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A Hidden Emergency: Transgenerational Inheritance in the Next Generation of Rwandans
Get PDFCases of physiological and psychological health disorders in the generation succeeding generation of the 1994 genocide are rising at an alarming pace. The presented work herein details a qualitative and quantitative approach to understanding the transmission of trauma from the surviving population of the 1994 Genocide Against Tutsi in their offspring using the APA PTSD System Scale-Interview (PSS-I). Several variables including age, gender and background were employed in this study. The results indicate that offspring born of targeted survivors of the 1994 Genocide Against Tutsi show increased trends of experiencing PTSD symptoms with children born in 1994 exhibiting the greatest increase, regardless of gender
Perceiving the Intangible: Introspective & Meditational Practices in Moroccan Sufism
Get PDFSufism has earned an exponentially prominent role within Morocco’s political and social arenas through recent decades. The Moroccan monarchy’s endorsement of the religious variant and its prevalence in pop-cultural events, national journalism, and literature are a few indicators of its growing influence. However, the tradition is, by no means, a modern construction and has existed since the beginning of the larger Islamic tradition. What qualities, then, has granted Sufism its relevance as a cornerstone of Moroccan society today? Its chief focus on introspective and meditational practices, rather than physical religious discipline, may foster a more inclusive and liberal form of spirituality to match Morocco’s recent political agendas. This paper will investigate what types of exposure Moroccan people have for education on Sufism, what its general perceptions are by Moroccan society, and how its meditational and introspective differentiators might open doors for marginalized groups
The Hands that Weave Stories
Get PDFThere is a narrative encoded in carpets of Morocco, and I set out with the initial intention to learn how to “read” them—thinking that a Western sense of language is present from the symbols and patterns in the rug. As I progressed in my research and met the skilled women artisans, I realized that I needed to rethink how a story that doesn’t necessarily require a written format can be told to relate to these cultural totems of Morocco. Through in-person experience and online research, I discovered many designs and backgrounds unique to specific regions and areas. Rugs can tell stories through colors, through the entire composition, and some stories are only present in the space shared between a woman a loom. As I start the groundwork for this Independent Study Project, ISP, I think about all the directions this research can take and the important people I could meet: this alone is exciting. This beginning makes every bit of knowledge and quote I gain essential and worth noting. The developmental state of my ISP keeps me wide-eyed, looking all around, not being judgmental to what is worth a snapshot in my memory. In these moments of growing research, I have witnessed the intersection of Moroccan culture and identity woven into a rug, how different people participate in the whole process of creating and selling these iconic carpets. I am gaining a newer perspective and seeing beyond what was once just a decorative textile in my eyes. These rugs are a medium to many stories and a visual representation of Moroccan identity. I attempt to have this paper explore the ever-evolving stories the carpets possess and the everlasting pieces of their past lives tightly woven in. The narrative of each rug begins with the quiet empowerment and agency rural women hold while sitting with the loom. I hope this paper and my future research on this topic help bring continued awareness to these origins and the impact of the other’s interactions with the original stories of carpets
RETRATO DE UNA ECONOMÍA EN MOVIMIENTO: Retos de la economía sustentable en San Francisco de Borja, Quijos, Napo
No full textEsta monografía presenta la situación económica actual en el Valle Quijos, en la parte occidental de la provincia de Napo, Ecuador. La mayoría de los residentes son gente campesina, que se dedica a la ganadería y la lechería. Se encuentran en la zona de amortiguamiento de dos parques nacionales, y mientras la población está creciendo, la gente tiene cada vez menos espacio entre las áreas protegidas, que ha generado conflictos sociales y conflictos ambientales, que incluyen la deforestación, la caza ilegal, y la erosión de las áreas pendientes. La monografía investiga el turismo y la ganadería tecnificada como algunos posibles caminos para el desarrollo rural, utilizando entrevistas con emprendedores y jóvenes en la comunidad. Encuentra que el fortalecimiento de la sociedad civil y coordinación entre intereses distintas son claves para solucionar los conflictos del valle
Approaches to Narrative Instruction for Second Language Learners
Get PDFNarratives have reemerged as a dominant form of rhetoric over the last fifty years. This dominant use of narrative discourse has only increased with the rise of social media. Walther Fisher (1987) proposed the narrative paradigm as a unifying theory of human communication. His major claim is that people are inherently storytellers and that people use a narrative rationality and a logic of good reasons to inform their beliefs, values, and actions. This paper utilizes his theories, along with recent findings in neuroscience, to establish an argument for greater inclusion of narratives into second language teaching. Narratives can have a powerful language learning function as they engage learners\u27 imagination and allow them to create a mental context for language use. Narratives serve a powerful attention-getting and attention-keeping function that more completely engages them when compared to traditional language learning teaching. In addition to this, narrative educational practices prepare learners to negotiate the narrative-rich environments of their lives. Finally, narrative skills provide learners with the means to represent themselves in society through the use of their personal narratives to attract the attention and gain the empathy of the people in their community
Taxonomic Annotation of Near-Coral Seawater Microbiota in Kilifi, Kenya
Get PDFThe general objective of this study was to analyze the microbiome of seawater above a coral reef in Kilifi, Kenya. Specific objectives included establishing a baseline microbiota profile, classifying the identified organisms at various taxonomic levels, and conjecturing about reef health from the presence or absence of bioindicator species including Vibrio bacteria. Sequenced 16S rRNA gene sequences from seawater samples at Kuruwitu Conservancy in Kilifi, Kenya were taxonomically classified by exact matching employing the Dada2 software package and the naïve Bayesian classifier method with 97% similarity cut off. The seawater microbiota contained mostly Proteobacteria (73.28%), followed by Bacteroidetes (14.08%) and Cyanobacteria (4.47%). The Cyanobacteria levels were low compared to what has previously been observed of seawater from diseased and degraded reefs in Japan and Curacao, possibly indicating the health of the Kuruwitu reef. The presence of disease-causing Vibrio may be of concern, but since there is no known “healthy range” for Vibrio more research and monitoring are needed to draw conclusions. It is recommended that seawater sampling and genomic based taxonomic analysis be repeated and coupled with reef health monitoring in order to correlate changes in the holobiont to subsequent inclines or declines in reef health
Disability and Healthcare Access in Morocco: Social and Cultural Influences
Get PDFI stepped into the SIT Multiculturalism and Human Rights program as a pre-physical therapy student with experience working and volunteering in the disability rights arena. Striking personal encounters with Moroccans combined with these past experiences drew me to investigate how social and cultural factors influence access to healthcare for people with disabilities. I hypothesized that access to medical care is limited by social or cultural mindsets, perceptions, or beliefs for those in my target population. This subject is relevant to Morocco as a developing country and as a society with, in some cases, fixed social dynamics, while in other areas defined by rapidly changing and fluid social dynamics. Research from nearly a decade ago (2014) shows that 6.8% of the Moroccan population has a disability; a different survey from the same year states 9.5% of adults (whether the difference in percentage is because one includes children or because of disparities in obtaining data is not clear, both are quite possible). In addition to this, physical impairment will touch a majority of people at some point in their life, whether that be from accident, war, aging, or other reasons, so not only health professionals or legislators benefit from timely information in this area, but nearly every family in North Africa and the world. In a country with one kinesiotherapist for every 2,000 children with a disability, access to resources is a pressing issue.
Over the course of one month, I interviewed people with disabilities, healthcare professionals, and leaders of NGOs as well as conducted observations in therapy sessions, public places, and clinics and care centers. From this qualitative research I hoped to find insights into the struggles of children and adults living with a disability, and what holds them back from living full, healthy lives. This was a basic study, not in-depth, but still sufficient to reveal important clues as to the action steps needed to support this minority population’s well-being and rights
Helmintos transmitidos por el suelo en Ecuador; la respuesta comunitaria y las percepciones a ellos en Baños y Puyo
Get PDFThis investigation was a qualitative study focused on soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in Baños and Puyo, Ecuador. The perceptions of the communities regarding STHs and the community response to STH and STH infections was studied. The objectives of this study aimed to discover and learn about the perceptions of STHs from the affected communities, to comprehend the barriers that are present against better treatment for STH infections, and to learn about the community action taking place to improve the situation of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in the community. Soil transmitted helminths are intestinal worms that are transmitted through the contamination of the soil with the worm\u27s infectious stages (CDC, 2020). These worms are also able to be transmitted through the lack of proper sanitation and food preparation. This study was done by conducting interviews with 13 participants who were split into two groups based on their positionality as either an academic or medical professional with previous experience regarding STHs, or as a member of a rural Amazonian community affected by STHs. Each participant was interviewed to determine their perceptions of STHs in the community, what they perceived to be barriers to better treatment regarding STH infections, as well as the types and extent of community response taking place to better the STH situation in their respective communities. This study saw a concerned participant population with regard to the high prevalence of STHs in Ecuador. Participants noted difficulty obtaining medical care for STHs, and the subsequent mentioned importance of traditional medicine within the rural community studied. Barriers to care included difficulty of treating STHs, lack of resources, access to medical care, education, economic resources and the lack of governmental intervention. Community action included traditional medicines, western medicine, and the desire for improved resources, access, and education among other things. It was found that the communities of Baños and Puyo are affected similarly with regard to STHs because the participants in both locations share the same concerns for STHs, despite a slight difference in opinion between the groups. It was determined that the participants\u27 perceptions about STHs were permeated by their knowledge of the high prevalence of STH infection in the country. Participants mentioned barriers to better treatment being lack of education, resources, medical care, and proper water and sanitation practices. The community response to STH infections included traditional medicine remedies in addition to prescription Western medications and other community interventions.
Esta investigación fue un estudio cualitativo enfocado en helmintos transmitidos por el suelo (STH) en Baños y Puyo, Ecuador. Se estudiaron las percepciones de las comunidades con respecto a los STHs y la respuesta de la comunidad a los STHs y las infecciones por STH. Los objetivos de este estudio tuvieron como objetivo conocer y conocer las percepciones de los STHs en las comunidades afectadas, comprender las barreras que existen para un mejor tratamiento de las infecciones por STH y conocer las acciones comunitarias que se están llevando a cabo para mejorar la situación de los STHs en la comunidad. Los helmintos transmitidos por el suelo son gusanos intestinales que se transmiten a través de la contaminación del suelo con las etapas infecciosas del gusano (CDC, 2020). Estos gusanos también pueden transmitirse a través de la falta de saneamiento y preparación de alimentos adecuados. Este estudio se realizó mediante la realización de entrevistas a 13 participantes que se dividieron en dos grupos en función de su posicionalidad como profesional académico o médico con experiencia previa en relación con los STHs, o como miembro de una comunidad rural amazónica afectada por STH. Se entrevistó a cada participante para determinar sus percepciones de los STHs en la comunidad, lo que percibían como barreras para un mejor tratamiento con respecto a las infecciones por STH, así como los tipos y el alcance de la respuesta comunitaria que se está llevando a cabo para mejorar la situación de los STHs en sus respectivas comunidades. Este estudio vio a una población participante preocupada con respecto a la alta prevalencia de STH en Ecuador. Los participantes señalaron la dificultad para obtener atención médica para los STHs y la importancia que se mencionó posteriormente de la medicina tradicional dentro de la comunidad rural estudiada. Las barreras a la atención incluyeron la dificultad para tratar los STHs, la falta de recursos, el acceso a la atención médica, la educación, los recursos económicos y la falta de intervención gubernamental. La acción comunitaria incluyó medicinas tradicionales, medicina occidental y el deseo de mejorar los recursos, el acceso y la educación, entre otras cosas. Se encontró que las comunidades de Baños y Puyo se ven afectadas de manera similar con respecto a los STHs porque los participantes en ambos lugares comparten las mismas preocupaciones por los STHs, a pesar de una ligera diferencia de opinión entre los grupos. Se determinó que las percepciones de los participantes sobre los STHs estaban impregnadas de su conocimiento de la alta prevalencia de la infección por STH en el país. Los participantes mencionaron que las barreras para un mejor tratamiento son la falta de educación, recursos, atención médica y prácticas adecuadas de agua y saneamiento. La respuesta de la comunidad a las infecciones por STH incluyó remedios de medicina tradicional además de medicamentos occidentales recetados y otras intervenciones comunitarias
Indigenous conceptions of community organization and autonomy in Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte: Answers and resistance to State-sponsored practices of internal colonialism
Get PDFOver the past century, the Mexican government has continued to reproduce dominant, colonial relationships with its indigenous populations. Within the last few decades, clashes between harmful neoliberal visions of national development and continued demands for indigenous autonomy have only intensified. In the context of such events, this present work seeks to explore a specific conception of community identity, coined as la comunalidad, in the Sierra Norte region of Oaxaca. After the breakdown of its most fundamental tenets, I will attempt to both underscore its position as a framework of resistance in combatting historical and ongoing state-organized aggressions against these communities, as well as its fundamental role in the subsequent construction of various aspects of local autonomy. Finally, I will look towards internally defined challenges to the reproduction of such models of community organization. Throughout the paper, special attention will be paid to the contemporary and global value of such alternative community development strategies for the re-imagining of more harmonious social and environmental futures
Study Abroad Program for the University of Glasgow: A Short-Term Life Sciences Program to Indonesia
Get PDFThe Life Sciences Indonesia Program (LSIP) is a two-week program for University of Glasgow students interested in the fields of Human and Animal Biology, Biomolecular Science, and Infection and Immunity. This study abroad program will provide students interested in these degree areas the opportunity to study at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Sieman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. LSIP is grounded in the theories of self-authorship and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, providing students with the opportunity to curate their own learning experience, learn through real-world experiences, and connect course material to real-life applications. The program is open to all students to apply, but particularly aims to increase participation amongst underrepresented groups through unique marketing efforts and collaboration with different departments within the university.
To ensure that the program would meet the unique needs of the University of Glasgow, I conducted my needs assessment by interviewing staff in the Global Opportunities department at the university and then used that information to develop a student survey. The needs assessment process made clear the importance of providing a short-term mobility option in order to increase access and to make the program more affordable for students, as it was indicated that finances were the biggest barrier that students face in participating in global mobility programs.
Based on the feedback received in the needs assessment, the program will be in partnership with Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia. Through participation in this program, students will not only strengthen their practical knowledge in the area of Life Sciences, but also demonstrate increased knowledge and understanding of Indonesian culture and way of life. The program will also help to bolster the connection between the University of Glasgow and UGM, ultimately strengthening internationalization efforts of both institutions