The recuperation of a generation

Introduction Oral history is one of the best ancient or traditional methods used to pass information from one generation to another. Aspects of cultural change, education especially on sexuality or health, gender identification and the roles of each individual in the family relied on oral history.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The recuperation of a generation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Due to lack of recorded material on critical subjects, oral history becomes the best way to get first hand information. Thus, by use of oral history and narrative/report analysis, my paper critically analyses the way poor people or indigenous communities like those of the aborigine descent are struggling to recuperate from a deteriorating health in their subsequent generations. Culture erosion, negligence, traumatic past experiences, racism, and colonialism are some of the elements that interplay to hinder the prog ression of health in the indigenous communities in Taiwan and Canada. The traumatic impact of the colonialists not only eroded the cultural practices, but also altered the health status of the subsequent generations. Why is health disparity an issue in the western world or Europe especially to those people living in Canada like Aborigines? Which issues contribute to the poor health status the community experience? Mitchell and Maracle cite colonialism as one of the major factors that have led to the deterioration of the health status of the indigenous communities (aborigines) (20). Due to the invasion of the colonialists, the indigenous people had to succumb to their demands. They also mention Cultural assimilation of the whites as one of the other major issue that had a negative impact on the colonized communities. Unfortunately, the aborigines were not ready to accept the assimilation, which led to conflicts. Consequently, the colonialists tortured and pressured them to abandon th eir social or cultural practices and adapt a new culture, which was not only hectic, but also very diverse. Using force and threats, the colonial government was able to establish a uniform cultural practice. Therefore, the traumatic experience inflicted on the minority groups like the aborigines affects the psychology of the subsequent generations. Mental instability or illness is one of the health crises that the people of most minorities or indigenous communities’ experience. For instance, Mitchell and Maracle expose the deteriorating mental health of the Aborigines in Canada when they say, â€Å"mental health issues or issues of imbalance are reflected in high level of depression, additions, and suicides† (15). In addition, the psychological problems have persisted in different generations.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, Mitchell and Mar acle put the blame of mental illness to the cultural erosion that the indigenous communities undergo. They also mention that the long-term impact of deculturation or diachronic trauma may integrate in the next generations, thereby leaving behind a disturbing legacy (15). The indigenous/minority groups abandoned their traditional healing methods and lifestyle, which could have solved the current emerging health issues. The adaptation of a new lifestyle, which consists of different eating habit or human diets, leads to lifestyle diseases like cancer, diabetes, and hypertension among others. Colonialism led to adaptation of new cultural practices. The new generation therefore live this adapted culture; they do not have a chance to learn/know about their cultural practices. Therefore, they not only adapt to foreign culture, which is in the school curriculum, but also practice a culture of a society that overlooks their health. Therefore, the indigenous communities in the west have a tas k to seek for their forgotten cultural practices, which may also be a remedy to their deteriorating health status. Besides being cheaper, the practices may also be a form of recuperation of the generations that undergo psychological instability. According to Drew and Godlewska, the colonial perpetrators separated women from men or girls from boys, which denied the indigenous communities an opportunity to appreciate their familial environment (449). They assert that the segregation not only contributed to the erosion of family/moral values, but also led to racism, an issue that currently contributes to health disparity in the affected community. Due to racial discrimination, the health priority of the minority groups is not an agenda in most government forums. The minority or indigenous people lack proper health care or facilities because of their skin color. Racism leads to discrimination or isolation in social institutions like hospital and schools. Thus, the inaccessibility of the hospitals is the reason why the people succumb to ailments, which are treatable. Racism has led to isolation of social amenities in the society, which becomes both traumatic and painful to the indigenous communities and sometimes the psychological consequences culminates into mental instability. Moreover, children who live in racially segregated communities end up developing mental disorders, which can affect the many generations to come. Racism denies the minority groups to access the higher education facilities of their choice, therefore making them to lag behind on the matters of health. Statistical analysis carried out in Canada comparing the health status of the aboriginal and the non-aboriginals reveal that the whites have a stable health record. Therefore, the impacts of the colonialists are the major issues that need remedy to ensure the healing of the indigenous communities.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The recuperation of a generation sp ecifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Furthermore, Mitchell and Maracle cite the lack of formal education to the indigenous communities that not only locks them out from accessing good jobs, but also denies them adequate information concerning health issues. Health information is critical. The two scholars call for psychological education to the indigenous people to arm them up incase any member of their families experiences a traumatic event. Most of the higher institutions scrutinize the origin of their students while others bluntly refuse to accept non-white students. On the other hand, the institution that accepts them may lack vital courses within the health sectors, which leaves the communities to depend on the white people in their society. The menial jobs do not give them a chance to access a good health package. With financial constrains, the indigenous/minority groups are unable to access health insurance systems. Consequently, the treatment cost of chronic diseases like cancer or diabetes among others is extremely high. Racism promotes inequality, discrimination, and oppression of the minorities/indigenous communities in Europe. The inequality that prevails in Europe is because of the racial segregation. While the whites or the majority enjoy good health, jobs, education and an admirable lifestyle, the minority thrive under impoverished conditions and languish in poverty. The minority are unable to enjoy similar rights in equal quantity hence the poverty. Although Mitchell and Maracle are unable to unravel the mystery behind the inequality in their society, they intellectually think that the answer may lie within the political docket or sector (14). Besides racial segregation, the politicians want to ensure the minor communities are ‘under their feet’. Therefore, the continuous oppression and discrimination ranges from the health, education to the economic issues. The white community fears for t heir position incase the minor community elevate their status beyond that of the whites. Thusly, to keep them under control, oppression and discrimination are some of the tactics that politicians apply. Unfortunately, their uncouth tactic eventually denies the indigenous society right to health because they are unable to either access funds or social amenities concerned with their health. Additionally, the role of politicians is to control the economic and social wellbeing of their nation and therefore, when all citizens are unable to have equal rights, the problem definitely originates from the political sector. Despite the devastating state of the health sector in the indigenous community, Mitchell and Maracle give remedies to the problem. First, the two scholars from the Aborigine community call for assistance from the health providers/sectors to heal the continually ailing community. Scientists, researchers, historians, and philosophers should converge to form a transformation s ystem that will ensure the community recuperates.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Historians, psychologists, and philosophers should research on the ancient cultural practices especially the cultural degeneration of the indigenous communities like the aborigines since the invasion of the whites. Additionally, the ancient political, social, and economical practices should be under scrutiny as a way to ensure their health problems do not originate from the three elements. Furthermore, psychologists should educate adults from the indigenous communities on how to deal with mental illness. Therefore, psychological education will assist in the healing of the unborn generations because parents will have first hand information on how to deal with their mentally challenged children/infants (Mitchell and Maracle1). Nevertheless, the healing of the community will not occur overnight but it will be a long process with effective results. Moreover, Mitchell and Maracle insist on the healing of the trauma that occurred during the colonial times (18). The two writers recommend t he study of the emotional and spiritual status of the psychologically challenged individuals. The physical stress and wounds will also lead to a clean or healthy generation free of psychological trauma. The psychological and physical therapy will ensure the indigenous people accept the horrific and terrific incidents, events that occurred in their lives. The third recommendation is that the education system should include the social, cultural, political, and economic practices of the indigenous communities in their curriculum. Consequently, the people will appreciate their origin therefore learning the effect of the elements on their health. Similarly, the remedy will enable the community to design an effective methodology on how to heal their generations. Additionally, equal educational opportunities will give the communities a chance to learn on the different emerging diseases or disorders in the health sector or human body. Therefore, they will be able to not only deal with the d isease, but also put up preventive measures against the occurrence of the disease. Communal groups should practice unity, which will enable them to support each other, incase of traumatic event, or stress in an individual. The groups will also enlighten each other on the current issues affecting them in their community. Finally, according to Mitchell and Maracle â€Å"the racism that remains a barrier to progress in (the) of indigenous people(s)† needs abolishment whence all the citizens especially the government or leaders should preach equality (20). Equality will not only lead to eradication of oppression, discrimination, and racism in the society, but also promote good health in the indigenous community. Besides, racism denying the minority communities their rights, it also culminates into hatred in the society, which hinders peace. Establishment of policies will ensure all generations practice equality, which will curb health disparities in the communities or western soc iety. On the other hand, Geertje asses the impact of mental instability on the family issues and values. For instance, with the use of oral history, he is able to investigate and give the negative effects of psychological instability, which ranges from break down of family ties like marriage, financial instability to lack of peace in the entire or extended families (Geertje 268). Therefore, linking Geertje and Mitchell’s articles, the two write-ups, confirm that familial psychological trauma is possibly transferable to the next generations. In summary, using oral history, different articles have been able to produce social issues that never existed in records. These issues negatively affect communities, especially in matters of health. Colonialism forcefully altered the social and cultural practices of indigenous communities specifically, the aborigines. Unfortunately, the psychological, emotional, spiritual, and physical traumas persist in the subsequent generations despite colonialism having ended several decades ago. Drew and Godlewska, and Mitchell and Maracle among others discuss the health disparities that colonialism caused while Boschma explains through oral history how emotional instability affect generations subsequently. Mitchell and Maracle outline the remedies of the health inequality in western society especially for the indigenous communities. The two scholars recommend psychological treatment, education, and guidance to parents from these indigenous communities. They also call for unity among community members to solve and cater for the health of their fellow people. Finally, the leaders in the West should work hard to eliminate racism and discrimination in their society. Works Cited Drew, Bednasek, and Godlewska, Anne.†The influence of betterment discourses on Canadian Aboriginal peoples in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.† Canadian Geographer 53.4(2009): 444-461. Print Geertje, Boschma. â€Å"Accommodatio n and resistance to the dominant cultural discourse on psychiatric mental health: Oral history accounts of family members.† Nursing Inquiry 14.4 (2007): 266-278. Print Giltrow, Janet. Academic Writing: An Introduction. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2009. Mitchell, Terry, and Maracle, Dawn. â€Å"Healing the Generations: Post-Traumatic Stress and the Health Status of Aboriginal Populations in Canada.† Journal of aboriginal health 4.12 (2005): 1-20. This research paper on The recuperation of a generation was written and submitted by user Dane Waller to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Feminist Consciousness-Raising Groups

Feminist Consciousness-Raising Groups Feminist consciousness-raising groups, or CR groups, began in the 1960s in New York and Chicago and quickly spread across the United States. Feminist leaders called consciousness-raising the backbone of the movement and a chief organizing tool. The Genesis of Consciousness-Raising in New York The idea to start a consciousness-raising group occurred early in the existence of the feminist organization New York Radical Women. As NYRW members tried to determine what their next action should be, Anne Forer asked the other women to give her examples from their lives of how they had been oppressed, because she needed to raise her consciousness. She recalled that labor movements of the Old Left, which fought for workers rights, had spoken of raising the consciousness of workers who did not know they were oppressed. Fellow NYRW member Kathie Sarachild picked up on Anne Forers phrase. While Sarachild said that she had extensively considered how women were oppressed, she realized that the personal experience of an individual woman could be instructive for many women. What Happened in a CR Group? NYRW began consciousness-raising by selecting a topic related to womens experience, such as husbands, dating, economic dependence, having children, abortion, or a variety of other issues. The members of the CR group went around the room, each speaking about the chosen topic. Ideally, according to feminist leaders, women met in small groups, usually consisting of a dozen women of fewer. They took turns speaking about the topic, and every woman was allowed to speak, so no one dominated the discussion. Then the group discussed what had been learned. Effects of Consciousness-Raising Carol Hanisch said that consciousness-raising worked because it destroyed the isolation that men used to maintain their authority and supremacy. She later explained in her famous essay The Personal is Political that consciousness-raising groups were not a psychological therapy group but rather a valid form of political action. In addition to creating a sense of sisterhood, CR groups allowed women to verbalize feelings they may have dismissed as unimportant. Because discrimination was so pervasive, it was difficult to pinpoint. Women may not have even noticed the ways a patriarchal, male-dominated society oppressed them. What an individual woman previously felt was her own inadequacy could have actually resulted from societys ingrained tradition of male authority oppressing women. Kathie Sarachild remarked on the resistance to consciousness-raising groups as they spread across the Womens Liberation movement. She noted that the pioneering feminists had initially thought to use consciousness-raising as a way to figure out what their next action would be. They had not anticipated that the group discussions themselves would end up being seen as a radical action to be feared and criticized.

Domestic Influences in the Greek and Roman Theaters Essay

Domestic Influences in the Greek and Roman Theaters - Essay Example The Greek and Roman civilizations, which are perhaps two with the most abundant reference resources having extensively recorded their respective eras, do manifest this observation, if, at least, in their literary works alone. Even as both Mediterranean civilizations have expanded the influence of their clout and power, notably the Romans who spread out east to as far as India, the influence of domestic affairs and interests in the Greek and Roman person is evident even in the higher echelons of society and governments. Following is a Greek tragedy and a Roman comedy that very well typify the works of that classical era. From these two classical works, we shall survey influences in the plot, the characters, and the themes that reflect domestic elements, or, better still, to even find these elements central to the stories themselves. The "Antigone is a tragedy by Sophocles written before or in 442 BC. It is chronologically the third of the three Theban plays but was written first."( Fagles, p. 35) The other two plays in the trilogy by Sophocles being Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone proceeds where Seven Against Thebes, which was written much earlier by Aeschylus, leaves off. In the Seven Against Thebes, the two sons of Oedipus, Polynices and Eteocles, find themselves at odds against each other in a civil war over succession to the throne of Thebes which their father Oedipus had to relinquish. The brothers tragically kill each other. The Antigone, this time the story of one of Oedipus' two daughters, Antigone and Ismene, sisters of the brothers who slew each other, begins with sisters Antigone and Ismene discoursing on the older Antogone's decision to bury the body of their brother Polynices despite an edict of King Creon to deny his body honorable burial as the other brother's body, that of Eteocles, be honored. Despite the punishment of death by stoning to anyone who defies the king's command, Antigone prevails over her sister's persuasions and proceeds to cover her brothers body with earth declaring, "I will do my part,-and thine, if thou wilt not,-to a brother. False to him will I never be found." Reminded by Ismene of the consequence, Antigone retorts, "Such be thy plea:-I, then, will go to heap the earth above the brother whom I love." The play proceeds where Creon seeks the support of the Theban Elders who, in the play, are represented by the chorus, particularly to back his edict regarding the disposal of Polynices' body. The Elders pledges their support. Then a Sentry enters with dread to tell the king of the news that Polynices' body had been buried. Furious, the king orders the sentry to find out who did and if he fails, he faces death himself. The Sentry leaves and, after a while, returns with Antigone in tow. Asked by the king, "And thou didst indeed dare to transgress that law" Antigone replies, "I avow it; I make no denial." Creon fumes and swears the king, in his time, will not be prevailed over by a woman thus declares, "While I live, no woman shall rule me." Then assuming that the sister, Ismene, must have had a hand in the act as well, the king summons Ismene who, by now, also tries to confess falsely that indeed she has a hand in it while in truth she did not. Demanded by Antigone to tell the truth and be spared, she answers, "But, now that ills beset

The Magna Carta and it's influence on shaping the United States Essay

The Magna Carta and it's influence on shaping the United States Government - Essay Example The English Charter, originally issued in 1215 by the King John had made the supremacy of law over capricious decision of the imperial powers. It had stressed the freedom of the people. Even though the law was projected for the favor of a few barons in England, it was a stepping stone for the development of democracy, later, in many parts of the world. The English settlers in America had taken the basic aspects of the Charter in shaping the Constitution of United States. It was Magna Carta that acted as an inspirational force for the independence of American colonies from the clutches of the British government and further for the shaping of a democratic prophet. The Magna Carta and American Democracy Magna Carta played a great role in shaping the democracy in United States. It is the written law that had diminished the powers of king. When the English colonies came into existence in the United States, it played a crucial role for the democracy on the land. As quoting by Thomas Garden Barnes and Allen D. Boyer, â€Å"For those who were starting a new, it offered even more: they were beginning to build policies from the ground up and they were concerned to preserve the laws and liberties of Englishmen† (Barnes & Boyer, 2008, p.30). The American democracy rests much upon the attributes of the Magna Carta. It acted as a strong force for their battle against the British imperialism. The writers still move on to say that the Magna Carta had been more accepted in America than in England. It paved for the growth of the democracy in America. The Magna Carta’s contribution to the creation of United States The Magna Carta was an inspiring cause for the creation of the United States of America. When the colonies were struggling too much under the British rule, they tried their best to over throw off the arbitrary rule of the imperial government. The attempts of the barons in making King John signing the charter acted as a great strength for the colonists to f ight against the British. This has made some unity among the colonies in America. Both Magna Carta and Bill of Rights demanded for the various liberties. America’s strength lies in its Bill of Rights. The book, Magna Carta by James Clarke Holt describes the comparison between the Bill of Rights and Magna Carta. The Bill of Rights of Virginia of 1776 stresses on the inherent rights of men. It says that men have the rights of enjoyment of life and liberty, with the rights of acquiring of property, pursuing happiness and liberty. In the same manner Magna Carta cha.8 says, â€Å"†¦to lie down that no man was to be deprived of his liberty, ‘except by the law of the land or the judgment of his peers’ (Holt, 1992, p.18). So it can be undoubtedly say that Magna Carta was acting a powerful source for the creation of the United States. The War of Independence was a clear replica of the situations that led to the signing of Magna Carta on June 15, 1215. Magna Cartaâ⠂¬â„¢s Contribution to the new American Government The new American government is resting on the principles of democracy and freedom of its subjects. The Magna Carta was the beginning of its constitutional changes on the land. Many law reforms take its attributes to the first ‘Bills of Rights’ of the land. The ‘Bill of Rights ‘in America mainly stresses on the principles of the Magna Carta. The Americans were all suffocating under heavy taxes of the British government. They were not at all ready to give due representation for the colonists in America. These situations in America gave birth for the unification of the 13 colonies and all turned against the British. The imperial rule came to an end in 1775 with the declaration of independence. The Magna Carta w

Evaluate WHS management systems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Evaluate WHS management systems - Assignment Example That means that employees should be safe from accident and injury. A Work Health and Safety Management System addresses work health and safety within an organization and manage its implementation. Australia as other countries measures its performance of health and safety using compensation claims and developing its health and safety strategy. However, much of legitimate claims are never made because employees do not know about their rights or whether their injury and illness are work-related, besides, workers are afraid to make a claim at all. In such a case, health and safety performance data enables organizations and the entire countries to track dangerous influence of certain occupations and industries on health and safety of their people and make improvement if needed. There is evidence that speaks on the effectiveness of Workplace Health and Safety Management Systems to be dependent upon the level of their implementation, where a more integrated approach is aimed to make the regulation and local co-operation work more efficient for improvement of work environment (Bohle & Quinlan, 2000). In this case, the success of a WHS management system requires high commitment from all levels and functions within a certain organization. Thus, Work Health and Safety Act 2011 No. 10 (2015) provides a balanced and nationally constant framework that secures health and safety of employees and their working places. Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (2015) gives practical guidance about the requirements of the Workplace Health and Safety. Besides, Safe Work Australia agency was also created to coordinate and develop national policy and strategies to provide safer work conditions (Archer, Borthwick, Travers and Ruschena, 2014). Australian Hardware organization, committed to the quality provision of hardware, homewares, garden and building supplies across Australia is among the

The implications of the notion of the Big Society

The implications of the notion of the Big Society The Big Society was officially launched by the Prime Minister David Cameron in July 2010 (see NCVO, 2010). However, this was not the first we had heard of the Big Society. The notion was first discussed within the Conservative Party from mid 2009 (see Conservative Party, 2010), with the terminology associated with the Big Society coming to the fore in the weeks and months before, during and after the 2010 General Election campaign. At the core of David Camerons vision for revitalising both the UK and the Conservative party is what he describes as the Big Society. The concept calls for a restructuring of the relationship between state and society, with a substantial movement of power and responsibility from the former to the latter (Pattie Johnston, 2010, p2). Some view the Big Society as a positive move with the potential to transform society and address many of its problems through community led action. Others are more sceptical and resistant, viewing the Big Society as an ideologically driven move towards a do-it-yourself society, leading to further social polarisation and disadvantage. This paper will briefly explore the theoretical and political background to the Big Society before moving on to look at the potential implications and the role of Sheffield City Council in supporting the delivery of this agenda in three key areas. What is the Big Society? Put simply, the Big Society is a Government agenda that seeks to shift power from politicians to people (NCVO, 2010, p2). It represents an approach that seeks to give increased power to people to solve problems closer to where they live (Cabinet Office, 2010). Three interlinked agendas and questions are seen as key to building an understanding of the notion of the Big Society (see GOYH, 2010). Firstly, the idea of social action is seen as an important building block of the Big Society. Examples of this include supporting volunteerism and philanthropy, in an attempt to answer the question what can we do for others?. Secondly, public service reform is seen as an important element in moving towards a Big Society. This is not only about reducing red tape and bureaucracy, but importantly about increasing transparency and accountability across public services. Key to this is identifying what the state can do, and coming to some level of consensus about what role the state can and should play in key areas of public life. Finally, community empowerment and creating communities in charge of their own direction is seen as a key part of the Big Society. This will help individuals work together to identify what we can do for ourselves as a result of c ollective endeavour and action. The Big Society moves from a default position of central design and governmental provision to citizen-driven partnership across all sectors (Cabinet Office, 2010). In order to achieve this, Government envisage an approach built around a broad ecosystem made up of three levels (see figure 1), where no one player dominates another (Cabinet Office, 2010). In addition, figure 2 shows the three priorities which Government feel need to be focussed on in order to build the Big Society ecosystem and reconfigure how policy is developed and delivered (Cabinet Office, 2010). Figure 1 Figure 2 1Neighbourhood groups comprise a broad range from those with an explicit social or activism mission to those focused on local participation, engagement and community building whether informally through sports and interests or more informally in conjunction with local anchor institutions (Source: Cabinet Office, 2010) Before going on to look at the implications of the notion of the Big Society in Sheffield it seems relevant to briefly pause and examine the theoretical and political background to the notion of the Big Society. The Big Society and public policy Although closely associated with the Conservative Party, the General Election campaign of 2010, and more recently a number of policy areas developed by the Coalition Government, the Big Society idea is far from new. In some ways, the idea is as old as democracy itself. From ancient Athens on, a recurrent normative image has been that of the engaged citizen playing an active part in his or her community (Pattie Johnston, 2010, p4). Each new British government since the late 1970s has put its own spin on this idea (as evidenced in Sheffield First Partnership, 2010). David Camerons support for this idea follows this general trend, however it is a view that has not always sat comfortably with the Conservative Party. It is important to acknowledge that in rejection of Margaret Thatchers 1987 declaration that there was no such thing as society, David Cameron used his first speech as Conservative Party leader (in December 2005) to announce his belief that there is such a thing as society, its just not the same as the state (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Historically within Conservative thought the idea of the Big Society can be traced back to Edmund Burkes championing of the little platoons. These are the intermediate organisations families, communities and so on between the individual and the state. For Burke, these little platoons were a bulwark against two sources of tyranny: on the one hand, the overweening power of the state and on the other the uncontrolled demands of the mob (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Although initially the Big Society can be viewed as the opposite to Labour statism it contains distinct echoes of New Labours agenda. New Labour had intended, for instance, greater involvement of citizens and voluntary groups in decision-making and provision of services. But intentions were sidetracked somewhat by external events and by internal disputes within the Labour government (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Outside of political debate the idea of the Big Society draws on a number of social and political trends. It taps into a growing anti-politics mood among the public (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5) and ideas surrounding politics for an anti-political age as highlighted in the work of Mulgan (1994), Stoker (2006) and Hay (2007) (cited in Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Finally, it seems worthwhile to highlight the strong links between thinking on the Big Society and the concept of social capital. Putman argued that communities rich in social capital were more efficient, happier, better-run, safer, healthier just downright nicer places to live in than communities in which social capital was lacking (Putman, 2000 cited in Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p6). Many of the positive elements of social capital are the very things that a Big Society seeks to create and sustain. The current context for the Big Society As the Conservative Liberal Democrat Coalition Government took shape in May 2010 the Big Society notion once again came to the fore. The Coalition Agreement (see HM Government, 2010) specifically makes reference to the Big Society as part of a wider focus on social action. Significantly, the Big Society was the first major policy announcement of the new Coalition Government. The Government sees the Big Society as being developed within the three-fold wider national context of; a lack of trust in politics, longstanding social problems and unprecedented challenges to public finances (see Cabinet Office, 2010). The aim is to build a society with much higher levels of personal, professional, civic and corporate responsibility; a society where the leading force for progress is social responsibility, not state control (Conservative Party, 2010, p1). What does this mean for Sheffield City Council? As set out earlier in this paper, the key principles and context for the Big Society are relatively easy to engage with and think about at a general level. The difficult questions arise when thinking about its implementation. What is clear though is that in the context of increased localism, the role of the local authority will be fundamental to its success, and to turning the Big Society rhetoric and vision in to reality (Office for Public Management, 2010, p1). The following sections build on the analysis already carried out and go on to set out the potential implications of the Big Society for Sheffield City Council in the following three main areas of; laying the foundations for the Big Society, the potential implications for the Council itself, and finally the implications for the relationship between the Council and the Voluntary, Community and Faith (VCF) Sector. Laying the foundations for the Big Society Whatever ones political persuasion, its possible to envisage how the Big Society agenda, with its emphasis on more involvement of local communities in social outcomes, could support the creation of positive change (Office for Public Management, 2010, p2). In many cases the Big Society is already happening in Sheffield. Sheffield can lay claim to innovation and best practice over a number of years in public sector reform, community empowerment (e.g. through the use of a Community Assemblies to set local priorities and allocate funding) and in its relationship with the VCF Sector. When setting the context for how the Big Society may impact on a city as large and complex as Sheffield it is important not to lose sight of what is already happening at an organisational, community and individual level. The analysis in previous sections has gone some way to setting out the varied political roots and philosophical ancestry of the Big Society notion. However, in its current form it is closely linked to the policies and ambitions of the Coalition Government. In addition, Big Society initiatives coincide with a period of austerity in public spending. Any changes in services and service delivery will inevitably be linked to cuts in much of the media and in the eyes of the public (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p3). These are both important points, as if the perception of local politicians and the wider general public is that the Big Society is driven by a particular political party or philosophical viewpoint this could present a barrier to the universal acceptance of any initiatives or legitimate outcomes that result from Big Society action. Within the local political context of Sheffield this is a particularly important point. The Council is currently in no overall control, with a Liberal Democrat Leader. In addition, many of the national issues around government policy and funding are played out in the City and receive increased media attention due to Sheffields connections with the Deputy Prime Minister. With this in mind it is important for any approach to the Big Society in Sheffield to be genuinely built from the needs of the community whether directly (e.g. through social action) or indirectly (e.g. from information collected by service delivery organisations) in order for it to be aligned to the needs and aspirations of the local community and to avoid it becoming overly politicised. For the Big Society to work, all local authority staff and stakeholders need to understand the Big Society. Local authorities will need to ensure that they effectively communicate a locally specific Big Society vision to their own staff, members and stakeholders to motivate people to work towards a common goal (Office for Public Management, 2010, p3). Implications of the Big Society for Sheffield City Council A number of factors are currently impacting on the role, nature and size of local authorities such as Sheffield. This presents a number of challenges and opportunities as the implications of the Big Society are thought through at an organisational and political level. It is clear from the limited information from central Government surrounding the Big Society that local government will be central to creating and engaging with the Big Society ecosystem, it will also have a clear role to play in delivering a number of the priorities of the Big Society. However, it is important to acknowledge that local government is part of the state (Tizard, 2010) and therefore it will be subject to continuing reform whilst also trying to engage the local community in debate about what any reforms should look like. The Big Society represents a different relationship between citizen and the state. In some ways the Big Society can replace the state but in other ways it merely represents a nudge towards a greater emphasis on the citizen, community and third sector (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p3). In many instances (and in some service areas more than others) this will require a change in mind-set, with a move from a corporate to mutual philosophy, a redefinition of the role of elected members and democracy, and in some instances giving up power and demonstrating listening (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p3). This creates a number of challenges for local Elected Members and from a theoretical perspective raises a number of interesting questions around the ideas of representative and participatory democracy (see Pearce, 2010). This in itself is not a new concept or dilemma for Elected Members. However, the Big Society agenda potentially adds a further level of complexity to this dynamic. National Government has already announced a number of Big Society policies which set the context nationally. These include, the Big Society Bank, a national Big Society day, the Localism Bill, and a new right for public sector workers to form employee-owned co-operatives and bid to take over the services they deliver. Local Elected Members and local authority managers will be called on to deliver a number of policy goals and expectations encouraged by central Government. A key role for Sheffield City Council will be in transforming government action from top-down micromanagement and one-size-fits-all solutions to a flexible approach defined by transparency, payment by results, and support for social enterprise and cooperatives (Tizard, 2010). One concern is that through devolving power down to the local level different outcomes in different localities will lead to rising inequalities not only geographically, but amongst different sectors of society. With this difference, it must be ensured that there is a consistency of opportunity (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). Key to ensuring that everyone benefits from the Big Society is focused activity to identify how to support complex communities or those with low social capital. Citizens with less time, resources, or quieter voices such as children and the vulnerable are in a worse position to take advantage of the new opportunities provided by these changes (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p5). With this in mind a key role for local authorities is managing any risks that may arise from new forms of provision. One view of the role of a Local Authority in the Big Society is not for control, but for quality control protecting core and essential services; protecting values and principles (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). Within the wider context of the Big Society a key role for Sheffield City Council as an organisation will be to create the conditions that safeguard the wellbeing of all citizens and communities, providing protection for the most vulnerable. This is already a key role for local authorities but it may become increasingly important in offsetting any disadvantage or unintentional outcomes of the Big Society. Implications of the Big Society for Sheffield City Councils relationship with the VCF Sector Within Sheffield a large amount of successful activity is already led or supported by the VCF Sector. In some instances this is wholly independent of the local authority and delivers vital services to the citizens of Sheffield. However, a substantial amount of VCF Sector activity in the City is publically funded. Over the coming years this will need to change as the pressure on public funding intensifies. There is a challenge for the VCF sector to change their funding base from grants from the public sector to a greater use of social enterprise, cooperative and mutuals. In addition, Philanthropy and increased charitable giving are regarded as key parts of the Big Society, yet it is unclear how they are to be increased and better directed (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). The Big Society idea sets out a larger role for social enterprises, charities and voluntary organisations in the provision of services, it also plans for a substantial transfer of control to ordinary citizens, coming together to provide for their own communities (Pattie Johnston, 2010, p2). This sets an interesting context for the relationship between Sheffield City Council and the wider VCF Sector, with local authorities having to consider how best to align their activity to and support the work of community groups, both current and emerging (Office for Public Management, 2010, p2). The relationship with the VCF Sector is integral to all three of the agendas and questions of the Big Society set out earlier in this paper. The VCF Sector is one of the key ways in which Sheffield City Council can allow local people to participate more effectively in the governance, design and delivery of services in their communities (helping to identify what the state can and should do). Through supporting community empowerment and drawing together social action the VCF Sector has a valuable contribution to make in focussing activity and providing a framework which helps individual citizens and communities identify what they can do for themselves and what they can do for others. Within local authority areas such as Sheffield the VCF Sector will need to adapt and change to the increasing responsibility placed on it by Big Society. It is widely acknowledged that there will be a need for new initiatives to emerge, but also a need to recognise the valuable resources and good practice that is already in place. Chanan and Miller (2010, p2) argue that most of the Big Society policy does not rest on the idea of communities taking over mainstream public services, although this is a view that has been caricatured by the media. It is acknowledged that few communities would want to take over statutory public services, and where they did there are no guarantees that existing problems would not exist. In many instances, where community groups want to or are able to effectively run specialist non-statutory elements of public services they are able to do so through social enterprises or by bidding for such work through established processes. Chanan and Miller (2010) go on the state that where services are statutory it is right that a certain level of accountability, standards and bureaucracy are attached to them. They do however set out an important role for the VCF Sector in complementing and co-producing public services. The underlying principle is not the state offloading public services but the state and people working together to ensure maximum value either from a public service or from a voluntary service initiated by a community group. It is this that will make public services more efficient and economical and communities more capable (Chanan and Miller, 2010, p3). However, Tizzard (2010) and NCVO (2010) have an alternative view and believe the very essence of the Big Society will lead to more social enterprise, third and community sector public service delivery. So, at one end of the potential continuum of involvement of the VCF Sector in the Big Society is the taking over of or co-production of public services. Although this may seem unlikely in the short term it is a possibility that needs to be considered and will increasingly be part of political debate. Developing ways to open up debate on this issue in Sheffield is clearly a responsibility of the democratically accountable local authority. However, at the other end of this continuum is developing an approach and local mindset where people have the power and confidence to take action where they feel it is necessary. This could be through volunteering to support local projects, causes or initiatives (existing or new), or maybe through schemes to recruit community organisers. Some infrastructure for this to take place already exists within Sheffield, but it is not consistent across all geographical areas and does not necessarily appeal to all social groups. Furthermore, it is not clear how much capacity and willingness there is for people to engage in this type of activity beyond the small army of people who are already involved (see Pattie Johnson 2010). It is acknowledged that Increased volunteering will need a framework and incentives to widen recruitment and increase the volunteer base. It should be recognised that volunteers are not a stable workforce and cannot replace aspects of the public sector like-for-like (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). Within Sheffield the VCF Sector needs to be supported in building their response to Big Society and building capacity to deliver the Big Society agenda is essential. A number of commentators set out the important role that Local Authorities can play in helping to ensure that the VCF Sector have the relevant skills and capacity to deliver the Big Society and in helping to build consortia that can deliver local priorities. Outside of funding, providing assets and working with partners to set up volunteer schemes, the Office for Public Management (2010) set out a number of ways in which local authorities may support the VCF Sector in working towards the Big Society. Examples include initiating and incubating new ideas, providing support and advice, sharing knowledge in order to support community initiatives, and helping to remove some of the barriers that the VCF Sector may experience when trying to do things differently. In addition, the Office for Public Management (2010) also set out the important role for local authorities in managing risk and reducing inequalities (both points discussed earlier in this paper). Above all, there needs to be an acknowledgement that the approach and involvement of the VCF Sector in the Big Society will look different in different places. These differences will be due to the different choices and decisions made by people in these localities, different levels of service need and service provision and the ethos of any new schemes that are introduced (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p2). This difference can be viewed as positive as it has the potential to deliver increased levels of competition and choice where appropriate, allowing local services to reach and support local people more effectively. However, an important point to consider is what happens in those communities and neighbourhoods where there is little or no VCF infrastructure or where people are not willing or able to engage in the Big Society. If this is just small pockets then the hope is that the enthusiasm and energy from neighbouring areas will drive activity. However, where lack of engagement is widespread and shows little evidence of developing organically what resources and mandate will local authorities have to intervene? Will it be politically and morally acceptable to allow nothing to happen in some areas, whilst others thrive in the Big Society? This is also an important consideration given that in some areas it may take longer to build the Big Society than in others. With this in mind, there is clearly a role for the local authority to work with the VCF Sector to ensure that such potentially negative aspects of the Big Society are reduced and to unite people from all sectors and parts of the community to ensure that everyone benefits. Conclusion There is still much confusion surrounding the notion of the Big Society, which remains a potentially complex and controversial area of emerging public policy. Many commentators, politicians and academics have concluded that the Big Society can be what you want it to be and that success depends on applying the principles and ideas most appropriately and effectively at a local level. This paper has only focussed on three elements which are of direct relevance to Sheffield City Council as it starts to develop its thinking around the Big Society. However, many of the issues raised will be relevant to other areas. Much is already happening which could be defined as the Big Society. The question is not if this activity and commitment will continue (as I am sure it will), but if the terminology of the Big Society will still be with us in 12 months only time will tell. The opportunity of the Big Society is surely around harnessing the new and alternative sources of ideas, energy, capacity and challenge which the current focus on the Big Society brings. Importantly, this needs to work with existing capacity, resources, enthusiasm and political will to deliver on shared outcomes that impact positively on individuals and communities. For the reasons discussed earlier in this paper some degree of oversight over Big Society initiatives is essential. The public sector, the state, and the VCF sector have important roles to play here (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). In addition, there needs to be an acknowledgment that certain approaches (e.g. volunteering, social action) will be better suited to delivering certain types of Big Society activity. However, there is still a need for the development of long term strategic approaches and the maintenance of statutory services. The Young Foundation (2010, p20) set out a useful distinction between services that can be tailored or devolved to communities, with service standards shaped or set locally and services that require central planning, delivery and oversight, with service standards set by the local authority. Where this line falls will vary locally and will be dependent on a range of factors such as need, community capacity and political will, however this is a useful way of framing the wider Big Society debate. Within the current climate of public sector cuts and reforms it is important to understand that creating a smaller state wont necessarily (or automatically) lead to a Big Society. In some areas there will be a role to play around directing resources, leadership, nurturing, support, encouragement and enabling. In the majority of cases an organisation such as a local authority has the governance and democratic accountability to carry out this role, and importantly ensure fairness and equality. However, for the Big Society to work the overall approach needs to remain fluid, dynamic and responsive. It is only through adopting such an approach that the needs and aspirations of individuals and communities can be best met. This in itself may be a challenge for large organisations such as local authorities, but it is arguably one that they need to rise to in order to make the most of the Big Society opportunities.

Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe :: Moll Flanders Daniel Defoe Essays

Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe Three recurring themes in Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe are greed, vanity, and repentance. Theme is defined as an underlying or essential subject of artistic representation. These three themes play an important role in the development of the story of Moll Flanders.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first theme, greed, is shown in Moll's acts of prostitution. Moll turns to thievery in many instances to support herself. She also allows her morals to disintegrate; a result of her greediness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Moll's first act of prostitution is thrust upon her unknowingly. In the beginning of the story, she is living with a gentle woman and her family. One of the brothers takes interest in Moll and seduces her into becoming his lover. "He took these freedoms with me†¦ when this was over he stayed but a little while, but he put almost a handful of gold in my hand†¦" (Defoe 26). Moll lets down her guard and meets with the brother frequently. "†¦ so putting the purse into my bosom, I made no more resistance to him, but let him do just what he pleased and as often as he pleased†¦" (Defoe 30). Later in the story, Moll becomes acquainted with a woman who persuades Moll to work for her as a prostitute. Even though Moll is now married, she agrees to sell her body for profit. "I found presently that whether I was a whore or a wife, I was to pass for a whore here†¦" (Defoe 144). Moll's acts of prostitution show that she will carry out illegal practices in order to get money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Moll's many instances involving thievery also express the theme of greed. At the end of the story, Moll gives her son a stolen watch. "†¦ I stole it from a gentlewoman's side at a meeting house in London" (Defoe 297). Moll says this is the only thing of value she has to give him. One Christmas Day Moll discovers an unattended silversmith's shop. "I went boldly in and was just going to lay my hand upon a piece of plate, and might have done it and carried it clear off†¦" (Defoe 238). Moll resists the temptation to steal because a nearby shopkeeper rushes over after having seen her enter the empty store. While Moll is living with the old governess she has some luck swindling a man at a gaming-house who seems "†¦to be of more than ordinary fashion†¦" (Defoe 230). Moll wins him some money and secretly keeps a part for herself each time. "†¦he divided it with me, and I brought away 30 (sic) guineas besides about forty-