One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest- Ken Keseys Characterization Of Women Es

Kesey’s characterization of women is by no means fair. He perceives one type to be the bossy domineering woman, and the other type to be submissive whores. He is subjective to the inmates being futile, perceiving us to think that their wives and especially Big â€Å"Powerful† Nurse took away their manliness. Kesey tries to imply that whores such as Candy Starr, contradict that, and offer them courage and pleasure. In this book, there are no regular women, just these two extremes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest does not seem to intentionally degrade women. Although Kesey may not have, there is a shadow of doubt in how he illustrates it. The Nurse’s name itself symbolizes this. A Ratched is perceived to sound like a wretched conniving drill sergeant, with no feelin...

The Stages in Learning

Explain own role and responsibilities in lifelong learning The four stages of the learning cycle are as follows 1) The Initial assessment Identifying needs can be accomplished by reviewing previous courses attended Depth of knowledge, experience, perceptions and level of ability, disability awareness, Considering learning needs/styles which can help produce an Individual learning plan. ) The planning and design Deciding aims/learning outcomes which in turn will enable to help the tutor in auging the level and ability of the learners by using the IA/ILP of their learners, and will then also assist the tutor to come up with a schedule of work and then a focused lesson plan that is relevant to their learners, it will also help the tutor to select the appropriate resources and learning environment for the learners and will also assist the tutor to produce/purchase the required resource material needed. )The delivery of the course When we deliver the course or session we must always consi der the pace of delivery ,the pitch ,and we must always adjust them to meet the learners needs, as utors we must always take into consideration the group dynamics ,we should always try to establish and maintain a positive rapport with our learners , we can accomplish this by using icebreakers and teach the sessions with enthusiasm and with positive energy thus energising the learners so they have and gain a positive attitude towards the subject they are learning. ) Recorded evaluation for both learner and tutorsAs tutors we must continually evaluate all areas and levels that have been completed by the learners and the tutors and all evaluations should be acted upon in a easonable timescale this will in turn help us as tutors to adopt a Continuous professional development, When ever we carry out assessments we must always make sure that it is constructive and not destructive and also we must make sure that it is accurately recorded, we must always make sure that this is carried out a ll the way through the teaching cycle.In summary the teaching cycle is a systematic approach to training that comprises four interlinked stages, it is vital that continuous assessment with constructive feedback and accurate recording must occur throughout each and every stage.

Whole Foods

Whole foods Market is one of the largest and most successful organic natural food retailers in the world. The success of this retail giant did not happen overnight. Whole Foods was the idea of a twenty five year old college dropout named John Mackey and his girlfriend Rene Lawson Hardy. Their mission was to open an all-natural and organic food store with the promise of healthy food for a healthier life. In 1978 the two began their venture with a small health food store named SafeWay.In two year’s time Mackey and Lawson partnered with Craig Weller and Mark Skiles to merge SafeWay and another local natural food store in Austin Texas, employing only 19 people. (â€Å"Whole foods market,† 2012) John Mackey realized his passion was finally coming to fruition when he had said, â€Å"that having had a natural food conversion he wanted to share it with others. † (Patoski, 2006) This vision has now brought Whole Foods to recently celebrate their 30th anniversary.During th ese 30 years Whole Foods has stayed true to their mission of supporting and providing an equitable work environment for their employees, providing superior quality products for their customers, and embracing their commitment to sustainable agriculture. The driving force behind Whole Foods huge success is that they are goal oriented and passionate about their mission. Every employee from CEO’s to the store employee’s function under a set of shared beliefs that are put into practice with the assistance from the business model known as P.L. O. C. P. L. O. C. is made up of four components that are essentially management tools to create a cohesive structured and well planned organization.The first component of P. L. O. C. is planning. Planning is the process of setting performance objectives and determining what actions should be taken to accomplish them. The second is the component organizing. Organizing is the process of setting and assigning tasks and coordinating the ac tivities of individuals or group within an organization. The third P. L. O. C. component is leading.Leading is the process of creating an atmosphere that promotes a strong work ethic through shared enthusiasm, positivity, and productivity. The last component of the P. L. O. C. model is controlling. Controlling involves establishing performance standards based on the company’s objectives and evaluating and reporting job performance. It’s no secret that Whole Foods is a very successful company. It is also quite clear that their success is due in large part to their partnering of both their effective use of P. L. O. C. management and their core values. Whole Foods has a motto which captures their purpose as an organization.Their motto being Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet, along with their use of P. L. O. C. these components has been the foundation to their success. The Whole Foods piece of the model refers to the highest quality, the least processed and the most naturally preserved foods. The Whole People stands for recruiting quality personnel who hold the same belief and passion about food as well as a desire to be a part of a team culture. Whole Planet signifies the company’s social responsibility by actively being committed to supporting organic farming and agriculture, and being aware of and caring for the world around them. (â€Å"Whole foods market,† 1997)Whole Foods has strong core values, among them are offering only the highest quality of natural and organic products available; ensuring customers satisfaction and delight; enhancing the happiness and excellence of the human resources; generating wealth through profit and growth; showing care for the environment and communities; establishing a â€Å"win-win† alliance with suppliers; and teaching stakeholders how to improve their health through proper eating education.(â€Å"Whole foods Market’s,† 2012)Whole Foods is known throughout the entire food industry for being an exceptional company to work for. Promoting happiness and excellence among their employees is one of their core values. In addition, Whole Foods is an organization that successfully utilizes the P. L. O. C model which has allowed them to establish superior recruitment strategies. The company recruits a specific kind of employee, one who wants to be a part of their team and who shares the same core values.Their employees are empowered by and invested in the company by being given decision making capabilities, a respectful work place, and felling that they are supported, valued and that their hard work and commitment to excellence is recognized. Whole Foods has a team motto mentality. Every employee is a part of a team that meets regularly and collaborates, discusses, and decides on issues regarding the work place and employee will being. The belief that every voice is valuable has helped create an atmosphere that is open and positive.Beginning on the highest run g of the company ladder to an individual store employee, decisions are shared by all. This has been an enormous motivator for the employees at Whole Foods because unlike other retail food stores employees actually have a say and are instrumental in ensuring the future of the company. They are held up as being as important as their customers and their opinions are valued. (Kammeyer) Whole Foods has been named one of the top companies to work for by CNN Money.(Walker, 2012)Compared to other retailers who struggle to pay their employees the minimum wage, Whole Foods doubles it paying their employees an average of $15 dollars and hour. CEO Walter Robb, who joined the company in 2010, stated that he â€Å"wishes he could pay his employees even more. † (Blodget, 2012) This is an annual salary that hits just short from being able to supporting a family in most parts of the county. Whole Foods also stands by their vision to be a shared market with their employees, they have set a cap on all salaries company wide.No employee from a team member up to an executive will receive any more than 19 times the company wide annual salary. When the majority CEO’s of large corporations, average a rate of 231 times the regular working person. Whole Foods caps salaries as a way to ensure equity and trust among all. (Kannal, 9 14) Whole Foods is an open book, with nothing to hide. Any financial information from every employee starting from a â€Å"Team Member† to a CEO is disclosed to the public, their job title and wages from each title can be found at the job and anyone can look it up on Glassdoor.com if they wanted to find out. Whole Foods believes in the practice of â€Å"open people, open book, open door. † (Whole Foods Market, 2012) An innovative practice John Mackey believed it would â€Å"stop envy in human nature at work. † (cite)Whole Foods employees allotted affordable to no cost benefits such as medical, dental, vision, personal wellness , healthcare and dependent care reimbursement, life and disability insurance, 401K retirement savings, paid time off, gainsharing, Team Member discounts, Team Member emergency plan,  and stock options that are given and may also be purchased. All employees are encouraged every three years to engage in a companywide vote for the companies â€Å"Team Members† health and benefit package. This allows them to recognize exactly what their needs are and establish a benefit package that supports those needs. Whole Foods doesn’t believe in a one size fits all package. (Blodget, 2012) When it comes to stock ownership of Whole Foods 96 percent of their stock is held by Team Member or non-executive employees.The remaining amount is held by top executives. The philosophy that Whole Foods holds is the customer comes first, then the Team Members, and then the stockholders. (Sacks, 2009) Whole Foods philosophy is that, â€Å"the most important stakeholders are our customers. † The satisfaction of Whole Foods customers is extremely important to everyone in the company. Once again Whole Food combines the tenets of P. L. O. C. and the core values of supporting the health and well-being of all people to stock their stores with the highest quality organic and natural foods.John Mackey refers to the theory of customers being the true lifeline of a business as â€Å"Conscious Capitalism,† (a phrase he has trademarked) instead of only focusing on the gain of the business profit wise, focus on the purpose. (Sacks, 2009) Putting more of the focus on the philosophy of Whole Foods keeps customer happy and returning to experience the main reason why they started shopping there in the first place. Whole Foods has unquestionably changed the way people buy and eat food. In this down turning economy Whole Foods wants to keep their customers loyal and on track to continuing to eat naturally, healthy and organically.They have added coupons directly on their website that can be printed from your own computer, or even picked up from any local Whole Foods store. Once again the Whole Foods organization aims to keep their customers happy by providing affordable, delicious food. Whole Foods takes their commitment to balance their needs of people with their needs of the planet very seriously. They recognize that they as global citizens, they must practice sound environmental stewardship. Whole Foods is known for being a respected company and has been awarded the AchievementAward from the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as being ranked 5th on the top 50 Green Power Partners list. (â€Å"Green mission†) (EPA. gov) Whole Foods does this by emphasizing and upholding the importance of the 3 R’s, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. By following these R’s Whole Foods has reduced their landfill waste by 75 percent. A method Whole Food uses to avoid waste was to put a ban on using plastic bags, only using reusable bags or paper bags that ca n be recycled. To encourage their customers to bring in their own bags a nickel is refunded towards each full purchase.(â€Å"Green mission†)In 2002 Whole Foods became the first retailer to introduce solar energy as their power source, this made them the only Fortune 500 Company to purchase wind power and set off 100 percent of their energy cost. (Kannal, 9 14) Another contribution to the environment was selling organic produce, meats and materials, their vision used to reduce waste by the farmers they are purchasing from. Whole Foods also gives back to the community locally and to other countries by establishing the Whole Foods Foundation, a non for profit established by Whole Foods.Donations are received by online giving, mail, or at the checkout counter. The challenge that Whole Food may face in the future is the completion from other stores looking to grow and hold the same quality natural and organic products as they do. Another factor is the rising cost in produce and n atural foods. Whole Foods must continue to use those core values that they built their empire from to rise above the others, by building strong partnership with local farmers and continuing to stay innovative within their stores management structure. A Whole Food is an incredible organization.Not only do they care about the food they sell, the customers they provide for, and the world in which they live. They are also deeply committed to a future in which not just local communities but the world at large benefits from the practice in healthy eating that has become their trademark for the past 30 years. Whole Foods high quality innovative personnel, careful planning, management strategies and systems, and incredible dedication manage to secure their place in a highly competitive retail world and from the looks of things they are not going anywhere soon.

Life Course Case Study Essay

Introduction In this assignment I conduct a life course case study of a seventy-four year old man, Mr. Gambina, in order to find out whether structure or agency has been most influential throughout his life. The agent is the person who actually performs the action, while structure refers to the main structures in society that influence the way the agents act. Most structuralists share a conviction that individual human beings function solely as elements of the (often hidden) social networks to which they belong. The life course theory emerged in the 1960s out of the need to understand human development as occurring across the life span. This field, which emphasizes how individual lives are socially patterned over time, and the processes by which lives are changed by changing environments. Life-course studies emphasise the importance of epistemology in the study of society. Thus, collecting information on the four interrelated dimensions of the life story: structural, socio-cultural, interpersonal and personal story. According to Janet Z. Giele and Glen H. Elder, Jr., â€Å"Any point in the life span must be viewed dynamically as the consequence of past experience and future expectation,† I have tried to keep this in mind while conducting my study and analysis of Mr. Gambina’s life span. Theory The sociological theory that I shall be taking into consideration is that of C. Wright Mills. Mills’ aim was to develop what he called sociological imagination. The sociological imagination, he argued, is an outlook on society that focuses on the intimate connections between larger structural issues (what he called Public Issues) and the daily problems that confront individuals (Personal Troubles). Mills sought to demonstrate how issues of power, ideology and class are tied up with the daily troubles of ordinary individuals. Mills also sought to expose what he saw as the tragedy of sociology – the inability, unwillingness or refusal to cultivate the sociological imagination. An important assumption underlying Mills’ work is that social reality is both macroscopic and microscopic. Sociologists should try to understand social reality in terms of the meanings that social structures have for individuals. Failure to comprehend these macro-micro inner-connections results in sterile, pseudo-sophisticated rambling, which contributes little to the development of the social sciences or to the usefulness of sociology for progressive social change. This reluctance to cultivate the sociological imagination is, for Mills, the tragedy of modern sociology. Mills thought that social structure has a reality independent of the activities of ordinary individuals. Nonetheless individuals make and remake the social relations of everyday life. The aim of good sociology is to sensitise us to the many ways that social structure influences the daily lives of ordinary people. His greatest political and intellectual concern was that people in advanced societies would be manipulated into a state of acquiescence and political impotence, a state where the role of human reason would no longer play be an important force for progressive social change. He says, â€Å"we cannot adequately understand ‘man’ as an isolated biological creature, as a bundle of reflexes or a set of instincts, as an ‘intelligible field’ or a system in and of itself. Whatever else he may be, man is a social and an historical actor who must be understood, if at all, in close and intricate interplay with social and historical structures† . Literature Review There have been many life-course studies in the last century, each focusing on a separate element of the interviewee’s life, ranging from why and how people choose their friends to the female social climber . A similar study to the one I am conducting is Katherine R. Allen and Robert S. Pickett’s 1984 life-course study of women born in 1910, in America. Allen and Pickett paid particular attention to the variations in life patterns and choices fostered. They realized an increased trend in the employment of women, the expansion of educational careers, significant alterations in marriage and divorce patterns, a prolongation of the life course and a great  imbalance in the proportions of women to men in their later years. Also in 1984, Dieter Ulich and Winfried N. Saup conducted life-course research, conducted towards coping with crises in old age. They found negative stereotypes and self-concepts in the elderly. They argued that gerontology would help towards coping with stress. Susan De Vos and Steven Ruggles explored the connections between the life course and the kin group, in 1985, focusing on the demographic determinants of kin groups, such as frequency and timing of births, deaths and marriages, which all define the context within which rules of kinship operate. Steven Ruggles used microsimulation (following the kinship path of the individual as they age) to examine the connection between an individual’s life course and the nature of his or her kin group and its sensitivity to overall demographic conditions. A more recent study is that of Ulrich Karl Mayer in 1997, which examined the challenges faced in cross-cultural comparisons of life courses. He constructed two complimentary ideal types, based on life courses in deregulated societies and flexibly co-coordinated societies. Mayer found that links between macroinstitutional structures and individual life courses must be constructed as mutually reinforcing systems to enable successful cross-national comparisons. He concluded that cross-national comparisons of life course patterns should contain a description of the institutional configurations and of the make-up of collective actors and models of incentive systems and individual-level transitions. However, none of the life-course studies I reviewed deal specifically with the influence of structure and agency throughout the individual’s life, the topic which I am dealing with. Methodology and Methods Methodology There are two main kinds of research: quantitative and qualitative. In this case study I use qualitative research, also known as interpretive research, naturalistic research, phenomenological, descriptive research. There are three main types of qualitative data collection: interviews, observation and documents, the product of which is a narrative description. Qualitative research is very dependent on the researcher as a person. The researcher is an instrument, not a mechanical device or test instrument, as in quantitative research. By using qualitative research, the researcher gets much more depth and detail than in a standardised questionnaire, and it helps the interviewer see the world view of the people studied, the respondents’ categories, rather than imposed categories. Descriptive research attempts to avoid pre-judgements, although some disagree here as we always make judgements, but just don’t admit it, for example the choice of one location or group over another is a judgement. The goal is to try to capture what is happening without being judgemental; to present people on their own terms, try to represent them from their perspectives so reader can see their views. However, qualitative research gives a much less generalised result, and makes it difficult to collect data and make systematic comparisons. Some claim the qualitative research is too dependent on the researcher’s personal attributes and skills. Method In this case study the method I used is that of an intensive, or in-depth, interview. This is an unstructured one-to-one interview, in which broad questions are asked, giving the interviewee a starting point and then asking questions to help push him or her in the right direction. Interviews are the most flexible means of obtaining information, since the face-to-face situation helps answers to be in more depth and detail. Also, information can be observed by the interviewer without having to ask the specific question. Unlike in mail or telephone questionnaires, sensitive  questions cannot remain unanswered, and the interviewer can be certain who exactly is answering the questions, family members will not be able to confer. On the other hand, one-to-one interviews may create and interviewer bias: physical appearance, age, race, sex, dress, non-verbal behavior and/or comments may prompt respondents to answer questions untruthfully. In general, interviews are a disadvantage because a lot of time and money is required, but this is not the case for this particular life-course study, as it only deals with one person. Results Birth and Family or Origin The respondent, Mr. Gambina, born in 1927, was born during the lull between the two World Wars. When I asked him about his childhood, he told me that it was very normal, referring to things all children do, in particular his holy communion, confirmation, and that he was an altar boy. He had only good things to say about his parents, describing them both as quiet and devoted to their family. The little trouble he got into with his parents was to do with going out instead of staying home to study; he said he felt very carefree during his teenage years, telling me that they used to play in the streets, even though a war was on. The most significant even of his teenage years was the Second World War, and his father being repatriated to Sicily because of it. Education Mr. Gambina remembers enjoying school, in particular remembers his teacher who he described as gentle and well meaning. One of his lasting memories of school is the lessons being interrupted by air raids. He had a talent for languages, and remembered the name of an important book, Manzoni’s classic ‘I Promessi Sposi’ after only a second of thought. When asked about the role of education in a person’s life, he immediately replied, â€Å"Education is  everything†. Love and Work Mr. Gambina was 17 when he had his first date, which was a walk on the front. What he remembers as difficult about dating was that he a girl who he would have liked to ask out was always with a female friend of hers, making her very unapproachable. The respondent’s attitudes towards sex have always been in sync with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. He said that one of the main reasons with his wife was that she was a woman with her own mind, and he realized that the relationship â€Å"meant business† straight away. He held that he always wanted to get married and have a family of his own; in fact he went on to have four children, two girls and two boys. He describes the best part of marriage was the birth of his children, and the worst his wife dying. The values the interviewee tried to impart on his all his children are those of the Roman Catholic Church. The respondent’s ambition was only to live a normal life, which he succeeded in accomplishing. When he was young he had wanted to be a notary, but since schooling had to be paid for, and he was relying on his brother for income, he could not continue studying. He said the war helped him to understand and accept his adult responsibilities, and he realized he had become an adult when he began working as a clerk, which he decided to do because he liked office work, also there was not much choice at the time, as it was just after WWII. Historical Events and Periods As already mentioned, the Mr. Gambina lived through the experience the Second World War; also he mentioned the granting of Malta’s independence as the important historical events he saw. He has seen the development of cooking on the Maltese traditional kenur to gas ovens, and remembers old wives tales to cure sickness put into practice. He was, and still is, and active member of the community, from being an altar boy as a child, to being an active member of the Legion of Mary now: visiting old people’s homes, the mental  hospital and parishioners in their own homes. He considers the most important thing his family gave him as honesty, the most important thing that he gave his family as affection and the most important thing he gave to the community as his time. Retirement Mr. Gambina remembers feeling relieved when he retired from his full-time job, as it was during Mintoff’s government, and he was boarded out for being a nationalist supporter. He went on to part-time work with a relative, but eventually had to stop because of health problems. He says he doesn’t miss work, that he’s living a happy life now and commented on how nice it is not to have to wake up early every morning, rain or shine. The worst thing about being retired, however, is that, since he is a widower and his children do not live with him any more, it can get lonely. His time is occupied now with working for the Legion of Mary (as mentioned earlier), running errands for himself and his children, and baby-sitting his grandchildren. He says he is very proud of his grandchildren, the best thing about them being their affection, and the worst thing when they argue. He hopes that they will always give importance to family unity. Inner Life and Spiritual Awareness The interviewee says he had a happy childhood, he definitely felt loved; one of his happiest childhood memories is preaching the Christmas sermon. He counts his turning point as a teenager as WWII, especially since his father was not with him, and his turning points as an adult as getting married and becoming a father. He says the greatest stress of being an adult is responsibility. Spirituality plays a major role in the interviewee’s life, his primary beliefs being to love God and his neighbour, and giving importance to saving his soul. Even though he sometimes doubts, he feels he has inner strength, which he gets from God and when he feels drained renews his strength through prayer. He feels at peace with himself, which he says was achieved by keeping hope alive. Major Life Themes Mr. Gambina says that the most important gifts he has gotten are the values passed on to him from his parents, pointing out that they are the same as those of the Catholic Church. His crucial decisions were deciding to get married and have a family, which taught him to appreciate life more. He can handle disappointment serenely, knowing that life goes on. His greatest joy has been the births of his children and grandchildren, while the worst points are the deaths of his father, mother, wife and brother. His greatest worry is that he has to leave this world. Though he knows he stopped changing a long time ago, he does not feel old and believes he can cope, adding that his children and grandchildren keep him alive. Discussion Agency and Structure both play important factors in our lives. Agency is the power of actors to operate independently of the shaping constraints of social structure. Structure, on the other hand, is the main structures in society and their sway on our personal lives, such as the government, religion, education, and the work place, as illustrated through this life-course study. My job now is to determine where both structure and agency have influenced the subject’s, Mr. Gambina’s, life. When asked about his childhood, Mr. Gambina said he considered his it to be normal with reference to activities related to the Roman Catholic Church (namely his First Holy Communion, Confirmation, and that he was an altar boy), this is a clear indication that the structure of the Church has played a very large role in his life, so large that he defines himself by it. We can also see this influence in Mr. Gambina’s attitudes towards sex as a teenager, the values he tried to impart on his children (those of the Roman Catholic Church), which he also considers to be the most important gifts from his parents and what he considers to be that happiest memory of his childhood – giving the Christmas sermon. We can also see the weight religion carries for him in his choice of activities: working with the Legion of Mary, one of their activities being going to people’s houses to pray with  them, and to give them a statue of the Virgin Mary to pray to for a week. Another structure that played a significant role in Mr. Gambina’s life is education. Though he did not continue his education past ordinary level standard, this was not because he did not want to, but because it was too expensive to do so at the time. This obviously does not mean that he does not treat getting an education as important, and when he was asked, he himself said, â€Å"Education is everything†. Inevitably, the war played a large part in Mr. Gambina’s life. He counts it as the event that turned him into an adult. Also, since his father was repatriated to Sicily, his teenage years, the years in which he needed a father’s guidance most, were spent without that support. In this way, we can see, again, the dominance of structure in Mr. Gambina’s life course. In his work, Mr. Gambina was also affected by structure. Starting work when he did was due to the fees that had to be paid to continue schooling, which his family could not afford. The type of work he did was influenced greatly by structure to, although he wanted to work in an office job, he did not have much selection at the time, as it was just after the Second World War had ended, and there were a lot of people left unemployed (this is also another way in which the war affect Mr. Gambina’s life). I also cannot ignore the comment Mr. Gambina made about being relieved to have retired, as he was discriminated against, and in his own words, â€Å"boarded out,† of his job as a clerk because of his political beliefs. One aspect that structure did not control was Mr. Gambina’s choice for a wife. It was not common at that time for women to be working, but this is precisely what first attracted Mr. Gambina to who would become Mrs. Gambina. He liked that she was an independent woman. In this circumstance, we see that agency playing its role. Conclusion The life course study conducted was to indicate to what extent the  respondent’s life was a product of structure and/or agency. All individuals are affected by social structure, and at the same time, each and every structure is made up of individuals, all performing diverse social actions. In examining Mr. Gambina’s life story, it becomes clear that structure has played a much more prominent influence in his life than agency. First and foremost the Second World War, which affected not only Mr. Gambina’s everyday life, but also the life of each individual that lived through it. Education, another structure, is also a factor that Mr. Gambina considers to be important. In his work, we can see Mr. Gambina being affected by structure in the type of job he opted for, and also the influence of the government, even in his office, which had influenced his everyday life, and caused him to detest his last two years of work. In the case of Mr. Gambina, the great importance that he has given to his religion has throughout his life, as illustrated in both the results and the discussion, obviously leads to the reasoning that structure, and especially that of the Roman Catholic Church, has been given priority in his life span. The only case I could find in Mr. Gambina’s life of agency taking control is when he chose his wife, and his decision to rear a family, though I must admit, I am not exactly sure that the choice to have one’s own family is a choice made completely independently. In conclusion, I think the answer to the question ‘has agency or structure been given priority throughout the life course of Mr. Gambina?’ is indisputable. Structure has been the major influence in his life story, and still remains so. References Richard T. Schaefer, Sociology, seventh edition, McGraw-Hill, 2001 C. Wright Mills, The Sociological Imagination, 1959 Janet Z. Giele and Glen H. Elder, Jr., Methods of Life Course Research Roger D. Wimmer and Joseph R. Dominick, Mass Media Research, An Introduction, Wadsworth, 1994 Internet sources http://www.socialscience.eku.edu/Ant/BANKS/CWMILLS_HT2.htm

Response papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Response papers - Essay Example Being involved in sports as school children, athletes do not realize that emulating the big league is a useless, futile and expensive proposition, as there is no income and no media adulation. Parents' and society expectations take a serious toll on the athletes, with extreme peer pressure to succeed. This leads to suicides and depression in a very large number of school athletes, who lead their lives bearing the burden of expectations of their families and their school team coaches. In the article, Bissinger has explained in some detail the excesses that constitute a school sports system becoming an obsession. Although suicide and extreme emotional stress is talked about, a mention of the organizations and support groups who help these school kids would have not only exhibited the despair, but would have shown us the hope. Man is a social animal, and physical attractiveness is an important part of social interaction. The human baby is almost universally considered cute, as are the young of several other species. A case in point was Tai Shan the Panda, who generated an almost global wave of adoration when he was displayed in a zoo. Natalie Angier explains through an extensive range of examples, the advantages and the evolutionary need of being 'cute', whether for an animal, a human, or a product. The article explains the importance of humans finding their and other species' young cute as it evokes a desire of care-giving. Due to the physical vulnerability of human infants, evoking such a response in adults ensures their very survival. There are distinct physical traits in animals we find cute, such as forward facing eyes, a sideways walk and floppy ears, that we find appear enhanced and more prominent in children's' cartoon characters, at the cost of authenticity. The author cites evolutionary evidence and shows that humans are genetically hardwired to react positively to their young's need for care. Children's products all over the world exploit this uncontrollable charm in cute objects, by creating products that are found so by their target buyer. Everything from cars to dolls have been designed to evoke this emotion. The article does go into reasonable depth on the anthropological and psychological aspects of this perception, but could have additionally touched upon the potentially dangerous cosmetic surgeries that are performed all over the world to achieve attractiveness. The author could also have touched upon the distinction between feelings of care-giving and feelings of pity, as felt while looking at a malnourished child on TV. It will answer the question whether the feelings of adoration are stronger, or of pity. "Talk about editing" response paper Newspapers have served as a barometer of the times for more than a century, and the New York Times is an established name in daily newspapers, known all over the world for its objectivity and lucidity of style and content. An important part of the newspaper is the op-ed page, where anyone with an opinion and point of view on any topic may submit an article and have it printed. David Shipley's article explains in detail the process by which a submitted article is edited, including the importance of maintaining the purity of thought and the constant interaction of the editorial staff with the writer throughout the process. Editing starts with spelling and grammatical

Case Study Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study Paper - Essay Example The correct field data provides huge relevant information about people that are used by the government to initiate developmental and operational activities across the nation. The allocation of fund is distributed as per the requirements provided by the census data of the region and used for activities for the wider welfare of the society. Answer 2 The major risks associated with FDCA projects were primarily linked to the incomplete or inaccurate information that was communicated to the central offices from the field. The lack of effective technology was one of the key elements of inaccuracy in the data collection. The slow speed of mobile devices as well as their inability to handle large data became critical reasons for inaccurate census data. Thus 2010 data was too unreliable to use. Answer 3 The major problems that Census bureau faced in implementing its new wireless data collection system was using substandard and non tested handheld mobile computing devices. These devices were i ntended to replace the manual filling of questionnaire that were not only time consuming and costly but also difficult to organize. There were many factors that caused the problems. The management lacked accountability and FDCA executives were ill equipped to handle the challenges of technology. They were also not trained properly in using the technology or were made aware of the process of collecting important census data. The lack of effective communication within the organization also became critical aspect of failure in generating quality database. Last but not the least important was the mobile devices that were bought at exorbitant prices but were not able to transmit large data with speed and accuracy. Answer 4 The major steps that I would have taken to mitigate the risks in collecting data are as follows: 1. Had ensured that executives and volunteers involved in data collection were trained in the process of using technology efficiently. They would also have been imparted tr aining in dealing with the respondents and extracting relevant information with accuracy. 2. The wireless mobile devices would have been tested on a pilot project of census data collection so that any problems like slow speed, inability of transmitting large data etc. could have been identified and rectified for final project. 3. Last but not the least would have been the reward system for executives who show consistent high performance. This would have motivated the field workers to work diligently and help in collecting relevant and accurate census data. Answer 5 Had I been in charge of managing this project, the foremost thing that I would have initiated was create guidelines that would have made accountability as most critical part of job specifications of all employees working within the project. The hierarchy of officers involved with the FDCA would have been made accountable for lack of accuracy in data collection and transmission of same within the prescribed time to the cen tral data processing units. Field Data Collection Automation is a vital part of US Census, the accuracy of information therefore becomes highly critical for developing welfare policies based on demographic information. Placing accountability on workers would not only promote better work ethics but also ensure that they work conscientiously to achieve team based targets on time. Another important aspect where I would have focused on would have been t

Reconstruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reconstruction - Essay Example This is regardless of passing of 13Th, 14Th and 15th amendments intended to grant Blacks more rights besides voting. For instance, Northerners during Lincoln’s regime felt the then incumbent president was extremely slow in effecting significant laws meant to make Blacks enjoy similar privileges like any other citizen. Therefore, they ended up pressuring the president though at his pace he was capable of seeing some plans towards Blacks’ freedom realized. However, Johnson who was his successor proved to be totally against Blacks’ freedom and the entire reconstruction process thus causing confusion besides making it less efficient. Therefore, Dubois was right when he termed efforts exhibited during reconstruction era intended to make Black men Americans citizens were â€Å"splendid failure† because racism, utter segregation and ill-treatment of Blacks continued to be the norm of the day. During then, Blacks unlike other people continued to experience utter i ll treatment from their white counterparts especially in the Southern regions. This was to the extent of not having legal protection against open vandalism subjected on them and eventually no actions put in place to bring those responsible to the book. According to New York Times, Blacks were â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.quietly endeavoring to make arrangements to dispose of their property and emigrate to States where their persons will be secure against unprovoked assault, and where their property will be protected against vandalism† (â€Å"New York Times†). This is because somehow the government of the day contributed to Blacks’ woes especially during Johnson’s era who contrary to Lincoln exhibited little interest in ensuring they were safe. Therefore, Blacks opted to relocate to the regions where they would receive fair treatment as advocated by Northerners. Relocating in this case seemed as an effective solution to their woes because Blacks during then felt u nease to report to the legal authorities any incidences of injustice fearing intimidation and victimization. Hence, theirs was a completely losing battle especially in equaling whites because the government of the day favored only the latter. Reconstruction era despite the then authorities seeming to recognize Blacks’ presence and dignity, it was hard for them to enjoy same privileges as their white counterparts. This is especially during Johnson’s regime, which was extremely opposite of what Lincoln anticipated to implement though being slow to ensure Blacks’ safety. According to Special Field Orders there were â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦400,000 acres along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts abandoned by white planters be confiscated and divided into 40 acre parcels (Mooney, 15).† Conversely, all these plans Johnson revoked them leading to immense loss of homes, crops and land besides making numerous dreams of freed slaves undergo â€Å"unexpected miscarria ge†. This incidence besides others and even hatred towards Blacks acted as sure prove African Americans during reconstruction epoch were not even near to be â€Å"true citizens†. Therefore, they were only in foreign state where the central regime pretended to care about them but in real sense openly exhibited the contrary though using laws to do so. This is evident in Litwack’s sentiments citing, â€Å"