Nitration of Methyl Benzoate

Nitration of Methyl Benzoate Introduction: Nitration is an example of an electrophile aromatic substitution reaction, where nitro (NO2) group is being substituted for a hydrogen on an aromatic compound. This is achieved by the formation of the nitronium ion by protonation of nitric acid from sulfuric acid. The zirconium ion is a strong electrophile and can react with aromatic compound such as Methyl benzoate to form an arenium ion intermediate. The arenium ion is then depronated to reform the aromatic ring and yield the final product with the newly attached nitro group.Reaction: ? Table of Physical Contents: Procedure: Obtain an ice bath. 12 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid was gathered, cooled to 0 degrees Celsius, and put in a 125-ml Erlenmeyer flash. Then 6. 1g of methyl benzoate was added. Then cooled in an ice bath to 0-10 degrees Celsius. A Pasteur pipette was used to add a cooled mixture of 4-mL of concentrated sulfuric acid and 4-mL of concentrated nitric acid. ? Figure 1: H ow to properly use a Pasteur pipette The mixture was then swirled frequently and maintained a temperature of 5C-15C. Figure 2: Swirling the mixture After all of the nitric acid was added the mixture was then warmed to room temperature. After 15 minutes, it was then poured into a 250-mL. The solid product was isolated by suction filtration using a small Buchner funnel. ? Figure3: Labeled vacuum filtration ? Figure 4: Carefully scraping out the crystals A small amount of sample was saved and weighed. Results: ? Figure 5: NMR of the product ? Discussion/Conclusion: The melting point of the recrystallized product was 73-78 degrees Celsius.This was very accurate to that of the book. In this experiment, methyl benzoate went through an electrophilic substitution reaction to form Mehyl-m-nitro benzoate, where a NO2 group was added to the methyl benzoate in the meta position. Nitric acid is not a strong enough electrophile to react with the aromatic benzene ring, but the zirconium ion with t he positive charge on the nitrogen is a strong electrophile and can react with the double bond of the methyl benzoate. The experiment was an overall success.The H NMR data successfully confirmed that the experiment was done correctly. Substances Formula Weight g/mol Quantity Moles Used Mole Ratio Boiling Point Melting Point Density g/mL Concentrated Nitric Acid 63. 01 0. 5mL 1. 192 x 10^-2 N/A N/A 121 1. 5027 Concentrated Sulfuric Acid 98. 08 1. 6mL 3. 0 x 10^-2 N/A N/A N/A 1. 841 Ethanol 46. 07 2-3mL N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Methyl Benzoate 136. 15 0. 55g 4. 039x 10^-3 1 to 1 113-115 N/A N/A Methyl Nitro- Benzoate 181. 13 Product N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Explain the importance of Curley’s Wife in the novel Essay

Plan: * Symbols – red lipstick * Not given a name Curley’s wife may seem an insignificant character because she has not even been given a name by Steinbeck. Her name suggests that she is nothing more than one of Curley’s possessions. When she first appears in the novel, she is dressed up as if she is planning on going out into town, rather than just spending her day wandering around the ranch. The image of her being a sex object is emphasised by the fact that Curley keeps a ‘glove fulla Vaseline’, for her benefit. However, Curley’s wife is influential to the book as she characterises loneliness, the longing for the American dream, danger and sexism. Her appearances in the novel are extremely important at they change the entire mood of the scene in which she appears in. We see that the first time we are introduced to Curley’s wife, she is heavily made up; â€Å"full, rouged lips†, â€Å"red fingernails† and â€Å"red mules†. The colour red symbolises danger and sexiness, and the fact that she is wearing these items creates a sense of foreboding that she will be the cause of George and Lennie’s failure to achieve their dream of having their own plot of land. Another symbol is shown by â€Å"the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off†. This immediately creates a sense of danger and doom in the reader’s mind due to the absence of light. However, we can see that the reason for Curley’s wife being flirtatious is because she wants to get away from the loneliness that surrounds her. By flirting, it means she can communicate with other men who otherwise would not talk to her because they do not want any trouble with Curley. However, by being flirtatious, she actually increases the hostility of the other men on the ranch as they become suspicious. We can see that she tells Lennie; â€Å"I get lonely†¦Ain’t I got the right to talk to nobody?† However, she then explains the reason behind her flirtatious nature; â€Å"I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad.† However, we actually see that the marriage between them is already starting to break down because Curley thinks that his wife is â€Å"givin Slim the eye†. Curley’s wife is also important as she conveys the theme of sexism. We see that Curley, who keeps his hand soft for her, regards her as a sexual object. Instead of showing any consideration towards his wife, Curley only wants to increase his sexual prowess. The only way in which Curley’s wife can talk to other men is by; â€Å"dolling up†. However, when she does this, they talk even less to her, driving her behaviour further. Therefore, she remains excluded from everyone. We even see that Whit regards Susy higher than Curley’s wife; â€Å"a laugh† and â€Å"hell of a nice place†. This is a rare time when any woman in the novel is actually shown any kindness, and a complement. Curely’s wife, as with many of the other characters, wants to live out the American dream; â€Å"Coulda been in the movies†. It is this dream that drives and compels her to carry on with her otherwise miserable life on the ranch. However, her sudden death shatters her only hope of being able to get away from ranch life, where she is clearly not happy. We can see that the shattering of her dream is mirrored exactly by the death of Lennie, ending the dream for George and Candy. This shows that because she failed living the American dream, it is an ominous foreboding of the fate for George and Lennie. Curley’s wife also plays an essential part in the novel, as she plays crucial parts in changing the mood of the scene. When she is first introduced, hope created by the arrival of Candy is wiped out and the reader gets an ominous warning, which is emphasised by George’s caution to Lennie; â€Å"you keep away from her†¦jail bait†. Furthermore, when Curley’s wife arrives in chapter four, the excited mood created by wanting to achieve the American dream, changes to a more melancholy mood. We can see that because Curley’s wife is lonely all the time, she has turned into a spiteful and vicious person; â€Å"a nigger and a dum dum an’ a lousy ol’ sheep†.

Linden Hills and the Struggles That Come with I

There are three ways Luther Nedeed is simultaneously a positive and negative role model for young men who represent the ages of Willie and Lester. First, Luther Nedeed believes in the importance of family but while doing so, he destroys many people, especially his wife and son. This is important because it shows that people can feel a certain way, but in the end, actions speak louder than words. Second, Luther Nedeed inspires hope and shows that the American dream is possible but while achieving this dream, it causes some people to sell themselves out.This is significant because it shows that if the prize to achieve the dream is the loss of one’s soul or compromise of one’s standards, the price is too high to pay. Third, Nedeed wants to preserve the integrity and value of Linden Hills but the power he holds goes to his head and he begins to care more about himself than others. This is relevant because life holds the most meaning and opportunity for personal satisfaction in the connections people make with one another and without those, the missing human element will destroy the individuals that choose to turn their backs on society, and therefore, humanity itself.Luther Nedeed believes in the importance of family but while doing so, he destroys many people, especially his wife and son. Luther shows us that he believes in this because he is upholding the Nedeed tradition of working to take care of Linden Hills and creating offspring to take over for him when he passes away. Luther also shows us his belief in family when he thinks about how lonely he is on Christmas and wishes his wife was there with him enjoying the holiday and everything that comes with it.This makes Luther a positive role model because young men who represent the ages of Willie and Lester need to know that family is important. Family will always be there for you, and if you don’t keep them around, you’re going to face some difficult situations later in life without much help. Even though Luther believes family is important, he contradicts himself by destroying people, especially his wife and son. When his son was born, he was light-skinned so he banished him and his wife into the basement where his son would die of starvation.He also ruined Laurel Dumont after her husband left her by telling her that her lease was no longer valid and she had to leave. As a result, Laurel commits suicide by jumping into an empty swimming pool. This is the negative side of this coin. Young men such as Willie and Lester do not need to see people ruining other people’s lives. They need to realize that what they say and preach should be how they act. Unfortunately, Luther fails to do that. Luther Nedeed inspires hope and shows that the American dream is possible.Linden Hills is an affluent black community where many people strive to live because of its fame and what it immediately does to your status once you move in. The Nedeed family started from scratch, one of them with just a cardboard suitcase and a dream, another one who poured cement for numerous foundations, and another who gambled every dime to keep the community afloat during the Depression. Young men who represent the ages of Wilie and Lester need to know that if you work hard enough, the American dream is achievable.It shows them that you must work hard and if you work hard enough, your opportunity may come one day. However, the American dream will cause some people to sell themselves out. By creating Linden Hills and maintaining it, Luther Nedeed has created monsters in the people who will do anything and everything they can to rise to fame and live in Linden Hills. For example, Lester’s sister, who idolizes Eleanor Roosevelt and Diane Ross, and who had enrolled in black history classes in college, now employs bleaching cream and hair relaxer.Her dream is to have a good marriage in Linden Hills. Maxwell Smith, who is a high-ranking executive at General Motors, has achieved perfect physical control of himself and the environment around him. He says that he spends every waking moment trying to be no color at all. This makes Luther a negative role model because people are foregoing their moral standards and values. They are giving everything up to gain that status and young men such as Willie and Lester need to know that the price for that is too high to pay.Luther Nedeed wants to preserve the integrity and value of Linden Hills. He tries to preserve the integrity by writing leases that are good for one thousand years and a day, which will preserve the family tradition for a long time. He tries to protect his wealth and inheritance by working to make Linden Hills better and by making sure that a lease can only be passed down to one’s children or sold to another black family. This is important for young men who represent the age of Willie and Lester to see because it shows one’s loyalty and sense of pride to something.In this case, for Luther, it’s Linden Hills. For someone else, it may be their child, their house, their car, or anything else that they hold true to their heart and love. People need to be loyal to certain things in life and must do everything they can to preserve traditions and values. However, the negative side of Luther comes out becausehis power goes to head and he begins to care more about himself than others. For example, he doesn’t care what type of wife he marries and has a child with.He selects one who he feels will produce a good offspring, bears a child with her, and then has no sexual contact with her thereafter. He also opposes a low-income housing project planned for Putney Wayne, which is a neighboring black ghetto and proposes to join forces with the racist Wayne County Citizens Alliance so property values would not decline. Although this would help black people, Luther is against it because all he cares about is himself and what he loves.People such as Willie and L ester need to recognize this and know that you have to balance what you love and your feelings for others and society. You cannot turn your back on society and mankind because all you care about is yourself and your future. Those who represent the ages of Willie and Lester need to realize that life holds the most meaning and opportunity for personal satisfaction in the connections people make with one another and without those, the missing human element will destroy the individuals that choose to turn their backs on society, and therefore, humanity itself.Luther’s actions eventually did come back to haunt him in the end, specifically his decision to banish his wife and son into the basement. Willa eventually comes up due to an accidental unlocking of the basement door bolt and when she does, a struggle ensues and the house along with everything and everyone inside of it burns to death. All of these actions and decisions show that there are different ways Luther Nedeed is simu ltaneously a positive and negative role model for young men who represent the ages of Willie and Lester.First, Luther Nedeed believes in the importance of family but while doing so, he destroys many people, especially his wife and son. This is important because it shows that people can feel a certain way, but in the end, actions speak louder than words. Second, Luther Nedeed inspires hope and shows that the American dream is possible but while achieving this dream, it causes some people to sell themselves out. This is significant because it shows that if the prize to achieve the dream is the loss of one’s soul or compromise of one’s standards, the price is too high to pay.Third, Nedeed wants to preserve the integrity and value of Linden Hills but the power he holds goes to his head and he begins to care more about himself than others. This is relevant because life holds the most meaning and opportunity for personal satisfaction in the connections people make with one a nother and without those, the missing human element will destroy the individuals that choose to turn their backs on society, and therefore, humanity itself.

Heimlich Maneuver Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Heimlich Maneuver - Essay Example A rescuer should apply Heimlich maneuver only when he notices that the choking person is not able to talk or cough, is holding on to his throat which could signal difficulty in breathing or when the victim’s lips turn blue indicating that he is unable to breathe. As a general rule, one has to contact 911 before the emergency method is given just in case further treatment is needed. After observing any of the aforementioned signs, explain to the victim that you are going to help him clear his airway by applying the Heimlich maneuver. The rescuer then helps the victim on his feet and move behind him making a fist with one hand and placing it on the victim’s belly button and anchoring it with the other hand. He should make five quick upward thrusts, in a J-like movement to allow air to push the obstruction from the airway. Check to see if the obstruction is dislodged, if not, repeat the process. When the victim coughs, stop the procedure because this would indicate that the victim is able to breathe. In case the blockage is not removed and the victim losses consciousness, help the victim down to the floor carefully and let him lie down on prone position, that is, his back on the floor. The rescuer should continue to attempt dislodging the obstruction until professional help arrives. He should let air move up to the victim’s windpipe to get the foreign object out of the airway.

Global warminig Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global warminig - Essay Example Greenhouse effect has caused a lot of uncertainties and therefore most governments have signed the Kyoto Protocol aimed at controlling the greenhouse gas emission.2 Global warming is mainly caused by the greenhouse gases. The main greenhouse gas causing it water which is in vapor form which account for 30%-70% of the greenhouse effect, others are carbon dioxide which accounts for 9%-26%, methane, ozone and sulfate aerosols. Carbon dioxide and methane production have increased by 149% and 31% since 1750.3 Scientists have agreed that this is mainly due to mans activity of poor land management, especially due to cutting down of trees. The issue of industrial revolution has also lead increased carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Other causes of global warming are the natural and internal processes on the earth's surface such as the solar activity and volcanic emission. Meaning that even if mans activity could cease, global ceasing could still continue.4 Global warming cause water to evaporate into the atmosphere and since water is a greenhouse gas it leads to more increased global warming. This cause the cycle to continue. The result is that the humidity is increased. Global warming has caused the temperatures on the earth surface to rise and this has made the earth more inhabitable.

National cash Register Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

National cash Register Company - Essay Example It can be viewed that over 300000 NCR ATMs are installed throughout the globe. In order to upgrade ATM’s security, NCR created a software solution to implement in all of its ATM machines. At the same time, Korala Associates Ltd. (KAL) argued to have created a comparable security up-gradation for NCR’s ATMs. For developing such software, KAL has entered into agreement with NCR in the year 1998 (the â€Å"1998 Agreement†). Thus, in order to facilitate such process, NCR had financed KAL a property ATM which involved copyright software known as APTRA XFS (Gehrke & Associates, S.C., â€Å"United States Court Of Appeals For The Sixth Circuit†). ISSUE: NCR assumed that KAL had obtained access to make unauthorized use of the copyrighted software and claimed that KAL had involved in unlawful copying of APTRRA XFS software. NCR further claimed that KAL has developed its version of security upgradation only by engaging in this unauthorized activity. NCR brought a sui t claiming copyright infringement against KAL (Gehrke & Associates, S.C., â€Å"United States Court Of Appeals For The Sixth Circuit†). Law: The court stated that the dispute amid the parties not only rely upon the scope of the arbitration clause, but also remains much focus upon determining whether claims would be ruled under the arbitration clause of the contract. ... im to be decided by arbitration because it wanted to seek remedy against the intentional act of breaching its licensing agreement (the 1998 agreement) by KAL and also because infringement of NCR’s copyright in APTRA XFS software which would be dispositive to this claim. It can be affirmed that NCR could have a claim that KAL engaged in unfair competition because KAL indulged in conducting unethical business practices through misusing misused trade secrets and other valuable property information (Gehrke & Associates, S.C., â€Å"United States Court Of Appeals For The Sixth Circuit†). AMERICAN NEEDLE, INC .V. NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (CASE 28.1) FACTS: The National Football league (NFL) includes thirty two independently owned qualified football teams. Every team possess name, logo and colors along with own associated intellectual property. In 1963, the teams created National Football League Properties (NFLP) to build up license and promote their trademarked objects includ ing caps and jersey. NFLP has approved licenses to number of traders allowing them to produce and sell clothes embedding team insignias. American Needle, Inc was one of the licensees. In the year 2000, NFLP approved Reebok International Ltd an absolute ten year license to produce and trade trademarked headwear for entire thirty two teams. Thereafter, it refused to refurbish license of American Needle (Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L., â€Å"Supreme Court of the United States†). ISSUE: American Needle filed a suit in a federal district court claiming that the contract involving the NFL, the NFLP, its teams and Reebok infringed Sections 1 and 2 articulated in Sherman Act. Law: In response, the defendants affirmed that they were unable of work against within the section 1 â€Å"because they are single

Evaluate the problems and improvement of performance management system Essay

Evaluate the problems and improvement of performance management system implementation - Essay Example In order to understand the concept of performance management system, it is critical to analyze its general regards in performance. There is a consideration of the process of performance management as a cycle in general performance planning, performance coaching, and performance appraisal and performance feedback. The overall purpose of performance management is to ensure that the organization is working together with its subsystems in an optimum fashion to achieve the firm’s goals. Given the low rating of the performance management system among employees, it is necessary to undertake a thorough analysis to realize the reason for the low ratings. Therefore, this research focuses on the performance management system in the organization internal context. In the main body, the study puts forward the problems arising in the designing and implementation of a performance management system. The paper does this by separately considering the problems that can arise in the design of a performance management system and then follows this with an explanation of problems that can arise in the implementation of the system. Further, the paper evaluates measures that can lead to improvement in the performance management system. The article aims at contributing to the development of the performance management system through exploring the problems of the performance management system in the practical application. Designing and the implementation of the performance management system are not an easy task and require a combined of effort by the Human Resource Managers. There are a number of potential challenges encountered in achieving a fit that is best for the organization and ensuring an effective and efficient implementation of Performance Management System. Some of the intricate problems that can occur in the design of performance management

Secular Humanism and the Infringement of Religious Civil Liberties Research Paper

Secular Humanism and the Infringement of Religious Civil Liberties - Research Paper Example Mainstream humanism has an uncertain relationship to religion. From one perspective, it declares that religion, fundamentally, is an outdated anti-modern method for relating people to the universe, however then again, its totalistic world perspective makes it a practical likeness conventional religious perspectives1. This clash over its religious status lies at the heart of late discussions over mainstream humanism and makes it hard to sort the position as either a religion or reasoning. Extensively, humanism might be arranged as a sensation of the advanced time that has pulled in the consideration and investment essential of scholarly people in the West. At the point when acknowledged singularly as an erudite world view, it incorporates the general investigative, philosophical, and religious viewpoints of current Western scholars. In numerous regards, it is the belief system of advancement. As a religious perspective, a few researchers have likened it with a summed up "religion of p opular government," the American common religion. Nonetheless, this article treats humanism all the more barely, as a social development attached to nineteenth-century free thought bunches and to twentieth-century liberal religions. Contingent upon the particular accentuations of unique humanists, they may call themselves religious, common, naturalistic, moral, or investigative2. Generally, humanists reject belief in a higher power and supernaturalism and stress mankinds obligation regarding its prosperity. This humanism should not be confounded with Renaissance humanism, artistic "new humanism," or Christian humanism, all of which have a few focuses in just the same as it in any case, all things considered, stem from totally distinctive roots and hold very diverse presumptions about the way of individuals and the world. The idea of mainstream humanism emerged by method for diverge from the prior expressly religious humanism upheld by the American Unitarians in the 1920s and

Globalisation and the International Business Environment Essay

Globalisation and the International Business Environment - Essay Example 64-65) as the opposite of localisation; it is the process of adapting products for use outside the home nation (think steering wheels in cars or Chinese versions of Windows). Firms must internationalise if they want to sell to markets outside their home country, because foreign markets have different cultures, needs and wants, demanding that firms make adjustments to products and services, organisational structures, leadership and people systems, and supply chains, amongst others. In a landmark paper on the topic, Whitley (1994) observed that the post-war internationalisation process of firms was primarily driven by increases in foreign direct investment by transnational (or multinational) enterprises. This led to increased interdependence of the industrialised economies and changes in the world economy with the following characteristics: (1) the establishment of a distinct global system of coordination and competition, (2) the denationalisation of leading firms, and (3) the international standardisation of managerial structures and practices. It can be said that the natural progression from internationalisation to interdependence and greater integration of the world economy resulted in the complex phenomenon that we now call "globalisation". Globalisation is a concept that is best described than defined because of its complexity. A simple definition, like "globalisation is the integration of the world economy, reshaping business, reordering lives, creating social classes, different jobs, unimaginable wealth, and wretched poverty" (Micklethwait and Wooldridge, 2000, p. xvi), would not do justice to the term because it focuses too much on the economic aspect. Globalisation is much more than just money, business, and wealth. As Stiglitz (2002, p. 9-10) described it, globalisation "integrates countries and peoples, their economies and politics, their cultures and fates. It breaks down artificial barriers to the flow of goods, services, capital, knowledge, ideas, and (to a lesser extent) peoples across borders. It creates new institutions that joined with existing ones to work across borders". There are then good and bad sides, so whilst many condemn environmental degradation, corruption of cultures, and the spread of squalor, poverty, misery, and greed, many also praise the improved access to cheaper medicines and food, better living conditions, gradual eradication of poverty, and increased opportunities for millions of people around the globe. Therefore, whilst many consider internationalisation and globalisation as synonymous terms, the former would refer to an outward process where firms adapt to and increase their presence in international markets, whilst the latter can be described simply as its natural integrating result. Globalisation is nothing new, but in its past incarnations, the inability of previous generations to manage its bad side has made it a factor that led to two of the bloodiest wars that mankind has ever experienced. Knowing this background reminds us of what the philosopher Santayana said about learning the lessons of history so that we would not be doomed to repeat it. Main Drivers of Globalisation Like success which has many fathers, globalisation (according to whoever is the author) has many drivers (Yip, 2003; Johnson et al., 2003; Stiglitz, 2002; Micklethwait et al., 2000; Porter, 1990) that we can summarily classify into five groups. These drivers are the key

History of nursing development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

History of nursing development - Case Study Example A major revolution in knowledge took place in 1950s when nurses started identifying and shaping necessary requirements for a separate knowledge body thanks to emergence, articulation and investigation of theories in nursing. Modern knowledge in nursing emphasizes research based on clinical questions, definition of concepts as well as variables, control of conditions and accurate instrumentation. According to (Thomas 1997) cited in Winters and Ballou, (2004), science can be defined broadly as â€Å"an intellectual process using all available mental and physical resources to better understand, explain, quantitate and predict normal as well as unusual natural phenomena.† This applied to nursing then it qualifies as a science and this way it is able to meet client requirements in biological, psychological and social terms. As a discipline, nursing utilizes both philosophical and scientific forms of inquiry; it combines social, empirical and applied elements of science and this because it concerns with both general and individual human experiences as well as the relationship between nurses and clients. It is therefore very important for nursing to stand out as an independent body of knowledge in science. Doctoral education in nursing will help prepare nursing scientists with better knowledge and skill to eradicate sources and impacts of scientific error in the field. Nurs es of today are not being cross trained with other fields, goals and research methods in nursing have become clearer. Therefore continuous support for extensive research at the level of PHD alongside peer review evaluation will effectively see the discipline do away with errors. In conclusion therefore the body of knowledge categorized as nursing has evolved over time and continues to improve for better service. It was initially viewed as subordinate with a lot of borrowed knowledge, later grow to formulate own theories and now is concerned with the whole human body hence

The Things That Make Me Who I Am Essay Example for Free

The Things That Make Me Who I Am Essay I believe that my culture is the most important thing that shows who I am and who I will always be. Growing up in a small community like Barrow, has brought me closer to my Inupiat culture because I am always surrounded by my family and others of my kind. In my culture, I was taught that our values and traditions are most important because they are what keep us alive and strong. My culture is centered around family, community ties, nature, traditional song and motion dances, and language. My late grandparents, who I called â€Å"aapa and aaka,† taught me a lot about my culture and where I come from. I am especially thankful for my grandpa taking me out camping at his cabin up river every year since I was four years old. My grandpa was the one who taught me how to live off and survive nature. While at camp, we are away from today’s modern life and we bring back the old ways of living. One summer at camp my dad thought I was old enough to learn how to shoot a real gun. I was 14 years old with a 270 rifle in my hands shooting at coffee cans at 100 yards range. The next day my shoulder was bruised. Since I hit the can with most of the shots, I now had to learn to shoot at caribou. In that day, I had caught my first two caribou. The first one was easy because it was still, but the second was a challenge because it was running, but with only one bullet left in the rifle, I killed it. I was also taught how to butcher, prepare and cook the meat. When we returned from camp that summer, I also caught my first bearded seals and I learned how to drive a boat. The thing I enjoy the most about my culture is the traditional songs and motion dances. I have been learning motion dances since I was three years old and as a member of the Suurimaanitchuat dance group, I am still learning . A cultures language is the main thing that holds it together, because without a language there is no culture. My grandparents were the ones who spoke to me in the Inupiat language, now that they are gone I don’t hear it as much as I used to. Since they’ve been gone, I’ve done my best to keep the language with me by taking Inupiat classes in school and listening to my parents conversate in Inupiaq. I am proud of myself because now I know a lot more and understand my language. I believe that these are the things that make me who I am. My culture is my family, my home, my attitude, and my looks. That is who I am and who I will always be.

Population Seven Billion Essay Example for Free

Population Seven Billion Essay There will soon be seven billion people on the planet. By 2045, the global population is projected to reach nine billion. Can the planet take the strain? The first attempt to estimate the human population may have been carried out by Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek in the 17th century. Based on his calculations, Leeuwenhoek concluded triumphantly, there could not be more than 13.385 billion people on Earth a small number indeed compared with the 150 billion sperm cells of a single codfish. Historians now estimate that in Leeuwenhoek’s day, there were only half a billion or so humans on Earth. After rising very slowly for millennia, the number was just starting to take off. A century and a half later, when another scientist reported the discovery of human egg cells, the world’s population had doubled to more than a billion. A century after that, around 1930, it had doubled again to two billion. The acceleration since then has been astounding. Before the 20th century, no human had lived through a doubling of the human population, but there are people alive today who have seen it triple. According to the U.N. Population Division, by the end of 2011, there will be seven billion of us. The population explosion, though it is slowing, is far from over. Not only are people living longer, but so many women across the world are now in their childbearing years 1.8 billion that the global population will keep growing for another few decades at least, even though each woman is having fewer children than she would have had a generation ago. U.N. demographers project that the population may reach nine billion by the year 2045. The eventual tally will depend on the choices individual couples make when they engage in that most intimate of human acts, the one Leeuwenhoek interrupted so carelessly for the sake of science. With the population still growing by about 80 million each year, it is hard not to be alarmed. Right now on Earth, water tables are falling, soil is eroding, glaciers are melting, and fish stocks are vanishing. If developing countries follow the path blazed by wealthy countries such as clearing  forests, burning coal and oil, scattering fertilizers and pesticides, they too will be stepping hard on the planet’s natural resources. How exactly is this going to work? At certain time periods in history, a high fertility rate was important. In 18th-century Europe or early 20th-century Asia, when the average woman had six children, she was doing what it took to replace herself and her mate, because most of those children never reached adulthood. When child mortality declines, couples eventually have fewer children but that transition usually takes a generation at the very least. Today in developed countries, an average of 2.1 births per woman would maintain a steady population; in the developing world, â€Å"replacement fertility† is somewhat higher. In the time it takes for the birth-rate to settle into that new balance with the death rate, population explodes. The good news is high fertility rates currently only occur in around 16 per cent of the world’s population and mostly in Africa, according to Hania Zlotnik, director of the UN Population Division. In most of the world, however, family size has shrunk dramatically. The UN projects that the world will reach replacement fertility by 2030. â€Å"The population as a whole is on a path toward non-explosion which is good news,† Zlotnik says. The bad news is 2030 is two decades away and the largest generation of adolescents in history will then be entering their childbearing years. Even if each of those women has only two children, population will coast upward under its own momentum for another quarter of a century. One thing is certain: close to one in six of them will live in India. The goal in India should not be reducing fertility or population, Almas Ali of the Population Foundation told me when I spoke to him a few days later. â€Å"The goal should be to make the villages liveable,† he said. â€Å"Whenever we talk of population in India, even today, what comes to our mind is the increasing numbers and these numbers are looked at with fright. This phobia has penetrated the mind-set so much that all the focus is on reducing the number.† The Annual meeting of the Population Association of America (PAA) is one of the premier gatherings of the world’s demographers. Last April the  global population explosion was not on the agenda. â€Å"The problem has become a bit passà ©,† Hervà © Le Bras says. Demographers are generally confident that by the second half of this century we will be ending one unique era in history the population explosion and entering another, in which population will level out or even fall. From this, one can also draw a different conclusion, that fixating on population numbers is not the best way to confront the future. The number of people does matter, of course, but how people consume resources matters a lot more. The central challenge for the future of people and the planet is how to raise more of us out of poverty while reducing the impact each of us has on the planet.

Relating Critical Incident To Communication Theory And Knowledge Nursing Essay

Relating Critical Incident To Communication Theory And Knowledge Nursing Essay The aim of this report is to look at a critical incident that occurred in placement and relate this to the theory and knowledge regarding communication and interpersonal skills, so as to demonstrate an understanding of my views on the art and science of reflection and the issues surrounding reflective practice Reflection is part of reflective practice and a skill that is developed. It can be seen as a way of adjusting to life as a qualified healthcare professional and enhancing the development of a professional identity (Atwal Jones, 2009). Reflection is defined as a process of reviewing an experience which involves description, analysis and evaluation to enhance learning in practice (Rolfe et al 2001).  This is supported by Fleming (2006), who described it as a process of reasoned thought. It enables the practitioner to critically assess self and their approach to practice. Reflective practice is advocated in healthcare as a learning process that encourages self-evaluation with subsequent professional development planning (Zuzelo, 2010). Reflective practice has been identified as one of the key ways in which we can learn from our experiences. The incident that was chosen was so for the reasons that the situation made the student aware of inadequacies on his own part and those of the staff on the team, which made him reflect upon the situation and how this could be learned from, so as not to make the same mistake again. Before the critical incident is examined it is important to look at what a critical incident is and why it is important to nursing practice. Girot (1997), cited in Maslin-Prothero, (1997) states that critical incidents are a means of exploring a certain situation in practice and recognising what has been learned from the situation. Benner (1984, cited by Kacperek, 1997) argues that nurses cannot increase or develop their knowledge to its full potential unless they examine their own practice. Confidentiality will be maintained as required by the Nursing Midwifery Council Code (NMC, 2008).    MODELS In order to provide a framework for methods, practices and processes for building knowledge from practice, there are several models of reflection available. All can help to direct individual reflection. Reflective models, however, are not meant to be used as a rigid set of questions to be answered but to give some structure and encourage making a record of the activity. Johns (2004) model reflects on uncovering the knowledge behind the incident and the actions of others present. It is a good tool for thinking, exploring ideas, clarifying opinions and supports learning. Another model, Schon (1987), however, identifies two types of reflection that can be applied in healthcare, Reflection-in-action and Reflection-on-action. Reflection-in-action can also be described as thinking whilst doing. Reflection-on-action involves revisiting experiences and further analysing them to improve skills and enhance future practice. Terry Bortons (1970) 3 stem questions:  What?,  So What?  and  Now What?  were developed by John Driscoll in 1994, 2000 and 2007. Driscoll matched the 3 questions to the stages of an  experiential learning cycle, and added trigger questions that can be used to complete the cycle. However, Driscoll (2006) notes that reflective practice is often represented as a choice for health professionals, whether to be reflective or not to be, about their clinical practice. Finally, Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle is fairly straightforward and encourages a clear description of the situation, analysis of feelings, evaluation of the experience, analysis to make sense of the experience, conclusion where other options are considered and reflection upon experience to examine what one would do if the situation arose again. In spite of all these models advantages, there are known barriers which prevent practitioners being able to reflect effectively and time plays a huge role. Smyth (2004) questions whether there is any time to think and be reflective because of the busy work environment that practitioners are involved in. CHOSEN MODEL In this report, I have chosen to use Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1988) as a framework, because it focuses on different aspects of an experience and allows the learner to revisit the event fully. Gibbs (1988) will help me to explore the experience further, using a staged framework as guidance and I feel that this is a simple model, which is well structured and easy to use at this early stage in my course. This model comprises of a process that helps the individual look at a situation and think about their thoughts and feelings at the time of the incident; and consists of six stages to complete one cycle. Its cyclical nature starts with a description of the situation. This includes e.g. where were you; who else was there; why were you there; what were you doing; what were other people doing. Next is to analysis of the feelings that is, trying to recall and explore those things that were going on inside your head? The third stage is an evaluation of the experience; making a judgement regarding the reasons behind the event and its possible consequences. The fourth stage is an analysis to make sense of the experience. At this stage the event is broken down into its component parts so they can be explored separately. The fifth stage is a conclusion of what else could I have done; the creation of insight through the reflective process towards individual roles within the event being considered. And final stage is an action plan to prepare if the situation arose again. That is, recognitions leading towards behavioural adjustments where faced with similar events in the future (NHS, 2006). The use of this model represents a fundamental shift from the ideas of Kolb in that Gibbs model specifically refers to the key processes within reflection itself, rather than as reflection as a process within general learning. Reflective practice can mean taking our experiences as an initial point for our learning and developing practice (Jasper, 2003). Many literatures have been written in the past that suggest the use of reflective assignments and journaling as tools to improve reflection and thinking skills in healthcare (Chapman et al, 2008). Reflective journals are an ideal way to be actively involved in learning (Millinkovic Field, 2005) and can be implemented to allow practitioners to record events and document their thoughts and actions on daily situations, and how this may affect their future practice (Williams Wessel, 2004). The experience gained in this can then be used to deal with other situations in a professional manner. By contemplating it thus, I am able to appreciate it and guided to where future development work is required. Context of incident In the scenario the patients name will be given as Xst.   Ã‚  The consequences of my actions for the client will be explained and how they might have been improved, including what I learned from the experience. My feelings about the clinical skills used to manage the clients care will be established and my new understanding of the situation especially in relation to evidence based practice will be considered.   I will finally reflect on what actions I will take in order to ensure my continued professional development and learning.    Xst is 55 year old woman who has a 10 year old daughter.   She suffers from psychiatric problems, lack of motivation and has difficulties in maintaining her personal hygiene and the cleanliness of her flat. She was one of my mentors clients to whom I had been assigned to coordinate and oversee her care under supervision. Nurses owe their patients a duty of care and are expected to offer a high standard of care based on current best practise, (NMC 2008).   Ã‚   Description Xst had been prescribed Risperidone Consta 37.5mg fortnightly, which is a moderate medication. Risperidone belongs to a group of medicines called antipsychotic, which are usually used to help treat people with schizophrenia and similar condition such as psychosis. Xst did not like attending depot clinic and she missed three consecutive appointments. My mentor decided after the third non-attendance to raise the issue in the handover meeting where it was decided to see Xst in the morning but when we arrived she was not there. We left a note for her to call the office. We did not hear from her and a further home visit was carried out to arrange for her next depot clinic appointment. I was asked to call a meeting of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) who, at the meeting agreed that there would be a problem if the next injections were missed. At the next clinic, we waited for about an hour but she failed to attend. At a subsequent meeting with the patient, she agreed a joint visit with the CPN, my mentor and me to re-assess her condition and consider if it was necessary to   Ã‚  refer her case to the Consultant. I was given the opportunity to participate in the assessment, which showed that her behaviour was very unpredictable and very forgetful. Her inability to take her medication and to manage her personal hygiene clearly demonstrated that she was not well and indeed, had no insight into her illness and was in denial (Barker, 2004). However, the patient had been very upset because of the lack of communication and interpersonal skills that the staff and the student had displayed. I talked to Xst about her non-concordance with her medication, whilst stroking her hand but she persisted in saying she was well.   I reminded her that continuous use of the medication would benefit her mental health and protect her against relapse.   We agreed that she could discuss this with the doctor on her next outpatient appointment, with the option of reviewing or reducing her medication. I stressed the importance of her communicating any side effects or reservations she may have about the medication to doctor. She appeared to understand this and following the discussion, she finally complied with her depot injection. Feeling During the handover, I was nervous as I felt uncomfortable about giving feedback to the whole team. I was worried about making mistakes during my handover that could lead to inappropriate care being given to Xst or could cause her readmission to hospital. As a student nurse I felt I lacked the necessary experience to be passing information to a group of qualified staff members.   However, I dealt with the situation with outward calm and in a professional manner. I was very pleased that my mentor was available during the handover to offer me support and this increased my confidence. Evaluation What was good about the experience was that I was able to carry out the initial assessment and identify what caused Xst failure to comply with the treatment regime.   From my assessment I documented the outcome and related what had happened to the MDT with minimal assistance. Accurate documentation of patients care and treatment should communicate to other members of the team in order to provide continuity of care (NMC, 2008).   The experience has improved my communication skills immensely, I felt supported throughout the handover by my mentor who was constantly involved when I missed out any information. Thomas et al, (1997) explains that supervision is an important development tool for all learners. The team were very supportive throughout the process as they took my information without doubt.   What was not good about the experience was the fact that my mentor had not informed me that I was going to handover the information; as a result I had not mentally prepared myself for it.   I also felt that I needed more time to observe other professionals in the team carrying out their handovers before I attempted to carry out mine.   During the first MDT meeting, I felt that we did not provide enough time to freely interact with Xst to identify other psychosocial needs that could impact on her health. However, in any event, she was unable to fully engage because of her mental state. Turley (2000) suggests that nursing staff should include their interaction with the patient when recording assessment details, which can be used to provide evidence for future planning and delivery of care. Dougherty and Lister (2004) have suggested that healthcare professionals should use listening as part of assessing patient problems, needs and resources.      Analysis The literature regarding communication and interpersonal skills is vast and extensive. Upon reading a small amount of the vast literature available, the author was able to analyse the incident, and look at how badly this situation was handled. I realised communication is the main key in the nursing profession as suggested by Long (1999) who states that interpersonal skills are a form of tool that is necessary for effective communication. The behaviour of the person listening to the person who is talking is important during the interpersonal process (Burnard, 1992).The author used touch to convey support, genuineness and empathy, which is essential for the helping relationship (Betts, 2002, cited in Kenworthy et al, 2002). Carl Rogers (1967, cited by Betts, 2002, in Kenworthy et al, 2002) recommended three principal conditions necessary for effective counseling: empathic understanding, congruence or genuineness and unconditional positive regard. The terms genuineness and congruence ar e used interchangeably and used to describe the helper always being real in the helping relationship (Betts, 2002, cited in Kenworthy et al, 2002). I found it difficult to communicate with the patient initially because I did not understand her condition (  Adams,2008). It was also difficult for me not to take her behaviour to heart and show emotion at the time and thought this to be a failure. Even though the NMC (2008) maintains that nurses have a responsibility to empower patient in their care and to identify and minimise risk to patient, the principle of beneficence (to do well) must be balanced against no maleficence (doing no harm) (Beauchamp and Childress, 2001).   All these transactions were recorded in Xsts care plan file and on computer. Good record keeping is an integral part of nursing and midwifery practice, and is essential to the provision of safe and effective care. It is not an optional extra to be fitted in if circumstances allow NMC (2009).   The consequences of my actions for the patient and her daughter were that she attended to her daughters needs and to her personal hygiene, and made regular fortnight ly visits to the clinic. Her mental condition was improved. She was allowed to continue on her moderate medication and she did not have to be readmitted in the hospital. However, Bulman Schutz (2008) argue that this failure is to educate and for us to learn from practice and develop thinking skills. I would agree with them, as I learn best from practical experience, and build on it to improve my skills. With this is mind, I am now going to focus on my weaknesses, in both theory and practice, and state how, when and why I plan to improve on these. Through effective communication I was able to convince Xst of the need to take her medication. I was able to pass on the information to the MDT for continuity of care.     Roger et al (2003) concluded that communication is an on-going process but can be a difficult process when dealing with mental health problems.  Whilst talking I attempted to use Egans SOLER (Egan, 1990, cited in Burnard, 1992).The SOLER acronym is an aid to identifying and remembering the behaviours that should be implemented in order to promote effective listening (Burnard, 1992). I Sat facing Xst; assumed an Open posture; Leaned towards Xst slightly (in order to express interest); maintained Eye contact and attempted to appear Relaxed, as advised by Egan. During the handover I was pleased that the MDT members were supportive and interested in what I was saying and they asked questions. My mentor explained that a patient with schizophrenia can often behave like this as they develop dementia, which Noble (2007) also confirms. Since the incident I have read about schizophrenia and I am now aware that the patients expressionless face Netdoctor (2008), also made her comments appear more confusing and aggressive. Conclusion   In conclusion, I have learnt that through effective communication, any problem can be solved regardless of the environment, circumstances or its complexity.  Therefore, nurses must ensure they are effective communicators.   I have identified the weaknesses that should be turned to strengths. I am now working on strengthening my assertiveness, confidence and communication skills. Participating in the care of Xst I have realised that a good background information and feedback about mental health problems before providing care to clients can assist in accurate diagnosis and progress monitoring.  Ã‚   A good relationship between client and staff nurse is therapeutic and help in building trust.   This can be achieved by a free communication that allows the client to express their feelings and concern without the fear of intimidation.   From the experience, I feel the knowledge I have acquired will aid me in future practice should such situation arise again. Action Plan So that I could identify my strengths and weaknesses in both theory and practice easily, I found that the use of a SWOT analysis provided a good framework to follow. I have then built on this by producing a development plan that focuses on my weaknesses and how, when and why I plan to improve on them. I will now begin to work on these, the main reason being of course, that I am determined to be a competent, professional nurse in the future. I am now more prepared for any future patients with this disease as I have researched it. I will take the time to talk to them, to make sure they are at ease with me, before providing any care. If they appear distressed I would get another member of staff to help me to reassure them. Learning Need To improve my knowledge about patients illnesses and the risks of relapse associated with not taking medication. To identify and have good background information and feedback about patients mental health problems before providing care to them. To ensure a good rapport exist between my patient and I, in order to build up a therapeutic relationship with them and to gain their trust. To have effective communication with the patients and other members of the multidisciplinary team and being prepared. Planned action to meet these learning needs I aim to read books about different illnesses and causes of relapse and to read my patients notes. I will be talking with senior members of staff and allocating time to talk to patients and their relatives and participating in the ward round. Finally, I will have regular meetings with my clients. Target time to meet the learning needs I hope by the end of third year and some will be on-going skills to develop throughout the training. CONCLUSION I have clearly demonstrated that by using a reflective model as a guide, I have been able to break down, make sense of, and learn from my experience during my placement. At the time of the incident I felt very inadequate It was also difficult for me not to take her behaviour to heart and show emotion at the time, it is clear that this is an area I need to build on for the future. Nursing requires effective preparation so that we can care competently, with knowledge and professional skills being developed over a professional lifetime. One way this can be achieved is through what some writers refers to as technical rationality, where professionals are problem solvers that select technical means best suited to particular purposes. Problems are solved by applying theory and technique. The invaluable use of non-verbal communication has now become clearer to the author. The author believes he has become more self-aware regarding his own non-verbal communication and hopes that in the future he will use his communication skills to become a better advocate for the patient in his care.

Affirmative Action Essay -- American Government, Minorities

â€Å"It is not about assuring equality of opportunity but artificially that is, judicially enforcing equality of outcome† (Williams 69). John F. Kennedy first introduced the term affirmative action during the era of the Cold War and the civil rights movement. The term is defined as integration of different race, sex, and country of origin into universities and employment (Ana 30). The beginning of affirmative action started with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by the Johnson Administration. The Civil Rights Act allowed African Americans to attend desegregated schools and become eligible to vote. The 1971 Philadelphia Plan was implemented by the Nixon administration, which called for quota systems to ensure that a certain number of underrepresented races are met to achieve what is called â€Å"diversity.† By the late 1970s, it was extended to college admissions where controversy surrounding the use of affirmative action was in question by whites and the Supreme Court. Alth ough many college admissions officials feel that affirmative action is the only way to promote diversity, these policies should not be used as a deciding factor in college admissions because they are a form of reverse discrimination, hurtful to students, and unconstitutional in law. Affirmative action was introduced as a way to promote diversity and ensure fairness. College admissions officials feel as if the only way to achieve diversity in their campuses is to discriminate overrepresented ethnic groups such as Caucasians and Asians for minorities of African American and Native American background. An example of the use of reverse discrimination was the University of Michigan-Ann Harbor admissions policy. On December 14, 2000, The New York Times did an article on the proce... ...sures fairness to all because students who graduate in the top ten are researched to have higher grades and graduation rates. The ten percent law has improved economic and geographical diversity because it draws the top students out of every part of Texas. The Austin Campus now has 853 high schools, previously 616, represented in the university. The Hispanic population has increased by 29% while the African American population has increased by 32% (Texas 8). The program also allows equal opportunity for all races because in order to have the benefit of attending the best schools in Texas, graduating in the top ten is a necessity. George W. Bush even stated that race-neutral policies are more successful than the policies of affirmative action. Affirmative action is an issue that needs to be educated to people because it affects everyone at some point in their life.

Comparing Judgment Day in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and O’Conno

Judgment Day in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and O’Connor’s Revelation Mankind is plagued by pride. Humans constantly compare themselves to one another and adjust their pride according to their observation of themselves in the world around them. Those who believe in an afterlife often incorporate their view of themselves and their morality into their perception of how they will be judged in the afterlife. Fyodor Dostoevsky and Flannery O’Connor, as writers and believers in the Christian religion, portray two characters that envision how they will be judged on judgment day. In â€Å"Dostoevskian Vision in Flannery O’Connor’s ‘Revelation,’† Norman McMillan effectively argues that O’Connor’s â€Å"Revelation† and the chapter about Marmeladov’s vision in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment share striking similarities in their themes and the experiences of their characters. In order to effectively draw the similarities of the two themes, McMillan supports his interpretation of the theme by accurately characterizing Marmeladov and setting the scene for Marmeladov’s vision in Part I, Chapter 2 of Crime and Punishment. As a responsible critic, McMillan must present the details of this chapter and name the theme in order to compare it with the theme of â€Å"Revelation.† A list of adjectives and actions that characterize Marmeladov and a description of Marmeladov’s circumstances help the reader understand the theme apparent in his vision of â€Å"that day ‘when God will call forth the blessed to be with him in Paradise’† (McMillan 17). Marmeladov is identified as a low-life in an utterly destitute position who acknowledges his own degradation. McMillan includes the actual text about Marmeladov’s vision to support his interpretation of t... ...truly is through an act of violence. Gradually, like Marmeladov, she realizes that on judgment day, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. O’Connor and Dostoevsky developed two pieces of literature that inevitably awaken their readers. All their readers must face their own pride and prejudice both in relating with the characters’ feelings and admitting their own feeling of superiority over these flawed characters. Both of these brilliant writers effectively strike their readers with their shared idea that it is only by the grace of God that anyone can be saved. Works Cited McMillan, Norman. Flannery O’Connor Bulletin: Department of English and Speech. Milledgeville, GA: Georgia College, 1987. O’Connor, Flannery. The Complete Stories. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1971. PID 8047 4 Marlow Engl. 12. Sect. 37

The Impact of Restoration Comedy on Theatre :: European History

The Impact of Restoration Comedy on Theatre Shortly after the glory days of Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre, a Puritanical movement led by Oliver Cromwell gained control of Parliament. Cromwell ethics did not extend to cover the moral extravagance of theatre. Under the guise of public health and safety, Parliament ordered the closing of all theatres on September 2, 1642. Such dirty public areas were the perfect breeding ground for the spreading of plague. Actors were left with two options, join Charles I in the civil war against Cromwell, or defy the law and continue performing. Then, in 1649, Charles lost his head, establishing the new Commonwealth. In 1653, Cromwell disbanded Parliament and named himself Lord High Protector. During these days of political chaos, a new underground theater evolved. This new theatre was an extremely risky venture. Any actor caught performing would be imprisoned. Box office receipts would be confiscated for the Commonwealth. Enormous fines would be levied against any daring to sit in an audience. Entire playhouses would be destroyed, their interiors gutted or exteriors burned. Theatre faced extinction. It became an obsequious art, catering to Cromwell's strict moral code. Killigrew would survive, and eventually form the Theatre Royal, but he lived in constant fear. Davenant worked through legal channels to produce theatre Cromwell could not dispute. His pieces were simple, more opera then play, and propaganda for the Commonwealth. Interestingly, the first woman to appear on the British stage did so in this time, in Davenant's The Siege of Rhodes. He began pushing the envelope, uncomfortable in his new sycophantic role. He renewed his ties to the British aristocracy, exiled to France. He befriended Charles II, and when the young king made his triu mphant return to power, Davenant was given the monopoly on all theatre in London. He shared this power with his old friend Thomas Killigrew. Under their guidance, the theatre exploded back into being. Those who had remained in England during the Commonwealth had faced years of strict moral repression. Those who fled to France had acquired some of the decadence bred across the channel. In combination, these two forces created a nation of wealthy, witty, amoral hedonists. Their theatre reflected their lifestyles. Thus was born the Restoration Tragedy and the Comedy of Manners. The tragedies were broad, sweeping tales of great heroism. The aristocracy liked to picture themselves in these far off lands, being oh so noble and eloquent.

Critique of The Law of Apostasy in Islam Essay

In 1924 Samuel Zwemer wrote The Law of Apostasy in Islam as a response to several books and articles that claimed there is no punishment in Islam for apostate Muslims. Zwemer quotes Khwajah Kemal-ud-Din who wrote in his book India in the Balance, â€Å"in Islam there is no penalty for apostasy† and Mohammed Ali’s English translation of The Koran â€Å"neither here nor anywhere else in the Holy Koran is there even a hint of the infliction of capital or any other punishment on the apostate. † Zwemer disputes these claims and tries to prove his contention that there is a long history of punishing apostates throughout the Muslim world (Zwemer 8-9). Zwemer was a missionary for the Christian Dutch Reformed church in the Middle East during the latter part of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. The people he worked with and tried to convert to Christianity were Muslims. Zwemer begins his argument in the chapter â€Å"Why so Few Moslem Converts† by citing numerous cases where Muslims practiced punishment and ostracism against apostate Muslims, that is, Muslims who had converted to Christianity. The incidents described are anecdotal and deal with specific examples where apostate Muslims underwent punishment or discrimination at the hands of practicing Muslims. Assuming, for the sake of argument, Zwemer is correct and such practices occurred, Zwemer still does not disprove either of the statements quoted above. What Zwemer â€Å"proves† is that some Muslims were punished, nothing more. He has not proven the Koran supports such practices. The title of this chapter must give the reader pause; it does not seem to be the title of an intellectual argument, but more like a defense of his and other missionaries efforts while working among Muslims. Apparently he had concluded the reason for his lack of success was due to fear of punishment by other Muslims, not because he was a bad missionary, or because the tenets of Islam were more convincing to people in the region than the principles in Christianity (Zwemer 15-29). In the chapter two â€Å"The Law of Apostasy† Zwemer quotes three passages of the Koran that he claims indicate an official sanctioning of punishment of apostates. Zwemer is unconvincing. The phrase â€Å"take from them [apostate Muslims] neither patron or help (IV. 90, 91) and alleges that the standard commentary of Baidhawi, whoever that is, means â€Å"take and kill him wheresoever you find ye find him, like any other infidel (Zwemer 33). It appears Baidhawi has chosen an interpretation that is not justified from the original text. He treats the other passages in a similar fashion, interpreting them to mean apostates should be killed or punished, when a more straightforward interpretation does not imply his conclusion. Zwemer errs in at least two fashions. First he appears to equate evidence that indicates punishment has been administered against apostates indicates the sanction of such actions by the teaching of Islam. This is not the case. Throughout history there are far too many examples where common practices were either directly prohibited by official policies or were not addressed by these policies. This does not indicate official policies authorized such actions. Secondly, Zwemer’s evidence is largely either anecdotal or demand such contrived interpretations of the Koran as to unconvincing. Consequently The Law of Apostasy in Islam does not prove that punishment for apostate Muslims is a tenant of Islam. Works Cited Zwemer, Samuel M. The Law of Apostasy. London: Marshall Brothers Ltd, n. d.

Child Labour Essay

Lots has been said about child labour and in these reports there are clearly stated concerns about the effects of child labour on children‘s academic performance and its long run impact on human capital development. Situations where children of school going age are engaged in active work, does it at the expense of school. The situation existed even before Ghana attained her independence in 1957. Generally, attendance rates for males are higher than that of females but the differences are minimal because they all are geared towards the downfall of society. Often there is a mismatch between school calendar or timetable and household duties (e.g. fetching water, collecting firewood, cooking, caring for younger siblings and sick family members) resulting in some children not being able to attend school. In Ghana the cooperative effort of the government, voluntary agencies and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have employed their resources into improving the lot of children especially in northern Ghana. The objectives of the UN‘s MDG compact, which are reflected in the original poverty reduction proposals of Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy, included raising the access of all the nation‘s children and youth to a defined minimum of basic education, irrespective of the economic circumstances of their parents or guardians. Child labourers lack concentration in class, end up producing bad results which could lead to school drop outs. One of the immediate consequences is streetism, a spear header of E. Sutherland‘s Differential Association- a process whereby deviance or crime is learned from others. This negative phenomenon puts the Ghanaian society in a pathological state since the impact will be an astronomical increase in crime rate. There is the need for further interventions if this problem of child labour would be reduced to the barest minimum in Ghana and especially in the study area. The impact of this phenomenon is diversified in nature and need multi-faceted solutions. In light of the above issues the problem of child labour in the study area needs to be given more attention. Though a lot of studies have been conducted about the problem it still persists. In order to address it there is the need to have a clear understanding of the nature, causes and trends of child labour. The effects of child labour on children‘s academic performance calls for further investigations. Research Questions In view of the above discussion, four questions are posed which the study will seek to address: †¢ What child labour is and how widespread is the phenomenon of child labour in Madina? †¢ Which factors influence family‘s decision to subject the child to work in the study area? †¢ How does child labour affect children‘s academic performance in the study area? †¢ How can the problem be addressed by different stakeholders? Objectives of the study The broad objective of this study is to investigate and understand the dynamics of child labour, assess the extent to which it has affected children‘s academic performance in the study area and to propose policy recommendations to improve human capital development which is a key to national development. The specific objectives of the study include the following: †¢ To examine what child labour is and how widespread the phenomenon of child labour is in Madina. †¢ Some factors that cause child labour in the study area. †¢ The effects of child labour on academic performance in the study area. †¢ To give recommendations to inform policy to mitigate the activities of child labour. HYPOTHESIS The higher the engagement in child labour, the poorer you perform academically. Theoretical Framework Theory on Child Labour Over the years many theoretical perspectives of child labour have been propounded. Some of the more common models which try to explain child labour are the household bargaining models. Bargaining models may be of two distinct kinds, depending on who the agents involved i n the bargaining are. Intra-household bargaining models – whose main agenda is often not child labour but general household behaviour – assume that the bargaining occurs within the family between parents and the child (children). Solutions to these models usually specify that a child‘s labour supply depends on the adult wages and child‘s wage that prevail on the market. In the extra household approach, it is assumed that children have negligible bargaining power in households, and are basically an instrument for the parents‘ maximization of utility. These models usually treat employers and parents of the children as the two main factors involved in the bargaining process. These models- especially the extra-household bargaining model – sharply contrast with altruist models of child labour, in which the parents are altruistically concerned with the child‘s welfare. Furthermore, the altruistic class of models is differentiated from bargaining models, as they assume multiple equilibriums. Foremost among the altruistic models is presented in Basu and Van (1998), which provides a framework for investigating how child labour and adult labour are interdependent in economic activity and under what conditions child labour emerges in the labour market. The main findings in their paper are essentially derived from two axioms referred to as the ―Luxuryâ€â€" and ―Substitutionâ€â€" axioms, respectively. Luxury Axiom: A family sends the children to the labour market only if the family‘s income from non-child labour sources drops below the subsistence level. Substitution Axiom: Child labour and adult labour are substitutes from a firm‘s point of view. Basu and Van (1998) show that there exist two multiple equilibriums in which (1) both adults and children work with low wages (―badâ€â€" equilibrium) and (2) only adults work with high wages (―goodâ€â€" equilibrium). At the ―goodâ€â€" equilibrium in which adult wages are above the subsistence level, parents have no incentive to send children to work according to the Luxury Axiom. In contrast, when the economy stays at the bad equilibrium in which adult wages are below the subsistence level, adults have to send children to work to sustain the household. In this model, a household resource is the important factor in the determination of child labour. Other models exploring multiple equilibriums have looked at the relationship between child labour and social norms, and also at the question of income redistribution. The dynamic consequences of child labour are likely to be significant since an increase in child labour frequently causes a decline in the acquisition of human capital. The issue of child labour in Ghana and in Madina of the Ga-East district in particular lends itself to the ―bad economyâ€â€" explanations that compel parents to send their children out to work to supplement family income. The theoretical underpinning of this study is on the Substitution Axiom where children work to supplement the inadequate income of the family. This from the functionalist point of view, child labour has a function to perform for the survival of the family. Theory on Academic performance A kwon thesis we can talk about is Martin Ford‘s motivational systems theory (MST). This framework focuses on the individual as the unit of analysis, but lodges the individual in the biological, social, and environmental contexts that are crucial to development. MST attempts to describe the development of the whole person-in-context, in much the same way a biologist might describe an individual plant and its relation to its immediate ecological niche, as well as the larger ecosystems in which it resides (Pintrich & Schunk, 1996). Ford proposed a simple mathematical formula that attempts to represent all these factors in one model. The formula for effective person-in-context functioning is: Achievement = (Motivation x Skill ) x Responsive Environment Biological Structure The formula proposes that actual ―achievement and competence are the products of a motivated, skillful, and biologically capable person interacting with a responsive environmentâ€â€" (Ford, 1992, p.70). The motivational systems theory does not attempt to replace any of the existing theories. Instead, it attempts to organize the various motivational constructs from different theories into one model. The main constructs are self-efficacy beliefs, the role of expectancy, and goal orientation. The formula suggests that in any behaviour episode, there are four major prerequisites for effective functioning: 1. The person must have the motivation needed to initiate and maintain the activity until the goal directing the episode is attained. 2. The person must have the skill necessary to construct and execute a pattern of activity that will produce the desired result. 3. The person‘s biological structure and functioning must be able to support the operation of the motivation and skill components. 4. The person must have the cooperation of a responsive environment that will facilitate progress towards the goal (Ford, 1992). Thus, how students deal with their studies or attain their academic goals and how they cope with or accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers does not depend solely on their biological disposition but has social or environmental contributions. This could be in the form of an achievement motivation or sociocultural factors such as family background, teaching skills and accessibility. Other theory like the individual difference theory also explains academic performance. Individual difference in academic performance has been linked to differences in intelligent and personality. Students with higher mental ability as demonstrated by IQ tests (quick learners) and those who are higher in conscientiousness (linked to effort and achievement motivation) tend to achieve highly in academic settings. A recent meta-analysis suggested that mental curiosity (as measured by typical intellectual engagement) has an important influence on academic performance in addition to intelligence and conscientiousness. The above frameworks portray a relationship between child labour and academic performance. LITERATURE REVIEW There is no single universally accepted definition of child labour. Child labour is regarded as a social construct which differs by actors, history, context and purpose (Weston, 2005). There are differences in what constitute child labour. For example, the World Bank describes child labour as a â€â€"serious threat‘ from the pointof view of the harm it can do to long term national investment (Weston, 2005). The ILO relates the phenomenon to the harm done to children by their current engagement in certain types of economic activity. UNICEF emphasizes that the issue goes way beyond the concerns of investment or its relation to economic activity, and includes several aspects of domestic work which conflicts with the best interest of the child (Huebler, 2006).There are many dimensions and views of the phenomenon but much emphasis will be placed on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and United Nations Children‘s Fund‘s (UNICEF) views on the subject. The UNICEF Concept and Definition of Child Labour UNICEF has expanded the ILO definition of child labour by emphasizing the importance of domestic work by children, that is, in addition to economic work. UNICEF defines child labour as follows: Children 5 -11 years engaged in any economic activity, or 28 hours or more domestic work per week; Children 12-14 years engaged in any economic activity (except light work for less than 14 hours per week), or 28 hours or more domestic work per week; Children 15-17 years engaged in any hazardous work. The UNICEF definition has the advantage of theoretically capturing all work that children do. The definition of UNICEF provides a good indicator of child labour that is harmful to a child’s physical or mental development. However, it is of limited value for an analysis of the trade -off between work and school attendance. The ILO Concept and Definition of Child Labour The ILO concept of child labour is derived from the ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138 of 1973, which sets 15 years as the general minimum age for employment. Any work in violation of Convention No. 138 is considered illegal child labour that should be eliminated. ILO introduces a distinction between child work, which may be acceptable, and child labour, which needs to be eliminated. In this regard, four groups of children engaged in work/labour are identified: Children at work Children engaged in child labour, including all economically active children 5 to 11 years of age; economically active children aged 12 to 14 years, except those doing light work only for less than 14 hours per week; and, children aged 15 to 17 years engaged in any type of hazardous work. Children in hazardous work, that is, work that will likely harm the health, safety, or moral development of a child. In addition to children working in mines, construction or other hazardous activities, this group includes all children below 18 years of age who work 43 hours or more per week. Children in unconditional worst forms of child labour, as defined by ILO Convention No. 182. This includes children in forced or bonded labour, armed conflict, prostitution and pornography, and illicit activities. There are two points to note in this view of the ILO. Firstly, the first group covers activities that might be regarded as positive from an ILO perspective. The second and third groups cover child labour that deserves to be eliminated, and the fourth group requires an urgent action for elimination. Children under five years of age who are not included in these four groups are generally considered too young to be working. Secondly, the ILO definition covers only economic activity, that is, work related to the production of goods and services. Domestic work – such as cooking, cleaning, or caring for children – is ignored. The major criticism of this definition is that it is narrow as it underestimates the burden of work on children, especially for girls, who are more likely than boys to perform work in a household (Gibbons, Huebler, and Loaiza, 2005). Operational Definition of Child Labour For the purpose of this study, child labour is defined as any activity, economic or non -economic, performed by a child, that is either too dangerous or hazardous and/or for which the child is too small to perform and that has the potential to negatively affect his/her health, education, moral and normal development. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE The variable academic performance could also be definition specific. For example from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Academic achievement or (academic) performance is the outcome of education — the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals. Academic achievement is commonly measured by examinations or continuous assessment but there is no general agreement on how it is best tested or which aspects are most important — procedural knowledge such as skills or declarative knowledge such as facts. In California, academic achievement is measured by the Academic Performance Index. However, in Ghana academic performance is measured by the record of marks or grades obtained after a test or an examinations. History of Child Labour Child labour is not a just discovered phenomenon. It has existed in every part of the world since ancient times. In more recent history, it emerged as an issue during the industrial revolution when children were forced to work in dangerous conditions for up to 12 hours a day. In 1860, 50% of children in England between the age of 5 and 15 years were working. In England and Scotland in 1788, two-thirds of the workers in 143 water-powered cotton mills were described as children. In 1919, the world began to address the issue of child labour and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopted standards to eliminate it. Throughout the 20th Century, a number of legally binding agreements and international conventions were adopted but in spite of these, child labour continues to this day. The highest number of child labourers is in the Asia Pacific region but the largest percentage of children working, as proportion of the child population, is found in sub-Saharan Africa. Child labour is still common in some parts of the world, it can be factory work, mining, prostitution, quarrying, agriculture, helping in the parents’ business, having one’s own small business (for example selling food), or doing odd jobs. Some children work as guides for tourists, sometimes combined with bringing in business for shops and restaurants (where they may also work as waiters).In Ghana, which Madina is no exception, most child labour occurs in the informal sector, it includes selling many things on the streets and in market places such as; ice water, chewing gums, poly sacks, ―soboloâ€â€", door mats, kerosene, scrubs, etc. Causes of Child Labour Poverty is the main determinant of child labour supply, and that child labour significantly increases the income and the probability of survival of the family. Basu and Van (1998) argue that the primary cause of child labour is parental poverty. That being so, they caution against the use of a legislative ban against child labour, and argue that it should be used only when there is reason to believe that a ban on child labour will cause adult wages to rise and so compensate adequately the households of the poor children. The contribution of children is most of the time critical since children are sent to work when parents‘ earnings are insufficient to guarantee the survival of the family, or are insecure so that child labour is used as a means of minimizing the impact of possible job loss, failed harvest and other shocks on the family‘s income stream. Poor households also tend to have more children, and with large families there is a greater likelihood that children will work and have lower school attendance and completion. ILO (2006) observes that while poverty is almost always a context for the early entry of children into regular work and into child labour, poverty can also be a function of access to labour markets and income-raising activities, family members of working age not having appropriate skills to match market needs in the area where they live, family members low educational levels, unemployment in the area where the family lives, conflict, illness or natural disaster having taken away the breadwinner of the family leaving a dependent household with no-one to depend on.. Many children live in areas that do not have adequate school facilities, so they are compelled to work. Odonkor (2007) claims ―rural parents should rather be seen as people dissatisfied with the education system than as illiterates ignorant of the value of educationâ€â€". The results of a study conducted confirmed that because of the low quality of education, difficulties in access and also the uncertainty of finding an adequate job after graduation, parents have developed a coping strategy by which they send some of their children to school and the others help in fishing, farming or other economic activities. Where education is mandatory, available and understood as important, the proportion of child labour is lower. Poverty may not be the main cause but certainly an important cause that influences a lot in child labour. Why would a child prefer to get an education or go to school when staying in work can make him eat on that day? Or even worse, not even have the opportunity of choice between attending schools or work (UNICEF, 2008). EFFECTS OF CHILD LABOUR According to a research conducted by the ILO‘s 2002 global estimates on child labour, close to half of all working children are enrolled in school. Child labour interferes with education. Either school attendance is foregone in favour of work, or learning is inefficient, either because the children are not allowed to spend time doing their homework or because they are unable to pay proper attention in school because of fatigue (Canagarajah, & Nielsen, 1999). UNICEF‘s study in Ghana and a review of similar studies by the ILO have shown that work has a detrimental effect on learning achievements in the key areas of language and mathematics. Heady (2003) also found that working children in Ghana spent an average of one hour per week less in school. According to Gibbons et al (2003) child labour is associated with higher repetition and dropout rates. Child labour competes with school attendance and proficiency, children sent to work do not accumulate (or under-accumulate) human capital, missing the opportunity to enhance their productivity and future earnings capacity. This lowers the wage of their future families, and increases the probability of their offspring being sent to work. In this way poverty and child labour is passed on from generation to generation. Child labour not only prevents children from acquiring the skills and education they need for a better future, it also perpetuates poverty and affects national economies through losses in competitiveness, productivity and potential income. (ILO, 2006) demonstrate that early entry into the labour force reduces lifetime earnings by 13 -20 per cent, increasing significantly the probability of being poor later in life. There is a general agreement that some trade-off between children in labour and human capital accumulation takes place. With respect to school attendance and progress, full-time jobs have the worst impact on children‘s future productivity. Part-time jobs, especially those that are physically very demanding, also disrupt education since children are too tired to participate adequately at school activities or to study at home. The age of entry into the labour force is also important in this context: the younger the child enters the labour force, the less human capital he/she will be able to accumulate. Child labour seriously undermines efforts to provide children with the necessary st knowledge and skills to meet the challenges of the 21 Century. The long term effect of child labour on the nation is enor mous and need to be addressed. Efforts in addressing the problem of child labour Ghana‘s Labour Laws and Regulations prohibit child labour, putting the minimum age of employment at 15 in consonance with ILO Standards and Regulations. Ghana has also ratified the OAU Charter on the Rights of the Child. The Constitution guarantees the child in Ghana to be protected from engaging in any work that is considered injurious to his or her health, education and/or development. The Government enacted, in December 1998, the Children‘s Act, which seeks to protect the rights of children, including the right of education, health and shelter. The establishment of the Ghana National Commission on Children (GNCC) under the Ministry of Women and Children‘s Affairs (MOWAC) in 2001 was also to oversee the welfare and development of children, and to coordinate services which would aim at promoting the rights of the child. Poverty is considered a major determinant of child labour in Ghana. To lessen the effect of poverty on the Ghanaian child there was the need of policy interventions by the government. Over the years, Ghana has developed several poverty reduction strategies and one of such strategies is the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy for 2006 through 2009 (GPRS II) is to achieve ―the status of a middle-income economy by the year 2015 within a decentralized democratic environmentâ€â€" characterized by an increase in per capita income and an improvement in living standards (Republic of Ghana 2005:5). The GPRS II indicated that priority will be given to special programmes to combat the worst forms of child labour under which the government is implementing the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) programme to support families to fight against child labour. To qualify for the LEAP programme, all the household children of school age should be enrolled in schools and that no child should be trafficked or is engaged in any of the worst forms of l abour. The ILO has been campaigning to end child labour since the organization was founded in 1919. The ILO doctrine on child labour states that labour carried out by children of 15 years or younger under conditions which stifle their physical, psychological and intellectual development must be eliminated. Today, the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) is the ILO’s main instrument on child labour. These conventions, applies to all sectors of economic activity. The ILO’s ongoing offensive against child labour includes a technical cooperation programme designed to help countries build up a permanent capacity to address the problem. Launched in 1992, the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) fosters the development of an effective partnership between government services, employers’ organizations, trade unions, non-governmental organizations and other interested parties including universities and members of the media. As early as 1921, the ILO passed the first Minimum Age Convention, the world has attempted to protect children‘s right to an education and to prevent any child labour which would prejudice their school attendance.(Gibbons et al, 2003). Since 1990, with the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the child‘s right to be protected from ―any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child‘s educationâ€â€" (Article 32) and his or her right, on an equal, nondiscriminatory basis to ―primary education compulsory and available free to allâ€â€" (Article 28) have gained the status of internationally recognised norms, while imposing an obligation on the 192 states parties to the Convention to realise these rights for the children under their jurisdiction. In the year 2000, children were provided further protection through the entry into force of ILO Convention 182, which was ratified by 150 countries as of May 2004. Convention 182 prohibits the worst forms of child labour, defined as all forms of slavery and similar practices; child prostitution and pornography; illicit activities (in particular the production and trafficking of drugs); and work that is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children. The International Labour Organization‘s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) was created in 1992 with the overall goal of the progressive elimination of child labour, which was to be achieved through strengthening the capacity of countries to deal with the problem and promoting a worldwide movement to combat child labour. IPEC currently has operations in 88 countries, with an annual expenditure on technical cooperation projects that reached over US$61 million in 2008. It is the largest programme of its kind globally and the biggest single operational programme of the ILO. The number and range of IPEC‘s partners have expanded over the years and now include employers‘ and workers‘ organizations, other international and government agencies, private businesses, community-based organizations, NGOs, the media, parliamentarians, the judiciary, universities, religious groups and, of course, children and their families. All these interventions by government and NGOs are geared towards finding solutions to the child labour problem. Challenges in addressing the problem Firstly, assuming a successful reduction in child labour both in the formal and informal economy, this notion relies crucially on the fact that lower child labour means higher schooling, which is not at all automatic. According to UNICEF (2006), to succeed in eliminating child labour, schools must be available, accessible and affordable for poor families. Schools must be of sufficiently good quality, and the curricula must be of practical help for the children living in a specific region and condition. Most importantly, school should be a safe and healthy place where to send schildren. Unfortunately this is not the case in developing countries especially in Ghana and its inner cities like the study area. In the 2001 Ghana Child Labour Survey, in all the regions and for all age groups, the most frequent reason cited for non-attendance at school was nonaffordability by parents to cater for children. The next most frequently cited reasons were long distance of place of residence from school and children not being interested in school. Classrooms are often not available especially in the rural areas and city slums and where they exist they are not in good shape and therefore not conducive enough for academic work. Both parents and pupils need to see the fruits of education from those who have passed through the school system to serve as a source of motivation for those in school and those yet to enroll. Low returns to education have made education less attractive for many parents. This has especially been the case in rural areas, where formal education makes very little difference given limited formal sector opportunities and most skills are acquired by the â€Å"learning by doing† principle. Child labour is perceived as a process of socialization in many countries and it is believed that working enables a child to get acquainted with employable skills. Lessons from the Literature From the available literature it is evidently clear that the issue of child labour is real but the problem with it in Africa is the availability of reliable data spelling out the magnitude of the problem. Several factors account for child labour in our society and they include the following; poverty, single parenting, sheer ignorance on the part of some parents and socio-cultural beliefs. From the data reviewed, poverty has been a major determinant of child labour in Ghana and in most developing countries. The vast majority of the children are engaged in agricultural related activities. The problem in the developing world and Ghana in particular is more rural than urban. Some rural dwellers regard child labour as part of a training programme for children. Working children are also considered essential contributors to household incomes. However, our group attempts to translate or research further on how the phenomenon affects academic performance in Madina- a society which hosts two dominant Religions(Christianity and Islam) and heterogeneous as well The solution to the problem does not lie only in the enactment of laws but also in empowering individuals economically to be able to provide education to their children ( Basu, 1998). Human capital is one of the keys to reducing poverty. Education opens up opportunities for better health and better nutrition. This is because education normally leads to higher income and greater access to social benefits, as well as greater productivity. Indeed education is central to all aspects of the impact of population and poverty. Therefore, in trying to find a solution to the problem, there is the need for a multifaceted approach taking into consideration the religious and cultural backgrounds. REFERENCES Basu, K, (1998). Child Labour: Cause, Consequence and Cure, with Remarks on International Labor Standards. Heady, C, (2000). ―What is the effect of child labour on learning achievement? Evidence from Ghana.† Innocenti Working Papers, no. 79. ILO, (2005). â€Å"Facts on Child Labour,†Geneva. Kumekpor, T.K.B, (2002). Research Methods and Techniques of Social Research, Son life Press and services Accra Republic of Ghana (1992). The Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. UNICEF, (2004). The State of the World’s Children New York. .