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Caregiving during the COVID-19 and elder abuse in Africa: Research and policy directions
No full textGiven how COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every aspect of our lives, this paper aims to discuss potential mistreatment of older adults by informal caregivers during the COVID-19 outbreak in Africa and possible ways to help address it. The unprecedented global COVID-19 crisis has distorted informal caregivers’ roles. And as a consequence, informal caregivers are required to adjust their roles in order to reduce caregiving burden and stress. More importantly, the COVID-19 crisis has caused challenging situations which might potentially cause family caregivers to abuse their older relatives. Despite this, research on this subject, up to this point, remains nascent in Africa. Researchers also have failed to examine the pattern of the increasing reports of abuse, violence and discrimination against older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. This paper, therefore, calls for a deeper research on the dynamics and the immediate and long-term impacts of abuse against older adults in Africa
“We are parents”: Constructions of fatherhood and fathering among urban middle-class fathers in Zambia
No full textThis study explores the ways in which fatherhood is conceptualised, practiced, and interpreted in view of existing discourses. It employed mixed-methods approach based on 32 in-depth interviews with fathers, 25 with mothers, 5 couple interviews and survey data from 416 fathers. Results showed that the conceptualisation of fatherhood is shifting away from a simplistic view centred only on the hegemonic notion of fathers as financial providers, towards a more intensive and expansive one which includes other developments such as emotional expressiveness and physical care. Fathers showed a lot of anxiety and fear about the safety and future well-being of their children. The changed meaning of fatherhood was also revealed in their practices where, in the context of love and changed conception of children, fathers make masculine compromises and perform various childcare and housework tasks as a way of managing potential risks and taking care of children’s vulnerabilities even in the face of social scrutiny and ridicule for engaging in women’s work. Results also revealed that fathers negotiate their involvement by harnessing various strategies from taking advantage of existing discourses that people value, interpreting parenting as gender neutral, to the more subversive strategies such as owning the narrative labels and outright rejection of normative values. Findings also revealed the influence of various factors on the construction of fatherhood and fathering such as Christian religious doctrine, negative life experiences and fathers’ fear of suffering in old age if they did not establish close emotional ties with their children
Inequalities in support experiences of \u27disabled\u27 students in Ghanaian higher education
No full textThe drive towards widening access and participation in the Ghanaian educational system has been evidenced in current educational policies including the inclusive education policy. Scanty literature exists on disabled students’ experiences related to the provision and support stemming from the policy in Ghanaian higher education. This research aims at hearing the “voices” of key actors in inclusive higher education, namely ‘disabled’ students on their experiences of inclusive practices and support provisions to highlight benefits and challenges for policy and practice by policymakers. The study highlights the institutional policy and practice of inclusion in three Ghanaian public universities, as well as the related present lives of ‘disabled’ students therein, in line with the Capabilities Approach. The study employs a qualitative approach in researching ‘disabled’ students in three Ghanaian public universities due to the in-depth limitation of quantifying ‘lived’ experiences of provision, support, and challenges. The study employs the use of semi-structured interviews, semi-participant observations, and policy analysis. The study found inequalities and gaps in the experiences of students in relation to policy and institutional inequalities characterised by lack of financial support, inability to access disability allowance, the presence or otherwise of policy and student association groups, and makes applicable recommendations therein
Women, business management and development: The case for Uganda’s enterprises
No full textAdvancing women into decision-making spheres of public life remains a development agenda. Despite increasing numbers of women in the labour market, their representation in decision-making spheres has stayed low. In SubSaharan Africa, employment at the population level in 2005 stood at 58.9 percent and in 2013 at 59.5 percent. Also, there have been improvements in employment structure, with a reduction of 4.8 percent in the share of women employed in agriculture and an increase of 4.2 percent and 0.5 percent for services and manufacturing, respectively. However, the share of women in management is 26 percent compared to men at 74 percent in 2013. This research aims to investigate the determinants of the development of women in high management roles in Uganda. Our scope is restricted to business companies, particularly those engaged in manufacturing, retailing, and services. The inquiry applies a probit estimator to data from the World Bank\u27s Business Survey. Findings reveal the firm\u27s age; female ownership, and if that firm falls under these industrial divisions: garments, textiles, retail, machinery, equipment, and chemicals encourage firms\u27 willingness to take on a female manager. On the other hand, business environment influences of corruption, tax administration problems, customs and trade control procedures discourage firms from hiring female managers. The policy implications and lessons of these results are discussed. These policies are directed at skills development, especially for the garments, chemicals, machinery, and equipment sectors; strong business collective action; and efforts for strengthening firm survival and increasing penalties for illicit behaviour
Research and education in the long run
No full textThis presentation seeks to provide a longer-term perspective on both research and education. The first section of the talk discusses some of Neil’s recent research which examines long-run movements in growth, commodity prices and real exchange rates and then seeks to set an agenda for future research which encompasses the linkages between finance, new technologies, environmental concerns, and corporate governance. In particular, the talk will stress the importance of ‘long-term’ rather than ‘short-term’ thinking. The second section continues with this theme, discussing related trends in financial education including big data, data analytics and associated interdisciplinary approaches
Challenges in researching as a third space professional
No full textAs the literature regarding professional services staff has increased in recent years, there has been more focus on the third space professional. Described by Whitchurch, (2017: 4) “in terms of the spaces they occupy, the knowledge they develop, the relationships they form, and the legitimacies and sources authority that they develop”. The third space professional within the university sector is crossing boundaries traditionally occupied by professional services or academic staff.
This presentation focuses on the challenges I have faced as a third space professional researching identity with my own organisation. I will describe the methodical approach I undertook using Holland et al\u27s., (1998) key text: Identity and Agency in Cultural Worlds and examine how undertaking a Doctorate of Education as a professional services member of staff working as a third space professional has challenged my own identity.
I will present my research findings and offer suggestions about how universities can value those who work across the boundaries of higher education and how we can attempt to reimagine the binary divide that exists between professional services and academic staff. This research adds to the evolving nature of higher education