The Culture Of Vietnam English Language Essay

The Culture Of Vietnam English Language Essay The Culture of Vietnam which is the agricultural civilization based on the wet rice cultivating is one of the oldest of such in the Asia Pacific region. In terms of prehistory, most Vietnamese historians consider the ancient Dong Son culture to be one of the defining aspects of early Vietnamese civilization. There are some other characteristics that comprise Vietnamese culture: betel- areca nut chewing, teeth darkening, bamboo, respect for community and family value, hardworking and devotion to study. Long periods of domination and interaction with its northern neighbor, China, has resulted in Vietnams historic inclusion as part of the East Asian Cultural Sphere, known widely as Chinese Cultural Sphere with the accepting Confucianism as the philosophy of Mandarin class. However, the major stimulation of Vietnamese cultures development comes from indigenous factors. That is, Vietnamese culture with village culture as its representation is foundation that belongs to Austro-Asiatic culture and Chinese influence and Indian have just only been enrichment. Following independence from China in the 10th century AD, Vietnam began a southward expansion that saw the annexation of territories formerly belonging to the Chapman civilization (now Central Vietnam) and parts of the Khmer empire (today southern Vietnam) which resulted in minor regional variances in Vietnams culture due to exposure to these different groups. During French colonial period, Vietnamese culture received merchant influences from the Europeans, including the spread of Catholicism and the adoption of Latin alphabet-to this day, Vietnam is the only non-island nation of Indochina which uses the Latin alphabet to write the national language. In the socialist era, the cultural life of Vietnam has been deeply influenced by government-controlled media and the cultural influences of socialist programs. For many decades, foreign cultural influences were shunned and emphasis placed on appreciating and sharing the culture of communist nations such as the Soviet Union, China, Cuba and others. Since the 1990s, Vietnam has seen a greater re-exposure to Asian, European and American culture and media. Pod dwellers accounted for 29.6% of the population, their numbers rising 3.4% a year on average, while the head count of rural folks edged up by only 0.4% a year. About 70.4% of Vietnamese citizens currently live in bad areas, and although many are being influenced by the process of a growing economy, rural tradition and customs still play a vital role in shaping the stomping culture. Vietnamese give much to protecting their money, such that traveling to Vietnam means going to an older world for all Asian tourists In terms of societal levels of organization, the two most important units are là  ng (village) and nu?c (country). Vietnamese people usually say that là  ng goes hand in hand with nu?c. Intermediate organizational units like the huy?n (district) and t?nh (province) are not as important. The culture is like a vast ocean of people In rural Vietnam, kinship plays an important role. If it can be said that Western cultures value individualism, then it can also be said that Eastern cultures value the roles of family and clan. Comparing with Eastern cultures, Chinese culture values family over clan while Vietnamese culture values clan over family. Each clan has a patriarch, clan altar, and death commemorations attended by the whole clan. Most inhabitants are related by blood. That fact is still seen in village names such as à ?ng Xà ¡ (place for the à ?ng clan), Chà ¢u Xà ¡, Là ª Xà ¡, and so on so forth. In the Western highlands the tradition of many families in a clan residing in a longhouse is still popular. In the majority of rural Vietnam today one can still see three or four generations living under one roof. Because kinship has an important role in society, there is a complex hierarchy of relationships. In Vietnamese society, there are nine distinct generations. Virtually all commemorations and celebrations within a clan follow the principles of these nine generations. Younger persons might have a higher position in the family hierarchy than an older person and still must be respected as an elder. This complex system of relationships, a result of both Confucianism and societal norms is conveyed particularly through the extensive use of varying pronouns in Vietnamese language, which has an extensive array of honorifics to signify the status of the speaker in regards to the person they are speaking to. In the past, both men and women were expected to be married at quite young ages (by todays standards). Marriages were generally arranged by the parents and extended family, with the children having limited right to say no in the matter. In modern Vietnam, this has changed completely as people choose their own marriage-partners based on love, and in consideration primarily to their own needs and wants. The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important of traditional Vietnamese occasions. Regardless of Westernization, many of the age-old customs practiced in a traditional Vietnamese wedding continue to be celebrated by both Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both Western and Eastern elements. Depending on habits of specific ethnic groups, marriage includes various steps and related procedures, but generally there are two main ceremonies: Le an hoi (betrothal ceremony): Some time before the wedding, the groom and his family visit the bride and her family with round lacquered boxes known as betrothal presents composed of gifts of areca nuts and betel leaves, tea, cake, fruits, wines and other delicacies covered with red cloth and carried by unmarried girls or boys. Both families agree to pick a good day for wedding. Wedding ceremony: Guests would be invited to come to join a party and celebrate the couples happiness. The couple should pray before the altar asking their ancestors for permission for their marriage, then to express their gratitude to both grooms and brides parents for raising and protecting them. Guests will share their joy at a party later Formerly funeral ceremonies went as following: the body was washed and dressed; chopstick was laid between the teeth and a pinch of rice and three coins were dropped in the mouth. Then the body was put on a grass mat laid on the ground according to the saying being born from the earth, one must return back to the earth. The dead body was enveloped with white cloth, and put into the coffin. Finally, the funeral ceremony was officially performed. The deceased persons sons, daughters, and daughters-in-law had to wear coarse gauze turbans and tunics, and hats made of straw or of dry banana fiber. The deceased persons grandchildren and relatives also had to wear mourning turbans. During the days when the dead were still laid out at home, the mourning went on with worshipping meals and mourning music. Relatives, neighbors, and friends came to offer their condolences. The date and time for the funeral processio, must be carefully selected. Relatives, friends, and descendants take part in the funeral procession to accompany the dead along the way to the burial ground. Votive papers were dropped along the way. At the grave site, the coffin is buried and covered. After three days of mourning, the family visits the tomb again, or worship the opening the grave; after 49 days, the family stops bringing rice for the dead to the altar. And finally, after 100 days, the family celebrates the end of the tears. After one year is the ceremony of the first anniversary of the relatives death and after two years is the ceremony of the end of mourning. Nowadays, mourning ceremonies follow new rituals which are simplified; they consist of covering and putting the dead body into the coffin, the funeral procession, the burial of the coffin into the grave, and the visits to the tomb. The deceased persons family members wear a white turban or a black mourning band Religion in Vietnam has historically been largely defined by the East Asian mix of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, the so-called Tam Già ¡o, or triple religion, but today it has become more diverse including other religions such as cat holism, etc. Vietnamese Buddhism has typically been the most popular. The country also has a strong cultural norm of ancestor worship as well as animism. This fits perfectly with the triple religion, making it difficult for many Vietnamese to express exactly which religion they practice.[1] Of the three, Vietnamese Buddhism has always been the most popular with commoners Buddhism came to Vietnam as early as the second century CE through the North from central Asia and via Southern routes from India. Buddhism in Vietnam as practiced by the ethnic Vietnamese is mainly of the Mahayana school, although some ethnic minorities (such as the Khmer Krum) adhere to the Theravada school. Buddhism in Vietnam has had a symbiotic relationship with Taoism, Chinese spirituality, and the indigenous Vietnamese religion. The majority of Buddhist practitioners focus on devotional rituals rather than meditation. Buddhism is not practiced the same as in other Asian countries and does not contain the institutional structures, hierarchy, or sang has that exist in other traditional Buddhist settings. Due to this observation the estimate that 80% of the Vietnamese population is Buddhist is questionable, but does however show that many Vietnamese define their spiritual needs using a Buddhist worldview Besides the triple religion, Vietnamese life was also profoundly influenced by the practice of ancestor worship as well as native animism. Most Vietnamese people, regardless of religious denomination, practice ancestor worship and have an ancestor altar at their home or business, a testament to the emphasis Vietnamese culture places on filial duty. Along with obligations to clan and family, education has always played a vital role in Vietnamese culture. In the old days, scholars were placed at the top of society. Men not born of noble blood could only wish to elevate their status by means of studying for a rigorous Imperial examination which could potentially open doors to a position in the government, granting them power and prestige as Mandarin officials Vietnamese cuisine is extremely diverse, often divided into three main categories, each pertaining to Vietnams three main regions (north, central and south). It uses very little oil and many vegetables, and is mainly based on rice, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Its characteristic flavors are sweet (sugar), spicy (Serrano peppers), sour (lime), fish sauce, and flavored by a variety of mint and basil. Vietnam also has a large variety of noodles and noodle soups. Different regions invented different types of noodles, varying in shapes, tastes, colors, etc. One of the nations most famous type of noodles is pronounced fuh, a type of noodle soup originating in North Vietnam, which consists of rice noodles and beef soup (sometimes chicken soup) with several other ingredients such as bean sprouts and scallions (spring onions). It is often eaten for breakfast, but also makes a satisfying lunch or light dinner. The boiling stock, fragrant with spices and sauces, is poured over the noodles and vegetables, poaching the paper-thin slices of raw beef just before serving. Ph? is meant to be savored, incorporating several different flavors: the sweet flavor of beef, sour lemons, salty fish sauce, and fresh vegetables. In feudal Vietnam, clothing was one of the most important marks of social status and strict dress codes were enforced. Commoners had a limited choice of similarly plain and simple clothes for every day use, as well as being limited in the colors they were allowed to use. For a period, commoners were not allowed to wear clothes with dyes other than black, brown or white (with the exception of special occasions such as festivals), but in actuality these rules could change often based upon the whims of the current ruler. The à o t? thà ¢n or four-part dress is one such example of an ancient dress widely worn by commoner women, along with the à o y?m bodice which accompanied it. Peasants across the country also gradually came to wear silk pajama-like costumes, known as à o cà ¡nh in the north and à o bà   ba in the south. Monarchs had the exclusive right to wear the color gold, while nobles wore red or purple. Each member of the royal court had an assortment of different formal gowns they would wear at a particular ceremony, or for a particular occasion. The rules governing the fashion of the royal court could change dynasty by dynasty, thus Costumes of the Vietnamese court were quite diverse. The most popular and widely-recognized Vietnamese national costume is the à o Dà  i, which is worn nowadays mostly by women, although men do wear à o dà  i on special occasions such as weddings and funerals. à o dà  i is derived from the Chinese Xiao, although it consists of a long gown with a slit on both sides, worn over cotton or silk trousers. It is elegant in style and comfortable to wear, and likely derived in the 18th century or in the royal court of Hu?. White à o dà  i is the required uniform for girls in many high schools across Vietnam. Some female office workers (e.g. receptionists, secretaries, tour guides) are also required to wear à o dà  i. à o dà  i was once worn by both genders but today it is worn mainly by females, except for certain important traditional culture-related occasions where some men do wear it. In daily life, the traditional Vietnamese styles are now replaced by Western styles. Traditional clothing is worn instead on special occasions, with the exception of the white à o dà  i commonly seen with high school girls in Vietnam Traditional Vietnamese art is art practiced in Vietnam or by Vietnamese artists, from ancient times (including the elaborate Dong Son drums) to post-Chinese domination art which was strongly influenced by Chinese Buddhist art, among other philosophies such as Taoism and Confucianism. The art of Champ and France also played a smaller role later on. The Chinese influence on Vietnamese art extends into Vietnamese pottery and ceramics, calligraphy, and traditional architecture. Currently, Vietnamese lacquer paintings have proven to be quite popular Calligraphy has had a long history in Vietnam, previously using Chinese characters along with Ch? Nà ´m. However, most modern Vietnamese calligraphy instead uses the Roman-character based Qu?c Ng?, which has proven to be very popular. In the past, with literacy in the old character-based writing systems of Vietnam being restricted to scholars and elites, calligraphy nevertheless still played an important part in Vietnamese life. On special occasions such as the Lunar New Year, people would go to the village teacher or scholar to make them a calligraphy hanging (often poetry, folk sayings or even single words). People who could not read or write also often commissioned scholars to write prayers which they would burn at temple shrines. Vietnamese music varies slightly in the three regions: B?c or North, Trung or Central, and Nam or South. Northern classical music is Vietnams oldest and is traditionally more formal. Vietnamese classical music can be traced to the Mongol invasions, when the Vietnamese captured a Chinese opera troupe. Central classical music shows the influences of Champa culture with its melancholic melodies. Southern music exudes a lively laissez-faire attitude. Vietnam has got some 50 national music instruments, in which the set of percussion instruments is the most popular, diverse and long-lasting such as copper drums, gongs, lithopone, Dan to rung The set of blowing instruments is represented by flutes and pan-pipes, while the set of string instruments is specified. The Vietnamese folksongs are rich in forms and melodies of regions across the country, ranging from reciting poems, lullaby, chantey In the 20th century, in contact with the Western culture, especially after the national independence, many new categories of arts like plays, photography, cinemas, and modern art had taken shape and developed strongly, obtaining huge achievements with the contents reflecting the social and revolutionary realities. Up to 1997, there have been 44 people operating in cultural and artistic fields honored with the Ho Chi Minh Award, 130 others conferred with Peoples Artist Honor, and 1011 people awarded with the Excellent Artist Honor. At the start of 1997, there were 191 professional artistic organizations and 26 film studios (including central and local ones). There have been 28 movies, 49 scientific and documentary films receiving international motion picture awards in many countries Hà ¡t tu?ng (also known as Hà ¡t b?i): A theatre form strongly influenced by Chinese opera, it transitioned from being entertainment for the royal court to travelling troupes who performed for commoners and peasants, featuring many well-known stock characters. C?i luong: A kind of modern folk opera originating in South Vietnam, which utilizes extensive vibrato techniques. It remains very popular in modern Vietnam when compared to other folk styles. Hà ¡t chà ¨o: The most mainstream of theatre/music forms in the past, enjoyed widely by the public rather than the more obscure Ca trà ¹ which was favored more by scholars and elites. Water puppetry Water Puppet Theatre in Hanoi: Water is a distinct Vietnamese art which had its origins in the 10th century. In Water Puppetry a split-bamboo screen obscures puppets which stand in water, and are manipulated using long poles hidden beneath the water. Epic story lines are played out with many different puppets, often using traditional scenes of Vietnamese life. The puppets are made from quality wood, such as the South East Asian Jackfruit tree. Each puppet is carefully carved, and then painted with numerous successive layers of paint to protect the puppets. Despite nearly dying out in the 20th century, Water Puppetry has been recognized by the Vietnamese Government as an important part of Vietnams cultural heritage. Today, puppetry is commonly performed by professional puppeteers, who typically are taught by their elders in rural areas of Vietnam. It is now extremely popular with tourists, and is performed at the National Museum in Ho Chi Minh city and in specialist theatres. In 2007 a Water Puppet troupe toured the USA to acclaim Vietnam has 54 different ethnics, each with their own traditional dance. Among the ethnic Vietnamese majority, there are several traditional dances performed widely at festivals and other special occasions, such as the lion dance. In the imperial court there also developed throughout the centuries a series of complex court dances which require great skill. Some of the more widely known are the imperial lantern dance, fan dance, and platter dance, among others Vietnamese martial art is highly developed from the countrys long history of warfare and attempts to defend itself from foreign occupation. Although most heavily influenced by Chinese martial arts, it has developed its own characteristics throughout the millennia in combination with other influences from its neighbors. Vietnamese martial art is deeply spiritual due to the influence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, and is strongly reliant on the Viet Vo Dao (philosophy of Vietnamese martial arts). It is probably most famous for its scissor kicks. The general Vietnamese term for martial arts is Và µ-Thu?t, which encompasses all of the countless styles. Some of the more popular include: Vovinam Và µ Bà ¬nh à ?nh Quan Khi Dao Vietnamese martial art remains relatively unknown in the world today when compared to its counterparts from China, Japan, Korea or Thailand. However, this is seeing a definite change as schools teaching various styles of Vietnamese martial arts are starting to pop up all over the world, notably in countries such as Spain Vietnamese martial art is highly developed from the countrys long history of warfare and attempts to defend itself from foreign occupation. Although most heavily influenced by Chinese martial arts, it has developed its own characteristics throughout the millennia in combination with other influences from its neighbors. Vietnamese martial art is deeply spiritual due to the influence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, and is strongly reliant on the Viet Vo Dao (philosophy of Vietnamese martial arts). It is probably most famous for its scissor kicks. Literature Vietnamese literature includes two major components which have developed simultaneously and are profoundly interrelated: Folk literature and written literature. Vietnamese folk literature came into being very early and had a profound effect on the spiritual life of the Viet. The folk literature always praised beauty, humanism, and the love of goodness, and contributed to the formation of a national sense. Legends, fairy tales, humorous stories, folk songs, epics and so on, have a tremendous vitality and have lived on until today. Written literature was born roughly in the 10th century. Up to the 20th century, there had been two components existing at the same time: works written in the Han characters (with poems and prose demonstrating the Vietnamese soul and realities; thus, they were still regarded as Vietnamese literature) and works written in the Nom character (mostly poems; many great works were handed down to the later generations). Since the 1920s , written literature has been mainly composed in the National language with profound renovations in form and category such as novels, new-style poems, short stories and dramas, and with diversity in artistic tendency. Written literature attained speedy development after the August Revolution, when it was directed by the Vietnamese Communist Partys guideline and focused on the peoples fighting and work life. Modern Vietnamese literature has developed from romanticism to realism, from heroism in wartime to all aspects of life, and soared into ordinary life to discover the genuine values of the Vietnamese people. Classical literature generated such masterpieces as Truyen Kieu (Nguyen Du), Cung oan ngam khuc (Nguyen Gia Thieu), Chinh phu ngam (Dang Tran Con), and Quoc am thi tap (Nguyen Trai). The Vietnamese had brilliant female poets such as: Ho Xuan Huong, Doan Thi Diem, and Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, centuries ago. In Vietnamese modern prose, there were authors who could emulate whomever in the world, namely, Nguyen Cong Hoan, Vu Trong Phung, Ngo Tat To, Nguyen Hong, Nguyen Tuan, and Nam Cao. They were joined by excellent poets: Xuan Dieu, Huy Can, Han Mac Tu, and Nguyen Binh. Regrettably, their great works that faithfully reflected the country and the times have yet to appear Vietnam has a number of UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites, as well as cultural relics deemed as Intangible heritage. These are split into specific categories: Cultural heritage sites Hoi An: An ancient city and trading center. Imperial city of Hu?: Complex of monuments in the former imperial capital. My Son: Ancient temple complex of the former Champa civilization in Quang Nam province. Natural heritage sites Phong Nha cave, Quang Binh province. Ha Long Bay Intangible Cultural Heritage Nhà £ nh?c: A form of Vietnamese court music. Space of Gong culture in the Central Highlands of Vietnam Ca trà ¹ Quan h? There are a number of other potential world heritage sites, as well as intangible cultural heritages which Vietnam has completed documents on for UNESCOs recognition in the future. Vietnam celebrates many holidays, including traditional holidays which have been celebrated in Vietnam for thousands of years, along with modern holidays imported predominantly from western countries. Among the traditional holidays, the two most important and widely celebrated are the New Year although the latter has been losing ground in recent years With the adoption of your child from Vietnam comes a whole new Vietnamese culture that you will want to share with your family. Our articles introduce you to Vietnam and to the Vietnamese culture, including Vietnamese holidays, Vietnamese cooking, Vietnamese names, Vietnamese culture camps, craft projects, humanitarian aid projects, and more Vietnamese culture, including holidays and celebrations, Vietnamese names, Vietnamese food and recipes, Vietnamese language and more

Understanding The Difference of Living Standards & Standard of Living

The American life style has been very much shaped by their economy. Nearly all aspects of American, and for that matter the rest of the world†s, life have been changed by their economy†s in some way, shape or form. Everything from the beds we sleep on, to the food we eat, to the jobs we aquire to make ends meet is continuously shaped by the different economies each respective country has. So what is quality of life anyway? There are probably a thousand different answers to that question, but they all point in the same direction. Quality of life means how happy you are with the lifestyle you have. Are you unhappy because you don†t have the belongings you want, or are you perfectly happy being without them, and believe in just enjoying life for what it is. Quality of life is a measure of your social, economic and mental well being. Standard of living is something totally different from quality of life. Although they sound the same and the meanings of the separate words are similar, each phrase has it†s own meaning. The standard of your living may affect your standard of life though. Standard of living means the material possessions you have. It is the degree you are able to satisfy your material wants and needs. First, to understand how the fact that the United States is a market economy affects the quality of life there, it helps for you to know some history on the subject. When the United States first started there was practically no secondary industry, this was because there hadn†t been a need for it before then. All the States did was â€Å"harvest† the raw goods from the land and sell them back to the mother country. There wasn†t any need to have any secondary industry. This all changed when they became a separate country. Later on when the British industrial revolution was about at it†s midriff the American revolution kicked in. this changed the secondary industry from a cottage based industry to a factory based industry with the introduction of machines that could do the work of several men. The farmers started to move out of the country and in to the big cities, where all the work was. Eli Whitney can be credited with the mass production of interchangeable pa rts. Unfortunately, this system created a feeling of alienation. The workers in the the factorys were in a totally different social class than the managers. This gap along with the fact that they didn†t feel like they were part of the coroporation, a corporation acts as a single fictcios person, the workers didn†t feel like they were part of this person. The quality of life of the workers at these factories went down. They felt alienated at work, then they went home to poor housing conditions, malnutrition and virtually no social mobility. Although they weren†t nearly as bad as in Britain. The producers were happy though; they were making lots of money and more and better products than ever before. This leads to the next issue of the relations between the labor force and management. This affects how people get the products, and how some people work, thus affecting the quality of life of many American citizens. Labor and management often have disagreements because the two groups have different views on how things should work. Management wants to keep production costs at a minimum, and therefore giving workers a low wage, while labor workers want high wages and lots of benefits for themselves. When the two groups have a disagreement and go into talks they try to find the answer to one simple question, â€Å"what should be the terms and conditions of employment?† and depending on their respective answers, they agree or disagree. These decisions determine the relationship of these two groups. There are many risks in business, especially if you are the proprietor behind a proprietorship. This kind of business means you stand to lose or gain the most. If this fact is causing too much stress, your quality of life may â€Å"go through the floor.† But if you are the kind of person who values money very highly, your quality of life may go up when you have the knowledge that you may be able to make that much money. There are always ways to get around the risks of business; there are exemptions to every rule. There is always to lose too though. Since the great depression, government has had much more to do with the economy than it used to. The government has much more to do with the American citizen†s life since the great depression. This bothers some people, but others like the security of being under the government†s protective wing. The government has decided to exert more controll because they want to limit the fluctuations of the business cycle. The government now makes laws and regulations to restrain the country. There are also many more social programs now, which some people couldn†t live without. These were developed because people were losing money and jobs over things which they didn†t have control over, like market fluctuations. The consumer has a very important role in the economy, and so in there own standard of living, and even in there own quality of life. Some people are only happy when they have the material possessions, while others have no need of material things to make them happy. The people who need the possessions put a high regard to what the role of an American consumer is. Things like complaining when something is unsatisfactory, and becoming informed about which products to buy. Every country has an economic system, and economic systems affect lifestyles, quality of lives, and standards of living. An economy can affect life much the way a climate can. In fact, an economy is actually a kind of climate. An economy can change, fluctuate and cause harm much the same way a weather climate can. The united states has used all levels of government and private enterprise to ensure an adequate quality of life for all of it†s citizens. The market economy is allowed to function by the government as long as it supports the common good, or quality of life.

Gender Inequality Within The Workplace Essay - 1209 Words

Gender Inequality in the Workplace The generation now has made it easier to equalize men and women but there is still a substantial amount of places where gender inequality is still happening in the workplace and where females still face discrimination. Women are often discriminated in the workplace and are usually not promoted as quickly as men are and they also receive less pay. History shows that women have not always been defined as property and thought of as second class citizens. But in the 21st century many have seen a drastic change in the so called â€Å"traditional† family ways where women are suppose to stay home and take care of the household chores, food, and children and men are suppose to work to support their family and provide financial stability. Many assume that in the workplace women are more vulnerable and less competent than men because women s instincts are to put their family before work or anything else. Whereas men are the ones who will usually stay the late hours to work. People on bo th sides of the political spectrum and everywhere in between seem to be fearful of what is to come and more fearful of others than they are often willing to admit. In the midst of this conflicted cultural moment, our generation is often pointed to as part of the problem but it doesn t end there one of the biggest social problems in society that still remains from passed down generations is the act of discrimination against women. When it came to voting, women wereShow MoreRelatedGender Inequality Within The Workplace1379 Words   |  6 Pages  Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. It arises from differences in socially constructed gender roles as well as biologically through chromosomes, brain structure, and hormonal differences. There is a natural difference also in the relative physical strengths of the sexes. 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Gender inequality is between the male andRead MoreGender Discrimination And The Workplace1356 Words   |  6 Pages2.1 Introduction For many decades now it has been said that there has been inequality in the workplace, it has been a major issue in the workplace in terms of women not being allowed to have certain jobs as well as in terms of women not being promoted within the workplace which all contributes to women being paid less than men. According to Ryan and Branscombe (2013), gender discrimination has been defined as the differential treatment members of one group receive compared to another by many socialRead MoreGender Inequality In Australia Essay1622 Words   |  7 Pagesdominant partner, who belongs primarily to the public sphere. These historic gender norms have been deeply imbedded within Australia’s social foundation, and although society has gradually shifted away from these roles, evidence suggests that this gender inequality still riddles the modern day workplace. Liberal feminist groups have embraced this issue, and have classified it as being a true barrier to achieving the ultimate gend er equality goal. Consequently, these liberal feminists along with general

Access Restrictions to Social Security Death Index

The Social Security Death Master File, maintained by the US Social Security Administration (SSA), is a database of death records collected from a variety of sources used by the SSA to administer their programs. This includes death information collected from family members, funeral homes, financial institutions, postal authorities, States and other Federal agencies. The Social Security Death Master File is not a comprehensive record of all deaths in the United States—just a record of those deaths reported to the Social Security Administration. The SSA maintains two versions of the Death Master File (DMF): The  full file  contains all death records extracted from the SSA database, including death data received from the States, and is shared only with certain Federal and State agencies pursuant to section 205(r) of the Social Security Act.The  public file  (commonly referred to as the Social Security Death Index, or SSDI), as of 1 November 2011, does  not  include protected death records received from the States.   According to the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), which disseminates the Death Master File, â€Å"Section 205(r) of the Act prohibits SSA from disclosing state death records SSA receives through its contracts with the states, except in limited circumstances.† This change removed approximately  4.2 million of the 89 million deaths at that time contained in the public Death Master File (Social Security Death Index), and approximately 1 million fewer deaths are now added each year.  At the same time, the Social Security Agency also stopped including the decedent’s residential state and Zip code in the public file (SSDI). Why the Changes to the Public Social Security Death Index? The 2011 changes to the Social Security Death Index began with a  Scripps Howard News Service investigation in July 2011, that complained about individuals using Social Security Numbers for deceased individuals found online to commit tax and credit fraud. Large genealogy services which offered access to the Social Security Death Index were targeted as helping to perpetuate the fraud related to use of social security numbers for deceased individuals. In November 2011, GenealogyBank removed social security numbers from their free U.S. Social Security Death Index database, after two customers complained their privacy was violated when the Social Security Administration falsely listed them as deceased. In December 2011, following a petition sent to the five largest genealogy services who provided online access to the SSDI, by  U.S. Senators  Sherrod Brown  (D-Ohio),  Richard Blumenthal  (D-Connecticut),  Bill Nelson  (D-Florida) and  Richard J. Durbin  (D-Illinois), A ncestry.com removed all access to the popular, free version of the SSDI that had been hosted on RootsWeb.com for over a decade. They also removed social security numbers for individuals who died within the past 10 years  from the SSDI database hosted behind their membership wall on Ancestry.com,  due to sensitivities around the information in this database. The Senators December 2011 petition urged companies to remove and no longer post on your website deceased individuals Social Security numbers because they believe that the benefits provided by making the Death Master File readily available online are greatly outweighed by the costs of disclosing such personal information, and that ...given the other information available on your website -- full names, birth dates, death dates --  Social Security numbers provide little benefit to individuals undertaking to learn about their familial history.  While the letter conceded that posting the Social Security numbers is not illegal under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), it also went on to point out that legality and propriety are not the same thing. Unfortunately, these 2011 restrictions werent the end of the changes to public access to the Social Security Death Index. Pursuant to law passed in December 2013 (Section 203 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013), access to information contained in the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File (DMF) is now limited for a three year period beginning on the date of an individual’s death to authorized users and recipients who qualify for certification. Genealogists and other individuals can no longer request copies of social security applications (SS-5) for individuals who have died within the past three years under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. Recent deaths are also not included in the SSDI until three years after the date of death. Where You Can Still Access the Social Security Death Index Online