Nurturing lifelong learning in communities through the National University of Lesotho: prospects and challenges

This paper analyses one aspect of a pan-African action research project called ITMUA (Implementing the Third Mission of Universities in Africa). This particular paper draws on the data from that project to explore the National University of Lesotho’s contribution to lifelong learning in its communities. It provides background information on the ITMUA initiative and analyses interview and focus group responses to two case studies in terms of their contribution to lifelong learning. It uses, as its analytical framework, a modified version of Mbigi’s African perspective on the four De Lors’ ‘pillars’, by adding a fifth pillar, courtesy of Torres. The paper argues that community engagement is a two-way process between universities and their wider constituencies with opportunities for mutual lifelong learning. But there are also challenges of understanding and process which must be addressed if the full range of these lifelong learning pillars is to be accommodated within African contexts. The paper provides an introduction to the history of community engagement in Africa as a university mission, followed by a brief discussion of lifelong learning within African perspectives. After describing the particular context of Lesotho, the concept of community service and community engagement in contemporary African contexts introduces the action research project and the case studies. The final part of the paper presents and discusses the research findings

Gender differences in the jealousy-evoking effect of rival characteristics:A study in Spain and Argentina

This study examines gender differences in the jealousy-evoking nature of rival characteristicsin two Spanish-speaking countries (Argentina and Spain). A total of 388 Spanish students and444 Argentinean students participated in the study. First, the cross-cultural validity of a Dutchscale containing 56 rival characteristics was examined. A factor analysis distinguished fourdimensions (i.e., social power and dominance, physical attractiveness, physical dominance, andsocial-communal attributes). After the analysis, the final scale contained in total 24 items. Resultsshowed that in Argentina and Spain combined, men experienced more jealousy than womenwhen their rival was more physically dominant. In contrast, women experienced more jealousythan men when their rival was more physically attractive, had more social-communal attributes,and had more social power and dominance. In both genders, social-communal attributes wasthe most jealousy-evoking characteristic, followed by physical attractiveness in women and bysocial power and dominance in men. In addition, in Argentinean participants but not in Spanishparticipants, those high in social comparison orientation found the rival characteristics morejealousy evoking. These results provide strong support for the evolutionary hypothesis of genderdifferences in the rival characteristics that may evoke jealousy. Small size effect differences werefound between the two countries and only regarding social-communal attributes.Fil: Buunk, Abraham P.. University of Groningen; Países BajosFil: Castro Solano, Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Palermo; ArgentinaFil: Zurriaga, Rosario. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: González, Pilar. Universidad de Valencia; Españ