Understanding the Social Gifts of Drinking Rituals: An Alternative Framework for PSA Developers

Binge drinking behavior has been described as the most significant health hazard on college campuses today. Using definitions of ritual behavior drawn from the literature, the authors conducted focus groups, depth interviews, and participant observations to explore the ritualized nature of alcohol beverage consumption among college students at two large universities. The themes that emerged provide an understanding of the rituals associated with college student drinking. With the drinking-as-ritual interpretation as a theoretical framework, the authors discuss how developers of public service announcements (PSAs) could capture and contextualize drinking rituals and thus make PSAs more relevant to the target audience. They provide examples of PSAs that could be tested

Detection of subclinical hypotony maculopathy with OCT III after filtration surgery

PURPOSE: To detect nondiagnostic hypotony maculopathy by OCT III after filtration surgery. METHODS: After surgery, patients with intraocular pressure less than 9 mmHg were submitted to OCT III examination. RESULTS: Seven (87.50%) patients with previous diagnosis of open angle glaucoma and one (12.50%) of them with acute angle closure glaucoma. Two patients (25.00%) presented hypotony maculopathy on OCT III examination. CONCLUSION: OCT III examination seems to be a good diagnostic method to detect subclinical hypotony maculopathy after filtration surgery.OBJETIVO: Detectar possíveis sinais de maculopatia hipotônica subclínica por meio da OCT III em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia filtrante. MÉTODOS: Pacientes que realizaram procedimento cirúrgico filtrante com pressão intra-ocular menor que 9 mmHg submeteram-se ao exame OCT III. RESULTADOS: Sete (87,50%) pacientes apresentaram diagnóstico prévio de glaucoma crônico simples e 1 (12,50%) de glaucoma agudo de ângulo fechado. Apenas duas pacientes (25,00%) apresentaram maculopatia hipotônica detectada pela OCT III. CONCLUSÃO: A OCT III parece ser um bom método diagnóstico de maculopatia hipotônica subclínica em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia filtrante convencional.Complexo Hospitalar Padre BentoCHPBUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Setor de GlaucomaCHPB Setor de GlaucomaUNIFESPUNIFESP, Setor de GlaucomaUNIFESPSciEL

Land and water use rights in smallholder farming : impacts on productive use of irrigation water and entrepreneurial spirit in KwaZulu-Natal.

Master of Science in Agricultural Economics. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2017.The increasing pressure on land and water resources in developing countries due to population growth has led to the need for improvement of the regulations that control the use of these scarce resources. However, the impact of those regulations and institutional issues therein are little understood, especially in the communal rural areas of South Africa. Recently, entrepreneurship has come to be recognized as a major engine for job creation and economic development in countries around the world. The South African 2012 National Development Plan suggests that agricultural development needs to be based on successful land reform, employment generation through establishment and expansion of agri-businesses, and ensuring strong environmental safeguards. Yet, policy makers have very little information on how the policies they develop and adopt affect smallholder farmers’ entrepreneurial spirit. Moreover, very little is understood about whether smallholder farmers are interested in expanding their farming operations or not and if so, what factors influence their willingness and ability to expand. Not much research has empirically analyzed the impact of land use rights and water use rights on the productive use of irrigation water and entrepreneurial spirit of smallholder farmers. Previous studies have mainly focused on the impact of land tenure systems on agriculture investment. This study differs as it classifies customary land tenure system to identify which of the bundle rights have a significant impact on the productive use of irrigation water and entrepreneurial spirit, while taking into account water use rights which have not been accounted for in those studies. Moreover, no research has empirically analyzed the factors that influence the willingness and ability of smallholder farmers to expand their farming operations. Yet, government has been making efforts in trying to move smallholder farmers into commercial farming by expanding existing irrigation schemes and creating new ones. The study was conducted in three areas, namely, Msinga, Nongoma and Jozini. The data was collected from 242 smallholder farmers using a combination of purposive and stratified random sampling methods. The study purposively selected farmers who are engaged in food crop farming to allow for comparison across different smallholder farmers. A stratified random sampling technique was then employed to select the respondents. Households were categorized into four strata: scheme irrigators (166), non-irrigators (23), community gardeners (27) and home gardeners (26). The study made use of key informant interviews, focus group discussions and household surveys to gather the data. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Univariate General Linear Model (UGLM), Multivariate General Linear Model (MGLM), ordered probit regression model and Heckman selection model were used. The descriptive analysis was performed to compare socio-economic characteristics of smallholder farmers’ typologies. The study made use of the PCA method to develop land use right indices (right to use & exclude others, land transferability and land use decision making), water use right indices (secure access to water, effective scheme management and access to irrigation equipment), psychological capital indices (mainly capturing risk taking, open mindedness, self-confidence and ambition) and entrepreneurial spirit indices (business mindset, self-confidence, innovation and risk taking). The Keiser-Meyer-Olkin and Bartlett’s sphericity tests were employed to test the assumptions underlying the use of PCA. The gross margin analysis was used to compare variations among crops and smallholder farmer typologies. The UGLM was used to analyze the factors that influence the gross margin per hectare (proxy for productive use of irrigation water). The MGLM was used to analyze the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ entrepreneurial spirit. The oprobit and Heckman model were used to explain the factors affecting smallholder farmers’ willingness and ability to expand. Based on the findings of this study, smallholder farmers face many challenges like drought, pests and crop diseases, scarce arable land with water, market availability, old age, low level of education, availability of quality infrastructure like good roads within the schemes and good cellphone network connections, and access to quality inputs. Due to these challenges, agriculture contribution to total household income is low and social grants are the major contributor. This study found that the existing land tenure system is in line with the communal land tenure policy in the irrigation schemes with land related matters being handled by scheme committees who report to traditional leaders and they, in turn, report to government. The findings indicated that education level hinder productive use of irrigation water, while access to input markets, land transferability and scheme management enhance productive use of irrigation water. To encourage smallholder farmers’ entrepreneurial spirit, there is a need to take into account their mode of water supply, output market information, right to use & exclude others from land, land transferability, access to irrigation equipment and on-farm income. To change smallholder farmers’ subsistence mindset, investments need to be made in output markets and irrigation equipment. The findings suggest that there are three statistically significant variables that deter the smallholder farmers’ willingness and ability to expand, namely, age, gender and household size. From this study, it’s not clear what benefits privatization of individual land title would bring to improve productivity or investments in land when commons are governed collectively and effectively. This is especially the case as smallholders were not willing to use their land as collateral and also did not have credit records or proof of income which is required by banks to get credit. Therefore, customary tenure system was found to be favorable in this study as it was inclusive, ensured sustainability of land and accountability of leadership. The communal land tenure policy was found to be consistent with what was happening at local level. Therefore, the study recommends that the roles and responsibilities of scheme committees be reflected in both the communal land tenure policy and the national water resource strategy as a body that is responsible for land and water in the irrigation schemes for smallholder farmers. Agency control tenure systems need to be more inclusive in decision making as it affects smallholders’ production level. A provincial body of scheme committees is needed whereby smallholders will capacitate each other to collectively address the challenges they face related to water, land and markets. This body would also need to be represented in the policy formulation and can aid in policy implementation. When agriculture and other livelihoods fail, smallholder farmers depend mainly on social grants to survive. Therefore, the study recommends that when developing irrigation projects, departments like social development and economic development should also be part of the consultation to improve smallholder farmers’ livelihoods. Moreover, the study recommends that in new irrigation schemes young people must be given priority and there must be proper incentive schemes targeted specifically for them. Furthermore, it must be ensured that they receive necessary training and exposure to be able to participate meaningfully in the whole value chain

Proving constructive dismissal: a critical evaluation of section 186(l)(e) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 and recent judgments.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The focus of the research is to evaluate the interpretation of section 186 ( 1 )( e) of the Labour Relations Act of 1995 which defines a dismissal to include circumstances where an employee resigns with or without notice because the employer has made continued employment intolerable for the employee. The purpose of the research is to set out the appropriate test to be followed in dealing with a constructive dismissal claim in terms of section 186(1 )(e) and assess whether the Constitutional Court has adequately formulated a test to be applied in the case of Strategic Liquor Services v Mvumbi 2010 (2) SA 92 (CC) where it was held that the test for proving constructive dismissal is not whether the employee had alternatives short of resignation but only that the employer made continued employment intolerable. The test formulated by the Constitutional Court will be revisited and the research will further evaluate if there has been progression on the approach adopted by the CC. The focus of the research will be mainly on the evaluation of recent judgments. The significance of adopting a purposive approach when interpreting the LRA is discussed as well as the remedies which follows once an employee succeeds with a claim of a constructive dismissal

Transformation in the forestry sector and its implication for women in Zululand

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology in the Department of Sociology at the University Of Zululand, South Africa, 2017In post-Apartheid South Africa, transformation has afforded business opportunities for women to be involved as entrepreneurs. Stimulated by the forestry Charter, the forestry industry has been a major recipient of these entrepreneurs. While the Forestry Charter is succeeding in providing business opportunities for women, the work of sociologists, such as, Talcott Parsons, Marx and Engels and the Feminist perspective provide an understanding of the challenges faced by women in taking on social roles hitherto reserved for men in a patriarchal society. Feminist perspectives have shown how male dominance and the monopoly of the affairs of the state and the social division of labour relegated women to the households. This has often created obstacles for women in society. However, while modern social policies have begun to provide mechanisms of redress, the exclusion of women pervades. The exclusion of women from the forestry sector, which is regarded as an arena for men, mirrors other forms of marginalization and domination of women. This was the basis for the Beijing conference‘s recommendation for women‘s empowerment. While there have been many studies on social cultural inhibitions to women‘s empowerment as well as men‘s dominance, the present study uncovers implications for women with involvement in entrepreneurial pursuits in the forestry sector. The study proposed to uncover constructs that prevent women from taking full advantage of new opportunities legislated by transformation in South Africa. As South Africans, we need to be more educated in the meaning of transformation and understand the different types of transformation that are found. Transformation is a type of change presented in a certain form, nature or appearance. Change is more regarded as a gradual process. Industrial sociologists provide an in-depth explanation whereby they view and analyse transformation as first order change, ―conforming strategies‖, wherein the arrangement, including its organization, culture, defining values and sentiments, does not change. The process of change takes place within the boundaries of the system itself, and in terms of the basic principles and values of the system. The objective is to change behaviour within a prevailing system without affecting the culture, structure and defining values of the system. The study proposed to reveal how gender roles, inequalities and stereotypes affect the forestry industry in South Africa. Marx and Engels argued that gender inequality was used by the ruling class to help bind working class men to the capitalist social order. Utilizing a survey design, the present study investigated the effects of women‘s ‗coping abilities‘ (COPAB), ‗mastery of life‘ (MASTOL), their extent of ‗self-assurance‘, (SELASSU) and their levels of ‗perception of discrimination against women‘, (PERDIWOM) on their ‗Perception of empowerment and ability among women‘ (PERABIL). The survey conducted used a five-level Likert scale to determine hypothesised relationships between variables. In the first stage of analysis of the research results, responses (n = 68) were reduced using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to determine how questionnaire items contributed to variables under consideration. Subsequently, variables extracted were correlated. Bivariate correlation was used to test simple relationships between independent and dependent variables. The hypotheses that were formulated for statistical testing revealed that there is a correlation between women‘s levels of self-assurance, perception of discrimination against women (SELASSU) and extent of PERDIWOM. Further to that, the results showed that PERDIWOM and PERABIL are correlated insignificantly; the results also showed that there is a correlation between PERABIL and SELASSU. Many women entrepreneurs in developing countries face disproportionate obstacles in accessing and competing in markets. These include women‘s relative lack of mobility, capacity and technical skills in relation to men (World Bank, 2009). The prosperity and growth in the South African economy and forestry sector cannot be realized without the participation and empowerment of black women in the forestry sector. Gender inequality still dominates the sector. In light of the above findings, the study recommends that, the forestry business programme needs to be rearranged in its present state. The rekindling of the business incubators in the forestry sector will see growth and attract more women, escalate productivity and reduce unemploymen