Optimising rigour in focus group analysis : using content/thematic and form/structural approaches to understand British Somali's experiences of policing in London

There is evidence that focus groups are useful to explore issues with socially marginalised groups, notably when participants have shared particular experiences. Focus groups have the methodological potential to highlight group norms and processes, and to illuminate the social and cultural contexts in which individual agency takes place. However, an often cited concern about focus groups is researchers’ inadequate description of the analytical process which then affects the usefulness and credibility of the findings and rigour in analysis. In this article we address this concern and offer an analytical framework which takes account of the content (themes) and form (structure) of focus group data. Framed within an interpretivist paradigm, our analysis is driven by a theoretical interest in how race/ethnicity as social positions shape young British Somali men’s individual and shared experiences of policing in London

Integrity of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Natural Resource Management: The Case of the Arid and Semi-Arid Baringo Herders of Kenya

Ineffective management of natural resources in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), resulting in resource depletion, rapid loss of biodiversity and environmental degradation, is of great concern globally. The Baringo herders in the ASALs of Kenya have been branded as perpetrators of this vice, with the blame placed particularly on their traditional livestock management, utilising indigenous knowledge systems (IKS). These IKS involve livestock mobility and maximisation, and have been regarded as being outdated and inefficient in meeting the challenges and demands for environmental conservation and sustainable management of the natural resources. A common reaction of the government has been to advocate modern interventions that are based on exogenous knowledge systems (EKS), involving sedentary livestock raising and destocking. These EKS are, however, not performing as well as expected, since they are not adapted to the ASALs ecological conditions and the herders\u27 socio-economic and cultural situations (Aboud et al 1997; Makenzi, 2003). This study empirically explored the above propositions, in order to test the integrity of the IKS, in relation to EKS and the herders\u27 levels of education

Of Grasslands and Guns: Natural-Resource Based Conflict Among the Waso Borana Pastoralists of Northern Kenya

The once productive, arid rangelands of northern Kenya, traditionally dominated by a mix of woody species (Acacia, Commiphora, Cordia spp.) and graminoids (Tetrapogon, Aristida, Chrysopogon and Sporobolus spp.) have gradually deteriorated in ecological condition over recent decades (Herlocker, 1999). A major factor considered to be responsible for this trend is the disintegration of traditional systems of land stewardship. Traditional authority has waned in northern Kenya and has often been replaced by open-access tenure, overseen by ineffectual government administrators. Couple this with frequent droughts that typify this zone, as well as expanding populations of people and livestock, and the net result is increased competition for diminishing quantity and quality of grazing and water resources. Local people throughout northern Kenya have reportedly entered a survival mode of existence where the incidence of armed conflict has increased because resource-based disputes have intensified (Smith et al., 2000). The objective of this research was to investigate and quantify the views of the Waso Boran people, one of many ethnic groups in the northern Kenyan rangelands, concerning the causes, and possible solutions, for their conflicts that revolve around natural resources

Remittance sending among Somalis in London : experiences, motivations, and practices

An estimated 1 billion people globally (200 million of whom were senders) were involved in the process of remittance sending and receiving between family members (UN International Day of Family Remittances: 2019). While much of the discourse around remittances particularly within Development Studies focuses on the impact on receiving communities and local economies, this research considers remittance-senders. More specifically it focuses on the example of London’s Somali community. It reflects on their lived experience as senders of financial assistance. It also attempts to understand what their perceptions are of their own present-day sending practices and what they expect to take place in the future for both senders and their ‘traditional’ remittance-receiving networks.The research involves two cohorts, Somalis born abroad, and UK born Somalis living in London. The born abroad group includes those born in Somalia and in neighbouring countries. Somali migration to the UK increased in the late 1980s and early 1990s as war broke out it is for this reason, UK born respondents can represent a younger population group and those born elsewhere a slightly older demographic.This qualitative study considers themes around duty, caring, kinship, visits home, transnationalism, diaspora, family practice and legacy. The findings demonstrate the importance of familial bonds and normative values and reveal that actors far beyond 1 sender and 1 recipient are participants and vital to these human support networks. Through active and passive remittance sending it demonstrates how negotiated commitments function in practice. It reveals the strength of feeling about familial duty and in equal measure the fears about the future of the practice of remittance sending

Community Perceptions of Vulnerable Key Ecological Resources in Baringo, Kenya

Key resources in arid lands are often relatively small patches of seasonal grazing or water access that critically support entire livestock production systems (Scoones, 1993). When these are lost, production systems may be destroyed. An early-warning system is needed whereby key resources at risk can be identified and protected. The Baringo District of north-central Kenya has endured decades of resource abuse and high rates of population growth-breakdowns of traditional systems have occurred and food relief is common (Little, 1992). Despite this situation, most production system research in the past has been conducted at local scales of resolution. The advent of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, however, allows investigations to scale-up. Precise mapping of resource problems is now possible, and such maps can provide useful communication tools to better address issues. We have undertaken a hierarchical approach that focuses on the district, divisions, localities and communities. At the largest spatial scales we rely on social science methods to assess perceived key resources at risk according to community leaders, while at smaller scales we use ecological methods to verify and quantify resource vulnerability. Here we report on the first phase of research involving surveys of community leaders

Community Perceptions Concerning Key Ecological Resources at Risk in Baringo District, Kenya

Key ecological resources in arid and semi-arid lands are often characterized by small patches of seasonal grazing and important water points that lend critical support to entire production systems. When key resources are degraded or lost, production systems can be badly compromised. The Baringo District of north-central Kenya is well known for enduring decades of environmental degradation and food relief. As an initial part of an effort to map and characterize key ecological resources at risk in Baringo, we interviewed 136 resident leaders from pastoral and agro-pastoral areas. We asked them to identify and rank their most vulnerable ecological resources, clarify why these resources have become compromised, and propose ideas for resource rehabilitation. Overall, pastoralists and agro-pastoralists ranked vulnerable resources differently. Climate and human factors were mentioned as being responsible for resource-related problems. When solutions to problems were discussed, respondents noted that government must play the critical role in resource rehabilitation. In contrast, they rarely proposed solutions based on their own initiative, and we interpreted this to suggest that the population in general has become overly dependent on outside forces to affect change. Resource rehabilitation efforts would require strong partnerships between government and resource users to be sustainable. How to forge and sustain such partnerships should be a focus of future research and development efforts

Agro-Pastoralists’ Wrath for the Prosopis Tree: The Case of the Il Chamus of Baringo District, Kenya

Indigenous to Peru, Chile, and Argentina, the woody plant called Prosopis juliflora (also known by the American common name of “Honey Mesquite”) has spread world-wide in recent decades, including rangelands throughout Latin America, North America, south and central Asia, Australia, and sub-Saharan Africa. A species known for rapid establishment, high adaptability, and fast rates of growth, its dispersal has primarily been a consequence of intentional introduction by well- meaning “technical experts” who wanted to provide a new source of fodder, fuel wood, or a means to combat desertification in arid and semi-arid lands. One problem, however, is that unless Prosopis receives careful management, it can invade and degrade ecosystems. Here we report on interviews conducted among rural residents of central Kenya where Prosopis was first introduced over 20 years ago. The respondents contend that Prosopis has greatly undermined their livelihoods, and they want to see it eradicated