Theater and Peacebuilding in Post-Conflict Settings: Participants’ Experiences in the Morning Star Theater Program in South Sudan

This dissertation explores the role of theater for peacebuilding in post-conflict settings through the analysis of experiences of participants in the Morning Star Forum Theater for Peacebuilding in South Sudan. Arts-based activities, including theater, have increasingly gained momentum as viable interventions for peacebuilding in post-conflict zones. Much of the existent research fails to capture the experiences of the theater participants themselves. Using narrative inquiry, this study interviewed 12 community members who participated in the Morning Star Forum Theater event. In particular, this study focused on how experiences of Morning Star Theater events impacted interpersonal growth and relationship-building, thus positively impacting peacebuilding processes. Participants collectively shared positive stories of building relationships with individuals from other conflict communities during and after the event. As well, the study findings illuminate experiences of ongoing peacebuilding efforts among these individuals, underscoring the potential role theater can play in building local capacities and facilitating meaningful engagement of local people in peacebuilding processes. The findings not only add participants’ voices to the debate about the role of theater in peacebuilding in post-conflict settings but also inform us about the tool’s potential in facilitating sustained meaningful engagement of the local population, which is a key aspect in achieving lasting peace. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)

Simple ternary complex Grassmann algebras

This work introduces a new class of simple comtrans algebras obtained in the tangent space of a complex Grassmann manifold. It is shown that some of the simple algebras of this new, Grassmann type do not appear as simple algebras of any of the previously known types. In chapter one, comtrans algebras are defined and examples given for the four broad types of simple comtrans algebras currently known. Some of the prerequisite details of the general algebraic theory of comtrans algebras, particularly concerning the universal enveloping algebra of a comtrans algebra, are summarized. In chapter two we define a new class of comtrans algebras. The algebras are said to be of complex Grassmann type. We discuss their simplicity and show that each algebra in this class is an internal Thomas sum of its subalgebras E and F defined in the chapter. Chapter three is devoted to the problem of showing that the complex Grassmann comtrans algebras are not isomorphic to other types of simple comtrans algebras, and in conclusion we outline a few conjectures as open problems for further research

The killing of albinos in Sukumaland, Tanzania : a challenge to the church's mission in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, East of Lake Victoria Diocese

Master's thesis in Theology. School of Mission and Theology, May 201

A source-destination based dynamic pricing scheme to optimize resource utilization in heterogeneous wireless networks

Mobile wireless resources demand is rapidly growing due to the proliferation of bandwidth-hungry mobile devices and applications. This has resulted in congestion in mobile wireless networks (MWN) especially during the peak hours when user traffic can be as high as tenfold the average traffic. Mobile network operators (MNOs) have been trying to solve this problem in various ways. First, MNOs have tried to expand the network capacity but have still been unable to meet the peak hour demand. Focus has then shifted to economic and behavioral mechanisms. The widely used of these economic mechanisms is dynamic pricing which varies the MWN resources' price according to the congestion level in the MWN. This encourages users to shift their non-critical traffic from the busy hour, when the MWN is congested, to off-peak hours when the network is under-utilized. As a result, congestion of the MWN during the peak hours is reduced. At the same time, the MWN utilization during the off-peak hours is also increased. The current dynamic pricing schemes, however, only consider the congestion level in the call-originating cell and neglect the call-destination cell when computing the dynamic price. Due to this feature, we refer the current dynamic pricing schemes as source–based dynamic pricing (SDP) schemes in this work. The main problem with these schemes is that, when the majority of the users in a congested cell are callees, dynamic pricing is ineffective because callers and not callees pay for network services, and resources used by callers and callees are the same for symmetric services. For example, application of dynamic pricing does not deter a callee located in a congested cell from receiving a call, which originates from a caller located in an uncongested cell. Also, when the distribution of prospective callees is higher than that of callers in an underutilized cell, SDP schemes are ineffective as callees do not pay for a call and therefore low discounts do not entice them to increase utilization. In this distribution, dynamic pricing entices prospective callers to make calls but since their distribution is low, the MWN resource utilization does not increase by any significant margin. To address these problems, we have developed a source-destination based dynamic pricing (SDBDP) scheme, which considers congestion levels in both the call-originating and calldestination cells to compute the dynamic price to be paid by a caller. This SDBDP scheme is integrated with a load-based joint call admission control (JCAC) algorithm for admitting incoming service requests in to the least utilized radio access technology (RAT). The load-based JCAC algorithm achieves uniform traffic distribution in the heterogeneous wireless network (HWN). To test the SDBDP scheme, we have developed an analytical model based on M/M/m/m queuing model. New or handoff service requests, arriving when all the RATs in the HWN are fully utilized, lead to call blocking for new calls and call dropping for handoff calls. The call blocking probability, call dropping probability and percentage MWN utilization are used as the performance metrics in evaluating the SDBDP scheme. An exponential demand model is used to approximate the users' response to the presented dynamic price. The exponential demand model captures both the price elasticity of demand and the demand shift constant for different users. The matrix laboratory (MATLAB) tool has been used to carry out the numerical simulations. An evaluation scenario consisting of four groups of co-located cells each with three RATs is used. Both SDP and the developed SDBDP schemes have been subjected under the evaluation scenario. Simulation results show that the developed SDBDP scheme reduces both the new call blocking and handoff call dropping probabilities during the peak hours, for all callercallee distributions. On the other hand, the current SDP scheme only reduces new call blocking and handoff call dropping probabilities only under some caller –callee distributions (When the callers were the majority in the HWN). Also, the SDBDP scheme increases the percentage MWN utilization during the off-peak for all the caller-callee distributions in the HWN. On the other hand, the SDP scheme is found to increase the percentage MWN utilization only when the distribution of callers is higher than that of callees in the HWN. From analyzing the simulations results, we conclude that the SDBDP scheme achieves better congestion control and MWN resource utilization than the existing SDP schemes, under arbitrary caller-callee distribution

The introduction of Islamic banking and its projected impact on financial inclusion and economic development in Uganda

Islamic banks were minimally affected by the global financial crisis of 2008. This is largely attributed to their firm and sound economic principles. This has made Islamic finance a feasible alternative system of banking especially in pursuit of financial inclusion. Uganda like most third world countries has grappled with the challenge of access to credit with a big unbanked population. One of the reasons espoused in this paper for this problem has been high cost of credit access caused by prohibitively high interest rates that discourage people from attaining loans for their entrepreneurial ventures. Since Islamic banking is an interest free based mode of finance, it could have the key to unlocking the door to an inclusive economy. However, there is a desire for dedicated research and efforts from the authorities to develop an effective legal and regulatory framework for Islamic financial industry in Uganda. Attempts should be made to modify the existing structure to provide better products and quality service within the ambit of Islamic laws. While interest based banking has taken hundreds of years to mature to the level where it is today, expecting the same maturity from Islamic banking in its nascent stage will be overly ambitious. To develop an economic system truly reflective of the sacred principles of Islam, all stakeholders should understand the limitations at this stage and work towards its advancement

The prevalence of glucose intolerance among antenatal clients at Kenyatta National Hospital at, 24-36 weeks of gestation

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of and associated factors for glucose intolerance among antenatal clients at Kenyatta National Hospital at 24-36 weeks of gestation.Design: Cross-sectional analytical study.Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital antenatal clinic.Subjects: One hundred and two (102) antenatal mothers at a gestational age of 24-36 weeks were recruited into the study and underwent a 100g Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) after consenting to participate in the study.Results: From the study 37(36%) had glucose intolerance while 65 (64%) had normal glucose tolerance. Among clients with glucose intolerance, 16.7% met the diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes, 3.9% had impaired glucose tolerance and 15.7% had impaired fasting glycaemia. Of the clients with normal glucose tolerance 22.5% displayed flat curves. Factors significantly associated with glucose intolerance were: BMI > 25;P-value 0.036: OR 0.37 CI (1.06-6.90), history of and treatment for sub-fertility p-value 0.002: OR 8.69 CI (1.74-43.50) and family history of hypertension; p-value 0.037: OR 2.66 CI (1.04-6.78).Conclusion: The prevalence of glucose intolerance was 36%. This is much higher than the 5% previously reported. There is need to screen pregnant women for glucose intolerance to prevent the complications usually associated with it

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19): Effects on Education with Special Emphasis on Basic Education System in Kenya

The evolution of COVID 19 and its effects to education is highly uncertain, making it hard for policy makers to formulate appropriate policy response world over. This article attempts to discuss the effect of Covid-19 on basic education. It is a theoretical desk-top review of literature. In order to understand the effects, the origin, symptoms, spread and the measures taken to prevent Covid-19 have been introduced. The findings show the effects felt so far to include; closure of school, educational Inequalities due to the digital divide, high cost/lack of computer and internet to parents, anxiety and emotional distress, heightened cases of domestic violence, potential increase in school drops out, child marriage and teenage pregnancies, exposure of vulnerable children to sexual abusers and corona virus, inadequate food provision at home, gender based violence, effects to children with disabilities, economic effects and teachers and other staff salaries/ lay-offs. Positive effects of covid-19 have also been discussed. Suggestions on how schools can re-open include; putting in place the minimum WHO guidelines in all schools, stationing medical personnel in schools for routine monitoring and surveillance, classrooms to accommodate 20 students only, provision of flexible learning approaches for pregnant girls and young mothers, consideration teachers and workers above 55 years with the option to deliver instruction remotely and government to consider constructing Portable Modular Classrooms as they are the best option when schools need more space. This review is important to education theorists and practitioners, government and other stakeholders in the field of education

Knowledge Based Sustainable Land Use Management: A Case of Mainstreaming Sustainable Land Management in Agro-Pastoral Production Systems of Kenya project.

Land degradation in Arid and Semi – Arid Lands (ASALs) is a potential precursor to widespread desertification and is linked to various human induced factors as a result of poor land use and management practices.  These factors include; inappropriate development models, unsustainable farming practices, reduced livestock mobility and over-exploitation of available pastures, high population growth encroaching on wet- season grazing areas for pastoralists as well as encroachment of agriculture into marginal land.  In addition, the increasing demand to fuel wood charcoal and timber has led to loss of forest covers aggravating land degradation. These man- made crisis coupled with the devastating impacts of climate change has further undermined the lives and livelihood of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities rendering them perpetual dependents on famine relief. The ASALs of Kenya are characterized by hot and dry climate, fragile ecology, low and erratic rainfall (arid: -450mm/yr and semi-arid 500-850mm/yr) and are most vulnerable to droughts and floods (Miriti et al. 2012; McCown and Jones 1992). The paper highlights and synthesizes findings from a review of the project that has addressed the challenges of sustainable land management using two approaches; firstly it supports review of policies related to sustainable land management and mainstreaming SLM in all national planning process, secondly, the project supports implementation of sustainable land  use in the pilot sub counties (Mbeere North, Kyuso, Dadaab and Narok North) of Kenya using Farmer/Pastoral  Field School (F/PFS) methodology. The local communities in the pilot sub counties are trained and supported to adopt various SLM practices and lessons learnt from these counties will be used to upscale in other ASALs areas. Keywords: Sustainable land use, farmer field school, communities, Arid and Semi- Arid areas, degradatio