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Revisiting Melodrama: Reading Queerness in Kanarie (2018) and Runs in the Family (2022)
No full textThis article focuses on two post-apartheid melodramatic films that engage with the experiences of queer characters. While melodrama is often dismissed as a less serious and less sophisticated cinematic genre, I argue that it can be powerfully used to problematise dominant cultural discourses around gender and sexuality. In this article, I demonstrate that analyses of films that pay close attention to the generic features of melodrama can generate alternative readings of these films. Firstly, I focus on Christiaan Olwagen’s Afrikaans film Kanarie (Canary) and argue that, despite the hypervisibility of its oppressive context, the film maps the outlines of a utopic queer cultural politics. Secondly, I analyse Ian Gabriel’s Runs in the Family (2022), a largely neglected film that centres the experiences of its transgender protagonist. While this film initially appears to model a progressive and trans-inclusive worldview, I argue that it ultimately scripts a conservative family drama that inadvertently reinscribes the legitimacy of the dominant gender order
BRICS and Covid-19- The Impact of COVID-19 on Educational Entrepreneurs in India with Special Reference to Central State: M.P.
No full textAfter the historic disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, no sector remained unaffected across the world, and similar to other critical sectors, the education sector too has been hit hard. Universities, colleges, schools, teachers, and the most vulnerable were the students who were deeply impacted. This calls for Governments, society, and specifically educational entrepreneurs, to re-think and put serious efforts into developing long-term strategies to meet the needs of education and ensure continued learning in unpredictable futures. In light of rising concerns, educational entrepreneurs have to redefine their way of working and have to include -online learning or e-learning as an integral part of their teaching process that too consistent basis. This exploratory research paper proposes that educational entrepreneurs must adopt the latest technology and technological gadgets to sustain themselves in the market and grow. The inclusion of online learning or e-learning facilities along with the offline mode of teaching is a necessity in today’s dynamic environment. However, in its adoption, numerous factors play a vital role and must be considered to motivate educational entrepreneurs. This research study has identified factors to be considered that not only have an impact on the adoption of technology but also support its consistent use. Findings also reveal that apart from the identified factors, student’s and teachers’ digital readiness and motivation also play important roles in technological integration in the teaching process
Construire une recherche scientifique ancrée en s’appuyant sur les carnets de terrain
Get PDFBeing a socially and physically situated researcher is not without biases for constructed research. From this perspective, we revisit the role of field notebooks, used as artifacts to distance and expose potential biases. Starting from a "must-do" dimension, to an archival dimension before opening up the possibility of analysis, particularly through the recording of emotions experienced during the research process, the field notebook constitutes a tool at the heart of professional identity linked to action research.Être un·e chercheur·e situé·e, socialement et corporellement, ne va pas sans biais pour la recherche construite. Dans cette perspective, nous revenons sur la place que prennent les carnets de terrain, mobilisés comme artefacts pour mettre à distance et exposer les biais éventuels. Partant d’une dimension « il faut le faire », à une dimension archivistique avant d’ouvrir la possibilité pour l’analyse, notamment par la consignation des émotions vécues lors du processus de recherche, le carnet de terrain est au cœur de notre identité de chercheur·e
Charting New Paths of Religion in African Migration: Frameworks of Aspiration, Capabilities, and Integration
Get PDFSince the 1990s, research on religion and migration from Africa and its diasporas has focused on outcomes in destination countries, often neglecting the generative conditions shaping mobility and immobility. This article advances a new research agenda centred on migration aspirations, capabilities, and integration, expanding the scope to include aspiring migrants and non-migrants. Drawing on Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity in Ghana and the experiences of Ghanaian Christian immigrants in Canada, it argues that religion is not merely a facilitator of migration but a transformative force that redefines migration itself. Religious ideas, rituals, and networks shape who migrates, who remains, and how migrants integrate into new societies. Beyond physical movement, African migration encompasses emotional, psychological, and spirited mobilities shaped by dreams, prophecies, and divinely attributed intuitions. Overall, this article moves beyond traditional congregational studies of ‘immigrant religion’ to highlight a broader spectrum of religious phenomena in migratory and diasporic contexts
Preface: Celebrating the Relaunch of the AASR Journal Utambuzi
Get PDFIn this preface to the relaunch issue of the journal of the African Association for the Study of Religions (AASR), AASR President Damaris Parsitau celebrates the journal and its new name, Utambuzi, and reflects on the importance of the journal for the Association and its members
Establishment of Force Intervention Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Implications for United Nations Peace Operations
Get PDFThe UN Force Intervention Brigade conceived as the UN’s first combat force fundamentally challenges the tenets of traditional peace operations. It is seen as the UN’s best chance at ending the cycle of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).The eastern portion of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been host to one of the longest, most complex, and brutal conflicts despite 21-year presence of the United Nations Mission in Congo. As many as a dozen foreign and local armed groups continue to threaten civilians in the region every year including former Rwandan Hutu genocidaires in the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the Ugandan rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), and local militia groups known as Mai-Mai. Though currently inactive due to on-going peace negotiations with the Congolese Government, the M23 rebel group has been of concern over the past year due to their strength and brutality. This paper examines the implications of the establishment of the Force Intervention Brigade for United Nations Peace Operations. The Intervention Brigade is unique because of both its expansive mandate to take offensive action against illegal armed groups and its robust military capabilities
Micro-Engagements through AI-Smartwatch Wearables for eHealth: User Experiential Discourses on Social Media
No full textGlobally, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) wearables including smartwatches has gained traction. AI-Smartwatches have emerged as powerful communication tools and their increased use for personal eHealth is driven by capabilities to facilitate micro-engagements with users. Micro-engagements enhance user experience and active interaction by providing real-time feedbackthat triggers the user to act. While smartwatches have the potential to effectively drive positive user health behaviour through instant communication, it is imperative to examine the strategic use of communication of these devices by smartwatch users. The purpose of this study was to examine AISmartwatch user experiences, specifically micro-engagement perceptions. Theoretically, the study was underpinned by The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. A qualitative approach, using a netnography design provided results from online discourses expressed on X (formerly known as Twitter), in response to a question tweeted about the effectiveness of smartwatches. Results indicate that the use of AI-smartwatches has propelled active personal engagement with health. Users reported tracking various aspects of their health due to instantly available data that is in turn used to seek solutions from health professionals. Conversely, it is unclear whether lay people who are not health professionals are skilled in interpreting the instant data that they are exposed to. This study provides much-needed insight into user experiences of strategic use of communication through AI-powered smartwatch devices using data-driven micro-engagements. It will inform Health Professionals, Health Service Organisations and AI Technology Developers among others regarding practice as well as improvement of technological services for digital public health
The Domination of Mother Earth, Gender-Based Violence, and the (Dis)Ease of Eve
No full textThe misuse of religious texts, particularly the Genesis creation story, has historically been used to justify the exploitation of both the Earth and women. This justification, rooted in patriarchal interpretations of scripture, has led to environmental degradation and gender-based violence (GBV) and disproportionately affected marginalized communities, especially women of color. This article examines the interconnectedness of these issues, exploring how the domination of “Mother Earth” and the subjugation of women are intertwined. By analyzing the historical context, religious interpretations, and societal structures that perpetuate these forms of violence, this article aims to shed light on the urgent need for an intersectional approach to address both environmental destruction and GBV. Through a critical examination of the “(Dis)ease of Eve”, this article challenges traditional narratives and seeks to reclaim the power and agency of women, particularly women of the African Diaspora, in the fight for a more just and sustainable future
Challenges Related to Housing Finance in Developing Nations
No full textHousing is a crucial component of developmental activities and usually necessitates funding over an extended period of time. The lack of long-term financial instruments is a significant challenge for the bulk of the population towards property acquisition. Nevertheless, in developing nations like Nigeria, the utilization of long-term loans is limited, especially among the middle class and people with lower incomes. The majority of individual in Nigeria construct their houses gradually over a period of time without long-term loans. The limited utilization of long-term loan is an indication of market deficiency and regulatory inefficiency. Against this background, the research examines the limitations that effect housing finance for real estate investors in Imo state, Nigeria. The study utilizes a questionnaire survey to collect primary data and a literature review to acquire secondary data. The primary data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The core findings indicate that the requirements are prohibitively high for the average investor. The majority of investor\u27s primarily rely on loans for real estate finance, and there is a huge issue with bureaucratic bottlenecks in loan administration, among other factors. The study suggest that the government should enhance the capabilities of primary mortgage institutions (PMIs). Financial institutions should lower certain lending criteria such as interest rates and application procedures, and standardize repayment periods to enhance accesibility and affordability. In addition, short-term loan arrangement of commercial banks should be discouraged to pave way for long-term arrangement so that more investors can have access to housing finance.
Editorial Special Issue: Religion at the Intersection of Gender, Health, and Leadership in Contemporary Times
No full textThere is a growing recognition of the need to foster gender equality, health and leadership in diverse spheres in contemporary times. However, numerous factors continue to impede gender equality, health, and leadership. The outbreak of the global pandemic, COVID-19 also disrupted the gains, which had been made in advancing gender equality, health, and leadership. As part of a larger societal context, religion is both shaped by, and has an effect on the health, gender, and leadership dynamics in society. This interaction often manifests in the role that religion plays in shaping the ways in which a society promotes gender equality, health, and leadership within and beyond religious circles. This Special Issue of the June edition of the Journal for the Study of Religion navigates the ways in which religion has shaped the gendered narratives of resilience in relation to health and leadership positions. This interaction of religion with gender, health and leadership can either result in positive or negative outcomes as articles in this volume will show