UWC Scholar Publishing Support (University of the Western Cape)
Not a member yet
1520 research outputs found
Sort by
Blackness at the Intersection
Get PDFCrenshaw, K., Andrews, K. and Wilson, K. (Eds.) 2024. Blackness at the Intersection. London: Bloomsbury Press.
African language-speaking plurilingual students’ writing in English: Shifting the focus from ‘error’ to ‘variation’
Get PDFThe study aims to address epistemological erasure by challenging the way students\u27 knowledge is assessed in written assessments. The problem lies in assessment practices that do not consider the social and linguistic context of students\u27 writing, particularly for plurilingual speakers of English. The study analysed a set of essays by plurilingual students to make sense of ways in which the students’ backgrounds found expression in their English writing. Using the decolonial concept of locus of enunciation, the study found that features considered "errors" in English essays are often influenced by students\u27 plurilingual backgrounds. Thus, the study argues for a shift from framing plurilingual students’ writing as “error”, to “variation” which would be accommodated by a true translanguaging approach
Vol.7 No.1 (2024): The Artificial Intelligence Special Issue 2024: Relaunch of WritingThreeSixty
No full textDear readers, I present the first issue of WritingThreeSixty for 2024. It has been exciting work as the newly appointed Editor-in-Chief working alongside the new Editorial Board and producing this issue since the journal\u27s hiatus after the previous issue as a result of the Covid pandemic. The Editorial Board of WritingThreeSixty were overwhelmed by the support from our readers and the writers who have previously published their works in this journal which made this relaunch successful. The new Editorial Board has put together a collection of articles that respond to the theme of this issue, namely, the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in transforming the world of academia, scholarship, and the arts. Responses to the call for papers for the AI Special Issue interestingly show that most writers chose poetry as the medium used to respond to the theme for this issue. This issue also features other creative works and academic articles from talented writers across Africa. I hope you find it a pleasure to read the AI Special Issue Volume 7 Issue 1 and to participate in the conversation WritingThreeSixty is having with African creators, academics, and audiences abroad on the current issue
Harnessing Sustainable Healthcare through the Synergy of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain Technologies in Kenya
Get PDFEmbarking on the frontier of healthcare transformation, the fusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain technologies in Kenya promises to redefine medical landscapes and serves as a beacon for sustainable development in a rapidly evolving digital era. The study employs a comprehensive approach, evaluating economic, social, and environmental dimensions to assess the impact of these technologies. Through a mixed-methods research strategy focusing on key healthcare projects, including AfyaRekod, Tambua Health, Ilara Health, PanaBIOS, and Sophie Bot, the research navigates challenges and highlights opportunities for transformative change. Key themes include; economic sustainability, emphasizing cost-effectiveness, resource optimization, and equitable growth. The study addresses social impact, focusing on healthcare access, patient experiences, and ethical considerations, and evaluates the environmental footprint, promoting strategies for minimizing energy use and adopting eco-friendly practices. Despite challenges in technology infrastructure and regulatory frameworks, the study underscores the transformative potential of AI and blockchain technologies. The findings provide crucial insights for informed decision-making, policy formulation, and the harmonious integration of technology with regulatory frameworks, ultimately contributing to a sustainable and balanced healthcare ecosystem
Between Resilience and Radicalisation: Reassessing the Trajectory of Internally Displaced Populations in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
No full textDisplacement is an endemic phenomenon that affects those uprooted, the communities that feel the impact of those arriving, governments, and the international agencies which are increasingly engaged in organising the displaced. The current war in the north of Mozambique, which has caused a massive displacement of people from 2017 onwards, may be related to a number of factors, including economic, social and even political. Although some actors and analysts include ethnicity as part of the causes, this has more often than not been analytically downplayed when grappling with the dynamics of, particularly, the groups that oppose the Mozambican government. This article analyses the dynamics of relationships between internally displaced people and host communities in Cabo Delgado, especially underlining, firstly, the resilience of communities in the face of extremist violence and, secondly, the distrust that typically shapes conflict. The latter dimension is aggravated by a historical past based on ethnic, political and social differences – cleavages that are accentuated and reproduced within the centres of displaced people and between these and host communities. We argue that factors such as poverty, hunger, lack of jobs or work opportunities, as well as poor access to arable land for family food production, exacerbate the relationship dynamics and create an environment conducive to the outbreak of small-scale conflicts that can, in the medium and long term, open spaces for radicalisation and more violence
The Morality of Schooling: Women\u27s Education as an Arena for Social Tension in Cabo Delgado
Get PDFIn this article, I reflect on education as a continuing arena of tension for people in Cabo Delgado. The tension between formal (state-sponsored) and religious education as a backdrop of the conflict in Cabo Delgado has been widely mentioned but largely misunderstood. Scholars have consistently mentioned poverty and people’s lack of access to formal education as drivers of the disenfranchisement that has led to violent extremism in the province. There are also references to how the insurgent movement has shunned formal education in favour of Islamic teachings. The existing literature about the insurgent’s rejection of state-sponsored education, especially for girls, fails to address a trajectory whereby formal (state-sponsored) education has been a field of tension for a long time. Similar tensions happened across the Swahili coast in both English and French colonies. From interviews focused on women’s relationships and experiences with both the colonial and postcolonial state, it emerged that Muslim populations in Cabo Delgado, particularly on the coast, have a long history of suspicion towards state-sponsored education. This includes showcasing a locally established practice for women’s education that predated and existed alongside formal education. This follows that cultural and religious dynamics do not preclude women’s influence in society, particularly education. In fact, it relies on her active participation. At the same time, despite potential violent cooptation, in the context of the conflict, the insurgent movement is able to tap into the existing tensions, including that around state-sponsored education. Evidence from the field indicates that, despite the disadvantages of resisting formal education, religious education remains central to most people, not just those following the extremist movement. What may appear to be an extremist rupture from mainstream practice should be understood within a logic operating on shared and familiar values
Cabo Delgado in Peace: Memories and Forebodings
Get PDFIn 1996, Mozambican photographer Sérgio Santimano travelled to Cabo Delgado to carry out photographic work, with the objective of documenting the province in a time of peace and renewal. His travels resulted in the exhibition, Cabo Delgado: A Photographic Story about Africa (Cabo Delgado: uma história fotográfica sobre África), which consolidated his international renown. In this photo-essay, we revisit a selection of Santimano’s photographs on Cabo Delgado, with the aim of offering an image different from that of devastation and death which has dominated the national and global news since an Islamist insurgency erupted in the province in October 2017. While providing a pathway into memories of Cabo Delgado as a place rich with life, history, culture and individuality, Santimano’s photographs also offer eerie forebodings of the present
“When There is No Migration, the Whole Region Has a Problem”: The Political Priorities of Migration Policies in West Africa
Get PDFThis paper considers the implications of migration to Europe for West African governments in relation to other forms of politically relevant mobilities. This helps to understand what governments in West Africa prioritize when it comes to migration policy. No doubt, there is an increasing European influence on the migration agenda. However, despite this influence, there are still other West African interests when it comes to migration governance. These are diverse, covering development and humanitarian concerns, and include pro-active diaspora policies, restrictive immigration regimes due to economic protectionism and security concerns, as well as protecting migrants and displaced people. Thus, different countries in the region have varying sets of political priorities, though underlined by a broader unpolitical nature of migration of the everyday. The paper is based on over 130 interviews with policymakers, politicians, civil society activists, and academic experts in Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and the Gambia in 2019. It adds to the literature on the agency of migration states in the Global South
Archivist
Get PDFWith trembling legs, I descended the stairs. Hoping to hide a sudden weakness I navigated by clinging to the banister for stability. But my legs betrayed me. I collapsed onto the cement stairs. Something was terribly wrong—my heart raced, and fear mingled with a sense of emptiness and confusion. At 13:05 on September 24, 2021, a creepy silence settled over Zisukhanyo High in Samora Machel township. In the days leading up to the incident, I had noticed occasional crunching sensations and a growing weakness in my knees, but couldn\u27t pinpoint the exact cause. Was it due to my continued participation in soccer at the age of 53? I recalled a specific moment after a soccer match when my knees suddenly weakened, making it impossible for me to stand up. Was being a vegetarian contributing to this? A lack of certain nutrients? My genetics? Pulling myself up on the banister, I stumbled and leaned against the wall, then made my way down the quiet corridor toward the administration block swaying my body in an effort to propel my legs forward. Upon reaching the hall where the Grade 12 learners were engrossed in their September trial examination, I mustered a smile and clung to the edge of the nearest desk. Nomtha, a cheerful learner, giggled at my exaggerated movements, while the other learners shook their heads, assuming my Creative Arts subject had taken its toll