Monday, September 30, 2019

Two Explanations of Depression

Describe and evaluate two psychological explanations of depression. (25 marks) There have been several psychoanalytical theories of depression; there is no objective view of depression. However, centre to all these different theories is the idea that unconscious forces and experiences during early childhood contribute to the development of depression in adult life. The first theory that will be looked at is, Sigmund Fraud’s theory, based on his 1917 essay ‘Mourning and Melancholia’. Here, Fraud related depression back to the Oral stage of development during childhood.The Oral stage, according to Fraud, this is the first of several psychosexual stages through which human infants develop towards maturity. It is characterised by dependency on their caregiver. It is possible to become fixated (stuck) at any one of these stages and this has consequences for later development. Fixation can occur as the result of either over-or under-gratification. This very dependant na ture makes them particularly venerable to depression in their adult life. They spend energy, money and more looking for love and attention and approval of others, this could lead to anger if their needs aren’t met.However, this anger is directed inwardly, at themselves instead of at others. An example of this is with the loss of a loved one, their anger is directed inwardly at the loss of their loved one, regressing back to the Oral stage. Fraud also distinguished between actual loss, in the case of the loss of a loved one and symbolic loss, loss of a job. However, both do lead to depression, as the individual re-experiences a childhood episode when they experienced loss of affection from a caregiver. There has also been a link between Low self-esteem and depression.Bibring’s psychodynamic theory (1965) stated that low self-esteem brought about by a harsh and critical upbringing could result in depression. This perfectionist parenting style can produce a wide inconsist ency between the child’s true nature and its ideal nature, the individual fails to live up to his/her unrealistic ego-ideal. This supports the theory that fixation on a childhood stage or experience can lead to depression later in life. According to Fraud, in order to avoid loss turning into depression, the individual needs to engage in a period of mourning, work, during which s/he recalls memories of the lost one.This allows the individual to separate him/herself from the lost person, and so reduces the inner-directed anger. However, individuals very dependent on others for their sense of self-esteem may be unable to do this, and so remain extremely depressed. There is some evidence for the idea that a set of dependant personality traits characterise people with depression. However, these traits appear to fluctuate with the level of depression so they might be an effect of the disorder rather than a causal factor. There is also support for the idea that the loss of a parent to death or divorce can be linked to later depression (Bifulco et al. 1987). Further research has shown that depressed people tend to be more aggressive than a control group of people who don’t suffer from depression. The strengths of the psychodynamic approach to depression are that, firstly, there is further empirical support provided by Waller et al (2000). Men who had lost their fathers during childhood scored higher on a depression scale than those fathers who had not died. Furthermore, Bifulco (1992) found evidence that children whose mothers died in childhood were more likely to experience depression later in life.This suggests that there is wider academic credibility for the idea of depression being caused by psychological factors. On the other hand, one weakness of Fraud’s expression is that there is contradictory evidence by Cooper et al (1992). Loss probably explains only a relatively small percentage of cases of depression – only about 10% of those w ho experience early loss later become depressed. This produces refuting evidence for depression being caused by psychodynamic explanations. Another weakness of Fraud’s theory is that there are methodological problems.The associated therapy (psychoanalysis) has not proven very effective with treating depression (Comer, 2002). This may be because of the difficulty depressed patients having in communicating during psychoanalysis; this proves that psychoanalysis is not always affective. Finally, Fraud’s theory is psychologically deterministic. The reason for this is because Fraud suggests that depression occurs due to a dominant superego. However, just because an individual’s superego is dominant, doesn’t mean that they will develop depression. This suggests that Freud’s theory does not take into consideration freewill.Another psychological explanation of depression is the cognitive approach. Beck (1967) was struck by the negative thinking shown by dep ressed clients and developed his own explanation. Here, he suggested that depressed is the depression is the result of negative thinking and catastrophising, which he called ‘cognitive errors’, Beck (1991) believes that depression is a disorder of thought, rather than of mood, he maintained that there are three components to depression, which he called the cognitive triad. This consisted of negative and pessimistic thoughts about themselves, the world and their future.In addition to the cognitive triad, Beck believed that depression prone individuals develop negative self-schema. They possess a set of beliefs and expectations about themselves that are essentially negative and pessimistic. He identified this as being routed to an early traumatic childhood event. E. g. Death of a parent or sibling, parental rejection, criticism, overprotection or neglect. It could also be due to bullying. People with negative self schemas become prone to making logical errors in their thi nking and they tend to focus selectively on certain aspects of a situation while ignoring equal relevant information.Beck referred to these errors as ‘cognitive distortations’, including drawing conclusions under the basis of sufficient or irrelevant information. E. g. feeling worthless because the weather disturbed your plans to go to a concert. He called this arbitrary interference. Others include selective abstraction. This is focusing on a single aspect of a situation and ignoring others: E. g. you feel responsible for your team losing a match, even though you are simply one player on the field. Thirdly, is overgeneralisation.This is making a sweeping conclusion on the basis of single event. Others include magnification and minimisation, as well as personalisation. Beck (1983) has modified his theory over the years and he now believes there are two types of negative schema that characterise depression: 1. Sociotropy-This relates to interpersonal relationships, and i ndividuals with this type of negative schema perceive themselves as failing at relationships. Their core belief could be something like, ‘If I am not liked by everyone, I am worthless’ 2.Autonomy-This relates to personal achievement, and individuals with this type of negative schema perceive themselves as failing to achieve work- or study-related goals. Their core belief could be something like, ‘If I am not successful and in control, I am worthless’. Cognitive theories of depression have been extremely influential and have stimulated huge amounts of research that have contributed to our understanding of the disorder and how to treat it. They have given rise to a range of therapies and, on the whole, these seem to have been very helpful for people with depression. Beck’s later idea that ndividual personality differences can predict the type of event that triggers depression could be used to explain some of the different symptoms sub-type. However, it is difficult to determine the next extent to which distorted cognitive patterns cause depression. Numerous studies have shown that depressed people do indeed show more negative thinking than the control groups. However, as yet there is no convincing evidence that such thinking precedes a depressive episode. It seems likely that negative thinking is a consequence of depression and that it might well serve to maintain the disorder rather than explain its origins.One strength of the cognitive approach is that it has practical applications provided by Butler and Beck (2000). They reviewed 14 meta-analyses investigating the effectiveness of Beck’s cognitive therapy and concluded that about 80% of adults benefited from the therapy. It was also found that the therapy was more successful than drug therapy and had a lower relapse rate; supporting the proposition that depression has a cognitive basis. This suggested that knowledge of the cognitive explanation can improve the quality o f people’s lives.A major criticism of the cognitive explanation is that there is contradictory evidence from Lewinsohn (1981). He studied a group of participants before any of them became depressed, and found that those who later become depressed were no more likely to have negative thoughts than those who did not develop depression. This suggests that hopeless and negative thinking may be the result of depression rather than the cause of it. Another criticism is that it is reductionist. It doesn’t regard other factors as responsible for depression, but focuses on the psychological approach to depression.A final weakness is that the psychological explanation of depression is psychologically deterministic. This is because the information suggests that individuals with no social network will become depressed. In reality, this is not always true. If the individual did want a group of friends, then they could get them. This suggests that this explanation does not for freew ill. In conclusion, we have seen two different psychological explanations, one is Fraud’s psychodynamic approach, and the other is the cognitive approach. Both identify depression as underlying from a psychological problem.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Impacts of Total Productive Maintenance Essay

But there are some companies who have failed to gain advantage and some who are skeptic about its implementation. This leads us to know more about how TPM impacts different components of different organizations. This article focuses on some components such as overall effectiveness and cultural impacts of TPM on an organization. It concludes in building and maintaining a supportive culture and how overall effective helps in gaining a competitive edge over a long period of time. Any organization want to chase in world class competition must give customer satisfaction by providing reliable product or service on time at lower prize then others. One of the premises is that good maintenance and plant engineering process gives fundamental success in manufacturing (Hanson, 1995; Madu 2000). So the organization must reduce the unnecessary cost of time and material by reducing maintenance cost. And to reduce the maintenance cost is one of the reason to develop manufacturing technology like TPM (total productive maintenance). TPM is introduced by Seiici Nakajima in late 1970s in Japan, which made major influence over the economic progress of Japanese manufacturers (Willmott, 1994). TPM is basically a program to improve maintenance effectiveness of equipment throughout its life in the organization by the participation and motivation of all workforces from top management to the line employee from all department of an organization (Nakajima, 1988). The main goal of TPM to achieve maximum productivity with only limited investment in maintenance. This goal can be achieve by increase the overall equipment effectiveness(OEE) by reducing the losses, by improving existing maintenance system, by implementing autonomous maintenance and by increase a skill and motivation of operators from individual and group development (Willmott, 1994). And also by proper maintenance of equipment and facilities for best performance in order to reduce their life cycle cost. One of the properties of TPM is that production operators assist to repair the equipments when it is down and thus they share their effort in preventive maintenance and in turns improvement in process (Jostes & Helms. 994) In this term paper we focus on impacts of TPM. Many companies such Steelcase, Tennessee Eastman(Garwood, 1990), Nissan(Suzuki, 1993) adopted TPM are satisfied with the technique and find significant reduction in break down labor rates, lost of production, setup cost and cost per maintenance unit(Koelsch, 1993). TPM helps to planned and controlled the maintenan ce expanse(Adair-Heely, 1989) and reduction in maintenance force. For example a person who pays for preventive works are no more needed after implementing TPM, because TPM terns all activities of PM works to production forces. TPM gives opportunity to all individuals to express idea to improve the process and become a more familiar with tools and techniques to solve the problems and this effect directly to the capability of organization. TPM also helps to maintain consistency in quality of the product as well as reliability of product, the things that expect from the customer which interns helps to satisfy the customer. The basic aims of TPM is to double productivity and eliminate the loses, to create bright, clean and pleasant factory, to empower people and facilities and, through them, the organization itself (Wireman, 1991).

Saturday, September 28, 2019

August Wilsons Fences

In August, Wilson's fence focused on the life of a bitter African-American Troy Markson who had dealt with these cards in his life in the 1950s. During the play, Troy was raised by a father who did not love and insult, and when he tried to become a major league baseball player he was dismissed for the game. Troy was poor and even needed money and even even sentenced him to prison in prison, so he took the bank and eventually killed the person. Living in Troy is not easy. Auguste Wilson 's fence: page 8 explains the outline of August Wilson' s theater fence, with special consideration for the importance of Troy and the influence of this hero on the development of themes such as ethnic isolation and struggle It is. In this article we are also investigating how Wilson learned about the influence on Troy's family and the 1950 American American culture and history. Fences.wps August Wilson 's Fence # 2: This 7 - page paper is based on racial discrimination, African - American culture, and family life in the work Fences that was awarded the Wilson' s Pulitzer Prize in the 1950 's I will explore what it is drawn for. . This article outlines the entire script, but focuses primarily on the initial behavior. Five information sources are listed in the reference. Fences 2. wps Question about fence (select one): 1. The fence is part of a series of dramas that Wilson set at different times in August, with the aim of writing scripts to help Americans understand the struggle of African Americans. August Wilson founded a fence in 1957. An important physical symbol in the play is the fence Troy is building. When reading the screenplay, pay attention to many metaphor and iconic fence in the play. Write these two fences. In your writing, please consider the following. How to use a fence in the play? Are these enclosures a result of that period? As Bono said, are they accustomed to letting people leave or let people enter? (II.1) August Wilson 's Fence Fence, August Wilson is the s tory of the former Black League baseball hero, Troy Maxon. Troy is a bitter person, hatred towards the way things disappear, you can not see the world changes. Troy initially had an iron fist for his family, but as the story progressed, the family removed the physical and emotional connection it had. When comparing two different cultures and ethics, the difference is night and day. In the death of salesmen and fences these stories are stories of two middle-class families who faced problems in their own family during the same era (from the 1940's to the late 1950's) I am talking. From the marital relationship problem to the unsuccessful father-child relationship, both stories tell us how the family life of the city living in that age's environment is how the authors August Wilsons Fences In August, Wilson's fence focused on the life of a bitter African-American Troy Markson who had dealt with these cards in his life in the 1950s. During the play, Troy was raised by a father who did not love and insult, and when he tried to become a major league baseball player he was dismissed for the game. Troy was poor and even needed money and even even sentenced him to prison in prison, so he took the bank and eventually killed the person. Living in Troy is not easy. Auguste Wilson 's fence: page 8 explains the outline of August Wilson' s theater fence, with special consideration for the importance of Troy and the influence of this hero on the development of themes such as ethnic isolation and struggle It is. In this article we are also investigating how Wilson learned about the influence on Troy's family and the 1950 American American culture and history. Fences.wps August Wilson 's Fence # 2: This 7 - page paper is based on racial discrimination, African - American culture, and family life in the work Fences that was awarded the Wilson' s Pulitzer Prize in the 1950 's I will explore what it is drawn for. . This article outlines the entire script, but focuses primarily on the initial behavior. Five information sources are listed in the reference. Fences 2. wps Question about fence (select one): 1. The fence is part of a series of dramas that Wilson set at different times in August, with the aim of writing scripts to help Americans understand the struggle of African Americans. August Wilson founded a fence in 1957. An important physical symbol in the play is the fence Troy is building. When reading the screenplay, pay attention to many metaphor and iconic fence in the play. Write these two fences. In your writing, please consider the following. How to use a fence in the play? Are these enclosures a result of that period? As Bono said, are they accustomed to letting people leave or let people enter? (II.1) August Wilson 's Fence Fence, August Wilson is the s tory of the former Black League baseball hero, Troy Maxon. Troy is a bitter person, hatred towards the way things disappear, you can not see the world changes. Troy initially had an iron fist for his family, but as the story progressed, the family removed the physical and emotional connection it had. When comparing two different cultures and ethics, the difference is night and day. In the death of salesmen and fences these stories are stories of two middle-class families who faced problems in their own family during the same era (from the 1940's to the late 1950's) I am talking. From the marital relationship problem to the unsuccessful father-child relationship, both stories tell us how the family life of the city living in that age's environment is how the authors August Wilsons Fences In August, Wilson's fence focused on the life of a bitter African-American Troy Markson who had dealt with these cards in his life in the 1950s. During the play, Troy was raised by a father who did not love and insult, and when he tried to become a major league baseball player he was dismissed for the game. Troy was poor and even needed money and even even sentenced him to prison in prison, so he took the bank and eventually killed the person. Living in Troy is not easy. Auguste Wilson 's fence: page 8 explains the outline of August Wilson' s theater fence, with special consideration for the importance of Troy and the influence of this hero on the development of themes such as ethnic isolation and struggle It is. In this article we are also investigating how Wilson learned about the influence on Troy's family and the 1950 American American culture and history. Fences.wps August Wilson 's Fence # 2: This 7 - page paper is based on racial discrimination, African - American culture, and family life in the work Fences that was awarded the Wilson' s Pulitzer Prize in the 1950 's I will explore what it is drawn for. . This article outlines the entire script, but focuses primarily on the initial behavior. Five information sources are listed in the reference. Fences 2. wps Question about fence (select one): 1. The fence is part of a series of dramas that Wilson set at different times in August, with the aim of writing scripts to help Americans understand the struggle of African Americans. August Wilson founded a fence in 1957. An important physical symbol in the play is the fence Troy is building. When reading the screenplay, pay attention to many metaphor and iconic fence in the play. Write these two fences. In your writing, please consider the following. How to use a fence in the play? Are these enclosures a result of that period? As Bono said, are they accustomed to letting people leave or let people enter? (II.1) August Wilson 's Fence Fence, August Wilson is the s tory of the former Black League baseball hero, Troy Maxon. Troy is a bitter person, hatred towards the way things disappear, you can not see the world changes. Troy initially had an iron fist for his family, but as the story progressed, the family removed the physical and emotional connection it had. When comparing two different cultures and ethics, the difference is night and day. In the death of salesmen and fences these stories are stories of two middle-class families who faced problems in their own family during the same era (from the 1940's to the late 1950's) I am talking. From the marital relationship problem to the unsuccessful father-child relationship, both stories tell us how the family life of the city living in that age's environment is how the authors

Friday, September 27, 2019

An analisys of Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

An analisys of Management Accounting - Essay Example This research aims to evaluate and present the models and concepts affecting the pricing decisions taken by organizations, critically reflecting upon their usefulness. The price variable is the one of the significant ingredients in marketing mix of the organization. Price itself can effectively communicate with the consumers regarding the product or service. So, â€Å"when the pricing decision is made, the organization must consider several factors. These factors† such factor includes, Regulation of government, Perceptions in the market, supply, desired pricing position of the organization, demand and finally Competitors and Competition pricing policies. The final price of any product or service is influenced by various factors; these can be summarized into two that are internal and external factors. Internal Factors – Internal factors are those which are controllable by the organization and also, if required, it can be altered. Although, the company may have control ov er these internal factors creating a quick alteration is not always practical or realistic. For example, pricing of the product may depend closely on the efficiency of a manufacturing capability (e.g., how much can be manufactured in a certain time). External Factors - There are a numeral of influencing factors which are not restricted to the organization but will influence pricing decisions. The marketer needs to identify these factors to carry out various researches to observe what is happening in every marketplace that the organization serves, since result of these factors can change by marketplace. The Pricing Decision: As mentioned above, the pricing decision of the organization is impacted by various dissimilar factors. So, pricing decision at initial stage can be very time- consuming though these are exemptions. Normally pricing decision of the organization is complicated, hence it must involve the various cautions consideration of all these factors listed above to make a good decision. â€Å"The pricing strategy can be viewed as a function of competitive product quality and stage of the product life cycle† (Rashid et al. 1988, p. 194). Various models which influenced the pricing decision of the organizations are discussed below. Cost and Demand Oriented Pricing Models: In this model, organization uses demand or cost as a foundation for setting the price of the service or product. Traditionally, this type of orientation or model is applied to the theory of micro economics by forming demand curve on the basis of summation or outline of the person’s utility funct ions for consumers in the market. Thus, first thing is that to assess and identity the consumers perception regarding the product or services. Perception of the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Case Study The global pharmaceutical industry Coursework

Case Study The global pharmaceutical industry - Coursework Example Consequently, the pharmaceutical market acquired some remarkable character. Management was in the hands of medical practitioners while patients and payers had little awareness or authority. Thus, medical practitioners were inconsiderate to the costs however receptive to the sales endeavors of individual agents. This made possible several 'me too' drugs to realize significant profits on investment. It resulted in imitating well-known medicines that cut R&D risk considerably, while the market- place was exposed to products offering slight advantages for example a more suitable dosage type or fewer side effects, although with much the same beneficial effect. There were two major developments in the 1970s in the pharmaceutical industry. Firstly, the Thalidomide tragedy in sickness caused birth defects, initiated much tighter regulatory rules on clinical trials. Secondly, laws were endorsed to establish a permanent period on patent protection - usually 20 years from first report as a research invention. This produced the emergence of 'generic' drugs. Generics however have precisely the same dynamic constituents as the original brand, and vie on price. The influence of generic application is exemplified by Bristol Myers Squibb's brand Glucophage, a cure for diabetes, which produced US sales of $2.1bn in 2001. After the termination of the patent in January 2002, brand sales fell to $69m for the first quarter. Generics legislation had a significant influence on the industry, providing motivation for improvement and for a competitive market. The time during which R&D costs could be recouped was drastically curtailed, putting upward pressure o n prices. The introduction of generics, however, was very beneficial for society: valuable medicines became extremely cheap. Indeed, health economists have estimated that the social returns from pharmaceutical R&D exceed that appropriated by firms by at least 50 to 100 per cent. By the end of the 1970s generic entrants and more stringent controls on clinical trials had led to substantial increases in R&D spending. Pharmaceutical Industry Environmental Forces: An Introduction The pharmaceutical industry is remarkable in that a number of countries of the world are dependent on a 'monopsony' - there is in fact only one dominant buyer i.e. the government. In the 1980s, governments all

Managing stress among employees in an outpatient setting Research Paper

Managing stress among employees in an outpatient setting - Research Paper Example At the same time, the effectiveness of the changes being implemented need to be determined at regular intervals. It is identified that the negligence of evaluation phases causes the breakdown of implemented changes. This paper will discuss various strategies and techniques that can be effectively employed in evaluating the impacts of the introduced changes among employees in out-patient settings. There are three evaluation phases that are scientifically designed for program evaluation; formative evaluation, summative evaluation, and impact evaluation. The formative evaluation phase continuously acquires information regarding the introduced program in order to amplify the performance. According to Lytras, Carroll, Damiani, Tennyson, Avison, Vossen, and Pablos (2008), in summative evaluation phase, the outcomes of the project are assessed; and from those results, the project managers analyze the impact of the outcome on its actual beneficiaries; the shareholders (p.672). On the other h and, impact evaluation phase focuses on the larger group of beneficiaries over a long period of time. Here we can use formative evaluation and summative evaluation techniques for the determination of the effectiveness of the introduced organizational change in an out-patient setting. ... Similarly, it is suggestible for the project management team to assess the effectiveness of the change by considering its impacts on those employees who were affected by stress. It can be achieved by comparing the individuals’ level of performance prior to and after the implementation of the program. Their new ways of working behavior both as individuals and as team need to be evaluated for knowing whether the change takes a positive effect on them or not. This process of change management is termed as change curve which can be used for assessing the impacts of the implemented measures (Change management: Making organization change happen effectively, n.d.). It is important to evaluate the extent to which the measures being implemented are accepted by the workers and whether the measures are effective in helping employees to bring out their potential completely toward the work undertaken. It would be better to assess the rate of absenteeism before and after the execution of th e strategies. The record of employees’ medical leave would reflect the effectiveness of stress management measures, because stress- free life offers physical as well as mental stability. At the same time, the finest way is to judge how effectively employees involve in work and how well this is being reflected in their performance. It is better to evaluate the workers’ contribution towards the development of the organization as a whole. An efficient supervisor would assist the management to evaluate the individual performance frequently. The status of the organization also reflects the impacts of organizational change. To illustrate, it is essential to analyze the impact of the program on the economic interests of the shareholders. In addition, the progress of the organization and its stature

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Definition essay You Pick Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Definition You Pick - Essay Example During this time there were numerous protests and people of a certain political persuasion demanded to â€Å"Ban the Bomb.† People felt that WMDs—especially nuclear weapons—were a kind of genie let loose from a bottle. Once loose, every country would develop nuclear weapons and everyone would hold everyone else hostage. These fears were heightened when both India and Pakistan developed nuclear weapons about 10 years ago. And when North Korea declared itself a nuclear power three years ago. Fear of a nuclear Iran continue to dominate American and Israeli foreign policy. But there is more to weapons of mass destruction than nuclear weapons. There are chemical and nerve agents, there are biological agents such as plague and anthrax. Many governments are known to maintain WMD programs and they are part of many militaries’ attack plans. On the flip side, there are many treaties in place to block their use but some countries stockpile them and use them as a deterrent. They have been used in the First World War (mustard gas), the Second World War (the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki), and when Saddam Hussein used them against his own people (the Kurds), as well as in many other instances. The term entered the public domain in a very significant way during the Iraq War, when the American government said Saddam possessed WMDs and that was the main reason why they would have to invade Iraq. It was, however, very hard to finds these weapons in Iraq in the end. There were great debates at the time about whether he had an active program or whether he had dismantled it. In fact he had had a program in the past and had dismantled it, but had told everyone publicly that he still had it in order to deter his enemies. Because of the terms salience in the debate about the Iraq War, weapons of mass destruction was named word of the year in

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

History of the Israel-Palestinian conflict Essay

History of the Israel-Palestinian conflict - Essay Example The conflict stems from a competition of land in Palestine. The beginning of the WWI in 1914 brought about the Ottoman Empire entering either side of the conflicting central powers. Therefore, both the Zionists and Jewish Nationals were encouraged to purchase land in the region. The conflict made the two countries more suspicious of each other since the British wanted to control the region under disagreement. The Arabs in 1915 vow to support British in the War after letters were exchanged between Sharif of Mecca and Medina with the British administration. This fueled the tension between Israel and Palestine. However, the Sykes_picot Agreement in 1916 further enhances the feud when three states agree to share the piece of land in question among themselves. Additionally, Sharif Husein self proclaims himself as the King of the Arab countries and the British recognises him as so. This affected Israel in a huge manner because they d not have a leader.1917 was a major twist in the conflict . This is because the British wanted to have the U.S. as their allies. This made them rally behind the American Jews which was a major blow to their relationship with the Palestinians. This was not only confusing to both sides, but also further fueled the conflict. Conflicting promises were made to the two populations. The Balfour Declaraion, as well as, Hussein-McMahon Correspondence was made. This affects the stand of the two countries because each believes to have been promised different aspects of their existence.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Adult Training in Canada Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Adult Training in Canada - Article Example Standard of living depends on the skills of the labor force. Thus, any nation’s economy depends upon the skills that the labor force possesses. Education and training are lifetime activities related to the working career but it is difficult to evaluate the training decisions based on the business cycle as there are many other factors that influence the training decisions. As labour market conditions improve it becomes essential to train the workforce. Training is influenced by the ‘business cycle’. As business activity increases hiring too has to increase because businesses require more staff. The staff also needs to be trained and hence as employers add staff they also undertake to train the staff. However, the ‘opportunity cost’ in training the staff is higher in a robust economy and this can reduce the incidence of training. However these are counterbalancing influences which make it difficult to relate training to business cycle. A thorough study would entail examining the entire workings of the Canadian economy which is a long-drawn process. The authors decided to restrict their query to evaluate whether the AETS instruments provide a consistent explanation of training incidence and duration for both men and women. Overall education level increased between 1992 and 1998 and more women opted for university degree. Several factors suggest that training too should have increased during this period. Based on the human capital model training should increase. Besides, between 1994 and 1998 business activity and employment rose, and this also is an indicator of rise in training. However, an aging population would imply reduced training levels. Besides, data analysis revealed changes in several factors that influence training levels. As the education level rose, people became more urban. Lifestyle changed resulting in delayed marriages and late children; men keeping out of unionism and preferring to be in employment rather than be self-employed. Men preferred to work for larger but private firms while women preferred the public sector. All these make it difficult to deduce the training duration and incidence based on the economy and business cycles. This gives rise to the query as to what factors influence an individual to undertake training. The authors draw a parallel between the human capital and the physical capital. Just as the stock and quality of physical capital comprising of machinery, equipment and computers can be augmented through investments, human capital too can be upgraded through training activities. Adults may undertake training for various reasons. This could range from a simple desire to upgrade skills after an absence from job market to desire for career advancement. Participation in training can occur at all stages in the life cycle of an individual. Thus, based on these probabilities, this study evaluated the factors that influence training decision. It further describes the incidence o f training activity during the 1990s among adult Canadians who were not part- or full-time students in any education program. The study is based on a core model of human capital accumulation over the life cycle. Various factors that influence training participation and duration were taken as the variables in this study. These include age, job tenure, hours worked and past education level. The control variables included in the study were sex, family circumstances, region of residence and firm size. Data pooled from 1992, 1994 and 1998 Adult Education and Training Surveys (AETS) were statistically analyzed. The AETS survey (1998) was the sixth in the series but for this study only the data from three surveys were compiled. The purpose of AETS was to measure participation rates for learning and training

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Video game controversy Essay Example for Free

Video game controversy Essay Technology has (had) come a long way since the early years of life. The use of technology to humans, is to enhance or improve whatever it may be to have a much quicker advancement or have a better and easy going lifestyle. But in the more recent years, technology has turned for the worst. Specifically speaking, video games. Video games in its early years were meant for a positive use, much like any other type of game; to simply act as a fun activity to pass time. That is not the case anymore because of how dangerously advanced and addicting video games can be. In fact it’s so dangerous nowadays that countries like South Korea are contemplating whether or not to ban video games. Why is it dangerous? Video games influence a type of negative social behavior, has a direct correlation to the cause of Insomnia, and is relevant to the increasing obesity rates in America. Playing video games can lead to many negative effects on a person. Video Games influence a type of negative social behavior. â€Å"The effects of videophilia are substantial and include obesity, attention disorders, lack of socialization and poor academic performance† (Video Game Addiction). The person (game player) may lose social skills and qualities depending on the level of video game addiction. Usually, the player is spending so much time on the game that he/ she is neglecting other areas of life. A common sign of video game addiction is constantly talking about the game almost constantly. â€Å" It is more likely to talk down upon a peer after a violent video game session† (Tiret). These types of social skills are not acceptable to continuously practice. The people that talk down on peers because of the violent video game session could go into depression or anxiety because of what others say or think about them. Young Children love playing rated M 18+ games that contain violence and other profound content (Parks). â€Å" the more time children and teens spend playing violent video games the more likely they are to display aggressive behavior† (Tiret). The more violent the game is, the more violent the player will be. It’s morally wrong to be mean for absolutely no reason towards other human beings. The effects on aggressive behavior can be long lasting (Tiret). A build up in anger is not healthy. If the constant aggression keeps up, the aggressive person will be ostracized by classmates or friends. Insomnia is easily caused by the lack of sleep, which is a common symptom of a video game addict. â€Å"Studies have shown that people deprived of contact with nature were at greater risk of depression and anxiety† (Wilderness Adventure). â€Å"In a study by Breslau and associates, patients with insomnia were nearly 4 times more likely to suffer major depression than those without insomnia† (Johnston). A depressed person will look at everything negatively and have no motivation to go outside. The person may even view his/ her life not even worth living. Stress and depression can be caused by a variety of things resulting in insomnia. Stress may be caused by hours on the computer playing a game without rest. Depression may hit the person, depending on intimacy with the video game, once he/she loses a lot. â€Å" insomnia and its associated daytime sleepiness had significant negative effects on cognitive functioning and impaired their subjects’ ability to perform ordinary tasks† (Johnston). â€Å"Excessive Sleepiness has been linked to learning disabilities in children and cognitive and memory problems in adults† (Johnston). If this keeps up then the next generations will become less capable than the ones before which shouldn’t happen. Remembering what you ate for breakfast will be very difficult. â€Å"Poor sleep hygiene includes an irregular sleep schedule, stimulating activities before bed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Mayo Clinic). The ‘stimulating activities’ could translate into playing video games before you sleep. The effects of the stimulating activities causes the person to stay awake longer in bed. Some argue video games can be healthy to a person. One of the biggest positive effects video games can have on a person is the fact that makes people happy. As a result, video games have become an easy scapegoat for numerous violent tendencies and social behaviors. Video games are indeed a scapegoat, but it doesn’t hide the fact that the people who play these games as a scapegoat are neglecting themselves from the real world. These people will not get to experience what it’s really like in the real world. Based on solid scientific evidence, video games may actually fill basic human needs that the real world fails to satisfy (Shapiro). This applies to people who have social anxieties causing these people to refrain from the outside even more. The people are not completely solving their problems, only temporarily. It is not the game’s fault for these negative effects. There are millions who play the game and don’t go out and do the negatively portrayed actions on the news. The criminals mention the games’ names and blame the games. Violent games are very influential on a person. â€Å"Reality is too complicated to blame playings games, moving pictures, or letters on a page† (Parks). Games are where people get ideas from. Life is commonly sealed into one perception for a person, and curiosity comes from ideas that have never been heard of before. Addiction of video games can easily lead into obesity which is a dangerous and lethal disease. Video games create an obstacle for children. â€Å"Children today spend an average of 6 hours each day in front of the computer and TV, but less than 4 minutes a day in instructed outdoor play† (Wilderness Adventure). There is an extreme amount of physical inactivity. The calories are not burned which turn into fat later on. â€Å"Getting less than seven hours of sleep a night can cause changes in hormones that increase your appetite† (Mayo Clinic). Less sleep IS a vital cause of obesity. Eating most of your calories at night contributes to weight gain. â€Å"Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight† (WHO). Being overweight and obese brings cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and even some cancers. The obese people are not outside and running which leads into no training for the cardiovascular system. While playing video games, gamers do not pay attention to what they eat which could lead into a massive buildup of diabetes. â€Å"More than 40 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2011† (WHO). 41% of certain cancer burdens are attributable to overweight and obesity. Children who play video games fit into this category. The topic of video games being perceived as a positive thing today is growing out of hand. It’s like spreading a humongous lie to gullible innocents. Affecting social behavior in a negative manner, causing obesity, and developing insomnia are serious matters. The negative effects of playing video games are severe and the idea of playing video games should not be taken lightly.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Roles Of Women In Terrorism

The Roles Of Women In Terrorism The involvement of women in terrorist organisations is by no means new, but their role therein has changed markedly over recent years. Up until the late twentieth century, women in terrorist organisations were largely assigned tasks removed from the front lines of political violence they existed only to support their male counterparts, through gathering intelligence, providing healthcare, and even maintaining safe houses for more-active terrorists. Since then, and though women continue to perform those functions, the role of female terrorists has evolved into something more active, perhaps tougher, more fanatical, more loyal, than previously seen.  [1]  Indeed, while formerly confined to more auxiliary roles, female members of violent extremist groups now engage directly in attacks, including suicide bombings, attracting widespread disbelief and heightened media interest. After looking at terrorisms definitional problems, this paper will examine three different categories of involvement by women in terrorism: women as terrorists actually joining extremist organisations and carrying out attacks; women as enablers their role in motivating, inspiring, or encouraging potential terrorists; and women as preventers analysis of their involvement in counterterrorism. In so doing, it will focus on women and terrorism, as opposed to the overlapping concept of women and war. Both concepts of women engaging in terrorism and of womens roles in wars are broad and nuanced, and a single paper cannot do both justice. For this reason, the former alone will be examined here. Both terrorism and gender in conflict have been studied and written about extensively. The recognition of rape as a weapon of war has led to a timely re-evaluation of gender in warfare,  [2]  and much has been written on the subject of terrorism, particularly since September 2001, when terrorism entered into mainstream media and non-academic literature, even in those countries not directly affected by it. Yet, terrorism through the prism of gender has only recently gained ground in academic and media discourse, partly due to the rise of the female suicide bomber.  [3]  This study will consult literature mainly on political violence, but also on the role of women in society, drawing out observations on the impact of women on terrorism, as well as on how womens unique position in society can be harnessed for counterterrorism purposes. In addition, the paper will briefly comment on what the implications are for gender equality. Indeed, does the advent of female terrorists mirror the advance of women in society? This paper will provide a broad overview of the womens roles in terrorism, with more-detailed comments on their potential for de-radicalising active and potential terrorists. Women as Participants in Terrorism Although terrorism is one of the most widely used words in both international relations and the news media, the word lacks a clear, universal definition. Those who try to characterise it often harbour underlying biases (rendering their definitions questionable), or, in the case of some governments and the media, they may seek to label as many events as possible with a provocative term to demonise a particular group or to create headlines. Terrorism has a pejorative implication and those associated with it are therefore degraded politically and socially.  [4]  Most would agree, however, that fear is intrinsic to any successful terrorism. As political scientist Martha Crenshaw explains, [t]errorism is a method by which an agent tends to produce terror in order to impose his[/her] domination.  [5]  Many other definitions of terrorism exist, including Walter Laqueurs assertion that the meaning of terrorism has been changing throughout history,  [6]  and Brian Michael Jenkins description of the phenomenon as the use or threatened use of force to bring about political change.  [7]  For the purposes of this work, Jenkins definition shall suffice, but with the qualifier that, in the case of millennialist or some fundamentalist groups, political change need not be the final end.  [8]   Examples of women committing terrorist acts abound. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been cited as amongst the first terrorist groups to employ women as attackers, with over one-third of their membership composed of females, who, in addition to suicide bomb missions, have duties on the battlefield, in the kitchen, and in medical camps.  [9]  LTTEs Black Tigresses, are not alone. The Chechen Black Widows, a brigade of female suicide bombers, carried out a dozen suicide bombings over two years, murdering 330 people.  [10]  Similarly, Wafa Idris, the first female suicide bomber, was a twenty-eight-year-old working for the Palestinian Red Crescent when she was deployed on a suicide mission to Jerusalem in 2002. Her bomb killed one person (in addition to herself), and injured 114.  [11]  While the death toll was low, Idris bombing, carried out for the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, served as an excellent recruitment tool, particularly among women. Indeed, the group s ubsequently established squads of willing female suicide bombers squads actually named for Idris.  [12]  Similarly, during the intifadas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas both witnessed a surge in female bombers Syrian nationalists and Kurdish separatists operate in this way, and women in Uzbekistan, Turkey, Lebanon, and Egypt have also joined the terror ranks.  [13]   Woman: the perfect terrorist? Women make excellent terrorists. Traditionally societys inherently nurturing and non-violent caregivers, females tend to attract less attention from security services and are less prone to be searched, questioned, and interrogated in the way that males are particularly in Muslim societies, which carry particular cultural sensitivities regarding the role of women.  [14]  Testament to this, earlier this month a suicide bomber in Somalia disguised himself as a woman, complete with a veil and a females shoes, before detonating explosives in a crowded Mogadishu hotel.  [15]  And even when women are under suspicion, the capacity may not exist to interrogate them: after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, airport security services struggled to recruit enough female staff to carry out searches of women. One of the overriding attractions of using females for violent ends is, therefore, the slim chance of their attracting suspicion; additionally, even if that suspicion is ther e, the capacity may not exist to stop them. In part because violence against women (and children) is deemed by society to be more abhorrent (due to their supposed greater vulnerability), terrorism carried out by women is also more shocking, as will be discussed later in the paper. Ironically, it is the very weakness that makes women the most appealing/effective victims (in that they elicit wider coverage for the group behind the attack) that appears to make women terrorisms best instigators. Following the 2002 Moscow theatre hostage crisis, which involved female as well as male hostage-takers, one commentator posited that, for a woman to commit terrorism, she must be more fanatical than a male terrorist, and is therefore more terrifying than her male colleagues: For feminine engagement in activities that are so classically male bespeaks a far greater zeal. This is hard to verify, but that his analysis of women and terrorism goes on to note that female Islamists must be especially zealous, given that the reward of virgins awaiting the suicide bomber in heaven holds no appeal for them certainly seems plausible.  [16]  It could then be said that the greater fear elicited by the female extremist adds to her effectiveness as a terrorist. Terrorist groups manipulate and capitalise on the stereotypes of women to suit their violent goals. Suicide bombings in themselves, while still abhorrent, are increasingly commonplace almost weekly, news consumers see coverage of bombings in graphic detail. Terrorists have thus sought out ways to renew the impact of their violence (to which many, particularly in areas not directly impacted by attacks, have become partially desensitised), and the use of women as bombers is symptomatic of this. With most terrorism hinging on the publicity it attracts, groups play into the shock value of using women as human bombs; this elicits the double-shock of both the brutality of the act itself and the notion of someones daughter/mother/sister/wife as the instigator. Summing up the importance of the oxygen publicity affords terrorist organisations,  [17]  Front de Libà ©ration Nationale (FLN) leader Ramdane Abane asks rhetorically, Is it preferable for our cause to kill ten enemies in an oue d [dry riverbed] of Telergma when no one will talk of it, or a single man in Algiers which will be noted the next day by the American press?  [18]   Not only do female terrorists elicit more coverage, boosting both the fear a given attack elicits and the number of potential recruits reached, the type of coverage received is also different from that given to their male colleagues. Coverage of acts committed by women provide[s] more detail about possible motivations of the individual, while actions committed by men [are] explained more often in terms of the groups motivation.  [19]  (My emphasis.) Indeed, female terrorists also increase the likelihood that the social conditions, discrimination, and hardships experienced by a given group will be featured in the news media,  [20]  representing a significant incentive for particular organisations to use women over men. While suicide terrorism exemplifies vividly the impact female terrorists can have, other roles for women in political violence should not be overlooked. In terms of their roles away from the front lines of terrorism, women in extremist organisations were in the past often confined to less-active duties, such as healthcare provision, intelligence gathering, and even maintenance of safe houses for more-active terrorists. Some still do play these roles, and recent studies of terrorism and the internet have unearthed evidence of women now also playing the role of scholar, translating for their male counterparts and interpreting religious texts. In addition, females can boost depleted numbers of combatants, be it by joining the ranks themselves or by providing jihad wombs.  [21]  They also contribute by using their maiden names to open bank accounts (to avoid attracting the attention of antiterrorism agencies), and even raising money for terror groups through charity functions.  [22 ]   Does all this make a woman the perfect terrorist? While women hold many comparative advantages over men eliciting less suspicion, holding greater shock value, and even remaining engaged in terrorism longer than do men on average  [23]   some factors make women less attractive. In the face of stereotypes of women as non-violent wives, sisters, mothers, and daughters, it surprises many to learn that female terrorists are viewed by some as more deadly, in that some security forces deem them less likely to hesitate when carrying out a violent mission. One scholar further posits that women terrorists are possessors of a greater capacity for suffering.  [24]  Reasons for this resoluteness can only be speculated about, but the small variations between genders in why individuals engage in terrorism could be relevant: as will be discussed, vengeance is a particularly strong motivator among female extremists and may serve also to sustain a womans interest, and involvement, in a given cause. Counterterrorism recruits in INTERPOL accordingly even follow a shoot-the-women-first policy.  [25]   Other factors can discourage the use of women by terrorists groups: some members may view women as a threat to group cohesion (many groups lean heavily on male bonding to sustain the dynamic needed to commit violence for a given cause), and certain societies frown upon the use of women in combat roles. However, the overwhelming importance of publicity to terrorism seems to outweigh such concerns regarding female terrorists: women extremists occupy more column inches than do their male counterparts. And, with all terrorism, coverage confers the impression of power something all terrorist groups seek to wield. What motivates women terrorists A recent study of what motivates suicide terrorists found that there was little variation between genders in this regard both men and women tend to engage in terrorism for similar reasons. However, a few important differences in motivation were noted, including, among women, vengeance. Having lost a loved one at the hands of a particular groups perceived enemy, a mother, wife, or sister may be more inclined to join that group, and actively engage in terrorism.  [26]  Wafa Idris felt personally aggrieved by the horrors she witnessed at the Palestinian Red Crescent, by her brothers imprisonment, and at being displaced from Ramallah by Israel. But analysts also cite personal sadnesses she endured, unrelated to her cause, as motivation for her actions: After marriage, Idris had a late miscarriage. The doctors said she could have no more children. Her husbands response was to divorce her and marry again.  [27]  Seldom does one see this type of analysis where male bombers are conc erned; that attacks instigated by females are analysed in greater depth, speaks to the fascination they seem to hold over the media and potential extremists alike. Terrorist recruiters targeting women play into their need to feel involved, which is similar to male-terrorist recruitment, but the reasons for that lack of involvement in society differ. For example, in Central Asia, the Kyrgyz, largely non-violent, terrorist group Hizb-ut-Tabhir (HT), is pursuing the restoration of an Islamic caliphate in the region through allegedly peaceful political means. A recent International Crisis Group report on HT examines why, in a country where women enjoy a secular society and relative equality, they are moved to support HT a movement which appears to marginalise them. The report finds that since Kyrgyzstan, post-independence, lacks a coherent national identity, an Islamic one fills that void. Islams traditional representatives often do not make any appeal to women, whereas HT does, offering both social services and religious education to women. The HT brand of Islam emphasises Islamic sisterhood, and, in conservative areas, where women and girls have few social outlets, gender-segregated HT meetings allow women to mix with other women and reap the benefits of such interactions.  [28]   The type of marginalisation that, in various Western societies, fuelled womens liberation movements, is replaced in other, less-free societies (where rights are fiercely withheld), by the appeal of extremism. Rather than agitation for gender equality, which is notoriously elusive in some societies, a minority of women turn to other causes, which give them a sense of belonging and the opportunity to be involved in the types of groups previously unavailable to them. From these examples particularly that of HT in Kyrgyzstan it is clear that marginalisation by society at large makes individuals more vulnerable to the appeal of extremism. In the case of women specifically, it could be extrapolated that the very marginalisation they experience as a result of gender inequality, is played on by terrorists to bring them into sphere of extremism, increasingly as active participants. As will be discussed, terrorism can seem like a more alluring pursuit to women in those societies where their rights, gender and otherwise, are curtailed perhaps even suicide can seem appealing. But we must note that gender serves as little incentive in itself to commit violence, and neither sex seems moved to carry out terrorist attacks based on gender alone. What should be taken away from these observations is that outlets need be given to empower women in those societies where extremism is most likely to fill the empowerment vacuum. In essence, marginalisation based on gender is something of a force multiplier where fertile ground for extremism already exists. Women as Enablers of Terrorism In number, women are not equal to men, constituting more than half of the world population, and in their traditional roles as mothers, wives, sisters, and girlfriends females may impact every facet of terrorist activity. It is in this that they have been cited as motivation for other terrorists to engage in violence, as well as as reason to disengage, which will be elaborated later on. Women terrorists also appear to reach a wider audience where terrorist recruitment is concerned; the cults of personality female terrorists attract can serve to inspire would-be extremists and build support for a given cause. In their non-violent roles, also, women in specific communities actively recruit terrorists: In Syria, similar to the tactics of HT in Kyrgyzstan, sisterhood organisations proselytise extreme religious doctrine; while, in Pakistan, the mujahidaat are women who engage in collective non-violent endeavors geared towards recruiting and supporting violent extremist groups. In 2008, 1,000 women in Lebanon marched to show their support for Hezbollah; and, in Gaza, women gathered to form a human barrier between Israeli forces and militants hiding in a mosque in 2006.  [29]  These examples of women enabling terrorism and facilitating warfare can be ascribed to the types of discontent that motivate all terrorists, but, for women in societies where their rights are oppressed on the grounds of gender, something further can be inferred: gender equality in other aspects of life would remove a layer of discontent that contributes to terrorism. The cult of personality that the female terrorist seems to attract is also important in the recruitment and inspiration of other terrorists. Indeed, women seem more likely to receive such attention than men, thus further prolonging media interest something on which terrorist groups thrive. Leila Khaled, a Palestinian hijacker with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), drew much public attention for the very fact of her gender.  [30]  Aged just twenty-one years, Khaleds involvement in the 1969 hijacking of a passenger flight received wide coverage, in a way very appealing to terrorist recruiters: Her sexuality was always emphasisedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ She is the pin-up of armed struggle; like her hero, Che Guevara, Khaled had the glamour as well as the belief.  [31]  Her role morphed into one of a cultural icon, foreshadowing that of Wafa Idris, who also seemed to fascinate commentators: The Arab press glorified Idris. One Egyptian newspaper compared her to the Mona Lisa, registering her dreamy eyes and the mysterious smile on her lips. Others cited Joan of Arc, or the Virgin Mary.  [32]  Khaled and Idris attracted an entirely different type of media coverage than do their male counterparts. Very rarely if ever do male suicide bombers make headlines based on their physical attractiveness. But the media coverage paid dividends for their respective organisations. Following her death, Idris attracted copycats: more women suicide bombers materialised in the West Bank: One [female suicide bomber], a 21-year-old English-literature student named Darin Aisheh, detonated explosives in her car at a military checkpoint in February, wounding three policemen. Andaleeb Takafka, 20, killed herself and six others, and injured 104 people in April, using explosive tied to her waist. Ayat Akhras, 18, blew herself up outside a Jerusalem bus stop a month earlier.  [33]   In terms of traditional (or non-suicide) terrorism, female role models have also had a place in history. Ulrike Meinhof of the Red Army Faction, active in Germany in the 1970s, famously directed her groups campaign, which, unlike most other terrorist organisations, actually cited womens liberation as a strand of its goals. For many years the most famous female terrorist, Meinhof has been credited with inspiring German terrorism,  [34]  and has been the subject of numerous books and a handful of films. Indeed, in 1981 ten of the fourteen most-wanted terrorists in West Germany were female.  [35]  Bernadette Devlin, a vocal supporter of the Irish Republicanism, became the youngest female Member of the British Parliament (in a high-profile effort to champion Irish independence) and drew much attention, both for the fact of her age and her gender. Like Meinhof, she inspired much interest, even gaining the nickname Fidel Castro in a miniskirt. A biopic about her is in production.  [36]   As well as female suicide bombers spurring imitators, and other female terrorists becoming figureheads for their causes, the actions of women not actually active in terrorism, but rather in encouraging terrorists, can have devastating consequences. Among extremists, suicide bombers are lauded as heroes, in a way deeply disturbing to the moderate majority. As such, some families, mothers in particular, aspire to have their sons sacrificed as martyrs: Families of martyrs are honoured as family members of someone who gave his life to the cause. Many speak of their sons, husbands, or brothers commitment, dedication, and the pride felt by society.  [37]  Indeed, the glamorisation of martyrdom appears to be perpetuated by the families, spouses, and partners, which speaks to both womens role in radicalising moderates and their potential for de-radicalising the extreme. Just as military traditions can span generations within families, with son after father, after grandfather, enlisting i n the armed forces, traditions of extremism can also perpetuate. While men are naturally equally, and perhaps more, guilty of this sort of encouragement (in terms of offspring turning to terrorism) that women are being singled out in counterterrorism for their potential to de-radicalise their husbands, brothers, and sons speaks to the importance of their role in radicalisation. As does the example of Bernadette Devlin, whose experience can perhaps be cited as evidence of the role of families (mothers specifically) in actually enabling their children in the pursuit of extremism: her daughter, Rà ³isà ­n McAliskey, was arrested in Germany in connection with an IRA bombing of a British Army barracks there.  [38]  This speaks to the role of mothers in influencing offspring towards terrorism, and exemplifies what it is that newer counterterrorism programmes seek to prevent. (The roles of women in de-radicalisation and prevention will be examined in the next section of the paper.) Returning to the example of suicide martyrs, male bombers and their families often cite the promise of seventy-two virgin brides awaiting them in heaven upon completing their missions as part of their motivation.  [39]  An attack carried out by al-Qassam in 1994 demonstrates the encouragement families provide to some terrorists: The bombers family and the sponsoring organization celebrate his martyrdom with festivities, as if it were a weddingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Often, the mother will ululate in joy over the honor that Allah has bestowed upon her family.  [40]   Indeed, in different ways, potential terrorists are encouraged by extremist groups and by those in their social network to engage in terrorism, but the differences between the two genders in these respects merit examination. With women holding so much potential in terms of counterterrorism, the exact nature of their role in enabling terrorism should also be better understood. Women as Preventers of Terrorism While women are cited as motivation to enter into violent extremism, much evidence exists of their roles in facilitating disengagement from terrorism and in otherwise thwarting terrorist activity.  [41]  In removing their children from cultures of extremism or preventing their falling prey to extremism in the first place, by becoming intelligence officers, and even as spouses involved in the rehabilitation of extremists, women make very effective counterterrorists. Counterterrorism programmes worldwide are beginning to focus more on softer measures than the military- and police-centred approaches increasingly seen in the aftermath of 11 September 2001, favouring instead de-radicalisation through education and dialogue, as well as increases in aid and poverty-alleviation policies. In these newer de-radicalisation programmes, terrorists and other violent extremists are rehabilitated in various ways, often including education in the true peaceful meanings of religious texts, and ar e usually given a more solid grounding in social networks removed from their previous extremist affiliations. In this section, examples of extant terrorism-prevention and terrorist-rehabilitation programmes with women at their centres are examined. Given that the group dynamic afforded by terrorist organisations for individual members often replaces that persons family, strengthened family and relationship ties can help facilitate a persons disengagement from a particular cause, i.e., to provide them with a non-violent, appealing alternative to terrorism. Indeed, Bjà ¸rgo and others highlight the importance of avoiding a social vacuum, when a terrorist repents, and women can play a fundamental role in this.  [42]  In his study of what moves right-wing extremists to de-radicalise, he asserts that gaining and upholding family commitments, including getting a girlfriend (or boyfriend), are among the strongest motives for leaving a cause behind.  [43]  As such, programmes exist to facilitate not just finding employment, but entering into marriage, all as part of the rehabilitation of violent extremists.  [44]   A Moroccan initiative that focuses on women, recruiting them as messengers to present the moderate mainstream Islam as a counterweight to fundamentalist ideology, has met with some success. Spearheaded by the Moroccan King, the initiative seeks to feminize the face of Islam, in order to provide an enlightened alternative to the extremist, often misrepresented brand of Islam terrorist groups employ.  [45]   In Saudi Arabia, a counterterrorism scheme called the Saudi Counselling Programme, has been the most successful and expansive of its kind, and Christopher Boucek posits that this is due in part to its being rooted in respect for cultural and religious traditions.  [46]  It could be extrapolated from this that women, as central figures in every culture, could hold the key to developing societal answers to a given societys terrorism problem, or at least to grounding each initiative in the appropriate culture. A spate of new programmes centred on mothers preventing the radicalisation of their children supports thi