Shinto Religion and Japanese Nationalism

Shinto Religion and Japanese Nationalism Introduction Shinto refers to the indigenous Japanese religion, which has always influenced the lives of many people politically, socially, and even economically in the country. The Shinto religion has a set of practices that were created in the prehistoric periods, but are still valued. The practices are conducted meticulously in order to ascertain the connection between current events and the precedent.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Shinto Religion and Japanese Nationalism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, studies show that these historical records do not give the clear picture as to how Shinto, as a religion, established itself in the Japanese society. The writings give disorganized folklores, narratives, and myths. In modern Japan, Shinto is a term commonly utilized to refer to communal shrines, which are used for various reasons including war cenotaphs, crop celebrations, marriage, historical tribut es, and sectarian groups1. A number of historians and analysts give a unified definition of the role of Shinto in the modern society, by using a standardized language and practice, which entails adopting an analogous style in dressing and ritual. Shinto was derived from the phrase ‘the way of the Gods’. It was a Chinese name that combined the words kanji (shi), implying the spirit and kami (to), meaning a theoretical path or a study. The spirits were usually understood from various perspectives with some believers suggesting that they were human-like while others holding the view that they were animistic. A majority of believers were of the view that they were abstract objects meaning that they represented nonfigurative forces such as mountains and rivers. Spirits and people are inseparable meaning that they are closely interrelated. In fact, the relationship between human beings and spirits is complex to an extent that the presence of spirits will always determine the behaviour of an individual. The national statistics of Japan show that over 80 percent of all Japanese practice Shinto as a cultural aspect, but not necessarily as a religious feature2. Studies show further that even though some individuals believe in Buddhism, they also engage in Shinto rituals meaning that it is a cultural practice among the people of Japan. In this regard, Shinto is considered a cultural belief that influences the lives of many people, both believers and other non-believers of Shinto religion. Studies shows that Shinto is treated as a way of doing things in society, but not as a religious practice, given the diversity of the Japanese society.Advertising Looking for proposal on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, a number of individuals, both taking Shinto as religion and those believing in Buddhism, tend to celebrate the birth of their loved ones in Shinto shrines. Thesis Statemen t It is true that Shinto culture influences the lives of many Japanese in a number of ways, which means that it cannot be separated from Japan, as well as the Japanese. In some point in history, Shinto was declared a state religion, which had a tremendous effect on national values. In other words, it can be noted that Japanese nationalism is attributed to Shinto culture. As per the writings of various scholars specializing on Japanese culture, such as John Nelson and Scott Littleton, Shinto religion is closely related to the Japanese nationalism. My research would therefore focus on establishing the relationship between Shinto religious practices and Japanese nationalism. Nationalism is a political concept suggesting that policies made ought to be based on exclusivity whereby the interests of the nation-state should always be given a priority when making decisions at the global level. Whenever the Japanese people make their decisions, they always consider the teachings of Shinto rel igion, which implies that Shinto religion has always influenced the decisions of policy makers. Background Information Shinto prodigies suggest that Japanese emperors were always related to each other in blood meaning that they belonged to the same clan. This relationship was in an unbroken line, with Jimmu Tenno being the first emperor who was Amaterasu-Omikami grandson. The kami was the first leader of the Japanese people who contributed to the creation of Japan as a state. Japan is an old country whose leader was known as kami3. All Japanese are descendants of kami, with Amaterasu being the first leader. The imperial family was the valued family unit in the entire clan, yet it originated from the kami. This shows that Japan is the way it is because the gods liked it. Moreover, the leadership of the country was selected by god hence the people of Japan had a religious responsibility to support the leadership. Before any state function, all emperors had to worship the kami and offe r some sacrifices in order to protect the Japanese populace from any form of tribulation.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Shinto Religion and Japanese Nationalism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In fact, a court liturgical was developed to ensure that god was worshiped before any state function could be performed. In the subsequent centuries, Buddhist traditions seemed to take over, but they contained several Shinto elements meaning that Shinto was more of a cultural aspect than a religious belief4. Towards the end of the 17th century, Shinto took over the affairs of the government, which resulted to the Meiji Restoration. Consequently, Shinto was made a state religion in 1868. The first leader of Japan, Amaterasu, who was also a staunch supporter of Shinto religion, was promoted to be one of the gods. Shinto religion taught that the Japanese leader was not only a political leader, but also a religious leader. I n other words, the country’s leader was made a high priest. The emperor would therefore rule not only Japan, but other parts of the world as well. Since Japanese were related to god, they had a moral responsibility of ensuring that they offer their skills to other people. Since the emperor was associated with god, her position changed in society meaning that he was also a religious leader5. Some analysts observe that the Japanese emperor was the powerful figure in the land to an extent that he would not respect the law. In the 20th century, the emperor had inadequate powers mainly because she was both a temporal and a political leader. No one would question her leadership given the fact that she would release the military at will. Article 28 of the Meiji constitution gave people an opportunity to worship a god of their choice, but the emperor made it illegal for an individual to believe in any other faith, apart from Shinto. Every aspect of life, including political, social, and economic, centred on the Shinto religion. In the education sector, Shinto religion was made a national core subject, both in primary and higher education. It is factual to conclude that Shinto religion controlled the lives of many in Japan until 1946, just after the Second World War. Literature Review Littleton, Scott. Shinto: Origins, Rituals, Festivals, Spirits, Sacred Places. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press, 2002.Advertising Looking for proposal on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The source is very important in explaining the relationship between Shinto practices and the development of Japanese nationalism. The author stated that Buddhism and Shinto religions had coexisted for several years, yet Shinto was treated as a cultural practice. Kami was still respected as the Japanese most important god. The historian traced the origin of Shinto whereby he first noted that it was the way of the Gods6. Some of the events and festivals in the Japanese culture were worshiped within Buddhism, yet they awere the elements of Shinto culture. He also concurred with the fact that Shinto practices gained momentum during the Meiji Restoration. Through this resource, the rituals and festivals of Shinto religion would be understood better. Nelson, John A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1996. The third chapter of the book on the Kami and the fourth on rituals and customs are critical to the understanding of the Shinto religion as reg ards to nationalism. The author underscored the fact that the people of Japan valued kami so much since she contributed in the making of the nation7. Many people were of the view that Japan could not be in existence without the kami. Therefore, kami was the national unifying factor. Even non-Shinto believers conducted the Shinto rituals and practices as a sign of patriotism meaning that people respected the culture of Japan. In the third chapter, the author observed that many visitors were comfortable following the Shinto culture because it was not regarded as religion. The book will therefore serve an important role as far as establishing the relationship between Shinto practices and nationalism is concerned. Littleton, Scott. Littleton. Understanding Shinto: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Festivals, Spirits, and Sacred Places. London: Watkins Pub, 2011. The book is critical as far as the understanding of Japan is concerned. In fact, the author cautioned that an individual could not understand the socio-political and economic aspects of Japan without conceptualizing the cultural practices of Shinto. In this regard, it is evident that a strong relationship between Shinto practices and Japanese patriotism exists. In the view of the author, understanding Shinto culture entails the study of rituals, ceremonies and sacred architecture8. Once an individual comprehends the Shinto culture, he or she would be in a position to determine its effects on the life of ordinary Japanese. Since the source claims that Japan cannot be separated from the Shinto religion, it will serve a special purpose of explaining the interconnectedness of Shinto and major Japanese cultural practices, which would further confirm that Shinto has an effect on the country’s nationalistic ideals. Averbuch, Irit. The Gods Come Dancing A Study of the Japanese Ritual Dance of Yamabushi Kagura, Ithaca: East Asia Program, Cornell University, 1995. The above resource suggests that the Shinto cultur e has retained its rituals over several years to an extent of making these rituals national symbols. Kagura is one of the oldest rituals, which is related to dance. It has been retained for years in Japan9. In particular, the above source insists on Izumo kagura, which is indeed the most popular type of the traditional Japanese dance. In many public functions, the dance is usually played as one of the ways of showing patriotism to the ideals of the country. This also confirms that Shinto is closely related the country’s nationalism. Inoue Nobutaka, Shinto, a Short History. Washington: University of Washington Press 2003. The source suggests that Shinto is no longer viewed as a modern religion, but instead a traditional religion of Japan that is related to culture. This means that people worship other forms of religions as their second option, but the first option is Shinto. Moreover, the author is of the view that modern scholars relate the Shinot religion to kami, meaning a traditional god10. Since it is treated as a traditional religion, it influences the behaviour of many Japanese, which confirms the notion that it shapes nationalist ideals. Sugimoto, Yoshio. An Introduction to Japanese Society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. The source introduces a number of cultural practices in Japan. Through analysis, the author observed that a number of these cultural practices, which are valued as national ideals even in modern Japan, have their roots in the Shinto religion. This implies that Shinto is no longer a normal religious belief that an individual may choose to neglect. In particular, the author discussed the issue of impurity whereby the Shinto religion teaches that certain types of deeds generate ritual impurity, which demands personal cleansing for an individual to have the peace of mind. The wrong actions are referred to as kegare while purity is referred to as kiyome11. The author was of the view that a normal schedule in an individu al’s life is referred to as ke while a season full of festivities is referred to as hare, meaning good. Many Japanese worldwide celebrate whenever they feel that they have achieved their objectives. They celebrate following the teachings of Shinto meaning that cultural practices in the country rely on the Shinto teachings. Pilgrim, Richard, and Ellwood, Robert. Japanese Religion. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1985. The two historians note that since the time of Nara and Heian, practitioners have been adopting a diversified set of beliefs through language and practice12. They note that the style of dressing and the performance of rituals show that Shinto religion contributed a lot in the development of Japanese culture. Bowker, John. The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002. The author supports the writings of other historians by observing that religion contributes enormously to the development of any culture in the world13. In Ja pan, the development of culture is attributed to Shinto. Yamakage, Motohisa. The Essence of Shinto, Japans Spiritual Heart. New York: Kodansha International, 2007. The view of the author is that Shinto religion forms the backbone of the Japanese culture meaning that it influences the life of each individual14. Without Shinto culture, the author observes that there would be no religion in Japan. Averbuch, Irit. Shamanic Dance in Japan: The Choreography of Possession in Kagura Performance. Asian Folklore Studies 57.2 (1998), 293–329. The resource supports the previous works, which suggested that aspects of culture, such as dance, play a role in extending the influence of any culture15. In Japan, kagura dance has contributed a lot in developing and maintaining culture. Shimazono Susumu, and Murphy, Reagan. â€Å"State Shinto in the Lives of the People: The Establishment of Emperor Worship, Modern Nationalism, and Shrine Shinto in Late Meiji.† Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 36.1 (2009), 93-124. The article talks about the Japanese society after the abolishment of Shinto as a state religion. The authors discuss the way in which Shinto managed to penetrate society to an extent that it was considered a national ritual. In particular, the authors focus on period ranging from 1890 to 1910 whereby the emperor was the most powerful figure in the country due to her position as a religious leader16. The source reviews three major features including the ritual system, educational structure, and the training system for the priests. Susumu, Shimazono. â€Å"State Shinto and the Religious Structure of Modern Japan.† Journal of the American Academy of Religion 73.4 (2005), 1077-1098. The author gives some of the reservations that many people of Japan have towards Shinto as a religion. The author is of the view that people are comfortable associating themselves with Shinto as a cultural belief, but not as a religion meaning it plays a critical part i n determining the country’s nationalism17. The western values on religion affected the views of many Japanese regarding Shinto, but many individuals are unwilling to abandon it since it is part of their culture. Fukase-Indergaard, Fumiko, and Indergaard, Michael. â€Å"Religious Nationalism and the Making of the Modern Japanese State Religious Nationalism and the Making of the Modern Japanese State.† Theory and Society, 37.4, (2008), 343-374. The source talks about the role that religion played in developing the Japanese nationalistic ideals. In the source, the author is observes that the Japanese were determined to strengthen their culture through implementation of the Shinto rituals and practices. Some scholars had earlier advised that western societies achieved their objectives mainly because of the strong religious ideals. State Shinto was instituted as one way of ensuring compliance from the locals. The author concludes by noting that, even though Shinto was aimed at realizing modernity in Japan, its path was different from those of the west18. In Japan, the state was never separated from religion since political leaders doubled up as religious leaders. In this regard, the country was able to achieve nationalistic objectives, as opposed to a number of countries in Europe and the United States. Suga, KÃ… ji. â€Å"A Concept of Overseas Shinto Shrines: A Pantheistic Attempt by Ogasawara ShÃ… zÃ…  and Its Limitations.† Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 37.1 (2010), 47-74. The source notes that Shinto shrines (kaigai jinji) refer to the national heritage of Japan since they are not only present in the country, but also in other countries with Japanese emigrants. Before Japan was defeated in the Second World War, many individuals believed that the Japanese race was the most powerful in the world. The shrines were constructed in various countries to show the presence of Japanese19. This meant that the Shinto shrines were symbols of n ational unity. Teeuwen, Mark. â€Å"Comparative Perspectives on the Emergence of JindÃ…  and Shinto.† Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 70.2 (2007), 373-402. In Japan, the author is of the view that an individual may not actually differentiate between Buddhist believers and Shinto believers because they tend to have similar set of beliefs20. The article claims that Shinto originated from Buddhism, with believe of the kami. Bibliography Averbuch, Irit. Shamanic Dance in Japan: The Choreography of Possession in Kagura Performance.† Asian Folklore Studies 57.2 (1998), 293–329. Averbuch, Irit. The Gods Come Dancing A Study of the Japanese Ritual Dance of Yamabushi Kagura, Ithaca: Cornell University, 1995. Bowker, John. The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Inoue, Nobutaka, Shinto, a Short History. Washington: University of Washington Press, 2003. Littleton, Scott. Littl eton. Understanding Shinto: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Festivals, Spirits, and Sacred Places. London: Watkins Pub, 2011. Littleton, Scott. Shinto: Origins, Rituals, Festivals, Spirits, Sacred Places. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Nelson, John. A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1996. Pilgrim, Richard, and Ellwood, Robert. Japanese Religion. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1985. Shimazono, Susumu, and Murphy, Reagan. â€Å"State Shinto in the Lives of the People: The Establishment of Emperor Worship, Modern Nationalism, and Shrine Shinto in Late Meiji.† Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 36.1 (2009), 93-124. Suga, KÃ… ji. â€Å"A Concept of Overseas Shinto Shrines: A Pantheistic Attempt by Ogasawara ShÃ… zÃ…  and Its Limitations.†Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 37.1 (2010), 47-74. Sugimoto, Yoshio. An Introduction to Japanese Society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Susumu, Shimazono. â€Å"St ate Shinto and the Religious Structure of Modern Japan.† Journal of the American Academy of Religion 73.4 (2005), 1077-1098. Susumu, Shimazono. â€Å"State Shinto and the Religious Structure of Modern Japan.† Journal of the American Academy of Religion 73.4 (2005), 1077-1098. Teeuwen, Mark. â€Å"Comparative Perspectives on the Emergence of JindÃ…  and Shinto.† Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 70.2 (2007), 373-402. Yamakage, Motohisa. The Essence of Shinto, Japans Spiritual Heart. New York: Kodansha International, 2007. Footnotes 1Irit Averbuch,The Gods Come Dancing A Study of the Japanese Ritual Dance of Yamabushi Kagura, (Ithaca: East Asia Program, Cornell University, 1995), 45. 2Irit Averbuch, Shamanic Dance in Japan: The Choreography of Possession in Kagura Performance, Asian Folklore Studies 57.2 (1998), 296. 3John Bowker, The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002) , 90. 4Nobutaka Inoue, Shinto, a Short History (Washington: University of Washington Press 2003), 13. 5Motohisa Yamakage, The Essence of Shinto, Japans Spiritual Heart (New York: Kodansha International, 2007), 45. 6Scott Littleton, Shinto: Origins, Rituals, Festivals, Spirits, Sacred Places (Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press, 2002) 65. 7John Nelson, A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1996), 115. 8Scott Littleton, Understanding Shinto: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Festivals, Spirits, and Sacred Places (London: Watkins Publishers, 2011), 112. 9Irit Averbuch, The Gods Come Dancing A Study of the Japanese Ritual Dance of Yamabushi Kagura, (Ithaca: East Asia Program, Cornell University, 1995), 18. 10Nobutaka Inoue,Shinto, a Short History (Washington: University of Washington Press 2003), 118. 11Yoshio Sugimoto, An Introduction to Japanese Society (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997), 37. 12Richard Pilgrim and Robert Ellwood, Japanes e Religion (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1985), 94. 13John Bowker, The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002), 59. 14Motohisa Yamakage, The Essence of Shinto, Japans Spiritual Heart (New York: Kodansha International, 2007), 75. 15Irit Averbuch, Shamanic Dance in Japan: The Choreography of Possession in Kagura Performance,† Asian Folklore Studies 57.2 (1998), 325. 16 Susumu Shimazono and Reagan Murphy, â€Å"State Shinto in the Lives of the People: The Establishment of Emperor Worship, Modern Nationalism, and Shrine Shinto in Late Meiji,† Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 36.1 (2009), 114. 17Shimazono, Susumu, â€Å"State Shinto and the Religious Structure of Modern Japan,† Journal of the American Academy of Religion 73.4 (2005), 1087. 18 Shimazono Susumu, â€Å"State Shinto and the Religious Structure of Modern Japan,† Journal of the American Academy of Religion 73.4 (2005), 1077-1098. 19KÃ… ji Suga, â⠂¬Å"A Concept of Overseas Shinto Shrines: A Pantheistic Attempt by Ogasawara ShÃ… zÃ…  and Its Limitations,† Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 37.1 (2010), 70. 20Mark Teeuwen, â€Å"Comparative Perspectives on the Emergence of JindÃ…  and Shinto,† Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 70.2 (2007), 392.

How to Write a Memoir Breathe Life into Your Story in 8 Steps

How to Write a Memoir Breathe Life into Your Story in 8 Steps How to Write a Memoir: Breathe Life into Your Story in 8 Steps Learning how to write a memoir is like studying to be an archeologist. Not only do you have to dig deep and sift through the sands for fragments on the past, you then have to piece it all together and discover what the story is. To help you tell a compelling story based on your own life, we turned to bestselling ghostwriters on Reedsy to create our practical guide on how to write a memoir.  First, let's answer some of the big questions...What do traditional publishers look for in a memoir?In short, memoir publishers are looking for books with commercial appeal. If they don't think there's a strong market for your book, an editor will not likely take a change on you - regardless of your manuscript's quality. If a traditional book deal is something you have your heart set on, ask yourself the question: who does my book appeal to? Isolating a target readership will go a long way to convincing an agent or editor of your memoir's potential.Does your memoir belong to a specific category ?Before you start writing or even outlining your memoir, it’s important to figure out where your book fits within the existing market. Acclaimed ghostwriter Katy Weitz suggests researching titles from a number of popular categories to get an idea of the sheer variety of memoirs that have succeeded. Popular categories or genres includeNostalgia. Many people want books to transport them to another time and place and show them what life was like. Others enjoy recognizing their own experiences reflected back at them. Books that meet this requirement are often called nostalgia memoirs.Misery and Inspirational. Books that depict a difficult time in an author’s life aren’t intended to bum the reader out  - but to show triumph over adversity. The fact that the authors are writing a book about their experiences often serves as a redemptive final chapter in their personal story.Celebrity. Public figures have an inbuilt fanbase who just want to hear more about their adv entures doing the thing that they do. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of inventive celebrity memoirs.Sports. Sports stories often make for great books. After all, what's more dramatic than the thrill of victory or the crushing pain of defeat?Examples of successful memoirsTo give you an idea of the books that have sold well in each of those genres, here are just a few examplesNostalgia Memoirs While a book is often an opportunity to ‘tell your side of the story,’ don’t paint yourself as a complete hero or victim. Like any protagonist in a novel, it’s your strengths and weaknesses that will make you a compelling figure. Readers expect honesty and candor. If they sense that you’re stretching the truth or have an underlying agenda, they will quickly switch off.Mistake #2. Choosing a strictly linear narrative without considering the alternativesâ€Å"To help give order to the project, try to tell the story chronologically to start with,† says Andrew Crofts, the bestselling ghostwriter of over 80 books. â€Å"That way you can keep control of the narrative. If you jump about too much you will forget what you have already done and start repeating yourself. You can always change the chronology at the editing stage.†As Johnny Acton says, there are great reasons to chop-up the timeline:â€Å"A broadly chronological structure will make the book easier to follow but don't adhere to it too closely. Flashbacks and flash-forwards can be used to add interest.†Taking a cue from your favorite novels, you may find that playing with chronology helps to control the pace of your books and cut out ‘the boring bits’.For more advice, check out our guide to outlining a memoir.Mistake #3. Not getting an outside opinionAt some point, you might want to share a draft with a close friend or family member. Their feedback can be priceless, as they might remember events differently to how you've portrayed them in your book. Based on their reactions, you can choose to work in their suggestions or stick to your guns. However, it's also important that you get someone who doesn't know you to read your manuscript.â€Å"Always remember that the reader may not know what you take for granted,† says Johnny Acton. Beta readers who don’t know you that well can help you see when your stories need more background in formation (and when they’re not compelling or relevant enough).Professional editors are also an invaluable resource to tap into. On platforms like Reedsy, you can search for editors who have worked for major publishers on memoirs like yours. For those legacy project, a professional editor can help you focus in on the parts that matter; if you’re writing something with a commercial edge, they can make all the difference when it comes to selling your book.These are just a few tips that will help you get started. Along the way, you may encounter well-meaning and highly qualified people who will question why you think you should be writing a memoir. But if you have a story that you feel needs to be told, you shouldn’t let anyone stand in your way. Everybody has a story to tell: just make yours a good one, and the rest of us will come along for the ride.What are some of your favorite memoirs, written by both celebrities and non-celebrities? What about them makes them stand out in your memory?

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LI & FUNG - Case Study Example In Asia, there are high oil-related costs, yet oil is an essential aspect in the economy of most countries. The high cost of oil therefore, has a considerably adverse effect on most companies in Asia. This also has an effect on a company’s selection of best sourcing. In addition, this also influences transport and shipping costs, including freight and sea. Therefore, these among other aspects of the business environment in Asia have resulted in most Asian-based companies raising their costs. So far, Li & Fung has registered poor sales in the European market. This therefore, poses a risk to its overall profitability. In order for this company to realise an improved performance in its European market, there are different adjustments that it needs to undertake in its approach in this specific market. First, Li & Fung should be customer-centred, and be driven by the demands in the market. This means that the company must have a special interest in its customers in the European market. This includes understanding the needs of the customers in this market. By being customer-centred, the company will be able to deliver the products that are specific to the customer needs, thus ensuring customer satisfaction. Similarly, the company should understand the product demands of the customers in Europe, in order to avail them products that they require. Li & Fung should also focus on its major competency. The company should as well consider outsourcing its non-major activities. This way, the company will develop a positioning in the supply chain. This aspect will be important in ensuring that the company lessens its cost and time on non-major activities, while paying more attention to the core activities that are of importance to the customers and the company itself. Li & Fung should also ensure that the production lead time for products is short, as well as the delivery. This is important in ensuring that there

Christian concept Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Christian concept - Essay Example The seventh day is meant for worship. However, patients still need services on those days. Thus, hospital administrators may call upon nurses to provide services on Sabbath. Such a move is beneficial to the patients but disregards the worldview of the nurses in regards to worship. Tensions may arise since Christian nurses would prefer to rest on Sabbath, Muslims on Friday and thus administrators may take actions such as the demotion or other actions targeted at punishing the nurses. Another cause of tension is when patients refuse treatment in critical situations. There are instances where religion or culture has been cited to justify the refusal of treatment. Such scenarios may include minors or critically ill patients. In such instances, there arises tension since health workers may opt to save the lives by going against the worldviews of the patients and their relatives. The actions of nurses would be in line with the beneficence principle, and the Christian worldview (Shelly & Miller, 2009).However, such moves would contradict the beliefs of patients in one way or the

A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen Essay Example for Free

A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen Essay After reading A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, I felt that I had a better grasp of the relationship between men and women in the Victorian era. The man was all- powerful in this time; women were well in the background, subservient and dependent on men in all areas of her life. It was surprising to me that women were not allowed to sign legal documents, such a personal loan without a mans signature. Total dependency had to be a tough pill to swallow for strong willed women. I am sure that many clever and cunning women were able to manipulate the men in their lives, letting the man believe that they were in full control of the relationship. However the majority of women who were not able to assert themselves as forcefully as I am sure they wished. Men were able to run the household through kind or cruel intentions. In Noras case Torvald was a kind man, however it seemed to me that he was always belittling her with subtle, gentle verbal abuse that Nora absorbed like a sponge. Nora tolerated these actions as long as there was security for her and her children. Women of this era married mainly for security rather than love. If there was love in a marriage it was a by product of chance and a blessing, not the usual state of affairs between men and women. When Nora finally realizes that Torvald is not a man of honor the need for security and dependence is broken. Nora prays for a miracle of miracles hoping that Torvald will come to her rescue and be her Knight on a white horse and save her from dishonor for the illegal loan she signed for. She prayed that Torvald would take the blame and leave her blameless and spotless. Even though she states at the same time that she would not let him take the blame for her actions, she wished that he would place his reputation and the line for hers. In this Nora is a remarkable woman. She only wants Torvald to make the gesture so she can respect and look up to him, to see that he is a man of honor and strength. But she sees that he is a hypocrite and with that the break in their one-sided marriage is complete. She realizes that she does  not know who she is but she is determined to take the journey and find out what kind of women she is. She must leave her doll house and go out in the real world and find out what she is made of. I feel that Nora will find that she is a better person than most people that she knows in her sheltered and pampered life. The decision to leave her husband and children was shocking in her day and how the people must have gossiped. Wagging their fingers at her saying For shamed, for shamed. Nora was not even truly raising her children; she had Anne Marie for that task. Nora simply entertained the children in a superficial relationship. She no longer respected Torvald; she did not even know who she was. She had to leave to find Nora, the Nora that never was, so she had to go.

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European Colonialism and Imperialism in Shakespeare's The Tempest William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest reveals how ideologies of racial ‘otherness’ served to legitimize European patriarchal hegemony in Elizabethan England. In the Elizabethan/ Jacobean times of England there were many relevant ideologies relevant to this play. In examining the values and ideologies this text endorses and challenges, the society of the time (Elizabethan England), and a knowledge of how it operated serves a great purpose in analyzing these relationships. As in many texts of this time, Shakespeare is endorsing many ideologies of his time, and, although many have labelled him ahead of his time in many respects in his writing, he is, essentially writing from the Elizabethan or Jacobean point of view and time. The Tempest endorses the inequitable relationships between races based upon the belief of European superiority. The representation of race and ethnicity in The Tempest reveals a text that is awash with imperialist European ideologies. In a play which usurpation is a dominant theme, Shakespeare endorses Prospero’s appropriation of the island and it’s aboriginal population. The representation of Caliban and his brother Sycorax reveals the extent to which racist and sexist ideologies function to maintain the balance of power in the hands of a small, ruling, elite. Indeed, it should be noted that The Tempest is more than a simple play. Rather, it is a complex and multi-layered literary construction. As it cannot be reduced to the single issue of race to investigate the imbalance of power in the play. Attention must be given to the way patriarchal notions of gender inform racial representations in order to understand the imbalances of power i... .... An investigation into the imbalance of power in the play reveals the ideologies of race and gender that drive the power dynamics of the play. The construction of the inferior nature of non-European characters is firmly grounded in imperialist, European and patriarchal values. The Tempest presents the appropriation of the island and it’s inhabitants by Prospero’s imperial patriarchal regime as entirely natural and inevitable, based upon the inherent inferiority of the original population. In doing so, the play is a precise repetition of imperialist rhetoric, which legitimizes European annexation of ‘other’ lands and peoples over which they have no legitimate claim. Bibliography/ Works Cited Shakespeare, W. The Tempest. Ed. Sutherland, J.R. (1990) G. Wilson Knight, (1932) The Shakespearean Tempest, Oxford B. Thompson, (1995) Notes on The Tempest

Equality, Diversity and Rights Essay

Diversity overall is what makes everyone a unique human being, for example the human race is incredibly diverse. There are different aspects of diversity in a contemporary British Society, which could be skin colour, religion, heritage, hair colour, education, gender, social class, race, political opinion, marital status and family structure could be some for example. It is important to be open to differences and celebrate it because that way you can take advantage of everyone’s talent. You need to be prepared for changes as things are changing within the whole of Britain and working population, for example people from ethnic minorities make up 7.9% of the UK population and in London its 31%. It is an advantage living in a diverse society as everyone is different and everyone has their own opinions. Equality overall is about fairness which means making judgements from discrimination it is also about natural justice which is basic/fundamental judicial extended to a person with rights at issue, it is also about being impartial and reasonable which means showing lack of favourism and being liable to give a account of one’s actions. The British society is viewed as one that tolerates the beliefs and values of others; tolerance means to tolerate unfavourable conditions. Although there are those who are intolerant to others, our laws and the way we live in society means that we are a society tolerant to others differences and we are open-minded. There are people within society that pre-judge which means that you judge without knowing the facts, they may also generalise which means having a general overview of something, there is also attitude which people may do which is a mental state involving beliefs and feeling, all these three things are negative to society as this could l ead to discrimination towards some-one. We all have the right to be respected, treated equally and also not discriminated against, treated in a dignified way, allowed privacy, protected from danger or harm, allowed access to personal information (confidentiality), allowed to communicate using preferred methods and cared for in such ways that means our needs and takes account for our choices. We also need to have respect this is being polite, having open body language, being an active listener, being honest, by asking them if they are ok, addressing the person with their preferred name, give them a choice, and most of all give them dignity and privacy. Everybody as a British citizen has their own right, which could be to be the religion you want to be, the right to be free from discrimination, a freedom of speech, a right to education, the right to choice your lifestyle and your clothing, the right to work, the right to be in a relationship and to get married, right to have children, right to be treated medically, and the right to have the right trial. You also have the right to be protected from danger and harm. Care Value Base The care value base is a range of standards for health and social care. It is designed to guide the practice of professionals working in the area. The aim of the standards is to improve client’s quality of life, by ensuring that each person gets the care that is appropriate for them as an individual. This care value base offers guidance in three main areas of health and social care it also sets standards, these three areas are: * Fostering equality and diversity – which is recognising and supporting people’s individual needs. * Fostering people’s rights and responsibilities – which means supporting a client’s right to choose their own life style and helping them to accept their responsibilities. * Maintaining confidentiality of information – which means that any information client’s give you is private and confidential whether it is verbal, written or electronic. You have to avoid a lot of things on the Care Value Base which are: * Stereotyping because you may make assumptions on them based on their sex, race, age nationality or sexuality for example. * Prejudice because you can’t not like some-one just on how they live or their personal background and carers have to ensure prejudice doesn’t affect the quality of care given to service users/clients * Discrimination because there are so many ways of discriminating against some-one as there are so many different types of people. Discrimination is overall the result of prejudice and stereotyping but worse and it also means providing poorer or better care to some people. * Race Discrimination because you can’t treat some-one differently because of the colour of their skin or their racial background * Sex Discrimination because you can’t treat different genders (male or female) differently you have to treat them in the same way. * Age Discrimination because you can’t treat some-one less favourably because of their age. * Disabili ty Discrimination because if some-one has a disability it doesn’t mean they are any different to us therefore you have to treat them the same. You also need to make sure that service users/clients are aware of their rights and responsibilities in care setting, which are: Clients have the right to: Clients have a responsibility to: * Not discriminate against others * Respect the confidentiality of others * Do no harm to others * Not be discriminated against * Confidentiality * Their own beliefs and values There is also a legal requirement to keep all personal records confidential. The 1998 Data Protection Act states that date has to be secure, accurate, and that it can only be used for limited purposes. Potential Affects on Service Users when Discriminated Against If a service user has been discriminated against or not been able to their right or not been treated equally to all the other service users then the service users may feel a lot of feelings and may not want to be there, there are many emotions the service users may feel such as: * Distress because they are not getting the full attention they could be getting from their carer’s, and they might need the attention they require which they are not getting. * Not want to be there, this is because they are not being treated as though they deserve to be there; therefore they will feel like they shouldn’t be there like every other service user is. * Embarrassed because other service users may be always looking at them and they may be thinking that they are getting treated probably whereas they aren’t. * Scared because something might be wrong with them, however the service user is not being told because they are not being treated equally. * Might bring back previous exper iences this is because they may have been through this experience before at another occasion. * Be out of his/her comfort zone, this might be because they are used to being treated equally and right by family/friends however where the service user is now they are not. * Worried because the service user is not getting totally cared for therefore he has got no-one to talk to about things such as things he worries about therefore the service user is going to worry more. * Cry for help, this might be because they may have got that worried, stressed, angry etc. that they need to cry and plead for their attention from carer’s. * May be in pain, this may because the service user hasn’t been checked out by carers and they wouldn’t have access to pain killers etc. * May even be scared of dieing, this is because they haven’t been comforted by carers/friends in the care home, hospital etc. * Upset because they don’t know why they are being treated differently to everyone else and why they are not getting the right service they should be getting. * Angry because they are not getting the professional service that should be given to them. There will be many other emotions the service user will be feeling and this would but the service user in a very awkward way of feeling and may start to not eat, or not take part in any activities or may make him just want to sit down all day and do nothing which is not good for the service user. The service user would expect a lot of things from the carer such as: *Respect towards them- because they this is what they expect from the carer and this is the way they would like to be treated as they treat the carer with respect * Politeness- because if the carer is not polite it wouldn’t be a professional attitude towards the service user. * To be told what or what’s going to happen to them- this would be rude and the service user would want to know what is going on and what they are going to do or what they are doing to them. The service user would also need to give consent that they are willing to do this. * To be reassured- if the service user is upset, angry, scared etc, the carer would be expected to reassure them, and tell them everything will be okay and to talk to them politely and not to make them more upset. * A clean bed- the service user will expect a clean bed, if this is not done then the service user could be laid in their own soil/sick etc. * Clean equipment- should be used as cross contamination could happen between certain services users, clean equipment should also be used because one of the service users may have something contagious therefore it would pass onto another service user. * Appropriate language- because this would be unprofessional if the carer was talking to a service user with inappropriate language therefore appropriate language should be used at all times. * Treated with profession- because the service user expects this. * Privacy- because the service user may feel embarrassed other service users/carers watching them being treated or getting changed for example therefore when privacy is need by the service user the carer should always give them it. Privacy may be letting the service user have some time to themselves. * To be informed- this should be done to every service user because the service user needs to know what is wrong with them, what is going to happen, when they may be able to leave if they are in a hospital for example. * Given a choice- the service needs to be given a choice because what they may need to happen may be against their religion, they also may not want this to happen, they may be allergic to what they need to do, however these are only a few examples of why service users need to be given a choice. It is also known as discriminated if this does not happen. * Basic needs- the service users needs to have basic needs such as clean water for them to shower/bath in, they also need basic facilities such as a clean toilet/wash basin. The service user will also expect drinks/food to eat. * Trust- the service user will also expect trust from the carer because the service user will tell their carer things, that may be private or they may not but whether they are or not the carer should not tell any-one else unless it could cause harm to other service users or anybody else. * Equal opportunities- the service user will also expect to be treated equally to every other service user as the service user will be discriminated against. * Good hygiene- the service users will expect the carers and the surrounding to be hygienic. * Dignity- the service user will expect the carer to treat them with dignity because they expect respect, politeness etc. * Confidentiality- the service user will expect their individual files to be kept confidential, they will also expect their carers to be confidential about them out of work therefore they shouldn’t say to anyone out of work who they are and what’s wrong with them. The Importance of Promoting Equal and recognising Diversity & Respecting Rights Promoting equality is a very important issue in the health and social care sector; this is because equality in a health and social care setting means the right for all staff and patients to be treated as equals. This also means that you should treat some-one the way you would like to be treated however as a carer this can not apply to you because if a service user was speaking to you impolite, this doesn’t mean you can talk to them rudely aswell as you are a professional. The main reason inequality exists is the misunderstanding by today’s society towards diversity. Diversity can be a lot of things it can be from the classic norms, and can be used in the form of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation aswell as many other equal unfair reasons. Also by promoting equality you are allowing growth and freedom of an expression for each person.