Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Teaching a Specialist Subject Essay Example

Teaching a Specialist Subject Essay Wider Professional Practice Assignment 1 How Recent Changes to UK Immigration Legislation Affect ESOL Provision in the Further Education Sector (Level 6) BryAnne Conley 7 January 2011 Introduction In recent years the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) sector has been dramatically affected by top-level UK immigration legislation. Immigration changes emanating from the Home Office, as well as corresponding funding changes for ESOL through Skills for Life, have significantly impacted public-sector Further Education (FE) teaching of ESOL. This essay will outline the recent history of national legislative changes affecting English-language teaching and identify the current operating policy and include a description of my education sector and learners. Following this description will be a detailed analysis of how the policy has been implemented in the public FE sector and especially within my own organisation. The analysis will begin by examining funding issues that affect the implementation, followed by a point-by-point discussion of positive benefits as well as negative impacts of each aspect. Both pre-existing and pending funding changes which impact ESOL provision will also be briefly mentioned. Historical Overview Hamilton and Hillier (forthcoming, p 1) could not have been more accurate when they stated It is clear from the historical record that ESOL has received uneven and often unhelpful attention from government. In the early 2000s the UK began significantly tightening immigration controls in an effort to reduce the number of immigrants to this country, and many amendments were added to the main law controlling immigration to the UK: the Immigration Act 1971. We will write a custom essay sample on Teaching a Specialist Subject specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Teaching a Specialist Subject specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Teaching a Specialist Subject specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Prior to this time, the law specified only that any immigrant desiring British citizenship should have a sufficient knowledge of English (British Nationality Act 1948). In the last decade, however, an astounding 267 Statutory Instruments and 5 Acts dealing with immigration have been approved. These changes began with the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 and eventually led to the complete restructuring of the UK immigration system. A new Five-Tier Points-Based System (HC 439) was introduced and phased in during 2008 and 2009. This system tightened language regulations considerably, requiring different levels of English for different types of immigrants. HC 439 is the pertinent policy which this report will analyse, and one which significantly affects the FE ESOL sector, as it further restricts specifications regarding proof of English language progress and proficiency: A person is deemed to have sufficient knowledge of English and of life in the UK if he has attended a course using teaching materials derived from ‘Citizenship Materials for ESOL Learners’ and has thereby obtained a relevant accredited qualification in ESOL (or if he has passed the test known as the Life in the UK Test). [that] evidenced progress from one [ESOL] level to the next is required and that qualifications can only be obtained through attendance at a college that is subject to inspection by [approved agencies are listed]. This means that immigrants seeking to settle in the UK must now submit formal proof of their initial level of English in addition to proof of their final level, thus confirming an improvement of one whole ESOL level. In addition, instruction must now be provided by an approved, inspected college a change that could leave many private English language colleges without enough students to survive. (Tahir, 2010) Sector and Learners However, I teach in the public (approved) sector of Further Education: specifically in Adult and Community Education. ESOL provision in our sector is divided into several types of courses; the two areas I currently teach in are Skills for Life and Family Learning. Skills for Life ESOL, at the lower levels, has experienced significant cuts, whereas Family Learning ESOL is the only type of course for which funding has remained relatively stable. (NIACE, 2007) Our students are a mix of those who are settled, or wish to settle, permanently in the UK, and those who arrive from EU or EEA countries and want to improve their English for work purposes. As the Home Office has no power to regulate EU/EEA citizens in this country, this report will deal with the former group of students and how we help them achieve the required levels of proof of language proficiency and cultural knowledge for settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain or ILR) and ultimately British citizenship. Implementation of Home Office Policy Backdrop: Funding Cuts An analysis of the implementation of Home Office policy in the Further Education sector would not be complete without mention of the effects of recent FE-wide funding cuts, for they have dramatically increased the negative impact of changes in immigration legislation. In 2007, the UK government introduced a major restructuring of the funding for the FE sector which included monetary cuts, reworking of fee remission structures, an increased emphasis on certain areas of Skills for Life, as well as workforce reforms requiring the upskilling of teachers in the FE sector (Learning and Skills Council, 2007). According to the 2007 NIACE report, all providers of FE and Adult Education experienced a reduction in LSC funding, which was their major source of revenue. The institutions surveyed by NIACE cited a few positive changes, such as becoming more focused and efficient, and learners benefiting from a sharper focus on quality. However, most of the changes cited were negative: †¢ reduction in learner numbers †¢ increased course fees and other supplementary charges (eg exam fees) †¢ significant barriers raised for low-income learners including ESOL learners staff reductions including teachers, support staff and managers †¢ reduction in administrative capacity †¢ cuts in the range and locations of provision †¢ reduction of course lengths †¢ shorter planning horizons †¢ need to invest in additional staff training In my own organisation, I have seen the following impacts of these funding changes: †¢ Job losses have caused demoralisation and increase d stress for tutors, and especially for managers, as an increased workload is shared among fewer people. †¢ The target-driven climate has resulted in more paper shuffling by tutors and learners. Much time has been wasted by tutors and managers tracking targets on computer programs that dont work, trying to force the reality of students learning and progress into pre-determined aims, and the necessity of managing the numbers to satisfy funding requirements. †¢ Fewer locations of provision have meant that learners and tutors must travel further to classes, resources such as libraries have been considered luxuries and closed, and there has been a constant reshuffling of offices resulting in cramped, or a complete lack of, office space for many staff. Cuts in administrative staff and services have meant extra planning and workload for tutors, and learners are short-changed by receiving reduced resources and support. †¢ Selection of students is now often based on factors such as motivation or ability to complete exams rather than the need to learn the language. Our funding is now inconsistent, erratic and short-term, leading to general confusion, lack of continuity and increased spin-up time for everyone involved. As early as 2003, Lea noted problems with this approach to funding, stating that an environment in which FE is considered a profitable business †¦ could affect which ESOL students we take in or not. Requirement One: Life in the UK HC 439 requires proof that our courses include materials from the approved Citizenship Curriculum. These must be used in our planning, and we must specify what we have covered on each students Individual Learning Plan. This specification has an overall positive impact in that learners gain greater cultural knowledge of the UK; the negative impact is a small amount of extra paperwork for tutors. Requirement Two: Increase English One Full ESOL Level This requirement of the law is significantly more involved in its implementation, and has several aspects which will be discussed in turn. Aspect 1: Initial proof of English level is now required in addition to final level proof. Before, a quick initial assessment of learners’ skills levels sufficed, but now we must perform a more-thorough and well-documented diagnostic assessment. This assessment forms critical evidence that may be inspected by agencies such as Ofsted. The impact of this is significant: nearly all of the first one or two class sessions are now devoured by extensive assessments. These are stressful for the students and require huge amounts of time for tutors to prepare, mark, record and file. Additionally, because this is the public sector, Ofsted monitoring and funding concerns have led to creating a new electronic Data Return to track this assessment data. It has taken phenomenal amounts of time over two years to implement this system and train staff to use it. An unintended positive impact of these assessments has been a more detailed knowledge of students’ strengths and weaknesses, which targets the delivery of learning more precisely. Aspect 2: Students must pass exams to show an increase of one complete ESOL level from their initial assessment. This requirement has led to more teaching to the test which puts pressure on students and tutors alike to have exam success. Areas of vocabulary, grammar or knowledge which fall outside the scope of the exam are less likely to be covered in class. In the short term, this can be frustrating to learners and does not positively contribute to the quality of educational provision; in the long term, it may negatively impact other areas of students lives such as their job or family where they may need this extra information to function well and enhance their quality of life. This can lead to negative consequences for learners’ equality of opportunity in society. A further negative impact is the pressure on tutors to under-assess students levels initially, so that they can achieve an increase of one complete level in one year. It is essential for funding that students pass a minimum of one exam annually. ) Some students may not be accepted to learning programmes if it is not felt that they can achieve the required exam results; this can potentially lead to a lowering of the diversity in the class. One positive benefit, however, has been greater motivation by students to attend classes, focus on their studies and do well. Aspect 3: The Home Office is only interested in increased proficiency in speaking skills; reading and writing skills are not a priority. As a result of this, reading and writing skills can tend to fall by the wayside, and this can impact on students employability, especially for higher-skilled or higher-paid jobs. Students may be quite qualified in their own country, but unable to obtain jobs in the UK in the fields in which they were trained. A possibly-unintended consequence of this is keeping immigrants job prospects low, thus preserving higher-skilled jobs for British nationals; this is in direct contradiction to the points-based immigration scheme and the stated intentions of government policies! Future and Wider Issues At the time of this writing (Nov 2010) another change to the point-based immigration system is about to be implemented (Command Paper Cm 7944, 2010). The rule change will require spouses of UK settled individuals to have level A-1 level English before they can even enter the country. This pre-entry spouse language requirement has the potential to impact our sector significantly by reducing the number of students and making it more difficult to reach our target group of priority ESOL learners under the governments ‘New Approach to ESOL’ scheme. (DIUS, 2009), thus leading to further reductions in the diversity of our classes. It may even violate human rights and race relations laws. (Travis, 2010). Although this policy does not emanate from the Home Office and is therefore not considered directly in this report, it will nevertheless impact our sector with perhaps even greater intensity. The New Approach to ESOL was introduced by the UK government in the summer of 2009 as a joined up approach for handling ESOL provision (ibid. , p 23). A New Approach does indeed echo many of the aims of the Home Office legislation such as a refocus on ESOL priority learners, ESOL as part of preparing for work, and English to gain citizenship and integrate into communities. However, no new funding is provided to accomplish these additional tasks, and this will be intensely problematic. The Union of Colleges and Universities (2008) has stated categorically: Laudable government aims to lift migrant workers out of poverty and to deliver its community cohesion strategy [will] not happen unless appropriate funding is found. Conclusion The research done for this report suggests that ESOL provision in the Further Education sector is reaching a crisis point. More requirements are being piled on by government legislation emanating from a variety of agencies, while at the same time crippling funding cuts are being made across the sector. Staff in the sector are being stretched and stressed to the maximum. Barriers are being raised for learners that will keep immigrants in an economically-disadvantaged position in direct opposition to touted government ideals. It appears to be mainly funding policies, rather than requirement policies, which drive improvements or lack thereof in educational provision. In my opinion, the current situation is untenable, and prospects for the near future of ESOL provision are bleak. word count = 2164 Bibliography Ainley, B. (2007). Guide to Race Equality in FE. London: Continuum. Avis, J. (2007). Education, Policy and Social Justice. London: Continuum. Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009. (20 January 2010). [Electronic version. ] The Guardian. Retrieved October 2010 from: http://www. guardian. co. uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/feb/13/civil-liberties-immigration. British Nationality Act 1948 (11 12 Geo. VI. c. 56) British Nationality Act 1981 (1981 c. 1). Command Papers. (2010). Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, presented to Parliament by Command of Her Majesty October 2010. (Cm 7944). London: HMSO. Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). (n. d. ) Skills for Life: ESOL for Work — A new suite of qualifications. [Download, PDF. ] Available: http://rwp. excellencegateway. org. uk/readwriteplus/bank/368 7_ESOL_leaflet_A4_AW. pdf. Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. (last updated 2 February 2009). Planning Funding. [Online. ] Available: http://rwp. excellencegateway. org. uk/readwriteplus/Planning_and_Funding. Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. (2 February 2009). Proposed Funding Changes to ESOL and other Provision. [Electronic version. ] Extract of article first published in Update Magazine, issue 20. Available: http://rwp. excellencegateway. org. uk/readwriteplus/ESOL_changes. Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. (2 February 2009). Race Equality Impact Assessment on proposed changes in the funding arrangements for English for Speakers of Other Languages and asylum seeker eligibility for Learning and Skills Council Further Education funding — report and emerging proposals. Download, PDF. ] Available: http://rwp. excellencegateway. org. uk/readwriteplus/bank/ACF1BE9. pdf. Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. (May 2009). A New Approach to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). [Download, PDF. ] Available: http://www. bis. gov. uk/assets/biscore/corporate/migratedD/publications/E/esol_new_approach. Hamilton, M and Hillier, Y (for thcoming). ESOL Policy and Change. [Download, PDF. ] To appear in Language Issues, the NATECLA Journal. Available: http://www. lancs. ac. uk/fass/doc_library/edres/hamilton_07_esol_policy_and_change. pdf Hillier, Y. (2006). Everything You Need to Know About FE Policy. London: Continuum. Home Office. (2010). Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, laid before Parliament on 18 March 2010 under section 3(2) of the Immigration Act 1971. (HC 439). London: HMSO. House of Commons Home Affairs Committee. (9 March 2010). Follow-up to the Committee’s Report on Domestic Violence, Forced Marriage and Honour-Based Violence (HC 429-i). Available: http://www. publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmhaff/429/429i. pdf. London: HMSO. Lea, J et al. (2003). Working in Post-Compulsory Education. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Learning and Skills Council (LSC). (March 2007). Funding Guidance for Further Education in 2007/08. [Download, PDF. ] Available: http://readingroom. lsc. gov. uk/lsc/National/FEFundingGuidance0708. pdf. Learning and Skills Council. (2009). Fast Facts The New Approach to ESOL. [Download, Microsoft Word. ] Available: http://readingroom. lsc. gov. uk/lsc/National/nat-esol_fast_facts_LA-july2009-v1-1. doc. Migrant Health. Infectious diseases in non-UK born populations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A baseline report 2006: Appendix One: The history of migration to the UK. (November 2006) [Download, PDF. Health Protection Agency. Available: http://www. hpa. org. uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1201767922096. National Archives. (As of 4 January 2011). Database search for legislation using keyword immigration across years 2000 through 2010. [Online. ] Accessible at: http://www. legislation. gov. uk. National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE). (August 2007). Understanding the Impact of Funding Changes on Adult Learning: Further Education Colleges and Local Authorities. [Download, PDF. ] Available: http://www. unison. org. uk/acrobat/NIACE_Aug07. pdf. Papp, S. (18 September 2009). The impact of language assessment for language assessment for migration and integration in the UK: a preliminary survey study. [Presentation. ] Conference on Language and Integration. Berlin: Goethe-Institut. [Download, PDF. ] Available: http://www. goethe. de/ges/spa/pro/sog/ikz/pdf/Szilvia-Papp. pdf. Paton, A and Wilkins, M. (2009). Teaching Adult ESOL: Principles and Practice. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Singh, R, QC, and McColgan, A. (21 September 2010). In the Matter of Pre-Entry English Language Requirements. [Download, PDF. ] Available: http://www. liberty-human-rights. org. k/human-rights/asylum/pre-entry-language-req-matrix-legal-advice-sept-2010. pdf. Tahir, T. (2010). English language schools fear new visa rules. The Guardian, 19 January 2010. [Online]. Retrieved Nov 2010 from: http://www. guardian. co. uk/education/2010/jan/19/foreign-student-visas Tett, L; Hamilton, M; and Hillier, Y. (2006). Adult Literacy, Numeracy and Language: Policy, Practice and Research. Ma idenhead: Open University Press. Travis, A. (27 September 2010). Human rights lawyers condemn English tests for spouses coming to UK. [Electronic version. ] The Guardian. Retrieved November 2010 from: http://www. uardian. co. uk/uk/2010/sep/27/lawyers-condemn-migrants-english-tests. University College Union (UCU). (2007). Increasing exclusion, raising barriers: the real costs of charging for ESOL. [Download, PDF. ] Available: http://www. ucu. org. uk/media/pdf/l/6/ucu_esolbriefing_nov07. pdf. University College Union. (2008). UCU warns community cohesion cannot happen without English classes for migrants. (2 April 2008). UCU News. [Online. ] Available: http://www. ucu. org. uk/index. cfm? articleid=3183. UK Border Agency. (July 2009). Earning the Right to Stay: A New Points Test for Citizenship. [Download, PDF. Available from the European Archive: http://webarchive. nationalarchives. gov. uk/20100422120657/http://www. ukba. homeoffice. gov. uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/consultat ions/earning-the-right-to-stay/earning-the-right-to-stay/earned-citizenship-consultation? view=Binary. United Kingdom country information sheet. (n. d. ). [Online. ] European Web Site on Integration. Available: http://ec. europa. eu/ewsi/en/info_sheet. cfm? ID_CSHEET=21. Windsor, V and Healey, C. (2006). Lifelines 20: Developing ESOL, Supporting Achievement. Maidenhead: Open University Press. WorkPermit. com. UK Immigration English language requirements for spouses and

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Thesis Sample - Should For an Argumental Essay

Thesis Sample - Should For an Argumental EssayThesis samples are for students who are considering entering the academic world. They can be found in numerous places, and they can be used with any kind of word processing program.When a student is taking a course that requires them to write, and they are using their own word processing software, they will want to have a way to test out their words, and see what a certain phrase, or sentence looks like on a particular type of word processor. This can be done with a thesis or argument sample. Students can copy and paste the information, and test it out with that specific program.Students that take and want to write an argument essay will want to learn more about thesis samples, and how they can be used. There are many good ways to test out different phrases before one begins to write. This will allow the student to see how the different phrases will appear, and this can make the process of writing a thesis, or an argument essay, go more s moothly.In word processing programs, the thesis sample can be found in the file menu. It will have the word should for an argument essay, and some other phrases and sentences. The student can then take a little time and use the sample as if it were their own thesis. This can be a great way to practice a specific theme for their project.When a student is writing a research paper, they will want to know how the words that they are going to use in the research paper, and how they will say them, will look on their word processor. A thesis sample is a great way to determine the right words, and how they will look in their word processor. With a thesis sample, the student can see how it will look in the program and make sure that they will not forget the correct research techniques. This can help them not only with research papers but also with a dissertation that are written for other reasons.When a student is writing a thesis, or an argument essay, they will want to make sure that they will not leave anything out. They will want to make sure that they have the proper research techniques. Thesis samples can be used in theses and thesis essays for other reasons, and can be great ways to practice the different words that are used for different reasons.In conclusion, when a student is writing a thesis, or an argument essay, they can find a thesis sample with the word should for an argument essay. They can then use it to test out the thesis and research techniques before they start writing. This can help with the writing process and make sure that the document will look good. It can also make the entire process of research much easier for the student.In conclusion, thesis samples can be found in many places and can be used in almost any type of word processing program. Thesis samples can be found in the thesis sample menu and can be used with any type of word processor.

Monday, March 16, 2020

We are all Federalists we are all Republicans essays

We are all Federalists we are all Republicans essays Federalists and Republicans were the first two political parties in the United States. Federalists believed in a strong central government, a strong army, industry, and loose interpretation of the Constitution while Republicans believed in a weak central government, state and individual rights, and strict interpretation of the Constitution. Despite the inaugural address made by Thomas Jefferson, We are all Federalists, we are all Republicans, domestic and foreign policies of Thomas Jefferson have showed that he only supported the Republicans. To force Britain to give the United States favorable commercial terms, Jefferson advocated an Embargo Act against that country, which prohibited American ships from sailing to any foreign port. The Kentucky Resolution was a protest against the Alien and Sedition Acts passed by Congress. Louisiana Purchase was the greatest real estate deal in history. Embargo Act was a law that prohibited United States vessels from trading with European nations during the Napoleonic Wars. Passed by Congress in December 1807 over Federalist opposition and at the behest of President Thomas Jefferson, the Embargo Act was a response to restrictive measures imposed on American neutrality by France and Britain, at war with each other. Specifically, Napoleon sought to blockade his foe by forbidding any nation to trade with Britain. The latter retaliated by banning neutral trade with France and its allies. Vessels violating either the French or British blockades would be seized; thus, the neutral U.S. risked the loss of merchant ships to both sides. To pressure the belligerents to respect neutral rights and to demonstrate the value of trade with the U.S., Jefferson responded with the embargo instead of open warfare. In U.S. history, resolutions passed in opposition to the Alien and Sedition Acts, which were enacted by the Federalists in 1798. The Jeffersonian Republicans first replied in the...

Friday, February 28, 2020

Next Plc Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Next Plc Marketing - Case Study Example In 1981 Hepwrth bught the chin f Kendlls shps t estblish new Wmenswer grup f shps. This ws the birth f NEXT. NEXT pertes thrugh five divisins: NEXT Retil pertes the high street shps thrugh mre thn 330 stres cvering the UK nd Irelnd; NEXT Directry is the mil rder divisin which ls cntin the e-cmmerce pltfrm; NEXT verses pertes retil utlets in the United Sttes, si, Cntinentl Eurpe, nd the Middle Est thrugh frnchise greements; Ventur runs the finncil services divisin. ther ctivities include telecmmunictins sftwre services nd prperty mngement. The UK retil clthing mrket is diminishing mrket. The industry is verwhelmed with cmpetitin frm cmpnies which hve invested in hi-tech mchinery leding t greter efficiency r hve plced their prductin t fctries in chep lbur cst cuntries t prduce their prducts. Clthes retilers fll int tw brd ctegries: firstly, thse selling wn-brnd clthing nd, secndly, thse selling third-prty wer. Mjr retilers such s Mrks & Spencer nd the rcdi Grup re gd exmples f the first grup, s re chin pertins such s NEXT nd Gp. The secnd grup includes the mjr deprtment stres nd the mjrity f independent retilers in the UK. The pliticl envirnment f the NEXT plc is quite gd s the stble nd relible ntwithstnding tht Britin filed t rech the greement with sme EU plicies frm time t time. t the present n EU directives re knwn which will hve direct effect n the UK clthing retil industry in the ner future. Due t the EU membership trend cn be seen twrds stricter envirnmentl prtectin legisltin. This my hve direct r indirect effect n NEXT r his suppliers. Ecnmic fctrs Lking t the ecnmic envirnment, it is smewht tricky since n the ne hnd there is the strng sterling cmpred t the Eur. Eurlnd encurges imprts nd endevurs t hld dmestic prices t n ttrctive level. But n the ther hnd it is difficult fr the UK t be cmpetitive utside its bundries becuse f the high pund sterling exchnge rte ginst the Eur. nther issue is the flling unemplyment rte. Fr the UK ppultin this is gd news but fr cmpnies like NEXT, this hs different implictins. Fr NEXT it mens higher expenditure n wges, s well s greter difficulties in recruiting gd emplyees. Scil fctrs Speking f the sci-culturl future it shuld be mentined tht peple retire erlier these dys, s well s wrking shrter hurs. verge wrking hurs per week hve decresed ver the lst 20 yers. s result mny peple hve mre spre time. This mens they hve time t cmpre prices in the High Street nd the qulity f gds nd services frm retilers. But s result, they spend mre time in the shps. nther issue these dys re the "Green envirnmentl issues". Becuse peple hve mre time nd hve mple ccess t the medi vi the TV, rdi, s well s newsppers nd the Internet, the cnsumer

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Atomic Bomb Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Atomic Bomb - Research Paper Example Miscamble C.S.C  (Cambridge University Press, 192 pp.) This book focuses on the American use of the atomic bomb and how it affected the result of World War II by exploring the situation and context in which President Truman decided to use the atomic bomb. Miscamble uses archival research and latest scholarship to address the value of the decision to end the war and at the same time writes on the moral premise of such an act. The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb: Hiroshima and Nagasaki: August 1945 by Dennis D. Wainstok  (Westport: Praeger, 1996. x, 180 pp.) In his book Dennis D.Wainstock, a teacher at the Salem–Tieyko University in Salem, West Virginia, discusses the political aspect and the implications of President Truman’s decision in the backdrop of the last year of World War II, when the Japanese were on the brink of conditional surrender. The author uses important sources e.g. Strategic Bombing Survey interrogations of leading Japanese officials to substantiat e his argument. Atomic Tragedy: Henry L. Stimson and the Decision to use the Bomb against Japan by Sean L. Malloy Atomic Tradgedy provides a distinct outlook of the situation in World War II and the decision to drop the atomic bomb. ... In the August of 1945, towards the end of the World War II, the United States of America dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The estimated loss of life within four months after the bombing were more than 80,000 in Hiroshima and 60,000 in Nagasaki, with almost half of the deaths occurring on the first day only.1 To date these bombings have been the only instance of nuclear weapon use in a war. Such an acute episode of mass killing along with its long-term radiological consequence is unprecedented in the wars of the twentieth century. In order to assess the necessity of such an act it is important to analyze the event in the military and political backdrop of the involved nations. In his book ‘The most controversial decision’ Miscamble provides a persuasive argument behind the rationale to bomb Japan. Miscamble states in the book that â€Å"the time has come at long last to explode permanently the myth of a Japan ready to surrender.à ¢â‚¬ 2Although Germany had already surrendered Japan was providing fierce resistance to the Allied forces. The Americans had suffered huge losses in the battles at Iwo Jima and Okinawa and now they had to prepare for more losses which would be incurred during the invasion of Japan. Many in America’s military regime were ready to bend their initial war aim and accept a conditional surrender by the Japanese but the latter’s minimum demand was that their emperor system should remain intact. This was unacceptable to the Americans as President Truman believed that the root of Japan’s militarism was their imperialist government. Furthermore negotiations with the Japanese would take months which would provide Japan enough time to strengthen their

Friday, January 31, 2020

Philosophy take home final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophy take home final - Essay Example According to the law of nature, every action has an opposite reaction and an evil action done by a person is returned back to him with all its power and strength. A pain caused to others brings unhappiness to them and the same feeling is directed back to the pain giver. According to Kant the people who are unethical and immoralist does not have the right to be happy. According to Kant, happiness is a state where there is enjoyment in life and there is continuous contentment and satisfaction in one’s own existence. According to him a person can qualify to be happy if he has followed the universal law of goodwill. 2.How are fatalism, hard determinism, and predestination different ? Some may use these terms synonymously; however there are important distinctions for the philosopher. What are they? Fatalism is a doctrine where all the actions and events are subjugated to fate. Whereas, hard determinism is the stronger version of determinism where one person believes ardently in fre e will and give importance to cause and effect. Here the random elements of Universe are disregarded. On the other hand, predestination is a theological theory which asserts that all actions and events are happening according to the will of the God. ... For a philosopher fate is something already determined by our past action, hard determinism is the quality of a person and predestination is the act of God. Hence these three concepts cannot be related philosophically. 3.Major differences exist between Aristotelian and Kantian ethics. Discuss the views on morality of both these philosophers and highlight those areas that are constitute the main points of disagreement. Do some of the problems with Kant's categorical imperative which Solomon mentions strengthen the arguments of the relativists ? Morality is proper behavior and action by a person and Aristotle and Kant both have different thought about morality. According to Aristotle, the people who do actions with an aim to achieve goodness can be termed as a moralistic person. He believes that money, honor, wealth or pleasure cannot bring happiness to human kind. It is the combination of all brings happiness. According to him proper genuine virtue and hunger for spreading goodness an d welfare among men is the real morality. On the other hand, Kant believes that morality of a person is based on rationality. According to Kant, a man has a reasoning ability and he understands his duty which is to do good human kind. Hence one acting upon his duty and universal law of goodness is a moral person. Some main points of disagreement of Aristotle and Kant is that the former believes an action which is good and desirable itself is moralistic and latter describes morality in a universal perspective as which is categorically imperative to a human. Moreover Aristotle explains that good action gives the feel of happiness and this is morality while Kant believes that good will is good because it by nature itself is good and hence is morale. Solomon’s statement does

Thursday, January 23, 2020

The Course of Political Development in Uganda and its Effect on Economi

The Course of Political Development in Uganda and its Effect on Economic Development Development has recently become a new buzz word in international relations. Through an exploration of political, social and economic development around the globe, scholars are trying to understand which policies are most beneficial, and why certain policies are effective and why some fail. The connection between different types of development is often an important part of this research as well. The connection between political and economic development is of specific interest since the end of the Cold War and the failure of most communist-based systems. The emergence of capitalism as the dominant world economic system at the conclusion of the Cold War forces countries in the developing world to adopt capitalist policies. However, the question remains as to the effect of political development on economic development. Political development is traditionally defined as moving towards a democratic system with free and fair elections in which all citizens can participate to govern themselves, and eventually moving to a more liberal democratic state which also protects civil rights. The path of this development is often hard to define because each state has its own history and therefore its own methods for moving towards this end goal. Many western scholars recommend that states create and implement institutions to promote democracy, hold elections and open political competition to multiple parties. However the success of states attempts at implementing these policies is debatable. Economic development, on the other hand, is historically defined as economic growth, often based in gross domestic product, increased international trade, in... ...ame Press: Notre Dame. Harvey, Charles and Mark Robinson. 1995. â€Å"Economic Reform and Political Liberalization in Uganda.† Institute of Development Studies: Brighton. â€Å"Hostile to Democracy: The Movement System and Political Repression in Uganda.† 1999. Human Rights Watch: New York. â€Å"Idi Amin Dada Oumee.† Updated, 8 September 2003. www.moreorless.au.com/killers /amin.htm. Jà ¸rgensen, Jan Jelmert. 1981. â€Å"Uganda: A Modern History.† St. Martin’s Press: New York. Kreimer, Alcira, Paul Collier, Colin S. Scott and Margaret Arnold. 2000. â€Å"Uganda: Post-Conflict Reconstruction.† World Bank: Washington D.C. Sharer, Robert L. Hema R. De Zoysa and Calvin A. McDonald. 1995. â€Å"Uganda: Adjustment with Growth, 1987-94.† International Monetary Fund: Washington D.C. â€Å"Uganda Vision 2025.† 1999. National Long Term Perspective Studies Project: Kampala.