Social Work Practice

Social Work Practice Introduction Social work is a professional area of practice which applies knowledge, skills, research techniques and social theory to improve the lives of individuals, communities and groups.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Work Practice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Social work is considered as a helping profession because it is majorly concerned with the plight of people who are in difficult situations with an aim of helping them overcome those difficulties. Social workers work in diverse fields both in the private and public sectors such as in rehabilitation centers, child welfare institutions, humanitarian organizations, borstal institutions and homes of the elderly among others (Hare, 2004). Social workers go through the formal education system with a special bias in the social, biological and behavioral sciences. During training, they are exposed to field practicum in which they get an opportunity to work with various organizations where they merge theory with practice (Healy, 2008). Just like other professions such as law or medicine, social work is guided by values, ethics and codes of conduct. Some of the values include competence, integrity, professionalism, social justice and value for human dignity. Some of the core principles include confidentiality, controlled emotional involvement and client self determination among others. Some of the skills include self awareness, observation and critical thinking (Healy, 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this paper, I will explore social work practice by looking at oppression of women by men. I will also look into the knowledge, values and skills which are associated with culturally sensitive practice with diverse populations. Eventually I will engage in a self-awareness exercise by self-administering a value-ba sed assessment and cultural competency inventory; and finally engage in a thoughtful analysis and discussion of my strengths and weaknesses as they pertain to my cultural competency and how I plan to improve on the weaknesses. Gender and oppression of women Gender refers to the roles associated with a particular sex, either male or female. Males and females are born with physical and biological differences. Some physical differences include height, appearance, weight and physical strength. Biological differences may include sexual reproduction organs and hormonal processes. These differences between males and females have been misused to oppress women in several aspects of life like in education, career, power, leadership, employment and management (Connel, 2009). In the field of management for example, women have been oppressed by men through various ways. For example, the issues of masculinity and femininity have played a role in gendering the field of management (Crosby, Stockdal e, Ropp, 2007). Many organizations are guided by the principles of masculinity which do not have respect for women. In these organizations, the authority of women managers is not respected as the authority of men managers. This leads to a situation whereby the leadership or management by a woman may not be as effective as that of a man because the employees in those organizations do not recognize women as a source of authority and therefore, any guidelines, instructions or regulations given by a woman manager may not be taken seriously by the employees (Hartl, 2003).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Work Practice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In many organizations, women do light jobs such as secretarial work or marketing. The central roles are dominated by men who are responsible for planning, policy making and moving the organizations towards the realization of their mission and vision (Rivas, 2013). Man y professional women or the â€Å"working mothers† are faced with role multiplicity. At home, they are supposed to be good mothers and wives. They are supposed to ensure that the children are well fed, are healthy and clean (Gregory, 2003). They are also supposed to take good care of their husbands. At the work place, they are supposed to produce good results either as managers or as normal employees. This makes them fall short of what is expected of them at the work place. The men on the other hand have very few roles to play at home which leaves them with a lot of time to concentrate on their roles in the work place. Due to this, they are able to meet the set targets or expectations of the organizations (Mason, 2002). For the women, reproduction is part of labor which they are not compensated for yet if they do not reproduce children, there would be no human resources to work in the organizations. Women have also been oppressed through promotions in organizations. Some wome n have to engage in sex with male directors so as to get promoted to the positions of managers. In the work place, women may be sexually or physically abused by their bosses due to the fact that they are perceived as being inferior and not able to resist the harassment or abuse (Coin Budapest, 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In some communities especially in the African continent, girls are denied the opportunity to gain education with the belief that women’s role in the society is to give birth to as many children as possible and also entertain the men with sex. In Kenya for example, the enrollment rates for girls in some communities like the Turkana is less than 10%, meaning that in every 100 girls of school going age, only 10 go to school. The others are betrothed to elderly men as wives after undergoing female genital cut. This has made women lack leadership, political and technological skills (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, 2011). In the developing countries mostly in Africa and Asia, poverty is very rampant. The economies are poorly managed and therefore there are few job opportunities. Many people depend on rain fed agriculture which is not sustainable due to lack of rainfall. In these countries, most men flee their homes to search for jobs and leave their wives at home with young ch ildren. These women are not able to take care of the welfare of the children and they strain a lot to ensure that the children are fed, clothed and schooled. Some women are forced to engage in prostitution as a source of income for their families. The women in these countries suffer silently because there are very few women in positions of power and leadership who can advocate for their rights. Women have also been oppressed through being denied the opportunity to inherit property. In the developing countries especially in Africa, women are not supposed to inherit any property from their parents. Among the Turkana of Kenya for example, if a wife does not give birth to a male child, the husband marries another wife who will give birth to a male child. It is this male child who will inherit all the properties of the parents when they die or when they grow old. The reasoning behind this is that women are not supposed to own any property but are instead supposed to be owned as property by men. Since 1974, some improvement has been realized in increasing the number of women in management positions. In the UK for example, the percentage of women who held management positions in 1974 was only 2%. In 2008, the percentage rose to 34.5% (Meulders, 2010). In other parts of the world, women are almost at par with men in various aspects such as leadership, education and technical know how. This is not however to say that oppression of women does not exist but what it means is that many people are slowly realizing that women are just like men and what men can do, women can also do it provided that the playing field is leveled. Effects of women oppression One of the effects of women oppression in the work place is that it leads to role conflict which eventually leads to stress. Role conflict refers to a form of disagreement among the roles held by one individual; that is, roles which correspond to various statuses of the same individual. Role conflict pulls an individual in different directions at the same time. It may be short lived or long lived. A good example to illustrate role conflict is by a working mother. As explained earlier, the mother is expected to deliver good results at the work place and also be a good wife at home through taking care of the children, husband and doing other domestic chores. At the family level, women are oppressed through various ways such as wife battering, marital rape, female genital cut, being denied opportunity to gain education and inherit property, men running away from home among others. Domestic violence is the most common form of women oppression at the family level especially in the developing countries. Domestic violence has traumatizing effects on women. Such women need advocacy, empowerment and counseling for them to heal. There is also need for social workers to agitate for policy change to enable women get education and inherit property. Social workers should also educate the communities to avoid cultur al practices which have been used to oppress women. Social work knowledge Social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations need to have social work knowledge in specific areas. One of the areas of social work knowledge is the knowledge of human behavior. Having knowledge of human behavior helps the social workers understand the cultures, values and norms of specific communities. This in turn helps the social workers package their intervention in such a manner that it does not conflict with the cultural practices, beliefs and norms of the particular communities. Such knowledge also helps the social workers to understand the cultural prejudices in various communities. This understanding of the cultural prejudices enables the social workers to help the people differentiate the facts and fictions in regard to certain prejudices. For example, in a community which believes that women are not allowed to go to school, the social workers can help the people understand that women in other parts of the world are allowed to attain eduction and challenge them to change that kind of perception. Another social work knowledge which is useful for social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations is the knowledge of social justice. Social workers need to have an understanding of social justice so as to help people in communities who suffer social injustice. The social workers should also educate the people about the concept and show them the importance of embracing social justice. Social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations also need social work knowledge about the code of conduct for social workers and the ethics which govern the profession of social work. This knowledge can help the social workers avoid unprofessional conduct which might conflict with certain values, norms and practices of particular groups. Social workers working with such populations also need an understanding of human rights. For e xample, they need to understand the various international laws, treaties and conventions which stipulate various human rights for different categories of people such as employees, children and women among others. This understanding can help the social workers educate the populations for them to know when their rights are violated and what they are supposed to do. However, the social workers must do it in a professional manner so that they are not accused of incitement. Social work values One of the values for social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse communities is the value of service to humanity. This value is very important for the social workers because it enables them to serve the populations irrespective of their cultural, religious, economic and historical orientations. Social workers without this value may have difficult time and in some cases, they may find it almost impossible to work with some cultural groups. The value of service to humanity also enabl es the social workers to appreciate and empathize with the populations without necessarily sympathizing with them. Another value which is important for social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations is the value of human dignity. Social workers must understand that they have an obligation of respecting the clients and their cultural practices. They have to put aside their personal biases against a certain group for them to help the clients. Some times social workers may consider some practices as weird. However, with the value of human dignity, they are able to acknowledge the fact that clients have a right of self determination. When they understand this, they are able to assist the clients without any obstacles. Social workers also need to have the value of competence and integrity. They need to apply their knowledge, skills and techniques in a professional manner when dealing with clients. The essence of this is that competence and integrity enable the s ocial workers to avoid any questionable behavior or practice. It also enhances the trust and confidence of the clients in the social workers. This also enables the clients to open up to the social workers and give as much information as possible. With the information and cooperation from the clients, the social workers are able to solve the problems affecting the clients or refer those which they cannot handle. This enhances the acceptance of the social workers by the communities (Morreau Benson, 2012). Social work skills One important skill which social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations should have is the skill of observation. Observation has to do with going beyond what people say and focusing on their body language and reaction to some social situations. The skill also has to do with doing more listening than talking. This is because the social workers are supposed to treat the clients as the best teachers of their own problems. If the social work ers do more listening and observing than talking, they are able to gather as much information as possible which is very crucial for the interventions. Another skill for dealing with culturally sensitive and diverse populations is the skill of critical thinking. This has to do with how social workers interpret the information they gather from clients either through interviewing, listening, observing or reading. The social workers should apply critical thinking in order to interpret the information correctly. Lack of critical thinking may lead to wrong diagnosis, treatment and intervention. The social workers should therefore understand the information correctly without any personal biases Another skill which is important when working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations is the skill of self awareness. Social workers need to understand how their background, perceptions, biases, motivations and prejudices may affect their relationship with clients. If social workers have l ow levels of self awareness, chances of acting improperly are increased. It is therefore very important that the social workers put aside any subjective reasoning and replace it with objectivity for them to be able to effectively assist the clients. The skill of self awareness also helps the social workers to identify transference in clients. Transference is a situation in which clients associate their fate with the social workers. For example, a female client whose husband is violent may easily confuse a male social worker for her husband; she may do this through making statements such as ‘you men are really bad’. In such a situation, the social worker is supposed to counter the transference by helping the client understand that his role is to help her out of the problem and not to take the blame of others (Tsui, 2010). Social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations also need to have excellent verbal communication skills. This is because commu nication is the only way that the social workers can use to understand the clients and for the clients to understand the social workers. They must be able to understand how to communicate with different groups at different times. For example, the way a social worker is supposed to talk to an elderly refugee woman is not the same way he or she can talk to a young child who is a school drop out. Verbal communication is an important asset for social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations because it enables them to effectively advocate for the clients especially those who are oppressed or marginalized. The skill can enable social workers to influence policy change or development for the improvement of people’s welfare. Apart from verbal communication, social workers need to have the skill of documentation. Proper documentation enables social workers to keep track of every aspect of their interventions and this becomes an asset for them when they want to influence the development or change of a certain social policy. Cultural competency inventory My total score for the value based assessment and cultural competency inventory is 75. What this means is that I am headed in the right direction as far as embracing cultural diversity is concerned. I would have wished to score 80 and above but this is not the case, probably because I am yet to cover some topics in therapeutic approaches and the relationship between myself as a therapist and clients. My strengths and weaknesses in cultural competency Based on my value based assessment and cultural competency, there are the areas which I scored poorly and others which I scored well. Those which I scored well are my areas of strength while those which I scored poorly are my areas of weakness. One of my strengths in cultural competency is that I like meeting new people especially those who are different from me in terms of race, gender and culture. Being a Russian lady for instance, I like as sociating myself with African or Asian men. I also love and embrace the culture of non whites such as the African Americans and Asian Americans. Another area of strength is the fact that I understand that I am independent and do appreciate the views of other people even if those views are in contrary to my own views. I am able to control my personal biases when interpreting the actions of those who are different from me. I also appreciate various communication methods used by various groups of people. Similarly, I am able to understand that other people may stereotype against me and therefore I am able to work against those stereotypes in order to interact with such people in a harmonious manner. I am also good in sorting out my values to know which one to compromise in order to communicate with others without losing my integrity as a social worker. I am also able to seek clarifications from people in regards to what they are saying so as to get the correct meaning of what they say. I like and accept others they way they are and avoid any remarks which may hurt certain groups in the community such as women, the people of color or those who are less fortunate in the society. One of my main weaknesses is that I do more talking than listening. This is because sometimes I listen as I talk. This is not good because I may not be able to capture what the other person is saying. I may also not be in a position to observe the body language of others which is also part of listening. Sometimes I also use my cultural jargon or slag when talking to people from other cultural backgrounds. This is a weakness because others may mistaken my language jargon as lack of respect for them. I am also weak in judging people based on the fluency of their languages. This is a weakness because it amounts to biases which may lead to wrong interpretation of messages by those who are from other cultural backgrounds. Sometimes I use some ethnic jokes when referring to some groups of people who are from different ethnic backgrounds but I get offended when others use the same language on me. This is a weakness because some ethnic jokes may hurt or provoke some people. I plan to improve my areas of weakness by doing further reading on the area of human behavior. I also plan to gain more knowledge in interpersonal skills and how to gain and apply them in various cultural settings. Also in my plan is to learn how to appreciate others and how to avoid judgmental attitudes towards particular populations. I also need to check on my listening skills by learning the art of doing more listening than talking. This is because doing so would boost by ability to get as much information as possible from others and especially from clients. My conceptual framework for practice My future conceptual framework as a social worker is the strength based perspective of social work practice. This perspective has to do with using people’s strengths as a basis of therapy. The perspective aims to capitalize on the strengths of clients (individuals and groups) to form a strong foundation for therapy. It is based on the belief that despite the fact that people have problems, there is something which they are good at or they have some useful information, history or practices which can be used to overcome the problems which they are faced with. It is also based on the belief that empowering people with information is useful for successful therapy (Rapp, 2007). Implications of the perspective to practice One of the implications of the strengths based perspective to practice is that it has reversed roles between the therapists and the clients. What this means is that the therapists must restrain their expertise and make the clients be the experts in solving their problems. The therapists are supposed to play the role of empowering the people to become experts in addressing the problems which face them. In other words, the therapists’ role is to create a sustainable intervention such that the clients are able to handle their problems even without the assistance of the therapists. Social workers using this perspective must therefore refrain from using stigmatizing language, having negative perceptions and labeling when dealing with clients. This is because such negative language or perceptions interferes with the ability of the social workers to effectively capacity build and empower the clients (Rapp, 2007). When capacity building and empowering clients, social workers must be realistic; that is, they must ensure that the clients actually have those strengths which can be used as a starting point for a sustainable intervention. They must also consider the magnitude of the problem affecting the clients and evaluate the clients’ ability to effectively handle the problem when empowered (Rapp, 2007). Oppressed women usually suffer from stigma and feelings of inadequacy. They also undergo through emotional, psychological and social distress d ue to oppression. As a social worker working with oppressed women, I will apply the strengths based perspective to empower such women with information so as to resist oppression by men. For instance, I will educate them about their rights to education, employment and fair treatment. I will also highlight their areas of strength when dealing with men. For example, the fact that women are very good in negotiations, have patience and do not easily lose their temper can be used by a woman who is a victim of domestic violence to talk to the husband to avoid such violence. I will also empower the oppressed women with information, skills and tactics of resisting male oppression both at the family setting and at the work place. For example, I will inform them of the relevant agencies where they can report any form of oppression without the fear of victimization. Through this perspective, I will go a long way in fighting the vice of women oppression. References Connel, R. (2009). Gender.(2nd ed).Washington DC: Polity Press. Coin Budapest.(2010). COIN 2009 international workshops: revised selected papers. Volume 5 of Coordination, organizations, institutions, and norms in agent systems. Secaucus, NJ: Springer. Crosby, F.J, Stockdale, M.S. Ropp, S.A. (2007). Sex Discrimination in the Workplace: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Gregory, R.F. (2003). Women and workplace discrimination: overcoming barriers to gender equality. New York: Rutgers University Press. Hare, I. (2004). Defining Social Work for the 21st Century: The International Federation of Social Workers Revised Definition of Social Work. International Social Work, 47: 407-424. Hartl, K.(2003). Expatriate women managers: gender, culture, and career. Volume 12 of Schriftenreihe Organisation Personal. 10117 Berlin: Rainer Hampp Verlag. Healy, L.M. (2007). Uni-versalism and cultural relativism in social work ethics. International Social Work, 50: 11-26. Healy, L.M. (2008). Exploring t he history of social work as a human rights profession. International Social Work ,51: 735-748. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. (2011). Population and Housing Census. Web. Mason,L. (2002). The Working Mothers Guide to Life: Strategies, Secrets, and Solutions. New York: Three Rivers Press. Meulders, D. (2010). Meta-Analysis of Gender and Science Research. Web. Morreau, W., Benson, K. (2012). Human trafficking: Improving victim identification and service provision. International Social Work, 55: 488-503. Rapp, R.C. (2007). The Strengths Perspective: Proving â€Å"My Strengths† and â€Å"It Works† Soc Work, 52(2): 185–186. Rivas, F.S. (2013). Burnout, workplace support, job satisfaction and life satisfaction among social workers in Spain: A structural equation model International Social Work, 56: 228-246. Tsui , M. (2010). From resilience to resistance: A reconstruction of the strengths perspective in social work practice. International Social Work, 53: 233-2 45.

5 Traits That Your PhD Writer Must Have to Provide You with a Great Sample Paper

5 Traits That Your PhD Writer Must Have to Provide You with a Great Sample Paper 5 Traits That Your PhD Writer Must Have to Provide You with a Great Sample Paper Creating your PhD paper is a huge deal and there are many requirements that have to be met. Unlike undergrad programs, your essays and assignments hold to much higher standards and are judged more critically. If you need some professional assistance to your coursework, you have to find a highly qualified PhD writer. 1. High Levels of Competence Of course, you want to hire the best person for your piece. So, you have to make sure that the writer you are interviewing is competent. He/she should be intelligent, have previous experience with PhD papers as well as behave in a professional manner. The writer who displays the high level of competence in his/her works is the person, whom you should consider interviewing further. 2. Good Communication Skills When it comes to PhD papers, a lot has to be done, there are some revisions to be made, some new pieces of information to be added, and dozens of adjustments that should be incorporated throughout the project. Because of this, you need to work with a writer who has good communication skills. He/she should be easy to contact with, as well as ready to set up the meeting.Moreover, the writer should also be able to easily understand instructions. The person, you are working with, needs to be able to answer specific questions. If you have any questions due to the paper, he/she should be able to answer them. If the writer cannot provide you with his/her own insights, it means that he/she does not actually understand the subject. 3. Good Grades If the writer has some experience, working at the PhD level, he/she is likely to have some already completed assignments. Pay attention to the reviews that other customers have left, and look if there is some information concerning the marks that the students have gained for the writer’s works. If his/her projects have good grades and high marks, it is a sign that you are dealing with a truly professional writer. If the projects have received poor grades, it’s quite better to move on and look for somebody else to help you. 4. Noteworthy Achievements Does the person you are going to hire have any major accomplishments? If the writer has achievements that are related to your PhD project, it is a good sign that such a person is knowledgeable about the particular subject. 5. Relevant Certification Although hiring someone with accomplishments in your field is a great deal, but if the person does not have the certain diploma in the particular field, it is not a fatality. Sometimes people do not enter the universities to get a degree, but they attend specific courses to achieve certificates. Thus, if you meet the writer, who has such a document, you can feel free to hire him/her for your paper. There is a complex system on how to find a trustworthy PhD thesis writer to assist you with your project. Determining the applicant’s competence, communication skills, educational degree, etc. are all great ways to find out the best candidate for your final paper.

2222 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

2222 - Essay Example In order for Anna to fit into the English society she had to adopt an English name. Jing used Vivian because it was a requirement in her English department. However, her choice of name sounded like her second name in Chinese. According to her, this was a form of identity and she contrasted Anna who thought that by using English names all your academic needs will be catered for. According to Jing she wanted to associate with her culture and this did not prevent her from being a senior member of the society by the time she was in her third year in Campus (Wenhao Diao 212). 4. I find Vivian’s strategy more superior than Anna’s. This is because Vivian only used her English name in class but outside the class she resumed her natural identity. For this reason, it is evident that studying different language must not transform our identity. It is important that we respect our culture and backgrounds and not be influenced by western

Next Plc as a Major Company Dealing in Retail Fashion Clothing Essay

Next Plc as a Major Company Dealing in Retail Fashion Clothing - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Next plc does business in the following major domains: retail stores that sell a variety of products, but the major one among them being clothes, catalog sales, and customer support services through ‘Ventura’. The company designs, manufactures and sells clothes under the brand name ‘Next’ and targets people between the age group of 20 to 40. Since its expansion drive in 1999, the company had to close down the international outlets that were managed by it directly and has since then concentrated on franchising options for the overseas markets. It operates in well over 20 different countries. Since 1999, the company’s primary activities have been progressing along two major sections namely retail clothing and catalog sales. The retail section of the company contributes to around two-thirds of the company’s income. It was around  £821 million in 1999. Moreover, the company has also adopted the policy of closing down s maller stores and has been in favor of opening superstores. Under its ‘Next catalog’ banner, the company offers the service of enabling customers to order products using a catalog, after which the purchased products are delivered to the customer’s home. In fact, this method of shopping (under the next brand) has become ingrained in the minds of the common Briton. One of the primary differences between other companies and next happens to be the fact that the latter focuses on the middle-class customers. It designs and markets affordable clothes that are contemporary unlike other retail houses such as Marks & Spencer that produces fashionable garments under various brand names. Likewise, the company has also adopted the policy of designing its clothes under its watchful eye, but in an attempt to cut down costs, it has been getting the goods produced in countries such as China, where the cost of production is comparatively much cheaper. The production operations are handled by the company’s house in Hong Kong. The company has also started offering financial services under the next brand credit financing. In spite of these branches, retail and catalog sales continue to be the two main contributors to the company’s revenues.

History of Federation of Malaya Essay Example for Free

History of Federation of Malaya Essay The Federation of Malaya (Malay: Persekutuan Tanah Melayu) is the name given to a federation of 11 states (nine Malay states and two of the British Straits Settlements, Penang and Malacca) that existed from 1 February 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957. It was reconstituted as Malaysia with the addition in 1963 of Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak. History After World War 2, the British came again to Malaya and Britain suggested the formation of the Malayan Union. Malayan Union not only took away the power of the Malays over their nation, but also the rights that belong to the Malays. Then, the people of Malayan Union started to realise that their country has to be ruled by their own people and not to be ruled by other people of other nations. Due to opposition from Malay nationalists, the Union was disbanded and replaced by the Federation of Malaya, which restored the symbolic positions of the rulers of the Malay states in 1st of February 1948. The British government and Malaya leaders signing the agreement of establishing Federation of Malaya at King’s House, Kuala Lumpur. Within the Federation, while the Malay states were protectorates of the United Kingdom, Penang and Malacca remained British colonial territories. Like the Malayan Union before it, the Federation did not include Singapore, despite its traditional connections with Malaya. The Federation achieved independence within the Commonwealth of Nations on 31 August 1957. In 1963, the Federation was reconstituted as Malaysia when it federated with the British territories of Singapore, Sarawak, and British North Borneo (renamed Sabah); the latter territory was claimed to be a part of the Sultanate of Sulu. Singapore separated from Malaysia to become an independent republic on 9 August 1965. Agreement of Federation The Federation of Malaya Agreement was formulated by the British–Malay Pleno Conference between June and December 1946. At the end of the meeting, the Pleno Conference produced a 100-page Blue Book. The Federation of Malaya Agreement was signed on 21 January 1948 at King House by the Malay rulers, and by Sir Edward Gent as the representative of the British government. The Agreement superseded the Agreement creating the Malayan Union, and prepared for the establishment of the Federation of Malaya on 1 February 1948. The position of the Malay rulers was also restored. As with the Malayan Union, the Federation excluded Singapore, despite its traditional links to Malaya. List of member states * Johore * Kedah * Kelantan * Malacca * Negeri Sembilan * Pahang * Penang * Perak * Perlis * Selangor * Terengganu System of Government The government of the Federation of Malaya was headed by a British High Commissioner with executive powers, assisted and advised by the Federation of Malaya Executive Council and the Federation of Malaya Legislative Council. * The Federation of Malaya Executive Council comprised 7 official and 7 unofficial members. The Federation of Malaya Legislative Council comprised the High Commissioner as the Council President, 14 official and 50 unofficial members representing the Straits Settlements, business groups and all races. Additionally, 9 State Council Yang Di Pertua (heads of state), Chief Ministers and 2 representatives from the Straits Settlements became unofficial members. * The Malay Conference of Rulers would advise the High Commissioner on immigration issues. The British Resident was replaced with a Chief Minister in each state of the federation. Conditions of citizenship The conditions of citizenship of the Federation of Malaya were further tightened using law enforcement and naturalization by application. Under the laws, the following were automatically granted citizenship: 1. Citizens of the Sultan of any state 2. British citizens born in Penang or Malacca who have lived continuously for 15 years in the federation 3. British citizens born in the federation whose fathers were born or lived continuously for 15 years in the federation 4. Anyone born in the federation, conversant in the Malay language and following Malay traditions in his or her daily life 5. Anyone born in the federation whose parents were born and lived continuously for 15 years in the federation Via naturalization (by application), one could achieve citizenship, given these criteria: 1. Born and lived for at least 8 of 12 years in the Federation of Malaya before the application was made 2. Lived in the Federation of Malaya for at least 15 of 20 years before the application was made In both cases (via naturalization), applications must be well-behaved, swear allegiance and clarify their reasons for living in the federation, and are fluent in either the Malay or the English language. The Federation of Malaya, through its constitution, guarantees the rights and special position of the Malay people as well as rights, powers and sovereignty of the Malay rulers in their respective states. Separation of powers of the federal and state governments The federation agreement Perjanjian Persekutuan set the powers of the federal and state governments. Financial matters must be handled by the respective states. The Sultan was given full power on religious issues and Malay customs. Foreign policy and defense continued to be administered by the British government.

Education Summaries :: essays research papers

In an international economy, knowledge - and knowledge of language - is power. Knowing a second language is more valuable than ever. I believe that citizens who speak English and another language will be a great resource for our nation in the coming years. To that end, I am encouraging schools in the United States to adopt the dual language approach, which we also sometimes refer to as "English plus one." This approach challenges young people to meet high academic standards in two languages. To give students and teachers every opportunity to succeed, President Clinton and Vice President Gore have proposed the largest increase ever in the U.S. education budget. We are working to create alternatives and offer intensive help to students who are struggling to pass high-stakes tests. I predict our schools will be open to students and adults for longer hours, providing access to computers for families that cannot afford their own personal computers and classes for adults who are seeking to improve their careers. Public education will be less about a fixed location and a fixed schedule, and much more about learning anytime and anywhere. Technology -- electronic learning --will change every aspect of U.S. education Across the United States, on every level of activity, education policies are subjects of discussion and debate among our citizens. We believe that the nation's education policies must change to reflect the increasing importance of education, the pervasiveness of technology and changes in student enrollment. A glimpse toward the future suggests that charter schools will become more prevalent in the United States. Although they use public funds, charter schools operate with more freedom and flexibility than typical public schools. The Clinton Administration has supported, and continues to support, charter schools and other innovations that give parents more choices in public schools. Established by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, the Institute of Education Sciences is the research arm of the Department of Education.

Charles Dickens Essay

Examine the presentation of the three spirits and Marley’s ghost in â€Å"A Christmas carol† and show the differences and similarities in their appearance, attitude towards Scrooge and the effect upon him. Consider also the spectre in â€Å"The Signalman† In a Christmas carol by Charles Dickens, the four ghosts are all described differently. They all help to change scrooge into a nicer person. The ghosts all act disparately and look disparately. Scrooge has a different effect on each one of the ghosts, two of the ghosts he likes and one of the ghosts he dislikes. Scrooge is also treated dissimilar, some ghosts care for him, and others are forceful. The ghost of Marley appears first, he is described as ‘In his pigtail, usual waistcoat, tights and boots; the tassels on the latter bristling, like his pigtail, and his coat-skirts, and the hair upon his head. ‘ Marley also had a chain around his middle, which was long and wound about him like a tail. The chain was made of cash boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deed and heavy purses wrought in steel. Marleys body was transparent, so Scrooge could see the 2 buttons on his coat behind. He also had a handkerchief wrapped around his head and chin which held his jaw up. The ghost of Christmas past turns up next. He is described as ‘a strange figure-like a child; yet not so like a child as like an old man, viewed through some supernatural medium. Which gave him the appearance of having receded from the view, and being diminished to a Childs proportions. ‘ The ghost’s hair hung about its neck and down its back. His hair was white, as if with age; but his face wasn’t old, and didn’t have any wrinkles in it. He had long and muscular arms, like his hands. Its legs and feet were delicately formed. The ghost wore a white tunic, and round its waist was a lustrous belt. ‘It held a branch of fresh green holly in its hand; and in singular contradiction of that wintry emblem, had its dress trimmed with summer flowers. ‘ The strangest thing about the ghost was that from the crown of its head sprang a clear jet of light, which by all was visible to see ‘ and was doubtless the occasion of its using, in its duller moments, a great extinguisher for a cap, which it now held under its arm. ‘ The next ghost was the ghost of Christmas present, he was clothed in one simple deep green robe, which was bordered with white fur. ‘This garment hung so loosely on the figure, that its capacious breast was bare, as if disdaining to be warded or concealed by any artifice. ‘ His feet was also bare, and on its head it wore no other covering than a holly wreath with shining icicles. ‘Its dark brown curls were long and free; free as its genial face, its sparkling eye. Its open hand, its cheery voice, its unconstrained demeanour, and its joyful air. ‘ Around the ghosts middle was an antique scabbard; but there wasn’t a sword in it, and the ancient sheath was eaten up with rust. The last of the ghosts to meet Scrooge was the ghost of Christmas yet to come. You couldn’t see any of its facial features because ‘it was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its face, its head and its form, and left nothing of it visible, save one outstretched hand. ‘ Because of this it would have been difficult to detach its figure from the night, and separate it from the darkness by which it was surrounded. The spectre in the signalman by Charles Dickens isn’t described very well in the story, all we know is that the spectre is a man and he has a sleeve over his arm. His voice was hoarse with shouting ‘halloa, below there! ‘ In the Christmas carol, Marley is a friendly ghost and he is very nice, he enjoys being in the company of Scrooge, Scrooge says ‘you were always a good friend to me. ‘ He obviously cares about Scrooge because he wouldn’t have gone there to warn him about the three ghosts and what would happen to him if he kept hating Christmas. Marley was the only true friend Scrooge has had. The ghost of Christmas past is nice, friendly and reasonable. The ghost cared for Scrooge, he once asked him ‘what’s the matter? ‘ Even though he is nice and friendly, he forces Scrooge into seeing things that he doesn’t want to see. For example Scrooge says ‘leave me, take me back, haunt me no longer. ‘ ‘But the relentless ghost pinched him in both arms and forced him to observe what happened next. ‘ The ghost of Christmas present is a kind and jolly ghost. The ghost and Scrooge were cheerful when they visited homes. ‘The spirit stood besides sickbeds, and they were cheerful and they were patient in their greater hope, by poverty and it was rich. ‘ The ghost makes Scrooge more relaxed around him, he isn’t frightened, and he is calm in the ghost’s presence. Like the ghost of Christmas past, this spirit is also forceful and makes him see what he doesn’t want to see. The ghost of Christmas yet to come doesn’t speak at all, this ghost is the one Scrooge is scared of most. ‘Scrooge feared the silent shape so much that his legs trembled beneath him, and he found that he could hardly stand when he prepared to follow it. Scrooge is frightened of him the most because he doesn’t know what his personality is like; with the other ghosts they were kind and caring. This ghost just points to places. But when Scrooge saw his grave then he got worried and cried ‘hear me! I am not the man I was, I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this if I am past all hope? ‘ When Marley visits Scrooge, he is scared at first, because he doesn’t know who it is, until the ghost got a bit closer, Scrooge was surprised to see his old friend, when Marley walked off to the window ‘it beckoned Scrooge to approach, which he did.

A Creative Response to Belonging

Ryan’s Story – Untitled so far You stay in your room like a locked away Rapunzel. Well not locked in fact – matter of the choice rather. It’s like fiery dragons attack you every time you attempt to escape your temple. You study, you work, study again, read some, then you study some more. It’s the same repetitive routine throughout your days between the same four egg-white walls. ‘No common sense! ’ you are told. ‘None what-so-ever’, burns your delicate skin. What are you supposed to do? Visit the Wizard of Oz and ask for a glass brain? Or maybe obsess with Thomas Paine for a week or two? No, only the flame throwers presented at the exit is awaiting your so called ‘enlightenment’ – and even the pain isn’t crossed knuckles with humiliation. You feel trapped but simultaneously free – free from any such connection with the fire you have been accustomed to or rather such societal dictatorship controlling your every thought, presenting a more confused, liberated Rapunzel. You are somewhat connected with surrounding people despite the closed door. An interconnected spider’s web comes to mind, perhaps behind a series of branches and scuffled leaves. Even though you are somewhat acquainted with these people, you can never seem physically ‘connected’ with them. Maybe it’s the closed door? Or maybe it’s the fact that you over-analyse everything until the point where self-disappointment slaps your red hard across the face. All you want is to be alone, far from what these people think, but yet want to be a part of the envious spider’s web large enough for your contribution but possibly not strong enough. You think of a similar case of Emily Dickinson. She wants to post her letter, she wants to publish her poetry but in the end she doesn’t because of fear. Fear of what other people may think if it, ever so lonely in her secluding room. That similar closed door painful to think about, but comforting to realise collectively. What people think of you, it’s a scary thought really. What thoughts scatter around in other’s brains, without your control or prejudice. You look outside your window, rather similar to the day before. A sky filled with cloud secluding the sun’s precious touch. The lime tree half dying, half growing in the midst of an insect infested environment. The green grass connected to the thin line of stalk, reaches higher to the sky then your window does, awkwardly enough. You refrain from such a scene and reach back into one of your books awaiting another life far from here – rather to the City of Invention you are peculiar about. If ever you yourself were to write a novel, short story, poem, script or anything of the sort – it would be one of such power and profit. The antagonist would be a devilish character, somewhat misunderstood in more ways than one Then maybe your dragons could have spot for fame – a Rocky Horror show without the horror†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. wait, maybe with the horror as well. The devilish character’s name would be Thomothius, Thom for short. He would attempt to escape the cannibalistic village he was forced to inhabit. A woman, always admired by Thom would stop him in his tracks and lure him underground. There she would drill question upon answer into Thom’s poor glass brain until Thom were to surface again as a farfetched Steven King character. From this point in time, villagers notice this strange happening and fear for their lives. (Cannibals fearing their lives, who could imagine? ) The King and Queen Dragonheart would encompass their power upon the false notions of their people and hang poor Thom for the villagers to see like the mouldy and grass infested socks pegged to the clothes line in the corner of your window. This of course will create peace and prosperous tranquillity to roam around the various blood-stained streets, never really understanding what evil was present. Not really profitable when rethought about. Here you fall out of this novel and back into the silent pages you hold. Your silent tear will continue to rise like condensation, above all morals and belief that confide in your pride. From this, what is needed to be understood? It is that you will not find your Mr Darcy stuck between the space between your window and your room. It is that you will not have a happy ending unless you face your demons, or in this case dragons. Yet you remain silent in your room, thinking of how this Thom could be the only person you can really connect with.

Metre, Meter, and Mete

Metre, Meter, and Mete Metre, Meter, and Mete Metre, Meter, and Mete By Maeve Maddox Numerous readers wrote to correct me regarding the following entry in my post about commonly confused words that begin with M: 5. meter / metre Both words are nouns. A  meter  is a measuring device, like a gas meter.  Metre  is a metric unit or a type of rhythm in verse. American speakers wrote to point out that the standard US spelling for the metric unit is meter, never metre. Speakers from the UK and Canada wrote to tell me that they never have occasion to write meter, only metre. So, how inaccurate is my meter/metre entry? Regarding standard British usage, it is completely accurate. Regarding standard American usage, it fails on two counts: 1. It fails to mention that meter is the standard US spelling for the metric unit. 2. It does not mention the fact that meter has also become acceptable US spelling for the word that refers to the rhythmic structure of a verse. Apologies to my American readers are therefore in order. Meter, it is, for all three meanings. As for devices that measure such things as gas and electricity, the spelling meter is standard in British usage. Both words, metre and meter, have their remote origins in an Indo-European word for measure. The English word metre in the sense of poetic rhythm was already in use during the Old English period. The original Latin word, metrum, could mean â€Å"poetic measure† or â€Å"a vessel or other object used for measuring.† The word metre in the sense of â€Å"a metric unit† entered English from French mà ¨tre in 1797, two years after the metric system was formally defined in French law.    The noun meter in the sense of â€Å"a mechanical measuring device† was introduced in the nineteenth century by the inventor of a gas meter. His use of the word had nothing to do with metre in either the sense of poetic rhythm or the metric system. The meter in â€Å"gas meter† derives from the English verb to mete (â€Å"to measure†), a verb that has existed in English since Old English times. Before the inventor used meter in the context of his mechanism, the occupational term meter existed for a person whose job was to measure things. The verb mete survives in current usage with the meanings â€Å"to apportion† or â€Å"to deal out.† It is usually used with the particle out. Here are examples of recent usage: Pfeffer says powerful people do certain things to advance their own agendas. One of these is to mete out resources. The criticism  meted out  by the press is always the first thing that people hear.    The Government is planning to bolster her impact by granting her the ability to mete out financial penalties. A new way to mete out discipline in schools? Kurds Likely to Mete Out Severe Justice The following use of mete in the King James translation of the Bible may be the reason that the verb is often associated with justice and punishment: For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.- Matthew 7:2. Bottom line American usage recognizes the spelling meter for the metric unit, the rhythmic structure, and the measuring apparatus. British usage recognizes two spellings: metre for verse and metric units; meter for an apparatus that automatically measures the quantity of something passing through it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 Idioms with Heart7 Patterns of Sentence StructureHow to Style Legislative Terms

Revamp Your Resume 3 Essential Tips for Receptionists

Revamp Your Resume 3 Essential Tips for Receptionists One of the most timesIn the descriptive sections of your resume, make sure youre illustrating your skills and experience, not just telling your prospective employer about them. Sit down with a friend   and brainstorm specific instances where you successfully multi-tasked in a busy office environment, organized a chaotic project or packed schedule, or communicated effectively during a stressful time. Answering a question like How would you evaluate your organizational skills by referring to a particular project you managed with flying colors will impress your future boss more than a recitation of your abilities.Finally,  as with any job, make sure you proofread carefully- even down to formatting consistency and accurate punctuation. The polish you give to your resume will speak for your ability to present clean and concise documents at work, too!

Artificial Intelligence in Art project (multimedia installation) Essay

Artificial Intelligence in Art project (multimedia installation) - Essay Example Artificial intelligence is fused with multimedia to make the subjects more â€Å"human.† The processes are aimed at making human beings feel comfortable in the company of the creations. The creations create the feeling of cloning human companionship. The articulation of the two, is aimed at stimulating those human actions, e.g. feeling, touching and seeing, that seem complex to replicate. The whole topic of artificial intelligence in multimedia production cannot be described by one project or system. Artificial intelligence is a wide and broad area. To explore all corners of artificial intelligence, the report is mainly focused on the system and projects that expound on artificial intelligence based on multimedia. Several case studies on art project that incorporated artificial intelligence are described below. Case studies Thomas Ray, Tierra (1998) The Tierra is software created to represent natural evolution in the medium that is natural. The software uses artificial intelli gence to create a virtual computer that runs on an evolving operating system. The software uses an evolving operating system called Darwinian operating system (Ackley & Littman, 1990). The Darwinian operating system has its architecture based on executable machine codes. The machine codes evolve with each execution. The machine codes can be either be mutated or recombined. Despite the changes in the codes, the resulting codes remain functional. The functionality of the codes is durable. The code evolves through the process of natural selection. The code improves itself with each change in the natural selection. The Darwinian operating system manages the memory that the software uses. Time is shared accordingly among the services that run along with the program. The operating system also controls the factors that tend to affect and distort the course of evolution. The factors include disturbances on the cycles, the mutation rates, and allocation of processor time to each creature tha t is within the covered ecosystem (Ackley & Littman, 1990). The operating system also records birth and deaths, a sequential code that covers all the creatures, and a gene bank where successful genomes are stored. The program uses artificial intelligence to automate ecological analysis. All types of interactions that take place among the creatures in the simulated ecology are recorded. The system produces synthetic organisms. The synthetic organisms are based on a metaphor of the computer. The CPU time is used as the energy in the ecosystem. The memory is used as the material in each organism within the ecosystem. Mutation is responsible for creating new forms into the ecosystem, a process represented by the evolving machine codes. Evolution precedes the ecosystems natural selection. Natural selection is represented by the competition of the different genotypes for energy (CPU time) and material (memory space) (Ackley & Littman, 1990). The system combines both artificial intelligenc e and multimedia using digital communities to diversify the ecosystem. The digital communities are used to represent coexistence and competitive exclusion, regulation of the population through parasite/host density, punctuated equilibrium, and enhancement of the community diversity through parasitic effect. The software represents a natural evolution in the digital medium. Kenneth Rinaldo, Autopoeisis (2000) Autopoiesis is an installation of robotic

Panama Canal expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Panama Canal expansion - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that most infrastructural mega projects are prone to suffer from cost overruns, delays, poor performance or inability to give customer satisfaction if inadequately managed. Interaction of several factors such as governance of such projects, their financing, human management, and financing can cause complexities which can either promote their success or inhibit it depending on how they are approached. It is, therefore, crucial for project managers to thus critically analyze a mega project before undertaking it. This report takes an in-depth assessment of the expansion of the Panama Canal which is one of the busiest waterways internationally. Panama expansion project is also of key interest given that it plays a critical role in maritime trade and brings together international concerns. The initial construction of Panama Canal went underway in 1880 under the leadership of Ferdinand de Lesseps who built Suez Canal. This was a large scale proje ct undertaken by people who had little prior experience in canal construction. They faced several challenges including minimal workforce, diseases and lack of funding. The geology of the region also posed a challenge to the construction work. A second company, the Compagnie Nouvelle du Canal de Panama, was contracted to complete the construction. After the American government the requested French machinery for construction, work officially began in 1904. Despite the challenges encountered in constructing the canal, Panama Canal was completed a decade later.