The Quality of Early Child Care and Children’s Development Essay Example for Free

The Quality of Early Child Care and Children’s Development Essay ABSTRACT—The past half-century saw dramatic changes in families that altered the daily experiences of many young children. As more mothers of young children entered the labor force, increasing numbers of young children spent substantial hours in various child-care settings. These changes gave rise to a large body of research on the impact of the quality of early child care on children’s development. However, a full understanding of the role of the quality of early child care requires consideration of the interplay among child care, family, workplace, and society. This article places what we know about the quality of early child care and children’s development in this larger ecological context, and suggests directions for future research and practice. The past half-century saw dramatic changes in families that altered the daily experiences of many young children. In 1970, only 24% of mothers with a young child (birth through age 3) were in the labor force; by 2000, this figure had risen to 57%. This growth in maternal employment was accompanied by changes in children’s daily experiences. By 2000, 80% of children under the age of 6 were in some form of nonparental care, spending an average of 40 hours a week in such care (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2003). Research on children’s experiences saw a parallel change that was equally dramatic. Early research in the field focused primarily on the question of whether child care (or maternal employment) per se was good or bad for children; current research asks questions about the relation between children’s development and variations in the quality and quantity of child care that they experience. The field also now recognizes varying types of child care, including center-based care, licensed or regulated home-based care by nonrelatives (family-childcare homes), and other home-based care, such as care by relatives or in-home sitters. There have been methodological advances as well. Early research was more likely to study small samples and examine correlations between child care and children’s outcomes at a single point in time; current research is more likely to involve large samples at multiple sites, to use experimental or quasi-experimental designs, and to follow participants over time. Perhaps the most important advance in child-care research has been theoretical. Early research tended to study the effects of child care in isolation from other significant aspects of children’s lives. Current research is more likely to be grounded in ecological systems theory, which considers children’s development in the context of the child-care system as well as the family system, and recognizes the links between these systems and the larger society. In this article, I focus on one segment of current research on early child care—the links between the quality of child care and children’s development—drawing on ecological systems theory to provide an overview of recent advances and to suggest directions for future research. ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY AND EARLY CHILD CARE Ecological systems theory places child development in an ecological perspective, in which an individual’s experience is nested within interconnected systems (Bronfenbrenner, 1989). Microsystems, such as families or child-care settings, are characterized by face-to-face connections among individuals. Mesosystems consist of two or more microsystems and the linkages or processes that combine or connect them. These mesosystems exist within the larger context of the exosystem, those settings in which the child does not directly participate but that influence the lives of parents and other adults in the child’s world, such as a parent’s workplace, educational institutions that train child-care teachers and providers, and government agencies that set regulations for child-care facilities or establish welfare-reform policies. The mesosystems and exosystems operate within the context of a macrosystem of societal and cultural beliefs and practices. Note that these systems are not static, but may change over time. The Mesosystem of Family Child Care Children inhabit both families and child-care microsystems, and these systems are linked. Parents select particular types of child care, of varying quality, for children of different ages—and these decisions vary with family structure, parental characteristics, geographical location, and other factors. Singer, Fuller, Keiley, and Wolf (1998) argued that child-care researchers must consider these selection effects if they are to accurately model the impact of child care on children’s development over time. 1 Through their selection of particular child-care arrangements, parents have an indirect impact on their children’s development (in addition to their direct impact within the family system). But this linkage between the family system and child-care system operates in both directions: The child-care system can also influence the family system. For example, Ahnert, Rickert, and Lamb (2000) described a particular mesosystem characterized by shared care; in this mesosystem, mothers adapted their interactions with their toddlers in response to the toddlers’ experiences in child care. The Exosystem The family child-care mesosystem operates within the larger context of the exosystem of parental employment—one of the primary functions of child care is to enable parents, particularly mothers, to work outside the home. Historically, the child-care system has developed in response to characteristics of parents’ employment . For instance, the current child-care system includes child-care centers, which tend to have operating hours that match those of parents who are working weekdays, as well as family-child-care homes and kith-and-kin care, which are more likely to meet the needs of parents who are working evenings, weekends, or variable hours. However, in industries that operate around the clock, particularly those with highly skilled workers such as hospitals, we are more likely to see on-site child-care centers, sick-child care,2 and other accommodations to parents’ employment needs. Another important aspect of the exosystem is government policies and regulations that affect both the demand for child care (such as welfare-reform efforts that require low-income mothers to seek employment) and the affordability of child care. Although the United States provides some child-care subsidies for families, many low- and moderate-income families do not have effective access to subsidies. 3 Given the links between the quality of care and the cost of care, it is not surprising that children in low-income families who are not in the higher-quality, government-subsidized programs tend to receive lower-quality child care than children in middle-income families (cf. Phillips, Voran, Kisker, Howes, Whitebook, 1994). In this way, the exosystem of government policies and regulations provides an important context for the operation of the family ! child-care mesosystem. THE QUALITY OF EARLY CHILD CARE AND CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENT Using ecological systems theory as a framework, I turn now to the question of the relation between the quality of early child care and children’s development. I begin with a discussion of the concept of quality, and then move on to an overview of what researchers currently know about the role of the quality of early child care in children’s lives. What Is Quality? The underlying assumption of all definitions of quality is that a high quality early-child-care setting is one that supports optimal learning and development. However, quality has been measured in a variety of ways across different studies. Measures of child-care quality can be categorized as either structural or process indicators. Structural characteristics include the child:staff ratio (the number of children per teacher or provider), the group size (number of children in the setting), and the education and specialized training of teachers, providers, or directors. The features of structural quality can be regulated, and most states set minimum standards for at least some aspects of structural quality, at least in center-based care. Studies that assess structural quality are most useful in evaluating the impact of features that can be regulated. Although understanding the links between structural indicators of quality and children’s development is important, we also need to understand the mechanisms by which structural quality affects children’s development, which requires examining what actually happens in the early-care setting (i.e., the process). How do adults and children interact? What materials are available for the children, and how do adults support children’s use of those materials? Process quality refers to the nature of the care that children experience—the warmth, sensitivity, and responsiveness of the caregivers; the emotional tone of the setting; the activities available to children; the developmental appropriateness of activities; and the learning opportunities available to children. Unlike the features of structural quality, process quality is not subject to state or local regulations, and it is harder to measure. One of the more commonly used measures, the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS; Harms, Clifford, Cryer, 1998), assesses multiple aspects of process quality. Such multidimensional process measures tell us much more about the quality of care that children receive than do structural measures alone. Structural Indicators of Quality and Children’s Development What do we know about the links between the structural indicators of quality in early child care and children’s development? The research to date has found that better ratios (fewer children per adult) and more education or training for teachers are associated with higher language, cognitive, and social skills of the children cared for (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2003). However, many of the studies that have examined structural indicators have employed small samples (fewer than 100 children) or have not considered selection effects in their analyses, so studies that do not have these limitations are of particular importance. In an interesting study that assessed the links between structural quality, process quality, and children’s outcomes, the NICHD Early Child Care Research Network (2002) found that the relation between caregiver training and child-staff ratio, on the one hand, and children’s cognitive and social competence, on the other hand, was mediated by process quality— that is, higher levels of caregiver training and lower ratios of children to adults in child-care settings were associated with higher levels of process quality, which were, in turn, associated with children’s greater cognitive and social competence. Process Quality and Children’s Development Among studies published in the past 15 years, those that employed an ecological model4 consistently found that higher process quality is to greater language and cognitive competence, fewer behavior problems, and more social skills, particularly when multidimensional measures of quality, such as the ECERS, are used or quality is assessed at more than one point in time. For example, the Cost, Quality and Child Outcomes Study (Peisner-Feinberg, Burchinal, Clifford, 2001) found that higher process quality in preschool classrooms predicted fewer behavior problems 1 year later, and predicted higher language and math scores in kindergarten and second grade, although the magnitude of these associations declined over time. This same study also found a link between the child-care and family systems, such that the association between child-care quality and children’s school performance was moderated by mothers’ education; specifically, the association was stronger for children whose mothers had less education. BEYOND SELECTION EFFECTS I began this article with a discussion of the importance of considering children’s development from an ecological systems perspective, which considers the family ! child-care mesosystem as a context for children’s development. Many studies of child care now consider the role of selection effects by statistically controlling for family characteristics. However, other linkages within the mesosystem must also be considered if one is to adequately understand the role of child-care quality in children’s development. For instance, aspects of the family system, such as the mother’s education or depression, parenting practices, and family income, may have independent effects on children’s development. In fact, in a study of 1,100 children, the NICHD Early Child Care Research Network (2001) found that although the quality of early child care consistently predicted socio-emotional and cognitive-linguistic outcomes during the first 3 years of life, family factors were more consistent predictors of children’s development than quality of child care, or any other child-care factors examined. Research on the family child-care mesosystem is familiar territory for many psychologists. However, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory calls attention to other influences on children’s development—the exosystem of parental employment and government policy and the macrosystem of societal beliefs about the desirability of maternal employment and the desired outcomes for children. For example, there is a complex interplay between parental employment, government policy, child care, and children’s development for low-income families. Government policy and the macrosystem of societal beliefs promote employment for low-income parents. However, low-income parents tend to have less education and fewer marketable skills compared with other parents, and are likely to be employed in sectors of the labor market where jobs are part-time or contingent (temporary), allow little flexibility for managing family demands, and offer few benefits. Work schedules are also likely to include hours outside of the typical Monday-through-Friday daytimes when childcare centers normally operate. Although government subsidies are available to some low-income families, most do not receive subsidies. As a result, children from low-income families are likely to be placed in lower-cost and lower-quality center care or informal care that is itself often of lower quality (cf. Henly Lyons, 2000). Viewing this ‘‘choice’’ as a selection effect leads one to interpret it as parental preference—but an ecological perspective suggests a different interpretation: Regardless of their individual preferences, low-income families’ choices are constrained by the operation of the exosystem of the workplace and government policy. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Current state-of-the-art research has provided clear evidence that the quality of early child care matters to children’s development. Children who attend higher-quality child-care settings have greater language and cognitive competence and greater social competence than children who receive lower-quality child care. However, several studies have documented the prevalence of mediocre or inadequate child care in the United States (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2003, pp. 53–54). In addition, the high-quality care that does exist is not equitably distributed—lower-income children are less likely than higher-income children to have access to it. The next step is to answer the question: How can we best raise the quality of early child care for all children? Ecological systems theory draws our attention to the importance of placing this question in the context of family processes, parental employment, governmental policies, and societal beliefs and goals when developing theoretical models and models for practice. We must integrate our societal goals of supporting healthy families, economic self-sufficiency, and women’s employment with our goals of supporting healthy development and school readiness for children, if we expect to advance research and practice in the area of early-child-care quality and children’s development. Recommended Reading Lamb, M.E. (1998). Nonparental child care: Context, quality, correlates. In W. Damon, I.E. Sigel, K.A. Renninger (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 4. Child psychology in practice (5th ed., pp. 73–134). New York: John Wiley Sons. National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development, Board on Children, Youth, and Families. (2000). From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early child development (J.P. Shonkoff D.A. Phillips, Eds.). Washington, DC: National Academy Press. National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Board on Children, Youth, and Families, Committee on Family and Work Policies. (2003). (See References) Phillips, D.A., Voran, M.N., Kisker, E., Howes, C., Whitebook, M. (1994). (See References) REFERENCES Ahnert, L., Rickert, H., Lamb, M.E. (2000). Shared caregiving: Comparisons between home and child care settings. Developmental Psychology, 36, 339–351. Bronfenbrenner, U. (1989). Ecological systems theory. Annals of Child Development, 6, 187–249. Harms, T., Clifford, R.M., Cryer, D. (1998). Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale: Revised edition. New York: Teachers College Press. Henly, J.R., Lyons, S. (2000). The negotiation of child care and employment demands among low-income parents. Journal of Social Issues, 56, 683–706. National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Board on Children, Youth, and Families, Committee on Family and Work Policies. (2003). Working families and growing kids: Caring for children and adolescents (E. Volume 13—Number 4 167 Nancy L. Marshall Smolensky J.A. Gootman, Eds.). Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Retrieved August 14, 2003, from http://www.nap.edu/openbook/ 0309087031/html/R1.html NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (2001). Nonmaternal care and family factors in early development: An overview of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Applied Developmental Psychology, 22, 457–492. NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (2002). Child-care structure! process! outcome: Direct and indirect effects of child-care quality on young children’s development. Psychological Science, 13, 199–206. Peisner-Feinberg, E.S., Burchinal, M.R., Clifford, R.M. (2001). The relation of preschool child-care quality to children’s cognitive and social developmental trajectories through second grade. Child Development, 72, 1534–1553. Phillips, D.A., Voran, M.N., Kisker, E., Howes, C., Whitebook, M. (1994). Child care for children in poverty: Opportunity or inequity? Child Development, 65, 472–492. Singer, J.D., Fuller, B., Keiley, M.K., Wolf, A. (1998). Early child-care selection: Variation by geographic location, maternal characteristics, and family structure. Developmental Psychology, 34, 1129–1144.

What It Means To Be A Great Power Politics Essay

What It Means To Be A Great Power Politics Essay Great Powers are the most powerful members in the international system. The idea of Great Power plays a significant role in the theory of international relations as any changes in the Great Powers strategies or emergence of new Great Powers normally alter the status quo. This essay began by examining the different criteria used by scholars to define Great Powers, following by my own definition of Great Powers to further discuss and illustrate my understanding of this concept. Today, China plays a new role in the international system, garnering increasing attention around the globe. Chinas economic strength and political clout are already influencing places beyond the Asia Pacific region. Africa, as a place in which Chinese engagement is expanding rapidly, can be used as a region to assess whether China is a Great Power or not. The second part of the essay analyses Chinas foreign policy towards Africa since the 1990s with attention to Chinas objectives there as well as the reactions of the African. Various aspects will be discussed, including Chinas political, economic, military presences and soft power to assess whether China is a Great power in Africa or not. II. Definition of Great Powers in the International System Scholarly definitions The traditional definition of great power can be found in the distinction made at the Paris Peace Conference, which suggested that great power is a state with a global scope of interests in the international arena  [1]  Throughout the years, the concept of great power has been conceptualized by a number of theoretical schools of international relations, for example, realism, liberal internationalism and constructivism. According to a prominent British historian Arnold Toynbee, great power can be defined as a political force exerting an effect coextensive with the widest range of the society in which it operates  [2]  , while one of the leading scholars of the international relations in 20th century, Martin Wight regards, great powers as powers with general interests, i.e. those whose interests are as wide as the state systems itself, which today means worldwide.  [3]  And for Professor Hedley Bull from the University of Oxford, great power contributes to international system by managing their relations with one another; and by exploiting their preponderance in such way as to import a degree of central direction to the affairs of international society as a whole.  [4]  I agree with these viewpoints that the ability to project influence and power beyond its region is a decisive factor for defining greatness. The concept of great power is a pivot in many realists international relations models, including the theory of hegemony, balance of power and the polarity in international system. According to a prominent Neo-realist scholar, Waltz Kenneth stated in his remarkably influential book, Theory of International Politics, the great powers extraordinary positions in the international system enable them to undertake tasks that other states have neither the incentive nor the ability to perform.  [5]   Some realist scholars argued that there is asymmetry of power within the international system. According to Krasner, when power asymmetries are high, the frequency of intervention increase.  [6]  He put forward the argument that a great power intervene the weaker states internal affairs by various norms, values and principles to justify and legitimize their actions. They sometimes violate those values and principles, but themselves stay free from external interference.  [7]   Another realist scholar, Leurdijk also suggested that the international system is in hierarchical relations- relations of dominance and subordination.  [8]  That means, the great powers are those who dominant over the subordinated countries. Therefore, from this perspective, a great power is a state which has more state sovereignty and autonomy it can claim, and it is subject to less external intervention.  [9]  Also, a great power is able to enforce the rule of international law. Meanwhile, contemporary international law incorporates broader ideas more than the rule of non-intervention. According to Khachikian from Stanford University, it now embraces ideas of permissible intervention, such as enforcing international peace, protecting one nationals, preventing a spillover across state borders, stopping mass human suffering and others  [10]   Generally speaking, the traditional definitions of great power emphasize on the powers wide global interests in the international system, while some scholars consider great power as a state which possess the capacity to exercise influence within the international system. From this perspective, great powers are able to intervene their targets of intervention and not being a target of intervention by other actors in the international system. To conclude, we may say that the former viewpoint stress on goal and interests while the latter on put emphasis on capability and influence. Both of the concepts are able to provide us a general view. And it is true that a great power should be a state playing active role in the international system and possess the ability to influence on the region it interested in. Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that the definition of Great Power should also be something more specific and concrete. There need to be a standard unit of account for measuring political power. In this essay, I will assess a countrys power through various defining elements, for example, its geographic base, economic resources, educational and technical level, military potential etc. Great Power in a more tangible sense To be a great power in international system, the nation has to possess not only economic prosperity and military might, but also strong soft power and identity as a leader. In this essay, economic strength refers to the level of development. For soft power, strong cultural ties with other countries, moral strength and technological level should be considered. Identity as a leader refers to the bargaining power in international arena and the ability to take action independently and at the same time, plays an active and co-operative role in the international system. Economic strength Economic strength cannot merely assessed by the size of the economy, but also to what extent, the economy is developed. From my perspective, a great power must be economically developed. Economic development used here includes several meanings: First, the growth of national income (measured by the Gross National Product) or the output of goods and services per head of population. Second, the increase in ability of a society to produce goods and services and to satisfy wants. However, If we consider development as a process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy,  [11]  as what Professor Amartya Sen put forward, then one can argue that economic development as a process of expanding the economic freedoms that people enjoy. Apart from monetary value, economic security, living standards, life expectancy, and social welfare like education and health services should also be considered. Therefore, internally within a Great power, people should enjoy the rights to sell and purchase the goods at equilibrium prices provided by a competitive environment which the movement of labor and capital is fr ee. Also, it should be structurally strong in the industrial, financial and technological sectors. Economic growth is often the greatest source of global influence. Nevertheless, high-level of economically developed is just a criterion for being a Great Power. For a Great Power in International System, the country should accept and adapt to the rules of games in the international system. Economically, the country has to cooperate with other leading economies in overcoming obstacles to world trade, being an active part of the international market. Military strength Military strength is a significant factor of a countrys power projection capacity. Military strength of a certain country is usually measured by military expenditure, defense spending, number of military personnel and aircraft carrier, size of navy, etc. However, we should not neglect the level of military technology in assessing a countries power. The arm force of a Great Power should be a modernized one. Furthermore, to be a Great power in international system, the state has to maintain frequent high-level dialogue regarding strategic matters with other actors within the international system. Soft power and identity as a leader The concept of Soft Power is invented by Harvard University political scientist Joseph Nye, he stated that soft power rests on the ability to shape the preferences of others.  [12]  From my point of view, this idea embraces cultural factors, educational level, reputation of the state, etc. The higher the level of soft power, the higher the countrys ability to achieve their objectives in their targeted region, therefore, it is a crucial criteria for being a great power. National image is something intangible but important for a nation to portray itself as a great power. Stability of political and social systems, cultural interactions with other countries, active participation and contributions to world peace are all related to how the country is seen by the outside world. Having respect and prestige, it does not only help the state to overcome its internal problems, but also convince the targeted region that their actions are legitimized. A great power must be able to influence on the region you interested in, at the same time, that region welcome your influence and engagement. As soft power is a key factor for achieving international objectives and legitimizing actions, we should take it into account when assessing a countrys greatness. Furthermore, the state identity as a leader is also a decisive factor. A great power is a state which has bargaining power in international arena and the ability to take action independently. Independent does not mean refusal to bring itself in line with the international system, but referring to not being the target of intervention by other powers. And the identity as a leader also refers to active and co-operative role in the international system. My definition for Great Power is a combination of tangible and intangible elements. To conclude, a great power is an active player in the international arena with strong economic, military strength and soft power, while having interests and capacity to project its influence to places beyond its region. At the same time, the targeted place welcomes its influence. III. Is China a Great Power in Africa? Chinas rapidly increasing engagement in Africa is virtually rooted in her remarkable rise as a global power. With greater involvement into African market in the form of development assistance, trade and investment, together with some level of military cooperation, peacekeeping and employment of soft power, China has emerged as a key-player in Africa. The expansiveness of her activities has gone beyond the Western engagement that came before her in the region and her engagement became one of the most significant developments for Africa in recent years. Through playing an active and positive role in Africa, China has built up her benign image and Great Power status in the world. This part of the paper analyses Chinas foreign policy towards Africa since the early 1990s to discuss whether China is a Great power in Africa or not. As mentioned in the first part of this research paper, one of the criteria to be a Great power is the ability to influence on the region you interested, at the same time, your influence and intervention are welcomed by the region. Therefore, the second part of this paper examines the objectives underlying Chinese foreign policy towards Africa and discusses whether China is successful in achieving those objectives. Chinas involvement on the African continent will be reviewed from various levels, including economic engagement, political presence, military ties and the projection of soft power. It argues that the impressive scale and scope of Chinas engagement together with the positive reactions from African countries to Chinas expanding presence proved China to be a Great Power in Africa. Chinas Objectives in Africa Chinas rapidly expanding engagement in Africa is actually part of its transformation of the foreign policy to a more active one. Chinese objectives in Africa basically include, access to natural resources, export markets,  [13]  projecting her influence beyond the Asia-Pacific region and thus strengthening Chinas status as a Great Power. Facing fierce criticism from the West after the Tiananmen Incident in 1989, China started to establish closer ties with non-Western countries.  [14]  Since African states constitute a massive voting clout as they occupied over one-fourth of the seats in United Nations General Assembly, China can be benefited from developing cordial relations with them. In the 1990s, China greatly increased her assistance to developing countries, especially to African countries.  [15]   China helped African states overcome their tremendous poverty, boosting the African economic through comprehensive investment and development in the region. Beside economic sphere, Chinas contribution in United Nation peacekeeping and continued training and educational assistance reflects Chinas significant role in Africa that it can be conceived as a Great Power in the region. Chinas Political presence in Africa The beginning of the relations between China and Africa can be dated back to the voyages of Zheng He (1372-1433) in the Ming dynasty, while some scholars regarded the Bandung Conference of 1955 marked the real start of Africa-China relations.  [16]  The momentum of closer ties greatly accelerated throughout the last 10 years. Their closer relationships signalized by frequent high-level diplomatic trips by Chinese leaders to African capitals and frequent high-level diplomatic trips by African leaders to Beijing.  [17]  In 2006 there were 48 African states heads gathered in Beijing for the Forums on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which marked the largest gathering of African top political leaders outside of the United Nations (UN).  [18]   Besides, there are rapid establishment of African and Chinese migrant communities in both China and Africa. In addition to governmental level interactions, continuing increase in interactions between ordinary Africans and Chinese can also be seen within their relationship.  [19]   The first part of this paper has mentioned that we may assess a country is a Great Power or not from a geographical perspective. Through this perspective, Chinas engagement in Africa is broad enough as a Great Power because it maintains official diplomatic relations with 48 African countries out of the total number of 53.  [20]  Several events reflected African support to China, for example, they supported Beijing to be the host city for 2008 Olympic Games during the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision-making process. Also, Africa supported Chinas One-China policy and helped prevent Taiwan from getting a seat in United Nations many times.  [21]   Moreover, China is actively participating in the affairs of the African Union (AU). China promised $100-$150 million for constructing permanent headquarters and attended African Union summits in 2006 and 2007.  [22]  Chinas governments assistance has been appreciated by Africa. Jean Ping, the chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, commended China in January 2009 for her contributions to Africa and identified China as Africas key strategic partner.  [23]  He also expressed that the African Union would like to boost consultation and cooperation with China on the regional and international affairs.  [24]   Different from the European great powers in the 19th century, China did not send her troops to Africa to fight wars and depriving the African aborigine. Rather, China has demonstrated effort for keeping peace without appearing military threat. According to Xinhua News Agency in 2007, a total of 1,400 Chinese troops are taking part in separate UN peacekeeping operations in seven African countries, including Sudan, where 415 Chinese peacekeepers are deployed in the south.  [25]  The number of military personnel deployed by China in peacekeeping operations in Africa exceeds those of other permanent members of the UN Security Council, making China the largest contributor of all. Furthermore, China provides financial support to the African Union regarding the peacekeeping in Somalia and Darfur.  [26]   Politically, China has a strong presence and influence in Africa. China also plays an active and constructive role in peacekeeping activities in Africa. At the same time, Chinas role has been highly recognized by the African countries. For example, the top official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia commended that, never in modern history has a nation successfully made such a determined and massive effort as China has in achieving progress within such a short span of time. Ethiopia has been following this remarkable achievement with great interest and admiration.  [27]  As mentioned above, a Great Power able to influence the region at the same the region welcomes your influence. From this perspective, China is qualified as a Great Power in Africa. Chinas Military Presence in Africa For arm sales to Africa, China ranked the third from 2003 to 2006.  [28]  Although Chinas military ties with Africa are not as strong as political and economic ties, to some African states, military cooperation with China is extremely crucial. Especially for those countries under civil wars but that came under military embargo from the west, for example, Sudan and Zimbabwe. China has established some small arm factories in Sudan and Uganda, producing light weaponry for the region. Besides, in 2005 and 2006, Nigeria purchased missiles and fighter jets from China and in turns, awarded oil contracts to China.  [29]   In fact, China maintains security and military relations with all African countries except those four countries diplomatically recognize Taiwan. In this sense, China maintains a great military presence in the region. Also, its armament sales and peacekeeping activities have the capacity to alter the political situation in Africa. Chinas major objectives in Africa are getting natural resources and maintaining economic interests. And she is able to achieve her goals through providing the military resources to persuade African countries to help her. To counter the American presence in Africa, China will continue to expand its military ties with African countries, at the same time, making contributions to the United States peacekeeping in the region. Chinas steps will further enhance her Great Power status in Africa. Chinas Economic Presence in Africa The volume of China-Africa trade in recent years increased dramatically, from $8.92 billion in 2001 to $40 billion dollars in 2005, $73 billion in 2007, and reached $106.8 billion in 2008. China is now, overtaking Britain and France, became Africas second largest trading partner after the United States.  [30]  31 China has extended scope of duty-free imports from Africa from 190 to 440 items and is discussing with the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) for proposing a free-trade agreement between them.  [32]  African countries greatly appreciated Chinas removal of tariffs on goods as they have been benefited from Chinas action.  [33]   In 2001, Hu Jintao called for Chinese enterprises to go global. Key State Owned Enterprises have begun to set up joint ventures in extractive industries in Africa.  [34]  In 2005, China had already established over 800 enterprises in Africa region.  [35]  In 2009, Chinese investments by both the government and private enterprise in Africa almost tripled in value compared to the figures in 2000.  [36]   Between 2000 and 2003, China provided $1.3billion in debt relief to 27 African countries and an additional $1.2 billion in debt cancellation for 33 African countries in 2006.  [37]  In addition, China has provided considerable amount of development aid, in the form of low-interest loans, to African countries. China provided $13 billion to Angola, $9 billion to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and $2.5 billion to Ethiopia as well.  [38]   Additionally, China is the members of African Development Bank Group (AfDB), African Development Fund (ADF) and West African Development Bank (WADB). China contributed to the Banks institutional activities, and technical assistance operations to promote economic and social development in Africa. China hosted the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the AfDB and the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the ADF in Shanghai in May 2007.  [39]  Besides, China is engaging actively into the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the South African Development Community (SADC).  [40]  All these reflected Chinas pivotal role in Africa. With ongoing economic and trade cooperation and exchange, we can see that China presence in Africa keeps rapidly growing and China has capability to influence events in the region. As African countries are yearning for an alternative to the West that they have relied on over a long period of time, they are in need of Chinese investment and assistance to help develop their economies. Unlike the Western donors who tend to impose Western values like democratic ideas on Africa, China invest and provide aid without much preconditions and interference in their internal affairs, therefore, it is not unimaginable that China is regarded by Africa as a more cooperative and valuable partner to the West. Besides providing loans, China also invest in infrastructure development and many high-visibility projects, that the African leaders generally in favor. Physical infrastructure constructions have been long neglected if not avoided by Western donors.  [41]  Also, Chinese investors are highly reputed by the African of their rapid completion of infrastructures with acceptable qualities.  [42]  Moreover, the General populace in Africa prefers physical infrastructure to monetary aid as the aid money would eventually be manipulated by corrupt leaders. Through providing more practical help, Chinas influence and presence in Africa are further strengthened. Nevertheless, some argue that there are also many complications for China to expand her presence in Africa. The biggest obstacle is the anti-Chinese sentiment resulting from the flooding of cheaper Chinese manufactured goods in African markets. The Chinese firms underbid many local firms in Africa, causing close down of factories and unemployment. However, we should not neglect that import of cheaper goods from China means that the African can buy many goods that they could not afford to purchase before. And the Chinese investment projects at least created some new job opportunities for the Africans. All these actually have improved the living standards of many general Africans. Nowadays, China has already constituted a pivotal part in the African economy. Although the Africans may consider Chinese engagement as a challenge as they worry about Chinas growing global power may turn her role in African to become as stifling as they have experienced with the west  [43]  , generally, they need Chinas participation and the African leaders today consider Chinese embrace as not only a source of investment, but also a chance as well as a counterbalance to the West. Soft power To access a country is a Great power or not, we do not only consider its influence over their targeted regions through economic and military power, but also the influence through soft power. When examining Chinas power in Africa, its projection of soft power should not be neglected. As mentioned in the first part of this paper, soft power rests on the ability to shape the preferences of others  [44]  In this paper, Chinas soft power policy refers to the use of cultural, educational means to boost her image and thus to influence public opinion and persuade nations abroad in Chinas favour. The establishment of Confucius Institutes and the recruitment of international students are prominent forms of Chinese projection of soft power. China has already set up more than 20 Confucius Institutes throughout Africa, teaching African people Mandarin, Chinese history and culture.  [45]   China has educational relationships with 50 African countries and keeps increasing her assistance on training and education to African countries. In 2005, China also hosted the Sino-African Education Minister Forum.  [46]  In 2007, there are around 5,900 students from Africa studying in China, with most of them receiving scholarships provided by the Chinese government.  [47]  The Chinese government also promised to double the number of such scholarships by 2011,  [48]  and establish 10 agricultural technology centers in Africa.  [49]  Every year, China trained large number of African professionals in fields of agriculture, education, medical science, etc. Besides, Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency also trains African journalists in both Africa and China.  [50]   Chinas use of education, technical training and cultural exchange as a channel of employing soft power is successful in boosting Chinas image in Africa and thus expanding its global influence. The projection of soft power can essentially gain the support from the general public in Africa. With closer and closer educational relationships, the future generations and educated elites in Africa will certainly have better understanding about China. Having support from governments, and non-governmental actors, including both educated elites and general populace, China gained legitimacy as a Great Power. IV. Conclusion My definition of great power as mentioned in the first part of the essay, is an active player in the international arena with strong econ

Emporer Hadrian Of Rome :: essays research papers

By the time Hadrian's contributions to his country had succeeded, and death was near; he was the most hated man in Rome. However, throughout his reign, he was regarded as a noble leader. "The Roman emperor Hadrian exercised a profound organizational influence on the Greco-Roman world. He worked successfully toward the codification of Roman law and the strengthening of imperial border defenses (Eadie 8)." Emperor Hadrian made many important contributions to Roman culture, and he was also known as one of the greatest Roman emperors in history.Hadrian was born on January, 26 76 a.d. in Spain. In his youth, he developed a strong interest in Hellenic culture. This earned him his nickname "The Greekling." For example, "Hadrian was an admirer of Greek culture and under different circumstances, might well have devoted his full time to literature and philosophy rather than politics (Eadie 8 )." Hadrian was well-educated, and known throughout Rome as a military man. For instance, " He rose through the ranks as befitting of one of his position in life and became a well-respected general (Internet Hadrian 4)." Soon after, Hadrian was married to a thirteen year old girl named Sabina. Thirteen years of age was very young even in Roman terms of marriage. Hadrian became emperor in 117a.d. This occurred when Trajan, Hadrian's deceased father's cousin and guardian, made Hadrian his successor on his deathbed. "Certainly Hadrian's relationship with the Senate was not a good one(Coleman-Norton 674)." At the beginning of his reign, he put four former consuls to death for conspiracy. This created negative personal relations between Hadrian and the Senate; however, "Hadrian generally treated the Senate with the utmost respect(Coleman-Norton 674)." Throughout the years 120-133, he traveled eminsly. He visited Britain, Spain, eastern provinces, and even Africa. Towns and cities vastly benefited from his journeys. Harbor installations, roads, and bridges were built. The size of Athens almost doubled, and many new cities, including Adrinople were founded by the emperor(Coleman-Norton)." " Hadrian's travels, which during his reign covered a period of more than twelve years, were the most extensive of any peacetime emperors in history(Coleman-Norton 673)." Hadrian cared about the welfare of his country and people. For example, "Hadrian was an able and tireless ruler. He issued laws protecting women, children, and slaves from mistreatment (Beers 112)." He also revised and reorganized the entire system of Roman laws. Hadrian greatly improved the East by building new roads, temples, theatres, and circuses.

The Spiritual Athletes Path to Enlightenment :: Expository Description Essays

The Spiritual Athlete's Path to Enlightenment Throughout this world, there are many mysterious and amazing feats that can be found. People are capable of doing most incredible things that we have never deemed possible. Only by truly believing in ourselves can we accomplish what were thought as impossible goals. In Mount Hiei of Japan, there can be found a small group of monks who live in a monastery and can accomplish many remarkable challenges. This mountain had been a main attraction in Japan of Buddhism. "The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei" by John Stevens says that it "offers the seeker every type of religious experience--sacred scholarship, grand ritual, austere meditation, heartfelt repentance, heroic asceticism, mystical flight, miraculous cures, ceaseless devotion, divine joy, and nature worship-while promising enlightenment in this very body." This mountain monastery began in 1787 and the monks feel that Hiei still flourishes today. It is a beautiful place populated with all types of animals. No hunting is allowed. There is lots of rain in Japan and many tall trees which block the sun so it can get very cold there; snow covers the ground far into April. At the base of Hiei, there is a cute little temple-town where most of the retired priests go to live. The Tendai priests generally marry and raise families. Many of the trainees at Mount Hiei who hope to qualify for priesthood are their children. There are many who just appear from the general public though such as college drop-outs searching for the meaning of life, retired military men, reformed drunks, and a few women. These fascinating marathon monks began their story in the year 831 with a boy named So-o. He came to Hiei at age 15. An abbot called Ennin noticed this boy and initiated him into the mysteries of Tendai. He named him So-o which meant "one who serves for others." The legend is that the God, Fudo Myo-o, appeared before So-o by a waterfall. So-o was overwhelmed and jumped into the falls. He collided with a large log which he was able to drag out of the water. He then carved the image of Fudo Myo-o into the log . The temple was then built in this area for the God Fudo Myo-o and named Myo-o-in. So-o was an amazing monk who traveled around using his prayers which could accomplish many things such an curing people from terminal illnesses, difficult child births, demon possessions and much more.

The Pearl :: essays research papers

The Pearl by John Steinbeck   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Pearl by John Steinbeck, Kino, the main character, did not succeed in his dreams of a luxurious life. There where many reasons why Kino did not succeed. One may believe that it was a combination of fate, the pearl buyers, and his own greed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fate was a major aspect to why Kino did not succeed in his dreams of having a luxurious life. When Kino discovered the Pearl he thought that it would take him out of poverty and into a life of happiness. â€Å"But the pearls were accidents, and the finding of one was luck, a little pat on the back by God or the gods both†(Chapter 2). This quotation occurs when Kino is about to go pearl diving for the Pearl of the World. This quotation also shows that certain things happen that we have no control over, therefore one can feel that Kino’s downfall is not entirely his own fault. The Pearl ended up bringing ultimate unhappiness to Kino and Juana.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The pearl buyers were also major reasons to why Kino did not succeed. If the pearl buyers had given Kino a fair price for the Pearl, then Kino would have sold the Pearl. If Kino sold the Pearl then Coyotitio would have never been shot. This would give Kino a chance to succeed in his dream of a luxurious life. This did not happen. The pearl buyers did not give Kino a fair price, they said that the pearl was fools gold and worth nothing. This caused Kino to decide not to sell the pearl to them . This leads to Coyotitio eventually being shot by the gunfire between the trackers and Kino. This ultimately destroys Kino’s dreams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kino not succeeding was also partly his own fault. Kino’s desire for the Pearl was a major conflict in the parable. If Kino wasn’t greedy and gave up the Pearl when he found out his family was in danger, his son wouldn’t have been

Health safety and security for health and social care Essay

Potential Hazards and the Harm that may arise from each in a Health and Social Care Setting In this unit 3 assignment, I will be explaining the potential hazards and the harm that may arise from each (physical environment, equipment, infections, working conditions, working practices and security conditions) in a health and social care environment. These settings can include day centers, hospitals, health centers, schools, residential and nursing homes, private homes, and nurseries. First I will define each of them and then explain 6 hazards that may harm an individual. A hazard is something that is dangerous which can cause harm to you or any other individual and cause pain, especially if nothing is done to reduce the risk. Physical Environment Physical environment incorporates anything around ranging from different objects, people, pets, the temperature, buildings and also the air. This can have a great impact on the health of individuals and staff. If a room is not well ventilated with any windows so that there is fresh air flowing around, then the bacteria from different people with influenzas and cold can spread around the room and those germs when they sneeze or a cough can make it contagious for other people to catch very easily. Temperature is how hot or an object, subject or person is measured in degrees. Temperature can cause various complications to persons with disabilities, babies and older people because they find it difficult to sustain their body temperature, as it is very important to keep yourself wrapped up very warm to reduce the cold breeze from off of their body. It can cause bronchitis and other respiratory problems. Fumes and smoke that may be contaminated the air in the room because of fires (house fires, factory or building) or leakage (gas, petrol) can cause persons to inhale it and eventually die. Persons with very light skin who go to the beach or just going on picnics with residents or the residents themselves from within a care home may be exposing themselves to too much sun and not protecting their skin with sunblock or even a hat can which can cause skin cancer. Water that has been spilled and left on the ground can be a hazard to anyone in a care home as they may not see the water on the floor to avoid it and can slip and end up injuring themselves by damaging their spine or even fracturing their limbs. Blocked fire exists can be a hazard as it should be clear at all times in case of an emergency so that you are able to leave the building quickly. If the exits are blocked and persons try to run to that exist then they can run into the thing or even push down someone causing that indivi dual to be trampled on and fracture their ribs or have a head injury. Equipment You may find different equipment in a care home which can include overloaded sockets, wheelchairs, chairs, hot surface of a cup, broken piece of furniture, walking stick. These are equipment which is used daily in care homes. In a care, there may be certain things which you may need to plug in but overloading the sockets is not an option as the amount of energy that would be generating from the electricity can cause it to spark and go up in flames. Persons near these plugs may end up being burnt on any part of their body which may cause them to lose some of their skin or even death. Tripping over the cords if it is not properly protected by being covered over causing to cut their lips or fractures to some parts of their body or by even hitting their head onto something causing them to become unconscious and have brain damage. If persons use their wet hands to either plug in or out any plugs it can be very dangerous as they can be electrocuted these hazards may cause people to be trap ped in the building because the elderly are not able to move as quickly as they would like to. An elderly can be at risk of falling out of the wheelchair when being pushed if they are not safely secured to the chair. This may cause individuals to bruise or fracture themselves as elderly people are very fragile. If left in the way the wheelchair can cause someone to hit their feet into it causing bruising and swelling to the toes. Chairs can also be another set of hazards that can harm someone when left in the way as it can also injure their feet if they hit into it. This can cause bleeding, swelling, bruising and obviously pain to the individual’s feet. Broken equipment such as a chair that needs to be thrown out because it is weak if the chair is left in everyone’s way and one of the elderly sits in it the chair will give way causing the individual to land on the floor and have back injury or even shift their pelvis out of alignment. Sometimes these scales can be very serious and life-threatening as they will need to seek medical attention. When giving the elder ly anything that may be hot you have to be careful as it may burn their hands and they may end up dropping the tea or cup over their legs or hands causing it to scald them. This can cause blisters and charred, black or red skin. Sometimes in a care, an elderly person may be sitting down but does not put the walking stick out of anyone’s way. A carer or another elderly person may be passing and does not see the stick will end up tripping over the walking stick and hurt the elderly person’s feet causing pain and swelling to that individual and to the person that fell they may have bruising.

Culture and Cuisine Essay

Food is one of many factors that distinguishes one culture from another. It has been used for ceremonial purposes, sacrificial rituals, and some food even holds symbolic meaning based on religion. Why do people of the Jewish and Islamic faith choose not to eat pork? Why is wine and alcohol often associated with parties and celebrations? The origin of many of today’s cuisine and dining traditions can be traced back thousands of years, and often have a religious significance. Religion has influenced people’s food choices and traditions since ancient times, and much of its impact is still prominent in today’s world. In everyday life, it is easy for anyone to take note of religion’s presence in food and different types of cuisine. In grocery stores and supermarkets, foods are often labeled as â€Å"Kosher† or â€Å"Halal†; and with holidays such as Lent and Ramadan, it is clear that many traditions that began thousands of years ago are still important to people in today’s society. The ban of pork products within the Jewish and Islamic faith, for example, dates back to ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptians were known for having a strong dislike– perhaps even fear– of the pig. For this reason, pigs were never depicted in hieroglyphics, even though they were present. Believing that the animals carried parasites and leprosy, it was only Egyptians of the lowest social class who were swine herders, and they were banned from entering any temples or places of worship. Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat suggests that is why the pig has become a forbidden food source: That attitude could be at the root of the Jewish and Muslim prohibition of pig meat. Moses†¦ declared the animal unclean†¦ this taboo slowed down Islamic expansion into China, for the Chinese love pork as much as carp and ducks†¦ Today a certain amount of pig meant eaten in Europe, particularly ham, comes from China. (370) This shows how religion has influenced not only what a certain culture chooses to eat, but also how it has affected trade and migration patterns throughout the world’s development. It is clear that food can hold so much religious significance, that it can even prevent two cultures from integrating with each other, as shown by the lack of Islamic presence in China. With various religious beliefs, comes various opinions about certain foods. â€Å"†¦Patterns of behavior vary among followers of different religions, resulting from different norms† (Heiman, Just, McWilliams, and Zilberman). An example of clashing viewpoints is the difference between Greek, Muslim, and Chinese opinions about wine. The ancient Greeks are some of history’s greatest lovers of wine. They used wine for celebrations and believed it to be a drink of the gods as it was made by Dionysus, the god of wine. Alternatively, some Muslims forbade wine. This is most likely because of their fear of its effects, and drunkenness was looked down upon. There was, however, a Muslim mystic by the name of Nabulsi who declared that wine was the drink of divine love. Like Nabulsi, some chose to believe the Chinese proverb that states it is not wine that intoxicates– man is the one who becomes intoxicated, because he is weak (Toussaint-Samat 234). These different views of wine, or alcohol in general, is still evident today as some Muslims choose to drink it while some choose not to. In Christianity, wine is symbolic of the blood of Jesus, and holds significance particularly in the Catholic church for occasions such as communion. Symbolism, perhaps, is the most obvious connection between food and religion– it is not the food itself that is sacred or significant, but what it stands for. Michel Desjardins explores how food can be a symbol in different religions and cultures: At times, food also function symbolically– for example, when prayer before eating express thanks for divine concern, when the Passover meal commemorates mythic stories, or when the Arabic Muslim and Christian coffee ritual calls on the divine. Other times food is offered directly to deities†¦(153) Not only does religion affect what some people eat and do not eat, but also the types of meals that are made, the preparation, and the rituals that are paired with the food. Christian traditions involve praying before partaking in a meal, and Jewish customs call for elaborate feasts that are prepared by traditional methods. Another common use for food is sacrificing or offering certain foods to deities. Buddhists often present rice and or fruits to statues of Buddha– a long-standing religious tradition. Religion has greatly impacted the culinary world in the past, as well as today. The combination of religion and cuisine has proven to be deeply rooted in the history of mankind and the development of different cultures, as people all over the globe still maintain these traditions. Whether one is partaking in wine during communion, preparing Shabbat dinner, setting food before Buddha, or makes a lifelong decision not to eat pork, religion has an obvious presence in today’s society. Works Cited Desjardins, Michel. â€Å"Teaching about Religion with Food. † Teaching Theology and Religion. 3rd ed. Vol. 7. Oxford: Blackwell Ltd. , 2004. 153-58. Heiman, Amir, David Just, Bruce McWilliams, and David Zilberman. â€Å"Religion, Religiosity, Lifestyles and Food Consumption. † Ebscohost. Web. . Toussaint-Samat, Maguelonne. A History of Food. Paris: Wiley-Blackwell, 1992.