African Languages and Societies Commons^™

Zamrock: Negotiating Masculine Urban Identity In Zambia And Music Success In A Postcolonial World, Emeline Avignon

Senior Theses and Projects

This thesis analyzes, through predominately an ethnomusicologist approach and methodology, the lyricism, instrumentation, performance, and album art of the movement of Zamrock in Zambia from 1970 to the mid-1980s. I explore the agency and construction of urban youth masculinity by Zamrock artists in the context of Zambia’s colonial history of the Copperbelt, into its decades after independence. First, I look at the socio-political and economic context of colonized and independent Zambia, and how out of these conditions Zambian rock music was fused and forged. I break down the negotiations and desires of Zamrock artists in their identity construction via their …

A Critical Event Narrative Analysis Of African Women Immigrant Entrepreneurs In The United States: Impacts Before, During, And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Damilola T. Fasinu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This doctoral research presents a qualitative critical event narrative study focused on African Women Immigrant Entrepreneurs (AWIE) in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aims to explore the unique challenges, coping mechanisms, and resilience strategies of AWIE by examining their experiences before, during, and after the pandemic. The research is driven by three guiding questions: (1) How do AWIE describe their experience before the pandemic? (2) During the pandemic? (3) After the pandemic? This inquiry provides a comprehensive narrative, capturing the challenges and successes experienced in the pre-pandemic environment, documenting the immediate impacts of the pandemic on …

The Ethiopian Student Movement And The Dilemma Of Eritrean Sovereignty, Liat G. Tesfazgi

Honors Projects

From the perspective of Ethiopian royalists, Pan-Africanists, Marxist internationalists, supports of union, and the broader international community, Eritrean nationalism revealed distressing fissures in many different arguments for preserving Ethiopian territorial unity– arguments not necessarily or explicitly problematic, but nevertheless in opposition to Eritrean demands for the right to national self-determination. For the Ethiopian Student Movement (ESM) specifically, Eritrean sovereignty demanded a reconfiguration of Pan-African unity that conflicted with Ethiopian exceptionalist historiography. Through an analysis of student politics at Haile Selassie University, from 1960-1974, this thesis seeks to complicate existing historiography on the ESM by examining the periodically divergent experiences of …

Bunzi, Non-Profit Contemporary Art Center For Archive And Craftmanship In Abidjan, Ivory Coast., Kinda Ghandour

MA Projects

Growing up in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, I discovered my passion for arts through my fine art teacher. Every two months, she would arrange visits to the Cecile Fakhoury gallery or the Donwhahi foundation. As I walked through these spaces, my imagination and mind expanded. These contemporary art platforms opened doors to me, giving me the opportunity to work in the arts. Cecile Fakhoury has proved that west African art offers great promise and growth since 2013. According to artsy, Aboudia was one of the top 20 selling artists in 2022. The 1-54 art fair, which has existed for 10 years, …

La Fiesta Del Espiritu Santo: An Original Work For Choir, Soloists, And Small Ensemble Influenced By The Santeria Music Of The African-Dominican Community In The Dominican Republic, Rafael Scarfullery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This study examines the role of Santería music as practiced by African Dominicans in Villa Mella, a neighborhood of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. This musical tradition comes from the culture and religion of the Yoruba people who were brought as slaves from Africa, and features complex drum rhythms and call-and-response chants. This paper deals with the historical and social context of Santería music within the Dominican Republic, but its principal objective is to adopt the musical language of this tradition and use it to create a new contemporary work for mixed choir and small ensemble.

One of the most …

Goemai/Ankwei Religiosity: Understanding Indigenous Divinity In Relation To Christianity, Edward Muge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Postcolonial/decolonial thinking developed in response to modernity’s colonial logic that glorified and universalized the Western locus of enunciation, subjectivity, and history. The prioritization of Western epistemology, hierarchization of being based on race, gender, and religion, and the universalization of Western Christian religion relegated all other modes of being, knowing, and accessing the Divine to the periphery. For a long time, indigenous people have accepted the Western linear worldview that makes them the exemplars of the whites (Euro-Americans) in their primordial state of Western history and development. The goal of the Western colonial matrix of power is the subsumption of …

The Impact Of Rule Of Law And Property Rights On Development And Economic Growth: A Comparative Analysis Of Cameroon And Côte D'Ivoire, Raoul Tayou Tayou

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The issues of economic growth and development occupy a central place in the studies of underdeveloped or developing countries. Many solutions have been proposed, including foreign aid or institutional reforms. This last aspect is the subject of this research, particularly the rule of law and the property rights.Analyzing what is the impact of these two institutions on economic growth and development is at the center of my dynamic. Over a period from 1960 to 2022, I carry out a comparative study of the growth, and development trajectories of two countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which share the same demographics: Cameroon, and …

The Influences Of The Public Health Care System And Education System On The Economic Growth Of Swaziland, Grace Greer

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Kingdom of Eswatini, also known as Swaziland, has one of the youngest populations in the world with over 70% of citizens being under the age of 18 years old. This creates a substantial opportunity for economic, social, and educational growth in a country previously plagued with diseases such as HIV/AIDS, poor health care infrastructure cutting off thousands from basic care, and an educational system with a very low attendance rate and an even lower graduation rate. By evaluating the root causes of such issues dating back to the colonial era there is an opportunity to reprioritize health care and …

Contextualizing Feminism Within Igbo History And An Analysis Of The Works Of Ngozi Anyanwu, Chisom Awachie

Theatre Thesis - Written Thesis

Throughout Nigeria’s history, Igbo women have contended with violence from colonial and imperialist forces and misogyny from the Igbo men in their communities. In solidarity with one another, Igbo women have continued to fight back to ensure their voices are heard in politics and access to professional careers. The Nigerian- and Igbo-American playwright Ngozi Anyanwu writes about Igbo women who assert themselves and maintain their agency throughout cultural and interpersonal conflicts, similar to these historical strategies. Anyanwu’s plays The Homecoming Queen, Good Grief, and My Name…is Beatrice feature women dealing with grief, sexual trauma, and access to reproductive healthcare between …

"You Don't Climb A Pepper Tree, You Go Around It", Chisom Awachie

Theatre Thesis - Embodied Thesis

No abstract provided.

We Are Gullah: A Community Approach To Preserving Gullah Geechee Historical Sites Of Significance, Peter Gaytan

All Theses

The National Register of Historic Places is an inventory established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 that identifies architectural and archaeological sites significant to American history. The National Register was created to encourage the documentation, evaluation, and protection of America’s historic resources. Over 96,000 historic properties, sites, and structures are currently listed on the National Register. Despite the number of historic places listed on the National Register there is still an overwhelmingly low number of sites listed on the National Register relating to underrepresented communities. This thesis assessed the definition of significance laid out in the National Register …

David Versus Goliath: The Power Of Weakness In Asymmetric Warfare—Lessons From History, Nicholas K. Petaludis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Under what conditions do violent nonstate actors (VNA) succeed against states? Why does David sometimes beat Goliath? Since at least the time of Thucydides and the Peloponnesian Wars, the realist narrative in international relations measures power primarily in relative, coercive, and deterrent terms. Strong states should accordingly face fewer constraints and enjoy more options while pursuing their national interests. Unconventional warfare, and its subsets of terrorism and insurgency, should—given these circumstances, end in VNA failure. Sometimes, however, VNAs find success. By comparing the literature on historical and current case studies, I propose that a set of preconditions and two mechanisms …

The Cultural Diet Behaviors Of African Immigrants In California For Preventing Chronic Health Conditions Including Obesity, Jahswill Ukagumaoha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican immigrants to the United States face many challenges when diagnosed with obesity and other chronic health conditions. However, research concerning the role of cultural diets in preventing or ameliorating chronic health conditions including obesity has rarely focused on African immigrants. The purpose of this study was to explore the opinions, perceptions, and experiences of African immigrants on cultural diet preferences in the prevention of chronic health conditions, including obesity. Using the theory of assimilation and acculturation theory as a framework for the inquiry, the research questions focused on exploring the experiences, opinions, and perceptions of African immigrants concerning chronic …

Perspective Of Nyerere On Self-Reliance: A Transformational Rhetorical For Liberating African Identity In Tanzanian Context, Ayub Mwampela

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Julius Kambarage Nyerere (1922–1999) was the first president of Tanganyika in 1961 and the founding father of the United Republic of Tanzania, after having merged Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964. He died from leukemia on October 14, 1999, in London. He was 77 years old. Among the most memorable events in the life of Nyerere is his involvement in the struggle for the freedom of African people from foreign influences.

The goal of this research is to ask and answer to the following question: How does the perspective of Nyerere on self-reliance contribute to the effort of liberating African identity? …

Effective Community Development In Informal Settlements Through Analysis Of The Kibera Slum In Kenya, Chloe Powell

Undergraduate Theses

Many people have a heart for those living in poverty, but very few have a mind for how to fight poverty well, according to Harvard University Professor Michael Fairbanks. The Kibera slums in Kenya is no exception to the plethora of challenges informal settlements face concerning development, including a lack of security of tenure, corruption, an unhealthy business environment, and a lack of jobs. Kibera has been the subject of numerous studies and development efforts throughout the years and has faced a long history of failed government interventions. In 2020, Kenya received almost $4 billion from the U.S. in official …

The Flow Of (Re)Memory In African American And Nubian Egyptian Literature: Morrison, Oddoul, And Mukhtar, Bushra Hashem

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to define the term rememory, which Toni Morrison coins in her novel Beloved, and explore its interplay with water imagery in the novel and in two Nubian short stories, namely Haggag Oddoul’s “The River People” and Yahya Mukhtar’s “The Nile Bride.” The three narratives have core common features: they centralize water bodies as key sites of events, they depend heavily on the retelling of history and mythology, and they are told predominantly from the perspective of women. How do the writers weave rememory, history, and mythology to produce these narratives? Are they attempting to …

Perceived Discrimination As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Allostatic Load And Asthma Control, Vera Kern

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While asthma prevalence in the United States is generally declining, African Americans tend to experience poorer outcomes regarding asthma severity and control. The purpose of the present study was to test whether discrimination (everyday and lifetime) moderated the relationship between allostatic load and asthma severity/asthma control (dyspnea and peak flow). In previous literature, researchers established the relationship between allostatic load and asthma severity/asthma control among African Americans. The biopsychosocial model and allostatic load theory served as the theoretical frameworks for this study. In this cross-sectional, nonexperimental, quantitative design, 201 African Americans between the ages of 34 and 82 years were …

Gestational Weight Gain, Level Of Education, And Infant Mortality Among African American Women, George Lee Amanambu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

African American (AA) women in Mississippi have a higher burden of infant mortality, especially those with low income and educational levels, as compared to other regions of the country. However, it is unknown if abnormal gestation weight gain (GWG) is contributing to this increased burden. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the association between GWG (25-35lbs), level of education, income, and infant mortality among AA women with normal prepregnancy body weight who were between 30 to 47 years old in the state of Mississippi from 2016 to 2018. Biopsychosocial and ecosocial models were used as the theoretical foundation to design …

Strategies To Combat Counterfeit Products In Eswatini, Siphiwe Promise Mainjeni

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractManagers of luxury brands lack strategies to deal with counterfeit products’ influence on their brands. The failure to maintain processes to avoid counterfeits in business can adversely impact business profitability and sustainability. Grounded in the resource-based view framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies managers of luxury brands in Eswatini, Sub-Saharan Africa, use to avoid counterfeits in their brands. Participants were nine business leaders from nine luxury brand businesses in Eswatini, Sub-Saharan Africa, who implemented strategies to prevent counterfeits in their brands. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and reviews of company reports. Through …

Integration Of Cape Verde In The Ecowas Subregion: Challenges And Viability, Silvestre De Pina Rosa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was created on May 28th, 1975, with the intent of fostering the economic growth of its 15 member-states. In the process of implementing its policies and institutions, the ECOWAS faced decisive challenges, including internal conflicts, asymmetries, migrations and mobility. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact these factors have on the integration of the Republic of Cape Verde, which is the smallest member-state, and formulate conclusions and recommendations that would help the organization to find a path to success. Through the lenses of the dependency theory, this research involved …

Gestational Weight Gain, Level Of Education, And Infant Mortality Among African American Women, George Lee Amanambu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

African American (AA) women in Mississippi have a higher burden of infant mortality, especially those with low income and educational levels, as compared to other regions of the country. However, it is unknown if abnormal gestation weight gain (GWG) is contributing to this increased burden. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the association between GWG (25-35lbs), level of education, income, and infant mortality among AA women with normal prepregnancy body weight who were between 30 to 47 years old in the state of Mississippi from 2016 to 2018. Biopsychosocial and ecosocial models were used as the theoretical foundation to design …

The Effectiveness Of Strategy Execution In The Regulatory Management Of The Nigerian Downstream Petroleum Industry., Michael Chinedu Nwonu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractNigeria is Africa’s largest oil and gas producer; however, its petroleum industry has experienced mismanagement and a lack of coherent regulations. The general problem addressed in this study was that leaders and managers of Nigeria’s public sector did not have a strong system in place to create and implement regulatory strategies that effectively controlled the management of the petroleum sector. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of managers in developing petroleum regulatory strategies defined by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, FMPR, in Abuja, Nigeria. The realization concept was applied as a conceptual …

Radical Folk Heroes: Anansi & Br’Er Rabbit’S West African Origins & Their Forced Pilgrimages, Sage Adia Swaby

Senior Projects Spring 2022

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Languages and Literature of Bard College.

Transformative Learning Through Oral Narrative In A Participatory Communication Context: An Inquiry Into Radio Drama-Based Training Among Zambian Caregivers Of Abused And Exploited Children, Charles Brent Madinger

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

This research investigates instructional narrative interventions for transformative learning among high orality reliant peoples. Two research questions asked: “Does an oral strategy of radio drama in a participatory environment lead to significant changes in knowledge and beliefs,” with a hypothesis stating there would be significant positive changes; and “When listeners experience narrative transport can it affect receptivity leading to knowledge and belief change,” and the hypothesis stated that narrative transport would correlate to higher positive responses. The mixed methods design analyzed personal experiences and survey responses of treatment group and control groups. Quantitatively I assessed a treatment group using a …

Gender Inequality: An Examination Of The Islamic Religious Affiliation And Female Infant Mortality Rates Among Muslim Wives In Nigeria, Jodie Denise Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Muslim-majority countries of low socioeconomic status have higher rates of poor health and infant mortality. Among the six regions of Nigeria, Islamic religious affiliation is more common in the country’s Northern region. Gender inequality is one of the most critical issues in the Muslim community. Female children are more likely to die because of gender inequality. Previous research has been conducted on gender inequalities and religion; however, researchers have not determined if a relationship exists between Islamic religious affiliation and female infant mortality rates among Muslim wives across the six regions of Nigeria. This study used a quantitative correlational research …

Intimate Partner Violence In Women Of African American And African Cultures, Patricia Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent social problem that results in a high number of deaths, psychological trauma, and physical mutilation. Previous research showed African American women as having elevated rates of intimate partner violence attributable to a lack of representation in epidemiological studies due to low socioeconomic status and cultural norms. In Central and West Africa, IPV is associated with childhood marriages, lack of education, cultural norms, and socioeconomic status. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences and cultural views of both African American and African women and how they use these cultural …

Context-Responsive Learner-Centered Education In A Secondary School, Chukwemeka Michael Enemuoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Learner-centered education (LCE) has historically proven difficult to implement in non-Western countries, despite being perceived as synonymous with quality education. Although context-responsive pedagogy has been proposed as the key to successful LCE implementation, the literature on context-responsive pedagogy has not focused on LCE specifically, but on education in general. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Nigerian teachers’ understanding of context-responsive LCE. The conceptual framework consisted of Fernandes et al.’s curricular contextualization framework and Schweisfurth’s minimum standards for LCE. The research question examined teachers’ perceptions of context-responsive LCE. Participants were 10 teachers in a Nigerian urban secondary …

Pain & Glory, Wardah Sabrie

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Behind the glass, the work exists in many styles. Through all of them, Sabrie finds a release of her emotional extremes, leading her to a place of tranquility. In this print and installation collection, Sabrie intends to show her perspective on Somali culture as well as her emotional and mental health issues through delightful patterns and colors. She creates works about her relationships with the people that she cares so much about in her life. They are the leading muses for her ideas that then are compose into prints. In addition to that, her culture plays a huge role in …

Why So Negative? Street Literature And Its Negative Effects On The African American Psyche, Lilly Lamia Simone

Theses (2016-Present)

Urban literature, more widely known as street lit is a genre of literature that glorifies and exaggerates drugs, violence, and sex in the lives of its African American characters. Through Street lit readers are introduced to the black man as a figure of power through illegal activity in his community, and black women as either overly aggressive or figures in need of protection. These novels choose loyalty over family, drugs, and athleticism over education, and money and power over morality. These novels and their glorifications cause African American people to see dream lives in goals that are not only unattainable …

Kagame’S Ruse In Rwanda: The Debilitating Role Of Authoritarianism In Rwanda And Its Impact On Long Term, Sustainable Development, Manuel Grajeda

International Studies (MA) Theses

Following the genocide in 1994, Rwanda has been touted as a major, international development success, gaining praise and attention from the international community who place the prosperity of the nation in the hands of Paul Kagame, the leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front and the country’s current president. Indeed, under the leadership of Kagame the country was able to get through the horrors of mass killings and nationwide destruction and it is true that the country has made a serious turn around in the past 25 years. However, while the country is acclaimed to be a model for developed democracy …