An Appraisal of Martin Parr's 'Think of England' Publication Essay

An Appraisal of Martin Parr's 'Think of England' Publication - Essay Example Residents and workers in the areas surrounding the Chernobyl Power Plant were exposed to radiation levels one hundred times higher than the Hiroshima Bomb. At the publication date of Legacy, and still today in 2009, Chernobyls menacing results are still very evident. Darwells photographs ultimately offer a thoughtful and skilled presentation of a series of polarities: the visible effects of the invisible radiation; the simultaneous presence and absence of humanity; the past and the future of the Chernobyl area. It will be thousands of years before the decaying isotopes will allow safe habitation. The inside cover of Legacy is made up of dark grey letters on light grey paper with an alphabetic SPREAD of words, such as Atom Bomb, Beryllium, Black Rain, Cancer, and Chernobyl (depicted in white). The list ends with the words The Nuclear Age, also in white. Darwell’s choice of colors, or better yet, lack of color, allows the important words to jump off the page as the reader opens the book. Turning the page, the end paper reads; LEGACY - photographs inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, and offer a kind of warning or foreshadowing of what is to come in the following pages. This definitely sets a tone for the book, and creates a mood before the pictorial tour begins. Elegantly stretching it’s metal spires upwards to the sky, the Chernobyl Power Plant towers appear graceful and architectural, like latticed works of sculpture. Set against a violet sky, its black silhouette resembles the framework of an erecting cathedral. During the race to harness nuclear energy, these towers were considered to be visions of progress and hope for the future. Darwell’s photographic distance from the subject succeeds in juxtaposing its skeletal beauty against its cataclysmic destructive force. How ironic that a structure that caused so much death and

The Social Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Social Internet - Essay Example One of the oldest institutions that we have used as a place of social gathering and interaction has been the church. While church membership has fallen slightly in recent years, the Internet has been a revival for religious organizations. Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Greenville SC downloaded 80,000 Internet sermons last year from their site (Hills, 2003). Many of these surfers would probably have never set foot inside a church. According to The Barna Group, by 2010 as many as 50 million Americans will rely on the Internet as their sole religious contact (as cited in Hills, 2003). Though the Internet has the power to move more people toward religion, it is clearly moving them away from the church and away from the social setting that was important for conversation and local news in previous decades. Just as the Internet can deliver religion to the people, it also has the capacity to deliver people to politics. Political contributions, debate, and interaction have soared in recent years. The Internet has made vast quantities of information instantly available for anyone who cares to search for it and has the potential to create a new form of electronic democracy. Yet, with all this information available, it is still incumbent upon the user to seek it out, read it, and digest it. Polat (2005) suggests that we are suffering from information overload and says we "[...] may become dependent on others to evaluate the available information" (p. 438).

Exercise Isometric Vs Isotonic Physical Education Essay

Exercise Isometric Vs Isotonic Physical Education Essay Motility is one of the most important and characteristic things that can be seen in the members of animal kingdom because they have to move their body just for their daily activities such as locomotion. That is why a skeletal system (including bones and cartilage) has been developed in advanced animals. Likewise the muscles that are connected to the skeletal system play an important role in movements of their limbs and trunk resulting moving. Furthermore, though the simple unicellular beings have simple activities, advanced multicellular animals have complicated activities such as eye movements, hearing, ingestion of meals, body balance etc. The contraction and relaxation of muscles are important processes in not only body movements but also these activities mentioned above. Skeletal muscles get mainly involved in contraction and relaxation during exercises because a large amount of energy is needed for the both processes. Not only skeletal muscles, but also Cardiac muscles and Smooth muscles are involved. There are a few types of muscle contraction. Among them, isotonic and isometric muscle contractions are very important. Therefore, how muscles get contracted, what are the differences in isotonic and isometric contraction, what are the physiological changes during exercise etc. are discussed in this thesis. 2.0 Muscles and their molecular structure Most cells possess cytoskeletal elements that are capable of lengthening or shortening and therefore the cell has an ability to change its shape. This capacity is important in a variety of cellular functions such as locomotion, phagocytosis, mitosis and extension of processes. Proteins referred to as molecular motors can change the length of a cell much more rapidly by using energy from the hydrolysis of adenosine 5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²-triphosphate (ATP). These ATP-dependent systems are based on the interaction of actin and myosin. In muscle cells, the filaments of actin and myosin and their associated proteins are so abundant that they almost fill the interior of the cell forming the bulk of the muscle. In addition to that, there are Troponin and Tropomyosin filaments as well. Three types of Troponin can be seen. They are Troponin C, I, and T. They line predominantly in one direction, so that interactions at the molecular level are translated into linear contraction of the whole cell. The ability of these specialized cells to change shape has become their most important property. Assemblies of contractile muscle cells, forming the muscles, are machines for converting chemical energy into mechanical work. The forces generated during the contraction and relaxation of muscle are used to move limbs, inflate the lungs, pump blood, close and open tubes, etc. Mainly there are three types of muscles, skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle. Skeletal muscle forms the bulk of the muscular tissue of the body and consists of parallel bundles of long, multinucleate fibers. This type of muscle is capable of powerful contractions because of the regular organization of its contractile proteins. Cardiac muscle is found only in the heart and in the walls of large veins where they enter the heart consisting of a branched network of individual cells that are linked electrically and mechanically to function as a unit. Smooth muscle is found in all systems of the body, in the walls of the viscera, including most of the gastrointestinal, respiratory, urinary and reproductive tracts, in the tunica media of blood vessels etc. In the longitudinal microscopic section of a typical muscle cell, it appears as ribbons and is interrupted at regular intervals by thin transverse lines known as the Z-lines that divide the myofibril into a linear series of repeating contractile units. Those are called sarcomeres. At higher power, sarcomeres are seen to consist of two types of filament, thick Myosin and thin Actin. The arrangement of thick and thin filaments forms a partially overlapping structure within the sarcomere. The thick filaments, together with lengths of thin filaments that overlap and interdigitate with the thick filaments at either end is known as the A-band. The central, paler region of the A-band is not penetrated by the Actin filaments and this region is called the H-band. At the center of H-bands, the Myosin filaments are linked together transversely by M-line. The adjacent portion of two neighboring sarcomeres in which the thin filaments are not overlapped by thick filaments is the I-line. The Actin filaments of adjacent sarcomeres are anchored in the Z-disc, which divides the I-band in to two parts. Where to Find Muscle Contraction Animation for Kids1. 3.0 Molecular basis of muscle contraction During a muscle fiber gets contracted, the actual length of the muscle fiber is constant. What happens on contraction is to increase the overlap within the muscle cell. When the action potential comes into the Transverse system (T-tubules system), it spreads over the membrane of the T-tubules system. As a result of that, the membrane of the T-tubules system gets depolarized. Then, Dihydro Pyridine Receptors (DHPR) / voltage gated Ca+2 channels on the membrane of T-tubules system are activated. As a result of that, intra cellular Ca+2 concentration is increased significantly because of the influx of Ca+2 from extra cellular fluid. This Ca+2 influx triggers the activation of Ryanodine Receptor (RyR) on the membrane of sarcoplasmic reticulum. So that, the release of Ca+2 from sarcoplasmic reticulum to the cytoplasm through the DHPR is occurred. Later influx of Ca+2 is known as Calcium induced Calcium release 2. That is how the T-tubules carry the action potential in side of the cell. As a result of the process that mentioned above, the amount of free Ca+2 in the cytoplasm of the muscle cell is increased and these free Ca+2 ions bind with the Troponin-C. After that, the interaction between Troponin-I and Actin becomes weak and then the Tropomyosin can rotate laterally 2. When the Tropomyosin rotates, Myosin binding site of Actin is exposed. Then, the Myosin head binds with the myosin binding site of the Actin forming the cross-bridges. In the meantime, the ADP molecule tightly bound to the Myosin head is released. As a result of that, conformational changes in the Myosin head can be occurred. That means the Myosin head bends at its neck resulting the length between two Z-lines reduces gradually (Power Stroke). This is the contraction of muscle. The Ganong says that each power stroke shortens the sarcomere about 10nm 2. Then, an ATP molecule quickly binds with the site of the Myosin head where the previous ADP molecule has bound. As a result of the binding of an ATP, the detachment of the Myosin head from the Myosin binding site of the Actin can be occurred. Then the ATP molecule bound to the Myosin head gets hydrolyzed producing an ADP molecule on the head. This hydrolyzing of ATP causes for the Myosin head to come its previous position. This contraction can be occurred as cycles. The Ganong says that each Myosin head cycles about 5 times per second during rapid contraction 2. During the relaxation of muscles, the membrane of the T-tubules system gets re-polarized. Therefore the concentration of free Ca+2 in the cytoplasm is reduced because Ca+2 enter in to the sarcoplasmic reticulum through the Sarcoplasmic-Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca+2 ATPase pumps (SERCA). These SERCA uses ATP as a source of energy to pump Ca+2 into the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Therefore the amount of Ca+2 bound to the Troponin-C is also reduced. Then the interaction between the Myosin and Actin is ceased. As a result of that, the muscle gets relaxed 2. Sliding filaments 3. 4.0 Exercise Exercise is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that require energy usage 4. On the other hand, Exercise is physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning any part of the body. Exercise is used to improve health, maintain fitness and is important as a means of physical rehabilitation 5. When some person is doing an exercise, his or her body can be exposed to one of the highest level of extreme stresses. For example, a person who is suffering from high fever approaching the level of lethality, the metabolism of his body increases to approximately 100% above normal; by comparison, the metabolism of the body increases to 2000% above normal during an exercise such as marathon race. Although the bodily movements are known as exercise, these exercises can be classified into several groups. Among them isotonic exercise and isometric exercise are important. In addition to that, isokinetic exercises can also be considered. 5.0 Types of exercise There are lots of types of exercise. But among them, isometric, isotonic and isokinetic exercises are important 5. Range of motion exercise The putting of a joint through its full range of normal movements, either actively or passively. Aerobic exercise That designed to increase oxygen consumption and improve functioning of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Endurance exercise One that involves the use of several large groups of muscles and is thus dependent on the delivery of oxygen to the muscles by the cardiovascular system. Isokinetic exercise Dynamic muscle activity performed at a constant angular velocity; torque and tension remain constant while muscles shorten or lengthen. Isometric exercise Active exercise performed against stable resistance, without change in the length of the muscle. Isotonic exercise Active exercise without appreciable change in the force of muscular contraction, with shortening of the muscle. Kegel exercises Exercises performed to strengthen the pubococcygeal muscle. Active exercise Motion imparted to a part by voluntary contraction and relaxation of its controlling muscles. Passive exercise Motion imparted to a part by another person or outside force, or produced by voluntary effort of another segment of the patients own body. Resistanceor Resistive exercise that performed by the patient against resistance, as from a weight 5.1 Isometric exercise Exercise performed by the effort against a resistance that encourages and tones the muscle without changing the length of the muscle fibers 6. Therefore, muscle gets contracted without appreciable shortening or change in distance between the origin and insertion of the muscle while the resistance applied to the contraction increases muscle tension without producing movement of the joint. This occurs when carrying an object in front of you when the weight of the object is pulling your arms down but your muscles are contracting to hold the object at the same level. Another example is when you grip something such as a pen or a needle. During this period, there is no movement in the joints of the hand, but the muscles of the hand are contracting to provide a force sufficient enough to keep a steady hold on the pen or needle. In addition to that, the amount of the force of a muscle is able to produce during an isometric contraction depends on the length of the muscle at the point of contraction. Each muscle has an optimum length at which the maximum isometric force can be produced. A series of isometric contractions performed at varying muscle lengths (from -40% (slack) to +40% (stretched). The maximum force is produced at optimum length (Lo). Note that, when the muscle is stretched, the baseline of the force recorded is raised due to passive tension (PT) in the muscle and contributes more to overall force than the active tension (AT) 7. Isometric muscle contraction is a great form of exercise for people who are suffering from Arthritis, people who are recovering from a joint injury or an injury to cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Because isometric exercises prevent the joint movements, it is no problem even though the movements are limited at the joints of an individual. Isometrics exercise improves overall muscular strength and can also stimulate muscular growth. Over time, individuals can actually get stronger when practicing isometric exercises 10, 11. 5.2 Isotonic exercise Isotonic muscular contraction is used to strengthen muscles and improve joint mobility in exercises. That means isotonic contractions are those which cause the muscle to change its length when the muscle contracts and causes for the movements of a part of the body. There are two types of isotonic contraction, concentric and eccentric contraction. 5.2.1 Concentric contraction During concentric exercises, it will cause for the muscles to shorten when the muscles contract. On the other hand, an exercise that causes for a muscle to get decreased its length is known as a concentric exercise. This type of isotonic contraction is the most common type of muscle contraction that can be occurred in daily and sporting activities. Ex: bending the forearm at the elbow joint from straight to fully flexed The forearm can be flexed, when the Biceps Brachi muscle contracts. That means the length of the Biceps Brachi muscle is reduced during the contraction 8. In concentric contractions, the force generated by the muscle is always less than the muscles maximum (Po). When the load that the muscle is required to lift something decreases, contraction velocity increases. This occurs until the muscle finally reaches its maximum contraction velocity, Vmax. By performing a series of constant velocity shortening contractions, a  force-velocity relationship can be determined 7. 5.2.2 Eccentric contraction The opposite of the concentric contraction is Eccentric contraction 8. That means this type of contraction can be occurred when the muscle elongates during a contraction 9. This type is less common but usually involves in the control or deceleration of a movement of a limb, being initiated by the concentric contraction. Ex: kicking something The Quadriceps muscle contracts concentrically to straighten the leg at the knee joint while the Hamstrings contract eccentrically to slowdown the motion of the leg and this type of contraction puts a lot of strain through the muscle and is commonly involved in muscle injuries 8. However it is difficult to compare that the isometric exercises are important than the isotonic exercises or opposite because both types have its own specific purposes. For example, when someone is doing an isometric exercise, it is only strengthening the muscle in the position that the muscle is being held. That is why this type of exercises are more beneficial for the athletes such as a gymnasts who have to support their bodyweight in difficult positions or hold them self in one position for a long time. But when the isotonic exercises such as weightlifting are considered, it is going to strengthen the muscles through a range of motion. However both types of isometric and isotonic exercises can increase the amount of force generated during muscle contraction 14, 15, 16. 5.3 Isokinetic exercise Isokinetic contractions are similar to isotonic contractions. But they differ from isotonic contractions due to movements of a constant speed. Isokinetic Dynamo-meter is used to get the measurements of this type of exercise. Examples for this type of exercise are rare although the best example is breast stork in swimming because a resistance to the movement of adduction is provided constantly by the water 8. 6.0 Muscular changes in exercises Hypertrophy of skeletal muscles can be occurred after each training session due to acute increased in muscle protein synthesis when there is a good supplement of nutrition 12, 13. 7.0 Cardiovascular changes in exercise The cardiovascular system helps transport materials all over the body assists with thermoregulation. Regular exercise makes the cardiovascular system more efficient at pumping blood and delivering oxygen and nutrition to the exercise muscles 17, 18, 19, 21. Releases of adrenaline and lactic acid into the blood during an exercise result in an increase of the heart rate (HR). Some of the different components of the cardiovascular system, such as stroke volume (SV), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and mean arterial pressure and cardiac output (CO) can be increased by exercises. A considerable percentage of the CO goes to the exercising muscles. While the muscles particularly skeletal muscles get received approximately 20% of the total blood flow at rest, the visceral organs such as spleen, liver and intestine receive a large amount of blood. But during exercise, the blood flow to muscles increases to 80-85%. Two major adjustments on the blood flow can be occurred during exercise to get the metabolic demands of skeletal muscles fulfilled. Increasing the cardiac output from the heart. Returning the blood flow from inactive organs and tissues such as spleen to the active muscles. Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems regulate the activities of the heart. Acetylcholine (Ach), a neurotransmitter released by the parasympathetic nerve endings, can decrease the activities of Sino-Atrial (SA) node and Atrio-Ventricular (AV) node resulting decreased in HR while the Norepinephrine released by the sympathetic nerve endings causes for the increase in HR and the force of contraction of the heart. Although the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous stimulations are in balance at rest, during exercises, the parasympathetic stimulation decreases while the sympathetic stimulation increases. Especially several factors such as baroreceptors, chemoreceptors and temperature receptors directly contribute to adjust the function of the heart. CO is controlled by the EDV (known as preload), average aortic BP (afterload), and the strength of ventricular contraction. During exercises, the EDV is increased because of the increase in venous return, the afterload is reduced and the strength of ventricular contraction is increased due to increase the EDV according to the Frank-Starlings law resulting increased the CO. Constriction of veins that drain skeletal muscles can be occurred as a response to the stimulation of sympathetic nervous system during an exercise. During exercise, the respiratory pump and the muscle pump help to increase venous return resulting increased the blood flow to the heart. Blood flow during exercise is regulated by changing BP and altering the peripheral resistance of the vessels. During exercise, BP increases so that blood flow through the body increases. Blood flow is also increased during exercise by decreasing the resistance of the vessels in the systemic circulation of active skeletal muscle. Resistance is determined by the following formula 20. Resistance = (length of tube X viscosity of blood)/radius Changing the radius of the vessels has the most considerable effect on blood flow. Doubling the radius of a blood vessel decreases resistance by a factor of 16. Cardiovascular changes during isometric exercise differ from the changes during isotonic exercise because isometric exercise causes to compress the blood vessels in the contracting muscles. It leads to reduce the blood flow in contracting muscle. So that, the total peripheral resistance will increase instead of the total peripheral resistance that normally falls during isotonic exercise, particularly if several large groups of muscles are involved in the exercise. The sympathetic system is activated with exercise and thus leads to an increase in BP, HR and cardiac output. The increase in HR and cardiac output is less due to the total peripheral resistance does not decrease. An increase in the diastolic, systolic and mean arterial pressure is more when compared with those seen with isotonic exercises. Because BP is a major determinant of afterload, the left ventricular wall stress, and thus the cardiac workload, is significantly higher during static exercise compared with the cardiac workload achieved during dynamic exercise. The musculature of the heart will become certain morphologic changes in response to chronic exercise. Such a heart which has been morphologically changed is commonly referred to as an athletic heart. Athletic heart syndrome is characterized by hypertrophy of the myocardium. Although the hypertrophy in athletes heart is morphologically similar to that seen in patients with hypertension, several important differences exist. In contrast to the hypertension-induced hypertrophy, the hypertrophy in the athletic heart is noted in absence of any diastolic dysfunction, with a normal isovolumetric relaxation time, with no decrease in the peak rate of left ventricular filling, and with no decrease in the peak rate of left ventricular cavity enlargement and wall thinning. Because the wall stress in the athletes heart is normal, sometimes the hypertrophy seems to be disproportionate to the level of resting BP. 8.0 Respiratory changes during exercise The purpose of respiration is to provide O2 to the tissues and to remove Carbon Dioxide from the tissues 17, 18, 19. To accomplish this, four major events must be regulated, as follows: Pulmonary ventilation Diffusion of O2 and CO2 between the alveoli and the blood Transport of O2 and CO2 in the blood and body fluids and to and from the cells Regulation of ventilation and other aspects of respiration Although the human body is designed to maintain homeostasis, exercise causes these factors mentioned above to change. The formation of CO2, consumption of O2 and the total alveolar ventilation is increased by approximately 20-fold when someone initiates to do an exercise from the state of rest to the maximal intensity of the exercise. The pulmonary ventilation is 100-110 L/min at maximal exercise while there is a linear relationship between ventilation and oxygen consumption. Anyway, the maximal breathing capacity of a person is about 150-170 L/min. That means, during maximal exercise, the maximal breathing capacity is approximately 50% greater than the actual pulmonary ventilation. It has been found that the maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO2max) under the maximal aerobic metabolism is found to increase only 10% due to the effect of training. However, the VO2max of a person who runs in a marathon is about 45% greater than the VO2 of an untrained person. The reasons for this are somewhat genetically determined (larger chest size in relation to body size, stronger respiratory muscles) and due to long-term training as well. The Oxygen diffusion capacity is known as the measurement of the rate of the O2 diffusion from the alveoli into the blood stream through the walls of capillaries and alveoli. The diffusing capacity of Oxygen is increased because of the exercise and all most all the pulmonary capillaries are perfused at their maximal level due to increase the blood flow through the lungs. Therefore, a considerable surface area is provided for the gases to be exchanged by diffusion. So, it has been found that the trained-athletes have a higher diffusing capacity. As a result of the active exercises, partial pressure of Oxygen in arterial blood is decreased while that of Carbon Dioxide in the venous blood is increased more than the normal level. Though the both of these are changed, it is not a case because both of these values remain close to the normal values. Stimulatory impulses from the higher centers of the brain, the impulses from the joint and muscle via proprioceptive stimulatory reflexes cause for the neurological stimulations of the respiratory and vasomotor center of the medulla oblongata which provides almost all the real increase in pulmonary ventilation to keep the blood respiratory gases almost normal. If nervous signals are too strong or weak, chemical factors such as neurotransmitters bring about the final adjustment in respiration that is required to maintain homeostasis during exercises 17, 18, 19. 9.0 Immunological changes in exercise Although the positive and negative effects can be seen on the immune system with exercises, regular moderate exercise seems to reduce the incidence of infection, while prolonged intense exercise causes a temporary suppression of many parameters of immune function, depending on the intensity and duration of exercise. The mobilization and activation of white blood cells, the release of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, the tissue damage and cell infiltration, the production of free radicals, the activation of the complement and the coagulation and fibrinolytic pathways can be seen during physical activities just like an inflammation. The variety of the previous changes depends on the type of exercise intensity and the duration. Both acute and chronic effects of exercise on the immune system, yet there are still very few studies that have been able to show a direct link between exercise-induced immune depression and increased incidence of confirmed illness in athletes. Strenious and/or prolonged physical activity leads to muscle and other tissue damage and, thereby, induce an inflammatory response characterized by secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and other cellular or hormonal mediators of inflammation. On the other hand, physical activity also induces counter-regulation of inflammation through secretion of immunosuppressant mediators, such as cortisol and anti-inflammatory cytokines 22.

Dr. Seuss: The Great American Childrens Poet Essay -- essays research

Dr. Seuss: The Great American Children's Poet   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dr. Seuss is the pseudonym for Theodor Seuss Geisel III, Ted Geisel to his friends. He originally thought of his pen name being pronounced zo-oice which is the German pronunciation. He took his middle name from his mother's maiden name.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He was born in 1904 to Theodor Jr. and Henrietta Geisel of Springfiel Massachusetts. Both sets of grandparents were from Germany. Theodor Jr. was a wealthy brewer and tavern owner until the Prohibition. Then he worked as the manager of the Springfield Zoo. Ted also had an older sister named Marnie. He went to college at Dartmouth and graduate school at Oxford. While at Dartmouth he got into a bit of trouble when the police arrested him for drinking. (This was during the Prohibition.) As punishment he was kicked off the school magazine, The Jack O'Lantern, to which he contributed as a cartoonist. To get around the rule he began to sign his work as Dr. Seuss. And that is why Ted Geisel became Dr. Seuss. While at Oxford he met his first wife Helen Palmer to whom he was married for 40 years until her death. They moved to New York. While in New York he worked drawing cartoon advertisments for Flit, an insect repellant. It was he who coined the phrase â€Å"Quick Henry, the Flit† which was to 1930s advertising what â€Å"Just Do It† is to 1990s advertising. Sort of.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They later moved to La Jolla, California where Ted live...

Criminal Justice Theories Essay

A brilliant philosopher once remarked that man is by nature good. Evil, according to him is the result of ignorance or the lack of knowledge. When crime is committed it is because of the limitation and imperfection of his present knowledge. Though it may be true that no man is morally corrupt by nature, Socrates’ explanation of the presence of crime and evil in our society does not suffice to answer the question why people offend and commit crime. Why is it that even the highest ranking CEOs of multinational companies manage to steal money from their investors and stockholders? It does not explain why even educated people become criminal offenders and violators of the law. This could only mean that there is more to crime than just the goodness or badness of the individual. It is because of this reason that Sociologists have turned to other causes or factors that may influence human behavior into committing crimes. This has resulted in several theories attempting to explain crime and deviance. These theories are Social Control Theory and Labeling Theory which will be discussed in this essay. Social Control Theory proceeds from the assumption that man is by nature delinquent and is capable of committing crimes. Instinct drives human behavior to commit crime. Travis Hirschi, the proponent of Social Control Theory, asserts that despite man’s inclinations to commit crime, it can be controlled and his behavior can be regulated so as to make man conform to certain social rules or laws. He says that this could be done by strengthening man’s social bonds with the people around him. These social bonds include attachment, commitment, involvement and belief. The stronger these social bonds are, the more committed a person is to conventional activities and the greater his attachments to his parents and friends, the less likely it is that he will engage in delinquent behavior. Conversely, once this social bond is weakened then it is likely that individuals will engaged in delinquent behavior. (Reginald J. Alston, 1995, p. 3) Thus, according to E. A. Ross the most effective means for controlling and regulating behavior is not the enactment of laws and the threats of punishment but the belief and value systems that helps man obey with the rules. Labeling Theory Labeling Theory did not give much attention to crimes but to the labels that people attach to certain individuals or to certain acts. For example all people have at one time violated rules. But not all persons are labeled as criminals. Only those people who are actually caught or whose deviant acts are disclosed to the public that are considered criminals. A person who is labeled as a criminal begins to think of himself as a criminal and begins to associate with other deviants thus reinforcing the stigma that society attaches to deviants. According to the results of a study conducted by Mike S. Adams (2003) perceived negative labels were related to increased involvement in self-reported delinquent behavior. The study also showed that teachers and peer groups are important sources of negative labels which can lead to the adoption of a deviant self-concept. (p. 4) Labeling Theory states that the labels we apply to certain individuals have a significant influence his behavior. It is natural to classify or categorize things the problem with this is that the people do not realize the negative unintended effects of these labels. There are times when this labeling could scare a person and help him or her conform to the norms of the society. But most of the time labeling has the effect of pushing the person farther away from the society. The effect of this is that the person loses interest in conforming to the laws. He then places himself in the shoes, so to speak, of the label that society has imposed and he acts in such a way that is consistent with his label. Comparison and Contrast The first point of comparison between these two theories is that they both acknowledge the society’s influence on human behavior. In the case of Social Control Theory, socialization and interaction with other members of the society helps in regulating human behavior so as to make man conform to and obey social rules. It reduces man’s propensity to engage in deviant behavior. On the other hand, Labeling Theory affirms the society’s influence on the way a person sees himself and the way he thinks and behaves. Negative perception of the society leads to negative behavior on his part. The second point of comparison is that both these theories see the individual as the result of his interaction with the community. In the case of Social Control Theory, man is defined by his relationships with other, his commitments, values, norms and beliefs. If he has a strong bond with the society it is likely that he will conform to existing rules or laws but if this bond is weak then he becomes more vulnerable to committing deviances and crimes. On the other hand, in Labeling Theory, the individual’s construction of self-identity is seen as a result of his interaction with the members of his community and the way others perceive him. (Craig Calhoun p. 1) If he is judged and labeled by the society as a criminal then it is likely that he will think of himself as a criminal and act like one. . These two theories can be distinguished in the sense that Social Control Theory focuses on the reason why some people adhere and conform to existing rules. It is not actually a theory that explains why people commit crime but it explains the reasons why some people obey the laws. (Paul Delfabbro, 2004, p. 4) On the other hand, Labeling Theory focuses on why people commit crimes. It does not explain why some people obey laws but it does explain why some of us commit crimes. Another distinction is that Labeling Theory is a political rather than a sociological attempt to explain deviant behavior since political relations within the society have so much to do with the giving of labels. It does not deal with the morality of human action but rather it deals with the effects of the attitudes and perceptions of people and defines criminals not as evil persons who engage in wrong acts but as individuals who had a criminal status placed upon them by both the criminal justice system and the community at large. (â€Å"Overview of Labeling Theories†) Conclusion The theory which best explains the reason why people engage in delinquent behavior is the Social Control Theory. Not only that it explains why crime does happen in the society but it also provides for the solution to this problem. This theory supports the proposition that a punitive model of our justice system is not an effective solution to crime. Due attention must be given to alternative forms of response to crime such as giving more focus on rehabilitation and social integration. It would be better if the state instead of allocating millions of dollars for our penal system to allocate some of this money to educating parents and strengthening of communities by means of various sports and recreational program for the youth.

Dangerous Minds: Criminal Profiling

DANGEROUS MINDS: CRIMINAL PROFILING Author’s Note This paper was prepared for Into to Forensic Psychology PSY-501 taught by Professor Anna Moriarty Abstract Profiling is premised on the belief that behavior can be predicted based on knowledge of an individual's personality and personal characteristics. Criminal profiling limits this behavior analysis to suspects in the hopes that law enforcement will be able to narrow the pool of potential criminals and find the person or persons that committed the crime.Most law enforcement activity occurs after a crime has been committed and they usually have a very short time period in which to catch the criminal. If the police are lucky enough to get a case in the very early stages, time is even more crucial. This paper discusses how the use of criminal psychological profiling to identify perpetrators of specific crimes has become more commonplace in modern police work. Dangerous Minds: Criminal ProfilingCriminal or offender profiling as i t is sometimes referred to, is a law enforcement investigation technique that attempts to determine the type of person who may have committed the crime based upon an individual’s behavior at the crime scene or at multiple crime scenes (Devery, 2010). It is based on the premise that humans are creatures of habit and will follow a pattern of behavior. Profilers rely on the fact that normal human behavior; characteristics and patterns remain consistent, regardless of the action (Davis, 1999). A profile is a list of likely traits that the individual who committed the crime possesses.The purpose of the profile, like all other investigative tools, is to narrow the search parameters for police to a defined set of suspects that they can match to forensic or physical evidence if it has been recovered and is available (Davis, 1999). Criminal profiling is not a new concept. Early use of behavior analysis in criminal cases dates back to the 1800s. It was developed in response to violent crimes that often receive the most publicity and generate the most fear among members of the public (Davis, 1999). These are the cases that police are under the most pressure to solve quickly.Public perception of crime and criminal profiling is shaped by popular media, which gives an unrealistic view of what profiling adds to an investigation. Just like the â€Å"CSI effect† the public believes that a profiler can determine who did it, find that person and prevent further harm all in a half hour. Detectives who work these cases understand that criminal profiling is an important technique that is not worth much alone but when added to forensic evidence it eliminates suspects and builds a strong case against actual perpetrators.There are several types of violent crimes such as: murderer, rapes, molestation, abduction, armed robberies and so on. Some of these crimes are committed by people with a criminal past and some are at the hands of a person without any criminal history. T he sheer number of potential suspects can be staggering. The reverse may also be true, where no suspect emerges the magnitude of the investigation increases substantially. Most police departments especially those in less populated areas do not have sufficient resources or expertise to handle such wide reaching investigations (Davis, 1999).Types of Criminal Profiling There are two major types of criminal profiling, crime scene analysis and investigative psychology (Devery, 2010). Both techniques were created independently of each other but use many of the same procedures. John Douglas, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent for 25 years in the Investigative Support Unit (ISU) is credited with the development of the profiling techniques that are currently taught and used in the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit (Devery, 2010). His techniques were born out of the ISU’s determination to work unsolved violent crimes in the 1970s (Devery, 2010).The second major type of cr iminal profiling is known as Investigative Psychology. This approach to profiling was created by Dr. David Canter, a British psychologist. Investigative psychology attempts to match the dominant themes in an offender’s crimes to characteristic aspects of their lifestyles and criminal history (Canter, 1989). The goal of this technique is to achieve an observed, rather than intuitive basis for criminal profiling that can be measured and tested in a scientific manner (Canter, 1989).There are two other criminal profiling techniques that are in the testing stages and as such are not yet widely used or accepted. The first is Diagnostic Evaluation (Devery, 2010). Diagnostic evaluation depends on the clinical assessment of the offender by a mental health professional (Devery, 2010). In this approach the profile is based primarily on psychoanalytic principles and the individual practitioners’ clinical perceptions. The second, geographical profiling analyzes the spatial decision making process of offenders and relates it to crime victims and crime scene locations (Davis, 1999).This profile provides information on how perpetrators target their victims. How is a Criminal Profile Created? The act of developing a profile is a process not an event. A criminal profiler will analyze certain physical attributes of a suspect such as: race, sex, residential or personal location, marital status, occupation and much more (Devery, 2010). In addition, they will look for specific psychological characteristics such as: personality type, psychological tendencies and behavior traits (Devery, 2010).A criminal profiler will examine what happened at the crime scene, determine the traits of the person that committed the crime, and generate a summary of common traits and behaviors of that person. Criminal profiling involves studying a perpetrator’s behavior, motive, and their background history, in an attempt to guide the focus of an investigation (Winerman, 2004). Much o f the profile is based on historical data that has been compiled over the years which contains the evidence and methods used by criminals in previous crimes, as well as psychological and sociological studies of criminal minds (Winerman, 2004).The criminal profiler matches the evidence from the present crime against those used by other criminals and then looks for correlations based on probabilities (Young, 2006). Therefore the profile itself is the product of a series of calculated assumptions that compare past and present crimes. The FBI Crime Scene Analysis Approach: Organized or Disorganized? The FBI crime scene analysis approach to profiling is based upon the premise that the crime scene reflects the personality of the perpetrator.FBI profilers produce psychological profiles of the perpetrators using information gathered at a crime scene and by examining the nature of the crime itself (Young, 2006). Through years of study they have been able to identify certain traits that put m urderers into one of two groups: organized and disorganized. An organized murderer is often profiled as being highly   intelligent, socially competent and charismatic. A disorganized murderer is profiled as being of average intelligence, socially  immature, and a loner.Other differences between organized and disorganized murderers can been seen when examining the extent of planning the crime, how they target their victims and the manner of death. Organized killers exhibit systematic patterns of behavior and well-defined plans. They carefully select strangers as victims, demand that the victims be submissive, there is discipline in the actual manner of death, they leave little to no evidence at the crime scene and may kill at one site and dispose of the body at another site in order to avoid detection. In contrast, disorganized murderers are spontaneous in committing the crime.There is very little planning; they usually are aware of or know their victims, and the manner of death is a surprise attack, which results in a large amount of physical evidence at the crime scene (Davis, 1999). In order for a local agency to obtain a FBI criminal profile they have to request their assistance and the case to be analyzed must meet certain criteria. The case must involve a violent crime, the perpetrator must be unknown, commonly referred to as the â€Å"Unsub† for unknown subject and all major investigatory leads must have already been exhausted (Devery, 2010).When creating a criminal profile FBI profilers use a six-stage process (Davis, 1999). The first stage is known as input as it is marked by the collection of crime scene photographs and diagrams, police reports, victim and forensic data and all other information connected to the case (Davis, 1999). Also called the manner-and-method phase it involves an examination of all technical aspects of the crime. For example, what type of weapon was used and how was it used? Was the shot at close range? Was it a singl e shot or multiple rounds?The second stage is the decision process phase (Davis, 1999). The profiler reviews all data and information and organizes it into preliminary profile. During this stage the profile will categorize the nature of the homicide (e. g. , single, mass, or serial murder), the intent of the perpetrator (e. g. , was this the planned crime or did it occur in the commission of a separate crime), the nature of the victim (e. g. , whether the victim was a high or low risk target), and the degree of risk that the perpetrator undertook to commit the crime.The location (s) of the crime and the possible length of time that was taken to carry out the offense (s) will also be evaluated. (Davis, 1999). The third stage is crime assessment (Davis, 1999). The profiler will attempt to think like the perpetrator to gain insight as to his or her reasoning processes. For example, the selection of a victim is often random and based on patterns that only make sense to the perpetrator. The profiler will try to establish the reason for the crime and the motive for choosing a particular location or day etc. During this stage the profiler will categorize the Unsub as organized or disorganized.The profiler will attempt to find why he or she selected the victim, whether the crime was planned or spontaneous, how the crime was executed, the nature and the types of wounds on the victim, and any ritualistic actions such as displaying or positioning the body of the victim in a certain manner. The profiler will examine the perpetrator’s behavior at a crime scene in three parts: the modus operandi, personation or signature, and staging. The profiler is looking for indicators at crime scene that will translate into behavioral characteristics (Davis, 1999).The profiler is also keenly aware that not all criminal behavior is consistent especially if certain events have taken place since the past crime. Perpetrators are constantly changing their methods. For example, if an Unsub has a need for his victim to be submissive and his or her first victim fights him he may tie up the next victim to avoid that problem. Incarceration can also impact how a criminal will act in future crimes. Career criminals learn from their mistakes and other criminal while in jail so they may change their approach for the next rime. Violent and habitual offenders have a tendency to display a behavior known as a signature or â€Å"calling card† (Winerman, 2004). This is an action that goes beyond what is necessary to commit the crime. Violent crimes are often a result of the fantasies of perpetrator. When the criminal acts out his or her fantasy there is usually some aspect of each crime that is a unique, personal expression or ritual. For this offender committing the crime is not enough, they must also perform a ritual to complete the fantasy.The â€Å"signature† is what the perpetrator leaves displayed at the crime scene (Winerman, 2004). Unlike method, an offe nder’s signature remains a constant part of them. It may evolve, but will always retain the elements of the original scene (Winerman, 2004). Staging is another criminal behavior that profilers examine. Staging occurs when the perpetrator purposely changes a crime scene before the police locate it (Winerman, 2004). Violent offenders stage for two reasons: 1) to avoid detection and 2) to protect the victim or the victim’s family (Winerman, 2004).If a perpetrator stages a crime scene they most likely have or believe they have some kind of relationship with the victim. They will appear to law enforcement as overly cooperative or overly distraught as they try to deflect suspicion away from themselves (Davis, 1999). Staging to protect the victim or the victim’s family is normally done by a family member or the person that finds the body in an attempt to restore some dignity to the victim or to spare the family the horrifying details of the crime (Winerman, 2004).It is often difficult to determine if an offender has staged a scene or if they are just disorganized (Davis, 1999). The fourth stage is the criminal profile (Davis, 1999). The profiler combines all of the collected information and adds their experiences with similar crimes. The actual written profile can range from a few paragraphs to several pages. The profile will contain the Unsub’s physical features such as: age, gender, race and appearance. It will detail the background of the Unsub such as: possible occupation and employment, military service, education,  residence, familiarity with the crime scene area, and elationship history with other people. The next portion of the profile report will contain information about the Unsub’s psychological personality traits. The last section of the profile report will provide strategies for identifying, interrogating, and apprehending the perpetrator. The fifth stage known as the investigation is the transmission of the completed profile to the task force or department that is investigating the crime (Davis, 1999). The final stage is the apprehension of the person or persons that committed the crime(s) (Davis, 1999).The accuracy of the profile is then assessed and the case is added to the profiling database. The profile is considered a success if an offender is identified and confesses to the crime. It is assessed as open if new information is obtained and the profile is redone with the new profile replacing the original. The National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime â€Å"NCAVC† organization, provides behavior analysis profiles of criminals based on information gathered from federal, state and international laws enforcement agencies (Devery, 2010). NCAVC consists of four separate and specialized units.Behavior Analysis 1 is responsible for counterterrorism or threat assessment including arson and stalking crimes. Behavior Analysis 2 is responsible of crimes against adults including sexual as saults, kidnappings and missing person cases. Behavior Analysis 3 is responsible for crimes against children including abductions, homicides, and sexual assaults. Behavior Analysis 4 is responsible for the apprehension of violent criminals including actual and attempted homicides. This unit also develops and maintains VICAP Web, the national database for these types of cases. Devery, 2010). The Investigative Psychology Approach Dr. David Canter, an environmental psychologist at the  University of  Liverpool, believes that his profiling technique offers a comprehensive methodology because it is based upon a collection of theories, hypotheses and results of studies of the history and patterns of behavior as they relate to certain  individual characteristics (Canter, 1989). Investigative psychologists believe that crime is an interpersonal transaction, usually between the criminal and the victim, within a social context.In other words, the perpetrator is repeating interactions th at they have had with other people under normal circumstances. The profiler using this approach will look for connections between the crime and aspects of the perpetrator’s past and present focusing on which actions are clearly unique to the individual. This psychological profile is done in five stages: (1) interpersonal coherence; (2) significance of time and place; (3) criminal characteristics; (4) criminal career and (5) forensic awareness. (Canter, 1989). Criminal Profiling as a CareerCriminal profiling (also known as criminal investigative analysis) is a professional subspecialty in the field of criminal investigation (Winerman, 2004). As a result, most profilers are FBI agents instead of psychologists. However, criminal profiling is the combination of two very distinct disciplines: investigative science and psychology. Criminal investigators need to know the physical and psychological traits of the perpetrator in order to know who to apprehend for questioning and testin g. Criminal profiling provides this information.Classes in criminal profiling may be taken as a subsection of another course such as psychology or as part of a criminal justice degree. Forensic psychology combines criminal justice principles with mental health concepts. Creating criminal profiles is one area of application for forensic psychologists within the criminal justice field (Winerman, 2004). Experts estimate that there are less that 100 profiler graduates a year (Winerman, 2004). A primary reason may be that this type of training is offered in only a few graduate programs.According to the FBI, successful profilers are experienced in criminal investigations and research and possess common sense, intuition, and the ability to isolate their feelings about the crime, the criminal, and the victim (Davis, 1999). They have the ability to evaluate analytically the behavior exhibited in a crime and to think very much like the criminal responsible (Davis, 1999). Does Profiling Work? Assessment and Evaluation Statistics show that only 2. 7% of criminal profiling cases actually lead to identification of the offender (Alison, Smith ; Morgan, 2003).Studies have found that FBI profiling techniques provide some assistance in 77% of cases, provide leads for stakeouts solving cases 45% of the time, and actually help identify the perpetrator in 17% of cases (Alison, Smith ; Morgan, 2003). Despite research suggesting that criminal profiling is ineffective in determining the specific offender, it continues to be widely used by law enforcements agencies throughout the world. Still there is a lot of controversy about the validity of the FBI approach to profiling.With respect to the organized or disorganized classification, psychologists contend that nearly all types of criminals will display a certain level of organization so this indicator does not really rule anyone in or out (Young, 2006). Psychologists further argue that the methods used by the FBI profilers have no sci entific basis (Young, 2006). In support of this, they point to the FBI profiler’s reliance on their criminal investigation experience instead of analysis of evidence that is specific to each reported crime (Young, 2006).Psychologists further argue that each crime has specific patterns that cannot be generalized and applied to other crimes (Young, 2006). In order words, criminal profiling in arson cases should not be applied to criminal profiling in murder cases. They contend that each type of crime should be investigated by conducting numerous case studies on that specific type of crime then a dependable pattern could be established. Conclusion Criminal profiling is an investigative technique that uses the analysis of behavioral and psychological traits to profile suspects. Some profiles have led to the identification of the perpetrator.Currently there is a lack of scientific evidence in support of the techniques used in criminal profiling and the proclaimed successes of crim inal profilers. Academic criticism supports the need for further research in order to determine if these technique can be improved and used successfully by criminal investigators. References Alison, L. , Smith, M. D. , ; Morgan, K. (2003). Interpreting the accuracy of offender profilers. Psychology, Crime ; Law, 9, 185-195. doi:10. 1080/1068316031000116274 Canter, D. (1989). Offender profiles. The Psychologist, 2, 12-16. Davis, J. A. (1999).Criminal personality profiling and crime scene assessment: A contemporary investigative tool to assist law enforcement public safety. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 15, 291-301. Devery, C. (2010). Criminal profiling and criminal investigation. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 26, 393-409. doi:10. 1177/1043986210377108 Winerman, L. (2004). Criminal profiling: The reality behind the myth. Monitor on Psychology, 35(7), 66. Young, T. M. (2006). Profiling pros and cons: an evaluation of contemporary criminal profiling methods. Hono rs Junior/Senior Projects. Retrieved from http://hdl. handle. net/2047/d10001281

Genetics and Heredity essays

Genetics and Heredity essays ?What are genetics? It is the study and the variation of inherited characteristics that make up new life. Every child inherits genes from both of their biological parents. Some of these traits may be physical; hair, eye color or skin colors, etc. On the downfall some genes might carry certain diseases or disorders. Each gene is a piece of genetic information and all DNA in the cell make up the human genome. The wonderful thing about genetics is the technology that has been made for it and how advanced it is to now do what ever it takes to fix the unborn. Genes generally express their functional effect through the production of proteins, which are complex molecules responsible for majority of functions in the cells in the body. Heredity is a biological process where a parent passes certain genes onto their children or offspring's which all falls under the study of genetics. Genetic information with genes from their parent lies within the cells nucleus of each living cell in the body. The genes will be rested inside the chromosomes in the human body. In the body, we have up to 46 chromosomes divided equally between the mother and father. A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein that is found in cells that plays a major role in genetics. There are about 20,000 genes located on one of the 23 chromosome pairs found in the nucleus. Chromosomes are the structures that hold our genes. Genes are the building blocks of heredity; every child inherits genes from both of their biological parent. Some traits are physical for example; eye, hair and skin color will be brought down from the parent to the offspring. The down side of inheriting different genes is that the offspring may inherit some disorders or disease. A single gene disorder is where a mutation affects one gene, for example sickle cell anemia. Another disorder that can occur from genes is a chromosomal disorder is where the chromosomes or part of it is missing o...

Collapse of Tsarism and the personal weakness of Nicolas II essays

Collapse of Tsarism and the personal weakness of Nicolas II essays To what extent was the collapse of Tsarism due to the personal weakness of Nicholas II? [The Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II,] was very much a family man and a loving father to his children. But this all meant that he was far removed from his subjects, with little understanding of the outside world; he was ignorant... and he helped to isolate the monarchy from the whole of Russian society. In many ways, the Tsar was unsuitable as a ruler, especially of a country that was undergoing drastic changes. As a result of the social and economic changes that had occurred in the 1900s, the autocracy would have to deal with a growing working class, a change of interest in rising privileged and educated classes and the drifting unity of the upper elites who traditionally supported the Tsar. The autocratic government could no longer preform its traditional role if it were to keep up with changing Russian society. Yet the Tsars personal weakness in failing to recognise the need for a change in government and reforms, helped to explain the eventual arrival of the revolution in 1917 and the loss of Tsarist support by virtually all the groups that made up the Russian Empire. Due to his weak character and political naivety, Nicholas II was forced to abdicate on 2nd March 1917. The Tsar was distracted from his work by family problems and his son's haemophilia illness. The Tsar also chose to be influenced by the Tsarina, his wife, Alexandra, who in turn was influenced by Rasputin and thus, the Tsar tended to dismiss the advice given to him by his ministers, on the political situation in Russia and what they thought Nicholas should do. Despite that the personal weakness of the Tsar did contribute to the fall of the Tsarist government, it was not the only cause of the collapse. The industrial backwardness of Russia, poor transport and communication systems and the outbreak of WWI in Russia were also other causes of the collapse of the...

Artificiality and Fallibility in Northanger Abbey

Artificiality and Fallibility in Northanger Abbey Jane Austen, through the development of socially conscious female characters, is able to render a remarkably accurate depiction of the social structure present during the late 18th century. Her social commentary, however, highlights certain unbecoming qualities in both her protagonists and antagonists, particularly their artificiality. This feature of her writing is especially evident in her satiric novel Northanger Abbey. While Austen is clear in her criticism of characters such as Isabella and John Thorpe, neither of whom is in Catherine’s favor at the end of the novel, the author appears to be far more accepting of the affectedness of General Tilney, who is portrayed as a severe but fair man. Through the artificiality of her characters and the claims she makes about them, Austen weakens the motifs she intends to exemplify, making her an unreliable author. General Tilney is consistently illustrated as a strange man with a somewhat severe manner. Despite this, the text never truly suggests that he is a bad man. He is kind enough to invite Catherine to stay with the Tilneys at Northanger Abbey and, although he is concerned with superficial things such as the grandeur of his home and the wealth of his childrens’ spouses, the text suggests that he wants only the best for his children. Near the end of the novel, Catherine even admits that General Tilney’s interference in their marriage may have actually strengthened the bond between her and Henry, for which she thanks the general: â€Å"†¦the General’s unjust interference, so far from being really injurious to the their felicity, was perhaps conducive to it, by improving their knowledge of each other, and adding strength to their attachment, I leave it to be settled by whomever it may concern, whether the tendency of this work be altogether to recommend parental t yranny, or reward filial disobedience† (Austen 235). Despite Catherine’s fairly positive opinion of him at the end of the novel, the general still proves to be quite artificial early on when, after trying so ardently to impress her in hopes of securing a wealthy wife for Henry, he rudely casts her out of his home without explanation upon hearing from John Thorpe that Catherine’s family is poor. Austen tries to forgive General Tilney’s bad behavior by stating that his conduct may have strengthened the bond between Henry and Catherine, yet his actions were undeniably callous, regardless of the end product. His superficial treatment of Catherine is based entirely off of his focus on money, and this quality makes it difficult to accept the positive light that Austen attempts to shine on him at the end of the story, causing her to appear unreliable as an author. The most artificial character of Northanger Abbey is arguably Isabella Thorpe. Although she initially appears to be perfectly friendly and immediately forms a close bond with Catherine, the text makes it clear that she is somewhat superficial and would be content gossiping the day away. On several occasions, she gloats her apathy toward financial status, claiming that â€Å"[her] wishes are so moderate that the smallest income in nature would be enough for [her]. Where people are really attached, poverty itself is wealth; grandeur [she] detest[s]† (112), as well as that â€Å"a [small] income would satisfy [her]†¦ [She] hate[s] money† (128). The reader, however, later finds that upon learning of her fianc? James Morland’s modest income, she immediately begins to flirt with Fredrick Tilney and eventually calls off the wedding. The reader even catches Isabella contradicting her earlier quotes when speaking to Catherine of her undesired gentleman caller, John T horpe: â€Å"You have both of you something, to be sure, but it is not a trifle that will support a family nowadays; and after all that romancers may say, there is no doing without money† (135). Even though Isabella claims on multiple occasions that finances do not concern her and that wealth even creates a deficit in relationships, she completely flips her argument in both her actions and opinions when she abandons James and tells Catherine that romance is not enough to support a family with modest income. Although Isabella is portrayed in an increasingly negative light as the plot progresses, she commits actions that are rather similar to those of General Tilney, but it is the products of their activities that appear to decide the author’s view of them. The characters’ actions are similar in that they both send away their respective Morlands upon finding that they are not wealthy, but their rewards differ: General Tilney is somewhat respected for the sternness that strengthened Henry and Catherine’s marriage, while Isabella is scorned by the narrator and essentially forgotten by the end. The narrator’s unequal judgment of each character again suggests that Jane Austen is unreliable in her portrayal of the morals she wishes to convey. In addition to the artificiality of Austen’s characters and the inconsistencies that they produce, the narrator also illustrates the same trait in her description of Catherine. Throughout Northanger Abbey, Austen repeatedly refers to Catherine as the story’s heroine. As early as the first pages of the novel, Austen builds Catherine up as the unsuspecting hero: â€Å"No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born a heroine† (13). Naturally, because of frequent recurrence of this description, the reader spends the entirety of the story waiting for Catherine to prove herself worthy of the title. Spoiler alert: she doesn’t. A heroine is admired for her courage and noble qualities, and although Catherine is consistently portrayed as having good nature and fair judgment, at no point does she truly verify that she is a great person herself. By failing to show what she repeatedly tells the audience to be true, Austen again i llustrates her unreliability as a narrator. Jane Austen is an author of critical acclaim within the literary world, but, like any other author, her writings exhibit many flaws. Her account of Northanger Abbey creates a social commentary in which she attempts to criticize the superficial foci of the era’s social scene. Her success in conducting an efficacious critique, however, is hindered by inconsistencies in the artificiality of her characters and their descriptions. Through the artificiality of her characters and the claims she makes about them, Austen weakens the motifs she intends to exemplify, making her an unreliable author in her account of Northanger Abbey. Bibliography Austen, Jane. Northanger Abbey. New York: Penguin Books, 1995. Print.

Discrimination Against Chinese Indonesian Research Paper

Discrimination Against Chinese Indonesian - Research Paper Example Native Indonesians have been discriminating Chinese locals until today. However, efforts have been made to eliminate racism now. According to â€Å"dictionary.com†, the definition of racism is defined as a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others. Jealousy and pride are possible causes of the discrimination towards Chinese-Indonesians, although a democratic-based philosophical principles ‘Pancasila’ is being implemented to every Indonesian (Chang 155). Chinese Indonesians have been discriminated against in Indonesia, and this should not happen. Discrimination from native Indonesians to Chinese Indonesians was and sometimes is still obvious, because although Chinese Indonesians are the minority, they dominate vital business and play a vital role in the country’s economy. Phillip She non, author of The Gazette, states that â€Å"The success of the Chinese is widely envied - and resented - in Indonesia, an archipelago of 180 million people and the fourth most populous nation on earth. The average annual per capita income is about $600† (ProQuest). Jealousy arises as native people tend to be low-classed workers, while Chinese Indonesians are marked as a ‘high-classed’ society. ... In fact, Chinese Indonesians have become the target of crime in Indonesia, because many native Indonesians have envied their success in financial, education, etc. Unlike in the United States and South Africa where racism is seen to manifest itself in terms of color, racism in Indonesia has gone beyond and has given rise to human right violations in the social, economic, political, legal, and cultural spheres of the society (Chang 152). The policy of â€Å"divide and rule† which was endorsed by colonial rulers aimed at distorting peaceful coexistence of native Indonesians and Chinese Indonesians. In fact, this policy was later advanced by government led by Sukarno whereby legislation was passed by the government which prohibited Chinese from conducting business in the country side (Chang 153). In 1998, there was anti-Chinese Indonesians violence in some cities, including Solo. I was 4 years old at that time, and I didn’t really understand anything. Apparently, the Asian financial crisis in May 1998 caused political turmoil in Indonesia; this led to anti-Chinese Indonesians riots. Greg Barton, author of Abdurrahman Wahid: Muslim Democrat, Indonesian President, clarifies that â€Å"Further adding to this uncertainty was an outbreak of sudden episodes of violence in small towns in Central and East Java, mostly directed against the ethnic Chinese† (Barton 233). My whole family escaped to a safer place in Semarang. As Medy Loekito asserts in her poem titledâ€Å"14 May 1998†, the riot was traumatizing and terrible, many cars were burnt on streets, and many Chinese Indonesians’ houses were burnt and destroyed as well. The television was showing how a mountain of men screamed and cried as they were losing their loved ones, their valuable properties,

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Reaction paper - Essay Example As he toured Auschwitz, Cole described humanitarian structures such as a â€Å"disinfestation complex,† theater and swimming pool inside of the camp. These structures call into question the function of the prison. If prisoners were sent to Auschwitz to be murdered, why should the Germans provide hygiene, entertainment and exercise to them? Coles interview with Dr. Franciszek Piper, curator of the Auschwitz State Museum, is the focus of the video. Cole disputes the Holocausts existence because there is no proof, â€Å"theres no picture, plan or wartime document dealing with homicidal gas chambers or a plan to exterminate Jews† (Cole). He tries to provide a â€Å"perfectly normal explanation† for the materials and exhibits which define the Holocaust (Cole). Poison gas was used for disinfection, dead bodies were caused by a Typhus epidemic and discarded clothing came from naturally deceased prisoners. The interview with Dr. Piper is primarily concerned with the Auschwitz gas chamber. Cole questioned the function of this building because it had been changed since the end of the war. While Piper believed that four holes were drilled in the ceiling of this building for the purpose of killing prisoners, Cole believed that these holes were drilled after the camp was liberated by Soviet forces during the camps reconstruction. Cole points to aerial photographs as evidence of the new construction. Cole also cited the lack of Zyklon B residue in the chamber as proof that it was never used to kill humans. Cole then turned from the institution to the numbers. Traditionally, the Holocaust is stated to have killed eleven million Jews and non-Jews. These figures are based on Soviet claims made after the war which Cole does not accept. Cole compared it to American prison camps where, â€Å"anywhere from several hundred thousand to over two million† Germans died (Cole). To him, this was e vidence that all camps of this era were

Leadership Theory and Leadership Styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership Theory and Leadership Styles - Essay Example Leadership, as defined by Armandi, Oppedisano, and Sherman (2003), is basically about influencing and motivating a particular group towards achieving a common goal. It is centered on the kind of relationship between the leader and the members of the organization that can motivate people to work hard and strengthen the bonds existing within the organization. A good leader is inspirational and good with people. Leadership is about making the people feel motivated, devoted, and even inspired through persuasion and certainly not coercion. To get the real outcomes necessary in a highly competitive time, individuals need to desire to give their best, not just be required to do so, and this is exactly what Ford’s new CEO Alan Mulally has demonstrated since he started working for Ford Company. Despite of his limitations and the company’s difficult circumstances, Mulally has shown his desire, enthusiasm, and determination to help the company survive the recession back in 2000 an d eventually realize its potential towards success. He leads the entire team of Ford with a vision, passion, and heart that encourages and inspires his people to participate in the company’s business endeavors. Mulally, an American engineer and former aerospace guy at Boeing, has evidently changed the course of business for Ford. With his novel perspectives on leadership and management, he was able to help Ford picked up from its billions of losses specifically during the recession period. The most important feature of his leadership, which perhaps has greatly helped Ford survive, is the way he focuses on the most important and innovative idea that he thinks would best work for the company and for the people. He believes that focus is a vital component of a successful leadership because it takes a lot of thinking and rationalizing to get the right decision among the many opportunities available. When Mulally arrived at Ford in 2006, there were various uncertainties about his appointment as the organization’s new leader. The very fact that he was an outsider and knew nothing about the car industry created a lot of suspicions from the other members of the organization (Kiley, 2009). Yet, Mulally remained focus on thinking about ways to improve the organization from within to its overall performance in the market (Taylor III, 2009). As a leader, Mulally adopts the democratic or participative leadership style. A democratic or participative administrator’s style basically encourages the participation of each member of the organization in decision-making (Armandi, Oppedisano & Sherman, 2003). The leader or management team consults the entire group before it concludes any matter in the organization. In this kind of administration, it is highly essential to win the cooperation of the team or organization members because this will motivate them effectively and optimistically. Mulally changed the bureaucratic system of the company and increased part icipation from employees of different departments and levels: When I arrived there were six or seven people reporting to Bill Ford, and the IT person wasn't there, the human resources person wasn't there†¦ So I moved up and included every functional discipline on my team because everybody in this place had to be involved and had to know everything. (Taylor III, 2009, para. 26) Mulally’s participative leadership style is even more reflected through how he promotes open and effective communication

Global Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Global Marketing - Essay Example According to Hall (1977) in addition to learned nature of culture, anthropologists consider that all cultural aspects are interlinked and within a culture different groups share the same culture that distinguishes these groups as well. Therefore, change in one feature influences the other aspects of the culture in either direct or indirect way (p.16). Contrary to common belief, culture is more than art, music or literature when it comes to marketing on global level. It’s a major source of influence on activity in the marketplace. According to Keegan(2002) culture is defined as â€Å"ways of living† by anthropologists and sociologists. These particular ways are formed by group of individuals and pass from one generation to another. These ways of living are inaction in form of social, educational, business and religious institutions. Culture is not one time solution but a combination of conscious and unconscious set of ideas, beliefs, attitudes and symbols that form collective human behavior (pp.94-5). Culture is a complex and intriguing component of international business environment. Appropriate knowledge of cultural dimensions plays a crucial role in product development, promotion, human resource management, business negotiations and management of socio-political environment. One of the major problems is the implicit nature of cultural features. Cultural variables prove to be troublesome for multinationals with insufficient homework as their managers fail to realize the variance that leads to serious blunders (Cherunilam, 2007, p.75). Cherunilam(2007) further explains that in order to craft just the right strategies for potential customers in a certain culture, it is inevitable for marketers to understand their cultures. Some products and services are accepted in one culture while others reject them. It is crucial to modify the products

Reaction paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 22

Reaction paper - Essay Example As he toured Auschwitz, Cole described humanitarian structures such as a â€Å"disinfestation complex,† theater and swimming pool inside of the camp. These structures call into question the function of the prison. If prisoners were sent to Auschwitz to be murdered, why should the Germans provide hygiene, entertainment and exercise to them? Coles interview with Dr. Franciszek Piper, curator of the Auschwitz State Museum, is the focus of the video. Cole disputes the Holocausts existence because there is no proof, â€Å"theres no picture, plan or wartime document dealing with homicidal gas chambers or a plan to exterminate Jews† (Cole). He tries to provide a â€Å"perfectly normal explanation† for the materials and exhibits which define the Holocaust (Cole). Poison gas was used for disinfection, dead bodies were caused by a Typhus epidemic and discarded clothing came from naturally deceased prisoners. The interview with Dr. Piper is primarily concerned with the Auschwitz gas chamber. Cole questioned the function of this building because it had been changed since the end of the war. While Piper believed that four holes were drilled in the ceiling of this building for the purpose of killing prisoners, Cole believed that these holes were drilled after the camp was liberated by Soviet forces during the camps reconstruction. Cole points to aerial photographs as evidence of the new construction. Cole also cited the lack of Zyklon B residue in the chamber as proof that it was never used to kill humans. Cole then turned from the institution to the numbers. Traditionally, the Holocaust is stated to have killed eleven million Jews and non-Jews. These figures are based on Soviet claims made after the war which Cole does not accept. Cole compared it to American prison camps where, â€Å"anywhere from several hundred thousand to over two million† Germans died (Cole). To him, this was e vidence that all camps of this era were

Global Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Global Marketing - Essay Example According to Hall (1977) in addition to learned nature of culture, anthropologists consider that all cultural aspects are interlinked and within a culture different groups share the same culture that distinguishes these groups as well. Therefore, change in one feature influences the other aspects of the culture in either direct or indirect way (p.16). Contrary to common belief, culture is more than art, music or literature when it comes to marketing on global level. It’s a major source of influence on activity in the marketplace. According to Keegan(2002) culture is defined as â€Å"ways of living† by anthropologists and sociologists. These particular ways are formed by group of individuals and pass from one generation to another. These ways of living are inaction in form of social, educational, business and religious institutions. Culture is not one time solution but a combination of conscious and unconscious set of ideas, beliefs, attitudes and symbols that form collective human behavior (pp.94-5). Culture is a complex and intriguing component of international business environment. Appropriate knowledge of cultural dimensions plays a crucial role in product development, promotion, human resource management, business negotiations and management of socio-political environment. One of the major problems is the implicit nature of cultural features. Cultural variables prove to be troublesome for multinationals with insufficient homework as their managers fail to realize the variance that leads to serious blunders (Cherunilam, 2007, p.75). Cherunilam(2007) further explains that in order to craft just the right strategies for potential customers in a certain culture, it is inevitable for marketers to understand their cultures. Some products and services are accepted in one culture while others reject them. It is crucial to modify the products

Positive Effects of Media on Our Society Essay Example for Free

Positive Effects of Media on Our Society Essay Today i am going to aware you about the positive effects of media on our society. Media has served as a boon to mankind. It has provided us with an exposure to the world outside our cozy homes. It has resulted in an exchange of views on a variety of subjects of a wide variety of people from all around the world, thereby leading to a global exchange of information and knowledge. Mass media has given each of us a platform to voice our opinions on all sorts of social and political issues and share information with one another. It has brought out easy ways of communication and provided us with easily accessible means to reach out to people in various parts of the world. Thanks to technological development, we have been able to obtain a platform that enables us to present ourselves to the rest of the world. The negative influences of media that are a result of an overexposure to it, are most often talked about. It is true to a certain extent that media has affected the society in a negative manner. But, undoubtedly, media has proved being a bliss. The media like television, radio and the Internet increase an overall awareness of the masses. They enhance the general knowledge by providing us with information from all over the world. News broadcast through different media helps us know about the day-to-day events in the world. News, tele-films and documentaries revolving around social issues increase a social awareness in children and develop their concern towards society. Newspapers, apart from updating us with the latest news and new information, also contribute to the enhancement of our vocabulary. Newspapers are the best beginners in developing reading habits in children. Through the print media, they provide the general public with a platform to give updates about their parts of the city, exchange their views over different issues that the society faces and share their thoughts on a larger scale. Media serve as the best means for a speedy spread of news about important incidents or events taking place. What has happened in the remotest corner of the world can reach us within minutes, thanks to media. The speed that technology has achieved is helpful in times of crisis when media is to be used for reporting news needing immediate attention. Research has revealed that media is responsible for influencing a major part of our daily life. Media contribute to a transformation in the cultural and social values of the masses. Media can bring about a change in the attitudes and  beliefs of the common man. The persuasive nature of the content presented over media influences the thoughts and behavior of the general public. Media has a direct impact over the lifestyle of society.

Benefits of Patient Representatives and Advocates

Benefits of Patient Representatives and Advocates What are patient representatives and advocates, and in what ways do they benefit patients? There has been an arguable change within the working practices of the healthcare systems in the UK (and elsewhere) in the recent few decades. One can point to the gradual evolution of the general public perception of the doctor / physician from an unchallengeable, unapproachable all-knowing figure embodying benign paternalism at the inception of the NHS to the still knowledgeable, but nevertheless accountable, healthcare professional who has to consider the patient’s needs and requirements but can still be capable of making decisions which may not be in the patient’s best overall interests. (1) This has been coupled with the ascendancy of other stakeholders, such as the pharmaceutical industry, whose aims and objectives may not always run parallel with the concept of holistic patient care. (2) One can also argue that the concept of advocacy has risen to the fore in recent years, as a result of such evolutionary processes, with most stakeholders agreeing that the role of the patient advocate is an essential prerequisite of modern healthcare systems and is believed to be a means of safeguarding good patient care. At first sight, this movement could be considered a universal concept of excellence with no downside, after all, patient centred care and patient empowerment and education are considered current ideals in healthcare delivery and surely patient advocacy must be considered a major tool in helping to achieve these goals? This essay challenges this notion and intends to set out the arguments both for and against this proposition. There is no doubt that the concept of advocacy has gained credence in the recent past and is considered to be a means of safeguarding standards of good patient care. (3) It is perhaps unsurprising that a number of different healthcare professional groupings claim the intrinsic right to be patient advocates suggesting, in support of their claims, that their particular branch of the profession has an inherent capability in the role. Closer inspection might suggest that the different professions, and indeed different individuals within these professions, may actually have different interpretations of, and applications for the role of the patient advocate. (4) The result of this spectrum of beliefs is that there is both confusion and uncertainty as to what advocacy is, or actually should be, what it entails and what values it should have. This is disturbing from an analytical viewpoint, as it is generally agreed that the concept of advocacy brings with it a number of privileges, some of which are largely based on the acceptance of the fact that the patient advocate is presumed to have insights into the way in which patients perceive their own interests, others include an enhancement of the individual’s own professional standing. To expand the first point further. We have used the term â€Å"patients perceived interests† to include their perceived beliefs into their rights and protective mechanisms, including their entitlement of force and degree of input into clinical decision making, relating to their own case. Despite the comments and considerations already presented, we would suggest that inherent in the discussions relating to patient advocacy, will be an element which considers whether there is an actual need for the patient advocate. If we are able to demonstrate a need, then we should also consider exactly what are the features that a patient advocate would need to embody and also it follows that we should discuss who is best suited to fulfil the role. Firstly then, we need to consider whether or not a patient advocate is actually needed in the current mechanisms of delivery of NHS healthcare. Is there actually a need to support patients, to express their perceived needs more vociferously, to ensure that their needs are taken seriously and that their interests are actively promoted? This is probably best illustrated by considering cases at the extreme end of the continuum of need. We can cite recently publicised cases where conjoined twins were separated by direction of a court despite the protestations and direct opposition of their parents (5). One can also consider a more frequently encountered practical problem, where the mentally ill patient decides to stop medication and the doctor in charge of the case disagrees. On face value, these types of situations appear to make a fairly unanswerable case for the existence of the patient advocate. On deeper examination however, one can take the view that the concept of advocacy can appear to impose certain difficulties in the obvious and necessary relationship between the healthcare professional and the patient, which may give it an appearance which is possibly neither required, desirable or actually merited. The presence of an advocate in the therapeutic negotiations between doctor and patient carries with it an implied suggestion that the two parties are not only in conflict over the decisions relating to the best (or most appropriate) treatment for the patient, but that the professionals may not actually have patient’s best interests in sight and may actually have ulterior motives from which the patient needs to be protected. Clearly this is an extreme position, and may well not be representative of the vast majority of doctor-patient interactions. We do not seek to argue against the fact that the ideal (and probably normal) relationship between doctor and patient is anything other than one of holistic care and that the healthcare professional takes the requirements and desires of the patient fully into account when formulating care plans and carrying out professional interactions. If we are correct in the assumption that this is actually the case, then it follows that, in the normal doctor-patient interaction, there is palpably no need for a patient advocate as this can be interpreted as being seen as an inherent part of the professional activity of a healthcare professional. This point of view is enhanced by an examination of the advice given and regulations imposed by the various professional regulatory bodies in the UK. For example, the GMC gives advice to all registered doctors: make the care of your patients your first concern, respect patients dignity and privacy; listen to patients and respect their views; respect the right of patients to be fully involved in decisions about their care. (6) The United Kingdom Central Committee for Nursing and Health Visiting (UKCC) also add that their recommendation is that their registered professionals should â€Å"ensure that the interests of patients inform every act of the practitioner† (cited in 7). Nurses specifically are directed to: act at all times in such a manner as to safeguard and promote the interests of patients and clients. Work in an open and cooperative manner with patients, clients and their families, foster their independence and recognise and respect their involvement in the planning and delivery of care. (8) All of these arguments and professional statements are consistent with the Ethical principal of Beneficence, which effectively charges all healthcare professionals with a duty to protect the patient from harm. It is probably beyond dispute that the vast majority of healthcare professionals, if asked, would suggest that they would adopt these principles in their professional work. If this is the case, then one could reasonably argue that there is no need for the patient advocate since the professionals in the healthcare system are already aware of their responsibilities in this respect and that an insistence on a requirement for a distinct and separate role of a patient advocate could be considered unnecessary, alarmist and fraught with the potential to produce conflict. (9) Part of the discrepancy in these viewpoints becomes obvious when one considers the right of the individual patient and the collective rights of all patients. Healthcare professionals have a duty of beneficence to the patient that they are treating, but there is also a wider responsibility to â€Å"The Public Health† in a general sense, and this certainly is a major source of potential conflict. This is not an academic argument but a very practical one. Closer examination of the documents cited above shows that, for example, the GMC requires doctors to consider and respond to the needs of â€Å"all patients† not just the individual patient that they are treating at the time. This clearly has a huge potential for producing conflict when, since the advent of initiatives such as Fundholding, many doctors also have varying degrees of responsibility for running their own budgets which then directly reflect on patient care. (2). Such conflicts enhance the perception, by the public at large, that their own perceived individual interests are being balanced by the doctor (or other healthcare professional) against the interests of other factions. If the doctor needs to prioritise treatment (as inevitably they must in a rationed service such as the NHS), the patient may believe that their own needs are being subsumed by a consideration of the greater public good, thereby depriving them of both autonomy and the possibility of achieving those treatment goals that would otherwise have been set for them. (10) One only has to consider the furore surrounding the Alderhey organ retention issue to appreciate that such a view has a considerable validity and topical resonance. This issue has been addressed by a number of authorities in the past. In a milestone paper on the issue, Fried compared the role of the advocate in the medical field with the eponymous role in the legal profession. (11) He drew a number of analogies between the doctor patient relationship and the relationship between the lawyer and the client, describing them both as non-utilitarian because: The ideal of professional loyalty to ones client permits, even demands, an allocation of the lawyers time, passion, and resources in ways that are not always maximally conducive to the greatest good for the greatest number. Both professions affirm the principle that the professionals primary loyalty is to his client, his patient. The case would therefore seem to be made for the presence of the patient advocate, although it is neither as transparent nor as clear cut as it might appear on first consideration. If we now consider the argument from a different perspective, we could look at the reasons why the calls for advocacy still persist in the literature. The NHS Plan 2000 called for the acceptance of multidisciplinary team working and the adoption of the concept of the healthcare team. As a result of this initiative, decisions relating to patient care tend to me made more often by a multi-input team of professionally qualified individuals than by one individual alone, particularly in the hospital setting ( although the same comments are arguably less true in a primary healthcare team setting). (12) In general terms, such decisions are made when the patient is typically ill, vulnerable or may have diminished degrees of (legal) competence. In circumstances such as these, it is easy to see why some authorities can argue that the patient may need a degree of extra support (possibly both practical and moral) to be sure that their own wishes, preferences and choices are heard, weighed and fully considered by the team. This is particularly the case where the patient’s choices may appear to be bizarre, irrational or counterintuitive. Certainly it is the case when the patient’s choice is not the one that is preferred by the clinical staff. Authorities such as Seedhouse suggest that, in these circumstances, the patient advocate can assume the mantle of helping the patient translate their expressed desires into a cogent treatment plan and to help to steer the healthcare team in the direction preferred by the patient. (13). The practicalities of this function being invested in a professional member of the treatment team become obvious when one considers that it is still normal practice to exclude the patient, even intelligent and informed ones, from the discussion forum where treatment plans and goals are formulated. The advocate can thereby ensure that the patient’s wishes and desires are still represented even in the circumstances when the patient is absent. (14). The other side of this argument is that the dual role of the patient advocate is also to report back to the patient the decisions of the team in a language and a context that is appropriate for the patient’s level of comprehension, thereby keeping the patient informed of decisions made. This degree of communication also provides an obstacle in the arguments supporting advocacy because it implies a full understanding and clear insight , by the advocate, of the patient’s needs (as the patient perceives them) so that the advocate can present them to the healthcare professionals in the team. Incomplete understanding of these issues can clearly lead to distortion and bias which undermines the usefulness of the arrangement. We alluded earlier to the fact that there was â€Å"both confusion and uncertainty as to what advocacy is, or actually should be†. Before we examine the subject further, it is useful to consult the literature for authorities on the subject. We have already presented Seedhouse’s view that an advocate speaks on behalf of another person as that person perceives his interests. This may be true, but it is not the way that advocacy is generally employed in the medical literature and medical practice. A brief overview of the literature on the subject will reveal a number of different interpretations of the essential characteristics of a patient advocate specifically in the healthcare setting and these include: Inform the patient and promote informed consent (8) Empower the patient and protect autonomy. (12) Protect the rights and interests of patients where they cannot protect their own. (3) Ensure patients have fair access to available resources. (15) Support the patient no matter what the potential cost (4) Represent the views/desires of the patient and not just their needs (4) If we follow Schwartz’s analysis it would appear that advocacy has two related tensions: Conflict between what can reasonably be an expected duty of health care practitioners, and what might be beyond reasonable expectations The difficulty in distinguishing between what is actual representation of patients wishes, and what is an assertion of what the advocate believes to be in the best interests of the patient, which would be better described as paternalism. The logical conclusion from the first point is that there is a dichotomy of opinion as to whether advocacy is an essential ethical professional duty or whether it is a burden which is not an essential prerequisite, but a choice that can be made voluntarily. It follows, from the arguments already set out, that if a patient advocate assumes the mantle of agreeing to try to present the patient’s perceptions of their situation and needs, unconditionally and accurately, then they may find themselves in a dilemma of discovering that the patient’s choices conflict with their own and require professional compromise which they may be unwilling to make. On a different level, it may impose a burden of anticipated conflict with other professionals. This may put the patient advocate in a situation which is clearly at odds with the views and guidance published by the profession’s governing bodies expressed earlier. For these (and other) reasons, we could therefore argue that advocacy may be better described as an admirable choice rather than and expectation and duty of healthcare professionals. (16). Wu (17) gives a good practical illustration of this point. How should a potential patient advocate respond to a request for an amputation of a healthy limb from a patient suffering from a body dimorphic syndrome? One might suspect that such a request would produce considerable conflict in the professional practice of the advocate, quite apart from the almost certain conflict that it would arouse with most other professionals when this view was expressed. The assumption of such a role in these circumstances would suggest that the advocate would have to exhibit unconditional support of the patient’s expressed needs and the ability to suppress their own professional feelings on the subject. The concept of paternalism is commonly confused with advocacy in the literature. Some authorities refer to advocacy (wrongly in our view) as the action of assisting a patient through their illness trajectory, or particular clinical procedure, by acting as a resource to provide clarification, advice and education. Halbach (18) suggests that this type of activity is not advocacy for the patient, as it is not as a representative of the patient that the advocate is acting, but as a representative of the healthcare system and clearly this is quite a different concept. It is clearly admirable to help and guide the patient through the complexities of a medical procedure and to minimise the possibilities of miscommunication that can occur if the patient’s own intellectual capacities and abilities are limited. This type of â€Å"advocacy† does not however, represent the patient, Indeed, one could argue that such paternalism may be inadvertently (or even overtly) utilised as an opportunity of the albeit well meaning healthcare professional to bias or frankly manipulate the patient into making the preferred choice. This type of activity, although promoted as one of the attributes and requirements of advocacy, does little to clarify the confusion that exists in this area, as it is essentially doing what the healthcare professional believes is best for the patient, or in the patient’s best interests, even though it may actually override the patient’s expressed needs. It needs to be contrasted with the definition of advocacy that we are arguing in this essay which is advocating what the patient wants, even if this goes against what the healthcare professional actually believes is best for the patient. Obviously there are a number of clinical situations where advocacy and paternalism may appear to overlap, but a critical analysis of the situation should allow a clear, albeit fine, distinction between these two states. If the overriding analysis is that the advocate is essentially supporting the decisions that they believe are in the best interests of the patient, but not necessarily putting forward the views of the patient, then the action is paternalistic. This difference is all the more important when the patient is actually capable of expressing their own considered views in any event Malin (19) reminds us of the generally accepted definition of paternalism which is to override a person’s autonomously self determined choices on the grounds that they believe that it is in the patient’s best interests. If this is presented as paternalism then so be it. If it is presented as advocacy, then it is morally and ethically wrong. There are occasionally circumstances in which it is not possible to be sure of exactly what the patient wants. The paradox is that those who are able to express themselves are probably least likely to require an advocate and yet those who are actually in the greatest need of advocacy are those who may be unconscious or legally incompetent. If we embrace the arguments that we have set out so far, it follows that the healthcare professional who is acting in the capacity as patient advocate must do all that they can to help the patient. This is morally appropriate and recognised as part of the responsibility of the office. This is in direct distinction from considerations relating to the rest of the community, ones colleagues or, for that matter, other patients, which must not be considered if they are antagonistic to the position that the patient finds themselves in. The thrust of this argument clearly means that there may well be situations encountered, which may professionally, or even personally, compromise the activities of the patient advocate. We can return to Fried’s analogy with the criminal lawyer advocate in an attempt to find a compromise solution. Later in his article, Fried points to the fact that lawyers have to compromise themselves to provide optimum help for their clients and this includes acting knowing that they may compromise the position of others. As we have already outlined, a healthcare professional who agrees to be a patient advocate, may have to antagonise others if they are to carry out their duties impartially and with a proper ethical respect for client autonomy. (20) Fried takes his rationalisation to the limits when he states: The lawyer acts morally because he helps to preserve and express the autonomy of his client vis-à  -vis the legal system. Rights are violated if, through ignorance or misinformation about the law, an individual refrains from pursuing a wholly lawful purpose. Therefore, to assist others in understanding and realising their legal rights is always morally worthy. (11) If we accept the validity of this argument then we can also accept the corollary can apply to healthcare professionals. True representation is, in Fried’s terms, morally worthy and can be justified because it protects patient autonomy in the face of a â€Å"potentially overwhelming and intimidating healthcare system† (21) To bring this thread of argument full circle, we can point to the fact that it can therefore be considered part of the duty of the healthcare professional to provide assistance and guidance because, by virtue of their training knowledge and expertise, they have the experience to be expert navigators in the healthcare system. In the words of Schwartz The patient advocate assists the patient to do what they would otherwise be unable to do themselves. These arguments justify numbers five and six on the list above. Having established both the need and the parameters of the role of the patient advocate, we should now consider the qualities and the position of the patient advocate in general terms. The patient may be in a position to fulfil the role adequately themselves. In theoretical terms this may be seen as the best possible outcome, as clearly the ability to give informed consent is a natural sequel to the ability to represent oneself. In practical terms this is seldom accomplished as, by the very nature of being a patient, there is an implication of the state of illness and this brings with it a degree of vulnerability in all but the most stoic of individuals. Few patients have sufficient knowledge to be able to assimilate all that is told to them in the context of their illness and may also therefore benefit from having an â€Å"external† or uninvolved advocate. The friends and family of a patient are natural candidates for the role as they generally know the patient as a person, they are familiar with their needs and desires and can (sometimes) be relied upon to have an empathetic desire to ensure the best outcome for the patient. Such candidates may not be universally altruistic however, as there may be the possibility of family and friends having a vested interest in a less than optimum outcome of a patient’s illness. They may therefore be perceived as being at risk of overtly manipulating the situation or misrepresenting the patient, as there may be an outcome-related benefit for the family member. Inevitably there will be a commitment to a great deal of involvement, both in terms of time and emotional energy, which may be generously given, but should not be taken for granted. Such comments should obviously be considered by the healthcare professionals involved, but this should not be allowed to blind them to the common clinical e xperience that the vast majority of friends and family who wish to have an input in these circumstances are often both informed (about the patient) and deeply committed on their behalf. We should draw attention to the fact that some cultures and healthcare systems have experimented with the concept of the professional patient advocate, particularly in the area of psychiatric disease. (22). In countries such as Canada and Austria, patient advocates are trained and employed specifically to fulfil this role and nothing else. The theory being that by doing this there is no conflict of interest, and the element of paternalism is effectively eradicated from the scenario. Such advocacy should be in its purest form therefore with undivided loyalty to the interests of the patient and no professional bias or personality issues. In such a context, it is believed that there will be less intimidation or inhibition by medical beliefs or dogma and their official status will prevent them from being ignored. The studies that have been carried out in this area have revealed a downside which may not have been widely anticipated. The presence of a designated and professional patient advocate in the decision making process has the ability to engender an adversarial atmosphere where healthcare professionals may adopt a defensive stance which is not optimal for efficient and effective patient care, particularly in the field of psychiatric illness. (23). Practical difficulties ensue when personnel, who may not have wide experience in assessing and handling people in the course of an illness trajectory, may actually be unable to accurately assess the patient’s own goals, values and beliefs. Because such projects are still in their infancy, a number of other potential practical problems have yet to be resolved. The issue of responsibility and accountability is not formalised. One has to question the options open to a patient who finds that they believe that their professional advocate has given them bad advice or poor representation. There are, as yet, no formalised pathways for redress. Doctors have a track record of fulfilling the role as the patient advocate. To an extent, it may be considered a natural extension of their â€Å"job description† and role in the community. Some doctors may be more fitted than others by virtue of their particular position in the medical hierarchy, their personality or their disposition towards particular patients. For example the GP is likely to have built up a relationship over the years with many of his patients and will know them, their families, their wishes, and their personality intimately. One might think that they might be prime candidates for the job. Equally a specialist who may have no knowledge of the patient and may be (for example) and excellent technician in his field but suffers from an inability to communicate well with patients may be a very poor candidate. In addition to these considerations we have already referred to the potential conflict of interests which have arisen in respect of GP Fundholding in the UK where the GP has a theoretical, and in some cases, real problem in balancing his ethical duty to the patient with his financial responsibilities to the community at large (2). For this reason, some doctors find that they cannot realistically act for the interests of the individual patient when they are overtly conscious of their obligations to the pressures of funding a balanced service for the community at large. Some doctors also have cultivated a paternalistic approach to their practice. This is an observation and not intended as criticism, as some would hold that it is an approach which works, and is appreciated by certain sections of the community. (24) In the context of this essay however, for reasons which we have set out in detail above, it is an approach which is not compatible with our definition of advocacy. Such an approach is capable of not being trusted to set out the patient’s interests as the patient perceives them. As we have illustrated earlier, it is more likely to be set out as the doctor believes would be best for the patient, and this removes the possibility of true patient autonomy. (25) Acting in accordance with the Principle of beneficence does not necessarily imply that one is acting in accordance with the patient’s explicit wishes. We have also considered peripherally, the fact that, in acting in a capacity as an advocate, a doctor may find certain other professional conflicts of interest and may therefore find his capacity to act as an unbiased advocate severely impaired. Traditionally the nurse has frequently filled the role of the patient advocate and, on face value, it would appear that the nurse is possibly in the most favourable position to fulfil the role. (26) The nurse has a professional medical training and is well versed with healthcare procedures and practicalities. In a hospital setting, they are the healthcare professionals who tend to spend most of their professional time in direct contact with the patients and are therefore perhaps best placed to be able to holistically assess their needs, aspirations and goals in the widest connotation of these terms. Their professional body (the UKCC) endorses their involvement in this role. The converse of these points include the fact that the nurse, like the doctor, has potential conflicts of professional interest, not often the financial considerations that may fall to the doctor, but other considerations, where there is an antagonism of a professional position where there is a duty to society in general, or perhaps a duty to the profession and the duty to the patient in the role of a patient advocate. A topical situation could be illustrated by the debate over Herceptin (Trastuzumab) which has not yet been fully evaluated and costed by the regulatory authorities, but is in demand by sufferers of advanced forms of breast malignancy. If a nurse was acting in the capacity of an advocate for such a patient, one would have to consider how she would resolve her professional difficulties in recommending a drug that is not yet fully licensed, her duty to society in general to uphold the regulatory pharmaceutical mechanisms and her obligations to the patient who is telling her that she believes that this drug is her best chance of long term survival. (after 27) The NHS Plan 2000 sets out to promote the â€Å"seamless interface of care† between healthcare professionals together with concepts such as multidisciplinary team working. (28) Such concepts are difficult to reconcile with what may transpire to become an adversarial situation. As we have already examined this type of situation in respect of doctors, we shall therefore not set it out again. It is however, appropriate to observe that this adversarial element may be particularly problematic for the nurse as working practices in the past have required appropriate deference to the doctor, and this shift of loyalty may cause particular difficulty in those healthcare professionals who are uncomfortable with this apparent change of stance. Lastly, we note that the formal nursing and medical training in the UK does not currently contain any element of specific learning about this topic. (12). Clearly the general knowledge relating to the workings of the healthcare services and the profession specific training are good preparations for the role but it is quite possible to become qualified without becoming aware of the potential problems associated with advocacy that have been set out here. Medical law and ethics are traditionally poorly represented in the professional curriculum (29) as is specific training in communication skills and the art of negotiation. There is one point that is common to all potential patient advocates that we have not yet addressed. We have considered the fact that the patient may make seemingly irrational, bizarre or idiosyncratic choices may place the patient advocate in a difficult position. If this is the case,