USS Maryland (BB-46) in World War II

USS Maryland (BB-46) in World War II USS Maryland (BB-46) was the second ship of the US Navys Colorado-class of battleship. Entering service in 1921, the battleship briefly served in the Atlantic before spending the majority of its career in the Pacific. At Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when the  Japanese attacked, Maryland sustained two bomb hits but remained afloat and endeavored to fight off the enemy aircraft. Repaired after the attack, the battleship played a support role in the early campaigns in the Pacific such the   Battle of Midway. In 1943, Maryland joined in the Allies island-hopping campaign across the Pacific and routinely provided naval gunfire support for troops ashore. The following year, it joined several other Pearl Harbor survivors in dealing out revenge on the Japanese at the Battle of Surigao Strait. Marylands later activities included supporting the invasion of Okinawa and aiding in transporting American troops home as part of Operation Magic Carpet. Design The fifth and last class  of Standard-type battleship  (Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Tennessee) developed for the US Navy, the Colorado-class represented an evolution of its predecessors. Conceived prior to the building of the Nevada-class, the Standard-type approach called for battleships that had common operational and tactical characteristics. These included the employment of oil-fired boilers rather than coal and the use of an  Ã¢â‚¬Å"all or nothing† armor scheme. This armor arrangement saw key areas of the vessel, such as magazines and engineering, heavily protected while less important areas were left unarmored. In addition, Standard-type battleships were to have a tactical turn radius of 700 yards or less and a minimum top speed of 21 knots.    Though similar to the preceding Tennessee-class, the Colorado-class mounted eight 16 guns in four twin turrets as opposed to the earlier vessels which carried twelve 14 guns in four triple turrets. The US Navy had been assessing the use of 16 guns for a few years and following successful tests of the weapon, discussions commenced regarding their use on the earlier Standard-type designs. This did not move forward due to the cost involved in altering these battleships and increasing their displacement to accommodate the new guns. In 1917, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels finally permitted the use of 16 guns on the condition that the new class not incorporate any other major design changes. The Colorado-class also carried a secondary battery of twelve to fourteen 5 guns and an anti-aircraft armament of four 3 guns.    Construction The second ship of the class, USS Maryland (BB-46) was laid down at Newport News Shipbuilding on April 24, 1917. Construction moved forward on the vessel and on March 20, 1920, it slid into the water with Elizabeth S. Lee, daughter-in-law of Maryland Senator Blair Lee, acting as sponsor. An additional fifteen months of work followed and on July 21, 1921, Maryland entered commission, with Captain C.F. Preston in command. Departing Newport News, it conducted a shakedown cruise along the East Coast. USS Maryland (BB-46) - Overview Nation:  United StatesType:  BattleshipShipyard:  Newport News ShipbuildingLaid Down:  April 24, 1917Launched:  March  20, 1920Commissioned:  July 21, 1921Fate:  Sold for scrap Specifications (as built) Displacement:  32,600  tonsLength:  624  ft.Beam:  97  ft., 6 in.Draft:  30  ft., 6 in.Propulsion:  Turbo-electric transmission  turning 4 propellersSpeed:  21.17 knotsComplement:  1,080  men Armament (as built) 8 Ãâ€" 16  in. gun (4  Ãƒâ€" 2)12  Ãƒâ€" 5 in. guns4 Ãâ€" 3 in. guns2 Ãâ€" 21 in. torpedo tubes Interwar Years Serving as flagship for Commander-in-Chief, US Atlantic Fleet Admiral Hilary P. Jones, Maryland traveled extensively in 1922. After taking part in graduation festivities at the US Naval Academy, it steamed north to Boston where it played a role in celebrating the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Embarking Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes on August 18, Maryland transported him south to Rio de Janeiro. Returning in September, it took part in fleet exercises the following spring before shifting to the West Coast. Serving in the Battle Fleet, Maryland and other battleships conducted a goodwill cruise to Australia and New Zealand in 1925. Three years later, the battleship carried President-elect Herbert Hoover on a tour of Latin American before returning to the United States for an overhaul. Pearl Harbor Resuming routine peacetime exercises and training, Maryland continued to largely operate in the Pacific during the 1930s. Steaming to Hawaii in April 1940, the battleship took part in Fleet Problem XXI which simulated a defense of the islands. Due to rising tensions with Japan, the fleet remained in Hawaiian waters following the exercise and shifted its base to Pearl Harbor. On the morning of December 7, 1941, Maryland was moored along Battleship Row inboard of USS Oklahoma (BB-37) when the Japanese attacked and pulled the United States into World War II. Responding with anti-aircraft fire, the battleship was protected from torpedo attack by Oklahoma. When its neighbor capsized early in the attack, many of its crew jumped aboard Maryland and aided in the ships defense.   In the course of the fighting, Maryland sustained hits from two armor-piercing bombs which caused some flooding. Remaining afloat, the battleship departed Pearl Harbor later in December and steamed to Puget Sound Navy Yard for repairs and an overhaul. Emerging from the yard on February 26, 1942, Maryland moved through shakedown cruises and training. Rejoining combat operations in June, it played a support role during the pivotal Battle of Midway. Ordered back to San Francisco, Maryland spent part of the summer in training exercises before joining USS Colorado (BB-45) for patrol duty around Fiji. Island-Hopping Shifting to the New Hebrides in early 1943, Maryland operated off Efate before moving south to Espiritu Santo. Returning to Pearl Harbor in August, the battleship underwent a five-week overhaul which included enhancements to its anti-aircraft defenses. Named flagship of Rear Admiral Harry W. Hills V Amphibious Force and Southern Attack Force, Maryland put to sea on October 20 to take part in the invasion of Tarawa. Opening fire on Japanese positions on November 20, the battleship provided naval gunfire support for the Marines ashore throughout the battle. After a brief voyage to the West Coast for repairs, Maryland rejoined the fleet and made for the Marshall Islands. Arriving, it covered the landings on Roi-Namur on January 30, 1944, before aiding in the assault on Kwajalein the following day.   With the completion of operations in the Marshalls, Maryland received orders to commence an overhaul and re-gunning at Puget Sound. Leaving the yard on May 5, it joined Task Force 52 for participation in the Marianas Campaign.   Reaching Saipan, Maryland commenced firing on the island on June 14. Covering the landings the next day, the battleship pounded Japanese targets as the fighting raged. On June 22, Maryland sustained a torpedo hit from a Mitsubishi G4M Betty which opened a hole in the battleships bow. Withdrawn from the battle, it moved to Eniwetok before proceeding back to Pearl Harbor. Due to the damage to the bow, this voyage was conducted in reverse. Repaired in 34 days, Maryland steamed to the Solomon Islands before joining Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorfs Western Fire Support Group for the invasion of Peleliu. Attacking on September 12, the battleship reprised its support role and aided Allied forces ashore until the island fell. Surigao Strait Okinawa On October 12, Maryland sortied from Manus to provide cover for the landings on Leyte in the Philippines. Striking six days later, it remained in the area as Allied forces went ashore on October 20. As the wider Battle of Leyte Gulf commenced, Maryland and Oldendorfs other battleships shifted south to cover the Surigao Strait. Attacked on the night of October 24, the American ships crossed the Japanese T and sank two Japanese battleships (Yamashiro Fuso) and a heavy cruiser  (Mogami). Continuing to operate in the Philippines, Maryland sustained a kamikaze hit on November 29 which caused damage between the forward turrets as well as killed 31 and wounded 30. Repaired at Pearl Harbor, the battleship was out of action until March 4, 1945.    Reaching Ulithi, Maryland joined Task Force 54 and departed for the invasion of Okinawa on March 21. Initially tasked with eliminating targets on the islands south coast, the battleship then shifted west as the fighting progressed. Moving north with TF54 on April 7, Maryland sought to counter Operation Ten-Go which involved the Japanese battleship Yamato. This effort succumbed to American carrier planes before TF54 arrived. That evening, Maryland took a kamikaze hit on Turret No.3 which killed 10 and injured 37.   Despite the resulting damage, the battleship remained on station for another week. Ordered to escort transports to Guam, it then proceeded to Pearl Harbor and on to Puget Sound for repairs and an overhaul.    Final Actions Arriving, Maryland had its 5 guns replaced and enhancements made to the crews quarters. Work on the ship ended in August just as the Japanese ceased hostilities. Ordered to take part in Operation Magic Carpet, the battleship assisted in returning American servicemen to the United States. Operating between Pearl Harbor and the West Coast, Maryland transported over 8,000 men home before completing this mission in early December. Moved into reserve status on July 16, 1946, the battleship left commission on April 3, 1947. The US Navy retained Maryland for another twelve years until selling the ship for scrap on July 8, 1959.

Online Resources for Cinderella Fairy Tales

Online Resources for Cinderella Fairy Tales What is it about the fairy tale Cinderella that is so appealing that there are versions in numerous cultures, and children beg their parents to read or tell the story just one more time? Depending on where and when you were brought up, your idea of Cinderella may be the Disney movie, the fairy tale in Grimms Fairy Tales, the classic fairy tale by Charles Perrault, upon which the Disney movie is based, or one of the other versions of Cinderella. To further confuse matters, calling a story a Cinderella story does not mean that the heroine is named Cinderella. While the names Ashpet, Tattercoats, and Catskins may be somewhat familiar to you, there seem to be as many different names for the main protagonist as there are different versions of the story. Elements of a Cinderella Story What exactly makes a story a Cinderella story? While there seem to be several interpretations of this, there also seems to be general agreement that you will usually find certain elements in a Cinderella story. The main character is generally, but not always, a girl who is badly treated by her family. Cinderella is a good and kind person, and her goodness is rewarded with magical assistance. She is recognized for her worth by something she has left behind (for example, a golden slipper). She is elevated in position by a royal person, who loves her for her good qualities. Story Variations As early as the late nineteenth century, variations of the story were being collected for publication. In 1891 The Folk-Lore Society in London published Marian Roalfe Coxs Cinderella: Three Hundred and Forty-Five Variants of Cinderella, Catskin, and Cap 0 Rushes, Abstracted and Tabulated, with a Discussion of Medieval Analogues and Notes. Professor Russell Pecks online Cinderella Bibliography will give you an idea of just how very many versions there are. The bibliography, which includes summaries for many of the stories, includes basic European texts, modern childrens editions and adaptations, including versions of the Cinderella story from around the world, as well as a great deal of other information. The Cinderella Project If youd like to compare some versions yourself, visit The Cinderella Project. It is a text and image archive, which contains a dozen English versions of Cinderella. According to the sites introduction, The Cinderellas presented here represent some of the more common varieties of the tale from the English-speaking world in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries. Materials to construct this archive were drawn from the de Grummond Childrens Literature Research Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi. Another resource from the de Grummond Childrens Literature Research Collection is the table of Cinderella: Variations Multicultural Versions, which includes information about a great many versions from a variety of countries. More Cinderella Resources Cinderella Stories, from The Childrens Literature Web Guide, provides an excellent list of reference books, articles, picture books, and online resources. One of the most comprehensive childrens books Ive found is Judy Sierras Cinderella, which is part of The Oryx Multicultural Folktale Series. The books contain one- to nine-page versions of 25 Cinderella stories from different countries. The stories are good for reading aloud; there are no illustrations of the action, so your children will have to use their imaginations. The stories also work well in the classroom, and the author has included several pages of activities for children nine to fourteen years old. There is also a glossary and a bibliography as well as background information. The Cinderella page on the Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts site contains the texts of folktales and related stories from a variety of different countries about persecuted heroines. Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper is an online version of the classic tale by Charles Perrault. If your kids or teens like fairy tale retelling with a twist, often humorous, see  Modern Fairy Tales for Teen Girls.

Building a Strong Brand within the Fashion Industry Essay - 1

Building a Strong Brand within the Fashion Industry - Essay Example Brand management practices refers to the various actions, decisions and even omissions which are done by the fashion companies in order to create value and identity of the brand . A brand has values, identity and emotion attached with it just like a human being. Just as human actions make or mar the human personality, the actions which are taken by the company decide what kind of image the brand receives. Companies use both strategic as well as emotional techniques in order to manage their brand. For effective Brand management the brand of the company should have a unique personality which differentiates it from others. Zara gives a message of democratizing fashion which means that it has to provide customers with latest design and trends at the minimum price. Thus all the activities of Zara are geared in order to ensure that this brand personality of ‘latest fashion at affordable prices’ is maintained. In order to ensure low prices, the company has to pay immense attent ion to its supply chain which needs to be quick and effective. On the other hand Armani as a brand has a personality which is an extension of its founder. The personality of the founder has been shown as youthful by the company, so the strategy of Armani is to target youths make sense. Brand management is also about effective story telling through proper channels of communication. This story

Piaget's Brand and Competitive Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Piaget's Brand and Competitive Analysis - Essay Example However, the brand decided to expand by diversifying into jewelry making. They increased their expertise in gold by acquiring various gold work-shops throughout Geneva. 1990x-Now: During this period Piaget introduced various top-notch watches such as, Tanagra, Miss Protocole and 600P tourbillon caliber watches. During this period it also expanded by opening up production facilities in other cities of Switzerland. It also celebrated its 130th anniversary in the year 2004. In 2008, it was rated as the sixth largest luxury brand. As far as the future plans of the company are concerned, it wants to enrich and further master the art of watch making and jewelry manufacturing. It strengthens its faith in providing high-quality luxury items to its customers by increasing their know-how in watches and jewelry. (The Watch Quote, 2009) As far as the target market of Piaget is concerned, it serves to only a small market. The reason behind serving such a small market is that most of these watches are manually produced and are not produced in bulk so that they do not lose prestige associated with them. As a result, Piaget is content serving a small market, a market which includes rich people and those who can afford the expensive prices that are commanded by Piaget. Looking at the abov Piaget is very much aware of Synergy effect and that's why all the component parts of its watches are produced by the firm itself and Piaget believes in using top-quality material for all its watches. BRANDS CLASSIFICATION GRAPHS: 1) Feminity vs. Masculinity: SPORTS vs. Refinement Tradition Vs. Creativity Watch vs. Jewelry BATTLE OF THE BRANDS (COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS): Looking at the above graphical analysis, one can easily say that the five closest competitors for Piaget are: Cartier, Baume and Mercier, Richard Mille, IWC and Rolex. These firms are providing competition to Piaget by offering the same level of service and producing good which are close to the products that Piaget is producing, Similarly, Piaget is also affected by the pricing and advertising decision of these firms and there is a mutual interdependence between these firms. Starting from the type of market these companies lets compare and contrast these companies from Paiget's strategy. Most of

Marketing in the Wine Industry Essay Example for Free

Marketing in the Wine Industry Essay There’s more in a glass of wine than meets the eye, or the palate. Wine isn’t just for the rich and affluent anymore. Everyone can enjoy wine, whether it’s a five dollar bottle or a five hundred dollar bottle. Winemakers and wine distribution companies have come up with new and exciting way to market their wines to people of every tax bracket and all walks of life. (Manda) Marketing in the wine industry is changing. Traditionally, consumers looked to opinion leaders like Robert Parker and the Wine Spectator to find the best wines on the market. While those methods are still effective, winemakers and wine enthusiasts have discovered a new way to spread the word about particular wines. Social media has become the new, hot trend in marketing in just about every industry out there right now. And the wine industry is no exception. Corkd. com is a website for wine drinkers and enthusiasts where users can create their own wine journal, wine cellar, shopping list, and connect with online drinking buddies. This website is one way the wine industry as stepped up to the plate and utilized the opportunities of the internet in marketing. â€Å"Cork’d is your pulse on the wine world and an online playground for all things wine. By collaborating with some of the smartest wine drinkers and industry figures, Cork’d is providing you with the most comprehensive, fun and exciting wine content available. Whether you’re a winery looking for exposure or an events company looking to promote or host a tasting, Cork’d wants to talk to you. Our mission is to breakdown the stereotypes, myths and pretenses surrounding wine culture to help you discover and drink better wines. † (corkd. com) Another factor changing the wine industries marketing strategies is where consumers are buying wine. Chain stores and supermarkets have taken over wine distribution from wholesalers. Costco has become one of the largest wine retailers in the United States. According to Michael Roberto, â€Å"Theres no question that a seismic shift is occurring at the retail and wholesale level. The number of alcoholic beverage wholesalers in the U. S. has decreased by 75 percent since the 1960s. At the retail level, wine sales are increasingly shifting to supermarkets, wholesale clubs, and the like. For instance, Robert Mondavi now sells 10 percent of its wine in unit terms through Costco. These changes in the retail and distribution channels present substantial challenges for wineries, of course, because these powerful players such as Costco have much more clout and bargaining power than small liquor stores. Smaller vineyards often can find it more difficult to secure shelf space, and all wineries find themselves facing pricing pressure from the retail and distribution channels. † Even though many wineries do not like the changes and small retail shops are suffering because of this shift, many consumers are actually profiting from these changes. Winemakers have found another fun way to market their wines simply with their labels. The new â€Å"trend† in the wine business is a funky label. Traditionally, wine labels were simple and to the point. The label had the name of the vineyard, the year, and basic information about the wine in a simple fashion. Recently, winemakers have started to get creative with the names of their wines and the design of their bottles and labels. Now, when you walk down an aisle in a store filled with different wines there are many different bottles that stick out because of loud colors, wild pictures, or crazy names on the label. This is a great form of marketing to use for wine because the bottle itself is a great marketing tool. Many consumers will buy a bottle of wine just because they like how the bottle looks or maybe they are giving it as a gift and the title is something catchy that conveys some type of message that relates to the person who is receiving the wine. For example, there is a wine called â€Å"Bitch† wine. The wine itself is not bad, but its nothing to rave about. One of the main reasons that particular wine is so popular is because of the name. The label is black with pink script font with â€Å"Bitch† printed on the front, and on the back it just repeats the name of the wine over and over again. This wine is marketed to women and is a perfect gift to give a friend as a joke they can enjoy. Women have become a hot target market for wine makers. According to the 2006 Adams Wine Handbook, Men prefer beer; women prefer wine, Many women are emerging as winemakers and marketers are realizing the potential for profit in female consumers. â€Å"Women make up 52 percent of the adult population and purchase 57 percent of the wine consumed in the United States. 1 They represent a huge market with great purchasing power that until recently has been overlooked. According to experts, women are less influenced by wine ratings, as they tend to judge the entire product. Although the wine quality is important to women, so are the label design, the bottle shape and the philosophy of the winery. † (Wine Institute) While there are many new ways to market wine, the traditional methods are still widely used. Promotion in the wine industry is all about putting the name of the winery on everything from wine keys to wine bags to key chains to hats. Wine distribution companies have always been know to give out free merchandise with the name of the wines they sell everywhere. This is a great way to advertise. Consumers love to receive free things and that opens up a great opportunity for wineries to advertise with little cost. California former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed September as â€Å"Wine Celebration Month†, also known as California Wine Month. This is another great way for wineries to get their name and wines out in the public. DiscoverCalifornaiWine. com states, â€Å"September is California Wine Month, and that makes it a fine time to enjoy a glass of California wine and a visit to wine country. September is harvest time in California and California Wine Month celebrates the state’s ideal climate for wine, beautiful wine country landscape, our talented and ingenious winemaking families, our celebrated lifestyle and cuisine; and our commitment to sustainability and the environment. † Another trend in the world of wine is sustainability and organics. Many vineyards around have become 100 percent sustainable and the numbers are growing. The new world culture is all about reducing our carbon and ecological footprint. So many wineries have actually capitalized on this idea. Wineries have begun to include their efforts at social responsibility in their advertising. Which caters to a growing market of consumers, as many people nowadays will only buy organic. Tolosa is a winery that has recently dedicated itself to sustainability and creating wine without harming the environment. One if their brochures stated that, â€Å"In August 2009 Tolosa converted to solar electrical generation. This system will provide the winery’s electrical energy for the next 25 years. CO2 emissions reduced by over 500 tons. This is equivalent to planting nearly 100 acres of trees. † Tolosa is one of the many wineries’ that has begun to capitalize on sustainability. The times have changed and so have marketing strategies of the wine industry. The wine industry is booming more than ever. Success in the wine industry is possible whether a company uses new or old marketing techniques. In this new age, the marketing department should focus on women and social media. As Tinckenell and Tincknell, a wine consulting and marketing firm, have written on the front page of their website MarketingWine. com, â€Å"If it doesnt come from the heart, the message will be hollow. If you dont imagine it first, someone else will. If it isnt inspired and creative, it wont get noticed. Each link in the marketing process the heart, the mind, and creativity communicates your story to the world. † Works Cited About Cork’d  « Corkd Content. Corkd Content. Web. 20 June 2011. http://content. corkd. com/about/. Discover California Wines : California Wine Month. Discover California Wines : Welcome to Discover California Wines. Web. 20 June 2011. http://www. discovercaliforniawine. com/learn/california-wine-month. The Changing Structure of the Global Wine Industry (2004). Michael Roberto. Salls, Manda. Marketing Wine to the World — HBS Working Knowledge. HBS Working Knowledge Faculty Research at Harvard Business School. Web. 20 June 2011. http://hbswk. hbs. edu/item/3910. html.

Napoleon Bonaparte Essay -- essays research papers

Napoleon Bonaparte Corsica is a rugged island in the Mediterranean, which lies sixty miles off the coast of Italy. The Corsicans are proud and independent people. In 1768, when the French took over the island from Genoa, an Italian state, the Corsicans rebelled and fought for their freedom. But they were unsuccessful. Their leader, Pasquale Paoli, was driven into exile. Several months later, on August 15, 1769, Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio, a major port on the island. He was the second-born son of the family. His real name was Napoleone Buonaparte, but as a young man, he decided to give his name a French spelling. He did this because he had his mind set on a military career in France, and he didn’t want his Italian-sounding name to stop his progress. In 1796, he changed it permanently to Napoleon Bonaparte. When Napoleon was nine, his father decided he should go to school in France to get an education befitting their birth. But he didn’t have the money to pay for his schooling. He petitioned the king, Louis XIV, for a scholarship for Napoleon. The king had set up a special fund for the sons of French nobles, granting them money to attend military school. Now that Corsica belonged to France, the Bonapartes were French citizens and were eligible for this scholarship. Napoleon was excited about his future. Still, he was apprehensive. He had never left the island before, and he didn’t know how to speak French. So before he could further his training, he would have to learn the language. To do this his parents were sending him first to a school in Autun in southern France. There the students were mean, they had laughed at his Corsican accent and mocked his poor clothes and rough manners. When Napoleon had learned to speak French fluently, he went to study at Brienne, it a training school for the Military College in Paris. He found that the students there were even crueler. They looked down on him because he was of Corsican nobility. Taunting Napoleon, they called him a "slave" because his home had been conquered by the French. Napoleon was very sensitive. He withdrew more and more into himself. Soon he stopped trying to make friends. In a corner of the school yard, he set up a private garden, which he closed off with a wooden fence. One of its stakes he nailed a sign that read "Napoleon’s Country". He spent his days there,... ...he day wore on, neither side achieving a clear victory. However, the Prussians, who had managed to regroup their forces, came to the rescue of their allies. After they swarm into the battle, Napoleon’s attempt to reclaim the throne became known as The Hundred Days, ending with his great defeat at Waterloo. On June 22,1815, Napoleon was again forced to abdicate. Aware that the allies would be much harsher in their terms this time, he tried to escape to the United States. Napoleon hoped to get to America by booking passage on a merchant ship out of the French port of Rochefort, on the Atlantic. Napoleon secretly fled to Rochefort, but when he arrived in the town, he learned that the British were blocking the port and wouldn’t let any ship sail without first inspecting it to make sure he wasn’t aboard. On July 14, 1815, he decided to surrender to the British authorities. And he was being exile to St. Helena, a remote island lost in the South Atlantic. After nearly six years of lonely exile, Napoleon died on May 5, 1821, of stomach cancer at the age of 51. He was buried on St. Helena. Twenty years later, however, the British allowed his remains to be brought back to Paris, in state.

Hrm

This essay is an evaluation of a worldwide statement on the subject of most essential part of any organisation known as human resource management a. k. a. HRM. This essay will enlighten the study of the concerns in human resource management (HRM) which is dependent on two very important factors examining and appraising. This essay will also throw light on the difference which is between regions and the employees working in those regions.The main benefit of human resource management (HRM) is to present an efficient way to examine the concerns to an examining line manager or supervisor because making decisions and viewing number of problems concerning about the situation going on in business world show a path to minimize the attempt in the part of human resource also known as HR. This process helps a line manager to have a broad idea and provide more flexibility in a diverse circumstance to make a proper decision so that the work can be done perfectly and company can make profit out of it.This essay will also highlight the points on the environment which influences a company alongside with information of human being matters and the connection of many factors which are affecting the business world in present. 2. 0 Introduction: A term which is known as globalization in now a days has become a very important matter of consideration for the people of this world. In this present time the above mentioned term is missing by the department of human resources a. k. a. HR. The most important part of any company or organisation in this present time is human resource management (HRM).The aim of human resource management department is just not to solve the problems which are reasons by workers of an organisation or the problems created by organisation it self but the aim of human resource management (HRM) is to provide a competitive upper hand to a company in their business alongside with the manufactured goods superiority, production and accomplishing the aims and missions in appropriate point in time economically and successfully. The department of human resource management (HRM) is still mended to be improved in terms of hiring people for job.The employee should be selected on the basis of merit relatively than on the basis of any other source or power. The higher management should take notice of all the important aspects such as culture and tradition so that all employees can be bind like a bunch and an organisation can make most of their talent. 3. 0. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM): 3. 1. Connotation of Human Resource Management: The meaning of human resource management (HRM) is to choose, expand, encourage and preserve human supply in a business. HRM first hire the right person for the job for example manager and workers. HRM guide and widen the hired ones.HRM then encourage the workers by awarding benefits and promotions. HRM also make sure that the best environment should be given to the workers to work freely. HRM direct concern is with the w orkers working for an organisation in other words it can be stated as to manage the workers in an organisation. (Alan Price, 2011) 3. 2. Characteristics of Human Resource Management: The subsequent are the main characteristics of human resource management: 1. HRM process is dependent on four purposes which are as follows: †¢Selection of human supply. †¢Expansion of human supply. †¢Encouraging of human supply. †¢Protection of human supply. 2.HRM is not a process which is done for only one time. HRM is known as continuous process. This process is mended to be change time by time depending on the conditions faced by an organisation. 3. There are mainly for perspectives for human resource management which are as follows: †¢Business perspective †¢Individual perspective †¢Social perspective †¢Group or unit perspective 4. HRM is a universal practice for any sort of business such as schools, universities, transport department, corporations and etc. 5. HRM department fulfils the duties as performance management, strategic planning management, training, career development ant etc. . HRM is multi corrective which means it deals with different matters such as psychological factors, educational factors and etc. 7. HRM always try its best to shape up the team strength. Team strength helps workers to work collectively and achieve the aims of a corporation. This factor is most important factor in this present time. 8. HRM increase the potential in the workers of a company. This increase of potential helps the workers to be well-organized and provide them job happiness. 9. As the technology is changing rapidly in all means hence it can be a problem or a threat to a business.HRM department track these changes and rectify the possible problems which can be caused by these aspects. 10. HRM provide long time benefits for the workers, business and civilization. The benefits are in shape of financial and non-financial for all of them. It also helps the profit margin of a business and provides good quality for services. ( Michael Armstrong, 2006) 3. 3. Span of Human Resource Management: Span or scope of Human Resource Management is defined as: 1. Human resource planning (HRP) determines the workforce requirement and workforce supply of a business. HRP compares these two factors.If the workforce is extra then HRP makes sure to cut it down and vice versa. 2. Acquirement role consist of hiring, choosing, position and human resource planning. HRM makes sure that appropriate person is selected for the job. 3. To appoint at the right place of workers is handled by HRM because proper job for a worker gives a worker motivation and increase their competence. 4. Performance management is conducted by HRM to keep track of a worker’s performance. 5. HRM helps the workers for the organisation to develop their careers by means of promotions in next years therefore it also results in helping organisation. (K. Aswathappa, 2007) 4. . Impact of Human Resource Management on Business: This part is to evaluate the role of HRM and provide an overview on the understanding of HRM in a perspective of an international student.The importance of HRM in success of any sort of business is getting at an immense level day by day. The most essential department of any business or organisation is HRM. The importance of HRM is at high level and due to that all line manager or supervisors in HR have become a part of team. The main aspects which are dealt with HRM in retail industry are explained below: 1. The Particular Human Resource Atmosphere of Retailing: Employees are the ain source in any type of business. This is a big fact in retail industry because retail industry consists of very huge number of staffs or employees in order to provide service to their customers. The human resource atmosphere in retail industry has it own main characteristics like a huge number of staff with less experience, lots of workers are part time , keeping track of a worker, and shifts are long and dissimilarities in the demand of customer. These characteristics also create problems for retailers. First thing which is huge number of staff may result in poor presentation, high salaries and skiving.Secondly, a person with not that high qualification and without experience can apply a job in retail for the positions of till operator, staff for shop floor, trolley assistant, warehouse assistant and etc. On the other hand many workers in retail industry are part time workers which can leave the job at any time. On the second hand time is a big issue for retail industry because extensive working hours in retail industry need two shifts of workers, so retailers have to recruit staff with keeping all these aspects in their mind i. e. some might be part time workers and some will be full time workers.Thirdly is to watch over a worker or an employee because customers are the main core part of retail industry so a retailer have to be s ure that the perfect service is being provided by the staff members to a customer and there is a proper check on the behaviour and manifestation of a staff member. Finally the main aspect dissimilarity in demand by a customer can be a problem to a retailer in such sense that retailer have to think on the point of how many staff members are required. Retailers should have knowledge of all the main events and should prepare in advance the availability of staff. (A. J. Lamba, 2002) 2.The procedure of HRM in Retail Industry: The process of HRM in retail industry is dependent on four main features which are development, hiring and choice, training, performance. When a process of HRM is implementing by a retail industry the laws for labour and privacy factor for employees or workers is to be considered deeply. †¢Development: After analyzing of the present employees the outcome will help an organisation to appraise the performance of a department and helps them to think on what sort o f staff is needed to form the accurate set of skills which are needed. The main point which retailers have to think is to ecruit appropriate persons for the position so that work can be done efficiently. Recruitment of huge number of staff may result in immense costs and too few will result in incompetence of tasks. †¢Hiring and Choice: When there is a need of new workers to an organisation they use many different paths in order to hire the most appropriate person for the job. The paths or channels which are used by an organisation are institutions of education, television, internet and recruitment agencies or any other effective way to recruit the appropriate person. †¢Training: Training is the most essential aspect for HRM.After hiring an appropriate person the main aspect which falls next is to train that person so that company’s strategic plan can be utilized and company can make more out of it. †¢Performance: After all the steps the main thing is to monito r the performance and keep track and trace on the performance of an organisation and keep the knowledge whether goals are being achieved or not. If there is case of no then HRM department should make decisions to overcome the problem and rectify it as soon as possible so that no harm could come to the efficiency of work and to the accounts of company. S. C. Bhatia, 2008) 5. 0. INTERNATIONAL VIEWPOINT OF HRM: In order to explain the international viewpoint or perspective of human resource management (HRM) the best possible way is to compare the HRM practices between two regions or between two countries. The below mentioned details are about the HRM practices in these two countries. 5. 1. HRM Practice in China: People Republic of China a. k. a. China is a country located in East Asia. The capital of China is Beijing and the population is 1. 3 billion people and language of China is Mandarin Chinese.China is the world largest exporter and second largest importer of goods. Human Resourc es in Chinese industrial sections are divided in two units. †¢Cadres: This unit consist of the staffs which handle administration or people with white collar jobs for e. g. directors, engineer, government officials and managers. †¢Workers: Workers are considered as employees working on lower level. The changes which are being made in traditional HR practices in China are defined below: †¢The process of hiring has changed from planning purpose to prediction purpose. A new system is being implemented for labour which is known as contract labour system instead of old way that was lifetime job. †¢The rewarding system has change and it now dependent on the performance and hard work. HR PRACTICE: The major HR practices which are undertaken by China are defined below: †¢Staffing & Choice: The companies in China select their employees on the foundation of abilities, jobs history, work experience, command on language and ambitions for careers, furthermore the Chinese companies take an overview of all the talent and characterized them in three types which are full experts, home appointed and local-plus.Each of these categories has different scale of salaries and rewards. The techniques or methods used by China in order to recruit are through ads, agencies, university grounds placements, international representation and etc. Choice or selection by China is dependent on three paths. The first path is interview secondly it is a test and thirdly it is behaviour affair. †¢Training and Maintenance: The most important methods which are used by China in order to train and manage their employees are training for technical aspect, language expertise, pre exit method and working culture training. Encouragement and Prize System: In order to make a good profit for company and to control quality management organisation encourage their employees by rewards and giving them promotions so that they keep always motivated and give their 100% in the field. â₠¬ ¢Working Customs: Working customs or culture in China is dependent on these features which are admiration for age, individual relations, group discussions and agreement. (Fang Lee Cooke, 2005) 5. 2. HRM Practices in India: The HRM practice in India is dependent on these aspects: Recruitment and Selection: A good educational background is required along with workers recommendations, sequence planning, and conducting test before hiring and they use internet help to recruit for e. g. Naukri. com is the first Indian website for seeking jobs. Media is being used to recruit employees and all the requirement can be given through media. Selection is based on the sets of questions which are concerned by age, status in society, family and etc. †¢Training and Development: Training and development are known as future direction.The training and development method which are used by Indian companies are by running programs of training, training regarding promotions, in-house training progra ms and etc. †¢Performance Appraisal: This method is used by Indian companies to evaluate the performance of a worker so that it can be decided for that employee whether he needs time or he needs training in order to do the work efficiently and this practice is carried out by manager or supervisor. †¢Rewards and Benefits: In accumulation to a basic wage extra rewards or compensations are being awarded by the companies in India.The rewards are in the shape of home loan, medical facility, travelling facility along with casual leaves, sick leave, emergency leave, annual leave and national holidays are also awarded to employees in India. The retirement age in India for government officials is 60 years where as for private sector it is 55-60 years, hence after retirement in both sectors a huge amount of lump –sum is awarded to the retired official although a private sector employee is paid less as compared to government employee. (Gurpreet Randhawa, 2007) 6. 0. Conclusion :There is a great bond of attraction between the workers of an organisation and organization it self. Management in an instantly procession is anxious in corporeal service materials that can assist in measurement and incredible utilization of service by their businesses. The stagings of do commerce amalgamations will also provide workforce a blemish on to be perceive sound largely if ethically incorrect actions are useful in the position of job. One of the able habits is to decrease difference to professional revolutionize in training and affirmation.Conversation stuck between the workforce and the company is also an energetic organization of human resources management (HRM) in the Post-modern viewpoint. Sensible account of the human resource management (HRM) is a major piece in verbal statement demonstration. Based on these negotiations, the workforce in an organization can get better in their discriminating of their occupation and that of others in an organization, understands the verbal statement of a business usual at helping the industry achieve the aims set out, as well as contribute to the maturity and maintenance of a embrace in the open market for the production.In accumulation, the management of organization and cooperation can reduce difference as in good health. Organization is to change judgment to shatter into including disfiguring legitimacy, meandering, and damaging in sequence. Joint venture is a unforced structure to get better resister’s grip but it could be infertile if objectives information that they have been trickery. Last act desire is simple on the compartment and simple to carry out to obtain grasp up, it is moving the rule but business can take benefit of right away intimidations and services to put into result their workforce. 7. 0. References: 7. 1. Books: Price, A. , 2011, Human Resource Management, 4th Edition, Cengage Learning. †¢Armstrong, M. , 2006, A Handbook of Human Resources Management Practice, 10th Edition, Kogan Page Publishers. †¢Aswathappa, k. , 2007, Human Resource and Personnel Management, 4th Edition, Tata McGraw-hill Education. †¢Lamba, A. J. , 2002, The Art of Retailing, Tata McGraw-hill Education. †¢Bhatia, S. C. , 2008, Retail Management, Atlantic Publishers. †¢Cooke, F, L. , 2005, HRM, Work and Employment in China, Routledge. †¢Randhawa, G. , 2007, Human Resource Management, Atlantic Publishers. 7. 2. Website: †¢www. fiber2fashion. com †¢www. scribd. com

Disability and Rehabilitation: an Ethnography of the “Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed” in Bangladesh

WATER FOOD DIABETES AYURVEDA GENETICS POVERTY YOGA STDS HISTORY SEX SOCIETY FAMILY PLANNING CASTE GENDER RIOTS RELIGION HEALTH DEMOCRACY FLOODING WASTE-MANAGEMENT UNANI PSYCHOLOGY FOLK MEDICINE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION GLOBALISATION BIOCHEMISTRY OLD AGE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH MALARIA POLICY HIV AIDS WHO MEDICOSCAPES COLONIALISM PHARMACY RELIGION LEPROSY BOTOX DEHYDRATION NGOs AYUSH†¦ Disability and Rehabilitation: An Ethnography of the â€Å"Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed† in Bangladesh by Farjina Malek Health and Society in South Asia Series, no. edited by William Sax, Gabriele Alex and Constanze Weigl ISSN 2190-4294 Disability and Rehabilitation: An Ethnography of the ‘Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed’ in Bangladesh. Master Thesis in partial fulfillment for the award of a Master of Arts degree in Health and Society in South Asia at Heidelberg University 26th February, 2010 Submitted by Farjina Malek Supervisors: Dr. Gabriele Alex Prof. Dr. William S. Sax Name, first name – Malek, Farjina DECLARATION For submission to the Examination CommitteeRegarding my Master’s Thesis with the title: Disability and Rehabilitation: An Ethnography of the ‘Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed’ in Bangladesh. I declare that 1) it is the result of independent investigation 2) it has not been currently nor previously submitted for any other degree, 3) I haven’t used other sources as the ones mentioned in the bibliography. Where my work is indebted to the work of others, I have made acknowledgement. Heidelberg, 26. 02. 10 (Candidate’s signature) AcknowledgmentI would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who helped me to complete this thesis. I am deeply obliged to my supervisors Prof. Dr. William S. Sax and Dr. Gabriele Alex for their assistance and valuable suggestions. Also I would like to thank Constanze Weigl for helping me from the beginning to the end of my thesis. I want to thank all the members of CRP for their logistic supports during my fieldwork. My deepest thanks would go to the patients and staff of half way hostel at CRP; particularly to Aminul, Lokman and Rakib Vai.My deepest appreciation to all my friends and classmates of Masters of Arts in Health and Society in South Asia (MAHASSA); especially to Gen. She edited my thesis proposal. For editing the whole thesis, I would like to thank to my three friends name Mohi, Ratul and Munif. They did a wonderful job by reading and correcting my grammars. I would also like to thank everybody who was important for this thesis, as well as expressing my apology that I could not mention personally one by one. I am deeply indebted to my husband Labib for his continues support in my work.He is a great inspiration for my work. Table of Content a) Declaration b) Acknowledgement c) Table of contents ——————————————— ;————–i-ii d) Abstract ———————————————————————-iii-iv 1. Chapter One: Introduction 1. 0 Introduction ———————————————————————– 1 1. 1 Research Objectives ————————————————————– 1 1. 2 Preliminary Work on the Research Topic ————————————- 2 1. Literature review and the rationalization of the study ———————- 3-10 1. 4 Chapter plan of the study ——————————————R 12;——– 10-11 2. Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods 2. 0 Introduction ———————————————————————– 12 2. 1 My field ————————————————————————– 12-15 2. 2 Entering to the field ————————————————————— 15 2. 3 Data collection technique —————————————————— 16-20 2. The limitation and the advantage of my field ——————————- 20-21 2. 5 Sample size and time frame ——— ;——————————————— 22 2. 6 Ethical considerations ————————————————————- 22 2. 7 Conclusion ————————————————————————— 23 3. Chapter Three: Daily Life in CRP; Living with Disability 3. 0 Introduction ————————————————————————– 24 3. Expression of Pain ————————————————————— 24-26 3. 2 Everyday Recreation in CRP: Entertainment and fun ————&# 8212;——- 26- 29 3. 3 Gender and Disability ———————————————————– 30- 31 i 3. 4 Emotional Desire ————————————————————- 31-32 3. 5 Conclusion ———————————————————————— 32 4. Chapter Four: Disability in the Half Way Hostel 4. 0 Introduction: ———————————————————————– 33 4. The care giver at half way hostel ———————————————33-34 4. 2 Disability in discussion and the enco unters ———————————35- 36 4. 3 Expression of Pain and Language to indicate the disabilities ———— 36- 37 4. 4 Outing and Cultural Program: the formal entertainment of CRP——— 37- 38 4. 5 Occupational therapy and the occupation of the patients ——————– 38 4. 6 Conclusion ———————————————————————– 38- 39 5.Conclusion: Chapter Five: Conclusion 5. 0 Discussion ———————————————————————— 40-43 5. 1 Conclusion ——————————————————————&# 8212;— 43-44 Bibliography————————————————————————– 45-48 ii Abstract: In my research, I engaged in an ethnographic study at the Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP), Bangladesh, where the daily life of the disabled people and their experiences of their situation was my main focus.I evaluated their physical and mental situation by the language used by the patients, their relatives and the therapists and staff at CRP. Here language refers the representation of the physical condition (what is the synonyms and antonyms they use to indicate disabilities), and the way that patients, relative and doctors relate disability both formally and informally. My research question is ‘what is the cultural shape of disability at half way hostel of CRP’? CRP is a huge area to cover, I therefore have chosen one part of CRP and that is the ‘Half Way Hostel’.This is the patients’ pre-discharged hostel. As a data collection technique, I used participant observation. I got myself involved in their daily activities. I took part as well as observed their daily life. In addition, I took interviews and daily notes. The thesis is divided in five chapters; the first chapter’s aims were to introduce the argument, research question and then discuss different relevant literature. My argument is ‘each and every culture has its own way of understanding disability. One should not consider disability from the universal point of view’.From this argument, my research question is, ‘what is the cultural shape of disability at half way hostel of CRP, Bangladesh? ’ In the same chapter, I have also discussed how disability has been discussed in different time and literature. The second chapter is based on the description of the field and the data collection methods. I n this chapter, I described my field; mainly the physical infrastructure of CRP, I discussed the method I have used as well as the limitations and advantage of those methods and I discussed my field experiences.As a volunteer, I got an easy access to my field; which was a plus point. On the other hand, for the same reason, my informants always kept a distance with me. It was a challenge for me to overcome the distance. The third chapter has focused on different events in CRP. These events have taken place at half way hostel in different time where the fun, frustration, every day conflict, love and joy of disabled people and their relatives is pictured. This chapter also focused some patients’ case study, which is iii elpful to understand the events as well as the patients’ background. My forth chapter is the description of deferent points, where the holistic scenario of disability in half way hostel has been described. Apart of the patients, the other actors of half wa y hostel are more focused in this chapter. These other actors are the relatives of the patients, the discussants of the half way hostel, the therapists, the care giver of half way hostel and the other facilitator of the half way hostel. The concluding chapter of this study is based on the discussion of the study.The main findings of the study is the conflicts of CRP’s advocacy and patients’ own agency, the fun and frustration of the patients, the daily reaction of the relatives of the patients and also patients’ everyday language. By the whole study, I have shown a culture of half way hostel, where disability plays a very influential role. iv Chapter One: Introduction 1. 0 Introduction: The ‘Disability and Rehabilitation: WHO Action Plan 2006-2011’ notes that 10% of the total world population is physically disabled (WHO 2005: 1). Most of the literatures published by development organizations who work with the disabled quote similar values.There has recently been established an international convention regarding the human rights of people with disabilities. These two topics – the generalization of disability concept and the universal rights of disabled people, despite the differences in socio-economic conditions – motivated me to study the different cultural shape of disability and associated rehabilitation. My argument is that every disability has its own cultural shape. Moreover in a culture the disability may get different shape with the influences of age, gender, economic situation, and so on.To prove my argument in my research, I concentrated on, how disability gets its own shape in a small scale situation like half way hostel1 of CRP2. From this perspective, my research question is: ‘What is the cultural shape of disability at half way hostel of CRP? And how the different actors act to construct this cultural shape? ’ The subjects of my research, whom I refer to as actors, are comprised of CRP p atients, the relatives of patients, the doctors, nurses, and other staff who work at the CRP, and others who are either in direct or indirect contact with the CRP. . 1 Research Objectives: The cultural shape of disability at the CRP is the central focus of my research. In this context, I want to know how disability is encountered by different actors at the half way hostel of CRP. This research is focused on the understanding of how patients, therapists, workers, and relatives of patients at the CRP interact with the After getting treatment patients used to stay in half way hostel for two weeks. Here patients learn to take therapy independently; they learn how to cope with their community in a new physical condition. CRP is a national NGO of Bangladesh founded in 1979. This NGO is focused on spinal cord injured patients. CRP treats the patients as well as works for their rehabilitation in the community. 1 1 Chapter One: Introduction greater society and among themselves, as well as th e role that disability and rehabilitation plays in their daily lives. In order to address my central research question, I investigated several sub questions: †¢ What is the daily routine of a disable person and his care giver at the half way hostel of CRP? How do the patients relate their physical condition by their verbal language as well as their body languages both in formal discussion and in informal discussion or chatting. †¢ †¢ How do the relatives of the patients describe the patient’s situation? What are the differences among those disabled based on their gender, age and economic condition? 1. 2 Preliminary Work on the Research Topic: My first university3 is about 3 kilometers away from CRP. I personally first sought assistance from the CRP for back pain in 2003.As an outpatient, I had to go there several times. There were many things that interested me about the organization. First of all, they have many workers there who are physically disabled themse lves, especially the people who work at the cash counter. Later, I found a shop in the CRP compound where they sell many crafts made by the disabled in-patients. The goods of the shop really impressed me, and I wanted to know about their makers; I came to know that most of them live in the compound. As an out-patient, I knew only a small area of the much larger ground.I returned to CRP in 2006 for a severe problem with my leg (I fell down and suffered a torn ligament). I came regularly to the CRP for several days and I came to know some of the patients more closely in this time. I became interested in their lives, their perceptions of their bodily constitutions, and so on. My first university is Jahangirnagar University, which is in Savar, Dhaka. I did my bachelor and masters degree in ‘Geography and Environment’ in that university. That is why, I stayed there for 6 years from 2002 to 2008. 3 2Chapter One: Introduction In 2008, I came to Heidelberg for my MA in Medical Anthropology. As a part of our study, we visited various UN organizations in Geneva, Switzerland in April, 2009. Autonomously, I sought out Handicap International and spoke with a few members of that organization. I also went to the CBR (Community Based Rehabilitation) Project of the WHO. This study excursion increased my interest in the lay perspective of disability because I found the agendas and work policies of these two organizations to be very grounded in universality.These organizations function holistically on a single concept of disability for all different cultures and apply the same policies for disabled people all over the world. There is not even a differentiation in prescribed rehabilitation process for different cultures. I am very interested in how a universal idea can work in a local setting. To meet my interest, I sifted through different kinds of literature, to include books, articles and many reports of the organizations who work with disability issues. This lite rature review is a fundamental part of my preliminary work for my field research. 1. Literature review and the rationalization of the study: My research is focused on how the concepts of disability are encountered in different contexts, both of which need defining the terms. Defining ‘disability’ is problem because of its intricacy and multidimensionality. As a result, a global definition of disability that fits all contexts, though desirable, is nearly impossible in reality (Slater et al. 1974). Both scholars and different (national and international) organizations try to define disability with simple statements, theoretical models, classification schemes, and even through different forms of measurements.Altman observed that ‘‘there is no neutral language with which to discuss disability, and yet the tainted language itself and the categories used influence the definition of the problem† (Altman 2000:97). He also argues that defining disability has â €˜â€˜contributed to the confusion and misuse of disability terms and definitions, particularly when operationalized measures of disabilities are interpreted and used as definitions† (Altman 2000: 96). However, the concept 3 Chapter One: Introduction f disability covers its definitions, the role of the ‘experts’ (leaders in different organizations who are working with disabled people), the place of experience, and the nature of local politics at that time. Altman argues that ‘‘when trying to make sense of this variety of ideas and forms, it is necessary to take consideration the structure, orientation, and source of the definition† (Altman 2000: 96). Therefore, clarifying the variety of definitions, analyzing their sources and understanding their conceptual strengths and weaknesses in different contexts are the three objectives of y literature review. There are four basic historical categories of attributes toward disability: the individual model of disability, the environmental model of disability, the social model of disability, and the model of the interaction between the individual and social concepts of disability. In the individual model, disability was systematically identified as a characteristic of the individual person (Fougeyrollas and Beauregard 2000). Due to the functional difference of his body, it was the responsibility of that person to overcome any obstacle that he encountered.Any person with significant impairment was labeled handicapped or disabled, resulting in social exclusion and stigmatization. This conception of disability has progressively changed since the 1960s, when several people questioned this reductionist representation of disability; these voices led to the emergence of the disability rights movement (Fougeyrollas and Beauregard 2000). Despite much advancement, there is no consensus as to the determining factors of disability, notably with regard to the environment (the second model), even today.In fact, it would be more accurate to say that there is consensus on the importance of the environment but disagreement on the exact role that factor plays. On the one hand, there is a social model that attributes disability entirely to the environment, ignoring the factors related to the person. On the other hand, there is the biomedical model that mainly focuses on the person and resists consideration of environmental factors.This resistance is notably manifested within the scope of the ICIDH-1 (International Classification of Impairment, Disabilities, and Handicaps) published by the WHO (World Health Organization) 4 Chapter One: Introduction in 1980. The ICIDH-1 conceptual framework is based on the trilogy of body, person, and society (WHO, 1980). The ICIDH-1 model presents a cause-effect relationship between impairment, disability, and handicap. In this model, disease or disorder is shown as intrinsic and causing of impairment, which ultimately results in disability.F inally, both disability and impairment can be causes of handicaps. In the social model, impairment is considered to be an ‘exteriorized’ situation, disability is an ‘objectified’ situation, and handicap is a ‘social’ situation. Thus, an injury that leads to the impairment of an organ’s functions and structures, which then leads to a disability in the person’s behavior and activities, ultimately generates one or many handicaps or disadvantages concerning social or survival roles.Since the dissemination of the ICIDH and its experiment application within diverse fields of study, the problems identified, the critiques, and the adaptation to the conceptual model and classification manual have stimulated for the search for knowledge: â€Å"the most passionate debate is related to the critique of the linearity of the ICIDH model and the work that attempt to explicitly introduce the systematic approach and environmental dimension into th e conceptual model† (Fougeyrollas and Beauregard 2000: 176).The modifications brought forth by these emergent conceptual models aim to illustrate the person-environment relationship in the construction or prevention of ‘handicap’. Thus in 1992, Minaire proposed his concept of the ‘situational handicap’, defined as the result of the confrontation between the functional disability presented by an individual and the situation encountered in daily life (Minaire 1992). In that time, he published an improved version of the conceptual model, explicitly integrating diverse categories of environmental aspects analyzed in terms of situation.According to Minaire (1992), environmental aspects are both social and physical dimensions that determine a society’s organizations and context. In physical factors, he mentioned nature and the development of a society. Here, nature is defined as the physical geography, climate, time, sound, etc. , and development is manifested in the architecture, technology, and national and regional 5 Chapter One: Introduction advancement. Minaire (1992) also broke social factors into in two parts: one is the politico-economic factors and socio-cultural factors.Politico-economic factors are comprised of government systems, judicial systems, economic systems, health systems, etc. , and socio-cultural systems mean social rules, norms, and social networks. Minaire (1992) specified that one is handicapped not in the absolute but with the reference to something. In his opinion, the situational handicaps model completes the dimensions of the WHO model by integrating the person within his/her environment (Minaire 1992). Thus, a handicap is a characteristic not of the person but of the interaction between the person and his environment. In this way, Minaire refutes the linearity of the WHO classification.Following Minaire, several authors: notably Badley (1987), Chamie (1989), and Hamonet (1990) elaborated upon conce ptual models that integrated the concept of environment as a determining factor in the disablement process. The ICIDH-1 was published during a period that also a witnessed the International Year of Disabled Persons, (proclaimed in 1981 by the United Nations) and the Decade of Disabled Persons, which ended in 1992. This period was characterized be the preparation, adoption and application of policies and legislative measures aiming to promote and ensure the exercise of the rights of disabled people (UN 1983).Despite its innovative conception at the beginning of the 1970s, with the introduction of the social concepts of handicap to the biomedically oriented WHO, the ICIDH and its conceptual framework failed to become the international reference tool for persons with disabilities (Barry 1989). A worldwide disability movement, Disabled People’s International (DPI), rejected the ICIDH-1 definitions in 1981 and adopted definitions that are known as those of the ‘Social Model of Disability’ (Oliver 1996).According to this model, disability is exclusively caused by the presence of barriers within the environment and occurs because the environment does not succeed in adapting to the needs of people who have certain impairments. To improve the life situation of the people with disabilities, one must remove the environmental factors that create obstacles to their integration; the model pays little interest to their organic and functional 6 Chapter One: Introduction differences (Enns 1989; Hurst 1993). The DPI defines impairment and disability as follows: â€Å"Impairment is the functional limitation with the ndividual caused by physical, mental and sensory impairment. Disability is the loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in the normal life of the community on an equal level with others due to physical and social barriers† (DPI 1982: 3). Within a political paradigm, the social model has insisted that there is no causal relationship between disability and impairment. The achievement of the disability movement has been to break the link between bodies and social situations and to focus on the real cause of disability: Discrimination and prejudice (Shakespeare and Watson 1997).The concept of equalization of opportunities, meaning the process by which society is modified to become accessible for people with disabilities, is putting the social model into action; it was first used in a United Nations document, Decade of Disabled Persons 1983-1992: World Program of Action Concerning Disabled Persons (UN 1983). These radical changes in the early 1980s were largely the result of a partnership between the disability movement and various governments (e. g.Canada and Sweden), who adopted the new principle of participation. This new outlook of disability has influenced the development of legislation like The Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada and The Americans with Disabilities Act (Enns 1998: xii). From this perspec tive, disability is a political issue. Disability right activists consider that the social environment structurally creates social disadvantages and discriminatory situations experienced by people with disabilities (Driedger 1989; Hahn 1985).Disability is socially constructed and manifested in situations experienced by environmental barriers and causality is no longer placed within the body and functional limitations but in the systemic inadequacy to adapt to their specific needs and oppression (Oliver 1990). It is important to note that the adoption and application of social policies and legislation ensuring the rights of the basic human rights and equal opportunities constitute modifications of the 7 Chapter One: Introduction environment that have had an obvious impact on the disability and rehabilitation process. The impossibility of monitoring the evolution and mpact of these factors through biomedical and compensation models is centered on an inside-theindividual model of disab ility. This fact has led numerous government planners and decision-makers to support the movement for the defense of human rights in the critique of the ICIDH and the inclusion of environmental variables for monitoring and measuring the impact of socio-economic policies in the field of rehabilitation, de-institutionalization, and social participation. This change is wellexemplified within the UN standards for the equalization of persons with disabilities (Barry 1995).Another major criticism of the ICIDH-1 was its lack of conceptual clarity and overlap between the concepts of impairments, disabilities, and handicaps (Nagi 1991). This oversight is mentioned by the Committee on a National Agenda for the Prevention of Disabilities in its report, â€Å"Disability in America,† in order to explain the rejection of the ICIDH as a conceptual framework. The committee preferred the concept used by Nagi (1991), wherein the disabling process is made up of four elements: Pathology, impairm ent, functional limitations, and disability (Pope an Tarlov 1991).After much criticism, WHO changed the ICIDH-1 model. The introduction of the ICIDH-2 states that, â€Å"The overall aim to the ICIDH-2 classification is to provide a unified and standard language and framework for the description of human functioning and disability as an important component of health† (WHO 1999: 7). The classification covers â€Å"any disturbance in terms of functional states associated with health conditions at body, individual and social levels† (WHO 1999: 7).The new draft of the ICIDH-2 proposes three dimensions of the concept of disability: body functions and structure, activities in the individual level, and the participation of the individual in society; it also includes a list of environmental factors. The title of the classification has been changed to ICIDH-2 International Classification of Functioning and Disability (‘functioning’ and ‘disability’ are defined as umbrella terms). 8 Chapter One: Introduction This final conceptual scheme shows that the individual’s health condition disorder or disease) depends on the aforementioned three basic concepts, which are inter-related themselves. These inter-relations again depend on the environmental factors and one’s personal orientation. The body thus has a role in disability at any level of human life (Fougeyrollas and Beauregard 2000). The ICIDH-2 was the result of various influences. It indicates positive change because it recognizes disability within various contexts and cites socio-political and environmental models as essential for counterbalancing the biomedical and economic model based on solely the individual (Bickenbach 1993).Here, the importance of environmental factors are recognized, but there is resistance to making this a separate and full fourth conceptual dimension. The systematic nature of disability phenomenon is acknowledged, but the explanation is made even more confusing by the proposal of a complex conceptual framework that fails to clearly identify the interaction between the individual and the environment as a central factor.The importance of the individual was recognized, but as an unclear contextual factor, creating some confusion with regard to environmental factors (Fougeyrollas and Beauregard 2000). In 2006, Tom Shakespeare published his book entitled ‘Disability Right and Wrong’, wherein he critiqued the ICIDH-2 social model. He thinks that, ‘‘[social model] approaches reject an individualist understanding of disability, and to different extents locate the disabled person in a broader context† (Shakespeare 2006: 9). This social model has also been counterposed to the medical model, a limitation of the former.Shakespeare (2006) stresses three points in order to understand disability and the rehabilitation processes of disability: Social and environmental barriers, the individual concept and sufferings, and the medicalization of disability. To understand the perception of disability and rehabilitation of a particular area, it is important to know the local culture and social settings, the disabled person’s concepts, the treatment procedure for disabled person, and the political systems regarding disabled. 9 Chapter One: IntroductionIn this context of disability study, I want to focus on a particular institution, which is working with disability. I want to examine their understanding about disability and review this understanding with the aforementioned models. However, in my research, I do not take disability as a universally define phenomena, rather the local cultural understandings of disability is important. Therefore, this research is to compare the different models to CRP’s experiences of disability, arguing that culture plays a role to construct the idea of disability. 1. 4 Chapter plan of the study: This chapter describes the overall idea of the stu dy.The argument of the study is ‘every disability has its own cultural shape’. To prove this argument this research selected a small scale area name ‘half way hostel’ the pre-discharged hostel of CRP, Bangladesh. After getting treatment patient come and stay in half way hostel for two weeks to learn therapy and other works, those are important and appropriate for their physical condition. They create a temporary territory there, which have a unique cultural shape. This study is an ethnographic description of that culture, where the disability plays a vital role to give a shape of that culture.Apart of this chapter, this study has four more chapters. The second chapter is focused on the description of field and methodology. I collected information by observing and participating in the daily life of half way hostel, which is my field. This chapter is a description of the experience of entering to the field, the advantage and limitation of my field. At the sam e time, this chapter conveys the gap within the planned methodology (what was in my mind before going to the field) and the methods, what I used in my field.Third chapter is based on the daily events at my field. The aim of this chapter is to get the picture of the culture of half way hostel through the daily life activities. The argument of this chapter is, with the influences of different kind of people; like patients, relatives, doctors, and therapists, half way hostel got a unique 10 Chapter One: Introduction culture. Moreover, this unique culture is always changing due to the age, gander, and socio-economic variation of these actors.The forth chapter is more focused on the particular issues in half way hostel; for instance, discussion that take place there, type of care giver of the patients, outing and gardening for the patients and so on. The aim of this chapter is to show the contradiction between CRP’s discipline and patients’ self agency. Finally the fifth ch apter is the conclusion of the study. This chapter has drawn the conclusion by showing the contradiction between different models of disability and the scenario of disability at half way hostel. 11 Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection MethodsChapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods 2. 0 Introduction: In my methodology section, I will first describe my field, which will not only cover the geographical location of my field, but also my informant types, the events that take place in my field, and my experience to enter the field. Then, I will discuss which methods I used to collect the necessary data, the sample size & time frame. At last I will stress on my ethical position at the field. 2. 1 My field: I knew CRP before as a patient1. CRP has its several centers for treating and rehabilitating of paralyzed patients in Bangladesh.CRP's headquarters are in Savar, approximately 25km far from Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. This headquarter was my field. There are several buildings and facilities in that compound (100-bed hospital, Operation theatre, Physiotherapy Department for in-patients and out-patients, halfway hostel where patients prepare for returning to their home communities, vocational training centers, etc. ). I had a limited idea of CRP from my past visits at CRP and CRP’s website. However, when I went to CRP for my field work, I was checked by the security. They asked me, where I wanted to go. I want to meet with Mizan Vai (Mizanur Rahman is the volunteer coordinator of CRP)’ I replied. Security asked quickly, ‘which Mizan? Wheelchair-Mizan? Or Crutch Mizan? ’ It was clear to me that both of the Mizans are disabled. I replied that I was looking for the volunteer coordinator and I did not see him before. Two guards discussed together and suggested me to go to BHPI (Bangladesh Health Professionals Institute) building to find out I have been living in Jahangir Nagar University campus from 2002 t o 2008 for my bachelor and masters. This university is about 3km far away from CRP.I first went CRP for my back pain in 2003. I had to go several time there for that reason. 1 12 Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods ‘wheelchair-Mizan’. I passed the gate and then the out-patients area. There were around 25 out-patients in that big hall room. The two side of that hall room were open and other two sides were closed by the Doctors room. I saw one young girl was howling in pain. She fall down from the tree just an hour ago and got hurt in the back. Her father was busy to fill up the appointment form and they are waiting for the doctor. I passed them to meet with Mizan Vai.I went to the Speech and Language Therapy Department in BHPI. Mizan Vai is the lecturer of that department and the volunteer coordinator of CRP. He told me that CRP offers nine courses in BHPI; bachelor degree In Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Nursing Dipl oma and also some other diploma and assistance courses. There is no ramp in BHPI building; however Mizan Vai has the ability to use the stairs with his hands and knees. He got another wheelchair in the ground floor. We went together to the main administrative building to fill up my volunteer form.The administrative building was situated directly opposite to the BHPI building. In the main administrative area, we got a ramp. I filled up the form and then we moved around CRP; the In-patients area, the clinical physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech & language therapy department, half way hostel, vocational training centre, staff quarter, inclusive school and the big hall room name Redda Way Hall. For my field work, I choose the half way hostel. I knew the concept of half way hostel before from the website of CRP. I showed my interest to work there. I got an ntroduction of half way hostel and started to work there. There were twenty beds for the patients, one office room, t hree toilets, one tube-well, one office room and one hall room in the half way hostel. Three permanent staff work there; a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist and a caretaker. Most of the other works are done by the other staff of CRP; for instance, in discussion period one councilor come and then goes back to his own work or in individual therapy’s time one or two physiotherapists come and after the session they go back to their previous work.Patients come in the half way hostel after getting treatment as in-patients. The concept of half way hostel is to make patients more independent. Patients learn here how to take therapy, how to cope off with their old environment, how to do daily work more independently. This hostel runs by its 13 Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods daily routine. Every day from 8 am to 8. 50 am they have group therapy. The patients and the therapists select a group leader from the patients. The leader has to know the therapy. T hey have Physiotherapy for every parts of the body.After 10 minutes break, discussant from different departments like social welfare or vocational training institute, come and discuss with the patients on three days in a week. In every Saturday, the patients got the idea of half way hostel and the other three days (Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday) they discuss on various topics, such as hygiene, pressure sore, the home environment, use of wheelchair, future profession, and social relationship. Monday and Wednesday are days for gardening. Patients do gardening under the supervision of the staff of half way hostel.Though in rainy season, they have to pass their time inside the hall room. After one hour of discussion or gardening patients start to do the individual therapy. If any patient requires special kind of therapy they can learn that in this period. The care givers of the patients also learn how to give therapy in this time. At 12 pm patients go to the vocational training centre. C RP offer six types of vocational training; tailoring, computer training, electronics servicing, shop keeping, and painting training. In the half way hostel the most training is the shop keeping.A person without one leg and one hand runs this training. I did find this training is too much effective. I saw the trainees were dissatisfied with the training. I asked one trainee, who is a member of half way hostel about the training. He told me ‘look sister, I have to laugh with the customer and I will be well-mannered to them; this is not a matter of learning rather this is a matter of common sense. ’ I got only four patients out of twenty who were regular in the vocational training on that particular time. The patients, who don’t attend in the vocational training, have to go to the Redda way hall of CRP.Every day from 12pm to 1pm, patients work to produce the package and the bandage for CRP’s internal necessities. Then, they get the launch break for one and ha lf hour. They come back at 2. 30 pm from their break. In different days of the week, patients get different work on that time. On every Saturday there is a cultural program, In-door games on Sunday and Tuesday, film show on every Wednesday and Monday is for discussion. CRP has three selected film for the half way hostel’s patients; Radio Vai (Radio brother), Bihongo (The birds) and Wheel Chair.All the 14 Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods films are produced by CRP. After this cultural program session, patients go to the ‘wheel chair skill’ for half an hour. For this ‘wheel chair skill’ training CRP made an intricate ground. With Three trainer wheel chair users go through the ground. Before going back to the hostel, patients join in the outdoor sports for an hour. As a volunteer, I maintained the office time of CRP. From Saturday to Wednesday, I had to stay in half way hostel from 8am to 5pm and on Thursday 8am to 1. 30 pm.Very ofte n I stayed after 5pm to collect more data in their chatting time. 2. 2 Entering to the field: I entered to my field as a volunteer. Many Anthropologists face the problem to enter to the field. Dr. Shahaduzzaman did his hospital ethnography in a Bangladeshi hospital (Zaman, 2005). He got a huge problem to omit his identity as a doctor. At the same time, he was not like a patient. As a result, in the beginning it was a challenge for him to gain the faith from his informants (Zaman, 2005). I did not have this kind of problem to enter in the field.CRP always recruits a good number of volunteers. Like the other volunteers, I did not get attention from the staff and patients. However, as a volunteer, I had to do many things which are not directly related to my research topic; for instance, maintaining the attendance of the patient’s daily activities, counseling the patients, helping them in the extra curriculum activities and so on. In the beginning, I thought these duties are not relevant with my thesis. Later I discovered that irrelevant activities are very important to get a clear picture of my field.By doing these kind of works, I got a high status to the patients, in one hand which is good. I did not have any problem to collect the data; patients and their relatives were eager to give me information. On the other hand, they always behaved formally with me, which was a disadvantage for my field work. It took couple of days to break this formal relationship. 15 Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods 2. 3 Data collection technique: Participant observation was the fundamental method of my research: I was in the field as a volunteer for two months.I stayed in the CRP hostel, which is inside CRP premises. As a result I frequently visited half way hostel even after office time. I tried to participate in their daily life. However, the concept ‘participant observation’ broad itself; Singha (1993) mentioned four possible roles for a par ticipant observer: 1) a complete participant, 2) participant as observer, 3) observer as participant 4) a complete observer. As a volunteer, I was not able to be a complete participant, as I could not completely involve myself in the daily lives of the patients.Thus, I will not be a complete observer either. My plan was to fall into the second and third categories: I was a participant as an observer and at the same time an observer as a participant. However, many anthropologists even doubt the term ‘participant observation’. Geest and Sarkodie wrote that, â€Å"participant observation is not an easy thing to do, or to be more precise, it is impossible. Participant observation is a dream, an ideal, and a contradiction in term† (Geest and Sarkodie 1998: 1373).Therefore, I observed daily life at CRP through my work and through building an informal relationship with my informants on the site. I have used many different methods to collect the qualitative and quantitat ive data to supplement my participant observation. For the convenience of data collection, I have divided the information into three categories: place (the half way hostel), people (the patients, staff and the relatives of the patients) and events (the daily life of the hostel). For the place part, I have collected both quantitative and qualitative data.With regard to the people, my focus was on the qualitative data gathered from the patients, their relatives and the people who work there. Here, I have used different tools; In-depth interviews, case studies, mind- map, observation, Semi- structured interviews, and conversation. For the third part of my data, I gathered primarily quantitative information on the daily schedules and events at CRP and then descriptive information on each and every event of half way hostel at CRP. The following tables and the explanation, shows detail of the 16Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods information or the data what I need for m y research and which method I will use for collecting this information. Table 1: the Place: Half Way Hostel Place Types of information Data collection methods Potential informants/ sources of information CRP Location and history of CRP, existing facilities, staff strength, number of patients, physical environment, building arrangement. Half-way hostel Number of rooms, room arrangement, existence facilities inside the hostel Observation, conversations, secondary source.Members and workers of halfway hostel, relatives of the member Patients’ access area Vocational Training, outdoor sports, nursing service, social welfare unit’s service Observation, semi-structured and in-depth in interviews. In-patients, relatives of inpatients, workers and therapist of CRP Staff rooms Facilities inside the room, the activities that take place in the rooms. Observation, interviews. Therapists, Workers, administrative officers Observation, secondary source and semistructured interview. CR P library, staff of CRP, website of CRP, Local people 7 Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods To get the information on my study place, I mainly used secondary sources. CRP’s publications, website, documentaries on CRP were some of my secondary sources. Apart of these secondary sources, I took interview, observed the facilities and talked informally with all type of people at CRP. Table-2: The people People Patients Types of information Data collection tools interviews, studies/ life Social background, daily activities and In-depth accessed area in CRP, communication case ith the staff, perception about their life, histories, mind- map, views about the center and the observation treatment, Doctors Therapists / Activities of different doctors/ therapist, Observation, interaction with other staff members, structured interaction with the patients, perception in-depth of disability. Staff (excluding doctors therapists) Relatives the patients and conversation Semii nterviews, Semiinterviews, interviews, Activities of different staff; interaction Observation, with the other with staff the member, structured communication patients, conversation, erception about the patients of Relationships with the patients, Observation, case in-depth perceptions about the disease of patient, studies, experience that gathered for having interviews, disabled person in a family, interaction conversation with the CRP’s staff 18 Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods Three kinds of people were my target; first- the patients. I wanted to know how they describe their physical and mental condition. I focused on their language. I tried to observe which words they use for their condition and which words for the opposite condition.I participated in their daily life; I observed their work and their participation in different work at half way hostel. I took 15 interviews to know details about them. I also used mind mapping to understand disabled peopl es’ daily accessed area. My plan was to provide them pen and papers and tell them to draw CRP. From their drawing, I thought I could find the accessed area of patients at CRP. The mind mapping idea was not useful for my field because most of the patients could not use the pen and some of them got paralysis in hand so they could not even move their hand.However, all the other methods I used were useful enough. My second target people were the employees, who work for those patients. Each patient evaluates his life with a special concentration, but the employees have to deal with many patients in a day. My interest was to know their feeling on disability; how they describe the condition of a disabled person. I observed them; we discussed together on different issues of the patients and we worked together for the patients. As a result, it was easy for me to get the data from the employees of half way hostel.My final target group was the relatives of the patients. The patients, wh o cannot move their hands and legs, have to bring their relatives. At the same time other patient’s relatives very often come and rent a home outside CRP. They were also my informants. I talked to them, observed their reaction in the discussion, therapy and the other time. Very often, I participated on their evening gathering time. They discussed on different events of the following day, which was a very important source of my information. 19 Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection MethodsTable 3: The Events Events Types of information Data collection tools Doctor’s/ therapist’s daily round in the half way hostel Admission and discharge of patients Discussion Dressing, distribution of medicine, washing and meals Sports, vocational training, gardening and the other extracurricular activities Interactions and the participations of the patients Procedures, interactions Procedures, interactions Procedures, interactions Observation Observation Observation and c onversation Observation and conversation Procedures, interaction ObservationThe information of different events was the most important part of my research. I attended in the regular events of the half way hostel. I saw the patient’s participations in the event, their interaction with the event and their reaction on different matter of that event. In the leisure period, I often asked to the patients and their relatives on a particular event and observed their reaction. Observation and conversation were the main methods to collect the information on the events of half way hostel. 2. 4 The limitation and the advantage of my field: There is a metal and wood workshop behind the half way hostel.CRP makes its wheel chairs, special seats for the patients, and the other metal things in their own metal workshop. The noise of welding machine of that metal workshop made the workshop area and the half way hostel polluted. It was impossible for me to tape the voice inside 20 Chapter Two: D ata Sources and Data Collection Methods the half way hostel due to this noise pollution. Often I took my interview outside the half way hostel. Another limitation of my field is that CRP works for the spinal cord injured patients. As a result, I got a particular type of disabled people there. It is indeed a limitation of my work.On the other hand, I could only focus on a specific type of informants. However these patients come at CRP just after their accident. That is why they could not imagine the loneliness of a disabled person in their local community. This is another limitation of my work. I got the informants, who are used to see too many disabled people around them at CRP. Language played a vital role in my thesis. First of all, to understand my informant’s daily speech, I needed to know the local dialect. Though my native language is Bengali, but some of the patients speak in hard dialect which is tough to understand.Moreover, to understand their jokes and silent langu age, I needed to understand the cultural context of those people. Then the problem rises with the data representation. Many things are easy to understand in Bengali and tough to translate and represent in English. Furthermore, there are many jokes, fun and frustration, which could be translated, but hard to realize the meaning because of the cultural gap. I got many advantages in my field as well. First of all I got many disabled person at a time in one area, which is a big advantage for my fieldwork. Second thing was my residence at CRP’s volunteer guest house.I could stay at half way hostel as long as I wanted as I did not have to worry about the distance between my workplace and residence. At the same time, I stayed there with twenty more volunteers. Many of them came for their study (like research, placement, and internship). I shared many things with them, and we discussed different issues, that discussions were very helpful for getting a clear understanding on the parti cular issue. 21 Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods 2. 5 Sample size and time frame: Before going to the field, I did not have any sample size as I wanted to do a participant observation.However after my field work I got a number of informants including their different quantitative information, which will be helpful to get an overall idea of those patients (Annex-1). I was in Half Way Hostel for two months (from 1st of August to 1st of October, 2009). During my field work period, I got 62 patients and 35 care giver in the half way hostel. Out of these 62 patients, only 10 were women. I have taken 15 in-depth interviews of the patients and had conversation with all of them. I had also 5 semi-structured interviews with the staff of CRP.Out of 5, three of them were therapists, 2 were assistant of the therapists. 2. 6 Ethical considerations I worked with the paralyzed patients at CRP. Naturally, they are more sophisticated than ‘normal people’ (according t o biomedicine), as the greater part of the society discriminates them, even with regard to standard daily movement (lack of wheelchair accessibility to facilities, or in busses, trains, or cars), education (special schools for disabled people are only for secondary level), and jobs (lower education levels mean fewer job opportunities).In my research, ethical consideration is very important because I was working with their daily experience, daily feelings, and daily reaction with the existing facilities. I also worked with the rehabilitation process and its limitations or usefulness from the point of view of the patient. Here, I will be very careful to maintain confidentiality of their information, knowing that if the CRP authorities knew that the patient was dissatisfied and complaining, that result in consequences for the patient himself. I asked all of my informants about their preference for interview methods.I used my tape recorder with their explicit. Finally, I wanted to provi de a written and signed statement of confidentiality that I would honor until they personally ratify its content. However, they all gave me the permission to write on their life and to mention their name. 22 Chapter Two: Data Sources and Data Collection Methods 2. 7 Conclusion: The focus of this chapter was to show the field and the data collection technique from the field. My field was half way hostel of CRP (Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed), Bangladesh. Half way ostel is one of the rehabilitation areas of CRP. Patients come to the half way hostel after completing their treatment from CRP. They stay usually two weeks there. I was in the half way hostel for two months. I participated in their daily life and observed their life. I collected the information by participant observation. To supplement this participant observation I have used many different methods like interviews, mind maps, case studies, and life histories. 23 Chapter Three: Daily life in CRP; Living with Disability Chapter Three: Daily Life in CRP; Living with Disability 3. Introduction In my research question, I have noted that I want to know the cultural shape of disability. This cultural shape of disability can be understood from everyday life of disable person. Disable people express their situation to the care givers; care givers at the same time express their reactions. These reactions and responses are there in the everyday life of half way hostel, which are important to understand cultural shape of disability. In this chapter I will focus on this issue. 3. 1 Expression of Pain: ‘Oh God take me, take me (Allah, tui amare nia ja)’ Ershad was shouting with this sentence.He was the only one patient in that hall room. Most of the patients went to the sports. His wife and me were sitting behind him. His wife is not too old but her face seems older and rude. There were two more patients few minutes ago; Khokon and Mofizur. I was playing chess with them; suddenly Ersha d started to cry and his wife was a bit careless. Khokon vai told me ‘look madam, how rude the wife is’. I asked, ‘what happened? ’ ‘Ershad Ershad is a 24years young married man. His home town is in Tangail, which is about 100 km far from Dhaka. He was a farmer. One day he was carying a load of paddy tree.Suddenly he fell down in a rat hole. He got hurt in his neck. His bone in neck broke. Ershad was taken directly to the district hospital and that hospital referred him to CRP. According to the assessment of the therapists, he has to use wheel chair for ever. However, the topography of his area is not plain; the area is full of up and low land. He has a house in a high land and paddy field in a low land. The low land goes under water during the rainy season at least for four months. As a wheel chair person, movement is so difficult for him. Moreover, in the rainy season, it is impossible.On the other hand he took shop keeping training from CRP and wan ted to give a shop in the market. When I asked whether it is possible to maintain a shop with this circumstance, he did not give any answer. peed in his lungi (lungi is like a skirt, but mostly the male of south Asia wear it), so his wife behaved rudely with him. Mofizur vai was leaving the room and saying himself, ‘how bad women she is, no respect for husband†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. Khokon Vai react as 24 Chapter Three: Daily life in CRP; Living with Disability well ‘my wife is 100 times better than this woman, I shout a lot, but she never reacts or behave rudely’.However, the wife of Khokon Sharder (32): He is a very talkative man at half way hostel. Before accident, he was a line man of Polly Bitdut (A company for electricity supply). He had to climb electric poles for maintenance purpose. One day he falls from the electric pole and got hurt in back. He took the shop keeping training and wants to build a shop of electronic products back in home. Ershad was careless lik e before. She was starting to do her task in a rude and quiet way; she changed Ershad’s lungi, cleaned the body, and rubbed the lower part of the body.Aminul vai, the care taker of half way hostel came and tried to make her understand ‘look don’t misbehave with your Mofizur Rahman (22): he was laying under his truck, checking its wheel, all of a sudden the truck started to move. A child had climbed up onto the truck, turned the key and got it moving towards his chest. Thus the truck driver Mozifur Rahman got his chest crushed. After having spent several months at the medical care division of CRP-Savar, Mozifur went back to his home in Khulna division to try to live the life in his wheelchair with his parents, sisters and brothers, wife and his four years old son.He would also try to find out ways to earn living for himself and his family. He would decide whether he would work as a shop keeper or earn money from renting out his parents property. He supposed to go back to his home after couple of weeks at CRP for his vocational training, but he did not leave even after three months. husband, if God wants you might become disabled in a second, who knows what is going to happen with us! ’ The woman replied that they don’t have fan in their room. Her husband could not sleep last night at all and make her awake and after a long sleepless night how could she control her temper.Aminul vai left the room and the women took a seat next to the patient. Then Ershad, the patient, started to cry again. He was splitting repeatedly. Feeling pain in the chest and could not take breath. Some patient’s relatives came by this time; they were suggesting the women to go to the nursing station. The woman was trying to pick him up to the wheel chair, but failed. I hesitated to help her not only because he was dirty but also as a Bangladeshi female it is tough for me to take a man on my arm. There were no male around. At last with the help 25 Ch apter Three: Daily life in CRP; Living with Disability f some other women, his wife picked up him on the wheel chair. Ershad was crying and shouting ‘I am dying, I am dying, call my parents, my sister, I am dying. ’ They came back after 20 munities and then the wife was shouting ‘look sister, all blamed me. Now see, he trough out the pill by vomit and again make dirty everything. I will die by cleaning and cleaning. ’ By shouting she was helping her husband to transfer him wheelchair to bed. The patient was shouting at the same time as well, ‘take me to my home, I will die. Call my sister over phone. Tell them to take me home’.Slowly the patients and the therapists came back from the field. One therapist name Lockman asked Ershad, ‘what happened to you? ’ He replied, ‘Sir, please save my life. I am dying. My two legs are burning. Please give me some ice. Lokman vai heard all the events and said to Ershad, ‘if I give you ice you will get a cold then, do you want this? This is very normal to have some pain in this time. ’ The other patients also voted in this regard. Heamayet Fakir, another patient, said ‘you don’t know how much pain I have tolerated every day. You have to adjust with it. Don’t behave like a woman. Ershad’s wife came to me and whispered ‘sister, he got a bad wind. When you get this type of bad wind, you have to suffer three times. Previously, he got injured two times and this is his last time. But this time his neck broke. I came here to treat this broken neck, but now we need to go back to kaviraj (traditional healer in Bangladesh, they mainly use the herbal medicine and very often they recite mantra for the patient’s well being). The kaviraj will give him back the strength of his hands and legs’. I asked ‘why three times of suffering? Why not more or less sufferings? ’ She replied ‘this is the rule’.He r husband kept crying. The therapist came back to him and said ‘is the pain still there? ’ Ershad cried out ‘sir someone is cutting my legs from me’. The therapist moved around to the patients and replied, ‘do you hear the sound of metal workshop, the welding sound? I ordered a pair of leg for you, don’t worry. ’ 3. 2 Everyday Recreation in CRP: Entertainment and fun There is a one hour cultural program in every Saturday at half way hostel. Normally patients get admission on Saturday in every week. Thi