taken-for-granted assumptions about behaviour, action and social structure. It offers a knowledge and value base which is not rooted in individual pathology but instead seeks to understand individuals in the context of the broader structures that make up their lives (including social class, gender, age, race, and ethnicity) and th e historical movement within which they are living. Additionally, Domenelli (2002:4) asserts Social workers have a responsibility to challenge this grotesque image of poor people and, besides bringing to public notice the strengths of those who battle to transcend social exclusion, to work to empower those who are engulfed by the weight of circumstances in which they are embedded. Moreover, Promoting social justice and human development in an unequal world provides the raison dà ªtre of social work practice, and is a key way of discharging societys contract in assisting vulnerable people in its midst. In order for practitioners to practice anti-oppressively, Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:48) suggest a task-centred approach. This offers a very practical model which is potentially very empowering. Dominelli (2002) agrees with this approach, arguing that social workers and service users should work together to achieve positive change. Additionally, Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:4 8) argue Practice is based on the premise that the service user will work in partnership with the social worker and learn new methods that will equip them in the future. In this sense, workers could adopt a very practical way to address some aspects of poverty. They further suggest that this still doesnt go far enough, as this method of practice is based upon an individual approach and doesnt address the bigger picture. Possibly combining task-centred working with other more radical methods of working might address this. Thompson (2006:26) asserts In order to understand how inequalities and discrimination feature in the social circumstances of clients, and in the interactions between clients and the welfare state, it is helpful to analyse the situation in terms of three levels. These three levels (P,C and S) are closely interlinked. This is further supported by Cree (2000:208) who confirms that inequality and oppression exist at both individual and structural levels. Therefore its i mportant for social workers to understand this model as it provides grounds for challenging inequalities. Trevithick (2005:284) supports this, arguing this approach emphasises the importance of social, economic and political solutions to social problems, thereby shifting the onus of blame from the individual without denying responsibility. In summary, by developing and using our sociological imagination and being aware of theoretical perspectives and approaches to practice, ensures the necessary steps to guard against anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice. WORD COUNT: 2200