Human Rights Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Rights Law - Essay Example United Nations Human Rights refer to the rights that are natural for all human beings irrespective of the individual’s status, race, color, sex, language, origin, or any other status. These rights are entitled to all individuals without any discrimination. These rights are guaranteed and taken care of by the law. By the International Human Rights Law, there are obligations for different Governments such that have to take actions and measure in particular ways or in certain cases they are restricted to act in certain manners, as well as to promote the rights of humans and allow individuals with their fundamental freedom and liberty (What are human rights?). The present study focuses on the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System, with a critical overview on their achievements for the international protection of human rights and the challenges that still remain. United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System: The human rights treaty bodies comprise of certain autonomous e xperts who are in charge of monitoring the accomplishment of the core international human rights treaties. It is their responsibility to supervise whether every State is following the rules and policies in regard to the human rights obligated for the individuals. The independent experts constitute ten treaty bodies that are nominated by parties of the States and are in charge for the implementation of the human rights. The treaties that are monitored include the Human Rights Committee; Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; Committee against Torture; Committee on the Rights of the Child; Committee on Migrant Workers; Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Committee on Enforced Disappearances; and The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Monitoring the core international human ri ghts treaties

La Boheme vs rent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

La Boheme vs rent - Essay Example This is the primary similarity between La Boheme and Rent since they both tell the tale of struggling artists who are trying to get by in a world that does not seem to care much for their art at all. However, this does not mean that they are not happy because the process by which they create art and the manner in which they are rewarded by the creation of their art seems to be enough for them. At the same time, they do wish that their genius was recognized by the world around them but that appears to be only a secondary concern. For the individuals in the plays, love is also an important concern since it governs many aspects of their life and even the works they produce. However, the similarity which stands out between the two plays is death caused by disease that has no cure. For La Boheme, it is tuberculosis while for Rent, it becomes HIV. This similarity also shows that despite the characters living a bohemian life, the reality of death and disease affects them as much as it would affect anyone else in the world. Even their carefree lifestyle cannot protect them from the ravages of disease and eventual death. In Rent however, it is perhaps due to their carefree and careless lifestyle that the individuals are affected by their disease. This is only the first of the differences between the plays since the setting of the plays is also different due to the time and place that separates them. From a Romantic Paris to a post-modern New York, the plays present very different realities even if there are similarities between the characters and the situations they have been placed in. This change in setting means that the dialog, the manner in which the characters interact as well as their social constructs change to reflect the settings. However, in the final analysis, the theme as well as the message of the plays makes it easy to conclude that they plays are more

Evaluating Mental Health Policy Health And Social Care Essay

Evaluating Mental Health Policy Health And Social Care Essay Mental ill health during early motherhood, or perinatal mental illness, is a serious public health issue with potentially serious consequences for womens life-long mental health and the health and wellbeing of their children and families (Hayes, et al, 2001). Although difficult to estimate, there are also economic and social costs associated with the cognitive and behavioural impact of postnatal depression. As of 2008, the national economic burden of this condition to public services is estimated at  £35.7 million per annum. The mean estimated cost for maternal care in the community for those with postnatal depression is 55% higher than for those without (Petrou et al, 2002). It can also herald the onset of long-term mental health problems for the mother and is associated with increased risk of maternal suicide (Oates, 2003). Postnatal depression has also been linked with depression in fathers and with high rates of family breakdown (Ballard, 1994). There is also evidence that chil dren born to depressed mothers do less well educationally, experience higher levels of behavioural problems and are more likely to develop psychological problems in later life (Oates, 2002). Social support is a flexible concept so broad that its meaning can easily be assumed, or bent to different purposes, rather than overtly attended to. This produces problems in researching social support since the underlying assumptions or theoretical frameworks of the work are not always clear. Postnatal depression has been associated with a lack of social support (Bebbington, 1998). The risk of PND has been found to increase when the level of social support is low or absent (Morse et al 2000; Pederson 1999). Beck (1992) states that social support not only provides practical help, but can aid the mother emotionally by hindering the common experience of rumination. There are three common forms of postnatal illnesses: the baby blues, postnatal (or postpartum) depression and puerperal psychosis, each of which differs in its prevalence, clinical presentation, and management. Postnatal depression is the most common complication of childbearing (Wisner, et al 2002), affecting 10-15% of women (Cooper et al, 2008). According to the National Institute for Clinical Evidence (NICE, 2007) postnatal depression (hereafter also known as PND) has been defined as non-psychotic depression occurring during the first 3 months following the birth of a baby. The 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) defines the perinatal period as commencing at 22 completed weeks (154 days) of gestation and ending seven completed days after birth (WHO, 1992). In the fourth edition of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-IV), the American Psychiatric Association makes no mention of perinatal mental illness a lthough postnatal depression is included, but only if the mother is diagnosed within four weeks of the birth (American Psychiatric Organisation, 1994). The interest and motivation for exploring the topic of postnatal depression is due to professional experience of working in this field. This dissertation seeks to explore the variety of approaches for treating PND, focussing on the role of social support. Current national policy and frameworks will be examined, together with current practice of interventions. Evaluating Mental Health Policy There have been many discussions about whether depression during the early postnatal period is either quantitatively or qualitatively different from depression at other times (Stoppard, 2000) and has been the focus of much policy and research since the 1960s (Brockington, 1998). In 2004, the National Institute for Clinical Evidence (NICE) asked the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) to develop a clinical guideline on the treatment and management of mental health problems in the antenatal and postnatal period (NCCMH, 2004). Before this, the Department of Health published a 10 year agenda for improving mental health care in England, known as the National Service Framework for Mental Health (NSF, 1999) which set priorities for the way that services were to be provided. The NSF proposed protocols to be implemented for the management of postnatal depression, anxiety disorders and those needing referral to psychological therapies. The NSF recognised the role of Health Visitors with training who could use routine contact with new mothers to identify PND and treat its milder forms. Furthermore, the NSF related to actions to reduce suicides, by ensuring that staff would be competent to assess the risk of suicide among individuals at greatest risk. This standard was relevant to Health Visitors, as maternal suicide was cited as the largest cause of maternal death in the first postnatal year. Subsequent policy statements and guidance have since been supplemented to the framework, including the National Institute of Clinical Evidence (NICE, 2007) guidelines for antenatal and postnatal mental health (NICE-CG45, 2007). The NICE guidance identifies the need for emotional and social support for new mothers, whilst the National Service Framework aims to deliver a high quality standardized service. In 2007, the in-depth guidance was published where the standards for postnatal mental health needs were summarized as: All professionals involved in the care of women immediately following childbirth need to be able to distinguish normal emotional and psychological changes from significant mental health problems, and to refer women for support according to their needs All professionals directly involved in the care of each woman who has been identified as at risk of a recurrence of a severe mental illness following the birth, including the family, are familiar with her relapse signs Each woman who has been identified as at risk of a recurrence of a severe mental illness has a written plan of agreed multi-disciplinary interventions and actions to be taken The Department of Health issued guidance in 2009, called the Healthy Child Programme: pregnancy and the first five years of life and is an update to the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services (2004). The programme emphasises the NICE guidelines, including the need for the woman to be asked sensitive and appropriate questions to help identify depression. Additionally, the programme states the need for parent-infant groups, baby massage, listening visits, cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal therapy. In February 2011, the Government published its new Mental Health strategy No Health without Mental Health which acknowledges that mental health is a public health issue that needs co-operation from many different agencies, including education, social care, housing, employment and welfare. According to NICE (2007), various psychosocial and psychological treatments are recommended for the management of depression in the postnatal period: Social support can be defined in terms of sources of support (e.g. spouse, friends and relatives, support groups), or in terms of the type of support received, (e.g. informational support, emotional support, practical support). Non-directive counselling an empathic and non-judgemental approach, listening rather than directing but offering non-verbal encouragement. This approach is usually offered by health visitors. Self-help strategies: Guided self help Computerized cognitive behavioural therapy (C-CBT) Exercise Brief psychological treatment Structured psychological treatment: Cognitive behavioural therapy Interpersonal therapy NICE guidelines clearly state that PND services are subject to local variation due to locally existing services. To ensure the effective provision of high quality clinical services, it is essential that there is a clear referral and management protocol for services with a well defined pathway. Furthermore, NICE guidance states that services should develop clinical networks to improve access for women to specialist perinatal mental health services. In a report published in March 2011 by the Patients Association, it was found that 64% of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) do not have a specific strategy in place when commissioning services specific to PND. World Class Commissioning (www.icn.csip.org.uk) clearly states that PCTs should have services that accurately reflect the needs of the local population. The report also shows that 44% of PCTs are failing to implement the NICE guidance due to not being part of a clinical network or not having a lead clinician for perinatal mental health. Is there a problem? What is it? Why does it need to be solved? What is your hypothesis (hunch)? Who will benefit from your investigation? In what sense will they benefit? In what sense will my contribution add to what is already known? How in general terms are you going to solve the problem, e.g., collect data, analyse data? By what methods? E.g., a case study approach. What are the constraints or limitations of the study? Methodology ( The title of this dissertation is postnatal depression and the role of social support from a feminist perspective. A systematic literature review was conducted The search methods used for the literature review were as follows: Databases searched included: MEDLINE, CINAHL, DAWSONERA, PsychLit, EBCOHOST, CENTRAL and DARE. Published books as listed in the References. Published articles in hard copy journals. Key terms were: postnatal depression, postpartum depression, isolation, social support, stigma, mental illness The searches were designed to be as inclusive as possible The searches were limited to articles between 1985 and 2011. An additional google search was conducted Overall, a total of ( ) abstracts were identified by the literature searches, over ( ) papers were assessed resulting in the final reference list of ( ) papers. Methodological limitations Ethical limitations The overall aim of this study is to understand postnatal depression and the objectives are as follows: Explore the different sources of social support for new mothers in the year following childbirth To evaluate the effectiveness of different models To examine the evidence of efficacy of social support To consider the findings in relation to policy and practice interventions and guidance of perinatal mental health Theoretical Perspective Brewer (2000) states that theory is a set of interrelated abstract propositions about human affairs and the social world. While much of the research on postnatal depression has been subjective, it may provide a political and ideological commitment to supporting the development of health services specifically targeted at womens health needs. Such a political process is consistent with the drive of feminist concerns that the health care system has failed to distinguish the particular needs of women (Najman, et al, 2000). This dissertation will attempt to look at the role of social support role from a feminist perspective. According to Busfield (1996), feminism is a philosophy suggesting that women have been systematically disadvantaged. Durrheim (1999) argues that feminist theorists aim to change this by investigating the situations and understanding the experiences of women in society and in doing so, provide a better world for women. Feminist research is opposed to patriarchal societies, which attempt to understand the world in order to control and exploit its resources. Feminists also describe the male point of view as objective, logical, task-orientated and instrumental. It reflects a male emphasis on individual competition, on dominating and controlling the environment (Neuman, 1997). Further, by examining postnatal depression through a feminist lens, the mechanism of social structure that contributes to the pressure to find motherhood a perfect, happy time can be addressed. Postnatal depression has been reported and studied since 1858 (Richards, 1990). In the nineteenth century, psychiatric disorders due to pregnancy and childbirth were common enough to account for 10% of all asylum admissions (Marland, 2003). Allen (1986) states that writer Chesler (1972) assumes that psychiatry sees women as madder than men and is perhaps rooted in the historical context of womens psycho-pathology being linked with femininity (Showalter, 1987). Taylor (1996), suggests that the dominant discourse surrounding postnatal depression overlooks the social construction of gender order and conventional gendered power dynamics. Furthermore, she stresses that the media play a role in blaming mothers, questioning appropriate behaviour and the choice of self-identity outside of motherhood. The structure of families in modern society creates problems of isolation and alienation (Taylor, 1996) as we move away from the traditional nuclear family unit and loss of close extended family ties. Over the past decade, self-help, recovery, and support groups that draw upon the discourse of feminism have gained increasing importance as sources of emotional support and settings in which women seek to redefine the female self. Models of mental illness Postnatal depression is conceptualized as a disease or illness and research efforts have been devoted to describing, predicting, preventing, and treating it (Cox Holden, 1994). Researchers have also endeavoured to uncover the underlying factors associated or correlated with postnatal depression, including biological variables such as hormones, other biochemicals, genetic factors; psychological characteristics such as personality traits, self-esteem, previous psychiatric history, family history, attitudes towards children, deficiencies in self-control, attribution style, social skills; a range of social variables, for example an unplanned pregnancy, method of feeding the baby, type of delivery, obstetric complications, infant temperament, previous experience with babies, marital relationship, social support, stressful life events, employment status, and socio-demographic characteristics such as social class, age, education, income, parity (OHara Zekoski, 1988). Mental illness can be difficult for people to understand or empathise with. Similarly, even mental health professionals can have difficulties in understanding what is going on for the patient, as there is no one diagnostic test that can be performed on the brain in an attempt to provide a simple answer or treatment. The effects of mental illness are made apparent in actions, feelings and thoughts, and therefore a model or group of linked theories is used to explain the cause and predict the best source of treatment. Doctors helping people with mental illness have models to guide them in both diagnosis and treatment. Most models of mental illnesses will nowadays acknowledge a combination of biological, psychological and social factors. Different models will, however, vary in which factors they rate as the most important. When advising a patient, a doctor tries to look at which interventions are likely to work best for that particular patient, taking into account the patients symptom s and circumstances. Models are the basis of every scientific belief. The medical model and behavioural model of psychiatric illness differ in their assumptions about the nature of the illness and the appropriate treatment (ref), however many practicing psychiatrists use features from both in the bio-psycho-social model (ref). Psychological models such as the learning theory, personal construct theory and psychoanalytic theory differ in the time-scale over which they try to produce explanations of behaviour. A biological model of mental illness is based on the presumption that the illness has a physical cause and therefore requires a physical treatment. This model suggests that mental illness is caused by chemicals, genetics or hormonal imbalances and such, a biological intervention or treatment would be drugs to reverse the chemical imbalance. A psychological model says that disruption or dysfunction in psychological processes lead to mental illness. Furthermore, personal experiences, social and environmental factors are important contributors to psychological distress. Taking anti-depressant medication would not be treating the cause of the problems; therefore treatment would be in the form of therapy such as psychoanalysis and cognitive behaviour therapy. There are two social models of mental illness: the labelling theory states that behaviours disliked by society are labelled as symptoms of a psychiatric illness. Labelling a person as having a disease, particularly mental illness is to become that illness, for instance shes mental and it is therefore easy to understand the concept of blame and stigma surrounding mental illness. Society believes that we can and should be able to control our psyche and emotions and thus the descent into mental crisis should be avoidable and controllable. Labelling, therefore, questions the very existence of mental illness and helps to maintain the imbalance of power between men and women (Taylor, 1996). Labelling a gendered illness provides society with a more palatable acceptance of the disease and its options for treatment. Szasz (1962) examined the concepts of stigma in mental illness and criticised the ways in which psychiatry made assumptions about those labelled as mentally ill. Another theory is that social situations can lead to a mental illness. For instance poverty leads to situations that a person cannot control, which can lead the person to develop anxiety. Some researchers suggest that the availability of medical care and expectations of quality of life following the birth of a baby (Thurtle, 1995) lead to postnatal depression. Feminist sociologists have looked at the impact of social factors on womens mental illness from three different perspectives: societal causes, medical causes and the mother herself (Taylor, 1996). A typical feminist approach would be to question whether a historically patriarchal tradition, namely medicine, can realistically address the experiences and needs of women. Medical perspectives consider that womens unhappiness and discontent is framed in psychiatric terms and are therefore treated accordingly. The medical model has been the dominant theoretical perspective of postnatal depression and according to a feminist perspective this disempowers womens individual experiences. While feminist researchers have criticized the medical model for the way it blames individual mothers for their difficulties, mothers themselves feel that the medical label and status, and the hormonal explanation, have the opposite effect of releasing them from blame and responsibility because the depression is something which is happening to them, their bodies and is therefore beyond their control. It is reassuring for some to know that they were not going mad but experiencing a medically recognized problem, shared by other mothers, and for which they were neither responsible nor to blame. Oakley (ref) suggests that pregnancy and childbirth are constituted as a disease by the medical profession. In an article written for the British Journal of General Practice, Richards (ref) questioned whether giving the diagnosis of postnatal depression to tired, overwhelmed women, simply allows them to claim sickness benefit. Considerable effort has been put into research into the causes of postnatal depression from a biological or hormonal reason; however Richards (1990) believes that no consistent relationship has been found. Dalton (1989) claims that there are endocrinology reasons for depression after childbirth, and that this could be treated by diet or hormonal treatment. However Oakley (1980) criticizes this view from a feminist perspective, believing this emphasizes women as reproducers. Despite Daltons (1989) opinion that postnatal depression is caused by hormones, she does believe that social and psychological support could benefit the mother. Kitzinger (2006) believes that many women are wrongly labelled as suffering from postnatal depression because they are unhappy after the birth, when in fact their distress is the result of a medically managed but traumatic birth. Kitzinger (2006) argues that the failure of the maternity services to give humane care can be ignored when the focus is placed on the mothers performance during childbirth. There are many theoretical perspectives that seek to explain the notion of postnatal depression and this dissertation will be focussing on the feminist perspective in a later chapter. Chapter 2 Postnatal Depression The postnatal period is well known as an increased time of risk for the development of serious mood disorders. Many women feel exhausted, not just from the physical efforts from giving birth, but the emotional effects of adjusting to their new role as a mother. Although this dissertation is concentrating on postnatal depression, there are two other important conditions that can be diagnosed after the birth, which will be briefly mentioned as follows; Baby blues Baby blues is the term used to describe temporary feelings of tearfulness and lack of concentration either immediately following the birth or within a few days, sometimes coinciding with the mothers milk coming in. These feelings may come as a shock to the mother, as she may have expected to feel joy and elation. This condition is very common in up to 80% of new mothers, so is considered as normal, but generally passes after about ten days. There is no treatment for the baby blues, however practical and emotional support in these first few days would be helpful. Puerperal psychosis Puerperal psychosis is a terrifying and rare complication following the birth affecting between one in 500 and one in 1000 mothers. The symptoms are hallucinations and delusions and often the mother believes that the baby is evil, she hears voices and can be confused. The word psychosis is simply a medical term, which means, according to the dictionary: any severe mental disorder in which contact with reality is lost or highly distorted The common treatment is anti-psychotic medication; however the mother may have to be admitted to a psychiatric unit for observation. Symptoms of PND The onset of postnatal depression can be gradual and difficult to distinguish either from the normal emotional sensitivity of recent childbirth, or because the mother is hesitant to disclose her true feelings. Many women feel that they may not need support or that they can manage on their own, whereas others may think there is a stigma attached to admitting feeling depressed. Some of the identifying symptoms of postnatal depression can be physical, however the majority are emotional and affect the everyday life of the mother. In order for a diagnosis to be made, at least five of the following symptoms have to be present for at least two continuous weeks; Feeling unable to cope, loss of confidence, feeling inadequate Panic attacks, excessive anxiety and obsessions about the baby, routines and cleaning Negative thoughts, irrational thoughts, depressed mood Feeling little/no love for the child, delayed/no bonding with the baby Not enjoying motherhood and wondering what is wrong with them because of it No interest or pleasure in anything, boredom, things seeming pointless Suicidal thoughts Constantly needing reassurance Fear that if they asked for help their baby would be taken away Feeling a burden to family and friends Everything seeming negative, unable to remember positive times/things Things getting out of proportion, being thrown by even small things Tiredness, lethargy Loss of appetite, weight loss Loss of interest in sex, loss of libido Risk factors There is considerable discussion surrounding the cause of postnatal depression (Richards, 1990). In a report written by OHara and Zekosi (1996), their findings led to the conclusion that PND reflects the coincidental occurrence of the puerperium and depression, rather than reflecting a causal relation between childbearing and depression. However, Kumar et al, (1984) found that childbearing in itself has a damaging effect on the mental health of women. Martin et al (2001) conducted a comparison of women in a psychiatric mother and baby unit and concluded that puerperal depression has a distinct biological aetiology. This conflicts with Richards (1990) conclusion that there is no link. According to Harlow (2003), any mother can be affected by postnatal depression, with no relation to age, social class, cultural background or educational status. However, research studies have consistently shown that the following risk factors are strong predictors of PND: Poor quality social support An unstable or unsupportive relationship Depression or anxiety in pregnancy Previous history of sexual abuse Recent stressful life events Labour/birth trauma In addition to many factors on the mothers side, there may be a relation between the behaviour of the infant that has an effect on maternal depression. In a study of 188 first time mothers, neonatal irritability and poor motor function was found to predict postnatal depression (Murray et al. 1996). There are few studies on the role of infant factors in the aetiology of postnatal depression, but it is possible that the babies react to parental mood and depression and vice versa. Prevalence According to Cox (1993) the incidence of women developing postnatal depression in the UK is between 10-12%. However, a study conducted in 2002, found that 27% of mothers aged between 15-44 years of age were found to be suffering from postnatal depression, of which half of them had contacted their GP within 4 months of the birth (Kaye, 2002). The rate of prevalence has varied due to different criteria (e.g, general practitioners or psychiatrists diagnosis, self-report questionnaire, clinical interview), different study designs and different time intervals (from few days up to several years) used. OHara (1987) suggested that the symptoms of postnatal depression can be relieved and diminished within one to six months, but sometimes depression can become chronic. Thus, it should be acknowledged that without effective treatment postnatal depressive symptoms may continue for as long as one to two years. The sixth report of the confidential enquiries into maternal deaths in the UK, Why Mothers Die, reported suicide as the most common cause of maternal death for women in the first year after childbirth. According to the Confidential Enquiries Report for Mothers and Child Health (Lewis, 2004) the number of suicides by women during the perinatal period has declined from 29 in 1997-1999 to 21 known suicides in 2000-2002. Depression can lead to more deaths from suicide each year than there are deaths from road accidents. According to Gregoire et al (1996), if postnatal depression is left untreated, 25% of women will continue to suffer one year after delivery and one in twenty-one women will still have postnatal depression two years later (Lumley et al, 2003). The statistics also show that women with untreated PND are at least 300 times more likely to suffer again in subsequent pregnancies (Hamilton et al, 1992). Detection There are a number of rating scales used to measure and detect postnatal depression. In many countries, health visitors screen for PND using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), which is a 10-item self-reporting screening instrument to aid the detection of post-natal depression (Cox et al. 1987; Murray and Carothers 1990; Warner et al. 1996; Wickberg and Hwang 1996b). This is designed to assess the mother at 6-8 weeks after the birth by the Health Visitor at home (appendix). A threshold score of 12 has been used as an indication that correctly identifies at least 80% of mothers with major depression (Cox et al. 1987; Harris et al. 1989; Murray and Carothers 1990). The NICE guidelines recommend the use of the Whooley questions (appendix) as a simple screening method to detect postnatal depression. This screening technique is used by health visitors at the initial contact and offers the opportunity to screen without a formal assessment. However, the EPDS and Whooley questions are not diagnostic tools in their self, and should always be used in conjunction with a clinical evaluation if necessary. Consequences of postnatal depression Different mechanisms have been proposed to explain the effect of postnatal depression to childs psychopathology (Murray and Cooper 1997). Whiffen (1989) suggests that infant temperament and behaviour is related to postnatal depression, both as a consequence and a cause of it. Mothers with chronic depression have infants with more behavioural problems such as sleeping and eating problems and temper tantrums (Campbell et al. 1997), and severity of depressive symptoms associates with compromised cognitive and attachment security (Lyons-Ruth et al. 1986). A second effect might be the maternal interactional and parenting style, secondary to maternal depression. Mothers with postnatal depression may be emotionally unavailable for their infants and they may withdraw from interaction situations. In addition, they may respond in an inappropriate or unpredicted or even unreceptive manner to their child. Paternal postnatal depression is rarely reported or studied, but estimated rates of paternal depression have varied from 4 to 13% (Ballard et al. 1994, Areias et al. 1996) in the early postpartum period. Treatment and Prevention If postnatal depression is left untreated, it can persist for many months with adverse consequences for mothers, children and families (Josefsson et al, 2001). There is the possibility of short and long-term consequences for the babys cognitive, social and emotional development. Depressed mothers make more negative and fewer positive responses to their babies and the infants learn a style of interaction that transfers to their subsequent interactions with other people (Field, et al 1988). Longer term adverse influences have been demonstrated on childrens language development, IQ and social development (Coghill et al . 1986; Sharp et al . 1995; Murray et al. 1996; 1999). Typically, mothers with postnatal depression go through silent suffering. Effective treatments are available, but help is often not actively sought. Small and his group (1994) found out that only one third of depressed mothers sought professional help. However, these mothers often advised other depressed mothers to find someone to talk to. However, the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions to prevent postnatal depression is conflicting. Stuart, et al, (2003) suggested that early intervention, even in the antenatal period is an effective way of tackling postnatal depression. Midwives counselling, given support and explanations about the childbirth prior to labour provided a better postnatal mental health of the mothers (Lavender and Walkinshaw 1998). The statistical power of existing studies is, however, very limited (Lawrie 2000). The provision

Repression of Women Exposed in Susan Glaspells Trifles :: Trifles Essays

The Repression of Women Exposed in Trifles  Ã‚   Susan Glaspell in Trifles explores the repression of women. Since the beginning of time, women have been looked down upon by men. They have been considered â€Å"dumb† and even a form of property. Being physically and emotionally abused by men, women in the early 1900’s struggled to break the mold formed by society. Even with the pain of bearing children, raising them, doing household and even farm chores, their efforts have never been truly appreciated. Mrs. Wright was â€Å"†¦real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid—and fluttery†¦Ã¢â‚¬  as Mrs. Hale, her neighbor, describes her (22). This would all soon change after her wedding day. With Mr. Wright’s insipid character and lack of patience of any joyous sound, Mrs. Wright’s spirit dwindled to nothing. It seems she spent hours at a time focusing on her quilts, preserves, and caring for the only life there was in the house, her canary. Even when Mr. Hale offered to get a party telephone, Mr. Wright responded, â€Å"†¦folks talk too much anyway†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (5). This silence he preferred also applied to his spouse. There were no hugs given out much less a smile. He failed to give her even the most minimal sing of appreciation much less the emotional warmth she hungered for. The coldness felt in the house as the sheriff and court attorney entered the house symbolized the same coldness brought about by Mr. Wright. For the house to be cold and gloomy and everything else outside the total opposite, was much more than just coincidence. It was as if when you entered the house a cadaver, cold and clammy, had embraced you in its arms. â€Å" I don’t think a place’d be any cheerfuller for John Wright’s being in it†, Mrs. Hale told the court attorney (11). Mrs. Hale knew perfectly well what kind of personality Mr. Wright had, which is why she specified that she wished that she had gone to visit Mrs. Wright when only she was there. â€Å"There’s a great deal of work to be done on a farm†, says Mrs. Hale, yet they are seen as mere trifles because it is the women who take on these tasks. â€Å"The treatment of women in ‘Trifles’†, a web site that analyzes the demeanor of women throughout the play, states â€Å" The women are betrayed as if they are second class citizens with nothing more important to think about, except to take care of the medial household chores like cooking, cleaning, and sewing.

Case Hcc Industries

08 Fall 08 Fall 1. Evaluate the decision to use â€Å"minimum performance standard â€Å" (MPS) targets instead of â€Å"stretch† targets. We evaluate the decision to use â€Å"minimum performance standard† targets by looking at how good this new target system achieves the four purposes of planning and budgeting processes. First of all, planning and budgeting processes have to enhance management control. Derived from the case, we think corporate managers have too much control on the targets. General managers give corporate managers an estimate of the targets they can achieve but in all the divisions, targets were adjusted.The CEO always has the last call on the targets and in the case of Sealtron we see that this isn’t good. No one believes Sealtron can achieve a PBT of 1milion $ and still the CEO wants that target. For the general manager of Sealtron this was very discouraging. So indeed, management control on targets has increased but maybe too much. On the o ther hand, division managers now have more control on the bonus pool, they can decide which subordinates share in the bonus pool. That isn’t good either because of the grade of subjectivity.If you’re not in good graces with the general manager, you will not achieve any bonuses. Bonuses are not based on how good you actually work but on how good the general manager believes you work. So maybe the control on targets has to be reduced a little bit and the control on the bonus pool has to be made more objective. Secondly, the planning and budgeting processes have to engage in long(er)-term thinking. In the system of â€Å"stretch† targets, some divisions achieved their goals, some not but the company as a whole was consistently missing its targets.In the MPS system they want to improve this. The problem however with the MPS system is that there is too much focus on operational planning, targets are set on short term. Targets are the main focus of the company, even i f you have to take measures that are disadvantageous towards the future. For example, in the Sealtron division the general manager hired some people that he thought would be useful for the company on the long term. But because the main focus lays on achieving the targets, Lou Palamara was afraid that he had to lay off some people that he will likely need in the future.So the MPS system still supports rather the short term, there is no engagement in long-term thinking. Then the third purpose is to achieve coordination. The purpose of the company was to create a bottom-up approach. In this approach division managers prepare the budgets and then forward them to the corporate managers for review and approval. Targets that are provided by the division managers tend to be more accurate and have a positive impact on employee morale because they know they can achieve the targets. They also get the feeling of autonomy. In the HCC case however, the implementation of the bottom-up approach goe s wrong.Division managers prepare the budgets and feel good about it but in each division the corporate managers adjust the budgets dramatically. The way in which the corporate managers change the budgets is perceived as dictatorial. No general manager feels confident with the new adjusted budgets. And as said before, even some corporate managers doubt whether the proposed budgets are feasible. So the dictatorial adjustments from the CEO are rather perceived as a top-down approach, in which budgets are prepared by corporate managers and imposed on the lower managers.The last purpose of planning and budgeting processes is to establish â€Å"challenging-but-achievable† performance targets. In the â€Å"stretch† targets system, targets are perceived as â€Å"not unreachable, just tough†. The intended probability of achievement was around 75 to 80%. This is just slight below the desired level (80-90%). In the MPS system, the probability of budget achievement was abo ve the desired level (Hermetic Seal and Glasseal) but in the case of Sealtron the probability of achievement is only 60-65%.So again, if we look at all the divisions together, the company is missing the last purpose of planning and budgeting processes. 2. Should HCC managers have expected that the MPS target-setting philosophy would be equally effective in all four operating divisions described? No, they should not think so. The new MPS budget system has both advantages and disadvantages, which do not have effect on every division to the same extent and thus result in the difference of the effectiveness of the MPS target-setting philosophy on different divisions.We will answer this question with the comparison of the 4 divisions’ reaction to the MPS system by looking over the characteristics of their managers, staffs, markets and other relevant aspects. We believe that Hermetic Seal is relatively suitable for the MPS philosophy. As mentioned in the text, Hermetic Seal’ s customers were mostly military customers, indicating that their contacts and sales did not change significantly according to the economic fluctuations and were more or less stable.So Hermetic Seal was more likely to make a correct expectation about their future and make an achievable, as well as challenging, budget, which is the key of the MPS. Mike, the manager of Hermetic Seal, who was looking for a large bonus, would make more conservative budgets to ensure that he could always meet the targets. He intentionally lowered the budget target that he used to make, in order to let off the pressure to meet the targets, so at the same time he reduced the motivation to fight for more challenging targets as well.Glasseal manager Carl feels more pressure about the budget and is thus more motivated to strive for the budget and keep his job. The budget target is challenging but achievable, as Carl is 90% sure to achieve the target. This is a proper probability according to practical experie nce in the budgeting system. We believe that Glasseal is the best-suited division for the MPS system. Lou, the Sealtron manager, would like to pay more attention to long-term development instead of currently cutting costs.He was upset with the MPS system but was forced to accept the system and the budget, so perhaps he is poorly motivated to implement the system. However, despite the manager's resistance to the MPS system, the performance of the division has improved under the new system and achieved most budgeting targets that were considered as impossible when making the budget and even exceeded some of them. The staff of the division used to be slothful under the stretch system when they didn't have to achieve the budget, whereas MPS is stimulating the staff to be more efficient.In contrast to the three connection divisions reacting in a positive way to MPS, we consider MPS as a disaster for Hermetite. The division was keeping a horrible financial record in its growing period and needed to focus more on long-term development, so it was unfair and improper to judge and evaluate Hermetite’s performance with financial criteria and to ask them to achieve all the yearly budgeting targets and financial criteria. Moreover, Hermetite’s market situation was hard to predict, as it was unstable and changed significantly from year to year, so it was unlikely to make a proper budget based on a correct rediction of the future. Even worse, the manager of Hermetite, an optimistic person, would like to set high standards in order to achieve high performance. He was upset with the new MPS philosophy, which forced him to accept a cut budget. And different from the â€Å"stretch† budgeting, which encouraged employees to achieve as high targets as they could, the most important motivation for employees in the MPS system is to keep their jobs. For Hermetite, which owned a huge potential and infinite future growth, the former system would have been better. To conclude, Glasseal suited the MPS philosophy best.Hermetic Seal and Sealtron would also perform a relatively positive change in the MPS system. But â€Å"stretch† budgeting is better for Hermetite than MPS. 3. What, if anything, could have been done to improve the implementation of the new philosophy? In order to provide a schematic response to this question, we return to the structure used to provide an answer to question one, being the four purposes of planning and budgeting processes. The first purpose is to enhance management control. With regard to the implementation of the new system, the amount of management control exercised has altered quite ambiguously.On the one hand, the creation of the bonus pool has augmented the amount of decentralized control to the division managers. This was mainly a result of the critique that there was always substantial delay with regard to payments of the bonuses. However, in its current execution, this pool causes the problem of a lack of segregation of duties. A recommendation is thus to leave ultimate authorization of bonuses with the general management, as an attempt to create reasonable assurance of no fraud is being committed by division managers.It would also cause division managers (who would still be able to appoint bonuses themselves) to account for the amount of subjectivity that is involved within this bonus system. The general management might ask explanations with regard to the division of bonuses. On the other hand, the implementation has increased the management control to an unnecessary high level. As can be seen in the answer to the second question, the tensions between divisional and general management have raised substantially within someone divisions without resulting in a higher success rate of targets being met.As a possible solution, an overseeing marketing function might be created. We envision two possible ways to exercise this measure. First, the function could be outsourced to a marketi ng agency, which would conduct an annual audit of the divisions and make suggestions regarding appropriate budget heights. In this way, the independence of this function can be assured. Second, the function could be orientated internally as a staff function with a mandate in the board of directors. The benefit of this second option is a continuous review of the divisions (as opposed to periodical review trough an external agency).The main goal of creating this role is to provide general management with a better knowledge of the market circumstances in which the division operate. And if division managers feel that general managers can provide supported arguments for a certain level of target and/or budget, their commitment could be influenced positively, which is an important characteristic of a budget. The second purpose is to engage in long(er)-term thinking. Using the current implantation, as we mentioned in question one, this purpose is completely missed. The organization does no t achieve in completing the planning cycle.The focus is mainly on operation planning, whereas strategic planning, programming and capital budgeting are taken insufficiently into the equation. When the company decided to change its philosophy, it envisioned a better coordination between divisional results so the company results as a whole would improve. But the results of this new philosophy don’t account at all to this strategy. This lack of ‘fit’ between strategic and operational planning could be countered by the above-mentioned marketing function, but also by accepting a higher level of risk.Especially with regard to Hermetite, HCC should be willing to accept the optimistic sales forecasts and even suffer losses during short term because in the long run it could perhaps achieve its immense growing potential and generate generous revenue and profit for the firm. In general, the general management should have thoroughly assessed the general mission, vision and s trategy of the firm beforehand and used this more strictly as a guideline to the budgeting and target setting process. The third purpose is to achieve coordination.The most important mistake committed by general management in this area, was the vigorous approach of the new top-down budgeting process. Although the general management tried to create a mixture of top-down and bottom-up in their system, their rather dictatorial approach has created the sentiment that the focus is purely on top-down budgeting. This approach could have been softened by a better communication towards division managers and other personnel. This step might seem negligible, but it could seriously impact the culture that is present in certain divisions (for instance Sealtron).Another possible measure is to decentralize some target-setting authority to division managers. Not total authority, but perhaps a system that involves negotiating power over the extents of targets. It could involve limits to targets, ins tead of an absolute number. In this way, the coordination might evolve more towards a sideways coordination system. The last purpose is to establish â€Å"challenging but achievable† performance targets. If the above-mentioned suggestions are addressed, we believe that this fourth purpose could be provided with reasonable assurance. It is an additional outcome to implementation of the recommendations already made.

Health of Indigenous Peoples Essay

This essay seeks to demonstrate that whilst Indigenous health policy may have been on the Australian public policy agenda since the1960s, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous health has remained. A brief description of the lives of Indigenous Australians prior to the colonisation of Australia is given, followed by a description of various policies that have been introduced by the Australian government to combat these inequalities. This essay demonstrates why these policies have been inadequate, in turn highlighting why the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge in creating Indigenous health policies is important. This essay closes with a brief examination of the Closing the Gap policy, which is utilising the knowledge of Indigenous Australians in creating culturally sensitive Indigenous health policies. In conclusion, this essay demonstrates that by including Indigenous Australians in the policymaking process, we might be starting to close the gap. The health inequality of Indigenous Australians has long been a concern for Australia and the world. Whilst the overall health of Australia has continued to improve, the health of Indigenous Australians remains at levels below those of non-indigenous Australians. Whilst it may seem that there is a lot being done to address these issues, the statistics demonstrate that policies implemented to address these issues have not been effective (Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet 2010; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010, p. 29). The thesis of this essay is that whilst the government has been seen as attempting to address the issues of health inequalities of Indigenous Australians, it is only in recent times that the government has implemented programs that are anywhere near close to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. To demonstrate this thesis, this essay will firstly discuss the history of Indigenous health prior to colonisation. This will be done to highlight how Indigenous health has declined dramatically since colonisation. This essay will then discuss what the government has been doing since the 1967 referendum, in which Indigenous Australians were formally recognised in the Constitution, to address issues of health inequalities (Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet 2010). In the next section, a discussion on the reasons why there is a large gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous health will occur. This will be followed by a discussion on the utilisation of Indigenous knowledge to provide adequate health services. This essay will finally discuss the current Closing The Gap policy (Australian Human Rights Commission 2011), which has been introduced to address issues that previous policies have failed to. This will be done to highlight the fact that whilst it may seem that as the Indigenous population require the knowledge and assistance of its non-indigenous counter parts, what is evident is that health of Indigenous populations has in fact declined since the colonisation of Australia. Failing to recognise the correlation between colonisation and declining health of Indigenous people, will only see a continuation of the problem rather than seeing a positive change. Whilst the information pertaining to the health of Indigenous Australians prior to colonisation in 1788 appears to be scarce, what is known is that Indigenous health has been on the decline since the arrival of European settlers. Indigenous Australians were considered to be healthier than those of their colonisers (Flood 2006, p. 120). Prior to colonisation, there was no contact with the outside world and therefore infectious diseases were minimal. Due to the introduction of new illnesses from colonisation, the population of Indigenous Australians declined (Carson 2007, p. 43). It was also common for Indigenous women to contract sexual diseases from the often non-consensual contact with the colonisers (Carson 2007, p. 44). Health was also impacted upon by change in diet. Prior to colonisation, Indigenous Australians maintained a diet of protein and vegetables due to the animals and plants available to them (Flood 2006, p.120), as well as the exercise they maintained from hunting and gathering (Flood 2006, p. 122). After colonisation, the Indigenous diet included many foods which saw an increase in obesity, diabetes and heart disease (O’Dea 1991, p. 233). It was not just the introduction of disease and change in die that impacted upon Indigenous Australians’ health. Anthropological studies surrounding Indigenous culture have shown that Indigenous populations have close ties to the land, as the land is incorporated into their sense of being. Pieces of land belonged to particular groups of individuals, and the objects from the natural landscape were considered to be part of their history (Carson 2007, p. 180). It was the failure of colonisers to understand this worldview that has contributed to the deterioration of mental health amongst Indigenous Australians, as they were forced off their lands and into settlements and reserves (Carson 2007, p. 49). This contributed to the feeling of being disconnected from land and family, exacerbating feelings of not be longing, lack of identity and low self-esteem (Ypinazar et al.2007,p. 474). As one can see, the issue of health amongst Indigenous Australians is a complex one, complicated by the differing world views of Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. It is due to this lack of understanding that has resulted in a myriad of health policies that have attempted to address the issue of health inequality of Indigenous Australians. The first health policy to address the health issues of Indigenous Australians was implemented in 1968, with thirty five adjustments made between then and 2006. Without going into the details of every amendment or new policy, what was common throughout this timeline, was that there were various bodies and institutions created to address the issues that had not been adequately addressed previously, responsibilities were allocated by the government to the states and territories, and programs were implemented to address health issues. Change in governments also meant that policies were constantly changing, which meant that the ways in which health issues were seen and therefore addressed also changed (Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet 2010). When attempting to implement a policy that will adequately address the issue, what has been found is that comparative analysis has been used to determine how health issues have been addressed in other countries. Whilst this kind of analysis may be sufficient in some circumstances, it does not suit such a situation where our Indigenous population’s culture and worldview is unlike that of any other. For example, whilst health issues may be similar to those of Indigenous populations elsewhere, worldviews which impact upon health and wellbeing will vary and may not be able to be applied from one culture to another (Tsey et al.2003, p. 36). One event that highlights the differing views on how issues should be addressed, was the closing down of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) by the John Howard Government in 2004 (Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet2010). What was significant about this was that Indigenous health policy had been the responsibility of ATSIC. This action effectively removed the responsibility of Indigenous health from the Indigenous people and placed the responsibility with mainstream departments that were also responsible for non-indigenous health. By doing this, the government had  wound back many years of work to address the health inequalities of Indigenous Australians, perceiving Indigenous Australians as a culture that could not look after themselves and needed instead the knowledge and expertise of the superior colonialists (Kay & Perrin 2007, p. 19). By removing the responsibility of Indigenous health from ATSIC and placing it in the hands of a body that was also responsible for non-indigenous health, the government failed to understand the intricacies of Indigenous Australian culture and the implications that this kind of action can have on Indigenous health. Whilst the overall health of Australians is amongst the top third of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010, p. 8). There is a clear disparity between Indigenous and non-indigenous health, when one considers that even in this day and age of modern medicine, Indigenous Australians are expected to live twelve years less than their non-indigenous counterparts for males, and ten years less for females (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010, p. 29). So what are considered to be the reasons for this inequality? What has already been highlighted, is that Indigenous health has suffered from the introduction to changes in diet, introduction of diseases both airborne and venereal, and the impact upon mental health due to dispossession of land and loss of kinship. Mental health issues can also be connected to the economic and social disadvantage of many Indigenous individuals, which can lead to substance abuse and other issues (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010, p. 33). The failure to adequately address mental health issues has resulted in deaths by suicide being the second biggest reason for deaths by injury (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010, p. 30). These figures demonstrate that policies have clearly not been working. A salient point to note is that Indigenous Australians are the least likely group of the whole population, to access important health services. So what are the reasons behind this lack of access to services? It can be as simple as the kind of service that an individual receives. From personal experience of serving Indigenous customers, tone of voice can be misinterpreted. What may be considered polite in most circumstances, can be misconstrued as being conceited by others. Use of language can also be a barrier. For example, (again from personal experience), language has to be altered to manoeuvre these barriers, such as replacing the term ‘bank account’ with the word ‘kitty’. Other barriers may include the fact that in remote communities, health professionals may also be the town judge, which may deter Indigenous people from accessing the services from a person who might have also been responsible for sentencing an individual or a member of their family (Paul 1998, p.67). Barriers such as the remote locations of individuals in comparison to the services, and the cost of services also have to be taken into account. For example, if a service is some distance away from an individual, the cost of travelling may be too high. The cost of services close by may also be too expensive for individuals, or individuals may receive poor treatment due to either being turned away from services, or mistreatment due to racialist beliefs. This may result in individuals travelling long distances due to this very mistreatment in their own communities (Paul 1998, pp.67-68). The misconception that all Indigenous Australians are one group of people can also result in culturally inadequate services, deterring individuals from accessing important health services (Paul 1998, p. 68). This lack of understanding about Indigenous cultures when providing health services has resulted in a rise in the provision of health services that are either run by Indigenous individuals, or have been created in consultation with Indigenous individuals, to ensure that the services being provided are culturally adequate. An example that highlights this can be seen in the creation of a program in 1998in the Northern Territory that was attempting to address the health inequalities of Indigenous children (Campbell et al 2005, p. 153). There were many problems with this programme because the people that were overseeing the programme did not have cultural knowledge that was a factor in the health and wellbeing of the children. What resulted was a program which was implemented in an Indigenous remote community, which utilised the knowledge of Indigenous people from the community itself. This allowed for the programme to be altered when issues were addressed and individuals within the community were able to provide solutions to issues, rather than being told what was going to happen by an outside authority (Campbell etal. 2005, p. 155). Whilst this programme realised that a bottom-up approach was more beneficial than a top-down one which usually occurs in policy implementation, there were issues because the programme also involved people from the outside that were there to manage the programme, who were unwilling to give total control to the community, generating feelings of disempowerment, resentment and marginalisation (Campbell et al. 2005, p. 156). Whilst there are many examples of programs that have been implemented to address the health inequalities of Indigenous Australians, one that deserves mentioning because of success that it has had are the men’s groups in Yaba Bimbie and Ma’Ddaimba Balas (McCalman et al. 2010, p. 160). What was found was that these programs were successful because they were run by Indigenous men who had direct knowledge of the cultural issues and needs of the community as they also lived there. They were also successful because the men felt included in their communities by having control, rather than being controlled by an outside source. Due to these men’s groups, individuals were able to come together and share their concerns about their community, and as the others also were from the same community, they were able to contribute to solutions to the problems by feeling able to speak freely about their concerns. One such concern was anger management issues, which were exacerbated by the social issues that the individuals faced (McCalman et al. 2010, p. 163). Whilst, issues like this may seem to be separate, they in fact contribute to other areas, as has been mentioned earlier in regards to mental health and suicide, which flow on to other members of the community, when there may be no one in the family who is able to earn an income, which contributes to poverty. This may in turn, render an individual unable to access services as previously mentioned. As one can see, when individuals who are directly impacted by issues, are included in finding solutions to address these issues, there is more success than when they are not included. It is the understanding of this that has seen the implementation of the Close The Gap policy (Australian Human Rights Commission 2011). This policy is based on the understanding that the concept of health is different in the eyes of Indigenous Australians than that of non-Indigenous Australians (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare2009). This policy has sought to reduce the gap of inequality between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians by reducing the gap in life expectancy by 2031, halving mortality rates of children by2018, ensuring equal access to early childhood education by 2013, halving the gap in the area of inability to read and write by 2018, halving the gap of individuals who attain their Year 12 education by 2020 and halving the gap of unemployment rates by 2018 (Gillard2011, p. 2). Various programmes have been implemented to address these issues, with a common theme of inclusion. That is, the programs all involve Indigenous Australians who have a better cultural understanding than non-indigenous Australians. This has allowed for individuals to work with their own communities, various levels of government, non-government organisations and businesses (Gillard 2011, p. 6). By doing so, it has provided individuals with a sense of control and purpose over their own lives, which has seen a decrease in the mortality rates of Indigenous Australians (Gillard2011, p. 12), as well as a reduction in the rates of reading and writing problems (Gillard 2011, p. 14). There has also been a significant increase in the numbers of Indigenous Australians aiming towards their Year 12 qualifications (Gillard 2011, p. 16), as well as a decrease in the number of unemployed in the Indigenous population (Gillard 2011, p. 17). Whilst these figures are promising, one has to look at some of the programs that have been implemented as a result of this policy, to see if lessons have been learned from past mistakes, or if similar mistakes are being made. One such program that is deemed to be addressing issues of inequality is the Welfare Payment Reform act, which allowed the government to withhold portions of welfare payments (Gruenstein 2008, p. 468). This was to ensure that portions of the payment were going to required living expenses before going to things such as alcohol. Whilst this may seem as though it is an important step in addressing issues within communities, what is important to note is that policies such as these are in direct violation of the Racial Discrimination Convention because they directly target Indigenous individuals solely because they are Indigenous and are not necessarily in need of intervention (Gruenstein, 2008, p. 469). Whilst the Closing the Gap policy has good intentions, it can result in actions that treat Indigenous Australians as a homogenous group, rather than recognising the variation of issues. In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated that Australia has come a long way in addressing the issues of inequality amongst Indigenous Australians. It has been demonstrated that Indigenous Australians were in good health prior to colonisation, and only since colonisation has the health of Indigenous Australians has declined. This essay has also shown that the different governments have varied between allowing Indigenous Australians self-determination, or be included in the process of policy making, to the government seizing control of the issues, excluding the Indigenous community from decision making. Whilst it has been shown that the government has been addressing issues for well over 40 years, it has only been in recent times that issues of inequality have begun to be adequately addressed. By understanding that it is Indigenous Australians who are better able to understand their issues, which stem from the actions of non-indigenous peoples and allowing Indigenous Australians to take control of their own lives, will we start to close the gap of health inequality between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

How I Self-Published My First Novel at the Age of 50

How I Self-Published My First Novel at the Age of 50 How I Self-Published My First Novel at the Age of 50 Andy Emery  writes fast-paced thrillers set in 19th Century London. Lucas Gedge, the protagonist of Blood Tribute,  had to wait till Andy turned 50 before he could go out into the world. In this guest post, Andy reveals what finally made him take the leap and self-publish his debut novel. Working with ReedsyIt was evident from the beginning that I would need to hire professional help for two important tasks: designing the cover of my book, and editing. I got the cover sorted out early on, but what to do about the editing?I first heard of Reedsy through a webinar run by Nick Stephenson. The fact that I could tap into a large number of potential editors, all vetted by Reedsy and offering services from structural editing through to proofreading, and communicate with them before making a choice, sounded good to me. Using the Reedsy Marketplace is very straightforward. I determined that I would need content and copy editing followed by proofreading. Then I went through all the professionals who seemed to conform to my requirements and requested quotes from five of them.I plumped for Andrew Lowe to do my content and copy editing, mostly because I liked the way he described himself, his relaxed style, and let’s face it, the fact that his fees were not exorbitant. As a first-time novelist, I was apprehensive about the editing process. But early in our first chat on Skype, Andrew put me at ease. He seemed to 'get it',  regarding what I was trying to achieve, and his approach, using Skype sessions and informal email contacts, was very effective. He explained his suggested changes in a constructive and friendly way.After implementing Andrew’s changes, I went straight on to repeat the process for proofreading, and this time chose Katherine Stephen, who again provided a very proficient and professional service.After formatting the book, it was ready to go, and it was published on Amazon on July 12th, 2016. It remains to be seen how it will do commercially, but I’m in it for the long haul, and I’m already working on the second book in the series. It’s been a very satisfying process, and Reedsy’s editors have been a vital part of that.Blood Tribute is available on Amazon, get your copy here!Could your day job also in spire a fantastic thriller? Head to the comments section below and tell us your profession, as well an idea  for a gripping story based on that job.

Free The Shootist Analysis Essay Topic

Free The Shootist Analysis Essay Topic The Shootist Introduction The Shootist is a film, which was directed by the legendary Don Siegel and produced in the year 1976. It is a modernist film set in 1901 in Nevada. The story revolves around the heroic Books who has made a name for himself when he emerged as a successful gunfighter. It features his last days, which are so turbulent and characterized by lots of challenges. The film covers his last days just before his death when he is making overwhelming wishes. Before meeting his death, he finds himself under the custody of Bond Rogers, a strong-willed widow who owns a magnificent boarding house. His friendship with this family becomes stronger as he is perceived as a good mentor for Ron Howard who is the only son in this family. However, this does not last long before he is caught up by his former foes. This becomes a turning point in his life. Having achieved something in his life, he now wants to enjoy a peaceful death. Therefore, he spends his time looking for a better way through which he could die without enduring any pain and agony. However, this is not fulfilled as he is interrupted by his enemies who deny him a dignified death he has been hoping for. Despite the fact that he kills all his enemies, he later dies after receiving two gun shots. This fatal dwell marks the tragic end of his life. The Shootist is a modernist film because it has various elements of this genre in it This can be depicted from the way it is composed and presented. Its thematic concerns, stylistic devices, and the arrangement of the plots are clear indications of a modernist work of art. There is a shift from the traditional literature, which is embedded in the traditional concepts of narration and depiction of facts in reflection of the society. However, Don brings a breakthrough in this genre when he extensively employs new features throughout the film. This can be seen in the following areas: To begin with, The Shootist involves the use of formal characters There are so many characters in this film each of whom has a distinct role to play. These include Books, Queen Victoria, Hostetler, Bond Rogers, Gillom, Marshal Walter Thibido, Mike Sweeney, Moses, Jack Pulford, and Jay Cobb. The interaction between the Books, the protagonist, and other characters is similar to a typical society. It involves the normal agreements and conflicts, which is always seen in modernist literature. While there is a cordial relationship between the protagonist and other characters like Bond Rogers, Gillom, Old flame Serepta, and Marshal Walter Thibido, there is a turbulent relationship between him and others like Mike Sweeney and the two strangers who engage him in a dwell. The conflict is particularly witnessed when Mike opts to avenge Books for the murder of his brother. Later, Books is confronted by his enemies who launch a shoot out on him. However, after his death, it is only the young Gillon who demonstrates his love for his slain friend when he covers h is dead body. He is saddened because of the close relationship they had. As already highlighted, their friendship starts when Books is welcomed in their family by his mother who wants him to mentor this young boy. The kind of interactions amongst all the characters is showing that this film is a modernist one. Besides, The Shootist is rich in symbolism Don extensively employs this device throughout the film to help in the delivery of his message to the viewers. The death of Books is symbolic of his fulfillment as a gun shooter who was able to live a life of fulfillment. As a fighter, he did a lot of things, which made him be popular in his community. Later, he could not have a peaceful death as he had been planning, especially during his last days on earth. As a human being, he knew that he would die one day. Therefore, he was prepared to face his death in a bold manner. This is why, he was ready to traverse the community and come across people like Lauren. Eventually, he was not able to accomplish this desire. Although this was a very big blow to him, it was symbolic of how peoples past can haunt them. Instead of focusing on his future, he concentrated on the past. All the things he had done in the past would later influence his life. His death, which resulted from cancer, is symbolic of how the past can haunt a person. Symbolism is also used when Gillon takes off his cap before the dead Books. This symbolizes respect for the dead man. The removal of a cap is always used to indicate some submission and discipline. It has been used in the disciplined forces for a very long time. When Gillon removed his cap to salute the corpse of his mentor, it means that he was showing that he respected him as his senior. However, this would not cease with his death because it even continued. Apart from being his mentor, Books was a celebrated hero in this community. The film emphasizes the role of focus in life. Everyone should not be glued to their past. Instead, they should take the initiative to adapt to their immediate environment and live together with the rest of the society. The use of this technique enables the film to add depth to its meaning, enrich and make it more interesting for the viewers. In addition, The Shootist presents themes, which are relevant to the modernist ideologies. In other words, there are messages of flexibility, hatred of war, and individual fulfillment. Books was conscious of his role as a gun shooter. He had been engaged in the traditional gun shootings. This did not go well with the rest of the society because it earned him lots of enemies, which later cost him a lot in his life. Besides, his actions and attitude towards life was a clear indication of personal consciousness. As a rational man, he could look at life from a more logical point of view. His story is a clear demonstration of how conflicts can be dangerous and costly in the long run. Although he had been longing for a peaceful death, he could not achieve this because of the changing circumstances. It is no longer possible for people to stick to the traditional and superstitious ways of life in which a dying mans utterances were considered as secret. Modernity has come and has changed ever ything. People have rejected the old standards and have become more concerned about objectivity. Books himself was also an alienated person who was not linked to his family ties. He was even more comfortable to live with Rodgers. It is a clear indication of the growing modernity in which individuals become more alienated and seek personal fulfillments without an unnecessary influence from other relatives. Finally, the film demonstrates the elements of modernism because of the use of irony and satire It is true that Books is a hero. The viewers expect him to demonstrate his successes throughout his life. It should not only be narrowed to fighting. In fact, he is expected to do extraordinary things. However, this does not come to be. As fate would have it, he becomes a victim of his history. First, he decides to seek refuge in Rogers house. This is so ironical because no one can expect him to be under the custody of a woman. His courage should not allow him to be under the care of a woman. It is so satirical since he is the one who would be expected to provide for people like her. Later, he dies in the battle field. It is so ironical that a great shooter like him is felled by another fighter. His death after felling all his opponents not only appears strange, but satirical. Although he later dies as a hero, it is a great loss to Gillom who gets so grieved by the great loss. All these features qualify this film as a modern one because it is a shift from the traditional epics, which is usually characterized by immortality of the protagonists. Conclusion The Shootist is a well-directed film, which gives an invaluable education to its viewers. It is a great work by Don because it demonstrates how art can be used to express emotional interior state of the characters by using a variety of stylistic devices such as satire, irony, juxtaposition, imagery, and expressionism. These enable it to clearly bring out the major theme of the film in a simple manner to be understood by all the viewers. It is a true example of a modernist work, a trait, which made it clinch the prestigious Writers Guild, Academy, and Golden Globes awards. The Shootist is indeed an invaluable film, which should be recommended to all those interested in getting entertained, educated, and challenged. It is a must-watch modernist film.

Candide. Everything Has a Cause Essay -- voltaire, philosophy

Pangloss is one of the most significant figures around Candide. His central philosophy that â€Å"things cannot be other than they are, since everything was made for a purpose† (Voltaire 20) has been attacked by Voltaire in Candide. Voltaire criticized Pangloss’s philosophy by using the story of Candide killing Baron’s son – Cunà ©gonde’s brother. Candide told Baron that he wanted to marry his sister, and Baron exclaimed to disagree. Irritated by Baron’s words, Candide killed him. Later Candide and his servant escaped, but they were caught by Oreillons and were ready to be eaten until Candide told them that he was not a Jesuit as he killed one Jesuit – Baron. Because of this, Candide was freed from being eaten, and he said: What grand people they are! What fine fellows! And what culture! If I had not been lucky enough to spit Lady Cunà ©gonde’s brother, I should infallibly have been eaten. What all is said and done, there is a sterling goodness in an unsophisticated Nature†¦ Candide believed that the effect of him not being eaten is caused by the fact that he killed Baron and hence he was naively â€Å"full of admiration† to those peoplongly influenced by scientific revolution, the spirit of skepticism, brought forward by Pierre Bayle, also showed to us that there is cause and effect. He emphasized that nothing can ever be known beyond all doubt, and being skeptic encourages people to discover people why things take place. In other words, people should begin to focus more on reasoning rather than accepting the fact that â€Å"natural force† affects our life. From scientific revolution to our current era of Enlightenment to the emergence of skepticism, cause and effect kept playing a great role in leading scientists and philosophers to move forward. Consequently, Voltaire’s attack of cause and effect seemed to be gossamer and powerless since in our daily life, cause and effect can help us understand things that happen in our life and its impact on everyone living in Enlightenment cannot be overlooked.

The Troubled Asset Relief Program Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Troubled Asset Relief Program - Term Paper Example The Need for Relief: Why T.A.R.P. was Created The housing market is generally cited as one of the biggest factors behind the financial crisis that resulted in the need for T.A.R.P. to be created. After a short recession in 2001, housing sales rose, peaking in September of 2005 before dropping by as much as 52% by November 2007 (DiMartino, and Duca 1). In 2001, to counteract a recession, the Federal Reserve proceeded by lowering the interest rate alongside the push from both the Clinton and the Bush administrations for the American public to buy houses (Gjerstad, and Vernon L. Smith). This resulted in the lowering of credit standards, which in turn granted a flood of events such as subprime mortgages, or the lending of money to people generally considered a credit risk, going from 9% in 2001 to 40% in 2006 (DiMartino, and Duca 2). By 2007, the housing market was deteriorating, and delinquency rates on subprime mortgages and the interest-only adjustable rate mortgages were soaring; the big businesses with investors in those subprime mortgages were going under quickly (DiMartino, and Duca 5). The Federal Reserve responded by cutting the interest rate aggressively, from 5.25% to 2%, but the crisis continued (Bernanke). By September 15, 2008, the Treasury Secretary was forced to pay a visit to the White House and tell then-President George W. Bush an awful truth: the financial market was imploding, and unless something was done quickly, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression would result (Halm-Addo 1). Thus emergency measures were taken, and on October 3, 2008 the government was forced to step in and lend assistance, by means of creating the Troubled Asset Relief Program. The Purpose of The Troubled Asset Relief Program (T.A.R.P.) The purpose of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (T.A.R.P.) was, originally, quite simple. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act created T.A.R.P. as well as giving the power to the United States Government to both buy and insure certain types of assets, mainly to protect the average taxpayer (â€Å"The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008†). Specifically, T.A.R.P. meant that the Secretary of the Treasury, with the backing and support of the Federal Government, could then purchase defaulted mortgages or other assets that were weighing on the balance sheets of the subprime lenders (â€Å"The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008†). At the time of being enacted into law on October 3, 2008, no lending between banks was taking place, and in turn, no lending to the consumer was taking place (Massad 1). No lending to consumers meant that no money was flowing into the economy of the country, thus creating a nightmare for all businesses and consumers. Allowing the Federal Government to purchase the debt in exchange for repayment terms would wipe the bad debt from the balance sheets of the banks and allow them to begin functioning once more. T.A.R.P. created several programs which were able to kick-start the American economy. Money was invested in banks through several programs, including one known as the Capital Purchase Program (CPP), which aided banks across the nation (United States Department of Treasury). Through the Capital Purchase Program, the United States Treasury, working with the Federal Reserve and other

Bibliography of the history of the world football cup Annotated

Of the history of the world football cup - Annotated Bibliography Example The first world cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Since it was a turbulent period in international politics, many countries which initially planned to participate could not do so. Austria, for example was set to play the world cup, but it was annexed into Germany. The first trophy was called the Jules Rimet Cup. It was awarded to Brazil after they won the competition three times (the trophy was stolen in 1983 and has never been found since). Since 1930 the world cup has been held 19 times. Italy has won the competition four times, Germany thrice and Argentina twice. Brazil have won it a record 5 times. Spain, France, England and Uruguay have all won the world cup once. The 1974 Holland team is often cited as their best. Johan Cruyff, their star player, was one of the greatest in the history of football. He put into practice â€Å"Total Football†, which back then was a novel philosophy of playing football. This style is still practiced by some teams (notably, FC Barcelona). In 1978 the same core of players that impressed the world in 1974, put on a great show once again. That year they also showed the ability to threaten their opponents with some dangerous long shots, and this skill won them a lot of success. The 1978 team beat an excellent Austrian side by the decisive margin of 5-1, owing mainly to superb performances from their star wingers Rob Rensenbrink and Johnny Rep. The author believes that performance was one of the finest he has ever seen at a world cup. Similarly in 1994 (in the US) they would have performed a lot better.... The 1974 Holland team is often cited as their best. Johan Cruyff, their star player, was one of the greatest in the history of football. He put into practice â€Å"Total Football†, which back then was a novel philosophy of playing football. This style is still practiced by some teams (notably, FC Barcelona). In 1978 the same core of players that impressed the world in 1974, put on a great show once again. That year they also showed the ability to threaten their opponents with some dangerous long shots, and this skill won them a lot of success. The 1978 team beat an excellent Austrian side by the decisive margin of 5-1, owing mainly to superb performances from their star wingers Rob Rensenbrink and Johnny Rep. The author believes that performance was one of the finest he has ever seen at a world cup. Clearly, the absence of Johan Cruyff from their side in Argentina contributed to their failure to win the cup. In 1988 they again failed to win in Italy. The author believes that h ad they used the services of the 37-year-old Arnold Muhren, the graceful, talented midfielder, their team would have performed a lot better. Similarly in 1994 (in the US) they would have performed a lot better (and might have come back from 2-0 down against Brazil) if their star player Ruud Gullit was part of the squad. It is worth noting that Brazil’s second goal was clearly the result of an offside, which the linesman failed to spot. However, the author feels, the most unfortunate incident in Holland’s world cup history was their elimination in the 1998 world cup in France. They had strikers like Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Kluvert. In midfield they had the likes of Edgar Davids, Ronald de Boer, Phillip Cocu and Wim Jonk. Ronald’s penalty

Research week10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research week10 - Essay Example I have chosen the very same mixed research method to conduct my study while involves dealing with a similar participant base and challenges. Assignment 3 A brief (1–3 sentences) description of your area of interest, and the mixed methods approach you proposed in Discussion 1: Mixed Methods Strategies. Then explain how the mixed methods approach you proposed could eliminate the weakness inherent in using only one of the primary approaches. Also identify and describe the weaknesses in the mixed methods approach you proposed. My area of interest is that of criminology, the study of the nature, extent, causes and control of criminal behavior in an individual as well as a society. To narrow down my area of interest into a specific branch of criminology I have picked the topic of juvenile crime and delinquency which analyses the acts committed against the law by underage individuals. The mixed method research design that suits research into my area of interest is sequential explanat ory strategy. Similar to sequential explanatory strategy, it is conducted in two phases. However this strategy is characterized by the collection and analysis of qualitative data followed by the collection and analysis of quantitative data. ... r strengths and their weaknesses form a crucial part in contributing to the overall research; so quantitative research’s key weakness is the possibility that due to to the focus on hypothesis testing and not generation, the overall objective of the study might not be fulfilled. Also the generalizability of the study might be limited to certain areas, situations or individuals (Knowledge base). This is where the sequential explanatory strategy comes in as it will incorporate both qualitative and quantitative methods. Key challenges of this approach can be the time factor required to gathering the data and analyzing both the quantitative and qualitative data since incorporating both is crucial to the research design. (Creswell, 2009). References: Creswell, J. (2009). Research design. Thousand Oaks, CA; Sage.   Knowledge base. Retrieved from: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/datatype.php Assignment 4 During my research I came across an article about Buck et al on ‘ Profiles of Urban, Low SES, African American Girls’ Attitudes Toward Science’. Since my own and the writer’s chosen method to conduct the research was that of sequential explanatory strategy. The purpose of his study was to increase the education community’s understanding of the experiences and needs of girls that are discriminated on basis of gender, race and socioeconomic status in a manner that has left their needs largely invisible. The researchers followed a sequential explanatory strategy, in which they used two data collection phases, qualitative followed by quantitative, to investigate 89 African-American girls’ personal orientations towards learning. The mixed method analysis provided four personality orientations which linked academic success and experiences with confidence and

Marketing transportation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Marketing transportation - Essay Example A different political limit includes embargoes, or the ban of goods amid specific countries. Government plays an imperative role in restriction of cross border trade so as to promote their own goods. The government can involve itself with constructing marketable vessels and engaging in trade related activities so as to promote their own commercial fleet. The regime also supports their individual carriers through the implementation of cargo preference regulations. This needs the approval of the government to enable the careers to move freely in their countries. In the past, various global airlines were governmental owned with the state dictating their operations. The past 25 years have seen some government sponsored carriers being privatized. British Airways was owned by the government in 1980s (Czinkota, Ilkka and Marta). Logistics performance guide is an index to measure a country performance using six logical aspects. It was started as a way of recognizing the significance of logistics in international trade. The six aspects of logistics covered in the regulations include making the clearance process efficient by enhancing speed, procedures and inevitability. The use of border agencies and customs ease the process. It deals with improvement of the quality of trade and infrastructure such as the transport system. Performance index helps in simplicity of arrangement of competitively priced shipments, proficiency and value of logistics. This includes transportation operators and custom agencies. The performance index encourages the ability of the custom body in tracking and tracing goods. Ships are more efficient in that they are expected to follow a strict timetable and schedule so as to reach the predictable destination on

Effectiveness of HRD Programs (Public and Privet sector) in Oman Dissertation

Effectiveness of HRD Programs (Public and Privet sector) in Oman - Dissertation Example Sadly though, there has not been an effective way of measuring the impact of human resource development in Oman. Once this continuous, it becomes very difficult to tell whether or not human resource management in its entirety is effective in the country. Research Questions 1. How well are companies in the private and public in Oman adhering to human resource management practices as outlined for Gulf Cooperation Council countries? 2. How has human resource managers in various private and public institutions instituted the use of technology in the development of the skills, knowledge and abilities of their human resource? 3. How has the present state of human resource development impacted on employee turnover and employee performance? 4. What systematic plans are needed in the human resource development agenda to ensure effectiveness? Aims and Objectives The overall aim of the study is to identify the effectiveness of human resource development in the private and public sectors of Oman . To achieve this overall goal, the following specific objectives will be targeted so that the collective achievement of the objectives will constitute the singular achievement of the research aim (quote). 1. ... 4. To identify new systematic planners needed to lead the pace in what may be termed the new face of human resource development. General Methodology The present research follows the qualitative research method. This means that the researcher is going to dwell on the use of personalised and focused system of data collection rather than the use of numeric indexes that makes the use of complex mathematical calculations and presentations (quote). The need for the qualitative method emanates from the structure of the research questions and specific objectives, most of which are structured with inductive focus. A major advantage that will come with the qualitative method is that the researcher shall have the opportunity of widening the scope of data collection by using not just primary data but secondary data as well (quote). Data Collection Mechanisms In relation to the use the qualitative research method, the data collection mechanism is going to be selected on a basis that shall allow f or the collection of subjective inductive data (quote). In line with this, a structured interview is going to be used in the data collection process whereby open ended questions are going to be posed to respondents. These open ended questions are the type of questions that do not limit respondents on the selection of specified answers but gives them the freedom to undertake thorough analysis of questions (quote). Research Justification Significance of the Study The significance of the study is one that can be termed to be multivariate. This is because the significance of the study cuts across several sectors and involves a lot of people. For instance, by the end of the study, it is expected that human resource

The Harlem Renaissance and its Effect on African American Literature Research Paper

The Harlem Renaissance and its Effect on African American Literature - Research Paper Example Its flame continues to burn today through the writings of contemporary African American authors. It has been argued that the Harlem Renaissance was short-lived and without much effect on literature black or white. However, to say this and limit its impact to a short period in the 1920s is shortsighted, as the early writing of such authors as W.E.B. DuBois clearly â€Å"manifested an awareness of the possibilities of a black aesthetic still in development today...It might even be that its effects were still being strongly felt, and thus that it was still figuratively alive, as late as 1970.†2 The complex nature of the literary movement which we identify with the European Renaissance is very much a continuing project. Clearly the literature of the period had roots firmly planted in the African experience of writers, most of whom were descendents of slaves. While some sought to incorporate slavery into their work, others such as Alain Locke in his 1926 book, The New Negro: An Interpretation sought to promote black authors as legitimate representatives of an expanding African-American culture. â€Å"Central to the development of this racial awakening is a new internationalism which Locke describes as primarily an effort to recapture contact with the scattered peoples of African derivation.† 3 While African roots of blacks in this period played an intrinsic role in life and literary development of blacks, the Renaissance had a surprising reciprocal effect on African writers such as Peter Abrahams as noted in his comments upon reading DuBois’s The Souls of Black Folks. â€Å"Du Bois...might have been writing about my land and people. The mood and feeling he described were native to me....[he] had given me a key to the understanding of the world. The Negro is not free.†4 A note here should explain that DuBois in his writing chose to explore