A Study on the Self-Perception of Young Female and Male Students from Literature review

A Study on the Self-Perception of Young Female and Male Students from Somali Ethinic Group in Britain Today - Literature review Example It will attempt to unravel current and pressing issues and problems of the Somali youths and delve into potential recommendations to improve their situations. a. Rationale Caught in unending violence and conflict situations which victimized thousands of Somali from their original home of abode, thousands of them immigrated to Britain to liberate themselves from seemingly unending atrocities and economic decadence. Such diasporas to better their lives and from wanton discriminatory chaotic situation of the past unfortunately resulted to identity confusion as new generation now lacked appreciation of their cultural and original identities. This is illustrated in the absence of direct and contextual experience in their homeland after years of enjoying relative peace as an asylum in Britain. Long detachment of these naturalized Somalis from their original homeland introduced young generation to British culture although there is no explicit claim of such identity as Brits are prominently known of their milky white skin, quite a contrast of Somali’s black skin-tone. Neither do they identify themselves with African lineage. As a consequence, there is a need to bridge intergenerational cultural gaps of adults and of the new generation, where the latter struggle to integrate themselves within British community. Youths and children felt that they are discriminated, as there is apparent perception of dearth of support to mainstream or socially accept them. To cite an example, youths and children felt that there is lack of educational support for them to learn English as language and they felt they are unfairly prejudiced in their daily affairs with other people. b. Significance This study is significant because it will empirically contribute to existing literatures and researches relating to the condition and perception of Somali youths as migrants within United Kingdom. It will also serve as evidence how conflict-situations compromised the identities of people and lost their very selves in a social quagmire and in an unending quest for peace. As part of the outcome of the study, researcher will attempt to make recommendations for policy advocacy and social action. It will also motivate government to look into the plight of Somali youths, prominently tagged as asylum seeker, to respond on their urgent concerns and problems. c. Motivation Youths are said to be the future of the world. There education and value formation are crucial to make themselves complete, instead of being fragmented due to confusion of identities while and at the same time marginalized by the system where it seek protection. Such dilemma will have serious implication to their worldviews, may frustrate them, and if not seriously dealt with will impact to desired societal interaction and to social fabric in the nearest future. Even in the simplest humanitarian consideration, language is important to communicate and to nurture mutual understanding. Hence, efforts should be m ade to bridge understanding, to educate them of their roots to inculcate better understanding of their identities, and to holistically develop them while in the process of integrating themselves in the British society. d. Potential Users This research study will be useful for the following: a. Professionals who are interested to know young Somali’s self-perceptions; b. Researchers and policy makers of the

Assume that you are the Governor and you have to decide how to address Essay

Assume that you are the Governor and you have to decide how to address the structural budget gap of $2+billion - Essay Example I too do not agree of taxing the average American at this point in time but it does not mean that we should just submit to resignation just because government is short of money of some budget gap of $2 billion. Government does not always have enough money to fund all its programs and it is up to us to find ways to make our chosen program to work. I say it is not the lack of money but rather lack of creativity and initiative on the part of policy makers that programs do not get implemented. It is a given that government will be financially hard up to finance any programs today. If you happen to watch the TV and hear the news these past few weeks, you will be well aware of the government shutdown. I think you know that the bottom line of the shutdown was the debacle between Republican and Democrats about Obamacare and how to fund it. This just show how much money is becoming scarcer these days that we are willing to shut down government for our fear to overspend because money are now g etting scarcer these days particularly in the government. I will not be taking about Obamacare however. I will talk about ways on how to raise money without raising taxes to fund a government program. In particular, my own program of improving the quality of our environment by reducing our Carbon dioxide emission of which money and resources plays key part in making the program effective. So how do I raise fund for improving the quality of our educational system? Device and burden you with new tax? Ask money from the national government? Adding any new taxes at this point in time would be extremely unpopular and impractical as well. Asking money from the national government is very uncertain knowing that there are just too many agencies and program chasing for additional funding from the national government. In addition, that kind of funding is also not sustainable. Assuming I can get funding next year, I will not still be sure if I can get funding the year after that and the succee ding years. Funding for environment requires a long-term commitment in terms of funding and commitment. To be able to be effective in improving the quality of our environment, it should be a sustained effort and not just a one- time effort that is subject to availability of funds. There is already a law that covered partly this kind of initiative. It is the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act which encourage the production of clean renewable energy fuels, to increase the efficiency of products, buildings and vehicles that would have the ultimate objective of reducing the greenhouse effect (Ross). This law has been in effect since 2008 and obviously, it is not enough considering that global warming and the quality of our environment still continue to deteriorate. I propose two approaches how to raise funds for my environment improvement program without asking money from the national government. By merely exercising the legislative and executive power of the governor, I can prov ide a sustainable environmental program that does not burden the common taxpayer and national government. I am proposing a public and private partnership. This is a doable approach since environment is a universal concern. All of us breathe the same air and live in the same planet so improving and taking care of it should not be just a concern of the government

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Essay Example for Free

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Essay In The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, the author tells a short story of harsh irony and a wifes realization of a new life after her husbands death. Chopin introduces the main character, Louise Mallard, as a married woman with a weak heart and a marriage that is complicated and restrictive. In the beginning of the story Louise hears the news of her husbands death in a train accident. She is distraught and filled with grief, so she goes up to her room where she sits in her comfortable armchair and thinks about how her life will change now that her husband is gone. She realizes that his death is the birth of her new found freedom. She can look forward to tomorrow and not feel imposed by his will in her activities. Yet Mrs. Mallards freedom is quickly abandoned as Mr. Mallard comes through the door. At his sight Louise succumbs to her weak heart. When the doctors came they said she died of heart disease-of the joy that kills. However the reader knows that her death is due to shattered dreams of freedom. After the initial onslaught of grief Mrs. Mallard goes to her room. As Louise sits in the armchair staring blankly out of the open window, the narrator observes that, There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled above the other in the west facing her window. Already, the reader recognizes the blue sky as a sign of hope emerging from a heavy gloominess. Soon the readers suspicions are confirmed as Louise sits in her armchair chanting, Free, free, free. However there were several conflicts in her life that brought her to this point. Louise felt her marriage was restrictive and at times lacking love. She was reminiscing on how difficult it was to love her husband and how demanding their marriage was. As she stares out the window she sees the positive in the negative situation. She, along with nature, has experienced new life and has been rejuvenated by the spring season. Concerning symbols, Chopin uses several throughout the story to create a feeling of comfort within the readers mind. Firstly, the armchair in the story in which Mrs. Mallard sits after hearing about her husbands death is described as comfortable and roomy. The chairs location is also  important. It is facing an open window, and this symbolizes being open to change. The fact that it is open shows that it is somewhat warm outside, suggesting life rather than the cold of winter, symbolizing death. The adjectives comfortable, roomy and sank symbolize a feeling of being embraced by the chair, a feeling of love and warmth. Secondly, through the open window Louise sees many other symbols, furthering the feeling of goodness in the reader. She sees the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life symbolizing a new life to come. The setting of a delicious breath of rain in the air refers to the calmness after a storm when the sun comes back out. The author is using this to refer to the death of Louises husband and the joyous life she will lead now that she is free of him. The Story of an Hour is both a liberating story as well as a tragic one. The author cleverly uses symbols to describe her opinion about womens rights, as well as what sixty minuets can do to a persons life. Overall though, the author does an amazing job of bringing the reader into the mind of the protagonist.

Reflection on Child Observation Study

Reflection on Child Observation Study The purpose of this essay is to discuss an observation I undertook of an 18 month year old boy, whose mother was a friend of a friend who I had no prior knowledge about. Initially I explained the observation to the mother and a contract was soon drawn up and subsequently signed. It ensured that the study was completely confidential and the child’s name would be anonymised. I have used x to refer to the child. Firstly I am going to discuss some of the challenges I faced, how intrusive I felt initially and how I struggled not to interact. I will then discuss the benefits of child observations in helping me to overcome these challenges, for instance, the benefits of seminar groups and how the observation has been beneficial in developing my reflective skills. I will then discuss some factors I felt impacted on my observation and how these will be useful to me in future social work practice. For me one of the most challenging aspects I found with the child observation was feeling intrusive. Initially on my way to the house I felt very nervous and during the observation when x ran off to the kitchen to see his mother I felt very uneasy following him as I felt I was invading their privacy. Having read McMahon Farnfield (1994) I now know that this is a common anxiety for students who undertake child observations as many observers feel uncomfortable about intruding in to the privacy of someone’s home. However, having read Quitak (2004) I know that social workers often have to visit client’s homes and if they are too anxious to invade a client’s privacy they may miss out on information that is vitally important. For example, social workers can feel intimidated by parents and find it difficult focussing on the child (Blom-Cooper et al, 1985). Social work will often involve infringing on a client’s privacy (Trowell and Miles, 1991). Therefore it is vital social workers have the confidence to deal with their uncomfortable feelings of intruding in order for them to be effective in their role (Quitak, 2004). I felt the seminar groups were beneficial in helping me to overcome my fear of intruding because they felt like a safe space in which I could discuss my anxieties. McKinnon commented that the seminar group provides a â€Å"safe container† (2009: 90). The seminar creates a safe environment where students can share and discuss any uncomfortable feelings and experiences that they came across during the observation (Ruch, 2007). The term containment was developed by Bion (1962) who believed that therapeutic relationships, such as groups can act as containers for uncontrollable feelings (Ruch, 2007). In the same way a mother or carer contain the painful feelings of a child and return them in a way the child can understand in an attempt to make the child feel safe (Mckenzie Beecraft, 2004). The seminar also acts as a container, by discussing my feelings and anxieties about intruding on somebody’s home it helped me to overcome the anxiety of feeling intrusive which was distra cting me from observing properly. As I continued to visit the home for following visits, I subsequently developed my confidence in visiting the home and not feel quite so intrusive. In addition, one of the biggest challenges I faced was my desire to intervene. Ruch (2009) believed that attempting to not interact with a child is arguably one of the most challenging elements of the child observation. I always felt cruel because at times I had to completely ignore the child and this felt strange and unnatural for me. Tanner Turney (2000) and Le Riche (2006) commented that not interacting can feel strange and uncomfortable for observers because it is unnatural and goes against traditional customs. However, not interacting can be beneficial because it creates space to reflect on and explore my feelings (Tanner Turney, 2000; Trowell and Miles, 2004). For example, I found myself in disbelief because x refused to eat the peas on his plate and x’s mother although attempting once to make them eat them, gave up quite quickly. This could be because this took me back to when I was a young child when my parents always made me eat my vegetables; otherwise I wasnâ€⠄¢t allowed to leave the table. I was surprised at how strong and how personal my reaction was. Having read Fawcett (1996), however I realised that as children we all grow up with certain rules our parents make us obey and these may still reside with us when we are older and can have a major influence on our attitudes (Fawcett, 1996). In my case I found myself judging x’s mother because she didn’t view eating vegetables as important. Having read McMahnon Farnfield , they argued â€Å"It takes emotional effort for students to see that what is different is not necessarily wrong† (2004: 240). Therefore, I realised that just because x’s mother is doing things in a different way and I view my family’s experience as the ‘correct’ way, this does not mean what she is doing is wrong. Fawcett (1996) and Trowell Miles (2004) argued that it is acceptable for students to have these attitudes and preconceptions provided that students identify these and question them through reflection. Therefore, one of the benefits of the child observation f or me was significantly developing the ability to reflect and develop self-awareness. These are useful skills for me as a student social worker because by allowing time to reflect I can begin to recognise and question how my emotions and preconceptions may be affecting my judgement or an assessment of a family or individual and can incorporate this before deciding the next steps to help them (Turney,2008; Mckinnon, 2009). One of the most significant learning points from the child observation for me was when I first met the family, one of the first things x’s mother did was explain the bruise on x’s face and how he was always falling over. Despite my best efforts to ensure the mother that it was purely an observation, I believed she still felt that she was being judged as a mother and felt anxious about being observed. At the time I did not question this because I was very anxious myself, it was only later when I was writing up my notes that I realised how significant this was. Having experienced this, it made me aware of the power imbalances that existed between the observer and the observed. Turney argues that it could be slightly anxious and uncomfortable for those being observed because they are aware of â€Å"the power of the gaze, the power of the looker in relation to the â€Å"looked at†Ã¢â‚¬  (2008: 124). Therefore because x’s mother knew I was observing her she p erhaps felt vulnerable and anxious because she viewed me as being in a more powerful position than her. This could explain why she defended her son’s bruise so early on in the observation. During a normal assessment between a social worker and a client these feelings are intensified. Therefore, this has taught me the importance of remembering that as a social worker I can be intimidating to the client because I am perceived as the more powerful person. As a next step, I must learn the most effective methods and techniques to try and minimise the imbalance of power between myself and the service user. For me the most meaningful aspect of the child observation was when I attempted to explain to x that he was being observed. Despite him being only 18 months old and although I did not feel he understood me due to his age, for me this demonstrated how powerless children are. Young children in particular are totally dependent on adults for their safety and well-being, by not telling the child they were being observed I felt that this was reinforcing their invisibility and undermining their views and opinions. Ruch (2009) commented that some observers believed it was oppressive by not introducing themselves to their child and this is how I felt because by not asking a child for their consent, arguably we are not valuing what they have to say. For example, reports in to the death of children such as Victoria Climbre and Jasmine Beckford, reveal how children were not effectively â€Å"seen and heard† (Fawcett, 1996:18). In addition, inquiries often revealed that there was limited u nderstanding of the child’s world and everyday activities were inadequately described because adult’s interpretations were valued over children’s (Mckinnon, 2009; King, 2002). Turney (2008) believes that the child observation can help to develop the skills of ensuring excluded groups such as children are completely focussed on and is crucial in evaluating whether a vulnerable child is safe or not. Fawcett (1996) argued that observation allows the chance for a child’s voices, stories and opinions to be taken seriously and valued. Therefore, I believe the child observation has helped me to focus on the child, observe what they do and listen to what they say to ensure that they are not invisible. I feel I have significantly improved my understanding of the powerlessness of children which will help me to improve and adapt my communication skills with children. To conclude, for me one of the biggest challenges of the child observation was initially feeling intrusive, however the seminar acted as a â€Å"safe container†, where I could discuss and overcome my anxieties in a safe environment. Subsequently on following visits I found these anxieties soon disappeared. In addition, I found not interacting very challenging, but soon learnt how valuable this was because it gave me an opportunity to reflect and explore my feelings. Recognising and questioning how our values and attitudes may be affecting my judgement or an assessment of a family is a valuable skill in social work and this can be taken in to account when deciding the best help for a family. The child observation has been an important reminder that as a social worker I can appear more powerful and even intimidating to the client, as well as the powerlessness of children. Therefore developing techniques to try and minimise these power imbalances is a crucial next step.

Changing Role of Women in Archie Comics Essay -- Changing Gender Norms

Plan of Investigation The purpose of the essay is to answer the question: How has Archie Comics reflected changing gender norms in the United States of America from World War II to the present of women in contemporary American society, in its eventual challenge of the position of men as the dominant sex, and in its inclusion of previously marginalized sexual orientations? As entertainment primarily targeted to middle-class America, Archie is a helpful avenue by which to understand acceptable views. This paper will present gender roles portrayed in Archie Comics in three different time frames: the Forties, the Sixties, and the new millennium. It will analyze the establishment of traditional gender roles set forth in the earliest Archie Comic strips. Next it will critique the ways in which it responded to the challenges to these traditional norms and assess whether the comic incorporated these challenges or rebuffed them. Finally, this paper will evaluate the role of modern-day Archie Comics as a vanguard i n the new discussion of gender roles and sexual orientation in America. For the purpose of analysis, issues of Archie representative of the era will be examined in conjunction with larger historical developments. These include: the sexual revolution of the 1960s, the post-feminist world following the 1970s, and the rise of LGBT acceptance. Often changes in social norms move at a glacial pace. Particularly difficult in assessing social norms is the definition of what is normative to begin with. For that reason, most historians will look at what artifacts and documents signify popular culture. While these artifacts and documents may reveal what norms existed at a given time, tracking changes in norms relies upon the existence o... ...ItemClick=true&searchText=helen&searchText=mayer&searchText=hacker&searchText=WOMEN&searchText=AS&searchText=A&searchText=MINORITY&searchText=GROUP&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dhelen%2Bmayer%2Bhacker%2BWOMEN%2BAS%2BA%2BMINORITY%2BGROUP%26amp%3Bprq%3Dhelen%2Bmayer%2Bhacker%26amp%3Bhp%3D25%26amp%3Bacc%3Don%26amp%3Bwc%3Don%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bso%3Drel%26amp%3Bracc%3Doff. Paul Kupperberg. â€Å"Life With Archie #16.† In Archie The Married Life, 3:23–24, 2012. ———. â€Å"Life With Archie #20.† In Archie The Married Life, 4:20, 2012. ———. â€Å"Life With Archie #22.† In Archie The Married Life, 4:9, 2012. ———. â€Å"Life With Archie #23.† In Archie The Married Life, 4:20, 2012. Universe, Funding. â€Å"Archie Comics Publications, Inc. History.† History Of Archie Comics, n.d. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/archie-comics-publications-inc-history/. â€Æ'

Ralph Ellison’s Prologue to the Invisible Man Essay -- Ralph Ellison P

Ralph Ellison’s Prologue to the Invisible Man The Invisible Man is not a story of things that go bump in the night, but of those in society who people refuse to â€Å"see†. The essay was written by Ralph Ellison, an African American writer of the 20th century, whose stories tended to focus on racial issues. The main character of this story’s prologue is anonymous and unseen. He resides in a basement and lives off stolen energy in Harlem New York. Throughout the essay it is hard to determine whether he prefers to be this way or not, but he does describe that he loves light and warmth. He is a character that most audiences can easily feel sympathetic for. Although the essay is a narrative story, on a more critical level it tells of the flaws of society, and how some people go unnoticed and unloved. It is also tells of the power and will of human spirit. Ralph Ellison’s Prologue to the Invisible Man is an effective essay because audiences can easily relate to it through its use of informal tone, subje ctive point of view, and its appeals to pathos. With the use of informal tone Ellison is able to relate the story to the audience better. The prologue is written in the first person, everything in the essay is being told from the storyteller’s point of view. This makes the reader feel as though the character is personally talking to them and telling of the events. Ellison also personally addresses the reader as â€Å"you† this also enables the audience to relate to the story. One particular quote form the story that was very effective was â€Å"You ache with the need to convince yourself that you do exist in the real world, that you’re a part of all the sound and anguish.† It as though Ellison was truly talking with his audience in ... ...n so emotionally, readers are able to easily associate themselves with it, and this allows the message of the paper to convey itself to the audience. Ralph Ellison’s â€Å"Prologue from The Invisible Man† is a very successful and effective essay. By reading this it is possible to tell that Ralph Ellison is someone who may have first-handedly experience racism and unjust experiences. His essay tells of the negative aspects of society to generally overlook certain people of different races. However, on a more positive note, it also tells of the strength and everlasting hope of the human spirit. This text does indeed raise important issues and concepts to an audience. Due to its appeals to pathos, use of informal language, and subjective point of view, audiences are able to relate to Ralph Ellison’s Prologue to the Invisible Man, making it a successful essay.

Advertising’s Affects on Self-Esteem Essay

â€Å"As most of us know so well by now, when a girl enters adolescence, she faces a series of losses- loss of self-confidence, loss of a sense of efficacy and ambition, and the loss of her ‘voice,’ the sense of being a unique and powerful self that she had in childhood† states Jean Kilbourne in her essay, â€Å"The More You Subtract, The More You Add†. These losses in adolescent girls are natural yet worsened by advertising and entirely overlooked. As media and advertising cause these effects, they also devise to offer just as Jean Kilbourne says, â€Å"Advertisers are aware of their role and do not hesitate to take advantage of the insecurities and anxieties of young people, usually in the guise of offering solutions.† Naturally, advertising has a negative and damaging effect on teenage girls’ self-esteem. Generally speaking, adapting teenage girls strive to be what they see. Commonly, when surrounded by advertising of flawless and thin girls, their goal is then to achieve the same qualities which brings dissatisfaction with their own body. In order to achieve these goals, teenage girls may go to extremes. When size zero models are consistently advertised, that size becomes desired by teenage girls who may not have the ability to be that size. With this desire, comes eating disorders. To reduce this issue, girls shouldn’t be surrounded by only overly thin women in advertisements to avoid added on pressure from advertising when that pressure is already naturally present during adolescence. Advertising produces subtleties that women should remain quiet and have less voice. Advertisements frequently include models with their hands and fingers covering their mouths with catch phrases adding to the negative message. Kilbourne illustrates this well in her essay by saying, â€Å"indeed this is one of the primary messages of the culture to adolescent girls. ‘The silence of a look can reveal more than words,’ says another perfume ad, this one featuring a woman lying on her back†. This expectation can be troubling for young girls, giving them the impression that having too much of a voice is bad, that they should speak in a different way other than using their voice. This as well creates an inequality between boys and girls, that girls should be more ashamed of their opinions and voice. The most distinct negative effect advertising has on teenage girls’ self-esteem is the sexual objectification frequently present in advertising. Advertisements tend to draw a strong emphasis towards sexuality. Girls are taught to be â€Å"overtly sexy and attractive but essentially passive and virginal† (Kilbourne) at a young age. In â€Å"The Merchants of Cool† they explain a â€Å"midriff† role present in the 1990’s explained as your body being your best asset to flaunt even if you don’t understand it. Young teenage girls are prime examples of midriffs because they don’t quite understand their adolescent bodies yet they are pressured from the sexuality shown in advertising to flaunt it the most rather than their brain. Even during Marilyn Monroe’s era, there were advertisements to improve your waist size rather than to reduce it because being curvy was the trend rather than being thin at the time. Yet even this had the issue of excluding naturally thin women that were unable to gain those extra pounds to achieve a thicker bust or waist size. There will always be issues in advertising in society; however, these issues shouldn’t be targeted to negatively effect teenage girls’ self esteem.