Assignment 2: Reflection Essay

Overall I am doing pretty well with each of the four components of interpersonal effectiveness, competence, emotional intelligence, mindfulness and ethics. The person I interviewed as my partner, was my sister Tanya. This is how she thinks I am doing on each of the four components: She thinks that my interpersonal effectiveness: I have great relationships with family and close friends. She also says that I have a good balance between priorities and self-indulgence. Tanya also says that I have self-respect and I respect others as well. Now with the competence component she thinks that I am successful in everything as long as I stay focused on my goal. Tanya also says that I have accomplished and mastered several things such as earning an Associate’s Degree, a computer skills certificate, an office skills certificate, and I have long time experience in cashiering. She says that I am very in tune to others emotions and that I am a very emotional person myself. My sister also tells me that I instinctively know when someone is happy, sad, angry, or just simply needs a hug. She also tells me that I am very emotional and I outwardly show those emotions. With mindfulness and ethics my sister says that I demonstrate effective mindfulness in my everyday tasks, which leads to good ethical decisions. She also says that I am very mindful when it comes to making all of my decisions. In a nut shell my sister is trying to get across that because I am very mindful of the choices I make, it reflects on my highly ethical standards and practices. The results of the Emotional Intelligence Self-Assessment Test in Module 1 were very accurate. I have learned that what my sister has written about me is very accurate with what the assessment test has informed me of my true emotional intelligence assessment, which I have known all along. Although, I need to work on the competence more. These tenets of interpersonal communication affects me positively in my personal life and my academic life, but my professional life I have some ways to go yet. Two key insights for this assignment for me would be that I found out that I am more competent than I thought I was, (I still need to work on this area.) and I have very good emotional intelligence. Looking back on the goals that I set for myself, the new behaviors that I can practice that will help me reach them are the four  components of emotional intelligence, interpersonal effectiveness, competence, mindfulness and ethics. I take pride in myself because I do my best to always use the above mentioned components all day, every day.

Jim’s Nobility in Huck Finn

Houlihan 1 Mike Houlihan Ms. Fledderman English H April 15, 2013 Nobility at the Bottom of Society Someone who is noble is defined as a distinguished person noted for feats of courage and heroism. The character of Jim in  Huckleberry Finn  by Mark Twain certainly fits that description. He risked his life in order to free himself from slavery, and in doing so, helps Huck to realize that he has worth. Huck becomes aware of Jim's sense of love and humanity, his basic goodness, and his desire to help others.Jim faces discrimination based on the color of his skin and is faced with the challenges of racist stereotypes. Twain characterizes Jim as a sincere yet naive character, representing the runaway slave as a fatherly figure who maintains his integrity as being one of the sole characters of the novel who wouldn't be described as hypocritical, despite the fact that Jim also retains a childlike mentality. Throughout the novel Jim expresses nobility through his selfless nature, his stre ngth to good while resisting evil, and his ability to bear with any misfortune that may befall on him or his loved ones.Mark Twain allows Jim to break racist stereotypes by showing more human qualities of him when he expresses his selfless nature. by assuming a role as a father figure to Huck, who he watches over throughout the bulk of the novel. Jim protects Huck by shielding his view from the dead body that turned out to be Huck's father Pap. â€Å"I went in en unkivered him and didn't let you Houlihan 2 come in? Well, den, you kn git yo money when you wants it kase dat wuz him† (320).This show of consideration and paternal care for Huck makes Jim out to be more humane. Jim demonstrates his humanity by not only caring for Huck physically, but also mentally and emotionally in shielding him from a sight that could have been mentally or emotionally strenuous on someone like Huck. Jim’s actions are partly a result of his inability to distance himself from the society whi ch he has been conditioned. There are countless opportunities for Jim to leave Huck during the story, yet he remains by Huck’s side.When Huck and Jim are separated in the fog, Jim says â€Å"When I got all tired out wid work, en wid de callin you, en went to sleep, my heart wuz most broke because I was los, en I didn’t kyer no mo what became er me or der raf† (85). Jim’s freedom is then not worth the price of Huck’s life, and let’s people know that he would readily risk his life for Huck. Twain represents Jim as a paternal figure who maintains his integrity as being one of the only sincere characters of the novel, while contrasting this quality with the typical stereotypes of an uneducated slave during the American slave era.Jim is one of the sole characters of the novel who wouldn't be described as hypocritical, for he has the integrity to do what’s right when everyone around him choose not to. After Jim and Huck decide to travel tog ether on the Mississippi river; the pair has to depend on each other for survival as they encounter  people who cause obstacles and jeopardize Jim’s freedom. For example when Jim is forced to accompany the king and the duke during their scams he says â€Å"But Huck dese kings o ourn is jus reglar rapscallions; dats what dey is deys reglar rapscallions† (153).Although Huck is simply putting on an act and appeasing them in order to prevent turmoil. Jim thinks that it is ridiculous for someone to be entitled to a servant and recognizes that this is wrong by calling them â€Å"rapscallions†. This could also be twain making a jab at slavery, which is Houlihan 3 ironic because Jim has been a slave all his life without asking questions. When Jim talks about his family, he mentions his daughter whom he had hurt due to the misunderstanding that she was deaf and dumb; this proves to be pivotal point in the novel to see what kind of man Jim truly is. Oh, she was plumb de af en dumb, Huck, Plumb deaf en dumb en I’d ben a treatn her so† (156). Jim, like most fathers wanted his child to have manners and due to his ignorance of his daughter’s condition hurt her, for he believed she was just being rude. After coming to the realization of her condition, he begins to feel guilt for being unintentionally cruel. By being simple minded and at the very bottom of the social order, Jim is able to see right wrong, while others who claim to be above him cannot see this. Jim continues to show his nobility by enduring the hardships that he is faced with throughout the novel.He talks about how he feels to Huck to the extent where he forces Huck to stop and think over how he treated Jim. After talking down to Huck after playing a trick on him, Jim tells Huck how he feels and Huck even thinks that â€Å"I wouldn't done that one if I'd a knowed it would make him feel that way† (142). After thinking this, Huck himself subverts the racist stereo type by humanizing Jim and acknowledging that the black man has the capacity to feel, and Huck allows his mood to be negatively influenced by the thought that he hurt the feelings of a man he considered his friend.Jim's condition as a human being is improved even more when Huck considers Jim as his friend, making him equal to a white boy. By making Jim equal to himself, Huck is able to humanize Jim and break the cultural perception that Jim is bound to. Another example of how the book illustrates this theme is when Tom kept Jim locked up as a slave when he clearly could have been set free at any moment. Tom was aware Jim was freed from being a slave but decided to keep it a secret. This caused Jim unnecessary poor treatment. Houlihan 4He was forced by Tom to do things he didn’t want to do. This is shown when Tom forces Jim to have rats, spiders, and snakes in his room. Tom says to Jim â€Å"But Jim, you got to have ‘em- they all do. So don’t make any more fuss a bout it† (263). This was cruel because Jim was forced to live with the creatures that traumatized him in his past. Though Mark Twain breaks some racist barriers with Jim, other stereotypes about blacks in the era are reinforced throughout the novel and Jim still maintains the strength to endure.Throughout the novel, Mark Twain both reinforces and disputes racist stereotypes of the time period through the portrayal of Jim as a noble character. Jim is depicted as a genuine yet unsophisticated character. Twain represents Jim as a selfless, paternal figure that is able to see right from wrong and maintains his integrity as being one of the only sincere characters of the novel. Twain contrasts this quality with stereotypes typical of an uneducated slave during the American slave era.Though he is a stoic character, Jim is able to span the entire novel as a father figure who protects Huck both physically and emotionally and, even after Huck plays tricks on him, forgives Huck and cont inues to protect him. Nobility is reinforced when Jim's simple nature is revealed in various parts throughout the novel. Jim's gullibility and his language relay the stereotypes of the antebellum south that blacks were somehow not people and were much lower than whites. These ideas become relinquished in the end, for readers are able to see the distinguished human being that Jim characterized.

Detailed Lesson Plan in Grade 6

A Detailed Lesson Plan in Biology I . Objectives At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to : 1. distinguish cellular structures; 2. distinguish the functions of each structures; 3. familiarize what the cell looks like and 4. compare the factory to a cell II . Topic: Cellular structures and functions Skill: describing, explaining, illustrating Materials: pictures, photocopied materials and video clip (cell biology) References: †¢Aquino, Jesunino R. et. al, Biology II. St. Augustine Publication Inc. †¢Capco, Carmelita M. Et. al, Biology Textbook, Phoenix Publishing House, Inc. Biology Sci. And Technology Textbook for second year, Book Press Inc. †¢Olivares, Maria et. al, Science and Technology for the Modern Worl Diwa Scholastic Press †¢Villamil, Aurora M. Sciance and Technology, Phoenix Publishing House †¢http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=zufaN_aetZI †¢http://www. google. com. ph III. Learning Activity A. Motivation Picture Analysis: I will divide the class into group, five members each. Assign a recorder You are going to do this in five(5) minutes. Show them the different pictures of cell tissues and some parts of cells ( e. g. Ribosomes, mitochondria, lysosomes ).Allow them to examine the pictures carefully and choose among them is the cell. But before the student give their answers, let them first read the situation below: B . Presentation Situation Analysis : Larry works in a forensic laboratory. His boss James instructed him to get a cell sample from the child victim that has run over by a truck. Which of the following is the cell that Larry should send to James? Teachers ActivityStudent’s Activity From the pictures i have given you, Student will select from the given choose what James should get from the child pictures of tissues, organs, parts of a cell victim. nd cell. (5)minutes. After hearing the student answers, let them explain why they think their answer is correct. Then allow for differences in an swer. Let’s find out if your choice is correct. Later on, since Larry is a part of forensic team, lets see what he actually choose. To find out which is the cell lets watch this video. C . Preparation: Film viewing: (cell organelles and their functions) NOTE: Take note of the important information about the cell especially its parts and functions. Follow up questions: ?What do you see? ?What do you call each of the structure? In which picture in the previous activity is it similar? ?What is your idea about the cell? Teachers ActivityStudent’s Activity What is your idea about the cell? The cell has many parts Ma’am and Yes Nica. they have their own functions. Definitely Nica. Now I will let the students give theirFrom the movie we have just watched answers on the situation analysis. Ma’am, we got it right. This is a cell ma’am (show the picture). Very good, you got it right group 2. So you are now familiar what a cell looks like. Now its time to kno w and distinguish he different structures of the cell and its function. D . Generalization You are going to compare the factory to a cell. This time I need five (5) groups, six (6) members each. Complete the table posted in front: you are given fifteen (15) minutes to answer . â€Å"CELL AS A FACTORY† JOB/PART OF THE FACTORYCELL PARTFUNCTION IV. Evaluation I will distribute each student a copy ( poem of a cell ). They are going to fill in the blanks with the corresponding parts of the cell with their functions as their clue. They are given ten (10) minutes to answer. Poem of a cell:I am a cell A structure of life I’ll tell you my components And what they all do First off I have ATP It and the ___________ Make energy The ________________ Is my buddy too It covers me To protect me and you Then theres a ___________ Which is much like clear jelly It fills me up Like food in your belly The ________ are passageways They’re close like good brothers Taking proteins From one part to the other There is a ____________ But despite its odd name It carries through mail Out of my membrane I have ________________ There aren’t many in plants It breaks down your foodWith much of a chance Ah then there’s my __________ My control center or brain It gives me chromatin From it, instructions i gain But the nucleus needs Protection too And this is what its membrane Is assigned to do Tiny structures Where proteins are made These are __________ They do that everyday A _______________ Is like a water balloon Holding in water Inside of you I also have ________ Honest I say They contain protein Along with DNA My fruits the plant cells Has parts to it too Now i’ll show these exclusives And what they all do The cellulose _____________ Is sturdy and strongAround a plant cell membrane It lasts very long There’s one more component Exclusive to plant cells Its the ___________________ Where photosynthesis happens so well This is a cell And all my parts Its like a puzzle In your body, like arts I’ll keep you feeling Oh, so great If bodily care You do demonstrate I am complex Through my twists and bends I hope you learned much Cause this is the end V . Assignment Research on the types of cell, its parts and functions. Pinili National High School Pinili, Ilocos Norte Detailed Lesson Plan In Biology s Shery-lyn Q. Agaran May 09, 2012

Green IT and Business Strategization for Epson Australia Essay

Green IT and Business Strategization for Epson Australia - Essay Example The success of a company is measured using many tools, which are both quantitative and qualitative in nature. With the growing awareness of environmental impacts of massive industrialization and growth in the IT sector, governments have realized how crucial it is to thwart the harmful effects of unsolicited disposal of gadgets and hardware used in offices and mills. Epson is a global brand that provides computer associated products like printers, scanners, and projectors to consumers worldwide. End-of-life products of these gadgets include cartridges and accessories that have a negative impact on the soil, flora, and fauna of the regions that they are dumped in. The present project focuses on the performance of Epson Australia in taking strong measures to conform to the principles of Green IT and generates solutions to problems in this arena of safe disposal and sustainable practices. The report that we present here is a compilation of studies that can help in the present situation o f Epson Australia wherein achieving business sustainability in spite of dedicated and conscious eco-friendly drives has become difficult due to lower sales in the recycled products section of products. The objectives of the paper are to use theories and deductions published in the last four years by scholars of business and green IT fraternity, and references were drawn from journal databases like Elsevier, Proquest, Wiley Online Library, and SpringerLink. Journals used include the Journal of Business Ethics, Harvard Business.

School Psychologist Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

School Psychologist Interview - Essay Example It is clear that the assistive technology is a lifeline that can increase the opportunities for students to educate themselves and to interact with the society with confidence even after disabilities. It can also be said that the assistive technology is also used as an evaluation process for students. It helps to evaluate students with disabilities (Anogianakis, Buhler, & Soede, 1997). Therefore, teachers in XYZ School are using this technology for two purposes. One is to teach in a different and easy manner to the disabled students and secondly to evaluate those students. The reason behind this is that it was very difficult to evaluate the disabled students especially those who have lack of their motor skills. In addition, all those students who have physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities, they face barriers to learning. Therefore, it will not be incorrect to state that use of assistive technology is helpful in the evaluation process. It provides the accurate and fair results, and it is easy for students and teachers (Federici & Scherer, 2012). On the other side, for the progress monitoring of all students in the school the use of the latest technology is essential for teachers especially. The reason behind it is that technology systems assists in strengthening of the process to be implemented for making instructional decisions for the student’s progress. The increased use of technology in the school system allows teachers to meet the diverse needs of children in a unique and interesting manner (Salvia, Ysseldyke, & Bolt, 2009).

Conway Inn - Conway, Tx Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Conway Inn - Conway, Tx - Research Proposal Example Customer service quality raises issues for almost every hospitality company in some way or other (Hartline, Woolridge, & Jones, 2003). Although the management of Conway Inn takes good care of every business process to meet the required standards of quality, but there is an area which still needs some focus in order to bring it in line with the quality of all other business process. The area which needs improvement is the customer service area the quality of which has gone down a little in the past couple of years. Customers have made complaints about the behavior, food serving, and room service of the employees of the hotel. The management of the hotel needs to resolve these customer service quality issues in order win the trust of the precious customers and protect the customer base. It is essential for a company from the hospitality industry to implement a well-developed quality management system because it helps in attracting and retaining customers, as well as in gaining competitive advantage in the market. Quality management system is implemented in a company to ensure that the quality of the products and services meet the standards. It acts as the foundation for an organization’s success because without the implementation of an effective quality management system, an organization cannot become able to ensure the optimum level of quality in its business processes. Quality management in hotel industry improves overall business performance (Dulcic & Zilic, 2010). Some of the main benefits that Conway Inn can get from the implementation of a quality management system include increase lower costs of quality, improved quality of services, improve level of customer satisfaction, improved company image, increased return in investment, increased customer base , improved employee morale, and increased organizational productivity and profitability. In our case, decreasing customer satisfaction due to

Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 9

Accounting - Essay Example According to Bierman 24 besides building power plants, buying and selling of natural gas and electricity; the company also developed new markets like internet bandwidths, weather futures, pulp and paper business, water plants and oddball products which provided broadcast time for marketers which rocketed its financial incomes. Between the periods of 1995 to 2000, its revenues rose from $9 billion to an impressive $100 billion. The company won America’s most innovative company by Fortunes Most Admired Companies Survey for six years straight which added to its successful reputation. The accounting system required that the company’s future profits were to be estimated at present value based on the signing of its long term contracts. The system was introduced by the joining CEO Jeffery Skilling, who ordered the company’s reporting system to be changed from its actual sales and supply of its natural gas to the new system. The mark to market accounting estimations were in reference to the future net value of the cash flows which were often difficult to predict. This included estimated Enron’s projects’ incomes that were irrespective of whether they were received or not and if changes were made like additional losses or incomes, they would be incorporated in subsequent periods. Enron Incorporation was the first non financial company to be given approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) use the system. Due to the numerous discrepancies in matching their cash and profits; the shareholders were given false reports. Therefore, a strategy to appease the investors was created (Bierman 45). Based on Bierman 55 the company executed pressure on its traders in order to forecast low discount rates and high future cash-flows on long-term contracts with the company. In essence, the difference margin between the original paid value and the present calculated net value was the company’s profit. Contrarily, the estimated net

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper - Essay Example t disease, high blood pressure, stroke, high cholesterol, diabetes, back pain, respiratory problems, kidney disorders, gallbladder problems, osteoarthritis, excess fatigue, sleep apnea, metabolic syndromes and urinary incontinence. There are various factors that could lead to obesity or an accumulation of body fat which occurs due to an imbalance in the calories consumed and burnt by the body. Other contributing factors include a lack of physical activity, increased consumption of fat, sugar, alcohol intake, overeating, chronic use of corticosteroids, hormonal imbalances and other related metabolic problems (Body composition and Health, 2002). Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating have serious effects on the physical and mental health of individuals and in extreme cases can also lead to life-threatening problems. This is mainly because such disorders do not exist for a particular period of time; rather they have the potential to become lifelong disorders in cases where they are not treated. In such cases they could affect the mental, emotional and physical well-being of individuals and also put tremendous strain on their relationships with other people. In the case of anorexia nervosa, in which individuals starve themselves the body becomes severely depleted of vital nutrients and hence there is a slowdown of metabolic process in order to conserve energy. As a result a number of medical problems arise some of which warrant immediate medical attention. The health consequences of anorexia nervosa includes an abnormal decrease in heart rate and blood pressure which increases the risk of heart failure, bone density reduction, loss and weakening of muscles, severe body dehydration increasing the risk of kidney failure, increased fatigue and general body weakness, dryness of skin and hair with hair loss and growth of lanugo all the body in an effort to maintain body temperature (Health Consequences of Eating Disorders, n.d; Eating

Social Sciencee Term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Social Sciencee Term paper - Essay Example If you want to even talk about firms setting prices you have to talk about firms that have some ability to do so, and those are firms that have some market power: they are imperfectly competitive. Is there any other method which can help us to resolve more effectively and efficiently the many problems which are menacing the foundations of Western society What is wrong with the alternative of Marxian economics as applied in the Socialist countries, which also harbor a plethora of unresolved problems Is the thinking of our time upside down, or are we using the wrong approach - both in the West and the East - and therefore cannot resolve the pending problems These are some of the leading questions to be answered during the rest of the twentieth century. First, he broke the prevailing conventional wisdom of the past, i.e. the classical economics and method of reasoning, and brought for debate a new economic vision where government intervention becomes a part of and a major rule in the economic system. This was a new economic philosophy in contrast to the classical view where government intervention in a free society was conceived as an exception to the rule or not needed at all, according to the formula of laissez-faire or "hands-off policy". Second, he wSecond, he was able to develop new tools of analysis like the multiplier theorem, the consumption function or the paradox of thrift - all devised to prove that his new economic philosophy based on the concept of active and permanent government intervention was necessary and workable. Third, he was able to induce a large number of his peers in the economic profession to accept and follow his method of approach and the overall conceptualization, even though this was a sort of inverted type of analysis when compared with classical economics, as will be shown later. The fact of the matter remains that his influence upon the thinking of his time was tremendous and unprecedented. Indeed, no other economist since Adam Smith enjoyed the opportunity to see that during his lifetime his ideas have conquered the world. This was a performance which raised Keynes to the status of the most influential economist of the twentieth century. A new composite method of approach: equilibrium vs. disequilibrium Classical economists were deficient in two major areas, one theoretical and the other practical. Their great performance was the study of stable equilibrium in theory where they found natural laws. This direction culminated with the formulation of the Walrasian theorem of general equilibrium. However, they were deficient in not having studied with the same diligence and attention problems of disequilibrium which were closer to the existing economic and financial conditions of their time. In other words, they were not aware of the existence of a gap between the harsh and unstable realities staring them in the face and the conceptual construction of an economics of stable equilib

Current Trends in Technology Essay Example for Free

Current Trends in Technology Essay School is no longer limited to simple reading, writing and arithmetic. The use of technology has expanded the prospect for education, giving us never-ending possibilities. Therefore, technology deserves significant school attention in order for students to possess technological survival skills. The positive effects of how it can be used in the classroom to enable learning for teachers and students will be explored as well as the need to ensure job stability in the future. What lesson ideas can teachers do using technology? Assign a digital presentation. Students can express themselves more clearly using technology. Technology can be used extensively for language arts. Student reports no longer have to be limited to a written report. Students now are able to have access to unlimited books online. Therefore, teachers are only limited by the student’s ability to access a computer. Web quest is also a tool used for literature exploration. Teachers are able to use media clips to show in class. Videos are available online that help many teachers provide a visual aid to the lesson that they are teaching. Power point presentations enhance instruction in the language arts classroom by storing daily objectives in a PowerPoint presentation and begin each class session by sharing the daily objectives. Creating PowerPoint presentations for essential notes and providing students the slides using the handout option will prevent students from focusing on simply copying the notes from the board or overhead. They will listen to teacher comments and make meaningful notes in the spaces provided. The amount of information on each slide should be limited to one or two important bullets. Students should be encouraged to use PowerPoint presentations when they are required to present to the class. Their self-expression and creativity can be explored with the program’s design options. Reading strategies can be done with the use of technology. During reading teachers can help students activate prior knowledge and generate predictions in order to comprehend text. Teachers can do this when they introduce a reading lesson or topic. Using a multi-media approach, the teacher shows pictures, slides, or clips that is similar to the story concept. Real life connections can also be made with the help of these visuals, as well as helping them create mental images. Students can be asked to make predictions on what they think the story is about. Their answers and responses can be recorded and played back to them after the story is over. This stimulates their interest in the current reading lesson. They will be keener to paying attention and listening. They will be eager to hear their responses played back to them to see if their predictions were correct. Internet provides access to public domains. It also gives students the freedom to read some of the greatest written books and materials. Using websites provides students with a greater knowledge of historical and social foundations in which many pieces of literature rest upon. Printouts of short stories found on line can be distributed to the class. They can be required to read the text and highlight the story concepts such as setting, characters and etc. Teachers and students can also set up a blog that is viewed by their class only. This allows the students to express their ideas and thoughts with the teacher and vice versa. Students can share ideas with classmates and also read one another’s post. This helps tighten the bond between teacher and student and bring classmates closer together. They will all have something in common that they are a part of. There are a number of strategies that can be used in the teaching of reading for students. If a teacher is uncertain how they can integrate technology into their reading instruction, there are many websites that gives lesson plans and ideas. Technology also can be used with writing. Teachers are able to have advance writing instruction with the help of technology. Projectors can be used for students to see the writing process modeled by their teachers. This gives students a chance to see how the procedure works from rough drafting to final revisions. There is a lot of software available that help kids make their story come alive. Programs are available that read their story back to them. How awesome is that? Kids can hear what their writing sounds like and this offers a chance for them to critique it even farther. Microsoft Word is a poplar application program that is used widely in education. This program allows and helps students recognize grammatical and spelling errors. This provides students with guidance on writing a correct composition. It also guides students as well as help them overcome and accomplish the task of terminology difficulty. They are provided with a vast selection of terms. Websites are available that demonstrate proper organization and correct format for writing. It helps with the building and organization of thoughts for a paper. These websites serve as a learning tool. They assist teacher and students in recognizing rational and well thought-out writing ideas. Researching these web sites inspire students with many writing ideas they may have been blocked from. Not to mention, the expansion of the writing curriculum for students with disabilities have greatly been expanded. These students are now able to use voice and touch screen programs as a way to express their ideas. This method is much more effective than the use of paper and pencil. These programs assist these students in developing language skills as well as writing skills. The internet allows for the publishing of student’s work. This procedure makes the idea of an audience more real to them. It can motivate students to become authors and possibly encourage a future in the writing field. There are many websites that offer contests for student’s writing. Teachers should take time to find challenges for their students and inspire them to write for profit. There are many schools that don’t have the privilege of having available reference books. Many publishers have made their reference books available online. Another way to get students to write is student produced newspapers. This is a great practice for their writing skills. It also allows them to be creative, productive and organized. Technology can be used as a written language convention. Students reinforce their grammar skills with online games and activities. This is a way students can have fun with dry material. Oral language can be improved with the use of technology. PowerPoint presentations allow students to organize their speeches and make the audience follow along with the presenter and the teacher to assess a student’s performance. Project based learning can greatly be increased with the use of technology. This is a way students can use technology in proportion to real life situations. Students are able to make decisions in small groups based upon their design, problem solving, resolutions, and analytical measures. This allows students the freedom to be n charge and have full control over their own project. They will be digging deep into those critical thinking skills in order for their project to run smoothly. It gives them more creative independence. This serves as a hands-on learning experience in order for students to answer and relate to the main ideas and standards of the subject area. These encounters are related to e veryday life. Students will be able to take what they’ve learned and apply it in their own life. Students are also able to get involved with projects which connect classes together around the world. The internet provides structure and resources for students to do research on an international level. The use of technology broadens student’s horizons, their goals and beliefs. They can actually connect to another part of the world. They can learn cultural information about places they’ve only heard about. It gives them a chance to explore what’s out there in the world from inside their classroom. What better way for a child to learn about new things than being in a school environment? This is safer for our kids. It takes down the risk of them exploring outside of school on their own. A lot of children don’t know what’s out there because they’ve never been exposed to new surroundings. Children tend to stray away more so out of being curious. Why not fulfill that curiosity by exploring it in class? Project based learning allows children to feed their curiosity by allowing them to choose and have control over what they want to learn. What about drugs, sex and weapons? These are all subjects that kids can explore using technology as a guide. They can research the most harmful drugs in the United States and compared it to the harmful drugs in another country. Teenage pregnancy rate and STD’s can be compared or examined around the world. Weapons that are used to kill children and or our soldiers can be brought to the student’s attention. These subjects are also crucial one’s that need to be discussed with our youth. Students can present their information and their results to the class. They can also come up with a way they feel these problems can be solved or minimized. There might be a student who’s considering having sex, once they research and see the effects of sex up close and personal (i. e. regnancy and STD’s) maybe their mind will be changed. Another one might be interested or all ready taking drugs. They will gain knowledge about what drugs really do to your body. Guns are growing more and more poplar. Students can see first hand the consequences of these weapons. The innocent lives that is lost due to carelessness. As a result of the use of technology, project based learning can be upgraded trem endously and provide a whole new level of learning experiences, which will be beneficial to the student in the long run. Technology can be used to provide visual learning. Digital storytelling challenges students to take their written ideas and translate them into a visual medium. They could write a script then produce a video. Teachers can create rubrics for assessing students, writing and speaking. Teachers can use projectors in the classroom to show photographs, videos or slides. These visual aids keep students engage in the instruction they are receiving. A teacher can integrate a video to go along with the lesson they are teaching. A student can only get so much from a lecture. Most people are visual learners. A video can reemphasize the information that the teacher is trying to convey. That allows those students who weren’t able to grasp the understanding or the concept of the lesson an alternative measure. Teachers can also use technology as visual aids by printing out statistical information for students to see. They can make printouts of graphs and charts to reiterate a particular subject. There are many websites available that provide many resources and tips teachers can use to create hands-on visual aids in their classroom. This will be a great way to allow students to work together as a team. It will decrease isolation among students. They all can work in teams to research a project on the internet. Teachers can also ask students to use the internet to come up with an audio visual project they can share with the class. Students have fun and learn more when they can see what they are learning. Point blank students will be excited and eager when they are able to participate and contribute to their own learning. Shouldn’t they be able to donate and feed their own minds? Technology as visual aids is a way they can connect their interest to learning. Another visual aid that the teacher can use is handouts. Handouts are a way to reinforce the instruction that is given. It gives students a general overview of the material as well as identifying the key points. This will cut down on confusion and students will be clearer on the focus points. Visual aids, especially audio visual help many students that have different learning styles. This strategy brings mode of students who don’t have the so called, â€Å"norm† learning style. In history this can be used for students to see some of the places they are iscussing. Students can view pictures and artifacts through the web that will really make the lesson come alive for them. They will be like, â€Å"Wow this really happened! † or â€Å"Wow this really did exist! † There are many websites that provide simulations for certain subject areas for students. Science is a subject where there is no limit to what students can explore and research with the help of the i nternet. Students can look up all types of animals and insects. This will be much more fun than just reading about them in their textbooks. They can even print out certain information they have found, with teacher approval of course. Visual aids are an awesome way to turn a classroom into an adventurous experience instead of a place. Teachers can benefit tremendously from the use of technology. Technology can help boost the relationship between students and teacher. It affects the way teachers instruct and give a lesson. Technology is a level where students and teachers can relate and identify on. Teachers can use computer tools to reorganize record keeping and clerical tasks, in order to free up time for instruction or professional development. Teachers are able to keep track of grades, behavior and other classroom information with the use of a computer. This information can be saved and always be available for the teacher to pull up at the demand of a parent. This cuts out paper work that can often be misplaced. Teachers can input their lesson plans and goals on the handout for parents to have a record as well. Therefore isolation will be decreased by using e-mail and the Internet to communicate with colleagues, parents, and the outside world. What grown up doesn’t have an e-mail? E-mail is a great way for parents to communicate with teachers effectively when face to face is not possible. Teachers are so busy; often they don’t have the time to call each individual parent. Simple questions and information can be exchanged through e-mail. This mode also help out working parents who can’t often answer a phone call when their busy. A click in their e-mail and this problem can be eliminated. Professional development activities can be increased by taking distance education courses, accessing educational research, and accessing classroom materials such as lesson plans. Teachers will be able to take courses that their principal may suggest through the use of the internet. They can also take classes that can help further their education online. Also, teachers will not have to leave their classroom when they are looking for additional activities for their students. They can search the internet for educational ideas that will help productivity in their classroom. Teachers can find video clips and other materials that will go hand in hand with their lesson plans. These can serve as great visual aids and teaching tools when giving instruction. If a student poses a question that the teacher may be unclear of the answer, they can look it up together. There are a wide variety of tools that are available to help teachers transform their classroom into a more exciting place for learning. Smart boards are growing more and more poplar. These non traditional boards are a way for teachers to transmit information from their computer screen to the class. Their also software available that help teachers set up websites for their class. Teachers can create websites that are designated specifically to the concept they are teaching, for the purpose of helping their students. This eliminates those web sites teachers are not comfortable with their students exploring. The teaching of technology to our kids will help secure them a successful career in the future. In a demanding economy, technology skills are required to stay ahead. Jobs are being lost everyday. Why not ensure our children a spot in the years to come? Technology is used even in the simplest profession. Students not only need to learn the skills that are evident in the workforce today, but also be ready and prepared for the technology changes that will happen in the future.

Why african people are reluctant to attend counselling

Why african people are reluctant to attend counselling The research aimed to identify why individuals coming from an African background are reluctant to attend counselling services. This line of research was examined through individuals attitudes and knowledge of native and British Africans living in the United Kingdom. Data was collected using a Likert scale questionnaire consisting of thirty-five of which ten statements being tested for participants knowledge and twenty-five being tested for participants attitudes. Overall eighty participants (forty male and forty female) ranging from the age of eighteen to thirty years had participated in the experiment.   The data collected were subjected to a 22 unrelated two-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) between participants as participants can only be one or the other. The independent variable consisted of two conditions being participants gender and whether their background was native or British Africans and a dependant variable being the overall scores. Overall findings had shown that there was no significance difference between participants gender and origin in relation to individuals knowledge (F(1,76) = .965, p= 0.329) and attitude   (F(1,76) = .166, p= .685). The results did not seem to support previous research which many had suggested that African men will have a negative view on counselling. The research did however, raises interesting questions for future studies, and had allowed for a second experiment being designed for native Africans over the age of forty for further understanding of the new development. The overall results had saw native African men to more knowledge in counselling as women showed a positive attitude towards this second experiment made it clearer in understanding that different generation are carrying different views on counselling. Introduction Throughout time the African community prides itself on traditional morals and values in which can determine how they begin to perceive their surroundings. This notion can become problematic in many areas of an individuals well-being. As mental illness is common in Africans it raises the question on how they are able to put their beliefs aside and accept help.     According to Mind (2010) black people were more likely to be detained under the section 136 of the Mental Health Act (1983), section 136 allows individuals who are believed to be suffering from mental illness be placed under safety.   As more and more Africans begin to immigrate to the United Kingdom, it brings to light on the services that are available in ensuring that the needs of black Africans are met.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As an individual coming from an African background and having family who have immigrated to the United Kingdom form a Ghana, by seeing in firsthand how the views of counselling is perceive amongst the African community enables for this study to elaborate and understand the common problems which hinders Africans living in the United Kingdom from accessing counselling services. By looking into British and native African attitudes and knowledge towards counselling can play a part in the understanding to why African individuals fear help seeking services. The research will also examine the cultural differences between the western system and how it can have an effect n the African culture, as it is seen to be a barrier between how Africans approach counselling services as counselling purport to confront the social and emotional barriers placed within many societies, as well as ease the distress such social and emotional issues.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) (2009) states that in order for a client to come to terms with unconstructive situations one must be able to see things from a different perspective, which then enables change and choice. By acknowledging the early work of the Humanistic approach founded by Carl Rogers (1902-1987), marked an important development in the area of counselling as Rogers had set out to look into the individual as a whole and had outlined the concept of self-actualisation. This explanation saw psychological growth as it was portrayed that the sense of satisfaction with life was an essential human motive. However, Rogers wanted to understand an individuals response to certain situations and had devised the client-centred or person centred counselling. This approach gives the understanding that individuals have the skills to reach their full potential, however this may become blocked due to life experiences individuals face. Rogers approach see s the role of a counsellor being able to aid clients in accepting who they are as an individual, as by providing positive points to the client helps in the individual valuing themselves as a whole. The Gestalt Therapy considered by Fritz Perls (1940), another school under the humanistic had also similar ideas to Rogers approach. Gestalt therapy had focused on the experiences of an individuals thoughts, emotional and behaviour. The main approach was to make the individual become more aware of who they are, as by the promotion of here and now saw the improvement in removing certain obstacles. Gestalt approach was influenced by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) psychoanalytic theory, the understanding of emotions saw through the perceptive of human beings. The work of Sigmund Freud was first established through the understanding on the functioning of the human mind, the notion led to his own principles and techniques being known as psychoanalysis. The idea brought in many techniques such as free association which helped to reveal the unconscious beliefs and desires, and therefore was able to make the unconscious mind conscious; this had therefore enabled the patient to reveal their inner problems. By comparing the major approaches into counselling and psychotherapy, these theories helped to build a foundation into the outcome of positive and modern counselling techniques which is still used for clients with mental health and personal issues.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) (2009) defines counselling as a private and confidential setting which explores the difficulty, distress or loss of direction and purpose that the client is facing, as the role of a counsellor should be able to encourage to look at different aspects of their life. The process of counselling has long been at the centre of understanding how human beings are able to adapt to difficulties and life changing situations. In order for clients to benefit from the help-seeking services, the essential information is needs to be highlighted and made available to individuals. As with the ongoing growth of counselling services emerging within society, counselling has faced a multitude of challenges throughout the years which have determined the outcome of different types of approaches being used for its clients. The lack of Africans not attending counselling services has brought to light the issue of trust that the client may have upon the counsellor as this can result in whether clients are able to seek help or not. Many studies have recognised the key issues that have become problematic in understanding the cycle of why many cultures are reluctant to approach counselling services, which will be addressed within this study. However, as majority of these studies address the issues faced within Africans American clients, the lack of recognition within the UK has led to this study being conducted, the views of British and native Africans may differ from the views of others around the world in relation to counselling. This leads to this piece of research focu sing on the knowledge and attitudes of counselling services within British and native Africans living in the United Kingdom. Literature Review In this review of literature based on counselling and ethnic minority engagement, the author will explore some of the reasons why black African individuals may resist engaging with counselling services. The Department of Health and Human Services (2001) highlighted the social stigma faced within many ethnic communities living in the UK. The term stigma was first seen by sociologist Erving Goffman (1968) as someone who possesses an undesired characteristic and who is therefore disqualified from full social acceptance. The understanding that Africans are faced with stigmation has been considered to be core explanation into why black individuals tend to be unable to seek the professional help-seeking services. The statement by the Department of Health and Human Services brought to light that many Africans avoid seeking help because of the fear of being seen as unstable by other members of the African community. Many Africans would rather handle their own business, than seek the necessar y help needed to overcome their own personal complex situations. In addition to the concern on stigmatisation, it has been argued that western models of counselling are culturally inappropriate for ethnic minority clients. For example, the European Guidance and Counselling Research (2008) has shown that clients from ethnic minority groups are least likely to make use of counselling services. As the statement recognises the lack of Africans interacting with counselling services provided many researchers such as Ridley, (1995), Lago Thompson (1996) and Sue Sue, (1999) looked into a possible reasons why this may be. These references have argued that mainstream approaches are white, middle class activities that operate with many distinctive values and assumptions, and had coined the phrase ethnocentric activity.   This term was centred on the one sided views and principles of the white middle class individuals which has led to the separation with other cultures in the UK.   Many cultures may view the Western system as unsuitable, as the needs of other ethnic minorities may not to be taken into consideration.    As more and more researchers begin to realise the ongoing problem in the way counselling services operate, Sue and Sue (1996) had considered an approach known as the Multicultural Counselling and Therapy (MCT) challenged the theory that only one technique of approach is assignable to every client. Sue and Sue developed the theory of Multicultural Counselling and Therapy, as a model which seeks to resolve the increased imbalance with different cultures by acknowledging and valuing different cultures which are being presented as well as promoting a method designed to enhance the present approaches. Pederson (1994) had also proposed a broad definition of multicultural counselling as ethnographic variables which looked into ethnicity, religion, age, and gender, as well as status variables such as social, educational and economic factors. Pedersons proposal argued that multiculturalism takes note on how similar and different individuals can be towards others, as Pederson understood that a n individuals differences did not matter in relation to counselling. However, according to Ivey (1997) who views multicultural counselling from a different perspective sees this term as a meta theoretical approach, this had outlined the techniques which exist within the cultural context. It stresses the connection between family and culture affecting the way in which individuals view the world. In addition, Ivey, Sue and Pederson had outlined the importance in working towards developing wider knowledge on the different approaches practitioners needs to adapt to and change to ensure the requirements are meet for its clients, as multicultural counselling brings in a new approach designed to ensure that all individuals from ethnic backgrounds are met. The concept of multicultural counselling brings in the research conducted by Sue and Sue (2003) who had looked into the lack of counsellors from particular ethnic backgrounds. Sue and Sue came to the understanding that the term counselling is considered as a white endeavor being controlled by White middle-class value system. Bimrose (1996) saw a clear pattern emerging and understood that individuals from ethnic groups were the least likely to request and persevere with counselling which concluded that individuals who had attended a counselling service were unlikely to return. In relation to this understanding, a study which had looked into the past and present views of counselling devised by Paul. M. Smith (1947) made clear for the need of black individuals having black counsellors, as black counsellors had the key in understanding the black heritage. As a result, the effect of Smith idea made aware of the lack of recognition and how it can have an effect on individuals well-being. The relationship between African men and women in relation to counselling has attracted considerable amount of attention in recent years. In an attempt to go beyond the negative views and assumptions about how men and women use counselling services by examining the problem enables for a wider understanding.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is seen that a males identity plays an important role in relation to their masculinity as the constant idea of proving their manhood is seen to be earned. Society has long perceived men as emotionless as this term determines their masculinity. Balswick (1982) defines this as male inexpressiveness it was founded by Balswick that males tend to find it hard to express verbal fee lings because they are programmed not to do so. However, Skovolt (1978) relates Balswick understanding of male inexpressiveness to restrictive emotionality. Skovolt had founded that as men appear to have difficulty expressing their feelings and giving up on emotional control, can however plays a part in internal illness, as if men are able to recognise and become aware of their illness can lead to the reduction of mental illness and therefore begin to live a healthy life style. As the increase pressure from society expects men to follow the behaviours in which Skovolt and Balswick both describe, this has led to suggest that the traditional role of men may not be able to change. Studies into gender concerning counselling has seen a remarkable increase in men from black and minority backgrounds having a high resistance to receive counselling (Mind 2010). With the general growth of Africans avoiding the attendance of counselling services Cheatham, Shelton, Ray, (1987); Sher, (1979), Smith (2002) looked into the gender differences that the African community may face as previous research had focused solely on the services of counselling African men. The study allowed for African American men to freely express their own personal fears in counselling and overall found that men use counselling services less often than women. It was recognised that men will only do so if it was recommended by a third-party.   However, Coker (2002) suggested African American women are reluctant to seek formal counselling, opting for more traditional sources of support such as family, friends, and spiritual outlets and had often viewed the use of formal counselling as a sign of cul tural or personal deficiency. Many African women tend to provide their own personal counselling support as within everyday situations and surroundings African women are able to seek help from individuals close to them, as within these environments the importance of cultural principles help with their coping strategies. Wallace (1978) saw that many African women can go through what is called superwomen syndrome this theory outlines the little focus on their own personal mental health state. As a result of this syndrome many African women are prone to depression and other stress related sickness. The focus of this approach saw African women as being able to manage their own personal issues without the assistance of others. The syndrome has become another restriction on why women are not able to seek help, as once again the notion that men will be seen as weak is also seen in women. This shows that the pattern of stigma across both African men and women with respect to counselling has imparted upon on their personal health and reluctant to express their emotions. A study conducted by Komiya, Good, and Sherrod (1998) had shown that Africans who are told to express their emotions become reluctant to seek counselling, findings had also suggested that females had a more open attitude towards seeking couns elling than male respondents. Some researchers also focuses on differential access to counselling services, based on the intersection of gender and race. For example, Coker (2003) had found that African American women continue to use counselling services less than their white female counterparts, but when presented with severe challenges they tend to seek counselling more than their African American male counterparts. Judora J. Spangenberg (2003) had looked into person- centred counselling services and post apartheid South Africa had discovered the differences faced in the South African black and white community, this had seen a distinct difference in client and counsellor had indicated the lack of black counsellors in present South Africa as an increase in instances where black individuals are the client and have a white counsellor.   Apparently, some would describe the available counselling services as irrelevant for black South Africans (Dawes, 1986; Swartz, 1996; Turton, 1986) had regarded that many of these theories are based on Western culture which many question their usefulness towards black individuals. Pack-Brown, (1999) founded that white counsellors are expected to form the majority of counselling practitioners, currently and as well as in the future. While there are clearly some problems with the lack of black counsellors as the black South African make up 76.1% of the population (Schonegevel, Watson, Stead, 1998). It is also important to emphasise the need for cross-cultural counselling which draws upon experiences which has helped in the formation of cultural identity. Failure to highlighting and recognise the needs of Black Africans being counselled by white counsellors can hinder the progress of black clients. By looking into countries which are predominantly black and comparing it to western countries, brings to light the vast amount of difference in the approaches in which both are able to accept. Many African countries base their health on their faith as according to Wheeler, Ampadu, Wangari, (2002) who had suggested that religion and spirituality are deeply rooted in the African culture. Africans tend to rely on those who share the same faith or who have a greater social position as they are seen as more knowledgeable and wiser and therefore were allowed to criticise an individuals well-being. Within African communities an individuals religion and faith is seen to help them in finding a sense of self. Chatters, Taylor, Lincoln, (1999) indicate that religion and spirituality are very important to them. Having their religion and spirituality questioned on how to handle their own mental state may be a reason for the reluctance as to Africans not attending help-seeking services can bring some understanding into the common problem. Studies into religion in relation to counselling lead to the fact that Africans tend to rely on the strength and direction of their spirituality and by involving counselling strategies gives the idea of weakness, as combining both counselling and religion can be seen as unacceptable when addressing problems within Africans. Young, Griffith and Williams (2003) found that Africans who have a faulty relationship with a spiritual being could be regarded as the cause of someones mental illness. This statement brings forward the notion as to why Africans may not accept that they have a mental illness and therefore may feel that they are mentally stable. Counselling within developed countries focuses on the different problem areas faced within society, which can range from bereavement to eating disorders. Western cultures are considered to have a greater understanding of how to address client problems. Approaches which identify a clients social, biological, emotional and psychical state have been helpful in enabling individuals to become aware of counselling services. By the understanding and the positive effect which countries such as the United Kingdom help to promote counselling services are able to make society feel at ease in approaching and speaking to a counsellor. The BACP has discovered that Celebrities lead the way in promoting counselling and psychotherapy a report which was conducted by the BACP wanted to look into the progress of the therapy received in Britain and had seen that 83 per cent of British adults either have or would consider having counselling and psychotherapy. As a result of famous celebrities being able t o be open up to their own personal experiences with mental illness has enabled others to do the same. The media and its role in promoting counselling has seen such adverts called playing cards based in South African created by Herdbuoy McCann (2007) aimed to make aware the different counselling agencies that are available to the African community. As well as public advertisements, many African countries are aided by the work of volunteers from other countries as many see that talking to their own people can help with coming to term with mental health issues. However, by addressing the socio-economic issues faced, individuals who were born in the United Kingdom and have an Africa background may been seen as having an advantage to those who were born in Africa but moved UK as they have a led in adapting to society. Within the African communities financial issues is seen as a factor into why Africans are less likely to attend counselling, as within less developed countries it is unders tandable that by not having the relevant faculties would equal to a disadvantage in wellbeing of native Africans, and can result in whether the problem within Africans not seeking help may come down to financial issues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While there are clearly some problems with addressing counselling issues, the links between how western countries and African countries deal with counselling has remained at the centre of how much work is needed in the improvement of the system.

The Rise in Penal Populism | Dissertation

The Rise in Penal Populism | Dissertation Abstract Since the mid-1970s onward, the vast majority of Western countries have experienced a significant plus continual rise in their incarceration rates, leading to the problem of overcrowded prisons. We examine the extent to which the ‘incarceration boom’ of many modern societies can be attributed to the phenomenon of penal populism. Specifically, we argue that some short-lived actual crime waves during the late 1970s and 1980s may have initially generated a small amount of rational penal populist sentiment among the public, it is the strong divisions within the increasingly heterogeneous public (both politically and ethnically), the central government, and the popular media industry of many democratic developed nations which have ultimately sustained the growth of both penal populism and prison population numbers. Furthermore, we focus on the types of crime that are most commonly targeted by strong penal populist sentiments in the public and criminal justice system, and suggest that all such categories of crime can be fundamentally linked to the cultural ‘purification’ of children which has taken place in virtually all Western societies during the latter half of the twentieth century. Finally, we consider the limitations of penal populism, referring to those few post-industrial states where such populist punitiveness has been largely resisted, and postulate what the end-stage consequences of a penal populist movement spanning over the past three decades are likely to be. 1. Introduction The term ‘penal populism’ denotes a punitive phenomenon that has become characteristic of many modern industrial societies, especially within Western liberal democracies since the late twentieth century onward, whereby anti-crime political pressure groups, talk-back radio hosts, victim’s rights activists or lobbyists, and others who claim to represent the ‘ordinary public’ have increasingly demanded of their governments that harsher policies and punishments be enforced by the relevant organs of the criminal justice system (e.g. law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, legislators, etc.) in order to combat the perceived rise in serious crime rates (Pratt, 2006). One direct consequence of the increasingly severe ‘tough on crime’ measures – such as ‘Life means Life’, ‘Three Strikes’, and ‘Zero Tolerance’ policies – exercised in many economically advanced countries from the mid-1970s onward has been an unprecedented rapid rise in the incarceration rates of these respective nations, leading to the problem of overcrowded prisons. The United States epitomises the tempo of the modern change in national imprisonment rates, and currently has the worst problem of prison overcrowding on a global scale. Indeed, ‘American incarceration numbers [have] increased fivefold between 1973 and 1997’(Caplow and Simon, 1999, p63). More recently, ‘in 2004 the United States surpassed Russia in incarceration rates to become the world leader. With 2.2 million individuals inside (assuming a U.S. population of 290 million in 2004, that is an incarceration rate of approximately 759 adults in prison per 100,000 residents of the United States) and upwards of 7 million individuals either on parole, probation or awaiting trial, 1 in every 33 people in the U.S. is currently under state control and the number is growing’(State-Wide Harm Reduction Coalition, 2005). Clearly, an interpretation of the widespread incarceration rise must be able to accurately explain its rapidity, extent, and endurance on a global scale. There are two principal explanations for why such a large number of developed countries have experienced an ‘incarceration boom’ over the past three decades. Both theoretical models assert that it is changes in penal policies plus sentencing practices, rather than simply significant increases in crime rates alone, which are the primary factor responsible for driving prison population growth, but there is considerable disparity between the two theories about the causes of penal policy changes. One ‘crime wave’ hypothesis posits that actual rising crime rates in many Western countries, including the vast expansion of drug crime during the late twentieth century, have resulted in a greater rational public demand for the criminal justice system to take more severe punitive measures against convicted dangerous criminals (i.e. those offenders who pose the highest threat to public safety and social order; the criminal offenders most commonly targeted by penal populism in modern societies shall be considered in detail below), such as a more frequent use of incarceration with longer custodial sentences. In contrast, the second ‘political opportunism’ hypothesis suggests that many majority government parties have intentionally overstated the size and severity of the national crime problem in order to heighten public fears or instil ‘moral panic’ over perceived (as opposed to actual) rising crime rates, which are merely a political artefact, and subsequently utilise harsher crime control policies to win electoral favour (Caplow and Simon, 1999). Importantly, irrespective of which mechanism has in actual fact been operating across numerous advanced industrial states, and has led to the observed excessive growth in prison population sizes, both explanatory models can clearly be regarded as strongly related to the presence of penal populism. The critical difference between the two theories is whether the main original source of those penal populist sentiments can be accurately considered to be the public or the state, or both. According to the first model, which may be described as the public-induced penal populism hypothesis, it has been the persistent public demand for the government to impose harsher punitive measures on convicted criminals which has primarily caused the fast-paced escalation of incarceration numbers in many modern nations. In other words, the criminal justice systems in these countries have largely been exercising a regime of penal excess because constant pressure from a large sector of the public (in response to an actual rise in crime rates) has compelled them to do so. In comparison, the second model, which we may refer to as the state-induced penal populism hypothesis, postulates that within many Western countries the government parties in power have often created and sustained an artificial appearance of rising crime rates in order to instil widespread public anxiety. Subsequently, the majority government (and individual politicians) can be observed by the public to be apparently controlling the perceived illusory crime problem, such as through adopting and enforcing ‘tough on crime’ measures, and thereby attain public popularity to secure their party’s (or their own) success in the next general election. The second model further suggests that the government is not the only state institution in developed nations which benefits from overstating the scale of the dangerous crime threat, but that there are also large rewards for popular media outlets or news companies willing to do so. It is argued by many criminologists that within almost all democratic Western countries, the central government and the popular media, which are both fragmented into multiple competing party’s or companies, are highly dependent on addressing and reporting criminal activity that specifically victimises ‘ordinary people’ in order to retain electoral votes and public ratings, respectively. Hence, the state-induced penal populism hypothesis proposes that politicians and media outlets lead rather than merely follow or passively represent the public opinion: the public only supports or appears to ‘demand’ the government’s harsher punitive policy strategies because the same national government and popular media industry (as two powerful state institutions) have manufactured a compelling false image of prevalent serious crime which has instilled strong penal populist sentiments in a large proportion of that public. The central aim of the following examination is to determine which of these two distinctive theoretical positions is most likely to be correct. It is of course possible that the public-induced penal populism mechanism primarily operates in one developed nation, while in another Western country it may be the state-driven penal populism process that is predominant. However, to the extent that the relatively recent phenomenon of globalisation has resulted in many common economic, social, political, and cultural practices being widely adopted by a number of modern industrial states, one may plausibly expect a similar (if not identical) mechanism of generating penal populism to be present in the developed nations affected by prison population growth, especially with regard to the United States and Western Europe. At the outset, we may hypothesise that although some short-lived real increases in Western crime rates during the late 1970s and 1980s may have initially triggered some rational penal populist sentiments among the public of these modern societies, it has been the combined interaction of both political opportunism and media opportunism which has acted as a powerful vehicle in numerous modern societies for distorting the public’s common view of the national crime problem, and ultimately for sustaining the growth of both penal populism plus prison populations, regardless of how those crime rates may have subsequently changed (and in most developed countries they have steadily declined). One fundamental feature of the modern incarceration surge over the past three decades that is observed in virtually all countries affected by rapid prison growth is the significant proportion of these prison populations that has become comprised of racial minorities, including both of resident ethnic groups and of non-citizen illegal immigrants. As one study (O’Donnell, 2004, p262) remarks, ‘one factor that accounts for rising prison populations across Europe is the incarceration of ‘foreigners’. It is likely that prison accommodation in the Republic of Ireland will be used to hold growing numbers of failed asylum seekers, at least pending deportation. It is also inevitable that the composition of the prison population will change as members of minority groups begin to appear before the courts on criminal charges’. In terms of the racial minorities imprisonment trend in the United States, Caplow and Simon (1999, p66) assert that ‘it is undeniable that the incarcerated population is disproportionately composed of minorities (especially African Americans and Hispanics), and that the disproportion has increased during the period of rising imprisonmentThe period of rapid growth in incarceration rates has seen a significant increase in the proportion of minorities in the inmate population, especially among drug offenders, the fastest growing segment of that [prison] population’. As is the case with most Western European countries, the United States prison sector has also experienced a mass round up of illegal immigrants or non-citizens during the last three decades, who in 2003 made up 40% of federal prisoners (State-Wide Harm Reduction Coalition, 2005). Ultimately, therefore, it is apparent that the incarceration boom in many developed countries has primarily affected various racial minority populations present within these nations. It is the cumulative incarceration of racial minorities that is significantly responsible for the prison overcrowding problem commonly observed. Thus, one crucial question that we must address in the following study is what has caused (and continues to cause) the increased imprisonment of racial minority populations, relative to the incarceration rate of the racial majority host population (typically white), within the modern industrial societies affected by prison overcrowding? Specifically, we shall seek to determine whether pervasive ‘penal racism’, indicated by a greater tendency in developed nations for both the law enforcement system to arrest and subsequently for the criminal justice system to imprison ethnic or non-white defendants compared with white ones who have committed the same offence, is sufficient to explain the large racial differentials observed in incarceration rates, or not. The methodology of the following study consists entirely of literature-based research and analysis. 2. The Origins of Penal Populism: Real Crime Waves versus Political and Media Opportunism It is widely acknowledged that the prevalent public sentiment in many developed countries to ‘get tough’ with criminals has played a central role in catalysing the incarceration surge which has occurred in these nations since the mid-1970s onward, an influential social movement that is referred to as penal populism. Furthermore, whether one regards the source of that penal populism as stemming from a rational public response to actual rising crime rates or, conversely, as triggered by public exposure to political and media manipulation, the measured strength of the public’s demand on their respective democratic governments to impose harsher punitive measures on convicted criminals has remained consistently high over the thirty year period of vast growth in incarceration numbers. For example, with regard to the United States, one study notes that the time series of public responses to the survey question of whether courts are too lenient has remained highly stable since 1972 (Caplow and Simon, 1999). The significant temporal correlation in many modern industrial states between the onset of strong public desire since around the mid-1970s for more stringent crime policies and the period of rapid prison population growth is a clear indication of the vital part that penal populist sentiments have played in causing prison overcrowding. One may plausibly argue that the strong growth of penal populist sentiments in most advanced industrial societies over the past three decades has been initially generated by temporary real increases in crime (including the rapid expansion of a drug-crime economy during the 1980s) and sustained by an increased reliance of governments on implementing harsher crime control measures (rather than more effective social welfare policies) to gain public support plus secure electoral favour. Accordingly, we intend to demonstrate that penal populism in developed nations is a product of both short-lived actual crime waves and manipulative political opportunism. Indeed, one would theoretically expect the two factors operating in conjunction to result in a significantly larger escalation in incarceration rates (as is in fact observed) than would occur if only one of these forces was present in isolation. As one study has observed, ‘tough on crime’ policies produce prison population increases only to the degree that offenders are available to be imprisoned (Zimring and Hawkins, 1991). Conversely, an increase in crime rates would also not produce a corresponding increase in imprisonment rates unless some suitably punitive crime control measures were in place. During the last thirty years there has also certainly occurred in many Western countries a greater dependence of competing popular media companies, both television and the press, on selectively reporting dangerous (i.e. worse than normal) crime on an almost daily basis, simply in order to maintain or increase viewer and reader ratings. By portraying the national crime problem as more severe and more prevalent than in reality, individual popular media outlets (e.g. tabloid newspapers) in developed nations have become more appealing to public viewers than their quality media counterparts (e.g. broadsheet newspapers) who often object to distorting or manipulating the reporting of crime news. Since the late twentieth century onward, crime news has become a fundamental component of the public’s staple diet. As Pratt (2007, p68) suggests, ‘the reporting of crime is inherently able to shock [and] entertain, sustaining public appeal and interest, selling newspapers and increasing television audiences. Furthermore, the way in which crime is used to achieve these ends is by selective rather than comprehensive reportingHowever, it is not only that crime reporting has quantitatively increased; there have also been qualitative changes in its reporting: it is prone to focus more extensively on violent and sexual crime than in the pastThese qualitative and quantitative changes in crime reporting can be attributed to the growing diversity of news sources and media outletsAs a consequence, both television and the press have to be much more competitive than used to be the case. Their programmes have to be packaged in such a way that they become more attractive to viewers than those of their rivals and competitors’. Evidently, given that it is typically the most popular newspapers (such as the tabloid press in Britain) which feature the greatest number and severity of crime stories, it means that the most common representations of crime, portrayed in ‘the form of randomised, unpredictable and violent attacks inevitably committed by strangers on ‘ordinary people’, reach the greatest audience’(Pratt, 2007, p70). Thus, it is clear that within modern society the potential benefits to popular media outlets from inaccurately amplifying the danger plus scale of national crime in the public’s perception are equally as large as the rewards for politicians willing to do so. With regard to addressing the (largely fabricated) immediacy of the criminal activity problem, therefore, media opportunism and political opportunism are proximately linked in virtually all post-industrial countries where penal populist currents are strongly established. As well as magnifying the size of the dangerous crime problem, the popular media in many Western countries further continually seeks to undermine the current sentencing practices of the criminal justice system, regardless of how harsh they have become over the past three decades. In the same way that the crime stories reported by the popular media are scarcely representative of the actual nature of everyday crime within developed nations, the court stories followed are rarely illustrative of everyday sentencing practices. According to Pratt (2007), that media misrepresentation then reinforces the common public opinion that courts are too lenient, even though they have become significantly more punitive, in addition to fuelling the widely held public sentiment that the crime rate is constantly escalating when recent statistics indicate that crime is in fact steadily declining in most modern societies. Thus, in its reporting style, crime analysis by the Western popular media has become ‘personalised’ rather than ‘statisticalised’, since: 1) it prioritises the experiences of ordinary people (especially crime victims) over expert opinions 2) News reports are more prone to focus on the occasional failings of criminal justice officials as opposed to their many successes. Indeed, in the vast majority of modern societies, the ‘citation of criminal statistics has become a code for softness on crime and callousness towards its victims’(Pratt, 2007, p88), which simply provides the popular media with further scope to legitimately overstate the scale and severity of everyday crime in developed states. For these reasons, the media outlets in many Western countries have played a significant role in facilitating the continual growth of penal populist sentiments among the public. 3. The Transient Growth of a Drug-Crime Economy in Developed Countries It is highly pertinent that the vast expansion in drug crime within many Western nations during the late 1970s and 1980s coincided precisely with the onset of rapidly escalating incarceration rates in these same countries. As is asserted, ‘the growth in nondrug crime has simply not been sufficient to sustain the rapid growth of imprisonment. By the 1970s there was already an active culture of drug use and networks of drug importation/sales in the United States, but their economic importance increased in the 1980s due to new products and distribution strategies, especially for ‘crack’ cocaine. That transformation in the marketing of illegal drugs coincided with political decisions to intensify the punishments for drug crimes. The result was an enlargement of the population available for criminal justice processing’(Caplow and Simon, 1999, p71). It is crucial to acknowledge, therefore, that in any modern industrial society there is not a rudimentary causal link between a greater public desire for severity in criminal sanctions and a sustained growth in incarceration numbers; other conditions must be present. Specifically, ‘a key condition is a large pool of offenders available to be imprisoned’(Caplow and Simon, 1999, p93). Although there had also been documented transient increases in the number of offenders committing nondrug crimes such as violent crime, property crime (larceny), and sex crime in modern societies during the 1980s, these numbers tended to fluctuate in cycles over time, and could not account for the continual rise in incarceration rates observed. In contrast, the number of drug crime offences had remained consistently high throughout the 1980s in virtually all developed countries that have experienced an incarceration boom. However, in most Western nations the total drug crime rate then started to steadily decline during the 1990s largely due to the much harsher punishments being imposed on drug crime offenders (both petty and serious) by the criminal justice systems in these states. One valid explanation for the persistently high rate of drug crime during the 1980s is the ‘economic base’ principle. Specifically, while the average monetary yield of larceny, violence and sex offences is very low, drug crime represents one of the only categories of felony where the potential financial returns are extremely high, and that provides a strong economic incentive for individuals living in poverty. Hence, drug smuggling and trafficking are the only illegal activities capable of providing a solid economic base for a large criminal population in modern society. The initial cost of goods is low and law enforcement efforts sustain high retail prices, thereby ensuring large profit margins (Reuter and Kleiman, 1986). Since the 1980s, drug crime has certainly been targeted by penal populist sentiments in many Western countries affected by a public expectation for greater punitiveness, largely irrespective of how the drug crime rate has subsequently changed in these developed nations, but it is evidently not the only category of felony that has become a common target of penal populism. Sex offences (especially against children), violent or abusive crimes (once again, even more so when the victims are children), and youth crime are three other important types of crime that in late modern capitalist states have characteristically become subjected to a public desire for penal excess. We shall examine in detail at a later stage below what these specific four categories of crime have in common and why they are such typical targets of penal populist sentiments in developed liberal societies. 4. The Increased Dependence of Governments on Crime Control as a Source of Popular Credibility The rapid proliferation of drug crime in many Western countries during the late 1970s and 1980s was accompanied by a great loss of public confidence in the social welfare programs implemented in these same nations. As Pratt (2007, p95) asserts, ‘the visible presence of drug addicts in these countries had become a symbol of misplaced welfarism and tolerance, now believed to be corroding their economic and social fabrics’. Furthermore, the short-lived growth of general crime waves in many modern societies during the late twentieth century led to a significant decline of public assurance in the competence of their respective governments to control the state. As one study remarks, ‘the international crime waves of the 1960s and 1970s helped diminish the prestige of national governments all over the industrial world, by calling into question their capacity to maintain social order. The increase of crime rates at a time of increasing government efforts to help the poor undermined many of the traditional arguments for welfare, and helped confirm the view of many conservatives that efforts to help the poor only made circumstances worse by eliminating incentives for self improvement’(Caplow and Simon, 1999, p88). It is difficult to determine whether the crime wave was caused by expansions in welfare programs or merely coincided with them. The main point is that in addition to the direct relationship between high rates of crime and demands for punitive governmental responses, the crime wave may have indirectly diminished the prestige of and public demand for welfare-oriented government (Caplow and Simon, 1999). Thus, it is argued that during the 1980s many Western governments shifted the priority of their domestic agendas away from welfare policies toward crime control policies. Initially, it was most often right wing conservative politicians that promoted ‘tough on crime’ punitive measures, making crime a political issue and gaining public support. However, Lappi-Seppà ¤là ¤ (2002, p92) suggests that mainstream opposition (i.e. left wing) parties are then forced into advocating punitive policies as well, because although these left wing parties want to ‘distance themselves from the populist programmes of the right wing movements, there is one area where they do not like to disagree – the requirement of being ‘tough on crime’. No party seems to be willing to accuse another of exaggeration when it comes to measures against criminality. Being ‘soft on crime’ is an accusation that no [governmental party] wants to accept. And it is that fear of being softer than one’s political opponents which tends to drive politicians, in the end, to the extremes of penal excess’. It is plausible to argue, therefore, that constant competition between opposing governmental factions for public favour in liberal democracies has created an ‘punitive arms race’ of political opportunism, whereby each party is compelled to promote plus (when in power) implement increasingly more radical punitive policies – irrespective of the actual level of crime that the country is experiencing – in order to avoid appearing weak on crime and consequently losing valuable electoral votes to their political opponents who are prepared to be more severe on criminals. Clearly, such an opportunistic punitive arms race occurring within the governments of developed nations would lead to an exponential increase in the prison population numbers of these countries, and ultimately to prison overcrowding. That political mechanism may at least partly explain why so many Western countries which have experienced a large decrease in crime rates since the mid-1990s and into the early twenty-first century have still reported a rising prison population. For example, Pratt (2006, p1) observes that since 1999 Labour led coalition governments in New Zealand have strongly adhered to Britain’s New Labour ‘approach to crime and punishment, even using the famous phrase ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’ in its election manifestoes of 2002 and 2005. As a consequence, while [New Zealand’s] recorded crime rate has dropped by 25% in the last ten years, its imprisonment rate has increased to 189 per 100,000, one of the highest of Western countries’. Yet it is not only the divisions (i.e. in terms of competing parties) within Western democratic governments that have catalysed the increased political focus on crime control, but also the growing number of divisions among the public itself. Indeed, modern society in many developed nations (such as the United Kingdom and the United States) has become increasingly heterogeneous since the late twentieth century, and consequently the number of bases of division within these societies has expanded. For example, the members of a diverse post-industrial society are not only partitioned along the traditional parameter of social class, but are also strongly divided by a number of dichotomous value-based issues that are characteristic of ‘post-materialist’ politics such as abortion, gay rights, animal rights (e.g. fox hunting), mass immigration, school prayer, and capital punishment where it still exists (Caplow and Simon, 1999). These value- or identity-based issues are intensely contested over in modern societies by well-organised pressure groups on either side of the bipolar political spectrum. These issues are bipolar or dichotomous in the sense that they are non-negotiable with no ‘middle ground’; one either supports abortion rights or one opposes them. Hence, public division on these post-materialist issues is inevitable. One important consequence of the heterogeneous publics of Western countries becoming divided by such a multitude of value conflicts during the 1970s onward is that government parties had difficulty finding any issues to build successful election campaigns on that would appeal to a vast majority of the public. Harsher crime control appeared to be a clear choice as a singular issue that large sections of the modern public are united in consensus on. As is stated, ‘Unlike most values issues on the left or right, crime control seems to cut across the political spectrumPoliticians seeking to build viable majorities inevitably turn to the few issues that can bring people together in the new political landscapeThat is why election campaigns continue to focus on crime and punishment issues even when opposing candidates agree in their support of punitive anticrime measures. Faced with voters who split on so many issues and who are profoundly sceptical about the ability of government to improve their lives through welfare-oriented interventions, the mode of governing that commands the broadest support – punitiveness toward criminal offenders – is understandably [valued by governments]’(Caplow and Simon, 1999, p83). Ultimately, therefore, while short-lived actual increases in crime rates during the late 1970s and 1980s may have initially triggered the rise in imprisonment rates in a number of developed countries, political opportunism (in the sense of governments capitalising on populist punitiveness) has arguably sustained the incarceration boom in virtually all Western nations affected by prison overcrowding, regardless of how those crime rates may have subsequently changed. 5. The Target Crimes of Penal Populism There is a high degree of uniformity across all Western nations that have experienced an incarceration surge over the past three decades in the types of crime that are most commonly subjected to strong public demand for harsh punitive sanctions. Generally, the four most frequent felony targets of penal populism are: Drug crime; Sex offences, especially when the victims are children; Child abuse (physical, sexual, or psychological), and; Youth crime. Correspondingly, these have also been some of the fastest growing segments of prison and boot camp populations in many developed countries during recent years. One fundamental property that the above four categories of crime have in common is that children are extremely vulnerable to the effects of all of them. We may validly question why children have come to occupy such a central place in the penal populist sentiments of modern industrial societies. Pratt (2007, p96) remarks that ‘crime control policy driven by penal populism targets ‘others’, not ordinary, ‘normal’ peopleGiven the nature of populism, we should expect that crime control policy will gravitate towards easy and familiar targets, for whom there is likely to be the least public sympathy, the most social distance and the fewest authoritative voices (if any) to speak on their behalf: tho Effects of Watching Soap Operas | Research Effects of Watching Soap Operas | Research Shaping Minds: The Soap Opera and the Power of Representation Abstract In this thesis I aim to identify what the younger British public find engaging about Soap Operas, and to identify some of the processes at work during viewing, which might alter or enhance the ways in which we see the world. Focusing specifically on the relationship between popular media and the attitudes of young people towards sex and social class, research addresses the power of media representation, the use of role models, and how popular media encourages the viewer to make social distinctions and reinforces our ideas of classification. My research examines the influence of popular programmes, such as Sex and the City, and Australian and British Soap Operas, and throughout the thesis I refer to the theoretical approaches of Bourdieu and Michel Foucault, where I discuss the paradoxes latent in both the logic and language that people generally perceive to be stable and fundamental to social order. I also consider systems of classification and how the act of perceiving the validity and existence of such distinctions creates them. Conclusions drawn suggest that people consider soap viewing to be more dangerous in hindsight, whereas younger people do not recognise, or are less willing to recognise the inherent influences of soap story lines. Research does conclude that most people do consider soap operas to present an unrealistic portrayal of family life and relationships. Introduction Before the seventies a relatively small and largely irrelevant body of research existed that was solely based around soap operas, and it was only at that point when soaps began to assume a position as a topic of interest (LaGuardia 1974, 1977; Stedman 1971; Weibel 1977. In Blumenthal, p.43), as well as an area worthy of academic research (Katzman 1972; McAdown 1974; Newcomb 1974. Ibid). As Blumenthal openly writes ‘there were those who simply were against them, or found them silly.’ (Blumenthal, p.43). The context for this research formed out of a perceived gap in current research topics between the effects of media on children and adults, with relatively few projects being based solely upon teenagers and young people. As noted by Hawk et al (2006) much public and scientific concern has been expressed regarding the influence of sex in the mainstream media on childrens sexual development, such as Greenfield, 2004. However, fewer studies have studied in depth the relations hips between adolescents viewing of sexual content in the media and their own sexual behaviours and attitudes, and of those studies which do exist many are subject to severe limitations such as small samples, and narrow focus on a single type of sexual outcome, such as incidence of intercourse (Peterson et al., 1991. In Hawk et al, 2006: 352). An important consideration for the topic of this research also rested upon the observance that it is less common for research into sexual attitudes to be combined with attitudes towards social class; the decision to marry these two topics derived from the consideration that British soap operas more often represent the working class, whereas Australian soap operas mostly refer to middle class families. It was therefore an interesting research proposition to consider whether attitudes towards sex and class are being shaped by the type of target audience that these programmes are being aimed at. Although the present study does not focus on the ex tent to which women only are influenced by viewing soap operas, it does recognise that a large body of research exists on women and soap operas, and that more useful responses might be given by women respondents. Methodology In considering the methodology for this project it was decided that in order to achieve a more comprehensive collection of data with specific personal reactions to media that primary data in the forms of questionnaires and interviews should be used, rather than basing the thesis purely on secondary textual and resource analyses. As some critics suggest, textual analysis cannot always enlighten us as to what goes on in the minds of viewers and often relies upon inference and speculation (Dow, 1996). Secondary materials used for this project also include journals, articles, and books which have attempted to define the relationship between viewers and popular media. Results and findings are discussed using the research of theorists such as Adorno and Fiske; this was decided in order to encompass opinions which span a broad spectrum of relevant ideas, and are useful for how they illustrate the contrasts present in media research. Participants Participants who filled in only questionnaires were obtained by contacting high schools and middle schools, mostly in urban areas, that agreed to participate in data collection. Fifteen schools (who had their own colleges for 17-19 year olds) were initially randomly selected and contacted, 10 of which agreed to participate. As this project did not aim to highlight how attitudes might vary between age and race the identity and nationalities of respondents were not obtained. This was also decided upon because the ‘blind’ questionnaire offered school pupils more scope to provide false answers, especially concerning age and gender. In total there were 200 pupil responses with ages ranging from 12 to 18. As part of gathering primary data slightly different form of questionnaire (see Appendix Two) was presented to a random selection of young adults. This sample was achieved by approaching people on the street in a local town during rush hour. The only criteria that the second lot of respondents had to meet was that they were aged 30 or under this was to ensure that recall of their watching soap operas during their teens would be more likely to be more accurate. Furthermore, this age limit was necessary considering the ages of the programmes themselves, many of which have been running approximately 20 years or less. In the random sample interview it was possible to make a note of gendered responses Questionnaire and Interview Design In the interviewing techniques selected for this project it was decided to use a combination of single and multiple choice options and include questions which encouraged respondents to give subjective views and opinions. Contact with sexual and class content in the mainstream media, as represented through the viewing of soap operas and popular programmes, was measured by asking respondents on a four point scale the degree to which they felt that their favourite programme had influenced their ideas concerning these issues. In order to account for the differences in age between the two sets of respondents it was decided that when questioning the elder set that questions should include a retrospective option. For example, when questioning people about the influence of soaps on their opinions the question would read: â€Å"Would you say that watching this programme has or might have done so in the past altered your understanding of sexual relationships?† Chapter One:  Literature Review The Meaning and Origins of Popular Culture Over the last few decades culture has become frequently used to denote changing tastes and popularity in appreciation of interests such as music, art, theatre. As noted by Peter Goodall the word ’culture’ is consistently made use of by journalists and politicians, and especially by people studying within the Humanities (Goodall, 1995). The same author also notes that the word ’culture’ has become an ‘increasingly empty term [†¦] more frequently it is used, the more regularly it seems to need another word to prop it up and define its field of reference.’ (Goodall, 1995: xii). Take, for example, the term ‘police culture’, says Goodall, and the term ‘welfare culture’: does the word promise to mean more because these areas of society actually have little in common with one another? In both contexts the word ‘promises much [..] but delivers little; it poses as a noun but it is really an adjective’ where c ulture means little more than ‘group behaviour, practice or shared assumptions.’ (Ibid). The phenomenon of popular culture and the ease with which it has spread across the Western world, owes much to the existence of television, radio, and, more recently, the Internet. It was the Queens Coronation that begun the television age, with half the adult population watching the ceremony on TV sets; and most of these people not owning their own television at the time (Karwowski: 2002: 281). Statistics show that in 1951, the only available BBC channel had just 600,000 viewers, and that by the end of the century, watching TV was the most popular leisure activity with 94 per cent of homes having at least one colour TV and 66 per cent a video cassette recorder (Ibid). Karwowski highlights the following televised programmes as being central to the historical analysis of popular culture: the Queens Coronation The Goon Show from June 1952 to January 1960, described as ‘a surreal form of humour that lampooned all forms of pomposity and hypocrisy.’ (Karwowski: 2002: 281). Situation comedies such as Till Death Us Do Part 60s TV comedies, such as That Was The Week That Was and Monty Pythons Flying Circus Independent TV (ITV) began broadcasting in 1955. The number of TV channels grew to three with the start-up of BBC 2 in 1964, to four with Channel 4 in 1982, and five with Channel 5 in 1997, while colour TV was available from 1968. British Costume Drama, portraying English novelists such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Evelyn Waugh Educational documentaries such as Sir Kenneth Clarks Civilisation (1969), Dr Jacob Bronowskis The Ascent of Man (1973) and Sir David Attenboroughs Life on Earth (1979) Walking with Dinosaurs Childrens programmes, such as Moles Christmas and the BBCs Teletubbies to more than 125. Quiz programmes such as the BBCs Quiz shows, such as The Weakest Link, and detective series such as Inspector Morse, currently being seen in 211 countries. However, KarwowskI observes that ‘all these genres become mere niche markets when compared to the soap opera, which has around a third of the nation addicted to its multifarious expressions.’ (2005: 282). In the UK, the most popular soap is Coronation Street, longest running since 1960, is as popular in Canada and New Zealand, with the Coronation Street web site having more hits from Canada than anywhere else. (Ibid). What we see in soap operas is often designed to provoke an empathic response in the mind of the viewer. Soap viewing can offer very contrasting experiences sometimes alienating or even shocking the viewer, and other times offering emotional support and guidance concerning difficult issues. It is perhaps this ‘mixed bag’ effect of soap viewing when a person is never sure what content will shape their viewing experience that make soap viewing so popular. Media theory questions how knowledge is received and understood by the audience. Charlotte Brunsdon once said that the pursuit of the audience can be characterized as a search for authenticity, for an anchoring moment in a sea of signification (1990, p.68). The interpretations of the complex relationship between the viewer and the viewed have been controversial and often, contrasting; for example, Theodor Adorno believed that the influence held over the public by mass media was potentially harmful and brainwashing, wher eas John Fiske wrote that work should focus on viewers’ interpretation of what they saw that the viewer had autonomy over the extent to which they would absorb and articulate the information presented (Gauntlett, 2002). Fiske also used the term ‘polysemy’ to refer to the potential for audiences to decode texts in varying ways (Fiske, 1986). Dow presents her idea that the viewer has almost complete autonomy over how they interpret what they see, saying that: â€Å"The most powerful claim of audience studies has been that real viewers often resist the dominant messages of television and interpret programming in ways that suit their own interests [..] Intentional or not, such judgments cast the differences between approaches within the framework of a zero-sum game in which only one party can be right, making the other automatically wrong.† (Dow, 1996: 2) Dow also suggest that it is not possible to completely disassociate oneself from the object of criticism because of the cultural and social interests which are shared by both the critic and the creator of the media in question. Furthermore, criticism becomes less about discovering meaning in texts and becomes more of a performative activity that is about creating meaning. Sex and Identity Part of the idea for this project was born out of the premise that there exists a strong link between ideas about sexual relationships and a young person’s sense of identity. It is an aim of this project to explore the degree to which hindsight might affect a person’s belief as to whether they have been influenced by what they have seen on soaps. Research has been conducted into the damaging nature of representation in popular media especially into the use of models or ‘ideal’ body types; what Virginia Blum calls the ‘yardstick’ of the ‘Other Woman’ against which women measures their imperfections. For the ‘twenty-first century Western woman,’ says Blum, ‘who is always evaluating her appearance (intimately bound up with her identity) in relation to some standard that must be Other in order to function as a standard’ (Blum, 2005: 27). Gauntlett cites research findings on women in prime time TV in the early nineties as being ‘young, single, independent, and free from family and work place pressures’ (Elasmar, Hasegawa and Brain, 1999:33. In Gauntlett: 2002, 59). Gauntlett goes on to suggests that the 1990’s saw the use of inoffensive models of masculinity and femininity, which were generally acceptable to the majority of the public, and that this reflected producers’ beliefs that they no longer needed to challenge gender representations (Ibid). In the case of the sitcom Friends the use of male and female models of represnetation were equal. As Gauntlett explains: â€Å"The three men (Ross, Chandler and Joey) fit easily within conventional models of masculinity, but are given some characteristics of sensitivity and gentleness, and male-bonding, to make things slightly refreshing. Similarly, the three women (Rachel, Monica and Phoebe) are clearly feminine, whilst being sufficiently intelligent and non-housewifey to seem like acceptable characters for the 1990s. The six were also, of course, originally all characters with a good set of both male and female friendships i.e. each other and the friendship circle was a refreshing modern replacement for the traditional family. (It was not long, of course, before they spoilt that by having Ross and Rachel, then more implausibly Monica and Chandler fall in love.)† (Gauntlett, p.59) In most soaps there exists a core set of characters who form the firm basis of the on-screen reality. If these core characters were to change too often then the soap loses credibility, and becomes an unreal parallel of the world that it is trying to represent. It is important that themes such as sex and class are presented in a coherent and consistent way. As Gauntlett’s comment on Friends suggests this is sometimes not the case as the idea of quasi family is ‘quashed’ by the sexual dynamics within the group, thus complicating the original idea. The Concept of Transformation It is a premise of this project that women might be more likely to have experienced closer identification with soaps than men. Although it was beyond the scope of this project to direct an in-depth inquiry into this premise, the questionnaire nevertheless attempted to explore whether there was a gender divide, although this attempt was limited due to the size of the questionnaire. As academic and soap viewer, Danielle Blumenthal, is quoted as saying: Soap operas . . . a connection with other women, beloved to me: my mother, grandmother, aunt, sister . . . a steady stream of modern folktales that symbolically link us together. Memories abound: racing off the schoolbus to catch the last ten minutes of General Hospital; laughing with Grandma over the plotline antics of Days of Our Lives; worrying over the lives of characters I cared about; endless feverish conversations with girlfriends, sister, aunt over who should do what, how, and with whom. (Blumenthal, 1997: 3) In her publication on feminist perspectives and soap operas, Blumenthal refers to soap opera viewing as a ‘specific cultural activity’ questioning how much the activity is an ‘empowering practiceor, praxisfor women to engage in.’ (Ibid, p.4). The term praxis, Marxist criticism has been defined as meaning conscious physical labor directed toward transforming the material world so it will satisfy human needs (Rothman 1989:170. In Blumenthal, 1997:3). Blumenthal extends this interpretation to mean not only physical, but also mental labour, ‘which transforms images and experience to meet human needs.’ (Ibid). The concept can also be interpreted as a belief that ‘social objects do not simply exist out there in space, but are mediated through a continual process of interpretation and construction by the subjective and socially oriented mind.’ (Ibid). ‘Girl Power,’ and themes which identify the strengths in women’s att itudes are not limited to the sitcom or the soap opera, in fact they occur, to some degree, within just about every form of visual media and are mediated by the minds of the programmes creators to be received by the viewing public. The concept of transformation is prevalent in most media where women use their new image to take control of their lives and turn around situations. For example, Barbra Streisands 1996 film, The Mirror Has Two Faces, uses the idea of a before and after to provide tension and contrast within the film. In this film, the character Rose is transformed by losing weight and dying her hair this secures the physical adoration of her husband who married her for her ‘inner self.’ While the film encourages viewers to identify with Barbara Streisand it also reinforces the ideal of transformation, where the heroine does not settle for less, but dares to achieve more. Rachel Moseley, in her publication on feminist cultural perspectives, fashion, and media, observes that within these Cinderella stories there exists a ‘moment of increased visibility which provides a space for both the visual pleasure offered showcasing of the transformation, but also for the articulation of the a nxiety and emotional resonance of ’coming out’ in relation to class, as well as gender.’ (Moseley, 2002: p.40). In British and Australian soaps the concept of transformation is readily embraced not least within the lives of individual characters, but within each episode itself so as to create a mini section of a greater storyline. The world of the soap opera is fluid and dynamic it moves along at a much faster rate than reality off-screen, with new ideas and events constituting change on many levels. Blumenthal’s ideas concerning the ‘transformation’ of images is particularly useful here as it might help to explain how the serial relationships of soap characters are interpreted by the viewer. In soaps, it is often the case that characters who are not married engage in a string of successive relationships, which sets an unreal precedent to viewers, especially younger viewers. Media critic Mary-Lou Galician, in her publication Sex, Love Rom ance in the Mass Media lists twelve false premises which are regularly promoted within, and associated with, mass media; all of which she defines as ‘myths and stereotypes’ (2004: p.x): â€Å"Your perfect partner is cosmically predestined, so nothing/nobody can ultimately separate you. Theres such a thing as â€Å"love at first sight. † Your true soul mate should KNOW what youre thinking or feeling without your having to tell. If your partner is truly meant for you, sex is easy and wonderful. To attract and keep a man, a woman should look like a model or a centerfold. The man should NOT be shorter, weaker, younger, poorer, or less successful than the woman. The love of a good and faithful true woman can change a man from a â€Å"beast† into a â€Å"prince. † Bickering and fighting a lot mean that a man and a woman really love each other passionately. All you really need is love, so it doesnt matter if you and your lover have very different values. The right mate â€Å"completes you† — filling your needs and making your dreams come true. In real life, actors and actresses are often very much like the romantic characters they portray. Since mass media portrayals of romance arent â€Å"real, † they dont really affect you.† (2004: ix) Many social critics and relationship therapists have blamed the mass media for brainwashing viewers with portrayals of unrealistic love that are ‘unattainable as a goal and unhealthy as a model and, thereby, contributing to the construction of these unrealistic expectations’ (Dyer, 1976; Fromm, 1956; Johnson, 1983; Norwood, 1985; Peele, 1975;Russianoff, 1981; Shapiro Kroeger, 1991; Shostrom Kavanaugh, 1971. In Galician, 2004: p.13.). Certainly, many soap operas under discussion in this thesis are guilty of this phenomenon, and are suggestive of the idea that it is unfashionable or abnormal to be single. For example, as Glass writes: â€Å"Who can take seriously a character saying, as one does in the televised version of Candace Bushnells column, Were not dating. Its a fuck thing? Or, Ive been fucked every way you can be fucked? These characters are not serious, not even interesting, certainly not funny. With that type of woman, romance, with its necessary belief in an ideal, is impossible. [..] Bushnells women cavort aimlessly in New York, trying different sex games to see which they can win. When they lose, they move on. There is no reflection, no despair, no consequence of any action. The tragedy is that nothing in their lives is tragic.† (Glass, 1999: 14) This sort of promotion of casual sex could be potentially damaging to younger people, who are in the earlier stages of forming opinions about themselves and the world, as it could encourage them to find partners before they are comfortable to do so. Furthermore, in a school environment, where children are exposed to the same sorts of mass media, these ideas are discussed and reinforced within a social reality that is far different from the reality on-screen. As author of Sex and the City, Candace Bushnell, said of her creation: No one has breakfast at Tiffanys, and no one has affairs to remember instead, we have breakfast at 7 am and affairs we try to forget as quickly as possible. How did we get into this mess? (cf Glass, 1999: 14) During its popularity SATC was responsible for liberating the ideas of many women, and even their male partners, who watched it. The character of Samantha, played by Kim Cattrall, has been highlighted as an importnat portrayal of a sexually assertive woman in her forties. As Cattrall once said in an interview, ‘I don’t think there’s ever been a woman who has expressed so much sexual joy [on television] without her being punished. I never tire of women coming up and saying, â€Å"You’ve affected my life†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Williams, 2002. Found in Gauntlett, 2002, p.61). Unfortunately the themes of casual sex is unsustainable and will not hold viewer’s attentions for as long as say, family dramas, which can be played out over a much longer period of time and have far more complex dynamics. Thus, the heyday of SATC is over, while Emmerdale continues. As suggested by Goldenberg et al the themes of sex is both intriguing and disturbing: â€Å"Despite its potential for immense physical pleasure and the crucial role that it plays in propagating the species, sex nevertheless is sometimes a source of anxiety, shame, and disgust for humans, and is always subject to cultural norms and social regulation. [..]We argue that sex is threatening because it makes us acutely aware of our sheer physical and animal nature. Although others (e.g., Freud, 1930/1961) have also suggested that human beings are threatened by their creatureliness, following Rank (1930/1998) and Becker (1973), we suggest that this motivation is rooted in a more basic human need to deny mortality.† (Goldenberg et al, 2002: p.310) Indeed, there is nothing safe about the themes of sex in soaps it is an unpredictable world, where things are more likely to go wrong, in comparison to the world of family life, where there are obvious boundaries and limits within which to localise behaviour. In terms of class, which is the other distinction that this project is addressing, the idea that most soaps represent a particular group of people from a particular area, means that they represent the social structure of that particular area. In turn, this means that most soaps are unable to present a cross section of society from any area wider than that which it chiefly represents, and often only manages to represent the lives of either working class or middle class people. Soaps which concentrate on more elitist tastes or narrower, more inaccessible stratas of society do not often gain such a high level of popularity. This can be seen in the case of Eldorado, a soap set in Spain about the lives of British expats, that lasted only a year before being axed. A different approach to the soap opera came alon gin 1997 with the airing of Family Affairs, a soap that focused on one family. The description of the soap read as follows: â€Å"The biggest, and riskiest, decision they made was to break away from the communal concept that underpins other soaps, whether it is the village (Emmerdale), the close (Brookside), the square (EastEnders), or the local streets and pub (Coronation Street). Family Affairs will centre on one family, and examine in intimate detail the struggles and tensions within the four walls of the Hart household. The other difference between this soap and its rivals will be that Family Affairs will not be geographically characterised. It is set in a neutral town, and will lack the northern atmosphere that permeates Corrie or Brookside. Class differences within the family will play a big part. The personal experience of Young and Hollingworth influenced them to base the soap around a family that had an ex-miner at its head (Hollingworths grandfather was a miner), whose son had become a self-employed builder, and whose four grandchildren were variously a trainee lawyer, an entrepreneur, a shop a ssistant and a schoolboy.† (McDonald, 1997: 1) This soap underwent a complete change in setting and in characters, before it was axed after only seven years. These example show that there is not enough of a market for specialised soaps which dare to do something a little different. It appears that it is the grittiness of urban landscapes or the character of places which people enjoying watching the most. Furthermore, it is interesting how similar themes such as teenage pregnancy, underage relationships, and people seeking to break the boundaries of their family’s class can all assume a different meaning, or at least be interpreted differently, according to the different locations and environments in which they are set. Mass Media and the Body Gauntlett observes a similarity between the malleability of the self and the late modern attitudes to the body: â€Å"No longer do we feel that the body is a more or less disappointing ‘given’ instead, the body is the outer expression of our self, to be improved and worked upon; the body has, in the words of Giddens, become ‘reflexively mobilized’ thrown into the expanding sphere of personal attributes which we are required to think about and control.† (In Gauntlett, p.104). Perhaps one of the greatest power centres behind both of these arguments is Hollywood, which in its history has seen the changing representation of women, and more recently, the increasing number of women, and men, who have surgery to preserve the image of their youth. These ideal images of women are not always positively received. For example, speaking in 1973, Marjorie Rosen commented that ‘the Cinema Woman is a Popcorn Venus, a delectable but insubstantial hybrid of cultural distortions’ (1973:10), and upon the changing representation of women Rosen observed the presence o f rebellious natured commentaries against working women in the 1940s and 1950s, and against female sexual emancipation in the 1960s and 1970s. Whereas women have been consistently promoted as ‘sex objects’ in varying styles throughout Hollywood’s history (Rosen, In Gauntlett, 2002). It would be an interesting line of enquiry to explore the degree to which feminist literature can help to explain the presence of the perceived gender gap in the process of idolisation and representation, and the influence of these processes on ideas concerning sex and sexuality. Some critics suggest that popular media have over-simplified debates which are essentially feminist in nature, and, in some cases, wrongly consider the feminist movement retrospectively, encouraging viewers to do the same. For example, in her article exploring the different definitions of third-wave feminism emerging in the U.S, Amanda Lotz comments that ‘simplistic popular media constructions of third -wave feminism’ are misleading to feminists, and that study of the ‘third-wave feminist ideas may be understood as distinctive of new social movement organization.’ (Lotz: 2003, p.3 ). Other critics pay close attention to the different psychological constitutions of women what Jane Gerhard terms ‘ideas about the distinctive psychological reality of women’ especially concerning our definition of post feminism, which makes a significant contribution to the re-assessment of heterosexual power relations. (2005: 41). With proponents of equality still battling with what Susan Faludi refers to as lackadaisical nature of post-feminism and the unfair ’backlash’ against the feminist movement itself (1992) the idea of feminism and soap opera viewing is topical and extensive, and, unfortunately, beyond the scope of this thesis to explore. Foucault Foucault’s work is useful in the discussion of soap operas and the effects of viewing popular television as it comments on the damaging nature of ‘normalization.’ Foucault argues that there is no such thing as a singular fixed meaning, and that meaning is understood on many levels most often through the historical, retrospective interpretation of rational and reasonable behaviour (Danaher et al, 2000). For example, he suggests that the nineteenth century witnessed a preoccupation with correctness where all things ‘wrong’ had to be ‘righted’ in some way in order to fit into a box of classification. This phenomenon has had long-lasting effects on Western culture to the extent where ‘norms’ have been established, and exceptions to these norms ‘cured’ or corrected. In the discussion of class and attitudes towards sex we might consider how the media has portrayed the image of the ideal woman or man. The difference between the historical normalisation of beauty to contemporary is that such images have been popularised through the media on an increasingly global and interpersonal scale. With the advancement of technology, advertising reaches people even within the private space of their own homes through television, radio, and the Internet. This is all the more dang