Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X have come to be two profoundly controversial figures in American history. The way these remarkable men died has become the last manifestation of intolerance and loathing that was the ultimate message of the white society’s segregative practices. With their vibrant rhetoric and revolutionary ideas, King and Malcolm X presented a tangible threat. Ideologically, they stood on the opposite poles but apart from that – and their social background – these two fates bear significant similarities. King and Malcolm X boldly raised their voices on behalf of the black community for the sake of justice. Although they came from different backgrounds, practiced different religions, and critiqued each other for what they regarded as flawed visions, there was much more to it than ideological rivalry and confrontation on religious grounds. These two lives were in itself a historical happening in the atmosphere of violence and fear.
First and foremost, the part that religion played in the lives and ideologies of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X is often underestimated. It is quite justifiable since they have made society and politics their primary action platform. From the work by Howard-Pitney, however, the significance of religion as a rhetorical base becomes clear. King, for instance, was an adept of several religious philosophies at once, incorporating the best in them to create his very own philosophy. The theology of liberation regarded human beings as a source of good, which was particularly appealing to King. On the other hand, he could not have overlooked the history full of pain which was the history of his people in the US. Slavery and segregation assured King of the indispensability of evil.
Reinhold Niebuhr’s theories conformed to what King saw and knew since they proclaimed human beings as containers of evil, which was most ferociously unleashed in – and by – collectives (Howard-Pitney 41-43). King adopted the Gandhian philosophy of nonviolence and adjusted it to Christianity. His was the philosophy of responsibility and awareness of the unified race of human beings that suffered. Unlike King, Malcolm X had been always convinced of the evil nature of the whites. The tragedies that he suffered and witnessed as a child were the primary precondition; later, he was attracted to a philosophy that justified his utterly radical views. Elijah Muhammad’s religion gave him the theoretical background that came to be regarded as close to extremist and furthering racial prejudice, only in reverse (55-56). The differences in the religious stances are, thus, obvious. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that religion was what inspired both King and Malcolm in their fight for justice and was an effective imperative for their followers.
In essence, the diversity of religious and, consequently, philosophical stances can be explained by the fact that King was a Christian (peppering his ideas with Hindu influences), and Malcolm X was a Muslim. As a result, even at the heat of events, King has never regarded violence as a means of achieving goals. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King provides a detailed explanation of his actions, particularly his non-violent protests against the local power shift in Birmingham (77-78). He was a believer in the unification of all races to eradicate injustice and inequality and preferred to fight with words. His rhetoric and appellations to religious images were his only weapons. When criticized for provoking violence by his speeches, he conceded that it was well-nigh criticizing Jesus as if He were angling for being crucified.
Contrary to Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X believed in the necessity to achieve the goal by all means, even if they included physical violence. The suspicion with which he treated white people and the bitterness with which he prophesized that they would eventually succumb to God’s judgment for their sins deserved him the image of a gadfly. At the time when Elijah Muhammad had the most influence over Malcolm, he equalized slavery with the First Offence. Later, he maintained that black people were in their right to give an equal response to the whites’ crimes. Such a position was in itself a critique of King’s non-violence proclamations. Malcolm X argued that King was an advocate of black-to-black violence; as a result, his main position was the unification of black people – presumably, against the white (134-135). In his turn, King regarded Malcolm’s religion as hateful and bitter.
Albeit the differences in positions, there is another point of contact between these two remarkable biographies. Neither Martin Luther King, Jr. nor Malcolm X stayed static in their views, drifting from open self-righteousness towards deeper and more profound spirituality. Later in life, their views of rights mostly concerned the rights that all human share, deviating from what they used to struggle for. The Vietnam War proved a string influence over King’s ideas and messages. He turned onto the issues of poverty and the hypocritical notions of unity that both the whites and the black fought for in Vietnam. The nation that claimed to bring liberty was herself bound hand and foot by segregation, which appalled King.
As to Malcolm X, in 1964 he made a pilgrimage and ceased to serve as a communicator of Elijah Muhammad’s ideas. He eventually came to acknowledge the issue of race as the problem of the US and not the racial issue. In other words, he regarded it as a historical problem and realized the presence of good in every human being. He even adopted some of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ideas regarding groups and collectives as the most active conductor of evil (159). Having slowed down his flight, Malcolm seemed to realize that he will never be able to get away with it. He seemed to know his future would be doomed. The adepts and agents of Muhammad would never forgive what they regarded as his betrayal. The forthcoming generations, as well as the best minds of his own, would always regard him as a gadfly and an oppositionist to what King proclaimed – peace – and misinterpret his intentions. However, for what it was worth when the future of Civil Rights was concerned, his impact is hard to overestimate (179).
Had Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. acted together, they might have changed the situation at its root twice as fast. However, both minds succumbed untimely to the sheer reality of hatred and stagnation. Towards the end of their lives, both King and Malcolm X developed views that have led them to independence and mental freedom from the boundaries of white governance and radical Islam. Theirs were probably the most important steps on the way to a better society, and they virtually paved the path with their lives.
Works Cited
Howard-Pitney, David. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and the Civil Rights Struggle of the 1950s and 1960s: A Brief History with Documents. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004. Print.
Medical Research Design: Selection And Comparison
Selecting a proper study design is very important in medical and scientific research. It can affect the quality, reliability, and usability of a study. Specifying the design is a requirement in all medical research papers (“Study designs,” 2016). Typically, the research topic determines what type of study is going to be applied to it. The researcher chooses a question to answer in their study, decides on how useful the research would be, and how the results are going to be interpreted. This paper will offer proper study designs for three example cases, analyze their strengths and weaknesses, and provide a rationale for the designs selected.
Is the use of soap and water or alcohol-based rubs more effective in preventing nosocomial infections?
Appropriate research design
For this study, the appropriate research design would be a randomized controlled trial. This kind of study design splits the participants into two or more groups – the control group and the experimental groups. To identify the outcome, the results of the experimental groups have to be compared with the results of the control group. Randomized controlled trials are the backbone of most medical researches (“Gold standard of evidence,” 2016).
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Design Type
Randomized controlled trials are very popular in medicine for their reliability and efficiency. If the process of randomization was done properly, the research would not have any population bias. RCTs are much easier to mask than observational studies, which plays an important part in much scientific research (Pandis, 2012). The process of masking ensures that all participants are reasonably unaware of when the experimentation starts. This is done to eliminate potential bias in patients or any personnel taking part in the research. As practice showed, this bias can negatively influence the research, induce an additional placebo effect, affect natural reactions to the procedures, and distort the results. RTCs are very easy to understand and analyze using standard statistical methods, which are less prone to interpretation. Lastly, it is easy to identify target populations and compile lists of patients participating in the research (“Randomized controlled trial,” 2016).
Randomized controlled trials have several negative aspects to them. They are time-consuming and require money and resources. Another downside is the so-called volunteer bias. Modern medical laws forbid any experiments from taking place without the participant’s consent. The physical and social characteristics of volunteers may be different from actual reality the experiment tries to emulate, thus creating volunteer bias (“Volunteer bias,” 2010). Lastly, while RCTs are good at providing results, they do not reveal the causation of certain developments. In addition to that, any information about follow-up treatment is typically lost after the experiment is over (“Randomized controlled trial,” 2016).
The Rationale for the Particular Design Type
This research would be relatively easy to organize in the form of a randomized controlled trial. The participants could be split into two groups – the first group could be using alcohol-based rubs, the second – soap, and water in a standard hospital setting. The results of the experiment would be easy to compare to one another, and the level of randomization would ensure that the results provided are accurate and statistically reliable.
What is the relationship between alcohol and breast cancer?
Appropriate Research Design
The appropriate research design for this question would be a systematic review. This type of design relies greatly on the analysis of existing sources of information, be that peer-reviewed articles, journals, randomized controlled trials, and other studies on the topic of research. The data is then compiled into a comprehensive study, the findings are summarized, and references to particular sources are made to provide a basis for statements and conclusions made in the research (“Systematic review,” 2016).
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Design Type
This design method is very widespread in all sciences, not just in medical practice. It allows for an exhaustive review of all information sources available on the subject, meaning that the researcher can rely on summaries and findings made by other specialists in the field (“Systematic review,” 2016). This method is very cost-efficient for this reason – it is much cheaper to review the results of previous researches than to conduct experiments using real equipment and test subjects. It is also less time-consuming, as all the relevant data has already been compiled and presented in an easy-to-comprehend format. The results of such studies are typically easy to extrapolate. Lastly, the results of such studies are considered an evidence-based resource and are typically more accurate than individual studies, as the researcher can compare the results of similar studies to determine the cause and effect (“Systematic review,” 2016).
The weaknesses of this type of research are few. The research itself can be time-consuming if many sources have to be read through and analyzed. Also, the sources itself could present difficulty when combining them. Lastly, depending on the subject, a lack of relevant data may render the systematic review unfeasible to perform (“Systematic review,” 2016).
The Rationale for the Particular Design Type
The relationship between alcohol and breast cancer has been the subject of many studies. There is no need to conduct any sorts of experiments or raw data collection, as these would take too much time and resources. Instead, the researcher could rely on previous studies to compile a new article and summarize the findings of all relevant researches in it.
What is the difference in attitudes of male and female college students toward condoms?
Appropriate Research Design
The appropriate research design for this study would be survey research, conducted via a questionnaire. Survey researches are frequently used as a noninvasive way of gathering data about or from a particular population group. There are many types of surveys, sampling methods, and ways of offering them to the general populace. Questionnaires are lists of questions, which the participants are expected to answer (“Survey research and questionnaires,” 2016). Depending on the nature of questions the research seeks to answer, the questionnaires could be close-ended or open-ended.
Close-ended questionnaires typically have a list of predetermined answers, from which the respondent gets to choose. These types of questionnaires are easy to process and analyze, as the answers given by the respondents are not open to interpretation. This type of questionnaire is often used to gather statistical data (Advantages of close-ended questions,” 2016). Open-ended questionnaires do not have a list of predetermined answers and require the respondents to fill the box with their thoughts. This type of questionnaire is used when the questions are complicated and have a multitude of possible answers (Sincero, 2012). Surveys could be administered via mail, by telephone, or face-to-face.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Design Type
Survey research is a very cost-efficient method of gathering data. This type of research does not require any material backup and can be conducted by anyone, through multiple communication channels. Distributing questionnaires allow us to quickly gather a large and randomized database for planned or ongoing research. The format enables the researcher to accurately estimate the characteristics of the target group without having to spend time and energy on personally interviewing every single representative (“Survey research and questionnaires,” 2016).
However, the survey method has several flaws to it, which is why it is never used for in-depth research. The data gathered from surveys is often superficial, as the respondents tend to avoid sharing personal and sensitive information via a survey format. Some respondents may purposefully mislead the researchers with their responses, for various reasons. Another issue that needs to be considered is the worldwide response rates decline. Many potential respondents are disinterested in spending time on completing the surveys (“The growing problem of nonresponse,” 2016).
The Rationale for the Particular Design Type
This study design would be very effective for this particular research due to its quickness and cost-efficiency. The data required for this research does not need to be particularly in-depth. This method will allow the researcher to gather information from as many respondents as possible, which would ensure an accurate representation of the target group.
Conclusions
Choosing the right design for the research could have a great impact on the project. Every type of design has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. The researcher must weigh in all the pros and cons before deciding which method to apply.
References
Advantages of close-ended questions. (2016). Web.
Gold standard of evidence: The randomized controlled trial. (2016).
Pandis, N. (2012). Statistics and research design: Blinding and masking. Web.
Randomized controlled trial. (2016).
Sincero, S.M. (2012). Types of survey questions.
Study designs. (2016).
Survey research and questionnaires. (2016). Web.
Systematic review. (2016).
The growing problem of nonresponse. (2013).
Volunteer bias. (2010).
Problem Of The Childhood Obesity
I have chosen childhood obesity as the population health issue that interests me most as I believe it is one of the most pressing problems of the XL generation. The major controversy concerning childhood obesity is whether the condition is predetermined by genetics, individual behavior, or the social or physical environment in which children are raised. A fifth health care determinant, access to care, is the least influential in this case.
This latter point of view is supported by the fact that childhood obesity has tripled over the last three decades in the United States. This drastic increase makes researchers believe that this disease can be classified as environmental since modern children are raised in conditions that are drastically different from those of the previous generations. This environmental shift accounts for the fact that even children with healthy genetic backgrounds can fall victim to childhood obesity.
The researchers point to such environmental factors as an increasingly polluted atmosphere, insufficient amounts of sleep, the ubiquity of fast food, and rapid technological development. The social environment seems to be less important since even higher income levels and social status do not safeguard children against the condition (Cunningham, Kramer, & Narayan, 2014).
Despite the evident impact of environmental factors, other scientists still believe in the essential role of genetics, which is one of the most important parts of the equation. For example, it has been proven by various studies that it is much more difficult for some people to maintain a normal weight even if they avoid junk food. In the most complicated cases, even significant lifestyle changes have a very minimal impact on body mass (Moustafa & Froguel, 2013).
Nevertheless, the role of individual behavior should not be underestimated. Behavioral studies have proven that it is possible to predict obesity by relying on an analysis of personal traits. For instance, 4-year-old children who demonstrate low inhibitory control together with the inability to delay gratification are likely to have an increased BMI at the age of 11. These self-regulatory behaviors are sometimes attributed to genetics since they appear very early in life.
However, other scientists believe that they are preconditioned by the personality of a child, which is taught rather than inherited. Other influential behavioral factors include personal diet, physical activity, sleeping and studying habits, and so on. A lack of sleep, a sedentary lifestyle, and an unhealthy diet are often responsible for childhood obesity (Moustafa & Froguel, 2013).
As clear from the current evidence, it is difficult to single out one health determinant as the greatest contributor to childhood obesity since each case is individual (though personal behavior and genetics are the most frequently cited reasons). However, according to epidemiological data, regardless of its root cause, obesity in children has already become a pandemic disease: 20-25% of children and 40-50% of teenagers currently suffer from the condition. The results of research conducted in 79 countries showed that more than 22 million children under 5 years old have obesity issues (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2014).
Besides proving the epidemic character of the disease, these statistics also support the idea that obesity is a complex condition with multiple causes, which means that all policies and health intervention projects should go much further than just diet and exercise. They must take into consideration the fact that obesity is influenced by genetic, behavioral, social, psychological, metabolic, and other factors, the combination of which is unique for each individual child. Thus, although it is possible to develop policies that promote healthy eating behavior, physical activity, and other positive habits, each case must still be addressed independently in order to identify the most significant factors and eliminate the root cause of the problem.
References
Cunningham, S. A., Kramer, M. R., & Narayan, K. V. (2014). Incidence of childhood obesity in the United States. New England Journal of Medicine, 370(5), 403-411.
Moustafa, J. S. E. S., & Froguel, P. (2013). From obesity genetics to the future of personalized obesity therapy. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 9(7), 402-413.
Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B. K., & Flegal, K. M. (2014). Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. Jama, 311(8), 806-814.