Examining the gender inequalities at work

Examining the gender inequalities at work Many feminists concentrate on gender inequality, particularly inequality in paid employment. Postmodernists place little emphasis on paid work, but both Marxist feminist and liberal feminists see employment opportunities as crucial to understanding gender inequalities. Liberal feminists have argued that a combination of legislation and changed attitudes can open up economic opportunities for women. Equal opportunity legislation In 1970 the Equal Pay Act legislated that women should be paid the same as men for doing the same or broadly similar work. In 1984 an amendment stipulated that women should get equal pay for work of equal value. The 1975 Sex Discrimination Act made discrimination on the grounds of sex illegal in employment, education and the provision of goods and services. Legislation was further strengthened by the 2006 Equality Act required all public bodies to take an active role in removing illegal discrimination against women. Despite these changes in the law, and considerable increases in recent years in the proportion of women who work in Britain, women remain disadvantaged at work: The proportion of the labour force who are female has risen considerably. In 1971 92% of men of working age were employed and 56% of women. By 2005 80% of men were employed and 70% of women (Social Trends 2006, p.52). In 2005 42% of women were part-time workers and 10% of men. In 2004 67% of women with dependent children worked (Social Trends 2006, p.54). Gender and earnings Women continue to be less well paid than men. In 1970 women working full-time earned 63% of the average full-time male wage; by 2005 they were still only getting 82% of the average male wage (EOC, 1997, 2002a; New Earnings Survey 2005). Horizontal segregation where men and women tend to have different types of job also continues. Women tend to be employed in areas such as personal services, administration, hotels and restaurants. Most routine clerical and secretarial workers are women, as are most primary teachers. Men tend to dominate in areas such as manufacturing, construction and transport. The proportion of women managers and professionals has increased recently. The Women and Work Commission (2006) found 75% of pharmacists, 40% of accountants, almost 50% of lawyers and over 30% of doctors were women. The Equal Opportunities Report (2006) reveals the absence of women in elite positions across a number of occupations, and comments that at the present rate of progress it would 50 years before half of top directors were women and 200 years before women were equally represented in the House of Commons, whereby as many female MPs as male MPs. Vertical segregation continues i.e. men predominate in higher paid jobs whilst women predominate in lower paid ones. For example, in 2005 83% of directors and chief executives were men, 74% of waiting staff were women. Men predominate in all the higher paid lobs except personnel, training and industrial relations managers; while women predominate in all the lower-paid jobs except sports and leisure assistants, where the number of men and women are equal. Generally, the more senior the position, the lower the proportion of women. According to the Equal Opportunities Commission report Sex and Power: Who Runs Britain? (EOC, 2006), women are under-represented in elite positions. In 2004 only 9% of senior judges, 10% of senior police officers and 13% of national newspaper editors were women. Women held only 10.5% of the directorships of the FTSE 100 companies and 19.7% of MPs and 27.3% of cabinet ministers were female. Although most teachers are female, in 2004 only 31.8% of head teachers were women. In 2005, less than 1% of senior ranks in the armed forces and only 10.2% of senior police officers were female. The report notes some improvements in the representation of women but calculates that at current rates of change it would take 40% before 50% of top directors were female, and 200 years before there were as many female as male MPs. LINK SOCIAL WORK TO ABOVE.+REPHRASE MUCH OF ABOVE/SUMMARISE/CUT+CARE SECTOR STATISTICS Explanations for gender inequalities Textbook pp. 124-131 Functionalism Human capital theory suggests that women are less valuable to employers than men because they are less committed to work and more likely to take career breaks to raise children. This gives employers less incentive to promote women and invest in their training. However, a study by Peter Sloane (1994) found that gender continued to influence pay even when qualifications and experience were taken into account. Catherine Hakim preference theory Hakim (2004) argues that women now have more choice, and inequality stems from personal preference. Women have better labour market opportunities than ever before due to amongst others the contraceptive revolution from about 1965. The equal opportunities revolution and the expansion of white collar occupations as well as the expansion of jobs for secondary earners. This has led, according to Hakim, to the emergence of three types of women: Adaptive women who combine both paid work and family. This group is about two thirds of women who seek flexible or part-time work. Another type is described as work-centred women, these women are a minority who focus on career and fit family life around it, this group is less than 20% of women, so men will continue to dominate the workplace. Finally, home-centred women are women who prefer not to work. This group is about 20% of women, including some who are well qualified. Crompton (1996), however, found no evidence of clear-cut categories among women working in banking and pharmacy in Britain and France. Houston Marks (2003) found many factors other than personal preference influenced womens attitude towards paid employment. Abbott et al (2005) criticize Hakim for ignoring structural constraints which limit and shape womens choices. ***CONTINUE FROM HERE -P126 (P121-130) The dual labour market theory The dual labour market theory developed by Barron Norris (1976) distinguishes between: The primary labour market of well-paid, fairly secure jobs with prospects; The secondary labour market of poorly paid, insecure jobs with few prospects. Employers try hard to attract and retain primary workers, who are seen as key to the success of their enterprises, but secondary workers are seen as easily replaced. It is difficult to transfer from the secondary to the primary labour market, and women tend to be concentrated in the secondary sector. This is due in part to employer sexism but also to factors such as lack of unionization. Beechey (1986) sees women as a cheap reserve army of labour, brought in during economic booms but thrown out during slumps. This creates flexibility for capitalists and depresses overall wage levels. Women tend to be in the reserve army because: they are often not in unions; they may be prepared to work for less if their wage is a second income; they are seen as combining work with domestic responsibilities. However, this theory cannot explain horizontal segregation. Also, the continued growth of female employment suggests that women are not being used purely as a temporary, reserve army of workers. McDowell (1992) applies post-Fordist theory to female employment. Post-Fordism suggests that there has been a move away from mass production to more flexible production of specialist products. Businesses keep a core of highly skilled workers, but most other workers are temporary or part-time, or work is contracted out to other firms. Women tend to be concentrated in the more flexible jobs, particularly part-time work, although some have benefited from gaining core jobs. Research by Lovering (1994) found evidence to support this theory in some companies but not in others, suggesting that post-Fordist trends affect only some workers. Some feminists stress the role of male trade unionists in restricting womens opportunities. Walby (1986) argues that in some areas (for example, engineering) trade unions have used exclusion to disadvantage women, while in industries such as textiles, women have been disadvantaged by confinement to certain lower-paid areas of work. Low-paid work ensures that women are more likely to take on domestic responsibilities than men. Radical feminists see patriarchy rather than capitalism as the main cause of female disadvantage. Stanko (1988) argues that sexual harassment in the workplace is used to keep women in their place. Men use their power in the workplace to protect their position. Women in jobs such as bar work and secretarial work are sexualized, and are not taken as seriously as workers or considered for promotion. Adkins (1995) goes further, arguing that sexual work has become integral to many womens jobs. In service sector jobs where women have contact with men they are expected to engage in sexual servicing: looking attractive, engaging in sexual banter, tolerating sexual innuendo and so on. The Women and Work Commission (2006) argues that reform, legislation and tackling sexist socialization can solve the problem of unequal pay. They argue that: Gender stereotyping in schools, in careers advice, and in work experience programmes, is based on traditional roles. This results in the concentration of women in lower-paid occupations. The Commission pointed out that the media could challenge these cultural expectations two thirds of forensic science students are now women. Combining work and family life leads to women taking career breaks and working part-time. Gosling (2005) found a single year working part-time before returning to full-time work led to a 10-15% reduction in pay, largely due to the quality of the part-time work available. Women need more opportunities for lifelong training. Workplace practices often disadvantage women. Job evaluations which rank male-dominated jobs more highly than female ones, even though these jobs have a similar skill level, need to be challenged. 1302 ADD GENDER ROLE AND STEREOTYPES AS PROHIBETER OF SEXES CROSS OVER TO DOMINENT SEX CAREER ROLES. 1605-1626

Critical Response Teen Magazines A Critical Analysis English Language Essay

Critical Response Teen Magazines A Critical Analysis English Language Essay Magazines aimed at the young teenage women market may give the impression of being a girls best friend. Of course, like everything, they have their strengths and weaknesses but do the strengths outweigh the weaknesses? It seems more likely for the negative effects of teenage magazines to be more prominent than the positive effects but is this really the case? This response reviews the way teenage magazines address issues relevant to young women today, especially from the point of view of promoting healthy body image, safe sex and leading social justice issues. All these aspects are emphasised by techniques used in the composition of these magazines with article structure, visual collages and informal language being the most common. Are the issues they cover and the extent to which they cover them appropriate for their readers? Teenage magazines, such as Dolly and Girlfriend, are often the first place teenagers turn when they have a problem and that is when segments like Dolly Doctor  [1]  are most commonly used. This reinforces the need for the magazines content to be appropriate for their readers; however, this is not always possible. Magazines, such as Cleo and Cosmopolitan, are in a difficult position; whilst they are aimed at the young adult market, 18 to 35-year-old women, a large proportion of their readers are between the age o f 14 and 17. As reported in the respective magazines readership profiles, 35.16 per cent of Cosmopolitan readers  [2]  are aged between 14 and 17 and 29.11 per cent of Cleo readers.  [3]  How does this effect the teens who read these magazines? It appears that these effects are positive, such as encouraging their readers to exercise, as well as negative, for instance lowering their self-esteem. Why are teenage magazines so popular? Issues facing teenagers Teenage magazines play an important role in the average female teenagers life. They provide a wide range of information, from social issues such as smoking and drinking, to issues of a less important nature, such as what to wear to the formal, or how to talk to boys.  [4]  It is, therefore, important that they address the relevant issues teenagers face in society today. One of the biggest issues addressed in teenage magazines is sex, and more importantly, safe sex. The impression you acquire when you pick up a teenage magazine is that they assume that if girls are not sex savvy then they want to be.  [5]   One teenage reader asked the question concerning Chik  [6]  magazine: wheres all the sex stories?  [7]  This simple question supports the theory that teenage magazines are not necessarily successful for the correct reasons. Amongst some groups in society, such as the Christian churches, such articles are often perceived as immoral. It also makes these acts seem more common in society, which is not necessarily true. In fact, 80 percent of 16 year-olds have not had sexual intercourse but by the age of 18 theres a 50 per cent probability that they have.  [8]  Being a virgin is generally criticised by other teenagers. Despite the fact that magazines promote safe sex, research has shown that safe sex does not exist unless two virgins are having sex for the first time and remain with each other for life.  [9]   On the other hand, these magazines run articles on what their readers want to know. If Dolly magazine receive a letter asking for help about not wanting to have sex, they will run an article about abstinence. Or if they receive a letter about date rape, they will run an article about date rape and what to do about it. In the same respect, if a reader asks Dolly, what is masturbation? they will respond with an appropriate article.  [10]   There seems to be a common perception that reading teenage magazines has contributed heavily to readers low self-esteem. As a result of this perception, today teenage magazines seek to promote a health body image. Dolly magazine has a specific section in every issue called the Body Confidence Club  [11]  that is dedicated to motivating teenagers to be content with their body. This ranges from advice on exercising and meditation to healthy eating. Often it will include real-life stories to help teenagers to believe if it worked for them, it can work for me! The deputy editor of Dolly magazine said: We never publish diets or ever say that a girl should lose weight, its only ever about toning up if thats what you want to feel better about yourself.  [12]   The Body Confidence Club is a reader forum where Dolly talks about a body issue and does it in a way that is inspirational. Stories will reflect the problem and show solutions, stimulating teenagers to think that they can change too. Publishing articles on healthy body image next to fashion spreads glorifying all that is tall and skinny  [13]  can have a negative effect. What girls need to remember is that Marilyn Monroe was a size 14 and she was still considered beautiful.  [14]   Even Cosmopolitan has dealt with the issue of body image, introducing the Body Love Initiative in October 2001. This policy states that Cosmopolitan will use models from size 6 to size 16 in every issue, as well as all races. Alongside the models, Cosmopolitan will not publish a diet and has not done so for around seven years. They also ensure that their advertisers do not place unnecessary emphasis on the need to be skinny and consistently publish articles to help readers feel more confident and love the skin they are in. These guidelines were put into place after readers became outraged over a photo shoot, Lingerie Gets Real, featuring women in their underwear.  [15]  Cosmopolitans philosophy is: Healthy eating, healthy body image but being within your healthy body weight range all about feeling good in your own skin.  [16]   Another issue addressed by these magazines concerns popularity amongst peers. This is an important issue in the minds of teenagers, especially in the school environment. The common perception that you have to be cool to obtain the attention of a boy increases the pressure of becoming popular. To quash this assumption Dolly magazine focuses on the fact that popularity is not as important as being confident. Therefore they run stories about how to talk to people, both boys and girls, and how to be more confident in different situations.  [17]  However, confidence is just one part of it. If a teenager does not feel popular she is less likely to be confident. So it is important to address popularity as an issue of concern. Mental health and wellbeing are important issues to address for teenagers. They need to gain understanding of the causes, occurrences and management of these disorders. Without this knowledge there are often misconceptions about disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. Suicide, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and self-harm are all common topics of discussion in Dolly magazine because of the many letters received requesting information about certain mental illnesses. The deputy editor of Dolly states that: In all of those stories we do talk to experts about the issue and get information that the girls can use.  [18]   Cosmopolitan, on the other hand, always runs feel-good articles in the magazine each month to help their readers overcome their own anxiety and stress  [19]  but they do not run articles to increase the awareness of mental illnesses. Illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are rarely mentioned in Cosmopolitan. Physical impairment is another issue that needs to be dealt with. This is to ensure that teenagers acknowledge that people with physical impairments are not different. Dolly often publishes articles on the life story of someone with a physical impairment to show the readers that despite this impairment and the obstacles in their life they still live normally and they are like any other person. However, Cosmopolitan and Cleo fail to cover issues about physical impairment. How magazines are composed How do magazines persuade people to read so many articles and view the visual images constructed in each monthly issue? This is achieved through the language and visual techniques that are used and accentuated to capture the attention of the reader. These include structure, interviews, language features, pull-quotes, rhetorical questions and visual texts. Firstly, the structure of most feature articles is changing. They are beginning to be separated by many sub-headings. By using sub-headings it allows the reader to go straight to the part of the article they are particularly interested in. For example in the Dolly article, The Rise of the Straight Edgers,  [20]  if a person knew what a Straight Edger is, but was wondering where the name came from they can go to the sub-section, Whats with the name?  [21]  Or if they wanted to find out more, they are directed to the section, Wanna know more?  [22]  This means that a person can get what they want out of the article quickly without having to read the entire article. The types of articles also vary from stories, interviews and notes. Stories are effective in entertaining as well as informing. The investigation into the statistic that 1 in 5 women will experience violence during pregnancy  [23]  is informing the reader about the risks of violence during pregnancy as well as telling the stories of women who lost their lives at the hand of the father of their unborn child. The use of interviews creates the impression that the reader is communicating with the interviewee, and not reading it second hand. An interview, such as Tammin Sursoks subtitled, The first time I ,  [24]  gives the reader the feeling of having a conversation with your best friend about the first time you kissed a boy had sex fell in love à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [25]  This creates the effect that the reader is getting to know the celebrity personally, instead of just reading a magazine interview. The use of first person also emphasizes this in the mind of the reader. This approach is taken in most interviews in magazines in an attempt to personalize the article for the reader. Notes allow the reader to go straight to short bits of information. In Rags to Riches  [26]  the reader can quickly obtain small pieces of fact from the spreadsheet of information. These text formats allow different readers to access the information that is of specific interest to them. The language used amongst teenage magazines is informal, conversational and full of jargon and slang. This is because these magazines try to speak to the reader, not speak at them. You could imagine that if one of these magazines happened to use formal language it would appear as though the magazine is a text book and very serious. Informal language creates a much more carefree approach to topics of discussion positioning the reader to relate more easily. For example, if this sentence: When you look at Jade, she strikes you as just another spunky chick, in miniature  [27]   was written formally it would say something along the lines of: Upon viewing Jade, your first impression of her would be, a short but fashionable woman. Instead, using informal language helps to keep the teenagers interested and they are more likely to read and understand what is being said. It also fits in with each magazines philosophy  [28]   to be the readers friend and adviser. Jargon and slang reaches the teenagers on their level. In this particular sentence slang is adopted strongly and still manages to communicate its message: You probably heard Paris [Hilton] threw a tanti when she saw her porn vid being sold by her local newsstand owner  [29]   Words such as tanti and vid are slang for tantrum and video. The purpose of this language is to relate to the teens by communicating to them using their own jargon. Emotive language is used to create a response in the reader and is present in sections like Dolly Doctor  [30]  and Sex, Body and Friends Advice  [31]  . Its intention is to convey the message that the writers at each magazine truly care about the issues people are asking about and they offer genuine advice to help their reader. When Girlfriend Advice was questioned about bullying, their response was: All of us here at GF [Girlfriend] feel very strongly that you have a right to feel totally safe at school.  [32]   The expression of concern for the girl being bullied helps the girl to believe that they really care. Dolly magazine also does the same thing. When Dolly counsellor, Louise Redmond, was asked about whether there is something wrong with a girl who keeps being excluded from her friendship groups plans she responds: Theres absolutely nothing wrong with you! Hard as it is, dont take it personally.  [33]   As a result of this expression of kindness and concern the person asking the question then feels compelled to follow the advice handed out to them by the magazine. The use of second person addresses the reader. Its inclusiveness embraces each readers concerns. Pull-quotes are used within articles to compel you to read an article. A pull-quote is a quote from the article that is selected and highlighted amongst the text in a different coloured and larger sized font. This device is used to draw the readers eye to the page. The quote is chosen on its strength and whether or not it is interesting, funny, exciting or riveting.  [34]  For example, in the article titled, Im a teenage mum of three,  [35]  the pull-quote, All of my friends lost their virginity before me, but I wanted to wait until I felt ready to have a baby  [36]   interests the reader into reading the article to find out why this teenager has three children by the age of seventeen. This is effective in attracting interest and attention to the article. However, other pull-quotes can seem completely irrelevant to the story. For example, an article titled My parents are both blind  [37]  with a pull quote: If someones playing kickball I run off coz Im scared about it hitting me  [38]   This pull-quote seems completely out of context, however, by causing confusion about the article teenagers are more likely to read the article. If only to find out how that pull-quote relates to an article about something perceivably different. Rhetorical questions invoke thought about the issue being addressed. If the issue is not a well-known topic questions such as: Does he love it? Hate it?  [39]   strategically placed at the beginning of the article encourages readers to engage in reading and contemplating the article. The composers of the magazines have, therefore, reached its purpose to persuade people to read their publications. Emphasised questions help to make the reader focus on what an article is addressing. The majority of the questions asked are answered within the body of the article. What can you do to stop the symptoms?  [40]   is answered, Learn new and better ways to deal with stress. Eat a varied diet and avoid foods that have a high fat content  [41]   This allows the reader to gain closure on the topic of discussion. If you were to pick up the latest Dolly magazine to find that there were no pictures at all, what would you think? Without images these magazines would have no appeal, people would just walk straight past them in a shop. The problem begins at the appropriateness of these visual images. Often an article would not survive without images or be overlooked if it was not for the suggestive images surrounding the text. The most prominent visual technique is a collage, especially on the front cover. It is the most effective way of putting a lot of information into a small space. A collage is used in Dollys Style section  [42]  and presents to the reader four celebrities, their fashion style, and the clothing articles and accessories they can obtain to achieve the same fashion style. Some articles, such as How Old Is She?  [43]  , could not exist without pictures. How do you demonstrate that a person looks young or old for their actual age without images? These pictures, however, seize the readers attention and intrigue them to find out how old these girls really are. Other pictures are used to tease the reader into reading the article. Images such as the one in Great Places To Kiss  [44]  catches the readers eye and provokes them to read the article. Even the image for the article Stop Texting Me!  [45]  provokes the reader. They see a girl with a mobile phone and quickly examine the article to see if it is of any interest to them. In Cosmopolitans fashion workshop  [46]  visual images are essential to explain why you should not wear certain types of underwear for different body shapes. However, Cosmopolitan has taken some poetic licence. In the images showing the reader what not to wear they place the model in an unflattering pose and appearing self-conscious. This creates the effect that it is not something the reader would want to wear. Of course, when the model is wearing what ultimately looks better she appears to be happy and confident, posing with a smile. A recurring way of presenting photos is in the notice board style. Each photo has a thick white border and a paper clip or thumb-tack in the corner, giving the effect that the photos are up on a notice board, attached to a personal profile or even part of a personal notebook.  [47]  Personalising these photos involves the reader in the magazine and creates a carefree atmosphere. Consequently, the combination of these techniques makes a teenage magazine intriguing to the reader. This results from being positioned by the composer in a location easily accessible to read or view the text. By making these magazines intriguing and easily accessible allows the magazines to sell many copies of each monthly issue. Magazines and Appropriateness Many people tend to focus on the negative aspects of what teenagers are reading in magazines. Christopher Bantick, The Age journalist, wrote: Besides the heavy emphasis on sex and problematic sex at that teenage girls magazines capitalize on adolescent insecurity.  [48]   Although this is accurate, Bantick could be optimistic and, instead of reinforcing common beliefs about magazines, he could address the fact that these magazines do aim to reach out to teenagers at their level and help them with their insecurities, whether that would be about sexual intercourse or not. Magazines have implemented sections within the magazines where their readers can write in to ask for advice  [49]  about something they feel uncomfortable asking their parents or even their friends. Many parents do not like what their daughters are reading in these teenage magazines, as evident by the Your Say section of The Age,  [50]  but many more are actually dejected that their daughters are growing up too fast and interested in such topics of discussion. Articles regarding Sex Exotica  [51]  would seem inappropriate for a 14-year-old female to be reading. Such an article may be appropriate for Cosmopolitans market audience, 18 to 35 year olds. However, the editors should take into account that a large percentage of the readers, 35.16 per cent  [52]  to be exact, are aged between 14 and 17. However, if Cleo and Cosmopolitan were to change their content to suit the younger readers than they may lose readers and they would not be aimed at the 18 to 35 year old market any longer. It seems, with these two magazines in particular, they are mostly focused on topics such as sexual intercourse. Parents feel these magazines are not appropriate because of a perceived breach of moral standards. Cosmopolitans morals were questioned when a monthly issue was on sale in a Woolworths store. They received many complaints about a headline regarding a guide to a mind-blowing blow-job.  [53]  Cosmopolitan were forced to place stickers over this headline as it was inappropriate for the consumers in a supermarket. Many critics consider it inappropriate for young teenagers to be reading material such as that in Cosmopolitan and Cleo, and it is just as inappropriate for pre-teenagers to be reading Dolly or Girlfriend with the content they represent. Magazines have the potential to influence young minds about what is acceptable and unacceptable in society as well as altering their way of thinking about sexual intercourse and gender roles. There are other reasons why teenage magazines appeal to a young audience. Firstly, there are the striking colours, secondly, the famous boy or girl splashed across the cover page and thirdly, the desire to be cooler and mature for their age. These magazines reveal little about the value of academic achievement and intellectual challenges. It is fair to say that the brain is not the hot organ at the centre of the teenage magazine world. This lack of concern about formal education is reflected in Dolly and Girlfriend with less than 20 per cent  [54]  of articles focused on education and/or intelligence. Only Cosmopolitan and Cleo frequently publish articles about careers. However, of the articles published in each magazine, less than 5 per cent  [55]  of the articles are based on careers. The effects of these magazines Teenage magazines can affect teenagers in many ways, both positively and negatively. However because people tend to focus on the negatives it appears as though most of these effects are, in fact, negative. A study by the British Medical Association  [56]  has shown that: The media are a significant and pervasive influence in modern society, and provide information about gender roles, fashion and acceptable body image which may be particularly influential on those young children and adolescents who are heavily exposed to its content  [57]   And: Young women may compare themselves to extremely thin models à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and perceive themselves as fat in comparison, rather than healthy and attractive  [58]   This sort of influence on an already insecure teenager could result in social and psychological problems. These include eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, anxiety problems, depression and low self-esteem in susceptible personalities. Such problems are not healthy for the individual and restrict their quality of life. These problems, especially anxiety and low self-esteem, may arise from viewing the cover of any teenage magazine. This visual imagery may cause teenagers to feel insecure about their own body image, out of touch with the latest trends and even confused. Positioned on the cover of Dolly  [59]  magazine, April 2005, is an image of singer, Jessica Simpson, who is thin, toned, tanned, blonde, beautiful and in public view is her tight stomach and ample bust. For any girl who is not one hundred per cent comfortable with her outward appearance that image can be disheartening and depressing. Those who do not recognise the name or face of the latest guys youd sell your best friend for  [60]  can feel as though they are not up with the latest gossip or workings of, so to speak, girl-world. Those who do not understand the headline Stuck in Bloat Town?  [61]  can become confused even before opening the magazine. All of these thoughts and feelings occur before the person has even open ed the magazine. Once the magazine is opened, however, the feelings may continue or cease, it all depends on what part of the magazine the reader focuses on. The advertisements tend to send a completely different message than the articles they are placed next to and results in vulnerable teenage girls feeling uncertain about what message the magazine is trying to send. This mainly occurs when an article about healthy body image is placed next to image displaying a perceivably flawless, thin model.  [62]   Another impact on teenagers is caused by the fashions that models are seen wearing in magazines. These fashions influence the readers preferences. Teenagers will believe that if they wear that brand of clothing and that style of clothing they will look better and impress. This is not always the case, the clothes in magazines are often suggestive and send the wrong message. It could be interpreted that shes asking for trouble and a rebel when she is only following trends being fed by the magazines. Males can also be affected by these magazines, as well as females. It is a widely known fact that these images misrepresent the ideal body image for females but: There is growing awareness regarding the pressure men and boys are under to appear muscular.  

The Future Of Religion :: essays research papers

The future of religion 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light…'(Gen 1:1.5) '…then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. '(Gen 2:7) This part from the bible is a typical example of what people used to believe before scientists came and gave logical explanations to the questions of mankind.It is possible, of course, to define a non-supernatural "religious" worldview that is not in conflict with science. But in all of its traditional forms, the supernatural religious worldview makes the assumption that the universe and its inhabitants have been designed and created by "forces" or beings which transcend the material world. The material world is postula ted to reflect a mysterious plan originating in these forces or beings, a plan which is knowable by humans only to the extent that it has been revealed to an exclusive few. Criticising or questioning any part of this plan is strongly discouraged, especially where it touches on questions of morals or ethics. Science, on the other hand, assumes that there are no transcendent, immaterial forces and that all forces which do exist within the universe behave in an ultimately objective or random fashion. The nature of these forces, and all other scientific knowledge, is revealed only through human effort in a dynamic process of inquiry. The universe as a whole is assumed to be neutral to human concerns and to be open to any and all questions, even those concerning human ethical relationships. Such a universe does not come to us with easy answers. We must come to it and be prepared to work hard. According to Thomas W. Clark science and religion are in a battle from the day that scientists g ot in the fields of the theologises

My Philosophy of Education :: Educational Teaching Teachers Essays

My Philosophy of Education While thinking about my personal philosophy of education and such questions as "What is the purpose of education?' or "What is the role of the teacher?" I have come to realize that my personal views can only be described as eclectic. I find that I agree with some (but not all) of the tenets of many of the major philosophies so far as education is concerned. My personal belief is that there is no single "way" of educating or education that is correct for every child, and as a future teacher I believe that I must be willing to be flexible and adaptable to any given situation , utilizing my knowledge of the various philosophies of education to create an approach to education that will provide each student with a learning environment and a learning experience that is best for him or her. When it comes to the curriculum taught in schools, I agree with the Perennialists' view that the curriculum should include the works and ideas of the Great Thinkers of the past, the fine arts, and philosophy, as well as the view that teachers should also instruct students in both character training and positive moral development. This is not just a job for the parents of children but for all adults in society as well, and since teachers spend almost as much time with children as their parents it is foolish to think that children will not look at the teacher as a role model whether or not the teacher intends for them to. I also agree with the Essentialist point of view that the curriculum should include such subjects as reading, writing, history, mathematics, sciences, foreign languages, computer skills, geography, social studies, and government. I feel that students who have a strong background in the basics of a variety of topics will have a better school experience and will be better prepared not only for higher education experiences, or experiences in the job market, but for life experiences in general. I also feel, like the Social Reconstructivists, that students need a curriculum that addresses the topics of cultural pluralism, human relations, social problems, and global issues as well. Students need to be aware of what goes on in the world, of their role in it, their responsibility to it, and of the ways that they can bring about changes in a positive way.

Hawthorne :: essays research papers

"A 'place in the mind', wherever or whatever it may be, can only ever be fictitious. In the act of its creation, the 'place' is formed by a process that necessitates an imaginative leap; it does not actually exist, and therefore its constituent elements have to be imagined, made up by the creator. For a place - in this case, America - to exist in the realms of the mind, it must be a place that exists outside of a corporeal, material reality. Fiction becomes the perfect arena to present this place, because its very nature allows imagined, idealised and remembered places to exist, a venue where the intangibility of these places can achieve a tangible realisation. Between the pages of a book, the place in the mind can become real, if only for a while; the America that exists between the pages of its nation's fiction is often an America of the mind, but an America that for a fleeting moment achieves a kind of actuality." Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Blithedale Romance", is the first person narration of a man bent upon joining a world that has no need of him by imposing an arbitrary order upon his reality. Blithedale, is a novel of polarities. Just as Coverdale imposes order on reality, Zenobia, the feminine voice of creation, understands reality as a fragmented thing that cannot have order forced upon it. We see in the novel oppositions in communities, in social order, and in place. But, Hawthorne also gives us a richly crafted story about what it is that defines community and the common spirit or communal soul. The romance, of this book, is not just that of man and woman, but of the romantic ideals of society and of order. Coverdale, who is the namesake of the primary translator of the King James bible, is a man bent upon making the world be what he wants it to be. Hawthorne's, The Blithedale Romance, provides the reader with a set of beliefs, ideals, and aspirations, that become ideologies that actually mask reality thus pitting the utopian hopes of Blithedale against actual human behaviors - which makes for a difficult conflict at best Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts, into an old Puritan family. Hawthorne's own 17th-century ancestors, as he frankly admitted, had been among the real-life Puritan zealots. "Young Goodman Brown" is a story of initiation. Evil is the nature of mankind.

Imagery in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Essay

In Hamlet, imagery of disease, poison and decay, are used by William Shakespeare for many purposes. Marcellus’ line in Act I illustrates the use of this imagery very well, â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.† Corruption is rampant, like a contagious disease infecting the court. The atmosphere of disease serves to heighten the audience’s disgust for the events that are taking place in the play. Secondly, disease leads to death, so the diseased society of Denmark is doomed. Because of this sense of doom, there is a slight foreshadowing of the play’s tragic ending. The tragic atmosphere is enhanced by the motif of disease and decay. These descriptions of disease, poison, and decay help us to understand the bitter relationships, the anxious, chaotic atmosphere, and also the emotional and moral decay of the characters existing in the play. The image of decay is first used at the end of Act I to help comprehend the depression Hamlet feels in his first soliloquy about suicide. When Hamlet releases the words â€Å"O that this too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,† (I.ii, 129-130) he communicates how he wishes to not exist in this world anymore. An image of Hamlet’s flesh rotting and combining with the soil is produced. At this moment, Hamlet’s true emotions liberate, and his pain and his yearn for death can be felt. Hamlet continues to say â€Å"How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on’t, ah, fie, ’tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely.†(I.ii, 133-137) Here, Hamlet feels that the world around him is useless and in constant chaos. By creating these vivid images of death and decay, Shakespeare lets us peer into Hamlet’s soul and recognize his real underlying motivations. Claudius’ relationship with Hamlet is harsh, for he harbors a great hatred for his nephew and even feels threatened and at risk when he is by Hamlet. Claudius says â€Å"But like the owner of a foul disease. To keep it from divulging, let it feed even on the pith of life.†(IV.i, 21-23) Claudius speaks these lines when he is with the queen after the death of Polonius. The King says that he is the owner of a foul disease- Hamlet. The degree to which he despises Hamlet and his goal to prevent him from ruining this new life of his is unveiled. This shows us how endless Claudius’ hatred is  towards Hamlet. Claudius’ extreme anger and frustration is displayed when he says, â€Å"For like the hectic in my blood he rages, And though must cure me.†(IV.iii, 62-63) Claudius describes Hamlet as a vicious disease traveling through his own blood. Hamlet is trapped so deep in the midst of Claudius’ utter hatred of him, that Claudius wants Hamlet dead. Only when Hamlet is gone, Claudius can be cured from this ghastly disease that he suffers. The images of disease express the genuine feelings felt by Claudius. Imagery highlights the poor, horrid relationship that exists between father and stepson, uncle and nephew, king and heir. Shakespeare illuminates Claudius’ true sentiment with these images of disease. Hamlet gravely carries a reciprocal hatred for his uncle who has now become even more connected to him as his step-father and who has also risen in rank to serve as the powerful king of England. Hamlet’s knowledge of Claudius killing his father stems his hatred, therefore Hamlet can not feel anything but disgust and loathing for him. â€Å"Not where he eats, but where ‘a is eaten. A certain convocation of politic worms are e’en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet. We fat all creature else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots.†(IV.iii; 19-22) Claudius has just asked Hamlet where Polonius is, and Hamlet replies ever so mockingly by saying he is at dinner. Hamlet killed Polonius and hates Claudius so much that he can even speak of the death of the King’s friend with such vulgarity. By saying â€Å"A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm,†(IV. iii, 25-26) Hamlet again proves his hatred towards the King. Through his blatant rudeness, Hamlet surprises the King with the fact that even Kings can decay and be eaten. Hamlet’s smart and sneaky comments have underlying meanings that reveal to us his deep, eternal hatred for the king. The images of decay and rotting expose us to Hamlet’s true feelings for the King. The morality of several characters also decay. For example, Gertrude knowingly commits adultery by marrying her husband’s brother only months after his death. Only after Hamlet’s exchange with her in Act III does she appear to feel guilt or remorse for what she has done. Gertrude may be an obviously morally corrupt character, but the center of the play’s evil plots  and true decadence resides in Claudius. Claudius’ list of sins include the murder of his brother and usurp of his kingdom then marriage of his sister-in-law. In Act III he openly admits his guilt and tries to pray for forgiveness but is unable to put his heart into it, showing that he does not truly repent his sins. In addition, Claudius is also a manipulator and a hypocrite. This is revealed in Act IV when Laertes comes to Claudius demanding revenge, and the king builds up Laertes’ rage and directs it towards Hamlet. He plans various conniving schemes such as sending Hamlet to England to unknowingly be executed. When this plot fails, he stoops down even lower as to try to poison him. But Hamlet can be said to deserve some of these instances as punishments, though for Hamlet’s moral character also changes completely through the course of the play. Initially, Hamlet was extremely cautious; he was not sure of the true nature and goodness of the ghost and even doubted if Claudius had actually murdered his father, hence his decision to not act until he was sure, as shown by his â€Å"Rogue and Peasant Slave† soliloquy at the end of Act II. Likewise, at the end of Act III he again puts off killing Claudius because he does not want his father’s murderer to go to heaven, which would occur if he died while praying. Furthermore, Hamlet was once very conscientious, but in Act IV he suddenly stabs Polonius through the drapery, thinking it is Claudius, and from that point his ethics and morality falls rapidly downhill. Finally, he ruthlessly sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, his old friends and confidants, to their deaths simply for serving the king and also to save himself. His â€Å"How all occasions inform against me† soliloquy in Act IV demonstrates how his priorities have changed too, and he will finally attempt to act in order for revenge and also to preserve his honor. Hamlet speaks of Fortinbras’ bravery and his own cowardice and concludes, â€Å"O, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!† (IV,iv,65-66) This Hamlet of bloody thoughts and revenge is totally different from the previous Hamlet who once had to be sure that Claudius was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt before his slaughter. In this play moral principles within numerous characters experience a substantial decay. It is evident that Shakespeare uses the imagery of poison, decay and disease to develop and enhance the various conflicts surrounding the play and also  the heavy, disarrayed atmosphere hovering over it. In Hamlet we truly see what a great deal of depth imagery provides us with. The imagery of disease, poison and decay gives us a chance to truly understand the complicated emotions that the characters experience in their mind and soul. The reader perceives the pervasive chaotic mood, helping them to better understand all aspects of this classic work. Also, with the imagery created by Shakespeare, we as readers, can actually comprehend the feelings that are experienced by the characters in Hamlet, that are not always obvious, but remain definitely very important to secure optimum understanding of a great piece of literature.

Crude oil

Crude oil is a necessity for the emerging as well as the existing industries all over the world. It has the power to affect production because it's a raw material which Is used for producing petrol etc. The fluctuations In the price of crude oil can affect the economy on a large scale. The price of crude oll Is affected by the demand and the supply like any other good. In times of bottlenecks the price Is expected to rise whereas when there is an oversupply of crude oll the price tends to fall. Crude oil prices have varied over the last 50 years.In June, OPEC production fell by 370,000 barrels, this was mainly caused due to hindrances such as conflicts In the Middle East and the production strikes In Nlgerla . As a result this affected the price of crude 011 and It rose substantially. The prices of crude oll were subject to some major fluctuations In recent years. It can be observed that the price of crude 011 rose as much as $140/barrel approximately in 2008. 1n the same year it fel l as low as $40,' barrel approximately. In the years 2010 and 2011 it constantly increased from $80,' barrel and reached a maximum price of $122/barrel approximately.In the years 2012 and 201 3 the price of crude oil fluctuated in the range of $100/barrel and $120/ barrel. High crude oil prices can be responsible for cost push inflation in the economy. Cost push inflation is caused mainly due to an increase in the price of raw material. Crude oil is a raw material and is predominantly used for transportation. Transportation is a vital part of the production process. Increase in the price of crude il would mean that the transportation costs increase. This in turn affects the production cost and finally the high costs fall heavily on the consumers in the form of high prices.The Oil market has been unstable since the 1970's and has been overblown by many serious disruptions. As a result the oil market has lost its market share and people have now shifted to other energy sources availab le . The market for alternative energy sources has expanded as its much cheaper then crude oil. People have now shifted to cheaper fuels such as natural gas, bio-diesel etc. However other ut expensive alternatives of crude oil have also emerged for e. g. Carbon free cars, these are cars which run on rechargeable battery and they are also environment friendly.Crude oil is one of the major energy source and most of the countries still consume It heavily-UK imports crude oll and as a result its suffering from Imported Inflation currently. The crude oil prices are expected to Increase In the near future and this In turn would further contribute to Inflation In the economy. If the prices of crude oll aren't controlled then It can be said that Crude oll will continue to lose Its arket share -In order to bring stablllty In the oll market It needs to get rid of disruptions caused by various conflicts In the oll producing countries. rude oil By ‘hatewar world. It has the power to affec t production because it's a raw material which is used for producing petrol etc. The fluctuations in the price of crude oil can affect the economy on a large scale. The price of crude oil is affected by the demand and the supply like any other good. In times of bottlenecks the price is expected to rise whereas when there is an oversupply of crude oil the price tends to fall. Crude oil barrels, this was mainly caused due to hindrances such as conflicts in the Middle East and the production strikes in Nigeria .As a result this affected the price of crude oil and it rose substantially. The prices of crude oil were subject to some major fluctuations in recent years. It can be observed that the price of crude oil rose as much as $140/barrel approximately in 2008. 1n the same year it fell as low as $40/ barrel approximately. In the years 2010 and 2011 it constantly increased from $80/ and 2013 the price of crude oil fluctuated in the range of $100/barrel and $120/ hare and people have now shifted to other energy sources available .The market for consume it heavily. UK imports crude oil and as a result its suffering from imported inflation currently. The crude oil prices are expected to increase in the near future and this in turn would further contribute to inflation in the economy. If the prices of crude oil aren't controlled then it can be said that Crude oil will continue to lose its market share . ln order to bring stability in the oil market it needs to get rid of disruptions caused by various conflicts in the oil producing countries.