The key issues surrounding contemporary immigration

The key issues surrounding contemporary immigration The subject of immigration has become increasingly important over the past decade. Immigration has always raised questions about positive and negative effects on the native population. Nowadays inhabitants are more and more afraid about losing control over their own country and losing typical historical values. As (Weiner, 1996) wrote: â€Å" the consequences of opening the borders of a country in extreme situations can be erosion of the institutions and values that liberal societies have created for themselves and which make them attractive to outsiders†. This essay will therefore discuss key issues of immigration into the United Kingdom such as economic issues, including employment, society and social issues such as crime, integration and racism. It has been argued that immigrants play an important role to develop the economy by taking certain low paid jobs which the native population decline to take. Examples could include jobs in the construction industry, catering and domestic services. Moreover immigrants compensate skill shortages in the United Kingdom. They take jobs in the health service such as nurses and doctors. Not surprisingly 30% of doctors and more than 10% of nurses working in national health services and private companies are non-UK born. Other jobs being filled with overseas staff include teaching and jobs in the IT industry. Due to a shortage of trained IT staff, a further 50,000 people need to be recruited by the end of 2009 to make up the gap of unskilled workforce (Glover, 2001). The British government therefore runs a number of different programmes like the work permit system and the highly skilled migrant programme to animate agencies and companies to recruit highly skilled workers from outside the Euro pean Economic Area (McLaughlan and Salt, 2002). However there are fears that if immigrants integrate into the employment market, they may become a competition for native employees. More people are applying for fewer jobs which may lead to rising tension between natives and immigrants (Angenendt, 1999). When an immigrant takes up a job, be it low paid or high skilled, he will then possibly send a substantial part of his wages back to his home country. The domestic British economy loses a considerable amount of money this way which might be, even if only lightly, damaging. An increasing number of immigrants looking for low skilled jobs results in more difficulties for natives to obtain a job and may diminish the wages they can get (Coleman, 2004). Further research shows that more needs to be done to control immigration in order to avoid competition between natives and immigrants and to fill those jobs that cant be filled with natives because of a lag of skill. It is suggested by Angenendt(1999) that one of the key issues of immigration after unemployment, that the United Kingdom faced today, is crime. Tackling Fraud including both ‘people trafficking, where someone is brought to the United Kingdom, and ‘people smuggling where someone is transport to international borders to a non-official entry point for different reasons. This organised immigration crime is a growth industry and cost the United Kingdom millions of pounds each year (Secure Borders, Safe Haven: Integration with Diversity in Modern Britain, 2002). Smugglers are often paid huge amounts of money to bring refugees, who are trying to escape prosecution, hunger or poverty, into the United Kingdom. However, the British government has taken many steps to prevent the growth and to fight trafficking, including the strengthening of the law and the use of new technologies to identify illegal entrance into the United Kingdom (Fekete, 2009). Unfortunately those actions make d esperate people turn to smugglers. The way refugees are being treated by the smugglers led to death by poison, suffocation and hypothermia. How careless and ruthless traffickers are, was sadly shown by the 58 Chinese who suffocated in the back of a refrigerated lorry which was trying to enter the United Kingdom in Dover (Fekete, 2009). The next important issue is crime committed by foreigners and racism. Due to cultural differences and often simply habits, many immigrants misbehave or break the law. They carry knifes because they used to do that in the country of origin and now keep on doing it. In the time between 2003 and 2004 the arrests made for drink driving rose from 57 to 966 in the county of Cambridgeshire. All of the arrested people were of a foreign nationality (Attewill, page 1 2007). The capital London has also seen an increase in the crimes committed. There has been a 35% rise in the total number of crimes committed by Poles in the time between January and June 2007, compared to the same period a year earlier. In the first half year of 2007 Jamaicans committed 28 sex offences followed by Indians,27 and Pakistani, 25 (Harper and Leapman, page 1, 2007). To stop organised crime the government has formed a new elite squad of investigators. The UK-wide Serious Organised Crime Agency will use world-class hi-tech,-financial experts and 21th century technology to track down Crime bosses and prevent them from drug trafficking, people smuggling, fraud and money laundering (Homeoffice press release, 2004). The metropolitan police announced the arrest of two people on suspicion of murder of a 15-year old teenager in January 2009. The coloured teenager who has been identified as Steven Lewis was stabbed to death in Londons East end (Telegraph.co.uk, 2009). Refugee-Week is a UK-wide program of educational and cultural events to celebrate the contributions of refugees to the United Kingdom. Events like this aim at a better understanding between communities so that attacks on foreign people, such as the attacks on Romanians and Roma in Belfast in the first half of 2009, will not happen again (Leicester Mercury, 2009). The few people that are actu ally willing to help the victims of racism and discrimination are often attacked themselves. Paddy Meehan received a death threat after he was trying to help his neighbours in the aftermath of the racial attack against his Romanian nearby-residents. Mr Meehan gives a good example and sad he will not give up on helping those targeted by racism (BelfastTelegraph, 2009). A better education of the culture of the host country and greater tolerance from the natives for foreign cultures are the right steps on the way forward to reduce immigrant related crimes. The large number of immigrants coming into the United Kingdom is bringing their own background and different culture, as discussed earlier. So does immigration imply integration? In order to speed up integration the immigrant should have knowledge of the language spoken in the country he is entering. Reading and writing skills enable access to the labour market and educational systems (Voicu,2009). On the other hand inhabitants of the host country need to show tolerance and openness, an understanding of the advantages and challenges that go along with a multicultural society. Traditions and cultures need to be respected by both, the natives and the immigrants. Both should have a basic knowledge of each others culture and habits in order to avoid confrontations, misunderstandings and to make life in a community easier and more enjoyable (Voicu,2009). Unfortunately building a community that includes both, natives and immigrants, isnt easy. The large scale in which migrants have come to the United Kingdom in the last two decades often led to the existence of communities with the same previous cultural identity. The resulting separation of natives and immigrants, so called ‘ghettoisation is regarded as threatening by many native Britons. The extend of ‘ghettoisation is so big that many parts of the United Kingdom are seen as exclusively ‘owned by immigrant communities. Ethnic segregation is also transferred into the classroom. In the London borough of Tower Hamlets, 17 schools had more than 90 per cent Bangladeshi pupils. This separation clearly did not result from the school choice of the parents but from the residential segregation (Buofino, 2007). A greater tolerance, open mind and interest in other cultures as well as the knowledge of different languages would mean a big step forward to the complete integration of immigrants into the British Society. The institutions, values and a thriving economy always made the United Kingdom an attractive country for outsiders. Only in the last decade, with opening its borders, a sharp increase in the number of migrants was noticeable. The impact and effects this immigration has on the employment market, levels of crime and racism was therefore discussed in this essay. Outlining the achievements and work that has been done to integrate the migrants, as well as stating shortcomings in the integration process, leaves no question that yet more needs to be done to fully engage the immigrants into the British society. Bibliography Abdelmalek, S. (2004). The Suffering of the Immigrant. Cambridge: Polity Press Ltd. Angenendt, S. (1999). Asylum and Migration Policies in the European Union. Bonn: Europa Union Verlag. Attewill, F. (2007, September 19). Increased Immigration boosts knife crime and drink driving [Electronic version]. The Guardian. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Guardian website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/sep/19/immigration.immigrationandpublicservices Buonfino, A. (2007). Rethinking Immigration and Integration: a New Centre-Left Agenda. London: Policy Network. Coleman, D Rowthhorn, R. (2004, December). The Economic Effects of Immigration into United Kingdom. Population and Development Review, 30(4), 579-624. Retrieved November 21, 2009, from JSTOR database. Fekete, L. (2009). A Suitable Enemy: Racism, Migration and Islamophobia in Europe. London: Pluto Press. Glover, S. (2001). Migration: an economic and social analysis (Home Office Research Study 67).London: Home Office. Great Britain. Home Office. (2002). Secure Borders, Safe Haven. Norwich: HMSO. Great Britain. Home Office. (2004). New UK-Wide Organised Crime Agency Pooling Expertise To Track Down The Crime Bosses. London: HSMO. Harper, T. Leapman, B. (2007, September 23). Foreigners commit fifth of crime in London [Electronic version]. The Telegraph. Retrieved September 23, 2009, from Telegraph website: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1563890/Foreigners-commit-fifth-of-crime-in-London.html London stabbing victim named locally as 15-year-old Steven Lewis. (2009, January 25). [Electronic version]. The Telegraph. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from Telegraph website: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/4337459/London-stabbing-victim-named-locally-as-15-year-old-Steven-Lewis.html McCreary, M Smyth, L. (2009, August 18). Anti-racism campaigner receives firebomb threat. Belfast Telegraph, p. 12. Retrieved November 15, 2009, from the Nexis UK database. McLaughlan, G. Salt, J. (2002). Migration Policies toward Highly Skilled Foreign Workers (Report to the Home Office). Retrieved November 14, 2009, from the UK Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/migrationpolicies.pdf Voicu, A. (2009). Romanian Journal of European Affairs, 9(2). Retrieved November 20, 2009, from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1420055 Weiner, M. (1996). Ethics, national sovereignty and the control of immigration. International Migration Review, 30(1), 171-197 Self reflection on essay writing I have been asked to write an essay of about 1500 words. There were a number of titles to choose from. After careful consideration I decided to write about the ‘key issues surrounding contemporary immigration in a country of your choice. As I am an immigrant myself I decided to write about the immigration into The United Kingdom. Using the Portsmouth University Library, the libraries online databases and Journals as well as online newspaper articles I quickly found lots of sources and interesting materials to read and choose from. The most important issues for me, when talking about immigration, are employment crime and integration. Considering these core issues I filtered my sources. Even though the sources were plentiful I sometimes found it difficult to find this one specific paragraph that I needed to support the knowledge about immigration that I already had. Having heard, read and experienced what it feels like to be an immigrant myself I could quit easily find myself in many of the situations that the newspapers and books described. Taking this and the facts that I received from the materials found, I then tried to put everything into an engaging piece of work that would be enjoyable and interesting to read. Considering that this was my first essay and the first in a foreign language, I hope I didnt do too badly. Surely I learned a lot and will try to further improve the next essays that I will write.

Sibling rivalry and birth order

Sibling rivalry and birth order SIBLING RIVALRY AND BIRTH ORDER INTRODUCTION Sibling rivalry and the power of birth order are as alive today as it was in the Old Testament, even though there have been many centuries between the time of the Old Testament and today. While birth order doesnt cause sibling rivalry by itself, the fact of the matter is that it can definitely affect sibling rivalry (Parenting Magazine). What follows is a comparison between siblings in the age of the Old Testament with siblings of the world today. This study will demonstrate that the centuries have done little to produce substantial change or progress. Todays siblings continue to struggle in their efforts to get past jealousy, resolve conflict and fulfill their desire for power. Sibling Rivalry and the power of birth order are as alive today as it was in the Old Testament. Although there have been years between the Old Testament and todays families episodes of rivalry, there are similar reasons for its prevalence today. While birth order doesnt cause sibling rivalry by itself, the fa ct of the matter is that it can definitely affect sibling rivalry (Parenting Magazine). I want to compare Old Testament siblings with siblings of the world today. I will unfortunately compare there has not been much change or progress through the decades. We still encounter not only sibling rivalry, but also adult, friend, and co-worker rivalry. There seems to have been no improvement in our abilities to get past jealousy, conflict or the need for power in our society. The biggest cause of sibling rivalry in children and in adults is jealousy. It may be that one sibling is moresuccessful in an area, such as their career, than another sibling. Or, it could be that one sibling has more positive experiences in relationships than the other. While competition is not always a bad thing, if one sibling constantly feels as though they are behind their sibling in one way or another it will lead to sibling rivalry. (Parenting magazine) I. BIRTH ORDER A. Firstborn society also places favoritism towards oldest siblings, natural born leaders, rule-conscious, exacting, conservative, organized, responsible, jealous, fearful, high achieving, competitive, high in self-esteem and anxious often pressured to succeed on the other hand, youngest siblings often idolize the first born, putting the first born in a position of leader of the children of the family B. Middle born tends to be forgotten never truly in the spotlight so can be natural mediators they avoid conflict, often have many friends and highly loyal to peer groups they may become a fighter of injustice or they may have trouble finding their place C. Youngest baby of the family, outgoing, entertainer out of all the siblings the youngest has the least aversion to risk often an endearing and delightful friend The study confirmed older siblings had distinct advantages, and that birth order was more important than gender in shaping sibling relations. (Horin) Although the advantages of the older siblings seem to have a proportional advantage to other siblings in todays society, we find that God had favor over the younger siblings. Gods choice of the second born is a recurring theme in the Hebrew Scriptures. The eldest is passed over for the fathers blessing and inheritance, leaving his or her descendants filled with resentment and hatred. We have to wonder though if the birth order of the Old Testament brothers was a factor in their relationships as well. Not much has changed in regards to peoples personalities of greed, vanity, sin and power. Then I would tend to believe that birth order did play a factor in relationships in the Old Testament. II. Cain and Abel In the story of Cain and Abel, Cain was the first son of Adam and Eve. He was a farmer while his brother, Abel, was a shepherd. The two brothers had each brought a sacrifice to God (Genesis 4:3-4). God rejects Cains field offering but has regard for Abels offering of an animal sacrifice (Genesis 4:5). Although both offerings were considered appropriate sacrifices, God was more pleased with Abels. Perhaps he believed Abel had a better heart in his giving than Cain (Genesis 4:7). Cain became angry with Gods favoritism and he killed Abel (Genesis 4:8). God confronted Cain about his brother, judged him, and pronounced a curse upon him, driving him out to the land of Nod, which was east of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 4:9-16). It doesnt state how the two brothers relationships were to each other before this event or the family dynamics with their parents. Genesis does not mention if they were always at odds from earlier days or if it came later after they became adults. But it does show th at even from the onset of time we have had the desire to succeed and be better than the others. It shows how we often displace our anger towards the wrong people too. Because of Cains anger toward God he killed Abel. III. Ishmael and Isaac In the story of Ishmael and Isaac, Ishmael was Abrahams first son. His mother was Hagar, Sarahs Egyptian handmaid. Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah his wife. Abraham and Sarah did not have a son to make a great nation of the childless Abraham (Genesis 17:4). Even though God had promised them an heir, Sarah felt that God had restrained her from bearing a child (Genesis 16:1-2) and took matters into her own hands. In unbelief, Sarah offered to Abraham her maid Hagar (Geisler). Hagar was promised a son named Ishmael, meaning God hears, because of her affliction (Genesis 16:9-11). Abraham and Sarah received him as the son of Gods promise. They both laughed in disbelief when the birth of Isaac was announced (Genesis 17:17). God promised to make Ishmael the father of twelve princes, from which would become a great nation. But the covenant would be established with Isaac (Genesis 17:20-21). Believing Ishmael was mocking Isaac she wanted Hagar and Ishmael to be cast out. At the insiste nce of his wife, Abraham expels his Ishmael and his mother Hagar, from his camp after Ishmael behaves inappropriately with his half-brother, Isaac (Genesis 21:9-21). Ishmael married an Egyptian and fathered 12 sons and a daughter. He was the half brother of Isaac and wasEsaus father-in-law.He is also considered the prophet of the Muslims, inheritors of Ishmaels legacy. Once again God favors the second born, Isaac, not Ishmael, inheriting the blessings of the covenant. I do speculate on how things would have possibly been different if Sarah had just trusted God instead of taking matters into her own hands. Even now we try to do the same thing; we forget or fail to keep our trust and faith in God. In regards to Ishmael and Isaac they were born to two different mothers. This undoubtedly made a hedge between them from the onset. Having two different mothers, from two different backgrounds surely made the difference. Even though Abraham loved both of his sons, the mothers of the boys were of two different statuses and backgrounds. The conflict between the mothers had to appear to the sons somewhere during their upbringings. From the very beginning, it would have been hard for harmony to be achieved due to Sarahs jealousy and Hagars different background and the rivalry between the two. I think it is important here to see that the sibling rivalry between the two focused more on the mothers rivalry between each other, than the actual relationship between the sons. It appears that not just personalities between siblings can cause rivalry. But, perhaps rivalry within the family causes rivalry to be imminent between children. We must realize the impact of our actions to our children an d those around us. IV. Esau and Jacob Just as the blessings and promises of God pass from Abraham to Isaac, they must also pass from Isaac to his son. But Isaac had twin sons, Esau and Jacob (Geisler 46). When Abrahams son Isaac was grown he married Rebekah. He pleaded with God that his wife might bear children (Genesis 25:21). The children struggled together within her, when she inquired of God he said that there were two nations in her womb. They shall be separated from your bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger (Genesis 25:22, 23). As a result, she bore twin sons, Esau the hairy one and Jacob supplanter. Jacob was described as grabbing Esaus heels upon birth, as if trying to come out first and become firstborn. Esau became a hunter, and Isaac favored him. Jacob was more of a settler and farmer and was favored by his mother (Genesis 25:24-28). Jacob was also crafty and took advantage of Esaus extreme hunger one day. He bargained with his older brother to exchange his birthright for some lentil stew. Possession of the birthright secured for Jacob a double portion of the inheritance (Genesis 25:28-33). Although Esau was Isaacs favorite son, he displeased his father by marrying two Hittite women who were not descendants of Abraham. This made life extremely difficult for his parents (Genesis 26:34-35). Near the end of his life, when it came time for Isaac to give his blessing on Esau, he is deceived into blessing Jacob instead (Geisler). Rebekah overheard his instructions to Esau. She encouraged Jacob to deceive the blind old man by disguising himself as Esau and taking his brothers blessing. The deception succeeded, and Isaac gave Jacob the blessing of the firstborn. When Esau appeared to receive his blessing he was too late. He was very bitter against Jacob because of what had happened. After this, Esau was so angry that Jacob left for Haran. Twenty years later Esau generously forgave his brother and the brothers were reunited (33:4-16). Two decades later a rich and prosperous Jacob returned with his family. Esau and Jacob finally made peace before Isaac died. Even before they were born Jacob and Esau were in a battle for supremacy. But unlike Ishmael and Isaac they were twins from the same mother. Twins we tend to believe are closer because of similar genes. They are known to act alike and know what each other are feeling or thinking at times it is said. In Jacob and Esaus case this was not true. They seemed to try to battle it out even before birth. During their upbringing we see that their relationships with their parents may have played a role also. Jacob was more favored by this mother and Esau was favored more by his father. I find it interesting to see how the family dynamics of children may be influenced by the favoritism of their parents. Along with their personalities and how children are molded by which parent they are favored by in regards to male or female. V. Joseph and his Brothers Joseph was one of twelve sons of Jacob. He was the first born son of Rachel (Genesis 30:22-24). Jacob also had four sons by Rachaels sister, Leah (Genesis 29:31-35) Leah then bore sons five and six, Issachar and Zebulun, followed by a daughter, Dinah (Genesis 30:14-21). She gave her maid Bilhah to Jacob and Bilhah bore him Dan and Naphtali (Genesis 30:1-8). At this point Leah gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. Zilpah brought forth Gad and Asher (Genesis 30:9-13). Joseph was the favorite of his father, since he was the son of Jacobs old age (Genesis 37:3) and the firstborn son of his favorite wife. Because he showed his favoritism so openly that the other sons became jealous of Joseph. Josephs brothers hated him. Plus, Joseph was a bit of a show off and a tattletale, acting as his fathers spy in their eyes. Their jealousy and envy towards Joseph only got worse when Jacob gave Joseph a ground-length, long-sleeved, multicolored robe (Genesis 37:3-4). The animosity of his brothers increased even more when Joseph revealed to them he was having dreams where his brothers would one day bow down before him (Genesis 37:5-11). Because of this, when Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers and the flocks near Shechem, his brothers tricked him and sold him to a caravan of traders going down to Egypt (Genesis 37:25-28). Josephs brothers then took his robe, dipped it in goats blood, and brought it back to Jacob, who was overwhelmed with grief (Genesis 37:31-35). Joseph went on to live out his visions from God and attained a high position in Egypt. He eventually faced his brothers again during the famine, and reveals his identity to them (Genesis 42-44). Joseph forgives his brothers after realizing that they will no longer sacrifice a brother for their own means or gains (Genesis 44:18-34). This sho wed Joseph that his brothers were changed men from their past dealings with Joseph. Josephs relationship with his brothers was one of resentment by his brothers a story of tragedy and deception. It shows a group of brothers having sibling rivalry over one brother. The dynamics of the family shows the partiality of Jacob over Joseph in comparison to the other brothers. This favoritism was not hidden by their father and shows the dangers of favoritism and the extent of how dangerous rivalry can become. VI. Amnon and Absalom Amnon was the son of King David and Ahinoam (2 Samuel 3:2). Absalom was the son of King David and his wife Maacah (2 Samuel 3:3). Thus Amnon and Absalom were half-brothers, likeAbrahams sonsIshmaelandIsaac. Absalom was a handsome young prince known for his long, thick hair (2 Samuel 14:25-26). He had a beautiful sister Tamar; Amnon brought shame upon Tamar by forcing himself on her and then refusing to marry her (13:1-20). Absalom allowed his dejected sister to live with him in his house, believing that his father King David would punish Amnon for what he had done. After two years of waiting, Absalom plotted his own revenge after his father did nothing to Amnon for his behavior towards Tamar. Absalom gave a feast for King David and his princes at his estate in the country. King David did not attend, but Amnon did; Absalom got him drunk and then had his servants kill Amnon (2 Samuel 13:26-28). Afraid of King Davids anger, Absalom fled across the Jordan River to King Talmai of Geshur, the father of Absaloms mother (2 Samuel 13:29-39). After three years hiding far away from home, Absalom was called back to Jerusalem by Davids general, Joab. After two years he was back in full favor with the king (2 Samuel 14) and began plotting ways to gain the throne for himself. He worked to make the people think well of him, while also lowering peoples opinion of his father, the king (2 Samuel 15:1-6). Eventually, Absalom planned a rebellion against King David, gathering the people who wanted him to be king together in Hebron. After Ahithophel, one of King Davids wisest counselors, joined Absalom, the prince announced that he was now king. By the time news of Absaloms conspiracy reached him, King David was unable to do anything but flee from Jerusalem (2 Samuel 15). When it finally came down to the battle between King Davids men and Absaloms men, Joab slew Absalom. He found Absalom hanging from an oak tree by his hair and slain him, even though King David had asked that Absalom not be harmed (2 Samuel 18). The story of Amnon and Absalom shows that rivalries often drive people to destroy one another. Amnon and Absalom were like Ishmael and Isaac being of two different mothers also. From early on they were against each other due to Amnons crime against Tamar. In addition, King David showed a pattern of defending his sons even though he knew they had done wrong. He seemed to turn his head at all the wrong times. This may be due to King Davids sins of his past. King David had unwittingly pronounced a fourfold judgment on himself in his responses to Prophet Nathans parable (Geisler 119). I wonder if he had been more of a role model in the sense of not sinning with Bathsheba that it would have changed any outcomes of his sons. The consequences of King Davids sins brought greater sorrow on him than had he died himself (Geisler 119). No matter what his sons had done, as all parents do, he continued to love them in spite of their troubles. How many times have we as parents never realized at the time the influences we have over our children. It is the perfect lesson of the do as I say and not as I do. King David did not act out in hypocrisy, but he did live in a sinful lifestyle at times. Allowing our sinful nature to be so prominent sends a message to our children that its okay. We must be a role model and teacher for all. Summary In summary I believe birth order played a part in each of the sons personalities. Although, Gods plans are more significant than the birth order process, sibling rivalry, family dynamics, or personalities and his plans follow through. . Throughout the Old Testament we see the same characteristics of rivalry, power; desire and resentment come to a head in each of these families. We see anger being taken out on the wrong people, as in Cain and Abel, where the anger was directed toward Abel, instead of God. We read of many forms of deception in several of the Old Testament families. Whether you could say that the oldest had more power than the other siblings, in terms of the personalities and birth order, it did not seem to matter in the end. God had a plan that would be implemented no matter what the circumstances were. Some people trace the hostility between Israeli and Arab to the rivalry between Isaac and Ishmael. Todays bloody disputes over territory spring from Gods promise of a land for his people (Knowles). The tragedy of strained relations between Islamic and Judeo-Christian countries is a part of everyday life. One need only pick up a newspaper or check the news story of the day via television, radio, or internet to learn of the latest violent attack. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, three of the worlds great religions, have their roots in the Middle East. All three religions revere Abraham as a common ancestor. Yet all three have had bloody interchanges throughout history. How and why did Abrahams children become such a dysfunctional family? Where is God in these family feuds? Even if there was a way to get past human characteristics of jealousy, power, conflict and self-centeredness, we would not be able to get past the differences in religious beliefs. When there is no ability for us as a society to come together as a whole then there is no way to rise above the problems.

Indigenous Health Care Essay -- Sociology, Australian Ancient Aborigin

Introduction In this essay the writer will discuss the colonisation of Australia, and the effects that dispossession had on indigenous communities. It will define health, comparing the difference between indigenous and non- indigenous health. It will point out the benefits and criticism of the Biomedical and sociological models of health, and state why it is important in healthcare to be culturally competent with Transcultural theory. The case study of Rodney will be analyzed to distinguish which models of health were applied to Rodney’s care, and if transcultural theory was present when health care workers were dealing with Rodney’s treatment plan. Discussion Ancient Aboriginals were the first people to set foot on the Australian continent, over 40,000 years or more before Colonization (Eckermann, 2010). They survived by hunting and gathering their food, worshipping the land to protect its resources, and ensuring their survival. The aboriginal community had adapted to the environment, building a strong framework of social, cultural, and spiritual beliefs (Eckermann, 2010). Colonisation of Australia began in 1788, when Englishman Captain Cook claimed the land as an empty, uninhabited, continent giving it the classification Terra Nullius and leaving it open to colonization. Eckermann (2010), stated that the English failed to recognise the aboriginal tribes as civilized, co-inhibiters of the land, feeling they had no right to a claim. Major settlements occurred after the nineteenth century. The British had quickly out-numbered the Aboriginal community, leaving them powerless to the changes or the invasion. The belief systems of the Europeans overpowered the aboriginal’s way of life, pressuring them to conform to the... ...ans, is especially crucial in the health care setting in order to build a relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and to break down communication barrier’s. To provide Indigenous people with adequate health care emphasis needs to be placed on understanding indigenous beliefs and the social detriments Indigenous communities are faced with. Applying a suitable model of health to each individual situation will provide the best outcome. This was evident in the case study discussed in the essay. Rodney’s experiences within the medical world ended with a positive and desirable result, but if the appropriate transcultural care was not given, that positive result would have created a negative outcome, which could have been detrimental to Rodney’s future health. This shows the significance that health care workers can have on patient care.

Mahfouzs Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth Essay -- Historical Novels Histo

Mahfouz's Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth In the history of literature, perhaps the most explored genre is the historical novel. From the Epic of Gilgamesh to the present day, authors have taken historical facts and interpreted them novelistically. When no facts are available, the author may extrapolate missing parts of the story from two sources -- either through the interpretation of the existing scholarly data or through the author's imagination. These two approaches to 'filling in the gaps' of a historical novel can either appease the historian and displease the literary critic or please the literary critic and upset the historian. Very few novelists can produce a historically accurate novel that is also pleasing to a literary critic; to do so would be very difficult because the novelistic plot structure hardly ever follows the structure of truthful historic events. A novelistic writing about a battle in World War Two would be bound to either an accurate portrayal of the events around the main character or a convincing d epiction of the people involved. If the author chose to write about turrets, casualty statistics, and troop movements, he would surely sacrifice much of the artistic content of the novel. If the author chose to focus on character and plot, then the writer couldn't portray the event with the specificity it requires. However, the exception to these guidelines appears when a novelist chooses to write a historical novel about a time or a person when large portions of the historical picture is still either unknown or up for scholarly debate. This condition presents itself infrequently to the historical novelist, in circumstances where few people witnessed or spoke about the event, or through an event so ancient tha... ... with a few authorly embelishments. Despite his lack of glaring inaccuracies, the author does not seem to capture the anthropological, sociological, and political climate of the Amarna period. Having examined Mahfouz's portrayal of the pre-Amarna and Amarna periods, in the context of popular belief and scholarly interpretation, the novel appears as an interesting yet general view of Akhenaten and his times. Despite his writing geared towards a general audience, Mahfouz does not take advantage of his audience by engaging in heresay and confabulation. The novel appears to be thought out on the basis of scholarship, both Egyptian and otherwise, giving the reader a surface glance of the complications of the Amarna period. Works Cited: Brier, R., The Murder of Tutankhamen, 1998. Robbins, Gay. The Art of Ancient Egypt. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1985.

Refugee Displacement and Identity: Finding Home :: Essays Papers

Refugee Displacement and Identity: Finding Home When fleeing persecution, winning trust and welcome in a foreign land depends on the meaning of the label of displacement. According to Daniel, the making of modern refugee identity hinges on the right language affixed to your desperation, and right interpretation of this desperation by powerful authorities; proving modern identity can be a deadly game. Modern identity often takes shape in the blending of lines that weren’t supposed to blend. No matter how coded or enforced, labels never hold all of one’s identity in place. The lines bounding the identity of the refugee are determined by the UN, and dictate a system of values foreign to many would-be refugees. For the Tamil mother from Sri Lanka, individual status as a refugee does not make sense; she is connected to the bones of her son and the soil in which they lie in Canada (Daniel 278). Terms of individuality are relative in the cultural understanding of many displaced peoples: collective identity in family structure supercedes that dictated by Western nation states, though the argument for asylum depends upon cognizance of Western value systems. When lines of identity inevitably blend, relative jurisprudence must be exercised. Lines make excluding circles and methods of excluding people from asylum; our international community divides into unwelcome and welcome nations. As discourse, cultural identity means translating beliefs and feelings from one culture to another. In the process of translation, a screen of cultural values filters understanding of the values and experience of the â€Å"other.† The simple word â€Å"refugee† evokes images and stories particular to a collectively defined identity, invoking â€Å"an image of the radicalized other† (Daniel 272). Finding trust and cultural understanding is crucial in securing safe haven; the human category of refugee is inundated with hydrophobic metaphors and imagined â€Å"racial markers† delimitating the story of the refugee into numbers and race categories (271).

Creative writing about George and Lennie Essay

Stumbling through the wet grass the two came frantically running, looking behind them at every few strides, breathing hard, disturbing the green grass and disrupting the harmony of the birds sitting in trees chirping and whistling the final songs of the day, while dogs barked and people shouted far behind them. A voice could be heard shouting above the crowd â€Å"They’re headed for the fields, com’on! † George grumbled, breathing frantically â€Å"Damnit!†¦ com’on you crazy bastard, they near got us! † â€Å"I’m trying George, I swear but I’s tired† Lennie wheezed. The two were passing fields, when they came to an irrigation ditch, George thought about it and he pulled lennie into the ditch with him. â€Å"Get your head down! † George shouted but lennie didn’t do a thing, George annoyed, shoved him under the murky water, they could hear the shouts getting closer and the dogs growling. A man said â€Å"Where the hell did they get to? † another close to him said â€Å"The dog’s ave lost the scent they musta went thru that ditch and off into the woods, no way we could get them now† â€Å"Damn†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ok everyone back to the town for a head count then we can all go home, its getting late† With these words saw George give a sigh of relief as he gently surfaced bringing lennie with him, George taking his hat began to wring out the water, lennie copying his movements did the same, George set his crease and made his way quietly up the bank of the ditch, peering over the edge he watched torch light and man slowly disappear toward weed under the setting sun, he turned back to lennie, â€Å"Now why the hell did you touch that gals dress? Com’on you better have a good excuse or I’ll clobber ya! † Lennie was whimpering like a fearful puppy â€Å"Honest George I dint mean no wrong, I jus wanted to feel her dress† George yelled â€Å"why? Lennie? Hmm? What so good about that dress? † lennie cowered in his jacket his shoulders covering his cheeks â€Å"It was so purty George, it was red colored and soft as a rabbit, you know how I likes rabbits George† Seeing the glow in his face when he said it made George calm down, he remember who lennie was, he settled down do a smile â€Å"Ya big lummox, one day your gonna get us some real trouble, but you’re my responsibility so we gotta stick close† lennie returned a half hearted grin still slightly frigtenened â€Å"Ok George† George got up to look around once more, he spotted an old barn not far from the ditch they were in. â€Å"Right com’on now we get us some shut-eye then try and get us some work, some place† Lennie’s face lit up remembering what this all lead up to â€Å"An I get to tend the rabbits George! Huh? Huh? † â€Å"Yeah, yeah but we gotta get us a stake first† George replied George and lennie had settled down in the old barn, its walls were white with paint peeling, the roof was held up by 3 beams across the top and toward the ground, the winds outside made the barn creak eerily and lennie was having trouble sleeping, the ground was scattered with straw and the only thing in the barn was some sacks, tools and a work bench, it was less a barn than a shed. â€Å"George? George you asleep † â€Å"What? † â€Å"George cant you do somethin’ about the wind? † â€Å"No, now go to sleep, have to wake up early tomorra'† George said still half asleep â€Å"Sorry George† lennie said, eventually the morning came. â€Å"lennie! Lennie! Wake up! Com’on we gonna miss the damn bus! † â€Å"ok George, ok† lennie said as he packed his bindle and sorted himself, and hurried off with George They had gotten to the stop just in time, they paid their fare, and were on their way to get some work at.

Evolutions vs Creationism

Creationism Vs Evolution Attention-getting opener: Tonight I am going to talk about Creationism Vs Evolution. Do you know that 800 million people have died in religion’s wars?. * Introduction 1. The  creation–evolution controversy  is a recurring dispute about the origins of the Earth, humanity, life, and the universe. 2. The creation-evolution controversy began in Europe and North America in the late 18th century when new interpretations of geology were demonstrated in the  fossil  geological sequence  prompted  early ideas of evolution. * PreviewIn this speech I’m going to talk to you about 3 important topics. 1. The Creation by the hand of God. 2. The origin of species and natural selection by Darwin. 3. A combined view of the creationism and evolution. * Transition 1 In the first place, let’s talk about the creation by the hand of God. The Creationism  is the  religious belief  that  life, the  Earth, and the  universe  are th e  creation  of a  supernatural  being. All made in the image and likeness of God and explains the facts based on the assumption of a supernatural, completed process. Transition 2 Also, I'll speak of Darwin's theory. The evolution by natural selection, it’s when more offspring are produced than can possibly survive. When members of a population die they are replaced by the progeny of parents that were better adapted to survive and reproduce in the environment in which natural selection took place. In other words, only the strongest will survive. * Transition 3 Lastly, I show you a combination between Creationism and Evolution.This is a theory that not too many people believe in it, because those who believe in the creationism, not believe in the evolution and vice versa. * Conclusion Given these facts, everyone is free to choose which theory is better for himself. Once the person has established his beliefs, should be respected and he should respect the others beliefs to avoid as many fights and wars as possible and live in a better place. * Memorable closing remarks If you wish to believe in creation or evolution, that is fine, but please don't judge other people just because they have a different belief than ours.