Native Speaker - Definition and Examples in English

Native Speaker s in English In language studies, native speaker  is a controversial term for a person who  speaks  and writes using his or her  native language  (or mother tongue). Put simply, the traditional view is that the language of a native speaker is determined by birthplace. Contrast with non-native speaker. Linguist Braj Kachru identifies native speakers of English as those who have grown up in the Inner Circle  of countries- Britain, America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. An extremely proficient speaker of a second language  is sometimes referred to as a near-native speaker. When a person acquires a second-language at a very young age, the distinction between native and non-native speaker becomes ambiguous. A child may be a native speaker of more than one language as long as the acquisition process starts early, says Alan Davies. After puberty (Felix, 1987), it becomes difficult- not impossible, but very difficult (Birdsong, 1992)- to become a native speaker. (The Handbook of Applied Linguistics, 2004). In recent years, the concept of the native speaker has come under criticism, especially in connection with the study of World English,  New Englishes, and English as a Lingua Franca:   While there may be linguistic differences between native and non-native speakers of English, the native speaker is really a political construct carrying a particular ideological baggage (Stephanie Hackert in World EnglishesProblems, Properties and Prospects, 2009). Examples and Observations The terms native speaker and non-native speaker suggest a clear-cut distinction that doesnt really exist. Instead it can be seen as a continuum, with someone who has complete control of the language in question at one end, to the beginner at the other, with an infinite range of proficiencies to be found in between.(Caroline Brandt, Success on Your Certificate Course in English Language Teaching. Sage, 2006) The Common-Sense View The concept of a native speaker seems clear enough, doesnt it? It is surely a common sense idea, referring to people who have a special control over a language, insider knowledge about their language. . . . But just how special is the native speaker? This common-sense view is important and has practical implications, . . . but the common-sense view alone is inadequate and needs the support and explanation given by a thorough theoretical discussion is lacking.(Alan Davies, The Native Speaker: Myth and Reality. Multilingual Matters, 2003) The Ideology of the Native Speaker Model [T]he notion of native speakersometimes referred to as the ideology of the native speaker model- in the field of second language education has been a powerful principle that influences almost every aspect of language teaching and learning . . .. The notion of native speaker takes for granted the homogeneity among, and superiority of the linguistic competence of native speakers and legitimizes the unequal power relations between native and non-native speakers. (Neriko Musha Doerr and Yuri Kumagai, Towards a Critical Orientation in Second Language Education.  The Native Speaker Concept. Walter de Gruyter, 2009) An Ideal Native Speaker I know several foreigners whose command of English I could not fault, but they themselves deny they are native speakers. When pressed on this point, they draw attention to such matters as . . . their lack of awareness of childhood associations, their limited passive knowledge of varieties, the fact that there are some topics which they are more comfortable discussing in their first language. I couldn’t make love in English, said one man to me. . . . In an ideal native speaker, there is a chronologically based awareness, a continuum from birth to death where there are no gaps. In an ideal non-native speaker, this continuum either does not start with birth, or if it does, the continuum has been significantly broken at some point. (I’m a case of the latter, in fact, having been brought up in a Welsh-English environment until nine, then moving to England, where I promptly forgot most of my Welsh, and would no longer now claim to be a native speaker, even though I have many childhood associations and instinctive forms.)(David Crystal, quoted by T. M. Paikeday in The Native Speaker Is Dead: An Informal Discussion of a Linguistic Myth. Paikeday, 1985)

Seven Ways to Build Up Your Writing Confidence

Seven Ways to Build Up Your Writing Confidence Seven Ways to Build Up Your Writing Confidence Seven Ways to Build Up Your Writing Confidence By Ali Hale Do you ever worry that your writing isn’t good enough? Maybe you’re scared to let anyone read your latest short story. Or perhaps it’s worse than that – you find yourself agonising over every email that you write. You’re not alone. Most writers – even those who make a living from their craft – lack confidence at times. Writing is, after all, a daunting thing to do: you’re putting down your thoughts on the page and hoping that they’ll be worthy of someone else’s time and attention. A lack of confidence, though, can be crippling. It leads writers to give up before they’ve even begun – or to fret for hours over the simplest of writing tasks. Whether you’re struggling to get to grips with grammar or preparing to launch your third novel, you can become more confident. Here’s how. #1: Practice Writing – Regularly As a child, I had piano lessons. I didn’t much like having to practice – but I knew that if I didn’t, I wouldn’t get any better. It’s the same with writing. Some people love writing, others find it tedious: but either way, you’ll find that the more you practice, the more you’ll improve. That could mean: Spending ten minutes free-writing every morning Working through different writing exercises, so you get experience in several forms Deliberately working on the elements of writing that you find hard (e.g. if you write fiction, practice dialogue or description; if you write for work, practice those difficult emails) Writing a weekly post for your blog – no excuses! Write from a prompt (a word, phrase, question or image that inspires you) Your writing exercises might be for your eyes only – or you might choose to develop them into something more. Author E.J. Newman’s From Dark Places is a book of short stories that started as pieces written from prompts sent in by her â€Å"story of the month club†. #2: Read Widely You’re probably already reading a lot in your chosen genre or area – but try dipping into a book, magazine or blog that’s very different from what you’d normally choose. You’ll come across authors who are: Journalistic and factual, giving you the details without making any judgements about them Extremely personal and introspective, writing based on their own experiences Unconventional and creative with their use of language, perhaps coining new words and so on. There’s no one â€Å"correct† way to write a book, a blog post, or an article – and the more you read, the more you’ll realise that lots of different styles can be effective. You’ll learn new techniques, and you’ll also get a better feel for your own voice and style (look at what resonates with you – and what turns you off completely). #3: Take Time Over Your Writing If you don’t like writing, or if you find it anxiety-provoking, then you might be tempted to get it over with as quickly as possible. That’s not a great way to build your confidence. No writer – not even Shakespeare! – can produce a perfect piece of work in just one draft. By taking a little extra time to edit your work, you’ll realise that you can: Spot clumsy or ambiguous sentences and correct them Change words that aren’t quite right Fix any typos or spelling mistakes that have crept in I often advise writers to write a basic plan then produce a quick first draft, without worrying too much about quality: that way, they don’t get bogged down trying to perfect the first paragraph. After that, though, it’s important to edit rigorously. You’ll feel more confident about your work when you know you’ve given it enough time and attention. #4: Learn About Writing I’ve been writing with serious intent (i.e. hoping to get published!) for thirteen years now – half my lifetime. I’ve read dozens of books and ebooks about writing, I’ve subscribed to a writing magazine, I’ve taken several online courses, and I’ve completed an M.A. in Creative Writing. Obviously, I wouldn’t have progressed very far at all if I didn’t actually write (see #1!) – but I learnt a lot about the theory and practice of writing from all these resources. Whether you’re a brand-new writer or an old hand, there’s something you can learn. Look out for: Blogs on writing (like this one) – a great place to start learning for free. Books about your specific area or genre – try your library Specialised ebooks and ecourses – you might want to start with 100 Writing Mistakes to Avoid Writing conferences where you can attend lectures and workshops Degree programs – a big investment of time and money, but a great way to study writing in a thorough and rigorous way, alongside other students #5: Ask For Feedback This one requires a bit of bravery but it’s a great way to give your writing confidence a real boost. Ask someone for feedback. Ideally, pick a writer or tutor who you know and trust – you want them to be honest but also thoughtful. Get them to tell you what you’re already doing well (because there’ll be plenty of good things in your work!) And ask them what you could improve on. I know it can be quite daunting to have your work critiqued but once you’ve edited a piece based on feedback, you’ll be able to have real confidence in it. #6: Share Your Work With an Audience One great way to boost your confidence is to have appreciative readers for your work. But where do you find them? The Web 2.0 era has made publication accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Sites like Blogger.com are free and extremely easy to get started with, and allow you to publish your writing online. (If you start getting serious about blogging, I’d recommend using WordPress and hosting the blog on your own domain, for maximum control over your work. For all things blogging-related, check out Daily Writing Tips’s sister blog, Daily Blog Tips.) You might even choose to put together an ebook for people to download and read. You can create this using a word processing program (like Open Office or Microsoft Word) and then convert it to a .pdf file, which can be read on any type of computer and on many devices like Tablet computers and ebook readers. #7: Submit Your Work for Publication One of the best ways to achieve publication is to send a guest post to a big blog. This can be a pretty daunting thing to do but it’s a huge confidence boost if you get your post accepted. Follow the tips above and make it as good as you can before sending it in – and make sure you follow any submission guidelines. You might think that you have to already be a big â€Å"name† in the writing or blogging world in order to get published, but this simply isn’t true: editors care about the quality of your writing and the professionalism of your approach. If you’re a fiction writer, try entering competitions – winning a prize, or even being shortlisted, is a great validation of your work. And if you’re aiming to write for magazines as a freelancer, try sending in fillers or letters to the editor – a great first step in making contact and seeing your name in print. Keep Moving Forwards – However You Feel Maybe it seems like other writers have far more confidence than you. You see them chatting away at conferences, or you look at their work on big blogs or you read their prize-winning competition entries and you think if only I was as confident as them. Perhaps you already are. Maybe they spent a week screwing up their courage to send in that competition entry, or they had to take a deep breath and conquer their nerves before striking up a conversation with a stranger at that conference. As you write more (regardless of how you feel) and as you put your work out there in the world, you’ll find that you gradually become more confident and comfortable with your writing. What one step could you take today to help boost your writing confidence? Pick something from the list above – or add your own ideas in the comments! You can find Ali Luke posting all over the blogosphere – but her home base is on her own blog, Aliventures. If you want to get more writing done, check out her post How to Write Thousands of Words Every Single Week and follow the eight simple steps there. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowDisappointed + PrepositionEbook, eBook, ebook or e-book?

Seven Ways to Build Up Your Writing Confidence

Seven Ways to Build Up Your Writing Confidence Seven Ways to Build Up Your Writing Confidence Seven Ways to Build Up Your Writing Confidence By Ali Hale Do you ever worry that your writing isn’t good enough? Maybe you’re scared to let anyone read your latest short story. Or perhaps it’s worse than that – you find yourself agonising over every email that you write. You’re not alone. Most writers – even those who make a living from their craft – lack confidence at times. Writing is, after all, a daunting thing to do: you’re putting down your thoughts on the page and hoping that they’ll be worthy of someone else’s time and attention. A lack of confidence, though, can be crippling. It leads writers to give up before they’ve even begun – or to fret for hours over the simplest of writing tasks. Whether you’re struggling to get to grips with grammar or preparing to launch your third novel, you can become more confident. Here’s how. #1: Practice Writing – Regularly As a child, I had piano lessons. I didn’t much like having to practice – but I knew that if I didn’t, I wouldn’t get any better. It’s the same with writing. Some people love writing, others find it tedious: but either way, you’ll find that the more you practice, the more you’ll improve. That could mean: Spending ten minutes free-writing every morning Working through different writing exercises, so you get experience in several forms Deliberately working on the elements of writing that you find hard (e.g. if you write fiction, practice dialogue or description; if you write for work, practice those difficult emails) Writing a weekly post for your blog – no excuses! Write from a prompt (a word, phrase, question or image that inspires you) Your writing exercises might be for your eyes only – or you might choose to develop them into something more. Author E.J. Newman’s From Dark Places is a book of short stories that started as pieces written from prompts sent in by her â€Å"story of the month club†. #2: Read Widely You’re probably already reading a lot in your chosen genre or area – but try dipping into a book, magazine or blog that’s very different from what you’d normally choose. You’ll come across authors who are: Journalistic and factual, giving you the details without making any judgements about them Extremely personal and introspective, writing based on their own experiences Unconventional and creative with their use of language, perhaps coining new words and so on. There’s no one â€Å"correct† way to write a book, a blog post, or an article – and the more you read, the more you’ll realise that lots of different styles can be effective. You’ll learn new techniques, and you’ll also get a better feel for your own voice and style (look at what resonates with you – and what turns you off completely). #3: Take Time Over Your Writing If you don’t like writing, or if you find it anxiety-provoking, then you might be tempted to get it over with as quickly as possible. That’s not a great way to build your confidence. No writer – not even Shakespeare! – can produce a perfect piece of work in just one draft. By taking a little extra time to edit your work, you’ll realise that you can: Spot clumsy or ambiguous sentences and correct them Change words that aren’t quite right Fix any typos or spelling mistakes that have crept in I often advise writers to write a basic plan then produce a quick first draft, without worrying too much about quality: that way, they don’t get bogged down trying to perfect the first paragraph. After that, though, it’s important to edit rigorously. You’ll feel more confident about your work when you know you’ve given it enough time and attention. #4: Learn About Writing I’ve been writing with serious intent (i.e. hoping to get published!) for thirteen years now – half my lifetime. I’ve read dozens of books and ebooks about writing, I’ve subscribed to a writing magazine, I’ve taken several online courses, and I’ve completed an M.A. in Creative Writing. Obviously, I wouldn’t have progressed very far at all if I didn’t actually write (see #1!) – but I learnt a lot about the theory and practice of writing from all these resources. Whether you’re a brand-new writer or an old hand, there’s something you can learn. Look out for: Blogs on writing (like this one) – a great place to start learning for free. Books about your specific area or genre – try your library Specialised ebooks and ecourses – you might want to start with 100 Writing Mistakes to Avoid Writing conferences where you can attend lectures and workshops Degree programs – a big investment of time and money, but a great way to study writing in a thorough and rigorous way, alongside other students #5: Ask For Feedback This one requires a bit of bravery but it’s a great way to give your writing confidence a real boost. Ask someone for feedback. Ideally, pick a writer or tutor who you know and trust – you want them to be honest but also thoughtful. Get them to tell you what you’re already doing well (because there’ll be plenty of good things in your work!) And ask them what you could improve on. I know it can be quite daunting to have your work critiqued but once you’ve edited a piece based on feedback, you’ll be able to have real confidence in it. #6: Share Your Work With an Audience One great way to boost your confidence is to have appreciative readers for your work. But where do you find them? The Web 2.0 era has made publication accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Sites like Blogger.com are free and extremely easy to get started with, and allow you to publish your writing online. (If you start getting serious about blogging, I’d recommend using WordPress and hosting the blog on your own domain, for maximum control over your work. For all things blogging-related, check out Daily Writing Tips’s sister blog, Daily Blog Tips.) You might even choose to put together an ebook for people to download and read. You can create this using a word processing program (like Open Office or Microsoft Word) and then convert it to a .pdf file, which can be read on any type of computer and on many devices like Tablet computers and ebook readers. #7: Submit Your Work for Publication One of the best ways to achieve publication is to send a guest post to a big blog. This can be a pretty daunting thing to do but it’s a huge confidence boost if you get your post accepted. Follow the tips above and make it as good as you can before sending it in – and make sure you follow any submission guidelines. You might think that you have to already be a big â€Å"name† in the writing or blogging world in order to get published, but this simply isn’t true: editors care about the quality of your writing and the professionalism of your approach. If you’re a fiction writer, try entering competitions – winning a prize, or even being shortlisted, is a great validation of your work. And if you’re aiming to write for magazines as a freelancer, try sending in fillers or letters to the editor – a great first step in making contact and seeing your name in print. Keep Moving Forwards – However You Feel Maybe it seems like other writers have far more confidence than you. You see them chatting away at conferences, or you look at their work on big blogs or you read their prize-winning competition entries and you think if only I was as confident as them. Perhaps you already are. Maybe they spent a week screwing up their courage to send in that competition entry, or they had to take a deep breath and conquer their nerves before striking up a conversation with a stranger at that conference. As you write more (regardless of how you feel) and as you put your work out there in the world, you’ll find that you gradually become more confident and comfortable with your writing. What one step could you take today to help boost your writing confidence? Pick something from the list above – or add your own ideas in the comments! You can find Ali Luke posting all over the blogosphere – but her home base is on her own blog, Aliventures. If you want to get more writing done, check out her post How to Write Thousands of Words Every Single Week and follow the eight simple steps there. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowDisappointed + PrepositionEbook, eBook, ebook or e-book?

State Aid developments in 2013 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

State Aid developments in 2013 - Research Paper Example ings on issues are to be the preserve of the European Commission whilst the European Court is called upon as the court of last resort in these issues. Article 107(1) was interpreted significantly in the Doux Elevage case where it was found that in cases where government agencies and units are independent from government, their directives which seemingly favors some organizations cannot be classified as state aid. A ruling on the state aid claims and disbursement in France concerning the France Telecom and the French Government showed that in cases where the donation and/or investment into a given entity is seen as some kind of reorganization or a long-term change in the structures of the entity, it could be seen as something done outside the scope of the state aid restriction. And this could be permitted. Also, Article 107(3) (a) has been interpreted to be compatible with state aid allowances if they cover areas that are considered to be areas that need accelerated development and change. And this is typically allowed where the activity is within the scope and context of relevant rules and relevant limits set in the law of the com munity. The deminimis regulation was also reviewed in the current year under review. The ceiling remained at â‚ ¬200,000 for most aspects of the state aid system in spite of calls for an increase. The GBER and other frameworks are introduced, whilst the overall plans and objectives of the European Union has been moved to focus on the aviation industry. Numerous benefits and advantages are put in place to encourage the aviation industry. There are numerous rulings that occurred in the past year that has significance in the interpretation of European Union State Aid laws and regulations. Some of these cases provide further interpretation of the existing laws whilst others provided an insight into new circumstances and situations that were not expressly defined and stated in the European legal systems. The fundamentals of European law

The Impact Of World Demographic Change On The Future Of Business Essay

The Impact Of World Demographic Change On The Future Of Business Operations And Trading Opportunities - Essay Example The paper tells that unprecedented global demographic changes taking place are expected to impact business operations. During the twentieth century â€Å"the global population increased nearly fourfold, growing from 1.5 billion in 1900 to 6 billion in 2000†. Population growth rates increased significantly particularly in the developing world in the first part of the century, reaching a peak in the late 1960s. The swift growth in population was met with a hitherto uncommon response. The increased concerns related to environmental and economic effects of demographic increase motivated the United Nations, bilateral foreign aid agencies, multilateral institutions and private foundations to invest billions of dollars in population programmes. The governments of several developing countries, specifically those in Asia vigourously formulated and implemented policies aimed at slowing population expansion. The emerging evidence indicates that across the globe, population impacts econom ic growth with age structure playing a crucial role. â€Å"As the dependency ratio falls, opportunities for economic growth tend to rise, creating what is now referred to as a â€Å"demographic dividend†. Development in the quality of health care, improvements in health, and the related increase in life expectancy are among the most outstanding demographic changes of the past century. The historical rise in life expectancy reveals reduced infant and child mortality due to public health interventions related to water and sanitation, along with medical interventions such as vaccines and antibiotics. On the other hand, the continued increase in life expectancy since the past few decades particularly in high income countries, is mainly associated with reductions in age-specific death rates at middle and older ages. The declines are related to â€Å"improvements in medical technology, life-style changes, and income growth† (Bloom & Canning 2004, p.4). Globally, life expect ancy rose to more than double the earlier levels, from around 30 years in the year 1900 to 65 years by 2000. It is estimated to rise to 81 years by the end of the 21st century, states Lee (2003). Clark, Ogawa and Mason (2007) reiterate that all developed countries are experiencing rapid aging of the population, and in most countries over 12 percent of the population is over 65 years and older. In Japan, the proportion of the elderly population exceeded the 20 percent level in 2005, and several other developed countries reveal similar statistics. In most parts of the developed world, â€Å"national population projections indicate continued aging, with some countries facing the prospect of actual population decline and a super aging of the population† (Clark et al 2007, p.3). Further, several developing countries particularly in Asia such as China and South Korea, as well as others less economically successful, are now aging rapidly. Those countries that age before attaining ec onomic prosperity will likely face extensive challenges in the future. The association between population growth and the economy has been debated by several scholars and policymakers. As early as 1798, Thomas Malthus put forth that the rate of population growth was held in equilibrium by the rate of economic growth (IMF 2004). While East Asia met the challenges of rapid population growth, â€Å"other demographic changes were creating opportunities for more rapid economic growth†

American Antislavery 1820-1860 Essay Example for Free

American Antislavery 1820-1860 Essay Rather, the movement was fraught with ambiguity over who its leaders would be, how they would go about fighting the institution of slavery, and what the future would be like for black Americans. Some of the persisting goals of antislavery activism were legal emancipation, aid to runaway slaves through vigilance groups and the Underground Railroad, civil rights for freed blacks in the north, and education, suffrage, and economic advancement for African-Americans. Perhaps the most unifying ideal of the  anti-slavery movement  was that the racial basis forAmerican slavery  could be undermined by promoting Christian values, education and economic progress among free blacks to show that they were capable of succeeding as individuals in an integrated American society. Richard Allen, leader of the A. M. E. church, stated the case for black progress as an answer to the justifications of slaveholders: â€Å"if we are lazy and idol, the enemies of freedom plead it as a cause why we ought not to be free. In addition to the connection between abolition and economic and social progress, most abolitionists worked for the assurance of civil rights and legal protection for free blacks, who lived in an anomalous condition of â€Å"freedom† without citizenship and with constant threat of discrimination, violence, and abduction to be sold into slavery. There were some bitter conflicts over specific strategies. Though Garrison and most blacks favored immediate abolition, many whites continued to prefer or express willingness to settle for gradual emancipation. Violent resistance was at first rejected by many, again under the influence of Garrison, but David Walker’s appeal that violence should be used against slavery became more popular as blacks and abolitionists searched for an effective means of self-defense against mobs and pursuit of civil rights. Whether or not individuals worked within the political framework of the constitution to effect change again depended on allegiance to Garrison, and in general the early antislavery activists preferred moral arguments while later leaders were more willing to use political means. To what extent black abolitionists cooperated with and trusted white abolitionists varied, for though whites were essential to the movement, blacks often felt they needed to rely on their own race’s leadership, and so both black and integrated organizations formed. A few abolitionists supported the proposal of African or Haitian colonization by free blacks, but most viewed the colonization schemes as a way for whites to get rid of the â€Å"black problem† in the US rather than a viable alternative to gaining equal rights in the nation of their birth (since only a small minority of blacks in the US after the 1820s were African-born). Furthermore, colonization reinforced the notion that African-Americans would be better off somewhere else because they could never be integrated into American society as whites’ equals. Blacks saw similarities between Jackson’s Indian removal policy and federal funding for African colonization, and most determined to resist relocation. Settlement in Canada was not similarly viewed as running away from the struggle for equality at home because it not only provided safety, legal protection, and civil equality for black refugees but also harbored the founders of new abolitionist publications who strengthened the antislavery movement in the American North and Midwest. Leaders of the anti-slavery movement were well known for their publications and speeches, and many served the equally important but less public role of organizers or â€Å"conductors† on the Underground Railroad. The assortment of leaders included free blacks, like William Still in Philadelphia, radical whites, like William Lloyd Garrison, former slaves, like Frederick Douglass, and women of both races, such as Sojourner Truth and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Garrison’s anti-political, non-violent moral opposition to slavery was the largest sect of antislavery agitation for many years, but his unwillingness to work within the political system to reclaim the constitution and his allegiance to women’s rights were controversial positions that caused many, including Douglass, to split with Garrison eventually. Many whites who were identified with the antislavery cause, such as Stowe, did not extend their sympathies for enslaved blacks as far as supporting equal rights for freedmen. Though generally considered radicals, few leaders of the antislavery movement committed large-scale revolutionary or violent acts. Quiet small-scale acts of resistance termed â€Å"the Underground Railroad† gave way to more violent public resistance in the 1850s, particularly in â€Å"radical† centers like Boston, against the recapturing of fugitive slaves who lived as free blacks in the northern states. A later martyr for the cause of abolitionism, John Brown, was one of the few who were brave (or insensible) enough to direct violent action against the federal government with hopes to end slavery through militancy in his raid on Harper’s Ferry in 1859. Blacks and whites who rallied behind the unified cause of abolitionism did not always cooperate fully, sometimes because their goals differed, but often because blacks were wary of whites. As the Hortons summarize, â€Å"white reformers were more likely to accept a gradualist approach to anti-slavery, and blacks sometimes faced discrimination or subtle prejudice in integrated organizations† (Hortons 222). Racism of various forms existed among white antislavery reformers, who often felt that slavery was a moral wrong but nonetheless thought blacks inferior to whites or distasteful to associate with. Harriet Beecher Stowe notes this phenomenon in her creation of the character Miss Ophelia for Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Like many white northerners who object to the institution of slavery, Miss Ophelia sees the education and moral improvement of blacks as a Christian duty that whites owe to the race they have long enslaved, but does not see that the â€Å"spiritual equality† of blacks and whites implies social equality and is uncomfortable with physical contact with her black charge. In addition to direct racism, white reformers often harbored a more subtle condescension when they â€Å"credited their work with blacks as broadening their views and stimulating personal growth,† as if the movement was more about the moral development of white individuals through their acts of charity than about seeing justice enacted in fulfillment of the Constitution’s claim that all men are created equal (Horton 224). Despite these tensions and overwhelming white paternalism, whites â€Å"brought financial power, reformist zeal, and the respectability of heir color† to the movement and were â€Å"instrumental in opening higher education to African Americans on an equal basis† which bolstered the educated black leadership of the 1840s and 50s (Horton 236, 215). Many short-lived organizations, some comprised solely of blacks and others integrated, competed to some extent for support, and allied themselves with different causes. There were a few longer-la sting organizations, such as the American Anti-Slavery Society and the National Convention of the People of Color, and publications such as the Freedman’s Journal and the Colored American, that were highly influential. Discounting one convention’s endorsement of the Free Soil Party in 1848, the Liberty Party was the only political party that embraced an antislavery platform. Garrisonian opposition to recognizing the Constitution and working within the existing political system, termed â€Å"union with slaveholders,† detracted from potential early antislavery political organization, favoring moral arguments which proved largely ineffective for provoking large-scale change. Between the period of the 1820s through the eve of the civil war, and particularly during the 1850s, the antislavery movement grew in response to political developments and increasing sympathy to abolitionist propaganda. Federal victories for slavery such as the expansion of slavery in the west, the Fugitive slave law of 1850, and the Dred Scott decision of 1857 threatened blacks and white northerners alike as they represented the power of the slaveholding south to influence federal policy. In nine Northern states, where twenty years before towns had passed regulations against integrated schools and where racism persisted to some extent, Personal Liberty Laws passed which essentially nullified the federal Fugitive Slave Law, evincing that states’ rights to reject complicity with slavery was more widely supported than black equality. Uncle Tom’s Cabin, slave narratives, and other popular publications aroused many white northerners’ sympathies. The alliances forged between antislavery agitation and other political and social reform movements garnered support for the anti-slavery cause among moderates. Over time, as hopes of gradual emancipation and an end to racism soured in light of the political and social realities, many shifted from adherence to Garrisonian apolitical non-violence to a widespread sentiment, especially among blacks, in favor of David Walker’s appeal for the use of violence in defense and in opposition to slavery. Resistance to enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Law included groups rescuing blacks from jails, like the case of Shadrach in Boston in 1852. Whites and blacks alike worked for black suffrage, and the blacks who cast votes in the 1860 presidential election overwhelmingly voted for the Republican candidate Lincoln, a departure from the call for Garrisonian disunion by blacks like Charles Lenox Remond. Blacks in the North formed militias, including Boston’s Massasoit Guard, without state governmental sanction. On the eve of the Civil War, blacks were ready to engage in a federal struggle for freedom, a new revolution that would grant them the equality promised to all men in the Constitution that was now nearly a century old. The decades leading up to the south’s secession had taught blacks that patience and diligence in educating themselves and working to acquire land and social status was far from achieving the end of slavery or earning them equal citizenship. White northerners who were not necessarily proponents of black civil rights often supported the antislavery cause in order to counter the seeming growing influence of Southern slave power. Secession lit the fuel of 40 years of antislavery agitation and began a war that some would say was waged for union, but most blacks and many whites insisted that the coming war would be the final struggle for universal freedom.

Theory and practice of group counseling Book Review :: essays research papers

Corey, G. (1999). Theory and practice of group counseling. (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This text was written for graduate or undergraduate students in any field involving human services but is especially suitable for students enrolled in any course of Theory and Practice of Group Counseling, practitioners who are involved in group work, and students who are interested in leading various types of groups. This text presents an overview of various theoretical models and describes how they apply to group counseling. The text outlines the basic elements of group process, deals with ethical and professional issues special to group work and presents an overview of the key concepts and techniques of ten theoretical models of group counseling. The text also attempts an integration of the ten theoretical models and emphasizes the practical application of the approaches with a focus on helping the reader develop his/her own synthesis of various aspects of the models.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Part I; Basic Elements of Group Process: An Overview is comprised of chapters 1-5. This section is obviously an overview of the various types of groups and discusses some general principles that can be applied in working with culturally diverse groups. Part I also covers some basic group leadership issues, ethical issues in group work, and the stages in the evolution of a group, from formation to termination and follow up.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Part 2; Theoretical Approaches to Group Counseling examines 10 theoretical approaches dealing with theory and practice of group work. The 10 chapters are as follows: The Psychoanalytic Approach to Groups, Adlerian Group Counseling, Psychodrama, The Existential Approach to Groups, The Person Centered Approach to Groups, Gestalt Therapy in Groups, Transactional Analysis, Behavioral Group Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy in Groups, and finally Reality Therapy in Groups. The aforementioned chapters follow an organizational pattern, this organization makes comparing the 10 theoretical approaches easier for the reader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each chapter introduces the rationale for the theoretical approach and its unique characteristics, discusses the model’s key concepts and their implications for group process, discusses the approach’s basic procedures and techniques, defines the role and function of the group leader, and when applicable describes the stages of development of that particular group process. Finally near the end of each of the 10 theoretical chapters is an evaluation section. This section is devoted to Corey’s personal assessment of the approach.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Part 3; Integration and Application contains chapters 16 and 17.