Sunday, September 29, 2019

Multilateral vs bilateral diplomacy Essay

Governments need to develop international relations in different fields like security, and trade as well as to decide the option of engaging in a bilateral or multilateral basis with other countries through diplomacy. Bilateralism and multilateralism have supporters and detractors; however the multilateral approach has increased since the end of the Second World War and thanks to the globalisation that affects all the countries around the world. In this way, the international intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) have become important actors in global governance, cooperating in problem-solving agreements and providing activities to face global problems. IGOs can also be independent actors. Bilateralism is considered the reflection of the distribution of powers between the parties, where the dominant country generally takes advantage, while multilateralism is viewed as relations that follow a pattern of principles. This paper will argue why countries prefer multilateral engagement through international organisations rather than bilateral one with other states. The first part of the essay will focus on the need of states to engage with others. The second part will give a broader definition of bilateralism and multilateralism, the main strengths and weaknesses of each approach. The third part will cover the different role of multilateral organisations in diplomacy. Finally, the fourth part will explain the advantages of the multilateralism that place it as the preferred engagement among countries. Some examples and case studies will be used to remark this tendency. The essay however will finish with some challenges that the multilateralism approach face in the near future. Why countries need to engage with others As the whole society, countries cannot be isolated from the world, this means that they need to develop a foreign policy of how to deal with others, negotiating their interests and solving problems that can arise with the neighbours. This process is named diplomacy (Wright 2011). Diplomacy can be on an individual basis (bilateralism) or in groups of three or more (multilateralism) where states follow principles in their relationship. Asian countries rely mainly in the first approach, meanwhile European countries prefer the second one (Wright 2011). According to the  international relations theory, states may create international law and international institutions, and may enforce the rules they codify. Nevertheless, these rules do not determine a state to act in a defined manner, but instead the underlying material interests and power relations. Institutions also may increase information about states behaviour diminishing the significant uncertainty of cooperation. Also, they can increase efficiency, reducing the transaction costs and providing a venue where states can meet as well as they provide norms, practices and decision making procedures to shape expectations and allow a quickly settle on a specific course of action. It is important to remember that states are configurations of individual and group interests that were constructed from mix of history, ideas, norms, and beliefs and that project those interests into the international system through a particular kind of government (Slaughter 2011). Bilateralism and Multilateralism ‘Bilateralism is a value-free concept, and the substance and output are likely to be driven by the relative power between the two parties and, by extension, by the interests of the stronger party’ (Wright 2011). Bilateralism could be discriminatory if the powerful state tries to get the best deal according to its interests with other states on an individual and ad hoc basis as small states depend on its markets. However, this approach could also bring benefits like the risk reduction since actions are controlled and the probability for reciprocal benefits is higher (Wright 2011). ‘Multilateralism, by contrast, organises relations between three or more states along a set of basic principles that lay out certain expectations of behaviour that all parties must agree to and abide by, including the strongest party’ (Wright 2011). The different challenges that states have faced in terms of security, peacekeeping, disease control, human rights violations, and pollu tion in the last few decades have demonstrated that these factors are complex and cannot be managed by a country or a group, no matter how powerful or effective it can be, it is a global issue (Powell 2003). Policy prescriptions of multilateral organisations seem to be intrusive in terms of state sovereignty, becoming difficult to agree and implement in most cases (Roberts 2009). Multilateralism background and International Organisations Multilateral cooperation origins can be traced a long way back through congresses and conferences, such as the Congress of Westphalia from 1644 to 1648, the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and the Congress of Paris in 1856. In terms of committees, the first ones were set up to deal with technical matters like the Commissions to regulate the Rhine, the Danube and other rivers. In 1874, the Universal Postal Union was created after the Berne Conference to allow letters stamped and posted in one country could be transported and delivered in another. In terms of Peace, the First Hague Conference of 1899 and the Concert of Europe in from 1815 to 1914 were established. In 1919, after the First World War, the League of Nations appeared ‘to promote international cooperation and to achieve international peace and security’. Finally, the United Nations was born in 1947 after the Second World War with wider aims open to all states (Roberts 2009, Wiseman & Basu, 2013). The international organisations can belong to universal multilateralism (United Nations – UN), regional multilateralism (European Union – EU), value-based multilateralism (North Atlantic Treaty Organization – NATO) or minilateralism (G20) or a mix of some approaches (Wright 2011). They have changed the representation from nation-state governments’ diplomatic to non-state diplomatic actors thank to their role of diplomacy facilitation venue (Pigman 2010). Their participation model will vary depending on their category. Universal multilateralism is open to all states without taking in account their geographic location, size or regime. The barriers of entry are relatively low but the states participation can be on one-state/one-vote basis (General Assembly of United Nations) or weighting vote in the basis of population, wealth or financial contribution (International Monetary Fund – IMF) (Wright 2011, Pigman 2010, Karns & Mingst 2013). The regional multilateralism ‘focuses on policy coordination and cooperation among states in a specific geographic region’ while the values-based multilateralism relies on their own values in terms of security, economic or human rights matters. Finally, minilateralism ‘allows a powerful state or a small group of states to convene a select group that is capable of acting in a timely manner and in a way that is proportionate to the challenge at hand’. The participation in the regional multilateralism and the minilateralism is inclusive but depending on the institution and  culture of the members can be majoritarian or consensus (Wright 2011, Pigman 2010, Karns & Mingst 2013). Multilateral engagement through international organisations International institutions (IGOs) can play a complementary role with states being the universal multilateralism ones the preferred thanks to the benefits granted to the members. States, most of the time, join the IGOs pursuing their national interests or to solve problems mainly in public goods, telecommunications, transportation among others (Karns & Mingst 2013). It is also said that IGOs can build up democracy enhancing domestic constitutional mechanisms and strengthen the principle of reciprocity among countries allowing compensations or other ameliorative actions. IGOs also concede the opportunity to diffuse general interests against special ones thanks to the public agendas, and disseminate important technical information that can be implemented and adapted according to the nations’ needs. Finally, IGOs have empowered societies protecting individual and minority rights, fostering collective deliberation or discussion and improving the participatory strands (Keohane, Macedo & Moravcsik 2009). The United Nations (UN) is the best known of the world’s universal institutions, and even when all countries are welcome, not all receive the same treatment (Wright 2011). The UN has at the moment 193 members and six principal organs: the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the Secretariat, being the most important the General Assembly and the Security Council. The General Assembly allows each member state has one vote however its resolutions are non-binding in a legal sense and only motivate governments to implement them. By contrary, in the case of the Security Council, the five permanent member countries (China, France, United Kingdom, Russian Federation and United States) has the right to veto, and together the other eleven members (elected for two years from the rest of UN members) can authorise to sanction and use the force to preserve or restore peace between nations (Pigman 2010, Wiseman & Basu 2013). Even if this participatory approach could disappoint countries, the fact is that most of the members prefer the UN as their main form of Diplomacy thanks to the opportunity to present proposals, express discomfort or ask for help in specific issues. The UN, through its vast network composed by foundations, major university centres, key NGOs, UN associations, think tanks,  institutes, and prominent individuals, can seek for solutions, programs and activities (Wiseman & Basu 2013). In terms of peace negotiation and new states democracy, the UN has some successful stories as Namibia and East Timor. In the case of Namibia, in 1990, the African country of Namibia became the 160th member of the United Nations after a long process of patient and persistent efforts from the UN that could persuade South Africa to fulfil its colonial mandate in the territory. During Namibia transition, UNTAG (United Nations Transition Assistance Group); consisting of people of 124 nationalities, almost 8,000 troops, and a civilian support and local staff of almost 2,000; worked for around one year to ensure the electoral process and monitor the ceasefire between the South West Africa People’s Organization and South African forces, and the withdrawal and demobilization of all military forces in Namibia (Johnson 2010). In East Timor’s independence, the UN also played an important role to end Indonesia’s 24-year occupation. The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) was established to provide an integrated, multidimensional peacekeeping operation and was fu lly responsible for the administration of East Timor until 2002 when its transition to independence was completed. The entire infrastructure required to ensure the prosperity of the new democracy was established, and it is told that the UN’s involvement in this small, remote country goes back much further – to the months after the brutal Indonesian invasion of December 1975, when a young, bearded Timorese by the name of Jose Ramos Horta pleaded at the UN Security Council for international support (Head 2012). Until now, only examples of ‘high politics’ (armed conflicts) have been given, however, the UN is also well-known for its support in ‘low politics’ (socioeconomic factors as poverty and resource scarcity) to its members (Wiseman & Basu 2013). Specialised economic agencies such as the UN Council on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) are in charge of much of th e work (Pigman 2010). Important proposals have been raised in these topics, and countless programmes and projects have been executed in developing countries mainly. Examples are Mongolian microfinance plans that have helped this country to pass a centrally planned  to a market-driven economy and have an average annual GDP growth rate of about 5 percent. In Bulgaria, a project named ‘Beautiful Bulgaria’ focused on vocational training for the unemployed, training to small and medium enterprises, start-up financing for small businesses, renovating tourism sites, sporting facilities and playgrounds made possible in 2007 that Bulgaria was admitted to the European Union. The Danube River flows through many Eastern European countries before reaching the Black Sea. In terms of environment, the Black Sea and the Danube River Basin programme has given measurable improvement as countries collectively identified their transboundary problem and agreed to environmental solution. For decades, the discharge of polluted water into the Danube resulted in nutrient over-enrichment in the Black Sea, affecting fish stocks, beaches and the incidence of waterborne disease. The dissolution of the Soviet Union provided an opportunity for countries in the region to launch a collaborative effort to address this issue (UNDP 2011). The UN not only gives the opportunity to deal well-known issues like the ones mentioned before, but it also provides the chance to explore new fields in Diplomacy. An example of this is the current condemnation of United States (US) espionage by Latin America and other countries that feel their sovereignty violated even when the US defends its programme as a tool to fight against terrorism (Stea, 2013). The media has played a key role in this topic pushing the US actual administration to propose changes to the National Security Agency (NSA) program as the promise that US government will no longer store the phone call information, however these ‘changes’ are not clear enough yet for the international community (Ackerman & Roberts 2014). In 2001, United States achieved the support of the UN Security Council that require d states to freeze the assets of individuals or institutions believed to be associated with terrorism (Keohne, Macedo & Moravcsik), however the panorama does not look the same for this issue. Diplomacy through UN has mainly been successful in regulating the international travel through the certification of airports by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the establishment of safety standards; ensuring that products for export meet international standards (e.g. milk, bananas, coffee, tea); ensuring that international agreements are implemented by the member states, for example, agreements relating to shared resources (i.e. animals,  rivers/lakes, logging, etc.); promoting cooperation among various countries, especially within the south (East Asia), resulting in exchange of information, scholarships, businesses, etc.; raising public awareness through international conferences, e.g. Environment (Rio), Human Settlement (Istanbul), Gender (Beijing), the plight of children (New York); promoting technical assistance in various fields to its member states in the third world; and providing shelter and relief to millions of refugees from war and persecution, as well as supporting the repatriation and resettlement of refugees and displaced persons (UNDP 2011). Finally, the UN as venue has also allowed the increase of ‘public diplomacy’ (since conferences are open to the media, therefore to an international audience), the ‘behind-the-scenes bilateral diplomacy’ (because in many cases the UN resolution approaches the parties who after bilateral negotiations solve common issues), and the ‘polylateral diplomacy’ (the relationship between the state and non-state representatives composed by NGOs working with the UN) that could be seen as a network diplomacy (Wiseman & Basu, 2013). Multilateralism Challenges Most of IGOs are labelled as ‘western’, with a strong influence of some members like United States which have unresolved historical grievances. Countries like China, that in the 2000s played a leading role in the construction of multilateral structures in Asia, concerns Washington since it considers that Beijing is using soft power to marginalise the United States. Climate change also poses a threat to all states because the major carbon emitters cannot agree to find a solution as it affects their interests. Compromise not always produces the level of cooperation required to solve a problem (Wright 2011). Nowadays, some of the challenges are referred to asymmetries in the evolving process of multiple channels and levels of diplomatic representation and interaction with the rise of such new powers as Brazil, Germany, India and South Africa. Also, the UN diplomacy is now tied to a larger and more complex diplomatic community of diplomats and non-state actors (Pigman 2010, Wiseman & Basu 2013). Another issue is related to structures. ‘The UN’s basic structure has not evolved with the changing international political climate and configurations. Most obviously, the P5 member states’ privileged status has skewed the relations  between government representatives who otherwise hold equal legal status in the international state system’ (Kerr & Wiseman 2013). To maintain the institution’s legitimacy, efficiency and its role of global governance, deep changes need to be done. Sensitive topics and decisions should be addressed in a correct way. For example, nowadays, the Syria crisis has provoked a wave of critics against the UN that have qualified the organisation as incompetent to find effective solutions to this kind of situations that harms innocent people. Another difficult topic is in terms of the nuclear weapon testing even when the nuclear non-proliferation treaty was signed by 190 nations, including five nations that admitted to owning nuclear weapons: France, England, Russia, China, and the US. The nuclear stockpiles remain high, and numerous nations continue to develop these devastating weapons, including North Korea, Israel, Pakistan, and India. These failures of compliance of the non-proliferation treaty and the inability to enforce crucial rules and regulations on offending nations have increased the criticism towards the UN effectiveness. Finally, resolutions related to sensitive topics as the human rights for gay, lesbian and transgender people may provoke the refusal of member countries that do not share this idea, and that could interpret this as an imposition from Western countries (Crary 2011) Conclusion Diplomacy through multilateral engagement represents the favourite channel of most of the countries thanks to the benefits it represents. States can get active participation in forums and raise petitions as well as to sign agreements that not only involve another state-party but even non-state actors. Technical assistance, humanitarian aid, democracy enhancement, complaints are some of the advantages of the IGO’s as venue, being the United Nations the most well-known thanks to its structure. Other IGO’s like the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO are also important as venue to deal with common issues in a universal or regional basis. However, these IGO’s, mainly the UN, also face challenges that need to be solved to continue the model in the future. The current structure of the Security Council with 5 privileged members has been pushed in the last years to change and enlarge if the UN pretends to continue be considered as ‘the centrepiece of global governanceà ¢â‚¬â„¢, effective and legitimate. The rise of the so-called BRIC  countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) have made the decision making process more carefully as the shift of power in the system is undeniable. References Ackerman, S & Roberts, D 2014, ‘Obama presents NSA reforms with plan to end government storage of call data’, The Guardian, 18 January, viewed 19 January 2014, . Crary, D 2011, ‘U.N. Gay Rights Protection Resolution Passes, Hailed As ‘Historic Moment’’, Huffington Post, 17 June, viewed 19 January 2014, . Head, J 2012, ‘East Timor: UN ends peacekeeping mission’, BBC News Asia, 31 December, viewed 19 January 2014, . Johnson, K 2010, ‘Celebrating a United Nations success story’, LaCross Tribune, 23 April, viewed 19 January 2014, . Karns, M & Mingst, K 2013, ‘International Organizations and Diplomacy’, in A Cooper, J Heine & R Thakur (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Modern Diplomacy, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 142-159. Keohane, R, Macedo, S & Moravcsik, A 2009, ‘Democracy-Enhancing Multilateralism’, International Organization, Vol. 63, pp. 1-31. Osler, F & Heinbecker, P 2011, ‘The â€Å"New† Multilateralism of the Twenty-First Century’, Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 299-310. Pigman, G 2010, ‘Multilateral Institutions, Supranational Polities, Regional Bodies’, Contemporary Diplomacy, Polity Press, Cambridge, pp. 56-69. Powell, L 2003, ‘In Defense of Multilateralism’, Global Environmental Governance: the Post-Johannesburg Agenda, Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, viewed 19 January 2014, . Roberts, I 2009a, ‘Legal Framework for Multilateral Diplomacy’, in Sir I Roberts (ed), Satow’s Diplomatic Practice, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 287-315. ______ 2009b, ‘Theory of Multilateral Diplomacy’, in Sir I Roberts (ed), Satow’s Diplomatic Practice, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 317-320. Slaughter, A 2011, ‘International Relations, Principal Theories’ in R Wolfrum (ed), Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 722-727. Stea, C 2013, ‘Latin America Condemns US Espionage at United Nations Security Council’, Global Research, 17 August, viewed 19 January 2014, . United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2011, Case Studies of Sustained and Successful Development Cooperation: Supporting Transformational Change, UNDP, viewed 19 January 2014 . Wiseman, G & Basu, S 2013, ‘The United Nations’, in P Kerr & G Wiseman (eds), Diplomacy in a Globalizing World: Theories & Practices, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 319-335. Wright, T 2013, ‘Bilateral and Multilateral Diplomacy in Normal Times and in Crises’, in P Kerr & G Wiseman (eds), Diplomacy in a Globalizing World: Theories & Practices, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 175-191.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Edward Bloom

Who is Edward Bloom? By: Michael Preciutti Edward Bloom is a hero. He is a man driven with optimism, cares for others and makes their lives better, and he is a man that wants only to be remembered when he passes away. It is his charming good looks and his ability to create a friendship with whomever he becomes acquainted with, which enables Edward to stay a remembered hero. But what keeps him most separated from the usual person is his astounding ways in which he tells his stories. Blooms stories tell of a man filled with courage, honor, leadership, and great strength, all of which are characteristics of an epic hero.As a child he began to show signs of such characteristics when he was pressured by his friends to sneak into an old witches house to steal her glass eye. Of course, the witch took a liking to him and he found himself a new friend. Such an act most vividly displays an immense sense of courage and honor towards his word. In another scene, the young man is asked by his town to ward off of an evil creature that has destroyed several buildings. Bloom realizes thought that the creature was only a man†¦ a very large man living in a very small town.The man’s name was Karl and he found it hard to fit in as Edward points out, â€Å"Most things considered evil are just lonely. † Such leadership as Edward Bloom creates in the scene is also found throughout the rest of the film. Edward Bloom is a hero not only because he helps people like Karl, or journey’s through scary woods barefoot, or even because he was hit by a carnival ride that sent him flying three hundred feet in the air and survived without a single injury, but also because he is remembered for more than a lifetime.His stories live forever, as well as his life’s adventures. Edward Blood exemplifies what it means to be a hero. A hero is supposed to be courageous, strong, loyal, and most importantly, remembered. Edwards’s stories had been told so many times that they had allowed him to become immortal. He was a perennial figure amongst those he knew his stories.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Public Health Preparedness and Safety Assignment

Public Health Preparedness and Safety - Assignment Example From the reading, the healthcare and the public agency that is involved in the simulation is the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction or simply the ISDR. In this case, the strategy generally involves various organizations, institutions and universities which mostly comes together to reduce the number of the injured and the dead by disasters which are triggered by some of the natural hazards. Generally, the agency has been engaging in various concepts and measures that protect the community’s health and safety aspects. One of the main concepts for protecting the safety and health aspects of the involved communities is by upgrading building constructions in the community. There is the believe that in most cases, earthquakes never kill people, but instead, the houses do kill people when they collapse. Therefore, the agency prefers building resilient houses especially in communities and areas, which are prone to earthquakes. Building resilient houses in earthquake prone areas gives the communities a chance to survive especially when the hazard strike. Another concept that helps in protecting the involved communities is through legislations. In a situation where construction of hotels is not allowed to at least 200 meters from the water body, then it means that most tourists visiting the area will be safe from hurricane and floods. Alternatively, education remains one of the major concepts and measures in the reduction of negative natural hazard impacts. In this case, the ISDR plays a significant role in convincing the government in making the world a safer place (Playerthree and UN/ISDR, 2007). One of the best decisions made in the simulations is the construction of resilient houses especially in areas that are prone to earthquakes through a plan known as Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015. Building resilient houses in earthquake prone areas gives the communities a

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Changes in Homosexual Identity and Christianity Term Paper

Changes in Homosexual Identity and Christianity - Term Paper Example This paper will look at various methods that are related to homosexuality in Christian counseling. The concept will begin with looking at traditional viewpoints and how these have altered in the current time frame, specifically with the integration of psychology and biological factors related to homosexuality. This will be combined with the diversity that is growing in the community which is pushing Christian churches to re-examine their beliefs about homosexuality. There will then be an examination of the main methods that are being used by Christian counselors to assist those who are facing the identity of homosexuality, specifically with perspectives that relate to the responses and assistance which is given. The paper will also examine alternative perspectives that relate to this, specifically which pertain to the environment which one is in, social status of homosexuality in the church and the changes which are being made. An examination of the limitations and potential of Chris tian counseling for homosexuality will also be looked into, specifically to provide a well – rounded perspective about homosexuality and how it currently is linked to growth and development in the church and for Christian counseling. The initial reaction from most Christian branches was based on the rejection of homosexuality. Many believed that the concept of being gay or lesbian was also one which rejected higher spirituality and religion and which didn’t provide integration into the main associations with religion. However, many current changes are beginning to be approached, specifically with the understanding that there are newer problems and types of social groups which are also Christian. Without approaching individuals that are in this specific area, there is the inability to create a difference in one’s life while providing an examination of deeper spirituality. This main problem has led to new ideals in Christianity, specifically by examining the psychological perspective and how it relates to Christianity. It is from this main attribute of combining both experiences that many Christian counselors have been able to find a new perspective to homosexuality and the way in which it should be looked into within society (Stevenson, 2007). The changes with counseling which occurred were not only based on the ideology that spirituality and psychology both related to the other. There were also many who began to discover that there was more to homosexuality than being of a higher or lower s pirituality. There were many churches which began to find that gay and lesbian individuals would regularly come to the church and were not condemned from the practice of spirituality because of the altered lifestyle. Other denominations began to find and discover the biological processes, scientific explanations and other ideologies from the psychology of an individual were associated with the practice of homosexuality. These several new

Pubic health pharmacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pubic health pharmacy - Essay Example Each ethnicity has different barriers that they must overcome to help them prevent, manage, or cure a certain health issue. During the behavioral diagnosis, each student was responsible for interviewing two African Americans and understanding their view of health problems. Diabetes and high cholesterol were the other two major health concerns among the African American society along with hypertension. Many of the people that were interviewed had one of these diseases themselves or someone in their immediate family were suffering from these diseases. The disease according to the interviewers was more common for people that were busy with uptight schedules. From our perspectives and understanding many of the interviewers didn’t seem to take their health as significantly as they should be. From such observations, we concluded perhaps they are not as aware of the risks and prognosis of such a potent disease. The SPSS data helped us confirm the major health concerns among the Afric an-American population. Hypertension was the highest risk among the society with 35% followed by high cholesterol with approximately 20% and diabetes with 17%. The percentage is equal to the amount of people that were aware of their health conditions in each of the different disease states. Arthritis, Anemia and liver disease were not as common in the population as much as the other three stated above. Based on our interpretation of these data and our behavioral diagnosis we concluded hypertension as the most common risk among African-Americans. In the environmental diagnosis each one of the group members focused on a specific part of New York City that had a majority of African-Americans. To make it city wide we chose throughout the different boroughs. Comparing our results together we found a few things in common. All the areas had relatively many fast foods and a very few healthy food stores such as

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Can food education reduce the obesity levels in schools Dissertation

Can food education reduce the obesity levels in schools - Dissertation Example Aims and Objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..10 IV. Research Questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 V. Research Methodology and Design†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...12 Chapter Two/Literature Review†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦15 I. Definition of Obesity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.15 II. Causes of Obesity in Children†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...16 III. Health Risk Factors Associated with Childhood Obesity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.21 IV. Food Education in Schools as a Method for Reducing Obesity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦24 Chapter Three/The UK’s Strategies for Reducing Obesity in Schools†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.29 Chapter Four/Findings and Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.............37 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..40 Chapter One Introduction Childhood obesity has doubled in developed countries over the past twenty of so years. The prevalence and growth of childhood obesity and its attending problems have caused health care professionals to characterize childhood obesity as a â€Å"public health disaster waiting to happen,† a â€Å"massive tsunami† and â€Å"a health time-bomb† (Waters, Seidell and Sweinburn 2010, 3). Although the UK’s childhood obesity levels are not unique, they have reached unprecedented levels and remain a major concern for policy-makers and health officials. All indications are therefore that the UK as elsewhere, have not yet found a method for reducing or reversing childhood obesity (Great Britain National... This essay "Can food education reduce the obesity levels in schools?" outlines the importance of food education in school in order to prevent the level of obesity among children of shool age. Childhood obesity has doubled in developed countries over the past twenty of so years. The prevalence and growth of childhood obesity and its attending problems have caused health care professionals to characterize childhood obesity as a â€Å"public health disaster waiting to happen,† a â€Å"massive tsunami† and â€Å"a health time-bomb† (Waters, Seidell and Sweinburn 2010, 3). Although the UK’s childhood obesity levels are not unique, they have reached unprecedented levels and remain a major concern for policy-makers and health officials. All indications are therefore that the UK as elsewhere, have not yet found a method for reducing or reversing childhood obesity (Great Britain National Audit Office 2006, 9). In 2004, obesity was identified by the UK government as a major policy concern and targets were established for reducing childhood obesity by the year 2010. In 2006, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) publicized guidelines for preventing, identifying, assessing and managing obesity and overweight in both children and adults. The guidelines makes recommendations for the NHS, local authorities (LAs), the public and community partners that can be carried out in schools, the work environment, personally and within community projects (Aiken, Arai and Roberts 2008, 1).

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

How can maths promote cultural development in primary schools Essay

How can maths promote cultural development in primary schools - Essay Example Cultural development has become a critical part of social development for the UK which is why policy makers nowadays are keen on developing it at the grass root level. In education, this refers to activities, curriculum and teaching practices to mediate cultural conflict at the primary school level such as Key Stage 1 and 2. The central role of education in cultural development, according to Ofsted (2004), is inherently linked with enabling the young people to recognize and explore cultural assumptions, values, and traditions, and embrace culture within contemporary values, attitudes and social perspectives. It emphasizes the "appreciation of inter-dependence of different cultures" and thereby helps in mitigating racism challenges.Mathematics, a core curriculum subject in primary school, is a logic based subject which manifests in social interactions, structures and relations. According to Lerman (2001), mathematics develops social consciousness; it promotes interpretation of concept s and knowledge, in a constructive manner. Unlike other subjects, mathematics induces empirical practices. Instruction and development starts from the first day of a child's life, and continues throughout his/her life. Learning situations create practice. From this perspective, cultural tools and meta-cognitive tools jump start development processes. For example mathematics classrooms can be used as the place for introducing values attached to visual structuring (shapes), combining data, and calculating quantity.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Teen Pregnancy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Teen Pregnancy - Research Paper Example The United States has the highest number of teen pregnancy in the world with recent statistics revealing that nearly 46% of teenagers in the ages of 15-19 have indulged in sex (Teen pregnancy statistics). In order to reduce this growing rate of teenage pregnancy, abstinence from sex is widely recommended for teenagers by many conservative politicians and health personal by educating teenagers about the effects of pre-marital sexual practices. However, many pediatricians and health counselors have expressed that mere teaching of sexual abstinence would not be sufficient and have recommended that teenagers should have access to birth control and emergency contraceptive options which would be helpful, especially in cases where the teenager was forced in to sex. (Teen pregnancy statistics). Hence, despite the various views expressed teenage pregnancy can be effectively controlled and managed through adequate knowledge about sexual practices and access to birth control measures in additio n to sexual abstinence. At a younger age the sexual intercourse is mostly non-voluntary or unwanted (Teen pregnancy statistics; Facts on American; Tanne, 2005). And such unprotected, unwanted sex increases the risk of pregnancy or being affected with sexually transmitted diseases (Facts on American). Teen pregnancy not only affects the physical and mental strength of the teenagers, the children born to such teenagers also suffer from problems such as low-birth weight and tend to perform less well in school compared to children born to adult mothers (Teen pregnancy statistics). People, who believe that sexual abstinence is the only best way to reduce the occurrence of teenage pregnancy, stress that it is better not to teach teenagers more than what is required about sex as it would only result in an increased involvement towards sexual practices. Rearing a teenager with the right family values will definitely help to alleviate unnecessary thoughts about sex and sexual activities at a

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The effects of Zionism on American Jewish Novels Essay Example for Free

The effects of Zionism on American Jewish Novels Essay Zionism can be defined as the political movement aimed at the return of all the Jewish people to their native soil. Its primary role was to establish a state exclusively for the Jews in Palestine, controlled purely by the Jews. The term Zionism was coined by Nathan Birbaum, who also founded the first organization of Jewish nationalist students in the West. The Zionist belief is that the Jews are a nation and hence must remain in one place. Zionism derives its name from the Hebrew word ‘Zion’, which is a hill in Jerusalem, upon which, it is believed, King David’s palace was built. Zionism attained its goal in 1948 when the state of Israel was created for the Jews. The Zionist principles, though, evolved over time with the influence from socialism, colonialism, and the like in Europe. There were two primary factors for the Zionist movement. One was the fact that the Jews were dispersed throughout the world, and in each country, they represented a minority and were deprived of their rights and were subject to great atrocities. America’s economic growth resulted in millions of Europeans including a large number of Jews settling in the United States. Many such Jewish immigrants began to write their experiences in other countries like the United States. This, in time, led to the rise of some great Jewish novels and novelists, Saul Bellow, Henry Roth, and Philip Roth being only a few among them, writing about their trials and tribulations in a country which even after years seemed alien to them. The American Jewish novels of the 1960s helped in establishing the definition of American Jewish fiction. Slowly, American Jewish writing concentrated more on the expression of individual creativity rather than ethnicity. This could be seen in the works of many successful Jewish American writers, who focused more on the realities of life giving lesser importance to all the social and national movements held for the religion. Many of the American Jewish novels following World War II no longer centered on traditional ethnic themes of identity. There often was the element of Zionism and Judaism, but it was just like any other event in a novel. No prejudice could be traced in many such novels. All such aspects of religion, of course, were projected from many angles and it showed the characters’ perspective towards a particular faith, but there was no judging if they were right or wrong. The American Jewish novels concentrated more on the human and humane aspects of the protagonists’ characters rather than on particular faiths. And overall, if we see the reviews of the novels of Chaim Potok or Henry Roth, they are mostly positive reviews. The book Call It Sleep (Roth 2005) established Henry Roth’s reputation as a writer. Zionism appeared in the novels as just another aspect or event with the characters maintaining their own viewpoints. These novels could be read just like any other novels, and it is indeed worth mentioning that in spite of the Great Depression, this book did as best as it could. This set up a trend, and after decades of such successful American Jewish novels, the current generation of Jewish writers pursues a more diverse course, with some writers choosing to ignore their Jewish legacy while others remain totally unaffected by it. There, of course, is the other group of writers who have created a new Jewish literature which voices directly the concerns of Jews throughout the world. Though American Jewish novels are written primarily by Jewish, there are many novels written with Jewish themes by people who belong to other faiths and nationalities. Even such novels are not biased in any way. On the whole, if we were to analyze the effects of Zionism on American Jewish novels, a neutral stance of Zionism is what is portrayed in almost all the plots. These authors are primarily Jewish who have first-hand experience of Jewish discrimination. But their attempt to portray it in their novels is genuine without any trace of exaggeration.. They concentrate more on the plots and characters. The concept of identity is only secondary. Saul Bellow, for that matter preferred to be treated as an American writer. He did not like the designation of a Jewish writer. He does not at any time deny his Jewish identity, and one can clearly see the influence of Jewish history in his novels though it is difficult to specify it. A review of one or two such novels and their authors will give us a better idea about this.