Gender Inequality in the Work Place

Gender inequality and The Work Place The society in which we live has been shaped historically by males. The policy makers have consistently been males and therefore it is not surprising that our society reflects those biases which exist in result of this male dominating society. One might think that gender inequality in the work place is rooted in what shapes future employees and employers. Whoever said men and women are equal?Women have always taken a back seat to men in American society. This is not only found in the United States, but in other countries as well. The problem of men and women not being equal can be traced back to the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed that all men are created equal. There was no mention of women being equal, only men. At the time of the drafting of the document, the men had all the power.The document was even drafted by a man; Women were confined to the home to take care of the domestic housekeeping duties. Soci ologist Perspective In my research on work place inequality, I read a perspective from a sociologist named Sandra Bem who focuses on gender. However, unlike most female sociologist, Bem chooses not to focus on the differences between males and females, but rather on their similarities.She says that polarized gender socialization, the way that we assign masculine or feminine characteristics to things such as walking and talking to make males and females appear to be different, keeps us from realizing that the sexes are more alike than they are opposite. Men and women have the same needs for food, clothing, shelter, affection, belonging and so on. Whether by choice or economic necessity, woman have entered the paid labor force in numbers recent years, and so they should be entitled to equal pay and respect.Although many people who know these statistics are optimistic about the gain women have made in the United States specifically in employment, it should be noted that women’s positions as a social category in the labor force is lower than men’s in term of status, opportunities and salary. Feminist researchers have used the advancements of women into top-tier management jobs as a litmus test for how well women are faring in the labor force as a whole. Studies continue to confirm that women hold a small percentage of the top positions. Causes of Gender Inequality in the WorkplaceThe causes of gender equality in these positions stem from four stereotypes; Sexism : American cultural belief that women are best suited for jobs that emphasize service, nurturing, housekeeping, men best suited for careers of high-level decision making and authority, Lack of qualifications: Men typically have more education and job experience than women 28% of men age 25+ have completed at least 4 years of college 27% of Women Men have more job experience because women loose time during pregnancy and child care, The glass ceiling: subtle and unconscious discrimination that prevents them from reaching higher and better-paying positions for which they are qualified. Women and minorities make up 30% of middle managers in U. S. but less than 1% of chief execs, networking: Men use golf clubs, other rec places where women were discouraged from going. The Functionalist PerspectiveAccording to functionalist Talcott Parsons (1955), gender inequality is inevitable because of the biological division of labor: Men are generally stronger than women and have certain abilities and interest. Parson said, men find themselves more suited to be goal oriented and women to expressive. Other functionalist explanations of gender inequality focus on the human capital that men and women bring to the workplace. According to human capital explanations, what individuals earn is based on choices they have made, including choices about the kinds of training and experiences they accumulate. For example, human capital analysts argue that women diminish their human capital when they leave the labor force to engage in childbearing and child care activities.So this is why they have less experience. It takes two to tangle that’s unprecedented. Conclusion/Solution Inequality has kept in place because of beliefs and practices that have been drilled into people’s minds for so long. When will women be treated as equals to men in the work place? I don't see a change happening in the near future. Women are slowly being treated more as equals to men but the gap will never narrow to complete equality. Women should, not only be treated as equal in the work place, but also in everything else as well. Whether it is a computer scientist, an athlete, or a president of the United States, women should be treated as equal to men.Gender discrimination has gone too far and we, as a society, have to draw the line. We can’t change past issues, but we can certainly change the future. Work Cited: â€Å"The Declaration of Independence. † The Declaration of In dependence. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Greenbuam, Vicky. â€Å"Seeing through the Lenses of Gender: Beyound Male/Female Polarization. † English Journal 88. 3 (1999): 96-99. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Kendall, Diana Elizabeth. Social Problems in a Diverse Society. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Web. 10 Feb. 2013 [ 2 ]. Greenbuam, English Journal 88. 3, 1999 [ 3 ]. Kendall, 2013. [ 4 ]. Kendall, 2013, Pg. 94

Bell Jar Analysis

Sylvia Plath’s semi-autobiographical novel â€Å"The Bell Jar† employs many of the same confessional techniques and themes of her poetic work. While the novel is confessional, it is also provides sociological commentary (and insight) into the processes of medical treatment and the social ostracization and victimization of the mentally ill.A basic technique used in the novel, by Plath, is to present a seemingly â€Å"normal† world and then, by way of internal monologue and character development, allow the reader to glimpse a highly studied and carefully described portrayal of the way that mental illness impacts both society and the individual.By expressing a personal encounter with metal illness, Plath, through the character of Esther, presents a ‘case study† in clinical depression and bipolar disorder without resorting to clinical diagnoses or psychological language or theories. Instead, her literary interpretation of mental illness functions to expan d the clinical understanding of mental disorders by providing cognitive insight into the experienced phenomena of mental illness.The opening line of the novel: â€Å"It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer the electrocuted the Rosenbergs† (Plath, 1) reveals the novel’s essential theme and conflict: that of the individual who stands â€Å"outside looking in† with regard to their society: it is a theme of psychological rather than physical exile, though Esther identifies, via the powerful verb â€Å"electrocuted,† with the physical suffering of the Rosenbergs who were tried and executed for espionage and treason.Because the central conflict in â€Å"the Bell Jar† is internal, Plath constructs a dynamic and multi-faceted character whose preoccupations range from fashion, to dating, to the themes of great literature and to the essential meanings of life and death. Throughout the novel more is shown than told; that is, Plath refrains from divulging in formation about Esther directly; instead, she constructs scenes which transmit the internal character conflicts through symbolism and metaphor. A clinical diagnosis of Esther's mental illness can be made by deeply exploring the literary techniques of the novel.The novel's plot is relatively simple: a young, ambitious, and very talented woman wins a summer internship as a big-time New York magazine. While in New York, the young woman, Esther, suffers a series of unpleasant and often dangerous situations, begins to feel sense of hypocrisy and unhappiness in herself and in the world of glamour-publishing and seems to rebel against this hypocrisy (and sexism) by quitting her internship and throwing her expensive wardrobe out of her hotel window.Then, after returning to the suburbs to live with her mother, and failing to begin both her hoped-for novel and her college thesis, Esther begins to act increasingly erratically and self-destructively, severing her relationships and losing touch with her own creativity and ambition, until she is referred to a psychiatrist. Esther, however, is not psychologically unstable due to weakness or deformation: this is clear from the novel’s portrayal of her as a bright and shining and talented â€Å"golden girl† who wins poetry prizes and scholarships and is dating a medical student and writing term papers on Joyce.After being treated with electroshock therapy, Esther's condition and crisis become more and more severe until she attempts suicide, is â€Å"saved,† and sent to a mental hospital where she again receives electroshock therapy. The novel fails to provide any concrete resolution to Esther's crisis, and in doing so, avoids making any determination about the benefits of Esther's clinical diagnoses and treatment.However, the emotional arc of the narrative can certainly be said to move toward the positivistic and there are potentialities and capacities that are reinstated into Esther's character after her treatment. To fully understand the process of Esther's breakdown (and apply a clinical diagnosis), the reader must read deeply into the novel and consider deeply the relationships of the characters and the cross-ties adn relationships which fluctuate, not to the rhythms of a traditional novel's story-arc, but to the weird rhythms of Esther's own mental illness.In fact, the narrative is structured very similarly to a poem in that metaphorical and symbolic expression convey the essential dynamics of the story's themes at a far more attenuated level than the conventional storytelling elements of plot, conflict, and resolution. Of the latter, Plath conspicuously avoids classical execution; for example, â€Å"The Bell Jar† posits no clear antagonist, no externalized central conflict, and refrains from set-closure at its climax. This is a way by which the clinical diagnosis of Esther's diagnosis can be made.Her initial relationships portrayed in the novel include a â€Å"mentorâ⠂¬  in New York, the editor Jaycee, an â€Å"older sister† friend named Doreen, a fiancee named Buddy, and a literary mentor and benefactress named Philomena Guinea who was is a wealthy, famous novelist. Each of the relationships reflects an aspect of the healthy personality: ambitious, creative, socially engaged, and creative. Also, Esther's erotic drive, while never posited in the novel as â€Å"resolvable† decreases until she is able to view sex as only an oppressive act against women.As Esther's plight worsens, each of the relationships is severed. The clinical diagnosis which seems most applicable to Esther Greenwood would be that of clinical depression and a bipolar personality. Interestingly enough, bipolar disorder is often associated with creative minds and artists. read at one level, â€Å"The Bell Jar† describes the plight of the artistic mind in modern society as well as the plight of the artistic mind gripped by clinical mental illness.The key to s eparating where the individualist, the artist and rebel lies in Esther Greenwood and where the â€Å"madwoman,† the victim of a clinical mental illness lies is to apply rigorous methodology to the explication of the novel as a piece of literature. One such scene, which is representative of this technique used throughout â€Å"The Bell Jar,† is the scene when Esther, having traveled to new York upon winning an internship at a famous fashion magazine, throws her expensive wardrobe out of her hotel window.â€Å"The wind made an effort, but failed, and a batlike shadow sank toward the roof garden of the opposite penthouse† (Plath, 90). Such compressed and highly symbolic language forwards both character development (Esther is mentally unstable) as well as foreshadowing with the bat representing death and Esther’s ultimate plunge into attempted suicide. There is no gaiety in the scene, which if in evidence would suggest a triumphant rejection of the superficia lities described in the novel about the fashion-district of New York and Esther’s experiences there.Instead, a sens of doom pervades, along with a sense of self-destruction and psychological instability: â€Å"Piece by piece, I fed my wardrobe to the night wind, and flutteringly, like a loved one’s ashes, the gray scraps were ferried off, to settle here, there, exactly where I would never know, in the dark hart of New York. † (Plath 91). This single scene stands as emblematic of Esther’s (and Plath’s) essential plight: that of the bipolar personality and the track toward attempted suicide.The scene also represents the symptomatic progression of full-blown bipolar personality disorder which is characterized by depressive episodes and suicidal obsessions. The combination of high-achievement, goal-setting, ambition, creativity, task-setting, and personal expression with an equally profound sense of purposelessness, meaninglessness, lack of energy, lac k of sex drive, and plummeting self identity and a plummeting sense of self-esteem are compressed brilliantly into the above-described scene. By explicating the symbolism deeply, the bipolar disorder is easily uncovered.The feelings Esther has of not being able to connect with her life, of not comprehending her society or valuing her interpersonal relationships are aspects of the acute depressive crisis which marks the depressive â€Å"extreme† of the bipolar disorder. The novel describes how an acute depressive episode can lead to suicide even when treatment is being administered. The treatment which would seem most applicable for Esther Greenwood by modern diagnostic processes is not that which is provided for her in the novel: electroshock therapy.Rather, what is indicated is that Esther should be treated with psycho therapy, primarily, with perhaps the inclusion of certain, limited medication. The inclusion of family-centered therapy, social rhythm therapy, and cognitive therapy along with medication would provide the best hope for Esther's clinical recovery. However, the process of metal disorder described in the novel is mush wider, much more comprehensive than even modern therapies would seem to be an adequate redress for — although even a slight improvement in prognosis would probably have saved Esther from suicide.In order to restore and strengthen hern creative gifts and reinstate her standing in society, the clinical treatments might at least give Esther an impetus toward a healthy rather than self-destructive life. So carefully designed is Esther’s portrayal in â€Å"The Bell Jar,† that the reader stands an ever-increasing chance of identifying as deeply with Esther’s plight as Esther herself seems to identify with the plight of the Rosenbergs.In other words, the last thing which is intimated in the novel is that Esther bears any personal responsibility for her mental illness or the social stigmas that are attache d to it. In fact, I personally do not belive that there was anything Esther could have done or should have done to â€Å"prevent† her collapse. From rape to institutionalized chauvinism and the â€Å"saint-whore† syndrome, Esther experiences a multitude of the sociological injuries borne against women in America.She also, as a poet, stands for the sociological persecution of artists and the cultural misunderstanding of their sensitivities. Throughout the novel, Esther’s internal dialogue and descriptions of situations stands in bold contrast to the mundane and often mean or ignorant dialogue and observations of the novel’s minor characters. In addition to these deeper, more socially and politically inspired themes, â€Å" The Bell Jar† captures intimate details of middle-class adolescence: the struggle to succeed, the position often social outcast, and the cruelties and injustices of love and eroticism.This is why The Bell Jar is such an important novel: because it places an intimately personal, yet universal, protagonist in the grip of what modern psychology and modern psychiatry understand as a clinical mental illness. Rather than approach the topic clinically, Plath approaches the theme poetically and confessionally and draws the reader into a closes identification with Esther Greenwood. The result is that the alert reader, even one who is familiar with the clinical processes of bipolar disorder, will recognize a personal plight beneath the level which is clinically descriptive.The reader's identification with Esther then takes the form of first hope, then skepticism, about the clinical treatments (and practitioners) which are engaged ostensibly in working for Esther's recovery. Whether one reads the central theme of The Bell Jar as one of individuality and the alienation from modern society or as a literary portrayal of a clinically defined mental disorder, the conclusion that individuals who suffer from mental illness ar e both victimized and stigmatized in modern society is clear.My personal feeling is that Esther Greenwood is far more of a universal character than many would like to belive and that her portrayal in The Bell Jar indicates both the destructive influence of mental illness and the destructive influence of modern society which is revealed to be both widespread and institutionalized. References Plath, Sylvia The Bell Jar Bantam Books New York NY 1971.

Civil Rights Movements

Who Is It? Throughout the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. played a crucial role in organizing many nonviolent events such as the March on Washington and Selma to Montgomery March. These events eventually influenced the Congress to pass both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. also led to dramatic impacts on later laws. Martin Luther King Jr. s the main reason why the 1960s US Civil Rights Movement succeeded, as he fought against de jure segregation and led to the changing of laws; however, this is justified only to a great extent, for he contributed little to social activism. Martin Luther King Jr. successfully influenced many government reforms through the act of nonviolence during the Civil Rights Movement.He was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, a nonprofit organization aiming to redeem â€Å"the soul of America† through nonviolent resistance. In 19 63, Martin Luther King Jr. ed a nonviolent campaign aimed at Birmingham, Alabama, which was known as the one of the most segregated city in the United States during that time. During this campaign, Martin Luther King Jr. advocated nonviolence in â€Å"Letter From a Birmingham Jail†. Later on, the SCLC decided to use young children in demonstrations. However, more than 1,000 children were attacked by police troops. The images of children being assaulted by dogs and water hoses were captured by photographers, which led to a â€Å"national outrage resulting in a push for unprecedented civil rights legislation†.This event drew attention to segregations in the South, and promoted sympathy for civil rights protestors across the nation. Over the next few years, Martin Luther King Jr. organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in and the Selma to Montgomery March. During the March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the famous â€Å"I Have A Dream† speech. This march was a success-   the speech cemented Martin Luther King's â€Å"status as a social change leader†, helped inspire people to act on civil rights, and publicized the US Civil Rights Movement across the world.This event also led to the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, an act that banned all forms of discrimination. The next year, Martin Luther King Jr. organized the Selma to Montgomery March to fight against African American disenfranchisement. Following the march, the Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that got rid of the remaining obstacles to voting for African-Americans. By organizing nonviolent marches and campaigns, Martin Luther King Jr. was successful in motivating the passing of important laws that improved problems caused by segregation.The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the major reasons that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Before the act was passed, white people used segregate against minority groups by forming restrictive covenants and practicing gerrymandering. After Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4th, 1968, riots erupted over the nation. President Lyndon B. Johnson called on the Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1968, hoping to stop the riots and pacify angry protesters. This act banned all forms of discrimination in housing sales and rentals. Martin Luther King Jr. as able to influence several acts passed by Congress even after he died, which proves that he is a major reason why the US Civil Rights Movement was successful. Despite Martin Luther King's efforts to fight against de jure segregation, he contributed little to ending de facto segregation. Malcolm X, an African American who also played a key role during the Civil Rights Movement, had different a different way to fight against segregation. He promoted active resistance and violence. As James Cone, the author of Martin & Malcolm & America says, â€Å"Before Malcolm came along, we were all N egroes. After Malcolm, he helped us become black†.Malcolm X taught African Americans to be proud of their heritage, and changed how black people thought about themselves. Several of his followers gathered together and formed the Black Panther Party, and organization that had the same objectives as Martin Luther King Jr, but were willing to use violence to solve the problem. By promoting black power and increasing black voter registrations and Afrocentrism, Malcolm X was able to build confidence in blacks and encourage them to take pride in their African heritage, which shows that he contributed to the success of the US Civil Rights Movement as well.Overall, Martin Luther King Jr. was a major reason for the success of the US Civil Rights Movement. He organized campaigns and marches that inspired people to take action, and influenced the Congress to pass important acts. His death led to the Civil Rights Act of 1968 as well. However, he wasn't the only one who made all of this po ssible. Malcolm X and encourage blacks to be proud of their African heritage, and increased black voter registrations. Thus, Martin Luther King Jr. is the main reason why the 1960s US Civil Rights Movement succeeded, yet this is justified only to a great extent.

Computer Game Improves the Motivation of Learning Mathematics Research Paper

Computer Game Improves the Motivation of Learning Mathematics - Research Paper Example According to Azevedo, mathematics or math games are fun activities. They usually encourage motivation, call for deep thinking, require both chance and skills, and provide multiple approaches to problem-solving. These games implement certain mathematical strategies and skills by leveraging the natural inclination of the student to play. The games can either be played by an individual, a small or large group; it can be cooperative and/or competitive. Mathematical games have been proved to have some rewarding impacts to students. Azevedo argues that games are usually part of after-school activities. Math games can provide the students with suitable contexts for developing both socially and mathematically. In addition, Shin, Sutherland, Norris & Soloway affirm that students can explore and discuss new strategies with their peers and use these strategies to solve and calculate mathematical problems. Furthermore, math games allow the students to participate at a level of their choice and b uild on their knowledge and understanding. There exists limited empirical literature that supports the hypothesis with most of those advocating for the technique being the game developers and investors, which makes the supporting results relatively biased.There have been many studies showing how computer games find their place at the elementary school class and students. In order to support the hypothesis that computer games improve motivation in learning mathematics in elementary school, four studies from different sources are considered.

Questionnaire about ulcers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Questionnaire about ulcers - Essay Example rses have to face significant challenges while extending maximum care to the patients of leg ulcers because these patients undergo severe mental trauma apart from the physical wounds and stress. Additionally there is high risk of contact allergies among these patients and hence they must be treated very carefully (Smart, et. al., 2008). In order to meet these challenges nurses are required to have strong understanding of various concepts associated with leg ulcers. Moreover, they should be given training under the supervision of senior physicians prior to attending serious patients (Wound Care Training, 2013). International practice and research indicates that strongly integrated nursing services can actually reduce the adverse effects of leg ulcers (Harrison, et. al., 2005). Furthermore the use of compression technology has also proved significantly beneficial for the overall treatment of these patients (Harrison, et. al., 2011). 10. Research indicates that only 16% of healthcare providers are confident about their diagnosis and prescription of leg ulcers (Graham, et. al., 2003). Why is that so? How the knowledge and confidence of physicians can be

English Composition Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

English Composition - Coursework Example On the other, human memory differs from computer memory. The computer memory requires hardware and software in order for information processing to take place. Human memory does not require any hardware or software. The computer memory stores information in a hard disk which can be affected by virus and have all information corrupted. The human brain is not affected, and it is difficulty to have the information stored in the human brain erased (Ullman, 2003). From the ideas generated from different texts and construction of outlines, it is simple to write a standard thesis. I will utilise the use of different information from different authors to come up with constructive ideas about the problem of study (Gundersheimer, 2011). I will also use the texts to contract a literature review which will help readers to understand other author’s ideas about the problem or study. From the material research, I will emerge with a conclusion of the thesis (Turkle,

Compare the royal dictatorships of two balkan countries in the 1930s Essay

Compare the royal dictatorships of two balkan countries in the 1930s - Essay Example Bojinovic views that while Balkan region had always been absorbed in its internal politics, it did not prove itself as cooperative towards the outer world. â€Å"Economically and culturally,† Bojinovic submits, â€Å"the Balkan states until the 20th Century were not intensely cooperating with the rest of Europe; only the mentioned coastal parts were connected with the West. As exposed above, the economic and socio-cultural element resulted in a perception of Balkans as ‘other Europe’–very different, even strange.† (Todorova 2001: p 25; quoted in Bojinovic, 2004: p 5) The present paper aims to make a comparative analysis of the nature of the political developments introduced and adopted by the two Balkan states, i.e. Bulgaria and Greece, during 1930s, for both these countries experienced monarchical dictatorship in their political systems during that era. Like other Balkan states, Bulgaria also witnessed grave financial crisis during 1920s, which lasted in 1930s too to a great extent. â€Å"Bulgaria might have escaped the usual turmoil, thanks to its stable peasant economy and the absence of large ethnic minorities. However, two elements led to crises and authoritarianism: rural-urban tensions and terrorism among Macedonian refugees.† (Retrieved from staff.lib.msu.edu) The main reason behind the financial turmoil was political uncertainty and dictatorial regime of Boris III, which put the future and growth of the country at stake in order to prolong his personal rule. Similarly, another Balkan state i.e. Greece underwent similar characteristics. Greece is regarded as one of the most primitive civilizations of the world, which had been source of wisdom, knowledge and inspiration for centuries. In modern times, she had to undergo continuous threat from the neighbouring countries, particularly from the Ottoman Empire. Situated at