Role of Bronislaw Malinowski in the Anthropology

Introduction Ethnography refers to the â€Å"branch of anthropology that deals with the scientific description of specific human cultures† (Okely, 2011). It has four elements, namely; participant observation, natural setting, holism, and use of subjects own language. The field of ethnography usually focuses on human societies through a branch of cultural anthropology.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Bronislaw Malinowski in the Development of British Social Anthropology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ethnography involves extensive travelling due to its aspects of fieldwork. Ethnographers study their subjects objectively. This process involves living an ordinary life among the population of study. The study period is usually long, but depends on the area of interest. This essay critically looks at the role of Bronislaw Malinowski in the development of British Social Anthropology and his influence i n the contemporary ethnography. Contemporary ethnographers consider Malinowski as one of the most experienced ethnographer. They consider Malinowski’s works as highly systematic with clear theoretical approaches in studying social systems. Other scholars have often referred to Malinowski as the first anthropologist to bring anthropology â€Å"off the veranda† (Kuper, 1973). This means that Malinowski had firsthand experiences of lives of his study population. This gave rise to the idea of participant observation in social research. According to Malinowski, it is necessary for an anthropologist to establish a contact with the study population in order to understand and record experiences of subjects objectively. This is crucial for understanding cultural aspects of the study population. He also brought the idea of functionalism and reciprocity, and the relationship between culture and people. Proponents of Malinowski look at anthropologists of the past centuries against the works of Malinowski. They note that Tylor and Frazer were the armchair anthropologists who relied on reports of missionaries, colonialists, travellers, and other people who could give them information for their studies (Kuper, 1973). JG Frazer was famous for studying social anthropology and showing the link between rituals and myths. He provided detailed accounts of religious and magical beliefs in his work, The Golden Bough of 1890. Frazer identified three stages of human belief as primitive magic, religious stage, and science stage. On the other hand, EB Tylor remains the scholar behind the idea of cultural evolutionism. Tylor looked at scientific study and anthropology as â€Å"a functional basis for the development of society and religion† (Kuper, 1973). Tylor believed that the British society could transform itself by understanding history and prehistory of man. Tylor and Frazer remain the founding fathers of modern anthropology.Advertising Looking for essay on anthropology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The next generation moved closer to fieldwork but remained in the armchair as they worked from the verandas. This category included Rivers, Seligman and others. These scholars moved to various countries but did not go to the subjects. Instead, they would stay in verandas and subjects would come to them for interviews. However, Malinowski’s approach changed subsequent studies in anthropology. According to Malinowski, â€Å"true and intensive fieldwork could only take place by living at the centre of the natives’ village† (Malinowski, 1922). The British Social Anthropology Malinowski was among the founding anthropologists of the British Social Anthropology. Malinowski advocated for a change in the British Social Anthropology from â€Å"the speculative and historical to the ahistorical study of social institutions† (Young, 2004). Ahistorical study does not take into account historical contexts when examining cultural phenomena that change with time. This paradigm shift marked the introduction of functionalism and fieldwork as ideals of studying social anthropology. Functionalism gained influence around 1920s. It worked as a form of applied methodology in social science. However, it did meet certain conditions in studying social or cultural changes. Functionalism regards society as a complex system. This complexity results from various parts, which work as a unit for establishing stability and solidarity. Malinowski applied functionalism to understand a society using its macro-level structures. In this context, Malinowski focused on social structures of society. These structures are responsible for shaping a society. Functionalism also focuses on social functions of a society. According to Malinowski, it was necessary to study social behaviours and relations in a society within their cultural contexts. This led to the theory of participant observation. Malinowski argued that it was important to take into account the observable variations in actions and norms of the people. This captures what society does and what it claims to do. Participant observation is a form of data collection method, which is common in qualitative research paradigms. It has spread to other areas of research studies such as social psychology, sociology, and studies in communication. Malinowski applied participant observation in order to achieve close relationships with the society and informants under study. This approach also enabled him actively take part in the daily life of the subjects under study over a long period in their cultural environments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Bronislaw Malinowski in the Development of British Social Anthropology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Malinowski was able to provide a detailed account of Trobriand social life due to an application of the participant observation approach. As a result, Argonauts of the Western Pacific of 1922 became one of the most popular works of the anthropologist. Malinowski studied marriage, religious, and trade activities of the Trobriand extensively. This study and others developed the field of the British Social Anthropology from a mere discipline of evolution to a psychological and social field of scientific enquiry with both theoretical and methodological approaches. Malinowski challenged the Freudian approach of Oedipal Complex and the idea of primitivism among the natives. He showed that such primitive people had same levels and types of mental abilities like other advanced societies. He observed and substantiated such claims that primitive societies were not different from advanced societies. He observed that societies had different viewpoints about motives, beliefs, and emotional responses. However, human beings had similar manners of perceiving and processing infor mation irrespective of culture or race. This also extended to use of creativity and intelligence when adapting to situations. He made these assertions after studying Trobriand social life for many years. Malinowski’s ideas also spread beyond Britain. For instance, his methodologies also found their ways in Boasian methods among the American anthropologists. This established Malinowski as one of the most influential anthropologists of his time. Malinowski also developed the theory of reciprocity for understanding cultural anthropology. He aimed to define lives of Trobriand’s informal exchange of goods and explain how informal economic system worked. He identified that reciprocity was in â€Å"savage societies† as well as civilised societies. Malinowski extensively applied reciprocity in his study of the Kula ring (Stocking, 1983). The influence of Malinowski also reached in Africa through Rockefeller funding. He was in charge of field research in Africa in the 19 30s. This showed the influence of British Social Anthropology beyond Europe. This explains how the British Social Anthropology found its ways in former colonies.Advertising Looking for essay on anthropology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In fact, Peter Forster looked at anthropology in Africa and noted its influences and changes (Forster, 1994). As an effort to credit and adopt Malinowski’s approach to studying local social systems, he notes that cultural factors have not â€Å"received due attention since peasants’ knowledge and culture remain misunderstood† (Forster, 1994). Malinowski approaches to Fieldwork and its application in modern social research Scholars had already started fieldwork before Malinowski. However, Malinowski studies popularised and revolutionised fieldwork in anthropology. Malinowski believed in association with the native language. The works of Franz Boas also reflect this approach to social science. Malinowski believed in understanding mundane aspects of daily life of the society. In this context, Malinowski believed in going beyond the informant’s account in order to find true practices as they occurred in reality (Sanjek, 1990). Participant observation enabled the researcher to collect data about cultural aspects of the society. In this way, Malinowski was able to understand the psychology of his subjects. Establishment of Fieldwork Wax noted, â€Å"In the final analysis, the major credit for discovering the technique of intensive personal fieldwork among a single people must go to Bronislaw Malinowski (Wax, 1972, p. 2). Malinowski established three conditions for effective fieldwork. First, the research must have scientific goals, apply the values and approaches of contemporary ethnography. Second, the ethnographer must be in a better position when conducting the study. This implies that the ethnographer must live among the natives when gathering information. Third, the ethnographer must use several scientific methods of collecting, analysing, and fixing data. These three aspects should lead to three specific types of evidence from the fieldwork. First, ethnographer must understand the natives, their organisation, and anatomy of their c ulture. Second, the researcher must understand the actual life and behaviours of the natives. Finally, the researcher must present all materials from the field for analysis. According to Malinowski, this was the ideal fieldwork. Malinowski puts emphasis on the second principle as a root for successful fieldwork in ethnography. Living among the natives enabled the ethnographer to consider them as companions. This was an opportunity to learn about customs and beliefs of the native from a natural intercourse. Therefore, it was necessary to create proper conditions for fieldwork first (Wax, 1972). Malinowski then applied the first principle for effective fieldwork. This requires the ethnographer to pursue evidence using scientific principles. The scientific approaches enable the researcher to develop a conceptual framework of the problem under investigation. This is the appropriate way to achieve reliable results for contemporary studies. Thus, the researcher has to foreshadow the probl em when developing a scientific approach. In this context, Malinowski insisted on three fundamental types of evidence the ethnographer must separate from one another. First, the ethnographer must focus on the organisation of the natives and elements of its culture. In this area, the researcher must apply a proper technique of statistic in documenting data. Second, the research must focus on actual life of the natives and their behaviours. The research must document details gathered. This is only possible by establishing a close contact with the natives. Third, the researcher must review a corpus of ethnographic statements, utterances, narratives, traditional beliefs, magical approaches, and mentality of the natives. This observation is similar to the approach in â€Å"Collection† of Franz Boas. Malinowski presented a concrete approach used in fieldwork. This provides clear evidence on how scientific methods should work. In this sense, the method reflects final aims of the eth nographer, which are to capture ideas from the subjects’ point of view, aspects of life, and views about the world. Such detailed account of fieldwork led Malinowski to debunk observations of the Social Darwinist. This idea claims that all societies pass through â€Å"the same distinct and predictable stages, in the same predictable order, along a single linear trajectory† (Kuper, 1973). According to Malinowski, societies are different and difficult to predict due to their great variations. These various are diverse and not linear as the linear model indicates. Malinowski brings out three elements of effective fieldwork in comparison to his contemporary, River. He shows that ethnographer must show specific details of data collection, how to implement the method, and establish awareness of participation. Urry observes that Malinowski’s fieldwork approach classifies â€Å"the types of information for collection under concrete evidence, imponderability of social l ife, and native statements taken in vernacular† (Urry, 1993). From this point, Malinowski concludes that these are â€Å"the main three realms of ethnographic data the researcher should collect† (Urry, 1993). In this manner, Malinowski provides a detailed approach to fieldwork, which is applicable in modern social science. River’s approach concentrated on interviewing the subjects. On the other hand, Malinowski stressed the importance of participation by taking part in the village life. Thus, he notes, â€Å"it is good for the Ethnographer sometimes to leave camera, notebook, and pencil, and join what is going on. He can take part in the natives’ games. He can follow them on their visits, walks, sit, listen, and share in their conversations† (Malinowski, 1922, p. 22). The application of functionalism enables us to understand the place of magic rituals in modern societies. For instance, people who cannot bear challenges of modern, professional life o r tragic trauma usually resort to tribal of positive visualization. This acts as a form of therapy and healing process to such individuals as they imagine of positive outcomes in their roles. Therefore, the studies of Malinowski enable us to understand how traditional rituals can facilitate productivity in society. We can see contributions and scientific influences of studies of Malinowski in scientific research. Scholars have accredited Malinowski as the father of functionalism. As a result, there are attempts to contrast structural-functionalism of Radcliffe-Brown and Malinowski, and structuralism of Émile Durkheim. These approaches view society as a whole as they recognise contributions of its various institutions. Malinowski approached the society with the focus on actions of an individual. In this context, he argues that society exists to serve individual’s needs. He also focuses on â€Å"customary practices, and beliefs and how the psychology of those individuals m ight lead them to generate change† (Stocking, 1983). Malinowski also achieved influence through his lectures, writings, and mentorship. Still, most of Malinowski’s contributions to the British Social Anthropology also emanated from his contact with Radcliffe-Brown. These two scholars had differences but aimed to change past theories of social science. They aspired to create a new form of British Social Anthropology favoured with new ideas and practical, scientific methods. Malinowski insisted that ethnographers who wanted to experience life of the native had to adopt a fieldwork approach. This led to the development of a â€Å"scientific theory of culture† after his death (Kuper, 1973). This theory posits that it is â€Å"the function of an institution and the purpose of its existence that contribution to the biological survival of individuals within an interlocking matrix of such institutions† (Ellen, 1984). Fieldwork today Today, many ethnographers belie ve that conducting fieldwork using Malinowski’s approach is the best approach to understanding anthropological research as it is the only way of distinguishing the research (Watson, 1999). However, fieldwork has evolved since the time of Malinowski and now has several practices and methods, which modern social scientists use for gaining intimate knowledge of a society. Ethnographers of today conduct fieldwork in highly contemporary environments as well as remote villages. Still, they used several techniques to collect data. First, researchers collect data using quantitative approaches through surveys or existing records on the subject. Second, some researchers apply quantitative techniques to gather information. However, this is mainly common among biological anthropologists who study demographic aspects of communities. Unlike in the past where researchers worked independently, studies involving quantitative techniques may require cooperation among researchers as they take an interdisciplinary approach (Antonius and Sulka, 2006). However, social studies of today prefer qualitative information. They also use various approaches such as â€Å"individual or group interviews, undertaking oral histories, online discussion forums and, most importantly, through the Malinowskian tradition of participant observation† (Okely, 2011). Participant observation still plays the role it did during the time of Malinowski. It enables the researcher to â€Å"undertake detailed, lengthy, and often complex observations of social life in fine details† (Okely, 2011). Such approaches may target various sources of information such as virtual network communities, a native society, and social groups of the modern society. Modern fieldwork also has moved to the museums, institutions, archives and other places of keeping information. In these cases, the anthropologist seeks to understand â€Å"the underlying symbolic and cultural meanings of a text or a collection of o bjects† (Okely, 2011). Susanne Wessendorf shows challenges modern social ethnographers face during the course of their fieldwork (Wessendorf, 2009). The researcher observes that modern social research is quite different in urban settings. There are challenges involving practicality of applying participant observation in urban contexts as it raises ethical concerns too. Wessendorf highlights that such issues can change the course of participant observation. The researchers can fail to establish the relationship that Malinowski created with his informants and the natives. For instance, Wessendorf noted that her â€Å"everyday social relations with her informants consisted of casual encounters and participant observation in cafà ©s, at Salsa classes and at Italian club nights† (Wessendorf, 2009). Similarly, modern researchers have also based their studies on human subjects as the use of fieldwork expands to other fields such as medicine. Such researchers come closer to th eir subjects for exchange of information. Consequently, there are ethical problems earlier researchers such as Malinowski, Rivers, and Radcliffe-Brown did not experience. As a result, modern researchers face ethical dilemmas with human subjects during fieldwork. This is because they have to invade privacy of their informants. Therefore, researchers have to address the need to â€Å"extend the ethical decision-making paradigm to address ethical dilemmas arising during the course of fieldwork† (Qudsiya, 2008). Despite these observations, fieldwork remains the cornerstone of ethnography. Moreover, the idea of spending time with participants is the only way for ethnographers to collect reliable data from the participants. Conclusion The paper has highlighted contributions of Malinowski in developing the British Social Anthropology. Malinowski established ideals of fieldwork in ethnography by declaring clear stages of fieldwork, and what researchers should do while interacting wit h the natives. We have noted four principles Malinowski emphasised in social research. First, the ethnographer had to spend considerably extended time with the subjects. This is where Malinowski applied participant observation in order to understand cultures of the natives. Second, Malinowski applied functionalism to understand structures of the society through its members by analysing data collected. Third, the study used holistic approach. Fourth, Malinowski focused on the â€Å"savage societies† rather than civilised societies. Reference List Antonius, R and Sulka, J 2006, Ethnographic Fieldwork: An Anthropological Reader, Wiley-Blackwell, London. Ellen, R 1984, Ethnographic Research: A Guide to General Conduct, Academic Press, London. Forster, P 1994, ‘Has Anthropology a Future in Africa After Colonialism?’, UTAFITI: News Series, vol.1, no.1, pp. 48-69. Kuper, A 1973, Anthropologists and Anthropology: The British School, 1922-1972, Allen Lane, London. Malinow ski, B 1922, ‘Argonauts of the Western Pacific: An Account of Native Enterprise and Adventure in the Archipelagoes of Melanesian New Guinea’, Studies in Economics and Political Science, vol. 65, p. 22. Okely, J 2011, Anthropological Practice: Fieldwork and the Ethnographic Method, Berg Publishers, London. Qudsiya, C 2008, ‘Fieldwork and social science research ethics’, Indian J Med Ethics, vol. 5 no. 1, pp. 22-3. Sanjek, R 1990, Fieldnotes: the makings of anthropology, Cornell University Press, Ithaca. Stocking, G 1983, The Ethnographer’s Magic: Fieldwork in British Anthropology From Tylor to Malinowski, University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. Urry, J 1993, Before Social Anthropology: Essays on the History of British Anthropology, Harwood Academic Publishers, Chur, Switzerland. Watson, C 1999, Being There: Fieldwork in Anthropology: Anthropology, Culture and Society, Pluto Press, London. Wax, M 1972, ‘Tenting with Malinowski’, American S ociological Review, vol, 37, no. 1, pp. 1-13. Wessendorf, S 2009, Doing fieldwork with busy people. Web. Young, M 2004, Malinowski: Odyssey of an Anthropologist, 1884-1920, Yale University Press, New Haven. This essay on Role of Bronislaw Malinowski in the Development of British Social Anthropology was written and submitted by user Johanna J. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

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The Effects Of Divorce On Children The term divorce is defined by Merriam Webster Langenscheidts Pocket Dictionary as an act or instance of legally dissolving a marriage. It is usually between a man and a woman. However recent evolution and other social constructs have tended to see divorce as a legal dissolution between partners, for example, a marriage between gay or lesbian partners. The latter statement goes to explain the fact that some jurisdiction recognizes marriages between the same sexes. Therefore the definition of marriage cannot be restricted to the traditional description of what marriage is. It must also be noted that various cultures have a way of dealing with divorce. To Margulies, Sam (2004), the decision to divorce is the beginning of two streams of events. Firstly, filing for divorce triggers legal, emotional and financial process in which the house hold must be split into two. 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Children of the marriage to be honest are not speared the pain of these processes. Margulies, Sam (2004). For the purposes of this academic discourse, a child is somebody who is primarily under the age of eighteen or someone who is not yet twenty three but still in a training program. For instance, it concerns a person who is studying in a training institution like Sheridan College. The word consequences as would be used in this research represent the various experiences, children whose parents are going through divorce face. This paper will therefore establish and make clear a hypothesis to be analyzed. Various arguments would be adduced to support and prove the said hypothesis. On the other hand a counter argument will be made to refute the hypothesis. A balance discussion on the research will also be delved into. Finally a presentation on the outcome of the research will be done. HYPOTHESIS The hypothesis is there are lifelong consequences for children whose parents go through divorce. Almost 50 percent of children whose parents divorce show signs of psychological damage during the first year after the event. According to a 1994 policy statement from the American Academy of Paediatrics, such boys become aggressive whiles adolescent girls get depressed. To prove further the devastating nature of divorce on children whose parents go through divorce are more likely to develop drug and alcohol problems. Pemberton K.C.(1998) in reviewing Psychologist Judith Wallersteins twenty- five (25) year study on the impact of divorce on children, found out that although the divorcing man and woman might be able to overcome the trauma and challenges associated with divorce, the circumstances of the children are different. Children of such unions can carry the ill effects of divorce into their own adult years. Such adults tend to have fear of commitment, unstable father-child relationshi ps and bitter memories of the legal system. In explaining this position further, Pemberton K.C. (1998), asserts I do not argue that children have no chance of healthy or happiness after their parents had divorced but the challenges children must meet after their parents divorce are severe and devastating. As much as scholars like Pemberton K.C. (1998) and Emery (2004) have painted a horrible picture of the situation, the same scholars have conceded to the fact that some children who experience this phenomenon grow to live a healthy and a successful life. For example there are enhancing programs in our schools that go a long way to support and prepare such children for future healthy living. ARGUMENT TO PROVE HYPOTHESIS As it has been noted, there are various arguments that go to support the premise that, children whose parents go through divorce suffer lifelong consequences. Some of the issues are best explained when put under emotional, physical and social consequences. To most children, divorce will constitute the first major crisis of their lives. Children turn to exhibit many emotional and psychological traumas. For instance in a conversation I had with a child and youth worker at Apple wood Height secondary school as part of my preparation towards gathering information for this project, enumerated that, children whose parents had gone and are going through divorce turn to be withdrawn in class. This behaviour tends to manifest itself in their academic performance. This Psychological effect makes them act aggressive towards their peers and seems to struggle with normal processes of growing up. In much the same way, Emery, E. R.(2004), supported this hypothesis by stating that There are those who contend that divorce inevitable and invariable devastates children and set the stage for a lifetime of emotional problems, period. To prove this point further, he attempted to compare the behaviour and attitudes of children who are perceived to be normal because they are under the guidance of their two parents and those children whose parents are going or had gone through divorce. He found out that, the very process of divorce between parents causes the children to struggle through the pain and upheaval of their parents divorce. Secondly, through sensationalistic media or our own hysteria, we lay the burden of carrying a ticking time bomb on kids by inaccurately trumpeting the tug of war between the parents. Even if parents seem to be doing well by handling the divorce crisis, children are inevitable doomed or damaged because of divorce. After the divorce process, it introduces huge changes into the lives of most children. This encompasses direct involvement in parental conflict, economic hardship, changes in residence and school. To him, divorce also increases the risk for psychological, social and academic problems among children. This increased risk is a legitimate concern for children, parents and the community. Finally, he stipulated that, despite parents fervent desire to protect children of divorce, the mere divorce process is a burden to children. To prove further the long term consequences divorce has on children whose parent are going and had gone through divorce, Emery, E. R. (2004), made available some statistic to throw light on his thoughts. These are; such children are twice as likely to see a mental health professional, up to twice of such children are likely to have problems managing their behaviour. He also said, perhaps 1.25 to 1.5 times are more likely to have problems with depressed moods. Again, twice of such children are likely to drop out of school before graduation. What is more interesting and sad enough to support the Hypothesis is the realization that, 1.25 to 1.5 times of children at one point or the other experienced the challenges of their parents divorced. Similarly, the same children are likely to get divorced themselves. Is this not scary enough to prove the hypothesis? Besides, Price E. (2000), in her book Divorce and Teens has not described the situation in any positive way. She explained that, the issue of parents fighting each other, why are my parents divorcing, why must one parent move out, must I tell my friends and what should be my level of loyalty to each parent, all go a long way to frustrate such children. Eventually, anger takes over and this manifest itself in aggressive behaviour towards life issues. Another practical perspective to the situation at hand is cleverly summarised by his lordship, Mr. Justice Harvey Brownstone as follows; After more than fourteen years of presiding in family court, one question has never seized to amaze me: how can two parents who love their children allow a total stranger to make crucial decisions about their leaving arrangements, health, education, extracurricular activities, vacation time and degree of contact with each parent? This question becomes even more mind-boggling when one considers that the stranger making the decision is a judge, whose formal training is in the law, not in family relations, child development, social work, or a psychology. Now add the fact that, because of heavy case loads and crowded dockets, most judges have to make numerous child custody, access, matrimonial property and support decisions every day on the basis of incomplete, subjective and highly emotional written evidence (called affidavits), with virtually no time to get to know the parents and no opportunities to meet the child whose life is being so profoundly affected. What person in their right mind would advocate for this method resolving parental conflict flowing from family breakdown? This are some of the questions that family called judges agonize over. Some say the answer are complicated and have much to do with social conditioning, economic class, level of education, sophistication, familiarity with community resources and even culture. I say the answers are simple. The institution of marriage has not been a great success in North of America Brownstone, J.H. (2009). P.1. COUNTER ARGUMENT TO THE HYPOTHESIS In spite of the scary picture painted by the various authors supporting the hypothesis that, there are lifelong consequences for children whose parents go through divorce, the same topic and ongoing controversies have resulted in the change of authors views. For instance, Emery (2004) has stated that The Risk of Divorce Are Real but Not the Whole Story. By this, he has discounted some of the arguments he had put forward to support the hypothesis. He acknowledges that divorce increases childrens psychological problems but also sought to emphasize the need to put it into its right perspectives. To him, the large majority of children from divorced families do not suffer from psychological problems. His argument is centred on the theory of correlation and causality. He went further to explain that divorce is correlated with more psychological problems among children but this does not mean that it is the cause of all the problems. Scientific evidence has at least proven that divorce canno t be the cause of all the affected childrens emotional problems. Another important factor, Emery (2004), considered is that what happens after divorce can go a long way to eliminate risk and promoting resilience. Besides, he used the half full and half empty analogy to refute the premise that all the children who experience their parents going and had gone through divorce face, Emery (2004). He duelled heavily on a major national study conducted by Nick Zill, Donna Morrison and Mary Jo Cairo. The study looked at children between the ages of twelve and twenty-one. The study revealed that 21% of children whose parents have had divorce received psychological assistance. In comparison, 11% percent from married families also received similar help. It is a fact that, there is a 100% increase between the two groups. Once again, this situation looks scary but the truth of the matter is that, if 11% of children from the normal situation seek psychiatrist assistance, then it presupposes 89% do not. On the other hand, if only 21% of the said troubled children seek for psychiatrist assistance, then the whole phenomenon is not a case of the glass being half empty and half full but rather the statistics sh ould be looked at in both ways. When this happens, it can be adduced that the glass is only 20% empty and 80% full. There are no doubt that divorce disrupts the lives of almost every child who goes through those challenges. However, great majority of these children are able to sort through these difficulties and succeed. We must not also lose sight of the need to applaud and build on the strengths (strength based approach) of such children. Besides, evaluating it from both scientific and statistical point of view, shows that psychological problems of children whose parents had gone through divorce starts before the actual divorce issues begin to manifest. Emery (2004). To back up his finding, a substantial figure of 50% was found. A BALANCE DISCUSSION ON THE RESEARCH At this point, it is important for one to have a balanced analysis of the overall views of the topics of divorce. That is, the ideas which support the hypothesis and the ones that refutes it. On a personal reflection however, I still stand by the hypothesis that, there are lifelong consequences for children whose parents go through divorce. The opponents of this hypothesis have sought to argue that divorce, in itself, does not impose any lifelong consequences. Realistically, most children from divorced families are resilient. There are instances where such children have gone through those challenges and still succeeded in their life endeavours. Most have good careers and are happily married. This disproves the stance portraying children whose parents have gone through divorce as a serious and unimaginable consequence. To me, what those children go through emotionally are equally experienced by children who stay and grow with their parents. Some have even tended to suggested that, it is a normal process of growing up. As noted above, only 20% of such kids experience the phenomenon. Looking at my social location, I was from a divorced family. However, I had the benefits of some social and traditional structures to support me and my sibling. For instance, my grandmother took up the fathering responsibility so we never felt the absence of our father. Similarly, when we migrated to Canada, the school system has counselling facilities that helped to sustain us to go through the normal processes of growing up. I am proud to say my brother and I are now in college and are determined to succeed in our choosing endeavours. These achievements would probably have not been possible in a case of somebody living with parents. This example goes to support Emery (2004), assertion that even after a separation, what you do is the most important determinant of whether your children are at risk or resilient. In-spite of the argument put up by the opponent of the hypothesis, proponents still argue that children whose parents go through divorce experience lifelong consequences. It has been proven above that such children suffer emotional and psychological consequences. It is estimated that over 21% of such children have mental health issues and are likely to fail in their marriages. To substantiate this point further, I would like to draw once again on the conversation I had with the Child and Youth Worker at Apple Wood Height Secondary School. She explained the following points from her practical perspective. She said children who have experience the consequence of divorce lack trust. They are unable to give back love because psychologically it has been registered within their sub conscious mind that if their parents who claim to love them are fighting and doing things regardless of the interest of such children, then whom are they to trust. Isolation of such children from peers and some school activities affects their ability to develop properly into adulthood. In most cases, they are seen to be withdrawn from extracurricular activities because of the shame, having to explain to friends that their parents are divorced. This is more prevalent in religious based schools like the Catholic schools. The issue of step-parents does not help matters either. In the unlikely event that the step-parents do not get along with such children, it raises tension within the household and puts the child under constant psychological trauma. I am of the opinion that it is some of these problems that makes these children have mental health issues. Finally, what is more dangerous to society is the fact that such children are unable to establish and maintain positive relationships. Some traditional views, though not fully supported by me, have suggested to the belief that it is some of these societal problems that have led to the emergence of the sub-culture like gay and lesbian communities. Research Outcome From the above discussion, it has been established that different communities and different scholars have divergent views on the impact of divorce on children. One perspective view is that such a situation is not serious. However, those who support the hypothesis of which I support still believe that there are lifelong consequences for children whose parents go through divorce. This new found knowledge will form as the basis for new theories to be developed. It will also give the opportunity for other research to be carried out in this area. Practically, it will enable single parents form alliances to advocate for policy change in schools and child centres to strengthen child and youth counselling within such facilities. This research will also assist people within the helping profession such as Psychologists, Child and Youth workers and Social workers to come to the realization that this phenomenon is very prevalent within our schools and that serious efforts should be made to assist children with such challenges to overcome them. As an anti oppressive Child and Youth Worker, it is necessary to pay special attention to the situation even if a child suffers as a result of our inaction to deal with the situation.

Hostile Takeover of the New World Essay -- Native American History Ind

Hostile Takeover of the New World The Effects of the United States Government on the Indians "The responsibility of any nation, and the particular responsibility of elected officials of any nation, is not to justify what has passed for legality but to anticipate the conditions and problems of tomorrow and attempt to deal with them. The current confusion and violence in Indian Country are a result of the failure to do so by generations of elected officials in this country. To continue to perpetuate myths about American Indians which have no basis in fact or in law is merely avoiding the larger issues confronting the nations of the world," said author Vine Deloria, Jr. (Deloria, Prologue) The United States government failed miserably in its attempt to deal with the Indians. By pushing them further and further West, they pushed the Indians to hate and distrust the white man to the point of war. These wars resulted in hundreds of white deaths. However, the wars resulted in the destruction of several entire Indian tribes and the near extinction of Indian spirit throughout America. The tale is a sad one, one that Americans should not be proud of. After every broken treaty, the Americans blamed the Indians for existing, despite the want of the Indians to simply live on their lands peacefully. The "Trail of Tears" was a great tragedy and many thought it would be the last now that all of the Indians were out of the eastern United States. But the U.S. government became land hungry and due to their idealism of "Manifest Destiny," the ... ... guide them as time passes and the Indians are further stereotyped as drunks and crooked casino owners. Alas, the ways of the Indians were replaced. Sacred hunting territories gave way to railroads and ranches. Buffalo are an animal of the past and often thought of as an animal of mysticism. Both the buffalo and the Indian culture are romanticized in movies that are neither truthful nor accurate. Stereotypes and prejudices replaced unity and togetherness. Pollution haunts every city on the planet. Respect of one's fellow man gave way to crimes unthought of by the Indians. They lived their lives honorably. They died honorably. Even despite hardships and misconceptions, they will continue to live honorably. That is one thing the government can never take away from them.

Ancient Mesopotamia and the Epic of Gilgamesh

The epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest epics known to man, reflects the challenges of life in ancient Sumer by dealing with them metaphorically. The most important challenges in ancient Sumerian life were deforestation and flooding. After Enkidu and Gilgamesh meet and become friends, Gilgamesh proposes that they go to the cedar forest and cut down all the trees. Though Gilgamesh’s reasoning for cutting down all the trees isn’t very reasonable, he still persuades Enkidu to come along with him. â€Å"At dawn Gilgamesh raised his ax and struck at the great cedar. When Humbaba heard the sound of falling trees, he hurried down the path that they had seen but only he had traveled. † 1 Gilgamesh and Enkidu cutting down trees was a metaphor for the ongoing problem of deforestation in ancient Mesopotamia. Because Gilgamesh and Enkidu cut down the trees that were sacred to the gods, the gods cursed mankind with fire and drought. â€Å"Civilization has never recognized limits to its needs. † 2 In ancient Mesopotamia, the land was savagely deforested. In this way, deserts formed, and civilization declined. Gilgamesh yearns for immortality, and chases after the dream of being immortal. When he fails to achieve immortality, he returns to his town and realizes that because he built the wall of Uruk and other constructions and because they would last long after he was gone, he would thereby gain immortality. â€Å"He looked at the walls, awed at the heights his people had achieved and for a moment- just a moment- all that lay behind him passed from view. † 3 In the epic of Gilgamesh immortality is a theme that frequently recurs, and is a metaphor for how Sumerians, as like all humans, desire immortality but cannot achieve it. Also, a possible explanation for the reason humans do not have immortality is because Gilgamesh did not obtain immortality. Humans living in ancient Mesopotamia had difficult relations with gods; they were responsible for natural disasters, which is how the people of ancient Sumer rationalized floods, drought, famine, and locusts. Supposedly, the gods had human emotions and could become stubborn, angry for no reason, jealous, and have other petty emotions. With the gods’ ability to create those natural disasters and at the same time harbor negative emotions, humans were fearful of the god’s wrath, since the gods could be easily provoked. Before the epic of Gilgamesh, a tremendous flood is released when the gods realize how imperfect humanity is. Utnapishtim had built a large boat and every living thing was stowed away inside of it while the flood raged. When the flood recedes, Utnapishtim is the only human left alive along with other animals. He lets the animals free, and Enlil blesses him with immortality. The power of the gods in the epic of Gilgamesh is a metaphor for the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Because the gods were violent and unpredictable, they could create disasters among the Sumerians and they could grant immortality. ’Acts of God,’ such as flooding, drought, famine, or plagues of locusts, affected entire communities. Floods were generally local but extremely destructive, causing a high death rate. † 4 Floods were one of the largest problems in Ancient Mesopotamia. The rivers could also be harsh and unpredictable because their flooding devastated ancient Mesopotamia. Ancient Sumerians could also suffer from droughts, famine, locust, and other natural disasters. On the other hand, they could gain abundant harvest when nature was compliant. Many challenges of life in ancient Sumerian history are reflected in the epic of Gilgamesh. Deforestation and flooding were the main issues faced in ancient Mesopotamia. These challenges were woven into the epic tale of Gilgamesh as metaphors; â€Å"The epic of Gilgamesh shows an understanding of ecological processes and the consequences of human action on the earth†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 5 The epic of Gilgamesh was proof that Ancient Sumerians caused their own demise by deforestation, which also led to more flooding and other natural disasters.

Danger Zone essays

Danger Zone essays Setting: Granham High School, Minnesota, L.A., California, and Rome, Italy. The time is in the summer, in the present. Characters: Jimmy Doyle (Snowman), the main character, Coach Griffen, and Coach McNeil, the coaches of the team, Augustus, Shawn, Ray, and Stinger, all members of the team. Point of View: This story is told from the eyes of Jimmy Doyle, so this story is told from a first person point of view. Theme: I think that the theme of this story was that there are many disgusting problems out there in the wold (racism, death threats etc.), and the book was just telling us a little of what was out there with this story. The Main character was perfect for this role because he was from a rural town in Minnesota, and hadnt much knowledge about this sort of thing. Plot: This story was about a teenage high school student from rural Minnesota, who had a talent in playing basketball. One day after one of his games, two men approached him with an invitation to represent America in a wold wide high school basketball tournament in Rome Italy. They asked him to come meet them in L.A., Cal. and then fly to Rome. He replied without even thinking about it, and his answer was no. He had said no because of his poor family. He had helped his mom out in their small hardware store since his father died when he was a little boy. He could not just pick up and leave her and his two little sisters by themselves. One of the two men who had proposed this invitation to him went to his mother, and talked to her about it. His mother, being very unselfish thought that he should go, and convinced him to. When he had gotten to L.A. one of the coaches was waiting there to pick him up, and they went to the dorms that they were staying in until their dep! arture for Rome. He met a lot of his teammates, but didnt get along with one, Augustus. Augustus was a big tall black kid, who wa ...

The Go between essays

The Go between essays This book is a fiction, its a memory story: a man in his sixties looks back on his boyhood of the middle class boy recalling the events that took place on a summer visit to an aristocratic family in Norfolk in the 1900s. The author uses double narrative, the young Leo's actions told by the older Leo, and it shows us how it has affected his life First, Ill expose you the main characters, their functions and relationships, then Ill give you a small summary of the story, followed by the main themes and their symbolic elements, and finally the style of the book. Leo Colston has two different aspects, hes the narrator of the book, a man of about sixty year old, and hes a dried up man inside. Leo is a young boy of the middle class. He lives alone with his mother in West Hash, a little village near Salisbury. His father was a bank gardener in Salisbury is dead, Leo thinks he was a crank, he didnt want his son to go to school but his mother always wanted him to go so as soon as he died, he went. His mother liked gossip and was very sensitive to public opinion, she needed social frame, and we can easily imagine her pleasure when her son has been invited to spend a summer to a rich friend. He has also an aunt, Charlotte, a Londoner. He and his mother were living on her money, the pension from the bank and the little; his father had been able to put by. Leo attends to the same school as upper class boys, such as Maudsley (he doesnt remember his name probably because he has never been a special friend to him but while reading the diary he remembers his name was Marcus). Leo used to write his feelings and the happenings of each day on a diary. He believed he had magical powers and was able to cast spells. When he was at school, two boys who had annoyed him had an accident and he believes it is due to what he wrote on his journal. When he went to Brandham Hall, he was naive and inno...

It & Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

It & Entrepreneurship - Essay Example It also provides the facility of connecting to people located anywhere in the globe with minimum cost (Bertucci & Alberti, n.d.). However, it has been viewed that with the growing competition and globalisation, large business houses are implementing strategies that not only aid them in making a business process more effective but also enable them to decrease various operational cost by a considerable extent. In this regard, intranet is considered to be one of the most common forms of computer network that is observed to be applied in many organisations to make the entire working process more efficient. It is a form of computer network that implements Internet Protocol (IP) technology to spread data, operating systems or computing systems within an organisation. In general, Intranet is a process through which all the computers within a defined area are connected using networking technologies in order to facilitate a smooth flow of communication amid individuals or group of individuals within an organisation (SlideShare Inc., 2011). The main objective of this study is to evaluate the basic notion of intranet along with its key features. Additionally, the study would also provide a few of the best features that can be built into an organisation’s intranet that would help the entire set of employees to learn and mutually inspire each other to work better. Discussion Employees within an organisation are considered to be one of the most valuable assets as they are responsible for conducting activities that would aid the organisation to achieve its pre-set goals and objectives. However, in many aspects, it has been viewed that improper construction of the organisation’s intranet at times fails in motivating to learn and inspire employees within the workplace (Weidenhammer Systems Corporation, 2013). A few of the facets that results in establishing such aspects within an organisation are stated hereunder: Problems Relating to Intranet Organisations At Tim es Ignore End Users: It has often been viewed that organisations often put business needs in-front of end user needs. However, it can be proclaimed that end-users do not see value in portals that directly do not help them in completing the assigned tasks lucidly (Prescient Digital Media Ltd., 2013). Change in the Working Process: With the growing literacy rate around the globe, it has been observed that individuals who have just come out of colleges or universities are being recruited as they are viewed to be more active and equipped with modern organisational needs. However, it has been determined that this group of individuals are most active and work in the process they think is the best suited for the completion of the assigned tasks (Prescient Digital Media Ltd., 2013). Organisations Underestimate the Cost and Complexity of Redevelopment of the Portal: It is predicted that the aspect of rapid change in the technological aspect would continue forever. Thus, organisations often a re not able to update the intranet in accordance with the recent developments made for high cost which results in ultimately stopping the working process (Prescient Digital Media Ltd., 2013). Intranet At times Lack Fresh and Relevant Contents: Creating content or updating the intranet within an organisation is very essential as things go on changing rapidly. However, it has often been viewed that the network lacks proper updating of data that would aid employees to complete their tasks efficiently. This ultimately results in demotivating the individuals to learn or

Intellectual property Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Intellectual property - Assignment Example Past rulings by the CJEU and The High Court of England and Wales, will be useful in analyzing the soundness of this injunction. According to the EU’s E-commerce Directive, there is need for a balance to be struck in order to create a system that exempts intermediaries such as the information society service provider who function as conduits of information and do not engage in monitoring or editing of content1. In the case project, balance is not struck. The Directive clearly states that an intermediary that expeditiously removes access to illegal content once they have received notice of the infringement will not be held liable. Additionally, Article 12.1 of the Directive states that a service provider cannot be held liable for content transmitted through its network if the provider does not start the transmission, does not choose the receiver of the content, and does not alter the content. The above injunction against the Information Society Services Provider is blanket in na ture, which deviates from the E-commerce detective. The E- Commerce Directive rules out the creation of monitoring obligations for intermediaries. According to article 15, limitation of liability should not be interpreted as giving any obligation. In the above case, the injunction is giving an obligation to the provider. This implies that providers of online material will not be liable for illegal material that has been availed in their networks by its clients if the provider is a mere channel and has processes in place to take out the material quickly; and they will not be required to supervise activity in advance2. This principle of limitation of liability for internet service providers is applicable in many jurisdictions. Despite the present legislation, the debate concerning intermediary liability continues with industry and regulators raising the issue of liability. In analyzing this