Keystone species in Information Ecologies Affecting Knowledge Management Process

Marx and the War essays

Marx and the War essays The United States invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq, and the world- wide protests against these actions provides fertile material for sociological analysis, specifically from the perspective of conflict theory. Recent media attention given to the March 20th protests here in the United States and around the world, specifically an article by CNN will provide a template for a critical sociological analysis. As critical theory depends so much on the foundation laid by Karl Marx I will focus my analysis on, first a Classical Marxist analysis, then explain how it is inadequate and turn to a Neo-Marxist Perspective, then finishing with a Post- Marxist explanation of the war, occupation and the protest movements and the theoretical issues they raise The article I chose is entitled Americans Demonstrate For, Against War. It summarizes protests in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC and Los Angeles and reports on both the pro-war and anti war-activists. According to the article more than 200,000 people marched in New York City, and reported policed violence through the use of pepper spray and violent activist behavior. The article also focused on the pro-war marchers in Chicago, and their support for the troops and President Bushs policies. The protest in Washington, like the protest in New York City took place within a sanctioned barricade and reports that the police in Washington DC and the protesters had a stand off when the demonstrators departed from the route set out in their parade permit. CNN also reported that many of the protesters, specifically in Los Angeles protested the media coverage of the war. Participants carried signs reading CNN Weapons of mass deception and CNN-Censorship Cable Network. I will highlight the protests as outlined in the article as a communicative action, as well as the concerns of a delineate...

How far has the EU been effective as an international actor Essay

How far has the EU been effective as an international actor - Essay Example The EU has been described by others to be using a conventional wisdom to deal (Diez 2005, p.613) with matters of international relations, which has always been under the criticism of most scholars and academics a like. This has called for a lot of scrutiny in the manner in which the EU is dealing with its foes and friends because other countries are critically matching every move taken by it especially on matters relating to security and development (Leonard 2005, p.156) of the third world countries and the middle east. Trade Policy The EU often applies a unique role in ways in which they handle both domestic and international issue and this make them extra ordinary. Sometimes they resemble the United States by collaborating to implement certain policies while sometimes they just affect them solely without a third persons consent. The institutional structure of the EU is so unique among other member institutions and this gives is an additional advantage in the way they operate in the ir since time immemorial. Their democratic governance is way beyond other players in the global scene and this gives them a lot of respect as far as international diplomacy is concerned especially to authoritarian states found in the Middle East (Smith 2003, p.189). The EU provided an intergovernmental structure to enhance its smooth cooperation between the member countries in order to achieve their aims and goals with smooth operations. The difference in state borders has not hindered the EU from executing its mandate in the neighbouring and other states, which have always come under their influence. The collapse of the Soviet Union place the EU under scrutiny due to their role in that issue which most of the observers believe to have been enormous. The EU is argued to be supporting many supernatural organizations and multinational companies, which they mostly use as a disguise in their attempt to exert their influence in certain regions for their own selfish benefits. These bodies have proven to be effective players in the game of international corporations due to the success witnesses out of their involvement in some of the issues, which EU has interest (Smith 2007, p.225). The international policy environment has seen a guide facelift from the EU, which is often in most cases associated with its decision-making procedure and outcomes. Therefore, the EU has proven that they are the Centre of authority with ability to exercise vast control over other states behaviour in matters of political, economic and cultural environment. The effectiveness of EU is seen in how it align itself in the discourse about the world politics which they have always proven over time to have a great influence in. sometimes the EU stands divided on the direction it should take concerning very sensitive security issues where stakes are always very high. This was evident in the war with Iraq when some EU countries supported to support the war waged by the U.S in Iraq while other were reluctant to do so. Such tricky situations have always put the EU on the spotlight with other questioning its legitimacy and the motives of deciding the direction of the global politics. The EU is characterized by using of soft power in the form of incentives and

Music Education And Therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Music Education And Therapy - Essay Example The literature will be collected from books, journal, newspaper articles, websites, etc. Research plays an important role in education and teaching. As other professionals in the health and social care sector, there is a need to understand the importance of evidence-based practice in the field of education and teaching. Rather than working in a particular way because that is the standard, traditional or historical practice, or because of a feeling or instinct, it is now common practice to mix a number of research methods to achieve the desired outcomes. Research evidence could be from primary research that has been conducted by the practitioner, perhaps action research such as trialing different teaching methods and assessing results, or by literature searches of current educational research. These different types of research methods will be helpful in professional education practice (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004). In order to understand the subject better, I will study four areas aca demic research that includes cognitive change and development along with strategies to encourage change where required, music therapy, music education and the relationship between the three concepts. Cognitive Change and DevelopmentChild development has been theorized and researched extensively over centuries but until the most recent decades (Piaget, 1951; Vygotsky, 1933). Early theories regarding the way people develop and behave focused on biological and cultural models (Darwin, 1859).... The literature will be collected from books, journal, newspaper articles, websites, etc. Theoretical Overview Research plays an important role in education and teaching. As other professionals in the health and social care sector, there is a need to understand the importance of evidence-based practice in the field of education and teaching. Rather than working in a particular way because that is the standard, traditional or historical practice, or because of a feeling or instinct, it is now common practice to mix a number of research methods to achieve the desired outcomes. Research evidence could be from primary research that has been conducted by the practitioner, perhaps action research such as trialing different teaching methods and assessing results, or by literature searches of current educational research. These different types of research methods will be helpful in professional education practice (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004). In order to understand the subject better, I will study four areas academic research that include cognitive change and development along with strategies to encourage change where required, music therapy, music education and the relationship between the three concepts. Cognitive Change and Development Child development has been theorized and researched extensively over centuries but until the most recent decades (Piaget, 1951; Vygotsky, 1933). Early theories regarding the way people develop and behave focused on biological and cultural models (Darwin, 1859). On the other hand, Piaget and Vygotsky studied development in terms of cognitive change, with Vygotsky emphasizing the cultural influence and asserting that the child’s mind requires social interaction to develop, an ‘outside-in’ model (Vygotsky, 1933), while Piaget

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 21

Assignment Example Besides carbonated drinks, the market has had an influx of fresh juice owing to the increasing life awareness campaigns vouched y the government in order to increase effective lifestyles in the country. The consumption of soft drinks is definite with the growing number of competitors in the country validating the viability of the market. People consume soft drinks alongside other meals and when relaxing. Soft drinks are therefore a pertinent compatriot sustaining any form of social gathering. Additionally, people prefer soft drinks during meals times’ thereby increasing demand for the same products. Among the factors influencing the purchase of soft drinks are the pricing of the products, the type of the products and packaging among many others. Price is a fundamental marketing element that most consumers of the products consider before purchasing a product. The prices of commodities often vary depending on the quality and size of a product. Most of the soft drinks manufacturing companies price their products depending on the raw materials used in the manufacture of such products and the packaging of the same. Carbonated drinks are cheaper than fresh juices. However, fresh juices have smaller packaging as the vendors diversify their products packaging in order to cost lesser than the carbonated soft drinks. Most home based consumers purchase larger bottles of the soft drinks. This explains Coca cola and Pepsi’s decision to diversify the packaging of their products to two liters. Such large products are economical and ideal for families. Fast food consumers on the other hand prefer smaller packages such as a half a liter. The manufacturers of such drinks including the two have therefore diversified their packaging thereby capturing both markets in a bid to increase their market share. The trend has succeeded thereby facilitating the two companies’ large international market shares. However, with the develop ment of local brands and the prevalent of fresh

A Childs Place In The Big Society Social Work Essay

A Childs Place In The Big Society Social Work Essay It is a great privilege and pleasure to have been asked by Margaret Hodge and Patricia Hewitt to give the first lecture in memory of Henry Hodge. It is also a somewhat daunting task. At first sight I would not be an obvious choice to speak today, nor did I think my subject on children was obviously connected with a lecture in memory of Henry. There is however a strong connection between issues about children and his strong sense of social welfare was well demonstrated by his spending 5 years as deputy director of Child Poverty Action Group and his successful legal aid practice which included family and children cases. As a father and grandfather in his private life as well as in his distinguished public career he cared passionately about children. Margaret assures me that my decision to talk about children would have met with his approval. My theme this evening is to examine how our children fit in to the Big Society which was at the heart of the Prime Ministers speech in November 2009 and part of the strategy of the Coalition Government. I shall refer very briefly to a variety of problems children face, some of which are not as widely recognised as others. One aspect which is not always appreciated is how they are viewed by the adult public and the media and how they are treated. This has an important effect upon how they view themselves, their self esteem and how their voice is heard in our adult society. Much, if not indeed, all of what I say is well known but I feel that it is worth repeating at a moment when the phrase the Big Society is in the news and both government and the public need to have the welfare and rights of children well in the forefront of the difficult and challenging decisions which have to be made. The Big Society The Prime Minister spoke of Galvanising, catalysing, prompting, encouraging and agitating for community engagement and social renewal. It must help families, individuals, charities and communities come together to solve problems. It was an ambitious agenda to build a Big Society based around social responsibility and community action. Oliver Letwin described the relationship between government and civil society as: Government helping to sustain a society that is a rich tapestry of active citizens, families, places of worship, dedicated professions and independent associations. These are worthy ambitions in which families, schools and welfare play an important part. The Labour Government produced Green and White Papers dedicated to the theme Every Child Matters. They did some good work, including Sure Start, and it is encouraging that the Coalition Government intends to continue to support Sure Start and to target the poorest families. But, in a sense, they only scratched the surface of the multiplicity of the needs of children. No government should underestimate the size and complexity of the problems too many children face in growing up in this country and the financial cost of coping even with some of them. That financial cost, even in a period of austerity, must not blind us to the essential requirement in considering priorities to put children and what they require at the beginning, middle and end of all discussions and decisions which need to be made. What are the problems children face in growing up? Many of them are common to all children and we ourselves as children had to work our way through them. But for too many children those ordinary problems of adjusting to the adult world are compounded by and sometimes distorted by their state of health, the health of their parents, the behaviour of their parents, the environment in which they live and above all by poverty. Clearly in the time available I can only touch very briefly upon some issues and those faced by children who live within or who come to the UK. For most children their problems may not be as immediate nor as life threatening as those in some other parts of the world but they are very real and can inhibit and undermine their childhood. In a report from UNICEF Child poverty in perspective: An overview on child well-being in rich countries (2007) it stated, under the heading childrens material well being, that the evidence from across the world is that children who grow up in poverty are more vulnerable; specifically they are likely to be in poor health, to have learning and behavioural difficulties, to underachieve at school, to become pregnant at too early an age, to have lower skills and aspirations, to be low paid, unemployed and welfare dependent. Of course, these problems do not apply to all children growing up in poor families but it does not alter the fact that, on average, children who grow up in poverty are likely to be at a decided and demonstrable disadvantage. I shall now look very briefly at how those words apply to the UK. Children in poverty Even after the recession, the UK remains one of the richer countries in the world. But the reality of life for some of our children is that 29% of British children live in poverty. Over one million children live in seriously overcrowded accommodation. Over 100,000 children in the UK live in temporary accommodation. Many poor children do badly in education. Over a million children truant from school and about 9,000 are permanently excluded. Such children tend to live in the areas of highest deprivation where there is a high incidence of drugs and crime. The UK has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Western Europe many of whom are schoolgirls. Well over a million school children are working illegally. The government is committed to improving education and the new Secretary of State for Education has a number of innovative and exciting ideas. I was delighted that in the debate in the Lords on the Queens Speech the Minister for Schools, Lord Hill of Oareford, said that: raising standards, lifting aspirations and tackling behaviour are crucial. That will help all children but, above all, it should help those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds who have suffered most. The problems of educating children from the most deprived areas are partly having good enough schools and teachers who enthuse and inspire but also motivating the parents as well as the children to the purpose and importance of education for a childs future life. A lack of education has a devastating effect upon job prospects and a distressing large proportion of children leave school without the basic skills. If you cannot fill in an application form by hand or online you probably will not get a job. It is a huge task to motivate families to want education but it is crucial for the future of this country. One area of education which should be tackled by the Education Minister is the need for better education of children who are in youth custody. It is a crucial part of the fight against the high rate of re-offending. The London charity, Kids Company, helps to educate and support young people who stream into that excellent organisation which, at last, receives government support. I v ery much hope that such support will not be cut. To do so would be self defeating; a short term cost benefit but a long term expensive blunder. Intervention at an early stage with problem families is crucial. Some parents as well as their children need help and I am reminded of an excellent voluntary preschool initiative which was set up in a poor part of London some years ago. It concentrated on young single mothers and required them to attend with their children. One mother had almost never talked to her little girl. After 3 months attending with her child they were seen at Christmas dancing down the steps both singing Christmas carols. The place closed for lack of funds. It is important for government, in funding voluntary initiatives, to keep on giving support and not just start up costs. All too often otherwise they fold as that one did. I turn now to other groups of children who have problems, some but not all connected with poverty. Children in need of care Two children die each week from abuse or neglect within the home. Social workers are the thin line of protection of children at risk. They are criticised when they intervene and when they do not intervene in dysfunctional families. It is crucial for the well being of children at risk that the work of social workers is better understood and that social workers are given the status they deserve. It is not just a question of pay; it is also recognition of the importance of the work they do. There is no doubt that some children have to be removed permanently from their families. But it is a sad reflection on our system of care that looked after children do markedly less well at school than other children. More support for children in care is needed. Around 5,000 children under the age of 16 are used for prostitution in the UK, including those moving across borders. Children are trafficked into the UK not only for prostitution but also for forced labour and begging. Boys from Vietnam are brought into the UK to tend cannabis plants in well to do suburbs of big cities such as London: there are over 3,000 cannabis farms in England and about 300 in London. Very young children, often Romany children, are brought into the country and taught to thieve in a modern day Fagin style. Bulgarian children are brought here by gangs to work the London underground system and Bulgarian police are working with our British Transport police to deal with it. Trafficking of people is now more lucrative for the gangs than drugs. The last government signed the European Convention on trafficking and incorporated it into English law. The Metropolitan Police has been engaged in excellent work with other countries which receives some European financial suppo rt and, up to now, some government support. One problem is that the UKBorder Agency does not uniformly recognise the welfare needs of young people who are victims of trafficking and much more training and flexibility in decision making is necessary. Immigration and asylum children coming here and living here are treated very differently from citizen children although I understand that the new government is intending that such children should no longer be detained. The Family Justice Council, at the request of its Voice of the Child sub-group, has set up a discussion with the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and they have held two meetings. They are looking at the concerns of the Childrens Commissioner about the treatment of asylum and trafficked children both here and on their return to their own homes. They agreed that an Adjudicator Guidance Note from Henry Hodge in 2004 on Unaccompanied Children would be a good starting point. I think Henry would have been very supportive of these discussions. There is another very large group of children, many of whom do not come from deprived backgrounds but who face problems which may have an inhibiting and sometimes devastating effect upon their development. The most obvious is the family in which one parent is violent to or threatening and intimidating towards the other parent. Generally it is the man but a minority are women. I know of cases where children hide in the kitchen with the TV on very loudly so as not to hear what is going on. Children do not have to be physically attacked to be victims of domestic violence. I was concerned to read that in the case of Raoul Moat the prison authorities informed the police domestic violence unit. I hope that did not mean that the warning was not taken seriously. I must however pay a tribute both to the Crown Prosecution Service and the Association of Chief Police Officers who take domestic violence very seriously. But domestic violence is widespread and children are also the victims. There are also children, also not from deprived backgrounds whose life is turned upside down by the separation of their parents. When parents part many, of course not all, do not sufficiently consider the effect upon their children or even tell their children what is going on. When I sat as a judge in children residence/custody cases, I often thought that the last people who should be making decision s about the children were the parents. Over 60% of fathers who leave do not stay in touch with their children more than occasionally, most of that 60% not at all. They do not tell their children why and the children do not even have the consolation of a bereavement process. Children, even young children, can often have a sensible view of what would be best for them. Some years ago in Michigan children of all ages whose parents had separated were asked their views about the process. The views ranged from sadness, confusion, guilt that they were responsible for the parting to anger and fru stration. All parents considering separation should see or read about the effect on their children and many parents would be astonished. Fortunately only a small minority of parents go to war over their children. But those who do make endless applications to the courts which may last for years. Almost always both parents are to blame and the children are the victims. Those children also may do less well at school and may find it difficult to make lasting relationships as adults. It is very important that there should be access to justice in all child welfare cases. I am, of course, aware of the huge burden of legal aid. The last government made substantial cuts to legal aid in family cases. The Ministry of Justice is likely to be making further substantial cuts. But the welfare of children is the paramount concern of the courts in the Children Act 1989. It must not be lost sight of by the government in its austerity measures. Children who offend England and Wales are seen as a punitive country in our approach to young offenders. We lock up more young people than any other Western country and most countries in the world. Well over 2,000 children aged between 15 and 17 are in Young Offender Institutions and some who are much younger. The four Childrens Commissioners of the UK said in a joint Report in June 2008 to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child: There is a very punitive approach to misbehaviour by children and young people and the criminal justice system is used too readily. Compared to other European countries, England has a very low age of criminal responsibility and high numbers of children are locked up. We know from research the ways in which many children become criminals. There are many reasons and I am sure you all know them so forgive me for rehearsing some of them. I do not believe that children are born wicked although some may be born with mental illness or behavioural problems which may predispose them to serious misbehaviour. But for many children it is the environment and not inherent characteristics which are likely to set them on a course of crime. Poverty to which I have referred earlier is obvious and there is a link between poverty in childhood, poor health, low educational attainments and lack of future opportunities which encourages crime. We also know that dysfunctional families create an environment where children offend. There are children and young people who have never had a good home; never had a secure background; may or may not know who their father was; or may live in a family with drink, drugs, mental illness, serious domestic violence, abuse towards the children or serious neglect. These problems at home create situations, not surprisingly, in which children react adversely. In some families no-one loves the child or shows affection other than in an abusive situation. He may be and probably with such a background will be disruptive at school, permanently excluded and offered little or no education at home. Children truant for a variety of reasons and truanting leads to crime. Increasing numbers of young people are on drugs and have to find the money to pay for them. He, and increasingly she, will be roaming the streets and joining gangs. The gang becomes the family, the security and, while they are feral towards the community, they support each other. Because no-one has ever cared about them, they care about no-one outside the gang. Why should they? Many such young people do not understand the concepts of good behaviour, honesty or kindness that we expect from our children and grandchildren. We are shocked, I certainly am, by the appalling brutality of some of the attacks by teenagers, often on other teenagers, but I believe many of these young people would not understand why we were shocked. They live in an entirely different world from us. One can see why many of the public react adversely to children who offend and especially teenagers. Yet a Chief Constable recently went on record saying that the police alone could not deal with the feral gangs of you ng people and society had to do something about it. The Labour Government did some good work with Youth Offender Schemes (YOTS) and other initiatives to divert children from crime as well as dealing constructively with those who had already offended but much more needs to be done. It is often pointed out that to keep a child or young person in custody costs substantially more than sending a child to Eton. So it is very encouraging to hear that the Lord Chancellor is looking at reducing the prison population. He should start with the children and young people in youth custody. Of course some children have to be locked up for the safety of society and often of themselves but we surely should not be at the top of the European countries in our figures of youth custody. As a result of our signing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (although not incorporated into English law) the UNCRC Committee reported in October 2008 on the UK and recommended: that the State party (the UK) take all appropriate measures to ensure that the principle of the best interests of the child, in accordance with Art 3 of the Convention, is adequately integrated in all legislation and policies which have an impact on children, including the area of criminal justice and immigration and recommends that the UK fully implement international standards of juvenile justice. I hope that this government will takes those comments to heart so that the next UNCRC Report will be more encouraging than the previous ones. The Prime Minister sees the Big Society based on social responsibility and community action and I was interested to read about a proposal for a National Citizens Service for 16 year olds. I strongly support the encouragement of local initiatives and have already referred to Kids Company. Other examples are a police scheme in Sheffield to divert 6 year olds from being couriers for local gangs and a drop in centre in Tiverton in North Devon which concentrates on advising and counselling young people between 11 and 19. The Tiverton project is entirely funded by local donations. If, however, there are to be other good local projects round the country, there may need to be some financial support which would be very cost effective in diverting children and young people from crime, prostitution and drugs and protecting the community. Restorative justice is another area which is being successfully explored. I know that we live in a time of financial stringency and austerity. I do not for a moment suggest that the government can immediately improve the lot of the children whose problems I have set out but, in implementing financial cuts and allocating scarce resources, our children must be at the forefront of all decisions which affect them. Children in the media I turn finally to an entirely different subject but one about which I feel strongly, the way in which the media portrays children. I refer again to the Report of the Four Children Commissioners in June 2008 who referred to the negative image of children and said: In the UK there is a widely held fear of young people which has been partly fuelled by the consistently negative portrayal of young people in the media. Seventy one percent of media stories about young people are negative and a third of articles about young people are about crime. Young people feel the media represent them as anti-social, a group to be feared, selfish criminal and uncaring. They believe that the media stereotypes the majority of young people based on the bad behaviour of a minority. The incessant portrayal of children as thugs and yobs not only reinforces the fears of the public but also influences policy and legislation. Examples of the press portraying in vivid language the wickedness of children and young people were starkly illustrated in the cases of Mary Bell and Thompson and Venables. In both cases the tone of the press and the tone of those who responded to the press was that such children were the embodiment of evil and should never be released from imprisonment for life. The approach of this country is vastly different from parts of Scandinavia, for example Norway where such children would more easily be reintegrated into the community. I recognise that such a move might be impossible here in the UK and the headlines in all types of newspapers would be soft on youth crime. In my view all parts of the media, but principally the newspapers, should reflect upon the views of children expressed by the Commissioners and take them to heart. This is one among many other issues where the voice of the child should be heard. Article 12 of the UNCRC articulates that right. Conclusion Finally I return to the 2007 UNICEF Report which said in its foreword: The true measure of a nations standing is how well it attends to its children their health and safety, their material security, their education and socialisation and their sense of being loved, valued and included in the families and societies into which they were born. That foreword seems to me to encompass what we in this country should seek to achieve for our children. They are our future and there is little purpose in striving to improve society unless we are aware that what we do has to be for them or there is no purpose in our lives. Children must therefore be at the core and in the heart of the Big Society. This article is based on the first Sir Henry Hodge memorial lecture given on 19 July 2010 at the Law Society, London.

How Technology Has Positively Impacted Society on Defense :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers

How Technology Has Positively Impacted Society on Defense Defense Technology has come a long way since the early nineteen hundreds.With the invention of tanks and planes our country felt it had an adaquate defense, but as technology improved on the opposition side so came the demand for more improved defense measures. For instance in World War II Germany was developing mass amounts of war machinery that was bigger and better than ours. The Invention of the radar played a significant role in defense against these odds. Radar was fully developed by 1942 and was extremely instrumental in Britains defense against German bombers. This technology was developed into anti ship and submarine radar, by the United States Navy, which has been used successfully since then. The US Army also used radar, initially to aim searchlights so the soldier aiming the gun could see where to fire, but the systems evolved into fire control radar that aimed the guns automatically. When the United States came under attack by the Japanese in 1941 all of North America became concerned about homeland defense and imminent attack,society demanded protection. The Japanese had a large Navy very capable of just such a task. As the war escalated it was clear that the US had to develop better technology and fast. In the skies Japanese planes were anilating American aircraft. Technology was again depended upon by society to find a match for the zero, thus came about the F4U corsair. This had a positive effect on society as it created a more secure feeling of defense. US citizens still demanded a quick end to the war so the defense department went to work on the atomic bomb, of course the results would change the world forever. As Americans felt more secure with its new technology in defense a new danger developed in Russia, thus was the beginning of the cold war, perhaps the worst scenario of all. As the world entered the 1950's it was commonplace to see bomb shelters in a lot of backyards. Propaganda was at a new high and fear spread throughout the world. Regardless both countries felt confident of the latter. Society demanded again that higher technology was there only defense. The United States started to develop spy techniques as did the Russians to keep a close eye on each other's progress, this seemed to be the only way to keep the power in balance.

Sky High

Good morning teacher and fellow students. The idea that we continue on as we are: unchanged, unchanging is unbelievably illogical. In a time and world where things are constantly changing, it is impossible to be in existence without being affected by the process of change. Changes are inevitable, and they are happening everywhere around us. In our stimulus booklet, it is evident that changes are a major part in everyone’s lives, this is best portrayed in the story â€Å"Sky High†. This story is filled with strong imagery, based on the clothesline in the author’s childhood memories. The author mesmerize her childhood memories of the clothesline, and how she used to pretend what it is, how the clothes are like signal flags and also how much fun she used to have with it. As the author matures in her perspective, her views about the past starts to change and she no longer sees the clothes line through a child’s naive, imaginative view, but now sees it as a memory, and just a tool which she her self uses. The author is able to perceive the two different perspectives and compare them. As we can now see, change is a part of growing up, of maturing and going forward, just like Hannah Robert, the author of â€Å"Sky High†. The prescribed text I’m here to present you with is â€Å"The Great Gatsby†. Nick Caraway the narrator in the story is the one who we are focusing on the change which he goes through. Nick in the beginning wants to chase after the â€Å"great American dream† like everyone else. He then realizes, how low the people were in achieving that goal, this could be seen when Jordan was cheating while playing golf. He also saw the carelessness these people have in doing things. They are only skin deep in who they are, like the main person described in the story, Gatsby, who is only known for his money and by his name, but not by who he really is. At the end, Nick realizes all this and changes his views on the Great American Dream, and realizes that it is only an expression of materialism. This took him a step further in life, as he changed his views, and helped him grow as a person. The last text I want to present to you with is â€Å"Looking for Alibrandi†. We noticed a number of changes that occurred in the story, which affected the lives of the Alibrandis within the 3 generations. We see a strong bond between Josie and Christina in the story because she was raised by a single parent. Josie was greatly influenced by her mother for decision-making and had a biased opinion about her father. But soon after she had personal contact with him, she comes to realization that he wasn’t so bad after all. The relationship between the 3 generations was also a disaster. Josie was often irritated by her grandmother, Katia at the beginning of the story but as she journeys through and discovers the real Nonna with the great sacrifices she made for them, Josie learnt to respect her and at the same time changed her perspective about her. As we can all see, changes are inevitable and unavoidable, they are constantly taking place in our lives no matter whether they have a good or bad impact upon us and there is no denying in its existence. Changes can be seen with our own eyes, as it occurs, we change physically all the time with our appearances, the way we look, the way we dress, and to keep up to date with the fashion and change with the crowd that is ever evolving so we are not a left over. We can change mentally, as we go through life, because of all the emotions that are constantly rushing through us, which also effects and changes our mood as well as our way of socializing with other people. If we say that we will continue on as we are, unchanged and unchanging, it is also like saying that we are frozen in a space of time and everything else around it, because changes comes with time, and if there is no change, then time would no longer exist.

The focus must shift from climate change to poverty reduction in order to make tourism in developing countries more sustainable. Critically evaluate this statement. The WritePass Journal

The focus must shift from climate change to poverty reduction in order to make tourism in developing countries more sustainable. Critically evaluate this statement. Abstract The focus must shift from climate change to poverty reduction in order to make tourism in developing countries more sustainable. Critically evaluate this statement. AbstractIntroductionClimate Change and SustainabilityPoverty Reduction and SustainabilitySustainability in Developing Countries: The IntersectionConclusionReferencesRelated Abstract The creation of a sustainable tourism industry in a developing country will necessarily have an important impact on the economic and social development of that country because of the ability of the sector to attract capital to the country. In economies where there is little diversification, this is an important consequence. Poverty reduction strategies as the focus of creating a sustainable tourism sector will have important consequences for the industry as a whole. Included in these consequences are the realization of certain objectives related to climate control which has been the focus of sustainable tourism efforts in the recent past. It stands to reason therefore that a shift in emphasis towards poverty reduction strategies enforced by important policy developments will have a broader social and economic impact, which includes the achievement of environmental objectives and climate change concerns. The shift in focus therefore towards poverty reduction is more desirable as a str ategy for sustainable tourism in developing countries as it recognizes the spectrum of issues plaguing these countries, rather than focusing on one aspect thereof. Introduction Sustainability as a goal of tourism is a complicated question and as to goal of tourism in developing countries, one needs to understand the broader social, economic and political circumstances relevant to country itself in terms of broader tourism considerations. Mvula (2001; p. 394) suggests that sustainable tourism â€Å"requires that the local host population achieves rising standards of living and that the tourist guests are satisfied with the product and either return to the area or recommend it to others.† Included in this definition of sustainability, Mvula (2001) adds that this requires conservation of wildlife and the local environment. One can observe therefore that sustainability in tourism requires more than simply focusing on either climate change or poverty reduction. It is therefore the assertion of this paper that the focus of tourism in developing countries is one which does not necessarily focus on climate change or poverty reduction to the exclusion of the other, and that these two strategies are mutually reinforcing, rather than exclusive and in order to ensure sustainability in developing countries, both strategies will need to be employed as they in effect rely on one another. It stands to reason however that a shift in poverty reduction as the focus of sustainability in tourism will have the effect of ensuring that climate change objectives are met. The essential element of a shift towards poverty reduction will be the inclusion of policy objectives which implement these strategies. As will be argued, the achievement of climate change objectives may be achieved as a byproduct of implementation of poverty reduction strategies and therefore a shift in focus may have the result of achieving this objective where previous attempts have failed. Climate Change and Sustainability Ashley et al. (2000) note that the increased awareness in eco-tourism and community tourism arose in the 1980’s from an awareness that tourism should not erode the cultural and environmental base on which it relies. This arguably is another way of recognizing that tourism efforts should make sustainable, rather than exhaustible use of a country’s resources. Becken and Hay (2007) describe the climate for the purposes of tourism as both a resource and an essential ingredient in the product offering of a destination. Indeed, the tourism industry of a destination may be inextricably linked to the climate conditions of that area, such as skiing destinations. Climate change therefore may threaten the sustainability of the region by causing extreme and unpredictable variations in the expected weather patterns, causing potentially harmful consequences, such as hurricanes and floods. Not only does this threaten the sustainability of the local tourism industry, but also damages t ourism infrastructure (Becken Hay, 2007). One can observe therefore the link between climate change and sustainability, as climate change will threaten the sustainability of the tourism industry. Understanding the link between climate change and sustainability allows a tourism sector in a developing country to adapt to the challenges presented by the issue. The problem however lies in the fact that the industry is plagued with an ‘immobility problem’ where the tourists will simply move to another destination, as a result of relative inability of a local tourism industry to adapt to these climate changes (Aall Hoyer, 2005). Becken and Hay (2007) note this dilemma by stating that the problems associated with climate control are external to the tourism industry of a place as there is little that a country can do to mitigate changes in the climate. Indeed, the focus of climate change with regards to sustainability is on the socio-economic consequences thereof and the relative inability of developing countries to understand the variables associated with climate change allowing them to adapt tourism operations accordingly (Weaver, 2011). Despite these difficulties, th e focus of sustainable tourism on climate change is arguably essential for what can be described as a broader sustainability dilemma. Simply stated, this recognizes that climate change is a matter of significant international concern which is not going to disappear at any point (Scott, 2011). The inclusion of climate change objectives in sustainable tourism therefore should be recognized as an inclusion for a broader societal purpose which is equally relevant to developing countries. Climate change therefore in tourism reflects the need for conservation efforts protecting the local environment and biodiversity, as well as using sustainable techniques which will reduce climate change factors, such as green house gases (McKercher et al., 2010; Becken Hay, 2007) Poverty Reduction and Sustainability With climate change being the focus of sustainable tourism in the 1980s (Ashley et al., 2000), one could argue that poverty reduction or Pro Poor Tourism (‘PPT’) has become the focus of sustainable tourism in the 2000s (Hall, 2007). PPT is that which generates a net benefit for the poor regardless of sector or product. The benefits of PPT may be economic, social, cultural or environmental, and rather than relating to a specific benefit to a class of persons, it refers to an overall benefit that is the result of the priority given to poverty issues (Ashley Roe, 2002). Poverty reduction through sustainable tourism recognizes the use of tourism as a means for economic development. PPT refers to the relationship between poverty reduction strategies and tourism development in developing countries (Hall, 2007). There are a number of important economic consequences of the implementation of PPT strategies for poverty reduction, chief of which being the capacity of economic development and the ability of the industry to diversify the economy (Goodwin Roe, 2001). This relates in part to the development of employment opportunities and opportunities for small enterprise development in order to support the local tourism industry. In developing countries, singularities in the economy are often seen and therefore the opportunity to create employment outside of this is an important consequence. Ashley and Roe (2002) recognize three categories of PPT strategies, which includes increasing access of economic benefits to the poor through expanding business opportunities, in terms of employment, training and income; addressing the negative social and environmental impacts of tourism; and using policy objectives as a measure of ensuring sustainability of these objectives. One can observe therefore that the shift in focus towards poverty reduction for the purposes of sustainability does not necessarily exclude priority given to climate change objectives. Indeed, environmental objectives which have been set as a priority in terms of international environmental protocols are often observed as a byproduct of PPT objectives (Sheyvens, 2011) These considerations are particularly relevant in the context of developing countries as often there are political and economic difficulties which prevent the effective implementation of poverty reduction strategies that have typically been used in other regions (Sheyvens, 2007). Often the political and economic factors of developing countries include the monopoly over certain economic activities (such as mineral extraction and agriculture) and with the introduction of these strategies through the tourism industry, arguably policy objectives are realizing a realistic possibility for the achievement of poverty reduction. It does so by offering opportunities for sustainable growth (Manyara Jones, 2007), although it is generally acknowledged that this depends on effective marketplace value, quality of the product developed and establishing meaningful partnerships between the public and private sector, and the community (WTO, 2002). The adoption of these strategies however is also large ly dependent on the implementation of effective policy measures which will ensure that this remains a priority in the tourism sector and the broader economy generally (Ashley et al., 2000). This is built from the realization that community based tourism products and sector tourism, such as eco-tourism and nature tourism are ineffective as an overall strategy towards attaining poverty reduction objectives (Sheyvens, 2007). Sustainability in Developing Countries: The Intersection The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has identified both poverty reduction along with climate change as challenges to the global tourism industry, whereby a commitment is needed to ensure balanced and equitable policies in order to address the identified issues (Ashley Roe, 2002; WTO, 2002). The intersection between the focus on climate change and poverty reduction in creating a sustainable tourism industry in developing countries is arguably two sides of the same coin. Participation in PPT has a number of important consequences for developing countries, such as human and financial capital, social capital and organizational strength, gender participation, a positive effect on livelihood strategies and aspirations, impact on the location itself, land ownership and tenure, planning gain, regulation and access to the tourism market (Ashley et al., 2000). One can argue that the extensive impacts of PPT will have the effect of improving the tourism sector in the developing country as a whole. In theory, this has the potential to create a self-enforcing cycle of development, whereby the improved facilities and characteristics of the location, with the improved support services and products will have the effect of diversifying the tourism industry. This in turn has the potential to attract further tourism capital and investment. This positive association with poverty reduction strategies includes the outcomes of sustainability that are intentioned with reg ards to climate change objectives. The creation of a sustainable tourism sector in a developing country therefore through the implementation of poverty reduction strategies has been noted for the overall improvement which it provides for the country, creating not only sustainability in the tourism industry of the country itself, but also in the overall sustainable development of the country’s economy (Cabezes, 2008). In the context of the Dominican Republic, it was noted that the use of these strategies had a positive effect on the political and financial stability of the country, as well as the inclusion of poor members of society in the markets (ibid). Higgins-Desbiolles (2006) similarly notes the transformative capacity that tourism focused on poverty reduction has on the social and economic standing of a developing country. Conclusion It is clear therefore that the creation of a sustainable tourism industry in a developing country is one which requires consideration of a number of complex social, economic and political factors. It requires an understanding of the relationship between the various stakeholders in the tourism industry in the country itself. It stands to reason that focus on climate change objectives are not precluded by a shift in focus towards poverty reduction, as the literature indicates that a byproduct of this focus is necessarily that the nature and eco-tourism of the country will be positively affected as this invariably forms a part of the tourism resources of that country. Becken and Hay (2007) note the role that the natural environment of a country plays as an essential part of the product offering of the country and as such, the implementation of policies aimed at inclusion of poor members of society may have the impact of improving this resource. Arguably however, this is not necessarily a natural consequence of PPT and the implementation of poverty reduction strategies will necessitate the inclusion of climate change objectives to ensure that the exploitation of these natural resources is managed in a sustainable manner. The end result of the implementation of these strategies is an overall betterment of the poor members of society and to the extent that climate change objectives are not inclusive of an essential partnership in the creation of sustainability, these objectives will fail. The clear advantage that PPT has in creating a sustainable tourism sector lies in the fact that it includes all relevant stakeholders in the tourism industry, as well as speculating for meaningful methods of enforcing these objectives. In so doing, it allows for the creation of sustainability through transforming local economies, creating employment opportunities, bettering the overall standing of members of the local community, exploiting natural resources in a sustainable manner ( therefore achieving climate change objectives) and offering measures of accountability to ensure that these objectives are in the forefront of policy consideration. References Aall, C. Hoyer, K. (2007) Tourism and Climate Change Adaptation. In Hall, C. Higham, J. (eds) Tourism, Recreation and Climate Change. Clevedan: Cromwell Press. Ashley, C and Roe, D (2002) Making Tourism Work for the Poor: Strategies and Challenges in S. Africa. Development Southern Africa 19 (1) 61-82. Ashley, C., Boyd, C. Goodwin, H. (2000) Pro Poor Tourism: Putting Poverty at the heart of the tourism agenda. Natural Resource Perspectives, 51. Department for International Development Becken, S and Hay, J (2007) Tourism and Climate Change. Channel View Cabeza, A (2008) Tropical Blues: Tourism and Social Exclusion in the Dominican Republic. Latin American Perspectives 35 pp.21-36 Cleverdon, R and Kalisch, A (2000) Fair Trade in Tourism.International Journal of Tourism Research 2 pp.171-187 Goodwin, H and Roe, A (2001) Tourism, Livelihoods and Protected Areas.   Int Journal of Tourism Research 3 pp.377-391 Hall, CM and Higham, J (2005) Tourism, Recreation and Climate Change. Channel View Hall, M. (2007) Pro-Poor Tourism: Do ‘Tourism Exchanges Benefit Primarily the Countries of the South’? Current Issues in Tourism, 10(2-3), pp. 111-118 Hall, C. Higham, J. (2007) Tourism, Recreation and Climate Change. Clevedan: Cromwell Press. Higgins-Desbiolles, F (2006) More than an ‘‘industry’’: The forgotten power of tourism as a social force. Tourism Management 27 pp.1192–1208. Manyara, G. Jones, E. (2007) Community-based Tourism Enterprises Development in Kenya: An Exploration of Their Potential as Avenues of Poverty Reduction. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 15(6), pp. 628 – 644. McKercher, B., Prideaux, B.,   Cheung, C. Law, R. (2010) Achieving voluntary reductions in the carbon footprint of tourism and climate change. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 18(3), pp. 297-317 Mvula, C. (2001) Fair Trade in Tourism to Protected Areas – A micro case study of wildlife tourism to South Luangwa National Park Zambia. International Journal of Tourism Research, 3, pp. 393 405 Scott, D. (2011) Why sustainable tourism must address climate change. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 19(1), pp. 17-34 Scheyvens, R (2011) Tourism and Poverty, London: Routledge Scheyvens ,R. (2007) Exploring the Tourism-Poverty Nexus. Current Issues in Tourism, 10(2-3), pp. 231-254 Weaver, D (2010) Can Sustainable Tourism Survive Climate Change? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 19(1), 5-15 World Tourism Organization (WTO) (2002) Tourism and Poverty Reduction. Madrid:WTO

Free Online Public Schools for Florida Students K-12

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The American Dream Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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An Analysis of the Current Developments in International Advertising Coursework

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