Crossing the divide : research methods to facilitate representative data collection within conflicted communities

Abstract: In order that development strategies alleviate poverty and empower communities, strategies must be initiated and supported by a broad spectrum of the intended beneficiary community. Communities are rarely homogenous, however, meaning that development researchers/practitioners often have to negotiate and interact with opposing community factions with differing development interests. By associating with one faction, the researcher/practitioner may become alienated from the other, who then fails to participate in the process. Despite this, literature to guide the researcher/practitioner on how to negotiate access in such situations is lacking. In this paper I draw on my experiences of working with the divided ‡Khomani Bushman community in South Africa, some of whom desire development along more Traditional lines while others have Western style aspirations. I examine my research practices that enabled me to ethically cross the divide to collect the necessary data from individuals within both community factions, making my data representative of the broader community

Framing hate: Moral foundations, party cues, and (In)tolerance of offensive speech

© 2017, PsychOpen. All rights reserved. One of the most controversial elements of political tolerance concerns support for hate speech. We argue that there are two factors that can reduce tolerance for hate speech: 1) moral foundations and 2) party cues. U.S. citizens’ tolerance of hate speech will be reduced when it is framed as a violation of a specific moral foundation, opposed by a political party, or when the morality violation is utilized by party elites. Using two survey experiments, we manipulated the target of hate speech (i.e. Muslims or the American flag), whether the speech violated a moral foundation (i.e. harm or loyalty), and which political party supported or opposed the hate speech in question. For flag burning, moral frames and party cues on their own reduced U.S. citizens’ tolerance relative to a non-political control, while moral frames and party cues were successful in reducing tolerance of anti-Muslim speech compared to a free speech appeal. Partisans were generally responsive to cues from the in-party. We also found instances of moral repackaging, where morally incongruent appeals from the in-party reduced tolerance of flag burning among Democrats. Among Republicans, harm morality decreased tolerance of anti-Muslim speech when invoked by the in-party, but increased tolerance when used by the out-party – an indication of the power of party cues to repackage moral arguments and to trigger backlash. These results provide a better understanding of what factors can affect tolerance for hate speech, providing political leaders and social justice advocates with a roadmap to alleviate this problem

The Literacy of tracking

Abstract:The study examines tracking as literacy, analysed through conventions of storytelling, involving participant observation in the field, and through a discussion of cyber-tracking. The conclusion is that the social experience in the post-hunting era is re-created for teaching, memory and nostalgia purposes on the one hand, and is commoditized for tourists on the other

CAN THE SPLIT-STEP CUTTING TECHNIQUE REDUCE LOADING AND MAINTAIN PERFORMANCE?

INTRODUCTION: Cutting (evasive running) movements are integral to performance in many field- and court-based sports but have been associated with lower limb injuries. This injury risk is attributed to a combination of lower limb geometry and high forces acting together to stress anatomical structures, particularly at the ankle and knee joint. Alternative positioning of the stance foot and adjusted orientation of the lower limbs through changes to the cutting technique may reduce loading (e.g. Besier et al., 2001) but technique interventions for cutting have not been explicitly investigated in-depth. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical characteristics of unplanned side-step (single foot contact) and split-step (double foot contact) cutting techniques, particularly relating to lower limb loading and ground reaction impulses generated during the primary cutting step. It was expected that the split-step would reduce joint loading and maintain performance requirements

Plant–herbivore–parasitoid interactions in an experimental freshwater tritrophic system: higher trophic levels modify competitive interactions between invasive macrophytes

Natural enemies are known to modify competitive hierarchies among terrestrial plants. Here we examine whether the same applies to freshwater systems. Lagarosiphon major (Hydrocharitaceae) is a submerged aquatic macrophyte, indigenous to South Africa. Outside its native range, it outcompetes with indigenous submerged species and degrades aquatic habitats. Hydrellia lagarosiphon (Diptera: Ephydridae) is the most abundant and ubiquitous herbivore associated with L. major in South Africa and is a potential biological control agent elsewhere. Chaenusa anervata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) is its main parasitoid. We generated an experimental system involving one, two or three trophic levels to monitor variation in the competitive ability of L. major relative to that of Myriophyllum spicatum (Haloragaceae), a second submerged macrophyte that can also be invasive. Using inverse linear models to monitor competition, we found that herbivory by H. lagarosiphon greatly reduced the competitive ability of L. major. Addition of the wasp at typical field densities halved the impact of herbivory and re-established the competitive advantage of L. major. Our results demonstrate how multitrophic interactions modify relative competitive abilities among aquatic plants, emphasize the significance of higher tropic levels in these systems and illustrate how parasitoids can reduce the effectiveness of insects released as biocontrol agents

Rural development in practice? The experience of the ‡Khomani bushmen in the Northern Cape, South Africa

This thesis analyses the dynamics, complexities and numerous obstacles that serve to constrain rural development within the ‡Khomani Community of the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Following the end of Apartheid, given the disparity in wealth evident among the country’s population, in 1994, the South African Government embarked on a process to address inequality. In regard to the rural poor, who constitute the majority of the country’s poor, the Government envisioned that a more equitable distribution of land would result in economic development and poverty alleviation for land reform beneficiaries. Consequently, a Land Reform Policy was introduced, which was used by the ‡Khomani Bushmen to reclaim ancestral land in South Africa’s rural Northern Cape in 1999. More than ten years on, however, the living conditions of the ‡Khomani have not improved, and the Community continues to live in poverty. Despite the award of land and financial input from government and development agencies, the ‡Khomani have no basic services and are unable to significantly diversify or increase livelihood strategies. Multiple factors including a lack of Community cohesion and capacity, limited opportunities due to remote rural location, and the inability of government and development actors to successfully apply effective interventions, serve to constrain development, and maintain ‡Khomani disempowerment. The thesis argues that governments, development institutions and actors must recognise the need for a multidimensional approach to development to alleviate poverty, while recognising the limits of external actors and the role of communities in this regard. Essentially, sustainable rural development will only ensue when communities are able to make effective decisions based on meaningful choices

SPLIT-STEP VS SIDE-STEP EVASIVE RUNNING MANOEUVRES: WHICH IS MORE PROTECTIVE OF THE ACL?

Side-step movements are typically performed by athletes involved in sports that require the player to evade their opponents. However, the combination of internal rotation, valgus and flexion at the knee during side-stepping places high demands on the ACL such that these movements have been associated with a high incidence of ACL injury (Ebstrup & Bojsen-Moller, 2000). An alternative technique to the side-step is the split-step. Traditionally used in court sports, the split-step is characterised by a more symmetrical approach to the cut movement relative to the side-step and, due to the more even distribution of the ground reaction forces across two lower limbs, may provide greater protection to the ACL. However, as there has been no systematic comparison of the side-step versus the split-step technique, this study aimed to characterise differences in lower limb biomechanics during unplanned side-step and split-step movements, with implications for ACL injury prevention