Pulp Fiction: Shortcomings of a “Neo-Noir” Essay

The remarkable stylistic conventions of classical film noir have made it one of the most memorable and recognizable film genres to this day. Each film noir picture is uniquely told though it use of degrees of darkness, contrasting lighting, rain-covered city streets, isolated protagonist, and devious dames that effortlessly lure men into a cold trap of criminal deeds. Pulp Fiction, a film by Quentin Tarantino, is said to be one of film noir’s strongest roots with its setting of a dark, criminal underworld. While the film does play around the edges of traditional film noir, it cannot be accurately be claimed a â€Å"neo-noir† due to several variances it takes with some of the most fundamental elements of film noir. Many visual and narrative devices have taken a different route in such a manner that one cannot classify it as conventional film noir. One of the most obvious breaks that Pulp Fiction makes from traditional film noir is the film being shot primarily in the day time. When one thinks of film noir, they automatically think darkness because it is always the film’s visual theme. The symbolic use of heavy shadows and key lighting is what makes film noir so great and gives the overall grim mood to the picture. When the murders occur the lighting is very dark, and most of the time, only illuminates the killers face as he is firing the bullets such as in The Killers when the two assassins come and kill the Swede. This style shows how emotionless the murders are as we only focus on their face from the lighting, thus giving the audience a very cold and dark feeling. We never get this feeling or situation in Pulp Fiction as all of the killing is done in the daytime, with the room well lit. There are no murders at night; in fact there are only two night scenes shot in the entire movie. There is not as much emotion or overall visual effect that we usually see with murders in film noir. A similarity we see between classic film noir and Pulp fiction that adds to the visual detail of the film is constant smoking. Almost every character in Pulp Fiction smokes and they do it every chance they get. In classical film noir this smoking added to the effect of the darkness and lighting because the rooms where always filled with smoke which increased the feeling of uncertainty and gloom. In Pulp fiction, it has a greatly diminished symbolic effect because of the shots always being in the daytime. The only scene that compares to classic film noir is the shot of Butch in the taxicab with Esmarelda. This shot is the only one in the entire film that comes closest to a typical noir setting. This scene is shot at night in a cab traveling in the city streets of Los Angles. There is heavy contrast lighting from the streetlights and the camera angle is shot from the third-person facing the two characters in the car. From this view the audience gets a great visual picture of their face s because of the contrast of light that only illuminates both Butch and Esmarelda. Butch asks for a cigarette and Esmarelda gives him one right away, striking the match on the dash as we see in most noir films. Now the setting is dark and the car is filling with smoke, which gives a great setting for Esmarelda to ask, â€Å"what does it feel like to kill a man?† This moment is a perfect resurrection of classical film noir because we see the murderer and a questionable femme fatale having strong interest on what it is like to take a life. As Butch claims that he did not know that he killed the man until she told him, there is a pause, and then he tells her that he does not feel â€Å"a damn thing.† This is the cold moment we see from the noir style but they usually last much longer in traditional film noir. In contrast, the scene in Pulp Fiction ends abruptly as Butch leaves the taxi and goes home to Fabienne, whom he is having an intimate relationship with. The mood of the movie completely changes and all possible questions about Esmarelda being the femme fatale are erased as she is now out of the story. This scene is as close as we get to a typical noir setting with all the elements of darkness, lighting, and smoke combined to create a better feeling of how cold Butch is towards killing another man. A film noir with out a femme fatale is hardly a film noir at all. Often called â€Å"spider woman† they play the most important role in all film noir as they weave a trap to which our male antagonist always falls into creating the plot and crime of the story. â€Å"Independence is her goal but her nature is fundamentally and irredeemably sexual in film noir† (Place 6). In Pulp fiction, the audience is drawn in to believe that Mia is our femme fatale as the first time we are introduced to her all we hear is her seductive voice and then the camera flashes to a shot of just her lips, covered in fresh red lipstick. The next shot we see of her is only her feet as she tells Vincent it is time to go. This is a typical visual style we see in noir as it shows how the man begins to get seduced such as the shot of Phyllis’ legs as she goes down the staircase in Double Indemnity. With the background knowledge of Mia being the millionaires, Marsellus Wallace’s wife, we are led to think that she is a typical femme fatale who wants to escape like Kathie in Out of the Past. As they go out on their date, Vincent and Mia have some of the same back and forth flirtatious dialogue that we see in film noir such as when Mia says, â€Å"That’s when you’ve found somebody really special, when you can just shut the fuck up for a minute, and comfortably share a silence.† They have a good time, win a dance competition, and it seems as if Mia is certainly seductive enough towards Vincent to get him trapped when they get home. It is exactly at this point that the typical principles of film noir begin to fall apart. Vincent takes himself in the bathroom and has a self-debate on whether or not to sleep with the boss’s wife. In traditional film noir, rational is completely taken over by impulse and the male-lead always falls into some kind of trap. In Pulp fiction, Vincent decides that he is just going to say goodbye and rejects the advances of the femme fatale, which is completely out of line if we want to classify this film as noir. Immediately after, Mia overdoses which completely changes the entire mood of the movie. We are no longer thinking about Mia seducing Vincent, it has now turned into a climactic struggle to save Mia’s life. Although Mia has her juicy red lips, smooth voice, and powerful sexuality, her downfall proves that there is no place for a character such as a femme fatale in this movie. â€Å"Her failure as an actress and her later overdose leaves her weak, powerless and deathly pale, a far cry from the sexually potent and glamorous fatales of the classical noir period† (Em L, â€Å"Film in Focus†). A feature in Pulp fiction that related to classic film noir was the use of a non-sequential narrative structure. Although Pulp fiction did not use the exact same structure, the events were seen out of chronological order. The structure typically seen in noir is encompassed by on overall flashback that gives detail and explanation of the downfall of the male protagonist. Stories in film noir typically begin at the end or middle, and the flashback us usually narrated by the protagonist. In these fist-person voice-over narrations we learn how the protagonist got to the situation he is in now. Since the character is relating the story directly to the audience, we are able to create a connection with the character, and understand his disturbed thoughts. Pulp fiction takes a different approach, as there is no specific male protagonist in the film. Instead of one person illustrating events from past to present, we are given multiple characters experiences in various timeframes. The audience is show different points of departure from each character in the story and the story rewinds and we experience the same timeframe but from someone else’s point of view. This continues until we come full circle to the robbery scene, where now, all of the pieces of the puzzle have been put together. â€Å"Director Quentin Tarantino said he was aiming to make a trilogy taking elements of the old crime stories and mixing them together† (Blake, â€Å"Linear Narrative†). â€Å"Part of the trick is to take these movie characters, these genre characters and these genre situations and actually apply them to some of real life’s rules and see how they unravel† (Tarantino). Although this was a great style to put the movie together it is unclear if it could be used to show the downfall of the protagonist. The flashback marks the solidified fate of the noir heroes, showing how he was doomed from the start. If the audience has to relate to many characters rather than just one, the powerful connection we get in film noir is lost. The most noticeable and prominent variation from the framework of film noir in Pulp Fiction is the rejection of pessimism expected from the conclusion of the film. All noir heroes are doomed from the start. Since the flashback structure is completely different than classic film noir we do not see how any of the characters are trapped in a fate they cannot escape. In fact, almost everyone does get a happy ending. Jules decides he is done being a hit man after is â€Å"divine intervention† and says that he is not going to kill a man again but become a sheppard for the lord. Butch is free to go after he comes back for Marsellus who was getting raped by Zed. Vincent does die but with the timeline out of order he is killed in the middle in the movie rather than in the end where he walks out of the restaurant with Jules. Even Ringo and Yolanda have a happy ending as Jules teaches them a lesson and they still get away with lots of money. Noir films are supposed to leave the audience with a dark and cold feeling, which was definitely not the case here. The pessimistic tone we get from the confessional nature of the flashback creates the view of negativity that last the entirety of the film. Film noir may even be called it’s own genre because of its many visual and narrative elements that made it like no other style. It was a â€Å" world of darkness and violence, with a central figure whose motives are usually greed, lust and ambition, whose world is filled with fear (Higham 27). Although Pulp Fiction carries some of these elements it should not be classified as a â€Å"neo noir† as it lacks some of the greatest aspects that made film noir so special. If it is the roots of film noir, it greatly undermines the movement that was like no other ever scene in American cinema. Works Cited Em L. â€Å"Film in Focus: Suburban Noir & Pulp Fiction.† Film Student Central. N.p., 11 Oct. 2009. Web. 20 June 2012. . Higham, Charles, and Joel Greeburg. â€Å"Noir Cinema.† Film Noir Reader. New Jersey: Limelight Editions, 1996. 27. Print. Place, Janey. â€Å"Women in Film Noir.† N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print. Blake, CG. â€Å"Linear vs. Non-linear Narrative.† A New Fiction Writers Forum. N.p., 6 Dec. 2011. Web. 21 June 2012. .

To investigate the effect to the potato cells in the different solute concentration water Essay

Water can move through the different cells due to the difference of water potentials in the cells. If there is a higher solute concentration in the cell than outside the cell, the water will move into the cell. However, if the concentration of inside the cell is lower than the outside, water will not move into the cell. This process is called osmosis. Research question; This investigation will determine how different concentrated sugar water will affect to the mass change of the potato cells using the concept of osmosis. Hypothesis; I predict that the potato slice in beaker C will gain the most increased mass than beaker B and C. The reason is that since beaker C has a highest concentration among the test beakers, it will affect the most to the potato cells. The movement of water will move actively in beaker C. Variables; Independent Variable In this experiment the independent variable will be the sucrose concentration of water. This is controlled by using a specific amount of sugar that we pour into the distilled water. We will do the activity in the solutions with concentration of 0, 0.25, 0.50%. Dependent Variable The dependent variable will be the size of potato slices that goes into the solutions. This depends on the various environmental factors during making a slice of potato such as the thickness of core or the peel of potato. Thus it could differ during the experiment. Controlled Variable Anything that can change the result of this experiment will be the controlled variables. Therefore, we need to control variables that can be controlled to get the most accurate and reliable data in this experiment. Also the purpose of an experiment is to find out the cause of the lab and how it affects. Without these variables, it would b e difficult to determine which cause made the effect out of the lab. Water Level; Clearly if we have higher level of water in the beaker to make concentrated sugar water, the concentration will be lower than the less level of water. To get the consistent data, we need to control the level of water in the same level possible. Size of Cores; We will use the slices of potato in this lab, and if we have different sizes of potato slices due to the different sizes of cores that we have used to make a slices, the result will be vary as the size gets bigger or smaller. Therefore, during the lab, we need to use the same type and size of the cores. Type of Potatoes; If there are different types of potatoes, the osmosis that happens to the potato from the sugar water will not be the same. This needs to be controlled by using a same type of potato to get the most accurate data possible. Time of submersion; If one potato slice has stayed in the solution longer than the other sets, the data is not reliable because it is not experimented in equal amount of time. In order to get the reliable data, we need to measure the time equally and record it to the data paper. Size of the petri dish; We need to use the same size of the petri dishes to collect the reliable and accurate data. Different size of the petri dishes will boost or slow down the osmosis in the potato cells. Humidity; Humidity near the experiment place will also affect to the experiment. If the pace is hot and dry, the solution may evaporate soon due to the particles inside the solution absorbs the heat. Also when it is cold, the osmosis may not work normally. Due to these facts, we need to control the size of the petri dishes to get the best data possible. Temperature of the solutions; If the solution A’s temperature is higher than the solution B and C, it will affect to the speed and rate of the osmosis. In order to get the reliable and best data, we need to control the temperature of the solutions in to equal celsius possible. Apparatus; 3 different concentrated solutions (0, 25, 50 mol/dm^3) Beakers Pipettes Potato cores Balance Measuring cylinder Petri dishes Black pen Ruler Potato slices Procedure; 1. Using black pen to label the 3 different concentrated solutions and label them A, B and C. (Each solutions contain 100ml) 2. Record the physical properties of the potato slices. Place the slices of potatoes into the each petri dishes and label them a, b and c. 3. Pour the solutions in to each petri dishes about 36ml. (A to a, B to b, C to c) 4. Wait for 2 days.

Summary response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Summary response paper - Essay Example Moreau, the classic science fiction novel by famed author Herbert George Wells in which animals and humans were grafted into each other in various combinations, producing instead a distinct class of sub-humans. Anything that is considered as cruel, unusual or painful experimentation on animals is now prohibited due to the adoption of these ethical standards as a safeguard against unauthorized experiments. Moral ethics has been around for quite some time; the issues related to it had been discussed in great detail by the ancient Greek philosophers. Ethics today has entered into many areas of human endeavors, such as its increasing adoption by global businesses in the form of corporate social responsibility that has tempered the search for profits under capitalist free markets. Giant strides in medical technologies only fairly recently presented a new set of moral dilemmas, for which people are sometimes not too prepared to deal with, issues like euthanasia, abortion, organ donations, brain death, palliative medicine and the surrogate pregnancy trend in which more women are now willing to rent out their wombs for a fee. In this regard, this paper examines the biomedical issues related to whether animals also have the same rights as people and the propriety of continuing conducting experiments on animals. Discussion In his well-argued article entitled â€Å"The Case for the Use of Animals in Biomedical Research† and published in The New England Journal of Medicine back in 1986, Carl Cohen claims that animal experiments should continue because the arguments against them, that the animals have rights which are being violated and all sentient creatures must not suffer pain or any kind of unnecessary or avoidable suffering, are both wrong from a moral perspective. His succinct explanations debunked the two arguments put forward by animal rights advocates on the basis of animals having no rights at all because they have no moral capacity to make any choices or g ive consent, and secondly, the animals â€Å"are not capable of grasping the generality of an ethical premise in a practical syllogism† and it is only humans who can think at a highly abstract level (Cohen 96). With this in mind, he therefore strongly argues in favor of animal experiments for the benefit of science and mankind, in the hope that these experiments will be able to provide benefits for patients with new drug discoveries as well as also sparing humans from being used in biomedical research studies as the subjects themselves, in lieu of animals. A close analysis will show that Prof. Cohen leans towards utilitarianism as his justification. I do not agree nor accept the stance of Prof. Carl Cohen that animals have no rights. The argument he used is that of speciesism, which he did not equate with racism or sexism as it is something entirely different altogether. What he is doing is bordering on casuistry (or hair splitting) and he is likewise equally guilty of the sa me accusations he had leveled against his critics, mainly that of â€Å"drawing an offensive moral conclusion from a deliberately devised verbal parallelism that is utterly specious.† Cohen argued that animal species are not the same and therefore do not have the same rights in an equal measure, but rather that Peter Singer is grossly mistaken to formulate and defend his â€Å"principle of equal consideration of interests†

Statement of Purpose Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Of Purpose - Personal Statement Example Criminology is my favorite subject and I think this is a right time for me to go further in the field of criminology as I have not only completed my bachelor degree but also I fully determined to establish my career in criminal justice department. My good grades in the criminology related subjects, which I studied at bachelor level, also show my extreme interest and aptitude in the field of criminal justice. Another reason why am I interested in the master degree program that is being offered by the University of South Florida is my passion and determination to obtain master degree from one of the top universities of the world. I am seeking my professional career in criminal justice, and that can be possible if I study under guidance of highly experienced faculty of this university. My English language proficiency, educational background in criminal justice, and interest in this field make me a suitable candidate for getting admission in the University of South Florida. The Universit y of South Florida is known for its talented faculty not only in the fields of accounting, public health, and arts, but also in all other courses that are being offered by the university. It is due to the well-experienced faculty of University of South Florida, that today I feel very pleased while thinking of doing my masters from this university.

Statement of Purpose + Autobiography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statement of Purpose + Autobiography - Essay Example The testimonies of students do attest to a driven and highly respected learning community; the presence of a culture that fosters innovation and academic contribution; and having a highly competent faculty. Perhaps, the most appealing feature of the graduate programs that Fielding offers is the establishment of nurturing mentoring relationships with the students. I am a strong advocate of coaching and mentoring, and do believe that a post graduate student should be accountable for his or her learning as well. Its reputation is attested to by its accolades. For one, it is the sole program in clinical psychology that is acknowledged and certified by the American Psychological Association. Moreover, it explicitly expresses its intent to teach out of the box, and beyond the conventional graduate programs offered by similar learning institutions. Since I am strongly for innovation as a value, I would like to be part of a learning community that similarly attaches premium to out-of-box thinking. Moreover, in future practice, both in the professional and research spheres, I would like to explore more non-traditional counseling areas where I can add the most value. Yet another personal advocacy that I have is the respect for diversity, which is also apparently espoused by Fielding. The site indicates that Fieldings Clinical Psychology program " brings a rich diversity of prior learning and professional experience with backgrounds in psychology and many students have experience as therapists and counselors". I believe that interaction with individuals of varying backgrounds will make the learning experience richer, as it will permit you to evaluate issues and insights from differing perspectives. I plan to be as inclusive as possible in my practice, helping as many people as I can possibly can. In fact, I have a strong leaning towards helping indigents. Fielding has acknowledged the

Supreme Court Appeals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Supreme Court Appeals - Essay Example This refers to a court order that requests lower courts to send documents as well as materials pertaining to the case to the Supreme Court. The justices are required to vote to make a decision on whether or not the case has merit before granting a writ of certiorari (Denis et al, 2014). It takes a combination of different criteria for the Court to judge if a case is â€Å"certworthy.† A Circuit Conflict is the first criterion employed by the Supreme Court in granting certiorari. This criterion is used when there is a conflict amongst the lower federal courts concerning an issue. The conflict must be unbearable and current. The reputation of the lower courts involved in the conflict is a variable when employing this criterion (â€Å"Granting Certiorari† par.7). The Importance of a case is also another criterion for judging if a case is ‘certworthy.’ There are a number of different ways that a case can be important enough to attract the Supreme Court’s attention. Similarly, cases that are important to the polity due to the societal and political impact of their resolution, for example Brown v. Board of Education as well as Roe v. Wade, can attract the attention of the Court. As a rule, two other factors influence the Court’s assessment of the importance of a case: breadth, that is, the potential impact on many people as well as the effect on the federal government (â€Å"Granting Certiorari† par.9). Another criterion is the areas of Interest to the Justices of the Supreme Court. Some justices may have a particular hobbyhorse and that can influence on whether the Court awards certiorari or not. Repeatedly, a Justice’s area of interest is determined by personal history as well as geographic origin. For instance, justices from the West might be favor of granting certiorari in water rights cases. Flagrant abuses of justice or flagrant disregard for accepted legal doctrine can sometimes

Nature of the Opportunity Confronting Case Study

Nature of the Opportunity Confronting - Case Study Example Large companies were interested in using the technology of E Ink in their operations as an initiative for technological development. The large area display market is considered as a building- block opportunity to them. As the products are right in line with the path to create electronic paper, it will build market driven mentality and attract customer loyalty. Flat panel displays also provided them to acquire huge scope in the market. As they had planned for publishing thus it was a wonderful opportunity to grow in the market of the US where large number of people invested in newspapers and electronic books. Thus, the company had enough opportunities to survive and increase competitive advantage over other existing competitors in the market. 2.0 Three-Stage Approach to Achieve Long Term Goal   The three stage approach of E Ink was to achieve their long term goals namely large area display, battery powered flat panel displays and radio paper. The company had planned to enter into a large area display market by focusing on single product for a single market along with single niche. It was technologically much advanced than other existing large area display technologies. ... It possessed ample benefits over Liquid Crystal Display because it performs extremely well on low temperature due to its broad range of temperature. In addition, it is light in weight, readable in sunlight, holds image without using of power drain and possesses broad viewing angle. For more improvement of technology, scientists combine E Ink with transistor backplane as it would be possible to change the high resolution images through the application of charge to the ink. Publishing radio paper was the final goal of E Ink as larger number of newspaper was sold in the US. This industry was considered as a matured business for E Ink. Their plan was to offer a single newspaper to the customers in which content were fully updated and the customers could be aware of all the news in a short period of time. In case of publishing of book, E Ink developed a single paper book for the customers which would be possible to update by means of wireless network through customized content. These are the approaches through which the company can achieve their goals in future. 3.0 How Much Money Should The Company Raise? From Whom? On What Terms? E Ink required certain amount of funds for improving their business. The improvement in large area displays of E Ink required $10 to $20 million. For flat panel displays, the company required extra $30 to $50 million. E Ink needed nearly $50 million to $100 million to properly maintain the publishing business. It was observed that the company needed $20 million in order to maintain progress over the subsequent five fiscal quarters from Newstime Publishing. The investor was attracted by E Ink and thus decided to finance them. Out of $15.8 million in bank the

Terrorism is a form of risk that is impossible to manage Essay

Terrorism is a form of risk that is impossible to manage - Essay Example Terrorism always stems up in the weakest of classes within a society. (THACKRAH, 2004) Its infancy is thus bred and nourished in the lowest of classes within the culture. This weak class in a third world nation is in reality the masses. What people think about the form of government is really given an air of indifferent experiences when terrorism starts to crop up all of a sudden. This creates a feeling of hatred for the governmental institutions as well as the people at the helm of affairs, i.e., the ones who are generating the policies and are running the government. (OOTS, 1986) Terrorism demands of people to change their way of looking and expecting something, if they do for that matter, from the government. It has been the case for many years that whenever government within a certain country is in a position of economic and defense power, terrorism creeps up out of the blue and mesmerizes its democratic institutions beyond repair and restoration. The need of the hour on these countries’ part is to fight against the terrorist activities with a stern hand but in a more disciplined and ethical fashion. If the same is not done, hatred is the most common of reactions that have been seen for time immemorial for these countries. Terrorism has changed the face of the world. The people of this world have started to feel unsafe whenever they are within a horde and thus different assumptions have started to come about as concerns to the basis of different congregations, events, concerts and so on and so forth. This has really presented a very grim picture of the peace aspect related with this world. It has to be changed and there needs to be thinking mindset shift within the global populace to start with. People need to understand their respective responsibilities and then echo the same in the light of the different policies and strategies

Free trade and its effects on texas as a state and the US as a nation Essay

Free trade and its effects on texas as a state and the US as a nation - Essay Example While protectionist measures may sometimes have short term gains, in terms of the long view, free trade encourages competition and benefits the consumer. The state of Texas is a large state with a large international border, and several large metropolitan areas, several of which also serve as border cities with Mexico. Texas is also a state that has busy port cities. Therefore, ever since NAFTA, Texas has had an increasingly favorable free trade environment. â€Å"Expanding trade has brought jobs and business to Texas but has left the state particularly vulnerable to antitrade actions. Texas would suffer greatly if the U.S. and other countries implement protectionist measures† (Skelton, 2009). Texas sees various benefits from free trade, including exporting contracts which rival major east coast and west coast US states such as New York, California, and Florida. Therefore, many worry that protectionist measures will stifle Texas’ growth that it has seen since the mid 1990s in terms of free trade with Latin American nations and Mexico. However, as one source notes, â€Å"This very success leaves the state exposed to pro tectionist experimentation, particularly in the Americas. While attempts to curtail imports and lock out foreign companies damage the U.S. economy and harm U.S. consumers, the effects would be particularly detrimental to the Texas economy† (Skelton, 2009). There are many perspectives to consider on the issue of free trade vs. protectionism. Questions of free trade and protectionism impact the US and international as well as the state levels, and there is an equal variety of points of view, some supporting free trade and some supporting protectionism. Kurlantzick’s article is critical of international expansion. The author posits that a more global atmosphere is facing many challenges in the present, despite a high point in the latter part of the twentieth century. â€Å"Synchronized economic slowdowns in Asia, Europe and the United

Helping Children Improve their Self-Esteem Essay Example for Free

Helping Children Improve their Self-Esteem Essay To have a healthy sense of self-esteem is what most parents would want their young children to have. Special emphasis is given to self-esteem because parents know that self- esteem has a powerful effect on communication behavior. Also, many observers believe that at the bottom of the many societal problems lie in low self-esteem. Adler and Towne added that â€Å"people with high self esteem are more willing to communicate that people with low self-esteem† (48). Although self-esteem has been studied and scrutinized for many years already, specialists and educators still argue about its nature and development. Even so, they all generally agree that parents and other adults who are important to children play a major role in laying a solid foundation for a childs development. So what or how is self-esteem defined and illustrated in the different social contexts? Self-esteem is said to be a part of self concept that involves evaluations of self worth. The basics of self-esteem laid early in life when infants develop attachments with those who are responsible for them. Babies learn to feel loved and valued when those who look after them readily respond to their cries and smiles. By being loved and accepted by the people they idolize, children come to feel loved and accepted too. Also, parents and teachers can help their children to build healthy self-esteem by teaching good values, expressing appreciation, giving challenges, and coping with defeats. As children become increasingly sensitive to evaluations by their peers, parents and teachers can be very instrumental in fostering positive relationships with the children’s peers. You can also help the child by being clear about good values and keeping the communication lines open about experiences outside the home. When adults respond to the childs interests and efforts with appreciation rather than just praise, a childs sense of self-worth is more likely to deepen. Imagine this, when your child shows interest in something you are doing, you might want to include the child in the activity. In this manner, you respond positively to your childs interest by treating it seriously. On the contrary, flattery and praise can sometimes distract children from the topics they are interested in because children may develop a habit of expressing interest in a subject matter just to receive flattery. Tasks and activities that offer a real challenge than from those that are merely playful or funs are more likely to benefit children from. Involving the children in doing house hold chores will help boost self-esteem because it will give the children a sense of accomplishment. Cutright also put emphasis that rather than emphasizing constant successes and triumphs, parents and teachers can help the child develop and maintain healthy self-esteem by helping him or her cope with defeats. When love and support remain unchanged during times of disappointment or crisis, the childs weakened self-esteem can be strengthened when parents or teachers let the child feel that. As a conclusion, parents and teachers can play a significant role in strengthening childrens self-esteem by treating them respectfully, taking their views and opinions seriously, and expressing appreciation to them. Also, parents must keep in mind that self-esteem is an important part of every childs development. Reference: Adler, Ronald B. , and Neil Towne. Looking out/looking in interpersonal communication. 2nd ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978. Cutright, Melitta. Self-esteem: the key to a childs success and happiness. PTA Today 17 (1992): 5-6.

Segmental Features Between Arabic And English

Segmental Features Between Arabic And English This assignment is a complement to the first assignment titled as comparative and contrastive description of segmental features between the Arabic and English languages. In this assignment, differently, the light will be shed on comparative and contrastive description of suprasegmental features between the above-mentioned languages. Ellery, et al. (1995) indicated that features of spoken languages which are not identified as discrete segments are variously referred as prosodic features, non- segmental features or suprasegmental features (p.327). Ellery, et al. (1995) also stated that prosody refers to prosodic features of speech, namely, tone, stress, intonation and others. Thus, three prosodic features will be discussed to show the similarities and differences between English and Arabic. Besides, the focus will be shifted to identifying the problems the Arab learners often face in learning English in terms of prosody. 1-Arabic 1.1 Syllable Structure Reima (2007) stated that Arabic language has three syllable types. These are summarized as follows: 1- Super heavy syllables CVVC CVCC. The super heavy syllable consists of one consonant immediately followed by one or two vowels and end in one or two consonants as in: 2- Heavy syllables CVC CVV. The heavy syllable consists of one consonant immediately followed by one or two vowels as in: 3- Light syllable: CV. The light syllable consists of a consonant immediately followed by one short vowel as in: Reima (2007) asserted that formation of syllables is regular in the Arabic language. In addition, it is not typical to find any syllable in the Arabic language starts with V or CC. 1.2 Stress According to Reima (2007) Watson (2007) the Arabic language has three word stress levels. These are the primary, secondary and weak levels. Swan Smith (2001), Reima (2007) indicated that stress in the Arabic language is predictable and regular. In other words, one can predict or determine the stress of the Arabic words. Swan Smith (2001) stated that Arab learners face difficulty in predicting stress in the English language, particularly in word stress. The difficulty of grasping word stress in English may result in altering the meaning of the word. For instance, a learner may pronounce the verb (convict) as the noun (convict) where the stress position is completely different. Reima (2007) summarized the Arabic stress as follows: 1- If a word contains one super heavy syllable or more, stress falls on the last super heavy syllable as in: 2- If a word contains heavy and light syllables, stress falls on the heavy syllable before the final syllable (nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ final heavy syllable) as in: 3- If a word contains light syllables, stress falls on the first syllable as in: 4- If a word is a present or a past verb, stress falls on the first syllable as in: 5- If a word is a masculine or feminine Arabic noun, stress falls on the second syllable as in: 1.3 Intonation According to Swan Smith (2001) Arabic and English have closely similar intonation patterns, especially in meaning and contour. Reima (2007) summarized the Arabic stress as follows: 1- In Arabic, falling intonation is used at the end of: Declarative statements: the voice starts on amid pitch, rises slightly on the last stressed syllable and drop to a low pitch at the end as in: In commands as in: In Whà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ questions: voice is high in stressed syllable and falls quickly to mid pitch for the rest of the sentence as in: 2- In Arabic, risingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ falling intonation is normally used at the end of: Yesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ no questions as in: In utterances containing an element of protest or surprise: voice is flat, no rise no fall as in: In vocatives as in: In requests: the voice rises and falls somewhat, with an optional pause as in: 1.4 Rhythm In speech, rhythm has been defined as an effect involving the isochronous recurrence of some type of speech unit (Pike (1945), Abercrombie (1967), Bloch (1950). Dauer (1983) argued that the perception of different types of rhythm has mainly to do with differences in syllable structure, vowel reduction and types of stress. As to Arabic, according to Barkat et al. (1999) Arabic and its various dialects are all stress-timed. Based on the articles I have read, there is a consensus among researchers that Arabic listeners make use of speech rhythm to distinguish between speakers. For instance, Barkat et al. (1999) revealed that speakers of Arabic, due to rhythm, can distinguish between speakers of Arabic from North Africa and speakers living in the Middle East. Many studies have been conducted on Arabic rhythm. One of the important findings is the highness if vocalic intervals in the eastern Arabic dialects such as Palestine than western Arabic dialects such as Tunisia. 2-English 2.1 Syllable Structure According to Deterding poedjosoedarmo (1998) the distinction between light and heavy syllables can be helpful in predicting stress in English. The former contains a diphthong and/or several consonants in the coda while the latter contains a single short vowel. Heavy syllables tend to be stressed and light ones tend not to be stressed. The relationship between syllables and stress is extremely related. Deterding poedjosoedarmo (1998) argued there are not pure rules that help learners accurately predict stress placement in multisyllabic words; however, knowing the syllable structures- heavy and light syllables may solve the problem and prove useful. All in all, understanding stress rules in English entails understanding syllable structures first. English words are different in terms of the number of syllables. Some contain one, or two. Some may contain three or four. Some examples are provided below: 2.2 Stress Chomsky and Halle (1968) suggested that stress, like the Arabic language within English words is predictable, and several sets of complex rules have been proposed for predicting stress. Stress is very important in English as it is a major feature that distinguishes certain pairs of words. According to Christophersen (1996), English has the following stress rules: The great majority of twoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ syllable words are stressed on the first syllable, e.g.: A number of words have two different stress patterns according to whether they are verbs or nouns, adjectives or verbs e.g.: Noticeably, nouns and adjectives are stressed on the first syllable while verbs are given stress on the second syllable. According to Deterding poedjosoedarmo (1998) derivational suffixes ca be classified into three types: stress-preserving, stress-attracting and stress-shifting. The first type does not change stress placement in words such as -ful, as in wonder/ wonderful. The second type receives primary stress such as -ee, as in employ/ emplyee. The last type make the stress shift such as -ive, as in reflex/ reflexive. The analysis of suffixation on stress placement is outlined below: When a suffix is added to a word, the new form is stressed on the syllable as was the basic word, e.g.: words ending in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ tion , à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ sion , à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ic , à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ical, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ity , almost always have primary stress on the syllable preceding the ending , e.g. : If a word ending in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ate or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ment has only two syllables, the stress falls on the last syllable if the word is a verb, but on the first syllable if the word is a noun or an adjective. When stressed , the ending is pronounced [eÉ ªt], [mÉâ„ ¢nt] ; when unstressed, it is pronounced [ t], [mÉâ„ ¢nt], e.g. : If a word ending in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ate, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ment has more than two syllables, the main stress will fall on the third syllable from the end. In verbs, the final syllable is pronounced [eÉ ªt] , [mÉâ„ ¢nt]; in nouns it is pronounced [ t], [mÉâ„ ¢nt] , e.g.: Stress placement is also affected by compounding. When two roots are combined to produce new words, the resulting word is called a compound (Deterding poedjosoedarmo 1998 (p. 100). The rules are summarized below: compound nouns have a primary stress on the first component, e.g.: In compound verbs, the primary stress falls on the second component, e.g.: In the intensiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ reflexive pronouns, the stronger accent falls on the last syllable ,e.g.: Numbers ending in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ teen may receive primary stress on either syllable, e.g.: In words ending in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ion, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ sive, the stress falls on the last vowel before the ending .e.g.: The majority of English compounds have single stress .e.g.: All compounds with a present participle, as the first element, have a single stress, e.g.: A double stress is used in compounds of two nouns, if the first noun indicates the material of which or with which the second is made, e. g.: A double stress is used in compounds that have two nouns, each noun indicates a distinct characteristic of the same person or thing, e.g. : In most sentences, some words are more important than others and we indicate this by the way we stress or unstress them. The following words are usually unstressed: articles: a, an, the, prepositions such as at etc. personal pronouns such as I etc. possessive adjectives such as my etc. relative pronouns such as who etc. conjunctions such as and etc. The following words are usually stressed: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, demonstrative interrogatives, e.g.: He shall send it to you. She cooks three meals each day. In an hour, he will be ready to send it. This new car is to be barked here. 2.3 Intonation Roach (2001) pointed out that intonation is difficult to define. Generally, intonation is the melody of speech and is to be analyzed in terms of variations of pitch. It is known that intonation can indicate different types of utterances, such as statements, questions, commands, attitudes and emotions of the speaker. Reima (2007) summarized the intonation rules as follows: A) In English, risingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ falling intonation is normally used at the end of: Simple statements of facts (declarative statements), e.g.: Commands: Questions which begin with an interrogative word, i.e., B) In English, rising intonation is normally used in the following cases: At the end of yesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ no questions: In requests: C) In utterances containing an element of protest or surprise: 2.3 Rhythm English, with an alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables, is obviously stress-timed. Deterding poedjosoedarmo (1998) stated that rhythm is important in English because many cases of miscommunication can be attributed to failure to interpret familiar words as they are uttered with an unfamiliar rhythm pattern. For example, the speaker may say talking to themselves stressing on talk and them. If a native speaker hears these words, he will misunderstand the words and interpret them as taking to damsels. So, the unexpected rhythm pattern contributed to misunderstanding. As stated above, English words may contain one or more syllables. These words contain syllables (stressed) that are louder, clearer than others (unstressed). Gilbert (1984) believed that the combination of these stressed and unstressed syllables results in the rhythm found in English words. This combination also shows the strength, length and pitch of syllables. Moreover, sentences in English, like words, have r hythm. Dauer, (1993) argued that if one wants to have good sentence rhythm, she/he needs to know how to join syllables together into larger unites besides the clear difference between stressed and unstressed syllables. Problems in learning English in terms of prosody Arab learners find it easy to grasp the predictable word stress in their language; however, they face problems in grasping the unpredictable nature of English word stress. Sentence rhythm is alike in both languages so that Arab learners avoid contracted forms and elision when they read loudly. As a result, heavy staccato rhythm can be found in their reading. Regarding intonation, Swan Smith (2001) found out that Arab learners tend to intone, reducing intonation to a low fall at the ends of phrases and sentences. According to Rababah, (2002) Arab learners face problems that are related to stress, intonation and other features of prosody due to some difference in pronunciation between the two languages. English word pattern with (-ism) suffix receive their stress on the antepenultimate or pre- antepenultimate syllable, but they never receive it on the penultimate or final syllable. Quite contrary to this, in the pronunciation of the Arab learners of English, it is often noticed that stress in such word patterns tend to be consistently shifted to the penultimate (before the final) syllable. According to Ryan Meara (1999) Arab learners confuse English words due to the number of syllables and the shift of stress syllables as in the following example:

A Civil Rebuttal :: essays research papers

A Civil Rebuttal Philosophy -- a:pursuit of wisdom. b:a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Through this most specific definition given to us respectively by Sir Webster's dictionary, I choose in my best interest to refrain to you just what the meaning of philosophy is. I implore you to try and comprehend this matter in what exactly this word brought abrupt to us is about. The word philosophy has two definitive definitions. The first simply means to pursue, or strive for, wisdom. I beg to differ in the understanding of the fault I make in trying to gain this unprecedented ‘knowledge.' The knowledge that we as a unity try to strive for have made us, again as a unity, divides. I asked myself exactly how we have achieved ‘civilized chaos' in the search for our solutions and resolutions of the very ‘virus' it seems we have caused. I would not of course go so far as to say a civil war between the generations within this house, but moreover to express that simply by me using philosophy, it becomes not only my benefit, but a mutualism between us.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Please feel more than obliged to correct me if I am incorrect (morally or politically) but are we not all philosophers ourselves? As a baker's vocation is to bake, a philosopher's vocation is to think. Is it not that we all think? I was deeply saddened at your comments in the oppression and restriction to what I may or may not strive to think. As a pacifist and non- sadist, I call what you believe in as ‘ingraining or indoctrination', whereas our own society may call it ‘brainwashing'. Our human nature gives us freedom, as does the Constitution. It guarantees us the right to â€Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness†. Within the refines of this home, I find it a task to see those liberties granted. Here is a few of the world's greatest oppressors: Jim Jones, Adolph Hitler, Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar, David Koresh, and Anton Szandor LaVey. I know, as well as you, that these notorious six are among the world's most hated. However here are a few oppressors from another standpoint: Sigmund Freud, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jesus Christ, Mahatma Ghandi, and Siddharta Guatama the Buddha. These are the exact opposite of the previously mentioned, who put an oppression into a good morality. It's not about who uses the gift, it's the entirety of the user's ethics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second definition of the word philosophy aptly states that it is the

McCarthyism: The Modern American Witchhunt :: Essays Papers

McCarthyism: The Modern American Witchhunt "Have you no sense of decency sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" -Joseph Welch, lawyer for the Secretary of the Army Introduction By the time Republican Senator Joseph R. McCarthy gave his first speech in which he accused 205 members of President Harry Truman's democratic government of being communist on Feb. 9, 1950 there was already a lingering anti-Communist attitude in the United States. Which is why his speech, given in West Virginia, far from Washington DC, and from his home state of Wisconsin, made such an impact. Most of what he said has been forgotten, the speech was never recorded, but what he started with that speech would win him and his actions a place in American history. McCarthyism: a word synonymous with lying, government cover-ups and abuse, and the private war of one man against what he saw as a threat to the American way of life. Countless lives would be ruined by his crusade. , those of government officials and private citizens alike. When it was all over McCarthy's vehemence would bring his own downfall. MaCarthy and his followers caused panic and fear of communism in those who were ordinary citizens. For those who were targeted and accused, however, McCarthy and his followers did much more. How it was done Governmental structures, local and federal, set up various un- American activites committees. These committees were set up solely to find and prosecute communists, or suspected communists. They drew the attention of the American public in every city that they were, furthering the panic of the "red scare." They set up inquisitions to take care of their targets. Loyalty review boards were set up by President Truman in 1947, and were used quite frequently in the 1950's. Nearly all public employees were forced through these boards, although most went through swiftly without trouble. These boards were not able to imprison people, but they were able to take their jobs from them. Private industries were often more harsh on their employees suspected of being communist. To avoid public embarrassment that could be detrimental in the ultra- patriotic 1950's they would often hire people who were ultra-patriotic to weed out the communist, or suspected communists in their corporations.

people are shaped by environment Essay example -- essays research pape

People are Shaped by Their Environment For a long time, people have argued over whether an individuals behavior is controlled solely by their environment. Their experiences, and the people they grow up with shape the way they behave as people. People teach others ways of acting and thinking that are kept for the rest of their lives. In Mark Twain's, Pudd'nhead Wilson, the characters live in a society that criticizes the way they live their daily lives. The town's expectations, opinions and values affect their personalities. For these reasons, environment is the driving force shaping the way individuals live. Chambers, who grows up in an environment of discrimination and abuse, becomes ashamed and insecure about himself. For example, because Roxy swapped Chambers and Tom, therefore switching their environments: Tom got all the petting, Chambers got none. Tom got all the delicacies, Chambers got mush and milk, and clabber without sugar. In consequence Tom was a sickly child and Chambers wasn't. Tom was "fractious," as Roxy called it, and overbearing; Chambers was meek and docile (41). The slave system insists that because Chambers is "black" he must be treated differently from those who are not . The punishment Chambers receives emotionally scar his thoughts and causes him to act inferior. In addition, when Chambers finally finds out his true identity, "The real heir suddenly found himself rich and free, but in a most embarrassing situation. He could neither read nor write, and his speech was the basest dialect of the Negro quarter" (166). The effects of his damaging childhood have now affected his capability to become the successful man he could have been. Although Chambers is now free from slavery, with... ...ad been many a day now since she had ventured a caress or a fondling epithet in his quarter. Such things, from a "n-----," were repulsive to him, and she had been warned to keep her distance and remember who she was (44). Tom's overpowering lifestyle causes him to believe he has the right to beat on Roxy. Tom was taught to believe that he has the authority over "n------", which has an affect on the way he treats his slaves. In addition, Tom intends to humiliate Pudd’nhead Wilson by bringing up his unusual hobby in front of the Capello twins asking: How's the Awful Mystery flourishing these days? Wilson's got a scheme for driving plain window glass out of the market by decorating it with

Labeling Theory

Running Head:| Labeling Theory | Labeling Theory Stacie O'Reilly Miller-Motte Lisa Bruno October 20, 2012 Abstract According to the works of Frank Tannenbaum, Howard Becker, Edwin Lemert and the Labeling Theory, career criminals are often created by our juvenile justice system and by our society and their labeling of juveniles who have been convicted of committing a deviant act. These youngsters are often labeled as ‘juvenile delinquents'. The Labeling, not the juvenile's characteristics, can create a habitual offender. Labeling TheoryFrank Tannenbaum, also known as the â€Å"Grandfather of the Labeling Theory†, in 1938, wrote against popular beliefs that juvenile delinquents were different in many ways than non-delinquents and that they were people who fit into where they were placed by society and the juvenile justice system. This concept is the beginning of the Labeling Theory in criminology and sociology, known as â€Å"Dramatizing Evil†. Tannenbaum’s a rgument was that: 0 When they first break the law, the juvenile is a little or no different in characteristics than his peers. Youths who are labeled â€Å"bad† will be treated differently than their peers who are not labeled as â€Å"bad†. 2 They may believe their label and behave as they believe they should. As the youths are labeled, they may no longer be accepted by their peers but will gladly be accepted by other outcasts. This is the beginnings of the labeling theory. Edwin Lemert, sociologist, contributed to the Labeling Theory by arguing that all people conduct deviant behavior occasionally and if caught any person could, by reaction of society and the criminal justice system, be abeled as a delinquent. Lemert studied and recorded the series of events that can result from the one incident. To better explain the labeling process he uses Primary and Secondary deviation. Primary Deviation is the first delinquent act the person gets caught performing. Secondary Dev iance is described by Lemert as any deviant act committed as a result of the labeling of the person due to the Primary Deviance. Howard Becker in the 1960’s championed the Labeling Theory, explaining: â€Å"†¦ ocial groups create deviance by making rules whose infraction creates deviance, and by applying those roles to particular people and labeling them as outsiders. From this point of view, deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by other of rules and sanctions to an ‘offender. ‘ The deviant is one to whom that label has been successfully applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label. â€Å"[Becker] In today's society, labeling can be as harmful as ever and can happen to a juvenile who has not even been convicted of any wrong doing.Before a defendant has a chance to face his accuser, society is developing a label for him/her. In our criminal justice system, a person can be arrested if it is thought, by the authorities, that the accused had committed a crime. The accused is taken into custody, finger printed and a photo taken as part of the arrest process. Today's media and technology help the labeling process along, often pre-maturely. There are safeguards to protect juveniles from the exposure, but these protections stop at the tender age of 18, just as these young people are trying to find their way.Once someone is arrested, his/her mug shot, along with the crime they are charged with becomes public, often in the local newspaper and on the internet. This information also becomes part of the accused's background check. I have surveyed average citizens and businesses to understand what effects this exposure can have on young people applying for work and in general, in other words, the effects of labeling on decisions of people interacting with the persons who are labeled, which will affect the way the labeled person will begin to view himself/herself.In the mu g shot survey, the labeled are not labeled officially and not even convicted of a crime, however they are viewed by strangers by the photos of themselves posted in the crime sections of newspapers and websites. The answers to the survey questions are harsher than expected: 0 Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? The answers were in multiple choice formats and are as follows- no, probably not, probably, or yes. Of the persons surveyed, 26. 7% responded ‘no', 53. 3% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably' and no one responded ‘yes'. Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in your local mug shots? With the same four choices for answers, 60% answered ‘no'. 26. 7% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably', and no one answered ‘yes'. 0 Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently seen in the local mug shots? Having the same answering options as the above questions, 6. 7% answered ‘no', 13. 3% answered ‘probably not', 66. 7% responded with ‘probably' and 13. 3% answered ‘yes'. The above numbers show how negatively people are thought of after an encounter with the law, regardless of guilt or innocence.This must be apparent to the person being labeled silently by those in his/her community, the treatment received may have a major impact on his/her self-image and they may accept this view as true and will be accepted by others in the same situation. Felons, by definition, are those people who have been convicted of a â€Å"serious crime†. These convictions can be of many things from conspiracy to rape, yet are grouped together with a stigma that can turn the labeled person into the monster he/she is often viewed as by others. Once labeled a â€Å"felon†, a person may lose hope of overcoming a delinquent past; one event can lead to this negative label. A person who is labeled a felon is treated diffe rently by society, they are labeled by an event and any achievements and good behavior up to that point is disregarded, many rights are taken away from felons and restrictions applied. With the exception of Vermont and Maine, Felons and ex-Felons are restricted from voting in the United States. 0 Federal Law prohibits those labeled ‘Felons' to ‘bear arms'.These two basic rights that felon's do not enjoy are clear signs of the way that society views them as dangerous and not worthy. This is reinforced with every job application that they fill out, repeatedly, they must acknowledge that they are a felon, and felons can be anyone convicted of drug possession to murder, all grouped together. Young people who are labeled as Felon's are ostracized and have a hard time finding employment, which can lead to them thinking they are not worthy, accepting the label, and turning to a life of crime for survival.I created a survey to get a quick view from people who would potentially i nteract with felons to see how they would respond to a felon in different circumstances. The way the felon is responded to by society can help the felon view himself as he is viewed others. The answers to the survey questions are as expected: 0 Would you hire a convicted felon? The answers were in multiple choice formats and are as follows- no, probably not, probably, or yes. Of the persons surveyed, 20% responded ‘no', 60% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably' and no one responded ‘yes'. 0 Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon?With the same four choices for answers, 100% answered ‘no'. 0 Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? Having the same answering options as the above questions, 0% answered ‘no', and 80% answered ‘probably not', 20% responded with ‘probably' and no one answered ‘yes'. The results show the difficulty a felon will have being rehabilitated while being f eared and unwanted by fellow citizens. The label is devastating to a convicted felon with little chance of employment which is a major part of gaining self-esteem and confidence to overcome such a harsh stigma.Without even knowing what the felon was convicted of and any circumstances involved, the community's children are off limits to those unfortunate enough to have earned this label. Society still labels young people sometimes by one incident which shows only the possibility that the person broke the law and this is not official, it is indirect, through the media. When an official label like ‘felon' is used, it is even more detrimental to the person inflicted, because the laws directed to them go hand in hand with how strangers and acquaintances seem to be viewing Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots?Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? them. Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon? Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon? Would you hire a convicted felon?Would you hire a convicted felon? Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? References OReilly, S. (n. d. ). Felons Survey. SurveyMonkey: Free online survey software & questionnaire tool. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://www. surveymonkey. com/s/K3MZSKJ OReilly, S. (n. d. ). Mug shots Survey. SurveyMonkey: Free online survey software & questionnaire tool. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://www. surveymonkey. com/s/5T8MQYL Parmelee, M. (1918).Criminology, by Mauric e Parmelee †¦. New York: The Macmillan Company. Regoli, R. M. , Hewitt, J. D. , & DeLisi, M. (2008). Sociological Theory: Labeling and Conflict Explanations. Delinquency in society: youth crime in the 21st century (7th ed. , pp. 222-248). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Siegel, L. J. (2010). Criminology: theories, patterns, and typologies (10th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. Vito, G. F. , & Holmes, R. M. (1994). Criminology: theory, research, and policy. Belmont, Calif. : Wadsworth Pub. Co.. Labeling Theory Running Head:| Labeling Theory | Labeling Theory Stacie O'Reilly Miller-Motte Lisa Bruno October 20, 2012 Abstract According to the works of Frank Tannenbaum, Howard Becker, Edwin Lemert and the Labeling Theory, career criminals are often created by our juvenile justice system and by our society and their labeling of juveniles who have been convicted of committing a deviant act. These youngsters are often labeled as ‘juvenile delinquents'. The Labeling, not the juvenile's characteristics, can create a habitual offender. Labeling TheoryFrank Tannenbaum, also known as the â€Å"Grandfather of the Labeling Theory†, in 1938, wrote against popular beliefs that juvenile delinquents were different in many ways than non-delinquents and that they were people who fit into where they were placed by society and the juvenile justice system. This concept is the beginning of the Labeling Theory in criminology and sociology, known as â€Å"Dramatizing Evil†. Tannenbaum’s a rgument was that: 0 When they first break the law, the juvenile is a little or no different in characteristics than his peers. Youths who are labeled â€Å"bad† will be treated differently than their peers who are not labeled as â€Å"bad†. 2 They may believe their label and behave as they believe they should. As the youths are labeled, they may no longer be accepted by their peers but will gladly be accepted by other outcasts. This is the beginnings of the labeling theory. Edwin Lemert, sociologist, contributed to the Labeling Theory by arguing that all people conduct deviant behavior occasionally and if caught any person could, by reaction of society and the criminal justice system, be abeled as a delinquent. Lemert studied and recorded the series of events that can result from the one incident. To better explain the labeling process he uses Primary and Secondary deviation. Primary Deviation is the first delinquent act the person gets caught performing. Secondary Dev iance is described by Lemert as any deviant act committed as a result of the labeling of the person due to the Primary Deviance. Howard Becker in the 1960’s championed the Labeling Theory, explaining: â€Å"†¦ ocial groups create deviance by making rules whose infraction creates deviance, and by applying those roles to particular people and labeling them as outsiders. From this point of view, deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by other of rules and sanctions to an ‘offender. ‘ The deviant is one to whom that label has been successfully applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label. â€Å"[Becker] In today's society, labeling can be as harmful as ever and can happen to a juvenile who has not even been convicted of any wrong doing.Before a defendant has a chance to face his accuser, society is developing a label for him/her. In our criminal justice system, a person can be arrested if it is thought, by the authorities, that the accused had committed a crime. The accused is taken into custody, finger printed and a photo taken as part of the arrest process. Today's media and technology help the labeling process along, often pre-maturely. There are safeguards to protect juveniles from the exposure, but these protections stop at the tender age of 18, just as these young people are trying to find their way.Once someone is arrested, his/her mug shot, along with the crime they are charged with becomes public, often in the local newspaper and on the internet. This information also becomes part of the accused's background check. I have surveyed average citizens and businesses to understand what effects this exposure can have on young people applying for work and in general, in other words, the effects of labeling on decisions of people interacting with the persons who are labeled, which will affect the way the labeled person will begin to view himself/herself.In the mu g shot survey, the labeled are not labeled officially and not even convicted of a crime, however they are viewed by strangers by the photos of themselves posted in the crime sections of newspapers and websites. The answers to the survey questions are harsher than expected: 0 Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? The answers were in multiple choice formats and are as follows- no, probably not, probably, or yes. Of the persons surveyed, 26. 7% responded ‘no', 53. 3% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably' and no one responded ‘yes'. Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in your local mug shots? With the same four choices for answers, 60% answered ‘no'. 26. 7% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably', and no one answered ‘yes'. 0 Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently seen in the local mug shots? Having the same answering options as the above questions, 6. 7% answered ‘no', 13. 3% answered ‘probably not', 66. 7% responded with ‘probably' and 13. 3% answered ‘yes'. The above numbers show how negatively people are thought of after an encounter with the law, regardless of guilt or innocence.This must be apparent to the person being labeled silently by those in his/her community, the treatment received may have a major impact on his/her self-image and they may accept this view as true and will be accepted by others in the same situation. Felons, by definition, are those people who have been convicted of a â€Å"serious crime†. These convictions can be of many things from conspiracy to rape, yet are grouped together with a stigma that can turn the labeled person into the monster he/she is often viewed as by others. Once labeled a â€Å"felon†, a person may lose hope of overcoming a delinquent past; one event can lead to this negative label. A person who is labeled a felon is treated diffe rently by society, they are labeled by an event and any achievements and good behavior up to that point is disregarded, many rights are taken away from felons and restrictions applied. With the exception of Vermont and Maine, Felons and ex-Felons are restricted from voting in the United States. 0 Federal Law prohibits those labeled ‘Felons' to ‘bear arms'.These two basic rights that felon's do not enjoy are clear signs of the way that society views them as dangerous and not worthy. This is reinforced with every job application that they fill out, repeatedly, they must acknowledge that they are a felon, and felons can be anyone convicted of drug possession to murder, all grouped together. Young people who are labeled as Felon's are ostracized and have a hard time finding employment, which can lead to them thinking they are not worthy, accepting the label, and turning to a life of crime for survival.I created a survey to get a quick view from people who would potentially i nteract with felons to see how they would respond to a felon in different circumstances. The way the felon is responded to by society can help the felon view himself as he is viewed others. The answers to the survey questions are as expected: 0 Would you hire a convicted felon? The answers were in multiple choice formats and are as follows- no, probably not, probably, or yes. Of the persons surveyed, 20% responded ‘no', 60% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably' and no one responded ‘yes'. 0 Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon?With the same four choices for answers, 100% answered ‘no'. 0 Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? Having the same answering options as the above questions, 0% answered ‘no', and 80% answered ‘probably not', 20% responded with ‘probably' and no one answered ‘yes'. The results show the difficulty a felon will have being rehabilitated while being f eared and unwanted by fellow citizens. The label is devastating to a convicted felon with little chance of employment which is a major part of gaining self-esteem and confidence to overcome such a harsh stigma.Without even knowing what the felon was convicted of and any circumstances involved, the community's children are off limits to those unfortunate enough to have earned this label. Society still labels young people sometimes by one incident which shows only the possibility that the person broke the law and this is not official, it is indirect, through the media. When an official label like ‘felon' is used, it is even more detrimental to the person inflicted, because the laws directed to them go hand in hand with how strangers and acquaintances seem to be viewing Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots?Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? them. Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon? Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon? Would you hire a convicted felon?Would you hire a convicted felon? Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? References OReilly, S. (n. d. ). Felons Survey. SurveyMonkey: Free online survey software & questionnaire tool. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://www. surveymonkey. com/s/K3MZSKJ OReilly, S. (n. d. ). Mug shots Survey. SurveyMonkey: Free online survey software & questionnaire tool. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://www. surveymonkey. com/s/5T8MQYL Parmelee, M. (1918).Criminology, by Mauric e Parmelee †¦. New York: The Macmillan Company. Regoli, R. M. , Hewitt, J. D. , & DeLisi, M. (2008). Sociological Theory: Labeling and Conflict Explanations. Delinquency in society: youth crime in the 21st century (7th ed. , pp. 222-248). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Siegel, L. J. (2010). Criminology: theories, patterns, and typologies (10th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. Vito, G. F. , & Holmes, R. M. (1994). Criminology: theory, research, and policy. Belmont, Calif. : Wadsworth Pub. Co..

Sex Discrimination at Walmart

Sex Discrimination at Wal-Mart OMM640 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Dr. : David Britton May 14, 2012 Betty Dukes along with five other women filled a law suit against Wal-Mart Inc. in 2001 for discrimination against women, denying them their raises and also their promotions. Betty Dukes and the other women hope that they can stand for hundreds of thousands of other women who might have been similarly affected by this type of behavior when they were there also. Years later the ladies got the go ahead to represent 1. 6 other women in the case seeking back wages and maybe even punitive damages from Wal-Mart.This is by far the biggest class action suit against such a huge company and by these ladies getting the go ahead they have to prove to a court that Wal-Mart treated them unfairly. Wal-Mart has denied that such atrocities have ever taken place. If it is found that Wal-Mart did in fact do these things not only would their image ne tarnished, they would also end up paying b illions of dollars to these ladies and open a door for other suits to be filed against them for whatever purpose and also sends a message saying no matter how big a company you are you are still going to be held accountable for the way in which you treat people.That is why laws were established for this precise purpose. Wal-Mart was hoping to have the case dismissed and have all the women file separately which would be easier for them because all of the women filing together would stand to gain millions from them. The financial impact a law suit of this magnitude might have on Wal-Mart would be loss of business, loss of millions of dollars paid to the women and the majority of shoppers that frequent Wal-Mart are women and if they are found to be discriminating against women of course other women will not shop there.Them they would have to end up letting go a Lot of people if they don’t have the money to sustain them; companies that supply to them would pull out, and with the criticism they would get would probably destroy the company. Wal-Mart has maintained that they did not discriminate against Betty and the other women that filed claim against, but I believe that Wal-Mart knew exactly what was going on and just chose to ignore Betty when she was making her complaints. They began to take her seriously when she filed the suit.Some of the moral complaints the women were suing Wal-Mart for was for statistical disparities such female workers were less likely to be paid the proper wages as the men; they were denied promotion in a timely fashion different to those of the men (Boatright, 2009, pg. 199). There was a lot of bias involved with all of this; it even has a hint of gender stereotyping. I believe the moral complaints were justified because Betty made complaints to managers and higher up and because she did this they began to treat her differently and demoted her for not opening a cash register with a penny but for talking.When it came to promotions opportunities they were not made known, and those that she wanted they kept telling her they were filled and hired male counter parts that were not fit for the position. What made Wal-Mart managers determine what part of the store you worked was based on your gender and that was wrong, not because they were women meant they could not do what was needed. The women by far were more experienced than the men and the stayed longer on the job also.It was shown based on the records of the trial and brought up in the news that this massive company had so discrepancies that they had to correct as it pertained to the way they treated women. They would first have to start off improving their employment policies and what they are looking for in individual. They have to be an equal opportunity employer and employ People based on their skills and experience on a particular job. Women need to be promoted into management programs just as men do, not showing favoritism to men over women.They have to allow people to work anywhere in the store as long as they can do the job and not putting them in whatever department they think they should be in. Develop a program that teaches all employees about diversity in the work place and place emphasis on respecting women and treating them fairly. Starting an affirmative program would be to the benefit of the company, they have to learn that women are priced just as highly as men and the way they. For women with kids it is hard for them to work as they would because they have no child care and this is something that Wal-Mart must put in place.Proper compensation for the work being done and it should be equal pay for both parties involved. Training programs for employees that want to advancement and how to work with each other. In conclusion I would have to say it would have been a good luck for the women to win that discrimination law suit against Wal-Mart Inc. I am actually surprised at the outcome but I understand it. None the less Bett y Duke allowed the world to see Wal-Mart for who they really are and allowed them to see that they were treating women unfairly and they now have the opportunity to reevaluate the way they do things.Women have the right to be treated fairly and equally and also have the right to be paid and promoted just as any man. The law suit also opened up the eyes of all the other companies that were watching with a keen interest. References: Boatright, J. (2009). Ethics and the conduct of business (6th Ed) Upper Saddle River, NJ Prentice Hall Emily Friedman, April 16, 2010, Appeals Court Rules Wal-Mart Sex Discrimination Case Can Go to Trial Retrieved May 14, 2014 from http://abcnews. go. com/WN/Business/wal-mart-sex-discrimination-case-trial/story? d=10480510 Wal-Mart sex-bias case could have wide impact Retrieved May 14, 2012 from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/42250811/ns/business-careers/t/wal-mart-sex-bias-case-could-have-wide-impact/ Wal-Mart Wins Request in Bias Case Retrieved May 15, 2 012 from http://www. blackchristiannews. com/news/2009/02/wal-mart-wins-request-in-bias-case. html Betty. V Goliath Retrieved May 15, 2012 from http://walmartwatch. com/wp-content/blogs. dir/2/files/pdf/dukes_backgrounder. pdf

Levittown Experiment

Levittown project was taken up in the U.S. after the end of Second World War, with the aim of providing mass housing facilities to people in the wake of increasing urbanization and problems of accommodating large population in limited urban area (Friedman. 1995). The first of Levittown apartments were constructed on Long Island, New York and they symbolized the modern trends of urbanization and housing developments (Clapson. 2003). This paper shall study the impact of Levittown project on trends of further urbanization and analyze the aesthetics of design and development involved in it. American urban housing system was not in a very good state at the end of Second World War. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers had started to return back to the mainland, filled with the dream of better and improved life (Baxandall and Ewen, 2000). Euphoric and buoyed by a hard fought and historic win, where U.S had established its military supremacy in the world, these people had great dreams and aspirations to continue in the legacy of that supremacy. This aspiration manifested itself most prominently in their demand for housing infrastructure, built with modern age planning, design, and latest infrastructure: houses that could symbolize U.S’s great power stature and their own triumph in being a part of this transition. Meanwhile the Congress announced special housing loans for returning war veterans where they could get loans on zero down-payment and little mortgage. Suddenly there was a great boom in the demand of urban housing, compared to which the available apartments fell drastically short (Baxandall and Ewen, 2000). Millions of war veterans and citizens were homeless or living in makeshift houses looking expectedly upon government to provide them with affordable houses (Jackson. 1985). However, the strong private construction lobby was pressuring Congress to get out of the housing business, but the past record of private housing industry was patchy and they were not expected to live up to demand of providing millions of houses on affordable prices in a quick time (Baxandall and Ewen, 2000; Clapson. 2003). Abraham Levitt, a prominent builder, understood the importance of providing housing to people of every income range and he responded to the situation by constructing rows of identical four room apartments at Long Island, New York,that were offered to veteran war soldiers for only $60 a month (Jackson. 1985; Clapson. 2003). Levittown, the mass housing facility designed and constructed by Levitts, was vehemently criticized by architects for producing homogenous and suffocating environment and being antithetical to lofted architectural principles (Jackson. 1985). But the critics ignored the fact that, Levitt could not incorporate the lofty and stylist architectural designs that were hallmark of most of Victorian style villas and bungalows and yet produce houses on mass scale, in quick time and provide them for sale at most affordable prices. His aim was to construct the best houses at least cost to provide most economical housing. The fact was that Levitt had successfully fulfilled the demands and dreams of many Americans of owning their own house. Debate, Design and Impact of Levittown To fully appreciate the significance of Levittown, it must be seen in context of the great housing demand of the period 1945-46, the intense effort of private construction giants to force the government to abandon its idea of affordable and mass housing which could seriously jeopardize the corporate game plan of selling expensive houses and flats (Baxandall and Ewen, 2000). There was intense public debate in U.S. around the issue and the corporate construction house tried to discredit mass scale housing by comparing it to slums and hotbed of communism and crime (Jackson. 1985). Despite the well organized and orchestrated campaign against mass housing, public opinion did not waver much, and the expectations for large scale affordable housing remained a public issue (Baxandall and Ewen, 2000). People required housing, and they expected it was their right to get a decent home. High architectural designs and lofted aesthetics meant nothing to them if they resulted in homes that they could look, admire, but could not own. Against this real challenge, Lewitt and Sons took upon themselves to meet the affordable housing demand by assuming equally pragmatic approach. Levitt used special techniques and architectural designs to keep the cost of production at lowest and speed of construction at maximum. He divided entire construction procedure of houses in 26 separate steps that required professional prefabricated components. This approach greatly reduced the construction time. Many of the building components such as nails, concrete blocks, lumber and electrical appliances were procured by Levitt and sons themselves, further minimizing the cost (Friedman. 1995). The method of Levitt was so successful that by 1949Â   the first 2000 planned houses by Levitt were ready to be sold and occupied .. The first of Levitt apartment constructed on Long Island came to be known as Levittown and although they were described as drab, unimaginative and common by critics, they served their purpose of providing millions of American with their own house (Friedman. 1995). Alfred Levitt recognized his own achievement in describing himself as Henry Ford of American housing industry, where he was producing houses at assembly line speed (Friedman. 1995). Levitt also successfully warded off the criticism of his uniform Cape-Cod style of housing by mixing his next colonies with Cape-Cods, Rancher and Colonial style houses, that ranged from $ 5500 to $ 14500 (Jackson. 1985; Clapson. 2003). Levittown were constructed in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as well, with equal success and revolutionizing effect on community living and development. Although attempts were made to associate them with low class life, and blandness of taste, as the houses took the character of their owners who modified and transformed them, each of them emerged as a singular entity that was precious to their owner. Conclusion The impact of Levit’s design had far reaching effect on construction and design of further mass scale housing projects not only in U.S but in other countries as well. Levitt’s designing innovation and successful efforts to construct affordable housing had given millions of not so well-to-do Americans their first opportunity of realizing a dream, secure their present, and lay the groundwork of building a strong future. Reference Avi Friedman. 1995. The Evolution of Design Characteristics During the Post-Second World War Housing Boom: The Us Experience. Journal of Design History. Volume: 8. Issue: 2. Rosalyn Baxandall and Ewen, Elizabeth. 2000. Picture Windows: How the Suburbs Happened. Basic Books. New York. Kenneth T. Jackson. 1985. Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States. Oxford University Press. New York. Mark Clapson. 2003. Suburban Century: Social Change and Urban Growth in England and the USA. Berg. New York. Â   Â  

Health in Comminities Essay

The Internet has a wealth of information and you are advised to use the Internet as often as possible to broaden your knowledge on certain topics. Prescribed books You are expected to purchase the following prescribed books for this module: Clark, MJ. 2008. Community health nursing: advocacy for population health. 5th edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Edelman, CL & Mandle, CL. 2006. Health promotion through the lifespan. 5th edition. St Louis: Mosby. Edelman and Mandle (2006) has very valuable information on health promotion and covers the entire life span, from birth to death. In addition to your study guide, this book is very important: you will find a wealth of information. Clark (2008) is a book on community health nursing that emphasises the dimensions model of community health nursing right through. This is a very valuable model which will help you to gain a holistic and systematic approach towards the individual, family and community. (viii) The information in these two books is complementary. Together with the study guide it will help you to gain the knowledge and skills you will need to supply health care to individuals, families and communities. Activities The activities are planned to either reinforce content, to guide you to tackle upcoming content, or to motivate you to think about issues. You will note that in part 2 of the study guide there is only one activity at the end of each learning unit: here we want you to apply the dimensions model of community health to a member of the family. Feedback on all these activities will be given in annexure A. This CMH2602 module runs parallel with the practice module for Community Health, CMH2126. The theory cannot be separated from the practice. Icons You will find a series of icons in the text to guide you as you progress with your studies. Activity When you see this icon, you will know that you must complete an activity. We may ask you to read a specific section in the prescribed literature, apply given information, think about topics that have not been introduced, find your own information or ask other people for information. Please read the instructions carefully. Assessment criteria This icon indicates the questions that you can use to assess your own understanding of the work. These questions are adapted from the outcomes. You are told what you should do to prove that you have met the learning outcomes. Prescribed reading When you see this icon, study or read the prescribed book as indicated, before continuing with the next section. Learning outcome This icon tells you how you will benefit in the field of practice if you know the content of the specific learning unit. The outcomes tell you what you will be able to do after you have studied the work. h Feedback This icon tells you what was expected from you when you did the activity. It will not necessarily give you all the facts but will give you guidelines on how to answer the question. Not all of the activities will have feedback because many of the answers are given in your prescribed books. (ix) Conclusion This module is designed to enable you to work with families in the community. It is based on the needs and problems of the family. It covers individuals who are part of the family and the family as part of the community. After completion of this module, together with the practice module, you will be able to take responsibility for practising as an independent community nurse in any community setting. PART 1 THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS IN COMMUNITY HEALTH 2 Learning unit 1 Concepts and theories/ models in community health Outcomes Since theories/models provide you with the knowledge you need to practise community health in a scientific way, it is essential for you to be familiar with the various theories/models in the field to be able to apply them to community health. When you have worked through this learning unit you will be able to: * * * * 1. 1 describe various concepts in theoretical thinking explain selected theories/models in detail describe the key concepts and themes of the selected theories/models apply the theories/models to community health Introduction While we will discuss theories/models in general in this learning unit, we will also deal with several selected theories in more depth in order to indicate how they can be applied to community health. It is currently accepted that theories form the basis of community health. Since theories provide us with the knowledge we need to practise community health in a scientific way, it is essential for the community nurse to be familiar with the various theories/models in the field and to be able to apply them to community health. 1. 2 Theoretical thinking as a language The terms theory, model, conceptual framework, conceptual model are often used synonymously in literature. The literature reflects various conflicting opinions about the terms, their usage and meaning. According to Polit and Beck (2008:141) a conceptual model or a conceptual framework represents a more informal mechanism for organising and discussing phenomena or concepts, while theories are more formal in nature. Conceptual theories, frameworks and models are composed of concepts or constructs. These concepts or constructs are interdependent because they systematically demonstrate the relationship between variables. A model is a symbolic representation of concepts or variables with an interrelationship. A phenomenon is the abstract concept under study, often 3 used by qualitative researchers, while a concept is a description of the objects or events that form the basis of a theory. Both models and theories can describe and predict the relationship between phenomena. Models and theories are terms that are often used interchangeably in literature. The term theory is often used to refer to the subject content that student nurses must be taught in the lecture room to acquire the information they need to perform the nursing tasks in practice. Researchers such as Polit and Beck (2008:768) define theory as â€Å"an abstract generalisation that presents a systematic explanation about the relationships among phenomena†. Theories include principles for explaining, predicting and controlling phenomena. In all disciplines theories serve the same purpose. This purpose is to make scientific findings meaningful, and to make it possible to generalise. A theory is composed of concepts and constructs that are systematically related and that are also goal-oriented (Stanhope & Lancaster 2006:196). Types of traditional theories include grand theories and middle-range theories. Grand theories describe and explain large segments of the human experience which are very broad. Middle-range theories explain more specific phenomena such as stress, self-care, health promotion and infant attachment. Metatheory is a term used to label theory about the theoretical process and theory development (Polit & Beck 2008:141). Metaparadigm refers to the main concepts that identify the phenomena or ideas of interest to a discipline, in this case the discipline of nursing. They provide the boundaries for the subject matter of the discipline. The metaparadigm concepts for nursing include person, environment, health and nursing (Clark 2008:67). However, current literature suggests that a four-concept metaparadigm for the discipline of nursing is too limited and suggests additional concepts such as transitions, interaction, nursing process, nursing therapeutics, self-care, adaptation, interpersonal relationships, goal attainment, caring, energy fields, human becoming and other concepts. The best-known and most used concepts are however the first four: person, environment, health and nursing. 1. 3 Choosing a theory/model to apply to community ealth Choosing a suitable theory or model is not always an easy task ? especially when most theories are geared towards the care of individuals and were never designed to apply to groups or communities. The theory or model that is chosen must be flexible enough to be adapted to the community health situation and its aim must be to provide guidance for those who practise community health . The importance of the family or community network and the social network must both be clearly reflected, and the theory or model must be realistic and simple enough to understand and apply. In addition, the theory/model should harmonise with the community nurse’s views about the individual, the environment, personal health and community health. You may find that the theory that is chosen may not always fulfil all your expectations and that it may also not be applicable to all circumstances. You may often be required to make adjustments or to develop your own personal model on the basis of existing theories. 4 Activity Explain why community health nursing should be based on a model or theory. h Feedback You should have considered the following points: * * * * * 1. 4 A systematic approach is needed. Theories/models assist community nurses to evaluate health status and to plan, implement and evaluate effective nursing care. The model/theory used directs attention to relevant aspects of the client situation and to appropriate interventions. Epidemiologic models help in examining factors that influence health and illness. Nursing models suggest interventions to protect, improve and restore health. The dimensions model of community health nursing Clark’s (2008:69) dimensions model of community health nursing is one of the few models designed for community health. This model is described in detail in your prescribed book (Clark 2008) and will therefore only be summarised here. This model is a revision of the previously titled Epidemiologic Prevention Process Model. The dimensions model incorporates the nursing process and the levels of prevention as well as an epidemiologic perspective on the factors influencing health and illness. The dimensions model consists of three elements: the dimensions of health, the dimensions of health care and the dimensions of nursing. The dimensions of health include: * * * * * * the the the the the he biophysical dimension psychological dimension physical environmental dimension socio-cultural dimension behavioural dimension health system dimension The dimensions of health care include: * * * primary prevention secondary prevention tertiary prevention The dimensions of nursing include: * * * * cognitive dimension interpersonal dimension ethical dimension skills dimension 5 * * process dimension reflective dimens ion You should study this model to enable you to assess the health status of individuals, families or communities and to guide your nursing interventions. Prescribed book Study chapter 4 in Clark (2008, or later editions), on the dimensions model of community health nursing. Activity (1) Name the three elements of the dimensions model of community health nursing. (2) List the dimensions included in each element. (3) Give an example related to the dimensions in each element that addresses the health of a population group. 1. 5 Orem’s self-care deficit theory of nursing Orem proposes a general theory of nursing which she calls the theory of self-care deficit. Orem’s theory focuses on people’s ability to practise self-care. The dominant theme of her philosophy of health is that people should be empowered and encouraged to practise their own self-care by means of their own efforts or with the help of significant others. Orem’s self-care deficit theory of nursing consists of three interrelated theories: the theory of selfcare, the theory of self-care deficit and the theory of nursing systems. This theory is consistent with community health, based on the following premises: * * * Individuals and groups must accept responsibility for their own health and consequently care for themselves. The community nurse should provide the necessary training and support that will enable individuals or communities to do this. The community nurse should intervene only when a deficit or need arises in the selfcare framework. The World Health Organization (WHO) also strongly emphasises that self-care and selfresponsibility play an important role in achieving the goal of optimal health. 1. 5. 1 Theory of self-care In order to understand the theory of self-care, one must first understand the concepts of self-care, self-care agency, basic conditioning factors and therapeutic self-care demand. Self-care include those activities and decisions which a person undertakes in order to maintain life, health and well-being. These activities are acquired by learning, and they contribute to the maintenance of human development and functioning. 6 Self-care agency refers to the ability of a person to exercise self-care in daily life. The ability to care for oneself is affected by basic conditioning factors: age, gender, developmental state, health state, socio-cultural factors, health care system factors, family system factors, patterns of living, environmental factors and resource adequacy and availability. Therapeutic self-care demand is the sum total of the measures which are called for at a particular time for the promotion and maintenance of health, development and general well-being. In the case of self-care, purposeful actions and steps are taken. Although selfcare should benefit an individual’s health, his or her perception of self-care may not always promote good health, as is the case with a person who smokes in the belief that it reduces his or her stress levels. Self-care requisites refer to the reasons for which self-care is undertaken. The three categories of self-care requisites include universal, developmental, and health deviation. Universal self-care requirements include those processes which are essential for the normal functioning and maintenance of health and life, such as the following processes: * * * * * * having and maintaining sufficient fresh air/oxygen, water and food intake finding the balance between exercise and rest, and having social interaction avoiding dangers and obstacles that can compromise human functioning and well-being promoting human functioning and development in a group roviding care associated with elimination processes and personal hygiene keeping a balance between being alone and social interaction Developmental self-care requisites are divided into two categories: * * The first concerns the maintenance of those conditions which are favourable to a person’s normal growth and development. The second is concerned with the prevention of those negative conditions, forces, influe nces and factors which can hinder and obstruct normal development. Awareness of such requirements reflects a person’s level of development and his or her general capacity for self-care. Health deviation self-care is necessary for preventing illness, injury and retardation. It involves taking whatever steps are necessary for preventing or treating illness or disability effectively. The requisites for health deviation self-care include: * * * * * * seeking and securing appropriate medical assistance being conscious of and attending to the effects and results of pathologic conditions conducting medically prescribed diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative measures attending to or controlling the negative effects of prescribed medical treatment effectively ccepting oneself as being in a specific state of health and in need of particular forms of health care developing and sustaining health-optimising lifestyles 1. 5. 2 Theory of self-care deficit The theory of self-care deficit forms the core of Orem’s general theory of nursing. According to this theory, an adult who is unable to practise self-care requires dependent care; this refers to an adult who does not h ave the ability to meet his or her own needs or 7 only has partial ability to take care of himself or herself. This may happen or example when a person falls ill and this illness generates new demands, requiring the implementation of complex measures and specialised knowledge. Orem cites the following examples of support or help which can be offered in such circumstances: * * * * * acting on behalf of a person or undertaking certain activities for this person until he or she can once again care for himself or herself more independently providing guidance and direction in the new situation providing physical and psychological support creating and maintaining a new environment which supports personal development providing appropriate relevant instructions A self-care deficit occurs where there is a discrepancy between the need for self-care and the ability to manage this self-care. In such circumstances the individual needs to be assisted and educated to administer whatever self-care he or she may need. In short, a self-care deficit occurs when a person is unable to practise appropriate self-care on his or her own or without external assistance. 1. 5. 3 Theory of nursing systems The theory of nursing systems consists of two components: the nursing agency, and nursing systems. The nursing agency refers to the characteristics of people who are trained as nurses that enable them to act, to know and to help others meet their therapeutic self-care demands by developing their own self-care agency. Nursing systems are created when nurses use their knowledge and skills to plan and implement nursing care where there are deficiencies in self-care. The aim of intervention by the nurse is to compensate for the self-care activities which the individual, family or community cannot maintain at an optimal level. These compensatory activities are classified into: * * * The wholly compensatory system where the community nurse becomes the self-care agent to compensate for the client’s inability to maintain his or her own self-care. The community nurse cares for and supports the client wholly. For example, this would happen where a person is in a coma and cannot consciously look after himself or herself. The partly compensatory system where the client is capable of certain self-care measures but only to a limited degree. The aim of health care intervention is to lend support and carry out certain activities on behalf of the client until he or she is able to resume them again. The supportive/educational system where the client can manage self-care but needs the support and guidance of the community nurse. The community nurse regulates the selfcare agent’s performance and development so that he or she can function more independently (George 2002:126). Activity (1) Describe the different components of the self-care deficit theory of nursing. 8 (2) Explain what is meant by a self-care deficit. (3) A mother and her two-month-old baby visit your clinic. The baby is not gaining sufficient weight and the mother appears tired and stressed. Identify the self-care deficit in this particular case. h Feedback You should have covered the following points in your answer: (1) The mother is not able to care for herself with the demands of a new baby. (2) She therefore needs health education and advice on how to handle the situation. 1. 6 Neuman’s systems model/theory According to Neuman, her personal philosophy of helping each other live contributed to development of the holistic systems perspective of the her systems model. Neuman’s theory is based on: * * the two main components of stress and the individual or his or her body’s reaction to that stress the community’s reaction to certain stress factors (stressors) in the environment Neuman based her systems model on a general systems theory and regards the client as an open system which reacts to stressors in the environment. Stressors may be intra-personal, inter-personal or extra-personal. Intra-personal stressors occur within the client system boundary and correlate with the internal environment (eg feelings such as anxiety or anger within a person). Inter-personal stressors occur outside the client system boundary and have an impact on the system (eg stimuli between people such as role expectations). Extrapersonal stressors also occur outside the ystem boundaries, but are further away from the system than the inter-personal stressors (eg work or finances). Environment includes all the external and internal influences that surround the client system. The external environment exists outside the client system and the internal environment exists within the client system: * * * * The client system contains a basic structure or core construct (individual, family c ommunity) which is protected by lines of resistance. The basic structure includes system variables such as physiological, psychological, socio-cultural, developmental and spiritual variables. Penetration of the basic structure results in death. The normal level of health is identified as the normal line of defence which refers to the client’s usual state of wellness and represents stability over time. When the normal line of defence is invaded or penetrated, the client system reacts, for example with symptoms of illness. The flexible line of defence prevents stressors from invading the system and is a dynamic state of wellness that changes over time. It can for example be altered in a relatively short period of time by factors such as inadequate sleep or food. The lines of resistance protect the basic structure and become activated when the normal line of defence is penetrated by environmental stressors. If sufficient energy is 9 * available, the normal line of defence is restored; but if the lines of resistance are not effective, death may follow. Reconstitution involves stabilisation of the system and movement backwards to the normal line of defence. Health care intervention takes place in the prevention modalities, that is the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of prevention. (Clark (2008:67)) Prescribed reading Study Neuman’s model in Clark (2008, or later editions). Activity (1) (2) (3) (4) Explain what Neuman means by client variables. Describe the concepts of line of resistance and normal line of defence. Describe Neuman’s view on health. Define the term stressor. This theory/model can also be applied to community health because a preventive approach is followed and because of its flexibility. 1. 7 Pender’s health promotion model Pender described a model which is applicable to community health in particular. This model is based on principles of health promotion and, to a certain extent, corresponds with the Health Belief Model. Pender’s health promotion model comprises three basic concepts, namely individual perceptions, variables which can influence healthy behaviour and the probability that actions will be taken to promote health: * * * Individual perceptions include factors such as how important health is seen to be, perceptions on control and effectiveness, the definition of health, the state of health, the advantages inherent in preventive measures, and possible obstacles. Variables include factors such as demography, income, literacy, culture and family health patterns. The probability that action will take place includes matters such as ? ? ? ? how highly the person rates or values action any previous experience with health personnel the availability and affordability of preventive services the threat that the condition holds for the individual or family Prescribed reading Study Clark (2008, or later editions), the section on Pender’s health promotion model. 10 Activity (1) Name the variables which can affect the preventive actions that a family and a community may take. (2) Write short notes on individual perceptions and indicate how they can influence health-promoting actions. Pender’s model is applicable to community health because the promotion of health is taken as the starting point and factors which influence the measures for promoting health are defined and emphasised. The model can guide and lead the community health nurse in promoting health. On the grounds of the variables and perceptions that are identified, she/he can make decisions on the degree of intervention that is necessary. For example a degree of knowledge and motivation may seem necessary to allow the community to take certain promotive actions, or to decide whether or not the available options are acceptable. The community health nurse’s task could then be to give the community the necessary information or to influence them to modify perceptions that are detrimental to their health. Depending on the specific problems or behaviour that deviates from a healthy living pattern, the culture of the community, the level of literacy and so on, the community health nurse can plan a programme or develop his or her own model based on Pender’s promotive model. (Clark 2008:257) 1. 8 Gordon’s functional health pattern framework Historically, conceptual models in nursing have employed Gordon’s health-related behaviours and developed them into an assessment model with 11 functional health patterns. Your prescribed book (Edelman ; Mandle 2006) uses this framework throughout in the assessment of each developmental stage. The 11 functional health patterns include: * * * * * * * * * * * pattern of health perception-health management nutritional-metabolic pattern elimination pattern activity-exercise pattern sleep-rest pattern cognitive-perceptual pattern self-perception-self-concept pattern roles-relationships pattern sexuality-reproductive pattern oping-stress tolerance pattern values-beliefs pattern (Edelman ; Mandle 2006:131) Read Edelman and Mandle (2006 or later edition), the section on functional health patterns: assessment of the individual. 11 1. 9 Conclusion Various theories/models applicable to community health were discussed in this learning unit. It is very important that you as a community hea lth nurse have an understanding of these theories/models and how they could be applied to community health. Assessment criteria (1) Define the following terms: ? ? ? ? ? theory model conceptual framework phenomenon concept (2) (3) (4) (5) 6) Define the different constructs of Orem’s theory. Explain the defence mechanism in Neuman’s theory. Describe the principles on which Pender’s promotion of health model are based. Name the three elements of the dimensions model of community health nursing. Name the dimensions of the dimension of health in the dimensions model of community health nursing. (7) List the functional health patterns in Gordon’s functional health pattern framework. Note: Application of selected models/theories will be assessed in part 2 of the study guide. 12 PART 2 THE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY AS CLIENT 14 Learning unit 2 The family as client Outcomes When you have worked through this learning unit you will be able to: * * * * * * * 2. 1 describe the concept of family describe the structure of the family describe different family types and their characteristic features describe the stages of family development discuss family functions describe the family as a social system discuss cultural values in the family Introduction The family is the basic social unit in any community. Family members usually share living arrangements, responsibilities, goals, the continuity of generations, and a sense of belonging and affection. How well a family works together and meets any crisis depends on the composition of the family (the structure), the activities or roles performed by family members (the functioning) and how well the family is able to organise itself against potential threats. 2. 2 Describing the concept of family Clark (2008:318) states: â€Å"A family is a composed of two or more persons who are joined by bonds of sharing and emotional closeness and who identify themselves as being part of the family. Unlike those of other social systems, family relationships are characterized by intimacy, emotional intensity, and persistence over time. ‘ Santrock (2006:216) states: â€Å"[The family is] a social system, a constellation of subsystems defined in terms of generation, gender and role. Divisions of labour among family members define particular sub-units, and attachments define others. Each family member is a participant in several subsystems. Some are dyadic (involving two people) some polyadic (involving more than two people). † Stanhope and Lancaster (2006:322) refer to the following definition: â€Å"A family refers to two or more individuals who depend on one another for emotional, physical, and/or financial support. The members of the family are self-defined. † 15 Activity Ask different members of the multi-disciplinary health team to define family. Analyse the responses for similarities and differences. 2. 3 Structure of the family Family structure is the organised pattern or hierarchy of members that determines how they interact. Components of a family structure include the role of each family member and how they complement each other, the family’s value system, communication patterns and power hierarchy. The family structure influences the way that a family functions. Allender ; Spradley 2005:526) The genogram shows family information graphically in order to view complex family patterns over a period of time, usually three generations or more. d. 1956 Heart Peg 71 Housewife Al 72 Grocer Sue Housewife John Steelworker d. 1982 Cancer Mark 37 Engineer Jan 36 Housewife Jim 9 Jack 46 Mechanic Mary 16 Pat 41 Waitress Married 1979 Steve 18 Clerk Earl 17 Student Detroit Fig 2. 1 Genogram Source: Allender ; Spradley (2005:528) Nan 4 Married 1977 Divorced 1979 Joe 45 Teacher Sam 20 Student Lou 13 Los Angeles Married 1983 Ann 39 Nurse Pam 11 16 Activity Draw a genogram of your own family. 2. 4 Types of families There are many family types and a family type may change over time as it is affected by birth, work, death, divorce and the growth of family members. * * * * * * * The nuclear conjugal family. The traditional nuclear family structure consists of a husband, wife and children. Most young people move away from their parents when they marry and form nuclear families (no grandparents, aunts or uncles live in the home). The nuclear family is found in all ethnic and socio-economic groups, and is accepted by most religions. Today the number of nuclear families is declining as a result of the increase in divorce, single parenthood and remarriage, the acceptance of alternative lifestyles, and greater disparity. The extended (multi-generational) family. The extended family includes the nuclear family as well as other family members such as grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandchildren. The advantage of such a family is that it means more people may serve as resources during crises and also provides more role models for behaviour and learning values. The single parent family. Single parent families consist of an adult woman or man and a child or children. Single parent families result from divorce, out-of-wedlock pregnancies, absence or death of a spouse, or adoption by a single person. A health problem in a single parent family is almost always a serious matter, because there is no backup person for childcare when the parent is ill. The blended family. The term blended family refers to a remarriage or a reconstituted family, where a divorced or widowed person with children marries someone who also has children of his or her own. Children of blended families are exposed to different ways of living and also have increased security and resources. They may become more adaptable to new situations. However, rivalry may arise among the children for the attention of a parent or there may be competition with the step-parent for the love of the biological parent. The communal family. The communal family is made up of groups of people who have chosen to live together as an extended family group. Their relationships with each other are motivated by social values or interests rather than by kinship. Because of the number of people present, members may have few set traditional family roles. The values of commune members are often religiously or spiritually based and may be more oriented to freedom and free choice than those of a traditional family structure. The cohabitation family. The cohabiting family consists of two persons who are living together, but remain unmarried. They may be heterosexual or homosexual. Some such relationships are temporary but others are long-lasting. Reasons for cohabitation include the desire for a trial marriage, the increased safety that results from living together and financial factors. The single alliance family. Many single young adults live together in shared apartments, dormitories or homes for companionship and financial security. Although these relationships are often temporary, they have the same characteristics as cohabitation families. 17 * * The homosexual family. The homosexual family is a form of cohabitation where a same sex couple live together and share a sexual relationship. Such a relationship offers support in times of crisis that is comparable with that offered by a traditional nuclear or cohabitation family. The foster family. Children whose parents are unable to care for them are laced in a foster home by a child protection agency. Foster parents usually receive remuneration for their care. Foster families may also include the parents’ own biological or adopted children. Foster care is theoretically temporary until children can be returned to their own parents (Clark 2008:318). Prescribed reading Read Clark (2008, or later edition), types of families. 2. 5 Stages of family development Stage 1: Beginning family During this first stage of family development, members work to accomplish three specific tasks: * * * to establish a mutually satisfying relationship to learn to relate well to their families of origin f applicable, to engage in reproductive life planning The first stage of family life is a tenuous one, as evidenced by the high rate of divorce or separation of partners at this stage. The time frame for this stage extends from marriage to the birth of the first child. Stage 2: The early child-bearing family The birth or adoption of a first child is usually an exciting yet stressful event in a family. It requires economic and social role changes. The duration of this stage is from the birth or adoption of the first child to 30 months after this date. The following developmental tasks are usually accomplished during this stage: * * * he establishment of a stable family unit the reconciliation of conflict regardin g developmental tasks facilitating developmental tasks of family members Stage 3: The family with pre-school children A family with pre-school children is a busy family as children at this age demand a great deal of time related to growth and developmental needs and safety: accidents are a major health concern at this stage. The time frame for this stage is when the oldest child is two to five years of age. Developmental tasks during this stage include: * * * integration of second or third child socialisation of children beginning of separation from children 18 Stage 4: The family with school-age children Parents of school-age children have the major responsibility of preparing their children to be able to function in a complex world. At the same time they have to maintain their own satisfying marriage relationship ? this can be a difficult time for a family. Many families need the support of tertiary services such as friends, church organisations or counselling. The time frame for the family with school-age children is when the oldest child is 6 to 13 years old. Developmental tasks during this stage include: * * * separation from children to a greater degree fostering education and socialisation aintenance of marriage Stage 5: The family with teenage/adolescent children The primary goal for parents with teenagers differs considerably from that of the previous developmental stages. Family ties must now be loosened to allow adolescents more freedom and prepare them for life on their own. Rapid technological advances have increased the gap be tween generations ? this can make stage 5 a trying time for both parents and children. Violence, accidents, homicide and suicide are the major causes of death in adolescents ? and death rates from HIV are growing. This places a still greater responsibility on the family. The time frame for this stage is when the eldest child is 13 to 20 years of age. Developmental tasks of this stage include the following: * * * maintenance of marriage development of new communication channels maintenance of standards Stage 6: The launching centre family For many parents this stage when children leave to establish their own households is the most difficult. It appears as though the family is breaking up and parental roles change from those of mother and father to guideposts. The parents may experience a loss of self-esteem as they feel themselves replaced by other people. For the first time they may start feeling old and less able to cope with responsibilities. The time frame for this stage is from the time the first child leaves home to the time the last child leaves home. The following developmental tasks should be accomplished during stage 6: * * * * * promotion of independence integration of in-law children restoring of marital relationship developing of outside interests assisting own aging parents Stage 7: The family of middle years At this stage a family returns to a two-partner nuclear family, as before childbearing. Some partners see this stage as the prime time of their lives with the opportunity to do things they never had time or finances for, such as travelling and hobbies. Others may experience this time as a period of gradual decline without the constant activity and stimulation of children in the home and may experience the â€Å"empty nest† syndrome. Support people may 19 also not be as plentiful as earlier in the parents’ lives. The time frame for this stage is from the time the last child leaves to retirement. Developmental tasks for this stage include: * * * developing leisure activities provision of a healthy environment ustaining a satisfying relationship with children and grandchildren Stage 8: The family in retirement or older age The number of families of retirement age is increasing rapidly, with people living longer as a result of advanced technology, medical research and increasing health consciousness. Family members of this group are, however, more apt to suffe r from chronic and disabling conditions than people in the younger age groups. The time frame for this stage lasts from retirement to death. Developmental tasks include the following (Clark 2008:323): * * * maintaining satisfying living arrangements adjusting to reduced income djusting to loss of spouse Prescribed reading Study Duvall’s and Carter and McGoldrick’s stages of family development in Clark (2008, or later editions). 2. 6 The family as social system All families share certain characteristics. Every family is a social system with its own cultural values, specific roles, functions and structure and each family moves through recognisable developmental stages. A social system consists of a group of people who share common characteristics and who are mutually dependent. What affects one member affects the whole family, and vice versa. Families have certain features that differ from other social systems: * * * Families last longer than many other social systems. F amilies are inter-generational social systems consisting of three or sometimes four generations. Family systems include both biological and affinal relationships (relationships created by law or interest). Biological aspects of family relationships create links to a larger kin group that are not found in other social systems. A social network support map gives a detailed display of the quality and quantity of social connections. The community nurse can use this to help the family understand its support systems and to form a basis for nursing interventions. 20 Fig 2. Social network support map Source: Allender ; Spradley (2005:528) 2. 7 Cultural values in the family The cultural values in a family can have a major influence on how a family views health and health care systems. Each new generation takes on the values of the previous generation, passing traditions and cultures from generation to generation. A family’s cultural values and behaviours can either facilitate or imped e the promotion of health and prevention of disease. Prescribed reading Read Clark (2008, or later editions), the chapter on the cultural context. Activity (1) Apply the four principles of cultural assessment to the family. 2) Discuss culturally competent care. h Feedback Note the following points: 21 (1) You needed to view the culture in the context in which it developed, examine the underlying premise of culturally determined behaviour and the meaning of behaviour in the cultural context. There is a need to recognise intercultural variation. (2) You needed to define cultural competence, consider the characteristics and challenges of cultural competence and the modes of culturally competent care. 2. 8 Family functions Family functions are the activities that a family performs to meet the needs of its members. These needs include basic needs such as food, clothes, housing, emotional support and guidance. All families ? regardless of the type of family ? have in common these basic needs that require a family to function in certain ways to ensure family survival. As the social system changes, the family system has to adapt if it is to meet individual needs and equip its members to participate in the social system. The family is a hierarchical system which is usually built on kinship, power, status and privileged relationships that may be related to age, gender, personality and health. All family functions can be reduced to two basic ones: * *