Media Entertainment and Commercialization of the Body

The desire to accumulate material resources and to have good life-chance is rooted deeply in the sensibilities of human society Every individual strives to ensure that he meets not only his essential needs of today and future but also accumulate well enough to gain social standing and be able to bequeath wealthy heritage to his children This tendency predisposes man to looking for economic means with all intensity And whenever profit propensity is discovered in any endeavour or vocation entrepreneurs or capitalists mobilize resources financial technical human etc in that direction This work relying largely on extant literature which highlights the overarching influence of the mass media on society media contents profit goal of media investors and audience response attempts to situate the roles nudity plays within the broad spectrum of media arts The focus is on how media moguls profiteer from explicit media content involving the private parts of women and the aftermath connected with tha

Drought and Public Health Challenges: Analysing causations and interventions

Water stress, occasioned by irregular and insufficient rainfall, has been found to have far-reaching impacts on human lives and livelihoods. Often, these impacts have been linked to agriculture, industry and household water needs. In transcending these usual narratives about drought impacts, this study attempts to discuss the drought-health nexus which is an area of scholarship that has not gained much attention. Relying on extant literature as data source and content analysis as analytical tool, the study highlights the impacts of drought on public health. The study recommends early warning systems (EWSs), scenario planning (SP) etc. as interventions which can ameliorate the impacts of drought on public health.Institute for Social and Health Studies (ISHS

“If It’s Yellow, Let It Mellow, If It’s Brown, Let It Drown”: Examining the Health Effects of Drought-Induced Water Rationing for Sanitary Needs

This paper focuses on the impacts of water stress on health outcomes. It specifically investigates the health effects of insufficiency of water for sanitary needs in drought-affected households. A focus group discussion that drew medical experts from such fields as medicine, virology, and microbiology was conducted to collect data. The findings of the study show that there is a possibility of vulnerability to negative health outcomes such as Cholera, Diarrhea, and respiratory problems by households that lack the necessary levels of water for domestic, sanitation, and hygiene uses. It is therefore important that individuals and households susceptible to the vagaries of drought be aware of this relationship so that they may forge necessary adaptive measures such as the use of purifiers, hand and surface sanitizers, and disinfectants to mitigate the health effects of a drought that are related to inadequate water use for sanitary purposes.Institute for Social and Health Studies (ISHS

Social Entrepreneurship in the Matrix of Economic Action and Social Structure

This paper examines the link between economic activities and human social organization with a view to x-raying the roles social entrepreneurship can play towards addressing attendant consequences of economic activities and other social problems facing human society today Point is made about the centrality of human collectivities in market economy and the need for a shift from aggressive capitalism driven by excessive profit-making - to conscious capitalism driven by social altruism The emphasis is on how economic action will spell fortune for society and not woe like the kind that trailed post-revolution industrial adventuris

Sociological Theories and the Changing Society

The point of departure for this paper is the location of sociological theorizing within certain socio-historical contexts which provoked the need for a systematic study and analysis of social phenomena. The paper also highlights the influence of natural science on sociological thoughts and the ensuing arguments about the applicability of natural science method in sociological inquiry. The paper, adopting Karl Popper’s falsification approach, argues that sociological theories need to be continually subjected to test especially since human social world is constantly in a state of flux and also because social forces are not the exclusive preserve of classical age. It is hoped that this will eventually give Sociology and its theories the kind of reputation that natural science and its theories command

Dunlopian Industrial-Relations System: A Myth or Heuristic Device?

This paper looks at the industrial-relations system popularized by John Dunlop with a view to answering the poser – “a myth or heuristic device? Attempt is thus made to conceptualise myth and heuristic, and the conclusion drawn from that is that myth hardly depicts the industrial-relations model postulated by Dunlop. It is argued that nonetheless the weaknesses and inadequacies of Dunlopian model; it is still a veritable medium for explicating the nature and dynamics of the phenomenon of industrial relations. Also, the paper holds that Dunlop’s theory laid a foundation for scholarly discourse on employment relationship by actors in industrial relations and the theory still remains relevant till date especially now that its failings are being addressed by neo-Dunlopian thinkers. Key words: Myth, heuristic, industrial relations and industrial-relations system

Social Services Provision and Community Development in Nigeria

The importance of social services provision has been ignored in practice for long by successive governments and the private sector in Nigeria. The resultant effect has been severely felt by her populace who are at the receiving end. It is widely acknowledged that for real development to take place, there are several conditions that have to be on ground. One of these numerous conditions is the provision of vital social services. Regrettably, this aspect of the development process has not been given the adequate and deserved attention it requires. Thus, all the efforts put to develop our immediate rural communities and improve the welfare of the populace have either been wasted or truncated. To ensure the development of rural communities in Nigeria, concerted efforts by government and private sector must be made to provide social infrastructure that will provide enabling environment for other aspects of development to take place. This way, the development and wellbeing of the rural populace will be ensured. Key words: Social services, community development, social infrastructure and rural

Energy Transitions in the Global South and Africa: Policy Imperatives, System Dynamics and Challenges

Energy poverty is pervasive with significant health and well-being ramifications, especially for the Global South (United Nations Environment Program [UNEP], 2021). Energy-impoverished communities are those that are dependent on traditional solid fuels and flammable hydrocarbons that are usually burnt in unsafe, inefficient and polluting stoves. The health and economic consequences are far-reaching, primarily through household air pollution, burn injuries and poisonings, with consequential health, neurological and psychological outcomes (Haagsma, et al., 2016; Wolf, Prüss Ustün & Vickers, 2016). The socio-economic ramifications of the energy burden are enormous and generate social exclusion while limiting development in the affected countries (Guzowski, Martin & Zabaloy, 2021). With the accumulation of evidence of the impact of energy impoverishment, there have been increasing calls for expedited and inclusive transitions to safe and health-promotive energy. For such transitions to be truly just, they must centre on the needs of energy-impoverished people to ensure that no one is left behind (UNEP, 2021). There is also increasing consensus that access to safe and clean domestic energy is pivotal, if not a prerequisite, for a range of other global priorities beyond health, including environmental protection and sustainability, economic development and gender equality (Wolf et al., 2016).Institute for Social and Health Studies (ISHS

Knowledge Community as an Intervention Mechanism for Drought Resilience in South Africa

Drought remains an existential issue in South Africa and it has posed significant threats to crop farming, pastoralism and agro-allied industrial activities. This study, relying on structural-functionalism as theoretical thrust, examined the relevance of knowledge sharing and its receptivity to drought-affected actors at the municipal level.  The study adopted survey method and drew 122 participants who are affected by or concerned with water stress for agricultural and agro-allied activities. The data collected were analysed using Chi Square (X2) statistical test and binomial regression. The findings of the study show that the participants believe that knowledge sharing at the municipal level among critical stakeholders will lessen the impacts of drought when it occurs. The participants also indicated that they are willing to be coopted into such arrangement because of their belief that each stakeholder sector holds specialised knowledge and skills that may benefit other sectors and increase drought resilience. It is however important that the facilitation of the knowledge communities at municipal level be championed by the public and private sectors because of the financial implication of institutionalising such arrangement

Observing without reporting: critiquing the failure of election observers to report preemptive electoral prophecies in Nigeria

Although Nigerian elections are sufficiently observed by domestic and international observer groups, the frequent pronouncements of religious leaders claiming to have supernatural insights into election outcomes have never captured the attention of these observers. This is despite the fact that election prophecy may have adverse effects on the electoral process and the survival of Nigeria’s nascent democracy. This paper critiques the failure of election observers to capture this unfolding trend in their reports bearing in mind that pre-emptive electoral prophecies violate Section 95 (3) (b) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). The tendency to question the integrity and neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the judiciary (in cases of post-election litigations), has worsened because of unguarded electoral prophetism. It is therefore recommended that election prophecy should be captured in official election reports so as to – at least – show its enormity. This may trigger a concerted effort among election stakeholders to control it.Institute for Social and Health Studies (ISHS