Abstract This paper explains that an ethnographic analysis of an event and its presentation should consider the nature of the event itself, the nature of the targeted audience, and the characteristics of the commentary that becomes part of the presentation as well as how the different elements interact. The author points out that televising this hearing alone suggests certain cultural forces at work. The paper relates that "tabloid celebrity" characterizes the culture that kept track of Smith's activities and influenced the way this hearing was covered by all the news media. The paper relates that the popularity of reality-television influenced the news outlets to use the hearing to attract a large audience. The paper further relates that the courtroom has its own culture embedded within the larger culture and that when courtroom proceedings are telecast on television, the two cultures come together and may conflict. The paper concludes that the court often claims not to be influenced by the circus outside, but in this case, the circus outside was greatly influenced by the circus inside.
From the Paper "The final day of the hearing was February 23, 2007, by which time the prevailing view of the proceedings was that it was a circus. Judge Larry Seidlin of Broward County was the judge for the proceedings, and he set the tone to a great degree. His behavior became the target of critics who saw his folksy mode of speaking and his informality as drawbacks, but many observers found some of his statements bizarre. The public is familiar with the general methods and tone of a courtroom from other courtroom transmissions, and the style of this hearing differed."
Abstract The paper discusses each of the eight drugs that were in AnnaNicoleSmith's system at the time of her death, including Chloral Hydrate, the anti-anxiety drugs of Valium, Klonopin, and Ativan as well as Benadryl, Nordiazepam, Temazepam and Oxazepam. The paper explores these drugs' intended uses and doses, as well as their mechanism of actions and relevant side effects. The paper relates that the combined sedative effects on the CNS respiratory system of various drugs whose uses together are an absolute contraindication, lead to the death of Mrs. Smith.
From the Paper "Anna Nicole Smith was found dead in her hotel room in Florida on February 8, 2007 due to what turned out to be, according to the official autopsy report, an accidental overdose referred to as "combined drug intoxication". Ms. Smith was found to have a total of 8 different drugs in her system at the time of her death, one of which was Chloral Hydrate, the drug that's toxic level ultimately lead to her untimely passing. The other 8 drugs were also present in her system, but according to the autopsy report, were only at therapeutic levels. Although drug concentrations at therapeutic levels may seem benign, they actually played a vital role in her overdosing via participation in drug-drug interactions with the Chloral Hydrate; in other words, had it not been for the other drugs in her system, the Chloral Hydrate wouldn't have been at a toxic level and Ms. Smith wouldn't have overdosed."
Abstract This paper reflects, that despite the fact that Ethiopia has often been in the news for its troubles with famine and disease, surprisingly few North Americans really know anything about the people of this African land especially its largest ethnic group the Galla. The following ethnographicstudy examines the social characteristics of the Galla, what they like to do for entertainment, how they interact with non-family members, the assignation of gender roles within the society, their interactions with family and intimates, and the attitude of the Galla towards community and civic duty.
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that Anna Deveare Smith's 'Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992' is a very original work, standing at the limit between two literary genres, the drama and the documentary. The writer points out that in order to write the play, Smith interviewed approximately one hundred and fifty people who had taken part in any way in the riots that took place soon after the verdict against Rodney King, the black man who had been dreadfully beaten by white policemen. The book is thus made up of monologues coming from people from different races and cultures, different social strata and so on, who tell their opinion or voice their feelings and experiences related to racism and discrimination in general. In the last part of the book, one hears the voice of Twilight Bay, one of those who organized the gang truce and the character who gives the name of the book. The writer concludes that Twilight is a wise political activist of the street, who has a clearer view of racial differences than most of the people around them, and who, although in the middle of a conflict where it would be hard to be impartial, can see that people have to think differently so as to be true to their own humanity.
From the Paper "Twilight is a black young man who tries to maintain the peace in his neighborhood by staying awake all night to make sure his gang will not be attacked by a rival one. As such, Twilight is a political activist of the street, trying to mediate the conflict between the different races. His vision of the world he lives in is very complex and the author specifically uses it as a conclusion to her documentary. Most of the monologues express an ambivalent view towards racism and social conflict. Some of the people feel hatred, others simply think that the differences between cultures are far too great to be overcome, but at the same time, humanity tells them their own feelings are wrong. Twilight seems to be one step ahead of the others. He represents the hope of an eventual definitive reconciliation between the races. The way he interprets his own name reveals much of his personality and his view. Thus, he feels he is standing between two worlds: the fact that he tries to maintain the peace among the gangs makes him think that he is, like he is being told by the others, somewhere in the limbo, that is, between the dark present and the possibility of a brighter future, when there will finally be peace among the people ... "
Abstract The connection between ethnographic research and nursing practices may not be entirely clear at first. After all, nursing is a branch of medicine, of the hard sciences. The paper shows that ethnography, on the other hand, is more akin to the social sciences, to anthropology. Few nurses see the important connection between these two fields of study. And yet it exists. The paper explains that understanding that connection can be extremely important for practicing nurses. This is primarily because nurses nearly always must deal with patients and families from diverse ethnic background.
Abstract The writer explores what previous studies have indicated about hearing loss and outlines the method that will be used for the purpose of this study. This proposal examines the hearing loss population of the United States and determines why people fail to report or seek treatment for their hearing loss. The paper explains that by understanding this phenomena, steps can be taken to educate the public on the importance of early recognition and treatment of adult hearing loss. The paper researches how many of those who are experiencing hearing loss have failed to seek medical attention or report it and why they failed to do so.
Outline:
Introduction
Hypothesis
Plan of Implementation
Literature Review
Methodology
Summary
From the Paper "For many years it has been an accepted fact that hearing is a natural part of aging however recent history has shown society that industrialized nations have more widespread incidences of hearing loss than the less industrialized nations have. This has been attributed to the non-natural causes of hearing loss that occurs within industrialized nations. Hearing loss caused by noise and other environmental factors creates a hotbed of hearing loss in an otherwise healthy population in these countries yet it has also been found that the hearing loss often goes untreated for many years(Scherer, 1998)."
Abstract This paper focuses on the life and accomplishments of humanist Anna Arnold Hedgeman. Details about her achievements as a mentor and civil rights leader are provided. The main idea of the paper focuses on race relations among African-Americans and the civil rights movement.
From the Paper "Anna Arnold Hedgeman was born on July 5, 1899, in Marshalltown, Iowa. She was one of five children born, her father being a son of slaves. Hedgeman was well educated, for she attended high school in St. Paul, Minnesota, and later received a degree in English from the Methodist college of Hamline University. Growing up, Hedgeman became a very articulate, outspoken person. Throughout college, she grew very interested in the social injustices and racial inequality of African-Americans. In the ensuing decades of her life, Hedgeman devoted all of her time and energy to assisting many organizations and administrations that were intent on fighting for the rights of workers and for the better welfare of humanity. She acted as a teacher, consultant, and lecturer to these various groups, and eventually she owned her own consulting firm, Hedgeman Consulting Services. The focus of this paper will be to show how Anna Arnold Hedgeman's concern for national and global equality led to her eventual involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and the March on Washington."
Tags: african, amerian, blacks, whites, discrimination, equality, race, studies, law
Abstract This paper explains the differences between disease and injury as the cause of hearing loss. The author points out the OSHA guidelines on hearing conservation, the problem of occupational noise in the railroad industry and the Federal Railroad Administration occupational noise standard. The paper relates in detail the FRA historic treatment of occupational noise including the first study of noise in locomotive cabs, the FRA report to Congress and the studies that followed in response to this report.
From the Paper "Hearing is perhaps one, of the five senses, that is often take for granted. The alarm going off in the morning, the children playing outside, even the rain pattering on the window are all sounds that become so commonplace that it's easy to ignore how wonderful hearing truly is. However, when hearing loss occurs it then becomes painfully clear just how important this sense is and how it is so important to one's quality of life. This report will discuss the topic of hearing loss in the workplace, specifically that of the locomotive engineer. It will begin with a discussion of the differences between disease and injury. Next will be an overview of OSHA's guidelines on hearing conservation as well as a discussion of occupational noise in the railroad industry and the Federal Railroad Administration's occupational noise standard."
Abstract A paper concerning a 9-year-old boy with a hearing problem. The paper explores the signals that indicate this child has a hearing problem and the importance of recognizing students with hearing difficulties.
Abstract This paper explains that because of traditional medical training and the artificial setting of the hospital, the physician has lost his ability to perceive the patient holistically. The paper also asserts that society places an excessive amount of responsibility on the physician. The author suggests that the physicians undergo training in which both the "physician" and the "patient" are viewed as "persons" so that the physician will not be as vulnerable and dependent on professional performance and will be able to maintain an empathetic balance as a physician and a person. The paper describes the techniques the author used to conduct this ethnographicstudy based on an interview with a pediatric cardiologist. The paper includes details of the conversation with the physician.
Table of Contents:
Field Notes on Field Research
Introduction
Methodology
Interview
Analysis
The Family of the Patient
The Patient
Other Physicians
The Participant's Voice as a "Physician"
Discussion
Conclusion
From the Paper "...in my interview, I preferred a contextual setting (the hospital) in order to aid the participant to envision an recollect better the instances of patient loss and family presence, and the confrontation with other physician colleagues. I discovered that my presupposition worked, yet I could not avoid the frequent interruptions by the hospital staff at the office such as nurses, other doctors and administrative personnel. This, I sensed, created a barrier between me and my participant who took long to unwind. Furthermore, aware of the participant's concern for anonymity and reservation of the investigative atmosphere, I purposefully chose to take notes rather tan conduct the interview with a tape recorder, a typical instrumental symbol of formal research."
Tags: holistic, values, person, hospital, training
Abstract This paper looks at how Erving Goffman began to emphasize ethnographicstudy and observation of people to see how they conform to their social environment and change behavior in different situations.
From the Paper "In The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1959), Goffman uses the metaphor of a theater and actors to show how individuals "stage manage" when with others. He calls this "dramaturgy." A sociologist can study the character of social reality by observing how the actor perceives and interprets the social environment. Sometimes the sociologist is only watching what is being acted to gain insights into motives and meanings of human behavior. Other times, he/she is a part of the drama, yet objectively recording what is occurring. "
Abstract The paper discusses how Claude S. Fischer's ethnographicstudy "To Dwell Among Friends: Personal Networks in Town and City" argues with the findings of Georg Simmel and the sociologists of the Chicago School who felt that urban life had detrimental effects on the well being of the vast majority of citizens in the United States. The paper explains Fischer's essential argument that urbanism produces a different style of life, but has no visible effect on one's quality of life. The paper further explains his theory of subcultures that shows that urban environments offer more opportunities of social exchange and networking than rural environments. The paper also asserts that while Fischer's analysis is useful, with the advent of Internet we must ponder the nature of urban life from a more contemporary perspective.
From the Paper "Fischer sharply disagrees with earlier findings on the detrimental effects that urban life has on its inhabitants. Based on his research, he draws the conclusion that whereas urban life may have once been distinguishable from rural life, at the time of his writing (the early 1980s), those differences had been nearly erased. There was no longer any such thing as "urban life" or "rural life," Fischer concludes - just a national life. The extent to which people in American society differed from one another was not rooted in where they lived, but in other factors - particularly their level of education and income, as it is these two factors that seem to have the biggest influence on the extent of one's social network."
Abstract This paper discusses how hearing loss can affect someone in terms of communication and psychosocial functioning. It includes citations from literature discussing the effects of hearing loss as well as a summary of findings after interviewing a person with medically diagnosed hearing loss.
From the Paper "Hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities in the United States with recent statistics indicating that approximately ..."
Tags:hearing loss, interview, psychosocial, communication
Abstract A book review which explains the psychological, social and spiritual facets of hearing loss. It also offers a testimony of how each of the individuals referred to emerged triumphant, via the vehicles of therapeutic dialogue and self-help measures, thus vanquishing the interplay of social forces that perpetrate the invisibility and augment the physical and mental torment of the deaf.
