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Evolving Monetary Policy Communication: Evidence from the South African Context
No full textThis article reviews changes in communications at the South African Reserve Bank since the adoption of inflation targeting in February 2000. In particular, it examines the shift towards evolving methods of communication by the South African Reserve Bank through the use of new technologies and approaches intended to increase accountability and transparency. The analysis extensively evaluates the South African Reserve Bank’s communication tools and how they affect the effectiveness of monetary policy implementation in the South African context. Notably, this study employs the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level metric to assess the effect of communication readability on domestic inflation expectations. By using readability scores as a proxy for clarity, the research measures the impact that central bank communication standards have on market agents’ inflation expectations and their interpretation of monetary policy. The findings reveal that the South African Reserve Bank’s communication clarity has a significant inverse relationship with South African market participants’ long-run inflation expectations, highlighting the vital role of clear central bank communication in anchoring inflation expectations
Feminist Practices and Experiential Pedagogies: Student Learning at the Commission on the Status of Women
Get PDFThis article describes an undergraduate experiential learning course based at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The course introduces students to the evolution of global women’s rights movements and gender equality efforts at the United Nations (UN) while simultaneously preparing them to engage directly with human rights leaders and policymakers during the annual CSW meeting in early March. Prior to participation in the CSW, students learn about the history of women’s rights as human rights campaign alongside essential governing documents, meeting outcomes, and global resolutions on gender equality. Students likewise trace ongoing challenges to human rights mechanisms and consider how feminist leaders and movements have shaped and continue to influence human rights work today. In this article, I explore the ebbs and flows of the course, delivered across five different semesters, offering critical insight on the ways in which changes to the CSW environment and student learning outcomes inform pedagogical progression in course delivery, assessment and design. I spotlight one scaffolded assignment where students collaborate with others to create and distribute advocacy materials at the CSW as an illustrative example of experiential learning as feminist praxis. Drawing from student reflections, the article interweaves discussions of lessons learned as well as the value experiential education provides to the related interdisciplinary fields of clinical sociology, and women’s and gender, or feminist studies
Re-thinking the writing syllabus: How contextual factors inform curriculum revision
Get PDFRecent studies demonstrate the effectiveness of needs analysis in relation to the language and communication goals of students. In this regard, different stakeholders contribute greatly to revision of curricula. While English language departments play an integral role in meeting the communication needs of learners, a more nuanced integration of stakeholders’ input is crucial. In this reflection, we detail the process of revising a writing syllabus, incorporating different stakeholders’ perspectives, expectations, and experiences. We argue that while needs analysis provides valuable instructional input, considering contextual factors is also essential in developing a sensible and holistic curriculum design that acknowledges ecological relationships between units in the university. Specifically, the interaction of the contextual factors, such as the course’s motivation, the writing and reading expectations of the different academic departments, and the priorities and experiences of teachers and students, led to the realignment of topics, and changes in task design and assessment practices in the revised writing syllabus
The SIX fourth Revolutions world we are living in
Get PDFAlthough the focus is generally on the fourth industrial revolution when the spotlight is seeking reasons for change and disruption, there are at least five other major fourth revolutions that also play important roles in stimulating change and development. They are the communication revolutions, human self-understanding revolutions, education revolutions, the revolutions in society, and those that happened in Sociology. This synoptic, descriptive research provides background information on the development of the six major fourth revolutions that are currently dominating twenty first-century life. The aim is to promote and enhance knowledge and understanding, specifically in the Global South regarding the historical development of the subsequent revolutions and shortly points towards the advantages and disadvantages of these global trends
“Unmasking” the Authenticity of the Values of Communality Post the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nomiya Church- Eastleigh
Get PDFIn Nomiya Church, African values of commuality were refined and reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. The advent and subsequent growth of the internet prompted computer-mediated communication in all spheres of humanlife, including religion, where religious rituals and behaviors were transferred and practiced online. This paper unpacks the move from physical church to online church and how that redefined African values in religious practices and worship, especially in an African-instituted church, Nomiya Church Eastleigh. Nomiya is the first independent church in Kenya. The paper utilizes African Communalism theory to make sense of the shifts and postures in African value systems. African communalism theory upholds togetherness and the common good while exhibiting the values of justice, care, and mutual existence. The study found that African communality values are authentically meaningful in physical church gatherings, with virtual spaces acting as fitting substitutes in times of turmoil. Physical presence drives activeness in forming collective identity, an enhanced sense of belonging and interrelational solidarity, enhanced by language exemplified with values. African communality is thus not an inborn static philosophy/trait common to all Africans. However, it is a salient and transient value and framework of ethical decision making worth cultivating for the common good of all.
Mission from the Margins in the Context of HIV and AIDS: Grandmothers’ Narratives of Transforming Religious Communities in Maai Mahiu, Kenya
No full textUsing the narratives of grandmothers in Maai Mahiu, Kenya, this article demonstrates how the grandmothers from different Christian denominations and ministries were stigmatised within their religious communities, how they responded to the stigma meted on them and their contributions towards the transformation of the religious communities in the context of HIV and AIDS. By revisiting the theme of HIV and AIDS in religious communities, the article affirms that HIV and AIDS is still one of the biggest challenges facing the world. The situation of children orphaned by AIDS continues to be a serious issue in high prevalent areas and 80% of these children are found in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). When AIDS kills parents, the grandparents especially grandmothers usually assume the parenting role of the orphans. This article utilises the data collected for my unpublished PhD thesis, which was conducted to examine the source of strength, faith and hope exhibited by the grandmothers’ parenting grandchildren orphaned by AIDS amidst the intense stigma they faced. The study employed qualitative and grounded theory research approaches. In particular, sixteen people were recruited as study participants (15 grandmothers and 1 health worker) and later into the study three pastors were recruited. The article shows that the grandmothers’ responses to the stigma from their religious communities resulted into them gaining and promoting accurate knowledge on HIV and AIDS, positive living, improved standards of living and more importantly, the transformation of the religious communities. The grandmothers largely responded in a way that would positively transform their own lives, their community and their religious leaders. Based on this, the article concludes that by being proactive in their responses to the stigma and ostracism meted on them, the grandmothers were practically engaging in mission, but doing it from the margins of the community where they had been pushed by religious communities
Private Higher Education College Students’ Experiences of Remote Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Johannesburg, South Africa
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown implemented in March 2020 prompted South African higher education institutions to shift from face-to-face to remote teaching and learning. The sudden transition presented challenges for students in higher education institutions such as universities, but there is limited research examining the perceptions of students in private higher education colleges. Henceforth, this study explores the experiences of students of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in private higher education colleges located in Johannesburg, South Africa. Employing a qualitative approach, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with sixteen students from private higher education colleges. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse data. The findings indicate that private higher education college students encountered difficulties in navigating remote learningduring the national lockdown due to the intersection of factors, including unstable internet connections and network issues, lack of dedicated study spaces, and insufficient communication and support from lecturers. This article contributes to the body of knowledge on the remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown by shedding light on private college students’ experiences
Observations from the outside: The KUPI factor
No full textThe second convening of the KUPI in November 2022 was attended by international participants who had firsthand opportunity to gauge its relevance beyond Indonesia. Many non-Indonesian scholars and religious activists who observed the developments related to the KUPI conferences in 2017 and 2022 agree that they represent a significant movement within the Muslim world, particularly in Indonesia, where female scholars are actively shaping the discourse on Islam and gender, promoting interpretations that support women\u27s rights and social justice. The central questions in this article are: What makes the KUPI a distinct and promising movement? How can it establish a lasting presence in Indonesia? Not every Muslim community is ready to accept the ideas and methods of the KUPI. Issues that play out at the grassroots level or within women’s circles escape the interest or attention of the mostly male interpreters. The KUPI questions and challenges the dominant patriarchal interpretations of the Qur’an. This is bound to find resonance among Muslim women across the Muslim world and makes translating the KUPI materials into other languages more urgent than ever
Drawing on a Spiritual Connection: Reflections of an Art Therapist working with Dementia Patients in and around Johannesburg
No full textDementia is classified within Western biomedical frameworks as various neurocognitive disorders and presents complex challenges beyond physical symptoms, particularly in South Africa, where cultural interpretations and socio-economic factors influence care. This article is not a research article. It offers personal reflections on integrating African spiritual perspectives with Western medical approaches to dementia care. I did not feel comfortable explaining my belief in the sacredness of this work within secular university training. As a newly registered art therapist who has turned a student placement site into work at frail care centres in and around Johannesburg, I reflect on my approach to dementia care. I give context to my abiding African spiritual principles, although I am of German descent and give context to the notion of abstract art relating to the spiritual. I relate how my personal practice of engaging in intuitive abstract artmaking can foster a connection to an inner sacred space for both therapist and participants, enhancing well-being and offering a non-verbal mode of engagement. I explain how my Higher Power and the 12-step programme at an addiction recovery centre have influenced me to embrace diverse knowledge systems and the intangible aspects of healing, such as ancestral connections and spiritual agency. Vignettes are described of my engagement with dementia patients through weekly group art therapy sessions, where music is also included. The reflection concludes my experience that a holistic, integrative model of dementia care can support the dignity and personhood of patients while also addressing the emotional and spiritual needs of caregivers.
A Framework for Understanding the Role of Spirituality in Health
No full textIn the context of the current mental health crisis, integrating spirituality into healthcare presents both opportunities and challenges for improving health and advancing health equity. While mainstream biomedical systems often exclude Indigenous knowledge and spiritual practices, these cultural traditions provide significant, often underappreciated, benefits for health. The role of visual art, as part of spiritual practices, offers a compelling example of how sacred forms can be utilized in health interventions. Research shows that creating and viewing visual art activates brain networks associated with emotional regulation and self-awareness, suggesting potential benefits for people coping with various health conditions. However, challenges arise when attempting to integrate spirituality into biomedical healthcare systems. The tension between subjective, spiritual experiences and the objective, evidence-based demands of public health requires careful, respectful approaches to avoid harm and ensure beneficial outcomes. Dialogical approaches that respect plural definitions of health and foster inclusive, collaborative discussions are essential for creating a holistic, accessible healthcare system that embraces diverse spiritual practices