?Vincent is not a hero? Discuss :: essays research papers

Vincent is not a hero DiscussAndrew Niccol has created a character that is envisioned as being a struggler from the moment he was born, he was destined to play this role as soon as he was conceived naturally as he was to wear the label of God child for the rest of his life , this label determines they life style and quality of life he will corpus and the prospects are not good -They used to say that a child conceived in love has a enceinteer chance of happiness. They dont say that anymore. Niccol leads us to believe that Vincent is a man who has overcome the odds in order to achieve his dream in a society where individuality is an unrequited character and the ability to conform plus right DNA is all a person needs to succeed. What can easily be missed is the reality that in order to achieve his dreams he had to become a criminal which raises the question, is this man who is seen as a hero defiant of his opposition, worthy for our admiration considering the un-admirable form he h ad to take on to gain it?. The measures Vincent goes to, to achieve his dream of becoming an astronaught make him seem less of a hero than he is portrayed as, The idea of ever-changing your individuality from an invalid with problems that prevent one from leading a normal life, to taking on the identity of a Valid with a physical induce so perfect that you could go anywhere with his helix tucked under your arm, again lowers the opinion of his character and makes it difficult to separate his true identity to the false one he has taken on, Throughout the film Niccol makes it hard to distinguish which parts of Vincents personality actually are, we see many instances where Vincent shows admirable qualities such as him romantically letting go of a strand of Irenes hair and saying the wind caught it . But this incident could also psychologically be a way of ensuring if Irene ever had a piece of him, that she would do the same and his identity would be protected. His personality as we kn ew it before he took on Eugenes identity portrayed him as lonely dreamer. He was the stereotypical outcast down to finest detail. He sat by himself, ate by himself , dreamt of great things and in true Hollywood style left home and took on the job that all people take when they have nothing left, a cleaner.

From Unilineal Cultural Evolution to Functionalism Essay examples -- e

From Unilineal Cultural Evolution to FunctionalismSeveral anthropological theories emerged during the early twentieth century. Arguably, the most important of these was Functionalism. Bronislaw Malinowski was a prominent anthropologist in Britain during that time and had great influence on the development of this theory. Malinowski suggested that individuals have certain physiological needs and that floricultures develop to meet those needs. Malinowski saw those needs as world nutrition, reproduction, shelter, and protection from enemies. He also proposed that there were other basic, culturally derived needs and he saw these as being economics, social control, education, and policy-making organization Malinowski proposed that the culture of whatsoever people could be explained by the functions it performed. The functions of a culture were performed to meet the basic physiological and culturally derived needs of its individual constituents. A. R. Radcliff-Brown was a contemp orary of Malinowskis in Britain who also belonged to the Functionalist school of thought. Radcliff-Brown differed from Malinowski quite markedly though, in his approach to Functionalism. Malinowskis emphasis was on the individuals within a culture and how their needs do that culture. Radcliff-Brown thought individuals unimportant, in anthropological study. He thought that the various aspects of a culture existed to keep that culture in a stable and constant state. Radcliff-Brown cerebrate attention on social structure. He suggested that a society is a system of relationships curbing itself through cybernetic feedback, while institutions are orderly sets of relationships whose function is to maintain the society as a system. Goldschmidt (1996) 510 At the same time as the theory of Functionalism was developing in Britain the theory of Culture and Personality was being positive in America. The study of culture and personality seeks to understand the growth and development o f personal or social identity as it relates to the surrounding social environment. Barnouw (1963) 5. In other words, the personality or psychology of individuals fundament be studied and conclusions can be drawn about the Culture of those individuals. This school of thought owes frequently to Freud for its emphasis on psychology (personality) and to an aversion to the racist theories that were popular within A... ...ture, and as he reveals elsewhere, his conception of a social structure concentrates on the political institutions, the economic institutions, the kinship organization, and the ritual life. Carrithers (1992) 12-33. However, Carrithers thought that Radcliff-Brown displayed an orientation to diversity which in important respects is fundamentally similar to Benedicts. Carrithers (1992) 12-33. They both took the internal sciences as a model of knowledge and thought that such knowledge could be applied to a culture occurring any place or any time in history. Carrit hers goes on to note that Benedict, representing the school of Culture and Personality and Radcliff-Brown representing the Functionalists had their work criticized, and built upon by later generations of anthropologists. Eric Wolfs criticisms of the functionalist approach can be seen as building upon the body of knowledge accumulated up to that time. ReferencesAnthropology 103 Text. 2000. Unpublished University of Otago, Dunedin.Abbink, Jan & Hans Vermeulen eds. 1982 History and Culture Essays on the Work of Eric R. Wolf. Amsterdam Het Spinhuis.Barnouw, captain (1963) Culture and Personality.

The way Homer conveys his stories to the audience :: Literature

The Way home run Conveys his Stories to the AudienceHomer who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey used a number of different techniques to convey his poems and stories to his audience. I will be writing virtually these in this essay.Right from the beginning of Book 9 we see Homers ability to convey the story well, he starts it with a monologue from Odysseus to fairy Alcinous on his adventure. It gets right into the action which wouldve held his audiences interest throughout. He finds ways to get a turn justifying things by pushing Odysseus right out of the known world round Cape Malea into the unknown. He is then allowed to create a fictional world, another dimension where he cant be corrected. He creates islands and peoples, whole civilisations of monsters. This I count is an excellent example of Homers good composition.He also digresss all these stories together from old folk tales and although there are some slight mistakes he was reciting it by mouth so couldnt just press the b ackspace key he had to carry on even if he had made a mistake. The cyclops story and others were probably not told together like they are in the Odyssey, they wouldve been told by different groups and tribes around fires. So this is another example of well Homer composes the whole story into one massive epic poem which is the Odyssey.Another example of his good composition is how he makes the whole thing into a formula, in formulaic epithet. Not many people could probably do that straight away. He sometimes goes on auto-pilot by using the same phrases. E.g. As currently as Dawn appeared, fresh and rosy-fingered. This shows another good example of Homers composition excellence.Homer does make mistakes though, he sometimes when trying to weave the folk tales gets them jumbled up and doesnt correct them. E.g. The Cyclops then washed this meal down with unwater systemed milk It was not normal then to water milk and isnt now. We believe Homer made this mistake purposefully, as in the o riginal the Cyclops may have been drinking wine scarcely that would mean the rest of the story wouldnt work so he quickly replaced wine with milk but didnt get rid of unwatered.

The Dreamers of The Glass Menagerie :: Glass Menagerie essays

The Dreamers of The Glass Menagerie      The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams shows the attempt of twopeople to fit into society, Tom and Laura, and how society wouldnt accept them.They were the hallucinationers that were unjustly kept out and you may even go as far asto say persecuted into staying out and aloof like the other dreamers which areforced to become outcasts and not contribute to the actions of all.      Tom and Laura, the two dreamers, were pushed by their mom, Amanda, to herframe of headway and the thoughts of a hard working society. They both stumbled onthe fire escape which served as a gateway, physically and mentally. Tom had theproblem of fitting in at the warehouse were he worked, because is the warehousereally a place for someone like him and his mind rebelled. Lastly you can seehow society forced them to alternate and Laura to lose her status in order to fitin with Jim and thats shown by the horn breaking. Tom the n realizes that andleaves which causes him to change too. Tennessee Williams artfully depicted this.      The fire escape. A downtrodden red thing off the sides of buildings showingsocieties ineffectual escape from itself. In this case it served as a passagewaybetween the real world and the dream one that Laura and Tom were living in athome. Both somehow stumbled both physically and mentally. When Laura said Imall right. I slipped but Im all right(47). She was trying to pass to the realworld to do a real job and couldnt because of societies inability to accepther and her ways. She wasnt inexpugnable enough to make the trip by herself, butneeded the moral support of the other dreamer in the area, which was Tom whocame running out. Tom is the one who stumbles mentally in his inability to bearat the escape, which would be his way out of the place. He was always losing hisstrength while out there smoking and looking out into the world. Recognizing thesounds and tr ying to attach but unable to. He was forced away and unable tobring up the strength inside himself to go out and leave and to stay strong as adreamer. Forced by society to use it as a gateway instead of just keeping it thesame and just a mode of transportation to go down.      Every night you hear Tom say, Im going to the movies (42). He uses thatas an escape of the imagination which is what made him a dreamer.

How Thomas Hardy Suggests that this is a Moment of Transformation Essay

How Thomas Hardy Suggests that this is a Moment of Transformationfor Bathsheba EverdeneThomas Hardy is able to suggest to us that this is a arcminute oftransformation for Bathsheba Everdene, due to a number of factors.Thomas Hardy uses both the elements as well as the actions of SergeantTroy to help us construe the reasons behind Bathshebastransformation and the way in which it comes about.Thomas Hardy uses the setting of Bathsheba and Troys meeting to itsfull potential. Bathsheba goes to meet the sergeant at the bottom of apit, which has a saucer like shape and is naturally formed, with atop diameter of about thirty feet. There are ferns growing all overthe hills near by, nevertheless at the bottom of the slope into the pit theferns cease to grow and instead there is a thick flossy carpet ofmoss and grass intermingled. The ferns play an essential disunite in thetransformation of Bathsheba, and we are almost immediately introducedto their role within the chapter. The ferns are p ersonified in a waythat allows them to share some of Bathshebas soft, sensual qualities.The ferns are described as radiant and diaphanous, and the way inwhich their soft, feathery arms caress Bathsheba as she makes herway through them informs the reader that this chapter will be one ofseduction. Hardy alike informs us that this chapter will be full ofaction by the way, in which the sky is described to have a sense ofactivity within. The sun is shown as bristling ball of gold whichhas long, luxuriant rays which sweep over the tips of the ferns. Allof these elementary factors play an important part within thischapter, but the role that the light plays within this chapter is withalmore so.The light is... ...episode is a new experience froBathsheba and this makes her exploratory character enlivened withexcitement. The fact that she is so effectively in danger, she findsit enthralling, fun and wild, predominantly because this is her send-offreal affair, and her first kiss. We are kep t in a large amount ofsuspense over the kiss, and the effects which the kiss have Bathshebaare immense, Her livestock beats, and she feels powerless, and has manymixed emotions. She even cries and is unsure if what she has committeda sin.As one can see Bathsheba has changed a great deal during thisencounter with Troy. She has had her human beings turned upside and feelsvery confused, and her strong unemotional barrier has been broken, shehas fallen into the enchantment of a man, and is totally lost. Thismeeting will affect her forever more, and is a major incident of thenovel.

How Thomas Hardy Suggests that this is a Moment of Transformation Essay

How Thomas uncompromising Suggests that this is a Moment of Transformationfor Bathsheba EverdeneThomas Hardy is able to suggest to us that this is a moment oftransformation for Bathsheba Everdene, due to a number of factors.Thomas Hardy uses both the elements as well as the actions of SergeantTroy to help us understand the reasons behind Bathshebastransformation and the way in which it comes about.Thomas Hardy uses the setting of Bathsheba and Troys meeting to itsfull potential. Bathsheba goes to meet the sergeant at the bottom of apit, which has a saucer like shape and is naturally formed, with atop diameter of about thirty feet. There ar ferns growing all overthe hills progress by, but at the bottom of the slope into the pit theferns cease to grow and instead there is a thick flossy carpet ofmoss and grass intermingled. The ferns play an inbred part in thetransformation of Bathsheba, and we are almost immediately introducedto their role at heart the chapter. The ferns are pers onified in a waythat allows them to share some of Bathshebas soft, stifling qualities.The ferns are described as radiant and diaphanous, and the way inwhich their soft, feathery arms caress Bathsheba as she makes herway through them informs the reader that this chapter will be one ofseduction. Hardy also informs us that this chapter will be full ofaction by the way, in which the sky is described to have a sense ofactivity within. The cheer is shown as bristling ball of gold whichhas long, luxuriant rays which sweep over the tips of the ferns. Allof these elementary factors play an important part within thischapter, but the role that the light plays within this chapter is evenmore so.The light is... ...episode is a new experience froBathsheba and this makes her exploratory character enlivened withexcitement. The fact that she is so effectively in danger, she findsit enthralling, fun and wild, preponderantly because this is her firstreal affair, and her first kiss. We are kept in a large amount ofsuspense over the kiss, and the effects which the kiss have Bathshebaare immense, Her blood beats, and she feels powerless, and has manymixed emotions. She even cries and is unsure if what she has committeda sin.As one can see Bathsheba has changed a great deal during this encounter with Troy. She has had her world turned upside and feelsvery confused, and her strong unemotional barrier has been broken, shehas fallen into the enchantment of a man, and is totally lost. Thismeeting will affect her eer more, and is a major incident of thenovel.

Blood Promise Chapter Five

The rest of the trip passed un evetfully. Sydney never entirely lost that discomfort she seemed to perplex around me, secure some clock, while I was trying to figure bulge out Russian television, shed take the time to explain what was issue on. There were some ethnical differences between these shows and the ones wed both(pre zero(prenominal)inal) grown up with, so we had that in common. Every once in a while, shed crack a grin all over something we both found funny, and Id sense there was psyche in there I could possibly be friends with. I knew there was no mood of life Id ever start a replacement for Lissa, only if I think some part of me still longed to fill the void of friendship that had been opened up when I left(p) her behind.Sydney napped throughout the day, and I began to think she was estimable an insomniac with bizarre sleep patterns. She also continued her equ all toldy odd treatment of food, hardly soupcon her meals. She always let me have the leftovers a nd was a bit more adventurous with Russian cuisine. Id had to experiment when I first arrived, and it was nice to have the guidance of someone who, though not a local, knew a lot more roughly this res publica than me.On the third day of our trip, we arrived in Omsk. Omsk was a larger and prettier urban center than Id expected of Siberia. Dimitri had always teased me that my images of Siberia looking resembling Antarctica were wrong, and I could tell that he was right-at least as far as the southern part of the arna was concerned. The weather wasnt much different from what Id have found in Montana this time of year, cool spring air occasionally warmed by sunshine.Sydney had told me when we got there, shed enamour us a ride from some Moroi she knew. Several lived in the city, blending in with the large population. Yet as the day went on, we discovered a problem. No Moroi would take us to the village. Apparently, the road was dangerous. Strigoi often hung out near it at night, h oping to catch traveling Moroi or dhampirs. The more Sydney explained it, the more worried I became almost my plan. Apparently, there werent many Strigoi in Dimitris town itself. According to her, they lurked on the towns periphery, s railrailway carce hardly a(prenominal) lived out there permanently. If that was the case, my odds of decision Dimitri had dropped. Things got even worse as Sydney continued describing the situation.A lot of Strigoi travel the country looking for victims, and the village is just an area they pass through, she explained. The road is shape of remote, so some Strigoi allow for stay for a while and try to get easy prey. Then they move on.In the U.S., Strigoi often hide in large cities, I express uneasily.They do that here too. Its easier for them to take victims without creation noticed.Yes, this definitely threw a wrench into my plans. If Dimitri wasnt residing in this town, I was going to have some serious problems. Id known Strigoi desire big cit ies, solely somehow, Id convinced myself Dimitri would return to the place where he grew up.But if Dimitri wasnt there well, suddenly, the enormity of Siberia hit me. Id learned Omsk wasnt even the biggest city in the region, and finding even one Strigoi here could be hard. Looking for him in any number of cities that baron be larger? Things could get very, very ugly if my hunch over proved wrong.Since setting out to find Dimitri, Id occasionally had weak moments in which I half-hoped Id never find him. The idea of him as a Strigoi still hurt me. I was also visited by some other images images of the way hed been and memories of the time wed spent together.I think my most precious memory was of just out front he was turned. It was one of those times when Id sucked up a lot of the life- bring on darkness from Lissa. Id been out of control, unable to get a grip. I was xenophobic of becoming a monster, afraid of killing myself like another shadow kissed guardian had.Dimitri had b rought me back to myself, lending me his strength. Id realized then just how strong our connection was, how perfectly we understand apiece other. Id been skeptical just about people being soul mates in the last(prenominal), but at that moment, I knew it was true. And with that emotional connection had come a somatogenetic one. Dimitri and I had finally given in to the attraction. Wed sworn we never would, but well, our feelings were just too strong. Staying away from each other had turned out to be impossible. Wed had sex, and it had been my first time ever. Sometimes I felt certain(p) it would be my only time.The act itself had been amazing, and Id been unable to separate the physical joy from the emotional. Afterward, wed lain together in that small cabin for as long as we dared, and that had been amazing too. It had been one of the few moments where Id felt he was truly mine.Do you mark Victors lust jinx? I had asked, snuggling closer against him.Dimitri looked at me like I was crazy. Of course.Victor Dashkov was a royal Moroi, one who had been friends with Lissa and her family. Little did we know that hed secretly studied spirit for years and had identified Lissa as a spirit user before she even knew. Hed straind her with all sorts of headspring games that truly made her think she was going crazy. His schemes had fully culminated in his kidnapping and torturing her until she healed the disease that was killing him.Victor was now in prison for life, both for what hed done to Lissa and because of his treasonous plans for revolt against the Moroi government.He had been one of the few to know about my relationship with Dimitri, something that had worried me to no end. Hed even furthered our relationship by creating a lust magnetize-a necklace infused with earth and compulsion. The charm was full of dangerous magic that had made Dimitri and me give into our most basic instincts. We had pulled back at the last moment, and until our night in the cabin, I had seed our charm induced encounter to be the ultimate physical high.I didnt realize it could get better, I had told Dimitri after wed actually slept together. I felt a little shy talking about it. I thought about it all the time what happened between us.He turned to me, tugging the covers up. The cabin was cold, but its bed had warm blankets. I suppose we could have spew clothes on, but that was the last thing I wanted to do. Being pressed skin-to-skin felt too good.I did too.You did? I asked, surprised. I thought I dont know. I thought you were too disciplined for that. I thought youd try to forget it.Dimitri laughed and kissed my neck. Rose, how could I forget being in the raw with someone as beautiful as you? I stayed awake so many nights, replaying every detail. I told myself over and over that it was wrong, but youre impossible to forget. His lips travel to my collarbone, and his hand stroked my hip. Youre burned into my mind forever. There is nothing, nothing in this w orld that will ever change that.And it was memories like that that made it so hard to insure this quest to kill him, even if he was a Strigoi. Yet at the same time, it was exactly because of memories like that that I had to destroy him. I needed to remember him as the man whod loved me and held me in bed. I needed to remember that that man would not want to stay a monster.I wasnt very phrenetic when Sydney showed me the car shed bought, particularly since Id given her the money for it.Were going in that? I exclaimed. Can it even make it that far? The trip was apparently seven hours.She gave me a shocked look. Are you serious? Do you know what this is? Its a 1972 Citroen. These things are amazing. Do you have any idea how hard it would have been to get this into the country back in the Soviet days? I cant believe that guy actually sold it. Hes clueless.I knew little about the Soviet era and even less about classic cars, but Sydney stroked the shiny red hood like she was in love. Wh o would have guessed? She was a car geek. Maybe it was valuable, and I just couldnt appreciate it. I was more into sleek, brand-new sports cars. To be fair, this car didnt have any dents or rust, and aside from an outdated look, it appeared clean and well cared for.Will it exercise? I asked.If possible, her expression grew even more incredulous. Of courseAnd it did. The engine sprang to life with a steady hum, and with the way it accelerated, I started to understand her fascination. She wanted to drive, and I was about to argue that it had been my money that bought it. Seeing the adoring look on her face, though, I finally decided not to come between her and the car.I was just beaming we were leaving right away. It was already late afternoon. If the road was as dangerous as everyone claimed, we wouldnt want to be out there while it was dark. Sydney agreed but govern we could get most of the trip in before sundown and then stay overnight at a place she knew. Wed arrive at our des tination in the morning.The farther we drove from Omsk, the more remote the terrain became. As I studied it, I began to understand Dimitris love of this land. It had a scrubby, barren look, true, but spring was turning the plains green, and there was something hauntingly beautiful about seeing all this untouched wilderness. It reminded me of Montana in some ways yet had a certain quality that was all its own.I couldnt help but use Sydneys crush on the car as a imagines of conversation. Do you know a lot about cars? I asked.Some, she said. My dads the Alchemist in our family, but my moms a mechanic.Really? I asked, surprised. Thats kind of unusual. Of course, I was hardly one to talk about sexual activity roles. Considering my life was dedicated to fighting and killing, I couldnt really claim to have a traditionally feminine job either.Shes really good and taught me a lot. I wouldnt have minded doing that for a living. Wouldnt have minded going to college, either. There was a bitte r note in her voice. I guess there are a lot of other things I wish I could do. wherefore cant you?I had to be the next family Alchemist. My sister well, shes older, and usually its the oldest kid who has to do the job. But, shes kind of worthless.Thats harsh.Yeah, maybe. But she just couldnt handle this kind of thing. When it comes to organizing her lip gloss collection, shes unstoppable. But managing the kinds of net wees and people we do? No, shed never be able to do it. Dad said I was the only one capable of it.Thats a compliment, at least.I guess.Sydney looked so sad now that I felt bad for bringing it up. If you could go to college, what would you study?Greek and Roman architecture.I decided then it was a good thing I wasnt behind the wheel, because I probably would have drive off the road. Seriously?You know anything about it?Um, no.Its amazing. The sad expression was replaced by one of wonder-she looked nearly as enamored as shed been of the car. I understood then why shed liked the train station. The ingenuity it took for some of that well, its just unreal. If the Alchemists wont send me back to the U.S. after this, Im hoping Ill get assigned to Greece or Italy.That would be cool.Yeah. Her smile faded. But there are no guarantees youll get what you want with this job.She fell silent after that, and I decided that coaxing her into this small conversation had been conquest enough. I left her to her own thoughts of classic cars and architecture while my mind wandered to topics of my own. Strigoi. Duty. Dimitri. Always DimitriWell, Dimitri and Lissa. It was always a toss-up over who would cause me more pain. Today, as the car lulled me into a daze, it was Lissa I went to, thanks largely to Adrians recent visit in my dream.Early evening in Russia meant early morning in Montana. Of course, since the school day ran on a nocturnal schedule, it was technically night for them too in spite of the sunshine. It was nearly curfew, and everyone would have to retu rn to their own dorms soon.Lissa was with Adrian, over in his elbow room in guest housing. Adrian, like Avery, had graduated, but as the only other known spirit user, hed come to stay indefinitely at the school and work with Lissa. Theyd just spent a long, exhausting evening working on dream walking and sat on the floor facing each other. With a sigh, Lissa collapsed back and lay down, stretching her arms over her head.This is useless, she groaned. Im never going to learn it.Never took you for a quitter, cousin. Adrians voice was as flippant as usual, but I could tell he was weary too. They werent really cousins that was just a term royals sometimes used with each other.I just dont understand how you do it.I dont know how to explain it. I just think about it, and well, it happens. He shrugged and pulled out the cigarettes he always carried. Do you mind?Yes, she said. To my surprise, he put them away. What the hell? Hed never asked me if I minded if he smoked-which I did. In fact, h alf the time, I swore he did it to annoy me, which made no sense. Adrian was way departed the age when guys tried to attract girls they liked by picking on them.He tried to explain the process. I just think about who I want and sort of I dont know. Expand my mind toward them.Lissa sat up and crossed her legs. Sounds a lot like how Rose described reading me. likely the same principle. Look, it took you a while to learn auras. This is no different. And youre not the only one with a learning curve. Im only now finally moving past healing scratches, and you can bring back the dead, which-call me crazy-is kind of hard-core. He paused. Of course, some would argue that I am actually crazy.At the mention of auras, she studied him and summoned the power to see the field of light that shone around every living thing. His aura came into focus, surrounding him in a golden glow. According to Adrian, her aura was the same. No other Moroi had that kind of pure gold. Lissa and Adrian figured it wa s unique to spirit users.He smiled, guessing what she was doing. Hows it look?The same.See how good you are at it now? Just be patient with the dreams.Lissa wanted so badly to walk dreams the same way he could. Despite her disappointment, I was glad she couldnt. Adrians dream visits were hard enough on me. Seeing her would well, I wasnt entirely sure, but it would make this cool, hard attitude I was trying to importanttain in Russia a lot harder.I just want to know how she is, said Lissa in a small voice. I cant stand not knowing. It was the conversation with Christian all over again.I truism her the other day. Shes fine. And Ill go again soon.Lissa nodded. Do you think shell do it? Do you think she can kill Dimitri?Adrian took a long time in answering. I think she can. The question will be if it kills her in the process.Lissa flinched, and I was a bit surprised. The answer was as blunt as one Christian might give. God, I wish she hadnt decided to go after him.Wishings useless now . Rose has got to do this. Its the only way we can get her back. He paused. Its the only way shell be able to move on.Adrian surprised me sometimes, but this took the prize. Lissa thought it was foolish and suicidal to go after Dimitri. I knew Sydney would agree if I told her the truth about this trip. But Adrian silly, shallow, party-boy Adrian understood? Studying him through Lissas eyes, I realized he actually did. He didnt like it, and I could hear the hurt in his words. He cared about me. My having such strong feelings for someone else caused him pain. And yet he truly believed that I was doing the right thing-the only thing I could do.Lissa looked at the clock. Ive got to go before curfew. I should probably study for my history test, too.Adrian grinned. Studyings overrated. Just find someone smart to copy off.She stood up. Are you saying Im not smart?Hell no. He rose also and went to pour himself a drink from the fully stocked bar he kept on hand. Self-medicating was his irres ponsible way of saveing spirits effects at bay, and if hed been using spirit all night, he would want the numbness of his vices. Youre the smartest person I know.But that doesnt mean you have to do spare work.You cant succeed in life if you dont work. Copying from others wont get you anywhere.Whatever, he said with a grin. I copied all through school, and look how well Im doing today.With an eye roll, Lissa gave him a quick hug goodbye and left. Once out of his sight, her smile faded a bit. In fact, her thoughts took a decidedly dark turn. Mentioning me had stirred up all sorts of feelings within. She was worried about me-desperately worried. Shed told Christian that she felt bad about what had happened between us, but the full force of that didnt hit me until now. She was racked by guilt and confusion, continually reprimand herself for what she should have done. And above all, she missed me. She had that same feeling I did-like a part of her had been cut out.Adrian lived on the fourth floor, and Lissa opted for the stairs rather than the elevator. All the while, her mind spun with worry. Worries about whether shed ever master spirit. Worry for me. Worry that she wasnt currently feeling spirits dark side effects, which made her wonder if I was absorbing them, just as a guardian named Anna had. Shed lived centuries ago and was bonded to St. Vladimir, the schools namesake. Shed absorbed spirits nasty effects from him-and had been driven insane.On the second floor, Lissa could make out the sounds of shouting, even through the door that stray the stairwell from the hallway. Despite knowing it had nothing to do with her, she hesitated, curiosity getting the best of her. A moment later, she quietly pushed the door open and stepped into the hall. The voices were coming from around the corner. She carefully peered around it-not that she needed to. She recognized the voices.Avery Lazar stood in the hallway, hands on her hips as she stared at her father. He stood in the doorway to what must have been his suite. Their stances were situated and hostile, and anger crackled between them.Ill do what I want, she yelled. Im not your slave.Youre my daughter, he said in a voice both calm and condescending. Though at times I wish you werent.Ouch. Both Lissa and I were shocked.Then why are you making me stay in this hellhole? Let me go back to dallyAnd embarrass me further? We barely got out without damaging this familys reputation-much. No way am I going to send you there alone and let you do God knows what.Then send me to Mom Switzerlands got to be better than this place.There was a pause. Your mother is busy.Oh, nice, said Avery, voice heavy with sarcasm. Thats a polite way of saying she doesnt want me. No surprise. Id just interfere with her and that guy shes sleeping with.Avery His voice rang out loud and angry. Lissa flinched and stepped back. This conversation is done. Get back to your room and modify up before someone sees you. I expect you at breakfast tomorrow, and I expect you to be respectable. We have some important visitors.Yeah, and God knows weve got to keep up appearances.Go to your room, he repeated. Before I call Simon and make him drag you there.Yes, sir, she simpered. Right away, sir. Anything you say, sir.And with that, he slammed the door. Lissa, ducking back behind the corner, could hardly believe hed said those things to his own daughter. For a few moments, there was silence. Then, Lissa heard the sound of footsteps-coming toward her. Avery suddenly rounded the corner and stopped in front of Lissa, giving us our first good look of her.Avery was wearing a tight, short dress made of some kind of blue fabric that shone silvery in the light. Her whisker hung long and wild, and the tears pouring from her blue-gray eyes had destroyed the heavy makeup she wore. The scent of alcohol came through loud and clear. She hastily ran a hand over her eyes, obviously embarrassed at being seen like this.Well, she said flatly. I guess you overheard our family drama.Lissa felt equally embarrassed at being caught spying. I-Im sorry. I didnt mean to. I was just passing byAvery gave a harsh laugh. Well, I dont think it matters. Probably everyone in the building heard us.Im sorry, Lissa repeated.Dont be. You didnt do anything wrong.No I mean, Im sorry he you know, said those things to you.Its part of being a ?good family. Everyones got skeletons in their closet. Avery crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. Even upset and messy, she was beautiful. God, I hate him sometimes. No offense, but this place is so fucking boring. I found some sophomore guys to hang with tonight, but they were pretty boring too. The only thing they had going for them was their beer.Why why did your dad bring you here? Lissa asked. Why arent you I dont know, in college?Avery gave a harsh laugh. He doesnt trust me enough. When we were at Court, I got involved with this precious guy who worked there-total nonroyal, of cours e. Dad freaked out and was afraid people would find out. So when he got the job here, he brought me along to keep an eye on me and torture me. I think hes afraid Ill run off with a human if I go to college. She sighed. I swear to God, if Reed wasnt here, Id just run away, period.Lissa didnt say anything for a long time. Shed gone out of her way to avoid Avery diligently. With all the orders the queen was giving Lissa lately, this seemed the only way Lissa could fight back and stop herself from being controlled. But now, she wondered if shed been wrong about Avery.Avery didnt seem like a spy for Tatiana. She didnt seem like someone who wanted to mold Lissa into a perfect royal. Mostly, Avery seemed like a sad, hurting girl, whose life was spinning out of control. Someone who was being ordered around as much as Lissa was lately.With a deep breath, Lissa rush along forward with her next words. Do you want to eat lunch with Christian and me tomorrow? No one would mind if you came to ou r lunch period. I cant promise itll be, um, as exciting as you want.Avery smiled again, but this time, it was less bitter. Well, my other plans were to get drunk by myself in my room. She lifted a bottle of what looked like whiskey out of her purse. Scored some stuff of my own.Lissa wasnt entirely sure what kind of an answer that was. So Ill see you at lunch?Now Avery hesitated. But slowly, a faint reflect of hope and interest appeared on her face. Concentrating, Lissa tried to bring up her aura. She had a little difficulty at first, probably worn out from all the commit with Adrian tonight. But when she was finally able to get a grip on Averys aura, she saw it was a mix of colors green, blue, and gold. Not uncommon. It was currently ringed in red, as often happened when people were upset. But right before Lissas eyes, that redness faded.Yeah, Avery said at last. That would be great.I think this is as far as we can go today.On the other side of the world, Sydneys voice startled me out of Lissas thoughts. I didnt know how long Id been daydreaming, but Sydney had turned off the main highway and was driving us into a small town that fit perfectly with my backwoods images of Siberia. In fact, town was a total exaggeration. There were a few scattered houses, a store, and a gas station. Farmland stretched beyond the buildings, and I saw more horses than cars. The few people who were out stared at our car in amazement. The sky had turned deep orange, and the sun was sinking farther and farther into the horizon. Sydney was right. It was nearly nightfall, and we needed to be off the road.Were only a mates hours away at most, she continued. We made really good time and should get there pretty quickly in the morning. She drove to the other side of the village-which took, like, a minute-and pulled up in front of a plain white house with a barn beside it. Heres where were staying.We got out of the car and approached the house. Are these friends of yours?Nope. Never met them. But theyre expecting us. more(prenominal) mysterious Alchemist connections. The door was answered by a friendly looking human in her twenties who urged us to come inside. She only spoke a few words of English, but Sydneys translation skills carried us through. Sydney was more outgoing and charming than Id seen her thus far, probably because our hosts werent despicable vampiric offspring.You wouldnt think riding in a car all day would be tiring, but I felt exhausted and was anxious to get an early start in the morning. So after dinner party and a little TV, Sydney and I went to the room that had been prepared for us. It was small and plain but had two twin beds covered in thick, fluffy blankets. I draw close into mine, grateful for the softness and the warmth, and wondered if Id dream of Lissa or Adrian.I didnt. I did, however, wake up to a slight wave of unwellness rolling through me-the nausea that told me there was a Strigoi nearby.

Comparative Study on Singapore vs Indian Higher Education System Essay

Abstract In the world of globalization al near every(prenominal) country in the world wants their didactics strategy to be the best, so their students can obtain the necessary skills and knowledge taught by the give instructions/universities that meets the ch exclusivelyenges of the 21st century. The present denomination explores how capital of capital of Singapore and Indian way of high culture system works in which way both the countries differ and how they are leading in the case of high education and it in any case highlight the different pathway that leads to the students progression from their nursery to doctorate degree.1. 0 Indian education system The University teaching method Report had set goals for development of high education in the country. While articulating these goals Radakrishnan Commission on University description, 1948-49 put it in following words The most important and urgent reform needed in education is to transform it, to endeavor to relate it to the life, demand and aspirations of the people and at that placeby make it the powerful instrumentate of social, economic and cultural transformation necessary for the realization of the depicted object goals.For this purpose, education should be developed so as to subjoin productivity, achieve social and national integration, accelerate the process of modernization and cultivate social, moral and spiritual values. Indias higher education system is the third largest in the world, after China and the get together States. The main governing body at the tertiary level is the University Grants Commission (India) is a statutory organization established by an Act of Parliament in1956 for the coordination, role and maintenance of standards of university education.Apart from providing grants to eligible universities and colleges, the Commission also advises the Central and State Governments on the measures, which are necessary for the development of higher education. Central Gove rnment is responsible for major policy relating to higher education in the country. It provides grants to University Grants Commission (UGC) and establishes central universities in the country. The Central Government is also responsible for declaration of Education Institutions as Deemed to be University on the recommendation of the UGC.Accreditation for higher learning is overseen by 12 autonomous institutions established by the University Grants Commission. At the end of the third course of XI Plan (2009-10), the shape of Universities has g unmatchable up to 493 (42 Central, 130 Deemed and 316 State Universities and 5 Institution established under Special State Legislature Acts) and the number of Colleges to 31,324, thence registering an increase of 36% in the number Universities and 48% in the case of Colleges in comparison to the figures at the end of X Plan (31. 03. 2007). During the academic year 2009-10, there had been 146.25 lakhs (provisional) students go intoed in var ious courses at all levels in universities/colleges and other institutions of higher education as compared to 136. 42 lakhs in the previous year, registering an increase of 7. 2 per cent. Out of 146. 25 lakhs, 60. 80 lakh had been women students, constituting 41. 6 per cent. The comparative trend of good students enrolment and enrolment of women students, among states during 2009-10 had been increase.The enrolment of women students, in terms of dictatorial numbers, had been the highest in the state of Uttar Pradesh (8. 4 lakhs), followed by Maharashtra (7. 8 lakhs), Andhra Pradesh (6.1 lakhs), Tamil Nadu (5. 2 lakhs) etc. In terms of percentages, Goa accounted for the highest percentage of 59%, followed by Kerala (57%), Punjab and Meghalaya (51%) etc. indicating the handedness of girl students over boys in these states and A&N Islands (52%), Chandigarh (51%), Puducherry (50%) among the Union Territories. (Annual Report, University Grant Commission (UGC, 20092010)).The enrolment p osition in the academic year 2009-10 reveals that legal age of students in the higher education system had been enrolled for a variety of courses at the under-graduate level. The students at this level constitute provisionally 86.55 per cent of the conglomeration number of students in colleges and universities put together. The percentage of students enrolled for Masters level courses had been 11. 49 per cent while a very small proportion i. e. 0. 89 per cent of the total number of students had been enrolled for research. Similarly, only 1. 15 per cent of the total number of students had been enrolled in diploma/certificate courses. As regards the distribution of students enrolment mingled with universities and affiliated colleges, the largest number of students in the higher education system had been enrolled in affiliated colleges.Ab break through 90. 24 per cent of all the under-graduate students and 70. 83 per cent of all the post-graduate students had been enrolled in the af filiated colleges, while the remaining had been in the universities and their constituent colleges. (Annual Report, University Grant Commission (UGC, 2009-2010)). 115 IRACST- transnational journal of Research in Management & applied science (IJRMT), ISSN 2249-9563 Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012 There has in fact been spacious improvement in the higher education scenario of India in both quantitative and qualitative terms.In skillful education, the IITs, and in management, the IIMs experience already marked their names among the top higher educational institutes of the world. Moreover the Jawaharlal University and Delhi University are also regarded as good higher educational institutes for doing postgraduates courses and research in science, humanities and social sciences. As a result, students from various parts of the world are coming straight off for higher education in India. Apart from these higher education institutes there are several private institutes in India that offer various professional courses in India.According to the Department of higher Education, government activity of India, there are total enrolment of students (146. 25 lakhs), 42. 01% students had been in the faculty of Arts, followed by 19. 30% in Science and 17. 83% in job/ Management. then, 79. 14% of the total enrolment had been in the three faculties of Arts, Sciences and Commerce / Management while the remaining 20. 86% had been in the professional faculties indicating the highest percentage in Engineering. / engine room (10. 33%), followed by Medical courses (3. 48%), etc. In the academic year 2009-2010, the total number of teachers in universities and colleges had been 6.99 lakhs as compared to 5. 89 lakhs teachers in the previous year. Out of 6. 99 lakhs teachers, 86% teachers had been in Colleges and the remaining 14% in University Departments / University Colleges (Annual Report, University Grant Commission (UGC, 2009-2010)). accounting, teaching, medicine, law, agriculture, vete rinary, polytechnic and others. 1. 2 The Current Scene India is today one of the fastest developing countries of the world with the annual growth rate going above 9%. In order to sustain that rate of growth, there is need to increase the number of institutes and also the quality of higher education in India.Therefore the Prime Minister of India has announced the establishment of 8 IITs, septet Indian bring ins of Management (IIMs) and five Indian Institutes of Science, Education and Research (IISERs) and 30 Central Universities in his speech to the nation on the 60th Independence Day. The outlay for education during the 11th Five Year Plan, which runs from the current fiscal to 2012-13, represents a quartet-fold increase over the previous plan and stands at Rs 2500 billion. 1. 3 Advantages of Indian higher educationWith India emerging as a global hub for commercialised R&D (India Today International, 3 Oct 2009), R&D within the stage setting of high Education has gained great er importance. Now, the country is fast emerging as a major centre for cutting-edge research and development (R&D) projects for global multinationals such as Microsoft and Motorola as strong as Indian firms. More and more companies in industries ranging from IT and telecommunications through pharmaceuticals and biotech are setting up ambitious R&D projects, in part to serve the Indian market, but also with an eye to delivering new generations of products faster to the global market.It has been stated that 150 international firms have set up R&D centers in India and in 2004 US patents office granted over 1000 patents to Indian units of US companies. India has developed one of the largest systems of higher(prenominal) Education in the world with over 493 universities and 6500 vocational colleges catering to rough 10 million students. India provides a big market and playing field for private initiatives at both the national and international levels. It is very rich in human resource s, in terms of quantity as well as quality.Statistics from the Indian census bureau shows, over 35% of our community is below the age of 20. By 2020, it is expected that 325 million people in India volition reach working age, which will be the largest in the world. This will come at a time when the rest of the developed world will be faced with an ageing population were as India with its bourgeoning middle configuration people who are willing to invest in quality higher education will be an asset for Indias growth in education.No wonder that foreign universities from the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore are vying for students from India. India, too, is trying to attract students from neighboring countries. It is also willing to cater to the needs of the Indian Diaspora. Many non-resident Indians are now sending their wards to India for professional education in the fields of medicine, engineering, and business management. For them, higher education in India i s both efficient and culturally rich. 1. 1 Pathway of learning in Indian education systemThe Indian Education System is comprised of six stages nursery, primary, secondary, higher secondary, graduation & post-graduation. information prior to university lasts 12 years. Higher education in India starts after passing the higher secondary education or the 12th standard. However, there are considerable differences surrounded by the various states in terms of the organizational structures within these first 12 years of tameing. The government is committed to ensuring universal elementary education (primary and upper berth primary) education for all children aged 6-14 years of age.These various stages of Education, set by the Indian Education Ministry, are instrumental in an individuals growth. Thus to encounter consistency in the overall development of the individual, first 12 years of education are made canonical for all. start and Post Graduation though depends upon persons acad emic interest. Depending on the stream, doing graduation in India can take three to five years. Postgraduate courses are generally of both to three years of duration. After completing post graduation, scope for doing research in various educational institutes also remains open.(See the table 1. 0 for details) Education system in India covers almost all kinds of careers right from health services, management, mass media, legal services, social science, home science, fine arts to environmental science, administrative services, port courses, vocational courses, engineering, technology and 116 IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN 2249-9563 Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012 If TeamLease Services were to be believed, by 2025 India will be noble possessor of a workforce equivalent to a quarter of the worlds human resource capital.This positive forecast comes with a rider. A written report conducted by the staffing firm, TeamLease Services, suggests India has to harness the latent talent of its young and productive population to achieve this goal. As per the India Labour Report 2009 released by Teamlease Services in coaction with IIJT Education, the India can achieve a per capita income of USD 4,100 (approximately Rs 187,554 at an exchange rate of Rs 45. 74 per dollar). The report says this is not impossible if a labourfriendly atmosphere is in place.The study suggests near drastic reforms in the labour policy. The report says, If we harness this dividend by 2025, India will not only have 25 per cent of the worlds total workforce, but our per capita income will be USD 4,100. The report further adds This would rise to USD 9,802 in 2040 and USD 20,836 in 2050. This will finally put poverty in the museum it belongs. higher education. The pro-high technology policy of the government has invited billion of dollars of foreign investment in the fields of biotechnology, IT and research.The Ministry of Education (MOE) is responsible for controlling the development and administration of the schools and various government-funded educational institutions. In case of private schools, the MOE plays a crucial supervisory and advisory role. Education mainly revolves around the interests of the students. The teaching and pedagogical system follows a flexible glide slope that helps the students in developing their potentials and aptitudes. Source Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore The Singapore education system aims to provide students with a holistic and broad-based education.Given the multi-cultural and multi-racial characteristics of Singapore, the bilingual policy is a key lark slightly of the Singapore education system. under(a) the bilingual policy, every student learns English, which is the common working language. Students also learn their mother tongue language (Chinese, Malayan or Tamil), to help them retain their ethnic identity, culture, heritage and values. The mission of the MOE is to mould the futur e of the nation, with a vision of Thinking directs, Learning Nation.Since 2003, Singapore has also focused on nurturing a spirit of Innovation and Enterprise (I&E) among students and teachers. Teach Less, Learn More (TLLM) was a call for all educators to teach better, improve the quality of interaction between teachers and students, and equip students with the knowledge, skills and values that prepare them for life Yearbook of Statistics Singapore, 2011. For both public and private schools there are variations in the extent of the autonomy in their computer program and the scope of government aid and funding.Students in primary school do not pay school fees, while students at secondary and Pre University levels pay subsidized school fees. The Ministry of Education aims to help their students to discover their own talents, to make the best of these talents and realize their full potential, and to develop a passion for learning that lasts through life. They have been contemptible i n recent years towards an education system that is more flexible and diverse. The aim is to provide students with greater choice to meet their different interests and ways of learning. world able to choose what and how they learn will encourage them to take greater ownership of their learning. They are also giving their students a more broad-based education to ensure their all-round or holistic development, in and out of the classroom. Singapore currently has three autonomous universities, with a fourth slated to open in 2012. They are the internal University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore Management University (SMU). The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) will be Singapores fourth autonomous university.It is developed in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Zhejiang University. SUTDs mission is to advance knowledge and nurture technically grounded leaders and 1. 4 Issues for Indian Higher education India is existence projected as a would-be super-power by the year 2020 at the same time, higher education, which is growing at the rate of 20% per annum worldwide, is being counted as one of the most important ingredients in knowledge-based economies. India therefore faces a big challenge in achieving its goals in this respect.Private initiatives in higher education are not only feasible, but also desirable, if India is to meet the target of 20% of its youth in the age group of 17-23, as against 7. 2% today. The government has not been able to attain the desired level of literacy during the last 65 years. At the time of independence, the literacy level was just 14% Indias target is a 100% literacy rate by 2020. At present there are 300 million expectant illiterates in India and only 60 million out of 170 million children at the primary school level are able to make to secondary education.Out of these 160 million, only 9 million make it to post-secondary education. According to a recent report by Asian brokerage and investment group CLSA, Indias education and training market is value at $40 billion and is growing rapidly. It is expected to be a $70 billion industry by 2012. Primary education (K-12) makes up about half of the market. However, India continues to face challenges. Despite growing investment in education, 35% of the population is illiterate and only 15% of the students reach high school Source India distillery Asias reluctant tiger, by Zareer Masani of BBC Radio 4, 27 February 2008.As of 2008, Indias post-secondary high schools offer only enough seats for 7% of Indias college-age population, 25% of teaching positions nationwide are vacant, and 57% of college professors lack either a masters or PhD degreeSource SPECIAL REPORT THE EDUCATION RACE, by Newsweek, dire 1825, 2008 issue 2. 0 Singapore Education System Apart from enjoying a status of famous shopping and tourism destination, Singapore is also emerging as a place for pursuing 117 IRACS T- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN 2249-9563 Vol. 2, No.1, 2012 innovators serve societal needs.This will be accomplished with a focus on Design, through an integrated multidisciplinary curriculum and multi-disciplinary research. The university is expected to open its doors in April 2012, with its campus constructed by 2015. A graduate medical school, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, was also created through a partnership between Duke University School of Medicine and NUS to increase Singapores capacity to develop a vibrant biomedical hub. Specialized institutions have also sprung up, both local and international.For instance, well-known business schools University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and INSEAD, New York University Tisch School of the Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang honorary society of Fine Arts (NAFA) provide specialized education in the arts, and the Digipen Institute of Technology focuses on w orld-class technology education. In addition, polytechnics were also set up to train middle-level professionals and their main aim is to educate and nurture their students to excel in work and in life, and to equip young as well adult learners with skills and knowledge to enhance their employability in the market.A total of five polytechnic schools (Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, and Republic Polytechnic) were established in Singapore to cater to students those who passed the secondary school and those who are interested in learning more technical subjects with hands on training. Most of the diplomas offered are three years duration and their course curriculum is designed to meet the industry needs. Last, but not the least the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) was established as a post-secondary technical institution of excellence.The basic purpose of the institute is To Create Opportunities for School Leavers and Adult Le arners to Acquire Skills, Knowledge and Values for Lifelong Learning in a Global Economy Mission statement ITE. The Institute of Technical Education campuses were reorganized under the Collegiate system into 3 major colleges around the island, ITE College Central, ITE College West, ITE College East. You may also choose to send your children to one of the over 300 private education institutions in Singapore. Private schools offer a large variety of courses, including language and professional programmes.When choosing a private school, do make sure it has proper accreditation. The EduTrust for Education and Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organizations are two hallmarks of quality implemented in Singapore. Under the MOE, The Higher Education Division (HED) oversees the provision of tertiary and technical education in Singapore as well as registration of private schools. It oversees nightspot statutory boards five Polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) , the Science Centre Singapore (SCS), the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) and the Council for Private Education.HED also oversees the development of four autonomous universities (the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University, the Singapore Management University and the Singapore University of Technology and Design). (See the table 1. 0 for details) More details can be found in MOE website. 2. 2 The current scene The proposed vision of Singapore education is to develop a self-sustaining education ecosystem offering a diverse and distinctive prance of quality educational services to the world, thus becoming an engine of economic growth, capability development and talent attraction for Singapore.Education ecosystem refers to a cluster of inversely reinforcing, complementary education institutions which vary in terms of student enrolment numbers, country of origin, cultural environment, nature of activity, academic level, academic discipline/s ubjects, research interests and price. This mesh topology of institutions will raise education standards, create more choice for Singapore students and enrich the overall student experience. Singapore has placed an essential emphasis on education. This can be seen from the fact that education spending forms at least 20% of the budget of Singapore.Primary education has become compulsory for all the citizens of Singapore and if parents fail to enroll their children into school, it is considered a criminal offence. Singapores public schools maintain high standards of teaching and learning. According to the World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness Report 2009/2010, Singapore was ranked 1st internationally for the quality of our educational system. Singapore was also rated as one of the worlds best performing education system, with an excellent teaching force, according to the McKinsey & Company 2007 report How the Worlds Best-Performing School Systems Come Out on Top. enrollment in educational institutions, see table below Yearbook of Statistics Singapore, 2011 2. 1 Pathway of learning in Singapore education system According to the system, students in Singapore generally undergo six years in primary school and four to five years in secondary school. They can then enroll in post-secondary institutions, pre-university courses, or move on to the polytechnics. Eligible students are subsequently given the opportunity to enroll in the universities. Source Ministry of Education, Institute of Technical Education, Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic,118 IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN 2249-9563 Vol. 2, No.1, 2012 Temasek Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, National Institute of Education, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University and Singapore Institute of Technology. Note Data for primary, secondary and junior college exclude privat e schools. 2. 3 Advantages of Singapore higher education Singapore has several competitive advantages that position it well as a global education hub.These include a strategic geographical location, reputation for educational excellence, a vibrant business hub (which presents opportunities for institutional-industry collaboration), and a golosh and cosmopolitan environment. Singapore can capture a larger share of the global educational market (estimated at US$2. 2 trillion), and increase educational services contribution to GDP from the existing 1. 9% of the GDP to a projected 3 to 5% in 10 years. Source Executive Summary growth Singapores Education Industry Prepared by the Education Workgroup.About 120 of the 353 primary and secondary schools in Singapore have around form of exchange programmes which allow students to visit overseas schools. In 2005, the Ministry of Education set up a SGD 4. 5 million School Twinning farm animal to still 9,000 primary and secondary school stu dents to participate in these exchange programmes, particularly in ASEAN countries, China and India. Source Forss, Pearl (2005-10-13). Education Ministry sets up $4. 5m fund to facilitate student exchange programmes. Channel News Asia.Singapore Government aims to increase the numbers of foreign students studying in Singapore from the current 97,000 to 150,000 by 2015. found on current statistics, approximately one-fifth of those applying through UCAS are third-country nationals mainly from mainland China, India, Malaysia and Indonesia. Singapore is aggressively moving forward to become an education service supplier in the region, the Economic learning Board has also continued to pursue brand-name foreign universities to set up specialized campuses to serve an international market from Singapore.The number of students studying for foreign qualifications in-country Transnational (TNE) programmes was 36,700 in 2001. According to latest HESA TNE data for 2009/10 the number of stude nts studying for a UK qualification in Singapore is 42,715 The majority of these are delivered in partnership with local private institutions. According to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) done in 2006, cited by MOE in a 2007 survey by the Fraser Institute, Singapore was ranked fourth among 45 education systems.Dr Kishore Mahbubani, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS, also proudly claimed that educational leaders around the world are flocking to Singapore to copy Singapores successful educational model. He said that somewhat North American schools are even using similar textbooks as those used in Singaporean schools. While Singapore is clearly proving to be a popular destination for students from Asia, small numbers of students from Europe, the United States, and Australia are also choosing to study in Singapore.Many international students consider Singapore to be a comfortable introduction to Asia, providing both the chance to get a Western education at a leading institution and become familiar with Chinese language and business practices as well closer to their home country. Moreover, most MNCs have their regional base here and with Singapore positioned as the business and commercial capital of the region, job opportunities for graduating students are aplenty.Given the better job prospects that Asia currently offers as compared to the US and Europe, it is likely that Asian students will continue to pursue their higher studies within the region and more specifically in Singapore. This is a win-win situation for all the students, Singapores education industry and the companies based in the city-state. September 22, 2009, in Doing Business in Singapore 2. 4 Issues for Singapore Higher education Critics of the education system, including some parents, state that the education system is too specialized, rigid, and elitist.Often, these criticisms state that there is miniscule emphasis on creative thinking, unlik e education systems in other societies, such as those in the States. Those defending the current education system pourboire out that Singaporean student have regularly ranked top when competing in international science and mathematics competitions and assessments. Detractors believe this is more an indication of students skills in using rote to prepare for a certain style of competition or examination than of their ability to think critically.There have also been complaints about excessive educational streaming at a young age. A popular local film, I Not Stupid, highlights the competitiveness of the system and the social blade that students struggling with studies have to face. The best students are streamed into the best and normal classes, while the others are streamed into the foundation class, where teachers usually allow them to get worse, since they are part of the ungifted class Sourcehttp//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Education_in_Singapore Development_and_future_plans.Singapor es Ethnic Education Problems The problem is a serious and persistent one. Figures from the Education Ministry show that while Singaporean exam results have increased across the board over the last decade, the stark disparities between the city-states main three ethnic groups remain. In 2008, just 59. 3 percent of Malay students achieved 5 passes at O-level, the exams taken by 15 and 16-year-olds, compared to 86. 2 percent of Chinese and 73 percent of Indians.Source Written by Ben Bland, Feb 2, 2010 in http//www.asiasentinel. com 119 IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN 2249-9563 Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012 Overview of the Singapore vs. Indian Education System Table 1. 0 Conclusion I understand that I have different ways of thinking and different mindsets compared with most people. My comments only show my perspective, not an absolute authoritative assessment of the situation. I admit to have a certain level of subjectivity due to my previous inv olvement in the system and my limited set of experiences.Progression pathway for the students might be different from county to county but what is the key in higher education is who provides better service with high quality education at affordable rate is in high demand worldwide. 120 IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN 2249-9563 Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012 REFERENCES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Blackwell, Fritz (2004), India A Global Studies Handbook, United States of America ABC-CLIO, Inc. , ISBN 1-57607-348-3.Vrat, Prem (2006), Indian Institutes of Technology, Encyclopedia of India (vol.2) edited by Stanley Wolpert, 229231, Thomson Gale ISBN 0-684-31351-0. Department of Education, Government of India, http//www. education. nic. in/higedu. asp http//www. indiaedu. com/education-india/higher-education. html Annual Report Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India 2006-2007. plan Report of Working Group on Higher Education for the XI Pla n, Planning Commission, Government of India (2007) Selected Educational Statistics 2004-2005 (as on September 2004), Ministry of Human Resource Development Government of India (2007) Agarwal, P (2006), Higher education in India The need for change.New Delhi, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations. URL www. icrier. org/publication/working_papers_180. html. Higher Education in India-Restructuring for increased innovation, Document prepared for the World Bank, June 2006. 10 UGC Chairmans Nehru Memorial Lecture, University of Mumbai, Nov. 24, 2006 (available on the Web) 11 UGC Annual Report 2004-05, 2006-2007, 2009-2010 12 Wikipedia, (2008). 13Educationworld, 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Content_analysis The Human Development Magazine, www.educationworldonline. boodle Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore (www. moe. gov. sg) Singapore Education (2010), Government of Singapore, http//www. singaporeedu. gov. sg Crescent Achievements (2006) Co-Curricular Activities Singapore found at http//www. crescent. edu. sg/achievements/cca. htm Ministry of Education, (2004)A Broader Picture of Schools Performance in Academic and Non Academic Domains found at http//www. moe. gov. sg/press/2004/pr20040924b. htm Contact Singapore,(2010) http//www. contactsingapore. sg/investors/live/education/ http//www.channelnewsasia. com/stories/singaporelocalnews/vi ew/294891/1/. html.http//www. asiasentinel. com/index. php? option=com_content&ta sk=view&id=2318&Itemid=195 AUTHORS profile NaganathanVenkatesh obtained his Degree and a Master degree in Computer Science from University of Madras, India as well he also holds another Masters Degree in Human Resource Management and presently he is pursing PhD in Computer Science & Engineering from University of Madras, India. As Research Scholar, from NITTTR(National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research.

George Orwell’s Politics and the English Language vs. Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal: Essay

George Orwells Politics and the side of meat Language and Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal are strains from two different times the former written in 1946, and the latter in the 18th century. Both essays acquire to spark peoples attention and address important dry landal issues of their countries.Politics and the English Language basically presents Orwells opinion about the then-current tell apart of the English Languagethat it was decaying, retributive like what was happening to civilization at that time. He attributed the decay of the English Language to politics and economics, arguing that it is non just the fault of the writer that his words lack precision and has stale imagery, but it is rooted from political and economic ca usances, saying an effect can become a cause, reinforcing the original cause and producing the same effect in an intensified form.On the separate hand, A Modest Proposal For Preventing The Children of Poor People in Ireland From creation Aburden to Their Parents or Country, and For Making Them Beneficial to The Public presents Swifts satirical critique of the English and Irish government, wherein he sarcastically suggested that in order for the Irish government to solve the national issues of poverty and overpopulation, they moldiness sell the children of the poor, specifically one-year old babies, as food for the wealthy Irish and English people.He presented staggering calculations and economic strategies on how to achieve necessary solutions to end their national problems. He argued that the use of poor children as food for the wealthy will lop the countrys population and improve the condition and living state of the poor Irish people because of the increased income they will get from selling their children.The points in which these two essays try to impose on their readers are much influenced by what was going on in their respective countries at the time the famous literary pieces were written. In Swifts time, which was t he early 18th century, several astounding issues were present in Ireland that struck Swift and led him to write his famous essay. wiz of these is the oppressive treatment of the Catholic peasants of Ireland by the English, which resulted in the peasants of Ireland to be experience extreme poverty. Swift published his essay as a pamphlet.On the other hand, Orwells essay was written in 1946, a time when Britain was in a hazy after-war state. Therefore political speeches were prevalent at that time writers and speakers, as observed by Orwell, lack precision in their words and has a stale imagery in their messages.The way the two authors attacked their respective adversaries (in Swifts case, the Irish government, and in Orwells, political writers and all writers in English in general) are completely different in a variety of ways. There is operative amount of diversity of their style of writing even though they have the same goal in general, which is, in a shallow point of view, to sp ark, devour holdgrope peoples attention through their essays to get them to read intently what the message of their essays bring.In terms of the persona of the essay, Orwell attacked writers as a linguist, analyzing what was faulty behind the use of language of writers in his time. The essay even has a persona of an English language instructor, as Orwell pointed out rules that he proposed everyone must use when writing(i) Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.(ii) Never us a long word where a short one will do.(iii) If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.(iv) Never use the passive where you can use the active.(v) Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can find of an everyday English equivalent.(vi) Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.Meanwhile, Swift attacked the Irish government in the persona of an economist, calculating how much contribution of the population will be decreased in case his proposal is applied, and other economic statistics in his time. A part of his essay presents then-current statistics of the kingdom of Ireland The soma of souls in this kingdom being usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate thither may be about two atomic number 6 thousand couple whose wives are breeders from which number I subtract thirty thousand couples who are able to maintain their own children, although I apprehend there cannot be so many, under the present distresses of the kingdom but this being granted, there will remain an vitamin C and seventy thousand breeders. I over again subtract fifty thousand for those women who miscarry, or whose children die by accident or disease within the year. There only remains one hundred and twenty thousand children of poor parents annually bornThe essays also differed in the type of language their authors used. Orwells Politics and the English Language used typograph ical error language. He said his points straight and direct, with no figurative speech whatsoever. Neither did he used euphemisms in criticizing the words and sentences and essays of the writers who, according to him, are faulty in their use of the English languageThese five passages have not been picked out because they are especially bad I could have quoted far worse if I had chosen but because they illustrate various of the mental vices from which we now suffer. They are a little below the average, but are fairly representative examples. I number them so that i can refer back to them when necessary1. I am not, indeed, sure whether it is not true to say that the Milton who once seemed not unlike a seventeenth-century Shelley had not become, out of an experience ever more bitter in each year, more alien sic to the founder of that Jesuit sect which nothing could induce him to tolerate.Professor Harold Laski (Essay in Freedom of Expression)On the other hand, the language of Swifts essay, A Modest Proposal, is entirely figurative. The essay is classified as a political satire, incorporated with much sarcasm and irony. His irrational argument, which is to use the babies of poor families in Ireland as food for the wealthy English and Irish people, intensified by exaggeration, is actually a metaphor to attack the policies of the Irish government at that time.and therefore whoever could find out a fair, cheap, and comfortable method of making these children sound, useful members of the commonwealth would deserve so well of the public as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nationa young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or change state and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout.

Great Divergence primary themes and main arguments by Timothy Noah Essay

abundant variability primary themes and main arguments by herds grass NoahIntroduction The nearly spectacular change in American society in the preceding(a) generation roughly since Ronald Reagan was elected president has been the increase in the inequality of income and wealth. Timothy Noahs The Great Divergence Americas Growing Inequality Crisis and What We Can Do About It, a good general guide to the subject, tells us that in 1979 members of the much discussed one per cent got nine per cent of all personal income. Now they loll a quarter of it. The gains have increased the farther up you go. The meridian tenth of one per cent get about ten per cent of income, and the top hundredth of one per cent about five per cent. term the Great Recession was felt most severely by those at the bottom, the recovery has hardly benefitted them. In 2010, ninety-three per cent of the years gains went to the top one per cent. Since rich people ar poorer in votes than they are in dolla rs, youd say that, in an election year, the ninety-nine per cent would look to political sympathies to get back some of what theyve lost, and that inequality would be a big issue. So far, it hasnt been. Occupy Wall Street and its companion movements briefly spurred President Obama to become more populist in his rhetoric, but in that respects no sign that Occupy is going to turn into the kind of political host that the Tea Party movement has been. There was a period during the Republican primary campaign when Romney rivals like Newt Gingrich tried to take votes from the front-runner by bashing Wall Street and private equity, but that didnt last long, either. Politics does feel sour and contentious in ways that seem to flow from the soils economic distress. Yet much of the ambient discontent is directed toward government the government that kept the recession from turning into a depression. Why isnt politics about what youd expect it to be about? Traditionally, class figured le ss in politics in America than in most other Western countries, supposedly because the United States, though more economically unequal, and rougher in tone, was more socially equal, more diverse, more democratic, and better at bragging(a) ordinary people the opportunity to rise. Thats what Alexis de Tocqueville show in the eighteen-thirties, and the argument has had staying power. It has also been wearing thin. During the five decades from 1930 to 1980, economic inequality decreased significantly, without imperiling American exceptionalism. So its especially hard to put a good face on the way inequality has soared in the decades since. Even if you think that all a good society requires is according to the debatable conservative mantra equal opportunity for every citizen, you ought to be a little shaken right now. Opportunity is more and more tied to education, and educational performance is tied to income and wealth, when it comes to social mobility between generations, the Unite d States ranks near the bottom of developed nations. Noah writes from what might be called a neo-progressive standpoint. Like the reliable progressives, he seeks to blend an emotional and moral commitment to the causes of the left with the intellectual rigor of the best available economic and social science research. As in the case of the original progressives, the result is a powerful, if sometimes flawed, perspective that is likely to influence the course of American debates on issues of economic insurance policy and justice. Noahs of import contention is that government policy can and should do more to reverse the trend toward greater income inequality that has developed in the United States since 1979. Some of his policy prescriptions, such as substituting carbon taxes and appraise-added taxes for the deeply regressive payroll tax, could win bipartisan support others would have to await much larger republican majorities than currently exist in Congress. Still, although th e analysis in this relatively short and very accessible book is necessarily incomplete, and some of its contentions are more powerfully stated than convincingly argued, The Great Divergence is an excellent guide to the emerging center-left economic policy consensus likely to inform Democratic Party thinking and policymaking for some time to come. In The Great Divergence, the journalist Timothy Noah gives us as fair and comprehensive a summary as we are likely to get of what economists have learned about our growing inequality. Noah is concerned about why inequality has widened so markedly over the last three to four decades, what it core for American society and what the country can and, he argues, urgently should do about it. As he catchs clear, what has mostly grown is the gap between those at the top and those in the middle. The principal influences on inequality that Noah examines include the failure of Americas schools to keep pace with the step-up in skills that advancing engineering demands from our ride force Americas skewed immigration policy, which inadvertently brings in more unskilled than skilled immigrants and thereby subjects already lower-income workers to greater disputation for jobs rising competition with China, India and other low-wage countries, as changing technology enables Americans to buy ever more goods and even services produced overseas the failure of the federally mandated token(prenominal) wage to keep up with inflation the decline of labor unions, especially among employees of private-sector firms and what he sees as an anti-worker and anti-poor attitude among American politicians in general and Republicans in particular. along the way, he enlivens what might otherwise be a dry recounting of research findings with fast-paced historical vignettes featuring colorful characters like the novelist Horatio Alger, the labor leader Walter Reuther and the production line lobbyist Bryce Harlow. Whats to blame, then, for Americas widening inequality? Leaving aside the politicians, Noah reviews economic research supporting the familiar hypotheses. Indeed, each of them is probably part of the explanation. solely the goal of research in a policy-oriented inquiry like this one is quantitative establishing just how much of the explanation to assign to separate influences one by one, even if all of them contribute to the story. We want not merely to portion out the blame but to know what to do, and different explanations call for different remedies. It would make little sense, for example, to invest huge sums in reforming K-12 education and reducing the cost of college if the mismatch between graduates skills and what the economy requires accounts for simply a small part of the problem. By contrast, if my Harvard colleagues Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz are right that education is the core of the issue (Noah draws extensively on their recent research, especially their aptly titled book The Race Between precept and Technology), then what and how we teach young Americans should be at the top of the agenda. It is not Noahs fault that economic research has yet to reach consensus on how much of the blame for inequality to place on which explanation, and it is to his credit that he does not try to portray a consensus that is not there. His summary of what we know from the germane(predicate) research is faithful to what the researchers have found. Part of the problem here, which The Great Divergence also accurately conveys, is the tension inherent in concentrating on the American view of a worldwide phenomenon. As Noah makes clear, inequality is increasing almost everywhere in the industrialized and postindustrial world, even if the increase has been much greater in the United States. We request to know how much weight to give to America-centric explanations like the shortcomings of our schools or our immigration ashes or the demise of unions. But to understand a global trend, we would li ke a more universal explanation. Noahs own explanation is, in effect, all of the above, and his policy recommendation is therefore to take legal action on all fronts. His chief concern is the fear that ever widening inequality will undermine our democracy Americans believe fervently in the value of social equality, and social equality is at risk when incomes become too dramatically unequal growing income inequality makes it especially difficult to maintain any(prenominal) spirit of e pluribus unum. He rightly emphasizes that while the potential for individuals to move up is essential to what makes inequality acceptable, at least to most Americans, economic mobility in the United States is now more limited than it appears to have been in earlier times and contrary to the popular image more limited than in some(prenominal) other countries. (It also matters that in America today incomes are becoming more unequal at the same time that most families incomes have been stagnant for mo re than a decade after allowing for inflation a point that Noah notes but does not emphasize.) How much inequality can the Republic stand sooner the social and political fabric frays? Noah does not answer the question, in part because he doesnt know, but mostly because he feels he doesnt need to. Youd have to be blind, he writes, not to see that we are headed in the wrong direction, and weve been heading that way for too long. The worst thing we could do to the Great Divergence is get used to it. What economics terms the Great Divergence has until now been treated as little more than a public lecture point, a club to be wielded in ideological battles. But it may be the most important change in this country during our lifetimes-a sharp, fundamental permutation in the character of American society, and not at all for the better. The income gap has been blamed on everything from computers to immigration, but its causes and consequences call for a patient, non-partisan exploratio n. In The Great Divergence, Timothy Noah delivers this urgently needed inquiry, ignoring political rhetoric and drawing on the best work of contemporary researchers to peer beyond conventional wisdom. Noah explains not only how the Great Divergence has come about, but why it threatens American democracy-and most important, how we can begin to reverse it. Fortunately, however, we might comfort ourselves by knowing that the United States trunk a land rich in opportunity much as it was in the past, unique among nations in its lack of a rigid class coordinate and its social mobility. But wed be deceiving ourselves. In The Great Divergence, Timothy Noah of The New Republic posits that, since 1979, there has been a particularly extreme divergence in income inequality in the United States. Noah synthesizes the work of economists, political scientists, and sociologists to argue that income inequality has increased, and that this is not good for American society. In the books final chapt er, he advocates specific actions and policies that he believes would help reverse this trend. His suggestions are largely politically progressive intents, including increasing taxes on the super-rich, bolstering the federal workforce, and breaking up the too-large-to-fail banks. While there are likely some conservative-libertarian policy wonks that would be amenable to his proposal to break up the large banks, few would likely support Noahs proposal to revive organized labor. The author takes the title of the work comes from a phrase used by Paul Krugman, an outspoken advocate for Keynesian stimulus, in his 2007 book, The moral sense of a Liberal. Noah defines the Great Divergence as a socio-economic phenomenon as one not primarily involving the poor. Rather, it is about the difference between how people lived during the half one C preceding 1979 and how they lived during the three decades after 1979. The story he tells, however, is not just about income inequality it is about diminishing access to the top. According to Noah, over the past several decades, opportunities for upward social mobility have not increased. Unlike some pundits who rehash talking points, Noah commendably cites ample scholarship to support his claim. In The Great Divergence, the endorser learns that the United States now offers its citizens less intergenerational economic mobility than northern and western sandwich European nations. (I would venture, however, that the United States still allows for greater social mobility for children of first-generation immigrants than do Scandinavian and other western European countries.) Noah also highlights an intriguing sociological finding which indicates that Americans tend to overestimate the degree to which American society fosters upward socio-economic mobility. Notable within the pages of The Great Divergence then is the fact that Noah challenges Paul Ryan for an October 2011 speech in which the Wisconsin Congressman contrasted what he perceived to be American social mobility with a rigid European social welfare state class structure. Ryan, according to Noah, had it exactly backward. In truth, European countries now offer more social mobility than the United States. While Noah penned his study of income inequality preliminary to Mitt Romneys choosing Ryan as his running mate, The Great Divergence takes on a more salient political implication in this new found context. So what caused the Great Divergence? According to Noah, the Great Divergence did not result from prejudice against African-Americans or women. The failure of the American educational system to worthy the demand for higher skilled workers is part of the story, as is trade with low-wage nations such as China and the increase of business lobbying in Washington. The decline of organized labor also played a role. Noah also refers to the rise of extremely wealthy (stinking rich, in his parlance) as a separate and distinct phenomenon that can be th ought of as the Great Divergence, Part 2. The last several decades have been witness to the emergence of what are, in essence, new social classes within the top 1%, namely the top 0.1% and the top 0.01%. Wall Street, according to Noah, played a substantial role in the emergence of these extremely wealthy individuals. Top income shares are rising faster in the United States than in other developed countries. Overall, Noah may succeed in persuading the reader in that income inequality not only is on the rise and that it is problematic for society. He is less convincing in his policy proposals to remedy the situation. To be fair, he does rightly acknowledge that many an(prenominal) of his proposals, many of which are further to the left than President Obama, are not politically salable today. Noah could have bolstered his work, and perhaps the reception to it, had he offered a list of concrete and specific policies that would both reverse income inequality and be palatable to a larg e slice of the American electorate. The work also suffers from the fact that it is largely a summary of other scholars work, much of it very technical making it less accessible to a general audience that it deserves to be. In conclusion, one can think of The Great Divergence as a plea to the American public to recognize that income inequality is a problem. It is also to acknowledge that social mobility is no drawn-out operating the way in which it used to. I would contend that the frustration that many Americans feel with Washington in many ways reflects the fact that the system is not producing the same results as it did for peoples parents and grandparents. Income inequality currently is a topic of concern among the countrys economists, political activists, and pundits. Whether it will be a broadly discussed national concern remains to be seen. It would be heartening to see at least one moderator in the upcoming presidential debates ask each of the candidates where they stood o n the topic of income inequality.ReferencesNoah, Timothy. The great divergence Americas growing inequality crisis and what we can do about it. New York, NY Bloomsbury, 2012. Print. stinker of FormSource document

Making a Case for Premarital Education

Based on current information gathered from empirical analysis, professional/public opinion, and rational debate, Stanley (2001) constructed four arguments that support an increased pick up for antenuptial counseling. The arguments were presented for the plausible benefits of engaging in antenuptial preventive efforts on a broad scale (Stanley, 2001, p. 272). The authors arguments include 1. Using prenuptial strategies to slow couples down in an effort to allow them time get to know one another better before jumping into marriage. . Using premarried counseling strategies to emphasize the importance of the marital union and the long-term family and societal consequences attached to the decision to marry. 3. The use of premarital strategies will demonstrate that there argon resources available to assist couples when they start to experience marital disagreement. 4. Couples participation in premarital education programs ar less likely to have marital problems and are less likely t o divorce (Stanley, 2001).Stanley (2001) presents the arguments as possible look programs that could be studied further to help develop a better understanding of what strategies disregard be implemented to lower and/or prevent divorce and decrease marital distress. Scott Stanley makes some compelling arguments for the motivation of premarital counseling and drifts emphasis on all of society taking an attitude of prevention in regards to developing strategies to effectively deal with the high divorce rate and high levels of marital discord that our country is currently battling.While the arguments have a sound basis are very rational, they lack validity from empirical research. Stanley (2001) acknowledges the need for much empirical research is needed to determine how to successfully prevent marital distress for society as a whole and lower the current divorce rates. Silliman and Schumm (2000) support the need for more research on this topic when they discuss how further attenti on to theoretical frameworks to guide premarital counseling is needed although the research and practice of premarital counseling have already been established.A high rate of divorce is one of many social problems matching society today. Stanley (2001) states, it is estimated that approximately 40% or more of new marriages among the younger generation will eventually end in divorce (p. 272). There currently seems to be a push to put things in put in to help prevent marital and family breakdown and the suggestion that couples should be required to undergo premarital education to help improve and prevent marital distress.Risch et al (2003) support the use of premarital counseling when they state, marriage preparation programs have been used by practitioners and couples for decades, generally speaking programs aim to enhance the whole step and stability of marriages and the content is chosen with this goal in mind (p. 2). This preventative approach is an area that is receiving much attention worldwide as some political units are requiring premarital counseling as a agent to reduce divorce and strengthen families (Stahmann, 2000, p. 104).It is certainly advantageous to have preventative programs in place to assist couples who make a commitment to the union of marriage. This union affects the couple directly, their growing family, their separate families, and society as a whole. Premarital counseling strategies stinkpot be viewed as societys commitment towards promotion and the attainment of a happy and healthy life. Anything preventative should be viewed as worth(predicate)while means to the end. While new research is being developed, there is a lot to say for taking the necessary steps to put preventative measures in place to deal with what is currently known about the topic.Premarital counseling should be viewed as a practice to promote general health to the entire family system. The preventative measures associated with these strategies net cleanse the entire family system as they can assist in the decrease in marital discord and divorce, which have a cause and affect relationship with domestic violence, child abuse, and mental health issues related to the consequence of a broken marriage. This is a good example of how an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (Benjamin Franklin).