Educational policy Essay

On Tuesday May eleventh, 2010 David Cameron became the British Prime Minister after forming a Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition. This followed five days of negotiation as the general election had produced a hung parliament. While the Conservatives were the largest party, they held an inadequate number of seats to meet the threshold for majority rule, and so formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, (guardian.co.uk, 2010). Even prior to becoming Prime Minister, David Cameron spoke at length on the Conservatives’ education election manifesto by announcing plans to attract the most educated professional teachers into the classroom. Central to his party’s focus on education was his party’s desires to improve the standard of teacher’s education, he said, â€Å"The most important thing that will determine if a child succeeds is not their background, the curricula, the type of school or the amount of funding, it’s the teacher,† (daily mail.co.uk, 2010). This paper intends to examine the evolution of the Academy school system under the current coalition government, make a comparison between the current the education policy under the coalition government and the tripartite system of the 1944 Butler Education Act. It will examine the effects of both systems on the pupils within them, whether in fact pupils will benefit from the Academy and free school systems or is it the case that there are also be some pupils who are disadvantaged by this  system. There will also be an examination of what will happen to pupils who are not educated in either the academy or free school systems and the influence that market forces will have on the establishment and success of schools. Education is the delivery of knowledge, skills and information from teachers to students; the process of becoming an educated person, (Carr & Kemmis, 1986). Education promotes the abilities to perceive accurately, think critically and act effectively to achieve self-sele cted goals and aspirations, (Gelber Cannon, 2011). It allows individuals to map their experiences and provides a variety of reliable routes for individual’s to return to optimal states when they find themselves facing difficult decisions and life events. Crucially in modern era, education itself is seen as a vital resource for global economies, in fact most first world economies are characterised as ‘learning economies’, (Tze-Chang, 2011). It is the acquisition and retention of knowledge that drives global economies which, in previous generations, were based entirely on pure market forces, (Avis, 1996). Consequently an economy based exclusively on market forces would be unable sustain learning and innovation, (Morgan, 1997). For modern economies to flourish they must develop a combination of a ‘learning economy’ with market forces, (Beckett & Hager, 2002). It is for these reasons that successive governments have recognised the essential value of a higher educated population and have improve the way in which the population is taught from school age right throughout life, (Wolf & Evans, 2011). Even Prior to the Coalition Government taking power, there had been a move towards Neoliberal ideology from the previo us two governments. From 1997 New Labour brought about changes within educational policies that Tony Blair stated were part of the ‘Third Way’. This was intended to evolve social democratic ideals into encompassing the Neo-liberalism that had been prevalent for the decade under Thatcher’s Government, (Hill,2001). Neo-liberalism attempts to evolve away from social democratic principles such, redistributive policy, taxing the very wealthy, defending equal opportunities with a strongly proactive sense of achieving more equal outcomes, relying on the high standard qualifications of professional groups (such as teachers) and regulating these professionals in the interests of equal opportunities. Neo-liberalism focuses on the continuation of the national curriculum which has had a strong influence from central government. So for instance, Margaret Thatcher insisted that events of the previous twenty years had not to be included in history lessons, (Thatcher, 1980). Even today many teachers believe the national curriculum prevents them encouraging creativity and innovation, focusing on a narrow curriculum and a strict testing regime, (McCormick & Burn, 2011). Neo-liberalism encourages the competition of schooling through supporting market forces with the spread of selective `specialist schools’, (Hursh, 2005). New Labour called these ‘Modernising’ comprehensive education’ by encouraging ‘selection and diversity’, (Kassem et al, 2006). One important area of neo-liberal ideology is marrying of private organisations with public services such as education; New Labour termed these `creating new partnerships’, (Clarke et al, 2000). These ideologies question of `standards’ achieved in school tests expecting that education focus on achieving good test results and making these a requirement for entry into Higher Education, (Rowden, 2011). There are concerns that neo-liberal education policies increase in inequalities in terms of social class, (Hill, 2003). In many ways the new school systems will create winners, those who attend new inspiring buildings that are full to the brim with facilities and opportunities for the pupils, however there will also be losers, those who continue to attend buildings possibly built in the 1950’s with teachers who are not amongst the highly paid or highly educated, (Griffiths, 2007). Investment by the private sector, (which is prone to the nuances of market forces) and reduction in public spending on education is considered `increased public expenditure’, from a neoliberal approach, (Goodwin, 2011). The Importance of Teaching, The Schools White Paper 2010, was published 24th November 2010, its intention was to improve the standard of education for teachers and allowing head teachers to recruit and set pay for the highest educated teachers. Following this the Coalition formulated their plans for the future of education in the UK. This would in some respects follow on from New Labour’s neo liberalistic approach of including private organisations in the creation of new ‘Academy Schools’, (Gunter & Forrester, 2008). The first academies were introduced under the Labour government in 2002, (Higher Standards, 2005). Academy schools are independent from local  education authorities and are state funded with assistance from external organisations; these can include businesses, charities or other governmental bodies. The idea followed the inception of charter schools in USA, (Budde, 1988). They were also influenced in part by the Swedish School system. Charter schools are American schools which are independent from their ‘public school system’, (Finn et al, 2000). They were intended to allow the schools themselves more freedom to be more innovative, while being accountable to local education boards for improved student achievement. Charter schools were meant to create partnerships between educators, parents and students. Many Charter Schools began in the 1990’s; however there has been widespread criticism of the Charter school system. One criticism is that funding has in fact not followed the schools, which were often built within deprived areas. This in fact has meant that many have actually lost funding and have gone into administration, (Buckley & Schneider, 2007). Kunskapsskolan schools were established in Sweden in 1999, it translates into ‘Knowledge School’s and currently operates 30 secondary schools in Sweden. Kunskapsskolan schools are privately managed, non-selective and non-fee paying, with funding for these schools provided by the Swedish government, (Eiken, 2011). The Kunskapsskolan model in Sweden has produced higher than average results and is currently the model behind a number of the UK academy schools. The Kunskapsskolan model was based on personalised learning with every student following a long-term learning and attainment plan which is formulated between the student and the student’s Personal Tutor and their parents. The learning plan was designed to ensure that every student achieves the very best results that he or she is capable of. Kunskapsskolan students are offered the opportunity to work at their own pace, using their own learning style to achieve their own goals and those set by accrediting bodies. Parents are encouraged to actively engage in their children’s education, participate in setting goals and are able to monitor their child’s progress through online reporting systems, (Ball, 2008). New Labour intended that the establishment of academies would drive up standards by replacing failing schools in struggling education authorities, (Chitty, 2009). Under New Labour’s guidelines the academy schools could be established only if they held a sp onsor and could raise two  million pounds in independent funding. The government would then contribute  £25 million, (Pennell & West, 2007). The academy would then run the school outside of the local education authority’s (LEA) funding control, but still operate within all the national requirements for curriculum and standards, (Griggs ,2010). The Coalition Government has greatly expanded the number of Academy schools. The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, initially asked every head teacher in England if they would be interested in achieving academy status. By 31st August 2010, 170 mainstream schools had made an application to convert to academy status and as of 1st April 2012 there are 1776 academies in the UK, (education.gov.uk, 2012). The Academies Bill opened up the possibility of applying for Academy status to all schools and no longer required these schools to hold sponsorships or raise the initial  £2 million, (Wilson, 2011). All other schools, irrespective of their ‘Ofsted’ rating, were also able to apply to become academies if they are part of a group which includes a high performing school or if they join an existing successful academy trust. For the first time since its inception primary schools are also permitted to apply for Academy school status, (Bassett et al, 2012). Ofsted refers to the acronym used for the Office for Standards in Education. It monitors and is the overall regulatory body for the provision childminding, child day care, children’s centres, children’s social care, state schools, independent schools (including Academy schools) and teacher training providers, colleges and learning and skills providers in England, (ofsted.gov.uk, 2012). It also monitors the work of the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Following this, The Coalition Government introduced The Education Bill into the House of Commons on Wednesday 26th January 2011 and received Royal Assent on 15th November 2011, (legislation.gov.uk, 2011). The Education Act specified that from now on all new maintained schools must be setup as either an academy or ‘free schools’. So in effect there will be no new state schools, (Needham et al, 2006). Prior to this they launched a new initiative to introduce what they termed ‘Free School’s into the education arena. Free schools are proposed and governed by local community groups such as groups of parents, faith groups or other interested parties. They are free at source to parents and are all-ability state-funded schools set up in response by local people to meet the needs of local communities and in order to improve education for children in their community, (Leo et al, 2010). The first Free Schools opened in September 2011. Alongside Academies and Free schools, The Government also proposed other types of secondary educational settings governed by local community groups such as the University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools were launched. The process of creating a free school begins with the Secretary of State entering into an Academy Arrangement with a person, group of people, or an organisation. These arrangements usually take the form of an â€Å"Academy Agreement†. In this agreement, the government agrees to provide funds for the school in exchange for certain undertakings, including that the school provides provision for children with special educational needs and different abilities. that the curriculum is balanced and broadly based, that in the case of secondary schools, they provide an emphasis in a particular subject such as sport, science or the arts, and that the pupils are drawn wholly or mainly from the area in which the school is located, (Gunter, 2011). One concern voiced is the claim that Academy schools will be completely outside of the control of not only education authorities but national overarching governmental control, (Woods, 2011). However even the regular state schools have increasingly less control by local education authorities and it is certainly the case that successive reforms over the past two decades have given all schools much greater autonomy, (Bangs et al, 2010). Most legislation that governs schools is currently derived from national government or national bodies, such as the national curriculum or Standard Assessment Tests, Ofsted, or government legislation on issues such as safeguarding or Every Child Matters, (Field, 2010). Local education authorities, in fact have increasingly less control over individual schools. LEA’s continue to be responsible for the provision of school places, sitting appeals when a child does not gain a place at their chosen school and taking responsibility when a school fails, (Bradley & Taylor, 2010). LEA’s also continue to have responsibility for the provision of educational psychologists and special educational needs support. Nonetheless, Academy schools system does provide an increasing  amount of freedom not only for head teachers and teachers, in what they teach, how they are structured, pay structures, freedom to adapt the national curriculum and the freedom to vary the length of the school day and how the school sets its holidays, (Bassett et al, 2010) They also offer freedom to pupils in the sorts of the subjects they study and even in fact the kinds of examinations they gain, for instance, the English baccalaureate, (Taylor, 2010) When asked by the BBC’s Mike Baker in 2010, â€Å"what exactly makes an academy different?† The Former Schools Commissioner, Sir Bruce Liddington, stated that they are more, â€Å"a state of mind more than anything else†, (bbc.co.uk, 2010). Sir Bruce Liddington is the director-general of E-Act (formerly Edutrust Academies Charitable Trust), which is responsible 14 academies and free schools which aim to target the education of children in Britainâ⠂¬â„¢s most deprived areas. However critics have voiced concerns in regards to E-Act’s expansion plans in that they wish to create a â€Å"super-chain† of 250 academy and free schools within five years. There has also been criticism of how these schools will be run and the way market practices will influence the teaching, such as buying and selling of intellectual property, (guardian.co.uk, 2011). The Education Secretary, Michael Gove has stated that â€Å"outstanding† schools may possibly no longer have to undergo the Ofsted inspection, freeing them to concentrate solely on education and not preparing for audits. He has also made the link between â€Å"outstanding† schools and Academy schools, by allowing all â€Å"outstanding† schools to automatically achieve Academy status. Clearly this equates academies with quality, (Dept. of Education, 2010). New academy schools will not be able to select purely on ability, however Grammar schools which have converted to Academy status c an continue to do so, (Miller, 2011). Nonetheless Academies can and do select according to the behaviour of the child, (Sales et al, 2010). Much available research points to there being an increase in challenging behaviours amongst children and young people who come from deprived backgrounds, (Wickham, 2011). Michael Gove himself stated, in a speech at Durand Academy in London, ‘There is a direct line to deprivation which begins when children are failed in primary because their behaviour is not policed with proper boundaries and they are not taught how to read properly. When these young people arrive in  secondary school they cannot follow the curriculum and cover up their failure with a show of bravado, acting up in class’, (politics.co.uk, 2011). Michael Gove also made the link between children who have no positive male role model in their lives and, ‘the Educational underclass’, who he believed would ultimately continue on to become, ‘NEETS’ (not in education, employment or training), again making the links between behaviour and social and economic deprivation, (Attewell & Newman, 2011). The attempt to bring children out of poverty and encourage participation in education has been a central theme for the Neo-liberalism policies of the Coalition Government and the previous New Labour Government, (Hall, 2011). However it was the Coalition Government alone who expanded on the idea of the Academy Schools to Include ‘Free Schools’ and the thinking behind such proposals as the University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools. Free Schools are a recent concept introduced by the Coalition Government, making it possible for the first time parents, teachers, faith groups, charities and businesses to set up their own schools, (Morris, 2011). They are non-fee paying and supported by government. Free schools are subject to the School Admissions Code of Practice, other than that they are permitted to accept only those children they chose. The government has stated that Free Schools must meet the same admissions criteria as the National Admissions Code, however they will have the flexibility to select based on their own criteria. These types of schools are an extension of the existing Academies Programme. Free schools are expected to offer a broad and balanced curriculum. They are still su bject to Ofsted inspections and are expected to comply with standard performance measures, (education.gov.uk, 2011) The first 24 free schools opened in autumn 2011. They represent the most overtly market-oriented policy as part of the neo-liberal Coalition government’s school reform policies in England. There is some degree controversy, as these schools are led by market forces and again to achieve success will be motivated to accept only children from a particular group (for instance those of a particular faith). This could lead to some democratic discrimination if they are not made to be fully accountable in terms of the application process, the governance of free schools, and their effect on local authorities, (Hatcher, 2011). There are also some concerns that some free schools will be run for profit. So for example, it was reported in The  Guardian Newspaper,(guardian.co.uk, 2012), that the head of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch; who is currently being investigated on charges of telephone hacking had had secret meetings with The Education Secretary Michael Gove expressed an interest in applying to set up a free school, (guardian.co.uk, 2012). One example of a free school will be the Phoenix Free School in Oldham which was conceived by Tom Burkard, a former teacher and military instructor. The school itself will be run by ex-military staff and will have a focus on discipline. Burkard says the school will teach children between the ages of 11years and 18years, and will encourage high standards of behaviour, literacy and numeracy, (localschoolsnetwork.org.uk, 2012). University Technical Colleges are described as a new concept in education which offers secondary age pupils from age 14years to 19years olds vocational courses at specialist colleges. There initially proposed by New Labour but had cross party support. The former education secretary, Lord Kenneth Baker proposed them as a means to promote the concept prepare younger people for work. He said, â€Å"We want to forge a partnership between vocational education and universities, further education colleges and employers.† Each university technical college (UTC) will be sponsored by a university or college of further education. They will develop their own specialism, usually to reflect the university’s a rea of excellence. The colleges are intended to be small, with numbers no more than 800 students. Funding is intended to come from sponsorship and from government. The university will not be required to provide funds; however, their assistance is needed for curriculum development, teaching support and guiding student’s education progression. These sorts of courses are intended to reflect a normal weekday and the students will embark on high quality vocational courses rather than purely academic ones. However, there is a requirement that the pupils continue have a background in academic study. Following post sixteen education, the pupils can progress onto apprenticeships utilising support from local employers for day placements with the most up to date equipment. This enhances the employment experience of students and is intended to encourage the development of a work ethic. Pupils can progress on to study for diplomas, A-levels other related qualifications, (edge.co.uk, 2012). There have been  some concerns voiced about the UTCs. For instance, John Bangs who is the head of education at the National Union of Teachers, fears this could lead to reintroducing widespread selection at 14, â€Å"Academies and UTCs are predicators of the kind of pessimism that kids are forever destined for one or other route. It sorts the sheep from the goats, which I’m very opposed to†, (guardian.co.uk, 2010). But Professor Alison Halstead, who is heading a UTC sponsored by Aston University, due to open in 2012, says fears are unfounded. â€Å"Nobody wants academic selection. This type of technical institution is not going to be suitable for all youngsters, and, if it’s not, there are 76 other schools in this area to choose from†. However the Department of Education has strict selection criteria which currently allow UTC’s to select only 10% of pupil admissions based on their aptitude and states that all of new the new school types must comply with the School Admissions Code, (Clegg, 2011). The Studio School is a yet another new concept in education, which seeks to address the growing gap between the skills, and knowledge that young people require to succeed, and those that the current education system provides. Studio Schools are designed for 14-19 year olds of all abilities. They are small schools for 300 students; and with year-round opening and a 9-5 working day, the emphasis will be on creating an environment more like a workplace than a school, (Fuller & Unwin, 2011). Working closely with local employers, Studio Schools will offer a range of academic and vocational qualifications including GCSEs in English, Maths and Science, as well as paid work placements linked directly to employment opportunities in the local area. Students will gain a broad range of employability and life skills through the skills framework, and will have the option to go on to university, further training, and into employment. There are also the concerns that these sorts of education facilities, like the free schools could have influence from market forces, (Bonell et al, 2011). Evidence in the past has suggested that this has a negative effect on children’s education and reduces their life choices in later life, (Gorard, 1997). As mentioned previously, many of the Charter Schools in USA have since failed many because they failed to attract the investment of businesses. The reasons for this are diverse, however some commentators highlight that many were developed within deprived inner city areas. Business ventures did initially contribute funding to set these  schools up but ultimately withdrew support as the area’s the schools were built in, were not in positions to sustain market involvement. It appeared that many were unlikely to become self-sustaining without on-going support from philanthropic communities, (Minow, 2000). It is the frailty of involving market forces into education that causes concerns for many. There are also issues as regards future life choice, for example, would a child whose school was funding entirely by a bank and who experienced the full weight of that bank’s marketing focuses, make another choice as regards their banking when they reached adulthood, (Adkins, 1999)? With all these new types of education structures there appears to be central themes of freedom and flexibility for teachers and head teachers with new opportunities for children, however alongside this there are concerns that these schools will create divisions within the education system. Also what of the children who will not get the opportunity to attend one of these new types of schools? Will they ‘suffer’ from attending less prestigious schools? What of teachers who do not hold prestigious qualifications? Although the new schools are not able to select purely on intellect, they can make some selections which state schools cannot, they can also select out children who have behaviou ral problems. As has been discussed earlier, this does tend to discriminate against children from deprived backgrounds and these were part of the criticisms that the ‘tripartite system of education’ was charged with in the 1960’s In 1944 The Butler Act brought about radical changes for the British Education System with the basic aim was to give every pupil an equal opportunity to develop his or her talents and abilities to the full, within a free system of state education, (Dent ,1948). For the first time the structure of Education in England and Wales was divided into three stages; Primary schools which taught children from 5years old up to the age of 11years, secondary from the age of 11years until 15years (This was increased to 16years from 1973) and then finally optional post-16yrs education in either an academic setting and on to Higher education or vocational qualifications via the further education route. The most important aspect of this was that for the first time, free secondary education became compulsory for all. At the time the Butler Education Act received cross party support, (Boyle, 1972). The Butler Act proposed three  different types of schools; grammar schools (which were intended for the most academic of children), secondary technical schools (which were intended for children who were gifted in the arts, technology or crafts) and secondary modern schools (For everyone else). This became known as the tripartite system. The tripartite system did allow for a small number of schools to combine all three types of school into one ‘Comprehensive system’, however in reality this did not happen, (Francis, 1995). Pupils were assessed by a tests called ‘the eleven plus’ which was administered to them at age 11years. This was a once only test after their 11th birthday. The system was intended to allocate pupils to the schools best suited to their â€Å"abilities and aptitudes†. However increasingly there were many criticisms directed at this system. For instance, the once only test decided a child’s future, the late developers, or children who were ill on the day, children with dyslexia or social problems were expected to achieve the same as any other child. It was almost certainly true that the test which was given by more or less exclusively middle class teachers was biased towards middle class children, for example it might ask a question which related to classical composers, something a middle class child would be more likely to answer right than a working class child, (Moore,1996). The intention had been that there would be parity of esteem between the three types of school, with none holding a more prestigious position than the other two. However, there were often only two types of school available in practice, those pupils classed as ‘Technical’ were denied the opportunity to attend Secondary Technical schools as very few were built. As a result Technical children went to Secondary Modern schools, (Elder, 1965). It was official policy to mark down female scores, so girls on the borderline of the academic threshold were denied a Grammar school education just because of their gender which resulted in them going to Secondary Moderns, (Deem, 1981). In effect, these meant that it became a one opportunity to pass or fail the eleven plus. Those who passed were granted the opportunity to attend Grammar schools, those who failed would be forced to attend Secondary Moderns, (Hendrick, 1997). Ultimately the result that vast majority of children went to Seco ndary Modern schools, (around seventy percent), and only about five percent were accepted into Secondary Technical schools. Consequently the majority of children were automatically considered to have  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœfailed’ the eleven plus, (Simon, 1986). Middle class children certainly derived the most benefit out of the tripartite system, and this was directly at the expense of the working class. Children from middle class homes were more likely to be focused to achieve within education, (Tomlinson, 1991). Middle class children were taught and tested by mostly middle class teachers which asked questions about experiences they were familiar with, (Welford, 1968). Working class children, in particular experienced the democratic prejudice that has more recently been a major criticism of the New Academy school system. For instance the eleven plus was seen as culturally biased towards the middle class; questions related to table place settings for example, something a middle class child would be more likely to be aware of than a working class child, (Marwick, 2003). Children attending the Secondary modern schools were not intended to achieve academic success or enter into the professions. Curriculums were developed out of the interests of local employers, such as manufacturers and agriculture and consequently taught subjects with a practical dimension. As there was no external examinations to be taken at the end of the pupil’s education and pupils were not under pressure to achieve, (Heath, 1984). There was a possibility of staying on for a further year and in the 1950s there was a growing tendency to do so. Those who continued into the 5th year could sit the General Certificate of Education (GCE) and a very small number did continue on to Higher education and the professions, (Little & Westergaard 1964). However this system did change things for many school children. It ensured secondary education was free for all and one of the results of the Act was to educate and mobilise women and the working class for the first time ever (Thompson, 2000). The Tripartite System was abolished by the new Labour government of 1974 and The 1976 Education Act finally ended any selection of pupils by ability thus officially ending the Tripartite System, (Aldrich, 2002). Although certainly there are a small number of Grammar schools who continue to operate and continue to select based entirely on ability. This is in part due to The Thatcher government allowing selection once again in 1979, and it was used increasingly by individual schools eager to choose  the best pupils, (Chitty, 1989). In 1986 the first City Technology Colleges were proposed, arguably inspired by the Technical schools. Although currently there have no further attempts made to restore the Tripartite System, the perceived failure of the Comprehensive System gave New Labour and currently the Coalition Government the impetus to propose â€Å"Beacon Schools†, â€Å"Advanced Schools† and an â€Å"escalator† or â€Å"ladder† of schools, (Brighouse, 2003). So will the new school systems create disparity? Certainly for pupils attending Academies do appear to gain much more from their state school counterparts; often built in brand new or newly renovated buildings, with smart new uniforms, lots of facilities and the best, most engaged and most highly paid teachers, (Gewirtz, 2009). As was discussed earlier, there has been a move by the Coalition Government to increase professional standing amongst teachers, by only allowing those with a first class honours degree to even enter the profession, (education.gov.uk, 2012). As a consequence these young teachers will obviously be sought after and will be attracted to the schools that pay the most, (Avis, 2011). Clearly Academy Schools, who can set their own pay scales, are more likely to attract the best educated teachers, (Lupton, 2011). So what of the rest? Michael Gove has often made the link between non-academy schools and ‘failure’. Immediately thrusting these children in a position of being ‘written off’ as ‘no hopers’ and failures; destined to a life of being a NEET or ending up in youth custody, (politics.co.uk, 212). Will these children in the future, become ‘the rest’ who under the tri-partite system ended up in secondary modern schools, those who were never quite good enough to meet the standards for a grammar school education? In April 2012, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers’ union (NASUWT) meeting for its annual conference voiced concerns that academies will be used to dismantle national teacher’s pay agreements and will attack the stability of existing state schools, (bbc.co.uk, 2012). Michael Gove has also suggested that organisations of individuals who oppose the changes in the school systems are, â€Å"happy with failure†, (bbc.co.uk, 2012). However in fact, the Academy school system itself has not produced the outstanding educational results expected, (Barker,2012 ). Barker (2012) stated that the changes in the school system  were more likely to, ‘provoke a crisis than to sustain the last government’s drive for improved effectiveness’. There have also been other anxieties voiced by individuals, such as the celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver who accused the Government of attempting to make profits from school children by de-regulating school meals and allowing schools to utilise private companies and his biggest worry, fast food outlets to provide meals for school children, (bbc.co.uk, 2010). For British society to compete in the Global market place, it has to continue to educate its young people. The United Kingdom (UK) can no longer rely on its manufacturing base or the products of commonwealth nations. In the future the UK’s most saleable commodity will be its knowledge. Any Government will need to invest in its young people, encouraging in them a desire to learn and stimulate participation. The UK’s current market is dominated by financial services, especially in banking and insurance. For these services to continue to maintain the prestigious place they hold globally they must supported by continued inn ovation from information technology, architecture, science and the arts. However education is vital not just for the contributions the next generation will provide in creating wealth but as a part of human life in of itself. The importance of education to children and to British life is beyond question. It therefore should continue to attract the highest levels of investment from Government. Government’s led by individuals who most understand what it means to teach children; teachers. Teachers should be the ones to set standards, not big businesses. Children should be encouraged to participate because school is a place where they can feel valued and happy. Schools should ensure safety, not just within buildings or against school bullies but free from the influence of market forces. Governments should encourage parity across all schools and not attempt to make links between certain types of school and failure. The tripartite system benefitted one group of children with the exclusion all others. Modern education policies should not continue to do the same, because as Ghandi said, ‘You must be the Change you wish to see in the world’. 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S., Growing Gaps: Educational Inequality Around the World, Oxford University Press, 2011 Avis J.,Work-Based Knowledge, Evidence-Informed Practice and Education, British Journal of Educational Studies, Vol 51, Issue 4, 2011 Avis J., Knowledge and Nationhood: Education, Politics, and Work, Continuum International Publishing Group, 1996 Ball S.J.,Education Plc: Understanding Private Sector Participation in Public Sector Education, Taylor & Francis, 2008 Bangs J., Galton M. & MacBeath J., Reinventing Schools, Reforming Teaching: From Political Visions to Classroom Reality, Taylor & Francis, 2010 Barber M. & Mourshed, Shaping the Future: How Good Education Systems Can Become Great in the Decade Ahead, Report on the International Roundtable, Singapore, 2009 Bassett D., Haldenby A.,Tanner W. &Trewhitt K., Reform, 2010 Bassett D., Lyon G. & Tanner W., Plan A+ Unleashing the potential of academies, The Schools Network, The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, 2012 Beckett D. & Hager P.J., Life, Work and Learning: Practice in Postmodernity Psychology Press, 2002 Bonell C., Fletcher A., Sorhaindo A., Wells H. & McKee M.,How market-oriented education policies might influence young people’s health: development of a logic model from qualitative case studies in English secondary schools, J Epidemiol Community Health, 2011 Boyle E., The Politics Of Secondary Sschool Reorganisation: Some Reflections, Journal of Educational Administration and History, Vol 4, Issue 2, pp 28-38, 1972 Bradley S. & Taylor J., Diversity, Choice and the Quasi-market: An Empirical Analysis of Secondary Education Policy in England, Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the Department of Economics, University of Oxford, Vol 72, Issue 1, pp 1–26, 2010 Brighouse T., Comprehensive Schools Then, Now and in the Future: is it time to draw a line in the sand and create a new ideal?, Forum, Vol. 45, No. 1, 2003 Buckley J. & Schneider M., Charter Schools: Hope Or Hype?, Princeton University Press, 2007 Budde R., Education by Charter: Restructuring School Districts. 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M., the State and Education Policy: The Academies Programme, Continuum International Publishing Group, 2011 Higher Standards, Better Schools for All: More Choice for Parents and Pupils, Great Britain Dept. for Education and Skills, The Stationery Office, 2005 Hall S., The Neo-Liberal Revolution, Cultural Studies, Vol 25, Issue 6, pp 705-728, 2011 Hatcher R., The Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition government’s â€Å"free schools† in England, Special Issue: â€Å"Education, Education, Education†: New Government, New Policies?,Educational Review, Vol 63, Issue 4, pp 485-503, 2011 Heath A., In Defence of Comprehensive Schools, Oxford Review of Education, Vol 10, Issue 1, pp 115-123, 1984 Hendrick H., Children, Childhood, and English Society, 1880-1990, Cambridge University Press, 1997 Hill D., Global Neo-Liberalism, the Deformation of Education and Resistance, Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies,Vol 1, No 1, 2003 Hursh D., Neo-liberalism, Markets and Accountability:transforming education and undermining democracy in the United States and England, Policy Futures in Education, Vol 3, No 1, 2005 Kassem D., Mufti E. & Robinson J., Education Studies: Issues And Critical Perspectives, McGraw-Hill International, 2006 Little A. & Westergaard J., The Trend of Class Differentials in Educational Opportunity in England and Wales,The British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 15, No. 4 pp. 301-316, 1964 Lupton R., ‘No change there then!’ (?): the onward march of school markets and competition, Journal of Educational Administration and History, Vol43, Issue 4, pp 309-323, 2011 Marwick A., British Society Since 1945, Volume 13, Penguin, UK, 2003 McCormick B. & Burn K., Special Issue: Reviewing the National Curriculum 5–19 Two Decades On, Curriculum Journal, Vol 22, Issue 2, pp 109-115, 2011 Miller P., Free Choice, Free Schools and the Academisation of Education in England Department of Arts & Education, Middlesex University, London, United Kingdom, Research in Comparative and International Education, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011 Minow M., Partners, Not Rivals: Redrawing the Lines between Public and Private, Non-Profit and Profit, and Secular and Religious; 80 B.U. 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Islam Worksheet Essay

When studying Islam, it is important to understand the essential elements of the faith, how they are practiced, and the distinctions among the three branches: Shiite Islam, Sunni Islam, and Sufism. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following directives and note where there are differences among the three branches of Islam. 1. Explain the meaning of the name, Islam. The literal translation of the word Islam is surrender or submission. The name Islam implies a complete surrender to Allah, and those who practice Islam are referred to as Muslims. The word Islam is derived from the Arabic word salam, which means peace or safety. Muslims believe that the reason for human existence is to surrender to the One True God, Allah (Molloy, 2010). 2. Explain the basic concepts of Islam. Islam teaches it followers (Muslims) that the Holy Quran is the literal word of God is an all-encompassing book and includes everything about Islam. One of the most fundamental concepts of Islam is the belief that only one God exists. Islam teaches many aspects about God that are similar to the teachings of Judaism and Christianity. Islam teaches that God has always existed, cannot be destroyed, knows everything, created the universe. Another basic concept of Islam is that God never had a son (Jesus); however, Islam does teach that Jesus was a prophet as was Muhammad, but Muhammad is believed to be the last of a number of profits, and he was sent to Earth by God to confirm the word of God to the world. The most fundamental beliefs or concepts of Islam are: †¢ There is only one True God †¢ No other being or thing is worth of worship, only the True God †¢ Muhammad is God’s messenger and the last prophet †¢ Every human who has ever existed will face God on Judgment day to account for his or her deeds and at this time, God will grant or deny admittance into Heaven. 3. Describe the practices of Islam. The main practices of Islam are concentrated in what are known as the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam, as outlined in the Quran are thought to be mandatory practices that each Muslim must practice. The Five Pillars of Islam are: 1) Shahada (Profession of Faith) – Muslims must verbally acknowledge the existence of only one God and Muhammad is God’s messenger. The creed, â€Å"There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger,† is spoken daily in prayer, and inscribed on and in Mosques (Molloy, 2010). 2) Prayer – Muslims are required to pray five times every day of the week; the prayers are required every day before dawn, at midday, at midafternoon, at sunset, and at nighttime. Muslims typically undergo a ritualistic cleansing of the hands, arms, face, and neck before prayer, and face toward Mecca when praying (Molloy, 2010). 3) Zakat (Charity to the Poor) – Muslims are required to give a percentage of the total of everything they own to the poor each year. In addition to giving to the poor, Muslims are expected to be generous and charitable toward the poor when they encounter an opportunity in their daily lives (Molloy, 2010). 4) Sawm (Fasting during Ramadan) – Ramadan is the ninth month of the year according to the Muslim calendar and the month during which it is believed that Muhammad began receiving revelations from God. As with various other religions, fasting is thought to bring spiritual growth; for Muslims the month-long fast help to form a bond and unite Muslims. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, liquids, tobacco, and sexual activity from dawn until dusk. Ramadan ends with a feast to celebrate the Revelations given to Muhammad (Molloy, 2010). 5) Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) – Every Muslim is required to visit Mecca (Hajj) at least once in their lifetime. A pilgrimage, as with other religions, is believed to bring about new understanding and personal transformations based on the spiritual goals of the religion. Only Muslims are permitted to enter the city of Mecca (Molloy, 2010). 4. Describe the goals of Islam. The goals of Islam are similar to the goals of other religions in that the religion is believed to be a moral and ethical authority in a world that is in a constant struggle between good and evil. Framing the world as in constants peril and painting itself as the moral and ethical authority, Islam (like other religions) seeks to regulate human life through rules, rituals, and other dogma (Molloy, 2010). Staying in the realm of regulating human life, Islam attempts to provide guidelines to enable Muslims to life a life as close to perfection (God) as possible. Islam also has developed controls and bans on specific activities, things, actions, etc. as a means of creating and maintaining social order and increase the happiness of Muslims (Molloy, 2010). 5. Describe the view of authority in Islam. The Islamic view of authority began with Muhammad; Muhammad combined political (civil) authority with spiritual authority, which is essentially a theocracy. However, modern Islam has split into two main branches that differ on their view of authority. Sunni’s, which accounts for the largest percentage of the world’s Muslim population, recognize a real difference between religious and civil authority. The Shiite Muslims; however, maintain the belief that both religious and civil authority should be centralized. Shiite Muslims place give all spiritual and religious authority to one person (Flesher, n.d.). The Qur’an serves as the primary source of information and authority for Muslims, much as the Bible does for Christians. With this in mind, evaluate Islam’s historical influences on law, philosophy, and the arts in the Muslim world. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following questions. Provide examples to illustrate your thinking. 1. What is the legal ideal in Islamic law? How does the Qur’an inform and guide Muslims in attaining this ideal? The legal ideal of Islamic law, which is known as Sharia, are laws that continually bring day-to-day life into closer coherence with the rules set forth in the Quran. The Quran provides numerous rules and rituals that must be followed by Muslims and lays the groundwork for Sharia. Muslims believe that the Quran is the literal word of God; they also believe that God cannot be separated from any aspect of human life. Therefore, traditional Islam is theocratic and seeks to impose the laws and rules of God upon everyone to help ensure human spiritual fulfillment (Molloy, 2010). 2. What is the relationship between philosophy and theology within Islam? Is it acceptable for Muslims to hold separate philosophical and theological beliefs? The relationship of philosophy and theology within Islam is as complicated as it is old. Many of the early philosophic questions had to be answered to ensure a uniform understanding of the Quran and its laws. However, these early philosophical questions were not truly philosophical because the question mixed religious revelations with human logic and reasoning. Aside from the philosophical questions that were asked during the emergence of Islam, most of the philosophical and theological questions that have emerged have been the result of the expansion of Islam and its contact with other religions (Molloy, 2010). There is no clear answer to the question of whether or not it is acceptable for Muslims to hold separate philosophical and theological beliefs, because throughout the history of Islam the discussion if philosophy and theology changes from a liberal to a conservative approach, and back again. Generally speaking, Islam has two philosophical schools; a liberal view that values human reasoning and sees it as a gift from God, and a conservative view that believes reason is false pride and favors intellectual submission. Although Islam does have a somewhat liberal faction that values reason and logic, for the vast majority of Muslims it is not acceptable to hold different philosophical and theological views. The majority of Muslims reject rationalism and promotes complete submission to God, which includes intellectual submission (Molly, 2010). 3. What artistic themes are regularly expressed in Islamic art and architecture? How are these themes explored? How has the Qur’an influenced the development of art in the Islamic world? Several themes are apparent in both Islamic art and architecture, such as the serious and simplistic style and the use of negative space to direct an individual’s attention to a specific area. Mosques can be large or small, grandiose or modest, bur regardless of the specific mosque or building, Islamic architects place a high value on space. The shaping of a building and the space symbolizes God, who is invisible but everywhere (Molly, 2010). Islam prohibits images of humans or animals, but despite that restriction, Islam has a vibrant artistic past. As with architecture, negative space is also used in art, but the theme that is most apparent in Islamic art is paradise. Most Muslim art includes some aspect of paradise as it is described in the Quran. One can find images or symbols of paradise on prayer rugs, paintings, and building architecture (Molloy, 2010). References Flesher, P. (n.d.). Exploring Religions. Islam Religious and Political Organization. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://uwacadweb.uwyo.edu/religionet/er/islam/iorg.htm Molloy, M. (2010). Experiencing the world’s religions: Tradition, challenge, and change (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Western Heritage 8th Edition

Brittney Henley Pd. 2A Chapter 12: Age of Religious Wars Key Topics; -War between Calvinists and Catholics in France. -The Spanish occupation of the Netherlands. -Struggle for supremacy between England and Spain. -The devastation of Central Europe during the Thirty Years’ War. Vocabulary |Notes | | | | |Counter Reformation- A movement within the Rome |Renewed Religious Struggle | |Catholic Church that sought to revitalize the |Peace of Augsburg (1555)- A regions rule would determine its religion, However it | |church and oppose Protestantism. did not recognize Non Lutheran Protestants | | |Geneva became a refuge for persecuted protestants and an international school for | |Baroque Art- 3 dimensional display of life and |protestant leaders | |energy. | | | | |Politiques- Ruler who urged tolerance and |French Wars of Religion | |moderation and compromise on religious matters |Anti-Protestant Measures and the struggle for political power | | |French Protestants are known as Hu guenots. | |They were persecuted by the French, when King Charles of Germany / Spain captured | |Huguenots- French Protestants. |Frances King’. To pacify King Charles, France persecutes the Huguenots in the | | |hopes of gaining the freedom of the King of France. | | | | |Edict of Fontainebleau—Subjected French Protestants to the inquisition | | |France remain hostile to the protestants until King Henry of Navarre gains the | | |throne | | | | | |3 competing fraction for the Kings (Francis II) ear in France | | |Bourbons- power in the south and west | | |Montmorency-Chatillons- controlled the center of France | | |Guises- dominate in eastern France / Strongest power and had more influence over | | |the king due to family connection | | |Bourbons and Montmorency-Chatillons developed strong Huguenot sympathies | | | | | |Conspiracy of Amboise (1560) – Bourbons and Montmorency-Chatillons plotted to | | |kidnap the king of France (Frances II) | | | | | |Appeal of Calvinism | | |Huguenots were in important geographic areas and were heavily represented among | | |the more powerful segments of French society. They wanted to establish sovereignty| | |with in France. | | | | | |Catherine De Medici and the Guises | | |Catherine mother to 15 year old Frances II becomes the regent of France upon the | | |death of her husband Henry II. | |On the death of Frances II her younger son Charles IX becomes king where she | | |resides as regent. Catherine fears the power of the Guiles family and sought | | |alliances with the Protestants. | | |She issues the January Edict which allows protestants freedom to worship publicly | | |outside of towns. | | |Duke of Guise surprised a protestant congregation at Vassy, Champagne and | | |massacred the worshipers.This is the beginning of the French wars of Religion | | |March 1562 | | | | | | | | |Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1570) | | |Ended the thirty year war, the crown acknowledging the power of the Protest ant | | |nobility, granted Huguenots religious freedoms within their territory. | | |Catherine fearing the mounting power of the other two families and Protestants she| |Coligny: leader of the Huguenots, Charles IX most|cultivates the support of the Guise. | |trusted advisor. | | | |The Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre | | |Catherine tried to have Coligny assassinated by a bullet.Fearing the fallout from| | |the attempt, she convinces King Charles that the Huguenots were attempting to | | |attack Paris | | |On Saint Bartholomew’s Day August 24, 1572, Coligny and 3000 Huguenots were | | |massacred in Paris. Within 3days another 20,000 were executed | | | | | |The Rise to Power of Henry Navarre | | |Henry III sought the middle ground and gained support from a growing body of | |Protestant Resistance Theory: |neutral Catholics and Huguenots. | | | |John Knox- wrote First Blast of the Trumpet |Peace of Beaulieu (May 1576)- granted the Huguenots almost complete religio us and | |against the Terrible Regiment of Women |civil freedom. It was later recanted because of political pressure of the Catholic| |-He declared removal of a heathen tyrant was |League. Both religious orders pick up arms. | |permissible | | | |Henry Navarre led the Protestant army. Henry III brother-in-law) | |Francois Hotman- wrote Franco-Gallia | | |-Humanist argument that representative Estate |Day of the Barricades –Henry III surprise attack on the Catholic League (Spain | |General held more authority then the French king |Supported) and failed. Henry then assassinated the Duke and Cardinal of Guise. | | |Reprisal from the League was fierce causing Henry III to join forces with Henry | |Theodore Beza- wrote On the Right of Magistrates |Navarre. Henry III was killed; Henry IV (Navarre) is the next successor to the | |Over their Subjects |throne. |-Permissible for lower authorities to overthrow | | |tyrannical rulers |Protestant as king, the League wants France to be Catholic but politically weak so| | |Spain sends in troops to help achieve this goal in hopes of putting his daughter | |Philippe du Plessis Mornay- Defense of Liberty |on the throne. | |Against Tyrants |The French rallied behind their king disbanding the League and outing the Spanish. | |-Princes, Nobles and magistrates are guardians |Henry IV turns Catholic.Ending the war of religion in France | |and to take up arms against tyranny in other land| | | | | | | | | |Edict of Nantes | | |Proclaimed a formal religious settlement it recognized minor religions in an | | |official Catholic country | | | | | |Treaty of Vervins -ended hostility between France and Spain | | | | | |Imperial Spain and the Reign of Philip II | | |Gold Silver and bullion were being imported from Spain’s colonies in the New | | |World. | | |The increased wealth and population in large cities in Europe triggered inflation. | | | | | |Fewer jobs, less food, wages stagnated and greater coinage in circul ation while | | |prices increased. | | | | |The Revolt in the Netherlands- | | |Antoine Perrenot- Cardinal Granvelle. | | |Perrenot hoped to break the local autonomy of the Netherlands providences and | | |establish a centralized royal government directed from Madrid, and religious | | |conformity to Catholic. | | |Granvelle proceeded to reorganize the Netherlands. | |William of Nassau (Prince of Orange) & Count of Egmont organized the Dutch | | |nobility in opposition, which had Granvelle removed from office | | | | | |The Compromise- | | |Margaret (Regent of Spain) spurned the protesters. Leads them to call for aid and | | |rebel against Spain; however the nobility does not support the rebellion. | | |Duke of Alba-sent to the Netherlands to gain control back. | | |He had several thousand suspected heretics publicly executed. | | |He then taxed the people of Netherlands to pay for the suppressing of the revolt. | | | | |Pacification of Ghent- | | |November 4 1576: Spanish mercen aries ran amok in Antwerp killing 7000 people in | | |the streets known as the Spanish fury. | | | | | |Pacification of Ghent (November 8, 1575)- Catholic regions and Protestant regions | | |in the Netherlands unified to oppose Spain. | | | | | |Perpetual Edict- provided for removal of all Spanish troops from the Netherlands | | |within 20 days. | | | | | | | |Netherlands Independence- | | |King of Spain Phillip II declared William of Orange an outlaw. | | |December 1580 William of Orange publicly denounced Phillip as a Heathen and tyrant| | |and should not be obeyed. | | |Known as The Apology. | | |Peace of Westphalia in 1648 – Netherlands is fully recognized | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |England and Spain 1553-1603 | | |[pic] | | | | | |Jane Grey (granddaughter to Henry), 3rd Queen | | | | | | | | | | | |Mary I – reign lasted 5 years | | |Edward VI died. | | |Lady Jane Grey tried to ascend to throne. | | |Mary Tudor was the rightful heir. Grey-9 days Queen then beheaded. | | |Mary marries Prince Philip II of Spain. Mary | | |Had Parliament repeal the Protestant laws.Mary | | |Decreed all of England Catholic, burned Protestant leaders at the stake. | | |Dies 1558 | | | | |The Compromise: A solemn pledge to resist the |Elizabeth I – takes throne 1558 | |decrees of Trent and the Inquisition. |Daughter of Henry and half sister to Mary. | | |Advisor William Cecil. | |Passed laws for religious toleration | | | | | |Act of Supremacy 1559- Repealing all anti-Protestant legislation of Mary Tudor. | | | | | |Phillip II seeks marriage with Elizabeth. | | |Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots seeks England throne. | | |Supporters claim Elizabeth is illegitimate. | | |Queen of Scots is the granddaughter to Henry the VIII’s sister Margaret. | |Raised French and Catholic. | | | | | |Deterioration of Relation with Spain | | |Spanish Duke of Alba (1547)- marched troops into the Netherlands; England sees | | |this as a threat du e its close proximity to England. | | |Elizabeth allows pirating of Spanish vessels. | | | | |Mary Queen of Scots | | |Elizabeth executes Mary Queen of Scotts (second cousin) for plotting against the | | |crown. | | |Mary’s husband is killed by her lover, who is acquitted, and then marries Mary. | | |This causes outrage from her people. | | |Mary surrenders her throne to her one year old son James VI, who later becomes | | |Elizabeth’s heir to throne. | |The pope authorize Spain to invade England for the killing of Mary who was their | | |hope to turn England Catholic | | | | | |The Armanda | | |May 30 1587 -130 ships with 25,000 sailors sent to invade England. | | |Spain wanted the ships to dock in France before continuing the invasion. | | |France prohibits the ships from leaving and a fog roles in around the channel. | | |England has advantage and wins. | | | | |Thirty Year War | | |Preconditions for War | | |Germany = Holly Rome | | |Germany consists of 360 a utonomous entities. | | |Each had its own tolls, taxes, coins and religion, making it difficult to travel | | |and do business | | | | |Four Periods of War- | | |Bohemian (1618-1625) Swedish (1630-1635) | | |Danish (1625-1629) Swedish-French (1635-1648) | | | | | |Bohemian Period- | | |Ferdinand ascends to the throne and wants to return the region to Catholicism. | | |He revokes the religious freedoms of the Bohemian Protestants. | | | | | |Defenestration of Prague- Protestant nobility in Prague throw Ferdinand III’s | | |regents out of window in reaction to the revoke of religious freedoms. They did | | |not die, landed on manure which cushioned their fall. | | | | |Ferdinand was managed to subdue the Protestants and re-Catholicize Bohemian | | | | | |Danish Period- (1625-1629) | | |Lutheran King Christian IV of Demark picks up Protestant banner-invades Germany | | |and loses. | | |Ferdinand attacks Demark and breaks Protestant resistance. | | |Causes fear among all Protestants. | | | | | |Edict of Restitution in 1629- Calvinism is illegal and orders the return of all | | |church lands acquired by the Lutherans. | | | | | | | |The Swedish Periods (1630-1635) | | |Gustavus Adolphus king of Sweden | | |Was a unified Lutheran nation, bankrolled by France, an wished to keep the | | |Habsburg armies tied down in Germany. | | |Adolphus won several battles due to a lighter army and better weapons. | | |Adolphus is killed on the battlefield. | | | | |Peace of Prague in 1635- majority of the Protestants states reached a compromise | | |with Ferdinand, barring the Swedes | | | | | |Peace of Prague plunged them into the fourth war. | | | | | |The Swedish-French Period (1635-1648) | | |The French join the war in 1635. | | |Dragged on for 13 years with Spanish, French and Swedish soldiers looting Germany. | | | | |About 1/3 of the German population died as a direct result of the war. | | | | | |Treaty of Westphalia- | | | | | |The Treaty of Westph alia 1648 -brought all hostilities within the Holy Roman | | |Empire to an end.Ended Edict of Restitution and reasserted the Peace of Augsburg,| | |which allows each ruler to determine its religion. | | | | | |German princes become supreme over their principalities. | Summary: From Martin Luther’s death in 1546 until the middle of the seventeenth century, European life was dominated by religiously and politically inspired violence. France descended into nearly 50 years of civil war before emerging with a united monarchy under the terms of the Edict of Nantes in 1598. Spain escaped civil strife and remained firmly Catholic.Spain’s American empire provided immense wealth, but Spain failed to subdue Protestant nationalism in the Netherlands and suffered defeat of its Armada naval fleet at the hands of the English. As a result, Spain’s position in international affairs declined. Unlike the French, the English managed to avoid civil war under the inspired leadership of Queen Elizabeth I. In Germany, the original center of the Reformation, Lutherans and Catholics had come to tolerate each other. But in the early seventeenth century the temporary compromises collapsed. The resulting free-for-all, known as the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), consumed much of Europe’s energies until it was resolved in the Peace of Westphalia. ———————– Elizabeth I 4th, Queen Mary I 2nd, Queen Edward VI 1st, King Henry VIII King

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

Individual Project 2 - Essay Example According to Redding (2000), contrary to common belief, there are effective programs for rehabilitating juvenile offenders. Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is a comprehensive approach that intervenes in the multiple systems affecting juvenile delinquent behavior. This includes the child, family, school, peers and community. The system has been so designed to improve family relations, improve the caregiver discipline practices, decrease the youth’s association with peers who are delinquent, and increase association with peers who are pro-social. This program is meant to keep the youth engaged in positive recreational activities and improve vocational performance. Support is provided through the extended family, neighbors, and friends so that the caregivers are able to achieve the goals. This is a multi-modal family-based system approach and the rate of reduction in recidivism is much higher than standard programs. Interventions have to be multi-modal because there is not just one cause for the delinquent behavior in the youth. Multi-modal program identifies the risk factors and provide treatment accordingly. The possible risk factors could range from child (mental health problems, substance abuse), family (poor parental supervision, ineffective discipline practices), school (truancy, poor academic achievement), peer (association with delinquent peer group, gang membership), and community (neighborhood violence, drug markets) risk factors. As such, it is essential to involve all the groups in the correction or rehabilitation therapy. Community based programs have always been found to be more effective than residential programs. Each organization brings a variety of strengths into the process and this enhances the chances of success. The most significant feature of this therapy is that it is on a highly individualized basis and the treatment is developed in collaboration with the family. The family

Case study hillton's transformation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hillton's transformation - Case Study Example This spirit of togetherness and unity of the community was manifested in the city and all the parties involved in the area including the labor unions representing the employees accepted that all the employees be given the opportunity to exercise their freedom at their work places. Based on their experience, the workers are accorded the opportunity for growth and development through rise in ranks and promotion. All the employees at Hillton were working in the environment where all their activities in the industry were guided by industrial legislations and regulations. Under these clauses, all the employees are entitled to equal treatment and fair treatment with equality. The employees at Hillton were expected to adequately learn and acquire the skills that match their job skills and technical competence. Besides, the employees of Hillton must keep good work records as they waits for their turn to rise to the ranks. Since 1970s, Hillton has experience economic growth and development. O ver these years, the economy of this small city has posted a significant increase in the economic status covering all the sectors of the economy. The city was characterized by changes in the demographic statistics and the human population features. It is through such changes in the population and demographic features that the entire city undergone transformation. Major change and transformation took place in the municipality’s labor force departments. This was necessitated by the fact that the rise in the human population seeking services of the municipal council had increased, thus increasing the pressure and the demand from the organization to deliver quality services to the needy and service demanding population. The municipal therefore had no choice but to transform its labor and workforce units to attend to the diverse and increasing demands of the public. To meet the increase in the demand of services, Hillton conducted a massive restructuring of its labor force and thi s called for fair and quick promotion of the employees and increasing the responsibilities assigned to these groups of personnel. The City also had to seek for the services of many outsiders and thereby employing more people to help in the delivery of services to the public and to reduce the pressure on its small workforce. At this point in time, Hillton had never imagined of any form of institutional layoffs but instead the organization practiced what the experts describe as â€Å"conform and entitlement† management policy. The department manager has all the freedom at their working environment with little intervention from the city manager or the elected council members. Besides, the tax policies of the council were very weak and ineffective. The council of Hillton which initially had poor and insufficient resources to meet the growing demands raises by a rise in the demographic statistics had to restructure its institutions and systems. The most affected class was the phys ical and social amenities, including roads, security, recreational facilities, building and lands. This process of conducting social reconstruction and development of city called for the expansion of the work force of the council thereby leading to the inclusion of outsider in the early described as the inside tasks. Rather than promoting its internal staff as had been the culture at Hillton, in 1996, the management filled all the vacant position in the city council with hired technical and professional outsourced from other countries

METHODOLOGY POLICY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

METHODOLOGY POLICY - Essay Example Organizations operate with the aim of attaining economic efficiencies. Production is guided by the law of marginal utility and continues until marginal returns equal marginal cost of production. Beyond this point, production is inefficient and organizations stop production. The graph shows an increasing trend in production and therefore explains that marginal utility from production is still lower than unit production cost. Based on the theory, advantage in production cost or higher demand into higher utility could explain the trend. The theory however fails to recognize the role of social utility in production and resource distribution (The State of Working America, 1; Wolf and Reinsick 52- 55). Labor theory of value explains that labor cost is the main driver of commodities’ cost, and therefore indicators of productivity. The graph, based the theory, shows that labor costs have been increasing at a higher rate than median family income. It also demonstrates inequality in labor wages. The theory’s rationale is similar to that of neoclassical theory (The State of Working America 1; Wolf and Reinsick 169). Keynesian theory explains a relationship between productivity and aggregate demand. The graph, based on the theory shows an increase in demand despite lower increase rate in income and therefore suggests increase in number of households towards higher demand and productivity values. Rationale of Keynesian theory is similar to that of neoclassical theory (The State of Working America 1; Wolf and Reinsick 126). Institutionalist methodology focuses on social utility instead of economic efficiency. Based on the approach, the graph demonstrates increasing investments into social utilities while demand driven production could have similar changes to median income. The investments could be from the government and private entities. This is contrary to neoclassical perspective economic efficiency (The State of Working America

Marriage in Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Marriage in Crisis - Essay Example After this, the next step is to analyze the families based on the multi-generational transmission concept. Since it is generally accepted that those who were abused generally repeat the cycle by becoming abusers, this is probably the case with Luis. By allowing him to understand this and reviewing his own feelings as a child, he can develop empathy for what he is putting his children through. Furthermore, some of the issues Jessica is causing also need to be addressed. Jessica’s relationship is unstable, as Bowen argued that many two-person relationships are. Therefore, to bring about stability, she tends to involve her older son. This is unhealthy for her son since he is too young to understand fully the repercussions of what is going on. Therefore, this situation needs to be addressed, and Jessica needs to be taught alternate methods for handling her issues.   Genograms cam is a very helpful tool in a number of situations. In the situation of Jessica and Luis, it can provide a helpful visual chart that may help to make them more aware of their bad situation. Jessica and Luis are undergoing many relationship issues, and genograms can be helpful in providing awareness in issues like this. The genogram itself â€Å"is a visual representation of an individuals family of origin and is similar in concept to a family tree† (Daughhetee, 2001, p. 21). It has been used for many decades in family therapy and was initially created by Murray Bowen. The genogram allows the counselor and the family to take a look at the relationships, roles, patterns, and functions that are common within the family. This can, therefore, allow the counselor to gather important data, cover levels of functioning, create a hypothesis, and increase the awareness of the family regarding the emotional processes and repercussions their family structure may be undergoi ng (Daughhetee, 2001).   

African American woman working towards better education Research Paper

African American woman working towards better education - Research Paper Example The intensity of pain and discrimination propelled the African American women to fight for liberation in the United States of America. This paper looks into the struggle for African American women to have access to education and voting rights during the civil rights movements. In doing that, this paper examines seven sources. Allen Zita’s account of black women leaders in the social privileges lobby groups contains details on the hardships racial segregation brought to the national stability. Bramlett-Solomon gave an account of Fannie Lou Hamer and civil struggle in the South. Holmes-Norton gives a detailed account of the civil struggle in the South but narrows down to Fannie Lou Hamer courage. She seems to agree with Bramlett-Solomon in many instances. Raymond D’Angelo shared readings and interpretations of the social privileges struggle and the power of political organizations during the struggle. Janice Hamlet gave a detailed account of the unrelenting spirit of the struggle and Fannie Lou Hamer. She appears to be more detailed that Bramlett-Solomon. They wanted to liberate themselves from social oppression. Davis Houck and Dixon analyze the civil unrest happenings from 1954-1965. They give an account of the women who participated in the civil lobby group and their contribution. Angela Jones sheds light of the Niagara movement and the social privileges movement. ... According to A. Zita (1996), the urge to liberate themselves caused them to agitate for freedom and equal rights in the society. The African American men faced similar oppression. The civil rights movement was marked by women being relegated to negligible positions in the society. The men were always at the front lines of leadership, in spite of the fact that it was women who spearheaded the Birmingham bus boycott. Analysis The source is credible since it been confirmed by other sources. The African American women instigated the freedom rides and demonstrations. Women rose to be significant political representatives. Men controlled positions of leadership in organizations and often ignored the contributions from their women counterparts. A telling example is in the year 1963, at the apex of the social constitutional rights lobby group, tens of thousands of black women participated in March on Washington. The women included Fannie Lou Hamer and Jon Ann Robinson. Ella Baker was a women activist who became influential in the movement. However, not a single woman was invited by all male march committee when it came to making a speech in front of the crowd. Bramle1tt-Solomon The women believed that they should be given equal chances with men in all avenues. T2he women were involved in the movements by supporting their male counterparts from behind the scenes. They were able to get fulfillment through supporting the male leaders and activists. Others like Ericka Huggins, Elaine Brown, Shakur and Cleaver remained stubborn. They rejected positions that were of little consequence. According to these women activists, preparing food, typing minutes for the meetings, providing moral support to the male activists, washing dishes and sexually gratifying men were

Threshold Concepts for Nanotechnology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Threshold Concepts for Nanotechnology - Essay Example The amount that U.S has expended on the research and development of the nanotechnology is about $3.7 billion; while European Union has spent about 1.2 billion. Nanotechnology is considered to be the one of its own kind as the technology utilizes the conventional materials as emphasize on the production of new materials and enhance the productivity and efficiency of the nanotechnology (Highfield, 2012). Nearly every field like the medicine, energy, electronics, etc are considered to be greatly influenced by the nanotechnology in future. The more interactive designs are seen in the water purification and energy sector. On the other hand, the future advancement and implementation of the nanotechnology is much debated and scientists believe that the technology may solve the typical problems. On the other hand, the issues regarding the nanotechnology are the same as that of the other emerging technologies. The issues may have a deep relation with the environment and the pollutions, impact s on the economics and the impact on the society and culture (Crnano.org, 2008). Nanotechnology is considered as the future technology and is considered as the manufacturing and handling of the systems and devices at the nanostructure or molecular level. ... ter of about 2 nm and the spicing between the typical carbon- carbon bonds is about 0.12nm -0.15 nm, while the smallest microorganism has a length of about 200 nm, which is Mycoplasma. The nanotechnology is modeled to be in the length ranging from 1- 100 nm. The smallest particle in nature is considered to be hydrogen atom that has an atomic width of about ? nm. Nanotechnology and Micro technology and Nanotechnology approaches There is distinct difference between the nanotechnology and micro technology. The micro scale is larger than that of the nano scale. The nanotechnologies are considered to have the ranges more than the given nanotechnology range. The nanotechnology adopts two main approaches; the â€Å"bottom-up† approach and the â€Å"top-down† approach. During the bottom up approach the devices and products are considered to manufacture themselves at the molecular level. Chemical reactions or physical combination are adopted at the bottom up approach. The proces s of combination of the products during the bottom up approach is known as the molecular recognition (Nano.gov, 2008). On the other hand, in the top down approach the atomic control is not required and the larger entities are utilized to manufacture the nano products. The major researches in the areas of nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, etc have made it easy to adopt both the approached according to the requirement. Nanotechnology and Electronics Industry and related benefits Some processes are recognized due to the smaller size of the system. The processes include the quantum mechanical effects. The electronic properties of the materials are assumed to be impacted by changing the particle size of the material. The quantum effect is considered to affect the system when the size of the particle reduces to

Bioinformatics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Bioinformatics - Essay Example To function correctly, each cell depends on thousands of proteins to function in the right places at the right times. When a mutation alters a protein that plays a critical role in the body, a medical condition can result. A condition caused by mutations in one or more genes is called a genetic disorder. Some mutations alter a gene's DNA base sequence but do not change the function of the protein made by the gene. Studies in the fly Drosophila melanogaster suggest that if a mutation does change a protein, this will probably be harmful, with about 70 percent of these mutations having damaging effects, and the remainder being either neutral or weakly beneficial (Sawyer , et al 2007).If a mutation is present in a germ cell, it can give rise to offspring that carries the mutation in all of its cells. This is the case in hereditary diseases. On the other hand, a mutation can occur in a somatic cell of an organism. Such mutations will be present in all descendants of this cell, and certain mutations can cause the cell to become malignant, and thus cause cancer (Ionov , et al 1993). Although many mutations are deleterious, mutations may have a positive effect given certain selective pressures in a population. For example, a specific 32 base pair deletion in human CCR5 (CCR5-32) confers HIV resistance to homozygotes and delays AIDS onset in heterozygotes(Sawyer , et al 2007). The CCR5 mutation is more common in those of European descent. One theory for the etiology of the relatively high frequency of CCR5-32 in the European population is that it conferred resistance to the bubonic plague in mid-14th century Europe. People who had this mutation were able to survive infection; thus, its frequency in the population increased(Ionov , et al 1993). It could also explain why this mutation is not found in Africa where the bubonic plague never reached. Newer theory says the selective pressure on the CCR5 Delta 32 mutation has been caused by smallpox instead of the bubonic plague(Galvani and Slatkin, 2003). - Render the alignment into a box-shaded diagram. Identify the position of the mutation on the multiple sequence alignment. Can you deduce anything from these data Check that your sequences are appropriately gapped . 3'-AA/860 bp insert : 5'-TTTCATGA----- //----- TCATGAAA-3' 3'-AAAGTACT----- //----- AGTACTTT-5' 3'-TT/860 bp insert : 5'-AATCATGA----- //----- TCATGATT-3' 3'-TTAGTACT----- //----- AGTACTAA-5' 3'-CC/860 bp insert : 5'-GGTCATGA----- //----- TCATGACC-3' 3'-CCAGTACT----- //----- AGTACTGG-5' 3'-GG/860 bp insert : 5'-CCTCATGA----- //----- TCATGAGG-3' 3'-GGAGTACT----- //----- AGTACTCC-5' Note that for each respective PCR product, the last eight bases at each 3'-end of the DNA are identical. Also note that only the first two and the last two base pair positions vary between the four PCR products. The PCR products were designed in this way to directly measure the effect of 3'-base composition on blunt vector and T-vector efficiency (Novy, Yaeger, and Kolb, 2008). From the human protein sequence, present any Prosite motif and conserved sequence domains in a sequence diagram. Identify the position of the mutation on the diagram. Can you deduce anything from these data Representative Sequence Length Mass (Da) A2QKA5 Checksum: FF7C4CB42EEB5629 385 41,846 10 20

Fast Plants Materials and Methods Essay Example for Free

Fast Plants Materials and Methods Essay When first preparing our fast plants we had to set up four different systems that would dictate our variable of fluorescent light. Each system would provide light to our fast plants for different amounts of time per day. Our systems were set up for 0 hours of light, 6 hours of light, 12 hours of light, and 24 hours of light. To setup the lab we began to setup our lighting system with fluorescent a timer for each set of fast plants. Our 24 hours was set up in the classroom with a lighting system directly above it. For our 0,6, and 12 hours we placed the fast plants inside of a cabinet to prevent the fast plants from being exposed to outside light. Once our plant light houses were setup we began preparing the growing systems and plants. We started by using a thoroughly wet water mat and wick. We fed our wicks up through the bottom part of our plant pots, which were made out of Styrofoam. After the wick was fed through we placed the water on top so the top 3cm of the wick was touching the water mat. After preparing the wick and water mat we then placed the prepared soil and blue crystalized fertilizer in the plant pots. After the soil was placed we distributed 4 plant seed evenly throughout the plant pots. After we labeled each Styrofoam plant holder accordingly to date and variable used, we covered the plant seeds lightly with fertilizer. Once the seeds were planted we placed the Styrofoam holders on top of a container of water with bottoms of the wicks placed in the water. Then we placed four different Styrofoam pots under each of our lighting systems. Once the plants were placed we made sure the plants were about 10cm below the light. After the growing system and plants were complete we set the timers for the light systems to four different times: 0hrs, 6hrs, 12hrs, and 24hrs. After four days of growing we observed and measured each plant that grew in our 8 pots (4 seeds per pot). Once measured and the data was recorded, we removed the 3 smallest plants from each pot, which left us with 32 different fast plants. This method of removing plants to prevent overcrowding is called â€Å"thinning†. Each day we replenished the nutrient solution and replaced the plants so they were about 10cm from the light source. On day 18 we terminated and new buds or flowers so that the plant can focus on seed growth. Then on day 37 we removed our plants from our watering system and allowed them to dry until brown and crispy, which was about one week. Then we cut off our stems and seed pods and crushed the seed pods to acquire our seeds.

Berlesques vs Coyote Ugly Essay Example for Free

Berlesques vs Coyote Ugly Essay Does it ever feel like it’s so very hard to get what you want? Coyote Ugly and Burlesques are two very similar movies. Both of these movies show how hard people have to work to get what they want. It is smart to always push yourself and prove to yourself that you can do what your dreams are made of. When we are little and had dreams of what we wanted to come true when we get older, and as we get older our dreams may have changed, but the dreams that may have changed are the dreams we fight the hardest to make come true. We need to never give up on trying to make our dreams come true. In the movie Coyote Ugly a girl named Violet was from a small town in New Jersey. Violet wanted to sing her own songs but was afraid to, but she moved to New York City to pursue her dreams, of being a song writer and having someone else sing her songs. Burlesque is about a girl named Ali who wanted to perform on stage, but couldn’t in the small town Iowa where she was from. Ali moved to the big city of Los Angeles to make her dreams come true. When both Ali and Violet were trying to pursue their dreams, Ali and Violet ran into problems getting the important people to recognize them. Getting big record companies or owners of places to listen to the girls was frustrating them, but they kept on trying and never gave up. Ali and Violet have to prove themselves that they are good enough, to show these people that they are talented and can do what they want to do. Ali and Violet were having trouble proving themselves there were things that made it more difficult and challenging for them as well. The girls Violet and Ali’s apartments were broken into with all their belongings scattered all over the place and all their money they had saved up and hidden in their apartment was stolen from them. Along the way of their journey, they befriended some people and they eventually found someone to help them get through some of their hard times and get them back on their feet. Finally they were then able to focus on trying to get auditions and find a job that they both wanted and needed to get. Fighting for auditions and looking for a job were more struggles that they had to deal with and also trying to get someone to actually listen to what they had to offer. After becoming penniless from trying to prove themselves and getting robbed, then looking for another place to stay they had to look for a job. Once they found another place that they could stay at they finally found a job they could eventually work at. After finding a job that they both needed and wanted, both of them got denied to do the job they intended on getting, the owners didn’t think they were good enough. Both girls eventually proved that they can do the job they were needed for they got that job that they tried to get, one got a job at the night club in Los Angeles and the other got one at the bar in New York City. When they first started the job they had a few of the other girls that they worked with them not like them and tried to make them fail. The owners didn’t think that they were capable of doing what the girls said they could do. The girls both got second chances to prove themselves and they both did. One proved herself and became a backup dancer and the other one proved herself and became a bartender. Once the girls had their bosses really accept them their co works didn’t like them and wanted them to fail. After a while they started to see that they were good people and very talented and those people that tried to make them fail were just jealous. Finally after fighting for auditions and looking for a job they got what they wanted and needed. Even though their main dream was to sing and perform they were one step closer to achieving that of theirs dreams. The girls both became singers and performed like they wanted to. In Burlesque the girl Ali had a coworker that tried to make Ali look bad, so she had to start singing so that no one would get up and leave, the place was going to get sold if they didn’t make the money. The owner was so impressed and made her the star of every show and so the girl Ali started singing songs and performed by dancing as well, at the night club. When she started to perform every night she was pulling in more people to the club and making the club the money that it needed to stay open, even though, she could make the amount that she needed she figured out a way to get the money so it wouldn’t close down. In Coyote Ugly the girl Violet started to sing songs to stop a fight between some of the costumers drinking at the bar and getting out of control. After that night everyone would come to see her and her boss had her sing every night, and she became the main event each night and was able sing songs that were not her own, but she felt comfortable enough to sing and perform at the bar. After all the struggling and the hard times they both of their dreams finally came true and after everything they both fell in love with someone that helped them through their hard times and struggles. In conclusion the girls Ali and violet tried their hardest to do what they needed to do to get what they dreamed of. After all the girls went through they proved that they can do whatever they wanted and needed to do for themselves to make their dreams come true. No matter what life throws at you, just keep pushing through the struggles and you will get what you want, never give up. We know everything that could happen to us when we try to pursue our dreams.

Predicting Effects of Environmental Contaminants

Predicting Effects of Environmental Contaminants 1.1. Debunking some chemical myths†¦ In October 2008, the Royal Society of Chemistry announced they were offering  £1 million to the first member of the public that could bring a 100% chemical free material. This attempt to reclaim the word ‘chemical from the advertising and marketing industries that use it as a synonym for poison was a reaction to a decision of the Advertising Standards Authority to defend an advert perpetuating the myths that natural products were chemical free (Edwards 2008). Indeed, no material regardless of its origin is chemical free. A related common misconception is that chemicals made by nature are intrinsically good and, conversely, those manufactured by man are bad (Ottoboni 1991). There are many examples of toxic compounds produced by algae or other micro-organisms, venomous animals and plants, or even examples of environmental harm resulting from the presence of relatively benign natural compounds either in unexpected places or in unexpected quantities. It is therefore of prime impo rtance to define what is meant by ‘chemical when referring to chemical hazards in this chapter and the rest of this book. The correct term to describe a chemical compound an organism may be exposed to, whether of natural or synthetic origins, is xenobiotic, i.e. a substance foreign to an organism (the term has also been used for transplants). A xenobiotic can be defined as a chemical which is found in an organism but which is not normally produced or expected to be present in it. It can also cover substances which are present in much higher concentrations than are usual. A grasp of some of the fundamental principles of the scientific disciplines that underlie the characterisation of effects associated with exposure to a xenobiotic is required in order to understand the potential consequences of the presence of pollutants in the environment and critically appraise the scientific evidence. This chapter will attempt to briefly summarise some important concepts of basic toxicology and environmental epidemiology relevant in this context. 1.2. Concepts of Fundamental Toxicology Toxicology is the science of poisons. A poison is commonly defined as ‘any substance that can cause an adverse effect as a result of a physicochemical interaction with living tissue'(Duffus 2006). The use of poisons is as old as the human race, as a method of hunting or warfare as well as murder, suicide or execution. The evolution of this scientific discipline cannot be separated from the evolution of pharmacology, or the science of cures. Theophrastus Phillippus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, more commonly known as Paracelsus (1493-1541), a physician contemporary of Copernicus, Martin Luther and da Vinci, is widely considered as the father of toxicology. He challenged the ancient concepts of medicine based on the balance of the four humours (blood, phlegm, yellow and black bile) associated with the four elements and believed illness occurred when an organ failed and poisons accumulated. This use of chemistry and chemical analogies was particularly offensive to his contempo rary medical establishment. He is famously credited the following quote that still underlies present-day toxicology. In other words, all substances are potential poisons since all can cause injury or death following excessive exposure. Conversely, this statement implies that all chemicals can be used safely if handled with appropriate precautions and exposure is kept below a defined limit, at which risk is considered tolerable (Duffus 2006). The concepts both of tolerable risk and adverse effect illustrate the value judgements embedded in an otherwise scientific discipline relying on observable, measurable empirical evidence. What is considered abnormal or undesirable is dictated by society rather than science. Any change from the normal state is not necessarily an adverse effect even if statistically significant. An effect may be considered harmful if it causes damage, irreversible change or increased susceptibility to other stresses, including infectious disease. The stage of development or state of health of the organism may also have an influence on the degree of harm. 1.2.1. Routes of exposure Toxicity will vary depending on the route of exposure. There are three routes via which exposure to environmental contaminants may occur; Ingestion Inhalation Skin adsorption Direct injection may be used in environmental toxicity testing. Toxic and pharmaceutical agents generally produce the most rapid response and greatest effect when given intravenously, directly into the bloodstream. A descending order of effectiveness for environmental exposure routes would be inhalation, ingestion and skin adsorption. Oral toxicity is most relevant for substances that might be ingested with food or drinks. Whilst it could be argued that this is generally under an individuals control, there are complex issues regarding information both about the occurrence of substances in food or water and the current state-of-knowledge about associated harmful effects. Gases, vapours and dusts or other airborne particles are inhaled involuntarily (with the infamous exception of smoking). The inhalation of solid particles depends upon their size and shape. In general, the smaller the particle, the further into the respiratory tract it can go. A large proportion of airborne particles breathed through the mouth or cleared by the cilia of the lungs can enter the gut. Dermal exposure generally requires direct and prolonged contact with the skin. The skin acts as a very effective barrier against many external toxicants, but because of its great surface area (1.5-2 m2), some of the many diverse substances it comes in contact with may still elicit topical or systemic effects (Williams and Roberts 2000). If dermal exposure is often most relevant in occupational settings, it may nonetheless be pertinent in relation to bathing waters (ingestion is an important route of exposure in this context). Voluntary dermal exposure related to the use of cosmetics raises the same questions regarding the adequate communication of current knowledge about potential effects as those related to food. 1.2.2. Duration of exposure The toxic response will also depend on the duration and frequency of exposure. The effect of a single dose of a chemical may be severe effects whilst the same dose total dose given at several intervals may have little if any effect. An example would be to compare the effects of drinking four beers in one evening to those of drinking four beers in four days. Exposure duration is generally divided into four broad categories; acute, sub-acute, sub-chronic and chronic. Acute exposure to a chemical usually refers to a single exposure event or repeated exposures over a duration of less than 24 hours. Sub-acute exposure to a chemical refers to repeated exposures for 1 month or less, sub-chronic exposure to continuous or repeated exposures for 1 to 3 months or approximately 10% of an experimental species life time and chronic exposure for more than 3 months, usually 6 months to 2 years in rodents (Eaton and Klaassen 2001). Chronic exposure studies are designed to assess the cumulative toxici ty of chemicals with potential lifetime exposure in humans. In real exposure situations, it is generally very difficult to ascertain with any certainty the frequency and duration of exposure but the same terms are used. For acute effects, the time component of the dose is not important as a high dose is responsible for these effects. However if acute exposure to agents that are rapidly absorbed is likely to induce immediate toxic effects, it does not rule out the possibility of delayed effects that are not necessarily similar to those associated with chronic exposure, e.g. latency between the onset of certain cancers and exposure to a carcinogenic substance. It may be worth here mentioning the fact that the effect of exposure to a toxic agent may be entirely dependent on the timing of exposure, in other words long-term effects as a result of exposure to a toxic agent during a critically sensitive stage of development may differ widely to those seen if an adult organism is exposed to the same substance. Acute effects are almost always the result of accidents. Otherwise, they may result from criminal poisoning or self-poisoning (suicide). Conversely, whilst chronic exposure to a toxic agent is general ly associated with long-term low-level chronic effects, this does not preclude the possibility of some immediate (acute) effects after each administration. These concepts are closely related to the mechanisms of metabolic degradation and excretion of ingested substances and are best illustrated by 1.1. Line A. chemical with very slow elimination. Line B. chemical with a rate of elimination equal to frequency of dosing. Line C. Rate of elimination faster than the dosing frequency. Blue-shaded area is representative of the concentration at the target site necessary to elicit a toxic response. 1.2.3. Mechanisms of toxicity The interaction of a foreign compound with a biological system is two-fold: there is the effect of the organism on the compound (toxicokinetics) and the effect of the compound on the organism (toxicodynamics). Toxicokinetics relate to the delivery of the compound to its site of action, including absorption (transfer from the site of administration into the general circulation), distribution (via the general circulation into and out of the tissues), and elimination (from general circulation by metabolism or excretion). The target tissue refers to the tissue where a toxicant exerts its effect, and is not necessarily where the concentration of a toxic substance is higher. Many halogenated compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or flame retardants such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are known to bioaccumulate in body fat stores. Whether such sequestration processes are actually protective to the individual organisms, i.e. by lowering the concentration of the toxicant at the site of action is not clear (OFlaherty 2000). In an ecological context however, such bioaccumulation may serve as an indirect route of exposure for organisms at higher trophic levels, thereby potentia lly contributing to biomagnification through the food chain. Absorption of any compound that has not been directed intravenously injected will entail transfer across membrane barriers before it reaches the systemic circulation, and the efficiency of absorption processes is highly dependent on the route of exposure. It is also important to note that distribution and elimination, although often considered separately, take place simultaneously. Elimination itself comprises of two kinds of processes, excretion and biotransformation, that are also taking place simultaneously. Elimination and distribution are not independent of each other as effective elimination of a compounds will prevent its distribution in peripheral tissues, whilst conversely, wide distribution of a compound will impede its excretion (OFlaherty 2000). Kinetic models attempt to predict the concentration of a toxicant at the target site from the administered dose. If often the ultimate toxicant, i.e. the chemical species that induces structural or functional alterations resulting in toxicity, is the compound administered (parent compound), it can also be a metabolite of the parent compound generated by biotransformation processes, i.e. toxication rather than detoxication (Timbrell 2000; Gregus and Klaassen 2001). The liver and kid neys are the most important excretory organs for non-volatile substances, whilst the lungs are active in the excretion of volatile compounds and gases. Other routes of excretion include the skin, hair, sweat, nails and milk. Milk may be a major route of excretion for lipophilic chemicals due to its high fat content (OFlaherty 2000). Toxicodynamics is the study of toxic response at the site of action, including the reactions with and binding to cell constituents, and the biochemical and physiological consequences of these actions. Such consequences may therefore be manifested and observed at the molecular or cellular levels, at the target organ or on the whole organism. Therefore, although toxic responses have a biochemical basis, the study of toxic response is generally subdivided either depending on the organ on which toxicity is observed, including hepatotoxicity (liver), nephrotoxicity (kidney), neurotoxicity (nervous system), pulmonotoxicity (lung) or depending on the type of toxic response, including teratogenicity (abnormalities of physiological development), immunotoxicity (immune system impairment), mutagenicity (damage of genetic material), carcinogenicity (cancer causation or promotion). The choice of the toxicity endpoint to observe in experimental toxicity testing is therefore of critical importance. In recent years, rapid advances of biochemical sciences and technology have resulted in the development of bioassay techniques that can contribute invaluable information regarding toxicity mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level. However, the extrapolation of such information to predict effects in an intact organism for the purpose of risk assessment is still in its infancy (Gundert -Remy et al. 2005). 1.2.4. Dose-response relationships 83A7DC81The theory of dose-response relationships is based on the assumptions that the activity of a substance is not an inherent quality but depends on the dose an organism is exposed to, i.e. all substances are inactive below a certain threshold and active over that threshold, and that dose-response relationships are monotonic, the response rises with the dose. Toxicity may be detected either as all-or-nothing phenomenon such as the death of the organism or as a graded response such as the hypertrophy of a specific organ. The dose-response relationship involves correlating the severity of the response with exposure (the dose). Dose-response relationships for all-or-nothing (quantal) responses are typically S-shaped and this reflects the fact that sensitivity of individuals in a population generally exhibits a normal or Gaussian distribution. Biological variation in susceptibility, with fewer individuals being either hypersusceptible or resistant at both end of the curve and the maj ority responding between these two extremes, gives rise to a bell-shaped normal frequency distribution. When plotted as a cumulative frequency distribution, a sigmoid dose-response curve is observed ( 1.2). Studying dose response, and developing dose response models, is central to determining safe and hazardous levels. The simplest measure of toxicity is lethality and determination of the median lethal dose, the LD50 is usually the first toxicological test performed with new substances. The LD50 is the dose at which a substance is expected to cause the death of half of the experimental animals and it is derived statistically from dose-response curves (Eaton and Klaassen 2001). LD50 values are the standard for comparison of acute toxicity between chemical compounds and between species. Some values are given in Table 1.1. It is important to note that the higher the LD50, the less toxic the compound. Similarly, the EC50, the median effective dose, is the quantity of the chemical that is estimated to have an effect in 50% of the organisms. However, median doses alone are not very informative, as they do not convey any information on the shape of the dose-response curve. This is best illustrated by 1.3. While toxicant A appears (always) more toxic than toxicant B on the basis of its lower LD50, toxicant B will start affecting organisms at lower doses (lower threshold) while the steeper slope for the dose-response curve for toxicant A means that once individuals become overexposed (exceed the threshold dose), the increase in response occurs over much smaller increments in dose. Low dose responses The classical paradigm for extrapolating dose-response relationships at low doses is based on the concept of threshold for non-carcinogens, whereas it assumes that there is no threshold for carcinogenic responses and a linear relationship is hypothesised (s 1.4 and 1.5). The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) is the exposure level at which there is no statistically or biologically significant increase in the frequency or severity of adverse effects between exposed population and its appropriate control. The NOEL for the most sensitive test species and the most sensitive indicator of toxicity is usually employed for regulatory purposes. The LOAEL (Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level) is the lowest exposure level at which there is a statistically or biologically significant increase in the frequency or severity of adverse effects between exposed population and its appropriate control. The main criticism of NOAEL and LOAEL is that there are dependent on study design, i.e. the dose groups selected and the number of individuals in each group. Statistical methods of deriving the concentration that produces a specific effect ECx, or a benchmark dose (BMD), the statistical lower confidence limit on the dose that produces a defined response (the benchm ark response or BMR), are increasingly preferred. To understand the risk that environmental contaminants pose to human health requires the extrapolation of limited data from animal experimental studies to the low doses critically encountered in the environment. Such extrapolation of dose-response relationships at low doses is the source of much controversy. Recent advances in the statistical analysis of very large populations exposed to ambient concentrations of environmental pollutants have however not observed thresholds for cancer or non-cancer outcomes (White et al. 2009). The actions of chemical agents are triggered by complex molecular and cellular events that may lead to cancer and non-cancer outcomes in an organism. These processes may be linear or non-linear at an individual level. A thorough understanding of critical steps in a toxic process may help refine current assumptions about thresholds (Boobis et al. 2009). The dose-response curve however describes the response or variation in sensitivity of a population. Biologica l and statistical attributes such as population variability, additivity to pre-existing conditions or diseases induced at background exposure will tend to smooth and linearise the dose-response relationship, obscuring individual thresholds. Hormesis Dose-response relationships for substances that are essential for normal physiological function and survival are actually U-shaped. At very low doses, adverse effects are observed due to a deficiency. As the dose of such an essential nutrient is increased, the adverse effect is no longer detected and the organism can function normally in a state of homeostasis. Abnormally high doses however, can give rise to a toxic response. This response may be qualitatively different and the toxic endpoint measured at very low and very high doses is not necessarily the same. There is evidence that nonessential substances may also impart an effect at very low doses ( 1.6). Some authors have argued that hormesis ought to be the default assumption in the risk assessment of toxic substances (Calabrese and Baldwin 2003). Whether such low dose effects should be considered stimulatory or beneficial is controversial. Further, potential implications of the concept of hormesis for the risk management of the combinations of the wide variety of environmental contaminants present at low doses that individuals with variable sensitivity may be exposed to are at best unclear. 1.2.5. Chemical interactions In regulatory hazard assessment, chemical hazard are typically considered on a compound by compound basis, the possibility of chemical interactions being accounted for by the use of safety or uncertainty factors. Mixture effects still represent a challenge for the risk management of chemicals in the environment, as the presence of one chemical may alter the response to another chemical. The simplest interaction is additivity: the effect of two or more chemicals acting together is equivalent to the sum of the effects of each chemical in the mixture when acting independently. Synergism is more complex and describes a situation when the presence of both chemicals causes an effect that is greater than the sum of their effects when acting alone. In potentiation, a substance that does not produce specific toxicity on its own increases the toxicity of another substance when both are present. Antagonism is the principle upon which antidotes are based whereby a chemical can reduce the harm ca used by a toxicant (James et al. 2000; Duffus 2006). Mathematical illustrations and examples of known chemical interactions are given in Table 1.2. Table 1.2. Mathematical representations of chemical interactions (reproduced from James et al., 2000) Effect Hypothetical mathematical illustration Example Additive 2 + 3 = 5 Organophosphate pesticides Synergistic 2 + 3 = 20 Cigarette smoking + asbestos Potentiation 2 + 0 = 10 Alcohol + carbon tetrachloride Antagonism 6 + 6 = 8 or 5 + (-5) = 0 or 10 + 0 = 2 Toluene + benzene Caffeine + alcohol Dimercaprol + mercury There are four main ways in which chemicals may interact (James et al. 2000); 1. Functional: both chemicals have an effect on the same physiological function. 2. Chemical: a chemical reaction between the two compounds affects the toxicity of one or both compounds. 3. Dispositional: the absorption, metabolism, distribution or excretion of one substance is increased or decreased by the presence of the other. 4. Receptor-mediated: when two chemicals have differing affinity and activity for the same receptor, competition for the receptor will modify the overall effect. 1.2.6. Relevance of animal models A further complication in the extrapolation of the results of toxicological experimental studies to humans, or indeed other untested species, is related to the anatomical, physiological and biochemical differences between species. This paradoxically requires some previous knowledge of the mechanism of toxicity of a chemical and comparative physiology of different test species. When adverse effects are detected in screening tests, these should be interpreted with the relevance of the animal model chosen in mind. For the derivation of safe levels, safety or uncertainty factors are again usually applied to account for the uncertainty surrounding inter-species differences (James et al. 2000; Sullivan 2006). 1.2.7. A few words about doses When discussing dose-response, it is also important to understand which dose is being referred to and differentiate between concentrations measured in environmental media and the concentration that will illicit an adverse effect at the target organ or tissue. The exposure dose in a toxicological testing setting is generally known or can be readily derived or measured from concentrations in media and average consumption (of food or water for example) ( 1.7.). Whilst toxicokinetics help to develop an understanding of the relationship between the internal dose and a known exposure dose, relating concentrations in environmental media to the actual exposure dose, often via multiple pathways, is in the realm of exposure assessment. 1.2.8. Other hazard characterisation criteria Before continuing further, it is important to clarify the difference between hazard and risk. Hazard is defined as the potential to produce harm, it is therefore an inherent qualitative attribute of a given chemical substance. Risk on the other hand is a quantitative measure of the magnitude of the hazard and the probability of it being realised. Hazard assessment is therefore the first step of risk assessment, followed by exposure assessment and finally risk characterization. Toxicity is not the sole criterion evaluated for hazard characterisation purposes. Some chemicals have been found in the tissues of animals in the arctic for example, where these substances of concern have never been used or produced. This realization that some pollutants were able to travel far distances across national borders because of their persistence, and bioaccumulate through the food web, led to the consideration of such inherent properties of organic compounds alongside their toxicity for the purpose of hazard characterisation. Persistence is the result of resistance to environmental degradation mechanisms such as hydrolysis, photodegradation and biodegradation. Hydrolysis only occurs in the presence of water, photodegradation in the presence of UV light and biodegradation is primarily carried out by micro-organisms. Degradation is related to water solubility, itself inversely related to lipid solubility, therefore persistence tends to be correlated to lipid solubility (Francis 1994). The persistence of inorganic substances has proven more difficult to define as they cannot be degraded to carbon and water. Chemicals may accumulate in environmental compartments and constitute environmental sinks that could be re-mobilised and lead to effects. Further, whilst substances may accumulate in one species without adverse effects, it may be toxic to its predator(s). Bioconcentration refers to accumulation of a chemical from its surrounding environment rather than specifically through food uptake. Conversely, biomagnification refers to uptake from food without consideration for uptake through the body surface. Bioaccumulation integrates both paths, surrounding medium and food. Ecological magnification refers to an increase in concentration through the food web from lower to higher trophic levels. Again, accumulation of organic compounds generally involves transfer from a hydrophilic to a hydrophobic phase and correlates well with the n-octanol/water partition coefficient (Herrchen 2006). Persistence and bioaccumulation of a substance is evaluated by standardised OECD tests. Criteria for the identification of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances (PBT), and very persistent and very bioaccumulative substances (vPvB) as defined in Annex XIII of the European Directive on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) (Union 2006) are given in table 1.3. To be classified as a PBT or vPvB substance, a given compound must fulfil all criteria. Table 1.3. REACH criteria for identifying PBT and vPvB chemicals Criterion PBT criteria vPvB criteria Persistence Either: Half-life > 60 days in marine water Half-life > 60 days in fresh or estuarine water Half-life > 180 days in marine sediment Half-life > 120 days in fresh or estuarine sediment Half-life > 120 days in soil Either: Half-life > 60 days in marine, fresh or estuarine water Half-life > 180 days in marine, fresh or estuarine sediment Half-life > 180 days in soil Bioaccumulation Bioconcentration factor (BCF) > 2000 Bioconcentration factor (BCF) > 2000 Toxicity Either: Chronic no-observed effect concentration (NOEC) substance is classified as carcinogenic (category 1 or 2), mutagenic (category 1 or 2), or toxic for reproduction (category 1, 2 or 3) there is other evidence of endocrine disrupting effects 1.3. Some notions of Environmental Epidemiology A complementary, observational approach to the study of scientific evidence of associations between environment and disease is epidemiology. Epidemiology can be defined as â€Å"the study of how often diseases occur and why, based on the measurement of disease outcome in a study sample in relation to a population at risk.† (Coggon et al. 2003). Environmental epidemiology refers to the study of patterns and disease and health related to exposures that are exogenous and involuntary. Such exposures generally occur in the air, water, diet, or soil and include physical, chemical and biologic agents. The extent to which environmental epidemiology is considered to include social, political, cultural, and engineering or architectural factors affecting human contact with such agents varies according to authors. In some contexts, the environment can refer to all non-genetic factors, although dietary habits are generally excluded, despite the facts that some deficiency diseases are envir onmentally determined and nutritional status may also modify the impact of an environmental exposure (Steenland and Savitz 1997; Hertz-Picciotto 1998). Most of environmental epidemiology is concerned with endemics, in other words acute or chronic disease occurring at relatively low frequency in the general population due partly to a common and often unsuspected exposure, rather than epidemics, or acute outbreaks of disease affecting a limited population shortly after the introduction of an unusual known or unknown agent. Measuring such low level exposure to the general public may be difficult when not impossible, particularly when seeking historical estimates of exposure to predict future disease. Estimating very small changes in the incidence of health effects of low-level common multiple exposure on common diseases with multifactorial etiologies is particularly difficult because often greater variability may be expected for other reasons, and environmental epidemiology has to rely on natural experiments that unlike controlled experiment are subject to confounding to other, often unknown, risk factors. However, it may still be of i mportance from a public health perspective as small effects in a large population can have large attributable risks if the disease is common (Steenland and Savitz 1997; Coggon et al. 2003). 1.3.1. Definitions What is a case? The definition of a case generally requires a dichotomy, i.e. for a given condition, people can be divided into two discrete classes the affected and the non-affected. It increasingly appears that diseases exist in a continuum of severity within a population rather than an all or nothing phenomenon. For practical reasons, a cut-off point to divide the diagnostic continuum into ‘cases and ‘non-cases is therefore required. This can be done on a statistical, clinical, prognostic or operational basis. On a statistical basis, the ‘norm is often defined as within two standard deviations of the age-specific mean, thereby arbitrarily fixing the frequency of abnormal values at around 5% in every population. Moreover, it should be noted that what is usual is not necessarily good. A clinical case may be defined by the level of a variable above which symptoms and complications have been found to become more frequent. On a prognostic basis, some clinical findings may carry an a dverse prognosis, yet be symptomless. When none of the other approaches is satisfactory, an operational threshold will need to be defined, e.g. based on a threshold for treatment (Coggon et al. 2003). Incidence, prevalence and mortality The incidence of a disease is the rate at which new cases occur in a population during a specified period or frequency of incidents. Incidence = The prevalence of a disease is the proportion of the population that are cases at a given point in time. This measure is appropriate only in relatively stable conditions and is unsuitable for acute disorders. Even in a chronic disease, the manifestations are often intermittent and a point prevalence will tend to underestimate the frequency of the condition. A better measure when possible is the period prevalence defined as the proportion of a population that are cases at any time within a stated pe