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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Water Poverty And Its Impact On Income Poverty And Health Status In Sudan: The Case Of Gezira State (1993-2013), Mutasim Abdelmawla Dec 2017

Water Poverty And Its Impact On Income Poverty And Health Status In Sudan: The Case Of Gezira State (1993-2013), Mutasim Abdelmawla

International Journal of African Development

Water resource development can address poverty, improve well-being, and enhance people's opportunities in different fields of life. Even though water resources are available in Sudan, some parts of the country still continue to face significant water provision challenges. This research is aimed at measuring water poverty in Gezira State, Sudan over the period of 1993-2013 using the methodology of Sullivan et al. (2003). The research employed data collected from the Central Bureau of Statistics, Khartoum, Sudan. Both descriptive and empirical approaches are used to analyze the data. The average incidence of the water poverty index (WPI) over the period under …


In Search Of Lasting Calmness: How Sustainable Is The Federal Government’S Amnesty Program As A Peace Strategy In The Niger Delta Region Of Nigeria?, Lasisi Raimi, Nwoke N. Bieh, Kidi Zorbari Dec 2017

In Search Of Lasting Calmness: How Sustainable Is The Federal Government’S Amnesty Program As A Peace Strategy In The Niger Delta Region Of Nigeria?, Lasisi Raimi, Nwoke N. Bieh, Kidi Zorbari

International Journal of African Development

The exploitation of natural resources and the associated marginalization of indigenous occupants of areas with such endowments continue to act as major driving forces for conflicts around the world, especially in Africa. In Nigeria’s Niger Delta Region, the major triggers of resource-based violent conflicts have been the subject matter of many academics and policy analysts. With the introduction of several peace strategies especially the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Amnesty Program notwithstanding, pockets of violent activities have generated questions as to the sustainability of the program. This study examines the sustainability of the Federal Government’s Amnesty Program in the Niger Delta …


A Framework Towards Technology Creation In Africa: Focusing On Ghana, Martin Yao Donani, Hannatu Abue Kugblenu, Azindow Bawa Fuseini Dec 2017

A Framework Towards Technology Creation In Africa: Focusing On Ghana, Martin Yao Donani, Hannatu Abue Kugblenu, Azindow Bawa Fuseini

International Journal of African Development

Underdevelopment in Africa has been historical and a global concern coupled with the quest for good governance. Several efforts have been made in academia, national governments, the international community, and other institutional arrangements to reverse the trend. These efforts however are yet to produce a lasting result as Africa is still characterized by low productivity output, poverty and a widening technology gap when compared to other developing regions of the world. Conventional approaches used to address the African problem have consistently been devoid of indigenous technology development. Technology is here seen as paramount to every form of production on which …


The Aid Effectiveness Architecture In Africa: An Analysis Of Aid Structures In Kenya’S Agriculture Sector, Daniel Kipleel Borter Dec 2017

The Aid Effectiveness Architecture In Africa: An Analysis Of Aid Structures In Kenya’S Agriculture Sector, Daniel Kipleel Borter

International Journal of African Development

This study examines in detail the development aid architecture in Kenya’s agriculture sector. The focus is on the mechanisms in place within the Kenyan government (and ministry of agriculture in particular), mechanisms among and within donor agencies, and overall coordination mechanisms that bring together the donors and the government. Findings show that coordination and harmonization activities among donors are yet to yield the desired outcomes such as the division of labor protocol and joint programming. Weaknesses are also observed on the government side where it appears authorities are yet to internalize PD concepts and interpret them to suit the country's …


Does Privatization Improve Productivity? Empirical Evidence From Ethiopia, Tadesse Wodajo, Dawit Senbet Dec 2017

Does Privatization Improve Productivity? Empirical Evidence From Ethiopia, Tadesse Wodajo, Dawit Senbet

International Journal of African Development

Theoretically, it is posited that privatization enables the private sector to play a dominant role in the economy by enhancing competition, productivity and efficiency. When evaluated using these criteria, privatization of the manufacturing industries has failed in Ethiopia. Our empirical results show that, at best, privatization did not result in improving productivity, and at worst, it led to a decline in productivity. We argue that the main reason for this outcome is the unique economic and business environment prevailing in Ethiopia, which does not allow the standard economic assumptions of market competition to hold. Ethiopia’s ‘private sector’ can be described …


Editorial Note, Sisay Asefa Dec 2017

Editorial Note, Sisay Asefa

International Journal of African Development

No abstract provided.


International Journal Of African Development, Vol. 4, Issue 2 Dec 2017

International Journal Of African Development, Vol. 4, Issue 2

International Journal of African Development

Complete issue of International Journal of African Development, Volume 4, Issue 2 - Fall 2017.


Education And Nutrition Problems In Rural China, Rong Shi Aug 2017

Education And Nutrition Problems In Rural China, Rong Shi

Dissertations

The increasing inequality between rural and urban China has raised many concerns for Chinese scholars. A large gap exists not only in income but in health and education. The rural-urban disparities in health and education may contribute to greater income inequality in the future, thus leading to a vicious cycle. This study explores the factors that contribute to the increasing inequality in health and education between rural and urban China.

Using a randomized controlled trial in Shaanxi province, the first chapter studies the effectiveness of a supplemental meal program in improving students’ development outcomes. This study also compares the impact …


A Brief History Of Tsetse Control Methods In Zimbabwe And Possible Effects Of Climate Change On Their Distribution, Rory Pilossof Jun 2017

A Brief History Of Tsetse Control Methods In Zimbabwe And Possible Effects Of Climate Change On Their Distribution, Rory Pilossof

International Journal of African Development

African trypanosomiasis, which affects wildlife, domesticated animals and humans, remains widespread across Africa. Approximately 8 million km2, covering 37 African counties, are infested with tsetse flies (Glossina) that carry the disease (Allsopp 2001). The first part of this paper looks at the history of tsetse control on the northern fly-belt in Zimbabwe, affecting the Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West provinces. In Zimbabwe, tsetse control has shifted and evolved in the twentieth century, ranging from the initial methods of game destruction and bush-clearing, to ground and aerial spraying of insecticides, the sterile insect technique (SIT), …


Rural Women And The Land Question In Zimbabwe. The Case Of The Mutasa District, Bigboy Toro Jun 2017

Rural Women And The Land Question In Zimbabwe. The Case Of The Mutasa District, Bigboy Toro

International Journal of African Development

Zimbabwean rural women make significant contribution to agriculture and are the mainstay of farm labor. Although they do the majority of agricultural work, men, for the most part, continue to own the land, control women’s labor and make agricultural decisions supported by patriarchal social systems. Women’s access to land is usually through their fathers, husbands, brothers or sons. This has made it difficult for women to gain equal access to land under the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP). Findings indicate that there are a number of challenges and constraints that are experienced by rural women under the FTLRP, which …


Asymmetric Benefits: The Ethio-Eritrea Common Market (1991 To 1998), Worku Aberra Jun 2017

Asymmetric Benefits: The Ethio-Eritrea Common Market (1991 To 1998), Worku Aberra

International Journal of African Development

Economic theory suggests that a common market between two or more countries improves overall well-being, but it creates winners and losers in each country. Recent empirical findings also show that the overall impact of a common market on per capita income depends on the similarity of economic development between member countries. A common market among developed countries results in the convergence of per capita income while a common market among developing countries results in the divergence of per capita income. The difference in outcome, some economists suggest, is due to variations in comparative advantage between member states and the rest …


China And Post-Millennium African Economic Development Strategy As A Non-Zero-Sum-Game, Paul Milkias Jun 2017

China And Post-Millennium African Economic Development Strategy As A Non-Zero-Sum-Game, Paul Milkias

International Journal of African Development

This paper will probe Africa's and China’s historical trajectory regarding economic development. It analyzes China's and Africa's creative leap, particularly since the millennium, into a new paradigm, a new way of economic relationship totally different from that with the West. The focus is on analyzing China’s heavy economic investment in Africa based on the assumption that the relationship is mutually beneficial rather than being exploitative as some scholars suggest. The hypothesis draws from Decision Theory’s concept of a Zero-Sum Game. It is understood that in a two partnered non-zero sum game theory, one partner’s gain or loss does not necessarily …


Africa In Global Climate Change Governance: Analyzing Its Position And Challenges, Anwar Hassen Tsega Jun 2017

Africa In Global Climate Change Governance: Analyzing Its Position And Challenges, Anwar Hassen Tsega

International Journal of African Development

Climate change has emerged as a major global issue that affects all nations and has become a phenomena requiring global governance in the modern globalized world. Though the African contribution to the increase Greenhouse Gas (GHG) is very small, climate change is a concern of African countries. This paper is aimed to analyze the African position and challenges in the governance of climate change. Nonetheless, there are opportunities created for adaptation and mitigation, the implementation of these measures is constrained by lack of financial, institutional and human capacities. Accordingly, the Africans position in the international system and lack of the …


Editorial Note, Sisay Asefa Jun 2017

Editorial Note, Sisay Asefa

International Journal of African Development

No abstract provided.


International Journal Of African Development, Vol. 4, Issue 1 Jun 2017

International Journal Of African Development, Vol. 4, Issue 1

International Journal of African Development

Complete issue of International Journal of African Development, Volume 4, Issue 1 - Fall 2016.


The Impact Of Monetary Policy On Banks’ Risk-Taking: Evidence From The Post Crisis Data, Nardos Moges Beyene Jun 2017

The Impact Of Monetary Policy On Banks’ Risk-Taking: Evidence From The Post Crisis Data, Nardos Moges Beyene

The Hilltop Review

This study investigates if expansionary monetary policy actions have an impact on banks’ risk taking after the financial crisis. Using time series data from December 2008 to April 2016 from the banking sector, the paper finds no evidence of any impact by asset related expansionary monetary policy actions while credit crunch and expected economic conditions are found to have a significant effect on banks’ risk taking decision. These results imply that the risk-taking channel of monetary policy has been ineffective after the fed funds rate reached the zero lower bound.


Social Health Insurance And Maternal And Child Health Outcomes In Developing Countries: The Case Of Ghana, Ama Agyeiwaa Abrokwah Jun 2017

Social Health Insurance And Maternal And Child Health Outcomes In Developing Countries: The Case Of Ghana, Ama Agyeiwaa Abrokwah

Dissertations

About 25% of all maternal deaths occur during pregnancy; 99% of these maternal deaths occur in developing countries and half of these occur in Sub-Saharan Africa (WHO 2015). Two of the eight Millennium Development Goals are to reduce infant mortality and improve maternal and child health outcomes. To improve health outcomes and reduce the financial burden on households, a number of developing countries, including Ghana, Botswana, and Croatia, have introduced social health insurance programs which are heavily subsidized. This dissertation is a collection of three essays evaluating how maternal and child health care-seeking behavior, utilization and outcomes changed as a …


Trends In U.S. Tea Imports: 1991-2015, Evan Kennedy Apr 2017

Trends In U.S. Tea Imports: 1991-2015, Evan Kennedy

Honors Theses

Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world, and over the past two decades it has experienced a newfound popularity in the United States. Over this time period, ready-to-drink and loose-leaf tea has increased in popularity, whereas tea bags and instant tea declined in popularity. Since the United States produces almost no tea itself, an increase in consumption requires increased imports. Therefore, this paper examines U.S. import trends as a means to begin an examination of consumption. Ten countries (Argentina, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam) provide approximately 80% of the …


Why Do Women Delay In Seeking Prenatal Care? A Discrete-Time Survival Analysis, Ama Agyeiwaa Abrokwah Apr 2017

Why Do Women Delay In Seeking Prenatal Care? A Discrete-Time Survival Analysis, Ama Agyeiwaa Abrokwah

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

Prenatal care during early stages of pregnancy can result in early detection of some pregnancy related complications which can help reduce both maternal and infant mortality (Conway et al., 2006). The cost of service has been identified as an important determinant of the utilization of prenatal care in most developing countries. This paper evaluates how Ghana’s social health insurance program affects the timing of prenatal care utilization using survival analysis techniques. This paper hypothesizes that having insurance will result in early utilization of prenatal care.


Networked: An Investigation Into The Economic Contribution Of Manuel Castells, Darrick Brake Apr 2017

Networked: An Investigation Into The Economic Contribution Of Manuel Castells, Darrick Brake

Dissertations

The central focus of this dissertation is contemporary network theory as discussed by Manuel Castells with an emphasis on his theoretical discussion on economic theory. This research centers on critically evaluating the works of Manuel Castells and discuss how his ideas on the theory of networks and the “network society” in relation to changes in the economic structure and information capitalism have made significant contributions to not only information society theory but also economic and sociological theory. This research was done as a two-part process in which there is a comparative analysis of the unique and underlying contributions contained within …


Three Essays On Monetary Policy And Exchange Rate Behavior, Wan Wei Apr 2017

Three Essays On Monetary Policy And Exchange Rate Behavior, Wan Wei

Dissertations

In response to the 2007 financial crisis and recession, the Federal Reserve System (the Fed) implemented conventional monetary policy by lowering the Federal funds rate in order to stimulate the economy. However, the Federal funds rate reached its zero-lower bound in November 2008, which meant that lowering the Federal funds rate was no longer an option, because it could not be lowered any further. As a result, the Fed began to implement unconventional monetary policy, by making large-scale asset purchases (LSAPs) usually referred to as quantitative easing (QE). This dissertation studies how monetary policy in the context of the move …


Political Economy Of Inequality: U.S. & Global Dimensions 2017-18, Department Of Economics Jan 2017

Political Economy Of Inequality: U.S. & Global Dimensions 2017-18, Department Of Economics

Werner Sichel Lecture Series

The 2017-18 Sichel Lecture Series is being directed by Professor Sisay Asefa & Professor Wei- Chiao Huang. The series is co-sponsored by the Department of Economics, College of Arts and Sciences, WMU, and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research All lectures are free and open to the public. A light lunch reception will be available following each lecture. Speakers: Dr. Teresa Ghilarducci “The Political Economy of Retirement Time Inequality in the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)”, Dr. Charles Ballard “The Fall and Rise of Income Inequality in the United States”, Dr. James Hines Jr. “Income Inequality, Progressive …