Understanding Open Defecation in the Age of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: Agency, Accountability, and Anger in Rural Bihar.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, India's flagship sanitation intervention, set out to end open defecation by October 2019. While the program improved toilet coverage nationally, large regional disparities in construction and use remain. Our study used ethnographic methods to explore perspectives on open defecation and latrine use, and the socio-economic and political reasons for these perspectives, in rural Bihar. We draw on insights from social epidemiology and political ecology to explore the structural determinants of latrine ownership and use. Though researchers have often pointed to rural residents' preference for open defecation, we found that people were aware of its many risks. We also found that (i) while sanitation research and "behavior change" campaigns often conflate the reluctance to adopt latrines with a preference for open defecation, this is an erroneous conflation; (ii) a subsidy can help (some) households to construct latrines but the amount of the subsidy and the manner of its disbursement are key to its usefulness; and (iii) widespread resentment towards what many rural residents view as a development bias against rural areas reinforces distrust towards the government overall and its Swachh Bharat Abhiyan-funded latrines in particular. These social-structural explanations for the slow uptake of sanitation in rural Bihar (and potentially elsewhere) deserve more attention in sanitation research and promotion efforts

CORRELATING DIRECT AND INDIRECT EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING MEASURES AND LANGUAGE SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

Executive functioning usually refers to one’s ability to regulate one’s behavior, set goals, be mentally flexible, and understand the consequence of one’s actions. However, certain neurodevelopmental disabilities such as Autism, often can negatively impact executive function processes. Although applied behavior analytic (ABA) treatment is the most recommended intervention for autism treatment practitioners rarely assess or target executive functioning within their treatment planning. The present study assessed the relationship between direct and indirect executive functioning scores and a language assessment used by ABA providers. Thirty-nine children with autism spectrum disorder were administered a variety of scales including the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF 2), Comprehensive Executive Functioning Inventory (CEFI), Tower of London (TOL), and the PEAK Comprehensive Assessment (PCA). Obtained data yielded a moderate, negative relationship between the total BRIEF and total PCA scores (r=-0.521, p=.032) and a moderate, positive relationship between CEFI planning and PCA scores (r=0.394, p=.017). However, there was a strong correlation between total PCA scores and TOL scores (r=0.708, p=.005)

Renaissance or Revolution? Legacies of Pan-Arabism in the Egyptian Arab Spring

This project explores the degree that Pan-Arabism influenced in Egypt\u27s Arab Spring and how the Arab Spring represented the unfinished goals of decolonization in Egypt. The evidence suggests that the relationship between Pan-Arabism and the Arab Spring is complex. The promises of decolonization in the mid-twentieth century were economic and political independence with self-rule, explicitly separate from the influence of the colonizing powers, the British and French, Pan-Arabism promised social and political unity based on shared language and ethnicity and included broader goals such as the liberation of Palestine. During the decolonization campaign Gamal Abdel Nasser (1918-1970; PM 1954-56; Pres. 1956-1970) inexorably tied Pan-Arabism to Egyptian Nationalism. Many activists and leaders grew up under the influence of Nasser\u27s ideology and charismatic personality. The failure to deliver on the promises of Nasser\u27s ideology after 1952 resulted in the disenfranchisement of Egyptians and a renewed call for the promises of decolonization; free and fair elections, an end to emergency powers and military rule, decreased unemployment and inflation. The Arab Spring as a series of revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, and Yemen represented the continuation of shared identity and Pan-Arab ideas decades after decolonization. It will be argued that even after 2011, questions of justice, leadership, and shared identity remain central to Egypt and beyond. In particular, evaluations of the Arab Spring and the negotiations between feminist organizations, religious organizations, and youth organizations in the development of a post-Arab Spring government are particularly relevant in light of the ongoing protests in Iran

Considering the cultural context in psychopathology formulations

Background. Mental health research appears to be continually transforming. Recent literature reflects a greater appreciation for the ways in which pathoplastic features of culture modulate emotional regulation. This article introduces those aspects of the literature which explore the (re)consideration of culture as a dynamic and essential construct in the clinical formulation of psychopathology. Objectives. The study aims to review literature that focuses on the dynamic influence of culture in psychopathology. Furthermore, the researchers aim to present a view on the ways in which culture appeared to shape the topography of psychopathology nosology. Method. A literature review of 31 sources. Results. The review indicated that 29 literature sources were conceptual in design, suggesting a great need for more empirical research. This section also explored themes identified during the literature review. The literature was tabulated according to features and emerging themes. Three major themes were identified and included: the cultural context; the evolving definitions of culture; and culture and psychopathology. Conclusion/discussion. An analysis of the themes was offered. The authors concluded by highlighting the significance of the literature at present. Areas of particular interest suggested that health and behaviour are dependent, at least in part, on culture; psychopathology may also be appreciated as a social construct; culture influences psychopathology regardless of the aetiology; diagnostic classes do not adequately consider operational definitions; and a greater focus on hermeneutic perceptivity in appreciating cultural dynamics in psychopathology will benefit clinical assessment

A psychological study of the effect of microfinance on the self-esteem and self-efficacy of the poor in South Africa

The impact of microfinance on the lives of the poor is controversial and there is limited empirical understanding of its psychological effects. Our study endeavoured to explore the effect of microfinance on the self-esteem and self-efficacy of the poor in South Africa. The study was conducted using a non-experimental research strategy (within-subjects design) and quasiexperimental strategy (pre-post-test non-equivalent control group). Systematic and convenience sampling methods were used to select participants. Data were collected on 264 pre-test and 159 post-test participants using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale and General self-efficacy scale. The Pearson productmoment correlation coefficient, the ANOVA and the MANCOVA were used to investigate the effect of microfinance provision on self-esteem and self-efficacy. Our findings not only showed that the provision of microfinance is positively related to self-esteem, but they also showed that microfinance provision leads to an increase in the self-esteem of recipients. The results further revealed a decline in self-esteem for those who were denied microfinance. We argue that providers need to critically assess the psychological effect of their programmes especially on declined microfinance applicants.Keywords: Microfinance; Poverty; Self-esteem; Self-efficacy; South Afric

Identifying "communities" within energy landscapes

Potential energy landscapes can be represented as a network of minima linked by transition states. The community structure of such networks has been obtained for a series of small Lennard-Jones clusters. This community structure is compared to the concept of funnels in the potential energy landscape. Two existing algorithms have been used to find community structure, one involving removing edges with high betweenness, the other involving optimization of the modularity. The definition of the modularity has been refined, making it more appropriate for networks such as these where multiple edges and self-connections are not included. The optimization algorithm has also been improved, using Monte Carlo methods with simulated annealing and basin hopping, both often used successfully in other optimization problems. In addition to the small clusters, two examples with known heterogeneous landscapes, LJ_13 with one labelled atom and LJ_38, were studied with this approach. The network methods found communities that are comparable to those expected from landscape analyses. This is particularly interesting since the network model does not take any barrier heights or energies of minima into account. For comparison, the network associated with a two-dimensional hexagonal lattice is also studied and is found to have high modularity, thus raising some questions about the interpretation of the community structure associated with such partitions.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figure

Taxi ‘sugar daddies’ and taxi queens: male taxi driver attitudes regarding transactional relationships in the Western Cape, South Africa

Media reports are emerging on the phenomenon of young girls who travel with older mini-bus taxi drivers, and who are thought to have sex with the drivers in exchange for gifts and money. The extent to which such relationships might facilitate unsafe sexual practices and increased risks for both the men and the young women, often referred to as taxi queens, remains an important question in the light of the current challenges of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. However, very little research has been undertaken on this issue, especially regarding the perceptions and experiences of taxi drivers. Thus this paper aims to provide some preliminary findings on taxi drivers’ attitudes and beliefs about taxi queens and their relationships with taxi drivers. A 22-item questionnaire was administered to 223 male taxi drivers in two regions in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Taxi drivers in this study largely saw the relationship between taxi drivers and the young girls who ride with them as providing status for both the girls and drivers, and there seemed to be recognition of the transactional nature of the relationship between taxi drivers and taxi queens. The stigmatisation of young girls who ride with taxi drivers was evident. Drivers had knowledge and awareness of the risks of unsafe sex and supported condom use, although there appeared to be some uncertainty and confusion about the likelihood of HIV infection between drivers and girls. While taxi drivers recognised the role of alcohol in relationships with young girls, they seemed to deny that the abuse of drugs was common. The study highlights a number of key areas that need to be explored with men in the taxi industry, in order to address risk behaviours for both taxi drivers and the girls who ride with them

Placing psychology : a critical exploration of research methodology curricula in the social sciences

Current literature on teaching research methodology in the social sciences points to the changing nature of our world in terms of its complexity and diversity and how this affects the way in which we search for answers to related problems. New ways of approaching research problems that relate to the demands of practice need to be explored, which is in contrast with the ‘either-or’ world we coach our students for, that is to be either qualitative or quantitative researchers. Also, educational policy reform in South Africa has sought to address the issue of real-life relevance of curricula, and specifically, reformists have turned to proponents of Mode 2 knowledge to inform initiatives for change. This means that tertiary institutions will have to adjust the way in which they deliver education to future generations of South Africans. The aim of this study was to map the content of undergraduate research methodology courses at South African universities and to explore the beliefs held by some academics that inform the way in which these courses are constructed. Critical theory allowed the researcher to search for unequal distributions of power and is defined in this study in its oppressive role, that is, its productive ability to bring about inequalities and human suffering. As some critical social theorists embrace specific, and at times divergent, methodologies, a pluralistic approach, based on Habermas’ idea of the relative legitimacy of all theories and methods, was used to. The study revealed that there is a heavy reliance on the methods that are traditionally linked to the positivist paradigm. It also revealed that alternate paradigms focusing on philosophies that dictate the use of qualitative methods are increasingly included in methodology courses and juxtaposed against or used to supplement positivist approaches to research. As academics may struggle to let go of traditional paradigms, they may find a compromise in presenting both. By acknowledging the limitations of past curricula, academics actively seek to change these discourses, but by doing so they may be instituting new hegemonies. One of the findings of this study is thus that distinctions about the content of research courses are being made on a methodological level instead of also acknowledging the epistemological and pragmatic grounds for making choices. Moreover, it is argued that the consensus achieved regarding the curriculum for a research course is the result of conversations held between academics in an ideal speech situation that excludes other significant voices. The lecturers' dominance over the students is maintained in the dialogical activities that they undertake with colleagues that confirm their position of authority in academic society. Students recognise this authority and consent to it. It is proposed that the way forward for curriculum construction lies in establishing academic communities of practice that should be viewed as the type of university that Habermas would advocate: where academics need to share power and be open to the challenges that they face such as negotiating what is accepted as knowledge.Thesis (DPhil (Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2005.Psychologyunrestricte

Does urban greenery add to happiness?:A research synthesis using an online finding archive

Background: There is a high demand for the greening of urban areas and one of the drivers of this demand is the biophilia theory which holds that we feel better in a green environment.Question: Does the provision of urban greenery really add to the happiness of city dwellers? If so, by how much and does the effect differ across people and situations? Approach: We summarized the available research findings on the relation between happiness and urban greenery considering both outdoor and indoor green spaces.Method: We draw on the Word Database of Happiness, in which we found 38 research findings on the relationship between happiness and urban greenery, reported in 13 publications. These findings are presented in two tabular schemes that include links to further online details.Results: The provision of urban greenery tends to go together with greater happiness of locals. The size of the effect is small. Fear of crime reduces the effect of outdoor greenery on happiness