Major Paper 4--Explaining a Concept Research Paper Essay

Major Paper 4--Explaining a Concept Research Paper - Essay Example This paper aims to explain the concept of elder abuse to those who may not be familiar with the topic. Part of the information presented within the paper will include, but will not be limited to the risk factors relating to elder abuse, types of elder abuse with accompanying examples, the signs and symptoms of elder abuse, and how to deal with the situation when one discovers an elderly person who is being abused by his family members of caregivers. The World Health Organization has recognized Elderly Abuse as an increasingly growing problem among the population of the elderly. As such the World Health Organization has given the official definition of Elder Abuse as: â€Å"...a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person...† (â€Å"Elder Abuse†). The definition was adopted from the Action on Elder Abuse in the United Kingdom and has becom e the most widely accepted definition of the violent act upon the elderly. Elder Abuse most often occurs due to the â€Å"trust factor† that the aging person must place in the treatment that he expects of his caregiver. This trust factor is something that an elder person normally has for an immediate member of his family such as a younger sibling, spouse, family member, friend, neighbor, or anyone else that the elder person must rel on for services that he requires assistance in accomplishing. It is because of the closeness of the elderly towards his abuser that the law has classified Elder Abuse as a part of domestic or family violence. According to the Administration on Aging, elder abuse is no different from any other type of abuse that even young people experience. The only difference is that just like a child, an elderly person is already limited in his ability to defend himself from abuse. The various types of elder abuse as per information taken from the Administration on Aging (â€Å"What is Elder Abuse?†) include: Physical Abuse - inflicting physical pain or injury on a senior, e.g. slapping, bruising, or restraining by physical or chemical means. Sexual Abuse - non-consensual sexual contact of any kind. Neglect - the failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care, or protection for a vulnerable elder. Exploitation - the illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a senior for someone else's benefit. Emotional Abuse - inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress on an elder person through verbal or nonverbal acts, e.g. humiliating, intimidating, or threatening. Abandonment - desertion of a vulnerable elder by anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of that person. Self-neglect – characterized as the failure of a person to perform essential, self-care tasks and that such failure threatens his/her own health or safety. An abuser has the ability to change the way t hat people perceive his abusee. In the case of the elderly, an abuser will do his best to portray the elderly as senile, or accident prone, and basically, just unable to care for him or herself sans any assistance. Once the others in the social circle of the elderly begin to believe in the feebleness of the elderly person, then the abuser will begin to get away with the

Creative Writing with Photo Inspiration Essay Example for Free

Creative Writing with Photo Inspiration Essay

The Image Of Asylum Seekers Social Work Essay

The Image Of Asylum Seekers Social Work Essay Unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) are amongst the discriminated and oppressed social groups in the UK .They are vulnerable but this is not always well matched with their access to services (Kohli and Mitchell, 2007) and they are just children in need (Howarth 2001).This essay shall explore some aspects of discrimination that affect them, the legislative and policy context in which discrimination is located and how organised systems in policy and law attempt to address this reality. Reference shall be made to direct experiences from unaccompanied asylum seeking children and also link their experiences to those of the broader asylum seekers category in order to establish the prospects of equality in the context of social services support. One of the core elements in the effective support of vulnerable people is to treat every person /child/adult as an individual. In this case, each child has their own narrative which must be looked at holistically in order to create necessary support structures which would trigger the necessary welfare provisions for the individual to be safeguarded and supported through their crisis. Hynes (2011) argues that asylum seekers are far removed from the perception of being ordinary people. Instead, they continue to experience extraordinary circumstances in the UK, with the common experience of being socially excluded and with little opportunity for these experiences to be understood (Hynes 2011:p.42). Kohli (2007) reiterates that in guidance for working with this vulnerable group, the dominant theme must be one of seeing them as children in need first and as asylum claimants later. UASCs extraordinary experiences cut across all facets of life, across time, across continents, access to services, through detention, lack of adequate supportive information, language barriers, tough procedures and negative social labels. The term unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is used to describe individuals who arrive in the UK under the age of 18, without a parent or other adult relative or guardian who is prepared to take responsibility for them, and who make an application for asylum in their own right (United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR,1994) Home Office (2012) figures issued show that In 2011, 6% (1,277) of main applicants were UASC. Almost a third (30%) of UASC applications were made by male nationals of Afghanistan; and overall 82% (1,049) of applications were from male applicants. UASC annual applications continue to fall and fell by 26% between 2010 (1,717 applications) and 2011. This decreasing trend has been influenced by falling applications from nationals of Afghanistan. There are direct drivers of the migration of unaccompanied minors like war and civil unrest, rape and torture which rise beyond the economic argument that is often painted by the media. Where UK born children are treated and understood as innocent, UASC are defined by their immigration status and suspicion (Kvittingen, 2012, Sales, 2007). Its extremely difficult for UASC to navigate through the system of immigration to welfare. In the same environment there are two forces at work, social work practice versus political and economic environment. The initial hurdle is the immigration process which is restrictive and controlling. An example would be that of the age assessment process. Cemlyn Briskman (2003) argue that there are limited resources for social work teams which inevitably shrink the resources with which the social workers have at their disposal. The unfair outcome includes high % of age disputes that often exclude UASC from the welfare provision under the Children Act 1989, Section 20 for looked after children. From such processes, difference in treatment emerges and discrimination and oppression are experienced. Discrimination and oppression Thompson (2012) characterises discrimination as a process where difference is identified and the difference becomes the basis of unfair treatment (Thompson 2012:7) Experiences resulting from such treatment locate the individual in a disadvantaged position. Thompson adds that this discrimination then becomes a source of oppression. The process of identifying some people as different and when they receive inhuman or degrading treatment is that key moment which social work practice must stand and challenge (Thompson 2012). Discrimination is therefore understood in its sociological, political and psychological contexts (Thompson 2012) by centrally considering inherent power dynamics between the vulnerable asylum seeking child and the service provider located at the centre of welfare distribution and care. From arrival, UASC must be understood as children in search of safety, as individuals with positive ambitions and as individuals in need of support (Kohli 2007). The social work intervention process has been implicated for being oppressive by Humphries (2004); Social work has been drawn into implementing racist policy initiatives whilst maintaining its unreflective, self deceiving anti-oppressive belief systems (p95) It is always important to realise that whilst there is great emphasis on good practice as anti-discriminatory practice, The relationship is a double edged one, consisting of elements of care and control. It is double edged in the sense that it can lead to either empowerment or potential oppression. The state through its machinery can control people to the extent that they become discriminated and oppressed. Social work interventions can help or hinder, empower or oppress (Thompson 2012:8). There are inherent power dynamics in operation, with the UASC occupying the weak needy position versus the state and its range of oppressive machinery. Moral obligations rather than differences must take precedence in the provision of services. There are numerous levels at which the difference of UASC are treated differently. Khohli (2007) argues that there have been numerous concerns raised regarding shortfalls in the areas of education, health provision and immigration practices and how social wo rk policies reinforce these disparities. There are socially constructed perceptions and structural determinants in the discrimination and oppression of UASC worth looking at .Thompsons model of understanding how inequalities and discrimination feature in peoples lives within their interactions by way of a PCS model (Thompson 2012) which emphasises on the Personal, Cultural and Structural determinants and levels at which discrimination operates. From the moment that the children arrive in UK they are bombarded with administrative processes that are complex, processes that include age assessment, and face a restrictive immigration system which stands as an enormous wall potentially blocking their access to welfare. Crawley (2007) argues that all these processes are more focussed on border control than on welfare provision. Part of the key procedure on entry for welfare provision is the age assessment, this is carried out by social workers and the determination on the assessment can determine the UASCs life. Age assessments are not always accurate and there are medical error margins of up to 5 years either side (Lenvenson Sharma 2004). Suspicion, doubt, lack of trust and general prejudice about asylum seekers is a reality that the media has successfully propelled. Thomas, (Guardian, 2012) British Red Cross head of external relations proved that the public perception of asylum seekers is primarily painted as scroungers. Professionals must support UASC without such prejudices and the social constructions which hinder the diversity agenda and structural tools which are designed to fail these children must be abandoned and these children must be seen as children first.Collett (2004) argues that social workers are increasingly drawn into the dirty work of social policy, where we reinforce the oppressions tha t we should be challenging (2004;88).Humphries (2004)adds that the role of social work has shifted towards control, restriction, surveillance and ultimately exclusion. There has been a gravitational shift of social workers into pseudo immigration officials. The cost of which has been the loss of the humanistic, companionship and welfare element which are core in cultural tolerance and diversity in social work practice. Besides the systems restrictive nature, the asylum process is stressful for children who have just escaped a traumatic past in the hope of finding help and support (Kohli, 2007). There is sufficient evidence examined regarding the ever shifting goal posts system for asylum seekers intended to squeeze them out and deter application influxes. An example is UASCs housing needs processing which reinforces the differences between UK born children where some UASC are being housed in hostels where there is evidence of low level support and detachment. UASC are often sacrificed through fast track housing provisions as demonstrated in Solihull where Wellman (2011) argues that teenage asylum seekers were to be treated less favourably than local children under plans by Solihull Council to fast-track them from foster care into supported housing. Watters (2008) examines the position of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the UK tracing their experiences from ports of entry and highlights that safety and security are key aspirations for these children in an environment that is not hostile, a place to call home and enjoy life as a child. There is a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦pervasive culture of disbelief among immigration and welfare institutions in receiving countries (Watters 2008:71) of UASC. It is important to understand their pre-departure experiences. Against this background of aspirations reality is often different, the welcoming description at pre-departure often vanished as children faced a stark reality of having no food, no money and oftentimes unable to speak the language. More so, there is often lack of support during the early parts of the asylum screening interview, yet this later forms the basis of whether the application is successful or not (Watters 2008). Being a foreigner in the UK must be understood as a package that has a host of attachments to it, some often face multiple discriminations e.g. black asylum seeking children could lead to being racially maltreated in communities/context of where they are accommodated after care. This perpetuates the cycle of social exclusion and discrimination. Thompsons PCS model would here be referred to in the context of how communitys social construction and media perceive UASC and resultant repulsive treatment. According to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC 2012), UASC often find the situations exacerbating their social category of oppression and discrimination in that the conditions in immigration screening centres are not child-friendly. Oftentimes there is very little or no knowledge and a lack of understanding about the specific issues relating to child-specific forms of persecution because of the remoteness of where they are coming from. An Independent Guardian in this case would help in establishing support bases for the young people and to be a disclosure point. It is difficult for young people to share their innermost life story to strangers, communication depends highly on relationship and having this support relationship helps the young peoples presentation of their case (NSPCC). UASCs transition into adulthood has another host of challenges in which they need support to be ready enough for life on their own .The NSPCC argues that the National Asylum Support System (NASS) prevents vulnerable children from falling through the net (NSPCC). If there is lack of support, then the outcome can either be their disappearance or exploitation. This means that it is of paramount importance to extend the support so that the system cushions the young people rather than leaving them to fall into uncertainty where poverty, social exclusion, discrimination and oppression can take over. Any failing by the state through its range of support machinery for young people would perpetuate the cycle of poverty and the oppression of UASC. In cases where age assessment determines the UASC as over 18, this leads to detention where their treatment transforms to that of an adult and welfare support deficit is experienced. NSPCC has an example in the stories of two boys in contact with one Young Peoples Centres. The boys had their age disputed for more than a year. One of these boys was placed in National Asylum Support Service (NASS) accommodation. He was a vulnerable child, yet he was placed in unsupported accommodation with adults. Neither of the boys was able to receive support from the local authority and as such their safeguarding and emotional wellbeing needs were not met (NSPCC). Such an experience affects the child, and as this essay has argued, its because of structural reasons, tools and processes that not always accurately capture the reality of children and their lives, this affects service provision. Fast tracking this contested age category for housing can be counterproductive and oppressive as it fails to a ccount for the individual childs needs. The dispersal model applied in the UK for asylum seekers extends the idea of what Carter and El-Hassan (2003:10-11) term institutionalised seclusion. Hynes (2011) describes the dispersal situation as betwixt and between, in a country but outside mainstream society. The incremental exclusion of asylum seekers through this method has been patterned through the service allocation system saliently eroding the individual rights of asylum seekers who receive support as a homogenous group in chosen isolated locations.Overall, the system is a deterrent immigration strategy. Hynes (2011) adds that ,The exclusion of asylum seekers from ordinary living patterns through exclusionary practices and the inability to restore normal routines during the dispersal process meant that they occupied luminal spaces (p.178). The same can be applied to children who are allocated accommodation in areas where there are few or no support services for them. Dispersal without considering the welfare and interests of the child is administratively and structurally discriminatory; safeguarding the children should still remain a core element in the childs service provision considerations as part of aftercare support. Part of the systemic discrimination is a result of limited training for social workers which makes it appear as if UASC are difficult to reach, when in actual fact it is a group that is easy to ignore! At community level UASC are viewed with disgust, racist abuse and educational underperformance. At school, Rutter argues that central government needs to acknowledge school childrens under-achievement also has causes that lie outside the school (Rutter 2006:208) Legal Framework for UASC In order to protect the rights of the UASC and be professionally consistent, they must be treated as children first and foremost and the Childrens Act 1989 becomes relevant. Of importance from The Children Act 1989 are clauses stating that the welfare of children must be the paramount consideration when the courts are making decisions about them and local authorities are charged with duties to identify children in need and to safeguard and promote their welfare. Also importantly stated is the fact that delays in deciding questions concerning children are likely to prejudice their welfare. Local authority must provide welfare by seeing UASC as children first. This law provides a safety net for all children within the UK borders. The conflict emerges where Immigration law meets childrens rights legislation and a radical shift emerges emphasising more on controlling borders than welfare provision (Fell, Hayes, 2007). UASC must be assessed by the Framework for the assessment of children in need and their families and accommodated under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 (NSPCC). As a result of lack of clarity on childrens available support, some children have been placed in bed and breakfast accommodation without support, mixing with adults whose criminal history is often not held. This exposes the vulnerable children to abuse and exploitation. Such a system again demonstrates how structural procedures discriminate and oppress UASC. The semi-independent living option is also not a better option for those just over 16. Their vulnerability levels are high and support is highly needed to safeguard them in their development and transition into adulthood. The Human Rights Act is a guiding legal framework applied in the UK and is core to how UASC in particular and refugees in general are supported. Asylum seekers are to be treated as individuals with rights namely the Right to life, Freedom from torture, Freedom from slavery, Right to a fair trial, Freedom of speech and Freedom of thought, conscience and religion. The Human Rights law is a universal safeguard and UASC can be protected from discrimination by its application. In a study carried out by the Independent Asylum Commission, Sir Waite said, The overuse of detention, the scale of destitution and the severity of removals are all areas which need attention before the system can be described as fit for purpose. The detention of asylum seekers is overused, oppressive and an unnecessary burden on the taxpayer, and the detention of children wholly unjustified. Dawar (2008) [The guardian] Its only by appealing to law that such progressive challenges can be made. The NSPCC (2012) campaigns and supports these children on the basis of equality arguing that the protection and welfare of asylum-seeking and refugee children is the same as that afforded to other children. The Childrens rights must be considered as core elements in the planning, assessment and service provision for this vulnerable group considering the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child particularly instruments for the right to maximum survival and development ,the right to identity ,the right to family unity and the right to participate .The right to protection from all forms of violence, injury, abuse, neglect or exploitation as well as the right to special assistance if the child is deprived of their family .The right to be protected from economic exploitation and the right to protection from violence, abuse, exploitation, trafficking is only realisable where the UASC are supported fully without falling through the safety net. Issues around the limitation of det ention as a measure of last resort are important in working with UASC. The duty of the government to take measures to ensure that child victims of armed conflict, torture, neglect or exploitation receive treatment for recovery and social integration is important as part of the therapeutic support necessary for their wellbeing. Policy and Practice guidances on working with UASC By use of legislation and practice guidances, UASC can be safeguarded and supported. Instead of describing them as UASCs these young people view themselves as (and rightly so) footballers doctors teachers president. They are ambitious and determined to live outside this discriminatory environment and label. Payne (2005) argues that, Some people dislike being called minority or oppressed groups, or being associated with any groups at all. Sometime because it might imply being seen as a victim of categorisation, which the person does not accept (2005:289). Conclusion Practical, political and procedural realities are scattered on the social workers professional pathway. Kohli (2007) rightly paints the complexity of being an UASC and being a social worker in the UK. The needs of vulnerable UASC remain a stark reality, leaves the social worker on the margins by either not being good enough or being too harsh (Kohli 2007). A young person from Glasgow said Home is home if it was better there I would have stayed. Understanding UASC past, building relationships with them in humane ways and safeguarding them by use of law can enhance anti-oppressive practice. This can be the basis for challenging discrimination of this vulnerable child group. Social workers cannot achieve this alone, voluntary sector agencies like the Refugee Council and NSPCC can work in partnership with the UKBA to set intervention strategies for this vulnerable group with the care and sensitivity due for any child in need in UK.

T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land †Can We Learn From the Past ? Essay examp

T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land – Can We Learn From the Past ? And he is not likely to know what is To be done unless he lives in what is not merely the present, but the present moment of the past, unless he is conscious, not of what is dead, but what is already living. --T.S. Eliot, "Tradition and the Individual Talent" When read for the first time, The Waste Land appears to be a concoction of sorts, a disjointed poem. Lines are written in different languages, narrators change, and the scenes seem disconnected, except for the repeated references to the desert and death. When read over again, however, the pieces become coherent. The Waste Land is categorized as a poem, but exhibited visually, it appears to be a literary collage. And when standing back and viewing the collage from afar, a common theme soon emerges. Eliot collects aspects from different cultures or what he calls cultural memories. These assembled memories depict a lifeless world, in which the barrenness of these scenes speak of a wasted condition. He concentrates on women, including examples of violence committed against them and the women's subsequent lack of response to this violence, to show how apathetic the world is. But The Waste Land is not a social commentary on the plight of women. Rather, the women's non-reaction to the viole nce against them becomes a metaphor for the impotence of the human race to respond to pain. Violence recurs throughout time, and as Eliot points to in his essay "Tradition and Individual Talent" in the epigraph, we can break this cycle of violence and move ahead only by learning from the past and applying this knowledge to the present. Form often follows function in poetry, and in this case, Eliot uses this notion whe... ...ing these fragments, he saw how asleep he used to be: I have heard the key Turn in the door once and turn once only We think of the key, each in his prison, Thinking of the key, each confirms a prison (412-415) These memories become his "key" to awken the rest of us who are still pretending. The reader is left with two choices at the end of the poem. S/he can either forget about the poem, and go back to living in a waste land, or s/he can stop repressing pain and feeling and leave the waste land. Eliot ends the poem with a man (maybe himself?) sitting on a shore, "[f]ishing, with the arid plain behind me" and asking, "Shall I at least set my lands in order?" (425-36) The man here, by facing his pain, has left the waste land, and is able to move ahead. Work Cited [1] Plato, Republic, in Great Diaologues of Plato (Mentor: New York, 1984), 313.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a story that explores the experiences of Chinese and Japanese Americans during World War II with both insight and compassion. The story begins in 1986 with Henry, an elderly Chinese-American man walking past the Panama hotel in Seattle, which has been boarded up since the war. Memorabilia within the basement of the hotel take Henry back to 1942 and his fifth grade true love, a beautiful Japanese girl named Keiko. Henry and Keiko are the only Asians in their all white elementary school, to which they are â€Å"scholarshipping† and do not feel a sense of belonging or acceptance within the dominant culture. Because Henry’s nationalistic father has a hatred for Japan, Henry keeps their friendship and his love a secret until all contact is lost when Keiko’s family is sent to an internment camp. Tension between Henrys father’s traditional Chinese values and Henry’s American perspective is a key theme when forty years after meeting Keiko, Henry, now a widow sits in the basement of the condemned hotel, holding long lost items which take him back to his childhood memories, thoughts and feelings. Henry recalls his early days of being tormented by his peers, while wearing an â€Å"I am Chinese† button daily, as his father did not want anyone mistaken about Henry’s nationality. He also recalls risks taken to befriend Keiko, and their combined love for Jazz music, as well as times spent before the inevitable evacuation of her family and of a love lost. While reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, we learn that Henry shares his life story with his own son, in hopes of preventing the dysfunctional relationship that he had experienced many years ago with his own father. This story teaches us to examine the present and think twice, so that we do not repeat injustices within our own families. Feelings Experienced from the Reading There were multiple emotions that were provoked in reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Disheartenment and anger were feelings provoked when Henry’s father enrolled his son into an all-white school. Henry was called derogatory names, pushed around and forced to do â€Å"chores† at school. Henry’s father gave him a pin that said, â€Å"I am Chinese† and told Henry he needed to wear it constantly. Not only were kids at Henry’s school making fun of him for wearing the pin but other Chinese kids would tease him on his way to school. Henry’s father wanted Henry to be â€Å"Americanized† however, the pin labeling him Chinese and living in a household where he was the only one who spoke English triggered a combination of anger and Disheartenmen. There was realization of what Henry’s father was attempting to do but the anger was triggered from putting his son in a situation that he was bullied on a daily bases instead of sending him to a different school. When Keiko enrolled in the school Henry attended the readers felt relief since Henry was able to relate with Keiko and develop a friendship with her. Henry was no longer the only non-Caucasian student at the school. This allowed Henry to bond with another student his age and relate to someone else that was dealing with similar situations. However, Henry and Keiko were assigned to serve in the cafeteria where it appeared that only kids who were in trouble were sent. The readers were upset that even the teachers and school staff were singling Henry and Keiko out. One of the most heart wrenching scenarios was when the Japanese American families were forced to relocate to internment camps. Feelings of empathy and sadness for their displacement were expressed by these readers for the families. The families had less than two days to gather only things they could carry and leave their homes. Henry promised Keiko he would keep her family’s belongings they were not able to take with them that identified them as Japanese in a safe place in his house. Terror set into the readers when Henrys father found Keiko’s items and disowned Henry. As Henry struggled to find himself he connected more with Sheldon who played Jazz music in the streets. This gave the reader a sense of comfort that after losing Keiko and his father he was able to connect with someone who respected him and supported who Henry was. Mrs. Beatty who was the cafeteria cook asked Henry to help her in the internment camps to serve the people living there. This scenario brought hope to the reader that Mrs. Beatty understood and empathized with what Henry was feeling when Keiko was forced to leave. Each time Henry connected with Keiko at the internment camp it elicited happiness that Henry did not allow the difference in him and Keiko to impact his feelings. It was disappointing to read Keiko never returned from the internment camp. Henry’s decision to move on with Ethyl was shocking and somewhat disappointing. After being married and sharing a son, Ethyl passed away which was another gloomy experience in the book. It was a surprise when Henry chose to look for Keiko’s items that she left behind. Henry’s reflection on his relationship with his son, Marty and the desire to improve it was heartwarming as was the relationship Henry developed with Samantha, Marty’s fiance. As the story came to an end and Henry was face to face again with Keiko it brought delight to the reader that after all these years and all the heart wrenching experience they were able to reconnect like they had never been apart. Reactive Behaviors from the Cultural Proficiency Continuum There are three points on the Cultural Proficiency Continuum that describe cultural intolerance, which include cultural destructiveness, cultural incapacity, and cultural blindness (Corwin, 2010, p. 1). According to Cross, et. al. (1989), four barriers to cultural proficiency lead an organization or individual to intolerance, including unawareness of the need to adapt, resistance to change, presumption of entitlement, and systems of oppression (p. ). Ford (2009) provided many scenes that can illustrate both the three points on the continuum reflecting both the attitudes of cultural intolerance, as well as the four barriers to cultural proficiency in the novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. According to Cross, et. al. (1989), unawareness of the need to adapt is seen when people do not think an organization needs to accommodate diversity, but instead feel as though members of non-dominant groups need to adapt to the organization (p. 1). Some illustrations Ford provided of an unawareness of the need to adapt took place in Rainier Elementary School and the United States government (Ford, 2009). The elementary school forced Henry and Keiko, the only students of color, to spend their lunch time serving all of the white students and cleaning the kitchen, and allowed them to be bullied mercilessly by classmates (Ford, 2009). Public Proclamation One, written by the United States president and the secretary of war, was distributed and executed (p. 124). It demanded immediate evacuation of all persons of Japanese ancestry (p. 124). This proclamation illustrates that the United States government was apparently unaware that it is wrong to imprison people based on their status as members of a non-dominant group. According to Cross, et. al. (1989), resistance to change is seen when organization members stick to methods that do not work for people (p. 1). Ford (2009) provided illustrations of resistance to change within the following organizations: Rhodes Department Store (pp. 12-4), and Henry's family (pp. 125-9). Primarily, in Ford's novel, Keiko was overjoyed to buy a special record for Henry, but the Rhodes Department Store clerk did not want to sell it to her as she appeared to be of Japanese heritage (p. 113-4). The clerk eventually begrudgingly sold the record to Henry when he showed her his, ‘I am Chinese' button (p. 114). The clerk showed a resistance to change in that she did not want to do business with people who appeare d to be of Asian descent. Secondly, Ford (2009) described Henry's exchange with his family once Public Proclamation One was posted, in which his father stated, â€Å"better them than us† (p. 125). Henry's mother went on to explain the trouble the family could encounter if they attempted to help Japanese American families, and explained Henry's father's background of war between China and Japan (p. 126-7). Taken together, the comments of the parents do not deny that it is wrong to force members of the non-dominant group to evacuate their homes and be imprisoned, but rather resist the idea that anything should be done about it at the current time. Ford weaves illustrations of another barrier to cultural proficiency, systems of oppression and privilege, throughout the novel. Examples of this include the way that Keiko and Henry are singled out to serve in the cafeteria, the way that Henry is bullied by his classmates, and that those of Japanese ancestry are forced to go to concentration camps. A thematic element that ties many of these scenes together is that of the â€Å"I am Chinese† button. Henry’s disdain for the button because of it hurtful meaning with his father who sends him mixed messages that he must be both â€Å"Americanized†, yet declare his Chinese ancestry through the wearing of the button is contrasted by his use of the button at times to gain privilege, such as when he was allowed to purchase the album at the store, while Keiko was not. Despite this small gain in privilege from wearing the button, it also served to foster oppression by his classmate, Chaz, who bullied him for his non-membership in the dominant culture, even ripping the pin off Henry (location 339 of 4683). The button can further be used to illustrate a final barrier to cultural proficiency: entitlement. While Henry clearly hated the button, there were also times when he used it or attempted to use it to his advantage and to the advantage of Keiko and her family, whom he cared about. For example, when the police raided the jazz hall that he and Keiko were at and arrested several Japanese couples in attendance, he used it to protect him and Keiko because there was a level of entitlement to civil rights that was inherent to being Chinese rather than Japanese (location 896 of 4683). Another clear sense of entitlement at the government level was documented by the taking away and selling of property that was owned by Japanese people. (location 1372 of 4683). Proactive Behaviors from the Cultural Proficiency Continuum The following three points on the left side of the Cultural Proficiency Continuum are proactive behaviors, shaped by principals; culture is a predominant force, people are served in varying degrees by the dominant culture, and people have individual and group identities. According to Cross et al, (1989) culture is a predominant force. It is the essence of the societal existence and cannot be over looked. In the book, Hotel on The Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Ford, 2009) Henry relates to other Chinese notables like Bruce Lee and His own son Brandon because he is of Chinese decent. Incidentally, the place was lonely because people did not talk to their neighbors due to some cultural differences. The life of Henry was lonely like a grave; this displays a cultural aspect of burying the dead which is not common in the Chinese culture. According to Cross et al, (1989) people are served in varying degrees by the dominant culture. Ford (2009) described Henry's exchange with his family once Public Proclamation One was posted, in which his father stated, â€Å"better them than us† (p. 125). His father had participated in the war between the Chinese and the Japanese. The Americans helped the Japanese American families and this made Henry’s father feel inferior to others due to the treatment such families had. Even in schools, the treatment of people was predominantly dictated by the dominant culture and teachers turned a blind eye to mischief. In a society people have individual and group identities that define their ways and behavior (Cross et al, 1989). A good example from the book is described when Henry follows a news crew to the hotel that seems to stand between life-times just like him. The news crew members form group while the camera-shy onlookers walked away to form a clear path have individual identities (Ford, 2009). Henry himself forms his own individual identity as a man in a place full of strangers (Ford, 2009). Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, evokes the feelings that are described in the title throughout the telling of the incredible story of one of the most conflicted and volatile times during American history (Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Reading Group Guides, 2013)The story is told from the point of view of a young Chinese boy and simultaneously from his observations and reflections years later of the time period in which Henry witnessed and experienced the internment of Japanese Americans in his neighborhood and prejudices toward himself from being of Chinese heritage. The story elicits feelings of bitterness and sweetness: Bitterness toward unfairness, injustice, discrimination and how the experience of fear can lead to irrational actions and the inhumane treatment of others, sweetness of innocence, understanding, kindness and sympathetic responses to those same conditions. The novel inherently addresses The Tools of Cultural Proficiency (Corwin, 2010) and demonstrates examples from the continuum of destruction, incapacity, blindness, precompetence, competence, and proficiency. The author covers these phases of cultural proficiency while the reader is at the same time experiencing the conflicting emotions of bitter and sweet, hope and disappointment, and witnessing acts of fear and courage. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet has a lasting impression on the reader. While telling the lifelong personal story of Henry it incorporates many lessons that would be difficult to forget. The reader gains knowledge of the historical account of the Japanese Americans internment during World War II, the personal effects of discrimination on individuals and the greater culture, and insight as to examples of how kindness, empathy and knowledge can be powerful forces for society to use in overcoming the result of fear, judgment and discrimination. The social work profession can gain a better understanding of generational trauma that has had a lasting result of the survivors and family members of Japanese Americans that lived this experience as well as cultural proficiency vs. the effects of prejudice and discrimination can be gained by reading this novel. The most important â€Å"take away† from this book would be incorporating the knowledge gained regarding cultural competency and utilizing it in the field of social work as well as in developing personal relationships with others.

Giorgione essays

Giorgione essays Renaissance period was when the most brilliant ideas of art were discovered and invented. During this time, many talents were shown and new techniques in drawing were introduced. Before Girogionesque style was developed most painters liked to focus on the defining the shapes and the object matter, which most of the time was human figure. However, Giorgione got out of the old style and developed his down new method using light. Giorgiones use of light in his drawing brought a whole different perspective in the history of art. Giorgio Barbarelli, also known as Giorgione, was born in a town 30km northwest from Venice called Castelfranco, in 1477. When he moved to Venice, he worked for the patron, specializing in cabinet pictures. He also studied art under Giovanni Bellini (1430?-1516) with Titian, where he mostly start to develop his skills and techniques from. Giorgione. Throughout his 30 years, he earned name nicknames such as Zorgo, Zorgi da Castelfranco, and Big George, which he got it because of his big physical appearance. After living for short 33 years, he died on October 1510 in Venice due to an unfortunate plague. Giorgione, one of the modern art founders, had made a formative influence in the 16th century Venetian painting. When he first started to paint he mainly loved to paint frescos, under the teaching of Giovanni Bellini. Giorgione made one of the greatest accomplishments in art history, and that is use of light. He initiated a new style of painting as he used the skills of light and colour in his drawing to emphasize mood. The other painters at the time were interested in defining the objects in sharp manner and making preparatory drawing. However, Giorgione was more interested in drawing the picture with passion and emotion. He was a self-expressionist. Just by looking at the drawing you could tell what he was feeling as he drew. Also, Giorgione developed something called a tonal painti ...