PH lab report

Background information/Research PH paper (litmus paper) determines how acidic or how basic a substance is. The ape changes color accordingly to color code on the pH scale. The pH scale starts from O to 14. The lower the number the more acidic it is. Zero is the most acidic, and 14 is the most bas c while 7 is the neutral number for example water. Examples of an acid Is lemon Juice or multi p repose cleaner. Examples of a basic substance Is shampoo or liquid soap. We use pH for the products we use and food that we eat to check if it is safe to use for us humans and not harm us.With PH. Products have become safer and less harmful to our environment and ourselves. Materials Various indicators BRB blue Phew red Met red Methyl blue Met orange Methyl yellow Various unknowns Watch trays Procedures 1. Take 6 indicators that are all different colors. 2. Take the 4 unknowns numbered 14 3. Take a watch tray and wash it down before using it. 4. Put the indicator that Is numbered 1 in 6 slots on the watch tray. (Only put in one d rope) 5. Take each Indicator and put It in 1 slot each, each slot should have a different Indict taro color. (Again only one drop) .Record results and observations down on a table. Observe If It changed color, If It c hanged from 7. Wash down the watch tray again so you do not mix chemicals, or else your data will be inaccurate. 8. Repeat steps 47 for the last 3 unknowns. Results After the LAB I had various different results for each indicator reaction to the unknown All together I had 24 results, 6 results for each unknown. A couple of the indicators re acted to the unknown differently than the others. They started to change one color, then a bit late r it would change to a different color.

Is it fair to blame investment bankers for the global downturn? Essay

It seems to be quite easy to jump on the ‘bank-wagon’ and blame investment bankers for the current global economical downturn. The current downturn in question is one which is generally accepted by the financial industry to have started in 2007, and was officially dated December 2007 by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).The question is, whether this industry and its bankers are the root cause, and if so, could they have avoided it? The word ‘bankers’ can imply different meanings to different people, so to clarify, when I use the word ‘bankers’ in this text, I am referring to investment bankers. The first article I analysed is by Jonathan Wang, Ph.D., and entitled ‘Real Causes For US Financial Meltdown and Global Recession’ (March 2009). Wang is the President of Amlink, a multi-million dollar company which provides links in trade and politics between China and the United States of America (USA). He is based in Michigan, USA. I will be comparing it to John Gapper’s ‘Promises that proved ultimately empty’ (January 9th 2012)[1]. Gapper is the assistant editor and chief business commentator for the Financial Times newspaper and website. He is based in New York, USA. Wang has an opinion that the bankers are unaccountable as the blame is with the governments whereas Gapper has an antipodal view in line with the assessment Wang gave, stating ‘it was within banks where the crisis emerged and where its heart still lies’. Wang seems to have a widespread knowledge of many fields. He has a Ph.D in geosciences from the University of Michigan. Geosciences have no relevance to economist articles on the banking industry but this Ph.D allowed him the expertise to start Amlink a year later, as he originally focused on importing and exporting high quality marble between US and China. He increased his links with the two countries by giving financial & trade advice (business consulting), intervening in politics, research & development, manufacturing and IT services. This how we gained his expertise. This expertise of 19 years strengthens his perspective as he has gained the relevant knowledge and skills to talk about this topic with credibility. However, his trade is between (mainly) US and China thus may so it is questionable to whether his experience can be applied to Europe, where many economies collapsed, such as Greece. Gapper currently works for the Financial Times (FT) since 1987, an international daily broadsheet newspaper and website, available in 24 countries. They have a daily readership of 2.1 million and 5.7 million online subscribers. His position is associate editor and chief business commentator. He was trained by the Mirror Group and worked for the Daily Mirror, Daily Mail & Daily Telegraph newspapers in the United Kingdom. Additionally, he has worked as columnist for the BBC, UK & Worldwide. His resume also lists New York Magazine, CNBC & CNN among his employers. This striking list of employers may show, at first glance, that he is not politically bias possibly leading him to be known as a highly reputable columnist. the Conservative Party, one that is centre-right; The Daily Mail is also a Conservative supporter; and However, his political stance may be more Conservative as the FT is a public supporter of the Daily Telegraph has been nicknamed the ‘Torygraph’ due to its support of the Conservative party. He has previously worked for politically independent media but his main contract of employment has been with FT since 1987. This political bias may narrow his perspective. Additionally, in 2011, he won four awards in multiple countries. In the United States he was awarded the Best Columnist Citation by the Society of American Business Editors & Writers; and in the UK he was award with the Best Business Columnist at the Comment Awards. He also has a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University. Both articles have strengths and weaknesses, and it is better to analyse these sections rather than attacking the author (ad hominem). The chain of argument in both articles has been constructed quite rigidly, and allows the statements made by the respective authors to reach their necessary conclusions. Wang concludes that increasing tax on the top income groups becomes necessary as the government must focus on stabilization rather than expansion. His main reasoning for this is ‘when the share of total income going to [the] top 10% reached 50%, the capital market crashed in the United States’. He also has an intermediate conclusion that the ‘Government’s improper interventions in the capital market before both episodes of crisis had accelerated the extreme inequalities and ultimately intensified the crisis.’ Wang reasons that ‘It is the extreme inequality that has resulted in the great depression in 1929 and again caused the global recession today’. This is fallacy of the single cause as the recession in 1929 has three are three general theories on what caused the 1929 depression, Keynesian, Monetarist & Austrian. None of these theories are based on inequality. The Monetarist view blamed the Federal Reserve for ignoring the importance of money, who themselves agreed with this and apologised on the 8th of November 2002 via Chairman Ben Bernanke[2]. It may be that the recession is part of the business cycle, and happens quite frequently whereas a depression is a sustained, long term economical downturn. The NBER stated that ‘The expansion [from November 2001 onwards] lasted 73 months’ which then strengthens Wang’s reason that ‘two major economic expansions led to two episodes of extreme inequalities in the United States. Both ended in severe economic depression.’ [3]Elizabeth Allgoewer (2002) states that this was the cause of the Great Depression, however the true cause is still being debated by economists, with around a dozen other heterodox economical theories such as non-debt inflation or population dynamics. His reasoning here needs further clarification or research before this can be fully taken as evidence. Gapper states that ‘driven by the rise of derivatives, the loosening of regulation and capital standards, and a hubristic belief that they had somehow broken their old habit of losing billions of dollars in downturns’. He does not strengthen this with any evidence on the ‘loosening of regulation’ etc., and deserted his statement. He also quotes credible sources such as Ranu Dayal, senior partner at the world’s leading advisor on business structure, the Boston Consulting Group – ‘There is a deep question of legitimacy that banks need to face up to’. However one of his sources is credited as being a Professor but in fact he is only an Associate Professor, a position which still has very high credibility, but of less than the one quoted by Gapper. Also, Gapper does not give any conflicting perspective, the only views you read are the ones that agree with him. This weakens his argument as he has not considered alternative perspectives. After analysing both articles, my view is still similar to Gapper and I already thought that it was fair to blame investment bankers for the 2007 downturn. Whilst I note that they dealt with a lot of money and it was not handled in a correct manner by anybody who had access to it (including the Federal Reserve), I also can see where Wang‘s concept bases its format. His perspective of social inequalities is only US based but I can understand his assumptions that expansion was high and the consequence of this led to social inequalities. This has happened elsewhere, such as during the Chinese Mao era of 1949-1976, in particular during the Great Leap Forward (1958-61). Gapper’s perspective has persuaded me that he is of more expertise than Wang as he is so influential in finance media. His analysis was concise and constructive. He quoted many important figures in his article including an executive director of the Bank of England; Chairman of the Financial Services Authority; and a Professor of Entrepreneurship at MIT Sloan school. His arguments are quite strong however he does go a stage of a circular argument where he should be concluding his article. His evidence did strengthen my perspective however Wang’s comments led me to read more into financial theories, especially of those surrounding the 1929 Great Depression. He managed to intrigue me into the history of the financial world and I do believe that 1929 and 2007 are very similar in the cause, but the cause is the banking industry, not the housing market. Wang has only commented on the United States but his views may apply worldwide however his lack of evidence weakens his perspective as it is too narrow. My final conclusion is that investment bankers were the major, not the only, cause of the global downturn which started in 2007, and we have to share the blame for the current economical state

Obesity in African American Culture Essay

?Obesity has more that just a physical effect on the body. Obesity also greatly affects the mental and emotional part of the body as well. Although you cannot directly correlate metal and emotional health to obesity, you can see that its effects do in fact play a role in the mental and emotional health of an obese person. While the effects of obesity do indeed reach out to all races, it is easy to see that mental and emotional problems from obesity in the African American culture are present in the culture. Depression, anxiety, and discrimination, are all results that are caused by obesity in the African American community. Many people are familiar with depression, whether it be a friend or family member that went through it or that they themselves went though it. â€Å"Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can have a negative effect on a person’s thoughts, behavior, feelings, world view and physical well-being† (Salmans 1997). African American obesity has a close tie with depression in African American people. When people are self-conscious about their weight they may think that people look down on them for this. This would cause them to think less of themselves or believe that others are better then them. In turn it can cause the obese African American to have a bad view of themselves, other people, and the world in general. This is exactly what depression is. You can see that depression can be caused by obesity in the African American culture. Anxiety is another emotional distress many people are familiar with. Anxiety is know as, â€Å"the displeasing feeling of fear and concern† (Davison 2008). Many people have felt the effects of anxiety in their own lives, whether it is before an important test, a speech in front of many people, or the big gam; many people feel anxiety. Looking only at anxiety caused by obesity in African American people is a different situation. Anxiety or nervousness before a big event is common and in many ways healthy because it motivates us to do the very best we can. Anxiety in African Americans because of obesity is not healthy; in fact it can be dangerous and destructive. By feeling displeased and concerned about their weight African Americans can struggle all through out life to over come these feelings. It could limit their goals and overall make them settle for less then they really can do. Anxiety do to obesity in the African American community is not a healthy and can severely constrain someone’s life. Discrimination in the African American community has always been a problem through out history. Slavery is a very obvious product of discrimination. Taking a more specific look at discrimination of the African American community because of obesity is a different situation. When people discriminate African Americans because of their weight it seriously prohibits their chances of succeeding in life. It could be in the work place or at school. By placing these barriers we are limiting the ability of the African American community and hurting their chances of having a successful and meaningful life. These mental and emotional effects of obesity in the African American community are unfair and wrong. People should not be judged on their weight. Davison, Gerald C. (2008). Abnormal Psychology. Toronto: Veronica Visentin. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-470-84072-6. Salmans, Sandra (1997). Depression: Questions You Have – Answers You Need. People’s Medical Society. ISBN 978-1-882606-14-6.

Health and Safety Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health and Safety Management - Essay Example However, such implementation is a far goal that needs to be built upon by first applying other small quality and safety management techniques and policy to achieve a level where one can say that we can do without accidents. Being the Safety Manager it would be difficult to set an unrealistic goal that requires more time and expertise to achieve. Hence I disagree with such an ostentatious goal for a high hazard chemical firm. However, it is not impossible but it needs to be worked upon slowly at first through various other policies. If a high goal is set it would first affect the workers they would be put under extreme pressure that might hinder their work efficiency as well as effectiveness. They need to be properly trained and equipped with the knowledge of undergoing and implementing Zero Accident policy which cannot be achieved in a year’s time let alone derive the desired result of no accidents in a year. This would also require full collaboration and cooperation of all de partments of the firms and their time to first identify and lay down their activity maps and flows and then identify the hazardous situations then look for alternatives and safe ways in doing them and finally implementing the change. All of this is a tedious task that requires various phases and is not likely to be done in a year’s time.

ACE Program Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ACE Program - Case Study Example The patient underwent a cystoscopy and was diagnosed with cervical cancer. The doctor recommended daily pelvic radiation therapy and weekly cisplation at 30 mg/m^2.The patient has reported reduced abdominal pain; however she reports increased fatigue and shortness of breath and exertion. As she is also a very aged woman she frequently loses temper with the doctors and starts shouting and throwing things about. Nurses consider her as a very difficult patient and are afraid of being put on her duty. She is also reported to have serious lifestyle issues. She has been reported to smoke 1 pack of cigarettes daily and also drinks 4 beers on an average per day. She gets very irritated these days as she is not allowed to smoke inside the hospital complex. I was put on her duty after she had been at the hospital for about one week. When I went to meet her she was very irritated and started shouting at me. I decided to act nicely and patiently handled her tantrums. I never tried to shout back and didn’t ask any other nurse to take duty in my place. She warmed up to me after 3 days and asked my name. I took this opportunity to have a chat with her and ask her about her health. After winning her confidence my first step was to educate her about cervical cancer. She was completely unaware as to why she was admitted to the hospital. I patiently told her about her condition and also elaborated on the steps being taken to make her fit again. She was quite receptive to this and in fact wanted to know more about cervical cancer. Within 2 days she was discussing about her reports and asked me about her white blood cell count. I then decided to discuss self management with her in the presence of her grandsons. Cervical cancer had caused her to lose her appetitive .She was also witnessing the side effects of treatment such as nausea , and sores inside her mouth which made eating difficult. I contacted the hospital’s nutritionist and also consulted her doctor in prepar ing a diet plan for her which will make sure that her calorie and protein intake are appropriate. I also encouraged her family members to be present with her as much as they can. I presented her grandson with a game of chess and asked her to play it with her grandma. This was essential so that she maintains mild levels of physical activity and energy levels remain up. After this I decided to study her medical report in detail. The treatment plan for her was cisplation 30 mg/m^2 intravenously weekly with concurrent pelvic radiation therapy daily. I saw that pelvic radiation therapy was making her constipated. This was probably one of the reasons for her irritable behavior. I consulted with the doctor about this problem and we recommended her docusate sodium in order to make her bowl movements more comfortable. As she followed the above mentioned advices her behavior considerably improved over the weeks. She still was fatigued but was responding to treatment and being less irritable. Once this was achieved I now decided to address her problem of smoking and alcohol. Smoking has been identified as one of the reasons of cervical cancer. I prepared a chart for her which would slowly her to reduce her smoking habits. It was essential that she was shown reasons to quit smoking. She always said that she has lived with a cigarette for 30 of her 66 years; she is not going to abandon it in the end. I took the help of hospital’s psychologist and tried to show her what all she will miss if she dies due to smoking. It took a long time to convince her but she was finally prepared to give it a try although she was not completely convinced. Benner’

Warring States assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Warring States - Assignment Example Xunzi According to Xunzi, otherwise known as Xu Qing, education was the key to growing a nation politically, socially and economically. He argues that for a person to be morally upright he/she must first understand the Way, approve of it and abide by it. The Way in this case being a path that leads from personal obsessions and inclinations. As a result of adhering to the set of laws bound in the Way, the person would then both morally and intellectually stable. From most of his writings Xunzi is seen to promote learning through borrowing from his personal experiences and generally nature. It is during the Zhou Dynasty that the kingdoms realized a dramatic shift in weaponry with the introduction of iron-ware in the form of helmets, arrows and spears. Politically this was a game changer for the kingdoms that embraced this new technology as opposed to the traditional wooden weaponry. This in turn led to a more skilled infantry and advanced kingdoms and warfare (Hobson, 2004). Xunzi thro ugh his scholarly exploits inclined towards educating the ordinary population as well as nobles through his odes and poems on the importance of embracing education without compromising governance. Through his teachings and promotion for education, Xunzi apparently became one of the most sort after philosophers of his time and was soon elevated to the position of magistrate by Lord Chunshen of Chu the prime minister of Lanling. Confucius Confucius was regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of his time and his wise teachings still echo up to this day. It is from Confucius that great minds such as Xunzi and Mencius arose and the great Chinese revolution after the fall of the Zhou Dynasty. In his philosophy, he is accredited for promoting personal and social morality as well as justice and honesty within the society and the government at large. Through his teachings the Zhou Dynasty was able to remain as one of the biggest ruling dynasties in the history of China. His fundamental teachings led people to value life more than property as opposed to that time when ordinary people were more inclined into acquiring personal property. As a result of his teachings, the Zhou emerged as undoubtedly one of the best political civilizations of its time (Creel, 1949). It is from his idealistic principle of loving one another that most of the Warring States managed to coexist with each other in spite of their differences and moreso noticeable economic growth between the kingdoms. Mencius Although both Xunzi and Mencius shared the same teacher they ultimately did not share the same sentiments on how people were to live. Apart from defending the Confucian principles and teachings, Mencius fostered four main ethical themes in his teachings; humaneness, wisdom, propriety and observance of rites. Mencius combed the land moving from one kingdom to another pleading for the lives of prisoners and smaller kingdoms based on his ideal teaching ‘human nature is good’ whi ch was strongly refuted by Xunzi. However, it is from his teachings that most kingdoms were seen to be united through a common political point of view. Contrary to Xunzi’s teachings which promoted people to learn new ways, Mencius teachings promoted a much stable way of political governance of the kingdoms by holding fast to the basic of life’

Mandatory Military Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mandatory Military Service - Essay Example The researcher states that then thought of every able bodied person serving in the military elicits mixed reaction in different societies and other quarters, where some are for while others are against it. Engaging in military service for able bodied raises debates world over, which makes it crucial to assess the options between service or lack of it, whether mandatory service is more beneficial as compared to lack thereof. Mandatory military service should be recommended for every nation and state for different reasons that are only for the benefit of its people and the enlisting individuals, as a whole. One of the main reasons is that taking part in military service is an act of loyalty, and the right thing to do for everyone as a citizen. This is a duty in which every citizen should participate rather than wait for other members of the society to step forward risking their lives to protect those of others. This service ensures ignorance is eliminated from all members of society, a s they all know their responsibilities and what the military goes through. This is before they get to criticize the works of the military prior to understanding the implications of handling conflict, both armed and unarmed. In such cases, responsibilities of protecting the nation should be shouldered by all able bodied persons as without the mandatory system, the entire military would be a professional one. This is where the cost becomes overwhelming since the military wants to retain as many personnel as possible, which is not the case with mandatory service. Mandatory service ensures that the military is always ready with personnel and trains reserves since those that leave the military become reservists. These reservists are equipped with skills that benefit all members of the society regardless of conflicts as the same skills can be applied in life situations. Moreover, mandatory military service for every able bodied citizen is crucial to creating a patriotic nation and instill ing a sense of nationhood amongst the people (Imran). Serving in the military serves as an opportunity to inculcate a sense of pride in serving their country thus allowing them to fight for it and guard it under all circumstances. Although there are many other options from which one can choose to instill patriotism, mandatory military service instills pride and should, therefore, be practiced. It is also one of the ways through which one can serve his or her country; before going into the world to serve one’s own needs and interests. As such, it creates a sense of identity with the men and women fighting for the country by connecting with them. This connection is because the citizens know what it takes to be in the military, and how patriotic it is of them to serve in it. Serving in the military, therefore, should be enforced for every able bodied person for a defined period in which one evaluates his or her loyalties. However, mandatory military service should not be practic ed for clearly visible reasons that decapitate the values of the society, any society that is. This is provided the society in question follows a democratic view that should allow its people to make their own choices by joining the military. Furthermore, it ruins the social system by having the military leaders and other leaders with the power to influence the military have their own way. Hence, mandatory military service ensures that there are no reforms in the military, a heavy consequence for the people and the nation as a whole. This is because this service leaves people who are exempt from the service as lesser members of the society as compared to those who are enlisted. Therefore, they are discriminated against and used to achieve the means of recruiting and assigning officers (Connolly). Those that do not enlist in the military are required to serve mandatory community service that involves the providing cheap labor for other members of the society, as is the case of Germany . It is for this reason that every able bodied

Economics of International Finance(choosing a country) Essay

Economics of International Finance(choosing a country) - Essay Example The reason for choosing the US is the ready availability of data for this study, the reliability of the data collected. The sample size of the data collected was sufficient and realistic, hence, suitable for testing the hypotheses of this study. The report will be presented in an analytical and descriptive structure containing the summaries and analysis of the economic variables. The report thus gives recommendation of actions because of economic management policies that had projected economic growth of the debts of US to approximately US$ 430 Billion in the subsequent five years (Cohen 2007, p76). The ultimate purpose of the economy is to do cost and benefit analysis of the US, showing a roadmap to cost balancing between the exports and the imports in alignment with the US economic policies. There are four study questions, which this study intends to investigate. Using the economic variables, this study investigates whether there is any effect of consumer product demands on the consumer prices or not. It is hypothesized that there is a positive relationship between the two variables. Secondly, it investigates the trend of the consumer demands and consumer price index from the year 1994 to 2013. The hypothesis is that consumer demand decreases with the increase the rate of unemployment in the US. The third research question is to investigate the relationship that exists between the import and export, the hypothesis is that the more the export, the more the import volumes. The fourth study question is to investigate the relationship that exist between the unemployment level and the GDP, as well as the relationship between unemployment and the rate of economic inflation in the US. The hypothesis is that the level of unemployment negatively affects the percentage of GDP in the US economy. One of the economic reports and national survey of the US economy shows the objectives of the government to

Sustainable Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sustainable Tourism - Essay Example Now, the question arises what is the tourism prospective of Olympic Games. It is known that a sport is an essential tourist phenomenon that offers people with thrilling and motivating sightseer experiences. Olympic is a world’s leading sporting occasion that provides tourists with diverse lively, reflexive and vividly experienced activities. Thus, Olympics provide an extensive range of greatly considerable tourism benefits (Weed, 2007). In early 1990s, tourism scholars and professionals began to contemplate the associations of sustainable development for their own enterprise. Since the Earth Summit, the idea of sustainable development has sought attention from both tourism philosophers and professionals. Its basic hypothesis has acquired worldwide approval as an adorable outcome of tourism development. This has been mirrored in the conception of sustainable tourism advancement plans, policy declarations and guidelines. The World Tourism Organization (WTO) supported the sustainable advancement to tourism, and commenced to apply sustainable advancement ethics in all of its tourism outlining and development. The United Nations and its organizations have also consigned the significance of tourism and sustainable development on several occasions. The General Assembly observed the significance of tourism and appealed for the development of a business plan particularly for tourism development in the year 1997 (Berno and B ricker, 2001). This study aims to discuss the degree of sustainability of the Beijing Olympic Games 2008. This study also examines the actions taken by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Chinese Government and their subsequent impacts. This research tries to establish how far Beijing have been able to achieve sustainability in tourism. Several stakeholders had a curiosity in contributing to the development and arrangement of the Beijing

The types and impact of white collar crimes Term Paper

The types and impact of white collar crimes - Term Paper Example A far neglected area of crime, is this negligence owing to the fact that attention has been brought to it only recently, or is it more so because the ‘criminals’ who commit these crimes are generally affluent and in a position of high social impact, thereby making them different from the stereotypical poor man turning to crime? But why is that white collar crime generally goes by unnoticed and white collar criminals go by unpunished? Is it the nature of the crime, or the nature of the offender? What constitutes these crimes and what are their effects? Along with a brief history and explanation of white crime these will be the questions the essay will be aiming to answer. Background What is white crime? White crime or white collar crime is a considerably different form of crime than the stereotypical image of street crime that the word ‘crime’ instantly conjures up in our mind. It is a more subtle, under-the-table form of crime, where rather than harm others, the main impact is to benefit one’s self (Shover, 2006). ... but the term ‘White Collar crime’ was first used by an American sociologist, Professor Edwin Hardin Sutherland, in an address to the American Sociological Society in 1939. After the World War II, in the era of the Great Depression, money was so scarce and the situation so desperate that people wanted to seek benefit in any way that they could. Considering themselves overworked and underpaid, they began to exploit their positions to their own personal advantage (Strader 2002). Sutherland defines the term ‘white collar crime’ as ‘offense committed by an individual or group of individuals who belong to respected and high social class in the course of his occupation’, Sutherland (1949) which basically meant individuals or corporations performing illegal activities which benefited their business in a certain way. Sutherland wished to draw notice to this far neglected area of crime, neglected mainly due to the fact that the ‘criminals’ gu ilty of these crimes were generally of a higher social status and position, taking them out of the stereotypical definition of a criminal, making them easier to overlook. They were workers who had earned their working positions legally through a certain amount of influence or education, therefore making them appear to be responsible, hard-working citizens of society (Gerhard, 2006). Interpretation of the exact nature of these crimes greatly varies and is not always exactly clear. For example, embezzlement and fraud is quietly obviously a crime, but is false, misleading advertisement a form of white crime or is it simply a business strategy? Is the dumping of toxic waste considered a white crime or is it simply negligence? There are wide varying definitions of what white crime actually constitutes, but they are classified by

SOC 111 LS1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SOC 111 LS1 - Essay Example   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There was an individual who was a very close business associate with my father who I will identify as Mr. X. For reasons unbeknownst to me, Mr. X was as excellent sales associate and had a very successful professional career; however it is the case that this individual had a very task oriented/problem solving orientation when it came to personal matters. I knew Mr. X personally and (Successful as he may be) had a lot of difficulties in his social life and in general terms he was not a pleasant person to be around in social circumstances. Despite these problems Mr. X had been happily married until his wife suffered a brain aneurysm and passed away quite suddenly. Newly widowed, Mr. X had a great deal of difficulty in dealing with his grief and began to see much of his personal life spiraling out of control. As it is the case that most issues in Mr. X’s professional life were viewed as being a task oriented it could be the case that h e looked at his grief as a problem that he was trying to solve. It comes as no surprise that there was no solution to Mr. X’s Grief, and it was the case that he started to see his professional life start to decline as well, and around this time Mr. X was began battling with problematic drinking. On the advice of his work colleagues (Including my father), Mr. X started seeing a therapist. As I highlighted earlier, Mr. X always had a task oriented personality and by being active in his routines (Typically work routines) Mr. X on a personal level was in general terms happier. Mr.X was simply unable to handle the problem of his grief, and by failing in this aspect of his life it started to negatively affect other parts of his life and he was on track to seeing his life spiral out of control. The advice of the therapist was to simply not view his grief as some sort of failure on his behalf and from a stregnths based perspective his

The Relationship Between Exchange Rates Essay Example for Free

The Relationship Between Exchange Rates Essay The relationship between exchange rates, interest rates †¢ In this lecture we will learn how exchange rates accommodate equilibrium in ï ¬ nancial markets. For this purpose we examine the relationship between interest rates and exchange rates. Interest rates are the return to holding interest-bearing ï ¬ nancial assets. In the previous lecture we have pointed out that as being a ï ¬ nancial asset exchange rates tend to adjust more quickly to new information that goods prices. Like exchange rates, interest rates are also the prices of ï ¬ nancial assets and hence adjust quickly to new information. †¢ The proï ¬ t-seeking arbitrage activity will bring about an interest parity relationship between interest rates of two countries and exchange rate between these countries. †¢ A U.S. investor deciding between investing say in New York and in Tokyo must consider several things: – the interest rate in the U.S., i$ , (interest rate in aU.S ¿ dollar denominated bond, or rate of return in a U.S. dollar denominated US stock etc), interest rate in Japan (iY ; – the spot exchange rate, S; and – the future exchange rate for maturity date, forward rate, F . †¢ If the investor did not lock in a future exchange rate now, the unknown future spot exchange rate would make the investment risky. The investor can eliminate the uncertainty over the future dollar value of the investment by covering the investment with a forward exchange contract. †¢ If the investor covers the investment with a forward contract the arbitrage between two investment opportunities results in a covered interest parity (CIP) condition: (1 + i$ ) = (1 + iY ) 1 F S (1) which may be rewritten as (1 + i$ ) F = (1 + iY ) S (2) †¢ The interest rate parity equation can be approximated for small interest rates by: i$ − iY = F −S S (3) †¢ This later equation says that interest diï ¬â‚¬erential between a US denominated investment instrument and a Yen denominated investment instrument is equal to the forward premium or discount on the Yen. †¢ Example: i$ = 5%, iY = 3%. Suppose S = 0.0068 dollars per Yen. What should be the 90-day forward rate? 0.05 − 0.03 = F − 0.0068 0.0068 F = 0.0068 + 0.02 âˆâ€" 0.0068 = 0.00694 Thus we expect that a 90-day forward rate of $0.00694 to give a 90-day forward premium equal to the 0.02 interest diï ¬â‚¬erential. †¢ If the forward exchange rates were not consistent with the respective interest rates, then arbitrageurs could proï ¬ t by immediately changing currency in the spot market, investing it and locking in the proï ¬ table forward exchange rate. These actions in the market would increase the spot rate and lower the forward rate, bringing the forward premium into line with the interest diï ¬â‚¬erential. †¢ Suppose the actual 90-day forward rate is not 0.00694 dollars per yen but 0.0071 dollars per yen. Then proï ¬ t-seeking arbitrageurs could buy Yen spot, then invest and sell the Yen forward for dollars, since the forward price of Yen is higher than that implied by the covered interest parity relation. These actions will tend to increase spot rate and lower the forward rate, thereby bringing the forward premium back in line with the interest diï ¬â‚¬erential. 2 †¢ The interest rate parity condition (CIP) can be used to compute eï ¬â‚¬ective return on a foreign investment. Re-write (3) as: i$ = i Y + F −S S (4) This latter equation says that the return on a US dollar denominated asset (US dollar interest rate) is given by the Japanese interest rate plus the forward premium or discount on Yen. If CIP holds then equation (4) will hold as well. †¢ What happens when an investor does not use the forward market? Then we can not expect eï ¬â‚¬ective return on US dollar denominated asset be given by (4) as the investor in question will not be able to get the premium on Yen (or lose the discount). In this case, we say investor has an uncovered investment. The eï ¬â‚¬ective return then will be determined by the Japanese interest rate plus the change in the spot exchange rate between today and say 90 days from now. Letting it be the domestic interest rate on a domestic currency denominated asset, say US Dollar, between date t and t + 1, and similarly iâˆâ€" stands for foreign interest rate, t the eï ¬â‚¬ective return on a domestic currency denominated ï ¬ nancial asset will be given by: â ˆâ€" it = it + ∆St+1 (5) Which in our example will be i$ = iY + ∆S without time subscript. †¢ Suppose in the example we have been considering so far, the US investor did not use the forward market. After 90 days when the investor go to change Yen back to dollars, she ï ¬ nds that the Yen has appreciated against US dollar say by 1 percent. This means that your Yen buys 1 percent more dollars than they did before. This means that eï ¬â‚¬ective return on Yen investment then will be given by iY + ∆S = 0.03 + 0.01 = 0.04. 3 Hence, the return on a foreign investment plus the expected change in the exchange rate (in the value of Yen) is our expected return on a Yen investment. †¢ If the forward exchange rate is equal to expected future spot rate (Mathematically this means that E [St+1 | given all the available information] = Ft ) then the forward premium/discount is also equal to the expected change in the exchange rate. In this case we say that uncovered interest parity, (UIP) holds. †¢ More formally UIP condition says that the expected change in spot exchange rate is equal to interest diï ¬â‚¬erential. E(St+1) − St = i t − iâˆâ€" t St (6) where for E denotes the expectation operator. At this level you don’t need to worry about what this operator means, you can simply think ESt+1 denoting the expected future value of spot rate. †¢ As above analysis indicate forward exchange rates incorporate expectations about the future spot exchange rates. If the forward exchange rate is equal to the expected future spot rate, then the forward premium is also the expected change in the exchange rate. In this case, UIP is said to hold. †¢ Empirical studies indicate that there are small deviations from CIP. These deviations are possible due to presence of transactions cost, diï ¬â‚¬erential taxation across countries on the returns from investing in ï ¬ nancial markets, government control, and political risk involved in investing in diï ¬â‚¬erent countries. However, these deviations are small enough to assume that CIP holds true almost exactly in the real world data. Therefore, we can say that proï ¬ t-seeking arbitrage activities eliminate proï ¬ t opportunities in the exchange rate markets. Hence, CIP condition can be viewed an equilibrium condition that characterizes the relationship between spot exchange rate, forward rate and interest rates of two countries. 4 †¢ The problem arise in showing if the UIP holds or not in the data. Extensive studies have shown that UIP does not hold in the data especially for the industrialized countries. This means that percentage change in expected future spot rate is not equal to interest diï ¬â‚¬erential. Or, forward rate is not equal to expected future spot rate. Mathematically, this implies that there are deviations from UIP condition stated in (6) above. That is, it − iâˆâ€" − t ESt+1 − St =0 St This means that eï ¬â‚¬ective return diï ¬â‚¬erential is not equal to zero. There are several explanations given in the literature. – there should be proï ¬ t opportunities in the exchange rate market that are being exploited by the investors. That may be possible if the inside trading type of activities are possible and used extensively. In other words, there are informational asymmetries in the market, some investors have more information than others and they make positive proï ¬ ts. Although, this may explain part of the puzzle especially in the very short run, it is hard to believe that these informational asymmetries persist for a long time, especially in ï ¬ nancial markets where information ï ¬â€šow is very rapid and exchange rates adjust rapidly to new information. – It is possible to think that investors are systematically making mistakes in predicting the future value of spot exchange rate. That is, Ft = ESt+1 for a prolonged period of time. This means that forward rate is a biased predictor of future spot rate. Here biased means that it does not correctly predicts the future value of spot exchange rate on average. In other words, an unbiased predictor means that it predicts on average correctly the future value of a price, say exchange rate, so that over the long run the forward rate is just as likely to overpredict the future spot rate as it is to underpredict. Unbiased predictor does not mean that forward rate is a good predictor. What it 5 means is that forward rate is just as likely to guess too high as it is too low future spot rates. There is some evidence that indicates that investors in foreign exchange rate market make systematic mistakes in predicting the future value of spot exchange rate and hence causing systematic deviations from UIP. It may be possible to think scenarios where investors make mistakes in their forecast of future values of asset prices, but the magnitude of these mistakes shouldn’t be that large to account the large deviations we observe in UIP. That is, it is hard to understand why especially over longer time periods investors make big mistakes in a systematic fashion. Over time at least we should expect these errors to shrink a level where deviations from UIP become smaller. – Another explanation is that there should be a premium to take a risk by not covering the investment. This idea is based on the behavior of investors in taking risk. The eï ¬â‚¬ective return diï ¬â‚¬erential between two countries should be dependent on the perceived risk on each asset and the risk aversion of the investors. The risk aversion refers to the tendency of investors to prefer less risk. In terms of investments two investors may agree on the degree of risk associated with two assets, but the more risk-averse investor would require a higher interest rate on the more risky asset to induce her to hold it then the less risky-averse investor would. In ï ¬ nance, by risk we mean the variability of return from any given investment. This is because the more variable the return from an investment is, the less certain we can be about its future value. If investors diï ¬â‚¬er in their risk taking behavior we may observe that deviations from UIP and hence, changes in risk and risk aversion are associated with changes in eï ¬â‚¬ective return diï ¬â‚¬erential (that is interest diï ¬â‚¬erential). That is, it − iâˆâ€" − t ESt+1 â ˆ’ St = f (risk,riskaversion) St 6 The left hand side of this equation is the eï ¬â‚¬ective return diï ¬â‚¬erential (or deviations from UIP). The right hand side can be viewed as the risk premium. âˆâ€" – Since CIP conditionit − it = Ft −St Stholds almost exactly, subtracting ex-pected change in exchange rate from both sides: âˆâ€" it − it − Ft − St ESt+1 − St ESt+1 − St = − St St St Ft − ESt+1 ESt+1 − St = St St (7) or it − iâˆâ€" − t (8) Thus, we ï ¬ nd that the eï ¬â‚¬ective return diï ¬â‚¬erential (or deviations from UIP) is equal to the percentage diï ¬â‚¬erence between forward and expected future spot exchange rate. The right hand side of (7) is usually considered to be a measure of risk premium in the forward exchange rate market. If eï ¬â‚¬ective return diï ¬â‚¬erential is zero, then risk premium will be zero. If it is positive, then there is a positive risk premium on the domestic currency, because the expected future spot price of foreign currency is less than the prevailing forward rate. In other words, traders are oï ¬â‚¬ering to sell foreign currency for domestic currency in the future will receive a premium, in that foreign currency is expected to depreciate (relative to domestic currency) by an amount greater than the current forward rates. Conversely, traders wishing to buy foreign currency for delivery next period will pay a premium to the future sellers to ensure a set future price. The relationship between interest rates and inï ¬â€šation †¢ The real interest rate reï ¬â€šects the nominal interest rate with an adjustment for inï ¬â€šation. In other words, real interest rate is the nominal interest rate adjusted for inï ¬â€šation. †¢ Generally, the nominal interest rate will tend to incorporate inï ¬â€šation expectations. The relationship between interest rates and inï ¬â€šation is given by the Fisher equation: i=r+Ï€ (9) where i is the nominal interest rate, r is the real interest rate and Ï€ is the expected inï ¬â€šation rate. An increase in Ï€ will tend to increase the nominal interest rate. †¢ If the real rate of interest is the same across countries, then the Fisher can be combined with CIP equation: i$ − iY = Ï€U S − Ï€J = F −S S (10) This latter equation says that if real interest rates are the same internationally, then nominal interest rate diï ¬â‚¬erential diï ¬â‚¬er solely by diï ¬â‚¬erences in expected inï ¬â€šation. †¢ Note that relative exchange rate is given by the inï ¬â€šation diï ¬â‚¬erential and assuming that PPP, Fisher equation, and interest rate diï ¬â‚¬erential hold then real interest rates are equalized across countries. The expected exchange rates and the interest rates †¢ The pattern of interest rates over diï ¬â‚¬erent time periods for diï ¬â‚¬erent investment opportunities is known as term structure of interest rates. There are several interest rates. Short run interest rates, long run interest rates, namely 1 month, 3-month, 6-months etc. There are several theories explaining the the structure of interest rates on diï ¬â‚¬erent investment opportunities over time. – Expectations: the long term interest rates tend to equal to the average of short-term rates expected over the holding period. The expected return that will be generated from holding a 10 year bond should be on average be the the sum of holding a series of short term bonds, say 30-day bond rates. – Liquidity premium: Long term investment instruments must incorporate a risk premium since investors prefer short term investments. As the term of 8 holding an instrument rises, the interest rate on that instrument should rise as well. – Preferred Habitat: There exists separate markets for short and long term assets, with interest rates determined by conditions in each market. †¢ Under conditions of freely ï ¬â€šowing capital across countries, the term structures in diï ¬â‚¬erent currencies infer expected exchange rate changes, even if forward exchange markets for these currencies do not exist. †¢ If the term structure lines for two currencies are: – parallel, then exchange rate changes are expected to be constant; – diverging, then the high interest rate currency is expected to depreciate at an increasing rate over time; – converging, then the high-interest rate currency is expected to depreciate at a declining rate relative to the low-interest rate currency.

Protectionism: Advantages and Disadvantages

Protectionism: Advantages and Disadvantages Trade protectionism is implemented by countries when they believe their industries are being affected negatively by unjust competition. It may be seen as a defensive measure and it is almost always driven by political forces. It may turn successful, especially in the short run. In the long run, however it usually does the opposite of its intentions as it can make the country, and the industries it is trying to look after, not so competitive on the global marketplace. While economic theory suggests, and economic history demonstrates, protectionisms counter productivity on a global scale, we still believe that economists have a responsibility to defy increasing protectionist pressures by more than just recitationfree trade benefits. The typical protectionist argues that the traditional case for free trade is based on an oversimplified model which is no longer applicable to the real world. These charges are usually based on misconstructions or misinterpretations of the role of assumptio ns in economic theory. The fundamental illustrations of international trade theory are not necessary conditions for the theorys conclusions to have real world relevance. Protectionism is the governments actions and policies that restrict or restrain international trade, often done with the purpose of protecting local businesses and jobs from foreign competition. Classic methods of protectionism are import tariffs, subsidies, quotas and direct state intervention. The fact that trade protection hurts the economy of the country that enforces it is one of the oldest but still most astonishing understandings economics has to offer. The idea dates back to the beginning of economic science itself, which gave birth to economics, contains the argument for free trade by specializing in production instead of producing everything, nations would profit from free trade. In international economics, it is the direct opposite to the proposition that people within a national economy will all be better off if they specialize at what they do best instead of trying to be self-sufficient. Current debates and discussions about what kind of trade are good and about how open markets affects economy usually has hypothetical character, or takes place due to the influence of interest groups or subjective reasoning. Recent global economic crisis has caused a big change in ideas and policies against free markets and in favour of government intervention. Regardless, the analysis of trade development allows making simple conclusions which is relevant in the current discussion: countries adopting free trade policy prosper, while closing the markets leads to deficiency and economic slowdown. The main aim of this essay is to analyze if protectionism adopted by many countries, especially European countries can be a valid economic policy and if not, why so. It will look at the European Union and discuss the not so long ago fears of rising protectionism within the EU. Advantages of protectionism Protectionism marks an economic theory that emphasizes the minimization of free trade between nations. There are currently a lot of nations that practice economic protectionism; such countries believe that the manufacturing of goods should take place domestically, rather than in a global setting. Generally there are two main types of government control on international trade; tariff and non-tariff. Previously, the main dispute between supporters and opponents of protectionism was focused on the discussion of arguments again and for using tariff as an economic policy instrument. Non-tariff barriers became usual in the last years and many of them are used by countries as an escape passage in free trade agreements, since WTO agreements have much weaker restraints on non-tariff protectionism than on tariff. The supporters of protectionism build their arguments on the following: 1) An advantage of protectionism is that it keeps the domestic economy rolling. Since there is a decrease in imports, domestic firms have less competition, and so are able to continue. The domestic economy will also be strengthened because unemployment will be down due to the domestic firms and they will be able to produce and sell more goods with a lot less difficulty, giving firms less reason to decrease its costs by decreasing its workforce. Those with jobs will continue to consume while allowing the economy to flow. 2) Protectionism makes domestic firms less competitive in the export market, as import barriers raise domestic prices through higher costs for mediocre inputs this means that export products also become more expensive and decrease in market share against the international competition. 4) Protectionism permits the new and upcoming firms to work and develop at an acceptable rate, because they will not be pressured by foreign, more experienced firms. The new firms can grow until they themselves are big enough to compete in international markets, encouraging positive features for the domestic economy in the future. 5) Protectionism can also prevent dumping, this is where foreign and bigger economies enter an economy and sell their goods at a price lower than the costs of production. Therefore, the consumers of that specific economy are spending more than the consumers in overseas areas. 3) An exception in which protectionism could improve a nations economic well-being is when a country has monopoly power over a good. Economists  [1]  have argued that a country that produces a large percentage of the worlds output of a good can use an optimum tariff to take advantage of its latent monopoly power, and thus gain more from trade. This is the same as stating that a monopolist will maximize profits by raising prices and reducing outputs. As stated before, many countries practice economic protectionism and it may hold several advantages over the separate notion of free trade. Disadvantages of protectionism Trade protectionism has more than a few disadvantages, the most noteworthy of which are the pressures it places on the very core principles of free trade. Further disadvantages are the protections it offers to firms that contest on a stage of price over quality, the incorrect sense of security that it builds and the denial of easy access to certain products for consumers. At the core of protectionism are tariffs, duties, quotas and any other measures designed to restrict the import of foreign goods in interest of protecting domestic companies from foreign take overs. More disadvantages are as follows: 1) Consumers pay more with protectionism. Without a system of competitive pricing, domestic companies are free to raise their prices without raising the quality of their goods. When a business has no competition then the consumer is left without options. 2) Businesses suffer from protectionism too. Government support often builds corporate contentment, which could lead to a business to believe that it has a pleasant safety net set up behind it in the event of strong foreign competition as these businesses might not have the resources necessary to survive on their own. 3) Trade protectionism limits consumer access to foreign goods and non-domestic companies that offer unique products and services are also subject to the restrictions. 4) Foreign businesses and domestic consumers face the greatest disadvantages of trade protectionism. Businesses face imbalanced restrictions while their domestic competitors are offered financial advantages, and the consumer ends up paying higher prices for a limited variety of products that are not always worth their costs. 5) Protectionism can cause a retaliation reaction from other nations, ruining vital relationships between nations. a clear example of this would be the relationship between USA and China, when the US put boundaries on the Chinese tires , China retaliated by putting up barriers against different U.S. goods such as their chicken. This kind of hostility between nations decreases the specialization between two nations, eventually damaging the economy. Additionally to all of this, some governments provide subsidies and loans to businesses that are not able to compete against their foreign competitors. These actions restrain the free market by giving benefits to domestic companies while creating consequences upon foreign businesses. Some argue that trade protectionism is a step towards anti-globalization because of these reasons. Where is protectionism most prominent The U.S. has a long history as a protectionist country, with its tariffs reaching their highest in the 1820s and during the great depression. The countrys protectionist policies changed toward the middle of the 20th century. In 1947, they were one of the 23 nations to sign mutual trade agreements in the form of the general agreement on tariffs and trade. That agreement, modified in 1994, was substituted in 1995 by the world trade organization in Geneva. Through WTO negotiations, most of the worlds chief trading nations have significantly reduced their customs tariffs. The mutual trade agreements normally bound protectionist measure instead of eradicating them completely, however, calls for protectionism are still heard when industries in different countries suffer from economic struggle or unemployment believed to be aggravated by foreign competition. Critics argue that, over the long term, protectionism often ends up hurting the people it is supposed to protect and often encourages free trade as a greater alternative to protectionism. Another region that protectionism is becoming more popular is Europe. Recently the European commission drew attention to the increase in protectionist inclinations worldwide. It stated that 123 new trade restrictions had been implemented over the time span of 8 months (2012) this was an acceleration of 25% compared with the previous period studied. However the commissions own anticipated trade reforms, were ignored. These would push the EU itself towards further protectionism, they were seen to hamper with the global economy and hurt developing countries, according to an ODI  [2]  study.EU import likings for low income countries are focused around primary merchandises. Thats why they have lower tariffs for these goods. These encouragements have strengthened structural shortages towards extractive industries especially in sub Saharan Africa. The EU modifications have prevented these economies from expanding into value adding industries, hence slowing their development. Even though the proposals suggests using trade to improve development, there is little acknowledgement of the influence of the EUs Common Agricultural Policy  [3]  , which distorts trade and prevents development. The economic subsidy given to farmers alters world prices and the external tariffs punish foreign farmers selling products to the EU market. These interventions prevent many developing countries progressing through export-driven growth. In this context, the EUs moves towards further protectionist measure are a cause for deep concern. The policies threaten to damage developing countries and reduce the efficiency of the global economic system Based on economic theory, all elimination of trade barriers is beneficial to the world economy. Through increasing trade barriers, by tariff and non-tariff funds, domestic consumer costs increase, foreign exporters sales decrease and efficiency gains through comparative advantage  [4]  are prevented. These decisions are hence political. Arguable they have been put in place to prevent possible rivals from catching up with EU countries. The statement that the imports from the middle-income countries will be substituted by those from low-income countries seems doubtful. It is vital to distinguish between the cases for free trade for nations own benefit and the case for free trade for all nations. The first is an argument for free trade to improve one nations own well-being, also known as the national-efficiency argument. The other is an argument for free trade to improve every trading countrys welfare. Both of these cases assume that free markets determine prices and there are no market failures. However, the reality is that market failures can and do occur. Market failures can rise from governmental action as well. Hence, governments may misrepresent market prices by subsidizing production, as European governments have notably done and as all wealthy countries governments do in agriculture. Governments can also protect intellectual property unproductively, leading to underproduction of new knowledge; they may also overprotect it. In those cases, production and trade, led by inaccurate prices, will not be effective. Conclusion The history of trade development shows that protectionism and free trade policies were replaced to correspond to a certain economic situation in the world. However, there has been apparent shift to open markets, decreased trade barriers and international cooperation among countries in the last few decades. With all of this said, the impact of recent economic slowdown pushed many countries to stray from free trade agreements in order to support domestic economies and employment. As a result, what we are seeing today is protectionism which is not an upfront declaration of a trade war using tariffs; rather it is protectionism with non-tariff weapons. These metaphorical weapons are used mainly by developed countries especially by many European countries. Demands for labour and domestic market protection stand as a problem for European leaders. They run against EU rules that guarantee the free flow of goods, services and workers. There are two sides of using protective policy, but it is clear that the disadvantages of such policies will almost always prevail over its advantages. Economists stress more on the threats rather than the benefits of protectionism, and claim that it is not a solution for problems in the long run. For European and other countries it is extremely desirable to find ways to increase employment and reduce the impact of the crisis, but using any sort of protection would have very little short run benefits. It would also result in reduced worldwide employment very quickly and make growth prospects much more difficult when recovery does come. It is not even a case of when one country benefits at the expense of another. Such moves might bring upon a chain reaction of protectionism that makes the economic slowdown even worse. One countrys protection will not just hurt partner-country exports. Sooner or later, the formers exports will be affected as well. Therefore Europe should avoid adopting protective measures separately, as free trade is seen to be the only solution to crisis by stimulating future growth and creating jobs in the future.

Effect of Citizenship Education on Values

Effect of Citizenship Education on Values Rationale Can a concept of citizenship based on equal rights and a shared sense of belonging moderate, transcend or displace identity politics and concepts of nationality? (Smith (2003), cited in Maitles, 2005:49) The above statement was the building block for this dissertation and highlights the challenge that educators face if education for citizenship is to become a success. Citizenship is at the core of A Curriculum for Excellence, it permeates all subject areas with its values of wisdom, compassion, integrity and justice (Scottish Government, 2011b). The Scottish Government, claim that education for citizenship enables children to address issues such as peace and conflict resolution, social equality and appreciation of diversity (ibid). Whilst Scotland is a diverse country, diversity itself, it seems, breeds intolerance and inequality (Willems et al, 2010). Whilst it is claimed that education for citizenship can overcome these inequalities, (LTS, 2002) critics argue that there are limits to what can be done in terms of the contribution that school policies per se can make to eradicating these inequalities? (Maitles, 2005:16) Citizenship, and its potential has been a personal matter of interest since I began my initial teacher training. Whilst I have always appreciated the purpose and necessity of education for citizenship, I have also been mindful of the hypocrisy of teaching citizenship values to children who, due to circumstances beyond their control, have never experienced these values themselves. I have found this unsettling, and my initial research has demonstrated that I am not alone in this issue (Maitles, 2005; LTS, 2002). Being born and raised in the West of Scotland and I am acutely aware that sectarianism is a term associated with this particular area. For my own part, religion played no part in my home environment but was respected and a source of interest. However, I routinely heard sectarian language being casually thrown around the playground at my non-denominational school. My initial reading has demonstrated that there is a vast contrast in opinion regarding sectarianism, from Steve Bruce et al (2005), who suggests that sectarianism is a myth, to government opinion which state that Scotland is scarred by sectarianism (J. McConnell (2006), cited in Scottish Executive, 2006) On paper, citizenship is the key to a tolerant, compassionate, inter-cultural nation. However, can it eradicate and overcome the root causes of sectarianism within Scotland? (384 words) Introduction and Method Section The purpose of this review of literature is to ascertain if teaching education for citizenship in Scottish primary schools can help to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland. There are four main key areas which need to be addressed throughout the course of this research and each of them will be expanded further upon; The first section shall focus on citizenship itself; the history, philosophy and Scotlands position regarding citizenship. Secondly, this dissertation will address Education for Citizenship, with the focus on; current policy, A Curriculum for Excellence, and possible areas of concern. The penultimate section aims to scrutinize sectarianism itself; its history and relevance to Scotland, its causes/roots, the Scottish Governments stance and the Churchs perspective. The fourth and final section shall explore using citizenship as a means to eradicate sectarianism from Scotland; current initiatives, examples of good practice promoting anti-sectarianism and ways of implementing citizenship skills. On concluding all four sections of the review, only then will this dissertation attempt to draw satisfactory conclusions determining if, through teaching citizenship in Scottish primary schools, sectarianism can be consigned to Scottish history. Research has so far shown that education for citizenship is a contemporary trend, currently being addressed by both academics and the government. Sectarianism research appears to have peaked from 1999-2005, with little literature on the subject being, so far, uncovered. However, in order to address this dissertation question fittingly, and produce a thorough review of literature a range of resources and methods have been utilized: The University of the West of Scotland and the University of Glasgow have both been utilised to source: Books: initially found through topic searches, subsequently found through using bibliographies and reference lists to find further relevant material. Inter-library loans. Academic Journals: accessed via the library catalogue and additional databases (e.g. ERIC, Taylor and Frances, Google Scholar) focusing on key words, particularly citizenship and sectarianism but also Scottish Primary Schools and intolerance. Learning and Teaching Scotland website, alongside the Scottish Government website have been used to gain access to relevant documentation. Policy documents and reports; mainly Scottish but English policies/reports have been used to create a relevant context. The internet was used to source relevant information, again focusing on key words (as stated above) Anti-sectarian charity, Nil By Mouth Church of Scotland Roman Catholic Church of Scotland For the purpose of this paper, it has been decided to focus primarily on literature written within a timeline of the last ten years (2000-2010), with the exception of literature which provides relevant historical information. It has been determined that literature of a more recent date will provide this dissertation with more precise, relevant conclusions in order to determine if education for citizenship can help to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland. (469 words) Literature Review Citizenship History and Philosophy of Citizenship The concept of citizenship is the foundation of this research, therefore it shall briefly ascertain what citizenship is. Citizenship is by no means a modern concept, its roots can be traced back to ancient Greece and the then city-state of Athens, where citizens overcame their own differences for the greater good of their city (Miller, 2000). However, even from its historical roots, there is evidence of the great philosophers, Aristotle and Plato, attempting to define citizenship. There is a vast and varied opinion on what citizenship is. Ann Philips (2000:36) claims that citizenship divides people into those who belong and those who do not, whilst political scientist, Greer and Matzke state simply that citizenship is a set of rights that come from belonging to a community (2009:2). Perhaps more realistically, Hartley (2010:235) defines citizenship as being at heart a combative term, with a long history of bloodshed, struggle, resistance, hope, fear and terror caught up in its train. These diverse accounts of what citizenship is highlights that little has changed in the last 2500 years since Aristotle stated The nature of citizenshipis a question which is often disputed: there is no general agreement on a single definition (Aristotle, cited in Oliver and Heater, 1994:vii) English sociologist T.H.Marshall, defined citizenship as a status bestowed on those who are full members of the community (Marshall (1963), cited in Powell, 2009:25). During the 1950s, he proposed that citizenship could be divided into three elements, civil, political and social (Hartley, 2010; Greer and Matzke, 2009; Oliver and Heater, 1994; Pearce and Hallgarten, 2000). His vision was based on equality, that regardless of gender, race or religion, if you were a full member of the community, you were entitled to citizenship status. Marshalls model for citizenship has been criticised due to his three elements being defined by equalityyet in practice they operate in a context of social inequality (Greer and Matzke, 2009:5). This view is mirrored by Evans who reminds us to consider ways in which social disadvantage undermines citizenship by denying people full participation in society (Evans, cited in Maitles, 2005:2). However, it is nonetheless still held in high regard and used as a platform for other academics and governments to build on, as can be seen in Lord Goldsmiths Citizenship Review (2008). Scotlands Position Active citizenship is central to the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence. Their aim is that children will play a full and active part in society politically, socially, economically, environmentally and culturally (Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS), 2011). In Scotland, as a result of devolution, citizenship is a key issue. The UK, is no longer one nation-state with a single social citizenship but is comprised of four countries, each with its own regional social citizenship (Jeffrey, 2009). Indeed, Greer (2009:198) states that a single, shared, social citizenship for the UK is today a contested political goal if it is not purely a myth. Some politicians have even gone as far as to suggest a European state, which would provide a whole new scope for social citizenship, and would require redefining of citizenship in the 21st century (Jeffrey, 2009). Scottish children must be provided with the knowledge, skills and values which allow them to appreciate the importance of citizenship and be able to not only scrutinise a concept which is based on equality but question what equality means and its implications for all of society. Only by children striving to find answers to these questions can the concept of citizenship adapt and progress effectively into the 21st century (Greer, 2009). Education is essential in ensuring that Scotlands children are exposed to these experiences because in terms of citizenship, an ignorant citizen is tantamount to a contradiction in terms (Oliver and Heater, 1994:20) Education for Citizenship Regarding what education for citizenship actually is, the general consensus appears to be that there is not much agreement about what it is, other than it is a good thing (Maitles, 2005:2). It is criticised as an indoctrine by some and considered the best route to global peace by others (Brown et al, 2009:73). Gundara, approaches the matter from a different perspective by considering not what it is but what it should do; The challenge for citizenship education is the moulding of the one out of the many and to construct appropriate educational responses to difference and diversity within British society (Gundara, 2000:16) Whilst preparing youth for participation in society has always been an educational goal (Willems et al, 2010:215), it is in the last ten to fifteen years that education for citizenship has gained momentum in Scotland (HMIe, 2006). The Government was concerned over the apparent lack of interest regarding democratic matters (Deuchar, 2003; Maitles, 2005), and in light of this, the then Lord Chancellor stated we should not, must not, dare not, be complacent about the health and future of British democracy and that unless we become a nation of engaged citizens, our democracy is not secure (Lord Chancellor, cited in Advisory Group on Citizenship, 1998:8). As a result of this, plans were put in motion to overturn this trend by including citizenship into the national curriculum. This process began in 1998, when the Advisory Group on Citizenship (AGC), produced a report advocating the necessity of education for citizenship (also known as the Crick Report). It echoed the Lord Chancellors comments and stated that citizenship was crucial to our nation to such an extent that education for citizenship would be compulsory. Acting upon this report, Scotland followed suit in 2002 with their report from the Advisory Council of LTS. Much of the report mirrors that of the Crick report, it reiterates the Lord Chancellors statement and both reports highlight the importance of imparting upon children key learning experiences, skills, values and knowledge and understanding. Of particular relevance to this research are those which refer to social issues and dilemmas (Scottish Government, 2002:12) and educating children on the diversity of identities within Scotlandand the need for mutual respect, tolerance and understanding (Scottish Government, 2002:36). Both reports (and Maitles, 2005) support educators tackling so called controversial issues, i.e. sectarianism, through education for citizenship by acknowledging that many controversial issues are relevant to children. Abdi and Shultz state that We should not underestimate the role of education in instilling in the minds of people core human rights values (2008:3) and tackling difficult issues in the classroom allows children to address those at the very core of humanity those that are addressed in the Human Rights Act 1998 (National Archives, 2011) (see Appendix I), the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990 (Office of the United Nations, 2011) (see Appendix II) and allows children to address them in a manner which complies with the Standards in Scotlands Schools etc. Act 2000, Section 2 (National Archives, 2011a) (see Appendix III). Some notable concerns are raised regarding education for citizenship. Maitles (2005) and Maylor (2010), indicate that some academics/educators believe that teaching controversial issues to primary age children is unsuitable. However, as this research has already highlighted, some young children deal with many controversial issues every day and in this era of technology and internet access children are seeing these issues (AGC, 1998:12). At primary school age children are picking up, whether from school, home or elsewhereof what social problems effect them (AGC, 1998:12; Davies, 2011). Maitles (2005) and Dower (2008), raise concerns over the possible hypocrisy of education for citizenship, with Maitles stating that inequalities in society, have a detrimental effect on the education for citizenship proposals (Maitles, 2005:16) By this they mean educators teaching children about rights and responsibilities and values such as equality and tolerance, to children who, whilst in the classro om may be equal, however, when they leave the classroom, vast social inequalities and intolerances may become visible. In addition, Dower (2008:47), bluntly states that To say we all enjoy rights is a mockery, given the realities of the world. Education for citizenship and its associated skills and values must be taught as children in Scotland are growing up in an increasingly diverse society (Scottish Executive, 2006) and This education is necessary if we are to live together appreciating and accepting our diversity and differences in a context of social justice, equity and democracy (James, 2008:109). If attitudes cannot be accepted or tolerated or challenged then people find they have increasingly less in common with each other which leads to at best segregation within communities, at worst, open hostility to each other (Willems et al, 2010), a perfect example being what happened in the West of Scotland between the Scottish Protestants and the Irish Catholics in the 18th/19th century. Intolerance has blighted our society in the past and children must learn from past mistakes, after all, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it (George Santanya, cited in Abdi and Shultz, 2009:1). Sectarianism Sectarianism: Denoting or concerning a sect or sects: the citys traditional sectarian divide. Adjective (of an action) carried out on the grounds of membership of a sect, denomination, or other group: sectarian killings Rigidly following the doctrines of a sect or other group. Noun: a member of a sect, a person who rigidly follows the doctrines of a sect or other group. (Oxford Dictionaries, 2010) The roots of sectarianism in Scotland can be traced back to the 16th century and the Reformation of the church. However, it was the influx of Irish Catholic immigrant workers to Scotland in the 19th century which infamously associated the west of Scotland with sectarianism. The Irish Catholic immigrants were an unknown entity to the Native Protestant Scots, who in their ignorance perceived them as savages (OHagan, 2000:32). The perception was that the Irish immigrants were going to take jobs and housing from the Scots and attempt to spread their dangerous religion. Bruce et al (2004) explains that the fear and hatred of each other stemmed mainly from the fact that in the 19th century, people wholeheartedly believed in their religion, and genuinely believed that the other religion was dangerously wrong. As a result, Irish Catholics were attacked from the pulpit and in the street, (LTS, 2011a), refused employment, or were kept at the bottom of the labour market by influence from the local church and Orange Lodge (an organisation created in 1795 to promote and protect the Protestant faith (Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, 2011)). In the 21st century, whilst it is accepted that sectarianism did exist, the general consensus appears to be that blatant discrimination of Catholics no longer exists (Bruce (2000); McCrone and Rosie (2000); Paterson (2000), cited in Williams and Walls, 2000). However, there is an acknowledgment that sectarianism in Scotland is a unique problem (Murray, 1984) and that sectarianism hides in a shadowy corner of our society and only shows itself in peoples attitudes and prejudices (McCrone and Rosie, 2000:200). OHagan is more blunt and simply states that Scotland is a divisive, bigoted society (2000:25) and Reilly, refers to the Sunday Times, which in 1999 described Scotland as A country which hosts Orange marches the year round while ceaselessly campaigning for the closure of Catholic schools (2000:29). The Scottish Government shared these views, and in 2003 under Section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act, 2003, sectarianism became a criminal offence (Nil By Mouth, 2011). Sectarianism in 21st century Scotland is largely associated with football and schools (Lynch, 2000), with Celtic Football Club (CFC) and Rangers Football Club (RFC) being particularly linked with sectarianism. CFC was founded in 1888 by Brother Walfrid, initially a charity, it was set up by Irish immigrants, for Irish immigrants, whilst RFC was founded in 1872 by the McNeil family (Murray, 1984). In 1912, the shipbuilders Harland and Wolff arrived on the Clyde from Belfast and brought with them a workforce of Protestant/Orange workers who in defiance of Catholic Celtic, gave their support to Rangers and so the two clubs were defined in history. In recent years, the two clubs, in association with the Scottish Government have provided programmes to combat the sectarianism with which they are associated with (Nil By Mouth, 2011; Scottish Executive, 2006a). The current picture remains that Celtic and Rangers are still associated with their intolerant historic pasts which is passed down from one generation to the next. Youngsters, who have no interest in religion themselves, are encouraged to learn the sectarian stories and songs from their fathers and grandfathers and whilst not understanding the real meaning of the words, will enter the football stadiums and become 90 minute bigots (Deuchar, Holligan, 2008:12; Bruce, 2000) Catholic schools have been a stone of contention in Scotland since they were granted state-funding in the Scotland Education Act (1918) (Bruce et al, 2004). Although the schools originated in the same manner as Protestant schools (ibid), Catholics were condemned for wanting their own schools attached to their own churches. Those who claim that sectarianism is in decline claim that there is no need for Catholic schools and that they should be boarded up for the sake of social harmony, and those who claim that there is sectarianism in Scotland claim Catholic schools are responsible and should be boarded up (Reilly, 2000). Such negative perceptions of Catholic schools, yet there is no evidence that Catholic schools encourage or breed sectarianism (ibid). At the root of sectarianism, in its truest sense, is religion. In the 21st century, on the matter of sectarianism, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt. Reverend Bill Hewitt demanded that sectarianism be stamped out from Scotlandthe country must become more tolerant and inclusive or society would suffer (Scottish Christian, 2009) and one year later, these views were reiterated by the Rev Ian Galloway, (cited in Herald Scotland, 2010). Meanwhile, the Scottish Catholic Church claimed that sectarianism was still very much in abundance in Scotland. The director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office is quoted stating that: The bigotry, the bile, the sectarian undercurrents and innuendos must end. Such hateful attitudes have had their day. They poison the well of community life. They must be excised and cast out once and for all (Kearney, cited in Herald Glasgow, 2010). This section has focused primarily on the Catholic/Protestant take on sectarianism as it is this that Scotland is infamous for. However, it must be noted that sectarianism can apply to any religion. MacMillan, discusses the plight of the Muslim community in Glasgow who have been slated for wanting to open their own school with accusations that their display on difference are root causes of social division (2000:266). In order to prevent history repeating itself, the next generation must be educated in such a manner so that Scotland can put sectarian attitudes into dustbin of history and build a better society (J.McConnell, 2006). Education for Citizenship as a means to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland The Scottish Government claim that Education for Citizenship has the potential to address the negative values and attitudes that feed sectarianism and stresses the importance that education plays in eradicating sectarianism in Scotland and claims that Curriculum for Excellence is itself a programme for tackling sectarianism (Salmond, 2005). This view is supported by Deuchar and Holligan, who after identifying that youngster received little input regarding sectarianism in schools stated that Curriculum for Excellence is the opportunity to teach controversial issues (2008). To support these claims, the Scottish Government created an educational resource for teachers called Dont Give it, Dont Take it, with the sole aim of supporting teachers to promote anti-discrimination (Scottish Government, 2005). Then, in 2007, HMIe, released Count Us In: Promoting understanding and combating sectarianism, which provided examples of initiatives which promote anti-sectarianism. They highlight the importance of addressing this issue with young children because the result of sectarianismcan be that young people develop limited ways of thinking which narrows their view of the world and damages their relationship with others (2007:1), therefore, we must teach our children to see beyond their own interests and commitment and take a wider, more impartial view of the world (Miller, 2000:29). Schools across Scotland have adopted a wide variety of approaches to anti-sectarian education which contribute to successful learning (HMIe, 2007:6) and the evidence gathered from school inspections indicate that primary school children have embraced these approaches positively (HMIe, 2007). One popular approach is twinning, where neighbouring schools, one denominational and one non-denominational come together to work collaboratively on an anti-sectarian project. Angie Kotler, Strategic Director of the Schools Linking Network, supports twinning as it creates opportunities to develop and deepen childrens knowledge and understanding of identity/ies, diversity, equality and community (2010:49). She also stresses the importance of addressing controversial issues in schools as we cannot assume that children will have other opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding. Education for citizenship is a means by which this can be achieved as it is a vessel for tackling controver sial issues such as human rights, peace and conflict resolution, social equality and appreciation of diversity (LTS, 2011b). Through these issues, sectarianism in Scotland can be addressed and hopefully, in time, the legacy of sectarianism in Scotland can be wiped out (Salmond, 2005). However, if initiatives such as twinning are to be done successfully then according to Dr Uvanney Maylor (Reader in Education, University of Bedfordshire), lessons promoting shared values and citizenship belonging would need to facilitate an appreciation of how difference is experienced outside school (2010:247), an opinion echoing that of one made earlier by Maitles (2005) and Dower (2008). Maylor states that children will only be able to understand and respect diversity if they have learnt to understand and respect their own identity, (2010). In schools this can be achieved by creating a positive school ethos which challenges sectarianism and religious prejudice whilst encouraging and promoting diversity, social inclusion, equality, equity and positive behaviour (LTS, 2011c). In 2003, Finn, stated that, with regards to sectarianism, educationhas much to contribute to an understanding of this conflict. So far it has failed to do so (2003:905). With the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence and supporting documents from HMIe, it appears that education is striving to overturn this perception and is sending a clear message that sectarianism will not be tolerated within Scottish primary schools (HMIe, 2007). Perhaps, in Scotland, with its unique relationship with sectarianism this entails, as a matter of urgency, a new and more inclusive definition of Scottishness if the nation is to be one and at peace with itselfthe Scotland of the future must contain no inner exiles (Reilly, 2000:39). 3083 words Appendix I Human Rights Act 1998 Articles relevant to this review are: Article 9 Freedom of thought, conscience and religion Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance. Freedom to manifest ones religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. Article 14 Prohibition of discrimination The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status. (National Archives, 2011) Appendix II Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990 Articles relevant to this review are: Article 12 States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child. For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law. Article 13 The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the childs choice. The exercise of this right may be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary: (a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others; or (b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals. Article 14 States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. States Parties shall respect the rights and duties of the parents and, when applicable, legal guardians, to provide direction to the child in the exercise of his or her right in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child. Freedom to manifest ones religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. (Office of the United Nations, 2011) Appendix III Standards in Scotlands Schools etc. Act 2000 Section 2: Duty of education authority in providing school education (1) Where school education is provided to a child or young person by, or by virtue of arrangements made, or entered into, by, an education authority it shall be the duty of the authority to secure that the education is directed to the development of the personality, talents and mental and physical abilities of the child or young person to their fullest potential. (2) In carrying out their duty under this section, an education authority shall have due regard, so far as is reasonably practicable, to the views (if there is a wish to express them) of the child or young person in decisions that significantly affect that child or young person, taking account of the child or young persons age and maturity. (National Archives, 2011a) Effect of Citizenship Education on Values Effect of Citizenship Education on Values Rationale Can a concept of citizenship based on equal rights and a shared sense of belonging moderate, transcend or displace identity politics and concepts of nationality? (Smith (2003), cited in Maitles, 2005:49) The above statement was the building block for this dissertation and highlights the challenge that educators face if education for citizenship is to become a success. Citizenship is at the core of A Curriculum for Excellence, it permeates all subject areas with its values of wisdom, compassion, integrity and justice (Scottish Government, 2011b). The Scottish Government, claim that education for citizenship enables children to address issues such as peace and conflict resolution, social equality and appreciation of diversity (ibid). Whilst Scotland is a diverse country, diversity itself, it seems, breeds intolerance and inequality (Willems et al, 2010). Whilst it is claimed that education for citizenship can overcome these inequalities, (LTS, 2002) critics argue that there are limits to what can be done in terms of the contribution that school policies per se can make to eradicating these inequalities? (Maitles, 2005:16) Citizenship, and its potential has been a personal matter of interest since I began my initial teacher training. Whilst I have always appreciated the purpose and necessity of education for citizenship, I have also been mindful of the hypocrisy of teaching citizenship values to children who, due to circumstances beyond their control, have never experienced these values themselves. I have found this unsettling, and my initial research has demonstrated that I am not alone in this issue (Maitles, 2005; LTS, 2002). Being born and raised in the West of Scotland and I am acutely aware that sectarianism is a term associated with this particular area. For my own part, religion played no part in my home environment but was respected and a source of interest. However, I routinely heard sectarian language being casually thrown around the playground at my non-denominational school. My initial reading has demonstrated that there is a vast contrast in opinion regarding sectarianism, from Steve Bruce et al (2005), who suggests that sectarianism is a myth, to government opinion which state that Scotland is scarred by sectarianism (J. McConnell (2006), cited in Scottish Executive, 2006) On paper, citizenship is the key to a tolerant, compassionate, inter-cultural nation. However, can it eradicate and overcome the root causes of sectarianism within Scotland? (384 words) Introduction and Method Section The purpose of this review of literature is to ascertain if teaching education for citizenship in Scottish primary schools can help to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland. There are four main key areas which need to be addressed throughout the course of this research and each of them will be expanded further upon; The first section shall focus on citizenship itself; the history, philosophy and Scotlands position regarding citizenship. Secondly, this dissertation will address Education for Citizenship, with the focus on; current policy, A Curriculum for Excellence, and possible areas of concern. The penultimate section aims to scrutinize sectarianism itself; its history and relevance to Scotland, its causes/roots, the Scottish Governments stance and the Churchs perspective. The fourth and final section shall explore using citizenship as a means to eradicate sectarianism from Scotland; current initiatives, examples of good practice promoting anti-sectarianism and ways of implementing citizenship skills. On concluding all four sections of the review, only then will this dissertation attempt to draw satisfactory conclusions determining if, through teaching citizenship in Scottish primary schools, sectarianism can be consigned to Scottish history. Research has so far shown that education for citizenship is a contemporary trend, currently being addressed by both academics and the government. Sectarianism research appears to have peaked from 1999-2005, with little literature on the subject being, so far, uncovered. However, in order to address this dissertation question fittingly, and produce a thorough review of literature a range of resources and methods have been utilized: The University of the West of Scotland and the University of Glasgow have both been utilised to source: Books: initially found through topic searches, subsequently found through using bibliographies and reference lists to find further relevant material. Inter-library loans. Academic Journals: accessed via the library catalogue and additional databases (e.g. ERIC, Taylor and Frances, Google Scholar) focusing on key words, particularly citizenship and sectarianism but also Scottish Primary Schools and intolerance. Learning and Teaching Scotland website, alongside the Scottish Government website have been used to gain access to relevant documentation. Policy documents and reports; mainly Scottish but English policies/reports have been used to create a relevant context. The internet was used to source relevant information, again focusing on key words (as stated above) Anti-sectarian charity, Nil By Mouth Church of Scotland Roman Catholic Church of Scotland For the purpose of this paper, it has been decided to focus primarily on literature written within a timeline of the last ten years (2000-2010), with the exception of literature which provides relevant historical information. It has been determined that literature of a more recent date will provide this dissertation with more precise, relevant conclusions in order to determine if education for citizenship can help to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland. (469 words) Literature Review Citizenship History and Philosophy of Citizenship The concept of citizenship is the foundation of this research, therefore it shall briefly ascertain what citizenship is. Citizenship is by no means a modern concept, its roots can be traced back to ancient Greece and the then city-state of Athens, where citizens overcame their own differences for the greater good of their city (Miller, 2000). However, even from its historical roots, there is evidence of the great philosophers, Aristotle and Plato, attempting to define citizenship. There is a vast and varied opinion on what citizenship is. Ann Philips (2000:36) claims that citizenship divides people into those who belong and those who do not, whilst political scientist, Greer and Matzke state simply that citizenship is a set of rights that come from belonging to a community (2009:2). Perhaps more realistically, Hartley (2010:235) defines citizenship as being at heart a combative term, with a long history of bloodshed, struggle, resistance, hope, fear and terror caught up in its train. These diverse accounts of what citizenship is highlights that little has changed in the last 2500 years since Aristotle stated The nature of citizenshipis a question which is often disputed: there is no general agreement on a single definition (Aristotle, cited in Oliver and Heater, 1994:vii) English sociologist T.H.Marshall, defined citizenship as a status bestowed on those who are full members of the community (Marshall (1963), cited in Powell, 2009:25). During the 1950s, he proposed that citizenship could be divided into three elements, civil, political and social (Hartley, 2010; Greer and Matzke, 2009; Oliver and Heater, 1994; Pearce and Hallgarten, 2000). His vision was based on equality, that regardless of gender, race or religion, if you were a full member of the community, you were entitled to citizenship status. Marshalls model for citizenship has been criticised due to his three elements being defined by equalityyet in practice they operate in a context of social inequality (Greer and Matzke, 2009:5). This view is mirrored by Evans who reminds us to consider ways in which social disadvantage undermines citizenship by denying people full participation in society (Evans, cited in Maitles, 2005:2). However, it is nonetheless still held in high regard and used as a platform for other academics and governments to build on, as can be seen in Lord Goldsmiths Citizenship Review (2008). Scotlands Position Active citizenship is central to the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence. Their aim is that children will play a full and active part in society politically, socially, economically, environmentally and culturally (Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS), 2011). In Scotland, as a result of devolution, citizenship is a key issue. The UK, is no longer one nation-state with a single social citizenship but is comprised of four countries, each with its own regional social citizenship (Jeffrey, 2009). Indeed, Greer (2009:198) states that a single, shared, social citizenship for the UK is today a contested political goal if it is not purely a myth. Some politicians have even gone as far as to suggest a European state, which would provide a whole new scope for social citizenship, and would require redefining of citizenship in the 21st century (Jeffrey, 2009). Scottish children must be provided with the knowledge, skills and values which allow them to appreciate the importance of citizenship and be able to not only scrutinise a concept which is based on equality but question what equality means and its implications for all of society. Only by children striving to find answers to these questions can the concept of citizenship adapt and progress effectively into the 21st century (Greer, 2009). Education is essential in ensuring that Scotlands children are exposed to these experiences because in terms of citizenship, an ignorant citizen is tantamount to a contradiction in terms (Oliver and Heater, 1994:20) Education for Citizenship Regarding what education for citizenship actually is, the general consensus appears to be that there is not much agreement about what it is, other than it is a good thing (Maitles, 2005:2). It is criticised as an indoctrine by some and considered the best route to global peace by others (Brown et al, 2009:73). Gundara, approaches the matter from a different perspective by considering not what it is but what it should do; The challenge for citizenship education is the moulding of the one out of the many and to construct appropriate educational responses to difference and diversity within British society (Gundara, 2000:16) Whilst preparing youth for participation in society has always been an educational goal (Willems et al, 2010:215), it is in the last ten to fifteen years that education for citizenship has gained momentum in Scotland (HMIe, 2006). The Government was concerned over the apparent lack of interest regarding democratic matters (Deuchar, 2003; Maitles, 2005), and in light of this, the then Lord Chancellor stated we should not, must not, dare not, be complacent about the health and future of British democracy and that unless we become a nation of engaged citizens, our democracy is not secure (Lord Chancellor, cited in Advisory Group on Citizenship, 1998:8). As a result of this, plans were put in motion to overturn this trend by including citizenship into the national curriculum. This process began in 1998, when the Advisory Group on Citizenship (AGC), produced a report advocating the necessity of education for citizenship (also known as the Crick Report). It echoed the Lord Chancellors comments and stated that citizenship was crucial to our nation to such an extent that education for citizenship would be compulsory. Acting upon this report, Scotland followed suit in 2002 with their report from the Advisory Council of LTS. Much of the report mirrors that of the Crick report, it reiterates the Lord Chancellors statement and both reports highlight the importance of imparting upon children key learning experiences, skills, values and knowledge and understanding. Of particular relevance to this research are those which refer to social issues and dilemmas (Scottish Government, 2002:12) and educating children on the diversity of identities within Scotlandand the need for mutual respect, tolerance and understanding (Scottish Government, 2002:36). Both reports (and Maitles, 2005) support educators tackling so called controversial issues, i.e. sectarianism, through education for citizenship by acknowledging that many controversial issues are relevant to children. Abdi and Shultz state that We should not underestimate the role of education in instilling in the minds of people core human rights values (2008:3) and tackling difficult issues in the classroom allows children to address those at the very core of humanity those that are addressed in the Human Rights Act 1998 (National Archives, 2011) (see Appendix I), the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990 (Office of the United Nations, 2011) (see Appendix II) and allows children to address them in a manner which complies with the Standards in Scotlands Schools etc. Act 2000, Section 2 (National Archives, 2011a) (see Appendix III). Some notable concerns are raised regarding education for citizenship. Maitles (2005) and Maylor (2010), indicate that some academics/educators believe that teaching controversial issues to primary age children is unsuitable. However, as this research has already highlighted, some young children deal with many controversial issues every day and in this era of technology and internet access children are seeing these issues (AGC, 1998:12). At primary school age children are picking up, whether from school, home or elsewhereof what social problems effect them (AGC, 1998:12; Davies, 2011). Maitles (2005) and Dower (2008), raise concerns over the possible hypocrisy of education for citizenship, with Maitles stating that inequalities in society, have a detrimental effect on the education for citizenship proposals (Maitles, 2005:16) By this they mean educators teaching children about rights and responsibilities and values such as equality and tolerance, to children who, whilst in the classro om may be equal, however, when they leave the classroom, vast social inequalities and intolerances may become visible. In addition, Dower (2008:47), bluntly states that To say we all enjoy rights is a mockery, given the realities of the world. Education for citizenship and its associated skills and values must be taught as children in Scotland are growing up in an increasingly diverse society (Scottish Executive, 2006) and This education is necessary if we are to live together appreciating and accepting our diversity and differences in a context of social justice, equity and democracy (James, 2008:109). If attitudes cannot be accepted or tolerated or challenged then people find they have increasingly less in common with each other which leads to at best segregation within communities, at worst, open hostility to each other (Willems et al, 2010), a perfect example being what happened in the West of Scotland between the Scottish Protestants and the Irish Catholics in the 18th/19th century. Intolerance has blighted our society in the past and children must learn from past mistakes, after all, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it (George Santanya, cited in Abdi and Shultz, 2009:1). Sectarianism Sectarianism: Denoting or concerning a sect or sects: the citys traditional sectarian divide. Adjective (of an action) carried out on the grounds of membership of a sect, denomination, or other group: sectarian killings Rigidly following the doctrines of a sect or other group. Noun: a member of a sect, a person who rigidly follows the doctrines of a sect or other group. (Oxford Dictionaries, 2010) The roots of sectarianism in Scotland can be traced back to the 16th century and the Reformation of the church. However, it was the influx of Irish Catholic immigrant workers to Scotland in the 19th century which infamously associated the west of Scotland with sectarianism. The Irish Catholic immigrants were an unknown entity to the Native Protestant Scots, who in their ignorance perceived them as savages (OHagan, 2000:32). The perception was that the Irish immigrants were going to take jobs and housing from the Scots and attempt to spread their dangerous religion. Bruce et al (2004) explains that the fear and hatred of each other stemmed mainly from the fact that in the 19th century, people wholeheartedly believed in their religion, and genuinely believed that the other religion was dangerously wrong. As a result, Irish Catholics were attacked from the pulpit and in the street, (LTS, 2011a), refused employment, or were kept at the bottom of the labour market by influence from the local church and Orange Lodge (an organisation created in 1795 to promote and protect the Protestant faith (Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, 2011)). In the 21st century, whilst it is accepted that sectarianism did exist, the general consensus appears to be that blatant discrimination of Catholics no longer exists (Bruce (2000); McCrone and Rosie (2000); Paterson (2000), cited in Williams and Walls, 2000). However, there is an acknowledgment that sectarianism in Scotland is a unique problem (Murray, 1984) and that sectarianism hides in a shadowy corner of our society and only shows itself in peoples attitudes and prejudices (McCrone and Rosie, 2000:200). OHagan is more blunt and simply states that Scotland is a divisive, bigoted society (2000:25) and Reilly, refers to the Sunday Times, which in 1999 described Scotland as A country which hosts Orange marches the year round while ceaselessly campaigning for the closure of Catholic schools (2000:29). The Scottish Government shared these views, and in 2003 under Section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act, 2003, sectarianism became a criminal offence (Nil By Mouth, 2011). Sectarianism in 21st century Scotland is largely associated with football and schools (Lynch, 2000), with Celtic Football Club (CFC) and Rangers Football Club (RFC) being particularly linked with sectarianism. CFC was founded in 1888 by Brother Walfrid, initially a charity, it was set up by Irish immigrants, for Irish immigrants, whilst RFC was founded in 1872 by the McNeil family (Murray, 1984). In 1912, the shipbuilders Harland and Wolff arrived on the Clyde from Belfast and brought with them a workforce of Protestant/Orange workers who in defiance of Catholic Celtic, gave their support to Rangers and so the two clubs were defined in history. In recent years, the two clubs, in association with the Scottish Government have provided programmes to combat the sectarianism with which they are associated with (Nil By Mouth, 2011; Scottish Executive, 2006a). The current picture remains that Celtic and Rangers are still associated with their intolerant historic pasts which is passed down from one generation to the next. Youngsters, who have no interest in religion themselves, are encouraged to learn the sectarian stories and songs from their fathers and grandfathers and whilst not understanding the real meaning of the words, will enter the football stadiums and become 90 minute bigots (Deuchar, Holligan, 2008:12; Bruce, 2000) Catholic schools have been a stone of contention in Scotland since they were granted state-funding in the Scotland Education Act (1918) (Bruce et al, 2004). Although the schools originated in the same manner as Protestant schools (ibid), Catholics were condemned for wanting their own schools attached to their own churches. Those who claim that sectarianism is in decline claim that there is no need for Catholic schools and that they should be boarded up for the sake of social harmony, and those who claim that there is sectarianism in Scotland claim Catholic schools are responsible and should be boarded up (Reilly, 2000). Such negative perceptions of Catholic schools, yet there is no evidence that Catholic schools encourage or breed sectarianism (ibid). At the root of sectarianism, in its truest sense, is religion. In the 21st century, on the matter of sectarianism, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt. Reverend Bill Hewitt demanded that sectarianism be stamped out from Scotlandthe country must become more tolerant and inclusive or society would suffer (Scottish Christian, 2009) and one year later, these views were reiterated by the Rev Ian Galloway, (cited in Herald Scotland, 2010). Meanwhile, the Scottish Catholic Church claimed that sectarianism was still very much in abundance in Scotland. The director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office is quoted stating that: The bigotry, the bile, the sectarian undercurrents and innuendos must end. Such hateful attitudes have had their day. They poison the well of community life. They must be excised and cast out once and for all (Kearney, cited in Herald Glasgow, 2010). This section has focused primarily on the Catholic/Protestant take on sectarianism as it is this that Scotland is infamous for. However, it must be noted that sectarianism can apply to any religion. MacMillan, discusses the plight of the Muslim community in Glasgow who have been slated for wanting to open their own school with accusations that their display on difference are root causes of social division (2000:266). In order to prevent history repeating itself, the next generation must be educated in such a manner so that Scotland can put sectarian attitudes into dustbin of history and build a better society (J.McConnell, 2006). Education for Citizenship as a means to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland The Scottish Government claim that Education for Citizenship has the potential to address the negative values and attitudes that feed sectarianism and stresses the importance that education plays in eradicating sectarianism in Scotland and claims that Curriculum for Excellence is itself a programme for tackling sectarianism (Salmond, 2005). This view is supported by Deuchar and Holligan, who after identifying that youngster received little input regarding sectarianism in schools stated that Curriculum for Excellence is the opportunity to teach controversial issues (2008). To support these claims, the Scottish Government created an educational resource for teachers called Dont Give it, Dont Take it, with the sole aim of supporting teachers to promote anti-discrimination (Scottish Government, 2005). Then, in 2007, HMIe, released Count Us In: Promoting understanding and combating sectarianism, which provided examples of initiatives which promote anti-sectarianism. They highlight the importance of addressing this issue with young children because the result of sectarianismcan be that young people develop limited ways of thinking which narrows their view of the world and damages their relationship with others (2007:1), therefore, we must teach our children to see beyond their own interests and commitment and take a wider, more impartial view of the world (Miller, 2000:29). Schools across Scotland have adopted a wide variety of approaches to anti-sectarian education which contribute to successful learning (HMIe, 2007:6) and the evidence gathered from school inspections indicate that primary school children have embraced these approaches positively (HMIe, 2007). One popular approach is twinning, where neighbouring schools, one denominational and one non-denominational come together to work collaboratively on an anti-sectarian project. Angie Kotler, Strategic Director of the Schools Linking Network, supports twinning as it creates opportunities to develop and deepen childrens knowledge and understanding of identity/ies, diversity, equality and community (2010:49). She also stresses the importance of addressing controversial issues in schools as we cannot assume that children will have other opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding. Education for citizenship is a means by which this can be achieved as it is a vessel for tackling controver sial issues such as human rights, peace and conflict resolution, social equality and appreciation of diversity (LTS, 2011b). Through these issues, sectarianism in Scotland can be addressed and hopefully, in time, the legacy of sectarianism in Scotland can be wiped out (Salmond, 2005). However, if initiatives such as twinning are to be done successfully then according to Dr Uvanney Maylor (Reader in Education, University of Bedfordshire), lessons promoting shared values and citizenship belonging would need to facilitate an appreciation of how difference is experienced outside school (2010:247), an opinion echoing that of one made earlier by Maitles (2005) and Dower (2008). Maylor states that children will only be able to understand and respect diversity if they have learnt to understand and respect their own identity, (2010). In schools this can be achieved by creating a positive school ethos which challenges sectarianism and religious prejudice whilst encouraging and promoting diversity, social inclusion, equality, equity and positive behaviour (LTS, 2011c). In 2003, Finn, stated that, with regards to sectarianism, educationhas much to contribute to an understanding of this conflict. So far it has failed to do so (2003:905). With the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence and supporting documents from HMIe, it appears that education is striving to overturn this perception and is sending a clear message that sectarianism will not be tolerated within Scottish primary schools (HMIe, 2007). Perhaps, in Scotland, with its unique relationship with sectarianism this entails, as a matter of urgency, a new and more inclusive definition of Scottishness if the nation is to be one and at peace with itselfthe Scotland of the future must contain no inner exiles (Reilly, 2000:39). 3083 words Appendix I Human Rights Act 1998 Articles relevant to this review are: Article 9 Freedom of thought, conscience and religion Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance. Freedom to manifest ones religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. Article 14 Prohibition of discrimination The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status. (National Archives, 2011) Appendix II Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990 Articles relevant to this review are: Article 12 States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child. For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law. Article 13 The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the childs choice. The exercise of this right may be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary: (a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others; or (b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals. Article 14 States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. States Parties shall respect the rights and duties of the parents and, when applicable, legal guardians, to provide direction to the child in the exercise of his or her right in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child. Freedom to manifest ones religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. (Office of the United Nations, 2011) Appendix III Standards in Scotlands Schools etc. Act 2000 Section 2: Duty of education authority in providing school education (1) Where school education is provided to a child or young person by, or by virtue of arrangements made, or entered into, by, an education authority it shall be the duty of the authority to secure that the education is directed to the development of the personality, talents and mental and physical abilities of the child or young person to their fullest potential. (2) In carrying out their duty under this section, an education authority shall have due regard, so far as is reasonably practicable, to the views (if there is a wish to express them) of the child or young person in decisions that significantly affect that child or young person, taking account of the child or young persons age and maturity. (National Archives, 2011a)