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The Transformative Potential of High-level Gender Equality: The relationship between gendered laws and perceptions in Rwanda
Get PDFAs part of its reconstruction process following the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda introduced several laws and policies protecting gender equality, which stood it stark contrast to traditional patriarchal norms and structures. This study focuses on the relationship between institutional gender reform and local perceptions. Specifically, it seeks to explore the extent to which perceptions around gender have caught up to legal changes and identify where the greatest gaps exist across political, social, and economic dimensions. Data collection occurred in two parts: quantitatively, a multiple-choice survey was distributed to 76 Rwandan adults investigating their perceptions of gender in political, social, and economic spaces. Qualitatively, structured interviews were conducted with three Rwandan gender experts in order to supplement and better explain survey findings. Both quantitative and qualitative results indicated that the greatest gaps between gendered laws and perceptions exist at the social level, with the least in economic contexts. Analysis also revealed that overall, level of education was associated with more congruity between gendered laws and perceptions, while both sex and age were independent of responses. Based on these findings, this study provides recommendations for closing gaps between gendered laws and perceptions, and suggestions for further areas of study
The Practice of Dhikr Among Senegalese Taalibe Baay Women: Individual Devotion, Communal Well-Being
Get PDFFor Sufis, dhikr—the practice of invoking the Name of God—pervades the fabric of everyday life. For Taalibe Baay (disciples of Ibrahim Niasse) living in Senegal, dhikr takes on particular significance in relation to the experience of tarbiya, an intense spiritual initiation aimed at achieving a vision of God. If tarbiya is the door to the spiritual path, some Taalibe Baay say, then dhikr is a tool by which disciples can continue to progress along this path, purifying themselves internally and reaffirming their connection to God each time they perform these prayers. But for some Senegalese Taalibe Baay women, dhikr seems to function not only as this kind of spiritual tool, but also as a practice for stabilizing one’s emotional and mental well-being. In this sense, it becomes less of a mandated religious practice and more of a personal need. The internal changes that such a continual practice inspires in individuals is palpable; they begin to radiate a selfless, unconditionally kind energy. In this way, the internal betterment that individuals experience as a result of performing dhikr has a ripple effect on the entire daaira, or Taalibe Baay community. Because of the purifying effects of dhikr on an individual level, the daaira becomes a community in which working for the sake of others’ comfort—especially as a woman—is expected. This work, in turn, can be understood as a form of worshipping God. By drawing on the experiences articulated by the Taalibe Baay women I interviewed, in conjunction with existing literature on dhikr, daairas, the Sufi spiritual path, the inner and outer life, and the role of women in the Niassen tariqa, I intend to make comparisons between these firsthand accounts and the scholarly discourse, framing my research in terms of the question, How do Senegalese Taalibe Baay women engage with the practice of dhikr? Ultimately, I aim to honestly present the experiences a handful of Senegalese Taalibe Baay women shared with me, focusing on the ways in which they drew connections between their individual devotional practice of dhikr and their community lives
The Effect of Stray Dogs on Urban Arusha Residents and Existing Preventative Measures
Get PDFThe study at hand encompasses interviews and observations conducted in three areas of Urban Arusha. The areas of choice are Njiro Complex, Sinoni, and Kaloleni areas, in addition to interviews with individuals situated at Clocktower, input from a veterinary practitioner and information gathered from the organization Mbwa Wa Africa situated next to the Arusha National Park. The study took place from Nov. 7-Nov 26, 2019. The interviews include random sampling of local populations and encompassed pre-formed survey questions for each level of person interviewed. The question being addressed ask: what is the dynamic between Arusha residents and stray dogs, and what preventative measures are being implemented across different disciplines that deal in this regard? The purpose in studying these areas and among these individuals is to get a more rounded view of attitude and action towards stray dogs from these different areas in Urban Arusha. The objective in studying this topic is to better understand the full dynamic between communities around Arusha towards the excessive number of canines present, and in doing so, to ascertain what the relationship is, where the problems lie, and how people are mitigating them. Results from this study find that currently all parties spoken to are aware of the risks and associations with living in proximity to strays. All individuals interviewed have had some sort of experiences with dog biting’s, though specific interactions among individuals vary. People in the business of selling dogs find their buyers to be from a variety of economic backgrounds and find that the presence of stray dogs has done nothing to affect their breeding and selling of more sought after western breeds of dogs. Veterinary practitioners are in short supply of resources and funding, and many solely work in the field of livestock health. Organizations like Mbwa Wa Africa are currently in the process of trying to implement long term solutions, and in the meantime do large work in tagging, vaccinating, and sheltering some of these stray dogs. In the future it looks like the stray dog populations will need to be dealt with, either by Mbwa Wa Africa or some other third party in order to mitigate human health risks present within communities
Impacts of Agricultural Practices on Soil Quality and the Resulting Soil Conservation Implication in Kizanda Village, Lushoto Region, Tanzania
Get PDFThis study examined soil conservation in Kizanda Village which is in the Lushoto District, Tanga Region in the West Usambara Mountains of Tanzania. In Tanzania, and more specifically, the rural montane area, agriculture is an important part of both social and economic development. Due to a reported high rate of land degradation in Tanzania, this development is threatened though the lack of soil conservation. This study conducted structured interviews with farmers in Kizanda through snowball sampling to collect information about local agricultural practices and farmers’ perceptions on soil conservation issues. Soil samples were then collected from the corresponding farms (n= 63) and tea plantations (n=24) as well as within Mazumbai Forest Reserve (n=18) - a nearby privately protected ‘pristine forest’. The soil quality of each sample was determined through the moisture content, soil organic matter content, sand to silt/clay ratio, and pH. Data was collected between November 7th and November 27th in 2019. It was found that 66% of farmers interviewed reported decreasing crop yields on their farms, 48% reported a decrease in soil quality, and 28% reported soil erosion as an issue on their respective farms. These responses highlighted soil conservation as an issue in Kizadna. Through an All Pairs Tukey HSD statistical test in JMP Pro, it was determined that soil in the uncultivated Mazumbai Forest Reserve on average had higher moisture contents than the soil from the cultivated farms and tea plantations. In addition, it was determined that samples from tilled farms had a lower quality (lower soil organic matter content and higher sand content) than samples from untilled farms. Similarly, samples taken near the cover crop mshai had higher organic matter contents than samples near no cover crop. Thus it is recommended to use mshai as a cover crop and no till farming in order to conserve soil quality
Approaching Contemporary Terrorism
Get PDFThis paper aims to analyze how governments of the modern era can better engage with contemporary terrorist organizations. It argues that nations and governments must alter their strategy on terrorism in light of its increasing prevalence and lethality in the modern era. Proclamations of non-negotiation, made with false perceptions that terrorists are simply irrational radical actors, are no longer viable if governments truly seek to reduce terrorist violence. In fact, it’s the ambiguity of terrorism and the major differentiation in the practices of various organizations which necessitate a more flexible strategy. Simply, the one-size-fits all solution of unequivocal no-negotiation is unable to contend with terrorism of the modern era. Additionally, these proclamations may actually lead to a higher rate of violence. As shown by game theory, the bargaining model, and various studies measuring deterrence value and terrorist responses to changing situations, it is evident that modern governments must revamp their counterterrorism policy to involve increased flexibility and emphasis on negotiation.
This paper used both primary and secondary sources. The primary sources involved four formal interviews conducted in both Geneva and Paris
Quality Over Quantity: A Comparative Analysis of the Quality Measures and Performance Between Switzerland and the United States
Get PDFEven in the best health systems, poor quality of care continues to cause harm to patients and prevent them from receiving the best treatment possible. Thus, it is important to record and report quality of care measures because they can help inform policy changes and improve performance. In this paper, a comparative analysis between the United States and Switzerland is conducted to understand the process for defining and assessing quality indicators in each country as well as compare their quality of care performance results. The methods for this study include a literature review of relevant background information relating to quality of care and three formal interviews with experts in the field. This research has found there to be many monitoring and recording organizations on both national levels in the U.S. and Switzerland and the international level. Additionally, when looking at the quality indicators in both countries, the analysis has shown that each country performs better in certain aspects of care delivery, however, many limitations have been found when interpreting results and comparing countries. Further, several different reasons have been discovered which explain the lack of good quality of care. Finally, going forward, the research has suggested creating a set of national quality measures for more accurate comparative analysis studies between countries and more incentives for medical professionals to provide high quality care
Multicultural Narratives: Language as a Site of Struggle for Amazigh Rights Activism in Morocco
Get PDFThe Moroccan constitutional monarchy’s officialization of the Amazigh language in 2011 was its response to a building coalition for Amazigh rights, which simultaneously narrowed and broadened the scope of the Amazigh Rights movement. This study’s purpose was to analyze Tamazight as it has currently manifested in the urban space of Rabat as a site of struggle for Amazigh people. The questions the study attempts to answer are: a) Has the Moroccan government found success in its chosen goal of standardization of the Tamazight language in schools? b) Do Amazigh activists share this same goal? c) Whose needs do the goals of Tamazight standardization include and exclude? If it is true that they have not found success, if the activists agree, and if these goals are not inclusive of the populations, what are the narratives utilized to justify this misaligned mission? The qualitative research to answer this question took the form of ethnographic fieldwork at Amazigh rights protests, IRCAM officials, and associations like AMREC, in order to examine the processes of institutional goal formation. Additionally, by bringing into play the case study of Moul Hanut , the study weaves real narratives through the institutional-level findings, grounding the research. Through twelve interviews with Moroccans from various backgrounds and in various languages (English, Arabic, Tamazight), the study discovers that Amazigh activists and government officials alike utilize different multicultural narratives to justify their narrow aims for the Movement that suit an urban, educated elite. This furthers the urban-rural divide in Amazigh needs and highlights the identities of the spokespeople for the movement. It confirmed that the needs of the Amazigh population are complex and splintered, and that continued research can assist in their cause. However, the gatekeepers of the Amazigh rights movement and Moroccan government ultimately need grounded communication with the people it serves, rather than research that reinforces an informational loop, in order to fully address what facilitates a multicultural society
Grassroots-Initiated Policy Advocacy in a Transitional Democracy: A Case Study
Get PDFWhile it is acknowledged that public participation in the policy-making process is a cornerstone of democracy, it is unclear how this takes shape in transitioning democracies. Myanmar is currently transitioning from over five decades of military rule to a civilian-led, democratically-elected government. Consequently, public space has opened up, allowing Myanmar citizens to express their opinions and needs vis-à-vis policies in multiple sectors and to engage with policymakers. The majority of these advocacy efforts has been spearheaded by civil society actors, who have been supporting citizens in expressing themselves and facilitating opportunities for direct engagement. This paper is a case study of a Myanmar civil society organization’s ongoing policy advocacy initiative. It aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on how civil society actors work to influence policy in sensitive political contexts. The researcher examined program documents and interviewed various program stakeholders and civil society actors to gain insight into the advocacy context, the advocates, the policy issues, the politics/decision-makers, and the advocacy strategies deployed by the initiative. The evidence suggests initial expectations were high for engagement with the civilian administration. Due to unforeseen changes in the policy-making context, it has been harder to make inroads than expected. This case study indicates one primary factor for success is relationship-building among all concerned stakeholders, particularly engagement with state actors by civil society actors. Furthermore, alliances among civil society actors advance the advocacy agenda further. Finally, citizen voice is important in sensitive political environments, particularly in a transitioning democracy like Myanmar, where civil society organizations are not fully trusted
Local Perceptions of Cannabis and Cannabis Laws in Morocco: Unpacking Past Laws, Moroccans\u27 Perceptions, and Exploring Organizational Efforts
Get PDFIn Morocco, cannabis production and consumption are illegal, both medicinally and recreationally. The cultivation of the plant is among the top five in the world. This research will explore many aspects of cannabis in Morocco. There is much literature that exists surrounding the agricultural, economic, and political implications of cannabis, but this research will focus on social perceptions of cannabis and cannabis laws of local Moroccans. This research will explore past government attempts to legalize marijuana and why they did not pass. It will also explore the work of local youth organizations (that focus on cannabis) to understand what they are doing to help get the legalization of marijuana passed and learn why they hope to pass such legislation. Lastly, I interview local Moroccans to understand their perceptions of cannabis and laws regarding cannabis. What are the social implications of cannabis laws for Moroccans? Although cannabis farmers do rely on its production to survive, I expect for most local people to not support the legislation of cannabis because Morocco is a Muslim country. Their laws are based on the Quran
Understanding Sexual Pleasure and Health: A Study of Urban Middle-Class Women’s Narratives in New Delhi, India
Get PDFThe following study seeks to explore how urban-middle class women in Delhi understand, value, and access sexual pleasure. Simultaneously, it looks to understand the relationship between ideas of agency, power, and pleasure. This project was prompted by the lack of colloquial conversation happening on these subjects both globally, and in the communities familiar to the researcher. Although sex and pleasure, in both theory and practice, are extremely prominent in the lives of people around the world, discussion remains stigmatized. With these constraints in mind, this study investigates how a certain population of women became knowledgeable, and are still learning about pleasure, in India’s capital city. Collection of data was done through nine qualitative, semi-structured interviews of working women between the ages of 25 and 46. This study seeks to contribute to existing literature by promoting safe spaces for normally illicit conversations between strangers, in hopes of increasing the visibility of women’s sexual pleasure. Findings reveal that understandings of sexual pleasure among respondents are shaped by cultural and social factors such as books and family attitudes. Sexual pleasure is valued highly by participants, as well as their partners, and privilege and privacy allow access to sexual pleasure