Human Capital and Development in Nigeria

Human Capital and Development in Nigeria Development all around the world is related to the economy. The economy is in part a social system of production, exchange, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of a country. People produce, distribute and consume goods and services and as such they need to be skillful, well experienced and be in good condition physically and mentally (Human Capital) in order for the economy to develop and prosper. Human Capital development especially through Health care and Education are primary factors needed for each and every individual in a society to function well and be able to reach his/her full potentials, increasing overall productivity and thus development. Nigeria, a country with a teeming population of about 140 million constitutes a huge economy in which each and every individual matters in the development process. Every individual contributes one way or the other to the GDP and thus to development. A high level of Education in Nigeria will lead to high levels of income and savings thereby increasing investment and thus productivity. On the other hand, a low level of Education in Nigeria will lead to low levels of income, savings and investments which will eventually translate to reduced productivity. Also, a country with a high level of disease will have a low level of development unlike a country with a low level of disease which will have a far better level of development. This is because an unhealthy person will not be able to work to full capacity which will reduce overall productivity and thus GDP. Nigeria also is a democratic country, where the government is formed by the people and for the people. Without Education to some certain extent, the people that will form the government will make wrong choices and thus the whole government will always be inefficient and ineffective. Nigerias economy is already suffering from misallocation of resources, corruption, embezzlement and unethical leadership over the years. Essential issues that affect the lives of people and the economy are being dealt with by inefficient governments; Issues concerning the tradeoff between efficiency and equity in the production of social services, health care, education, clean drinking water and infrastructure. Also, government offices are filled with the wrong people (structural problems) leading to further inefficiencies which affects the peoples ability to enhance themselves both physically and mentally for a better Nigeria. Section 2 after the Introduction of the paper will cover the Literature Review. Section 3 will be Human Capital and Development Indicators. Section 4 of the paper will cover Nigerias Human Capital and Development. Section 5 will cover Empirical Investigation on the impact of Human Capital on Economic Development in Nigeria. Section 6 will cover recommendations and Conclusions. 2. Literature Review The literature of human capital and development in Nigeria is mainly centred on the emphasis of factors that constitute human capital and affect development e.g. education, health, social services and enabling environment. A definition of human capital in the work of Ogujuiba and Adeniyi (2005) state that; anything contributing to the improvement of human productivity, stimulate resourcefulness and enhance human dignity and overall quality of human life while refining attitudes, is an essential part of the human capital of any nation. These will include four important aspects namely the education system, health services, social services and good governance. Any improvement of these four important aspects will eventually lead to development. Akingbade (2008) asserts that; for any nation to have economic development within and outside its borders, it has to cater for its citizens via human capital development. Under achievement of human capital development in a country leads to underde velopment of such country via failure to meet national objectives and lack of optimization of available potentials and resources. Poor human capital leads to hunger, poverty, disease, brain-drain, optical flight, huge debts, political instability etc thereby hampering the development process. There is a positive relationship between human capital and development. As more and more efforts are made to increase the value of human capital of a society, the more the development level of that society. The more a nation has knowledgeable, skilled and resourceful individuals, the more the national growth and development of that nation. The human capital status of a nation will directly influence and positively correlate with economic and social indicators such as gross domestic product, income per capita, balance of trade, life expectancy, literacy rate, level of industrialization and the quality of infrastructural provisions. It can also have great impact on political stability, national peace and harmony as well as the prevailing ethos. (Ogujuiba and Adeniyi, 2005). One of the factors that constitute human capital and affect development is education. Increase in the level of quality education of Nigerian citizens will increase productivity and hence development. Lucas (1988) includes human capital as an additional input in the production of goods, while retaining the other features of the neoclassical growth model. In the model, the labour force can accumulate human capital, which is then used together with physical capital to generate the output of the economy. In one version of the model, human capital is acquired through time spent in an (non-productive) educational process, introducing a trade-off for workers between employing time to produce output and using it to gain further human capital that will increase their marginal productivity when working in subsequent periods. In another version of the model, human capital is gained by the workers through on-the-job training, and so the time employed working increases their productivity later on . A recent research on the impact of human capital on economic development carried out by Ogujuiba and Adeniyi shows a more robust result using data from the Central Bank of Nigeria annual report 1970 2003. Their findings were that education level indicated via primary to tertiary education enrolment in Nigeria has a positive impact on Nigerias economic development. Even though the relationship between economic development and tertiary education enrolment is positive, it is also found to be weak. This is probably associated to the decay in most of the tertiary institutions, persistent strikes and disruption of academic activities, inadequate funding and weak infrastructure in the educational sector of Nigeria. Becker (1992) provides the most direct link between education and economic growth: lower fertility provides an opportunity to increase human capital, which in turn helps sustain lower fertility. The more educated the parents are, the more likely they go for smaller families because not only do they have a higher opportunity cost of time, but also they can teach their children more effectively. High levels of human capital cause low fertility and high investment in human capital. Other factors that constitute human capital and affect development are health services, social services and good governance. Health services include all the necessary need of a citizen when he/she is ill. Health services can be reflected by several indicators such as life expectancy and infant mortality. Barro and Sala-i-Martin (1995, Ch.12), among many others, have also included life expectancy and infant mortality in the growth regressions as a proxy of tangible human capital, complementing the intangible human capital measures derived from school inputs or cognitive tests considered; their finding is that life expectancy has a strong, positive relation with growth. This means that Health services which help an individual to operate at his/her full capacity increases overall productivity and hence growth and development. When there is good governance, there will be social services and also, human capital will be increased thereby leading to development. But Nigeria, a country that relies only on oil revenues lacks good governance. Barton (2003) points out that due to lack of good governance in Nigeria, expenditure outstripped revenue, large internal budget deficits mounted and grandiose external debts appeared. He also added that a general lack of accountability and transparency, two critical factors for maintaining good governance was lacking in Nigeria. These problems also eroded overall credibility and drastically undermined investor confidence. Nigerias international image is rather poor. In a credit-risk rating published in the Economist in1994, Nigeria was ranked third to last, after Iraq and Russia (The Economist, 1994). In view of our topic, the literature has been focused mainly on the relationship that runs from human capital to development. In my own view, the relationship can also run from development to human capital. For example, Nigeria with its abundant natural resources can enjoy economic development via international trade gains. Nigeria in collaboration with multinational corporations can exploit its natural resources and sell to the world market. These gains from the global market can be channelled to various sectors of the economy thus enhancing growth and development. But all this will be possible if and only if there is good governance in Nigeria which will allocate resources efficiently, implement the right policies and lead the various sectors of the economy in the right direction. With these gains to trade, which lead to development, human capital can be revisited to enhance greater development. On the other hand also, high levels of human capital can increase revenues via increasi ng output and attracting foreign direct investments. For example the case of India; where their governments have spent a lot on their people to attain Information Technology know-how which attracts companies in the United States to outsource some of their IT work from India. Nigeria is a country with a high population thus with a high human capital potential. With the necessary governance and commitment, Nigeria can be rich in human capital thereby leading to its development. 3. Human Capital and Development Indicator Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) provides a composite measure of three dimensions of human development: living a long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy), being educated (measured by adult literacy and enrolment at the primary, secondary and tertiary level) and having a decent standard of living (measured by purchasing power parity, PPP, income). All these factors affect the output level of a country. According to the 2007/2008 human development Report, Iceland is ranked 1st while Sierra Leone is ranked 177th in the 2005 human development Index. The HDI for Nigeria is 0.470, which gives the country a rank of 158th out of 177 countries. This clearly shows that Iceland is more developed than Nigeria because of the difference in human capital. Table 1 below shows Nigerias Human development index for 2005. Table 1: Nigerias human development index 2005 HDI value Life expectancy at birth (years) Adult literacy rate (% ages 15 and older) Combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio (%) GDP per capita (PPP US$) 1. Iceland (0.968) 1. Japan (82.3) 1. Georgia (100.0) 1. Australia (113.0) 1. Luxembourg (60,228) 156. Senegal (0.499) 163. Botswana (48.1) 102. Algeria (69.9) 136. Nepal (58.1) 158. Rwanda (1,206) 157. Eritrea (0.483) 164. CÃ ´te dIvoire (47.4) 103. Tanzania (United Republic of) (69.4) 137. Equatorial Guinea (58.1) 159. Benin (1,141) 158. Nigeria (0.470) 165. Nigeria (46.5) 104. Nigeria (69.1) 138. Nigeria (56.2) 160. Nigeria (1,128) 159. Tanzania (United Republic of) (0.467) 166. Malawi (46.3) 105. Guatemala (69.1) 139. Bangladesh (56.0) 161. Eritrea (1,109) 160. Guinea (0.456) 167. Guinea-Bissau (45.8) 106. Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (68.7) 140. Yemen (55.2) 162. Ethiopia (1,055) 177. Sierra Leone (0.336) 177. Zambia (40.5) 139. Burkina Faso (23.6) 172. Niger (22.7) 174. Malawi (667) Source: UNDP Human Development Index Trends The human development index trends tell an important story of how human development changes over time. Since the mid-1970s almost all regions have been progressively increasing their HDI score (Figure 2). East Asia and South Asia have accelerated progress since 1990. Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), following a catastrophic decline in the first half of the 1990s, has also recovered to the level before the reversal. The major exception is sub-Saharan Africa. Since 1990 it has stagnated, partly because of economic reversal but principally because of the catastrophic effect of HIV/AIDS on life expectancy. Figure 2: Trends Nigerias human development growth is slow compared to other regions in the world and this also translates to slow development. This is possibly due to factors that hinder the three dimensions that the HDI captures (life expectancy, adult literacy and enrolment at the primary, secondary and tertiary level and purchasing power parity, PPP, income). Factors may include: high level of diseases, poor health services, misallocation of resources, bad governance, poor infrastructure, and poor educational systems. 4. Nigerias Human Capital and Development Nigeria, a country with a teeming population of over 140 million people with an oil dependent economy has had a declining average economic growth over the years. This is in part due to poor human capital. Several sectors of the Nigerian economy have suffered immensely due to poor human capital. Poor human capital has its devastating effect on the development of any economy. Low income, hunger, poverty, disease, brain-drain, optical flight, huge debts and political instability are all the ramifications of poor human capital. Nigerias high population does not indicate high human capital value because only a few people are opportune to have quality education, health services and other human development services. The value of the human capital asset of a nation is a function of quantity, quality as well as the operating environment (Akingbade, 2008). High population only indicates high potential for human capital development. When substantial inputs and efforts are made to elevate these potentials that is when high population translate to high human capital value. Among the inputs are; a good educational system, good health systems and a conducive operating environment. Nigeria lacks both inputs and efforts needed to elevate its high human capital potentials. For instance, Nigeria is far more endowed in mineral resources and human population than Japan, Sweden or Singapore; yet it comes nowhere near these countries in technological advancement and in economic and social development. What makes the differenc e is human capital, its development, effective engagement and utilization. (Akingbade, 2008). In terms of the educational systems of Nigeria, there are a lot of government owned primary and secondary schools. Also, there are a lot of Universities in Nigeria but the problem is the amount of resources invested in these areas is insufficient. Due to the few resources allocated to the educational sector, quality education becomes difficult to attain. As Nigerias population increase in a geometrical ratio, the resources allocated to education is increasing slowly or sometimes decreasing. This misallocation of resources results to a lot of pressure on existing infrastructure leading to depreciation. Huge quantities of people pass out from primary, secondary schools and the Universities with little or no knowledge and no jobs to do. The masses in Nigeria are the ones mostly deprived of quality education and health services. Due to the deprivation of quality education, there are low incomes and wages. These low incomes and wages drive away already existing persons with high human cap ital to foreign countries in search of a better pasture (brain drain). This brain drain leads to insufficient professionals in Nigeria causing overall productivity to fall. The country is left with a lot of people with little or no useful knowledge in terms of increasing overall productivity. It is in the midst of all this that people are meant to elect a leader they dont know about. The masses deprived of quality education dont know their rights, the constitution, and other related matters that affect their social well being now and in the near future. Inefficient and ineffective leaders are put in place to continue misallocating resources thereby worsening the situation. More masses become poor and thus reduce the overall productivity of Nigeria. Another part of the problem is poor or inadequate health facilities, infrastructure and professionals. The existing health facilities and infrastructure cannot cater for the teeming population and hence a lot of people are deprived quality health care. Due to inadequate health facilities, a lot of people die from diseases that are curable thereby reducing Nigerias high human capital development potential. Also, due to low incomes and wages explained earlier, Nigerian doctors, nurses and health officers migrate to developed countries for a better life. These inadequacies in health facilities, infrastructure and professionals undermine the health sector and hence lead to reduced overall productivity of the nation. The Human Poverty Index (HPI-1) measures severe deprivation in health by the proportion of people who are not expected to survive age 40. Education is measured by the adult illiteracy rate. And a decent standard of living is measured by the unweighted average of people without access to an improved water source and the proportion of children under age 5 who are underweight for their age. The Human Poverty Index (HPI-1) value for Nigeria is 37.3 which rank Nigeria 80th among 108 developing countries. Table 2 shows the values for these variables for Nigeria and compares them to other countries. Table 2: Selected indicators of human poverty for Nigeria Human Poverty Index (HPI-1) 2004 Probability of not surviving past age 40 (%) 2004 Adult illiteracy rate (%ages 15 and older) 2004 People without access to an improved water source (%)2004 Children underweight for age (% ages 0-5) 2004 1. Barbados (3.0) 1. Iceland (1.4) 1. Estonia (0.2) 1. Thailand (1) 1. Czech Republic (1) 78. Rwanda (36.5) 158. Uganda (38.5) 127. Algeria (30.1) 114. Mali (50) 108. Philippines (28) 79. Malawi (36.7) 159. CÃ ´te dIvoire (38.6) 128. Tanzania (United Republic of) (30.6) 115. Guinea (50) 109. Indonesia (28) 80. Nigeria (37.3) 160. Nigeria (39.0) 129. Nigeria (30.9) 116. Nigeria (52) 110. Nigeria (29) 81. Burundi (37.6) 161. Guinea-Bissau (40.5) 130. Guatemala (30.9) 117. Fiji (53) 111. Sri Lanka (29) 82. Yemen (38.0) 162. Congo (Democratic Republic of the) (41.1) 131. Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (31.3) 118. Congo (Democratic Republic of the) (54) 112. Maldives (30) 108. Chad (56.9) 173. Zimbabwe (57.4) 164. Burkina Faso (76.4) 125. Ethiopia (78) 134. Bangladesh (48) Source: UNDP Nigeria, a country with abundant natural resources and high population can invest immensely in human capital development in its citizens to enjoy increased productivity. With the immense Oil revenues, Nigeria can channel sufficient resources to providing opportunities for all citizens to develop to their fullest potentials through education, training and motivation as well as creating the enabling environment for everyone to participate fully in national development. These will include expenditures in educational and training institutions, health facilities, adult functional literacy, vocational and skills acquisition programmes, information and communication technologies (ICT) as well as in research and development. With all these investments, foreign direct investment will increase (e.g. Information Technology task outsourcing of American companies from India) and revenues from within and outside the country will also increase. 5. Recommendations and Conclusion Despite all the poor education system, health services, social services and governance system in Nigeria, there are possible recommendations that will help reduce the enormous impact on the economy. Each and every system stated above has its impact on human capital and thus the development of a nation and as such have different recommendations. Starting with the poor education system in Nigeria, one must consider the resources allocated to this sector before making any recommendation. First of all, the teachers available in schools and Universities considering the number of students are really inadequate. Nowadays, everyone wants to be rich, no one wants to help in social development. Our values have changed and we have become more self centered. So our values need to be changed back via value re-orientation suiting our social values. Students need to understand what is at stake in the educational system and be encouraged to be teachers. Quality teachers need to be produced. No education system can rise above the quality of its teachers and no nation can rise above the level of its education system (Akingbade, 2008). When there is an increase in the number of quality teachers, the ratio of teachers to students will be efficient for quality education. The Nigerian populace is increasing at a geometrical ratio while the numbe r of quality schools and University is somewhat stagnant. For this reason, there need to be more schools for the teeming populace so as to have a considerably small ratio of teachers to students in a well built infrastructure conducive for learning. Also, the educational system needs to undergo reforms to be well equipped with the challenges of the highly advanced global economy. The integration of the use of computers in all spheres of the education system needs to be emphasized because the world is continuously advancing in computer technology. Teachers/Lecturers salaries and improved working conditions in educational institutions should be given high priority by the Government. Regular closure of tertiary institutions due to strikes, cult activities, and excesses of student unions, etc. should be addressed by the relevant authorities. The effort of Government on increasing primary school enrolment through the free compulsory Universal Basic Education should be sustained. This cou ld also be complemented by involving private and religious organizations. Â ­Another problem that needs urgent attention is the issue of poor health services. If the whole country is sick, the whole country stops functioning. And as such here are possible recommendations for the Nigerian health sector; First and foremost is strategizing various ways to retain our medical doctors and nurses to reduce brain drain. Due to poor salary given to these workers, they tend to migrate to other countries. The salaries of doctors and nurses need to be reconsidered in terms of the actual state of the economy. Other alternatives to well paid salaries can be more benefits to the workers to serve as an incentive to stay in Nigeria. For example policy can be created to say if you are a doctor in Nigeria, you are entitled to a house and two cars; one for you and one for your wife. Another recommendation for the Nigerian health sector is the provision of adequate facilities and infrastructure to the ever growing populace. The government needs to increase its expenditure in the health sector as the population increases. More hospitals need to be constructed and more medical equipments need to be installed in these new hospitals. Good hospital roads need to be constructed in order to have easy access. The provision of more ambulances is really a crucial issue in case of emergencies. Also, Information and Communication Technology need to be integrated to the Nigerian health sector so as to increase efficiency. Our doctors and nurses need to be updated always via the internet and as such they need to be familiar with computers and the internet for better performance. All these good hospitals with many doctors and nurses need not to be deprived for the masses; it should be accessed by all because everyone matters in the development process. Lastly, the most important issue after getting all the doctors, nurses, equipment and infrastructure is the maintenance aspect. All these hospitals need sufficient maintenance to survive for a long time and as such a qu alitative maintenance company trusted by the government should be given the sole task. If one maintenance company lacks the capacity to maintain a lot of hospitals, other qualitative maintenance companies can also be in place. With two or more maintenance companies, there will be competition between them and price of maintenance will fall. Good governance in Nigeria can be indicated via various factors and one of the factors is social service. When there is good governance, there will be qualitative and quantitative social services for the people thereby enhancing human capital. But on the other hand, when there is bad governance, there will be white elephant projects leading to few social services. Good governance in Nigeria should be encouraged via fighting corruption and setting up effective and efficient check and balance system. Every individual that is given responsibility in office should be held accountable for his/her actions. Also, government expenditure relative to its revenue should be monitored to enhance good governance. Another recommendation for good governance is making all government decisions transparent to the people. Keeping people in the loop of government decisions reduce the probability of strikes and civil unrest. Strategizing good governance for Nigeria will greatly improve Nigerias image to t he international community thereby encouraging potential investors to invest in the Nigerian economy. As investors invest and the government provides more social services for the people, human capital is immensely increased leading to economic development. In a nutshell, all recommendations should be posed at all possible factors that constitute human capital and affect development; educational systems, health services, social services and governance. It is these factors that turn high human capital potential into human capital value and it is these factors that help a nation develop both socially and economically. CONCLUSION We have seen despite the fact that Nigeria has been immensely blessed with natural resources and high human capital development potentials, it still fails to become one of the leading economic and technological giants in the world. Nigeria in the Human Poverty Index ranks 80th among 108 developing countries; meaning a lot of the masses in Nigeria are poor, deprived of health care and quality education and thus translate into low or no development. Also, Nigeria in the Human Development Index ranks 158th out of 177 countries showing that there is low life expectancy, adult literacy, purchasing power parity and enrollment at primary, secondary and tertiary level. Several results of various research points out the fact that all the factors mentioned above affect the value of human capital of a country and its development. And as such, all these factors need to be given the outmost importance in policy making. With the globalised economy becoming more competitive and advanced in terms of technology, Nigeria, a country with all that it needs to be on top should make the best use of what it has in order to have the best there is in this global economy.

Labelling Theory And Criminal Behavior In Society Criminology Essay

Labelling Theory And Criminal Behavior In Society Criminology Essay Labelling theory is very useful in explaining criminal behaviour. Labelling theory is one of the theories which explain the causes of deviant and criminal behaviour in society. It gives an insight on what could make an individual be attracted to criminal behavior as opposed to morally desirable behavior. This is very important for criminologists, law enforcement bodies and health care professionals who try to rehabilitate criminals. This paper will discuss the labeling theory with respect to crime. Various theorists who discuss this theory will be studied in order to better understand criminal behaviour. A summary of issues discussed will also be given at the end. This theory was advanced by Becker and it explains the causes of criminal and deviant behaviour in society.  [1]  This theory emphasizes that criminal behaviour occurs as a result of the dominant social group labelling minority groups who are viewed to be committing acts which are against social norms. The theory discusses how the behaviour and self identity of an individual can be influenced or determined by different terms which the dominant population uses to classify or describe them. According to this theory, when the society gives negative connotations to an individual, this influences the individual to adopt the labels which are attached to them. When the society labels a person as deviant, such people internalise the negative label and after time, they adopt the nature of a deviant person so as to conform to societys expectations. Every person knows how other people judge them through previous interactions with other members of society. The self can be said to be moulded according to this perception by society. When the society changes the perception which it has on an individual and sees them to be deviant, an individual may re-evaluate their self depending on the authority of other peoples judgement. The society or dominant group has the power to decide what constitutes deviance. This group defines deviance and explains the levels which can be tolerated by society.  [2]  When this group labels someone as deviant, they may change their treatment of the individual. This change usually depends on the extent of deviance exhibited by the individual. The change in treatment of the individual affects their self image. The higher the change, the higher their image is affected. In some cases, especially when the self image is greatly affected, the individual changes their nature to conform to the labels which are given to them. Becker identifies two groups in society; rule makers and rule breakers. Rule makers and breakers are seen to be two different groups which are in state of contrast. The rule breakers perceive themselves to be in contrast with rule makers as far as moral values are concerned. Rule breakers therefore detach themselves from society and become outsiders. However, there is a bond which exists within rule breakers, and they may perceive themselves to be the mainstream society and the rest of society to be outsiders. It is important to note that Becker did not support any deviance theories which were advanced as explanations for causes of crime. Various theories such as differential association, strain theory, control theory and others attempt to explain the causes of crime. However, Becker was opposed to these theories since he was of the opinion that deviance does not exist. The dominant social group was seen by Becker as imposing their view of deviance, and accepting deviance would be accepting the views shared by this majority. Primary and secondary deviance Becker explains that there are two levels of deviance; primary and secondary deviance. Primary deviance is the initial level of deviance which is committed by a person. This deviance may either be unintentional or intentional.  [3]  Many people fantasize or think of committing deviant actions and this may trigger the commission of deviance. Secondary deviance is the deviance which is committed after the labelling by society. The labels which societies give to a person trigger secondary deviance. There are various steps in which secondary deviance is achieved. The first step is being seen committing a deviance act and being labelled a deviant by society. Accepting the deviant label is the second step towards achieving secondary deviance. Some people may accept the deviant label and begin committing deviant acts as opposed to their normal way of life. The third stage is commission of acts which are consistent with those of a deviant. This occurs after a rule breaker has accepted th e deviant tag and they begin practicing a culture which is consistent with that of deviants. Beckers case study Becker carried out a case study in which he attempted to find out how marijuana came to be associated with deviants in the United States. During the late 1930s, the Bureau of Narcotics began campaigns against marijuana use in the US. Since the bureau was new, it began these campaigns as a way of justifying its existence. The ethnic Protestants were the prevailing religion during this time and they despised actions taken purely for achieving ecstasy. The Protestant group can be said to be the dominant group as discussed earlier. This group preached of the need to free people from the bondage of drugs. The bureau then began explaining the adverse effects of drugs, including showing the public evidence from Mexico, which had one of the highest rates of drug abuse in the world. As a result, legislation was passed to discourage the vice. However, in spite of the legislation, the abuse of marijuana has continued. This can be explained by the labelling theory. The dominant group, the Protes tant, branded people who use marijuana deviants. Many of them accepted the tag and continued abusing the drug since this was perceived to be the expectation of the society which branded them a deviant. Another case, which was observed by Thomas Scheff relates to people with mental illnesses. Most people who the society brands as mentally unstable usually begin acting according to how the media portrays the mentally ill.  [4]  Once they do so, they have access to professionals in mental illnesses. Most people act like the mentally unstable to at a point in life. However, not all are branded mentally unstable and only those who society perceives as weak are. This is consistent with the labelling theory in which the dominant group labels the minority group. Erving Goffman and labelling Goffman explains the concept of labelling through the use of social stigma. Stigma is behaviour, reputation or attribute which discredits a person or group. Goffman describes it as the difference between actual and virtual social identity.  [5]  Goffman explains that people often make certain assumptions based on interaction with other people. These assumptions often translate to expectations and people are expected to behave in certain ways based on these assumptions. These expectations gradually become demands and everyone demands that certain people act in a certain way based on the initial assumptions. When we begin analysing whether out expectations will be met we realise that all along we had been making assumptions. There are six levels of stigma which were associated with Goffman. The first is concealment and this is the ability of one to hide stigma.  [6]  The second is disruptiveness and this is the ability of stigma to affect social relations. Aesthetics is the reaction by other people to stigma. Origin relates to the beginning of stigma and can either be deliberate, accidental or by birth. Course is the fifth aspect and it relates to the progression of stigma over time. The sixth aspect is peril and this is the ability of stigma to pose as a danger to other people. Goffmans contributions to the theory of labelling are important. They explain what may make the dominant social group label the minority group. This also explains why the minority group may be under pressure to change their normal way of life and adapt to the labels which have been given to them. In order to reverse the adverse effects of labelling, stigma should be eliminated through avoiding assumptions about people. People should judge others through long term interaction rather than short term or casual interaction. Importance of labelling theory in understanding crime Labelling theory has been seen to alter the normal actions performed by actors who the society has branded or labelled. The labelling makes them alter their actions and adopt those which are consistent with the labels which are attached to them. This is important in understanding crime since criminal behavior can be explained by this theory. When a person commits a criminal act, this is primary deviance and it may be unintentional or intentional. However, when the society brands that person a criminal, this may alter his or her self and they may start committing criminal activities. This is secondary deviance since it is influenced by the label which the society has given the person. Gradually, such people form groups in which they seek identity. They perceive the law abiding citizens to be a threat to their existence and they target them in their criminal activities. In order to reverse the criminal behavior and reduce crime, the society should avoid giving negative connotations to people, and see criminal behaviour as a mistake which can be rectified through rehabilitation. The society should understand the adverse effects of giving labels to people, since instead of being a deterrent to crime, it becomes a catalyst to crime. Labelling theory, amongst other theories serves to inform the public, law makers, law enforcers and health practitioners of the ineffectiveness of labelling minority groups. Criticism of labelling theory One of the criticisms of the theory is that it is impractical. Empirical tests have not been tested on the population and it therefore cannot be taken to be accurate. It is difficult to test and many sociologists do not perceive it to be a true theory. Another weakness of this theory is that it does not explain primary deviance.  [7]  This theory only explains secondary deviance but does not explain what motivates one to commit primary deviance. It is therefore perceived to be inconclusive. Further research should be done on the labelling theory in order to determine whether it is accurate and applicable to the society today. Summary and conclusion Different aspects of the labelling theory have been discussed. Labelling has been seen to facilitate crime and deviant behaviour through encouraging people to act according to labels which are attached to them. Initially criminal activities may be unintentional or intentional depending on the actor, and this is the primary stage of deviance. However, subsequent crimes may be committed as a result of labelling and this is the secondary stage of deviance. In order to reduce crime we should reduce the negative connotations which are given to people, especially criminals. The society should take crime as a mistake committed by a person, which should be reversed through rehabilitation, rather than admitting that crime is the nature of the person. Goffman has also been seen to discuss stigma, and this is important in explaining the labelling theory. Due to the assumptions discussed by Goffman, criminals are stigmatised and this encourages them to commit criminal acts according to labels designated to them. However, the research done on labelling theory is inconclusive due to the weaknesses which have been discussed. The absence of practical tests and inability to explain primary deviance shows that more research is needed on the topic. This will prove whether labelling theory is applicable to the modern society. This paper is useful to sociology students, law makers, health care practitioners, law enforcers and the general public since it enables all these groups understand the nature of crime.

Essay --

CHAPTER ONE - ‘If you don’t like something, change it.’ As said by Maya Angelou, ‘If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.’ And it seemed like he would have to opt for the latter, because there was no chance he was going to get anywhere with the former. For James, change was almost a foreign concept, because everything was fine as it was. Or at least he thought it was. He couldn’t really be sure about anything in his world, because there was still so much he had to learn about it. He was young, just turned seventeen, and still finding his feet. There was no way he could ever lead an army for any cause. It would just be moronic. People who knew him called him a dreamer, and he agreed. He did like to exit reality sometimes, when it all got too much. It was his escape valve. He thought that everyone had to have at least one, but maybe they did not. He did not know. But that was his way of dealing with the world, and it worked for him, no matter what anyone else said. He knew that most did not take whatever he said seriously. It was only natural, he was young. But the fact that they called it a ‘democracy’ had always annoyed him. A democracy. From the Greek ÃŽ ´ÃŽ ·ÃŽ ¼ÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ºÃ ÃŽ ±Ãâ€žÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ±, which means ‘the rise of the people’. He did like to learn what others called things. Everything was always so fascinating because of the fact that he knew barely anything. He was not from Greece. His world was one where he stood at a disadvantage in more ways than one. He was ‘white’, as they called it, people called He had grown up in a secluded area, because his parents were heterosexual. He sometimes found it difficult to remember to always say that one of his ‘mothers’ was on a business trips or ill or so, be... ...rrect?† He had expected Elias to detonate in his face, but that was not so. All he got in response was a finger pointing towards Mother’s side of the house, and he walked over and up the stairs. He stopped before the ladder that would take him up into the attic. He had never climbed the ladder before. Elias had told him never to do it without his permission, and he had never dared to ask. He drew a deep breath in, and released it again. And he started to climb. The climb was longer than he thought it would. Perhaps it was because he was so afraid he would fall off. It was rather frivolous, as even if he were to fall, it would only be a drop of around four meters. He could take that. Pushing open the flap, he ascended into the attic. It was spacious, if a little damp. Had he not had a job to do, he might have spent a little time sitting there. It seemed awe-inspiring

feminaw freeaw Kate Chopins The Awakening as a Story of Independence :: Chopin Awakening Essays

The Awakening: A Story of Independence Kate Chopin's The Awakening tells the story of Edna Pontellier, a Southern wife and mother. At the time this novel was published, women did as they were expected by society. They were expected to be good daughters, good wives, and good mothers. A woman was expected to move from the protection of her father's roof to the protection of her husband. Edna did not fit this mold, and that eventually leads her husband to send for a doctor. When her husband does this Edna Pontellier says words, which define The Awakening, "I don't want anything but my own way. That is wanting a good deal, of course, when you have to trample upon the lives, the hearts, the prejudices of others - but no matter"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At first, Edna is married and seems vaguely satisfied with her life. However, she cannot find true happiness. Her "awakening" begins when a persistent young man named Robert begins courting her. Edna begins to respond to him with a passion she has never felt before. She begins to realize that she can play roles other than wife and mother. Throughout the book, Edna takes many steps to increase her independence. She sends her children away, she refuses to stay at home on Tuesdays (as was the social convention of the time), and she frequents races and parties. Unfortunately, her independence proves to be her downfall. Edna remains married, because divorce is unheard of. She wants to marry Robert, but he will not because it will disgrace her to leave her husband. No matter how much Edna exceeds social boundaries and despite what she wants, she is held down by the will of others. In today's world divorce, sadly, is almost commonplace, but in he r time she would have been an outcast of her society. By the end of The Awakening, Edna feels like a possession - of her husband, of her children, and of her society. The only solution she sees is to end her life, which she does by swimming out into the sea until her strength gives out. The theme of The Awakening is deeper than the obvious themes of independence and women's rights. The Awakening presents suicide as a valid solution to problems. People commit suicide because of isolation and loneliness or a serious disruption of one's life. It is easy to connect these with Edna's life: the isolation of her small house, the disruption caused by Adele's death, and the common good of the children.

Teachers and maintenance discipline in a classroom situation

In order to hold a better as a schoolroom director ( instructor ) one must hold the followers: Handle every sort of schoolroom subject job Learn to convey any schoolroom under control Get the pupils ‘ attending Let there be regard for each other particularly sentiments or replies and There must be quietness If one can conceive of himself or herself in the schoolroom twenty-four hours after twenty-four hours passing all the clip learning to an attentive category. As a instructor you will demo the deep rooted love in replying the call as a instructor. A instructor whose pupils are punctual because promptness is the psyche of concern, respectful on undertaking and attentive all the will decidedly bask his or her undertaking. Form my observation Manchester Academy is one of the schools that keep schoolroom under control, and this shows a clean and clear apprehension of planning. Knowing how to maintain a schoolroom non merely controlled but on undertaking and attentive is the most important accomplishment a instructor can hold, without which no effectual instruction can take topographic point. At Manchester Academy I observed the school has a batch to offer and they have given themselves clip to offer it, because it is non a nice feeling traveling to category mundane feeling you do non hold the necessary tools to acquire the acquisition atmosphere you justly deserve. It is a nice feeling traveling to your category knowing that you will be learning in a favorable ambiance that is contributing to larning and that you have the tools to manage any state of affairs, alternatively of seeking to convey order or shushing a inveterate riotous pupil or shouting that there should be quietness every clip. Manchester Academy displayed that spirit during the reading lessons. As instructors we do non desire our schoolrooms to be orderly merely for its ain interest or because we are on some sort of power trip, but so that we can give pupils what we have to offer. Sometimes you find you want to larn this from person who does non hold to be that right, but who has had to set up schoolroom control even inside the worst behaved schoolrooms found anyplace in the universe. Management and subject are the chief ingredients in the instructors ‘ planning. Sound subject and direction underpins every facet of the school life. For successful instruction and acquisition to take topographic point it is of import that good subject exist in every schoolroom in peculiar and in the school as a whole. Harmonizing to Hill & A ; Hill ( 1997: 16 ) † scholars learn to the best of their abilities in an orderly and safe environment. † Research workers like Potgieter, Visser, Van der Bank, Mothata and Squelch ( 1997:59 ) stated that â€Å" if subject is non taken into consideration, the school environment will be unsafe in the educational procedure may be disrupted. † This may besides impact the educational attainment of scholars. In this respect Levin & A ; Nalon ( 1991:30 ) province that, â€Å" in add-on to the obvious impact on the instruction and larning environment riotous behavior, can besides impact the scholars ‘ safety, preparednes s to larn every bit good as future behavior. † In add-on, Hill & A ; Hill ( 1994:6 ) â€Å" if subject can destruct the possibility of a safe and orderly environment and thereby a shackle the nucleus intent of the school. † It is hence necessary that subject is maintained in a school for the public assistance and safety of scholars and pedagogues, and for the success of the educational procedure. Learners in the farther instruction are working hard to organize the ain individualities asseverating power through the brilliant by presenting instructors. Coetzer & A ; Le Roux ( 1996:84 ) endorse this position when they stated that, â€Å" modern kids and young person want to set up their ain life, and by making so will melt Rebel against subject and authorization. † They sum up by stating that â€Å" the young person have been emancipated to populate their ain life styles as they see it fit and accept values different from the society. â€Å" Sowetan ( South Africannewspaper ) of Thursday March, 17 2011: 5 ( Early edition ) states that â€Å" we call on all students to contend fire with fire-when instructors hit you, you must hit back. â€Å" As a consequence, instructors experience troubles, experiencing that they are challenged and might lose control. A deficiency of subject in public schools is experient all over the universe. Wayson & A ; Pinnell ( 1994:1534 ) â€Å" The deficiency of scholar subject in many public schools throughout the universe has been a affair of great concern for school direction and instructors, to a lesser extent for scholars themselves parents and the general populace. † Harmonizing to Charles ( 1996:3 ) legion surveies that were conducted in the USA in 1992, have listed subject is a major job with which instructors must postulate and a important factor in instructors go forthing the profession. In add-on to the job, Charles ( 1996:3 ) provinces, â€Å" instructors try to reassign off from the schools that have high degrees of misbehavior, live in such schools in the custodies of instructors non yet skilled in exercising keeping subject. † From a personal observation and informal interviews with instructors I as a school teacher at a 2nd at the school have concluded that it is subject is non prevailing in Manchester Academy. The bulk of instructors seem to believe that scholars should non be left entirely to their ain devices without being controlled or supervised. The position of supervising featured Manchester Academy High School. Learners are non left to act in whatever manner they wish. The instructors in the Manchester Academy are non kicking that they are making more policing work than learning in the schoolroom. Manchester Academy has a computerized manner of tracking and training scholars who misbehave harmonizing to the type of offenses. Teachers do non pass clip disproportionately covering with this riotous behavior of scholars and the consequence of the actions. Apparently Manchester Academy impart their perceptual experiences in such a manner that scholars took positively towards benefits of instruction. Proper, important and sympathetic counsel of class will ever help scholars to see the demand to set up good resonance with instructors and eventually with parents. It is the duty of the instructors to keep a civilization of instruction and acquisition in schools, but it is non possible to make so if the subject and the safety are non considered in the school environment. Disintegrated subject causes trouble in the attainment of school aims. Schools become there is functional when both scholars and instructors can non work efficaciously and expeditiously under conditions which are non contributing and are shocking. Learners can non set down and instructors can non learn in an insecure environment. A safe an orderly school environment is a requirement for acquisition and instruction to take topographic point. Thus instructors can merely dispa tch their professional responsibilities if there is order and subject in both the schoolroom and the school as a whole.How can teachers keep subject?Research workers are of an sentiment that instructors play a critical function in keeping subject and control within the school. Harmonizing to Joubert & A ; Prinsloo ( 1999:55 ) , â€Å" pedagogues are responsible to keep subject at all times. † Varma ( 1993:31 ) provinces that, â€Å" beyond their duty for learning, pedagogues are besides responsible for the moral development of scholars and to guarantee that they become observant citizens. † This implicitly means that within the school community, instructors are expected to react in a commanding Y to misdemeanors of the institutional regulations and of the school and signifiers such as larceny, and strong-arming that has a direct bearing on the moral sphere. The Department of Education besides demands that subject be maintained in school so that civilization of instruct ion and acquisition is realized. Harmonizing to Section 8 ( 1 ) Of the South African Schools Act ( SASA ) ( RSA, 1996 a: 8 ) , subject must be maintained in the school and schoolroom state of affairss so that the instruction of scholars flourishes.Teachers are in fact expected to manage riotous scholars in the categories so that scholars can concentrate on the school assignment. Butchart & A ; McEwan support this position by saying that, â€Å" inequality school, pedagogues must larn how to manage a riotous scholar in a manner that is non punitory, yet gets the state of affairs under control and at the same clip opens the scholars in head to work in category †How to match subject and equity?One of the inquiries on the questionnaire is â€Å" what is your ( instructor ) function in a show in subject in your school? † Harmonizing to Hosten et Al ( in Oosthuizen 1985:59 ) explains fairness as â€Å" the moral value that serves as a norm to guarantee nonpartisanship when covering with viing involvements of assorted topics. † This denotes that the involvements of both instructors and scholars must be protected. The scholars are the legal topics and have legal rights that should be protected. The scholars other legal topics and have legal rights that should be protected. Section 12 ( 1 ) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa ( RSA, 1996 degree Celsius: 8 ) . In this independent survey support ( ISS ) hungry and took shy to reply inquiries that have been asked in the questionnaire. Manchester Academy claim to be executing really good in footings of subject, direction and leading since its passage. Now strategies for good schoolroom subject could be based on both standard and student behavioral facet to do subject more effectual. The followers may perchance help instructors to better the jobs that may be at that place in state of affairss, that is, they might be underlying issues in the school and has to be solved in expectancy.Aid to scholars and their voice.Teachers should steer scholars towards their ain behavior. Passing opinion on lawbreakers ‘ action instructors should alternatively inquire inquiries that encourage scholars to judge their ain behavior. They should remain focused and if need be, assist scholars to accept ownership of their actions. Teachers should steer scholars for bettering future behavior. They should inquire scholars to explicate alternate ways of acting the following clip they are confronted with similar state of affairss. Teache rs should construct scholars ‘ committedness to their programs by giving them feedback and support. Learners will experience more committed if instructors acknowledge the cogency of their programs. Making this could be every bit simple as oculus contact. Teachers should non let onionskin alibis are the lone service to avoid duty. Harmonizing to Rich ( 1982:169 ) â€Å" school regulations may be breached when scholars feel that they are undue † . This will doubtless go on if scholars were non allowed to take portion in the preparation of regulations. It is hence necessary that scholars must understand why regulations have been formulated and why they should follow with them. Again, harmonizing to Blandford ( 1998:39 ) â€Å" a school without an effectual subject policy that encompasses schemes and mechanisms that are available to all the members of the school community, can non work as a centre for learning and larning. † The procedure of developing and implementing subject policy involves collaborative decision-making. Therefore, all the members of the school should hold an chance to take portion in the decision-making. Sunday Times ( South African newspaper ) of 12.01. 1992, noted that â€Å" grade 12 scholars in black townships in South Africa, were continuously neglecting because of the conspicuous deficiency of subject among them. † It is of import that subject should be maintained at all times in schools and that each and every school must hold a codification of behavior. Teachers should avoid doing irrelevant regulations because this will make serious disciplinary jobs in the school and the schoolroom. McQueen ( 1992:56 ) supports this position and infinite that â€Å" irrelevant regulations are useless and black because ailing chosen regulations will make serious direction and disciplinary jobs in the schoolroom state of affairs.Motivating and promoting scholars.They word â€Å" motive † is derived from a Latin word â€Å" movere † significance to travel ( McLean, 2003:7 ) . Therefore, motive is the amount of all that moves a individual to action. To actuate indicate tha t one individual provides another individual with a motivation to make something. Motivation can be regarded as the cardinal facet of emotional intelligence. Harmonizing to the South African Oxford Dictionary ( 1998:285 ) . The term â€Å" motivate † means to give a individual a motivation or inducement to make something. Harmonizing to Word mention online, con sized Oxford lexicon ( 2008 ) the word â€Å" motive † means â€Å" excite the involvement of. † First, it has a directional undertakings taking among options and keeping the action desired. Second, it has strength, for illustration degree of enthusiasm ( McLean 2003:37 ) . Harmonizing to Burden ( 1995:16 ) . Most pedagogues use the construct motive to depict â€Å" those procedures which can elicit any initiate behavior, continue to let the behavior to prevail, and lead to taking or preferring a specific behavior. † Teachers are hence interested in a peculiar kind of scholar motive which is to act uate scholars to larn. Teachers should guarantee that scholars are motivated to larn and act suitably because demotivated scholars get discouraged easy. Teachers should honor scholars when they are acting good for finishing their work. They should make this through congratulations and category acknowledgment. Any program for covering with misbehaviour must include encouragement of good behavior, otherwise learners learn what they are non make, but they have non learnt what they should make. To further discourse the impact of schoolroom subject is partially involves on the scholars conduct, are the ability and accomplishments that instructors should hold. Patience comes foremost, particularly when a scholar has a behavioral job, and this should be given attending in an appropriate manner, hence as portion of the instructors responsibilities and duties. Making it a point that effectual instruction makes scholars learned. The instructor plays a important function in which it imparts the cognition and accomplishments to the scholars and the instructor should love and demo the deep-seated love in the calling that is believed he or she chose it volitionally. The instructor must hold the enterprise on how to cover with each scholar in category, doing it his or her responsibility to affect to maintain scholars busy and at the same clip see their category as gratifying and holding a great impact on the field of larning. Taking into awareness that scholars differ in their abilities and instructors should cognize up to what extent would a peculiar be able absorb the lesson. Skills coupled with effectual schoolroom subject can be acquired through pattern, holding feedback and besides willing to accept merely errors is no 1 is infallible. Teachers must walk the talk. Teachers who have many old ages of experience have contributed to a specific position of what peculiar technique work and what are the relevant methods that may non be applicable in training a category with such inevitable scholars ‘ behavioral facet. The instructor must do it a point that the instruction method and manner or managing subject must keep a sort of ambiance that enhances larning for the scholars. The manner the category is arranged signifiers portion of category subject. A good category agreement makes it easy to keep subject. It is the instructors ‘ duty to be argus-eyed at all times to supervise and detect scholars ‘ public presentation in activities. Apparatus, books learning AIDSs and other stuff should ever be readily available. Harmonizing to Ofsted study of the 30th to 31st of March 2009. It is stated that Manchester Academy is † outstanding † This shows that Manchester Academy as a school is working really hard to bring forth good hereafter citizens. The 2009 study further stated that the school aims to to the full fit the pupils in such a sensible mode. Learners are expected to travel into the outside universe, skilled and ready to run into the demands of life. Parents and instructors have a responsibility to fix them to execute good in the community every bit good is in the universe of work. They must hold an impact upon the scholars ‘ behavior by learning them about the determinations and choices the scholars have to do every twenty-four hours and how such determinations and hints affected their lives, both at school and thenceforth. For illustration, â€Å" a disciplinary step against a scholar who comes to school tardily will help to promote him or her to be on clip and be more responsible and accountable in the hereafter ( Lemmer, 1998:47 ) . Discipline challenges the scholars to make self-contemplation about their end and intent in life. Discipline should stress success and non failure. It should help the scholars to develop their single abilities in order to run into challenges of life with assurance. If this has occur red the scholars would hold gained a sense of security and significance in life through subject Lent at school.Decision.Learners of Manchester Academy are good disciplined. They are good motivated and they besides had an chance to research themselves outside the schoolroom, hence they say that they are â€Å" prepared exceptionally good for farther survey and work beyond the school. † The school ‘s positive clime and success are obtained from the good behavior of scholars. The instructors in a subject school our free and happy to learn without being preoccupied with tenseness and fright caused by misconducting scholars. The disciplinary jobs that are common in lending to, indiscipline in Manchester Academy seems to be identified and discussed with scholars so that proactive actions are taken to advance good subject. Rights and responsibilities of instructors and their part in keeping subject merely at that place because it is said that the â€Å" follow policy. † See appendix. Educators seem to back up the school principal/headmaster by guaranting that the scholars observe school regulations and ordinances in they are held responsible for any misbehaviour hence the school has a commission responsible for behavior harmonizing to their types. Teachers can non work in isolation in acquiring read of ill-disciplined behavior in category in the school as a whole. It takes an attempt from all the stakeholders, including the school, parents and scholars to minimise deficiency of subject. See appendix.

How Effective Was Victorian Policing?

When police forced were first set up in the early nineteenth century, they were very unpopular. This was due to the fact the police were criticised for violent and drunken behaviour. Furthermore such as the cost of running the police force and the public feared them as a threat to their personal and political freedom. For example, the police didn’t solve any crime â€Å"the lack of protection† and mainly many places did not have a police force until 1856, which meant that there was no point having them because it contrasted greatly with the population.One point historians find that Victorian policing was a failure is that most of the time the police spent clearing drunks and beggars off the street, and not solving serious crime, such as only four numbers of arrests were made in 16 years. Late Victorian England is described by some historians as a ‘golden age’ of policing because of the amount of public trust and approval.There were reforms which meant that there were less drunkenness in the force and the public approved the police were seen more as a friend than threat. Also the people thought it seemed worth it to run the police force. This was because the police force was starting to realise their mistake and learned from it. There was an increase in the number of arrest the police made and the crime rate began to steadily fall.Furthermore they started to gather evidence from the public and made prosecutions, which suggests the police were taking action and tried to solve crimes. In addition there were new technologies-this system was to classify information more efficiently. But historians also ask whether this really was a ‘golden’ age. For example the Bertillon system was difficult to use, therefore there was no much point to use them; unless a witness could give detailed descriptions of the criminal.One major point that proves the Victorian policing was a failure is in the nineteenth century police officers werenâ⠂¬â„¢t trained enough. Overall, to some extent the Victorian policing were effective in that they learnt from their mistakes and kept improving, but to some extent it wasn’t effect in preventing criminals effectively or solving crimes. However in my opinion the Victorian policing were effective in the way that if the mistakes weren’t made, we’d be faced with the same problems now.

Narrative Writing & Tupac Essay

American rapper, actor, activist, poet 2Pac was truly one of hip hop’s most distinctively talented artists and indeed, a dynamically influential figure who conveyed his introspective thoughts through such vibrantly resonating music and lyrics. However, 2Pac’s journey to glory and recognition was filled only with many intricacies and hardships but fuelled only by gifted ability, wit, heart and sheer passion. Many could either label him from anywhere as both a thug and gangster or a natural born leader and poet—but 2pac emphasized: â€Å"Measure a man by his actions fully, with his whole life from the beginning to the end† (qtd. in Lazin). Born Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971) in East Harlem, New York, 2pac was named after a proud Inca chief from South America by his mother who was a key member of the Black Panther. Due to her significant affiliation with the movement, Afeni Shakur was incarcerated during her pregnancy to her son. 2pac admits the absolute admiration he has for his mother for being able to withstand all adversity and eventually giving birth to him, affectionately mentioning her as a â€Å"strong black woman†(Lazin). 2pac values his mother’s teaching of raising him and his sister to be community-oriented and socially aware, amidst the financial shortcomings they faced. 2pac categorizes their financial status then as being â€Å"stone broke† as they did not have luxuries or even necessities which he thought they needed. Growing up, 2pac had no real father figure to look up to—he stresses such longing in saying that â€Å"You need a man to teach you how to be a man† (qtd. in Lazin). Due to his troubles to gain a steady source of income, his mother decided to move to Baltimore. There, 2pac was enrolled in the Baltimore School of Arts and spent three years there learning assorted facets of art and meeting various individuals-turned-friends. In the process of education, 2pac pin points one major flaw of lack of shedding light into life’s reality. In his observation of the social and economic inequality, he states, â€Å"Rich people should live like poor people, and poor people should live like rich people. They should change every week† (qtd. in Lazin). In attempt to escape poverty and violence, 2pac moved to California only to realize the same poverty element shared by the â€Å"black community. † Yet, amidst it all, he stayed strong. After having decided to move out of his mother’s house and authority, with no other choice, 2pac resorted to the ways of street life in which he cites how he found father-figures in the form of drug-dealers, pimps, and criminals. It was in the streets that his rather sharp tongue was cultivated: â€Å"The words that I say are the words that don’t come out from a mother’s mouth or a father’s mouth† (2Pac qtd. in Lazin). Eventually dropping out from high school, 2Pac had a short turn in selling drugs but was advised later on by the same people— his co-drug dealers, who later stood as financial sponsors for him to follow his dreams in music. 2pac professionally started in an early nineties hip hop group known as the â€Å"Digital Underground. † Shock G, leader of the group, gave opportune chances for 2Pac as he was starting out—free style raps during performances and songs, having him belong in the group as a roadie and taking him in. After having some songs under his belt and being recognized for his talent by major music labels and prominent figures such as Interscope and Ted Field, â€Å"2Pacalypse Now† was released as his first platinum album in which he tackled major social issues and expressed and stimulated the pain he dealt with throughout his childhood. This was the beginning of a series of albums that were not only of commercial and critical success but also were of social significance. As 2Pac’s fame grew, he opted to stretch his skills for the silver-screen, through films such as â€Å"Juice† (1992), â€Å"Poetic Justice† (1993), and â€Å"Above the Rim† (1994) which displayed both his aggressive and sensitive strengths in his character and also, acting prowess. As his messages of social awareness come across even more, 2Pac stressed his personal take and concept of how he wants to empower the youth, the oppressed, and the ill-fated through his idealistic but rather controversial theme of â€Å"Thug Life. † However, there were rather social distortions in between 2Pac’s and the media’s meaning. Hence, in a subjective interpretation, 2Pac explains that this idea has nothing to do with the dictionary’s definition of thug; rather, it pertains to the underdog who chooses to overcome each life’s seemingly hopeless obstacles with pride, dignity, and courage. His fame was often accompanied by many sorts of controversy which included a violent altercation with a limousine driver, clashes with rightist group members like C. Dolores Tucker and William Bennett, to the news and media pertaining to his lyrics content, and even assault, which took quite heavy blows upon him. Most especially on life and freedom threatening occurrences, after being a victim of a shooting, he was later convicted to serve a prison sentence due to losing to charges of rape. His prison stint, only gave rose to strength and experience in him becoming a better man of insight in life’s truths. In addition, while serving his sentence, his music still crossed-over to the hearts and minds of millions. With all of these, he realized his irresponsible actions, mistakes, and rather wrong decision making of what to say, what to do, and how to act. After being bailed out through a record deal with CEO with a criminal past, Suge Knight and his music label, Death Row Records, 2Pac was freed and at once focused on getting his music on the rise again. Despite having freedom, 2Pac had to face an assortment of financial battles, just as so as he would not to go back to jail. As 2Pac music rode the Death Row banner high and proud, together with peers such as Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg, a feud between East Coast and West Coast rapper grew, but 2Pac stresses that such tension was rooted only and mainly on two men—him and East Coast rapper Notorious B. I. G. 2Pac understood the effects of such strain of which he felt responsible for and said that â€Å"I hope we would exercise greater restraint,† pertaining to the situation (qtd. in Lazin). Amidst all the past difficulties and pressing danger, 2Pac kept a strong outlook on life: â€Å"I felt that the only thing that could kill me is death, and even then, my music will live forever† (qtd. in Lazin). While in Las Vegas, after a Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon bout, a car pulled up alongside were Suge Knight, and 2Pac was positioned then open fired upon by four gunmen as they were supposedly headed to a night club. After undergoing two surgeries, having a lung removed and despite having a surge of praying fans outside the hospital of which were he stayed, 2Pac passed away with his truth message and true music of which he left behind to us. His legacy would never be forgotten for his music captured continuing struggles of the common man who only demanded for change, progress, and the right to have a better future. Tupac Amaru Shakur indeed was a warrior and prophet, despite the controversy, despite the media frenzy he had to go through, and despite everything else. Indeed, his message is powerful: â€Å"I’m not saying I’m going to change the world, but I guarantee you that I will spark the brains that will change the world. So, keep you head up† (2Pac qtd. in Lazin). Works Cited Lazin, Lauren. Tupac: Resurrection. Los Angeles, California: Paramount Pictures, 2003.