Magical Realism in the ESL Classroom: Democracy, Citizenship and The Famished Road

Denne masteroppgaven argumenterer for at om man skal opponere mot en hegemonisk vestlig diskurs samt se «den andre» i den tredje verden, så må den litteraturen som benyttes i undervisningen ta et steg bort fra en tradisjonell europeisk oppvekstroman og isteden benytte en postkolonial oppvekstroman med narrativet Magisk Realisme. Gjennom en dokumentanalyse av pensum i norsk skole, en undersøkelse av eksisterende teori og en litterær og didaktisk analyse av romanen Den sultne veien av Ben Okri så vil forskningsspørsmålet «Hvordan kan Den sultne veien benyttes på VG1 SF i et engelsk klasserom for å undervise i emnene Magisk Realisme, othering og vestlig hegemoni og påvirkning» bli besvart. Den litterære og didaktiske analysen er gjennomført ved en grundig lesning av romanen med et søkelys på temaene vestlig hegemoni og påvirkning, othering og narrativet magisk realisme. Den litterære analysen viser at Den Sultne Veien er relevant når man skal undervise i pensum i norsk skole. Romanen bidrar til å mæte kravende i overordnet del og i det tverrfaglige temaet demokrati og medborgerskap. Romanen vil skape en forståelse av den ikke vestlige andre hos studentene og den vil utvikle studentenes interkulturelle kompetanse. Den didaktiske analysen gir forslag til hvordan boken kan bli benyttet i aktiviteter i klasserommet for å undervise i henhold til tanken bak overordnet del og samtidig nå noen av kompetanse målene i pensum i Engelsk på VG1 SF.This thesis argues that to oppose hegemonic Western discourse and see the third world “other”, the literature used in school needs to move away from the traditional European Bildungsroman and choose the post-colonial Bildungsroman instead, with the dual narrative of Magical Realism. Through a document analysis of the curriculum, a theoretical research chapter, and a literary and didactic analysis of The Famished Road by Ben Okri, the research question of “How can The Famished Road be used in the VG1 general studies EFL classroom to teach the topics of Magical Realism, othering, and western hegemony and influence?” is answered. The literary and didactic analysis is conducted by a close reading of the novel with a focus on the themes of othering, western hegemony and influence, and the narrative of Magical Realism. The literary analysis shows that The Famished Road is relevant when teaching the curriculum. It contributes to reaching the core curriculum's demands and the interdisciplinary topic of Democracy and Citizenship. The novel will create an understanding of the non-western other in the students and lead to the development of intercultural competence. The didactic analysis suggests how the book can be used through classroom activities to teach the curriculum and reach the competence aims in the English subject in VG1 general studies

Human-like behavior and cognition: Not a good starting point

Chapman & Huffman make use of observations and studies that show how humans may not be as unique in our behaviour and cognition as previously thought. I wholeheartedly agree that our uniqueness might be small and that if it exists, it should not give our species any right to act cruelly towards other animals. However, this kind of logic can be problematic. I present a few of the issues in this commentary

The Role of Attorney Fee Shifting in Public Interest Litigation

BACKGROUND: Brain tissue segmentation of white matter (WM), grey matter (GM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are important in neuroradiological applications. Quantitative Mri (qMRI) allows segmentation based on physical tissue properties, and the dependencies on MR scanner settings are removed. Brain tissue groups into clusters in the three dimensional space formed by the qMRI parameters R1, R2 and PD, and partial volume voxels are intermediate in this space. The qMRI parameters, however, depend on the main magnetic field strength. Therefore, longitudinal studies can be seriously limited by system upgrades. The aim of this work was to apply one recently described brain tissue segmentation method, based on qMRI, at both 1.5 T and 3.0 T field strengths, and to investigate similarities and differences. METHODS: In vivo qMRI measurements were performed on 10 healthy subjects using both 1.5 T and 3.0 T MR scanners. The brain tissue segmentation method was applied for both 1.5 T and 3.0 T and volumes of WM, GM, CSF and brain parenchymal fraction (BPF) were calculated on both field strengths. Repeatability was calculated for each scanner and a General Linear Model was used to examine the effect of field strength. Voxel-wise t-tests were also performed to evaluate regional differences. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found between 1.5 T and 3.0 T for WM, GM, CSF and BPF (p<0.001). Analyses of main effects showed that WM was underestimated, while GM and CSF were overestimated on 1.5 T compared to 3.0 T. The mean differences between 1.5 T and 3.0 T were -66 mL WM, 40 mL GM, 29 mL CSF and -1.99% BPF. Voxel-wise t-tests revealed regional differences of WM and GM in deep brain structures, cerebellum and brain stem. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the brain was identically classified at the two field strengths, although some regional differences were observed

Treffsikkerhet på ResultatEstimater : ble nøyaktigheten i analytikerens estimat på resultat pr. aksje påvirket av finanskrisen og endret analytikeren sine arbeidsmetoder og økonomiske modeller som en følge av finanskrisen?

Intensjonen bak denne oppgaven er å undersøke om finanskrisen og dens implikasjoner påvirket nøyaktigheten til aksjeanalytikernes estimater på resultat pr. aksje. Vi ønsker også å undersøke om analytikerens økonomiske modeller og arbeidsmetoder ble endret som en konsekvens av finanskrisen. Vi har delt oppgaven inn i to analyser – kvantitativ og kvalitativ. Det kvantitative datamaterialet er innhentet fra Thomson Reuters ` databasen – ThomsonOne og fra selskapenes årsrapporter. Det totale utvalget består av 4256 estimater gitt av 13 meglerhus på 136 børsnoterte selskap i perioden 2000 til 2009. Videre benyttet vi avviksmålet MAPE for å beregne differansen mellom estimatet og det faktiske resultatet. Den kvalitative analysen bygger på informasjon fra intervjuer med seks analytikere i ulike velrenommerte meglerhus. Analysene viser at gjennomsnittavviket i år 2008 og 2009 er signifikant høyere enn i de forgående årene. Gjennom analysen finner vi også stor differanse i treffsikkerheten i ulike bransjer. Videre ser vi at avviket er lavere på OBX-selskapene enn totalavviket på alle selskapene, samt en veldig svak korrelasjon mellom markedsverdi og avvik på et selskap. Når det kommer til den kvalitative analysen som omhandler eventuelle endringer i økonomiske modeller og arbeidsmetoder som en konsekvens av finanskrisen, har vi konkludert med at kun arbeidsmetoder ble endret. Dette som en følge av dårligere guiding fra selskapene, større fokus på makrobildet og mer vekt på selskapenes soliditet

'The divorce program': gendered experiences of HIV positive mothers enrolled in PMTCT programs - the case of rural Malawi

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>For HIV infected mothers in developing countries, choosing to enroll in a prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV program is supposed to represent the first step towards protecting their child from possible transmission of HIV from mother to child. Counseling and testing enable HIV infected mothers to learn about their status and to obtain the benefits of a PMTCT package. The study on which this article is based explored experiences of HIV positive women and their partners linked to Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programs in Chiradzulu district, Southern Malawi.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A qualitative study using in-depth interviews (IDIs), focus group discussion (FGDs) and case studies was carried at two PMTCT sites. IDIs and FGDs were recorded and transcribed. The case studies involved a deeper inquiry into the past, present and situational factors of selected participants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In a context of customary matrilineal kinship, matrilocal residence patterns and complete male absence from the PMTCT program, the demand by the PMTCT program for partner disclosure played up fears of rejection among men given accusations of infidelity by the wives' relatives. This situation led many men to abandon their families. Mothers enrolled in PMTCT programs hence faced not only the fear of transmitting the virus to their infants, but also the loss of income and support associated with a departed husband and the social disgrace of a ruined family. Community members referred to the PMTCT program as 'the divorce program'</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>PMTCT programs may vary in effectiveness in different contexts unless they fundamentally respond to socio-cultural factors as lived out in communities they intend to serve. The PMTCT program in rural southern Malawi is a case in point.</p

Making Fathers: Masculinities and Social Change in the Ghanaian Context

Under embargo until: 2022-06-01Framed within recent debates about hegemonic masculinity and in-depth historical and contemporary research on fatherhood and gender roles in Ghana, this article explores current ways of becoming and being a father in Ghana. Existing studies of fatherhood and masculinities in Ghana tend to present men in conjugal unions as patriarchal and dominating over their wives and children and fatherhood as related mainly to breadwinning and demonstrating sexual potency. Through observation studies, semi-structured interviews, and focusgroup discussions with fathers from urban and rural contexts, this article explores multiple ways of achieving masculinity through fatherhood and ways in which new fathering ideals and expectations come to be incorporated into local gendered ideals. It suggests that alongside values of providing for their families, ideals of involved fatherhood emerge among the study participants, indicating early signs of a shift away from established sociocultural gendered expectations of hegemonic masculinity.publishedVersio

Poisonous milk and sinful mothers: the changing meaning of breastfeeding in the wake of the HIV epidemic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Breastfeeding remains normative and vital for child survival in the developing world. However, knowledge of the risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission through breastfeeding has brought to attention the controversy of whether breastfeeding can be safely practiced by HIV positive mothers. Prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) programs provide prevention services to HIV positive mothers including infant feeding counseling based on international guidelines. This study aimed at exploring infant feeding choices and how breastfeeding and the risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding was interpreted among HIV positive mothers and their counselors in PMTCT programs in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was conducted in the PMTCT clinics in two governmental hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, using qualitative interviews and participant observation. Twenty two HIV positive mothers and ten health professionals working in PMTCT clinics were interviewed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The study revealed that HIV positive mothers have developed an immense fear of breast milk which is out of proportion compared to the evidence of risk of transmission documented. The fear is expressed through avoidance of breastfeeding or, if no other choice is available, through an intense unease with the breastfeeding situation, and through expressions of sin, guilt, blame and regret. Health professionals working in the PMTCT programs seemed to largely share the fear of HIV positive mother's breast milk, and their anxiety was reflected in the counseling services they provided. Formula feeding was the preferred infant feeding method, and was chosen also by HIV positive women who had to beg in the streets for survival.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The fear of breast milk that seems to have developed among counselors and HIV positive mothers in the wake of the HIV epidemic may challenge a well established breastfeeding culture and calls for public health action. Based on strong evidence of the risks when infants are not exclusively breastfed, there is a great need to protect breastfeeding from pressures of replacement feeding and to promote exclusive breastfeeding as the best infant feeding option for HIV positive and HIV negative mothers alike.</p

Difficult choices: Infant feeding experiences of HIV-positive mothers in northern Tanzania

Infant feeding represents a great challenge in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (pMTCT). The international guidelines informing infant feeding counselling suggest feeding methods that reduce the risk of HIV transmission, and discourage mixed feeding (combining breastfeeding with other fluids and solids).The feasibility and the social acceptability of the recommended feeding methods are hotly debated currently.Through the documentation of HIV-positive women\'s experiences, this article aims to provide empirically grounded knowledge on the relevance of the proposed feeding methods. Drawing upon cultural theory and a view of infant feeding practices as socially and culturally embedded, the article discusses the so-called ‘informed choice\' of infant feeding method among women enrolled in the pMTCT programme at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in northern Tanzania.The study is based on interviews and follow-up of 20 HIV-positive mothers during the last part of pregnancy, delivery and the first six months after birth.The article details four of these cases describing the challenges linked to exclusive breastfeeding, cow\'s milk feeding and formula feeding.The study demonstrates the gap between intentions and infant feeding practice in a context where the social expectations to breastfeed are high, and where kin and neighbours are part of the decision-making team surrounding infant feeding. It highlights the tension between the competing concerns of the medical and social risks involved in the choice of infant feeding method, and documents that the feeding options may be difficult to adhere to, whether a mother chooses exclusive breastfeeding or replacement feeding. SAHARA J Vol. 4 (1) 2007: pp. 544-55

I Do Not Want Her to be Doing Anything Stressful’: Men’s Involvement in Domestic Work during pregnancy in Ghana

Drawing on qualitative research from rural and urban areas, this article contributes to evolving social research in Ghana on possible changes in the gendered distribution of domestic labour. Formulated within debates on ‘doing gender’ and ‘undoing gender’, this study examines the extent to which acts of gender transgression may potentially occur during peak reproductive periods in the lives of Ghanaian couples. The findings of the study indicate that the participants reiterated normative gendered definitions of men as primary providers and women as primary domestic caretakers. Nonetheless, it was noted that during their partner’s pregnancy, men in both urban and rural areas were willing to modify their daily schedule to incorporate more housework. Simultaneously, men’s involvement in all or most of the household chores was perceived as potentially dangerous to the gendered balance of labour in the family and could, according to the participants, stimulate laziness among female partners. Despite the apparent resistance to male performance of domestic chores, the article argues that men’s willingness to do housework during their partner’s pregnancy may be an early indicator of slow but steady transformations in gender relations in Ghana.publishedVersio

“I came to escort someone”: Men’s experiences of antenatal care services in urban Ghana—a qualitative study

Background Male involvement in maternal healthcare has been widely recognized as essential for positive health outcomes for expectant mothers and their unborn babies. However, few studies have explored men’s experiences of maternal health services. The purpose of this paper is to explore men’s involvement in antenatal care in urban Ghana and to discuss how men navigate their roles in a space that has been constructed as feminine. The study draws upon theories of space, place, and gender. Methods A qualitative exploratory study using semistructured interviews, focus group discussion, and observation was conducted in Accra, Ghana. Expectant fathers and health workers were interviewed, and observation was conducted at a selected public hospital in Accra. Results The findings suggest that the few men who attend antenatal care with their expecting partners become involved to a limited extent in the clinic’s activities. Beyond a few who take an active role, most men stay on the outskirts of the hospital grounds and rarely participate in consultations with their partner and midwife. Men still view their presence as necessary to acquire knowledge and as sources of emotional, financial, and physical support for their partners. On the health workers’ side, the study found no clear agenda for engaging men at the clinic, and nurses/midwives felt there was a lack of staff who could engage more directly with the men. Conclusion The study indicates that most expecting fathers feel too shy and uncomfortable to locate themselves in the female space that makes up antenatal care/maternity wards. Health workers do not feel they have the necessary resources to involve men fruitfully. Thus, men do not engage in the activity as hoped but rather remain on the outskirts of the maternity clinic. However, if men continue to negotiate their involvement at the clinic and become more assertive in their roles, the maternity clinic as a female space could, with time, be transformed into a space in which both expecting mothers and fathers can actively participate and be engaged to the benefit of all.publishedVersio