Author: Andre Coleman

Animal rights is the concept or idea that all or some of nonhuman animals are entitled to possession of their basic rights, lives and should be afforded same consideration and similar interests as human beings. Advocates of animal rights oppose the assignment of fundamental protections and moral value on basis of species membership. They argue that it is irrational and prejudice to assign moral values on species membership. Advocates of animal rights have a common agreement that animals should no longer be categorized as property, used as clothing, food, entertainment or research subjects. Animals just like human have moral rights which should be provided. Despite the vigorous campaigns on animal rights, there are a series of problems facing animal rights. Everyday animals are facing different challenges in their fight for their lives. Animals are regularly beaten, enslaved, and kept in chains so as to perform strenuous humans’ entertainment and domestic roles. There are some of the challenges facing animal rights which ought to be addressed. This research paper will investigate the problems in animal rights and offer solutions for addressing the problems.

Problems in animal rights

Animals are in day to day struggle for their lives following mistreatment, enslaving, mutilation, confinement and other forms of human torture. Animals are killed for human food, confined in cages, blinded, burned, poisoned, and at times cut alive for research. Advocates of animal rights are faced in day to day challenges in addressing issues facing animal rights. Many animals are tortured through being strangled, electrocuted, and skinned alive for human entertainment and other worse encountered. The suffering and abuse facing animals at hands of humans are sickening, heartbreaking, and infuriating. It is even more challenging to not that the everyday choices made by people like eating animals may be directly abusing animals. It is worth noting that it is hard to stop abuses against animals (Packwood, 2010, p.163).

Human overpopulation is one of the major problem facing animal rights. Human overpopulation can be ranked as the leading threat to domestic and wild animals across the globe. Over the last couple of centuries, human population has been doubling. The increase in human population is posing a great challenge to the survival of animals due to competition of resources as well as the high dependency of humans on animals. The abuse, displacement, and killing of animals is magnified by the increase of number of people across the globe. The human population is now approaching seven billion and this is a great threat to animal rights since the more the people the more animals will be displaced, killed or even abused. The impacts of human overpopulation on animals’ rights are more severe in the first world due to high consumption of animal products. This is in contrast to third world where they are experiencing high population growth though their impact on animals is minimal (Roger, 2010, p526).

The human society has a high regard of animals as property. Different species of animals have been accorded different social, financial and cultural value. In this regard, the abuse or use of the animals emerges from its treatment as human property. Human kill and use animals for different human purposes no matter how trivial depending on the property status. From a practical and current standpoint, changing property status of animals is beneficial for both pets as well as their human guardians. The use of animals for fur is for instance key threat to different species of animals which have valuable fur. Many animals are suffering and dying for fur, hence showing the immense violation of animal rights (Packwood, 2010, p.163).

Factory farming is a major factor contributing to cruel practices against animals. Not only are those practices are objectionable, but they lead to immense violation of animal rights. There is an increased factory farming involving human products. This is attributed to the increased demand of animals and their products for food. This practice is posing a great threat to human rights since animals are prone to being killed for human use. Alongside the focus on factory farming of dairy, pork, mutton, wool, and beef animals, the issues of fish and fishing is also a major problem in animal rights. Fish like other animals have rights and eating or killing them inflicts pain. Overfishing threatens survival and future regeneration of fish species thus violating animal rights. The emergence of commercial fishing has even worsened the situation since large scale exploitation of fish species occurs. Hunting is also a major threat to animal rights. Despite that many people have civilized and left the old days of hunting for food, there is a new trend of hunting for leisure and adventure. This is contrary to animal rights since it leads to killing of animals. It is important to note that people should oppose hunting since it goes contrary to animal rights (Packwood, 2010, p.163).

Growth and development of science and research has not acted well on animal rights. Many animals are presently being killed and mutilated in science labs for different experiments. Animal rights advocates are of the opinion that results obtained from animal experimentation are invalid if applied to humans. Execution of experiments on animals in this case violates their basic rights (Roger, 2010, p526).

The welfarist approach to animal ethics is also problematic in its own way, thus making it impossible to efficiently address issues of animal rights. To begin with, animal welfare or ethics provides insignificant is any protection and care to animal interests. For instance, the guidelines for following appropriate practices for human rights does not yield considerable results in protection of animal rights. Most of the guidelines by animal rights are based on delusion and offer hideous places for violation of human rights. It is imperative noting that different animal rights groups campaign for alternatives for gestation crate of species like pigs, but with close examination, their measures which are costly do not bear something substantial. This can be attributed to the many loopholes which give way for institutional exploitation of animals (Jeffrey, 2006, p.28).

The measures of animal rights/welfare groups only make the public feel passionate about animals. These measures make the public feel positive concerning animal exploitation but do not do anything to counter abuse of animals. After saying that animals are currently being treated humanely, people who had earlier forsaken the use animal products return to eating them. It is also ironical that animal rights/welfare reform increase animal suffering. This is because animal rights welfare does little to eradicate the property status/value of animals. Animal welfare can be seen to be ironical in their endeavors of protecting animal rights, since they do it in a way that provides economic benefits for humans. This aspect reinforces the animal property status as a commodity and property with immense financial value (Roger, 2010, p526).

The issue of animal rights has been jeopardized by the results of the efforts put in the campaigns of animal rights. Animal rights and welfare groups are in a zero-sum game. It is with pity that the efforts and money spent on campaigning for animal rights only make the exploitation of animals more humane. Little money and time has been spent on abolition education. Animal rights welfare has disregarded vegan and abolition education hence influencing people to continue exploiting animals though in a humane way. This is not as solution but rather a serious problem in animal rights (Packwood, 2010, p.163).

Solutions to problems in animal rights

The issue of animal rights can not be realized by animals but rather on humans. It should be noted that animals are putting their hopes on compassionate people to protect their rights and interests. Animals expect people to hear to their problems and address their challenges. It is an obligation of all people to be heroes of learning about the issues facing animals and take action. Each individual has power to save animals from suffering and offer the best habitat. It’s not a hard task to promote animal rights but it all requires a positive mind. People should learn to be compassionate and work hard to create a better environment for animals (Peter and Bruce, 2007, p.10).

Education on the significance of veganism should be heightened so as to realize successful protection and promotion of human rights. People should be enlightened on the power of abstaining from animal and animal products use. Avoidances of animal products leather, milk, meat, and silk among others should be advocated for. This is one of the most efficient ways promoting animal rights. Veganism has positive results through reduction of animal suffering in the short term. It also builds a positive culture of abolitionist which advocates for and supports great changes on animal rights in the future. Animal welfare should change their views of animals as a commodity and in turn advocate for veganism. The current animal rights reforms does not provide adequate protection of animal interests, this should be reviewed to focus more on realistic approaches like veganism (Packwood, 2010, p.163).

Animal rights/welfare advocates should not be partners in the factory farming industry to formulate standards which exploit animals. They should however focus on formulating of effective and sustainable standards which campaign against exploitation of animals. There is need for animal rights groups to stay clear in opposing strategies for exploiting animals. They should not in anyway forgive justification for morality in animal use. There is need to focus on one goal, decrease in the demand of animals and animal products. Animal rights groups should not be advocating for compassionate consumption of animal products. This only perpetuates demand and influence people to feel better while consuming animal products. The focus should be on advocating for total decrease and abolition of use of animal products (Peter and Bruce, 2007, p.10).

In order to sustainably solve the problems facing animal rights, the various stakeholders including the public, government and animal welfare groups should collaboratively identify the organizations and groups behind the violation of animal rights. The agendas of the organizations, groups, and agencies behind violation of animal rights should be established so as to help in formulating strong policies. There is need to identify politicians who are highly compromised and manipulated by animal rights. This will help in exposing their motivation and ensure transparency in the political class and animal welfare groups (Peter and Bruce, 2007, p.10).

Animal rights groups should deal with the issues of precedent and denigrate or deny other issues which may compromise animal rights. Attention should be paid to the major industries, meat eaters, pet owners and other groups dealing with animals. Animal rights activists should involve these stakeholders in the battle for animal rights. Appropriate guidelines and behaviors should been advocated for to all stakeholders. Without calling for appropriate behaviors among the different stakeholders, success in animal rights can not be attained (Izhar and Joel, 2011, p.999).

The primary issues in protection of animal rights include public education, public policy development, legislation, and public acceptance. Cultivation of these issues in the society will definitely offer sustainable solutions to the problems facing animal rights. In relation to legislation, more specific and strict guidelines on animal use and experimentation should be set up. A key guideline in this action is making a universal set of rules which should be applied world. This should include specific legislation on experimentation of animals as well as use of animal products. Every lab, slaughter house of farm factory should have the same regulations and rules. The guidelines on animal rights should be detailed and specific so as to prevent in kind of manipulation of misunderstanding. All guidelines on animal rights should call for easy access of food and water to all animals. Strong legislation for ensuring all animal rights and interests are protected should be put in place (David, 2012, p28).

Another key legislation is to limit the number of animals being used for laboratory experiments, human consumption, and sporting among other uses. By limiting the number of animals being abused, a culture of protecting animals will be developed. This is essential for ensuring sustainable coexistence between humans and animals. The issue of education should be given priority in the endeavors of protecting and promoting animal rights. By educating the consumers, more ethical and moral practices towards animals will be upheld. This will help in fighting abuses against animals. The purchase of animal products for different use calls readdress by animal rights champions. This needs vigorous campaigns educating the consumers on the need to protect animal welfare. The consumers and general public should be enlightened on the need for sustainability in dealing with animals (Roger, 2010, p.526).

Conclusion

In light of the above research on animal rights, it has been explicit that animals face numerous challenges on the hands of man. Animals are killed, tortured, enslaved, confined and electrocuted for different commercial, entertainment and social purposes. This is in contrast to human rights. The issues of human overpopulation, disregard of veganism, property status of animals have jeopardized efforts to ensured protection of animal rights. There is a high sense of laxity among champions of animal rights in addressing all issues of protecting and promoting interests of animals. Lack of proper legislations has also compromised animal rights. In response to these problems, veganism, education of the public, public acceptance, legislation and public policy development should be prioritized. These are the key issues of concern in setting sustainable solutions to problems facing animal rights.

More than 16,000 species of animals, birds, fish and plants are under serious threat of becoming extinct. Why is this, and is there anything we can do with it?

Introduction:

The panda, the tiger, the blue whale and the mountain gorilla. These are just a few examples of animals critically endangered with extinction. In fact, according to the IUCN Red List, about 22 percent of all mammal species are threatened by extinction. In this assignment, I will consider a statement in our English book; “More than 16,000 species of animals, birds, fish and plants are under serious threat of becoming extinct.” I chose this statement because I hadn’t really considered the fact before, and was shocked after having done some research to find what extinction of that many species could mean to our planet. All I know at this point is what it says in the statement. What I would like to know after having written the assignment is whether this affects us or not and if it is a global problem. I would like to learn about extinction in general, and how species actually are extinct. I also want to find out if we can stop extinction, or if extinction is a natural part of specie’s existence.

Is this a global problem?

Many of the endangered species are essential for other species survival, and in the long run, they might even play a big part of the existence of human beings. Every single species on earth is a part of a food chain. The extinction of a species may mean the end of another group of organisms. The eventual extinction of rainforests is a good example of this. The rainforests are a huge part of life on earth as we know it. It is assumed that between 50 and 70 percent of all species on earth are somehow connected to the rainforests, and research shows the rainforests hides millions of species yet to be discovered. Once, the glorious forests covered about 14 percent of the earth’s surface. Today, we are down to 6 percent, and it is decreasing by more than 6000 square metres every single day. This is not only a huge crisis for the wild life in the rainforests (research shows that nearly 150 species disappear every day because of the deforestation), but through the photosynthesis process, the rainforests are responsible for 28 percent of the earth’s oxygen turnover. This, combined with the heavy increase in the world’s population, might turn out to be a major problem. Additionally, by tearing down the rainforests, we might miss the cure for several deceases, considering that more than 25 percent of all natural medicines ever discovered, have their roots in the rainforests. We can assume that the last few remaining rainforests will be wiped of the face of the earth within 40 years.

Extinction in general.

The term extinction is used when a species reaches its end of existence. An estimated 99,9 percent of every species of animals and plants ever to have existed on our planet, are now extinct, and according to an environmental article in The Independant, scientists claim that about 50 percent of all existing species today will be extinct by the 22nd century. Most extinction happens before a race is even discovered. The definition extinction is used about a species when there are no more surviving members of the species that can reproduce, to create another generation of said species. Today, the group of extinct animals increases rapidly every day. According to a recent survey by the American Museum of Natural History, 70 percent thinks that this mass extinction is an even greater threat to our existence than climate changes. Most scientists also believe that the mass extinction and its consequences are greatly underestimated, and needs to be dealt with.

Endangered species:

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, about 40 percent of every living organism on our planet is threatened with extinction. This, of course, only includes the little percentage of species discovered. There are different grades of endangerment, according to the IUCN Red List of endangered species, the first being “Least Concern”. This means the species faces no current threat of extinction. Some examples are the common mouse and the wood pigeon. Next category is “Near threatened”, and includes animals such as the tiger shark and the solitary eagle. These species may be threatened by extinction soon. The third category is called “Conservation dependent”. Some species under this category are the spotted hyena and the killer whale, and they are not critically endangered, but conservation programs are required . “Vulnerable” is the fourth grade, and these species, including the komodo dragon and the polar bear, are currently facing a risk of becoming extinct. The blue whale and the giant panda are species categorised as “Endangered”, and are in near future facing a great risk of becoming extinct. The species under the category “Critically Endangered” are facing an extreme risk of becoming extinct in near future. A species in this group is the mountain gorilla. “Extinct in the wild” is the category with species where only members of the species in captivation exist. The last category is “Extinct”, and the species under this category have reached they’re end of existence. There are no living individuals of the species. The “Extinct” category includes the dodo, the mammoth and more recently, the Baiji river dolphin (the species was declared extinct in 2006) and the West-African black rhinoceros (declared extinct in 2006).

Why and how does a species get extinct?

There are several ways for a species to get extinct. One way for a species to get extinct is if a species in its food chain faces extinction. For example, in a specific forest, the fox, the rabbit and the grass may be a part of a food chain, where the main part of the fox’s diet consists of rabbits, which main diet consists of grass. If one year, the amount of grass is lower than usual, the rabbits may be failing in numbers as well, due to lack of food, and this could lead to that the amount foxes will decrease as well, because they will have a smaller amount of rabbits to feed on. In this scenario, the fox would probably go ahead and find another main source of food, but let’s say the food chain is to only consist of these three species. The next year, because the amount of rabbits being eaten by foxes is lower, because the foxes didn’t have as much food as usual, and the number of foxes is lower than usual, there would be an increase in the stock of rabbits. The next year again, the number of foxes would increase, because there is more rabbits to feed on. And like this, the food chain runs in a loop. This shows that all species depend on each other, and the amount of one species depends on the amount of another species. Climate changes are another reason for animal extinction, and the main reason for the growing concern of the polar bears existence. According to this article from a Norwegian online newspaper, the polar bears are forced to swim much longer distances than before, because of the melting of the Arctic ice. This is a huge problem for the polar bear cubs, which simply are born with a layer of fat to thin to survive for long in the ice-cold water. The melting of the ice also means it is increasingly more difficult for the polar bears to find food. Another reason for species extinction is human interaction. The dodo and the West-African black rhinoceros are great examples of this. The dodo was first seen in the early 1600s when Dutch sailors discovered the island Mauritius. The dodo had stubby wings, and was heavy and slow, an easy target for hungry Dutchmen. In less than 80 years, the dodo was extinct. The sailors who ate them and the fact that their nests were destroyed by rodents the sailors had brought with them. The West-African black rhinoceros’ horn was believed to be a form for aphrodisiac in parts of Yemen and China, so the species was a popular target for hunters. The species was declared extinct, when conservationists where unable to find any remaining individuals, in 2006.

Conclusion.

I believe there is no way for us people to stop extinction caused by natural changes, as it is a natural part of a species existence. However, endangered species caused by human actions, such as species being hunted for a part of the animal, like elephants’ tusks, sharks’ fins and rhinoceros’ horns is possible to stop by refuse to support these actions. The same is for the destruction of the rainforests, which I believe we need to do something about. Species extinction caused by climate changes, on the other hand, I don’t think we are going to be able to stop. We can’t undo whatever damage we have already caused our planet. If the climate changes turns out to be a part of human actions though, we may be able to stop future extinctions caused by changes in the climate.

Different types of animal cruelty have ee around for many years. Laws relating to animal cruelty vary from state to state. As of 2009, about forty-six states have some felony provisions in their anti-cruelty and/or animal fighting laws (Wisch, 2005). As time passes and new things are being invented, people seem to loose interest in their pets. Even though people use animals for their testing/experiments, there are other ways to get a solution to something.

Scientist and many others, find it easier and safer to test on animals than to test on other possible sources. They test products such as makeup, and cologne. They also use animal fur for designer clothing & other types of fashion. Innocent animals are being used for useless products that we can live without. Many animals die due to different types of crucial testing. They suffer by going through several procedures. The goal is not to patch up ailing people but to use the human tissues in place of mice, dogs or other lab animals for testing new drugs, cosmetics and other products (New York Times, nd). With the donation of human cells, animal testing will be reduced. This way is safer & can be both suited for animals and humans. “If the animal- rights movement had a bible, it is Singer’s 1975 book, Animal Liberation” (New York Times, Jan. 15, pg 30). Singer calls many of the attitudes human beings have toward other animal’s speciesism, a concept which can be found throughout history (Gargaro, 1991). Humans are just like animals as far as feeling pain.

Eight billion animals are killed each year in this country for food. More than a thousand animals are killed and shipped to groceries stores to be bought. Slaughtering of cows, pigs, and other animals, happen everyday because consumers keep purchasing meat. Animals on today’s factory farms are kept in crowded, filthy enclosures and denied everything natural and enjoyable to them. Most of them have no legal protection from cruelty that would be illegal if it were inflicted on dogs or cats. There are some fruits or vegetables that can give the same protein as meat. The Humane Slaughter Act requires that animals be rendered unconscious with one swift application of a stunning device before slaughter. Animals in slaughterhouses can smell the stench, hear the sounds and often see the slaughter of those before them. As the animals struggle from fright, the human workers who are pressured to keep the lines moving quickly often react with impatience towards the animals. Numerous cases of deliberate cruelty have been reported including workers who took sadistic pleasure from shooting the eyes out of cattle, striking them in the head, and electrically shocking them in sensitive areas of their bodies. As for the chemistry of the central nervous and endocrine systems, there is no difference between humans and other animals. All free-range, factory-farmed, egg-laying, dairy-producing, or wool-bearing animals that don’t first die from disease are trucked to the slaughterhouse. To minimize costs, animals are crowded and must live in each other’s excrement. They are exposed to extreme weather conditions in the open trucks. Shipping fever, which can be fatal, is common in cattle transported long distances to the feedlots, the stockyards and then the slaughterhouse (Compassionate Action Institute, nd).

Animal cruelty can be either deliberate abuse or simply the failure to take care of an animal. Either way, and whether the animal is a pet, a farm animal, or wildlife, the victim can suffer terribly. People with emotional problems may beat, shoot, or stab animals or set them on fire. Neglect is not giving an animal the right food, water, shelter or vet care. Their misery goes

on for so long; animals who die of neglect can suffer just as much as animals who are harmed on purpose. All U.S. states have animal cruelty laws, and 47 states treat some forms of abuse as felonies. Farmers and researchers can do cruel things to animals that other people can’t do legally, but all states have some protection for pets like dogs and cats. There are different cases in animal cruelty, for example cockfighting and dog fighting. Animal cruelty has not gone away. In Brea, California, 85 children, ages ranging from kindergarten through 12th grade, witnessed a cow being slaughtered at Carbon Canyon Christian School, according to PETA Action Alerts. The rational for having the student’s witness this cruel act was that they could see this act, instead of only experiencing it through the books they had read during the year. Chances are if an animal is being abused and there is a child in that household, then the child is also being abused. Chances are that a child abusing an animal can grow up to be someone who commits other violent crimes. Studies also found that a history of animal abuse was found in 25% of male criminals, 30% of convicted child molesters, 36% of domestic violence cases and 46% of homicide cases (The National Animal Abuse Registry, nd). While prosecution of animal cruelty cases is generally considered the exclusive purview of law enforcement, veterinarians who routinely examine and treat sick and injured animals occupy a unique role in the legal process of identifying cruelty and bringing its perpetrators to justice.

People engage in animal cruelty, otherwise known as animal abuse, in every city throughout the world. There are many reasons why people mistreat animals – some individuals act on sadistic desires – others act unintentionally, harming animals with their carelessness. But the true abuse is systemic, involving the choices we make as a collective. Animals are used as dummies because people think they aren’t harming anyone by doing so. In the past few years, organizations and individuals have been using the power of the internet to spread awareness of animal cruelty facts – a great sign considering animal abuse will only continue on a massive scale until enough people come face-to-face with the statistics. To fight this abomination, activists, scientists, authors, lawyers, and politicians have sacrificed their valuable time and money, occasionally their lives, to save suffering animals. With gratitude to those who accumulate animal cruelty facts and educate the populace, people are finally taking notice of suffering animals and the mistreatment they undergo.

The organism used in this experiment is Armadillidium vulgare which is commonly called a pillbug, sowbug, or roly-poly. The pillbug belongs to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Crustacea, and Order Isopoda. To understand this experiment it is important to have some knowledge of the organism being observed. The pillbug is an isopod. The pillbug is made up of three body parts. They are the head, thorax, and abdomen. This organism has two pairs of antennae (one prominent and one inconspicuous), simple eyes, seven pairs of legs, seven separate segments on the thorax, and paired appendages at the end of the abdomen called uropods. The color varies from dark gray to white with pattern or white without pattern. Male and female pillbugs differ in that a female has leaf-like growths at the base of some of its legs. The purpose of these pouches is to hold developing eggs and embryos. Males differ in that the first two appendages on their abdomens are elongated copulatory organs. The immature isopod looks like an adult, save for its size, proportion, color, and sexual development. The pillbug is of the Order Isopoda. Isopods feed on dead or decaying plants or animals. Some isopods may eat living plants. They breathe with gills, and therefore their habitats are places of high humidity. During the day, pillbugs hide in moist places, such as under stone and bark. The organism being observed reproduces on land instead of in water. The eggs develop in a brood pouch filled with fluid. This organism produces between one and two broods. This depends upon the female’s size and condition. The female may stop growing under stress. This decreases the likelihood of reproducing more than once. The pillbug society is patriarchal. The burrow in which a pillbug family lives is guarded by the father. Both the father and mother gather the food. The entire pillbug family cleans the burrow. The young set out in February to create families of their own. Pillbugs are known for their defense mechanism of curling up into a tight ball.

As for the impact of isopods’ impact on the ecosystem, there are both positive and negative effects. Isopods cause minimal soil improvement and provide a food source for other animals. Large populations of isopods can eat and cause damage to plants. The role of the pillbug in the ecosystem is breaking down dead plants and animals. Pillbugs that live in gardens help the circulation of soil, but it’s possible they will eat small plants as they germinate. Overall, pillbugs have a small impact on the ecosystem.

To understand this experiment it is also important to be somewhat knowledgable on ethology, the study of animal behavior. Behavior is defined as an animal’s response to sensory input. There are two categories that a behavior can fall into. They are learned and innate. The behavior that places an animal in its favorite environment is called an orientation behavior. When an animal moves toward or away from a stimulus, it has exhibited taxis. Light, heat, moisture, sound, or chemicals are often the stimuli that cause taxis. Random movement that does not result in orientation with respect to a stimulus is known as kinesis. Another type of behavior is Agnostic behavior. This is exhibited when animals respond to one another by aggressive or submissive responses.

The pH of soil varies depending on the soil’s condition. There are plants that grow best when the soil is acidic, and there are some plants that grow best when the soil is basic. Most plants, however, show the best growth in areas where the pH ranges from 6.5 to 7.2, 7 being neutral. Hydrochloric acid and Sodium Hydroxide have pHs at the extremes of the pH scale. The pH of Hydrochloric acid, HCL, (0.1 M) is about 1.1. Sodium Hydroxide, KOH, (0.1 M) has a pH of about 13.5. Detritus is what isopods feed on, and it as a more acidic pH. When organic matter decays, H ions are produced. Therefore, acid is added to the soil. Generally, the acidity limit for plants is no lower than approximately 4.5 to 5.6 on the pH scale. The vapor pressure of a liquid refers to the idea that, in a closed container, evaporation will continue until equilibrium is reached. The vapor pressure of HCl and water are approximately equal (20 mmHg at room temperature, 22 C), and the vapor pressure of KOH for a 45% solution is approximately 2 mmHg.

The purpose of this experiment was to use pillbugs to examine animal behaviors and habitat preferences and to determine whether this organism prefers moist or dry habitats, dark or light habitats, and acidic or caustic environments With knowledge of isopods and pillbugs, it was hypothesized that the pillbugs would spend more time near the damp filter paper because of their need for high humidity in order to breathe. Given that pillbugs live under rocks and feed on decaying organisms, which release acid into the soil, it was also hypothesized that they would prefer the dark rather than light conditions and the acidic over the caustic environment.

Materials and Methods

Water

Pipet

Filter Paper (2 pieces)

Choice Chamber

Scissors

Soft Brush

10 Pill Bugs

Stopwatch

To observe pill bugs and their preference moist versus dry conditions, a choice chamber, consisting of two petri dishes connected to one another, was obtained and lined with filter paper. Two pieces of filter paper were cut to fit the chambers. One was then moistened, using a pipette, with a few drops of water. The second piece of circular filter paper was left dry. The moistened filter paper was placed at the bottom of one chamber, chamber 1, and the dry filter paper was placed at the bottom of the other, chamber 2. Then, using a soft brush, ten pill bugs were obtained from the stock of pill bugs, and then placed into the chambers. Also using a soft brush, five pill bugs were placed in the dry chamber while the remaining five were placed in the moist chamber and the chambers were closed. This pillbug count for each chamber was then recorded for time zero minutes. Using the stopwatch to track time, the count of pill bugs on each side of the choice chamber was then recorded every 30 seconds for ten minutes, and continued even when some may no longer have been moving or were all on one side. Notes were taken on the actions and interactions of the pill bugs throughout the ten minute period. Once ten minutes had elapsed, the pill bugs were returned to the stock culture.

Black Paper

White Filter Paper

Choice Chamber

10 Pill Bugs

Soft Brush

Scissors

Stopwatch

To determine the preference of pill bugs between light and dark habitats and conditions, a choice chamber with two connecting petri dishes was lined with two different types of paper. One piece of normal filter paper and one piece of black paper were both cut to fit the chambers. Next, the bottom of the inside of one dish, chamber 1, was covered with the unaltered, white filter paper and the other dish, chamber 2, was lined with the black paper. Then, using a soft brush, ten pill bugs were obtained from the pill bug stock culture, five of which were placed in the black-paper lined chamber and the remaining five were placed in the white paper lined chamber. The choice chamber was then closed. The initial pill bug count, 5 in each chamber was then recorded in the table. For a period of ten minutes, using a stopwatch to track time, the count of the pill bugs on each side of the choice chamber was recorded every thirty seconds. In addition, notes about the interactions of the pill bugs were taken throughout the ten minute period. The count continued to be taken, regardless of the lack of movement from the pill bugs or the concentration of all ten in one chamber. After the ten minutes had elapsed, the pill bugs were returned to the stock culture.

White Filter Paper (2 pieces)

0.1 M HCl (Hydrochloric Acid)

0.1 M KOH (Potassium Hydroxide)

Pipettes (1 or 2)

Filter Paper (3 Pieces)

3 – Choice Chamber

10 Pill Bugs

Scissors

Stopwatch

To determine and see the preference of pill bugs in terms of basic and acidic conditions, a 3-choice chamber was set up. Three pieces of filter paper were cut to fit the chambers. Using a pipette, about four drops of 0.1 M HCl were placed in a circular pattern about the paper. Another piece of filter paper was sprinkled with 0.1 M KOH in the same manner as was done with the hydrochloric acid. The HCl and KOH were applied to the filter paper in such a way that the paper was not drenched in the chemical. One chamber, the one connected to two other chambers was lined with an unaltered piece of filter paper. One of the two remaining chambers, chamber 1, was lined at the bottom (inside bottom) with the acidic filter paper and the remaining chamber, chamber 3, was lined at the bottom with the basic filter paper. Using a soft brush, the ten pill bugs were all removed from the stock culture and placed in chamber 2, the middle chamber consisting of the unaltered paper. The chambers were then covered and the pill bug count was recorded in the table for the initial time of 0 minutes. For the next ten minutes, the count of pill bugs in each of the three chambers was recorded every thirty minutes. The data continued to be collected even when they were no longer moving sides or were all on one side. After the ten minutes had elapsed, the ten pill bugs were returned to the stock culture.

Results

Table 1: Number of Pillbugs in Wet vs. Dry Chambers at Various Times

Time

(min.)

Number in Wet Chamber

Number in Dry Chamber

Other Notes

0

5

5

Begin moving instantly

0.5

2

8

Large number shifts together to one side

1

1

9

One more baby follows

1.5

3

7

Fighting between two larger isopods

2

5

5

Even out again

2.5

5

5

Move about but come back to even; one not moving

3

6

4

More to wet chamber

3.5

4

6

Back to Dry Chamber

4

5

5

Crawling on underside of paper

4.5

4

6

Fighting to get from one side to another

5

3

7

Large pillbug still not moving

5.5

6

4

Other pillbugs begin gathering around non-moving pillbug

6

7

3

Pillbugs piled on top of one another

6.5

5

5

Pillbug begins to move again

7

4

6

More to Dry Chamber

7.5

5

5

Back at even

8

6

4

Continual switch from chamber to chamber

8.5

7

3

Begin gathering at wet chamber

9

9

1

More join wet chamber

9.5

7

3

Crowded, a few go to dry chamber

10

9

1

Return to wet chamber

Table 2: Number of Pillbugs in Lighter vs. Darker Colored Chambers at Various Times

Time

(min.)

Number in Light

Chamber

Number in Dark Chamber

Other Notes

0

5

5

Begin moving instantly

0.5

3

7

Move to dark side

1

2

8

More to dark side

1.5

2

8

Remain, no overall movement

2

2

8

No overall movement

2.5

3

7

Begin going to white side

3

3

7

No overall movement

3.5

4

6

Moving to lighter side

4

2

8

Move to dark side

4.5

5

5

Equalize again

5

3

7

Fighting to get to dark side

5.5

5

5

Equalize again

6

4

6

More to Dark side

6.5

7

3

Piling up to get to lighter side

7

7

3

No overall movement

7.5

8

2

More in lighter side

8

9

1

More in lighter side

8.5

7

3

Move to dark side

9

5

5

Equalize again

9.5

3

7

Move to darker side

10

4

6

Young follows adult to other side

Table 3: Number of Pillbugs in Neutral, Acidic and Basic Chambers at Various Times

Time

(min.)

Number in Neutral Chamber (Control)

Number in Acidic Chamber

Number in Basic Chamber

Other Notes

0

10

0

0

Immediate Movement

0.5

2

5

3

Move to acidic

1

3

5

2

Stay around outside of chamber

1.5

6

2

2

Quickly out of acidic and into neutral area

2

4

3

3

More to basic area

2.5

5

2

3

Away from acidic area

3

2

3

5

More slowly moving to basic area

3.5

2

1

7

Movement to basic chamber

4

4

0

6

Pillbugs all out of Acidic area

4.5

1

1

8

Most in Basic area

5

1

4

5

Some return to acidic chamber

5.5

3

1

6

Slowly moving out of Acidic chamber and into neutral and basic chambers

6

4

1

5

Out of basic and into neutral

6.5

3

1

6

Back into basic area, around outside of filter paper

7

3

1

6

No overall movement

7.5

4

0

6

All gone from acidic area

8

3

0

7

More to basic area

8.5

4

0

6

Small shift

9

3

0

7

Reverse of shift

9.5

2

0

8

More to basic area more slowly than before test

10

1

0

9

More to basic area

Figure 1: Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in Wet and Dry Chambers

Figure 2: Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in Lighter and Darker – Colored Chambers

Figure 3: Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in Acidic, Neutral and Basic Chambers

Discussion

Table 4: Average Number of Pillbugs in Wet vs. in Dry Chambers

Time

(min.)

Number in Wet Chamber

Number in Dry Chamber

Average # of Pill Bugs in Wet

Average # of Pill Bugs in Dry

0

5

5

0.5

2

8

1

1

9

1.5

3

7

2

5

5

2.5

5

5

3

6

4

3.5

4

6

4

5

5

4.5

4

6

5

3

7

5.5

6

4

6

7

3

6.5

5

5

7

4

6

7.5

5

5

8

6

4

8.5

7

3

9

9

1

9.5

7

3

10

9

1

Total # of Pill bugs

108

102

5.143

4.857

Table 5: Average Number of Pillbugs in Lighter vs. Darker-Colored Chambers

Time

(min.)

Number in Light

Chamber

Number in Dark Chamber

Average # of Pill Bugs in White (Light)

Average # of Pill Bugs in Dark

0

5

5

0.5

3

7

1

2

8

1.5

2

8

2

2

8

2.5

3

7

3

3

7

3.5

4

6

4

2

8

4.5

5

5

5

3

7

5.5

5

5

6

4

6

6.5

7

3

7

7

3

7.5

8

2

8

9

1

8.5

7

3

9

5

5

9.5

3

7

10

4

6

Total # of Pill Bugs

93

117

4.429

5.571

Table 6: Average Number of Pillbugs in Neutral, Acidic and Basic Chambers

Time

(min.)

Number in Neutral

Chamber

Number in Acidic Chamber

Number in Basic Chamber

Average # of Pill Bugs in Neutral Chamber

Average # of Pill Bugs in Acidic Chamber

Average # of Pill Bugs in Basic Chamber

0

10

0

0

0.5

2

5

3

1

3

5

2

1.5

6

2

2

2

4

3

3

2.5

5

2

3

3

2

3

5

3.5

2

1

7

4

4

0

6

4.5

1

1

8

5

1

4

5

5.5

3

1

6

6

4

1

5

6.5

3

1

6

7

3

1

6

7.5

4

0

6

8

3

0

7

8.5

4

0

6

9

3

0

7

9.5

2

0

8

10

1

0

9

Total # of Pill Bugs

70

30

110

3.33

1.429

5.238

Figure 4: Comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Wet Chamber vs. in Dry Chamber

Figure 5: Comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Lighter-colored and Dark-colored Paper

Figure 6: Comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Acidic, Neutral and Basic Chambers

It was hypothesized that the pillbugs, given that they possess gills for respiration, and that they live where there is not a lot of light (under rocks and logs), they would prefer the damp chamber over the dry chamber and the dark chamber over the light chamber. Knowing that pillbugs feed off of decaying organic material, and the process of decay increases the soil acidity, it was hypothesized that the pillbugs would prefer the acidic chamber (the one with HCl), over the caustic (with KOH) and neutral chambers. The data collected supports the hypothesis. The mean number of pill bugs in each chamber was calculated by totaling the pillbug count for all twenty-one times in one chamber and then doing the same for the next chamber and then dividing the two totals by the total number of pillbugs counted. This number was 210 in each case. As evidenced by Table 4 and Figure 4, the mean number of pillbugs in the damp chamber over ten minutes was approximately 5.143, and the mean number of pillbugs in the dry chamber over ten minutes was approximately 4.857. The higher average of the damp chamber over the dry chamber shows taxis toward the stimulus (moisture).

The data collected also supported the second part of what was hypothesized. The mean number of pillbugs in the chamber with light paper was about 4.429. Table 5 and Figure 5 show the mean number of pillbugs in the dark chamber to be about 5.571. The results and the known habitats of pillbugs are consistent with one another.

The data collected in part three of the experiment did not support what was hypothesized. Table 6 and Figure 6 show that the basic environment (one with drops of KOH) was actually preferred over a neutral environment and the acidic environment (one with drops of HCl) by the pillbugs. The mean number of pillbugs in the neutral environment was about 3.33, for the acidic environment the mean was about 1.429 and for the caustic environment the mean was about 5.238. It’s possible the explanation for these results is the vapor pressure of the Hydrochloric acid being higher than that of the Sodium Hydroxide. Irritation caused by HCL vaporizing quickly and getting into the pillbugs’ gills would explain the lack of time spent in the chamber with the HCl on the filter paper. The lack of moisture on the plain filter paper could explain the lack of time spent in the neutral chamber. The pillbugs’ antennae would sense any chemical or something like it, and they would be attracted to that chamber. Agnostic behavior was exhibited by the pillbugs inside the choice chambers. Fighting between the pillbugs represents agnostic behavior. The results of the experiment would not be affected by errors in counting or other human errors.

The data collected from the experiment supported two thirds of what was hypothesized. The pillbugs’ preferences for dark and damp environments over light and dry environments were supported by the results. However, the results suggest that pillbugs preference is for the more caustic environments over the environments that are neutral or acidic.

Citations

1. Brown, Courtney Jane. “ADW: Armadillidium Vulgare: Information.” Animal Diversity Web. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .

2. Lab # 11 Animal Behavior (College Board, 2001) AP® Biology Lab Manual for Students (2001) New Jersey: College Board. p. 125-131.

3. “Isopod, Pillbug, Sow Bug Information.” UA Center for Insect Science Education Outreach. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .

4. “Soil PH and Soil Acidity or Alkalinity.” Landscaping and Lawns by Donnan Landscape. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .

5. “HYDROCHLORIC ACID (LESS THAN 10%).” New Mallinckrodt Baker Website. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .

6. “What Is Acidic Soil?” Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .

7. “Vapor Pressure.” Test Page for Apache Installation. Web. 24 Mar. 2011.

.

8. “The MSDS HyperGlossary: Vapor Pressure.” Transferring You to the ILPI Home Page… Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .

Animal abuse and cruelty is wrong. Animals arent given their rights that they are supposed to have in the first place. Using animals as “lab rats” is cruel and unfair. Most animal abuse or cruelty goes on with nothing be reported or said about. The punishment for abusing an animal isn’t as harsh as it should be. There are not enough laws preventing animal abuse. There are not enough laws preventing animal abuse. Animals being caged up is unfair to the animals themselves. The cruelness of caging an animal up for days, weeks, months, or even years at a time with no food, water or care is the cruelest thing any human being could possibly ever do. Cruelty and neglect are also two subjects that have to deal with animal abuse. Most animal abuse goes unreported and nothing has been done to fix the problem of owners locking their pet up and leaving them for long periods of time without food, water, or care. The most common form of animal abuse has to do with an owner locking their dog or pet up for times on end, just completely neglecting them and not giving them any care or attention. More than half the cases involving animal cruelty had to do with pets.

There are little laws about animal abuse or animal cruelty. In some states its actually taken seriously like in Colorado abusing or putting an animal through any kind of cruelty is a $500,000 fine, up to 6 years in jail, and a ban on owning or being around any form of living animal. Colorado is the only state to have a fine over $150,000. (“U.S. Cruelty Laws Felony vs. Misdemeanor”, 2011) The state with the smallest fine is Tennessee which has no fine for abusing or putting any kind of animal through cruelty.(“U.S. Cruelty Laws Felony vs. Misdemeanor”, 2011) The two states that have the most time that you can get up to in jail are Alabama and Louisiana at, up to ten years in jail.(“U.S. Cruelty Laws Felony vs. Misdemeanor”, 2011)

The laws that we have now aren’t enforced enough as they should be. There isn’t enough attention being given to this subject as there should be. There are laws about animal cruelty and abuse but aren’t used as much as they should be. We don’t recognize animal abuse as much as we should either. There are animals being abused, tortured, or neglected every day that no one reports, notices, or does anything about. The rights that animals have now aren’t given to the animals like they should be or where created to be. Animal abuse isn’t a case that most people look as a highly serious problem. The rights that we have given to animals or pets or have created for them aren’t highly used as much or given to an animal as much as they should be.

Using animals as “lab rats” is looked down upon and felt that it shouldn’t be done but yet people still test on animals all the time and nothing is done about it. Scientists do research and study on rats because they are said to be unneeded, but yet they are living therefore they are needed. If that was how everyone thought of animals we would have none left on our planet. Animals are a big role in our lives today we use them for almost everything we do and thinking that some one would neglect, torture, or abuse an animal is just wrong.

Most animals that are in animal abuse or cruelty cases are pets because of a domestic dispute.(“Facts About Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence”, 2011) Some parents even abuse their pet in front of their child to coerce them to do what they say and what the child is told to do.(“Facts About Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence”, 2011) More households have pets than they do children so why spend money on an animal that is going to be a pet if your just going to abuse it?(“Facts About Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence”, 2011) Most families have a pet of which they consider a companion or a part of the family. Out of the 50 states there are only three that do not have animal abuse or cruelty laws.(“U.S. Cruelty Laws Felony vs. Misdemeanor”, 2011)

If they do not fix animal abuse or animal cruelty soon we will have no more animals in the future. Hopefully in the future they will create better and more laws against abuse or cruelty, or they will pay more attention to animals being abused or not being given their rights. The rights that we have now for animals are perfectly fine its just that the animals aren’t given the rights they deserve to be given or have. If the government would follow through on paying attention to the case of animals being abused or treated unfair itself, there would be harsher punishment for an act as of doing so. Giving animals the rights they deserve is how it should be instead of using animals as lab rats, test subjects, or a teenagers thought of just a prank, when really in realization pushing a cow over on its back as “just a prank” can be very deadly for the cow actually. Animals aren’t given that much of their rights as they have to begin with. If they were to investigate and go deeper into the topic and subject of animals being abused there would be a lot of things that they would find out that they didn’t know. Harsher punishment is another thing to talk about. If they had harsher punishment just for neglecting an animal and not taking care of it there would be a lot more animals safe. If there was harsher punishment for abusing an animal there wouldn’t be as many animals getting abused, beaten, or neglected. Animal abuse, cruelty, and neglect are bad and animals aren’t given the rights they deserve. There are not enough laws preventing animal abuse.

Gender a magic word that sends an adolescent boy or girl into a tizzy. This transformation of a child to a teenager is a beautiful experience, which the child realizes today as early as the age of 10. Each family roots the opinion about gender in its own way but when they come to school; they learn that the individual is more important than being a boy or a girl. School also helps them to respect each other’s feeling.

“Gender sensitization is changing behavior and instilling empathy into the views that we hold about our own and other sex”.

The concept of co-education system actually helps them feel better with opposite gender. It helps to have a broad mind and understand the peer group crossing the border of genders. The team projects help them to feel at ease and to maintain good friendships.

The teachers serve as a good bridge and develops a healthy relationship between them. The class teachers play a vital role because they can sensitize any issue that arises among the children since the children feel at ease to open up to them.

The school creates an environment through adolescent education programme and life skill programme, which forms a platform to initiate thinking about the issues. The debate club brings up recent issues, which raised in visual and print media on gender related problems and submits it for discussion, the students stand up to the role they take. This can be one methodology in eliminating the patriarchal norms.

The equality status and women empowerment when openly discussed creates a wonderful vibe amongst students and they come up with solutions. These young minds when used in a productive way can bring laurels to the place they live. The future society should respect each other’s feelings and respect each other by their individuality.

The steps we take now should orient the children in such a way that they start feeling that every human in this earth is important and they have every right to live. Empathy need not be taught among children, if the adults practice in their own small way they will learn.

The respect shown to the fellow individual is so important because that is where the sensitization lays,deep in his heartif the child realizes it, they will understand the importance of equality and giving respect to the inner self.

The issues happening around us now may threaten and make us think how our future generation will be but schools are the only hope where we can sow the seed of respect and empathy, which will yield us the best citizens.

(65)

With full rights come full responsibilities

Dr G P Pandey

Principal

Delhi Public School

M R Nagar, Mathura

“Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression.” Thus we have only so much time before it dries! In the wake of Nirbhaya’s tragic end in Delhi, a turning point occurred in the mindsets and psyche of generations in India, irrespective of age, class and gender. This sensitivity crept in but at a huge cost of a precious life, a great future and sublime hope.

I as an educator have always had firm belief in the power of education. What a moulding effect it has! Likewise I strongly believe in the vulnerability and volatility of the children who are like livewires, all charged up looking forward to right direction and guidance. A young boy who has seen his father abusing the lady of the house, an elder brother mouthing filthy words for women, has experienced a vacuum in the name of sanskars. Here comes the role of educators and learning environment at schools wherein a child learns the first lesson of gender equality and respecting females as individuals. I envision an action plan for we the educators to follow in different roles that we don in our respective lives:

Inclusive Society: The growing middle class is a powerful educated category with changing perspective and a broader outlook towards life. Here as a society we need to include members from the lower echelons of society which are either illiterates/ semi literates and belong to the so called conservative section. Education as a tool can bring a change in the thought process and this uncivilized behaviour can only be curbed if youth brigade is made a part of the change process.

Curriculum: It is an age old philosophy of teaching that what we do everyday becomes a habit. The same drilling that we employ in our respective classrooms for instilling principles of academics, the same tool needs to be initiated for lessons of life and respecting women is one of them. Also for gender sensitization to be real and effective we need more sensitive teachers who can effectively transmit the right signals across.

Subtle ways: Gender parity can only be initiated when stereotypes of society are removed. Mathematics is for men and Home Science is for Home Maker. This ancient mindset needs to be changed. An educator in classrooms can introduce a lesson in such a manner that gender equality becomes a way of life.

Online parenting: None can deny the growing influence of internet and the melange of information available to the highly energetic minds of our children. Intensive counselling sessions for parents have also become the need of the hour for them to understand that excess of anything is bad. Let parents make efforts to break shackles of so called age barriers and discuss issues of sex, abuse, good- bad touch with their children. The time is not far when more than daughters, young boys too would need security and protection.

Innovative tools: Group Discussion is one way through which exchange of ideas can take place. Generating a thought process is very vital for the young generation. Let our youth rise high from academic excellence and endeavour to stand tall for what is fair and just. Some audio visual presentations, case studies, role plays and even plays staged can bring a change.

Cinema: Many criticize the media and film industry for portraying women in a derogatory manner. But I sincerely feel that the same cinema can play a powerful role in instilling gender sensitivity among our boys. Meaningful cinema can go a long way in building respect for women.

As a father of an adolescent boy, educator and an administrator I believe that a proper guidance is a MUST, at this stage, to neutralise the ill-effects that arise from several factors. While parents tend not to discuss these topics, the boys are left to exercise their brain in a bad school of thought. If only they are made to realise certain things about women and girls, in a scientific way in a classroom environment at the age when it matters most, they will certainly grow up into more responsible men in future.

We cannot expect overnight miracles in thinking. The Indian Society with male member at its centre point has always wrongly felt that being a man is a passport to strength and superiority (over women). Thus abuse and exploitation of women is the after effect of the misplaced superiority complex of man.

Like nutrients, our every act is a building block in a child’s emotional foundation. A loving hug, an acknowledgement of positive behaviour- say a pat on the back, doses of empathy, showers of fun interactions and loads of opportunities to learn life skills. As a cog of the wheel of the society, let us all make efforts to provide this nutritional pyramid to every child of the nation for a society that is more humane, sensitive and sensible!

I conclude with a thought provoking quote from Kofi Annan: “Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.”

(66)

Gender Sensitization in Schools

Kavita Guleria

T.G.T English

Army Public School Pathankot,

The drastic increase in crime statistics against women and the recent gang rape of the 23 year old girl on 16th December have forced the educationalists, thinkers and reformers to make amendments in the education system at grass root level. We are well aware that one of the main accused in the Delhi gang -rape case was an adolescent. These damaging psychologies of children at a tender age have made it mandatory to introduce gender sensitizationin schools.

It is a well known fact that attitudes and perspectives develop at an early stage. The two main factors influencing an impressionable childhood are home and school. It is indeed difficult to alter the conditions at the former but the latter can be used as a good platform to bring gender sensitization changes through well planned programmes. Their careful implementation can bring considerable changes in the upcoming society.

It is commendable that C.B.S.E has decided to prepare gender sensitization module to train teachers and help students battle the stereotypes against women at a young age. Not only this C.B.S.E is also planning to launch an optional subject for classes XI and XII on ‘Human Rights’ andGender Studies from 2013. The Moral Education Kit launched by human resource development (H.R.D) minister will also provide further help in these sensitive issues of gender sensitization.

At the same time we should also keep in mind that the launch of various courses and kits will be of no use if they are not implemented properly. This means that all the Principals and staff members of 10,000 schools across the country should shoulder this responsibility collectively and help to change the mindsets of new generation. Though the change in syllabus has been introduced for classes XI and XII but one should not ignore the younger students as well. The mischievous expression in eyes and sarcastic smiles of the VII and VIII class students especially boys show us that the vigilance should start from this level. Dealing with such sensitive issues requires a careful scrutinising of the following.

# We should remember that students are getting information on topics like sex, females from wrong sources hence a pile of filth is being accumulated in their mind. Getting educated through efficient mentors and guides in healthy and clean atmosphere will change the student’s perception regarding many issues.

# Adolescence Education Programme (A.E.P) initiated by the C.B.S.E should be pursued . The programme has been designed scientifically and logically and can benefit our society.

# In India families generally have a conservative atmosphere at home with unremitting gap between the two. The school should work as a bridge between the two by conducting workshops and counselling programmes for parents as well as students

# The teachers as mentors and guides should not forget that they are dealing with a very sensitive and vulnerable topic. The giggles and remarks of the students should be handled in a balanced way. They themselves should be an epitome of patience, knowledge and intellect.

# In schools we will find students with varied psychologies who are stepping in an age of adolescence. They will surely incur many problems. At this stage the school counsellors play a significant role. Counsellors should also conduct regular workshops on this issue and encourage the students to come out of their shells.

# Self defence should be given equal importance as sports. Regular classes especially for girls should be conducted to train them for self-defence mechanism. Training for Martial arts and other techniques of agility should be provided.

# Media, internet and movies are playing a major role in diverting the attention of students towards an obscene world. Such sources of entertainments should be discouraged and educative and informative programmes should be encouraged.

Gender Sensitilization in Schools has become the need of the hour. The students are the citizens of future. They should be well instilled with good values so that we can have a society devoid of male chauvinism, prejudices and discrimination.

(67)

GenderSensitization in Schools

Ms Geetika Malhotra

PGT, English

Rukmini Devi Public School

CD Block, Pitampura

New Delhi -110034

Today, in the world’s most industrialized countries there are few lines of demarcation between men’s and women’s role and responsibility. Gender Equity is the process of being fair to men and women. To ensure fairness, measures must often be put in place to compensate for the historical and social disadvantages that prevent women and men from operating on a level playing field. “Gender sensitizing is about changing behavior and instilling empathy into the views that we hold about our own and the other sex”. It helps people in ”examining their personal attitudes and beliefs and questioning the realities, they thought they know.

Gender Sensitization should be considered synonymous to peaceful and respectful living. After the Delhi incident, Gender Sensitivity is a very important aspect of value education. Special efforts should be made to teach students that both boys and girls are equal and they should learn to respect each other. Children should grow up seeing women in their homes being respected by the men in the family. This will certainly help them become more sensitive towards women and they will respect them. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has also decided to come up with a manual on gender sensitivity common for boys and girls, which will be provided to schools to help them to familiarize students with gender issues.

Gender Sensitization in schools is an appreciable step. Workshops and regular orientation programmes enable students to discuss and express their views. It is important to make children aware about the issues from the school level, as they are shy to discuss them at home. Besides, parents should prefer co-educational schools for kids. According to the Constitution of India, Article 15 Prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sex. For example, in India, unskilled labor is considered ”women’s work while in Africa it is men’s work”.

The education differences between females and males are among the most significant indicators of gender inequality; as it is one of the most important sources of opportunity in any society. Political office, social dominance and jobs with higher status and higher pay are nearly associated with higher level of education. But women are not given equal opportunities in education as to the men. Parents in many countries including India are more willing to let a daughter than son drop out of school, because they see less value in daughter’s education. A son’s education in contrast, maybe valued as an investment that will bring his parents higher income in the future and will ensure them a more secure old age. But the experience of majority of old people is different. Many well to do people in Old Age homes says they are always cheated by their sons but not by their daughter.

This article is an academic attempt to pen down a few thousand words suitable for upcoming generation. It serves as a vehicle to share innovative ideas and best practices with the teaching community, raise awareness about current thinking and serve as a forum to seek opinions about new academic initiatives.

Students are the most active people within an institution. They are also the ones who are most vulnerable to sexual harassment. This exploitation could take many forms: student vs. students, staff (teaching or non-teaching) vs. students. Students are also the ones who are most vigilant against this issue. Only if the students are awake and keep guard, a solid mechanism for prevention and prohibition can be satisfactorily devised and implemented. Students are young and emotional; they react and act more comfortably unlike the old people who are shy to radical and drastic changes.

Students have a huge role in the school. Students can change attitude, people, governments and administration and history is a testimony to the fact. The students are at the forefront of activities within a school. They are poised to contribute to gender sensitization more than any other mechanism, institution or administration. According to the DPI’s, gender sensitization should be included as a part of curriculum to wake the entire nation. The Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry too has been toying with the idea of including this issue in school syllabus for some time. It will make a child aware of gender issues right from school. For instance, it will make him/her aware about a good and a bad touch and will also empower them to react accordingly which is not seen in many persons today.The proposal for curricular inputs towards gender sensitization may be more effective because they will have an academic content. Given the increasing number of women who spend long hours in educational institutions and the professional field, interaction between boys and girls can no longer be left to evolve on its own in the absence of adequate counselling, especially for those who are from a background where friendship with the opposite sex is frowned upon. For inculcating responsible conduct, the gender sensitisation process should start in schools since most of them are co-educational institutes nowadays. The educational system has to play a cardinal role in eliminating the patriarchal norms. Bring up children who believe in gender equality and moral traditions.

In a nutshell, the students can take up the following initiatives so as to bring a change in the society:

The students can talk about issue and take a pro-active stand. It is important to talk about this subject which still many consider a taboo and the role of students here is enormous.

Students can remain active and vigilant which will be a discouraging proposition to the would-be harassers.

Students can choose to voice their opinion instead of choosing silence or neutrality. Neutrality only helps the oppressor, needless to say. Unfortunately, many students today embrace silence on this issue.

Students can be sensitive to social issues like women’s empowerment, gender disparities and social evils like dowry.

Students can begin the process of reform by reforming their own family, first of all and changing their orthodox and traditional parents, family members, kith and kins who subscribe to the age-old view of gender role stereotyping steeped in caste, religion and tradition. The subordinate position of women in family is also reflected in the society. Reforming the family will reform the society as well.

Students can choose to be sympathetic to the cause and the victim. Unfortunately, there are students who do not take such cases seriously and some even do not consider it a serious crime.

To sum up, the role of students in gender sensitization, its prevention and prohibition is immense. Without the active participation of the students no formal mechanism can succeed in any democracy. Prevention, prohibition and sensitization can be fully achieved through the regular unstinting cooperation and support of the students. An attentive and careful student is the most effective antidote against gender sensitization.

To summarize, I would like to say that –

“Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you,” And, if everyone realizes this then we would be able to make a wondrous change in our society and in the future of the nation.

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Take step towards gender sensitization

Ms Tripta

Librarian

RukminiDeviPublic School

CD Block, Pitampura

New Delhi -110034

Gandhiji had said, “India will attain full freedom on the day women can walk safely at night”. If schools begin to imbibe such conducive atmosphere, that day shall not be far off.

Gender discrimination in India has developed various social and economic confinements. It is found that number of girls per 1000 boys is decreasing day by day. Females face difficulties to complete the schooling and higher education. Even the qualified women are not in workforce. The males are always placed in a more advantageous position than women in Asian region especially in India. Girls are discriminated not only in the womb and childhood, but while giving her access to education also.

Given the increasing number of women who spend long hours in educational institutions and the professional field, interaction between boys and girls can no longer be left to evolve on its own in the absence of adequate counseling, especially for those who are from a background where friendship with the opposite sex is frowned upon. For inculcating responsible conduct, the gender sensitization process should be initiated from schools since most of them are co-educational.

Wordworth said, “Child is the father of the man” Paradoxically it means childhood determines the manhood. Children in the formative years easily nurture values and virtues which are taught at school. Academic contents with lessons to sensitize gender equality and moral traditions will unconsciously mould the character of the tender minds.

While the initiative is taken by government, there is a need to ensure that it does not remain only a paper exercise where an advice is issued for country’s sake and little is done for its implementation on the ground. The need of the hours is to form a society with a changed mindset which brings about the advancement, development and empowerment of women. The views should be widely disseminated so as to encourage equal access to participation and decision making of women in social, political and economic life of the nation. It’s time to change the mindsetaˆ¦it’s time to educate all the generations and not only the next generationaˆ¦it’s time to rise.

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Gender Sensitization in Schools

Mrs. Arshy Kalam

(PGT English Teacher)

IndoBharat InternationalSchool

Unit- II, Bhankrota, Jaipur

The concept of ” Sex” and “Gender” may be defined as follows :

“Sex” refers to the biological differences between women and men. They are generally permanent and universal.

“Gender” refers to the socially constructed roles and responsibilities of women and men, in a given culture or location. These roles are influenced by perceptions and individual or institutional bias.

So, there should be Gender Equity, the process of being fair to a boy and girl. The present scenario is very different from the past. Now we identify the situation with the contribution of a women is becoming increasingly important and visible, but still we are not able to achieve the gender sensitive education and pedagogy as a possible tool of occupational gender desegregation.

Crime statistics persistently indicate that the country’s school education is failing to curb male prejudices against women. It can be seen by the educational standards and crimes against women according to National Crime Records Bureau data that Kerala, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh rank significantly higher than Bihar or Uttar Pradesh in most educational parameters. But these educationally performing states also fare much higher in incidences of crimes against women.

Howcan the teacher develop Gender Sensitivity in school:

In this series we have to make our classes more sensitive to gender issues. There should be gender equality in the school meaning giving the same reward to all, regardless of their contribution there should be societal upbringing and education for the Nation’s boys and girls.

Students are the future of our Nation therefore they need to be appropriately and adequately sensitized and alarmed about social issues. Schools should ethically take up cudgel to inculcate gender sensitivity among their students.

There should be adequate counseling, especially for those who are from a background where friendship with the opposite sex is frowned upon.

A school has to play a cardinal role in eliminating the patriarchal norms in bringing up children who believe in gender equality and moral traditions.

Gender Sensitization refers to theories which claim that modification of the behaviour of teachers and parents towards children can have a casual effect on gender equality.

Gender sensitizing is about changing behaviour an instilling empathy into the views that we hold about our own and the other sex. It helps people in ” examining their personal attitudes and beliefs and questioning the realities they thought they know”.

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Gender Sensitization in Schools

Mr. Bhushan M. Alone,

Sanskar Bharati Public School,

Marda Road, Warora

Tah-Warora, Dist- Chandrapur 442907

State : Maharashtra

God, without making any difference, sent both Adam and Eve to the earth with the noble purpose of continuing cycle of human life on the earth. Actually, God made sex, and man made gender .Sex is a biological difference while gender is a social and cultural difference. Gender is not merely a girl’s issue; it is a people’s issue. While girls endure undue social control, boys also have to follow patriarchal stereotypes. This social and cultural difference has created such a skewed sex ratio in India that there are 940 females for 1000 males. The other sixty have fallen victims to parents preference for son over daughter; to their illogical idea that son is the successor of family; to the insensitivity of parents to commit the sin of female feticide to earn the punya of getting their pyre lit by the hands of their son; to the mercenary attitude of medical community to practice sex selective abortion without showing any mercy to an innocent life. As a nation, we take pride in our civilization of revering and respecting women and in believing that Worship to Women is Worship to God. Where is our culture?

Somehow girl, a God’s creature takes birth to see this beautiful nature, a God’s creation; but what she gets in her life is low esteem. Our family tradition is yet patriarchal to see man as the chief bread winner while woman as a mere caregiver, a temporary member of the family, a constraint on family resources. Hence, parents find little interest in sending her to school depriving her of her of her right to education .Consequently, the Literacy rate for women stands at 65.40% against 82.14% for men. Only 1 out of 100 girls enrolled in class 1 reaches class 12 in rural area, and 14 in urban as they have to look after hearth and home. Even though they try to peruse their education, there are lions in sheep’s clothing even in the pious field of education. Moreover, Parents prefer to provide more promising education to their sons and girls are made to walk on less challenging tracks. The worldwide female enrollment in tertiary level science is less than male enrollment and less in other in subjects also. Though Government has ensured them equal right to education, parents deprive them of their right to equal education.

Being deprived of education, how can she get access to politics and economics? Most of the democracies today have accepted federalism but has the power been decentralized between man and women? The bill for the 2/3 of women’s reservation in the parliament is yet pending for more than a decade. The constitution assured equality of sexes but it is not established yet. The number of women M.Ps in the parliament is not more than 10%. Women’s status does not reflect its true role in economic field also. While man is involved in lucrative careers, woman has to be happy with household affairs which are relatively given little recognition. Women account only 1% of scientific personnel in India .The ROCK BAND of Kashmiri girls has been banned by the orthodox people. The discrimination against women has led to wage difference of underpaying her for the same job which is done by man. She doesn’t have inheritance to parental property nor do they own property of their own .The socially determined division of labor is also a negating efficiency. As per the United Nations statistics women perform 2/3 of worlds work, but they earn 1/10 of the world’s income.

Thus gender is not a mere difference ;it is a domination by man who has deliberately made the fairer sex the weaker sex so that survival of the fittest can be followed. Mans utter insensitivity is seen when we happen to read or watch the disgusting news of female sexual assaults and harassment. The most heinous act done by six devils on 16th December, 2012 at Delhi was not new; it had been and it is being repeated despite the efficient and immediate judiciary. During 2009-11, there were 68,000 cases of rapes and 1, 22,229 cases of sexual harassment. These numbers are enough to show that in girl is unsafe and insecure almost at every moment and everywhere.

Owing to these insensitive acts, gender sensitization is the urgent need of the hour. Gender sensitization is a process of changing our age-old views and instilling sympathy for our own and other sex. And in this regard it is rightly felt by honorable Mr. Vineet Joshi, the chairman of C.B.S.E. That country’s education is failing to curb male prejudices against women and school education needs to do something to prevent anti-women mindsets. The former President Mrs. Pratibha Patil also feels that the process of gender sensitization should start right from the school education. However, gender sensitization is not an external compulsion, but an internal stimulus. Hence schools have to play a very crucial role in it .They have young hearts and heads in their hands to inculcate attitudes and values upon them. Therefore, schools have to take a wholesome approach to gender sensitization. I n fact schools are on the vantage ground here. Matthew C. Ninan writes A safer and fairer world for women can start with gender sensitization in schools. Since most of the school are co-educational institutions, gender equality must be practiced by adopting different measures like founding a school cabinet including the designation of the Head Girl to dignify her , should by registering first Girl’s name in the attendance register to give her identity , should by giving equal importance to Mothers name in Childs every document to that of fathers to establish equality of gender, by following honestly the Supreme Courts directive to have a lady counselor to look into the matter of gender issues ,by implementing positively A.E.P.(Adult Education Programe) recommended by C.B.S.E. to create awareness in students about sexuality ,by providing self defense progammes to girls besides physical education.

Much depends upon how teacher treats girls because gender discrimination can happen if teacher casts aspersions on girls or woman in course of his/her interactions. Being a role model for students, it is imperative on the part a teacher to treat girls with respect. Parity should be the prime objective of schools. .Thus democratic reconstruction of gender is possible through schools. A teacher should always be committed to challenge sexism and gender inequity by raising the conscience of children by using critical pedagogy of addressing gender concerns integral to any relevant topic in the subject.

However, teachers need to be provided with orientation progammes like GATE (Gender Awareness through Education). It is welcome decision that recently CBSE has brought out a teachers handbook on value education to impart values through innovative means of books and cinemas; and is preparing gender sensitization module also to train teachers in creating gender sensitization in students, and to help them battle stereotypes against women.

As schools follow a particular curriculum, there is an urgent need for a serious inquiry into it. . A more serious and pro-active approach to the gende

The Stanford Prison Experiment is one of the most notorious and interesting experiments in recent social psychology history. Even though the goals of this experiment were to study the psychological effects of prison on people, it shed some light on how our behaviors can be changed through the roles we participate in. Current research, and role theory, has suggested that roles play a part in our identities and behavior. Parallels between the Stanford Prison Experiment and current research will be studied.

A Study on Societal Roles: An Examination of the Stanford Prison Experiment

We play many roles in our day to day life: wife, mother, sister, friend, and coworker. Each role has implied duties that we may or may not be so aware of. We work diligently at balancing all of our responsibilities, which if balance is not attained, could lead to dysfunction in a person’s life. In order to lead a healthy life, one must examine each role he or she plays. A Stanford social psychology professor, Phillip Zimbardo, was one of the pioneers in exploring social roles, behaviors, and how they are affected by certain situations. His radical research experiment opened up the eyes of the participants and many others as to what we will do in order to fulfill our roles.

Zimbardo spent most of his early career conducting behavioral studies that focused on biological processes such as hunger and thirst. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that he really began to focus on social psychology issues, such as conformity. Philip Zimbardo’s experiment on prison life demonstrated how quickly a person can dissolve their own identity to fit into the social roles expected of them. The outcome and aftermath of this experiment is still important in current day psychology. First, Zimbardo chose the participants of the experiment to reflect the common or average individuals in the current society. According to Zimbardo, most were college aged, white males, who were from a middle class socioeconomic background (Haney, Banks, & Zimbardo, 1973). After random assignment, the prisoner participants were arrested, booked, and then taken to the prison (Zimbardo, Haney, Banks, & Jaffe, 1973). In an attempt to make the prison relatively realistic, Zimbardo spent a great deal of time with the details such as the appearance of the prison and the cells, the uniforms of the guards, and the entry process for the prisoners on the first day. All of these components were planned in an effort to dehumanize, demoralize, and emasculate the prisoners (Zimbardo et al, 1973). The uniforms, weapons, and instructions that the guards received were in an effort to deindividualize them, which effectively displaced their identity, and supported their new authoritative roles (Zimbardo et al, 1973). By day two, the roles were firmly in place in both the prisoners and the guards. After a brief rebellion by the prisoners, the guards felt even more justified in their actions and aggression towards them (Zimbardo et al, 1973). The guards became sadistic, grossly exerting their control to the point of not allowing the prisoners to use the bathroom, instead forcing them to relieve themselves in a bucket that was not removed from the cells (Zimbardo et al, 1973). As time went on, the prisoners showed signs of acute stress, changes in their mood and behaviors, and started to act in complete obedience to the guards (Zimbardo et al, 1973). The environment in the prison experiment became so dangerous that it was ended before the expected time period of completion.

There are many reasons why this experiment was ethically unsuccessful yet rich in information about behaviors and roles. I believe that there were many influences which caused the participants to delve so deeply into their assigned roles. One factor that may have helped to change the participants’ behaviors was the fact that there was a power hierarchy. Even though this hierarchy was a farce and only part of an experiment, both the guards and the prisoners integrated this perceived imbalance into their identity. The actions, behaviors and attitudes of all involved changed drastically in the six days that the experiment was active. The male participants started off psychologically and physically healthy, as tested before the experiment by Zimbardo (Zimbardo et al, 1973). They soon changed into either sadistic, aggressive guards or anxious, compliant prisoners (Zimbardo et al, 1973). Outside people, who were loosely involved in the experiment, also performed certain roles. Both a priest and lawyer were contacted near the end of the experiment and both acted as though the prisoners were incarcerated in a real jail (Zimbardo et al, 1973). Zimbardo also admitted that his role as Superintendent became very realistic to him (1973). I believe other factors may have also affected the participants: the environment, the presence of the Warden and Superintendent, and the emotional environment within the experiment. Almost every person who came into contact with this experiment changed their point of view to yield to the success of the experiment; all becoming actors in a pretend, simulated situation. It took the experiment’s premature ending to remind everyone of their own identities, and that this was supposed to be a scientific study. This experiment, while only intending to study a small microcosm of human behavior, uncovered truths that may explain our behaviors in a much broader sense.

The Stanford Prison Experiment has far reaching implications. Even though his study focused on a prison environment, the change in behaviors and attitudes due to our social roles can be seen in everyday life. In order to fully understand how our roles affect our behavior, we must first examine what comprises a role. A role is a “set of norms that define how people should behave” (Myers, 2008, p. 128). Role theory is concerned with studying “patterned and characteristic social behaviors, parts or identities that are assumed by social participants, and scripts or expectations for behavior that are understood by all and adhered to by performers” (Biddle, 1986, p.68). According to role theory, social attitudes can affect how we behave and even how we define ourselves. An interesting way to view the interactions of our various roles is to organize them into a classification system, similar to what is seen in Biology. What starts as a broad classification, such as our culture and gender, can then be reduced into smaller classifications such as local affiliations. All of these roles interact with each other and affect our daily lives. For example, I am a female in an individualistic culture. Each of those categories comes with certain expectations. Life would be vastly different for me if I were to be a female in a collectivistic society. Just one change in the hierarchy could change the subsequent roles that appear in my life. The study of roles and behaviors has been applied to many subjects. Many studies have been completed on how gender roles can have a negative effect on women’s lives. Texas A & M students Wood, Christensen, Hebl, and Rothgerber conducted a study on self concepts and role congruency (1997). Roles of males were defined by dominance and females were defined as intimate and communal (Wood et al, 1997). The research results showed signs that men had a more positive self concept when presented with situations similar to that of the normative sex role, i.e. dominance (Wood et al, 1997). Women had the similar tendency to have a positive self concept when presented with situations congruent with female roles (Wood et al, 1997). But what if a woman expressed more dominance? What if a woman’s lifestyle called for situations that required a more dominant, incongruent role norm? Eagly and Kassau postulated that women have a distinct disadvantage in leadership roles in the work environment due to expectations of their gender roles (2002). Women were perceived as less capable of being in a leadership role and evaluated negatively (Eagly and Kassau, 2002). This role congruity theory may explain many hardships experienced by females, such as the glass ceiling effect. Women may very well be hindered in their careers due to gender stereotypes. Men may also be judged for choosing career paths that are perceived as having more feminine qualities, such as nursing. Furthermore, men face criticism for staying at home with their children while their wives work, also considered incongruent with current gender roles. With more and more women working, the standards for certain roles will inevitably have to change. Gender roles are just one small example of how social standards can affect our attitudes, behaviors, and how we live. As stated before, we have a multitude of roles that we live by throughout our lives. Each role comes with a unique set of social implications and prescribed behaviors. Each role becomes subtly stamped into our identity, integrated into who we are. I believe this quote is a wonderful summation and parallel analysis to the Stanford Prison Experiment and real world issues of roles and behaviors. Zimbardo states:

In some ways, everyone will be a prisoner or a guard at some point in their life, because a guard is simply someone who limits the freedom of another person. Parents, spouses, and bosses do this all the time. And the recipients of this behavior? Well, they are the prisoners. (Slavich, 2009).

Even though this statement may seem somewhat pessimistic, there may be a grain of truth in regards to the commitment to our roles and the consequences. We make little concessions to our freedoms every day. For example, we have obligations to work “X” amount of hours per week. Maybe we limit some of our behaviors out of respect for our spouses. Overall, I don’t believe that most people can say that they get to do what they want to one hundred percent of the time. Our daily lives are dominated by rules and restrictions and that is not always a bad thing. But I believe it is important to examine closely the restrictions posed by the roles present in one’s life.

Zimbardo dared to ask the question: where does one’s identity end and one’s role begin? (1973). The two seem to be invariably intertwined, each having an effect on the other. The heavy weighing expectations of our roles seem to form parts of our identity. Are we, as people, greater than the sum of our roles? Or are we truly defined by our roles, and our roles alone? Does being a parent, or a spouse, or an employee of a certain company truly define you as a person? After reading Zimbardo’s The Lucifer Effect and watching many of his public speeches, I believe he would say that we have the power to use our roles for good. Also, that we are capable of transcending and breaking free from the negative, evil roles in our lives. Philip G. Zimbardo conducted one of the most important experiments in Social Psychology. The Stanford Prison Experiment gave us amazing insight into how extreme we will go in our actions and behaviors to fulfill our roles.

Sexual harassment is a serious problem. The advent of the term ‘sexual harassment’ can be looked back to the mid 1970s in North America, despite the fact that the first successful case in UK was when sexual harassment was contended to be a type of sexual discrimination in 1986, under the Employment Protection Act (Hunt et al.,2007,Aeberhard, 2001). It can be described as a type of sex discrimination that encroaches Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (amended in 1991). In 1980, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) characterises sexual harassment as being unwanted sexual conduct based on affecting the dignity of man and woman at work. It can include physical, verbal and non verbal conduct. In fact, an action comprises harassment when compliance with or denial of a particular indecent conduct impacts on an individual’s employment, a person’s performance at work which are then conducive to an intimidating and unpleasant environment (Kim and Kleiner, 1999) . As such, there exist two basic types of unlawful sexual harassment:

Quid Pro Quo: This happens when a job benefit is associated with an employee submitting to unwanted sexual advances. This form of sexual harassment can be committed only by someone who has power to influence employment actions (such as firing, demotion, and denial of promotion) that will affect the victimised employee.

Hostile Environment: This include: indecent comments and gestures, unnecessary touching, discussing their sex life, using demeaning or inappropriate terms-such as “Babe”. The actions must be done with the aim of violating her/his dignity, or of creating an unpleasant and humiliating environment for them.

The harasser or the victim may be of the male or female gender. The intimidator can be the victim’s supervisor, a co-worker or even a non-employee.

The US Merit Systems Protection Board surveyed 23 000 federal employees and found that 42% of females and 15% of males have reported being sexually harassed (Mathis et al., 1981). It has also been found that it is mostly women who reported the cases. Yet, the number of men filing the case are rising significantly, the majority of them filing against their female supervisors. 16 % of men filed the complaints with EEOC in 2007. In addition, Lawyers.com along with Glamour Magazine made a report in which it was found out that 17% of men against 35% of women declared they were victims of sexual harassment (Sexual Harassment Support, 2010). The most common punishment for someone found guilty of harassment was either an official or an unofficial warning. Alarmingly, the next most likely outcome was no action whatsoever.

The purpose of the research is to determine the impact of the law on sexual harassment. The research is designed to further analyse the problematic repercussions on the victims as sexual harassment entails a negative psychic, work and health outcomes. Lastly, we will bring up solutions to avert sexual harassment in the workplace.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Sexual harassment is mainly a misuse of power (Hunt et al., 2007, adapted from Brewis, 2001;Sedley and Benn, 1982). Women are more prone to be victims because they are usually more vulnerable, and have been taught to suffer in silence compared to men. It is crucial to look at some sources of this plague so as to comprehend why women bear sexual harassment.

Normally, employees rely on their supervisor’s acceptance for opportunities and career success. Supervisors and employers can become accustomed to the control they have over their employees. Such closeness can dazzle the professional limits and lead people to step over the line. Individual problems can also be a root cause, and sexual harassment can be a symptom of the impacts of ordeals such as divorce, or death of a spouse or child (Hunt et al.,2007). Also, with more and more women entering the labour market, men tend to feel threatened that their traditional role are being taken from them. Thus, sexual harassment is used as a form of protection, as “an equalizer against women in power” according to sociologists of University of Minnesota. Additionally, their second reaction was to tap the presence of women and offer sexual favours, to which, submission to sexual demeanours would ensure their job: to avoid being fired, demoted, or otherwise adversely affected at work. (Hunt et al.,2007) . By harassing a women, male workers apart from irritating her, they want to recall her of her susceptibility, building stress that make her work more tough-thus, discourages her from seeking a higher post. Hence, sexual harassment sets a climate of intimidation and oppression. As an aftermath, the victim goes through a psycholigical depression; she may criticise herself and have a very low esteem. Sexist or sexualised environments that promotes sexual jokes, sexual insinuations, and pornography will often be seen in the attitude that the male colleagues will display towards the female. As such, women are 3 times more prone to be harassed than in such a working environment where such culture is allowed. Sexual harassment of men does happen but they are less common since men do not presumably report the case. It is often of the same-sex harassment.( Sexual Harassment Support Community)

Overall, the outcomes of sexual harassment are: the victim bears stress, depression, humiliation, loss of appetite, feeling of anger, isolation, so much so that this may impact on their work performance and they may even have suicidal thoughts. (UNFPA ,2005).

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this research is to analyse sexual harassment, particularly, in the workplace and to assess how far the company’s policy against sexual harassment is efficient.

Specific Objectives

Identify the motives of the harasser and profile of harasser.

Explore the short and long term consequences of sexual harassment.

Determine the strategies used by employers to avoid, handle sexual harassment.

To assess whether government laws and regulation against sexual harassment is efficient in protecting victims and the working population as a whole.

To know whether men or women are more prone to be victims of sexual harassment.

To suggest possible solutions against sexual harassment.

METHODOLODY

RESEARCH DESIGN

In order to collect information for the research, the researcher will have recourse to both primary and secondary data. In the first instance, the collection for primary data will be discussed. In order to gain quantitative description, a survey will be carried out. The survey method requires a sample of respondents to reply to a number of questions that have been previously determined as relevant to the research. However, when doing a survey, only a representation of a population can be chosen and this can be referred to as a sample. Face-to-face interviews and the telephone method will be used to obtain the attitudes, behaviours and opinions about sexual harassment from a group of people (Stangor, 1998) . The face-to-face interviewing will be a good method because response rate may be high compared to the telephone method. The researcher will choose his sample randomly or he may use convenience sampling.

Data will further be garnered by the use of questionnaires. Without doubt, questionnaires will allow gathering information that cannot be found elsewhere from secondary information such as books, newspapers and Internet resources. Basically, there are two types of sampling techniques, which are probability sampling and non-probability sampling. In this research, the researcher will use probability and non-probability sampling. In this case the sample size will be 60 respondents. The researcher initially prepared 10 sets of questionnaires as a draft to use as pre-testing. The pre-testing enabled the researcher to know whether the question layout, question sequence, question design are appropriate and understood by respondents. The aim of conducting a pre-testing is to ensure that the respondents have had no problems with understanding or answering the questions and followed in all instructions correctly (Malhotra and Peterson, 2002). After the pre-testing was done, the researcher revised the questionnaire and finished the final draft of it. At first, he will use stratified sampling to divise the working population in two strata: the public and the private sector. Then, he will randomly choose 22 public and 10 private companies, using both random and convenience sampling which is a non-probability method.

In this research, the questionnaire has various kinds of questions. The use of open-ended questions is to gather the respondents’ views on whether they think that their company has good policies against sexual harassment, or gives them the opportunity to suggest some other solutions not already mentionned in the questionnaires, so as to increase understanding of the topic. Also, dichotomous and multiple-choice questions were used, whereby, the respondents had to answer the questions asked in the questionnaire by selecting the appropriate answer provided.

Qualitative data were collected so that researchers can know more about things that cannot be directly observed and measured. For this thesis, the researcher plans to conduct two in-depth interviews with two HR personnel from two different organisations and if possible, two more interviews with either a victim of sexual harassment, the harasser himself or a witness. The purpose of these interviews was to get an insight and views of sexual harassment in the workplace and what are the strategies that they would recommend to deter such behaviour that creates a hostile environment for a person.

In addition, the researcher will use secondary data available on the internet, in books and from the CSO.

Data will then be analszed using a specific software which is called the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) and the frequencies will later be keyed in Microsoft Excel in order to generate the graphs (bar charts and pie charts).

BENEFITS OF THE RESEARCH

The advantages of this research is to identify projects and campaigns that had been carried out or are on-going which have the aim of raising awareness among the working population which consists of employers, employees, future working population who can obtain a more solid definition of this plague in the research. People need to be conscious of appropriate behaviour in the workplace and how, what looks like friendly teasing could be misinterpreted as something else. The research will furthermore help the working population to know how to deal with the issue: they can become aware of their rights and how they can demand redress if they experience any kind of sexual harassment. This research may equally provide a ground for the cost implications of sexual harassment in the work place-thus can persuade employers that it is in their interest to address this issue. They can moreover, become aware of the laws that already exist and can thus sue the harasser in question.

Little research has been performed on the subculture of Gothics and with further researching online I am hoping to learn more about one of the most misunderstood subcultures that has seen an increasing amount of member’s throughout the world. The results, opinions and statements are discussed throughout this paper.

The subculture that I choose to write my Final Term Paper on is the Gothic Subculture which is one of the most popular subcultures but on the same hand is one of the ones we don’t know much about. Different cities tend to have their own slight differences when it comes to Goth fashions. Goth individuals tend to where anything that has the color black and are well known for dying their hair the same color. The most common Goth look for a male is a fishnet shirt and vinyl or leather pants with some sort of boots and other various accessories. Some guys tend to wear makeup, skirts, corsets or heels and to them it isn’t considered cross-dressing because they are not actually trying to look like women. Straight males like to look or dress feminine either to challenge social barriers or to show that they have an open mind.

When looking at females they are known for wearing a cleavage-enhancing corset top with a long flowing or tutu-like skirt. Also a fishnet shirt with a black bra underneath, a bondage belt and either a short vinyl skirt or a long velvet skirt with tight leggings or stirrup pants. When it comes to things that are associated with things that Goths like they are but not limited to art “that portrays music, painting, writing and drawing”, clove cigarettes, cats, candles, fairies, coffee, spider webs, skulls, graveyards, coffins and Egyptian symbols. The Gothic Subculture dates back to 1979 when Bauhaus releases the song “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”. The band originally intended the song to be tongue-in-cheek; however many young fans latched onto this mysterious eerie sound as inspirations for the beginning gothic subculture.

The first generation of the gothic movement emerged mostly in the UK in the late seventies and early eighties as a splinter from the punk movement. In the early 1980’s the Gothic movement thrived with bands like Sisters of Mercy, the movement started to dwindle in the late eighties. The second generation of gothic bands emerged and distinguish themselves by being the first to regularly call themselves Gothic. As the second generation now ages into their mid to late 20’s they usually become less interested in participating in the gothic social scene. In the late 90’s a third generation emerged and begun to shape the future progression of the gothic movement. The third generation represents an explosion in the number of people referring to themselves as gothic. Many of them have learned about gothic culture because of the present widespread commercial availability exposing the trends.

When the people that were a part of the second generation of Goths that emerged in the late 1990’s are asked about the new generation of Goths they doubt their authenticity and dislike the exposure they give to the subculture and would prefer to remain underground. Over the past 20 years the subculture has grown, mutated and adapted making it one of the longest surviving youth subcultures in existence. When analyzing the Gothic topic to the three sociological perspectives the first I would like to talk about is the symbolic Interactionism Perspective which directs sociologists to consider the symbols and details of everyday life, what they mean and how people interact with each other. This perspective was introduced to American sociology in the 1920’s. Gothic individuals tend to like anything that is considered “Dark” or possibly even evil to the average person. They use Egyptian Symbols that was stated earlier in this paper to represent everlasting life.

Typically Goths don’t associate with anyone outside there group and how they dress and act makes it very easy to distinguish themselves from anyone else. When looking at the Functionalist perspective which is also called functionalism each aspect of society is interdependent and contributes to society’s functioning as a whole. Functionalists believe the society is held together by social consensus or cohesion in which members of society agree upon and work together to achieve what is best for the society as a whole. Gothic members don’t relate very much to this perspective but have a lot of the same beliefs as a group not so much as a society. What I mean by that is for the members of their group they believe that they help stabilize there group from the outside in but nothing they do helps society as a whole. Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment even when such change may benefit them. Instead functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise.

The third and final perspective is the Conflict Perspective which originated primarily out of Karl Marx’s writings on class struggles. It presents societies in a different light than do the functionalist and the symbolic interactionist perspectives. While these other perspectives focus on the positive aspects of society that contribute to its stability, the conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted and ever-changing nature of society. The conflict theorists challenge the status quo; encourage social change “even when this means social revolution”. They believe in rich and powerful people force social order on the poor and the weak. When we look at the Gothic subculture in comparison to this perspective it does have some similarities in the fact that a lot of members of the gothic group typically are associated with being poor and misunderstood.

I feel that the founder that would be most interested in this subculture would be American philosopher George H. Mead who was born in 1863 and died in 1931. George introduced the symbolic interactionist perspective and I feel that out of the three this is the one that fits the best. I feel that George’s perspective fits the best because in incorporates symbols and there meanings and face to face interactions. When we look at the Gothic subculture from the outside in there is a lot that we don’t know and won’t know because we aren’t part of their group. Why do they wear all black, why do they talk the way they do and furthermore why do they choose to be a part of this culture anyways? I feel that if George was given the opportunity to analyze this particular subculture we would have a better understanding for how things work and it would answer a lot of our why questions.

Individuals that are a part of the Gothic subculture are socialized very negatively in today’s society. A questionnaire was given to 20 people on a college campus and it asked very simple questions in regards to the Gothic subculture. A few of the questions were as follows “What does “Gothic” mean to you”, “What attracts you to this social group? And “Describe an instance where you were harassed or prejudged because of your appearance”. When the questionnaires were returned the most overwhelming thing the scientist found was people had a very wide range of opinions for what gothic means. As was noted earlier in this paper the term gothic can mean many different things depending on where you live and the type of environment you are around.

When looking at a variable such as age and how it affects my topic its simple the Gothic subculture is the most popular youth subculture we have seen in society today. Typically when the members get into their 20’s they tend to pull themselves out of the picture. They tend to change their looks, how they act and some even completely never acknowledge they ever were a part of this group. Age is a very interesting variable when we look at anything in life we all go through a growing process that incorporated at least a few things that we aren’t proud of later on in life. An example for me would be getting a bowl-cut which when I was younger seemed like the coolest thing to do and I thought it made me look very attractive. And now when I see those photos I can’t believe my mother didn’t tell me no and that I looked like an idiot. Regardless how big or small the regret is its life we all grow up and our interests change and that is how age affects my subculture.

When looking at class and how it affects my subculture I feel that is another easy one typically we see the poorer class tend to join groups such as being gothic. Popular kids who have a lot of friends don’t feel the need to make drastic changes to get attention such as these other individuals. When I was going through high school I know we had a few classmates that everyone considered to be Goth and we put them all in the same category as “Lame”. We felt that they did these things to get attention and for nothing more. A few statics that I found interesting was a group of Gothic individuals were given a questionnaire with the promise of secrecy and were asked to give honest answers in regards to drug use. A few of the results were as follows 15/20 admitted to using alcohol which is 75%, 12/20 admitted to using Tobacco which is 60%, 13/20 admitted to using LSD which is 65% and finally 9/20 admitted to using Marijuana which is 45%. These numbers shocked me because what’s considered as being a gateway drug such as Marijuana and Tobacco were used less frequently then the harder drugs such as LSD.

When I attended school I never once was offered a drug at any point which some people find to be very interesting. As was stated earlier depending on where you’re located and the scene you’re around day in and day out really can affect how you live your life and what social class you decide to join. When looking at the groups and networks that are associated with my subculture there are a lot. From what I can locate the number one network is VampireFreaks.com which is a website that basically individuals can log onto and join and communicate with one another as well as post thoughts and beliefs on things such as vampires.

Another network that is associated with my subculture is Goth.Net which is a forum website that is used for all sorts of things for members of these groups. The last post I see on this website actually references my above network and the individual stats that it is like MySpace for Goths. These members talk back and forth with each other over various topics such as other sites they are involved with like Facebook and twitter. Every topic we research will have social networks that members are a part of to keep in touch with one another and to talk to people with the same interests without the worry of being judged like they would with face to face interactions with people in their community.

When looking at groups that Goths are associated with again there are a lot a few that I would like to mention in my paper are Gothic Rock groups and Gothic Meet up groups. The meet up group that I am going to incorporate into my paper is located in UK which is very relevant considering that is where this subculture originated. This group has a website as well which was created in October of 2002 and has over 5000 members has a lot for these individuals to do. On their website it has a section that is labeled “What are we” and it says as follows “We are a friendly and welcoming bunch of people with the primary aim to help Goths meet and socialize with Goths in the London area”. It goes on and stats that they often go to gigs and clubs and run a range of different events such as walks and picnics and RPG night. What I found interesting on this website it also has a section labeled “What are we not” and it says as follows “If you are expecting misery, moping, self-pity and think the world is against you personally this is not the group for you. We are not better than you, but we’re not a self-help group either”.

What I find very interesting about this is that they obviously believe that a lot of people are fakers and they don’t agree with everything that other people that associate themselves as Goths do on a day to day basis. The most common stereotype that surrounds Goth is the fixation on death. Members say that they are an exaggeration of the darker side of the human psyche and that they represent outwardly the thoughts that linger in the back of everyone’s mind. Another thing that is tied directly to beliefs about Goths is that they are all depressed which the websites touched a little bit on in the we are not a self-help group. When we look at all the other subcultures such as punks they represent rebellion, Industrial represents anger and Goths represent sadness.

Scientists believe that many people feel alienated from each other and that they will break off into small groups and latch onto a specific belief or idea and form a culture surrounding it. People belong to cultures such as these in order to feel as if they own something and are a part of something. Another very important topic that surrounds my subculture is Self-cutting and the most typical reason behind this is to get attention. These youths will make shallow cuts in obvious or semi-obvious areas such as the inner arm usually with a razor blade. Typically it is in an area that can be hidden by clothing from parents or teacher if they are around. However they will want friends or others to be observant enough to notice and care. These types of individuals are not suicidal they just want someone to notice.

In regards to the social structure status which is the honor or prestige attached to ones position in society. And may also refer to a rank or position that one holds in a group, social status can either be earned by their individual achievements which are known as achieved statuses or one can be placed in the stratification system by their inherited position which is called ascribed statuses. When looking a gothics as a whole they don’t get very much honor or praise from anyone in society if anything they are considered an outcast probably because they are not part of the norm. And when society doesn’t understand a group and there ways they typically become outsiders and are looked down upon. When looking at ascribed positions from what I could tell they don’t have any type of ranking system that one could be born into or earned so to speak.

One thing that could be considered in the respect that the ones around you in the group with give you if they liked you which would be something that would be earned such as the social status explains. When looking at roles every group has what is considered to be roles from things like recruiting all the way to what individual drives the group around. There aren’t any honorary roles that I could find to be associated with my subculture. Overall I feel that this final term paper has opened my eyes to the ways of life of this subculture and has changed a few of my opinions. I am happy with the decision I made when selecting the culture I did what made me select it was I tried to pick the one that I knew the least about so at the end of this course I would have a better understanding for the types of things they do all the way to things such as why they wear the clothing and pick the colors they do. I still agree with the statement that this is still one of the most misunderstood cultures that are active today. Hopefully as time goes on and we see the fourth generation come along we will have a better outlook on these individuals in the society as well as except them more.

On the websites that I gathered information from I choose to read down through a few pages of posts and from what I could gather these members feel that need to know for sure they are talking to people with the same interests and that they won’t be judged. And that they know that other members have issues that they need to check at the door before coming in not everyone that calls themselves a Goth wants to hear about your problems or talk about how you feel the world is out to get you. What I find interesting about that statement made by the website is that they do separate themselves from other so called Goths just by the actions they choose to take.

Society as a whole can be harsh on any culture that isn’t considered part of the norm not just gothic groups. We all need to realize that just because someone doesn’t believe in the same things we do or they choose to dress differently or talk differently doesn’t make them a bad person. I feel that it will be a long time before we stop doing things like this to one another and it needs to start now. People shouldn’t have to feel the need to separate themselves from one another to get attention and also we all need to realize that no one is better than anyone else no matter what you think or have been told. I hope that one day everyone can stand together without having to worry about what someone thinks about them it doesn’t matter rich or poor or black or white we all need to group together to make society a better place to live in and an inviting one at that which the Functionalist Perspective goes into detail on.

This paper discusses three approaches that can be taken when studying Sociology. There are many subjects to be studied and discussed in the field of Sociology, and the approach chosen to study a particular subject is called a perspective. There are three different perspectives, and they are functionalist, conflict, and interactionist perspectives. This paper compares and contrasts these different perspectives with one another.

Through Analysis, A Compare and Contrast

Of the Three Sociological Perspectives:

Functionalist, Conflict, and Interactionist

When studying in the field of Sociology everyone is going to approach topics in a different manner. No two people are going to have the exact same view on a particular subject. There are however, three major categories in which people might choose to approach topics. The approaches are know as sociological perspectives and are the functionalist, conflict, and interactionist perspectives. These perspectives name different ways in which different people choose to analyze a subject, and how they look at a society as a whole. The following paragraphs compare and contrast the three, and identify major characteristics of each.

“The functionalist perspective is a sociological approach which emphasizes the way that parts of a society are structure to maintain its stability,”(Schaefer & Lamm, 1998). This perspective looks at a society in a positive manner and sees it as stable, with all the parts working together. Under the functionalist view every social aspect of a society contributes to the society’s survival, and if not, the aspect is not passed to the next generation.

There are two people who where mainly involved in the development of the functionalist perspective, they are Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons. Durkheim contributed to the functionalist perspective when she was studying religion, and how it was responsible for people feeling solidarity and unity in groups. Parsons was a sociologist from Harvard University who was greatly influenced by Durkheim. In return, he influenced Sociology by dominating the field, with his functionalist views, for four decades (Schaefer & Lamm, 1998).

When approaching a subject with the functionalist perspective, manifest and latent functions as well as dysfunctions are looked at and studied. A manifest function of an institution is one that is stated and expected. A latent function is one that is unexpected or can show a hidden purpose of an institution, and a dysfunction is a component of a society that can cause instability (Rothman, 1998). These functions and dysfunctions are use in analyzing a society.

Functionalist perspective is an approach to studying a society on the macrosociological level. This means that a society is studied on a large scale as a whole. The view of the individual in a functionalist perspective is that people are socially molded, not forced, to perform societal functions. Order in a society, as viewed by a functionalist, is maintained when members of a society cooperated with one another. Functionalists view social change as being predictable and positive. The main idea of functionalist perspective is that of stability (Schaefer & Lamm, 1998).

“The conflict perspective is a sociological approach which assumes that social behavior is best understood in terms of conflict or tension between different groups,” (Schaefer & Lamm, 1998). In contrast to the functionalist view of stability, conflict sociologist see a society as being in constant struggle. The idea of conflict is not necessarily violent; it could just refer to disagreements that are worked out through a mediator (Platt, 1999).

The two main contributors to the formation of the conflict perspective are Karl Marx and W. E. B. Du Bois. Karl Marx explained that conflicts between classes of society are inevitable, since workers will always be exploited as a result of capitalism. It is through the expansion of Marx’s work that sociologist now apply conflict theory to all aspects of society. Even though there are parallels between Marxist theories and conflict perspective they are not the same. An important aspect of conflict perspective is that it encourages sociologists to look at a society through the eyes of those in the population who does not influence decision making. Du Bois contributed to the conflict perspective by studying society in reference to blacks and their struggles within society (Schaefer & Lamm, 1998).

The conflict perspective sees society as being full of tension and struggle between groups. It also, like functionalist, analyzes society on the macrosociological level. As for the individual, they are perceived as being shaped by power and authority. Social order is viewed as being maintained not through cooperation, but through force. And social change is not predictable, but is constantly taking place. The conflict perspective’s main idea is that there are competing interests between groups and social inequality exists, therefore there is always conflict of some kind.

“The interactionist perspective is a sociological approach which generalizes about fundamental or everyday forms of social interaction,” (Schaefer & Lamm, 1998). Interactionist perspective focuses on the way that small groups act, in order to understand society as a whole. Interactionists study people in their everyday behavior and how they react to their surroundings. Such surroundings may include material things, actions, other people, and symbols.

George Herbert Mead is most often credited with founding the interactionist perspective, but Charles Horton Cooley also shared Mead’s views. Mead was a professor at the University of Chicago, and he focused on the analysis of one-to-one situations and other small groups. He paid particular attention to body language such as a frown or nod, and he also asked the questions of how other group members effected these gestures. His students passed down his views after his death, as a result of hearing his lectures (Schaefer & Lamm, 1998).

The interactionist view of society is that we influence each other’s everyday social interactions. In contrast to functionalist and conflict perspectives, the interactionist perspective studies society on a microsociological level. In other words they study on a small scale in order to understand the large scale. Interactionists believe that an individual creates their own social world through his or her interactions, and it is thought that social order is maintained when people share their understanding of everyday behavior. Interactionists say that social change occurs when the positions and communication with one another change. The main idea of an interactionist sociologist is to study nonverbal communication and small groups paying particular attentions to objects and symbols (Schaefer & Lamm, 1998).

As one can tell from reading these three approaches are very different in the way in which they study sociological issues. They all strive to give meaning to why people do what they do, and neither is better than the other, they just go about reaching the same goal in a different way.

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