Aborigines-Migrant Settlers Crisis and Reconstruction Efforts in two Yoruba Communities in South Western Nigeria

Communities coexist for several reasons. Many traditional Yoruba communities are not an exemption as quite a number of communities were brought together partially based on the need to fight against a common enemy as well as prevent invasion. Ile-Ife and Modakeke-Ife are two neighbouring communities demonstrating such historicalbackground. The communities have co-existed peaceful for several decades, shared many things in common including cases of intermarriages until they started having communal clashes. The crisis have caused significant changes to the existing social relations between the two communities, resulting in widespread breakdown of law and order, destruction of lives and properties as well as homelessness and dispossession of farmlands. Despite the intensity of the crisis and the overwhelming odds, the communities have remained as neighbours. What are the sources of the communities’ resilience amidst the disaster? Forty Seven in-depth interviews were held with twogroups of adults (youths and the elderly) on gender basis who are residents in the two communities. Findings revealed that informal social network and some formal community institutions were the most significant factors enhancing participants’ resilience during and after the crisis. However, the study also disturbingly revealed thatthere is still bitterness centring on farm land rights within the community, and partisan politics have undermined previous efforts at addressing the issue. The study concludes that disrupted social networks could erode community cohesion and political factorshave the potential to further diminish resilience against crisis in the future

Identity construction and gender involvement in online social networks among undergraduates in two universities, Southwest Nigeria

In this paper, we explore identity construction and gender involvement of Nigerian undergraduates in online social networks. This paper presents the qualitative findings on identity construction and gender involvement of Nigerian undergraduates in online social networks. This was with a view to investigating the reasons for the increasing participation of young people in online social networks. The study examines their views on what constitutes an identity and the rationale for adopting a particular identity in online social networks. Qualitative data were collected through four focus Group Discussions and twenty in-depth interviews (IDI) among undergraduate students from two universities in Southwest Nigeria. The findings reveal identity construction in online social interactions as a frequent occurrence and an extension of real life. Trust in online relationships develops overtime depending on frequency and nature of interactions. However, gender influences young people’s online activities, as more females than males tend to construct their online social identities using photographs in particular with symbolic interpretations. In addition, there are perceived risks of involvement, especially those relating to privacy in online social networks. Hence, the findings call for diverse interrogations of the contexts and dimensions of involvement in online social networks among youths and how such interactions could influence further positive outcomes.Keywords: Gender, identity, online and offline interactions, social networks, university students, Nigeri

Using Vignettes in Qualitative Research to Explore Barriers and Facilitating Factors to the Uptake of Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Services in Rural Tanzania: A Critical Analysis.

Vignettes are short stories about a hypothetical person, traditionally used within research (quantitative or qualitative) on sensitive topics in the developed world. Studies using vignettes in the developing world are emerging, but with no critical examination of their usefulness in such settings. We describe the development and application of vignettes to a qualitative investigation of barriers to uptake of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) HIV services in rural Tanzania in 2012, and critique the successes and challenges of using the technique in this setting. Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) group activities (3 male; 3 female groups from Kisesa, north-west Tanzania) were used to develop a vignette representing realistic experiences of an HIV-infected pregnant woman in the community. The vignette was discussed during in-depth interviews with 16 HIV-positive women, 3 partners/relatives, and 5 HIV-negative women who had given birth recently. A critical analysis was applied to assess the development, implementation and usefulness of the vignette. The majority of in-depth interviewees understood the concept of the vignette and felt the story was realistic, although the story or questions needed repeating in some cases. In-depth interviewers generally applied the vignette as intended, though occasionally were unsure whether to steer the conversation back to the vignette character when participants segued into personal experiences. Interviewees were occasionally confused by questions and responded with what the character should do rather than would do; also confusing fieldworkers and presenting difficulties for researchers in interpretation. Use of the vignette achieved the main objectives, putting most participants at ease and generating data on barriers to PMTCT service uptake. Participants' responses to the vignette often reflected their own experience (revealed later in the interviews). Participatory group research is an effective method for developing vignettes. A vignette was incorporated into qualitative interview discussion guides and used successfully in rural Africa to draw out barriers to PMTCT service use; vignettes may also be valuable in HIV, health service use and drug adherence research in this setting. Application of this technique can prove challenging for fieldworkers, so thorough training should be provided prior to its use