Participant Observation Essay

The two research methods in sociology are Quantitative and Qualitative. Quantitative research is typically about numbers and graphs. The purpose is to predict and classify results and create graphs and models to explain the results. The researcher is detached from the subject matter and knows exactly what they are looking for. This type of research method can begin with a thesis and is best utilized towards the end of an experiment. Qualitative research is almost the opposite. It is about the expression of the results in words or visual aids. The researcher is heavily involved in the subject matter and only knows roughly what they are looking for. This research method is best utilized towards the beginning of an experiment because the intrinsic evolutionary quality about this method (Neill, 2007). Both methods of research can be philosophically justified because they actually would work great hand in hand in one experiment. However, the practice of Qualitative research has a rich quality about it. This form of study gives leeway to freedom in experimentation. Not knowing exactly what you want to find out or learn in an experiment and a research process that is flexible is desirable to many researchers. Two research methods in anthropology are Participant Observation and Survey Research. Participant Observation involves a researcher fully immersing themself in a culture for an extended amount of time in order to experience that culture â€Å"from within† (Donohue-Lynch, 2014). This requires the researcher to participate in daily activities to gain understanding of what it means to be a native. This type of research method allows the environment and subject matter to direct the method of research. Survey Research consists of surveys, interviews, and questionnaires that give insight to a large population. It is important to consider the audience when formulating a question. The researcher must consider culture, language, and age among many other things because the question can be easily misinterpreted. Interviewing the subjects ask direct questions and leads the experiment. There are several methods of research in anthropology; however, Participant Observation appears to have some weight to its method. It seems that the best way to gain knowledge about a specific population would be to live like they do rather than question them about it, or see it in the media, or reference history. The best way to lend yourself to discovery is by fully immersing yourself in it and letting go of control, let the data uncover itself through intrinsic experiences. Each of the previously mentioned research methods is valuable to scientific study. Anthropological and Sociological research methods differ in that they aim to discover something different; they have different goals. Quantitative and Qualitative methods differ from each other in that the first utilizes a thesis and is better utilized at the beginning of an experiment and the latter does not have a clear set goal and is better utilized at the end of an experiment. However, they are the same in that they accurately examine a group of people or social group and are able to extrapolate information specific to their population through their research methods. Participant Observation and Survey Research differ in that the first uses visual aides and immersing oneself into a culture to gain knowledge about the subject groups habits and experience what it is like to be part of that group by becoming a member and participating in daily activities, the latter focuses on questionnaires, verbal or written, in order to gain information about a specific group of people by communicating and directing them to provide information that you desire, the process is more rigid and requires more technology than participant observation. However, they share a likeness in that they both reach a specific group and are effective in retrieving desired information. References Donohue-Lynch, B. (2014). Cultural anthropology: Methods. Retrieved on September 5, 2014 from http://www.qvctc.commnet.edu/brian/methods.html Neill, J. (2007) Qualitative versus quantitative research: Key points in a classic debate. Retrieved on September 4, 2014 from http://wilderdom.com/research/QualitativeVersusQuantitativeResearch.html.

Facebook Assignment

Nathan Barry – S10001606 Business Context Introduction The following assignment was created by our group [ ] Our chosen organisation for the assignment is the online social networking site Facebook. As a group we feel as though this would give us a good opportunity to analyse the factors of business content in an in-depth way. Business could be defined as â€Å"the transformation of inputs into outputs. This transformation process takes place against a background of external influences which affect the firm and its activities†. (Worthington and Britton 2000:3) Facebook BackgroundFacebook was co-founded in February 2004 by Mark Zuckerburg and roommate Dustin Moskovitz, both American entrepreneurs who attended Harvard University, Massachusetts. Zuckerburg now owns around a quarter of the organisation with Dustin still having a share of around 6-7% as of 2010. Facebook’s mission statement simply reads â€Å"to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected†. (www. facebook. com) Economics â€Å"The study of how human beings seek to use resources to satisfy the whole range of their needs, wants and desires†. Wetherly and Otter 2008:3) We need resources in order to satisfy our needs, wants and aspirations. The economy provides this in four categories which are land, labour, capital and enterprise. The economy surrounding Facebook is undoubtedly large and still growing rapidly with investors continuingly looking to pump money into the company. The site attracts businesses from all over the world and of all sizes with its expansive advertising space which reaches out to millions of users daily.Recent figures published by Facebook themselves estimate a figure in the region of â€Å"five hundred million users with 50% of chose actively logging into the site daily†. (www. Facebook. com/stats). This therefore is an extremely attractive proposition for any business looking to advertise as most target audi ences are reachable. Supply and demand is an extremely important factor for Facebook. They are the market leader in there sector and therefore control the price as investors and company’s looking to advertise have little choice when it comes to substitutes (compliments).There is a huge demand for what Facebook offer and this demand is only met by small supply which as a result increases the price. Legal/Technology Technology is â€Å"the sum of knowledge of the means and methods of producing goods and services† (Worthington and Britton 2000:138). Technology is massive issue for any online business as falling behind could be very costly in terms of gaining a competitive advantage. Facebook specifically must concentrate on information technology (i. c. t) as they handle huge quantities of data about their users.Businesses must comply with legislation and Facebook are a complex example with issues such as eBullying, â€Å"the term used to refer to bullying and harassment by use of electronic devices such as mobile phones, e-mail, instant messaging, text messages and websites†. (www. ebullying. co. uk). Facebook attempts to reduce this with an extensive rights and responsibility page which must be agreed to when the user signs up to the website such as an age restriction policy although this is easily flawed as users can enter the wrong D. O. B without checks being carried out.

Environmental effects of oil pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Environmental effects of oil pollution - Essay Example The coastal vegetations, tidal forest, and marine ecology are worse hit. It is widely known that oil spills are causing wide-ranging destruction to wild animals and marine life. Hence considerable preparation and rigid laws are required to conquer this huge problem. Attempts are being made to predict the oil spills and their devastating effects, which can curb the menace of oil pollution to some extent. Still, the international community is required to remain more alert and agile. Apparently, the best approach to deal with the detrimental impact of oil spills to the environment is to significantly lessen oil spills. To effectively minimize oil spillage demands appropriate training and effectual planning. Environmental Effects of Oil Pollution Introduction Combustion of fossil fuels is a major problem in the context of today’s environment. This major threat to the environmental sustainability is indeed an indirect result of oil pollution. Oil pollution has direct effects too. T here are numerous sources of oil pollution. Oil pollution can pollute the oceans, seas, soil, and underground water streams. Moreover, combustion of petroleum, gasoline, and diesel causes large scale air pollution. The pollutants in the air again settle into the water bodies and soil with the lapse of time by means of convection, condensation, and rain. Oil pollution due to the oil spills caused by the accidents of oil tankers and rigs is another major threat to the environment. Since the conveyance of crude oil and petroleum is mainly conducted through the waterways, accidents of oil tankers cause huge amounts of oil to get mixed in the waters of the seas and oceans (Fleming 2010). This is the main feature of oil pollution – even through pollution in the soil; the petroleum agents ultimately reach the underground water streams. In the case of the oil spills, varieties of the sea birds and animals are immensely affected. Oil pollution adversely affects the marine ecology, cau sing death to thousands of organisms (Baker 1978). It damages the natural treasures like coral reef and harms the aquatic animals like fishes, plankton, reptiles, etc. Humans can be seriously affected by taking polluted sea food. Moreover, pollution caused by the combustion of petroleum is also highly injurious to human health. In this relation, it can be further mentioned that the economic dimensions of losses due to major oil spills are considerably high (Pezeshki et al. 2000). The economic losses hamper both the industries and the financial expenditure in the various environmental reconstruction processes. Sometimes, the estimation of these losses is rather difficult. In a nutshell, effects of oil pollution are multifaceted and need to be discussed in detail. Literature Review Large scale of oil pollution particularly due to the oil spills and tanker accidents damages the oceans and seas considerably. Not only that, the petroleum agents would reach the shores and harm the coastal ecology as well. Hundreds and thousands of aquatic animals, sea birds, and plants are adversely affected. This effect of oil pollution is discernable in the US Gulf coast (Pezeshki et al. 2000). Oil spills have taken place in this region, so the effects of oil spills and clean up have manifested as environmental hazard in this part of the world. Hence, plant response to

Outsourcing and Its Impacts on Corporations Research Paper

Outsourcing and Its Impacts on Corporations - Research Paper Example The paper looks at the core of Apple's business model and its operations, and identifies the key problem as relating to its need to manage its outsourcing relationships and networks in order to secure its manufacturing strategy. The ensuing analysis makes use of IOM concepts and tools to identify technological and management interventions to make the outsourcing strategy work (Wailgum, 2011; Terry, 2013; Chen, 2012; Kabin, 2013; Langlois and Robertson, 1989; Gupta, Kim and Levine, 2013; Smith, Buddress and Raedels, n.d.; Google, 2013; Reuters, 2013). II. Background Information The business problem is outsourcing and the impact of outsourcing on corporations, and this problem is culled from relevant business and academic articles and cases. In general outsourcing is seen as providing benefit to many companies in terms of paring down costs of doing business and being able to delegate work that is better and more efficiently done by third parties so companies can focus on the things tha t they do well, and which add to their overall ability to compete and do well in their respective industries. Outsourcing has been a key reality in doing business for several decades now, and earnest literature recognizing its importance and its groundbreaking impacts on global business extends to at least 2006, with all industries and all kinds of firms profoundly affected by the outsourcing of different kinds of work and corporate functions to India and other parts of Asia, and with outsourcing becoming such a crucial issue that is has been singled out as a political issue in presidential elections in the US (Engardio, Arndt and Foust, 2006; Hochschild, 2012; Corn, 2012). Of particular interest in this paper is the role that outsourcing plays in Apple Inc. Apple is in the business of designing, marketing and manufacturing devices for communications as well as for multimedia, geared towards consumer markets, together with computing devices, software platforms, services, and content and apps developed by parties for the operating systems and software platforms that the company develops. The core products of the firm include its iconic iPhones smart phones and iPad tablet computers, as well as Mac computers and laptops. Platform-rendered services out of its core computing platforms are iTunes, and the Mac Store, as well as its App Store, which serve up music and other digital multimedia content, as well as third party software and apps. Together these software, services, devices and content delivery platforms make up an ecosystem that caters to the comprehensive network of products and services for everyday consumer computing and telecommunications. The company is also branching out into new areas of computing, including search and cloud computing, with a growing array of core technologies being developed and or acquired to beef up competencies in those emerging areas of consumer computing, and in reaction to new market realities and opportunities, as well as c ompetition initiatives and strategies. Its core competitors include Microsoft, Samsung, Google, Motorola, HP, Nokia, and HTC, for different aspects of its primary businesses (Google, 2013; Reuters, 2013). Apple has been extraordinarily successful not just in its own technological sector, but in general as an American company reaping extraordinary levels of revenues and profits, even besting oil in terms of its overall market valuation. This is reflected in the high historical

Nobel Prize Winner Harald zur Hausen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nobel Prize Winner Harald zur Hausen - Essay Example In 1969, he became a regular teaching and researching professor at the University of Wurzburg, and worked at the Institute for Virology. In 1972, he joined the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. In 1977, he moved on to the University of Freiburg as the head of the department of virology and hygiene. (nobelprize.org) Harald zur Hausen has been honored with Nobel Prize for discovering HPV vaccine. The specific field of Harald Zur Hausen of research is the erudition of oncoviruses. In 1976, he published the hypothesis that human papilloma virus plays a significant role in the cause of cervical cancer. Mutually with his coworkers, he identified HPV16 and HPV18 in cervical cancers in 1983-4. This research directly made possible the development of a vaccine which was launched in 2006. He is also attributed with discovery of the virus causing genital warts (HPV 6) and a monkey lymphotropic polyomavirus that is a close relative to a newly discovered human Merkel cell polyomavirus, as well as methods to immortalize cells with Epstein-Barr virus and to persuade replication of the virus using phorbol esters. His work on papillomaviruses and cervical cancer received an immense deal of scientific censure on initial presentation but afterward was confirmed and extended to other high-risk papilloma viruses. ( The Gairdner Foundation) He made HPV16 and HPV18 available to the scientific society.

Escaping Salem The other witch hunt of 1692 by Richard Godbeer Essay

Escaping Salem The other witch hunt of 1692 by Richard Godbeer - Essay Example These two ministers had just seen Katherine and had talked with her extensively. It is possible that they could have convinced her that her fits were a result of fiendish attack. Importantly, there was no proof that she said that the Devil was her tormentor before the ministers talked with her. Katherine’s testimonies before the court became more and more questionable. The niece of Abigail Wescott, Lidia Penoir, revealed an exchange where in Katherine said that she cannot remember saying that she was bewitched. She also told the court about the observation of her aunt Abigail about Katherine: â€Å"shee saith that shee heard her a[u]nt Abigail wescot say that her servant girl Catern branch was such a Lying gairl that not any boddy Could believe one word what shee said† (Godbeer 56). The nature of the fits and troubles of Katherine seems to prove this accusation. It seems that she was counterfeiting her fits. There were several instances that prove assumption. Joseph Garnsey testified that he and Nathaniel Wyatt were at the Wescott’s house when Katherine had a convulsion. When they feigned to cut her, her convulsion instantly ceased and she admitted that she was bewitched (Godbeer 55). The testimony of Sarah Bates revealed the same thing—the questionable nature of Katherine’s fits. She said that when she agreed to Abigail Westcott’s suggestion to bleed the unconscious, flaccid Katherine, she became conscious instantly. After pricking Katherine’s foot with a pin, the girl had an extreme convulsion that Abigail Westcott started to scream and exclaim that she was bedeviled. Upon hearing this, according to Sarah’s testimony, Katherine laughed and made an attempt to bury her head in a pillow to hide her amusement (Godbeer 16). This testimony alone suggests that Katherine was faking her convulsions. Another testimony that strongly proved Katherine’s fake epileptic fits was the

Diamonds Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Diamonds - Research Paper Example According to the research paper "Diamonds" findings, diamonds are considered to have been originally discovered and mined in India. Over 6,000 years ago, substantial alluvial deposits of the stone were traced along Godavari, Krishna, and Penner Rivers in India (Koizumi, Nebel and Nesladek 4). Today, it is approximated that close to 130,000,000 karats of diamond are mined every year. This translates to about 26,000 kilograms of diamond being mined annually. Apart from this, it is also estimated that close to 100,000 kilograms of diamonds are synthesized every year (Pagel-Theisen 9). The exact amount of diamonds that exist in the world cannot be accurately established. However, at this current rate of mining and synthesis, a number of diamonds that exist can be estimated (Zaitsev 10). India has been leading the world in the production of diamond from the time they were discovered there around 9th century BC until mid 18th century AD. This led to the exhaustion of these sources. Diamond began being extracted from primary deposits of lamproites and kimberlites in the 1870s after being discovered in fields, in South Africa. Since then, its production is estimated to have reached 4,500,000,000 karats to date. This is approximately 900,000 kilograms of diamond (Koizumi, Nebel and Nesladek 33). Much of the diamond produced in the world is used for various purposes. A significant amount of diamond is used for industrial applications because of its characteristic high dispersion of light, and its hardness. Another common use of diamond is to make jewelry. Due to its electrical conductivity, diamond is also used as a semiconductor. Most of the diamond produced all over the world is used for these common purposes (Zaitsev 12). It is usually assumed that diamonds are solely fashion accessories. However, they have other numerous applications as stated (Pagel-Theisen 16). It is important to point out that most diamonds can be recycled. Sometimes, when diamonds are mined, not all of them are appropriate for use in making jewelry. This may be because of their size or quality. Such diamonds can be used to coat different cutting tools (Pagel-Theisen 44). This will make those cutting tools more effective because of the hardness of diamond. Tiny flawed diamonds may be used in other areas such as computing and optics. This shows that diamonds can be safely recycled by themselves. When glued to other parts for various uses, diamonds must be separated from these toxic parts before being recycled (Zaitsev 15). There are some cases whereby diamond cannot be recycled. These include instances where diamond was used in industries to grind other things, and it eventually turns into dust. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), in 2003, 4.9 million carats of industrially used diamond was recycled (Koizumi, Nebel and Nesladek 30). Diamonds are also being recycled through recutting and resetting. It is estimated that 49% of diamonds in the world come fro m Southern

A Critical Evaluation of How Muslims Living in Britain Can be Both Essay

A Critical Evaluation of How Muslims Living in Britain Can be Both British and Muslim - Essay Example Issues of identity in Britain have largely centred on the concept of ‘otherness’. Muslims were considered ‘aliens’ in the 1950s and 1960s. The term ‘alien’ means otherness, and also means difference, threat, and inequality (Ahmad and Sardar, 2012: 2). Towards the latter part of the 20th century, cultural difference became very popular and otherness became the latest thing. Difference is no longer intimidating; and otherness today is valued for its commercial aspect, the exoticism and delight it could provide. Still, identity has been one of the most important concerns for Muslims living in Britain. Contrary to earlier thoughts on identity, which view it in quite permanent terms, the present belief is changeable and continuously influenced by the evolving environment. This essay critically evaluates how Muslims living in Britain can be both British and Muslim. This essay analyses the historical events, social and political aspects, and cultural f actors that contributed to the creation of a distinctive Muslim identity. The different features of identity class, ethnicity and religion are believed to be subjected to historical dynamics, and it is viewed as being continuously reinterpreted and recreated according to external and internal factors. The diverse and worldly characteristic of British society is believed to create various opposing identities. A large number of Muslims living in Britain have had to harmonise their religious and ethnic features at the individual and societal levels. All have been made difficult by drastic cultural and social transformation in the latter part of the 20th century, forcing them to adjust and compromise (Norcliffe, 2004). As the impact of the cultural and societal norms from which they came from on behaviour and beliefs has disappeared with the appearance of a bigger population of Muslims born and educated in Britain, they have become more and more integrated into the British society. Bein g British and Muslim A national narrative that includes Islamic history would allow Muslims, especially younger generations of Britain-born Muslims, to understand how much of their own traditions are an important aspect of British traditions. This would help present and future generations gain a strong identity as British Muslims. However, there is a much larger benefit to be gained from Britain’s acceptance of its Islamic influences and the acceptance by British Muslims that British traditions are an important aspect of Islamic culture. Diasporas have historically influenced Islamic societies. Even the Prophet Muhammad moved from his homeland; and the community he formed in Medina were shaped by a diaspora (Ahmed, 2012). The historical Islamic culture was formed not by Arabs but by groups from Africa, the India, and central Asia. The Abbasid caliphate, widely viewed as the high point of Islamic learning and wisdom, was the product of a diaspora. The autonomous Muslim states that were built in the 20th century, like Malaysia and Pakistan, were usually formed in Britain by a diaspora (Gould, 2011). British Muslims can take advantage of this history to change Islam, as well as Muslim societies across the globe. The British Muslim scholars consider Britain as a perfect site of change. The study of Waqar Ahmad shows that British Muslim scholars have a dream of a democratic and diverse Islam. There are major internal changes that reveal â€Å"the fruition of a tangible Muslim consciousness among Muslim communities† (Ahmad and Sardar, 2012: 8). Muslims adapt to socially created and faith-oriented identities, and carefully choose how they define themselves. They made use of British history to defend their status like on Islamic schools, they formed their public

Female Circumcision Essay Example for Free

Female Circumcision Essay Many women in different parts of the world have faced circumcision, commonly known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Africa is a continent that has extensively reported cases of FGM, and other parts of the world that practices some indigenous culture, especially the Muslim dominated Middle East countries. The age at which a woman undergoes FGM varies from one region to another, such that a child after being born could be subjected to FGM , while in other areas, a woman who gets her first born is made to undergo the practice. The communities that practice this custom hold high regards for the practice as it demonstrates transition period to womanhood. Therefore, this practice is made to ensure that a circumcised girl is taught the practices that would lead her to being a good wife and mother (IRIN, 2009a). One commonality among the different members of the community who practice FGM is that the major aim is to make a woman remain a virgin until her marriage time, since the removal of her genitalia reduces her sexual desires. In most of the communities carrying out this practice, men prefer to marry circumcised women, meaning the parents have to make their daughters marriageable by circumcising them. Therefore, it can be argued that it is the men who make this practice to prosper. On the other hand, it is the role of the elder women, (mothers and grandmothers) to organize for the circumcision of the young girl, and in some areas, midwives undertakes this role (IRIN, 2009a). This research paper will thus look at how FGM has been practiced in Kenya and the fight against the practice among some communities that hold high regards for the practice. FGM in Kenya Despite laws being put in place to fight FGM, especially the Child’s protection Act of 2001, this practice is still very common and continues to be practiced in various parts of Kenya (IRIN, 2009b). Even though there are many organizations in the country to educate the communities on the dangers of the practice, still the practice has not been stopped and to some extends being practiced underground. However, there have been increased campaigns by various bodies together with the law enforcement agents to see that the practice comes to an end. Kenyan women are circumcised as a rite to passage into womanhood. Many girls in Kenya who come from the communities that practice FGM do not continue with their education. This is because the moment a girl undergoes this practice, she is deemed to be fit and ready to get married. It is because of this that there are several communities that have as young as between twelve and fourteen years getting married to very old men so long as the men are able to pay bride price. It has turned out that men are using their daughters to get wealth through bride price paid; hence a girl circumcised is worth more price than uncircumcised girl. Because of this attachment, some girls are found to voluntarily undertake the practice since it is presumed to increase a woman’s respect (IRIN, 2009b). Maasai is one of the indigenous communities in Kenya that have strongly held to the FGM practice. There are many people from the community (both men and women) who are highly educated, but are afraid to talk openly against the vice in the community because of the fear of social repercussion, especially for leaders who want to get elective posts like in politics. Community members believe that one cannot be a true Maasai if they are not circumcised. Among the Maasai, FGM is considered to bring honor to the circumcised and her family. This is because such a girl is eligible for marriage, which raises her status and the family in general. There have been increased criticism from the international community against the Maasai practice, but the community hangs on the practice, despite the government of Kenya criminalizing FGM. The Maasai community does not hold any regards for uncircumcised woman in the society no matter her level of education or even the post she holds in the society. It is even amazing to find that some male candidates in Kenyan politics use the issue of FGM against women who are not circumcised claiming they are not fit to be in public offices. Such issues make fighting FGM to be a very difficult task (IRIN, 2009b). Even though there are many hardliners who have stood in the way of fighting FGM, the efforts of those fighting the practice has started to bear fruits in Kenya, and especially among the Maasai communities. There are some aspects that are associated with FGM that the community has slowly been changing. For instance, the practice involved the use of one knife for circumcising various girls. But because of the teachings concerning HIV/Aids, the circumcisers have been convinced that it is dangerous to be using a single knife for several people, and have thus started using a single knife for each girl. There are only a few circumcisers who still use one knife for different girls, according to a survey done by Maendeleo Ya Wanawake (MYWO), a women organization that has been at the forefront campaigning against FGM in Kenya. Although this change appears, slight, it is a show in the right direction that the Maasai community can be convinced to change unnecessary and harmful cultural practices to the better course of the society at large (IRIN, 2009b). There are various measures that have been put in place by the organizations fighting the FGM practice in Kenya to see that this practice comes to an end. One mode has been the introduction of the alternative rites of passage. In this practice, all the activities, teachings and practices that the girls are undertaken during the circumcision period are taught to the girls who are of age to be circumcised, but excluding the practice of cutting their genitalia. MYWO has held these alternative rites passage practice yearly among different communities in Kenya. In these activities, girls are taught traditional methods of becoming a good woman, while other formal education programs are again incorporated into the teachings. There are many communities that have adopted this system of alternative rites of passage, but among the Maasai communities, it has been received with a lot of mixed reactions, thus only causing limited success. The concern and the major reason for the Maasai and other communities to practice FGM is basically to reduce sexual urge among the girls, so that they can remain pure until their marriage time , and once married, be faithful to their husbands. This concern does not seem to be raised in the case of using alternative rites of passage (IRIN, 2009b). Religious leaders have also of late been at the forefront in the fight against FGM practice. Muslim dominated region of North Eastern Kenya has been also known to have high percentage of female circumcision. However, of late, the Muslim religious leaders have taken up the initiative to teach their followers of the importance of doing away with FGM practices. The religious leaders campaigns mostly on Fridays when they offer the religious teachings. The leaders have played a major role in informing the women that FGM is not an Islamic requirement, hence has to be abandoned. The council of Imams and other Muslim religious leaders has chosen to be undertaking their campaigns on Fridays because it is the time many Muslims gather together as community for their prayers. This is also considered a cheap approach of reaching many people, than having to undertake expensive workshops in hotels (IRIN, 2007). Like the Maasai, the campaigns in the North Eastern Kenya have received mixed reactions among the community members. There are those who feel that the practice should be stopped, while others feel that the practice is aimed at protecting the girls, hence it has to be preserved at all costs. Many girls in the North Eastern region of Kenya lead miserable lives since they are forced to get married immediately they are circumcised, and they do also have poor lives to lead in their marriage, since they face problems like divorce, for not satisfying their husbands sexually and birth related problems associated with FGM practice (IRIN, 2007). Conclusion Kenyan government made FGM an illegal offence when it passed the child’s protection Act of 2001, but due lack of enforcement of the law by prosecuting the those who carry out the practice, FGM has continued among different communities like the Maasai who hold a lot of regards to their rituals, hence living according to the traditional rules and refuse to embrace modernization. Nevertheless, with the increased activities of the outside world within the communities practicing FGM, their influence is slowly changing the perspective of the community especially among the younger educated generation who do not want their daughters to undergo the practice like themselves or their wives. Therefore, this practice is bound to come to an end, but it will take time to change the minds of the indigenous people. Reference: IRIN (2007). KENYA: Religious leaders join anti-FGM fight, retrieved on 25th February 2009 from, http://www. globalexchange. org/countries/africa/kenya/4648. html. IRIN (2009a). In-Depth: Razors Edge The Controversy of Female Genital Mutilation. AFRICA: When culture harms the girls the globalisation of female genital mutilation, retrieved on 25th February 2009 from http://www. irinnews. org/IndepthMain. aspx? IndepthId=15ReportId=62462. IRIN (2009b). In-Depth: Razors Edge The Controversy of Female Genital Mutilation. KENYA: FGM among the Maasai community of Kenya, retrieved on 25th February 2009 from http://www. irinnews. org/InDepthMain. aspx? InDepthId=15ReportId=62470Country=Yes.

Psych Unit IV Article Review Essay Example for Free

Psych Unit IV Article Review Essay There are so many different theories out there that try to explain why we act the way we act. How do we explain evil or hateful behavior? I just finished reading the article ‘’Prison Violence: Does brutality come with a badge?’’, written by: Bruce Gross. This article talks about being a prison guard, and how some people act when they enter this career. Would you act differently if you went from the role of the prisoner to the role of the prison guard? There have been many reports of ‘’cruel and unusual’’ punishment that is being administered by prison guards to inmates in prisons. Not only are inmates reporting this abuse, but federal authorities are also recognizing there is a problem. In 2005, the commission on Safety and Abuse in Prisons said there were 16,000 allegations of sexual and physical assault that were reported. There are also reports of abuse happening in County jails as well as in prisons. ‘’Inmates have reported being choked, kicked, punched, and hit with objects by single or multiple guards’’, (Gross, 2008). If you look back at our history, it is full of ordinary people who commit terrible acts of violence. Some people have done studies and are trying to understand why people commit these ‘’evil crimes’’. Stanley Milgram is one of those people. He was a Yale University professor, who conducted an experiment in 1961. In this experiment there were ‘’teachers’’ and there were ‘’learners. The teachers were given the power to administer a shock to the learners if they answered a question wrong. It was surprising how much the ‘’teachers’’ in the experiment would shock the ‘’learners’’ and the amount of volts that they would use without protest. Another experiment that was done to test these violent behaviors was known as the Stanford Prison Experiment. In August of 1971, this experiment was started by psychology professor Philip Zimbardo. He put an ad in the paper and found volunteers to play role of ‘’prisoner’’ and the role of ‘’guard’’. He created a prison-like environment in the basement of the psychology building on the Stanford Campus. There was some definite brutality that started to show in the guards during this experiment. Some showed more than others. After only 6 days, the experiment was shut down. One third (1/3) of these ‘’guards’’ showed sadistic behavior. There was a similar study done that was called the BBC Prison Study. This study was also shut down early. ‘’Both of these prison studies demonstrated that under some circumstances, some individuals resist going-with-the flow of group associated brutality’’, (Gross, 2008). Sometimes an individual will behave differently if they know they’re being watched. In the SPE experiment, the participants knew they were being watched by ‘’supervisors’’, and on the BBC experiment, they knew they were being watched by an audience (including family and friends). These factors may have affected the way that either group acted throughout the experiment. I know I would act differently if I knew that my mother was watching me. Some people think it’s the environment that people are in that brings out violence. Well of course it is! If you treat someone like a caged animal, eventually they will start acting like one. If a guard is told to dehumanize a prisoner, then you will probably see violence out of the guards, as well as out of the prisoners. ‘’Violence and extreme behaviors by guards against inmates have many sources’’, (Gross, 2008). In the prison studies that were covered in this article, it didn’t surprise the experimenters that ‘’good people’’ were committing evil acts when they played the role of the guards. They were more surprised and shocked that more people didn’t stand up for what was right. Even if they didn’t agree with what was happening, they just kept their mouth shut, and went with the flow. At the end of the article, Gross says, ‘’Perhaps the adage is true, that real evil exists and flourishe s when good people do nothing’’.

Agriculture In Deforestation And Desertification Environmental Sciences Essay

Agriculture In Deforestation And Desertification Environmental Sciences Essay The World Resources Institute estimates that more than 50 percent of the earths natural forests have already been destroyed (Hermosilla 2000). The United Nations Environment Programme (2009) states that forests cover 30 per cent of the planets total land area. The total forested area in 2005 was just under 4 billion hectares As a result a United Nations report has stated that deforestation and forest degradation are widely recognized as one of the most critical environmental problems facing human society, with serious long-term economic, social and ecological consequences (UN 1999). The causes of deforestation are widely debated and are attributed to many causes such as over population and urbanisation such as new settlements and transport extensions (Geist and Lambin, 2002). However one of the main causes of deforestation is attributed to agriculture. The arc of deforestation along the southern and eastern extent of the Brazilian Amazon is the most active land-use frontier in the world in terms of total forest loss (Morton et al, 2006) and Globally, the main forest conversion process in the humid tropics was the transformation of closed, open, or fragmented forests to agriculture (Achard et al 2002). Deforestation originally occurred on a small scale level due to subsistence farming or timber collection. However the Amazon rain forest has seen a recent increase in industrial agriculture intensive mechanized agriculture in the Brazilian Amazon grew by >3.6 million hectares during 2001-2004 (Morton et al, 2006) and this has been a significant source of deforestation in recent years. In 2010 cattle are projected to be grazing on some 24million hectares of Neotropical land that was once forest in 2000 (Wassenaar et al, 2006). Figure 1 shows the causes of Amazonian deforestation from 2000- 2005. The pie chart shows that cattle ranching, a part of agriculture is the main cause of deforestation. Cattle ranching accounts for 65-70% of deforestation; vast areas of land are cleared by commercial farmers to raise cattle (for meat and dairy) and to provide pasture land for the cattle to graze. Moreover another major cause of deforestation is small scale agriculture by subsistence farmers. Subsistence farmers are causing deforestation because of poor practices (Butler 2008). Farmers burn the trees to clear them, and then over-exploit the land causing the soil quality to decline which results in the farmers having to find new land (shifting cultivation) and thus destroy more trees. In addition government policies can lead to deforestation. In Brazil the government allows farmers to claim a piece of unclaimed public land which they must use for over a year; and after 5 years they become the official owners of the la nd and so can sell it and claim new land (Butler 2008). In addition population growth and subsequent food demand is also a cause for expanding agriculture. Figure 1. (Butler, 2008) However research has also shown that agriculture is not the main cause or contributor to deforestation. Instead the main cause of deforestation if attributed to population growth, and its subsequent need to find new land for settlements to be built on. Myers, 1984 says that the main reason for deforestation in the tropics is human population growth. In the African and Asian tropics, it is generally associated with high rates of natural increase (i.e., high net rates of population growth due to high fertility) and, in the Amazon, it is assumed to be the high rates of in-migrationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ followed by subsequent intergenerational high rates of natural increase. In addition another primary cause of deforestation, particularly Indonesia is the logging industry. The World Bank (2000) and WRI (2000) state that the leading cause of Indonesian deforestation in the 1990s has been large-scale commercial logging (Palmer 2001). Palmer (2001) continues to say that logging causes areas of forest to be cleared, allowing access to new areas of forest and as a result previously unexploited forest, thus allowing other economic activities such as agricultural conversion and shifting cultivation to take place. Consequently the logging industry can be seen as a major, if not the major contributor to deforestation and not agriculture. Agriculture has been linked to being a cause of desertification, however a variety of other factors are also causes of desertification and a combination or interaction of processes leads to desertification. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development defines desertification as land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities (UNCCD, 1992) The UNCCD states that Desertification does not refer to the expansion of existing deserts. It occurs because dryland ecosystems, which cover over one third of the worlds land area, are extremely vulnerable to over-exploitation and inappropriate land use. Poverty, political instability, deforestation, overgrazing and bad irrigation practices can all undermine the productivity of the land (UNCCD 2005). Agriculture plays a large role in desertification, the over grazing of land by animals particularly damaging to the soil and is a major factor contributing to desertification; overgrazing is by all measures the principal cause of rangeland degradation (Dregne and Chou, 1992).   Over grazing can occur by having too many animals, or by not managing and controlling the animals grazing activities (Rayburn, 2000). Overgrazing reduces plant leaf areas, which reduces interception of sunlight and plant growth.   Plants become weakened and have reduced root length, and the pasture sod weakensà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Overgrazing can increase soil erosion.   Reduced soil depth, soil organic matter, and soil fertility hurt the lands future productivity (Rayburn 2000). Darkoh (2006) highlights that overgrazing in North Africa has led to the desertification of land led to moderate to severe desertification of rangelands in arid and semiarid zones of Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia Moreover it is not just overgrazing that can lead to soil degradation and desertification. Poor farming techniques such as over exploitation, and constant crop growing without a fallow field can lead to degradation. Arid and semi-arid regions may initially support agriculture, but repeated cultivation frequently leads to a loss of a soils nutrients and water-holding capacity. (Global environmental Governance Project, 2009). Over cultivation removes nutrients from the soil which can lead to the soil becoming derogated and infertile, therefore nothing can grow on it which can lead to soil erosion. In addition to this, poor irrigation systems can lead to salinzation of the soil due to groundwater dissolving salts in the soil. When evaporation takes place, this leaves concentrated amounts of salts in the soil which are toxic to plants and thus the land becomes barren. However agriculture may not be a direct cause of desertification, it can be caused due to knock on effects of population growth and the subsequent increased demand for food. In Africa, a leading cause of desertification is human population pressure which leads to overexploitation and intensified stresses on the natural environment. Africas population has doubled in the past three decades to about 708 million (1994) and continues to expand at a rate of some 3 per cent a year. This means that Africas farmers must feed an additional 21 million people every year (Darkoh, 1998). Moreover population increase can lead to urbanization and more resources being demanded, such as fuel wood which is a common fuel in third world countries; deforestation is also a primary cause of desertification as tree roots bind the soil together, preventing erosion. As a result population pressure has lead to the need for intensive agriculture which can lead to desertification Increased population pressure on the fragile and vulnerable soils of Africas dryland regions, leads to overexploitation of water, land, forest and pasture resources through over cultivation, overgrazing and deforestation. These practices therefore constitute the principal threats to the livelihood of millions of people. These are the foremost causes of soil erosion, the rates of which in Africa are among the highest in the world. (Darkoh,1998). Agriculture plays a large role in deforestation and desertification, but it may not be the main causes of both. Shifting cultivation leads to deforestation as farmers move to new areas of land, often forests which need to be cut down so that the land can be used for agriculture. In addition over grazing and cultivation as well as as poor farming techniques and can lead to desertification. However the real cause of deforestation and desertification can be attributed to government policies and government mismanagement. If governments encourage farmers to seek out new land in the Amazon rain forest, and also do not stop practices of illegal logging. In addition if governments act in their own economic interests and issue policies that lead to environmental harm such as deforestation and desertification then it is not the practices of its people and their techniques (farmers) that cause the damage to the planet, it is the consequence of poor, and often myopic, government policies seeking economic gain; instead of addressing the real causes of the problems of desertification and deforestation. In addition many LEDCs rely on agriculture for economic growth; therefore a balance needs to be met between economic development and sustainability.

UK Gelatin :: essays research papers

UK Gelatin   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or BSE, is a degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system of cattle causing the brain to appear as a sponge. The cattle then begin acting abnormally and eventually have to be killed. BSE can be transmitted to humans if they consume raw meat from an infected cow or if one consumes the eyeballs, spinal tissue, or the brain. This disease is known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Another disease similar to BSE, which is found in sheep, is Scrapie. Scrapie has been around for nearly two hundred years. It is presumed that the Scrapie agent jumped species and moved into cattle when sheep offal, leftover parts of butchered animals, were ground up and used as a protein supplement in cattle feed and the subsequently fed to cattle. Gelatin is considered safe for human consumption since its preparation involves a chemical process that destroys BSE infectivity. BSE-infectiousness is also destroyed during cooking and baking. Gelatin is manufactured primarily from the hides of pigs and the bones of cattle. During processing, these source materials are exposed to extremely harsh conditions, including prolonged exposure to highly acid or alkaline solutions. Gelatin is used in a wide variety of consumer and medical products regulated by the FDA. These products range from candies and desserts to vaccines, drugs, medical devices, dietary supplements and cosmetics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the unlikely event of any initial contamination of raw material, the gelatin manufacturing process would reduce BSE activity. The steps are as follows one hundred times by degreasing, ten times by acid demineralization, one hundred times by alkaline purification, one hundred times by washing, filtration, and ion exchange, and one hundred times by sterilization. Therefore, the combined effect of the processing stages gives a person a one in one billion chance of contracting BSE. The gelatin production process is efficient enough to remove and or inactivate minimal remaining infectivity. As a safety precaution, the use of UK bovine raw material for the manufacture of gelatin for food, animal feed, pharmaceutical, medical and cosmetic uses is not permitted under certain UK and EU legislation. All UK produced bone gelatin intended for these uses is made from non-UK raw materials. The UK manufacturing sites have to be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Foods (MAFF) and regular inspections confirm that strict controls are met. These controls include full trace ability of raw materials. Consequently, UK produced bone gelatin can be considered to be the best controlled and monitored of any gelatin produced in the world, providing maximum reassurance to consumers.

United States Involvement in The Second World War (WWII) Essay

World War II   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As totalitarian sates emerged into power, the United States got involved with World War II to help control these groups and to promote democracy in the European theatre of the world. The party with the most power at the time was the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler. This socialist party was led by a powerful dictator who broke away from the League of Nations and began to conquer vast amounts of territory at a fast rate. The United States wanted to leave foreign affairs alone in fear of another world war. The United States could not avoid the fact Hitler was taking over Europe and help was needed. The United States became fully involved in the European theatre of World War II when Hitler led his armies on a series of blitzkrieg’s, taking over Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland, northern France, and by breaking the Nazi-Soviet pact.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States, under the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, wanted to remain neutral and wanted to stay out of foreign affairs. People like Lindbergh strongly opposed any aid to foreign affairs, but Roosevelt felt American security and Democracy was in jeopardy if no help was given. As Hitler began his campaigns in Europe, especially in Poland, the United States sent aid to France and Britain to resist the Nazi’s. Germany defeated Poland and easily took over weaker countries, sometimes without Keith 2 firing a single shot as in Czechoslovakia. The United States remained...