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Describe the meaning of multiculturalism in your own words
Multiculturalism Concepts
1. Describe the meaning of multiculturalism in your own words.
Multiculturalism is the situation whereby multiple groups of divergent cultures exist in a given society rather than in only a mainstream culture (Jackson, 2010, p.36). This is a term that is used to describe cultural diversity. A single area containing one society may contain people drawn from different cultural backgrounds. Multiculturalism generally applies to the demographical composition of a particular area. This may be in regards to a specific area or even at the institutional level for example; schools, firms, businesses, cities and even at the national level.
However, on a normative perspective, the term refers to the ideologies and policies that champion this cultural diversity in a given area. In this sense, these are efforts to promote and champion the free express of the various people’s identity without fear or favour in any community. These ideologies are however variant and they differ from one institution to the other and from one nation to the other. This ideology advocates for equal recognition and equal respect to the various cultures that occur in a given society. Multiculturalism entails the diversities in ethnicity as well as religious affiliations of different people (Neil, 2002, p.43).
Two distinctive policies that have been developed as government strategies on multiculturalism have emerged. The first one pertains to the interaction and communication between different cultures. The interactions of cultures provide opportunities for the cultural differences to communicate and interact to create multiculturalism (Jackson, 2010, p.134). The second approach is basically entails the diversity and the cultural uniqueness. In this approach, the policy enhances on the avoidance of presenting a given ethnic, religious or cultural community as central.
2. Is the United States of America a multicultural country? Why or why not?
The United States of America is a typical example of a multicultural country since it contains people form divergent cultures from all over the world (Peskin and Edmund, 2011, p.345). The combination of all these cultures contributes to the overall American way of life. A culture is a way of living in a given community that is passed on from one generation to another. It entails things like, the dressing, people’s diets, places of living, way of worship as well as other customs and beliefs. Therefore, the existence of divergent cultures in the United States of America gives a diverse range of foods, religions, businesses and ideas in this one nation.
The United States of America has been multicultural since the first settlers came to America. Numerous people from other continents have immigrated into the country since the colonial period and in the post independent America. For hundreds of years, the United States has welcomed many people into the countries from all the continents including; Europe, Asia, Africa and South America (Peskin and Edmund, 2011, p.378). Many of the immigrants come to the United States looking for greener pastures since economically the country is well placed. People from all the four races in the globe emigrate out of their motherland and end up being in America.
Therefore, we can comprehensively conclude that there is no culture that dominates or is 100 percent pure. In the past hundred years, people of different races and from totally different communities intermingled and even intermarried producing new cultures which can be referred to as hybrids. The USA’s dream of giving hope to so many people in the world has seen the highest immigrations into the country (Neil, 2002, p.235). This people are from communities speaking different languages and having divergent beliefs and hence cultures.
3. Why is multiculturalism a controversial issue for some people?
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance and promotion of multiple cultures in a society. Multiculturalists believe that in a multi-ethnic society, culture difference should be preserved and celebrated because such a vision sees diversity as a positive force increasing the richness of communities and actually encouraging tolerance (Anne, 2011, p.218). However, some people are skeptical about this art of bringing together numerous cultures to develop a hybrid culture. These opponents see it as an unwanted vision that has been imposed to them by the liberal progressive elite.
The controversial detail that arises due to this is the fear of the unknown. The opponents of cultural integration cite a possible loss of national identity and unity as their main reason for opposing it. Critics also may also argue for assimilation of different ethnic and cultural groups to a single national identity (Peskin and Edmund, 2011, 890). These controversies have arisen in Europe and Australia. Academicians and other intellectuals have also challenged the act of bringing together various cultures and have emphasized on the need to maintain the individual cultures for the purpose of identity of a given community.
The earliest academic critics of multiculturalism in Australia were the philosophers Lachlan Chipman and Frank Knopfelmacher, sociologist Tanya Birrell and a political scientist Raymond Sestito (Neil, 2002, 112). Chipman and His counterpart were concerned of the threat multiculturalism posed to cohesion. Argument also exists that despite multiculturalism serving the needs of ethnic politics; it is a perilous concept on which to find policy.
4. How can the three sociological perspectives (social functionalism, social conflict, and symbolic interaction) be used to conceptually understand multiculturalism?
Multiculturalism situation can be comprehended by looking at it through various sociological perspectives. The three perspectives can be categorized into three; social functionalism, social conflict and symbolic interaction. The social functionalistic approach is based on the ideology that, the society is made up of distinct but vital parts, and all of these parts must be filled for the society to function in an upright manner (Anne, 2011, p.65). Social functionalism appreciates the role of multiculturalism in creating a stable and flourishing state. In this perspective, multiculturalism is considered as a tool of conflict management which fosters peace and harmony in a given society by making the minority and the majority communities comfortable with each other.
On the social conflicts perspective multiculturalism can be looked into as in the conflicts that arise between the various communities with different cultural backgrounds. Conflicts involving minorities are not due to so much cultural differences or their failure of integration. The main common means used to show that multiculturalism has failed is to attribute it to be the cause of social conflicts and from more extreme positions to blame the ethnic minorities (Neil, 2002, 564).
Symbolic interaction has a more focused attention to the specific interactions in the society (Jackson, 2010, 245). It is in this view that people define situations based on their own perceptions of multiculturalism. Therefore, the term multiculturalism becomes the basis for interaction between different people with a different view point. Different faces of people intermingle to put out a truly multicultural lifestyle. It emphasizes human creativity especially through the use of symbols and a language that create social order and a cultural meaning.
References
Anne M. (2011). Culture clash: An international legal perspective on ethnic discrimination. New York: Ashgate publishing.
Jackson R. (2010). Encyclopedia of identity. California: Sage.
Neil B. (2002). Selling illusions: the myth of multiculturalism. Toronto: Penguin.
Peskin L. and Edmund F. (2011). America and the world: Culture, commerce and conflict. Alabama: JHU press.
Creative Couples
Creative Couples
Over the centuries creative couples have been drawn together by similar interests and desires. The outcome of these relationships has greatly influenced the lives and careers of the individual artists, with personal belief, gender, societal influences, politics and religion determining the role of each partner.
As social, political, religious and gender issues were being challenged and the documentation of information became easier after the Industrial Revolution, creative couples of the late 1800s and early 1900s were written about more extensively, thus more is known about them. However, not as much is documented about creative couples prior to this.
With this in mind we will examine a variety of creative couples that lived within the period of 1750 till
1920. We will observe their highs and lows, the conflicts and encouragement as well as the turmoil and balance they brought each other, which will show the varied outcomes of their lives and consequently their careers.
Living in any relationship with another person is bound to influence both parties immeasurably. Whether the relationship is positive or negative depends on the individual’s beliefs, personality and actions within the relationship. Creative couples have been particularly influenced by the social climate of their times.
An example is the relationship between Gabriel Munter and Wassily Kandinsky. Munter went to study at the unofficial Phalanx Art School, of which Kandinsky was a founder, because official art schools in Germany were closed to women at that time. Their relationship lasted for more than 10 years.
During this time Munter often frustrated Kandinsky. All though he could see her talent, he was amazed and exasperated by her personal style and remarked, “You are hopeless as a student – one can teach you nothing.” (Petersen Karen & J.J. Wilson, 1976) However, Munter found in him the inspiration she needed to press forward her claim as an artist in her own right, later saying, “He loved, understood, treasured and encouraged my talent.” (Petersen Karen & J.J. Wilson, 1976).
Their relationship had ended by the time the war started in 1914. Kandinsky returned to his homeland, devastating Munter, who moved to Stockholm. ‘Her paintings of the time revel the tension and isolation she suffered. Instead of brilliant landscapes and portraits of her friends, she turned to thoughtful, frequently melancholy studies of women. Then in 1918 the paintings stop; the trauma of separation from Kandinski seems to have jarred her very sense of herself as an artist’ (Petersen Karen & J.J. Wilson, 1976)
As creativity is such a personal and emotional outpouring of who we are individually, conflict between creative couples is inevitable. The relationship of Camiile Claudel and Auguste Rodin is well known and much is recorded about them, including a film titled Camille Claudel – The Story of Rodin’s Mistress. Claudel was twenty years younger than Rodin when they met in 1893 and they embarked on a relationship that was turbulent, complex and volatile.
When Paul Claudel wrote on the subject of the relationship between Rodin and his sister, he demonstrates clearly the emotional and creative conflicts between them. “And besides, two geniuses of equal power and of different ideals could not continue to share the same studio and the same customers. Separation was necessity for the man, but for my sister it meant complete, profound, and final catastrophe. The sculptors profession is for a man a constant challenge to common sense: for an isolated woman having my sister’s temperament it is a pure impossibility. She staked everything on Rodin, and she lost everything in losing him.” (Descharnes Robert and Jean-Francois Chabrun, 1967)
With a similar outcome in their relationship as with Kandinsky and Munter, claudel’s creative expression of how she felt about her turbulent relationship with Rodin and his distancing himself from her toward the end of their relationship is clearly illustrated in her piece L’Age mur. In the work Camille is on her knees, trying to hold Rodin back, while he turns away from her toward an older woman, Rose, who was Rodin’s unofficial wife. This is said to be the most autobiographical work done by Claudel.
It is evident that Rodin encouraged Claudel as much as he could considering their times. He supported her in many ways, recognizing her talent as her own, “I helped her find gold in art, but it was all in herself.” (Willian Harlane Hale and the editors of Time Life Books, 1972).
Rodin also encouraged and assisted Claudel with exhibiting her work. “She was mad about sculpture – to such a point that, during the fifteen years of their stormy liason, Rodin considered her more equal than pupil. This is reflected in a will he made twenty years after they had parted, which specified that a room be dedicated to her sculpture in thre Rodin Museum which he was to bequeath to the State after his death, confirmiung his high regard for her work.” (Descharnes Robert and Jean-Francois Chabrun, 1967).
Others found contentment in their relationships, despite their differences. Georgia O’Keeffe and Alfred
Stiegloitz met after a friend of O’Keefe’s, Anita Pollitzer, gave O’Keefe’s work to Stieglitz to hang in his gallery, 291. When O’Keefe found out she went to New York to meet Stieglitz and from that eeting began the relationship that was to last until his death in 1946. O’Keefe spoke of the sense of balance in their relationship, “The relationship that Stieglitz and I had was very good, because it was built on something more than just emotional needs. Each of us was really interested in what the other was doing… Of course, you do your best to destroy each other without knowing it – some people do it knowingly and some do it unknowingly. But if you have a real basis, and we did, you get along pretty well despite the differences.” (Petersen Karen & J.J. Wilson, 1976).
Support and encouragement was also an important part of O’Keefe’s and Stieglitz’ relationship and the outcome was a positive one. Stieglitz gave O’Keefe the support she needed and helped her with her desire to become an artist in her own right. “From their first meeting, Stieglitz and O’Keefe exhilarated, released and inspired one another. He began to photograph her during her visits to New York. In 1918 he asked her what she would like to do most in the world. ‘Paint’, she replied. Since she could not afford to give up teaching, Stieglitz offered her a year in which to realize her dream. She accepted.” (Dorothy Norman, 1973)
An example of dedicated support shown by a partner, to the extent that they gave up their creative work, is shown by Lilly Spencer and Benjamin Rush Spencer. Lilly moved to Cincinnati in 1841 where she exhibited in a number of exhibitions and studied for a short time with a resident portraitist. Three years later, in 1844, she met Benjamin, ”'”who devoted himself to managing her career and taking care of their seven surviving children. Although she never made much money and was always struggling to keep the family going, Spencer became an extremely popular painter, producing still life’s, allegories, and literary pictures, and achieving particular success with her humorous domestic subjects.” (Heller Nancy G, 1987).
The styles or techniques used by individuals are often influenced by the creative partner with whom they work so closely. The creative influence on each other is an unavoidable aspect of the relationship. The work of creative couple Susan Eakins and Thomas Eakins, who met at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and married in 1884, was often commented on by critics of the time. “Her works do display the same sense of contemplative quiet, the same rich, dark backgrounds, the same eloquent but never fussy details, and the same interest in individual personalities that are so characteristic of Thomas Eakins’s art.”
(Heller Nancy G, 1987). This similarity is clearly demonstrated by Two Sisters by Susan Eakins and Gross Clinic, by Thomas Eakins.
Sometimes the similarities may be consciously invoked, such as ‘When Camille sculpted Rodin, it was in a style akin to his own rough, realistic manner with men.’ (William Harlan hale and the Editors of Time Life Books, 1972). Claudel also had an influence on Rodin’s work, ‘Rodin was overwhelmed by her, and she him: they became not only lovers but profound partners in experience. It was after he met her that his sculpture took on their extraordinary erotic power. Here, alive, was the superior female he had been dreaming of in art. Camille posed for him, in turn sculpted him, and collaborated with him in his studio.’ (William Harlan Hale and the Editors of Time-Life Books, 1972)
Sonia Delaunay and Robert Dalaunay, who married in 1910, are an example of how creative couples work together to produce complimentary works. Their ideals were well aligned and the works they produced together had a powerful effect. ‘Certainly there are few couples who have achieved so successful a merging of artistic and personal concerns as Sonia and Robert Delaunay. Together they worked out the tenets of Orphism, and the paintings Market at the Minho and Homage to Bleriot demonstrate their theories of colour and rhythm.’ (Petersen Karen & J.J. Wilson, 1976).
Creative couples have and will continue to struggle for their own identity and personal ambition to be creative and recognized for their own work. The forces involved in these creative relationships have often been beyond each individual’s control, with outcomes that have varied greatly. More often than not these relationships have turned out differently to what each individual expected when they began.
Creative partnerships are often living paradoxes through which both individual’s creativity can excel or fail. Despite the turbulent and devastating effect that these relationships have on some people, the positive aspects of encouragement, support, inspiration, and creative influences shine through. Whether the outcome of their works and lives is catastrophic or fulfilling, in the end it comes down to individual will and how each partner responds within their relationships.
ABC TV Program, The Big Picture: City of Dreams, Thursday, April 12, 2001, 9.30pm http://www.abc.net.au/tvpub/highlite/h0115heb.htmBaron Stanley, 1995, Sonia Delaunay – The Life of an Artist, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London Chadwick Whitney, 1996, Women, Art and Society, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London
Descharnes Robert and Jean-Francois Chabrun, 1967, Auguste Rodin, Macmillian and Company Ltd, London
Hale Harlan, Willian and the Editors of Time-Life Books, 1972, The World of Rodin, Time-Life International, Nederland, N.V.
Heller, Nancy G., 1987, Women Artists – an Illustrated History, Cross River Press Ltd.
Kaufnam Philip, film by, Henry & June, Universal Pictures presents a Walrus & associates, Ltd. Production
Laurent Monique, 1988, Rodin, Konecky & Konecky, New York
Munro Elanor, 1979 Originals: American Women Artists, Simon and Schuster, A Division of Gulf and Western Corporation, New York
Norman, Dorothy, 1973, Alfred Stiegletz: An American Seer, Appeture, Inc., Millerton, New York
Nuytten Bruno, Film by, 1989, Camille Claudel – The Story of Rodin’s Mistress, based on the biography by Reine-Marie Paris, released by Premium films
Petersen Karen & J.J. Wilson, 1976, Women Artists – Recognition and Reappraisal from the Early Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century, Harper Colophon Books, Harper and Row, Publishers, Hardcover edition published by New York University Press
Rose Phyllis, 1985, Parallel Lives – Five Victorian Marriages, Penguin Books Ltd, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England
Describe the managers functional role in the organization at Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente
Students Name:
Affiliated School;
Date:
The company to be studied is Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States: it is a commercial and Medicare plan based on proper analysis of data in order to come up with the best prevention and treatment plans for their clients.
It was ranked as one of the top 25 best Medicare plans by the NCQA rankings: the ranks are best of client satisfaction and achievement of the initially set goals of the company (News Reporter, 2013). The company is based on a matrix structure of management where is a clearly defined path and chain of command. The resources are centered on the functional managers who have the mandate to ensure that there is smooth running of the company.
Describe the manager’s functional role in the organization. Explain expectations of the role.
The roles of the managers in the company include the following:
To ensure that all activities undertaken are aimed at achieving the company’s set goals and objectives. In this case proper analysis of clients based on the information they offer and their financial status.
Implementing of planned activities to the letter by proper explanation and follow up of the subordinates (Griffin, 2006). This is because the company deals with sensitive matters and there is need to ensure that the decisions made by the governing board are properly implemented.
Planning- this includes the general activities and the day to day activities of the employees. The personnel should be equal to the roles available to avoid overworking and underutilization.
Leadership especially by example is one of the main functions. This is because a leader will determine the character of his team. Diligence and discipline should flow from the top of the hierarchy pyramid all the way down.
Control – this is in terms of the work load and conflicts of interest by the stakeholders of the company. A neutral ground should be established where equality and rules are established, this should be facilitated by the managers of the company.
Evaluate how the manager fulfills the expectations of the role.
Different managers use different approaches to fulfill their expectations: some go strictly by the book while others use a spontaneous law. The management of Kaiser Permanente use a method tailored to the structure, culture and composition of the company at the said time. The following are some of the ways in which they are able to easily fulfill their role as managers.
Employee evaluation- in order to increase output per employee, there is need to evaluate them and determine their strengths and weaknesses so as to properly assign them their duties. They can only be able to perform best where their strengths override their weaknesses.
Proper communication skills- it is important not to just expect the employees to meet expectations but to explain to them the reason as to why they are doing something. This makes them to be more determined and to always ask when they are not sure of the next step (Griffin, 2006).
Positive reinforcement- it acts as an incentive to subordinates. It keeps them motivated and happy while at work.
Research- new technologies are only adopted if they have been fully researched and proven to work and lead to the best results.
Discipline, tenacity and persistence are always good characters of the managers. They ensure that the decisions are implemented regardless of the challenges that are met along the way.
Explore the different types of planning in your assigned reading.
In the company, the following types of planning are embraced:
Financial planning- it sets the amount of money to be used for the required resources and inputs. In other words it is the budget for the company (Karger, 1991).
Physical planning- it states which resources will be used by which department and the expected output. It refers to staffing of employees, allocation of equipments and materials and also includes elimination of inefficiencies.
Perspective planning- it is a long term plan for instance the company hopes to increase in capacity and influence in the market by 23% in the next 8 years (News Reporter, 2013).
Annual planning – this is done yearly to determine the changes that are necessary to promote the influence of the company and the satisfaction of the clients (Karger, 1991).
Planning for inducement- it involves the plan on how to manipulate the factors of production and the market for better plough back to the firm.
Explain what specific planning challenges you think this manager might face on a day-to-day basis. Provide examples.
Ambiguous contingency – this is when unexpected issues arise in a well planned out activity or project. It requires a flexible and fast manager who will easily be able to deal with it without messing the entire project.
Lack of accountability- at times employees especially in a team may make a mistake and no one takes responsibility. Finger pointing in a working environment kills team spirit and wastes time and resources making projects to stall (Karger, 1991).
Indefinite goals- at times employees may feel they are doing the same thing every day and there is no time limit to the activities. Monotony kills motivation and leads to poor performance (Karger, 1991).
Employee conflicts- workmates will always compete against each other and conflict arises, this is the role of the manager to solve it as amicable as possible and ensure work continues well.
Cost effectiveness- all the decisions made have to be cost effective at all times. The manager should not cause the company losses.
Compare these planning challenges to a manager in a similar position of 25 years ago.
Contemporary society has come with improved technology and automation of department making work easier, but this also comes with its own challenges. For instance:
Changes in the labor laws that were not there 25 years ago. For instance currently the new health policies that require all employers to insure their full time employee. An employee who works more than 40 hours in a week is termed as full time. This means the company should ensure that at least 75% of its labor force works less than 40 hours a week in order to be cost effective (Green, 2013). This is a challenge that was not there several years ago.
Ambiguous contingency was not such a big issue 25 years ago. The economy was more stable and the fluctuations were predetermined and known. Currently the country is experiencing a recession and there are limited funds from the government. The economy is unpredictable and it could mean controlling the overhead expenses is not a matter of management skills; it is a matter of economic pressures and forces.
References
Green, A. (2013). Introduction to Health Planning for Developing Health System 2nd Edition, Random House Print
Griffin, W. R. (2006). Principles of Management, Orthodox Print Press, New York
Karger, W. D. (1991). Strategic Planning and Management: The Key to Corporate Success, Oxford University Press, New York
News Reporter, (2013 OCT 10 ). Staff News Editor at Hospital Law Weekly — -Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States has been named the highest-ranked Commercial and Medicare health plan in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.