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Grabbing the Paycheck: A Glimpse into the Modern Economic Livelihoods of Xe Máy Grab Drivers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Get PDFWoven into the very fabric of urban life in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam is commuting via motorcycle (Vietnamese: xe máy). The versatility of xe máy can be witnessed in the surge of rush hour traffic, the shipment of a great variety and quantity of goods, and the crunch of people in order to get the whole family atop a single bike. Due to xe máy as the primary way much of the population gets around, Ho Chi Minh City’s transportation infrastructure and traffic patterns are highly conducive to this method of transit. Resulting from these favorable conditions, a multitude of ride-hailing digital applications have emerged, the most dominant of Ho Chi Minh City’s market being Grab Holdings Inc. This study aims to reveal the inner workings of Grab’s labor force through a qualitative and quantitative investigation of the factors which influence individuals to drive a motorcycle for the company, the economic sustainability of the profession, and the overall wellbeing of Grab drivers across the city. Using a multi-method approach of survey research, interviews, participant observation, and photography, the daily lives of Grab’s operators were able to be recognized and cataloged. This glimpse into driver livelihoods reveals the demanding and sometimes dangerous nature of their work, yet also brings to light a compelling degree of autonomy afforded by their designation as independent contractors
Psychopathology or Possession: How Ghanaian Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians Understand Mental Illnesses and how Perceived Understandings Vary Depending on if they are Current Students or not
Get PDFThis research investigates the perceptions held by Ghanaian Chrsitians from Pentecostal/Charismatic churches about mental illnesses. The data collected was done through a qualitative method of acquiring information. Interviews were conducted alongside intensive research of existing scholarship that addressed religion and mental health within Ghanaian culture. A total of 5 in depth interviews were carried out with participants ranging from the ages of 20-35. Three participants were current university students at the University of Ghana while the other two were non-students but held degrees. The objective was to make comparisons between the student and non-student groups about their knowledge about mental illnesses within Ghana. However, all participants shared similar ideas regarding mental health perceptions
Impact of wildlife provisioning on species diversity, relative frequency, and richness in New South Wales
Get PDFWildlife provisioning and camera trapping are two recently evolving methods of conservation and wildlife management, aimed at protecting animals in the face of ever worsening climate change. Habitats are being destroyed by climate disruption, decreasing species diversity and abundance worldwide. It is imperative that methods of protecting species are developed to slow or reverse this era of extinction. By providing supplementary food and water to ecological communities, the hope is that species will have improved survivorship and reproduction, making them more resilient and resistant to population decline. Camera trapping is product of modern technology, allowing researchers to monitor species without invading their habitats and causing them harm. The cameras are triggered by movement, capturing images of animals as they move through their environment.
Using an array of cameras set up in four locations near Sydney, NSW, Chantelle de Kock and I monitored the populations over two periods of 6-8 weeks. Between the periods, Chantelle set out food and water provisions at two of the sites – leaving the other two as controls – creating a before and after treatment study design. This project aims to assess the impact of wildlife provisioning on the species within the study area and if it is a worthwhile conservation tool.
I found little to no difference in species diversity, relative frequency, or richness at the Golden Jubilee site before and after provisioning. These findings suggest that provisional feeding does not improve species measurements and was not an effective conservation tool within the study area
Evaluating the On-Site Impacts of the Ambatovy Project through the Lens of Environmental Justice
Get PDFIn Madagascar, sustainable development has been established and maintained by dominant foreign actors to reconcile neoliberalism with globalized conceptions of environmental protection. The Ambatovy mining and refining project has emerged as a prominent example of this developmental mode; Ambatovy is the largest economic enterprise in the history of the country and one of the largest and most productive mining operations in the world, generating billions of dollars in revenue for a country that remains among the poorest in the world while offsetting its impact on endemic biodiversity and forest habitat through conservation initiatives. At the same time, the evaluative framework of environmental justice reveals that the project has largely failed to generate just and comprehensive development in mine-adjacent communities, and that Ambatvoy’s claims to sustainability marginalize collective wellbeing. Through qualitative interviews with local residents, we learn that economic benefits associated with mine’s presence are difficult to access due to unaddressed structural poverty. Ambatovy has improved the quality of life of community members who have privileged access to employment, training, revenue, and direct aid, but the most immediate and wide reaching impact of the project on local residents is a cascade of environmental degradation; participants reported that the project has marginalized traditional livelihoods and created mass employment, driving crime and theft that threatens to destabilize community security. Residents continue to seek solutions from Ambatovy in the form of jobs and direct aid but these efforts are mediated by the significant power disparities that pervade local peoples’ relationship with the project. Just futures for mine-adjacent communities may not be secured unless wholesale changes are to the larger paradigm of sustainable development
An analysis of factors in the policymaking process that enabled prison sentence decreases through the 2022 Organic Law of Comprehensive Guarantee of Sexual Freedom/La Ley Del Solo Sí es Sí in Spain
Get PDFTo follow through on their ratification of the Istanbul Convention and public outcry after La Manada case, the Spanish Government passed the Organic Law of Comprehensive Guarantee of Sexual Freedom, also known as the law of only yes is yes (or la ley del solo sí es sí) - which came into effect on October 7, 2022. This law changed the Criminal Code by removing the distinction between sexual assault and sexual abuse, which previously caused victims to endure the difficult process of proving that there was violence and intimidation. By moving all sexual acts without consent under the category of sexual assault, the fusion of a previously two-category system caused the range of sentences to expand. This change reduced certain sentence minimums, allowing incarcerated sexual offenders to obtain sentence reductions through Article 2.2 of the Criminal Code. Specifically, as of April 14th, 978 sexual offenders have had their sentences reduced, and 104 have been released from prison. Therefore, this paper aims to comprehensively explain why la ley del solo sí es sí subsequently enabled sentence reductions for convicted sexual offenders. Through analyzing recent newspaper coverage and interviewing those familiar with the topic, this paper concludes that the reductions in the minimum penological framework, in combination with the lack of an explicit transitory provision, enabled judges to apply the law differently depending on if they followed Article 2.2 of the Criminal Code or the transitory provision of 1995, 2010, and 2015. Finally, this paper concludes by explaining the future of the law, specifically the recent reform and upcoming Supreme Court plenary session set to resolve the legal debate
Medicina Tradicional en la Urbe: El Funcionamiento del Sistema de Salud Mapuche en Santiago
Get PDFEn Santiago, Chile, una ciudad con más de 5 millones de personas, el pueblo originario Mapuche ha logrado la reconstrucción de su sistema tradicional de salud para servir la comunidad urbana de la comunidad mapuche. Hoy en día, la mayoría de gente mapuche viven en ambientes urbanos debido a una migración masiva desde su territorio ancestral en el sur, que creó una población distinta de gente mapuche llamada warriache, o gente de la ciudad. Después de una expansión nacional de los derechos básicos de pueblos originarios en los años ‘90, el pueblo originario Mapuche, junto con otros pueblos originarios, podía fortificar su sistema de medicina tradicional y expandirlo a funcionar en ambientes urbanos. Ahora, hay centros de salud mapuche alrededor de Santiago que sirven miles de pacientes, ambos mapuche y no mapuche. A través de entrevistas con miembros de la red de salud mapuche, esta investigación cualitativa explora como el sistema de salud funciona en Santiago en un contexto post pandemia. Enfoca en el impacto del ambiente urbano y la pandemia de COVID-19 en el sistema de salud mapuche, además de la relación compleja entre el sistema y el modelo de salud intercultural en Chile. Los resultados del estudio muestran un vínculo permanente entre el sistema de salud urbano y el sistema de salud rural además de recursos y reconocimiento insuficiente desde PESPI, el programa de salud intercultural. Sin embargo, también destacan la adaptabilidad y fuerte liderazgo de las Asociaciones Indígenas en Santiago adentro del sistema de salud mapuche.
In Santiago, Chile, a city of over 5 million people, the Mapuche indigenous group has managed to reconstruct its traditional health system to serve the urban mapuche community. The majority of mapuche people now live in urban settings due to a mass migration from their southern ancestral territory, creating a distinct population referred to as warriache, or “people of the city.” Following a nationwide expansion in basic rights for indigenous communities during the 1990’s, the Mapuche indigenous group, alongside other indigenous groups in the nation, was able to fortify its traditional medicine system and expand it to function in urban settings. Today, there are health centers throughout Santiago serving thousands of patients, both mapuche and non-mapuche. Through interviews with members of the mapuche health network, this qualitative investigation explores how the health system functions in Santiago in a post-pandemic context. It focuses on the impact of an urban setting and the COVID-19 pandemic on the mapuche health system, as well as the system’s complex relationship to Chile’s intercultural health model. The results of the study reveal a permanent link between the urban and rural mapuche health systems as well as insufficient resources and recognition from PESPI, the intercultural health program. However, it also highlights the adaptability and strong leadership of Indigenous Associations in Santiago within the mapuche health system
International K-12 Schools Seeking U.S. Accreditation: An Analysis of the Rationales Involved in Earning Accreditation Through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Get PDFThe international K-12 school market is growing fast, and new international schools are opening every year. Hundreds of those international K-12 schools seek out accreditation to help validate their institution’s authenticity. Accreditation allows potential students and families to trust that the education provided is legitimate according to a set of principles and standards provided by the accreditation organization. Colleges and universities, particularly those in the United States, where thousands of international students strive to be accepted, typically require students to matriculate from an accredited school. With this market growth comes a need for accountability, and therein lies accreditation. The United States has four regional accreditation organizations who accredit both domestic and international schools, but this study focuses on just one organization, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This qualitative study explores various rationales provided by participants using Grounded Theory as the method and institutional theory as the theoretical framework. This paper examines the institutional legitimacy aspect of institutional theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four staff members at WASC, and eight experienced WASC leaders at various international K-12 schools in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The interviews sought out insights and rationales to understand why schools chose WASC, considering the time, expense, and cultural considerations involved. This study concludes that WASC accreditation is, in fact, worth the cost and effort required. However, like the WASC Focus on Learning self-study process itself, there are areas of commendation, and areas for growth. The results provide direction for the both the WASC organization as well as international K-12 schools considering pursuing accreditation.
Keywords: accreditation, WASC, international, international school, K-12, Grounded Theory, institutional theory, institutional legitimacy, evaluation, global citizenshi
Las facultades especiales de los parques públicos: Investigar los efectos reconstituyentes de la Plaza Almirante Brown en los visitantes
No full textEn las últimas décadas, los psicólogos ambientales y expertos en la salud pública alrededor del mundo han realizado una cantidad creciente de estudios sobre los impactos de la salud mental de los espacios verdes urbanos en los visitantes. Este proyecto de investigación, que recogió datos de los participantes de la Plaza Almirante Brown en Río Grande, Argentina, es un estudio exploratorio que tiene el objetivo de investigar los efectos reconstituyentes de la Plaza en los visitantes. Las preguntas centrales son ¿Tiene la Plaza Almirante Brown efectos reconstituyentes en sus visitantes? En caso afirmativo, ¿qué aspectos del parque son reconstituyentes y cuáles podrían mejorarse? Finalmente, ¿Cómo pueden corroborarse los datos para comprender mejor la percepción de los visitantes sobre los efectos reconstituyentes de la Plaza? Les preguntó a los visitantes completar dos cuestionarios escritos (una breve encuesta demográfica, además de la Escala de Restauración Percibida). Entonces, los participantes les preguntaron qué pensaba de la Plaza Almirante Brown y qué añadirían o eliminarían al espacio (si es qué hay algo). Las puntuaciones medianas de la Escala de Restauración Percibida se calcularon, y se realizó un análisis de contenido cualitativo inductivo para agregar las respuestas de las entrevistas. Se concluyó que la Plaza Almirante Brown tenía efectos reconstituyentes en los participantes, y que los visitantes disfrutan los “elementos naturales” en el parque y desean añadir “más espacios para recrear.” El estudio debe repetirse con una población más representativa y una procedimiento mejorado antes de utilizarse para medir los efectos reconstituyentes en otros espacios verdes urbanos en Río Grande.
In the last few decades, environmental psychologists and public health experts around the world have conducted an increasing quantity of studies on the mental health impacts of urban green spaces on park visitors. This particular research project, which collected participant-based data from the Almirante Brown Plaza in Río Grande, Argentina, is an exploratory study that aims to investigate the mental restorativeness effects of the Plaza on its visitors. The project’s central questions are: Does the Plaza have restorative effects on its visitors? If so, which aspects of the park are restorative, and which could be improved? Finally, how can the collected data be corroborated to better understand the perceptions of the visitors about the restorative effects of the Plaza? Visitors were asked to complete two written questionnaires (one brief demographic survey, as well as the Perceived Restorativeness Scale). Participants were then interviewed about their opinions about the Plaza, and what (if anything) they would like to add or take away from the space. The median scores of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale were calculated, and an inductive content analysis was conducted to aggregate the responses from the interviews. It was ultimately concluded that the Almirante Brown Plaza had restorative effects on the participants, and that the visitors enjoyed the natural elements the most and desired to add more spaces for recreation. The study should be repeated with an improved participant population and procedure chronology before being used to examine other urban green spaces in Río Grande
Litio en una Encrucijada: Voces locales sobre la reforma constitucional del gobernador Morales y su impacto en el futuro de la minería en Jujuy / Lithium at a Crossroads: Local voices on Governor Morales’ constitutional reform and its impact on the future of mining in Jujuy
Get PDFEn junio de 2023, el gobernador Morales de Jujuy aprobó un cambio en la constitución provincial rápidamente, sin consultar con las comunidades indígenas. Esta reforma prohíbe cortes de rutas, refuerza los derechos de propiedad privada y criminaliza muchas formas de protesta pública. Ahora, hay mucha crítica hacia la reforma, especialmente por parte de las comunidades indígenas y grupos ambientales que tienen miedo de que, sin la posibilidad de protestar, la minería del litio se expandirá en la provincia. Esta minería es peligrosa para las comunidades indígenas porque quiere minar en su tierra y requiere mucha agua aunque el clima de Jujuy ya está seco. Entonces, esta reforma, aprobada de forma antidemocrática, pone en riesgo la economía tradicional de las comunidades indígenas y el ambiente de Jujuy. Esta investigación analiza esta reforma y cuáles son sus implicaciones para las comunidades indígenas. Primero, este trabajo dará contexto sobre la minería y su riesgo sobre el ambiente de Jujuy. Segundo, hablará sobre cómo esta reforma ha causado hostigamiento de protestantes pacíficos. Finalmente, abordará cuáles son las reacciones de los jujeños ante esta reforma y qué significa para el futuro de la minería en la provincia
Out of Exile: The Evolution of Moroccan Jewishness
Get PDFMorocco once had the largest Jewish population of any Islamic country, but in 1948 the creation of the Israeli state drew Jews out of Morocco in massive numbers. Since then the Jews have a ghostly presence, spoken about but hardly seen. Curiously, the void left by their flight has been filled by a conscious effort on the part of Moroccan historical institutions to retain the presence of Jews in collective memory. Well maintained sites, and spaces such as the Jewish quarter that are linked to Jewish presence continue to contribute to a discourse which presents Moroccan and Jewish histories as intertwined. Further, the character of this history is represented as a happy symbiosis, and institutions which remember the Jews are nostalgic for this time of peaceful coexistence. This project investigates the active re-affirmation of the Jewish component in Essaouira, a city in Morocco with a large historical Jewish presence. This research brings to light the question of what it means for Morocco to be a multicultural society. And to what extent has the Moroccan Jew become a politicized Identity