Media and public sphere Free Essays

The Internet is a place where people gather information, discuss issues of common concern, and coordinate political activities. At the same time, the Internet is a part of a larger communicative environment, which is connected to other parts of the public sphere as well as other parts of the media industry. We will write a custom essay sample on Media and public sphere or any similar topic only for you Order Now In other words, the Internet is a complex, multidimensional space, where a lot of different things are happening. Given this fact, what are the criteria we would need in order to decide whether the Internet is good or bad for democracy (and the public sphere)? Based on those criteria, what is your verdict for the Internet: good for democracy or bad for democracy? Internet is a major source of the information overflow in the society today. It is undeniable that it is through this particular advancement in the technology of conversation and communication that the different areas around the globe are becoming easily connected through the World Wide Web. The said nature of opened communication that society is particularly involves with in present naturally makes it easier for simply anybody to share their idealisms about several social issues through the internet. These issues include political as well as social issue-based topics that naturally raise questions in the society today. Having the capability to express ones views on certain issues and have the chance to be heard by others around the world who are naturally interested in the same issues is such a huge privilege for people of the present generation. It is undeniable though that with this particular freedom of expression, many among the population of the human society today recognize that speech could be abused as long as it tells the truth. However, the measure of truth is differently presented depending on the views of the people involved in the issue. Usually, the truth is measured by individuals through identifying how the situation that they are into actually relates to them. In this regard, the basis of the freedom that people particularly enjoy in using the different assets brought to them by the internet developments could be noted to have an impact on the social behavior of the entire human society with regards freedom and democracy. The demarcation line of what should be considered as limits of the process may not be that easy to identify anymore. This is particularly the reason why so many fraudulent informations are flooding the territories of the Internet today. It is indeed undeniable though that although these informations are known to be fraudulent, there are those who cannot differentiate the substance of the issues presented through blogging and web postings on whether they are actually true or simply a misconception or opinionated views of several individuals wanting to affect the others with their idealisms in life or on certain topics of interest as they are. Considering Jay Rosen’s comment on the issue, it could be observed that he pointed out an important fact in his article. He noted that democracy through internet measures may not be called democratic freedom as it is. At times, the situation goes out of hand and freedom becomes an unnerving result of abuse of speech. Given your research topic, how are the discussions/ conversations/ commentaries different in the Internet than they are in some other media format? What kind of data would you need to determine whether these Internet conversations are connected to the public sphere in a way that improves (or damages) democracy? Internet issue presentations are usually opinionated rather than based on factual evidences. This is because of the fact that there are numerous writers, both amateur and professional who are able to present their ides through the net. Most often than not, it is the ability of the people to concentrate on actually showing the people what position they particularly take in certain issues concerning the society that drives their motives of writing. Obviously, this process of presenting values of the events is a biased procedure of engaging with the different causes of the emerging issues on the increase of fraudulent information in the internet. In terms of being authenticated, it is naturally obvious that internet based informations may not be easily noted to be reliable at all. This is because of the fact that the sources are not merely that easy to identify to say that they are indeed of high reputation to gain the trust of the reading public. Most of the time though, readers of the net have a hard time recognizing this particular fact in the systems of internet information sharing. Hence, they fall for the snare of believing even fraudulently presented issues through the assistance of the Internet’s worldwide connection. To identify the validity of the informations, it is important for one to become balanced in viewing the bulk of informations shared through the Internet especially of the issues are based upon political topics. The idea herein is to actually assist the readers of the net in segregating the informations that they particularly meet with through the World Wide Web. How could this be done? Conscientiously integrating the presentations on the web with that of the other media systems considering the topic could be a great help. It really makes it easier for one to have a better overview of an issue if the system is much more likely based on two different points of view. Balancing the informations received would then be more efficient as the issues are to be measured as to how they were particularly shown through the different mediums of media presentation. Kerbel and Bloom’s study particularly points out that the increase of blogs and other internet based information posting never stops annually. The reason behind this increase perhaps is the fact that the people involved in these information posting also gain the confidence in presenting more and more opinionated informations which they would like to other internet surfers around the world. Words are powerful. With the use of information exchange, there had been numerous changes happening in the world. The idea is that the more words become influential, the greater strength it begins to acquire upon the ability of the human mind to segregate the information that it receives. Most of the time, the said informations are either factual or not. However it may seem, it should occur that the factuality of the informations should always be checked for the validity of the informations presented on the part of the readers. In the second question, based on research topic, after 9/11 world wide uprising tension; So now how media represents religion on the public sphere? are they use people sentiment? Because of the current events occurring around the world, like that of the situation that happened in 9/11, gaining the sentiments of the people to be able to come up with measurable strategies of fighting the supposed â€Å"wrong deeds† of those who initiated the bombings has been the main idealism of the different blogs from both the American government and other social institutions during those specific times of turmoil. Constantly seeing the vulnerability of the society to the situation has actually been the key reason why the opportunists saw the time as a basis of the basic approach that they are going to use to get the attention of the readers so as to persuade them in agreeing to the fight against the terror movements of the other side of the supposed â€Å"war†. Conclusion From this particular discussion, it could be observed that Internet has been considered as super highway of information during the 21st century. Overall, the evaluation of the informations presented through this particular route of informative issues shows that it has naturally given way to the major stratifying procedures of feeling the sense of freedom of speech even among ordinary people surfing the net. Several articles from professional writers attest to this particular fact as they are aware that there are those who simply would like to write while there are those who right for a reason. This is why it is very important for one to be aware and enthusiastic about what he reads from the net. References: Cass R. Sunstein. (2007). Is the Internet really a blessing for democracy?. http://bostonreview.net/BR26.3/sunstein.html. (October 22, 2007) Jay Rosen. (2007). In Democratic Time. http://bostonreview.net/BR26.3/rosen.html. (October 22, 2007). Matthew R. Kerbel and Joel David Bloom. (2007). Blog for America and Civic Involvement. The Harvard International Journal of Press and Politics. 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Value of Project Management-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Write a summary of role of Project Management in today's Business World. Answer: The summary of role of Project Management in todays business world: The project management is the discipline to initiate, plan, execute, control and close a teams work for achieving particular goals. The main significance of this is to gain every desired aims of a project within the constraints provided (Kerzner 2013). The project management imparts a huge effect in the current business world. Based on studies and personal and professional experiences the summary analyzes the role of project management in the current era. The process to complete a particular course in managing the group of related, interdependent and ongoing projects is referred to as the project management. The lifecycles of a project includes four different steps. First one is the defining, that deals with the goals, specifications, tasks and responsibilities. The next phase is the planning and considers the staffing, risks, resources, budgets and schedules. Then come the executing phase that includes the status reports, changes, quality and forecasts (Burke 2013). The last one is the closing where the lessons are learned, and the activities like evaluation, releasing resources, transferring documents and training the customers are done. The factors in the present day drivers of project management are the knowledge explosion, compressing of the product life cycle, the tripe bottom lines like planet, profit and people, rise in customer focus and the smaller projects denoting huge problems. During the project governance every project management activities are overviewed. It demonstrates the large scenario of how the organizational resources are used. The risks are assessed and there establishes a link between the senior management and the actual project execution management (Fleming and Koppelman 2016). The project management of today undertakes two socio technical approaches. The first one is the technical dimension or the scientific one. This comprises of the purely logical, disciplined, formal parts of the process. This includes the controlling, scheduling and planning of projects. The next one is the socio-cultural one that falls under the field of arts. This includes the paradoxical and contradictory world to implement. This centers on developing a social system which is temporary under a huge organizational scenario assimilating the talents of sets of professional divergent in nature and working to finish the project. The strategic management section of the process does the analyzing and formulating strategies for reaching the objectives. The project portfolio management has been building discipline in the selection process of the project (Martinelli and Milosevic 2016). Apart from allocating resources to the projects, it balances the risk across every project and justifies the killing projects improving communication and the support agreements on the project goals. The highly skilled professionals referred to as the professional managers need to perform the project management. Since the company executives and the entrepreneurs have been dealing with the regular responsibilities to manage a company, it has been vital to utilize dedicated managers to control the projects from the conception till completion (Mir and Pinnington 2014). The project manager faces various challenges in the process if right people are not induced at the correct time for addressing the right issues and making the correct decisions. They manage the non-repetitive temporary activities and generally act independently. They have been marshalling the resources for that project and linked to the interface of the customer directly. They have been providing integration, coordination and direction to the project team. Thus they are always responsible for the performing and the successful outcome of the project (Larson and Gray 2014). Moreover they react to the changes with proper modifications in the present projects and decisions regarding the future ones. They have known that the strategy of the organization could turn into efficient advocates of the projects aligned along with the objectives. The project has been the temporary endeavor undertaken to develop any distinct result, service or product. The project managers need to keep eye on all the matters ranging from resources to deadlines given for the project. The project managers understanding the strategy of the organization could turn themselves into more efficient project advocates aligned with the mission of the organization. Understanding of the efficient techniques of project management serves the companies in executing large-scale projects within allocated budget and time. This is done with the minimum disruption to the additional section of the business. References: Burke, R., 2013. Project management: planning and control techniques.New Jersey, USA. Cicmil, S., Cooke-Davies, T., Crawford, L. and Richardson, K., 2017, April. Exploring the complexity of projects: Implications of complexity theory for project management practice. Project Management Institute. Fleming, Q.W. and Koppelman, J.M., 2016, December. Earned value project management. Project Management Institute. Kerzner, H., 2013.Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley Sons. Larson, E.W. and Gray, C.F., 2014. Project Management: The Managerial Process with MS Project. Martinelli, R.J. and Milosevic, D.Z., 2016.Project management toolbox: tools and techniques for the practicing project manager. John Wiley Sons. Mir, F.A. and Pinnington, A.H., 2014. Exploring the value of project management: linking project management performance and project success.International journal of project management,32(2), pp.202-217.

Supply and demand 2 Essay Example For Students

Supply and demand 2 Essay Recent medical advances have greatly enhanced the ability to successfully transplant organs and tissue. Forty-five years ago the first successful kidney transplant was performed in the United States, followed twenty years later by the first heart transplant. Statistics from the United Network for Organ Sharing (ONOS) indicate that in 1998 a total of 20,961 transplants were performed in the United States. Although the number of transplants has risen sharply in recent years, the demand for organs far outweighs the supply. To date, more than 65,000 people are on the national organ transplant waiting list and about 4,000 of them will die this year- about 11 every day- while waiting for a chance to extend their life through organ donation (Yoakam 1). We will write a custom essay on Supply and demand 2 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This figure, when looked at from an economic standpoint, exemplifies a case of supply and demand between organ donors and patients with a diseased organ. Just as there is a supply and demand in any given market, there are also complementary and substitute goods. Who decides who gets transplants and who doesnt? This question implies that the organ market also needs to have various, effective allocation mechanisms. The organ market has complementary and substitute goods and can use various effective allocation mechanisms. A person that receives an organ transplant almost always requires several complementary goods. One obvious good is the medical care received for the actual transplant and for follow-up doctors visits. For most people who undergo an organ or tissue transplant the quality of their life and general overall health improves following the transplant. Persons who receive a transplant are frequently required to take a series of medications that suppress their immune system and prevent their body from rejecting the newly acquired organ. They often will need to undergo frequent medical visits and testing to monitor the transplanted organ. At times, the organ transplant will be unsuccessful and the organ may need to be removed. These people will be placed back on the waiting list for another organ (Yoakam). Two more goods are the medication to prevent rejection and (assuming the patient has insurance) payments made by the patients insurance company for the patients care. The donors family is not responsible for the costs incurred through organ donation. The recipient, most times through their insurance carrier or Medicare pays for all of the costs related to the donation of organs and tissue. If the price of organs increases (whether due to an increase in demand or decrease in supply) the demand for the complementary good will decrease. The converse of a complementary good is a substitute good. In the organ market, a substitute good really depends on what organ is being considered. People with diseased livers are particularly at risk because there is no medical alternative to transplantation for keeping a patientalive. The only two obvious substitute goods for a liver transplant would be extensive medical care and pain medications. On the other hand, someone with diseased kidneys has more options. One obvious option would be dialysis. But, when looked at as a whole, the organ market does have substitute goods. If the price of organs increases (whether due to an increase in demand or decrease in supply) the demand for the substitute good will increase. Since the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 prevents a monetary price from being placed on a donated organ, effective allocation mechanisms must be utilized. Allocation mechanisms must be accessed because the shortage of supply compared to the demand. In any market, allocation mechanisms rely on many factors but some include friendships, under the table payments, predicted profit, and personal biases. In the organ market, several allocation mechanisms come to mind. There is always the possibility that a particular patient has a family member or friend that is in the organ transplantation profession, and/or the family of the patient is able to pay-off someone in charge of the distribution of organs. In reality, these two mechanisms are frowned upon for their lack of morality. One real possibility for an allocation mechanism is to make a waiting list on a first-come first-served basis. .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 , .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 .postImageUrl , .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 , .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063:hover , .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063:visited , .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063:active { border:0!important; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063:active , .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063 .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud20adc0b029357f8e4cbebc0c641d063:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Homemade Education Argumentative Essay This method would only be for those who, in a panel of doctors professional opinions, had a .

Clues in the Pre-1850 US Censuses - How to Dig Details from the Early Census Records

Clues in the Pre-1850 US Censuses - How to Dig Details from the Early Census Records Most genealogists researching American ancestors love the detailed censuses taken between 1850 and 1940. Yet our eyes glaze over and our head starts hurting when we take on the columns and head counts of the pre-1850 census enumerations. Many researchers go so far as to avoid them altogether, or use them only as a source for the head of household. When used together, however, these early U.S. census records can often provide important clues to early American families. The earliest U.S. census schedules, 1790-1840, furnish only the names of the free heads of family, not of other family members. These schedules totaled the number of other family members, without name, by free or slave status. Free, white individuals were also grouped by age and sex categories from 1790 through 1810 - a categorization that eventually applied to other persons. The age categories also increased each year, from two age groups for free white males only in 1790, to twelve age groups for free whites and six age groups for slaves and free colored persons in 1840. What Can pre-1850 Census Records Tell US? Since the pre-1850 census records dont identify names (other than head of household) or family relationships, you may be wondering what they can tell you about your ancestors. Pre-1850 census records can be used to: track your ancestors movements prior to 1850distinguish between individuals with the same nameidentify possible children that you may not be aware ofidentify possible parents for your ancestoridentify possible relatives among neighbors By themselves, these early census records dont often provide much useful information, but used together they can generally provide a good picture of a familys structure. The key here is to identify your family in as many of the 1790-1840 censuses as possible, and analyze the information found in each one in conjunction with the others. Sorting Out Whos Who When I research in the pre-1850 census records, I begin by creating a list identifying each individual, their age, and the range of birth years supported by their given age. Looking at the family of Louisa May Alcott* in the 1840 census of Concord, Massachusetts, for example: A.B. Alcott (Amos Bronson Alcott), age 40-49 (b. 1790-1800) 1799Female (wife Abigail?), age 40-49 (b. 1790-1800) 1800Girl (Anna Bronson?), age 10-14 (b. 1825-1831) 1831Girl (Louisa May?), age 5-9 (b. 1831-1836) 1832Girl (Elizabeth Sewell?), age 5-9 (b. 1831-1836) 1835 *the youngest daughter, May, was born in July 1840...after the date of the 1840 census Tip! Men of the same name referred to as Sr or Jr werent necessarily Father and Son. These designations were often used to distinguish between two different people of the same name in the area - Sr for the elder, and Jr for the younger. This method can actually be used to sort out possible parents for your ancestors as well. In researching my Owens ancestors in Edgecombe County, N.C., Ive created a large chart of all of the Owens men listed in the pre-1850 census records, along with the members of their households and the age brackets. While I still havent been able to confirm exactly who goes where, this method did help me narrow down the possibilities. Narrowing Down Birth Dates Using several U.S. census records, you can often narrow down the ages of these early ancestors. To do this, it helps to create a list of the ages and possible birth years for each census year in which you can find your ancestor. Census records can help narrow down the birth year of Amos Bronson Alcox/Alcott, for example, to a range between 1795 and 1800. To be honest, you can get that range for him from a single census record (either 1800 or 1810), but having that same range possible in multiple censuses increases your likelihood of being correct. Amos B. Alcox/Alcott 1840, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusettshead of household, age 40-49 (1790-1800) 1820, Wolcott, New Haven, Connecticutone of the 2 males age 16-25 (1795-1804) 1810, Wolcott, New Haven, Connecticut1 male, age 10-15 (1795-1800) 1800, Wolcott, New Haven, Connecticutmale, age 0-4 (1795-1800) His actual date of birth is 29 Nov 1799, which fits right in. Next Digging Up Deaths from Pre-1850 Census Records Analyzing Family Members Birth Dates Digging Up Deaths Clues to death dates may also be found in the early US census records prior to 1850. The 1830 federal census, for example, lists Anna Alcott (mother of Amos) as head of household with Wd. (for widow) after her name. From this, we know that Joseph Alcott died sometime between the 1820 and 1830 census (he actually died in 1829). Using the age bracket method for the wife/spouse for each census year may reveal the death of one wife and marriage to another. This is generally just guesswork, but look for instances when her possible age jumps between one census and the next, or when the age of the wife makes her too young to be the mother of all the children. Sometimes youll find young children who appear to disappear between one census and the next. This could mean they were just living elsewhere at the time of the census, but it could also indicate that they died.

Swifts A Modest Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Swifts A Modest Proposal - Essay Example The writer begins by ruing the prevalence of beggars and impoverished children and proposes to submit a â€Å"cheap and easy method of making these children sound and useful members of the common-wealth† (Swift, para 2, 1729). Starting on this apparently straightforward note, Swift adopts a tone of practical economics and moral righteousness, which prompts the reader to expect him to list some realistic solution. Swift couches his proposal in terms of apparent objectivity, economic calculation and statistical data. However, the reader tends to be uncertain about the writer’s true motivation, and there is a suspicious undertone of irony in the passage where Swift declares â€Å"we neither build houses nor cultivate land† (para 6, 1729). This suspicion is further strengthened when he goes on to speak of young children in terms of a â€Å"saleable commodity† (para 7, 1729). However, Swift succeeds in hiding his real agenda. As the reader is lulled by his argumentative tone, the â€Å"surprise ending† of Swift’s proposal comes as an unexpected jolt: he proposes that poor children be sold on the market as food for wealthy landlords. Although the â€Å"surprise ending† of the writer’s proposal is unexpected, Swift is unable to validate his suggestion. It is now evident that the writer is using satire as a weapon and the piece is not to be taken at its literal or face value. Swift’s proposal is an attack on the prevailing social relations in Ireland, the widespread poverty, the indifference of absentee landlords, and their exploitation of the peasants, and British oppression of the Irish nation. The reader is quick to grasp that Swift’s actual proposal to alleviate the misery of Ireland is stated in paragraph 29: taxation of absentee landlords, use of locally manufactured goods, nationalism, unity and virtue. Swift’s â€Å"A Modest Proposal† is a satirical attempt to rouse the conscience of the reader to the plight of the impoverished

The Jewish Museum - Berlin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9000 words

The Jewish Museum - Berlin - Essay Example The Holocaust and the genocide of the Jews in the past are sensitive topics, and many Berliners as well as people from other parts of the country attribute feelings of guilt and remorse at the treatment of the Jews at the hands of the Nazi authorities. The opening of such cultural representations in Berlin thus attracted my attention. The purpose of the dissertation is to explore the Museum in relation to its architecture and its historical and cultural significance. The result of the research would be that I would be able to critically understand the dynamics and the cultural interplay of the Jewish and the non-Jewish communities. With this research I also attempt to establish the potential role that the Jews of the present Germany can play. The research has been done through resources available on the Internet as well as through books and scholarly articles. The research has extensively depended upon the research material that has been available on the Internet and through books and articles. The start of the dissertation gives an introduction of the Museum. This includes information about the Museum ranging from the number of people who visit it to the significance of the construction of a cultural representation in Berlin. The history of the Museum gives information about its history. The next section relates to the architecture of the building and explores how the architect has used architectural designs to represent the Jewish culture as well as the manifestations of the Holocaust. The sections about irony and how the architect has dealt with it discuss in detail the conflict that exists between the construction of cultural representations in a city that was once the propagator of violence against the Jews. An irony exists in the building of a museum that integrates and promotes the history of the Jews in a city that was the hub of anti-Jewish activities. The architect has taken many steps to make

Schizophrenia: Treatment, Portrayal and Stigma

Schizophrenia: Treatment, Portrayal and Stigma ABSTRACT MENTAL ILLNESS AS PORTRAYED IN THE MOVIE A BEAUTIFUL MIND Associated Signs and Symptoms of Schizophrenia The movie A Beautiful Mind is an adaptation of the book by the same name and is a biopic based on the life of Nobel Prize winning economist, John Forbes Nash, Jr. The movie portrays the symptoms and treatment for paranoid schizophrenia from which John Nash suffers. He has episodes of auditory and visual hallucinations and has frequent interactions with imaginary people. This paper attempts to present a reflective case study of the patient as presented in the movie. The patient when treated for hallucinations has certain negative reactions to the medicine, to overcome which, he avoids them, relapsing into his earlier condition. The patient mentions taking newer medications later on which also help him decide between the reality and delusion. At the end of the movie, the patient is seen to have overcome this disorder by learning to ignore his hallucinations. This paper discusses alternate treatment as well as recommendations for future mental health nursing practices. In the movie, A Beautiful Mind, the protagonist, demonstrates the classical symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia. The protagonist, John Nash, suffered from schizophrenia which was only discovered at a later stage. During his college years at Princeton, Johns room-mate and best-friend was a man named Charles, who is later found out to be one of Johns hallucinations (A Beautiful Mind 2001). As time goes by, his hallucinations become more frequent and violent as he soon believes himself to be working for the US government on a top secret project to which no one, not even his wife had access to. When he started missing classes a psychiatrist was called in to look into his condition and he found the stay at the asylum unpleasant and believed it to be a Soviet plan to stop him from working on his secret governmental mission. His wife had trouble believing the psychiatrist at first as she believed her husbands story to be true and very real. But she realized the problem when she went to his c ollege to find out what he used to do during work and found magazine clippings pasted all over the room. She also discovered the unopened confidential envelopes that were supposed to be sent out to Mr. Parcher, the person who put John up to the secret mission. The story revolves around how John has to face reality when his make-belief world is so real to him. He can finally confront his reality when he realizes that Charles niece, Marcee, never grew any older than when he had first met her. With continual medication, he learns to ignore the fictional characters in his life and starts to teach again, at Princeton. He goes on to win the Nobel Prize in Economics and lives a happier life. Paranoid schizophrenia is only one of numerous categories of schizophrenia which is a chronic mental disease. People suffering from this kind of mental illness are not able to interpret reality in a normal way and are said to suffer from psychosis. Around 40 percent of schizophrenic cases are of paranoid schizophrenia. The symptoms usually start being displayed at later ages from around the ages of 25 or 30. The typical symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia include hallucinations and delusions that have no connection with reality. The ability to think and function normally is affected and though paranoid schizophrenia is a milder form of the disorder it can have lifelong ramifications and can even result in suicidal behavior and other complications. Usually the onset of the illness is marked by a sense of grandiosity and this preponderance is seen in case of delusion and/or a sense of persecution. The onset of the disease can be quite sudden and the deterioration in the condition of the patient can be quite rapid. The recognition and identification of these symptoms can be quite difficult for people with no prior experience or exposure to this situation. More perceptive relatives and friends may be able to recognize a heightened state of nervous tension, irritability, anger, jealousy and argumentative behavior (Kennard 2008). However, the good news is that with proper diagnosis and treatment patients overcome the symptoms and lead a happy life. Treatment Modalities Specific to Schizophrenia The symptoms displayed by John Nash in the film are very distinct and classic. The hallucinations of his room-mate, Charles and later that of Mr. Parcher, the US government official, and finally of Marcee show that his illness was detected at a very advanced stage where the diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia needed to be treated symptomatically and with continued medication and therapy. The medications that Nash is put under are the antipsychotic drugs and insulin shock therapy. He was confined and had to be kept under constant supervision at the mental hospital. During particularly severe conditions he had to be bound and kept in solitary internment. The major part of Nashs treatment included Dr. Rosens recommendation of insulin shock therapy, which is a conventional method of treating mental illness and is now considered to be outdated and antipsychotic drugs. The insulin coma therapy and convulsive therapy have now been replaced by antipsychotic drugs that have greater efficacy and lesser adverse effects. Antipsychotic drugs are tranquilizing medicines that are used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. The first generation of anti-psychotic drugs included clozapine (Monson 2008) which acted on the receptor sites of neurotransmitter, dopamine. Clozapine is a prescription drug for advanced conditions of schizophrenia and is also sold in the market under the trademark of Clozaril and FazaClo. It is sold specifically under prescription as tablets. It reduces the heightened sensitivity by blocking dopamine and serotonin from being transmitted in the brain. Some adverse side effects of clozapine can be drowsiness, constipation, and weight gain. Sodium valproate is an anticonvulsant that is now commonly used in treating psychiatric disorders particularly in the treatment of psychosis and depression (Omranifard, Amel Amanat 2010). Some common side effects of prolonged use of these medicines are weight gain, diabetes, drowsiness, spasms and tremors (NIH 2010). Some other symptoms like tardive dyskinesia (NIH 2010) which causes twitching around the mouth region are also seen in some patients. If these symptoms are noticed in patients being treated with these medicines, the doctors intervention should be sought. Patients suffering from schizophrenia have to be on life-long treatment for this condition. In the movie, A Beautiful Mind, we also see the use of shock therapy in the form of insulin shock therapy. Nash had to undergo this kind of therapy five times a week for duration of ten weeks. In the conventional mode of treatment, it was thought that convulsions were a way to prevent occurrence of schizophrenia. Hence, this method of treatment was used on patients to induce convulsion and electroconvulsive was often used to protect the patient from personality disorders. In modern times, doctors use anesthesia and varieties of muscle-relaxants to this therapy more bearable. Intervention, Support Program and Therapy for Schizophrenia Apart from medical intervention, the patient needs to undergo behavioral therapies such as training in social skills in order to function normally in their daily lives. Support and awareness programs should be conducted for the patient as well as the family members. Support at a community level should also be given to the care-givers to cope with the situation and prevent relapses (Dawson 2010). Family members and support groups must encourage patients to follow through with their treatment and get check-ups done regularly. Basic skills that need to be reinforced with a person suffering from schizophrenia should include: Training for rehabilitation like being able to perform basic hygiene routine and being able to eat on ones own Being able to use public transport Train for a job: basic skills and communication Learn how to manage money When to take correct doses of medicines How to recognize signs of relapse and communicate with the therapist. Diagnostic Tests for Schizophrenia Current Prevalence The first step in the detection and prognosis of the clinical conditions experienced in schizophrenic and bipolar patients is through reliable diagnostic techniques such as CT scan of the brain, magnetic resonance and other imaging techniques which may help eliminate possible confusion in the diagnosis of this disease. As there are few or no medical tests available that will warn a person of an onset or prevention of this disorder, the psychiatrist must carry out a thorough evaluation of the patients family background and genetic history by interviewing the patient and the care givers. The doctor must also take into account the course the illness has taken and how long the symptoms have been prevalent, patients reaction to medication and therapy. The current prevalence of this condition at a global level stands between 0.5 and 1 percent (Bhugra 2010). However, prevalence of this disorder can be calculated only through registered cases of Schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. The risk of occurrence of this disease is higher than the actual prevalence recorder statistically. Prevalence in developed countries is higher than in developing countries, partially because more cases are registered and more commonly because of the nomadic and unstable lifestyles (Saha et al 2009). There is no appreciable difference in the male and female cases of occurrence, though the migrant populations have a higher propensity for this disorder. Impact of Psychosocial Issues like Discrimination John Nash had strange mannerisms and his odd behavior put some of his students and friends off (A Beautiful Mind 2001). His constant writing of formulae on window panes and wearing his knitted hat at all times seemed out of place and caused his friends to ridicule him. The incident of his being dared to speak to an unknown girl and her slapping him for his effort caused him to become the brunt of his friends jokes. There was an incident with his teacher who was worried about Nashs performance in Princeton but that was later transformed to appreciation because of the brilliance of his project. People suffering from schizophrenia are often labeled, stereotyped (Marder 2010) and discriminated against. The common perception is that the patient is responsible for having the behavioral changed that are a part of the symptoms of the disorder. Often negative stereotypes are created and the people suffering from schizophrenia are believed to have undesirable or uncontrollable characteristics. In the film, it has been demonstrated by the absent-minded behavior of John Nash when he allows his son to nearly drown in the bath-tub while he goes off to complete his secret work. His constant delusion of being engaged in highly classified and confidential state matters caused his wife and friends distress and at certain periods to mistrust his words, when in reality he was making up stories due to his hallucinations and delusions. These stereotypes often lead to discrimination against the sufferers of schizophrenia and they are considered as social outcasts. Discrimination often takes the form of patients being rejected in society and their job applications being rejected on the basis of their mental health reports. The same has been observed in the case of letting out apartments to people with a history of schizophrenia. They are not considered socially competent and find themselves subjected to derision and not being taken seriously. The quality of their work is often scrutinized more than the average worker and that causes them additional mental trauma. Certain ethical issues that may come up during the prognosis and treatment of this disorder may come in conflict with human rights issues. For example, patients who were treated with electroconvulsive therapy were never consulted and had to endure extreme pain and terror often without reaping the benefits of being completely cured. Another significant point to be remembered in this regard is that the person suffering from schizophrenia is often driven to desperate acts like self-mutilation because the people they trust do not believe them and sometimes reject them outright. This, to my mind, adds insult to injury because the need to be heard and understood is very high in people who are confused and trying to grapple with their own demons. Role of Nurse in Treatment of Schizophrenia The role of a nurse in the treatment of schizophrenia is important as they can be effective in intervening with people suffering from schizophrenia and their families. They are trained to use interventions that have been proven to be effective. They can be administer IV injections and monitor the condition of patients so that the chances of a relapse are minimized. They can help in educating the family members, improve the familys ability to cope with the stress of having to care for a mentally ill patient and improve their communication skills. The nurse is particularly trained to observe drug compliance and manage the situation professionally in times of crisis. Nurses can also monitor the physiological condition of the patient and make educated reports to the doctor in charge of the patients treatment. For the family, the diagnosis of schizophrenia in a loved one is experienced as a disruptive event that changes the family life and affects a family member permanently and scars him/her for life. This unhappy experience mars the patients relationships with his family members and friends who begin to perceive him as a stranger who is needy and requires constant attention. The presence of a trained nurse can mitigate this situation as it is easier to confide in, trust and unburden ones grief to a third party whose perception of the situation will be more objective. Also the nurses training in this specific field can be used as a better supervisor to monitor the day-to-day progress in a patients condition. Recommendations A family member or care-giver may be emotional about it and not be able to assess the situation objectively or even adhere to drug-compliance and post recovery counseling. Nurses can also help the client to recognize hallucinations and talk about the hallucinations dispassionately. Nurses are also in the unique position of being trusted by the patients whom they can reassure by telling them that there are other patients who have similar symptoms (Nursing Care Plan 2010). A patient is more likely to receive a nurses recommendations for treatment more seriously than family members and help the patients to recover more quickly. The movie is much acclaimed and very well made as it has not used a clichà ©d approach to schizophrenia as a mental disorder and ways in which people deal with this debilitating disease (Hausman 2010). In the movie, the ending is touching but it shows how people once afflicted with this disorder will have to live with it for their lives. However, I would think that with the newer techniques of treatment and advancement in pharmacology, these kinds of disorders will be able to reduce the trauma of the patient and their families. Realistic films such as A Beautiful Mind should advertise the newer modes of treatment that will reduce the suffering of the people and allow them to lead happy lives. I would recommend that this powerful medium be used to create awareness amongst common people so that the patients of schizophrenia are not discriminated against and their disorders can be stemmed at the initial stages.