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El poder del sonido: La radio comunitaria en la resistencia contra los proyectos extractivistas en la Patagonia / The power of sound: Community radio in resistance against extractivist projects in Patagonia
Get PDFDesde finales de la última dictadura militar, la radio comunitaria fue utilizada por las personas cuyas voces no se representaban en los medios masivos de comunicación (Gerbaldo 2012). A fines de la década de 1980, surgieron nuevos medios populares para expresar las opiniones de quienes habían sido silenciados. Este desarrollo ha continuado hasta hoy en día. En junio de 2017 se registraron 416 estaciones de radio sin fines de lucro en Argentina (Galay 2017).
Siendo medio de comunicación alternativo utilizado en todo el país, la radio comunitaria funciona con una gestión horizontal o democrática. La Ley de Servicios de Comunicación Audiovisual considera que tales radios son medios privados y sin fines de lucro. Algunas de esas radios se ubican en la Patagonia y a menudo trabajan juntas a través de varias redes oficiales e informales. Esas radios tratan de expresar las voces de los residentes en las comunidades a veces afectadas extremadamente por los proyectos extractivistas y la privatización de la tierra. Los medios masivos que transmiten en esas regiones reciben presupuesto de parte de las empresas que realizan esas actividades ahí o de parte de los gobiernos que, especialmente desde el comienzo del ciclo kirchnerista sino también en las épocas anteriores, apoyan el modelo económico extractivista. Por eso, las radios comunitarias en la Patagonia a menudo trabajan para combatir los mensajes que difunden los medios hegemónicos sobre los impactos del neoextractivismo en los residentes.
Este informe investiga cuatro radios comunitarias en Río Negro y Chubut, dos provincias en la Patagonia conocidas por la historia del conflicto de sus habitantes contra el gobierno y las empresas privadas con relación al desarrollo de proyectos como la megaminería y los agronegocios. Desde los métodos cualitativos de observación y entrevistas, la presente investigación trata de entender la relación entre los proyectos extractivistas y las radios con el fin de aprender sobre sus historias, actividades, estructuras, objetivos y desafíos. El análisis de la información sobre estos temas sugiere que las radios estudiadas juegan un papel en la resistencia comunitaria contra los proyectos extractivistas, pero de maneras más variadas y a veces sutiles que lo originalmente anticipado.
Since the end of the last military dictatorship in Argentina, community radio has been utilized by people whose voices have not been represented by mass media (Gerbaldo 2012). Thus, the end of the 1980s, new forms of popular media emerged to express the opinions of those who had been silenced. This development has continued up to today. In June, 2017, 416 non-profit radio stations were registered in Argentina (Galay 2017).
An alternative form of media used throughout the nation, community radio functions through horizontal or democratic leadership. Argentina’s Law of Audiovisual Communication Services regards these radio stations as private, non-profit media. A number of these radios are located in Patagonia. Sometimes through collaborations formal or informal, they seek to express the voices of residents in their communities who have often been acutely affected by extractivist projects and land privatization. The mass media that broadcast in these regions receive funding from corporations which carry out the activities in question or from governments which, especially since the beginning of the Kircherist cycle but in previous years as well, support an extractivist economic model. Because of this, community radio stations in Patagonia often work to combat the messages spread by hegemonic media regarding the impacts of neoextractivism on residents.
This report investigates four community radio stations in Rio Negro and Chubut, two Argentine provinces in Patagonia known for their history of conflict between their residents and the government as well as private companies over the development of projects such as large-scale mining and agribusiness. Through the qualitative methods of observation and interviews, the following investigation seeks to understand the relationship between extractivist projects and the radio stations studied by learning about their histories, activities, structures, goals and challenges. Analysis of information about these themes suggests that the radios investigated play a role in community-level resistance against extractivist projects, but in a more varied and sometimes more subtle manner than originally predicted
Church of the Scattered: Navigating Cultural Identity in the Protestant Churches of Senegal
Get PDFSenegal is a country renowned for its peaceful religious pluralism in the midst of turmoil and demographic change in neighboring West African nations. Though the vast majority of the population adheres to Sufi Islam, they seem to live in peace and cooperation with the prominent Catholic minority. Wedged between these well-established groups, Protestantism struggles to distinguish itself. Protestant missions have been planted in Senegal for over a century, but the church remains small with almost no cultural presence, and up to 80% of its members are non-Senegalese. This paper will present some preliminary basic research about this oft-ignored community in Dakar in an attempt to better understand the ways in which an immigrant church navigates cultural identity. In particular, it focuses on the ethic of proselytization in the missional Protestant church and the ways it interacts with and challenges the Senegalese ethic of peaceful coexistence. Literature on the history of Christianity and Protestantism in the region, as well as the current dynamics of global religious growth and the changing landscape of modern missions foreground the discussion. Interviews conducted with Protestants from many different churches, positions, and denominational backgrounds illuminate the place of the Protestant Church in Senegal. Observation of religious gatherings, services, and meeting place supplement interviews in this paper as context. This research will attempt to bring insight into the cultural adaptations beginning to take place in the seed of a national church and the challenges they expose within the ethic of pluralism in one of the world’s shining examples of “laicité.
Activity, Distribution, and Density of Brown Rats (Rattus norvegicus) on Misali Island, Pemba Island, Tanzania
Get PDFThis project investigated the activity, distribution, and density of brown rats (R. norvegicus) on Misali Island, Pemba. These factors were studied through field observations conducted over a 21-day observation period. Brown rats were highest in density around areas of human activity, attracted to the detritus, an ample food source. Although highest in density in these areas, a greater total population of brown rats was distributed in the coastal forest due to its proportion of area on the overall island. In the forest, the rats were most active along the coastal sections for unknown and unexplored reasons – possibly due to regular ocean detritus. Based on ad hoc observations, the rats pose some threats to native flora and fauna including disease and out-competition. Brown rats are considered pests on Misali Island, as they destroy human infrastructure and property. The project establishes baseline information to address this problem and reduce the impact of rats on conservation in this protected area
Empowering Women Through Land: An Analysis of the Barriers in Accessing Land Rights within Kisumu County, Kenya
Get PDFThis project aims to gain a greater understanding of the current state of women’s land rights in Kisumu County, Kenya. It will discuss current barriers women face in accessing land and how land can impact a woman’s empowerment and in turn, her control over her health. Property rights can provide women with a secure place to live, a place of economic activity and reduce dependence on men. Property ownership can also serve to empower women and “give them greater bargaining power at the household, individual, and community level...increasing agency” (Dworkin,2009). Unfortunately, men have almost always been favored in land rights in traditional land allocation and in customary law. In 2010, Kenya’s new constitution, article 60, eliminates gender discrimination in law, customs, and practices related to land. Since this, little research has evaluated the relationship between land rights and female empowerment in a Kenyan context. 30 in-depth interviews were conducted and a questionnaire collected to analyze the impact land rights has on women’s empowerment from before and after the 2010 constitution. Empowerment was measured on a 0-5 scale based on a set of indicators drawn from the World Bank (Malhotra et al., 2002). A review of the mainstream Kenyan media between January 2019 and May 2019 was used to gain a deeper understanding of the public perception of women’s land rights. Regardless of the clear legal standards now in place, gender-biased public attitude and limited utilization of legal services still lead to women systematically being denied their rights to land. This study prioritized local knowledge and women’s experiences to illustrate possible solutions. The participants suggested more investment in the judiciary and mediation efforts, promotion of will writing, and community campaigns to help dismantle the patriarchal beliefs and traditions that prevent women from accessing their land. These recommendations could help support women’s land claims and lead to empowering women in their own sexual, and non-sexual, health going forward
Self-Perceptions of the French Community in Morocco
Get PDFNorth-South migration is growing trend; however, this type of migration is overlooked in the literature because it is not viewed as urgent or negative. Migrants from the global North are associated with wealth, and are referred to by the term expatriate, which distinguishes them from migrants, placing them in a more positive light. In Morocco, there is a growing community of Europeans. Among them, the French community stands out as one of the largest migrant groups in Morocco. Their presence is an interesting one, as they have a shared history with Morocco and a common language in Morocco, in theory facilitating their integration. This study aims to find out whether the French in Morocco view themselves as migrants or expatriates and their perceived integration in Morocco. 14 interviews, informal group conversations and visits to French Institutions in Morocco were conducted with French citizens. Overall, members of the French community do not identify as migrants, associating the term with negative connotations. Despite having a shared language with Moroccans, they do not view themselves as integrated because their lack of knowledge in Arabic
An Inclusive Economic Paradigm Shift
Get PDFIn this paper, the author begins with the question of how we can recognize whether or not we are in an opportune time to re-evaluate our current economic system. Through a literature review the canvas is set for the surveys of 63 people from across the United States about the way they feel about the economic system within which we currently find ourselves. Through the survey, he establishes that people who report having had a harder time during the “economic recovery” of the Great Recession were more likely to act in the hopes of bettering their community than those who found themselves relatively unaffected. This did not, however, necessarily correlate with whether the participants could envision a more equitable economy for the United States or their self-reported beliefs about altruism. Many participants expressed views of futility in the face of such a large economic/power structures, showing a desire for change but expressing doubt that things can or will change.
The implications of the limited study are that people looking for systemic reforms to our economy need to adopt a wider set of rigorously studied communications tactics to help reclaim the economic system and discourse from the increasingly wealthy and powerful. The researcher’s survey suggests critical mass for system change sentiment may exist, however, the author suggests that to facilitate change, we must re-evaluate the way we communicate with each other. Furthermore, the purpose of our education system must be re-evaluated, promoting collaborative learning processes to facilitate a sense of empowerment and ownership of the imperfect systems within which we live and operate
Regenerative Grazing and the Benefits of Livestock on Soils in Northern New South Wales
Get PDFConventional cattle grazing has received criticism for environmental degradation in the past. Regenerative grazing and the principles of regenerative agriculture show encouraging signs that proper livestock management and planned grazing can reverse degradation and mitigate climate change. An emphasis on soil health and increasing soil carbon and organic matter levels reveals positive feedback for environmental health, the economic security of farmers, and nutritional health of consumers.
In this study I looked to investigate the benefits of regenerative agriculture, reasons why it is being practiced, and the extent it is practiced within the grazing in comparison to traditional methods within Northern New South Wales. In times of climate unpredictability, struggling economic conditions of small farmers, and declining nutrient value in foods, regenerative grazing and agriculture is an alternative strategy to pursue in resolving all of these. In order to gather data to support the claims, I spent 145 hours sending out an electronic questionnaire (gathering 16 responses), consulting background literature, visiting 7 farmers’ properties, conducting both formal (1) and informal interviews (6), and attending one workshop.
I found that in the Northern NSW area grazers are implementing a variety of regenerative strategies within their paddocks, that have resulted in improvements in both health and productivity of their grazing enterprises, closer ties to their community, and it is a movement deserving of more converts. Yet, the extent of regenerative grazing in the area is variable, with conventional enterprises still holding dominance in numbers. I argue that with these results, regenerative grazing is a dramatically better strategy and system to employ opposed to the current state of contemporary, conventional grazing. With regenerative grazing: soil health is improved, paddocks are more resilient to climate variability, a more nutrient dense food supply is produced, water retention increases, GHGs are sequestered, livestock received a happy amount of feed, dependence on chemical inputs is reduced, beneficial microbial life is brought back to the rhizosphere, and biodiversity improves in the form of native plants and animals. Results reflect that RAg grazers also feel more in-touch with their local communities and economics. Thus, I contest that RAg grazing is a sustainable enterprise as it meets the triple-bottom lines of sustainability with the economy, environment, and social components
Is Technology the key to prevention of falls among the elderly in rapidly aging societies? A case study of Kunming, China
Get PDFAs the aging society rapidly becomes more dominant in the world, there is a pressing need for different stakeholders to tend to the needs of the aging sufficiently. This is crucial in ensuring the robustness of the healthcare system as a whole; given that it can only be as strong as its weakest link. This study focuses on one of the areas of need of the ageing society: fall prevention.
Numerous studies have been done on interventions by the government, private entities, elderly people and their caregivers to prevent occurrence and recurrence of falls. However, most of these have been carried out in the gradually aging high-income countries. There is still a wide gap in literature investigating falls among the elderly in LMIC with rapidly aging populations. This study aims to bridge this gap by documenting current fall interventions in Kunming, a rapidly aging society in China’s Yunnan Province; while investigating the viability of using technology to facilitate fall prevention in the future. To achieve these objectives, 5 key informant interviews (KIIs), 1 focused group discussion (FGD), 1 quasi focused discussion, and a survey with 30 respondents were employed.
Data analysis reveals some fall prevention efforts by the government and individuals; and a gap in efforts by non-governmental entities (both NGOs and other companies). Inspired by this gap, this study investigates – and finds-compelling factors suggesting technology could be crucial in fall prevention in rapidly aging societies in LMIC
Internationalization through Study Abroad at Miami University: A Look at Access, Inclusion and Quality
Get PDFMiami University, a public doctoral university located in Oxford, Ohio, is well known for its Internationalization efforts. This past year, it was one of five schools in the United States awarded the Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization by NAFSA. Study abroad is an important vehicle for internationalization efforts at Miami and is an important institutional priority. Over 50 percent of undergraduates participate in hundreds of study abroad and away programs before graduation. Miami University in recent years has ranked within the top six nationally of public universities sending undergraduate students abroad and within the top 25 among all universities in the U.S. While these accolades are impressive, it is not an opportunity that is accessible for all students.
The purpose of this study was to assess the climate of diversity and inclusion in study abroad at Miami University. Research was conducted through interviews, data analysis, and programming reviews to uncover who is and is not studying abroad at Miami University, what opportunities and challenges are in making study abroad accessible and supportive of all students. A review of existing research from the field of international education including various interpretations of internationalization, study abroad rationales, and studies on diversity and inclusion in study abroad are used as a foundation for recommendations. This broad study meant to uncover topics for future, more in-depth research and provides the Education Abroad and Away office at Miami University with the tools and knowledge necessary to work towards making study abroad accessible and inclusive of all students
The Changes of Financial Stability and Quality of Life of Cambodian Immigrants and Refugees as a Result of their Participation in a First-Time Homebuyer Program in Lowell
Get PDFThis study explores the changes of financial stability and quality of life of Cambodian immigrants and refugees in Lowell, Massachusetts as a result of their participation in a first-time homebuyer program. It also provides recommendations from the program participants about ways to improve the program for future program participants and tips for future program participants to get ready to purchase their first home. There were seventeen research participants. Fifteen of them were the program participants who completed the program. One of them was a program coordinator and the other one was a program implementer. Data were collected by two methods, a survey and interviews. Twelve of the program participants were requested to complete the survey and three were interviewed. The program coordinator and program implementer were also interviewed. The results of the study showed that the knowledge, skills, and assistances that the program offered to the participants resulted in noticeable changes in financial stability and quality of life. The study recommends the program to include the pros and cons of buying new and old home, to entail the costs of fixing different things in the house, to have a Khmer instructor to teach the program. It also recommends the future program participants to ask questions when they take the program, check conditions of the house that they are going to buy, be clear on how to buy a house, find the bank that offers low interest rate for mortgages, have a right team of professionals, have full commitment when they decide to buy a house, and take the first-time homebuyer program.
Keywords: Financial Stability and Quality of Lif