european union Essays

european union Essays european union Essay european union Essay Germany Must Take The Wheel In The European Union TIMOTHY GARTON ASH Special to The Globe and Mail published Friday, Jun. 17 2011, 5:00 AM EDT Last updated Friday, Aug. 24 2012, 3:54 PM EDT Like an overladen lorry labouring up a steep hill, the European project is close to stalling. If it stalls, even the emergency brake may not stop it running back down the hill, out of control, until it Jackknifes. Two of the lads are wrestling over the steering wheel; others lie comatose in the sleeping area at the back of the cabin. We need a woman to come and sort them out. Her name is Angela. The most urgent part of this crisis is Greece and the Eurozone. Between the fury on the streets of Athens and the continued disunity of decision-makers in Brussels, Berlin, Frankfurt and Luxembourg (where the Euro Group huddles again Sunday and Monday), the lorry could stall any day. But its not Just Greece. In Ireland, Portugal and Spain, too, anger is boiling over, as people feel that the young, the poor and the unemployed are being forced to pay for the selfish improvidence of their politicians and of French and German bankers, ho lent profusely where they should not have lent at all. And its not Just the Eurozone. Every single major project of the European Union is faltering. France and Italy are suggesting that the achievement of the Schengen Zone, with no border controls, should be chipped away Just because a few thousand people from convulsed North Africa have taken refuge on the Italian island of Lampedusa. Many European countries are already in a panic about the integration of immigrants and people of migrant origin, especially Muslims. Solidarity and social Justice, central alues of the post 1945 European project, are in retreat almost everywhere, as a result of growing inequality and spending cuts to tackle public debt. In the Arab spring, Europe faces the most hopeful set of events in the 21st century so far, comparable in scale and potential to 1989, but its collective and institutional response to this historic opening has been feeble beyond belief. Yet, this was meant to be the year the EIJ got its act together in foreign policy. Even in the most hopeful cases, Tunisia and Egypt, we may have only a few months in which to prevent the Arab spring becoming an Arab fall. The disappointed hopes of that half of the population which is under 30 would then produce further, larger immigrant surges to Europe. The European-led military intervention in Libya was always likely to be a slow grind, but it has painfully exposed Europes chronic failure to concentrate its military capabilities. Already, some of the powers involved are running short of munitions. Even enlargement, Europes most successful project, is close to stalling. The magnetic attraction of EIJ membership continues to have a significant positive effect in a ountry like Serbia, but ever less so in Turkey. In his victory speech after the recent Turkish elections, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not even mention the ELI. Retired prime ministers and foreign ministers never tire of attributing this faltering of the European project to the lack of leadership. (Subtext: It was all so much better wnen we were In cnarge. ) I nls Is true, out less tnan nalT tne story. For wnlle tne quality of European leadership is somewhat poorer than it was a quarter-century ago, the need for it is greater. Why? Because all the great underlying motivators of the European project back in the days of Helmut Kohl, Franpis Mitterrand and Jacques Delors have faded or disappeared. Those powerful driving forces included searing personal experiences of war, occupation, Holocaust, fascist and Communist dictatorships; the Soviet threat, catalyzing west European solidarity; generous, energetic U. S. support for European unification; and a West Germany that was the mighty engine of European integration, with France on top as the driver. The West Germans wanted to rehabilitate themselves as good Europeans, but also needed the support of their European neighbours to achieve their goal of unification. All these are now gone, or very much diminished. While there are intellectually convincing new rationales for the project, including the rise of non-western giants such as China, rationales are no match for emotional motivators. Heart trumps head, every day. The key to so much of this, especially on the economic side, is Germany. For much of its history, what has become the EIJ pursued political ends by economic means. For Mr. Kohl and Mr. Mitterrand, the euro was mainly a political project, not an economic one. Now the boot is on the other foot. To save a poorly designed and overextended monetary union, the political must ride to the rescue of the economic. This is where Angela Merkel comes in. There is no particular reason to expect Germany to take the lead in creating a European foreign and security policy. For a response to the Arab spring, we should look first to Spain, France and Italy. If the issue is the integration of migrants, every country must do its homework. But if we are talking about the European economy and currency, Germany is the indispensable power. Only the combination of Germany and the European Central Bank, working in unison, has a chance of calming the mighty markets. For more than a year now, Ms. Merkel has attempted to find the narrow perhaps non-existent line where the minimum that can be done to save the embattled Eurozone periphery meets the maximum she thinks German public opinion will bear. She has then tried to win her Eurozone partners to that course. So far, it has not worked. Now she needs to start from the other end: Work out, with the ECB and other Eurozone governments, what is the most credible deal available, then put all her authority on the line to persuade a reluctant German public that this will be in their long-term, enlightened, national self-interest. Which it will be. For no one has more to lose from the disintegration of the Eurozone than the continents central economic power. It may soon be too late. Http:// www. theglobeandmail. com/commentary/germany-must-take-the-wheel-in-the- european-union/article583479/

The Top Degrees and Majors for High Lifetime Salaries

The Top Degrees and Majors for High Lifetime Salaries If you have the resources and opportunity, a degree can be a fantastic asset for your career. And for some fields, it’s a necessary first step. But not all degrees are created equal! In some fields, an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree is all you need to get in the door. In others, you can expect to grab those degrees, then go on to get a master’s or even a PhD to advance in your career and earn top dollars in the field. Every industry has its own educational needs, but if you’re undecided about where you want to go- or you’re looking to change course and go back to school, PayScale has compiled some very useful data about different degrees, different majors, and earning potential. First, let’s look at the â€Å"best in show† majors.Top-Paying Majors for Each Degree TypeAssociate’s: Political ScienceApparently being a Washington â€Å"fat cat† is really a thing! Seriously, though, people who have this degree can wor k in government, public policy, or community administrative roles. The top-paying job for a person with an associate’s degree in Political Science is $86,100, based on PayScale data.Bachelor’s: Petroleum EngineeringEnergy development and engineering are very hot topics right now, so petroleum engineers are in high demand. These engineers develop methods for extracting oil and gas deposits from under the Earth’s surface. The top-paying petroleum engineer jobs can command up to $185,000, per PayScale data.Master’s: International BusinessWe live in a global marketplace, and MBAs who can make deals and work with colleagues in Hong Kong, Berlin, and Sydney are among the highest paid business people. Some of the top-paying jobs in international business for MBAs can fetch up to $158,000, per PayScale data.PhD: StatisticsIn addition to a global marketplace, we also live in a highly data-driven world. Statisticians with doctorate degrees collect and analyze data to help solve real world issues in every industry. The highest-paid statistician gigs for PhDs make $172,000, per PayScale data.If none of these careers sound right for you, you have plenty of options if you’re looking for well-paid options at different degree levels. Let’s look at some of the top-earning jobs in major fields like healthcare, education, public administration/social services, and transportation.Top Healthcare Careers for Different DegreesIf you’re interested in working in the booming healthcare industry, here are some of the jobs with the highest lifetime earnings (median salary for those with a degree and 20+ years of experience) by degree type.Associate’s: Diagnostic Medical SonographerDiagnostic medical sonographers use specialized equipment to create images from inside the body, to help doctors diagnose and treat medical issues. Sonographers typically have an associate’s degree and have completed a certification program as well. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $71,300, per PayScale.Bachelor’s: Physician AssistantPhysician assistants are the right-hand men and women in any medical practice or healthcare facility. They work with physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare staff to examine, diagnose, and treat patients. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $157,000, per PayScale.Master’s: Healthcare AdministrationHealthcare administrators are the ones who keep things running behind the scenes, managing day-to-day office operations for medical practices and offices, as well as planning and coordinating health services for a hospital, facility, clinic, or department. These administrators are also responsible for ensuring that the facility is up to date with health laws, regulations, and technology. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $109,000, per PayScale.PhD: PharmacistPharmacists fill prescriptions, d ispense medication of all kinds, educate patients on the safe use of medications, and act as a medical reference for customers. They may also perform health screenings, educate customers on general wellness, and give immunizations. You can find them in retail pharmacies, but also in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities as well. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $172,000, per PayScale.Top Education Careers for Different DegreesThe old saying is that teachers are underpaid for what they do- and while that may very well be true, if teaching is your calling you can still strategize about how to maximize your salary. Here are some of the educators with the highest lifetime earnings (median salary for those with a degree and 20+ years of experience) by degree type.Associate’s: Preschool TeacherPreschool teachers are often the first teachers kids encounter in their lives- so those early days of pre-reading skills, writing, basic math, and science are essential. They work with young kids (usually age 4-5) to get them ready for kindergarten. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $44,200, per PayScale.Bachelor’s: Physical Education TeacherPhysEd teachers do the important work of keeping kids active during the school day, and teaching them good fitness and athletic fundamentals along the way. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $70,100, per PayScale.Master’s: Instructional Design and TechnologyWith curriculum changing all the time, and an emphasis on updating the way students use technology in their school lives, instructional designers are fast becoming a major player in the education world. These professionals oversee curriculum standards (and how they are implemented in school systems), develop educational materials, and assess the effectiveness of teaching methods. Instructional designers work in all levels of education, from elementary sch ool to college. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $83,900, per PayScale.PhD: SuperintendentSuperintendents are high-level educational professionals responsible for the operation of schools (or school systems). In many cases, superintendents have a master’s degree and years of education/administration experience, but many superintendents hold PhDs in education. The median salary for PhDs in this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $96,600, per PayScale.Top  Public Administration/Social Services Careers for Different DegreesWorking in the public sector can be a calling as well. If you’re interested in one of these community-, town/city-, or state-level jobs, here are the career paths you might want to consider for maximum earning potential.Associate’s: Fire ScienceWhen you think of â€Å"public† jobs, it’s likely that â€Å"firefighter† is one of the first that pops into your mind. As the first responders in many different kinds of emergencies, these essential professionals sacrifice their time (and often their well-being) to keep the community safe. An associate’s degree in fire science can prepare you for jobs as a firefighter, but also administrative jobs like fire inspector, fire chief, or fire marshal. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $59,100, per PayScale.Bachelor’s: Public AdministratorA bachelor’s degree in Public Administration prepares you for managing the day-to-day operations of local, state, or federal government agencies. This includes areas like strategic planning, public relations, and disaster planning, as well as general administration. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $76,100, per PayScale.Master’s: Public Policy AnalystPolicy analysts are problem solvers. They take data, history, and trends into account to help plan and shape government and political systems. This is a job heavy on research, analysis, and strategic planning. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $101,100, per PayScale.Top Transportation  Careers for Different DegreesYou may not think of transportation as a particularly glamorous or lucrative industry, but if you have a passion for logistics and tight schedules, then it can be a great option for you. In transportation, the emphasis is usually on on-the-job training rather than a specific degree, but a bachelor’s degree and administrative know-how can be one of the most well-paid paths into the industry.Bachelor’s: Aviation ManagerAviation managers are logistics professionals who coordinate airport operations, including compliance with a complex system of local, state, and federal rules and regulations. Moving people and cargo from one place to another via air travel is an intricate, delicate, and fast-moving process, and aviation managers are the ones responsible for making sure it happ ens safely, smoothly, and on time. The median salary for this field (with 20+ years of experience) is $97,200, per PayScale.Even though â€Å"20 years of experience† may seem like an unbearably far milestone (especially if you’re just starting out), it’s a really important factor to consider when you’re picking a major, or deciding how far you want to go with your degree. While you’re not locked in to any particular path, your decision should definitely be informed by what the long-term salary potential is in any given role, and how that lines up with your long-term goals. And if you know that sticking with your underpaid, less-than-glamorous job now can yield better benefits with the more time and experience you accumulate, that can make your work life easier in the meantime.

Target storesNew and Old Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Target storesNew and Old - Research Paper Example The government of Canada has received various sanctions and warnings about their very expensive price quotations of the houses in the region. The real estate industry has been affected by the various price inflations and rises with the main aim of boosting the economy of Canada. The real estate industry in Canada has been investing in the building of various condominiums in different parts of the country. Majority of the people in Canada have been investing in the different kinds of real estate available due to various reasons. Majority of the property buyers find cumbersome to buy land, assemble materials, look for a master house plan and then come up with the houses that they desire (Fu et al, 2014). Canada is composed of individuals who are very busy in their lives to find time for such activities. Moreover, the whole process is time consuming and expensive. Therefore, majority of the property of the people in Canada are resorting to the purchase of various condominiums, studio ap artments and other forms of housing that fit their lifestyles, careers and plans. The housing market of Canada has various ranges of houses that suit a broad market of buyers. The question therefore remains, is the housing market in Canada stable and is I worth investing in it? The rate of building of the standalone unites has been estimated at 183604 units in the month of October as opposed to the previous month which had amounted to 197355units built. Majority of the property evaluators had estimated the rate of building the various real estate properties to be at 200000 units per month (Pierdzioch et al, 2012). The decrease for units built in the month of October had influenced the rising trend in the construction witnessed in the previous six months. There was a noticeable increment in the number of housing units built in September. The statistics had put the number at 197763 units as opposed to the

Bioinformatics research Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Bioinformatics research - Dissertation Example Bioinformatics deals with data management in genomics and proteomics of all life forms. It is now accepted as a separate discipline in the main stream biology. Bioinformatics helps researchers worldwide to access various databases for research and to exchange information for comparison, prediction, storage and analysis. As on date, there are a number of databases specific to human, animals, plants and microbes. Bioinformatics accelerated the process of novel drug discovery and development drastically. In this present study bioinformatics tools and databases are used to find out novel genes and regulatory elements in regions in the nucleotide sequences with relevance towards glucose metabolism. The model generated from the experimentally verified data for transcription factors assist in the prediction of a specific transcription factors. Aspergillus nidulans is a fast growing, true filamentous fungi that belongs to the Ascomycetes family. It normally grows on a defined medium containi ng yeast extract and glucose serving as primary nitrogen and carbon sources respectively. The optimum growth temperature for the growth A.nidulans is 370C with good aeration. It doubles at every 1.5hr. A. nidulans is a homothallic, muticellular, haploid, spore former. It is capable of forming both sexual and asexual spores. The spherical conidiophore bears the uninucleate asexual spores called the conidia, which appear rough and range between 3-4 Â µm, these conidiophores are short and appear brown in colour.

What is Art for Me Essay Example for Free

What is Art for Me Essay Art is everywhere. It can be tangible or intangible. It can be seen, sometimes heard. It has several forms. Also, there are several ways on how a person can be pleased about a piece of art. One of the things I have learned from this course, HUM 1, is that art in its simplest form is still art. Yes, people may see things differently but there will always be something that will suit our taste. Art surpasses the view of what can be seen and at times, it values beauty over functionality. Art can truly be judged by you, the individual, as far as you, yourself, are concerned, by only one measure. It is not a static but an energy measure. Do not ask what the art is or ought to be, for this is debatable and will inevitably lead to an endless argument. Ask only what it does – not what it does to somebody else, for this again is only hearsay, but what it does to you. No matter how good a painting may be by any and all theoretical aesthetic standards, if it does not do something special to you, then you will seemingly be uninterested about it. Now, let’s take a look at art and the technological advancements our world is bringing forth. When you think deeper, you’ll get to realize both the good and bad sides. The good thing about it is that art joins the flow of evolution and thus it is not outdated. A bad thing is that there are a lot of masterpieces that are wrongly claimed by people who are not the artist to be credited for. Well, obviously, art is something that is timeless. It develops and further develops. The way art is becoming is art itself. It is vital to appreciate art critically but with an open mind, because there are still patterns that are important to follow when we want to discover what it is made of or why was it created. Everything depends on the significance or the meaning the artist wants to give and the impact that he wants to give to the spectators. They might start with different things in mind but when a connection between them is established, rest assured that they’ll both understand what the artwork’s story really is.

Comparative Essay of Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now

Comparative Essay of Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now The ties between Joseph Conrad's book, â€Å"Heart of Darkness† and Francis Coppola's movie, â€Å"Apocalypse Now† are unmistakable. Apocalypse Now's correctness in following the story line of the Heart of Darkness is amazing although the settings of each story are from completely different location and time periods. From the jungle of the Congo in Africa to the Nung river in Vietnam, Joseph Conrad's ideals are not lost. In both the book and the movie, the ideas of good and evil, whiteness, darkness, and racism are clear. Also, characterization in both the novel and the movie are very similar. Both The Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now examine the good and evil in human beings. In â€Å"The Heart of Darkness†, Marlow speaks of Fresleven who was killed in a fight with some natives. The argument between Fresleven and the natives was over some chickens, and Fresleven felt he had been ripped off in the deal. Marlow describes Fresleven as "†¦the gentlest, quietest creature that ever walked on two legs."(p. 13 Conrad) However, later in the same paragraph Marlow says,"†¦he probably felt the need at last of asserting his self-respect in some way. Therefore he whacked the old nigger mercilessly."(p. 13 Conrad) Soldiers in combat are forced to bring the evil within themselves out every time they go into battle. The scene in Apocalypse Now where Captain Willard first meets Lt. Colonel Kilgore, show’s the power at which combat has in bringing out the dark side in humans. The attitude the soldiers have towards their enemy in the scene shows how evil humans can be. Kilgore demonstrates his dark side when he tosses the "death cards" on to the bodies of the dead Viet... ...ly in order to agree with the times, but deep in the heart of it its the same. Kurtz in both cases is the heart of the evil, in the novel he spreads his evil in the ways he runs the ivory trade and enslaves the natives. In the movies Kurtz shows his evil in the way he begins his own colony and becomes a devil god, using human examples of death to govern his "tribe". Another similarity is the way Coppola has pictured military machinery that has been broken down. This is a way of symbolizing the breakdown of the white man. The American strength is in it's machinery according to the movie, and the book uses a civilized way of life as the strength of the white man, in both cases they were conquered. Both the novel and the movie Apocalypse Now show clearly that evil does not control, and cruelty of other people is just not the way to see something through, a dark dream.

Ashbe and John Polk in ” Am I Blue,” by Beth Henley Essay

The environment that we live in can shape or change a person’s personality to who theybecome. This is one of the depictions in the one act play â€Å"Am I Blue,† written by Beth Henley. This play illustrates the two main characters, John Polk Richard and Ashbe Williams, of havingvery different influences and very different personalities, however their different personalitiescome together, and they realize how influenced they truly are by their surroundings and by eachother. John Polk and Ashbe come from very different social structures. John Polk, who is ashy, square minded seventeen year old boy, attends college as a freshman and is also ina fraternity with his brother. Ashbe however, is a very outspoken, eccentric sixteen year old girl. She a girl with horn rimmed glasses, and non-stop chitchat. She attends high school, and to Ashbe, having the right friends means acceptance in today’s world; However, she is considered an outcast worthy only of being teased and ridiculed by the very group by which she wants to be accepted. In comparison, John wants to be accepted by his fraternity brothers, however John doesnot want to experience rejection for thinking or acting against the crowd, and admits to Ashbethat it was his brother that convinced him into joining the fraternity. In contrast, Ashbe is a freespirited artistic individual, who believes in expressing individuality. Whether she is putting bluefood coloring in John Polk’s rum and coke, making paper hats, or stringing Cheerios together tomake a necklace, Ashbe expresses her own individuality, and by doing this she tries to show him how important being himself truly is, and bridges the loneliness which infuses them both. John Polk and Ashbe also come from different families structures. John comes from avery tight knit family that owns their own soybean farm, and his father hopes he will attendbusiness school and help manage the family business. However, John wants to do something elsewith his life. When Ashbe asks him what dose he want to become, he stated â€Å"I don’t know. Iwanted to be a minister or something good, but I don’t even know if I believe in God†(1971). John wants to be â€Å"a minister or something good.† However, his problems in life are breaking hisspirit and his belief in God disappears as he fills his life with immoral acts, like partying anddrinking in the fraternity. John also said â€Å"I never used to worry about being a failure. Now I thinkabout it all the time. It’s just I need to do something that’s †¦ fulfilling†(1971). John does notbelieve managing the soybean farm is fulfilling. Even though he does not want to work on thefarm, John feels obligated into making his dad happy. In contrast, Ashbe comes from a brokenfamily and lives in a messy run down apartment with her father, who leaves her home alone. Shehas very little contact with her mother and sister that live in Atlanta, and expresses her lonelinesswith the creativity she learned from her mother. Ashbe tries to help John explore his ownambitions and not allow others to make his ambitions for him. John is a custom to the fast life â€Å"of parties, booze, honking horns†(1962), and realizesthe adult world looms ahead, and concludes that life on the soybean farm is different fromfraternity life. He soon finds himself at a crossroads when his fraternity brothers get him a FrenchQuarter prostitute as an eighteenth birthday present so that he can become a man. He is verynervous and apprehensive about meeting her, and exercises poor judgment by saying â€Å"Oh, God, Ineed to get drunk†(1964). John resorts to drinking alcohol when he thinks about his problems,and drinks alcohol throughout the play to escape from his worries. In contrast, Ashbe is a social person, and she isn’t afraid to tell people the truth about themselves or the situation that theymight be in. Ashbe is quick to tell John Polk what she thought of him when they were arguing atAshbe’s house. She had called him a sheep for his life was already sketched out for him, evenbefore he was born, a nd when his father passes away he will inherit the family soy beam farm. She also called him a sheep for following what his brother did and doing what his fraternityfriends want him to do. John Polk had too much influence from his family, thus creating hispersonality like a sheep’s. Ashbe also said in an argument with John, that he is only in thefraternity because it is expected of him. John then resents the comment, but moments later herealizes  he is being normal. John stated â€Å"About me, you were right. I am a sheep, a normal one. I’ve been trying to get out of it but I’m as big a sheep as ever†(line 1971). John knows he doeswhat others expect. He says he can not deny wanting to become normal. John does not want toexperience rejection for thinking or acting against the crowd. She wants him to be himself andnot try to fit in with everyone else. John soon after realizes Ashbe is right, and the so calledfraternity friends only set him up with the prostitute because it was cool thing to do. By JohnPolk not going to the prostitute, he shows how he cares for Ashbe and not what the fraternityguys think. For the first time, John Polk does not follow the crowd, and he decides to follow hisown heart. http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/english/ms-writers/dir/henley_beth/Elizabeth Becker Henley was born May 8, 1952, in Jackson, Mississippi, the daughter of an attorney and an actress. Early on she dreamed of becoming an actress, and to that end she earned a B.F.A. at Southern Methodist University in 1974. While at SMU, she wrote her first play, the one-act Am I Blue, which was produced at SMU’s Margo Jones Theatre in 1973.

‘Closing the Gap’ for Indigenous Australians Essay

The issue of ‘Closing the Gap’ for Indigenous Australians is addressed through each aspect of the 1986 Ottawa Charter as it provides a framework upon which to base numerous policies and procedures which tackle the implementation of social justice principles in relation to health promotion. Developing personal skills enables individuals to access information and become empowered to claim their rights. Education of this sort can happen informally and formally. Many Indigenous Australians are disengaged at school, as evident by the overall low rates of attendance of the major schools, as well as markedly lower levels of academic achievement. Indigenous students are also less informed about higher education opportunities than non- Indigenous students, which in turn have detrimental effects on their occupational opportunities later in life. In order to improve the responsibility of Indigenous student’s participation in learning, the Literacy and Numeracy NP Agreement aims to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes of students in schools with low levels of achievement. This partnership demonstrated particularly strong improvements. For example, the proportion of Indigenous students at or above the national minimum standard improved by 11. 4% for year 3 reading in Queensland, around 17% for year 7 Reading in Western Australia and approximately 16% for year 3 in the Northern Territory. These statistics portray the vital role education plays in developing personal skills, in order to enable individuals with equitable opportunities to other non-indigenous students across the country. Through access to education, individuals have greater advantages to enhanced occupational opportunities, and therefore becoming more active in their community, engaging health promotion actions and building healthy public policies. Encouraging and supporting an increase in the participation of Indigenous Australians in the health workforce is an important workforce development strategy, as well as an essential goal to pursue for equity reasons. By ensuring that non-indigenous health professions improve their knowledge of Indigenous health issues, the Government is not only creating more diverse informed opinions and experiences in health issues throughout communities, but also advocates greater community action. One way this is achieved is through the National Indigenous Health Workforce Training Plan, which provides mentoring and networking for young indigenous doctors and nurses, a network of indigenous community controlled training organisations for Aboriginal Health Workers, and the establishment of the new Aboriginal Health Worker Association. In addition to this, the Puggy hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme encourages more indigenous Australians to enter health professions, and proves to be successful as the number of scholarships allocated in an academic year to support Indigenous Australians to study health-related disciplines increased from 215 in 2008 to 275 in 2012. This improvement depicts the importance of Indigenous participation in the health workforce, not only to enhance educational opportunities but also to provide a more comfortable and supportive environment for Indigenous individuals seeking medical advice and creating a stronger relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners. In order to create supportive environments, a level of community action must be attained to raise awareness of people’s rights, promote equity and facilitate participation by community members. One method of strengthening community actions is by implementing Community Justice Groups, working on local issues, in cooperation with police, courts, probation services and juvenile justice, and the prevention of crime through programs and activities. Since the establishment of the Kowanyama and Palm Island justice group in Queensland in 1994, as evident from police statistics, court records and community sources, there has been a significant reduction in juvenile crime. This, in turn creates a much more positive community surrounding, empowering the right to a supportive, and comfortable environment, by participating the community members to strengthen public action. This recognition of participation in community action and the importance of comfortable surroundings for the forward moving health promotion of Indigenous Australians are essential in the strategy of creating supportive environments. Poor housing is a major contributor to inadequate, unsafe living conditions that lead to the spread of infectious diseases, however many indigenous Australians live in insufficient, overcrowded houses, often in remote areas. A lack of access to health services, due to living in rural areas, results in the unavailability of essential health information on everyday living, such as safe and healthy housing. The Fixing Houses for Better Health development policy has implemented a series of projects, aiming to improve the health of the Indigenous Australians’ living in remote areas, by improving the physical environment in which they live and maintaining this overtime. A series of FHBH projects have assessed and fixed health hardware in 2 400 houses across Australia, improving health and reducing infectious diseases such as diarrhoea, skin infections and pneumonia, as well as protecting residents from electrocution, fire, gas leakage and exposure to contaminated waste-water. By employing more than 400 local indigenous people on the on-going work projects, and ensuring they receive ‘on the tools’ training on basic maintenance, this not only provides individuals access to healthy lifestyle information, but also supplies the community with a comfortable and familiar work environment. Another imperative concept that promotes equity and improves access to health services by supporting disadvantaged Indigenous Australians is reorienting health services. The Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Strategy targets pregnancy and postnatal programs for Aboriginal women and infants, providing a state-wide training and support program for midwives and Aboriginal health workers. Through the successful implementation of Indigenous care givers, developed partnerships with other organisations and using the multidisciplinary team approach, overall health improvements are clearly evident. For example, in relation to indigenous women, the births to women aged less than 20 years has decreased, the proportion attending their first antenatal care visit before 20 weeks development increased significantly and the proportion reported smoking in the second half of their pregnancy decreased. These measures suggest that with the access and support of healthy information and health professions, individuals are enabled to take the responsibility of using the knowledge provided by health services and develop the skills necessary to practice them. It is therefore clearly evident that with the assistance of the Ottawa Charter and social justice principles, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian’s is narrowing. Greater health promotion and a deeper understanding of different cultures is enabling Australia to build towards a healthier nation.

Social Work in canada Essay Example

Social Work in canada Essay Example Social Work in canada Essay Social Work in canada Essay Essay Topic: The Social Contract Learning Goals In this module students will be able to examine and discuss: The differences between social services delivered by the government (public sector), the voluntary sector (non-profits and the private sector (for profits The programs delivered by each sector; The strengths and weaknesses of each of these approaches to service delivery; Ethical issues related to service delivery; The significance of informal helpers; and, The consumer movement. The concepts of informal helpers and the consumer movement will be defined in the module. 2 Readings and Guiding Questions Required Readings While reading the lecture notes for this module, you will be Instructed, at various points, to read certain chapters from your Turner and Turner textbook and/or to read resources found on the Internet. Below Is a summary of the required readings found in this module? It Is essential that you read these resources as you could be tested on the final exam. Turner and Turner, Chapter 14: Agencies in General Turner and Turner, Chapter 26: Informal Helping and Mutual Aid Turner and Turner, Chapter 15: Industries and the Provision of Social Services Part 1: Read Turner and Turner, Chapter 14: Agencies in General. Note sections that address the issue of funding. ) Then, based on your reading, answer the following questions in writing in your own private notes: 1 . How does the voluntary sector find the money for its programming? 2. In chapter 14, page 21 5, the author states that The recent policy objectives of fiscal restraint and prevarication have made the purchase of services from commercial providers attractive to governments. What do you think of these policy objectives? She goes on to give as one of the reasons for this attractiveness as increased efficiency through competition What political ideology do you think this presents? Do you agree or disagree? Issues related to prevarication continue to be hotly debated, while the commercial sector grows and thrives. 3. Check out as many of the funding sources for the three sectors as you can find in your text. Explain one strength and one limitation that exists for each sector in delivering responsive social services. Part 2: Read Turner Turner, Chapter 26: Informal Helping and Mutual Aid. Use the following questions to help you to focus on and understand the key concepts and ideas In the readings. Jot down your ideas for your future review. 1 . Cosmos, the author of this chapter, makes the following assertion (as noted below). Name the three major reasons he gives for this change In attitude. There are a number of reasons why professionals are now less likely to see Informal kinds of helping as insignificant, antagonistic, or competitive. 2. How does Cosmos define 3. Why are social service professionals so far down the list when people consider looking for help? 4. Explain the difference between mutual aid and self-help groups? Give three examples of each. 5. Both the formal service system and the informal sector have strengths and weaknesses. Name one major strength and one weakness for each. Part 3: Click on the links below and see what governments do in the area of social welfare and social policy. Navigate around a bit so you become familiar with the sites (five or ten minutes each will do). Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services Human Resources and Skills Development Canada 3 Introduction Read the following example of a community project. Look for the intended goal or goals in this example and see if you can identify potential problems in meeting these goals. The goal of the Youth Futures service delivery was to assist in the development f personal and economic self-sufficiency for a particular client group. This goal is not uncommon. In the case of Youth Futures, the client group consisted of young adults on social assistance. The majority were of Aboriginal ancestry and a large number were single parents, primarily women. These two groups and their relationship to personal and economic well being will be discussed more thoroughly in subsequent modules. Wait For now, think about the possible needs of this particular client group as you read through the following information. Question Ask yourself how their needs might be dressed through a different service delivery approach that would successfully achieve the stated goal. Youth Futures was a pilot project implemented by the provincial government in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan in 1997. The purpose of the project was to provide education and Job training opportunities for low-income 18-21 year olds. The government wanted to reduce the rising number of people on social assistance and believed that offering services to young adults could break the welfare cycle. The success of the pilot would determine whether this approach should be extended throughout the province. Three government ministries now titled, Social Services; Education; and Advanced Education Employment and Labor, initiated and directed the project. Representatives from these ministries formed a steering committee in Prince Albert. They hired a director and invited community members to participate on the committee. The community members included Aboriginal elders and representatives of the 18-21 year old client group. The project director and representatives of the steering committee hired five staff members to work directly with the young adults. In October, approximately 350 clients were transferred from Social Services to Youth as expected to meet with one of the five staff members to develop an action plan and then to evaluate the plans success in future meetings. The possibilities for action plans included: attending high school or ASSIST to complete a Grade 12, participating in a life skills course or a Job training program of less than 11 weeks, or doing volunteer work. Youth Futures involved a change in financial support. Before the transfer from Social Services, basic living expenses such as rent and utilities had been paid directly by the government. Clients received two small cheeses, one near the middle and the there at the end of the month, to cover food and minor expenses only, and any allotment for day care was tied to program attendance. Forms were submitted and verified before any money was released. To move toward the intended goal of self-sufficiency, each Youth Futures client now received a full queue once a month to cover their basic needs; rent, utilities and food, plus daycare money for those who were attending programs and had dependents. The expectation was for them to accept financial responsibility. A final report released in March 1999 provided information about the Youth Futures artisans. During the history of the project, over 68% had been female, 52. 5% had at least one dependent, and 87% were of Aboriginal ancestry. Although some statistics were quoted regarding success rates, the evaluator noted that a system had not been available at the beginning of the project to record the actions taken with clients and their outcomes. In addition to this methodological problem, a huge amount of written data that did exist combined with a large amount of missing or not-entered data made a meaningful quantitative analysis very difficult. The project operated until March 2000. At that time the government withdrew the funding and the project closed. No reason was forthcoming. The 1999-2000 Annual Report from Saskatchewan Post Secondary Education and Skills Training, as Advanced Education Employment and Labor was then called, only indicated: Section 2. 4. 3. Implement a pilot project to test approaches for providing youth on social assistance with education, training, work experience and other supports to become self-sufficient. The 2-year pilot in Prince Albert, Youth Futures, (1997/98 and 1998/99), to assist youth in making the transition to adulthood and becoming contributing embers of society was funded for an additional year to enable evaluation. It concluded on March 31, 2000. This is a brief look at one example of delivering service to a community. Additional information regarding the Youth Futures project is available upon request from the Ask. Department of Community Resources. 4 The Government (Public Sector) As we learned in the module on social policy, economics and political ideology determine the extent of government involvement in delivering social services. The assumption is that governments which are more oriented towards a socialist ideology revise and to have control over their delivery. Governments with a conservative ideology limit their involvement in providing direct services and service delivery is provided primarily by the voluntary or private sector. Yet, globalization and capitalism in general have created a scenario whereby all governments appear to function somewhere between socialist and conservative ideologies. The emphasis is on debt reduction, economic security, and on ensuring that the powerful business class is not alienated or unhappy. A recent example of government ideology determining social policy is seen in the area of child care. Under the Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin agreements were concluded with most provinces during 2004-2006 whereby the federal government would substantially increase funding of day care programs that would increase the number of spaces and the quality of care in licensed facilities. In January 2006 a Conservative government was elected which almost immediately canceled the Liberal day care agreements and instituted a programmer which would transfer $1200/year to families for each child under six regardless of income level. This appears to be a government with a conservative ideology instituting a universal aerogram but with limited application (children under six) and much reduced funding which only serves to reduce the progressive/conservative distinction. Which programmer would you see as benefiting children and families the most? Which might be most economical? All levels of government, federal, provincial and municipal, deliver government services. Although various services are the responsibility of a particular level, in practice these services may be provided by another level of government. For example, the provincial government is responsible for education and the federal overspent bears responsibility for the education of Aboriginal people. In the case of the Youth Futures example previously described, the majority of 18-21 year olds were Aboriginal. When clients left the reserve and moved to Prince Albert to take advantage of Youth Futures, the province was reluctant to fund these clients. Why might this be? The participants also risked losing reserve funding if the reserve takes the position that once the individual left the reserve, he or she was no longer their responsibility. Ids This blurring of boundaries also occurs because much of the funding is cost-shared. Decisions made at the federal level can determine what services the provinces or the municipalities are capable of delivering. Is this something like he who pays the piper calls the tune? With a pilot project like Youth Futures, the province provides initial funding but this money is limited to two or th ree years. At that point the municipality or community is expected to continue on their own. Why do you think that Prince Albert was unable to provide funding for the continuation of this project? revise even though these are considered the responsibility of the provinces. Other programs that the federal government delivers include services for seniors, employment/unemployment services, and immigrant and refugee resettlement. The provincial government in Saskatchewan is responsible for service delivery of education, social services and child welfare. In the past it has provided health and mental health services. However, many of these have now become the responsibility of health districts. The provincial government, though, provides funding for these districts plus financial support for a number of voluntary organizations providing health services. The provincial government is now involved with immigrant and settlement services. Municipal governments have developed and delivered services, often in response to local problems. These might include programs for the homeless, for street youth, or for young street workers. Municipal governments are also responsible for infrastructure costs to local roads and highways. Some municipalities have social planning departments that monitor social issues and plan responses. Municipalities typically enter into agreements with other agencies and levels of government because their funding sources are more limited. Recently, services offered by municipalities have declined because of shrinking transfer payments and increasing demands for tax cuts. 4. 1 Strengths and Weaknesses Government (the Public Sector) In theory, a program run by a democratic government reflects the will of the community. It has the force of public policy and commitment, involves careful scrutiny and accountability, and has a stable infrastructure. Services are provided for people, regardless of their ability to pay. Workers tend to have adequate salaries and some protection because governments typically have employees unions. Hands But, as we know, the waters are muddy in practice. Services provided by government for people regardless of income are favored by more socialist (and to a lesser extent by liberal) governments, while more conservative governments tend to limit services to those with the most limited incomes. The child care example on the previous page illustrates Just the opposite a conservative government providing a grant for every child regardless of family income. Debut there are problems with government services. They can be subject to political ideologies and respond to changes in government (child care program orientation for example) rather than thoughtful planning. Another example, in recent years neo-conservative governments have limited both public and voluntary top heavy. Governments that are assumed to espouse socialist and liberal ideologies may have policies that appe ar to be conservative, often a response to their concerns about risks to their political survival. Both workers and clients can feel powerless in determining programs and how services are delivered. Real problems can be denied and hidden because of a governments need to remain free of criticism and maintain the interests of its political masters. 5 The Voluntary Sector WFM In Canada we have had a long history of social services provided by community- minded volunteer groups, religious or faith community groups and other special interest groups. Many of these volunteers addressed issues of concern to their community before any level of government developed a structure for the delivery of social services. These volunteer, religious and special interest groups are currently categorized either as non-governmental organizations (Nags) or as community- based organizations (Cobs). Some call them the non-profit sector and other appellations. Nos or Cobs are usually operated by a voluntary board of directors. The board determines the purpose of the organization and how it will fulfill its goals. It may receive funding from government grants, various funding sources, from community fund raising efforts such as the United Way and its own efforts, e. G. Bottle drives, or from charging fees for service or a combination of these. A very few examples of these organizations are: Big Brothers/Sisters; battered womens shelters; gay and lesbian heath/social service agencies; youth drop-in centers; family service agencies; food banks; soup kitchens; seniors groups; and peccadillo health associations such as the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CAIN), the Alchemists Society and the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. Strengths and Weaknesses Workers can often have more input in decision-making because voluntary organizations tend to be smaller than governments and have a flatter organizational structure (fewer managerial levels). Consumers can also have influence through membership on the board of directors. Because of their voluntary nature, there is less chance of political interference but that might depend on the extent of government funding. Finally, changes can be made more easily within these organizations than within large bureaucratically operated structures. One of the biggest problems is raising money, whether through grant applications or fund raising activities. Finances are uncertain and can take time and energy away from delivering services. Voluntary organizations also have a difficult time finding resources for clients considered unpopular. For example, people are more likely to donate to programmers for children with disabilities than to those for adolescent the latter groups may have a greater need for service. 6 The Private Sector The Turner text, Chapter 14, uses the term private for not for profit and for profit commercial services for those that are privately owned. In this module, the term private is reserved for services that are commercial. These are delivered by individuals or organizations that are privately owned and that operate for profit. In recent years, there has been a trend to provide services on a for profit basis. Individuals or groups form a business and sell their services. The profit goes to those who own the business. This can involve a single social worker in a private counseling reactive or companies such as those operating many nursing homes as a large international corporation. Managers in the private (commercial) sector may be trained professionals or they may be individuals with a business point of view who see the service as a product. Although social workers have often been criticized for engaging in for profit work, private practice has become an aspiration for many. It holds the appeal of being ones own boss and determining what is in the clients best interests. On the negative side, only those with the ability to pay become eligible. Services for poor people, such as advocacy and financial assistance, are virtually non- existent in the private sector. An exception to some extent for the provision to persons with marginal incomes is the employee benefit, the Employee Assistance Programmer (EPA), though the catch is that one must be employed by an employer who subscribes to this type of benefit. Examples of private services include: private counseling agencies (see the yellow pages); privately owned nursing homes; and proposals such as the Omni Surgery Centre. As we can see, private services are a growing segment of our health care services. In some provinces (not Saskatchewan) day care may be provided commercially. Private sector organizations have argued that their services are more flexible, less expensive, and more responsive to consumer demand. There are those who believe that the free market system allows the best services to flourish and the poor ones to disappear. In addition, private organizations often lack the huge bureaucracies that plague the larger public services. The primary risk here is the deterioration of services when profit becomes the motivating factor. There is also a tendency to hire on-union employees who will work for lower salaries and may not be as well trained. Market-driven services are developed for those who can afford them. Issues of social Justice and professional ethics may not be priorities in service delivery. Finding the money to provide social services is a challenge for all three sectors. Ethical Issues in Service Delivery There are many issues to consider in the development and delivery of services. Many of these have an ethical component. The most common issues include the following: Who makes the decisions within the agency or organization? Do service participants or employees have influence? Who is able to access the service? Do issues of cost, location, or staffing result in the exclusion of particular grou ps? Is appropriate care taken to hire qualified staff and to develop ethical procedures? For example, how is confidentiality ensured in a counseling agency? Is the organization committed to eliminating racism, homophobia, and sexism from their programs? Is the staff Do the workers receive an adequate salary and benefits? Is the workplace free of abuse for staff, volunteers and clients? 000004239994XSmall Although the responsibility for ethical service begins with the board of directors, the overspent leaders, or the owners of the organization, everyone has a responsibility. Social workers, in particular, are obligated to speak up when procedures violate the Social Work Code of Ethics. Help from Informal Sources Previous pages in this module dealt with services delivered by organizations that are structured and formalized to a lesser or greater extent, but most people receive help from informal sources as covered in Turner and Turner, Chapter 26. These sources include family members, friends, a faith community, a cultural community and self- help groups: Family Members many people have a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt or uncle or other relative they go to when problems arise. It does not take professional expertise to listen and support a member of ones own family. However, it is important not to idealize family relationships. As noted by Cosmos, the author of Chapter 26, for some people, the family network is the very reason they need help; they are abused, neglected, abandoned by their kith and kin. Friends precept for extremely isolated people, the majority of us have friends who can provide help. Because trust is critical, we automatically turn to someone we know ell and believe is trustworthy when we have a problem. Faith Community Germany people receive comfort and personal support from their faith community. In addition to informal helping, some communities have developed more formal counseling and outreach services. Cultural Community alike faith communities, cultural communities can offer tremendous support. Refugees, for example, would likely turn to members of their cultural and language group in times of difficulty. Self-Help Groups redpoll who have experienced a specific illness or addictions such as alcoholism, rugs, or eating disorders can receive help from those with the same problem. These are the people who genuinely understand and can share what was helpful to them. Simply knowing that one is not alone and different can make a tremendous difference. Some of these groups, such as those for diabetics or Alchemies or Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous, have developed a formalized structure. However, if a client does not wish to Join a self-help group, numerous books and tapes are available for individual use. 9 The Consumer Movement What should we be called? In the health system, were referred to as patients. But this term can be associated with someone who is lacking in insight and expertise. The sick person becomes dependent on a professional and the patients observations can be dismissed in favor of the superior knowledge of the expert. Also taken on negative characteristics. More recently social workers have been struggling to find language that is more empowering. Terms such as service user and consumer have been used. It is believed that referring to someone as a consumer implies equality because the one receiving the services is in charge and the service provider becomes a servant of sorts. Consumers now have the power. If they are not satisfied with the service, they can take their business elsewhere. Nevertheless, even these terms have been viewed as less than adequate. That is, human service workers continue to struggle to find language that is not disemboweling. In one Saskatoon agency, for example, workers have decided to avoid terms such as consumer and service user. Instead, they talk about the families and individuals who access services. Some social activists believe that using the term consumer simply obscures the reality of the power imbalance between consumer and service provider. It buys onto the business model and describes a relationship between two participants instead of viewing social services as societal relationships that affect all people. Activists prefer the term citizen. They believe this word has much broader implications of empowerment and responsibility. Some people who have been unhappy with the services theyve received call themselves survivors. For example, many consumers of psychiatric services refer to themselves as survivors of psychiatry. Anti-oppressive social work practitioners emphasize that language is important and that we must continue to reflect on how we use it. What term do you see as most appropriate? 9. 1 Consumer Empowerment People Empowerment stricter providers and advocates believe that a deliberate strategy is necessary to include those persons using services to be part of decision making. The following outline indicates some of the ways that this occurs. People Run Services Collectives Self help groups Hired professionals to work for the consumers Partnerships People are in equal partnership with service providers Contractual agreements Consultation Direct consultation(s) Advisory committee(s) Program evaluations that invite consumer responses Tokenism Representation on boards but no real influence on policy decisions Opinions sought but ignored Placement on organizational charts but having no real power 10 Group Discussion Forum Assignment staples go to group discussion forum for this module. All groups are to discuss the question for this module with other group members and post before the end of the module day. In responding to the questions, also include responses to the postings made before you. The point of the Discussion Forum is not only for you to think about Question What are some of the key issues that had a particular impact on you during the adding for this week? Were there any new ideas for you? Was there relevance to your life? How might these reflections influence your decisions about how you will approach the profession of social work? 11 Journal Assignment Act Please answer the following questions and include your answers with the Journal hand-in assignments. Remember a time when you turned to someone for help with a problem. It could be a formal agency or an informal helper or helping system. What was your experience? Please dont describe the problem in detail. How would you describe the qualities that make a successful helper?

Definition and Examples of Linguistic Competence

Definition and Examples of Linguistic Competence The term linguistic competence refers to the unconscious knowledge of grammar that allows a speaker to use and understand a language. Also known as grammatical competence or I-language.  Contrast with linguistic performance. As used by Noam Chomsky and other linguists, linguistic competence is not an evaluative term. Rather, it refers to the innate linguistic knowledge that allows a person to match sounds and meanings. In  Aspects of the Theory of Syntax  (1965), Chomsky wrote, We thus make a fundamental distinction between competence  (the speaker-hearers knowledge of his language) and performance  (the actual use of language in concrete situations). Examples and Observations Linguistic competence constitutes knowledge of language, but that knowledge is tacit, implicit. This means that people do not have conscious access to the principles and rules that govern the combination of sounds, words, and sentences; however, they do recognize when those rules and principles have been violated. . . . For example, when a person judges that the sentence John said that Jane helped himself is ungrammatical, it is because the person has tacit knowledge of the grammatical principle that reflexive pronouns must refer to an NP in the same clause. (Eva M. Fernandez and Helen Smith Cairns, Fundamentals of Psycholinguistics. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) Linguistic Competence and Linguistic Performance In [Noam] Chomskys theory, our linguistic competence is our unconscious knowledge of languages and is similar in some ways to [Ferdinand de] Saussures concept of langue, the organizing principles of a language. What we actually produce as utterances is similar to Saussures parole, and is called linguistic performance. The difference between linguistic competence and linguistic performance can be illustrated by slips of the tongue, such as noble tons of soil for noble sons of toil. Uttering such a slip doesnt mean that we dont know English but rather that weve simply made a mistake because we were tired, distracted, or whatever. Such errors also arent evidence that you are (assuming you are a native speaker) a poor English speaker or that you dont know English as well as someone else does. It means that linguistic performance is different from linguistic competence. When we say that someone is a better speaker than someone else (Martin Luther King, Jr., for example, was a terrific ora tor, much better than you might be), these judgements tell us about performance, not competence. Native speakers of a language, whether they are famous public speakers or not, dont know the language any better than any other speaker in terms of linguistic competence. (Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck, Linguistics for Everyone. Wadsworth, 2010) Two language users may have the same program for carrying out specific tasks of production and recognition, but differ in their ability to apply it because of exogenous differences (such as short-term memory capacity). The two are accordingly equally language-competent but not necessarily equally adept at making use of their competence. The linguistic competence of a human being should accordingly be identified with that individuals internalized program for production and recognition. While many linguists would identify the study of this program with the study of performance rather than competence, it should be clear that this identification is mistaken since we have deliberately abstracted away from any consideration of what happens when a language user actually attempts to put the program to use. A major goal of the psychology of language is to construct a viable hypothesis as to the structure of this program . . .. (Michael B. Kac, Grammars and Grammaticality. John Benjamins, 1992)

A paper about the nature of religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A paper about the nature of religion - Essay Example What happens when a person dies?, Is there God?. How one should live? Why human beings should not commit sin? There are many different religions in this world; all of them have their separate set of beliefs and rituals, each unique and entirely different from the other. Yet a common thread binds through them all – that religion should stand for the common good of all; that its ultimate aim should be the welfare of all human as opposed to serving the purpose of those who believe in a particular sect. Scholars the world over have viewed religion differently and therefore have promulgated a variety of theories while defining the term religion. However most definitions, the modern scholars think are found wanting in terms of being able to communicate clearly what the scope of the word should really encompass. Some of the definitions are too vague and unspecific that they fail to adequately demarcate religion from other areas of human thought such as law, psychology, and physics etc, while others are too narrow describing religion in terms of a particular religion or culture. The Encyclopedia of Religion describes religion as: â€Å"When more or less distinct patterns of behavior are built around this depth dimension in a culture, this structure constitutes religion in its historically recognizable form. Religion is the organization of life around the depth dimensions of experience — varied in form, completeness, and clarity in accordance with the environing culture." From t his definition it emerges a definite culture and pattern of behavior, and it determines the organization of life within that community. Max Muller a German philologist and orientalist who created the discipline of comparative religion has defined religion as, "The living kernel of religion can be found, I believe, in almost every creed, however much the husk may vary. And think what that means! It means that above and beneath and