Development Studies Commons^™

Navigating Complexity Of Serving Displaced Communities: A Study Of Yemeni Community-Based Organizations In Egypt, Alya Mohammed Al-Mahdi

Theses and Dissertations

Forced displacement is a global crisis that poses challenges for nations like Egypt. Despite international NGO support, escalating displaced individuals have overwhelmed existing capacities. Refugee Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) have emerged as a natural response from the communities themselves to bridge the gap between the state and NGOs and the refugee community. However, CBOs in Egypt face challenges that impact their operation and continuity. Through qualitative research, this study aims to explore the experience of the Yemeni CBOs. Through interviews with seven people from six CBOs conducted through field visits and online calls, this research uncovers the dynamics of Yemeni CBOs …

Challenges Of Accessibility Of A Community Heritage Tourist Route: The Route Of The Caste War, Cecilia S. Medina Martín, David E. Tamayo Torres, Margarita De A Navarro Favela, Fredi R. Un Noh

Journal of Maya Heritage

This article presents the results of an accessibility analysis of The Caste War Route (RGC), prior to its commercialization as a community heritage product. The analysis consists of a diagnosis of the resource to establish destination-planning strategies. The accessibility diagnosis goes beyond adapting physical spaces for transit, considering that the resource is accessible to all types of people, including economic, spatial and temporal accessibility, criteria on which the research focuses.

The diagnosis was prepared through a multidisciplinary investigation that collected information from different sectors with qualitative and quantitative tools that combined the recording of data and the opinion of the …

Making Your Spring Break Sustainable: Can Tourism Be A Driver For Positive Environmental Change?, Katherine Ort

Journal of Maya Heritage

The Riviera Maya has undergone rapid development in the last few decades due to increased demand for tourism, putting pressure on surrounding ecosystems and cultural sites. As demand for tourism shows no signs of decreasing, there is an ever-increasing need for effective management solutions. The town of Puerto Morelos is striving to forward sustainable tourism based on its natural and cultural assets. As a new municipality, it has the chance to shape policy from a relatively blank canvas. This study involved collecting data about the different perspectives of key stakeholders through qualitative interviews and surveys to understand if the views …

Women’S Empowerment As A Determinant Of Child’S Nutrition: Evidence From A Cambodia Demographic And Health Survey, Vatana Chea, Socheata Sar

Journal of Demography

Does the empowerment of women improve a child’s long-term health outcome? Although the relationship seems intuitive in daily life, most studies done globally have found no association. This paper explicates the relationship between women’s empowerment and children’s malnutrition by taking Cambodia as a case study and adding new empirical evidence to the debate. Data were drawn from the Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2014, with a sample of 4,118 children nationwide. To measure children’s nutritional status, this study employed the WHO’s height-for-age (HFA) and weight-for-age (WFA) metrics, and at the same time, used the Survey-Based Women’s emPowERment Index (SWPER), …

Whole School Improvement Programme (Wsip): A Female Headteacher, Serving In Public School Perspectives, Sultan Alam

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

The research centered on delving into the experiences of a female headteacher in a public school who participated in a WSIP initiative and effectively implemented its teachings within her educational institution. This initiative stands as a flagship program of AKU-IED, PDCN in the specific context of Gilgit-Baltistan. Its aim is to introduce educational reforms in the region through formal in-person and distance education modes for headteachers.
The results revealed that the WSIP intervention wielded a substantial influence over the female headteacher's professional methodologies. This led to a transformation in her mindset and a noticeable enhancement of her skills. The headteacher …

Should I Stay Or Should I Go: A Preliminary Case Study Of Labor Migration Aspirations Among Female Undergraduate Students At The University Of Jordan, Simon Khairallah

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This preliminary case study investigated the composition, complexity, and presence of labor migration aspirations among female undergraduate students at the University of Jordan. The University of Jordan was selected as the research site due to its size and prominence in Jordan. The study sought to explore female participants’ perspectives on the current economic situation in Jordan, migration aspirations, and desired destinations. Interviews were conducted with undergraduate students at the University of Jordan. Of these ten participants, six expressed clear labor migration aspirations, three expressed aspirations to stay, and one expressed ambivalent migration aspirations. Nearly all participants expressed negative views of …

Always Sunny In Zanzibar: Exploring Solar Power On The Island, Quinn Brannan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As Zanzibar continues along its developmental path, the island’s energy infrastructure takes on a central role in future plans for growth. Critically, as the population grows and tourist presence is predicted to increase, the island is presented with the combined problem of supplying a greater volume of energy, while also providing a more reliable source to its existing populace. In this study, I will examine existing solar energy systems for capacity, accessibility, and reliability, as well as evaluate their efficacy in providing a functional source of power, both now and in the future. I conduct interviews with assorted stakeholders in …

Analysis Of The Effects Of Nafta On Rural Farmers In Mexico: Agriculture And Immigration, Kevin Xavier Garcia-Galindo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research paper examines the effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on agricultural workers in rural Mexico and immigration rates from those regions. The paper aims to investigate the validity of claims regarding the impact of NAFTA on immigration and agriculture, which are often interconnected. By focusing on the rural farming communities of Mexico, the study incorporates ethnographic perspectives to complement existing academic research on NAFTA. The research question explores how NAFTA affected agricultural workers in rural Mexico and its implications for immigration patterns. Through a comprehensive literature review and interviews with individuals involved in rural farming, …

Development And Initial Validation Of Scales For Coming Out Vigilance And Positive Coming Out Responses, Samuel J. Skidmore, G. Tyler Lefevor, Kiet D. Huynh, Connor O. Berg

Psychology Faculty Publications

Coming out involves sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) disclosing their identity to others, and is often related to improved health, well-being, and social support. However, coming out is not always perceived as a positive event, and outcomes of identity disclosure may vary depending on how coming out is approached and how others respond. The present study reports on the development and validation of the Coming Out Vigilance (COV) and the Positive Coming Out Responses (PCOR) measures. Two subsamples of SGMs with varying degrees of outness— totaling 399 individuals—were utilized in the development and validation of these measures. Exploratory and confirmatory …

The Experiences Of Children On Sri Lanka's Tea Plantations: Labor And Sexual Exploitation, Violence, And Inadequate Education, Rathnayake Mudiyanselage Bandaranayake, Glenn M. Miles, Jarrett D. Davis, Madeline Stenersen, Anjum Umrani

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This article explores the difficulties faced by children living in Sri Lanka’s tea plantation areas. Data from 150 children reveal high rates of poverty, violence, and school dropout. Children in tea plantation schools report bullying and stigma from teachers and students. Many children do not envision completing school due to inadequate resources, family income pressures, and the need to work. Children who drop out of school face abusive labor conditions and poor pay. Over 30% of all children report experiencing sexual abuse, often in their own homes. Those working face discrimination, physical abuse, and wage theft. Initiatives are needed to …

Assessing The Implications Of Agricultural Development From The Perspective Of Sustainable Livelihoods: Dryland Farming Community In Singosari, Lampung, Komang Ariyanto

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

The agricultural sector plays a vital role in rural communities in Indonesia. Agricultural development stands as one of the most crucial development agendas pursued by both governmental and non-governmental entities. An essential aspect to examine within agricultural development is its implications for the livelihoods of farming communities. This study analyzes the implications of agricultural development programs on farmers' livelihoods through the lens of sustainable livelihoods. Employing a qualitative method with a case study approach, the research was conducted among dryland farmers practicing intercropping farming systems. The case study was carried out in Singosari Village, Talang Padang Sub-District, Tanggamus District. Primary …

The Dynamic Of Gender Relations During And Post Pandemic In Families Of Impromptu Online Woman Entrepreneurs In Indonesia, Johanna D. Imelda, Ditha A. Setiyono

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

The article aims to describe the changes in gender relations in the family of women who became impromptu online entrepreneurs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theories of gender role triplicity and social capital were used to analyze research findings. Data for this qualitative longitudinal research was collected through observations and interviews with fourteen married women in Depok, West Java, from 2020 to 2022. Research findings illustrated that when women became entrepreneurs during the pandemic, there was a change in their role, from the domestic to the public sphere. However, when family economic condition improved after the pandemic, women returned …

Strengthening Social Capital Through Digital Platform: Neighborhood Community In Dki Jakarta, Syora Alya Eka Putri, Fidan Safira, Rizka Nadhira, Hamdi Hamdi, Ferena Debineva, Nafiza Samditya Putra, Reisa Siva Nandika, Dinda Mutiara Qurani Putri, Ukhti Paundria Nagari, Tivani Shakilla Ervi

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

This study investigates how digital platforms can be leveraged to strengthen social capital and thus support sustainable urban development in Jakarta. Despite positive strides, there are several obstacles that hinders the optimal utilization of digital platforms in terms of information dissemination and enhancing stakeholder trust: (1) constraints posed by the communication medium; (2) digital literacy of stakeholders, and (3) ineffective participation of community members. Employing a qualitative method, this case study reveals that stakeholders across all levels play a pivotal role in encouraging participation among community members. Moreover, the findings indicate that utilizing integrated digital platforms for information management within …

Parents’ Perceptions Of The Philly Goat Project’S All Abilities Ramble: A Qualitative Study Of Animal-Assisted Intervention For Intellectual And Developmental Disorders, Patricia Flaherty-Fischette, Jenée Lee, Yvonne D'Uva-Howard, Elizabeth P. Cramer, Karen Krivit, Sarah Meehan

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are a growing population. Considering the wide diversity in IDD and the financial burden of traditional treatment modalities, Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) has emerged as an innovative and non-traditional treatment for individuals with a range of disabilities, including individuals with IDD. To the authors’ knowledge, the present study was one of the first to explore a goat-assisted therapy experience for children with IDD. This study explored the experiences of 23 children with the All Abilities RAMble – a goat-assisted therapeutic activity offered by the Philly Goat Project (PGP). Key themes in our study included …

Online Education: Benefits And Challenges For Refugee Students, Roza Badritdinova

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Currently, only 3% of refugees are pursuing higher education opportunities compared to the 37% higher education participation rate globally. There is an urgent need for quality academic work to leave behind the endless descriptive accounts of refugee life and move toward identifying effective strategies and successful solutions that could facilitate the integration of refugees into higher education. Technology has proffered some hope in providing access to public education for marginalized populations. This study looked specifically at how one online education organization attempts to address refugee education and multiple barriers that prevent the majority of the world’s university-age refugee youth …

Architectural And Heritage Experience Through Playful Learning (An Interdisciplinary And Exploratory Action Research Focused On The Egyptian Context), Atheer Ahmed Salama

Theses and Dissertations

“The lack of awareness of the value of heritage and the lack of opportunities to engage in preserving and safeguarding heritage in the public sphere not only puts the heritage in risk of being irremediably lost. It also impoverishes the younger generation’s sense of identity and belonging within its respective socio-cultural continuum, and thus limits its ability to engage and contribute meaningfully to society at large” (UNESCO, 2021). With conducting this research, the researcher believes that heritage-themed analog games may carve the younger generation’s memory of heritage, allowing them to boost their sense of identity and belonging; thus, widening their …

Rural Development Hubs: A Possibility For Nebraska?, Marilyn R. Schlake

Cornhusker Economics

The Aspen Institute, Community Strategies Group conducted an analysis of 43 Rural Development Hubs from across the country to discover their strategies, organizational structures, regional roles, and practices. Their aim was to learn how rural regions can help investors, policymakers and other local and regional decision-makers better serve their regions. The following provides an overview of their findings detailed in the report: Rural Development Hubs: Strengthening America’s Rural Innovation Infrastructure. The report provides an opportunity for further discussion on the potential role of Rural Development Hubs in Nebraska. Rural Development Hubs are defined as a “place-rooted organization working hand-in -glove …

Reintegration Of Return Migrants In Northern Ghana And Their Remigration Decisions: A Qualitative Study, Benzies Isaac Adu-Okoree Rev. Dr., Daniella Delali Sedegah Dr., Philippa Jilly Joel Premkumar Dr., Prize Fourthson Mcapreko Dr.

The Qualitative Report

A political discussion has recently erupted over the return of migrant kayayei (head porters) from Northern Ghana. Return migrants were studied meagrely with regard to their reintegration process, skills acquired at their destinations, and chances for productive engagement. These chances allow the return migrants to pursue socially desirable goals. This study attempts to answer the questions pertaining to why migrants remain at home in terms of their experiences in the reintegration process and the reasons for re-migration. The purpose of this study was to explore how the socioeconomic environment of home communities aids the reintegration of return migrants from Ghana's …

Developing The Food Navigator Role At Everyone's Harvest, Chase Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Everyone’s Harvest (EH) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that operates farmers’ markets. In order to reduce hunger in Monterey County, Everyone's Harvest offers several food assistance programs for low-income people including the Market Match (MM) incentive program which matches CalFresh money, modern day food stamps, dollar for dollar. The problem is that in Monterey County 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 3 children are food insecure. The purpose of the Food Navigator (FN) at EH is to engage with the local community and connect low-income people with food assistance resources, primarily the MM program. This project was a role development …

The Effects Of Family Size And Birth Order On Students' Social Emotional And Cognitive Development, Mary Watson

Honors Projects

This project sought to analyze and understand the differences in student’s cognitive and social emotional development based on their number of siblings (also referred to as family size) and birth order. To accomplish this, a 130-question survey was created and emailed to approximately 125 teachers. 27 survey responses were received, which is a response rate of approximately 21.6%. The response data was categorized by only child, oldest child, youngest child, child with one or two siblings, child with three or four siblings, and child with five or more siblings. Though the responses were varied, the data showed that oldest children …

Forging Flourishing Futures: An Ethnographic Analysis Of The Construction Of Dreams For Internally Displaced Cameroonian Youth, Alexandra Harakas

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Young people are thermometers and essential actors in the future-oriented process of national development. In Cameroon, youth are affected by constraints which can hinder these processes and aims–economic stagnancy, inequality of resources, ethnic nepotism and rampant government corruption. Additionally, thousands of youth are internally displaced (IDPs) by violent conflicts: particularly the Anglophone crisis in the South West and North West regions. This study seeks to understand young people’s experiences in this context. Through twenty interviews with IDPs in Yaoundé ages 18 to 30, the study sheds light on the following questions: How do young IDPs conceive the flourishing for themselves …

Evaluating The On-Site Impacts Of The Ambatovy Project Through The Lens Of Environmental Justice, Nick Karlik

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In Madagascar, sustainable development has been established and maintained by dominant foreign actors to reconcile neoliberalism with globalized conceptions of environmental protection. The Ambatovy mining and refining project has emerged as a prominent example of this developmental mode; Ambatovy is the largest economic enterprise in the history of the country and one of the largest and most productive mining operations in the world, generating billions of dollars in revenue for a country that remains among the poorest in the world while offsetting its impact on endemic biodiversity and forest habitat through conservation initiatives. At the same time, the evaluative framework …

Youth Perceptions And Constructions Of Urban Space In Morocco, Hadwynne Gross

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Moroccan urban spaces are influenced by 800 years of history, and in particular, legacies of colonialism. This research seeks to examine urban space in Morocco through the lens of youth between the ages of 18 and 25 in the capital city of Rabat. Inspired by the book The Image of the City by Kevin Lynch, this research uses a variety of qualitative methods, namely a semi- structured interview and two mental mapping exercises, to explore how youth in Rabat perceive the city’s ability to both adhere to its historical roots and adapt to a rapidly changing world. Exploring urban geography …

Development And Sociology In The Philippines: Focusing On The Inclusive And Exclusive Development, Leslie Advincula-Lopez, Mai Yoshida

Development Studies Faculty Publications

This paper examines the relationship between development and sociological research in the Philippines. Development is an invariably important issue in Philippine sociology. Philippine sociology was established in the context of postwar reconstruction and modernization policies under the leadership of sociologists trained in the United States. In this historical and political context; sociologists put effort into practical case studies by focusing on the lives of rural and urban residents. Sociological analysis plays an essential role in national development planning. The Filipino word for “development” is pag-unlad, meaning to advance or develop. It includes “social development,” or eliminating social and political disparities …

The Art Of Not Being Freshened: The Everyday Politics Of Infrastructure In The Mekong Delta, Timothy Gorman

Department of Sociology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

With the growing threat of climate change, states are increasingly turning to large-scale infrastructure projects in order to control environmental conditions, especially in coastal areas. These projects are often planned and implemented in a centralized, top-down manner and sometimes fail to achieve their stated objectives in the face of “everyday resistance” from local residents and farmers. This study draws on interviews and secondary research to examine the contentious everyday politics of infrastructure in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, focusing specifically on how small-scale, surreptitious acts of “counter-infrastructuring” on the part of farmers, such as the construction of illicit wells …

Marketing, Development, And The Question Of Meaning, Dominique Bouchet

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Originally developed as a sales technique, marketing ended up playing an economic and political role globally. With the advent of globalization and sustainability issues, the importance given to the techniques of marketing in both analyses and in communication limits the possibility of mutual understanding and of social creativity. A profound understanding of what is at stake for society and culture is not what matters when the focus is on the ways to maintain the superficial link to the instrument of power.

The market plays a central role within the fields of marketing, economics and politics. Yet, questions of what the …

Cultural Factors Associated With Human Trafficking Of Girls And Women In Northern Tanzania: The Case Of Arusha Region, Rehema John Magesa

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Human trafficking is persistent in many regions of Tanzania despite different efforts to reduce the practice by the Government and other stakeholders. Girls and young women are more affected by this practice in violation of their human rights than men and boys. This study explored the cultural factors attributing to the trafficking of girls and women in Northern Tanzania. The study involved 400 girls and young women for a quantitative and qualitative study on cultural determinants of human trafficking. The study found the following cultural practices pushed girls and women towards situations in which they could be trafficked: female genital …

Structural And Cultural Aspects Of Fisherman Family Education Problems In Waruduwur Cirebon, A Syatori, Suciyadi Ramdhani, Nurlaili Khikmawati

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

According to the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), Indonesia's education quality is ranked 74th out of 79 countries. The data highlights issues including high tuition costs, unequal access to educational institutions, as well as mismatch between education system and local culture; all commonly found in fishing communities. This ethnographic study seeks to investigate cultural and structural factors that affect the lagging education of children of fishermen in Waruduwur village, Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia. The findings indicate that both factors are interlinked, significantly shaping collective views on education as well as children’s participation in schooling. Patterns observed in the study …

“Narimo Ing Pandum”: How Highlander Women Perceive Poverty As A Destiny In Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta, Wasisto Raharjo Jati

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

The Javanese proverb “narimo ing pandum”exemplifies a belief among poor people to accept their impoverishment as the Divine will of God. This belief, however, has the adverse effect of habituating people to accept poverty. Such perception is conditioned, among others, by the availability of state-provided social aid as well as family or community support, which has helped the poor to stay afloat in moments of crises. In a patriarchal society, poverty poses even more risks and challenges for women, who are often conditioned to be reliant on men to survive. As such, poor women are likely required to find …

The Dynamics Of Military-Police Relations In Post-Authoritarian Indonesia (1998 To 2020), Bayu A. Yulianto

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

Among myriad significant institutional changes in post-authoritarian Indonesia (1998-present) is the split of Indonesian police (POLRI) from the armed forces (ABRI, renamed into TNI after 1999). No longer locked in a dominant-subordinate configuration, the interaction between both institutions intensified in areas where they intersect. Drawing upon the theory of Strategic Action Field (SAF), this study attempts to capture the dynamics along the newly-established trajectory. It shall be argued that far from being one-dimensional, the relationship between both institutions has been marked by conflict, competition, and cooperation; depending on the SAF. Finally, this research proposes a new framework to assess the …