The ethical dilemma of the physicians orders for the care of a child Essay

The ethical dilemma of the physicians orders for the care of a child vs the parents disapproval - Essay Example This paper discusses an ethical dilemma involving physicians’ order for childcare and parents disapproval citing the moral issues involved. The paper discusses two bioethical principles and relates them to the aforementioned case. The document closes with a discussion on a value of personal morality and relates it to the morality of the larger group and society. An unnamed woman in Canada gave birth to six babies and physicians warned of their ill health and recommended blood transfusion for them. Two of them died before physicians in the hospitals where they had been born convinced their parents of how urgently the babies needed blood transfusion. The parents refused physicians to carry out the intervention and went to court seeking to stop officials forcing their way with the said intervention. The court then ordered some social workers who had taken custody of some babies seeking to secure treatment for them to return them to their parents (Birchley, 2010). The ethical dilemma in the case involved the decision on whether to assume physician’s moral obligation to ensure health of patients, in this case the infants, or whether to respect moral requirement of parents’ autonomy regarding actions on their children’s lives. Legal aspects of human rights to autonomy further complicated the case as the law supported the parents’ opinion that was based on their religious beliefs. The parents refused their babies to receive blood transfusion because their faith was against it. They were followers of Jehovah’s Witness and they remained adamant that they would have allowed any other treatment intervention as long as it did not involve blood. Jehovah’s Witness believers have strongly rejected any medical treatment including surgery that involves blood loss or reception. These believers have been proposing to have machines that can help recycle patient’s own blood to eliminate the need for a blood tra nsfusion. The Canadian

Attribution Theorists And Biased Judgements

Attribution Theorists And Biased Judgements Social psychologists have studied attribution theories for several decades, and their research has produced many interesting insights. The process of assigning a cause to ones own behaviour, or that of others can be defined as attribution (Hogg, 2005). Considering that attribution is complex, many theories have been constructed to demonstrate its performance. This essay will examine the evidence that biased laypersons judgements of others are inevitable by, first of all, focusing on explaining three classic theories of attribution, then paying particular attention to biases in attribution in order to fully answer the question under investigation. Attribution theory is concerned with how individuals make sense of their environment and how this affects their cognition and behavior (x). There exist three classic views on attribution that continue to be especially influential. The first of these classic theories is Fritz Heiders (1958) theory of naive psychology where the layperson is viewed as a naive scientist who links observable behaviour to unobservable causes. Also Heider made a significant distinction between internal (dispositional) and external (situational) attributions. It was also underlined that individuals look for causes of others behaviours in order to find out their motives and give some sense of control in their lives (Hewstone, 1990). Related to Heiders theory is Jones and Davis (1965) theory of correspondent inference which is concerned with how people use information about others behaviour and its effects in order to find out their underlying dispositions and personality traits. Of particular interest is beha viour that is freely chosen, produces non-common effects (effects produced by a particular cause that could not be produced by any other apparent cause), and is low in social desirability. The last and the best known theory of attribution is Kelleys (1967) covariation model where Kelley believes that people act like scientists when they try to discover the causes of behaviour. People are interested whether others behaviour stems from internal (motives, traits) or external (social, physical world) causes, or both of them at the same time. In order to answer this question, individuals focus on three types of information that can be defined as consistence, distinctiveness and consensus (Baron, Branscombe, Byrne, 2006). Heider (1958), Davis and Jones (1965) together with Kelley (1967) have acknowledged that attribution is subject to many potential sources of bias. It has been noted that a bias occurs if the social perceiver systematically distorts (overestimates or underestimates) a procedure that is known to be correct (Fiske and Taylor, 1984). People constantly use cognitive shortcuts that are called heuristics in order to make attributions. Apart from being not always objectively correct, biases in attribution are entirely satisfactory and adaptive characteristics of everyday social perception (Ross, 1977). In terms of studying how people interpret their social worlds, social psychologists have identified 3 general biases that often affect peoples attributions and explanations. One of the most important of these biases is the fundamental attribution error, that is the tendency to explain others actions as stemming from dispositional causes even when situational causes are at present. Social psychologists have conducted numerous studies to find out the reasons that determine the occurrence of these biases (Robins et al, 1996), though the issue is still to some extent uncertain. One possibility is that when people observe another persons behaviour, they tend to focus on his or her actions and the situational behaviour tends to fade away in the background. Another explanation is that people notice such situational causes but give them insufficient weight in their attributions. An experiment conducted by Amabile, Ross and Steinmetz (2000) illustrates fundamental attribution error. In this experiment they set up a quiz show design in which they randomly assigned participants to one of two roles. First was a questioner whose task it was to prepare difficult questions for a contestant, and second was a contestant whose task it was to answer the questions prepared by the questioner. An observer watched the quiz show and then estimated the questioners and the contestants general knowledge. They found that observers thought that the questioners were far more knowledgeable than the contestants. However, everyone was assigned to conditions randomly, so it was highly unlikely that one group was more clever than the other. The most interesting thing is that observers did know that participants were randomly assigned to their roles, yet they failed to consider the impact of that knowledge in making their judgement. Fundamental attribution error is not limited only to quiz shows, its implications are far more encompassing. For example, peoples common reaction to convicted criminals are that they are terrible human beings and that is why they committed a crime. However, there can be many factors other than personal characteristics that explain why a person commits a crime. These include lack of job opportunities, the lack of positive role models in the family and neighborhood, growing up in a dysfunctional family and many others (Aronson, 2003). In addition to this, Nisbett and Ross (1980) argued that the english language allows easy description of action and actor in the same terms but it gets more complicated when using the same terms in order to describe the situation. For example, it is possible to talk about honest and generous person or honest and generous action but not a honest and generous situation. This demonstrates that linguistic factors have an important role in making attributions. People are certainly unaware of this phenomena beca use this is the way they have been taught from childhood and is something that happens without conscious thought. An equally common bias in social judgement is the actor-observer effect, in other words, the self-other effect that is really an extension of the fundamental attribution error. The actor-observer effect refers to the tendency for people to attribute others behaviour to dispositional factors and their own behaviour to situational factors (Jones Nisbett, 1972). For example, in general, students tend to explain their poor performance in exams in terms of the difficulty of the test items whereas they tend to explain others poor performance in terms of their ability and personality. There exist several explanations for actor-observer effect. Firstly, according to Jones et al (1972), the informational factors are very important as the actors have access to a much wider range of information about the factors leading to their own actions. For example, behaviour that can be expressed in a party. Secondly, actors and observers have different perspectives. The actors attention is usually focus ed on the environment. On the other hand, the observers attention is usually focused on the actor and his or her behaviour rather than the background, which is why the observer may be unaware of why the actor behaved like this. Evidence for this explanation comes from Storms (1972) experiment where he had two subjects engaged in a conversation while two observers watched it, and were instructed to monitor the behaviours of one or the other actors. Results showed that the actors were more likely to explain their behaviour in terms of the situation and the observers in terms of personality dispositions. However, this was not the only thing they found. Storm (1972) also demonstrated that when the participants were shown a video tape of their conversation from the same angle as they saw it, actor-observer bias had occurred. On the contrary, when the video tape was shown from the reverse angle, the actors saw themselves from the observers point of view and tended to attribute their behav iour in terms of dispositional factors. This is a clear example of how biases are inevitable in everyday life. In order to avoid biases, one has to see others point of view but that is not an easy task to accomplish. One more bias can be identified in relation to attributions for success and failure. The self-serving bias refers to a tendency for people to attribute internally and take credit for their successes, the self-enhancing bias, or attribute externally and deny the responsibility for their failures, the self-protecting bias. For instance, gamblers perceive their successes as based on their skill and their failures as unlucky chances (Gilovich, 1983). Kingdom (1967) provided an example of self-serving bias from the political world. He interviewed American politicians five months after the general election and asked them to describe the factors that led to their victories or defeats. Results indicated that the politicians tended to attribute successes to internal factors such as hard work, personality and reputation. On the other hand, they tended to attribute their failures to external factors, for example, lack of money, the familiar name of their opponent and state trends. It is importa nt to understand the reasons why people engage in biases. Miller and Ross (1979) suggested that the self-enhancing bias could be explained in relation to the cognition model. People in general expect to succeed rather than fail and, therefore, are more likely to make self-attributions for expected than unexpected outcomes. For example, couples estimate their contribution to housework differently. Individuals are more likely to keep track of every job they do at home such as dusting or washing the dishes but when it comes to estimating the partners contribution, not all of their work is successfully remembered. This effect could be due to differential attention and memory (Aronson, 2003). However, the cognitive perspective alone cannot explain all the examples of self-serving biases. Another explanation for self-serving biases is that people are motivated to engage themselves in attributions in order to protect their self-esteem (Greenberg, 1982). It is evident from the experiments o f Weary (1999) that self-serving bias increases when the person is highly involved in that particular behaviour and when other people are watching. Self-serving bias occurs when an individuals self is threatened or when that individual has an opportunity to achieve and maintain a positive image of the self. To conclude, people do make judgements very quickly based on minimal information. As it has been demonstrated above, the reasons humans make biases seem varied and complex and different research reflects this (Storm, 1972; Ross et al, 1979; Kingdom, 1967; Amabile et al, 2000; Jones et al, 1972). Every day people try to justify themselves and their behaviour with the help of biases such as fundamental attribution error, actor-observer effect and self-serving bias. By using heuristics, individuals interpret and distort the meaning of their actions and the world around them, and make attributions that are very adaptive but not always correct. The situations people find themselves in, the cues they face and frustrations they may experience, also all appear to have the ability to inflame an aggressive response. Attribution is an important part of human existence and, although much has been achieved to aid the understanding of this behaviour, it is for now still reasonable to conclude that attribution is indeed an inevitable and inescapable part of our lives.

Dance brazil :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dance Brazil Dance Brazil performs with flexibility and power, which is evident throughout its entirety. Whether the company is lying on the floor or leaping through the air, they command their space. However, throughout the production they also incorporate one important factor, their culture. In the introduction of the show, the dancers demonstrate their religious ways by presenting the sign of the cross to the people. Throughout the scene, the costumes that were being worn were all directly related to the colors of various gods. Throughout one scene, the dancers become possessed, one man loses control of his emotions, and lands into another man’s arms. One could possible interpret that this man is landing into the arms of god. The following scene featured a woman dressed in blue. I appreciated the way their movements resembled water that recedes after the tide; movements that matched the full and vibrant sound of the band. I also valued the bleak positioning, woman facing forward, man facing away, with their backs against each other. The man repeatedly placed his hand on the woman, only to have her definitively push him away. This control at the beginning contrasted with a kind of compliance at the end, as the woman was carried off on the back of the man. The music pulled their bodies. They were elegant yet powerful at the same time. They had a superior blend of a partnership ,they danced like a partnership without it being a partnership dance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Overall, I took pleasure in the production â€Å"Dance Brazil†. My first thoughts were negative, I did not expect this dance to be as exciting and interesting as it truly was.

All Adoption Records Should be Open to Adopted People over Eighteen Years Old

The issues of having adoption documents open for access by the adopted people who are over eighteen years has caused a lot of heated debate in America. There has been a revolution in the adoption scene as some of the states have legalized the opening of previously sealed adoption documents.There are raging debates due to the controversy which is brought by opening and sealing the adoption records. The right of the birth parent to privacy is weighed against the fundamental right of the adopted adult to know and the right to equality. This paper seeks to bring out the reasons as to why these previously sealed documents should be open for adopted adults.There are more than six million adoptees in the United States of America. Currently, only six states in America offer the open inspection of adoption records. These are Tennessee, Hawaii, Delaware, Alabama, Kansas and Alaska (Mabry & Kelly, 357).In most of the other states, the original birth certificate and the adoption documents are no t accessible to anyone without a court order. Alabama allows the opening of these documents only after consent while Oregon and Tennessee also require consent from the court. In Tennessee, the adult adoptee is forbidden for establishing contact.Some states recommend the use of specific search and consent protocols which require the agency to locate either member of the adoption triad enquire whether they would allow their identity to be revealed to the other member (Mabry & Kelly, 359).The adoption triad refers to the adopted adult, the adopted parents and the birth parents.   Opening adoption documents or records refers to making a variety of previously confidential and sealed information available to a member of the adoption triad.These adoption records can be either the original unammended birth certificate, the court records from the adoption and other confidential information including the adoption agencys’ documents which may reveal the identity of any of the members of the triad (Mabry & Kelly, 369).After an adoptive placement is finalized, the original documents and documents proceeding from these cases are closed.Most adopted adults are in favor of the opening of the adoption documents primarily to ease their search for their birth parents or eliminate the need for a search. They argue that keeping these documents sealed from adopted adults, impairs with their emotional status and denies them of their right to know the identity of their parents like every other person.Adoption documents were initially sealed in order to protect any members of the adoption triad from the prevailing attitudes of the time. There was a lot of social stigma arising from illegitimacy and infertility. People were also stigmatized based on their wealth or other features in their families.The courts felt that the exposure of the triad especially the child to these attitudes would hinder their potential. Sealing adoption documents allowed the adopted child to grow up w ithout these additional pressures from the society (Mabry & Kelly, 436).The main reason as to why the adoption documents were sealed was to protect the adoption triad from social stigma associated with illegitimacy and infertility.The changing times have eliminated this stigma as millions of people nowadays choose not to get married, to become single parents or even get married and choose not to have any children. Any stigma associated with either of these has been eroded over time.The opening of adoption records only for adopted adults over the age of eighteen years ensures that they are already emotionally and mentally developed and the chances of their birth parents affecting their development is minimized.Adoption documents allow the adopted adult to find out of any genetic conditions which they may have inherited from their birth parents. The knowledge of any genetic predisposition to life threatening medical conditions allows the adopted adult to seek help early.This also allo ws early detection of any medical conditions and could potentially save lives (Siegel, 17). In cases where the adopted adults also intend on having their own children, it is necessary for them to know of any possibilities of passing on genetic conditions to their children and make informed decisions based on these facts.Adopted adults may also require organ transplants. The most successful organ transplants are from genetically identical individuals since there are less chances of rejection. For the adopted adult, this implies that they have to contact their birth parents and any other siblings they may have for potential donors.The adult who is adopted at childhood has the fundamental right to know the identity of his parents (Mabry & Kelly, 508). These unanswered questions bring a lifetime of confusion and loss of identity.The contract between both sets of parents is entered on behalf of the adopted child. Once the child reaches eighteen years, they are legally capable of making m ost legal decisions and they should be treated as adults who have the right to decide whether they require information regarding the birth parents.In cases where they choose to have access, the information should be availed readily (Siegel, 17). The United States of America is founded on the tenet of equality for all its citizens. Opening adoption documents ensures that adopted people are given equal right to know their parents, similar to their non adopted counterparts (Blanton & Deschner, 534).The adopted individuals should be given the same right as everyone else.   This in turn brings peace of mind and the adopted adults can move on with their lives.There are many people who feel that the opening of these previously closed documents should be prohibited and adult adoptees should not be given information regarding their birth parents. Those who oppose the opening of these documents insist that the birth parents may not want contact from the children (DuPrau, 28).The supporters of opening adoption records insist that the opening of these documents does not necessarily imply intent of contact. In many cases the adult adoptee is simply curious or is intent on identifying any genetic medical conditions of the birth parents (Blanton & Deschner, 530 .The issue of people preferring abortion to adoption due to the ramifications of the children later looking for them has also been debated. The supporters of open documents maintain that the two issues are unrelated and the rates of abortion have not increased in states that have allowed open adoption documents (Cocozzell, 36).There is no need for the birth parent to feel insecure because most states specify no contact unless it is permitted. The birth parents have no biding parental responsibilities on the adopted adult and the only thing they seek is information on their identity and possible their medical condition. In some instances birth parents who gave up their children for adoption are also interested in mak ing contact and are relieved when the adopted adults contact them (Cocozzell, 36).There are also arguments that insist that the identification of birth parents is a threat to the relationship of the adopted individual with their adoptive parents. While it may be true for an adopted child, for an adult adoptee, the identification of the birth parents is not a threat to their relationship with the adoptive parents (DuPrau, 18).In conclusion, all adoption documents should be open to all adopted people over the age of eighteen years. This allows equality to all people and gives the adopted adults peace of mind regarding any questions they may have concerning their identity as well as any potential genetic conditions which, they may have inherited from their birth parents.REFERENCESBlanton L. & Deschner Jeanne, â€Å"Biological Mothers' Grief: The Post adoptive Experience in Open vs. Confidential Adoption,† Child Welfare 59 (1990): 525-535.Cocozzelli Carmello, â€Å"Predicting th e Decision of Biological Mothers to Retain or Relinquish Their Babies for Adoption: Implications for Open Placement,† Child Welfare 68 (1999): 33-44.DuPrau Jeanne. Adoption: the facts, feelings, and issues of a double heritage. Michigan: University of Michigan, 2007. 16-99.

Addressing the Community Leadership Challenges Faced by Women Leaders of Sitio Galilee, Antipolo Essay

This 2012 study explores the community leadership of women in the locale of Sitio Galilee in Antipolo City. Even though the standards of leadership persist to be male-oriented, more women are taking up leadership positions in our society. The prevalent aim of this study is to identify the challenges that these women leaders face toward development in their community; more importantly, how these can be addressed. The study mainly sought to (1) identify and understand the leadership challenges that women leaders face in initiating development in their community, and (2) facilitate or assist possible action programs that will address these challenges. To resolve this issue, the processes of the Participatory Action Research (PAR) were followed, namely: (1) diagnosing the status of women’s involvement and leadership in the community, (2) planning of action programs that will address the identified leadership challenges, (3) its implementation and monitoring, and (4) the evaluation. The accounts of women leaders and the perceptions of the members were collected through one-on-one interviews. In addition, focus group discussions were conducted to encourage people’s participation. Guided by the Social Role Theory, the role of the women as community leaders is further analyzed. This study is a contributory factor to theoreticians and community development practitioners in analyzing the unaddressed issues of community leadership. See more: My Writing Process Essay Keywords: Women and leadership, community leadership, community development, Participatory Action Research Background of the Study Traditionally, community affairs and administration have been the sphere of influence of men. Hassan (2008) explains that â€Å"this is evident from the imbalance of leaders and office bearers across community, local councils and associations.† Silong (2008) also pointed out that â€Å"women have not been active in local politics and are relatively inactive in public processes due to institutional, socio-economic and cultural constraints.† In the history of the Philippines, women portrayed essential roles, not only in the facet of taking care of the family but also in the development of the life of the tribe during the pre-colonial times (Shah, 2007). With the beginning of colonization, it brought about a patriarchal society wherein women were made inferior to men and are not licensed to certain rights (Clamonte, 2007). However, times are changing. There is now acceptance that women can do and play a significant role in community affairs, particularly in contributing to the achievement of community development and progress. Nowadays, stories of women occupying leadership positions are becoming ordinary. Although regarded by Zaharah and Silong (2008) as â€Å"the unsung heroes of community action†, women’s role in community leadership has become increasingly important. In certain communities, they already learned the knowledge and skill that have produced positive transformation to their community (Bond, Holmes, Byrne, Babchuck, & Kirton-Robbins, 2008). More importantly, they have established themselves as community leaders. However, many are not aware of the challenges that these women leaders face. In view of this, the researcher learned, through the ocular visit that all the community leaders of Sitio Galilee, Antipolo are women. Their husbands work in the city and only come home for the weekend. Hence, their weekdays are spent at caring for the family, doing household chores, daily chatting in the neighborhood and playing card games. Above all this, they also manage to plan and work concerning community affairs. The researcher sought to further investigate on the women’s leadership in the community, specifically on the challenges they encounter. Research Objectives The women leaders in the community of Sitio Galilee, Antipolo face several leadership challenges that need to be addressed. How can the community of Sitio Galilee, Antipolo address these? Specifically, this study sought to: 1. Diagnose the status of women’s involvement and leadership in the community; 2. Identify the leadership challenges faced by women leaders towards community development; 3. Initiate the planning of action programs that will address the identified leadership challenges; 4. Implement the action program and facilitate its monitoring; and 5. Evaluate the effectiveness of the action programs. Significance of the Study This study serves its significance for two aspects: theoretical and practical. Firstly, this study is guided by the Social Role theory. This theory emphasizes on the processes of role-taking and role-making as part of an individual’s life. Accompanied by these processes is the role conflict which may develop as one struggle different simultaneous roles. This study improves the clarity and applicability of the theory as it is used by a researcher. This study is a contributory factor to the residents of Sitio Galilee, Antipolo in broadening their understanding of the leadership barriers that their women leaders are encountering. This Participatory Action Research assists them in the process of maximum participation of the community, through initiating action programs, in addressing the identified challenges. Hence, this study promotes and encourages community development in the locale. This study is affiliated with the University of Santo Tomas and its Simbahayan Office. This is a useful document in analyzing and addressing the issues of community leadership within their partner communities. Scope and Delimitation The scope of this research is the women leaders in Sitio Galilee, Antipolo. This study focused on the role of women in leadership and community development, the identification of the experienced leadership barriers towards development in their community, and most significantly the process wherein these challenges were addressed. This study did not cover other factors, other than leadership per se, that impede the process of development and progress in the community of Sitio Galilee. A constructivist worldview was applied. This implies that the researcher seeks to establish the meaning of a phenomenon from the views of the participants. In this endeavor, the journeys of women leaders were described and determined by the participants. Furthermore, the action programs implemented came from the propositions of the participants. The researcher only served as facilitator and participant observer of the said approach. Theoretical Framework Individuals have several roles that they play across time and place within the period of life. According to Burr (1972), â€Å"throughout life, individuals transfer into and out of different roles, keeping some, leaving others behind, and beginning new roles.† This study is guided by the Social Role Theory. This is not just a single theory; rather this was established through interrelating and interconnecting perspectives. One of the pioneers of this theory is George Herbert Mead’s â€Å"role-taking†. It explains that the ability to put oneself in another’s place is an essential development of the ‘self’ (Ritzer, 2000). According to this theory, â€Å"social role is a set of rights, duties, expectations, norms and behavior a person has to face and to fulfill.† Linton (1936) explained that, as cited in the study of Harrison and Lynch (2005), â€Å"the role represents the sum total of all various roles of an individual, and determines what one does for the society and one may expect from it.† In this sense, â€Å"roles do not remain static, but change and evolve over time†, as stated by Turner (1990). There is the concept of â€Å"role-taking† where an individual acquires or takes on the role of other individuals; and â€Å"role-making† wherein one is able to create and recreate these roles (Turner, 1990). In undergoing these processes, one may experience â€Å"role overload† and â€Å"role conflict†. Turner (1990) defines role overload as, â€Å"the experience of lacking the resources, including time and energy, needed to meet the demands of all roles.† On the other hand, role conflict is defined by Turner (1990) as, â€Å"an incongruity between the expectations of one role and those of another.† However, there is the so called â€Å"role balance†. Role balance is a state wherein an individual is able to perform his or her roles well and meet its expectations (Marks & MacDermid, 1996). To show how the social role theory is applied in this study of the leadership challenges of women leaders, the researcher conceptualized a paradigm that illustrate how the multiple roles (with its linked rights, duties and expectations to it) of a woman contribute to the challenges they face. Literature Review Gender role encapsulates the characteristics and behaviors that are distinguished as either masculine or feminine (Bem, 1974; Clamonte, 2007). Carli and Eagly (2001) have enumerated: The set of traits and behaviors labeled as masculine includes the following: is self-reliant, independent, and assertive, has leadership abilities, is willing to take risks, makes decisions easily, is dominant, is willing to take a stand, acts like a leader, and is athletic, ambitious, and self-sufficient. The set of traits and behaviors labeled as feminine include these: is affectionate, compassionate, and cheerful, does not use harsh language, is loyal, sensitive to the needs of others, sympathetic, gentle, and understanding, loves children, and is tender and warm. Tannen (1990) pointed out that, â€Å"the traditional gender role is a social orientation that emphasizes closeness and solidarity, whereas the traditional masculine gender role is a social orientation that emphasized power and status.† In sociology, gender roles are considered ‘artifactual’ or socially constructed ideals in the society. Eagly (2002) has characterized this as a â€Å"male-advantaged gender hierarchy.† The roles associated to men benefited them more than the women’s. They gained more access to resources, authority in decision makings and more slots in the administration (Kolb, 1999). In the Philippines, women enjoyed distinguished equality in the society during the pre-colonial times (Santos-Maranan, Parreno, & Fabros, 2006). Shah (2007) explicated that, â€Å"Filipinos have tracked kinship bilaterally.† Some of the rights they experienced are: (1) they were entitled to the properties of their family, (2) instigate divorce of their husbands, (3) engage in trading and a lot more privileges (Clamonte, 2007). However, the coming of the Spaniards that brought about the indoctrination of Catholicism has downgraded the role of Filipino women (Shah, 2007). The spirit of the native Filipina was changed. Shah (2007) expounded that, â€Å"the image of the Filipino women became tied to the house whose only duty was to take care of the husband and the children.† Alesina, Nunn and Giuliano (2011) also added, â€Å"It also became a father’s good girl, a husband’s subject, and a long-suffering woman with sealed lips and silent sobs and has not right to participate political undertakings.† In the rural area, the Filipino woman belongs in the home. Flavier (2007) described in his book, Doctor to the Barrios, that â€Å"rural women in the Philippines wield considerable authority, the housewife in particular.† According to him, the housewife is often called as the â€Å"Reyna ng Tahanan†. A recent writing by Vartii (2011) revealed that, â€Å"there is a re-emergence of the empowerment of Filipino women though the political process.† In the present times, women in the Philippines are reviving the strengths they lost. Women now are seen working outside the home and occupying the prominent positions in their own field. Many even manage to become leaders. Fabros (2005) affirmed, â€Å"No matter what kinds of issues they (women) are involved in at present, one thing is clear – they are the very testimony of a better Philippines.† The second-wave feminism and radical feminism have remedied the traditional issues on gender (Cornell, 1998 in Pflanz, 2011). Even though there was a significant development of the status of women in the 20th century, there’s still much to be done to fully change the social beliefs regarding this matter. Carly and Eagly (2001) argues that, â€Å"women continue to lack access to power and leadership compared with men.† There is this phenomenon called â€Å"glass ceiling†. Coleman (2003) defines this as â€Å"a barrier that is impenetrable to women.† Pflanz (2011) mentioned in his study that, â€Å"Studies involving women in leadership roles indicate the majority of women believe their biggest obstacle to advancement is a mindset favoring candidates that fit in a male-dominated environment.† Even though the standards of leadership persist to be male-oriented, more women are taking up leadership positions in our society (Pflanz, 2011). Pflanz (2011) further explained that, â€Å"many women assume leadership positions in order to have an influence within their communities.† The Department of Communities of the Queensland Government (2006) stated that, â€Å"Community leadership is leadership in, for and by the community.† Ferrer (2010) affirms, â€Å"it reflects the concept of people and groups working together to achieve common vision and goals.† Community leadership is not profit-oriented and therefore involves non-paid leaders (Baconguis, 2010). In the study of Garina (1957), he revealed that, â€Å"non-paid local leaders are vital in community action; cooperation with them by outside agencies is imperative in the process of community development.† Women’s participation in the communities and national scene was not only through public leadership. In many cases, women form the backbone of formations as members or volunteers, particularly at the community level. There are numerous examples of this point: barangay health workers, churchwomen, community mobilizers, members of people’s organizations and civic organizations – over and above their traditional roles as domestic managers/housekeepers, caregivers, and even as they engage in productive labor outside the domestic sphere (Bond, Holmes, Byrne, Babchuck, & Kirton-Robbins, 2008). The report on the Forum on Women NGO Managers in 1987 entitled, â€Å"Women NGO Managers: Issues and Dilemmas† revealed that women NGO managers play multiple roles and have triple responsibility of caring for the home and children, earning a living/working outside the home and contributing to the national development. It showed that these women experience a major dilemma on how to balance and integrate the concerns of family life and the demands of work/career commitment. These pressures on family-work commitments are further magnified by leadership roles that women play in their organization (PHILDHRRA, 1987).

Nollan vs. CCC Essays - Environment, Free Essays, Term Papers

Nollan vs. CCC Essays - Environment, Free Essays, Term Papers Nollan vs. CCC Environmental Law Nollan vs. CCC Abstract of: 483 U.S. 825, 97 L. Ed.2d 677 James Patrick Nollan, et ux., Appellant v. California Coastal Commission. Case Definition: The case is Nollan versus the California Coastal Commission. The Nollans were the appellates against a decision made by the California Coastal Commission (CCC). The Nollans had been leasing a property on the California coast with which they had an option to buy. The property lies directly at the foot of the Pacific Ocean and is a prime piece of real estate on the California Coast. The property had been used by the Nollans to rent out during the summer months to vacationers. At the end of the Nollans lease they took the option to purchase the land and began preparing for the terms of purchase by the previous land owner. Among those terms was the demolishing of the small deteriorating bungalow that the Nollans had been leasing. The Nollans had planned to expand the structure from the small bungalow that it was to a three bedroom house more complimentary to the surrounding homes and their needs. In order to begin destruction of the property and begin rebuilding the site the Nollans had to secure a permit from the California Coastal Commission. Upon submitting the permit application, the CCC found that the permit should be granted on the condition that the Nollans provide public access to the beach and to the local county park, which lay adjacent to the property. This provision called for the Nollans to use a portion of their land to be used as a public walkway to the beach and park. The Nollans protested to the condition, but the CCC overruled the objection and granted the permit with the condition intact. Case Decision: The Nollans filed a petition to the Ventura County Superior Court asking that the condition to supply easement be removed from their permit. The Nollans argument was that there was not enough evidence to support the developments limiting of public access to the beach. The argument was agreed upon by the court and the case was remanded to the California Coastal Commission for a full evidentiary hearing on the issue of public access to the beach. The CCC held a public hearing which led to further factual findings which reaffirmed the need for the condition. The CCCs argument was that the building of the new structure would limit view of the ocean, and therefore limit access to the public who had full rights to use the beach. To compensate for the limitations on the public the Nollans would have to provide access to the beach from their property. The CCC also noted that all of the other developments on the same tract of land had been conditioned similarly in having to provide public access to the ocean. The Nollans filed a supplemental petition for a writ of administrative mandamus (a writ that would order a public official or body to comply with a specified duty issued by a superior court). The Nollans argument was that the permit condition violated the Takings Clause in the V Amendment, and also in the XIV Amendment of the Constitution. The court agreed that the administrative record did not provide for in showing the existence of adverse impact on the publics access to the ocean. The court granted the writ of mandamus, and directed that the public access condition be removed from the permit. The CCC appealed the case in the California Court of Appeal and won the decision. The Court of Appeal found an error in the Supreme Courts interpretation of the Coastal Act which mandates public access to any category of developments on the coast. The Court of Appeal also found that the Takings claim was unsubstantiated by the Nollans. The permit condition did take from the value of the land, but did not restrict them of reasonable use of their property. The Nollans then appealed to the United States Supreme Court. The argument made by the Nollans continued to revolve around the Takings Clause in the V Amendment. The Supreme Court found that the requirement of the permit only put a restriction on the use of the property and not a taking of the property. The Supreme Court also held the California State Constitution to have standing, and upheld the ruling made by the Court of Appeals. Reasoning for Decision: I believe that the reason the Supreme Court decided as it did was that its interpretation of the California State Constitution provided for the authority of the CCCs permit regulation. The part within the states constitution says that access to any

Biography of Willa Cather, American Author

Biography of Willa Cather, American Author Willa Cather (born Wilella Sibert Cather; December 7, 1873–April 24, 1947) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer who gained acclaim for her novels capturing the American pioneer experience. Fast Facts: Willa Cather Born:  December 7, 1873 in Back Creek Valley, Virginia, USADied:  April 24, 1947 in New York City, New York, USAOccupation:  Author and journalistEducation: University of Nebraska–LincolnSelected Works: My ntonia (1918), O Pioneers! (1913), Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927), One of Ours (1922)Key Accomplishment: 1923 Pulitzer Prize for One of OursFamous Quote:  There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before. (from O Pioneers!) Early Life on the Prairie Willa Cather was born on the farm of her maternal grandmother, Rachel Boak, in the poor farming region of Back Creek Valley, Virginia, on December 7, 1873. The oldest of seven children, she was the daughter of Charles Cather and Mary Cather (nà ©e Boak). Despite the Cather family having spent several generations in Virginia, Charles moved his family to the Nebraska frontier when Willa was nine years old. After spending about eighteen months attempting to farm in the community of Catherton, the Cathers moved into the town of Red Cloud. Charles opened a business for real estate and insurance, and the children, including Willa, were able to attend formal school for the first time. Many of the figures in Willa’s early life would appear in fictionalized form in her later novels: most notably her grandmother Rachel Boak, but also her parents and her friend and neighbor Marjorie Anderson. As a girl, Willa found herself fascinated by the frontier environment and its people. She developed a lifelong passion for the land and befriended a wide array of the area’s residents. Her curiosity and interest in literature and language led her to forge connections with immigrant families in her community, especially older women who remembered the â€Å"Old World† and who delighted in telling young Willa their stories. Another of her friends and mentors was the local doctor, Robert Damerell, under whose guidance she decided to pursue science and medicine. Student, Teacher, Journalist Willa attended the University of Nebraska, where her career plans took an unexpected turn. During her freshman year, her English professor submitted an essay she had written on Thomas Carlyle to the Nebraska State Journal, which published it. Seeing her name in print had a huge impact on the young student, and she shifted her aspirations immediately towards becoming a professional writer. While at the University of Nebraska, Willa immersed herself in the world of writing, particularly journalism, although she also penned short stories. She became the editor of the university’s student newspaper while also contributing to the Journal and to the Lincoln Courier as a theatre critic and columnist. Quickly, she gained a reputation for her strong opinions and sharp, intelligent columns, as well as for her dressing in masculine fashions and using â€Å"William† as a nickname. In 1894, she graduated with her B.A. in English. In 1896, Willa accepted a position in Pittsburgh as writer and managing editor for Home Monthly, a women’s magazine. She continued to write for the Journal and the Pittsburgh Leader, mostly as a theatre critic, while running Home Monthly. During this period, her love for the arts brought her in contact with Pittsburgh socialite Isabelle McClung, who became her lifelong friend. After a few years of journalism, Willa stepped into the role of teacher. Fom 1901 to 1906, she taught English, Latin, and, in one case, algebra at nearby high schools. During this time, she began publishing: first a book of poetry, April Twilights, in 1903, and then a short story collection, The Troll Garden, in 1905. These caught the eye of S.S. McClure, who, in 1906, invited Willa to join the staff of McClure’s Magazine in New York City. Literary Success in New York City Willa was extremely successful at McClure’s. She ghostwrote a notable biography of Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy, which was credited to researcher Georgine Milmine and published in several installments around 1907. Her position as managing editor earned her prestige and the admiration of McClure himself, but it also meant that she had significantly less time to work on her own writing. On the advice of her mentor Sarah Orne Jewett, Willa left the magazine business in 1911 to focus on fiction. Although she no longer worked for McClure’s, her relationship with the publication continued. In 1912, the magazine published, in serial, her first novel, Alexander’s Bridge. The novel was well-reviewed (although Willa herself would, later in life, consider it a more derivative work than her later novels). Her next three novels cemented her legacy. Her â€Å"Prairie Trilogy† consisted of O Pioneers! (published in 1913), The Song of the Lark (1915), and My ntonia  (1918). These three novels centered on the pioneer experience, drawing on her childhood experiences of life in Nebraska, the immigrant communities she loved there, and her passion for the untamed land. The novels included some autobiographical elements, and all three were celebrated by critics and audiences alike. These novels shaped her reputation as a writer who used plain but beautiful language to write thoroughly American romantic literature. Dissatisfied with her publisher’s lack of support for her novels, Willa began publishing short stories with Knopf in 1920. She would eventually publish sixteen works with them, including her 1923 novel One Of Them, which won the 1923 Pulitzer Prize for the Novel. A subsequent book, 1925’s Death Comes for the Archbishop, also enjoyed a long legacy. At this point in her career, Willa’s novels were beginning to move away from epic, romantic tales of the American prairie to stories that leaned into the disillusionment of the post-World War I era. Later Years As the 1930s rolled around, literary critics soured on Willa’s books, criticizing them for being too nostalgic and not contemporary enough. She continued to publish, but at a much slower pace than before. During this time, she received honorary degrees from Yale, Princeton, and Berkeley. Her personal life also began to take a toll. Her mother and the two brothers with whom she was closest all passed away, as did Isabelle McClung. The bright spot was Edith Lewis, the editor who was her closest companion from the early 1900s until her death. Scholars are divided as to whether or not the relationship was romantic or platonic; Willa, a deeply private person, destroyed many personal papers, so there is no certain evidence either way, but scholars of queer theory have often interpreted her works through the lens of this partnership. Willa’s personal life remained something she kept closely guarded, even after her death. Willa despaired over the coming conflicts of World War II, and she began to have issues with an inflamed tendon in her writing hand. Her final novel, Sapphira and the Slave Girl, was published in 1940 and marked a significantly darker tone than her previous works. In 1944, the National Institute of Arts and Letters awarded her the gold medal for fiction as a mark of her lifetime of literary achievement. In her final years, her health began to decline, and on April 24, 1947, Willa Cather died of a cerebral hemorrhage in New York City. Legacy Willa Cather left behind a canon that was both plainspoken and elegant, accessible and deeply nuanced. Her portrayals of immigrants and women (and of immigrant women) have been at the center of much modern scholarship. With a style that encompassed sweeping epics along with realistic depictions of frontier life, Willa Cather’s writings have become iconic pieces of the literary canon, both in America and worldwide. Sources Ahearn, Amy. Willa Cather: A Longer Biographical Sketch. Willa Cather Archive, https://cather.unl.edu/life.longbio.html.Smiley, Jane. Willa Cather, Pioneer. The Paris Review, 27 February 2018, https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2018/02/27/willa-cather-pioneer.Woodress, James.  Willa Cather: A Literary Life. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1987.

How To Write A Good Definition Essay, with Topics

How To Write A Good Definition Essay, with Topics How to write a definition essay (Writing Guide) How to start How to write a main part How to write conclusion Outline example List of topics There are quite a number of essays that students are supposed to learn in high school and in college. Most of these skills are not just crucial for class work and exams, but rather they are also when it comes to daily activities at the place of work. As such, these are skills that go along the way into helping students tackle career chores with more ease. The definition essays tend to be long and thorough. Though it is not as popular as most of the other essays, it can prove to be a challenge. As such, where given a choice, students are advised to choose those words which have plenty to write about. This is relative to the lengthy nature of the essay and could mean that the student may run out of ideas before they can meet the length threshold. There are those words that have a definite meaning, such as book, tree or even glass among others. However, there are those that have a more abstract meaning depending on the person giving the definition. In an example, a word such as honor, love or honesty will have a personal and an academic meaning. As such, the word choice for a definition essay is crucial, relative to the determination of the amount of content a student can write about the same. The essay is written in the best choice of words for the readers to understand what the writer is trying to explain. It is important that the writ er does not use jargons to explain a word as they are trying to get the audience to understand. As such, simplicity and clarity are the keys when writing a definition essay. As such, the definition essay elicits a debate among the readers and between the readers and the writer, with regard to what the definition of a certain word is. It is important the writer is able to engage the audience in a battle to determine the true meaning of a word from a personal and academic point of view. Structure of a definiton essay Like most of the other essays, the importance of the outline cannot be underestimated. This is relative to the fact that the outline acts as the framework within which all the ideas in the essay are organized. It is also among the baselines which help the writer brainstorm on the ideas to include, check for weak links in the content development, reduce the time it takes to write the essay and refine the ideas outlay for the audience. Below is an example of what the outline of a definition essay will look like. Introduction Attention getter Thesis statement Body Body paragraph one: History and origin of the word Body paragraph two: Dictionary explanation and use of the word Body paragraph three: Personal definition Conclusion Following the definition essay outline guide stipulated above, it is crucial to understand the various aspects which go into making a good definition essay. Each of the sections on the outlines play a crucial role to help the audience engage the mind of the writer and vice versa, in the debatable explanation of what a word will mean to either of the parties. Introduction for a definition essay The introduction of the essay is crucial, as the writer uses it to help the audience connect with the debate and the ideas floated in the essay. The first part of the introduction is the attention getter. This is also referred to as the hook, as it is developed in a manner to get the attention of the readers. There are quite a number of articles that can be found online, among other mediums and thus it is upon the author to make sure they get the attention of the readers for them to engage with the article beyond the topic. The writer has to make sure they have the best start for the paper to keep the readers going further into the text. Even for the teachers, it is important that the student is able to keep them interested, which translates into better grades. Thesis The other part of the definition essay is the thesis statement. Like the attention getter, it is important for the writer to have the ability to develop a thesis statement which draws the readers to wanting to know more about the word. The trick here is to make sure the thesis statement is framed as an argument. In an example, the word patriotism does not mean that citizens have to blindly follow the values of the government, but those the nation was founded on. This creates an element of debate, where the author may argue, the sitting government does not inspire patriotism among the citizens. This is a topic likely to spark a sharp debate and makes sure the audience is eager to get to the bottom of the debate. The thesis statement in this case is clear, which means that the writers should always avoid being vague. At the same time, when writing a definition essay, the writer should ensure the thesis statement is short and precise. It also has to be a complete sentence, not just a ph rase that leaves the audience hanging, while identifying the purpose of the paper. Like an outline, the thesis statement is a guide, but one that defines the structure of the paper more than the outline does. The bottom line is that, other than the thesis statement being interesting, it should also be relevant to the debate developed in the paper. Body paragraphs The body of the definition essay articulates the debate established in the thesis statement an elaborated in the introduction. The first paragraph of the body paragraphs debates the issues regarding the history and origin of the paper. The first paragraph is associated with introducing the word to the audience and helping them to better understand the baseline of the word and what it to be discussed in the paper. The first paragraph also helps to prepare the audience for the debate in the definition essay. The second paragraph of the paper is associated with defining the word according to dictionary meaning. The author may choose to select a number of reputable dictionaries to use, in the definition of the word. The second paragraph is a section that relates to getting the meaning of the word with an academic approach. The third paragraph of the definition essay is associated with the personal definition of the word. How to write conclusion for a  definition essay The last part of the definition essay is the conclusion, where the writer summarizes the main points building the argument and then closing with an attention getter, by referring to the introduction and thesis statement. Finalizing definition essay To make sure the definition essay meets the academic and professional threshold, it is important to proofread the essay. This is to make sure there are no mistakes which could lower the integrity of the essay. When choosing the right word for the perfect essay, there are some elements to consider which include using a word that is abstract and has a complex meaning. It is important that the word is debatable and one which is familiar. The other important aspects include reading up on the dictionary meaning of the word and then researching on the origin of the word. List of topics for a definition essay: Love Success Honor Honesty Patriotism Hate Terrorism Farming Technology Laziness Cheating Marriage Relationship Family Rudeness Respect Sacrifice Boyfriend Wife Husband Girlfriend Home Fashion Beauty Privacy Rights Heroism Courage Fear Poverty Masculinity Feminism

Poverty and pollution case study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Poverty and pollution case study - Assignment Example It is the price they get to pay for the benefits of harmful investment in their countries. This document discusses human right to a clean and safe environment, justifies the moral obligations of developed countries towards third world countries for their incurred costs, and finally, recommends civil liability and taxations as pollution standards that are fair for global enforcement. Keywords: Pollution, Environmental Degradation, Third World Countries, First World Countries, Economy and Development, Pollution Control, Industrialization, Investment, Cities, Production, Costs, Price, Business, Regulations Poverty and Pollution Pollution can be categorized differently depending on its cause and impact in the societies. It has become a key sensitive area not only at the national level but also at a global governance level, with too many policies being enforced from the industrialized nations to the third world countries. Effectively, environmental law is a measure expected to preserve th e environmental pure conditions by preventing further degradation. However, its application is being taken seriously in industrialized nations unlike in developing nations, which still feel that they need the opportunity to grow before they apply the law effectively at a pace the industrialized nations have set in their nations. Air and water pollution has taken the lead in bringing serious mass destruction unlike other pollution such as noise. The authors of poverty and pollution case 7.2 address the environmental nature of Brazil’s Valley of Death area known to be highly polluted, consisting of numerous industries that emit hazardous gases, which are unhealthy for the high population density that resides and works within the area. Ethical Implications of Businesses Polluting in Third World Countries The rise of social issues in businesses can be traced back to the mid 19th century, in the so called developed nations today. At the time, their economies were very active to fo ster development through industrialization; hence numerous businesses had been set up, but the citizens’ interests and concerns had not yet been fully addressed. As of the 1960s, the Americans â€Å"saw the decay of the inner cities and growth of ecological problems such as pollution and the disposal of toxic and nuclear waste,† which caused the anti-business attitude in the society that led to establishment of Consumer’s Bill of Rights that serves to protect the rights of the consumers (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & India, 2011, p.10). Comparing them with the less developed nations, industrialization came earlier in the developed nations, hence a step away compared to the struggling third world countries. While such developed nations in the world feel the need to protect their lives and foster economic development in a safe regulated environment, the third world countries are in search of a better economy that can only be steered through more business establishments. I t is obvious that the two parties cannot perceive the issue at the same degree, considering that their priorities are quite different. Today, we have most of the populations in first world countries living in urban

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Current issues in human rights - War, genocide, mass human rights violations - Essay Example ted Nations (1948), this document has provided a blueprint for the development of various international laws and criminal courts against individuals who have the high genocide responsibilities. Countries such as Serbia, Guatemala, the former Soviet Union and even Rwanda have experienced genocide in the 20th century and such crimes have been punished based on the provisions of this convention. The convention has various articles which highlight the level of responsibility of each and every country’s leadership in ensuring that genocide and crimes against humanity are prevented at all costs. For example, chapter 4 states that every individual, state or non-state actor shall be held individually responsible for abetting, financing, directly and indirectly participating and being complacent in genocide activities. Such provisions have assisted in ensuring that individuals are brought to book for allowing and participating in activities that are equivalent to genocide in different parts of the world. The international tribunal for Kosovo and Rwanda were all constituted on the premise of the genocide convention to try various cases of genocide against religious and tribal groups. This document is a conclusive documentation of the articles of the convention that has defined genocide and abuse of human rights as we know it today. Though changes have been done to the convention, the United Nations (1948) is an important document that has informed the decision of other international bodies and help in reducing incidence of abuse of human rights in the presence or absence of crisis. In the study of human rights and genocide, the United Nations (1948) provides an accurate historical encounter of how a convention that has defined international behavior of those in power was developed. This document has significantly contributed to the development of various tribunals aimed at providing justice to victims of genocide in countries such as Rwanda Kosovo where rampant human

Stock Investment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Stock Investment - Assignment Example In his article Strategies for Stock Selection, he put forward four factors to look at: markets; economic cycle; obvious risks; and company (How to Choose Stock 2006). Foremost in his recommendations is buying stocks that an investor is not only acquainted with but knowledgeable in. Peter Lynch advises that an investor should buy the stock of a company whose products are purchased by him and his social circle. He should asses if this product will continue to become popular in the future. He cautioned investors that if they can't explain what a company is doing, they should not invest its stocks. In the process of knowing a company, it is imperative that an investor also looks at the current financial position of the company by looking at the different aspects of the business with the help of financial ratios. These ratios reflect not only reflect the financial situation of a business entity but also shows the company's strengths and weaknesses in terms of numbers. Aside from gaining a deep insight on the company's operation and current financial position, an investor should also look at the company's historical performance in terms of financial ra tios and stock prices. To maximize the investment profitability, return of a stock should be compared with other stocks in the same industry (How to Choose Stock 2006). This report is an analysis of the profitability of holding Ted Baker PLC's stocks as ... t an investor also looks at the current financial position of the company by looking at the different aspects of the business with the help of financial ratios. These ratios reflect not only reflect the financial situation of a business entity but also shows the company's strengths and weaknesses in terms of numbers. Aside from gaining a deep insight on the company's operation and current financial position, an investor should also look at the company's historical performance in terms of financial ratios and stock prices. To maximize the investment profitability, return of a stock should be compared with other stocks in the same industry (How to Choose Stock 2006). This report is an analysis of the profitability of holding Ted Baker PLC's stocks as an investment. The next section will briefly introduce the company. Financial analysis will be used to ascertain the current and historical performance of the company. Competitor analysis through a thorough quantitative data will also be employed. The paper will conclude with its findings and recommendations. An appendix containing the accounts used in the financial analysis will be presented. II. Company Profile Ted Baker PLC is primarily involved in the design, manufacture, wholesale and retail of menswear, womenwear, and childrenswear and related accessories which includes skinwear, fragrances, eyewear, and watches. The company was formed by Ted Baker and J. Peterman and is a leader in the apparel and textile industry in the United Kingdom. Ted Baker PLC has 100 retail distributors in the United Kingdom. Internationally, the company's product line is sold in 600 other stores abroad (Ted Baker PLC 2006). A. Historical Performance Looking at the historical performance of the company is essential in determining trends

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Current legal topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current legal topic - Essay Example The lead prosecutor on the case was Joel I. Klein. This essay aims at explaining the United States versus Microsoft corporation lawsuit tussle. When governmental and privately owned corporations are lawfully at loggerheads as much as justice must prevail, the government interests must be sublingually served. In this case, for instance, it was 20 American states versus Microsoft Corporation (The United States Department of Justice). Firstly, the legality of business practices by Microsoft Corporation in the American technological marketing structures was questionable. In the American corporation policy, it is often provided for a capitalistic competition rather than monopolistic competition. This country is a capitalist hence various businesses are allowed in the money market. Becoming a monopoly, therefore, made Microsoft Corporation as self-interested business entity as opposed to the government, which serves the interest of the people. The Plaintiffs alleged that Microsoft Corporation abused the monopolistic competition legal framework by using Intel-based personal computers (The United States Department of Justice). Acco rdingly, Microsoft operating system and web-browser sales were acquiring a larger sales portion than other market competitors were. To reduce this monopoly, the American government had to act swiftly to serve its capitalistic nature interest. Overly, the issue central to this case was whether Microsoft would be left at the epitome of the flagship internet explorer web browser software in its Microsoft windows system or pave way for other corporations. Seemingly, Microsoft did not emerge the winner in this legal battle as the government rightfully accused the company. Additionally, the government was serving the interest of many in the America corporate world. In conclusion, the law according to this case should allow for a free and fair market competition among the computer marketing structure. For

Construction law essay and legal problem case Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Construction law and legal problem case - Essay Example The leading decision in this area is British Steel Corporation v Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Co Limited3where it was held that that where work was undertaken pursuant to a letter of intent, in most cases it would not matter whether the formal contract was concluded. If the parties had acted on the letter of intent, then payments claim would due on a quantum meruit basis under restitution4. However, the inherent difficulty with a letter of intent is where a party is seeking to claim damages for breach of contract and it is argued that no contract is entered into. Accordingly, the issue of whether a contract is in existence is vital. Moreover, if there is no contract, it begs the question as to what sums the CCL is entitled to under quantum meruit principles. In British Steel, it was held that the letter of intent covered pre-contractual negotiations and as no terms had actually been agreed, there was no binding contract. Therefore, the extent to which a contractor can rely on the letter of intent to enforce their rights will inherently be dependent on what terms are agreed to in the letter of intent itself. In the British Steel case for example, it was evident that issues pertaining to price, delivery dates and the applicable terms and conditions had not been agreed. As such, the Court concluded that there was simply an obligation upon Cleveland to pay a reasonable sum for such work as had been done pursuant to its request contained in the letter of intent on a quantum meruit basis. The general rule as highlighted in Turriff Construction Limited v Regalia Knitting Mills5 is that a letter of intent will be of no contractual effect and that a letter of intent is â€Å"no more than an expression in writing of a party’s intention to enter into a contract at a future date. Save in exceptional circumstances, it can have

East & West Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

East & West - Essay Example The negative treatment of the media, particularly, its penchant for humiliating Muslims, is seen as a major contributor to such phenomenon. This paper will examine how the Muslim community is represented in the print media. Background: The British Print Media In order to understand the dynamics of the Muslim representation in the print media, it is important to explain the nature and characteristics of the British press. As anywhere, the newspapers in Britain are categorized into two – broadsheet and tabloid. The fundamental differences of these two classifications pertain to the size and the content. According to Penock (2000), broad generalizations can also be made out of the news style wherein broadsheet is equated with â€Å"quality† press while the tabloid dwells more on the â€Å"popular† press, which relies on the sensational treatment of a small segment of news. (p131) With this in mind, it is easy to understand how broadsheets and tabloids could report t he same story differently according to their style. Furthermore, both of the broadsheet and the tabloid media are popular and that the United Kingdom prides its print media to have the most number of national daily and Sunday newspapers throughout the world. Bednarek (2006) highlighted that the British public is third biggest newspaper buyers in the global ranking, with nearly 80 per cent of all households buying newspaper daily. (p12) The span of the geographical reach of the newspaper also highlights its capability to frame and shape public opinion and, in the process, influence all policy networks. This is underscored by the fact that the British newspapers are known to adopt specific editorial positions on various issues such as politics, class and race. For instance, The Daily Telegraph is known for supporting the Conservatives both during electoral exercise and in policymaking. Many British editors and journalists would go as far as saying that the materials they publish refle ct the views of society and therefore mirror reality. Despite the claims to balance, hence, it is inevitable for the press to be biased against immigrants. It is helpful to remember that journalists are also human, living within the society that they report on. For a long time, British society has adopted the view that people of colour and different culture and ethnicity are alien, effectively embedding in all sectors and institutions within it a deep resentment towards plurality. Since the 1980s, there has been a gradual shift in policy, wherein a more diverse community is being targeted by encouraging multi-ethnic immigration but the resistance to diversity has persisted in many social institutions and this is true in the case of the media. According to Greenslade (2005), within the national paper newsrooms there are very few non-white journalists, certainly fewer than is representative of the overall non-white population that is why it is very likely that the values of indigenous Britons and their prejudices continue to hold sway in the popular press. (p11) Islamophobia As previously mentioned, there had been some progress in Britain’s attempts at building a pluralistic society. This, however, encountered a setback during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in the United States. There are some quarters that attribute this to the growing Islamophobia that permeates in Western societies like

Conflicts Are Inevitable In Human Life Politics Essay

Conflicts Are Inevitable In Human Life Politics Essay Conflicts are inevitable in human life and existence and are a necessary part of life. Conflicts are necessary for change in human society since they help to build relationships in groups, establish a groups identity, build internal cohesion in groups and can lead to balance of power in society as well as create new rules and laws (Coser, 1956). However, when conflicts are violent, and depending on the nature and type of intervention schemes used, they remain unresolved and can become protracted disrupting policy-making and development since attention is diverted from issues that will otherwise improve the lives of people to the conflict. Consequently, it is important to resolve violent conflicts to prevent these conflicts from diverting attention from issues of development. Historically, the first and second world wars resulted in massive destruction of property and human life and a decrease in levels of socio-economic development in poor nations (Blattman Miguel, 2008). During the Second World War, for instance, about 60 million people died, a new wave of arms race arose and nations like Germany had many properties destroyed (Blattman Miguel, 2008). Then came the Cold War with its manifestations of proxy and quasi conflicts in developing countries of Europe, Africa, Asia and America. Violent conflicts poses serious threats to human security, peace, life, stability, social and economic activities; weakens institutions; breaks social cohesion; and causes humanitarian tragedies such as internal displacement, refugeeism and rape (Zeleza, 2008). Indeed, violent conflict is one main impediment to development because it can seriously hinder development efforts spilling over borders, reducing economic growth and prosperity (Ali, 2006). The examples of Haiti, Bosnia, Burundi, Sudan and Somalia are worth noting as development in these states has been seriously curtailed because violent conflicts have endangered peoples lives and continue to worsen the poverty situation in these countries. During the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the country lost 2 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as losses in other economic indicators (Oelbaum, 2007). In the West African sub-region, countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, La Cote dIvoire and Guin ea have had violent conflicts with their devastating consequences on stability, political and social development of these states (Adetula, 2006). More than 250,000 lives were lost in Liberia and millions worth of infrastructure destroyed (Adetula, 2006). During violent conflicts, farmers cannot go to their farms to work for fear of losing their lives and farms are set ablaze leading to the destruction of farm produce. Traders and businessmen cannot engage in commercial activities leaving markets deserted. Properties of individuals and households are lost through arson and looting. Local revenue mobilizations are seriously curtailed due to the breakdown of commercial activities and security. Moreover, schools are closed down affecting the work of teachers and students since they cannot attend school which negatively affects academic performance. Businesses and most of the workforce also relocate to other places where there is peace (absence of violence). Consequently, many development efforts are negatively affected, because peace which is needed to ensure development is absent. However, where peace prevails and there is no violent conflict, security is guaranteed and the environment becomes conducive for engaging in economic and agricultural activities and, peoples livelihoods can be ensured (Francis, 2006). Many people can move about freely without restrictions since their security is guaranteed. Also, local investments and businesses are attracted to peaceful areas than places where there are violence and, generally, people are able to participate in the development process. Thus peace remains a pre-requisite for development since development can best be pursued in a violent free environment. The end of the Cold War saw a spate of new and different conflicts in many parts of the world with specific causes with Africa getting her share of these conflicts. These were intra- state conflicts which included predominantly, ethnic conflicts between rival ethnic groups, conflicts over succession and power struggles within the state and conflicts over the control of state resources (Idowu, 2005). From 1946-2010, the world has had 243 conflicts, out of which 36 have been active since 2009 (Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP), 2010). Most of these conflicts in several parts of Africa have often been driven by ethnic contest for power, land, resources and the struggle for identity and, in recent times, political infiltrations (Osaghae, 2005). These ethnic conflicts, such as the Sudanese, Burundian and Democratic Republic of Congos conflicts, have created deep-seated hatred and destructions with their attendant manifestations of genocide, mistrust, inequality in the distribution of p ower and resources among ethnic groups in these states. Many of these intra-state conflicts became protracted and thus affected development with severe consequences not only for various nations but individuals and families. Ghana has often been described at both local and international levels as an oasis of peace and stability in a continent besieged by conflicts. The peaceful organization of the 2008 general elections has made Ghana a beacon of hope for democracy, good governance, stability and peace in Africa. The American Fund for Peace in 2009 described Ghana as the most peaceful and stable country in Africa (Myjoyonline, July 15, 2009). Unlike her neighbours, Ghana remains relatively peaceful and has not experienced any violent conflict of a national scale. However, Ghanas image as a beacon of peace in Africa is marred by some internecine ethnic, land and chieftaincy conflicts which sometimes result into violent ones with negative consequences for human lives and local level development (Gyimah, Kane Oduro, 2009). Most conflicts in Ghana are localized inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic disputes that mainly result from disputes over chieftaincy, land, identity and resources and, in more recent years, political and economic connections (Kendie Akudugu, 2010; Tsikata Seini, 2004). Although some of these ethnic conflicts have always remained localized, they have often drawn national and international attention since their consequences have a toll on national resources and development (Agyeman, 2008). Resources such as financial allocations or revenue mobilizations which otherwise could be used for development are channeled into maintaining peace and security in these areas. Also, localized activities such as farming, industry, commerce, busin ess investments and livelihoods are disrupted. The Konkomba and Nanumba/Dagomba conflict in 1994/95, for instance, resulted in the loss of 2000 lives and 18,900 animals, over 500,000 tubers of yam destroyed, 60,000 acres of crops set on fire, 144 farming villages burnt, 78,000 people displaced and millions of property belonging to the state and indigenes destroyed (Mahama, 2003). It is worth noting that ethnic relations among many of the diverse ethnic groups in Ghana have remained cordial as compared to others in the continent such as Nigeria, Rwanda and La Cote dIvoire (Gyimah, Kane Oduro, 2009). This is because ethnic relations among the ethnic groups in Ghana have not degenerated into conflict of a national scale as it is the case with Nigeria, Rwanda and Cote dIvoire. There have, however, been very devastating and protracted ethnic strifes among some ethnic groups in Ghana. Notable among these are the intra-ethnic conflicts among the Dagombas, the Ewes of Peki-Tsito and the inter-ethnic conflicts between the Kusasis and Mamprusis, Konkomba and Nanumba/Dagomba, Nkonya (Guan) and Alavanyo (Ewe) people, the Akropong-Akwapim and Abiriw people and Gonja and Nawuri people (Agyeman, 2008). Many of these localized conflicts in Ghana have assumed a protracted nature with occasional flaring up of violence which has negative impact on local and general development in these areas (Akwetey, 1996). The Dagbon chieftaincy, Bunkpurugu-Yunyo, the Buipe chieftaincy and Akropong-Akwapem and Abiriw land conflicts are yet to be resolved, and occasional violence in these areas pose grave danger to localized development efforts and many poor and marginalized people become the principal victims of these violence. One such conflict also is the Bawku conflict. The conflict is a deep-seated and longstanding ethno-political conflict between the Kusasis and Mamprusis in the Bawku Traditional Area of Ghana. The Bawku Traditional Area is one of the largest areas in the Upper East Region of Ghana located in the north-eastern part of the region and shares borders with Togo and Burkina Faso (GhanaDistricts.com, 2009, June 12). The economic base of the area is mainly agriculture, although trade and commerce are also conducted. Ethnically, the Bawku Traditional Area is occupied by Kusasis, Mamprusis, Busangas, Hausas, Mossis, Bimobas, Frafras and other minor groups with the Kusasis being the majority in terms of population (Bawku Municipal Assembly, 2006). The Bawku conflict is identity-based, and revolves around the claim for traditional political power (chieftaincy) between the Kusasis and Mamprusis. The contest between the Kusasis and Mamprusis over the Bawku chieftaincy has its roots in colonial times. Since the 1930s, the conflict has taken different twists and has remained intense and unresolved, and therefore protracted. There appears to be apparent political interference in the conflict and this has intensified violence in Bawku, stalling development efforts in the area (Lund, 2003). The primary actors in the conflict the Kusasis and Mamprusis have taken entrenched positions making resolution efforts difficult and almost impossible. Since the inception of the Bawku conflict, frantic efforts have been made at resolving it. The colonial government established the Opoku-Afari Committee in 1957 to help resolve the conflict when disputing claims for the chieftaincy started. The enactment of National Liberation Council (NLC) Decree 112 and Provisional National Defence Council Law (PNDCL) 75, which although were not directly intended for the Bawku conflict only, was also used in a bid to help end the conflict, but these have failed. Governments have also used mediation to help end the conflict. In 2008, the then President of Ghana, John A. Kufuor, invited both the Kusasis and Mamprusis to The Castle (seat of Ghanas Government) to broker peace between them but this failed. This was followed by mediation by the National Peace Council (NPC), but the conflict still continued. In March 2009, following the outbreak of violence, Vice President John Mahama embarked on a mediation mission to help resolve the conflict between th e two factions but the violence still continued. This was again followed by a visit by President John Atta Mills to Bolgatanga to help broker peace between the two groups but it also failed to bring the desired peace. All these mediation efforts have thus failed to end the conflict. The two ethnic groups have also resorted to the law courts to back their claim for the Bawku skin. These include writ filed by the Mamprusis at the divisional court to reverse the Governor Generals decision in 1957; the Kusasis counter writ at the Appeal Court in 1958 to overturn the ruling by the divisional court; and again the Mamprusis court action for their claim to the Bawku skin in 2003. All these court actions have apparently failed to bring an end to the conflict. Governments have also instituted internal peace-keeping operations by deploying security personnel to the area and used the imposition of curfews to manage the conflict, but the conflict still rages on. A number of CSOs /NGOs since 2001 have also made efforts at mediating to end the conflict through peace building processes and conflict resolution mechanisms. These efforts include the Bawku Peace Accord reached between the stakeholders in the conflict at the Damongo Peace Agreement, which was spearheaded by a consortium of NGOs mediating in the conflict, including Action Aid Ghana, the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), Advocacy Peace Group IBIS (Ghana), the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the Christian Council of Ghana and the Bawku East Womens Development Association (BEWDA). The National Peace Council (NPC) has also mediated and drawn up a roadmap to peace but has not helped to end the conflict. In addition, an Inter-ethnic Peace Committee was formed in 2010 by both ethnic groups to help resolve the conflict (WANEP, 2010). The aforementioned efforts have all failed to bring the needed resolution of the conflict and peace to the Traditional Area. The protracted nature of the conflict has implications for development in the area. Its continuation poses threats to commerce, agriculture, education, healthcare, security and general development of the traditional area. When peace and security in the area is guaranteed, sustained development is likely to be pursued. Statement of the problem Violent conflicts have very devastating consequences on local level development because they produce a cycle of violence and depending on the nature and type of intervention, can result in the protraction of conflicts. The continuous violence in Bawku as a result of the conflict has consequences on the development of the area, as well as the resources of the nation in general. The violence in the area is a bane to agriculture, commerce, human lives, property and infrastructure, and is exacerbating the poverty situation in the area (Daily Graphic, June 8, 2008). Reports of the conflict indicate that there is general insecurity and lawlessness in the area, and this results in the imposition of frequent curfews which curtail free movement of people and the brutalization of civilians during curfew hours (Amnesty International Ghana, 2008). Localized development efforts like agriculture and commerce are curtailed. Besides, cross-border trading and other commercial activities in the Bawku area have also been affected. The loss of lives in the area has become a daily routine as many lives are unaccounted for. There is also continuous destruction of property and infrastructure. In the wake of the violence in December 2007, 155 shops and many houses were burnt and several people displaced (Ghanaweb, January 7, 2008). The state continues to spend money and resources in deploying security personnel to the area to maintain peace. The conflict leads to proliferation of illegal arms which continue to be used in perpetuating violence. The overall impact of all these is deepening of the poverty situation in the area. With the realization by government, CSOs/NGOs, some international organizations and even the indigenes of the area of the need for a final resolution of the conflict, many efforts have been made to resolve the conflict to bring sustainable peace to promote development in the area. However, efforts by government, NGOs and other stakeholders at finding a lasting solution to the conflict through committees of enquiry, mediation, inter-ethnic peace dialogues, peacekeeping operations, law and order and the use of the court system have not yielded the desired results at finding sustainable peace and a final resolution to the protracted conflict between the two ethnic groups. Critical analyses of the protracted nature of the conflict bring into question what alternative resolution mechanisms can be used to resolve the conflict or complement both government and CSOs/NGOs efforts at finally resolving the conflict to enhance peace and development in the area. Besides, the protracted nature of the conflict and frequent eruption of violence directly have a relationship with development and hence the need to analyze the ramifications of the conflict on socio-economic development of the Bawku Traditional Area. It is in the light of the above that this study seeks to research into how the conflict in the Bawku Traditional Area affects socio-economic development of the area. Objectives of the study The general objective of the study was to examine how the ethnic conflict in the Bawku Traditional Area affects socio-economic development in the area. The specific objectives of the study were to: Ascertain the effects of the Bawku ethnic conflict on agriculture in the area; Examine the effects of the conflict on commercial activities in the area; Examine the effects of the conflict on general security in the traditional area; Ascertain the effects of the conflict on education and health care in the area; Examine the prospects for peace in the area; and Make recommendations for peaceful resolution of the conflict. Research questions The study employed the following research questions in investigating the problem: What are the effects of the Bawku ethnic conflict on agriculture in the traditional area? What are the effects of the conflict on commercial activities in the area? How is the conflict in the Bawku Traditional area affecting security in the area? What are the effects of the conflict on education and health care in the area? What are the prospects for peace in the traditional area? Relevance of the study The frequent recurrence of the Bawku conflict remains a source of worry to many people, the inhabitants of Bawku, government and NGOs. Despite government efforts and a lot of efforts by NGOs that have been made to resolve the conflict, the erratic and frequent outbreak of the conflict between the two feuding ethnic groups seem to elude any workable solution for a final settlement and sustainable peace and this tends to be negatively affecting local level development. It is claimed that government has spent more than GHÂ ¢648 million on maintaining security in northern Ghana alone since 2002 (Kumateh, 2005 cited in Aganah, 2008). It has been the desire and pursuit of government and NGOs to resolve the ethnic conflict in Bawku and other ethnic conflicts around the country to minimize their impact on development efforts. The attempts over the years at resolving the conflict have all failed to bring lasting peace to Bawku. This study will provide and add to empirical knowledge on the nexus between ethnic conflict and development, as well as empirical information on the effects of protracted conflicts on development. The results of this study will also provide pragmatic information to help resolve the Bawku conflict and other protracted ethnic conflicts around the country. It is equally hoped that the findings and recommendations of this study would be of interest to government, who is a major stakeholder in the conflict, NGOs and other interest groups involved in conflict and development. All researches on the conflict are aimed at how to resolve the conflict. This study examines the effects of the conflict on development to inform all stakeholders on the deleterious ramifications of the conflict in the hope that the protagonists would see the need for peace. Organization of the study The study is organized into six chapters. Chapter One presents the introductory part of the whole study which includes the background to the study, the statement of the problem, the objectives of the study, the research questions, the relevance of the study and how the study is organized. Chapter Two examines a review of relevant literature on the study. This covers relevant issues such as development, conflict, the impact of conflict on development and the relationship between conflict resolution and development. Theoretical bases and a conceptual framework of the study are also examined in this chapter. Chapter Three examines the Bawku conflict into detail tracing its historical basis, dynamics, causes and current developments. Chapter Four deals with the methodology used in carrying out the study. It comprises a description of the study area, the study design, the population, the sample for the study, the sampling techniques, the data collection techniques and the data analysis procedure. The presentation and analyses of the results are the focus of Chapter Five. Chapter Six finally presents summary of the findings, conclusions and recommendations. CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF LITERATURE Introduction This chapter reviews literature related to the subject matter of the study. These include the review of concepts as well as the theoretical and conceptual frameworks for the study. Development The term development has been used and defined variously by different scholars at length. However, the term is generally about change and growth in human well-being at the individual, community, regional, national, or global circles. Historically, development used to be equated to economic growth and generally concerned with the ability of a countrys economy to increase and sustain its Gross National Product (GNP) or Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in real items. In this way, development was measured in terms of real growth in per capita income (Schoeman, 1998). Since the 1950s, the meaning of the term development has changed from merely looking at development as an increase in GNP or GDP. According to Stewart (2004), this is a very inadequate characterization and definition of the term development. There is now a change towards alternative development strategies due to the inadequacy of the economic growth paradigm (Kendie, 2002). Development generally is about improvement and qualitative change in the lives of individual people or an entire society. Development, according to Todaro (1997, p. 9), is: a multidimensional process involving major changes in social structures, popular attitudes and institutions, as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality and eradication of poverty. This involves changes in human conditions which involve important facets such as economic well-being, security, reduction in inequality and poverty, the absence of violent conflict and its proper resolution and management. Todaro Smith (2009) observe that there are three important aspects of development: Raising peoples level of living their incomes and consumption levels of food, education, medical services etc.; Creating conditions conducive for the growth of peoples self-esteem through the establishment of social, political and economic systems and institutions that promote human dignity and respect; and Increasing peoples freedom by enlarging the range of their choice variables by increasing varieties of consumer goods and services. Stewart (2004) equally conceptualized development simply as a progress in human well-being. This includes well-being in the general life of human beings including peoples health, education and security. The reference to security presupposes the absence of violent conflict and a proper resolution and management of these conflicts when they occur. Similarly, Ibeanu (2006, p. 10) posits that development: is a process of improving the conditions in which human beings live. Ibeanu (2006) believes that these conditions emanate from a complex interplay of both the natural environment and the social or inter-human environment. These include peace, justice and security which are important tenets of development. Amartya Sen (1999) also sees development simply as freedom. that is freedom in all forms economic, social and political freedom. Sen believes that political freedom empowers individuals to build their capabilities for development. One important tenet that can ensure development is human security the ability of people to be safe. Violent conflict which constitutes an obstacle to security is a serious impediment to development, and development cannot be realized in an insecure and conflictual environment. The UNDP Human Development Report of 1994 notes that human security is an important part of development and development can only occur in a peaceful society (UNDP, 1994). Human security Security, according to Francis (2006, p.22), is generally about the condition or feeling safe from harm or danger, the defence, protection and preservation of core values, and the absence of threats to acquire values. Security is about conditions that ensure human existence and survival. Peace, development and justice, especially in Africa, are important conditions of security since the absence of these can create conditions for conflict and insecurity (Francis, 2006). The security of humans remains a very important part of their well-being and development. The term human security was first initiated in 1994 by the UNDP Human Development Report to focus security from the point of view of people, as opposed to that of the security of states (Jolly Ray, 2006). Thus human security is people-centred security or security with a human face, which places human beings-rather than states-as the focal point of security considerations (United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) , 2009). Since then, discussions on security have been focused on human security than states security. In defining human security, the UNDP (1994, p. 3) states that: for too long, the concept of security has been shaped by the potential for conflict between states. For too long, security has been equated with threats to a countrys borders. For too long, nations have sought arms to protect their security. For most people today, a feeling of insecurity arises more from worries about daily life than from the dread of a cataclysmic world event. Job security, health security, environmental security, security from crime, these are the emerging concerns of human security all over the world. The simplest definition of human security, according to Jolly Ray (2006, p. 6), is primarily an analytical tool that focuses on ensuring security for the individual, not the state. Tadjbakhsh (2005) also conceptualizes human security as freedom from fear and freedom from want. That is to be secure is to be free from both fear (of physical, sexual or psychological abuse, violence, persecution, or death) and from want (of gainful employment, food, and health). The UN Commission on Human Security (CHS) (2003) gives a broader definition of human security as the protection of the vital core of all human lives in ways that enhance human freedoms and human fulfillment. According to the CHS, this means: Protecting basic rights and freedoms; Protecting people from severe and widespread threats and circumstance; Motivating and empowering people to take their destiny into their own hands; and Providing the necessary political, social, environmental, economic, military as well as cultural framework and systems within which people can live meaningful and dignified lives (CHS, 2003, p.4). Thus, the key premises of human security contained in the UNDP 1994 Report (1994) are: (i) its focus on freedom from fear and freedom from want, and (ii) its four emphasis on universality, interdependence, prevention, and people-centredness. The elements of human security include violent conflict; poverty; humanitarian crises; epidemic diseases; injustice; inequality; fear; and wants (Alkire, 2003). Violent conflict remains one major threat to human security in that it threatens peoples opportunities for their well-being including their freedom from fear and want, and limit their opportunities for development. Violent conflicts deny humans the security to engage in their commercial, agricultural and other activities. According to the CHS (2003), some strategies must be put in place to ensure the security of people in relation to violent conflict. These include protecting people caught up in violent conflict through incorporating in the agenda of international, regional and security organizations, designing a holistic approach to protect people caught up in violent conflict and curbing further violence; empowering people recovering from violent conflict through conflict resolution and prevention and building social protraction systems for the poor after conflict. Conflict Conflict is one of the most inevitable things in life and occurs at all levels of human society at home, school, the family, society or at the work level. The term, however, has been defined and used differently. According to Lund (1997), conflict occurs when two or more parties pursue incompatible interests or goals through actions that the parties try to undo or damage each other. These parties could be individuals, groups or countries. The parties interests can differ over access to resources, the control of political or traditional power, their identity and values or ideology (Maiese, 2003). The realization of these needs and interests by people can lead to conflict. When two groups or individuals such as ethnic groups pursue incompatible interests and needs which could either be political, economic, social or cultural, they can engage in conflict which can be violent. In the opinion of Coser (1956, p. 121), conflict occurs when two or more people engage in a struggle over values and claims to status, power and resources in which the aims of the opponents are to neutralize, injure or eliminate their rivals. Coser seeks to argue that people in conflict are in competition or struggle over their identity, resources or power in which the conflicting parties attempt to undo one another. One thing that is worth mentioning in Cosers definition is the fact that it identifies the causes of conflicts which include struggles over peoples identity, power and resources. Conflict, therefore, is a struggle which is either positive or negative between two individuals or groups in pursuit of interests and goals on which they sharply disagree. Ethnic conflicts According to Richardson Jr. Sen (1996), an ethnic conflict is a struggle between rival ethnic groups who seek to get control of political power to maintain it. This is usually done through ethnicity, which plays an important role in mobilizing, structuring and managing ethnic groups and institutions. This definition recognizes that political power is the rationale behind ethnic conflict. Indeed, many ethnic groups fight over the control of political power which can either be state or traditional power in order to gain control over political institutions within the state or traditional area. However, many proximate causes such as the struggle for resources could also account for ethnic conflicts. Political power cannot, therefore, be the only cause of ethnic conflicts. According to Maiese (2003), ethnic conflicts are conflicts over peoples identity that are internal among or between ethnic groups within a country who tend to compete for resources, power or claims over their status and not between states. To this end, Irobi (2005) and Agyeman (2008) maintain that ethnic conflicts which are conflicts over race, identity and language become complex, and this makes it very difficult to resolve them primarily due to ethnicity which defines the totality of an individuals existence including his hopes, fears and sense of future. Ethnic conflicts have induced over 70 percent of conflicts in the world [Center for Development and conflict Management (CIDCM), 2009]. Africa, Asia, America and Europe have all experienced varying degrees of ethnic conflicts with dire consequences. In Africa, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria and Ghana have experienced devastating ethnic conflicts. There are also longstanding ethnic conflicts in Sri Lanka, Kosovo, Bosnia and former Yugoslavia. Generally, ethnic conflicts result from