The merits and shortcomings of quantitative and qualitative research

The merits and shortcomings of quantitative and qualitative research Research methods are technique(s) for gathering data (Harding, 1986) and are generally dichotomized into being either quantitative or qualitative. It has been argued that methodology has been gendered (Oakley, 1998), with quantitative methods traditionally being associated with words such as positivism, scientific, objectivity, statistics and masculinity. In contrast, qualitative methods have generally been associated with interpretive, non-scientific, subjectivity and femininity. Quantitative Research Techniques and Procedures Qualitative analysis is a process that is often the precursor to quantitative, statistical work; a process to make the tacit underpinnings of an issue explicit; a process you can use to deepen your understanding of complex social and human factors that cannot be understood with numbers; a process that helps you figure out what to count and what to measure (Kerlin, 1999, p. 1). A common way of conducting quantitative research is using a survey. Surveys usually involve filling in a questionnaire. There are, of course, many different kinds of quantitative research besides the survey. Observational research involves watching or observing various behaviors and patterns. More complicated forms of quantitative research are experimental research or mathematical modelling research (Peter J.P. Donnelly J.H, 2000). In the social sciences, quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and/or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena. The process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships. Quantitative research is used widely in social sciences such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, and political science. Research in mathematical sciences such as physics is also quantitative by definition, though this use of the term differs in context. In the social sciences, the term relates to empirical methods, originating in both philosophical positivism and the history of statistics, which contrast qualitative research methods. Qualitative methods produce information only on the particular cases studied, and any more general conclusions are only hypotheses. Quantitative methods can be used to verify, which of such hypotheses are true. Qualitative Research Techniques and Procedures Qualitative research is a generic term for investigative methodologies described as ethnographic, naturalistic, anthropological, field, or participant observer research. It emphasizes the importance of looking at variables in the natural setting in which they are found. Interaction between variables is important. Detailed data is gathered through open ended questions that provide direct quotations. The interviewer is an integral part of the investigation (Jacob, 1988). This differs from quantitative research which attempts to gather data by objective methods to provide information about relations, comparisons, and predictions and attempts to remove the investigator from the investigation (Smith, 1983). According to Andrew (2007), qualitative research is a method of inquiry appropriated in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further contexts. Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior. The qualitative method investigates the why and how of decision making, not just what, where, when. Hence, smaller but focused samples are more often needed, rather than large samples. According to Andrew (2007), qualitative research is used to denote approaches which are supported by a set of hypotheses concerning the way the social world functions. It deduces many of its basic principles from the perspective that there are fundamental differences between the science of human world and science of natural world and consequently needs to use distinctive methods. Here, attention is focused upon looking at the world through the eyes of studied objects and upon evolving concepts and theories which are grounded in the collecting data. So, qualitative research connected with own accounts of the individuals of their attitudes and behavior. The significance of qualitative research consists in setting stress on describing, understanding complex phenomena. It investigates, for instance, the relationships and patterns among factors or the context in which the activity happens. It is concentrated on understanding the full many-dimensional picture of the subject of investigatio n. Qualitative methods produce information only on the particular cases studied, and any more general conclusions are only hypotheses (informative guesses). The aim of qualitative research is to deepen our understanding about something, and usually this means going beyond the numbers and the statistics. Qualitative research helps us to give reasons why the numbers tell us what they do. It is often contrasted to quantitative research and they are very often used together to get the bigger picture of what we are trying to find out. Qualitative research helps us flesh out the story. Face-to-Face Interviews and Focus Groups The most common forms of qualitative research are face-to-face interviews and focus groups. Face-to-face interviews are just that: Meeting someone in person and discussing various issues. The informant or person you are interviewing may be an expert in a particular field (e.g. the editor of a newspaper) or they may be someone who is affected by the issues you are researching (e.g. someone who is HIV positive or who reads the media). Focus groups involve discussions with two or more participants. While questions for focus groups need to be prepared to guide and focus the discussions, the responses are often free-ranging, as the participants are encouraged to explore the issues at hand in an in-depth way. While focus groups and interviews will help you develop explanations for quantitative data, sometimes they can provide you with quantitative data themselves Basic Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Research Techniques Quantitative and qualitative research methods differ primarily in: their analytical objectives the types of questions they pose the types of data collection instruments they use the forms of data they produce the degree of flexibility built into study design The key difference between quantitative and qualitative methods is their flexibility. Generally, quantitative methods are fairly inflexible. With quantitative methods such as surveys and questionnaires, for example, researchers ask all participants identical questions in the same order. The response categories from which participants may choose are closed-ended or fixed. The advantage of this inflexibility is that it allows for meaningful comparison of responses across participants and study sites. However, it requires a thorough understanding of the important questions to ask, the best way to ask them, and the range of possible responses. Qualitative methods are typically more flexible that is, they allow greater spontaneity and adaptation of the interaction between the researcher and the study participant. For example, qualitative methods ask mostly open-ended questions that are not necessarily worded in exactly the same way with each participant. With open-ended questions, participants are free to respond in their own words, and these responses tend to be more complex than simply yes or no. In addition, with qualitative methods, the relationship between the researcher and the participant is often less formal than in quantitative research. Participants have the opportunity to respond more elaborately and in greater detail than is typically the case with quantitative methods. In turn, researchers have the opportunity to respond immediately to what participants say by tailoring subsequent questions to information the participant has provided. Merriam (1988) provided a basis for differentiating qualitative and quantitative research techniques based on their characteristics. Characteristics of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Point of Comparisons Qualitative Research Quantitative Research Focus of research Quality (nature, essence) Quantity (how much, how many) Philosophical roots Phenomenology, symbolic interaction Positivism, logical empiricism Associated phrases Fieldwork, ethnographic, naturalistic, grounded, subjective Experimental, empirical, statistical Goal of investigation Understanding, description, discovery, hypothesis generating Prediction, control, description, confirmation, hypothesis testing Design characteristics Flexible, evolving, emergent Predetermined, structured Setting Natural, familiar Unfamiliar, artificial Sample Small, non-random, theoretical Large, random, representative Data collection Researcher as primary instrument, interviews, observations Inanimate instruments (scales, tests, surveys, questionnaires, computers) Mode of analysis Inductive (by researcher) Deductive (by statistical methods) Findings Comprehensive, holistic, expansive Precise, narrow, reductionist However, there is a range of flexibility among methods used in both quantitative and qualitative research and that flexibility is not an indication of how scientifically rigorous a method is. Rather, the degree of flexibility reflects the kind of understanding of the problem that is being pursued using the method. Merits of Quantitative Analysis The use of surveys permit a researcher to study more variables at one time than is typically possible in laboratory or field experiments, whilst data can be collected about real world environments. The usefulness of a survey is that the information you get is standardized because each respondent the person who fills out the questionnaire is answering the exact same questions. Once you have enough responses to your questionnaire, you can then put the data together and analyze it in a way that answers your research question or what it is you want to know. Since case studies follow a structured format, different situations can be compared or analyzed comparatively. Case studies are typically short (often no more than 5 pages long) and usually only contain the essential information needed to present a situation and, if necessary, to describe and properly analyze a problem. Quantitative data can determine when students have achieved or failed a task, and they can provide national ranking, percentiles, and allow researchers to conduct comparison analyses. Nevertheless, they cannot provide the total picture of why a particular student has either succeeded or failed (Burnaford et al., 2001; Gall et al., 1996 and Mc Bride Schostak, 2000). In quantitative research, the researcher neither participates in nor influences what is being studied; thus, he/she examines the circumstances objectively. In some qualitative research, the researcher may play a more subjective role and participate by being immersed in his/her research. That is, the observer may be the teacher or the facilitator. This role is often the case with when action research, case studies, and focus groups are used in educational research. Advantages of surveys Good for comparative analysis. Can get lots of data in a relatively short space of time. Can be cost-effective (if you use the Internet, for example). Can take less time for respondents to complete (compared to an interview or focus group) Specific concrete example; Can help with problem solving; Are often interesting to read. Demerits of Quantitative Analysis A key weakness of quantitative analysis is that it is very difficult to realise insights relating to the causes of or processes involved in the phenomena measured. There are, in addition, several sources of bias such as the possibly self-selecting nature of respondents, the point in time when the survey is conducted and in the researcher him/herself through the design of the survey itself. It could be argued that the quantitative researcher is more precise, but the response would be that with people it is not possible to be so precise, people change and the social situation is too complex for numerical description. Quantitative research has a tendency to clarify where clarification is not appropriate. (Mc Bride Schostak, 2000, pp. 1-2) Disadvantages of Surveys Responses may not be specific. Questions may be misinterpreted. May not get as many responses as you need. Dont get full story. Can take time to develop; Depending on format, may need some level of good writing skills; Do not usually give broad overview of issue at hand. Merits of Qualitative Techniques The approaches of the qualitative research differ from the methods of the quantitative research. Quantitative methods have their aim in dividing into clearly defined parts, or variables. When we research an issue which we know how to quantify, for example, what can be quantified for sure, we may leave out the factors which are crucial to the real understanding of the phenomena under study (Andrew, 2007). Qualitative methods are helpful not only in giving rich explanations of complex phenomena, but in creating or evolving theories or conceptual bases, and in proposing hypotheses to clarify the phenomena. Besides, value of the qualitative research consists in validity of the information received; people are minutely interviewed so as the obtained data would be taken as correct and believable reports of their opinions and experiences. Its major disadvantage is that small group of interviewed individuals can not be taken as representative (Andrew, 2007). Case studies involve an attempt to describe relationships that exist in reality, very often in a single organization. Case studies may be positivist or interpretivist in nature, depending on the approach of the researcher, the data collected and the analytical techniques employed. Reality can be captured in greater detail by an observer-researcher, with the analysis of more variables than is typically possible in experimental and survey research. Another type of qualitative analysis is site visits. Site visits help you understand your research better; site visits (e.g. when you visit an organization, a manufacturing plant, a clinic or a housing project) are very useful and sometimes even necessary ways of gaining additional insight and making your theoretical information concrete in your mind. They allow you to observe what is going on, and to ask questions you may not have thought about. Qualitative research has a phenomenological focus that can provide an enriched and detailed description of the participants actions and/or viewpoints (Veronesi, 1997). Advantages of Face-to-Face Interviews Can allow for in-depth knowledge sharing; Helps to develop the bigger picture; Helps with analysis of results; Good for networking (e.g. you may be referred to other people to interview). Advantages of Focus Groups Good for community participation (grassroots input); Helpful in developing ideas and sharing latent, or hidden, knowledge spontaneously; Enables you to get information from a number of individuals simultaneously. Advantages of Site Visits and Observation Demerits of Qualitative Analysis Case studies can be considered weak as they are typically restricted to a single organization and it is difficult to generalize findings since it is hard to find similar cases with similar data that can be analyzed in a statistically meaningful way. Disadvantages of Face-to-Face Interviews Can be time consuming; May be difficult to arrange an interview time; Can be difficult to compare and analyze information. Disadvantages of Focus Groups Can be difficult to set up; Participants may need to be paid; Need to be sensitive to who the facilitator is; May need a translator; Sometimes difficult to organize and analyze information. Disadvantages of Site Visits and Observation Take time; Can be expensive (depending how far you need to travel); With observation in particular, you need to be careful how you interpret what you see. With site visits, you may want to make sure you have a guide so that you can ask questions However, the disadvantage of the quantitative as well as qualitative research is that they do not always underpin understanding of multi-dimensional pictures (Andrew, 2007).

People Are Becoming Addicted to the Internet

People Are Becoming Addicted to the Internet Computers have been around for quite a long time, and now they are in most homes in the United States. The most popular activity on the computer is the Internet. The Internet can be used to gain information, chat, watch videos, listen to music, and play games. In today’s society, many people are becoming addicted to the Internet. This has become a problem because people spend most of their time on the Internet instead of investing their time in productive activities. People are also using the Internet as their main source of communication and information. This causes problems because it affects social lives. The Internet also causes people to become lazy. They can find information on any topic so they do not have to think as much as they would if they did not have access to the Internet. People spend too much time on the Internet. This leads to the detriment of their studies, careers, and social and community participation (Davidson 1). Maria from Matawan, New Jersey spends an average of five hours on the computer everyday. One psychiatrist states, â€Å"You may be ‘addicted’ to the Internet if you need to spend more time online to achieve the same level of satisfaction. You may even be experiencing sleep deprivation, facing marital difficulties, losing friendships, and neglecting your job or school work to the point of risking being fired or flunking out† (Goldsborough 1). Maria feels that she loses control over the time when she is on the Internet. She stays up late every night chatting with her friends, watching videos, and playing online games. One author explains how addictive and sinister the Internet really is: â€Å"It’s easy to get hooked on the Web. A page leads to a link, to a page, to a link, to a page, and before you know it, two hours have flown by† (Walker 2). Maria plans on staying on the Internet for a few minutes. Before she knows it, those minutes turn into hours. Another author explains how the Internet can affect relationships: â€Å"An excessive amount of Internet use has an effect on family and partner relations and on communication within the family† (â€Å"Three-Factor† 1). Maria’s grades and friendships seem to suffer because of the amount of time that she spends on the Internet. Spending time on the Internet becomes the substitute for activities and events that are happening in her life. Instead of going out, she chooses to sit in her house in front of the computer. When it comes to doing her homework, she ends up not doing it because she gets distracted by the computer. When her friends ask her to go out, she rejects the invitation because she would rather stay home searching the Internet. This causes her grades in school and her social life to suffer. We are using the Internet as our main communication source. Facebook and Myspace are highly addictive social-networking websites that captivate teens and young adults. Jessica from Hazlet, New Jersey belongs to the social-network Facebook. People who belong to this site have access to hear from old friends, receive new messages, check out new photos, read blogs, and search for new profiles (â€Å"New† 1). Jessica uses Facebook to communicate with friends, family, and classmates. Other ways she communicates through the computer include Myspace, Twitter, online chat rooms, instant messaging, and many others. This is harmful to her social skills. Instead of making friends in person, she meets people on the Internet. This does not give her a chance to communicate face-to-face. It can also be dangerous to meet new people on the Internet because one may not turn out to be who they claim to be. Klavans, Director of Columbia University’s Center for Research on Information Access, states, â€Å"With chat rooms, you can take on a new personality. It’s like when you are on an airplane and you have a conversation with the person next to you. You can pretend to be someone else for a couple of hours. With the Internet, that can last all night† (Keenan 1). Anything can be said through typing, but these words might not always be the truth. These websites make Jessica hide behind a computer screen instead of interacting face-to-face with others. One author explains why students prefer communicating through the Internet over communicating face-to-face. â€Å"Students enjoy communicating via the Net because they have more time to create clever lines. With the distance the computer provides, they do not have to deal with the stress or awkwardness of face-to-face conversations† (Keenan 2). We can find information about any subject on the Internet, which prevents us from thinking. Danielle from Edison, New Jersey always searches the Internet when she has a homework assignment. One author states that people should not become too dependent on the Internet: â€Å"The Internet is very helpful, allowing people to find information to help them with their careers or studies, but one should not always rely on this for everything† (Goldsborough 2). Danielle can find all the answers to the questions she is assigned and all the information she needs to write her essays through the Internet. When it comes to tests and assignments in class, she does not have access to the Internet so she does not always do her best. She is so accustomed to having all of the answers right in front of her. One author explains how some students become addicted to all of the information on the Internet: â€Å"Some students are information junkies who spend their time checking sports scores, reading home pages or combing through the billions of bits of information readily available on the Internet† (Keenan 2). Danielle feels that she has become dependent on all the information the Internet has to offer. This has caused her to not think as much as she should. Computers have changed our lives in many ways, but people should not take advantage of all the possibilities the Internet has to offer. People are becoming addicted to the Internet. They spend too many hours on the Internet a day instead of going out into the real world. They are also becoming dependent on the Internet. They are using it as their main source of communication and information. They should try to limit the amount of time that that they are spending on the Internet by using their time more wisely. Works Cited Davidson, Jeff. â€Å"Internet Addiction Is Not Pretty†. Public Management. Oct. 2008: 2. Web. 21 Sep 2009. . Goldsborough, Reid. â€Å"When The Internet Becomes Too Much. Office Solutions. Apr. 2008: 2. Web. 21 Sep 2009. . Keenan, John. â€Å"Students Stuck in Cyber Web. † Insight on the News. 29 July, 1996: 2. Web. 21 Sep 2009. . â€Å"New Teen Addictions: Facebook, Myspace†. Oakland Tribune. 23 Sep. , 2007: 3. Web. 21 Sep 2009. . â€Å"Three-Factor Model of Internet Addiction: The Development of The Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire†. Behavior Research Method. Ma y 2008: 3. Web. 21 Sep 2009.. Walker, Celeste Perrino. â€Å"Help For The â€Å"Terminally Addicted. †-Internet Addiction. † Vibrant Life. Jan. -Feb. , 1998: 2. Web. 21 Sep 2009.

A Good Man By Flannery O Connor Essay - 1049 Words

Micah Gonzales Vernon English 1302.03 31 March 2015 A Good Man is Hard to Find In â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find, the author, Flannery O’Connor states many points in this short story. It is to be said that O’Connor is a very religious, catholic, in fact (Vol. 2 pg. 97). O’Connor has stated her religious views in most of her fiction stories. O’Connor was also known for her stories on violence. Readers sometimes find O’Connor’s fictions to be weird with such turning points in her stories. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† has many turning points and moods. The story starts off random with an elderly woman not wanting to travel to Florida, instead Tennessee. The grandmother tags along with her family to Florida hesitantly, despite her feeling so-so after reading about a criminal being on the loose. Readers get to know each character in the story when Flanner O’Connor goes into detail about the family’s road trip to Florida. The grandmother seems to be very ol d fashioned with the way puts herself to her grandchildren. She seems very kind and caring but also a little bit selfish. Grandmother also seems to have a kind of personality that makes some points of the story silly. Violence is also a big point in this short story. While going through Georgia, the family stops by a small rundown restaurant (O’Connor 6-9). Red Sam, the owner of the restaurant seems to get into great conversation about how times in their current day was so much different than back in their day, talkingShow MoreRelatedA Good Man By Flannery O Connor1235 Words   |  5 PagesA good man is hard to find is a short story written by, Flannery O’Connor, in which the she describes the story of a family going out for a trip to Florida. The grandmother in the family seems to be apparently the main character in the story and the main one who tries to convince the family that is dangerous to go out when there’s a man named the Misfit who is ready to attac k and kill anyone in his way. No one in the family seemed to believe her, and yet; they all decided to travel. In their wayRead MoreA Good Man By Flannery O Connor1239 Words   |  5 PagesTuesday July 26, 2016 Good Man What’s a good man? Can it be descriptive?. And can that person be identified as a good man who is hard to find?. The story of â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† talks about a grandmother whose name is not mentioned directly in the story. Mystery has it, that she has been explaining her story as if she was the good man or who knows what she could be talking about referring someone or telling someone that good men are hard to find. The author Flannery O’connor wrote this storyRead MoreA Good Man By Flannery O Connor1795 Words   |  8 PagesJada Brandon 11-26-2015 English 261 Final exam A Good Man is Hard to find in this Story Considered as one of the best short story authors in her era, Flannery O Connor wrote many short stories before her death in 1964. A faithful Catholic, religion was a primary theme in her works; she wrote mostly about southern life with religious themes recurring in her work. One of her most famous stories was the 1955 short story A Good Man Is Hard to Find. The story depicts the heartless execution ofRead MoreA Good Man By Flannery O Connor946 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1955, Flannery O’ Connor published the short story â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† which became her best-known short story. Although many appreciated her work it received much criticism for its peculiar character, The Misfit. His callous violent behavior made people uncomfortable with her work describing it as consistently distorted and manipulative. The Misfit’s unsentimental and cruel behavior characterizes true psychological disturbance similar to that of Charles Manson and Jeffrey Dahm er. Read MoreA Good Man By Flannery O Connor2114 Words   |  9 Pages A Good Man is Hard to Find Analysis In the short story, A Good Man Is Hard to Find, Flannery O Connor uses characterization, flashbacks, the five-part plot structure, and point of view to set up the plot efficiently. The story is told through the Grandmother’s point of view most of the time in order to understand her, and her thoughts in her final moments with the misfit. In seeing how the grandmother views the world around her the reader is able to understand the type of person she is. O’ConnorRead MoreA Good Man By Flannery O Connor1059 Words   |  5 PagesPicture this: three children, two parents, a grandmother, and a cat walk into a barbecue joint. This sounds like the beginning of a hilarious joke; however, it is the start of a devastating family vacation. Written by Flannery O Connor in 1953, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† portrays wrongful humor and violence through the use of symbolism and imagery. Looking closely at the story one can see the grandmother’s dress, the six grave stones, and the woods, just to name a few, all symbolize and foreshadowRead MoreFlannery O Connor s A Good Man1275 Words   |  6 PagesFlannery O’Connor has written multiple books about the two topics she knows best, southern living and the Catholic religion. Most of her writings focus on humanity s biggest question. â€Å"What is required to attain salvation?† Growing up as a devout Roman-Catholic, O’Connor is able to shed some light into a question that even scholars in the Christian faith are unable to answer. Although O Connor has multiple books, the one that answers the many questions surrounding salvation best, is A Good ManRead MoreA Good Man By Flannery O Connor1369 Words   |  6 PagesFlannery O’Connor is one of the most controversial and well known modern day Southern Gothic authors in America. When she came into prominence in 1955 with her first collection of short stories titled A Good Man is Hard to Find, it was met with criticism for b eing overtly violent and grotesque. One reviewer from Time magazine said the short stories were â€Å"witheringly sarcastic† and â€Å"written in a style as balefully direct as a death sentence† (Simpson 44). The reviewer went even further on to callRead MoreA Good Man By Flannery O Connor1927 Words   |  8 PagesWe have recently read a story written by Flannery O’Connor titled â€Å"A good man is hard to find.† The story was about a family who were on their way to Florida for vacation. On their way, they had an accident that caused their vehicle to tumble ten feet down a ditch. While they were waiting for help, a group of escaped convicts from a Federal Penitentiary witnessed the accident and approached the family. It is unknown to the readers whether or not the intention of these convicts for approaching theRead MoreA Good Man By Flannery O Connor874 Words   |  4 PagesLife Gothic genres are often characterized by themes including hypocrisy, death, racism, among others. The plainspoken, comic- cartoon-ish, blunt, and obvious short story writer, Flannery O’Connor, in her short story â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find,† bring about the perfect example of Gothic fiction. The story is about an escaped mentally-ill criminal dubbed The Misfit- who crossed path with a fatal family. The main characters, The Grandmother, June Star, The Misfit and even Bailey among others

How Diversity Consciousness Will Change The Way People...

Amilia Kiesman Final Exam SOC 200 How Diversity Consciousness Will Change the Way People View Differences and Aid Me in a Successful Future Diversity consciousness can be defined as consistently learning about and being welcoming of diversity. This includes understanding, expressing empathy, as well as integrating diverse elements and people into life, school, and the workplace. Not only does this promote fairness and equality but it also helps us become more successful people. Everyone comes from a different background and has different life experiences, and if we work together and learn from each other it will help us become better educated. Today we have many states that still have a ban on same sex marriage and the top news story of the past month has been about transgender bathroom rights. You would think that in this day and age these topics would be non-issues. Sadly though, they are examples of how people view differences today. Many people, for whatever reason, try to hold back from making change and see it as a negative thing. Due to this, I think that the first step when promoting diversity consciousness should be explaining how it is a positive thing and will benefit us in building a livelier future. I believe that if we continue to educate people on the benefits of diversity and encourage various diverse groups to stop avoiding change and work together we can start to embrace change. Then we can begin to see differences as an asset rather than a hindrance.Show MoreRelatedAssessing Leadership For Change . Leaders Influence Others1394 Words   |  6 PagesAssessing Leadership for Change Leaders influence others toward improvement in educational practices and identify with and contribute to a community of learners and leaders in the teaching sector. 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Vaccination For The School Children - 961 Words

The start of the vaccine was the year 1855 when the smallpox vaccines were mandatory for the school children. The state of Massachusetts passed the first U.S. law, mandating vaccination for the school children. This practice continues still today. Now in this modern age that the newborn baby receives 49 vaccines by the age of 6. Indeed, vaccines have saved a number of lives until today. This is one of the best action taken place for humanity. Moreover, the majority population doesn’t recognize in general that vaccines have toxins in them. For this reason, a certain population gets side effects through receiving vaccines. According to CDC data, there are about 30,000 cases of adverse reactions per year in 2015. The stories of those individuals injured by vaccines are incredibly moving. Accordingly, we need to take a look closer to this issue of our society. In the US population, some people have a gene mutation that is called MTHFR gene. With this gene, the human body s detoxification function is tremendously slowed down. The harmful toxins in the person s body stay in his body for years, and without a proper protocol, they can t be expelled from the body. These toxins interrupt the growth of the individual. A child that have MTHFR gene, and receives vaccines. Since the child has a weak immune system, they receive an injury by that cocktail of immunization. This becomes counterproductive for that individual as the immunization was given to protect them fromShow MoreRelatedMandatory Vaccinations For School Children Essay1782 Words   |  8 PagesMandatory Vaccinations for School Children We have all raised our eyebrows when the person sitting the row behind us starts coughing, and not just the â€Å"soda went down the wrong pipe† cough, but the real, mucus breaking, uncontrollable hacking. Likewise, many of us have also tried to not get too close to the person with the visibly red, irritated nose and the constant sniffling that comes with the absence of a tissue. As a society, we tend to be conscious of the threat of contracting a disease,Read MoreMandatory Vaccinations Of School Age Children1473 Words   |  6 Pageshad the proper vaccinations required of school age children (PBS). All 50 states prohibit students who lack proper vaccinations from attending public, and many private, schools (CDC). However, exemptions to this rule are made if the vaccination requirement conflicts with the religious beliefs (effective in all 50 states) or philosophical beliefs (effective in 19 states) of the parents of these children (CDC). The number of parents with â€Å"ph ilosophical beliefs† against vaccinations has increased dramaticallyRead MoreShould There Be Mandatory Vaccinations for Children Entering School?1582 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Should there be mandatory vaccinations for children entering school?† There are many diseases that are preventable with the use of vaccines such as measles, pertussis, polio and rubella. In the United States, Massachusetts became the first state to mandate vaccinations for children upon entering school in 1855. Since then each state has added or amended various requirements of the vaccination schedule. However, various exemptions exist to override vaccinations such as religious reasons, or medicalRead MoreSchool Vaccination Laws Should Not Be A Safe Environment For Children912 Words   |  4 PagesVaccination programs are among the most cost effective and widely used public health interventions and have helped to control the spread of epidemic diseases, including smallpox, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and polio.1 Each state has school vaccination laws which require children of appropriate age to be vaccinated for several communicable diseases. 2. Subject to exceptions, including individual medical,3 religious,4 and philosophical 5 objections, modern state school vaccination laws mandateRead MoreVaccines And Vaccines Are Made A Huge Impact On Humanity1494 Words   |  6 Pages experts, doctors, and parents who believe that vaccination is a lifesaver. Vaccination is a controversial topic for many parents and guardians of children. Vaccines are made to save lives and reduce outbreaks; people should not second guess vaccines and should instead take precautions. Illnesses occurs yearly and it can affect people of all ages, especially in children. According to Immunize Children: â€Å"It’s been known for some time that children and adolescents seem to play an important role inRead MoreMandatory Vaccinations1223 Words   |  5 Pages Mandatory vaccinations in public school in my opinion play a major role in children’s lives. They are safe and effective, they protect others we care about, and will protect our future generations. Throughout the years there have been thousands and thousands of children’s lives lost due to outbreaks of diseases such as polio and the measles causing many deaths among young children. Vaccinations that have become effective over the years, limiting these diseases if not getting rid of them periodRead MoreA Research Study On Unofficial Vaccination Education Essay1440 Words   |  6 Pages Unofficial Vaccination Education When parents are trying to decide whether to vaccinate their child, they generally research the risks and benefits of vaccination. Johnson and Capdevila stated that in their study, â€Å"The participants stated that they had learned about†¦ vaccinations through media coverage, the Internet, health professionals†¦ and other mothers† (2014.) The media can be seen as friend or foe because they always cover popular controversies; however, it is well known that what mass mediaRead MoreWhy Do We Have Vaccinations?819 Words   |  3 PagesWhy do we have vaccinations? Is it so that vaccinations help people not get diseases and can help people get over what they have? Vaccinations are a good thing to have so that it helps stop a virus and not get others around you sick. Many people believe vaccination is a good thing to have. Vaccinations can save your children’s life because of all the advantages in medical science, children all over the world can be protected by diseases and more. Diseases that have killed children have been lookedRead MoreVaccination Is A Controversial Topic1516 Words   |  7 Pagesbelieves that vaccination is a life saver. Vaccination is a controversial topic for many parents and guardians of children. Vaccines are made to save lives and reduce outbreaks; people should not second guess vaccines and should instead take precautions. Sickness occurs yearly and it can affect people of all ages. According to Child Health Alert: â€Å"It’s been known for some time that children and adolescents seem to play an important role in spreading the flu† (Child Health Alert 1). Children spread illnessesRead MoreThe Importance of Vaccinations for Childrens Health821 Words   |  3 PagesWhy do we have vaccinations? Is it so that vaccinations help people not get diseases and can help people get over what they have? Vaccinations are a good thing to have so that it helps to stop a virus and not get other people around you sick. Many people believe that vaccinations are good things to get. Vaccinations can save your children’s life because of all the advantages in medical science. Children all over the world can or could have been protected by many diseases and cure the diseases.

Watershed Management Free Essays

Society and Polity 2010 Watershed Management – A Hope for Sustainable Development Table of Contents Watershed2 Integrated Watershed Management2 Categorization of Watersheds2 Need for Watershed Management:3 Characteristics of Watershed Management:3 Successful case of Watershed management in Maharashtra3 Approaches/methods used for people’s participation4 Persuasion4 Gandhian Approach4 Creation of a common platform4 Selfless leadership5 Identification of the most pressing common problem5 Achievements at Ralegan Siddhi5 ————————————————- Watershed Management: A Hope for Sustainable Development Watershed A Watershed is defined as a topographically delineated geographical area in which the entire run-off tends to converge, through the existing drainage system, to the common outlet of the area for subsequent disposal. In other words, a watershed is an independent drainage unit. Integrated Watershed Management It is the process of creating and implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant, animal, and human communities within a watershed boundary Categorization of Watersheds Watersheds are categorized on the basis of the following criteria: * Based on Size: Based on size, the watersheds can be classified into micro, mini and large watersheds. We will write a custom essay sample on Watershed Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now The watersheds with area less than 500 ha are called as micro watersheds. The watersheds with area more than 500 ha but less than 2000 ha are called as mini watersheds. The watersheds with area more than 2000 ha are called as large watersheds. * Based on Drainage: Based on drainage, watersheds can be classified into drains and streams. Drains refer to the smaller water channels whereas streams refer to the larger water channels. Based on Shape: Based on shape, watersheds can be classified into two types namely fan-shaped and fern-shaped. Fan shaped watersheds are those which are circular or nearly circular in shape. Fern shaped watersheds are those which are elongated in shape. * Based on Other Criteria: Watersheds can also be classified according to other factors viz. altitude (high watersheds and flat watersheds), moisture content (arid watersheds and wet watersheds), type of soil (black-soil watersheds and red-soil watersheds), etc. Need for Watershed Management: Watersheds are an asset and therefore they need to be managed properly so that we are able to utilize them in the years to come. They act as a source of water for the people living in and around watershed areas. They help in maintaining the nutrients of the soil, thereby supporting the agriculture sector to give a sustained yield. They also act as a good source of irrigation for the fields throughout the year. Since they support vegetation, they also help in reducing soil erosion as the roots of the vegetation hold together the top layer of the fertile soil. They also help in the development of the forests as they act as good source of water for the forest flora and fauna. Objectives: * Water has multiples uses and must be managed in an integrated way. * Water should be managed at the lowest appropriate level. * Water allocation should take account of the interests of all who are affected. * Water should be recognised and treated as an economic good. Strategies: * A long term, viable sustainable future for basin stake holders. * Equitable access to water resources for water users. The application of principles of demand management for efficient utilisation. * Prevention of further environmental degradation (short term) and the restoration of degraded resources (long term). Characteristics of Watershed Management: * Allowing an adequate supply of water that is sustainable over many years. * Maintains water quality at level that meets government standards and other social water quality objectives. * Allows sustainable economic development over the short and long term. Successful case of Watershed management in Maharashtra Development fundamentally refers to human beings. It should be a human experience to meet people’s physical, mental and emotional aspirations and potentials, not just in economic terms but should also lead to a sense of self-sufficiency and fulfilment. Ralegan Siddhi, often termed as an oasis of greenery surrounded by dry and bare hilly tracts is a unique example of transformation from poverty to plenty and a living model of people’s participation in natural resource management in a watershed. Ralegan Siddhi is a small village with an area of 982 ha in Parner county (taluka) of Ahmadnagar district, Maharashtra, India. It is a drought-prone and resource poor area with annual rainfall ranging between 50-700 mm and temperature varying between 28Â °C and 44Â °C. The village is surrounded by small hillocks on the northeast and southern sides. The land is undulating and slopes vary from 3-15%. The 1991 Census enumerated a population of 1,982 living in 310 households (presently estimated to be around 325). The sex-ratio being 902 females per 1,000 males (1,029 in 1971; 1,013 in 1981). The continued decrease in the ratio is explained as the return of male folk to the village with improvement in the socio-economic conditions of the village. Backward classes (scheduled castes and scheduled tribes) constitute only 14. 23% of the total population. Marathas of Khatri caste out-number other castes and constitute nearly two-third of the families. Among others are the backward castes including Mhar, Chamar, Bharhadi, Pardi, Sutar, Barber, Fishermen, Matang etc. By 1975, prior to intervention by Mr. Anna Hazare, the village had become quite notorious with all sorts of social evils, moral down fall and with badly shattered economic conditions. In general, the village presented the profile of a poverty-stricken and debt-ridden society. Scarcity of water was key to distress which limited the prospects of agriculture. The water table was below 20 m, most of the wells used to dry up during summer and the drinking water had to be fetched from the neighbouring villages. The high rate of surface run off, due to high degree of slope and lack of vegetative cover had washed away the top fertile layer of the soils. Barely 20 ha of the village area was under irrigation. As a consequence the agricultural production was too meagre to support and sustain the livelihoods of the people particularly the resource poor farmers. Not even 30% of the food grain requirements could be met from rain-fed mono-cropping practised in the village. Approaches/methods used for people’s participation The approaches/methods used by him for the participation of farmers in natural resource management works are highlighted below. Persuasion First of all, Anna went through a careful envisioning of the deteriorating situation in village life and decided to initiate through religion-moral undercurrent by persuading the people for reconstruction of Sant Yadava Baba temple. But he failed to impress and influence the people at large, primarily because the people were too busy with their own business and the worldly affairs. Gandhian Approach The second step was to set up examples by self-practising rather than mere preaching as Mahatma Gandhi used to do. Initially it went on unnoticed but in due course it gathered momentum. Particularly, he tried to organize the youths of the village under ‘Tarun Mandal’ (youth organization). Besides, participation from all the sections of society was ensured and encouraged. Creation of a common platform Keeping all the differences and disparities aside, a common platform and meeting ground was created in the form of Sant Yadav Baba’s temple. People started sitting in groups during evenings and discussing about the affairs of the village and common concern. Thus, the process of friendship, cooperation and communication started. Selfless leadership Anna himself invested all the money he had (Rs. 20,000) for purchasing building materials for the temple before asking others to contribute. Identification of the most pressing common problem The main reason of disintegration, division and distress of the village society was the lack of a sound livelihood support system. The economy of the village was agrarian and shortage of water for irrigation was the major constraint to its development. Thus, assured availability of water was collectively identified as the top priority in a meeting of villagers. Achievements at Ralegan Siddhi Successful abolition of social evils like alcoholism, dowry, corruption and the caste system. These changes paved the way for positive steps to development. Regeneration of watershed resources through people’s participation, a living example of watershed development and management. Development of agriculture and allied sectors by better farming practices and cropping patterns, judicious use of water by introducing drip irrigation system, yield enhancement etc. as a result the village where nearly three-fourth population was below poverty line, has become self sufficient and is surplus in food grains, today. Conclusion * Improving agricultural productivity. * Improving vegetative covers. * Increasing fodder food availability. Reducing soil erosion nutrient loss. * Improve water availability of surface groundwater. * Enhancing quality of life among local communities. The case study shows the success of Gandhian approach to people’s participation in watershed management. Since 1975, this has resulted into participation of all the 325 village families, renovation of a temple, stopping illicit liquor distillation, water harvesting in 4 small watersheds, construction of many check dams, plantation of five hundred thousand forest trees, controlled grazing, raising of ground water level rom 20 m depth to 6. 5 m, sale of onions worth Rs. 80 million in 1995 alone (exchange rate in June 1995 1 US$ = Rs. 31. 3), solar street lights, village toilets, biogas, organic farming, introduction of livestock, a full high school, institutionalization of decision making at village assembly level, local voluntary organizational capacity building, acceptance and application of voluntary code of conduct, formation of different action committees, etc. References How to cite Watershed Management, Papers

Chetan Bhagat free essay sample

Chetan Bhagat is a famous Indian author who penned down novels that hit the market with great success. He is an alumnus of the Indian institute of technology (IIT), India’s foremost university for engineering science and research. He arrived on the country’s literary scene with a bang through his debut novel, Five Point Someone, a fictional account on life in the IIT campus. All of his novels were bestsellers since their release and have been filmed by famous Bollywood directors. Chetan Bhagat is considered a youth icon rather than just as a author. With his humorous way of depicting stories, he has inspired reading habits in many young Indians. He is also a good columnist and writes columns for many leading newspapers. According to him, novels are entertainment tools through which he expresses his views and opinion about society and the youth. Though he is vehemently criticized for being artless and tacky, he enjoy the greatest readership currently, throughout the length and breadth of the country. His latest book Revolution 2020 became an instant best-seller, like all of his previous works. Development issues and national issues are addressed through columns. Chetans columns are written in a way that directly points out the issues within our country and in many times it has even triggered discussions in the parliament. He is not only a good writer but also a motivational speaker and has given many motivational speeches at many colleges, organizations and companies. Personal Life: Chetan Bhagat was born in New Delhi in a middle class Punjabi Family on the 22nd day of April, 1974. His father was an Army man and his mother, a government employee. The major part of his education was done at Delhi. He studied in the Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi during the years 1978 to 199 after which he chose to do Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. After pursuing engineering he took up a management program offered at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmadabad. Being an outstanding student, it was no wonder when he was recognized as the Best Outgoing Student of his batch by IIM Ahmadabad. He later got married to Anusha Suryanarayanan in 1998; she was his fellow student at IIM-A. Chetan then went to Hong Kong along with his family and worked as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs. He worked in Hong Kong for eleven years and then shifted to Mumbai and started writing. It was his passion. He has six novels against his name: Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ The Call Center (2005), The Three Mistakes Of My Life (2008) , Two States (2009) and Revolution 2020 (2011), What Young India Wants (2012) . By chance or by choice, titles of all his novels had numbers associated with them. He now leads a happy life with his wife and twin sons Ishaan and Shyam. Chetan loves to live a simple life watching cartoons with his children who wish to become super heroes. He is an NRI and he is a Singapore citizen. He is a health conscious person and practices yoga regularly. Career : Chetan Bhagat published his first novel Five Point Someone in 2004 and this very first venture took him to the peaks of fame and popularity. The book depicted the story of an IIT student who considers himself to be below average than all the other students in IIT. This book won the Society Young Achievers Award and Publishers Recognition Award. The story was adopted into a film directed by Rajkumar Hirani and starred famous Bollywood stars like Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Sharman Joshi and Kareena Kapoor. His second book was One Night At A Call Center and this too was a great success. This book was made into a movie and was named Hello and Chetan himself wrote the script. The movie was noted by the special appearance of Bollywood star Salman Khan and was an average hit. His next novel has cricket as the major theme. It is named Three Mistakes of My Life. His fourth book is named Two States. His fifith novel is Revolution 2020. His sixth novel is What Young India Wants. Contribution: Chetan Bhagats contribution to the field of entertainment is noticeable. He never confined his literary talents to just writing novels. As a responsible social person, he also writes columns in newspapers, citing and dwelling on various social and national issues. Many of his columns were noticed by parliamentarians and triggered serious discussions in the Indian Parliament. He has addressed issues like corruption by sending an opening letter to Sonia Gandhi and also has spoken about the political issues that revolved around Baba Ramdev. The ‘SPARK’ speech was given by him at the orientation ceremony at Symbiosis, Pune for the new batch of BBA Students. ‘Becoming One With The World’ was another famous speech given by Bhagat at the HT Leadership Summit, Delhi. Apart from the aforementioned speeches, Bhagat also delivers speeches at various programs held by media houses and newspapers such as ‘The Times of India’, ‘Dainik Bhaskar’ and many more. Writing Style: Chetan’s style of writing is simple with vivid descriptions and linear narratives. Most of the protagonists in his novels are named after Lord Krishna such as Shyam, Krishna, Hari, Govind and Gopal. All his novels released so far has a number associated with each of them: 5 in the first novel , 1 in the second one, 3 in the third, 2 in the fourth and 2020 I the fifith novel. When asked about this numerology behind each novel, Chetan replied smartly, â€Å"I’m a banker. I can’t get numbers out of my head. † Awards and Accolades: During his childhood and student life Chetan Bhagat won several awards like Best Outgoing student at IIM Ahmadabad. He won the Society Young Achievers Award in 2004 and the Publishers Recognition Award in 2005. Chetan Bhagat also a found himself place in the Time magazines list of Worlds 100 Most Influential People in the year 2010. In the year 2008,Chetan was stated by The New York Times as â€Å"the biggest selling English language novelist in India’s history†. Five Point Someone What not to do at IIT was his first book. It is one of the highest selling English novels published in India, and remained on the bestseller list until now since its release in 2004, tied along with other novels by Chetan Bhagat. Despite poor critical response, it was greeted with popularity, and brought Bhagat a large following. It was adapted into a play by the theatre group Madras Players. This book was adapted into a movie, called 3 Idiots, though Chetan Bhagat has stated that he was not involved in the scriptwriting in any way. This book has been translated into Hindi and is published by Prabhat Prakash. It set a record by being purchased by 30,000 people in one month, and has gone on to become a top seller in Hindi. The novel is set in the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, in the period 1991 to 1995. It is about the adventures of three mechanical engineering students (and friends), Hari Kumar (the narrator), Ryan Oberoi, and Alok Gupta, who fail to cope with the grading system of the IITs and come to be known as five pointers due to their perennially low 5 point something GPAs. The book is narrated in the first person by Hari, with some small passages by his friends Ryan and Alok, as well as a letter by Haris girlfriend Neha Cherian. It deals with the lives of the three friends whose elation on making it to one of the best engineering colleges in India is quickly deflated by the rigor and monotony of academic work. Most of the book deals with the numerous attempts by the trio to cope with and/or beat the system as well as Haris fling with Neha who just happens to be the daughter of Prof. Cherian, the domineering head of the Mechanical Engineering Department. While the tone of the novel is humorous, it takes some dark turns every now and then, especially when it comes to the families of the main characters. Most of the action, however, takes place inside the campus as the boys, led by the ever creative Ryan, frequently lamenting how the internationally lauded IIT system has stifled their creativity by forcing them to value grades more than anything else. 2. One Night @ the Call Center or [emailprotected] is a novel written by Chetan Bhagat and first published in 2005. This book has been translated into Hindi and is published by Prabhaat Prakashan. This is the second best-selling novel from the award winning author. The novel revolves around a group of six call center employees working in Connexions callcenter in Gurgaon, Haryana. It is filled with a lot of drama with unpleasant things happening to all of the leading characters. The story takes a dramatic and decisive turn when they get a phone call from God. Noted Bollywood film director Rohan Sippy had bought the rights from the author Chetan Bhagat, but later Sippy let the rights pass on to director Atul Agnihotri, brother-in-law of Salman Khan. The movie version of the novel is titled as Hello. The story begins with a train journey from Kanpur to Delhi, During the journey, the author meets a very beautiful girl. The girl offers to tell the author a story on the condition that he has to make it his second book. After a lot of hesitation, the author agrees. [emailprotected] is a tale about the events that happen one night at a call center. Told through the views of the protagonist, Shyam, it is a story of almost lost love, thwarted ambitions, absence of family affection, pressures of a patriarchal set up, and the work environment of a globalized office. Shyam loves Priyanka, Vroom loves Eesha, Eesha wants to be a model, Military Uncle wants to talk to his grandson; they all hate Bakshi, their cruel boss. Claimed to be based on a true story, the author chooses a person named Shyam Mehra (alias Sam Marcy) as the protagonist, who is one among the six call center employees featured. 3. The 3 Mistakes of my Life is the third novel written by Chetan Bhagat. The book was published in May 2008 and had an initial print-run of 420,000. This book has been translated into Hindi and is published by Diamond Pocket Books. The novel follows the story of three friends and is based in the city of Ahmadabad in western India. This is the third bestselling novel by Chetan Bhagat, making him the best selling English Novelist in Indias history. The movie version of the novel is Kai Po Che! directed by Abhishek Kapoor. The novel, written as if based on real events, is set in the year 2000, when a young boy in Ahmedabad called Govind dreams of starting a business. To accommodate his friends Ishaan and Omis passion, they open a cricket shop. However, each has a different motive: Govinds goal is to make money; Ishaan desires to nurture Ali, a gifted batsman; Omi just wants to be with his friends. During the story the characters have to deal with religious politics, earthquake, riots, unacceptable love and their own mistakes. 4. 2 States: The Story of My Marriage commonly known as 2 States is a 2009 novel written by Chetan Bhagat. It is the story about a couple coming from two different States in India, who face hardships in convincing their parents to approve of their marriage. The novel is said to be inspired from the real life story of the author and his wife Anusha SuryaNarayanan who are from Delhi and Tamil Nadu, respectively. This is the second Chetan Bhagat book based largely on his life, with the other being his first book Five Point Someone. He wrote this novel after quitting his job at an investment bank. The story is about Krish and Ananya who hail from two different states of India, are deeply in love and want to get married against their parents wishes. The story begins in the IIM Ahmadabad mess, where Krish, a Punjabi boy from Delhi sights Ananya, a Tamilian girl from Chennai, quarreling with the mess staff about the food. They become friends in a few days and decide to study together every night. In time, they become romantically involved. They both get good jobs, and have serious plans for their wedding. The story is based on how they struggle to convince their parents for the marriage, and eventually succeed in doing so. It is narrated in a first person point of view in a humorous tone, often taking digs at Tamilian and Punjabi culture. The plot is loosely based on the life story of Chetan Bhagat and his wife Anusha, who are from Delhi and Tamil Nadu, respectively. 5. Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition is a 2011 novel by Chetan Bhagat. Its story is concerned with a love triangle, corruption and a journey of self-discovery. The author has stated that the novel is based on the rampant corruption apparent in the Indian youth educational system, with the choice of Varanasi as a setting emerging through a special connection to the city following his visit. He further said it is one of our oldest cities, and people there now have modern aspirations. I thought the contrast would be interesting. The city also has a lot of character. Gopal loves Aarti who is his close intimate friend. His love is unrequited when she becomes Raghavs, his friends, girlfriend. Gopal, who is poor and couldnt attend a top college because of his lower grades, builds an engineering college and becomes rich. Meanwhile Raghav after graduating from a top college campaigns for social progress as a journalist exposing scams. Raghav in his work neglects Aarti who starts to go out with Gopal. Raghav also by making enemies becomes poor. Aarti finally returns Gopals love for her and they decide to marry. However, Gopal in the end destroys his relationship on purpose with the love of his life, Aarti, and helps Raghav with his career so Raghav can marry her. He did this so Raghav can become a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), since Aartis family has political clout and it was believed whoever Aarti married could easily become an MLA. He wanted Raghav to become an MLA to help him in his mission to reform Indian society. 6. What Young India Wants is the only non-fiction book by Chetan Bhagat published in the year 2012. It is a compilation of his speeches and essays. It has various topics ranging from Indian society, Indian politics and young Indians. The book received positive reviews from critics. The book revolves around Bhagats thoughts and innovations on how to improve the Indian economy through social reforms. The book criticizes the dis-function of the Indian government as well as moralities regarding the current condition of India. Bhagat writes about how India can be a progressive society in the future. He talks about the rampant corruption in India and how society should change to rid it. The theme is central to his dream of a free and forward thinking India.