6,065 research outputs found

    The Globalization of Artificial Intelligence: African Imaginaries of Technoscientific Futures

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    Imaginaries of artificial intelligence (AI) have transcended geographies of the Global North and become increasingly entangled with narratives of economic growth, progress, and modernity in Africa. This raises several issues such as the entanglement of AI with global technoscientific capitalism and its impact on the dissemination of AI in Africa. The lack of African perspectives on the development of AI exacerbates concerns of raciality and inclusion in the scientific research, circulation, and adoption of AI. My argument in this dissertation is that innovation in AI, in both its sociotechnical imaginaries and political economies, excludes marginalized countries, nations and communities in ways that not only bar their participation in the reception of AI, but also as being part and parcel of its creation. Underpinned by decolonial thinking, and perspectives from science and technology studies and African studies, this dissertation looks at how AI is reconfiguring the debate about development and modernization in Africa and the implications for local sociotechnical practices of AI innovation and governance. I examined AI in international development and industry across Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, by tracing Canada’s AI4D Africa program and following AI start-ups at AfriLabs. I used multi-sited case studies and discourse analysis to examine the data collected from interviews, participant observations, and documents. In the empirical chapters, I first examine how local actors understand the notion of decolonizing AI and show that it has become a sociotechnical imaginary. I then investigate the political economy of AI in Africa and argue that despite Western efforts to integrate the African AI ecosystem globally, the AI epistemic communities in the continent continue to be excluded from dominant AI innovation spaces. Finally, I examine the emergence of a Pan-African AI imaginary and argue that AI governance can be understood as a state-building experiment in post-colonial Africa. The main issue at stake is that the lack of African perspectives in AI leads to negative impacts on innovation and limits the fair distribution of the benefits of AI across nations, countries, and communities, while at the same time excludes globally marginalized epistemic communities from the imagination and creation of AI

    TeamSTEPPS and Organizational Culture

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    Patient safety issues remain despite several strategies developed for their deterrence. While many safety initiatives bring about improvement, they are repeatedly unsustainable and short-lived. The index hospital’s goal was to build an organizational culture within a groundwork that improves teamwork and continuing healthcare team engagement. Teamwork influences the efficiency of patient care, patient safety, and clinical outcomes, as it has been identified as an approach for enhancing collaboration, decreasing medical errors, and building a culture of safety in healthcare. The facility implemented Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS), an evidence-based framework which was used for team training to produce valuable and needed changes, facilitating modification of organizational culture, increasing patient safety compliance, or solving particular issues. This study aimed to identify the correlation between TeamSTEPPS enactment and improved organizational culture in the ambulatory care nursing department of a New York City public hospital

    Boundary Spanner Corruption in Business Relationships

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    Boundary spanner corruption—voluntary collaborative behaviour between individuals representing different organisations that violates their organisations’ norms—is a serious problem in business relationships. Drawing on insights from the literatures on general corruption perspectives, the dark side of business relationships and deviance in sales and service organisations, this dissertation identifies boundary spanner corruption as a potential dark side complication inherent in close business relationships It builds research questions from these literature streams and proposes a research structure based upon commonly used methods in corruption research to address this new concept. In the first study, using an exploratory survey of boundary spanner practitioners, the dissertation finds that the nature of boundary spanner corruption is broad and encompasses severe and non-severe types. The survey also finds that these deviance types are prevalent in a widespread of geographies and industries. This prevalence is particularly noticeable for less-severe corruption types, which may be an under-researched phenomenon in general corruption research. The consequences of boundary spanner corruption can be serious for both individuals and organisations. Indeed, even less-severe types can generate long-term negative consequences. A second interview-based study found that multi-level trust factors could also motivate the emergence of boundary spanner corruption. This was integrated into a theoretical model that illustrates how trust at the interpersonal, intraorganisational, and interorganisational levels enables corrupt behaviours by allowing deviance-inducing factors stemming from the task environment or from the individual boundary spanner to manifest in boundary spanner corruption. Interpersonal trust between representatives of different organisations, interorganisational trust between these organisations, and intraorganisational agency trust of management in their representatives foster the development of a boundary-spanning social cocoon—a mechanism that can inculcate deviant norms leading to corrupt behaviour. This conceptualisation and model of boundary spanner corruption highlights intriguing directions for future research to support practitioners engaged in a difficult problem in business relationships

    Human wellbeing responses to species’ traits

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    People rely on well-functioning ecosystems to provide critical services that underpin human health and wellbeing. Consequently, biodiversity loss has profound negative implications for humanity. Human-biodiversity interactions can deliver individual-level wellbeing gains, equating to substantial healthcare cost-savings when scaled-up across populations. However, critical questions remain about which species and/or traits (e.g. colours, sounds, smells) elicit wellbeing responses. The traits that influence wellbeing can be considered ‘effect’ traits. Using techniques from community ecology, we analyse a database of species’ effect traits articulated by people, to identify those that generate different types of wellbeing (physical, emotional, cognitive, social, spiritual and ‘global’ wellbeing, the latter being akin to ‘whole-person health’). Effect traits have a predominately positive impact on wellbeing, influenced by the identity and taxonomic kingdom of each species. Different sets of effect traits deliver different types of wellbeing. However, traits cannot be considered independently of species because multiple traits can be supported by a single species. Indeed, we find numerous effect traits from across the ecological community can elicit multiple types of wellbeing, illustrating the complexity of biodiversity experiences. Our empirical approach can help implement interdisciplinary thinking for biodiversity conservation and nature-based public health interventions designed to support human wellbeing

    Resilience and food security in a food systems context

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    This open access book compiles a series of chapters written by internationally recognized experts known for their in-depth but critical views on questions of resilience and food security. The book assesses rigorously and critically the contribution of the concept of resilience in advancing our understanding and ability to design and implement development interventions in relation to food security and humanitarian crises. For this, the book departs from the narrow beaten tracks of agriculture and trade, which have influenced the mainstream debate on food security for nearly 60 years, and adopts instead a wider, more holistic perspective, framed around food systems. The foundation for this new approach is the recognition that in the current post-globalization era, the food and nutritional security of the world’s population no longer depends just on the performance of agriculture and policies on trade, but rather on the capacity of the entire (food) system to produce, process, transport and distribute safe, affordable and nutritious food for all, in ways that remain environmentally sustainable. In that context, adopting a food system perspective provides a more appropriate frame as it incites to broaden the conventional thinking and to acknowledge the systemic nature of the different processes and actors involved. This book is written for a large audience, from academics to policymakers, students to practitioners

    Endogenous measures for contextualising large-scale social phenomena: a corpus-based method for mediated public discourse

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    This work presents an interdisciplinary methodology for developing endogenous measures of group membership through analysis of pervasive linguistic patterns in public discourse. Focusing on political discourse, this work critiques the conventional approach to the study of political participation, which is premised on decontextualised, exogenous measures to characterise groups. Considering the theoretical and empirical weaknesses of decontextualised approaches to large-scale social phenomena, this work suggests that contextualisation using endogenous measures might provide a complementary perspective to mitigate such weaknesses. This work develops a sociomaterial perspective on political participation in mediated discourse as affiliatory action performed through language. While the affiliatory function of language is often performed consciously (such as statements of identity), this work is concerned with unconscious features (such as patterns in lexis and grammar). This work argues that pervasive patterns in such features that emerge through socialisation are resistant to change and manipulation, and thus might serve as endogenous measures of sociopolitical contexts, and thus of groups. In terms of method, the work takes a corpus-based approach to the analysis of data from the Twitter messaging service whereby patterns in users’ speech are examined statistically in order to trace potential community membership. The method is applied in the US state of Michigan during the second half of 2018—6 November having been the date of midterm (i.e. non-Presidential) elections in the United States. The corpus is assembled from the original posts of 5,889 users, who are nominally geolocalised to 417 municipalities. These users are clustered according to pervasive language features. Comparing the linguistic clusters according to the municipalities they represent finds that there are regular sociodemographic differentials across clusters. This is understood as an indication of social structure, suggesting that endogenous measures derived from pervasive patterns in language may indeed offer a complementary, contextualised perspective on large-scale social phenomena

    Forested buffers in agricultural landscapes : mitigation effects on stream–riparian meta-ecosystems

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    Stream–riparian meta-ecosystems are strongly connected through exchanges of energy, material and organisms. Land use can disrupt ecological connectivity by affecting community composition directly and/or indirectly by altering the instream and riparian habitats that support biological structure and function. Although forested riparian buffers are increasingly used as a management intervention, our understanding of their effects on the functioning of stream–riparian metaecosystems is limited. This study assessed patterns in the longitudinal and lateral profiles of streams in modified landscapes across Europe and Sweden using a pairedreach approach, with upstream unbuffered reaches lacking woody riparian vegetation and with downstream reaches having well-developed forested buffers. The presence of buffers was positively associated with stream ecological status as well as important attributes, which included instream shading and the provision of suitable habitats for instream and riparian communities, thus supporting more aquatic insects (especially EPT taxa). Emergence of aquatic insects is particularly important because they mediate reciprocal flows of subsidies into terrestrial systems. Results of fatty acid analysis and prey DNA from spiders further supported the importance of buffers in providing more aquatic-derived quality food (i.e. essential fatty acids) for riparian spiders. Findings presented in this thesis show that buffers contribute to the strengthening of cross-ecosystem connectivity and have the potential to affect a wide range of consumers in modified landscapes

    Child exploitation in Cape Town : an exploratory-criminological investigation

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    Abstract in English, Afrikaans and XhosaHuman trafficking, which incorporates child exploitation, as interrogated and presented in this thesis, accentuates the significant contribution of criminology to comprehending the illegal manipulation, exploitation, and trafficking of persons, and specifically children. It expands and enhances the theoretical constructs and recommends justice through decisive, dedicated, and holistic intervention programmes and relevant strategies to defend the inherent rights of all citizens. This study serves as an instrument to profile human traffickers and their victims as well as their target selection and recruitment approaches. The research concerns South African child exploitation in the context of human trafficking and employs specific criminological theories to promote effectiveness and discovery. These theories are uncovered, scrutinised, and examined in this research to ascertain the correlation and alignment (or lack thereof) with the human trafficking phenomenon. This study contributes to the field of human trafficking in post-modern criminology. The data obtained from the participants during the interviewing phase, together with information from the literature review, confirms evidence of human trafficking incidents occurring in Cape Town with a strong undercurrent of child exploitation practices. The overall conclusion is that certain forms of child exploitation are visible, namely forced labour practices that include domestic servitude, and children engaged in street hawking and sexual exploitation. Furthermore, Cape Town is perceived as a sex tourism hotspot and the involvement of local gangs and taxi operators in the sex industry is obvious. The sexual exploitation of minors by parents on the Cape Flats, in particular, is an issue fuelled by poverty, unemployment, and alcohol and substance abuse that affect numerous households in impoverished areas. Since Cape Town is a major seaport city with a constant movement of foreign vessels, there is evidence of foreign fishing boats that employ forced labour practices. Abandoned seamen in need of care are often discovered on foreign vessels in Cape Town harbour, which is a transgression that requires more attention. This study shows that the basic principles of human trafficking, namely the recruitment, movement, and control of victims, apply and are manifest in numerous incidents in South Africa. The general view of all participants is that the South African government has made significant progress with the establishment of the Prevention and Combatting of Trafficking in Persons (PACOTIP) Act (2013) and there is an expectation amongst participants that the act will serve as a benchmark to assess trafficking going forward. Considering the hidden nature of trafficking and the scarcity of South African research on the subject, the overall findings of this study are significant. This probe into trafficking contributes to the discipline of Criminology as indicated in this study.Mensehandel, wat die uitbuiting van kinders insluit, soos ondersoek en aangebied word in hierdie proefskrif, beklemtoon die beduidende bydrae van kriminologie tot die begrip van die onwettige manipulasie, uitbuiting en handel in persone en spesifiek kinders. Dit brei die teoretiese konstruksies uit en versterk dit en beveel geregtigheid aan deur besliste, toegewyde en holistiese intervensieprogramme en relevante strategieë om die inherente regte van alle burgers te verdedig. Hierdie studie dien ook as 'n instrument om mensehandelaars en hul slagoffers te profileer, wat ook hul teikenkeuse en werwingsbenaderings uitlig. Die navorsing handel oor Suid-Afrikaanse kinderuitbuiting binne die konteks van mensehandel en wend spesifieke kriminologiese teorieë aan om doeltreffendheid en ontdekking van die misdaad te bewerkstellig. Hierdie teorieë word in hierdie navorsing ontbloot en ondersoek om die korrelasie en aansluiting (of gebrek daaraan) aan die mensehandelverskynsel vas te stel. Die verwagting is dat hierdie studie 'n beduidende bydrae sal lewer tot die veld van mensehandel in die post-moderne kriminologie. Die gegewens wat tydens die onderhoudfase van die deelnemers verkry is, sowel as inligting wat voortspruit uit die literatuur, bevestig dat daar getuienis is van mensehandel-voorvalle wat in Kaapstad plaasvind met 'n sterk onderstroom van kinderuitbuitingspraktyke. Die algehele gevolgtrekking is dat verskillende vorme van uitbuiting van kinders sigbaar is, wat dwangarbeid en huishoudelike dienste insluit, kinders wat besig is met straatsmousery asook die seksuele uitbuiting van kinders. Verder word Kaapstad as 'n brandpunt vir sekstoerisme beskou en die betrokkenheid van plaaslike bendes en taxi-operateurs in die seksbedryf is voor die hand liggend. Veral die seksuele uitbuiting van minderjariges deur ouers op die Kaapse Vlakte is 'n kwessie wat aangevuur word deur armoede, werkloosheid en drank- en dwelmmisbruik wat talle huishoudings in arm gebiede raak. Aangesien Kaapstad 'n belangrike hawestad is met 'n voortdurende beweging van buitelandse seevaartuie, is daar bevestiging van buitelandse vissersbote wat van dwangarbeid gebruik maak. Verlate seevaarders wat sorg benodig word gereeld op buitelandse bote in die Kaapstadse hawe ontdek en is 'n oortreding wat meer aandag verg. Hierdie studie toon dat die basiese beginsels van mensehandel, naamlik die werwing, beweging en beheer van slagoffers, van toepassing is en manifesteer in talle voorvalle in Suid-Afrika. Die algemene siening van alle deelnemers in hierdie ondersoek is dat die Suid-Afrikaanse regering beduidende vordering gemaak het met die instelling van die Wet op die Voorkoming en Bestryding van Mensehandel (2013) en dat daar onder die deelnemers 'n verwagting is dat die wet 'n maatstaf sal wees om mensehandel te beoordeel in die toekoms. Met inagneming van die verborge aard van handel en die gebrek aan Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing oor hierdie onderwerp, is die algehele bevindings van hierdie studie betekenisvol. Hierdie ondersoek na mensehandel dra by tot die dissipline van kriminologie soos in die studie aangedui word.Ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni, okubandakanya ukuxhaphaza abantwana, njengoko kugocagocwayo kwaye kwenziwa kule thisisi, kugxininisa igalelo elibalulekileyo lolwaphulo-mthetho ekuqondeni ukuxhaphaza ngokungekho mthethweni, ukuxhaphaza, ukurhweba ngabantu, ngakumbi abantwana. Iyakwandisa kwaye iphucule ukwakhiwa kweethiyori kwaye icebisa ubulungisa ngokusebenzisa iinkqubo zokungenelela ezigqibeleleyo, ezinikeleyo, nezibandakanya konke kunye nezicwangciso ezifanelekileyo zokukhusela amalungelo abo bonke abemi. Olu phononongo lukwasebenza njengesixhobo sokubonisa ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni kunye namaxhoba abo kunye neendlela zabo zokukhetha kunye neendlela zokugaya abantu. Olu phando luchaphazela izenzo zokuxhaphaza abantwana zoMzantsi Afrika kwimeko yokurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni kwaye lisebenzisa iithiyori ezithile zolwaphulo-mthetho ukukhuthaza ukusebenza ngokukuko kunye nokufumanisa. Ezi ithiyori ziyavezwa, ziphicothwe, kwaye zavavanywa kolu phando ukuqinisekisa ulungelelwaniso kunye nokulungelelaniswa (okanye ukusilela kwako) kunye nomcimbi wokurhweba ngabantu. Kulindelwe ukuba olu phononongo luza kuba negalelo kwicandelo lokurhweba ngabantu ngolwaphulo-mthetho lwasemva kwexesha langoku. Idatha efunyenwe kubathathi-nxaxheba ngexesha lesigaba sodliwanondlebe, kunye nolwazi oluvela kuncwadi, iyangqina ukuba bukhona ubungqina bezehlo zokurhweba ngabantu ezenzeka eKapa ezinesimo esomeleleyo sokuxhaphaza abantwana. Isiphetho esipheleleyo kukuba iindlela ezithile zokuxhaphaza abantwana ziyabonakala, nezinyanzelisa imisebenzi yabasebenzi ebandakanya ukukhonzwa emakhayeni, kunye nabantwana ababandakanyeka ekuthengiseni ezitalatweni nasekuxhaphazeni ngokwesondo. Ngapha koko, iKapa lithathwa njengeyona ndawo yokhenketho lokwabelana ngesondo kwaye ukubandakanyeka kwamaqela emigulukudu nabaqhubi beeteksi kuyacaca. Ukuxhatshazwa kwabantwana ngokwesondo ngabazali kwiCape Flats, ngakumbi, ngumba ophenjelelwa yindlala, ukungabikho kwemisebenzi, kunye nokusetyenziswa gwenxa kotywala neziyobisi ezichaphazela amakhaya amaninzi kwiindawo ezihlwempuzekileyo. Kuba iKapa sisixeko esisesona zibuko likhulu sihamba rhoqo kwiinqanawa zakwamanye amazwe, kukho ubungqina bokuba amaphenyane okuloba aphesheya aqeshe abantu ukuba basebenze ngenkani. Oomatiloshe abalahliweyo abafuna ukhathalelo bahlala befunyanwa kwiinqanawa zamanye amazwe kwizibuko laseKapa, ulwaphulo mthetho olufuna ingqalelo engakumbi. Olu phononongo lubonisa ukuba imigaqo-siseko yokurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni, eyile yokugaya, ukuhamba, nokulawula amaxhoba, iyasebenza kwaye iyabonakala kwiziganeko ezininzi eMzantsi Afrika. Uluvo ngokubanzi lwabo bonke abathathi-nxaxheba kukuba urhulumente woMzantsi Afrika wenze inkqubela phambili ebonakalayo ngokusekwa koMthetho woThintelo nokuLwa ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni (2013) kwaye kukho ulindelo phakathi kwabathathi-nxaxheba lokuba lo mthetho uzakusebenza njengomlinganiso wokuvavanya ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni. ukuya phambili. Ukuthathela ingqalelo imeko efihliweyo yokurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni kunye nokunqaba kophando lwase Mzantsi Afrika ngalo mbandela, iziphumo zophando zizonke zibalulekile. Le projekthi yokurhweba ngabantu ngokurhabaxa inegalelo kuqeqesho lweCriminology njengoko kubonisiwe kolu phando.Criminology and Security ScienceD. Lit. et Phil. (Criminology
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