Is Pluralism Faithful to the Idea of Democracy?
Is Pluralism Faithful to the Idea of Democracy? This broad question can be asked in a few different ways to help us decipher what its intention is, and also to provide a rough guide to the path to be taken to answer it. Can the existence of pluralism be said to also mean the existence of democracy? Is pluralism the closest we can get to democracy, for the type of societies we live in today (in the West)? Or, is pluralism a diluted form of democracy, in the classical sense, which does not meet the definition of 'rule by the people'? Without turning the investigation into a question of definitions it is necessary, before we embark, to briefly say a few words about the two key concepts in the question: pluralism and democracy. Since the inception of the term, Robert Dahl has been one of the most prominent pluralists. He, and his contemporaries, sought to theorise the 'actual' workings of democracy in a modern society. They documented objectively what is achievable in modern societies as opposed to theories of 'classic', or 'populist', democracy (Dahl, 1956, ch.2). For brevity's sake, we will use the broad definition given by Hague and Harrop: Literally 'rule by the many', pluralism refers to a political system in which numerous competing interest groups exert strong influence over a responsive government. However, each of these groups concentrates on its own area (for
What evidence is there that the state is still the dominant actor in World Politics?
What evidence is there that the state is still the dominant actor in World Politics? For some 300 years from its emergence in the mid seventeenth century the state - in the specific form of the nation state - was rightly regarded as the dominant actor in international economic relationships. (Dicken; 1998, pp 79) One of the most prominent features of the global political system in the second half of the twentieth century is the significant surge in numbers and importance of non state entities. The rise of these transnationally organised non state actors (NSA) and their growing involvement in world politics challenge the assumptions of traditional approaches to international relations which assume that states are the only important units of the international system. This essay plans to analyse the extent of the states dominance in the sphere of world politics. The analysis of NSA influence and the states gradually decreasing dominance shall be explored with reference to two vastly different schools of thought. The first school of thought to be examined is that of 'realism' where a state-centric approach is adopted. The second school of thought to be considered is that of a complex interdependence system where NSA enjoy an almost equal pegging to that of states in the field of international relations. This essay shall refer to and question amongst other things, the growing
Images of inequality - What evidence is there that older people are socially excluded?
A recent news article by Nicholas Timmins (2008) entitled 'Labour's drive to reduce poverty has stalled, according to study' highlighted the failure of Government policy to reduce poverty and exclusion for the elderly. Statistics show that for the first time ever there will be more pensioners in the UK than under 16's (ONS, 2008), but what are the implications of this for Britain's care system, does this mean more socially excluded pensioners, and is age a cause of social exclusion on its own? This essay will argue that age itself is not a cause of social exclusion, but contributing factors such as poor health, social back ground and poor services will increase the risk of being socially excluded. Although some older people may be excluded, one cannot say all older people are. The essay will also investigate the social position of older people in British society, how they have come to occupy this position and also the varying views of old age. The increase in older people in the future will have important implications for social care. According to Wilson et al (2008, p.616), what has been termed a 'demographic time bomb' will constitute a major problem for the provision of services, with the problem being "how to produce services that respond better to the needs of older people while being affordable at the same time." The balance between those of working age and the
Youth Work Essay - we shall look at the history and development of youth work
Youth Work Essay Patricia Farrell December 2012 “The concept of youth work has evolved both nationally and internationally. It has grown from the historical notion of young people coming together in association for the purpose of social activity, to the current notion of young people being prepared to have the necessary skills to act towards an objective of social transformation.” With regard to the above statement, we shall look at the history and development of youth work in order to determine the accuracy of the statement. As a guide to my personal conclusion on the matter, I shall also discuss some key theoretical studies of youth work. These include the personal development model and the Social Education Model, selected for their relevance in Irish policy progression, as we shall look at later. First it is important to clarify what is meant by the term ‘youth work’, and to whom it is applicable. The concept of youth work is one which has developed and evolved significantly over the past century. An ever industrialising society brought about the first forms of youth work, in a casual sense, focusing on young people’s social lives. However, since then, it has earned a more significant and formal role in our society. As a result, youth work has been structured through legislation, and more clearly defined. Ireland saw the introduction of the Youth Work Act
Inter-professional Practice and Safeguarding Children
20042188 CYCC52 Inter-professional Practice and Safeguarding Children CYCC52 Inter-professional Practice and Safeguarding Children Different professional groups may each have their own priorities when it comes to safeguarding children. Giving examples of these, discuss whether it is possible for professionals to work together with the interests of the child to the fore. Essay: 60% of module mark, 2500 words, learning outcomes 1 & 3. First and foremost during this essay I will examine what inter-professional practice is and where it has come from. Furthermore I will analyse the different ways in which the agencies that I work alongside work together to help safeguard children and young people. I will discuss the priorities that they may have using examples which I have been involved in within my setting. I will then discuss whether it is possible to work solely child centred when it comes to safeguarding and analyse the difficulties we may come across while attempting this, mainly focussing on budget restraints and how they affect the young people we provide a service for. I will briefly divulge into the tragedies of both Victoria Climbie and ‘Baby P’ discussing why inter-professional practice was not successful. And finally I will discuss ways in which I believe inter professional practice could be improved across the board by introducing reviewing
Individual Development and Change
Select a developmental or psychological theory/perspective that helps your understanding of people and their circumstances and informs your understanding of social work practice in a multi-cultural society. Summarise the main features of the theory and outline its strengths and weaknesses. Discuss with examples the ways the theory has applications for social work practice. For this assignment I am going to write about Attachment Theory, touching upon age, gender, ethnicity, different factors, culture, religion and multi - cultural society. Theories relating to Erikson, Piaget, Rogers and Ainsworth and developmental and or psychological theory. Adult attachment theory helps Social Workers understand how people feel and act within close relationships, particularly in stressful situations. Attachment is different in adulthood and in childhood because they are bi - directional, meaning that either party will give and receive support. "Attachment theory has its origins in Great Britain, in the period during and shortly after the Second World War. It was developed by John Bowbly. At the heart of attachment theory is the assumption that attachment is a basic human need and that from very early on babies actively participate in the formation of attachment relationships. Attachment relationships can be secure or insecure and a laboratory paradigm, called the Strange Situation,
Compare and contrast the pluralist and elitist accounts of political power.
Compare and contrast the pluralist and elitist accounts of political power. Introduction Whilst there are not infinite interpretations of political systems, there are differing accounts of systems theory. Each separate account of a theory can have varying threads such as classical, reformed, neo or radical interpretations. Within these definitions there may be variance over the role of the government or the prominence of power, yet there is confluence on one basic concept. In this essay I shall try to attempt to explain the theories, major ideas and pre-eminent writers in both pluralist and elitist political power. Following on from this I shall attempt to find any similarities and any differences in both pluralism and elitism. In my conclusion I shall attempt to draw on which theory is most relevant in the contemporary political world. Exposition of Pluralism H.S. Kariel is cited in Schwarzmantel's work referring to pluralism as: 'specific institutional arrangements for distributing and sharing governmental power.'1 Therefore pluralism is the dispersion of power to prevent tyranny. If power is concentrated to one group, there will be autocratic rule. By diffusing power, a state will be open to the demands of the population and this is essential to the supposition. This does assume social pluralism; that is a wide variety of interest groups. Social variety, such as
Does divorce have a huge impact on children?
Does divorce have a huge impact on children? Shirley C. 5380134 Does divorce have a huge impact on children? Put yourself in the shoes of a child that is encountering the separation of their parents. As a child they have to go through the pressure of which parent to choose and confusion of why their parents are not together anymore. Later on the stress can eventually lead them to put all the blame on themselves. Many think the husband and wife are the people being affected by this situation. But what we do not expect is that the children will consequently get affected by the separation of their parents. Most people might believe it is better to divorce than to torture oneself in a failed marriage. Divorce can be a healthy decision for a fail marriage; however this will remain as a traumatic memory for the children. I agree the children do get a huge impact from the divorce. This essay will provide information of how the children can be affected and how the problem can be accessed. Before entering how this issue stress outs the children, the brighter side should be brought out. Divorce is not always necessarily bad. Imagine a family with parents that argue all the time or a family with abusive problem, the result of divorce can be a relief for the children. Hetherington stated if the family is already in a critical condition, it would be a better solution for
Assessment & Treatment Plan Paper. Hadley, age 21, was referred to me through her mothers primary care physician
Social Work 3930 Assessment & Treatment Plan Paper Hadley, age 21, was referred to me through her mother's primary care physician, after her mother expressed her worries for Hadley's health. She is a student at New York University, studying medicine and did well her first semester, but soon had to leave her dorm and return home because her grades were slipping. She now lives at home in Manhattan with her parents and her younger sister. She would like to work for an organization like UNICEF when she graduates, but her parents and other members of her family make that seem unlikely. They tell her that they would love to see her accomplish that goal, but that she needs to be realistic. Hadley was raised in the Roman Catholic Church, but has not been active in quite a while. The client is healthy and has never had any serious illnesses, apart from pneumonia last fall. She is a non- smoker and rarely drinks. She has a good relationship with her family, especially her two sisters. Hadley worked throughout high school and through the first two years of college. She is currently working as a retail assistant, but is trying to decide if it is conflicting with her education. She likes her job most of the time, especially because it gives her some sort of social involvement with people her own age. However, if she decides to quit her job, she thinks she will feel guilty
One of the K101 five principles of care practice is to support people in having a voice and being heard. Why is it important for a care worker to do this and how can they do so?
Part A One of the K101 five principles of care practice is to support people in having a voice and being heard. Why is it important for a care worker to do this and how can they do so? Supporting people in having a voice and being heard is necessary in care work as, if the service user's voice goes unheard, it can restrict their identity. For service users who have the capacity to make decisions and communicate them it is especially important, otherwise, it can lead to feelings of discrimination and powerlessness. By encouraging and supporting individuals to express their preferences enables them to gain a real understanding of who they are and how they wish to be known and, this plays a vital role in their day to day life. It is equally important when decisions need to be made regarding their care and support. In this essay I will discuss the importance of the role of the care worker in supporting individuals to have a voice and be heard using the life story work of Suzanne McGladdery (OU, block 2, unit 5, p.21 resources) to demonstrate how this can be achieved. I will illustrate this using the life story of one of her clients, Jordan Morgan (OU K101, unit 2, p.19), who needed support in helping return him to the family he had been separated from. He needed help to get information about people he had lived with and support to enable him to accept his past and move on to
