Towards Matricentric Feminism in the Caribbean: Inroads and Opportunities

Although feminist and nonfeminist scholars have attempted to debunk the stereotypical representations and framings of matrifocality in the Caribbean, many gaps remain. This article argues that even though much of the scholarship on the Afro-Caribbean family has not centred on the specific realities and struggles of Black mothers, there have been substantive attempts on the part of Caribbean feminists and other non-feminist scholars to trouble the inherent biases within early explorations and theorization of matrifocality in the Caribbean. Where the consensus has been on the persistent disparagement of the Afro-Caribbean family, these scholars have collectively carved out important starting points for the development of a scholarship on and for Black mothers in the Caribbean. However, moving the scholarship on Black mothers forwards requires more critical epistemological and ontological frameworks. The hope is for the advancement of maternal scholarship that captures both the oppressive and neocolonial representations of the Black mother and explores the relative weight and effects of existing structures and relations of power on their lives across time, contexts, and social backgrounds. Such line of questioning opens the door for new perspectives, complexities, and politics around Black motherhood within the context of the Caribbean

Differential characterization of two novel antinematodal biological control agents : Streptomyces costaricus sp. nov. and a strain of Bacillus thuringiensis.

Two novel antinematodal strains of bacteria, Streptomyces sp. (CR-43) and Bacillus thuringiensis is (Bt) (CR-371) originating in Costa Rica were differentiated from other closely related strains and compared to rifampicin-resistant derivatives in greenhouse and field studies. The name Streptomyces costaricus is proposed for strain CR-43. The generic attribution was based on its typical morphology, production of LL-diaminopimelic acid and fatty acid composition. To clarify its taxonomic position, the isolate was compared with type strains of similar Streptomyces spp. The results of biochemical tests and profile analysis of hydrolyzable fatty acids indicated that CR-43 differed from previously described species and represents a new species. CR-43 (= ATCC 55274 = NRRL B-16897) is the type strain. A genotaxonomic approach to the differentiation of the streptomycetes was also taken. A modified RAPD analysis, conserved mini-sequence primed PCR (CMSP-PCR), was designed to target short conserved sequences dispersed throughout the streptomycete genome. All species had distinct DNA profiles when DNA was amplified with either 15-mer primer 5SSU3 (5\sp{\prime}-TGCGGCCGTACTCCC) or SSU5 (5\sp{\prime}-CGGCAGGCCTAACAC). The DNA profile of CR-43 resembled most that of S. h. decoyicus using primer SSU5. Species delineation was easily achieved with CMSP-PCR DNA amplification without further enzymatic processing. The differentiation of the novel Bt strain from five patented antinematodal Bt strains was required for patent prosecution. This was achieved by analysis of hydrolyzable fatty acid compositions of the strains by GC-MS and by DNA profile analysis. Thirty compounds in the total ion chromatograms were identified and analyzed using non-parametric statistics, the major fatty acids being i-15:0 (13.7-23.2%), i-13:0 (6.8-10.7%), i-14:0 (5.0-7.7%), 14:0 (3.0-4.1%), a-15:0 (3.9-9.9%), i-16:0 (3.6-7.2%), 16:0 (3.2-11.6%), i-17:0 (3.2-9.8%), 18:0 (tr-13.5%), a monounsaturated C16 (4.5-9.9%), a monounsaturated branched C17 (2.8-5.8%), a diunsaturated C18 (0-5.8%), and a monounsaturated C18 acid (0.3-4.8%). Molecular amplification of the DNA using a random nanomeric primer 5\sp{\prime}-CCGAGTCCA (that could discriminate serovars) showed that RAPD profiles of the Bt\u27s were different. Spontaneous rifampicin-resistance (rif\sp+) was selected in CR-371 and CR-43. Rif\sp+ had a positively pleiotropic effect on the biocontrol activity of the Bt strain and a negatively pleiotropic effect on the novel streptomycete. Rif\sp+ was a useful marker for monitoring survival of CR-371 and CR-43 in soil

Gender, Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy, And Entrepreneurial Attitude Orientations: The Case Of The Caribbean

Women owned business is increasingly becoming an important part of the entrepreneurial process.  As such, there is an ongoing effort in the entrepreneurial field to understand the factors that shape their entrepreneurial attitude orientations (EAOs) and by extension, their entrepreneurial behavior.  Given such importance, this paper advances local research in this field through the application of the integrated social cognitive theory to the understanding of the interplay between gender, entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), and students’ EAOs.  Using a survey of 539 Caribbean students from higher education institutions in Trinidad, the study found that while gender acts as a weak  determinant of students ESE (r=0.115, p=0.08), it has insignificant associations with EAOs (r=0.45, p=.305).  Furthermore, the study did not find any support for expected variations in students’ perception of their ESE and EAOs based on gender.  On the other hand, ESE as a personal and social construct proved to have both indirect and indirect effects on students’ perceptions of the EAOs.  In that regard, it produced a Pearsons r of (.0464, p=0.01) and showed mediating and inverse effect on the relationship between gender and EAOs.  Implications of these findings for researchers and policy makers are discussed and areas for further research are outlined.&nbsp

Breaching the walls of academe: the case of five Afro-Caribbean immigrant women within United States institutions of higher education

While a growing tendency among researchers has been for the examination of diverse forms of discrimination against Afro-Caribbean immigrants within the United States (US), the types of ambiguities that these create for framing the personal and professional identities of Afro-Caribbean women academics who operate within that space remain relatively absent. The literature is also devoid of substantive explorations that delve into the ways and extent to which the cultural scripts of Afro-Caribbean women both constrain and enable their professional success in academe. The call therefore is for critical examinations that deepen, while extending existing examinations of the lived realities for Afro-Caribbean immigrants within the US, and, the specific trepidations that they both confront and overcome in the quest for academic success while in their host societies.  Using intersectionality as the overarching framework for this work, we demonstrate, through the use of narrative inquiry, the extent to which cultural constructions of difference nuance the social axes of power, the politics of space and identity, and professional outcomes of Afro-Caribbean immigrant women who operate within a given context. These are captured within our interrogation of the structures of power that they confront and their use of culture to fight against and to break through institutional politics

Intenciones empresariales en el Caribe: Antecedentes y variaciones

Increasingly, researchers and policy makers across the globe explore the transformative role of entrepreneurship in the development process. What remains relatively under interrogated in this process is the issue of entrepreneurial intentions within the Caribbean region. Where entrepreneurial intentions play a pivotal role in future entrepreneurial activity, this area of research can provide useful insights for development policy and practice. Considering the above, three main objectives guide this paper. Firstly, we comparatively examine the entrepreneurial intentions drawn from adult populations across Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Secondly, we assess the relative importance of entrepreneurial skills, knowledge, and opportunity to entrepreneurial intentions. Thirdly, we also explore for possible socio[1]demographic variations (specifically based on sex, age, level of educational attainment, and type of current profession or career) in the levels of entrepreneurial intentions. To do this, we utilize available raw data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) survey for the Caribbean countries. We use this data set to test for the relative significance of key antecedent variables for understanding entrepreneurial intentions. Point to variability in the relationship between attitudinal factors, socio-demographic backgrounds, and entrepreneurial intentions between countries in the study. Implications for a more contextualized theorizations of entrepreneurial intentions are discussed.Cada vez más, investigadores y responsables políticos de todo el mundo exploran el papel transformador del espíritu empresarial en el proceso de desarrollo. Lo que sigue siendo relativamente poco cuestionado en este proceso es la cuestión de las intenciones empresariales en la región del Caribe. Cuando las intenciones empresariales desempeñan un papel fundamental en la futura actividad empresarial, este ámbito de investigación puede aportar ideas útiles para la política y la práctica del desarrollo. Teniendo en cuenta lo anterior, tres objetivos principales guían este documento. En primer lugar, examinamos comparativamente las intenciones empresariales de la población adulta de Barbados, Jamaica y Trinidad y Tobago. En segundo lugar, evaluamos la importancia relativa de las aptitudes empresariales, los conocimientos y las oportunidades para las intenciones empresariales. En tercer lugar, también exploramos las posibles variaciones sociodemográficas (específicamente en función del sexo, la edad, el nivel de estudios y el tipo de profesión o carrera actual) en los niveles de intención empresarial. Para ello, utilizamos los datos brutos disponibles de la encuesta Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) para los países del Caribe. Utilizamos este conjunto de datos para comprobar la importancia relativa de las variables antecedentes clave para comprender las intenciones emprendedoras. Señala la variabilidad en la relación entre factores actitudinales, antecedentes sociodemográficos e intenciones emprendedoras entre los países del estudio. Se discuten las implicaciones para una teorización más contextualizada de las intenciones emprendedoras