7,542 research outputs found

    How does migration impact on mental health and emotional wellbeing of migrants? A case study of 25 Filipino migrants in the United Kingdom

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    This thesis presents findings from a qualitative case study to explore the experiences and perceptions of 25 Filipino migrants in the United Kingdom (UK) on how migration has impacted their mental health and emotional well-being. Through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, this study determined the factors Filipino migrants associated with their mental health and emotional well-being, and what coping strategies they have used to deal with the impacts of migration. Although migration is a well-researched phenomenon, little is known about how Filipino migrants conceptualise mental health, nor is there a great deal of qualitative research on how their mental health is impacted by the experience of migration. The main thesis of this study was the significance of culture in the migrants’ understanding of mental health and in making sense of their migration experiences.Guided by Bhugra’s framework (2004), this study found sociological and economic factors that were associated with mental health including loss of social support, loss of identity, discrimination and racism, and financial obligation to the family. This study showed that for economic migrants, the voluntary nature of their migration and their motivation to migrate factored in coping with the impact of migration. Culturally appropriate coping strategies that correspond to Filipino values and norms include faith, religion, social support, or togetherness, and fulfilling the obligation of providing economic support to the family. This study offers another way of understanding the role of the family of the migrants and challenges some concepts of the migrant behaviour model where sending remittances is seen as an intertemporal contractual arrangement. Instead, the study highlights the deeply rooted sense of obligation by the migrants to fulfil their provider role.Finally, this study showed how qualitative research using a case study design could investigate a sensitive topic such as mental health and provide a voice to research participants. Using participant observation proved effective in understanding the dynamics of relationships within social groups and how culture manifests in social interactions.<br/

    Climate Change and Critical Agrarian Studies

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    Climate change is perhaps the greatest threat to humanity today and plays out as a cruel engine of myriad forms of injustice, violence and destruction. The effects of climate change from human-made emissions of greenhouse gases are devastating and accelerating; yet are uncertain and uneven both in terms of geography and socio-economic impacts. Emerging from the dynamics of capitalism since the industrial revolution — as well as industrialisation under state-led socialism — the consequences of climate change are especially profound for the countryside and its inhabitants. The book interrogates the narratives and strategies that frame climate change and examines the institutionalised responses in agrarian settings, highlighting what exclusions and inclusions result. It explores how different people — in relation to class and other co-constituted axes of social difference such as gender, race, ethnicity, age and occupation — are affected by climate change, as well as the climate adaptation and mitigation responses being implemented in rural areas. The book in turn explores how climate change – and the responses to it - affect processes of social differentiation, trajectories of accumulation and in turn agrarian politics. Finally, the book examines what strategies are required to confront climate change, and the underlying political-economic dynamics that cause it, reflecting on what this means for agrarian struggles across the world. The 26 chapters in this volume explore how the relationship between capitalism and climate change plays out in the rural world and, in particular, the way agrarian struggles connect with the huge challenge of climate change. Through a huge variety of case studies alongside more conceptual chapters, the book makes the often-missing connection between climate change and critical agrarian studies. The book argues that making the connection between climate and agrarian justice is crucial

    We, the City

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    Given their unchecked neoliberal restructuring, Berlin and Istanbul have been exposed to various forms of political polarisation and social injustice over the last decade. As a result, the struggle for affordable housing, access to public space, fair working conditions, ecological justice and the right to different ways of life has intensified. Various forms of resistance "from below" have challenged the relationship between local governments and social movements, questioning where and how the city's political problems arise. In a mixture of dialogues, essays and critical reflections, this book explores the ways in which residents of Berlin and Istanbul experience, express and resist the physical, political and normative reorganisation of their cities. It poses the question: Who is the We in We, the City

    Why Climate Change Adaptation is Elusive: The Lived Reality of Farming Households in the Central Dry Zone of Myanmar

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    Farming households in the Global South are vulnerable to climate change because of their livelihoods’ direct link to the natural environment. Farm households adapt to climate through altering their farming practices and by diversifying their livelihoods through the non-farm sector and migration. However, previous research has suggested that most of these adaptations are incremental, meaning they may not address the root cause of climate change vulnerability in the long term. The aim of this thesis is to assess these claims using the experiences of farm households in Myanmar’s Central Dry Zone, a highly climate-stressed region. According to fieldwork conducted in the Central Dry Zone, farmers’ responses to climate change vary considerably. In many cases, although farmers may be aware of the effects of climate change, their livelihood adaptations are motivated by a wider array of concerns, which mitigate or even subvert their capacities to respond to climate challenges. These mixed responses, and the notable reluctance of many farmers in the Central Dry Zone to take adaptive measures to the clear and present risks of climate change, forms the central problem this research seeks to resolve. The thesis argues that these outcomes can be explained through the adoption of a broad-based livelihoods approach which acknowledges that although climate change is an important factor influencing famers’ decision making, other factors are also involved, and these are often prioritized over climate risks. This highlights the position of climate change on farmers' daily lives by emphasising the significance of geographical context and local traditions in relation to making decisions about rural livelihoods, farming, non-farm activities and migration. These findings underscore the need to recognise and comprehend how multiple stresses interact with climate effects to exacerbate the vulnerability of rural households and spotlight the importance of understanding the underlying causes of vulnerability. This perspective is crucial for understanding how farmers and agriculture-dependent communities respond to climate risks. Using the Central Dry Zone of Myanmar as a case study, the research generates an analytical framework that explains why farming households respond to climate change incrementally while being aware of it

    A Tale of Two Trees: A Comparative Study on the Effects of Scale and Biodiversity Efforts in Ghana’s Cocoa and Shea Production Networks

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    This thesis presents two case studies on Ghana’s cocoa and shea production networks, focusing on the effects of scale on biodiversity sustainability dissemination. Analysis is done through my unique holistic framework for action-based production network analysis, which provides a robust and multiscalar analysis to answer my main research question How does scale affect biodiversity sustainability throughout Ghana’s cocoa and shea production networks? The two case studies focus on Ghana’s cocoa and shea production network coordination and the action taken up by different levels of actors within scale, their considerations of, approaches to, and outcomes of biodiversity sustainability dissemination throughout their Ghanaian cocoa production networks. These case studies focus on the history and context of the cocoa and shea sectors as they function within Ghana’s agricultural industry, the influencers, and barriers to biodiversity sustainability dissemination throughout the studied production networks, and the effects of scale on this sustainability attainment. My research is support through primary data collected in Ghana and secondary data. The two case studies are then cross-analysed to draw out the commonalities in context, issues faced, and effects of scale on the studied sustainability aspects. The findings of this research show that in order to achieve biodiversity sustainability, social sustainability must be incorporated into production network coordination and that the level of actors’ scale and scalar approach to network coordination significantly impact achievement of biodiversity sustainability dissemination. The results of this thesis are novel in the fact that it combines several streams of analytical consideration into a holistic framework and presents clear and applicable results that can significantly impact the approach to sustainability dissemination throughout global production networks in an equitable manner that is fit to the context within which production takes place

    The prenatal narratives and lived experience of individuals with Down’s syndrome

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    This portfolio has three parts: a systematic literature review, an empirical paper and appendices. This thesis aims to explore the opinions and experiences of prenatal testing from the perspective of parents of children with Down’s Syndrome and the lived experiences of personal growth in individuals with Down’s Syndrome.Part one: Systematic Literature ReviewThis review aims to draw together the experiences and opinions of parents of individual living with Down’s Syndrome on prenatal testing. Twelve studies were identified for inclusion in this review. Five superordinate themes were identified through thematic synthesis; decision-making and reason for not testing, professionals, post-test emotions, societal opinions, opinions on the logistics of testing. Conclusions and implications are discussed.Part two: Empirical PaperPart two contains a qualitative empirical study, exploring the opportunities and experiences of personal growth of individuals with Down’s Syndrome.Six individuals with Down’s Syndrome were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. These were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Four superordinate themes were identified. This research highlighted the opportunities and ability for individuals living with Down’s Syndrome to experience personal growth, a marker of quality of life. The need to further acceptance and provision of opportunities is also discussed

    2023-2024 Catalog

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    The 2023-2024 Governors State University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog is a comprehensive listing of current information regarding:Degree RequirementsCourse OfferingsUndergraduate and Graduate Rules and Regulation
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