The Irony of the Jungle free essay sample

This surge in population was largely attributed to immigrants coming from European countries seeking a chance for employment and new freedoms associated with moving to the United States at the time. 1905, in particular, was a historic year when a surge of over 1 million immigrants came to the city. During this time, author Upton Sinclair was working undercover, investigating working conditions in the city’s meatpacking district. Sinclair’s research was integrated into his novel The Jungle, a tragic story about a group of immigrants from Lithuania led by Jurgis, the main character that is set on providing for his family while chasing the American dream. Sinclair narrates the struggles of Jurgis and his family’s encounters as they battle exploitation and the virtual wage slavery that occurs as a result of unregulated capitalist greed. Despite Sinclair’s efforts to expose the flaws he saw in the capitalist system and bring about changes by way of Socialist measures, The Jungle revolted the public with its descriptions of poorly processed meat, concerning them more with their own health than the wellbeing of the workers themselves. We will write a custom essay sample on The Irony of the Jungle or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Sinclair titled his book to showcase the struggles and dangers the working class faced, but his intentions were lost on the public who reacted to the less voluminous details about rancid meat. However, by looking closely at the novel, we can see that The Jungle is in fact aptly titled because the public’s initial reaction to the very elements that Sinclair exposes ironically backup his claims. The novel begins appropriately with an elaborate chapter on the wedding of Jurgis and his bride Ona. Jurgis is known for his strength, a source of pride he carries with him to assure him of his goals when coming to America. Sinclair uses metaphors to describe his characters as if they are in a jungle when describing Jurgis’ wedding nerves: â€Å"Jurgis could take up a two-hundred-and-fifty-pound quarter of beef and carry it into a car without a stagger, or even a thought; and now he stood in a far corner, frightened as a hunted animal†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (p. 44). No sooner, the wedding feast grimly begins to foreshadow the new world Jurgis and his family will face by immigrating to this city. Saloonkeepers who are in the favor of politicians and lawmen erve the party low quality, half drunk alcohol but charge for top quality and fully consumed liquor. Fellow countrymen, unknown to the family, come to these large gatherings and drink the beer, some even stealing from the donations, leaving the debt with the family as they escape. Thus, Sinclair effectively paints this otherwise joyous day as a series of miserable details that give credibility to the title of his novel. In this regard, the title is fitting to Sinclair’s intent by showcasing the selfish traits that the surrounding people display. Set back by unexpected expenses from his wedding, Jurgis know he must â€Å"work harder,† a vow he repeats to himself and his family throughout the book to makeup for the various debts they inescapably accumulate. Along with his wife, Jurgis has brought with him his father Antanas, Ona’s cousin Marija and Ona’s stepmother Elzbieta and vowed to provide for them all. Jurgis finds a job in the city’s meatpacking district, a hub of employment where immigrants wait day and night standing in line in poor weather, waiting for a chance to work in dangerous conditions. Brushing off other’s warnings of the dangers that can befall a man inside the plants, Jurgis arrogantly dismisses them, saying â€Å"â€Å"That is well enough for men like you,† he would say, silpnas, puny fellows – but my back is broad†Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 61). Jurgis’ confidence is more telling about the environment than his own strength, showing his acknowledgement of the dangers to less strong men. These subtle descriptions in attitude give credibility to Sinclair’s choice of title. No sooner after twisting his ankle at work does the once-strong Jurgis realize the forces that he’s indebted himself to have no sympathy for his predicament. Although the injury was caused by leaping out of the way from out-of-control cattle, the company declares Jurgis’ injury to be his own fault. Forced to rest at home with no means to earn money while other strong-bodied men replace him, the bank eventually forecloses on his home, only to resell to another eager family that shared Jurgis’ optimism. Realizing this truth, Jurgis’ father Anatanas is just as resolute to help provide for the family. He takes up a job in a pickling-basement with poor air quality and contact with poisonous chemicals, which ultimately leads to his death. Lack of sympathy is a common theme which helps Sinclair paint the picture of an unforgiving environment, where people come and go, processed much like cattle. Sinclair’s title is appropriate given the ways people are treated when an accident happens. Similar tragic fates befall the rest of Jurgis’ extended family that enter work in the meatpacking district. Realizing their home will be increasingly difficult to afford when deciding to have a child with Jurgis, Ona must work in the meatpacking district. If a strong man like Jurgis can be broken by the working and living conditions, it is no surprise that Ona is also broken by the system, being raped by her boss and unable to do anything about it because of his favor with politicians and lawmen. â€Å"Ona’s account of her rape tells of her realization of the way one is powerless: â€Å"He told me – he would have me turned off. He told he would – we would all of us lose our places. We could never get anything to do – here – again. He – he meant it – he would have ruined us† (181). Ona’s conviction, giving excuse to her own rape to be able to keep working, gives further credibility to the environment that Sinclair chooses as the basis for his title. If Jurgis and his family are put in danger by the jobs and debts they take on to support themselves, it will surprise the reader that those institutions meant to protect the people are absent in their duty. In fact, the labor unions and politics are equally as wild in The Jungle. Jurgis learns that unions are not always in the best interest of the worker when they decide to strike against the employer and form picket lines he must cross to make money his life so depends on. In a foreword written for The Jungle, author Christopher Phelps highlights this point writing â€Å"The union serves Jurgis and his family poorly, leaving the impression that unionization is futile and that the sole option for workers is to join the Socialist Party, distribute socialist literature, and vote Socialist candidates into political office† (p. 16). Although Phelps argues that Sinclair was too quick to dismiss the power of unions at the time, Sinclair’s tales of union encounters are appropriate because he highlights their close relationship with the businesses themselves. Sinclair highlights this connection when writing about Marija’s frustration after joining a union: â€Å"But only ten days after she had joined, Marija’s canning factory closed down, and that blow quite staggered them. They could not understand why the union had not prevented it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 125). Marija’s disappointment is significant because it highlights her ignorance by relying on an institution that can’t protect workers if business is slow. It is through Jurgis’ and Marija’s misunderstandings about these institutions that Sinclair uses as yet another lement to describe the harsh realities depicted by the title. Throughout his novel, Upton Sinclair tells numerous tragic tales of deceit, sickness, death and other losses that most of the characters never regain. When looking back at the reception the book received Sinclair lamented â€Å"I aimed for the public’s heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach. † Although The Jungle was a success, the public was more revolted by horrid ways in which their food was being processed. Sinclair’s novel, which called for social reforms to protect the working class from such threats as predatory lending, child exploitation and other downfalls of capitalist greed, was more successful in protecting the public from unsafe food when the Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 were passed in its wake. Upon initial inspection of the novel, the reader may be left wondering how the tragedies of Jurgis and his family are left ignored but the very themes Sinclair explores explain the unexpected reception he achieved. The instinct to fend for oneself explains the public’s ignorance when privileging their own consumption over the lives of the workers. The readers of Sinclair’s book demonstrated this same instinct by reacting to their own concerns. Thus, Sinclair’s title perfectly suits the premise of the book because whether the reader connects to Sinclair’s intended call for social change or fends for them by caring more about food safety, they have demonstrated their own similarity to the characters in the environment he warns about.

Essay on Baseball, the American Dream

Essay on Baseball, the American Dream Essay on Baseball, the American Dream Essay on Baseball, the American DreamStarting from ancient times people liked sports, along with historical development of human population, various types of sports appeared and the existing were transformed. Nowadays there are numerous types of sports and it is really easy to choose the one, appropriate exactly for concrete individual, taking into consideration his type of character, age, physical form, state of health and so on. For millions of teenagers as well as adult people baseball remains the only beloved sport in their lives. Further we will study the general information about this type of play, some facts from its historical background, cultural and social meaning, it is considered to have for America.Baseball – this is a bat-and-ball game, which is played between two teams, each of them consisting of nine players. â€Å"The offense attempts to score runs by hitting a ball thrown by the pitcher with a bat and moving counter-clockwise around a series of four bases: f irst, second, third, and home plate. A run is scored when a player advances around the bases and returns to home plate† (Block 15). Nowadays baseball is considered to be the integral part of America’s national leisure time. This game is rather old, it appeared around the early 1800s in America. Interesting is the fact, that at that time there were no unified rules, they could have some differences, depending on the concrete locality. Another specific detail was the absence of the commonly accepted type of bats for plating, so people used the variants, which were comfortable for them, sticks of bats. The name of Alexander Joy Cartwright is historically associated with the appearance of the first baseball field in 1845. In the same year, he issued a unified list of rules for baseball, which were further used in all regions. During those years, the players used variety of bats – they were of different size and length, some were heavy, others were lighter and so on. Soon most players came to the conclusion that bats should be with rounded barrels for easier use. â€Å"The bats could be no larger than 2.5 inches in diameter but they could be any length the players wanted. Ten years later in 1869, another rule was added stating the bats could be no longer than 42 inches in length† (Block 22). This length is still actual till nowadays. By the 1890s the concrete rules were issues, which regulated not only the play itself, but also the bats used. Nowadays, there are special uniforms, bats and other equipment for baseball available, as this type of sports really won the hearts of numerous people all over the world and of all ages.Most researches, taking into consideration the fact how wide spread is baseball and how much loved it is by its fans and players for many decades already, started to investigate the problem of cultural connection between baseball and American life. Often baseball game is closely related to the famous notion of America n Dream. Some scientist talk about â€Å"the increasing corporatization, changing material conditions, and technological improvements that have created the same disparities of wealth in the sport as in the society† (Block 48). Others find the reflection of social implications of women in baseball in the culture of the country. According to Elias, one of the scientists, who studied the relations between the vision of American Dream and playing baseball, â€Å"hard work is no guarantee of financial reward, gender and racial equality remain fictions, and injustice, political repression, and limited economic choices are reality for many Americans. Baseball represents the American Dream and reflects both the successes and failures of the American way (Riess 13). Finally the researcher concludes, that baseball has all the chances to contribute seriously to the formation of the egalitarian society and make the notion of American Dream more real.Viewing baseball from the social and cultural points of views helps partially to understand, why so many people adore this game, are fascinated by watching it and playing it. Baseball is considered to be a great combination of team- sports, at the same time integrating some features of non-teams sport activities. Thus it is often compared to tennis in this relation. Tennis players are taking part in duels, standing one opposite of the other, baseball could be considered a duel only for some period of the game, still being not less intense and attention attracting than that of tennis.Some people tend to criticize baseball for the lack of action, but in fact this is a huge mistake. They think that the action itself is when the ball is put into the play by the batter, others think, that action in baseball starts only as soon as one of the players gets a hit. Such conclusions could be made only by those, who are not really interested and involved into the game itself and are not able to realize that the real action in this game is the pitch. As soon as you view and follow each pitch, you will not be able to complain that there is not action in this game or the actions are too slow. In this relations baseball is even quicker than a football. The problem of those, who don’t like the game is that they simply don’t know it sufficiently enough to be able to get pleasure from at least watching it, moreover even playing it. Not all views of baseball are able to single out the differences between a curve ball and a fastball for example. And in reality each pitch – this is a strategy, and baseball is really a metal game along with physical abilities.There are a lot of professional and amazing baseball players nowadays, but my favorite is still Bryce Harper, professional baseball outfielder for Washington Nationals. He earned the Golden Spikes Award in 2010 and later on became the youngest player ever selected to All –Star-Game. Baseball analytics considered him to be the number two corner outfielder in the MLB.Overall, baseball is a great game a great sport activity, it has a long history, to could be without any doubts called one of the most â€Å"American† sports, as it is closely related to the history of our country, to its social development; baseball seems to have wide future perspectives and is absolutely not likely to lose its popularity and be forgotten. The beauty of baseball can not be understood by all usual watchers, there is a need to sink deeper into the rules, into the strategy of the game, into the game itself. The long baseball season is able to bring a lot of tension, a lot of fun, a lot of new discoveries, related to this game.

Quebec before and after the Quiet Revolution Research Paper

Quebec before and after the Quiet Revolution - Research Paper Example The origin of the Quite Revolution years was the Duplessis regime characterized by social conservation, isolation and generally negative autonomist stands3. The hopes and energies unleashed during the period of Quite Revolution shook the very foundation of Canada and the impact is still being felt up to date. In his reign as the Prime Minister of Quebec and the leader behind the Quite Revolution, Lesage introduced a slogan known as "Maitres chez nous" (Masters in our own house) which best represented his years as the leader of Quebec. The fundamental belief in Quebec, during the period of Quite Revolution, was that the French Canadians should not be contented with playing a second class responsibility in political, social and economical matters and that the fundamental aspect of the community development rested in the utilization of the distinct tool which was collectively controlled by the French Canadians: the state of Quebec, and hence in the denunciation of the anti-statism of th e past. In this regard the government of Lesage became the tool and the symbol of a whole people on the road to self-assertion. The Duplessis regime is largely challenged by many social scientists today. However, there is no doubt that the end of Duplessis regime and the succeeding election of Jean Lesage as the leader of Liberal party, introduced a period of massive changes and activities, which later amounted to a Revolution. Quebec Before 1960 Prior to the 1960s, Quebec was governed by Maurice Duplessis. Duplessis was a conservative and the leader of Union National Party. During his tenure as the government controller, election fraud and corruption was eminent and common practices in Quebec. Even though he was not supported Catholic Church as a whole as some Catholic clergies and Unions criticized him, Duplessis enjoyed enormous support from small towns and rural clergies sometimes even quoting the Union dominant Slogan â€Å"Le ciel est bleu† (the sky/ heaven is blue), â €Å"l'enfer est rouge† (hell is red) - which referred to Union National colors (red) and the Liberals (red)4. The liberals were accused of being pro-communist by the Union. The newspaper Le Devoir, Radio Canada and political journal Cite’ Libre were intellectual forum for Duplessis critics5. Prior to the Quite Revolution, Quebec’s natural resources were mainly developed by foreign investors. For example iron mining was done by Iron Company of Canada which was based in U.S. in 1949 a group of asbestos miners engaged in a three month strike. The strike led to the formation of Quebecer miners united which opposes the foreign corporation nationalists system and the Catholic Clergies who backed the American company (l 1998). The voice of the miners did not go unnoticed and they received support from Monsignor Charbonneau, Bishop of Montreal, group of intellectual individuals, Quebecois nationalist newspaper and many other groups and individuals who were mainly oppose d to the Duplessis system of governance. Until the mid 20th century, quite a number of Francophone Quebec workers lived below poverty line and did not have an opportunity to join the executive class of businessmen in their province6. For some reasons, the death of Duplessis in 1959, followed by the death of Paul Sauve, his successor, elicited the start of the Quite Revolut

Knowledge management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Knowledge management - Essay Example cess of KM formation involves creation, capture, storage and distribution of knowledge or information, needed for the organization during appropriate times. KMS will aid the leaders in the overall functioning of the organization and will provide them a good back up to all their strategies. Actually, these ‘systems’ by backing up the leaders will optimize their performance and it will directly show in the optimum performance of the employees. So, this paper will analyze this theme of Knowledge Management using the article titled Knowledge Management featured in the magazine, The Economist, and how that it is vital for the employee and organizational success. The article starts off with the words by renowned management guru, Peter Drucker, who in 1980’s itself hypothesized that that Knowledge Management will be a key process in future for the optimum functioning of the organizations. â€Å"The typical business [of the future] will be knowledge-based, an organisation composed largely of specialists who direct and discipline their own performance through feedback from colleagues, customers and headquarters. For this reason it will be what I call an information-based organisation.† (The Economist).So, Knowledge Management will raise the efficiency level of the leaders, aid them in actualizing an optimal organizational environment and thereby will enrich the knowledge and skill of the employees. Focusing on the importance of employees in the process of Knowledge Management, the article opines that the ‘content’ that is developed and stored in the heads and hearts of the employees need to be optimally used for optim izing organizational functioning. The article further states that the effective knowledge of the workers will become valuable assets or properties for the organization. So they need to be further developed and various forms of that knowledge also need to be preserved through technological means. â€Å"They had become properties whose most valuable asset

Early Intervention Essay Example for Free

Early Intervention Essay Early intervention is essential to achieve the best possible outcome for the child. However multi-agency working is important too, when all the professionals involved with a child share information and co-operate with each other lives can be improved and even saved. Baby P is an example of multi-agencies not working together properly, early intervention and working together will help prevent more unnecessary deaths. Early years practitioners can provide information for local services which may be helpful to disadvantaged or vulnerable families, we can work together with social workers, health professionals and even DHSS by helping to complete forms for additional benefits the family may be entitled to. The best interest of the child is always the priority, policies and guidance must also be followed when a referral is being made to an outside agency. Working together for the benefit of the child. Early intervention is also at the heart of the Governments national strategy on child poverty. They hope to provide support and de-stigmatise services, provide more health visitors for Sure Start Children’s Centres and are providing an Early Intervention Grant for local authorities to invest in addressing their local needs. The impact of all these measures for early intervention, will hopefully be a more stable society with less children in workless homes. Parents will be able to work and support their children, providing better homes, healthier food and a stable home life. Children will appreciate their education and strive to achieve their full potential. They will be safer, healthier and hopefully happier. They will have access to facilities to improve their health and well-being as well as their physical, social emotional development. Services will be in place to provide support to families in need, helping families stay together and become more stable. By 2020 our society will have changed for the better if the Governments strategy works.

Workplace Bullying: Literature Review

Workplace Bullying: Literature Review Workplace Bullying Table of Contents Introduction: Aim of This Study: Background for this Study: The Research Problem 1. Defining the effects of bullying 2. Sensitivity of the subject 3. Categories of bullying behaviour Methodology Literature Review: Does Workplace Violence Encompass Physical as well as Emotional Violence? How Bullied Persons Are Seen: What is a Bully Like? What Does Bullying Do to An Organization? Bullying and Workplace Violence: Fundamental Features and Categories of Bullying: Features of bullies: Types of Bullying: Bullying at Schools: Bullying at Workplaces: Cyberspace: Effects of bullying: Analysis: Negative Behaviors: Nature of Bullying: Causes of Bullying: Workplace Environments: Personality of an Individual in Relation to his or her Workplace: Bullying Negates Productivity at the Workplace: Can A Manager Be A Bully? Dictatorial Management Cannot Achieve the Best Results: Survey Results: Conclusion: References: Appendix: People in this modern world have generally become more aware of their surroundings and the ways that they should be treated. They are generally more aware of their self-esteem and their value in society than they were in the past. One reason for this may be because in recent decades there has been more emphasis on things like human rights and equality of all individuals. With particular emphasis on working conditions, people are generally aware of how they should be treated and what sorts of conditions they should be allowed to work in. From a general viewpoint, one may think that this only refers to working conditions such as the physical environment that should not have any hazards in it. The reason for this thought is due to the fact that there have been several cases in the past in which employees were given hazardous conditions to work under. In contrast to this, people are more aware of these past problems, and probably would not hesitate to object to any hazards in workplaces today. In contrast to having asserted the awareness that people might have regarding workplaces hazards, there are several individuals who may not realize that they are still facing workplace problems and end up not objecting to problems around them. Also, some individuals who are aware may not be able to oppose these forces, and thus, are compelled to work under these conditions. Some working conditions may not necessarily be hazardous in the conventional sense, but they may be considered as inappropriate for employees if they suffer stress because of them. One particular type of workplace hazard is known as ‘bullying’, and may be carried out by superiors as well as colleagues[1]. Statistics reflect more than 2 million people at work feeling bullied (Andrea Adams Trust 2005). One in four people say that they have been bullied at least once in the past 5 years. With these statistics, it is further said that workplace bullying results in a loss of 18.9 million working days and à ‚ £4 billion[2]. This is because those being bullied tend to be absent from work more often. In addition to loss experienced in industries in terms of days and revenue, there is evidence of high levels of stress in individuals being bullied. Yet, it is not easy to evaluate workplace bullying, and this is because of the difficulty in precisely defining what workplace bullying is. There are several definitions of ‘bullying’, but none are agreed on. However, some of these are interesting and do help to gain significant insight to the problem. According to Stale Einarsen (1999), it is suggested that †¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"bullying occurs when someone at work is systematically subjected to aggressive behaviour from one or more colleagues or superiors over a long period of time, in a situation where the targets finds it difficult to defend himself or herself or to escape the situation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ [3] According to the above definition, bullying might be described as a process through which individuals feel intimidated by someone who uses their strength and power to hurt and frighten them. The presence of this person makes them feel vulnerable and uncomfortable to the extent that it stresses or de-motivates people at their work. In other words, it is a systematic approach through which an individual corners another, and there is no escape unless one escapes the system. Recent research in the UK conducted in the form of surveys and UK cases have highlighted the importance of exposing ‘bullying’. This is because there is significant evidence to prove that it causes anxiety that leads people to suffer physical and mental distress. These are believed to be direct results of bullying in the workplace. It is estimated that in the UK, six million working days are lost annually due to stress caused by bullying, job insecurity, shift work and long hours[4]. According to Cary Cooper (2000), people that reported being bullied had the poorest health, the lowest work motivation, the highest absenteeism figures as well as the lowest productivity compared with those who were not bullied. In addition to this, based on research in Sweden, Heinz Leyman (1993,1996) firstly introduced the concept of mobbing (bullying) as a relentless form of harassment in organisations. Theoretically, it could be asserted that bullying is an extreme type of social stressor at work that works in a system. It may be then said that bullying is a long lasting harassment, systematically aimed at a target person.[5] Having acknowledged the tremendous loss that bullying causes an industry, the UK Government believes that employees should have the rights to work in an environment without being bullied and harassed. In order to combat bullying in the workplace, the UK legal framework gives employees the rights, which protect them from any form of unreasonable treatment wit hin the work place. Keeping the above statistics in mind, this project is concerned with the effects of bullying in workplaces on individuals. It will also explore the nature and causes of bullying at work. Most studies regard bullying as a unified phenomenon, in spite of the fact that different kinds of behaviours are involved.[6] It may be asserted here that these behaviours make individuals feel intimidated and occur in different situations and cross gender, age, and race of individuals. The intimidation and anxiety caused by bullying creates stress and stress related illnesses. The aims of the proposed study are outlined below: What type of negative behaviours that makes individuals feel bullied at their workplace? Explore the nature and causes of workplace bullying. Examine the effects of bullying on individuals. According to Andrea Adams in â€Å"Bullying at work† published in 1992 bullying at work is like â€Å"a malignant cancer and the disturbing manifestations of adult bullying†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (Adams et al 2000, p.9) Andrea Adams, broadcaster and journalist, was the first person to recognise the significance of workplace bullying, and her book â€Å"Bullying at Work†, remains a landmark in this field. Adams suggests that bullying occurs when â€Å"professional abrasiveness becomes tainted with an element of personal vindictiveness† (Adams et al 2000, p32). Bullying is a sustained form of psychological abuse and often radiates from a senior person taking what they feel is strong management. However, bullying may not always come from a senior person in the workplace. It is thought that individuals may be singled out by a number of colleagues for various reasons. Debrah Lee (1998), who has been researching workplace bullying, argues the emergence of workplace bullying as being a problem or whether it should be considered to be an interpretation for an existing problem. She demonstrates that workplace bullying is an interpretation for a range of unfair work practices. She identifies workplace bullying as: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ Persistent, offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviours, abuse of power or unfair penal sanctions which makes the recipient feel upset, threatened or humiliated or vulnerable, which undermines their self confidence and which may cause them to suffer stress†¦taking credits for another persons idea, ignoring or excluding an individual by talking only to a third party to isolate another, spreading malicious rumours, persistent criticisms†¦[7]. Therefore, it could be said that bullying encompasses various kinds of negative behaviors. There have been a range of debates around the nature and causes of workplace bullying. Stale Einarsen (1999) suggests that bullying may be used in a joking manner describing good natured horseplay or refer to minor events of aggressive behaviour that tend to be easily accepted and tolerated. In this scientific study, the concept refers to rather specific phenomenon where hostile or aggressive behaviour, whether physical or non-physical, are factors of stigmatisation and victimisation of the recipient.[8] However, Dieter Zapf (1999) categorises five different types of bullying behaviour. They are: Work related bullying which may include changing your work tasks or making them difficult to perform; social isolation personal attacks on your private life by ridicule, insulting remarks, gossip or the like; verbal threats of such violence Physical violence or threats of such violence. (Adopted for use quoted in Zapf 1999; source Stale Einarsen 1999) Zapf (1999) argues theoretically that bullying is an extreme type of social stressor at work. It is a long lasting escalating practice aimed at a target person. There is inadequate research and it is difficult to prove the causes and effect of bullying. It emerges that multiple causes of bullying have to be taken into consideration, and that bullying can be caused for various reasons. 1. Defining the effects of bullying One of the main problems of finding out the effects of bullying is â€Å"stress†. Estimates of the cost of stress and stress related illnesses range from  £5 billion (TUC) to  £7 billion (IPD) to  £12 billion (CBI) each year. Stress can be caused from a variety of reasons. (www.bullyonline.co.uk) (11/11/05) Christine Hudson (2001) defines stress as: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ literally a pressure of force exerted on an object. The emotional state that occurs when an individual believes that they do not have the resources to deal with a situation or series of events†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (Hodson 2001, p: 144). Beehr Franz (1987) suggest that â€Å"stress† has commonly been defined in three ways: as an environmental stimulus often described as a force applied to the individual, as an individual’s psychological or physical response to such an environmental force (Warr 2002, ch: 8 p: 204). If the cause of stress could actually be pinpointed to an individual’s workplace, it would be convenient to study how s/he may have been bullied. 2. Sensitivity of the subject Bullying is a sensitive topic and people may be in denial or embarrassed because of the fact that they are being bullied. Not everyone will admit that they have a problem and some may not be aware that they are being bullied. Hence, it is a very sensitive area. Precautions must be taken when research is carried out. 3. Categories of bullying behaviour Different theorists have different perceptions of categories of bullying behaviours. Also, individuals have different perceptions of defining what negative behaviour is. The literature review and analysis will help to reveal what authors have to say about different categories of bullying. The method selected for this research paper consists of a quantitative as well as a qualitative approach. Both approaches will help to collect as much data as possible. Qualitative data will be obtained though pertinent journals, books, studies, magazines and newspapers, all presented in a literature review that will be analysed. Quantitative data will be obtained through a survey consisting of 50 participants. A range of questions will be presented to them, and the accumulative answers to these questions will be analysed. In addition to this, the quantitative data will be discussed with regard to the literature review as well. This quantitative method has been selected because a questionnaire will provide the opportunity to seek answers to questions in a larger quantity. Advantages: Questions are designed so that answers from the individuals’ interviews can be added together to produce results, which apply to the whole sample. The research is based on interviews with a representative sample of respondents. The questions are designed to be unbiased Large survey can often be broken down Surveys lend themselves to future replication. Disadvantage: Data becomes the main focus of the research issues. The data provide snapshots of points in time rather than a focus on the underlying process processes and changes. The researcher is often not in a position to check first hand the understandings of the respondents to the questions asked. Issues of truthfulness and accuracy are thereby raised. The survey relies on breadth rather than depth for its validity. This is crucial issue for small-scale researchers.[9] Making use of primary data (Surveys, focus group interviews) and secondary data (journals, databases, case studies, books, newspapers etc.), the clients aim is to find out what types of negative behaviours make people feel bullied at the workplace. This data will also help to reveal the nature and causes of workplace bullying. Analyzing the survey data against the reviewed literature and the analysis will prove interesting. It is through this comparison that one will be able to tell whether the literature reviewed has any similarities shared with the results of the survey. It is expected that there would be similarities, and it is interesting to observe how significant these similarities are. Bullying at a workplace can very easily be likened to bullying in schools. The difference between the two types of bullying is that each of them takes place in different age brackets. Bullying at a workplace is similar to bullying at school because it takes place within an institution that works as an arena within which bullying can be sustained. It is often thought that bullies at schools tend to do the same thing at workplaces when they grow up. This is perhaps because their behaviors may have been ignored by superiors and cheered on by classmates. As a result, the will to dominate continues as they grow up. Some bullies target their victims because they feel the need to control a situation or an environment while others have a natural urge to dominate without any specific reason. Whether bullying takes place at the school level or in a workplace, it has often been noted that insecure individuals exemplify these behaviors. Does Workplace Violence Encompass Physical as well as Emotional Violence? According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) (1999), one of the severest problems being faced at workplaces is physical as well as emotional violence. The ILO defines workplace violence as: â€Å"any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. These behaviors would originate from customers, co-workers at any level of the organization. This definition would include all forms or harassment, bullying, intimidation, physical threats/assaults, robbery and other intrusive behaviors.†[10] This definition is also said to encompass bullying. According to CUPEs National Health and Safety Survey of Aggression Against Staff (1994) a similar definition to the previous one is observed, verbal aggression and harassment in its definition of violence is: â€Å"Any incident in which an employee is abused, threatened or assaulted during the course of his/her employment. This includes the application of force, threats with or without weapons, severe verbal abuse and persistent sexual and racial harassment.†[11] Definitions such as this one may also encompass bullying. In order to establish a connection between these definitions of physical and emotional violence, and bullying, the following case is important. An employee of OC Transpo in Ottawa (April 6 1999) shot 4 employees dead, after which he shot himself. It was said that the employee had suffered from workplace harassment. The definition of workplace violence that had to be included in the coroner’s examination had to include definitions of physical violence as well as psychological violence[12]. Psychological violence or emotional violence includes acts such as bullying, mobbing, teasing, ridicule or any word or deed that could psychologically harm or single out an individual person in the workplace. From the inclusion of emotional violence in the definition of workplace violence, it can be asserted that definition is very broad. Such a definition has helped to encompass several behaviors that are objectionable and are recognized as harmful to employees (Einarsen, 2002, 25-30). How Bullied Persons Are Seen: Usually, those who are bullied are seen as weak individuals or individuals that are different and singled-out. As opposed to the way that bullied person might be seen generally, s/he might well be a capable person, and one that handles his or her work independently. Quite often, such individuals are also well liked by their co-workers. However, bullies may pick on such individuals who may have a non-confrontative interpersonal style. Bullies may see the target as a threat, and set out to cut the target down. A bully of this kind may be a superior or even a co-worker. A co-worker may bully another worker because the target is considered one that is capable of excelling in his or her duties. A superior on the other hand may want to bully an employee in order to keep the target’s personality in check. This may be done in order to create or reinforce an impression of the superior being in control. Some superiors do take pleasure in bullying their employees in order to, in typical terms, show them who is the boss. What is a Bully Like? Bullies are usually insecure individuals, lacking social skills. The have little compassion for individuals in general, but tend to be harsh on individuals whom they decide to target. Bullies generally try to turn their insecurity outwards by targeting others. They take pleasure in knowing that they can throw their weight around. They use their positions to attack fully capable individuals around them by subjecting them to undue criticism. A bully may also tend to humiliate, ignore and isolate a target in front of others[13]. If the bully is in a senior position, s/he may make things difficult for the target or victim to work through. This would include setting up tasks that cannot realistically be achieved[14]. A bully may also take away important tasks from a target and replace them with demeaning ones. No matter what a bully does to intimidate a target, the basic idea is to control situations and environments. What Does Bullying Do to An Organization? Bullied employees tend to waste anywhere between 10 to 52 % of their work time. Many of them spend time preparing themselves against bullies, searching for support, thinking over the situation, and suffering stress and demotivation[15]. Many of them also do not show up for work regularly due to stress and stress-related illnesses caused. A work environment in which employees are bullied is poisoned with lack of morale, anger, fear, depression, and related feelings. All this results in an employer suffering: loss of efficiency, absenteeism, high turnover of staff, and lawsuits[16]. Not only does an employer suffer because of bullying in a workplace, but bullying has an impact on the target’s family and friends as well. The daily stress that an individual suffers is carried to relatives and friends. A target’s marriage is also likely to suffer as well with long-term stress. Friendships too come under strain because a target may become possessive (Badzmierowski Dufresne, 2005). The damages caused by bullying also impact the healthcare system. This is because those who suffer stress through bullying tend to receive medication and counseling for coping with the problem, and these could last for significant periods. Bullying and Workplace Violence: Workplace violence is a practice that might be physical or emotional. This means that the tactics used in the process may be physical or emotional. Bullying is one of the tactics considered under workplace violence. Encompassing the emotional tactics used in workplace violence are: bullying, incivility, disrespect, psychological abuse, and emotional harassment. All these tactics may also be referred to as ‘psycho terror. Whichever way one chooses to define and describe these various aspects of workplace violence, they all have the same impact. This is to say that they all result in work time being lost, demotivated employees, medical claims, legal fees, and ultimately, company decline. Quite obviously, there are tremendous losses experienced in terms of both financial loss and in quality of life (Badzmierowski Dufresne, 2005). Focusing more on bullying as a tactic of emotional workplace violence, it can be asserted that bullying is any form of negative behavior that shows disregard for other workers. It might be asserted here that along with there being several definitions for bullying presented by various scholars, there are also several behaviors that may coincide or overlap bullying behaviors. However, it can also be asserted that bullying and other overlapping practices are emotional workplace violence. Bullying is thought to consist of some of the following negative behaviors: Harassment Incivility Teasing Gossiping Purposely withholding business information Overruling decisions without a rationale Sabotaging team efforts Demeaning others Verbal intimidation (Badzmierowski Dufresne, 2005) In addition to the above types of bullying, there are several more that may be included. The different types of bullying that can occur do so in an organization that tolerates incivility. Though organizations may be aware of the damages that bullying does to an organization, responses to the problem are insufficient. Many managers ignore incivility because they either do not want to get involved or they simply believe that it is too much of a waste of time getting involved. Managers sometimes like to keep their slates as clean as possible. So they would rather avoid getting themselves into any interpersonal conflict. In addition to managers not wanting to get into interpersonal conflicts, many of them may not even hear of any problems in the workplace. This could be for various reasons. Perhaps their co-ordination is insufficient and the opportunity for employees to bring up these kinds of problems does not arise. Some employees might feel that they would be going way beyond expected territory if they were to take complaints forward (Badzmierowski Dufresne, 2005). Another reason why managers may not hear about bullying at the workplace is because employees are afraid to bring these issues up even if the opportunities do arise. Employees may be afraid to bring bullying matters up because there are organizations that would regard these complaints as personal disputes and they may not be seen as the concern of the management. It might be asserted here that this could occur because managers know that employees would not take these matters too far even if they were to get serious. However, targeted employees have been known to bring lawsuits against companies for bullying. In the UK, there is legal support for employees that feel bullied, as the UK suffers a loss of several working days and revenue due to workplace bullying. The matter is a serious one, and so is the legal protection of targeted employees in the UK. Though there is legal protection available for targeted employees, there are organizations that permit or even reward blatant confrontation among employees. This is done in the name of competition within organizations. However, there are lines that need to be drawn and if rude language and negative behaviors are overlooked, an organization can suffer intensely. â€Å"Research shows that when targets believe that someone at work has treated them disrespectfully, half will lose work time worrying about future interactions with the instigator, and half will contemplate changing jobs to avoid a recurrence. One-fourth of research respondents who feel that they have been treated uncivilly will intentionally cut back their work efforts. A few will steal from their instigators or their organizations. Some will sabotage equipment. Most will tell friends, family and colleagues about how badly they have been treated†¦in the worst case, some targets of incivility will exit† (Pearson and Porath 2005). Fundamental Features and Categories of Bullying: According to common terms, bullying is known as a type of harassment, carried out by one child over another who is seen as weaker. With this common view of bullying in mind, there are three common features in this form of behavior: It is aggressive and negative, both The behavior is sustained There is in inequality in power of the bully and the target, with the bully having more power (Einarsen, 2002, 25-30) There are also two main categories into which bullying falls. These are: Direct and Indirect bullying, which may also be called aggression Direct bullying is common among males. Indirect bullying is common among females and children. Indirect bullying usually results in the target becoming socially isolated. There are several ways through which this may be achieved. Some of the ways include: gossip, ignoring the target in public, treating those who mix with the target in the same manner, and finding fault with the target’s style of dressing and various other social belonging that the target may have, such as his or her religion, race, disability, etc. Bullying can take place in almost any type of set up. It is known to commonly take place in schools, colleges, universities, workplaces, in neighborhoods, and even between countries. No matter where bullying takes place, it must be noted that the element of power has an important role to play, and the power structure seems to be of great importance (Einarsen, 2002, 25-30). To observers of a relationship in which bullying takes place, the power a bully has is dependant on the perception a target has of the bully. The target usually is afraid to defend him or herself effectively. In many cases, a target has reason to be intimidated. S/he may fear the bully may carry out threatened actions such as physical/sexual violence, or loss of livelihood. Features of bullies: There are few notable characteristics of bullying, particularly in male bullies. These include the need for a bully to feel in control and be powerful, sadism, which is a situation where a bully gets satisfaction at watching another person suffer, complete lack of consideration for others, and a particular pattern according to which they work in order to blame the target (Einarsen, 2002, 25-30). Quite commonly, an individual’s upbringing is blamed for the way that a bully behaves. It is thought that a bully may have been brought up in an abusive environment where s/he might have been exposed to physical forms of punishment at home, little or no parental concern, and an environment in which violence has been used as a way of sorting out problems. Other research reveals that aggressiveness and forceful behaviors, perceiving other’s behaviors as aggressive, a drive to preserve one’s image, and demonstration of obsessive actions are also observed[17]. Types of Bullying: Bullying, whether a male or a female carries it out, may be considered to be an obsessive and compulsive behavior. This behavior has repeated actions or verbal insults that are used in order to have power over a target (Einarsen, 2002, 25-30). There is also a mixture of intimidation and humiliation used against targets. Some examples of bullying techniques are given below: Name-calling often using the target’s or victim’s names; commonly, the target is accused of being useless in all s/he does Gossiping about the target Stealing items that belong to the victim Unjustly demoting a victim Use of threats to get a victim to do what a bully wants Cyberbullying; this includes making use of various information technologies to bully a victim Physically assaulting a person or his or her property Blackmail Framing a victim before an authority figure Use of insulting remarks against a victims family, about ones home, personal appearance, sexual orientation, religion, race, income level, or nationality Ignoring or Isolating a victim Interfering with a victims personal belongings, and damaging them or using them to mock a victim Dominating a victim by staring Insulting graffiti[18] When bullying occurs in school

Religious Discrimination Essay

Religious discrimination under Title VII as defined by the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) involves treating a person unfavorably because of his or her religious beliefs. The law protects not only people who belong to traditional, organized religions but also others who have sincerely held religious, ethical or moral beliefs. The law forbids discrimination on the basis of religion in any and all aspects of employment. This includes hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, and benefits. Title VII also prohibits workplace segregation based on religion, such as assigning an employee to a non-customer contact position because of actual or presumed customer preference. Title VII also addresses reasonable accommodation in relation to religion. The law requires that the employer must reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs or practices, unless doing so would cause more than a minimal burden on the employers business. For example, if an employee needs to be off work on Sunday mornings to regularly attend church services it would be the responsibility of the employer to reasonably attempt to accommodate this need. An accommodation for this could include paying another employee to cover the Sunday morning shift, even if it requires paying overtime. Or the employer could hire an additional employee to be able to cover the shift. Since Title 7 of the United States Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 there have been several judicial decisions that have molded the way this law in interpreted and applied. The first such court case that I came across was the case of Welsh V. United States which brought into question what types of beliefs can be used to obtain conscientious objector status when being selected to go to war. In this case the prosecutor was convicted of refusing to accept induction into the armed forces; he did claim conscientious objector status but did not base this decision off religion. He did not claim to believe in a deity that would morally keep him from fighting in a war, he instead asserted his own personal moral opposition to any conflict in which people are being killed. He alleged that the sincerity of his belief should qualify him for exemption from military duty under the Universal Military Training and Service Act. The Act allowed only those people whose opposition to the war was based on religious beliefs to be declared conscientious objectors. However in a 5-3 decision the court allowed Welsh to be declared a conscientious objector even though his opposition was not based on religious convictions. The implication this case has on Human Resources Management is that HR personnel must be aware of the broad scope of beliefs that will be protected under Title 7. Whereas before this case only majorly defined religions such as Judaism and Catholicism would be protected you now see religions such as scientology seeking protection under the law. Another relevant case would be Seshadri v. Kasraian which established that an employee bringing a religious discrimination claim does not need to belong to an established church. Another case that has shaped this law and impacted human resource management was Campos v. City of Blue Springs. In April 1996 Campos was hired as a crisis counselor for the Blue Springs Police Department’s Youth Outreach Program (YOU). At the time she did not have the advanced degree as required by the written job description, but her supervisor told her that she would have until February 1997 to obtain her degree and guarantee her position. She was also guaranteed via verbal contract that she would be paid an extra $10,000 per year for support group work, she would be a team leader within three months, and she would be an assistant director within six months of starting her full-time employment. She began working in October 1996, enjoying her job until she disclosed to her supervisor that she observes tenets of Native American Spirituality, not Christianity. Campos claimed that immediately her supervisor’s behavior towards her changed; she was unfriendly and critical, excluded her from employee meetings, and told her that she may not have been a good fit for the job. After failing to show up to work due to attending a mandatory meeting to obtain her dissertation, which was required by her employer, Campos received so much scrutiny from her supervisor that she resigned. After her resignation, Campos filed suit against the City, alleging that she suffered from employment discrimination based upon her religion, sex, and national origin. The charges of sex and national origin discrimination were eliminated, and the case was submitted to the jury on the theory that Campos was constructively discharged because of her religion. On April 13, 2001, the jury awarded Campos $79,200 for back pay and compensatory damages. The district court denied the City’s Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law, or in the Alternative, for a New Trial, and awarded Campos’s attorneys 90,556. 20 in fees and $11,825. 41 in expenses. This case has implications on Human Resources Management today because it establishes that employment decisions cannot be made based on whether or not an employee or potential employee agrees or disagrees with the employers religious views. One relevant business that comes to mind is Chik Fil A and their openly Christian beliefs. Even though they include Christian values in the core content of their mission statement and business plan they know that they cannot make any employment decisions based on religious affiliation. In Eatman V.  United Parcel Service in 2002 the company’s policy of requiring its drivers that had unconventional hairstyles to wear hats was called into question. The plaintiff was required by the company to wear a hat while on the clock because his hairstyle of choice was dreadlocks, a hairstyle where sections of hair are hand-rolled together in tight, interwoven spirals. After putting â€Å"a lot of thought† into the decision, Eatman, who is black, began wearing locks in February 1995 as â€Å"an outward expression of an internal commitment to his Protestant faith as well as his Nubian belief system. At this same time he also became enlightened about locked hair and its connection to African identity and heritage. The position that his supervisor at UPS took on his hair was that the company uses common sense to determine which hairstyles are not businesslike; he finds ponytails, Mohawks, green hair, â€Å"carved† shapes, and locked hair—short or long—unacceptable. And there were currently 19 other drivers at this particular UPS that were required to wear hats to cover their unconventional hairstyles, including others that had dreadlocks. Even though Eatman claimed that the policy was discriminatory the jury did not rule in his favor. It was ruled that Eatman’s hairstyle was dictated by a personal choice. Nowhere in his religious texts did it dictate in any way that followers of the faith must wear their hair uncovered in dreadlocks. The implications of this case are actually pro employer and pro Human Resource Manager. It shows that not every claim that an employee makes based off of religious need has to be immediately catered to. There are cases where the request can be frivolous and off topic of religion, in which case the employer does not need to go out of their way to make accommodations. Another very interesting court case that I came across was EEOC v. Union Independiete De La Autoridad De Acueductos y Alcantarillados De Puerto Rico. I found this case to be very interesting because it stipulates that employees cannot pick and choose which parts of their religion they wish to follow and which ones they do not. In this case the issue was whether or not a Seventh – day Adventist’s objection to union membership was the product of a sincerely held belief. Although the religious foundation of the Seventh – day Adventist faith’s opposition to union membership has long been recognized, there was evidence that this employee often acted in a manner inconsistent with his professed religious beliefs. He was divorced, took an oath before a notary upon becoming a public employee, worked five days a week (instead of the six days required by his faith), and there was some evidence that the alleged conflict between his beliefs and union membership was a moving target. This case seemed important because is forces the employee to prove that religion is vital part of their life. It keeps them from claiming that they are Christian for the sole purpose of being off on Christmas, or from claiming that they are Catholic only to be off on Easter. It not only keeps people from faking being religious but it also helps to ensure the sanctity of those who actually are as religious as they claim to be. And the final court case that I found addresses sincerely held beliefs that have not always been there but can conceivably come about. In the case of E. E. O. C. v. Ilona of Hungary, Inc. an employee sincerely believed that she should refrain from working on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur even though she had not frequently celebrated Jewish holidays in the past. Her rise in faith was brought on by recent family events such as the passing of her mother-in-law and father, the birth of her son, and her husband’s rising faith. The court decided that these were significant enough to have caused a change in lifestyle and that she did believably have a real change of faith. After reviewing all of the cases mentioned above, along with numerous others, I have found that the topic of religion isn’t nearly as â€Å"black and white† as most would assume. There are many grey areas: What constitutes religion, how do you know if someone legitimately believes in their religion, and what aspects of someone’s lifestyle are pertinent to their claimed religion are just a few examples of where courts have to make a decision that will affect the way this topic is viewed for years to come. With the world become more and more diversified every day the topic of religion and all others under title 7 will continue to be tested and pushed to their limits. It is the job of the Human Resources Management team to be on high alert of potential discrimination cases and have all employees properly trained on these matters to ensure it does not happen at their company.

Racial Ethnic And Religious Profiling in the U.S. Essay

In the United States, ‘The land of the Free’, racial profiling of minority groups seems all too common. Many Americans believe that law enforcement as well as many other people often discriminates on minority groups simply because of their color of their skin. Civil rights activist and many leaders of minority groups are pressuring Enforcement agencies to eliminate racial and ethnic profiling during traffic stops and supposed random pedestrian stops. However, many law enforcement representatives claim that the complaints about these activities are overstated and are simply in the heads of the accusers. As a nation with a history of racial slavery and racial segregation, particularly towards any group that is not Anglo-American or fair skinned, African-Americans have long complained of racial profiling. Although racial slavery has been over for over one hundred years, and segregation that ended over fifty years ago, there is still tension between many people over race. Hispanics and Muslims are two other ethnic groups that feel the racial profiling, often being suspected of being terrorists or being illegal immigrants. Racial profiling is not a new subject in America. Racial profiling dates back to the colonial days in America. The revolutionary era there was religious profiling of Quakers because they were seen as being unfaithful to the revolution. African Americans have been racially profiled since the days of Slavery. Mexicans and Latinos have been scrutinized and called out by law enforcement since around the time Texas gained its independence. 19th century immigration laws created ethnic and racial profiling against Asians and southern and eastern Europeans. In August of 1777 the Continental Congress ordered the arrests of multiple Quakers that were supposedly disloyal to the Revolution. The Continental Congress had no evidence, and there were no trials. Many of the prisoners were exiled to a Virginia jail. The captives were released from the imprisonment because of pleas from their families and from a few political leaders. During the Pre-Civil War era African-Americans made up about one sixth of the country’s population. The majority of those African-Americans were slaves, with the majority of them slaves in the South. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 had only a few things that protected actual free African-Americans. Slave hunters could legally capture the slaves that were able to escape. Free African-Americans had almost no immunity from being captured and treated as if they were runaway slaves. The new movie â€Å"12 Years a Slave† that recently came out in theatres shows how a free black man could be captured and sold into slavery without being able to prove their freedom, because of profiling any African-American as a slave. The end of slavery did not end the profiling of African-Americans. The Jim Crow era made segregation legal and seemingly right because of laws. The Jim Crow laws reinforced the belief that African-Americans were inferior to whites. Any African-Americans accused of committing a crime could be subject to unjust treatment by law enforcement and even unfair trials in court. One of the most heinous acts of racial profiling was the threat of racist vigilantes. According to the Tuskegee Institute, more than three thousand four hundred African-Americans were lynched from 1880 to 1950. Mexicans and Mexican-Americans were also victim to racial profiling since the days of the annexation of Texas from Mexico. In 1845 the Texas Rangers were formed and served as the nations first statewide police organization. According to the University of Texas’ del Carmen, the Texas Rangers committed many â€Å"brutal acts against Comanche tribes and thousands of Mexicans†. Many Mexican-Americans throughout the southwest United States and throughout most of Texas suffered from the same kind of racial segregation as African-Americans. In the 1930’s nearly 2 million Mexican-Americans were forced and aggressively pressured to leave the United States. In the late 19th century Federal immigration laws portrayed racial profiling by the national government. In 1875 one of the first Federal Immigration laws banned the entry of the country to many undesired Asian immigrants brought to the United States for forced labor and prostitution. In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act banned all immigration of Chinese laborers. Decades later the United States government put in action literacy tests to gain citizenship that were swayed to only help Europeans and not Asians or Latinos. On February 19th 1942 one of the most well known acts of racial profiling was committed. Under an executive order of president Franklin D. Roosevelt, the president ordered the internment of over 110,000 people mostly of Japanese descent following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The federal government believed that anyone of Japanese descent could be a threat to national security. Hundreds of thousands of innocent honest American citizens were forced into internment baffles me, considering that the government would never do that to White German-American citizens even though the main enemy of World War 2 was Germany. In the late 20th century racial and ethnic profiling became an important issue in the public eye. The African-American civil rights movement embodied the desire of African-Americans to be treated equally socially and under the treatment of law. After the Civil Rights movements, African-Americans and other minorities were being treated more fairly but still falling victim to racial profiling. The FBI and DEA perfected the â€Å"formal† art of racial profiling in the 1970’s. The DEA created a â€Å"profile† for supposed drug traffickers, which targeted African-Americans and people of Hispanic descent. The list of characteristics gave agents the right to randomly stop and search people matching the profile; legal racial profiling. In 1989 the Supreme Court granted permission to use those characteristics as probable cause to stop and search someone. Throughout the 1990’s racial profiling was an epidemic with law enforcement stops in the United States. Statistics show that African-Americans were the great majority of police drug stops. In Maryland during 1995, a man with the last name Wilkins filed a lawsuit against law enforcement to uncover hard evidence that African-Americans were being unfairly profiled. After a thorough investigation of the Maryland law enforcement, a state police â€Å"Criminal Intelligence Report† showed that there was a explicit profile for targeting African-Americans. The investigation actually uncovered that African-Americans were 72 percent of the stops made in the state. After the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001 there was a new group in the United States being racially profiled, Middle Easterners and Muslims. The federal government, as well as the many of the American public became suspicious of anyone of Middle Eastern descent or anyone who practiced the Muslim religion. Although the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful, many people as well as law enforcement began to racially profile them as â€Å"terrorist†. Even African-Americans and Latinos began to scrutinize innocent Middle Easterners. Although President George W. Bush promised to help end racial profiling because it was unconstitutional, following 9/11 the law enforcement began to profile even more than ever. The government focused on Arab Nationals and anyone who could possible have links to the terrorist group Al Qaeda. Immigration Authorities began rounding up hundreds of Middle Easterners for thorough questioning. Although they denied it, Airport screeners began giving special attention to anyone who appeared to be of Middle Eastern or Arabic descent. In 2003 the Bush administration issued a Racial Profiling guideline that stated racial profiling is okay as long as it is related to National Security. In 2008 the Barrack Obama administration and critics of racial profiling began to push for more legislation to prevent racial profiling. Being the first African-American President, it seemed as if times were changing as far as racial profiling stands in the United States. In 2009 the murder of African-American teenager Trayvon Martin griped the nation. The murder was a pure case of racial profiling by a vigilante in a predominantly white neighborhood. Martin’s murder George Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watchman was suspicious of Martin walking around his neighbor hood one evening. Zimmerman armed with his handgun, began stalking Martin and eventually confronted Martin, even though police dispatchers told Zimmerman not to. On Zimmerman’s 911 call he used racial slurs and clearly profiled Martin as a criminal because he was African-American. Eventually Zimmerman confronted Martin, the two got into a scuffle, and Zimmerman shot and killed the unarmed teen. After years of trial, the jury eventually acquitted Zimmerman of the murder charge claiming it was â€Å"self defense† even though Law enforcement told Zimmerman to not follow Martin and Zimmerman did anyways. The Trayvon martin murder is still a current issue that has the nation divided. After doing extensive research on the topic of Racial Profiling in the United States I have learned a lot about how far back and diverse racial profiling is. I believe that there will always be racial profiling as long as there are multiple races living in one country. Racial Profiling is simply human nature and cannot be undone by making laws or legislation. People subconsciously profile individuals based on their individual history and knowledge. People say â€Å"I don’t see color† but the fact of the matter is, everyone sees color. Even the victims of racial profiling are guilty of racially profiling others; whether or not they say it out loud people still think it. The only thing people can do is try there best to not act upon their assumptions of others based on race, and try their best to treat everyone equally regardless of what you may think initially. Its like the old saying, â€Å"Don’t Judge a book by its cover†.

Biography of Benito Mussolini, Italian Fascist Dictator

Biography of Benito Mussolini, Italian Fascist Dictator Benito Mussolini (July 29, 1883–April 28, 1945) served as Italy’s 40th prime minister from 1922 to 1943. As a close ally of Adolf Hitler during World War II, he is considered a central figure in the birth of European fascism. In 1943, Mussolini was replaced as prime minister and served as the head of the Italian Social Republic until his capture and execution by Italian partisans in 1945. Fast Facts: Benito Mussolini Known For: Mussolini was a fascist dictator who ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943.Also Known As: Benito Amilcare Andrea MussoliniBorn: July 29, 1883 in Predappio, ItalyParents: Alessandro and Rosa MussoliniDied: April 28, 1945 in Giulino, ItalySpouse(s): Ida Dalser (m. 1914), Rachelle Guidi (m. 1915-1945)Children: Benito, Edda, Vittorio, Bruno, Romano, Anna Maria Early Life Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was born on July 29, 1883, in Predappio, a hamlet above Verano di Costa in northern Italy. Mussolini’s father Alessandro was a blacksmith and an ardent socialist who scorned religion. His mother Rosa Maltoni was an elementary school teacher and a devout Catholic. Mussolini had two younger siblings: brother Arnaldo and sister Edvidge. Growing up, Mussolini proved to be a difficult child. He was disobedient and had a quick temper. Twice he was expelled from school for assaulting fellow students with a penknife. Despite all the trouble he caused, however, Mussolini still managed to obtain a diploma and even worked for a short time as a school teacher. Socialist Leanings Looking for better job opportunities, Mussolini moved to Switzerland in July 1902. There he worked a variety of odd jobs and spent his evenings attending local socialist party meetings. One of his jobs was working as a propagandist for a bricklayer trade union. Mussolini took a very aggressive stance, frequently advocated violence, and urged a general strike to create change, all of which led to him being arrested several times. Between his turbulent work at the trade union during the day and his many speeches and discussions with socialists at night, Mussolini soon made enough of a name for himself in socialist circles that he began writing and editing several socialist newspapers. In 1904, Mussolini returned to Italy to serve his conscription requirement in Italy’s peace-time army. In 1909, he lived for a short time in Austria working for a trade union. He wrote for a socialist newspaper and his attacks on militarism and nationalism resulted in his expulsion from the country. After he returned to Italy, Mussolini continued to advocate for socialism and develop his skills as an orator. He was forceful and authoritative, and while frequently wrong in their facts, his speeches were always compelling. His views and his oratory skills quickly brought him to the attention of his fellow socialists. On December 1, 1912, Mussolini began work as the editor of the Italian Socialist newspaper Avanti! Changing Views In 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand set off a chain of events that culminated in the start of World War I. On August 3, 1914, the Italian government announced it would remain strictly neutral. Mussolini initially used his position as editor of Avanti! to urge fellow socialists to support the government in its position of neutrality. However, his views of the war soon changed. In September 1914, Mussolini wrote several articles supporting those who were backing Italy’s entry into the war. Mussolini’s editorials caused an uproar among his fellow socialists and in November of that year after a meeting of the party executives, he was formally expelled from the party. Wounding On May 23, 1915, the Italian government ordered the general mobilization of armed forces. The next day, Italy declared war on Austria, officially joining World War I. Mussolini, accepting his call to the draft, reported for duty in Milan on August 31, 1915, and was assigned to the 11th Regiment of the Bersaglieri (a corps of sharpshooters). During the winter of 1917, Mussolini’s unit was field testing a new mortar when the weapon exploded. Mussolini was severely wounded, with more than 40 pieces of shrapnel embedded in his body. After a long stay at a military hospital, he recovered from his injuries and was discharged from the Army. Turn to Fascism After the war, Mussolini, who had become decidedly anti-socialist, began to advocate for a strong central government in Italy. Soon he was also advocating for a dictator to lead that government. Mussolini wasnt the only one ready for a major change. World War I had left Italy in shambles and people were looking for a way to make the country strong again. A wave of nationalism swept across Italy and many people began to form local nationalist groups. It was Mussolini who, on March 23, 1919, personally assembled these groups into a single, national organization under his leadership. Mussolini called this new group Fasci di Combattimento (the Fascist Party). Mussolini formed groups of marginalized ex-servicemen into squadristi. As their numbers grew, the squadristi were reorganized into the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicuressa Nazionale, or MVSN, which would later serve as Mussolini’s national security apparatus. Dressed in black shirts or sweaters, the squadristi earned the nickname â€Å"Blackshirts.† The March on Rome In the summer of 1922, the Blackshirts made a punitive march through the provinces of Ravenna, Forli, and Ferrara in northern Italy. It was a night of terror; squads burned down the headquarters and homes of every member of both socialist and communist organizations. By September 1922, the Blackshirts controlled most of northern Italy. Mussolini assembled a Fascist Party conference on October 24, 1922, to discuss a coup de main or â€Å"sneak attack† on the Italian capital of Rome. On October 28, armed squads of Blackshirts marched on Rome. Although badly organized and poorly armed, the move left the parliamentary monarchy of King Victor Emmanuel III in confusion. Mussolini, who had stayed behind in Milan, received an offer from the king to form a coalition government. Mussolini then proceeded to the capital supported by 300,000 men and wearing a black shirt. On October 31, 1922, at the age of 39, Mussolini was sworn in as prime minister of Italy. Il Duce After elections were held, Mussolini controlled enough seats in parliament to appoint himself Il Duce (the leader) of Italy. On January 3, 1925, with the backing of his Fascist majority, Mussolini declared himself dictator of Italy. For a decade, Italy prospered in peace. However, Mussolini was intent on turning Italy into an empire and to do that the country needed a colony. In October 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia. The conquest was brutal. Other European countries criticized Italy, especially for the nations use of mustard gas. In May 1936, Ethiopia surrendered and Mussolini had his empire. This was the height of Mussolinis popularity; it all went downhill from there. Mussolini and Hitler Out of all the countries in Europe, Germany had been the only one to support Mussolinis attack on Ethiopia. At that time, Germany was led by Adolf Hitler, who had formed his own fascist organization, the National Socialist German Worker’s Party (commonly called the Nazi  Party). Hitler admired Mussolini; Mussolini, on the other hand, did not like Hitler at first. However, Hitler continued to support and back Mussolini, such as during the war in Ethiopia, which eventually swayed Mussolini into an alliance with him. In 1938, Italy passed the Manifesto of Race, which stripped Jews in Italy of their Italian citizenship, removed Jews from government and teaching jobs, and banned intermarriage. Italy was following in the footsteps of Nazi Germany. On May 22, 1939, Mussolini entered into the â€Å"Pact of Steel† with Hitler, which essentially tied the two countries in the event of war- and war was soon to come. World War II On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, initiating the Second World War. On June 10, 1940, after witnessing Germany’s decisive victories in Poland and France, Mussolini issued a declaration of war on France and Britain. It was clear from the very beginning, however, that Mussolini was not an equal partner with Hitler- and Mussolini did not like that. Over time, Mussolini became frustrated both with Hitlers successes and with the fact that Hitler kept most of his military plans a secret from him. Mussolini looked for a means of emulating Hitler’s accomplishments without letting Hitler know about his plans. Against the advice of his army commanders, Mussolini ordered an attack against the British in Egypt in September 1940. After initial successes, the attack stalled and German troops were sent to reinforce the deteriorating Italian positions. Embarrassed by his armies’ failure in Egypt, Mussolini, against the advice of Hitler, attacked Greece on October 28, 1940. Six weeks later, this attack stalled as well. Defeated, Mussolini was forced to ask the German dictator for assistance. On April 6, 1941, Germany invaded both Yugoslavia and Greece, ruthlessly conquering both countries and rescuing Mussolini from defeat. Italy Revolts Despite Nazi Germanys victories in the early years of World War II, the tide eventually turned against Germany and Italy. By the summer of 1943, with Germany bogged down in a war of attrition with Russia, Allied forces began bombing Rome. Members of the Italian Fascist council turned against Mussolini. They convened and moved to have the king resume his constitutional powers. Mussolini was arrested and sent to the mountain resort of Campo Imperatore in Abruzzi. On September 12, 1943, Mussolini was rescued from imprisonment by a German glider team commanded by Otto Skorzey. He was flown to Munich and met with Hitler shortly thereafter. Ten days later, by order of Hitler, Mussolini was installed as head of the Italian Social Republic in Northern Italy, which remained under German control. Death On April 27, 1945, with Italy and Germany on the brink of defeat, Mussolini attempted to flee to Spain. On the afternoon of April 28, on their way to Switzerland to board a plane, Mussolini and his mistress Claretta Petacci were captured by Italian partisans. Driven to the gates of the Villa Belmonte, they were shot to death by a partisan firing squad. The corpses of Mussolini, Petacci, and other members of their party were driven by truck to the Piazza Loreto on April 29, 1945. Mussolinis body was dumped ​in the road and people of the local neighborhood abused his corpse. Some time later, the bodies of Mussolini and Petacci were hung upside down in front of a fueling station. Although they were initially buried anonymously in the Musocco cemetery in Milan, the Italian government allowed Mussolini’s remains to be re-interred in the family crypt near Verano di Costa on August 31, 1957. Legacy Although Italian Fascism was defeated during World War II, Mussolini has inspired a number of neo-fascist and far-right organizations in Italy and abroad, including the People of Freedom party and the Italian Social Movement. His life has been the subject of several documentaries and dramatic films, including Vincere and Benito. Sources Bosworth, R. J. B.  Mussolini. Bloomsbury Academic, 2014.Hibbert, Christopher.  Benito Mussolini: a Biography. Penguin, 1965.

Democracy and Industrialization Essays

Democracy and Industrialization Essays Democracy and Industrialization Paper Democracy and Industrialization Paper Democracy and Industrialization were both key factors in the development of western and non-western civilizations. These two forces of change were equally significant in their impacts on society. By exploring the distinctive characteristics of these two forces, it becomes very clear just how important each of them were to our world, both yesterday and today. Furthermore, after dissecting important information from primary and visual sources, I will explain how they illustrate this impact of change on society. Democracy The enforcement of democracy has been a significant issue in the organization of many societies over hundreds of years through out history. In order to understand the profound effects of democracy, one must first understand the meaning and history behind it. â€Å"The word comes from two Greek words: demos, meaning â€Å"the people, and kratein, meaning to rule. These two words are joined together to form democracy, literally meaning to rule by the people† (Barr, E. , Rankin, T. Baird, J. 1999, History of Democracy). The Greeks were the creators of democracy. They formed this style of government because they desired to have a system that was a direct opposite form of government than a dictatorship. Because they were the creators of democracy, it is apparent that their form of government was the closest to a true democracy than any other society that has proceeded them thus far. â€Å"Their civilization was broken down into small city-states (never more than 10,000 citizens), and all the men voted on all issues of government. There were no representatives in the Greek system of government. Instead, they ruled themselves directly; each man was a life long member of the decision making body† (Barr, E. , Rankin, T. Baird, J. 1999, History of Democracy). This idea, that citizens should be involved in the decision making process of their own government, carried on to the Roman Empire as well, another non-western civilization. Its concepts survived and eventually even carried on to the western societies, such as England, France, and of course, The United States of America. According to the text, World Civilizations, the American Revolution was the foundation for which democracy was truly established in the United States, because it called for an end to â€Å"the power of sovereign central government over the colonies† (Sherman, D. others, 2006, p. 112). By exploring two relevant visual sources in the World Civilizations text, it is more clearly understood how and when the decolonizations took place. Map 19-1 of the text illustrates the extent of European control during the late 18th century, prior to the wars of independence (Sherman, D. others, 2006, p. 10). In contrast, map 19-2 shows the development of the new nation states that were established at the beginning of the 19th century (Sherman, D. others, 2006, p. 111). By comparing the difference between these two maps, it is clear to see how rapidly the European Colonial systems diminished during the passing of such a short period of time. After the break away from the rule of Great Britain, â€Å"the new central government created in America by the Articles of Confederation was, in a negative sense at least, a democratic government† (Sherman, D. others, 2006, p. 113). Our American form of democracy had several problems during its establishment, such as the fact that slaves and women were given no rights. However, this was also true during the times of the great Greek democracy. The exceptional difference within the American form of democracy, however, is that it gave a way for future changes to be made by means of the Constitution. Unlike the Greek system, which continued its suppression of women and minorities, the American form of democracy has adapted to changes made through out the years, in order to truly stand by the claim that all men are created equal. In today’s great American democracy, it no longer matters what racial or religious background a person is from, nor the color of their skin, nor their gender. Anyone willing and able may take part in our governmental system, whether it is by casting a ballot during a state-wide election, or even running for a political position, such as the Presidency of the United States. Industrialization According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Industrialization is defined as, â€Å"the process of converting to a socioeconomic order in which industry is dominant† (www. britannica. com). The changes that took place in England during the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and 19th centuries provided a prototype for the early American Industrialization later on. The onset of the Industrial Revolution was a major turning point in humankind’s history, because almost every aspect of daily life and human society was eventually influenced in some way. According to the text, the exact reasoning behind why Industrialization occurred in England is a topic that is still up for debate. However, there background of England at the time does offer some insight as to why an Industrial Revolution was inevitable. These reasons include England’s transformation from a feudal society into a commercial one, as well as its â€Å"unique enthusiasm for science and engineering† (Sherman, D. others, 2006, p. 95). An outstanding visual source is depicted in illustration 18-2 of our text, in which there is a scene painted of several welders pounding away at metal objects, while bridges are being built behind them and the streets are busy with middle class workers (Sherman, D. others, 2006, p. 92). This picture is an excellent depiction of the everyday lives of the working class citizens during those times. It’s as if the Industrialization was brought back to life through this painting, so that we could get a glimpse into the past. Without this class of citizens, industrialization of England, or any other country, would not have been possible. Drawing from the sources from chapter seventeen of the text, World Civilizations, there were many social developments that were related to industrialization. Apparently, â€Å"In the wake of industrialization came great social changes† (Sherman, D. others, 2006. p. 81). Industrialization affected the middle and working classes the most. Both classes grew significantly in numbers and they both climbed up on the social ladder. In addition, urban areas grew, which was where these two classes worked and lived. The middle class was able to enjoy a â€Å"rising standard of living, increased prestige, and growing political influence† (Sherman, D. others, 2006, pp. 81-82). The working class, on the other hand, was affected in many negative ways by the industrialization. â€Å"Clearly it was this class that bore the burdens of urban social problems: overcrowded slums, poor sanitation, insufficient social services, and a host of related problems (Sherman, D. others, 2006, pp. 82). In addition, the other classes, such as the peasants, the artisans, and the aristocracy, begin to diminish because those classes were associated with the older ways of production, such as the agricultural economy. In addition to manpower, there needed to be tools and technological advances made in order for industrialization to take place in Europe as well as America. The steam engine, which was developed by James Watt, was probably the single most important technological advance that helped industrialization to thrive. After James Watt improved the design of the steam engine, this type of engine quickly was applied to other industriesto power railroad locomotives, ships, and later the first automobiles. † (Backer, P. , date unknown, The Cause of the Industrial Revolution). So, although the causes of industrialization may be debatable, it is certain that the effects of it are still profoundly affecting societies all around the world, even till this day. In conclusion, democracy and industrialization were both key factors in the development of western and non-western civilizations. These two forces of change were equally significant in their impacts on society. By exploring the distinctive characteristics of these two forces, it has been made very clear just how important each of them were to our world, both yesterday and today. Furthermore, after dissecting important information from primary and visual sources, I have illustrated this impact of change on society. Both concepts were important to our world’s past, and both will continue to play a significant role in our world’s future societies. References Barr, E. , Rankin, T. Baird, J. (1999). History of Democracy. Retrieved 10/10/07 from http://library. thinkquest. org/26466/history_of_democracy. html Backer, P. (unknown). The Cause of the Industrial Revolution. Retrieved 10/29/07 from engr. sjsu. edu/pabacker/causeIR. htm Industrialization. (2007). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved October 27, 2007, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online: britannica. com/eb/article-9042374 Sherman, D. others. (2006). World Civilizations: Sources, Images, and Interpretations (Fourth Edition). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Push and pull factors in Syrian migration Assignment - 4

Push and pull factors in Syrian migration - Assignment Example About 100  000 refugees have also managed to get asylum in European countries. David Williams also concurs with this by stating that â€Å"An average of almost 5,000 Syrians are fleeing into neighbouring countries every day.† This has resulted in the officials warning of the need for more humanitarian aid to the support communities. Many Syrians have been forced out of their homes and ultimately their country as a result of raging war. There is no peace in this country as a result of the war and it is hardly possible to live in such a place. It can also be seen that homes and other necessary infrastructure have been destroyed as a result of this war. As a result, the Syrians are left with no option but to migrate to other areas that are believed to be safe. Many people who have migrated from the war torn Syria have sought refuge in neighbouring countries as well as other European countries. These people are often forced to seek asylum or refuge as a result of the fact that they are left with nowhere to stay after their homes have been destroyed in the raging civil war in their country. Some people are also encouraged to migrate to other destinations by the favourable conditions thought to exist there. However, not all of them find their lives rosy in these far away destinations such as Europe. Yardly Jim and Planigiani, Gaia aptly state that â€Å"Having risked their lives in hopes of settling in prospering Northern Europe, many Syrians found themselves trapped in the south, living illegally in Italy, hiding from the police, as they tried to sneak past border guards and travel north to apply for asylum.† There are some lucky ones who have successfully applied for refuge and some have found employment. As a result of tough European laws on migration as well as asylum seeking, many people have found themselves trapped in these far off destinations believed to be safe havens. The children as well as the education sector have not been spared by the

Power & Privilege - Fashioning a plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Power & Privilege - Fashioning a plan - Essay Example The paper "Power & Privilege - Fashioning a plan" is a personal expression of my own belief system along with a strategy for affecting change. I found the articles by these two writers, as well as those of Johnson, to be interesting; but I find myself somewhat critical of their bias. I agree with Peters that â€Å"[s]ystems and institutions that regulate class location are much more powerful than individuals† (Peters 1). There are certainly individuals who work hard and try to improve their lives and situations and are prevented from achieving complete success due to the resistance of the powerful; and social change efforts should be made to address those inequities. I can’t accept, however, that â€Å"everyone deserves what you have; you just happen to have it† or her idea that â€Å"empowered people enrich themselves by leaving exploitative, dehumanizing work to others†. This position implies too much intentionality to what often is random placement with in the socio-economic spectrum or the result of individual choice. As James and Robinson point out, â€Å"there are necessarily differences between people. We all perceive these differences and make judgments about others based on them...† (xv), and this is exactly what Peters does; she makes judgments about those employed in menial jobs from her perspective of upper-middle class privilege. She would never be happy bagging groceries; ergo, no one else can be either. That’s just a little too simplistic. As for Alperovitz, putting his political partisanship aside.... As Schultz notes, "social reformers and activists would be better served by reconsidering how much hope was placed upon working through the courts versus investing more time to win critical victories thorough the political process" (9). The legal system certainly has its place in addressing the suppression of classes of individuals, but the political system is a better tool for social policy. It also has the benefit of being the voice of the people, rather than that of an activist judiciary or single governmental branch. What I have learned. From this course, I have come to a fresh understanding of power and privilege generally, the impact of the misuse of those concepts on the radically disenfranchised, as well as my own place within the dynamic. I don't believe that the positions taken by authors on either extreme are realistic. An individual's plight is not solely the result of his or her own choices, but neither is it necessarily the intentional infliction of harm by a bad system. Certainly, many individuals must shoulder the burden of their own choices and it is far too easy to blame the system for their condition. On the other hand, there really are those people who are neither powerful nor privileged as a result of systemic oppression or neglect. As I look at my own standing in society and the privileges I enjoy, I am aware of those who have more and those who have less. I think that everyone is both privileged and disenfranchised on some level. The distinction for me lies within the individua l circumstances under consideration. The middle-class college student has more inherited privilege than the impoverished gang member, naturally. I am