Streams of Influence: Understanding our Influence on Gender, Power and Sexuality

The Streams of Influence report for the IDS Gender, Power and Sexuality Programme supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) has been written for the purpose of supporting the programme in the process of learning about influencing, helping partners to unpack their understandings of change and where and how the programme has had influence. Streams of Influence tells the story of how the Gender, Power and Sexuality Programme that sought to bring about positive changes on gender equality imagined and then experienced the process of influencing. The report seeks to present a reflective and self-critical assessment.Swedish International Development Agency (Sida

Sexuality and Development Programme: An Annotated Bibliography

The IDS Sexuality and Development Programme is a reaction to the inadequate manner in which sexuality is approached by the development sector. Sexuality is not taken seriously: it is considered a frivolous, trivial issue that doesn’t relate to the more important aspects of development such as poverty. This is something that needs to change. This eclectic bibliography reflects global thinking on sexuality, bringing together texts on poverty, pleasure, gender, heteronormativity, rights, and a lot more! The ideas it contains will inspire you to think differently about sexuality and development whether you are an activist, academic, practitioner, policymaker, or something else entirely.DFID, Sid

Impact of HIV and AIDS on Elderly Caregivers in Chiang Mai, Thailand

The UN General Special Assembly on HIV/AIDS reported that Thailand\u27s elderly are living on the edge of poverty. Those who become caregivers for the children who have been orphaned by AIDS incur even greater challenges. The 2007 Survey of Older Persons of Thailand concluded that there is a range offinancial and social safety nets provided by the government, nongovernmental (NGO), and faith-based organizations (FBOs) to help the elderly caregivers and their families. The research literature offered limited studies on Thailand\u27s elderly caring for these children. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the social, religious, and familial experiences of this population. The theoretical framework was Erikson\u27s theory of the 8 ages of man. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 elderly caregivers participating in the Grandma Cares Partnership Program. They were asked about their caregiving experiences, cultural and Buddhist beliefs, and programs that help them. Data were verified through member checking with a translator. The details of thecaregivers\u27 experiences and environments were transcribed and analyzed with Creswell\u27s 6-step process to identify textural and structural themes and patterns. Results of this study indicated that caregivers gained comfort and strength from Buddha\u27s teachings, as well as from their cultural beliefs, to continue to maintain a home for these children, but they would like more support. Implications for social change include informing policy makers and leaders of the Thai government, NGOs, and FBOs that more financial and educational support is still needed to help these caregivers. Plans are in place for the caregivers to share their insights with their representatives, in order to make their lives more manageable

Experimental Investigations of Convective Turbulence in Planetary Cores

The magnetic fields of planets and other bodies are created and sustained due to the turbulent motions of an internal fluid layer, a process known as dynamo action. Forward models are required to characterize the dynamics of rotating convective turbulence driving dynamo action due to the inability to obtain direct measurements of the internal fluid layers of planetary bodies. The characteristic flow velocities and length scales of dynamo systems remain poorly constrained due to the difficulty of modeling realistic planetary core conditions. Thus, the goal of this dissertation is to explore these key properties of core-style convection. To do so, I have conducted novel experiments aimed to better quantify the features of quasi- geostrophic turbulence using the UCLA large-scale rotating convection device, ‘NoMag’.I have completed a systematic study to simultaneously measure the heat transfer and bulk velocities of different rotating convective regimes at some of the most extreme laboratory conditions possible to date. The study of heat transfer is employed in most forward models of core-style convection. In laboratory experiments in particular, due to the relative difficulty of collecting velocity measurements, those of heat transfer alone are assessed, the dynamics of which are assumed to describe the the bulk velocity dynamics of the system. On the contrary, I utilize laser doppler velocimetry to obtain measurements of bulk velocities concurrently with the collection of temperature measurements for the characterization of system heat transfer. I find that heat transfer behavior is consistent with the results of past studies and is largely controlled by boundary layer dynamics. I further find that velocity behaviors do not directly coincide with heat transfer behaviors in the parameter space studied. Instead, I show that a dynamical flow regime of quasi-geostrophic turbulence relevant to core flows is robustly reached, suggesting that it is possible to access realistic bulk dynamics in models that remain far from planetary core conditions.Using the results of this study, I estimate the characteristic length scales of the flows of each experiment. These estimates from my data are compared with length scale estimates of numerous numerical models of planetary core convection. I conclude from this meta-analysis of forwards models that all evidence to date suggests that the theorized characteristic length scales of planetary dynamo systems co-scale with one another and are thus non-separable.In two other studies that comprise the remainder of this dissertation, I further examine the applicability of laboratory models towards planetary settings. An experimental study on the influence of centrifugal buoyancy on rotating convection in water and in liquid metal was completed, where results agree with the recent numerical work of Horn and Aurnou (2018). It is found that the transition from Coriolis to centrifugally dominated convection depends on the strength of the centrifugal buoyancy relative to the gravitational buoyancy and the geometry of the cylinder in which experiments are conducted. These results are useful to ensure that the regime of rotating convection explored in a given experiment is relevant to planetary core flows, i.e. not centrifugally dominated. Separately, I conducted a series of spin up experiments with well-established theory to calibrate the NoMag apparatus and its measuring components. Further, the results from spin up experiments conducted with rough boundaries might have geophysical implications for the possible viscous coupling at Earth’s core mantle boundary, as well as turbulent mixing in the global ocean.The results of the studies presented in this dissertation clarify the relevance of long theorized and poorly tested dynamic length and velocity scalings of planetary core flows. Flows that are quasi-geostrophically turbulent are robustly observed in the laboratory data collected in this dissertation. The need for next generation models of planetary core flows is motivated by the results of the work herein. In particular, studies in which the characteristic length scales of core-style flows are directly quantified will undoubtedly enhance ourunderstanding of the multi-scale turbulent physics driving planetary dynamo systems

Interview with Bruce Hawkins

The interview discusses the founding of the Alternative Center with the retired superintendent of Knox County, Bruce Hawkinshttps://digital.kenyon.edu/ae_interviews/1007/thumbnail.jp

The Health of Women and Girls in Urban Areas with a Focus on Kenya and South Africa: A Review

This thematic review focuses on a range of health challenges faced in particular by women and girls living in low-income urban settlements in expanding cities in Kenya and South Africa. The review has been compiled as part of a larger body of work being conducted by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and its partners on gender and international development and financed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). The review was preceded by a literature search (using keywords to reflect the thematic focus) of key databases of published literature, as well as a search for grey literature and documents describing interventions aimed at addressing these health challenges. An online discussion hosted by IDS gave a further indication of current debates and assisted in the identification of interventions.DFI

Sexuality and Empowerment: An Intimate Connection

What does sexuality have to do with women's empowerment? Research from the Pathways of Women's Empowerment RPC shows that sexuality affects women's political and economic empowerment in a number of important ways. For example, in the ways that women experience seeking election of political office, how women are treated and respected (or disrespected) in the workplace and in public, and how families and communities place expectations on how women should behave. Being exposed to sexual harassment and sexual violence and not being able to exercise choice in their sexual relationships affects women's well-being and ultimately undermines political, social and economic empowerment. In this policy paper, we demonstrate why sexuality is so important for women's empowerment, drawing on evidence generated by research carried out by the Pathways of Women's Empowerment RPC and collaborative initiatives with the DFID-funded IDS Sexuality and Development Programme.UKaid from the Department for International Development with co-funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affair