Global Capitalism and the Environment

Global Capitalism and the Environment Tong Huong Ly Abstract: A lot of researchers have examined the connection between capitalism and environmentalism. In this paper, I draw on those resources to build my argument. Firstly, I argue that capitalism has encouraged environmentalism by blurring boarders and distance. In particular, technological advances have supported interconnections between places and allowed people to work together to protect the environment. This point is supported by (1) the analysis of environmental justice and (2) the example of social media in environmental protest. Secondly, I contend that, capitalism has also strengthened the specificity of places. Climate change’s effects vary between nations, as well as, local regions. Environmental justice is revisited, with an example of the aftermath of Katrina Hurricane in New Orleans. I expand my argument by discussing the different ability of countries to reduce climate change, hence, different approaches must be developed. I conclude that when facing environmen talism, even though capitalism has significantly reduced border barriers and imposed a sense of placelessness, human experiences are still shaped by local geographies. Thus, the role of places is a topic worth a close look. KEY WORDS: capitalism, globalisation, environmentalism, dislocation, local geography. Research Scope: Theoretical aspect: Environmental justice is defined as ‘an attempt to broaden the definition and scope of environmentalism to include basic needs of poor and politically less powerful group.’ This promotes equality for all humans, regardless of their locations (Scholesberg, 2007). Geographical areas: Social media: Twitter played an important role in the Protest at 2009 United Nations Climate Summit in Copenhagen (#thewave). Twitter provides a cyber space that connects people from different places around the world. Activists can utilise this to structure and enable the protest to take place (Ward, 2009). This is an evidence of how technological advances, developed by capitalism, can overcome distance barriers and connect people, thus, encouraging the social movement of environmental justice. (Segerberg Bennett, 2011) The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans: Human experiences after the hurricane are distinguished by their level of wealth. In particular, affluent people are able to hire workers to return to New Orleans and hire workers to set up and clean their houses. Meanwhile, poor working class could not rely on anyone to do the work but themselves (Allen, 2007). This is a proof of environmental injustice, which signifies how human experiences can be shaped by local geographies. Essay plan: I, Introduction (200 words): Introduce key arguments. II, Body (1550 words): 1, A sense of dislocation (800 words): Explain how capitalism had affected to environmentalism in a global scale: a, Capitalism’s bad effects on the environment: (200 words) Capitalism has led to escalating emission of greenhouse gases, land use changes, which has significant effects on a global scale (Clark York, 2005). This experience is shared by all humans and non-humans. b, Capitalism encourages environmentalism: (200 words) Capitalism is a major force for globalisation. Globalisation has supported increasing telecommunication, which allows countries to work together to reduce climate change. Use example: Earth Summit. Leaders of many countries come together to discuss the most suitable course of actions for environmentalism development. This transcends borders. (United Nations, 1992, 2002) Internet interconnects people in different places. People come together in one cyber space to discuss environmentalism and take actions. Distance is minimised. c, Link to environmental justice: (200 words) Define environmental justice Explain Scholosberg’s environmental justice approach. (Scholesberg, 2007) => Everybody works towards a better outcome for environment and humans, aiming to achieve equality regardless of places. d, An example of environmental justice movement : (200 words) Environmental justice is not only a research subject but also a social movement that relies on collective actions. Use example: Twitter’s role (#thewave) in the protest at 2009 United Nations Climate Summit in Copenhagen (Segerberg Bennett, 2011) Result: 50,000 people turned out to the march. It was ‘the biggest climate change march in the world ever!’ (Stop Climate Change Chaos Coalition, 2009) => Social media have blurred barriers and borders. 2, Specifity of places still exist (750 words): a, Capitalism leads to environmental injustice in different nations/ locations (250 words): Global scale: Developed countries try to dump waste to developing countries. Use Chief of World Bank’s quote in 1991 (Frey, 1998). Developing countries are forced to face more by environmental threats. Use World Health Organisation statistics (Frechette, 2002). b, Link to environmental justice (250 words): National scale: minority communities are affected more. Use New Orleans (a local scale) as case study. Human experiences are shaped by their level of wealth (Allen, 2007). c, Different ability to address environmentalism: (250 words) The ability to reduce climate change differs amongst countries. Eg: Developed countries with advanced technology are able to do more than developing countries (Mikler Harrison, 2012). ‘Internet is global in its reach, but territorially uneven in its layout’ (Castells, 2001: 209). Infrastructure differs, leading to uneven access to online social movement. Each country must have different approaches to climate change. Experiences are still highlighted by local geographies. III, Conclusion (200 words): Summarise key arguments. Suggest the importance of places in environmentalism approach. Reference list: Allen, B. L. (2007). Environmental justice, local knowledge, and after-disaster planning in New Orleans.Technology in Society,29(2), 153-159. Castells, M. (2002).The Internet galaxy: Reflections on the Internet, business, and society. Oxford University Press, 209. Clark, B., York, R. (2005). Carbon metabolism: Global capitalism, climate change, and the biospheric rift.Theory and Society,34(4), 391-428. Frechette, K.S (2002). Environmental justice: Creating Equality, Reclaiming Democracry. Oxford University Press, 10-11. Frey, R. S. (1998). The export of hazardous industries to the peripheral zones of the world-system.Journal of Developing Societies,14(1), 66-81. Mikler, J., Harrison, N. E. (2012). Varieties of capitalism and technological innovation for climate change mitigation.New Political Economy,17(2), 179-208. Repetto, R. (1990).Paying the price: pesticide subsidies in developing countries. World Resources Institute. Scholte, J. A. (1997). Global capitalism and the state.International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-), 427-452. Schlosberg, D. (2008).Defining environmental justice. Prescott College. Segerberg, A., Bennett, W. L. (2011). Social media and the organization of collective action: Using Twitter to explore the ecologies of two climate change protests.The Communication Review,14(3), 197-215. Stop Climate Chaos Coalition (2009). Retrieved from https://www.stopclimatechaos.org/ The United Nations (1992), Earth Summit Conference. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/geninfo/bp/enviro.html. Ward, M. (2009). Twitter on the front line. BBC.

What Are The Factors Affecting The Employee Motivation Business Essay

What Are The Factors Affecting The Employee Motivation Business Essay This chapter gives general information and theories about motivation. The need to increase productivity and efficiency in the work place of any organization has led to increasing academic interest in the area of motivation over the years. The business environment is becoming more and more competitive all the time and managers feel pressured to find new ways to motivate their employees in order to keep them committed to the company and give their full performance. Writers have been keenly interested in knowing what factors are responsible for stimulating the ability to work. Many different theories and methods of employee motivation that range from monetary incentives to increased involvement and empowerment have come out over the years and some of these theories are introduced in this thesis. Background of the study Motivation relates to a range of psychological processes that guide an individual toward a goal and cause that person to keep pursuing that goal. Motivation often is described in terms of direction (the choice of one activity over another), intensity (how hard an employee tries) and persistence (how long an employee continues with a behavior, even in the face of obstacles or adverse circumstances). Motivated employees work harder, produce higher quality and greater quantities of work, are more likely to engage in organizational citizenship behaviors, and are less likely to leave the organization in search of more fulfilling opportunities. Moreover, highly motivated employees strive to produce at the highest possible level and exert greater effort than employees who are not motivated (Schultz Bagraim, Potgieter, Viedge, and Werner ( 2003:53). Employees need a range of motivators in order to remain engaged in their work. In response to this demand, employers are looking at how to sati sfy their employees on both an extrinsic, financial level as well as an intrinsic, psychological level. There are plenty of motivational theories emphasizing what it is that motivates people, two of these theories included in this thesis, were Maslows need hierarchy and Hertzbergs two factor theory. Moreover, Maslow (1970) offered his need hierarchy according to which human beings have their needs arranged in a hierarchy such that they are motivated to seek satisfaction of the lower levels of need first. Once that level of need is satisfied it is no longer a motivator, and the person is motivated by the next level up the hierarchy. Referring to figure 1, the basic needs such as shelter, food and warmth are at the bottom level of Maslows hierarchy, which then progresses through physical well-being, social acceptance, self-esteem, to self-actualization (realizing ones own potential). http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwnr5m6L4u1qmjqdio1_500.jpg Figure : Maslows hierarchy of needs The first four levels are: Physiological: hunger, thirst, bodily comforts, shelter; Safety and security: out of danger; Belongingness and Love: affiliate with others, be accepted; Self-esteem: to achieve, be competent, gain approval and recognition. According to Maslow (1970), an individual is ready to act upon the growth needs if and only if the deficiency needs are met. Maslows initial conceptualization included only one growth need self-actualization. Self-actualized people are characterized by: Being problem-focused; Incorporating an ongoing freshness of appreciation of life; A concern about personal growth; and The ability to have peak experiences. Maslow and Lowery (1998) later differentiated the growth need of self-actualization, specifically identifying two of the first growth needs as part of the more general level of self-actualization and one beyond the general level that focused on growth beyond that oriented towards self. These needs are: Cognitive: to know, to understand, and explore; Aesthetic: symmetry, order, and beauty; Self-actualization: to find self-fulfillment and realize ones potential; and Self-transcendence: to connect to something beyond the ego or to help others find self-fulfillment and realize their potential. Maslows basic position is that as one becomes more self-actualized and self-transcendent, one becomes more wise (develops wisdom) and automatically knows what to do in a wide variety of situations. Daniels (2001) suggested that Maslows ultimate conclusion that the highest levels of self-actualization are transcendent in their nature may be one of his most important contributions to the study of human behavior and motivation. A second well-known theory in this category is Hertzbergs two-factor theory. According to Herzberg (1959), work motivation is dependent on hygiene factors (salary, prestige) and motivators (achievement, responsibility). A person is motivated if both kinds of needs are satisfied. Herzberg (1987) declared that real motivation is only reached when a person experiences self-growth, which can only be satisfied through work enrichment. http://mathehu.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/herzberg_2.jpg?w=550h=418 Figure : Herzberg ´s Two Factor Theory Herzbergs two-factor theory of job-satisfaction is not new, as a matter of fact; it dates back to 1959 and is the outgrowth of a research study project on job attitudes conducted by (Herzberg, Mausner Snyderman, 1969). Herzberg (1959) addresses the problem of job satisfaction in terms of those factors which cause satisfaction (motivators) and those which cause dissatisfaction (hygienes). Factors which bring about job satisfaction are commonly called satisfiers or motivators and were found from the study to be related to the nature of the work itself and the rewards that result from the performance of that work. The most significant of these involve characteristics that promote an individuals needs for self-actualization and self-realization in his work. These factors are essentially linked to job content, which means they are intrinsic to the job itself. Herzberg analyzed and classified the job content factors or satisfying experiences as follows: Satisfiers Achievement Recognition Work itself Responsibility Advancement Growth According to Herzberg (1959), these factors stand out as strong determiners of job satisfaction with three of them, a sense of performing interesting and important work (work itself), job responsibility and advancement being the most important relative to a lasting attitude charge. Achievement more so than recognition, was frequently associated with such long-range factors as responsibility and the nature of the work itself. Robbins, (2003) emphasized that employee recognition consists of personal attention, expressing interest, promotion, pay, approval and appreciation for a job well done. Recognition which produces good feelings about the job does not necessarily have to come from superiors; it may come from subordinates, peers, or customers. It is interesting to note that recognition based on achievement provides a more intense satisfaction than does recognition used solely as a human relations tool divorced from any accomplishment, the latter does not serve as a satisfier. Schult z, et al,(2003) stated that some ways to improve motivation include good remuneration, effective training and skills development, a proper recognition and reward system, and employee growth prospects. Compared with the satisfiers or motivators are the factors which cause low job attitude situations or job dissatisfaction. Such factors were found from the analysis of the study results to be associated primarily with an individuals relationship to the context or environment in which he does his work, These factors are extrinsic to the work itself and are referred to as dissatisfies or hygiene (or maintenance). Dissatisfiers Company policy and administration Supervision Working conditions Interpersonal relations (with peers, subordinates and superiors) Status Job security Salary Personal Life Details on the methods used by Herzberg and his colleagues to reduce and analyze their research data will not be discussed in this paper. The satisfiers and dissatisfiers that have been listed are referred to as first level factors. Bassett-Jones and Lloyd (2005) suggests that the content theorists led by Herzberg, assumed a more complex interaction between both internal and external factors, and explored the circumstances in which individuals respond to different internal and external stimuli. There has been an enormous increase in research into motivation. Many studies have implicated relation between motivation and other behavioral and organizational variable such as workable levers over work motivation such as comparing job satisfaction, job involvement, and organizational commitment (Moynihan Pandey, 2007). They find that managers have varying degrees of influence over these different aspects of work motivation, with greatest influence over job satisfaction and least influence over job involvement. A number of variables are important for work motivation, including public service motivation, advancement opportunities, role clarity, job routineness, and group culture. Testing an explicit and implicit measure of motivation ( Lawrence Jordan, 2009). Summarizing the result of the study they came to the conclusion that the distinction between two types of motives, is real and determined by different developmental histories, activation by different incentives, and prediction of different types of behavior. Langens, Schmalt and Sokolowski (2005) indicated that, recognizing the motive structure of a person can help us get to know which incentives cause positive emotions and influence the striving for a goal, and, on the other hand, we can predict which situations can cause fear and understand how they can be avoided. Schuler and Prochaska (2001), Zimmermann (2008) stressed that along with the cognitive abilities, general achievement motivation can be viewed as the second career relevant trait, important for both academic and career success. Schuler (2000), Frintrup, (2002) stated that abilities and skills are important prerequisites of successful work performance. But when employees lack job-related motivation, these qualities cannot be fully revealed. Then, high achievement motivation, along with intelligence, becomes relevant and plays an especially important role in situations when no external pressure exists and people have to make independent decisions. As previously mentioned there are many motivational theories, studies and findings about employee motivation, but this thesis will be limited to the use of some of these researches and or motivational theories. Research question and sub questions The research question that shall be answered by the present research is as follows: what motivates employee at their workplace? In order to answer this overarching question, several sub-questions shall be considered, namely: What are the factors affecting the employee motivation? How important are incentives for the employee? To what extend does the economy of Curaà §ao motivates or demotivates the employee? What are the personal factors that can motivate an employee to commit to their jobs? How significant are the companys standard and values to the employee? Also the differences in work motivation in different level of education, age groups and nationalities will be studied. This will be possible through analysis of information gathered from employees working at the three local airlines, using the method of a quantitative research. Local airlines count 3 airlines, namely Insel Air, Dutch Antilles Express and Divi Divi Air N.V. A brief introduction of the local airlines will follow. Insel Air is an IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certified airline, operating 16 international destinations in 11 countries within the Pan-American region. In South America InselAir operates on destinations Caracas, Valencia, Barquisimeto and Las Piedras in Venezuela, Medellin in Colombia and Suriname. Destinations within the USA include Miami, Charlotte and Puerto Rico. Other destinations in the Caribbean are Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Kingston, St. Maarten, St. Domingo and Haiti. Destinations Miami, Charlotte, St. Maarten Curacao and Aruba are used as hubs. Insel-Air s international destinations and hub service give it great strength in creating connectivity within the Pan-American region while focusing on safety, on-time performance and great customer service. Insel-Air offers a Comfort Class next to an Economy Class, free on-board food and beverages, first two checked bags for free and seats with a maximum of 34 inch legroom in Comfort Class. Insel-Air operates approximately 46 flights per day with a crew of 165 employees. Dutch Antilles Express has been providing cargo services since April 2005. With two Fokker 100s DAE operates out of the hub Curacao Hato International Airport to numerous locations across the Caribbean and South America. DAE Cargo has adopted the same principles as its on-time and quality passenger services. Parallel to their expanding flight network, DAE is providing effective and quality services to more and more new locations. With the support of 134 employees, DAE carries passengers and cargo to Aruba, Bonaire, St. Maarten, Sto. Domingo, Caracas, Valencia (Venezuela), Bogotà ¡, Cartagena (Colombia), Paramaribo (Suriname) and Panamà ¡ City. Divi Divi Air N.V., is a small efficient airline giving big services with a team 12 employees. Established in 2001 and based on Curaà §ao, with a ticket office in Curaà §ao as well as Bonaire. Divi Divi Air N.V., locally known as e Divi Divi (The Divi Divi) operates about 7 to 9 flights daily between the islands. They can also cater to your specific needs with charters on demand in the region. Divi Divi operates 3 twin-engine aircraft of which two are nine seat Britten-Norman Islanders. Purpose of the study The following are objectives of this research: To investigate the causes of low employee motivation at the workplace. To identify factors that could improve the level of motivation of employees at the workplace. To suggest strategies that could improve the quality of work-life of their workplace. There are many factors that motivate people intrinsically. The motivational factor of these matters is based on human ´s urge to fulfill certain needs. Not all of them can be applied in work motivation, but the ones that are executable for this purpose are introduced next. The inner motivation factors include; acceptance, the need for approval; curiosity, the need to learn; honor, the need to be loyal to the traditional values of ones clan/ethnic group; idealism, the need for social justice; independence, the need for individuality; order, the need for organized, stable, predictable environments; power, the need for influence of will; saving, the need to collect; social contact, the need for friends (peer relationships); status, the need for social standing/importance; tranquility, the need to be safe; and vengeance, the need to strike back/to win. Reiss (2004) said that these basic desires give people inner work motivation when they seek to fulfill some of these needs. Limitations and delimitations The limitation is being considered in relation to the natural explanation to which the researcher has limited the study and the active choices to limit the study area. This study is limited to existing theories and models, and their influence and limitation on motivation of the employee. The focus will be on independent variables that the airlines and or their employee in one or another way can influence, with exception of the external factors which one cannot control directly but monitor, delimitated in local airlines. Variables that will be used are personal needs, organizational structure and external factors. Of the individual factors, the most important factors will be chosen. For organizational factors it will be limited to study the organizational culture and the incentives, the external factors, the economy will be touched. Approximately 100 employees will be studied in different education levels, age groups and nationalities. Setup of the thesis In chapter 2, a motivation factors model is presented and explained. In this part, the definition of work motivation, factors that influences the work motivation, and different work motivation theories used in the thesis are discussed. Further, different work-related behaviors are introduced and some general information. Chapter 3, the methodology used is explained e.g. the research method, procedures, instruments and representativeness is presented. Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. On the last page(s), a reference list of the journals used in this thesis is included.

Affirmative Action and College Admissions: A Legal and Ethical Analysi

Affirmative Action and College Admissions: A Legal and Ethical Analysis I. Introduction The institution of public education has been one of the most controversial establishments in the United States since its inception. More specifically, equality in the conditions and the opportunities it provides has been sought as one of its major goals. There is little doubt that minority ethnic groups have struggled to achieve educational equality, just as they have struggled for equality in other aspects of life. One way that minorities have tried to achieve equality in education is through lobbying for help in college admissions for their respective groups. This social practice has been debated on many grounds, including necessity and ethical permissibility. The debate over the necessity of equal opportunity in education for minority groups can be traced back to the post Civil War era. The well-known debates between African-American intellectuals W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington focused on this issue. DuBois believed that the newly emancipated blacks should be slowly integrated into the culture of white America. He argued that the best way for African-Americans to further themselves in society was to embrace their differences and not try to be subjected to the same educational system as the majority population. On the other hand, Booker T. Washington believed that blacks needed to be declared completely equal to whites in every way. He wanted immediate integration into all social institutions that were available to whites, including public education. Washington believed that this was the only way that equality could ultimately be achieved was to break down the social barriers between the races immediately and ... ...w.abanet.org/publiced/focus/spr98collad.html" > Alger, Jonathan. "The Educational Value of Diversity." The American Association of University Professors. Academe, January/February 1997. < "http://www.aaup.org/publications/Academe/1997/aadivart.htm" > Curry, Tom. "Split Decision on Racial Preference." MSNBC News. June 2003. < "http://www.msnbc.com/news/929326.asp?0cv=CA01&cp1=1" > Hurdato, Sylvia et. al. Defending Diversity: Affirmative Action at the University of Michigan. University of Michigan Press. 27 February, 2004. Orfield, Gary. Kurlaender, Michal. Chilling Admissions: The Affirmative Action Crisis and the Search for Alternatives. Harvard Education Publishing Group, 2001. Orfield, Gary. Kurlaender, Michal. Diversity Challenged: Evidence on the Impact of Affirmative Action. Harvard Education Publishing Group, 2001.

After coming to America Essay -- Essays Papers

After coming to America All people seem to want the same basic things out of life regardless of race or religion. Universally, people want a good job, a healthy family, and a chance for their children to have a better life than the one they have. Families that already possess these things, whether through their own hard work or merely by way of inheritance, rely on the existing power structures within society to ensure that their future happiness continues . But what do people who do not belong to existing power structures turn to in order to secure these things for their families and children? During the course of America's lifetime, million upon millions of people left their homes and families in other countries and traveled to America in the hope of securing a better life -- the American Dream. What they often found was an unwillingness on the part of those already established in America to share society's benefits with them. For many segments of our American society, people substituted a reliance on family, or friends, or even faith alone, to secure these benefits for themselves and their children that was denied them by those possessing economic and political power. Most blacks came to America involuntarily. Sold as slaves in Africa, they were brought to America as laborers. Being slaves, they were legally considered property and thus were excluded from the legal protections that other people living in America were entitled to. Slave marriages were not legally recognized, and parents and children could be separated at the whim of their owners. As Frederick Douglass and countless other narratives by former slaves have shown us, slaves were forced to rely on a network of extended family members and other slaves to ... ...f ethnic communities that make up our cities is a testament to that reliance on friends that supported these groups of immigrants. While relying on friends and community would ensure that their family was both fed and that they had a place to sleep, faith is what kept hope alive in them from day to day. Faith that, one day, society would allow their children to fully participate in this country. And sometimes, as Thomas Aquinas told us, faith is all we have to have. Works Cited Boroff, David. "A Little Milk, a Little Honey: Jewish Immigrants in America." 1966. Oates. 87-97. Burns, James MacGregor. "Reconstruction: The Revolution that Failed." 1981. Oates. 20-29. Foner, Eric. "From Slavery to Freedom: The Birth of the Modern Black Community. 1990. Oates. 4-16. Oates, Stephen B., Ed. Portrait of America. Sixth Ed. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1995.

MP3s and the Music Industry :: mp3 digital music

MP3's and the Music Industry The Internet is now being used in many exciting and interesting ways. The music industry, however, has come to feel that it may be being abused. There are countless web sites offering information on how to obtain contemporary music, with and without permission from the creators. Using a fairly expensive recording device, such as Diamond Multimedia's Rio portable MP3 music player, consumers are supposedly able to download unauthorized music placed on MP3 sites. There are two distinct sides to the mp3 issue. A cyberspace tug-of-war is taking place between the rights of MP3 consumers and those of musicians and record companies that desire to control any and all consumption of their product, the music. Internet piracy is being combated by groups such as the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The rights of music consumers are being championed by many groups, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and supporters of such web sites as mp3.com. While there are a number of legal and authorized pieces of music that may be downloaded by Internet consumers, there are just as many offerings that can be considered to be "bootleg" or illegal, and are placed on the Internet by "pirates." This infringement on the rights of creators to control the reproduction and distribution of their product has incensed and angered many different groups. Their fight to retain control has resulted in a counter-argument in favor of online freedom and of expression and a battle to preserve civil liberties. Internet piracy has been a source of much controversy as it has grown and become the new medium of communication in our generation. The Internet connects so many people with so many products and, as in all industry, not all these people and products are fair and honest. The same is true in the world of the online music industry. Some artists champion the public's right to hear and record their music in an "industry-free" atmosphere. Others fear that their art is being exploited and their rights denied. In October 1999 the IFPI announced its efforts "aimed at ridding the Internet of large amounts of pirate content and paving the way for artists and record companies to deliver music electronically and legally across the world" (IFPI, 1999). The recording industry is collaborating to try and fight this exploitation. The "IFPI estimates there are some 1 million illegal music files posted on the Internet at any given time" (IFPI, 1999).

Women and Depression

Depression is currently the fourth most common cause of disability worldwide (Culbertson, 1997). With depression being such a large issue in society, it cannot be looked at as a â€Å"one size fits all,† particularly when it comes to examining gender differences associated with mental health disorders (Smith and Jaffe, 2012). There are many social causes prevalent in society, varying by gender, which contributes to the risk of being diagnosed with depression or the rate to which they experience depression.Depression is the leading cause for disability in women and they are roughly twice as likely to experience depression as men. Some reasons for this may be that women tend to dwell on their problems, they experience victimization and they also must deal with the effects that estrogen has on the stress hormone and menstrual cycle. Men’s experiences with depression have not been as well understood as women’s. Although women may be diagnosed more then men, it does n ot mean that men suffer any less; they often suffer in silence.With the social constructions of what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman, it has created an atmosphere in which it negatively affects the willingness to seek help or treatment and the diagnosis of mental illnesses relating to health and health care. There is evidence to suggest that men are just as vulnerable as women to depression and for the same reasons that make women depressed but they remain undiagnosed and untreated (Zartaloudi, 2011). Men on average are less willing to seek help but are more reluctant to seek help in the case of depression.There are a larger number of men compared to women who suffer from problems closely related to depression such as alcohol and drug abuse and the suicide rates in men are very high. According to Real, â€Å"women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than men because many health professionals, as well as family members and friends, may find it easier to diagnose women with depression more than men because of the fear of the stigma and shame surrounding depression for men, a disorder which is regarded as emotional and not a manly illness. (Real, 1997) So in society it is hard to diagnose depression in men because they have a harder time admitting that they have it. With that being said, the social roles that we have created for both men and women create the need for different treatment options and care that will ultimately lead to the same result; successfully treating depression. The social conditions of life and the differences that are presented for individuals create different health care needs for everyone. The health care system often fails to address these differences and in doing so, it can often reinforce the inequalities (Payne & Doyal, 2010).It is important to recognize the different social processes present in society if the health care system is going to respond to the needs of individuals. Men are known to use heal th care services less than women, which can relate to men’s shorter life expectancies. So this leads to the problem of men not wanting to seek health care, as they want to look masculine and adhere to the gender role that society has created. These generalizations can be very harmful to both men and women as they can often affect the action one may take.For example, men also tend to wait longer to seek health care, as they do not use the services as much as women (Payne & Doyal, 2010). So in the case of depression, if men tend to wait longer, it could lead to alcoholism, drug abuse and suicide. One is held accountable for every action they perform to be appropriate to the sex category they adhere to. Because the rate of depression is about two times greater for women than men, depression can often be framed as a ‘women’s issue’ and therefore men do not want to admit to being depressed.Women also react differently as they are more likely to change their app etite, become emotional and lose weight where as men tend to turn to alcohol and drugs which can lead to further complications (Zartaloudi, 2011). Although women are more likely to attempt suicide and there are more reported cases of women attempting to kill themselves, men are reported to have a higher death rate by suicide than women. Men have a very high rate of suicide; they are about three to four times more likely to kill themselves regardless of their age.Men are also more likely to commit suicide because they tend to act quicker on their thoughts and use more lethal methods such as guns (Mayo Clinic, 2011). Men often times will try to live up to the standards of masculinity that society has created. It has been hypothesized that men can experience a loss of psychological well-being while trying to achieve the masculine goals related to the gender roles that have been created. Men may also make themselves feel better by relying on avoidance and coping in ways such as distract ion, social diversion, denial and disengagement (Nolen-Hoeksema, 1999).Men often fail to recognize depression, not realizing that some of their symptoms are those of depression. They also down play their sign and symptoms of depression and often do not want to talk about what they are feeling where as women are more likely to seek medical help or turn to family and friends (NIMH, 2011). When looking specifically at women and depression, it can be noted that women suffer in different ways then men due to different social causes they experience.Looking at the cultural roles and how they affect both men and women, women have always been viewed to have unequal power and wealth. With lower incomes, women are more likely to live in poverty and stress about housing and access to health care resources (Mayo Clinic, 2010). Minority women face racial discrimination as well which can lead to lower self-esteem and can contribute to feelings of depression. As well, women who were emotionally, se xually or physically abused as children are more likely to be depressed as adults.Women are also more likely to be sexually abused (Weiss, 1999). Overall depression will continue to affect both and men and women in different ways and it is important to address this issue to ensure that both men and women are getting the correct diagnosis and treatment that is necessary. Although there are many factors that contribute to an increased risk of depression such as death, divorce, job loss or any major changes, it is important to look at social causes that affect women differently than men.There are many specific risk factors for mental disorders that disproportionately affect women which include gender based violence, socioeconomic disadvantage, low income and income inequality, low or subordinate social status and unremitting responsibility for the care of others (WHO, 2012). The high rate of sexual violence present in our society which women are exposed and the correspondingly high rat e of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder result in women being the largest group of people affected by depression.According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, â€Å"Half of all women in Canada have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 16,† (CWF, 2012). Having experienced sexual or physical violence can lead to an increased risk in experiencing depression for both men and women, although women are at a higher risk due to a higher rate of experiencing violence. Often, the social construction of gender leads to the view of women being inferior to men and so men view themselves as having control over women and can often result in physical or sexual violence.Some often wonder if men are at the same risk for experiencing violence but the Canadian Women’s Foundation states that 83% of all police-reported cases of domestic violence are against women and that remains the same throughout every province in Canada, (CMF, 2012). It ha s also been reported that one in five women suffer rape or attempted rape in their lifetime, (WHO, 2012). Living with the fear of being raped or experiencing rape also contributes to the increased risk of depression among women. Women often are humiliated to share their experience with anyone and often do not disclose information unless asked directly by a doctor.Men too are reluctant to share their experiences of violence as we have created a social stigma in which men are not to express such emotional feelings and so the violence goes unreported. Violence against women then, may contribute to the reason as to why women are the largest single group affected by depression. Another social cause of depression among both men and women but specifically women is low socioeconomic standing. The higher prevalence of depression among women can be associated with their socioeconomic position, stress processes and role of social support (Warrell, 2012).Reports continue to show that women that live in poverty or with a love economic status show higher rates of depression than women who live in a higher economic standing. The stress of struggling economically can often times play a big role in the emotional toll it takes on a person, specifically women. A reason why women are at a higher risk of depression and suffering long-term is that they are exposed to greater amounts of stress (Warrell, 2012). Women often have responsibilities both at work and within the home as they are often stereotyped as the ‘house-wife’, responsible for most of the duties within the home.Socioeconomic status and the struggle for women to deal with major stressors that relate contribute to the high rate of depression among women. Society has created many stereotypes around gender and how males and females should act. Men are seen as the powerful, dominant type who should have the control and the power within society. Men who show emotions and express feelings associated with the fem ale stereotypes are often looked down upon. Women are seen as the emotional, fragile beings that are emotional and as a result are inferior to men.Although we are working as a society to break down these stereotypes, they are still prevalent and we must find ways to cope with them. Looking specifically at depression, women often feel as though they are inferior to men and that they are unequal within society; this may contribute to feelings of depression. There are many ways for the issue of depression to be addressed. One of the most important ways for this issue to be addressed is for it to be talked about and have fewer stigmas attached to it. Many people view depression and mental illness as a negative thing and therefore much stigma comes attached to the diagnoses of depression.Men, who already have a hard time going to get help when they need it, are even less likely to reach out for help if they will be labeled as weak and treated differently if their condition becomes public knowledge. As mentioned above, if society would take a step back and not put so much emphasis on hegemonic masculinities and make it more socially acceptable for men to show emotion and not have negative repercussions when coming to terms with their mental illness, more men would feel comfortable speaking out about their illness and hopefully actively seek treatment.One way that this stigma is approached is how Bell Canada has created a campaign to help eliminate the stigma attached to depression and mental illness. They offer some interesting statistics that are quite troubling in regards to the problem of mental health and its funding: mental health does not receive the funding relative to the need because mental illness represents 15% of health care troubles; however, they only receive 5% of funding.Another startling statistic provided was that only one-third of Canadians who need mental health services actually receive them. (http://letstalk. bell. ca). Another initiative that has been created to help spread awareness about mental health issues is the Canadian Population Health Initiative. This initiative has seen very positive outcomes in how mental health is treated, promoted and viewed in Canadian society. Many new initiatives and policies have been created in the past 20 years to help address the issues that are faced in the public sector of mental health.Some of the positive changes that have been made include: The creation of the Mental Health Promotion Unit in 1995 to promote health public policy for mental health, in 1996 a new holistic definition of mental health was created to demonstrate that mental health is a â€Å"multi-faceted nature of health and moved beyond disease-oriented understandings† (Ottawa: CIHI, 2009) and in 2007 the creation of the Mental Health Commission of Canada that was to help people living with mental illness get treatment as well as promote positive mental health promotion across the nation (Ottawa: CIHI, 2009).B y the creation of these old and new initiatives and policies, there is more attention being given to the issue of mental health and a reduction of the stigma attached to it. Education is the best way to understand something and if the country is educated on the issues, they will be less likely to rely on old stereotypes to categorize people who suffer from mental illness. I believe that depression is a major issue present within society and we must find ways to break down the gender stereotypes in order for both males and females to feel comfortable talking about it.I believe that it is important to look at how we can address this issue as women are suffering at a higher rate than men while men are suffering in silence, without help from anyone. Depression must be viewed as an illness that is okay to talk about and okay to get help for. Depression is common in society and no one is ever alone when dealing with depression and the feelings associated with it. It is scary to think that two thirds of people suffering are not receiving any help.People suffering need not be ashamed of what they are going through and should be eager to seek the proper treatment when needed. As a society, we must break away from the gender stereotypes associated with gender and understand that depression is an illness that both men and women suffer from. We need to continue to use campaigns and initiatives to show people that they are not alone and that it is nothing to be ashamed of. Women are at a higher rate of experiencing depression as they are affected differently by social causes that are present within our society.In recent times, we have been trying to put to rest the idea that men are superior to women as every human being should be considered equal and capable of doing the same things within society. If everyone is considered as equal, it may lead to a decrease in violence against women and people of color may not feel oppressed by other members of society. If this is possi ble, women’s risk of experiencing depression may decrease and it may no longer be viewed as a women’s illness.It can be concluded that although men and women both suffer from depression and feel some of the same emotions, the way they experiencing depression differs greatly due to the social causes we see in society today. Bibliography References Canadian Institute of Health Information, Improving the Health of Canadians: Exploring Positive Mental Health (Ottawa: CIHI, 2009). Canadian Women’s Foundation, The facts about violence against women. 2012. Retrieved on November 20th, 2012 from < http://www. canadianwomen. org/facts-about-violence> Culbertson, F. (1997).Depression and Gender; an international review. American Psychology, 25-35. K. , B. B. (2012). Diagnosis and treatment rates for depression in older adults have grown overtime, with medication edging out therapy. AHRQ Research Activities, (379), 21-22. Logan, J. , Skopp, N. A. , Karch, D. , Reger, M. A. , & Gahm, G. A. (2012). Characteristics of Suicides Among US Army Active Duty Personnel in 17 US States From 2005 to 2007. American Journal Of Public Health, 102S40-4. doi:10. 2105/AJPH. 2011. 300481 Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010). Depression in women: Understanding the gender gap.Mayo Foundation for medical Education and Research, 1-3. Nolen-Hoeksema, S. , Larson, J. , Grayson, C. (1999). Explaining the gender difference in depressive symptoms. Social Psychology. 77(5): 1061-72. Payne, S. , & Doyal, L. (2010). Re-visiting gender justice in health and health care. In E. Kuhlman, and E. Annadale (Eds. ), The Palgrave handbook of gender and healthcare (pp. 21-35). Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan. Smith, M. , & Jaffe, J. (2012). Depression in Women: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment. The Help Guide. Waller, E. 2012) Socioeconomic Position and Major Mental Disorders. Oxford University Press. Retrieved on November 19th, 2012 from: < http://epirev. oxfordjournals. org/content/26/1/53. full> Weiss e t Al. (1999). Childhood sexual abuse as a risk factor for depression in women. American Psychiatry, 816-28. World Health Organization, Mental Health: Gender and women’s mental health. 2012. Retrieved on November 20th, 2012 from: < http://www. who. int/mental_health/prevention/genderwomen/en/> Zartaloudi, A. (2011). What is men’s experience of depression? Health Science Journal, 182-187.

Racism and Kathryn Hess English Essay

In the beginning of the movie Freedom Writers, the students initially only trust their peers from their racial groups. This is because they only trust the people in their gangs. Almost all the kids were in racially segregated gangs. At first, Ms. Gruwell has difficulty getting anything accomplished. Many of these students have never been shown any respect in the past. Eva and some of the other students tell Ms. Gruwell that they will not just hand her their respect, she must earn it. Ms. Gruwell begins to earn the respect of her students when she moves the students around, out of their racial divisions. She attempts to show the students that they are united by playing the â€Å"Line Game† with them. She puts a line of thick red tape across the classroom and tells the students to move forward when a statement she makes applies to them. Her most effective form of reaching out, however, comes in the form of a composition notebook. Trust is an important component of a teacher-student relationship because if a student doesn’t trust the teacher, nothing the teachers teaches is affective. Ms. Gruwell eventually managed to get her students to show tolerance for one another. She teaches them about the Holocaust and that despite the students’ ethnic backgrounds, they aren’t all that different from each other. For example, she takes them to the Museum of Tolerance. This shows that the students aren’t realistically the different despite the color of their skin or their ethnic background. This is important because Ms. Gruwell could not effectively teach the class until they could get along. As a result, the students begin to build up a tolerance for one another. Part of Ms. Gruwell’s outlook on racism was affected by her father. For example, growing up, her father was a civil rights worker. This shows that his work most likely influenced her views on racism as she grew up. This is important because it taught her not to discriminate against others. As a result, she is able to change the views of her students for the better. At one point, Ms. Gruwell confiscates a racial caricature that was circulating the class. For example, the drawing was of a black student drawn with thick, exaggerated lips. Ms. Gruwell then compared the sketch of the caricatures that the Nazis used to draw of the Jews during the Holocaust. This showed that none of the students even knew what the Holocaust was. This is important because it allowed Ms. Gruwell to teach her students how serious racism really was. As a result, the students became more tolerant. Ms. Gruwell knew that all the students were suffering from physical violence, emotional abuse, substance abuse, poverty, homelessness, gang violence, and deaths of family and friends. She felt sorry about them and wanted to help them sincerely. She did it, and as a result, the class was getting better and better, and the classes grades turned up quickly. Others teacher didn’t believe Ms. Gruwell despite she did a great job. They thought she was a new teacher and had no idea about teaching. But the main point was, they had serious racial prejudice in their minds, they disliked the students in Room 203. For example, one of the teachers refused to lend books to Ms. Gruwell. This shows the racial discrimination was really serious. Hence, Ms. Gruwell had to do everything by herself. Even when Ms. Gruwell’s husband left her, the students made her life better. Problems still came up, she was denied to teach Room 203 in junior and senior year. But after the tough fight with other teachers, she was allowed to stay with them till the end of high school time.