The Weight Of Social Awareness - 1025 Words

Healing Through Design: The Weight of Social Awareness in Design Introduction Institutional facilities are intended to confine and monitor people who commit serious crimes. Their focus has always been to punish these individuals beyond the deprivation of their freedom and not much effort is put into treating these individuals and preparing them to get back into their community. Punishment is viewed as a way of discouraging other members of the community from committing crimes and reducing recidivism. Society often refers to prisoners as separate from their communities. Prisons serve as a physical remainder of this distinction and to reinforce it wired fences have been added to their design further isolating these individuals from their†¦show more content†¦Many have evaluated this problem and have come to the same conclusion: Locking them up isn’t enough. The public is clearly divided about youth crime issues. On one side are those who see youth as victims in need of protection. On the other side is a group who views young offenders as an enemy from whom adults need protection. If the punishment were limited to being deprived of one’s freedom the environment inside penal facilities would be similar to the outside world, giving the offenders both responsibilities and rewards. This would facilitate the readaptation process upon release. Keeping in mind that most young offenders don’t have an average life, providing one for them would help them learn their role within society. Rehabilitation should be the most important part of the incarceration process. In countries where the main emphasis is to rehabilitate recidivism rates are considerably lower, such as Norway with a 20% recidivism rate. The fact that people keep committing crimes serves to remind us of two things: 1) The System is broken. 2) We’re spending a lot of money on prisons. Once you add the costs of policing and courts the justice budget is $11 billion a year (http://www.prisonjustice.ca/downloads/behindbarsleaflet08.pdf). The problem of yo uth crime is not new. What is new is the fact that youth crime has once again become a public issue and the issue now has a different definition. 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Although females scored higher on some of the questions asked, the researcher found that there w as no particular difference between the two groups in regards to nutritional awareness. Weight gain is so commonRead MoreSocial Action And Community Media1250 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Action and Community Media Assignment Mae Fincham The meaning of social action is addressing issues within society in order to spark awareness and result in change. Their main objective is to evoke an emotion to the public. Community Media is any form of media that is created and controlled by a community. The most popular form of community media is through radio as it is listened to by various groups within different communities and allows people to reach out and connectRead MoreMedia Eating Disorders1607 Words   |  7 Pagesthe eating disorder habits and body dissatisfaction in adolescence over the past few decades. This crisis seems most prevalent in females`` than males with 20 percent high school females exhibiting poor eating habits and about 60 percent undergone weight loss attempt (Pritchard and Wilson, 2005). Most affected youngsters endeavor various solutions to cope with this dilemma and in most cases, drug and alcohol abuse and suicide are the worst outcomes that have raised concerns to the society. The informationRead MoreThe Role Of Physical Therapist861 Words   |  4 PagesObesity reduces a child’s opportunities to engage meaningfully in desired activities at home and in school, especially social participation and play (Kuczmarski, Reitz, Pizzi, 2010). According to World Health Organization, when a child is obese or overweight, their quality of life is significantly affected. They are the one that are at greatest risk of teasing, bullying and social isolation (WHO, 2012, p.11). According to Mcnealus (2015), obesity is also seen in children with special needs and the

Film Production of a Thriller Essays - 2150 Words

Film Production of a Thriller The opening sequence of a new thriller, including the titles, aimed at a 15 or 18 certificate audience (approximately two minutes duration). SECTION ONE. We began the ball rolling, by researching into target audiences . To begin with we got information from the BFI (British Board of Film Classification), on the two film certificates 15 and 18. We finally chose the certificate that would allow us to manipulate audiences in the best possible way. In the end the final decision went with the 18 certificate , It allowed us more freedom of speech and we agreed it allowed us to use more conventions that are expected in a thriller. The 18 certificate allowed us to†¦show more content†¦This became a strong idea for us. We thought it would be a worthwhile piece of information if we sent letters off to institutes that were in a position to provide us with relevant information ( for example, how they tackle the thriller genre or a way of making a successful thriller movie). The information that was received from Granada followed the ’High Concept Model’ which is a ten point formula which film scholars use to make successful Hollywood films. With this in mind ,we could now contrast our ideas and see if the thriller film of ours follows that successful formula. That would add key connotational value for the audience, such as intertextual links that could keep the audience in a state of familiarity. We also looked at existing real media texts for their conventions and language to help identify key stereotypes of characters. We began by looking at ‘Se7en’ and the ‘Third man’. 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The Vampire Diaries The Struggle Chapter Two Free Essays

The police had found Stefan’s abandoned car by Old Creek Road. That meant he’d left it somewhere between Drowning Creek and the woods. Elena stumbled on the overgrown path through the graveyard, but she kept moving, head down, arms hugging her light sweater to her. We will write a custom essay sample on The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Two or any similar topic only for you Order Now She had known this graveyard all her life, and she could find her way through it blind. By the time she crossed the bridge, her shivering had become painful. It wasn’t snowing as hard now, but the wind was even worse. It cut through her clothes as if they were made of tissue paper, and took her breath away. Stefan, she thought, and turned onto Old Creek Road, trudging northward. She didn’t believe what Damon had said. If Stefan were dead she wouldknow. He was alive, somewhere, and she had to find him. He could be anywhere out in this swirling whiteness; he could be hurt, freezing. Dimly, Elena sensed that she was no longer rational. All her thoughts had narrowed down to one single idea. Stefan. Find Stefan. It was getting harder to keep to the road. On her right were oak trees, on her left, the swift waters of Drowning Creek. She staggered and slowed. The wind didn’t seem quite so bad any more, but she did feel very tired. She needed to sit down and rest, just for a minute. As she sank down beside the road, she suddenly realized how silly she had been to go out searching for Stefan. Stefan would come to her. All she needed to do was sit here and wait. He was probably coming right now. Elena shut her eyes and leaned her head against her drawn-up knees. She felt much warmer now. Her mind drifted and she saw Stefan, saw him smile at her. His arms around her were strong and secure, and she relaxed against him, glad to let go of fear and tension. She was home. She-was where she belonged. Stefan would never let anything hurt her. But then, instead of holding her, Stefan was shaking her. He was ruining the beautiful tranquility of her rest. She saw his face, pale and urgent, his green eyes dark with pain. She tried to tell him to be still, but he wouldn’t listen.Elena, get up , he said, and she felt the compelling force of those green eyes willing her to do it.Elena, get up now – â€Å"Elena, get up!† The voice was high and thin and frightened. â€Å"Come on, Elena! Get up! We can’t carry you!† Blinking, Elena brought a face into focus. It was small and heart-shaped, with fair, almost translucent skin, framed by masses of soft red curls. Wide brown eyes, with snowflakes caught in the lashes, stared worriedly into hers. â€Å"Bonnie,† she said slowly. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"Helping me look for you,† said a second, lower voice on Elena’s other side. She turned slightly to see elegantly arched eyebrows and an olive complexion. Meredith’s dark eyes, usually so ironic, were worried now, too. â€Å"Stand up, Elena, unless you want to become an ice princess for real.† It should have been warmer inside the car, but Elena’s nerve endings were coming back to life, making her shake, telling her how cold she really was. Winter is an unforgiving season, she thought as Meredith drove. â€Å"What’s going on, Elena?† said Bonnie from the back seat. â€Å"What did you think you were doing, running away from school like that? And how could you come out here?† Elena hesitated, then shook her head. She wanted nothing more than to tell Bonnie and Meredith everything. To tell them the whole terrifying story about Stefan and Damon and what had really happened last night to Mr. Tanner – and about after. But she couldn’t. Even if they would believe her, it wasn’t her secret to tell. â€Å"Everyone’s out looking for you,† Meredith said. â€Å"The whole school’s upset, and your aunt was nearly frantic.† â€Å"Sorry,† said Elena dully, trying to stop her violent shivering. They turned onto Maple Street and pulled up to her house. Aunt Judith was waiting inside with heated blankets. â€Å"I knew if they found you, you’d be half-frozen,† she said in a determinedly cheerful voice as she reached for Elena. â€Å"Snow on the day after Halloween! I can hardly believe it. Where did you girls find her?† â€Å"On Old Creek Road, past the bridge,† said Meredith. Aunt Judith’s thin face lost color. â€Å"Near the graveyard? Where the attacks were? Elena, howcould you?†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off as she looked at Elena. â€Å"We won’t say anything more about it right now,† she said, trying to regain her cheerful manner. â€Å"Let’s get you out of those wet clothes.† â€Å"I have to go back once I’m dry,† said Elena. Her brain was working again, and one thing was clear: she hadn’t really seen Stefan out there; it had been a dream. Stefan was still missing. â€Å"You have to do nothing of the kind,† said Robert, Aunt Judith’s fianc ¦. Elena had scarcely noticed him standing off to one side until then. But his tone brooked no argument. â€Å"The police are looking for Stefan; you leave them to their job,† he said. â€Å"The police think he killed Mr. Tanner. But he didn’t. You know that, don’t you?† As Aunt Judith pulled her sodden outer sweater off, Elena looked from one face to another for help, but they were all the same. â€Å"Youknow he didn’t do it,† she repeated, almost desperately. There was a silence. â€Å"Elena,† Meredith said at last, â€Å"no one wants to think he did. But – well, it looks bad, his running away like this.† â€Å"He didn’t run away. He didn’t! Hedidn’t – â€Å" â€Å"Elena, hush,† said Aunt Judith. â€Å"Don’t get yourself worked up. I think you must be getting sick. It was so cold out there, and you got only a few hours of sleep last night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She laid a hand on Elena’s cheek. â€Å"I’m not sick,† she cried, pulling away. â€Å"And I’m not crazy, either – whatever you think. Stefan didn’t run away and he didn’t kill Mr. Tanner, and I don’t care if none of you believes me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She stopped, choking. Aunt Judith was fussing around her, hurrying her upstairs, and she let herself be hurried. But she wouldn’t go to bed when Aunt Judith suggested she must be tired. Instead, once she had warmed up, she sat on the living room couch by the fireplace, with blankets heaped around her. The phone rang all afternoon, and she heard Aunt Judith talking to friends, neighbors, the school. She assured all of them that Elena was fine. The†¦ the tragedy last night had unsettled her a bit, that was all, and she seemed a little feverish. But she’d be good as new after a rest. Meredith and Bonnie sat beside her. â€Å"Do you want to talk?† Meredith said in a low voice. Elena shook her head, staring into the fire. They were all against her. And Aunt Judith was wrong; she wasn’t fine. She wouldn’t be fine until Stefan was found. Matt stopped by, snow dusting his blond hair and his dark blue parka. As he entered the room, Elena looked up at him hopefully. Yesterday Matt had helped save Stefan, when the rest of the school had wanted to lynch him. But today he returned her hopeful look with one of sober regret, and the concern in his blue eyes was only for her. The disappointment was unbearable. â€Å"What are you doing here?† Elena demanded. â€Å"Keeping your promise to ‘take care of me’?† There was a flicker of hurt in his eyes. But Matt’s voice was level. â€Å"That’s part of it, maybe. But I’d try to take care of you anyway, no matter what I promised. I’ve been worried about you. Listen, Elena – â€Å" She was in no mood to listen to anyone. â€Å"Well, I’m just fine, thank you. Ask anybody here. So you can stop worrying. Besides, I don’t see why you should keep a promise to amurderer. â€Å" Startled, Matt looked at Meredith and Bonnie. Then he shook his head helplessly. â€Å"You’re not being fair.† Elena was in no mood to be fair either. â€Å"I told you, you can stop worrying about me, and about my business. I’m fine, thanks.† The implication was obvious. Matt turned to the door just as Aunt Judith appeared with sandwiches. â€Å"Sorry, I’ve got to go,† he muttered, hurrying to the door. He left without looking back. Meredith and Bonnie and Aunt Judith and Robert tried to make conversation while they ate an early supper by the fire. Elena couldn’t eat and wouldn’t talk. The only one who wasn’t miserable was Elena’s little sister, Margaret. With four-year-old optimism, she cuddled up to Elena and offered her some of her Halloween candy. Elena hugged her sister hard, her face pressed into Margaret’s white-blond hair for a moment. If Stefan could have called her or gotten a message to her, he would have done it by now. Nothing in the world would have stopped him, unless he were badly hurt, or trapped somewhere, or†¦ But Stefan was in trouble, and she had to find him somehow. She worried about it all through the evening, desperately trying to come up with a plan. One thing was clear; she was on her own. She couldn’t trust anyone. It grew dark. Elena shifted on the couch and forced a yawn. â€Å"I’m tired,† she said quietly. â€Å"Maybe I am sick after all. I think I’ll go to bed.† Meredith was looking at her keenly. â€Å"I was just thinking, Miss Gilbert,† she said, turning to Aunt Judith, â€Å"that maybe Bonnie and I should stay the night. To keep Elena company.† â€Å"What a good idea,† said Aunt Judith, pleased. â€Å"As long as your parents don’t mind, I’d be glad to have you.† â€Å"It’s a long drive back to Herron. I think I’ll stay, too,† Robert said. â€Å"I can just stretch out on the couch here.† Aunt Judith protested that there were plenty of guest bedrooms upstairs, but Robert was adamant. The couch would do just fine for him, he said. After looking once from the couch to the hall where the front door stood plainly in view, Elena sat stonily. They’d planned this between them, or at least they were all in on it now. They were making sure she didn’t leave the house. When she emerged from the bathroom a little while later, wrapped in her red silk kimono, she found Meredith and Bonnie sitting on her bed. â€Å"Well, hello, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern,† she said bitterly. Bonnie, who had been looking depressed, now looked alarmed. She glanced at Meredith doubtfully. â€Å"She knows who we are. She means she thinks we’re spies for her aunt,† Meredith interpreted. â€Å"Elena, you should realize that isn’t so. Can’t you trust us at all?† â€Å"I don’t know. Can I?† â€Å"Yes, because we’re yourfriends. † Before Elena could move, Meredith jumped off the bed and shut the door. Then she turned to face Elena. â€Å"Now, for once in your life, listen to me, you little idiot. It’s true we don’t know what to think about Stefan. But, don’t you see, that’s your own fault. Ever since you and he got together, you’ve been shutting us out. Things have been happening that you haven’t told us about. At least you haven’t told us the whole story. But in spite of that, in spite of everything, we still trust you. We still care about you. We’re still behind you, Elena, and we want to help. And if you can’t see that, then youare an idiot.† Slowly, Elena looked from Meredith’s dark, intense face to Bonnie’s pale one. Bonnie nodded. â€Å"It’s true,† she said, blinking hard as if to keep back tears. â€Å"Even if you don’t like us, we still like you. â€Å" Elena felt her own eyes fill and her stern expression crumple. Then Bonnie was off the bed, and they were all hugging, and Elena found she couldn’t help the tears that slid down her face. â€Å"Yangtze?† Bonnie’s eyes widened. â€Å"But why would he want to kill a dog?† â€Å"I don’t know, but he was there that night, in your house. And he was†¦ angry. I’m sorry, Bonnie.† Bonnie shook her head dazedly. Meredith said, â€Å"Why don’t you tell the police?† Elena’s laugh was slightly hysterical. â€Å"I can’t. It’s not something they can deal with. And that’s another thing I can’t explain. You said you still trusted me; well, you’ll just have to trust me about that.† Bonnie and Meredith looked at each other, then at the bedspread, where Elena’s nervous fingers were picking a thread out of the embroidery. Finally Meredith said, â€Å"All right. What can we do to help?† â€Å"I don’t know. Nothing, unless†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena stopped and looked at Bonnie. â€Å"Unless,† she said, in a changed voice, â€Å"you can help me find Stefan.† Bonnie’s brown eyes were genuinely bewildered. â€Å"Me? But what can I do?† Then, at Meredith’s indrawn breath, she said, â€Å"Oh.Oh.† â€Å"You knew where I was that day I went to the cemetery,† said Elena. â€Å"And you even predicted Stefan’s coming to school.† â€Å"I thought you didn’t believe in all that psychic stuff,† said Bonnie weakly. â€Å"I’ve learned a thing or two since then. Anyway, I’m willing to believeanything if it’ll help find Stefan. If there’s any chance at all it will help.† Bonnie was hunching up, as if trying to make her already tiny form as small as possible. â€Å"Elena, you don’t understand,† she said wretchedly. â€Å"I’m not trained; it’s not something I can control. And – and it’s not a game, not any more. The more you use those powers, the more they useyou. Eventually they can end up using you all the time, whether you want it or not. It’sdangerous. â€Å" Elena got up and walked to the cherry wood dresser, looking down at it without seeing it. At last she turned. â€Å"You’re right; it’s not a game. And I believe you about how dangerous it can be. But it’s not a game for Stefan, either. Bonnie, I think he’s out there, somewhere, terribly hurt. And there’s nobody to help him; nobody’s even looking for him, except his enemies. He may be dying right now. He – he may even be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her throat closed. She bowed her head over the dresser and made herself take a deep breath, trying to steady herself. When she looked up, she saw Meredith was looking at Bonnie. Bonnie straightened her shoulders, sitting up as tall as she could. Her chin lifted and her mouth set. And in her normally soft brown eyes, a grim light shone as they met Elena’s. The match rasped and threw sparks in the darkness, and then the candle flame burned strong and bright. It lent a golden glow to Bonnie’s pale face as she bent over it. â€Å"I’m going to need both of you to help me focus,† she said. â€Å"Look into the flame, and think about Stefan. Picture him in your mind. No matter what happens, keep on looking at the flame. And whatever you do, don’t say anything.† Elena nodded, and then the only sound in the room was soft breathing. The flame flickered and danced, throwing patterns of light over the three girls sitting cross-legged around it. Bonnie, eyes closed, was breathing deeply and slowly, like someone drifting into sleep. Stefan, thought Elena, gazing into the flame, trying to pour all her will into the thought. She created him in her mind, using all her senses, conjuring him to her. The roughness of his woolen sweater under her cheek, the smell of his leather jacket, the strength of his arms around her. Oh, Stefan†¦ Bonnie’s lashes fluttered and her breathing quickened, like a sleeper having a bad dream. Elena resolutely kept her eyes on the flame, but when Bonnie broke the silence a chill went up her spine. At first it was just a moan, the sound of someone in pain. Then, as Bonnie tossed her head, breath coming in short bursts, it became words. â€Å"Alone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she said, and stopped. Elena’s nails bit into her hand. â€Å"Alone†¦ in the dark,† said Bonnie. Her voice was distant and tortured. There was another silence, and then Bonnie began to speak quickly. â€Å"It’s dark and cold. And I’m alone. There’s something behind me†¦ jagged and hard. Rocks. They used to hurt – but not now. I’m numb now, from the cold. So cold†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie twisted, as if trying to get away from something, and then she laughed, a dreadful laugh almost like a sob. â€Å"That’s†¦ funny. I never thought I’d want to see the sun so much. But it’s always dark here. And cold. Water up to my neck, like ice. That’s funny, too. Water everywhere – and me dying of thirst. So thirsty†¦ hurts†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena felt something tighten around her heart. Bonnie was inside Stefan’s thoughts, and who knew what she might discover there? Stefan, tell us where you are, she thought desperately. Look around; tell me what you see. â€Å"†Thirsty. I need†¦ life?† Bonnie’s voice was doubtful, as if not sure how to translate some concept. â€Å"I’m weak. He said I’ll always be the weak one. He’s strong†¦ a killer. But that’s what I am, too. I killed Katherine; maybe I deserve to die. Why not just let go?†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No!† said Elena before she could stop herself. In that instant, she forgot everything but Stefan’s pain. â€Å"Stefan – â€Å" â€Å"Elena!† Meredith cried sharply at the same time. But Bonnie’s head fell forward, the flow of words cut off. Horrified, Elena realized what she had done. â€Å"Bonnie, are you all right? Can you find him again? I didn’t mean to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie’s head lifted. Her eyes were open now, but they looked at neither the candle nor Elena. They â€Å"Elena,† the voice said, â€Å"don’t go to the bridge. It’s Death, Elena. Your death is waiting there.† Then Bonnie slumped forward. Elena grabbed her shoulders and shook. â€Å"Bonnie!† she almost screamed. â€Å"Bonnie!† â€Å"What†¦ oh, don’t. Let go.† Bonnie’s voice was weak and shaken, but it was her own. Still bent over, she put a hand to her forehead. â€Å"Bonnie, are you all right?† â€Å"I think so†¦ yes. But it was so strange.† Her tone sharpened and she looked up, blinking. â€Å"What was that, Elena, about being a killer?† â€Å"You remember that?† â€Å"I remember everything. I can’t describe it; it was awful. But what did that mean?† â€Å"Nothing,† said Elena. â€Å"He’s hallucinating, that’s all.† Meredith broke in. â€Å"He? Then you really think she tuned in to Stefan?† Elena nodded, her eyes sore and burning as she looked away. â€Å"Yes. I think that was Stefan. It had to be. And I think she even told us where he is. Under Wickery Bridge, in the water.† How to cite The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Two, Essay examples

Psychological Perspectives of Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder (COD)

Questions: Part (a) 'Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a form of anxiety where the person has thoughts, images or ideas which they find hard to ignore (obsessions). This can lead to them feeling that they have a need to perform certain things to feel better (compulsions). Most people worry, about something or other, all the time, and have routines and things they like to do in a particular way. Its when the thoughts or actions start to affect a persons everyday life that its considered to be OCD. Around one per cent of children and young people suffer from OCD. So in a secondary school of 1000 students there may be 10 people with OCD. There are lots of different types of OCD. For some people its the same worrying thoughts or images that keep coming into their head the obsessions which they feel they have to cancel out in some way with other thoughts. Other people feel the need to do things in order to stop or alleviate the thoughts (compulsions or rituals). ' Using a table like the one below, identify and analyse the key characteristics of 4 psychological perspectives that could be used to explain the cause of an obsessive compulsive disorder. Part (b) For two of the perspectives named in Part a, one from either Psychodynamic or cognitive and the other from either Biological or behaviourism using a table like the one below evaluate the evidence which you have used to support each perspective. Answers: Introduction The Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) is considered as a type of anxiety disorder when people suffer from certain obsession that includes undesirable and repetitive sensations, feelings, views, images or behaviors (Murphy, 2010). This study particularly focuses on analysing the psychological perspectives that can explain the aetiology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Part (a) Psychological perspective Key characteristics of perspective to explain cause of OCD Analysis of the perspective to effectively explain the cause of OCD Psychodynamic perspective This psychodynamic perspective of psychology states that every human behavior is influenced by certain unconscious factors. According to Inbar and Lammers (2012) the Freuds Psychoanalytic Theory explains that human behavior is the outcome of three psychodynamic factors of personality that are Id, Ego and Superego. The psychodynamic perspective also involves other factors like family, life events, difficulties and experience that develop human behavior. This perspective has explanatory power for human behavior Explain the cause of conflict between intrapsychic forces and consciousness The perspective states that human development is performed by psychosexual stages where these stages are dependent on specific behavior and psychodynamic developments (Overduin and Furnham, 2012). Strength OCD is a behavioural defect and the psychodynamics perspective proves that these behavioral defects are outcome of defect in human psychology occurring due to changes in human living factors and activities (Angelakis et al. 2015). Weakness This perspective does not involve a scientific experimental approach to prove psychodynamics as a cause of OCD. Evidential Studies The obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is considered as an initiator of obsessive-compulsive disorder. There are other psychodynamic factors like a family, experience and events that causes OCD (Young et al. 2013). The activities in the family like worry, tense environment, the burden of responsibility and distress causes OCD to be developed in conscious of people. Lastly, the life events and experiences act as triggering factor that leads to OCD (Harris and Cranney, 2012). Sociocultural perspective This perspective states that human behavior is the outcome of its social setting, environmental signals, social burdens and cultural circumstances. The manipulations in sociocultural factors can negatively or positively influence human behavior. These social and cultural factors included race, religion, gender, sexuality, and social standards of humans (Overduin and Furnham, 2012). This perspective helps to understand variation in environmental conditions of people It explains the impact of outer environment on inner conscious of mankind This perspective helps to understand social basis of human behavior and personality development This determines the importance of social factors in human life (Cowan and Swearer, 2011). Strength The different cultures reveal similar occurrence rates and surprising reliability in the content and forms of obsessions and compulsions Weakness The symptoms of OCD vary from culture to culture or on the basis of social differences (Campbell and Longhurst, 2013). Evidential Studies But as per studies of Lewin et al. (2009) the social-cultural factors construct the OCD expression but there is no direct evidence for the impact of social cultural factors on the development of OCD. The social differences of people determine their habit for any particular act. Therefore, the socio-cultural background is essential to be analysed before predicting OCD. Behavioral Perspective The behavioral perspective makes it understand that abnormal behavior is sometimes the outcome of cognitive factors like feelings, thoughts, thinking and analysis. These factors control the conscious of mind and manipulate it according to developed prospects. The Cognitively Based Theory states that cognitions develop behaviours. These positive and negative developments of cognitive factors completely depend on conscious of human mind developing experience and analysing the stimuli (Moritz et al. 2010). This perspective explains the importance of thinking and thought process in human behavior The role of external stimuli on developing positive and negative thought process is determined by behavior perspective This perspective works as a powerful tool to understand behaviorism (Rees and Anderson, 2013). Strength This perspective indicates that OCD sufferes have a strong conscious developed for their thinking process, which indicates that obsession and complusions put a deep impact on persons conscious (Inbar and Lammers (2012). Weakness This perspective does not carry any scientific or experimental approach for its explanation as a cause of OCD. Evidential studies It is experimentally stated that 80% people suffering from OCD holds a stronger belief about their thoughts when compared with people without OCD. The development of strong though process for any kind of obsession leads to compulsion and OCD development in the body (Moritz et al. 2010). Biological Perspective The biological perspective explains the biology of the nervous system and its relation with human behavior (Cowan and Swearer, 2011). The biological perspective states that nervous system along with hormones regulates our thought process, which determines human behavior. Any kind of malfunction in nervous system activities leads to the development of abnormality (Griffiths et al. 2011). This perspective helps in understanding biology of human brain More logical approach for understanding human behavior Strength The biological perspective provides scientific explanation to cause of OCD. There are various biological factors experimental proved to be the causes of OCD. Weakness Along with OCD these biological factors show link with other abnormalities as well. Therefore, it is difficult to relay only on biological perspective as cause of OCD. Evidential studies The people suffering from Tourettes syndrome have 50% chances to develop OCD. The individual having OCD has four times increased chances to have another family member with the same disease (Marini and Stebnicki, 2012). It is been experimentally proved in research of Guo et al. (2014) that OCD sufferers have different blood flow patterns in the brain when compared to the normal individual. The orbital gyrus and caudate nucleus head of people suffering from OCD differ from normal individual visualized by brain imaging process. (Part b) Psychological perspective Brief description of study Evaluation of the data gathering methods used by each perspective (AC2.2) Biological perspective This experimental study performed by Guo et al. (2014) explores the link between cerebral region blood flow and behavior of people suffering from OCD. It is been evidentially proved in this study that high rate of blood flow in body leads to development of OCD. The experiment involved the performance of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) process on 139 patients of OCD and 139 controls without OCD. Further, the radioactivity rate (RAR) was calculated to determine results. It was analysed that RAR value of OCD patients was high when compared with RAR value of the control sample. The prefrontal, right occipital and anterior temporal region of the brain showed high RAR in OCD patients. This experiment concluded that OCD patients have high cerebral blood flow when compared with cerebral blood flow of normal individuals. This experiment supports the biological perspective as an explanation to obsessive-compulsion disorder. The experiment involved collection of samples that was 139 OCD patients from Psychiatric Department of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University. The quantitative data collection method was adopted in research that was SPECT and RAR outcome of 139 patients suffering from OCD. The collected data was analysed by SPSS and results indicated higher blood flow rate of patients suffering from OCD (Guo et al. 2014). This evidential prove is valid and reliable because scientific experimental method (SPECT and RAR value) were adopted to analyse the data. The use of SPECT is ethically valued in medical science as authentic method to determine blood flow rate. Psychodynamic Perspective This study of Young et al. (2013) involves analysis of ten reviews that establish a positive relationship between OCPD and OCD indicating the results favouring OCPD as the cause of obsessive-compulsion disorder. However, out of ten experimental reviews, there were three reviews that do not favour relationship or favour negative relation between the two but seven review literature based on treatment factors, specific interventions with patients, case studies, clinical assessment tools etc. indicate that OCPD and OCD share a positive relation in anorexia nervosa patients. This systematic review was studied where ten study papers were collected as per mentioned criteria Papers were written in the English language Participants fulfil DSM or ICD diagnosis process Patients had OCPD traits or OCD symptoms No sample discrimination on basis of gender and age of participants In this study the qualitative data collection method was adopted to analyse 10 review articles from electronic sources like Medline, Psyinfo and web. The collected literature articles were analysed by researchers with cross-sectional to surveying and quasi-experimental approach. Paper published in any year were collected that fulfilled the data collection criteria The data was analysed by adopting methods for characteristics, outcome measures and quality measures for results of individual studies, which indicated a positive relationship between OCPD and OCD in patients. Conclusion The above study performed to analyse the psychological perspective that provided a clear explanation to aetiology of obsessive-compulsion disorder. The four perspectives that explained the cause of OCD were psychodynamics, sociocultural, biological and behavioral perspectives. However, still there is limited research on psychology and aetiology of OCD but the evidence proves provided in this study for psychodynamic perspective and biological perspective clearly explains the psychological perspective of disorder aetiology. References Books Marini, I. and Stebnicki, M. (2012). The Psychological and Social Impact of Illness and Disability. New York: Springer Pub. Co. Murphy, R. (2010). Health psychology. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Journals Angelakis, I., Gooding, P., Tarrier, N. and Panagioti, M. (2015). Suicidality in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 39, pp.1-15. Campbell, R. and Longhurst, R. (2013). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Gendered metaphors, blogs and online forums. New Zealand Geographer, 69(2), pp.83-93. Cowan, R. and Swearer, S. (2011). Hope and Guidance for Parents of Children with OCD: A Review of Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. School Psychology Quarterly, 19(3), pp.288-294. Griffiths, J., Norris, E., Stallard, P. and Matthews, S. (2011). Living with parents with obsessive-compulsive disorder: Children's lives and experiences. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 85(1), pp.68-82. Guo, H., Zhao, N., Li, Z., Zhu, B., Cui, H., and Li, Y. (2014). Regional cerebral blood flow and cognitive function in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria,72(1), pp. 44-48. Harris, L. and Cranney, J. (2012). Event-based prospective memory and obsessive-compulsive disorder intrusive obsessional thoughts. Australian Journal of Psychology, 64(4), pp.235-242. Inbar, Y. and Lammers, J. (2012). Political Diversity in Social and Personality Psychology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7(5), pp.496-503. Lewin, A., Bergman, R., Peris, T., Chang, S., McCracken, J. and Piacentini, J. (2009). Correlates of insight among youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 51(5), pp.603-611. Moritz, S., Kloss, M. and Jelinek, L. (2010). Negative priming (cognitive inhibition) in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 41(1), pp.1-5. Overduin, M. and Furnham, A. (2012). Assessing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): A review of self-report measures. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 1(4), pp.312-324. Rees, C. and Anderson, R. (2013). A review of metacognition in psychological models of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Clinical Psychologist, 17(1), pp.1-8. Young, S., Rhodes, P., Touyz, S., and Hay, P. (2013). The relationship between obsessive-compulsive personality disorder traits, obsessive-compulsive disorder and excessive exercise in patients with anorexia nervosa: a systematic review.Journal of eating disorders,1, pp. 16.

Environment Impact Assessment Process in India and the Drawbacks Essay Example

Environment Impact Assessment Process in India and the Drawbacks Essay ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS IN INDIA AND THE DRAWBACKS Prepared by – Environment Conservation Team (Aruna Murthy, Himansu Sekhar Patra) September 2005 Vasundhara, 15, Sahid Nagar Bhubaneshwar – 751 007 1 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS IN INDIA AND THE DRAW BACKS INTRODUCTION EIA is an exercise to be carried out before any project or major activity is undertaken to ensure that it will not in any way harm the environment on a short term or long term basis. Any developmental endeavor requires not only the analysis of the need of such a project, the monetary costs and benefits involved but most important, it requires a consideration and detailed assessment of the effect of a proposed development on the environment. The environment impact process was introduced with the purpose of identifying /evaluating the potential beneficial and adverse impacts of development projects on the environment, taking in to account environmental, social, cultural and aesthetic considerations. All of these considerations are critical to determine the viability of a project and to decide if a project should be granted environmental clearance. An EIA concentrate on problems, conflicts and natural resource constraints which might affect the viability of a project. It also predicts how the project could harm to people, their homeland, their livelihoods, and the other nearby developmental activities. After predicting potential impacts, the EIA identifies measures to minimize the impacts and suggests ways to improve the project viability. We will write a custom essay sample on Environment Impact Assessment Process in India and the Drawbacks specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Environment Impact Assessment Process in India and the Drawbacks specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Environment Impact Assessment Process in India and the Drawbacks specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The aim of an EIA is to ensure that potential impacts are identified and addressed at an early stage in the projects planning and design. To achieve this aim, the assessment finding are communicated to all the relevant groups who will make decisions about the proposed projects, the project developers and their investors as well as regulators , planners and the politicians. Having read the conclusions of an environmental impact assessment, project planners and engineers can shape the project so that its benefits can be achieved and sustained with out causing adverse impacts. In recent years, major projects have encountered serious difficulties because insufficient account has been taken of their relationship with the surrounding environment. Some projects have been found to be unsustainable because of resource depletion. Others have been abandoned because of public opposition, financially encumbered by unforeseen costs, held liable for damages to natural resources and even been the cause of disastrous accidents. Given this experience, it is very risky to undertake finance, or approve a major project without first taking in to account its environmental consequences and then siting and designing the project so as to minimize adverse impacts. Due to public pressure on the government to accept accountability for the activities of its agencies the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was formed in USA during 1970. This was the basis for the development of a mechanism which came to be known as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). THE EIA PROCESS IN INDIA The role for EIA was formally recognized at the earth summit held at Rio conference in 1992. Principle 17 of the Rio declaration states that – â€Å"EIA as a national instrument shall be undertaken for the proposed activities that are likely to have significant adverse impact on the environment and are subject to a decision of a competent national authority†. In India many of the developmental projects till as recently as the 1 980s were implemented with very little or no environmental concerns. The environmental issues began receiving attention when a national committee on environmental planning and coordination was set up under the 4th five year plan (19691978). Till 1980, the subjects of environment and forests were the concern of the Dept of Science and Technology and Ministry of Agriculture respectively. Later, the issues were formally attended by the Dept of Environment which was established in 1980. This was then upgraded to the Ministry of Environment Forest in 1985. In 1980, clearance of large projects from the environmental angle became an administrative requirement to the extent that the planning commission and the central investment board sought proof of such clearance before according financial sanction. Five year later, the Dept of Environment and Forests, Government of India, issued guidelines for Environmental Assessment of river valley projects. These guidelines require various studies such as impacts on forests and wild life in the submergence zone, water logging potential, upstream and down stream aquatic ecosystems and fisheries, water related diseases, climatic changes and sesmicity. A major legislative measures for the purpose of environmental clearance was in 1994 when specific notification was issued under section 3 and rule 5 of the environment protection Act , 1986 called the â€Å"Environment impact Assessment Notification 1994†. The first step in seeking environmental clearance for a development project is to determine what statutory legislations apply to the particular project. The MOEF has brought out several notifications restricting the development of industries in specified ecologically sensitive areas. In addition there are also draft rules framed for the siting of industries. Environmental clearance for development projects can be obtained either at the state level or at the central level depending on certain criteria concerning the characteristics of the project. However (regardless of where the final environmental clearance is obtained from), for most projects the consent must first be taken from the state pollution control board or pollution control committees in the case of union territories. 3 RESPONSIBILITY OF PREPARATION OF EIA STATEMENT The project proponent is responsible for the preparation of the EIA statement, with the help of external consultant or institution. THE IMPACT ASSESSEMENT AGENCY The MOEF is the agency for environmental clearance. If necessary, it may consult a committee of experts with a composition specified in schedule III of notification. TIMING OF EIA Ideally EIA should provide information to decision makers at early stage of the project planning cycle. It should be initiated as early as possible before the commencement of projects. If the projects secure approval, EIA should include a provision to cover the audit of the project. COST The amount allocated and spent for preparation of EIA by the project proponents are usually abysmally low compared to the overall project costs (often less than 1% of over all projects). 4 LIST OF PROJECTS REQUIRING ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE FROM THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT 1. Nuclear Power and related projects such as Heavy Water Plants, nuclear fuel complex, Rare Earths. 2. River Valley projects including hydel power, major Irrigation their combination including flood control. . Ports, Harbours, Airports (except minor ports and harbours). 4. Petroleum Refineries including crude and product pipelines. 5. Chemical Fertilizers (Nitrogenous and Phosphatic other than single superphosphate). 6. Pesticides (Technical). 7. Petrochemical complexes (Both Olefinic and Aromatic) and Petro-chemical intermediates such as DMT, Caprolactam, LAB etc. and production of basic plastics such as LLDPE, HDPE , PP, PVC. 8. Bulk drugs and pharmaceuticals. 9. Exploration for oil and gas and their production, transportation and storage. 10. Synthetic Rubber. 11. Asbestos and Asbestos products. 12. Hydrocyanic acid and its derivatives. 13 (a) Primary metallurgical industries (such as production of Iron and Steel, Aluminium, Copper, Zinc, Lead and Ferro Alloys). (b) Electric arc furnaces (Mini Steel Plants). 14. Chlor alkali industry. 15. Integrated paint complex including manufacture of resins and basic raw materials required in the manufacture of paints. 16. Viscose Staple fibre and filament yarn. 17. Storage batteries integrated with manufacture of oxides of lead and lead antimony alloys. 18. All tourism projects between 200m—500 metres of High Water Line and at locations with an elevation of more than 1000 metres with investment of more than Rs. 5 crores. 19. Thermal Power Plants. 20. Mining projects *(major minerals)* with leases more than 5 hectares. 21. Highway Projects **except projects relating to improvement work including widening and strengthening of roads with marginal land acquisition along the existing alignments provided it does not pass through ecologically sensitive areas such as National Parks, Sanctuaries, Tiger Reserves, Reserve Forests** 22. Tarred Roads in the Himalayas and or Forest areas. 23. Distilleries. 24. Raw Skins and Hides 25. Pulp, paper and newsprint. 26. Dyes. 27. Cement. 28. Foundries (individual) 29. Electroplating 30. Meta amino phenol 5 PROCESS There are two ‘tiers’ of assessment which should be applied to the project before proceeding with a full scale EIA, Screening and preliminary assessment. Where these first tiers of assessment are a regulatory requirement, the developer normally does the work and submits the results to the regulatory agency. The agency may then decide that either there is nothing to be concerned about or the evaluation should proceed to the next tier. The most important step in the process of obtaining environmental clearance under the EIA notification is for the project proponent to conduct an environmental impact assessment of the project. For this purpose the project proponent engages an environmental consultant to prepare an EIA report. The EIA report must be prepared by incorporation of data during all the four seasons of the year. Such an EIA is termed a â€Å"comprehensive EIA†. How ever, there is provision for a single season collection of data, but this should not be done during the monsoon season. Such an EIA reports is termed a â€Å"Rapid EIA†. There are two tiers of assessment which should be applied to the project before proceeding with a full scale EIA – Screening and Preliminary Assessment. Wherever these first tiers of assessment are a regulatory requirement, the developer normally does the work and submits the results to the regulatory agency. The agency may then decide whether there is anything to be concerned about or whether the evaluation should proceed to the next tier. BEFORE STARTING THE EIA SCREENING: The screening is the first and simplest tier in project evaluation. Screening helps to clear those types of projects, which from past experience are not likely to cause significant environmental problems. The activity may take one of the following several forms: 1- Measurements using simple criteria such as size or location. 2- Comparing the proposal with list of projects rarely needing an EIA (e. g. chools) or definitely needing one (e. g. coal mines). 3- Estimating general impacts (e. g. increased in infrastructure needed) and comparing these impacts against set thresholds. 4- Doing complex analyses, but using readily available data. Draw back in the Indian system: 1- Even though some of the industrial set ups do not require EIA as per the statutory norms, they might involve certain technological processes which cou ld be harmful to the environment, as a result of which such enlisted industries could have potential impacts on the environment and on public health. Exempting industries from the EIA requirements based on the investment value of specific projects is not acceptable. There are no specific studies conducted till now which demonstrate that environmental impacts are always inconsequential for projects under a given value. It is a well established fact that the small scale industries are contributing more pollution with respect to the major industry. 6 PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT: If screening does not clear a project, the developer may be required to undertake a preliminary Assessment. This involves sufficient research, review of available data and expert advice in order to identify the key impacts of the project on the local environment, predict the extent of the impacts and briefly evaluate their importance to decision makers. The preliminary assessment can be used to assist early project planning (for instance, to narrow the discussion of possible sites) and it can serve as an early warning to the serious environmental problems that the project may cause. It is in the developer’s interest to do a preliminary assessment since, in practice, this step can clear projects of the need for a full EIA. If after reviewing a preliminary assessment the competent authority deems that a full EIA is needed, the next step for the project developer is the preparation of the EIA report. This entails 1- Commissioning and briefing an independent co-coordinator and expert study team. 2- Identifying the key decision makers who will plan, finance, permit and control the proposed project, so as to characterize the audience for the EIA. 3- Researching laws and regulations that will affect these decisions. 4- Making contact with each of various decision makers. Determining how and when the EIAs finding will be communicated. Draw back in the Indian system: It is being found that the team formed for conducting EIA studies is lacking the expertise in various fields such as Anthropologists and Social Scientists (to study the social impact of the project) or even wild life experts. FORMATION OF AN EIA TEAM: SCOPING: The first task of the EIA study team is scoping the EIA. The aim of scoping is to ensur e that the study address all the issues of importance to the decision makers. First of all the team’s outlook is broadened by the discussions (with the project proponents , decision makers, the regulatory agency, scientific institutions , local community representative and others) to include all the possible issues and concerns raises by various groups. Then the study team selects primary impacts for the EIA to focus upon depending on the basis of magnitude, geographical extent, significance to decision makers or because the area is special locally (e. g. soil erosion, the presence of an endangered species, or a near by historical sites) or is an eco-sensitive area. Draw back in the Indian system: 1- There is a lack of exhaustive ecological and socio-economic indicators for impact assessment. 2- Public comments are not taken into account at the early stage, which often leads to conflict at the later stage of project clearance. 7 MAIN EIA: After â€Å"scoping† the main EIA begins. The EIA attempts to answer five questions basically: 1- What will happen as a result of the project? 2- What will be the extent of the changes? 3- Do the changes matter? 4- What can be done about them? 5- How can decision makers be informed of what needs to be done? The EIA becomes a cyclic process of asking and further asking the first four questions until decision makers can be offered workable solutions. IDENTIFICATION: Identification means the answer to the first question, i. e. â€Å"what will happen as result of the project? † If a preliminary assessment has been done it will have broadly reviewed the projects effect, also scoping will have focused the study on the most important issues for decision makers. Taking these findings in to account the full EIA study now formally identifies those impacts which should be assessed in detail. This identification phase of the study may use these or other methods 1- Compile a list of key impacts (e. g. changes in air quality, noise levels, wild life habitats, species diversity, landscape views, social and cultural systems, settlement patterns and employment levels from other EIA s for similar projects) 2- Name all the projects sources of impacts (e. g. smoke emissions, water consumption, construction jobs) using checklists of questionnaires, then list possible receptors in the environment (e. g. rops, communities using same water for drinking, migrant of labour) by surveying the existing environment and consulting with interested parties. 3- Identify impacts themselves through the use of checklist, matrices, networks, overlays, models and simulations. Draw back in the Indian system: 1- There is always a lack of reliable data sources. 2- The secondary data is also not reliable. 3- The data collectors do not pay respect to the indigenous knowledge of local people. 4- The cred ibility of the primary data collected by the data collectors is doubtful. The next step called predictions answers the EIA’s second question: â€Å"what will be the extent of the changes†. As far as is practicable, prediction scientifically characterizes the impacts causes and effects and its secondary and synergetic consequences for the environment and the local community. Prediction follows an impact within a single environmental parameter (e. g. toxic liquid effluents) in to its subsequent effects in many disciplines (e. g. reduced water quality, adverse impacts on fisheries, economic effects on fishing villages, and resulting socio-cultural changes). Prediction draws on physical, biological, socioeconomic and anthropological data techniques . In quantifying impacts, it may employ mathematical models, physical models, socio cultural models, economic models, experiments or expert judgments. PREDICTION: 8 All prediction techniques by their nature involve some degree of uncertainty. So along with each attempt to quantify an impact, the study team should also quantify the predictions uncertainty in terms of probabilities or margins of error. Draw back in the Indian system: 1- The detail method used for the prediction and evaluation of the project is not mentioned in the report. Limited explanations are given both to quantitative estimation of magnitude of impact and to the assumptions and judgments used in the evaluation of impacts. 2- The limited coverage of scoping is confined mainly to direct impacts. The third question addressed by the EIA – do the changes matter is answered in the next step. Evaluation is so called because it evaluates the predicated adverse impacts to determine whether they are significant enough to warrant mitigation. Thus judgment of significance can be based on one or more of the followings. 1234Comparison with laws, regulations or accepted standards. Consultation with the relevant decision makers. Reference to pre set criteria such as protected sites features of species. Acceptability to the local community or the general public. EVALUATION: MITIGATION: In this phase the study team formally analyses mitigation. A wide range of measures are proposed to prevent, reduce, remedy or compensate for each of the adverse impacts evaluated as significant. Possible mitigation measures include: 1- Changing project sites, routes, processes, raw materials, operating methods, disposal methods, disposal routes or locations, timing or engineering designs. Introducing pollution controls, waste treatment monitoring, phased implementation, landscaping, personal training, special social services or public education. 3- Offering (as compensation) restoration of damaged resources, money to affected persons , concessions on other issues, or off site programmes to enhance some other aspects of the environment or quality of life for the community. All mi tigation measures cost something and this cost must be quantified too. These various measures are then compared, trade-offs between alternative measures are weighed, and the EIA study team proposes one or more action plans, usually combining a number of measures. The action plan may include technical control measures, an integrated management scheme (for a major project) monitoring, contingency plans, operating practices, project scheduling, or even joint management (with affected groups). The study team should explicitly analyze the implications of adopting different alternatives, to help make the choices clearer for the decision makers. Several analytical techniques are available for this purpose as given below: 1- Cost benefit analysis in which all quantifiable factors are converted to monetary values , and actions are assessed for their effect on project costs and benefits 2- Explaining what course of action would follow from various broad ‘value judgments’(e. g. that social impacts are more important than resources) 3- A simple matrix of environmental parameters versus mitigation measures, contain brief description of the effects of each measure. Pair wise comparisons, whereby the effects of an action are briefly compared with the effects of each of the alternative actions are briefly compared with the effects of each of the alternative actions, one pair at a time. Draw back in the Indian system: 1- Details regarding the effectiveness and implementation of mitigation measures are often not provided. 2- Often, and more so for strategic industries such as nuclear energy projected, the EMP s are kept confidential for political and administrative reasons 3- Emergency preparedness plans are not discussed in sufficient details and the information not disseminated to the communities. DOCUMENTATION: The last step in the EIA process, which answers the question – how decision makers be informed of what needs to be done? In documenting an EIA, this means identifying the key decisions makers, perceiving the question they will be asking and providing them with straight forward answers formatted for easy interpretation in relation to their decision making (e. g. tables, graphs, summary, points). Successful EIA documentation is more readily produced if the audience and their needs are established at the start of the EIA, and then made to affect how the research is focused and reported. It is the job of the study team’s communications expert to make this happen. An EIA report should contains: 1234An executive summary of the EIA findings. A description of the proposed development projects. The major environmental and natural resource issues that needed clarification and elaboration. The projects impacts on the environment (in comparison with a base line were identified and predicated. ). 5- A discussion of options for mitigating adverse impacts and for shaping the project to suit its proposed environment, and an analysis of the trade offs involved in choosing between alternative actions. An over view of gaps or uncertainties in the information. 7- A summary of the EIA for the general public. 10 Once the EIA reports has been completed, the project proponent needs to submit 20 copies of the copy of executive summary of the proposed proposal containing the salient features of the project, the form XII prescribed under water rules, 1975, form I prescribed under A ir rules,1983 and other information or documents to the SPCB for getting the non clearance certificate(NOC). On receiving the required documents from the project proponents it is the responsibility of the SPCB to conduct the public hearing. After completion of the public hearing the project proponents has to submit to the secretary of MOEF for the environmental clearance Draw back in the Indian system: One of the biggest concerns with the environmental clearance process is related to the quality of EIA report that are being carried out. The reports are generally incomplete and provided with false data. EIA reports ignore several aspects while carrying out assessments and significant information is found to omitted. Many EIA report are based on single season data and are not adequate to determine whether environmental clearance should be granted. All this makes the entire exercise contrary to its very intent. As things stand today, it is the responsibility of the project proponent to commission the preparation of the EIA for its project. The EIA is actually funded by an agency or individual whose primary interest is to procure clearance for the project proposed. There is little chance that the final assessment presented is un biased, even if the consultant may provide an unbiased assessment that is critical of the proposed project. Some times it is found that a consultancy which is working in the project area has no specialization in the concerned subject. For example for the preparation of EIA report of the proposed oil exploration in coast of Orissa by the reliance group has been given to the life science Dept of Berhampur university which has no expertise on the study of turtles and its life cycle. The EIA document in itself is so bulky and technical, which makes it very difficult to decipher so as to aid in the decision making process. There are so many cases of fraudulent EIA studies where erroneous data has been used, same facts used for two totally different places etc. This is due to the lack of a centralized baseline data bank, where such data can be crosschecked. There is no accreditation of EIA consultants, therefore any such consultant with a track record of fraudulent cases cannot be held liable for discrepancies. It is hard to imagine any consultant after being paid lakh of rupees, preparing a report for the project proponents, indicating that the project is not viable. In nearly every case, the consultants try to interpret and tailor the information looking for ways and means to provide their clients with a report that gives them their moneys worth. ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL PROCEDURE The MOEF is the nodal agency for environmental clearance. The environmental division plays a key role, but the forest and wild life divisions are consulted when projects involve diversion of forestland or the alignment of roads and highways along or within the wild life areas. The project proponents of new projects must submit an application to the secretary, ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi in the standard Performa specified in the EIA notification. The application should be accompanied by a feasibility/ project report, including: 11 Environmental Appraisal questionnaire developed by MOEF. 2 Environment Impact Assessment Report. 3 Environment Management Plan and disaster Management plan 4 Details of public Hearing as in schedule IV of the notification (where ever necessary) 5 Rehabilitation plans (where ever necessary) 6 Forest clearance certificate (where ever necessary) 7 NOC from the state pollution control board (SPCB) The applicat ion is evaluated and assessed by the Impact Assessment Agency (IAA). The IAA may consult a committee of experts constituted by it or other body authorized by it in this regard, if necessary. The composition of the expert team is described in the box no-2 The committee has full right of entry and inspection of the site or factory premises prior to, during or after the commencement of the project . The IAA prepares a set of recommendations based on technical assessment of documents and data , furnished by the project authorities or collected during visits to sites or factories and details of public hearing. The assessment shall be completed with in 90 days from receipt of documents and data from the project authorities and completion of public hearing and decision conveyed within 30 days there after. If granted the clearance shall be valid for a period of five years for commencement of the construction or operation of the project. Draw back in the Indian system: There are several concerns with reference to the granting of environmental clearance of projects. Firstly, for projects that require site clearance it is often assumed by project proponents that once site clearance is granted, environmental clearance will follow. As a result, many project proponents begin construction of the project components (like housing colonies, roads), even before the environmental clearance is granted. This is despite the fact that it has been specified in the EIA notification that this should not be done. At another level, when environmental clearance is granted despite public objection / rejection , the reasons for the same are not conveyed to all those who have sent in written objections and/or attended the public hearing. There are very few ways to get information regarding project clearances. For those with access to the internet, the MOEF website seems to be of some help. However, very often the information on the website is updated much after the decision is taken. 12 For citizens and communities who do not have access to the internet, this information is not available. The availability of this information immediately after a decision on the clearance is taken is of crucial importance, in case it needs to be challenged before the National Environment Appellate Authority. The environmental clearance process after the public hearing appears to be a closed door secretive process as far as the public is concerned. In cases of environmental clearance being granted, the public have no access to the rational behind which the clearance was given. All that emits from the ministry are the conditions and recommendations based on which clearance is granted which often does not address the whole gamut of concerns and issues raised during public hearing. PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS IN INDIA A fully informed public participation has been recognized as an essential element in EIA. However, it was noted that public participation was a difficult exercise particularly if it led to a conflict between government policies and the public. Public hearing is not just an administrative exercise wherein a hearing is conducted to meet the requirements of the legislations. It is a measure to disclose all the relevant information regarding a developmental project to various sections of society, which are either affected by its implementation or have interests in project. In India public hearing of development projects has been made mandatory for environmental clearance by the Amendment to the EIA Notification of April 10, 1997 (Box no-3). The salient features of the public hearings notification are as follows: Notice for public hearing: The SPCB must issue notice for environmental public hearing by publishing it in at least two newspapers circulated in the region around the project. One of the publications must be in the vernacular language of the locality concerned. The date, time and place of public hearing should be mentioned in the newspaper article. The notice must be given at least 30 days prior to the public hearing. Involvement of the public: Written suggestions, views, comments and objection by the public can be handed over to the SPCB within 30 days from the date of publication of the notice. Oral /written suggestions can be made to the SPCB during the public hearing. Who can participate? All the affected person, including residents residing in and around the project site or the site of displacement or site of alleged adverse environmental impact. It also includes environmental groups and any association of persons whether incorporated or not, likely to be affected by the project and/or functioning in the field of environment. Persons who own or have control over the project can also participate. Access to the documents: The public are entitled to have access to the executive summary containing the salient features of the project, both in English as well as the lo

Why did Somalia Become a Failed State

Why did Somalia Become a Failed State Introduction The Fund for Peace categorizes states as failed according to its failed state index which is based on twelve indicators and this indicators are; â€Å"demographic pressure, massive movement of refugees and internally displaced persons that often demand humanitarian assistance, chronic human flight, sharp economic decline, de-legitimization of the state, deterioration of public service, suspension of the application of the rule of law, security apparatus operating as a state within a state, rise of factionalized elites and massive external intervention† (Haims 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why did Somalia Become a Failed State? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Somalia is categorized by the Fund for Peace in the red zone due to the degree of erosion of the state legitimacy, lack of proper functioning state structures and its highly propensity violent conflict.  Somalia also falls in the Worl d Bank categorization of failed states. This is based on the following indicators: Security, economy, and government. Based on security, Somalia has constantly and continuously experienced conflict since 1991, there is breakdown in the maintenance law and order, there are increased insurgent groups and lack of proper functioning government. Economically, Somalia lacks an organized economic system; the conflict has resulted in the disruption of economic activities like farming and civil servants have been converted into fighters. Conflict also disrupts the supply chain and hence no foreign investor is willing to invest in such a fragile and volatile environment. On the government dimension, Governments in failed states are functionless and unable to provide essential services to the population. Since governments in failed states are rigid, authoritarian and corrupt, they become major impediment to efforts of the international community to offer assistance. Strong terms have been used in reference to failed states: â€Å"Failed states are tense, deeply conflicted, dangerous and contested bitterly by warring functions† (Rotberg 9). Just like any other third world country, Somalia underwent a transitional and transformational period. Transitions are always extremely difficult and involve several dynamic factors. Transition is always aimed at realizing several things and key among them are good leadership, good lifestyle and new regime. Countries often experience conflict and blood shed during transitional periods (Salih and Wohlgemuth 1).  Somalia underwent a period of crisis in 1980s and 1990s; this transformation affected its identity and direction which was majorly associated with its defeat in the Ogaden war with Ethiopia. This marked the period of diplomatic isolation. President Siad Barre took advantage of this opportunity to selfishly harness the resource of the state and perfected the art of playing one clan against the other and therefore aroused clan passions. The collapse of state structure in Somalia has roots in the 1991 civil war which replaced all administrative structures with clan based regional groups.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This allegiance to the respective clans intensified following the fall of Siad Barre from power during the same year. Clan groups took the form of political parties which led to the civil war that pitted one tribe against another. Instead of embracing peace, the clans perfected the art of power struggle which led to the formation of clan based political parties like the Somali National Movement (SNM) for the Isaaq clan, SSDF for the Majeerteen clan and Somali National Movement (SNM) for the Ogaden. All this was formed for the sole reason of sharing the spoils of the state and ultimately led to the collapse of the state system (Fitzgerald 2). What made Somalia a failed state? In the eyes of the global policy forum, an international non-governmental cooperation, Somali is rated as the text book example of failed states in the world. This is because it cannot effectively fulfill its international obligation like repayment of its debt and is unable to uphold the effectiveness of state duties like the monopoly of violence and it cannot deter several forms of transnational crimes which thrive in its borders. Following the inter clan conflicts, the state collapsed and left the Somali clan organization unstable and fragile. This narrowed down to homes where a man’s two wives fought in the scramble for material resources. It is no doubt that Somalia is a perfect example of a failed state since it lacks legitimate government and it oscillates between anarchy and military rule. This is despite the intervention of United States and United Nation. The presence of small arms have proved detrimental to the existence of the state, this is also worsened by the unregulated entry of weapons through its porous borders.  The American foreign policy ranked Somalia as the leading failed state for the second year running in 2009. Unlike other failed states, Somalia lacks the fundamental characters of a state: the absence of central government since 1991 and characteristic anarchy caused by the warring factions.  Attempts to stabilize and restore the state of Somalia have failed and it is now being written off as being on the verge of collapse especially with the rise of Islamic insurgency. This is despite the massive international commitment especially from Ethiopia which has supported the situation by intervening militarily. Restoring Somalia has been overshadowed by piracy and international community has committed itself to fighting piracy as opposed to salvaging Somalia.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why did Somalia Become a Failed State? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Genesis of the Failure The genesis of the failure of Somalia state can be traced to the cold war geopolitics and its geostrategic position, the feudal character of Somalia politics and the significance of its clan politics. Despite being strategic during the cold war period, the end of cold war left Somalia with a permanent scar that has refused to vanish and has been left on its own by the international community. After the end of the civil war that removed Siad Barre, the state of Somalia stopped functioning and this worsened after the withdrawal of international aid. This inability to discharge its duties as a state qualified Somalia as a failed state. This collapse still remains till the present, it lacks internationally accepted political system, lacks formal authority, it lacks functional judicial system, it lacks well function security apparatus and also lacks commercial and trading system like insurance and banking systems and also no basic social facilities like health or education system (Hironaka 5). Somalia is totally collapsed 1991 marked the collapse of Mogadishu and the end of the regime of Siad Barre. This was after the defeat of Barre regime by the coalition of clans under the umbrella of United Somali Congress (USC). The loose coalition of clans later turned against the other. This was because Barre left from power unexpectedly and this created a power vacuum which was occupied by the Manifesto group. Besides the inter clan feud, the collapse of Somalia state may be linked to religion. Majority of Somalis are Sunni Muslims and loyalty to Islam is considered fundamental. The 1969 revolution created a way for socialism; an ideological change that attracted widespread criticism which led to executions of religious leaders who were earlier prohibited from engaging in politics joint government. Scholars describe Somalia as the leviathan state as described by Thomas Hobbes where everyman turns against everyman and this situation leads to violent deaths. In this leviathan state, life is short, nasty and cruel.  Despite the fact that clans were united in the removal of Siad Barre from power, they lacked direction and vision about the future of the country. They themselves perpetuated the civil war after the ousting of Siad Barre where the dominant Somali National Movement (SNM) objected the legitimacy of the provisional government that was formed by the United Somali Congress (USC).  This resulted in the SNM establishing their breakaway state they referred as the independent republic of Somaliland in the region that was earlier British Somali land.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The policies of Siad Barre and his style of and consequently the end of the civil strife that removed him from power left the Somali economy in tatters and in need for reformation. Instead of the opposition concentrating on building the state and restoring its apparatus, they initiated another civil war in the process of competing for political power in this process, the state collapsed and resulted in widespread violence as rival clan militia groups turned against one another. This led also to the collapsed state economy and destruction of urban centers. The â€Å"loose alliance between clans and sub-clans divided the country into clan fiefdoms and both fighting to control any of the town† (Kreijen 1).  The current failure of the Somalia state and the subsequent collapse of state institutions are largely associated with the regime of Siad Barre. After coming to power following the 1969 revolution, he was considered the only president to unite and salvage Somalia state but his defeat in the Ogaden war humiliated him and forced him to be authoritarian, a fact that exposed his regime to opposition. This drove Barre to usurp control by exploiting clan emotions and his survival in power depended on the loyalty of his clan and family. Opposition groups mushroomed all with intention of overthrowing Barre. This turn of events forced Barre to adopt brutal ways to sustain his leadership. This brutal ways made Barre to order the poisoning of water wells and also gunning down of livestock that belonged to the opposition. This led to anger that strengthened the resolve of the opposition and guerilla groups determined to oust Barre, a feat that was achieved by the USC. It has also been noted that â€Å"the deposition of Barre led to the emergence of formidable clan politics which cast doubt on the stability and unity of Somali† (Kreijen 1). The above events resulted in street wars in the city of Mogadishu that involved several clans using armed means to jus tify claims on political power. Government disintegrated, and state institutions collapsed which rendered the state unable to provide to basic services to its population. This resulted to anarchy. The collapse of the Barre regime and the decline of Mogadishu resulted in an anarchic Somalia that was characterized by havoc and emergence of power hungry warlords who could not consolidate the state power but only interested in curtailing ant international humanitarian agencies who were interested in salvaging and averting the humanitarian crisis that was looming since a lot of people had started dying of hunger and starvation and this laid the foundation for a totally failed or collapsed state of Somali. After the collapse of the Barre regime, USC assumed power and appointed its own Mohammed Ali who served the State under the 1979 constitution. When USC fully assumed power, another splinter group of USC developed; this group supported the union between USC and SNM and was led by Mohamme d Farah Aidid who emerged as Mohammed’s main challenger and later Aideed established its own government in southern Mogadishu. Later in 1991 Farah staged a coup and declared him self the president.  The withdrawal of the UN forces has also contributed to the state failure of Somalia since it halted rejuvenation and reconstruction of Somalia. Also the exit of the UN forces in 1994 led to the continuation of the civil war. Consequently, the unwillingness of the international community to assist Somali has worsened the Somalia situation. The establishment of the Transitional National Government (TNG) could not deliver its mandate because it lacked enough material resources to reinforce its administrative and authority over the territory. The United States launched a spirited campaign together with its allies to put pressurize the United Nation to withdraw from Somalia and this happened in 1994.This has resulted in Somali losing support and legitimacy and has made it vulnerable to opposition entities from both Somaliland and punt land (Kreijen 1). The presence of small and heavy weapons in the hands of militias and warlords promote the anarchic situation of Somalia. Lack of international and conventional standard on small arms has made this situation unbearable (Mentah 4). The Ethiopia factor has largely contributed to the state failure of Somali. This is due to the change of Ethiopia’s policy towards the Arab world. Ethiopia has considered itself a dominant hegemony in the horn of Africa region and largely fears radical and fundamental Islamic groups who are threat to their territory due to its proximity to Islamic countries like Sudan, Eritrea and Egypt. Since Somalia shares a long border with Ethiopia. The border has always been heavily latent with conflict and Ethiopia guards the border jealously since it is wary of radical Islamic and fundamentalists that may cross over to its territory and hence it has always sponsored insurgencies who believ e in their ideals hence perpetuating internal wrangles in Somali affairs. The transitional federal government which is largely supported by the Arab countries has been facing opposition from groups that are sponsored by Ethiopia that has often escalated into war of emissaries (Liberman 6).  Consequently, terror networks that existed since 1990s and created by Iran, Bin laden and Sudan like the al shaabab and Al-Itihad al-islamiya still continue to exert their influence against the government. These movements have been cooperating with the al Qaida (Somalia 1).  Somalia’s irredentisms plans have always led to its absolute rejection by the neighboring countries and thud always contributed to the nature of Somalia state. Consequently the geostrategic position of Somalia in the horn of Africa has made it a center of attraction to the major powers. These powers at times sponsor even warlords. The war between the clans is growing destructive every day (Metaferia 34).  The por osity of the borders of the Somalia state has also exposed its fragility. Majority of the clans in Somalia are nomads and their frequent migration is always threat to the fixed international boundaries. The response by the UN humanitarian mission and the force deployed to restore peace in Somalia in 1992 contributed to the failure of state of Somalia. The UN mission was heavily attacked by armed groups which forced US to initiate operation. This took a different turn when18 US soldiers were killed and their bodies paraded along the streets of Mogadishu which halted the peace keeping mission (Calvert 10). The 4 unequal distributions of national resources also contributed to the failure of Somalia. The strategic position of Somalia in the horn of Africa made it critical during the world war and it received massive resources and arms. The existing leadership allocated resources based on clannism and clan affiliation. This attracted resentment from the marginalized clans who in turn too k arms and revolted against the government of the day (Besteman 9). The failure of Somalia was also necessitated by the heavy presents of high powered weaponry which were dumped in the country during the cold war era and remained a major threat to peace and security of Somalia citizens. This was the dangerous wound that Somalia inherited from the cold war which made Somalia an arsenal spot (Mohamed 6). No individual could have predicted that piracy will one day be an international menace. Unlike in other countries even those that are failed have ineffective police force, the striking thing about Somalia is that it lacks all national institutions and this has piracy thrive along the gulf of Eden. The emergence of sophisticated art of piracy has worsened the Somalia situation. These pirates are not linked to insurgent groups in Somalia but they pay money to those who control the coastal waters, these proceeds from piracy are always used to procure weapons that can be used to maintain the conflict (Akpinarli 1).  The heavy international intervention in Somalia is also another characteristic depicting it as a failed state. Several meeting have been convened to discuss the Somalia situation but the intentions of these meetings are not always intentioned to solving the Somalia crisis but each state pushes for its own interest. The reluctance of the mediators to engage the Islamist opposition leaves the mediation without a practical course since it will not have involved all the parties (Besterman 3). Piracy is a sign of power vacuum and failure of the state and the transitional federal government is powerless to stop the thriving business of piracy. Piracy on one hand and insurgents and militias on the other hand has rendered the government powerless and functionless (Economist 1). The intensification of piracy in the gulf of Eden in relation to the widespread chaos in somalia prompted resolution of United Nation chapter 7 sponsored by the George Bush administrati on that resulted in the labeling of piracy as a threat to the international peace and security (Washington times 1). Beside the piracy menace, Somalia has also become a free economic zone. This means all kind of legal and illegal businesses are carried out within the boundaries of Somalia. All kinds of smuggling and trafficking of arms and weapons and also smuggling of migrants to Yemen are done through the gulf of Eden. It has been argued that it is difficult to avert the piracy menace without a politically stable Somalia (International Crisis Group 1).  Power in Somalia has been passed in the hands of insurgencies and clan warlords and the transitional federal governments lack the capacity to effectively combat these rising factionalized groups. The Somalis have limited freedom of speech, expression, opinion and press; there is also widespread violation of human rights. The recruitment of children into these organized militias and into terrorism groups like the al shaabab since all these gangs are driven by the motive of swelling their crowd (Mohammed 1). Another justification for Somalia collapse is the continuous emergence of armed groups that keep on dividing Somalia among themselves and these divisions led to the rise of fiefdoms that the warlords fought over. Consequently, the bid for autonomy and independence by Somaliland and puntland has not been recognized by the international community or the African countries. This has been considered as a weakness in the side of the central government to control these regions. The central government no longer controls the entire territory but only controls some few kilometer circumferences from the town of Mogadishu (Mubarak 6). The formation of Transitional Federal Government (TFG) by exiled groups in Kenya and the international support it is accorded, has failed in its effort to create a widely accepted government and instead it has perpetuated the culture of clan marginalization and divisions based on clan a ffiliations. Conclusion The prospect of Somalia recovering from its status as a failed state sill remains a tall order. This is because the same factors that lead to the present situation are still intact. The same warlords that helped create the disaster and the culture of clannism and clan loyalty still exist. None of the warlords and insurgent groups is willing to negotiate for power and as history tells even a negotiated deal will not last for long. The same ingredients that forced the Somalia state to go into war are intact and alliance between clans will always remain fluid. What enhances the volatility of Somalia situation is the presence of heavy weapons and also constant supply of weapons from its porous borders. This has made it difficult for the international community to regulate the situation and it has been rendered out of option on its efforts to save Somalia from total collapse. Somalia has lapsed into the greatest degree of anarchy and the efforts by the internation al community to save the situation have always failed due to lack of willingness by the warring factions to support international efforts and also thriving piracy has always worsened the conflicts. This has left Somalia on its own. This was evidenced by the desire of Ethiopia to withdraw its forces that amounted to 2000 is likely to create a climate of fear and uncertainty. This is a show of frustration by the Ethiopia following the realization that the war against insurgency is deteriorating and the insurgencies are as a result of Ethiopia occupation which they unanimously accept. The Somalia situation can therefore be improved by ensuring the mediation efforts involve all the warring clans and more so. Since no international efforts have helped to save the situation, the Somalis themselves can be given the opportunity to decide their own destiny with minimum interference from external parties. Akpinarli, Neyire. The fragility of the failed state paradigm: a different internationa l law perception of the absence of effective government Volume 63 of Developments in international law. New York: BRILL, 2009. Print. Besterman, Lowe. Unraveling Somalia: race, violence, and the legacy of slavery;  The ethnography of political violence. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1999. Print. Calvert, Peter. Terrorism, Civil War, and Revolution: Revolution and International Politics, 3rd ed. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2010. Print. Economist. The worlds most utterly failed state. The Econimist, 2008. Web. Fitzgerald, Nina. Somalia: issues, history, and bibliography. New York: Nova Publishers. Print. Haims, Marla. Breaking the failed-state cycle Volume 204 of Occasional paper. New York: Rand Corporation, 2008. Print. International Crisis Group. Somalia to move beyond the failed states. African report no.8 de. Scribd, 2008. Web. Kreijen,Gerard. State failure, sovereignty and effectiveness: legal lessons from the decolonization of Sub-Saha ran Africa Volume 50 of Developments in international law. New York: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2004. Print. Liberman, Rachel. The Red Sea terror triangle: Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and Islamic terror International relations Middle East military studies, Transaction. New York: Prentice hall, 2006. Print. Mentah, Tatah. Dilemmas of weak states: Africa and transnational terrorism in the twenty-first century, Contemporary perspectives on developing societies. New York: Ash gate Publishing, 2004. Print. Metaferia, Getachew. Ethiopia and the United States: History, Diplomacy, and Analysis. New York: Algora, 2009. Print. Mohammed, Abdullah. State collapse and post-conflict development in Africa: the case of Somalia (1960-2001). New York: Purdue University Press, 2006. Print. Mubarak, Jamil. From bad policy to chaos in Somalia: how an economy fell apart. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996. Print. Salih, Mohamed and Wohlgemuth, Lennart. Crisis management and the politics of reconcili ation in Somalia: statements from the Uppsala Forum, 17-19 January 1994. Nairobi: Nordic Africa Institute, 1994. Print. Somalia. Somalia: U.S. government policy and challenges. New York: DIANE Publishing, 2003. Print. Washington times. Piracy Compounds: Woes of a failed state. Washington, 2008. Web.