Warsaw A Major Center For Jewish Life - 1028 Words

Before the war, Warsaw was a major centre for Jewish life with a population of more than 350,000 Jews, 30% of the populace. Once it was invaded, on the 1st September 1939, it wasn’t long before preparations started to be made for the anointment of a Jewish ghetto. Warsaw Jews were ordered to wear a white armband with a blue star of David to identify themselves, which was the first step to separating the Jews from the Aryans. The ghetto was officially established on the 12th October 1940, and was cordoned off from the rest of the city to become a 1.3 square mile area surrounded by a 10ft high brick wall. From July 1943, SS and police units carried out mass deportations from the Warsaw ghetto to the Treblinka Killing Centre. As a result of†¦show more content†¦The Warsaw Ghettos were a symbol of the Nazi’s racist ideals in the way that the Jews were completely segregated from any society bar their own. Everything was taken from them, so they had to rebuild and co me together as a formidable community of people, ready to stand together and fight for their right to live as human beings. These were the great symbols of the holocaust. The fact that the Nazi’s made it clear that they wouldn’t live as equal to the Jew; so they were removed. A symbol of Nazi German strength and power, to cast out a race from their major city of occupancy. The ghettos effectively worked to keep the Nazi’s on their powerful pedestals, but also was kind of a bad move on their part. This segregation allowed the Jews to band together and motivate each other, particularly after many of them were deported for Treblinka. The Warsaw ghettos uprising was the Jews major action against the Nazis, allowing them to show the world that their spirits hadn’t been beaten. But, it also worked for the Germans with the effectiveness of the confine. It kept all the Jews in one place which was patrolled and difficult to escape. This made it all the easier to collect the Jews from the ghetto and deport them to the Treblinka extermination centres in the name of the Final Solution, effectively catering to the Holocausts entire purpose of leaving the Aryan race to rule Europe. The ghettos were patrolled at all times

Proc 5820 Operations Management - 1252 Words

As a Compass manufacturing company the organizational chart is very simplified. The positions are depicted down to the manger level. The executive vice president reports directly to the chief executive officer of Firebird Compass Tech. The marketing department manages customer demands. They also generate future sales and manage partnership technology initiatives for future projects within the navigation industry. The operations department manages people, schedules, equipment, technology, materials and information. Planning and scheduling production for each month was determined by operations management. The timing of packaging and delivering was forecasted and pushed through the information process internally to the packaging†¦show more content†¦As the compass progresses along the assembly line, plastic components are snapped together. Some plastic components move through printers, which stamp them with markings such as the company logo, or with scale markings for us e with maps. This could cause the throughput to slow down if defected parts are discovered. The Firebird Manufacturing facility is spread over 130,000 square feet and has a capacity for producing over six million compasses each year. Firebird Compass matches production capability to customer orders. The continuous analysis done weekly on the resources in the plant is compared to meet the demand of the product so our obligations are fulfilled. Firebird employs short term fixes to any imperfections in balance by hiring extra workers during a heavy production cycle, plan a third shift for continuous operations, approve overtime at the worker level and sub-contract if necessary. Production planning at Firebird is a key essential task with complimenting sub tasks requiring the managers input for a successful operation. At Firebird modulating capacity is accomplished by additional overtime and increasing the part time employees hired for the additional production needed. Firebird has the capacity to meet the demands of the compasses that are ordered at frequent peaks during the year. Firebird can achieve this demand with inventory buffers in the supply chain. By keeping an

The Health Care-Based Vulnerability of Elderly Populations

The Health Care-Based Vulnerability of Elderly Populations Megan E. Stratton HCS 531 June 11th, 2012 Dr. Arenz Russell The Health Care-Based Vulnerability of Elderly Populations Vulnerability, or the susceptibility to a form of harm, results from an interaction between the resources available to the elderly and communities and the life challenges they face. Vulnerability results from developmental problems, personal incapacities, disadvantaged social status, inadequate formal health care coverage, inadequacy of interpersonal networks and supports, degraded neighborhoods and environments, and the complex interactions of these factors over the life course (Mechanic, 2012). When researched several types of vulnerable populations†¦show more content†¦As a person ages, theirs body cannot perform the way it used to. This will cause many elderly people to loose their job or choose to go into retirement. Both of these options cause a loss in health care as well and a reduced or exterminated income. Here alone lies a reason that the elderly population is challenged. The elderly population also has a tendency to develop a chronic illness that can be life threatening if not treated or controlled properly. This means that need for health care treatments also increases. At least 40% of those over age 65 will have nutrition-related health problems requiring treatment or management (Gigante, 2012). It is important to realize that 10% of people over the age of 65 and will develop Alzheimer’s disease and 50% of those over the age of 85 will develop this disease (Gigante, 2012). More elderly African American men and women use government aid than white men and women. Therefore, this population will be vulnerable because of the lack of funding, proper health care and insurance. Health Care System Impact As this baby-boomer generation continues to age there will be profound effects on the way that money is spent on health care and insurance. With approximately 77 million people turning 65 over the next several years, the amount of government spending on Medicare will greatly increase (Gigante, 2012). Thus, the demand for medical care associated with the aging population will soShow MoreRelatedThe Elderly as a Vulnerable Population Essay811 Words   |  4 PagesThe Elderly as a Vulnerable Population Lauren M. Lorio NUR/440 April 9, 2012 Maria Mendez The Elderly as a Vulnerable Population Vulnerability is defined as susceptibility or increased risk for health problems (DeChesnay, 2008).   A group of individuals are considered at higher risk for illness when their physical, emotional, psychological, or social health, is compromised (Aday, 2001).   There are many leading causes for why a population is considered at higher risk; socioeconomic, age, genderRead MoreEthics Of Robot Companionship And Elderly Care1081 Words   |  5 PagesEthics of Robot Companionship and Elderly Care 1. The Ethical Issue The elderly population is growing in the United Sates. According to the Department of Health and Human Service, the older population –people aged 65 and over– â€Å"represented 14.1% in the population in the year 2013 and are expected to grow to be 21.7% of the population by 2040† (â€Å"Administration on Aging† 1). And since many adult children live far away from their parents, some people suggests that using robot as companies can easeRead MoreAt Risk vs. Vulnerable Populations1196 Words   |  5 Pagesdifference between a group at risk for poor health and a group considered a vulnerable population? Provide an example of a group at risk and a group considered a vulnerable population. Explain why members of these groups cannot advocate for themselves or why advocating for these groups would be beneficial. What would you advocate for? The notion of groups â€Å"at risk† for poor health differs from vulnerable populations. â€Å"A population at risk is a population with a common identified risk factor orRead MoreEssay On Msk790 Words   |  4 Pagesnon-communication diseases (NCDs) as MSK in aging’s health have widely reported globally. The high prevalence of functional limitation and disability due to MSK has drastically impacted not only on individual health, but also socio-economic costs related to higher health care needs9,75. Crucially, evidence revealed that there exists a certain of MSK–OA, RA, osteoporosis, and musculoskeletal pain as neck pain or low back pain–have significantly affected both on aging’s health and individual’s cost of care9,10,75Read MoreEssay about vulnerable population1581 Words   |  7 Pages Vulnerable populations Despite efforts and goals in the United States to reduce or eliminate disparities in healthcare by 2010, significant disparities, including risk factors, access to healthcare, morbidity, and mortality, continues in vulnerable populations. For example, studies find that Americans living in poverty are much more likely to be in fair or poor health and have disabling conditions, and are less likely to have used manyRead MoreTrust Is Obtainable To The Health Care Staff That Consistently1257 Words   |  6 PagesTrust is obtainable to the health care staff that consistently grounds their thoughts on the well-being of all their patients. It is imperative for health care staff to open their understanding to minorities in regard to cultural differences and the deterrents aiding their distrust of medical staff. Moreover, the collaborative effort of the United States (U.S.) healthcare system that helped improve and hindered the growth of trust between the minorities and health car e staff. Understanding everyRead MoreLife Of Retirement And A Healthy Social Status1045 Words   |  5 Pagesthe consequences are that the numbers in population are leading to dramatic changes in economy. With a population comes aging, which is now facing us(future generations included) with long-term economic consequences. Much is being discussed and reviewed over the demographic difference caused by the aging of the baby boomers generation defined as those born between 1946 and 1964. Over the next few years, the increasing population of seniors and elderly people will impact our economy and it willRead MoreEssay on Health Disparities of elderly population1379 Words   |  6 Pagesilluminate and discuss healthcare vulnerabilities of the elderly rural population in Baker County, Florida and describe how the nursing profession can address these problems. Rural health has been a complex and multifaceted challenge for government and healthcare practitioners. The elderly who live a lone in the county suffer from low socioeconomic status, low health literacy rates, declining cognitive and physical health and lack of healthcare facilities. The health status of this vulnerable groupRead MoreNursing Shortage And Its Effects On Health Care Policy877 Words   |  4 Pagesincreasing numbers of populations are driving the shortage as well. The demands means the amounts of high quality of care driven by the registered nurse in there positions that the organizations willing to attain at the given value. Moreover, the supply is the amount of good services nurses provides in their care. Registered nurses are growing at a minimum rate; however, large numbers of nurses are anticipated to retire soon. In addition, nursing shortage directly impacts health care policy in many waysRead MoreChallenges of Caring for Elderly Patients1839 Words   |  7 Pagesbaby boomers goes into the older adult phase, the number of elderly individuals requiring medical services will certainly magnify (Topaz, Maxim Doron, 2013). Older patients who come to the emergency department usually have more complicated conditions than younger patients. The older persons typically have multiple co-existing diseases, take different medications and present with atypical symptoms (Peters, 2010). The management of elderly patients is further complicated by numerous aging-related changes

A Brief Note On Diabetic Ketoacidosis And Diabetes

Diabetic Ketoacidosis, also known as DKA or Diabetic acidosis, is an acute, major, and potentially life-threatening complication in people with diabetes. It can also lead to diabetic coma or even death if a person passed out for a long time. It happens more commonly in people with type I diabetes, aka diabetes insipidus, but it can also occur in people with type II diabetes, aka diabetes mellitus. It is also more common in African, African-American, and Hispanic people. Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs in 4.6-8.0 per 1000 people with type I diabetes annually. It occurs when your body has too much levels of blood acids called ketones. High level of ketones can poison the human body. The condition develops when a body is unable to get the sugar the body needs because the it is not producing enough insulin. Insulin plays a vital part in the metabolism of the body, it helps glucose enter the cells. If the body does not have sufficient insulin, the body starts to break down fats and muscles a s fuel instead. This can lead to a buildup of ketones in the bloodstream, causing chemical imbalance called diabetic ketoacidosis if left untreated. Diabetic ketoacidosis is sometimes the first sign of type 1 diabetes in people who have never been diagnosed before. For people who have already been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, a serious illness, surgery, infection, or not using insulin the proper way can lead to DKA. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a medical emergency that needs to be addressedShow MoreRelatedA Brief Note On Diabetic Ketoacidosis : A Potentially Life Threatening Complication Found Patient Who Have Diabetes Mellitus1036 Words   |  5 PagesReflection Paper: DKA Simulation Pathophysiology Diabetic ketoacidosis is a potentially life threatening complication found patient who have diabetes mellitus.. Most often DKA, is the first presenting symptom in undiagnosed diabetics, illness in diabetics, and/or poor compliance with insulin therapy. Diabetic Ketoacidosis Is an event marked by shortage of insulin production, thus the body breaks down fat into ketone bodies to compensate for needed energy production. The lack of insulin is compensatedRead MoreA Brief Note On The Current Evidence Based Practices1891 Words   |  8 PagesDiabetes in Dentistry: a review of the current evidence based practices Introduction Diabetes is one of the most common conditions that dental clinicians may come across in their patients. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 4% of Australians have diabetes, that is around 999,000 people or 1 in 25 people who you would treat in the dental practice(http://www.aihw.gov.au/diabetes/). Furthermore an estimated 280 Australians develop diabetes every day with it being the fastestRead MoreHigh Fidelity Patient Simulation For Nursing Education6315 Words   |  26 PagesLam-McCulloch, J. (2006). Applying theory to practice in undergraduate education using high fidelity simulation. Medical Teacher, 28(1), 10-15. National League for Nursing (2007). Simulation in nursing education: sample evaluations. Nightingale, F. (1992). Notes on nursing: What it is, and what it is not. Philadelphia: Lippincott. Laerdal Medical Corporation (2009). Laderal Course Manual: Introduction to VitalSim. Retrieved from: www.laerdal.com Oermann, M. H. (2008). Clinical nursing education. New York:Read MoreUnderstand how health and safety legislation is implemented in the health and social care workplace1565 Words   |  7 PagesMid-Staffordshire can ensure individual are central to the Trust. (Task 2 3) To achieve D2, you will demonstrate the ability to research and study independently. (Task 1,2,3) D3 demonstrate convergent/lateral and creative thinking 3 Assignment Brief Unit Number and title Qualification Unit 3: Health and Safety in the Health and Social Care workplace Pearson BTEC Level 4 HND Diploma in Health and Social Care Start Date 27/01/2014 Deadline 18/04/2014 Assessor Christine Pratt Assignment titleRead MorePathogram: Chronic Respiratory Failure Essays7624 Words   |  31 PagesCare |Assessment |Medical/Nursing Diagnoses |Treatment | |Brief review of the patient |Medical Diagnoses: |Therapeutic Modalities | |Age: 86 years old Read MoreCommunity Health Nursing Final Exam Study Guide Essay15874 Words   |  64 Pagesthey seek health care services? (pg. 425, Effects of Homeless on Health) Health care is usually crisis oriented and sought in emergency departments. Those who access health care have a hard time following prescribed regimens. Insulin-dependent diabetic man who lives on the street may sleep in a shelter. His ability to get adequate rest, exercise, take insulin on a schedule, eat regular meals, or follow a prescribed diet is virtually impossible. How does someone purchase an antibiotic without money

Shoeless Joe Question Session Free Essays

In today’s water cooler report about the novel Shoeless Joe, a lot of interesting questions were asked. One of the questions that was asked was how has baseball changed since Shoeless Joe’s day? Do you like the changes? As the discussion started, Jay said â€Å"there are more drugs in baseball now days than in Shoeless Joe’s time. † Everyone agreed with Jay. We will write a custom essay sample on Shoeless Joe Question Session or any similar topic only for you Order Now Dhiren said that the player’s salary is a lot more, â€Å"like in the millions†. Pravena said that the baseball games were in the night. However, I disagree of that statement because in the book it clearly states that there were lights for the night games. Another question that was raised about in out discussion which asked should Ray have told his father that he was his son? Would you want to know your fortune? Would you ever tell someone their fortune? It was clear that everyone agreed with Jay’s statement which was â€Å"If you mess with the past, you change your present and future, if you mess with you future, you change your present. † For the next question about if Ray should have told his father that he was his son, Dhiren said that he just shouldn’t mess with the past. Everyone else agreed. Dhiren and I said no to the question â€Å"would you want to know your fortune† , while Pravena and Jay say that they do want to know what their fortune is because they want to know if they will live or die and have a good job or not. For the final question we all said that we would only tell someone of their fortune if it was the matter of life and death, otherwise we would just keep it to ourselves. Another question which was softly touched was the discussion about was the one which asked about whose dreams have been fulfilled in the novel? And what is your own dream? When this question arose , I jumped to my feet and I started to say things like flying, running really fast, super strength, heat vision, etc. As I said my list of dreams, everyone else said their own. Overall, the group agreed with each other that almost all the character in the novel got their dreams fulfilled. In general, out group participated and put in their own inputs when needed. Yet, I believe that Dhiren and Jay interacted the most, as a final point, the water cooler helped out group understand the story and meanings better. How to cite Shoeless Joe Question Session, Papers

Half moral and half amoral Essay Example For Students

Half moral and half amoral Essay Utterson takes a visit to Dr. Jekylls and finds him in his laboratory looking extremely ill. To cover up the fact that he and Hyde are linked, Jekyll says that Hyde has left and shall never be seen again I swear to God Ill never set eyes on him again. Dr. Jekyll says this because he thinks he can control Hyde and that he will never be him again but thats not true. It is a struggle for him. To back up this, Jekyll shows Utterson a letter from Hyde stating that he has means of escape. On his way out, Utterson runs into Poole and asks him to describe the man who delivered the letter; Poole, taken aback, claims to have no knowledge of any letters being delivered other than the usual mail. He then, talks to his friend, Mr. Guest who is an expert at handwriting and he claims that it is like Dr. Jekylls. Utterson is shocked that Jekyll forged a letter for a murderer Henry Jekyll forge for a murderer! And his blood ran cold in his veins. This is when Utterson starts to feel more concern for Jekyll and his acquaintance. Although Utterson does not like this, he, like many of the Upper-class, tries to avoid the truth and makes excuses for it and does not tell anybody what he knows. This is when the reader starts to believe that something is going on and that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde may have quite a few things in common. As time went on, there was no sight of Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll was starting to get back to his healthier, normal self. This links in very well with the fact that Hyde and Jekyll were with each other. Jekyll started having dinner parties again which both Utterson and Lanyon attend. A few days later however, Utterson goes to visit Jekyll and Poole tells him that The doctor is confined to the house. This means that something is wrong with Jekyll and that he is getting back to being unwell again. This repeats and Utterson goes to Lanyon to see if he can learn the reason why Jekyll will not be seen. He goes to find that Lanyon looks incredibly ill and that he has had a great shock and expects to die soon. Well, life has been pleasant; I liked it; yes, sir, I used to like it. When Utterson mentions that Jekyll also seems ill, Lanyon asks to talk of anything but Jekyll. To him, Jekyll was dead. I am quite done with that person; and I beg that you will spare me any allusion to one whom I regard as dead. He, then, tells him that Utterson will find out after Lanyon is dead and that the letter should not be read under strict conditions until he dies. This means that there is something about Jekyll that is so shocking, it could kill a person. Utterson and Enfield go on their Sunday walks again and Enfield remarks on the door that Hyde entered to get the cheque. He mentions that he learned that the door is a back entrance to Jekylls laboratory. They see Jekyll at a window and he seems to be alright and they talk. After a little while of talking, Jekyll suddenly looks very ill and turns away from the window, distancing himself from them. The window is a symbol in the book. You cant hide behind a window because there is glass in it and people can see straight through. So, even though you think that youre hiding behind something, people can see behind it and see the real you. This chapter is very similar to a chapter in The Man with the Twisted Lip which was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. There is an incident at a window where one character pretends to be a beggar but really he is Upper-class but because he was bankrupt, he was making more money as the beggar. He is at a window as the beggar when he sees his wife and screams. She looks up and notices the clothes that he is wearing, and then he disappears suddenly. .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a , .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a .postImageUrl , .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a , .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a:hover , .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a:visited , .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a:active { border:0!important; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a:active , .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u22d62a130993fd3b94e0e9e87a999c2a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Romeo and Juliet: What is the dramatic significance of Act 3, Scene 1? EssayThe window was open, and she distinctly saw his face, which she describes as being terribly agitated. He waved his hands frantically to her, and then vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. One singular point which struck her quick feminine eye was that although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town in, he had on neither collar nor necktie. Near to the end, Utterson has a visit from Poole who is at breaking point. He tells Utterson that he is afraid of foul play and asks Utterson to come with him. The weather reflects the emotions of the characters It was a wild, cold, seasonable night of March It has a chilling atmosphere which is what the characters felt like, with bitter wind to make things worse. Utterson and Poole call to Jekyll in his laboratory but a different voice calls back. This is where the link between Jekyll and Hyde is made. Utterson and Poole break into the laboratory where they find the twitching body of Mr. Hyde who had killed himself and that means, if he killed Hyde, hes killed Jekyll. Utterson reads Lanyons letter, which explains about Hyde and Jekyll and then he reads Jekylls full statement of the case. From here, all the mysteries of the novel unravel themselves. All the events that seem unclear are now explained. With Jekylls confession everything falls into place. Jekylls meditations on the dual nature of man, which prompt his forays into the experiments that bring forth Hyde, point to the novels central question about the nature of the relationship between the good and evil portions of the human soul. Jekyll summarizes his thoughts on human duality in the statement It was on the moral side, and in my own person, that I learned to recognise the thorough and primitive duality of man; I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both; and from an early date . . . I had learned to dwell with pleasure, as a beloved daydream, on the thought of the separation of these elements. By this Jekyll means that humans are half virtuous and half criminal, half moral and half amoral. Hyde is smaller and younger than Jekyll which could mean that the evil part of Jekyll is less developed than the good part. Hydes physical strength, however, may suggest the opposite. Evil can have a superior power. Stevenson suggests the immensity of humanitys bad impulses which conscience can barely hold. I think that in the end, the point of Jekyll and Hydes sins were not as important as Stevensons point that the lure of darkness is a huge part of human nature. In a way, everyone is a bit like Jekyll, all trying to keep the Hyde in them under control and to not allow it to escape.

Marriage Divorce Cohabitation free essay sample

Examine the reasons for the changes in the patterns of marriage, cohabitation and divorce in the last 30 years. In the last 30 years, the British society has experienced many changes affecting the family. There have been changes in attitudes to and expectations of family life, as well as official changes such as government legislation. Society has been affected by feminism, which has led to increased awareness of women’s rights and freedoms, as well as postmodernism and secularisation. The changes resulting have affected marriage rates, which are decreasing, and more people are now marrying later in life and more than once. More people are choosing to cohabit, either before or instead of marrying, and this is becoming increasingly common in young couples. Divorce rates have also increased in the last 30 years, following changes in legislation and attitudes. As society’s view of a ‘conventional family’ has changed over the last 30 years, the acceptable norms have widened. In the past, an unmarried woman would be looked down on, as it was expected that women would marry and invest their time in raising a family. If they didn’t, it could be presumed that could they couldn’t find a willing partner, or that there was something wrong with them. Although 95. 1% of British women still marry before they are 49, it has become more acceptable to choose not to get married, and rather than being looked down on, single women are more likely to be viewed as strong, focussed, and independent. This means there is less pressure on couples to marry quickly, and so has also affected the rise in cohabitation. Society no longer views marriage as the only definition of a serious relationship, and this has given credibility to couples choosing to cohabit instead. 0 years ago, living together outside of marriage was rare, but cohabitation can now be seen as an acceptable alternative to marriage. This is partly because changing attitudes to sexual relationships mean that sex is no longer seen as only legitimate within marriage, and far fewer members of younger generations consider cohabiting morally wrong. Many people now view the legal contract of marriage as far less important than the relationship, so the relationship of a cohabiting couple is regarded as just as valid as a married couple. Divorce rates have also increased as a result of changing social attitudes. While in the past, there was a lot of stigma attached to divorce, it is now considered far more acceptable and ‘normal’. The attitude to marriage has changed from it being a lifelong contract to a serious relationship, and it is far more acceptable for a relationship to end than a contract to be broken, so divorce becomes more acceptable, and more people feel able to end a relationship in which they are not happy. Since the second wave of feminism started in the 1960s, feminist views have been increasingly impacting our society’s values, and the patterns of family life. Feminists believe in the independence of women, both socially and financially, and view marriage as oppressive to women due to male domination within marriage. They reject the idea that women should find fulfilment in homemaking and childbearing, and so welcome the decline of marriage, and the increase in cohabitation. They would argue that women should have the freedom to choose whether to and when to marry, cohabit or divorce, raise children alone or with a partner, depending on their personal feelings. This has impacted of society’s view of acceptable behaviour, and encouraged more women to focus on a career rather than marriage or a family, which has decreased the marriage rate. Feminist views encourage laws making divorce easier, because it means there is more freedom for women to leave violent, oppressive or abuse relationships. Marxist-Feminists also go as far as linking gender inequality to class inequality, and so would say that the falling rates of marriage and rising rates of divorce are signals of society in general becoming less controlled by capitalist men. Feminists say that as women take on a more equal role in society, they are able to support themselves financially, and so can afford to be free from male oppression by either being single or cohabiting without having to rely on a man for financial support. When laws relating to marriage and divorce have changed in the last 30 years, they have both helped to shape and influence social attitudes, and also reflected the changes in attitudes that have taken place. The Civil Partnerships Act in 2004 enabled people of the same sex to enter in to a civil partnership, or gay marriage. This has meant that the concept of marriage has been widened beyond previous definition, and provides another option for people who may otherwise have felt forced in to a heterosexual marriage in order to conform to societies expectations. This could have an impact on patterns of heterosexual marriage because people no longer feel they need to fit a certain mould, because the law has changed to be more inclusive. Legislation has also made divorce a lot easier than before and more of an option for many people. In 1984, the law said that rather than being married for 3 years before a couple were allowed to divorce, the time was reduced to one year. The Family Law Act in 1996 said that there did not have to be any fault involved with divorce for it to be done quickly and promoting mediation to make the process easier. This turned the idea of divorce from being that of a failed marriage, and the result of someone’s mistakes or failures, to be being just another part of normal life, an acceptable next step after being married for a while. The decline of religion in the UK has particularly impacted patterns of cohabitation and divorce. As the country as becomes increasingly secular, values that are traditionally associated with religion are declining. As many people, particularly younger generations, no longer consider sex outside of marriage sinful, they are far less likely to take that in to consideration when deciding to cohabit. The Church has also traditionally been supportive of marriage, and now that the Church has less and less influence over society’s values, marriage could be seen to be declining in value too. Most religions uphold the value of marriage and therefore condemn divorce, so in the past religious couples have been keen to stay together if at all possible to avoid divorce. The decline of religious influence in the UK has meant that divorce rates have increased because people are less likely to consider religious views when making these decisions. There has also been an increase over the last 30 years in the variety of different faith influences in the UK, as society has become more multicultural. This has lead to an increase in marriages where partners have different faiths, or one partner has no faith. This can lead to difficulties such as which faith to raise the children with, different family values and different expectations of marriage, which all cause conflict. There can also be pressure from the families who may not agree with the marriage. Consequently, divorce is more likely in inter-faith marriages, and this has helped increase the overall divorce rate. Postmodernism can also help to explain trends in marriage, divorce and cohabitation in the last 30 years. Postmodernist ideas say that choice for every individual is the most important thing, and puts personal freedom and satisfaction above all else. This means that there is no right or ideal way to have a relationship or raise a family, so people are free to live however is most convenient for them, which may include cohabitation rather than marriage. Postmodernist views also say that our identity is no longer defined by our family background, and instead centres on material possessions and consumerism, which means families are less important to who we are. This could mean that people are less inclined to see marriage as a vital part of adulthood and so choose cohabitation because it is more flexible, or to remain single. The emphasis on self-fulfilment means that people see less need to make a commitment to anything outside of themselves, from party politics to relationships, meaning that marriage rates have suffered. Putting the priority on the individual also means that if a person does not feel fulfilled by their partner, they should be completely free to leave and find a new one, which would explain the rise in divorce rates. However, postmodernism has come under criticism for exaggerating many of the changes it attempts to explain, for example the decline of family as a source of identity. Social Action theorists for example say that identity is still formed by the family, which first teaches us how to interact with others. Critics say that while society is clearly changing, and this is evident in the patterns of marriage, cohabitation and divorce amongst other things, other sociological theories used in the past to explain these trends such as Marxism and Feminism cannot simply be disregarded. British society’s understanding of the form and function of a family has been changing over the last 30 years, and this has been shown in the rates of marriage falling, divorce and remarriage increasing, and cohabitation becoming a more popular lifestyle choice. Society’s values have been affected by a greater emphasis on individualism and personal fulfilment, as opposed to the traditional values of the Church, which have had more of a role in defining the family in the past. There has been an increase in awareness of equality issues too, particularly with the rise of feminism and gay rights, which have lead to changes in the law such as the Civil Partnerships Act, and legislation to increase ease of divorce. Various sociological theories have attempted to explain these changes, particularly postmodernism, but the fact that 95. 1% of British women still choose to marry before the age of 49 shows that while our views on marriage and family life becoming more flexible, they still remain an important part of our society.