Ideologies in the Characters of Small Island Essay Example

Ideologies in the Characters of Small Island Essay The  plot  of the great book seller Small Island (2004) is formed  around four  characters: Hortense, Queenie, Gilbert and Bernard. Each  character has a  different  past, identity, ideology, dreams and expectations. But they also have one thing in common: all of them change after the war. Although,  everyone experiments the war in a different way, all felt affected by it. At this point, all that they have experience before or what they believe in seems lost, with no sense (Gilroy, 2004). This war is not the only factor that makes them feel bizarre and strange. The England that all believe to know has also changed, it was not the England in which they believe in, in which they had trust once. In this essay I will compare the ideologies and expectations of all the characters before and after the war, making emphasis in the concept of identity related to other conceots such as’ race’ and ‘social class’. The characters can be easily divided in many different ways. One of them is their marital relations: Queenie is married with Bernard, and Hortense is married with Gilbert. Another division can be made by analyzing their origins. The first couple is from Jamaica while the second one is English. We will write a custom essay sample on Ideologies in the Characters of Small Island specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ideologies in the Characters of Small Island specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ideologies in the Characters of Small Island specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The third division could be separating them by their colour of skin: Queenie and Bernard are white and Gilbert and Hortense are black. Race is an important topic in the whole book and is expressed in the way of ‘color of skin’ (Cinkova, 2010). The colour of skin of the characters makes them ‘better’ or ‘worse’ in the atmosphere of the book. Britain and its ally France was beating against the fascist Germany. How can be possible then that Britain’s attitudes was racist? Why Britain makes differences between the race white and black and at the same time tried to suffocate the fire of fascism? The reason is simple, Great Britain was not used to the ‘aliens’ or ‘strangers’ before the war. Their imperialistic ideology could not see the pain and suffering that their colonies were living. For the British all the colonies were the same: colonies. They didn’t believe that ,in a way, their identities were linked. Here we find a double reality: the reality of the colonies and that one of the British. For the British, their superiority was evident because they had a ‘Great Empire’ formed by many colonies who had bowed their heads to Great Britain’s power. These colonies were not just weak, but also inferior. This inferiority is the same that the fascism was trying to end up with. Jews and black were persecuted by Germans while in England black were repudiated and treated as ‘foreigners’ and ‘inferior’. The ‘Emperialistic ideas’ were strongly based in the term of ‘nation’. The definition of Anderson of nation as ‘imagined political community’ helps to understand the situation in England. England lived a dream after the industrialization and her expansion in the other continents These two factors made England the first potency of the World. English people were very proud of their achievements and their ‘superiority’. However, all this disappear after the World War II, when England lost its position as a first potency to give way to the United States. Before the war, the Imperialistic ideals dominated in Great Britain while the reality of the colonies was quite the opposite. The colonized loved the ‘mother country’ and had expectations on her. Their dream was come to her one day and being welcome by her. Even if they ancestors had been colonized some time ago, the mother country had done lots of things for them. In the book this double reality is represented by the two couples. Bernard and Queenie represent the Emperialistic ideas while Hortense and Gilbert embody the colonies’ naive ideology before the World War II. However the reality changes after the war for all the characters. The ideology of a ‘Great Empire’ disappears because, even if Great Britain had won the war, England was not the same that they remembered, its prestige had vanished: the people from the colonies were migrating in mass to England; the whiteness was finished to give a way to ‘multiculturalism’ (Gilroy). In addition, Great Britain had lost its place at the first potent of the world to give way to the United States of America, which had been its colony once. The ideology of a welcoming ‘mother country’ had also finished and the reality after the war was not so beautiful and hopeful for the colonized. Their dreams disappeared and were replaced by a desperate desire being integrated and not repudiated. So, the situation in England was not easy for any of the characters and it supposed a psychological and an identity change for all of them. Hortense, the Jamaican woman of the novel, has been grown up in Jamaica by his uncle, who had a very good status in the country. We can appreciate in her words that she’s very proud of living with him even if she wouldn’t see her mother again. In addition, her father is for her an idol, someone who deserved her admiration but no words of admiration go out from her mouth when she talks about her poor mother. This is the first time when Hortense shows us how important money and social class is for her. Her education, in a school of ‘ladies’ with ‘white gloves’ and ‘hats’, also influence in the construction of her identity. She then becomes a presuntuous girl, with high expectations. The first time we see she has great expectations when she talks about her colour of her skin: ‘My complexion was as light as his, the colour of warm honey [†¦] With such a countenance, there was a chance of a golden life for I’. As we can appreciate, she links her future social status with her color of skin so, in a way she’s aware of the world in which she is living, not necessarily of the fascism in Europe or the nationalism in contries such as England, but maybe she has observate this distinctions of ‘more black’ or ‘less black’ in her own country. The experience of the war does not affect her in a direct way. However, it seems that Levy wanted to assure that all the characters suffered the experience of war. If it wasn’t that the case, Hortense could be the only one that was not affected by it because she was in Jamaica and didn’t come to England until the war was finished. Nevertheless, her companion of childhood, her cousin, who she profoundly admires, goes to the war and disappears of the map. One officer tells the family to think of him as dead and this breaks her heart and her expectations of a future with him. However, a Michael appears in the novel later on, and is the father of the new child of Queenie. If this Michael is the same that grows up with Hortense is impossible to know, as Levy does not clear it up. In a way, Hortense is a product of the environment in which she grows up. She comes to her conclusions by seing her environment and deducting it. Her identity is immovable and with a very fixed bases. Until the end of the book she doesn’t give a opportunity to Gilbert, her husband. Her prejudices carry on during the whole book, but at the end they give pass to some kind of humanity and acceptance. She discovers that a man of low class as Gilbert is as deserving of respect as those ‘ladies’ in her school. At the same time, she discovers that high class people, as Queenie and Bernard, can be as pathetic as any low class person. So, social class is not important anymore for her, she is a new Hortense. Gilbert, the character of the novel with a golden tooth, is almost the opposite of Hortense. He’s from a low social class, but he is full of moral values. He is aware of the situation in Jamaica and wants to change it. The first time he sees Hortense, he is attending a local discourse of the nonconformists of Jamaica. He feels attracted by her and at the same time he knows that she is not from his social class, and therefore she is unprotected in the atmosphere of rebellion. Gilbert, is not a person with prejudices and gives opportunities to everybody. He dreams of England and wants to help the ‘mother country’ when she’s in trouble. So, he decides to take part of the RAF in the war. He, had great expectations and thought that he would be welcome and thanked for helping England in the war. However, the reality falls on him. Black people were ignored and bad treated in the army. Curiously, it is his color of skin which helps him in the war because nobody thought him to be a danger. It is in the war when he first felt disenchanted with England. After the war, his identity and perceptions starts to change. The Jamaica in which he’s grown up seems ‘small’ to him. The title of the book ‘Small island’ refers to the perception of the characters about her countries after the war. What they once thought ‘big’ seems smaller for them. Consequently, Gilbert, with no family to retain him, dreams of spreading, new things, new opportunities, developing, and England is the country who could fill his new necessities. His marriage with Hortense is the passage for both to England. She’d lent him money in order that he looks for a job in England for bringing her too. Once again in England, Gilbert starts to appreciate the rush after-war experience in England. Looking for a job and a house is very difficult even for a white man. He has no money and ,in addition, he is ‘black’. These two factors, linked very closely could have meant his end in the ‘melancholia’ (Gilroy, 2004) of the post-war England. British people had a discriminating attitude towards black people, whose slogan had become: No blacks, no Irish, no dogs,without considering that many of them have fought in the war. Gilbert, seing the British racist attitudes, takes the decision of adapting himself and takes the position of ‘passive resistance’. He’s forced to change his identity as a rebel and determinate man to survive in this racist atmosphere. Surviving is more important than defend the true and important causes such as ’equality’ or ‘respect’. This character is an example of inte rnal force, such as ‘Bartleby’ in the Herman’s Melville novel. Both characters ‘prefer not to’ say anything instead of reacting against the social environment in which they’re living, as they think they would lose the only chances of achieve better things that they have. Bernard is presented as a pathetic character at the beginning of the book. Through the words of Queenie we laugh at him. Bernard is not only unattractive and unexciting, as she reveals that her sexual relations with him are banal and not pleasant, but he’s also a coward. So, we know how the identity of Bernard is through the words of her wife. When the war starts, the first thought of the man is to stay in refuge to be protecting of bombing. But, suddenly, he seems to be full of pride and braveness and he joins the RAF. His experiences of war are the first narrations in first person of this character. We can know through his passages, that he’s a conservative character, who defends the Empire ideology and values. Curiously, he is sent to India, a colony of the Empire at that time. However, the situation in India awakes in him a sense of survival, as we have seen in Gilbert. The difference is that Gilbert, who belonged to a low class, was less reticent and has less ‘ego’ in words of survival. Bernard has not the spirit of rebellion that Gilbert has either. He thinks that rebellion in the colonies is not accurate, as he considers them inferior and unable to govern themselves. One irony of the book is when Bernard crosses an Indian who tells him that England has made a lot for them and confirms Bernard that the colonies are not able to be governed and ruled by themselves. In this passage we know that Bernard has acquired the Imperialistic values and at the same time that the Indian is naive and is not aware of the cruelty of the British in the colonies. However, the passage can also be interpreted as an humoristic one, who would show that the Indian is laughing at Bernard’s ideology and blindness of the reality of the colonies. In this interpretation, the Indian, reminds us of Gilbert, the character who uses humor to forget about the reality. After an incident with a prostitute, the cowardice invades Bernard again. He becomes paranoids when he thinks he’s got an incurable illness. However, after realising that it was not an illness, he comes back to England. The England he sees is different from the one he remembered. The national identity was suffering a perennial crisis (Gilroy, 2004). People from the colonies are everywhere, even in his house. In addition, her wife seems to have changed, she gets on well with the blacks. At first he is not able to say anything, traumatised by all he has gone through before arriving to England. However, when he talks at the end of the book, we see a different Bernard. This new Bernard does not matter about races or social classes anymore, this Bernard looks passing hrough the difficulties as better as possible. In a way, we can say that Bernard matures and faces the problems that he and her wife have. He is predisposed to accept the child and try to start a new life with the baby. He takes this decision even if he knows that they would be critisized by her neighbours. But the events change and Queenie implores Hortense and G ilbert to take the baby with them. Although we could not say that Bernard becames tolerant with black people, he matures and a kind of ‘acceptance’ of the reality starts to grow up in him. Gilroy’s ‘melancholia’ invades this character as he remembers how was England before and what it’s become. Queenie, whose real name is Victoria, as the other three characters suffers a methamorphosis. Her change, however, is more complicated to explain. Since she was young she felt interested by the whole Empire, as the passage in the festival of the Empire shows. She wants to know more about the colonies, about the people that live there. However, the people around her during her childhood and later his husband, Bernar, influence her way of thinking. She belongs to a middle-high class who is full of prejudices agains the people from the colonies. In a way she takes part of the Empirialistic ideology. However, she is more open-minded than the most of people of her social class. She is a caritative and empathic character, that can see far away from the Imperialistic ideology. During the war, she helps the people that have lost their belongings and their homes. However, this act of kindness could also be seen as a way to feel useless as her life seems not very exciting: having unpleasant sexual relations with her wife and expecting more of life than being married with him. During the war, she feels the necessity of renting the chambers of her house to black people. Nevertheless, her attitude towards them is not mean. The first black man she sees near is Michael, who becomes essential in Queenie’s transition. She, who always felt curiosity for black people, goes furhter when she has sexual relations with this black man. The sensations that she thought asleep, awake in her. Passion and desire invade her for the first time. These desires take form of a baby that she is very proud of. However, it is not until the end of the book that we know that she is pregnant, as she hides it to everyone. Surprisingly, when she gives birth to the baby she makes the decision of not wanting to look after him. To the wonder of all, she begs Hortense and Gilbert to take care of the baby, standing in her knees. On the one hand, Queenie becomes a realistic person that knows very well the problems that she will have to face if she and her husband take care of the baby. On the other hand, she could be considered a coward because she didn’t even want to face her problem and wants others to solve it. Another interpretation could be that Queenie regrets the infidelity to her husband. Queenie is a double face character. Two Queenies are represented in the book: the Queenie that loves black people and the Queenie that feels ashamed of her relationship with them. These two Queenies complement each other, one cannot be without the other. The racist Queenie is a product of her chilhood and family and the tolerant But, what are the reasons of Queenie ‘the tolerant’? An absent husband thought lost? A necessity of coexisting with black people for money? Or, a real change in Queenie’s mind? Does Queenie really realize that she and her society is racist? Does she wants to be different from all of them? We would feel inclinated to think that until she is by her own during the war she is not able or free to think by herself. Before the war, Queenie had always been oppressed, firstly, by her parents, later, by her aunt and ,finally, by her husband. When she has sex with Michael she feels free, new, the new Queenie has awakened. A Queenie that wants to feel free and want everybody to feel the same way. We could think that she helps the black people because they remind her of herselve before knowing Michael. Moreover, the return of her husband would mean for Queenie that her freedom would disappear. When she gives birth the baby, the new Queenie feels happy but the old one presses her to give the baby, reminding her the reality that she lives and has always lived: ‘England is not a tolerant country’. Consequently, the new Queenie comes back to her prison to never come back. Conclusion The four characters of Small Island have a marked and different identity. Each identity is a product of their experiences in the past. However, all the characters suffer a methamorphosis or a change. Their identity is in all of the cases forced to be changed because the circumstances have changed. In addition, according to Usha Mahadevan (2010) ‘the shocks of circumstance force the protagonists to face reality’. A new period starts in the lives of the characters, all of them start from zero. The most important thing is not the social class or the race anymore. The most essential thing is to survive and to be happy. All the characters are at the same level at the end of the book, the high class characters deserve the same consideration than the low class ones, as the important thing is to be brave morally and struggle until the end to achieve their goals. Andrea Levy has achieve to show all these values in a more than satisfactory way: four voices that converge, and four lives’ characters that converge in the same objective: to live. References Anderson, B. Imagined Communities, (1983) Cinkova, L. West Indian Experience in Britain in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century: Bittersweet Homecoming, (2010) Gilroy, P. After Empire: Melancholia or Convivial Culture? Abingdon: 2004 Mahadevan, U. England of Andrea Levy’s Small Island: Dreams and Realities, (2010)

Employment Law Racial Discrimination Essays

Employment Law Racial Discrimination Essays Employment Law Racial Discrimination Essay Employment Law Racial Discrimination Essay Employment Law: Workplace Racial Discrimination October 3, 2011 Employment Law: Workplace Racial Discrimination A number of federal and state laws prohibit racial discrimination. Racial discrimination is the practice of letting a persons race or skin color unfairly become a factor when deciding who receives a job, promotion, or other employment benefit. It most often affects minority individuals who feel they have been unfairly discriminated against in favor of a Caucasian (or white) individual, but there have been recent cases where whites have claimed that reverse discrimination has occurred- that is, the minority received unfairly favorable treatment at the expense of the white individual. Racial discrimination in the workplace has been a challenging issue for the United States since awareness rose in the 1960s. Blacks and other minority workers have faced intimidation, harassment and subtler forms of racism such as the difficulty of landing a job or promotion, even when they have the requisite qualifications. The United States has been actively combating racial discrimination in the workplace for 46 years, yet challenges remain. Many people do not really know much information on how racial discrimination at workplaces may take place, but many concerns can be answered with these following questions: 1. How long has racial discrimination at workplaces been going on for? 2. What are the laws on racial discrimination about? 3. What are some reasons for racial discrimination? 4. What is required to prove a racial discrimination case? This review on Employment Law focuses on these four questions. How long has racial discrimination at workplaces been going on for? Workplace racial discrimination is not something that has just recently started. The truth is, racial discrimination in the workplace has been taken place since the 1960s. In the aftermath of the Civil War, the United States abolished slavery and gave blacks the legal right to join the workforce. However, blacks had little protection from discrimination in employment, education, voting and other realms. Black workers felt they did not receive fair consideration for job openings, or for promotions after joining a business. Instances of outright segregation in the workplace were a means of isolating minorities from fellow workers or customers, as well as from co-workers who intimidated them. What are the laws on racial discrimination about? The main law and act dealing with racial discrimination at the workplace is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 created changes and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was created as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects individuals against employment discrimination based on race and color as well as national origin, sex, or religion. It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her race or color in regards to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Title VII also prohibits employment decisions based on stereotypes and assumptions about abilities, traits, or the performance of individuals of certain racial groups. Title VII prohibits both intentional discrimination and neutral job policies that disproportionately exclude minorities and that are not job related. Equal employment opportunity cannot be denied because of marriage to or association with an individual of a different race; membership in or association with ethnic based organizations or groups; or attendance or participation in schools or places of worship generally associated with certain minority groups. â€Å"Facts about Race/Color Discrimination†, middle sec. ) Basically, Title VII prohibits any decisions made by an employer if the decision is based on any one of these, because most of these traits are things that employees cannot control. For example, an article titled â€Å"Bias Suit against Del Taco Broadens†; talks about black employees who feel th eir employer are discriminating against blacks who are qualified for a job, instead the employer hires Latinos. Rochelle Manuel, a former cashier who is African American, witnessed a Latina supervisor at a Cypress Del Taco refuse to give job applications to blacks or take completed ones from them. The black applicants were told the restaurant was not hiring, while the Latina manager routinely gave applications and even jobs to Latinos†. (Ballon, 2002, 5th para. ) The suit is still going on, so there is no verdict at this time. Under the Civil Rights Act of 1991, employees who won a case after suing their employer for racial discrimination received punitive monetary damages instead of just monetary damages. The difference between the two are that with punitive monetary damages employees get pain and emotional suffering, future lost benefits and wages, and more, while with monetary damages employees just get lost benefits and wages, attorney fees and any other legal costs for the suit filed. In reality, the employee gets more money. To oversee the federal civil rights legislation, a separate administrative body was created as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, was created to enforce laws that prevent discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, or age when hiring, firing, or promoting employees. Four groups- race, color, sex, and creed- were given protected status under the law, which was to be upheld by the EEOC. The commission is an independent regulatory body that has the power to launch investigations, file lawsuits, and create programs to eliminate discrimination. The EEOC has been a controversial organization throughout its nearly 40-year history. Liberal politicians believe that the agency was long overdue and that it is absolutely imperative that the agency be proactive in identifying and fighting discrimination in the courts, while conservatives believe that the organization is a perfect example of big government that intrudes far too deeply into citizens lives. The agencys strong enforcement of affirmative action policies (which actively seek to promote minorities over equally qualified nonminorities in order to address past discrimination) has been its most controversial action, as many Americans oppose affirmative action. Even with political opposition, the EEOC continues to be effective in fighting racial discrimination. The EEOC establish E-RACE (Eradicating Racism and Colorism from Employment. E-RACE was initiated to improve EEOC’s efforts to make sure workplaces were free of color and race discrimination. What are some reasons for racial discrimination? There are really not any real reasons for racial discrimination. At least, there are not any that would make the situation considered as legit. Some employers may racial discriminate against their employees for the simple fact that do not really care for the employee race or what race the employee associate with, or may not want the employee to work for them because the employer do not like the color of the employee skin, which is illegal under Title VII. â€Å"Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against individuals because of their race†. (â€Å"Race Discrimination in the Workplace†, Browne, 2nd para. As stated earlier, racial discrimination is the practice of letting a persons race or skin color unfairly become a factor when deciding who receives a job, promotion, or other employment benefit. Although most racial discrimination cases are based on minority, this is not necessarily always the case. For example, there is reverse discrimination where whites will sue for racial discrimination instead of the minority. What is required to prove a racial discrimi nation case? A case on racial discrimination cannot just be established by a person saying that they have been mistreated on the job. Evidence is required. Under Title VII for a case to be established against an employer the employee must show that (1) he or she is in a protected class, (2) the employee applied for a position which he or she was qualified for, even though he or she was qualified for the position, the employee did not get the position, (3) the position is still open after the employee did not get hired , and finally (4) the employer still try to find someone to hire when the employer just rejected the qualified employee. In the employer defense of the case, the employer must show that the action he or she took against the employee was for a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason. For example, an article titled Seventh Circuit Holds No â€Å"Token† Exception in Title VII Discrimination Cases, talks about five Hispanic employees at Kraft Foods Global, Inc. feel their non-Hispanic supervisor, Peter Michalec was discriminating against them. The five employees said Michalec had them cleaning the parking lot and sewage during the winter, but non-Hispanic employees did not have to do those things. He also made racial slurs and comments to them. Two of the five employees signed up for an open position within Kraft and later found their names scratched off the sheet and they were not considered for the position. The five employees try to apply for positions within Kraft, but they cannot get the position and are not even considered for the position because of Michalec. One of those five employees ends up getting a sanitation position, but she was assigned to night shift. Night shift was normally given to a male. Therefore, the employee asked Michalec why she had to be on night shift and he said, â€Å"He placed another new-hire into the day shift position because he was white like me and because he had a family to take care of†. (Abrahams, McFetridge, 2011, 3rd para. The five employees sued Kraft for discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Only one won because she had evidence, which she settled out of court while three, tried the case again. After this evidence is shown the employee must demonstrate that the other employees receiving the higher wages perform substantially equal work on jobs requiring equal skill, effort fort, and responsibility. Finally, it m ust be shown the jobs that are being worked are performed under all of the same working conditions. Like this act, any other laws and acts require that there is evidence given to prove that discrimination is actually taken place. Any type of discrimination on the workplace should not be accepted. It is good to have all the laws and acts that prohibit discrimination. Any employer who in an hire up position such as a manager or supervisor should be setting examples to their employees, and shouldn’t engage in discrimination towards anyone that’s working for them. Working in a place with these kinds of things going on could affect the atmosphere at the workplace. Discrimination simply should not have to take place. References Equal Pay and Compensation Discrimination. (n. d. ). US EEOC Home Page. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from eeoc. gov/laws/types/equalcompensation. cfm Hinckley, M. (n. d. ). History of Workplace Discrimination | eHow. com. eHow | How to Videos, Articles More Trusted Advice for the Curious Life | eHow. com. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from ehow. com/about_6637038_history-workplace-discrimination. html Laws Prohibiting Discrimination in the Workplace. (n. d. ). HRhero. com: Employment Law Resources for HR Managers. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from hrhero. com/topics/discrimination. html

Theme of Responsibility in Of Mice and Men Essay - 1

Theme of Responsibility in Of Mice and Men - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that George appears from the beginning of the story as a man who takes responsibility for his childhood friend Lennie. He made efforts to protect Lennie who often got the duo into problems with his physical strength and mental disability. When seeking jobs in the new ranch, George took the responsibility of covering the weaknesses of his friend. In many occasions, he reprimanded Lennie concerning his handling of dead mice. In these cases, he presented a responsibility in terms of hygiene. He cautioned his friend of the possibility of catching a disease through handling dead animals. He presents a sense of personal responsibility in the sense that he worked hard on the ranch and had dreams of developing himself to the level of a farm owner some day. However, he presents moral irresponsibility because he was one of the men who visit brothels. In addition, the move he opted to take at the end of the novel raises a controversy. After realizing th at his friend Lennie was about to face the wrath of Curley, he decided to take away his life. Although he protected his friend from any harm and gave him cautions to avoid any chaos on the ranch, one wonders whether he had the justification to take his life. This episode has two sides. He acted irresponsibly to take the life of a fellow man. In a different perspective, he took the responsibility of protecting his friend from painful death, indignation, and humiliation. Slim presents attributes of responsibility throughout his stay in the ranch. He had expertise in the ‘skinner’ profession. In addition, he was a diligent worker in the ranch. This is the case because he earned respect from other workers in the ranch because of his sense of responsibility and dedication. Slim was among the workers that ensured the success of the ranch. His contribution was of considerable worth because it translated to the farm’s success.

See notes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Structures of International Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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Types of Psychologists, Therapists and Counsellors

Types of Psychologists, Therapists and Counsellors Psychologists, counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists all work to help people—what is the difference between these professions? Psychologist: An attending health professional attentive with the scientific inquiry of behavior and its associated mental development, along with memory, rational and irrational thought, intelligence, learning, personality, perceptions and emotions and their relationship to behavior. Psychologists work scientifically, to examine how people act and to consider what motivates them to react that way. To eventually be a psychologist significant to achieve a certificate/license by earning a master’s or doctorate degree. There is not only one precise classification of a psychologist, there are quite a few classifications, and for each one of the following subsections additional schooling is necessary: Clinical Psychologist: is both a general practice and a health service provider specialty in professional psychology. Clinical Psychologists provide professional services for the diagnosis, assessment, evaluation, treatment and prevention of psychological, emotional, psychophysiological and behavioral disorders. To emerge as an accredited clinical psychologist it is necessary to obtain an undergraduate degree (4 5 years of college) and a doctorate degree in psychology (4 -7 years of college). Counselling psychologist: is the applied branch of psychology that facilitates lifelong personal and interpersonal functioning, focusing on emotional, social, vocational, educational, developmental issues and concerns related to health. Its central focus is on ordinary and normal developmental issues but also in dysfunctional and unusual problems related to the individual, the family, the group or the organizational human experience. Being a certified counselling psychologist you first have to acquire a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Next a master’s is needed to be achieved. Lastly it is required to seize a doctorate. As a whole it is 8-10 years of college. Educational psychologist: is psychology that is concentrated upon individuals’ advancement, academy scholarship, instruction approach, leadership, and evaluation of aptitude and progress by standardized tests. ( © 2014 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated). To eventually be an educational psychologist a bachelor’s degree, a master’s in educational psychology and a doctorate in educational psychology is needed. Forensic psychologist: is the psychological evaluation of human beings who are involved, in any way, with the judicial organization ( © 2014 American Psychological Association). It is a must to earn a degree in psychology. As stated above it’s a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees. You have to train in forensic course and take the exams. It is also recommended that you have a minor in law. Many psychologist acquire a doctorate of the pair, law and psychology. As a result of this being a reasonably new field it is suggested that the forensic psychologist pursue their education throughout their careers. Health psychologist: â€Å"help patients manage chronic disease and avoid preventable diseases† by â€Å"incorporating psychological theory and research to develop methods to assist patients in maintaining healthy lifestyles.† (Brandi-Ann Uyemura, 2011). A graduate, bachelors and doctorate in psychology are mandatory. A great number of states mandate those who want to clinically practice to complete one year of supervised internship. Occupational psychologist: the study of human performance at work, as well as ergonomics, selection procedures, and the trappings of stress. You are mandated to require a master’s degree in psychology, a degree in business management, organizational psychology, mediation, and employment law. You must also have work experience. It is required to have 2 to 3 working internships. Then after all educational requirements a met you must take an oral state given by the state board. California is the only state that is no longer required to take the exam to become licensed. Counselors: A qualified man or woman that consults people as their career. An associate’s degree in psychology will get you a counseling certificate. If you decide to specialize in like family, marriage, crisis or any specific counseling field you would have to obtain your masters or even your doctorate depending on what field you choose to go into. Social Workers: are qualified men or women that help others from very young to very old during hard times in their lives and keep them from harm. Each state has their own set of rules for becoming a social worker. I live in Texas so I selected to research that criteria. You are required to obtain a bachelor’s degree in social work. It has to be from a school that is CSWE- accredited social work program. When you are in your last semester you need to apply to the Texas Board to take the Association of Social Work Boards Licensing examination. It is also required to have a criminal history check. After graduation you are eligi ble to be licensed as a licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker. You may then obtain a job in your intended area of practice. You have to state your intended job description to the Texas Board. Then it is required to work under approved supervision until 3,000 hours of experience is accumulated. Depending on your intended field you may have to obtain a masters. After all education and hours are complete you then take a required examination, either the generalist examination or the clinical examination. Psychiatrists: is a medical doctor that specializes in the treatment of mental disorders. First get a bachelor’s degree. You do not have to specifically major in psychology but whatever you choose to major in it is recommended that you take physics, chemistry, and biology. This is to get you ready for medical school admissions. It is recommended that you volunteer at one of your local health centers or hospitals to demonstrate a type of leadership skill while gaining experience working with patients. This helps with your application to medical school. You must complete a four year medical school. That is 2 years of class room and laboratory instruction and 2 years of supervised clinical experience. After medical school you must go through 4 years of residency. That is a post-doctoral training. The APA states that psychiatrist must be state licensed physicians. This is done by passing the Medical Licensing Examination. Each state has a set of procedures to go by. Psychiatrist s hould continue education during their careers in order to stay up to date with the industry trend and theories. Continuing Education is required for renewing Board Certification and may also be required to renew licensure. Based on what I have learned in this study no I do not wish to go into any part of this field study. Though I respect it great, I do not wish to go that many years of schooling, I do not wish to be around that many people in the world. I have been around the psychology world most of my life. I have observed it, and I have experienced it. I’ve been to social workers, psychologist, counselors, I have taken my dad, my son, and now myself to a psychiatrist. I’m a good listener, I can be around people one on one. Even maybe four if I know the people. This would not be a good field for me to be in. I believe psychology could help me to be able to control my anxiety around people. I want to become an account and eventually own my own business. I want a successful business. With the help of my psychiatrist and therapy I know upon completion of this degree I will be able to obtain a job in my field of study. I will reach my goal of becoming a CPA and I will one day open an offic e of my very own. My thoughts on the relative influence of â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture† is that it varies from person to person. You get traits passed down to you from your parents, grandparent, and past generation. Such as eye color, hair color, facial features, your height and more of your bodily features. I don’t believe that we get who we are from our parents or any family member, I believe a person becomes who they are meant to be because of the experiences they go through in their life. My grandfather was an alcoholic he was also a heavy smoker, all of his children’s lives, all of my childhood, until he took his own life. Out of five of his children two of them became alcoholics, the other three became smokers. I do not believe alcoholism is hereditary or even smoking, I do believe the addictive gene is hereditary. It goes on to my mom and dad were both heavy smokers, they had six kids, two of them became smokers (identical twins), one became a snuff dipper. The other nothing. I can’t say we never tried anything, but we have never been addicted to anything or gone back to anything thing, tried it and left it. The twins all though they are identical could not be more different personality wise. Robert is more of an outgoing person while Timothy is a stay at home kind of person. They both work, but other than that Timothy is very shy and only goes home and plays on his computer. While Robert also plays on his computer he will get out and about too. Robert is more inclined to go to a concert, or party; you wouldn’t find Timothy there. Not unless Robert absolutely just drags Timothy to a function will he go. Robert was able to quit smoking all on his own, Timothy cannot, absolutely refuses to lay the cigarettes down. Though I us to be as close to them as peanut butter is to jelly, I now to not get to see them that much. I’m sure if I was around them more I could find even more differences in them. Who knows I might even find more likenesses in them then I think. Works Cited: Psychologist. (2000). In The Royal Society Of Medicine Health Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?qurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.credoreference.com.ezproxy.snhu.edu%2Fcontent%2Fentry%2Frsmhealth%2Fpsychologist%2F0 Psychologist (2009). (5th edition ed.). Richmond: Crimson Business Ltd. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/189241386?accountid=3783  © 2014 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, online  © 2014 American Psychological Association, Jane Tyler Ward, PhD. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psn/2013/09/forensic-psychology.aspx  © Copyright 2003- 2014 Education Portal. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. Retrieved from http://education-portal.com/articles/Forensic_Psychologist_Education_Requirements_and_Career_Information.html Uyemura, B. (2011). An Overview of Health Psychology. Psych Central. Retrieved on October 27, 2014, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/an-overview-of-health-psychology/0007535

Rescuers of Holocaust Victims :: essays research papers

Individuals who risked their lives†¦ There were many individuals who risked their lives to rescue and hide the Jews during the Holocaust. Some of them got caught, while some of them made it until their village’s liberation day. An example of a rescuer that saved a Jew’s life is Jadwiga Suchodolski. This young girl was from a Catholic family. Her family lived in the village of Krzynowloga Wielski. At one evening of April in 1943 her family heard a knock on their door. When they opened it, they saw a Jewish man that fell down on his knees with his body all swollen up from hunger. The family talked about it and decided to let Michael in. They promised to keep him a secret. Two years later when liberation day came, the word spread that a Jew was being nursed back to life in their village. One day a group of partisans broke into Jadwiga’s house and demanded that Michael be turned over to them, but Jadwiga held them off long enough to let Michael escape. When the partisans realized that the Jew left, they gave a chase but did not catch up with him. In revenge, they ransacked Jadwiga’s house. Later Michael came back, but soon after he married Jadwiga and left to live in Israel in 19 57. Another example is Irena Sendler. Irena worked as a member of a Council for Aid to Jews. She had a permit allowing her to visit the ghetto area at all times. In the summer of 1942, under the code of â€Å"Jolanta†, she arranged some things for Jewish children to be smuggled out of the ghetto and found some non-Jewish families where the kids can stay. In the fall of 1943, Irena was arrested and was taken to a prison, and brutally tortured. The Gestapo people failed to get information from her, so she was supposed to be executed. However, her Jewish underground buddies had bribed one of the Gestapo agents, and on the day that Irena was supposed to be executed, she was released. She was forced to stay out of sight from the Germans, but she still conducted her activities from her hiding place.

Exercise the Mind, Body, and Soul Essay

Being in this class has helped me realize that my health, as well as others’ health, is very important. The past five weeks I have been recording my habits to see what was necessary to change. After the first three weeks, I had concluded that I really needed to increase my physical activity to do more than my average everyday walking. We were to go about our everyday lives and record exactly what we did on a regular basis. Before this, I would never have considered myself a person who exercises regularly. However, after this project I feel that I have earned the title of a person who exercises on the regular. Once I had picked my area I wanted to increase, I picked out to goals. My first goal was to exercise a minimum of 120 minutes a week. Two objectives I had to fulfill that goal were to complete my homework by four o’ clock each afternoon so that I had time to walk for twenty minutes in the evenings. Another objective I had was to park further away so I could wake an extra ten minutes to and from my car each day of school. My final goal was to lose three pounds by October 23, 2011. The first objective I had to fulfill that goal was to ask my friend/s Karlee, Sarah, and/or Samantha to exercise with me to help me stay motivated. My last objective to reach my weight loss goal was to do Zumba at least three times a week for 30 minutes minimum. Participating in daily physical activities such as walking or doing aerobic exercises is not only important for you physically, but it can also benefit you mentally and emotionally. A report shows that at least 60% of the global population fails to achieve the minimum recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity daily (Saxena, Van Ommeren, Tang, & Armstrong, 2005, p. 445). Walking is one of the most popular, easiest, and safest forms of physical activity (Sykes, 2009, p.40). Walking has many positive benefits to doing it. You have  less chance of getting/having heart problems, lower blood pressure, lose body weight, stress reducer are just few good things walking can do for you.  Studies have generally shown that exercise increases states of positive affect or energetic arousal, and reduces anxiety, tension, or negative affect. Research has also demonstrated that exercise may be similarly effective in the treatment of depression (Lutz, Lochbaum, Carson, Jackson, Greenwood, & Byas, 2008, p.166). Exercise gives you something to do. It is an easy way to get your mind off negative things and makes you feel better not only physically, but also mentally. According to Sykes, et al (2009, p. 42), exercise can improve a person’s physical self-worth and other important self-perceptions such as body image. Having exercise goals that relate to personal performance and improvement is also associated with high positive emotion and improved mood. My last two weeks of recording was difficult to say the least. Some days seemed easier than others did. Walking a couple times, a week was easy for me to get in the habit of doing. Not only did I notice that I was having a bit more energy, my dogs, that I took walking with me, we willing to walk more around the house, instead of sleeping all day. As the days went by, I noticed I was finishing my homework earlier, which allowed me more time to increase my time to do activities. My friends were extremely helpful and supportive during this whole process. They were excited to come over and do Zumba with me. They would come at least once a week and work out for at least 30 minutes. I believe I have made a change for the better that will continue to grow. I have realized that I had just been lazy. I now have so much more energy in the days, which really helps me go to sleep earlier and longer. It was difficult at first to change my ways, but with the support of my friends, it made things a lot easier for me. With my increase in physical activity, as I mentioned,  my sleeping habits have gotten better, and well as my leisure time. Now all I need to do is work on my eating habits, which are not too bad, and I will be living a much healthier life than I have been.

Free Essays on Multicultural Counseling

Counseling is an interactive process characterized by a unique relationship between counselor and client that leads to change in one or more areas (Trickett, Sept. 9, 2003). Multicultural counseling requires the recognition of: (1) the importance of racial/ethnic group membership on the socialization of the client; (2) the importance of and the uniqueness of the individual; (3) the presence of and place of values in the counseling process; and (4) the uniqueness of learning styles, vocational goals, and life purposes of clients, within the context of principles of democratic social justice (Locke, 1986). As the theoretical and professional foundations of multicultural counseling have progressed, a natural evolution has been the development of ethical standards to help regulate the practice of multicultural counseling. Ibrahim and Arredondo (1986) authored a proposal to develop specific ethical standards regarding multicultural counseling in the areas of education, research, assessment, and practice. LaFromboise and Foster (1989) also discussed this by bringing attention to other issues related to ethics in multicultural counseling that involved participants in research and right to treatment. Which in respond to this the 1995 revision of the ethical standards, the American Counseling Association (ACA) included specific excerpts requiring counselors to respect diversity, avoid discrimination, and demonstrate cultural sensitivity when engaging in direct client services, research, education, testing, computer applications, public communications, and relationships with employers and employees (ACA, 1995). Within the section on professional competence, it requires them to show a commitment to gain knowledge, awareness, and skills related to serving all different types of clients. Researchers have stated the need to prepare professionals to become more skillful in dealing with ethical dilemmas, particularly those involving multicult... Free Essays on Multicultural Counseling Free Essays on Multicultural Counseling Counseling is an interactive process characterized by a unique relationship between counselor and client that leads to change in one or more areas (Trickett, Sept. 9, 2003). Multicultural counseling requires the recognition of: (1) the importance of racial/ethnic group membership on the socialization of the client; (2) the importance of and the uniqueness of the individual; (3) the presence of and place of values in the counseling process; and (4) the uniqueness of learning styles, vocational goals, and life purposes of clients, within the context of principles of democratic social justice (Locke, 1986). As the theoretical and professional foundations of multicultural counseling have progressed, a natural evolution has been the development of ethical standards to help regulate the practice of multicultural counseling. Ibrahim and Arredondo (1986) authored a proposal to develop specific ethical standards regarding multicultural counseling in the areas of education, research, assessment, and practice. LaFromboise and Foster (1989) also discussed this by bringing attention to other issues related to ethics in multicultural counseling that involved participants in research and right to treatment. Which in respond to this the 1995 revision of the ethical standards, the American Counseling Association (ACA) included specific excerpts requiring counselors to respect diversity, avoid discrimination, and demonstrate cultural sensitivity when engaging in direct client services, research, education, testing, computer applications, public communications, and relationships with employers and employees (ACA, 1995). Within the section on professional competence, it requires them to show a commitment to gain knowledge, awareness, and skills related to serving all different types of clients. Researchers have stated the need to prepare professionals to become more skillful in dealing with ethical dilemmas, particularly those involving multicult...

Hate Language in Rap Music essays

Hate Language in Rap Music essays Hate Language in Rap Music In a recent survey of Americans, 75% reported believing that exposure to violence in popular music, television shows, and movies, inspires young people to act aggressively (Lacayo, 1995; Smith et al., 2000). The consumption of media containing heterosexist and homophobic languages, by young adults and children, harbors aggression and sexual confusion. Jung and Smith (1993) define heterosexism as, a reasoned system of bias about human sexual orientation...rooted in a largely cognitive constellation of beliefs about human sexuality (Hecht, 1998, p. 113). The constant exposure to hateful lyrics found in some of todays most popular music desensitizes the young to violence against and mistreatment of gays and lesbians. It may also instill a fear in those young adults who may be confused about their own sexual orientation, causing extreme frustration and emotional pain. With the recent success of rapper Eminems sophomore release entitled, The Marshall Mathers LP, much attention had been drawn to this topic. There has been a tremendous backlash against Eminems music and the messages he delivers to the millions of listeners he has acquired. The most audible criticisms have been those of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance against Defamation, or glaad. In a media release from glaad, the organization stated that: The hatred and hostility on (Eminems) CD have a real effect on peoples lives as they encourage violence against gay men and lesbians. At time when hate crimes against gay people are on the rise, these epithets create even more bias and intolerance toward an entire community. The real danger comes from the artists fan base of easily influenced adolescents who emulate Eminems dress, mannerisms, words and beliefs (glaad.org, 2000b). Some of these words and beliefs include the following lyrics from the song Criminal&quo...

Becoming Global Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Becoming Global - Coursework Example If the party promises to accept the agreement, the other party must promise to give something in return (Burnett, 2004). A valid offer has a clear communication and is specific and definite in its terms. Considering the above three proposals, the first proposal gives a valid offer. The contractor clearly communicates the terms of her offer. She also gives the time lapse of the offer. The other three offers only communicate the quantity of the product they would produce and the cost of purchasing them. They do not give definite terms of the offer (Moens & Gillies, 2000). Gloria wants to engage in a global business because she wants to expand her business. Her concern is that if she engages in a business with the large retailer supplier, she will have to cut down her costs. However, she should consider other issues. Such issues are the laws of that country, the taxes that she would pay and language issues. She should also consider employing trusted employees for her business to succeed ( Hayward, 2012). Gloria can protect herself and her family from persona liability by obtaining an insurance cover for her business. She can also have some by-laws that would allow another person from the company to act on her behalf (Annabel,

The status of Public Space Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The status of Public Space - Essay Example This fact can be explained by the relationship between architect and life. More specifically, because architecture is closely connected with daily human activities (in all their aspects) its relationship with specific social and political theories and views would be considered as a normal phenomenon. Public can be closely related with architecture. As a term opposed with the individual as a unit, public has to be regarded as a fundamental element of political development in all eras. ‘Polis’ is considered to be a ‘creation’ of the Greek philosophers. Using this term they referred to a general social framework covering a specific geographic area which is represented by the modern ‘city’. However, ‘polis’ was something more. In fact, this term had the meaning of a society in which the relationships of the citizens was close and their dependence on the political power did not based on the fear of the power of politicians to impose specific measures. It was rather a relationship of trust. In accordance with Arendt (p. 195) ‘the original, prephilosophic Greek remedy for this frailey had been the foundation of the polis; the pollis as it grew out of and remained rooted in the Greek pre-pollis experience and estimate of what mak es it worthwhile for men to live together’. In other words, Arendt finds a strong relationship between the ‘pollis’ as described above and the development of society in ancient Greece. In modern societies, the development of life is also considered to be depended on the political decisions and the general political context of each particular state. Because of the above relationship between the social and political life, the lives of people cannot be considered as organized outside of existed social frameworks as they have been developed within states throughout the years. In this context, public can have many aspects – its social and political