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COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER TRAINING IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: A PROGRAM REFLECTION
Full text linkABSTRACT
There exist many challenges concerning public health practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (oPt) as the Israeli occupation has created literal and metaphorical roadblocks preventing Palestinians from accessing needed health services outside their towns and villages. Trained Community Health Workers assist in bridging this crucial health service need throughout the oPt. This qualitative study evaluates the Palestinian Medical Relief Society’s (PMRS) Community Health Worker Program (CHWP) in the West Bank of occupied Palestine. The research explores three facets of Community Health Worker (CHW) training and their roles in Palestinian society. The first question addresses the CHWP training goals, curriculum, and professional scope. The second question seeks to determine if these current goals, curriculum, and professional scope effectively serve the West Bank community. The last inquiry evaluates PMRS’s CHWP curriculum, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and possible areas for improvement to meet its students\u27 and community’s ever-changing needs. Through semi-structured interviews rooted in a transformative paradigm, PMRS’s CHWs and instructors offer insights addressing the overall program, its goals, community efficacy, and growth areas. The research findings detail a rigorous, accredited, highly regarded CHW program blending traditional Western CHW responsibilities with ambulatory nursing skills necessary to treat an embattled and occupied civilian population lacking healthcare access. The CHW Diploma and profession offers Palestinian women from rural villages and refugee camps opportunities for a respectable career benefiting themselves, their families, and their community. Future research may explore how this expanded scope of practice for CHWs may benefit refugee communities outside of Palestine.
Keywords: Community health workers, community health worker programs, healthcare in Palestine, public health in Palestine, Palestine, West Bank of Palestine, healthcare in the Middle East, refugee healt
Solar Photovoltaics as Climate Change Adaptations for Farmers in West Bengal, India: Barriers Within a Food-Water-Energy Nexus Approach
Full text linkThis capstone research project seeks to identify and address barriers to the use of solar photovoltaics (PV) as an adaptation method to climate change for farmers in West Bengal, India. These barriers are examined within the context of the food-water-energy nexus, particularly concerning the ability of many small holder farmers to produce their own food and sustain their livelihoods. Previous studies have examined both energy access and renewable energy development in West Bengal, and also the food-water-energy nexus in its application to climate change. However, there is minimal literature on how renewable energy development should be applied within the nexus in an era of climate change in this region. This study engaged 15 small holder farmers in the West Bengal districts of Nadia and Hooghly through semi-structured interviews. This social science method was employed to address the project’s primary questions: how is energy use in the form of solar PV being implemented in food and water systems within the context of the climate change challenges of West Bengal, and what are the barriers to this use and how do these barriers relate to the challenges farmers face within the food-water-energy nexus? The farmers who were interviewed for this project have experienced the direct impacts of climate change and have either implemented solar PV within their overall adaptation strategies or they have seen the need to do so but have faced significant barriers. Based on interviews and observations, farmers - both those with and without solar PV systems - identified these primary barriers as: policy, economics, and equipment/ resource access. Based on the findings of this research, it is clear that a more bottom-up approach to policy schemes that promote solar PV in the agriculture sector is needed in order to address the concerns of farmers and also to make solar PV a more effective and accessible adaptation to climate change. A collective framework is proposed to address these barriers within the food-water-energy nexus at a community scale.
Key words: Climate Change, Food-Water-Energy Nexus, Agriculture, Adaptation, Solar, Renewable Energ
Beyond Blood: Informal Adoption and Family Dynamics in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Examining the social, traditional, and family values associated with informal adoption
No full textAlthough formal adoption exists in Cameroon, it is governed by colonial systems that directly contrast with the values and traditions of the citizens the laws are meant to protect. For this reason, informal adoption is the most prominent method of child circulation. This informal movement of children occurs for various reasons, many of which reflect the sociocultural context in which the children live. The intention of this study was to determine how adoption processes demonstrate Cameroonian notions of family, how individuals perceive the concept of family, and how informal adoption impacts family dynamics. Informal observations and interviews informed the conclusion that the process of informal adoption is deliberate and based on what participants call the “African values” of tradition and mutual aid. The acceptance of an informally adopted child into an adoptive household, despite its challenges, demonstrates the social nature of families
Impacts of Gas Flaring on Soil Quality in the Ecuadorian Amazon: Measuring gas flare effects on soils at comparative distances in Loma del Tigre, Orellana
Full text linkGas flaring, the process of burning off the natural gas excreted during petroleum extraction, has recently been the source of public outcry, citing degraded public and environmental health caused by constant flaring near populated centers. While extensive research has been done on the environmental and health impacts of gas flaring, regionally specific research to the Ecuadorian Amazon is lacking. It is crucial that updated research in this region is produced to inform regulations that have the potential to minimize the physical, environmental, and economic impact of the petroleum industry on nearby, under-resourced, and marginalized communities. While air quality surrounding gas flares has been a frequent area of academic focus, this study centers on gas flares’ effect on soil ecosystems, a less researched but critical area of inquiry. Soil macroinvertebrates were used as bioindicators of soil quality, with ambient measurements and plant community composition surveys as supporting indicators of changes to soil health with increasing distance from gas flares. Three different gas flares were investigated, each of which had a site 100 meters, 500 meters, and 1 kilometer from the gas flare, for a total of 9 sites. Additionally, three control sites were surveyed to gain a base reading for investigated patterns. Significant relationships existed between increasing soil macroinvertebrate biodiversity with increasing distance from gas flares in the 100 meters to 1 kilometer range while plant biodiversity had a significant, positive correlation to increased distance from gas flaring for a 100 meter to 5 kilometer range. These findings suggest that gas flaring activities have a negative effect on soil health. Soil health is a key factor in the economic stability of communities dependent on agricultural economies that surround oil platforms, as plant growth, crop yield, and disease prevalence are influenced by the biological activities of soil. As such, this study suggests further investigation into the effect of gas flaring on soil biological activities within a more extensive range of distances and a more direct focus on gas flaring’s effect on agricultural output
Emprendimiento, informalidad laboral y vulnerabilidad de los migrantes venezolanos en la economía ecuatoriana
Full text linkLa movilidad humana, particularmente la movilidad interregional en América Latina, guarda una estrecha relación con el incremento de emprendimientos informales en la ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador. Diversos factores y condiciones vulnerables impulsan la iniciativa de emprendimiento y la informalidad laboral entre la comunidad venezolana en Cuenca, destacando especialmente el rol de la violencia de género, la explotación laboral y la xenofobia, entre otros aspectos. En este contexto, dicha comunidad ha propiciado la creación de nuevos mercados que benefician tanto al sector formal como informal. Las organizaciones extranjeras han desempeñado un papel de particular importancia en el respaldo a la comunidad venezolana en su búsqueda de emprendimiento como medio de subsistencia en el extranjero. Destaca la labor de la organización La Pastoral Social Cáritas, la cual ha brindado apoyo a la población vulnerable a través de programas sociales e iniciativas para fomentar nuevos emprendimientos. En síntesis, esta monografía presenta un análisis crítico del funcionamiento y la promoción social asociados a los emprendimientos informales en la ciudad de Cuenca, con un enfoque especial en las personas en situación de movilidad humana provenientes de Venezuela
Transmitir LasTesis: Hacia una Conciencia Feminista a Través del Arte en Valparaíso, Chile
No full textBeyond the Ballots: An Exploration of Indonesian Democracy Through the Lens of Campaigning and Dynasticism in the 2024 Indonesian General Election
Full text linkThis paper offers a comprehensive exploration of Indonesian democracy, focusing on the dynamics of campaigning and dynasticism within the context of the 2024 Indonesian General Election. Drawing on the anthropological frameworks of historical particularism and functionalism, the research employs a mixed-method approach, combining cultural and participant observation, archival review, and interviews. Through cultural and participant observations in Bali and Java, the study unveils the intricate connections between political support, community unity, and the influence of vote-buying practices. Archival review delves into contentious issues surrounding electoral laws, particularly the Constitutional Court\u27s exception to the age requirement for presidential candidates, revealing conflicts of interest and the implications for democracy. Interviews with Indonesian citizens and public figures, including former Governor Fauzi Bowo, offer insights into diverse perspectives on voting efficacy, political issues, historical education, and concerns about electoral fairness. The findings highlight the enduring influence of historical traditions, the evolving landscape of political dynasties, and the continued relevance of Pancasila ideals in shaping Indonesian democracy. Despite limitations in access to archives and language proficiency, this study contributes valuable insights into the complexities of Indonesian democracy, paving the way for future research and analysis
Community opinions on environmental action on Isla Porvenir and Whichub Walla in the Guna Yala Comarca
Full text linkThe Guna Yala Comarca is the autonomous, self-governed territory of the Guna people, one of seven Indigenous groups in Panama. The Comarca is located on Panama’s eastern Caribbean coast and includes 365 coral islands. Forty nine Guna communities and roughly 32,000 individuals live in the territory. The Guna General Congress is the highest authority, and each community has a local congress. As a low-lying coastal region, Guna Yala is especially vulnerable to climate change and is already impacted by sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and changing precipitation patterns. Sub-national, national, and international forms of governance and environmental action are crucial to mitigate climate change and other environmental issues. The Guna have implemented environmental policies and other environmental action in the Comarca. Some research reflects community opinions about climate change and specific marine conservation policies. However, little published research highlights community ideas for future environmental policies and action. The goal of this research is to understand what environmental action members of communities in the Guna Yala Comarca think should exist, with the goal of amplifying and drawing attention to these opinions. Sixteen semistructured interviews were conducted with community members on Isla Porvenir and Whichub Walla in the Guna Yala Comarca. Interviewees were asked about life in the Comarca, their opinions on environmental laws or action, and observed changes in climate. The most discussed environmental issue was trash. Participants proposed a range of solutions including laws, education, and waste collection. Most participants supported environmental laws, especially stricter conservation laws. Participants expressed different opinions about who should create these laws, including the Guna General Congress, individual communities, and the Panamanian government. All participants who were asked reported a change in climate, and the majority discussed changes in the rainy season and increased heat. Responses reflect how community members’ daily lives influence the environmental action they think should exist. Policymakers and drivers of environmental action should consider these worldviews and lived experiences to create equitable climate solutions
Vascular epiphyte population dynamics within human-modified landscapes of Guadalupe, Cerro Punta, Chiriquí, Panamá
Full text linkEpiphytes are plants that grow on other plants non-parasitically, and globally, epiphytes compose a very large and diverse group. They are especially abundant and species-rich in the tropics- particularly, in tropical montane forest ecosystems. Human population growth in the tropics, however, has resulted in significant declines in forest cover with land being converted largely for agricultural purposes. Studies on epiphytes have traditionally been undertaken in pristine, undisturbed forest ecosystems, yet terrestrial land conversion has increased the need to understand the value of human-modified ecosystems for epiphytic populations and biodiversity conservation. This study sought to understand the relationship between human modification and epiphytic abundance and diversity. It was hypothesized that as the degree of human modification increased, the abundance and diversity of vascular epiphytes would decrease. Three study sites were selected according to their perceived level of anthropogenic modification, and 20 trees along a 100 m transect from each site were surveyed for their epiphytic composition. The diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, and canopy cover were also measured for each tree to offer a more holistic understanding of forest ecosystem dynamics and factors shaping epiphyte communities. Results revealed a significant decline in epiphytic abundance with an increasing degree of human modification, although there was no identifiable difference in epiphytic diversity according to family-level classification. However, differences in family-level composition by abundance were present between sites, and DBH was found to be the most significant host-tree factor influencing epiphytic abundance, followed by tree height. These results provide support for the hypothesis that epiphytic abundance would show declines due to modification and are consistent with existing literature that suggests human modification may play a large role in shaping epiphyte populations. This research emphasizes the importance of conserving existing intact forest ecosystems and further exploring the relationship between landscape type and epiphyte populations, and other microclimatic factors and host-tree characteristics that may impact these relationships
Global Social Change at the Crossroads of Campus Internationalization and Diversity Initiatives: Unveiling Equity Practices in US Universities
Full text linkThis study investigates how comprehensive internationalization policies, while creating valuable educational opportunities for students, may inadvertently contribute to increased inequity on campus. Utilizing a case study approach focused on a specific university, the research critically examines the alignment between internationalization and equity policies through document analysis and structured interviews. The study evaluates the congruency between the university\u27s stated goals of equity and internationalization (espoused theories) and the actual day-to-day practices of the international and diversity offices (theories-in-practice). The findings reveal that the reproduction of inequity arises due to discrepancies between case study institution’s espoused theories and their practical implementation. This research underscores the importance of administrators fostering organizational structures that encourage collaboration and task interdependence between campus units, as well as the integration of equity metrics into key performance indicators