The legacy of South African colonialism: the messianic and national subject.

Paper presented at the Wits History Workshop: Forging the links between historical research and the policy process, 18-19 September 1999.Paper discusses the relationship between the state and the Individual; the importance of ethnic identity, traditional institutions and the modern nation stat

Democracy, cities and space: South African conceptions of local government

A dissertation submitted in the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, in the fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Political Studies. Johannesburg 1997.In 1988 the Soweto People's Delegation and the councils of Soweto, Diepmeadow and Dobsonville began to negotiate an end to the rent boycott and the crisis in the provision of services. Discussions between civic bodies and local government officials - which eventually resulted in the Soweto accord - were increasingly infonned by the slogan 'one city, one tax base'. In the wake of the accord, other parties to similarly established negotiations commonly based their approach on the 'one city' slogan. As a result, local government negotiations and the institutional arrangements that followed were increasingly infonned by this notion. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version]AC201

The dark side of democracy popular sovereignty, decolonisation and dictatorship

This paper argues that we must look to the politics of popular sovereignty,‎ and in particular its unfolding in the period after the Second World War, for ‎the origin of the postcolonial condition, its specific vulgarity and temporality.‎ Following Arendt, the paper proposes that as a democratic practice popular‎ sovereignty transforms the ’people’ into absolutist subject, one that is necessarily ‎simple, at one with itself and exercising supreme authority over its territory.‎ Where such a people cannot be convened or institutionalised, democracy‎ tends either towards dictatorship or oligarchy or society itself fragments and ‎is at risk of dissolution. This has especially been the case on the African continent‎ where the new states that emerged after independence from European ‎Empires (and from settler-colonialism) were home to multitudes of great and ‎wide heterogeneity, without long histories of living together in common and‎ without, therefore, traditions and institutions of collective decision-making.

The Sublime Object of Blackness

Le sublime objet de la « négritude ». – Cet article traite d’une publicité parue dans l’un des plus importants journaux sud-africains. Cette publicité suggère qu’il existe une conspiration d’extrême droite blanche contre le Président Thabo Mbeki, conspiration destinée à discréditer son leadership et le leadership des Noirs en général. On défend ici l’idée que cette publicité est à la fois le reflet et le signe avant-coureur d’une forme radicalement nouvelle de nationalisme. À travers l’usage qui est fait du terme « Noir », le Président et le gouvernement deviennent des objets quasi religieux et infaillibles.This paper considers an advert placed in one of the major South African Sunday newspapers. The advert in question proposes that there is a white, right-wing conspiracy against President Thabo Mbeki, to discredit his leadership and the leadership of Blacks tout court. We will suggest here that the advert both reflects and is a harbinger of a radically new form of nationalist politics in South Africa. In the way that the term Black is invoked, the Presidency and the government are transformed into quasi-religious objects that are immune to proof and to criticism

Mining for Voices: Reframing Hydraulic Fracturing as a Public Health Issue

Introduction: Hydraulic fracturing extracts fossil fuels from rock formations by injecting chemicals underground. While 80% of studies demonstrate risks or actual harms to health from fracking, Pennsylvania does not require chemical disclosures. Fracking accelerates climate change, a phenomenon linked to increases in health emergencies. With 1.6 million Pennsylvanians living within 1 mile of active oil or gas development sites, there is considerable risk. In 2012, Pennsylvania banned physicians from discussing health impacts of fracking, an order struck down in 2016. Following the gag order, deficits in physician knowledge and urgency may remain around fracking. Outlining a precautionary approach to fracking policy might alleviate these gaps. Objective: We aim to develop new approaches to fracking as a public health issue, to increase understanding and engagement and drive policy changes. Methods: Through a policy paper, a precautionary approach to fracking will be contextualized with another public health issue, marijuana-intoxicated driving. A qualitative review of 12 studies on marijuana and driving was conducted to provide a framework for precautionary fracking policies. This work is a partnership with Physicians for Social Responsibility. Results: Examination of literature revealed inconclusive evidence for links between marijuana intoxication and impairment of driving-related function and for links between marijuana intoxication and motor vehicle crashes. Despite that, national policy cautions against marijuana-intoxicated driving. This will be applied to a policy paper outlining a precautionary approach to fracking. Discussion: Our future paper will educate and engage physicians in public health concerns around fracking and drive the implementation of precautionary policy measures

The Sublime Object of Blackness

Le sublime objet de la « négritude ». – Cet article traite d’une publicité parue dans l’un des plus importants journaux sud-africains. Cette publicité suggère qu’il existe une conspiration d’extrême droite blanche contre le Président Thabo Mbeki, conspiration destinée à discréditer son leadership et le leadership des Noirs en général. On défend ici l’idée que cette publicité est à la fois le reflet et le signe avant-coureur d’une forme radicalement nouvelle de nationalisme. À travers l’usage qui est fait du terme « Noir », le Président et le gouvernement deviennent des objets quasi religieux et infaillibles.This paper considers an advert placed in one of the major South African Sunday newspapers. The advert in question proposes that there is a white, right-wing conspiracy against President Thabo Mbeki, to discredit his leadership and the leadership of Blacks tout court. We will suggest here that the advert both reflects and is a harbinger of a radically new form of nationalist politics in South Africa. In the way that the term Black is invoked, the Presidency and the government are transformed into quasi-religious objects that are immune to proof and to criticism

Defining a relevant architecture in South Africa

Architecture in South Africa is at a crossroads. Afteryears of repression and isolation during which contemporary architecture lost its way, there is now a desperate need for architects to respond to the social a nd cultural challenges of a society riven by massive material contrasts. Within architecture schools, a student body more representative of society than hitherto is engaged in projects which reflect the very diverse needs of the community. Central to the effectiveness of such teaching programmes is the presence of teachers fully engaged in practice, creating a responsible architecture fora renewed nation

Cadence (steps/min) and relative intensity in 61 to 85-year-olds: the CADENCE-Adults study

Background We previously demonstrated that a heuristic (i.e., evidence-based, rounded yet practical) cadence threshold of ≥ 100 steps/min was associated with absolutely-defined moderate intensity physical activity (i.e., ≥ 3 metabolic equivalents [METs]) in older adults 61–85 years of age. Although it was difficult to ascertain achievement of absolutely-defined vigorous (6 METs) intensity, ≥ 130 steps/min was identified as a defensible threshold for this population. However, little evidence exists regarding cadence thresholds and relatively-defined moderate intensity indicators, including ≥ 64% heart rate [HR] maximum [HRmax = 220-age], ≥ 40% HR reserve [HRR = HRmax-HRresting], and ≥ 12 Borg Scale Rating of Perceived Exertion [RPE]; or vigorous intensity indicators including ≥ 77%HRmax, ≥ 60%HRR, and ≥ 14 RPE. Purpose To analyze the relationship between cadence and relatively-defined physical activity intensity and identify relatively-defined moderate and vigorous heuristic cadence thresholds for older adults 61–85 years of age. Methods Ninety-seven ostensibly healthy adults (72.7 ± 6.9 years; 49.5% women) completed up to nine 5-min treadmill walking bouts beginning at 0.5 mph (0.8 km/h) and progressing by 0.5 mph speed increments (with 2-min rest between bouts). Directly-observed (and video-recorded) steps were hand-counted, HR was measured using a chest-strapped monitor, and in the final minute of each bout, participants self-reported RPE. Segmented mixed model regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyses identified optimal cadence thresholds associated with relatively-defined moderate (≥ 64%HRmax, ≥ 40%HRR, and ≥ 12 RPE) and vigorous (≥ 77%HRmax, ≥ 60%HRR, and ≥ 14 RPE) intensities. A compromise between the two analytical methods, including Youden’s Index (a sum of sensitivity and specificity), positive and negative predictive values, and overall accuracy, yielded final heuristic cadences. Results Across all relatively-defined moderate intensity indicators, segmented regression models and ROC curve analyses identified optimal cadence thresholds ranging from 105.9 to 112.8 steps/min and 102.0-104.3 steps/min, respectively. Comparable values for vigorous intensity indicators ranged between126.1-132.1 steps/min and 106.7–116.0 steps/min, respectively. Regardless of the relatively-defined intensity indicator, the overall best heuristic cadence threshold aligned with moderate intensity was ≥ 105 steps/min. Vigorous intensity varied between ≥ 115 (greater sensitivity) or ≥ 120 (greater specificity) steps/min. Conclusions Heuristic cadence thresholds align with relatively-defined intensity indicators and can be useful for studying and prescribing older adults’ physiological response to, and/or perceived experience of, ambulatory physical activity. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02650258. Registered 24 December 2015

A Single Academic Center\u27s Experience with Direct Access Colonoscopy

Introduction: Direct Access Colonoscopy (DAC) does not require pre-colonoscopy consultation and may improve access for patients needing screening and surveillance. DAC eligibility criteria vary widely, and we developed a novel, DAC program using EMR patient data to assess appropriateness for inclusion. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and quality of our DAC program and compare to traditional, Office-Scheduled Colonoscopy (OSC). Methods: We conducted a retrospective, single-center study of OSC and DAC patients ages 45-75 with a screening or surveillance indication over 13 months. Primary outcome was Complete Colonoscopy (CC): to cecum/ileum/anastomosis, adequate prep, \u3c 90 days from gastroenterology contact. Patients not meeting CC criteria were classified as Incomplete Colonoscopy (IC). Secondary endpoints: time to CC, adenoma detection rate (ADR). Results: 2,651 patients met inclusion criteria: mean age 58, 57% female, 65% non-White, 86% neither Hispanic/Latino. 1,143 DAC patients (62%) vs. 473 OSC patients (57%) achieved CC: average interval 36 days (DAC) vs. 42 days (OSC), mean prep score 7.94/10 (DAC) vs. 7.45/10 (OSC), and ADR 38% (DAC) vs. 43% (OSC). Top reasons for IC: patient cancellation (35%), no show (28%), inadequate prep (9%). Non-Whites were less likely than Whites (59% vs. 69%; p \u3c 0.001) to achieve CC. Discussion: DAC is non-inferior to OSC for primary endpoint of CC (p \u3c 0.001) with no significant differences across age, gender, and indication. Failure to attend colonoscopy accounted for most ICs, and non-Whites were less likely to have a CC. Further work is needed to maximize CC rate across all demographics

Metformin modifies the exercise training effects on risk factors for cardiovascular disease in impaired glucose tolerant adults

Impaired glucose tolerant (IGT) adults are at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Exercise or metformin reduce CVD risk, but the efficacy of combining treatments is unclear. To determine the effects of exercise training plus metformin, compared to each treatment alone, on CVD risk factors in IGT adults. Subjects were assigned to: placebo (P), metformin (M), exercise plus placebo (EP), or exercise plus metformin (EM) (8/group). In a double-blind design, P or 2000mg/d of M were administered for 12 weeks and half performed aerobic and resistance training 3 days/week for approximately 60 minutes/day at 70% pre-training heart rate peak. Outcomes included: adiposity, blood pressure (BP), lipids and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Z-scores were calculated to determine metabolic syndrome severity. M and EM, but not EP, decreased body weight compared to P (p \u3c0.05). M and EP lowered systolic BP by 6% (p \u3c 0.05), diastolic BP by 6% (p \u3c 0.05), and hs-CRP by 20% (M: trend p = 0.06; EP: p \u3c 0.05) compared to P. Treatments raised HDL-cholesterol (p \u3c 0.05; EM: trend p = 0.06) compared to P and lowered triacyglycerol (p \u3c 0.05) and metabolic syndrome Z-score compared to baseline (EP; trend p = 0.07 and EM or M; p \u3c 0.05). Although exercise and/or metformin improve some CVD risk factors, only training or metformin alone lowered hs-CRP and BP. Thus, metformin may attenuate the effects of training on some CVD risk factors and metabolic syndrome severity in IGT adults