Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience Essay Example for Free

Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience Essay When thinking about immigration, most individuals imagine all different types of ethnic groups traveling to a separate land away from their own. Most imagine America. Immigration, throughout history, has occurred within all types of ethnicities. When taking a closer look at the individuals living in America, it is apparent that everyone is not exactly like one another. Assimilation becomes a popular word used when discussing migration, and both positives and negatives come along with it. Two theorists that discuss the meaning of assimilation in their writings are Stephen Steinberg in his book, Ethnic Myth, and Milton Gordon in his book Assimilation in American Life. They discuss issues regarding assimilation and how they affect the nation as a whole. A novel written by Chang-Rae Lee titled, Native Speaker, gives specific examples as to how the assimilation process affects others and the migrants themselves, as also described in both Steinberg and Gordon’s books. In Steinberg’s book, Ethnic Myth, he discusses with his readers the issues regarding ethnic identity and assimilation. This is presented and explained in the chapter titled, The Atrophy of Ethnic Cultures. He first talks about the idea of the â€Å"melting pot† and how it should not be analyzed lightly. He gives a quote from John Higham that says, â€Å"Loud assertions of pluralism almost invariably betray fears of assimilation† (Steinberg, 59). This means that minority groups that try to maintain their cultural traditions may, in fact, risk assimilation by doing so. Another point he brings to the surface is that when looking back at second or third generations of a specific minority group, these people still can relate back to their original traditions and culture identity. He then says, â€Å"But can the same be said of the new generation which has known only the Americanized version of the original culture?† (Steinberg, 60). This is an obvious prevailing issue when it comes to preserving ones culture. An example within the novel, Native Speaker, would be when Henry, the main character described as a Korean immigrant, explains the history with his father. His father, living in America, would gather with friends and participate in ggeh’s, or â€Å"money clubs.† Here they would win money and eventually, that is all that mattered to the Korean group. The shift from typical Korean traditions to owning all this land and money in American became a vast transformation. Henry says about his father, â€Å"In America, he said, it’s even hard to stay Korean.† These alterations from one ethnic experience and tradition to another can be lost very quickly and potentially never be replenished. Throughout both Steinberg and Gordon’s writing, they both have similarities and differences when regarding assimilation. Gordon talks about these â€Å"ethnic meetings† which refer to assimilation. Throughout Gordon’s chapter titled, The Nature of Assimilation, he gives a numerous amount of definitions from theorists and writers that differ in various ways. In an essay that Gordon leaves the author anonymous in this chapter defines assimilation as â€Å"the process by which different cultures, or individuals or groups representing different cultures, are merged into a homogenous unit. Here Gordon talks about assimilation as positive, whereas Steinberg takes a different approach. Steinberg suggests that assimilation is not always a positive aspect simply because it can result in the loss of a cultural identity. This is present in Native Speaker because Henry continuously tries indulging himself into American culture. He cannot fully accomplish this, which essentially results in his wife, Lelia, leaving him in the beginning of the novel. As there are differences within Steinberg and Gordon’s readings, they do agree upon their understanding of the nature within assimilation. Gordon says that cultural behavior changes â€Å"may take place in the cultures of either one of the two groups, or there may be a reciprocal influence whereby the cultures of both groups are modified† (Gordon, 62). Steinberg agrees with this statement because he suggests that the changing of one’s culture is at high risk when incorporated into a different culture. He says, â€Å"The ethnic crisis only begins with the fact that the core elements of traditional culture have been modified, diluted, compromised, and finally relinquished† (Steinberg, 62). Both writers describe this lack of identity in one way or another. Assimilation is apparent in any society, especially America. People of different backgrounds continuously trying to come together to create one nation is a crucial aspect in society today. Steinberg, Gordon, and Lee all discuss how assimilation has issues when it comes to preserving ones ethnic traditions and identity. What they all convey to readers however, is the fact that the merging of cultures will forever be essential and inevitable. Works Cited Steinberg, Steven. The Ethnic Myth: Race, Ethnicity, and Class in America. Boston: Beacon Press, 1978. Print. Lee, Chang-Rae. Native Speaker. New York: Riverhead Books, 1995. Print. Gordon, Milton. The Nature of Assimilation. Oxford University Press, 1964. eBook.

Obesity Alters Gut Microbial Ecology Essay -- Biology

A common theme among the concerns of today’s American citizens is that of obesity. Obesity, identifiable by abnormal fat accumulation, can be defined in absolute terms by one who has a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30. It is estimated that over 30 percent of American adults are clinically obese. This number has shown a dramatic increase from the 15 percent of American adults suffering from obesity in 1980. Globally, 400 million adults are obese, while predictions place this number at 700 million by 2015. The major issue confronting this adiposity is the health conditions that accompany states of extreme obesity. These include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis among others. The escalating number of obese and the health effects connected to this condition have resulted in increased research and attention to the study of obesity. It is the common belief that the cause of obesity is solely due to an excessive consumption of food. However, recent studies have made a correlation between obesity and the diversity of microbiota in the gut. One project of focus (â€Å"Obesity alters gut microbial ecology†) measured the proportions of gut microbes in mice populations and hypothesized a relationship between this bacterial number and body mass. The significance of this field of study is vital to the issue of obesity. First, such a discovery would falsify the stereotype that obesity is exclusively a result of a disproportionate intake of calories. Instead, it would show that this condition is a genetic trait which maintains an acute relationship with the composition of microbes in the gut. More importantly, if the exact association between obesity and gut microbes can be discovered, it may be possible to alter or... ...05. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 21 Oct 2007. . * "Obesity." Wikipedia. 14 Nov 2007. . * "Obesity and Overweight." Media Centre. Sept 2006. World Health Organization. 1 Nov 2007. . * "Overweight and Obesity." Diseases and Conditions Index. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. 1 Nov 2007. . * Smith, Christopher M. "DNA Sequence and Structural Analysis." 17 Feb 2004. The Regents of the University of California. 21 Oct 2007. >. * University of Maryland. "Phylogenetic Analysis I." 2006. 21 Oct. 2007. .

The Cost of College Tuition

Nose Snotty October 11, 2010 English 112 Position Final The Cost of College Tuition The cost of college is very high compared to how the economy has been and how wages and financial aid have not risen with the cost of tuition. This makes it harder for students to graduate and brings a lot of stress to their lives. Without the funding that is needed many students drop out or take a longer time finishing their degree. Going to college is stressful enough without the need to worry about how you’re going to pay for it and what other costs will continue to rise with getting a degree.The cost of college is too high compared to the amount Americans make and how much they are expected to contribute. This issue is very close to me because I am attending college, along with many of my friends and hearing about their struggles with paying for college is something I hear about often and is something I constantly think about. Some of my friend’s parents are paying for their educatio n and this is a great help to the students but this causes a strain on the parents and can make them decide to pull money out of their retirement (carpenter).While going to college is important it can be very tough to pay for it. Some students have to rely on student loans to pay, while others have parents who are paying for it, while others can’t go at all because it would be too hard financially and to their everyday life to be able to go. Finding the right way for you can be a process. While many jobs require a degree, the cost of getting one has risen very dramatically over the years. Colleges seem to be able to raise tuition with a moment’s notice and expect the student to deal with it.The government can only shake an angry finger at them because they don’t want to take complete control over the colleges all over America. How the parents, student, and government look at the cost, the need for a degree, and how they will pay for it determines how much they a re willing to sacrifice for it. Most parents want better for their children. To some this includes paying for their college education. With the economy with the way that it is and people losing their jobs all the time this can be harder than expected.This has caused many students to change their choice on which college to attend to a cheaper choice or go to a community college before going to a four year school. (Carpenter) This isn’t a bad choice but it can be hard to transition from one school to another and hope that all the credits will transfer successfully. Many parents feel like they are letting their child down if they do not help them, but many believe that the student should pay for it them because it will help them learn responsibility with juggling school and a job. According to Public Agenda only 42% of students whose parents did not help them graduated (Clark).This could be blamed on how hard it can be to be working and to find time to fit in time not only for c lass but preparing for class without their parents help. This can help time management skills, but for a student to be able to graduate in four years and work enough to not have a mountain of debt can be a hard thing to accomplish. Something else that also comes up is it’s not just tuition that has to be paid for, it’s also all the fees added on and the costs that most people don’t think about when budgeting for school like food for each week and transportation.With added on fees for every class it can be very frustrating so how the student pays for college affects a lot of aspects in their lives. The government has done a lot to help students with grants and scholarships so that they can afford college. With FAFSA many families are given money that they would otherwise not have so they don’t have to worry about bettering themselves while struggling to make tuition payments. But what about the students whose parents make too much to get any grant money, b ut their parents don’t have enough money or don’t want to pay for them going to college?Tuition costs have raised very quickly compared to the amount of grants or scholarships available. In Indiana the university trustees set the tuition cost but many legislators are asking them to think about keeping it lower or not raise them at all (Kenly). The government thinks that the parents should be responsible for helping students pay until they are 24, married, a veteran, or have a child (Clark). This leaves a lot of students in need of help before any of these things happen.For a student to file as in independent they first need to be 24 even if they are not living with their parents and are on their own. Many students would qualify for financial aid if they could file independently but this stipulation leaves them to flounder by them. Also if a student graduates at the age at 18 and goes to school for four years this would only make them twenty-two and they would never mak e it to get financial aid as an independent so, they would have to get loans unless they were awarded scholarships.Having financial aid and grants from the government have helped a lot students go to college who otherwise couldn’t but it also leaves many students out who do not fit into the formula created for everyone. Going to college is a great way to better someone’s self but getting to the degree is much harder than just being a good student. Parents can only provide so much as well as the government but the rising cost of tuition with the financial far behind it is outrageous. It is understandable that universities need money to run themselves but the dramatic increase each year is something to wonder about.This is a close to home topic for me because I fall in the bracket where my parents cannot afford my education, but I do not receive any financial aid so my only option is to get loans. The government cannot provide for everyone but making college more afforda ble for everyone would really help our nation rise up to be more competitive with other countries. It is very sad for students who are hard workers and have the ability to get a degree, but the price discourages them from accomplishing that goal. College is an important step in many peoples’ lives in the world today.It is a requirement for many jobs and can help people reach more goals than without it. Some people believe that the need for college is greater than the sacrifice that is needed to get a degree. Even with the economy today college should be something that everyone should strive for no matter what the cost is. With a degree you can earn more money, get better jobs, and be more of an educated person. This is vital to many people in their everyday lives. With a college education you can earn double than having just a high school diploma (Longley).This makes the debt and sacrifices people make to go to college very important to better themselves. Without those sacrif ices a person could not get a better paying job and provide for their families or help better other things in their lives. The sacrifices that are needed to be made can be paid off with the bettering of oneself with a degree and to some this can be priceless. How the parents, student, and government look at the cost, the need for a degree, and how they will pay for it determines how much they are willing to sacrifice.The need for a degree and the cost of getting a degree can be analyzed and give facts and figures of how important or how unimportant it is to struggle with things that are required to graduate. The good can outweigh the bad but getting there can be a hard process, but some believe that the way it is now is a fine way to get to the end goal, because the end goal can be so rewarding.Works Cited 1. Carpenter, Dave â€Å"Cost of Degree is Forcing some to go to Plan B. † Associated Press. 26 September 2010. http://www. msnbc. msn. om/id/39277351/ns/business- personal _finance/. 14 October 2010. 2. Clark, Kim â€Å"Should your kids pay for their college? † 11 December 2009. http://www. usnews. com/articles/education/2009/12/11/should-your-kids-pay-for-college-themselves. html 15 October 2010. 3. Kenley, Luke â€Å"Response to High College Cost. † Indianapolis Star. 20 September 2010. Print. 15 October 2010. 4. Longley, Robert â€Å"College Degree Nearly Doubles Annual Earnings† http://usgovinfo. about. com/od/censusandstatistics/a/collegepays. htm. 31 October 2010.

C132 Effective Communication Task 1 Essay - 833 Words

Presentation Rationale Purpose: The purpose of this speech is to educate and inform my audience of the risks inherent from unintended hypothermia. I’m eager to alert perioperative staff of the potential dangers as well as the preventative measures that can be taken in order to avoid complications associated with unintended hypothermia. My central idea is hypothermia management saves lives. Intended Audience: My ideal audience for this speech would be those medical professionals working in the perioperative area. Significance: This topic is very significant to my audience because our patients’ outcomes are directly related to our competency in this area. Knowledge of what measures are to be implemented to avoid unintended hypothermia†¦show more content†¦(Hart et al., 2011) b. The prevention and management of unintended hypothermia remain a nation priority in preventing surgical site infection, and it has been designated as an SCIP quality measure. (Philips, 2015) i. Hypothermia may also trigger thermoregulatory vasoconstriction; the consequent reduction in cutaneous blood flow leads to subcutaneous tissue hypoxia and failure of humoral immune defense systems to reach target areas to fight infection. (Hart et al., 2011) ii. Hypothermia, defined as a core body temperature less than 36C, is a relatively common occurrence in the unwarmed surgical patient. A mild degree of perioperative hypothermia can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. (Hart et al., 2011) Show visual aid (Hart et al., 2011) III. Main Point 2: Unintended hypothermia leads to increased length of stay. a. Hypothermia extends post anesthesia recovery time and prolongs hospitalization. (AORN, 2015). i. Hypothermia decreases metabolism and changes the effects of anesthetic medication. (Rothrick, 2015) ii. Hypothermia can cause adverse cardiovascular, hematologic, immunologic, metabolic, and neurologic effects extending acuity and length of stay (Phillips, 2013). IV. Conclusion a. Restatement of thesis: Research suggests that intraoperative temperature management should be closely monitored