Personal values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal values - Essay Example In this regard, what matters is the level of satisfaction a person gets from my services (Black, 2013). The most ethical behavior must prevail in case of any dilemma. One of the most challenging situation is the bias and complexities that arise from some patients and their families. For example, families may require that I do not tell the patient about his or her condition accurately. However, I am bound by the professional code of conduct to explain to the patient. As such, there arises a conflict. From the discussion above, utilitarianism is the theoretical framework that describe my ethical behavior. I endeavor to make sure that my patients get the best services from me. The most ethical decision must enhance the care and hence utility received by patients. For example, I believe it is ethical to administer anesthetic or painkillers to patients with extreme pain regardless of the whether such action is allowed, as long it does not interfere with

Reflection and analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection and analysis - Essay Example The research adopted the sources because they explained about a method of control for those who are already addicts. For example the adoption of the â€Å"Placebo control method† which was a trial that was tried out to help control a condition that results from cannabis use called spasticity. (Jodey Corey-Bloom,2012) One of the sources of this research was about cannabis. The author was Jodey Corey-Bloom and the title is ‘Smoked cannabis for spasticity in multiple sclerosis; a randomized placebo-controlled trial’ The research focused on marijuana as one of the hard drugs that are commonly abused by academic people and so it would give a clear picture of what these drugs cause to academic people leading to academic downfalls. The objective of this literature review was to find out the short term effects of smoked cannabis on spasticity and it helped me identify the placebo-controlled method of identifying symptoms of cannabis suffering victim. A placebo controlled trial was passed to adults suffering from the symptom of spasticity. It was found out that smoked cannabis had much worse symptoms and pain reduction to those patients who had treatment resistant spasticity. Spasticity is described as one of the symptoms of sclerosis. This helps the reader to know one of the side effects of cannabis. (Jodey Corey-Bloom, 2012) The other source I adopted was Lower Cannabis use guidelines for Canada; A narrative review of evidence and recommendations. The author was Benedict Fisher. The objective of the paper was to develop Lower Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines based on researched evidence on adverse effects of cannabis. The literature review helped me to come up with recommendations by constituting viable tools for reducing the risk of cannabis use on an individual and on a population based on certain factors such as frequency of the drug use. Therefore, I was able to come up with a recommendation that the only way to avoid health effects is to abstain from use of

Interview summary Essay Example for Free

Interview summary Essay Introduction: Hi! I am ______________. Could you please let me know if you are taking interviews and if so, how soon I might see you? I’m interested in how mental health practitioners like you got your training. Some specifics that I need to know are queries like, why should one see a therapist and how does a typical day with a client be like? 1. How did you get into this kind of profession? Where did you get your training and what are the necessary things that are of primary importance for one to have as a mental health provider? 2. What makes one competent to conduct counseling or therapy? 3. So what are the competencies that are expected by a typical patient as well as the organization which every professional is sanctioned and affiliated with? 4. There must be a sort of internship that every specialist must go through; how did you get into the on-the-job-training and what kind of requirements that you must pass? 5. Let us move on to the ethics of the profession. I have read that the effects of setting limits or boundaries in the therapeutic relationship are lessened effectiveness. What I mean is that due to the risks of being accused of malpractice or running the risks of being involved in a toxic relationship, the therapist must set limits or boundaries. The therapist even has to define many of these things at the outset or before the start of the helping relationship. However, this may mean the reduction of effective treatment to the patient or client. Is this is true with our experience? Why or why not? 6. Could you please tell me what are some of the sensitive issues you’ve encountered so far in dealing with your patients? 7. Have you been in a malpractice suit or know of someone who had undergone this? 8. Let us go to the personal attributes that are generally found to be appealing and attractive for a would-be therapist. Can you enumerate some? 9. Are they natural tendencies or must one acquire them in the process? Are these necessary for a successful practice? 10. I see that communication plays a vital role. What are the nuances of communication necessary for a practitioner to develop as his/her own style and strategy? Interview Summary PART 2 Introduction: Hi! I am ______________. Could you please let me know if you are taking interviews and if so, how soon I might see you? I’m interested in how mental health practitioners like you got your training. Some specifics that I need to know are queries like, why should one see a therapist and how does a typical day with a client be like? 1. How did you get into this kind of profession? Where did you get your training and what are the necessary things that are of primary importance for one to have as a mental health provider? A: Actually, I got interested only to make a career of my course until around my senior year in college that I wanted to be in a â€Å"helping relationship† kind of profession and so I started to plan out what I needed. I evaluated my personal weaknesses and strengths. Most importantly, I realized that I needed to spend more time and money in various seminar/workshops to specially hone whatever skills I have. There are things that I must fully be able to grasp that are basics where I was to deal with a variety of clients since I started and these are: Knowledge of clients’ culture (history, traditions, values, family systems, artistic expressions). Knowledge of the impact of racism and poverty on behavior, attitudes, values, and disabilities. Knowledge of the help-seeking behaviors of ethnic minority clients. Knowledge of the roles of language, speech patterns, and communication styles in different communities. Knowledge of the impact of the social service policies on clients of color. Knowledge of the resources (i. e. , agencies, persons, informal helping networks, research) available for ethnic minority clients and communities. Recognition of how professional values may either conflict with or accommodate the needs of clients from different cultures. 2. What makes one competent to conduct counseling or therapy? Of course, not only should one come from a reputable institution known for excellence in learning, which has clearly transferred to the student and future practitioner the necessary knowledge and skills, pass state licensure exams which are essentials and are given. Competence includes a thorough knowledge of the nature of various individuals coming from different cultural milieu and other factors. Competence involves having insights and enough exposure to the risks that are involved in this profession. Therefore, the ethical considerations and guidelines as a mental health provider must be thoroughly understood. 3. So what are the competencies that are expected by a typical patient as well as the organization which every professional is sanctioned and affiliated with? Today, the demands are increasingly high to start with. Competencies include professional skills which are basically elucidated in the following: In particular, there are a number of generally expected levels of knowledge, skills and attributes that are essential to providing competent mental health services. One must have the ability to evaluate new techniques, research, and knowledge as to their validity and applicability in working with people from all walks of life. 4. There must be a sort of internship that every specialist must go through; how did you get into the on-the-job-training and what kind of requirements that you must pass? Definitely, before one gets to practice what one has to specialize on, a mental health provider must successfully pass an on-the-job-training which is a comprehensive one. The more number of hours one has spent on an institution and the more variety of disorders or diseases that he/she has dealt with, so much the better. I happened to not only spent sufficient time with the National Institute for Mental Health and one of its affiliates where cases are more than adequate, the training was indeed very rigorous. The patients were closely monitored and so were our studies and follow-up done on the patients. Moreover, after my graduation, additional years of training in a private Mental Health Institution as a volunteer then as an employee working with over 400 patients. It was long and tedious but it was a very productive for me and now it is paying off. Cases include more the usual bulk of Schizophrenics, major depression and the manic depressive types. Of course, there were the walk-ins and those who had the illnesses as offshoots of drug addiction/dependence which are rampant and/or still prevalent today and sadly comprise much of the demographics. 5. Let us move on to the ethics of the profession. I have read that the effects of setting limits or boundaries in the therapeutic relationship are lessened effectiveness. What I mean is that due to the risks of being accused of malpractice or running the risks of being involved in a toxic relationship, the therapist must set limits or boundaries. The therapist even has to define many of these things at the outset or before the start of the helping relationship. However, this may mean the reduction of effective treatment to the patient or client. Is this is true with our experience? Why or why not? Indeed there have been certain times that when taken too far, several well-intentioned ethical guidelines can become transformed into artificial boundaries that serve as destructive prohibitions and thereby undermine clinical effectiveness. Rigid roles and strict codified rules of conduct between therapist and client can obstruct a clinicians artistry. Those anxious conformists who go entirely by the book, and who live in constant fear of malpractice suits, are unlikely to prove significantly helpful to a broad array of clients. It is my contention that one of the worst professional/ethical violations is to permit current risk-management principles to take precedence over humane interventions. 6. Could you please tell me what are some of the sensitive issues you’ve encountered so far in dealing with your patients? One example is transference. It is helpful in many ways but this is where certain limits or boundaries must be applied and the therapist must know when this must be in place. Other issues include countertransference, dual relationships, etc. Basic to the relationship between a therapist and a client is trust and this must be preserved all throughout. The respect between the parties is not to be taken for granted. The right to be informed of what the client must go through is critical as well. What really happens between a therapist and their client when transference is occurring? Transference is the displacement or transfer of feelings, thoughts and behaviors originally related to a significant person, such as a parent, onto someone else, such as the massage therapist. It is not a rational process. It is an unconscious process. It is created just by the fact that clients come in and take their clothes off, leaving them feeling more vulnerable at first. We become an authority figure or the expert in their eyes. We often become their parent in some ways. 7. Have you been in a malpractice suit or know of someone who had undergone this? Fortunately I have not gone through that and nobody I know of personally. 8. Let us go to the personal attributes that are generally found to be appealing and attractive for a would-be therapist. Can you enumerate some? Personal qualities that reflect â€Å"genuineness, empathy, nonpossessiveness, warmth,† and a capacity to respond flexibly to a range of possible solutions. Acceptance of ethnic differences between people. A willingness to work with clients of different ethnic backgrounds. Articulation and clarification of the worker’s personal values, stereotypes, and biases about his/her own and others’ ethnicity and social class. Also, recognizing ways that these views may accommodate or conflict with the needs of clients from different cultures. 9. Are they natural tendencies or must one acquire them in the process? Are these necessary for a successful practice? There are a few natural tendencies but the rest can be learned. 10. I see that communication plays a vital role. What are the nuances of communication necessary for a practitioner to inculcate? Obviously, the most fundamental function of any therapeutic session is communication. We all use verbal and non-verbal ways of expressing ourselves that have been influenced by the culture in which we were raised. These styles can vary dramatically for people from other backgrounds. For example: †¢ Personal Space: In the United States it is common for people to stand about 3 feet apart when having a personal conversation. In other cultures, people may typically stand close, which may feel awkward to someone unfamiliar with this style. †¢ Eye Contact and Feedback Behaviors: In the United States, individuals are encouraged to look each other directly in the eye and participate actively in feedback behaviors (leaning forward, smiling, nodding, etc. ). In contrast, people from other backgrounds may show respect or deference by not engaging in eye contact or participating more passively in their body language. †¢ Interruption and Turn-taking Behaviors: Most Americans have come to expect a conversation to progress linearly, while in other cultures it may be more natural for several people to be talking at once. Listening skills to deal with different turn-taking rules must be developed. †¢ Gesturing: Hand and arm gesturing can vary quite a bit in different cultural backgrounds. In general, extra gesturing should not necessarily be interpreted as excitement since it can just be an ordinary manner of communication, depending on the speaker. †¢ Facial Expression: Variance in this form of communication is also common, and again it is important to not assume that someone is cold or distressed based solely on one’s own cultural experience.

How The Modern Police Force Has Developed Criminology Essay

How The Modern Police Force Has Developed Criminology Essay This assignment looks at how the modern police force has developed since it was first formed as the Metropolitan Police force and how it has developed to and expanded. Also how the public perceives the police and what they expect from them. In the early 19th century there was very little organisation in the police force, but as London expanded and the population increased the law and order needed to be maintained. Crime and policy came under investigation and in 1828 Sir Robert Peel organised a committee that provided evidence for his new police bill which is the main thing that led to the police force in London becoming organised. The metropolitan police was first organised in 1829 by Sir Robert Peel and Sir Charles Rowan and Richard Mayne are appointed as Justices of the peace who are in charge of the police force. In 1834 the select committee who inquire into how well the police are working within the metropolis area reported that that the metropolitan police force, as respects its influence in repressing crime and the security it has given to persons and property, is one of the most valuable modern institution. In 1836 the metropolitan police take the bow street horse patrol into its ranks. The select committee the n look into affairs of police officers and recommend that the City of London police should be put under the control of the metropolitan police force. In 1838 the select committee recommends that the marine police section and the bow street runners, who were the first organised and paid police force, and the bow street office is also to be disbanded. All of these recommendations came into effect in this year. The dockyard division of the metropolitan police is formed in 1841 and in 42 the detective department is formed. By 1845 the commissioners aim to have one police officer to every 450 people in the population. By the end of the 1840s there was a large scale enrolment into the special constabulary to help the metropolitan police deal with the chartist demonstrations, the strength of the metropolitan police was 5,288 who were able to perform duty and the population of London at the time was 2,473,758. The black marias were used to move prisoners in 1857. In 1862 there was further r ecruitment into the metropolitan police and the X and Y divisions were formed in west London and Y division in the north and later on they patrolled north east London. The standard height is raised to 5ft 8ins except for the dockyard division which is 5ft 7ins. The police strike for the first time in 1872. The police offices at Great Scotland yard are taken into possession on the 4th October 1875 by the detective department. In 1879 Initial rules for dealing with Murder cases, released on 7 June, stated the body must not be moved, nor anything about it or in the room or place interfered with, and the public must be excluded.. there were 13,319 officers in the metropolitan police force by 1885 for a population 5,255,069. The new headquarters are opened at New Scotland Yard in 1890. In 1895 there were certain qualifications that had to be met to join the police which were they had to be over 21 and under 27 when they joined, they also had to be 5ft 9ins tall without shoes, they also h ave to be able to read well and have readable writing, have a reasonable level of intelligence and be in good health. In the last year of the 19th century the metropolitan police force had risen to 16,000 officers to police 7 million people. The finger print bureau started operations in 1901.when the First World War starts in 1914 24,000 special constables were recruited and by the end of the year there were 31,000 and women were also first recruited in this year to police the women who had taken over most of the jobs the men had done. By the end of the First World War there was another strike for more pay and better conditions and recognition of the union. Women started patrolling in 1919 and the flying squad was formed. The police box system was started on an experimental basis. The metropolitan police forensic laboratory is opened in 1935. The 999 system was introduced in 37. In the 60s the police started using vehicles more instead of foot patrols in the form of the panda car. T he headquarters are moved, in 1967, from the Norman Shaw building to Broadway but keeps the name New Scotland Yard. In 1980 the metropolitan Air Support Unit was first formed. In 1997 the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System was installed (N.A.F.I.S). The requirements to join the police has changed drastically since they first came in in 1895. There are no academic requirements, it is open to graduates and non graduates where as before officers had to have good level of reading and writing but because the education system has developed since the 19th century and everyone has to go to school that isnt usually a problem. There is no longer a height requirement for recruits especially know as there are no restrictions on sex or ethnic background to join the police. the age requirement is very broad now as it is 18 and a half -55 years old, where as before it was between 21 and 27 to join. Applicants still have to be reasonably fit and healthy but now have to go through several fitness tests. The entry requirements to join the police now are now more general as it is open to anyone. Police communications started when the telephone was first invented, police phones and boxes were set up in the cities so that police could check in and report crimes. The police boxes were replaced with the police band radio came in several configuration, some had multiple channels, the radio was usually mounted in a panda car and was used to inform and update other officers on patrol. The radio has developed further into the radio system that is used today which is the airwave radio. The airwave radio is a digital and has replaced the analogue radio. There are many benefits of the airwaves radio some of which are there is improved coverage and speech clarity, also improved security and encryptions of communications, national roaming, scope for mobile data applications and improved ability for inter operational communications between the police and other emergency services. The police needed a new radio system because the old one had become out of date and the digital technology pro vides much better coverage and clearer signals. The TETRA technology covers more of the country so there are fewer gaps in the coverage, TETRA can also cope with major incidents when there are going to be many radios being used at the same time without overloading the network. During the Brixton riots the police were not equipped properly to deal with the situation and not only did many officers get injured but they were also forced to use bin lids for protection. The riot gear has since improved and the padded protection covers the body, there are proper helmets with face guards and the shield that are designed to with stand the situation of a riot. Sikhs in the police are not allowed to join the fire arms unit because they cant wear a helmet due to their religious requirements which are the 5 ks. The one that is the problem is the Kesh or uncut hair. Having uncut hair is believed to be a symbol of holiness and strength and is also a symbol of their wish to move beyond concerns of the body. British Police Sikh Association calls on Home Office to develop ballistic material to allow members to join firearms units. Sikh police officers want to have bulletproof turbans made so that they can be in the fire arms unit. In Sikhism men are required to wear a turban but because of the current police safety regulations they have to wear a helmet but they dont fit on top of the turbans and their religion states that they are not allowed to remove the turban. A ballistic material is being developed that would provide a degree of protection when worn so that Sikh police officers can be involved in fire arms operations, although there is an au gment that Sikhs dont have to wear crash helmets when they are riding a bike or motorcycle under the motorcycle crash helmets(religious exemption) act 1976. Research has begun to find the right material for making the bulletproof turban but it needs to pass the Home Offices tests before it can be issued to officers. Tens of thousands of pounds has already been spent to try and find a wear that Sikhs can wear but will also provide an adequate amount of protection, this happened when a Sikh officer applied to join the counter-terrorist operational Support Unit. Police community support officer (PCSO), work on the frontline with the local police force, providing a visible and reassuring presence on the streets and tackling the problem of anti-social behaviour. It is a full time, paid job. PCSOs have different roles in different forces, but they usually patrol a beat and interact with the public, while also offering assistance to police officers at crime scenes and major events. Depending on where they work, they can deal with minor offences, offer early intervention to help stop or slow down people who are committing an offence, provide support to police on the front line, conduct house to house enquiries, guard and monitor crime scenes and provide crime prevention advice to the general public. Although PCSOs do not have the same powers as regular police officers, they still carry a lot of responsibility, and are a critical part of the police force. They do not carry any of the equipment that regular police use like cuffs because they havent had the training and they dont have the right to enforce the law. Police community support officer will work to complement and support regular police officers, providing a visible and accessible uniformed presence to improve the quality of life in the community and offer greater public reassurance. Police community support officers have a unique role that is designed purely to tackle local anti-social behaviour and issues affecting other peopels quality of life. Police Forces continue to support community support officers because they areproviding a visible and regular patrol, unlike neighbourhood wardens, they are employed by the police and have some powers provided by an Act of Parliament to allow them to directly tackle some anti-social behaviour issues. The term moral panics are mainly associated with Stan Cohen, who used it in his book Mods and Rockers in the 60s. Cohens sociology was a mixture of American labelling theory and left wing British sociology which concerns youth and social class. Societies are subjected to periods of moral panic, a condition, episode, person or a group of people can be thought of a threat to a societies values and interests, its nature is stereotypically presented by the media. Sometimes the focus of the panic always around but can suddenly appear in the publics eye and can easily pass on and be forgotten but it can also be of a more serious nature and be kept in the front of the publics mind which can cause changes to be made in legal and social policies. One of the most remembered uses of the term was in Jock Youngs article in 1971 when he talked about the public concern about drug use. Thompson (1998) came up with five stages in a moral panic. One is something or someone that is defined as a threat to values or interests. Two is the threat is shown as a recognisable form by the media. Three is there is a quick build up of public concern. Four is that there is a response from the authorities. Five is the panic recedes or there are results in social changes. Conclusion The police have changed over the years to make them more efficient at their job of protecting the publics life and property. Thing like the new finger print system have helped to catch criminal and reduce the amount of crime. Police cars have made the police more mobile and capable of attending incidences quicker and the radio has made police able to communicate with any other officers with in their force and also they can report incidences and accidents quicker which allow other services to respond which saves more lives and makes the general public feel safer and trust the police with their safety. The police community support officers may not be able to enforce the law like regular officers but they can act as a deterrent because they are someone in uniform which criminals and law breakers would be aware of, they also provide reassurance to they public and can give information to other people making them aware of causes of crime and what the police do to stop it from happening. Th e police are making sure that all the forces have more women and ethnic minorities so that they can relate to the smaller communities who could other wise be less inclined to approach police because they might think of them as racist due to allegations that were made during the 1980s so having women and ethnic minorities working in the police gives the whole police force a more approachable look.

Life And Times Of Alexander The Great Essay -- essays research papers

Life and Times of Alexander the Great Introduction Alexander the great made an impact on world history that few individuals can profess to have done. He ruled all of the known world, and one of the largest empires ever. His men were the first westerners to encounter tales of the Yeti. They even discovered and classified new types of flora and fauna, such as the red mold that grew on their bread while they were in Asia, and made it appear as if it were bleeding. He expanded the Hellenist sphere of influence to the farthest reaches of the globe. When the king of Greece visited the British colony of India around the turn of the century, the colonial government had some native Indian dances displayed for him. He was shocked when he immediately recognized the dances as the same harvest dances that his fellow Greeks performed near Thessalonika. This was the breadth of Alexander's influence on hundreds of different cultures around the world. Throughout the whole of Europe, Asia, and North Africa, stories of this great man have been handed down from generation to generation throughout the centuries. In many cases Alexander has even taken on a superhuman aura, and many unbelievable legends have been based on his life. When Julius Caesar visited Alexandria, he asked to see the body of the greatest warrior of all time-Alexander the Great. Such was Alexander's reputation, able to impress even the powerful Caesar. He was, without a doubt, one of the most remarkable men that ever walked the face of this Earth. And this is the story of his life. The Life and Times of Alexander the Great The story of Alexander the Great is one of courage, genius, and great accomplishment; but it is also somewhat of a bittersweet one, ending with his tragic death during the prime of his life, at thirty-two. Alexander was born to Philip II of Macedon and Olympias, his principal wife, in 356 BCE, mpic Games. Just three years earlier, Philip had ascended to the throne after the death of his older brother, Perdikkas1, and named the city of Philipi after himself. Shortly thereafter, at the age of twenty, he met Olympias at a religious ceremony on the island of Samothrace. Olympias was of the Mystery Religions, and... ... Alexander had at last learned his lesson and began trusting Philip. Philip, though had finally had enough of Ptolemy and the rest of Alexander's friends meddling in Alexander's business, and exiled them from Macedonia "sine die". In Alexander's twentieth year, Philip was ready to begin his conquest of Persia and Asia Minor, but first he had to cement Epeiros's allegiance to him by marrying off Cleopatra (his only daughter from Olympias) to King Alexander of Epeiros. At daybreak the wedding procession began. Twelve of the Greek deities led the procession with Philip following close behind. A man posing as a guard gained access to Philip's entourage and stabbed Philip in the side before anyone could stop him. This man, later identified as Pausanias, had a horse prepared for a quick departure, but as fate would have it, he tripped over a bush, and was transfixed with a spear before he was able to rise to his feet. But there was no helping Philip- he was quite dead. Alexander was a firm believer in the saying, "The king is dead,

Analysis of Spike Lees Do the Right Thing Essay -- Spike Lees Do the

Director and actor Spike Lee presents his "truth" about race relations in his movie Do the Right Thing. The film exhibits the spectacle of black discrimination and racial altercations. Through serious, angry, and loud sounds, Lee stays true to the ethnicity of his characters, all of which reflect their own individualism. Lee uses insulting diction and intense scenes to show how severe racism can lead to violence. The biases reflected through Do the Right Thing model those of today which has kept society in a constant feud for so long. In Oprah Winfrey's dynamic episode, "The Color of Fear", Mr. Mun Wah projects his strong opinion when he states, " . . . that racism is still going on today, that we've got to stop to hear the anguish and the pain that goes with that and then we'll survive." (3) People do not realize the severity of their own words. In the scenes of the movie that emphasize the shocking reality of failed interracial communication, racial stereotyping, trust or l ack of trust, and acrimonious violence mirror the current concerns about race in America as reflected in "The Color Of Fear." The disturbing scene where different nationalities badger their opinions on each other shows poor communication and horrible stereotyping. Pino's Italian slang, Mookies black talk, and Korean obscenities are all mixed together to show how communication grows impossible among different ethnic groups. Spike Lee is trying to show how nonsense language results in a snowball effect which worsens any situation. Lorene Cary states her view on this situation when she comments, "We need more of them, not less; more words . . . What I do want is language: fighting words, love poems, elegance, dissonance, dissing, signifying, alarms, whistles, scholarly texts, political oratory, the works. Without it, we're dead."("As plain as Black and White") Maybe these "fighting words" unlock the truth about the communication plague, spreading throughout history. Leonard P. Zakin once said, " . . . it's all about conversation, not dialogue."("Scaling the Walls of Hatred") Like the characters in Do the Rig ht Thing, present day people can scream at each other all they want and will not get anywhere because outcry is not conversation. Conversation is talking, explaining, discussing, informing, and most definitely listening. Many people do not think twice when a racial slur ... ... trust, and wrongful violence that reflects the existing concerns about racism in America. The intense language and strong gestures enhance the film creating a realistic view for the audience. The actors in "The Color of Fear" and Spike Lee's characters both realize a problem exist, although do not know where to start to fix it. Peter Jennings pinpoints: " . . . There are many valid points of view, many belief systems, . . . bias and prejudice and truth and reality and myth are all mixed together . . . we're all biased in some way . . . You know, I used to think there was something called 'truth'. But after I spent seven years in the Middle East, I learned that there are truths about everything in life."(ABC Classroom Connection, Fall, 1993) Racism did not start with just one person nor one truth. Neither will racism end with one person or truth. I believe it takes a contribution of people, the American nation, to commit willingly. We need to listen and learn, talk and share, and understand the truths that each individual owns. Spike Lee's movie comes across as a brilliant and powerful illustration of how America's condescending behavior impairs our racial society.

History of Tourism Essay

Introduction Tourism is seen as one of the main industries in the world. â€Å"The World Travel and Tourism Council (2001) indicated that tourism creates more than ten percent of the global economic output and 1 in 10 jobs worldwide†. â€Å"Tourism starts with the wealthy, with images of prestigious visits to seaside resorts and spas, Grand Tours and the activities of business enterprisers such as Thomas Cook† (Towner, 1995). This paper describes the history and structure of the travel and tourism industry, the influence of local and national governments and international agencies, local and national economic policy, the effects of supply and demand on the travel and tourism industry and the positive and negative impacts of tourism. History Based on my perception, I would categorize the history of travel & tourism industry in three different time bands as follows: * Before 1945 * 1945-1979 * 1980 to current day Before 1945 In ancient times and approximately till the end of the 16th century people were living in agricultural communities was stationary, seldom moving from the local area and rural community. â€Å"Even with the beginning of the industrial revolution, which was making a slow start in the 18th century in urban and factory development, a richer ‘elite’ class alone enjoyed leisure and travel, while the workers worked in situ. Indeed as industrialization got under way leisure time or holidays where they existed tended to decrease† (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997) Prior to the 1950s, tourism was an industry which was inconsistent; hotels, transport operators, tour operators, travel agents, all tended to work separately. Hotels were mainly in the business to sell bed nights. Railways and airlines were in the business to sell seats, Travel agents, were selling travel and holidays however in each case they tended to work very much independently. Up until 1946, i.e. the period between the world wars, much of international travel  was for the privileged, wealthy and elite groups in society. â€Å"Thomas Cook introduced the first package tour in 1841, but in fact by that time the railways (The first passenger railway (Liverpool and Manchester) opened in 1830) themselves were offering excursion trips, for a traffic which they had not originally expected to carry. The first objective had been carriage of freight, and secondly the provision of faster transport for the current stagecoach travelers at far from cheap prices. The popularity of cheap excursion fares for special events was not expected† (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997) 1945-1979 If we look at the year 1945 as the year in which the development of the main growth in the tourism industry started, we can construct some general explanation concerning to the changes which one can differentiate in the tourism industry. From the mid-1950s onwards, mainly in the UK, the development of tour operators started changing the character of the industry from individual business activities to more integrated activities. â€Å"Hotels, for example, were beginning to see customers as wanting a range of services rather than simply buying accommodation. So hotels began to develop shopping arcades and later to offer secretarial centers in order to increase the spend of guests within the hotel complex. Transport operators, particularly in the airline business, saw the sale of transport services as being integral to a much wider need. Airlines offered insurance and accommodation booking for travelers† (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997) From 1950 onwards a combination of factors, such as increase in free time availability, increase in paid holidays, improvement of package tours, and growth in air transport – all combined to offer a wider possible holiday-taking market. This market was different regarding socioeconomic groups from the pre-1950 era. 1980 to current day By the 1980s several airlines were offering full travel services such as arrangements for holidays, medical services, hiring car, etc. By 1990 the formation of the tourism industry, especially in the United Kingdom and  Europe, was effected by the development of a number of very big companies. â€Å"In the USA, American anti-trust laws discouraged, if not prohibited, the development of large integrated companies†. The experience of American in operational tour has been very different from Europe, mainly compared with the United Kingdom (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997). Air travel improved even more rapidly. Nevertheless, this is only piece of the story, as nonscheduled traffic (charter services) increased considerably as well. â€Å"Making up an estimated 18 per cent of total movement by the 1980s and 50 per cent or more on European routes, where the charter traffic took over the greater part of the holiday movement, as tour operators developed their own services† (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997) Future The tourism business is likely to make important help to global economic development in the twenty first century. The cultural trade and understanding that is brought about through tourism is causing a more peaceful and internationalized universal society. Besides contributing to the expansion and renovation of local economies and communities, tourism development is playing an important role in both enhancing education and improving the position of the tourism business aimed at nurturing the next generation of those ready to take on the tourism business. The Structure of Travel & Tourism Industry This is the Leiper’s model: There are 5 key elements of a tourism system 1. Departing Travelers 2. Traveler Generating Region 3. Transit Route Region 4. Tourist Destination Region 5. Returning Travelers The first is the tourist (the human component), the next 3 components are geographical and organizational and relate to transport, tourist activities and the tourism industry which offers services, goods and facilities for tourists. The last is self explanatory. And the environment: Economic, Technological, Physical, Political, Socio-cultural, legal, etc. There are  some contemporary influences: 1. Changing actions and motivations of markets 2. Changing patterns of tourist flows 3. Require for planned tourism expansion 4. Force for sustainable tourism expansion 5. Concern for social, cultural and economic impacts of tourism The influence of local and national governments and international agencies The position of government is an essential and multipart side of travel and tourism industry, involving policies. State involvement in the trade is a fairly recent practice for central government. In general the state recognizes that the duties of the public sector must cover such matters as health, safety, fair trading and consumer interests and infrastructure in transport such as roads, railways and ports. These are all matters of direct concern to the resident population. There is a mixed record in the provision of leisure facilities, environmental protection and conservation which includes responsibility for the unique cultural heritage, an important part of Europe’s visitor attractions (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997). The state tourism agency, tourist board or government department will have an important role to play in advising on the strategy, offering opportunities to consult and cooperate with a dispersed private sector, and preparing a destination marketing strategy based on an identification of the appropriate markets and their needs and wishes (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997). Based on periodic surveys of the government role by the WTO, the OECD and individual countries, the principal functions of a Ministry of Tourism or of agencies under government control can be summarized as: 1. Research, statistics and planning. 2. Marketing. 3. Development of tourism resources. 4. Regulation, including trade regulation. 5. Training and education. 6. Facilitation/liberalization. Local governments At the local level the regional or local authority has a role similar to that of the central government and in many ways a more comprehensive and important one. Indeed, in the early days of mass travel stimulated by the growth of the railway network, public sector intervention in tourism was solely at the local level. There were no national tourism organizations. The growth of large resorts, pioneered in Britain at the main seaside canters, encouraged the development of local tourism administrations to carry out the responsibilities of the host destination (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997). International organizations There are a number of international bodies, both governmental and nongovernmental, with tourism interests. Government bodies reflect the national government’s interest in, and political will regarding, tourism intervention. In the industrialized countries, the tourism priority tends to be low. Because of the wide range of tourism activity the number of organizations with some concern or responsibility is great, but coordination and often cooperation as at the national level is weak. Furthermore, consultation with industry and operating sectors is often inadequate, as the sector’s voice is weak. The main sector industry bodies inevitably present the case of their own trade, sometimes as in modes of transport in a competitive situation. Thus the collective tourism approach is hard to organize and sustain, even when cooperation at the operating level is effective (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997). United Nations World Tourism Organization The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO/OMT) is a specialized agency of the United ?Nations and the leading international organization in the field of tourism. It serves as a ?global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how (UNWTO 2007:1).? The World Tourism Organization plays a role in promoting the development of responsible, ?sustainable and universally accessible tourism, paying particular attention to the ?interests of developing countries?. The Organization encourages the implementation ?of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, with a view to ensuring that member ?countries, tourist destinations and businesses  maximize the positive economic, ?social and cultural effects of tourism and fully reap its benefits, while minimizing its ?negative social and environmental impacts (www.wikipedia.org). The WTO has made efforts recently to strengthen its links with commercial and non-government partners through its system of affiliate membership which should help in the provision of practical guidance and as a basis for cooperative action (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997). Impact of political change on the travel and tourism industry Tourism growth in many countries has not been this high, in particular those countries were faced with a range of political unstableness that have made happen to hold back development in tourism. The political aspects of tourism are interwoven with its economic consequencestourism is not only a â€Å"continuation of politics† but an integral part of the world’s political economy. In short, tourism is, or can be, a tool used not only for economic but for political means† (Edgell, 1990). IRAN Tourism in Iran before the accession of the theocracy was characterized by a significant numbers of visitors traveling to Iran for its diverse attractions, boasting cultural splendors and a diverse and beautiful landscape suitable for a range of activities. Tourism declined dramatically during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s but has subsequently revived. Since the Iranian revolution in 1979, the majority of visitors to Iran have been religious pilgrims and businesspeople. Official figures do not distinguish between those traveling to Iran for business and those coming for pleasure, and they also include a large number of Diaspora Iranians returning to visit their families in Iran or making pilgrimages to holy Shia sites near Mashhad and elsewhere. Despite the international tensions, the government continues to project strong rises in visitor numbers and tourism revenue over the forecast period, and to talk of projects to build an additional 100 hotels, for example, to expand its currently limited stock. In the early 2000s the industry still faced serious limitations in infrastructure, communications, regulatory norms, and personnel training. In  late 2003 there were about 640 hotels in Iran and around 63,000 beds. Officials state that Iran has in recent years earned about US$1bn a year from tourism. Iran currently ranks 68th in tourism revenues worldwide. Iran with attractive natural and historical sites is rated among the 10 most touristic countries in the world. Close to 1.8% of national employment is generated in the tourism sector which is slated to increase to 10% in the next five years. Weak advertising, unstable regional conditions, a poor public image in some parts of the world, and absence of efficient planning schemes in the tourism sector have all hindered the growth of (www.wikipedia.org). CHINA After Mao’s death, one of the most senior officials who had advocated private plots in the early 1960s, Deng Xiaoping, initiated gradual market reforms that abolished the communes and collectivized industries of Mao, replacing them with the free-market system. Deng’s reforms vastly improved the standard of living of the Chinese people, the competitiveness of the Chinese economy, and caused China to become one of the fastest growing and most important economies in the world. It also led to one of the most rapid industrializations in world history. For this achievement he is sometimes known as â€Å"The Venerated Deng†. As a result of Deng’s reforms, China is widely regarded as a returning superpower. Tourism in China has greatly expanded over the last few decades. The emergence of a newly rich middle class and an easing of restrictions on movement by the Chinese authorities are both fueling this travel boom. China has become one of the world’s most-w atched and hottest outbound tourist markets. The world is on the cusp of a sustained Chinese outbound tourism boom. China is the world’s fourth largest country for inbound tourism. The number of overseas tourists was 55 million in 2007. Foreign exchange income was 41.9 billion U.S. dollars, the world’s fifth largest in 2007. The number of domestic tourists totaled 1.61 billion, with a total income of 777.1 billion yuan. According to the WTO, in 2020, China will become the largest tourist country and the fourth largest for overseas travel. In terms of total outbound travel spending, China is currently ranked fifth and is expected to be the fastest growing in the world from 2006 to 2015, jumping into the number two slot for total travel  spending by 2015 (www.wikipedia.org). The effects of supply and demand on the travel and tourism industry Most studies modeling the demand for tourism have either used visitor arrivals or tourism earnings as a dependent variable (Narayan, 2002). Tourism demand is base on which all tourism related business decisions eventually rest. Companies and governments as a point incase, tour operators, hotels, airlines, and leisure facility providers are interested in the demand for their products by tourists. The accomplishment of many businesses depends completely on the status of tourism demand, and final management collapse is pretty often because of the collapse to meet market demand. Influencing Factors As we all experience the change around us the questions arises how these developments will have an impact on tourism demand. To name just a few categories: * Economy (e.g. from BIP over exchange rates to perceived risk of loosing the job) * Politics (e.g. the enlargement of the EU, taxation, environment) * Crisis and threats (e.g. terrorism, epidemic diseases, earth quakes) * Demographic Change (e.g. age structure, migration, educational level) * Technology (e.g. transport, communication, information) In addition we have to take into account the influences coming from general changes in consumer attitudes and, finally, the tourism industry itself, of course influencing the demand side of tourism (e.g. standardization of products, information channels, (over) capacities and price strategies). All these factors are linked to each other (Lohmann 2004). How can these factors have an impact? Holiday demand is driven by needs, motives, and expectations, its realization depends on the individual economic situation and the freedom to travel. Thus: * External factors may have an impact on tourism demand by affecting the ability to travel (freedom, time, money, fitness) and the motivation to do so. * Consumer Behavior is not a reaction on a single factor but on the whole set of influencing external factors. In addition it is driven by internal factors (e.g. motives, abilities etc.). Thus, the impact of a  change in a single external factor is limited Most of the external factors seem to be in favor for a sound development of tourism demand in Europe in the years to come. However, there are no signs for a general boom (Lohmann 2004). Supply While many tourism studies are focused on the demand side of tourism that is, the tourist, the supply side of the industry is often overlooked. Supply is seen as being modeled by five independent components: attractions, transportation, services, information and promotion. Most important component is the tourism attraction (Gunn, C. A. 1997). The supply of recreation and tourism is a complex combination of natural amenities, recreational sites, access, and private sector business activity which is influenced by an array of factors that act to provide opportunities that satisfy leisure-based travel demands. Measures of recreational site density that account for both physical/geographic size and population, or social capacity are used as key explanatory variables in models of tourism dependence (Marcouiller, Prey, 2004). The Positive and Negative Social and Environmental Impacts of Tourism The range impacts of Tourism include economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts. Impacts could be negative and positive, but should never be undervalued. The conception of sustainability is factored into these tourism impacts, when the size of the impacts turns out to be large enough to intensely change socio-cultural, environmental and economic areas of a tourist destination. Socially tourism has a great influence on the host societies. Tourism can be both a source of international amity, peace and understanding and a destroyer and corrupter of indigenous cultures, a source of ecological destruction, an assault of people’s privacy, dignity, and authenticity. Here are possible positive effects of tourism: * Developing positive attitudes towards each other * Learning about each other’s culture and customs * Reducing negative perceptions and stereotypes * Developing friendships * Developing pride, appreciation, understanding, respect, and tolerance for each other’s culture * Increasing self-esteem of hosts and tourists * Psychological satisfaction with interaction So, social contacts between tourists and local people may result in mutual appreciation, understanding, tolerance, awareness, learning, family bonding respect, and liking. Residents are educated about the outside world without leaving their homes, while their visitors significantly learn about a distinctive culture. Local communities are benefited through contribution by tourism to the improvement of the social infrastructure like schools, libraries, health care institutions, internet cafes, and so on. Besides, if local culture is the base for attracting tourists to the region, it helps to preserve the local traditions and handicrafts which maybe were on the link of the extinction. For example in Uzbekistan, particularly in such famous regions as Samarqand, Buhara, and Horezm tourists contribute significantly to the preservation of traditional handcrafting wood carving, hammered copper work, handmade silk and carpets, and of course to preservation and maintenance of architectural and historical monuments. Since Uzbekistan proclaimed its independence in 1991 many museums and monuments were renovated or opened to promote the national culture and traditions. Growing interest in this culture makes the local people proud of their way of life. On the other side tourism can increase tension, hostility, and suspicion. Claims of tourism as a vital force for peace are exaggerated. Indeed there is little evidence that tourism is drawing the world together (Robinson 1999). In this context economic and social impacts on the local community depend on how much of the incomes generated by tourists go to the host communities. In most all-inclusive package tours more than 80% of travelers’ fees go to the airlines, hotels and other international companies, not to local businessmen and workers. On the other hand large hotel chain restaurants often import food to satisfy foreign visitors and rarely employ local staff for senior management positions, preventing local farmers and workers from reaping the benefit of their presence. Tourism has the power to affect cultural change. Successful development of a resource can lead to numerous negative impacts. Among these are overdevelopment, assimilation, conflict, and artificial  reconstruction. While presenting a culture to tourists may help preserve the culture, it can also dilute or even destroy it. The point is to promote tourism in the region so that it would both give incomes and create respect for the local tradition and culture. There are also both negative and positive impacts of tourism on the local ecology. Tourism often grows into mass-tourism. It leads to the over consumption, pollution, and lack of resources. However, from the ecological point of view tourism is often more acceptable and preferable than any other industrial production, as it is environmentally friendlier (Batir Mirbabayev, Malika Shagazatova, 2007). Conclusion Tourism is widely believed to be the most rapidly growing industry in both developing and developed countries, consider tourism as one means for creating new jobs and reducing unemployment in different regions (Balali, 2009). The history of tourism is one of lumpy expansion, periods of massive growth interrupted by periods of recessions and stagnation (Lickorish, Jenkins, 1997). International travel and tourism is the backbone of globalization and enriches the world in many ways: It promotes economic growth, increases trade, advances development, and creates higher disposable incomes. It also strengthens communities, and, by bringing together people from diverse regions and backgrounds, advances the goals of peace and global understanding. These benefits hold true for developing, emerging, and industrialized countries, and they provide a major platform on which other industries can build (Gross, 2007).