Minorities and culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Minorities and culture - Essay Example A concept of whiteness often comes up in different contexts. Â   Social sciences, linguistic studies, psychology, social work, gender studies and many others are focused on the ideas of whiteness. There is no doubt that the concept of "whiteness" is an integrative element of the modern social context. It is often claimed that dark color of skin is similar to peoples inability of a high-level performance. A modern society is well known for the presence of full kaleidoscope of skin colors. The scientists have often agreed upon the existence of a certain biological and genealogical basis, which identifies peoples performance in the global society. A concept of whiteness includes knowledge of body language, ideologies, behavioral norms and some practices, which have been developed for many centuries. The American colonies and the history of European white roots have been often considered as the dominant in development of the concept of "whiteness" (Barrett, 1977). We think about race in a different way and whiteness is based on different social insti tutions, such as legal, economic, educational, political and religious etc. Rothenberg underlined that a concept of whiteness and a rigid differentiation between a concept of "blackness" and "whiteness" are deeply rooted in America. On the one hand, the Europeans were focused on the differences in skin color, but on the other hand, they did not emphasize theirs. White people have often been ruling. The European monarchs have reigned for ages and it should come as no surprise that a stereotype of white dominance became a wide spread one. A power of control often belonged to white-skinned people. Only a small part of elite gains its power because of the color of their skin. It can be often argued that white race is not the greatest benefit, but the inner contents. W.E.B. Du Bois claimed that a "white blindspot" was the name of interests, which related to some white people. A concept of whiteness has a

Employment training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Employment training - Essay Example In contrast to this, both government and employers are still faced with several challenges on the level of expertise of such staff and the total contributions achieved by the children from such experiences (Buchen 2005, Tassoni; et al.2002). While there is still need to adjust staff to children ratio, the government still maintains its policy that, the training staffs must be holders of either Certificate grade III or Diploma after completing the preliminary training in childcare practices. This has created a lot of challenges to the employers on a continual demand for trained teachers (Reitz 2004). Currently, the Australian government policy has generated much concern about the impact of insufficient number of childcare staffs and the trainers of young children. The main point of concern is that, in future if this trend continues then there would be a very big deficit of workers needed to provide education to the young children. Besides, the potential demand in institutions for trai ners, consequence is being felt by the institutional owners who have resorted to sourcing for childcare staffs internationally as stiff policy by the Australian government bites to underplay the education industry for young children (OECD 2001). Considering some of the initiatives by the Australian government, for the early child development staffs to either, attain Diploma levels or source for more expatriates from other countries has been touted. However, less significant impact has been received because other countries are also in dire need of such people and being a competitive industry, most skilled personnel’s only seek opportunity in places where good rewards in terms of remunerations can be achieved certainly, in places such as Asia or the United States. Furthermore, the demand for early childhood education teachers may have also been created in their countries of origin (McKenzie and Santiago 2005). According to ABC news report, the new requirements, which have been put in place by the Australian government on the childhood graduate trainees, has forced most of institutional owners to consider staffs oversees. Mr. Colbert childhood education staff from Majura Children Park Canberra explains that, the policy has interfered with the recruitment locally since, most of the graduates still miss to have the additional requirements of the Diploma requirements subjecting the organizations to consider international staffs. Another point of concern has been noted by Ranstad education recruiter, who has given observation that in several vacancy advertisements, most of the potential applicants would be found to have come from the Diaspora (ABC News 2013). Some of the organizations allied to the government have embraced the reforms to have all childhood education teachers to advance the level of training inline line with the current policy. However, most of the teachers who are currently working see it as wastage of time because the syllabus being taught at those levels had actually been covered at the undergraduate. In addition, the training is not meant for free as it comes at an additional cost impacting unnecessary expenses on what is perceived to have been learnt earlier on at the university by teachers in practice (OECD 2006). Some of the national requirements considered to be of greeter challenge to this education industry are amongst: Half the staffs at every daycare center must be a holder of diploma in early childhood e

Difficult Obstacle In Learning English English Language Essay

Difficult Obstacle In Learning English English Language Essay Vocabulary is the most difficult obstacle in learning English. However, English word formation is an effective way to learn English, because it can help us to correctly identify the word form, part of speech, and to understand the meaning of the word, and to rapidly expand our vocabulary. Among them, affixation is the strongest one, and it forms the largest number of words, and it is considered to be one of the best ways to learn English. Besides, compounding, conversion, blending, clipping, acronymy, back-formation are also the efficient ways of learning English. In the paper, the ways and characteristics of word formation are analyzed in affixation, compounding and conversion. Keywords: English word formation, affixation, compounding, conversion 1. Introduction Learning a language must to learn the speech, grammar and vocabulary. In these three elements, vocabulary occupies a pivotal position. Well-known scholar Wilkins said, without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed. Vocabulary scientist McCarthy said more simply, no matter how well the student learns grammar, no matter how successfully he masters the sounds of a L2, without words to express a wide range of meanings, communication in that language cannot happen in any meaningful way. So many teachers and students pay a lot attention to the vocabulary learning. And the expansion of vocabulary in modern English depends chiefly on word formation. There is a variety of means being at work now. The most productive are affixation, compounding and conversion. Talking about word-forming patterns means dealing with rules. But not all words which are produced by applying the rule are acceptable. The acceptability is gained only when the words have gain ed an institutional currency in the language. Therefore, rules only provide a constant set of models from which new words are created from day to day. Rules themselves are not fixed but undergo changes to a certain extent. For instance, affixes and compounding processes may become productive at one time or lose their productivity. By word formation processes, we concentrate on productive or on productive rules. While applying the rules, we should keep in mind that there are always exceptions. Then I will analyze the ways and characteristics of word formation in affixation, compounding and conversion. 2. Affixation Affixation is generally defined as the formation of words by adding word-forming or derivational affixes to bases. This process is also known as derivation, by which new words are derived from old or base forms. The words that are created in this way are called derivatives. According to the positions affixes occupy in words, affixation falls into two subcategories: prefixation and suffixation. Prefixation is a way of forming new words by adding prefixes to stems. Usually, prefixes do not change the word-class of the stem but only modify its meaning. Prefixes can be divided, based on their meanings, into: negative prefixes, reversative prefixes, pejorative prefixes, prefixes of degree or size, prefixes of orientation and attitude, locative prefixes, prefixes of time and order, number prefixes, conversion prefixes, miscellaneous prefixes. For instance, negative prefixes include: 1) a-, apolitical, asexual, atypical; 2) dis-, disobey, discredit, disloyal; 3) in-, il-, ir-, im-, inaudible, illegitimate, irresistible, improbable; 4) non-, non-classical, non-smoker, non-violence; 5) un-, undemocratic, unwillingly, unbuilt. Suffixation is the process of forming new words by adding suffixes to the end of stems. Suffixes have primary function being to change the word class with a slight modification of meaning. Suffixes can be divided into noun suffixes, adjective suffixes, adverb suffixes and verb suffixes. For instance, noun suffixes include: 1) denominal nouns, -eer, -er, -age, profiteer, teenager, mileage; 2) deverbal nouns, -ant, -ent, -ing, assistant, respondent, christening; 3) de-adjective nouns, -ity, -ness, productivity, youthfulness; 4) noun and adjective suffixes, -ese, -an, -ist, Chinese, Australian, Methodist. Affixation is the strongest word formation, and it forms the largest number of words, and it is considered to be one of the best ways to learn English. Linguist David Crystal said, no matter how big your vocabulary is, only you know the range of prefixes and suffixes, and you know the main limitation of using them, your vocabulary will sharp increase soon. Famous author Lord Chesterfield said, the shortest and best way of learning a language is to know the roots of it, that is, those original primitive words of which other words are formed. Etymology scientists John Kennedy said, the stem and its value are the basis of the English language. 3. Compounding Compounding or composition is a process of word formation by which two or more stems are put together to make a new word. Words formed in this way are called compounds. So a compound is a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"lexical unit consisting of more than one base and functioning both grammatically and semantically as a single wordà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, Quirk et al said that. Compounds can be divided into noun compounds, adjective compounds and verb compounds. For instance, noun compounds include: 1) noun+ noun: moon cake, end product; 2) noun+ verb: toothache, frostbite; 3) verb+ noun: crybaby, tell-tale; 4) adjective+ noun: deadline, blueprint; 5) noun+ verb-ing: brainwashing, air-conditioning; 6) verb-ing+ noun: cleaning lady, wading bird; 7) noun+ verb-er: stockholder, crime reporter; 8) adverb+ verb: outbreak, downfall; 9) verb+ adverb: sit-in, have-not; 10)verb-ing+ adverb: going-over, carryings-on; 11) adverb+ verb-ing: up-bringing. And compounds have noticeable characteristics, such as phonolog ical features, semantic features, grammatical features and orthographical features. 4. Conversion Conversion is the formation of new words by converting words of one class to another class, without changes in morphological structures. New words are new only in a grammatical sense. For instance, the word paper as a noun has four senses: 1) material in thin sheets made from wood or cloth, 2) a newspaper, 3) a piece of writing for specialists, and 4) wallpaper. When turned into a transitive verb, it is related only to 4) as in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"She papered the room greenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. 5. Conclusion English words are difficult to learn and hard to remember, but there are internal rules can be found. If we start from word formation, we can make vocabulary learning become simple and efficient, and make it possible for the rapid expansion of vocabulary. Word formation is an efficient way and powerful weapon for English study. We should grasp the three main ways, affixation, compounding and conversion, especially for our English major students.

Binge Drinking on College Campuses

Alcohol on American campuses has become a serious issue.   According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, drinking among college students leads to about 1,400 deaths, 500,000 injuries and 600,000 assaults each year (Coin).In 2000, the total number of alcohol related deaths on college campuses was nearly 5,600, while in 1979 the total was more than 2,500 (McClintock), and the number of students who reported that they had driven while intoxicated rose from 2.3 million to 2.8 million (Hingson 260).   This statistic includes all college students, ages 18-24.   That means some of the people involved in these incidents were underage.   1 out of every 4 students drinks at a binge level (Simons 24).This reflects the direction that the youth of America, as a whole, has taken.   Part of the reason for this is that many college students do not know about the harmful effects of alcohol.   Although college drinking, historically, has been viewed by many as a rela tively innocent rite of passage, there is evidence that it is a rite that too often results in negative consequences for drinkers such as poor academic performance, public misconduct, and health problems.Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks for men, and for or more drinks for women (Jennison 660).   After putting these numbers in a blood alcohol estimator, the average male, about 165 lbs, would have a BAC of approximately .09.   This is legally intoxicated in all states.   These numbers were achieved using beer as the type of alcohol.   Had it been hard liquor, the number would have been higher.   At this level of intoxication, all motor skills and judgment are affected adversely, leading to bad decisions as well as the physical inability to handle oneself.The negative short term affects of excessive drinking are numerous.   Impaired vision, judgment, and speech are among the first and most obvious symptoms of drunkenness.   Also, nausea, vomiting, d ehydration, and headaches are among the most common symptoms the next day, commonly referred to as a â€Å"hang over.†The main problem with these short term affects is the impaired judgment and motor skills.   When people are drunk, they can get very emotional, and this often leads to physical altercations.   More than 600,000 students reported being assaulted by someone who was under the influence of alcohol and more than 500,000 reported being injured while intoxicated (Hingson 261).   It is a fact: people have trouble controlling both their words and their actions while they are drunk, and this often leads to injuring themselves or the people around them.There are also many long term affects.   Liver disease, brain damage, and ulcers are the most common among the many effects that slowly tear away at the human body (Jennison 672).   It can also lead to impotence in men, birthing problems in women, added risk of breast cancer, and muscle deterioration (Hingson 268 ).   These are all very serious problems, and for the most part, most college students have no clue about the long term consequences of their binge drinking (Donahue 20).Next, we must understand the reason students drink in college.   Much of the drinking occurs at parties and revolves around drinking games.   These are social games designed to bring different groups of people together, and the rules of participation ensure heavy drinking (Simons 24).   Various games include beer-pong, Beirut, F**k the dealer, asshole, and quarters, among others.The general rules in these games ensure that both winners and losers will drink, with the losers drinking dangerous amounts.   Most people engage in these games as a way to meet new people, while some get involved just to drink.   Another reason many males start these games is to get girls involved.They know that alcohol makes people make decisions they wouldn’t usually make and they hope this leads to the girls being easi er.   It is a fact that alcohol loosens ones inhibitions, so many new friends can be met in one night at a party by a typically shy person if he/she decides to drink.   Also, many students are pressured into drinking by friends, but as they have never drank alcohol before, they do not know their limits, and this is often what leads to the biggest problems.Many first time drinkers have wound up â€Å"passed out† somewhere due to involvement in drinking games (Simons 27).

MediaCorp’s “Police and Thief” Essay

1. Short summary of my understanding of the question and my thesis statement 2. State some obvious similarities and differences between the 2 case studies. 3. Dissect each case study with the following categories in mind: a. Narratives b. Genres c. Representation d. Ideology e. Scenes 4. Conclusion 5. Some other things to think about: a. Give concrete examples. b. Aspects of styles. These two shows are very Singaporean. By this I mean that they contain many elements which are unique to my country, elements which only within the paradigm of our society will resonate with local viewers. Homerun, an Asian remake of the internationally acclaimed Iranian movie Children of Heaven is a movie directed by Jack Neo, who is a local celebrity best known for his comedic prowess and the many comedy shows under his name. Police and Thief is a relatively new weekly half-hour sitcom shown on Channel 5 which has yet to set a foothold in the heart of local audiences. These locally produced shows use, essentially different techniques in many areas to present the story to us while making use of our experiences as Singaporeans to help us understand and appreciate the shows from their story/plot to the surprises and nuances contained within. I will proceed to show you how the techniques used are also more different than similar. A distinction between the two shows is the element of narration. Cause and effect is employed to effectively present the story or stories in the shows. It is not uncommon to find secondary stories in an episode of a situation comedy or sitcom. These are often inserted into the plot and often come together in conclusion at the end of the episode. In Police and Thief, the show starts off on this episode with Lee Tok Kong the main character of the show wanting to get under the blanket with his wife and due to common reasons of tiredness and falling asleep quickly, has his pleas ignored. This scene is related to how Tok Kong later reacts to the wiles of a less than archetypical femme fatale. There is another story inserted in between, which shows how the neighbour’s sons, Rudy and Rafi having an unspoken conflict over a common love interest. This plot development has no explicit and implicit impact on the main story mentioned earlier. It almost feels like tokenism has taken place, either to fill up the half hour of screen time or to give emphasis to the other characters in the sitcom. In Homerun, it is quickly established that poverty leads to a lack of options and hence with the losing of shoes early into the movie, we see the main ’cause’ in the show that explains later effects. The show revolves around how the main characters are thwarted at every attempt to obtain a new pair of shoes or retrieve the old pair. We do not see scenes that have no relation to any other. In fact the entire narration of Homerun is about a search for a cause-shoes. Both the shows have different range of stories. There is less suspense buildup in Police and Thief and this is probably due to restricted narration where both the audience and the characters in the show know the same information at relatively equal times. The only example of unrestricted narration in the recent episode was when Rudy cheated on his promise to his brother Rafi behind his back to get a chance to go out with the girl, Cecilia, they both like. Rafi only found it out in another scene when Cecilia whom similarly does not know of the conflict called their home. In this case, we know more than several characters in the show at a particular time. In Homerun, during the opening sequence of Chew Kiat Kun running errands for his family, it is quickly established that a rag-and-bone man had taken away the pair of shoes which Kiat Kun had put down. Kiat Kun has no idea how the shoes had mysteriously disappeared and hence his sister Seow Fang too. In this scene alone, a beautiful play on camera angle suffices to keep us in suspense till much later in the show. This seemingly passing top down close up scene of the gnarled hands removing the shoes helps to tug hard at our heart strings when we later realize the rag-and-bone man is blind. The above is a good example of how both restricted and unrestricted narration can be developed from one scene. We know who had taken away the shoes (unrestricted narration) but like the characters in the show we have no idea he was blind (restricted narration). These two shows belong to the 2 commonest genres in Singapore. Police and Thief can be classified as belonging to the â€Å"HDB† genre. In fact this plot of this particular sitcom revolves around the conflict faced by two men who live in close proximity. It has an appeal particular to local viewers who are able to appreciate the familiar settings. One example which we can relate to is the scene of Lily, Tok Kong’s wife who repeats a punch line in a scene where her face is framed in the center of our common older HDB window panes. It is common to see neighbours walking and talking from the same angle for those who have lived in HDB flats. Homerun is a social commentary and even as it is based in 1965, the year Singapore became independent, it reflects on socio-political situations which were prevalent during the time of filming i.e. the water issue between Malaysia and Singapore. Another genre which is mixed into both these shows is the coffee shop genre, featuring many scenes of meeting and interactions at local coffee shops. We see this in Police and Thief where Tok Kong was being interviewed by a lady near the beginning of the show and in Homerun, Kiat Kun helps out his teacher from school who is close to collapsing from shortness of breath at a roadside coffee shop. There is obvious stereotyping in Police and Thief. Tok Kong is your typical gangster or â€Å"Ah Beng† in colloquial terms. He has wild, pointy gelled hair and wears colourful clothing, even for sleeping attire (Opening scenes). His heavily accented Singapore Colloquial English (SCE) (â€Å"Don’t play with my heart†) and his love for techno music scream â€Å"Ah Beng†. He is put in direct contrast with his neighbour and antagonist in the show Sergeant Dollah who is a policeman. Dollah is characterized with short hair, very neat and righteous. These stereotypes alone set the premise for tension and conflict as neighbours. It is akin to Phua Chu Kang versus his sister-in-law Margaret. The stereotypes in Homerun broadly differentiate the rich and the poor. A simple comparison can be made between Beng Soon and Kiat Kun, friends of opposite ends of the economic spectrum whose relationship sours then mends in the course of the show. Beng Soon is cast in shirts, clean with well-gelled hair (in school) and stands at a good head taller than Kiat Kun. His friend however is almost always dirty, with smudges on his singlet and/or face. Even during a game of soccer, Beng Soon provides the soccer boots and he is the only one on the field with soccer socks. Tok Kong as the gangster also becomes an icon easily associated with local shows of similar genres. There is no obvious icon in Homerun. It uses a motif rather, to play out the story. There were multiple scenes of close ups of your ‘Bata’ white or dirty shoes (in the shops or in the background with Seow Fang’s face in the focus). Many scenes of tension started because of shoes e.g. the shoes slipping off and into a canal full of rushing water and even in the scene where Seow Fang’s teacher paces as the children are exercising). These scenes feature changes in music, close ups with dialogue in the background, all to draw attention to the motif in the show. During the scene at the well with the confrontation between the two groups of boys, we see wealth being equated with power, that Beng Soon who was the rich one could actually decide who got to use the well. This is perhaps the director’s ideology portraying the way Malaysia hordes over us in the water issue. The premise of Homerun revolved around three things: shoes, intelligence and power being associated with wealth. Jack Neo parodies the socio-political situation between Singapore and Malaysia using the three elements with shoes being the water, Singapore being the more intelligent country and power that Malaysia holds over us due to their superior water resource. The two shows end differently too. The end of the sitcom is close without answered questions while the cryptic ending of Homerun leaves us pondering what the director would have us think as we leave the cinema. There is no element of suspense left in Police and Thief to entice the audience to look out for the next episode, unlike a soap opera. Even as both shows make use of our experience to enhance our appreciation and understanding of the shows, they obviously use several different techniques and some similar ones to bring forth the essence of each individual story. These different methods highlight certain elements essential to the plot of the stories and ultimately help us to enjoy the shows as Singaporeans.

The Jewish Community in Italy Essay - 2754 Words

The Jewish Community in Italy Problems with format For centuries, there has been a Jewish community in parts of present-day Italy, dating back to the Roman Empire. In addition to religious differences, Jews were faced with political challenges as well. The Emperor was included in the pantheon of Roman tradition, which added a political obligation to religious, and thus Roman citizens were required to ?conciliate the gods.? For Jews, this requirement created many consequences.[1] According to estimates, there were five to seven million Jews in the Roman Empire during this time. The relations between the Jews and the Romans have always been complicated. For in 186 B.C. measures were taken against the Bacchanalia, but in 161 B.C., a†¦show more content†¦In addition to those geographically in Italy, many Jews were subject to Roman rule. After the tyrannical emperor Nero committed suicide and violent civil war, Vespasian, of the Flavian dynasty, gained control. In Judea, Roman rule seemingly contradicted the common Jewish re ligious-nationalist sentiments, but Roman rulers established various privileges for those with Hebraic religious beliefs. Jews, throughout the Empire, were not required to engage in emperor worship, since it was directly contrary to their monotheistic beliefs. Yet, the Jews and the Romans did clash on various issues; one example took place during the reign of Caligula, when he ?ordered that a golden statue of himself be placed in Jerusalem?s temple.?[5] After the Jews firmly resisted, Caligula rescinded his order. ?In 66 A.D., as a result of the encouragement of militant Jews, the Jewish community initiated a war of liberation. A five-month siege during 70 A.D., by the Romans, significantly hurt the Jews, and soon after, the Romans captured and destroyed the Jerusalem temple.? Then, the Romans transported approximately ten thousand Jews to Rome in order to build the Coliseum.? There was another Hebrew revolt in Judea under the rule of Hadrian, but the Romans were victorious again.? Most Palestinian Jews were sold into slavery, exiled to other lands, or killed.? Though the Jews in Rome were enslaved, their cultureShow MoreRelatedMussolini s Main Goals For Italy1177 Words   |  5 Pagesthou shalt not be a bystander† (A), these wise words were spoken by Yehuda Bauer, 65 years after the start of the Holocaust. Italy, under the rule of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, was one of the many countries who turned her back on the Jewish people. Because of political, social and economic rea sons, Italy was a bystander to the heinous crimes inflicted on the Jewish population. Benito Mussolini took control of the Italian government in 1922, and ruled until 1943. Under Mussolini’s rule, democraticRead MoreAntisemitism in the Middle Ages1616 Words   |  7 PagesWorld. The Spanish Inquisition was one of the darkest periods of time in Jewish history. Christianity’s view of other religions as inferior is portrayed in many well-known pieces of literature, including one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays, The Merchant of Venice. Towering over Shakespeare’s romantic comedy The Merchant of Venice is the tragic figure of Shylock, a man who represents the treatment of the Jewish people in his time period. Before beginning to understand Shylock, it isRead MorePrimo Levi s Life During World War II1132 Words   |  5 PagesPrimo Levi was born 1919 in Turin, Italy. He was an anti-fascist who was jewish and was deported because of this to Auschwitz in 1947 during World War II. He explains his experiences in the excerpt On the Bo ttom, the whole story being named Survival of Auschwitz. Primo Levi’s experience through the World War II time period lead him to write about what he endured and what others had endured. Primo Levi went to a university called, University of Turin in Italy. There he had been studying chemistryRead MoreWhat Type Of Governments Promoted An Exclusive Notion Of The National Community1211 Words   |  5 Pageselection and the want for constitutions, led to every government with a constitutional monarchy except for a few. In this paper, I will discuss what type of governments promoted an exclusive notion of the national community. The first government we run into is led by Benito Mussolini in Italy. The Fascists, like Mussolini and Hitler, focused on the unity of the nation, which â€Å"glorified war and military.† â€Å"The nation was the highest embodiment of the people, and the powerful leader was the materializationRead MoreThe Ashkenazim, the Sephardim and the Mizrahim Jews Essay924 Words   |  4 PagesAfter the Romans conquered Jerusalem and caused the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD many Jewish people fled to Europe and other countries. The two main groups that emerged during this time were the Ashkenazim and the Sephardim. Both these groups set up new lives in foreign countries and had to grow accustomed to their traditions and beliefs. The Ashkenazim settled mainly in Germany and spoke Yiddish while the Sephardim settled mainly in Spain and spoke their own distinct language, a combinationRead MoreThe War Of The World War I914 Words   |  4 Pagesinstigation of WW2 is highly controversi al; A few propose it was a mere furtherance of the First World War, while others believe it began when Japan apprehended the region of Manchuria from China in 1931. The infiltration and overpowering of Ethiopia by Italy in 1935, and Germany’s takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1938 are often mentioned. Involving 113 countries across a span of six continents, it was deemed the largest war in the history of humanity. The two opposing powers were the Allied forces; predominantlyRead MoreGhettos Description in Night by Elie Wiesel Essay781 Words   |  4 PagesThe term ghetto, originally derived from Venetian dialect in Italy during the sixteenth century, has multiple variations of meaning. The primary perception of the word is â€Å"synonymous with segregation† (Bassi). The first defining moment of the ghetto as a Jewish neighborhood was in sixteenth century Italy; however, the term directly correlates with the beginning of the horror that the Jewish population faced during Adolph Hitler’s reign. â€Å"No ancient ghetto knew the terror and suffering of the ghettosRead MoreThe Plague Of Europe And Asia1165 Words   |  5 Pagesand other northern passages into Northern Africa, Italy, and Western Europe . The Bubonic plague first infiltrated Europe through a group of Genoese merchants trading in the Mediterranean Sea . The group of traders brought their merchandise to the small island of the coast of Italy named Sicily. The disease spread at a never before seen rapid pace due to the proximity of over populated cities . In less than a year the disease had swept through Italy and into southern France. Once in France the diseaseRead MoreAnti Semitism By Jacob Von Konigshofen1196 Words   |  5 PagesSince the beginning of Jewish history, there has always been an underlying feeling of anti-Semitism. The most well-known acts of anti-Semitism was the atrocities of the 20th century obliteration of the Jewish population within Nazi Germany. While this is the most commercialized, it certainly was not the first and only acts of anti-Semitism. From the sack of Jerusalem to the Crusades and later Hitler’s Final Solution, anti-Semitism has been a far reaching and invasive opinion of the m asses. The â€Å"CremationRead MoreAnalysis Of 97 Orchard By Jane Ziegelman1562 Words   |  7 Pagesshe explores and paints the history of five different immigrant families. The book goes into great detail sharing stories of daily life for these five families who are of all different backgrounds. None of the families are the same, some are German, Jewish, Italian etc.Although present day United States includes more ethnicities than one can imagine the book does an excellent job at detailing life in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Ziegelman includes their hardships and success stories

Why I Choose to be a Social Worker - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1775 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/03/18 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Social Work Essay Did you like this example? To quote Elie Wiesel, One person of integrity can make a difference. As I sit in the waiting room I cannot help but notice it is not as I imagined it would be. Colorful paintings hang on the walls all around me. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Why I Choose to be a Social Worker" essay for you Create order Beautiful flowers sit in front of me that are full of life. Even though my nerves feel scattered I cannot help but feel a sensation of calmness arise over me, as the door opens, and I see a friendly smile. I walk inside her office, sit down, and know I am going to get my life back. This is a personal synopsis of the beginning of my personal journey to conquer my anxiety. For most of my life, I felt I was a normal, worry-free person. Growing up, you hear many individuals aspirations, such as helping people, to be the change in someones life. However, what happens when individuals face obstacles they feel like can block them from making a difference in someones life? I did not always have anxiety. When having anxiety, you worry about everything! To many, having a mental illness like anxiety is tiring, draining, and a lot to carry at times. On the other hand, it teaches one to understand others who deal with similar cognitive distortions. You can see how lifes moments affect society in a diverse way. When I started cognitive behavioral therapy, I noticed how much having someone to trust can heal you. I allowed my therapist to see my insecurities, knowing she would never use them against me. Seeing the change someone made in my life by listening to me made me realize the change I can mirror in someone elses life as well. My anxiety and experience with a therapist have led me to pursue a career as a licensed clinical social worker. Attending a public school growing up, I always saw how mental illness affected my classmates in diverse ways through their behavioreach person affected differently. It altered not only their behavior, but school work, home life, and social life as well. Some students felt like it was easier to reach out for help while others felt like it was not an option. While it is amazing that some individuals seek help, it is the individuals who see the stigma attached to mental illness that need someone in their life they can go to. Being able to witness this in high school made me see how substantial a problem it is. However, for a while I believed it only affected adolescents and adults. Being more involved in different areas of society, like work, would only show me how wrong I was. I would later be shown how mental illness affects every age in different forms. Working at an after school program, I quickly noticed behaviors in small children. Some days I would obtain the responsibility to interact with parents. I observed how parents behavior can impact their children regardless of their age difference and life experiences. This added more fire to my passion to become a licensed clinical social worker. This exposure revealed how I would like to help various mental health illnesses at all ages overcome obstacles. A profession such as this is a commitment not only to the individual but an asset to society. The experience of attending my high school and working at an after school program for several years has opened my eyes and mind, thus forever changing my worldview. These experiences along with my ambition are demonstrations of what valuable addition I can bring to the social work program. Currently, I am still working at an after school program and continue to gain a great deal of experience. I believe a Masters in Social Work will prepare me to think strategically and teach me to give excellent service. My personal experiences and challenges through the years have served as the foundation for growth to happen and preparing me for a life of helping others. Although this will be a challenging career, I hope to gain more reward. One thing I understand greatly is that individuals seeking help face challenges obtaining and securing resources. I know when I was deciding if I wanted to see a therapist; it was easy to find the resources and information I needed. However, a major predicament in society is that those with a lack of privilege may not have access to the resources, information, and services that helped me. My professional goal is to work to ensure individuals are educated on these resources and can access them easily and efficiently. As I have thought back on what it was like for me when I sought out help, I also thought about the relationships I have in my life; it meant so much to me to have the support system I did from family and friends. Many people lack the knowledge of the importance of human relationships and how much they can affect our behavior. I would want to make clients have at least one person, besides me, with whom they can build a strong relationship. This will restore a sense of community for them as mental illness can be an isolating disease. As beautiful as this world can be, I also understand the dark sides of it that come with social injustice and oppression. I value the ethics set through the National Association of Social Workers as these take part in working towards eliminating these substantial issues. A few of these standards include cultural awareness, privacy and confidentiality, ensuring client records are accurate, and seeking advice of colleagues through consultation. I acknowledge the importance of these standards because I can relate first hand from my vulnerable experience with my therapist. Passion is the forefront of characteristics that will help me be a successful social worker but also contribute to my academic achievement. It is my belief that everyone has a story they would like to share, and only positive things can be taken from each of them. I will get the opportunity to interact with people I never imagined. Although I believe it takes many skills and characteristics to be a competent social worker, I know the following characteristics can push me toward my goals: my ability to be a critical thinker, active listener, strong empathizer, and operative communicator. Being a critical thinker, I realize every individual is different and mental health diagnosis can manifest itself in different, unique, and complicated ways. I believe my ability to think outside of the box is one tool that will help me develop a promising plan for each individual that will fit his/her needs. Not only can this skill aid in my career but it can foster me academically as well. I am confident I will use different concepts learned in classes throughout my academic journey to reach individuals. My critical thinking skills will work to eliminate areas of oppression, strive to change environments, provide ample support, alter negative thought patterns, and push for a positive outcome. The second characteristic is being an active listener. I know as a well-equipped social worker I will listen effectively. To utilize this skill, I will listen and empathize feeling. Making individuals feel heard will help build a strong rapport. This can help with the issue of diversity, making it possible for a client to be heard and helped, no matter who they are. This means treating clients with equal fairness instead of treating everybody the same, as people have different needs. Active listening can enhance my understanding of all voices desiring to be heard, it can help me understand and prepare for my future career. My third characteristic I believe will help me holistically is empathy. A quote I always found interesting is, I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I myself become the wounded person, by Walt Whitman. Being able to empathize with someone in my profession can help me understand him/her on a deeper level. I will be able to help and listen to him/her the best way possible by exposing myself to his/her feelings. Having empathy can help further my career by embodying cultural competence. Empathizing will build trust to develop open communication and share resources and to better understand and serve each population. My last characteristic is operative communication. As cognitive behavioral therapy was the best form of help for me, I understand there are various other theoretical models to assist with my client. Having strong communication can very well implement a layer of trust. It can also help the social injustice issue that is still pertinent to society by making sure clients are aware that resources are available. I will use communication and networking to master topics taught through the program, and explore thoroughly. Communication is the key to achieve optimal success. Along with these personal traits, I will utilize many resources available to ensure I will reach my goals. At any time, I know I can reach out to my academic advisor, career center, library resources, professors, and tutors. I will also use the universitys fitness center and health center as keeping up with my health physically and mentally can contribute to my academic success. This goal can be costly as obtaining my Masters will take a lot of money and time. I plan to be working during this time to pay for graduate school, and hope to work in a hospital or facility as a clinical assistant. I know this will help broaden my knowledge as well as prepare myself for the career I have chosen. If I am fortunate enough to start my new journey in life enrolled at The University of Alabama Master of Social Work program, then I will be determined to become a person of integrity stated by Elie Wiesel to make a difference in someones life. Nothing brings me greater joy than my passion for clinical social work. This passion is something I will bring to my classes in the social work program and later to my future career. I look forward to taking on the role of a licensed clinical social worker where I can empower and serve individuals who face mental illness, social injustice, oppression, and the lack of human relationships. I believe I can bring change to individuals lives through my compassion, empathy, reliability, competency, and trust. I believe with a Masters in Social Work, I will make a promising difference in peoples lives who struggle with mental illness. I have had in-depth conversations with friends and family regarding my career choice, and they undoubtedly agree I ha ve the personality and passion for this field of work.