The life history anthropological perspective

An interview I had with my brother turned out to be very unusual that is to my surprise it was, for me, a new revelation of his inner self. The whole session became personal and sensitive. I came to know a new person, whom I did not know earlier, in him. That is about his condition and experiences of having muscular dystrophy. His perils and his optimistic views, in spite of struggling with the disabilities. It was astonishing to learn that after my thoughts of how I know him so well because he is my brother, there are still a lot of things that I do not know about him. This interview has definitely introduced me to a new person in my brother. The life history anthropological perspective At the age of 6, he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. The diagnosing of this situation in him was a hard one for mother to accept. She had always kept this factor to her heart and made sure he never even feel that he was sick. She tried and the rhythm of his routine was as normal as anyone else of the same age. At the same time the frustration of not being able to do whatever he wanted made him angry at everything in the beginning. He slowly began to realize that he could still have nice feelings. And that is where he could still try to do everything what the other kids did. The dramatic end they had was often embarrassing but he found them to be great fun. This concept of having fun in the awesome and dramatic eventualities of an other ways routine for a kid of his age seems to me as the first step of his finding the life meaning full. The perils of his condition took deeply toll of him. Its true that I have seen most of him in my life, this interview gave me a new perspective of him. The high school, like any other kid, was interesting to him. The presence of his brother was a solace. Brother had to live two years earlier than he did. That was the time he felt bad about the saying â€Å"Oh, yet defend me, friends; I am but hurt†. (Alexander, p 1071) He even thought at the end of his high school that the high school was waste of time. I have a strong feeling that the lack of friends, after having to sit with older kids when his brother was there, made him lonelier than one could ever feel. A pretty librarian’s company was too limited an entertainment for boy of that age. His mindset, by the time he left the high school, might have greatly been influenced by the fact that he was a disabled, unlike other kids. It can be termed as the greatest disaster that happened in his life with the unhealthy Physical condition he suffered from. Having met death face to face with pneumonia at the age of 23, he realizes the need of living life to the fullest. However this realization seems to be the positive out put completely derived from the life threatening situations he went through. I would say it was a therapeutic experience for the both of us because somehow after that interview, he felt good having to share all his thoughts and feelings to someone who he can trust and depend on. In addition, for me I felt as if something good and special came out of it – within my self as a person and between the both of us and our relationship as family. From the first question alone, I was really dazed that he was willing to open up like that with regards to his diagnosis and learning from the doctors that he would not be able to live to see his twentieth year. His courage and strength really shows up by how he handles and is still handling his condition. His openness to me, freely sharing the inner most feelings of his struggles, was really to be considered as an advantage to me because we had an intimacy of being the same family. My brother was open to the entire experience. It was not difficult to convince him to go through with a personal interview with me. He actually enjoyed it because he knew he was helping me out and he really liked the idea of reflecting on past events and experiences that he had in his life. He prides me with joy knowing that he is not the kind of person who gives up. He was able to defeat his worries and fears and still made great efforts to do what most children did at his age from very early in his life. The interview has greatly changed our relationship as siblings. First, we know we have gotten closer because now I feel like I have evaded the person in him that I did not know all these years. My brother has opened up as new person himself. The moral of the  Story is that it has developed in me a sense of self-acceptance. The conversation with him has taught me to accept and take things as they come.   Brushing aside all the limitations, he has the confidence to tell me that that there are a lot of things to do and that he wanted to live his life to the fullest makes me look at myself and rethink what my problems are and what my mindset was. The world we live in has a lot more problems for its people. A lot of people complain about things, just like the poor boy complaining that ‘I have no shoes, I have no shoes.’ Until, he saw a man with no legs. If we as normal people complain about our lives and not having to succeed in situations where we want to accomplish many tasks, I guess we should think about those who unwillingly have disabilities, such as muscular dystrophy. My brother’s out look towards life was one of great self-esteem and acceptance but the conversation gave me great cultural insight as compassionate side, in me sparked off like a matchstick. Everything that he said I took note off and from them I draw my inspiration in reinventing my life, and am compassionate in my society. I took note of his words as he said you’d never be able to make anyone else happy if you can’t look at yourself in the mirror and be happy at what you see. Reference Alexander, Peter (1985) A book on complete works of Shakespeare. English language book society.      

Geology Questions

1. )A mastodon was found in Lafayette after being in the ground for how long? A. )30-35 million B. )30-35 billion C. )100 thousand D. )13. 7 billion 2. )What is placing geological events in a sequential order as determined from their position in the geological record? A. )geologic time B. )Relative dating C. )Radiocarbon D. )tree-ring dating 3. )Which of the following methods can be used to demonstrate age equivalency of rock units? A. )Lateral tracing B. )Radiometric Dating C. )Guide fossils D. )Position in sequence E. )All of the above 1.The first form of horses had how many toes on each foot? a. three b. seven c. four d. five 2. Is evolution Darwin's theory? a. yes b. no c. I wasn't paying attention d. who cares 3. â€Å"Survival of the fiitest† was whose idea? a. Sir Charles Lyell b. Louis Agassiz c. Charles Darwin d. Robert T. Bakker 4. Darwin was a a. math professor b. famous cartoon character c. singer d. gradualist 1. Who is the  author of a  book  that detailedà ‚  the ideas of evolution and proposed a mechanism whereby evolution could take place? a) Gary Kinsland b) Charles Robert Darwin c) Alfred Russel Wallace d) Michael Jackson . Darwin and Wallace reading Malthus's essay came to the same conclusion and both presenting this conclusion to the Linnaean Society in London. The conclusion is called a) natural selection b) the big bang theory c) genetics d) all of the above 3. What is Jean Baptiste de Lemark's theory that new traits arise in organisms according to need somehow being passed onto their descendants? a) natural selection b) artificial selection c) inheritance of acquired characteristics d) all of the above 1. fossils are mainly found in what aspect? a. forests b. oceans c. land d. mountains 2. hat was Charles Drawin known for? a. His good looks b. his ideas about life c. the theory of evoloution 3. about how long ago was earth known to be formed? a. 200 thousand years ago b. one million years ago c. 4. 6 billion years ago d. no o ne really knows 1. Fossils are best preserved in the ____________. a. rocks b. ocean c. lava d. space 2. A single celled organism that grew and produced oxygen and its structures still remain. a. stramatalites b. algae c. coral reef d. plants 3. Which species is the best geologic record of evolution? a. pig b. passenger pigeon c. whooping crane d. horse ) What period does the Cenozoic era cover? a) 65. 5 Mya to present b) 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago c) 542 to 251 million years ago d) None of the above 2) What is something Charles Darwin is known for? a) He created the theory of evolution b) He gave us the idea that species evolved in order to better suit their environment c) A and B d) None of the above 3) What kind of fossils are more informative a) Big Fossils, because they catch our imagination b) Microfossils, because they give us more details about the environment and the climate c) Fossils of small insects and plants ) B and C 1. Fossils that are easily identified are geographically widespread, and existed for a rather short interval of geologic time are particularly useful? A. fossils B. historical fossils C. guide fossils D. new fossils E. old fossils 2. Fundamental Principles of Relative Dating include all of the following except: A. Principle of the earth’s make-up B. Principle of superposition C. Principle of cross-cutting relationships D. Principle of lateral continuity E. Principle of original horizontality 3. It is the decay rate of _________ that geologists measure to determine the absolute ages of the rocks.A. atoms B. unstable isotopes C. elements D. fossils E. rocks 1. The  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   illustrates the interactions between Earth's internal and external processes and how the three rock groups are interrelated. A. Rock Cycle B. Lithospere C. Seafloor Spreading D. Oceanic chart 2. Geology is divided into two broad areas: Physical Geology and  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã ‚   A. Historical Geology B. Cultural Geology C. Statistical Geology D. Researched Geology 3. The theory that the seafloor moves away from spreading ridges and is eventually consumed at subduction zones is: A. Seafloor Spreading B. Pangaea C. Evolution D.Cross-cutting 1) How long ago was the earth formed? a) 5. 6 billion years b) 250 million years c) 4. 6 billion years d) 1. 2 billion years 2) Which time period precedes the triassic? a) Jurassic b) Permian c) Silurian d) Pre-Cambrian 3) What kind of unconformity is characterized by a change in the slope of the strata? a) Angular unconformity b) Paraconformity c) Disconformity d) Nonconformity 1. What era did the dinosaurs rome the earth? a. the Triassic Period b. Jurrasic Period c. Paleolithic period d. Neolithic Period 2. What is fossil succession? a. When fossils are lined up next to each other . When different animals are fossiled together c. The idea that he kinds of animals and plants found as fossils changed through time. 3. W hat is a Light year? a. A term made up by star wars b. a mile in space c. It is the distance that light can travel in one year. 1. ) James Hutton is know for A. Being the founder of modern geology B. Discovering radioactivity C. Creating the principle of cross-cutting relationships D. Both A. and C. 2. ) The first hard-shelled creatures evolved approximately A. 900 million years ago B. 2 million years ago C. 200 million years ago D. It is unknown 3. Carbon 14 is a radioactive ______ of carbon. A. Ion B. Isotope C. Particle D. Element In what direction does the Dekota Ridge run from the mountain it is connected to? A. Horizontal B. Vertical C. Perpendicular D. Parallel What animal was the first horse comparison to in size? A. Fish B. Bird C. Cat D. Dog What percentage of known species of life has disappeared? A. 73 B. 46 C. 90 D. 65 1. The first horses were no larger than what animal? a. Cats b. Cows c. Dogs d. Rabbits 2. Who first discussed the idea that species change to better sur vive their surroundings? a. Sir Isaac Newton b. Charles Darwin c.Albert Einstein d. Charles Manson 3. The first horses had how many toes? a. 3 b. 0 c. 5 d. 4 _________ is an informal term that encompasses all geologic time from 4. 6 to 4. 0 billion years ago. A. Archean B. siderian C. Hadean D. Stenian E. neoarchean The cratons are the foundations of continents, and along their margins more continental crust was added, a process called ________. A. Continental accretion B. shield C. Precambrian D. Canadian shield E. protocontinents Any change in the genetic makeup of species is called ______. A. Macroevolution B. convergence C. Evolution D. Cladistics E. microevolution 1.How many toes did the first horses have? a. 4 b. 3 c. 6 d. none 2. Who said that species gradually change to suit there natural habitat? a. Chuck Norris b. Charles Darwin c. Jesus d. both a and c 3. Darwin gave us the _________ of evolution. a. theory b. phone number c. dictionary d. method What percentage of known species of life have disappeared? A. 70 B. 69 C. 90 D. 45 1. ) What do Paleontologists call the â€Å"missing links† that connect the descendants with ancestors when providing evidence for evolution with fossils? A. Trace Fossils B. Body Fossils C. Dino Bones D. Transitional Fossils E. Vestigial Structures 2. What is the type of structure that may be superficially similar and serve the same function, as in the wings of insects and birds, but they are dissimilar in structure and development? A. Constructed Structure B. Analogous Structure C. Twin Structure D. Homologous Structure E. Classification Structure 3. ) What principle, articulated by Charles Lyell, became the guiding principle of geology, which holds that the laws of nature have been constant through time and that the same process operating today have operated in the past, although not necessarily at the same rates? A. Uniformitarianism B. Diesm C. Conformism D.Baptism E. Cannibalism 1) The universe is approximately _ ______ times older than the Earth. a. Two b. Three c. Four d. Six 2. ) Fossils are best preserved a. in Oceans b. in Mountains c. on Land d. in Outer Space 3. Earth is ________ years old. a. 3. 7 billion b. 13. 7 billion c. 4. 6 billion d. 4. 6 million e. None of the above 1. How long can Carbon14 be used? A. 55,000 years B. 75,000 years C. 10,000 years D. 1,000,000 years E. Unknown 2. Who founded radioactivity? A. Madame Marie Cury B. James Hudton C. Gary Kinsland D. James Newton E. It is unknown 3. Which time period marked the 1st period of shelled organisms?A. Cambrian B. Jurassic C. Paleozoic D. Mesozoic E. Both A and C 4. The parent-daughter ratio is usually determined by what? A. atomic mass number B. alpha decay C. mass spectrometer D. track dating E. none of the above 5. The process of demonstrating the time equivalency of rock unit in different areas is: A. relative dating B. correlation C. radioactive decay D. Both A and C E. None of the above 6. Who is credited with formu lating the principle of cross-cutting relationships? A. Nicolas Steno B. James Hutton C. Lord Kelvin D. Madame Cury E. None of the above 1) What is Absolute Dating? )When male and female rocks form together to make another rock b)a common method of obtaining absolute ages c)When Powell led a second expedition down the Colorado River in 1871 d)Specific dates for rock units or events expressed in years before the present 2) Who is the Father of Modern Geology? a)Albert Einstein b)James Usher c)James Hutton d) Alexander the Great 3) What is a secondary way to determine relative ages of rocks, other than by of heat? a)Principle of Fossil Succession b)Principle of Fossil Assemblages c)Principle of Inclusions d)Superposition 1) Which of the following is not a type of strata unconformities? A. Disconformity B.Lateral Unconformity C. Angular Unconformity D. Nonconformity 2) How do scientists correlate rock units over a large area? A. Principle of Superposition B. Principle of Inclusions C. Principle of Fossil Succession D. Contact Metamorphism 3) Radioactive decay occurs at a ______ rate. Therefore, a graph of the decay rate produces a ______. A. linear / straight line B. geometric / curve C. linear / curve D. geometric / straight line 1. ________ reproduction hinders evolution. a. Sexual b. Asexual c. Pansexual d. Infrequent 2. Earth's atmospheric shift from a mainly carbon dioxide atmosphere to a mainly oxygen atmosphere was caused by _______. . life on Earth b. the recycling of igneous rocks c. the earth cooling down d. every being on earth holding its breath at the same time 3. The â€Å"Cambrian Explosion† features life forms that have _______ for the very first time. a. extremities b. fur c. hard shells d. beaks 4. Rocks are to â€Å"Orientals† just as rocks are to _______. a. â€Å"Occidentals† b. Asians c. Blacks d. people from Oregon 1. What is an outcrop? a. a place where rocks come out to the surface b. a 1960's hair-cut c. inserts of y ounger rock in existing older rock d. the head of vegetables in a field 2. what is the most common mineral in the Earth? a. silicon b. feldspar . sediment d. rocks 3. which carbon type is radio-active? a. carbon X b. carbon 18 c. carbon Z3 d. carbon 14 1. Fossilization is a very unusual process, even in the ocean because of A. people tampering with the process B. scavengers C. the amount of water it's under D. natural disasters that occur 2. Why is an anoxic environment the best way for an fossil to become preserved? A. It stops the scavengers from living B. People aren't able to survive in that type of environment C. It speeds up the process D. None of the above 3. What type of organisms are more likely to become fossilized? A. One with bones B. any type C. One with a shellD. both A and C 1. When the oldest layers are on bottom? (Class notes) A) Original Continuity B) Superposition C) Original Horizontality D) Radio Activity 2. When were plants and animals abundant on land accordin g to video #1's geologic time calendar year? A) Early March B) Late March C) Late July D) Late November 3. How were fossils formed? (Video #2) A) Molds of an organism B) Crystallized casts C) Fossil tracks and burrows D) All of the above .)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Preservation from fossils are best a. In oceans b. On land c. In mountains d. grass 2. )  Ã‚  Ã‚   What are the most common types of fossils? a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Molded b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cast c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Imprint )  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Whole animal 3. )  Ã‚  Ã‚   Where is the best place to bury yourself if you would like to be preserved? a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Great plains b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rocky mountains c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gulf of Mexico d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nevada 1. Which is the oldest of the geologic time scale_____? a. cambrian b. permian c. jurassic d. mississippian 2. Which is the oldest of the geologic time scale_____? a. cambrian b. permian c. jurassic d. mississippian 3. What is educa tion______? a. learning b. going to school c. learning while going to school d. the process of becoming disabused of your preconsumed notions 1. Early Earth's atmosphere was largely made up of what? A. Oxygen B. Nitrogen C.Carbon-Dioxide D. Carbon-Monoxide 2. The arrival of hard shell organisms was in which period? A. Siluvian B. Cambrian C. Permian D. There from the beginning 3. What is the most common kind of fossil? A. Molds B. Tracks C. Bones D. Shells Professor Kinsland mainly supports what other University (other than ULL)? A) LSU B)University of Oregon C)UNO D)University of Texas Algae is A) one of the simplest life forms B) a complicated living being C) a mineral D) a fossil About how many miles of compacted fossils, minerals, etc. are buried beneath our feet from the past million years? A) 10 miles B) 2000 miles C) 8 miles D) none; they disenegrate

Ap Biology Notes Cellular Communication Essay

Cell-to-cell communication is essential in multicellular organisms. They must communicate to coordinate activities such as growth and development, and reproduction. In addition unicellular organisms communicate with each other. Signals may use light, or touch but we will focus on chemical signals. 1. External signals are converted to responses within the cell a. Evolution of cell signaling i. In yeast a cells and ÃŽ ±cells both secrete chemicals, which can only be received by the alternate type yeast. This signals the two cells to join via fusion 1. The process by which the signal on the surface of the cell is converted to a series of steps by the cell in response is called a signal transduction pathway ii. Signal transduction pathways are very similar in yeast and in complex multicellular organisms 2. This leads scientists to believe that this pathway evolved first in ancient prokaryotes b. Local and long distance signaling iii. Local signaling 3. Adjacent cells of plants and animals may communicate through cell junctions a. Signaling substances dissolved in the cytoplasm travel between cells i. Plants = plasmodesmata ii. Animals = gap junctions 4. Animal cells may use the following b. Cell-to-cell recognition iii. Direct contact between membrane-bound cell-surface molecules iv. Important in embryonic development and immune response c. Paracrine signaling v. Uses local regulators which are released and travel only a short distance to nearby cells vi. Ex. Growth factors target nearby cells to grow and divide d. Synaptic signaling vii. Electrical signal along a nerve cell triggers a chemical release across a synapse to trigger response in target cell viii. Ex. Nerve cells iv. Long- distance signaling 5. Both plants and animals use hormones e. Animals (endocrine signaling) cells release hormones which travel in the circulatory system to target cells f. Plants hormones travel in vessels or by diffusion through the air as gas g. Hormones vary in size and shape 6. Nervous system signals can also be long distance c. The three stages of cell signaling: A preview v. Reception: when the target cell detects a signaling molecule. The signaling molecule binds to a receptor protein on the target cell’s surface vi. Transduction: After binding the receptor protein is changed in some way, this converts the signal to a form that will bring about a specific cellular response 7. May occur in a single step or a series of changes vii. Response: The transduced signal triggers a specific cellular response. 8. Catalysis of an enzyme, rearrangement of the cytoskeleton, activation of a specific gene 2. Reception: A signaling molecule binds to a receptor protein, causing it to change shape d. To ensure signals are sent to the correct cell signaling molecules act as a ligand. viii. Ligand- molecule that specifically binds to another (usually larger) molecule ix. The receptor protein then usually changes shape x. May be located on the membrane or inside the cell e. Receptors in the plasma membrane xi. Water-soluble signaling molecule binds to receptor on the membrane causing it to change shape or aggregate. f. Intracellular Receptors xii. Found in cytoplasm or nucleus of target cells 9. Signaling molecule must be hydrophobic enough or small enough to pass through the plasma membrane h. Steroid hormones, thyroid hormones, nitric oxide | Examples| Pathway| Other| G-Protein Coupled Receptors| Yeast mating factors, epinephrine, hormones, neurotransmitters| 1. signaling molecule binds to the g-protein receptor 2. receptor changes shape and the cytoplasmic side binds to the inactive G protein 3. GTP then displaces to form GDP and activates the protein 4. Activated G protein diffuses along the membrane to an enzyme altering the enzyme to trigger the next step| Bacteria such as whooping cough, botulism and cholera disrupt this pathway| Receptor Tyrosine Kinases| Enzymes that catalyze the transfer of phosphate groups| 1. binding of two signaling molecules to two tyrosine chains causes the two to associate with each other forming a dimer 2. dimerization activates the tyrosine kinase region to add a phosphate from and ATP to each tyrosine in the polypeptide 3. each tail can now bind to and activate a different specific relay protein within the cell| One receptor may activate ten+ pathways. Absence can result in cancer| Ion Channel Receptors| Nervous system| 1. signaling molecule binds to the ion channel in the membrane 2. protein changes shape creating a channel through the membrane 3. specific ions can now flow through the membrane which may cause a change in the cell or trigger another pathway| Some ion gated channels are controlled by change in voltage rather than binding of a ligand| g. Intracellular Receptors xiii. Ex. Testosterone 10. Hormone passes through the plasma membrane 11. Testosterone binds to a receptor protein in the cytoplasm activating it 12. The hormone-receptor complex enters the nucleus and binds to a specific gene 13. The bound protein acts as a transcription factor, stimulating the transcription of the gene into mRNA 14. The mRNA is translated into a specific protein 3. Transduction: cascades of molecular interactions relay signals from receptor to target molecules in the cell h. Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation xiv. Proteins can be activated by the addition of a phosphate group (often broken off of ATP or GTP) 15. Phosphates are transferred from ATP to a protein by a general group of enzymes known as protein kinases i. Phosphorylation often causes the protein to change shape j. This happens because the added phosphate group interacts with polar or charged amino acids within the protein xv. Protein phosphatases are enzymes that remove phosphate groups from a protein 16. Mechanism for turning off signal transduction 17. These also allow for turning off and reusing pathways i. Small molecules and ions as second messengers xvi. Molecules other than proteins act as second messengers 18. Small and water soluble such as ions k. This allows them to rapidly spread throughout the cell via diffusion 19. Second messenger refers to anything after the first messenger which is the extracellular signaling molecule that binds to the membrane 20. Most common second messengers are cyclic AMP and Ca+2 xvii. Cyclic AMP as a second messenger in response to the hormone epinephrine 21. Epinephrine binds to receptor molecule protein activates adenylyl cyclase which can catalyze the synthesis of many molecules of cAMP l. Adenylyl cyclase catalyzes the conversion of ATP into cAMP ix. cAMP usually activates a serine/threonine kinase known as protein kinase A which phosphorylates many other proteins m. cAMP is converted back to AMP by phosphodiesterase xviii. Calcium ions and inositol tripohosphate 22. Increasing calcium concentration causes responses such as muscle contraction, secretion of substances, and cell division in animals, and greening in response to light in plants 23. Calcium is usually in high concentrations outside of the cell and in the ER but in low concentrations in the cytosol 24. Pathway n. Signaling molecule binds to receptor   o. Phospholipid pinches off membrane IP3 is released as second messenger p. IP3 binds to receptor on ER causing protein channel to open q. Ca+2 is released into cytosol 4. Response: Cell signaling leads to regulation of transcription or cytoplasmic activities j. Nuclear and cytoplasmic responses xix. Pathways lead to the regulation of one or more cellular activities 25. Regulate protein synthesis r. Turning specific genes on or off (calls for the synthesis of mRNA from DNA) 26. Regulate protein activity s. Cause a shape change to turn a protein on or off 27. Regulate overall shape change of cell 28. Release of mating factors 29. Cell division k. Fine-tuning of the response xx. Signal amplification 30. Enzyme cascades amplify effects by increasing the product at each step t. Enzymes stay active long enough to work on multiple products before becoming inactive xxi. The specificity of cell signaling and coordination of the response 31. Different types of cells are programmed to respond to only certain types of signals u. Some cells will respond to the same signals but in different ways v. This is because different cells have different collections of proteins xxii. Signaling efficiency: scaffolding proteins and signaling complexes 32. Scaffolding proteins increase the efficiency of the response w. A large protein with multiple protein kinases attached x. Decreases the time of the response because diffusion between proteins is not needed 33. Pathways are not linear, in fact the same protein may act in multiple pathways 34. Relay proteins serve as branch points where the signal may go in one of two directions xxiii. Termination of the signal 35. Each step in the pathway lasts only a short time, this makes the proteins ready for a new signal 36. When the signaling molecule leaves leave the receptor it reverts to its inactive form and the relay molecules follow

Thesis Topic Effect of bullying in childhood on the future of a person Essay

Thesis Topic Effect of bullying in childhood on the future of a person - Essay Example Thus if there is a question as to if bullying behavior continues into adulthood, then from which age it continues will be question that will remain unanswered. Therefore, if any intervention is designed to change a psychosocial parameter in the school age children in order to prevent bullying behavior in the adulthood, that remains questionable since literature also suggests bullying behavior in the childhood is determined by may age-specific psychosocial parameters that can be changed. In other words, since isolation of influence of student age on the effect on bullying involvement and school climate has not been addressed in this study, this part of the bullying behavior will remain unanswered. While physical behaviors are overt, it must be remembered that relational type behaviors remain covert in school-age children. Some studies have shown that these covert behaviors are difficult to discern both by patents at home and teachers at school. Childhood relational aggressions are les s likely to be reported, while they are also bullying behaviors (Solberg and Olweus, 2003). Since prevalence of bullying in childhood is a relational determinant of the adulthood bullying behavior, accurate estimates of both are necessary to establish a relationship if there is any. Prevalence of bullying is highly dependent on the behaviors studied and how questions about bullying are framed and asked (Hawkins et al., 2005). Childhood bullying has been hypothesized to be a specific type of antisocial behavior that can yield adult antisocial personality disorder. However, there are cases of adulthood antisocial personality disorders which may have no bullying history. From the psychiatric point of view, the aggressive behavior in the childhood may continue similarly in the adulthood due to persistence of impairments of both the recognition of emotional stimuli and cognitive control of emotional behavior. Therefore, it can be argued that these problems may arise de novo in the adulthood, and if it originates in the childhood bullying is just a manifestation of this problem. The ignorance of social and environmental factors in development factors in development and continuation of bullying may turn out to be the most important fallacy in the whole proposition, and this study will fail to answer this, as to how these are related to future behavioral deviance (Mason et al., 2004). As this study shows, although there are aggression and behavioral problems in both the bully and the bully victims, there is a definite higher risk of adverse long-term psychopathologic outcomes trailing into the adulthood in cases of the bully victims. Studies have also shown that bully victim groups were more vulnerable for development of deviant behavioral problems in the adulthood. Although the findings from this study suggest that both bullying and victimization during early school years can be taken as public health signs of identification of subjects who are at risk of suffering psychiatric disorders in early adulthood, the causal relationship of both separately can be difficult to establish with the same rationale (Fekkes et al., 2004). This study cannot answer this question as to how

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Entreprenuership (course) - Essay Example Furthermore, with the improvement of technology and increasing competition caused due to economic liberalization and globalization, the assumption which holds that fostering entrepreneurship will enhance a country’s competitiveness seems to be valid like never before. According to Shane and Venkatraman (2000), entrepreneurship is an act of being an entrepreneur or one, who discovers, exploits, and assesses the opportunities of developing new products or services, innovative production process, new strategies or exploring new markets. Often, entrepreneurship is discussed under the entrepreneurial functions, entrepreneurial factors, entrepreneurial behaviour and entrepreneurial initiatives. Friijs, Paulsson and Karlsson (2002), stated that entrepreneurship mainly relates with the functional activities which include innovation, coordination, capital supply, uncertainty bearing, making decision and allocation of resources. Entrepreneurs have always been the strong contributor in most of the theories related with distribution, production and growth. The role of entrepreneurs in driving the economic growth of a country can be best described with the help of theory of long waves by Joseph Schumpeter. According to Schumpeter (1942), "Everyone is an entrepreneur when he actually carries out new combinations". Finding out new combinations pertaining to the factors of production can be cited as the entrepreneurial discovery that ultimately becomes the fuel of economic development. According to the author, the new combinations are better approaches to fulfil customer needs, developing new products and creative destruction to some extent. Now based on the notion of creative destruction, the theory of long waves (regarding the economic growth and business cycles) has been formulated. The theory states that a business cycle comprises of creation of new products and services along with the implementation of new s trategies. These phenomenons ultimately lead towards the

Project management review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Project management review - Essay Example Once the system has been built to last, it is likely to contribute significantly to the operations of the central government in tracking large projects. However, a holistic approach needs to be taken in order for this project to be a resounding success. The phases outlined above need to be carefully taken into account. It can also be seen that project managers should possess various skills that can enable them to execute different project. These people should have effective communication skills as well as the ability to solve problems in order to succeed in carrying out this project. Table of contents 1.0 Introduction 3 1.1 Task A: Project definition 5 1.2 Project life cycle 5 1.3 Project scope, aims and objectives 6 2.0 Task B: approach to project management 8 2.1 Good approach versus bad approach to project management 8 2.1.1 Project definition 8 2.1.2 Agreement 9 2.1.3 Support 9 2.1.4 Communication 9 2.1.5 Measures to control risk 10 2.2 Project processes 10 2.3 Initiation 10 2.4 Planning 11 2.5 Execution and controlling 12 2.6 Monitoring and close out 13 3.0 Task C: Definition of control system 14 3.1 Effectiveness of the control system 15 3.2 How risk is handled 16 4.0 Task D: Qualities of an effective project manager 17 References 19 1.0 Introduction In order to understand the concept of project management, it is imperative to begin by defining the meaning of project. Basically, â€Å"a project is a special kind of activity and it involves something that is both unique and important and thereby requires unusual attention. It can also be noted that it has boundaries and has a beginning and an end,† (Flemming 2003, p.3). Thus, for any project to achieve its goals, it can be observed that project management is essential and it should be implemented in every stage of the project. It can be observed that there are various activities that are involved in the process of project management. According to Fox (2008), project management is a combination of st eps and techniques for keeping the goals and objectives, budget and schedule in order so as to achieve the desired outcome. A lot of project management tools are used in order to manage the project effectively so that the set goals and objectives can be achieved. The success of a given project mainly depends on the manager’s capability to control the different phases of the project such that all the efforts of the people involved are directed towards the achievement of the desired goals. All activities need to be properly managed so that they can be successfully implemented in the project. A project is characterised by the following factors: initiation, planning, execution as well as monitoring and closing out. These factors are very important in the execution of any given project and they determine its success or failure in most cases. Each phase in a project needs to be properly controlled such that the chances of achieving the desired goals are increased. The other advanta ge of controlling each stage is that necessary adjustments can be made along the way so that the objectives of the project are met. Effective project management entails that proper measures are put in place in order to deal with all the unprecedented changes that may be encountered during the course of the project. Project management also entails that all activities are controlled so that they remain within the set budget work the

The Sadhu case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Sadhu case - Essay Example Eventually, the Sadhu gained the energy to walk by himself. The theories include moral relativism, categorical imperative, utilitarian, ethical egoism, and divine command (Jennings 13). In moral relativism, one assesses the prevailing situation and resolves to take an action that will be justified by the pressure of the moment. All the groups and individuals abandoned the Sadhu after giving him all the necessary assistance and realizing that he would move on his own. They had to move before the road was cleared by melting snow. Their need to get back their way before they could lose it justified their actions to abandon the Sadhu. The theory of categorical imperative was also evident among all the groups and individuals. They all helped the Sadhu even when they could not benefit anything from their actions. However, they were influenced by the fact that they expected to be treated in a similar manner should they find themselves in a needy situation like that of the Sadhu. According to the theory of utilitarian, people should chose make a decision with maximum benefits and minimum harms when resolving ethical dilemmas. One of the New Zealanders identified the body of the Sadhu and did his best to take him down the mountain before he met McCoy. He dumped the body of the Sadhu before McCoy and resumed back to climbing the mountain with his friends (Jennings 6). That was the best he could do because he was supposed to cross the pass before sun could melt the ice. Ethical egoism is evident when Pasang refused to allow the porters to carry the Sadhu because they would not have enough energy to cross the pass after carrying the Sadhu to the hut. Pasang heavily relied on the porters to carry his luggage. The divine command theory is based on the idea that ethics is defined by religious beliefs. Stephen was a staunch Christians who believed in putting the interests of others before his own interests. He managed to assists the Sadhu even though he

Implication of Bad Managerial Ethics in Enron Term Paper

Implication of Bad Managerial Ethics in Enron - Term Paper Example On the other hand, the failure of a business venture can be attributed to upholding unethical values such as deception and complacency. Ethics can be understood well by paying special attention to the Enron scandal. This paper discusses the implications of unethical practice. It begins by bringing out the unethical practices that occurred at Enron and the implications. To begin with, the Enron scam, unearthed in 2001, eventually caused the collapse of Enron, an Energy Corporation based in the United States and the complete closure of an accounting and re-organization firm called Arthur Andersen. Apart from being the mega insolvency reorganization in the history of the United States during that time, Enron was also regarded as the huge audit failure. Enron problems owe their origin to Jeffrey Skilling, who created a group of executives that used accounting loopholes, specific purpose entities and negative financial reporting to hide huge amount of dollars in the form of debts that cam e from scrupulous deals as well as projects (Swartz & Sherron, 2004). Chief Financial Manager Andrew Fastow together with other managers not only confused Enron’s management board and accounts committee on highly vulnerable accounting practices, but also forced Andersen to overlook the issues (Collins, 2006). Shareholders lost eleven billion dollars (Schein, 2005), when the price of stocks at Enron that had gained a peak of ninety dollars per share as of mid 2000, dropped by less than one dollar by the close of 2001.The United States Securities and Commission of Exchange started an inquiry, and rival competitor from Houston, Dynergy wanted to buy the firm at a subsidized price. The deal collapsed, and in2001, Enron petitioned for insolvency under chapter eleven of the US Bankruptcy Law (Cruver, 2003). Furthermore, the implication was that many managers at Enron Corporation were arrested for a several charges and later put behind bars. The auditor at Enron, Arthur Andersen, wa s proven guilty by a District Court in the US. However, when the decision was rescinded by the United States Supreme Court, the firm had lost many customers. Workers and shareholders got limited returns from lawsuits, despite forfeiting billions in form of pensions as well as stock prices. As a result of the scam, new rules and laws were passed to increase the validity of financial communication for public firms. The unethical events that took place at Enron included embracing a culture which regarded innovation coupled with unlimited ambition to be vital factors that produced good returns within a short time. However, this theory focused on the short term aspect rather than long term whereby achieving maximum profits becomes cumbersome. This forces employees to bend the rules until the limitations of ethics are ignored in the quest for success (Toffler & Jennifer, 2004). It is worth noting that Enron enjoyed a lot of success initially by raking in a lot of earnings as well as cash flows. Therefore, in order to maintain this trend they resorted to join a faulty network of partnerships and also employed questionable auditing procedures. Enron managers thought that it was the best path for the organization. The crucial question that comes out of this initiative is whether it was ethical for the executives to pursue that course. In my view, it can be said that to some extent it was given the fact that the company realized a lot of earnings. However, to a large extent the behavior depicted by the executives of Enron constituted the highest violation of ethical values since it is responsible for the collapse of Enron. In addition, my

2 Papers for Political Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

2 Papers for Political Science - Essay Example (MSNBC, 2005). This was so done on a two cent piece. It was however, not until almost a century later that the words â€Å"In God We Trust† appeared on U.S. currency as they do today, â€Å"In 1955, the year after Congress inserted the words â€Å"under God† in the Pledge of Allegiance, Congress required all currency to carry the motto â€Å"In God We Trust.†(MSNBC, 2005). Separation of church and state has been a truly difficult feat from the issue of same sex marriage to the inclusion of references to god in the pledge of allegiance both in schools and during public events. The imposition felt by many is not so different from the early settlers who were puritanical in nature and imposed a rigid set of moral and religious codes for everyone, including the Native Americans who were imposed on by them, to follow. This even led to the fateful Salem witch trials when women who were thought to be witches were On the other hand, this congressional action of implementing the phrase â€Å"In God We Trust† on our currency, was done on the basis of the very principles upon which this country was founded. Although times have changed, making religion or belief in God, less and less of an openly discussed topic; the reversal of basic principles which are meant to remind every American where they came from and how this country was founded, is nothing shy of deconstructive. The pledge of allegiance which includes the phrase â€Å"one nation, under God† has become an oath which all Americans have taken at one time or another, and though America is a cultural melting pot, we are all united under fundamental ideas of freedom, liberty and unity ‘under God’. By dissecting the very basis of this ideology which we have all grown up embracing, we dissolve not only a tradition but a sense of basic accountability to stand together as a Nation under ‘God’,

Mayor's management report department of homless services (NYC) Essay

Mayor's management report department of homless services (NYC) performance measures - Essay Example Homelessness has always remained a major concern for municipalities of towns and cities across the globe. New York City is a city with a staggering homeless population; experiencing a profound shortage of available housing at every rental level; a problem that has persisted throughout the city's history. To address this ill, chronic issue, in year 1993, the city government of New York City, established the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). Since then, all activities, resources and facilities; projects, inputs and workload; performance, statistical measurements and results of DHS, are published in annual Mayor's Management Report. The paper addresses the mission, goals and objectives of Department of Homeless Services. It quantitatively analyze the performance highlights of Mayor’s Management Report and discusses the DHS methodology in context to Six Sigma or the Theory of Constraints. Finally different features of performance measures are given. Department of Homeless Ser vices Homelessness is an ill and burgeoning phenomenon for human being; a disproportionate coercion against the health and well-being of masses who endure its deprivations. Homelessness badly upsets the most vulnerable group of society whose life chances and life expectancies are already reduced by poverty, discrimination, mental illness, substance abuse and other disabilities (Barrow 529)... For example according to a survey conducted by United Nations cyberschool bus (1985) an estimate number of homeless in Manhattans alone run as high as 90,000. 'This crisis can be best described as a national epidemic of homelessness that is destroying the family life and health of the poor, and affecting the most vulnerable section of the population- children' (Whyte 2004). In order to deal with this epidemic crisis, in 1993 the city government of New York established the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). "The mission of the Department of Homeless Services is to overcome the homelessness in New York City" (PMM Report 2007). After six years in 1999, DHS was given an independent Mayoral agency status. The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) instigated its course of action with following long-term goals as given in Mayor's annual reports. Prevent homelessness. Conduct outreach to street homeless individuals. Provide temporary emergency shelter for eligible homeless people. Work with homeless individuals and families to develop and implement independent. To pursuit these long term goals Department of Homeless Services set following critical objectives. Increase the number of people prevented from becoming homeless. Reduce street homelessness. Ensure the availability of temporary shelter for homeless individuals and families. Maintain shelter safety and cleanliness. Increase client engagement and responsibility in moving to permanent housing. Reduce clients' length of stay in shelters. Increase placements into permanent housing. Reduce re-entries into the shelter services system (PMM Report 2007). MMR Performance Measures Analysis Quantitative Analysis The statistics given in MMR against the key service area of

Is edcuation a service industry Discuss and critically evauate the Essay

Is edcuation a service industry Discuss and critically evauate the role of the WTO in education - Essay Example Higher education is increasingly seen as a commercial product to be bought and sold like any other commodity. Higher education commercialization has now reached the global marketplace. According to the American Heritage dictionary, the term "EDUCATION" is defined as the knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process (Answers.com). The World Trade Organization (WTO) is considering a series of proposals to include higher education as one of its concerns, ensuring that the import and export of higher education be subject to the complex rules and legal arrangements of the WTO protocols and free of most restrictions. The demand for higher education, on the one side, is growing, while on the other side, trans-border education is increasing. The capacity of the public sector has not kept up with this demand. This coupled with the recent developments of ICTs and the ensuing growth in online learning has resulted in the creation of this very lucrative market. Though higher education has a higher calling, it will not be able to compete successfully for necessary resources unless its rules comply with those established by the World Trade Organization (UNESCO) . ... Let us take a quick look at the history and evolution of education to understand it from various perspectives. Going back to the world's ancient civilizations of Egypt, China, Mesopotamia and Indo-Harappan civilizations, it's amply clear that the knowledgeable and the wise ones of the society were looked up to "educate" others. Coming a little closer to out times, I'm sure we can talk of various philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Seneca, Archimedes etc, who are even today acknowledged as some of the world's greatest thinkers and to make a point were in demand to "educate." At that point there was, strictly speaking, no concept of standardization. Education, especially the primary education has spin offs and major economic, social and financial implications on the society. Some of the economists have gone to the extent of linking primary education with the growth of a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Economics of Higher Education, 2003). Furthermore, education plays a very critical role in not only shaping an individual's capabilities and competence but also has spin - offs on nations. On inspection of history, one can also fairly conclude that economic growth has happened around the seats of education. Also there was great social differentiation between the educated and the not educated (UNESCO). Massing of wealth by the educated and the depreciation of values, later on, has lead to many social revolts, which is a different story and line of pursuit. By the end of the 19th century, all nations globally had recognized and set up some systems of education essentially aiming at long term growth prospects for themselves ( UNESCO). The burgeoning needs for education driven by governmental support, spurn the parental

Gender Politics and Roles in a Horror Film Essay Example for Free

Gender Politics and Roles in a Horror Film Essay Gender politics in horror films are not all that difficult to comprehend mainly because they devise a specific role for the various genders. That is the gender politics are little more than a variant on class roles in society. In fact, even an individual who has a passing interest in horror films can see that the heroes and villains are male and the victims are predominantly women. This is the common, tried and true cliched method of cranking out horror movies on an assembly line basis. There are, of course, some excellent horror films that alter the generic methodology of producing horror films that prescribe to a single minded of opinions of what are the proper gender roles that are found in horror movies. Often, we see men as the hero and women as either the victim or the hero. In reality, when it comes to gender roles in horror films there really are no differences because these different roles are based on human interpretations deriving from external opinion; in the film itself it is the monster that defines the role and the monster invariably defines the role of all human – regardless of gender – as prey. When it comes to drive in theater/direct to DVD releases, serious study is often difficult. Films that are cranked out to cash in on a niche market are generally not works of art. Those horror films that do rise to a higher level of art, however, can provide a brilliant insight into the multitude of variances of gender roles that exist. In examining gender roles in horror films, one could split the genre into two halves: the pre-ALIEN era and the post-ALIEN era. In the era prior to 1979s landmark film ALIEN, the perceived role of women was that of the unwilling victim who was Gender Roles in Horror Films – Page 2 menaced by the vampire, werewolf, artificial construct et al and needed a hero to save her. This is referred to as a perceived appearance because the role of the female character was actually much stronger then that in certain films. (In the more B grade films the role of the victim was a cardboard one lacking in any depth) With the release of ALIEN, a female character was presented as a strong adversary of the monster. Instead of needing to be saved, the female heroine defeats the monster quite handily. This would become the more common female role in horror movies. Unfortunately, this more active role would be perverted into the last victim stereotype crafted in the slasher films of the 1980s; a role that still exists for many female characters to this very day. Of course, not all female gender roles are heroines or victims. The recent release of SAW III brought back the lesser used concept of the female villain. The most famous example could be found in 1932s underrated DRACULAS DAUGHTER. While the role of the female vampire was effective, there was little interest in continuing to use females in horror movie heavy roles. The usage of a female in a horror role was limited although it was not without precedent. A female werewolf debuted in lost werewolf film unimaginatively titled THE WEREWOLF. (Female werewolves would return in such films as SHE WOLF OF LONDON and CRY OF THE WEREWOLF) But, this particular role was limited. Further roles of females in the monster role range from the exploitative (THE VAMPIRE LOVERS) to the downright silly (FRANKENSTEINS DAUGHTER) to the brilliant (THE EXORCIST) While this particular gender role of Gender Roles in Horror Films – Page 3 villainess is limited it is not without precedent and it does occasionally appear. In rare instances, it is done effectively as seen in films such as the aforementioned SAW III and THE DEVILS REJECTS. There are questions that need to be raised in terms of how a womans role vs. a male role in a horror film is devised. While some may look for a profound answer to this the real answer is somewhat mundane. That is to say, the roles presented in many of these films are simply reflections of common themes. Consider the following assessment: In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, please in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determining male gaze projects a fantasy onto the female figure, which is styled accordingly. In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact (Mulvey 203) In other words, the gender roles prevalent in most horror films was simply what the audience had grown accustom to expecting. If the audiences of the 1930s sat down in a dark theater in the 1930s and were treated to a female hero in DRACULA or KING KONG the films would have been radically different in their narrative. Audiences generally expected a common role for men and women in horror films and any departure from these roles may run the risk of being rejected. Well, they will not be rejected if they are scripted well. In the 1976 KING KONG remake, Jessica Langs dopey dialogue to Kong did change her role from the frightened Fay Wray of the original film, but not in a good way. Screaming at the top of your lungs at the sight of a monstrous ape makes sense. Looking at a gigantic amorous Gender Roles in Horror Films – Page 4 ape and saying This isnt going to work out is just outright silly. It simply is not the role people expect in a situation of grave terror. But traditional roles do not always exhibit passivity. In a way, Fay Wrays fear and terror is not so much submission or passivity as much as it is obstinate. She rejects Kong and stands up for herself. Her screams are screams of defiance and such defiance throws Kong off his game plan. As such, her role is really not as passive as one would assume. She does stand up to the creature, but unlike Jessica Langes obtuse reaction Wrays reaction is believable. This is what makes her defiance believable. In a way, gender roles in horror films really more blurred than most would initially assume. Consider the following conclusion: From its beginning gothic writing entwined culture and economy as well as blurring sexual boundaries and disturbing aesthetic and moral categories. (Botting 135) On the surface, many would be disinclined to agree with such a statement. After all, what blurring of gender roles are there to be found in a horror film? Prior to ALIEN, the roles of men and women were starkly contrasted. In the post ALIEN world, women take on a more active role. This is hardly blurring. In fact, the roles are fairly obvious and pronounced. Again, this is what might appear to be the fact on the surface because on the surface we are looking at the actual action of the characters. The roles of the characters do not change regardless of the decade the film was produced. That is to say, humans – whether they are male or female – remain victims in horror films. Gender Roles in Horror Films – Page 5 That is, Ripley may be active in ALIEN but she is the prey of the alien no different from the role of Fay Wray in KING KONG. Even in 1942s THE WOLFMAN we can see a variant of this. Consider Evelyn Ankers role in the film: her character Gwen is far from a weak female. She is a very independent and strong character. At the films climax, she goes out in the woods by herself looking for her boyfriend even though she knows a werewolf is prowling. Of course, the werewolf attacks her because that is what werewolves do. The werewolf – like aliens, vampires and giant monsters – only sees humans as prey. The creature often does not see gender roles. The role to the creature is irrelevant beyond seeing humans as victims. Victims are essentially the repressed regardless of their gender role. What is primal Repression? Let us call it the ability of the speaking being always already haunted by the other, to divide, reject and repeat. Without one division, one separation one subject/object having been constituted why? Perhaps because of the maternal anguish, unable to be satisfied within the encompassing symbolic. (Kristeva 12) As such, the gender role of the active male or active/passive female never really changes. The role they play is always reactive to the creature and this makes them perfect for the role of a victim. This may seem like a odd way of looking at the roles because it deviates from the commonality of what we are grown to expect in horror films. This is because Cinema is at once a form of perception and a material perceived, a new way of encountering reality Gender Roles in Horror Films – Page 6 and a part of reality thereby discovered for the first time. (Shaviro 40) That is, one of the benefits to enjoying a film is watching how humans are presented. Even in fantastic films such as the horror genre there is a unique insight into reality present and that particular reality is both the different roles genders play (passive/active) based on human perception and then there is the monsters perception: prey. As such, there are different roles and singular roles occurring at the same time. As Barker illustrates: If she had been taciturn in the street, Anne-Marie was anything but in the privacy of her own kitchen. Gone was the guarded curiosity, to be replaced by a stream of lively chatter and constant scurrying between a half dozen minor domestic tasks, like a juggler keeping several states spinning at once. (Barker 74) That is, a singular person can play many roles based on varying perceptions. While there are many different types of horror films, all horror films center on the common theme of predator and prey. While sometimes there may be variants to the role ( a sympathetic monster, a flawed human hero, etc) the end result always returns to the original theme: predators seek their prey. Sometimes, the prey is passive and sometimes the prey remains passive. Of course, prey can be both male and female and, unfortunately, the gender roles of the prey often follow common stereotypes. However, to the classic monster gender roles are irrelevant: to the monster all humans are prey and that trumps gender roles completely. This is not to say that there are no nuances found in the various gender roles. But, as far as the creature is concerned all humans are prey no matter how they act or react through the course of the film. Bibliography Barker, Clive. The Forbidde. In IN THE FLESH: TALES OF TERROR. New York: Poseidon Press, 1986. 67 108. Botting, F. Candy Gothic. In GOTHIC CAMBRIDGE: Boydell Brewer, 2001. 133 151. Kristeva, Julia. Powers of Horror: A Study in Abjection. New York: Columbia University Press, 1982. Mulvey, Laura. Visual Pleasure and Narrative cinema. Shaviro, Steven. Film Theory and Visual Fascination. In THE CINEMATIC BODY. Minneapolis: University of Minneapolis Press, 1993. 1 65.

Comparing US and Indias Abortion Laws

Comparing US and Indias Abortion Laws A REFLECTION OF AMERICAN JURISPRUDENCE ON THE INDIAN MILIEU OF LIBERALISED ABORTION POLICIES Abortion laws originated in the United Kingdom as early as 1803, but the credit of revolutionizing abortion laws and recognizing the inherent, perhaps inextricable right and liberty of women over their bodies can only be given to the United States—more specifically to the American Judiciary. From as early as Roe v. Wade, the American Judiciary has been reiterating womens rights as constitutional persons to terminate her pregnancy in the earlier stages and thereafter the State being given a role to play; hence making abortion legal for the first time in the Unites States in 1973. Even though senators and other policy-makers in several, if not all, states of the United States have tried to whittle down the basic premise of Roe v. Wade, it had been emphatically upheld in subsequent cases. After more than thirty years of taking firm root of the pro-abortion movement in the West, anti-abortion groups have again taken a radical stand by trying to control abortions through the introd uction of the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Bill of 2005(commonly known as Fetal Pain Legislation) and as many as twenty-three states in the USA have passed it to be an Act, which would require that abortionists disclose to women the reality that killing an unborn baby by abortion causes pain to the child. It would also require that women who were pregnant for more than twenty weeks would be given the choice of adopting anesthesia for their fetuses. Interestingly this move by the legislatures was said to find its basis on the judgments in Gonzales v. Carhart whereby the Supreme Court had held that the federal legislation banning partial-birth abortion was constitutional on its face. The issue of fetal pain arose amidst the partial-birth abortion debate. Supporters of the federal legislation argued that partial-birth abortion was excruciatingly painful for the fetus and that banning this abortion procedure would further the States legitimate interest in protecting the unborn child. Opp onents of the federal ban argued that there was no conclusive scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that a fetus is even capable of feeling pain. As a result of this partial-birth abortion controversy, legislations aimed at acknowledging and assuaging fetal pain during abortion came into being. In India, the debate on abortion laws as embodied in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 has been swirling since the Bombay High Courts decision in Dr. Nikhil Dattar Ors. v. Union of India, whereby the Court going by a strict interpretation of the provisions in the Statute, refused to give a lady pregnant with a malformed fetus to abort since she was already in her twenty-fourth week of pregnancy as mandated by the Statute. Since then there have been urgent calls to amend the Statute as long-standing critiques of the policy were brought to the fore-front again. It has become critical at this juncture to look at the development of abortion law and policies in the West, part icularly in the United States, to gauge where India stands at this moment and whether, if at all, India should be inspired from the western counterpoint or take caution from the developments therein to better further its own interests in striking the perfect balance between liberty, autonomy and freedom of the individual versus the States right to interfere. I. INTRODUCTION The issue of abortion presents itself to the modern sensibility and understanding as a perplexing cocktail of moral, spiritual and legal questions. Indeed, the problem of regulating abortion is inherently an exercise in seeking out the equilibrium between an ever-increasing degree of medical empiricism that time and technology continually bring into the fluid domains of moral, religious and legal normativeness. Some of the several facets of the question, by their very nature, would fail to turn up with any one answer under the scrutiny of any court—normative questions of when life truly begins, whose life is more valuable and the relative â€Å"sanctity† of human life, potential and existing, are, as the courts themselves have recognized [1]—complex considerations of such a personal nature that courts had better leave them off their consideration list and if absolutely required to deal with such questions, then exercise the highest possible degree of sensitivity in dealing with them. The application of lenses as varied as the feminist, the medical, the bioethical and moral, the religious[2] and the legal (and more specifically constitutional) yield many resultant views to the issue. Any lasting resolution, legal or otherwise, then must come from a nuanced, holistic view of the multiple facets of the problem. Indeed, the founding notions of the larger abortion debate, personhood, bodily integrity and autonomy, and the relative significance of rights (individual, fetal and of the putative father) and their holders, are issues of interdisciplinary concern. On the central issue of personhood, for instance, which has found resonance in the Courts specifically in context of the fetal status, it has been remarked that the law and indeed society ignores the personhood of the woman[3], who in that regard at least should have been granted full and unquestioned constitutional standing at par with other women and men. Conversely, when the question of fetal personhood is detached from a moral or spiritual context and is viewed under the medical and bioethical lens in measurable and empirical terms, it is defeated.[4] While the debate rages on with passionate voices and legitimate concerns on either side of the divide, and the groundswell of reason and rhetoric shows no sign of ebbing, it has been recognized that the entire compass of the debate boils down to only the lesser of two difficult tragedies[5]. In this article we shall seek to address the extensive analysis and documentation of the evolution of the abortion jurisprudence as has evolved in the United States of America and then compare as to where India with its fledgling abortion laws stands in perspective. Above all, however, even as we take reader through the rhetoric as it deepens into more and more specific concerns, such as those dealt with in the latter part of this article, the exercise brings home the sobering realization that the law, as a tool, can take us only so far in settling the fundamentals of and the issues surrounding the abortion debate[6]. II. ABORTION: THE PAST AND THE PRESENT A. THE PRE-ROE LANDSCAPE Attitudes towards abortion in the ancient world were, in the whole, accepting of abortion, with few qualms about its practice. Ancient religion placed no bar on abortion and fetal rights were largely unrecognized.[7] Interestingly, however, one of the basic requirements of the Hippocratic Oaths is a categorical one to refrain from the practice of abortion in any form.[8] Early common law, influenced as it was by the philosophic and theological debates of its own of when the fetus was to be considered â€Å"alive†, recognized abortion as a crime only after â€Å"quickening†, that is the point in time at which the fetus becomes capable of discernable and independent movement in utero.[9] This was usually considered to occur between the time frame of 16 and 18 weeks into pregnancy, although no entirely empirical basis for this was offered. When England adopted its first legislation in 1803—Lord Ellenboroughs Act[10]—as it was known, it retained the notion of â€Å"quickening†; using it to mark the distinction between a simple felony, before the incidence of quickening and a capital offence once the fetus is quick. Compare this with the scenario eighteen years after the passage of Ellenboroughs Act. Across the Atlantic in 1821, the US state of Connecticut became the first to adopt an abortion legislation which read much like Ellenboroughs Act. Meanwhile, the state of New York in 1828 passed laws recognizing abortion as an offence (which were to become the prototypical model for early legislation across the United States), albeit of different degrees, both before and after quickening. Further, it recognized and included â€Å"therapeutic abortion† as valid and excusable, thereby guaranteeing some safety measures to expectant mothers in cases where their physicians had reason to believe the mothers own life was at risk.[11] Within the span of a hundred years, however, by the middle of the 20th century, the majority of US States had enacted a complete ban on abortion, save for cases in which the mothers life was at risk. The notion of quickening, a pervasive concept forming the fundamental basis for abortion laws in the not very distant past, came to vanish entirely from the rulebook. In the 1960s and 70s, many US States were beginning to adopt some version or variation of the American Law Institutes Model Penal Code[12], (hereinafter referred to the A.L.I. Model) in which the abortion laws were decisively less stringent than before. In a very broad sense and in only very small measure, womens right to abortion began to reclaim some of its early efficacy. The laws, however, despite their new form, allowed far less opportunity to procure a medical termination of pregnancy than in the past. It was only in 1967 that Colorado became the first state to legalize abortion. [13] This movement towards the A.L.I. Model and more liberalized laws in general was, it must be noted, however, a growing but not universal trend of the time. The State of Texas, which enacted its first abortion legislation in 1840[14], was among the majority which made no movement toward liberalizing their abortion laws. Laws banning abortion, except in the case of tangible risks to the mother, remai ned in place in the majority of US States. Thus before even the rise of an opportunity for a stand-off between the legislature and the judiciary as we shall see in the forthcoming part, there were slow and decisive vacillations in abortion laws which sometimes favored the pro-choice and sometimes favored the pro-life with varying degrees over time. B. ROE v. WADE: THE CONTEXT, CRITICISMS, CONCLUSIONS AND CONSEQUENT DECISIONS Against the backcloth elucidated above, it might be pertinent to look into the landmark judgment and decision of Roe v. Wade.[15](Hereinafter referred to as Roe) Herein an unmarried, pregnant woman, under the pseudonym of Jane Roe, instituted a federal action â€Å"on behalf of herself and all other women† in the March of the year 1970 against the District Attorney of Dallas County, Texas, where she resided, challenging the very constitutionality of the Texas Criminal Abortion Laws. She stated her intent to procure a ‘legal abortion â€Å"performed by a competent, licensed physician, under safe, clinical conditions†[16] and that she would not be able to travel to a jurisdiction which would allow her to obtain an abortion of the aforementioned nature. The case came in federal appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States in December 1971, and on the 22nd of January 1973, the Courts historic seven-two judgement was enunciated by Justice Blackmun. This decision ha s since then taken the shape of a veritable cornerstone in any commentary of the protracted history of abortion debates in the United States. Justice Blackmun gave on behalf of the majority the Courts opinion.[17] The Court recognized, following the decision in Griswold v. Connecticut[18], that a general right to privacy exists, although nowhere explicitly stated, in the US Constitution, and that it is protected by the Fourteenth Amendments Due Process Clause. It read the said right as a â€Å"fundamental† one, being â€Å"broad enough† to cover a womans right to choose whether or not to abort, and only subject to government regulation in the face of some â€Å"compelling† interest of the state ( both the life of the mother and the â€Å"potential life† of the fetus were recognized as â€Å"legitimate† interests). The Court held that State interference in pregnancy is justifiable in the second trimester only to protect maternal health, since at this point; the risks of abortion are greater than those associated with childbirth itself. However, it is only once fetal viability is reached th at the State is granted a â€Å"compelling† interest. At this stage, the complete prohibition of abortion, other than in cases of risk to the expectant mothers health or life, is permissible. The dissenting opinion, given by Justice Rehnquist, however lays down certain criticisms of the judgement. Firstly, that the Court went too far in formulating and applying constitutional rules in terms which were significantly broader than the precise facts of the case warranted. Secondly, the application of the right to privacy in this case was seen as difficult to justify and thirdly, he conceded the applicability of the Fourteenth Amendments Due Process clause to legislations such as the one at hand but goes on to find troubling the Courts â€Å"sweeping invalidation† of restrictions in the first trimester. Further, he stated that the Court had perhaps taken its task too far, leaving the boundaries of judicial judgement and entering onto legislative turf. The resolution of this and other cases by no means signalled the end of the pro-choice journey. As recognized by the courts, safe abortions remain a function of such considerations as race and income. The United States has seen violent attacks against abortion clinics and stigma remains a very real challenge. In spite of it being touted as a landmark judgement, Roe continues to attract criticism from all quarters. Drawing their main premises from the Rehnquist dissent, many, be it proponents or opponents of abortion alike, have questioned the sound basis of the judgement and the consequences of its overly broad and vague contentions[19]. The construction of the doctor-patient relationship and the rights and roles of the two parties (the woman seeking abortion and the medical practitioner) as depicted by the Court was also criticized. There have also been several attempts to overturn the Roe decision. In fact in about a decade leading up to 1992, the United States approached the Court as amicus curiae in five separate cases, to overrule Roe, but the judgment was resoundingly upheld in what would be touted as another landmark: the Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey.[20](hereinafter referred to as Casey) The courts decision was given, in this case, by a triad of judges. This case is one among a very small group to hold that distinction. Justices OConnor, Kennedy and Souter, in their joint opinion, had the following to say: â€Å"After considering the fundamental constitutional questions resolved by Roe, principles of institutional integrity, and the rule of stare decisis, we are led to conclude this: the essential holding of Roe v. Wade should be retained and once again reaffirmed.†[21] Casey, as is evident from the above, upheld the fundamental grounds of the majority decision in Roe. It has even been said that the (joint) opinion has definitively and decidedly put all doubts about the â€Å"basic constitutional question of abortionà ¢â‚¬ .[22]After Casey, the constitutional basis of the womans (qualified) right to abort was no longer negotiable, and no likelihood remained of the Court reconsidering or overturning Roe while, for example, in another, earlier case, the consideration of Roes constitutional merits were only left off for another day[23].It must be noted, however, that the judges in Casey made clear that they were by no means offering an unqualified affirmation of Roe. The Court denounced the prescriptive medical trimester system laid down in Roe and, in its place, enunciated the test of â€Å"undue burden†. Under this test, the State may justifiably place regulations on the procurement of abortion pre-viability as well, in furtherance of its interest in the life (or potential life) of the foetus, provided that the regulations imposed lay down no undue burden on the womans right to procure the abortion, if she so chooses. This right exists even in spite of the fact that the States interests we re deemed in Roe to become compelling only in the third, last trimester of pregnancy, when the court could prohibit abortion, other than when the womans life was in danger. The Courts holdings in Casey came in the context of Pennsylvanias state laws which required parental or spousal notification if a woman desired to procure an abortion. The provisions regarding the former were upheld on the grounds that that they did not impose an undue burden on the pregnant woman and her rights, while the latter was declared unconstitutional by the Court. The broad constitutional questions surrounding the abortion having been addressed in Roe and settled in Casey, more specific issues began to appear before the Courts. In Stenberg v. Carhart[24] (hereinafter referred to as Carhart I), at issue was a Nebraska state statute[25] criminalizing the performance of partial-birth abortions, a particular form of abortion in which the living fetus is delivered partially into the vagina, aborted and then delivery is completed. The statute afforded no exception for cases in which the womans life is at risk. Dr. Leroy Carhart, a medical doctor in the state of Nebraska who performed abortions, brought this suit contending that the provisions of the statute violate the US Federal Constitution. The case came in appeal before the Supreme Court. The Court, in its opinion delivered by Justice Breyer on the 28th of June, 2000, found that the statutes were unconstitutional firstly, because the requisite exception in respect of grave risks to maternal life was entirely absent and secondly, because, in its complete restriction of access to a particular method of abortion, the statute was seen to place an undue burden on the womans right to choose abortion itself. The breadth of the judgement spans a consideration of the various abortion methods available, partial birth abortion being only one among them, and the validity of the ban on partial birth abortion under the statute, referring, as the District Court before it had, to medical definition and policy of the American Medical Association. The judgement also contained a further restatement of the Courts as affirmation of the principles in Roe and Casey. The decision in Carhart I derives much of its value from the fact that the substance of the decision invalidated, for all intents and purposes, similar bans which were at the time in force in the majority of US States. But, subsequently, on the 5th of November, 2003 the United States Congress passed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act[26](hereinafter referred to as the Partial Birth Act) criminalizing the performance of partial birth abortions. In spite of the decision in Carhart I, this piece of legislation contained, as did the Nebraska statute which was the subject of the dispute, no exception for the health of the woman. It has also been noted that the language of the Partial Birth Act was very similar to the Nebraska statute[27]. The validity of the Partial Birth Act came up for question in yet another case brought to the courts by Dr. Carhart (and others) challenging its constitutional validity and seeking a permanent injunction against its enforcement, this decision we now call Carhart II[28]. In this instance, Carhart II on appeal from the Eighth Circuit Court and another case, also involving US Attorney General Gonzales and the question of the validity of the Partial Birth Act (such cases w ere referred to as â€Å"facial† attacks or challenges to the statute)[29], with specific reference to the requirement of an exception for cases involving maternal health, Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood Federation Of America, Inc.[30], on appeal from the Ninth Circuit, were consolidated and heard by the Court. The case was closely fought, and the opinion deeply divided. With a majority of five as against four,[31] the judgement went in favour of Attorney General Gonzales—the Act was upheld. As in Carhart I, Justice Kennedy in his statement of the Courts opinion for the majority began with an exposition on the various methods of abortion. The plurality opinion in Casey in relation to State interest was resurrected, but Justice Kennedy made a clear distinction: the Act merely regulated one method of abortion. It placed restrictions on the procurement of abortion itself and, therefore: â€Å"The law saves not a single fetus from destruction, for it targets only a method of performing abortion.†[32]The specific statement of the validity of the Act was justified by Justice Kennedy. He held that the Act was â€Å"not void for vagueness, does not impose an undue burden from any over breadth, and is not invalid on its face.†[33] Justice Thomas and Justice Scalia concurred, and the former in his concurrence states, crucially, that: â€Å"I write separately to reiterate my view that the Courts abortion jurisprudence, including Casey and Roe v. Wade, has no basis in the Constitution.†[34] Justice Ginsburg, with whom Justice Stevens, Justice Souter, and Justice Breyer joined, in an emphatic dissent was in her words â€Å"alarmed†[35] by the Courts decision. She further recognised the weight of the precedent which, in upholding the Act, the Court was ignoring and could not find any fathomable justification for the same. Thirdly, she pointed out the Courts complete and unjustifiable terms, which showed no regard for or recognition ,express or implied, of the hitherto firmly entrenched notion of viability and the distinction and consequences of pre- and post-viability abortion decisions. Lastly, she expressed complete disagreement with what amounted to an absolute sanction of federal intervention and legislation contrary to a specialist bodys, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG), professional view that such a procedure was in specific cases required and necessary. Notwithstanding Justice Ginsburgs specific premises of dissent, several others exist. One strong objection to Carhart II is this: Thirty four years after Justice Blackmuns decision in Roe, Justice Kennedys enunciation of the majority opinion in Carhart II marked a return of the Court to its initial stance on the relationship of the woman, vis-à  -vis medical practitioners. The construction of the woman slid from casting her as the primary stakeholder and decision maker as regards termination of pregnancy, as explicitly established in Casey among several other decisions of the Court, to one in which the she acted as her doctor chose. It seems that Carhart II is, by its statements with respect to the womans status and their implications at least, a return to Myra Bradwell[36]-esque rhetoric and reasoning[37], where the womans status and function in society and societal interaction is reduced to a narrow definition, accounting for only her ability to procreate and her role in maternity and child rearing. Another (related) criticism also stems from Justice Kennedys statement as regards the consequences for the prospective mother upon the actual performance of a medical abortion: â€Å"Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow.†[38] No empirical foundation is offered for such an inference; indeed, doubts surrounding the very question of existence of a scientific basis are admitted: the absence of â€Å"reliable data to measure the phenomenon† is explicitly conceded. Roe, since its passage three and a half decades ago, has been a touchstone in the evolution of the body of laws that governed medical termination of pregnancy. Its full scope was whittled down early in its existence, most visibly and explicitly in Casey. But, despite that, its basic premises, its spirit unambiguously prevailed in all of the US Supreme Courts deliberations and pronouncements on the subject. It is a foreseeable consequence, however, that, after Carhart II, movements, especially pro-life advocacy, and their founding impetus will grow in favor of overthrowing Roe or circumventing it, most likely through legislation, as is already beginning to emerge in several US states[39]. The question of whether the vast body of abortion jurisprudence in the United States Courts system will finally at all, let alone conclusively, amount to â€Å"progress† in the field of gender rights and, more particularly, for the cause of female reproductive autonomy has, now, especially aft er Carhart II and Casey taken on a significantly diametric range of possible answers as compared to those that were presumed likely prior to the resolution of these cases. The precise answer is, at this juncture at least, only a product of time. II. FOETAL PAIN LEGISLATION—CONTRACTION OF AUTONOMY FOR PREGNANT WOMEN â€Å"The essence of civilization is this: The strong have a duty to protect the weak. We know that in a culture that does not protect the most dependent, the handicapped, the elderly, the unloved, or simply inconvenient become increasingly vulnerable.† George W. Bush[40] A. A SHORT ANALYSIS OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE UNBORN CHILD PAIN AWARENESS ACT OF 2005 AND THE NEED FOR SUCH A LEGISLATION Though the then Governor Bush who would later become the President of the United States of America was not talking of abortion at all, he was perhaps echoing the sentiments of another President of a by-gone era: Ronald Reagan. The latter in an address had famously said that: â€Å"Medical science doctors confirm that when the lives of the unborn are snuffed out, they often feel pain, pain that is long and agonizing.†[41] With such lofty intentions in mind, to protect the vulnerable perhaps, the Fetal Pain Legislation was introduced in the Senate. The Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act of 2005(hereinafter referred to as the Act) was introduced by Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas in the US Senate on 24th January 2005; being Senate Bill no. 51.[42] This Act aims to punish physicians heavily should they fail to advise women of the potential for fetal pain after 20 weeks gestation.This is done by amending by adding a new chapter titled â€Å"Title XXIX—Unborn Child Pain Awareness† to the Public Health Service Act, first enacted in 1946. There has been a considerable furor over this particular provision in the Act as the medical fraternity is continuously making itself heard that at this stage of gestation, the fetus does not develop the necessary biological mechanism to feel pain as such. Case in point would be a wing of physicians, specialized in embryology and neuro-anatomy, who assert that pain fibers do not start penetrating the cortex before the fetus is 26 weeks old and the sensation of pain would not begin before the 29th week.[43] Nevertheless the Congress ignoring well proven ideas on the same issue, state in the Findings which are a part of the Act that at 20 weeks after fertilization, fetuses have the capability to feel pain and to make the ambit even wider—since the concept of what the fetuses might be ‘feeling might not be ‘pain at all—the Congress in its Findings mentioned that such fetuses might show such stimuli as may be interpreted to show feelings of pain if observed in infants or adults.[44] The requirement of informed consent as laid down is Sec. 2902 of the Act provides for some very stringent and conformist ideas about intimating the pregnant woman regarding the consequences of her action. The provision states the abortion provider or an agent must provide to the pregnant lady with the information that after however many weeks her fetus is into gestation (provided it is more than 20 weeks), such fetus has the necessary physical structures present to feel pain and that such fetus shall feel pain irrespective of whether the pregnant lady has been given pain-averting drugs or general anesthesia. The pregnant lady is to be then given a brochure to be designed by the Department of Health and Human Services and also made to necessarily sign a decision form whereby her decision as to whether or not pain alleviating drugs shall be administered to the fetus directly are recorded for official purposes. This step-by-step method is not only to be compulsorily followed but the pro vision also mentions what the abortion provider or the agent must say in such situations in as many words.[45] The only exception provided to this is in case of Medical Emergencies and such situations which would fall under this exception have also been defined in the Act. As such Medical Emergencies are to mean such situations in the reasonable medical opinion of an abortion provider of imposing a â€Å"serious risk of causing grave and irreversible physical health damage entailing substantial impairment of a major bodily function† if abortion is delayed.[46] Penalties for not substantially following the mandates of these provisions have also been laid down in the Act itself and range from monetary fines to cancelling of licenses.[47] The Act also grants a private right of action to the woman on whom an abortion is performed in violation of the provisions of this Act or her legal guardians in case of an minor or unemancipated woman, to commence a civil action against such ab ortion provider who has acted recklessly or knowingly for actual and punitive damages.[48] If we were to adopt a simple assumption that given a choice between a procedure which would result in inflicting pain upon a fetus and another maybe more expensive procedure which might alleviate the pain a fetus may feel, most women would prefer the latter procedure. If that were to be true, then physicians would regularly administer pain relieving medicines to fetuses as a part of late term abortion procedures. However there is at present no such indication that it happens.[49] Doctors however have been found to routinely providing fetal pain relief drugs quite routinely while performing in-utero surgeries.[50]And here lies precisely the need for a fetal legislation. To explain more elaborately, we can pinpoint the reasons for physicians not administering fetal relief medicines due to broadly three reasons. The first and very pertinent reason would be that physicians do not look at fetuses as their patients and hence do not bother themselves with the problem of alleviating their pain. Secondly, physicians and patients would not be willing to venture into pain relieving methods which would involve higher costs as well as some health risks associated with longer periods of sedation.[51] Also because discussing fetal pain before an abortion might be uncomfortable, even for a physician accustomed to having conversations about sensitive matters with patients, as such abortion has as its purpose the destruction of the fetus, and physicians naturally prefer to discuss matters that patients find reassuring, the default arrangement seems to be that physicians provide no information on fetal pain or fetal pain relief. Thirdly and perhaps a disconnected reason from the other two at that, is the fact that most women did not have enough awareness to realize that there is a possibility, albeit a minor one, that the fetus she is aborting might feel pain during the procedure, much less asking for means to alleviate that pain. However if perhaps women could be provided with the required information that their fetuses may and in all probability do suffer fetal pain while undergoing abortion[52], then they would in most circumstances be persuaded to administer drugs to the fetus. This is assuming that such women would not be indifferent as to whether their fetuses feel pain or not. This would in fact be in line with the testimony of most women who opted for late-term abortions saying that they had to opt for a tragic end to much wanted pregnancies due to other considerations.[53] Even with such factors for women to want administration of pain relieving drugs to the fetus, it has been suggested that they mi ght not be in a position to actively seek out information about the issue of fetal pain, keeping in mind that they have innumerable such considerations clamoring for attention in their minds.[54] Thus legislation requiring the abortion providers to necessarily supply pregnant women of such information and seek their informed consent to administer pain alleviating drugs might right the current skew in the society. B. HOW THE LEGISLATION COULD PASS CONSTITUTIONAL

All About My Mother, 1999 | Analysis

All About My Mother, 1999 | Analysis This is essay will attempt to examine the film All About My Mother using different interpretations and theories about gender roles in society to create a view of Almadovars work. I shall explore Almadovars work in terms of his difficulty to show female identification and how he uses social interactions as a short cut to portraying women and men as one. The film was released in 1999 at a time when homosexuality was still politically oppressed especially in relation to gay marriage. Almadovar uses his film to show a more politically accepted view towards homosexuality between both men and women in a radical way than at the time of release were accepted. As Stephen Maddison suggests Almadovar is believed and been labelled as a Womens director in as much as he, as well as others (typically Tennessee Williams), signify a standard for the identification of women and/or homosexuality. All About My Mother, predominately uses scenes from Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire and it can instantly be seen that this is a benchmark for Almadovars concerns in relation to the characters and their backgrounds, especially that of the films female protagonist, Manuela. We also repeatedly see the same scene from Streetcar which is never the less done on purpose. The scene is that of the end of the play where Stella supposedly leaves her husband, Stanley. The director obviously wanted us to see this scene for what it was as he shows this scene in relation to women and their strength. The fact that this scene is shown repeatedly throughout the film (Manuela and her son watch it together and we see the scene and again after he dies) shows us how varied productions of the same play have changed Williams ending, most notably from the original where Stella is left sobbing on a step while Stanley kneels beside her and puts his hand across her blouse therefore regaining hi s control over her. In Almadovars film however, Stella leaves stage right just after calling Stanley a bastard. In Almadovars case, he is trying to show how heterosexuality seems insufferable today as it appeared in Williams play. It also denotes that women have choices in life and are not controlled by men. As Mulvey suggests in Performance analysis with the relation of women to men women are [simultaneously] looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness. All about my mother seems to take this assumption and turn it on its head and throughout the entire film there seems to be this allure towards creating a performance that is different from the way established performances are held. Mulvey goes on to explain that Budd Boetticher says What counts is what the heroine provokes, or rather what she represents. She is the one, or rather the love or fear she inspires in the hero, or else the concern feels for her, who makes him act the way he does. In herself the women has not the slightest importance. Almadovar uses this as a reason to show the opposite of such belief. It becomes quite clear that in All about my mother the focus is concentrated on the relationships that Manuela holds and creates with the other women in the film. She is the heroine; the main objective of the film is for Manuela to find Estabans father which takes the focal point at the start but this is pushed aside quite quickly and the film becomes Manuelas journey through the past. Finding Estabans father resurfaces later on in the film but does not arrange the narrative. Of course theorists including Mulvey suggest that Man is the bearer of the look of the spectator whereas Almadovar shows us in Mother it is the women that controls the look. The focal point of the film if on Women. Almadovars film makes obvious note and reference to the film All about Eve (1950). The actress in the film Margo seems to disprove the idea that she could be seen as just a body and a voice but at the same time we are taken through the story by a man watching from a nearby stall. The man is still the bearer of the look and with this in mind we are in some ways forced to side with the male protagonist in the piece. In Mother, we can see that Manuela does not compare with Mulveys views on the act of the female in cinema. While Mulvey suggests that women are looked at for erotic pleasure which in direct correlation to the leitmotif of erotic spectacle: from pin ups to strip-tease, Manuela becomes a mother, not only to her son but to the other women in the film and shows professional mothering skills. We must not forget that in the film she displays her skill for cooking and nursing and she is also an actress whom can improvise and lie convincingly. Predominantly the film is about mothering. And this is seen throughout the film and coincidentally the film lacks all fathering. The only father in the film is that of Sister Rosas father whom suffering from Alzheimers has become child like, dependant on a women. The consensus that is the men that are the heroes of the film and also the bearer of the look does find its way back into the picture by the end of the film. It is Esteban the second who creates the miracle at the end of the film, when his HIV passed on by sister Rosa, is neutralized. However we must realise that this comes from a child dependant on the other the women in the film and that his HIV miracle is from the utopian of his gender dissident mothers. A key character in this film which we can interpret in many different ways and use to look at Almodovars work as a whole is that of Agrado. She is the lead transvestite character in the film and still bears the male hood of a penis. Almodovar uses Agrado to go against the convention of traditional cinema. Like so many other lead transvestites in film Agrado does not seek camouflage or the suppression of herself. She does not pretend to be anything else but what she is and this is how she gains her affirmation. The topic of Transgender is one which falls under harsh debate and with relation to drag has its place in films. Topics about the body and gender in relation to transgender and drag will help us to reconsider such concepts which, in this film, are overlaid throughout the whole film. Transgender is. as expected, one factor that has led to a reconstruction of views and theories in relation to gender. As Butler says in Gender Trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identify (1990) imitating gender, a drag queen reveals the imitative structure of gender as well as its contingency. It is hard to pick up on or read Almodovars transgender characters especially in relation to Agrado. Butler goes on to cite that of Esther Newton where Newton describes the drag as a double inversion where by the appearance is an illusion. The external appearance is feminine to the eye but the interior is very much masculine but the same can be said vice versa. With this is mind we cannot take Agrado as either a man or a women; in fact her position between the two provides the dramatic escape from the male gaze that is intended. Agrado, however, still portrays the characteristics of a man especially with her speech when the play is cancelled. She is unashamed with her body and explains that her authenticity comes from the production of herself that she has created. Even though Agrado is not your conventional drag cabaret esque, she is a type of gender parody as Butler explains. Agr ado becomes this parody of the original; that of the normal gender identification. Butler explains that it is a production which, in effect that is, in its effect postures as an imitation. Agrado is merely an imitation of a women and an imitation of a man. We somewhat feel sided with Agrado though with her openness and he disregard for peoples approval. Although this is somewhat because of the comical portrayal given by the actor. However, even though Agrado is somewhat a parody and an imitation, Butler argues still that maybe all gender is just an act. in other ritual social dramas, the action of gender requires a performance that is repeated. which leads her on to This repetition is at once a re-enactment and re-experiencing of a set of meanings already socially established. With this in mind we can take Agrados representation in the film as one for both men and women. The male still receives some of the male gaze as it were but it is mimicked by the act of the drag.