Month: February 2019
Family Tie: the Four Sides of Webster
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is what makes everyone on earth unique. DNA can separate different groups of people, but it can also bring people together. In the travelogue Meeting the Family: One Man’s Journey Through His Human Ancestry, the author Donovan Webster discovers that he shares DNA with four different groups of people, including the Hadzabe Bushmen of Tanzania, Lebanese Arabs, tribal Uzbeks of central Asia, and Spanish Basques. These groups are vastly different from one another, and yet they face similar issues. Each of these peoples must determine how to make a living in this contemporary world to survive. These groups, that all exist in one person, have had to face modern pressures and social issues to survive in the modern age, including finding clean drinking water, technological advancements, and violent terrorist organizations.
The first part of Webster’s trip was the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania, home of the Hadzabe Bushmen. This is where he met Julius, a man whom he is distantly related to. Both men share the M168 marker. Julius showed Webster the way of life in the Hadzabe tribe. The Hadzabe people make a living by hunting and gathering. Julius said that they prefer to “live purely inside nature,” and not partake in manufacturing, farming or husbandry. Most parents do not send their children to school because they do not wish for their children to sleep under metal roofs. Even water is something they prefer to get from rivers or streams, although they have a cistern for water on their land that was built by the Tanzanian government. Since the water has gone through the metal, they prefer not to drink it. This purely natural lifestyle is quite unique to the Hadzabe people, especially when compared to the other three groups that Webster is related to. Hunting and gathering would not be considered a modern lifestyle by most people. Some people wonder why the Hadzabe continue to live this way even though the world is now full of new inventions and technologies.
The explanation is simple: although not many people still hunt and gather, it is something that has worked for the Hadzabe people for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years, so they do not feel the need to change. One could argue that their resistance to change is why the Tanzanian government protects the land the Hadzabe tribe lives on. With the huge population explosion and technological changes, the Hadzabe are left as some of the last hunter gatherers in Africa. The government feels that they need to protect their land to preserve their nearly extinct way of life and culture. One problem faced by the Hadzabe tribe is that other tribes such as the Datoga and the Masai are on their land illegally. This is a major problem for the Hadzabe because these other tribes are allowing their animals to graze in their fields, which takes away resources from the Hadzabe and drives away their game. To deal with this, Julius told Webster that he has gone to the Tanzanian government multiple times, but they still have yet to do anything about it. This is because the Datoga are more educated than the Hadzabe are, and they are more popular with the government. Having foreigners on their lands is a problem also faced by the Lebanese Arabs. The Lebanese have to deal with Israelis and Syrians crossing their border, and Palestinian refugees.
The Datoga and Masai, and the Israelis, Syrians, and Palestinians cause different issues for other tribes they interact with; these issues put stress on the tribes and cause problems for them such as taking away resources and attracting violence from neighboring countries. Living in a world that is far more contemporary and modern than their own culture and lifestyle may pose problems for the Hadzabe, but they are continuing to try and have these issues resolved. When Webster first met Julius and was getting to know him, Julius said, “In some ways we must accommodate the outside world as it comes closer and closer to our home. But in other ways, we choose to leave the outside world alone. And this is fine too.” In saying this, Julius means that the Hadzabe will continue to preserve their way of life even in the face of change.
Lebanon was a stark contrast to the Great Rift Valley of Tanzania. The hotel Webster stays in while he is in Beirut is a prime example of modernity in Lebanon because he is offered a choice of water or tea while checking in, which makes the hotel feel very welcoming and contemporary. This was not the case in Tanzania because they are already facing issues with just finding clean water, and tea would most likely be considered a luxury item. Also, the decorations and furniture the hotel used were very sleek and new age. Although the author’s hotel is in Beirut, Webster came to visit the Lebanese Arabs, who live in Baalbek and its Bekaa Valley. When Webster first arrived in Baalbek, he saw people working in fields, donkeys carrying woven baskets full of vegetables, and trucks full of potatoes, sugar beets, onions, and several other crops. Webster met a man in the Bekaa Valley named Mohamed, who farmed his land in the warm seasons and then moved back to Baalbek with his family in the winter.
Mohamed said that although he does not do this, some people grow drugs such as marijuana and hashish to make money. Farming seems to be the most common way of earning a living among the Lebanese Arabs. Since they live so close to the valley, or in some cases in the valley itself, farming is the perfect choice for these people with land and farm resources being plentifully available. They were also possibly raised by farmers, so maybe they are just continuing their family practice. They, like the Hadzabe, live off the land, albeit in different ways. It is interesting that both Lebanon and Tanzania have groups of people that are slightly similar in lifestyle because they are two remarkably different countries in many aspects. Like the Hadzabe, the Lebanese Arabs are facing many different problems, but most of them are social problems. Mohamed told Webster that it had become harder to farm the lands in the Bekaa Valley, the reason being that it is owned and farmed mainly by non-Muslims who have more influence with politicians. Mentioned previously is another major issue that Lebanon faces: people of neighboring countries crossing their borders. Palestinian refugees are seeking asylum and moving to the southern regions of Lebanon.
Since Palestine and Israel are less than friendly with each other, the Israelis also cross over and bring with them lots of violence. The Syrians cross over because they claim that they are trying to help establish peace. Unfortunately, Lebanon has been trapped in a cycle of violence that shows no signs of letting up. This violence is similar to what the Spanish Basques experience due to the Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, or ETA. The Spanish Basques face many kinds of threats from this terrorist group, and it causes many problems for them. One way that the Lebanese have tried to deal with this is by heavily arming themselves. Others try to ignore all the tension and violence and simply try to live peacefully, raise their families, and enjoy living in beautiful Lebanon.
The next part of the trip brings Webster to Samarkand, Uzbekistan to explore the lives of tribal Uzbeks. Of all the places the author visits, Samarkand appears to be the most diverse in terms of ways to make a living. Webster mentions nomadic peoples, a factory, and an electricity plant. Golbor, Webster’s driver, says that some of the nomads sell carpets to make a living. They put new carpets that they have woven in the road so that cars runover them and make them appear older. New carpets are not as valuable as old ones, so doing this brings in more money for them to support themselves. Letting people run over carpets that they have woven by hand seems very counterintuitive, but it has clearly proven to be beneficial, otherwise they wouldn’t do it. When Webster finally makes it into the city, he meets a man named Dilshod. Dilshod offers to be his tour guide in exchange for money, a proposition which Webster eventually agrees to, albeit a little reluctantly. Tourism is how Dilshod earns a living. His father has been sick, he still lives at home, and there is a girl he wants to marry.
With Dilshod, Webster meets a saleswoman in the local bazaar who sells him green tea and leaves from a tree that supposedly cures headaches. Commerce is the way that most people, people from all different walks of life, make their money. There are many ways to make a living in Samarkand, but there are also several issues in Samarkand. Recently, Samarkand has fallen on hard times both politically and commercially. An example of this is that the airport was closed to commercial flights. This hurts the economy and all industries in Uzbekistan, including the tourism industry that Dilshod is a part of. Being so out of favor has likely put immense pressure on Samarkand. One of these pressures is for the government accepting new ideas for their current system of government. The current type of government in Uzbekistan is a presidential republic, which is the same kind of government in the United States. Although they are a republic, they are also very authoritarian, meaning they have a president, but there are no elections for the people to vote for who they want, and the president remains in power indefinitely. Uzbekistan could respond to this pressure to adapt their political system by gradually democratizing. They could do this several ways, such as holding elections for officials and creating set amounts of time for officials to serve. Doing this could help Uzbekistan regain both political and commercial favor.
The final stop of this tour was Bilbao, Spain. This is where Webster has come to meet the last group of his extended family. Several decades ago, Bilbao was in rough shape due to trade boycotts that left their economy in shambles. Since then, they have been able to revamp their economy by focusing on tourism, communications, education, and advertising (Webster 263). All the careers from these industries are how people make a living in Bilbao. As mentioned before, the main problem faced by the Spanish Basques is the ETA. The ETA is responsible for many kidnappings and bombings in the area. (add sentence about why they are doing this) Webster spoke to two men who had very different opinions about the ETA. The first man, Federico, disliked the ETA and said that they are terrorists who do not solve any problems that they’re objecting to with their actions. Federico also said that are just destroying things and killing people because they are frustrated. Federico is justified in saying that the ETA is not solving problems, they are just creating more in a violent manner.
The second man, Miguel, supported what the ETA is trying to accomplish, saying that they are just fighting for freedom to make their own choices in life. It is intriguing that there are two completely different opinions and yet they are both Basques, both from the same group with the same values. In an attempt to deal with the ETA, the Spanish government has implemented increased policing, as well as arresting some of the higher-ranking members of the ETA. Doing this has led to the weakening of the organization, but unfortunately the violent attacks have continued despite the efforts to suppress the ETA.
The Hadzabe Bushmen of Tanzania, Lebanese Arabs, tribal Uzbeks in central Asia, and Spanish Basques all have their own ways of making a living. They also have a variety of modern pressures and social issues that they deal with in a variety of ways. All of these people live different lives because of the different circumstances they experience. Webster is one man who is tied to all four of these groups, and he learned to accept and embrace them all, despite their differences. If we all learn to realize this as well, then hopefully we will be able to be less judgemental of people who are different from us.
?Works Cited
“Authoritarianism.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. “Authoritarianism.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2 Nov. 2017, www.britannica.com/topic/authoritarianism.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “ETA.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2 May 2018. Web. 14 November 2018. https://www.britannica.com/topic/ETA
“The World Factbook: UZBEKISTAN.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 6 Nov. 2018, www.cia.gov/llibrary/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uz.html.
Webster, Donovan. Meet the Family: One Man’s Journey Through His Human Ancestry. National Geographic, 2010. Print.
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Family Tie: The Four Sides of Webster. (2019, Feb 15).
Retrieved November 4, 2025 , from
https://studydriver.com/2019/02/page/10/
How Different Societies in Meeting the Family Survive in Modern Civilization
Ever since the first hominins gathered around as a group, societies throughout time began to emerge, advance, conquer, and most importantly, survive. From the first apes to the Roman Empire to the Soviet Union to the United States today, societies took the basic ideas of theories of Evolution and expanded those theories like a tree. While traveling the world to locate the genetic and cultural connections of his ancestry through the National Geographic Genographic Project, Donovan Webster meets several different “societies” that solidify the ancestral relations he has with them: The Hadzabe Bushmen of Tanzania, The Lebanese Arabs, The Tribal Uzbeks of Central Asia, and The Spanish Basques. Each one of these different societies have survived for a long time, some longer than others, from their original establishment to now. Although all groups are classified societies that have survived, the way they survived differs vastly.
One group may have relied on a larger civilization for protection while others relied on tourism for economic stability. One thing is certain, their existence has proved their longevity among other cultures and civilizations in the present day. By finding a way to cope with societal problems as well as a stable source to survive, these groups become societies that express a sense of recognition similar to how sovereignty is shown by countries. During his time in Tanzania, Donovan Webster spent an allotment of time with the Hadzabe Bushmen Tribe, more importantly with his “distant family member” Julius Indaaya Hun/!un/!ume, or just Julius for simplicity’s sake. Noted on page 29 in the “Africa” chapter, the Hadzabe are a near-extinct tribe, whom speak via oral movements like clicks and pops, recognized by anthropologists as one of the oldest surviving African tribes based in Sub-Saharan Africa, which happens to be the start of where the first men roamed the planet. In order to have a conversation with Julius, Webster acquired a Masai tribal native by the name of Robert, as stated on pages 28 through 29 in the “Africa” chapter.
On page 28 of the “Africa” chapter, Webster notes Julius’s characteristics and apparel that he is, “small-boned and dark, wearing animal skins and carrying a bow and some arrows,” features that are not normally found in the Western World. Throughout pages 33 and 38 of the “Africa” chapter, it is noted that Julius and Donovan are out hunting. The Hadzabe are recognized as a foraging society, a type of society rarely found in the western world. A foraging society usually rely on wild animals and untamed plants and berries for a food source. While they rely on mother nature to feed them, in a world where technology has proved a vital source for many countries, the ability to win a war are lower than the Ethiopians pushing the Italians out of the country by trickery. To survive in our world, they went to the Tanzanian government for help, thus the creation of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a set of land dedicated for the Hadzabe stated at the top of page 28 and on page 29 in the “Africa” chapter. Because they sought help for their survival, they are not true foragers, as foragers are individuals or a group of individuals.
This however allows for their survival as close to being foragers as possible. While they get help for reinforcing their borders from farmers who ignore the borders, when the government sends shelter and other contemporized supplies, the Hadzabe “politely accept them” and never use it, because of being as independent as possible, as stated on pages 61 through 63 in the “Africa” chapter. As a recap, the Hadzabe are an extremely ancient African tribe that mainly forages for food while both relying on the Tanzanian government for protection and establishment of their lands from farmers illegally grazing on their lands and declining the gifts that the government has provided. As simplistic as they are, the self-exclusion of modern technology and the reliance of a stronger government, the Hadzabe would have quickly perished among the rising civilizations throughout the ages. After his visit of the Hadzabe in Tanzania, Donovan moved on to a prosperous farming plateau, named Bekaa Valley, in the country of Lebanon. Lebanon, as stated in pages 115 to 118 in the “Lebanon” chapter, have been an independent country ever since World War II, yet through conflicts on the surrounding borders, their peace eventually caved into violence and paved the way for a militant political group known as the Hezbollah.
With the help of Maya, his translator, Donovan was able to communicate with his “distant relatives” such as the two Arab men, the shopkeeper, and Halim Taha in Baalbek. Many people would think a country like Lebanon would be dry and arid like Afghanistan, yet a small country sitting by the Mediterranean Sea has its benefits when it comes to making a living. Baalbek is a beautiful countryside infused with distinct cultures and architecture throughout the city’s lifespan. Stated throughout pages 124 to 130, Baalbek has been under the influences of Alexander the Great, The Assyrians, The Romans, The French, and many more as the list goes on. Being absorbed by these groups have allowed their influence to improve upon any current standard they have, such as agriculture. Because Lebanon is situated along the Mediterranean Sea, it also gives the country an accessible option to trade with other powers. By use of trading materials such as fabrics and types of ceramics along with the reliance of agriculture, Baalbek and the rest of Lebanon were easily able to make some profit out of their resources.
As stated by Donovan Webster on page 126 of the “Lebanon” chapter, “And as we roll into town, activity is everywhere. People are working in the fields…their cargo beds freighted with potatoes and sugar beets, onions and other row-crop produce.” To recap about the people of this region, they are a peaceful group of people thrust into violence by the surrounding nations yet are gifted with the Mediterranean Sea and fertile land which allowed the ability to trade goods and grow crops that could be sold for profit. Had the country of Lebanon never been captured by superpowers like Hellenistic Greece or The Roman Empire, they would most likely have developed technology at a far slower pace. Following his three day visit in Baalbek, Lebanon, Donovan Webster gained more influence about his genealogy when he visited the Tribal Uzbeks, also known as the Tajiks, in Central Asia. Based in Samarkand, the Tajiks are, “located at the crossroads of ancient India, China, Persia, and Russia,” and are known to be a central hub for, “human affairs,” as stated on page 184 of the “Uzbekistan” chapter.
While because they are landlocked by surrounding mountain ranges and deserts, it would seem near impossible for the Tajiks to live off of traditional agricultural practices found in countries like Lebanon for example. Instead, because they are “the Silk Road’s most famous traffic circle,” as stated on page 183 of the “Uzbekistan” chapter, they heavily relied on trade as a living throughout the landscape. As stated by Donovan on page 226 of the Uzbekistan chapter, “what I came to find most fun about Samarkand and the Tajiks were the city’s markets. Given Samarkand and the Tajiks’ place in the world as traders along the Silk Road, this only makes sense.” While visiting the market, Mr. Webster found that, “interested shoppers can purchase anything from a chamber pot to live ducks to lightbulbs and car radiators…with plenty of yoghurt and fresh tomatoes and a Coke,” as stated on page 227 of the “Uzbekistan” chapter. However, after being under soviet control until the collapse of the U.S.S.R. in 1991, the city slowly began to lose economic prosperity in trade. Yet, thanks to the collision of cultures throughout the lifespan of Samarkand, tourism began to attract more people up until the more recent years. While visiting Samarkand, Donovan met a young man by the name of Dilshod.
As stated by Mr. Webster on pages 206 to 207 of the “Uzbekistan” chapter, Dilshod was a “skinny, black-haired, and slightly Asian-looking man in his 20s,” and that he’s, “wearing a white T-shirt, tight black jeans…his sunglasses are perched atop his head.” Dilshod is a native tourist of Samarkand, and judging by his appearance, it seems that tourism has started to become a reliable source of economic stability for the Tajiks, however it is not enough to help as in recent years tourism has slowly diminished. Without a reliability on tourism, people like Dilshod would not be able to make a living as well as attract more people to the city. To summarize the Tajiks, they are a mountainous group of people who base themselves off trade rather than traditional agriculture yet struggle to attract more people to the city because of a decline in tourism. Had the practice of trading and tourism never attached to Samarkand, there would probably have been an economic collapse among the residents of the city. Cycling back to Europe, Mr. Donovan Webster reaches the nation of Spain and visits the country side of Basque.
The landscape is a beautiful mix of emerald and rock-shaded colors of the mountainous landscape while the sky gives off volume and shadows provided by the fluffy clouds as told on page 243 in the “Spain” chapter. Spain has a unique history, being under control from the Moors and would later become a pure Catholic country, while still being majorly christened today. Webster states on page 246 of the “Spain” chapter that the Basques are, “Deeply agrarian people with a long social history, their traditions are nothing if not idiosyncratic, and they include whole fistfuls of unique social…with neither irony nor self-consciousness.” Although the people here are warm-hearted and welcoming, there is the presence of the Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, or the ETA. Noted by Mr. Webster on page 247 of the “Spain” chapter, the ETA are, “a sometimes-violent extremist organization that sponsors common kidnappings and public bombings throughout the region…with bombings that destroy power plants or government facilities, usually timed to take as few casualties as possible.” The group was formed as a rebel force against General Francisco Franco back in the post-World War II years of Spain, but now-a-days, they prove to be a public disturbance among the people.
While the threat of the ETA lowly looms over the people, it doesn’t stop the flow of the city of Bilbao. Stated by Mr. Webster on page 263 of the “Spain” chapter, “two decades ago, the place had been ground down into a shuttered, rusting, postindustrial wasteland…and services like communications, higher education, and advertising.” With the speed of the advancements on technology in Bilbao, according to Donovan on page 263 in the “Spain” chapter, Bilbao is the coolest and most energetic city on Earth. Everywhere you look, visual art has been consciously included in the vista…the city is forever catching your shocked gaze and watching you marvel. By quickly advancing and revolutionizing the city, they can be compared to up-and-going cities like New York, London, and Hong Kong. As a recap of Mr. Webster’s visit, with the current advancements of technology and proud heritage of their history and culture, the Basques feel energized as people proud to be “culturally divine” yet the threat of the ETA will always cause a disturbance among the cultured people.
A region of the world like Basque country seems to be a rarity to find in many other places of the world, and that should be a unique feature it will forever hold. With a memorable journey behind him, Donovan Webster feels more than thankful that he got to meet his distant family members. Although each group had struggles in economic, territorial, ethnic, and political trials, they still seem to hold together and remain as unique people throughout the endeavors. With solutions of trade, tourism, culture, and technology, the Hadzabe, Lebanese, Tajiks, and Basques stick out as their own wonders of the world, whether it is their culture or history. If there is a role model to follow a genetic journey to find family, I cannot say that there is any other example than this journey.
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How Different Societies in Meeting the Family Survive in Modern Civilization. (2019, Feb 15).
Retrieved November 4, 2025 , from
https://studydriver.com/2019/02/page/10/
My Family
I am the youngest of a family of five that resides in Buffalo, New York. An industrialization city, Buffalo is home to nearly 260,000 people who love their snowy, sleet-filled streets. The city’s opportunities for education have enabled me to learn and grow through my 15 years here, taking advantage of the University of Buffalo’s Gifted Math Program that advanced my knowledge of mathematics, and the prolific snowfall each year has made my family avid skiers. My two sisters have also had a great impact on me through our life in Buffalo, with my older sister, Grace, infecting me with her love of reading, and my middle sister, Liesl, helping guide me in athletics.
Our city is home to two professional sports teams, the Bills (NFL) and the Sabres (NHL), which are beloved by the vast majority of our friends and family. Often on days after games, school will be abuzz with the sounds of people discussing key plays and integral figures in how our season will turn out. While my family are not intense sports fans, it would be hard to live in Buffalo without being affected by the game-day fervor. This sense of city unity has developed in me the knowledge that many people can be united behind a common goal, and it has shown me how lots of people can find peace with each other through rallying behind something.
My family does travel often, and we have been exposed to a great deal of other cultures and communities. Seeing how other groups of people live really heightens in me how people can come together and how they can be divided. Had I not grown up in Buffalo, a city in which people are united behind football and hockey, I just hope I would have seen what people unite behind in another city. If I had grown up in Utah, where we have a ski house, I’m sure I would have a very different perspective of the world. It’s an exercise in futility to try and understand how things could have been different, and I am just glad I can have perspective into how so many people live.
The milieu in which I grew up had a great emphasis upon education as well as athletics, with both my parents being attorneys and my father being a USA National Team rower. If we had not lived in Buffalo, or if my family had been very different, I’m sure I would be writing from a substantially different view, better or worse. Buffalo has an active artistic and musical setting as well, being home to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, which I’ve visited many times, as well as the Shea’s Performing Arts Center, which has been the home to many a theatrical performance. All of these different influences have allowed me to become a rounded individual, letting me experience many different exposures, which I think is great for a youth.
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Growing up in a Big Family
I wonder what it would feel like to own something without it going missing after the third day. I wonder what it would feel like not to fight over a seat at the dinner table, or the last dinosaur chicken nugget, or who used the last of the hot water. I often have to wonder what these simple things would feel like if I didn’t grow up with four older brothers, and two older sisters. Often it was a battle over all of the little things in life, but these moments of my childhood that had once drove me crazy, now are the things that I appreciate the most.
We are definitely a very close family; Meghan, Ryan, Matt, Chris, Chris, Nicolette and I, and yes, I did say Chris twice. That is one of the many questions I recieve on a daily basis when talking about my family. “So, you have two brothers named Chris?” or “Wait, so are they your step brothers?”. These questions in particular are the ones that are difficult to explain, especially when I explain that they are my half-brothers. People often try to tell me then, that “they don't count”, but one thing I learned from each one of my siblings is that whether they are step-siblings, half-siblings, or just your plain old brother and sister, it isn't the textbook definition that matters, what matters is the way that they treat you, and each one of them treated me no different than they had ever treated each other. All six of them individually shaped me into the person I am, and showed me the type of person I wanted to be.
Another question that I receive all the time is, “What is it like growing up in such a big family?”. A huge part of it is that I was rarely ever alone. I can remember a very few amount of times that I actually had the house to myself growing up. People were always coming in and out of my room, or at least yelling about something right outside my door. I became so accustomed to having this full house that when it came to my junior year in high school, and all six of my crazy brothers and sisters were living on their own in Brooklyn, Connecticut, or even right around the block, that there was an uncomfortable amount of quiet in my house. And I absolutely hated it. I no longer had any of my sisters clothes to pick from, or anyone to annoy by standing in front of the TV. I came to appreciate each of them more and more with each quiet day at the house. I missed the craziness.
There were many downsides to growing up in such a big family, but the upsides? There was always someone to play with, and always someone to look to when I had a problem. Sometimes, I wouldn't even have to ask, I would just think to myself, “What would my brother do?”. They taught me responsibility, they taught me how to care for someone, they taught me how to focus on the things that matter, and most importantly, even when I didn't want to hear it, they always told me when I was wrong. I hope I am lucky enough to say that I have a little bit of each of them mixed into my personality.
Luckily I had these six people to teach me the most important lessons in life. I learned that it is we, not me. I learned that we all look out for each other without even knowing it, I learned sacrifice, and I most importantly learned that family is everything. Moments like playing the “run and tackle” game that we made up in the basement, or laying on the couch all squished watching Christmas movies, are the moments that make you realize that all the bickering, and all the crowded rooms make it all worth it, and make me smile from ear to ear, that I'm not an only child. And I wouldn't give that up for the world.
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Family Separation at the US Mexico Border
Since the year 2000, the number of immigrants attempting to illegally cross the border has increased greatly. So far our presidential administrations have been fighting to reduce the amount of illegal immigrants that are in our country, but as we switch constantly back and forth between Democrats and Republicans, or the left and right and some people refer to it, the ability to set forth a strict plan to stop illegal crossings and create permanent systems through laws has become quite difficult. With no new systems being put in place to accommodate how many people are trying to enter the US, border patrol agents have resorted to separating children from their parents at the border and are processing them separately to try and make processing occur more quickly.
Families being separated results in children being accepted into the country while parents get sent back to their home country, children coming across the border on a green card with their parents as infants or toddlers only to be sent back to their home country which they know nothing about due to never becoming full US citizens by age 18, as well as children going missing with no proper records being kept as to where they’re sent while their parents are being processed and let into the country or sent back. This issue has been on the rise since early 2000’s with a spike beginning in 2010. Policies need to be updated and new systems put in place to stop the effects from becoming worse. However, before any solutions can be possibly considered, we need to think about our country’s history and how our border control came to be what it is today.
Since 1904 government watchmen have been posted at the border to stop anybody trying to come across the border, but it wasn’t until 20 years later that they decided to start assisting those attempting to come into the US illegally and get them on the path to become residents and/or citizens. Our US Border Patrol is a government formed group that began in the year 1924 as a way of preventing illegal border crossings while also using humanitarian tactics to provide help for those wishing to come into the country. The government quickly realized too many people were able to cross the border illegally due to agents not being allowed to leave the immigration inspection stations to go patrol the border and apprehend those who were crossing. As a result, the government assigned military troops to wander along certain sections of the border and send those who got caught crossing to the inspection stations to be detained, processed, and either accepted into the country or sent back to their home land south of the border (BP History). Since this very early time of the government implementing military into our border control’s system, the policies that exist to keep our border in line have slowly expanded over time.
The expansion of our country’s policies includes better training for border patrol agents that allow them to go out into the field and the country to put military personnel on assignments regarding the country’s more pressing manners, the allowance of all vehicles and personal baggage to be searched at the border when coming across to make sure nobody was being smuggled illegally across the border by someone who was already allowed into the country, as well as detain and hold people at the border for extensive amounts of time without even beginning the processing and search procedures which are typically conducted and determine if somebody may enter the US. Border patrol agents have stated that it’s a constant battle between being humanitarian to help those coming across the border and being defensive to protect our country and its citizens from any danger that could be trying to make its way over the border (Business Insider). One of these dangers that our agents must focus on a lot is drugs and the gang violence that comes with these drugs.
Over the years through drugs becoming more desired from these poorer countries, the amount of gangs working for these drug smuggling groups has increased as well south of the US border. This increase has caused gang violence levels to spike in places like El Salvador and Ecuador, leading to women and children to fear for their lives and seek asylum in the US to protect their families from any death threats or other threats that may put them at risk. This topic has recently been brought into the spotlight more than it has in the past with other presidents due to the entrance of the Trump Administration in the white house. Since Donald Trump’s election victory back in 2016 he’s focused on many things both within our country and outside of it. Perhaps one of the biggest situations that he’s been handling here in 2018 is illegal immigrants coming across the US/Mexico border into our country. First and foremost, immigrants crossing the border unknowingly is dangerous and a cause for concern because if we don’t know who’s coming across the border than we have no way of knowing if their intent is to harm the country and its people or not. In an attempt to stop this issue, or at least reduce it, President Trump created a “zero tolerance policy” which is designed to increase prosecution charges on those caught crossing the border illegally (Human Rights Watch).
In addition to this for prosecutions to occur and for those caught to be processed, agents have been ordered to separate the parents/families from the children travelling with them. When Trump put this order into place, there was a huge outcry from the people who thought the policy was completely wrong because of the way it tore families apart. A few months later in July 2018, Trump signed an executive order stating that all children and families are to be reunited immediately and that no more families are to be separated at the border. Despite this executive order being signed by the President himself, families are still being separated at the border with upwards of 3,000 children not being with their families currently. In a special CNN Breaking News Report on June 18, 2018, Trump falsely accused democrats as being the reason families were getting separated and the border while openly admitting that despite not thinking families should be separated at the US/Mexico border, he believes the zero tolerance policy in its entirety is the correct solution to the issue and will allow separations to continue. These separations have caused a ton of issues, including the three that are being looked at today.
Children can’t be found anymore once it’s time to be reunited with their parents. Yes, you read that right. After the parents have finished being processed and are either accepted into or denied access to the US, it’s time to be reunited with their children. However during the separation process of families, proper records aren’t being kept of where the children are being placed during the time of holding. This makes it extremely difficult to track them down and reunite them with their parents. Often times the children get placed into the foster care system or sent to live with family that’s already in the US, but with no records kept if their parents are sent back to their home country, they may never get to see their children again due to improper and insufficient record books. For some of the children placed in the foster care system immediately, they can get deported later on in their life back to their home country if they never become full citizens or permanent residents of the United States. This creates a whole other problem entirely because most kids come across the border at such a young age that they know nothing about their home country, nor do they have any way of connecting with any family they might have down south in order to not be homeless the second they get deported and kicked out of the US.
For those being deported, the US government is responsible for helping them get back to their home country in regards to transportation. However having this transportation is never immediate. Those deported get placed in immigration holding cells for days, weeks, and sometimes even months or years. Several of the deportees were interviewed by the Associated Press while they were in holding and a few different inmates during the interview about how an officer had told them, “this is what you come here for: to suffer”(Kanstroom 8). These officers are making it very clear to those being deported that they are lesser, shouldn’t be cared for, and don’t deserve to be treated as human beings. These places of holding, with these horrible officers only gives a glimpse of what it will be like for the deportees once they get sent back to their home countries.
Once deported, the US government doesn’t help those involuntarily leaving the country find a job or place to stay once they’re back in their home country. Not only does this put those leaving into extreme poverty and make it extremely difficult for them physically when they have no clue where they are, where to go, and in some cases don’t even speak the language; but as you can hopefully imagine it has a large impact on their mental health too and can severely harm them psychologically.
What is happening through deportation of those kids who never became full citizens, whether they had the chance or not growing up, has slowly become a daily occurrence for the US government. For a 3 year old it’s traumatic enough being separated at the border from their parents. As humans, we are nurtured by our parents from day one and it is partially through that nurture that we learn how to deal with things in the real world, even just the little things like how to use a spoon. One example of this was not a deportation back to Mexico or South America, but still had the same effect as it has on those deported from the US to that continent and its countries. A 26-year old man raised in the United States was found guilty for possession of cocaine. His punishment wasn’t jail time or a fine, his punishment was deportation. He came to the United States as a very young child and has only ever spoken English and lived as an American. However the government only saw that he came from Haiti and decided to send him back there where he, “found himself living in a tent” amongst thousands of other Haitians in extreme poverty. In an interview he stated that he, “wouldn’t wish Haiti on my worst enemy… I’m used to being treated like a human being, but a human life has absolutely zero worth in Haiti” (Kanstroom, 8).
This young man, got sent back to a country that he didn’t know anything about when he could’ve gotten jail time instead. In his eyes, he was a citizen, everything he had known his whole life was an American life within the United States. In an instant, all because he got mixed up with the wrong crowd, his life did a 180 and he was left with nothing but a sad life and a permanent banishment from the US. This is just one example that shows the big physical effect that deportation through illegal youth border crossing can have on a person. To the government, as an adult you should know about your home country and it’s okay to be sent back there if they see fit. But to those adults who came into the country as infants or young children and never knew they hadn’t gained full citizenship growing up, you’re mentally left very vulnerable and placed in a state of panic and fear since you have no clue where you’re being sent to or what you’re supposed to do when you get there. After a child is deported, it might leave the parents regretting their decision to come to the US in the first place, they very well may feel a lot of guilt and as though they’re responsible for their child being deported. But, why did they come to the US in the first place?
Looking at the facts parents are responsible for helping their children gain citizenship and can play a major role in being guilty of getting their own children deported as adults. However, we have to wonder, is the government partially responsible for those children not becoming full citizens as well by not always providing all the information parents need to start their children on the path of citizenship? I say this because from interviews and firsthand accounts, all these parents know how dangerous their home countries are and show that they’ll do anything to give their child a chance in the US, whether they get in or not. One mother from El Salvador stated that, “[The] laws say that a person who crosses [the border] is a criminal. It’s more criminal to let your children starve to death. If I have to lose my life, at least I wanted to try rather than let my children die of hunger” (Kanstroom 8). This mother is one of many who voice their desperation for getting their family across the border. They know that their home country is in extreme poverty and full of gang violence everywhere you look. Many families become so desperate for food they often sell their children to the sex trade both knowingly and unknowingly, as well as into the drug cartels. Other families might not pay a certain bill for a few months because they can’t afford it; in response they get death threats in the mail for both them and their children. This fear of starving to death and/or being killed is what drives these families to take the long and often dangerous journey north to the US border in hopes of gaining asylum or citizenship.
One of the most common dangers that these immigrants are faced with on their journey to the border is dehydration due to the high heat and humidity levels that last all day. The dehydration causes the children, as well as the adults to vomit, faint, and experience extreme forms of heat exhaustion. This dehydration has become a huge concern for the first responders of the communities immigrants are passing through. Ambulances fill up their trucks with large amounts of water bottles early in the morning, and pull over on the side of a road to start handing them out to people and try their best to keep everybody hydrated on their long journey. According to several news reports, people in large groups will jump onto the back of moving semi-trucks until you can barely see the metal edges above the wheels. This poses a huge threat as you can probably imagine. One incident that occurred was a middle-aged man fell off of one of the trucks and it is believed that he may have fallen under the truck, followed by being run over and killed (CBS News). CBS interviewed several at the accident sight asking if this death changed their mind about going on the journey and how they feel about what took place. One women reported that before even going on the journey they knew the risks and the dangers so this man’s death didn’t change her mind about going on this journey. In addition to that she stated how, everybody on the journey begins to feel a bond and as though they’re a family and so they felt for the man whose life was lost on the journey but will continue on fighting in order to get as many of them as they can across the border and to a better place.
All of these deaths and injuries that occur along the immigrants’ journey whether it’s of someone they barely knew or their own family member, it creates a conflicting issue for them mentally. They feel sad, depressed, and hurt when someone dies as we all do when someone we know has passed. But unlike most deaths of natural cause, it can be much harder for those on the journey since they have to watch the tragic death of those being run over by vehicles, hearing their screams and bones be crushed, until all you hear is traffic again. Some people may even compare it to being in war. You can’t unsee someone dying, you can’t not remember what it sounded like when it occurred. When you watch someone die, it changes you psychologically and you’ll never be the same person you were again. But at the same time, many of the immigrants have already traveled thousands of miles from where they began, and knew the risks before they even started on the journey. Because of these two factors and the issues that face them back in their home countries they know they can’t let those deaths stop them and that they must continue on and try to reach the border where they may seek help from the US and try to become citizens and give their families a better life. So what do all of these causes and effects mean and what’s the point of this whole paper?
As we’ve seen throughout this paper, one the way to the border, my don’t make it. Whether they get injured, killed or simply decide to turn back, out of the millions crossing, thousands don’t make it. As for those who do make it many don’t get in. In addition to this, while they’re being processed and waiting to find out if they can get in, they’re separated from their children without it being required. This leads to improper keeping of records and many not being reunited with their families ever again. For those who do get accepted into the country, they often get deported years later, especially those who came across as young children because they never knew they had to become full citizens or they were never given the chance to be citizens. With deportation comes struggle and physical suffering once they’re sent back to their home country as well as from the officers while in holding. Finally from all of this, there’s a large psychological effect that all the different aspects of the journey have on each person that takes it. They witness death, they struggle, pass out, and get treated as though they aren’t human beings al because of the way they decided to come into the US and cross the border.
All these things make them think and view the world differently than they used to and changes them in a bad way mentally. Sadly right now there are no solutions that can help the situation with the USA’s current presidential administration. But to all those who have read this paper, whether you know someone who’s come across the border on a similar journey, been deported for being placed under similar circumstances, or if you were born and raised in America, I want you to think about this for more than a second. If you are an immigrant I want you to know that there are Americans who do support and want to help you, even if we can’t right now. And to those who are Americans, think about this issue, think about what these people are having to go through and how they’re being treated. They are all humans and deserve to be treated as such. Show your support through your votes, that put people in a position to decide what happens to those coming into our country. It’s not a proper solution, but it’s all that can be offered right now and is a good starting point because it’s our votes that begin the decision making process and decide how we take care of immigrants and who we end up allowing into our country or who we send back to where they originally came from.
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Family Separation At The US Mexico Border. (2019, Feb 15).
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The Effects of Family Dynamics on Morality Embedded in Society
In the development of morals in adolescents, no external influence is greater than that of their household environment. Through repremansion, reinforcement and both direct and indirect teaching, families instill morals in children, and help them to develop beliefs that reflect the values of their culture (education.gov). In today's culture, racism is such a common encounter, preparing ones child on how to react in these situations seems as just another average conversation. Through parental tactics both politically and ethically of inclusivity, education and awareness while being executed by the parent themselves would help marshall a favorable and more positive American society.
One example is demonstrated in “Notes of a Native Son” in which a youthful nine year old boy named James Baldwin had a young caucasian teacher who “took an interest” in him and proposed a trip to the local theater to watch plays. Baldwin’s father was greatly apprehensive and only agreed with great reluctance of the arrangement. Although the teacher maintained a supportive manner toward Baldwin and the family, Baldwin’s father found her distrustful, and later advised his son to stay away from white people as much as possible.
This passage contains a perfect example of the way in which racism can cause people to develop a self-destructive relationship to the world. The specialized interest of the white teacher is a beneficial opportunity for the young Baldwin to advance yet his father is so distrustful of white people that he cannot conceptualize the situation as anything other than a threat. This situation is very common; kids inheriting their own parents biases in an act of respecting them and not rebelling against their parents word. However, as a society as a whole, this causes unnecessary racial tension made up through the minds of previous generations. In order to marshall a good society, we must evolve our own morals and teachings through generations ahead to enact universal acceptance. As parents, this topic may be taboo but not talking about race with your kids can result in surprisingly problematic views about race. While there are an abundance of reasons, one of the most compelling has been recent work showing that children often construct their own (sometimes worrying) conclusions about race and if they assume discussing this topic is too susceptible to disapproval, then these theories do not get checked.
Another wide barring issue is represented in Brent Staples’ ""Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space,"" Staples depicts the stereotypes, controversies, and judgments he faces being a black man in public vaccinities. Staples introduces his perspective by revealing how the behaviors observed around him are because of the fear linked to his labelled stereotypes of being criminals, gangsters and assaulters. Staples effectively begins by not only confessing the probable flaws in his practiced race but also by considering the opposing side, those who fear them.
Black males being susceptible to more violence due to the environment of their upbringing are assumed to be more likely to commit crime and cause harm towards women but Staples questions why that issue alters the outlook of everyday face to face contact. Staples admits, ""women are particularly vulnerable to street violence, and young black males are drastically overrepresented among the perpetrators of that violence,"" (Staples 384). In this instance, it highlights the blurred lines between racial awareness and racial judgment. In it is preamble to distinguish the two. Having racial awareness entails being aware of one's own race/ethnicity, as well as others identities and some of the intricate psychological, economic, and cultural issues, differences and similarities among the races. Racial judgment on the other hand would entail holding onto one incident and holding it over a whole racial groups head. To combat this, distinguishing the two at a young age could be significant in growing into a more socially acceptable adult. It is shown that during elementary school, African Americans experience institutional and individual racism. In one periodic study ninety-two percent of black children aged ten or younger, experienced racial discrimination (The Defining Moment).
These encounters induced mental and physical damage and increase aggression and delinquency. Now it's not always sufficient that we teach children respect for people of other races and abilities. We simply need to also preserve their trust in themselves and others, and their congenital sense of justice. If a child senses security and safety, he will react with exasperation toward racism, whether it’s aimed at him or at someone else. He will know that the racist attitude he has witnessed is wrong, and won’t adopt it as his own. For parents, this starts by word influence. As suggested by Hand in Hand, not having the child compare others, and judgments like “bad,” “good,” “better,” and “best” to classify him or other people. This suggests, for instance, “that when asked why some people are sent to jail, a parent would explain that those people have done something seriously hurtful to someone else, not that those are bad people” (Wipfler 1). What causes children vulnerable to racism is to treat children like we are superior, have more knowledge, significance, and our opinions have more validity than their feelings. Instead, we need to guide them with respect for their intelligence, whether they are acting intelligently at the moment or not.
In contrast, some might claim that as we grow older and form our own opinions, our formed judgments may not go hand in hand without our parents or how we were raised. Racism appears to be a little more common among older generations. This by no means, excuses racist behavior. However, most children who are born into racial biases stick with them because thats all they know. Most particularly, the Ku Klux Klan. The first generation of klansman flourished in 1865 with acts of physical assault and murder against groups or individuals whom they opposed. Now in present day, the third generation holds power (Wikipedia). With shows featured on A&E such as “Generation KKK”, it exhibits the discrimination implemented in their children's heads by ostracizing them from the outside world, having them live in their own community holding onto their own prejudices. This can be connected to a common family as well; parents refusing to let their children hangout with others for their own discriminatory reasons causes the child to lack diverse interactions. Thus, when adulthood arises they will avoid these foreign interactions at any cost, representing an unconscious underlying racist act.
Furthermore, a study done in the Journal of Politics incorporated three generations of Americans in order to reevaluate the political socialization within the family and its results on their character. “Youth coming of age in the 1990s strongly parallel those based on youth socialized in the 1960s” (Jennings 1). This signified the impact of parental influence. Children are more likely to adopt their parents’ political standings if the family is highly politicized and if the parents present consistent acts over time. Teenagers are notorious for rebellion, but in the topic of politics, their standpoints are strongly affected by what their parents opinions are. Even prior to reaching the legal voting age, adolescents stemming from a democratic household tend to stay to the left, likewise in Republican households they tend to grow up and stay further right.
With that, asserting the freedom of forming their own opinions but keeping awareness of the world around them would significantly benefit the push for social changes when their generations become the primary voters. These benefits can be seen today; in the 2018 midterm elections. My generation of millennials proved as a new enthusiastic subgroup representing forty percent of the votings casted (Fortune). I believe this drive and interest from young voters arose from being exposed to newly accepted ideas such as gender fluidity and wanting to overpower the ignorance of the closed minded older generations. As the “baby-boomer” generation of voters declines, experts predict millennials to evolve into the largest and most powerful group athouritating future elections in the U.S. Keeping in mind that all have the right to vote, not all will. Meaning that if young people are not educated on the significance of getting to directly influence issues that might affect their lives for years to come, including college tuition reform and federal job programs, it will more likely not fall in their favor. Thus, as a parents, reminding your child that their diversity is their strongest tool is essential so that when it is their time to call for change, they value their one vote for it can be the difference between a more welcoming or continuously oppressed society. Millennials primary goal of representing a diverse population through a more inclusive agenda, and pushing those advocacies through the federal government with the help of future voters would essentially marshall a more positive and inclusive American society.
In conclusion, although families' contributions to children's moral development is broad, there are particular ways in which morals are most effectively conveyed and learned. Moral education is vital to help raise a virtuous, responsible, and compassionate member of society; as well as becoming informed and reflective about important and controversial moral issues. In accordance, families should be encouraged to live in ways that are consistent with their beliefs because the act of telling is ineffective if it's not being played out. All purpose as tools to enable one to become a component of marshalled good in society.
Works Cited
“Are Kids Racist?” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/developing-minds/201304/are-kids-racist.
Cohen, Samuel S. 50 Essays: a Portable Anthology. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2017
Dulin-Keita, Akilah et al. “The Defining Moment: Children's Conceptualization of Race and Experiences with Racial Discrimination” Ethnic and racial studies vol. 34,4 (2011): 662-682.
“The Journal of Politics.” American Journal of Education, www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1017/S0022381609090719.
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The Effects of Family Dynamics on Morality Embedded in Society. (2019, Feb 15).
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https://studydriver.com/2019/02/page/10/
Family and Football
Two of the most important things in my life is family and football. Family and football are one in the same to me. I value them both as they have taught me discipline, respect and loyalty. In the game of football my teammates and I have built an unbreakable bond like those of brothers.
At the age of 5 my father started playing semi pro football for the Colorado Wildcats. The experience and joy I felt seeing him on the field allowed me to expand my horizons and see life in a different perspective. This made me want to better myself so that I can be a professional and make it to the NFL.
I started playing flag football in the 5th grade and continued playing to my current year in high school. My parents and family were there to cheer me in even when I did not know they plays and that made me feel great. I knew that with my family support and dedication I was going to be a success story.
I continued to practice with my dad, who taught me the game and when my freshman year of high school came I was 1 of 4 freshman students on the varsity team at Adam's city high school. My sophomore year I transferred to George Washington high school. This is where I found the true meaning of family which was a big deal for me.
Family is so important because they provide security making you feel safe. Having that support system. They will always love you, and be there for you no matter what. Having role models to show you how to act, how to carry yourself respect not only urself but respect others.
Your family provides security
Football has taught me important life lessons that I carry with me every day. I had to learn that you win some and you lose some. Losing games were really hard for me, however I learned that with sportsmanship, you shake the other player's hands no matter if you win or if you lose. You also look them in the eyes and give them the respect that everyone deserves after playing the game. Optimism is not always easy. It is very easy to get down on yourself, get mad at your coaches, or say “I can’t.” However, sports teach you that you can’t just throw your hands up in the air and give up. Never give up. That is also where confidence comes into play. I did not have a lot of confidence in myself when I first started playing contact football. I was afraid that I would get hurt. My father told me that anything can happen on the field and in life; however, if you pay attention to your surroundings and believe that you can do it, anything is possible. I had to learn to believe in myslef on and off the field. I will never forget these life lessons. They have made me a better person and shaped me into the person I am today. I am continuing to learn new lessons every day.
My mother and father always told me that school came first. My grades aren't very good. I am still learning to apply the confidence I gained from football to my work in the classrooms. I turn in my classroom assignments as I am supposed too; however, my grades have been hurt dramatically because I choke up during test and quizzes, which hurt my overall grade. I struggle more with timed tests, I know the material, I know I can do the problems, I go blank. I pay too much attention to the clocks, because I am still afraid that the clock will pass me up and I will not finish in the time allowed. I know that I must play hard on and off the field in reference to my education. I recognize that test taking may be a weakness for me but nonetheless I strive to do my best day in and day out, by taking better notes during class, asking for help when needed and seeing my teachers during breaks, lunches and after school for the assistance that I may need. I want to join study groups, tutoring classes and seek out additional resources and assistance in college to ensure that I don’t repeat the same mistakes in the past with my grades.
If being a football player is not in my future, Coaching would be my next step. I would love to be able to share the lessons that I have learned to other up and coming athletes. To mentor them on how to become good people, how to respect not just others but to also respect themselves, discipline and loyalty, and all the other great things that sports have to offer on and off the field.
I would like the opportunity to make my family proud. I would like the chance to continue to make my family proud by being the 1st out of a few generations to actually make it to college and be successful. I understand to accomplish this, it will take hard work, will power and dedicated. I am willing to do what it takes.
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Family and Football. (2019, Feb 15).
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The Impact of Gender Stereotypes in Commercial Advertisements on Family Dynamics
As each one of us enter this world, society likes to begin stamping gender roles on us the second we are removed from our mother's womb. Baby boys are swaddled into blue blankets and baby girls in pink respectively. As we grow, more gender stereotypes of how we are supposed to act are ingrained into our subconscious. For example, little boys are told not to cry or show any emotion, while little girls are expected to be submissive and feminine. Our parents are the first persons we see and therefore whom we model ourselves after. It has been suggested that the media plays a powerful role in how we live, think, and behave. It could also be said that the media perpetuates gender stereotypes in how males and females are supposed to act regarding the typical family dynamic, or the “nuclear family.” There is always a father who is tall, handsome, and masculine, as well as a beautiful, slender, attractive mother and their two young children.
History of Commercial Advertisement
Advertising has greatly evolved from the printing press, to the commercials seen during the streaming of our favorite Hulu series. While sometimes being an annoyance to many, television commercials were the highlight of television with their comedic skits and catchy jingles. About thirteen years after the television was invented, the first legal commercial advertisement aired in 1941 before the Brooklyn Dodger's baseball game, lasting only 9 seconds (Luckin, 2013). This began the start of something new for advertising. Businesses now had the luxury of expanding their market by using commercials to advertise goods and services.
Around this time, the middle to late twentieth century, the United States was recovering from World War II and the Cold War. Service men were finally returning home and settling down, initiating the baby boomer period. This influenced the advertisers to sell the American Dream, a significant theme in many television commercials advertisements. Producers addressed the needs of consumers. One must consider that advertisers plan out the entirety of commercials. The actors, the script and the setting have all been chosen by someone who believes what will be showcased will grab the attention of viewers, in efforts to persuade them to buy the product.
Television in the twentieth century is not currently what is seen. Vintage commercials from the 1940’s to 1950’s were displayed in black and white. Looking at various commercials for Folgers, the actors are mostly white males and females aging from their late twenty’s to early forty’s, lacking in diversity. Majority of these advertisements all have similar storylines: a wife doing household chores or showing a husband going off to work. Commercial advertising in this time period is mostly selling household products, food and other domestic goods, alluding excellent cooking or cleaning to being an excellent housewife. Women are often presented as a product in a domestic environment or associated with a domestic product. One could infer that this theme presents itself as a type patriotism, perpetuating the idea that woman are serving the nation by serving their husbands. There is an unequal role of portrayal of women and men, conforming to common gender stereotypes. The portrayal of men and women in these classic commercials create “belief systems [that] create normative expectations and influence individuals’ perceptions of both themselves and others” (Fowler & Thomas, 2015).
Minorities in Advertisements
It has been suggested that representation in the media helps provide a positive image that affects the attitudes and perceptions of society. For minorities, it seems as though representation of Black or Latino families in television commercials has increased within the last several years. Most, if not all other minorities, are completely missing on television except for stereotypical roles. For example, African American men are often portrayed in stereotypical roles which include service providers and athletes, while Asian American men are typecasts in roles concerning technology or business positions.
Although audiences may see positive racial representations, such as African American athletes, or successful Asian American business men, many viewers are unaware of the racial stereotype that is hiding behind such advertisements. These ads suggest that black men are only skilled in physical jobs because they the lack intellect required for business, where Asian American men are only skilled in educational positions because they lack physical coordination for sports. It is due to these types of commercials that stereotypes continue to remain a part of the commercial advertising industry today (Christine M. Rubie-Davies, 2013).
Another reason that many minorities are virtually invisible in commercial advertisements is due largely to the gender stereotypes attached to their race. It has been suggested that, due to numerus reasons, racial minorities have been ignored in commercial advertising mainly because of stereotypes about certain stereotypes. According to a study done on magazines ads, both black men and Asian American women are always disproportionally represented in magazine ads versus television commercials. Some racial groups are viewed by society as more masculine whereas other groups are viewed as more feminine (Lay, 2017).
The black community has been sadly underrepresented in the advertising industry leading many to believe that the black consumer’s opinion is not valued in today’s advertising market. A recent study concluded that less than six percent of advertising managers are black. (Franklin, 2014) In addition, gay and lesbians have attracted little interest from the advertising market as well. Studies have shown that gay and lesbian consumers are more attracted to commercial advertisements that positively represent other homosexual couples over heterosexual couples. Another study had shown that heterosexual audiences are more positively attracted to ads that show lesbian couples than ads that show gay couples (Oakenfull, 2007).
Gender stereotypes in advertising are still common in many countries around the world. It has been suggested that consumer’s attitudes toward gender stereotyping in commercial may not be taken as seriously as many may think. Unfair portrayals of women in advertising has long been the discussion of many feminist groups, but many think that the unfair depiction of men is necessary to fully understand where these stereotypes come from (Zoto, 2016).
Gender Stereotypes in Advertisement
It has been found that for the past 50 years stereotyping in advertisements is typical, it is especially typical for genders to be stereotyped. Over time, the obviousness of these stereotypes has decreased, but they are still occurring in countries all over the world. There has also been an increase in understanding how to use social media to better reach specific demographics (Huhmann,2016). Research has shown patterns in types of stereotypes. Studies have shown that women are typically places in homemaker roles and seen in fewer professional roles. There is also an emphasis on women’s appearance when compared to males. Male figures are often shown as leader and breadwinners in the house hold. Studies have found, however, that there is a change happening where genders are becoming more equal over time, as women are seen in positions of power and men are shown as softer characters (Grau, 2016).
The type of channel also plays a large role in the amount of stereotyping that occurs. A study found that both private channels as well as public channels included gender stereotyping, however they two varied somewhat in type. For both it was found that women were shown to be younger and portrayed in home/reliant roles. Whereas men were shown to be in the work place or as independent characters. It was also found that location and occupation-based stereotypes were more prevalent on public channels, and physical characteristics and behavior were more common on private channels (Grau, 2016).
The use of social media has become an advantage as well as a disadvantage for advertisement industries. Using these internet-based platforms it is much easier to reach a target audience, however it is also easy to share said advertisement with the wrong audience. This can cause certain groups being offended or misinterpreting a product. For example, an ad may try to reach a young audience by using a popular rap song, but this same ad could be taken offensively by an older generation. These specific demographics may also cause variations of how much stereotyping is shown in each one (Huhmann, 2016)
The role media production plays in society is varied greatly. There are two theories when it comes to explaining advertising strategy’s and the use of stereotypes. The first is the ‘Mirror’ point of view in which advertisements are simply showing society as it is. They project what they see society to be, without adjusting the roles. A study done on Chinese advertisements support this point of view. It was found in the Chinese ads, men and women were equal, and not many stereotypes were prevalent, as seen in their actual culture. The second point of view is the ‘Model’, this one suggests that society is shaped by the advertisements around it. It is also argued that rather than these being two separate items, that they are on one continuum. This resulting in the continuation of stereotypes in society (Grau, 2016).
Advertising companies will use different methods of targeting specific audiences. This is especially true when targeting women. It was found that women make up most consumers, so it would make sense that companies pay special attention to how female react to advertisement. We see this in common in digital advertisements as well as physical displays in shopping malls. When it comes to displaying products companies will place promotions in a way that will influence women to buy more. For example, advertising professionals will place children’s clothes close to the women’s section, because most women will buy for their family primarily (Shkurkin, et al. 2017).
A research article categorized women into 5 groups to explain some of the characteristics advertising professionals look out for. First is the ‘rich and beautiful’, this group is often young 18-25 with high level education, no job, and above average income. This group typically has wealthy providers which could be a husband/boyfriend or parental figure. Priorities here are the desire to appear wealthy and live lavishly, family is not seen to be important in this category. Next is the ‘Dray-horse’, this group is aged over 27 years old and makes average to below average income. In this group dreams are relatively small and achievable (for example go on a vacation, spend time with family, raise well-mannered children). Women’s role in this category is to have a small job and primarily take care of the family. Next, we see the ‘modern and business-minded woman’, this group of 25-40-year-old women are feminist minded, make average income, and are typically childless and single. Their goals are to gain higher positions in their job, and they have little to no time to shop. Fourth we see the ‘Intellectuals’, in this group women are aged over 20 years old. These women are typically married with children, and have jobs in teaching, engineering, and economics. Family is not a major focus, but the search for inner and outer harmony is a large priority. Lastly, we see the ‘Student’ category. This groups of 16-30 years old women often don’t have money to shop regularly but see malls as a place to hang out. Their ideals are to appear cool and unique but feel the desire to purchase expensive things. Using these categories adverting professionals target each demographic (Shkurkin, et al. 2017).
Women’s stereotyping in advertising is often researched, but one that is sometimes forgotten is the impact of advertising on male gender roles. Males in advertising are usually depicted as non-feminine, heterosexual, and dominant. Their associations to family roles are shown as the breadwinner, moral guide, or a role model. It is rare to see a male being depicted as a child care giver or a stay at home character. These methods of advertising are based on the types of feedback advertising companies receive. Studies have found that more conservative demographics give most positive feedback to the ideology of women stays at home to do house duties and the male goes to work. Some traditionalists are accepting of an egalitarian relationship where couples work equally (Baxter, 2016.)
A study in which traditionalists and less-traditionalists were shown two ads in which a child was being taken care of by a woman, and the other was a child being taken care of by a male. The researchers record the feedback in which this ad received, and it was found that most were accepting of both ads, but more traditionalist preferred the female version. It also showed that some participants didn’t see the male as the primary care giver, with comments suggesting that the father was giving the mother a break for a while. Others acknowledged the change in society and how fathers were shown in more feminine positions. This information shows some of the acceptances being made currently, but also highlights the still existing male gender stereotypes (Baxter, 2016.)
Stereotypes based upon appearance also play a role in the way advertisements work. It is often found that beauty is associated with a positive life and or benefits in life. It was found the recognition of this concept starts as young as the age of 7 years old, at this stage of brain development children have higher levels of cognitive thought in which they can identify attractiveness and social associations of this. And at the age of 8 they can start to communicate a response towards these commercials (Vermeir & Sompel, 2014).
We see the concept of ‘beauty = happiness’ is shown in commercials, by using bright colors with high contrast as well as using attractive models. This concept is not implemented by advertisers alone but shown in any form of entertainment targeted towards children. For example, Disney movies often portray their hero using attractive characters or actors (Vermeir & Sompel, 2014).
A study shows that when children were shown 2 Wii commercials using ‘attractive’ models as well as ‘moderately attractive’ models the participants aged 8 years old associated the more attractive ones more positively. These participants describe the characters as ‘kind’ and ‘having more friends’. The same study was shown to 11-year-olds, but the results showed less bias for the attractive models. This is predicted to have occurred due to the high cognitive development and ability to better analyze the commercials (Vermeir & Sompel, 2014).
While a higher cognitive development can help people show less bias, commercials themselves can distract people and cause a cognitive interference. The effects of cognitive interference that are generated by such distractions extend well beyond the domain of judgment tasks (Miarmi & DeBono 2007). This distraction cause people to use stereotypes present to help judge and understand their surroundings.
“One advantage of a stereotype is that it enables us to respond rapidly to situations because we may have had a similar experience before.” When thought upon in terms of advertisement where information is presented and taken away at a rapid pace would explain why “communal female advertising characters are still being evaluated more favorably than agentic ones” (INFANGER, BOSAK, & SCZESNY 2012). This is important as what is more favorable will be what is advertised in the future and what is advertised in the future will be what stereotypes are continued to future generations.
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The Challenges Canadian Immigrants Face in their Working Family and Health
When it comes to female immigrants, things are getting worse. According to many researches, the group of immigrants generally doesn’t perform well in the working market of Canada. There is more unemployment among immigrants than among the indigenous, which is especially true among the female immigrants. (Badets and Howatson 1999). According to George and Ramkissoon (1998), in 47 female immigrants from South Asia, most did not continue doing jobs of their experienced areas and were engaged into some other works of comparably low salary.?Martins & Reid, 2007?
Many female immigrants used to have good jobs and were elites in their own professions, but when they came to Canada, they were having huge difficulties in finding suitable jobs. The biggest contrast between their original roles and their current situation brings them huge pressures, both financially and psychologically. They tend to have a much lower income than male immigrants, let alone the natives, which forces them live economically, and often face the monetary problems. ?Man, 2011?
What’s even worse is that they may often feel gloomy, question themselves, have low self-esteem, and doubt why they immigrate to Canada; some may even suffer from depression, which seriously affect their health.?Man, 2011?For example, Mei and her husband were software engineers in China. After they moved to Canada, Mei could not find suitable job and felt stressful.?Man,2011?“when we arrived here, my husband sought to look for a job in an active manner, and he found a software engineer position.” said Mei, “However, I am still learning English, because I am not sure of my language ability. Occasionally, I doubt the correctness of my decision of coming to Canada.” (Man, 2011, p.204)
Problems are not limited in works, but also emerged in families. What is worth noticing is that the change in the wife’s economic situation can often break the original balance of the family between husband and wife, and bring damages to their marriage.(Man, 2011) Unable to find suitable jobs, many female immigrants can only stay at home, suffering lower self-esteem and feeling sad. At this time, what they most need is their spouses’ understanding and encouragement.?Man, 2011?However, their husbands, meanwhile, also are experiencing tremendous pressures from work, and often ignore their wives’ feelings. What’s worse, some husbands may think their wives not so competent as themselves and treat their partners condescendingly, which further endangers the relationship between husband and wife.?Man, 2011?
When it comes to their husbands, they did no better than their partners. There is a tendency that employers are more willing to hire people with local working experience and Canadian educational backgrounds, which definitely pushed new comers to some unstable works that involve more physical labors and that need working longer without basic welfare and securities. (Man, 2011) This kind of jobs causes huge pressures on employees, who are the only source of income and need to take care their whole family to survive in the new country. (Martins & Reid, 2007)When these husbands returned home, they normally passed their bad feelings to their wives and felt reasonable doing so, because they thought they supported the whole family, which is exactly the same as Luxton’s (2015) study on working class families: the husbands, the only breadwinners of family, claimed their dominance on their spouses, which always leads to the degradation of the relationship between husbands and wives. (Man,2011)Both under tremendous pressures and experiencing failures from work, culture and society, husbands and wives tend to release their rage and attribute their failures to their partners, which posed a big threat to their marriage.(Man, 2011)
The difficulties immigrants are facing extends far beyond jeopardizing the couple’s relationship; they also bring about a new problem---who and how to take care of their children? Some immigrant families have to choose to send their children back to their own countries to be taken care of by the grandparents. Tien shared her story of sending her daughter back to China. (Martins & Reid, 2007) “After the birth of my daughter, we decided to send her back to be taken care of by her grandma in China, because we were not eligible for the subsidized child daycare.” (Man, 2011, p.207) She had to call her mother everyday to keep pace with her daughter’s growth and came back to China every year when she was on holiday. ( Man,2011) Apparently, immigrants have to pay much cost in the finance and the sentiment for this trans-continent kinship. By sending back their children to be taken care of by grandparents, immigrant mothers can work full time jobs and seek to more decent positions in labor market.( Man,2011)
Apart from the predicament in the working place and conflicts and issues in the families, immigrants have to face another plight: their health are under threat and they have difficulty in accessing the health care resources.
According to some literature, when new comers arrived in Canada, they were as healthy as natives, or even healthier than the Canadian born population. Compared to native-born Canadians, immigrants have a lower prevalence of chronic diseases, and lower rate of mortality and morbidity from all causes. (Zanchetta & Poureslami, 2006)
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How my Father and my Brother Influenced my Life
In this paper I explored the lives of two male influences in my life, my dad and my brother. Being that one was born and raised in Brazil and one was born and raised in America, I was interested to learn about their childhood, journey into adulthood, as well as compare their stories to one another. In this interview I will dissect their infancy, their adolescence in reference to relationships, and their adulthood employment and expectations.
The Dahlgren-Whitehead rainbow model is a framework for human interaction with the environment, it shows us how people are affected by different institution in their lives such as friends, families, and religious groups. According to Andersen chapter 2, institutions include specific participants who share expectations and act in specific roles with rights and duties attached to them. Jader Junior was born July 28th, 1968 in Maceio Alagoas, Brazil. He is one of ten children. He was born and raised in the country side with both his parents and his siblings, 5 girls and 4 boys. Jader’s institutions are exceptionally impacted by Brazilian culture. Culture is a major influence on the organization of social relations, it defines what is appropriate and expected behavior for men and women in society.
Anderson chapter 6, talks about how families often develop kin networks that work as systems of social and economic exchange. Hispanic clans have a major reliance on extended kin such as grandparents. This was the case in Jader Juniors life, both set of grandparents played a crucial role in his upbringing as a child. Andersen also said the family ideal is an ideology; a belief system suggesting that all people should live in nuclear families, that women should have husbands to support them, and that motherhood is women’s major role. Family roles are diverse and often change throughout time, but men and women often experience families in different ways. For Jader Jr., when asked about his roles/responsibilities as a child around the house he said nothing, and neither did his brothers. However, his five sisters needed to help his mother with chorus around the house, such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry. His father was the financial provider of the house, his mother was a house wife/mom who took care of the home and all who lived there, and the children’s responsibility was to go to school and be good students. This is an example of “separation of spheres”, where women were in charge of the private sphere, home life, and men were in charge of the public sphere, work life.
During Jader Jr’s adolescence, dating systems became centered around hooking up. Andersen chapter 4 refers to “hooking up” as sexual behaviors that includes no ongoing commitment to the other person. In the “Is hooking up bad for young women” reading, the text talked about how hooking up hasn’t replaced committed relationships however, gave dating a new name. In the text, hooking up means” kissing; for others, it means sexual-genital play but not intercourse; and for still others, it means sexual intercourse” (Andersen ch 4). Between the ages of 18-23 Jader Jr took part in this hookup culture. However, it confirms it did not replace serious relationships because at 23 years old, when he met Alessandra, their relationship was defined as serious in hopes of marriage. Both Jader Jr and Alessandra were of the same class system and worked the same job at the mall. This is an example of what the text refers to in chapter 4 as sociological dimension; “all forms of relationships are situated within relationships of power, social institutional structures, and systems of inequality based on the intersections of race, gender, and class.”
In adulthood there was a major shift in events that affected Jader Jr’s life, he moved to The United States of America. The reason for the move was a search for better employment opportunity and better education systems for his newborn child. According to Jader Jr, it was very difficult moving to a new country he didn’t speak the language without any family support. However, he says his expectations were met. He was able to find employment in construction, which was challenging and labor intensive. He would work very early to very late hours. However, it provided him with enough to provide for his family and establish a foundation in this new country. Through gender socialization, different behaviors and attitudes are encouraged and discouraged in men and women. According to the New York Times: Work Culture’s Toll on Families and Gender Equality, men are expected to be devoted to their work “men are required by the culture to be these superheroes, to fulfill this devotion and single -minded commitment to work.”
Jader Neto was born March 2nd, 2004 in Miami Beach, FL. He is one of two children, but the first born US citizen. He was raised in the suburbs/city with both his parents and his sister. Unlike Jader Junior, Jader Neto did not have any extended family in America, like grandparents, while growing up. Some institutions that influence Jader Neto’s life are his family members, school friends, and the music industry (he is a musician). However, he is also impacted by Brazilian culture since his parents raise him as such. Anderson chapter 2 states “gender expectations in a culture are routinely expressed subtly in social interaction”. When Jader Neto was asked about his role/responsibilities around the house as a child, like Jader Jr, he claimed to not have any, except go to school and get good grades. His childhood upbringing can be explained though the social construct of gender; which refers to the many different processes by which the expectations associated with being a boy/man or girl/woman are passed on through society.
Currently in Jader Neto’s adolescence, when asked about the dating system his response was “Dating means going out on dates, such as dinner and movies, with someone you like. You date in order to get to know someone better to see how suited you both are for marriage”. Although he is not yet dating, he sees marriage as the function for dating. When asked how he would select the right person to date he claimed to look for similar interest and physical attraction. “Hooking up and dating are two sides of a coin” reading states “sexual attraction was reported most often as the reason for both hookups and dates”. Jader Neto also shared that socio-economic standing would not influence his attraction for a mate however, if he was dating someone of a higher standing than him he would act more appropriate around them.
Although Jader Neto is not yet of age, we spoke about his expectations for adulthood. When it comes to future responsibilities Jader Neto believes he will assume all financial responsibility over the family as well as help be a part of his children’s upbringing, by playing with them and teaching them musical instruments. As far as keeping the balance between home and work life, Jader Neto said he would not let work come between the family, “If a job required me to move away for a long period I would turn them down”.
In conclusion, I was able to see how culture is a major influence on institutions that shape an individual’s life. I also noticed a major lack of growth regarding the social construct of gender in Brazilian culture. Both Jader Jr and Jader Neto had similar childhood experiences, neither had responsibilities in the house. Both had parents who reinforced the importance of an education however, never instilled a sense of domestic responsibility. Both interviewees also claimed financial responsibility over the family and established breadwinner roles. It could be that Hispanic culture till this day still instills and passes on stigmas from the patriarchy. Overall, it appears that cultural expectations associated with gender heavily impact the experiences of an individual in society.
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The Addams Family
I recently had the joy of seeing the Addams Family play at the Candlelight Pavilion theater in Claremont, California. The play had humor, romance and mystery that kept the audience watching on the edge of their seats. I have gone to this theater before to watch plays when I was younger and when I found out they were doing the Addams Family, one of my favorite shows growing up I had to go. The story follows the Addams Family’s only daughter, Wednesday Addams, who falls in love with a boy she knows her family won’t approve of and his won’t approve of hers. Wednesday is a girl of darkness and her boyfriend Lucas comes from a “normal” family. The young couple is secretly engaged and only Gomez, Wednesday’s dad, knows of the truth. They know if her mom, Morticia, were to find out she would freak out and feel betrayed. Gomez struggles to keep the secret from his loving wife of 25 years because he has never kept any secrets from her before.
The play space took place on a gorgeous proscenium stage that was perfect for this type of play. This view was valuable for this story especially because there could be about 6-20 people on stage at a time. So, with this stage setup it made it easier to keep your view in the same direction rather than having to try to keep up with the cast. I sat on the terrace and had an incredible view and I walked down to the first floor where the view was just as good.
The director interpreted the play quite well, but at times the play came off as cheesy. It would falter from the seriousness and throw in a corny joke. The director, Chuck Ketter, did an impressive job with Uncle Fester’s cherished full moon glowing bright above and the Addams’ mansion in Central Park looking majestic with a pair of parallel Victorian-era staircases. The costumes, lighting and sound were dependable, and the costumes were practically exact to those of the TV show back in the 90’s.
The two actresses that really made this play come to life would have to be Amanda Minano who plays Wednesday Addams and the exquisite Erica Marie Weisz who portrays Mortricia Addams, Wednesday’s mother. The Addams family cast really brought the fact to life that they are bizarre and do not care what anyone else thinks about them because they are proud in who they are. Mortricia is graceful and moving during her performance of “Just Around the Corner,” which finishes in a tap sequence and a literal dance with Death. Amanda Minano does a perfect representation or her character by captivating the audience with her darkness while having a soft spot for fianc©, Lucas. All the actors worked in sync and connected with each other as well as the audience.
The clothing, hair, and make up told you who the characters were and how their family blended together so well. The Addams family had elegant and dark costumes just as they should along with their make up transforming the actors into their characters. Wednesday has her black dress with dark eye circles along with her awkward stance and two black braided pigtails. The black formfitting costumes created by Merrill Grady and Linda Vick, give the impression that this freaky family is well tailored and fancy. In addition, the wigs by Michon Gruber-Gonzales help to not only identify who the characters are but also give the fascinating aura of mystery that is so intriguing of the family.
Even if you have a horrible imagination, this set design will be able to trick you into thinking it is the real thing. The set was amazing and looked like the image of the play was built right in front of you. The tone and style of this play was perfectly made through the set and showed how dark and deadly the Addams property was. The locale mainly took part in the dining room, but there were some parts where we were taken to the graveyard and forest just outside the family mansion. At night the moon would come out in view which Uncle Fester was infatuated with, and we could understand why. There was a scene when Uncle Fester (played by Greg Nicholas) sings his version of “The Moon and Me,” where we see him gravitate toward the celestial body, as his lower limbs take on the shape of flaccid but stretchy puppet limbs that do a lot of choreography one normally wouldn’t be able to do.
The Props were also a factor in helping our imagination take flight throughout the musical. Wednesday always brings her crossbow wherever she goes, and, in a scene, she uses her crossbow to shoot some bats which string puppets from were above and was a prop but knocked down one of the bats (which was just the puppeteer loosening his reigns on the bat). In the grave yard there was tombstones of course along with a tomb and smoke for the creepy effect of the dark night.
Lighting helped provide the shape and forms of the characters like with Mortricia she was a tall, curvy, and powerful character as well as being a loving mother. The illumination of the lighting helped to provide on the characters during their solo songs or even in serious scenes when they were the focus. When there were sad scenes there tended to be a hint of blue lighting which displayed that the mood of the scene was somber. The entire play was set in the night time, so we never saw daylight only moonlight and some dark and scary places like the graveyard. The lighting helped the set come to life also because we could see what time of the day and what type of mood we were watching.
In conclusion, this play was a wonderful play for the entire family and although dark, is appropriate for younger audience viewers. This play has songs that will have the whole family clapping and singing along while the cast delivers an extraordinary performance and out do themselves. The “Addams family” Musical is another incredible show put on by the Candlelight theater with something in it for everyone and whether you are 9 or 59 years old, you will be able to enjoy. I highly recommend this production because under the appearance of dark comedy and the odd jokes, there is the uplifting concept.
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How Family with Elders Influence the Asset Allocation of Household
ABSTRACT
This paper tries to redo the model from the Bogan’s paper (Bogan,2014) with a more reasonable dataset. Although the data I used is insufficient large, it is convinced to use since the dataset from Bogan’s paper is nearly the same size. The time, however, is 2007 -2009 versus 2011 – 2015, which make more sense considering the financial crisis in 2008. By comparing the result of two different models, I have similar findings regarding having elder person in the household and also the number of kids on holding safe assets and risky assets.
1. INTRODUCTION
As we could expect, there are many things could influence the decision of household about the next generation’s education. Despite the main factor would be the difference of their class, the education level or their parents, or the ethnicity/race, there are still a lot of interest factors which could influence the assets’ allocation of the household, especially the educational savings for the next generations. Although it has been researched by Vicki L. Bogan in “Household Asset Allocation, Offspring Education, and the Sandwich Generation”, household with elder dependent will tend to reduce the risk assets which indicate the reduction of next generations’ education saving, the data set being used is 2007 – 2009, which may cause some effects due to the financial crisis in 2008.
Intuitively, people would tend to invest more in the safe asset while the expectation of the future is not well. In this case, having elder person in the household will decrease decreases the probability of risky asset holding by 0.129 (over twice as much as the household head having poor health) and decreases college savings account holding by 0.012 (twice as much as the household head having poor health) (Bogan, 2014). The reason I believe the result should not be representative is because the effect of the 2008 financial crisis seems not be considered in the paper. In the contrary, I will try to use the later data set to redo the process. What I expect is during year 2011 – 2015, there will be more representative result to explain what a household with elder person would influence the assets allocation, especially for next generations’ education savings.
What I find is quite interesting. The result from those two different databases is very similar which indicates that how people decide the assets allocation of their family is not influence by the financial crisis, or we can say it influenced, but not in a very considerable dimension. From the paper “The Impact of Skewness and Fat Tails on the Asset Allocation Decision” by James X. Xiong and Thomas M. Idzorek, there should be a different allocation comparing with other time (James and Thomas, 2011), which leads to the idea that why there are two contrary results. The possible reason is the different to define the variables, the different model used and different database.
2. DATA
The data I used is the 2016 SCF (Survey of Consumer Finances) which is the most recent survey conducted by the Federal Reserve System. Due to the large amount of questions containing in the survey, the sample size is just 31,240, not many people are willing to answer all the questions. The original data contains more than 5,000 variables, and most of the them is categorized by “yes” or “no”).
The average age of this sample is 52. Only 40 percent of them are categorized as married right now, others may be divorced, widowed or others. Approximately 69 percent of the them have own at least one home. 93 percent of the household holds safe assets, while 30 percent of the household holds risky assets and nearly 3 percent of the household hold education saving account. In the situation I defined in this paper, dependent elder who does not have savings for the retirement or any emergencies and also over 65 years old is 20 percent of the household. The reason I defined dependent elder in this situation is because that over 65, people are more likely to retire and live without any wages. So, people without having any savings for emergencies and retirement would unlikely to solve the problem by his own, which indicates they need depend on someone whom more likely be their children.
The variables I used for the final dataset are “id”, “age”, “kids”, “cgrad”, “married”, “black”, “hisp”, “employed”, “loginc”, “homeown”, “elderdum”, “Eexpcos”, “healthins”, “nothealthy”, “safe”, “risky” and “eduplan”. Among those variables, “cgrad”, “married”, “black”, “hisp”, “employed”, “homeown”, “elderdum”, “Eexpcos”, “healthins”, “nothealthy”, “safe”, “risky” and “eduplan” are dummy variables).
“id” is ascending on the year which is 2011 to 2015 and the household who took the survey. Normally, the last number will represent the people and year according to this manner. “age” represents the age of household head, and to avoid any problems, like people may cross section to be count as different group, we assume the age is same for the last year. In other words, the age appears in the data represent the age of the head of household in 2015. “kids” represents to the number of children, including natural children, step children and foster children. To define “cgrad”, we first collect the information from all heads’ education levels, then categorized those levels as four type. (1: no high school diploma, 2: high school diploma, 3: some college or Assoc degree, 4: Bachelor’s degree or higher). Then we took all 3’s and 4’s as 1 in the “cgrad”, 0 otherwise. “married” represents the marital status of the head of household and we count the first two types as married. (1. Married; 2. Living with a partner; 3. Separated; 4. Divorced; 5. Widowed; 6. Never married).
“black” and “hisp” represent black or African-American non-Hispanic and Hispanic or Latino respectively. “employed” represents those who work for someone else not self-employed, partnership with others, retired, disabled or under 65 and not working. “loginc” represents the log of the household income in previous calendar year. “homeown” represents whether the household has the house or mobile home. “elderdum” represents those who are over 65 years old and don’t have savings for the retirement or any emergencies, such like illness, medical or dental expenses. “Eexpcos” represents that there is a considerable amount savings for the expect cost of children’s’ future or college education. “healthins” represents those who have health insurance or have saving for future investment. “nothealthy” represents those who have poor healthy. “safe” represent all types of transactions accounts (including checking accounts, saving accounts, money market accounts, prepaid accounts and call accounts.), certificates of deposit, bonds (including tax-exempt bonds, mortgage-backed bonds and US government and government agency bonds and bills.). “risky” represent mutual funds (including stock mutual funds, tax-free bond mutual funds, government bond mutual funds and other bond mutual funds.) and all kinds of stocks. “eduplan” represents that household has education saving account or 529 plans.
3. MODEL AND RESULTS
The model we use is similar with the one appears in the paper I found, but what I do is not only using probit model, but also using logitistic model. I try to explain the result better by comparing those two models and hopefully to have a different result as I expected. The three independent variables are number of kids, whether or not having a remarkable amount of kids’ education expense as dummy variable and the whether or not having elder person in the household as dummy variable. The three dependent variables are holding safe assets as dummy variable, holding risky assets as dummy variable and having education saving account as dummy variable.
The control variables are those been shown be influenced in household investment and college savings behavior : log of household income (Bertaut, 1998), total household size (Keister, 2003), a respondent married dummy variable (DeVaney & Chien, 2002), a respondent age variable (Yilmazer, 2008), a respondent college graduate dummy variable (Lee & Hanna, 1995; Lefebvre, 2004), a respondent employed dummy variable, a respondent managerial or professional occupation dummy variable (Bogan, 2008), a home owner dummy variable (Babiarz & Yilmazer, 2001; Lefebvre, 2004), a poor health dummy variable (Rosen & Wu, 2004; DeVaney & Chien, 2002), a has health insurance dummy variable (Bogan & Fertig, 2013), a year 2009 dummy variable, and race dummy variables (Bogan, 2013).
For probit model, the reason I use it is that all dependent variables are binary variables. If we use linear regression model, the result will show the model and data doesn’t fit. If we can transform dependent variables into continuous variables, then we take those transformed variables as probability between 0 and 1 as a cumulative normal distribution ?. Then from Y= ?(X? + ?), we can conclude ?-1(Y) = X? + ? or in this case,
?-1(Yit) = ?0 + ??ktXikt + ?it.
Where i refers to safe assets, risky assets and education saving account, k refers to those three dependent variables, and t refers different time periods, which in this case year. By running probit model in STATA, we find out that in this case, the data fits all three probit models very well (the models are statistically significant because the p-value is less than .000). here is the table that summarize all three tables.
As we can see from the summary table of probit model, the number of kids will decrease the probability of holding safe assets, while the number of kids will increase the probability of holding risky assets and education saving accounts. (all of them are significant at 0.01 level). Having a remarkable amount of kids’ education expense in the future will decrease the probability of holding safe assets, while the expect education expense will increase the probability of having educational saving accounts. (expect cost for future education expense to hold safe assets is significant at 0.1 level, while having educational saving accounts is significant at 0.01 level). Having elder person in the household will increase the probability of holding safe assets, while having elder person in household will decrease the probability of holding risky assets and having educational saving accounts. (all of them are significant at 0.01 level).
To have a better idea about the result, I then choose to use logistic model to enforce the result I have above. The reason I use logistic model rather than logit model is that logistic model is easier to interpret. Since the dependent variables are binary variable with values 0 and 1, if we let p = E(Y|X) then the logistic model would be log(p/(1-p)) = ?0 + ??ktXikt, where ?0 is the odds ratio of constant, ??ktXikt is the summation of the odds ratio times three different independent variables.
VARIABLES safe risky eduplan
kids -0.172*** 0.157*** 1.079***
(0.0422) (0.0370) (0.130)
Eexpcos -0.233*** 0.0399 0.491***
(0.0806) (0.0588) (0.117)
elderdum 0.373*** -0.553*** -0.973***
(0.0905) (0.0465) (0.160)
Constant -11.21*** -6.590*** -7.244***
(0.429) (0.186) (0.435)
Observations 30,983 30,983 30,983
Robust standard errors in parentheses
*** p
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9 Areas you Can Save Money for your Family
More and more families today are spending money every year, and yes while the standards of living have increased, people are not choosing to save money. One reason that families are not putting in the effort to review expenses. The reality is, every family has the ability to cut costs and save money. By freeing up more funds, they can allocate it towards repaying debt.
Though buying food to eat is a necessity, this is one area where families could be more thrifty. Families spend on average about $2,500 on dining out, according to U.S. statistics. If you find yourself, your spouse, and your children eating out 5 days a week, considering reducing it to 3 or 4 days a week; just prepare and brown-bag meals from home, and eat it for lunch. You can save up to $400 to $800 a year by doing this. That extra money saved could help finance a nice vacation instead.
Another significant expense is your home, that is if you own one (a house, condo, etc). Have you considered refinancing? Have you done any research and perhaps find a lower interest rate? You might be able to renegotiate to a shorter time frame. If you are unable to change your mortgage payment, then paying a little bit extra each month will pare down your mortgage faster. Also, don't forget about your utilities. There are ways to save money here as well. Somethings you can do is update your insulation and weather stripping, or use a programmable thermostat to take save on electricity or heating. Why would you need extra heat when there's no one home or when the family is asleep.
Transportation is another significant expense for many families. Not only are vehicles (cars, SUV, trucks) expensive to purchase but it's just as costly to maintain and operate them, particularly with rising gasoline prices. If you live in a city, would it still be effective, as well as being cheaper, to save money by riding a bike, taking the bus or train? Instead of buying 2 cars, would it still be possible to buy 1 and carpool altogether? To save money, you can also combine errands and trips to reduce travel expenses. You can also save money when buying gasoline. Just take advantage of special programs and discounts, if they are available. If you live in a house with a garage, you might be able to save some money by making simple repairs by yourself, rather than paying so much money for a mechanic just to do little things.
Do you know where you bank at could make a difference too? If you have a bank account with a bank that charges too many fees, you can shop around and find a bank that offers no or reduced fee to open a checking account. If you're not taking advantage of electronic bill payments, then you're wasting money every month of postage stamps, just to send out a check.
You can also reduce credit card expenses. It's highly recommended to get or transfer to a credit card with a low-interest rate and either low or no annual fee. Shop around until you find the best deal for a credit card.
Health care is one place where you cannot cut expenses, but you can still save money by taking advantage of special offers and programs. For example, many employers offer a flexible spending account where you can save a little money for out-of-your-pocket medical expenses for buying nonprescription generic drugs.
Reviewing insurance policies and offers can also help you save some money. When did you last compare insurance rates for your home, your vehicles, and yourself? Some other ways to reduce costs is to increase your deductible level or using the same insurance company for multiple coverages (such as your home and vehicles). When you are shopping around for insurance, make sure to talk things out with your current insurance company. Sometimes they might be able to offer a better rate just to keep you as their customer.
Another overlooked expense for many families is phone services, cell phones, cable, satellite television, and Internet access. These areas need to be reviewed. Many of the services have skyrocketed in costs in the last 10 years. It's not unheard for cell phone bills to reach $100 per month. There are cheaper pre-paid phones to buy if you don't use your cell phone that often every month.
When you're trying to save money, it is important to become an active shopper. The Internet today makes it easy to compare prices and obtain product reviews. This could save you traveling expenses for driving from one store to another. Anything else you shop for, there might be a better deal somewhere online.
You should really take the time to review your family expenses and try cut costs whenever possible. Just by making a few adjustments in your family's spending habits could make a lot of difference down the road.
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Family Influence
Over the past 18 years my parents have constantly encouraged me to work hard, get an education, and to do the things that I am passionate about. They raised me to be independent and taught me how to form my own opinions and decisions. They want me to be successful in life, but they believe that success comes in many forms and takes hard work to achieve. My dad grew up in a military family and had to move all over the world, therefore he never had a solid group of friends throughout his childhood. He attended Hillsdale College for four years and got his BA in English. He had a dramatic lifestyle change after staying at Hillsdale for four years because he was able to form a group of people that are still his close friends today. Because of the positive social experience my dad had at school, he believes that going to a four year college or university is an important step in life that everyone should experience.
My dad is aware that I am attending Butler University for an education, but he also wants me to experience all of the social aspects as well. Later my dad obtained his JD from the University Of Tulsa College Of Law and is now a partner in the Litigation Practice group at Freeborn & Peters LLP. Watching my dad with his career has sparked an interest in law, but I am not sure what majors I need to go to a law school or if that is even a career that I would want to be seriously dedicated to. My mom grew up in a split household and was the oldest of four. She went to Miami University and graduated with a BA in public relations. After marrying my dad she worked multiple part time jobs to pay for him to go to law school. Once my dad’s career had started she became a “stay-at-home” mom and raised me and my two brothers. Having a family and raising my children is a very important aspect of life for me, which is why I would either want to have a career that is flexible or to have a career that I can retire from early. I see myself in my mom’s position more than my dad’s, but I’m hoping to find something in between. My parents have spent a tremendously large amount of time balancing their work lives with their home lives in order to raise their children and spend time with their family.
In my adult life I would like to have the luxury of being able to make the same accomplishments. I agree with my parent’s values of family come first, working hard, and living a well-balanced life. My parents have not really helped me or pressured me into selecting a major or a career choice because they believe that I should be able to find it on my own and make the right decisions. At home I have two brothers, Michael and Nick. Michael is 21 years old and goes to Eastern Illinois University and Nick is 16 years old. Being the middle child and being the only girl has had positive and negative effects on me. I’ve learned how to entertain myself or be social and make friends. Whenever there was a family outing (like a vacation) I usually would get stuck by myself so I had to make friends. But at the same time it has had its negative effects. Because I am the only girl I never had to share anything so I’ve had to adjust. My brothers have affected my actions and how I deal with certain situations, but they don’t play a huge role in my decision making. I have learned from my older brother’s mistakes from his first couple semesters in college, so he has affected my decision making when it comes to studying. My family holds one very strong belief and that is that family comes first.
Whenever there is a family issue that needs to be dealt with my dad will always take time out of his day to talk on the phone or come home from work if necessary. My family all goes to each other’s sporting events, ceremonies, etc. to cheer and support each other. I’ve never felt like my parents didn’t have time for me or that I wasn’t important to them. It is something that I have taken for granted over the years, but as I’m getting older and making my own life decisions I am learning to appreciate that more. This is definitely a belief that I hold and will want to carryon into my adult life because I have learned the importance of family and how nice it is to have that support system, which is what I would like to have for my own family someday. One of the traditions that my family holds is Catholicism. I was raised Catholic, but it has not had any effect on my college and/or career decisions.
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Family Focused Health Assessment
Family Structure
Understanding family structure is essential for the nurse in patient and family care. The family I interviewed is the Johansen family. They are comprised of a nuclear setting, involving a husband, 42, a wife, 41, and two female children, ages 13 and 10. They are a middle-classed Caucasian family where both parents work, and the children are in the public-school system. The husband is a Physical Therapist and works Monday through Friday and the wife is an RN in a local hospital, working 3 days per week. The 13-year-old is involved in cheerleading and the 10-year-old is involved in volleyball, therefore they are both very involved in physical sports. They do not attend church, as they are not religious, but the parents are a spiritual entity.
Health Assessment
Values/Health Perception
This family values family ties and family time. They support one another in life issues and extracurricular activities. Husband or wife, or both when possible, will always attend their children’s activities. Due to all their demanding schedules, they rarely get to eat a meal together, but the parents male sure they touch bases with the children each day via text/phone call or at the end of the day to ask them how their day is going. The 13-year-old thinks this is not necessary, but the parents believe this is essential to the family tie and believe the children will appreciate this when they grow into parenthood themselves. The parents are relatively healthy, and the children have no health issues.
Nutrition
Husband does some sort of exercise each day. He primarily eats a Ketogenic diet and encourages his family to do so also. He believes this is one of the healthiest things they can do for themselves. Wife knows she should lead a healthier life. She is overweight and does not like to exercise. She eats what she wants but has considerably lessened her portion sizes. She too was doing the Keto diet and did feel better but states it’s hard to stay on it. She states that while she was on this diet, she was able to lose weight and did not feel as hungry as she does now. She and her husband do however, practice intermittent fasting, which they feel has made a difference in how they feel. The parents make sure there are always healthy meals and snacks for their children on hand, but when the children are out doing their activities, they eat whatever is available.
Sleep/Rest
Husband and wife both have sleep issues, as they both have problems with anxiety. Husband has a very difficult time going to sleep and most nights it takes him several hours to do so. Wife falls asleep easily and sleeps mostly throughout the night, but due to depression issues, she oversleeps most days off and can easily take naps during the day. Being that the children are so active, they really have no problems with sleep.
Elimination
Husband has a long history of gastrointestinal problems. Most of what he ate on a traditional diet sent him to the restroom immediately. Upon starting the Keto diet, he noticed a change in his elimination pattern. Sometimes he will feel slightly constipated. Wife and children have normal bowel movements, although wife used to have severe constipation issues. She states she does not know what has changed. Wife also has stress incontinence with heavy coughing or sneezing.
Activity/Exercise
Husband does something active each day, whether it be lifting weights, doing core exercises, swimming, or talking a walk around the neighborhood. He states if he does not do at least something, he will not feel very well. Wife, as stated before, does not do much exercise, but when she does, it will be lifting slight weights or swimming. She says she feels accomplished when she participates in these activities but does not have much motivation to get them started. The children will sometimes go to the gym with their parents or walk around the neighborhood with them, but mostly they get plenty of exercise in their own activities.
Cognitive
Husband and wife both have some problems with remembering things. Mostly the wife, as she says most times when walking into a room to do something, she will forget why she walked in there in the first place. Husband tends to forget where he places his keys. They both, however, are very intelligent and tend to do a lot of reading and podcast listening for personal research on their down time. The 16-year-old, when she was in elementary school, had some issues with math and reading and needed a tutor for a short time.
Sensory/Perception
Husband and wife both feel their sensory and perception are intact. He wears glasses daily and she wears reading glasses sometimes. They both love to taste new foods and try to figure out the ingredients. The 10-year-old may need to start wearing glasses after her next exam. They are not very keen on trying new things like their parents, but their sensory and perception are also intact, they say.
Self-Perception
Husband states he feels good about himself and his place in life, although he says it was not always this way. He says he had to deal with balding at an early age and states he had someone in his life who made him feel insecure about himself but says he has worked through those issues and loves himself for what he is. Wife definitely has self-perception issues. She began gaining weight about 7 years ago when she placed on steroids for Rheumatoid Arthritis and she stress eats, so she had put on some weight. She says her hair has also started thinning in the last few years which she says makes her uncomfortable with herself. She says she also is more introverted than she would like to be. She says this makes it hard to make friends. Conversation is hard for her and this makes her feel uncomfortable around people and possibly unlikable. The 16-year-old is having a few problems with a couple of her peers at school. They make fun of her because she is tall. Her parents try to reassure her that she won’t have these problems later in life. That everything balances out once everyone is out of school and worrying about their own lives. The 10-year-old says she likes her hair and can sing well, and these things make her happy.
Role Relationships
Husband tends to be the disciplinarian in the household, as he is calm and very patient. Husband and wife both consider themselves bread winners. They cook together when they can and pay the bills together. The children’s roles are to go to school, get good grades, and to help maintain the house.
Sexuality
Husband and wife feel sex is a very important part of their relationship. They feel it keeps them close and connected. The 16-year-old says she has not “done that”, but that if she had, she would not be saying it in front of her parents. Her parents say they want to keep the lines of communication open on this subject, but their daughter just shakes her head no. The 10-year-old does not seem to know what to make of this conversation.
Coping
Husband says he sometimes has a hard time coping with the demands of his time between work and family but says exercise and meditation with his wife seem to help. Wife has very limited coping skills. She agrees that exercise would probably help, and that meditation can be difficult due to her mind racing. As a family, they try to cope with stressors together, but say this is not always easy with a teenager.
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Consumer Intention to Purchase Family Takaful
- ABSTRACT
-
1. INTRODUCTION
- 1.1. Background of the study:
- 1.2. Pakistan Insurance Overview:
- 1.3. Pakistan Takaful Overview:
- 1.4. Growth of Takaful / Insurance Industry:
- 1.5. Takaful sector in Pakistan:
- 1.6. Takaful Rules 2005:
- 1.7. Models of Takaful industry:
- 1.8. Problem Statement:
- 1.9. Research Objectives:
- 1.10. Research Questions:
- 1.11. Scope of the study:
- 2. Literature Review
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to define consumer intention to purchase family takaful in Pakistan. This study accepted the descriptive survey research design & utilized convenient sampling technique to pick a sample size of 180. A closed ended structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data. Data was analyzed using for Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The findings on consumer intention to purchase family takaful revealed the existence of a positive relationship between all independent variables. This study concludes that there exists a statistically significant relationship between consumer intention to purchase family takaful & options as compared to other conventional insurance products. This study also accomplishes that the teachings of Islam, particularly on riba (interest) significantly influence customers’ choice of Takaful. Most customers who use Takaful are doing so in compliance to Shariah principle on riba. Similarly, most customers who choose Takaful are doing so in compliance to Islamic teaching on brotherhood and cooperate risk, rather than other fundamentals as provided by conventional insurance firms.
The study recommends that management at Takaful should put mechanisms in place to enhance current customers, and potential customers’ knowledge on Takaful benefits, options, risks, in addition to how Takaful principles work. There is also need to enhance awareness of customers’ perception that Takaful is only an Islamic insurance entity. This study mentions that to enhance uptake of Takaful, management at Takaful of Pakistan should device mechanisms for positive Takaful price perception at the market place, and to potential customers’. There is also need to improve competitive pricing of Takaful insurance premiums to be in line with what other conventional insurance firms are offering on the market. Finally, this study commends that management at Takaful of Pakistan should grow mechanisms of reaching out to other religious groups outside Islam. To successfully compete and develop a wide pool of heterogeneous clients, the organization should reach Christians that are the majority on the components of insurance options that Takaful is very competitive compared to conventional insurance.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the study:
Protection has been depicted as the monetary establishment that encourages money related dangers exchange from people to a pooled gathering of dangers through contracts by two-party contracts (Archer, 2009). The historical backdrop of protection comprised of the improvement of the cutting edge business of protection against dangers, particularly in regards to freight, property, demise, car crashes, &restorative treatment. In some sense, we can say that protection goes back to early human culture. The idea of protection hence implies co-task among a gathering of individuals to proportionally promise one another. It implies offering surety to one another or holding obligation to help each other in the event of unforeseen or unfavorable mishaps or occasions that can't be met fiscally by any one individual independently (Taylor, 2010). We are aware of two sorts of economies in human social orders: common or non-money related economies (utilizing deal & exchange with no brought together or institutionalized arrangement of budgetary instruments) & fiscal economies (with business sectors, cash, monetary instruments, etc). Protection in the previous case involves assertions of shared guide. In the event that one family's home gets obliterated, the neighbors are resolved to help modify it. Storage facilities encapsulated another early type of protection to reimburse against starvations. These sorts of protection have made due to the present day in nations or regions where a cutting edge cash economy with its money related instruments isn't far reaching.
The idea of protection along these lines implies co-task among a gathering of individuals to proportionally promise one another. It implies offering surety to one another or holding duty to help each other if there should arise an occurrence of unforeseen or troublesome mishaps or occasions that can't be met monetarily by any one individual independently (Taylor, 2010). It is by & large trusted that the historical backdrop of protection started with marine protection in the fourteenth century. It was imagined as an answer for the issue of ocean theft &shield from misfortunes because of the likelihood of ship soaking in high waters. Both conveyed huge money related hazard. Protection served to ensure against these &other such money related dangers. Anyway as opposed to the general conviction, we discover endeavors to alleviate danger of misfortune in high waters in Chinese &Babylonian civic establishments a few thousand & years previously Hazarat Essa (May harmony arrive). The Hammurabi code recorded such practices of Babylonians around 1750 BC. Greeks & Romans made ""Kind Societies"" which were prior types of life & medical coverage. First such realized contract was issued in 1437 AD.
Comparative establishments were accessible for welfare of overall population & exchanging brotherhoods in Islamic Societies. Going ahead, customary protection in its present structures was presented in Genoa in fourteenth Century. First known book on protection was written in 1488 AD by Pedro de Santerna, which was distributed in 1552 AD. London being focal point of worldwide exchange had consistently expanding interest for Marine protection in seventeenth century. Mr. Edward Lloyd set up a caf© where send proprietor, dealership commanders would generally visit. The caf© before long turned into a wellspring of dependable delivery news &a gathering place for gatherings wishing to safeguard cargoes & those prepared to guarantee such endeavors. The Lloyd of London today is a perusing commercial center for various sorts of protection despite the fact that it works uniquely in contrast to an insurance agency.
1.2. Pakistan Insurance Overview:
Security in Pakistan is figured out how under the protection Ordinance, 2000. In the past couple for years, it need changed under a making What's more fast creating business segment that is ordinarily divided under three segments: additional security, general insurance also restorative scope. The legislature from claiming Pakistan set up those section from claiming protection Previously, April 1948 Concerning illustration a department of the service of Commerce; those side of the point for this division may be will manage undertakings distinguished with the security benefits of the business. Out of the 54% that Pakistan's organization a piece includes of the national GDP, protection, close by transport, stockpiling, interchanges Furthermore store include 24% of the section. Crucial issue, to example, money sufficiency, fiscal revealing, dangerous on charge avoidance Furthermore prudential focuses from claiming restriction Also gauges (Abdullah et al. , 2012).
Actually, we discover that security might have been especially an standard in the times from claiming Allama Shami (may Allah be fulfilled by him). Vendors were acclimated for paying additional aggregate in schedule costs to those transportation of their results abroad. This additional whole of cash might have been arranged ""Sakara"". Sakara intimates insurance Furthermore security. Those move down arrangements guaranteed should conform to whatever adversity on their cargo same time afloat against these premiums. This might have been marine insurance previously, genuine living. Allama Shami Reported the demonstration for this sort from claiming insurance impressible. He used the statement ""Sokrah"" for security. Since that run through ulema need declared insurance as impressible in islam. The standard protection operator contract is a commutative contract which incorporates a couple ills due to its states. These ills are:
- Riba (Interest)
- Qimar / Maysir (Gambling)
- Gharar (Uncertainty)
1.3. Pakistan Takaful Overview:
Takaful every so often deciphered Concerning illustration ""solidarity"" alternately regular certification will be an co-agent course of action from claiming reimbursement rate alternately repayment Assuming that there ought to emerge a event of misfortune, sort program out as an islamic alternately sharia steady choice as opposed should standard protection, which Takaful defenders accept holds unthinkable riba (usury) & gharar (over those Main vulnerability). Takaful is never again acknowledged Similarly as An forte item, yet it need moved at getting to be Concerning illustration a standout amongst the benefits of the business that add to the headway of the economy (Sheriff &Shaairi, 2013).
Takaful must shed its picture barely in an imitator, & supporter alternately impersonator about universal insurance. Takaful administrators, including those fiscal get-togethers will which they have a place, must view secret word takaful as such an alternate offering from claiming security things. Done this, we oblige those right initiatives, gurus notwithstanding, with set the right tone arm starting with the senior organization that takaful must offer specific favorable circumstances exceedingly regarded Toward every last bit. Its impact must most recent Furthermore huge. This is especially thereabouts On our framework, the place takaful will be fighting following to one another (for the insurance benefits of the business.
Takaful might have been primary act Eventually Tom's perusing the Bedouin intrinsic since those pre-Islamic time Furthermore after the fact those preparation might have been supported toward the Prophet (pbuh) (Jaffer i. N. , 2010). Muslim theory masters distinguished that those reason about imparted obligation (in the plan of aquila Concerning illustration rehearsed between Muslims for mecca & Medina) created the skeleton from claiming basic security. It might have been an arranging for the muslim Bedouin from At whatever terrible event along their enterprise should arise through those uncertain roads Also seaways. Every last bit vendors incorporate need aid consent with help one another (by helping a particular measure from claiming save in the recent past they begin their trade dare (Abu Hassan, 2014). Because from claiming protection, Thus Similarly as with benefits of the business banks, standard supposition won, Also with ""an concurred upon Around muslim researchers"" over those legitimacy about takaful &the wrongness from claiming universal protection, those ""development for Islamizing the contemporary insurance business"" started around the mid-1970s. On 1976 a fatwah might have been issued Eventually Tom's perusing those higher chamber for saudi arabia ""for islamic model"" from claiming insurance. Those global islamic Fiqh Academy, jeddah of the association for islamic participation Moreover asserted takaful Likewise an bona fide sort from claiming business done 1985. The islamic protection scope of sudanese started Concerning illustration the vital takaful association in 1979. Eventually Tom's perusing those mid-1990s there were seven takaful associations clinched alongside Sudan, Dubai, saudi Arabia, bahrain & jordan.
1.4. Growth of Takaful / Insurance Industry:
The vital Takaful might have been started done Malaysia on 1984, which is person quite a while after Malaysia fabricating up its initial islamic bank (Laldin, 2008). Takaful need aggravated some stunning advancement since its prologue of the reality more than thirty quite some time goes. Its 1% bit of the in general industry for 1990 is right now around 15%. Net commitments have produced 9% yearly since 2010. These would accomplishments that we all in all ought to on make satisfied with. Primary islamic protection (Takaful) association might have been set up for 1979 for Sudanese. More associations Previously, Different bit of the islamic reality were constructed up over after the fact a considerable length of time. Previously, 1984, the initially verifiably talking theory might have been built in Malaysia on oversee those Takaful industry. Improvement for Takaful, same time keeping with in the focuses of restriction constrained Toward Shariah, without Hosting Re-Takaful organizations on overhaul those all breaking point of the industry might have been endless. In this possibility to get to 1997 asean Re-Takaful universal might have been set up. In 2003, a ijtima for ulema about Pakistan might have been hung looking into Jamia Dar ul Uloom Karachi on inspected suitability from claiming Takaful.
Previously, Pakistan, there were 51 protection organizations [7 catastrophe protection, 39 all protection, Also 5 Takaful], for a profit volume from claiming PKR876 billion (US$9 billion roughly), preceding those complete about December 2015 (SBP, 2015). As stated by SBP, assets from claiming security section have seemed stable development, with a center from claiming 15%, more than 2009-15 periods. On 2012 alone, the favorable circumstances increase Eventually Tom's perusing 19%. A premium including dependent upon PKR234 billion (USD2. 34 Billion) might have been assembled Furthermore ensures including dependent upon PKR 89 billion (USD 890 Million) were enrolled & supported amid 2015. Premiums, what’s more what’s more claims, need showed up continuing improvement (middle) about 16% Furthermore 9% independently amid the examination time allotment (2009-15).
This region need similarly included with national exchequer a measure of PKR 5 billion similarly as pay charge amid those run through for 2015. Benefit for worth stayed 19% over 2015 same time five-year working roe might have been 15%. Those measures about security section will be over 3% for gdp (9/271), showing up enormous possibility yet to a chance to be capitalized10. Protection operator organizations need aid guided Eventually Tom's perusing protection operator agencies' mandatory 2000. There were 5 Takaful associations working in Pakistan with favorable element volume of PKR16 billion When those complete of December 2015. Amid this year, the premium assembled included up to PKR9 billion Furthermore cases enrolled/endorsed included dependent upon PKR3 billion. Takaful business will be regulated through organizations' statute 1984, insurance mandatory 2000; Takaful organizations' standards over 2,800 doctor look assignments led from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 & 2012. The compass for Takaful stream might have been practically 2% of the insurance part previously, Pakistan Similarly as toward December 2015.
1.5. Takaful sector in Pakistan:
In 2005, Government of Pakistan issued first since forever Takaful Rues to manage the Takaful Operators. In 2006 first Takaful Company was built up. In 2007 Pak-Qatar Family Takaful was issued permit to be the principal Family Takaful Company of the Country. Takaful is a network pooling framework dependent on the standards of fraternity &shared help thus members contribute in a store to enable the individuals who to require it most in the midst of monetary troubles.
The aggregate reserve reason for existing is to pad every individual part who is consented to mutually accepted the danger of that network against any mishap or misfortune which the network confront &the effect might be troublesome or notwithstanding destroying if the solitary weight were not spread over the whole gathering (Bank Negara Malaysia, 2004); (Clark Fisher, 2013); (Mushtaq Hussain &Tisman Pasha, 2011). Takaful isn't ongoing innovation, truth be told, its references is accessible in the Holy Quran & Sunnah. The reference is regarding the heavenly instruction for fraternity &common solidarity which is actually a big motivator for Takaful.
""Coordinate with each other in issues if nobility &devotion."" (Surah Maida: 2)
""Muslims are sibling to each other."" (Surah Hujarat: 10)
The adherents, in their warmth benevolence & sensitivity to one another, resemble the body, in the event that one of its organs endure &grumbles, the whole body reacts with sleep deprivation & fever."" (Hadith Muslim: 4685).
1.6. Takaful Rules 2005:
Takaful Rules, 2005 since notice of the Takaful Rules, 2005, as at to-date three general takaful & two family takaful administrators have been issued licenses & a few applications are being handled. To expel the various down to earth issues not sufficiently tended to in the current takaful guidelines &featured by experts, takaful administrators & shariah researchers every once in a while, the selected specialists of SECP are settling revisions & at the appointed time, the changed rendition of Takaful Rules would be submitted to the Federal Government for warning. Takaful Rules don't enable customary safety net providers to execute takaful business by means of ""window"" task until September 2010. Be that as it may, to enhance the entrance level, the central government has consented to give traditional back up plans a chance to execute takaful business.
1.7. Models of Takaful industry:
The aggravator store purpose behind existing will be should cushion each distinct a piece who may be consented should together anticipated the peril for that system against whatever incident or adversity which the organize face &the impact could be trouble sameness or regardless pulverizing On those specific weight were not spread over those entirety gathering (Bank Negara Malaysia, 2004); (Clark Fisher, 2013); (Mushtaq Hussain Also Tisman Pasha, 2011). Different models need aid before long over Different parts of the reality. The model used clinched alongside Pakistan is known as Wakala-Waqf model. This is an change In the Wakala model the place the pool is confined as An waqf. Waqf will be juristic distinctive clinched alongside Shariah, whose ownership rest for allah (SWT) Furthermore no other single person might ensure it proprietorship. Eventually Tom's perusing settling on An Wqaf sure abnormalities seen Eventually Tom's perusing ulema are wiped crazy from the Wakala hint at. Those moguls correct off the bat might aggravate An Waqf Pool In this way concerning illustration to begin those Takaful Activities'. Since they needed been the ones will develop this Waqf they would know as the Waqif, same time the obligation for Waqf may be traded to allah omnipotent. People are skilled benefit Eventually Tom's perusing it to their peril assuagement purposes resulting should acquiring a enlistment about this Waqf Pool which will be legally alluded should Similarly as the Participants' Takaful store or PTF.
The Shareholders from that point formalize certain conditions for the waqf which will shape the premise of its tasks. In light of the Fiqh administering these conditions are made a decision to be as powerful & legitimate as though they would have been spread out by the Shariah itself. This implies the Waqif, by ethicalness of its lawful position, can in this manner stipulate that monetary advantages may just be given to these who add to the Waqf Pool. The relationship of the member &the Waqf then again is just a relationship of a Taburru. The commitments paid by the members are perceived as Taburru' at ¬ as Waqf, &in truth turns into the property of the Waqf. This is much the same as the philanthropy we provide for some other Waqf; the philanthropy given isn't considered as Waqf yet essentially as a gift. This implies the members quickly lose their privilege of proprietorship, in this manner the laws relating Zakat &even the Inheritance law won't make a difference here. As referenced before, these commitments turn into the property of the Waqf with prompt impact & in this way profits by it should accord the conditions authorized by the Waqif, for example, using these commitments for the installments of cases, for instance subsequently, it is the Waqf Pool which makes up for the member's misfortune ¬ the Takaful Operator. The assets accessible in the Waqf Pool are put resources into Shariah Compliant business roads. Any benefits acknowledged from these ventures are come back to the Waqf from that point.
1.8. Problem Statement:
Those Takaful benefits of the business are seen as a engaging business to Pakistan What's more there need aid immense improvement open entryways to the insurance & Takaful ventures. Previously, supporting those prerequisites of the economy. Pakistan, constantly an islamic nation, need in the continuous previous seen those consume from claiming Takaful, nonetheless, elements that prompt this consume Furthermore not low recurrence gazed under alternately archived. The greater part investigations, concerning illustration referenced above, vivaciously focused around islamic nations, alternately south asian countries such as malaysia. This examination thusly, takes a gander should fill this gap toward inspecting how Takaful customer intention on value, informal, Trust, Agent / Wakalah Consultancy & constantly Religious influences consume for Takaful in Pakistan.
Customer purposeful will be prescribed as a focus thought to whatever business accomplishment &it delicately might be seen that there are various progenitor about customer point need been delineated & ponder in the previous composing in the purchaser exploration Furthermore pushing examination (Anderson Also Sullivan, 1993; Saeed et al. , 2011).
Costs need aid those entirety of trade that being those charge or in return that the customers compelling reason will pay for those thing alternately administrations (Kotler & Keller, 2012; Lew & Sulaiman, 2014).
Specialist/Wakalah consultancy. Agenize clinched alongside Takaful may be known as Wakalah. Wakalah will be designated toward those Takaful directors & Wakalah will try over similarly as An delegate for those Takaful shares of the organization of the customer. Wakalah may be legitimate will get a portion charge or out. Expenditure will be paid starting with the Takaful promise toward those parts. The costs need aid charges similarly as a settled entirety or rate which subject to those concurred extent on the assention profits (Arifin, Yazid, & Hussin, 2014).
Trust At the greater part is said clinched alongside done imply with an insistence that a customer have towards the organization he/she obtained, those trust in the business master as much Similarly as his/her guarantee, words, acceptability to keeping dependent upon relationship & the capacity to depend upon the exchange partner (Che Mohd Salleh et al., 2013; Yu Also Tseng, 2016).
Continuously Religious is portrayed Concerning illustration a particular plan about certainty alternately love, or energy will which someone credits unique significance, Also utilization Likewise a manual for issues of carry on with (Archer, 2009).
Customer objective is fundamental as analyzed show that An satisfied customer will confer their knowledge to other individuals, they spread a OK 'verbal' & this temper Moreover will cut down the liability for drawing Previously, new customers &for the baffled customer they will enactment the opposite lifestyle & need those opposite sway (W. Andersen et al. , 1997).
Should ponder those degree from claiming takaful for Pakistan, Takaful model need taken unmistakable caliber done overall What's more as for now, those model is, no doubt set up clinched alongside non-Islamic countries excessively. Clinched alongside at whatever case, elements that overhaul consume about Takaful to non-Islamic countries isn't the greater part around inquired around Also archived. Khattak what’s more (Rehman, 2010) inspect over Pakistan looking into shopper devotion. In that capacity, it is hard with inform what variables Might make ascribed of the consume what’s more achievement for Takaful in countries like Pakistan. Takaful need not been made Toward Muslims just, in any case rather non-Muslims & also blacks.
1.9. Research Objectives:
- Identify factors that can lead to the customer intention in family Takaful in Pakistan.
- Word of mouth influence customer choice of family Takaful in Pakistan.
- Price influence customer choice of family Takaful in Pakistan.
- Being Religious influences customer choice of family Takaful in Pakistan.
- Agent / wakalah consultancy influence customer choice of family Takaful in Pakistan.
- Trust influence customer choice of family Takaful in Pakistan.
1.10. Research Questions:
- What are the critical possible factors that can lead to the customer intention in family Takaful in Pakistan?
- How does word of mouth influence customer choice of family Takaful in Pakistan?
- How does price influence customer choice of family Takaful in Pakistan?
- How does being religious influence customer choice of family Takaful in Pakistan?
- How do agent / wakalah consultancy influence customer choice of family Takaful in Pakistan?
- How does trust influence customer choice of family Takaful in Pakistan?
1.11. Scope of the study:
This examination concentrated on variables impacting client decision of Family Takaful by looking at informal, value, trust, specialist wakalah consultancy &being religious. This investigation was led in Pakistan. Family Takaful members were the respondents of the investigation. The investigation was be constrained to the way that most Takaful member are Muslims, in any case, to relieve this test, the examination intentionally looked for non-Islamic Takaful member to partake in the examination.
2. Literature Review
2.1. Utilization of goal conducts hypotheses to anticipate aim towards family takaful:
Numerous studies have perceived the significance of goal conduct hypotheses in endeavors to comprehend & anticipate sketchy volitional conduct (Thompson & Panayiotopoulos, 1999); (Bhattacherjee, 2000); (Armitage, 2005); (Al Maghrabi & Dennis, 2011); (Jin & Kang, 2011); (Chun & Chun, 2012); (Amin, 2012). These examinations in any case, presently can't seem to inspect the impacts of goal conduct speculations inside the family takaful setting. All things considered, this exploration stretches out the expectation conduct speculations to the family takaful setting with an end goal to comprehend the elements that inspire purchasers to take an interest in family takaful. A few hypotheses, in particular the hypothesis of contemplated activity (TRA), hypothesis of arranged conduct (TPB), disposition self influence?efficacy demonstrate (ASE), & deteriorated hypothesis of arranged conduct (DTPB) has been utilized before in endeavors to comprehend or foresee sketchy volitional conduct. The creators at that point abridge the hypothesis in every viewpoint, give instances of its application & look at the convenience of these speculations in estimating buyer goal to take an interest in family takaful.
2.2. The Theory of Reasoned Action:
The hypothesis of contemplated activity (TRA) display depends on three develops to be specific social expectation, mentality & abstract standard. Frame of mind, otherwise called social conviction, comprise of convictions about the result of the conduct & the assessment of the result while abstract standards, otherwise called regulating convictions, are convictions about others thought on the predetermined conduct &inspiration to go along towards the conduct (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). In their particular totals, conduct convictions deliver a great or troublesome frame of mind toward the conduct while standardizing convictions result in apparent social strain to play out the conduct. The TRA likewise considers that conduct aim is a quick predecessor to conduct. Fundamentally, social expectation is convictions about the probability of playing out a specific conduct will prompt an explicit result (Fishbein, 1980); (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975).
To shows, in foreseeing singular goal to take an interest in family takaful, convictions that investment into family takaful is great &ready to shield him from hazard shape a social conviction &influence frame of mind of the individual while convictions that family & companions need him to take an interest in family takaful & he need to act like what his family & companions need him to do frame a regulating conviction &influence emotional standard of the person. TRA has been broadly utilized in decide aim & conduct (Thompson et al., 1994; Chang, 1998 ;( Dabholkar B.a.,2001); (Arshia & Mohsin, 2012); (Velasquez et al., 2012). On account of monetary service, Omar & Frimpong (2007), Omar (2007), (Fauziah et al., 2008), Amin &Chong (2011), Amin et al. (2011),Echchabi & Olaniyi (2012) &in addition Amin (2012) has adjusted TRA in recognizing aim towards financial service. In this way, adjusting TRA in understanding goal to take part in family takaful appeared justified.
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Consumer Intention to Purchase Family Takaful. (2019, Feb 15).
Retrieved November 4, 2025 , from
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Motherhood and Fatherhood Roles in Sula by Toni Morrison
In Toni Morrison’s Sula, Morrison uses the duality of motherhood and fatherhood to emphasize gender roles. Morrison tells us what society’s vision of what moms and dad should be and what they should do. She points that moms and dads are to stay within their gender roles because society’s hierarchy, which shows that men have more power and duty and are more important to the world than a womens, will be eventually messed up if they don’t stay within their roles. In society women are mainly given domestic roles like cleaning and cooking. They are expected to have children and get married, now they have to provide for a whole family and women don’t even get to work most of the time so the money in the house only comes from men. Men on the other hand are completely opposite, they technically have free will to do anything because men have more say and power than women. Men are expected to go out and get a job, fight in the war, get pleasure as he pleases. Toni shows these characteristics of both men and women in the book Sula, but also in the duality of motherhood and fatherhood.
The motherhood role in Sula plays a humongous part in almost all the female characters lives. At some point in time throughout the book each female has motherhood moments whether it be negative or positive. In Sula, a mother is defined as domestic, or has to uphold “traditional values,” meaning that they stay home, take care of children, clean, cook, and make sure her spouse is happy. Some women like Hannah who is the daughter of Eva and mother of Sula, and Nel who is the daughter of a New Orleans prostitute Helena Wright feel as if it is their obligation to live up to those expectations for the rest of their lives. Where Sula on the other hand rejects these expectations and gender roles of a mother.
Sula Peace grew up next to her mother Hannah Peace. Hannah as a mom was very intimate and had a way with men. She felt like a woman’s job was to please men. Morrison states, “Hannah rubbed no edges, made no demands, made the man feel as though he were complete and wonderful just as he was.” This quote speaks on gender roles and motherhood of how women are supposed to treat men in that point in time. Hannah isn’t the only one Morrison speaks on. Nel exemplifies motherhood qualities because she does exactly what society wants her to do. Nel gets married to a man named Jude, they eventually have children. Nel and Jude were happy. Jude was a working man while Nel stayed home, took care of the kids, cooked, cleaned and made sure Jude was happy. Women have always been second to men. Women weren’t really allowed to have jobs or even get an education. But not every women likes to follow the rules of society.
In the book Sula Morrison makes sure that some of her characters juxtapose the motherhood roles of society, rejecting the gender roles of a female. Sula is a prime example. In the book, Sula (the character) rejects the female gender norms by not getting married. With her not being married, she is criticized by family and friends. Eva the grandmother of Sula, said to Sula, “Ain’t no woman got no business floatin’ around without no man.” This reveals that women that don’t follow the motherhood and gender roles of society will be talked down on because it is an expectation for all women. As the story goes on Sula never gets married. She gets into a relationship but it ends after a short period of time. Sula was the female that went to college and got her education unlike her best friend Nel. Sula wasn’t the only one who didn’t accept motherhood duties. Helena Wright, mother of Nel was not a very good mother to her kids. It was probably because she didn’t really have a mother figure herself. Her birth mom Rochelle was creole prostitute and didn’t have much to do with Helena. Therefore Helena never had an example to look at. At her own child’s wedding she couldn’t gain enough energy to get her act together. It states, “She was not only a little drunk, she was weary and had been for week”. Helena was not in a mental state to be a mother so she messed up most of the time. This continues to connect to gender roles because her child counted on her mom to prepare most of the food and clean up. “Her house had to be thoroughly cleaned, chickens had to be plucked, cakes and pies made..” Helena is so wrapped up in her mental world that she strays away from her motherhood and gender role duties.
Males play a major part in the duality too. Fathers. Fathers are supposed to be the one who works a nine to five job 5 days a week and has to come home to a clean home, food prepared. Males have always one upped on women. Males can go to college, sleep around with women, get a good paying job and women aren’t supposed to complain or talk back about it. Ajax is a man that Sulla gets attached to. During their first encounter when Nel and Sula were young. He called them “pig meat” which really shows that men don’t really care about females nor do they have respect for them. But as Sula aged she became attached to Ajax. Ajax was a known young man. Morrison states, “Ajax was very nice to his women. His women of course, knew it and it provoked them into murderous battles over him in the streets.” This reveals that men don’t don’t personally care about women. They feel as if they are able to sleep around and get pleasure when they want. So Morrison makes the roles of males very clear throughout the book Sula.
The fathers in the book Sula don’t play a major role in their kids lives. Almost all of the fathers in the book abandoned their family at some point in time. Eva’s husband Boyboy Peace abandoned his wife and 3 kids were small. Jude ends up abandoning Nel and his kids after an affair with Sula. The women in the book like Sula has to care of themselves. Sula states “Then I really would act like what you call a man. Every man I ever knew left his children” This reveals that fathers, black fathers at that don’t stay around long. Which is actually a connection to reality.
In conclusion, the duality of motherhood and fatherhood connects back to gender roles. Society build women to be a certain way; domestic. While on the other hand they chose men to be superior, even though the men in the book weren’t really around. Society makes it seem like women aren’t or can’t live without men in their life. But Sula breaks that chain that society puts women in. So as readers we can point out examples of motherhood and fatherhood roles and how they are broken.
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Motherhood and Fatherhood Roles in Sula by Toni Morrison. (2019, Feb 15).
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Rememebering the Art of Fatherhood
Upon attending the forum called “The Forgotten Art of Fatherhood”, hosted by Dr. Karin Heller, Kim Heidinger, and Dr. Eric Strandness, I received a great many eye-opening accounts of the effects of fatherhood on the individual lives of the main speakers and also of some students in the audience who were courageous enough to share their stories. Never before now have I been so aware of the substantial role that a father plays in a child’s upbringing, nor the considerable effect this role can have on their psychological development. This paper will respond to that forum by delving deeper into the key topics of the role of a father, the influence that this role has on the identities of male offspring, and how this can be exemplified in a critical feminist reading of the Bible particularly in David and his sons.
An ongoing problem in society that has been largely overlooked for a long time is best summed up by the title of the forum: “The Forgotten Art of Fatherhood”. So obsessed have we been with trying to support females in society that we have left males a bit in the lurch. I’m not saying I think that men have been oppressed, and I certainly don’t find that to be the case, but I do think that the role of men in society has become a bit of an enigma where it used to be a clear and straightforward position. As society has evolved, the old gender roles have become outdated and irrelevant, and the continuation of them served only as a means of oppressing women unnecessarily. As women united and rose up to reclaim a fair and equal place in society, they also denounced the patriarchal role of males as exploitative, domineering, and aggressive. While a tipping of the scales was necessary for a more progressive and just social system, the roles which had been in place for centuries have now been overturned and there has yet to be a system formed in its place.
To add complications, although the meanings and roles of “man” have become ambiguous, there are still roles which exist for that gender; the key examples of this forum have been “father” and “husband”. Society is no longer sure what it means to be a man, but the man still has roles automatically assigned to him. These men get a job for which there is no longer a description, and then society says “Okay, here’s your job. It’s very important that you do your job right, because how you perform strongly affects other people’s lives. Oh, and we’re also not really sure what that job is, so… Good luck! Don’t screw it up.” This is hardly a recipe for success. Sometimes it works out fine, the man figures it out or has help figuring it out, and there’s another well-adjusted kid sent out into the world. However, in many cases, it doesn’t work out in quite such an ideal way.
There have been a plethora of cases of absentee fathers, abusive fathers, distant fathers, or other variations of negative paternal roles to support the fact that there is a knowledge gap as to how to be a positive masculine entity. This is a huge problem, because it’s becoming more and more clear how much of an effect a “bad dad” can have on someone’s individual development. There were many examples of this illustrated during the forum, such as Dr. Eric Strandness’s recollection of his slightly cold father, who didn’t like to display his affection in front of the children so that Strandness didn’t really see his father being romantic with his mother. He went on to say, “When I started dating girls, I really had trouble displaying affection with them.” With this shocking idea, he elaborated that he hadn’t had a role model showing him how to behave in a romantic relationship, so when the time came he wasn’t confident in how he ought to act. He concluded with his resolution “make sure to display affection in front of my kids, so they can know how.” This revelation really struck me, because I had been wondering previously how I ought to handle PDA in front of my own children one day. I had arrived at the conclusion that I would only show minimal affection to my significant other in their presence because I didn’t want them to be thinking about other people in a non-platonic way until they knew how to interact with others in completely platonic way. However it had not occurred to me, before Dr. Strandness brought it to my attention, that people also need a strong role model to show them the right way to behave when they are in a romantic relationship.
Fatherhood means providing a strong male role model for one’s children, so that they learn how a man should behave and how one should be treated by men. Let’s look at an example of how the behavior of a father could have an effect on the future behavior of his son. In the Bible, David had a great many wives. He was never satisfied with what he had-- as soon as he saw a new pretty lady, he had to have her and waiting was not an option. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, which usually didn’t take much effort because of his kingly status, and he had little to no regard for anyone else’s feelings. When he wanted Bathsheba, he took her immediately (despite the fact that she was married). When he realized that people would find out, no problem! All he had to do was arrange the death of her husband.
This type of behavior is predictably mirrored by David’s firstborn son, Amnon. Amnon desires to have his sister Tamar, and once he decides this, he allows nothing to stand in his way and schemes a way to get her alone so he can have sex with her-- her wishes are the least of his concern. He rapes her, and then abruptly casts her aside. Once he has shown his power over her and she is no longer something unattainable, she becomes despicable to him and he can’t bear to have her in his sight. He forces her to leave, once again having not a single care for her wishes. This is similar to the way that David abandons Michal without a thought after she helps him escape her father. He has plenty of opportunities to come see her, but he simply doesn’t care to. Like his son, he took her as a way of having power and not because he cared for her at all. He leaves her without a thought, but after Saul gives her to another man to marry, he demands her back. This once again proves that he is acting only to assert his male dominance.These are the values regularly expressed by David, and likely observed by his son who sees him as a mentor and role model. Amnon never sees his father behave out of consideration for others, only securing what he wants and making sure everyone sees how impressive and powerful he is. Thus, Amnon thinks that a man’s job is to be supremely dominant and have sex with whoever he wants. He does terrible things to his own sister, for which eventually his brother Absalom kills him as punishment.
At first, the reader may ask, “If David is to blame for being a terrible father and role model to his son, then why is Absalom so noble to stand up for his sister and severely punish his brother for this heinous crime?” Well, one must first stop and read the text more closely. Amnon has committed a terrible deed to Absalom’s sister. Absalom likely thinks, “How dare he commit such a crime to my sister?” and also “How will this reflect on our family’s reputation?” and perhaps even “This man is a threat.” Reading the text this way, we see that rather than protecting Tamar for Tamar’s sake, Absalom is most likely acting on behalf of his manhood (to protect his women), his status (to protect his family’s name), and his power (to destroy all threats). And in fact, he responds the this necessity in the same way as David: kill the threat! Just as David has Joab put Uriah on the front line and ensure his death, Absalom has his men kill Amnon in cold blood. Neither wants to do the dirty work, but each coldly decides that the rival must die. This strongly supports an assertion made by Kim Heidinger early on in the forum which I attended, that “...fatherhood has an astounding impact on identity.” The reason why the behavior between David and his two sons is so shockingly similar is because, like Heidinger said, a father plays a profound role in the development of his children, lasting all the way up into adulthood.
The forum “The Forgotten Art of Fatherhood” has given me a great deal to think about in terms of a man’s role in the family and in a relationship. I had been spending so much time thinking about my own potential role as a mother and how I might best fulfill it, that I never really stopped to think about the other half of the equation. The fact is, if I have children, I will likely have to share my jurisdiction with a male counterpart. Because of the clear and profound effect that my children’s father will have on the development of their identities, it is essential that I decide what that role is to entail and what criteria any potential mate will have to satisfy in order for me to accept him to fulfill it. Therefore, my final takeaway from this forum is that in a father for my children, it is critical that I look for a strong, wise, reliable, and loving role model; if he does not meet this criteria, I will decisively allow him to leave the picture rather than force a bad parent to stay for the sake of avoiding the stigma of a “broken” family. If I have learned anything from this forum, from the main speakers and also from the eye-opening stories shared by students, it is that it would be better to have no father at all than to have one who might have a negative influence on the psychological development of the children. The best family is not a “whole” one, but one wherein every present member provides a loving, nurturing, supportive presence.
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Rememebering the Art of Fatherhood. (2019, Feb 15).
Retrieved November 4, 2025 , from
https://studydriver.com/2019/02/page/10/
Effect of Fatherhood on Child Development
For one to be a good father, one must learn how to be a good father. Not everyone in life has a father of their own, and not everyone has the resources to learn what is right from wrong in the realm of parenting. Being a father cannot be an easy job, as all aspects of childcare are incredibly difficult. But when there is a father in the equation, the quality of life increases in a massive way. Frequently in society a family finds themselves without that fatherly figure and things can get difficult for everyone involved. According to Fatherhood, one in four children are raised with no father in the picture, which is approximately 19,700,000 children, in America. The Department of Education reported that this is the case for 39% of students. The child is the one who is most affected by it, with the lack of a father leaving every aspect of their lives troubled. In Nodaway County, 24% of children live with one parent as well.
This epidemic of forgotten offspring creates issue for the child involved. Those without fathers find themselves in more unfortunate circumstances, and behavioral issues stem from it. Children are more likely to be abused, which leads into a whole world of new problems. They also tend to lean towards crime, alcohol and drugs, and have a higher tendency to fall victim to teen pregnancy. Obesity is also an issue high on the list, with children not learning the discipline they need from their father figure. On top of behavioral issues, poverty comes out of living in a single parent household. According to NPR, children are four times as likely to be poor. This stems from the lack of multiple adults supporting the household. In many cases, the mother is left alone in the midst of her education while the child is still very young, causing her to not be able to finish her schooling and therefore earn less pay than she could have if she had the support from the father. Hand in hand with poverty is a statistical drop in academic success. Less academic success creates a higher dropout rate, including seven out of ten of all high school dropouts, which creates an entire cycle for the future generations.
As if all of the horrible consequences so far haven’t been enough, all of this takes a massive toll on the mother involved. She alone must take care of this child, or possibly children, hopefully being able to support herself along the way. This comes with emotional baggage as well. The fear of if she will be enough, the wonder of why her partner would leave her, the pain that comes with a partner leaving, and the painstaking hours she must work to be able to provide for her family. Surprisingly, this topic was not one that had any sources available, but a mother is just as affected in the moment as her child is. Emotionally for the child, though, they face lifelong abandonment issues, and begin to turn away from adults who they would otherwise be close with. As Dr. Alison Block stated, “Low self-esteem, feelings of unworthiness, striving for perfection, and avoiding conflict can all be the result of abandonment issues.” The overall effect of living in a fatherless household shows itself to be a silent killer in the overall composition of a developing child’s fragile brain. What has skyrocketed over the years through media awareness and a generation with an overall lack of responsibility, society finds the lack of a father in the household not new, but definitely still as horrible as it has always been. In conclusion, the outcomes of a fatherless household seem to leave behind a sense of lingering pain.
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Effect of Fatherhood on Child Development. (2019, Feb 15).
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https://studydriver.com/2019/02/page/10/
Michigan Urban Farming Initiative: is an Urban Agrihood the Answer to Food Insecurity
While urban farming has a long history, both in the US and globally, there appears to have been a resurgence, as urban populations become more interested in local food production. Not limited to quaint community farms or small backyard projects, it often comes with lofty dreams of a self-reliant, fully sustainable city. Urban farms have environmental, health, and social benefits, but perhaps the most encouraging of these is the promise of increasing access to healthy food. Detroit is one city in which urban agriculture has a long history. Community gardens have been operating there for a long time, even though they were legalized only recently in 2013 (21). An estimation by Keep Growing Detroit states the city is home to approximately 1,500 gardens and farms of varying scales (4). These farms often work in tandem with each other to provide their neighborhoods with access to local, healthy produce. The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI) is one of the largest nonprofit farms in the city, promising to fix both food scarcity and blighted or vacant land. MUFI differs from other farms in the area, due to the fact that their central focus is development and neighborhood development, centered around their 3-acre farm.
MUFI was founded in 2011 and is run primarily by Tyson Gersh in order to provide the neighborhood with low-cost produce, and to reduce blight by increasing green space (16). They hope, in doing this, they will be able to decrease vacant land and food insecurity (8). Gersh worked in tandem with community leader Dolores Bennett, the founder of the North End Youth Improvement Council, until her death in early 2017 (10, 20). It is readily apparent why such a project is needed in the city, as Wayne County is “the most food insecure county in Michigan” and is considered by many to be a food desert (4). Urban food deserts are defined by the American Nutrition Association as an area where “at least 33% of the census tract’s population reside[s] more than one mile from a supermarket (7).” The Detroit Food Policy Council recently found that 30,000 people in the Detroit area don’t have access to healthy food, and 48% of households are food insecure. There are “74 full-line grocery stores operating within the city limits” but there are still gaps in accessibility (5).
A large part of this is probably due to the fact that approximately 25% of Detroit households are car-less, making them largely transit-dependent. This is significantly higher than the national average of 8.7% (6). In addition, urban decay is a continual problem in the city of Detroit. One report from the Detroit Blight Removal Task Force states that approximately 40,000 land parcels (of the 380,000 surveyed) meet the definition of blight, with an additional 38,429 labeled as “at risk” of becoming blighted. 98% of these properties are located in residential districts (22). The community as a whole might benefit from a large urban farm, especially a volunteer-run nonprofit that prioritizes low prices. It also has great appeal to new, young homebuyers who, along with being attracted to low housing prices, close proximity to transit, and in-town location of the North Side, are increasingly invested in locally sourced, organic food. Other community gardens in the area, however, might find it difficult to keep up with the competition, especially given that MUFI is largely volunteer-driven and gives away free produce to over 2,000 households (13). It becomes clear that urban farming is a movement that has a far-reaching impact, and that MUFI does not exist in a vacuum.
MUFI’s main purpose is redevelopment centered around agriculture. They address food insecurity by prioritizing a “pay-what-you-can” model, while also providing to local markets, churches, restaurants, and food pantries. Over 50,00 pounds of produce have been produced since its founding in 2011. It is almost entirely volunteer-run, and a large amount of those volunteers are from outside of the community. In addition to production farming taking up 1/3 of the campus, the 3-acre land includes a high-density fruit orchard, a children’s interactive garden, rainwater collection/irrigation system, and a public composting toilet. The rainwater retention pond, in particular, is promising, especially as farming has a heavy water requirement. A vacant building on the lot is being converted into a community resource center, for administrative purposes, production/packaging, and a marketplace space open to the public Perhaps their most ambitious project is shipping container homes. Currently, only one is under construction, which is intended for an on-site, full-time intern, but Gersh aims to scale up the project, providing affordable housing ownership to low-income households within the community (8).
While it is worth noting that many people within the community express enthusiastic support for the organization and its mission, there are still numerous criticisms from people within the North Side community, as well as from other farmers in the city of Detroit. Gersh’s free produce model is frequently criticized, partly because it is enabled by donations from companies like BASF and MiracleGro, which some say is counterproductive to sustainable, organic agriculture. Another source of criticism is that MUFI is able to sustain their free produce model because it is largely driven by corporate volunteers outside of the community, in lieu of creating steady jobs for those in North End. In this way, it can be argued that giving away free produce is merely a band-aid for the problem of food insecurity, while neglecting to address the root causes and support the long-term resiliency of the community. In the words of Shane Bernardo, a long-time resident, social justice activist, and former farmer in Detroit, “food security and poverty have less to do with access and more do with structural and historical disparities around power.” Another frequent criticism is that MUFI focuses on development rather than food scarcity. North End has become one of Detroit’s “up and coming” neighborhoods, with property values rising and younger, whiter homeowners moving in. By definition, an “agrihood” is only sustainable for the immediate surrounding housing developments.
An in-town neighborhood close to transit is already conducive to gentrification, and some long-time residents argue that Gersh, who arrived in North End only 7 years ago, is accelerating it. Gersh is transparent about targeting young, comparatively wealthy homebuyers from out of town in order to further develop the neighborhood, and he has reportedly tried to get long-time homeowners to sell their properties (10,13). Another controversy surrounding Gersh is his staunch disapproval of the Vanguard CDC (10), which is constructing a swath of multi-family, mixed-income housing in the North End (37). He has done so without proposing an alternative solution for affordable housing, and this has earned him further disfavor among residents who are proponents of the Vanguard project. A more practical problem is the fact that MUFI only owns about 1.5 acres from private sales or foreclosure auctions. The other 2.5 acres are government-owned, making Gersh a prime example of the homesteading that is rather common in urban farms. This could cause problems in the future, as the city desires denser construction or projects that provide more jobs to the community. If Gersh can no longer find vacant properties to steward, it might be difficult to continue the acreage-intensive project that is farming (10).
In order to find solutions, it might be helpful to see how other urban farms address these problems, and Detroit has no shortage of alternative urban farming models. One of the most prominent voices in the field is Malik Yakini of D-Town. The 7-acre farm was founded in 2006 by the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN), of which Yakini is a chairman. Perhaps the most notable thing about Yakini and his projects is the focus on social justice. He seeks to “identify and alleviate the impact of racism and white privilege on the food system,” and has drafted food security policy to do just that (17, 23). Another project, Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, headed by Jerry Hebron is a community-based farm is a project of the Northend Christian Community Development Corporation (CDC). Along with its food production and hoop houses, it consists of a farm-fresh convenience store and arts venue, as well as a community dining hall/hostel being converted from a vacant building (9).
Oakland Avenue is just one branch of the community-focused entity that is Northend Christian CDC, which also oversees afterschool programs and skill development for youth in the area (29). Other farms put collaboration at the center, with the City Commons Community Supported Agriculture being the prime example in Detroit. The City Commons consists of seven participating farms throughout the city of Detroit. Members of the community support the farm by purchasing “shares,” giving them access to a weekly box of fresh produce throughout the growing season. They also accept EBT, a viable alternative to MUFI’s free produce model (27). Some urban agricultural models veer even further from the traditional idea, however. For instance, Hantz Woodlands, a for-profit organization, is taking a different approach to greenspace by focusing on beautification rather than food production.
Their mission is to reduce blight by planting forestry which they will eventually be able to harvest for timber. CEO John Hantz has invested over $1 million to demolish abandoned buildings, as well as provide entrepreneurship and vocational training (26). The significant thing about Hantz’ beautification plan is that it is centered around improving property values for existing residents, rather than those looking to move into the area, and thus has garnered significant community approval. It is worth noting, however, that the land grab that allowed Hantz to purchase approximately 140 acres of land is looked at rather unfavorably by black farmers in the area who have historically had a difficult time gaining ownership of the land they farm. Hantz and Gersh are sometimes put into the same category, as out-of-touch outsiders who don’t reflect the needs and desires of the city as a whole. A more high-tech approach to food production is found in Green Collar Foods (GCF). GCF operates indoor vertical farms in places such as Detroit, Florida, and Northern England (28).
It might also be helpful to look at the effect other “agrihoods” have had on their respective cities. Most developments are located in rural areas, making comparison difficult, but there are a few located in cities, though certainly none are as large or as ambitious as MUFI. Gateway Heights is one such development located in the southern side of Macon, Georgia. The project’s aim is primarily to remove blighted parcels and increase greenspace, as well as provide fresh produce to locals (34). While Macon might not be the hotspot for gentrification that larger cities are, it is still apparent from walking the streets of its in-town neighborhoods that it has become one of Georgia’s trendy cities. Agritopia is an example of a more fully developed agrihood, located in Gilbert, Arizona, in the southeastern side of the Phoenix metro area. Gilbert was once primarily an agricultural town, and their agrihoods appears to hearken back to these roots. Agritopia is transparently marketed as an upscale living community, with fresh, local produce as the biggest drawing factor. Homes sell for upwards of $300,000, and the website boasts a “connected” community, conjuring up images of Mayberry, a small town feel amongst luxury condominiums (32). The town of Gilbert has a median income nearly double that of Phoenix (31), so it is unlikely that the food produced in the agrihood is going to address real problems of food insecurity. It seems this model of community living might be here to stay, with Forbes even suggesting that agrihoods might be the millennial equivalent of golf course communities (36).
Taking these examples into account makes it easier to see what MUFI can do to better assist its community. Perhaps the first thing that needs addressing is the way Gersh presents himself to the public. Certainly, the words, “I want to be Elon Musk when I grow up” don’t exactly inspire confidence in a city with a 34.5% poverty rate, 22.2% higher than the national average (10, 30, 31). Being located in Detroit means having an in-depth knowledge of the social and racial dynamics is essential to responding to the needs of the community and being a white outsider from Ann Arbor means treading carefully. A quick Google search of farming in Detroit shows MUFI being covered as at the forefront of the city’s agricultural scene, but a look at the history of “guerilla gardening” shows a vastly different picture. Local residents have been farming on vacant city properties since before it was legal, says Jerry Hebron of the Oakland Avenue Farm (10). Even now, local black farmers have a significantly more difficult time owning land and keeping their farms afloat than newcomers like Gersh.
A prime example is Marc Peeples, a local gardener who tends to vegetables such as kale and radishes in the near-abandoned Hunt Playground in Detroit. Peeples was arrested after numerous police calls were made from white neighbors, accusing him of crimes ranging from vandalism to sexual assault. While it was eventually tossed out by the judge, his case stands testament to the racial inequity that remains in urban agriculture (33). While part of the reason that MUFI has been covered as particularly groundbreaking falls on the press coverage it has received, Gersh tends to not acknowledge the great work being done by long-time residents to address the existing community’s needs. Additionally, asking residents to sell their properties gave him a less-than-favorable reputation in the North End. Citizens there might be looking for a change, but blatant displacement likely isn’t the change they’re looking for. It is also clear that simply giving away produce is not enough to fix the problem of food insecurity that is largely a product of intentional disinvestment in the city of Detroit. Selling their food would be a small step but might enable MUFI to hire a small group of employees. Urban agriculture is rarely a large job creator, but it is surely better to do something on a small scale than to do nothing. Even without job creation, revenue from produce could enable them to provide resources to the community such as vocational training or after school programs.
Their shipping container home is promising, but without the revenue to back it up, it seems their plan for development and revitalization lacks an affordable housing solution. A public timeline might be helpful in inspiring confidence within the community. Collaboration is another area in which it would benefit MUFI to improve. Many local farms, including the Oakland Avenue Farm, are working together to achieve a final goal of growing “two percent of the produce that’s consumed in the city (10).” MUFI has a massive production farming campus with the potential to do a significant amount of good if they turned their efforts to the city as a whole, rather than to the immediate surrounding housing development. The logistical issues of not owning the land, however, might not be as easily fixed as a bad reputation. Informal homesteading has played a large role in the history of urban farming, as local gardeners have been tending to plots of vacant land since before the legality of it became clear. However, the possibility always exists that the city of Detroit might want to use that land for different kinds of development, and this could leave the future of MUFI uncertain. As the home values in the North End rise, it is possible that the city might prefer the higher revenues and greater number of jobs brought by retail establishments. This scenario has played out with other local farms before, and the result nearly always favors the larger, more profitable development.
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this project, however, comes to light when we compare it to other agrihoods, such as Gilbert’s Agritopia. The very model itself, of building a community around agriculture, seems like a breeding ground for gentrification. Where other farms and community gardens seek to provide food to the existing population, MUFI appears to be attracting out-of-towners to a trendy, up-and-coming neighborhood where they can get locally grown, organic produce. Such development might work for wealthier towns and suburbs, but it is unlikely to do much for the North End other than displacement. The success of the redevelopment model is dependent on its ability to bring in new people. Other areas which have seen agriculture-centered development differ greatly from North End. Often, they are more rural, or at least suburban, than North End. They also tend not to have the same existing history of community farms, nor the same racial dynamics as Detroit. Whether the area will become one of upscale houses and condominiums is yet to be seen, but property values continue to rise. It would be unfair to blame it entirely on Gersh’s enterprise, as the natural cycle of a neighborhood often includes some level of gentrification. It is possible for MUFI to remain a net positive force in the community, in my opinion, if they can revise their mission to put existing residents at the center of their redevelopment, and if they cease being active opposition to Vanguard and other organizations who seek to secure affordable or mixed income housing in the area.
To sum up, focusing on neighborhood “revitalization” is unlikely to solve the problem of food insecurity. While attracting young homebuyers to the area might bring a Whole Foods or trendy fresh-produce eateries to the area, it is unlikely to bring affordably priced fresh foods into the city on a large scale. Fresh, healthy food is a great need in the North End, and the nonprofit has great potential to do good. However, as it stands now, the food produced might not continue to benefit existing residents. In order to do this, MUFI will have to shift its focus to collaboration with established, locally-owned farms, rather than property development wrapped in a shiny agricultural package.
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Michigan Urban Farming Initiative: Is an Urban Agrihood the Answer to Food Insecurity. (2019, Feb 15).
Retrieved November 4, 2025 , from
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Food Insecurity Within the US: what Now?
The nation’s food supply impacts each and every person living within the United States to a significant degree. Though we have plenty to be grateful for, there are many issues surrounding the need for this food to reach to entire US population efficiently. The grocery stores so frequently visited by typical Americans are full of ample and fresh products yet something is lacking. Communities all throughout the US house families struggling to feed their loved ones while at home, at work, or at school. Some people are faced with the choice between eating and paying the bills or meeting other daily needs. This Issue not only address the fact that people need enough to eat. This issue addresses the process that happens between the food being grown and it reaching the dinner table through a multitude of solutions.
Currently, there are three main federal food-assistance programs in actions that people nationally can benefit from. “Women, Infants, & Children” (WIC) supplemental Nutrition program supports roughly 7.7 million people in the US alone. WIC grants low-income mothers with healthy food, advising, breastfeeding aid, and health-care support. Another program taking place currently is the “National School Lunch Program” which grants about 22 million students in grades K-12 with free or reduced lunch. Lastly and known by most is the “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program” (SNAP), formally known as food stamps. SNAP provides people and families, according to income, with money they can spend on groceries (US Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2018).
As a solution to the food insecurity faced throughout the US, there are three main things capable of being done. The first thing to do would be to ensure that people have adequate access to food within their community whether it be through a program like SNAP or be it through more grocery stores and better quality food. The second thing would be to educate people so that they know the availability they have to food and the options they have when it comes to caring for and possibly growing their own food on occasion. It is crucial that people are well-versed in where their food comes from and where their next meal is coming from. The third thing in this proposal would be to work on conserving the food already cycling through the system. From the moment food is grown whether it be plants of livestock, many things happen to it. The food is produced, processed into the food that we recognize it as, distributed to stores and restaurants, and lastly it is prepared to be served. So much of the food within the US either never makes it to a plate because it goes bad or, it is thrown out and wasted at restaurants, at home, and at grocery stores. A lot of the food that isn’t bought after a day’s work is thrown out when it could easily be redistributed or repurposed for those who truly need it.
According to a study titled “Household Food Security in 2015” done by the USDA, roughly 15.8 million households within the US alone experience a lack of food. About one in every eight homes suffers from food insecurity meaning they lack stable access to a proper food supply. In an effort to combat this, policy change needs to take place on a federal and/or state level. While the cost of food may seem miniscule, a substantial portion of annual incomes coming from low-incomes families (about 1/3 of their income) is funneled into the food that they eat which is typically cheap and unhealthy (US Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2018). Although there are many great and beneficial policies in place that work to provide assistance to these families, it isn’t enough. People should not have to worry about where their next meals are coming from, especially within such a successful nation fully capable of providing for its citizens.
As a solution, there could be higher benefit levels granted to SNAP and WIC participants and better public transportation to and from grocery stores. This transportation would take away any additional hurdles many people may be having to jump over – especially in rurally based, low-incomes areas. According to the USDA, 2.1 million people in the US live farther than a mile away from a grocery store (2018). This distance may be manageable short term but it becomes incredibly impractical and somewhat impossible for one to carry a family’s weeks’ worth of food home with them with no car. Farmers and local grocery store could also develop a small-scale traveling store that brings the food to these poorer areas providing convenience and relieving stress from the families.
Some may oppose the idea of giving more money to government programs like SNAP or WIC primarily due to its cost. Some may ask, “How can the government put more money into something like SNAP or WIC when it already supports so many other people?” Also, many people may oppose being taxed more in order to pay for others’ expenses, or in this case, food. Although these funds may seem unwarranted and excessive, it’s important to recognize the extreme benefits that would come from it. With more people working and less people spending their incomes on food, they can focus their finances on other, more important things that would still put money back into the economy.
Another solution that could work to combat this issue would be to better educate all people within the US on what they can do to make this problem smaller. People could take classes on how to grow their own food. Around the US there are ton of organizations that will teach people and provide them with the resources they need to successfully grow their own food. “Grow Appalachia” is an organization that within it’ first 6 years, produced over 1.8 million pounds of organic, ready to eat food. Other groups like churches, farmers’ markets, boy/girl scouts, etc. could be of large benefit in this area as well. In order for these kinds of organizations to thrive, people also need to be educated in why these foods are superior to cheap and convenient fast food chains.
It’s a known fact that you can provide people with plenty of resources and tools they need to succeed yet they might still choose their own way of living. This could possibly pertain to the idea of expending time and money into growing healthy food when many people might not accept it or be open to it despite their current situation. As a way to fight this, many local governments work to encourage healthy habits and attitudes by up charging or taxing the readily unhealthy options. Another issue some may find with these proposals may be cost.
The last thing that people need to be aware of is their ability to conserve resources. Tons of food is thrown out and wasted constantly. According to the USDA, 40% of the food processed each year is never eaten, resulting in about 130 billion pounds of food wasted, costing roughly $160 billion. When food has been deemed unfit to be purchased and it about to be wasted, there are many things that can be done. First is to consider the hungry. This food could be donated to food banks, soup kitchen, shelters, etc. Next is to consider animals shelters; any animal would gladly take some leftover food over no food at all. After consumption would come industrial uses like oil into fuel and scraps into energy. Lastly would be composting. Composting turns rotten and older food into soil nutrients. As an absolute last resort – the landfill should be used (See Fig. 1) (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2017).
Fig. 1 (EPA, 2017) – Hierarchy developed by the EPA explaining the multiple ways food can be repurposed as opposed to wasted and in what order of significance. Though the idea and issue of food insecurity may seem small and negligible, it affects tons of people daily – even close friends. Many people may find it shocking that such an issue could arise within such a developed country like the US. It’s because of the US success that these issues should be dealt with appropriately, efficiently, and timely. In order to do this it’s crucial that people remember to 1. Rethink the policies currently in place, 2. Educate themselves and their families on what they can do and to 3. Conserve and much as possible!
?References:
Coleman-Jensen, A. (2018, September). Overview. Retrieved from https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us.aspx
International Efforts on Wasted Food Recovery. (2018, March 12). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/international-cooperation/international-efforts-wasted-food- recovery
The Nourishing Effect. (2018, April 10). Retrieved from https://www.bread.org/library/nourishing-effect
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.secondharvestmetrolina.org/about-us?gclid=Cj0KCQiA6JjgBRDbARIsANfu58FAheBxDjtW2uoHm-4EUkkm_X5P4dT9sIGjdGwDPC-nsExCyQlIhLAaAnLwEALw_wcB
Cite this page
Food Insecurity Within the US: What Now?. (2019, Feb 15).
Retrieved November 4, 2025 , from
https://studydriver.com/2019/02/page/10/
The Health Impacts of Food Insecurity Within an Urban Environment
It completely disregards and invalidates the implementation of local markets (non-liquor stores and gas stations). A study was conducted in a low-income neighborhood in San Diego, California; which is known for providing access to “affordable, fresh, healthy and culturally appropriate foods” (Pascale et al, 1). This study focused on the ethnicity and cultural acceptability to comprehend social geographies. As a result of this study, almost 50% of the surveyed food stores are classified as ethnic markets. This particular group of stores consisted mostly of grocery, specialty, and convenience stores. The overlaying trend that can be found amongst of these stores is that they are small businesses, that generally cater to the regional demographic.
“In fact, 80% of independent grocery stores in City Heights, are associated with a specific ethnic group. Unlike liquor stores or gas stations, which almost never have any obvious ethnic affiliation, these types of stores are more likely to offer fresh produce, meat, bread, dairy, and other food staples” (Pascale et al, 9).
Ethnic markets/stores contribute greatly to the surrounding community by marketing to specific groups where products and/or food culture aren’t normalized within the United States (Asian markets, halal, etc.) (Pascale et al. 2017). Despite their vast contributions, these markets are often racialized, and the façade of innutritious expensive food being sold inside a “hole-in-a-wall.” This false imagery leads to unintentional harm within ethnic food systems due to lack of understanding and consciousness of distinctive needs of heterogeneous communities and groups (Pascale et al. 2017). An example of this misunderstanding can be seen in through initiatives where racial and cultural implications aren’t considered and strictly follow the parameters set by the USDA. An example of such initiatives is Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign against child obesity. The $400 million initiative’s proposed goal was to essentially bring quality food retailers to disadvantaged low-income areas (Holtzman 2010).
“…proposed as part of the fiscal year 2011 budget, [it] aims to boost public health by eliminating urban and rural food deserts within 7 years” (Holtzman, 1).
When analyzing these initiatives, one of the common factors that is often overlooked is affordability. Pascale et al defines affordability as the reasonable or lower pricing of fresh produce. Through the Pascale’s study, research noted that ethnic markets have tendency to be affordable for residential community, purchasing “fresh produce at a lower price than non-ethnic markets” (Pascale et al, 12). This occurs due to the higher percentage of smaller grocers (ethnic grocers) where a large array of produce is sold. Comparatively to non-ethnic stores (mostly convenience stores and gas stations) counterparts where the finite variety of products is typically priced higher than the national average (Pascale et al 2017). Two other neglected factors that Pascale mentions are cultural acceptability and accessibility.
“[Cultural acceptability is] the [protection of] the rights of food insecure people, fosters sustainable livelihoods, addresses the cultural value of food practices, acknowledges situated knowledge of nutrition and health, and promotes food sovereignty and non-hierarchical food-related decision-making. In an urban setting where the majority of the population obtains food from retailers, ethnic markets are places that provide more than specific ingredients; they sustain immigrant livelihood, enable food of racial and ethnic identities through food practices” (Pascale et al, 13).
Accessibility involves overall community (or individual) availability, attainability, mobility, and convenience. It examines the requirement of mobility and/or access to transportation for traveling to stores.
“…walking access to transportation to travel to a store doesn’t guarantee availability of fresh, healthy, and affordable food…[and] its corporate structure, large size, low prices, and high diversity make it an atypical ethnic market and statistical outlier, it would bias the comparison between ethnic and non-ethnic markets…” (Pascale et al, 13).
Researcher, Christopher E. Plano analyzes this relationship between mobile/transit accessibility and employment access. He studies low-income communities within Baltimore, Maryland through the application of transportation analysis zones (TAZ). This highlights how mobile access (or lack thereof) contributes to the dilemma of food security within an urban setting.
“Nationally, low-income individuals often live in areas with few employment opportunities8,9,10,11,12,13 and few supermarkets that provide healthy food.14,15,16 Because of limited income, these individuals cannot relocate to wealthier areas where these necessities are located17 or afford personal transportation18 to travel to these areas. As a result, they spend considerable time and money to access jobs and healthy food using public transit.” (Plano 2015, 2).
Despite being debunked by endless research and study, the analytical paradigm of food accessibility still remains applicable where the “desert metaphor remains powerful and, as we have experienced in years of fieldwork in the community, is used extensively by local residents and community organizations to describe the neighborhood’s food environment and justify change” (Pascale et al, 15).
As with most, like Fanny Carlet (2017) and James A. Montgomery et al. (2016), would opt for a solution to urban food insecurity through law and policy, government initiatives and the community involvement.
“Community gardens can take on the role of neighborhood gathering spaces, often used for large formal events in addition to informal gatherings (Lawson 2004; Saldivar-Tanaka and Krasny 2004). Urban dwellers may participate in gardening as a means of creating safe outdoor spaces that would address both negative influences of vacant lots— especially drug dealing and perception of personal safety—and alleviate space constraints due to the small size of their living quarters (Garvin, Cannuscio, and Branas 2013; Schmelzkopf 1995).” (Carlet 2017, 10)
However, others like Mari Gallagher argue that the issue can’t be solved only through the implication and development of quality grocers but also through the implication of education (Holtzman 2010). “Affordable wholesome food alone does not alter eating habits” as Holtzman states and argues that several overlying cultural factors play a key role. Gallagher and Holtzman both agree that “determining which locales have the greatest need for subsidies, as well as keeping politics from affecting the flow of money, will be challenging. It is important to make sure we’ve armed with neutral data that directs the flow of resources” (2010).
Throughout my research, I’ve come across a lot of data regarding the nutritional impacts of food (fruit, vegetables, sugar, etc.), diet-related illness, price disparity among healthy and non-healthy food and food accessibility. I accessed the 2018 State indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). This report analyzes and emphasizes different methods so as to potentially increase the purchase, supply and demand of fruits and vegetables across the United States of America. The overriding goal of this study is to improve the U.S. population’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables. This report states that the average American doesn’t meet the necessary daily intake of fruits and vegetables, despite the substantiate health benefits. The CDC proposes that this is due to lack of access and affordability. This is very significant to those of the U.S. population that face several challenges such as food insecurity.
There were several key findings that were highlighted in this report. This report highlighted that as of 2018, 10 states adopted policies on the food services guidelines. It emphasizes the importance of the selling and serving of healthy foods. “Food service guidelines increase access to healthy food options (e.g. fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains) in worksites, state agencies, parks and recreation centers and other institutional settings” (CDC, 3). Another key finding that was highlighted was that 47 U.S. states adopted policies that support farm-to-school and farm-to-ECE (Early Care and Education). This is proposed to increase the percentage of student access to locally grown produce such as school gardening, etc. it also encourages education of nutrition and agriculture. 32 states have already established food policy councils that support regional food systems and intend to increase access to nutritional food.
According to the CDC only 12.2% of adults meet proper fruit intake and only 9.3% of adults meet proper vegetable intake. The statistics for food consumption amongst youth are just as bad. An average of 9% of adolescent children meet the standard fruit intake and only 2% meet the vegetable intake. Overall multiple studies and research have shown that food is linked to health. Throughout human history, food has been used for not only fundamental nourishment and necessity but has also played a significant role in medicine. The overlying rule states that poor diet quality contributes negative health impacts such as illness and obesity. Essentially, as anthropologist Ludwig Fuerbach plainly states “man is what he eats.”
This report classifies these statistics into three main categories: improving fruit and vegetable access for individuals and families; improving fruit and vegetable access for children; food system support for fruit and vegetables. According to these indicators, there are an average of 27 farmer’s markets per 100,000 residents. In addition to the establishment of the 2014 State Policy on Food Service Guidelines, about 47% of school districts participate in farm-to-school programs. According 2018 data, there are about 234 local food policies in place and about 212 food hubs nationally.
I additionally analyzed data from the food desert locator provided by the USDA’s Economic Research Service. This data was initially released and finalized in the early 2011. However, this data is updated regularly and was last updated in 2017. This data provides population statistics for census tracts that meet the USDA’s current definition of “food desert.” Even though this data is up to date, it however neglects to some areas where that loosely fits the qualification for food desert according to the USDA. This report provides data for the following:
- State (State)
- County name (CountyName)
- Census urbanized area tract (URBAN)
- Total population (TOTALPOP)
- Percentage of population with low-access to supermarket or large grocery store (PERCENT_LOWA_Pop)
- Number of people with low-access to supermarket or large grocery store (LOWA_POP)
- Percentage of total population that is low-income with low-access (PERCENT_LOWI)
- Number of low-income people with low-access (LOWI)
- Percentage of housing units without a vehicle with low-access (PERCENT_HUNV)
- Number of housing units without a vehicle with low-access (HUNV)
- Percentage of children age 0-17 with low-access (PERCENT_KIDS)
- Number of children age 0-17 with low-access (KIDS)
- Percentage of people age 65+ with low-access (PERCENT_SENIORS)
About 58.5% of the U.S population has low-access to supermarkets and/or large grocery stores. About 13.7% of that population is low-income. About 281,709 people with low-income have low-access, and about 23% hold residency but don’t have access to a vehicle. About 15.6% of children between the ages of 0-17 have low-access to supermarkets. About 7.6% of elderly (age 65+) have low-access to supermarkets.
Food plays a very significant role in the livliehood of all living being. Just as deer rely on vegetation for food or birds on fruit/berries and insects, humans are dependent on the sustainability of food. Just as very living creature, human acquire their sustenance from the earth and the nutrients it bears. Logically one could understand the importance of food and how it might impact one’s health, particularly when there is a significant lack of access. As the USDA characterizes food deserts as residential areas where there is a lack of access to supermarkets and grocery stores. However, this negates the how in the low-income communities where there are supermarkets, but they don’t supply nutritional fresh food. A significant amount of research and study displays the correlation between that are categorized as food deserts and the rise of obesity and food-related health risk. These studies not only highlight the monetization of food and how it along with several overlaying factors (socioeconomic status, etc.) impact the overall health of community.
WORKS CITED
Carlet, Fanny, et al. “Greening U.S. Legacy Cities: Urban Agriculture as a Strategy for Reclaiming Vacant Land.” Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, vol. 41, no. 8, 2017, pp. 887–906., doi:10.1080/21683565.2017.1311288.
“Food Culture Helps Understand Life, Society and History.” Untitled Document, Lingnan University, 2018, www.ln.edu.hk/lingnan-touch/61/food-culture-helps-understand-life-society-and-history.
Holzman, David C. “Diet and Nutrition: White House Proposes Healthy Food Financing Initiative.” Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 118, no. 4, 2010, doi:10.1289/ehp.118-a156.
Joassart-Marcelli, Pascale, et al. “Ethnic Markets and Community Food Security in an Urban ‘Food Desert.’” Environment and Planning A, vol. 49, no. 7, 2017, pp. 1642–1663., doi:10.1177/0308518x17700394.
Meenar, Mahbubur R. “Using Participatory and Mixed-Methods Approaches in GIS to Develop a Place-Based Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Index.” Environment and Planning A, vol. 49, no. 5, 2017, pp. 1181–1205., doi:10.1177/0308518x16686352.
Montgomery, James A., et al. “Soil Quality Assessment Is a Necessary First Step for Designing Urban Green Infrastructure.” Journal of Environment Quality, vol. 45, no. 1, 2016, p. 18., doi:10.2134/jeq2015.04.0192.
Plano, Christopher E., et al. “Considering Public Transit: New Insights into Job and Healthy Food Access for Low-Income Residents in Baltimore, Maryland.” Environmental Justice, vol. 8, no. 3, 2015, pp. 65–71., doi:10.1089/env.2015.0003.
Ramankutty, Navin, et al. “Trends in Global Agricultural Land Use: Implications for Environmental Health and Food Security.” Annual Review of Plant Biology, vol. 69, no. 1, 2018, pp. 789–815., doi:10.1146/annurev-arplant-042817-040256.
Widener, Michael J., et al. “Agent-Based Modeling of Policies to Improve Urban Food Access for Low-Income Populations.” Applied Geography, vol. 40, 2013, pp. 1–10., doi:10.1016/j.apgeog.2013.01.003.
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The Health Impacts of Food Insecurity within an Urban Environment. (2019, Feb 15).
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What is Food?
Food. What is food? Most consider food to be the one constant in our lives. It has played a significant role in human society and culture. Even specific foods are associated with specific regions. For example, tomatoes originated in the Andes in South America. Rice originated in Southeast Asia and wheat was first grown in Southeastern Turkey. Food culture can often be seen as a way to understanding society, history and the world. According to Dr. Siu Yau-ho of the Linguan University in Hong Kong, China; food culture can be broken down into two types of knowledge: material and intellectual knowledge. Material knowledge involves experience through the tangible sense, particularly through taste and smell. Intellectual knowledge involves experience through history, customs/traditions, religion, culture, geography, etc.
“Dr. Siu said that food culture is not only close to life, but also an entry point and important channel of cultural communication, helping people understand the world.” - Food Culture, 2018
Food has also played a significant role in religion. It is considered the basis of human culture. Not only does it play a significant role on the body but also the spiritual body. In most religion, food is considered sacred and doesn’t have a monetary value. Often the value of food is linked to identity. For example, rice in Japanese culture holds great significance. The emperors were considered incarnations of the god of mature rice. In Hopi Indian tradition and culture, corn represents the cycle of life and perseverance. Many are familiar with anthropologist Ludwig Fuerbach’s famous quote, “man is what he eats.” Ludwig conducted extensive research on the connection between the human psyche and the body and emphasizes the importance of nourishment and diet. In modern day society and culture, food has a considerably different ethic. Often food is received through secondary and tertiary sources (supermarkets, fast food, restaurant, etc.). There is a prominent trend among the U.S. population where people don’t really know where their food comes from. This is one of the biggest questions concerning food security.
According to the USDA, food security can be broken up into four basic categorical levels: high food security, marginal food security, low food security and very low food security. High food security characterizes residential areas where there isn’t food access limitation. Marginal food security focuses on areas that have little indication of food access limitation and there is only “anxiety over food sufficiency or shortage.” Low food security denotes the reduction of quality, variety, desirability of diet and food intake. Very low food security shows multiple indications of lack of food access and reduced food intake. In 2006, the Committee of National Statistics (CNSTAT) classified “food security” as household-level economic and social condition. The USDA additionally revised its definition of “food desert” as “parts of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas. Largely due to lack of grocery stores, farmers’ markets and other healthy food providers.” Essentially food deserts are classified as low-income residential areas and communities where the closest supermarket or grocery stores is within a one-mile radius. Research and study have shown that there the lack of access to nutritional food has a severe impact on overall community health. Additionally, there are several factors that contribute to the stigma of food deserts such as lack of access to transportation, location, socioeconomic status, cultural, shopping/dietary habits, time/availability, etc.
RESEARCH QUESTION
I am studying food security within an urban environment because I want to find out how lack of food security can impact a community’s health in order to help my reader understand the topic of food deserts within the United States and create sustainable solutions to this issue. This question is feasible due to the abundance of information regarding nutrition and health. Additionally, several studies have been conducted regarding the topic of food security globally but particularly within an urban environment. I’m also researching several articles that analyze a multitude of sustainable solutions to the issue of urban food deserts.
Before analyzing the topic of community health within an urban setting, we have to examine certain concepts that fuel this issue. One of these concepts is community food security (CFS), which suggests the main issue: food deserts. According to Meenar (2017), community food security is “having access to affordable, safe, culturally appropriate, and nutritionally adequate food” (Meenar, 1). This occurs through environmentally and economically stable food systems, which promote community involvement and active participation. CFS is often associated with the three main driving factors of food access: geographic, economic and informational (Meenar 2017). This concept plays a key role in the interconnection between socioeconomic status and accessibility to basic necessities.
“Due to lack of food access, many lower-income families in U.S. urban neighborhoods are forced to seek assistance from federal programs and local food cupboards (Nord et al. 2009); however, many face challenges in doing so because of eligibility issues, lack of food availability, and poor quality of food” (Meenar, 2).
Most low-income residence rely on cheap, non-nutritious food mostly due to convenience, abundance, and affordability. This additionally often pose threats and negative changes to health.
When examining the definition “food desert” given by the USDA, this concept of community food security becomes validated. According to the USDA (2012), food deserts are classified as low-income residential areas and communities where the closest supermarket or grocery store is within a 1-mile radius. This implies that regardless of the food source or quality of food, a community is considered to be economically and socially adequate in accessibility to “safe” food. However, both Meenar and Pascale et al. argue that this is misleading and provides a false pretense of food accessibility. Meenar argues that the “urban-food” paradigm is much more than an issue of accessibility. He mentions several overlapping topics such as racial inclusion, food habits, including nutrition and health; therefore, scrutinizing the administrative definition of “food desert” and “accessibility.”
“…this study argues that the concept of food environments in urban neighborhoods goes beyond typical food access and food desert analyses, which primarily use GIS data, including locations of supermarkets or grocery stores, median household income, population density or car ownership… Food environment research [U.S] has relied heavily on… U.S Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) food desert maps or The Reinvestment Fund’s (TRE) low-access maps…” (Meenar, 2).
The maps and data taken by the USDA and TRE display information that negates the official USDA definition, as many disenfranchised areas have access to small local grocery stores but the “quality or quantity of fresh and healthy food is not guaranteed, and these foods are usually more expensive” (Meenar). Meenar also noted that even though people may have “food” access, they aren’t guaranteed “economic” and “cultural” access.
However, Pascale et al. approach this discrepancy from a slightly different angle. Unlike most studies, Pascale et al. analyze communities that are considered food deserts due to lack of mainstream markets but consists of local ethnic markets, as food deserts shouldn’t necessarily indicate the absence of or limited access to food in “poor and racially diverse communities” (Pascale et al. 2017).
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What is Food?. (2019, Feb 15).
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Malawi: Food Insecurity
Every living thing requires food in order to survive. Human beings require plenty of food supply to survive in all seasons and when they have shortage of food they will suffer from hunger and it may results in getting malnutrition diseases. Africa is one of the continent that experiences food insecurity most of the time. Some African countries like Malawi have been known to be experiencing shortage of food most of the time due to some factors. People in Malawi experience shortage of food due to some factors such as frequent drought, water scarcity, price of maize, fertilizers and distance to market.
Environmental: Drought and Maize Planting
People in Malawi depend on maize as their stable food. Maize production is high when there is no drought and low when there is drought. For many years Malawi has been known to experience droughts for many years which led to low production of maize and thus making people to lack food. Kondwani et al. found that abought 97% of the farmers in Malawi plant maize because they see maize farming as the easiest one and does not require a lot of materials when planting (insert page). People cultivate their lands only and plant theirs maize when their good rainfall. According to Kondwani et al. the “drought of 1990s and 2000s significantly reduced maize production and led to famine in many areas of Malawi” (2). Drought makes everywhere to be dry thus making maize farming impossible. In some years ago, drought was seen as the factor that led to food insecurity in Malawi.
Environmental: Irrigation and Maize Harvest
Water is so useful in plantation of crops. Some crops needs irrigation in order to produce high yields and thus irrigation cannot work when there is shortage of water. Malawi is one of the country that experience scarcity of water which has led to shortage of food because irrigation cannot be applied. People only depend on rain to plant their food crops such as maize and they are not able to plant crops like rice which requires irrigation. In a TED Talk on “harnessing wind” for power, Kamkwaba, a citizen-scholar and community activist, discussed how he build the wind mill that generated electricity for pumping water in rural of Malawi. He says the electricity assisted people to do irrigation because people in rural areas were lacking water for doing irrigation. Scarcity of one water is one of the factor that causes food insecurity because people are not able to do irrigation without plenty water.
Economics: The Cost of Maize
When maize production is low the price of maize will be high because the demand will be high and supply is low. People who have less money will not be affording to buy maize at the market price and thus causing famine in their homes. Fisher and Lewin reported in their community study that due to drought which occurs most of the time in Malawi, the production of maize has been low which has led to high demand and making their prices to be high. People in rural areas of Malawi are not able to buy maize at that price because they don’t have enough money thus making them to stay without food. High Price of maize has led to food insecurity in Malawi because people are not able to buy food.
Economics: The Cost of Fertilizer
Additionally, price of fertilizers causes food insecurity in Malawi. Every crop that is being planted needs fertilizers to add nutrients thus making it to produce high yields. Fisher and Lewin noted that when the price of fertilizers is high , most people are not affording to buy at that high price. They plant their crops without fertilizers which leads to low production of their yields. In Malawi most the people which plants maize are not able to get fertilizers and they end up planting without. The production will low because maize will get nutrients which are necessary for making food. This has led to high percentage of food insecurity in Malawi.
Economics & Environment: Distance
Additionally, distance to market is one of the main factor that has led to food insecurity in Malawi. People who live in urban centers depend on food from farmers who do farming in rural areas. The farmers may be having plenty of food in rural areas but it difficult for them to get to market. The country of Malawi have poor infrastructures which makes farmers to experience huge loses because most of their products will get spoil before getting to market. People who expect these food will end up starving because no food will reach the market. Some other people may be living too far from market and they may not be able to get market to buy food thus staying without food.
In conclusion, the government of Malawi should subsidize the price of fertilizers so that everyone will afford to purchase. This will make the production of to be high because everyone will be able to put enough fertilizers on their crops. When there is high production of maize, the demand for maize goes down thus making their price to fall. People will be able to buy maize at low price and everyone will be able to get food. The government of Malawi also should provide grants for windmill constructions. Windmills will assist people over dry seasons in pumping water for irrigation and other uses. The government of Malawi also should improve bank infrastructure to funnel money to projects and people in need. Lastly the government of Malawi should set aside emergency funds for drought and other unexpected things.
Work Cited
Kamkwamba, William. “William Kamkwamba: 'How I Harnessed the Wind' (TED Talks, 2009).” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Mar. 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QkNxt7MpWM.
Msowoya, Kondwani, et al. “Climate Change Impacts on Maize Production in the Warm Heart of Africa.” SpringerLink, Springer Netherlands, 6 Sept. 2016, link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11269-016-1487-3.
Fisher, Monica, and Paul A lewin. “Household, Community, and Policy Determinants of Food Insecurity in Rural Malawi.” May 2004.
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