scholarly journals A Displaced Community’s Perspective on Land-Grabbing in Africa: The Case of the Kalimkhola Community in Dwangwa, Malawi

Land ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 187
Author(s):  
Yuh Jin Bae
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Sugar Industry ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Land Grabbing ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Community Resistance ◽  
Depth Interviews

In recent years, the sugar industry in Malawi has been criticized for its connections to land-grabbing. The general trend in the current literature has been the attempt to identify the main actors and factors that were instrumental in the displacement of local communities. These studies often neglect the importance of each community’s in-depth perspectives on land-grabbing, which is essential in obtaining a comprehensive understanding of land-grabbing. By conducting field research based on in-depth interviews with the Kalimkhola community, this study had two main objectives: (1) to analyze the wider implications and effects of land-grabbing and displacement, other than its often-cited economic aspects; and (2) to analyze more specific reasons behind the community’s complaints and strong resistance to land-grabbing. The main findings of this research are that (1) land-grabbing leads to a loss of traditional cultural practices, and (2) the main reason for discontentment amongst community members is not the process of displacement, per se, but the worsening of their living and working environments. For those who were forcibly moved twice, their environmental change for the worse contributed to community resistance. These findings, along with the others in this paper, show that land-grabbing studies have the potential to broaden the research area. This can only be achieved by engaging in close interactions and in-depth interviews with specific local communities, which will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of land-grabbing in Dwangwa.

scholarly journals Aboriginal entrepreneurship in the Northern Ob region

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-85
Author(s):  
Elena P. Martynova
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous People ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Family Ties ◽  
The North ◽  
Structure Of Communities ◽  
Informal Economies ◽  
Economic Interaction ◽  
History Of

he article deals with the history of the development of entrepreneurship in the Northern Ob region among the Nenets, Khanty and Mansi. The author calls it «aboriginal” meaning that it as an economic activity that makes profit from the works directly related to the traditional sectors of the economy of the indigenous North peoples or from sale of products of economy. The article is based on the author’s field materials obtained during many years of field research (2000, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2017 years) in different areas of Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. It was found that two types of aboriginal entrepreneurship are developed in the Northern Ob region: institutional and informal. The first is represented by communities (either tribal or national) of indigenous people and farms. Their organization is socially oriented: communities are primarily a place of work for fishermen and reindeer herders. Community entrepreneurship is supported by the authorities of the district and the Okrug through a system of grants. The income of most community members is low, forcing them to seek additional income opportunities. The structure of communities of indigenous people is based on family ties. Informal aboriginal entrepreneurship spontaneously emerged in the crisis of the 1990-s and still does not give up its position. It provides the main income to families of private reindeer herders and fishermen. As a result of this aboriginal business quite stable client networks are formed that contribute to the social integration of local communities. Such entrepreneurship brings higher incomes, compared with the legalized formal ones, despite the lack of support from the “top” of the authorities. This largely contributes to its stability in the harsh northern conditions, where the market is small. The risk of being deceived is not an obstacle to the development of such business. The boundaries between institutional and informal economies in the North are penetrable and fluid. A private reindeer herder can be a member of the family community, and after delivering the minimum rate of products traditional industries can act as an independent businessman, selling products through his customers or visiting merchants. The same can be true for members of fishing communities. The interweaving of institutional and informal entrepreneurship forms a complex network of social and economic interaction in local communities.

Listening to our Global Partners: Kenyans’ perceptions of international volunteers

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 680-698
Author(s):  
Jennifer Smyer Dickey ◽  
Rosemary Wasike ◽  
Jon Singletary ◽  
Megan Levers Sayers
Keyword(s):  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Host Community ◽  
Skill Transfer ◽  
Community Members ◽  
International Volunteers ◽  
Attitudes And Behaviors ◽  
International Volunteerism ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
International Volunteer

Abstract Although international volunteerism is a common service practice among Americans and Europeans, research exploring host community members’ perceptions of volunteers and their practice is lacking. In this phenomenological study, thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted with Kenyan participants and their perceptions of international volunteers’ attitudes and behaviors were explored. While positive themes of skill transfer and honoring cultural practices emerged, so did negative themes that suggested international volunteers had demeaning perceptions of Kenyans, controlled collaborative projects, and gave Kenyans cursory roles to play. The study also suggests that international volunteers departed from service hastily without empowering Kenyans, which led to project failure. Recommendations for strengthening international volunteer practice are identified and described.

scholarly journals Między agape a krwawą ofiarą. Kurban w życiu religijnym wyznawców prawosławia (Rodopy Zachodnie, Bułgaria)

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 303-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Lubańska
Keyword(s):  
Religious Life ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Religious Groups ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Orthodox Christian ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Blood Sacrifice ◽  
Level Of Importance ◽  
The Sacrifice ◽  
Depth Interviews

Between agape and blood sacrifice. Kurban in the religious life of Orthodox Christian (Western Rhodopes, Bulgaria)The article is an excerpt of the dissertation „Religious syncretism and anti-syncretism in the light of the coexistence between Muslims (Pomaks) and Orthodox Christians in the Western Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria”. Dissertation is based on field research I did in 2005–2009 in the area of Gotse Delchev, a town in Blagoevgrad Province. I have interviewed community members invested with considerable symbolic potential, such as the mayor and the mufti, Orthodox clerics, hodjas, teachers and quack doctors. I conducted a total of 63 in-depth interviews with 76 people.My findings show that the local Orthodox population is more susceptible to the influence of Islam than vice versa. What is quite striking in this context is that examples of deep syncretism can actually be found among the Christians. This includes the practice of kurban or blood sacrifice, which they regard as a replication of Abraham’s sacrifice and invest with a level of importance that makes it a central aspect of their religious life (possibly more important than the Eucharist). Although Balkan Slavs had practiced blood sacrifice even before the arrival of Islam in the region, the Christian interpretations of the practice evince deep parallels with the Muslim practice of kurban. Both religious groups identify Abraham’s sacrifice as the origin of the practice, and treat the sacrificial lamb as a substitute for a specific human life.Although the scholar Florentina Badalanova has interestingly suggested that the narrative of Abraham’s sacrifice, which is popular in Bulgarian folklore, may have persisted in an unchanged form ever since it originally emerged in ancient Ur and became transmitted orally to the Balkans, her thesis must remain purely conjectural. Where it comes to the Western Rhodopes, I suppose that the motif of Abraham’s sacrifice filtered into Christian religious symbols and narratives via the traditions of adat Islam, many of which had retained close links with Judaism. By adopting the Ottoman Turkish term (kurban) rather than its Semitic variant (qorban), the Christians also adopted the related set of ideas about the sacrifice and its sacred aetiology. The precise ramifications of this example of deep syncretism for the religious experience of Orthodox Christians, though interesting, would require additional in-depth research.

Motivating Growth in Low-tech Manufacturing Industries

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi HERTZ
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Manufacturing Plants ◽  
Footwear Industry ◽  
Technological Platform ◽  
Qualitative Methodologies ◽  
Developed World ◽  
Depth Interviews

Intensive manual labor enterprises in the developed world face challenges competing with products imported from countries where manufacturing costs are low. This reduces the volume of domestic production and leads to rapid loss of knowledge and experience in production processes. This study focuses on the Israeli footwear industry as a case study. Qualitative methodologies were applied, including in-depth interviews and field observations. A literature review on previous research, and contemporary trends was conducted. The field research examines challenges along the value chain in small factories. It finds that mass production paradigms impose a decentralized process between designers and manufacturers and therefore do not leverage local potential into a sustainable competitive advantage for small factories. The proposed solution is a digital and technological platform for small manufacturing plants. The platform mediates and designs the connections between production, technology, and design and enables the creation of a joint R&D system.

scholarly journals Contested or complementary healing paradigms? Women’s narratives of COVID-19 remedies in Mwanza, Tanzania

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerry Mshana ◽  
Zaina Mchome ◽  
Diana Aloyce ◽  
Esther Peter ◽  
Saidi Kapiga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Belief Systems ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Women's Narratives ◽  
Traditional Remedies ◽  
Traditional Therapies ◽  
Audio Files ◽  
Smart Mobile ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
African Setting

Abstract Background COVID-19 has caused worldwide fear and uncertainty. Historically, the biomedical disease paradigm established its dominance in tackling emerging infectious illnesses mainly due to innovation in medication and advances in technology. Traditional and religious remedies have emerged as plausible options for prevention and treatment of COVID-19, especially in Africa and Asia. The appeal of religious and traditional therapies against COVID-19 in the African setting must be understood within the historical, social, and political context. This study explored how women and community members dealt with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 in Mwanza, Tanzania. Methods This study was conducted in Nyamagana and Ilemela districts of Mwanza, Tanzania, between July and August 2020. We conducted 18 mobile phone in-depth interviews with a purposively selected sample of women aged 27–57 years participating in an existing longitudinal study. For safety reasons, smart mobile phones were used to collect the data. Each interview was audio recorded after obtaining verbal consent from the participants. The audio files were transferred to computers for analysis. Four researchers conducted a multistage, inductive analysis of the data. Results Participants reported wide use and perceived high efficacy of traditional remedies and prayer to prevent and treat suspected symptoms of COVID-19. Use was either alone or combined with public health recommendations such as hand washing and crowd avoidance. Despite acknowledging that a pathogen causes COVID-19, participants attested to the relevance and power of traditional herbal medication and prayer to curb COVID-19. Four main factors underline the symbolic efficacy of the traditional and religious treatment paradigms: personal, communal, and official reinforcement of their efficacy; connection to local knowledge and belief systems; the failure of biomedicine to offer a quick and effective solution; and availability. Conclusions In the context of emerging contagious illnesses, communities turn to resilient and trusted treatment paradigms to quell fear and embrace hope. To tackle emerging infections effectively, it is essential to engage the broader sociopolitical landscape, including communal considerations of therapeutic efficacy.

Clubroot in Brassica: Recent advances in genomics, breeding and disease management

Genome ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Jakir Hasan ◽  
Swati Megha ◽  
Habibur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Host Resistance ◽  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Plasmodiophora Brassicae ◽  
Genetic Resistance ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
Clubroot Disease

Clubroot disease, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, affects Brassica oilseed and vegetable production worldwide. This review is focused on various aspects of clubroot disease and its management, including understanding the pathogen and resistance in the host plants. Advances in genetics, molecular biology techniques and ‘omics’ research have helped to identify several major loci, QTL and genes from the Brassica genomes involved in the control of clubroot resistance. Transcriptomic studies have helped to extend our understanding of the mechanism of infection by the pathogen and the molecular basis of resistance/susceptibility in the host plants. A comprehensive understanding of the clubroot disease and host resistance would allow developing a better strategy by integrating the genetic resistance with cultural practices to manage this disease from a long-term perspective.

scholarly journals Nonprofits and the Promotion of Civic Engagement: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding the "Civic Footprint" of Nonprofits within Local Communities

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Micheal L. Shier ◽  
Lindsey McDougle ◽  
Femida Handy
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Nonprofit Organizations ◽  
Rural Community ◽  
Community Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Education And Awareness

ABSTRACT   The literature suggests that nonprofit organizations provide civic benefits by promoting engagement within local communities. However, there exists minimal empirical evidence describing the ways in which nonprofits actually undertake this role. In order to address this omission, we conducted interviews with personnel of nonprofit organizations in one rural community in the United States. Our preliminary findings indicate that nonprofit organizations promote civic engagement through programs and activities that: 1) engage volunteers and donors; 2) bring community members together; 3) collaborate with organizations within and beyond the community; and 4) promote community education and awareness. Together, these findings help to develop a working model to understand the civic footprint of nonprofit organizations with methodological implications for future research that would seek to measure the extent to which nonprofits promote civic engagement. Il est normal de supposer que les associations à but non lucratif favorisent l’engagement du citoyen dans les communautés locales. Cependant, il existe peu de données empiriques sur la manière dont ces associations assument véritablement ce rôle. Pour combler ce manque, nous avons mené des entretiens semi-directifs approfondis auprès du personnel d’associations à but non lucratif dans une petite communauté rurale aux États-Unis. Nos résultats préliminaires indiquent que ces associations motivent les citoyens à s’impliquer quand elles offrent des programmes et des activités qui : 1) intéressent les bénévoles et les donateurs; 2) rassemblent directement ou indirectement les membres de la communauté; 3) collaborent avec d’autres associations tant au sein de la communauté qu’au-delà de celle-ci; et 4) encouragent l’éducation et la conscientisation communautaires. Ces constats aident à établir un modèle pour mieux comprendre la présence civique des associations à but non lucratif dans les communautés et indiquent une piste à suivre pour des recherches futures qui examineraient l’influence de ces associations sur le niveau de participation civique.

scholarly journals Hybrid-specific nutrient and water use of maize on chernozem soil

2013 ◽  
pp. 51-54
Author(s):  
Lajos Karancsi
Keyword(s):  
Maximum Yield ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Chernozem Soil ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The University ◽  
Optimum Nutrition ◽  
Corn Hybrid ◽  
Yield Decrease

The field research was set up on chernozem soil at the Látókép AGTC KIT research area of the University of Debrecen. The study focused on yield, water utilization, nutrient reaction and the amount of yield per kg fertilizer of corn hybrid NX 47279 in 2011 and 2012. Based on the yield results it can be concluded that the largest yield in 2011 was 15 963 kg ha-1 at level N120+PK, while in 2012, the maximum yield amounted to 14 972 kg ha-1 at level N90+PK. Surplus yield per kg fertilizer proved that in 2011 level N30+PK resulted in the highest surplus yield (42.3 kg kg-1) compared to the control treatment. In 2012, yield growth was 18.0 kg kg-1 compared to the control treatment. We measured at level N60+PK 17,5 kg kg-1 compared to at level N30+PK, at the N90+PK 17,7 kg kg-1 compared to at level N60+PK. level N30+PK kg kg-1, 17.5 kg kg-1 at level N60+PK and 17.7 kg kg-1 at level N90+PK compared to the control treatment. Results of the regression analysis showed that the amount of nitrogen fertilizer was 117 kg ha-1 in 2011 and 111 kg ha-1 in 2012 in order to reach maximum yield. Doses of fertilizers above the amounts previously mentioned resulted in yield decrease. Our results indicated that in the drought year of 2012 the hybrid used available water more efficiently than in 2011. The hybrid produced 59 kg ha-1 yield in 2012 and 51.9 kg ha-1 in 2011 at an optimum nutrition level.

scholarly journals Philosophical meaning of the myth of pregnant and nursing mothers at Dawuhan village, Banyumas

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
Astiana Ajeng Rahadini ◽  
Rahmat Rahmat
Keyword(s):  
Research Method ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Public Life ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Traditional Culture ◽  
Oral Literature ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Nursing Mothers ◽  
The Village ◽  
Depth Interviews

Traditional culture underlying a wide range of behavior and deeds of a society and gave birth to a variety of oral literature as well as myth. The myth that developed and still surviving in public life of Java among other myths related to pregnant and nursing mothers. This research is under a descriptively qualitative method supported by field research method along with un-depth interviews in Dawuhan village of Banyumas which is the village where the ancestors of Banyumas was buried. Through field observation and research method of interview to the trusted resource in Dawuhan village was obtained by results of research regarding the myth of pregnant and nursing mothers. This research finds some kinds of myths in relation to recommending and prohibition to perform an action that may harm the fetus, while the myth of breastfeeding mothers mostly prohibition and advice about foods that are consumed by the mother breastfeeding can harm the health of the baby.

scholarly journals Ice Cover, Subglacial Landscape, and Estimation of Bottom Melting of Mac. Robertson, Princess Elizabeth, Wilhelm II, and Western Queen Mary Lands, East Antarctica

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 241
Author(s):  
Sergey Popov
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Melting Rate ◽  
East Antarctica ◽  
Ice Thickness ◽  
Radio Echo Sounding ◽  
Base Elevation ◽  
Vast Area ◽  
Grove Mountains

This study demonstrates the results of Russian airborne radio-echo sounding (RES) investigations and also seismic reflection soundings carried out in 1971–2020 over a vast area of coastal part of East Antarctica. It is the first comprehensive summary mapping of these data. Field research, equipment, errors of initial RES data, and methods of gridding are discussed. Ice thickness, ice base elevation, and bedrock topography are presented. The ice thickness across the research area varies from a few meters to 3620 m, and is greatest in the local subglacial depressions. The average thickness is about 1220 m. The total volume of the ice is about 710,500 km3. The bedrock heights vary from 2860 m below sea level in the ocean bathyal zone to 2040 m above sea level in the Grove Mountains area (4900 m relief). The main directions of the bedrock orographic forms are concentrated mostly in three intervals: 345∘–30∘, 45∘–70∘, and 70∘–100∘. The bottom melting rate was estimated on the basis of the simple Zotikov model. Total annual melting under the study area is about 0.633 cubic meters. The total annual melting in the study area is approximately 1.5 mm/yr.

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