History of Drama

History of Drama * Spanish Period 1. Tibag * â€Å"to excavate† * St. Helena’s search for the cross 2. Lagaylay – Pilarenos of Sorsogon get together during Maytime 3. Cenaculo – passion and death of Christ a. Cantada – chanted like pasion b. Hablada – rhythmic measure of words in a deliberate manner * Spanish Period 4. Panunuluyan – Mary & Joseph searching for refuge before Christ’s birth – presented before 12mn on Christmas eve 5. Salubong – during easter (Mary meets risen Christ) 6. Carillo (shadow play) – form of entertainment performed during a moonless night or a dark night after a harvest 7.Zarzuela – 1st Philippine drama. Musical comedy or melodrama. Has 3 acts of man’s passion & emotion (love, hate, revenge, cruelty, avarice or social/political problems) 8. Sainete – short musical comedy (18th century) – exaggerated comedies performed by characters from lower class family (indio) – theme: taken from everyday life scenarios * American Period 1. Severino Reyes – father of Tagalog drama – Walang Sugat 2. Aurelio Tolentino – a Kapampangan dramatist * Luhang Tagalog = masterpiece * Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas = resulted to his incarceration 3.Hermogenes Ilagan – from Central Luzon – he founded the group Campana Ilagan *Severino Reyes and Hermogenes Ilagan started the movement against the moro-moro (play against muslims) * Japanese Period * Characterized by stage shows because movie houses were closed *organization of Filipino players (Dramatic Filipinos) 1. Jose Ma. Hernandez – Panday Pira 2. Francisco Soc Rodrigo – Sa Pula sa Puti 3. Clodualdo del Mundo – Bulaga 4. Julian Cruz Balmaceda * Sino ba Kayo? * Dahil sa Anak * Higante ng Patay * Period of New Society (Modern) reviving old plays/dramas 1977 – Tales of Manuvu (new style of rock of the ballad opera) – Performed by Celeste L egaspi, Lea Navarro, Hadji Alejandro, Boy Canara, Anthony Castello & Rey Dizon – choreographed by Atic Reyes Sining Embayoka (CCP) – from Mindanao State University *Development of play 1. PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) – Cecille Guidote & Lino Brocka 2. Repertory Philippines – Rebecca Godines & Zenaida Amador 3. UP Repertory – Behn Cervantes 4. Teatro Filipino – Rolando Tinio

Paradigm Shifts of Church History Essay

As described by Bosch in his foreword he talks about the title as ambiguous. â€Å"Transforming† can be an adjective used to describe â€Å"mission†. Mission can be understood as not the enterprise that transforms reality, but something that is itself being transformed. Let’s now look at the first paradigm shift. 1. Primitive Christianity †¦. go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. â€Å"[2] The great commission has to be taken into account with the rest of Matthew’s gospel where we see the â€Å"road† of mission to the gentiles is open. The Mission of Jesus was to breakdown boundaries and to include all, even those who were seen as enemies. God invites all and it is those who respond that are accepted. Early Christian mission was focused only on the Jews. Mission to the gentiles came as a spin-off mission. Early Christian mission involved the person of Jesus and it was political and revolutionary. The revolutionary aspect was seen in the new relationships it brought among Jews, Greek, free, slave, rich, poor, women etc. The early church had to seal their witness (martyria) with their blood; â€Å"Martyrdom and Mission† says Hans von Campenhaussen â€Å"belonged together†. [3] 2. The Patristic Period (The Eastern Church) Mission in the Patristic (first fathers) period is thoroughly church centered which means that the church is the aim; the fulfillment of the Gospel, rather than the instrument or means of mission[4]. In Orthodox thinking, mission is the place of liturgy (public worship). A witnessing community is a community of worshippers. Also Orthodox mission is founded on the love of God as seen in John 3:16. The church began to progress too, the apostles and itinerant preachers were replaced by bishops and deacons and later too was the monastic movement (which was the practice of renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote one’s self to spiritual work). Mission to the non-Roman Asia spread mainly by the Nestorian monastic orders (who emphasized the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus). In 1054 the great schism took place between the Eastern and Western church. This was the beginning of the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. Constantine moved the headquarters of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople and the church began to compromise with the state politically. The church became secularised and Salvation was a gradual progress that leads to the divine. 3. The Medieval Roman Catholic Period â€Å"Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. [5] Where the early church took its missionary text from John 3:16 talking about the love of God, the Roman Catholic Church had the focus of ‘compelling them to come in’. They argued that there was no salvation outside the formal membership of the RC Church. The Roman Empire had become linked to the RC Church. The Catholic Church became extremely influential over the State and loyalty to the state meant being loyal to the church. Islam became increasingly popular in the East leading to the capture of Constantinople in 1453. Pope Alexander VI divided the colonized world into two for mission purposes. One was under the King of Spain and the other under the King of Portugal. The mission of the church was linked to the mission of the state. They sent Missionaries to the colonized territories. Europe was broadly seen as Christian and therefore no real need for evangelism. The monastic movement may have been the reason was so much authentic Christianity evolved in Europe’s ‘dark ages’. Reformation Period (the Protestant Paradigm) I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 6] Martin Luther had a realization that God’s righteousness did not mean God’s punishment and wrath, but his gift of grace and mercy in which anyone could be saved. Bosch noted that the Protestant missionary paradigm tended to vary from various extremes. Bosch shows that although the idea of mission was there among the Protestants, their involvement was limited. This was due to; (a) their primary task was to reform the church; (b) contact with non-Christians was little (c) they were struggling to survive; (d) denial of the monastic orders meant they denied themselves access to important services and (e) their own internal struggles. Luther’s reformation made little sense of this world, Calvinism in Holland (developed Luther’s doctrine of justification by faith) and Puritanism in England (the Protestant church regarded the Reformation of the Church of England as incomplete and sought to simplify and regulate forms of worship) did. Bosch then refers to Gisbertus Voetius’s threefold model of the theology of mission. He sees these dimensions as; (a) conversion of the Gentiles (b) planting of the church and (c) the glory and manifestation of divine grace (he saw the churches of old and new standing as equal)[7]. Enlightenment Period Mission during this period was diverse and multifaceted than ever before. The change from medieval to enlightenment thinking made the supernatural redundant and the natural attracted more attention. God, the church and the nobles were no longer revered, but nature was. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. [8] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 9] Then Jesus came to them and said, â€Å"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. â€Å"[10] During this period as you can see from the scriptures above, the main sense of mission was the urgency o f the coming of the new millennium. The modern missionary enterprise has been greatly influenced by the enlightenment’s concept of ecclesiastical and cultural expansion. These were in the church and state. Colonisation and Christianisation went together, and were two sides of the same coin. Later, during the enlightenment the two went onto separate paths, forces of renewal and the second awakening. 6. Ecumenical Period The church turned from being an institution to being the body of Christ with its outlook on mission being revitalized and seen afresh. Missionary conferences began to emerge as Bosch referring to Gunther; â€Å"ecclesiological reflections of missionary conferences from Edinburgh 1910 to Mexico City in 1963†[11]. The ‘Missio Dei† concept first surfaced in 1952 at the Willingen Conference[12]. The idea of God as a missionary God[13]. Mission as stated by Bosch is as follows; meditating salvation; the quest for justice; evangelism; contextualization, liberation, inculturation; common witness; ministry by the holy people of God, witness to people of other living faiths; and as action in hope. Bosch looks at the life of Jesus with what we can learn for mission today.

Trifles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Trifles - Essay Example cture, including altering the starting and stopping points to some degree or another to either sharpen or soften the impact of the climax, it is true that most of our most popular stories follow this basic concept. However, Susan Glaspell, author of Trifles, has been accused of completely abandoning this basic structural framework within the play, creating instead a meandering, pointless and climax-less exposition that communicates its power through the very powerlessness of its main characters and the absence of the primary protagonist. A closer understanding of the basic plotline of the story reveals that Glaspell did not abandon this common structure, but instead placed it in an unusual context, purposely de-emphasizing the climax to illustrate the necessary actions of women with little to no power of their own. The play begins with the entrance of two women and three men into a gloomy farm kitchen that turns out to be the former home of John and Mrs. Wright. This is typically where exposition would start as the author begins to set up the story and this is exactly what Glaspell does. She includes some foreshadowing regarding the nature of the relationship between the couple as Mr. Hale continues to drop hints that John was cruelly dominating toward his wife. Telling the story of how he found the couple upon his arrival the morning of John’s death, Mr. Hale indicates that he had hoped to convince John to get a telephone and felt perhaps speaking about it in front of Mrs. Wright might have some positive effect as she was sure to want one as well. â€Å"I thought maybe if I went to the house and talked about it before his wife, though I said to Harry that I didn’t know as what his wife wanted made much difference to John.† This indication of a master/servant relationship is carried throughout this opening segment of the play and deliberately throws emphasis upon the men’s ideas regarding John’s death while allowing the two women to slip almost

Unique Qualities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unique Qualities - Essay Example Other than the desirable qualities mentioned, I was also able to work as a management intern at a footwear manufacturing plant when I was in college, proving that I am a dedicated and hardworking individual. Furthermore, my extensive experience with a multitude of professional companies and personal business ventures likewise establish my potential as an effective support system to my peers and as an overall asset to the Tsinghua MBA program. While I worked as a Sales Representative for the above-mentioned companies, I performed beyond the realm of my responsibilities and made substantial contributions to these companies. At PSDI, I learned the importance of teamwork and management skills when I spearheaded an ambitious project that not only overhauled the efficiency of production but also increased revenue by 30%. Working within the capacity of a team, and furthermore, as a leader, provided me with the coordination and leadership skills that I look forward to enhancing during my education in the Tsinghua MBA program. Apart from my employment experience, I have had first hand entrepreneurial practice that has broadened my mind with regards to necessary business planning. These numerous personal ventures include starting a trading card business in elementary school, helping a friend set up a retail footwear store in high school, and initiating an apparel importing business in college. Currently, I am working on the initial phases of my own web-based venture, while also working with an LED manufacturer in partnership for the expansion of its business in the United States. Because of my multi-cultural perspective, I have found it easier to adapt to different environments, personalities and situations and I believe that these qualities will serve me well as I enter the Tsinghua MBA program. As such, I have no doubt that the prestigious faculty, extensive network, and

Personal and professional development plan Assignment

Personal and professional development plan - Assignment Example I am a Bachelor’s Degree Holder (Mathematics & Economics) having graduated from National University of Odeassa I.I Mechnikov in Ukraine. I am also continuing in my second Degree in International Business, as a Third Year student at London School of Business and Finance in United Kingdom. Away from this pack of knowledge, my competence in MS Word, MS Excel, MS Power Point, and Internet have ignited my reliability to undertake any initiative accorded to me in any field of work. My oratory skills are a match of class for my excellent communication and interpersonal skills for working in a multicultural group for I am conversant and proficient in English, Ukrainian, and Russian languages (Beers, S. 2007:78). This empowers my ability to lead successfully a team of competent people to accomplish objectives and the commitment to deliver the results and achieving the goals within stipulated deadlines. My scaling initiatives have earned my trust from colleagues, superiors, and customer s due to positive attitude, integrity, politeness, and compatibility. In these avenues, I have extended an outstanding decision -making skills to solve any emergency problem in a diplomatic manner and in the interest of the entire organization. Key lessons learned from education and training (last 2 years) My education and training have not come with futility as my work experiences have earned me a lesson. For example, as a sales Executive in a show room in Ukraine, these skills were instrumental in achieving higher sales for the showroom due to superior presentation and customer relations skills. The virtue of responsibility has also helped a lot for I performed the assigned duties, such as maintaining inventory, loading and unloading of merchandise, and ensuring customer satisfaction, which assisted in the development of organizational and time management skills. I belief my versatility, not only in holding a valid Driver’s License, my dancing skills of five years have gain ed my far reaching accolades and appreciation. It is this appreciation and ability to have the niche and affinity for clients that drew admiration from my former manager for boosting sales during special occasions. Having people friendly attitude has really defined my professionalism and remains as a virtue to hold for long. Current situation My public relations and business acumen strengthened by my ongoing and never-ending attitude I have for serving, makes me proud and can declare that I have personal and professional strengths. However, as much as I would want to walk the tightrope of professionalism head on, I am aware of the hurdles I would face and the challenges. Overcoming all these situations successfully as they unfold is what shall define me as a valuable resource. To be a well-baked individual in my current situation, I have learnt that the faster I would learn to embrace consistency, practice, patience, tolerance, and professional assets the best would work out for me. I also have to a bolster up my personal and professional strengths and weaknesses to help me eventually develop an action plan for continuing personal and professional development. As a Cabin Crew Member, I know I am a mandate to be at my best if this chance swings to my side. Personal and profes

Iraq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Iraq - Essay Example This paper seeks to assess the Iraqi nation in terms of its profile and politics. It seeks to assess how the nation can be improved applying the different theories in social and political sciences. It shall also present the problems and the social ills that Iraq is currently experiencing, how these came about, and possible ways of addressing these problems. It shall use primary resource materials in books and the latest online materials published. It shall mainly be a literature search of materials relevant to the topic at hand. This paper shall also relate these materials researched to previous textbooks used during class lectures. Iraq is an independent state located in the Middle East. The Republic of Iraq is bounded on the east by Iran, on the southeast by Kuwait and the Gulf, on the north by Turkey, on the southwest by Saudi Arabia and Jordan, and on the northwest by Syria. It is almost a landlocked state except for 56 kilometers of coastline that gives it access to the Gulf (Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 2007). It has distinct topographical regions: the uplands and the Kurdistan Mountains, the barren desert plains, and the irrigated farm lands of the Mesopotamia. Overall the economy of Iraq is bad. International economic sanctions have largely impoverished the country. About 16% of the economy comes from their agricultural sector. It is the world’s primary producer of dates. It has the second largest oil reserve in the world (Kjeilen, 2009). But with the United Nations sanctions still effective over the country, it remains a largely impoverished nation. The latest GDP data pegs the country at a 5. 9% real economic growth (Index Mundi, 2009). Life expectancy in Iraq became lower due to the advent of the war. The life expectancy for males is now 59 years old and for females, it is 57 years old. These figures dropped from 1990’s 66.5 life expectancy (Rosenberg, 2007). The Crude Birth rate for Iraq has also

Hannebachite- a rare and important Sulphite Term Paper

Hannebachite- a rare and important Sulphite - Term Paper Example In fact Hannebachite among the two most important naturally occurring sulfites, the other being Orschallite (Ca3(SO3)2(SO4).12H2O). Hannebachite, Orschallite, scotlandite (PbSO3) and gravegliaite are rare sulphite minerals that come under the class of Sulphites. The name â€Å"hannebachite† has been derived from the place it was first discovered in i.e.at Hannerbacherly, near Hannebach, West Germany. Sulfite groups have the generalized formula Am[SO3]pZq ·xH2O and AmBn[SO3]pZq ·xH2O, where A and B both are cations and Z represent anion. The most commonly occurring cations groups binding includes Na+, K+, Cu2+, Mg2+, Al3+, Ca2+, Pb2+, and Ba2+. The molecular arrangement of sulphite is such that the sulfur molecule is at the apex of the pyramid thereby making sulfites really unstable. This is the reason why sulphite minerals are rarely found in nature. Hannebachite is an important component of fixated scrubber sludge. The structure of Hannebachite has several applications an d forms the basis of further investigation since the applications of the mineral are yet to be determined and hence immense scope of research lies in this area. Introduction Hannebachite received its IMA status in 1983 following which the first ever publication on it was produced by G.Hentschel, E.Tillmanns and W. Hofmeister in 1985; however, the first person to detect the presence of this mineral was P.Orschall who was also the discoverer of Orschallite mineral. He found these minerals in a place named Hannerbacherly in West Germany. In nature Hannebachite is mostly found along with another sulfite mineral called Orschallite. Other minerals found in the porous cavities of quaternary melilite nepheline leucitite are clinopyroxene, apatite and phillipsite COMPOSITION The mineral –hannebachite, gained importance owing to commercial research on sulfite rich scrubber materials. Studies have shown that sulfite rich scrubber material extracted from power plants were rich in Hanneba chite crystallites (Malhotra,2010). In nature Hannebachite is found as sharp, almost clear crystalline structure. The composition of the mineral is SO2 49.60%,CaO 43.42%, H2O 6.98% which corresponds to its molecular formula (Anthony et al,2000).Sulfites in nature are highly unstable owing to the pyramidal structure where the sulfur is seen at the apex while the oxygen sits on the other corners of the arrangement; thereby these unstable products change into sulfates. However, CaSO4.0.5H2O can substitute into the CaSO3.0.5H2O structure up to a mole fraction of at least 0.12 (Jones et al., 1977). Structure of Hannebachite It is already known that the chemical composition of the mineral includes carbon, hydrogen sulfur and oxygen. The molecular weight is about 258.30gm. Hannebachite is orthorhombic. Its space group is Pbna (2m/2m/2m). Extensive studies have been done to determine the exact structure of the mineral. Powder diffraction was conducted to calculate the single crystal profile (figure 3). The optical class of the mineral was seen to be biaxial. It was recorded that a= 6.46A, b= 7.765A and c=10.650A which means that in the orthorhombic crystal system of hannebachite alpha=90 °, beta= 90 ° and gamma=90 °. The J-mol structure gives a clear interpretation of this structure (Figure:3). Spectroscopic studies conducted brought forward a clear idea of the bonding between the atoms present (Figure 1). The structure of hannebachite mineral was studied through Raman Spectroscopy by Frost and Keefe. The sample for hannebachite was supplied by Mineralogical Research Company who sourced in from the Hannebacher Ley volcano in Germany. The bands are observed at

Protestant Ethic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Protestant Ethic - Essay Example He finds those sources in the Protestant reformation, especially in Calvinism. It is Weber's conviction that factual reasonable capitalism increased out of Protestant asceticism. Christian asceticism, at the start escaping from the world into solitude, had currently directed the world which it had renounced from the monastery and through the Church. But it had, on the entire, left the routinely spontaneous feature of every day life in the world untouched. Now it strode into the marketplace of life, banged the doorway of the monastery behind it, and undertook to penetrate just that every day usual of life with its methodicalness, to latest tendency it into a life in the world, but neither of neither for this world. t is only essential to believe of the Rhine homeland and of Calw. In this solely introductory consideration it is pointless to stack up more examples. For these couple of currently all display one thing: that the essence of hard work, of advancement, or anything additional it might may be called, the awakening of which one is inclined to ascribe to Protestantism, should not be appreciated, as there is a inclination to do, as delight of dwelling neither in any other sense as attached with the Enlightenment. The vintage Protestantism of Luther, Calvin, Knox, Voet, had prized little to do with what today is called progress. To entire facets of up to date life which the m ost farthest religionist would not desire to stifle today, it was exactly hostile. If any inward connection between certain signs of the vintage Protestant essence and up to date capitalistic heritage is to be discovered, we should try to find it, for better o r poorer, not in its supposed more or less materialistic or not less than anti-ascetic delight of dwelling, but in its solely devout characteristics. Montesquieu states (Esprit des Lois, Book XX, chap. 7) of the English that they "had progressed the most distant of all p eoples of the world in three significant things: in piety, in business, and in freedom". Is it not likely that their financial superiority and their adaptation to free political organisations are attached in someway with that record of piety which Montes quieu ascribes to them A large number of likely connections, vaguely seen, happen to us when we put the inquiry in this way. It will now be our task to formulate what happens to us confusedly as apparently as is likely, contemplating the inexhaustib le diversity to be discovered in all chronicled material. But in alignment to do this it is essential to depart behind the vague and general notions with which we have administered up to this issue, and try to Penetrate into the peculiar characteristics of and the dissimilaritie s between those large worlds of devout considered which have lived historic in the diverse parts of Christianity. This extract, possibly more than any other, states apparently the essence of The Protestant Ethic. Weber accepts as factual that the ascetic essence of Protestantism is to blame for the development of reasonable capitalism. This ascetic impulse not only motored the early Protestants to a life of hard work, especially work inside a calling, but furthermore eradicated any tendencies to relish life, and therefore, to spend their hard acquired incomes. This extract apparently

Buss law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Buss law - Essay Example 2. A partnership ceases to exist or in other words is terminated where the single venture that was pursued is terminated; or where the term of the partnership was for a fixed period of time, which has lapsed; where it is consequently found that the partnership is illegal or for an illegal purpose; or where a court grants an order to one of the partner. 3. The courts in Barclays Bank v. O’Brien1 have classified undue influence into two classes; the first is actual undue influence where the claimant has to prove that the offender had used undue influence on the claimant to enter into the particular transaction. In the second class that is presumed undue influence, the claimant only has to prove that there was a relationship of trust and confidence which has been breached; there is no need to prove actual undue influence, once a confidential relationship has been established. 4. A lessee is under a duty to abide by the leasehold covenants which have been agreed upon in the agreement. Further the lessee has to maintain property so that third party entering the premises does not get affected from such non-maintenance. 5. Under the Statute of Frauds 1677 it has been clearly stated that contracts of surety must be made in writing and should be duly signed. However there are two exceptions which might be said to be relevant to surety, the first one is where there has been part performance and the second is where the defendant addresses the existence of a contract under an oath. 5 The general formation of a contract requires an offer (that is a definite promise to be bound by the contract provided that that certain terms and conditions are fulfilled), acceptance (an unequivocal intention to abide by the offer from the offeree), intention to create legal relations and certainty. S.40 (1) of the Law of Property Act 1925 (repealed by s.2 of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act

The Caste system Essay Example for Free

The Caste system Essay In order to answer this question it is necessary to address the issues raised from the caste system and the importance it has for society and the Hindus. The main issue that has emerged from the caste system is the treatment of the untouchables or Dalits. The Dalits exist outside the caste system, there are literally outcastes, and because of this status thrust upon them they are at the bottom of the social hierarchy. This status has dire consequences for the dalits. In village life they are expected to dwell outside the confines of the village, as they are considered to be polluting for the higher castes. Because they are considered to be polluting they are expected to have certain occupations that caste Hindus would consider polluting, such occupations include pig tending and assisting to cremate the dead, occupations that are not particularly appealing. They are the subject of crime and discrimination, for example K Danalaxmi, a Dalit, in Tamil Nadu and 57 other dalits have had been raided by higher caste Hindus and their huts the subject to arson attacks: she tells a BBC correspondent: the parents of children that go to the same school as my daughter did this they hate us and may come back again. 5 Politically speaking the dalits are legally equal to any other higher caste Hindu, indeed in the village Tamil Nadu high caste Hindus go to school with dalit children, so efforts have been made to reconcile the social rift between castes. However, such action has resulted in the assaults and violent actions committed against the dalits similar to that of the dalits in the village of Tamil Nadu. Indeed throughout history there have been many attempts to affiliate the higher castes with the untouchables. In the middle ages the Bhatki movement, meaning to love, encouraged the worship of God through adoration and devotion. More importantly in terms of caste, it attracted Hindus of all castes and presented a greater representation in Hindu society for those of the lower castes. In the 12th century, founder of the new philosophic movement, Shankaracharya preached that the two ways to salvation, dhyan and karma, was being monopolised by the Brahmin caste. Devotion was considered by the Bhatki movement as an equal path towards salvation. Another historical example of criticism of the caste system came much later in the 18th and 19th centuries, during the days of the British Empire. Missionaries were sent out to civilise the native pagans to the light of Christianity. Missionaries were successful at converting the dalits and the lower castes; for these subsections of society Christianity presented an attractive alternate life style. More recently another critic of the Caste system had an enormous impact on Indian society, indeed on the world. Mahatma Ghandi, who was a Vaisya, campaigned against the unjust social and economic aspects of the caste system, and did much work to improve the status of the untouchables, which he called the children of God or Harijans (a term much resented by the untouchables who preferred the term Dalits. ) The caste system is a highly controversial aspect of Hinduism, originating from Vedic times and lasting to the present day. It affects every aspect of Indian society, from marriages to government. It is has been heavily criticised since its creation, and constantly reformed. Indeed in the Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krishna invented the concept of Dharma, which offered reassurance to low caste Hindus for a chance for salvation. Albeit the caste systems origins may have been secular, it has become so embodied with the religion of Hinduism that to criticise the caste system is to criticise Hinduism. Thus it remains the foundation of modern Indian society. Has the caste system outlived its relevance to modern life? From a western perspective it has, westerners see it as inequitable and morally wrong. But in order to understand the true flaws of the caste system it is necessary to view the caste system from a Hindu perspective, only then can a scholar see if the caste system should still exist and the importance it has to Hindu life. Bibliography Introduction to Hinduism-Kim Knott www. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/south_asia/459591. stm http://artworld. uea. ac. uk/teaching_modules/india/historical_background/the_hindu_caste_system/welcome. html http://www. themystica. com/mystica/articles/b/bhakti. html 1 Introduction to Hinduism-K. K. Klostermaier. 2 At the core of most religions is the idea of attempting to join a supreme being. 3 The term cycle is perhaps misleading as it is more linear than a cycle. (perhaps) 4 Arvind Shama in Hinduism by Kim Knott. 5 www. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/459591. stm Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Agard: Half-Caste section.

The Secret Of Persuasion Still Secret Sociology Essay

The Secret Of Persuasion Still Secret Sociology Essay Persuasion is where a deliberate attempt is made to change peoples attitudes and is concerned with the cognitive process involved in how that change is bought about (Petty and Cacioppo 1981:190). In terms of social psychological research, do we know all that there is to know about persuasion? Can we use it to control manipulation? As people are likely to be exposed to some form of persuasion in everyday life, it is easy to overlook how our opinions can be influenced by external forces. Persuasive techniques are evident throughout society in areas such as: politics, advertising, media, religion and education. Psychological research can be used effectively by these institutions in order to change the attitude of the public. For example, this is evident in the transition from the use of behavioural techniques in advertising, to modern day usage of attractive communicators in society (Atkinson 1984). Psychological exploration of persuasion techniques formally began at the beginning of th e 20th century where research has originated from two schools of thought; the traditional approach and the social psychological critique. The traditional approach believes that persuasion must be studied scientifically whereas critiques claim that there is no objective truth (Stainton Rogers 2003). This essay will outline the findings of these approaches and use them to demonstrate how the secrets of persuasion are becoming increasingly exposed. This science of persuasion was adopted by Traditional psychologists who believe that persuasion should be studied using scientific methodologies (Billig 1996:81). Their nomothetic approach aims to uncover trends amongst variables from which they can create laws of persuasion (Billig 1996). Arguably it was early Greek philosophers such as Protagoras and Aristotle, who first provided an insight into the secrets of persuasion. However, many argue that these insights are irrelevant as they did not know what we know now (Billig 1996). Petty, Ostrom and Brock (1981) claim that although the first set of principles governing the art of persuasion was recorded in the fourth century B.C., it was not until the present century that attitude change was investigated experimentally (Billig 1996:94). On the other hand, Bryant (1965) claims that though modern psychology is very different from that of the Greeks, and doubtless more scientific, modern enlightenment has produced no new method of analysi ng an audience which can replace Aristotles (Billig 1996,:94). If persuasion is to be studied from a scientific stand point, we can consider Kuhns notion of a normal science. He states that knowledge is not accumulated like building blocks; old blocks are simply replaced by new ones. This would suggest that any findings on persuasion by Greek philosophers have been replaced by knowledge of modern social psychologists. Does this mean that old knowledge concerning secrets of persuasion no longer holds any relevance? Many Traditional Psychologists would say yes however, Billig argues otherwise (Billig 1996). Aronson (1976) claims that although Aristotle first asserted some of the basic principles of social influence and persuasion around 350 B.C., it wasnt until the middle of the 20th century that those principles were put to experimental tests by Carl Hovland and his associates. (Billig 1996:94). This is argued to be the earliest influential research on uncovering the secrets of persuasion. Hovland (1949) and his colleagues served as chief psychologists for the U.S. War Department during World War II and carried out a scientific study on persuasion which placed focus of soldier morale. He presented a one-sided text which he gave to group A claiming that they were going to win the war. Then gave a two-sided text which including doubts such as geographical difficulties, death etc. to group B. They found that one sided arguments were more persuasive only when personal beliefs were not taken into account (Myers 1983). By failing to use comparable control groups, prior intelligence could not be measured however, it had a significant effect on his findings. Hovland (1949) argued that the addition of variables would lose simplicity, however he did recognise the vitality for more complex results. This prompted him and his colleagues to reflect on their research after the war, and focus on aspects of communication and processes of persuasion which increased the likelihood that a message would be persuasive (Myers 1983). Traditional critiques would dismiss Hovlands research for being too infused with subjectivity due to the historic context within which his study was carried out (Stainton Rogers 2003). However, the fact that the concept of intelligence was an exception to his one-sided rule of persuasion, agrees with Billigs argument that there will always be infinite exceptions to laws. Quintilians findings would support this as he claimed that there were no such things as rigid rules of persuasion. He claimed that there is no guarantee that strategies that worked in the p ast will work again in new contexts (Billig 1996:92). Although this suggests that there are not one set of persuasive rules to be discovered, it can still be argued that Hovlands research was pivotal as it set a benchmark, from which more research stemmed, on understanding the secrets of persuasion. Michael Billig (1996) considers himself to be an antiquarian psychologist meaning that he highlights the significance of a neglected history of rhetoric to modern social psychology (Billig 1996:2). He argues against contemporary social psychology and believes that psychologists should refer back to the findings of ancient Greek philosophers in order to understand the concept of persuasion. He claims that the classical studies of Aristotle and Protagorous in particular, provide valuable knowledge about secrets of persuasion (Billig 1996). For example, Aristotle spoke about the importance of ethos, this was later reinforced by Hovland and his team who discovered the significance of the source of the message and the acceptance of the audience. Billigs focus on specific historical knowledge has been criticised as being a schemata of collection (Billig 1996:3). However, this may not be negative. The fact that he has sifted through historical findings and extracted those he believed to hav e relevance to today, is arguably more beneficial to modern social psychologists. We can learn from Billigs support of early findings that there are alternative ways of understanding a persuasive argument. Unlike Atkinsons notion that physical and lexical factors hold importance, Billig believes in looking fundamentally at the arguments themselves (Billig 1996). In terms of persuasion, this may uncover the messages that are trying to be conveyed and affect the way that we might allow an argument to influence us. Billigs rhetorical approach has been said to be key to the discursive turn in the social sciences as his faith in historical knowledge has led to key developments in modern social psychology (Billig 1996:330). Roman critics of oratory; Cicero and Quintilian, arguably provided a very memorable insight in history towards persuasion and rhetoric. Their influence in judicial and political speaking arguably held historical significance in uncovering the secrets of persuasion. (Billig 1996). However, it could also be disputed that they lacked any modern technology to analyse how particular tricks worked (Atkinson 1984). Atkinson carried out an ideographic study on political speeches. He focused on form and how features of rhetoric cause an audience to applaud during a political speech. His ethnomethodological study provided observation on a dependent variable in a real context as opposed to the Traditional scientific methods (Stainton Rogers 2003). Critiques argue that these techniques remain context dependent, e.g. appearance of source, intelligence of audience etc. (Myers 1983). With the rapid growth of the media in todays society, the public are becoming increasingly exposed to politics. Atki nsons findings have been highly influential in speech writing and have produced guidelines from which politicians and producers can use his secrets to form the material which is exposed to the public (Atkinson 1984). Arguably politicians may exploit his techniques of manipulation and subsequently the public are becoming more cynical as they become more conscious that they are targets of persuasion. This could be seen to have positive effects on persuasion, as we are being increasingly exposed to the secrets of persuasion, this is an inevitable need to increase the levels of sophistication in techniques of persuasion. Orators will be required to use more subtle techniques as they face increasingly cynical audiences (Atkinson 1984). From this point of view, Atkinsons findings have posed threat to techniques of persuasion predominantly used in politics and advertising, such as 3-part contingencies (Gettysburgs address 1863) and contrasting pairs (Churchills speech 1940), but at the sam e time he has encouraged development. Therefore it can be argued that his study has uncovered secrets of persuasion regularly used by two institutions which have major persuasive powers over society. With reference to both the traditional and critical approaches to social psychology, it must be considered whether the concept of persuasion can now be fully understood. It could be argued that making comparisons between the works of ancient Greek philosophers and modern social psychologists shows the progress in uncovering rules and guidelines to manipulation. However, prior to Hovlands study, there is a distinctive gap in history where the study of persuasion suffered neglect. This could suggest that there are many historical secrets which are yet to be discovered. In todays media dominated society, the study of persuasion holds an increased relevance. Although research has uncovered many rules of persuasion, there is almost a certainty that many remain undiscovered. It is only once these secrets are uncovered, that attitudinal change can fully occur in an increasingly cynical society.

Poetic Tools Describe Life in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself Essay

Poetic Tools Describe Life in Walt Whitman's Song of Myself Walt Whitman is commonly known as the bard of America, a poet who wrote about the common man of the country as had never been done before. He was able to do so because he was a common man, as can be seen in lines such as "This is the city and I am one of the citizens." Within his poetry he often used certain tools of the typical epic tale, borrowed from such tales as The Iliad, and The Odyssey. All of these tools can be seen within the lines of his lengthy poem of fifty-two sections "Song of Myself." The first of these tools include an invocation of the muse, as can be seen in the lines "I loafe and invite my soul," which appears to be an invocation of a muse, or his own soul which may also be his muse. Another tool used is cataloguing, throughout this poem Whitman incorporates many descriptions and images that he lists in a catalogue form. Another typical epic tool is that of beginning en medias res, or in the middle of things. The use of similes, comparisons using like or as are a nother epic tool that is pervasive within Whitmans works. The final tool Whitman uses is the intermingling of high and low, or the common man associating with people of a different class for example when he compares someone to the president " Have you outstript the rest? are you the President?" Whitman also incorporates certain personas into his works when he uses "I" and "me", which do not always refer to him. Lastly, Whitman uses a form of writing called free verse, which exhibits no conscious rhythmic structure, it is unrhymed. It is with this form that Whitman sets out to capture the American vernacular, making his poetry more of a representation of Americas common man. Secti... ...mbryo, saying "My embryo has never been torpid." Using his well-known tool of cataloguing he lists several items such as a "nebula," an "orb," "strata," "vegetables," and "sauroids." All of which are items of the past and add to the theme of eternity. It is with these words and images that Whitman incorporates his life into the great expansive eternity. He shows how he, and everyone else fits into the great timeline, and ultimately how the past can effect ones life in the present. Ultimately Whitman comes to realize just this, that the past has come to make him who he is and he ends the section by saying "All forces have been steadily employed to complete and delight me, Now I stand on this spot with my soul." Works Cited: Whitman, Walt. Song of Myself. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. 3rd ed. Ed, Paul Lauter. Boston,NewYork: Houghton Mifflin, 1998.

Patriarchy in Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis :: Metamorphosis essays

Patriarchy in The Metamorphosis Patriarchy, that is, the supremacy of the father in a family and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line, plays a major part in family life. However, the institution of patriarchy is not just limited to European cultures. In this essay, we will examine the instances of patriarchy in "The Metamorphosis" and compare it to instances in Japan. In the beginning of "The Metamorphosis," we can tell from the way Gregor's family is organized that Gregor is the 'father figure,' in that he is the primary breadwinner and the one who makes most of the decisions for his family. On page 1781, we can see Gregor thinking that me would "take charge of the family's affairs again," hence showing that before he turned into a bug, he was the dominant person in the family. He is the only person in the family who actually goes out to earn money. His father has already retired, while his mother and sister, following the standards of that time, do not go out and work. Gregor is the only one who goes out as a traveling salesman, and is responsible for earning money for the whole family. His father stays at home and only "lies wearily buried in bed"(1778) while Gregor goes out on business trips. From this, we can see that Gregor has taken over his father's responsibilities as head of the household. He is earning money and supporting the family while his father has retired and only stays at home, doing nothing. This conforms with the practice of patriarchy in that the son, Gregor in this case, inherits the position and responsibilitles as head of this household from his father. In Japan, the son of a family is expected to take over the responsibilities of taking care of his family when his father retires, similar to how Gregor takes over in his family. The son is also expected to look after his parents after they grow old and retire, similar to how Gregor looks after his retired father and mother. If he does not look after his parents, he is thought of as being 'unfilial' and seen as a bad person. In contrast, daughters are expected to go out and find a good husband and get married, similar to Grete at the end of "The

My Semester in France Essay -- Personal Narrative, essay about myself

There was a warm breeze that Friday in September when I packed my two large bags, kissed my family and friends good-bye, and left my home. Thus the greatest adventure of my life was begun. On my first day of studying in France, I woke up early and took a quasi-shower, which consisted of sprinkling myself with water for hours until all the soap finally drained out of my hair. My dressing procedures were followed by a silent breakfast that consisted of some bitter-tasting, dark liquid and a hard, bread-like substance. The bread I ate dry, for fear of the dark scary-looking pot of jam. I packed my books and headed off for class. As soon as I left my street, a man on a bike stared at me as he passed. "Stupid American," he thought and went about his business. Walking on, I passed a bakery with numerous strange people inside getting their baguettes. They stared at me as I passed, then they all turned to one another and made various snide remarks about me. They chuckled, thinking I didn't understand anything that they were saying. When I got to the first stoplight, I waited for the little man to turn green. The drivers who had a red light chuckled and thought to themselves, "That girl has no idea what she's doing. Don't they have street signs in America?" Walking along the street, there was a man walking his dog. I smiled at him, and he scowled and thought, "Silly Americans. Always smiling at everything." Next I passed a school, where a number of mothers were chatting outside, having just dropped their children off They looked at me, then back at each other. One said, "Oh my, I wouldn't wear that unless I was an American." Eventually, I passed a car repair garage. The men inside looked up a... ...hing to do with me. I spent a semester building a life in France. I spent it letting go of what I thought and embracing what I never imagined could be true. I learned a great deal about who I am and what I can accomplish. But I think the most important thing I learned is the magnitude of perception. I think I brought home with me the understanding that the world is more a sequence of varying perspectives, than one, defined order. Like the man on the bike and the people on the street and the church bells-and myself-life is shaped far less by reality than by our perception of it. I scurried home at the sound of the church bells, back through the streets of my little town. The air was crisp and cold on that Friday in December when I packed my bags, a little bulkier than before, kissed my family and friends good-bye, And left my home. My Semester in France Essay -- Personal Narrative, essay about myself There was a warm breeze that Friday in September when I packed my two large bags, kissed my family and friends good-bye, and left my home. Thus the greatest adventure of my life was begun. On my first day of studying in France, I woke up early and took a quasi-shower, which consisted of sprinkling myself with water for hours until all the soap finally drained out of my hair. My dressing procedures were followed by a silent breakfast that consisted of some bitter-tasting, dark liquid and a hard, bread-like substance. The bread I ate dry, for fear of the dark scary-looking pot of jam. I packed my books and headed off for class. As soon as I left my street, a man on a bike stared at me as he passed. "Stupid American," he thought and went about his business. Walking on, I passed a bakery with numerous strange people inside getting their baguettes. They stared at me as I passed, then they all turned to one another and made various snide remarks about me. They chuckled, thinking I didn't understand anything that they were saying. When I got to the first stoplight, I waited for the little man to turn green. The drivers who had a red light chuckled and thought to themselves, "That girl has no idea what she's doing. Don't they have street signs in America?" Walking along the street, there was a man walking his dog. I smiled at him, and he scowled and thought, "Silly Americans. Always smiling at everything." Next I passed a school, where a number of mothers were chatting outside, having just dropped their children off They looked at me, then back at each other. One said, "Oh my, I wouldn't wear that unless I was an American." Eventually, I passed a car repair garage. The men inside looked up a... ...hing to do with me. I spent a semester building a life in France. I spent it letting go of what I thought and embracing what I never imagined could be true. I learned a great deal about who I am and what I can accomplish. But I think the most important thing I learned is the magnitude of perception. I think I brought home with me the understanding that the world is more a sequence of varying perspectives, than one, defined order. Like the man on the bike and the people on the street and the church bells-and myself-life is shaped far less by reality than by our perception of it. I scurried home at the sound of the church bells, back through the streets of my little town. The air was crisp and cold on that Friday in December when I packed my bags, a little bulkier than before, kissed my family and friends good-bye, And left my home.

Models of practices that underpin equality Essay

1.1- Explain models of practices that underpin equality, diversity and inclusion in own area of responsibility? My role as a senior care assistant requires me to support individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. At all times, I am expected to uphold and promote equitable practice and offer equality of opportunity while taking into account peoples political, economical, social and civil rights while promoting diversity and inclusion. I must consider my own areas of responsibility within my workplace and how my practice underpins the values and principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. In addition to this, my role is to support and influence the practice of my staff, to ensure that staff and residents are treated equally and fairly without discrimination. This is done by using a person centred approach, which is a model of practice that ensures individuals are central to the planning of their support, and are empowered to identify personal choices about how they want to live their lives. This also relates to the service users, as it enables them to be actively involved in all aspects of their care. Equality is ensuring that everyone is treated equally and fairly regardless of their ability, religion, beliefs, gender, race, age, social status or sexual orientation. Diversity recognises that although people have things in common with each other, they are also different and unique in many ways. Diversity is about recognising and valuing those differences, and consists of visible and non-visible factors. These include, personal characteristics such as background, culture, personality and work style in addition to the characteristics that are protected under discrimination legislation in terms of race, gender, disability, religion and belief, sexual orientation and age. By recognising and understanding individual differences and embracing them, a productive environment whereby everyone feels valued can be created, known as inclusion. The policies and procedures within my workplace are underpinned by a variety of legislation and current codes of practice. These provide me with a framework for ensuring that I uphold the principles and ethics of equality, diversity and inclusion.(see appendix) The Equality Act 2010 is the law that bans discrimination and helps achieve equal opportunities in the workplace and in the wider society. The Act brought together and replaced previous equality legislation, such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. It simplified and updated the law and strengthened it in important ways. The Act protects people from discrimination on the grounds covered by the previous equality laws. These are now called â€Å"protected characteristics†, and are; age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage nd civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation. The Act also promotes equality of opportunity to prevent discrimination arising in the first place. The Equality Act also protects people from various forms of discrimination relating to disability, and also discrimination and harassment: Direct discrimination is when you are treated less favourably than another person because of your disability. This also extends to people who are  discriminated against because of their association with someone who has a disability or because they are thought to be disabled. Discrimination arising from disability is when you’re treated less favourably because of something connected with your disability (rather than the disability itself). But it’s not discrimination if the employer or service provider can justify how they treat you, or if they didn’t know that you are disabled. Indirect discrimination happens when a rule, policy or practice is applied to everyone, but it has a particular disadvantage for disabled people. But it’s not discrimination if it can be justified. Failure to make reasonable adjustments is when you need a reasonable adjustment so you are not at a ‘substantial disadvantage’, but the adjustment has not been made. The duty to make reasonable adjustments covers the way things are done, a physical feature (such as steps to a building), or the absence of an auxiliary aid or service (such as an induction loop or an interpreter). Harassment is unwanted behaviour that has the purpose or effect of violating your dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Victimisation – when you’re treated badly because you’ve made or supported a complaint under the Equality Act. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) creates a framework to provide protection for people who cannot make decisions for themselves. It contains provision for assessing whether people have the mental capacity to make decisions, procedures for making decisions on behalf of people who lack mental capacity and safeguards. The underlying philosophy of the MCA Is that any decision made must be in their best interests. The MCA is governed by 5 core principles. These can be summarised as follows: Presumption of capacity (section 1(2) MCA).Every adult has the right to make their own decisions if they have the capacity to do so. Family carers and healthcare or social care staff must assume that a person has the capacity to make decisions, unless it can be established that the person does not have capacity Maximising decision making capacity (section 1(3) MCA). People should receive support to help them make their own decisions. Before concluding that someone lacks capacity to make a particular decision, it is important to take all possible steps to try to help them reach a decision themselves. Right to make unwise decisions (section 1(4) MCA). People have  the right to make decisions that others might think are unwise. A person who makes a decision that others think is unwise should not automatically be labelled as lacking the capacity to make a decision. Best interests (section 1(5) MCA). Any act done for, or any decision made on behalf of, someone who lacks capacity must be in their best interests. Least restrictive option (section 1(6) MCA). Any act done for, or any decision made on behalf of, someone who lacks capacity should be the least restrictive option possible. The Human Rights Act is a UK law passed in 1998. It means that any person can defend their rights in the UK courts and that public organisations (including the government, police and local councils) must treat everyone equally, with fairness, dignity and respect. The human rights that are contained within this law are based on the articles of the European Convention, and does two things; judges must read and give effect to legislation in a way which is compatible with the Convention Rights, and it is unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right. The rights that are protected by the HRA are; The right to life The prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment Protection against slavery and forced labour The right to liberty and freedom The right to a fair trial and no punishment without law Respect for privacy and family life and the right to marry Freedom of thought, religion and belief Freedom of expression Free speech and peaceful protest No discrimination Protection of property, the right to an education and the right to free elections GSCC Codes of practice- Although the GSCC closed in July 2012, the codes of conduct are still used in care homes. The document contains agreed codes of practice for social care workers and employers of social care workers  describing the standards of conduct and practice within which they should work. 1.2 – Analyse the potential effects of barriers to equality and inclusion in own area of responsibility? Equality in the workplace is about more than simply giving equal treatment to all employees and complying with the Equality Act. Within the home, we work to remove the barriers which affect recruitment and progression. These barriers can include age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or belief, social background, physical or mental disabilities, marital or parental status, gender identity, communication and language. All policies and practices within the organisation create equal opportunities for personal and professional growth- from establishing fair pay structures offering equal access to benefits to ensuring that promotion and progression is fair. At the very minimum, employers are required to eliminate discrimination from the whole employment cycle, starting from the application stage and throughout an employee’s career. Barriers that prevent equality and inclusion are as follows; Physical- Buildings and access, personal physical health, sensory loss Attitudinal- Personal feelings, thoughts and behaviours Structural- Economic, environmental, social systems Institutional- Policies and procedures where some people are disadvantaged over others e.g. maternity leave Examples of inequality in the workplace include; Direct discrimination- when an employer treats an employee less favourably than someone else because of a protected characteristic Indirect discrimination- when a working condition or rule disadvantages one group of people more than another. E.g. saying that applicants for a job must be clean shaven puts members of some religious groups at a disadvantage. Indirect discrimination is unlawful whether it is done on purpose or not. Equality laws may be jeopardised if training and promotion is targeted at younger members of the team, assuming that older workers are not as interested in career progression as their younger colleagues. Failure to  provide adequate facilities for disabled people in the workplace, or failure to tackle bullying and harassment against an employee from a different ethnic origin may contribute towards a tribunal claim. Discriminatory tactics in screening of potential staff members, e.g. deliberately choosing male staff over female staff regardless of their ability to do a job. Effects of this type of discrimination include; diminished life chances, social exclusion, marginalisation, poor interpersonal interactions and communication, disempowerment, and low self-esteem and self-identity. Oppression is another barrier that can affect equality, diversity and inclusion. It is the consequence of five different factors including; stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination (as stated above), oppression and internalised oppression. It is defined as the â€Å"unjust or cruel exercise of power† (Webster, 2013). Standing up and taking action when this type of behaviour occurs is a way to eliminate oppression. Also, being aware about what oppression is as well as methods of prevention can be used as an effort to reduce, if not eliminate, and enables staff to work in an anti- oppressive manner. Oppression happens in many atmospheres, especially in a working environment. Prevention is the main key to avoiding this type of hostility. This can be done with enforcement of policies, including written disciplinary actions that will be utilised if this occurs, as well as a chain of authority. Having a written policy clearly sets out the expectations of employees by the employers, not only of what is acceptable and unacceptable, but what consequences are to be enforced on to non- compliant employees. This should be read and signed by all employees as a preventative measure to avoid further problems. The chain of authority is listed so employees are aware of who they will have to answer to in this situation, and who will be enforcing the consequences of their actions. The mechanics of oppression are described as participating, turning a blind eye and denial. Staff who witness this type of behaviour, being well aware but not taking action or altogether denying that the behaviour is occurring are examples showing how oppression continues to exist. Failure to uphold equality, diversity and inclusion through practice will  breach European and UK law and codes of practice and incur penalties such as loss of registration and significant damage to reputation. Consequences for the individual range from low self-esteem, poor mental and physical health and risk of harm and abuse. Therefore, it is paramount that regular training, supervisions and discussions take place to ensure that staff do not display this type of behaviour, or are victimised by others. As a senior, it is important that I notice these barriers and act quickly to prevent any issues from developing. 1.3 – Analyse the impact of legislation and policy initiatives on the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion? It is important that I am familiar with the Acts of Parliament, regulations, guidance and codes of practice in order to promote best practice within the home and to inform staff, ensuring they are up to date on any changes. As a qualified social worker, I already have some background knowledge on different acts and legislation within the health and social care sector, and have put these into practice in two six month placements throughout my academic career, and also my current job in the care sector. Equality, diversity and inclusion are addressed within the essential standards set out by CQC which are underpinned by the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Regulation 17(2) (h) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 says that : â€Å"the registered person must†¦take care to ensure that care and treatment is provided to service users with due regard to their age, sex, religious persuasion, sexual orientation, racial origin, cultural and linguistic background and any disability they may have†. This regulation relates to Outcome 1 – respecting and involving people who use services. However, the wording of this regulation suggests that these equality characteristics should be considered in all aspects of care, treatment and support. This is also the approach taken by CQC in the essential standards. In addition, Regulation 9(1)(b)(iv) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 says that: â€Å"The registered person must take proper steps to ensure that each service user is protected against the risks of receiving care or treatment that is inappropriate or unsafe, by means of†¦ the planning and  delivery of care and, where appropriate, treatment in such a way as to— avoid unlawful discrimination including, where applicable, by providing for the making of reasonable adjustments in service provision to meet the service user’s individual needs.† This regulation relates to Outcome 4.Regulation 17(1) a of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (regulated activities) regulations 2009 says that: â€Å"The registered person must, so far as is reasonably practicable, make suitable arrangements to ensure†¦the dignity, privacy and independence of service user s.† Regulation 17(2) (a) says that: â€Å"the registered person must treat service users with consideration and respect† This regulation relates to Outcome 1. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has now been repealed and replaced by the Equality Act 2010. Formerly, it made it unlawful to discriminate against people in respect of their disabilities in relation to employment, the provision of goods and services, education and transport. The DDA 1995 departed from principles of older UK discrimination law (the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Race Relations Act 1976). These acts, also repealed and replaced by the Equality Act 2010, made direct and indirect discrimination unlawful. The core concepts of the DDA 1995 are instead: less favourable treatment for a reason related to a disabled person’s disability; and failure to make a â€Å"reasonable adjustment†. â€Å"Reasonable adjustment† or, as it is known in some other jurisdictions, ‘reasonable accommodation’, is the radical concept that makes the DDA 1995 so different from the older legislation. Instead of the rather passive approach of indirect discrimination (where someone can take action if they have been disadvantaged by a policy, practice or criterion that a body with duties under the law has adopted), reasonable adjustment is an active approach that requires employers, service providers etc to take steps to remove barriers from disabled people’s participation. The National Minimum Standards sets out the standards for care homes for older people, which form the basis on which the new National Care Standards Commission will determine whether such care homes meet the needs, and secure the welfare and social inclusion of the people who live there. The standards  set out in this document are core standards which apply to all care homes providing accommodation for older people. They acknowledge the unique and complex needs of individuals, and the additional specific knowledge, skills and facilities needed in order for a care home to deliver an individually tailored and comprehensive service. As stated in outcome 1.1 I have discussed the Equality Act 2010, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. It is also essential that all staff are familiar with the homes own policies on diversity, equality and inclusion (see appendix) If these policies are not adhered to, it could result in guidelines, legislations and requirements also not being adhered to, which could result in the residents and staff being subjected to abuse. 2.4- How do you support others to challenge discrimination and exclusion? As a senior, I have an important role to play in championing diversity, equality and inclusion in my workplace. I am expected to articulate my own beliefs and values regarding diversity, recognise equality, respect and tolerance, and encourage non- judgemental attitudes and anti- discriminatory practice in order to inspire and lead my team. It is also important to encourage a positive culture within the workplace that promotes the principles of good practice. Examples of opportunities include; Developing and delivering training and CPD reviews so that the team is kept up to date with new developments Providing a safe environment where people feel empowered and supported to challenge discrimination and poor practice Ensure all staff are aware of the â€Å"whistleblowing† policy and other policies in place to challenge discrimination. (see appendix) I am also the workforce representative, so this means that staff can openly discuss any issues or concerns they have which could include issues of discrimination and exclusion. I have received some complaints that staff feel they are being victimised, as there has recently been a divide between night/day staff, with each day/ night members complaining that the other are not pulling their weight, or they are not assisting the residents in meeting  their personal care needs to a high standards e.g. wet beds, soiled pads not being changed etc. To rectify this issue, staff members were expected to complete a night/ day shift that was opposite to their usual shift pattern, in hopes to highlight what the different shift patterns and routines entailed and what was expected from staff members. The work â€Å"clique† was also used which has serious connotations as can be linked to bullying, which is a form of victimisation and exclusion. There was a management meeting held to discuss these issues and ways to rectify them. A â€Å"team building† night out was arranged, in hopes to bring all staff together. When discrimination and exclusion occur in policy and practice, I have a duty of care to challenge it, by reviewing and monitoring situations to identify and give examples of best practice. This can be done by undertaking supervisions, encouraging reflective practice to consider individual roles and accountability, maintaining quality assurance systems and record keeping, monitoring and evaluating processes and regular training. Ensuring staff are familiar and adhere to policies and procedures (see appendix) is also a positive way to address issues of discrimination and exclusion, as it ensures staff are fully aware it will not be tolerated within the care home. In relation to the residents there are many laws and policies that are aimed to prevent this. The â€Å"No secrets† white paper is a UK Government initiative from the Department of Health which provides guidance on developing and implementing policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse. Abuse can be defined as: Physical, sexual, psychological, financial, neglect and discriminatory. The Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) policy also states the duty of care placed on local authorities and organisations to protect older people from abuse and harm. As the care home specifically caters for residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia, there is a higher chance that these residents can face widespread discrimination for a number of reasons. There is significant misunderstanding and stigma attached to dementia that manifests itself in widespread discriminatory attitudes. Age discrimination is also a factor that they could face, and potentially more at risk of discrimination and infringements on their human rights because they may not have the capacity to challenge or report what has  occurred, meaning they face a poorer quality of life. At the care home, we ensure that this type of discrimination is challenged by offering high quality care based on individualised care and support which builds on a person’s abilities and strengths, treating people with dignity and respect offering choice and safeguarding privacy, and that staff are properly trained in caring for residents with dementia and who are fully supported in their role. If a resident or a member of their family feel they are being discriminated against, the complaints procedure enables them to formally complain, and feel fully supported in doing so. The à ¢â‚¬Å"residents charter of rights† policy is available to all residents, their families and visitors, and details how they should be treated according to the Health and Social Care Act 2008, and also the essential standards set out by CQC. 3.1- Analyse how systems and processes can promote equality and inclusion or reinforce discrimination and exclusion? Every organisation has policies and procedures in place that are informed by legislation and national guidelines, in hope to promote anti- discriminatory practice. At the care home, we have a mission statement that details the way we intend to create a positive working environment whereby the shared principles and values of good quality support are upheld throughout the organisation. The statement reads; Vision Statement: We strive to be at the forefront of delivering exceptional standards of care and establishing ourselves as a leading and innovative care group in the United Kingdom. Mission Statement: We believe in a holistic care approach supported by dedicated and motivated staff team who are specifically trained to deliver a quality service. Our ethos encourages independence of residents in a friendly, welcoming, and safe environment with a â€Å"home from home† atmosphere. Philosophy of Care: QCG philosophy encompasses five basic principles of care which are; Quality of care with a holistic approach ensuring psychological, spiritual and physical well-being of residents A motivated, enthusiastic and specifically trained staff team to deliver this care Ensuring dignity and respect of residents in a non-discriminatory way in accordance with the resident’s charter of rights. (see appendix) Encouraging an independent and supported lifestyle with well-structured activities and social programmes A homely care approach fostering friendships, family involvement, local community interaction and support. The effectiveness of these systems and processes will need to be monitored, and this can be done through; A regular review and audit of policies and practice will identify areas to be addressed Individual and family questionnaires can identify areas that require improvement, but also highlight areas of good practice and provide the benchmarks for reviewing and monitoring practice within the workplace. In depth and thorough induction training to ensure new employees are aware of their job roles and responsibilities Complaints procedures can contribute to providing evidence in particular cases. Developing and maintaining effective complaints procedures will enable areas to be identified relating to diversity and equality which require improvement. 4.1- Describe ethical dilemmas that may arise in own area of responsibility when balancing individuals rights and duty of care? Confidentiality My duty of care towards the resident, and my responsibility to safeguard individual privacy could cause legal and ethical tensions. Ethical dilemmas arise frequently throughout the social care sector, particularly within my role as a senior carer, and it is my duty and the duty of the home to ensure that individuals are protected from harm. A number of factors need to be considered including the residents need to be informed as to how information about them is used and consent should be sought to share information with outside agencies. However, information can be disclosed where there is an overriding public interest e.g. where abuse is suspected. In this circumstance, confidentiality can be broken if a resident is at serious risk of; harm to themselves, harm to others, exploitation or physical/ sexual/ verbal abuse, significant financial gain or loss. I would also need to assess whether or not the resident has capacity and adhere to the MCA 2005 framework. The five principles of assessment are; Presume capacity unless established otherwise Take practical steps to enable decision making Accept that people can make unwise decisions Act in the persons best interests Use the action least restrictive of the persons rights and freedom of choice The use of sharing of service user information forms an essential part of the provision of health and social care, however the nature of this information needs to be in line with the legal duty to keep all personal information confidential. The relationship between staff and resident needs to be one of fidelity and trust, and residents have a legitimate expectation that private information will not be shared, used or disclosed without their consent. Therefore, all staff have strong legal and ethical obligations to protect resident information and the law and standards that govern practice and the handling of personal and confidential information are; The Data Protection Act The Human Rights Act 1998 (article 8) The Freedom of Information Act (2000) The Essential standards of quality and safety The Equality Act 2010 The Public Interest Disclosure Act (1999) Own Beliefs and values Each person has a unique set of values and beliefs, and strive to live their lives by these. The same is true for the resident who are supported within the care home, and occasionally personal values and beliefs may be different from the residents and their families. If the resident has a Lasting Power of Attorney in place that has a say over their health and welfare, or if they had a living will in place prior to a decline in their mental illness than this can also cause an ethical dilemma. A resident in the care home had a living will in place where, in the event that they had a decline in their mental state and became very unwell, then they would not want to be treated for this illness. The resident does now unfortunately have severe dementia; he became unwell with a chest infection, and his daughter, who has Lasting Power of Attorney, did not want him treated. Personally, I did not agree with this decision, as felt that it was not a severe illness as stated in his living will, and could be overcome with some antibiotics. His daughter did not want the GP contacted, however, I felt it was in the best interests  of the resident to speak with the GP regarding this issue, as felt he could become seriously unwell without antibiotics, so I was therefore trying to protect him from harm. This was a serous ethical dilemma for me and a big learning curve. After a long discussion with the GP, it was decided that the GP would contact the daughter to explain the possible severity of the situation, and she eventually agreed to treatment. Other factors that can cause ethical dilemmas include; the management of resources- balancing good support with available resources can be a challenge, organisational policies- While there may be solid reasoning’s behind the policies, some may impact negatively on a staff member if for example they are unable to work unsupervised due to disability, safeguarding- disclosing information of a safeguarding matter to the correct person if a resident and/or staff member has asked you not to disclose and balancing the needs of the family and the needs of the individual- sometimes challenging the families wishes to meet the needs of the individual may be necessary. 4.2- Explain the principle of informed choice? Choice and control is about freedom to act, for example to be independent and mobile, as well as freedom to decide. Having choice and control over one’s life and involvement supports autonomy and self-esteem. The issues of choice, control, involvement and self-determination are at the forefront of current government policy. Department of Health research found that health and social care recipient’s value having information to make choices and decisions for themselves, and that feeling confident and maintaining control is important. Putting People First (2007) outlined a shared vision for social care and radical reform. Autonomy – through maximum choice, control and power for people over the services they receive – is central to the values outlined in the paper. Information, advice, advocacy and support with decision-making, are all key to ensuring that people can exercise autonomy. Every resident in the care home has a consent to care and treatment form in place that they must agree to before care can be carried out. This means they agree to information sharing, intervention from GP’s and nurses etc. If the resident is unable to give signed consent but it appears they can give  verbal consent than their next of kin can sign for them. However, if the resident is unable to give signed or verbal consent, than this would affect their informed choice as a Mental Capacity Assessment and Best Interests Assessment is carried out. For most residents in the care home, making complex decisions and choices requires additional support as the majority have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia. There are different processes for decision making when considering choices. An informed choice is when an individual is supported to make a decision, and as a senior, I have a responsibility to provide residents and their families with all the necessary information to make those decisions. It is important to be mindful of the range of accessible information the individual requires in order for them to make the decision, and this decision must be unbiased and evidence based. It is important to also consider how the resident communicates and who else may need to be involved such as family members, GP’S social workers etc. Many of the residents have a Power of Attorney in place which covers finances, and approximately four residents have a Lasting Power of Attorney which covers health and welfare. In this case, decisions can be a lot harder to make as a family member may have the final say regardless of the residents values, which should always be upheld. This is because the resident may not be able to express their wishes due to a decline in their mental illness. The residents are however, protected by the Mental Capacity Act and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Democrat vs. Republican

Democrat vs. Republican The Democratic and Republican parties remain important organizing structures for politics in the United States. Both Democratic and Republican also write party platforms, setting out the party’s goals and policy positions. A party’s platform is not binding on its nominees, platform planks are largely symbolic, and the often provide heated arguments and provide distinct differences between the parties to present to voters.The Democratic platform is that if America is to secure prosperity, progress, peace, and security for all we cannot afford to go back, we must move forward together and we must not leave anyone behind. The Republican Platform is uplifting and visionary. The Democratic Party traces its origins back to Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic- Republican Party, acquiring its current name under Andrew Jackson in 1828. It also pressed the state to choose presidential electors by popular vote rather than by state legislatures.The Republic an Party traces its origins to the anti-slavery and national forces that united in the 1850s and nominated Abraham Lincoln for president in 1860. The Difference between the Republican Party and Democratic Party is like the sun and moon. (It comes up and it goes down). According to the text book, â€Å"The Republican Party believes the federal government should be small and ruled by the wealthy elite† (p. 476 – 504), and secondly according to the website on who do you believe, â€Å"the republican party believe that that your property is yours and you have the basic right to make use of it without unreasonable government restrictions†.While on the other hand, â€Å"the Democratic Party believes the federal government should be big and ruled by elected representatives† (p. 494). The type of government they desire is the type our constitution gives us, a Republic, and the methods they are using to achieve their goals are conservative, and secondly the Democr atic Party believe that the government has the right to regulate the use of private property in accordance with narrow special interests without giving just compensation to owners. The two platforms are also starkly different on the abortion issue.The Republican Platform states that â€Å"the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. † And for the Democratic Party platforms states that â€Å"a woman's right to choose to abort the child†. The similarities between Democratic and Republican party, I believe that both parties has been representing the interest of liberals and that is a shame because liberals ideals promote freedom, human rights, worker's rights, a clean environment, and greater economic opportunities for all Americans. And both parties are led by people who vote for their own raises.Even some of their idea sometimes may seem wrong, but they do what is best for their people. Sources Difference between Democratic and Republican. Who do you believe? Access on September 9, 2010. Lowi Theodore J. , Ginsberg Benjamin, and Shepsle Kenneth A. American Government: Power and Purpose. 10th ed. W. W. Norton and Company New York, 2008. Lowi Theodore J. , Ginsberg Benjamin, and Shepsle Kenneth A. American Government: Power and Purpose. 10th ed. W. W. Norton and Company Inc. New York, 2008. Page 476-504

Environmental Protection Essay

Environmental protection is an increasingly pressing issue all over the world. Ozone depletion, green house effect, global climate changes or global warming, etc, are the main issues in environment. Recent years, many countries and various organizations have paid more attention into environmental protection. A treaty about global environmental protection was discussed by 192 nations in Copenhagen in December 2011. But I fell every individual on this earth should make sacrifices to prevent environment changes. Yes it is the need of the hour. We should protect the world for the future generations. Why? It is because of mans greed he has the once beahtiful earth into a rubbish of Earth. He has increased his numbers to terrible proportions, has caused the death of hundreds of species of animals, has robbed and destroyed the planet in his search for fuels; now he stands, like a violent, spoilt child, delighted at the speed of his rise to power, It is he who is on the edge of the final mass destruction and of killing all the life which exists in the solar system. The Earth is our home but much of it is dirty and dying. Rapid industrial development caused a lot of ecological problems. They are: air pollution, water pollution, growth of population and shortage of mineral resources. Air becomes polluted with Cars, trucks, buses, airplanes, factories and plants send burnt gases into the air. The production of electricity causes not only air pollution but acid rains and global warming. Because of acid rains the Earth losses twenty million acres of tropical rainforests every year. This means the extinction of thousands of species that live there, for example tigers. Only 67 thousand tigers remain. Tigers are hunted and killed for their body parts. Ozone layer is destroyed too and the dangerous rays get through the atmosphere causing skin cancer and other diseases. Most of the air pollutants directly affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems Nitrogen dioxide and ozone also effect the respiratory system, irritate the eyes, nose and throat and headaches. Carbon monoxide is able to displace oxygen in the blood which in turn can result in cardiovascular and neurological effects. Lead affects bone narrow, impairs liver and kidney function, causes neurological damage and also causes mental retardation in children. Oceans are vital for the life on Earth. We need to protect it. They provide homes for millions of plants and animals, provide people with food and help regulate the climate. But now they are a big dumping ground for tons of toxic waste. Most big cities pour their waste into seas and rivers. Water pollution is due to mixture of dirt, sewage and industrial waste , increased use of fertilizers and insecticides that seep through the earth and pollute the ground water As a result, there are numerous health problems like dysentery, cholera and paratyphoid fever. Noise pollution is yet another problem that the researchers say causes ulcers, abortions, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension besides several mental disorders. Checking of environmental pollution has been absolutely necessary. if it is not checked, the earth will become a graveyard. So we must give due attention to protect it from our own abuses. We must have balanced and planned industrial growth in order to check thin pollution. Towns and cities should be planned very carefully and stress should be given on planting of more trees. I would like to dwell on practical measures which must be taken in order to improve the ecological situation: -the factories must be removed from cities; -have balanced and planned industrial growth -purifying systems for cleaning and trapping harmful substances must be widely used; -green zones must be created by planting more trees. -almost everything is recyclable today – recycling is a great way to reduce waste. We need clean air to breathe and pure water to drink. So we have to prevent disposal of toxic waste and nuclear tests. I feel formal education programmed should be provided and implemented for the environ ­mental protection We need to conserve resources like water by planting rain water harvest in our houses Earth is the only planet endowed with a beautiful environment for man to live We should pass it on to our future generation as their legacy. Protect our earth today for our children tomorrow.

Angels Demons Chapter 82-85

82 At CERN, secretary Sylvie Baudeloque was hungry, wishing she could go home. To her dismay, Kohler had apparently survived his trip to the infirmary; he had phoned and demanded – not asked, demanded – that Sylvie stay late this evening. No explanation. Over the years, Sylvie had programmed herself to ignore Kohler's bizarre mood swings and eccentricities – his silent treatments, his unnerving propensity to secretly film meetings with his wheelchair's porta-video. She secretly hoped one day he would shoot himself during his weekly visit to CERN's recreational pistol range, but apparently he was a pretty good shot. Now, sitting alone at her desk, Sylvie heard her stomach growling. Kohler had not yet returned, nor had he given her any additional work for the evening. To hell with sitting here bored and starving, she decided. She left Kohler a note and headed for the staff dining commons to grab a quick bite. She never made it. As she passed CERN's recreational â€Å"suites de loisir† – a long hallway of lounges with televisions – she noticed the rooms were overflowing with employees who had apparently abandoned dinner to watch the news. Something big was going on. Sylvie entered the first suite. It was packed with byte-heads – wild young computer programmers. When she saw the headlines on the TV, she gasped. Terror at the Vatican Sylvie listened to the report, unable to believe her ears. Some ancient brotherhood killing cardinals? What did that prove? Their hatred? Their dominance? Their ignorance? And yet, incredibly, the mood in this suite seemed anything but somber. Two young techies ran by waving T-shirts that bore a picture of Bill Gates and the message: And the Geek shall inherit the Earth! â€Å"Illuminati!† one shouted. â€Å"I told you these guys were real!† â€Å"Incredible! I thought it was just a game!† â€Å"They killed the Pope, man! The Pope!† â€Å"Jeez! I wonder how many points you get for that?† They ran off laughing. Sylvie stood in stunned amazement. As a Catholic working among scientists, she occasionally endured the antireligious whisperings, but the party these kids seemed to be having was all-out euphoria over the church's loss. How could they be so callous? Why the hatred? For Sylvie, the church had always been an innocuous entity†¦ a place of fellowship and introspection†¦ sometimes just a place to sing out loud without people staring at her. The church recorded the benchmarks of her life – funerals, weddings, baptisms, holidays – and it asked for nothing in return. Even the monetary dues were voluntary. Her children emerged from Sunday School every week uplifted, filled with ideas about helping others and being kinder. What could possibly be wrong with that? It never ceased to amaze her that so many of CERN's so-called â€Å"brilliant minds† failed to comprehend the importance of the church. Did they really believe quarks and mesons inspired the average human being? Or that equations could replace someone's need for faith in the divine? Dazed, Sylvie moved down the hallway past the other lounges. All the TV rooms were packed. She began wondering now about the call Kohler had gotten from the Vatican earlier. Coincidence? Perhaps. The Vatican called CERN from time to time as a â€Å"courtesy† before issuing scathing statements condemning CERN's research – most recently for CERN's breakthroughs in nanotechnology, a field the church denounced because of its implications for genetic engineering. CERN never cared. Invariably, within minutes after a Vatican salvo, Kohler's phone would ring off the hook with tech-investment companies wanting to license the new discovery. â€Å"No such thing as bad press,† Kohler would always say. Sylvie wondered if she should page Kohler, wherever the hell he was, and tell him to turn on the news. Did he care? Had he heard? Of course, he'd heard. He was probably videotaping the entire report with his freaky little camcorder, smiling for the first time in a year. As Sylvie continued down the hall, she finally found a lounge where the mood was subdued†¦ almost melancholy. Here the scientists watching the report were some of CERN's oldest and most respected. They did not even look up as Sylvie slipped in and took a seat. On the other side of CERN, in Leonardo Vetra's frigid apartment, Maximilian Kohler had finished reading the leather-bound journal he'd taken from Vetra's bedside table. Now he was watching the television reports. After a few minutes, he replaced Vetra's journal, turned off the television, and left the apartment. Far away, in Vatican City, Cardinal Mortati carried another tray of ballots to the Sistine Chapel chimney. He burned them, and the smoke was black. Two ballotings. No Pope. 83 Flashlights were no match for the voluminous blackness of St. Peter's Basilica. The void overhead pressed down like a starless night, and Vittoria felt the emptiness spread out around her like a desolate ocean. She stayed close as the Swiss Guards and the camerlegno pushed on. High above, a dove cooed and fluttered away. As if sensing her discomfort, the camerlegno dropped back and lay a hand on her shoulder. A tangible strength transferred in the touch, as if the man were magically infusing her with the calm she needed to do what they were about to do. What are we about to do? she thought. This is madness! And yet, Vittoria knew, for all its impiety and inevitable horror, the task at hand was inescapable. The grave decisions facing the camerlegno required information†¦ information entombed in a sarcophagus in the Vatican Grottoes. She wondered what they would find. Did the Illuminati murder the Pope? Did their power really reach so far? Am I really about to perform the first papal autopsy? Vittoria found it ironic that she felt more apprehensive in this unlit church than she would swimming at night with barracuda. Nature was her refuge. She understood nature. But it was matters of man and spirit that left her mystified. Killer fish gathering in the dark conjured images of the press gathering outside. TV footage of branded bodies reminded her of her father's corpse†¦ and the killer's harsh laugh. The killer was out there somewhere. Vittoria felt the anger drowning her fear. As they circled past a pillar – thicker in girth than any redwood she could imagine – Vittoria saw an orange glow up ahead. The light seemed to emanate from beneath the floor in the center of the basilica. As they came closer, she realized what she was seeing. It was the famous sunken sanctuary beneath the main altar – the sumptuous underground chamber that held the Vatican's most sacred relics. As they drew even with the gate surrounding the hollow, Vittoria gazed down at the golden coffer surrounded by scores of glowing oil lamps. â€Å"St. Peter's bones?† she asked, knowing full well that they were. Everyone who came to St. Peter's knew what was in the golden casket. â€Å"Actually, no,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"A common misconception. That's not a reliquary. The box holds palliums – woven sashes that the Pope gives to newly elected cardinals.† â€Å"But I thought – â€Å" â€Å"As does everyone. The guidebooks label this as St. Peter's tomb, but his true grave is two stories beneath us, buried in the earth. The Vatican excavated it in the forties. Nobody is allowed down there.† Vittoria was shocked. As they moved away from the glowing recession into the darkness again, she thought of the stories she'd heard of pilgrims traveling thousands of miles to look at that golden box, thinking they were in the presence of St. Peter. â€Å"Shouldn't the Vatican tell people?† â€Å"We all benefit from a sense of contact with divinity†¦ even if it is only imagined.† Vittoria, as a scientist, could not argue the logic. She had read countless studies of the placebo effect – aspirins curing cancer in people who believed they were using a miracle drug. What was faith, after all? â€Å"Change,† the camerlegno said, â€Å"is not something we do well within Vatican City. Admitting our past faults, modernization, are things we historically eschew. His Holiness was trying to change that.† He paused. â€Å"Reaching to the modern world. Searching for new paths to God.† Vittoria nodded in the dark. â€Å"Like science?† â€Å"To be honest, science seems irrelevant.† â€Å"Irrelevant?† Vittoria could think of a lot of words to describe science, but in the modern world â€Å"irrelevant† did not seem like one of them. â€Å"Science can heal, or science can kill. It depends on the soul of the man using the science. It is the soul that interests me.† â€Å"When did you hear your call?† â€Å"Before I was born.† Vittoria looked at him. â€Å"I'm sorry, that always seems like a strange question. What I mean is that I've always known I would serve God. From the moment I could first think. It wasn't until I was a young man, though, in the military, that I truly understood my purpose.† Vittoria was surprised. â€Å"You were in the military?† â€Å"Two years. I refused to fire a weapon, so they made me fly instead. Medevac helicopters. In fact, I still fly from time to time.† Vittoria tried to picture the young priest flying a helicopter. Oddly, she could see him perfectly behind the controls. Camerlegno Ventresca possessed a grit that seemed to accentuate his conviction rather than cloud it. â€Å"Did you ever fly the Pope?† â€Å"Heavens no. We left that precious cargo to the professionals. His Holiness let me take the helicopter to our retreat in Gandolfo sometimes.† He paused, looking at her. â€Å"Ms. Vetra, thank you for your help here today. I am very sorry about your father. Truly.† â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"I never knew my father. He died before I was born. I lost my mother when I was ten.† Vittoria looked up. â€Å"You were orphaned?† She felt a sudden kinship. â€Å"I survived an accident. An accident that took my mother.† â€Å"Who took care of you?† â€Å"God,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"He quite literally sent me another father. A bishop from Palermo appeared at my hospital bed and took me in. At the time I was not surprised. I had sensed God's watchful hand over me even as a boy. The bishop's appearance simply confirmed what I had already suspected, that God had somehow chosen me to serve him.† â€Å"You believed God chose you?† â€Å"I did. And I do.† There was no trace of conceit in the camerlegno's voice, only gratitude. â€Å"I worked under the bishop's tutelage for many years. He eventually became a cardinal. Still, he never forgot me. He is the father I remember.† A beam of a flashlight caught the camerlegno's face, and Vittoria sensed a loneliness in his eyes. The group arrived beneath a towering pillar, and their lights converged on an opening in the floor. Vittoria looked down at the staircase descending into the void and suddenly wanted to turn back. The guards were already helping the camerlegno onto the stairs. They helped her next. â€Å"What became of him?† she asked, descending, trying to keep her voice steady. â€Å"The cardinal who took you in?† â€Å"He left the College of Cardinals for another position.† Vittoria was surprised. â€Å"And then, I'm sorry to say, he passed on.† â€Å"Le mie condoglianze,† Vittoria said. â€Å"Recently?† The camerlegno turned, shadows accentuating the pain on his face. â€Å"Exactly fifteen days ago. We are going to see him right now.† 84 The dark lights glowed hot inside the archival vault. This vault was much smaller than the previous one Langdon had been in. Less air. Less time. He wished he'd asked Olivetti to turn on the recirculating fans. Langdon quickly located the section of assets containing the ledgers cataloging Belle Arti. The section was impossible to miss. It occupied almost eight full stacks. The Catholic church owned millions of individual pieces worldwide. Langdon scanned the shelves searching for Gianlorenzo Bernini. He began his search about midway down the first stack, at about the spot he thought the B's would begin. After a moment of panic fearing the ledger was missing, he realized, to his greater dismay, that the ledgers were not arranged alphabetically. Why am I not surprised? It was not until Langdon circled back to the beginning of the collection and climbed a rolling ladder to the top shelf that he understood the vault's organization. Perched precariously on the upper stacks he found the fattest ledgers of all – those belonging to the masters of the Renaissance – Michelangelo, Raphael, da Vinci, Botticelli. Langdon now realized, appropriate to a vault called â€Å"Vatican Assets,† the ledgers were arranged by the overall monetary value of each artist's collection. Sandwiched between Raphael and Michelangelo, Langdon found the ledger marked Bernini. It was over five inches thick. Already short of breath and struggling with the cumbersome volume, Langdon descended the ladder. Then, like a kid with a comic book, he spread himself out on the floor and opened the cover. The book was cloth-bound and very solid. The ledger was handwritten in Italian. Each page cataloged a single work, including a short description, date, location, cost of materials, and sometimes a rough sketch of the piece. Langdon fanned through the pages†¦ over eight hundred in all. Bernini had been a busy man. As a young student of art, Langdon had wondered how single artists could create so much work in their lifetimes. Later he learned, much to his disappointment, that famous artists actually created very little of their own work. They ran studios where they trained young artists to carry out their designs. Sculptors like Bernini created miniatures in clay and hired others to enlarge them into marble. Langdon knew that if Bernini had been required to personally complete all of his commissions, he would still be working today. â€Å"Index,† he said aloud, trying to ward off the mental cobwebs. He flipped to the back of the book, intending to look under the letter F for titles containing the word fuco – fire – but the F's were not together. Langdon swore under his breath. What the hell do these people have against alphabetizing? The entries had apparently been logged chronologically, one by one, as Bernini created each new work. Everything was listed by date. No help at all. As Langdon stared at the list, another disheartening thought occurred to him. The title of the sculpture he was looking for might not even contain the word Fire. The previous two works – Habakkuk and the Angel and West Ponente – had not contained specific references to Earth or Air. He spent a minute or two flipping randomly through the ledger in hopes that an illustration might jump out at him. Nothing did. He saw dozens of obscure works he had never heard of, but he also saw plenty he recognized†¦ Daniel and the Lion, Apollo and Daphne, as well as a half dozen fountains. When he saw the fountains, his thoughts skipped momentarily ahead. Water. He wondered if the fourth altar of science was a fountain. A fountain seemed a perfect tribute to water. Langdon hoped they could catch the killer before he had to consider Water – Bernini had carved dozens of fountains in Rome, most of them in front of churches. Langdon turned back to the matter at hand. Fire. As he looked through the book, Vittoria's words encouraged him. You were familiar with the first two sculptures†¦ you probably know this one too. As he turned to the index again, he scanned for titles he knew. Some were familiar, but none jumped out. Langdon now realized he would never complete his search before passing out, so he decided, against his better judgment, that he would have to take the book outside the vault. It's only a ledger, he told himself. It's not like I'm removing an original Galilean folio. Langdon recalled the folio in his breast pocket and reminded himself to return it before leaving. Hurrying now, he reached down to lift the volume, but as he did, he saw something that gave him pause. Although there were numerous notations throughout the index, the one that had just caught his eye seemed odd. The note indicated that the famous Bernini sculpture, The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, shortly after its unveiling, had been moved from its original location inside the Vatican. This in itself was not what had caught Langdon's eye. He was already familiar with the sculpture's checkered past. Though some thought it a masterpiece, Pope Urban VIII had rejected The Ecstasy of St. Teresa as too sexually explicit for the Vatican. He had banished it to some obscure chapel across town. What had caught Langdon's eye was that the work had apparently been placed in one of the five churches on his list. What was more, the note indicated it had been moved there per suggerimento del artista. By suggestion of the artist? Langdon was confused. It made no sense that Bernini had suggested his masterpiece be hidden in some obscure location. All artists wanted their work displayed prominently, not in some remote – Langdon hesitated. Unless†¦ He was fearful even to entertain the notion. Was it possible? Had Bernini intentionally created a work so explicit that it forced the Vatican to hide it in some out-of-the-way spot? A location perhaps that Bernini himself could suggest? Maybe a remote church on a direct line with West Ponente's breath? As Langdon's excitement mounted, his vague familiarity with the statue intervened, insisting the work had nothing to do with fire. The sculpture, as anyone who had seen it could attest, was anything but scientific – pornographic maybe, but certainly not scientific. An English critic had once condemned The Ecstasy of St. Teresa as â€Å"the most unfit ornament ever to be placed in a Christian Church.† Langdon certainly understood the controversy. Though brilliantly rendered, the statue depicted St. Teresa on her back in the throes of a toe-curling orgasm. Hardly Vatican fare. Langdon hurriedly flipped to the ledger's description of the work. When he saw the sketch, he felt an instantaneous and unexpected tingle of hope. In the sketch, St. Teresa did indeed appear to be enjoying herself, but there was another figure in the statue who Langdon had forgotten was there. An angel. The sordid legend suddenly came back†¦ St. Teresa was a nun sainted after she claimed an angel had paid her a blissful visit in her sleep. Critics later decided her encounter had probably been more sexual than spiritual. Scrawled at the bottom of the ledger, Langdon saw a familiar excerpt. St. Teresa's own words left little to the imagination: †¦ his great golden spear†¦ filled with fire†¦ plunged into me several times†¦ penetrated to my entrails†¦ a sweetness so extreme that one could not possibly wish it to stop. Langdon smiled. If that's not a metaphor for some serious sex, I don't know what is. He was smiling also because of the ledger's description of the work. Although the paragraph was in Italian, the word fuco appeared a half dozen times: †¦ angel's spear tipped with point of fire†¦ †¦ angel's head emanating rays of fire†¦ †¦ woman inflamed by passion's fire†¦ Langdon was not entirely convinced until he glanced up at the sketch again. The angel's fiery spear was raised like a beacon, pointing the way. Let angels guide you on your lofty quest. Even the type of angel Bernini had selected seemed significant. It's a seraphim, Langdon realized. Seraphim literally means â€Å"the fiery one.† Robert Langdon was not a man who had ever looked for confirmation from above, but when he read the name of the church where the sculpture now resided, he decided he might become a believer after all. Santa Maria della Vittoria. Vittoria, he thought, grinning. Perfect. Staggering to his feet, Langdon felt a rush of dizziness. He glanced up the ladder, wondering if he should replace the book. The hell with it, he thought. Father Jaqui can do it. He closed the book and left it neatly at the bottom of the shelf. As he made his way toward the glowing button on the vault's electronic exit, he was breathing in shallow gasps. Nonetheless, he felt rejuvenated by his good fortune. His good fortune, however, ran out before he reached the exit. Without warning, the vault let out a pained sigh. The lights dimmed, and the exit button went dead. Then, like an enormous expiring beast, the archival complex went totally black. Someone had just killed power. 85 The Holy Vatican Grottoes are located beneath the main floor of St. Peter's Basilica. They are the burial place of deceased Popes. Vittoria reached the bottom of the spiral staircase and entered the grotto. The darkened tunnel reminded her of CERN's Large Hadron Collider – black and cold. Lit now only by the flashlights of the Swiss Guards, the tunnel carried a distinctly incorporeal feel. On both sides, hollow niches lined the walls. Recessed in the alcoves, as far as the lights let them see, the hulking shadows of sarcophagi loomed. An iciness raked her flesh. It's the cold, she told herself, knowing that was only partially true. She had the sense they were being watched, not by anyone in the flesh, but by specters in the dark. On top of each tomb, in full papal vestments, lay life-sized semblances of each Pope, shown in death, arms folded across their chests. The prostrate bodies seemed to emerge from within the tombs, pressing upward against the marble lids as if trying to escape their mortal restraints. The flashlight procession moved on, and the papal silhouettes rose and fell against the walls, stretching and vanishing in a macabre shadowbox dance. A silence had fallen across the group, and Vittoria couldn't tell whether it was one of respect or apprehension. She sensed both. The camerlegno moved with his eyes closed, as if he knew every step by heart. Vittoria suspected he had made this eerie promenade many times since the Pope's death†¦ perhaps to pray at his tomb for guidance. I worked under the cardinal's tutelage for many years, the camerlegno had said. He was like a father to me. Vittoria recalled the camerlegno speaking those words in reference to the cardinal who had â€Å"saved† him from the army. Now, however, Vittoria understood the rest of the story. That very cardinal who had taken the camerlegno under his wing had apparently later risen to the papacy and brought with him his young protege to serve as chamberlain. That explains a lot, Vittoria thought. She had always possessed a well-tuned perception for others' inner emotions, and something about the camerlegno had been nagging her all day. Since meeting him, she had sensed an anguish more soulful and private than the overwhelming crisis he now faced. Behind his pious calm, she saw a man tormented by personal demons. Now she knew her instincts had been correct. Not only was he facing the most devastating threat in Vatican history, but he was doing it without his mentor and friend†¦ flying solo. The guards slowed now, as if unsure where exactly in the darkness the most recent Pope was buried. The camerlegno continued assuredly and stopped before a marble tomb that seemed to glisten brighter than the others. Lying atop was a carved figure of the late Pope. When Vittoria recognized his face from television, a shot of fear gripped her. What are we doing? â€Å"I realize we do not have much time,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"I still ask we take a moment of prayer.† The Swiss Guard all bowed their heads where they were standing. Vittoria followed suit, her heart pounding in the silence. The camerlegno knelt before the tomb and prayed in Italian. As Vittoria listened to his words, an unexpected grief surfaced as tears†¦ tears for her own mentor†¦ her own holy father. The camerlegno's words seemed as appropriate for her father as they did for the Pope. â€Å"Supreme father, counselor, friend.† The camerlegno's voice echoed dully around the ring. â€Å"You told me when I was young that the voice in my heart was that of God. You told me I must follow it no matter what painful places it leads. I hear that voice now, asking of me impossible tasks. Give me strength. Bestow on me forgiveness. What I do†¦ I do in the name of everything you believe. Amen.† â€Å"Amen,† the guards whispered. Amen, Father. Vittoria wiped her eyes. The camerlegno stood slowly and stepped away from the tomb. â€Å"Push the covering aside.† The Swiss Guards hesitated. â€Å"Signore,† one said, â€Å"by law we are at your command.† He paused. â€Å"We will do as you say†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The camerlegno seemed to read the young man's mind. â€Å"Someday I will ask your forgiveness for placing you in this position. Today I ask for your obedience. Vatican laws are established to protect this church. It is in that very spirit that I command you to break them now.† There was a moment of silence and then the lead guard gave the order. The three men set down their flashlights on the floor, and their shadows leapt overhead. Lit now from beneath, the men advanced toward the tomb. Bracing their hands against the marble covering near the head of the tomb, they planted their feet and prepared to push. On signal, they all thrust, straining against the enormous slab. When the lid did not move at all, Vittoria found herself almost hoping it was too heavy. She was suddenly fearful of what they would find inside. The men pushed harder, and still the stone did not move. â€Å"Ancora,† the camerlegno said, rolling up the sleeves of his cassock and preparing to push along with them. â€Å"Ora!† Everyone heaved. Vittoria was about to offer her own help, but just then, the lid began to slide. The men dug in again, and with an almost primal growl of stone on stone, the lid rotated off the top of the tomb and came to rest at an angle – the Pope's carved head now pushed back into the niche and his feet extended out into the hallway. Everyone stepped back. Tentatively, a guard bent and retrieved his flashlight. Then he aimed it into the tomb. The beam seemed to tremble a moment, and then the guard held it steady. The other guards gathered one by one. Even in the darkness Vittoria sensed them recoil. In succession, they crossed themselves. The camerlegno shuddered when he looked into the tomb, his shoulders dropping like weights. He stood a long moment before turning away. Vittoria had feared the corpse's mouth might be clenched tight with rigor mortis and that she would have to suggest breaking the jaw to see the tongue. She now saw it would be unnecessary. The cheeks had collapsed, and the Pope's mouth gaped wide. His tongue was black as death.