Social Awareness Essay Example

Social Awareness Essay Through Interactions with Diverse Peers by Shirley R. Greene Mark Kamimura University of Michigan Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education Portland, Oregon, November 12-15, 2003 The work reported herein is supported under the National Institute for Student Achievement, Curriculum and Assessment program, agreement number R305T990402-00, CFDA/Subprogram No. :84. 305T, as administered by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), U. S. Department of Education. The findings and opinions expressed in this report do not reflect6 the position and policies of OERI or the U. S. Department of Education. Social Awareness INTRODUCTION Social awareness has it roots in the second wave of the feminist movement (Bickford Reynolds, 2002). It is viewed as one of the key components of consciousness-raising, the other being social action. For many researchers, awareness about issues affecting the community or raising social consciousness has always been a precursor to social movement(Steinem, 1983; Swift, 1990). The internal and external survival of organizations, particularly higher education institutions, requires that they engage their members and encourage them to develop a social awareness that will enable them to reach out to the broader community on these issues. More recent research conducted by Astin (1998), revealed a decline in the percentage of first-year students who voted in a student election and expressed interest in â€Å"participating in a community action program,† â€Å"promoting racial understanding,† and â€Å"becoming involved with programs to clean up the environment† (p. 32) Many traditional college-aged students lack the social awareness that leads to social change (Bickford Reynolds, 2002). Although they can easily identify the icons of social movements, such as the civil rights movement, they seldom appreciate the needs, impetus, and historical specificity that drives social change movements. Furthermore, they fail to understand how a democra cy works and exhibit little interest in the U. S. political system (Giroux, 1987; Hepburn, 1985). We will write a custom essay sample on Social Awareness specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Awareness specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Awareness specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Reformers view students who lack this type of knowledge, understanding and interest as lacking sensitivity to the needs of others and a willingness to be active citizens (Swift, 1990). 2 From a research perspective, social awareness is an important facet of student development to understand because of the recognized links between social awareness and social change, as well as the development of critical thinking skills (Tsui, 2000). From a practice perspective, higher Social Awareness education institutions are being called upon to create an informed citizenry capable of understanding and addressing a myriad of social issues. 3 Steinem (1983) defines the social change process as follows: â€Å"naming the problem; speaking out, consciousness raising, and researching; creating alternate structures to deal with it; and beginning to create or change society’s laws and structures to solve the problem for the majority. † This paper focuses solely on those aspects related to increased awareness, specifically â€Å"naming the problem, speaking out, consciousness raising, and researching (Ibid). We define social awareness in terms of the importance that students attribute to: 1) speaking up against social injustice; 2) creating awareness of how people affect the environment; 3) promoting racial tolerance and respect; and 4) making consumer decisions based on a company’s ethics. These dimensions constitute the type of social awareness that students need to develop during their college years, in order to function well in a complex and diverse society. REVIEW OF LITERATURE The relevance of exploring the development of social awareness among college students is supported by several theoretical and empirically-based studies. First, we examine literature linking social awareness development to student attitudes and cognitive development (Piaget, 1975; Tsui, 2000; Perry, 1970). Second, we review literature that discusses the influence of interaction with diverse peers on student awareness, growth, and development. Linking Social Awareness, Attitudes and Cognitive Development Students tend to develop their social and cognitive skills through social interaction with others. When interacting with diverse peers, students are able to engage in debates and actively confront the differences between their own point of view and that of others (Piaget, 1975). In addition, they develop the ability to manage the strong emotions that conflict can engender. Social Awareness These cognitive and affective processes are relevant to the development of the dimensions associated with our social awareness measurement. Tsui (2000) posits that social awareness and consciousness, along with political awareness, directly influences college students’ development of critical thinking skills. This researcher concluded â€Å"awareness of political and social affairs may be relevant to critical thinking development because discussion about such topics tend to elicit more interest and participation among students (p. 432). † Other research suggests that students who possess critical thinking skills demonstrate a greater degree of social and political consciousness. These students demonstrate a political awareness or concern for general social issues rather than a concern with 4 their own world and immediate social group (Enright, Lapsley, and Shukla, 1979; Hurtado et al. , 2002). During their college career, students are exposed to various social, political, and personal experiences that challenge their current view of the world. When students confront the dissonance between views presented to them and their own perspective, they move from being dualistic to more complex thinkers (Perry, 1970). In turn, they are able to accomplish the following: demonstrate perspective-taking skills, exhibit sociocentric behaviors, construct reflective judgment skills and broaden their perspectives concerning social issues (Selman, 1980; Perry, 1970). Other scholars similarly note how interaction across difference can be linked with cognitive growth in multiple dimensions. King and her collaborators discuss a theoretical connection between cognitive development and multicultural thinking (King Baxter Magolda, 1996; King Shuford, 1996). Adding further support for the exploration of cognitive, affective and attitudinal variables in our model, several studies utilizing national longitudinal data show student interaction with Social Awareness 5 diverse peers is linked with increases in cultural knowledge and commitment to promoting racial understanding (Antonio, 1998; Hurtado, 2001; Milem, 1994). In their work on intergroup contact theory, Stephan and Stephan (1996) discuss the effect that the mediators of contact— including cultural knowledge—have on interaction across differing social identity groups (Cushner Brislin, 1996; Triandis, 1972). They also cite research on attitudes in their discussion of the mediators of intergroup contact and emphasize the importance of values in what they call personal factors within their model (Ashmore, 1970; Katz, Wackenhut, Hass, 1986; Stephan Rosenfield, 1978; Stephan Stephan, 1996; Wagner Schonbach, 1984; Weigel Howes, 1985). Social Awareness and Interaction with Diverse Peers More recent research has also explored the theoretical connections between interaction with diverse peers and dimensions of social awareness. Springer, et al. 1995) found that students who interacted with diverse peers reported more frequent discussion of complex social issues, including such things as the economy, peace, human rights equality, and justice. A few other works have addressed the impact of interacting with diverse others on racial understanding. Astin (1993), in a multi-dimensional study of college impact, found that socializing with someone from a different racial background caused increases in cultural awareness, commitment to racial understanding, and commitment to the environment. Later research by Chang (1996) confirmed the relationship between diversity and racial understanding. These studies indicate that students who interact with diverse peers also demonstrate beliefs (importance of speaking up against social injustice and creating awareness of how people affect the environment) and values (desire to promote racial tolerance and respect) consistent with the development of social awareness. Social Awareness A recent study of the University of Michigan and Harvard University law school students revealed that discussions with students from diverse backgrounds significantly influenced their views of the U. S. criminal justice system, as well as their views regarding civil rights and conditions within various social and economic institutions (Orfield and Whitla,, 2001). Fifty three percent of the students also stated â€Å"diversity in the classroom allowed students to confront stereotypes on social and political issues all or most of the time. † Students who develop views and dispositions associated with social awareness are better prepared to take on social roles as decision-makers and agents of social change. METHODS Conceptual Framework Given that a theoretical framework for studying the development of social awareness has yet to be developed, we designed a conceptual model that would take into account varying sources of influence as suggested by Astin (1993), Chickering (1969), Chickering and Reisser (1993), and Tinto (1975). These sources include: (1) the preenrollment characteristics of students, (2) students’ academic experiences, and (3) students’ social or nonacademic experiences including interactions with major agents of socialization on campus (Chickering, 1969). As suggested by Astin (1993) and Chickering (1969), various pre-enrollment characteristics of students must be considered when examining the impact of experience in college. In order to 6 clearly assess the impact of college interaction with diverse peers on social awareness, this study controls for several background characteristics including: precollege social awareness, academic ability, race/ethnicity, gender, and mother’s level of education. In addition to pre-college characteristics, Chickering (1969) emphasized assessing the impact of students’ academic and non-academic experiences, by examining not only the types of Social Awareness involvements but also the extent and nature of interactions within these experiences. Milem 7 (1994) has also suggested that certain classroom experiences, such as dialogue between students of different backgrounds and beliefs will encourage students to reflect more on issues of race and diversity. Hurtado et al. (1994) operationalized interactions with diverse peers as how frequently a student engages in activities with someone of a different race/ethnicity. The findings suggest that the more students interact with peers from different racial/ethnic backgrounds, the more open they are to diverse perspectives. We also utilized the research investigating how students learn and acquire skills and dispositions through interactions with others (Piaget, 1975; Selman, 1980). The model we developed was based on the items identified in the theoretical and empirical works discussed above. Additional items were added based upon their hypothesized significance to the model. In summary, we hypothesize that precollege level of social awareness, background characteristics, college experiences (i. e. academic, non-academic, and interaction with diverse peers), and attitudinal and cognitive growth measures influence the development of social awareness in college students. Data Source In an effort to better understand how colleges and universities are preparing students to participate successfully in an increasingly diverse society, the Diverse Democracy Project, funded by the U. S. department of Education was launched in 1999. This multi-method study utilized a longitudinal survey, administered to student s at the beginning of their first-year and at the end of the second year of college at ten public universities. The universities involved in the project were chosen based on the following criteria: (a) a strong commitment to diversity as evidenced by the university’s mission statement and the presence of a number of diversity Social Awareness initiatives on campus; (b) recent success in diversifying their student body; and (c) engagement in significant community-building activities with a diverse student body. 8 The current study seeks to increase our understanding of factors that influence students’ level of social awareness during the first two years of college. To accomplish this, we used data from the longitudinal survey that includes approximately 3,496 respondents from the Fall 2000 entering classes at the nine participating institutions. These respondents were randomly selected to receive a survey either during summer orientation prior to starting college or via mail during their first semester of college. Respondents to the first survey were mailed a follow-up survey in the Winter of 2002. Both surveys were designed to elicit responses pertaining to constructs that measure cognitive, social-cognitive, and civic outcomes. Sample Participants in this study included 3,496 students who took the first-year and follow-up survey. White students comprised the largest group with 69. 1% of the students, followed by Asian American students (15. 8%), African-American students (4. 8%), Latino students (9. 1%), and Native American students (1. 2%). Female responses were higher than their male counterparts (61%). Mother’s educational level for respondents was high school (19. 3%), college (38. 9%) and graduate school (52. 1%). In this sample, the mean SAT score was 1169. 7 (400-1600 scale) and standard deviation of this score was 164. 9. The SAT score includes the combined math and verbal SAT scores and ACT scores, which were converted into a comparable SAT score. Measures The names, types, and scales for each of the variables used in the model are identified in Table 1. The outcome variable in this analysis, social awareness, was derived from the follow- Social Awareness up survey. This variable represents a scaled index of multiple items (i. e. , speaking up against social injustice, creating awareness of how people affect the environment, promoting racial tolerance and respect, and making consumer decisions based on an company’s ethics). The social awareness variable had an alpha reliability of . 72. The remaining items in the model and their scale reliabilities are shown in Table 3. The model estimated in this study included five different variable sets: (1) students’ level of precollege social awareness, (2) background characteristics of students, (3) attitudinal dispositions, (4) cognitive indicators, and (5) students’ college experiences (academic and nonacademic) including interactions with major agents of socialization on campus (Chickering, 1969). After entering the pre-college social awareness control variable, the second block of independent variables to be entered into the model was student background measures, including gender, race/ethnicity, mother’s level of education and SAT scores. This information was derived from institutional data provided by each of the ten schools participating in the study. Another background measures included a variable representing mother’s level of education. This variable was dummy coded so that graduate school completion served as the reference group. Attitudinal dispositions were measured by two scaled index items including identity awareness (? . 72) and tolerance of lesbian, gay and bisexual persons (? = . 76). Cognitive indicators were measured by three scaled index items representing cultural awareness (? = . 70), interest in social issues (? = . 67), and Fletcher’s measure of attributional complexity (? = . 87). The final block of independent variables recognizes the relationship between student outcomes and student-student interaction (Astin, 1984; Weidman, 1989). Three variables were included in this block labeled college experiences (i. e. , classroom experiences, informal 9 Social Awareness 10 interactions (? = . 76), and interaction with diverse peers). Drawing from Astin (1993), Milem (1994), Springer et al. (1996), and Pascarella et al. (1996), we chose to incorporate frequency of interactions with diverse others into the model because of the hypothesized relationship with the outcome variable. The academic experiences of students were incorporated through a classroom experience variable that measured the number of diversity courses taken by respondents. Students’ social or nonacademic experiences were measured by a variable representing informal interactions. Analytic Procedures/Analysis Data analysis for this study required two steps. First, exploratory factor analyses were conducted on all items within various constructs of the survey instruments. By using principal axis factoring and orthogonal rotation methods, we were able to reduce the number of measured variables for analyses. When necessary, survey items were reversed coded. A reliability analysis using Cronbach’s alpha was conducted for each factor. Six of the factor-derived variables were included in our regression analyses (see Table 3). Factor loadings that contained a score of at least . 422 or higher were retained in the development of subsequent summated rating scales (i. . , pre-college social awareness, college social awareness, social identity awareness, cultural awareness, and interest in social issues, Fletcher’s attributional complexity, tolerance for lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons, and interactions in an informal context). Second, multiple regression analyses were employed to estimate the coefficients of the model. Independen t variables reflecting precollege social awareness, student background characteristics, student acquired characteristics, academic experiences, and social experiences were entered in five blocks. Social awareness prior to college, gender, race/ethnicity, academic ability, and Social Awareness 11 mother’s level of education were used as control variables. Utilizing this approach, the relative contribution for each of the five blocks of independent variables could be examined. RESULTS The standardized beta coefficients for each independent variable are presented in Table 4. These standardized beta coefficients (regression weights) may be interpreted as direct effects of individual independent variables on the dependent variable, holding all other independent variables constant. Table 4 also presents each block of variables including the unstandardized beta coefficients of variables not yet added to the model. Examining the final regression model indicates that the model fits the data well, accounting for 41. 8% of the variance in social awareness. The results presented below are organized according to the five blocks of predictor variables in the model, including precollege social awareness, students background characteristics, attitudinal dispositions, cognitive indicators, academic and non-academic college experiences. Students’ Background Characteristics When entered in the equation, the precollege variables explained 28. 5% of the variance in social awareness. As shown in Table 4, pre-college social awareness and students who identified themselves as Asian American were the only two significant predictors of social awareness in terms of precollege characteristics. As expected, the level of social awareness prior to college was the strongest significant predictor in the model, accounting for 27. 8% of the variance (p

Argumentative Essay Sample on Gender Superiority Why Men Cannot Be Superior to Women

Argumentative Essay Sample on Gender Superiority Why Men Cannot Be Superior to Women The International Declaration of Womens Day this month, March 8 to be exact, purports to enshrine the essence and importance of womanhood, of the gentler sex. That there ought to be such a celebration, especially given the absence of its counterpart Mans Day is an admission of the yet underdog status of women in the world of mankind. Such a reminder of the import of women, or rather the lack of its recognition, tends to elicit the question that has almost always been at the back of our adult minds if not at the tips of our tongues – are man and woman, or if you may, woman and man, different but equal? This classic, timeless gender question brings with it a host of related riddles on Homosapien’s psycho-physiological profile and origins. Is man greater than woman? Or is it that woman is really superior to man? Who came first, woman or man? But is there really a superior sex? Scientific advancements have made it obvious that males and females are designed to complement each others differences, to fill in their respective strong and weak points. Hormonal changes account for mens greater physical power on the other, womens genetic build-up aside from the obvious maternal capacity, has endowed females with increased resistance to cardiovascular diseases. Governed more by the brain’s left hemisphere, women also tend to be more proficient at languages while men in general do better in numerical problems which are the concern of the right side of the brain. To think that man is superior to the woman by virtue of brute power is like saying that the lion specie is above that of the humans. What is true is that throughout the ages, male brute power has restricted the relational and sexual arena of the  woman - unlike the polygamous  man - not because of her physical weakness but rather, her inherent procreative advantage. Owing to what sociologists term as paternal insecurity whereby pre-21st century man had no way of knowing for certain whether the child of his partner has indeed been fathered by him, man had devised societal laws and norms to ensure the womans guarded fidelity. Two of the extreme and abominable examples are the chastity belts made to be worn by women in early Europe and FGM or female genital mutilation that persists today among some African tribes. Central to the issue of gender superiority is the question of which of the sexes came first into the world. Not a few religious and mythological literature share similar stories of creation whereby the first woman and man sprang forth at the same or similar source or shells. Islam which, rightly or wrongly projects a chauvinist countenance, tells of how the first man and woman came from the same soul. Even the Philippine legend of Malakas at Maganda narrates how the first woman and man emerged into this world from a split bamboo. The Judaic-Christian tradition however presents a definitely masculine bias in its account of the genesis of the primordial man and woman. Unlike the story of the Great Deluge which has not-so-dissimilar recordings in almost all major ancient cultures and religions, Christianity included, the Bibles story of Creation tells of Eve as having been formed from the ribs and flesh of Adam. Mainly on the premise that Adam was the first to be created and that Eve only cam from the bone of (the first mans) bone, flesh of (the first mans) flesh, the Christian faithful has philosophized on the superiority of man over woman. If having been formed first, the modified chicken or egg riddle, should be a criterion for judging which is the superior gender, then modern scientific findings should provide an unexpected twist to this classic gender debate. Quite recently, certain studies released during the last decade have given rise to the theory that during fetal development, regardless of whether the fetus will ultimately become a baby girl or boy, the human brain has to undergo the initial state of being female in character. To the ordinary laywoman and laymen, such presents a scientific plausibility of the basic and requisite importance of the human femaleness and, needless to say, should therefore easily counter any doctrine or belief to the contrary. Archeology has now verified the existence of Amazon  cultures - what ancient Greek writers have long written  of - in European lands. The unearthed remains and artifacts of these amazing ancient societies proved that at some points and period, traditional role playing has been reversed and had showcased woman power and prowess with no small success. To a limited extent, this is now being replicated by modern armies of countries that have opened the doors of military training to women. In his flawed supposition of male superiority, man for so long has trampled upon the rights and undermined the abilities of women. If the developments during the past decades are to form a gauge of the growing world recognition of womens rights and abilities, the trend then seems to be in an upward swing in terms of how more women in more countries are thrusted to positions of authority. Womens Day is a call for sensible and moral minds, whether female or male, to work at further balancing the practice of gender justice. As the Chinese say, the woman holds half the sky. Persecute then the women and half the world is encumbered.

The Essay Expert’s Top 10 Lists of 2015

The Essay Expert’s Top 10 Lists of 2015 I started a tradition last year of compiling a list of some of my favorite lists at the end of the year. This year I’ve decided to alternate the items between subjects relevant to The Essay Expert’s favorite topics of discussion and those of more general or flighty interest. You’ll find lists here on topics from creating a powerful year ahead to brain teasers, LinkedIn statistics, CEO fiascos, and, yes, even cat videos. Have fun! Change Your Thinking, Change Your Results. This list of questions will give you a valuable baseline from which to start your year. You can ask these questions of yourself now, then in another 3 months, 6 months, etc. How do you rate yourself now? How do you want to rate yourself? And what will it take to get there? I’d recommend partnering with an accountability buddy on this one! Top 10 Visual Illusions. What can I say†¦ I love this stuff! My eyes were tricked by some of them! But I did find the baby in #10. 29 New Year’s Resolution Ideas – Make 2016 Your Best Year Ever. The resolutions on this list are as simple as â€Å"enjoy the little things† and are sure to improve your mental and physical well-being if you commit to them! They come along with links to sites that will support you in your goals. Choose one or two that speak to you and make 2016 truly your best year ever. The Worst CEO Screw-Ups of 2015. Susan Adams is one of my favorite bloggers and I recently discovered her yearly run-down of CEO screw-ups. From drug companies to auto companies to Yahoo, the egregious errors abound. By the Numbers: 125+ Amazing LinkedIn Statistics. This one is an encore from last year, updated for 2015! LinkedIn is up to 400 million users. Full disclosure: Most of the statistics here are from previous years, but I still like them anyway. 20 Alternative Uses For Common Household Items. Did you know that petroleum jelly can keep your car doors from freezing shut and that raw honey is an antibiotic? I am sharing this one again since I forgot half the tips since last year! Top 100 Best Places to Live. My city, Madison, WI, dropped from #1 to #3, but I still like this list!! Rochester, MN is #1 – who knew? If you’re considering a move in the next year, this list might inform your decision. Tips for â€Å"Beginning† Bloggers. I put â€Å"Beginning† in quotes because this list applies to all bloggers, no matter how long they’ve been blogging! Are you thinking of starting a blog, or feeling stuck with writing a current one? Either way, this list is for you. Top 10 Job Search Predictions for 2016. From predictions about millennials to trends in mobile and video recruitment, this article paints a picture of the job search landscape for the coming year. Funny Cats Compilation of 2015. Really, what would a top 10 list be without a cat video entry? I happen to find falling people and animals very funny, as long as no one gets hurt. So these got a good chuckle out of me! What’s your favorite list from 2015? Please share! And if you have candidates for the list as 2016 unfolds, please send them my way!

The electric car , Practicalities and Prospects Essay

The electric car , Practicalities and Prospects - Essay Example In the context of this reality some of the states in the U.S. have passed laws requiring that a minimum percentage of sales made must be zero emission vehicles. Although the law does not explicitly mention electric car, they are the most feasible alternative as of now (Lave, 2005). Also, helping the case for electric cars are chemicals such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds are extremely hazardous to humans as well as the ecosystems they live in. Several studies have shown that the exhaust gases released by petroleum run cars are the contributor to this pollution. This pollution has no small part to play in the general increase in temperatures across the world, also called â€Å"global warming†. At this juncture the introduction of electric cars in the market is not only a good business opportunity but a better alternative for humans and their environments alike. In this respect, the prospects are quite good for electric cars in the near future, until a better technology replaces it (Newbery, 2001). On the flip side generating electricity for recharging batteries can lead to significant harm to the environment. A transition to electric cars, as made compulsory already in some parts of the world, is proven to be no more environment friendly than cars that run on low-emission petrol. Factories making lead-acid batteries would release higher levels of toxic lead. Low-toxicity batteries on the other hand are not yet suited for mass manufacture (Ochoa, 1997). The possible dangers of rechargeable batteries are illustrated in the following passage: â€Å"For vehicles that are to be mass produced in the future, lead-acid batteries are likely to be the only practical technology. Smelting and recycling the lead for these batteries will result in substantial releases of lead to the environment. Lead is a neurotoxin,

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 17

Strategic Management - Essay Example l segment along with other major players that include but is not limited to Mercedes Benz, General Motors, Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen (Sturgeon, Biesebroeck and Gereffi, 2008). Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) is based in Munich and started out as a aero-engine manufacturing company in 1917. Subsequently it transferred its attention to the business activity of manufacturing motorcycles and then into passenger cars. In 1936 BMW brought out its first sports care model and by the middle of the twentieth century established itself in the automobile industry as a manufacturer of elegant, prestigious and superior performance automobiles. In the new millennium, through its restructuring activities BMW has attempted to secure and strengthen its position in the premium segment of automobiles, through its prestigious BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands (ICMR, 2002). In 2009 the number of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce cars that were sold totaled 1,286,610 units. This figure represents a slide of 10.4% in the number of cars in all its brands sold by BMW in 2008. A similar slide is also seen in the sales revenue for the two years. In 2009 the total sales volume was euro 47,737 million, which is 10.3% less than the total sales volume of BMW in 2008. The company has attributed the under performance in 2009 to the continuing poor state of the economies in its main markets in the developed world and the economic stimulus attempted in the developed world not really making the desired impact (BMW, 2010). Thierauf 2001, p.206 defines critical success factors (CSF) for any business enterprise as â€Å"the limited number of areas in which results, if they are satisfactory, will ensure successful competitive performance†. The wider picture on CSF and the key activities connected to it, besides favorable results in these areas for the achievement of strategic objectives, also means that it indicates where things need to proceed on the right path for the growth of the business enterprise and

Premature Failure Of Road Network

Premature Failure Of Road Network Bahria town ltd started its development works in 1996 as a joint partner with Bahria foundation initially British Columbia were the consultants on the project. The extraordinary progress rate and high quality consultancy work of British Columbia (pvt) ltd was thought to be a big hurdle in the progress rate, eventually the agreement with the consultants terminated and Bahria Town (pvt) Ltd formed its own consultant wing. Unfortunately the consultancy wing failed to develop because of incompetent individuals who can really invest their heart and souls to address core issues .Site management and technical / top supervision issues were ignored .Today Bahria Town is facing problem of premature failure in its road network. Most of the road network has not been under projected traffic for which it has been designed; even then road failures are prominent .Most common failures depictive are settlement of road, flexural cracking, weathering of the road network. The mechanism of road failure is quite complex and it is tedious to identify the root cause of failure. The approach adopted was to analyze road network truly depictive of premature pavement failures, the representative sections were selected from the road network under study .Various field and laboratory test were performed on each section to determine the cause of premature pavement failures. The investigation revealed that mix produced from asphalt plant fails to meet specifications. The compaction of HMA and subsequent road layers is not adequate. The source gradation for aggregate base is improper .The Plasticity of fines is not in tolerance range. Pavement structural design depths were not executed on site besides poor workmanship and improper patching procedures. Keywords: Premature Failure, Flexural Cracking, Weathering, Source gradation. Undertaking I certify that research work titled To investigate the causes of Premature Failure of Road Network of Bahria Town to propose its Remedial Measuresis my own work. The work has not been presented elsewhere for assessment. Where material has been used from other sources it has been properly acknowledged/ referred. Tehseen Ellahi 2k9-MSc-Trans-05 Acknowledgements This research work is obviously a result of the initial encouragement and support in admission to the MS Transportation (Taxila) by Ehsan ul Haq, the Director General Planning and Design, Bahria Town (pvt) Ltd. Extraordinary help and support form Rana Zulfikar Ahmed Khan , Site Manager Bahria Town (pvt) Ltd.Continuous encouragement, and valuable input from Dr. M. A. Kamal, Director Taxila Institute of Transportation Engineering (TITE) and Dean, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila. There guidance, comments and suggestions from time to time, are gratefully acknowledged. 1.2.2 Rigid Pavements In rigid pavements the stress is transmitted to the sub-grade through beam/slab effect. Rigid pavements contain sufficient beam strength to be able to bridge over the localized sub-grade failures and areas of inadequate support. Factors effecting Pavement Performance There are numerous factors influencing the performance of a pavement, the following five are considered the most influential (Transportation research board, England; April 1985) 1.3.1 Traffic Traffic is the most important factor affecting pavement performance. The performance of pavements is mostly affected by the loading scale, arrangement and the number of load repetitions. The damage caused per pass to a pavement by an axle is defined relative to the damage per pass of a standard axle load, which is defined as a 80 kN single axle load (E80). Thus a pavement is designed to withstand a certain number of standard axle load repetitions that will result in a certain terminal condition of deterioration.(Kamal M.A. et al., 2009) 1.3.2 Moisture Moisture significantly reduces the supporting ability of gravel materials, especially the sub grade. Moisture enters the pavement structure through capillary action. The resulting action is the wet surface of particles, excessive movement of particles and dislodgment which ultimately results in pavement failures. (Terrel 1990) 1.3.3 Sub grade The sub grade is the lower layer of soil that supports the wheel loads. If the sub grade is not strong enough the pavement will show flexibility and finally the pavement will fail. Pavement will fail to perform ideally if the variation in particles behavior is not catered for in the design. 1.3.4 Construction quality Pavement performance is affected by poor quality construction, inaccurate pavement thicknesses, and adverse moisture conditions. These conditions stress the need for skilled staff and the importance of good inspection and quality control procedures during construction. Pavement performance is dependent on where, when and how maintenance is applied. No matter how good the pavement is built, it will deteriorate with time based upon the mentioned factors. The timing of maintenance is very important, if a pavement is allowed to deteriorate to a very poor condition, as illustrated by point B, then the added life compared with point A, is typically about 2 to 3 years. This added life is about 10 percent of the total life. The cost of repairing the road at B is four times of the cost required at A. The delay of maintenance hold implications, in that for the cost of repairing one poorly weathered road (Point B), four roads at point A would have to be postponed, which would mean that in a few years the rehabilitation cost could be 16 times as much. Thus, differing maintenance because of budget constraints will result in a significant financial penalty within a few years.(www.nra.co.za/live/content.php) History Bahria town is a modern township planned on an inspiration drawn from the home of American Society of civil engineers i.e the city of Reston, Virginia. The designing of its town ship is based on the most modern and strict criterion. It is located between the GT road and Islamabad Bahria town borders Safari Park on the northern side and is bounded to the south and west by Soan river and the Korang respectively. Town planning for Bahria Town has been done taking full advantage of the layout of the natural ground. Roads have been designed according to the traffic intensity rush hours. They have been standardized as 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 and Main Boulevards with the configuration of Pavement sidewalks and green areas.(www.bahriatown.com/index.php) Problem Statement Bahria Town (pvt) Ltd development represents a unique mark of distinction for Pakistan. Over a period of decade Bahria Town has emerged as Asias largest private property developers. The dilemma is that the capital involved is huge and to meet market demands common Engineering practices quality assurances are being ignored on account of time savings. One of the major problem , that Bahria Town that face today is related to premature failure of road network. Objectives The main objective of the study was to highlight the causes of pavement failures and to propose the remedial measures. Methodology Reconnaissance survey in study area to identify problems. Selection of test sections based upon road classification and distresses for deep testing analysis. Extraction of samples from the test sections for various laboratory testing. Comparison of various parameters between damaged and undamaged portions of test sections. Recommendations on the basis of investigation. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Introduction to Study Area Pavement Evaluation Process Pavement evaluation is the first step in the development of pavement rehabilitation alternatives for the project .It is the process of learning the existing pavement system to understand the extent and the cause of problems prior to developing a rehabilitation plan.(www.pavementinteractive.org) Evaluation at Road Network Level Monitoring of the network is carried out at on a network level to define the status of an entire pavement network as part of the pavement management system .To achieve the said objective the road network of Bahria Town was divided in different zones .Preliminary reconnaissance survey was carried out to access the pavement condition of road network .The object was to confine the study and help prioritize and select the evaluation at the project levels. The road network under study is Safari valley. (Design report on Bahria Town, ESS.I.AAR Consultants) The justification behind selecting this study zone is that this zone is fully developed and in the possession of the residents therefore it is more realistic to study the road network performance of this zone. History The idea of Safari Valley was conceptualized in 2000 confirming to planning parameters of the cities of Ruston, Virginia, USA. Ruston being the American society of civil engineers has been planned in the most beautiful manner, the next year Safari Valley lunched another housing project. One of the aims of lunching this scheme was to provide a modern housing scheme with all the amenities for the general public at an affordable cost. Any middle class person desirous of buying a plot in Islamabad/Rawalpindi could not do so as the price in Islamabad/Rawalpindi is beyond the reach of the common man.. This scheme is planned and designed for the low-income people of the country to provide them affordable housing.(www.bahriatown.com/index.php) Location The Safari Valley is located in Southern part of Rawalpindi City, adjacent to Takht Pari forest on Japan Road. This site falls in Mauza Gali. The main access to this scheme is through Japan Road from G.T. Road, 3 Km from High Court towards Lahore.120 wide newly constructed Bahria Expressway along River Soan is another access to this project which is completed a year ago.(www.bahriatown.com/index.php) Untitled Figure 3: Study area Location in road network Road Network The proposed colony has been planned according to the contemporary principles of planning and design criteria of Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) for private housing schemes. Following three types of roads has been proposed. Primary Roads 120 Feet wide 80 Feet wide Collector Roads 65 Feet wide Streets 40 Feet wide The safari valley has 37.880 km of 40 wide roads, 6.083km of 65 wide roads, 1.23 km of 80 wide roads and 4.0 km of 120 wide roads. General Considerations It is desired by the consultant to provide the sub grade strength of the area in general for the construction of the internal roads. The purpose of the structural design is to limit the stresses induced in the sub grade by the traffic to a safe level at which the sub grade deformation is insignificant whilst at the same time ensuring that the road pavement layers themselves do not fail in any way within a specified period of time .In most design methods it is assumed that the routine and periodic maintenance is carried out during the design period of the road and that at the end of the design period , relatively low level of detoriation has occurred.(Structural design of Pavement at Safari valley, SS Soil explore Consultants) For the design of the flexible pavement the following factors should be kept in mind for guidance Economic Considerations Effect of climate Variability in the material Properties Construction Control Uncertainty in traffic forecasting Variability in material properties and construction control is generally much greater than desired by the engineer and must be taken into account explicitly in the design process. In practice only it is actually the variability of the sub grade strength that is considered and all other factors are controlled by setting out minimum acceptable values for the key properties by means of the specifications. Nevertheless, it is the task of the designer to estimate the likely variations in layer thickness and material strengths so that the realistic target values and tolerances can be set in the specifications to ensure the satisfactory road performances can be guaranteed as far as possible. Design basis The purpose of the structural design is to limit the stresses induced in the sub grade by the traffic. Estimating the amount of traffic and the cumulative number of equivalent standard axles that will use the road over the selected design life assessing the strength of the sub grade soil over which the road is built by selecting the most economical combination of the pavement materials and layer thickness that will provide the satisfactory service over the design life of the pavement when appropriate maintenance is carried out. In following paragraphs the component layers of a flexible pavement are referred in these terms: Surfacing This is the upper most layer of the pavement and will normally consist of bituminous surface dressing or a premixed bituminous material .When premixed materials are laid in two layers these are known as wearing course and base course (or binder course) Road Base This is the main load spreading layer of the pavement .It will normally consist of crushed stone or gravel ,or a gravelly soil ,decomposed rocks, sand and sandy clays stabilized with cement ,lime or bitumen. Sub Base This is the secondary load spreading layer underlying the road base .It will normally consist of material of lower quality than that used in the road base such as un processed natural gravels ,gravel-sand or gravel-sand-clay. This layer also serves as a spreading layer preventing contamination of the road base by the sub grade material Capping Layer Where very weak soils are encountered capping layer is sometimes necessary. This may consist of better quality sub grade material imported from elsewhere or existing sub grade material improved by mechanical and lime stabilization. Sub Grade This is the upper layer of the natural soil, which may be undisturbed local materials or may be soil excavated elsewhere and placed as fill. In either case it is compacted during the construction to give it adequate stability. Traffic In the present case no definite traffic pattern can be estimated as the construction period extends to a longer span .During the construction stage, the maximum traffic even over loaded trucks carrying mostly the construction material would apply. After the construction phase .the internal roads of the proposed project are subjected only to the light car traffic, which have very little destructive effect. The Sub grade Condition Following is the recommendations for the structural design of the bituminous surfaced roads for the proposed project. The existing sub grade at the site comprises of A 4 soil with PI range of 5 to 8.Determining the sub grade strength is necessary for the road construction and required by the design engineer for the internal light traffic roads, which are required to carry up to (assumed traffic) 0.5 million cumulative equivalent standard axles in one direction for the design life of 10 Years. Field investigation and Sampling All the field tests necessary for the design of the flexible pavements have been carried out .Test pit locations were selected so that overall picture of the sub surface can be examined .To do this samples from the different locations collected for the classification and California bearing ratio (CBR) .Following field and laboratory tests have been carried out in the detail Field density and moisture content Gradation analysis Sieve analysis Hydrometric analysis Hydrometric analysis AASHTO Soil Classification Laboratory compaction test Laboratory CBR on soaked conditions Appreciation of the sub grade condition The strength of the sub grade is commonly assessed in the form of California bearing ratio of the sub grade soil and is dependent on the type of the soil, its density and its moisture content The likely in situ strength of the sub grade is difficult to assess directly but its value can be obtained from the relationship between CBR, density and moisture content which must be measured in the laboratory for the soil in question, and form the knowledge of in situ density and equilibrium moisture content of the soil under the road. The density of the sub grade soil can be controlled under the road within limits by compaction at suitable moisture content at the time of the construction. The equilibrium moisture content of the sub grade soil is governed by the local climate and the depth of the water table below the road surfaces. For designing the thickness of the road pavement, the strength of the sub grade should be taken as that of the sub grade soil at the moisture content equal to the wettest moisture condition likely to occur in the sub grade after the road is opened to traffic. In the present case, field as well as the laboratory testing of different locations was carried out for gradation index and strength parameters and soaked CBR etc. The result of these tests are attached at the end of the report The CBR test shows the value of 3.5% having the representative design value of 90% and 95% modified by the AASHTO density .CBR value is considered to be unsatisfactory for the design of the flexible pavement .Therefore it is strongly recommended to provide capping layer over the existing sub grade soil to provide structural support and improve drainage conditions at the site. The thickness comes out to be 8 inches. Design Recommendations The pavement design of the internal roads of safari valley was calculated using the AASHTO Interim guide .Details of which are below: Method # 01 Out of the different methods available for calculating the road design, which cater for the repetition of the standard axle loads during the design life of the various traffic configurations expected on the road .This method caters for the site conditions and type of traffic likely to use the roads after the construction. The pavement design has been worked out as per Overseas Road Note No 31 (Transport and road research Laboratory, TRRL; Road note 31) The Local soil is moderately plastic for which average soaked CBR value was calculated to be 3.5 % and the same has been incorporated in the design calculations .In case of borrow /selected fill material is to be used for the making of the roads .The Laboratory CBR for that soil should not be less than 3.5 % against 96 hrs soaking. Method # 02 The pavement design of the internal roads of different categories is calculated using the simplified method as given in civil engineering handbook by Leonard Church Urquhart of which is given below. Design Procedure Using the graph (annexure A) against the clayey silt conforming to A-4 Soil and CBR of 3.5 % the total thickness of pavement above sub base is 15 inches. Keeping a minimum thickness of 8 inches for the base course and the wearing surface the sub base is required to be 7 inches. Since method 1 gave higher values method 1 was adopted. Flexible Pavement Distresses Roads have become important in our lives as a sole mean of communication. Modern roads are smooth, so people can travel easily from one place to another. Maintenance of road network is very important to ensure its continued efficiency and reliability. Normally roads are damaged due to environment affects, vehicular loadings and moisture.(Asphalt Institute , MS 16) Asphalt pavement distresses can generally be classified as one of the following type: Cracking Distortion Disintegration Skid hazard Surface treatment distresses Distresses caused can be related to: Wheel loads Environment Poor drainage Material deficiencies Construction related deficiencies External causes(Utilities) Cracking Cracking takes many forms .To make proper repairs, it is first necessary to determine the cause of cracking .Maintenance procedures generally depend upon the cause of distress, the crack width and the amount of cracking in the affected area. Reflective cracks These are cracks in asphalt overlays that reflect the crack pattern in the pavement structure underneath. The pattern may be longitudinal, transverse, diagonal or block. Reflective cracks are caused by vertical and horizontal movements in the pavement beneath the overlay, induced by expansion and contraction with temperature or moisture changes. They can also be caused by traffic or earth movement or by loss of moisture in sub grade by high clay content. Edge cracks These are longitudinal cracks 30 cm or so .They are caused due to lack of lateral support, settlement or yielding of the material beneath the cracked area .This may be the result of poor drainage ,frost heave or shrinkage from drying of the adjoining earth. They may be accelerated by concentration of heavy traffic near the edge of the pavement as well as heavy vegetation near the pavement edge. Block Cracking They are series of interconnected cracks forming the series of large blocks, 1 to 3 m. Frequently they are caused by volume change of the fine aggregate asphalt mix that have a high content of low penetration asphalt and adsorptive aggregate ,daily temperature cycles and aged asphalt. Block cracking is not load related. Alligator Cracking They are cracks that constitute to form series of blocks .They can be caused by various reasons such as excess deflection, sub surface moisture conditions, thin asphalt surface, excessive overloading, in adequate pavement design. If the asphalt surface is thin alligator cracking can quickly develop into potholing. Slippage Crack They are crescent shaped cracks resulting from the horizontal forces induced by the traffic. They result from the lack of bond between the surface layer and the courses beneath. The lack of bond may be due to dust, oil, rubber, dirt water or other non adhesive materials between the two courses. The Slippage cracks may result from the mixtures having a high sand content, as well as due to improper compaction. Linear Cracking This category includes categories such as joint cracks, construction joints, shoulder joint cracks and diagonal cracks. Transverse and diagonal cracks can result from low temperature contraction of the pavement or from the shrinkage of the cement bound base or sub grade soils .Longitudinal cracks in the wheel path may be fatigue related and eventually progress into alligator and a random occurring Longitudinal crack can be indicative of the sideways yielding sub grade or fill area. The cause of joint cracks (thermal and longitudinal) can be related to the thermal stresses or insufficient compaction. They can also be caused by a weak bond in the joint. Distortion Pavement distortion is the result of asphalt layer instability or granular base and sub base weakness. Distortion takes a number of forms: rutting, shoving, corrugation, depression and up heave. Rutting Ruts are channelized depressions in the wheel tracks of the pavement surface. Rutting results from consolidation, lateral movement of the sub grade, aggregate base or asphalt layers under traffic load. Rutting may occur in the sub grade and sub base due to insufficient design thickness, lack of compaction or weakness caused by moisture infiltration, down ward and lateral movement of the weak asphalt mixture under heavy wheel loads. Corrugations and shoving Corrugations and shoving are form of plastic movement typified by ripples across the asphalt pavement surface. They occur in the asphalt mixes that lack mix stability. It may also be caused due to excessive moisture in the granular base, contamination due to oil spillage or lack of aeration when placing mixes using emulsified and cut back asphalts. Settlement or grade depression Depressions are low areas of limited size that may be accompanied by cracking. They may be caused by traffic over loading or by consolidation, settlement or failure of the lower pavement layers. Up heave or swell Up heave is the localized upward displacement of the pavement due to the swelling of the sub grade. Up heave is most commonly caused by the expansion of ice in the lower courses of the pavement or sub grade. It may also be caused by the swelling effect of the moisture on the expansive soil. Utility cut or patch failure This is the failure of the utility installation or of a repaired area in the existing pavement. They usually are caused by lack of adequate compaction of the back fill, base or asphalt patch materials. Patch failures may also result from poor installation techniques, inferior materials or failure of the surrounding materials or under lying pavement. Disintegration Disintegration is the breaking up of the pavement into small, loose fragments. If the problem is not addressed the pavement disintegrates further until rehabilitation is required. Raveling/Weathering This is the progressive separation of the aggregate particles from the pavement surface downwards and from the surface inwards. Raveling usually occurs in wheel paths while weathering is found in non traffic zones and it extends over all surface. Raveling is caused by lack of HMA compaction, construction of thin lift during the cold weather, dirty or disintegrating aggregates, too little asphalt in the mix or over heating of the asphalt mix. Raveling almost always requires the presence of both water and traffic to occur. Potholes Potholes are bowl shaped holes resulting from the localized disintegration. Most potholes occur in the pavements having thin asphalt concrete surface on an untreated aggregate base. Thin surfaces showing severe alligator cracking begin to lose the pieces of the asphalt out of the cracked area creating potholes. Skid Hazards One of the most common cause of the skid hazards in the asphalt pavement is a thin film of water on the pavement surface another is the thick film of water on the pavement surface that causes a high speed vehicle to hydro plane. Slipperiness may also develop from the surface contamination such as from oil spillage or certain type of clay etc. Bleeding or flushing Bleeding or flushing is the upward movement in the asphalt pavement. This results in the formation of film of asphalt on the surface. Bleeding is identified by the pavement surface with a stick, glassy appearance that may be sticky to touch and usually occurs in hot weather .The most common cause of bleeding is excess asphalt in one or more of the pavement courses .Also traffic may cause the over compaction of the asphalt layers, forcing the binder to the surface. Polished aggregate These are the aggregate particles on the surface of the pavement that have been polished smooth. Some aggregates, particularly lime stone become polished rather quickly under traffic. Some type of gravel are naturally polished and if they are used in the pavement surface without crushing they will be a skid hazard. These polished aggregates are quite slippery when they are wet. Surface Treatment Distresses Because of the construction procedures being used, surface treatments may develop some defects that dont occur in other type of pavement surfaces. These include loss of aggregate cover and streaking. Some of the asphalt pavement distresses such as corrugations, depressions, up heave, potholes and raveling occur most frequently in the pavement constructed with surface treatments. Loss of cover aggregate This distress is identified by the whipping off of aggregate by traffic from a surface treated pavement. Several things can cause loss of aggregate cover including weather too cool, fast traffic permitted on the new surface treatment too soon, a surface absorbing part of the asphalt, aggregates that are too dusty or too dry etc. Longitudinal / Transverse Streaking Longitudinal streaking is alternate lean and heavy lines of asphalt and/or aggregate running parallel to the center line of the road .Transverse streaking is the same phenomenon except that the direction is running transverse across the road way. Several things can cause longitudinal streaking including: improper height of the spray bar, incorrect asphalt pump speed, asphalt too cold, incorrect pump pressure etc. Transverse cracking is caused by spurts in the asphalt spray from the distributor spray bar. These spurs may be produced by improper pump speed, pulsation of the asphalt pump etc.

Role of Student in Making of Pakistan

Pakistan — an ideological state: Pakistan claims itself to lay an ideological state because it is founded on a certain specific ideology-the ideology of Islam. It came into being because Muslims of the Indo-Pak subcontinent developed a specific attitude of mind-and attitude which was determined by the consciousness of certain principles or objectives which they felt must be realized. These were the eternal spiritual and ethical values of Islam. Islam gives ethical bases of life to the Muslim nation. To them Islam is more than a religion as considered in the western sense.It is in fact a complete code of life which embraces social, political, economic and cultural aspects of human behaviors. Ideology of Pakistan: The ideology of Pakistan, the overwhelming Muslim country is ideology which comprises the dictates and sanctions which are attributed or prone to the Islamic concept of nation and that of state. i) Muslim nationhood: As regards the Muslims, their basis of nationhood is neither geographical boundaries nor social or linguistic similarities but their religion-Islam. All Muslims are a nation without any distinction.This is the first principle of Pakistan ideology on which Quaid-i-Azam demanded a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent. To Pakistan, Islam is the basis of ‘Nationalism’. II) Islamic state: The ideology of Pakistan is based on the principles and ideals of Islam. Islam is the ideal for which Muslims struggled and on which the ideals on the newly born nation were based. III) Ancient ideology: Ideology of Pakistan- the Islamic way of life is not something life a manifesto that Pakistanis adopted in the morrows of their freedom. On the country, it is as old as Islam itself.Indeed Indo-Pakistani Muslim emerged as a new nation because they had stood fast to this ideology. They founded a new state because they had described to enthrone the values underlying this ideology without being checked by the domination of othe r conflicting values. It has been sufficiently warranted by the historical facts that not withstanding a thousand years of co-existence of the two communities-the Hindus and the Muslims, in the Indian subcontinent, they could not become harmonic, cohesive, was the expediency which was based on regionality.But this regionality could not become effective since the Muslim community is totally different from the Hindu society having its own moods and methods, names and nomenclature legends and heroes, language and literature, this concept of co-existence between them even at the regional levels could not prove a success. Thus they started their struggle for a separate homeland on the basis of Islamic ideology.