Category: Uncategorized

NAME:

DATE:

UNIVERSITY:

PROFESSOR:

The role of religion in the migration of Vietnamese refugees

Introduction

The Chinese have ruled Vietnam for a long time. Even after it became an independent nation, it continued to model its institutions after those seen in China. This Sino-Vietnamese practice persisted until French colonialism in the twentieth century when the country was upgraded. Despite these changes, the Chinese culture seems to have affected the worldview and family lives of many Vietnamese. Taoism and Buddhism, a mixture of Confucianism, Taoism known as Tam Giao in Vietnamese, is the dominant religious philosophy and theology in Vietnam, including traditional China (“Three Teachings”). Confucianism is a social ethics theory named after the Confucian Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 BCE). It instills solid morals and the importance of maintaining harmony at all levels of society, including the state, village, family, and individuals. Confucianism is described through the love or worship of ancestors, passed on to children through respectful behavior. Most Vietnamese households create a permanent or temporary altar with fruit, wine, and flowers with portraits of deceased relatives during the lunar New Year and the death anniversary of male ancestors (Bankston 36-53). The family gathers for a communal meal after everybody has prostrated before the altar. Ancestral worship is based on the fact that the family remains together until death. It is believed that an individual’s deceased parents and ancestors are family members. They would grant their lineage protection if they are honored and prayed for.

Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher who lived in the sixth century BCE and established Taoism, is credited as a cosmologist. It teaches that for the universe to work correctly, two fundamental ideals must be matched. The duong is violent, humid, and light, while the âm (Yin) is quiet, dark, and inert. Food, which strikes a balance between “cool” and “hot” cooking and conventional Chinese-Vietnamese medicine, follows Taoist harmony principles in everyday life. Astrology’s geomancy and Taoism’s Feng Shui are often mentioned.

Confucianism takes priority since it is fundamental to Vietnamese family and cultural values, and all three aspects of Tam Giao are inextricably intertwined and influenced over time. This means that those who practice Confucian ethics, respect their ancestry, and revere their ancestors would not be chastised whether they believe in supernatural powers, religious views, or a belief in existence after death. This helps explain why the 10% of Vietnamese Catholics see a slight conflict between Christian morality and Confucian teaching and why Communist officials worship war heroes or the late President Hô Chi Minh regularly (Phan 19-35).

Religious vehicles in the Vietnam Migration

In Buddhism, was used for maintaining doctrine was commonly used. It entailed monitoring doctrinal examinations and clergy ordinations to exercise legislative jurisdiction over a Buddhist priesthood structure and duration. It consisted of restricting the number of temples that could be built and the amount of land given away. Taoist priests were not well-coordinated or dedicated to this mode of power. The other dogma the State has attempted to implement, the more demonstrations and attacks it has faced from nationalist outlets, whether open, defiant or just implicit. The anger of the State over the connection between religion and revolt was not great. Buddhist monks and Taoist priests were once renowned for leading insurgency campaigns. Demonstrators against the throne continued to use monasteries as a secure haven. It was a compelling cause for 19th-century attempts to regulate Buddhist monasteries. It was simple enough to restrict the number of monks ordained and defrock any who did not meet the official requirements. But, with the traditional government’s limited resources, discouraging citizens from practicing religious existence in areas where they were not in the State was more difficult. This was the case with the Southwest’s frontier, a pioneered area for most of the nineteenth century, a meeting place for a variety of racial, racial, and religious communities, and therefore a suitable venue for the growth of heterodoxies.

Before the colonial period, Catholic priests were reluctant to convert South citizens for unexplained reasons. Most Catholics left northern Vietnam in the 1960s to South Vietnam or were Catholics during the French colonial period. The heterodox brand originated in the 19th century from the orthodox Vietnamese faith, a mixture of Buddhists, Taoists, Confucians, and animals. Since Buddhism and Taoism in some instances ruled Confucianism and a fundamentally opposed view of the world, heterodoxy and state religion differed. Confucianism was an optimistic philosophy at its heart; life was permissible, nature was kind (Lubienecki 1-21). The assumption that the emperor’s rule was benign and scientifically beneficial affected this opinion. On the other side, religious revolutionaries in Vietnam had a much bleaker perspective on humanity. Their situation was a perhaps doomsday scenario.

According to this hypothesis, a system of loops formed the cosmos. Both phases had cycles of development, decay, and destruction. Until death, disaster, and wickedness seize control, end-of-century catastrophic events such as a tsunami, a planetary conflagration, or a mega typhoon may arise. It consumes the entire world and cleans its darkness. Only the cheerful and innocent will remain when the poor have gone. The world’s strength will be rearranged in a contemporary ‘Heaven and Earth creation’ (tao thien lap dia), leading to a modern era of peace, abundance, and goodness. Maitreya period, controlled by the ancient Buddha Gautama, was thought to end and be replaced by our current age, governed by the ancient Buddha Gautama (Phan 19-35).

Maitreya was a respected figure in Vietnamese Buddhism. A giant monument can be found in Hue’s Heavenly Mother’s Temple. Until the nineteenth century, he was used as a figure of hope, not despair. In his Pure Land, he embodied Vietnamese Buddhists’ dreams for salvation and revival. Despite warnings of an impending disaster over the years, the Maitreya ideal was not linked to the apocalypse terror. However, a new religious movement arose in the 1950s, believing the future was imminent and all evil had to be eradicated. In a new millennium of peace and wealth, Buddha Maitreya would arrive. His descent in southwestern Vietnam would be in a rough hilly area along the Cambodian frontier (Lynn 40-56). During Maitreya’s rule, many citizens gathered for repentance and rebirth to nurture themselves and live a better existence. Buu Son Ky Huong, or Strange Mountain Fragrance, was the label of the contemporary religious movement. The name of the campaign was meant to allude to Maitreya’s upcoming appearance in the seven ranges of Chau Doc province, hence the notion of precious rock and his teaching of the new Buddhist philosophy, which believers likened to a peculiar odor.

Southwest Vietnam was a border territory with a tiny but vibrant population in the 1850s. At the turn of the century, a steady influx of Chinese and Cambodian indigenous immigrants entered the region, leaving the minority Vietnamese. People who came to Vietnam for a better future were among the Vietnamese. However, there were often defrocked monks from other regions and civilians banished to the frontier when their home country authorities declared them unfit. Traditional village associations have no firm foundations yet. Just a few showed that the Vietnamese citizens in this region were forced away from their cultural moorings.

For decades, Vietnam was subjected to various sects and theological beliefs owing to its refusal to condemn supernatural religions and ceremonies. World religions (Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, South Vietnam, Islam, and Hinduism, the latter two ethnic minority groups) and local worship forms (Caodaism, Hoa Hao Buddhism, Vó Vi Taoism, Lên Dong Cult, Shamanism, and other supernatural prayers) are all choices. Despite significant problems, religious life has become much simpler following economic and social opening in the 1990s. For many years, the Communist government tried to outlaw organized religion and forbade superstitious activities. Whatever religion they practice, most Vietnamese see faith as a way to live a holy existence, reconcile aggressive divine forces, and pursue help from benign spirits like their forefathers. “One religion is fine, but two religions are better.” This shows that many attractive refugees had set up icons and customs before fleeing Vietnam, which instructed them on how to recall where they were and how to respond to rapid political and social changes in the domestic, natural, and moral realms. Confucian ethics, for example, emphasizes parents’ duty to ensure their children get the highest quality education and has motivated many people to leave Vietnam. Under Communist law, their descendants were refused high school or college enrollment, meaning they had no opportunity to prosper. Confucianism was required to convince a Montreal resident to board a refugee flow ferry. In 1975, his family decided to stay in Saigon because he considered himself a nationalist. Nonetheless, he was so distressed by the non-Confucian disrespect for the deceased that he vowed to quit after promising to clear cemeteries and move his father’s remains to a secret crypt.

A Vietnamese Catholic physicist says the Lord made him know that he was worried for him, although not always a devoted churchgoer. The guy was re-educated after being recruited by the South Vietnamese government in 1975. And if there were no roses on the altar, he detected an elegant scent in a Saigon city’s Our Lady of Fatima sanctuary. He soon showed pleasure in visiting a Canadian squad and applied his name to the list of individuals eager to live with Canadian families. Consequently, the Holy Virgin’s intercession attributes the continuing life of the asylum.

Religion in the camps

If the refugees had left Vietnam, they would have kept religious beliefs that made sense given their former nightmare: a precarious sea trip for boat travelers, were sinking and pirate attempts were always a possibility, and often extended stay in a refugee camp, and an unavoidable migration to another nation. Many Vietnamese interviewees in Montreal believed that their religion had given them hope and peace during their trip and that the arrival of refugees had only added to their joy. Many of them credited their happier lives to the direct intervention of deities, bodhisattvas, saints, or God.

Since escaping the dangers of the sea, many refugees were devout Buddhists, Christians, or other religious adherents. As a product of God’s salvation, all of them were Christians. For instance, the man who met the “Lord of the Chinese Sea” before reaching the Philippines (see above) was a devout Catholic who converted to Buddhism after landing in Canada. Since the Holy Virgin was saved, a Buddhist family was converted to Catholicism.

Confidence, according to any refugees, acted as a counterbalance to the settlers’ lack of activity. “We placed a lot of trust in each other in the tent,” one man says. We couldn’t come up with anything better to do! “Festivals are organized to celebrate holy holidays,” says the shrine, which we visit twice a day. In addition to services and services, Buddhists and Catholics have partnered on several community outreach projects for children and young adults (NINH 49-82). The number of evangelical Christians increased significantly in both camps. Fundamentalist missionaries offered refugees a smoother transition in the United States, according to Montreal interviewees. This kind of evangelization appeals to poor, single men who have left Vietnam without their families and have found themselves isolated in the camps. Regardless of their origins, religious traditions and practices were essential in the lives of many refugees and served as a source of hope during their journey.

Religion after settlement of Vietnamese

Vietnamese refugees began their transition to a new life when they were placed in their resettlement countries (Nguyen 191-208). The refugees’ primary goal was to integrate economically, linguistically, and socially to better adapt to their new surroundings, which was a difficult challenge. Nonetheless, the Vietnamese began to organize their religious lives outside of Vietnam quite quickly. They could locate places where they could gather for worship soon after arriving in their host country, much as they had done in camps. Before the coming of the first wave of immigrants, it was better in places like France and certain areas of the United States, such as Washington, D.C., where thousands of Vietnamese immigrated to the West (Catholicism, Protestant churches, or the Bahai faith). However, with most worship forms, all Vietnamese refugee groups of any scale were finally able to construct their religious infrastructure (Keith 243-246). The bulk of the first wave of Vietnamese exiles in Montreal were leftist graduates or retired officials with advanced degrees. They usually spoke English and French, and many of them had already established a home with relatives. This exemplifies that religious involvement in this area began in 1975.

In addition to its psychological importance, religion has a significant impact on Vietnamese culture in other countries. It provides refugees and other Vietnamese immigrants with a structured set of mental images and activities to help them make sense of their lives and achieve peace in an otherwise chaotic environment. It’s also not shocking that religious values and customs can be quickly reactivated by relocating Vietnamese refugees’ spiritual values and traditions to other regions. Buddhists were reactivated to rebuild the pagodas and the national and foreign networks of other organizations. There has also been “Vietnamese” science, which refers to monks and laypeople from Vietnam. Since Buddhism is a traditional faith in many resettlement cities, such as Montreal, the Vietnamese refugees never visited Chinese, Japanese, or other Buddhist temples.

The importance of faith in maintaining one’s identity can explain why, after more than three decades, both Vietnamese and their children continue to worship in their temples and churches. Strangers are no longer welcome in the region. As a consequence, support and promotion organizations for relocations have either disappeared or modified their objectives. At least in Canada, Vietnamese Buddhists, Catholics, and other religious groups are prospering. After mainly assimilating into Western civilization, newcomers retain some of their initial values, cultural practices, and literary depictions, avoiding complete assimilation into North American cultures.

Conclusion

To conform to the western way of life, the Vietnamese have created a diverse collection of complex places of worship in other nations. These organizations have been active with the refugee movement for more than 30 years. For most Vietnamese refugees, limitations are known as migration, according to French folklorist Arnold Van Gennep. 15 The early years of the Communist regime in South Vietnam can be seen as a foreshadowing of the current order of potential refugees. Migration was a life-changing experience for people who did not belong to either country or political group and lived on the periphery of society. Finally, resettlement was intended to be a transitional measure that would eventually enable the Vietnamese to reintegrate into a foreign country. Passage rites were based on religious customs and rituals, ritualized or ceremonial events, and actions that ensured consistency between refugee gatherings before and after the departure. The fact that these transit rituals were observed and the long-term viability of the Vietnamese Overseas religious infrastructure shows that refugees are not just helpless casualties of uncontrollable incidents. Despite their various challenges, they had access to multiple organizations that could assist them in organizing their lives to meet their specific needs. Their religious convictions fuelled some of their influence, but they also reinforced and maintained those beliefs in their new countries (VINH 244-246). For all of these nations, this turned out to be a long-term blessing. Non-Asians, for example, visit the Vietnamese Buddhist temples and meditation centers in Montreal to learn the Buddha’s teachings. On the other hand, New Canadian Vietnamese priests are assigned to traditional Catholic parishes to replace the aged, allowing refugees to contribute to their host country in various ways.

Work cited

Bankston, Carl L. “Vietnamese-American Catholicism: Transplanted and Flourishing.” U.S. Catholic Historian 18, no. 1 (2000): 36-53. Accessed April 15, 2021. http://0-www.jstor.org.library.lemoyne.edu/stable/25154703Lynn, James T. “Memorandum to President Ford About Refugee Resettlement.” DocsTeach, June 20, 1975. https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/memo-refugee-resettlementKeith, Charles. “Epilogue.: A National Church Divided.” In Catholic Vietnam: A Church from Empire to Nation, 242-248. University of California Press, 2012. Accessed April 14, 2021. http://0-www.jstor.org.library.lemoyne.edu/stable/10.1525/j.ctt1pptwf.14LÊ ESPIRITU, YẾN. “Vietnamese Refugees and Internet Memorials: When Does War End and Who Gets to Decide?” In Looking Back on the Vietnam War: Twenty-first-Century Perspectives, edited by BOYLE BRENDA M. and LIM JEEHYUN, 18-33. NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY; LONDON: Rutgers University Press, 2016. Accessed April 7, 2021. http://0-www.jstor.org.library.lemoyne.edu/stable/j.ctt1c3gx00.6NINH, THIEN-HUONG T. “Global Chain of Marianism: Diasporic Formation among Vietnamese Catholics in the United States and Cambodia.” Journal of Vietnamese Studies 12, no. 2 (2017): 49-82. Accessed April 15, 2021. https://0-www-jstor-org.library.lemoyne.edu/stable/26377949Nguyen, Thao. “Quan Am and Mary: Vietnamese Religious, Cultural, and Spiritual Phenomena.” Buddhist-Christian Studies 37 (2017): 191-208. Accessed April 15, 2021. http://0-www.jstor.org.library.lemoyne.edu/stable/44632366Phan, Peter C. “Vietnamese Catholics in the United States: Christian Identity between the Old and the New.” U.S. Catholic Historian 18, no. 1 (2000): 19-35. Accessed April 15, 2021. http://0-www.jstor.org.library.lemoyne.edu/stable/25154702VINH, ALPHONSE. “Vietnamese.” In The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Volume 6: Ethnicity, edited by RAY CELESTE, by WILSON CHARLES REAGAN, 244-46. University of North Carolina Press, 2007. Accessed April 14, 2021. http://0-www.jstor.org.library.lemoyne.edu/stable/10.5149/9781469616582_ray.94.

Abstract

A lot of engineering codes of ethics globally press engineers to consciously put the interest of the public above of all other interests. This appears to operate counter the market ideology that the interest of the public will be attained by the persons chasing their self-interest. The latter ideology is what is in the spirit of sustainable development with its accent on the economic instruments and economic valuation to attain environmental protection (Anon 2008) found out.

Policies of sustainable development normally symbolize an economic determinism with regard to the technological changes. It evades ethical issues and assumes that economic and environmental purposes are compatible. Yet currently, engineers are struggling with ethical impasses created by day to day conflicts between the environmental and economic requirements of their profession.

In the past disagreement between public interest and self-interest was a rare predicament for the engineers because engineering purposes were more or less synonymous with the human development (Robert 2009). Presently, environmental concerns have established a divergence among employer interest, self-interest, public interest and professional interest. Yet how pragmatic is it to anticipate engineers to demonstrate higher ethical values than those generally anticipated by the community as a whole.

The contemporary engineering code of ethics compels engineers to consider the public interest before business interest and professional interest. At the beginning of the discussion, I will illustrate that business interest and professional interest was aligned and that the code of ethics have been established to serve the professional interest within this aspect. In the second part of this paper, with the use of Laura’s case study, I will demonstrate the alignment of professional interest and business interests and the disagreements between the public interest and self-interest are intensified by environmental controversies and how as a consequent of this the environment suffers inevitably.

Case study: Environmentally interest

According to Robert (2009), for a long time, a mixture of remnants of law, religious beliefs and a background of ethical egoism has fairly served western society. The living standards have grown and the nations have become powerful and wealthier. But in the contemporary times environmental concerns have developed a conflict among the employer interest, self-interest and the interest of the public. Laura’s case study will demonstrate some of the issues engrossed.

Laura who is working for Kentride Consulting Engineers is a graduate of Stoneybrook University and is a qualified environmental engineer. Her employer is engaged in civil engineering structure designing. Within the company, they are the 2 environmental engineers. Her responsibility is the examine the environmental effects of the organization’s projects and conduct appropriate liaison with a couple of stakeholders to make sure that the environmental concerns are sufficiently examined and checked both at the design and implementation stages.

In the past 7 months, she has been engaged on the Risdon Underpass Project. The venture is to outline a road underpass that will accommodate the Goldray Freeway below the Environmental Park of Risdon State for an estimated distance of 850 meters. This initiative has received a strong support from the Minister of Highways, Mr. Ted Power who perhaps by chance is an elected representative of the constituents where the project is meant for. According the statements made by the minister, the entire freeway is supposed to be finished in 5 years time period, however, twelve months since the work began, there are apparent signs that a lot of sections of the project are behind the time frame.

The Park is particularly a sensitive environmental site. It is a habitat to a huge colony of koalas and perhaps the single known site of the yellow throated giant earth worm. At the start, it was expected that underpass would be developed through the cut and cover system, in which case, the digging is done in the earth for the concrete passageway, the concrete passageway is developed, thereafter the tunnel will be covered with soil and reverted to its former condition. The environmental lobby factions rapidly pilled pressure on the Government and it was consented that the underpass will be excavated below the existing forest ground by the use of (TBM), tunnel boring machine.

The structural plan for the tunnel has located the tunnel top roof approximately 4 meters beneath the existing earth surface. The tunnel positioning was established after a series of test excavations long the tunnel alignment and the assessment of the environmental impact by Laura. Excavation indicated that the tunnel would be dug through a dense clay ground as appose to the rock. The assessment by Laura of home for the yellow throated giant earthworm established that the worm colonies occurred on a 1.5 meter depth.

On attending a workshop on invertebrate organisms she found that these worms could extend their existence to greater depth in the soil. This new development has brought a lot of concern to Laura since the yellow throated giant earthworm habit could be adversely affected if this information comes to be true and this passageway is located 4 meters beneath the ground surface.

Laura as convened a meeting and discussed this new development with her boss Keith, who has suggested that Laura as a matter of urgency investigates the matter further since if they information is accurate the project has to be redesigned before they proceed. The design manager Frank Cluey angered on hearing this new development and said that ‘the tunnel design was too advance to consider any redesign’ and that ‘if the colony of these bloody worms was wiped out, that was too bad!’

Later, the GreenWorld president Mr. Lou Bandock called Laura and complained seriously that Laura had provided them false information since. They have established that vibrations resulting from the TBM operating on dense clay soil could be harmful to the koalas’ health and that these animals would suffer from stress and eventually die. This environmental lobby group is organizing a protest tomorrow at the home of Ted Power.

What are the ethical Issues in this case study?

An environmental impact assessment which comprises economic analysis and scientific studies alleges to be an objective proposal environmental impact. Nonetheless, the aim of the objective proposal is illusory when people presume that science itself is constructed socially. This is worsened by the events of EIA preparation when the Kentride Consulting Engineers is at stake. Thus, it is inevitable that the goals and the values of Laura and her manager, can shape the content and conclusions by way of the scientific materials gathered, examined and presented.

In this project, the EIA was carried out by the proponents of the Risdon Underpass Project. Laura who is the engineer responsible for the environment impact assessment is thus, either indirectly or directly, employed by a party whose interests could differ in considerable ways from the interest of the public. The urgent aim of their employer would be to get an approval of the project to proceed though the project has been purported to be harmful to the koalas’ health and that these animals would suffer from stress and eventually die.

Since the EIA was rather carried out late in the design process of the project proponents the organization has definitely committed significant financial resources to the design and other operations of the project. According to the design manager Frank Cluey, there is a lot the has been put into the project and redesigning it cannot be an option. The EIA at this phase develops another impediment in the area of bureaucratic obstacles on the path to their end objective. But above this is the public interest that is scrutinized by the politicians, bureaucrats, and environmentalists.

.

Value judgments

According to (David 2010), as expected the proponents of the project would want that the assessment findings emphasize the merits of the project to the community for instance to connect the major cities such as Adelorne and Briswin and to put down the demerits for instance the threat to the survival of Koala and endangered yellow earthworms.

The little expression by the GreenWorld president Mr. Lou Bandock and the presentation at the conference that Laura attended of possible severe environmental impact has obviously been amplified by the opponents of the project and are applied in their argument against the Risdon Underpass Project.

The level of judgment needed in incorporating an EAI raises the issue of whether Laura’s ethical stance has affected the outcome. At this point am not referring to outright omission or falsification (which apparently does occur occasionally), Am referring to the subtle judgment within the sphere of valid and legitimate choices. Without doubt there is a grey field between what can be agreed upon as scientifically trustworthy and utter deception which depends on the view point of Laura (see the diagram).

Engineers just like Laura have a legal responsibility to avoid the outer field of omissions, falsehood and purposeful distortions (David 2010). Hence, does ethical rationale simply apply to the grey field where Laura can escape with minimal distortions? Or does she have an ethical obligation, when working within the sphere of scientific credibility, so as to recommend judgments that favor environmental conservation and public interest. It is logical to expect individuals to be conscious of the manner they organize the scientific studies and to attempt not to be affected by the vested interests within that organization?

Conclusion

An ethical revolution is required to displace the staunch ethical egoism that rationalize the markets as the leading decision making instrument in our community. It is impractical to expect the engineers to demonstrate greater ethical conduct which is norm in their whole society in which they thrive in as (David, 2010) established. Sustainable development, with its rhetoric equity intergenerational, is in actuality a system of endorsing market decency and is insufficient to the solution of contemporary environmental concerns.

Following the new information that Laura has received from the conference presentation she is not suppose to carry out any further investigations, since if she truly did conduct an objective environmental assessment and the government approved the project then she simply need to stand by her findings. Who knows the interest of these lobby groups; their findings are just as important as Laura’s findings. According to me Laura should not panic because everyone is seeking his or her interest to be represented in this project in one way or the other. Laura has acted within her docket to rely any form of communication that she has received from all the concerned parties, in any case if she was not professional and perhaps omitting some facts she could have chosen not to inform anybody about these new developments.

Finally, on the impending protest they should just be left to demonstrate but Kentride Consulting Engineers company should make public their findings and recommendations of their EIA on the project to counter these groups seeking publicity out of these environmentally noble and sustainable project.

References:

Robert. Z, (2009). Mechanics of the Middle Class: Work and Politics Amomg Australian Engineers, University of California Press.

Edwin, L. (2010). The Revolt of the Engineers: Social Responsibility and the American Engineering Profession, The Press of Cape Western Reserve University, Cleveland and London.

David, N. (2009). Australia By Desiqn: Science. Technoloqy and the Rise of Corporate Capitalism, Alfred A Knopf, New York, Layton..

David, N. (2010). The Engineer in the Industrial Corporation, Columbia University Press.

Sharon, B. (2008).Engineers, Ethics and Etiquette’, New Scientist, 25 September 2009, pp. 36-41.

Anon, H. (2008). Was there unethical behaviour in tunnel project, Engineers Australia. University of California Press.

A Major Baseball League

Name:

Institution:

1.0 Introduction

In the United States, baseball is generally regarded as a popular national pastime. Around the 1800s, it was played informally but has since evolved to the current state where it is professionally played. Alexander Joy Cartwright, a scientist from New York, contributed significantly to the development of baseball as a sport through the invention of the modern baseball field and rules in 1845 (Bevis, 2008). Over the years it has grown to attract a wide fan-base and in 2011 alone Philadelphia Phillies recorded the highest attendance with 3.7 million people in 162 games. The lowest viewer turn out in the same year was by Oakland Athletics which had a 1.5 million record. In spite of its popularity, little research has been done to establish the benefits it brings as a sport to a community. In light of this, this proposal, seeks to investigate the benefits of establishing a Major Baseball League A-league team in a community.

The research problem

A community which does not engage its people in a diverse selection of activities towards individual and group development faces many risks. Among some of the risks that they face are: increased crime rates, drug use and abuse, poor physical health and poor social relations. The above mentioned problems call for action to mitigate the negative impacts of the looming crisis.

1.2 Literature review

According to Human Kinetics (2006), sports have become a profound component of the American culture. In fact, sports have evolved from its traditional recreational outlook to become mega industry amounting to billions of dollars (Human Kinetics, 2006). The contagious impacts of sports have not only been felt in America, but the world over. In 2003, Statistics Canada (as cited in Human Kinetics, 2006) for example revealed that 8.3 million Canadians of fifteen years and above took active interest in different sporting activities. In England, the government recognizes sports as an important national cohesion tool and has thus included it among several government strategies (Larkin, 2008).

1.3 Deficiencies in the literature

There has been a significant gap in the available literature with regards to baseball as a sport. The available literature looks at benefits of sports from a general perspective with no special reference to baseball or the impacts introducing an A-league team to a certain locality would impact the community.

1.4 The audience to benefit

Human Kinetics (2006) has discussed the benefits of sports from three different stand-points; the individual benefits, the community benefits and the agency/organization benefits. Through the introduction of an A-league baseball team to a community, the same benefits will be enjoyed. Improved health and physical fitness are some of the individual benefits enjoyed by individuals. Through active participation in sports, excess energy is redirected into meaningful activities which not only reduces psychological tension, but emotional stress as well (Human Kinetics, 2006). Thomas and Cote (2006) asserted these sentiments when they stated that the psycho-physical benefits to individuals of indulging in any sporting activity are apparent. They propose that youth engage in sports to improve among other things cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and bone structure. Common ailments such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease or even depression in later years can be averted if young people are actively involved in sports from an early age (Thomas & Cote, 2006). In addition, social benefits such as social success, leadership skills and positive peer relations are a force to reckon with. Drug use and abuse by many will be reduced since people will engage their efforts to become professional players (Bevis, 2008).

Community cohesion will be enhanced because through social interaction, people will come together for a common course disregarding factors such as age, gender, race and ethnicity (Human Kinetics, 2006). According to Larkin (2008), sports foster social engagement that breaks down individual and community barriers. In addition, the crime rates reduce giving way to a safer community because sports promote pro-social as opposed to anti-social behavior (Larkin, 2006). The community can also reap economic benefits from sporting activities like introduction of an A-league baseball team. Employment opportunities both direct and indirect could arise. This could be in form of vending during baseball games held in the community from time to time. The community could also generate income through sales of goods and services through holding of baseball tournaments in the locality. People who come in from other places just to watch matches foster tourism in the locality and the money they bring in could be a boost to the local economy.

1.5 Conclusion

In conclusion, the introduction of a baseball A-league team to a community would be one of the best decisions to make. This is because it has numerous positive implications not only on the individuals in the society, but the community at large. Taking into account the social ills that have accosted the modern society, it would be in the best interest of everyone for local governments or sponsors to promote sporting activities such as initiating the introducing baseball A-league teams to their localities in order to curb vices that may arise due to idleness or disunity.

References

Bevis, C. (2008). The New England League: a baseball history, 1885-1949. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co.

Human Kinetics. (2006). Introduction to Recreation and Leisure. United States: n.p.

Larkin, A. (2008). Sports and Recreation and Community Building. Retrieved fromhttp://www.dsr.nsw.gov.au/assets/pubs/industry/study_communitybuilding.pdf

Thomas, F.J., & Cote,J. (2006). Youth Sports: Implementing Findings and Moving Forward withResearch. Athletic Insight: The Online Journal of Sport Psychology,8 (3), 12-27.Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://athleticinsight.com/Vol8Iss3/YouthPDF.pdf” http://athleticinsight.com/Vol8Iss3/YouthPDF.pdf

The role of Startin’ Blox in fostering cooperation among cooperatives

Introduction

The Startin’Blox software is vital in creating web components in a straightforward way and hence can be effective in allowing cooperatives to design effective apps that can be used by members in the long run to acres engagement and promote communication. The paper aims to investigate the applications of Startin’Blox to cooperatives and how the tool can be used to foster cooperation among cooperatives.

Ajates, R. (2020). An integrated conceptual framework for the study of agricultural cooperatives: from repolitisation to cooperative sustainability. Journal of Rural Studies, 78, 467-479.

Mannan, M. (2018). Fostering worker cooperatives with blockchain technology: Lessons from the Colony project. Erasmus L. Rev., 11, 190.

Literature Review

Literature on fostering cooperatives among cooperatives

Studies regarding use of tools to foster cooperation

Possible integration problems involving the tool

Alternatives available for cooperatives to employ to foster better cooperation

Theoretical overview of cooperation fostering tools

Literature on Startin’BloxFuture direction

Chen, C. C., Chen, X. P., & Meindl, J. R. (1998). How can cooperation be fostered? The cultural effects of individualism-collectivism. Academy of management review, 23(2), 285-304.

Collazos, C. A., Padilla-Zea, N., Pozzi, F., Guerrero, L. A., & Gutierrez, F. L. (2014). Design guidelines to foster cooperation in digital environments. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 23(3), 375-396.

Baker, D. P., Day, R., & Salas, E. (2006). Teamwork as an essential component of high‐reliability organizations. Health services research, 41(4p2), 1576-1598.

Methods and Data Collection

The Startin’Blox software is vital in creating web components in a straightforward way and hence can be effective in allowing cooperatives to design effective apps that can be used by members in the long run to acres engagement and promote communication. As such, there was a need to use a research methodology that factors in opinions from participants and the various views of different entities regarding the effectiveness of Startin’Blox. This paper applied a qualitative approach, specifically applying descriptive analysis of secondary data. Qualitative research will enable a focus on gaining as much information as possible from the sample size chosen. The approach is chosen because of its flexibility and how it enables participants to express their views while providing data.

Kahlke, R. M. (2014). Generic qualitative approaches: Pitfalls and benefits of methodological mixology. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 13(1), 37-52.

Ramcharan, P., & Cutcliffe, J. R. (2001). Judging the ethics of qualitative research: considering the ‘ethics as process’ model. Health & social care in the community, 9(6), 358-366.

Findings

Applications of Startin’Blox in fostering cooperation

Advantages of using technology/applications in communication amongst cooperatives

Extent to which cooperatives are willing to accept Startin’Blox in developing their communication apps and platforms.

Concluding Discussion and Recommendations

A restatement of the main points and a summary of key findings.

Recommendations for future regarding study findings.

Future direction in the subject

The role of Startin’Blox in fostering cooperation among cooperatives

Reflective Essay

IntroductionCooperative groups operate on local, national, and international levels around the world. Cooperatives exist in a wide variety of economic sectors, although they are particularly prevalent in technology, food, finance, and digital solutions. Cooperative organizations perform two critical functions: they educate policymakers and the broader population about the cooperative model, and they foster innovation among its members by pooling and sharing skills and resources.Cooperativesresources. Cooperatives provide educational programs for entrepreneurs in order to promote innovation and the cooperative model. They raise awareness of the cooperative model’s values among business owners, associations and cooperatives, other civil society organizations, and legislators. Since 2007, European cooperatives have had access to a range of educational resources created by the European Network of Learning Institutions, a collaboration between Cooperatives Europe and the European Alternatives network. For example, Cooperatives Europe and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) urge members to pool their expertise and resources in order to initiate and develop such initiatives. They develop and offer free open resources, such as methods and documentation, to their members and stakeholders with the goal of promoting and encouraging cooperative entrepreneurship in their respective locations.

The main issue in today’s atmosphere is that internet services have made cooperative resources inaccessible to the general public. Historically, cooperative systems have included e-commerce, transaction, and monetary systems in which members allocate resources according to available input and output criteria. Cooperative systems communicate with its members and stakeholders using established channels such as email and online posting. Regrettably, this information is still repressed by search engine algorithms driven by profit-generating logics that emphasize large-scale commercial content over small-scale knowledge development.

This research makes a recommendation for resolving the issue of wide public access to cooperative resources. The suggested technique is essential because it allows the cooperative movement to break free from inherently discriminatory technology. Additionally, the study advises that cooperative organizations establish a web infrastructure capable of linking cooperative actors directly to their constituents without relying on competitors. In other words, collaborative work must occur online. As a result of the study, cooperative actors must develop a decentralized, open-source online directory to compete with proprietary directories.

Startin’blox was chosen as a case study due to their involvement in the cooperative movement and their ability to address the issue of widespread public access to cooperative resources. Startin’blox is a Cooperative Society of Collective Interest (SCIC), which means that it is democratically controlled by its members. Startin’blox is a technology business dedicated to developing innovative and ethical technologies based on open standards. It goes opposite to the logic of expanding the number of isolated private platforms and advocates for the urgent establishment of a truly open web. As part of its continuous governance paradigm, Startin’blox promotes real-time problem-solving among all member-policyholders who demonstrate an interest.

Literature Review

It is possible to engage in collective action when a group of individuals works together to attain a shared goal or purpose. Individuals, on the other hand, have long been known for their inability to collaborate in order to accomplish a communal aim or the common goodTo sum things up, the concept of collective action is not new. Societies have long sought new methods to interact when it comes to cultural and economic growth. The primary source (Henri , (2017) provides an overview of cooperative movements, covering historical roots and present uses. It was critical to investigate these notions in order to have a better understanding of how cooperative groups function. As a consequence, this part gives a high-level overview of the present working environment for cooperative organizations, as well as insight into the key components of any cooperative business model.

In 2009, tThe European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises (2009) launched a research that culminated in the Principles of European Cooperative Law, based on a comparison of cooperative law throughout the European Union. As a consequence, the present condition of cooperative law, as well as the expansion of cooperative law, have become important components of modern cooperative legislationslaw. In order to further this field of study, we concentrated on examining the laws regulating cooperatives in various countries, both in Europe and on other continents. According to this section of the study, an organization’s capacity to thrive is primarily driven by its ability to function in an atmosphere favorable to success.This chapter explores the utopian notions that drove the dreams of those looking forward to a more democratic, prosperous, and peaceful future as a consequence of English socialist leaders Robert Owen and William Thompson’s conceptions and experiences with cooperative societies. Despite the general failure of late-nineteenth-century utopian communities, these idealistic impulses persist. The emphasis in this section is not on investigating these communities or attempting to determine why they did not thrive.”Collaboration” and “cooperation” are often misinterpreted notions, and Henri (2017) clarifies this confusion. In general, the phrase “collaboration” refers to any kind of group action inside a corporate conglomerate or subsidiary activity, and it may be as simple as an agreement to authority. Cooperative labor is done in a manner that promotes democracy, participation, and group decision-making. Transitioning from a purely collaborative approach inside the usual corporate command structure is required.Cooperativerequired. Cooperative movements have the potential to alter the future of the United States, and my study applies the concepts of a highly democratic, participative, and group-directed structure. Robert Owen and William Thompson, with their utopian ideas, would agree on the suggested remedy.Theremedy. The second subsection focuses on Startin’Blox’s technical solution. The final paragraph will combine the issues of developing collaboration among cooperatives with Startin’Blox’s role in aligning technology to these challenges. As the digital world ushers in new modes of organization and collective enterprise, it is worth considering how cooperatives throughout the globe are using these technologies and ideologies to improve their cooperative identity, existence, and development.

I discoveredThere exist connections between the concepts of cooperation and some of the ideologies that drive emerging digital firms, such as voluntarism, collaboration, autonomy, and independence, based on my study. Cooperative movement ideals so fit well within the guiding principles of today’s technology community, and a technical solution that combines the two aspects seems the most fascinating and sustainable.Thesustainable. The second subsection is quite explicit about Startin’blox’s social goal. One, the institution’s technology answer, broadens access to the broader populace by providing its members with cooperative tools. Second, Startin’blox promotes the cooperative spirit by encouraging participants to use the platform to shape the cooperative environment’s future. Both progressive techniques show how access and growth may be accomplished via continual education and information exchange.Theexchange. The growth of cooperatives has resulted in a diverse array of organizational and shared resource governance structures that are both comparable and dissimilar. According to Sanfilippo & Chattopadhyay (2020), commons are networked, with varying degrees of sharing and links across cooperative organizations. Along with various in-depth examinations of individual commons and cooperatives, the site investigates how collaborative platforms and public resources provide an inventory of collaborative groups by location and industry. As the study demonstrates, questions persist about the frequency of cooperatives and how they vary in practice as a consequence of regulatory arrangements.

Finally, in the third subsection, we investigate the impact of external factors such as legislation and contracts, as well as local conditions, technology, and cooperative relationships, in shaping cooperatives’ unique outcomes. This section will use network analysis to ascertain how the linkages between various sectors and regions affect and share governance institutions in a variety of ways.

Methodology

This chapter discusses the study’s methodology, strategy, and instruments. It begins by outlining the study’s methodology and underlying assumptions. It then discusses the research approach, data gathering methodologies, and data analysis techniques used in the study. Finally, the study analyzes the ethical difficulties that arose throughout the research process and how they were resolved.

Positivism and constructivism were blended with quantitative and qualitative research approaches in this study (qualitative data). This study used qualitative research methodologies in order to get a deeper knowledge of real-world challenges. Qualitative research enables the establishment of hypotheses and the subsequent examination and comprehension of quantitative data, rather than the collection of numerical data points or the introduction of treatments, as quantitative research does. Additionally, it was necessary given the open-ended nature of the research issues at hand.

Constructivism was blended with positivism for a variety of reasons. To begin, the technique acknowledges that actions, relationships, and perceptions all have an effect on reality. When applied hypothetically, this apparently basic concept has profound ramifications for our ability to comprehend the world. Given the use of questionnaires in this research, it is critical to understand the respondents’ perspectives in order to get valid conclusions from the data obtained.

Second, constructivists’ emphasis on ideational variables demonstrates that reality is not static but prone to change. A significant part of the research was the evolving communication environment of cooperatives. Constructivism was especially helpful to ascertain cooperatives’ willingness to collaborate with Startin’Blox on the development of communication applications and platforms.

Numerous variables had to be considered during the sampling process. These considerations included sample size, sampling costs, and the amount of information already available, population size variation, the difficulty of data collection, and the precision with which we want our estimates affect practicality.

The sampling process enables us to determine how precise our estimates should be in light of the sampling cost. Among the most critical lessons we’ve learned is the importance of selecting risk values when determining sample sizes. If the conclusions drawn from the sampling process are particularly significant, sample sizes should be increased.

By principle the representative sample you choose must make complete sense. Here’s where the trade-offs often develop. We want to collect enough information to gain reasonably precise approximations of the measured variables but we would like to achieve this within a viable resource budget. The major challenge is to evaluate the risks inherent with the specified sample size. In the end, the study used a sample size of 50 participants from ten cooperatives.

One of the main points when utilizing a standardized questionnaire is that it cannot completely encapsulate emotional reactions or sentiments of participants. This problem was further exaggerated by the fact that the questionnaire was distributed to responders and all elected to give replies through the same channel. Although this was expected, I found that without delivering the questionnaire face-to-face, there is no ability to evaluate facial expression, emotions or body language. Without these distinctions, important data might go undetected.

SPSS software was used to evaluate the quantitative data. It’s a robust tool that may assist you in extracting the most value from your data. The technology facilitates the movement of data blocks and expedites the completion of tasks. Additionally, it gives well-structured and detailed results. Cleaning and filtering data is a breeze when using SPSS. Despite the fact that the software package is intended to simplify data analysis, I struggled with it. To begin, the application is a pain to install. Second, using the program requires familiarity with basic SPSS commands and data input techniques. The manner of application varies according on the data set. Due to the abundance of options, selecting the best one becomes difficult.

When I originally began working on this project, I focused exclusively on the research. However, I quickly learnt that research ethics is an integral part of the study process and a basic concept of research design. While designing a study, it is necessary to have a specific research subject in mind. As a result, the study’s conclusions must be consistent with the research objectives and data obtained. As required by research ethics, the methodologies used in the study must also be related to the research questions.

For the purposes of my research, I knew that it is necessary to ensure that participants are provided with sufficient information to make an informed decision about whether or not to participate. Consent, danger of damage, and secrecy must also be explained ethically. My consent form served as a covenant of confidence between the researcher and the participants, since it incorporated all of these components.

Results and Findings

The second line of enquiry was to determine the advantages of using technology/applications in communication amongst cooperatives. Individuals must be able to participate in a networked, information-based society because we are living in a historical epoch in which knowledge is the most critical resource for social and economic advancement. The change from manufacturing-based employment to information- and technology-rich labor has resulted in people working together in teams rather than competing against one other. There is a need for individuals to be able to work collaboratively to design, utilize, and maintain technical tools. The role of technology and collaboration will continue to rise in the lives of the majority of people.

There are several ICTs that enable people to communicate and process information electronically, ranging from radio and satellite transmission through television, computers, and the Internet. Among the subjects explored in the study were the potential advantages of ICTs for cooperatives and challenges surrounding ICT implementation, both of which were deemed relevant by the researchers.

A primary emphasis of the study was on how cooperatives vary from other forms of organizations in terms of their size and breadth, and this was underlined throughout the research. Cooperatives have unifying cooperative ideals, such as democratic member control, cooperation among co-operatives, and caring for the community, which impact cooperatives’ approach to their members, their firms, and their communities.

Using ICTs in cooperatives provides a number of benefits. Cooperatives may expand their markets via the use of the internet and ICTs. This manner, employees may keep current on new discoveries and advancements, as well as benefit from online training. The management operations of cooperatives, their financial information and reporting, their records management, and their web presence may all be enhanced via the use of information and communication technology (ICTs). These adjustments contribute to increased productivity and cost savings.

Certain obstacles must be overcome, including financial and infrastructure constraints associated with access to cooperatives’ ICT systems. Despite the extensive availability of telephone communication services worldwide, many rural communities continue to lack a reliable link to the internet and mobile broadband. As a consequence, teaching people about the benefits of information and communications technology (ICT) may be challenging in areas with little or no access to the internet.

The third purpose of the study was to ascertain cooperatives’ willingness to collaborate with Startin’Blox on the development of communication applications and platforms. The findings indicate that blockchain technology may be beneficial to cooperatives in a variety of ways, including through blockchain-based cooperative legislation and administration, decentralized financial services, and increased financial inclusion through increased access to loans for micro and small-to-medium-sized enterprises.

Through Startin’Blox, I choose to demonstrate technical acceptability. Their ground-breaking technology intends to facilitate cooperative platform development. To ascertain cooperatives’ willingness to include Startin’Blox into the development of their communication apps and platforms, the primary issue was how these platforms might be utilized to really improve and accelerate the social and environmental transitions required by our society. Acceptance of technology is seen feasible in light of the fact that since 2016, France’s first legislation, Coopérative de solidarité Mondragon, has embraced blockchain technology.

Startin’Blox, I believe, is an illustration of how cooperatives may use digital settings to build their identity. Additionally, the findings of this research emphasize the necessity of intercooperation in the modern digital era, while acknowledging cooperatives as a massive worldwide network. If we can use technology to maximize that network, we can achieve exceptional outcomes in terms of cooperative collaboration.

Additionally, the results imply that attention should be paid to how to integrate cooperative identities into cooperative information systems, which is depicted as a necessary condition for the cooperative movement to compete with huge technology giants such as Google. Additionally, the results stressed the importance of the sixth cooperative principle of intercooperation and the seventh principle of community care in this endeavor.

Finally, the research emphasizes a need for more discussion within the cooperative movement concerning technical options and the ramifications of choosing one technology over another. Within a cooperative framework, there is room for technical discussion, and empirical data demonstrates that cooperative platforms are practical, revolutionary, and deserving of support. What remains is for cooperative societies to communicate with one another, face the many technical options accessible, and work together to develop some shared visions.

Discussion and Conclusion

Cooperatives may use technology to address a wide range of shared operations and social challenges. When it comes to cooperative governance, communication is one of the most often used technologies, particularly in rural and distant locations.Therelocations. There are several benefits of using ICTs in cooperatives. The internet and other information and communication technologies (ICTs) have the potential to assist cooperatives in expanding their enterprises. Through the utilization of online training, employees may keep current on technical advancements and new discoveries. Cooperatives may strengthen their management operations, financial statistics and reporting, records management, and online presence by using information and communication technologies (ICTs). These modifications benefit both productivity and cost.

Despite the growing benefits of cooperative technology development, cooperatives’ ICT systems face financial and infrastructural constraints.Financialconstraints. Financial inclusion may be facilitated through Startin’Blox’s blockchain-based cooperative legislation and administration, decentralized financial services, and rising usage of supporting technology such as the blockchain. Since a consequence of the study, adoption of Startin’Blox’s revolutionary technology is regarded feasible, as it enables cooperative platform development.Althoughdevelopment. Although the data generally corroborated my hypothesis, the cooperative movement should have more in-depth conversations about the advantages and disadvantages of different technologies before reaching a final choice. The fact that there is room for technical argument and data to support the practicality and revolutionary nature of cooperative platforms struck me the most, and I felt compelled to provide my support.

References

Henrÿ, H. (2017). Cooperation Among Cooperatives. In G. Fajardo-García, A. Fici, H. Henrÿ, D. Hiez, D. Meira, H. Muenker, et al. (Authors), Principles of European Cooperative Law: Principles, Commentaries and National Reports (pp. 119-134). Intersentia. doi:10.1017/9781780686073.007

Luo, J. L., & Hu, Z. H. (2015). Risk paradigm and risk evaluation of farmers cooperatives’ technology innovation. Economic Modelling, 44, 80-85.

A major change that has occurred in the Western family is an increased incidence in divorce. Whereas in the past, divorce was a relatively rare occurrence, in recent times it has become quite commonplace. This change is borne out clearly in census figures. For example thirty years ago in Australia, only one marriage in ten ended in divorce; nowadays the figure is more than one in three (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1996: p.45). A consequence of this change has been a substantial increase in the number of single parent families and the attendant problems that this brings (Kilmartin, 1997).

An important issue for sociologists, and indeed for all of society, is why these changes in marital patterns have occurred. In this essay I will seek to critically examine a number of sociological explanations for the ‘divorce phenomenon’ and also consider the social policy implications that each explanation carries with it. It will be argued that the best explanations are to be found within a broad socio-economic framework.

One type of explanation for rising divorce has focused on changes in laws relating to marriage. For example, Bilton, Bonnett and Jones (1987) argue that increased rates of divorce do not necessarily indicate that families are now more unstable. It is possible, they claim, that there has always been a degree of marital instability. They suggest that changes in the law have been significant, because they have provided unhappily married couples with ‘access to a legal solution to pre-existent marital problems’ (p.301). Bilton et al. therefore believe that changes in divorce rates can be best explained in terms of changes in the legal system. The problem with this type of explanation however, is that it does not consider why these laws have changed in the first place. It could be argued that reforms to family law, as well as the increased rate of divorce that has accompanied them, are the product of more fundamental changes in society.

Another type of explanation is one that focuses precisely on these broad societal changes. For example, Nicky Hart (cited in Haralambos, 1995) argues that increases in divorce and marital breakdown are the result of economic changes that have affected the family. One example of these changes is the raised material aspirations of families, which Hart suggests has put pressure on both spouses to become wage earners. Women as a result have been forced to become both homemakers and economic providers. According to Hart, the contradiction of these two roles has lead to conflict and this is the main cause of marital breakdown. It would appear that Hart’s explanation cannot account for all cases of divorce – for example, marital breakdown is liable to occur in families where only the husband is working. Nevertheless, her approach, which is to relate changes in family relations to broader social forces, would seem to be more probing than one that looks only at legislative change.

The two explanations described above have very different implications for social policy, especially in relation to how the problem of increasing marital instability might be dealt with. Bilton et al. (1995) offer a legal explanation and hence would see the solutions also being determined in this domain. If rises in divorce are thought to be the consequence of liberal divorce laws, the obvious way to stem this rise is to make them less obtainable. This approach, one imagines, would lead to a reduction in divorce statistics; however, it cannot really be held up as a genuine solution to the problems of marital stress and breakdown in society. Indeed it would seem to be a solution directed more at symptoms than addressing fundamental causes. Furthermore, the experience of social workers, working in the area of family welfare suggests that restricting a couple’s access to divorce would in some cases serve only to exacerbate existing marital problems (Johnson, 1981). In those cases where violence is involved, the consequences could be tragic. Apart from all this, returning to more restrictive divorce laws seems to be a solution little favoured by Australians. (Harrison, 1990).

Hart (cited in Haralambos, 1995), writing from a Marxist-feminist position, traces marital conflict to changes in the capitalist economic system and their resultant effect on the roles of men and women. It is difficult to know however, how such an analysis might be translated into practical social policies. This is because the Hart program would appear to require in the first place a radical restructuring of the economic system. Whilst this may be desirable for some, it is not achievable in the present political climate. Hart is right however, to suggest that much marital conflict can be linked in some way to the economic circumstances of families. This is borne out in many statistical surveys which show consistently that rates of divorce are higher among socially disadvantaged families (McDonald, 1993). This situation suggests then that social policies need to be geared to providing support and security for these types of families. It is little cause for optimism however, that in recent years governments of all persuasions have shown an increasing reluctance to fund social welfare programs of this kind.

It is difficult to offer a comprehensive explanation for the growing trend of marital breakdown; and it is even more difficult to find solutions that might ameliorate the problems created by it. Clearly though, as I have argued in this essay, the most useful answers are to be found not within a narrow legal framework, but within a broader socio-economic one.

Finally, it is worth pointing out that, whilst we may appear to be living in a time of increased family instability, research suggests that historically, instability may have been the norm rather than the exception. As Bell and Zajdow (1997) point out, in the past, single parent and step families were more common than is assumed – although the disruptive influence then was not divorce, but the premature death of one or both parents. This situation suggests that in studying the modern family, one needs to employ a historical perspective, including the possibility of looking to the past in searching for ways of dealing with problems in the present.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics (1996). Divorces, Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Printing Service.

Bell, R. and G. Zajdow (1997) Family and household. In R. Jureidini, S. Kenny and M. Poole (eds). Sociology: Australian Connections. St Leonards. NSW: Allen and Unwin

Bilton, T., K. Bonnett and P. Jones (1987). Introductory Sociology, 2nd edition. London: MacMillan.

Haralambos, M. (1995). Sociology: Themes and Perspectives, 3rd edition. London: Bell and Hyman.

Harrison, M. (1995). Grounds for divorce. Family Matters. No 42 pp 34-35.

Johnson, V. (1981). The Last Resort: A Women’s Refuge. Ringwood: Penguin.

Kilmartin, C. (1997). Children divorce and one-parent families. Family Matters. No. 48. ( Available On-line Opens in a new window)

McDonald, P. (1993). Family Trends and Structure in Australia. Australian Family Briefings No 3. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.

1. For each of the scenarios below, explain whether or not it represents a diversifiable or an undiversifiable risk.  Please consider the issues from the viewpoint of investors. Explain your reasoning

a. A large fire severely damages three major U.S. cities

A prudent investor can diversify risks that are unique to a particular city or cities by investing in many cities. A fire that destroys three cities will create an advantage to suppliers in other cities by creating a deficit in supply of some commodities. This is therefore a diversifiable risk. However, an investor must be aware that the US market is very sensitive to any slight change (Damodaran 2002).

b. A substantial unexpected rise in the price of oil

Generally, fluctuations in the prices of oil have an effect on the entire economy since they change the liquidity of money in circulation. For instance, unexpected appreciation in the prices of oil can bring about inflationary effects in the entire economy hence it is an undiversifiable risk.

c. A major lawsuit is filed against one large publicly traded corporation

A lawsuit against the corporation is unique to that particular organization and will not affect the entire economy. This is therefore a diversifiable risk as the investor can diversify such a risk by investing in several corporations of public and private nature.

2.  Use the CAPM to answer the following questions:

a. Find the Expected Rate of Return on the Market Portfolio given that the Expected Rate of Return on Asset “i” is 10%, the Risk-Free Rate is 3%, and the Beta (b) for Asset “i” is 1.5.   

Ri = Rf + βi (Rm – Rf)

Where:

Ri – expected rate of return on the asset (i)

Rf – risk free rate

βi – beta

Rm – market rate of return

Rm = ((Ri – Rf)/ βi) + Rf

= ((0.1 – 0.03)/1.5) + 0.1

= 0.14666666666666666…

= 0.14667

= 14.67%

b. Find the Risk-Free Rate given that the Expected Rate of Return on Asset “j” is 14%, the Expected Return on the Market Portfolio is 12%, and the Beta (b) for Asset “j” is 1.5.

Rj = Rf + βj (Rm – Rf) Where:

Rj – expected rate of return on the asset (j)

Rf – risk free rate

βi – beta

Rm – market rate of return

Rf (1 – βj) = (Rj – βjRm)

Rf = (Rj – βjRm)/ (1 – βj)

= (0.14 – 1.5*.12)/ (1-1.5)

= 0.08

= 8%

c. What do you think the Beta (β) of your portfolio would be if you owned half of all the stocks traded on the major exchanges?  Explain.

The beta is likely to be one. This is because owning half of all the stocks traded is likely to subject the portfolio to similar behavior where the stocks are likely to move in the same direction in response to market dynamics. However, this can only be true where the change taking place in the stocks is equals that of index value in magnitude. If the two are not equal then the portfolio beta will be higher where it changes by a bigger percentage. On the same note, it will be less than where it changes by a lower percentage as compared to the index (Flynn et al 2007).

3. In one page explain what you think is the main ‘message’ of the Capital Asset Pricing Model to corporations and what is the main message of the CAPM to investors? 

Corporations have many ways in which they can benefit from the information obtained from CAPM. Even though the application of the information depends on the particular corporation and the industry it operates, CAPM is used generally for striking a balance between the risk on investment and the return that the same investment yields. Investment managers in corporations use CAPM to assess their investment decisions, evaluate the potential of returns on their portfolios (Emery et al 2007).

On the other hand, capital asset pricing model can be applied by investors in their investment decisions in a number of ways. Principally, the message the capital asset pricing model gives an investor is to invest in a portfolio that gives maximum economic utility to the investment made (Damodaran 2002).

Reference List:

Emery, D., Finnerty, J & Stowe, J. (2007). Corporate Financial Management. Upper-Saddle-River: Prentice Hall

Damodaran A. (2002) Investment valuation: tools and techniques; 2nd Edition, John Wiley and Sons: 732 – 752

Flynn, D. Carlos C., Enrico U., & Michael W. (2007) Financial Management; Juta and Company Limited; 21 – 27

Subject

Students Name

Institution of Affiliation

Date

The Rights of the Colonists

The ‘Rights of the Colonists’ was a document written in the year 1772 by Samuel Adam (Adams, 417). During this time the United States was a colony of Britain and Adams was among the radical leaders who organize successful protests in the fight for their rights. Due to oppression, the colonists had no option rather than fight for the recognition of their rights. It is around this time that the United States was fighting for their independence and it is around this time that they were preparing for independence. It was only four years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The ‘Rights of the Colonists’ was written during the series of meetings conducted in Massachusetts after the governor dissolved the colony’s assembly. A committee of correspondence was, therefore, necessary to be appointed, and thus three hundred townspeople met and did the voting. Samuel Adams was given the mandate of preparing the first draft as his colleagues had seen the potential in him.

The rights of the colonists defined the rights of the colonist in distinct groups, and these include the natural rights of the colonists as men, as Christians and as subjects of the British crown (Schwartz. The natural rights included the inherent rights of a person that includes the right to life, liberty and right to own and defend property. Every subject in England is entitled to the natural rights to worship God of his conscience, dictating the rights of Christians in worshiping. The rights of the colonists as subject postulated that the subjects were to be provided with the absolute rights similar to the Englishmen and all the freemen, in and out of the society that includes personal liberty, security, and private property. The author was motivated to possessing the same rights as the Englishmen, as he termed the rights to be inseparable to the subjects born in Great Britain as they recognize that as their home.

The document, ‘Rights of the Colonists’ is vital in that it reminds us about the history of the U.S before attaining its independence, reminding us that our forefathers as well fought for the independence that we enjoy, they were as well discriminated and treated as subjects. The ‘Rights of the Colonists’ was significant as it was aimed at bringing equality between the locals and the colonizers. The Boston town meetings were a series of preparing the future of the United States, and it is from these meetings that the ‘Rights of the Colonists’ were drafted. All men are equal, and there should be no discrimination in applying the law (U.S Constitution), Adams was well conversant with this, and therefore he drafted the document calling for the realization as well as the granting of equal rights as those of the Englishmen.

The colonists were deprived the right to property as the parliament, and the King of Britain believed that they were entitled to levy taxes to the colonies to fund its activities such as the French and Indian war and this led to the imposition of taxes on tea (Ward). The colonists were not happy about the new taxes and upset by the fact that the British government had decided to tax the colonies without their consent. The colonists, therefore, had to take action, not again pleading with the government as it had already violated their rights. The ‘Rights of the Colonists’ therefore was developed to safeguard and protect the basic and inherent rights, prohibiting the parliament and the King from further exploitation without the colonists’ consent. Rights are universal and inherent, and therefore they should not be restricted by any individual, government or state. Everyone has the right to worship and get entitled to the same treatment and rights as those born and bred in that country. There should be no discrimination in the application of the rights implying that every person should be treated equally.

Work Cited

Adams, Samuel. “The Rights of the Colonists.” Work 7 (1906): 417-428.

Bill of Rights Institute. ‘The Rights of the Colonists’. Retrieved form: https://billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/primary-source-documents/the-rights-of-the-colonists/Schwartz, Bernard. The great rights of mankind: A history of the American Bill of Rights. Rowman & Littlefield, 1992.

Ward, Harry M. The War for Independence and the Transformation of American Society: War and Society in the United States, 1775-83. Routledge, 2014.

How Mass Media Encourages Deviant Behavior in Children

Student’s name

Institutional affiliation

Introduction

The role of media as relates to deviance and crime has always been an issue of concern for our society. Deviance and crime remain to be a universal problem, and with media being a driving source in modern culture, mass communication experts continue to carry out studies to know more about the connection that exists between media and crime. There is developing concern about how various television and film lead to degenerate conduct, particularly among youngsters. This gives off the impression of a connection between media and brutal acts in early university and senior year of secondary school. This essay assesses how mass media encourages deviant behavior in children through content that depicts and sometimes glorifies deviance.

Mass media Glamorizes the Disrespect of Women

Music and films showcased on television have many destructive and negative themes. Some of the common themes that diminish self-esteem and glorify violence against women include suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, violence, sex centered on sadism, control, incest, and masochism. Music videos depend on sexual content to catch the attention of their audiences. This is because sex sells. In music videos, women are often more than men and in most cases, there is an instant attraction between the men and women and sex happens rather quickly without courtship (Xie, Gai, & Zhou, 2019). Sex gratification for men takes center stage which encourages men to view women as sexual objects. Essentially this mocks the respect and compassion of women. Men no longer show their maleness by protecting and taking care of women but by ganging together and abusing them. We are dealing with sexuality on new levels which encourage tolerance to violence and sexual predation. Rappers like Eminem have increased the category of weak to including gay people and family members. In his songs, he portrays and celebrates himself with misogynistic attitudes of homophobia. Eminem is frequently rapping about killing gays and lesbians and killing or beating women. In the lyrics of his song She’s The One, he fantasizes about killing his girlfriend who he refers to as the ho as well as his mother. The portrayal of women in this light goes beyond violence and sex and it leaves an impact on its audience. The audience picks up the same attitude which makes them begin to treat women with disrespect.

Mass Media Influences Self-Image

The current hip-hop media culture portrays images that showcase the artists and models as a group of outsiders. The hip-hop cultural movement started among Latinos and African Americans in the Bronx of New York City in the early 1970s and since then, it has spread across various races and many parts of the world (McCaghy, Capron, Jamieson, & Carey, 2016). The standards hip-hop fashion was characterized by baggy jeans, long chains, hip-hop, doo-rags, loose clothing, and charms and today, they are worn by actors and artists. The American youth today also emulate the dress code of hip-hop artists. Further, youth today also display hip-hop culture in their speech and gestures. This display is a symbol of rejection and alienation of definitions of cultural values and behavior that is socially acceptable. This legitimizes and fosters anti-social behavior which evokes social behavior from individuals and groups that do not abide by norms. The rejection solidifies the self-definition of a group and deviant behavior such as sexual predation, violence, threats, disrespect, and breaking the law become signs of a group or personal identity. This is evidenced in many videos and movies including New Jack City which talks about drug-related violence in the history of rap in many cities across America. In Kanye West’s song, We Don’t Care, children join Kanye in singing about drugs and violence.

Conclusion

Mass media, particularly films and music videos have been linked with deviant behavior among children. There is developing concern about how various television and film lead to degenerate conduct, particularly among youngsters. Deviance and crime remain to be universal problem. Music and films showcased on television have many destructive and negative themes of suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, violence, sex centered on sadism, control, incest, and masochism. The American youth today also emulate the dress code, speech and mannerisms of hip-hop artists and as a result, they end up showing deviant behavior.

References

McCaghy, C. H., Capron, T. A., Jamieson, J. D., & Carey, S. H. H. (2016). Deviant behavior: Crime, conflict, and interest groups. Routledge.

Xie, X., Gai, X., & Zhou, Y. (2019). A meta-analysis of media literacy interventions for deviant behaviors. Computers & Education, 139, 146-156.

The Ripple Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Name

Professor

Course

The Ripple Effects of Sleep Deprivation

As the world advances, more people could exhibit particular behaviours that may entail the need to have fun, work or study for extended hours. Besides, disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and anxiety could lead to loss of sleep (Mysliwiec et al., 2013). Accordingly, not sleeping for the recommended duration of around eight hours a day could result in catastrophic consequences. Previous studies suggest that enough sleep promotes proper functions of the brain and body by allowing them to restore their chemical balance, develop and heal (Health Line, 2020). Even so, common signs of insufficient sleep could entail daytime fatigue, irritability, yawning and excessive sleepiness. Besides, the adverse consequences of lack of sleep tend to attract ripple effects by expanding and worsening over time.

Brain Damage

Extended sleep deprivation leads to exhaustion and damage to the brain. Since sleep plays crucial roles in ensuring that the brain remains healthy and works properly, inadequacy or lack of it could result in detrimental consequences. As one of the most vital organs of the body, the brain acts as the main controller of virtually every human activity as well as psychological and biological processes. Hence, damage to the brain would render humans less effective and efficient. Accordingly, a person may behave awkwardly due to brain damage. Specifically, lack of sleep facilitates Alzheimer’s brain damage following high-production and distribution of tau in the brain.

Moreover, inadequate or lack of sleep leads to undesired changes in mood (Pilcher & Huffcutt, 1996). Specifically, sleep deprivation adversely impacts on certain functions of the brain. In the short-run, persons without enough sleep tend to be quick-tempered, emotional and moody. Unfortunately, the situation could escalate and worsen, leading to depression and anxiety. Although anxiety acts as one of the factors that lead to loss of sleep, the opposite is true. That is, lack of sleep leads to anxiety. Besides, sleep deprivation worsen anxiety, hence, making it more difficult for the victim to sleep (Sanders, 2018). Therefore, sleep deprivation causes a change in mood, which in turn lead to anxiety and depression at the long-run.

Also, insufficient or absence of sleep impairs concentration and thinking (Ratcliff & Van Dongen, 2018). Since inadequacy of sleep weakens the performance of the different parts of the brain, a victim would exhibit certain characteristics such as poor problem-solving capacities, creativity and concentration. Similarly, memory issues emerge from sleep deprivation. Since the brain utilizes sleep periods to establish and develop vital connections that facilitate processing and remembrance of new information, short- and long-term memory loss could occur due to inadequacy of sleep.

Accidents and Conflicts

As adverse effects of sleep deprivation occur, an individual and other members of the community could encounter related consequences. Since lack of sleep impairs certain functions of the brain, a victim would be more prone to errors and mistakes that may attract fatal accidents (Health Line, 2020). For instance, lack of concentration could increase the chances of road accidents among drivers. Likewise, the inadequacy of sleep results in poor body balance, which in turn, renders an individual more prone to accidental falls and related accidents. When lack of sleep compromises with the brain’s essential functions of the brain that facilitate balance, an individual would experience imbalances.

Moreover, a quick-tempered and moody individual with poor problem-solving capabilities could appear unsocial. Subsequently, an individual would engage in more conflicts and fights with other members of the community. Hence, the adverse effects of deprivation of sleep would escalate and affect more people in the community.

Poor Immune System

Sleep deprivation would discourage development and operation of the immune system. The immune systems tend to rely primarily on sleep time to generate vital protective elements, including cytokines that are essential for the body on matters regarding the fight and prevention of diseases. Besides, the body heals and grows as one sleeps. Therefore, deprivation of sleep would discourage the development of the immunes system as well as significant healing and growth processes. Since the body rids itself of toxic byproducts during sleep times, such harmful elements would accumulate to high levels during instances of sleep deprivation (Health Line, 2020). As such, an individual could become more prone to ailments because the body cannot fight pathogens nor clear toxic byproducts effectively.   

Poor Health

Insufficient sleep tends to accelerate the development of lifestyle and chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and cardiac arrest. Since sleep serves as the period through which the body rests, sleep deprivation means no rest. Instead, the body and brain would be overworked by sleep deprivation. Moreover, the lack of sleep would negatively affect the production of vital hormones that facilitate essential processes like digestion. Precisely, insufficient sleep negatively affects the production of ghrelin and leptin hormones that control feelings of fullness and hunger (Health Line, 2020). As a result, an individual could exhibit high appetite that attracts more food consumption, hence increasing chances of becoming obese. Still, sleep deprivation could render a person exhausted, hence discouraging participation in important physical activities that facilitate the development of muscles and use of calories (Patrick et al., 2017). Therefore, obesity seems to be inevitable among persons who encounter lack or inadequacy of sleep.

Consequently, obesity could facilitate the development of other disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attack. For instance, excessive body weight would result in overworking of vital body organs like the kidneys, lungs and the heart. Subsequently, such organs could feel overwhelmed and may cease to function if adequate rest is not available. Also, the lack of sleep would trigger the body to generate excess insulin. Since insulin controls sugar levels in the blood, an individual would probably experience type 2 diabetes from the large volumes of insulin (Health Line, 2020). Therefore, lack of sleep disrupts the normal functioning of the body, thus attracting more health complications.

Breakage of Families and other Sex-associated Relationships

Insufficient sleep leads to poor sexual performance because it attracts low libido. Specifically, poor sleep could lead to a decline in the generation of vital sex hormones, including testosterone in men and estrogen in women (Health Line, 2020). Accordingly, families and other persons whose connections rely mainly on sexual activities could disintegrate. Instead, blames, serrations, and divorces could ensue due to the failure for either of the engaged parties to accomplish their roles and responsibilities.

Death

Additionally, chronic sleep deprivation could result in the death of an individual. Various aspects that may entail physical accidents, ailments and organ failures could lead to the death of a person. For instance, a lack of sleep triggers a stroke that causes death (Aguirre, 2015). Therefore, lack of sleep could indirectly lead to death by facilitating other events such as stroke, high- blood pressure and diabetes.

Conclusion

Overall, sleep deprivation attracts ripple consequences that tend to worsen over time. Although minor symptoms and signs such as sleepiness, fatigue, and yawning signify inadequacy of sleep in the short-run, other catastrophic consequences could occur at the long-run. Such worst impacts may include the poor immune system, brain damage, accidents and conflicts, and breakage of families and relationships that rely basically on sex for their existence. Eventually, sleep deprivation would lead to death by facilitating the occurrence of such events as stroke and accidents. Still, the varied adverse consequences of sleep inadequacy tend to be interrelated as evidenced with the linked. Therefore, insufficient or lack of sleep is a serious aspect that draws devastating consequences that multiply and worsen over time.

References

Aguirre, C. (2015). What would happen if you didn’t sleep? – Claudia Aguirre. Retrieved 14 March 2020, from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-would-happen-if-you-didn-t-sleep-claudia-aguirreHealth Line. (2020). 11 Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Your Body. Retrieved 14 March 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body#8

Mysliwiec, V., Gill, J., Lee, H., Baxter, T., Pierce, R., Barr, T. L., … & Roth, B. J. (2013). Sleep disorders in US military personnel: a high rate of comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. Chest, 144(2), 549-557.

Patrick, Y., Lee, A., Raha, O., Pillai, K., Gupta, S., Sethi, S., … & Smith, S. F. (2017). Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive and physical performance in university students. Sleep and biological rhythms, 15(3), 217-225.

Pilcher, J. J., & Huffcutt, A. I. (1996). Effects of sleep deprivation on performance: a meta-analysis. Sleep, 19(4), 318-326.

Ratcliff, R., & Van Dongen, H. (2018). The effects of sleep deprivation on item and associative recognition memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 44(2), 193.

Sanders, L. (2018). A lack of sleep can induce anxiety | Science News. Retrieved 14 March 2020, from https://www.sciencenews.org/article/lack-sleep-can-induce-anxiety