UNAM Open Access Journal University of Namibia
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An exploration of the portrayal of the girl-child in Erna Muller’s novels It all goes wrong and When you dance with the crocodile
Get PDFThis paper provides a critical analysis of the portrayal of the girl-child by Erna Muller in It all goes wrong (2014) and When you dance with the crocodile (2014). The two novels were selected using purposive sampling as they primarily characterise girl-children as protagonists. The researchers employed the African feminist literary theory as argued by Chukwuma (2006) in this study. The African feminist literary theory was used to study how the girl-child is portrayed in a patriarchal world. Content analysis was used to examine the depiction of the girl-child in the two novels. The study revealed that in both novels the girl-characters make independent decisions and act on them, while other characters such as adults and boys play secondary roles. The study found that Erna Muller portrays the girl-child as innocent, open minded, caring, adventurous, assertive, compasssionate and brave. All in all, it can be concluded that Muller uses the two novels to empower the girl-child
Personal judgments and psychologically abusive behaviour: an analysis of ethnic differences in Namibia
Get PDFUsing a self-report measure that was adapted by the author, this study asked Namibian men and women from 5 ethnic groups (Afrikaners, Damaras, Coloureds, Hereros, and Ovambos) about their perceptions of psychologically abusive behaviour on a global measure and four subscales: Restrictive/Denigration, Equity/Mind Game, Denigration, and Passive Aggression. These individuals were recruited from various organisations in Windhoek the capital of Namibia. Due to violations of the normality assumption and the failure of transformations, standard ANOVA and T tests were not performed. Instead, results from the appropriate non-parametric analyses (Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests) showed that significant gender and ethnic differences exist in the way psychologically abusive behaviour is perceived.Women, in particular, rated individual behaviour on a global measure of psychological abuse, and on the restrictive denigration abuse subscale, more psychologically abusive than men. Significant differences also existed in the way psychologically abusive behaviour is perceived between the Afrikaner and the Ovambo groups and between the Afrikaner and Damara groups. The largest effect size was noted between the Afrikaner and Damara groups. These findings ran contrary to study hypotheses; instead of the mean ranks for the Afrikaner group being higher than the other ethnic groups, the Afrikaner mean ranks were the lowest on all dependent variables. Implications for further research, policy, and practice are discussed
Altruism or economic expediency? A descriptive account of Namibia’s 1998 involvement in the DRC conflict
Get PDFIn 1998, Namibia joined the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a conflict referred to by some as the most devastating war to have occurred since the Second World War, resulting in the death and displacement of millions of people. Involving about eight African countries, this war desta-bilised the region, resulting in it being referred to by many as ‘Africa’s First World War.’ During this war, extensive resources of nation states were allocated to warfare, instead of being channelled to-wards more productive and life-saving welfare and poverty alleviation programmes. For example, the United Nations (UN) estimates that the war in the DRC cost Namibia about N$700 Million. While the involvement of Namibia attracted much criticism, it failed to attract academic research of equal measure. Of the research projects conducted, few are by Namibian researchers. There has not been a coherent descriptive account of Namibia’s involvement in this conflict. This article provides a descrip-tive account of Namibia’s involvement in this conflict while exploring and examining Namibia’s mo-tive for being involved in this devastating conflict
A comprehensive alcohol and drug testing policy in the workplace as an intervention in the mining sector
Get PDFThe abuse of alcohol and drugs can negatively affect the workplace. The testing of workers for substances is a sensitive, yet effective intervention to minimise the percentage of workers who test positively for substance abuse. Little research has been conducted to assess the impact of alcohol and drug testing on the workplace. Thus, this qualitative study, carried out in the mining industry in Namibia, investigates how a comprehensive workplace policy on alcohol and drug abuse can reduce substance abuse among workers during working hours. Data was gathered by means of six focus group discussions and 16 in-depth interviews, incorporating workers from all job grades, as well as community members in a closed mining town. The findings show that the comprehensive alcohol and drug testing policy had a positive impact on reducing the occurrence of substance abuse in the workplace. Since the introduction of both random drug and alcohol tests and fit-for-work testing, fewer workers were testing positively for the presence of substances, and participants noted how workers restricted their substance use specifically because of the testing. A central feature of this particular alcohol and drug testing policy is its provision of substance abuse treatment to workers who tested positively for the presence of substances and the involvement of a social worker hired by the mine, rather than simply a punitive approach. However, findings also show that treatment programs need to be followed up with standard aftercare procedures, such as support groups and training on policies and procedures around alcohol and drug testing, in order to improve worker perceptions and acceptance of policies. Furthermore, prevention efforts were regarded as more cost-effective and proactive than the treatment of substance abuse, and holistic substance abuse training was seen as improving awareness among workers
The teacher who goes the extra (s)mile: a study among primary school teachers in Namibia
Get PDFThis study focused on job factors (work engagement, organisational commitment) and psychological states (psychological availability, meaningfulness, autonomy, psychological safety) that teachers (N = 628) in Namibian primary schools need for increased organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB). OCB indicates a teacher’s spontaneous willingness to perform work that is over and above the work description. A quantitative research design with a field survey has been used with a non-random convenience sample of teachers in all regions of Namibia. Measuring instruments used, were: Work Engagement Scale, Organisational Commitment Scale, Psychological Conditions Scale, Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Scale and a biographical questionnaire. Initial statistical analysis included exploratory factor analysis and confirming the reliability of the scales. In addition, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations and multiple hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. Mean scores indicated lower levels of cognitive engagement, autonomy, psychological safety and OCB. Medium correlations were found between job factors and OCB as well as between organisational commitment and OCB and psychological conditions and OCB. Other main fi ndings indicated that work engagement (especially physical engagement), organisational commitment as well as the psychological states autonomy and psychological availability were the more significant predictors of OCB. Contrary to expectations, the psychological states of meaningfulness and safety did not significantly predict OCB. Relevant recommendations were formulated based on the results of this study
Social engineering and the structure activity relationships (SAR’s) of selected mind-altering compounds such as tryptamine and phenylethylamine derivatives
Get PDFThe chemistry of tryptamines and phenylethylamines as both neurotransmitters and as potential agents for social engineering forms a captivating area between chemistry and neuroscience. This article highlights several drugs including phenylethylamine related derivatives such as propranolol, modafinil, methylphenidate, lamotrigine and oxytocin; as well as tryptamine derivatives such as lysergic acid diethylamide and melatonin and investigates the use of these compounds or their derivatives as potential social engineering agents
Rethinking xenophobia in the wake of human insecurity in South Africa
Get PDFThis paper analyses the impact of xenophobic attacks which have rocked South Africa over the past few years, arguing that it has exhibited another human insecurity turning point. The traditional state-centric security conceptions that focus primarily on the safety of the state from military aggression has shifted attention to the security of the individuals. The xenophobic violence which was witnessed after South Africa attained independence in 1994, led scholars of international relations to surmise that the human security conceptual framework should advocates for a paradigm shift of attention from state security approach to a people centered approach to security. The main objective of this paper, therefore was to assess the effects of the xenophobic attacks which erupted periodically and affected the political and economic security sectors of South Africa. This paper adopted a qualitative approach and made use of documentary search, observation methods and in-depth interviews. The paper also revealed that xenophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa had affected peaceful traditional relations which were in existence between immigrants and the citizens. This article con-cluded that peace and security in South Africa was under threat, and the African National Congress government needed to formulate new immigration laws that regulated the influx of foreigners to avoid xenophobic attacks. This study, therefore advocates for constructive engagements where both migrants and citizens participate equally in the economic sector in South Africa, as opposed to a situ-ation where foreigners dominate. These would be migratory measures to resolve the differences be-tween migrants and the citizens
The construction of an asymmetric biplot for multivariate data sets
Get PDFA scatterplot is a useful statistical tool for representing samples as points and variables by means of coordinate axes. A form of scatterplot that can be used for multivariate data is the biplot. In this paper, the fundamental idea behind the biplot is discussed, before its construction. An illustration using an 11-dimensional multivariate data set concerning the relationships between chemical measurements and sensory descriptors is presented
An attempt at modelling the diets of two sympatric species of hake (Merluccius capensis and Merluccius paradoxus) off the coast of Namibia: isotope mixing model approach
Get PDFTwo species of hake, Merluccius capensis and Merluccius paradoxus, are the most important secondary consumers in the Benguela current ecosystem. To better understand hake diets in the northern Benguela (Namibia), the stable carbon (13C) and nitrogen (15N) isotope ratios of their muscles, and that of their prey (Hake, n = 115 and prey, n=299) were analysed. Results indicated that their diets were dominated by Plesionika martia, Chlorophthamus agazizi, Myctophids and Euphausiids. The highest contributor to the diet of M. paradoxus varied with length, while the diet of M. capensis was dominated by myctophids at all length classes. Cannibalism accounted for less than 6% and less than 4% in the diets of M. capensis and M. paradoxus respectively. Isotope based estimates of prey dietary contributions differed from that of previous gut content analyses. Overall, the results support the hypothesis that the two species have similar diets. Application of a Bayesian mixing isotope model can be improved to allow for improved hake consumption (i.e. annual) estimates to be made
The isolation, structural determination and bioactivity of 1E,3R,4S,5E,7Z-1-bromo 3,4,8-trichloro-7- (dichloromethyl)-3-methylocta-1,5,7-triene from a Namibian Plocamium species
Get PDFA known compound namely 1E,3R,4S,5E,7Z-1-bromo-3,4,8-trichloro-7- (dichloromethyl)-3-methylocta-1,5,7-triene was isolated from a Namibian Plocamium species for the first time and characterized by means of one and two dimensional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopic data and Mass Spectrometry (MS) analysis. The compound exhibited minimal inhibition against HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of > 1000μM. However, literature reviews indicate that this compound has good cytotoxic in vitro effects