Identify the key challenges for implementing public policy in modern Essay

Identify the key challenges for implementing public policy in modern Britain - Essay Example The general economic crisis, which has amazed many West-European countries in 80-90-ies years, has forced them to reconsider the social policy. "The social state" has appeared to be unable to cope with new problems of public management (social deviations, "new poor", growth of criminality, etc.). The concept of "the social state" was replaced by neoliberalism that demanded the redefinition of the purposes of the state and the "rational" management. The social conditions of political practices have radically changed, having caused new political forms, and new professionals of their manufacture (experts, social workers) (Ham, 1984, p87). Each form of public policy is directed on the social problem and has its "public" (a category of social counterparts). However the problem, no less than a social category, is not something certainly and unequivocally given, but the results of designing of agents of public policy. The Researches of public policy in the West aspire to separate in the independent discipline, speaking on behalf a name of a science about "the state in operation". However, declaring itself as a science about "public action", it in practice, often departs from the model of knowledge accepted in the academic world and takes the form of set of techniques or check lists, intended for the persons making the decision, i.e. solves the problems of public management. A greater part of the responsibility for that lays on Anglo-Saxon tradition as, since the fiftieth years, the researches of public policy in the USA are based on concept "government" and have almost exclusively pragmatical character(Ham, 1984, p94). Studying of public policy goes back to the standard of distinction between policy (a policy as the program of actions) and politics (a policy as a system of sights). The problem of public policy is considered here in aspect of increasing inability of the modern state to solve socia l problems of the population. The state is ostensibly

The Dopamine Hypothesis of Schizophrenia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Dopamine Hypothesis of Schizophrenia - Essay Example Besides, several hypothesis are also proposed to explain the etiology of schizophrenia. Freud and Bleuler believed that schizophrenia was caused by a biologic abnormality. In the mid twenties it was believed that schizophrenia was caused by disturbances of child-rearing. A few of the researchers believed the cause of schizophrenia to be a communication deviance between the parents and the schizophrenic child. Twin studies points at the genetic links of schizophrenia. Studies have found a concordance rate of 40% in monozygotic twins and a 15% concordance in dizygotic twins. Another breakthrough that reinforced the biologic bases of schizophrenia is the discovery of the first antipsychotic medication - Chlorpromazine in the 1950's. This has enabled many people with schizophrenia to live a better life. Psychosocial stressors influence relapse and possibly determine the timing of the first episode and may even determine whether the disorder will occur or not. It seems more and more likely that a specific set of biological predispositions is necessary (even if not sufficien t) for the disease to occur. Although the exact cause of schizophrenia is still unknown the disease seems to be partly related to increased dopamine activity in certain neuronal tracts. The dopamine hypothesis is the most widely accepted hypothesis in the development of schizophrenia. The original dopamine hypothesis proposed a hyperactivity of dopamine transmission in the limbic brain areas, especially the nucleus accumbens, but also in the stria terminalis, lateral septum, and olfactory tubercle that is responsible for the symptoms of schizophrenia. There is some consensus among researchers that over activity of dopamine systems in the mesolimbic pathway may contribute to the 'positive symptoms' of schizophrenia, whereas problems with dopamine function in the mesocortical pathway may be responsible for the 'negative symptoms'. Evidence to support this hypothesis comes from the fact that most antipsychotics that are successful in treating schizophrenia are dopamine receptor antagonists. In addition, researchers also found that drugs that increase dopamine activity such as cocaine and amphetamines can lead to schizophrenic-like symptoms. This paper mainly focuses on the relevance or irrelevance of the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia. Evidence in favor of the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia There are two main points in favor of the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia. The first one comes from evidence that most antipsychotics that are successful in treating schizophrenia are dopamine receptor antagonists. The second evidence comes from the fact that, dugs that increase dopamine activity like cocaine and amphetamines can lead to schizophrenic-like symptoms. Evidence for the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia is partly based on the observed effects of drugs such as amphetamine and cocaine. Both of these drugs increase levels of dopamine in the brain and can cause psychosis, especially after large doses or prolonged use. Amphetamine psychosis and cocaine psychosis may produce symptoms that are indistinguishable from the positive symptoms associated with schizophrenia. A review by Lieberman and colleagues demonstrated that up to 75% of patients with schizophrenia have exacerbated the signs and symptoms of their psychosis when given moderate doses of methylphenidate, amphetamine or other dopamine-like