A Kind of Craziness: Susanna Moore on Women, Writing, Sex and Feminism

The closing scene of Susanna Moore's 1995 novel, In The Cut, remains one of the most shocking and powerfully written episodes of sexual violence by a contemporary female author. Narrator, Frannie Avery, watches as her breasts are sliced from her body. This violent description later shifts to a disengaged poetic consciousness in which Frannie's narration dissolves into quotation. Moore's juxtaposition of meditative description with an account of dismemberment renders the scene so beautiful, that it is potentially hugely troubling. As one critic's response reflects, how can a presumed feminist justify producing an 'erotic story involving the matter-of-fact mutilation of women'? It was Moore's responses to queries such as these, as well as my own ambivalent attraction to her narratives, as a woman, a writer, and a feminist, that I wanted to gain a greater understanding of by interviewing the author. As a reader of Moore's fiction, I am fascinated, as many women would be, by the representations of femininity in her novels. From The Whiteness of Bones to Sleeping Beauties, In the Cut, One Last Look and The Big Girls, it seems that the women in her novels seem to encounter certain hardships and dangers, simply because they are women. Perhaps more disturbing than Moore's unapologetic depiction of sexualised attacks on the female body was my discovery, during research prior to the interview, that In the Cut is listed on Playboy's 'Top 25 'sexiest' novels of all time.' Moore acknowledges that 'it is important for a writer to understand and anticipate the response of their readers,' and that often the topics of her novels have been chosen to elicit a particular response, to change the way her writing and her identity as an author has been perceived - but is it always a desirable response? And are authors ever free of moral responsibility

A Comparison of First and Continuing-Generation Student Success and Engagement in an Online General Education English course

Online learning has become a significant part of the strategic plan to increase enrollment and college access (Crawley, 2012). Allen & Seaman (2013) noted that more than 65% of U.S. higher education institutions believe that online education is necessary to sustain and continue progress toward their strategic planning goals to increase enrollment. The purpose of this convergent mixed-methods study was to examine the difference between first-generation and continuing-generation undergraduate student engagement and success in a 100% online Jr. Level English course at a university located in the Midwest region. The researchers conducted independent samples (two-tailed) t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and one-way MANOVA to determine if there were statistically significant differences in course success (self-reported final course grade of C- or higher) and levels of student engagement (social presence, cognitive presence, teaching presence and overall engagement for first-generation college students compared to their continuing-generation peers. The findings suggested that there were not any statistically significant differences in course success or levels of student engagement for first-generation college students compared to their continuing-generation counterparts

Towards A Food-Secure Future In An Era Of Uncertainty: Cultivating Resilience In Vulnerable Smallholder Food Systems

Smallholder food systems in sub-Saharan Africa and other tropical regions are at the crux of the “triple threat” of the Anthropocene: climate change, biodiversity loss and food insecurity. At the same time, they are considered pivotal to the global food system transformation needed to address these challenges. However, while there have been many proposed pathways to achieve desired outcomes, smallholders are often constrained in their ability to adapt and transform. Therefore, in this three-article dissertation, I use mixed methods to study traditional food security coping strategies and apply socio-psychological behavioral intention theories to understand the cognitive factors behind farmers’ decisions within a context of extreme vulnerability and uncertainty.Each chapter highlights a dimension of resilience in rain-fed small-scale subsistence farming systems in relation to the proposed food system adaptation and transformation pathways of agricultural diversification (Chapter 1), climate-resilient agriculture (Chapter 2) and sustainable intensification (Chapter 3). Specifically, chapter 1 examines household food security among park-adjacent communities, explores detrimental coping strategies as a result of persistent stressors, and problematizes the theory of diversified farming systems in the context of small and scattered agricultural plots. Chapters 2 and 3 take a behavioral approach to understanding farmer decision-making as it relates to climate-resilient agricultural practices and adoption of sustainable intensification techniques, respectively. Chapter 2 applies Protection Motivation Theory to understand farmer intention to adapt practices in response to observed changes in temperature and rainfall. Chapter 3 uses a blended Theory of Planned Behavior – Technology Acceptance Model Framework to examine farmer adoption of an agroecological rice-growing practice and philosophy developed in Madagascar. As gender equality is central to food systems transformation, we also examine the role that gender plays in smallholder farmer decision-making across chapters. In the concluding chapter, I first summarize the lessons learned vis-à-vis smallholder food system change. I then use the 7 C’s resilience framework to highlight the elements of resilience within smallholder food systems which emerged in Chapters 1 – 3; notably 1) coping, 2) connection, and 3) confidence/control. Lastly, I consider vulnerabilities embedded within smallholder farming systems which impact resilience and adaptive capacity

Socio-ecological analysis of natural resource use in Betampona Strict Natural Reserve

Without an adequate understanding of the socio-political context in which a natural environment is embedded, it is impossible to prevent, mitigate and adapt to future unwanted changes in the socio - ecological system. It is advantageous for environmental managers to see the social aspects of the socio-ecological system so that they can understand not only the effects but also the motivations of natural resource use. In Madagascar, lemurs and other mammalian wildlife are hotly contested resources because they are threatened and endemic biodiversity and yet are hunted for food throughout the island. Using semi - structured interviews in nearly 300 households in 19 communities surrounding the Betampona Strict Natural Reserve, our team found that more than 60 % of households had consumed wildlife within the past year, with approximately a quarter of wildlife harvest being illegal and nearly 95 % of wildlife harvest being directed to subsistence consumption and not for sale. Although rates of wildlife consumption were quite low throughout the region, we found a strong effect of the pres­ence of the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group research station. We found that the rates of wildlife consumption increased by 1.3 times for each kilometer distance from the station. Due to the low rates of wildlife consumption, we did not find a significant impact on human health and anemia (as measured through hemoglobin levels), and very low prevalence of anemia generally compared to other regions of Madagascar. Wildlife consumption does not appear to play a tremendous economic or health role in the communities surrounding this particular protected area, and thus increased enforcement of seasonal infractions of legal species and of all illegal species would be warranted. To improve current levels of nutrition, targeted interventions could focus on domesticated livestock diseases that plague the region.  RÉSUMÉLorsque des changements inopinés surviennent dans un sys­tème socio-écologique, il est impossible de prévenir, d’atté­nuer et d’adapter si le contexte socio-politique dans lequel un environnement naturel évolue n’est pas bien compris. Les gestionnaires de l’environnement ont tout intérêt à considérer les aspects sociaux du système socio-écologique de manière à comprendre non seulement les effets de l’utilisation des res­sources naturelles mais aussi ce qui motive cette utilisation. A Madagascar, les lémuriens et d’autres mammifères sont des ressources vivement contestées car ces espèces sont mena­cées et tout en représentant la biodiversité endémique, elles sont cependant chassées pour leur viande sur l’ensemble de l’île. En utilisant des entretiens semi-structurés auprès de 300 ménages dans 19 communautés villageoises de la périphérie de la Réserve Naturelle Intégrale de Betampona, la présente étude a montré que plus de 60 % des ménages avaient consommé du gibier au cours de l’année écoulée dont environ un quart de manière illégale et près de 95 % pour répondre à des besoins de subsistance mais pas pour la vente. Bien que les taux de consommation de gibier étaient plutôt faibles sur l’ensemble de la région, un fort effet de la présence de la station de recherche de Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group a été noté avec des taux de consommation de gibier multipliés par un facteur de 1,3 pour chaque km distant de la station de recherche. En raison des faibles taux de consommation de gibier, aucun impact signifi­catif sur la santé humaine et l’anémie n’a été observé (tel que mesuré par le taux d’hémoglobine) et une prévalence extrême­ment faible de l’anémie générale par rapport à d’autres régions de Madagascar. La consommation de gibier ne semble pas jouer un rôle économique ou sanitaire majeur pour les communautés de la périphérie de cette aire protégée en particulier, de sorte qu’il serait justifié d’appliquer plus strictement les lois portant sur le calendrier de chasse du gibier autorisé et l’interdiction de chasser d’autres espèces. Pour améliorer les niveaux actuels de la nutrition, des interventions ciblées pourraient se concentrer sur les maladies des animaux domestiques qui sévissent dans la région.

The Changing Nature of Agricultural Livelihoods along a Peri-urban to Rural Gradient in Eastern Madagascar

Abstract Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world, but with high conservation value due to its many unique, endemic species. Rapid population growth and increasing poverty are leading to growing food insecurity and malnutrition especially in rural areas, putting ever more pressure on remaining natural resources. Ecoagriculture is seen as one approach to address these issues, but the success of introducing new practices is contingent on the specific local conditions and situation of individual households reflected in different livelihood strategies. In order to better orient agricultural training and technical assistance provided by the Madagascar Flora and Fauna Group (MFG), a short survey was done in villages in two areas where MFG operates, at different distance from and ease of access to the city of Tamatave: Parc Ivoloina and the Betampona Integral Nature Reserve. Results show that households in villages around Betampona largely continue to use traditional slash-and-burn methods, with future livelihoods remaining focused on agriculture based on primarily food crop production. Around Parc Ivoloina, households rely more and more on off-farm and non-farm income made possible by its close proximity to Tamatave. People do farm, but are switching to less labor demanding tree crops and livestock more compatible with off-farm jobs, and to keep ancestral land occupied to provide supplementary food and income. The results confirm that farmers are adaptive resource managers, flexibly redirecting their activities, practices and methods as economic and environmental conditions change or opportunities arise

Associations of less healthy snack food consumption with infant weight-for-length z-score trajectories: Findings from the Nurture cohort study

Little is known about the impact of less healthy snack foods on weight trajectories during infancy. This secondary analysis of data from the Nurture cohort explored prospective associations of less healthy snack foods with infant weight trajectories. Pregnant women were recruited and, upon delivery of a single live infant, 666 mothers agreed to participate. Mothers completed sociodemographic and infant feeding questionnaires, and infant anthropometrics were collected during home visits at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Less healthy snack food consumption was assessed by asking how frequently baby snacks and sweets were consumed each day during the previous three months. Multilevel growth curve models explored associations of baby snacks and sweets with infant weight-for-length (WFL) z-scores. On average, mothers were 27 years old, 71.5% were non-Hispanic Black, and 55.4% had household incomes of ≤$20,000/year. Consumption of less healthy snack foods increased during infancy with a median intake of 3.0 baby snacks/day and 0.7 sweets/day between 10 and 12 months. Growth curve models showed that infants who consumed sweets \u3e2 times/day had significantly higher WFL z-scores during the second half of infancy compared to infants who never consumed sweets. Less healthy snacks may contribute to the risk of obesity during infancy and promoting healthy snack food choices during this critical time is important

From the Anthropocene to mutual thriving: An Agenda for higher education in the Ecozoic

Higher education in the global North, and exported elsewhere, is complicit in driving the planet\u27s socio-ecological crises by teaching how to most effectively marginalize and plunder Earth and human communities. As students and activists within the academic system, we take a firm stand to arrest this cycle, and to redirect education toward teaching how to create conditions for all life to thrive. In this paper, we articulate a research and education agenda for co-constructing knowledge and wisdom, and propose shifts in the \u27ologies from the current, destructive modes to intended regenerative counterparts. We offer to shift from an ontology of separation to that of interconnectedness; from an epistemology of domination to that of egalitarian relationship; and from an axiology of development to that of plural values for world- and meaning-making. Such paradigm shifts reflect the foundational aspirations of the consilient transdiscipline of ecological economics. We analyze several introductory university textbooks in economics, law, and natural sciences, to demonstrate how destructive \u27ologies are taught in North American universities, and how such teaching implicitly undermines critical inquiry and effective challenge. Our strategy for change is to provide a new theoretical framework for education: the regenerative \u27ologies of the Ecozoic\u27, based on biophysicality, embedded relationality, pluralism, and the sustainable well-being of all members in the community of life

A pelagic microbiome (viruses to protists) from a small cup of seawater

The aquatic microbiome is composed of a multi-phylotype community of microbes, ranging from the numerically dominant viruses to the phylogenetically diverse unicellular phytoplankton. They influence key biogeochemical processes and form the base of marine food webs, becoming food for secondary consumers. Due to recent advances in next-generation sequencing, this previously overlooked component of our hydrosphere is starting to reveal its true diversity and biological complexity. We report here that 250 mL of seawater is sufficient to provide a comprehensive description of the microbial diversity in an oceanic environment. We found that there was a dominance of the order Caudovirales (59%), with the family Myoviridae being the most prevalent. The families Phycodnaviridae and Mimiviridae made up the remainder of pelagic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virome. Consistent with this analysis, the Cyanobacteria dominate (52%) the prokaryotic diversity. While the dinoflagellates and their endosymbionts, the superphylum Alveolata dominates (92%) the microbial eukaryotic diversity. A total of 834 prokaryotic, 346 eukaryotic and 254 unique virus phylotypes were recorded in this relatively small sample of water. We also provide evidence, through a metagenomic-barcoding comparative analysis, that viruses are the likely source of microbial environmental DNA (meDNA). This study opens the door to a more integrated approach to oceanographic sampling and data analysis

Epidemiology and survival factors for sarcoma patients in minority populations: a SEER-retrospective study

Background: Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated race as a predictor of worse oncological outcomes. To better understand the effect of race on oncological outcomes, we utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to determine what treatment courses are provided to minority patients and how this impacts survival. Materials and methods: A retrospective review of bone and soft tissue sarcoma cases was performed using the SEER database for a minimum 5-year survival rate using Kaplan-Meier curves. Categorical variables were compared using Pearson’s Chi-Square test and Cramer V. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to determine survival rates (SR) and Cox regression analysis was used to determine hazard ratios (HRs). Results: Races that had an increased risk of death included Native American/Alaska Native (NA/AN) [hazard ratio (HR): 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.049–1.761, p = 0.020) and Black (HR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.091–1.256, p < 0.001). NA/AN individuals had the lowest SR (5-year SR = 70.9%, 95% CI: 63.8–78.0%, p < 0.001). The rate of metastasis at diagnosis for each race was 13.07% — Hispanic, 10.62% — NA/AN, 12.77% — Black, 10.61% — Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI), and 9.02% — White individuals (p < 0.001). There were increases in the rate of metastasis at diagnosis and decreases in rates of surgical excision for Hispanic and Black patients (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Race is determined to be an independent risk factor for death in NA/AN and Black patients with sarcomas of the extremities. Access to healthcare and delay in seeking treatment may contribute to higher rates of metastasis upon diagnosis for minority patients, and decreased rates of surgical excision could be associated with poor follow up and lack of resources