Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Cover And Table Of Contents, Institute On African Affairs

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews, Percyslage Chigora

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Anglophone Cameroon In Search Of Identity: Obstacles And Prospects, Tangie Nsoh Fonchingong

Journal of African Policy Studies

The former British Southern Cameroons opted in a UN organised plebiscite in 1961 to unify with La Republique du Cameroun to form a federation of two states that were said to be on a footing of equality. But contrary to declarations and expectations, the federation was not one of equal states. It was instead a veiled preparatory stage for the total assimilation of the Southern Cameroons into the highly centralised La Republique du Cameroun francophone unitary state. Through a number of assimilation stages, the Southern Cameroons has lost its autonomy to La Republique du Cameroun, its people marginalised, institutions destroyed, …

Foreign Investment And Repression In Lesotho, Amir Azarvan

Journal of African Policy Studies

According to neoliberal theory, foreign direct investment enhances socioeconomic conditions in host countries, which in turn leads to democratization and greater protection of human rights. The structuralist theory, in contrast, holds that, in interaction with domestic unrest, foreign investment fosters repression. Lesotho serves as a fitting laboratory in which to test these competing theories. In 1995, the country had experienced a huge surge in foreign direct investment. In the period leading up to and during this increase, Lesotho was among the most impoverished countries in the world, and had a relatively poor human rights record. This confluence of factors makes …

Cover And Table Of Contents, Institute On African Affairs

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Regional Variations In Maternal Mortality, Infant Mortality, And Infants With Low Birth Weight: Implications For Sub Sahara Africa And Gender-Sensitive Policies, Guang-Zhen Wang

Journal of African Policy Studies

The paper examines regional variations in maternal mortality, infant mortality, and percentage infants with low birth weight in relation to economic development, gender equality, and women's rights by using data obtained from 137 developing countries (or areas). The 137 developing countries are divided into six regions: sub-Saharan Africa (N=45), Arab states (N=20), East Asia/Pacific (N=28), South Asia (N=9), Latin America/Caribbean (N=33), and Southern Europe (N=2). To examine regional variations, this paper is divided into four parts. The first part discusses regional variations in maternal mortality, infant mortality, and infants with low birth weight across and within regions. Part two focuses …

Learning A Little Bit Harder: The Intersecting Experiences Of First-Generation And Single-Mother College Students, Natalie Lecy, Elizabeth Hendrix, Brian A. Droubay

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

This study examines the experiences of nine first-generation, single-mother college students, focusing on these intersecting, double-jeopardy identities. Participants’ difficulty navigating college varied; contributing factors included family background, social capital, the type of college attended, and whether they established a mentor. The following themes were established: 1) realizing college is an option, 2) caught between two worlds, 3) college wasn’t designed for us, 4) economic barriers, and 5) disparities in social capital. Our findings indicate colleges were unprepared to meet the unique challenges faced by this group. We present recommendations for the …

The Impact Of Trade Liberalisation On Agricultural Productivity In South Africa: An Empirical Study, Ravinder Rena, M. Y. Teweldemedhin, H. D. Van Schalkwyk

Journal of African Policy Studies

This study attempts to examine the empirical relationship between trade and total factor productivity (TFP) in the agricultural sector using both cross-sectional (across nine agricultural commodities) and time-series analysis. The ordinary least square (OLS) results from the cross-sectional analysis confirm that export shares and capital formation were found to be positive and significant, whereas import shares and real exchange rate were found to be related negatively. However, the net effect of export and import shares had a positive effect. This implies that trade liberalisation causes productivity gains. Moreover, the time-series analysis goes in the same direction as the cross-sectional results, …

Factors Affecting Voting Behavior And Voting Patterns In Zimbabwe's 2008 Harmonized Elections, Dorothy Goredema, Percyslage Chigora

Journal of African Policy Studies

Elections in Zimbabwe in 2008 reflected a changing behavior and pattern that has existed since her attainment of independence in 1980. History has it that the ruling ZANU PF has always had a sweet and easy victory over the opposition. The 2008 elections reflected a different picture. The 2008 elections were unique not only in as far as results are concerned but also in as far as the indirect and direct players' contributions. The uniqueness was manifested in behavior of the voters and the parties themselves. There were many political contesters and many offices up for grabs at once. These …

Cover And Table Of Contents, Institute On African Affairs

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

The Choice Of Monetary Targets In Periods Of Structural Adjustment: The Case Of Nigeria, Oluwole Owoye, Olugbenga A. Onafowora

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines the choice of monetary targets in Nigeria since the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) in 1986. We employed cointegration vector error correction methodology using quarterly in order to ascertain if M2 targeting over Ml targeting was a prudent monetary policy rule. We tested for the stability of real Ml and real M2 money demand functions and found the former to be an unstable during the SAP period. Both the CUSUM and CUSUMSQ tests confirmed the stability of the short- and long-run parameters of the real M2 money demand function but not for real M1. The …

The Politics Of Nigeria And The Development Of The Niger Delta Region, Andrew O. Efemini

Journal of African Policy Studies

The paper argues that Nigeria's underdevelopment cannot be adequately explained and appreciated unless we come to terms with the bad politics and faulty democratization processes it has pursued as a country. The Niger Delta Region is singled out as one region where Nigeria's bad politics manifest so negatively. The region suffers from dependency of the central government and other regions on the oil resources from the region. The Nigerian State has not been able to reposition itself as a truly democratic State with fair and just basic institutions. Institutions that are truly federal in character and promote citizenship rights are …

Economic Integration As A Contribution To Sustainable Development In The Horn Of Africa, Mengsteab Tesfayohannes, Hany Besada

Journal of African Policy Studies

The Horn of Africa is one of the most geopolitically important regions of the world, with great human and natural resource potential. Unfortunately, the region is notorious for its crises and instability. This is due to internal and external destabilising factors related to ethnicity, tribalism, resource sharing, poverty, superpower rivalry, porous borders and hegemonic desires. Although it differs slightly between countries, the average per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of the region is less than $200. Gender disparity in education and economic activity is prevalent in the region at all levels. Over 75% of the labour force is engaged in …

Cover And Table Of Contents, Institute On African Affairs

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

The Global Economic And Financial Crisis: An Overview Of The Effects On African Countries, Oluwole Owoye

Journal of African Policy Studies

In the wake of the global economic and financial cnsts, experts and analysts agreed that the initial effects on African financial sectors would be minimal because of the limited exposure to the international financial markets. However, African countries are more integrated than before with the world economy through the following transmission channels: international trade, foreign direct and portfolio investments, foreign aid flows, private remittances, and tourism; and since they are predominantly primary commodity exporters, their economies was negatively affected by the recession in many developed countries due to the sharp decline in world demand for commodities and in their prices. …

The Influence Of Christianity And Islam On Educational Attainment In Africa: Using Literacy Rates As An Indicator, Natalia A. Castaner

Journal of African Policy Studies

This is a quantitative research study using current data from the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Member States through its Institute for Statistics (UIS) annual data collection for the 57 countries in Africa. This study shows that a religious factor, i.e., Christianity and Islam, has a significant effect on the levels of educational attainment within each specific country in Africa. This study illustrates the need to consider the impact religion has on educational attainment in Africa.

An Empirical Analysis Of The Microfoundation Of Demand For Money Theory In Nigeria, Kenneth Ofori-Boateng, Perekunah B. Eregha

Journal of African Policy Studies

The study examines the microfoundations of money demand function specifically the Sidrauski model of money in the utility function was adopted for Nigeria. Data for the study were extracted from the Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical and Economic Review Bulletin (various issues) and used Error Correction Specification which tied the short run to the long run relationships. The result of the study confirms the Sidrauski conclusion that consumption expenditure has positive impact on money demand. The study then concludes by recommending that for a developing country like Nigeria monetary policy requires careful examination of the microfoundations behavior underpinning monetary economics …

Public Policy Formulation And Implementation In A Democratic Nigeria: Insights From Anti-Poverty Initiatives, J. Shola Omotola

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper has undertaken a critical analysis of public policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria, with graphic illustrations from anti-poverty policies since 1999 most notably the Poverty Alleviation Program (PAP), The National Poverty Eradication Program (NAPEP) and National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). As a condition of deprivation that impedes human development, poverty represents a policy major problem in Nigeria. The pervasiveness of poverty today, despite these policy interventions, attests to the failure and ineffectiveness of the new environment of democracy, despite its promise, to improve the policy process. The may not be unconnected with the deep-rooted undemocratic legacies …

Cover And Table Of Contents, Institute On African Affairs

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Micro Finance In Eritrea: A Catalyst For Women Development, Ravinder Rena

Journal of African Policy Studies

The microfinance refers to small-scale financial services (primarily credit and savings) provided to people who engage in the farming, fishing and operate micro-enterprises to gain subsistence income from these activities and subsequently support the rural economy. Microfinance is a highly accepted and recognized development tool. It has been playing a vital role in many developing countries of the world. The women are considered to be a pillar of the society and economy. For example, 45 per cent of the measurable Gross Domestic Income comes from the work of women in the world's richest countries. Eritrea, a poor but young nation …

Fostering Constructive Public And Private Sector Linkages For Agricultural Research And Development In Sub Saharan Africa, Kefasi Nyikahadzoi, Adewale Adekunle

Journal of African Policy Studies

Investing in agricultural research and development is critical for improving livelihoods of the resource poor in Sub Saharan Africans and also for the conservation of natural resource. While on the global level, the contribution of public sector to agriculture research and development investment is declining; the private sector is coming in to fill the gap. In Sub Saharan Africa, private sector involvement in agriculture research and development is still very limited. This paper uses secondary data and information coming out of the Sub Saharan Africa Challenge Programme to discuss the constraints that inhibit private sector involvement in agriculture research and …

Democracy And Poverty: The Nigerian Experience, Tonyesima Furro

Journal of African Policy Studies

This study examines the plight of the poor within the new democratic rule in Nigeria. Since the inception of democracy in 1999, there has been a sustained prosperity in terms of oil windfall that swells government's revenues on the order of over $30 billion annually. For the first time in over 20 years, the GDP growth rate is 7.5 percent. The nation has accumulated an impressive foreign exchange reserve of $60 billions. This reserve is the highest ever in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this financial outlay has not resulted in improved standard of living of the broad majority of the people. …

Cover And Table Of Contents, Institute On African Affairs

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Geometry Of State Sovereignty: Regionalism And Non-State Actors In The Southern African Development Community (Sadc), Lesley Blaauw

Journal of African Policy Studies

The collapse of the Cold War and accelerated globalization have reshaped the international political economy and in the process ignited a new impetus for regionalism. This paper posits that despite the transformation of SADCC into SADC, regional integration in southern Africa remains quintessentially statist with minimal (if any) involvement of civil society organizations and the private sector. This suggests that states in SADC remain crucial in lending scope and providing guidance about the content and character of regional integration. There is, therefore, in SADC, not yet a realization about the complimentary roles to be played by states, civil society organizations …

The Inescapable Ideology: How Third Cinema And Afrofuturism Can Change The Future, Daniel Silver

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther films brought the genre of Afrofuturism to a mainstream audience. Afrofuturism seeks to reclaim a past that was stolen by Western colonial and imperialist powers; because that past has been erased, it must be imagined in fiction. Afrofuturistic stories are then used to address issues in the present and look towards a better future. This paper examines how those stories are told using the words and symbols of the dominant ideology in society. It uses Althusser’s theory of Ideological State Apparatuses, Gramsci’s concept of cultural hegemony, and Solanas and Getino’s understanding of the Third Cinema movement, …

Impact Of Visual And Auditory Distractors On Spot-The-Difference Task Performance, Julia N. Gross, Alexia Urban, Julius Kloepfer, Hannah Eversole

Aurora

In everyday life, individuals are faced with tasks that require sustained, visual attention. However, distractions are also a part of everyday life, and with the increase in technology use came an increase in distractions that may affect concentration and performance on these visual tasks. Previous research has examined how task-unrelated visual and auditory stimuli, presented at different intensities, impact functions of learning and memory. However, it has yet to determine their impact on ongoing, attention-demanding, visual tasks. The present study used a 2x2 between-subjects design to test the impact of both visual and auditory distractors, presented at either a high …

The Search For Common Ground: Analyzing Language Commonly Used For Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Hannah L. Friend

Aurora

Respect and acceptance of individuals within a society can start simply from the language used to refer to them, especially those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). With debates of researchers and professors using either Identity-first language (IFL) or Person-first language (PFL) within their teachings and findings, no consistent standard for usage has emerged and not much has been said on what is generally being used. Using an exploratory survey, this research explores the language used on a college campus when referring to individuals with IDD. Variations of IFL, PFL, and Slang (or outdated language) were analyzed in terms of …

Transgender Meta-Analysis Study On Healthcare Affirming Care, Beck A. Munsey, Ryan Holliman

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

This study explored the extent to which educational interventions impact knowledge, attitudes, and comfort, of healthcare providers in treating transgender patients through a meta-analysis. Twenty studies that met criteria for inclusion were selected for the study. Research suggests current methods of training healthcare professionals positively impacts knowledge, attitudes, and comfort, but does not decrease transphobia, leading to negative impacts on transgender patients’ care in healthcare settings. The authors highlight some ways training programs can add training modules for future researchers to look at specifically to attitudes and believes about healthcare professions serving transgender patients.

The Correlation Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Pornography Consumption Among Males, Branden Henry, Corinne W. Bridges, Sidney L. Shaw

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Since 1999, significant research has been devoted to understanding how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) correlate with a variety of negative health and behavioral outcomes. During this same time, pornography consumption had increased dramatically. Although there were studies that examined the relationship between various variables found in the ACEs questionnaire and pornography consumption, there were no studies that utilized the ACEs questionnaire to examine the relationship between ACEs and pornography consumption and age of exposure. The purpose of this cross-sectional, correlational study was to identify the relationship between ACEs, the age of exposure to pornography, and pornography consumption among adult males. …

Content Analysis Of U.S. State-Level Legislation Impacting Gender-Affirming Practice In Schools, Ashton Keys, Isabel C. Farrell, Amanda Dediego, Caroline Schreder, Kyle Neal, Whitney White

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

In recent years, there has been an increase in legislation that limits access to resources and affirming environments for LGBTQ+ individuals in the United States. This research aimed to identify trends in legislation at the state level impacting gender-affirming school counseling services in the United States. This study represents a content analysis of 225 pieces of state-level legislation from 2023 affecting LGBTQ+ youth in schools. Legislation largely created limitations on use of affirming pronouns for youth in school, availability of appropriate restrooms and changing facilities for transgender and gender expansive youth, and curriculum in schools addressing gender and sexuality.