Islamic marriages in the United Kingdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Islamic marriages in the United Kingdom - Essay Example Marriage is one such key event and the religion impacts and dictates that event as well. This is particularly applicable to Islamic marriages, with all aspects of the union based and dictated by the religion of Islam and its teachings. In United Kingdom (UK) also, Islamic marriages are conducted on those lines, with the marriage or nikah being conducted with or without official registration under UK laws. When the marriage is not registered under UK laws, its validity is questioned, leading to host of problems for the women. With those Islamic marriages being considered null and void under the UK laws, a Muslim man have the dubious advantage of marrying more than once without officially divorcing his wife and also denying his wife various rights and benefits. This paper focusing on the existence of Islamic marriages and the maximal non-registration of those marriages in the United Kingdom, will discuss how those marriages have no official or legal recognitions, thereby leading to man y legal and personal problems for the Muslim women or in particular wives. Arranged marriages are more common in the Islamic religion, and that is visible in the Islamic community in UK as well. The arranged marriages are closely related to the â€Å"closed system† because it kind of helps to preserve the family traditions, rituals and the maintenance of kinship among the relations. Even if a Muslim man and woman decides to get married, without the initiation done by the parents, then also marriage is arranged according to Islamic customs. However, the basic Islamic viewpoint is, Islamic families in UK or in any country has to follow conservative norms regarding the marriage and the resultant evolution of family, thereby avoiding same-sex marriage, living together outside marriage, etc., for them to be constituted as a family. In an Islamic perspective, a family should normally consist of a legally married couple, their children, their parents, other relatives, etc. The empha sis is that a family comes into existence only through two means: blood relationship and importantly Islamic authorized marriage. This is mentioned in the religious texts as well, â€Å"And it is He Who has made man from water: The He has set up relationships of family and marriage: And your Lord is ever All Powerful (over things). [Surah AI Furqaan: 54]1. This focus on marriage being a relationship between an heterosexual man and woman forms a key part of Islamic marriage. Mernissi further validates this by stating, â€Å"The dynamics of shared spaces between the sexes can best be understood by analysing the functioning of the conjugal unit, the only model of heterosexual relationships that Muslim society †¦offers to its children.†2 However, all Islamic marriages are not similar, with the actual wedding ceremonies minimally or maximally differing according to the culture or nationality of the Muslim people involved in it. For example, a Pakistani Muslim wedding could b e different from the Malaysian Muslim wedding in certain aspects. â€Å"Many of the Muslims who marry are from widely different cultures - for example European, Turkish, African, Malaysian, and so on.†3 Another key or even anti-feminine aspect of the Islamic marriage is polygamy, with Muslim men being allowed to marry more than one woman at a time. â€Å"Man may have more than one wife, up to the limit of four wives simultaneously - so long as it is

How Mass Media and Communication Changed Great Britain Over the Last Essay

How Mass Media and Communication Changed Great Britain Over the Last Years - Essay Example Apart from transmitting the culture of a society from one generation to another, the mass media is very important in collecting information on the various aspects of human life like health, education, environment, economics, politics, culture and social changes. They then communicate any changes in these and help in correlating the many parts of the society in regard to changes in the environment. Because of this, mass media has been able to bring lot of transformations in many societies including Great Britain, especially in the last 10 years. Media-mediated/media-enabled changes in Great Britain There has been considerable experience in relation to the value and role played by the mass media and communication systems in Great Britain in health promotion and bringing about changes in health policies. One of the best examples of this is the public smoking ban. Under this ban, no one is allowed to smoke in places that people visit to obtain various goods and services, especially enclo sed places (Bbc.co.uk. 2010 and Opsi.gov.uk. 2010). These include shopping malls, restaurants, bars, any government premise or office among others. Many people agreed with the ideas of Mrs. Hewitt â€Å"not only will we be able to protect non-smokers and the huge majority of pub workers from the harmful effects of smoke. It will also provide smokers with an environment where it's easier to give up" (BBC News 2005, par ). This bill was, therefore, used to encourage the quitting from smoking in Great Britain. Through the use of mass media approaches, organizations dealing with health matters have been able to conduct some social advocacy which has promoted personal education. According to Catford (1995), the mass media are powerful in promoting health and bringing about responsive organizational and personal changes through the promotion of health products and discouraging the use of destructive products, introducing personal health skills and, providing information and advice on hea lthy living. This, in turn, has led to significant changes in personal and group behaviors in regard to issues affecting health. They have also resulted to environmental and organizational changes. Media outlets that have been important in promoting health in Great Britain include newspapers, television, radio, leaflet, posters and books. Mass media reports about the environment have led to a number of changes in regard to the treatment of the environment. Mass communications have played an important role in communicating environmental issues. Among the hot issues in this respect include global warning and pollution. In regard to this, the mass media has provided an important link between politics and formal environmental science, and the realities of how people and their various social, economic and cultural processes experience and interact with their environment. Continually, they report of the ongoing public understanding and action or engagement on with environmental issues lik e international conferences on the environment and their resultant declarations or resolutions (Boykoff 2009). Although the mass media and communication do not determine engagement, they have greatly increased environmental awareness and valuation by the entire Great Britain society. In essence, mass media have enabled the people of Great Britain make sense of the various complexities relating to governance and environmental sci

The Reality of Body Image through Social Media

The Reality of Body Image through Social Media Ahmad El-Zein As a society, people have and continue to look down on others with different perspectives in both positive and negative ways. To this day, social media has affected and changed our way of looking at ourselves or how we look at others. In other words, social media has affected the way we look at body image. Everyone is unique because of their individual, physical traits. Even though we have our opinion on our perfect body, changing ones personal features takes away from their individuality. Social media changes our perception of beauty and body image. It allows us to think of others in a different point of view which may affect how we feel or think about ourselves.   Did you know that the average woman is 54, and weighs one hundred and fifty pounds? The average female model is 511 and weighs one hundred and seventeen pounds (Chojnacki). The average male is 510 and weighs one hundred and eighty-three pounds. The average male model is 62 and weighs one hundred and sixty-five pounds. Eighty percent of women say that women magazines, ads, and television make them insecure (Dam). Forty-two percent of girls from the first through third grade say that they want to be thinner. So how do we think in our right minds that it is appropriate or okay to show Photoshop models as an idolized image of beauty? It is quite mind-boggling and heartbreaking to compare when we see ribs, collarbones on an animal. It is gut wrenching and viewed as abusive, yet when we see it on a male or female, it is described as being beautiful or sexy, and what to strive for and how it is healthy. We are told that men are all needed to have abs and muscles to be attractive. Social media wants us to see the physical attributes of people and not the mental attributes. Once in a blue moon, Seventeen Magazine, Vogue or Vanity Fair will show a pretty, attractive face that needs a little fix here and there, yet the aggressive use of techniques like the other times is disturbing, dont you think? Instagram has a huge affect on body image. Tell me you have not used an Instagram filter that makes you look better before uploading or editing a photo before posting it on other social media websites such as Facebook. It is as same concept yet to a more extreme. As quoted by Professor Susan J Paxton Social media has allowed us to view pictures in magazines and on TV that show thin, attractive women or muscular, lean men have been shown to lead to body dissatisfaction. Now do not run off thinking I am saying models and celebrities are ugly and not beautiful without Photoshop because that is clearly not true. However, what is true is that social media has altered the way we see people, and we define them as either attractive or ugly/hideous. It may influence people to on the wrong path, as in approaching drugs or medicines that may alter the way someone looks in a positive way. The word Beautiful is naturally symmetrical to the eye and is not perfect. Sure people will get bags under at some point, it does not mean their ugly, forty-year-old women can have cellulite in her thighs and still be in shape and does not mean she is ugly. A man can be overweight and not have the perfect model body, but it does not mean he is ugly. What makes a person ugly is how he or she behaves towards themselves, others or to the world. What makes someone beautiful is how they love themselves, others and the world they live in. Accept the fact social media does not give you the truth and accept that you were born with what you have. Dont go comparing yourself to professional models and celebrities. Their main job is to maintain an appearance. They have their connections, recourses and access for expensive treatment, vacations, and designer clothes. Just remember, reality is different to what gets posted through social media. We have to remember that we are all beautiful in our way. You need to get that tape out of your head that is telling you that models and celebrities who consistently post on social media are winning at life. Ladies, the world is not expecting you to be a size DD (Double-D), just be who you are. The world does not expect us, men, to have abs. Just be who you are. The media has created so much of a problem to this day. The downfalls through social media are that people view ugliness as someone with less appealing physical attributes that they may compare to celebrities or models. Getting the specific amount of likes on Instagram or Facebook does not define you on how you look. Success is at your fingertips. Your success is not based on your bra size, or how big your biceps is. It is based on your morals, passions, personality and so much more than just appearance. From now on, dont let social media tell you h ow your body should look. Works Cited Chojnacki, Mary Signe, et al. Influence of Magazines on College-Age Females Body Image. Depleting Body Image, www.ssc.wisc.edu/~jpiliavi/357/body-image.htm.Web Dam, Julie K.L. How Do I Look? Vol. 54 No. 10. PEOPLE.com, Time Inc, 4 Sept. 2000, people.com/archive/cover-story-how-do-i-look-vol-54-no-10/. Web Paxton, Susan J. Social media can damage body image heres how to counteract it. The Conversation, 12 Jan. 2017, theconversation.com/social-media-can-damage-body-image-heres-how-to-counteract-it-65717.

Superdads :: essays research papers

Superdads A long time ago, way back in the 1950's, there was a cold, icy creature known as the "fifties father." He rarely displayed affection, and he hid most of his feelings behind the newspaper. Most of the child-rearing duties were left to mom. We can kiss those days good-bye! In Western cultures there is an increasing number of men who are extremely active in all stages of raising their children. The old "fifties father" is now becoming the "nineties nanny." These modern "superdads", as we call them, have to manage the tough job of raising children and supporting them financially. Men have to fo this without the help of a previous role model in a past generation to model themselves after. Not having a role model makes being a superdad tougher than being a single mom. It leads to the creation of a "superdad syndrome." Superdad syndrome stems from the fact that boys growing up have very little practice at homemaking. Boys who play with dolls are considered weirdos while girls who play with dolls and participate in sports are trained for anything. Men can do a great job raising their children and providing basic needs, support, and love, but a man can never be a mother. A good example of this is Joel Chaken from New York City. He quit his job as an engineer to stay at home with his baby. His wife was an attorney. After a while he felt isolated at home all the time, and ne wanted to join a support group for new mothers who felt the same way. He was kicked out because he was not a mom, he was a superdad. Men need support groups of their own, for fathers. Even though there is an increasing number of dads taking care of their children, the court system rarely gives full custody to fathers. When superdads get custody of their children, they find it very rewarding to get closer to their kids. They also feel a sense of nobility. Many people look at single fathers with greater respect than single mothers. Fathers are seen as "superheroes." One such superhero dad is Rudy Szabo of Cleveland, Ohio. When his wife left, he quit his job as supervisor ar BEK Industries to stay at home

How to integrate computers into the curriculum Essay

Computer technology has become an integral part of every individual’s life. The advent of computers and their explosive use in practically every field has jolted the human race into what experts call the informational revolution (Veneris, 1984). In the current era, information ahs become so important and central to a business, it has occupied its true place as a resource rather than a by product of business operations. With the current society now headed towards what Drucker (n. d.) claims to be the next information revolution, it is only imperative that we train our future generations in this field like we do in any other subject that is considered to be vital by societal standards such as language, mathematics, general science etc. Being a fairly new field of study when compared to other courses of a curriculum, IT and such are constantly changing due to the technological leaps made everyday. A thing invented today becomes obsolete a month later. Skeptics argued that the technological bubble has burst; leaving in its wake many people broke who invested in dot com companies. This might be true but only to the extent where the boom in the jobs market is not as exponential as it used to be. If we look at the new products that come on market shelves every fifteen days or so, it will be proof enough for the fact that technology has never seen a better time than this before. And this creates problems when one tries to incorporate IT in school curricula. It becomes hard for schools to keep up with the ace of technology and many schools fail to fully equip their students with the skill set needed to compete effectively in the new world. Schools usually pose some questions regarding the matter such as: ? Can computer applications help improve student performance in basic skills and other key areas? ? For what specific skill areas, grade levels, and content areas are computer applications most effective? ? Which kinds and levels of students seem to profit most from using computers to learn? ? Which kinds of computer applications are most effective for which skill and content areas? ? Can computer applications improve students’ attitudes toward school, learning, and their abilities to learn? ? Will improved attitudes translate into better performance in school? These are in fact the key points that they should address and try to achieve the answers to when designing their course strategies. Guidelines to consider are: ? Grade and intellectual level of students ? Scope of subject ? Updating with external sources ? Type of instructor (industry experience or not) These are the most important factors that an institution should consider while designing the curriculum. The appropriate software too is important to compliment the overall course structure. The software to be used should be decided upon: ? User friendliness of software ? Degree of specialization ? Subject area (programming, multimedia etc. ) ? Skill level of students The hardware should be one that can support the requirement of the software. For example an application by Adobe such as the Adobe reader requires a minimum of a Pentium 2 but windows XP requires a minimum of a Pentium 3 processor to function. Hardware requirements are usually best when taken from the software vendor. One thing to note is that students should be exposed to as man types of hardware as they would come across in the corporate environment ranging from keyboards, printers to graphics tablets. References: Abernethy K. , T. Kevin, & Piegari G. Assessing the impact of the emerging discipline of information technology on computing curricula: some experiences.Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges. Volume 22 Issue 2. Publisher: Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges. Dreher F. , Cummings M. , & Harris J. (2006). The role of IT policies in the CS/IS curricula. Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges. Volume 22 Issue 2 Publisher: Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges Drucker P. (n. d. ). The Next Information Revolution. ASAP: E-Commerce. Retrieved January 26, 2007, from http://www. versaggi. net/ecommerce/articles/drucker-inforevolt. htm Veneris, Y (1984). The Informational Revolution, Cybernetics and Urban Modeling. PhD Thesis. University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Zhu L. , & Tang C. (2006). A module-based integration of information retrieval into undergraduate curricula. Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, Volume 22 Issue 2 Publisher: Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges.

Nintendo †Creative Product Promotion Essay

When Nintendo release a new console or game, they usually conduct a large marketing product to make their products appeal to the mass market. The first way that Nintendo advertise is through television, they usually have their advertisements shown throughout the day and in the evening in order to try to appeal to the family market because Nintendo’s products are usually targeted towards families and children. Nintendo in their television adverts try to make the view have the desire to buy the product, an example of this could be the initial marketing of the Nintendo Wii where the advertisements on television where an showing how people could become fitter by playing Wii games therefore making people desire the product. Another way that Nintendo used to advertise their products in the UK was through advertisements in newspapers and magazines. They used this form of advertising because it appeals to a wide range of people and also the adverts can be changed to suite the target audience of the magazines. Personal Selling Due to the millions of products they sell it is hard for Nintendo to personally sell their own products face to face, most of their products are either brought from the Nintendo online or brought through retailers. Personal selling is mainly done to customers buying from retail stores from the staff trying to sell customers more accessories. When the retailers were selling the Nintendo Wii the staff had a variety of different statistics given to them by Nintendo to show the customer how good the product is and how it can influence the day to day life of the customer. Sales Promotion When the Nintendo Wii came out Nintendo and some of the major retailers selling the product created competitions giving people the opportunity to win a Nintendo Wii, this then creates a buzz around the product and people become interested in what it is and then decide they would desire the product. Nintendo also used sales promotion in retailers where they funded demo stands where potential customers can use the product to see the benefits and decide whether they would like to buy the product, creating a stand for customers to try products is costly however opens up to a wide range of customers who otherwise may not be interested in the product. Public Relations Nintendo and other large companies that have association with creating video games often release statements, images and information in the media regarding the release of their new products. As I stated before in advertising Nintendo advertises its products in many different ways including Television, newspapers, magazines and various websites online. Direct Marketing Nintendo have a section of their website called â€Å"Club Nintendo†, this is where devoted customers and hear the latest news about Nintendo products and also collect stars which can be exchanged for rewards in the shop. Email newsletters are distributed to members of Club Nintendo telling them about upcoming products or evens, this is a great asset to Nintendo as a company because it allows them to build a solid customer base. Walkers Advertising Walkers main form of advertising is through television, this is because crisps appeal to a very wide group of people which affects almost all demographics. Walkers advertise by using ex footballer and television presenter Gary Lineker, this endorsement attracts attentions because Lineker is a well known celebrity and has a comical acting style within the adverts making them entertaining rather than giving information regarding the product. Another way Walkers advertise is through the press this is very important because it attracts a wide range of audience and does not single out one demographic. Personal Selling Due to the product not being large and expensive enough to make one sale make a big difference, walkers to not focus on personal selling. Walkers mainly concentrate on appealing to the mass market, they do this through mainstream advertising and often get involved in helping fund raising for various charity events such as comic relief and cancer research. Sales Promotion The major way that Walkers do sales promotion is through completions they advertise their competitions on television, press and on the packaging itself. Walkers have a separate website just for completions where customers can view and enter all the competitions. The latest competition that Walkers held gave customers the chance to win ? 50,000 through guessing the flavour of a packet of one of their mystery crisps. When deciding how to advertise this competition Walkers had to make a decision whether to advertise it on television, they saw it worthwhile to advertise on TV because if people saw the product in the supermarket without advertising on they may not know there is a competition so with the advertisement on the television then they will see the â€Å"? † on the packaging and be attacked to that product because they have seen it on television. Public Relations Walkers use public relations such as press interviews and articles when they are introducing an new product or altering a classic. More and more products are being cutinised for being unhealthy for the nation, Walkers have reduced the saturated fat in their products by 50% over the last decade whilst maintain the same taste, this has attracted much attention from the media as they see Walkers are working hard to develop new products that will aid the country to become healthier. Direct Marketing Walkers have a section of their website where customers can sign up and hear about the latest games, news and competitions through e-mail. This gives Walkers the chance to advertise there products cheaply and in greater detail to the people who enjoy the product.