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E-Waste Shouldn’t Be Waste: A Study on the Practices, Perceptions, and Policies on E-Waste in Urban Arusha, Tanzania
Get PDFThis study examines the e-waste stream in urban Arusha, answer the questions of where electronics go, how people usually dispose of them, if people are aware of the impacts of e-waste, and what next steps are necessary. The study took place in November 2019 in urban Arusha, Tanzania. Through snowball and convenience sampling in 4 quotas (community members, electricians, business members, and a policy maker), the study finds that there is no place for the proper disposal of e-waste in Arusha. Many electronics are disposed of improperly by being put into the landfill or burned. Most participants were unaware of the severity of hazards from e-waste but supported the idea of a facility for its proper disposal if there is financial compensation for bringing devices there. The study concludes that there are gaps in the e-waste stream in Arusha that must be unveiled for the issue to be addressed properly. The study recommends immediate action to raise awareness with education, establish proper facilities for e-waste disposal, and implement policies that prevent the public health hazards posed by e-waste
Coastal Stream Salinity and Its Impacts on Pemba Agriculture
Get PDFThe extent of saltwater inundation of coastal streams was assessed on Pemba Island near agricultural areas in northeastern and northwestern regions of the island. Conductivity and pH were measured from water samples collected at various distances along the stream to determine the extent of salinity at different points in the tidal cycle. This salinity data, as well as the context of recent weather events, runoff, and geological characteristics of the region were used to determine the primary factors that influence changes in surface water salinity. The primary factor that influences surface water salinity was determined to be changes in stream discharge as a result of recent precipitation events or anthropogenic modifications. The impacts of these alterations are predicted to be amplified by climate change events such as sea level rise, storm surges, and changing precipitation patterns as well as increased anthropogenic usage. Implications of increased surface water salinity include lowered crop yield, abandoned farms, food and water scarcity, and negative economic impacts. Eastern Pemba was determined to be more affected by surface water salinization at present and will continue to be affected if serious mitigation strategies are not implemented
Lived Experiences of Temporary Permanence: The Syrian Perspective on Humanitarian Response and ‘Guest Status’ in Jordan
Get PDFAs the conflict in Syria has evolved into a long-term crisis, Syrian refugees have found themselves in a state of both temporality and permanence, frequently cited as being ‘stuck’. Syrians in Jordan, particularly, have fallen victim to this status, frequently labeled as ‘guests’, with corresponding humanitarian aid also reflecting this temporality. No studies have yet explored Syrian refugees perceptions and experiences with ‘guest’ status and its relationship with humanitarian assistance. The purpose of this study is to explore Syrian perception of ‘guest’ status and current humanitarian efforts in Jordan and see how this demonstrates and challenges the dichotomy present in Syrian refugee status of simultaneous temporality and permanence. Through ten semi-structured interviews with Syrians, followed by a thematic and inductive analysis, the data revealed six themes. Themes included the influence of gender on assistance, perceived lack of transparency from humanitarian organizations, impaired social interaction, instability of resources, shifting perspectives regarding ‘guest’ status, and future uncertainty. Additionally, narratives reveal a relationship between humanitarian assistance and Syrian status as aid has decreased due to perceived ‘temporal’ status, despite the elongated length of the conflict. All Syrian participants have no intention of returning to Syria in the foreseeable future, and despite many having been in Jordan for more than six years, this idea of finding stability and permanence is challenged by both physical and mental challenges associated with current unstable assistance and perceived status that have made Syrians simultaneously feel as if their lives in Jordan are temporal. This study works to shed light on the lived experiences frequently forgotten but just as powerful as policy assessment
The Effect of Tribalism on Political Parties
Get PDFTribalism has been the fundamental organizational unit of Middle Eastern Society for thousands of years. Recently however, modern scholars have questioned the viability of tribalism in the burgeoning democratic systems of the region. This study weighs in on this debate, focusing specifically on how tribal loyalties influence the effectiveness of political parties, considered by political science researchers to be the most effective way for the people to impose their will on the government. Focusing specifically on Jordan, this research takes into account information collected from interviews with several prominent members of Jordanian political, social, and intellectual life, including the heads of several political parties and a tribal Sheikh, as well as existing research on both political parties and tribalism. It concludes that tribalism is not inherently at odds with democracy, and only hinders democratic systems, such as political parties, when tribal loyalties trump national ones
Working for the Worker? A Study of the Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail (UGTT)
No full textThis study attempts to explore the nature of the Tunisian national trade union, the Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail (UGTT), as it operates in Tunisia today. This was achieved by conducting in-depth interviews with Tunisians living in the greater Tunis area in the fall of 2019. Through the lens of both those affiliated with the UGTT and those who have no ties to the organization, an image of the UGTT is able to be revealed as a conspicuous entity. Is its aim to hold power in government? Or rather stay outside of the sphere of national politics to effect change? Though the UGTT has decades of history grappling with these questions, its modern role is unique in both an ideological sense and a practical one. The establishment of a democratic government in Tunisia after the 2011 revolution ostensibly cleared the path for the UGTT to advocate its causes more freely and aggressively than under previous authoritarian regimes. However, it remains to be seen whether the organization will break out of the advantages of the institutionally-liminal space it occupies, and whether the Tunisian people will see the UGTT as a worthy mode of class action and organization
An Academic Writing Curriculum and Materials for A1-B2-Level Learners in a Turkish University’s English Language Preparatory Program
Get PDFThis IPP combines a literature review and a materials development project. The literature review outlines and supports the approach taken throughout the curriculum and the materials that were developed. First, it lays out the nature of Turkish universities’ ELPP’s; then, it deals with the basic philosophy of the curriculum including individualization and standardization, the role of joy in education, the necessity for an integration of skills in teaching academic writing, the use of models, and the necessity and purpose of feedback. In the second half of the literature review, the key features of academic writing are discussed in advance of showing how to teach them. Recommendations are also given for testing the validity of the approach taken and for additional areas that should be studied. These are followed by a demonstration lesson where the principles are shown in action. Finally, the entire 32-week curriculum is presented, showing how this philosophy can be actualized in lesson planning, materials, and handouts
Language Matters: What are the Primary School Teachers\u27 Perspectives and Lived Experiences of Burundi\u27s Language Policy?
Get PDFBurundi is a small country in the Great Lakes region of Africa. Burundian language policy dictates that four languages, Kirundi, French, English, and Kiswahili, must be taught starting in the second trimester of grade one. The language policy decision is not an obvious one since the country is linguistically homogenous, meaning that almost the entire population speaks Kirundi as their first language. Primary school teachers in the public education system typically receive training in a vocational setting that may not fully prepare them for the complex multilingual classroom environment they are expected to cultivate. The aim of this small-scale mixed-methods study is to better understand the perspectives and lived experiences of Burundian primary school teachers in relation to the language policy. To do so, this study utilizes surveys, focus groups, and interview methods to sample across eight different primary schools in the province of Bururi. A total of three school principals and 50 teachers participated in the study. Findings indicate that, with the exception of Kirundi, sampled teachers lack confidence in teaching the languages that are a required portion of the curriculum. Data highlight issues within the pre-service and in-service training for teachers including issues with corruption and funding by the government. The study emphasizes that participants struggle to meet their basic needs as a result of poor salaries and the threat of violence due to the political instability that exists in Burundi. Findings showcase that there is a difference between policy and practice as teachers tend to use Kirundi throughout the curriculum despite policy recommendations to help mitigate the issue of students’ weak linguistic abilities. The present study represents a contribution to the areas of language issues and teacher motivation in education by providing a strong focus on the neglected perspective of the teacher. The study serves to highlight their opinions on how these issues could and perhaps should be addressed
Evangelicalism and Peace and Conflict Studies: A Wheaton College Case Study
Get PDFEvangelicalism and peace and conflict studies are both salient topics in addressing current religious and political dynamics in the United States. Amid the realities and myths surrounding these topics, there are many complementarities and tensions between evangelicalism and peace and conflict studies, both real and perceived. One of evangelicalism’s most prominent academic institutions, Wheaton College, recently established a Peace and Conflict Studies Program, placing this program at the center of an unexpected relationship between peace and conflict studies and evangelicalism. This study examines the views of students in Wheaton’s Peace and Conflict Studies Program to explore how they see the relationship between evangelicalism and peace and conflict studies, as their voices provide a unique insight into this relationship. The research includes an analysis of current literature on evangelicalism and peace and conflict studies as well as interviews carried out with Wheaton peace and conflict studies students. Bringing these sources together, the research then assesses how the literature findings and the interviews compare and what that could mean for the relationship between evangelicalism and peace and conflict studies moving forward
Social Innovation Abroad: Service-Learning Program at Magga Foundation
Get PDFService Learning has been utilized as a means to increase knowledge, develop practical skills and provide a broad understanding of community engagement, development and social change for students. Students’ participation in those service-learning programs are growing globally in this interconnecting world. This Course-Linked Capstone (CLC) presents a detailed plan for a service-learning program exclusively designed for undergraduate students in Myanmar. Magga Foundation will organize social Innovation Abroad, a 13-week intensive study abroad program, in partnership with Ashoka organization in India and Thailand. The program aims to provide holistic development, cross-cultural communication, interdisciplinary and experiential global education for students. It is also to facilitate participants learning in design thinking and solution-based approaches in problems solving.
Keywords: service learning, study abroad, inclusion, community solution, experiential education, design thinking, social chang
Decoupling Trauma and Criminal Behavior Through Restorative Reentry Programs and Their COSAs
Get PDFThere are high rates of childhood interpersonal trauma, or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), in criminal offender populations. Childhood trauma is associated with adult mental illness, drug addiction, and crime. This paper explores the following questions: 1) How does childhood interpersonal trauma lead to adult conflict and crime? 2) How can restorative reentry programs for former prisoners best address offenders’ trauma-related behavior and thus reduce conflict? Research was conducted through a review of literature, and findings were substantiated through personal experience working with clients of the Hartford Community Restorative Justice Center Reentry Program in White River Junction, Vermont.
This paper demonstrates how childhood trauma can alter identity formation and lead to antisocial behaviors that increase the likelihood of adult crime and recidivism. Childhood trauma can change the way the human body responds to stress and the brain processes information, leading to an increase in aggressive, risky behavior. Evidence is provided for the trauma-healing effects of healthy relationships and community connections. Offenders returning to the community after incarceration often lack healthy relationships and are rejected by their communities. Based on these findings, it is argued that restorative reentry programs and their Circles of Support and Accountability (COSAs) for former prisoners can mitigate trauma-induced antisocial behavior by helping offenders build healthy relationships and community connections, and thus transform “criminal” identities.
The findings indicate that trauma-related criminal behavior is unlikely to be deterred by punitive responses, because that behavior is often an attempt to satisfy a basic human need, such as safety or identity.
Keywords: Criminal behavior, trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences, COSAs, Restorative Reentry Progra