115 research outputs found
Post-lobotomy epilepsy illustrated by the story of Ellinor Hamsun, the daughter of the famous Norwegian author Knut Hamsun
No full textIn Scandinavia, at least 11.500 people were lobotomized in the period 1939–1983. Beside grave personality changes, the surgery caused epilepsy in 10–35% of the patients. Moreover, many died due to perioperative bleedings, convulsive status epilepticus or SUDEP.
Most of the stories of these people are anonymous and their post-lobotomy lives are scarcely documented. If it was not for the fact that Ellinor Hamsun (1916–1987) was the daughter of the famous Nobel Prize winning Norwegian author Knut Hamsun, her lobotomy story and the subsequent iatrogenic epilepsy would probably have remained unknown
No quick fixes : four interacting constraints to advancing agroecology in Uganda
Full text linkA century after its inception, agroecology has entered mainstream development debates as a more sustainable alternative to conventional agricultural modernization of relevance not least for improving smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. Agroecology is a broad concept considered to have transformative potential, yet as a research field it has often been technology-centred and focused at the local level. Building on the experiences of Ugandan agroecologists working in an array of agricultural professions throughout the country, this paper identifies and discusses major barriers to agroecology in Uganda. Inductive analysis of qualitative data from interviews and focus groups generated four types of interacting barriers; constraints at farmer level, an agricultural knowledge system favouring conventional approaches, adverse and intertwined political and economic interests, and cross-cutting ideological and discursive pressures. These broad challenges become manifest in the accounts presented, making clear that barriers to and therefore also appropriate strategies for advancing agroecology must be treated as contextual even if a ‘global movement’ is emerging around it. The discussion suggests theoretical lenses for further inquiry into agroecology and its realization in light of these constraints
Participatory agricultural development in practice
Full text linkParticipatory development seeks to actively engage local people and communities in development
efforts, from problem identification to evaluation. The concept is, however, vaguely defined and
can in reality manifest itself in many different ways, with varying success in creating a sustained
impact. There are also a wide range of challenges involved due to the collaborative nature of the
approach. This thesis is a qualitative case study exploring the Nnindye project, a participatory
agricultural development project that is being carried out in Uganda. The overarching aim is to
explore the challenges involved in implementing the Nnindye project which can affect its capacity
to generate sustained agricultural development, and what lessons can be learned that might be
applicable to future projects in similar settings. To help answer this question, research questions
were developed focusing particularly on 1) the kind of participation the project enables, 2)
emerging issues that are important to address, 3) the relationship between farmers and “outsiders”
involved, 4) gender dimensions and 5) reasons not to participate. Literature from the fields of
participatory development and research, particularly experiences from Uganda, helped guide the
development of these research questions.
To address these research questions, semi-structured interviews were carried out with 80 farmers
in Nnindye parish (both participants and non-participants), sampled through a non-probability
sampling method. Additionally, 5 agricultural researchers familiar with using farmer participatory
approaches in other projects in Uganda were sampled through convenience sampling, and their
experiences and views were explored through semi-structured interviews. At the end of the study,
a final interview was carried out with one of the Nnindye project implementers.
As it turns out, participation in the project cannot be categorized. Respondents mainly identified
material benefits but also learning and other less tangible benefits. One's contribution was most
often seen as practical input, usually labor. Influence in the project was similarly commonly
perceived in practical terms rather than “political”. This material or pragmatic nature of
participation seen among some participants may suggest that more efforts are needed to
strengthen the learning process and community building capacity, but also tangible benefits can be
of great value in both short and long term. Luckily, one doesn't have to exclude the other.
Participant ownership of the process is something that is viewed by the project implementors as
central, and participants on numerous occasions expressed negative opinions towards past topdown
approaches. However, “ownership” must not mean lack of support. Dissatisfaction with the
group leadership and unfair distribution of benefits among the project members was discovered
and there is a need for more systematic monitoring and facilitation. The results overall show an
overwhelmingly positive attitude towards scientists and extension staff among the farmers, who
stated that they view these as very knowledgeable. This seemingly positive relationship is an asset
but it must be remembered that it is not static – negative experiences can jeopardize both the
current project and attitudes towards collaborative efforts and development in general. Gender
dimensions are important to consider in practically all aspects of a project, and gender awareness
is required among the implementers to ensure that the project benefits women and men alike. In
general, parallels could be drawn from the Nnindye project to the experiences of the researchers,
speaking for the usefulness of these findings to other academics and development practitioners
Between Nature and Modernity : Agroecology as an alternative development pathway: the case of Uganda
Full text linkAgricultural modernization has massively increased global food supply, but at a high environmental cost. Today many are calling for an agricultural ‘paradigm shift’, including several mainstream institutions. But to what? In recent years, agroecology has gained credence as an alternative approach that seeks to understand and manage farms as complex agroecosystems. From a development perspective, it is argued to not only hold potential for sustainable agriculture, but also as a model for inclusive development thanks to its particular applicability in sites dominated by small-scale low-capital farming. Uganda is one of many countries in sub-Saharan Africa where much hope is currently placed in gricultural development for poverty alleviation, economic growth and food security. Yet despite its promise to resolve tensions between development and environmental sustainability, agroecology remains largely ignored.The aim of this thesis is to understand if and how agroecology has potential to constitute a desirable and viable alternative pathway of agricultural development, and to provide insights about its achievability in Uganda. I do so by employing a research strategy rooted in critical modernity, critical realism and emancipatory social science, and by combining fieldwork methods and secondary material via an interdisciplinary approach. The thesis is structured around three interlinked tasks. First, I provide a critique of conventional agricultural modernization where I identify limitations and contradictions internal to this model of development, and explain the emergence and persistence of the particularly problematic form of agrarian politics in Uganda under the NRM regime. Second, I scrutinize the claim that agroecology offers a sustainable and viable model of agricultural development, and argue that there is convincing evidence for its potential to do so. When analyzing how this alternative is being implemented in Uganda today, and by whom, I find that agroecology is typically pursued by actors in civil society and academia as a form of smallholder-oriented ‘modernization from below’. Agroecology contributes by providing principles for sustainable and locally adapted agriculture. However, I also find substantial barriers to agroecology that are structural in kind, and require more overt confrontation of ‘modernization from above’. Third, therefore, I analyze the conditions for political engagement and broader mobilization for agroecology within Ugandan civil society, by looking at its historical formation and current strategies at national and local level.Beyond insights about the specific dynamics of agrarian change in Uganda, the thesis makes two main contributions: 1) it theorizes agroecology and its role in agricultural development, thus taking steps forward towards rethinking agricultural modernity, and 2) it advances the maturing field of sustainability science by using emancipatory social science to promote its critical problem-solving agenda
‘If the change is going to happen it's not by us' : Exploring the role of NGOs in the politicization of Ugandan agriculture
No full textSustainable agricultural development that prioritizes the needs and respects the rights of smallholder farmers is widely framed as a societal goal by both national governments and international institutions. However, in many places this remains an elusive goal, not least in sub-Saharan Africa. The past decades have seen new types of rural social movements emerge, demanding socially just and environmentally sustainable trajectories of agrarian change. But there are also places where this is seemingly not the case, Uganda being one. Based on qualitative research involving civil society organizations at the national and regional level, this paper analyzes contemporary civil society dynamics around agriculture in Uganda against a historical backdrop. Social division and civil society NGOization have contributed to unfavorable conditions for rural social movement emergence, but not irreversibly. Systematic policy advocacy engagement appears to be on the rise amongst agriculture-oriented NGOs, and while it is generally non-confrontational, contentious claims-making does happen. NGOs also aspire to facilitate farmer-led mobilization, although their logics of intervention differ and would benefit from more dialogue and theoretical grounding. For moving forward in NGOized contexts like Uganda, three points are emphasized: NGO-led and farmer-led mobilization is not a simple dichotomy; their relationship need not be antagonistic and there are several possible ways to seek synergies; and fostering capacity for farmers' contentious claims-making must involve counterhegemonic struggle. The paper ends by suggesting three areas for agri-food scholars interested in the complex interactions between NGOs and rural social movements
Agroecology to Promote Just Sustainability Transitions: : Analysis of a Civil Society Network in the Rwenzori Region, Western Uganda
No full textAgroecology is gaining ground within the debate on how to address systemic social and environmental problems in agriculture. However, it remains marginalized in agricultural research and development plans around the world. This paper analyzes agroecology as a socio-technical niche in Uganda, where its emergence in part can be seen as an unintended consequence of neoliberalist development. The case studied is a civil society network that links farmer groups and non-governmental organizations across different levels. Through the analytical lens of regime dimensions, we find that agroecology is practiced as a smallholder-centric approach that champions collective action, locally appropriate technologies, participatory methods in research and extension, and calls for more active state guidance of agricultural change along specific principles. However, two major concerns are raised; the niche converges with the dominant discourse around commercialization, and policy advocacy is hampered by the apolitical history of NGOs and an increasingly tense political climate. These two areas are critical for agroecology to contribute to just sustainability transitions, and civil society organizations with strong links to smallholder farmers need to be included in the growing scholarly debate both to inform it and to receive guidance from it. Transition frameworks can help facilitate the development of viable institutional designs and explicitly transformative strategies, but we also point towards the need for engagement with theories on civil society collective action and political mobilization
The irresistible solution: rationale and risks of extending water limits through desalination in the case of Gotland, Sweden
Full text linkWater resources are under increasing pressure, and there are tensions between increasing demand and the natural limits to potable water supply. Authorities must find solutions that fulfil societal demands without compromising environmental integrity. As one way to counteract water deficits, desalination has evolved as an attractive solution. This technology is contested and associated with a variety of social, environmental and economic consequences; yet it is increasingly used. In Sweden, the technology is rare but recent droughts have spurred interest. On the island of Gotland, where Sweden's first larger desalination plant was inaugurated in 2016, we examine the perceived benefits and drawbacks of desalination as well as the decision-making process that led up to its implementation. Through qualitative analysis of public documents and stakeholder interviews, we identify mechanisms that contributed to desalination becoming a favored solution. We find that it is associated with a number of benefits that are in line with broader development goals, against which its drawbacks are considered to be acceptable or externalized. Desalination extends natural limits to permit development, delaying deeper social and economic restructuring. Rather than arguing against desalination per se, we emphasize the risk of the depoliticization of water supply through technocratic decision-making, the normalization of scarcity and certain technologies, and the urgency that builds around increasing water supply 'at any economic cost.' These tendencies obscure drawbacks, limitations and conflicting interests. They foreclose the questioning of resource intensive development. In order to invoke transformation towards long-term sustainability of Gotland's water supply, policy-makers should seek to diversify their sources of knowledge and encourage more open democratic debate around alternative regional development pathways
Local perceptions of land-use change : Using participatory art to reveal direct and indirect socioenvironmental effects of land acquisitions in Kilombero Valley, Tanzania
No full textIn this study, we combine conventional qualitative approaches with a more novel approach, participatory art, to explore local perceptions of land-use change and future aspirations for development in two communities in Kilombero Valley, Tanzania. We concentrate on the effects of large-scale land acquisitions on people and the environment in an ecologically important area. Leasing of land to foreign agribusinesses for the production of timber, food, and fuel crops has created a politically charged debate with strong ideologies on both sides, and people directly impacted are not the ones driving the debate. Local farmers, fishermen, and pastoralists were cued about landscape and livelihood changes through focus-group discussions, interviews, and by cocreating paintings of the past, present, and future. Findings reveal that art can make a valuable methodological contribution for understanding and communicating complex interactions between drivers of change and their socioenvironmental impacts, and for exploring desirable future visions
An Environmental Justice Perspective on Smallholder Pesticide Use in Sub-Saharan Africa
No full textPesticide use is increasing in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and many smallholders purchase, handle, and apply toxic pesticides with inadequate equipment, knowledge, and technical support. Through the frame of environmental justice, this literature-based study analyzes characteristics, impacts, and drivers of smallholder pesticide use in sub-Saharan Africa, with particular attention to Uganda as a case. We find that market liberalization, poor regulation enforcement, and persistent neglect of agricultural extension place the burden of risk largely on farmers, while perceived necessity of pesticides and the elusive nature of impacts (especially under conditions of insufficient monitoring) likely delay social mobilization around pesticides. The environmental justice frame, which has seen limited application in smallholder contexts, importantly helps delineate future directions for research and practice. It is particularly effective for redirecting focus from highly limited managerial solutions for “safe use” toward deeper problem drivers and solutions capable of tackling them
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