African Studies Commons^™

Conservation Coverage: An Assessment Of The Protection Of Highly Threatened Species Of Birds And Mammals In Tanzania, Adolfo Castro Domínguez

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

43 species of birds and mammals are either critically endangered or endangered within Tanzania. Compromised to halt the rapid loss of biodiversity, the Tanzanian government, several non-governmental organizations, government agencies and zoological institutions are attempting to preserve these highly-threatened species. This project assesses the current state of conservation for those species by: 1) diagnosing their captive populations in Tanzania, through visits to zoological institutions in the country and in a global scale by using ZIMS, a global database for zoos and aquariums. 2) determining the protected areas in which the species are found by overlapping distribution maps with protected areas …

Plant Poetics And Politics Of The West Usambaras: Power And Memory Of Narrative Botanical Science In Kizanda, Sagara, And The Mazumbai Forest Reserve, Cameron Daddis

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This is a story about people and plants. About the power of relationships between floral organisms and human lives. Using narrative botanical science as a methodological framework, this study highlights the power of local people’s ecological knowledge from the villages of Kizanda and Sagara in the West Usambara Mountains. Building from semi-structured interviews and personal conservations with thirty residents of these villages—voices of local healers, farmers, and forest guides—this work unfolds through a series of vignettes. Its aim is to identify both the precise yet diverse ways in which these people have developed botanical knowledge of their local environment. From …

The Impact And Effectiveness Of Life Orientation On Six Students At The University Of Cape Town, Sydney Nathan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Life Orientation program was implemented in South African high schools by The Department of Basic Education post-apartheid, to teach students about topics such as sexual and physical education, future career options, citizenship, and depending on the school, religion — a range of topics designed to prepare them to live healthy and productive adult lives. However, in practice the program is not always successful due to a lack of resources, teachers who are not trained to teach Life Orientation, and unmotivated students.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact and effectiveness the Life Orientation program had on …

Amjambo Africa! (April 2018), Kathreen Harrison

Amjambo Africa!

Welcome to Amjambo Africa! Welcome to Amjambo Africa! We are Maine’s free newspaper for and about New Mainers from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Amjambo Africa! is here to help New Mainers thrive and to help Maine welcome and benefit from our new neighbors.

Amjambo Africa! will serve as a conduit of information for newcomers as they navigate life in Maine.

Amjambo Africa! will include background articles about Africa so those from Maine can understand why newcomers have arrived here.

Amjambo Africa! will profile successful New Mainers from Sub-Saharan Africa in order to give hope to those newly arrived as well as make …

Church And State In Rwanda: Catholic Missiology And The 1994 Genocide Against The Tutsi, Marcus Timothy Haworth

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

During the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, over one million Tutsis were killed by the government of Rwanda and Hutu extremists. In this study, I address two questions: (1) did the Church, as an institution, offer a convincing counter-narrative to the dominant ideology of racialized ethnic identities of twentieth century European colonialism in the present-day nation-state of Rwanda? If it did not, why not? And, (2) what role, if any, did the Church, as an institution, play, in promoting a “social imagination” that valued religious identity, or truths, over the dominant European colonial ideology, and later the nationalistic narrative of …

Determinants Of Youth (Un)Employment In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aynalem Megersa

International Conference on African Development Archives

Informed by the Macro-Micro approach (Steiber, & Haas, 20122 ), the paper aims to examine the major determinants of youth (Un)employment in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from a gender perspective. The study primarily uses quantitative data from the 2014 urban unemployment and employment survey conducted by the Ethiopian Central Statistical Authority. The study employs descriptive statistics and Multinomial logit model to analyse the quantitative data. Qualitative data generated using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with selected youth in the City were also used to substantiate the quantitative results. Findings of the study reveal that different levels of factors- structural factors, …

Silent, Spoken, Written, And Enforced: The Role Of Law In The Construction Of The Post-Colonial Queerphobic State, Chan Tov Mcnamarah

Cornell International Law Journal

Debates over the origins of queerphobia in post-colonial African nations are legion. The conversation is dominated by opinions that paint Africans as inherently more violent towards, and less tolerant of sexual minorities than their Western counterparts. Less present in the conversation is the view that colonially-imposed laws have played a significant role in the creation of queerphobic, post-colonial African states. However, as this Note contends, neither perspective fully accounts for regional variations in levels of queerphobia throughout the African continent. In response, this Note presents a model that tracks the role of law in the production of queerphobic sentiment prior …

Corruption Devolved: People’S Perceptions On Devolutions Impact On Transparency, Accountability And Service Delivery By The Government Of Kisumu County, Kenya, Julia Fonshell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 2010, Kenya introduced a new constitution and with it the introduction of the concept of a decentralized government. The devolved system of government was implemented in 2013 and granted each of the 47 counties in Kenya, such as Kisumu County, greater autonomy, resources and ability to serve its people. This study aims to compile a thorough understanding of people’s perception on how devolution has impacted transparency, accountability and service delivery of the government of Kisumu County, Kenya within its five years.

The study is comprised of a series of interviews on the premises of the Kisumu County Assembly with …

A Disappearing Island: An Impact Assessment Of Coastal Erosion On The Mnemba Island House Reef, Zanzibar, Kat Grellman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Sedimentation is one of the greatest threats reefs face today due to climate changeinduced sea level rise. Mnemba Island has experienced rampant coastal erosion as a combined result of global processes and local anthropogenic impacts, which has in turn caused severe reef degradation. The house reef was surveyed over a 3-week period to determine the amount of sediment deposited on the reef and the impact of this sedimentation on coral reef health. Sediment traps were deployed to measure the sediment flux rate. The line-intercept transect method was used to measure the benthos cover of the reef and point-transect method was …

The Cape Town Free Walking Tours: Whose History Is It Anyway? The Shaping Of Place And Space In A Tourist City, Allegra Von Hirschberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research focuses on the Cape Town Free Walking Tours and investigates the importance of the role that tour guides play in mediating space and heritage. Drawing upon literature surrounding tourism, the tourist city, as well as memory and heritage, this study uses a mixed methods approach, both surveying tour participants as well as interviewing tour guides and managers of the Cape Town Free Walking Tours. In addition, this research also draws from my own experience participating in walking tours and making notes through participant observation. This research shows that tourism spaces are created, curated and maintained through a performance …

Selection Perception: Views On The Theory Of Evolution Among Residents Of Moshi, Tanzania, Robin Waterman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The theory of evolution is a major tenet of biological science and has many practical applications, particularly in agriculture, medicine, and conservation. Nevertheless, there is significant opposition to the theory and its incorporation into school curricula, largely on religious grounds. This disconnect between public opinion and scientific opinion has been studied at length in the US and to some extent in other industrialized nations, but little is known about the issue in other communities around the world. This paper will use the town of Moshi, Tanzania as a case study in community views and knowledge about the theory of evolution. …

Factors Affecting Tvet Responsiveness To Youth Employability: Reflection On Practices Of Competency-Based Provisions In Arsi Zone Of Oromia Regional State, Endalew Fufa

International Conference on African Development Archives

With an increasing demand for qualified skilled workers in the area of technical services, Ethiopia now holds several colleges which provide education to technical and vocational education attendants joining after the completion of general secondary education. Yet, conditions related with entry capacity in the fields they are required to attend, depth of training, viability of placement and means of creating job opportunity after graduating from colleges could be traced as major bottleneck conditions encountering such a provision. So, it became very essential to investigate which factors affect the responsiveness of TVET to youth job creation in Oromia Regional State, with …

Friend Or Foe: Perceptions Of China In Africa, Shahn M. Savino

Student Publications

China's rush to Africa for resources and a sphere of influence has inspired much debate in the academic world. Many western scholars generalize China's Africa strategy or African perceptions of that strategy. These are both grave mistakes. While China's objectives in Africa are the same all over, the way it achieves that strategy varies from nation to nation. In addition, African perceptions of China vary from nation to nation. Using Algeria and Niger as main case studies, this paper will show that the wealth of a nation changes the way that the Chinese government and Chinese nationals interact with that …

Moral Failure In Libya, Steven Feldstein

Public Policy and Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

This essay examines the roots to the Libyan migration crisis and European culpability for documented human rights abuses. It argues that failed efforts to rebuild Libya following the 2011 humanitarian intervention combined with recent European policies to outsource responsibility for the migration crisis to Libya have created a perfect storm of exploitation, predation, and abuse.

Understanding Violence Against Foreigners In Cape Town: Conceptions Of Autochthony And Xenophobia In Post-Apartheid South Africa, Mary L. Casey

Student Publications

Examining the correlation between the history of colonialism and structures of Apartheid in South Africa and the current xenophobic violence experienced by Black African immigrants settling in Cape Town. This thesis explores theories of autochthony and belonging in the context of Cape Town, Black South African relationships and ownership of land, access to resources and opportunities for employment, and the continued disenfranchisement of Black South Africans in the wake of Apartheid. These components of the issue of xenophobia in Cape Town are factored into an analysis of how and why violence persists against immigrants in the city.

Binding Ideologies: An Investigation Of Language Attitudes And Ideologies In The Moroccan Publishing And Book Sector, Ashley Coyne

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The interaction between author and reader is not as simple nor as direct as may at times be assumed. There are “gatekeepers” and middle men who mediate the transmission of ideas from writer to reader; these institutions and their ideologies determine the final product that will (or will not) be presented to readers. In Morocco, this author-reader interaction is further complicated by the language ideologies which pervade the realm of Moroccan literature. As Moroccan publishers and booksellers are the “gatekeepers” who arguably engage the most in language politics, this study examines their role in facilitating or inhibiting the Moroccan author-reader …

Expectations Of Teacher Trainers: To Inspire Or Not To Inspire The Case Of A Mozambican Institute, Francesca Cellini

Capstone Collection

Institutos de Formaçao de Professores (IFP, Teacher Training Institutes) are institutes that train future primary school teachers in Mozambique. By attending IFPs, individuals learn how to become quality teachers. Most IFP students, also referred to as trainees, look up to their teacher trainers as role models for their future task of being teachers. It follows that they would expect trainers to embody and demonstrate the qualities of a good, quality teacher. The aim of this study is to understand what is expected of teacher trainers from society, trainees, and the trainers themselves. To do so, this mixed-methods study will present …

Land Rights Of African Indigenous Groups: International Instruments And Main Issues, Anastasia Strouboulis

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For indigenous peoples, land is more than an economic commodity, it has guided their way of life for generations. This notion is particularly prevalent in Africa, where many diverse indigenous communities exist, from desert regions to vast forests. However, without the recognition of international laws and standards that seek to preserve and uphold their land rights, the indigenous peoples of Africa continue to face socio-environmental and political issues. This research paper seeks to understand what actors, documents, and mechanisms exist to protect and promote the land rights of indigenous peoples in Africa and assess their effectiveness. This research question was …

Ethically Sourced Vanilla: Certifications In The Production Of Vanilla In The Sava Region Of Madagascar, Maisie Campbell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Vanilla is an orchid whose beans are harvested after ten months on the vine. About eighty percent of the world’s vanilla is produced in Madagascar and the SAVA region is the capital of vanilla production within the country. The changing demand of vanilla, damage from cyclones, and the three-year development of the vanilla plants before they begin producing beans causes a boom and bust cycle of prices of vanilla. Some organizations have tried to ameliorate the problems these cycles and low prices pose to vanilla farmers by creating certifications for companies that promise that they will not pay less than …

A Tale Of Two Ṭuruq: An Exploration Of Sufism In Morocco Through The Qādiriyya Budshishiyya And Tijāniyya, May Hu

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this ISP is to explore the relationship between the esoteric dimensions of Islam in Morocco, as expressed through two examples ṭuruq: the Qādiriyya Budshishiyya and Tijāniyya in Morocco to explore power dynamics of Sufi ṭuruq in Morocco. The Qādiriyya Budshishiyya and Tijāniyya serve as apt case studies as two of the most prominent Sufi ṭuruq in Morocco. They also have interesting implications as the Qādiriyya Budshishiyya has in recent years seen an increase in clout and influence in Morocco as Ahmad Tawfiq, the Moroccan Minister for Habus and Islamic Affairs has affiliations with the ṭarīqah and …

Reaching Out: Navigating The Ethical, Legislative, And Physical Obstacles To Providing Assistance To Migrants In Morocco, Margaret Jackman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In order to meet the needs of the rising migrant and refugee population that have made their way to Morocco, numerous associations and non-governmental organizations have filled the gaps left by incomplete legislation and state infrastructure. These organizations provide what is traditionally viewed as humanitarian aid, including emergency medical assistance and shelter, as well as long-term support and advocacy in navigating the legal, education, and healthcare systems of Morocco. My research seeks to understand the ways in which these organizations facilitate the connection between migrants and refugees and the services they themselves provide. I look at the ethical, legislative, and …

A Glimpse Into Amazighophone Technology Usage An Example Of The Results Of Short-Term Ethnography, Garrison Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper explores the situation of the Amazigh language and its revitalization in Morocco, specifically aiming to shed light on the intersections of language use, technology, and youth, in order to obtain insight into processes that Amazighophone youth both undergo and enact in their lives. Through literature review and an interview, this research provides a glimpse into the use and reality of Amazigh and variants in technological media and an example of the shortcomings of a short-termed fieldwork research project. In all, despite only having one interview with one young woman who attends university and speaks Amazigh, the results provide …

The Poetics Of Power The Role Of Women’S Writing In The Moroccan Education System, Eli Makovetsky

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

While women have always been writing in Morocco a lack of access to education and sexist ideals have limited the ability of women to disseminate their stories. Now, after years of attempted reforms women are still fighting against a society that relegates them to enact traditional gender roles. While more women are receiving education in Morocco the messages that the State projects continue to be androcentric. As such, this paper examines the role of women’s writing and literature in the Moroccan education system. By putting it in the context of the women’s rights movement this paper strives to trace the …

Imagining Intimacy Beyond Boundaries: 'Born-Frees' Conceptions Of Race And Relationships In South Africa, Reilly Torres

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Though South Africans are no longer legislatively governed by the color of their skin, race remains salient in the way individuals make meaning of themselves and the world around them. Previous scholarship suggests that citizens of the ‘Rainbow Nation’ still see race as a fixed category of difference, making socialization between races fraught and relatively rare (Finchilescu et al. 2007). This study seeks to explore how born-frees understand race in South Africa’s shifting socio-political terrain through the lens of intimate interracial relationships—a form of cross-racial contact complicated by histories of sexual stigma and constraint. Conversations with 17 ‘born-frees’ across the …

Participatory Development And Menstrual Health Management In South Africa: A Case Study Of Project Dignity, Natalie Geismar

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Menstrual health management (MHM) poses a significant public health concern in many South African communities. Though the national government is beginning to devote attention and resources to MHM, civil society organizations play a critical role in providing menstrual health products and education to female-bodied individuals who may otherwise lack access. This study examines the praxis and impact of Project Dignity, a nongovernmental organization which distributes washable, reusable sanitary pads and panties to students in public schools. The researcher collected qualitative data through participant observation as well as interviews and focus group discussions with Project Dignity’s staff and intended beneficiaries. Using …

The Mountain Stands: An Autoethnographic Inquiry Into Zulu Christians' Approaches To Spiritual Health, Makayla Lagerman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Spiritual health is a vital component of individual wellness that can be described in many ways; most commonly, it is thought of as the connectivity of the inner spirit to others, the world, transcendental beings, and more. From personal experience, I know that the state of my spiritual wellbeing can greatly impact my physical and mental health. For this reason, actively considered how to think about spiritual health for one of the first times in my life.

This project sought to explore Zulu Christians’ approaches to spiritual health in concurrence with my own. This was done by interviewing one Swazi …

Forest Conservation And Timber Management A Case Study Of Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, Hoima District, Uganda, Nick Jickling

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The refugee population in Uganda is the largest in Africa, more than 1.3 million in size and growing by 100,000 per year. The demand for cooking fuel and building material results a continuous degradation of Uganda’s forests and protected areas. Refugee settlement which often employ short term management to cater to refugee needs, are hotspots of forest clearing. Forest management and environmental conservation of Kyangwali refugee settlement was evaluated, during a five-week practicum with the Environment and livelihoods department at Action Africa Help. The availability, accessibility and affordability of forest resources using GIS mapping, household surveys, informal interviews and observation. …

“Because This Land Is Free” A Historical Perspective On Poverty, Settlement, And Conservation In The Lubigi Swamp, Adele Stock

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Between 1970 and 2010, 40 percent of the world’s coastal and inland wetlands disappeared (Ramsar Convention, 2014). 13 percent of Uganda’s land area is wetland (Elroy, Muhweezi, and West, 2005). A 2015 World Bank Study found that 40 percent of Kampala population lives in informal settlements in or or around wetland, and 50 percent of Kampala’s wetland cover has disappeared in the past 20 years (World Bank, 2015). Kampala’s Lubigi Wetland, the city’s largest, serves as a critical water catchment area for the entirety of Uganda’s Central Cattle Corridor. Alongside this, it provides vital social, environmental and economic functions and …

What Lies In The Gray: Creative Analytic Pieces On The Formation And Evolution Of Beliefs In Masxha, Robin Mwai

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this project was to look at how members of Durban's Masxha township develop their belief systems and ideas about their world. This topic was developed out of a desire to better understand the factors that promote or inhibit individuals from changing their mind about topics relating to their community, society, and culture. I sought to gain a deeper understanding of the specific context of Masxha and the experiences and lives of those with whom I spoke.

To accomplish the goal of learning from lived experiences, this study employed a narrative inquiry approach. Using loosely-structured interviews involving eight …

Interacting With The Trail: A Comprehensive Approach To Developing An Environmental Education Program For Agnolakely Private Nature Reserve, Claire Hamilton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Madagascar is a diverse island, biologically and geographically. This has led to the development of endemic species and high biodiversity within the landscape. Unfortunately, due to poverty, extraction of natural resources, and a growing population, these species have become threatened. Agnolakely, is a private nature reserve, located in eastern Madagascar that is trying to combat these challenges through reforestation projects and land protection. Agnolakely is not only of ecological value, but is also integral in the community structure. As Agnolakely expands it has become essential to implement education and outreach for the reserve. This study was designed to collect biological …