Vietnam Essay Example

Vietnam Essay In the southeastern most part of Asia, Vietnam is accompanied by 3 bodies of water;the South China Sea, the Gulf of Thailand, and the Gulf of Tonkin.Cambodia, China, and Laos surrounds the inner part of Vietnam. Vienam itself is a very small country compared to the rest of Asia, with a total area of 329,560 sq km, (slightly larger than New Mexico).Most of Vietnams land is low, flat delta regions in the North and South, hilly terrain in the central region, and mountainous in the far north. The climate of Vietnam is extremely different to the rest of Asia, Tropical in the south and monsoonal in the north, with a hot rainy season, and a warm dry season. The official language of vietnam is Vietnameese, while English is favored as a second language, while French and Chineese are also spoken. Vietnam is always lively.Karoke sessions are very common in vietnam andusually dont end until around 11:00pm, and they sometimes start again around 4:30 am.Table manners of the Vietnamese always i nclude the toothpick.They really go all out and try to get anything and everything out of their teeth and gums, bloody or not. The main religion in Vietnam is Bhudist, while Christianity, (mostly Roman Catholic, and some Protestant) and Muslim are not far behind. Vietnam isa communist state in Asia, with a legal system based on communist legal theory and the French civil law system. The main natural resources of Vietnam are; phosphates, coal, maganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, forests, and hydropower. Vietnam manufactures alot of imported clothing and machiner to the United States.Other imports include food processing, oil, coal, steel, paper, mining, and cement. Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged traf Vietnam Essay Example Vietnam Essay BIBLIOGRAPHY Author| URL| Retrieved| Skwirk| http://www. skwirk. com. au/p-t_s-14_u-116_t-316/the-impact-of-the-war/nsw/history/australia-in-the-vietnam-war-era| 13/7| Vietnam War Commemoration| http://vietnam-war. commemoration. gov. au/ | 13/7| Vietnam War Commemoration| http://vietnam-war. commemoration. gov. au/public-opinion/index. php| 14/7| Vietnam War Commemoration| http://vietnam-war. commemoration. gov. au/conscription/save-our-sons. php| 14/7| Shrine| http://www. shrine. org. u/getattachment/dc8b4c54-ca76-488d-9ffe-4c11ec2852fc/vce-vietnam-war. aspx | 14/7| Moratorium Movement| http://www. rmwebed. com. au/web_resources/y10history/vietnam_war/10. html| 14/7| Write Work| http://www. writework. com/essay/impact-vietnam-war-australia| 14/7| Skwirk| http://www. skwirk. com. au/p-c_s-14_u-116_t-315_c-1062/supporters-of-the-war/nsw/supporters-of-the-war/australia-in-the-vietnam-war-era/responses-of-various-groups| 15/7| Australian War Memorial| http://www. awm. gov. au/atwar/vie tnam. sp| 23/7| Wikipedia| http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Conscription_in_Australia| 23/7| Vietnam War 1962-1975 * From the arrival of the first fleet, Vietnam was a divisive issue * Australia deployed a total of 60000 troops, 521 died and 3000 were wounded * In reflection, Vietnam is described as the cause of the greatest political and social dissent and upheaval * Many draft resisters, conscientious objectors, and protesters were fined or jailed, while soldiers met a hostile reception on their return home. The experience of Vietnam lingered with the soldiers for long after they returned home. Social Impacts: * Public response went through several stages during the war. * Early on, when Australia’s involvement was minimal with only the role of training Vietnamese soldiers, public opinion was less critical, troops only sent to physically fight in 1965, they were just training South Vietnamese soldiers form 1962 onwards * Many, as was the trend in the early 60s, began to embrace the US connection and hence support resulted * Most agreed with the threat of the communist domino affect(although Menzies masterminded a lot of this), which also led to the acceptance of Australian involvement in the early 60s * Also, in the early 60s, Australia was still very conservative, and the idea of rebellion and challenging authority only set in later in the decade and the 70s. We will write a custom essay sample on Vietnam specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Vietnam specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Vietnam specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This meant that early on many cautioned from questioning the government’s decision. * As much as war wasn’t ideal, in the early parts, before conscription, Australian’s accepted the war or paid little attention as the Australians fighting were soldiers who joined the Army * The socially divisive impact of Vietnam showed up post 1964 when the National Service Act was introduced. This had the ramifications of sending unwilling Australians to war. Draft resistors who were deemed to not have legitimate excuses were jailed on failing to comply with the National Service Act * They were released in 1972 when Whitlam ended conscription * The amendment of the Act in 1965 confirmed the inevitable that national servants could be deployed overseas, to Vietnam. * First time, an Australian was conscripted to fight outside of Aust. erritory * Socially, some disagreed more with the notion of conscription than the war itself, this maybe hinted at the fact that communist disconten tment was still strong and the Domino theory was real, just not strong enough to make people overlook personal freedoms. * This led to anti-war and anti-conscription protest groups including * DENNIS TEXT * YCAC-Youth Campaign Against Conscription. 1964-7 SOS-Save our Sons. * Formed by parent groups who didn’t want their sons sent to Vietnam. * Formed in 1965, Australia wide, mainly female dominated agency. * Women were accused of being ‘bad mothers’ and communists when they approached MPs or authority * SOS saw many Liberal voters shift to the Labor camp. SOS was one of the first theatres that allowed women expression. * Basically saw ‘everyday suburban’ women become nvolved in politics and taking action to influence political decisions * The women’s movement of the 70s benefitted from anti-conscription lobby groups such as SOS * Draft Resistance Movement. Formed 1968 * The Committee for Defiance of the National Service Act. Formed 1969 * Vie tnam Moratorium Movement * Formed in 1970, by then Vietnam was the longest war we had served in * Took form of peaceful protests involving many Australians from all states. This highlighted the growing opposition, and to some extent shocked the government * ALP, and Gough fed of this massive public demonstration * Moratorium events were on a massive scale and largely peaceful, these demonstrations seemed to have a larger impact on government and political change. The government realised that, non-radical Australians had strong feelings about the war. * Really instigated the decline of Aust. Involvement in the war * The fact that every night, the horrors of Vietnam were broadcasted on Aust. elevision sets, the movement gathered motion * The Movement galvanised the people, the less radical who wouldn’t normally protest, protested such was the intense feelings about the war * This movement actively campaigned for two causes; the abolishment of conscription and the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam * Politically influenced the Labor parties win of the 1972 election, ending 23 years of Liberal rule * Interestingly, only in 1969 however did an opinion poll suggest that a majority opposed the war itself. Up until then, the outcry was mainly rooted in the issue of conscription rather than conflict itself * However, as unrest grew, many anti-conscript groups became anti-war in the hope that only the end of the war would end conscription. * Another massive catalyst for anti-conscript protests was the reporting of the war. * Vietnam is considered the first ‘live war’ where the atrocities occurring were being broadcasted into Australian living rooms. This made sending young Australians into war against their will even more illegitimate. This also led to a questioning of whether this was was ‘just’, or being undertaken in the most human way possible. * This had the effect of also turning many anti-conscript groups, to become anti-war altogether. The fact that Vietnam was ‘live’ also helped the demise of the Liberal government as people had direct evidence to question what the government was getting Australia and particularly our young men into. Follow ing the Labor victory, and Gough Whitlam’s order for withdrawal, social impact for the returning soldiers would ensue * Trade Unions also opposed the war, they labelled it ‘blood for Dollars’ or ‘diggers for dollars’ because they believed we were only fighting to the US would maintain its investment into Australia. This view was not entirely correct * By the latter stages, the larger majority of opposition came from university students. At first, the reaction was modest and many just viewed the war along their preferred political party lines * However, following conscription, uni students began to come out in full force. Some of this sentiment began to be shared in the wider community as the war progressed into the late 60s * One of the major social impacts of the war was the fate of the returned soldiers. Due to the public nature of Vietnam and the atrocities that Australian people witnessed the veterans were not lauded in the same fashion as previous war vets * This was a massive change from before when the ANZACs were treated as heroes * The tragedy of this was that as much as the Aust. People were effected by what they saw, the actual soldiers were scarred far more significantly by what they experienced first hand. * This compounded the negative experience of the returned soldiers as not only where they marginalised they had no-one but each other that could understand what they’d gone through. * These impacts lasted for much longer after the final Aust. Troops returned in 1972. * This has implications for continuity and change as following Vietnam, for the first time national servants and soldiers weren’t treated with the same admiration. The ANZAC reverence that seemed to follow previous veterans didn’t occur with our Vietnam veterans. * This was a massive change in our attitudes towards the army Political Impacts: * On face value, it’s easy to say Vietnam cost the Liberal party government after 23 years of rule * However on closer inspection it is clear that the political consensus on Vietnam varied between 1965-1972 * White Australia Policy ended in 1972 * We opened our borders to non-white refugees. This in itself was cohesive and divisive. Many of these refugees fought alongside our soldiers but we still had this fear of non-white immigrants threatening the ‘Aust. Way of life’ * Discontent politically only really came with Menzies introduction of Conscription on 1964. * However, Holt won the November 1966 election in a massive victory, highlighting that social discontent was not at its peak. Conscription peaked later * The political effect of Vietnam also became more prominent post 1967 when Edward Gough Whitlam became leader of the opposition. He lead a fierce campaign against conscription which captivated a swing of Liberal voters to the Labor party * This is when the protest movement as well peaked and was in full flight * 1969 election, under Gorton highlighted the swing of voters. From the ALPs flogging of 1966 they increased their share in the House of Reps from 41 to 59 seats highlighting the change in votes. * The Liberal advantage was only 7 seats now * Whitlam would go on to win the 1972 election with promises of withdrawal from Vietnam and the abolishment of conscription. The political landscape was finally shifting to progressivism after many years on conservative rule. This also began to happen on a state level * WA, NSW, TAS and SA all went from Liberal to Labour in elections between 1972-1975 shortly after the war * The Liberal’s National Services Act, was the single policy that really brought about the downfall of the Government * In terms of Political party support, the all major parties supported the war early on * Liberal support continued throughout * The DLP were very anti-communist so also supported the war. The ALP slowly began to oppose the war, as a means of attacking the government and also their disapproval also spiked when conscription was introduced * Gough Whitlam no doubt used the divisive nature, and ALPs disapproval of Vietnam to the most advantage. * Trade Unions also opposed the war, they labelled it ‘blood for Dollars’ or Ã¢â‚¬Ë œdiggers for dollars’ because they believed we were only fighting to the US would maintain its investment into Australia. This view was not entirely correct VIEWPOINTS ON THE VIETNAM WAR At the start of the period(1962) the perspective was that sending willing soldiers(not conscripts) was fine * Early on, when Australia’s involvement was minimal with only the role of training Vietnamese soldiers, public opinion was less critical, troops only sent to physically fight in 1965, they were just training South Vietnamese soldiers form 1962 onwards * We had to protect ourselves from the communist menace as well as honour our obligations as port of SEATO and ANZUS * Menzies masterminded a lot of the fear that convinced us that war was right * We were still quite conservative, trusted govt decisions * The gruesome nature of the war was not yet revelealed At Menzies announcement of sending troops in 1965, many different perspectives on the conflict emerged. Some more valid than others. * A lot thought communism was worth fighting against but found that conscripting to do so undermined other rights that were held dearly in a modern democracy * This fuelled anti-conscription protests as the reality that young men unwillingly could be sent to Vietnam. Most anti-war groups played on the injustice that this exemplified. * Importantly, the horrors of Vietnam exposed through media had not yet peaked so the atrocities that were taking place weren’t as well known about which led to that not being such a big anti-war factor. Some factions believed that training up a military was justifiable as we had done from 1962-65, but fighting for the South Vietnamese in what was really Vietnam’s civil war was not right. The idea of getting involved in other people’s business emerged * The Government claimed that as part of our SEATO agreement we were obligated to assist the fight against communism in South East Asia, i. e Vietnam. * The grey area with this is that, what does ‘assisting’ constitute? Was training the army enough or should we be physically fighting for the anti-communist forces. CONTINUITY AND CHANGE * CHANGE * During and following Vietnam, Australians began to question authority more. Beforehand, they were well trained to trust the governments judgement, but what Vietnam revealed was that governments aren’t always right * This questioning came to full voice during the Vietnam protests but overall the experience changed Australia into a more progressive country that no longer was content to swallow everything the government told them * This represented change as previously, we were much more conservative * The exposure to ‘speaking out’ gained from the late 60s during the Vietnam years also may have had some impact on the social movements that picked up in the late 60s, early 70s(lagging behind America) * Women probably benefitted most as movements such as SOS, gave them a voice and they continued to use that to instigate change in the 70s * The general shift from conservatism was highlighted politically as well as socially. Vietnam played a major factor in Whitlam and the ALP winning government for the first time in 23 years in 1972. Political change * The change was also solidified on a state level as WA, NSW, SA and Tasmania all elected Labor governments in elections between 1972-1975 s hortly after the war. Highlighting the progressivism emerging Australia wide * People wanted change with Vietnam, and to an extent the White Australia policy and Whitlam delivered that. Also note that many too were uncomfortable with the end of White Australia as well. * The attitudes towards soldiers and veterans changed significantly for the worst. No longer where they held in such high esteem amongst society * The tragedy of this was that most of them were in desperate need for help and received little to no support other than from the RSL. * This was the first ‘live war’ as some called it. For the first time, citizens had a relatively clear understanding of what occurred in the battlefields * CONTINUITY * The war emphasised the continuation of ANZUS. We stayed with the US right till the end effectively with us withdrawing in ‘72, a year before the last US troops * Despite the political outcry, politically we were still militarily tied to the US. We still are today * Second war with the US, first Korea then Vietnam GROUPS AFFECTED * ABORIGINALS * Aboriginals were exempt from national service, many didn’t even know their birthdate so including them in a fair ballot was difficult * The Department for Labour and National Service (DLNS) pushed for the removal of exemption but it never happened as only some states had accurate birth records and some didn’t making conscription difficult. * VETERANS * Received little support after the war * Weren’t lauded as national heroes like the ANZACS were * Suffered from mental trauma * YOUTHS The war inspired them and affected them greatly to make them speak out on a large scale for the first time in history * One of the largest groups that embodied the progressive cultu re that was emerging * Vietnam, and the distrust of government fuelled their rebellion against authority during the 60s and 70s * FAMILIES * WOMEN * Had a greater influence on politics for the first time * Definitely, they gained confidence from their first exposure to speaking out COHESION: * Youths voice * Youths gained a greater expression in society; this was seen by their major roles in demonstrations. * This impact however can also be seen as a divisive argument because a link to the new ‘teenage rebellion’ that followed Vietnam is quite noticeable * Women’s new status * Similarly to youths, women gained a new voice and expression during Vietnam. * Never before had they been so active in making their views on political policies known. This was the first time effectively where their actions influenced policy this was seen by the effect groups like SOS etc. had on shifting power form the Liberals to the ALP. T * his newfound voice gave them confidence to push for other reforms in the women’s movement. * The Vietnam war changed the status of women in society forever and widely this was accepted as a good thing. * Progressive mindset * Vietnam brought out a new progressive mindset in Australians that had barely seen the light of day under the conservative rule of the Menzies government. * Vietnam made people more judgmental and progressive in their thinking as the war made them realise that they shouldn’t swallow everything the government tells them. This change was evident by the swing of voters to the ALP and away from Liberal * Australia was never going to be as conservative * This was on the whole a good thing but opinion would still be split as the overall effect was that now government’s had less influence as people were now thinking for themselves * This idea of ‘thinking for yourselves’ scared some conservatives. * The change was evident in Federal politics with Whitlam’s election in 1972, but also on a state level the shift was taking place * WA, NSW, TAS and SA all went from Liberal to Labour in elections between 1972-1975 shortly after the war * DIVISIVE: * The treatment of returned Servicemen * This was a major issue Many of the retuned soldiers weren’t lauded as heroes * Some of them felt the cold treatment was unjust especially seeing some were forced(conscripted) to fight * Conscription: * Most divisive aspect other than maybe the war itself * Divisive on a few levels * Limited rights * Sent soldiers into one of the most atrocious battlefields, the public knew this because of what the media showed them * Left them scarred even after they came home. * The War itself: * Chemical weapons * The media brought this side of the war to peoples living rooms * Scarring of soldiers * Conscription * Removal of rights * ethics * How ethical was it to be getting over involved in Vietnams own civil

Sociology Alevel Aqa Essays

Sociology Alevel Aqa Essays Sociology Alevel Aqa Essay Sociology Alevel Aqa Essay Essay Topic: Amy Tan Short Stories Sociology AS at Knights Unit 1: Families and Households Unit 2: Education with Research Methods Revision pack Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation Sixth Form Mrs Griffiths: [emailprotected] org. uk Mr Roaf: [emailprotected] org. uk 2012 Unit 1 exam: Thursday 17th May, am Unit 2 exam: Friday 25th May, pm Easter Revision: tbc AS Syllabus: AQA Sociology GCE (new specification) Unit 1: Families and Households (SCLY1) * Worth 40% of your AS and 20% of your final A Level * Written paper, 1 hour * 60 marks available Unit 2: Education with Research Methods (SCLY2) * Worth 60% of your AS and 30% of your final A Level * Written paper, 2 hours 90 marks available Timetable * Use your revision checklists to draw up a timetable for revision leading up to the exam. Make sure you cover everything, but make sure it is manageable – you can’t spend every minute working, so allow yourself some time off, both short breaks and occasional days or half days. * Try http://getrevising. co. uk/ Resources * Handouts and powerpoints from lessons are available on the shared drive and on the VLE. * Additional revision resources will be available to download from the VLE * Use the list of websites in this pack to help you identify other useful revision resourcesAQA SCLY1 Unit 1: Families and Households There are 3 sections – choose the CORRECT one, Families and Households (should be section B), and answer all the questions from that section. Time allowed: 1 hour Maximum marks: 60 Time per mark = max 1 min. Questions carrying 24 marks should be answered in continuous prose and you will be marked on your ability to use good English, to organise information clearly and to use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. Possible Question outlines| Marks| Timing| 06| definition of key term, e. g. primary socialisation’| 2 marks| lt;2 mins| To get full marks for this question, you need to explain the term and give a supporting example. Possible questions: * Explain what is meant by ‘primary socialisation’ (Item 2A, line 7). (2 marks) (specimen paper) * Explain what is meant by the ‘expressive role’ (Item 2A, line 5). (2 marks) (January 2009) * Explain what is meant by ‘serial monogamy’ (Item 2A). (2 marks) (June 2010) * Explain what is meant by ‘net migration’ (Item 2A). (2 marks) (January 2011) * Explain what is meant by the ‘social construction’ of childhood (Item 2A). 2 marks) (June 2011) | 07| 2 examples of a particular idea or reasons for a change, e. g. two ways in which childhood has become ‘protected and privileged’| 4 marks| lt;4 mins| To get full marks you need to explain two things, supported by examples that highlight change or increase, if this is specified in the question. Possible questions: * Suggest two ways in which childhood has become . a specially protected and privileged time of life. (Item 2A, lines 4 . 5). (4 marks) (specimen paper) * Suggest two ways in which ‘family life may have a harmful effect on women’ (Item 2A, lines 6 – 7). 4 marks) (January 2009) * Explain the difference between a family and a household (Item 2A). (4 marks) (June 2009) * Suggest two reasons why lone-parent families are more likely to be headed by a female. (4 marks) (June 2009) * Suggest two reasons why women might delay having children (Item 2A). (4 marks) (January 2010) * Suggest two ways in which the position of children could be said to have improved over the last one hundred years. (4 marks) (January 2010) * Suggest two reasons why there has been an increase in cohabitation (Item 2A). 4 marks) (June 2010) * Suggest two reasons why people may migrate to the United Kingdom, apart from that referred to in Item 2A. (4 marks) (January 2011) * Suggest two ways, apart from those mentioned in Item 2A, in which government policies and/or laws may shape the experiences of children today. (4 marks) (June 2011)| 08| 3 reasons for s omething e. g. change in divorce rate| 6 marks| lt;6 mins| To get full marks you need to explain three things, supported by examples that highlight change or increase, if this is specified in the question.Possible questions: * Suggest three reasons for the increase in the divorce rate since 1969. (6 marks) (specimen paper) * Suggest three reasons for the decrease in the death rate since 1900. (6 marks) (January 2009) * Identify three ways in which childhood may not be a positive experience for some children. (6 marks) (June 2010) * Identify three ways in which greater ethnic diversity has contributed to family diversity (6 marks) (January 2011) * Identify three reasons why the birth rate has fallen since 1900. 6 marks) (June 2011)| Questions 06, 07 and 08 may be any combination of marks, adding up to a total of 12. | | | | | 09 | essay question| 24 marks| 4min plan20 min| To reach the higher level marks, you need to demonstrate accurate sociological knowledge and understanding, and apply it directly to the topic in the question. Support your answer with evidence and demonstrate how this answers the question. Possible questions: * Examine the ways in which social policies and laws may influence families and households. (24 marks) (specimen paper) * Examine the ways in which childhood can be said to be socially constructed. 24 marks) (January 2009) * Examine the reasons for changes in birth rates and family size since 1900. (24 marks) (June 2009) * Examine the ways in which government policies and laws may affect the nature and extent of family diversity. (24 marks) (January 2010) * Examine the reasons for, and the consequences of, the fall in the death rate since 1900. (24 marks) (June 2010) * Examine the reasons for changes in the patterns of marriage and cohabitation in the last 40 years or so. (24 marks) (January 2011) * Examine the reasons for changes in the divorce rate since 1969. 24 marks) (June 2011)| 10| essay question with reference to item| 24 marks| 4min plan20 min| To reach the higher level marks for this question, you have to successfully interpret material and apply it to answering the question, and explicitly refer to the item, make it clear how your discussion is answering the question. It is acceptable to repeat key language from the question and item when doing this, however, don’t simply make statements such as and this shows that the it no longer makes sense to talk about the patriarchal family. This is not good enough, you must explain how your discussion of relevant evidence answers the question.Refers to Item X, but on this occasion you are asked to use Item X in your answer, you must do this, to get the full marks. Possible 11 questions * Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the view that it no longer makes sense to talk about the patriarchal family. (Item 2B). (24 marks) (Specimen paper) * Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the view that the nuclear family is no longer the norm. (24 marks) (January 2009) * Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the view that gender roles and relationships have become more equal in modern family life. 24 marks) (June 2009) * Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the Marxist view that the main role of the family is to serve the interests of capitalism. (24 marks) (January 2010) * Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the view that, in today’s society, the family is losing its functions. (24 marks) (June 2010) * Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the view that the modern family has become more child-centred. (24 marks) (January 2011) * Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the contribution of feminist sociologists to an understanding of family roles and relationships. 24 marks) (June 2011)| | Revision Checklist Unit 1: Families and Households 1 Changing patterns of marriage, cohabitation, separation, divorce, child-bearing and the life-course, and the divers ity of contemporary family and household structures * Marriage: fall in number of marriages, later age of first marriage. * Cohabitation: growth of cohabitation, greater acceptability of cohabitation, types (e. g. trial marriage, long term partnership). * Separation and divorce: legal position, increase in divorce after 1969, reasons for divorce; remarriages and reconstituted families. Child-bearing: number of children, age at which women have first child, changes in parenting practices; lone parent families; beanpole families. * Life course: consideration of range of possibilities, including living alone (singletons), grandparents. 2 The relationship of the family to the social structure and social change, with particular reference to the economy and to state policies * Functionalist views: the importance of the nuclear family, the universality of the family, changing functions, how the nuclear family ‘fits’ modern society. Marxist views: the family as part of the ideo logical state apparatus, as an agent of social control. * Feminist views: patriarchy; liberal, radical and Marxist feminism. * Foucault: surveillance of family life, internalisation of norms. * The New Right: decline of the family, demonisation of single parents, fatherless families, uncontrollable children; Murray’s view of the underclass; need for a return to ‘traditional’ family values. * Some key government policies affecting families, with more detail on the most recent (post-1997). Post-1997 government policies assessed in relation to the theories. * Current policy positions of the main parties assessed in relation to the theories. 3 The nature and extent of changes within the family, with reference to gender roles, domestic labour and power relationships * Gender roles within families: functionalist, feminist, New Right and other views. * The domestic division of labour – changing nature of housework and home-related activities related to changing r oles of men and women and to masculinity and femininity, both in and beyond the home. Decision-making and power relations within households. * Consequences of unequal power: the ‘dark side of the family’, domestic violence, child abuse, mental illness. 4 The nature of childhood, and changes in the status of children in the family and society * The social construction of childhood: how childhood differs over time and between cultures; ways in which childhood is marked as separate from other stages of life. * Children and (paid) work: legal situation in UK; comparison with other countries. * Children as actors within families; the rights and responsibilities of children today. Demographic trends in the UK since 1900; reasons for changes in birth rates, death rates and family size * For each of the three areas of change (birth rates, death rates and family size) students should be aware of the trend, of possible reasons for it and of some cross-cultural/global comparisons. * Birth rates (and fertility rates): falling availability of contraception/family planning; children more likely to survive; cost of raising children; later age of marriage; women giving priority to work, etc. * Death rates: falling higher life expectancy; better health care, protection and treatment for life threatening illness, etc. Family size: falling reasons similar to birth rate but focus on decisions on individual reasons. AQA SCLY2 Unit 2: Education with Research Methods There are 2 sections – choose the CORRECT one, Education (should be section A), and answer all the questions in that section. Time allowed: 2 hours Maximum marks: 90 Time per mark = max 1 1/3 min. Questions with more than 12 marks should be answered in continuous prose and you will be marked on your ability to use good English, to organise information clearly and to use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.The paper has five questions: You are advised to spend 50 minutes on Questions 01 to 04 Y ou are advised to spend 30 minutes on Questions 05 You are advised to spend 40 minutes on Questions 06-09 No| Possible Question outlines| Marks| Timing| 01| definition of key term, e. g. ‘hidden curriculum’| 2 marks| lt;2 mins| Possible questions: * Explain what is meant by the term ‘compensatory’ education. (2 marks) (specimen paper) * Explain what is meant by the term ‘cultural capital’. (2 marks) (January 2009) * Explain what is meant by the term ‘ethnocentric curriculum’. 2 marks) (January 2010) * Explain what is meant by the term ‘vocational’ education. (2 marks) (June 2010) * Explain what is meant by the term ‘cultural deprivation’. (2 marks) (January 2011) * Explain what is meant by the term ‘immediate gratification’. (2 marks) (June 2011)| 02| Explain 3 factorse. g. 3 reasons for boys’ underachievement| 6 marks| lt;6 mins| Possible questions: * Suggest three material factors tha t might cause working-class educational underachievement. (6 marks)(specimen paper) * Suggest three reasons for gender differences in subject choice. 6 marks) (January 2009) * Suggest three ways in which Marxists see school as being similar to the world of work. (6 marks) (January 2010) * Suggest three reasons for boys’ educational under-achievement. (6 marks) (June 2010) * Identify three educational policies that may have contributed to social class differences in achievement. (6 marks) (January 2011) * Identify three policies that may promote the marketisation of education. (6 marks) (June 2011)| 03| Outline some reasons for something e. g. ender differences in subject choice| 12 marks| lt;12 mins| Possible questions: * Outline some of the reasons why different pupil subcultures exist in schools. (12 marks) (specimen paper) * Outline some of the policies introduced by governments to create an education market in the United Kingdom. (12 marks) (January 2009) * Outline some o f the ways in which the labelling process may lead to educational under-achievement for some pupils. (12 marks) (January 2010) * Outline some of the ways in which cultural deprivation may lead to educational under-achievement for working-class pupils. 12 marks) (June 2010) * Outline some of the ways in which factors outside the education system have resulted in improved educational achievement for girls. (12 marks) (January 2011) * Outline some of the functions that the education system may perform. (12 marks) (June 2011)| 04| Essay question:Using material from Item A and elsewhere†¦e. g. assess the claim ‘the main function of education†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢| 20 marks| lt;30 mins| Possible questions: * Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the claim that ‘the main function of education is to maintain a value consensus in society’ (Item A, lines 7 – 8). 20 marks) (specimen paper) * Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the claim that â₠¬Ëœethnic differences in educational achievement are primarily the result of school factors’ (Item A, lines 5 – 6) (20 marks) (January 2009) * Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the claim that gender differences in educational achievement are primarily the ‘result of changes in wider society’ (Item A, lines 6 – 7). (20 marks) (January 2010) * Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the claim that the main aim of education policies in the last 25 years has been to create an education market. 20 marks) (June 2010) * Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the view that the education system exists mainly to select and prepare young people for their future work roles. (20 marks) (January 2011) * Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the view that factors and processes within the school are the main cause of differences in the educational achievement of different social groups. (20 marks) (June 2011)| 05| Method s in contextUsing material from Item B and elsewhere†¦e. g. Assess he strengths and limitations of one of the following methods (observation / official statistics) for investigating teacher attitudes towards minority ethnic group pupils| 20 marks| lt;30 mins| Question 05 requires you to apply your knowledge and understanding of sociological research methods to the study of a particular issue in education. You will need to read Item B and answer the question / questions that follow. Question 05 is worth 20 marks and uses the functional word assess, you will need to carefully read Item B, and identify the ‘hooks’, clues written into the Item about material to include in your answer.To get full marks for this question, you have to successfully interpret material and apply it to answering the question, and explicitly refer back to the question, make it clear how your discussion is answering the question. It is acceptable to repeat key language from the question when do ing this, however, don’t simply make statements such as and this shows how useful observation is for investigating teacher attitudes. This is not good enough, you must explain how your discussion of relevant evidence answers the question.Possible questions: * Using material from Item B and elsewhere, assess the strengths and limitations of one of the following methods for investigating teachers’ attitudes towards minority ethnic group pupils: EITHER participant observation OR questionnaires. (20 marks) (specimen paper) * Using material from Item B and elsewhere, assess the strengths and limitations of one of the following methods for investigating boys’ underachievement: EITHER (i) official statistics OR (ii) unstructured interviews. 20 marks) (January 2009) * Using material from Item B and elsewhere, assess the strengths and limitations of one of the following methods for investigating the effect of material deprivation on educational achievement: EITHER (i) un structured interviews OR (ii) offi cial statistics. (20 marks) (January 2010) * Using material from Item B and elsewhere, assess the strengths and limitations of one of the following methods for investigating anti-school subcultures: EITHER (i) group interviews OR (ii) non-participant observation. 20 marks) (June 2010) * Using material from Item B and elsewhere, assess the strengths and limitations of one of the following methods for investigating the role of parents in pupils’ achievement: EITHER (i) questionnaires OR (ii) unstructured interviews. (20 marks) (January 2011) * Using material from Item B and elsewhere, assess the strengths and limitations of one of the following methods for investigating truancy from school: EITHER (i) official statistics OR (ii) participant observation. (20 marks) (June 2011)| 06| Definition of key term, e. . ‘triangulation’| 2 marks| lt;2 mins| For these questions, you can draw examples from any area of sociology with which you a re familiar. Possible questions: * Explain what is meant by the term ‘triangulation’. (2 marks) (specimen paper) * Explain what is meant by the term ‘longitudinal’ study. (2 marks) (January 2009) * Explain what is meant by the term ‘hypothesis’. (2 marks) (January 2010) * Explain what is meant by the term ‘secondary’ data. (2 marks) (June 2010) * Explain what is meant by ‘primary’ data. 2 marks) (January 2011) * Explain what is meant by ‘validity’ in sociological research. (2 marks) (June 2011) | 07 and 08| Evaluation of methodse. g. 1 advantage and 1 disadvantage of using official statistics| 4 marks| lt;4 marks| This question requires you to evaluate a method. Explaining the method or identifying the advantage / disadvantage is not sufficient; make sure you give an example and fully explain the advantage / disadvantage. Possible questions: * Suggest one advantage and one disadvantage of a longitudinal st udy. 4 marks) (specimen paper) * Suggest two disadvantages that sociologists may find when using unstructured interviews. (4 marks) (specimen paper) * Identify two sampling techniques used in sociological research. (4 marks) (January 2009) * Suggest two disadvantages of using media reports in sociological research. (4 marks) (January 2009) * Suggest two advantages of using official statistics in sociological research. (4 marks) (January 2010) * Suggest two problems that researchers may face when actively participating in the group they are studying. 4 marks) (January 2010) * Suggest two factors that may influence a sociologist’s choice of research topic. (4 marks) (June 2010) * Suggest two problems of using personal documents in sociological research. (4 marks) (June 2010) * Suggest two disadvantages that sociologists might find when using structured interviews. (4 marks) (January 2011) * Suggest one advantage and one disadvantage of using laboratory experiments in sociologic al research. (4 marks) (January 2011) * Explain the difference between a sampling frame and a sample. 4 marks) (June 2011) * Suggest two problems of using documents in sociological research. (4 marks) (June 2011)| 09| Essay question:e. g. Examine some of the problems sociologists may find in using experiments| 20 marks| lt;30 mins| Possible questions: * Examine the disadvantages some sociologists may find when using official statistics in their research. (20 marks) (specimen paper) * Examine the problems some sociologists may face when using experiments in their research. (20 marks) (January 2009) Examine the extent to which practical issues are the most important influence when selecting research methods and a research topic. (20 marks) (January 2010) * Examine the problems some sociologists find with using postal questionnaires in their research. (20 marks) (June 2010) * Examine the advantages of using personal documents and historical documents in sociological research. (20 marks ) (January 2011) * Examine the problems that some sociologists may face when using different kinds of experiments in their research. (20 marks) (June 2011)Revision Checklist Part One of Unit 2: Education 1 The role and purpose of education, including vocational education and training, in contemporary society * Functionalist and New Right views of the role and purpose of education: transmission of values, training workforce * Marxist and other conflict views of the role and purpose of education: social control, ideology, hegemony; ‘deschoolers’ (Illich, Friere): socialisation into conformity by coercion * Vocational education and training: the relationship between school and work:human capital, training schemes, correspondence theory. Differential educational achievement of social groups by social class, gender and ethnicity in contemporary society * Statistics on educational achievement by class, gender and ethnicity; trends over time * Social class and educational achi evement: home environment; cultural capital, material deprivation; language (Bernstein); school factors, relationship between achievement by class in education and social mobility * Gender and educational achievement: feminist accounts of gender-biased schooling; the concern over boys’ ‘underachievement’ and suggested reasons; subject choice; gender identities and schooling * Ethnicity and educational achievement: patterns; reasons for variations; multicultural and anti-racist education; experience of minorities in different types of schools * The relationship between class, gender and ethnicity The effects of changes on differential achievement by social class, gender and ethnicity. 3 Relationships and processes within schools, with particular reference to teacher/pupil relationships, pupil subcultures, the hidden curriculum, and the organisation of teaching and learning * School processes and the organisation of teaching and learning: school ethos; streaming an d setting; mixed ability teaching; the curriculum; overt and hidden * the ‘ideal pupil’; labelling; self-fulfilling prophecy * School subcultures (eg as described by Willis, Mac an Ghaill) related to class, gender and ethnicity * Teachers and the teaching hierarchy; teaching styles * The curriculum, including student choice. The significance of educational policies, including selection, comprehensivisation and marketisation, for an understanding of the structure, role, impact and experience of education * Independent schools * Selection; the tripartite system: reasons for its introduction, forms of selection, entrance exams * Comprehensivisation: reasons for its introduction, debates as to its success * Marketisation: the 1988 reforms – competition and choice; new types of schools (CTCs, academies, specialist schools, growth of faith schools) * Recent policies in relation to the curriculum, testing and exam reforms, league tables, selection, Special Educational N eeds (SEN), etc * Recent policies and trends in pre-school education and higher education. The application of sociological research methods to the study of education * Quantitative and qualitative data in education; the dominance of statistics (eg exam results, league tables) * Positivist and interpretivist approaches as applied to education * Issues, strengths and limitations and examples of the application to the study of education of the main sources of data studied (see Sociological Methods section): * questionnaires o interviews (formal/structured; informal/unstructured) o participant and non-participant observation o experiments o use of documents, official statistics and other secondary data * The theoretical, practical and ethical considerations influencing choice of topic, choice of method(s) and the conduct of research on education. Part Two of Unit 2: Research Methods Quantitative and qualitative methods of research; their strengths and limitations; research design * The difference between quantitative and qualitative methods, primary and secondary methods and source, strengths and limitations, using concepts such as validity, reliability, representativeness * The main factors influencing research design * The research process: main stages. 2 Sources of data, including questionnaires, interviews, participant and non-participant observation, experiments, documents and official statistics; the strengths and limitations of these sources * Through a range of examples students should explore the strengths and limitations in different areas of sociological research of each of the named methods * This should include the types of questions asked, different types of interview and of observation, and the range of documentary and other secondary sources; the value of pilot studies; triangulation; ways of selecting samples. The distinction between primary and secondary data and between quantitative and qualitative data * Primary and secondary data: difference, value of each to sociological research, ways of evaluating usefulness of secondary data * Quantitative and qualitative data: difference, value of each in sociological research, ways of presenting different types of data. 4 The relationship between positivism, interpretivism and sociological methods; the nature of ‘social facts’ * The differences between the positivist and interpretivist approaches, related to choice of method and to issues such as validity, reliability and representativeness, quantitative and qualitative data * The nature of social facts: awareness of the relationship between the research process and social life. The theoretical, practical and ethical considerations influencing choice of topic, choice of method(s) and the conduct of research * Theoretical considerations including the theoretical position of the researcher, issues of validity and reliability, the type of data required * Practical considerations including costs, time, access to respondent s, sample size * Ethical considerations including the interests of researcher and respondents, the researcher’s responsibilities to all involved in the research process, the rights of respondents; issues of anonymity, confidentiality and disclosure. Study of the British Sociological Association’s ethical guidelines is recommended. Websites http://atschool. eduweb. co. uk/barrycomp/bhs/ A very good school-based website with links to a range of content, revision materials, ‘duffers guides’ etc for AS and A2 Sociology. www. esociology. co. ukAnother good school-based website, includes information on education and methods at AS level and crime and deviance at A2. chrisgardner. cadcol. ac. uk/ Sociology Learning Support site with interactive tests and quizzes, good for revision. sociology. org. uk/drevise. htm Sociology Central website produced by Chris Livesey, a Sociology teacher, with specific links to AQA Sociology at AS level. www. s-cool. co. uk A good revision site with an A Level Sociology section. www. sociologyonline. co. uk Site covers good introductory materials (e. g. on gender, class, feminism) and information on some of the big thinkers (e. g.Durkheim, Marx and Weber) www. soc. surrey. ac. uk/sru/ Useful information on a range of sociological research methods, produced by the Sociology Department at the University of Surrey. http://media. pfeiffer. edu/lridener/DSS/ ‘Dead Sociologists Website’ providing summaries and links to information for key Sociological thinkers of the past. sociologyexchange. co. uk/index. php mainly provided for teachers, but lots of resources available to download tutor2u. net/blog/index. php/sociology/ blog site highlighting news stories and developments, with some resources. Good for keeping up to date with contemporary developments in sociology.

Marketing 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing 4 - Essay Example Exporters suffer sometimes by this depreciation. Simply put, it means that the exporters will get lesser returns as compared to what they used to get and this can have an adverse effect on their profitability. This has happened in Colombia also. (Kraul, 2007) Most of the exporters have been affected but none as much as the rose exporters. One reason is that there has been fierce competition from countries such as China, Mexico, Ecuador and the strengthening of the peso has only seriously affected the share of the Colombian rose exporters in the total world trade for this particular commodity. (Ponsi, 2007) There is no doubt that the Colombian peso can be described as being on a â€Å"hot streak† and this is good for national pride and the feel-good factor. (Kraul, 2007) This also greatly helps tourists going to American tourist spots such as Disney World since it means that the Colombians now have more money to spend but for a certain section of the populace like the rose exporters, it has brought serious problems. So serious are these problems that some exporters have been forced to close shop or retrench staff. Many of these staff members are women who had taken loans and who had mortgaged their houses; now with them losing their jobs, they will find it extremely difficult to make both ends meet since a fair amount of their income was going towards repaying their housing loans taken. Rose exporters are now receiving up to forty percent less than what they used to receive about four years ago. Apart from this there has been an increase of the labour and material cost to the tune of another forty percent. As a result of all this, rose exporters’ income has gone down by almost 100 percent as compared to what they used to earn about four years ago. No doubt the U.S.Dollar has declined by about thirty percent against the major world currencies; the decline has been even more against the Third World currencies. This has happened since there has been a big

Reciprocity in Intergenerational Family Therapy Research Proposal

Reciprocity in Intergenerational Family Therapy - Research Proposal Example Va Satir is regarded as the creator and contributing driver within the developments associated with Experiential Family Therapies. Their basic principle focuses on maximizing the actual understanding, durable transformation, comprehension the actual structure associated with a conversation, reshaping partnership as well as establishing associated self-confidence, and building of congruent lifestyle. Furthermore, its strengths consist of focusing on multigenerational behaviors, prognosis associated with dysfunctional character within family relationships, and appreciating the novel ideas associated with existence. Many experts have belittled this because of its reliance upon therapists’ creativeness, charisma and character, minimal research on its applications, and its presumption that all of the human beings grow along with families (Satir, 1988) Emotionally Focused Therapy is an approach to work with couples and families. Basically, the theory is based on the principles of Emotions Theory and Attachment Theory. Strong points of the theory include the accessing of buried primary emotions, enhancing the emotional bond between partners, and engaging positive change in the couple’s negative interaction sequences.   Focusing on connection and mutuality, and validating both men’s and woman’s need for a sense of secure connectedness, is a weak area because it promotes autonomy.  Ã‚  

Pot Holes Everywhere Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pot Holes Everywhere - Essay Example This is because they have the infrastructure and the capacity. However, the benefits and cost implications for this company is not stated. The relationship between the companies DelDot the Ministry of Transport is not explicit. The proposed solution is an ideal solution to the problem according to how it has been presented in the executive summary. However, it has not stated how the app will be picking up new potholes and updates them to the system. This may be a great danger because users may not be keen on potholes as they depend on the app. The other challenge is what if there are many potholes at a given location that cannot be captured in the system. This project is not feasible because of the technology involved. It is not also feasible because weather patterns changes and results into potholes frequently; capturing each and every pothole is a challenge. There are areas that there is poor internet reception. How will they resolve the problem? The market aspect is also a challenge, if the transport department does not approve the app by DelDot will not have the market. They may also design their own app. Generally, this executive summary desires a lot. The summary is well written but the technology is not well written. Carabello, Blase A., and FAHA Kanu Chatterjee. "ACC/AHA 2006 practice guidelines for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: executive summary."  Journal of the American College of Cardiology  48.3

Cultural Issues: Forced Marriage

Cultural Issues: Forced Marriage Marriage; â€Å"The legal status, condition, or relationship that results from a contract by which one man and one woman, who have the capacity to enter into such an agreement, mutually promise to live together in the relationship of Husband and wife in law for life, or until the legal termination of the relationship.† (Bouvier J, nd) In British culture, marriage is considered a union of two individuals who wish to commit to one another for the rest of their lives and take their relationship to the next level. Forced marriage is a controversial type of matrimony, which exists in the United Kingdom today, the United Kingdom, has an extremely multicultural society where modern and traditional beliefs often collide, especially between different generations that have different ideas and ideals. Forced marriage is conducted without the full consent of one or both parties and is common in the Middle East and in some parts of Asia and Africa (Smith, 2006). In order to understand why forced marriages take place, it is important to be aware of what values drive people to force their child into a marriage. Many young men and women suffer in silence and it may seem outlandish to some that this custom, which is considered inhumane by most people in the United Kingdom, is allowed to continue within modern British society today. This piece will describe forced marriage and the reasons why it takes place, it will also discuss some of the laws and protection offered to people affected by forced marriage. Forced marriages occur in a number of minority communities within the United Kingdom (UK) and often involve the forced spouse being sent abroad to get married or being forced to marry within the UK. Although this form of marriage is accepted and popular within some cultures, the concept of forced marriage is not favoured in the United Kingdom (Smith 2006). In 2009 the Forced Marriage Unit gave advice or support to 1682 cases of forced marriage, 86 percent involved females and 14 percent involved males. There were also many more cases that went unreported (Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2009). One particular reason why the majority of people disagree with the act of forced marriage is because it is recognized as an abuse of human rights and also a form of domestic violence. The victims of forced marriages, who are often young women, may experience abduction, imprisonment, sexual abuse, physical and mental abuse and sometimes even murder. Forced marriages are not supported by any of the major religions within the United Kingdom. Whilst opinions on the nature of marriage may differ between the different religions, they all agree that some level of consent is necessary. Families may put pressure on a victim, or even use emotional blackmail, to make the victim believe that if they do not agree to the forced marriage then they are going against their religion, this is untrue. It is important to make clear that forced marriages are different than arranged marriages. Although arranged marriage involves parents choosing a partner they deem suitable for their child, the marriage is only organised by parents or family members once both of the marrying parties have consented. Arranged marriage is a tradition that has worked effectively within many communities for a very long time. However, forced marriages may sometimes be mistaken for arranged marriage as one or both of the parties may feel as though they have no choice but to consent due to the pressure put onto them from their family. Emotional blackmail is very common within the lead up to a forced marriage and families may tell the victim that they will bring shame to the family if they do not go ahead with the arrangements. The victims family may threaten to disown and reject the victim and leave them homeless if they go against their familys wishes. If a victim decides not to go ahead with the forced marriage they may be taken prisoner in their own home and those who are still in school may be taken out and miss vital education as their family fears they may tell somebody who can help them to escape the situation and run away from the marriage. Forced marriage may be a parents way of sustaining a cultural tradition. Culture and tradition are important aspects in peoples lives, as they are a strong foundation of ones faith and beliefs. Some cultures believe their family can only be respected if their children marry within certain families. Arrangements are made for their child to marry the person of the parents or elders choice and the child has no say. Parents may find themselves under pressure from extended family to marry off their children and in some cases the decision of who their child will marry is made in infancy. Much of the time a victim of a forced marriage will never have met or even spoken to their husband before they are married. In some cultures, marriage is considered a fusion of two families, not merely the joining of two individuals, that is why bloodlines and reputations matter. Love is expected to come after the marriage in the case of a forced marriage, and it is believed by some that the mystery of ones partner keeps the relationship interesting and long lasting. In a forced marriage, the pressure from the society in which the couple live and from the two families involved often keeps the marriage together whether or not it is a successful union. Divorce is very often not an option when there is so much pressure for a person to stay in a marriage (Sabreen, 2005). Violence is often used against the victim of a forced marriage and in the very worst cases victims are murdered in what are sometimes referred to as ‘honour killings. ‘Honour killings are murders by families of those who are believed to have brought shame upon the family name. This ‘shame could be down to a person refusing to enter into a forced marriage or having a relationship with somebody that the family do not approve of. A recent example of an ‘honour crime committed in the United Kingdom was the murder of Banaz Mahmod who was just twenty years old at the time of her murder. Her body was discovered inside of a suitcase buried in a Birmingham garden in April 2006. Banaz was one of five daughters from a strict Kurdish family and after entering into an arranged marriage at the age of sixteen, she was expected to fulfil the role of doting wife and mother. Aged nineteen, Banaz fell in love with another man and it is this that led her father, uncle and other family friends to kill her. These were the people she should have been able to turn to and trust in times of need. Banazs crime was dishonouring her father by leaving her unhappy marriage and falling in love with another man from a different Kurdish clan. The police had already been warned by Banaz that her life was in danger on four separate occasions before she vanished, and she had included in a letter, the names of some of those involved in h er death (BBC News, 2007). It is often believed in the UK that marriages made from love offer more independence and freedom when compared to forced marriages. Those involved in a forced marriage experience pressure to meet the expectations of their parents. One of the main arguments against a forced marriage is how can a person be expected to marry somebody that they do not know. Two people knowing each other before marriage allows partners to have respect and an understanding for each others needs and wants. In a traditional British marriage, those getting wed are the primary decision makers and parents and other family members are there merely to support the couple. It is down to the people getting married whether the marriage will be successful or not. Parents and other family members opinions may still be important but it is the individuals getting married that are the ones who should be taken into consideration. Forced marriages are extremely likely to have severe psychological, emotional, medical, legal and financial consequences. Victims are often isolated from friends and peers and rarely have access to the services that could assist them; this makes it increasingly difficult to escape the marriage. Forced marriages may become violent as the relationship is often based on the power of one spouse. Rape occurs frequently within forced marriage and apart from the obvious psychological problems this causes it also may have other severe consequences including the transition of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, as the victim, especially if young, may enter into a marriage with someone of sexual experience. As forced marriages often take place when the victim is still very young, they could be deprived from their right to education and the possibility of economic independence from their spouse is extremely limited, again making it difficult for them to escape their situation. It is increasingly common for an immigrants family to send a victim back to their country of origin to marry or to force a victim to marry a spouse sent from the country of origin. In some cases, victims of forced marriages may also be considered trafficking victims. Due to the unofficial nature of many forced marriages, often a victim is left with no legal protection in the case of a separation. Many families circumvent the law by entering into traditional Muslim marriages, which are not registered or recognised by the state. In the event of a separation, the couples assets would not be divided equally as would be the case if you were to become divorced under UK law. The victim may be left homeless and with no pos sessions, especially if the victim is a female. Law on marriage in England and Wales is governed by The Marriage Act 1949 and the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. The minimum age a person in the UK can consent to marriage is 16, although a person under 18 also needs their parents to consent to the marriage. Those marriages that take place abroad in accordance with the correct formalities required by that countrys laws are usually recognised within England and Wales, providing both people involved have the capacity to marry. The Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 says that a marriage is deemed invalid if either of the couple did not consent to it, whether it is the consequence of pressure, unsoundness of mind, a mistake or otherwise. Unfortunately, victims of forced marriages are rarely aware of these provisions or are too afraid to use them. As forced marriages often happen when the victim is young, they can lack the confidence to challenge their situation. (Home Office Communications Directorate, 2000) â€Å"No marriage shall be legally entered into without the full and free consent of both parties, such consent to be expressed by them in person after due publicity and in the presence of the authority competent to solemnize the marriage and of witnesses, as prescribed by law.† (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2007) Every individual in the United Kingdom has the right to choose the person that they marry. Whatever religion you follow, age and sexuality you are and whether or not your family approve of your choice, you have this fundamental right. Although at present there is no legislation in the United Kingdom clearly banning forced marriage, and it is not recognised as a specific criminal offense, there are several actions that may happen in the process of forcing someone to marry that are criminal offences, these include assault, abduction, rape and imprisonment to name just a few. A person who commits one of these crimes, regardless of whether they are a relative is likely to be prosecuted. In 2004, the Government extended its definition of domestic violence to include acts committed by intimate partners as well as family members. As a consequence of this, forced marriage and other ‘honour crimes, are now considered as a form of domestic violence. An Act of Parliament called The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007, provided courts with the power to make Forced Marriage Protection Orders which are put into place to stop a person forcing another into marriage. British law also allows the courts to protect those victims who have already been forced into marriage and help them to escape their situation (forcedmarriage.net, 2009). A marriage in the UK requires the consent of both parties involved, if this is not given, the marriage is invalid. Although most forced marriages take place outside the jurisdiction of the UK, if a marriage does take place abroad and one part wishes to end it, divorce is legal. Alternatively, a couple can stay married but live apart with no legal sanction against them. There are only a few countries that have criminalized forced marriage itself, for example Croatia expressly penalizes forced marriage, including criminal acts directed against sexual freedom and sexual morality. Criminalization is not universally accepted as being the best way to eradicate forced marriage and the United Kingdom decided against making it a criminal offence due to concerns that victims would not wish for their families to be punished (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2007). Forced marriages are widespread but many local efforts to prevent these marriages have been successful. Crisis lines, womens shelters, schools, groups and even monetary incentives have all been effective in postponing marriages for girls and helping to stop forced marriages (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2007). There are a number of organisations that have been set up in the UK to help and support victims of forced marriage. Southall Black Sisters was created to provide information and support to women and children experiencing domestic violence, including forced marriage and honour crimes. The aim of their service is to help people to escape violence and abuse and help them to deal with a range of problems such as rape, suspicious deaths and matrimonial issues. Their work consists of making recommendations to the Home Office, Social Services, Police, Schools, Health Authorities and the Foreign and Consular Service on how to deal with those who face the possibility of forced marriage and the problems surrounding it. The Southall Black Sisters have concerns that there is reluctance from the statuary agencies to intervene in cases of forced marriage as it is viewed by some as a cultural practice and they do not want to appear racist by intervening in such cases. They campaign for widespread acceptance that it is not racist to intervene and that it is the human right of all women no matter what their religion or culture to be afforded state protection against any kind of violence (Southall Black Sisters, nd). Conclusion: In the United Kingdom we ban all sorts of cultural practices, for example, Female Genital Mutilation. When the harm caused to an individual is so huge, the ‘rights of a group must be sacrificed and it is important for the law to step in and intervene. The rights of an individual should not be put behind those of a particular culture. Some may argue that banning forced marriage would victimise and disassociate groups of people with wider culture but how much more victimised can a person be than being forced into a marriage against their will? It is important that the authorities are sensitive to cultural differences but the softly, softly approach taken towards communities where the practice of forced marriage takes place has already led to thousands of people being kept under house arrest, many being physically abused and there have been some cases of ‘honour killings within this country. Banaz Mahmod had sought help from the police four times before she met her death and unfortunately the only time the police responded was when her lifeless body was found. Perhaps if there was more awareness and stronger laws surrounding the issue of forced marriage, Miss Mahmod could have married the man who she had loved and would still be living today. It can be understandably difficult to detect forced marriages as physical and mental coercion is not usually involved with the wedding itself and even if evidence of physical or mental abuse is found, it is hard to link this with any alleged forced marriage as the victims are often scared to of the consequences of talking to authorities, however, If forced marriages were banned, police investigators would be able to look at DNA samples and conduct interviews with those involved in the wedding and could put together a case to prove that a marriage was not made in true consent of one or both of the spouses. The arrest of suspected initiators of forced marriage would also give the victim time to flee to safety and plan their future. Although legislation is in place against the crimes that often come hand in hand with forced marriage, a ban would also send out a clear message to society that forced marriage is not a custom that is tolerated in the United Kingdom. It would also show those that are being forced into marriages that the UK law is on their side, which may well increase the number of people that come forward to the authorities as they may feel less isolated. Marriage should not be something performed to satisfy cultural traditions; instead, it should be looked upon as a sacred union of two individuals engaged in a relationship built on love and maturity. A persons future cannot be dictated by cultural traditions and ideas, the success of a marriage can only be shaped by human judgement and maturity. Therefore traditions and other concerns are unacceptable reasons for an individual to be forced into marriage. References: â€Å"A womans right to choose a spouse and enter freely into marriage is central to her life and her dignity and equality as a human being† Norfolk, A. (2006). Despair as forced stay legal. Retrieved November 24, 2006 Smith, J. (2006). Forced Marriage. Retrieved March 4th, 2010 â€Å"Marriage should be entered into only with the free will and full consent of the intending spouses† (Universal declaration of human rights, Article 16) http://www.forcedmarriage.net/media/images/FMU-FM-Guidance-SocialWorkers_73.pdf http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/2855621/what-is-forced-marriage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoGwwlFw20s http://www.mcb.org.uk/uploads/wrongnotright.pdf http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/eastmidlands/series6/forced_marriages.shtml http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/when-things-go-wrong/forced-marriage http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/safeguardingandsocialcare/safeguardingchildren/forcedmarriage/forcedmarriage/ http://www.forcedmarriage.net/ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-461378/The-tragic-story-Banaz-Mahmodfell-love-19-family-killed-her.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6766207.stm http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk/songs.html Bouvier J, (nd),available at: http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/marriage accessed on 5th March 2010 Home Office Dictorate (2000), available at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/pdf14/fco_choicebyright2000 accessed on 2nd March 2010. (Article One: Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, available at: http://www.stopvaw.org/Forced_and_Early_Marriage.html 2007 (forced and early marriage (2007)

A Sociological View of Rastafarianism Essay -- Religion Sociology Rast

Organized religion is a duality between the religion and the church which represents it. Sometimes the representation of the religion is marred and flawed to those who view it because of the bureaucracy contained within. Unknown to those who gaze upon the dissolved morals and values of what is perceived to be the contradiction known as modern religion, it was never intended to be this way. Most religions started off as a sect, a minor detail on the fringes of the society it never wanted to represent. Rastfarianism is such a sect. The differences between Rastafarianism and a normal â€Å"mainstream† religion are numberless, including: no set membership, no authoritative leader, no offices of authority, no trained clergy and no involvement with the world as a whole. Rastafarianism is based upon an underrepresented minority which needed hope in the face in utter demise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Max Weber, religion emerges to satisfy a social need. â€Å"In treating suffering as a symptom of odiousness in the eyes of gods and as a sign of secret guilt, religion has psychologically met a very general need (Weber 271). Rastafarianism emerges in the slums of Kingston, Jamaica in the 1930’s to meet the needs of the poor, unskilled black Jamaicans who needed a hope. The social situation which was emerging in the 1930’s which called for this need was as follows. Jamaica was a commonwealth of the British Empire. It had recently, around 1884, received a write in clause to their constitution which stipulated if the new government did not succeed and the economic life of Jamaica were to suffer because of it, the political constitution would be amended or abolished to meet new conditions. Black Jamaicans had a taste for power in their mouths and in 1938, this erupted in labor riots and violence. This act did nothing for their cause. It wo uld still be 30 years until Jamaica received its independence. Blacks in Jamaica were the victims of social stratification which left them at the bottom rung of the ladder. They had menial jobs such as field worker or an attendant at the sugar plant, if they had jobs at all. The blacks were suffering as a people and as an organized group.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ethopianism had been introduced to Jamaica in 1784 by George Liele, by adding it to the name of his Baptist church, hoping to graft itself onto the African religion of Jamaican slaves. But the movement to em... ...; it integrates those involved within it. The falsity is what people believe. So, if people change, the religion changes with the people, not necessarily minor beliefs within it. It is a cycle which includes the transfer of old gods to new gods, completely changing the religion with society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rastafarianism has not faded away, and in fact has spread its brethren among many areas of the world. â€Å"The Rastafarian movement is no longer a mere revolutionary movement; it has become a part of the establishment, a part of officialdom† (Barret 245). Rastafarianism may have started on the fringes of Jamaican society, but it now a representation of what it considered hell. In terms of an outsider, Jamaica is no longer Babylon, it is now Rastafaria, a step on the way to utopian Zion. Rastafarianism is now an integration of all of Jamaican society rather that just one social strata. Its changes have moved along with the changes of Jamaica as a nation. The people of Jamaica are interchangeable with Rastafarianism. It is ironic which a group so hating of their own environment would become such a force as to represent it to the world. Rastafarianism is truly by the people, for the people.