1,720,966 research outputs found
Opening the black box: A mixed-methods investigation of social and psychological mechanisms underlying changes in financial behaviour
Get PDFWe use a mixed-methods approach to open the ‘black box’ of a combined financial literacy and parenting intervention (‘Parenting for Lifelong Health’) to elucidate the key mechanisms through which changes in financial behaviour are realised. Drawing on qualitative data from 16 focus groups and 42 in-depth interviews, we find evidence for three pathways of change. Higher financial skills and, linked to this, higher financial confidence, a more optimistic future outlook and emotional support provided by peers and family members are described as key facilitators of improved financial behaviour. These mechanisms are cross validated in subsequent quantitative analyses based on standardised interviews from a randomised controlled trial with 552 households. A mediation analysis indicates that the programme’s effect on financial behaviour is significantly mediated by financial skills and self-efficacy (24% of total effect) and optimism (22% of total effect). We further show that the psychological factors are significantly reinforced by increased levels of social support in the family and wider community. Mediating variables remain robust in sensitivity analyses and are confirmed as significant paths when entered simultaneously into a structural equation path model. Our findings highlight possible target points for financial literacy interventions and motivate the inclusion of psychosocial programme components
Violent student protests in higher education institutions: exploring the formations of violence and the socio-economic costs of violent protests
No full textDissertation(M.Soc.Sc.(Sociology))--University of the Free State, 2023This study investigated the academic and financial impacts of violent student protests on students and the University. Within this background, this study adopted an interpretive paradigm to understand the lived experiences of students who have participated in violent student protests. In addition, the study looks at how staff members are affected by violent protests in the discharge of their duties. The study comes against the background of an upsurge in violent student protests with adverse consequences for both students and institutions of higher education in South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative design, and the sample included students from various political parties, student organisations, and staff personnel from different departments at the University of Free State (UFS). The sample of the study was made up of 15 participants. These included nine students and six staff. Of the total participants, two were females while fourteen were males. Participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling strategies. Data for this study were collected through online and face-to-face interviews using an interview schedule. In analysing data for this study, inductive thematic analysis was used. The theoretical framework used in this study included the theory of interpersonal violence, the Fanonian perspective on violence, and the emergent norm theory. The study found that lack of response, leadership, diverse agendas, individual selection, retaliation, as well as the presence of police and private security emerged as essential factors contributing to violence or violent acts during protests. Moreover, the study found that restricted access to campus resources, loss of study time, and suspensions of some student activists were notable consequences encountered after protests. In addition, the study found that transport and legal fees were among some of the financial costs incurred by students due to violent protests. Furthermore, the study found that services offered by the University, such as administration and academic services, come to a stop when protests occur on campus. This impedes staff members’ duties as protests become a priority where substantial money is spent on acquiring extra security and replacing or fixing any damaged property due to student protests
The developmental role of migrant worker remittances: A case study of Tsholotsho District in the Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe
Get PDFMigrant remittances have been cited as one of the most rising forms of development financing. Migration-development scholarly debates have often made comparisons between migrant remittances and some of the most popular forms of development financing such as development aid. The development-migration debates have often contended that migrant remittances are fast growing and surpassing the popular forms of development financing. This study sought to examine the developmental role of migrant remittances in the rural district of Tsholotsho in Zimbabwe. Given that there are millions of Zimbabwean migrants working in South Africa, the study sought to examine the possible use of migrant remittances in the creation of sustainable livelihoods. In addition, the study focused on examining the skills and opportunities that are necessary in the creation of an enabling environment for investment as well as assessing the multiplier effect that result from the inflow of migrant remittances within the local economy. The study followed a mixed methods methodological approach wherein a quantitative survey and qualitative in-depth interviews were used to gather data. The findings of this study revealed that migrant remittances are central in the livelihoods of poor people in Tsholotsho and they have potential to create sustainable livelihoods. While skills and opportunities to drive entrepreneurial activity exist, there is need to deal with structural barriers in order to create an enabling environment for the creation of sustainable livelihoods through savings and investment. The study recommends the prioritization of education, improved access to the credit system and the development of cooperatives. These could assist in achieving sustainable livelihoods through migrant remittances
The 'failure-success' dichotomy in migration discourse and practice : revisiting reverse migration deterrents for South Africa based Zimbabwean skilled migrants
Get PDFThe study was conceptualised against the background that leading migration theories explain return migration based on failure and success alone. The neo-classical economics theory of migration perceives return migration as a by-product of a failed migration experience while the new economics of labour migration perceives return as occurring after successful achievement of migration objectives. This study questions these theoretical positions through an exploration of the factors that deter South Africa-based Zimbabwean skilled migrants from returning home permanently notwithstanding a successful or failed migration experience. Furtive economic factors in Zimbabwe and South Africa that dissuade skilled migrants from returning home permanently are explored. Social factors in Zimbabwe and in South Africa that influence return migration decision making are also examined. Furthermore, the study analysed whether and how Zimbabwean skilled migrants are forced into a permanent settlement in South Africa as a result of what this study calls the ‘diaspora trap’. This ‘diaspora trap’ framework argues that Zimbabwean skilled migrants in South Africa do not return following their experiences of failure and success in South Africa. Central to the absence of return is the social construction of migrants as successful in Zimbabwe. Skilled migrants are deterred from returning due to their failure to meet family and communal expectations of success. In addition, return migration is deferred as a means to hide poverty in South Africa. Moreover, new diaspora family ties weaken attachments with Zimbabwe and contribute to deferred return migration. Skilled migrants are thus entrapped in South Africa by their failure to live up to the success social construct and the inability to mitigate adversities in the host country
Channelling Migrant Remittances from South Africa to Zimbabwe: Opportunities and Obstacles
Get PDFAs migration-development interactions continue to expand, migrant remittances have taken a leading role in cementing these interactions. Given the centrality of remittances in the migration-development debates, this paper gives an outlook into the experiences and strategies of migrants and their households in the transfer of remittances to Tsholotsho district in Zimbabwe. This paper seeks to show how South Africa based Zimbabwean migrants from the Tsholotsho district in Zimbabwe channel their remittances to their remaining household members. In addition, the paper examines the opportunities and obstacles encountered by migrants in negotiating different channels of remittance transfer at their disposal. This study was conducted using a mixed methods approach and data was collected in both Zimbabwe and South Africa. 159 household principals in Tsholotsho responded to survey questionnaires while five key informants were interviewed as well as 15 migrants based in Johannesburg. This study found that the experiences and strategies of remittance transfer amongst migrants and their remaining household members in Tsholotsho were congruent with findings of previous studies conducted in other regions and countries. Migrants preferred the use of informal channels over the formal channels. Despite the risks associated with the use of informal channels various factors including the cost of transfer led migrants to use informal channels of sending remittances
Dynamics of protection in a shrinking economy: A peak into Zimbabwe’s refugee regime
No full textZimbabwe has consistently experienced an influx of refugees despite its shrinking economy. This places a heavy burden on the state to provide social protection to refugees. There are limited studies that focus on the dynamics of refugee protection in resource-constrained countries like Zimbabwe, often characterized as being only immigrant-sending countries. We use data from 12 in-depth interviews with key informants to explore how the prolonged socio-economic crisis has impacted the state’s ability to provide social protection to refugees in Zimbabwe. The study also explores the relationship between the state and other stakeholders in hosting refugees in Zimbabwe. The findings suggest that socio-economic challenges in a shrinking economy affect the protection outcomes of refugees regardless of the presence of a robust refugee regime in the country
Dynamics of Protection in a Shrinking Economy: A Peak into Zimbabwe’s Refugee Regime
Get PDFZimbabwe has consistently experienced an influx of refugees despite its shrinking economy. This places a heavy burden on the state to provide social protection to refugees. There are limited studies that focus on the dynamics of refugee protection in resource-constrained countries like Zimbabwe, often characterized as being only immigrant-sending countries. We use data from 12 in-depth interviews with key informants to explore how the prolonged socio-economic crisis has impacted the state’s ability to provide social protection to refugees in Zimbabwe. The study also explores the relationship between the state and other stakeholders in hosting refugees in Zimbabwe. The findings suggest that socio-economic challenges in a shrinking economy affect the protection outcomes of refugees regardless of the presence of a robust refugee regime in the country.
Climate change and gendered migration patterns in Southern Africa: A review
No full textIn this chapter, the authors submit that embedding a gender lens has been one of the most valuable initiatives in the drive towards climate justice, emphasising social equity in climate change response strategies. Consistent with the social equity framework, they focus on how the persistent challenge of climate change continues to influence gendered migration patterns in Southern Africa and whether efforts to address this have upheld the principles of social justice. Considering the foregoing and given that most societies in Southern Africa heavily depend on rain-fed subsistence agriculture for livelihoods, and women take on the responsibility of agricultural production to provide for their families, climate change would inevitably have gendered impacts on livelihoods. Although there is limited data to prove the causal relationship, these gendered differential impacts of climate change on agro-based livelihoods may be a potential cause of the growing incidence of the increase in female migration stocks in Southern Africa
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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