Biological Citizenship: enhancing or inhibiting rights as a citizen.
We are living in an age of biological citizenship, a term coined by Nikola Rose which underpins the ideas of the role of biology in human worth, biological responsibilities of a citizen and the citizenship practices in todays world. Biological citizenship is the way in which we regulate our bodies, and how citizenship is linked to our biological existence.
It is interesting to examine legislation that is set by the state; such as health and safety legislation and use this as a platform in which to examine the role biological citizenship plays.
New Zealand is very much an outdoors nation; we rely on farming and forestries. I am sure you would agree we are nation that grow
…show more content…
At a personal level we are expected to be an “active biological citizen”, as Rose describes, the way in which this encompasses not only informing oneself of current illness as well as potential genectic suspetibilites to illness, but also taking steps to mitigate …show more content…
Are our key, non-office based, industiries risking this? And is health and safety legeslation enoguh to equalise the risks taken. This is what McCulloh got me thinking about, the industry we have in New Zealand and the place in which it has in an age of biological citizenship. From Roses text it is taken being an “active biological citizen” is what people should strive to be. So if some people go to so much effort to mitigate largely unpreventable genetic dispositions, is it bad others are out there putting themselves at risk. As seen in a press release by safeguard (http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1704/S00027/health-safety-viewed-as-improving-one-year-after-new-laws.htm) the state feels such an inherent need to protect us, because our bodies are now central in political debate. Our bodies are empowered with political agency for change and illness and injury adds to this. However is this taking away from our personal agency, our own ability to make decissions about the risks we
The development of legislation is not the end of policy issue, usually it’s only the beginning. As these laws are implemented, there are always situations where the law or a specific policy may run into a situation where it is challenged by the public. This is true even when it comes to legislation that is meant to mitigate the worst case scenario. In this post I will be discussing a case that ended in personal tragedy for one family.
The Australian Commission On Safety And Quality in Health care was founded as a powerful body to reform Health care system in Australia. It was established on 1st june 2006 in an incorporated form to lead and coordinate numerous areas related to safety and quality in healthcare across Australia (Windows into Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2011). The commission’s work programs include; development of advice, publications and resources for healthcare teams, healthcare professionals, healthcare organisations and policy makers (Australian Commission On Safety And Quality in Health care). Patients, carers and members of public play a vital role in giving shape to commission’s recommendations thereby ensuring safe, efficient and effective delivery of healthcare services. The commission acknowledges patients and carers as a partner with health service organisations and their healthcare providers. It suggests the patients and carers should be involved in decision making, planning, evaluating and measuring service. People should exercise their healthcare rights and be engaged in the decisions related to their own healthcare and treatment procedures. ...
The aspects that nativism focuses on the change throughout time. Nativism is the extreme opposition of a minority based on the majority’s perception of the minority being foreign and endangering their way of life. (Hingham, 2002) Nativism is based on the fears that the majority population has. If we were able to look into the future it is reasonable to believe that issues that Americans hold dearest and seek to protect would be much more different than the ones that we care about currently. It is important then to keep in mind these fears are often focused on minority groups that very rarely have anything to do with the issue and more importantly a way to protect themselves. As we look at nativism’s progress through American history we will
The steps to becoming a Canadian citizen are comprised of several components. The fact of the matter is that citizenship does not end when an individual obtains the documents that enable them to participate within civic duties and responsibilities. Based on the evidence of expert T.H. Marshall, within his academic essay entitled “Citizenship and Social Class”, the formation of social citizenship “promised greater economic equality, improvements in social welfare, services and education, and the opportunity for individuals to "share to the full in the social heritage and … live the life of a civilized being according to the standards prevailing in the society” (Marshall 1964). Social citizenship is also attributed as the basis of all forms of citizenship, yet is often debated whether it is currently possible and exercised by those of who it would benefit. According to the principles of T.H. Marshall’s literary work, social citizenship is active, as demonstrated through: the four core aspects citizenship, the basis of social policy, and the resulting actions taken by governing bodies.
A Path to Citizenship “What makes someone American isn’t just blood or birth but allegiance to our founding principles and faith in the idea that anyone from anywhere can write the next chapter of our story.” - President Barack Obama. The United States is the melting pot of the world. The great American country was built on immigration. Look around, so many people have ancestors that risked everything to come to the United States to make something of their lives, and the lives of their children.
Immigrants were first welcomed in the late 1700s. European explorers like Walter Raleigh, Lord Baltimore, Roger William, William Penn, Francis Drake, John Smith, and others explored to the New World for religious purposes and industrial growth. The first European settlers that settled in the late 1700s were the Pilgrims. After the Pilgrims first settled in Virginia, the expansion of immigrants started. Then in 1860 to 1915, America was growing with its industries, technology, and education. America’s growing empire attracted many people from Europe. The factors that attracted many people to the American cities where job opportunities with higher income, better education, and factory production growth. As the population grew in the American
As discussed, it is clear that when it comes to public health the lines are often quite blurred. The Biomedical Model and the Lifestyle Theory Model both have their advantages however a common theme throughout both models is that they are both too reductionist in their approach to health. They failed to consider other health models viewpoints, or incorporate external factors such as the social gradient into their reasoning behind the cause and effect of bad health. Therefore instead of trying to categorise health into definite ‘health models’, health needs to be accepted more for what it is - a forever changing and adapting concept.
For centuries, migrating has been a life changing decision for people that choose to enter the United States in search of a better future. Therefore, immigration is the permanent residency of people that choose to move to a new country. There are debates concerning the immigrants who enter the United Stated illegally and as the daughter of immigrant parents, I am fortunate to be born in this country.
Birthright citizenship is the law that anybody born on American soil is automatically a natural-born citizen with rights and privileges regardless of the citizenship status of the parents. To some this is an issue known as immigrants making “anchor babies.” An anchor baby is an offspring of an illegal immigrant, who under legal interpretation becomes a United States citizen. Some republican politicians aim to change the 14th Amendment that grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” The interpretation of this amendment has caused many controversies but overall, birthright citizenship should remain
From that one could conclude that western science at least functions as a more or less monolithic enterprise. However, although western science as a whole is based on a shared methodology and epistemology, distinct preoccupations of the cultures in different regions of the western world exert powerful influences over the construction of scientific discourses. In the United States, there appears to be a strong need in middle class culture to define oneself through ‘one’s biology’. This ‘biology’ however does not signify the body itself, but a metaphorical, linguistic construction of the self around which many aspects of contemporary life are becoming organized. (2) The central metaphor of one’s biology is one’s genes, and ‘one’s genes’ are seen as the essence of the person. For complex historical, political and cultural reasons, the human genome is increasingly equated with the ‘essence’ of human-ness. Coming from New Zealand, this definition of identity through a genetically oriented ‘biological’ discourse is anything but self-evident, in fact, it seems deeply culturally determined. Within the scope of this paper, I will not attempt to identify what drives the need for this view of the self, but would like to stress the importance of seeking answers to this question. It seems to me to be a central concern in any critique of the contemporary gene cult(ure) in American society. The growth of a biotechnological economy and the promotion of matching societal attitudes are obviously contributing to this phenomenon, but they alone do not explain the deep resonance a genetically defined construction of human-ness appears to invoke in people’s psyches.
The notion of health is contextual and an interactive, dynamic process between person and environment (Schim et al, 2007). Both wellness and illness are conceptualized by the ‘person’, existing on a continuum across the lifespan (Arnold & Boggs, 2001).
The question of what is the government’s role in regulating healthy and unhealthy behavior is one that would probably spark a debate every time. Originally, the role was to assist in regulating and ensure those that were unable to afford or obtain healthcare insurance for various reasons would be eligible for medical care. However, now it seems that politicians are not really concerned about what’s best for the citizens but woul...
There are many ways one’s health may become compromised. Physical injuries exist such as broken bones, short-term illnesses like the flu, and perhaps the most devastating of all: diagnosis of a chronic illness such as diabetes. In fact, “About 80% of older adults have at least one chronic disease, and 68% have at least two” (CDSM, 2015). The social ecological model, which aims to describe the interconnectedness of individuals all the way up to public policy, can help to clarify how one’s illness affects those around them. Each day, millions struggle to manage the symptoms of their disease; the role of their social network in helping them cope can likewise have adverse repercussions on their health and quality of life.
New Zealand is often noted for two things: sheep and its incredibly beautiful landscapes. Film producer Peter Jackson capitalized on the natural beauty of New Zealand and has used the land to film two massively successful movie trilogies, both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In fact, tourism is a very large and profitable market in New Zealand. However, there is so much more to New Zealand than what meets the eye. For example, New Zealand is one of the top five dairy exporters in the world. The lands are not only beautiful, but also very fertile. Combined with an agreeable climate for agriculture New Zealand is able to capitalize on profits from a booming agricultural economy through pastoral, forestry and horticulture activities. In fact, around half of all goods that are exported out of New Zealand are agricultural commodities from New Zealand. Efficiency in agriculture is also combined with a sizeable manufacturing and service sector as well as significant growth in high-tech capabilities. According to New Zealand Now’s web page titled “Economic Overview” what is driving this economic growth and success is an openness to trade as well as well defined regulations regarding economic activity. The Commerce Act of 1986 as well as New Zealand’s involvement with APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) are a few examples of how the island economy of New Zealand can provide citizens both nationally and internationally with an assortment of goods and services.
Animal farms aren’t the only widespread economy drivers in New Zealand. In addition to animal farms, New Zealand is also rich with tree farms. This way they can harvest trees for lumber without touching the indigenous forests, most of which are protected indefinitely, like the huge rainforest on the western side of the south island. 30 percent of New Zealand is covered in forest, including both natural and "planted production" forests. This is a large and seemingly healthy percentage relative to most other countries in the world. Sin...