Norin 10 In Wheat Essays - Energy Crops, Staple Foods, Wheat, Crops

Norin 10 In Wheat The wheat gene, Norin 10, for example, helped developing countries like India and Pakistan increase their wheat harvests by 60 percent. At the Wheat Research Center in Mexico City that conducted some of this research on Norin 10, there is an inscription on the wall when you enter the building that reads, "A single gene has saved one hundred million lives." From 10 million tons to 70 million tons in four years. Norin 10 dwarfs wheat. ?Norin 10,' a cultivar from Japan, provided two very important genes, Rht1 and Rht2, that resulted in the reduced height (or dwarf) wheats. Better nutrient uptake and tillerage, not to mention rocky and less irrigated American farmers grew seventy million acres of bioengineered crops last year, the bulk of which comprised corn modified to resist devastating fungus and Roundup Ready soybeans modified to resist a common herbicide.

Attila, Flagellum Dei The Scourge of God essays

Attila, Flagellum Dei The Scourge of God essays In this essay I would like to discuss the influence of the Huns, and their King, Attila, plus other barbarian peoples of the period on the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. I will also discuss the changes that were brought about by the contact between the Barbarian and Roman cultures on the peoples of Europe in the fourth and fifth centuries. This is too large a topic to discuss in an essay like this, but by the example of Attila and the Huns, I hope to highlight problems and changes of this period. From the plain of central Hungary, the Huns controlled, through subject people and alliances, the area from the Urals to the Rhone in the 5th century. Only one of their kings is known outside of Hungary, Attila, whose name is passed down to the modern world as The Scourge of God. To the modern world he is known as a bloodthirsty tyrant, but there is a first hand account of his appearance, his royal court and the culture of his people , which portrays him as a distinguished ruler, as well as, a aggressive king, which is complimentary if not admiring. The question must be asked, Why Attila and not any other of the barbarian kings of the time? It was Alaric of the Visigoths whose army captured Rome in AD 410, but it is Attila who is remembered in the modern world as the sacker of cities. It was the Vandals who marched across Europe and eventually settled in North Africa. The Vandals created a dynasty that was to last for generations. Not until the time of the Emperor Justinian was North Africa returned to the Roman Empire, but the Huns are the peoples that are remembered today as the conquerors of the West. It is Attila and the Huns that have passed from history into folktale and legend as the ultimate in Barbarians who eat children and butcher whole nations, but they were no worse than the other nations of the 5th century. Attila only ruled the Huns for eight years, but during his r...

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 15

Art - Essay Example The roofs of churches were vaulted and supported by thick stone walls, rounded arches and massive pillars. The creation of large churches during the Romanesque period was propagated by the strong devotion to Christianity and the church. There was a common belief among the Christians that the world was going to end a thousand years after Christ’s birth. This made people to have more commitment and devotion to church and so the churches had to be increased in size so that they could accommodate the large masses. The increase in size was also caused by political and cultural reasons. Flying buttresses is a masonry structure which typically consists of an inclined bar on an arch that extends from the top part of the wall to the pier which is some distance from the wall. Its main function is to carry the thrust of the vault. The pier is often crowned by a pinnacle which adds weight and enhances stability. The buttresses evolved during the gothic era as they allowed the building of high ceilinged churches (Kleiner 267). This changed the Notre-dame in Paris church architecture in general; it made the churches to have high vaults as they were strongly supported by the buttresses and pinnacles. They made churches to be bigger with high

Cancer Pain Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cancer Pain - Literature review Example The nurses need to understand how to apply their clinical knowledge in the management of pain by identifying the type of pain patient presents with, along with the right medication or treatment strategy to manage it. MANAGEMENT OF CANCER PAIN Pain is one of the most common features of cancer, but it can present itself at any stage and can be both acute and chronic in type. Around 90% of the patients with cancer are likely to experience certain type of pain. This severity is likely to increase should proper medication is not given at the right time (Cancer Pain Overview, 2011). Defined as a physiological identification of a series of electrical and chemical events, pain can take many shapes and levels of severity. Not only the cancer itself but also other clinical situations may cause pain, which may or may not be related to the disease. These may include surgery, use of certain medications and the effects of radiation therapy (Cancer Pain Overview, 2011). Nurses come across the manag ement of pain very regularly, not only in cancer, but also in other care aspects as well. However, cancer pain management is much more challenging due to the constantly changing dynamics of health of the cancer patients. Many reports reveal that although pain is the most common complaint one presents with, it often is not managed properly, with the result that patients do not find complete relief from their ailment (Pain Management, nd). Nurses therefore, have been working on this area of research and creating ways to identify best practices of controlling and eliminating pain, with ease to both the staff and the patient (Zepettella, 2009). The intensity of pain can be of many types and durations, and based on these two factors, the treatment therapy and approach is determined. Patients may have varying types and intensities of pain within the same day, therefore, it is important to analyze and identify they type of pain they are experiencing. At one moment the pain may be regular p ain that is a feature of the normal body. At the other moment, the pain may be of breakthrough kind (Zepettella, 2009). Still other type of pain may be taking place due to pressure on the surrounding structures. Therefore, the key need by nursing professionals will be to correctly analyze the type, severity, duration and cause of pain. There are many concerns that nurses may have regarding provision of pain medication. Nurses are concerned that providing high doses of medication can lead to substance abuse among patients. They also believe that pain should be treated when it occurs and unnecessary medication before the onset of pain is unnecessary. Nurses believe that pain should be physically expressed in order to receive the medication, and that patients may exaggerate their level of pain, which may lead to overdose. These and other such reasons may make nurses hesitate in providing pain medication or high doses of pain medication to their patients (Pain Management, nd). The pain in cancer can be of many types, and the chief determinant is the location where the tumor is expanding along with the regional structures that may be affected by it. Types of pain in cancer from can include nerve and bone pain, soft tissue pain, phantom pain and referred pain respectively (Zepettella, 2009). Some of the common reasons that can trigger such pain include blocked blood vessels in the tumor region, leading to poor circulation of blood, fracture of bones mostly

Offer a critical analysis and commentary on Zygmunt Bauman's work. To Essay

Offer a critical analysis and commentary on Zygmunt Bauman's work. To what extent does the Holocaust Exhibition reinforces or challenges this interpretation of the 'final solution' - Essay Example Arguably, Bauman’s thesis is a vital tool in supporting the justification on connection between modernity and holocaust occurrence among sociologists. In his thesis, Bauman argues that human adoption of modernity prompted the holocaust event. The Holocaust is a historical event that spurs among generations. Bauman’s work attracts criticism and myriad controversies amongst historians and female activists. According to critics, the holocaust symbolized oppression of women obstructing efforts for females consent. The Final Solution is patented in holocaust exhibition by Bauman as an expression of efforts by humans to exercise unjustified and uncertain elements in the society. Holocaust reveals similar procedures of exclusion that were evident in the past occurrence and can still come into play today. Holocaust traces historical patterns of Nazi’s Anti-Semitic policies and its brutal implications on Jews in Europe. It features the extent to which German Nazis served Hitler’s reign as a model for exclusion, expulsion and untimely mass murder of Jews. Holocaust events triggered links to obstinate hatred of people with Anti-Semitic towards the Jews. Origin of this hatred was because of the accusation against the Jews for killing Christ, Adolf Hitler’s opinion on this accusation was a mere motive for retaliation (Poder & Jacobsen 2012, p. 98). Rise in Anti-Semitism was gradually taking away Jews rights and freedom of civilization leaving them with two-option, first choice to practice Christianity or secondly face murder if they refuse. Jews pledge for equal rights started in 1761 and was successful in 1871. Many Jews communities moved to Poland, which until date records largest number of Jews population. Destruction of the Jews appeared as an outcome of conflict and disturbance in Poland, which occurred because of earlier insight of Jews as killers of

Secularisation in Contemporary Ireland

Secularisation in Contemporary Ireland This study will investigate whether, and in what ways secularisation is occurring in contemporary Ireland. Theories of secularisation, and arguments against the process, abound, and this is a hotly debated topic. How, and in what ways might secularisation be said to be taking place within a given society? This study will attempt to make a contribution to this debateby looking at the situation in Ireland. Attention will also be paidhowever, to what has happened in Britain as much of the researchconcerning secularisation has taken place in that context. It will makesome comparisons between Ireland and the situation in Britain and otherEuropean countries to demonstrate the unique place of religion in Irishsociety. The study will seek to understand: †¢Ã‚  What processes might signify whether secularization is taking place? †¢Ã‚  Whether similarly observed processes might be said to signify that secularization is taking place in Ireland †¢Ã‚  Whether Contemporary Ireland could be said to be a secular society or as Brewer (2005) contends, a post-Christian society. †¢Ã‚  Whether, and in what ways religion may be said to have a unique position in Irish society. The study will draw on statistical and documentary data, along withmedia reports to ascertain whether, and in what ways, secularization istaking place. The study will look at the relationship between religionand the state in the republic of Ireland and also in Northern Ireland.It will also look at the education system and the phenomenon ofinter-religious marriage. In this way the study treats existingdocumentation as primary data by using it together in a distinctivefashion. Structure The study will begin with theories of secularization and a literaturereview which will look at the process in Britain and in Europe andcontrast this with the situation in Ireland to demonstrate in what waysIreland may differ from other industrialized societies and how this mayaffect whether and in what ways secularization could be said to betaking place. Following the literature review the methodologicalapproach to the study will be outlined and attention will be paid toreflexivity in the research process. There will be an analysis of thefindings of the research and finally a conclusion that will establishwhether the research question has fulfilled its aims. Religion is common to almost all cultures. Religious traditions andtheir teachings are, it might be argued, the result of three things,faith, theology, and culture. Anthropologist Clifford Geertz (1966) describes religion thus: 1. A system of symbols which acts to 2. Establish powerful, pervasive,and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by 3. Formulatingconceptions of a general order of existence and 4. Clothing theseconceptions with such an aura of factuality that 5. The moods andmotivations seem uniquely realistic (Geertz, 1966:4). Religion has many different aspects from personal beliefs aboutspirituality, to institutional structures like schools and hospitals,to the influence of religious bodies over legislation Until theEnlightenment the teachings of religion were rarely questioned becausethey were regarded as direct truth from God. Modernity, with its implicit understanding of the absolute powers of reason, called intoquestion the traditional understandings of theological truth claims anddrastically reduced the cultural influence of theology and religion. The contemporary term ‘secularisation’ has come to represent thedeclining influence of religion in society. The word is contextual inthat it arises from the western tradition and is part of the history ofthe church.It was first used in 1648   to refer to the transfer of landsunder church control to lay political control. The term secular is alsoused to specify that which is inferior to the realm of the sacred. Itwas later used in the context of the priest being allowed to dispensewith his vows, in the Middle Ages the distinction between religious andsecular priests referred to those who worked within a religious orderand those who worked among the laity. From the 1830s onwards the death of religion due to the rise of thescientific age was proclaimed by confident atheists. Comte inparticular decreed that the fiction that was theology would die and be replaced by the truth of science. This viewwas largely endorsed by Marx, Durkheim, Weber and Freud, all of whomwere convinced that the forces of the modern age heralded the birth ofa secular one. Auguste Comte is regarded as the founder of sociology.He believed that with the rise of science religion would, eventually, die out. Weber also thought that religion would loseits significance through the growth of capitalism and the influence ofurbanisation and rising technology. The world would become desacralisedand there would be less reliance on magic and religion. Meaning would be found rationally. Throughout the twentieth century it had been widely assumed that the decline of religion and religious belief was an irreversible process. Sociologists are keen to stress that secularisation is a natural process rather than a polemic againstreligion (which secularism is), some would also argue thatsecularisation is not an ideology (an imposed system of ideas). It is simply a process which has been observed over the last two   or three hundred years. Seen from this vantage point secularisation is largely the result of two things, the increasing complexity of modern society andits compartmentalisation into different areas, for example, politics,education and the law, and religion ceasing to provide cohesion for allareas of human life. Wilson (1966) says that the complexity of thisprocess is characterised by a wide variety of innovations which haveled to a structural change in society. He cites the following;scientific advance and the development of technology, changing patternsof wor k and increasing industrialisation, the rise of individuality,and education characterised by science rather than religion andtradition. Bruce and Wallis (1992) class secularization as the ‘diminishingsocial significance of religion’, directly brought about by threestrands of modernization: ‘social differentiation’, ‘societalization’and ‘rationalization’.   By social differentiation, they mean theprocess by which ‘specialised institutions’ take the place of religiousones; for example, in Britain the provision of education and welfare isnow the responsibility of a secular government, not the church.   Socialdifferentiation also includes the fragmentation of society into distinct social groups basedon differing life experiences, for example a distinction between socialclasses. Bruce allows however that the significance of religion is lesslikely to decline if it can find some social role, other than thecommunication of beliefs, within the wider society. In Ireland for example, the fact that religion has long been a source of contentionhas given it anot her social role. Societalization refers to the disappearance of small-scale communities and their replacement by the idea of ‘society’, largely due toincreasing industrialization and urbanization.   Rationalization refersto changes in the way people think; the rise of science and technologyhas removed uncertainty and the need for faith and has provided rational explanations for questions which in the past were considered the domain of religion.   The combined effect of theseprocesses is the decline in the social position of religion. McLeod(1992) maintains that the concepts of differentiation andrationalization are not particularly helpful when trying to understandthe place of religion in a particular society as cultural practicesdiffer widely. Berger (1970) believes that urbanisation and modernisation result insocial fragmentation and this leads to a plurality of cultural andrelgious groups. The monopoly previously held by one group comes to anend. We can see that this has happened, whether or not we subscribe tothe secularisation thesis. Secularisation is a problematic concept however, while Wilson (1982) and Bruce (1996)maintain that the forces of modernity heralded a new secularized age,other theorists differ. The view that modernization inevitably leads tosecularization is often challenged. Martin (1978) contends that inorder to make sense of the process of religion in industrialized societies attention must be paid to the specific cultural andhistorical patterns that pertain in a specific society. In NorthernIreland for example, religion has remained in the public arena as asource of dispute that is connected to issues of national identity.What happens in Ireland is quite different to what has happened inBritain since the Second World War. The Changing Face of Religion in Britain The religious landscape of Britain was significantly different at the close of World War2 than it is now, at the dawn of the twenty first century. In the yearsimmediately preceding the war and on into the late 1940s and 50s themajority of British people still had some form of contact with theChurch (often through their children attending Sunday School, orthrough membership of Scouts, Guides and the like) and many still claimed to hold a belief in God and in the basic teachings of Christianity. They would also have been exposed to explicitly Christian teaching in schools. The General Picture and its Effects in Ireland The growing importance of the ecumenical movement meant a change indenominational attitudes. Mainstream Christianity was endorsed in partby the 1944 Education Act. The Act required that the school day begin with anassembly and act of worship and that religious instruction should beaccording to an agreed syllabus and should be given to all pupils(Parsons, 1993). The Act did not make provisions for other faith traditions, but neither did it specify the form of worship or instruction. The ongoing effect of the Act was to weaken the hold of mainstream Christianity on British society, although this was not considered atthe time the Act was passed. It was felt that non-denominational worship and teaching would make sensewhen co-related with more specific Church teaching that it assumed children would have (Parsons, 1993).   However this assumption proved to be unfounded. Theway in which education has been affected in Ireland is ratherdifferent. In some areas amendment to the education system haveresulted in a reiteration of   Catholic religious beliefs to thedetriment of the Protestant minority. The Picture in Ireland Secularisation has affected the whole ofEurope and surveys undertaken in the 1980s and 90a   via the EuropenaValues systems survey indicated that many young people show little ifany recognition of religious symbols. In Ireland the situation israther different. Although seculaisation may be seen to be having aneffect religion has always had a prominent place in Irish life andpolitics. In Ireland the survey showed that there was a growing lack of confidence in the church and that for the first time a generation who were not connected to the church was emerging. Irelandis quite different from both Britain and the rest of Europe. While in Britain and the rest of Europe the process of secularization has been taking place for the last 300 years, Bishop Bill Murphy maintains that in Ireland it has onlybeen observable for the last 30 years.   In the republic of Irelandthere has, historically been a much closer connection between Churchand state. The refusal of the state to confront the Church iscontributing to the international problem of the unresolved question of those who have been sexually abused by clergy. Doyle (2005) writes poignantly on this matter. Their voice is stifled, their complaint against the church is relegatedto the wings. This is precisely what the Church has sought to doelsewhere, including America, though with much less success and at far greater financial cost. (Doyle, 2005 no p. no.).   The place of education, and particularly compulsory religious educationis a highly controversial subject in sectarian Ireland. From thenineteenth century the education system in Ireland has been split alongsectarian lines and in the last thirty years this has been an area ofmajor concern for some analysts (Darby, 1976). Bowen (1983) maintains that since independence the minority ofProtestants (in the 1991 census only 3% fell into this category) hasfallen further and that this is largely a result of inter-religiousmarriage. In 1996 a study was undertaken to establish the number ofinter-religious marriages in Ireland (Sexton and O’Leary, 1996).Ireland has witnessed a growth in inter-religious marriages (Bowen,1983). Jack White, a Protestant wrote of inter-religious marriage that:   no single cause contributes so much to the continuing division in Irish life and the embitterment of inter-church relations; in any circle of Protestants this will be advanced to justify segregation in education and social activities’(White, 1975: 129). The Research Question This study looks at the process of secularization in contemporary Ireland. It draws comparisons between what has happened in Britain andwhat is happening in Ireland. The argument of this study is that theIrish context is quite unique and secularization may not be occurringin the way that sociologists understand it, i.e. the removal ofreligion from the public to the private sphere. In Ireland theconnection between Church and state and between religion and politicsmeans that religion is constantly in the public sphere and thus thesituation is quite different. This difference has led Brewer (2005) toview Ireland in terms of a post-Christian society rather than in termsof secularization. The use of the term post-Christian originated in the1960s in Britain where the pace of social and religious change and thecontention of many theorists that Britain was a secular society ledsome theologians to speak of the death of God and a post-Christian era.The term was again taken up in the 1960s by feminist theologian MaryDaly who called on women to leave the Churches and to participate in apost-Christian spirituality. Methodology This study will investigate the above question through a literature based survey. It will look especially at : †¢Ã‚  Inter-religious marriage †¢Ã‚  The education system †¢Ã‚  Whether the situation in Ireland could be said to be unique in that religion in Ireland still occupies a very public place. Due to costs and time constraints the research will consist of theexamination and analysis of existing documentation, statistics, andmedia reports. Theoretical concerns are: †¢Ã‚  Whether, and in what ways, increasing industrialization and modernization influences the process of secularization in Ireland. †¢Ã‚  How this process manifests and may be connected to any perceptions of the decline of religious authority in Ireland. †¢Ã‚  Whether what is emerging could be called secularization, or as Brewer(2005) maintains might be better thought of as post-Christian The major areas of analysis are through the relationship betweenChurch and state in the republic of Ireland and how this impacts on, oris impacted by, inter-religious marriage and the education system.Questions arising from this are: †¢Ã‚  How far might the relationship between Church and state be said toimply that the Irish situation is unique due to religion’s place in thepublic sphere. †¢Ã‚  Does a growth in inter-religious marriage loosen religious ties anddoes it indicate a decline in adherence to religious authority? †¢Ã‚  Has integrated education been successful and how does this affect the teaching of   religious values and doctrines? †¢Ã‚  How far could there be said to be a move towards a multi-faithorientation in the teaching of religious studies, and what effectsmight this have on the Irish situation? †¢Ã‚  Might Ireland be said to be a post-Christian rather than a secular society. †¢Ã‚   The research will be largely literature based, using existing studies and analyzing them in terms of the above questions. This same process of analysiswill also be applied to media reports and to statistical findings. Onesource of data will be the 1991 census which indicated that 84% of theIrish population still claimed regular church attendance. In addition the study will look at any decline inreligious practices as defined by Wilson 1982. How does societydistance itself from religious traditions? Theorists argue that it canbe seen in the   decline in the number of church baptisms and weddings,and the fact that church officials have less financial recognition. InBritain religious festivals have become increasingly secularised and sohave beliefs with numbers of ministers saying that they no longerbelieve in the virgin birth, the incarnation or the resurrection. Wilson   is of the opinion that there are at least three levels ofanalysis that need addressing if we are to assess the impact ofsecularisation they are: religious practice, religious organisation andreligious belief. While these three levels are dealt with separatelyfor the purpose of this research, they are connected empirically.People are, more often than not born into a religious tradition in thesame way that they are born into a particular culture and these thingswill affect a person’s worldview, their moral values, and their senseof themselves. This study will also ask how far Wilson’s levels ofanalysis could be said to be evident in Ireland and thus relevant tothe Irish situation. The distinctiveness of this study is the bringingtogether of a number of different aspects of the Irish situation andcomparing them (for example attitudes to marriage and to abortion) towhat has happened in Britain. Does going to Church really mean that a person believes in God, or canyou do this without attending religious ceremonies. It certainly seemsthat the power and influence of the Church and perhaps other organisedreligions is declining in Britain if the statistics are anything to goby.   Sunday Schools were another recruiting ground for the Church they were extremely popular in the late nineteenthcentury and remained so until the middle of the twentieth century. Thenumber of attendees at Sunday School is now only ten percent of thenumber in 1900 (Bruce, 1995). The next question is how has thisinfluenced the institutions themselves. At the same time This involves an examination of the extent to which religiousorganisations are involved in the day to day secular order in anysociety and to what extent they are able to exert control over thatsociety. Signs of the growth of secularisation include the following,declining membership of the established Churches, declining numbers ofpeople who are willing to make religion their vocation, and the closingof churches, which in Britain are either sold off or left and allowed to fall into terminal dereliction. Historically, senior clergy were recruited from the same universities,schools and families as the government.   In Britain Church of EnglandBishops were recruited largely from the peerage or landed gentry in1860. This practice has decreased and nowadays clergy often come fromthe poorer strata of society. The Protestant Church was once considereda good living but its wealth has declined and so ordinands usually haveconcerns other than material welfare, it has become   a low statusoccupation. In Britain there was a marked decline in the number ofChurch of England ordinands between 1900 and 1988 (Bruce, 1995). Thisstarted happening much later in Ireland, and at a much slower pace. With the apparent decline in church membership and the marked declinein the number of both Church of England and Roman Catholic ordinandsthe requirement for church buildings has diminished. This has largelyaffected the Anglican Church and in some cases other Protestant denominations. The trend for closingchurches is less marked in the Roman Catholic Church. It could be thatthe Catholics were not so prolific in their church building as theAnglicans were or that they have greater funding capacity formaintaining large buildings. Nevertheless it is not uncommon nowadays,in Britain particularly, to see Church buildings sold off and used aspubs or as retail outlets or warehouses. This has not yet been the case inIreland, particularly the Irish republic, where much of the land andbuildings are still the property of the Catholic church and remainsunder the church’s control. In Britain, between 1970 and 1998 1250 church buildings were closedor sold off. Religion itself appears to be changing, becomingsecularised, it is less likely to provide a lead for people and moreinclined to follow trends than to set them (Browne, 1998).Browne (1998)shows that while the influence of the Anglican Church has declined, andmay continue to do so, the Church still remains important in a numberof ways. †¢Ã‚  Church of England Bishops have seats in the House of Lords. (The Lords Spiritual). †¢Ã‚  Themonarch must be a member of the Church of England, is crowned by theArchbishop of Canterbury, and since the time of Henry V111 has beenhead of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith. †¢Ã‚  The Church of England remains the official or established Church in England. †¢Ã‚  The Church of England is extremely wealthy, with investment funds ofan estimated  £3 billion in 1991, and it is one of the largestlandowners in the country. †¢Ã‚  Since the 1944 Education Act, all schools have been legally obligedto hold a religious ceremony each day, and the 1988 Education ReformAct reaffirmed and strengthened the requirements to hold assemblies ofa broadly Christian nature and teach Christian beliefs for at least 51percent of the time allocated to religion in schools. This still leaves us with the question of whether religious belief is affected by the growth in secularisation. How much influence does religion have in the areas of personalbelief and practice, and how does one measure people’s beliefs?Sociologists identify this type of measuring as a problem and many admit that there is no clear picture ofwhether, and to what extent, secularisation has occurred in this area.One of the problems stems from the different understandings people haveof such a belief. For numbers of people it may be agreement to all ofthe teachings of Christianity, for others a general belief in God andfor some it might be a spiritual awareness and a sense of meaning andpurpose to life. In Ireland, religious belief is closely allied topolitical matters and people are far more inclined to state that theybelong to a particular tradition, in this way they define not onlytheir religion, but also their political and national loyalties. In Britain one way of estimating trends in religious believing is tolook at the rise in the number of New Religious movements, the rise ofthe Bla ck led Churches and the rise in the number of House Churches.There has also been a considerable growth in other forms of evangelicalChristianity and most people in Britain still claim a belief in God.. Bruce (1995) argues that the face of organised religion over the lasttwo hundred years has changed from a dominant Church model to thegrowth of the sect and the denomination (Bruce, 1995). This has been brought about by the riseof cultural pluralism and the reluctance of governments to use force toget people into a state Church. Although the churches were slow torelinquish their privileges the role of the Anglican, Scottish, and Welsh Churches have changed considerable sincethe 19th century, in Britain for example in 1828 a person who heldpublic office was, at least officially, a member of the Anglican faith. Non-members could not holdpublic office. Catholics were not allowed the vote before 1829 (Bruce,1995) and it was 1850 before the Church was allowed to restore its hierarchy. Until 1836 marriagescould only be celebrated by an Anglican minister, irrespective of thefaith of the marriage partners and until 1854 non-Anglicans were not allowed to study at Oxford andCambridge, and unti 1871 all teaching posts at these institutions wereheld by Anglicans. Women were not allowed to be members of thesecolleges before the late 1890s. With each of these changes the Churchof England lost some of its power in society. Bruce (1995) holds that Protestantism by its very nature increases fragmentation inreligion and by extension in society. The rise of the ecumenicalmovement also played a part in the Church’s loss of power. Fragmentation undermines the Church, it has state support for areligious monopoly and this has gradually been removed, this also hasfunding implications, until the nineteenth century the Churches werefunded by the land they owned and by public taxation, this was largelyfinished by the start of the twentieth century. Secondly its personnelbecome increasingly influenced by the psychology of an increasinglypluralist culture. It is not so easy to believe that a religion isright in every detail when other worldviews are becoming more prominent. At the same time the Church retains an illusion of strength from the continuation of communal occasions such as baptisms, weddings and funerals. However, the growth in competition means that this illusion becomes increasingly difficult to maintain (Bruce, 1995). The rise inthe number of denominations eventually increases tolerance anddecreases certainty. The problems that different denominations beenmight be said to constitute a significant feature of the situation in Ireland, particularly as it pertains to education. In Northern Ireland, beginning in the 1980s integrated systems ofeducation were introduced and this caused a deal of controversy centredaround conflicting interests (Dunn, 1989). The Belfast Agreement of1998 set out guidelines for the promotion of religious and culturaltolerance and it is thought by some commentators that this was directly linked to the Good Friday Agreement (Morgan and Fraser, 1999).Since the Good Friday Agreement some thinkers have argued that there isan increasing secularization in Ireland and that liberals in the Northmay be considering replicating the multi-faith educational model thatoperates in the rest of Britain. This has led to vigorous debate anddiscussion of the differences between Britain and Ireland (Barnes,2004). Although numbers of commentators contend that there is a growingsecularization, in Ireland in the 1991 census 84% claimed to attendchurch at least once a week. In a survey undertaken in the south ofIreland Greil (1998) found the following listed in the table on thenext page. Table One weekly mass attendance in the Republic of Ireland 1981-1998 Year  %  Comments  Source 1998  94%  older people  Survey of Diocese of Cashel and Emly published in Irish Times 1998  92%  People over 65  MRBI poll for Irish Times 1981  87%  all people  European Values Survey 1998  87%  Connacht/Ulster people  MRBI poll for Irish Times 1990  85%  all people  European Values Survey 1988/89  82%  all people  Mac Grà ©il (1996) 1998  66%  all people  MRBI poll for Irish Times 1998  60%  People 18-34  Survey of Diocese of Cashel and Emly published in Irish Times 1998  60%  all people  RTE Prime Time poll 1998  50%  Dubliners  MRBI poll for Irish Times 1998  41%  18-24 yr olds  MRBI poll for Irish Times 1990  40%  Urban unemployed  European Values Survey While this does show a rapid decline, particularly among the young,for Father Greil the fact that only one percent of his sample professedno religion at all, still leaves him optimistic about the place of religion in Irish life. Greil is of the opinion that there is a lack of community feeling in the cities and that the rapid growth in urbanization is a significant factor in the decline in church attendance.    While there does seem to be a decline in participation in organisedreligion in both contemporary Britain and in Ireland, many people stillclaim to hold orthodox beliefs and a moral judgement based on thetenets of Christianity. At the same time they do not have so muchattraction to institutional forms of religions (Bruce, 1995 and Browne,1998). The nineteen sixties saw rapid social and religious change. In theyears after the war, the rise of the welfare state, the growth in thenumber of Catholic Grammar Schools and the resulting rise in the numberof Catholics to enter Higher Education spurred a transformation inBritish Catholicism. This eventually led, in the 1960s to the holdingof the Second Vatican Council and the resultant Catholic alignment withthe ecumenical movement. By the end of the decade most people owned a television and programmessuch as That was the Week That Was took an irreverent view of religion.This, along with the sixties sexual revolution, brought changingattitudes towards the Church and to people’s attitudes to religiousauthority. The media was highly influential on the Church’s publicimage and became far more critical of outdated morality.   What went onin America had a greater influence on what happened in Britain. Thesuccess of the civil rights movement in the mid-nineteen sixties openedthe way for second-wave feminism and the call for women’s rights. Theabortion reform act of 1967 meant that women had more rights over their own body and the employmentdiscrimination act of the mid-nineteen seventies meant that other thanin the Church employers could not discriminate on the basis of sex. Thelate 1960s also saw the burgeoning of feminist theologies. These havedeveloped and changed over the last thirty years a nd have become achallenge to patriarchal systems across the world. Divorce law reformsaw a huge increase in the number of divorces and traditionalists sawthis as a threat to the institute of marriage and the structure of thefamily. The rise of the Gay Christian movement and the aids threatsfrom the 1980s onward meant an overall rethinking and debate onpersonal morality within the chuches (Parsons, 1993). As stated earlier Brewer (2005) contends that what is happening inIreland is very different to what has happened in Britain and ratherthan the secularisation of Ireland what we are seeing is the move to apost-Christian society. What Brewer means by this is: the declining ability of Christian religion to affect and shapeordinary believers’ lives, a growing liberalisation in what ordinaryChristians believe and in the certainty with which they believe it, andthe appearance of other world faiths, still admittedly very much asminority religions, but a presence that nonetheless challenges theChristian hegemony. Religious diversity and pluralism now has to caterfor differences in practice and belief between the world religions notjust Catholic and Protestant (Brewer, 2005:7).   Sociologists use divorce statistics, abortion and homosexuality figuresto sustain the argument that secularisation is on the increase. Theyuse this evidence to suggest that these factors are a result of thedeclining importance of religious thinking and teaching in people’slives. In Britain many people have a pick and mix attitude towards religious believing and more than half of all marriages are nowcivil or non-religious ceremonies.From the 1950s onward Ireland haswitnessed an increasing industrialization through urbanization and agrowth in the number of people employed in both the industrial, ratherthan the agricultural sector, and in higher education. Religion hasbeen a key factor in Ireland and, since the 1970s, an increasing causeof conflict between Catholic and Protestant groups (O’Leary, 2001).Brewer (2005) has argued that the conflict has not been about religionas such but about identity and political loyalty. Religion is not the substance of this conflict; no one seriouslyargues that the conflict has been about religion. But religion is itsform, the way in which it is experienced. The contestation has beenabout the legitimacy of the state and access to its scarce resources,but this took on a religious form because ‘Catholic’ and ‘Protestant’were the

Women in Umuofian Soceity Essay -- essays research papers

Women in Umuofian Society "It is the woman whose child has been eaten by a witch who best knows the evils of witchcraft." That simple saying can best relate to the experience of women in the Umuofian society. A person cannot truly hope to understand how things work unless he or she was there to experience it. And that can apply to learning a new language, a new culture or learning history. The perspective given from the book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, states the way of life without any favoritism towards any particular way of life. Achebe just affirmed that lifestyle as a native would, void of any outside influences. In this case, the male narration focuses not only of the tragedy of Okonkwo, but also how the people around are affected and how in turn the culture affects him. Women seem to play a minor role in everyday life, but their function in the community is just as important as that of the men. The main role that was given to women was that they belonged in the home and for the most part they were to bee seen and not heard. Their influence and authority do not exist much in that culture, especially for the wives of Okonkwo. A main character in the novel, Okonkwo has several wives. Okonkwo presided over all of his wives and children with a heavy hand. When Ikemefuna comes to live in Okonkwo's household, the first wife questions the length of the boy's stay. In reply he answers, " 'Do ...

The importance of a child centred approach Essay

Essential to safeguarding and encouraging the welfare of a child or young person is having a child’s centred approach. This could include seeing and keeping a child focused through difficulties they could be experiencing. Listening and ascertaining a child’s wishes and feelings will be important for the child, especially if they have formed a strong bond with the professional they are opening up to. It will also be imperative to a child if that professional close to them understands their daily lives and what they might be experiencing, no matter how hard it could be for the adult to hear. Crucially the child or young person will know there are people out there to help and support them when they need advice or guidance. Effective communication is important in the work setting as it ensures the information you are giving is correct and informative, this means there will be no possibility of mistakes being made. Nothing could be done consistently without the use of effective communication. To communicate effectively you need to make sure the right message is being sent to whom you are communicating with. The individual needs to understand the message you are putting across to be able to build relationships. These relationships will gain trust from the children, parents and colleagues. This will also develop your place in the work setting. As a child care worker I could not do my job properly without communicating with the children, their parents or my work colleagues. The needs of the child have to be met by using effective communication whether this is through speech or non-verbal communication e.g. body language or behaviour.

The Eve of St. Agnes Is built up of a series of deliberate contrasts Essays

The Eve of St. Agnes Is built up of a series of deliberate contrasts Essays The Eve of St. Agnes Is built up of a series of deliberate contrasts Paper The Eve of St. Agnes Is built up of a series of deliberate contrasts Paper This is a passage from earlier in the poem, and refers to the Beadsman, an ancient holy man who prayed for the souls of sinners all his life. It uses contrasts of colour, sound, and also life and death. In the first line, the music is described as soft, however the trumpets are later described as snarling. On one hand, this gives the trumpets themselves life, but it also makes them seem somehow unwelcoming, harsh and angry. The silver trumpets also contrast with an earlier description of Musics golden tongue. Is the prelude soft, warm and golden or cold and silver? Normally Keats refers to music as a beautiful thing, however it seems the Beadsman is annoyed and angered by it. His stony, cold silence is invaded by the chaotic music when the doors are opened, again a reference to the contrasting outside world breaking in, and contrast between the icy cold stone walls of the chapel and the rich, glowing warm chambers outside. Keats then goes on to describe the carved stone angels in the chapel, not still, lifeless and frozen, but somehow alive and ever eager-eyed, waiting for guests with almost flowing hair blown back. However, beneath all these images of liveliness and music, there is an underlying sense of absence and emptiness. People hurry to and fro preparing, the glowing chambers are ready to welcome people, the angels are ever eager, watching for someone or something, but nothing happens. The whole castle seems frozen in time, perpetually waiting to come alive, and it is only in the next paragraph that life and chaos bursts inside. Then by the bed-side, where the faded moon Made a dim, silver twilight, soft he set A table, and, half anguishd, threw thereon A cloth of woven crimson, gold, and jet: O for some drowsy Morphean amulet! The boisterous, midnight, festive clarion, The kettle-drum, and far-heard clarionet, Affray his ears, though but in dying tone:- The hall door shuts again, and all the noise is gone. There are two main contrasts here; that of colour and light again, but more importantly the contrast between the outsiders loud, merry revelry and Porphyros silent and perverse desire to keep Madeline asleep. Notice how the moon is no longer bright and glaring, but faded and dim. There is no glamour or brilliance in this passage, and Porphyros intentions are clearly not at all wholesome. The imagery here is very real; you can almost sense the pure silver blue light shrouding the sleeping maiden, and the dim purity of her room being invaded by the passionate and deep crimson, gold, and jet. Whereas the first half of this stanza is full of still, silent and pale images, the second half describes the loud, chaotic music from the feast penetrating the silent sanctum of her room. The wicked Porphyro begs for a Morphean amulet, Morpheus being the God of sleep, and when the hall door is opened, he becomes afraid that Madeline will awaken and ruin his twisted, voyeuristic fun. In this passage, we really see the other side of Porphyro; that which has no chivalric morals, and acts like a thief in the dark, coming to rob her nest. In other passages, he has been honourable at least on the outside, speaking of courtly love and marriage, and swearing upon the saints, but here we see the true, scheming Porphyro. However, there is an underlying foreboding and sense of death in this passage. Even before Madeline awakes, the sky is already fading into darkness, the twilight is no longer bright and the one element of life, the music, is described as in dying tone as the hall door shuts it out. This is probably the first unsettling hint that no matter how young, innocent and beautiful you are, nothing is really sacred, and the cold death of outside is a constant reminder to this. Behind what seems on the outside a classic romantic tale of love having no bounds, wooing in secret and beautiful colours, music, and courtly love, lies the story of a man lacking morality, and looking to corrupt the innocence of a helpless beautiful maiden.

ATHENS VS SPARTA essays

ATHENS VS SPARTA essays Athens and Sparta were two major civilizations. Each had their own beliefs, morals, traditions, and things that set them apart. They each lived in different areas of the world. Sparta was very isolated, and Athens was a trade capital of the world. They each had their own battles, wars and problems within their respected countries. They both had different government systems as well as intellectual beliefs. In the end it was this different beliefs and egotistical leaders that would bring both civilizations to their ultimate downfall. Sparta is a great unique nation. They sit inland quite a bit and are isolated from trade and from spread of other countries customs. Around 725 B.C.E. Sparta conquered their neighbors, the Messcenians. Then Sparta made them their slaves. The term they used for them were helots. The helots out numbered the Spartans 160,000 to 32,000. Since the helots outnumber the Spartans by so much, a revolt was inevitable, these revolts led to the emergence of a government called the Lycurgan laws. Lycurgeous came up with this idea of government. Basically, there were two kings, which were in charge of the military army. The kings had the power to veto each other, so this made it hard for them to commit to a war, unless both kings were in favor of it. Next we have the Ephors, there were five of them and they basically controlled the helots. They Ephors also were in charge of international affairs. The Gerousia were made up of 30 men, and they held all judicial power and decisions. The y could not propose or pass any laws. The Assembly consisted of all males over thirty. They were the final authority but in practice, debate was carried on by magistrates, elders, and kings alone, and voting was usually by acclamation. If you notice there is no real power with any of the executive offices. This was on purpose it factored in a bunch of checks and balances between all parties of...

Kilmer Ecological Preserve Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Kilmer Ecological Preserve - Lab Report Example The annual species include the peppergrass, oxtail grass, and ragweed. Perennial species, on the other hand, include the common cinquefoil, milkweed, strawberry, and plantain. A close examination shows that all species growth close to the ground surface to avoid wind and maximize the surface area of sunlight. The ‘power-line cut’ reflects a region that would be suitable for power lines to pass through due to the size of the vegetation. This region is inhabited with shrubs, perennial herbs and grasses. It can be classified as a second stage of the second succession due to the size and nature of vegetation (Mongillo 2004). There are various dispersal mechanisms depending on individual seeds. Wind dispersion is effective for the maple and goldenrod species. Animal dispersion is through birds that carry the cedar, sumac and oak species. The seeds are later able to colonize new habitats after factors such as weather and tragedies such as fire. It is part of the 1929 field providing shelter to the perennial grasses (Kilmer Ecological Preserve). It represents the second succession stage but at an earlier stage due to the new vegetation. Secondary disturbances such as fire have led to the growth of resistant herbs and other perennial plants. The poison ivy is also common in the area due to its resistance qualities. This area represents a later stage of success. There is the presence of young woodlands where tree species are getting to a larger size. Close assessment also reveals that other species of shrubs have been shaded out due to increasing in competitions for the available resources. The grown woodlands have led to the creation of little canopies that prevent growth of other shrubs despite the poison ivy. Maple trees that are part of a secondary succession inhabit the area. The tour reveals that they grow at the same time due to disturbances such as fire that is common. They also

Old is gold, let us not neglect it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Old is gold, let us not neglect it - Essay Example Gradually, I developed an attachment with them. The affection between the old couple and me was such that I was off and on discussing their matters with my wife during night times. Indians worldwide normally celebrate their Diwali festival (festival of lights) with unlimited enthusiasm and on one such occasion, my wife and I spent our day with them on their request. "Don't feel shy, have a satisfied lunch," said the old woman to my wife when we together addressed the dining table. Her husband spoke his mind with a silent smile, "we proudly consider you as our children. One day I will take you to my hometown in India .It is a beautiful place." All of a sudden, I was overcome with a feeling of new affections entering my life. 'From here afterwards, this must be my world,' my inner self silently but unknowingly declared. Then, the discussion extended to this and that over lunch. When we got up for washing, it was clear that the old couple were neglected by their son who stayed in the same city with his wife. My wife sat with the old lady in the main hall while we settled down on a sofa in the drawing room. I shot a casual question to the old man, "shall I request your son to take care of you" My enquiry made him furious but the very next moment, his face turned as gloomy and pale as the waning Moon. "No," he said curtly. I apologized but he said instantly, "No.