United States Military as an Institution

Table of Contents Development of US Military since World War II Comparison of American and British Army US Army and Russia Impact of the US Army on Individuals Applicable Institutional Theory Adaptation to Globalization References Development of US Military since World War II The American military has undergone a lot of changes since the Second World War. These changes have essentially brought about significant structural changes in the running of the institution, but a significant portion of it has been evidenced in policy operations because issues are no longer based on ideological passions or exogenous effects but on important nationalistic issues (Chapman, 2009, p. 6).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on United States Military as an Institution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are probably very few institutions in the world that are undergoing the same type of institutional self-examination as the US ar my (Chapman, 2009, p. 6). The US army has essentially undergone changes after the Second World War because it has been primarily defined by the changing threats on the American population and interests globally. Initially, the institution had been prepared to deal with the threat posed by certain dictators (such as Hitler) on the security of the nation, but as time went by, the army has been dealing with the potential threat of a nuclear arms proliferation in the former Soviet Union and indeed the world over. To minimize the threat posed by the former Soviet Union and other countries (in the accumulation of military arsenal), the US army has taken the role of a mediator to ease tensions existing between America and other nations. Such mediation roles have been evidenced in forums such as the United Nations (UN), NATO and such like organizations or unions. Initially, America had taken a proactive role of engaging in world conflicts, such as the Second World War, but its role signific antly changed to include the maintenance of peace in countries considered strategic for the realization of world peace (Chapman, 2009, p. 6). With such goals in mind, it has become a first hand priority for the US army to try and quell humanitarian concerns across the globe and establish peace; as can be evidenced in the Kosovo invasion where the army invaded Yugoslavia to ease the humanitarian situation in the province. However, in the 21st century, the US army has been more concerned with other objectives, but closely related to issues regarding world peace. Specifically, the army has been primarily concerned with eliminating the threat of terrorism in the world and because of these concerns; the army has been proactively engaged in most terrorism wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Taliban areas where the institution has been trying to eliminate terrorist networks and minimize the threat on state security.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help yo u! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Because of these reasons, the army has build networks and bases in other countries; something which was not common with past military organizations (Chapman, 2009, p. 6). For example, the war on Iraq was a combined force by the British and American forces. Due to new emerging threats, the intelligence system of the army has been further strengthened and the army has become more modern to deal with the increasingly changing threat of terrorism; which is especially perpetrated through Information technology. Through the advancement period after the Second World War, the US military has also increased in numbers and is now more well equipped than it was ever before to tackle modern national threats. The army has been able to modernize its equipments including jet fighters, naval warships, tankers and the likes but more training has also been undertaken on new and existing personnel to tackle new threats and operate ultramodern eq uipment. In the same context, a lot of military training has been done on existing personnel to better orient them with technological developments which are regarded essential for the institution’s relevance in the 21st century. Comparison of American and British Army There are some major appalling differences between the American and British army which can be seen through the wars they have fought together or against each other. For starters, unlike the American army, the British army is more negotiation friendly (Alexandrou, 2001, p. 51). Reports have been cited across the spectrum; of American soldiers adopting a â€Å"rigid† stand when engaged in military combats alongside the British army (Alexandrou, 2001, p. 51). The anti-negotiation sentiments have even infiltrated into the military ranks and therefore the military commanders have a strong sense of control over their subjects. Some observers have noted that this strong anti-negotiation stand comes about because of the superiority of the American army when compared to other military institutions across the globe (Alexandrou, 2001, p. 51). One unnamed British commander who experienced such US army sentiments in the Iraq war says: â€Å"We managed to get on better†¦with our European partners and at times with the Arabs than with the Americans. Europeans chat to each other, whereas dialogue is alien to the US military†¦ dealing with them corporately is akin to dealing with a group of Martians† (Alexandrou, 2001, p. 52). From these assertions, it is therefore correct to say that the US military adopts an anti- negotiation stand when dealing with its partners and is more bureaucratic than the British army is.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on United States Military as an Institution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With regards to training and recruitment, the British military is seen to be better prepared th an the American military, in aspects such as soldiering skills and recruitment baselines, because for one to become a British military personnel, he/she does not have to be British because the institution leaves it open to all commonwealth members to join the army (Alexandrou, 2001, p. 51). The British soldering skills are also ranked as one of the best in the world but their relative progression in technology is seen to lag behind the American’s (Martell, 2010, p. 259). Finally, when analyzed in terms of dynamics and discrimination, the British army is often observed to fair on much better than the US army. In fact, the British army is regarded as friendlier to other races than the US army because they are better at heart than the US (Alexandrou, 2001, p. 51). For instance some cosmopolitan regiments like the Royal Regiments of the Fusiliers encompasses a number of people from divergent backgrounds, thereby forcing the members to treat their colleagues better, like in pastor al care, and the likes; however, such treatment is rarely observed in the US military (Alexandrou, 2001, p. 51). US Army and Russia The US and Russian armies have found themselves in compromising positions of war, especially in the cold war era, which if it were left unregulated, would probably have led to the first all-nuclear blown out conflict. The Russian military is termed as one of the best militaries in the world and it is relatively better equipped with military arsenal than the US. In fact, some observers point out the fact that even if the US and its NATO allies were to fight the Russians, they would lose the war because Russia probably has more than double the number of nuclear weapons the US and its NATO allies combined posses (Gerace, 2004, p. 121). The military history of both countries (the US and Russia) is quite brutal but little is known of Russia’s strength because most of its operations have been kept secret and this explains the relative â€Å"respectâ⠂¬  both military institutions have of each other. Even though some quarters claim that the US is much stronger in technological development, the Russian military as an institution has a stronger sense of command and its strong communist sentiments has infiltrated into its operations to give it more stability (Gerace, 2004, p. 121). However, in terms of institutional strength, both military institutions seem to be on the same level because the US, for example, has better adopted technology than the Russians have, but the Russians are better equipped quantitatively. For example, it is said that the Russian forces has the world’s largest air forces and the second largest navy (Gerace, 2004, p. 121).Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Impact of the US Army on Individuals The US military affects individuals in many ways. However, the biggest influence is evidenced in the change of attitude of most of its military personnel, especially when they retire and have to fit back into the society. Many at times, ex military men have been seen to be more emotionally abusive than other people because of the effect of endless years of military training on their psychological development. For example, official statistics expose a partner violence prevalence rate among military men at between 8% and 10.5%, with most of the cases reported among married couples who often beat abuse or even kill their spouses (Diamant, 1993, p. 84). Another common area that the military as an institution affects individuals is the exposition of its members to increased risks of injury and death. Often, many military personnel have been forcefully retired from the armed forces after suffering severe injuries which often inhibits their performance of the army and so they have to be integrated back into the civilian population. Some of the most severe forms of this injury lead to amputations during treatment and many of such victims have to spend the rest of their lives in psychological trauma, in addition to coping with a change in livelihood and lifestyle. This not only has an effect on the victims but also family and friends who probably depend on such people for their sustenance. Some of the worst cases have seen a loss of livelihood and successful or unsuccessful suicide attempts; despite the fact that the army tries to take care of its ex. military men and war veterans through long-term financial compensation, health insurance and the likes. However, on the positive side, the US army as an institution has some positive effects to individuals because it teaches them basic life skills like survival in worst humanitarian situations through the inculcation of the will to persevere. This kind of perseverance among military me n and women can therefore not be compared to ordinary citizens’ because it is obviously higher, thereby increasing their chances of living a longer life. At the same time, the military teaches its people to apply basic survival skills, even in the general community where they come from, to cope better with hard situations if they are ever faced with such. For example, some wings of the military are specialized in vehicle maintenance, water treatment and other life skills which can be applied even in the civilian world. This therefore means that most military men find their services of use not only in the war set up but also in the civilian setting. In close relation, the military instills a sense of discipline to its members which enables them to be much more organized than ordinary people are. Discipline here should be analyzed in a dynamic way because it spills over into basic spheres of life like financial management, use of daily time, exercise, indulgence into drugs, per sonal grooming and the likes. These skills are important even after military life and it enables such people to have a deeper sense of well being than ordinary people. These factors withstanding, the US army as an institutions can be minimally changed to avoid the negative effects it has on individuals because some of the positive or negative effects are either necessary or unavoidable. However, more can still be done in minimizing the negative effects of military training and combat experiences of ex. military men and civilian members (who are also dependant on such people); especially when situations of death, injury, trauma and such like eventualities are witnesses through mandatory counseling of both family members and military personnel, or through an increase in financial compensation to the family members of those affected. Comprehensively, the army should look into the welfare of its existing and retired service men and women, not only in their life at the institution but al so in their lives out of the institution. Applicable Institutional Theory The working of the US military can be further explained through the institutional theory because it defines the resilient aspects of institutional workings and considers the process by which structures, including schemas, rules, norms and routines become part of the social system, defining how the institution works. In addition, the theory outlines how these facets of institutional development are usually created and diffused to become the norms of the institution (Warburton, 1999, p. 157). The institutional theory outlines that institutions often conform to laid down belief systems, rules and norms in the organizational environment, so that they can obtain legitimacy in the eyes of their peers. This fact can be used to explain the bureaucratic form of the US military as was analyzed when comparing it to the British military. This is true because in conventional military organizations, the chain of command is usually respected by all military personnel, starting from the commander in chief (who is usually the president), down to the unit commanders. This type of system is usually replicated across many military institutions to better streamline the functions of the institution and to better fulfill its objectives. Also, since the US army is operating in a very diverse institutional environment, the institutional theory outlines that the dynamism is bound to create a lot of pressure to the institution and in turn, it is bound to experience significant influences in its competitive strategies (Alexandrou, 2001, p. 51). Because of this reason, the US army has been seen to develop technologically and build stronger and more efficient equipments to effectively carry out its mandate of protecting and serving the citizens. This is also the reason why the US army is seen to be one of the most technologically developed across the globe because there is an increased pressure to remain competitive in the face of changing military balances and changing world threats. From the analysis of the institutional theory we also deduce the fact that in light of competitive pressures, various institutions adopt divergent strategies to react to these changes, and in this context, we see how the US army has revolved to increase its military numbers and improve on its training methods. This explains the training and increase of military numbers since the Second World War because there has been an increased need to have more military strength in the face of increasingly dangerous enemies. The difference can also be seen on how other military institutions across the globe have reacted to the changing institutional environments; for example, the Indian and Pakistan military forces have been developing deadlier weapons (nuclear weapons) while other forces have dedicated more of their time strengthening their naval forces, like the Russian army, but the US has invested more resources by increas ing its military spending to improve the level of technological utility in its war tact. Adaptation to Globalization In the past few decades, the level of interconnectivity of social, economic and technological forces has tremendously increased, to shift institutional paradigms to new levels of engagement. In this regard, the US army has changed its strategies because, the security threats it seeks to eliminate have also changed in the same way (Kugler, 2010, p. 21). Also, in this regard, the US military has changed the way it employs force when engaged in wars. Most importantly, it is crucial to note that globalization has reduced the utilization of force in solving international conflicts and the US army has acknowledged this fact by seeking new ways of engagement. This is true because globalization has redefined the core competencies of the armed forces by redefining the institution’s core missions and objectives. In the past, the core mission of the armed forces had been to protect American citizens and interests from any external attack or influence but due to global forces, the mandate of the US army is broader, comprehensive and indeed more subtle than previously thought (Warburton, 1999, p. 157). For example, in the wider union of the NATO allies, the US army has an obligation, under NATO to support its NATO allies in military combat whenever they are faced with national threats on security. At the same time, the military under certain world bodies such as the UN has a duty to maintain peace across the globe, for example by assisting in humanitarian efforts or even acting as a mediator between warring factions in international conflicts. In this regard, the roles of the US army have been more holistic and now stretch beyond American interests. The US army has also had to critically think of the impact of using military power on opponents by considering the impact of globalization on such conflicts. Since globalization has intertwined the interes ts of various nations across the globe, it has become increasingly difficult to autonomously make decisions regarding military actions on other nations because third party interests are to be considered (Warburton, 1999, p. 157). For example, The US army cannot make a unilateral decision to carry out military attacks on a country like Lebanon because that decision has to go through the UN Security Council and approved by other nations before it makes such a move. However, chances of other nations approving military engagement are often minimal and this explains why the use of military force has been reduced with the advent of globalization. In this regard, the US army has had to contend with a more inclusive decision making process because it has to consider the interests of other nations in carrying out military actions; if for example, the US wants to carry out aerial strikes on Iran, for example, it would have to consider any other relevant interests like Japanese interests or in vestments in the nation, Chinese investments and the likes. It is therefore very difficult for the US military as an institution to enjoy the same kind of autonomy it used to enjoy before globalization took effect. This therefore means that the US army has to be more flexible and pro-dialogue with other nations before it carries out any military actions. References Alexandrou, A. (2001). Human Resource Management in the British Armed Forces:  Investing In The Future. London: Routledge. Chapman, B. (2009). Military Doctrine: A Reference Handbook. New York: ABC-CLIO. Diamant, L. (1993). Homosexual Issues in the Workplace. New York: Taylor Francis. Gerace, M. P. (2004). Military Power, Conflict, and Trade. London: Routledge. Kugler, S. (2010). Challenges of the Global Century: Report of the Project on  Globalization and National Security. New York: DIANE Publishing. Martell, L. (2010). The Sociology of Globalization. New York: Polity. Warburton, N. (1999). Philosophy: The Basics. London: Routledge. This essay on United States Military as an Institution was written and submitted by user Ishaan T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Long Story Short

Long Story Short I’ve often heard writers of nonfiction complain that they’re the Rodney Dangerfields of the literary world. Not that they don’t sell a lot of books and articles (because they do) or that they don’t make money from their writing (because they do). Their complaint is that they aren’t recognized as â€Å"real† writers until they’ve published fiction. The same might be said of short-story writers. Some feel they aren’t truly fiction writers unless and until they’ve sold a novel. Many people who are not themselves writers have asked me, â€Å"Why waste your time writing short stories?† Well, I’ve written three novels- two are out with an agent and the other is sitting here at home aging like tobacco leaves, or (as I prefer to think) fine wine. But mostly I write short. One reason, honestly, is that since I’ve sold so many short stories and have never sold a novel, I just feel more comfortable with the short stuff. It’s safe ground for me, and I’m as reluctant as the next soldier to venture far from my foxhole unless someone orders me to. Does that mean I’m not a real fiction writer? Maybe so. But it’s not a question that bothers me much. Having said all that, what possible advantages could there be to writing short stories instead of novels? Well, here are a few: (1) They can be resold. I’ve had some of my shorts published half a dozen times each, in different markets. If you’ve not signed away â€Å"all rights,† you can sell reprints over and over again. (2) They give you a sense of completion. Finishing a story and writing THE END is a great feeling, to me. I can write a short story in a matter of days, and then turn around and write something else, something completely different. (3) There’s less time invested. A novel takes months or even years to write, and if it doesn’t sell, you’ve spent an enormous chunk of time with those characters and that plot. (4) They can help build a rà ©sumà ©. Story credits in quality magazines and anthologies can make you more marketable to agents and publishers of longer works. (5) They’re good practice. Crafting publishable short stories teaches you how to write â€Å"tight.† Novels might be long, but the best novels are still focused and compact, with few wasted words. Writing short also gives you experience in creating the story arc that is so necessary in novels, screenplays, etc. (6) You don’t need an agent. I had a wonderful agent for several years who represented my short fiction (he passed away in 1999), but few agents now will take on short-story authors, and the truth is, you can probably do as well without them. (7) It’s fun. I think the process of putting together a good plot and believable characters in only a few thousand words is a thrill as well as a challenge. A final note. Some writers don’t write short because they don’t think they can. Several novelist friends (one a New York Times bestseller) have told me they think short stories are extremely difficult to write. Lawrence Block once agreed, saying: â€Å"Novels aren’t harder; they’re just longer.† And Faulkner said he tried writing short stories when he found he couldn’t write poetry, and then turned to writing novels when he found he couldn’t write short stories. I’ve also heard that writing a good novel requires a better storyteller, while writing a good short story requires a better craftsman. Is that true? Beats me. It doesn’t matter anyway. There’ll always be room for both.

APA Referencing †Citing a Movie or TV Show (Proofread My Paper)

APA Referencing – Citing a Movie or TV Show APA Referencing – Citing a Movie or TV Show The vast majority of citations in academic writing are for books, journals and other written sources. Sometimes, however, you might need to cite a movie or TV show. E.g., If you want to squeeze Steve Buscemis strange, beautiful face into your thesis somehow.(Photo: David Shankbone/wikimedia) Are there special rules for this, you may be wondering? You bet there are, sonny! Herein, for instance, we take a look at how to cite a motion picture or TV show with APA referencing. Citing a Motion Picture You might think this is only relevant if you’re studying film and media, but it can also be crucial in many subject areas (e.g., if you want to quote something from a documentary). The in-text citation format to use here is similar to that used for print sources, except that you name the producer and director instead of the author, along with the year of release: Renà © Griffiths eventually found success in South America (Ramasut Goch, 2010). This is accompanied by full detail of the source in the reference list, using the following format: Last Name, Initial(s). (Producer), Last Name, Initial(s). (Director). (Year). Title [Motion picture]. Country of origin: Studio or distributor. In the case of the documentary cited above, this would appear as: Ramasut, C. (Producer), Goch, D. (Director). (2010). Separado! [Motion picture]. United Kingdom: Soda Pictures. Citing a TV Show The format for citing a TV show depends on whether it’s a one-off broadcast, a single episode of a series or a complete series. For each, however, in-text citations require you to name an authority (e.g. a director, writer or producer) and a year of broadcast: The game itself was preceded by a six-hour pre-game show (Esocoff, 2015). For a one-off broadcast, include the following in the reference list: Last Name, Initial(s). (Title of Authority). (Year, Month Day). Title of show [Television broadcast]. Location of broadcasting company: Broadcasting Company. The show cited above would therefore appear as: Esocoff, D. (Director). (2015, February 1). Super Bowl XLIX [Television broadcast]. Stamford: NBC Sports. The highlight of Super Bowl XLIX was when everyone fell over, creating a big heap of sweaty sport men. If you’re citing a series as a whole, the format changes slightly: Last Name, Initial(s). (Title of Authority). (Year of First Series). Title of series [Television series]. Location of broadcasting company: Broadcasting Company. When citing a particular episode, the details are included before the series information: Last Name, Initial(s). (Writer), Last Name, Initial(s). (Director). (Year). Title of episode [Television series episode]. In Name of Producer (Producer), Title of series. Location of broadcasting company: Broadcasting Company. As such, an episode of the show Last Week Tonight would appear in the reference list as: Avery, K. (Writer), Perota, J. (Director). (2014). Military translators [Television series episode]. In J. Oliver (Executive Producer), Last week tonight. New York: HBO. Time Stamps If youre referencing a particular section of a movie or TV show, you’ll need to include a timestamp in the citation, just as you’d give page numbers when quoting a print source. This involves indicating the time at which the relevant section begins: Rhys ends his search at the final residence of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Ramasut Goch, 2010, 1:17:20). The citation above, for instance, shows that the section in question starts at one hour, seventeen minutes and twenty seconds into the video, making it easier to find the information referenced. Separado! is presented by a Welsh rock star who teleports using a magical Power Rangers helmet. Its awesome. (Image: Soda Pictures)

Race and Class Responses Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race and Class Responses - Article Example Most of them have related their answers to their professional background and principles that they have when it comes to the issue of racism. In the same respect, the ideas that have transpired from the interviews are also based on gender contexts since experiences vary between men and women. At the same time, advocacies and principles are present in the interview that really showcases the dedication of people in addressing the issue of racism in all possible aspects. Despite of the principled engagements and answers provided by the interviewees, there is still the problem that they try to resolve: how to really prevent racism from occurring? There have been instances that have cited the role of culture, especially on how it induces conflict and on how it comes along the process of resolving the problem. It is noticeable in the interviews that there is a degree of sensitivity with the issue of racism. It is noticeable that the interviews deal with the issue of racism with a certain degree of objectivity. If there is a noticeable bias, it is intended as a mechanism to uphold the need to eradicate the said detrimental practice. When it comes to the issue of racism, it is important to point out that it happens everywhere and anytime. What seems to be problematic is that there are still people who do not address these transgressions as pointed out Singh and Mizrahi. Rather, the occurrences of racial judgments are not reprimanded. However, there are efforts that I have seen to be engaging and critical about the issue. There are efforts to organize and to join advocacy groups to lessen the occurrence and eventually stop racism. Both of the interviews have been focusing on the efforts to regulate and address the issue of racism, which has been a long practice since Western domination has started. Both of the interviews share a common view about

444 Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

444 Final - Essay Example Secondly, the author discusses the fact that job search trends do not operate in a vacuum and are intrinsically shaped by microeconomic factors specific to the job seeker. In particular, the chapter highlights the point that the job search market comprises people searching for various types of jobs for multiple reasons that are dependent on age, education, economic status and gender. Furthermore, the job search market is effectively a two tiered structure, namely: As highlighted above, the external search will be motivated by age, education, location and gender. Additionally, Figure 15.1 refers to the example of wage offers, the acceptance wage and unemployment status impacting job acceptance. In contrast, the internal search will be dependent on organisational needs, which can create demand in the labor market. The author argues that the relationship between the external search and internal search ultimately dictates the labor market through the wage structure and nature of the market. Additionally, it is posited that notwithstanding periods of unemployment, the relationship between job search and the structure of the labor market results in a continuous supply of workers and jobs, which in turn creates equilibrium between the supply of jobs and the demand for jobs from the unemployed. Therefore in summary, the central argument in this chapter is that numerous factors influence why people search for jobs and employer demand for specific job roles to be satisfied, and that it is the interrelationship between these factors that dictate the trends and shape of the labor market. Additionally, it is argued that the structure of the labor market creates a constant flow of workers as â€Å"stock†, which in turn ensures equilibrium in the supply and demand curves of the labor market. This Chapter discusses the macroeconomic factors within which the labor market operates

Analysing Homelessness along with its causes and effects

Analysing Homelessness along with its causes and effects Though the economy has been getting better slowly but surely, one issue has been apparent throughout the past years and remains to get much attention due to the need of its solution. The homeless population within the United States has been steadily rising since the late 1970 s when the housing and social service cuts increased and the economy went on a downward spiral. All types of people have been impacted by many types of factors that led them to their homeless position. The U.S. federal government defines homeless individuals as: those who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; have a primary nighttime residence that is: [either] a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill); an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalizes; or a public or private place not desi gned for, or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, (Swick, 2004). Though the number of homeless people in America still climbs, child homelessness seems to be the most prevalent among the rapidly growing group. Policies have been constructed and enacted, their effectiveness is not yet apparent. Many organizations have ideas for solving the problem, but are faced with road blocks due to the long-term process of enacting possible solutions. In a vicious cycle, once one becomes homeless, he or she is likely to remain that way for a long period of time. Some public policies work with the homeless, while others make it harder to get out of the cycle. Within the U.S. the main cause of homelessness is the lack of affordable housing. Besides that, other factors include mental illnesses, substance abuse, and low-paying jobs. Some minor causes include prisoner release, unemployment, domestic violence, and poverty. Family units are the largest and fastest growing segment of the homeless population. Though homelessness is impossible to measure to complete accuracy due to the lack of communication between all homeless and the surveyors along with the problem of finding the homeless, the estimates still prove to be rather shocking. According to a 2008 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development report an estimated 671,888 people experienced homelessness in one night in January 2007, (PBS, 2009). Within New York City by itself, officials reported that 6,252 families are lodging nightly in city shelters (NYPIRG). The website also reports that nearly 1 in 5 children within the U.S. live in poverty, therefore the U.S. child poverty rate is much higher than that of most other industrialized nations. In its 1998 survey of 30 cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that the homeless population was 49% African-American, 32% Caucasian, 12% Hispanic, 4% Native American, and 3% Asian, (NYPIRG). This means that homelessness affects people of all sorts, without regard to race or other factors. Mental illness is a huge factor in the homeless community. Approximately 20-25% of homeless, single adults suffers from some form of a severe mental illness, specifically one that is persistent. According to the Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, only 5-7% of homeless persons with mental illness require institutionalization; most can live in the community with appropriate supportive housing options, (NYPIRG). This is a rather hypocritical comment mainly due to the fact that the reason those people are on the street is because of their illness, if they don t receive the help they need, they will remain homeless. There are those communities who chose to take care of the problem rather than watch it get worse. Washington County in Portland, Oregon had a huge population growth within the past 20 years. Some of these people though, were traveling homeless people. What used to be limited to a few homeless individuals known to local residents on a first-name basis , and who were taken care of for the most part by the faith-based community and law enforcement, now became a population of more than 1,200 homeless adults, (Spanbock, 2008). No services were offered to these homeless people, so the community felt that something had to be done. Almost half of the countys homeless adults suffered from mental health challenges, so in 2004 a program was established for single homeless adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. Luke-Dorf, Inc. thought of the idea due to their experience with adult mental healthcare. Though it took time, the Garret Lee Smith Safe Haven was opened in December of 2006. It went on to serve 10 formerly homeless people at their own level of need. As the success of the facility became more visible, a new center was opened within a year that now serves 25 formerly homeless people. As a result of this, they have seen many improvements and accomplishments: the newly renovated homes that house the facilities improve the l ook of the town, the facility gets a few homeless people off the streets, and a creation of new social service employment opportunities (Spanbock, 2008). This county is proof that not all solutions to homelessness have to come from public policy, but can stem from small groups wanting to make a big difference. Apart from the mentally ill, children are another large group within the homeless population. It is estimated that as many as one in 50 U.S. children (1.5 million) are homeless or precariously housed in temporary quarters such as motels and shelters, (Cohen, 2009). In a report about child homelessness specifically, Cohen shows that the ten cities most affected by child homelessness are Nevada, North Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. The National Center on Family Homelessness recently launched the Campaign to End Child Homelessness which proposes initiatives that would help children get into more stable situations and in the end brighten their outlook on life in the future. Some believe that its up to the U.S. government to end child homelessness by imposing policies that can be enacted at all levels of the government. It is possible to end child homelessness [in the United States] within a decade, (Cohen, 2009) which wou ld mean that if all the right programs and policies were implemented, the trend of growing child homelessness could be reversed even in this recession. Some of the more prevalent recommendations at the federal level include creating new low-income housing units, providing more housing vouchers, temporarily increasing food stamp benefits, raising of the minimum wage, and making it easier for homeless children to attend public schools. An issue that seems to be easily looked over is the idea that if a family is homeless, it makes it hard for the parents to find child care so that they may work. There is an extremely small number of child care facilities that would provide childcare to parents that dont have a fixed income. Yet without the childcare, most of those parents arent able to go to work to actually have that fixed income. As of right now, only Massachusetts gives priority to children who are homeless when distributing [child care] vouchers, (Cohen, 2009). If more states did t hings that way, the homeless population would decline in a major way. Once one is homeless, its hard for them to become financially stable again. This rings true to homeless children and young adults as well. According to the social adaptation hypothesis, the longer young people are homeless the more they adapt to homelessness as a way of life, (Johnson Chamberlain, 2008). This is why it is critical to get these children and young adults off the streets as soon as possible in order to lessen the final impact of homelessness. According to their survey of 1,677 individuals who became homeless before they turned 18, Johnson and Chamberlain (2008) found that 75% progressed to adult homelessness. It is estimated that between 1.5 and 2 million youth under age 18 are homeless and unaccompanied by a parent or guardian for at least one night, (Dworsky, 2010). The difference between the youth and adult homeless population is that a majority of homeless youth chose to leave their home. Apart from that most are homeless because they are abandoned by their parents or are forced to leave their home. Others grow out of the foster care system or are released from the juvenile justice system. The experiences they have are also different from other homeless elders, depending on whether they are living on the streets, squatting in abandoned buildings, staying in shelters, or couch surfing among family members, friends, and even strangers, (Dworsky, 2010). Though some progress has been made to get the homeless youth off the streets, the major benefactors have been housing-based independent living programs that give the youth a place to stay as well as teach them things necessary to get out of the system. Just like any other young adult, the homeless need specific things in order to transition to their adulthood properly. A safe and stable living environment is a primary need of the homeless youth, when someone is on their own, they dont have the ability to learn things necessary for living successfully. Budgeting, meal preparation, hygiene, conflict resolution, and time management are just some life lessons that the homeless youth does not necessarily receive. An education is just as important as the previous points, if one does not get a degree, he or she is most likely to remain in the homeless system with low chances of getting well paying jobs. The Lighthouse Youth Services in Cincinnati, Ohio, is one of few organizations that helps prevent homelessness among specifically foster youth and juvenile offenders. With its Independent Living Program, The Lighthouse Youth Services has made a huge impact on the youth that has entered it. Of the 455 youth who entered durin g the six-year period between 2001 and 2006, 60% had completed high school or obtained a GED, 31% were employed or had completed a vocational training program, and one-half were living independently at the time they were discharged from the program, (Dworsky, 2010). It s apparent that if the effort is made, and the help is offered, the homeless youth will not have as negative results as expected. Though much of the homeless youth chose to leave, it s doubtful they chose to give up the rest of their lives. Given the chance, they d surely pick their life back up and better their living habits and opportunities. Though the demographic may be smaller, the same issues face the homeless of Springfield, MO as do the rest of the nation. According to Randy McCoy (2010), families are the fastest growing of the homeless population in Springfield. Over three hundred go unsheltered every day. In the winter of 2009, 457 individuals were homeless of which 301 were family units. In a 2006 documentary about the homeless community in Springfield, its estimated that there are 600 homeless individuals in Springfield on any given night. Of those, 250 don t have a place to stay each night. Beverly Tadeja, the director of social services at the Missouri Hotel notes the following: [You can] see people in the dumpsters, that s a perfect example. They stay in there (women especially) in their mental state, they want to be protected. Well, they turn around and go into the dumpster for protection, so they don t get beat up or raped, or whatever. Whatever the situation is. So they find that a security because it s li ke a shelter to them, (2006). Out of the 250 people that don t have a place to stay at night, many have to make decisions like the above mentioned on a daily basis. They have no protection from the outside world and choose to protect themselves in the way they find most suitable under their conditions. In 2008, a survey was drafted about 148 people living in Springfield who were homeless during any period of their life. The report was finished, but lacked feedback from the agency giving helpful information in order to fully complete it. The sample was selected by asking homeless individuals if they had spent the previous night in a place meant for human habitation [and] whether they had been without shelter for at least one year in their lives or four times in a three-year period, (unidentified author, 2008). Interviews of the 148 individuals were conducted by volunteers at The Missouri Hotel. Results that were found were rather unexpected and quite shocking. The mean age of participants was 38.67 years, which is comparable to the mean age of 41.32 of summer 2007 participants, (unidentified author, 2008). With the youngest interviewee at 17 years of age and the oldest at 56, the variety of the surveyed was quite broad. Sixty-five percent of the interviewed were male, which may seem large, but the number of females represented was larger in 2008 than in the interviews conducted the previous year. One of the conclusions of this survey that correlated with the rest of the U.S. population was the fact that the homeless individual had a small education level. On average, the time the homeless person received education was 11.16 years. Thirty-seven percent of participants reported having 12 years of education, (unidentified author, 2008). In comparison to the national number of homeless youth, almost 20% of the interviewees in this survey experienced foster care as children. Forty-eight percent reported having a family that supported them, in contradiction to the national standard of children being completely on their own. Though no children were specifically interviewed, 23% of the actual participants spoke of knowing homeless children and families in the area. For Springfield not being a major city in Missouri, its homeless rate is definitely high.

The Italian Unification: Mazzini, Cavour and Garibaldi

Evaluate the relative importance of Mazzini, Cavour, and Garibaldi for the Italian Unification between 1848 and 1871 In order to achieve the unification the Italians had to go through a long struggle starting from 1830 and ending in 1871. Thanks to the leading of Mazzini, Cavour and Garibaldi, the Mediterranean peninsula was able to defeat its foreign enemies, especially the Austrian Empire, and create a united nation under the King of Piedmont, Viktor Emmanuel II.Although Mazzini was the starter of nationalism movements and aroused the spirits of many Italians, Cavour and Garibaldi were the two leaders who were able, both in their own way, to create a consolidated country. Giuseppe Mazzini was an Italian journalist and idealist that at the beginning of the 1830s was able to stimulate the people of the Italian peninsula to fight for freedom from Austria and for a creation of a nation. In his first years of revolutionary movements in the 1830s he was exiled from Italy, and moved to Sw itzerland to create a new movement, the Young Italy.This movement was different from the precedent Carbonari, that were less prepared and more violent, and it was made up by the middle class and as well as the working class and the peasants. Mazzini didn’t believe that Italy could be unified under a king, and thought that the best way of government was a republic, especially after the king Charles Albert refused his proposal to be at the head of the Unified Nation. Even though Mazzini’s supporters were defeated during a revolt in Piedmont, he was able to create an organize movement that had a great influence on the Italian Unification.Later in his life, Mazzini worked cooperating with Garibaldi, and together with him they made a lot of progress in the process of achieving their goal. Count Camillo Benso di Cavour was the diplomatic and political leader of the Italian Unification. Cavour was the mind and the brain of the Italian Unification, who created the political st rategies to defeat Austria. He was a noble man but had liberals ideas, and wanted to unite the country under the Kingdom of Piedmont, working with Viktor Emmanuel II.He was elected first in the Parliament under the rule of Charles Albert, and when he abdicated in favor of his son Viktor Emmanuel II, he was made Minister of Commerce and Agriculture in 1850, Minister of the Navy and Finance in 1851 and Prime Minister in 1852. Mazzini could be compared to Bismark, Prussia’s chancellor, because not only were they both very strategic and intelligent, but even because he modernized the Kingdom of Piedmont like Bismark had done in the German territories. With his domestic polices he created new banks, that made loans to middle class men to open businesses, that gave jobs to the working classes.The banks also made loans to businesses that wanted to create railroads so that Italy was modernized like the rest of Europe. He then facilitated the trading to gain industrial goods from Engl and and strengthen the army of Piedmont, in order to prepare it for war. Cavour used once again his diplomatic skills when he decided to support France and England in the Crimean War in 1854, where his troops won many battles. He then secretly met with Napoleon III in Plombieres, and signed a compact in which the French Emperor promised to support Italy in a war against Austria in exchange of the territories of Nice and Savoy.When the war broke out in 1859 though, Napoleon III, unexpectedly resigned and withdrew his troops, signing a peace contract in Villafranca with the Austrians. With his foreign and domestic policies, Cavour had created the opportunities and the circumstances for Italy to unite. If Cavour was the mind and the brain of the Italian Unification, Garibaldi was the heart of the movement. He was an idealist who believed, like Mazzini, that Italy had to be unified under a republic and without foreign aid.He became the leader of the unification when, with his troops, th e thousand red shirts, he conquered Sicily in 1860 sending away the Bourbon family and the king of the Two Sicilies, Ferdinand II. He conquered Naples, and marched up north, until he got to Rome, where the troops of the Kingdom of Piedmont waited for him. Even though he was a republican, he decided to hand out the territories he conquered to the king Viktor Emmanuel II, who was now the king of Italy. Venetia was still part of the Austrian Empire and Rome was still part of the papal state.Garibaldi then tried to conquer the Papal State but was defeated by the French troops and was exiled from Italy. He was able to escaped but failed again sending an army from Tuscany to Rome again. The Italian Kingdom was finally united when Venetia was handed to the Italian kingdom after the Austro-Prussian war, and Rome was invaded by the Italian troops in 1871 and the Pope was given sovereignty on the Vatican City. Garibaldi was able to send away the Bourbon family and to conquer the south of Ital y, and became one of the greatest military leaders of all times in Italy.Even though Mazzini was the starter of the Italian movement the Young Italy and rose the nationalism spirits of the Italians to initiate the process of the unification, the mind and the heart of the unification, Cavour and Garibaldi, were essential to the creation of a united nation. They both were able to use their qualities, one of being a diplomatic and smart men, while the other being a brave and romantic military leader, and together were able to defeat the Austrian and hand to the Piedmont king, Viktor Emmanuel II, the Italian Peninsula.