Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Cold War On The Soviet Union - 1230 Words

The Cold War’s effect on the Soviet Union Shortly after the World War 2 ended, the United States and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies entered the cold war with the Soviet Union. Germany was divided in half and later, the Berlin Wall was constructed as a physical boundary between the Soviet controlled East Germany and NATO controlled West Germany. This standoff continued until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. The cold war had a huge influence on the world stage, but also had a major effect on the Soviet Union internally. The cold war had a huge influence on the Soviet economy, caused great hardship for the Soviet population, and led to significant change in the political structure. First, the Soviet Union’s attempts to†¦show more content†¦The flawed numbers caused a shortage of resources for the population. When the workforce learned of the shortages, already low production rates dropped even further because workers were hiding food for themselv es instead of turning it in to the government. Instead of shifting sectors based on the needs of the people, the Soviet leadership stuck to the five year plans. These plans continued to prioritize military and defense spending. Second, the shortage of resources and heightened tensions caused extreme hardship for the Soviet population. Because of the military spending, little resources were spent on consumer goods. Because of the shortage, only a few, well connected families had access to personal vehicles. Clothing items were hard to find and very cheaply made. The poor quality of the few goods available was a subject of constant complaint. Clothes were sloppily cut and sewn, and there were many reports of gross defects like missing sleeves in those on sale in state stores (Fitzpatrick 50). The living quarters were assigned, not chosen, so there were massive problems with overcrowding. â€Å"Communal apartments with one family per room were the standard form of housing in Russian c ities in the Stalin era. The room had no running water; sheets or curtains marked off subareas where two or three generations slept and sat† (Fitzpatrick 53). The food available was poor quality and available in extremely limited quantities. The limited quantities available were strictlyShow MoreRelatedThe Cold War And The Soviet Union973 Words   |  4 PagesThe Cold War was a state of economic, diplomatic, and ideological discord among nations without armed conflict. The Cold War was between the United States and the USSR because these were the two major powers after WWII. Basically, the Cold War was a series of proxy wars that had taken place back in time involving surrounding countries. One of the main causes for Cold War was that the Soviet Union was spreading communism and the United States didn’t like that so they were trying to contain communismRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union1233 Words   |  5 PagesThe Cold War is unique among war’s to be not a war between states, but a war between ideologies. The United States and other allies defend social democracy capitalism, as the pinnacle of freedom and equality; and the Soviet Union though communism was the pinnacle of equality. These ideologies manifested themselves through the superpowers, which caused the conflict between them. Both the United States, and the Soviet Union are to blame for the outbreak of the Cold War. The United State’s missionRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union1697 Words   |  7 PagesThe Cold War, in fact didn’t take place in the winter season, but was just as dangerously cold and unwelcoming, as it focused on two contrasting powers: the U.S. and the Soviet Union. After World War 2, the Cold War influenced capitalist U.S. and communist Soviet Union to engage in disagreements causing many disputes having to use military, economic and humanitarian aid. With different goals, the contrasting powers prove through the Marshall Plan, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and SALT that communismRead MoreThe Cold War And Soviet Union840 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many theories and opinions of how the cold war started. Some believe that the cold war was the result of the belligerence of Joseph Stalin and the insecurity it caused in the United States and the West. Others believe the primary responsibility for the cold war derives from the hardline policies of the United States. (Viewpoints Article: the Soviet Union Start the Cold War) I believe The Cold War was triggered by the theory of two superpower countries in a race for dominance in the worldRead MoreCold War And The Soviet Union859 Words   |  4 PagesAMS2270 Cold War This essay will discuss about cold war, including the background, beginning, progress and ending. As we know, cold war is a struggle between U.S. with NATO and Soviet Union with WTO from 1947 to 1991. It is a significant event in history, and it influence the almost all of world, it directly lead to the radical change of eastern Europe and the breakup of the USSR. In 1946 February, George.F.Kennan wrote a â€Å"Long Telegram†, it clearly said the strategy of containing Soviets and itRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union1391 Words   |  6 Pageswake of World War II as the decades-long force of Germany’s reign came to its conclusion, an extensive repositioning of authority among the world’s top powers began. The war wielded devastating consequences for most countries involved and effectively diminished the dominance Britain and France once employed across the globe. Out of this devastation rose the two new dominating forces of the world who were triumphant in the aftermath of the war: the United States and the Soviet Union. The United StatesRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union Essay965 Words   |  4 PagesThe Cold War was a period in world history marked with increased tensions primarily between the United States and the Soviet Union. Both countries desired to expand their ideologies across the globe, the U.S. urging capitalism and democratic elections and the Soviets promoting communism. After the allies had obtained victory in World War II, the Yalta Conference was held. Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, wanted to expand his sphere of influence into Eastern Europe and demanded thatRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union1343 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract: As one of the most important events in 20th century, the Cold War had a very deep influence for the human-being civilization and it changed the world structure . The United States and the Soviet Union ,the two poles, became enemies from friends after the World War II. They adopt hostile attitude towards each other and criticized the the opponents’ social systems. To find out who provoked the Cold War, the US, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdoms ,Roosevelt, Truman ,Stalin, and ChurchillRead MoreThe Soviet Union Of The Cold War1745 Words   |  7 Pages During the era of the Cold War, starting in 1947 and definitively ending in 1991, the United States and the Soviet Union faced off in conflicts with each other through smaller states. The United States and Soviet Union faced off to see who could spread their ideology the most in Europe. The Soviet Union used force and supported coups to spread communism while the United States installed democratic governments as a way to counter communism in Eastern Europe. These small conflicts that the two superpowersRead MoreThe Soviet Union And The Cold War1038 Words   |  5 PagesAfter a series of events during the time of World War II, tensions between the United States and the Communists such as the Soviet Union and China, developed into a military and political conflict such as the Cold War. During the Cold War, which went on for 50 years, the Soviet Union and the United States competed to expand their economical and political influence. Although, the United States military has increased in size and it’s strategy. The United States power today is highly supreme when it

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Hr Manager Of A Company - 1554 Words

If I were the HR manager of a company the three job analysis approaches I will conduct for a customer service position are Identifying the Functional Analysis , Position Analysis Questionnaire , and Critical Incident Technique . Functional Job Analysis is a standard process that can be used to appraise various jobs. One can use this method by creating task statements and then rates each task statements on its orientation and level with regard to data, people and things. Orientation is deliberated by assigning 100 perecent points across three functional areas to point to how much of each is involved in the task .Level of each measurement that can be high or low is the level of difficulty with which a person engages in each role(†¦show more content†¦The pros of PAQ is that it has been endorsed and is deemed valuable in research, practice, and extensive assortments of applications. It has been used in a variety of personnel functions including compensation and training, its predominantly useful in determining the capability and qualities necessary to perform the job. The cons of PAQ is that many objects are irrelevant, a great portion of items are unsuitable for managerial and professional jobs as i t engages only use of machines and equipment. The PAG method can also be somewhat complex to use. The Critical Incident Technique The critical incidents technique can be defined as a set of procedures for methodically identifying behaviors that add to the success or failure of individuals or organizations in specific situations. The pros of the critical incident technique is that its best at determining vital features of the job, another advantage is that It’s flexible and the information can easily be collected, the respondent speaks without restraint, and it focuses on day to day actions. In addition, it’s not expensive and will aid in finding out a lot of significant information. This technique can be applied by only using the questionnaire , conducting an interview is not necessary. The cons of this method is propensity to trait events in the job to the character of the person, misunderstanding between the personality and behaviors which depend on the phrasing and the language of the

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Paper Making Essay Example For Students

Paper Making Essay I once saw a futuristic movie about a little girl who finds a book, a real book, she gasps, made out of paper. In the future world of this movie, all books had been confiscated from homes and libraries and were converted into electronic files. The books could still be read, but not held. To me, this was more of a horror movie than science fiction! Part of my love of books comes from feeling the paper and hearing the rustle of the pages as they are turned. With the increasing use of the Internet and talks of a paperless society, perhaps paper will someday become a thing of the past. So for now, I will appreciate every piece of paper that I can get my hands on, and hope that it wont simply become a page, er, file in history. According to history books, the earliest paper used in books produced in the United States was handmade and imported from Europe, mainly England. Although the first American paper mill was built around 1690 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, most of the paper used in the U.S. was still imported from Europe until the American Revolution. A year after the Stamp Act of 1765 was passed, wire papermaking molds were first made, and paper-making in this country finally got its official start. The handmade paper used in the 17th and 18th centuries can be distinguished from paper that was made later by holding the paper up to a light and looking for chain-lines which are left from the wires in the paper mold. With this method, fewer fibers accumulate directly on the wire, so the paper is slightly thinner and more transparent to light. This pattern is usually very apparent and appears as lines that run about an inch apart, with several horizontal short lines connecting the long wire lines. Some modern paper has artificially-applied chain lines, and is usually referred to as laid paper, which is the name given to handmade chain-line paper. The handmade chain-line paper was made of cotton and/or linen rags, which were soaked in liquid until the fibers broke down into bits. Paper was formed by hand by dipping a paper mold into the fiber suspension, and then lifting and shaking off the excess water. The paper sheet was then partially dried before being removed from the mold. Modern handmade paper (used in fine printing of small editions by private presses, as well as in artists books) is basically made by the same process. Wood pulp paper (made with a sulfite process that causes high acid residue in the paper) wasnt widely used in the U.S. until after the American Civil War

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Naturalism Essays - Secularism, Philosophy Of Religion, Naturalism

Naturalism As defined by philosopher Paul Draper, naturalism is "the hypothesis that the natural world is a closed system" in the sense that "nothing that is not a part of the natural world affects it." More simply, it is the denial of the existence of supernatural causes. In rejecting the reality of supernatural events, forces, or entities, naturalism is the antithesis of supernaturalism, I.e. No god. Naturalism posits that all phenomena fall in the realm of four categories: space, time, matter and energy. Also all things come about because of cause and effect; because these things happen, this happens. For anything to proven to exist there must be empirical evidence for it, in other words tangible, physical evidence. This is where the supernatural I.e. God or anything of such, by a naturalistic stand point, cannot be verified; or no evidence to support such a claim. Naturalism differs from atheism in that most atheists will state straight up there is no god, naturalists will say that there is no evidence to support that claim. Plus I think, naturalist is a better term and doesn?t draw quite the negative reaction that atheist does. I personally use the two terms interchangeably, often times using atheist for shock value. I subscribe to this worldview, it is simple yet complex. It?s fulfilling to me yet stimulating; it urges me to go out and investigate this world. To be in awe of its natural processes its diversity of life. And for me, to do that, I had to become better educated in the realms of natural science

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Hot Tapping Essays

Hot Tapping Essays Hot Tapping Essay Hot Tapping Essay Hot tap operation  is a combination  of many variables, welding is only one of them,though its critical for any hot tapping operation. Note Hot Tap could lead to serious fatalities if not done properly. Since you mentioned about Shells DEP, please note these DEPs are well respected in the industry. That does not mean whats written is absolutely unquestionable, but therere good rationale on whats written in the DEPs. DEP 31. 38. 60. 10-Gen,  HOT-TAPPING ON PIPELINES, PIPING AND EQUIPMENT is quite detailed. Some important extracts are very relevant to your queries and would clear the doubts why the  practice of hot tapping is not permitted as a general rule. JUSTIFICATION FOR HOT-TAPPING:-Hot-tapping is potentially hazardous and therefore should only be undertaken when continuity of service is essential or shutdown of the system is impractical and when it is shown to be technically feasible and to offer a clear advantage over alternatives. The  advantage may be economic and, in some situations, the safety and environmental risks  may be less than those associated with more conventional methods. A decision on whether hot-tapping is to be applied shall be based on careful considerations including at least the following aspects: * safety; * condition of the pipe/equipment under consideration; * configuration of the connection; * code/statutory requirements; * operating conditions; * technical capabilities of the drilling equipment under the operating conditions (pressure,  temperature, nature of product); * related welding problems; * economic aspects; * environmental/pollution aspects. If hot-tapping is to be applied under conditions approaching the technical or operational  limits as defined in this DEP, specialist advice should be sought. MATERIALS:-This DEP is relevant only to hot-tapping on carbon, carbon-manganese and high-strength low-alloy steels (e. g. ISO 3183 L245 to L485 or API 5L grades B to X70). Materials for pipelines and on-plot piping shall comply with the requirements of the piping classes  DEP 31. 38. 01. 12-Gen. and DEP 31. 38. 01. 15 Gen. If it is proposed to hot-tap ther  materials, specialist materials/welding engineers shall be consulted and a specific procedure shall be developed. Current experience is limited to L450 (X65) materials (see also BS 6990) and therefore special attention should be given to procedures to be developed for higher grade materials. It shall be ensured that during the welding operation the material in the region of the weld pool has sufficient strength to contain safely the internal pressure and avoid a blow-ou t. The risk of blow-out is dependent upon a complex interaction of welding conditions, pipe material, pipe thickness, pipe temperature and hoop stress. For materials of yield strength not  greater than 450 N/mm2, operating at temperatures of not greater than 350  °C and with  a hoop stress of not greater than 72 % of the specified minimum yield stress, blow-out can be prevented during welding provided the minimum pipe thickness is not less than 5 mm. The actual minimum wall thickness shall be determined by ultrasonic testing. For other materials  or conditions, a minimum pipe thickness shall be determined, based on either specific  previous experience and/or data from trials. NOTE:  For some products, due to chemical reaction, the safe pipe temperature might be much lower than350  Ã‚ °C (See also BS 6990). Fitting and branch material shall be of a type and grade compatible with the material of the run-pipe to be hot-tapped, including sour service requirements where applicable. Hot-tap welding should not normally be performed on materials which require post-weld heat  treatment. However, if stress relieving or post-weld heat treatment is required, a specialist  shall be consulted to assess whether it is feasible to make the specific hot-tapping operation with post-weld heat treatment. Note: Stress-relieving may be required if a material is susceptible to stress corrosion cracking and post-weld heat treatment may be specified by the design code if the wall thickness is greater than a certain limit. Welding shall not be performed on lined, clad or internally coated pipe. Hot-tap welding shall not be performed on the following materials:   any material with a maximum allowable operating temperature greater than 370  °C; pipelines and on-plot piping where the minimum allowable operating temperature is less than -20  °C. For minimum allowable operating temperatures between -20  °C and 0  °C,  additional attention shall be given to ensuring adequate material toughness   PROCESS FLUIDS:-  Hot tapping shall only be performed under the following conditions: the contained process luids remain stable when subjected to the high metal temperatures (see 3. 3) during welding; the process fluids remain stable when in contact with air during drilling and perforation operations; there shall be no decomposition or chemical reaction between components of the contained fluid (explosion, ignition, exothermic reaction); there shall be no chemical reaction between the fluid and the hot containment wall(burning, (stress) corrosion, embrittlement). These requirements lead to a number of situations in which welding operations are prohibited on equipment which contains: Mixtures of gases or vapours within their flammable range or which may become flammable as a result of heat input in welding operations.   Substances which may undergo reaction or decomposition leading to a dangerous  increase in pressure, explosion or attack on metal. In this context, attention is drawn to  the possibility that under certain combinations of concentration, temperature and  pressure, acetylene, ethylene and other unsaturated hydrocarbons may decompose     explosively, initiated by a welding hot spot.   How about LPG- Does it fit into this category Oxygen-enriched atmospheres in the presence of hydrocarbons which may be present     either in the atmosphere or deposited on the inside surface of the equipment or pipe. Compressed air in the presence of hydrocarbons which may be present either in the air     or deposited on the inside surfaces of the equipment or pipe. Gaseous mixtures in which the partial pressure of hydrogen exceeds 700 kPa (ga),except where evidence from tests has demonstrated that hot-tapping can be done  Ã‚  safely. Based on the above, welding on equipment or pipe which contains  hazardous substances     or conditions  as listed below (even in small quantities) shall not be performed unless     positive evidence has been obtained that welding/hot tapping can be applied safely. Substances:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Acetylene;Acetonitrile;Butadiene;Caustic soda;*Chlorine;Compressed air at a pressure in excess of 3 000 kPa (ga);Ethylene;Ethylene oxide;Fat/lean DEA/MEA;HP steam (pressure in excess of 5 000 kPa (ga));Hydrogen (partial pressure in excess of 700 kPa (ga));  Hydrogen sulphide;*Hydrofluoric acid;Oxygen;Propene;Propene oxide;     Sulphuric acid; I would think if the environment contains both LPG (which is flammable) and 2500 ppm of H2S which could be toxic in case of any leakage,  a proper way would be to drain the line   purge and then perform hot tapping or weld followed by PWHT as required. Not only that wet H2S could cause typical issues related to wet H2S cracking. Hence you need to establish a welding procedure with controlled hardness. The attached article is a good educative document on hot tapping in sour services.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The Media is Biased essays

The Media is Biased essays Last night in Baghdad, the six oclock news anchor on channel two reported that the filthy Americans were trying to declare a Holy War on the entire Muslim nation. The media is biased when reporting information. Internationally, the media is usually influenced by political regimes. On a national level, the media will often adopt political points of view. Even locally, the media chooses to report news that supports the point of view of their ownership. One year ago today, John Brown was in the Persian Gulf onboard the United States Ship Cowpens. John, who is a medical doctor, went ashore to a small island known as Bahrain. As he was walking to a restaurant in town, he saw a little boy with his leg caught between the bumper of a car and a wall. There were many people standing around, and a man kept yelling that his brakes did not work. John knew instinctively that the boy needed immediate medical attention. He made a quick decision to carry the boy the two blocks back to the ship. When John arrived at the ship, he was forced by the damage to the boys leg to amputate it from the knee down. John saved the boys life. The next day, the local newspaper had a front-page headline that loosely translated into English as AMERICAN DOCTOR STEALS LOCAL BOYS LEG FOR SCIENCE EXPERIMENT. The fact that John decided to help a little boy in trouble was turned into a diplomatic problem by the bias of an international media outlet and the Am erican Doctors side of the story was never told. Another example of this behavior can be illustrated in Russia during the Cold War years. At that time, Russias primary news communicator was a newspaper entitled Pravda. All stories printed in Pravda were scrutinized for content by the communist government before they were allowed to be included in the daily newspaper. Again bias is demonstrated in the international media. ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Overweight Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Overweight Children - Essay Example Most cases children are left for the nannies to take care of them who in turn do not bother much with diet. The children whose parents do not monitor their food intake tend to take more junk food as snacks at all times of the day even after meals. The other causal reason to blame parents is the lack of exercise for their children. There are numerous playing grounds in neighborhood where children can play after school or on weekends to burn the fat and be healthy. However, parents buy them video games and they spend unlimited time on them hence not getting enough exercise. The other blame party is the influx of fast food outlets around the neighborhoods. Fast food attracts not only children but adults and they are convenient for most people with the busy life of work. Children are left money to order meals and they order fast food such as pizza and burgers which are full of starch and not enough vegetables. The end result is the children increasing in weight. The fast food owners should not sell the fast food to children without supervision of an adult. They should also include healthy food such as vegetables and fruit salads in their menu to encourage healthy eating. Majority of the blame however even though both parties have participated is towards the parents. They should try to be more careful about the health of their children. It is understandable that they are busy but they should find time to ensure that their children eat healthy food. As children grow, they understand what they are taught and will practice. Parents should talk to their children about the negative effects of eating a lot of unhealthy food and do this with numerous examples. The parents should also practice what they are saying and ensure themselves are not eating unhealthy food and especially in front of the children. Lastly, the parents should make it a point of making regular visits to the doctor to have their children weight and growth

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Account Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Account - Essay Example Return on capital employed or Return on Total assets measures the firm’s overall effectiveness in generating the profits. This ratio has gone up a little from 0.6 in 2005 to 0.7 in 2006. This increase does not signify much. The assets of the company are underutilized. Similarly return on net assets (also known as return on equity- ROE) measures the return earned on owners’ investments. Arriva Plc. earned 0.22 on equity or net assets in 2005 and 0.21 of net assets in 2006. The earnings are certainly not encouraging. Debtors’ collection period and Creditors’ payment period reflects average age of accounts receivable and accounts payable respectively. These collection and payment periods have shown a little improvement. Average collection period has come down from 47.98 days in 2005 to 46.04 in2006. Also average payment period has also come down from 95.78 days in 2005 to 82.67 days in 2005. This reflects the working capital problems or cash shortage being faced by Arriva Plc. Creditors have started doubting the company because of its dwindling liquidity position. That is why creditors have reduced the credit period. Gross profit ratio cannot be calculated as there are no trading activities involved. But the net profit ratio shows an improvement from 5.9% in 2005 to 6.06% in 2006. This is certainly an achievement despite cash crunch and difficulties in meeting short term obligations faced by Arriva Plc. during the year 2006. Finally it has been observed that Arriva Plc. is a low geared company. With complete reliance on equities Arriva Plc. is finding it difficult to mobilize funds. It is suggestible for Arriva to reconsider about capital mix. It may be beneficial to bring in more debts not only to improve working capital position but to utilize assets to their full capacity. One of the fastest growing industries in world is travel and tourism. Its financial managements assume importance as under noted issues impact the volumes and costs

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Concerning Globalisation Essay Example for Free

Concerning Globalisation Essay In arguments concerning globalisation, controversy is quite evident. Discuss the positive and negative outcomes connected with this issue. In todays life we often encounter terms such as living in a global village and we all live in the same world. Even simply switching on the television brings us face to face with events occurring on the other side of the globe. News broadcasts transmit not only the local news or the latest political propaganda being fed to the people, but also incidents taking place all over Europe, Asia, the Americas and even Africa. We all witness this everyday, yet we rarely stop to truly think of the implications. What is the significance of virtually being a spectator in events across the world? What difference does this make to an individual? More importantly, what changes does this bring upon a society? Many people consider globalisation a recent, modern phenomenon and associate it with todays highly technological age. After all, the world must be globalized if humanity is capable of breaching the frontier and sending man into space. However, the truth is that globalisation had much more humble beginnings. Ever since Christopher Columbus set foot in what is now America, and ever since the Roman Empire began conquering land to incorporate into its glorious empire, globalisation has been a vital social process. The fact that this has been taking place for so long has ensured that no country is capable of surviving on its own because nobody is self-sufficient. People today are becoming more interdependent because a global mentality is being encouraged and taught. However, true globalisation was slowed until 1990, the end of the Cold War, because until then the world was divided in two. Nonetheless, many colonised countries (including Malta) still display strong influences, especially in language and culture, adopted from their colonisers. Therefore, globalisation inflicts social change upon a country or area. People are being socialised into other cultures. However, this doesnt necessarily mean that a country is losing its own culture it is simply updating it. Technology and communications have had a strong impact on speeding up globalisation. What were first considered luxuries, such as television and Internet, soon became important factors leading to social change. This is because they led to an increase in information accessibility, product accessibility and education. Another aspect of globalisation is the fact that regionalism is decreasing. For example, organisations such as NAFTA started out as regional organisations but have expanded their horizon. The EU has agreements with over 100 countries outside Europe. Transnational corporations also open the doors to globalisation since they have many branches all over the world and have no borders. There are 3 main outlooks on globalisation, which vary drastically from each other. Some argue in favour of this phenomenon whilst others try to prevent it from occurring. The Sceptics believe that the whole argument regarding globalisation is being exaggerated. They say that this sudden debate about this topic is simply over-hyped. Globalisation has not emerged recently it has just intensified in its interactions and scale. By stating this, the sceptics admit that nowadays there is more interaction and communication between countries than ever before. Sceptics also criticize economy because they believe that it is not truly globalise. They try to prove this by arguing that certain countries are much more developed than others, and if the world were truly globalise countries would be equal. Sceptics are criticized fiercely for what seems to be an old-fashioned and ethnocentric approach. An argument placed against them says that simply because some countries are not yet part of it, it doesnt mean that globalisation doesnt exist. They are also accused of discouraging globalisation because they fear that it will make people more interactive and interdependent, thus forcing their governments to share their power and money with others. On the flip side of the coin, one can find the Hyperglobalizers. These believe that the world is one and globalisation covers the whole world and is a very real phenomenon that is felt almost everywhere. This process does not respect national borders or ideas of sovereignty. Hyperglobalizers base their arguments on aspects of commerce, trade and production. Kenichi Ohmae, a Japanese hyperglobalizer, stated that globalisation leads to a borderless world. His argument presents an interesting association with the Marxist ideology, but from an opposite point of view. In fact, Ohmae says that money makes the world go round since it is invested all around the world, under on name. Therefore (like in Marxism) everyone works towards a single goal the same world. Hyperglobalizers base their arguments on the changing role of each nation within the whole world, not simply within a region. Like the Sceptics, Hyperglobalizers have been criticized for being overly biased towards a particular viewpoint. In fact, they consider globalisation to be indispensable and flawless and reject any negative influences it may bring about. Transformationalists provide an alternative view on the subject. They believe globalisation is the central force in a broad spectrum of changes taking place throughout the world, which is not yet hyper-globalized. In fact, some countries are highly globalized (for example U.S.A., Japan and Europe) whilst others (such as African nations) are still very far behind in this process. Many of these countries are still uncertain on the benefits of globalisation and of what they want. However, countries that are globalised do not lose their independence or sovereignty. For example, although England are a member of the EU, they do not use the Euro as their currency, but the English Sterling (although some say that they may soon succumb to pressure and introduce the Euro). This transformation brought about by globalisation requires people to adjust to the new situation and learn to live with each other and with people from other cultures and backgrounds. Transformationalists also say that globalisation is a two-way flow of images, not simply a one-way process. The No Global movement is another notorious organization fighting against the occurrence of globalisation. They argue that it causes inequality between first and third world countries. They criticize rich countries for not helping poor countries and for not trying to bridge the financial and social gaps between them. However, help must not simply be acts of charity, where money is given to their governments, but more practical help at the root of the problem. There are other NGOs discouraging globalisation, such as the Campaign for Global Justice, who see it as a completely negative process. These try to inform people that it must be slowed and, if possible, stopped. An argument brought up concerns the aspect of free trade. Whilst some people say that it solves problems of poverty and inequality, they state that this only flows in one direction the rich produce and the poor consume, thus forcing them to depend on rich countries. If it were truly free trade both would produce and consume, thus creating an equal situation. Globalisation involves certain risks, such as environmental degradation due to development, shifting employment patterns leading to stress and anxiety, heightened job insecurity and de-skilling (such as the infamous 7-Up case in Malta last year), decline in traditional influences and loss of self-identity, erosion of family patterns, and democratization of personal relationships. These are all problems one must consider when trying to evaluate the impact of globalisation, especially in light of the forthcoming referendum on whether Malta is to enter the EU or not. This is a subjective argument, however one cannot deny that without globalisation, the world would not be the same.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Psychoanalysis and Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart Da

Psychoanalysis and The Heart of Darkness  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In Lacanian psychoanalysis, telling stories is essential to the analysand's (re)cognition of trauma. Julia Kristeva refers to the analysand's narrative as an instance of "'borderline' [neurotic] discourse" which "gives the analyst the impression of something alogical, unstitched, and chaotic" (42). She then explores the pleasure (jouissance) that the analysand experiences in the course of Lacan's talking cure. For the analysand, the pleasure is in the telling: "[T]he analyst is struck by a certain maniacal eroticization of speech, as if the patient were clinging to it, gulping it down, sucking on it, delighting in all the aspects of an oral eroticization and a narcissistic safety belt which this kind of non-communicative, exhibitionistic, and fortifying use of speech entails" (42). This notion of pleasure-in-telling serves both as a point of departure in my reading of Marlow's narrative--his own talking cure--and as a means of interrogating the pleasure-in-reading within the narratological economy of desire. In his Freudian interpretation of the Heart of Darkness, Peter Brooks asserts that "we must ask what motivates Marlow's retellings--of his own and Kurtz's mortal adventures" (239). Brooks concludes that the primary motivation is Marlow's search for some kernel of essential meaning at the core of Kurtz's tale. Reading in a Lacanian register, I argue instead that the search for meaning plays a secondary role to the telling of the tale itself. Indeed, as Slavoj Zizek notes, symptoms have no meaning outside the context of the recreated scene of trauma: "The analysis produces the truth, i.e., the signifying frame which gives to the symptoms their symbolic place and meaning... ...tial meaning of being in the world were revealed and every trauma were laid bare, there would be no questions left to ask and no stories left to tell. By not revealing the heart of darkness--which Lacan would argue can never be revealed--Conrad leaves the necessary space for desire in the narrative. Thus, the narratological economy of desire is maintained.    Works Cited Brooks, Peter. Reading for the Plot: Design and Intention in Narrative. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1984. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Dover, 1990. Kristeva, Julia. "Within the Microcosm of 'The Talking Cure.'" Interpreting Lacan. Eds. Joseph Smith and William Kerrigan. New Haven: Yale UP, 1983. Zizek, Slavoj. "The Truth Arises from Misrecognition." Lacan and the Subject of Language. Eds. Ellie Ragland-Sullivan and Mark Bracher. New York: Routledge, 1991.      

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Freedom within a Panoptical Society Essay

The concepts â€Å"moderm† and â€Å"post-modern† have become common currency in intellectual debates. Within such debates, the postmodern is perceived as an epoch, a perspective, or an entirely new paradigm of thought. Such a conception of the aforementioned term stems from its rootedness in the conception of the modern. Chia notes that what distinguishes the postmodern from the modem is â€Å"a style of thinking which eschews the uncritical use of common terms such as ‘organizations’, ‘individuals’, ‘environment’, ‘structure’, and ’culture’, etc† (579). These terms refer to the existence of social entities and attributes within a modernist conception of social reality. The rationale behind this lies in the ontological conception of being which privileges thinking in terms of discrete phenomenal states, static attribute and sequential events. As opposed to such an ontological conception of reality, the postmodern stands as the champion of weak forms of ontology that â€Å"emphasize a transient, ephemeral and emergent reality† (Chia 579). If such is the case, it thereby follows that a postmodernist perspective of reality adheres to thought styles wherein reality is deemed to be continuously in flux and transformation and hence unrepresentable thereby impossible to situate within a static conception of reality. An adoption of a post-modernist perspective of reality thereby leads to a rethinking of the modern conceptions of social reality since adherence to postmodernist perspectives lead to the de-emphasis on forms and attributes. Such a conception of reality however tends to emphasize the importance of local methods, which collectively define social reality. In a sense, the shift from a modern to a postmodern conception of reality thereby leads to the re-definition of existing ontological conceptions of reality that determine the various forms of intellectual priorities as well as theoretical stipulations in the study and conception of being. Such a perception of reality [that is highly characterized by the postmodern turn] is evident in Michel Foucault’ perspectives as to the workings of social reality. Michel Foucault’s use of Jeremy Bentham’s concept â€Å"panopticon’ in his book Discipline and Punish presents a discussion of the aspect of surveillance while placing emphasis on a fundamental change and break resulting from the changes in the social and theatrical arrangements during the 1800’s. The difference in methodology is evident if one considers that as opposed to the old methodology wherein the many see the few, modern methodology has enabled the shift wherein the few see the many. Foucault notes that such a shift shows the manner in which â€Å"the instantaneous view of a great multitude† is procured for a small number of individuals or even for a single individual (216). He further notes that the implications of such show the manner in which Our society is one not of spectacle, but of surveillance†¦We are much less Greek than we believe. We are neither in the amphitheater, nor on the stage, but in the panoptical machine, invested by its effects of power which we bring to ourselves since we are a part of its mechanism. (Foucault 217) Such a perspective is based on the assumption that society stands as the locus for the interplay of various forms of power relations. Such forms of power relation determine the manner in which an individual situates himself/herself within his/her surroundings. Surveillance, in this sense, may be seen as a method which society inscribes upon an individual as he/she chooses to regulate his/her actions dependent upon the form of power relation in which he/she has direct access. It is important to note, that Foucault’s notion of panopticonism also emphasizes the existence of freedom within a predefined space. Understanding power is central to understanding Foucault’s analysis of subjectivity. Foucault explicitly rejects the paradigm of power as repression, arguing that power is not only negative but also productive. He rejects the juridical model of power, wherein power is characterized as repressive, rule-based, uniform, and prohibitive. According to this model, the subject is constituted as one who obeys this negative unilateral power. Foucault characterizes power as positive and productive. Power is everywhere, a multiplicity of force relations; it is always local and unstable. This ubiquity of power does not preclude resistance. On the contrary, resistance(s) can only exist in the strategic field of power relations. Power is action that runs through and between things; power is first and foremost relational. Not only is power always a relationship, but power relationships exist everywhere. Freedom, in this sense, is to be understood as composed of positive and negative aspects. Although one exists within panoptical society, it is possible to engage in cases of positive freedom through the engagement of actions, which contradicts the dominant discourses. In the popular feminist movements, for example, such an act involves the redefinition of the feminine as opposed to the presumed patriarchal conception of the female. Such is the manner in which Foucault’s philosophy emphasizes the fluidity of structures despite its existence within a panoptical realm. The way in which our current society is controlled and determined by the panoptical gaze can also be seen in the various ways in which media affects the viewpoint held by an individual. Capitalism, through media and advertising commodifies values such as individuality. By linking the false notion of individuality to a certain commodity, consumers think that they are unique, that they are different. A deeper analysis however reveals that the aforementioned claim to individuality is nothing but an illusion; a figment of the mind manufactured and institutionalized by capitalists. It is not only the case that it is manufactured and institutionalized; it is also sold to the consumers. This leads to the deception of the masses who believes that they possess individuality whereas they fail to see that this individuality is instilled and mass produced by the market. The paradox in this is evident if one considers that values such as individuality are acquired by individuals through the consumption of goods sold in the market. In this sense, failure to consume such goods leads to a certain form of exclusion within society. In order to ‘belong’, one thereby adheres to the fads. The necessity to be an ‘individual’ [unique] is thereby ensured by society’s panoptical gaze. The manner in which the market prescribes and sells individuality [or any other value within society] was discussed by Susan Bordo in her essay â€Å"Beauty (Re) discovers the Male Body†. In the aforementioned text, Bordo describes a certain type of â€Å"gaze† which ensures the control of the body. As Foucault states, an inspecting gaze will ensure that each individual will exercise surveillance over himself. The gaze, in the context of Bordo’s work is centered on the body. The manner in which such a manner of self-surveillance is ensured is through the acculturation of the individual himself. In Ways of Seeing, John Berger discusses the ways in which the process of acculturation or the socialization process itself enables the individual to develop a certain taste for the ‘beautiful’. Berger argues that society and culture prescribe and determine both the normative and substantive taste of an individual. Compared to Bordo, whose focus is on the body, Berger focuses on the manner in which works of art are dictated by the modes f production within a specific place. True enough it is also dubious if an individual is capable of perceiving an object without interest whatsoever. We choose what we want to perceive and even if we state that there are instances wherein we are â€Å"captured† by a beautiful object, it gains our attention only because it is something which is important to us. In a room filled with people for example, we notice a specific person because that person has value to us. The platter of fruits does not become pleasing to eye simply because it is arranged in a certain manner which allowed us to see their symmetry with each other and the brightness of their skins, we also find it beautiful because somehow subconsciously we know that it is an important object or if it is a painting of a platter of fruits, it presents us with an image of objects which give us sustenance. In this sense it also seems that judgments of taste are also partly ruled by reason just like the sublime. Reason tells us that there is a level of significance to these objects. Works of art present us with ways of seeing reality. These ways are affected, influenced, or shall we just say dictated by the type of discourse which is prevalent in a specific society or even in a specific era. It is the importance of an object which allows us to subconsciously or even consciously associate beauty with these objects. The similarity of Foucault, Bordo, and Berger’s work may thereby be attributed to the importance they give to culture in determining the self as well as the restrictions of this self. Within such a setting, individual freedom may be seen as being dependent an individual’s capability to recognize the sources of both positive and negative power. In other words, it lies in the individual’s capability to realize that within a society ruled by a panoptical gaze, it is still possible to ascertain one’s autonomy by engaging in actions [or constituting a self] that goes against dominant the discourse. Works Cited Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. New York: Viking Press, 1973. Bordo, Susan. â€Å"Beauty (Re) discovers the Male Body†. Chia, R. â€Å"From Modern to Postmodern Organizational Analysis†. Organizational Studies 16 (1995): 579-604. Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish The Birth of the Prison. New York: Vintage, 1974.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

4 Davids

Jennifer Keefe Professor Mark Moak Art History 1 December 2011 The Life and Times of the Four David Artists Through out the years there were many great artists who created many great works of art, but only four Italian artists really stick out for creating the same piece all with different points of views. These artists were Donatello, Verrocchio, Michelangelo, and Bernini, all of who created a David sculpture. Each one very unique and different. These four artists all stand out in there own individual ways. David who was supposed to be the second king of Israel, killed Goliath with just a sling and a single stone.The story of David and Goliath goes something like this, according to the bible in 1 Samuel 17. â€Å"The Philistine army gathered for war against the Israelites. The two armies faced each other on opposite sides of a valley. A Philistine giant named Goliath, would come out in armor and challenge the Israelites to war. The King of Israel who at that time was Saul, and his whole army were scared of Goliath. David who was the youngest son of Jesse, was sent to battle for one simple task, to bring his father back news of his brothers. While there, David heard Goliath shouting and saw the fear that had began to show in the men of Israel.David volunteered himself to fight Goliath, it took sometime for Saul to agree, but finally he gave in. Dressed in his simple tunic, carrying only his staff, slingshot and a pouch full of stones, David approached Goliath. The giant cursed at him, making horrible threats and insults. David said to Goliath, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied †¦ today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air †¦ and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel †¦ t is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands. ’ As Goliath moved in for the kill, David reached into his bag and took out a single stone and aimed for Goliath's head. Finding a hole in the armor, the stone sank into Goliath’s forehead and caused Goliath to fall face down on the ground. David then took Goliath's sword, killed him and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned around and ran. At this moment the Israelites began to pursue, chase and kill their enemy (1 Samuel 17). †As time went on four very different artists became inspired to create their own very different and very unique David’s. These four artists were Donatello, Verrocchio, Michelangelo and Bernini. First was Donatello. Donatello was an early Italian artist and sculptor from Florence. Donatello is well known for doing most of his work in bas-relief, which is a shallow relief, which is well incorporated in his 14th century works. Donatello created many major works such as the statue of St. Mark in 1411 through 1413. In 1417 Donatello completed St. George, which is shown in bas relief and shows one of the first xamples of central point perspective. Central point perspective is when all the perspective lines come from one point in the painting or drawing. One of the things that I read about that I found funny was that Donatello sculpted a tabernacle for his work but was sold in 1460 to hold Verrocchio’s Incredulity of St. Thomas. Between 1415 and 1426, Donatello created five more statues for Giotto’s campanile of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, which to some of us we like to call the Duomo. The five works that are in the campanile are the Beardless Prophet, the Bearded Prophet, which were both made in he year 1415, the Sacrifice of Isaac in 1421, Habbakuk in the years 1423 through 1425, and Jeremiah in the years 1423 through 1426. These sculptures follow classical models for viewers and show strong details. In 1425 Donatello c reated a piece titled Crucifix, which shows Christ in a moment of agony, with his eyes and mouth slightly opened. Between the years of 1425 through 1427, Donatello worked with another artist by the name of Michelozzo on the monument for the Antipope John XXII for the monument that would be in Florence. Donatello completed a marble panel monument for Cardinal Rainaldo Brancacci in a church inNaples, int the year 1427. Around the same time he did two statues called Faith and Hope for a baptistery in Siena. â€Å"Donatello created a perfect balance between Classicism and realism in my mind. This was created from an image of an Italian boy who looked like a Classical nude figure (Fichner-Rathus 331). † I didn’t know this, I just thought it was something that he created from his mind. Although Donatello was inspired by Classical figures, he chose a young boy whose arms appear weak because of the lack of muscles. After defeating Goliath, whose head lies at David's feet, he r ests his sword by his side, hich looks like it was almost to heavy for David to handle. â€Å"It seems almost impossible that a young boy like David could have succeeded in such a task. David himself look shocked even by his own deed as he glances down on the body of Goliath. Apparently, David's intellect, faith and courage made up for his lack of build (Fichner- Rathus 331-332). † Donatello’s David now sits in the Medici. Second was Verrocchio, who also designed a sculpture of David. Verrocchio in my opinion was one of the best known sculptors of his time in the fifteenth century. Verrocchio was born in Florence around the year 1435.Some people say that he studied under Donatello, but no one knows for sure, some people also say that he might have studied under a painter named Lippi. It is a mystery that has yet to be solved and may never be solved. Verrocchio’s main works are dated back to his late twenties. His studio or workshop was in Florence where he was a member of the Guild of St. Luke. Some more great artists passed through his studio such as Leonardo da Vinci and Lorenzo di Credi. Some of the works that were created by his students are often times hard to distinguish between his own works and theirs. Towards the end of his life he opened a ew workshop in Venice where he was working on a sculpture of Bartolomeo Colleoni. Eventually he left his workshop in the hands of one of his apprentices Lorenzo di Credi. Verrocchio died in Venice around the year 1488. Verrocchio’s figure of David is one the most famous works of his time and still is today. In Verrocchio’s David, I see a strong contrast between the way that Verrocchio treated the same subject that Donatello did. Verrocchio’s brave man â€Å"appears somewhat older and excludes pride and self- confidence rather than a dreamy gaze of disbelief (Fichner-Rathus 334). † I personally hought that Verrocchio’s David looked surprised but also quite prou d of himself. Verrocchio had little detail that showed in his David, where as Donatello did a very good job with his realism and making the torso of David seem different. Verrocchio’s sculpture also looks like a different technique was used. Donatello’s David has closed objects and Davids limbs are in created in what they call an S- curve stance, which helped with his human form. An S- curve is where the calf and the thigh are bent so that the leg creates the shape of an S, which is very different from Verrocchio's sculpture because his is more open.For example, the sword and elbow are sticking out, away from the center of the body. â€Å"Donatello's graceful pose had been replaced in the Verrocchio, by a jaunty contrapposto that enhances David's image of self-confidence (Fichner-Rathus 334). † The third artist that created a David sculpture was Michelangelo. Michelangelo was probably one of the greatest artists that ever lived during his time. Michelangelo was born during the biggest period of Western art also known as Renaissance Italy, which at that time was the most artistically developed country. Not only was Michelangelo a sculptor, but was also a fresco painter.Michelangelo created The Creation and The Last Judgement, both of which are in the Sistine Chapel. The start of Michelangelo’s career started in Florence, which at the time was under Lorenzo the Magnificent. Things were changing after the death of the anti-Renaissance Priest and the leader of Florence. Michelangelo was asked to complete an unfinished project that was already started 40 years earlier by an artist named Agostino di Duccio. This project was a huge statue of David, which symbolized the freedom of the Florentine republic. This statue of David was to be placed in the Piazza della Signoria which is front of thePalazzo Vecchio. This masterpiece was created out of a solid marble block. This was a huge advantage for Michelangelo because he was able to use this t o establish himself as a sculptor of incredible talent and strength for his imagination. Michelangelo had a very strong character from what I have read about him. He preferred to work by himself, rather then working with others, which is probably where he gets such a sense of independence and strong character. I’ve also read that Michelangelo would lose his temper and would end up in sticky situations because of it. Julius II who was the pope t the time, made Michelangelo bend over backwards at his feet to try and get him to get him to finally paint the wall and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. His reputation as a sculptor was established when he carved his David at the edge of twenty-seven from a single piece of what seemed like to everyone else as an unworkable piece of marble. Unlike the David's that were created by Donatello and Verrocchio, Michelangelo's David is not shown after defeating Goliath instead, David is portrayed as a â€Å"most beautiful animal preparing to ki ll-not by savagery and brute force, but by intellect and skill (Fichner-Rathus 345). Over his shoulder is David's sling, and the stone is sitting in the palm of his right hand. Michelangelo's David shows the young face of David who has just reached adulthood and shows great physical and intellectual attributes. Michelangelo's sculpture is close in form, like Donatello's David. â€Å"All the elements move firmly around a central axis (Fichner-Rathus 345). † Finally, there is Bernini. Bernini had many early works before he created his David sculpture in 1623. Bernini studied under Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who was a member of the reigning papal family at that time. Under Cardinal Scipione, Bernini arved his first group of life size sculptures. Bernini’s first life size sculpture was called Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius Fleeing Troy which was created in 1619. Bernini’s second sculpture was created in 1622 called Pluto and Proserpina. In 1624 Bernini created Apoll o and Daphne which was supposed to be viewed as a relief. â€Å"Apollo and Daphne standing near each other looking as though they could be in motion. Apollo’s left arm is resting on Daphne’s left hip. This statue is in the Galleria Borghese in Rome. ( Italian Master). † The Ecstasy of Theresa is another sculpture that was done between 1644 and 1647.This sculpture was made the church of the Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome. This sculpture was created for Saint Theresa because she would write religious narratives. In one of here narratives she talks about her relationship with god as a â€Å"burning arrow piercing through her heart (Meyer 10),† I thought a description of a relationship between a human and God would be a little more beautiful and not so morbid. The sculpture of Emperor Constantine, which was sculpted between 1654-1670 out of marble, is another one of Bernini’s works of art. It is located in the Vatican in Rome. The statue has drapes in it that are not marble but stucco.In 1623 Bernini created his David, which is very different from those of Donatello, Verrocchio and Michelangelo. Bernini had neither Donatello's triumphant boy or Michelangelo's posturing adolescent. Bernini’s hero is full-grown and fully engaged-both physically and psychologically. David’s aim shows his muscular body as it twists just a split second before slinging the stone that he has grasped in his left hand. David stands alone, but Goliath is simply just envisioned in the viewers mind as standing directly behind David. As a viewer looking at the sculpture of David, I am almost tempted to play the fight in my mind and pretend hat I am ducking in order to avoid being hit with a stone. â€Å"It is the anticipation of violent action that heightens this confrontation as David's latent power is momentarily arrested (Scribner 66). † Present in this sculpture are three of the five characteristics of Baroque art: motion which is a different way of looking at space and the concept of time. Donatello and Verrocchio depicted David at rest after he killed Goliath, Michelangelo, presented David before the battle, with the tension and emotion evident in every vein and muscle. Bernini does not depict David before or after the fight. Instead, he shows him in the rocess of the fight. This represents the element of time in his work. The views are forced to complete the action that David has begun for us. With David's positioning, a new concept of space comes into play. â€Å"No longer does the figure remain still in a Classical contrapposto stance, but rather extends into the surrounding space away from a vertical axis. This movement outward from a central core forces the viewer to take into account both the form and the space between and surrounding the forms-in order to appreciate the complete composition† (Fichner- Rathus 360). † In order to understand the sculpture fully, we must move around the wor k.As we move, the views of the work change drastically. As you can see, the works sculpted by Donatello, Verrocchio, Michelangelo and Bernini are drastically very different in there own ways. Donatello presented David as a young boy who seemed incapable and amazed at his feat. Verrocchio's David, although an adolescent, appears somewhat older and has more self-confidence than Donatello's David. Michelangelo's David has just reached manhood and is capable of great physical feats, like defeating Goliath. Finally, Bernini's David is a full grown man. He, like Michelangelo's David, also appears to be strong, brave and gifted enough to slaughterGoliath. These four artists were both amazing and spectacular. They each brought something different into the world and even still to this very day we are still in awe over what they created. Donatello, Verrocchio, Michelangelo, and Bernini, four great artists with four very different views on the world. Works Cited Fichner-Rathus, Lois. Understan ding Art. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc, 1995 Italian Master. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1940. Meyer, Alfred Gotthold. Donatello. Liepzig: Fischer & Wittig, 1904 Scribner, Charles. Gianlorenzo Bernini. New York: H. N. Abrams, Publishers, 1991.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Primary school teachers in uk The WritePass Journal

Primary school teachers in uk Chapter 1 Introduction Primary school teachers in uk Chapter 1 IntroductionChapter 2: To examine and critically analyze the under representation of men in primary schools2.1 – Introduction to the Chapter2.2 – A Feminised Profession?2.3    The Social Status of Teachers2.4 – Male Teachers and the Fear of Being Branded a Paedophile2.5 – The Preference of Men to Teach in Secondary Schools3.1 Introduction to chapter3.2 – Male Teachers as Role Models3.3 – The Job Being Done by Female Primary Teachers3.3 – The Masculinisation of the Primary Sector4.1 – Introduction to the Chapter4.2 – Gender Specific Jobs and the Division of Labour4.3 – Primary School Teaching as a ProfessionReferenceRelated Chapter 1 Introduction This piece of work is designed to examine male primary school teachers; the work that they do, their supposed under representation in UK based primary schools and the apparent feminisation of the profession. Within this body of work there are various main aims which are to be met. Firstly an extensive examination of the factors that result in an under representation of men will be undertaken. Within this aim reasons for men not becoming primary school teachers that are provided in relevant research and literature will be critically analysed with the intention of giving a thorough multi-factoral explanation as to why men aren’t performing teaching jobs within the primary school sector. The second aim to be examined is to assess the effectiveness and purpose the role of a male primary teacher plays in the development of a child. There is a wide acceptance that the male primary school teacher is important in providing a male role model in a modern child’s life (Francis Skelton, 2005). This view amongst others will be queried as will the view that a male primary teacher can provide something that a female primary teacher cannot. The final primary aim is to look at the professi on of primary school teaching historically and the role that the division of labour and patriarchy had on the shaping of primary school teaching. Within this the development of gender specific roles and jobs will be looked at along with the division of labour and the importance that patriarchy had in shaping these roles. Each of these aims will be divided into various sub-sections looking at specific points within each aim. Through the use of previous works, research and literature on each subject contrasting views will be critically analysed with the idea of coming to a conclusion and offering possible instruction regarding various facets that arise with the subject of the male primary school teacher. A lack of male primary school teachers is common all over the western world with many western countries driving to recruit more of what appears to be an endangered species (Skelton, 2003). There are many contributing factors for this being the case including the fear for men that being part of such a childcare profession could lead to them being branded as a paedophile (March bank Let herby, 2007). Since the development of the primary teaching role the preference has been to hire women rather than men as women were seen as more natural at aiding the development of a child and historically women were often hired due to them being very much a cheaper option (Quartararo, 1995). The modern assumption is that by not providing a sufficient male role model within the primary school setting that children and particularly boys are being put at a disadvantage (Wilson, 2006). Such a subject as the primary school teacher is important in the sense that the type of teacher a child has can impact on the child’s future development both academically and in future life chances (Leonhardt, 2010). It has even been described previously as the most important job in the world (Teachers First, 2008). Although this may be a slightly biased viewpoint should a male primary school teacher improve the academic attainment of those currently underachieving (such as those in the lower social class strata or boys in general) then the implementation of more male primary school teachers is important in ensuring every child is given the best opportunity to reach their potential and the drive by many countries to hire more men as primary school teachers is the right thing to do. Equally if the general consensus is that a male primary teacher does not offer anything that a female primary school teacher could offer in terms of teaching style or relationships with the children that they are teaching then reasons for some children’s underachievement are yet unidentified and pushing the recruitment of male primary school teachers may not be the best way to go forward in terms of improving teaching and the educational attainment of the child within the primary school sector. The subject of teaching will always hold great importance within a society as it aids in shaping the lives of those children who are being taught. If the teaching of children is at the best quality as it can be so will the quality of learning. The general aim of this work is to not only outline as to why men are not opting to teach in primary schools but also to assess whether trying to tempt more males into the job is beneficial. Would having more male teachers benefit the pupils that are being taught and will providing more male teachers mess with the division of labour that has been a part of UK life for years in a negative way? Personally the subject of male primary teachers is of great interest. A profession that may end up becoming my career, the role that the male primary teacher plays is of great importance to me. As personally I chose to pursue a career with children it interests me that the vast majority of my peers on the same degree course are women. The reasons as to why many males opt against taking a role in teaching or working with younger children while still being willing to work with children at secondary school level is also of great interest. Much of what I have learned regarding the taking care and teaching of younger children has been dictated to me by women; with this being the case whether a male does have an impact on the way a child learns or develops can be questioned. Should a male be practicing the same teaching methods as women are then does the gender of the teacher actually make a difference on how the child react to the teacher and in turn how the child learns. Why primary scho ol teaching has been characterised as a typically female profession is also something that interests me. Why is it that a woman would historically be considered more suited to a job than a male like myself. Is this simply because women are the child bearers, or is it as a result of gender stereotyping stemming back to times where the patriarch took on a ‘breadwinner’ role while women took care of children or is it due to other contributing factors? Chapter 2: To examine and critically analyze the under representation of men in primary schools 2.1 – Introduction to the Chapter Within this chapter the number of males working in primary schools in the modern day will be examined. As well as looking at the statistics the reasons for men opting out of teaching in the primary school sector will be identified and critically analysed in an attempt to offer explanations for the reported under representation of men in primary schools today. 2.2 – A Feminised Profession? ‘No country should pride itself on its educational system if the teaching profession has become predominantly a world of women.’ (Langeveld, 1963 cited in Lyon Migniuolo, 1989). But this is what appears to be the case with the primary school sector of the UK education system. In 2009 statistics provided (Guardian, 2009) showed that a total of 4,587 which is more than a quarter of primary schools in the UK operated with solely female teachers. In some counties including Lancashire, Cumbria, Hampshire, Essex, Derbyshire, Hertfordshire and Norfolk there are more than 100 schools which are taught by just women teachers. In 2010 of 567,817 teachers were registered in the UK of which 75.1% are women, up from 74.4% in 2009 with the numbers of women working in schools increasing year on year since 2006. In terms of males 24.9% of the 567,817 are teachers, down from 25.6% in 2009. In terms of primary schools 12.5% of the teachers are men, down from 13% in 2009. (General Teaching Council cited in Telegraph, 2010). The expression of panic regarding the small numbers of male primary school teachers is nothing new as such feeling was similar during the rise of feminisation in the 1950’s and 1960’s (Acker 1994 cited in Drudy,2005) The possible reasons for such underrepresentation are vast. One reason may be that historically primary school teaching has been viewed as a feminised profession. Coffey and Delemont (2000) argue that primary school teaching being a feminine profession is a view that has a ‘long history’ and that since the establishment of the state education system in 1870 the teaching of younger children has consistently been seen as a job for women. So the idea that different sexes are more suited to certain jobs is not uncommon and there are various jobs around that are considered to be typical for women. Primary school teaching and nursing are just 2 examples of this. Within these kinds of professions there are certain attributes that are thought to be important in order to be good at said job. Primary teaching in particular is thought to require ‘emotional labour’ something that is said to be much more common in women than in men (Hochschild, 1983). This in turn poses various problems to those men who do work in primary schools; male teachers’ competence when working in primary school settings may be questioned should they not show levels of emotional labour that some women do. The same may occur should the male teacher begin to show signs of typical masculinity, something that is rather uncommon in primary schools. (Connell Messerschmidt 2005) In primary teaching men are in somewhat of a difficult situation, while in some cases their masculinity can give them an advantage in originally obtaining the job such displays of masculinity while in the job can be frowned upon by those women already working in the feminised job of primary education and leave them alienated from their colleagues (Allan, 1993). Should a male teacher however display the kind of attributes and attitudes currently associated with those working as a primary school teacher however then these attributes could be interpreted as feminine and the man may find their sexualit y becoming questioned (Sargent, 2001) something that may well prevent a man from thinking about teaching young children. The process by which sex is directly linked to feminine or masculine activities can lead to ‘sexism or sex stereotyping’ (Drudy 2005) something that may well be present within primary schools nowadays. An example of this is the way that male teachers are perceived; since the end of World War 2 the idea of men as teachers has been viewed as ‘out of place’ (Kaplan, 1974 cited in Robinson Hobson, 2004) and even morally questionable (Tubbs 1946 cited in National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1980). Currently it appears that the feminisation of the sector is as a result of various conditions including not just the sheer number of women working as primary school teachers but also the strengthened feminine interpretation of various facets in the job and the domestic ideology that comes with it. (Drudy, 2005) These are all thi ngs that could discourage men from pursuing a career in primary school teaching. Despite the apparent effect of a feminised profession preventing men from teaching in primary schools the whole premise behind describing primary schools as feminised has been questioned. If a primary school were to be considered unquestionably feminised then there would have to be various identifying factors rather than simply because of the sheer number of female staff at the setting. If we are to believe previous works on female teachers then one would expect to observe a non-hierarchical, democratic management system (Powney Weiner, 2000) with agendas within the school that are free to flexibility (Ozga, 1990). There is an argument that rather than the primary school environment being best suited to female teachers that infact it is becoming a more masculinised environment to work in (Mahony Hextall, 2000) particularly in reference to the management structure in that there is a hierarchy of staff rather than a democracy of such and in terms of how the schools in general appear to be structured; in an inflexible way based on routine and a fixed way of doing things (Mahony Hextall). If it were the case that the profession was becoming more suited to those with masculine tendencies then one would expect there to be a marked increase in men opting to teach in primary schools, with current statistics indicating otherwise (General Teaching Council cited in Telegraph, 2010) there must be other reasons as to why men are choosing not to become primary school teachers. 2.3    The Social Status of Teachers Other potential reasons limiting the participation of males teaching in primary schools are things such as low social status and relatively low wage (Armitage, 1999). It is also claimed that ideas of the role a teacher has is shaped by the experience that each of us has when we were pupils (Campbell StNeill, 1994); with this in mind some people hold the view that primary school teachers have it easy.   This view is put forward because some think that teachers have fairly short working hours similar to those of the students and as such aren’t as respected as they perhaps should be. The perceived long holidays in comparison to other jobs also has an effect on the social status of those working as primary teachers as some think that because they have relatively long holidays in comparison to other jobs that primary teachers ‘have it easy’ (Campbell StNeill, 1994). Primary school teachers it would appear hold even less social prestige than those working in seconda ry schools or other settings of education. This is because of the perception that those working with younger children do not have to work very hard and actually merely oversee play. (Rumbold, 1988 cited in Campbell StNeill) This along with the old saying ‘He who can does, he who cannot, teaches’ (George  Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman Maxims for Revolutionists, 1903)  results in a consensus engrained in UK national identity that those who teach are deficient in some way (Campbell StNeill, 1994), to be viewed in such a manner will not be an attractive prospect for those men perhaps thinking of becoming a primary school teacher. 2.4 – Male Teachers and the Fear of Being Branded a Paedophile Although on the face of things it would appear that job satisfaction and contentment for those working as primary school teachers is at a relatively low level due to low social status and relatively low wage in comparison to other jobs there are various findings that indicate otherwise. The National Foundation for Educational Research (2002) conducted research into the job satisfaction of teachers in comparison to the job satisfaction of people in other jobs. The findings showed that although there is a certain amount of dissatisfaction towards the pay that they receive and generally higher levels of stress amongst teachers they still enjoy more job satisfaction. Primary school teachers imparticular seemed to enjoy higher levels of job satisfaction and job security than not only those within other professions but also when compared to those teachers who work in secondary schools. Those teachers who do work in primary schools were also found to be more positive about the relationships that they form within their workplace with peers and were also found to be rather less disgruntled about the level of pay that they receive for doing their job (Sturman, 2002). It would appear that one of the major reasons for the modern day male deciding not to enter teaching at primary school level is through the fear of being branded a ‘child abuser’ or a ‘paedophile’. Due to high profile cases of child abduction and cases of paedophilia In the UK over recent years men are beginning to become more cautious with regards to spending time with children (Clark, 2010). A survey conducted by Play England (2010) discovered that in the UK 44% of men would be hesitant to help a child in need due to the risk of being seen as a child abductor or child abuser (Play England, 2010) this is perhaps due to guidelines set by the NSPCC advising men not to approach lost children for the aforementioned reasons (FACT, 2006). This fear may well be having an impact on the number of   men opting to work in primary schools. John Bangs who is the assistant secretary for the national union of teachers argued that men are being put off by an increasing s uspicion surrounding men who teach in primary schools, Bangs stated ‘people have become much more suspicious of men who want to work with children’ and that ‘these perceptions are absurd but men are reluctant to be stigmatised in this way’ (Guardian, 2008). This fear of being branded in such a way is something that many male primary teachers currently working have to deal with. During a study with primary school teachers Sargent (2001) found that many of the male teachers’ gripes with the profession was that of being labelled as a child abuser or as gay due to the work that they do. During the research it was found that the majority of respondents expressed a concern when coming into physical contact with the children that they teach. This is through the fear that when making physical contact with the child their intentions may be misconstrued and as a result may find themselves being accused of touching the child inappropriately or being homosexual. While female primary teachers can often come into close proximity with a child and even make physical contact with a child without much being said. Men on the other hand feel as though they are unable to have contact with a child due to the way that they may be viewed by others and through fear of the possible controversy that may ensue (Sargent, 2001). As so eloquently put by one of the respondents during the study conducted by Sargent ‘Women’s laps are places of love, men’s laps are places of danger’. This fear may well be having a negative effect on the teaching performance of those men as they cannot meet the social and emotional needs as effectively as their female counterparts (Sargent,2001). Although these fears of child abuse within schools are largely unfounded partly due to current stringent criminal record checking prior to teachers taking a job it is easy to see why some males may be hesitant about taking a job working with children and is als o understandable for those not wanting to work in primary schools due to the difficulties that these men face within their role. 2.5 – The Preference of Men to Teach in Secondary Schools The reason for the underrepresentation of men in primary schools may not be due to mistreatment in primary schools but rather a preference towards teaching in secondary schools. While statistics show that the number of male teachers in primary schools in dwindling in secondary schools disparity between the genders of secondary school teachers is not as evident as the split is much more balanced (Office for National Statistics, 2007). Rather than simply a preference of working with older children David Hanson, the chief executive of the Independent Association of Prep Schools argued that more men would opt for primary school teaching if there were opportunities to teach singular subjects similar to how secondary schools are taught. Hanson argued that teaching individual subjects meant that lessons become more ‘rigorous’ and that teachers taking part in teaching singular subjects take more pride in their job, it was also stated that ‘there seems to be something to do with men being able to attach a sense of status to the subject’ and that ‘subject specialism seems to have an appeal for men.’ (Davis, 2010) To argue that there is simply one reason why men choose not to teach in primary schools would be far too simplistic. The reasons for not teaching in a primary school could be specific to each individual. For example while one person may opt out of primary school teaching due to the lack of specialised subjects another may opt against it out of fear of being branded a child abuser. Reasons may also be due to various facets of the job that are unappealing. Despite the perceived multi factoral reasons for opting out of primary school teaching it may after all just come down to money.   In 2009 52% more men chose to pursue a career in primary school teaching. The cause of this was attributed to the recent recession and subsequent insecurity of some other jobs where cuts were frequent or where promotion was difficult to come by. (Williams, 2010) It was then thought that through the job security and promotional opportunities that primary school teaching offers it was becoming a more appe aling prospect for potential male teachers; although the vast majority of those opting to teach in primary schools are still women. 3.1 Introduction to chapter This chapter will attempt to examine the reasons why there seems to be such a drive to introduce more male teachers into primary schools in the UK. Within the chapter whether introducing more male teachers is the best way to improve teaching practices and attainment of the children and where this leaves the female primary school teacher will be analysed, as will the effectiveness of male primary school teachers and the role that they play within the school. 3.2 – Male Teachers as Role Models Recently it has become the view of government officials that the dominant ‘female domain’ that is primary school teaching is beginning to have a negative effect on the achievement and attainment of male pupils (Morris 1998) and there have been numerous government initiatives established with the aim of increasing the number of male primary school teachers. But despite high profile drives to increase the numbers of male teachers’ numbers are still dwindling. Historically there did not seem to be any issue with the numbers of men in the primary school field until the 1980’s where feminists argued that the numbers of men teaching in primary schools should be increased as a means of breaking down sexual and gender barriers while perhaps having a positive effect on the children they teach. (Aspinwall, Drummond, 1989 cited in Brush Middlewood, 1997). As recent as 2009 there was a new drive encouraging males to become primary school teachers with a page on the go vernment’s website dedicated to getting men to teach younger children. One of the major reasons for championing the introduction male teachers into primary schools is the perceived problem of children not having a sufficient male role model. Much of this could be due to the distinct rise in children becoming members of single parent families (SPF). In 2007 it was announced that 24% of children; nearly a quarter were living in SPF’s. Within this 24% 9 out of 10 of these households are being headed by a women (often the mother) rather then the father or any other male figure (Independent, 2007). As a result of such figures for some it is thought that male pupils need male teachers as role models as well as teachers in order to develop and to reach their full potential. A poll conducted in 2008 for the Training and Development Agency of 800 men looked at the impact of male teachers in the development of boys. Within the survey it was found that 35% of respondents felt that having a male teacher encouraged them to work harder at schools, 50% said tha t they would be more likely to ask a male teacher for help regarding bullying, and 49% stated that they would be more likely to ask for help about school work if the teacher was male rather than if the teacher was female. Tanya Byron a consultant clinical psychologist claims that male primary school teachers are vital in providing a positive role model for children. Byron also claims that male primary school teachers are often stable and reliable figures in the lives of the children that they teach and that they inspire their children to ‘be more confident, work harder and to behave better’. Mancus (1992 cit; Drudy,2005) Found that when they are taught by both male and female teachers children became less rigid in thoughts about gender roles. Mancus continued by claiming that in comparison to their counterparts who have no male teachers those who do have male teachers to some degree tend to view male and female teachers as both nurturing as well as having authority. Thi s could result in giving boys a wider range of behavioural choices which means they may well be more likely to show a more nurturing side if they were to see a male teacher behaving in such a nurturing manner. It could however be argued that the impact of male teachers as role models is overstated. Currently in most of the developed world girls tend to perform better anyway (Programme for International Student Assessment, 2000 cit; OECD, 2000). The tendency regarding the underperformance of boys is to blame the feminisation of schooling for the disparity between the sexes. Miller (1996 cit; Kramarae Spender, 2000) claims that the apparent feminisation of the primary school sector is merely used as a scapegoat in explaining the underperformance of boys in schools and that values and mechanisms must be looked at before coming to such a conclusion. Differences in the attainment of the sexes are not particularly due to the feminisation of the primary school. When looking at how   the sexes perform in school it is important to not simply look at the sex of the student when other things could have a more profound   effect such as social class and where the child lives (Lynch, 1999)It can be argued that there is infact no evidence that the feminisation of primary schools is the reason for any kind of underperformance by boys, this is underlined by the fact that in instances where boys outperform girls in things such as mathematics (OFSTED, 2003) this is irrelevant of whether the boys are taught by male or female teachers. Russell Hobby the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers has a similar point of view in thinking that male teachers effect on boys is overstated stating that he doesn’t believe that ‘it has a huge impact’ and that boys often have other male role models in other aspects of life such as ‘home, sporting clubs and the Boy Scouts’.   This view is also argued by Allen (1994) who stated regarding male primary teachers as role models that ‘in practice, male role modelling emerges as a kind of optimistic ritual approach to solving social problems: No one knows what it is or how it works, but letà ¢â‚¬â„¢s do it anyway’. A study conducted in Australia also found that not all male primary school teachers were positive about the view that they should be/are considered role models for the children that they teach. Within the study of those who rejected the notion that they are a role model many stated that they regarded themselves as an ‘educator’ rather than a ‘parent substitute’ (Smith, 2004). Although many male primary school teachers accept the assumption that they are to be role models to those that they teach it could be argued that such expectations are putting unrealistic expectations on these people as they are already expected to teach these children should they also be expected to act as the primary male influence on these children’s life? 3.3 – The Job Being Done by Female Primary Teachers The whole question regarding male primary school teachers leaves the status of the female primary school teacher very much under question. On the page Graham Holley Chief Executive of the Teaching Development Agency stated that ‘Men are under-represented in primary schools and we are keen to improve the balance over time.  This is not an educational issue: there is nothing wrong with the thousands of splendid women teachers who we are fortunate to have in our schools.  But a well-balanced, diverse and representative workforce is of huge benefit to children socially and in their broader development.’ But it could be questioned as to whether the sex of the teacher is what matters in the first place The whole idea of trying to tempt more men into teaching in primary schools has been interpreted as an ‘implicit criticism’ of female teachers in primary schools by Chris Keates, the general secretary of NASUWT. Keates argued that there was little evidence to sh ow that increasing the number of male teachers would have any significant influence on the further educational attainment of the children which they teach. Also it was argued that the apparent positives of hiring a male primary school teacher such as the ability to inspire children, encourage them to work harder and behave better are all attributes that are gender neutral and that women who are doing a good job in primary schools can encourage children to behave and work in a similar manner without having to be viewed as a role model. (Guardian, 2009). This is a view shared by Yee (1973) who claimed that in teacher recruitment it was not the sex of the teacher that actually made a difference in the education of the child instead it was the qualities of the teacher that actually mattered. It just so happened that the traits that make one a good teacher in the primary school sector are more common in women rather than men. This view is one that has been taken on by quite a few and has since been dubbed as the ‘so what’ factor (Armitage, 1999) Concerns that boys are under performing is something that is common all over the world in not just the UK but other Western and South American countries (Hutchings, 2001 cit; Skelton, 2002) and   it may be simplistic to think that this is just because of a lack of male teachers within schools. While there appears to be a stereotyping of children in the sense that it is thought that boys require a male teacher in order to perform at their best it could be argued that a subsequent stereotyping of teachers is occurring at the same time. There is no doubt a need for strong teachers in primary schools and to suggest that one gender is better at fulfilling such a role this is merely emphasising damaging stereotypes (Burn, 2001). 3.3 – The Masculinisation of the Primary Sector On the contrary to what is commonly thought there is a view that the primary school sector is infact favouring male teachers rather than female teachers. Despite the sector becoming a profession predominantly occupied by women it would appear that this has not resulted in equal opportunities for the 2 sexes. In conducting a study regarding the promotion patterns of primary schools in the UK Thornton Bricheno (2000) found that often men enjoy career advancement which is quicker than what is commonly experienced by women. This is also suggested through statistics provided regarding primary schools in Scotland. In 2005 93% of primary school teachers were women and 7% men. Women accounted for 81% of head teachers in primary schools and men 19%; this shows a definite preference for promoting males rather than females to authoritative positions (Scotland.gov, 2007). As a result it was found that although men who do work as primary school teachers are in a relatively low status profession they tend to enjoy more power and status within it than their female counterparts and as a result men envisage a more rapid rise to higher paid positions; a finding that has been evidenced by a number of other studies on the subject (Reid Thornton, 2000 cit; Thornton Bricheno, 2006). It is thought that men who do opt to teach in primary schools are well aware of the promotion opportunities available to them. Skelton (2001) backed up this theory through conducting interviews with various male primary school teachers. Within those who were questioned one respondent claimed that men were placed in headship positions merely because they ‘were men’.   Another respondent offered a more comprehensive explanation as to why men are elevated to roles of more responsibility citing the traditional ideas of masculinity; the teacher stated that within the modern day society men are seen primarily as men rather than teachers and that men are seen as slightly superior and able to p rosper in a role such as head teacher. Despite this study being on a micro scale and as such cannot be generalised throughout the country there does appear to be some sort of validity to the claims that men are being unfairly favoured when a head teacher post comes available because they are male. The views of the primary school teacher as a whole are shaped by both cultural history and traditions within this country and the considerable influence of the media on the subject (Burn, 2001). Currently it would appear that men are being labelled as assets within the classroom (Pepperell Smedley, 1998) due to their supposed authoritative persona and ‘discipline man’ image. This is something that some male teachers use to their advantage; after getting used to women disciplining them children were taking more notice of male teachers due to their deeper voice (Burn, 2000). Grant (1989) had similar findings when examining the promotion aspects of women. When questioning a sele ct group of women who were being interviewed with regards to a senior management position Grant found that posts often went to tall strong men who kept the children within their setting in line. These men were perceived as ‘bullies’ that took a hard line when it came to discipline by their fellow teachers and this was offered as a reason as to why they were selected to these higher roles. Whether the authoritative nature of the male teacher is the reason for men being given higher positions within the school setting is unclear but in recent times it does not appear that men are being preferred in these roles any more.   According to data provided by the Training and Development Agency for Schools those who are being appointed as head teachers across the UK are much younger than has been previously, but perhaps of more greater significance in regards to this piece of work there appears to be a significant rise in the number of women being promoted to the headship positions. The statistics published stated that women were now accounting for 70% of the workforce along with now 67% of head teacher and deputy head teacher positions. In comparison to the rest of the UK workforce this percentage of women in senior management positions is relatively high with just 12.5% of senior management positions within the top 100 UK companies being occupied by women. (TDA, 2011 cited in Daily mail, 2011) 4.1 – Introduction to the Chapter This chapter will look at the history of the teaching profession and what has happened to shaped it into what it is today. Specifically the history of the division of labour and how it has affected the type of person to take a teaching job will be looked at, as will the debate of teaching being a professional or a semi-professional career. 4.2 – Gender Specific Jobs and the Division of Labour The idea that different roles are more suited to certain people is not something that is uncommon, as is explained through the ‘division of labour’. The division of labour is defined as the way by which different tasks are allocated to certain groups of people in a given society. The idea of the division of labour in post industrialised western countries is to increase production by allocating certain jobs to those deemed most suited to it.   In terms of gender, this refers to the ‘sexual division of labour’ where the traditional roles of a male breadwinner and a female housewife are generally considered the norm. The sexual division of labour arose following the separation of the household and the workplace during the industrialisation of western civilisations at which time men were then expected to become the breadwinner and provide for their family while the woman was expected to stay at home, complete various domestic chores and look after any children within the household. This occurred for a couple of reasons, firstly the jobs that arose as a result of industrialisation were primarily jobs of a physical nature; something that was assumed to be much more of a man’s forte as men were stereotypically thought to be stronger than women. As well as this women were considered more suited to the role of rearing the child due to the thought that women were more caring than men and also because women are the ones that give birth and carry the unborn child it was thought that this meant that the woman was more suited to the domestic role. With this sexual division of labour came the rise of patriarchy within western societies. As the men were going out to do work to keep the family running the men seemed to grasp a sense of greater importance and take the major ruling role within the family and other sectors. As stated; the male role is deemed as ‘instrumental’ while the woman’s role deemed as ‘expressiveà ¢â‚¬â„¢ (Parsons 1956 cited in Podell, 1966) In terms of the UK the history of the division of labour and the patriarchal society has had a profound effect.   Even in modern day Britain women between the ages of 16-64 are almost twice as likely to be considered ‘economically inactive’ than their male counterparts. Of those women who do work far less hours are contributed that men. Women were found to be four times more likely to work part-time rather than full time and on average spend 70% more hours on domestic chores than men (Washbrook, 2007).This seems to have had an effect on the amount of pay that women get in comparison to men for those working in full time work it was found that men are earning more an hour than women in 18% of circumstances while in part time work men are earning more an hour in 40% of circumstances. (Olsen Walby, 2004 cited in Washbrook, 2007) The reason for this has been given as because women often spend a longer amount of time outside of the workforce than men, often due to familial care responsibilities or maternity leave, something that men do not have or use as often as women do. (Olsen Walby, 2004 cited in Washbrook, 2007). The disparity of wages between the sexes is something that indicates the prominence of the division of labour.   Becker (1991) offered possible explanation for this being the case. This is through the theory that through the difference in wage there is a benefit to the household generally. Becker argued that should a couple differ in wage and household productivity then the output of the household can be maximised if both the man and woman within the household allocate their time to the sector of which they are deemed most productive (i.e. women taking part in domestic work and men earning outside of the household) and then exchange any surplus work within either section with their respective spouse. Becker argued that the bigger the difference in the spouse’s productivity the greater the potential gains are for the household. (Becker, 1991) Becker’s theory indicates that there is an assumption that the differing genders excel in different areas.   Such assumptions when they are widely held by the society in which people live can have a marked effect on the choices that members of either sex make and also potentially the choices of occupation that individuals choose to be a part of. (Washbrook, 2007) Following research conducted in 2005 it was found that women   appear   to opt for occupations where the skills required are comparatively similar to those required within the domestic realm. Skills such as household maintenance and caring attributes required when bringing up children are the skills used in the jobs that women in the UK tend to choose. This is shown in that women in 2005 women accounted for over 80% of workers within secretary, administrative and personal service sectors. As we have examined; a high percentage of women were also seen to be working in the education sector. Though the percentage of those working in such a profession is not as high as 80% like in secretary, administrative or personal services   the proportion of women working in the health, social work and importantly the education sectors is still high (Washbrook, 2007). There are certain indicators however that the division of labour is beginning to become impacted on. The changing of social trends over time is given as a possible reason for the division of labour being changed. A perfect example of this is the changing difference in pay between men and women. In 1973 the gap in pay between men working in full time work and women working in full time work was 29%, this had lowered by 12% to 17% in 2005. Within that same time period the number of women working in Britain rose by 10%. As mentioned previously much of the reason men were earning more money and were more likely to work full time was due to the amount of time women were spending outside of the workforce. More recently however women have to spend less time outside of the workforce due to numerous factors; the massive rise in divorce rates, the postponement of first marriage and the decrease of women wanting children or the delay of children has resulted in women have a longer period of tim e being able to be economically independent, spend a prolonged uninterrupted period of time within the workforce and as a result minimize the pay disparity between male workers and female workers. Educational attainment of the respective sexes has also been highlighted as a possible reason for the differences in pay reducing. In 1970/1971 of those in further education 58% were male, while 67% of those taking part in higher education were men. By the year 2000 things changed greatly, 59% of those in further education were now female while 57% of those in further education were also female (Washbrook, 2007) 4.3 – Primary School Teaching as a Profession Historically teaching in primary schools was deemed as a semi-professional job (Etzioni, 1969). This correlates with the observation that women historically worked in jobs where the pay was less than that for men, with much of the work they did do being part time. So what of the history regarding primary teaching as a ‘profession’? A profession is defined as ‘an occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering that requires considerable training and specialized study’. What is most noticeable about the definition provided is that there is no reference to teaching within it. This is primarily because historically teaching has not actually been viewed as a ‘profession’ as such. Although teaching had been acknowledged as an important job it was is rarely held in high esteem similar to that enjoyed by doctors or lawyers. This it is argued is due to the view that teachers who taught within public and grammar schools were ‘born and not madeâ₠¬â„¢ (Smith, 1957). Because of this these schools began to be populated by teachers who although were university educated were largely unprepared for the many potential difficulties that can arise within a classroom (Simon, 1981). The job first took a step towards professionalism following the 1902 education act. The 1902 education act provided the development of numerous grammar schools around the UK within which students had the opportunity to go on to teacher training colleges. Most importantly however the education act insisted that any entrants wishing to enrol into a teacher training college must have completed 4 years of full time grammar school education before doing so (Kandel, 1955). This meant that those pupils now wishing to become teachers were at least educated to a decent level and due to the teacher training colleges were in theory now better prepared for potential classroom situations. What the 1902education actually did however how widen the gap between elementary schools and grammar schools. Although in theory bringing the two closer by ensuring they were both involved with the state education system inadvertently the differing settings were being dragged further apart. The implementation of the 1902 education act meant that elementary schools and grammar schools were being governed by differing organisations, having to adhere to different codes.   This meant that there was still a distinct difference in class between grammar schools and elementary schools and the quality of teachers that they could attract to their setting (Gillard, 2005). At first the teacher training colleges focussed solely on subjects and methods of teaching. The teachers association after a time decided however that this was not stringent enough and encouraged a style of training similar to that of other professions, the need to change the way which teachers were trained was enhanced when it became apparent that education was beginning to put a greater emphasis on aiding a child’s development not just intellectually but also physically morally and emotionally (Kandell, 1955). At this point universities began to offer their graduates who wished to become teachers an opportunity to continue studying at the same university in training departments whereby the students would learn about teaching theory and also teaching practically. (Gillard,2005). By 1944 the McNair committee report outlined various recommendations regarding the staffing and training of teachers; this included a 3 year compulsory training course for those who wished to become t eachers and also a salary increase for teachers. This report along with the education act of the same year was the first indication that teaching was becoming considered as a profession. The professionalism of teaching enjoyed a peak within the 1960’s in the UK due to various contributing factors. In 1960 the recommendation by the McNair report to extend the teacher training course from 2 years to 3 years came into fruition. In 1963 the Robbins report also recommended the introduction of other teaching degree courses where over a 4 year period students could study both education and 2 other main subjects. In 1964 school councils were introduced following a recommendation from the Lockwood report. This in theory meant that schools would have much more responsibility for what goes on within their own school. This meant that schools could take a role in what they teach to their pupils and also how the curriculum is taught to them by their teachers. This in turn was designed to h elp the teachers meet the expanding needs of their pupils by giving them a bit more freedom to teach using different techniques. (Watkins, 1993) In 1967 the Plowden report was published. Although congratulating the unique responsibility ad spur of freedom that teachers in the UK had the report did express some issue with the training system at that time. Plowden felt that it was wrong that someone can obtain a teaching degree with little or no professional training, consequently Plowden recommended that all teachers should be required to become professionally qualified prior to taking on a teaching role. (Plowden, 1968) In 1970 Plowden’s recommendations regarding professional qualification was taken on board by the government and at which time it became a requirement for teachers to gain Qualified Teacher Status and be approved by the teaching department prior to conducting formal teaching within any school. One would think that this would result in teachers being seen as professionals but this was not the case. A series of publications criticising teachers and teaching were released, the first publication in 1969 argued that teaching in primary schools was a major cause of unrest amongst university students as well as a large factor in developing other unwelcome tendencies amongst students (Gallton, Simon Croll, 1980). A publication by Bennet (1976) also received much press attention as apparent ‘progressive’ styles of teaching supposedly was having a negative effect on the development of their pupils (Galton, Simon Croll, 1980). Publications of such Black Papers lead to the involvement of then Prime Minister Jim Callaghan who although applauding much of what goes on within schools expressed a concern at complaints within the teaching profession that many of those who were being recruited into the job did not have the basic skills required in order to effectively carry ou t their job. Callaghan also noted the concern being expressed by parents regarding the perceived informal methods of teaching being utilised by many teachers at that time (Gillard, 2005). Callaghan went on to explain that teachers were in such a job to appease both industry and parents while meeting the needs of their pupils. He also stated that if the general public were not convinced that teachers were doing things correctly then the profession was sure to come under more scrutiny in the future. The appointment of the Conservative government in 1979 and the subsequent 1980 education act went about taking a share of the power from teachers in the education system and giving in to parents. Parents were now given the opportunity to take a seat on the school boards and were also given greater freedom in deciding where their children went to school. Parents continuously were given more power throughout the 80’s with the 1984 ‘parental influence at school’ green pape r, the implication of which was that parents and government officials were blaming teachers for the state of the education system and in order for the system to improve then parents and officials must take a more prominent role in shaping the education system. (Gillard, 2005) It wasn’t just the teachers who suffered from such assumptions however; it had a damaging effect on the education of the children, most particularly in terms of the curriculum. The emphasis of the Conservative government in terms of education was that teachers should be teaching children the 3 R’s of reading, writing and arithmetic rather than any other more experimental teaching (Gillard, 2005). This method of teaching was introduced despite the opposition of many, it was actually thought by many that a flexible curriculum, concentrating on cognitive development would be better in aiding the development of the child. (Gipps, 1993 cited in Chitty Simon, 1993). In more recent times teachers are continuing to suffer from a lack of morale and from a lack of status with little help from the government in rectifying the situation. (Gillard, 2005). The year 2003 saw what appeared to be a return to the past where teachers did not require specialist training. This became the case as student teachers were given permission to cover for fully qualified staff when they are off school. This was often cheaper than hiring fully qualified substitute teachers and became commonplace in schools around the country (Revell, 2004). The use of unqualified workers within schools was something championed by the Labour government in 2005 where the government said that they would widen routes into teaching by providing more varied support staff roles within schools. New teachers also argued that often schools often shirked their responsibility with regards to dedicating 10% of the teacher’s timetable for professional development. (Revell, 2005). The prominenc e of unqualified workers operating within schools and the lack of continuous professional training for newly appointed teachers makes it unsurprising that often teaching isn’t considered to be a profession. In order to achieve the best results for both teachers and pupils it should ensured that teachers are sufficiently trained before entering a job. Although it is important for students wishing to enter teaching to experience it first hand unqualified teachers should not be permitted to teach classes alone as they are as of yet unqualified to do so. 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