Coal Industry: Ethical Analysis

Coal Industry: Ethical Analysis The energy industry is more relevant today than ever before. As modern technology thrives, so does energy. It has become a necessity used in many areas of life such as agriculture, transportation, waste collection, information technology and communications. All of which are critical components for most functional societies. The industry is made up of many different entities, which include the petroleum industry, gas industry, electrical power industry, coal industry, nuclear power industry, renewable energy industry, and the traditional energy industry. The oil and gas industry account for most of the market, supplying 60% of total demand. Then there is the coal industry coming in second, accounting for 20% of the industries market share. These industries face continuous debate regarding their production and sales, especially here in the United States. The United States is one of the worlds biggest consumers of energy and the energy industry is the third largest industry within our c ountry (U.S Energy Industry). This has generated a lot of publicity for the industry, due to the increased use and demand for energy as a whole. And since there is more and more emphasis placed on the environment, the media has highlighted the negative aspects that surround the business. In this section we are going to take a closer look at the coal industry, investigating some of the ethical issues facing coal. Ethical Issues Facing Coal Industry Throughout history coal has been a very abundant and essential resource, especially for us in the United States. We most commonly use it for producing our electricity and heat. Today coal generates more than half of our electricity, with there being nearly 600 coal-fueled power plants nationwide. The industry also creates over 550,000 jobs in our country (Take Action). So we should not neglect the fact that coal is a major contributor to our society and almost everyone benefits from its use. But unlike most other industries, coal faces a multitude of ethical issues. These issues can be broken down into three categories, environmental, social, and ethical (sustainability). Coal creates a lot of problems for the environment. The main one has to do with air pollution (carbon emissions). When burned coal emits high levels of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which is the main greenhouse gas that causes global warming. It also emits other pollutants to the air when burned which include mercury, selenium, and arsenic. As far as waste management goes, coal creates a lot of solid waste product such as fly ash, bottom ash, and flue-gas desulfurization sludge. This waste contains mercury, uranium, thorium, arsenic, and other metals that are all harmful for the environment. Coal also pollutes the water. This occurs mostly during the various extraction processes. The process that gets the most exposure, especially around the Appalachian region, is a form of surface mining called mountaintop removal. This process involves extracting entire coal seams from a mountain, hill, or ridge by removing the land or overburden above the seam (which pollutes the water and dep letes woodland resources). These are just a few examples of the negative environmental impacts of coal (Environmental Impacts of Coal). There are also many social challenges facing the coal industry, but we are just going to focus on the negative health effects and employee safety. Coal can cause a lot of health problems. These problems include respiratory issues (bronchitis, asthma attacks, etc.), black lung, congestive heart failure, and some forms of cancer. Mostly people acquire these sicknesses through the extraction, preparation, combustion, waste storage, and transport of coal, but the general public can also be affected. Employee safety is another social concern that surrounds the coal industry. This type of industry involves the use of heavy equipment, which creates several safety hazards. Fire, explosion, the release of gas and structural failure are some of the other safety risks associated with coal (Fears). Overall, this is a very dangerous job requiring workers to always be alert and aware of their work environment at all times. Finally lets discuss sustainability. There are recent figures that show the coal industry is in decline. This is the result of new government regulations and rules, which are trying to decrease carbon emissions. This creates long-term problems for the coal industry, because recent trends show that society wants to do anything they can to preserve the environment and find a cleaner energy source. Another reason for the decline is the recent influx of cheap natural gas to the United States (Plumer). All in all, the future looks pretty grim for the coal industry. Pressures Facing Coal Industry Energy companies such as the coal industry have created problems such as pollution, global warming, nuclear wastes, oil spillages, etc. Because these problems affect the environment, the public has started to pay attention. Environmental interest groups and government regulations are responsible for bringing pressure to corporations in the energy industry. Because the results of burning coal can damage the environment, many environmentalists and activist organizations have brought pressure to the industry. Groups such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Natural Resources Defense Council are some of the more popular environmental activist organizations (Sills). These organizations may pose a threat to the coal industry because they push the use of renewable energy and participate in strikes, protests, complaints to the government, and online video posts to gain public attention against companies in the energy industry that may be a threat to the environment (Tesh). Many of these activist groups have over 1 million members and can potentially create a lot of pressure on the energy industry in the future (Tesh). The environmental group that causes the biggest threat to the coal industry is the Greenpeace group, as they are the largest independent direct-action environmental organization in the world (Greenpeace.org). The primary goals of Greenpeace are to: shut down dirty industries, advocate laws to curb global warming, create a path towards cleaner energy, and publically expose those companies that support the use of dirty energy. Greenpeace has also started an Energy Revolution which includes a blueprint for protecting the environment through investing in renewable energy. Part of the Energy Revolution includes the Quit Coal Campaign which fights to eliminate the use of coal because coal fired power plants are the biggest source of man-made CO2 emissions, making the use of coal energy the greatest threat facing our climate. Over the past couple years, campaigns by the Greenpeace group have resulted in victories of shutting down coal plants around the world (Greenpeace.org). Activist groups against the coal industry can even be found on the Virginia Tech campus. Greenpeace at Virginia Tech and VT Beyond Coal are two major groups on campus that are fighting for a better environment. According to the website of VT Beyond Coal, the campus power plant burns 46,000 tons of coal (VT Beyond Coal). VT Beyond Coal has started a petition that is committed to transitioning VTs coal plant to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2020. This petition to Invent a clean future is part of a movement to bring clean energy to over 60 universities in the United States (VT Beyond Coal). Along with pressures from activist groups, energy and environmental regulations by the United States government are increasing and becoming more complex. According to The Daily Caller magazine of Washington D.C., the Environmental Protection Agency is working with President Obama to tighten regulations on oil, gas, and coal for the next four years (Bastasch). So far, the coal industry has been affected the most by the regulations and has experienced a shutdown of more than 200 coal-fired generators across 25 states. Coal mining companies have also been hurt by these regulations and have seen a loss of 17,000 jobs since May 2012. Also, research from Thomas Pyle, President of the Institute for Energy Research, has determined that energy prices will continue to rise as a result of the environmental policies. Due to the Environmental Protection Agencys oppressive regulations, Pyle also quotes, coal is toast (Bastasch). The pressures from activists groups and the government will push for companies in the coal industry to be more accountable towards societies needs instead of the needs of the shareholders (Tesh). Actions of activists groups may cost companies money and may cause more people to protest against traditional energy sources. Government policies will also be a financial strain to energy companies as they impose fines if regulations are not followed. As a result of these pressures, the coal industry will have to make changes. Corporate Social Responsibility Activities Because there are a number of ethical issues facing the coal industry, companies in this industry have being working at its best to improve the social and environmental impact of their activities. Peabody Energy is known for being the worlds largest private-sector coal company. They are also the global leader for finding alternative clean coal solutions and sustainable mining. It is Peabody Energys mission to be a leading worldwide producer and supplier of sustainable energy solutions that enable economic prosperity and a better quality of life (Peabody).As their corporate responsibility, they have been addressing issues in employee, economic, public, and environmental responsibility. Peabodys Safety Vision is to prevent zero incidents, occupational illnesses, and property damage. Safety improvements remain a priority to Peabody Energy in all of their global coal plants. They have been making efforts to increase a safe workplace environment by using surveys and assessments to gain feedback from its employees. In 2011, Peabody completed the installation of underground communication systems so that miners underground are able to better communicate problems that may arise so that rescue teams are notified to assist workers right away. Peabody has also introduced Safety a Way of Life, which is their training program for employees to transition into the companys safety systems and processes (Peabody). In addition to employee responsibility, Peabody Energy believes in the importance of preserving the environment. The key principle of their mission is to leave the land in a condition equal to or better than we found it (Peabody). In 2011, Peabody restored more than 5,100 acres of mined lands and has been creating rangeland, wildlife habitat, hardwood forests, and wetland. The company encourages regular monitoring so that they meet or exceed compliance standards. Peabody has spent $290 million on just land restoration alone (Peabody). They have also introduced a three year study of global energy and water use to enhance environmental conditions. Peabody is one of the very few coal companies that is advancing in clean coal technologies and pursuing different practices to maximize energy efficiencies so that they can improve the carbon dioxide intensity. Beginning in 2006, Peabody has partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey to undertake methane content in its mines. Peabody has been focusing on their environmental responsibilities as a company through partnerships with other organizations and participating in projects toward zero greenhouse gas emissions, new clean coal technologies, maintaining energy efficiency and emissions intensity, and shaping effective carbon policy . ArchCoal is another coal mining company known for its corporate social responsibility initiatives. Like Peabody Energy, ArchCoal has been focusing on the same responsibilities in safety and environmental conditions. ArchCoals guiding principle is safety. They promote the Perfect Zero principle of zero injuries and zero environmental violations. Like Peabody, ArchCoal has been finding ways to make their working environment safer for its employees. In 2011, they invested $14 million in a two-way communication and tracking systems for mines to prevent accidents underground. Additionally, ArchCoal has been constantly training its employees for preparedness and preventing possible accidents (ArchCoal). ArchCoal is working on various initiatives to reduce air emissions from coal electricity. They have been investing in technology to find ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and carbon dioxide emissions. ArchCoal has recently introduced its waste management program where water, oil, and metal are recycled. Coal companies are more active in their corporate social responsibilities that other companies in different industries. Because the industry itself is so dangerous for both employees and the environment, coal companies have been working hard to provide the right environment and resources for employees. Furthermore, because the environment is detrimentally affected by the activities of coal companies, companies are taking more initiative to focus and take responsibility for their actions. Investment Policy Recommendations Virginia Tech needs to take corporate social responsibility and ethical issues of the coal industry into account when determining its investment decisions. Energy from coal is under a lot of scrutiny in the public eye since it is perceived as dirty and old technology. With the future of energy pointing towards clean technology such as solar and wind energy, Virginia Tech needs to be on the forefront. They need to set themselves as a leading academic institution that is moving away from coal and into clean technology. The slogan for the institution is Invent the Future(www.vt.edu), therefore taking the initiative to be ahead of the curve. When investing the schools endowment funds, it is important to take ethical issues into account but at the same time not take a financial loss. The great thing about not investing in coal but other technology is that they are taking ethical issues into account but are also focusing the funds into an area that is growing at an exponential rate and will lead to financial gains rather than losses. As a public institution there is a constant eye on Virginia Techs every move, whether it be policy with students, academic rankings, but most importantly where their endowment decides to invest their money. With that being said, it is acceptable to take a financial loss because you have to take the public views into account. Virginia Tech is closely related to the coal industry, with a coal power plant on campus and being located in SouthWest Virginia where the surrounding areas are heavy in coal, so it is a tough choice to not invest in coal. Therefore there will be both sides arguing over the investment in coal. You will have the local coal areas feeling as though the University is not looking out for them and then you will have the group that is all for clean technology and that has been trying to get the school to find a new source for power. Though, just because we will not be recommending that Virginia Tech invest in coal it doesnt mean that the power plant has to go immediate ly. We are saying that by investing in other technology, they will be putting money into companies that are developing new technology that Virginia Tech can then go and use to harness their own energy for use on campus and in the surrounding areas in the future. As they focus their investments into cleaner energy and choosing ethical reasons over financial technology, the public eye will change and they will see Virginia Tech as a leader in the future. Investment Recommendations When looking back at the state of Virginias long history it is impossible to forget the impact that fossil fuels have had on the region. Fossil fuels and more specifically coal have been some of the biggest employers and revenue generating industry in the state. 2006, the total value of fossil fuels mined in Virginia was about $2.4 billion. Coal accounted for about 72 percent ($1.7 billion) of this total value, while natural gas accounted for about 28 percent ($660.3 million), and oil less than 1 percent ($1.1 million).(Virginia Tech Department of Mines) In recent years the total amount of coal produced in the country has been a little more than one billion tones still a huge number despite the push for new green energy. In Virginia production has been around thirty to forty million tones, mostly in the southwestern coalfields (VEPT). However coal production has decreased in the state to the low 30s consistently. Our group would suggest Virginia Tech to not invest in fossil fuels and specifically coal mining as coal prices have decreased while the costs for obtaining and operating mines have increased. This is due to a number of factors, one of the most important factors is the trend of coal mining moving westward to states like Wyoming where mining is cheaper and easier due to the geological conditions there. One major problem is that almost all coal mines in the Appalachian area are underground mines in contrast to their western counterparts which tend to be surface mines allowing for easier and cheaper extraction. Virginia also has had a long history of coal mining which has led to the depletion of easily obtainable reservoirs forcing mining firms to look for untapped reserves. It is common knowledge that the use of fossil fuels has negative effects on many aspects of our lives, from health concerns including higher rates of asthma in areas with heavy pollution but also the potentially devastating effects of global warming. These are only a few of the ethical concerns facing an industry as controversial as the coal industry. Specifically coal industry creates many issues for the environments that contain coal mines. Coal mines generate large amounts of solid waste especially when considering that several coal mining companies engage in the practice of mountaintop removal. Mountaintop mining uses explosives to expose the coal seams and transform what would have been underground mining to a form of surface mining. This is a common method of mining in the Appalachian Mountains. Studies have shown that mountaintop mining has had very serious consequences for the environment. One of the biggest impacts of this form of mining is the contamination of local watersh eds. This is caused by placing the undesired materials created by exposing the coal seam in valleys or filler holes which inevitably ends up contaminating streams that eventually flow into the watershed. Exposure to these streams have been shown to lead to hospitalization for a verity of health concerns including; Rates of mortality, lung cancer, as well as chronic heart, lung and kidney disease are also increased.(M.A. Palmer et al. Mountaintop Mining Consequences, Science, 8 January 2010, Vol. 327, p. 148) Instead of investing in more untapped reserves our group would instead look towards more renewable resources to cover our energy needs. The energy produced in Virginia accounts for less than half the total energy consumed in the state leading to the obvious conclusion that the state relies on other sources to provide energy. Based on estimates by The U.S. Energy Information Administration Virginia Energy consumption was estimated to be 2,558 trillion Btu while the energy produced as fossil fuels mined in Virginia was about 28% of total consumption. In Virginia Coal-fired power plants remains the largest chunk of electrical power generation in the state with 45%.

Why an indigenous African psychology not develop? Essay

My recent learning experience was from one of my psychology modules. The prescribed book is Personology from individual to ecosystem, chapter 17 i.e. African perspective. The driving point of this chapter is â€Å"Why an indigenous African psychology not develop?† The chapter cited the importation of the mainstream psychology a predominately â€Å"Euro-American† science into Africa resulting in a lack of development of a purely African personology theory. Several recommendations are made in terms of how this can be changed or improved. Also covered in this chapter is the topic on â€Å"Views on psychopathology† Some of the sub-topics covered included: How do traditional Africans view illness and pathological behaviour? The role of ancestors in the lives of traditional Africans The difference between the African and western conceptions of stress Dreams, spirits and sorcerers The link between psychotherapy and traditional healing As an African it was not difficult to relate some of my experiences to what was explained in the terms of the African believes and practices. Recommendations were made to psychologist practicing in Africa on how to treat African patients in line with their beliefs. The aha-moment for me was when I acknowledged the African way of living which I myself and my immediate family do not practice. This brought me back to Freire’s â€Å"Culture of silence† from SCK 201-3 module guide. Freire defines the culture of silence as cultural invasion where invaders penetrate the cultural context of another group. Colonisation and militarisation dominance are said to be conducive to the development of the culture of silence. I found the insight into colonisation very interesting. Being a black African who stays in Africa I am personally not complaining that I refuse to believe in ancestors or traditional healers. I personally feel that colonisation did bring a lot of change to Africa; the question I asked myself is at what cost? Africa has natural resources, we have been â€Å"civilised† and educated but majority of  African countries are still dependant on European aid. Why? I enjoyed sharing and debating the â€Å"Views on psychopathology† and Freire’s theory with my work colleagues. We all conceded that even though we are liberated and gained â€Å"independence† we are still indirectly colonised. We also reached a consensus that corruption and lack of accountability are some of the reasons that are delaying progress in Africa. There are so many different perspectives to psychology that explain the different types of behaviour. No one perspective has explanatory powers over the rest. Some contradict one another, overlap with each other or build upon one another. Behaviourist perspective is different from most other approaches because people (and animals) are viewed as controlled by their environment and specifically that people are the result of what they have learned from their environment. Behaviourism is concerned with how environmental factors affect observable behaviour. The psychosexual perspective by Freud believes that events in people’s childhood can have a significant impact on behaviour as adults. Feud also believed that people have little free will to make choices in life and that human behaviour is determined by the unconscious mind and childhood experiences. Humanistic psychology emphasizes the study of the person as a whole (holistic approach). This perspective suggests that each perso n is responsible for their own happiness and well-being. It suggests that humans have innate capacity for self-actualization which is a unique desire to achieve one’s highest potential as a person. Because of this focus on the person and his or her personal experiences and subjective perception of the world, the humanists regarded scientific methods as inappropriate for studying behaviour. Cognitive psychology perspective focuses on the study of cognition which is ‘the mental act or process by which knowledge is acquired. It is an extremely scientific approach where lab experiments are used to study human behaviour. Biological psychologists explain behaviours in neurological terms, i.e. the physiology and structure of the brain and how this influences behaviour. Many biological psychologists have concentrated on abnormal behaviour and have tried to explain it. Critical psychology challenges mainstream psychology by looking towards social change as a means of preventing and treating psychopathology. One of critical  psychology’s main criticisms of conventional psychology is that it ignores the way power differences between social classes and groups can impact the mental and physical well-being of individuals or groups of people. It does this, in part, because it tends to explain behaviour at the level of the individual. I agree with the notion that conventional psychology’s choice of ignoring the impact the difference in social classes and groups has on mental health does not give a holistic view of human behaviour. It is known that poverty, illiteracy, alienation have some form of impact on one’s mental state. The different ways or choices that people make to better their lives and the fact that some people make it out of the deprivation cycle and some fail is a clear indication that these factors affect people differently. Doing more research in this regard should provide a clearer picture. Question 3 Personhood and becoming in African thought As stated in the prescribed text, in African thought and belief a person is not complete until certain rituals are performed to qualify them as complete. Starting from birth those that practice the African culture do the imbeleko to introduce the child to the ancestors. Those that choose to follow the Christian practice baptise the child and give thanks to God. As children grow into teenagers, boys are sent to the mountain as practiced as a transition to manhood by many cultural groups. For example, the Ndebele community that still practice this tradition do not have respect for a man that has not been circumcised. It is said that Ndebele man also prefer to marry their fellow Ndebele females who still practice female circumcision which is also used as a transition to womanhood. A woman from another culture who knows nothing about the Ndebele culture who marries a Ndebele man is often expected to undergo this process in order to be respected and be qualified to be a woman. These two A frican traditions are still widely practiced but there is a shift where some people decide to go the western route. In light of health concerns and young man dying because of botched circumcisions parents prefer to have their children circumcised in hospital. Vigilance regarding oppressive practices Male circumcision is encouraged especially in a country like South Africa where there are challenges with HIV and AIDS. It is public knowledge that the practice minimises the chance of contracting the disease. Questions are raised in relation to the process and procedures followed to see this through. It has been said that the boys undergo various tests and are given guidance and advice by elders to help prepare them for manhood. In light of this some parents send their kids to hospital for circumcision to avoid any medical complications and loss of life. They are then sent to the mountain to undergo the transition that will prepare them for manhood. In a community like the Ndebele’s, young men decide to undergo initiation as it is a root of their identity and to avoid the shame of being labelled a boy. Coming to the female circumcision, in South Africa especially in the Ndebele culture it is still clouded in secrecy. No one knows exactly what other rituals are performed durin g the initiation. I personally do not know the benefits of the practice. What I have read and seen on TV from other countries for example Kenya, the main reason behind this practice is purely for the enjoyment of the girls’ future husband. Young woman and girls are ruthlessly mutilated only because they are expected to sexually satisfy their husbands once they get married. Many African countries have criminalised the practice but it is still practiced because man shun woman that have not undergone the procedure or transition to â€Å"womanhood†. One practice that is close to home that I personally feel is discriminatory against woman just like female circumcision is the virginity testing (reed dance). It can be argued that it helps discourage girls from participating in sexual activities and that it helps reduce HIV infection. The fact that woman alone are expected to undergo such an invasive practice when it takes two people to engage in sex is tantamount to discrimination against woman. Initiation as a passage from exteriority to interiority I agree with the text that â€Å"initiation is a process by which people discover themselves through others and their community†. From having lived with the Ndebele community I support the notion that for many of the young man and woman that choose to undergo initiation they do it because it is the root of their identity. For example, anyone who has decided not to undergo  initiation is often not seen as a true Ndebele. The person is not only labelled and shunned by the community; it is also believed that his ancestors will not know him. Ubuntu as a process My understanding of Ubuntu is simply human kindness. â€Å"A person is a person through other people†. It is about recognising a fellow human being, treating them with respect and dignity for the person they are whether rich or poor. This saying is mostly associated with black communities because a human being is not seen as an individual but as a collective of family and the community. Ubuntu as a process serve as testimony when community members come together to assist a family when they have lost a love one. It is also evident when there is no shame in borrowing sugar from a neighbour. For example, to prove the concept that â€Å"a person is a person through other people†, families that choose not to attend funerals or assist other families when they are bereaved; no villager will bother to offer support or even attend a funeral should that family loose a love one. The human being as a community of selves I believe a human being is what they are because of where they come from. I’m referring to culture, beliefs of one’s parents and one’s community in general. When growing up all these beliefs are instilled in oneself. It is only when one is independent and out of the family unit when they can either decide to continue with what they were taught at home or decide on a new way to live their lives. For example: one’s parents may believe in ancestral worship and have their children who grew up experiencing the practice but decide on Christianity and deny of the existence of ancestors. Question 4 My community of is located in Ninapark suburb in Pretoria North. It is a middle class white dominant community. It is a clean, serene and quite community to live in. There is not much activity during week days especially during the day. There is mostly activity in the mornings when people go to work or take their children to school. The same activities occur in the evenings. Domestic workers and gardeners are also part of the community. The most enjoyable citing in the evenings is people taking walks or jogging. Domestic workers are also seen in the evenings in groups gambling. The  street where my family and I live is a small street and all our neighbours are retired. Many are family members who have been residing in the area for more than twenty years. There is a public park about a kilometre from the house which is where many use especially those with children. There is an orphanage, a church, a rehabilitation centre, a golf course, and a small shopping centre. All these are a w alking distance from home. The shopping centre is always busy in the evenings. There is a woollies food grocery shop which we all love, a spar grocery shop, a KFC, a pharmacy, a beauty shop, a travel centre, a pet shop and a handful of restaurants. I am mentioning all these shops because I feel that just as I love staying in Ninapark because the community has access to all these facilities or resources just a walking distance from our homes many community members share the same sentiment. We (the community) have found ourselves the target of crime just like many communities in South Africa. Because there is not much activity during the day thieves break in without being seen. Many in my small street are victims of crime including me. I have found that this invasion of our homes has brought the community together in trying to find ways to combat crime. This is one thing that we all have in common. Apart from that there isn’t much socialising. Every one minds their own business. One rarely sees kids playing in the street. The only time when one gets a chance to talk to neighbours is when by chance we meet outside our homes for a walk. Many of my neighbours do not even know my name. If anything happens for example a break i n all we do is to sympathise with the victim and it ends there. We are all locked behind our high walls and security gates. There is definitely no socialisation. Being a black African from a rural village, life in the city is completely different from where I was born. There is caring and compassion, for example when a family losses a love one. It is a norm for community members to go a share their grief and offer support. This is not only psychological but also in assisting the family to prepare for the funeral. Each household within the community contributes an amount agreed by the community and the money is given to the family. On the day of the funeral everyone from the community attends as a show of support. There is no culture of individuality but communalism. Life in the city is a stark contrast of communalism. I find it is more individually orientated. No one meddles in anyone’s business. Yes there is access to everything, basic  services, health facilities but no community based support. In terms of community justice, since it i s in our constitution by law we are all expected to acknowledge human rights. It is not only the responsibility of government but also of citizens and the government. Yes, there are cases where this is not the case. What I have observed in the city is that many people know their rights and if contravened they have options for recourse including using the law. This is not always the case with rural communities as many do not know what their human rights are. What I have also observed in the city are the rich exploiting the poor. As the saying goes the poor have no voice i.e. cheap labour. This is of course debatable. In –groups My nuclear family Extended family members My former university friends My husband’s friends and their wives Orphans Single parents People living with HIV and AIDS People with terminal illness People I go to church with The poor Elderly people Colleagues IT professionals People in the medical field Social volunteers beggars Out-group Gang members Paedophiles People that commit violent crimes People that commit any crime Traditional healers Invisible Paedophiles Gays Lesbians Transsexuals Bisexuals Atheists Gang members Having been born in a rural area with not much hope, where there was a lack of access to basic services, a lack of information and poverty; I personality feel content with my current situation and community. One only got to see and experience city life once or twice a year when coming to the city to buy Christmas clothes. It was the citing of such communities and life that gave one insight of how much more life had to offer outside one’s environment and circumstances. This was one motivating factor that led one to break the cycle of poverty. The community, the neighbourhood and the way of life led me to internalise self-determination and motivation. Having access to basic services, access to knowledge, access to primary health, education and sanitation left one with not much to worry about except to focus on improving one’s life, that of one’s children and those who are still trapped in the cycle of poverty back at home. Having come from a poor background and being in this community has also given me an insight on what it means to be poor, hence I relate and sympathise with those less fortunate. I give back and assist where possible. Even though the way of life in my neighbourhood has empowered me it has also taken away my African way of life. It is not community orientated but focuses more on individuality. That is why my family and I always look forward to a trip to the village and not feeling ashamed to borrow sugar or onion from a neighbour. Question 5 I would define racial identity as a background that one identifies with. Because of globalisation and movement to new communities people build lives in different communities and choose the identity they can relate to. Steve Biko was addressing the liberation of the oppressed mind of a black man.  His black consciousness movement was dealing with two forces. He first addressed the external oppression experienced by blacks through segregation laws. The second was self-alienation. In opposition to this he called for the blacks to identify with themselves hence reversing years of self-negativity. Post-colonial is the study of the effects of colonialism on culture and societies of the previously oppressed or colonised. It is concerned with how Europeans controlled third world cultures and how these groups responded and resisted their way to independence. It is about the relationship between the colonisers and the previously colonised. It is about the awareness of social, psychological and cultural inferiority enforced by being in a colonised state. It is the struggle for ethnic, cultural and political autonomy. Racial alienation can be defined as a loss of one’s root culture in the process of adopting the culture of the oppressor. Cultural dispossession is the adoption of the oppressor’s language with the aim of being accepted by the oppressor. Speaking one’s language is assuming a culture thereby giving up of one’s language. Racism has created the idea of inferiority of the black people resulting in black escaping to â€Å"whiteness â€Å"or â€Å"blackness†. Question 6 1. The most significant learning or insight you had while doing this module. The topic on African perspective on psychology versus the European perspective was the most significant insight. The link between the topic and colonisation left me thinking and with many unanswered questions. 2. The most significant experiences you had while doing this module I enjoyed the walk about in my community, the high walls, the security and generally how different races relate to each other. 3. What you most appreciate about this module I appreciated the interactive approach of the module. We are so busy with our lives and work that one doesn’t stop to look at personal relations, how we socialise with each other and the groups one does not relate to and the reasons why. 4. What you least appreciate about this module There nothing I least appreciated as everything I read I got a chance to disagree or agree as we are taught not to accept everything one is told. The fact that everything is debatable and that one is allowed to apply one’s mind is good enough for me.

Learning Organization Essay - 695 Words

Ch.1: Why is shared information so important in a learning organization as compared to an efficient performance organization? Discuss how an organization’s approach to information-sharing might be related to other elements of organization design, such as structure, tasks, strategy, and culture. Shared information is so important in a learning organization as compared to an efficient performance organization because in a learning organization it promotes communication and collaboration so that everyone is fully engaged in identifying and solving problems, enabling the organization to continuously experiment, improve and increase its capability (Daft, 2010, p.31). A learning organization follows a horizontal structure which disbands†¦show more content†¦Nonprofit stakeholders are usually invested into the company for a personal reason and thrive on helping the business to succeed. Business managers are much more at the â€Å"will† of their shareholders who make money from the profit that the company is brining in. Ch. 2: How might a company’s goals for employee development be related to its goals for innovation and change? To goals for productivity? Can you discuss ways these types of goals might conflict in an organization? A company’s goals for employee development might be related to its goals for innovation and change and goals for productivity because strong employee development goals are one of the characteristics common to organizations that regularly show up on the Fortune magazine’s list of top companies to work for (Daft, 2010, p.63). These goals are operative which provides the employee direction and motivation, decision guidelines and standard of performance (Daft, 2010, p.64). Knowing where the company has been and is going is essential to business success. If not properly outlined and instilled within employees, conflict within the organization will emerge. Ch. 2: Suppose you have been asked to evalua te the effectiveness of the police department in a medium-sized community. Where would you begin, and how would you proceed? What effectiveness approach would you prefer? Understanding organizational goals and strategies,Show MoreRelatedMy Organization As A Learning Organization Essay900 Words   |  4 Pagesto Gephart and Marsick (1996, p. 34) states that, â€Å"A learning organization is an organization that has an enhanced capacity to learn, adapt, and change. It s an organization in which learning processes are analyzed, monitored, developed, managed, and aligned with improvement and innovation goals.† I would classify my organization as a learning organization. They invest in our learning, development, and advancement. 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Symptoms And Symptoms Of Illness Anxiety Disorder - 883 Words

Heidi, I disagree with your diagnosis of Illness anxiety disorder. Although GAD symptoms overlaps with symptoms of Illness Anxiety Disorder, IAD domain of worry is only health concern. GAD domain of Worry is everything and anything. So what’s the DX? I agree with you that in this week scenario, there were limited bio-psychosocial history. However, I believe we were provided enough information that will enable us to make a preliminary evaluation of the presenting problem. Let pretend that this patient came into the emergency room at a local hospital. The physician determined that what is ailing the lady is mental, not physical. So the physician gives the lady a ten days prescription of a brand named benzodiazepine and refers the lady†¦show more content†¦However, whether the disturbance is not better explained by another mental dis order is questionable. This is due to the fact that the lady also reported symptoms of Other symptoms outside of DSM criteria for GAD: 5. The lady reported that for a substantial duration of time, she has lost interest in the thing she use to love to do; 6. Years ago, the lady was diagnosis with GAD; and 7. The did not receive adequate treatment for disorder Because the lady have additional abnormal behavioral symptoms beyond the criteria of GAD, You suspect that there is the presence of one or more additional mental disorder(s) that is co-occurring with another mental disorder. You are concern about the duration of loss of interest in things she use to enjoy. So you decided to evaluate the client for another disorder that have GAD-lke symptoms; and that can explain those symptoms that were out the criteria of GAD. After careful consideration you found that many of the Gad symptom meet the criteria for MDD: Major depressive disorder (MDD) (also known as clinical depression) is mental disorder characterized by a pervasive and persistent low mood that is accompanied by low self-esteem and by a loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities(Paris, 2013). Criteria A. Depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities for more than two weeks. (Yes) B. Mood represents a change from