Realism and the Future of World Politics Essay Example for Free

Realism and the Future of World Politics Essay First and foremost it is important to remember that state interest or state preference operates in an anarchic environment. The international system is inherently unstable and is aptly characterized by widespread anarchy. Due to the absence of a suprastate or overarching Leviathan authority, states are placed in inevitable and perpetual competition, described as the security dilemma. This has been evidenced by the state of European affairs since 1789. Because of the anarchic nature of international affairs, states are perpetually concerned with their survival. For realists, the international system is a â€Å"dog-eat-dog world† and ensuring survival is paramount for any and all states. According to Hans Morgenthau, pioneering German political scientist and an early proponent of realist thought, due to the inherent instability of the international system, the fundamental national interest of all states is to â€Å"protect [its] physical, political, and cultural identity against encroachments by other nations† (Morgenthau, 1952). Specifically, threats to states are determined by their relative power vis-a-vis one others in the international system. The structure of the system – the distribution of power and capabilities state wide is important because threats or challenges facing a state which affront the national interest should be â€Å"calculated according to the situation in which the state finds itself† (Waltz, 1979). Thus, power and security requirements are paramount in attempting to define state interest and what motivates states to act. Furthermore, Power and wealth supply the means for states to survive, to meet their security requirements, and thus to continue to compete in a system in which other states are necessarily either actual or potential threats. State officials ad policy analysts are therefore advised realistically to asses the distribution of power; they should overcome their ‘aversion to seeing problems of international politics as they are’ in order to objectively asses the national interest in light of the distribution of power. Every state, that is, must pursue its national interest â€Å"defined in terms of power† (Morgenthau 1952) because this is the surest road to security and survival (Weldes, 1999). If we apply the realist conception of states power and apply it to the future of the international world, conflict over resources and war will be a defining feature of the international system. Europe has been plagued by conflict since the late 18th century and despite global interdependence and the existence of multilateral organizations in the form of the UN and the European Union, there is little evidence to suggest that armed conflict is not the future of international affairs. Nationalism, a concept created in Europe, has been responsible for much armed conflict over the past three centuries. Nationalism in International Affairs Nationalism is an important force in international relations and has been so for centuries. As a basic principle of the international order, concepts of state sovereignty are intrinsic to our understanding of the world system. Accordingly, the international system is predicated upon the existence of nation-states and nationalism is a belief or sense of identity within the nation. The Treaty of Westphalia established the principle of state sovereignty, another fundamental principle of the international order which established the nation-state as an autonomous political entity. Similar to tribalism or a sense of social kinship, nationalism as a potent political force began in Europe in the late eightieth century and was connected with a decline in overall religiosity, the development of industrialization, Enlightenment thoughts and a concerted effort by political elites to â€Å"build states†. By inculcating a sense of nationalist fervor in the citizens of their respective countries, elites have been able to manipulate nationalism for political purposes. Mass mobilization towards a variety of specific causes through an appeal to nationalist sentiment has been used as a political tool for centuries. Although not exclusively a negative force, nationalism remains an important ordering principle of the international system and a force to be reckoned with (Waltz 2000). Concluding Remarks Keeping in mind our realist conception of state interest, conflict will be an inevitable feature of the international system in the next 50 years. Europe has descended into bloodshed and armed conflict and has been the feature of the European continent for centuries. When global war broke out in 1914 dreams of world peace and prosperity were shattered. Accordingly, the First World War was arguably one of the most traumatic episodes in the history of international affairs. Geopolitically speaking, the First World War (also described as WWI in this essay) was unprecedented in both scale and sheer loss of human life. Never before had the world witnessed such carnage and violence perpetuated through the use of modern technology. The First World War touched much of the world the implications of this conflict reverberated across the globe. In addition to WWI, Europeans states fought dozens of wars and were home to countless revolutions aimed at changing the political order. From the French Revolution to the Spanish Civil War and the â€Å"War to End All Wars†, World War II, the history of Europe since 1789 has been wrought with conflict with nationalism playing an important role in the outbreak of violence.

Packaging Technology in Fitzhugh’s The Organ Grinders :: Environment Environmental Pollution Preservation

Packaging Technology in Fitzhugh’s The Organ Grinders Once upon a time, people had to go to a public market and buy fresh food everyday. If the food wasn’t used that day or the next, it would spoil and would be wasted. Today, with the help of packaging, food can be stored for weeks, months and sometimes even years before it has to be used. Because of packaging, food is cleaner and can be kept longer, many things can be purchased more conveniently, and life as a whole is easier. Like nearly everything else ever invented, packaging and disposable goods are not without their negative aspects as well. Americans throw out more than 180 million tons of garbage each year (Fitzhugh 93). On the website for the company Tetra Pak, which is a packaging company that deals mostly in liquid food products, they list four major benefits to packaging: protection, preservation, communication, and convenience (Tetra Pak). The first two reasons are obvious. Packaging provides a sealed safe place for food, away from water, air, and other things that could potentially damage it or cause it to be ruined. The product is also preserved by the packaging. The package can keep the food or item usable for a much longer time then if it did not have the packaging around it. Once of the best examples of this is with canned goods. Canning food allows it to be kept for an incredibly long time, whereas fresh goods must be used up quickly, before they expire. TetraPak.com lists communication as their third benefit of packaging. Packages can contain a lot of information about the product itself. For food items, they list the ingredients on the package, along with other information, like th e amount that the package contains, and possible warnings. Packages can also draw the consumer to the good and increase the merchant’s sales. Lastly, packages offer convenience. It is no longer necessary to go to the market every day to buy fresh produce. Customers can now buy their food and store it in its packages for quite a long time. The website also states that packages help keep messy foods and things off of our hands and simply makes things easier for the consumer (Tetra Pak). With all of these benefits, it is no wonder why nearly every product comes in a package of some kind.

Social work shadowing

Cases are held on a short term bases, which could be Initial Assessment, then or a Core Assessment, or a Strategy meeting then if further work is require, it will then be passed on to the long term Team. It was arranged for me to shadow Robert Mega In the Intake Team; he introduced me to the other team members and found a desk for me next to his own desk. Robert told me that he only Just found that I was to be shadowing him that day and that was why the Team Managers were not aware of It when I was Introduced to them.He asked what I wanted to know or do for the day, I explained that I was there o observe and if able attend visits or meetings. Robert had 2 visits planned, one was an unannounced visit and he had to call before hand regarding the other one. However, when he called and spoke with the client at length, there was no need for an appointment that day. Robert hold another case that he was working on which involved Child Protection issues, he wanted to fully understand the nex t procedures that he needed to undertake and asked if I could look in the London Child Protection procedures to check the next steps he needed to follow.After looking into the Procedures, It would seem that Robert was already on the right track and the next step was to either have a Strategy meeting or undertake a Core Assessment on the family. The Social Work Law Robert was working wealth was Children Act 1989†¦.. Before Robert left for unannounced visit he briefed his Team Manager who gave advice and suggestions to complete during time at the family's home. The arranged time for the visit was planned after young person finishes school and was estimated that she would be at home by the time the visit was to commence.When we arrived he young person was just arriving home, her mother opened the door and if she was surprised, she hid it well and was forthcoming inviting us in. She co-operated well as did young person who was a teenager with all the typical attitudes of a young pe rson her age. The school had raised concerns re the young person, however the concerns were unfounded after Robert spoke with the family. The young person was resistance when asked If we could see her room, but she complied after assurance that It would be a brief observance of the room and nothing more.A meeting was planned at the school which the family will attend and Robert will also attend and discuss his findings. Shadow day 16th May Davis House This Team was a very large team with many Social Workers and a number of Managers as well as a team of Admit workers, finance worker and Project worker. Susan introduced me to the many members of the team, she had already arranged for me to observe within a Referral Strategy Meeting that was due to start. During the introductions with the team one of the Social Workers had a Review Meeting to whichI asked if I could attend and observe. Strategy Meeting was to discuss and arranged and put plans in place regarding the unaccompanied minor who was the subject of the meeting. Brief overview was a 14 year old with a possibility of trafficking background, placed with Foster careers, but has now gone missing. Discussions took place around the safety of the young person, the possibility that she could be in the hands of people who are in the trafficking industry, or maybe she made friends with people she has met and is able to work and sustain herself.Other possibilities were issued and suggestions as to how to locate her were put forward. It was suggested that the Media was a very good source of outlet to use and because the young person might be high risk, this is one way that could bring about positive results. Discussions also took place about the Foster Careers who were currently feeling that they were to blame for YAP going missing. The meeting felt that the foster careers needed further training and that their Supervising Social Worker to visit and offer support.My next observance was the Review meeting of a young person who as now placed with new Foster Careers but the Review was already planned and too late to cancel. There were doubts about the real age of said YAP, it was believed that she was older than she stated, however she had to be treated and referred to as the age she said she was. The Reviewing Officer was very through and all aspects of the reviewing issues of young person were dealt with. I had the opportunity to observe duty and had the procedures explained to me.When an unaccompanied Minor from another present themselves or come to the attention of the Home Office they are offered to Crayon Social Services. There is usually a Social Worker based at the Home Office in Crayon. If there are queries regarding the YAP age, an age assessment need to take place. If the young person appears to be under 16 they are places with Foster Careers if they appear older they are placed in B and passed on to the 16 plus team. All accompanied Minors are placed On Crayon Data base, it seems that Crayon is one of the Boroughs that is targeted by those who claim to be an unaccompanied Minor. Janet Williams

Reality and Mythology of Student Life

Student life, just like the life of any group of people united by occupation, is subject to a lot of speculation, mythologizing, correct and incorrect assumptions and so on. However, it gets much more attention than almost any other group because, well, students and former students are far more numerous than, let’s say, IT specialists or doctors. In this article we are going totake a look at some commonly held views on students, their life and habits, and compare them with actual facts. Assumption 1: Students Drink All the Time If college comedy movies are to be believed, students spend most of their time drinking, drunk or suffering from hangover. However, statistics show that it is nothing more than an unhealthy stereotype. According to the latest surveys, more than 30% of students don’t consume alcohol at all, and those who do spend not all that much money on booze. In fact, it turns out that students drink about as much as all the other social groups, and sometimes less. Assumption 2: Oxbridge Prefers Candidates from Private Schools Oxford and Cambridge have long ago turned into the epitome of elite educational institution peopled by students from high-class backgrounds. And it is only natural for them to welcome candidates from private schools, where children from the most prominent families are being educated. And the evidence supports this assumption: according to the latest data about Oxford admissions candidates from private schools are about 9% more likely to be admitted than students from state schools with similar marks. So yes, this one happens to be true. Assumption 3: The Majority of Students Live in Dorms Another long-held assumption is that almost all college students live in halls, while those who rent living space outside the university grounds constitute a negligible minority. The image of student community as a geographical one is so deeply enrooted into our collective subconscious that it is hard to think of it in any other way. Perhaps it’s the way things were at some point in the past, but today nothing can be further from the truth. As a matter of fact, only about 40% of students live in dormitories; the rest rent flats or rooms, whatever their budgets can afford. Assumption 4: ‘Freshman 15’ It is often said that students tend to gain about 15 pounds during their first year in college due to drastic changes in lifestyle, lack of time and possibilities to look after their health and other more individual reasons. In reality, one can more or less safely assume that it is an exaggeration. Students are no more likely to gain weight than people from any other social group – at least if they are reasonable, don’t live solely on pizza and burgers, eat regular meals, try to workout at least from time to time and so on. Academic success is important, but you should find enough time to look after your health, no matter how heavy your workload is.