Ethiopia is a popular destination for Eritrean refugees, due both to its close proximity and its since 2010 implemented progressive policy allowing Eritrean refugees to reside out of the camps and...Show moreEthiopia is a popular destination for Eritrean refugees, due both to its close proximity and its since 2010 implemented progressive policy allowing Eritrean refugees to reside out of the camps and in its cities, such as Addis Ababa, granted they would be self-sufficient. However, this scheme did not allow refugees to work. As a result, in 2016, the country vowed to increase its commitment and pledged to improve refugee laws by providing education, employment rights, and basic services. It was thought that Eritrea and Ethiopia’s historical relationship and cultural similarities would support the socio-cultural integration of Eritrean refugees into the Ethiopian host community. However, in reality, the level of integration amongst Eritrean refugees in Addis Ababa is still relatively low. To investigate this phenomenon, the following research question is proposed: “Why are many Eritrean refugees not socio-culturally integrated into Ethiopian host community in Addis Ababa?” This paper uses a qualitative approach to illustrate and analyse the ethnography of Eritrean and Ethiopian communities in two areas in Addis Ababa, Bole Arabsa and Mebrat Haile Gofa. Data was gathered through informal, open interviews and participant observation. A thematic approach was also used to draw conclusions from the data, to engage with the topic in new way and lastly, it offers valuable insights into the socio-cultural integration of Eritrean urban refugees within their host communities. The study’s findings indicate that language plays a key role in the overall process of integration, however, in the case of Eritrean refugees in Addis Ababa, many do not feel incentivized to learn the local language, which is Amharic. Furthermore, refugees’ knowledge of another language spoken in Ethiopia, Tigrigna, leads to discrimination by other ethnic groups. A review of past theoretical approaches to this topic suggests that religion is another key facilitator for integration. However, even though both Eritreans and Ethiopians hold similar religious beliefs, their religious practices are entirely separate. The same holds true for food and coffee ceremonies, to a large extent. This is caused by the marginal interaction between the two communities, leading to both living entirely separate and in parallel to each other. Social integration is made even more complex by the poor treatment of refugees by local authorities, as well as general mistrust from both sides due to a further consequence of their historical past, which still has a significant impact today. More importantly, access to the local economy is close to non-existent for Eritrean refugees and are therefore dependent on remittances from abroad for financial support. Moreover, this paradigm creates a circular problem, as remittances further limit their involvement in the local economy. Lastly, as Ethiopia is a transit destination, refugees are further disincentivized from staying in Addis Ababa.Show less
This study investigates the normative framework and the experienced reality of a social norm to enable effective policymaking, which improves the financial situation of the underserved in Eastern...Show moreThis study investigates the normative framework and the experienced reality of a social norm to enable effective policymaking, which improves the financial situation of the underserved in Eastern Province, Zambia. Social norms are becoming increasingly part of social science research, but working with social norms is not straightforward. This thesis contributes to this field of knowledge by giving in-depth qualitative knowledge of how a social norm influences people in rural Zambia. A previously conducted quantitative research revealed tensions between the desire for individual control over money and social and personal norms prohibiting secrecy, advocating the communal over personal interests. During a fieldwork period of ten weeks, seven group and twenty-two individual interviews were conducted. The group interviews show the content of the social norm and how salient it is in the communities where the interviews were conducted. The individual interviews shed light on how a social norm and its behavioral prescriptions are personally experienced. The main conclusion is that it is context-dependent on how social norms influence people's behavior choices, and this differs with time and personal circumstances. The behavioral prescriptions of the social norm prohibiting saving in secret do not guide all community members' actual behavior all the time. Some people sporadically elude or violate the norm secretly, while others do it openly, and again others never transgress. This norm is dynamically and flexibly interpreted depending on people's living situations. Effective policies should include this variety of households and living situations to improve the financial situation of the underserved.Show less
This research presents and analyses how Bole Michael, Addis Ababa functions in Somali mobility and the role of Somali entrepreneurship in this area. Moreover, it aims to avoid going along with...Show moreThis research presents and analyses how Bole Michael, Addis Ababa functions in Somali mobility and the role of Somali entrepreneurship in this area. Moreover, it aims to avoid going along with popular notions and conventional theories on Somalis and entrepreneurs. Henceforth, this research uses literature that fits the context of Somalis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Furthermore, this study shows that Somalis in Bole Michael do not identify as refugees, which contradicts the simplified paradigm illustrated by existing literature on Somalis in Bole Michael. Nevertheless, it reveals that Bole Michael functions as a transit hub for various Somali migrants moving through Bole Michael to Europe and North America. Additionally, Somali enterprises in Bole Michael are service-based and offer services that assist the journey undertaken by migrants, such as; guesthouses, money transfer operators and restaurants. Accordingly, this research argues that Somali businesses sustain and stimulate international Somali mobility. This thesis concludes with suggestions for further research that studies the stimulating effect of money transfer companies on illegal migration among Somali youth.Show less
While perceptions of albinism have always been characterized by difference, it was not until the mid-2000s when brutal killings of people with albinism (PWA) occurred that the government attempted...Show moreWhile perceptions of albinism have always been characterized by difference, it was not until the mid-2000s when brutal killings of people with albinism (PWA) occurred that the government attempted to tackle this problem through education. Almost twenty years later, discrimination and violence against PWA is still present in Tanzania, leading to questions about the effectiveness of an educational approach in combating such developments. Findings from my field research have revealed that people in the northern region of Tanzania perceive albinos to be a different ontological entity, which sustains violence and discrimination against PWA in the country. Most importantly, the governmental and non-governmental educational approach in tackling such problematic perceptions of albinism are proven insufficient in light of such ontological difference. My main recommendation is that education in Tanzania needs an ontological turn, which means that understanding and teaching should be done from the standpoint of albinos and society should be looked at from that perspective.Show less
The Confucius Institute (CI) is a public education organization that aims to facilitate the development of Chinese language and culture, support international Chinese language teaching, and promote...Show moreThe Confucius Institute (CI) is a public education organization that aims to facilitate the development of Chinese language and culture, support international Chinese language teaching, and promote cultural exchange. Its main functions include: Providing Chinese education and training to people from all walks of life, especially students in universities and colleges; carrying out Chinese examinations and Chinese teacher qualification services; providing information consultation on Chinese education, culture, economy and society, etc. Although the number of Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms in Africa is not the largest, CIs in Africa cover more countries and regions than in other continents. In 2013, CIs aroused concerns and heated discussions about their hiring policy and ideology controversy. While some scholars have argued that CIs are tools to ""assimilate"" and to ""brainwash"" African students, criticisms are mainly related to funding sources, revenue distribution, faculty hiring requirements, academic viability, and ideology concerns. Since the CIs have attracted worldwide attention and have become an issue of intensive debate, they are frequently covered in both domestic and foreign mainstream media. As news report provided by news media is not unbiased and impartial but a kind of social practice, different news media, greatly affected by their political, ideological and social-cultural factors, may adopt various linguistic features to report the image of CIs and to influence the perception of the target audience. Thus, it is necessarily essential to explore the similarities and differences of news reports on CIs.Show less
Research among Acholi women formerly associated with the rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda has documented that the reintegration outcomes over time have been positive, but...Show moreResearch among Acholi women formerly associated with the rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda has documented that the reintegration outcomes over time have been positive, but that challenges emerging from the post-conflict environment continue to exist, affecting their psychosocial wellbeing. This research was conducted in 2017, eleven years after the ending of the armed conflict in Northern Uganda. The focus of this thesis was to identify which factors had contributed to the processes of reintegration, seen from the personal perspective of formerly abducted Acholi women. Previous research supports the finding that marriage influences positive reintegration outcomes because marriage should offer the needed social and economic security in women’s reintegration process, based on the traditional institution of marriage. This hypothesis was confirmed in focus groups of both married and unmarried formerly abducted Acholi women. Subsequently, ten semi-structured interviews with formerly abducted Acholi women were used to assess to what extent marriage contributed to their material and psychosocial wellbeing, seen from the women’s personal perspectives. The results indicate that both variables are mediated by the quality of the marriage itself as a ‘primary support system’. Low quality of marriage could partly be compensated by the quality of the social network of the women and their own resiliency. One of the main (and remaining) problems of the women was the persistent ‘shaming’ in the community. Even though all of their husbands had been aware of their past at the time of marriage, the issue was permanently raised in internal marital conflicts and interaction with the family of husbands, especially in case of (family) conflicts. Furthermore, the internal marital conflicts seriously jeopardized the abilities of the women to support themselves economically and to guarantee the education of their children. In sum, this study demonstrates that being able to marry as a formerly abducted woman does not naturally guarantee successful reintegration. It is the quality of marriage based on the relationship between husband and wife, and the relationship between the wife and extended family members, that determine the marital levels of social and economic security which ultimately influences the women’s psychosocial wellbeing.Show less
This study explores the foundations of young women’s agency in processes of social change in urban Uganda. Through the lens of the concept of ‘sisterhood,’ this research examines the strategies,...Show moreThis study explores the foundations of young women’s agency in processes of social change in urban Uganda. Through the lens of the concept of ‘sisterhood,’ this research examines the strategies, struggles, and successes of young feminists challenging systemic inequality and advancing women’s rights in the country. It follows the trajectory of the women’s movement in the country and the trends of African feminist theorisation and organising across the continent. This investigation was carried out in Kampala over three months, especially in the headquarters of Akina Mama wa Afrika, a Pan-Africanist, feminist organisation. From the personal to the collective, this quest brings to the forefront the experiences and views of young Ugandan women who are involved in the feminist movement. It is argued that the idea and practice of sisterhood, understood as political solidarity amongst women, enhance their capacity to promote social transformation in Uganda. Addressing the different manifestations of this idea in context, this research analyses the role of social media and the feminist discourse facilitating this endeavour. While navigating through alternative ways of generating change, this journey explores the complexities of agency and structure in urban Africa in the 21st century, and contributes to the study of the contemporary wave of feminism in the continent.Show less
E-health technologies are being used increasingly much worldwide, a trend that is also visible in the Ugandan context. This thesis sought to investigate whether the use of blended forms of e...Show moreE-health technologies are being used increasingly much worldwide, a trend that is also visible in the Ugandan context. This thesis sought to investigate whether the use of blended forms of e-learning and e-consultations can improve the experiences and outcomes of the use of these technologies. The chosen case study is a social organisation that practices e-health in the Central region of Ugandan. The main methods used are semi-structured interviews and field observations. The analysis, which used self-determination theory as a theoretical framework, found that blended learning provides the ability to improve the experience and outcomes of CHWs because it enhanced the opportunities to fulfil the needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness required for self-determination. Similarly, the research also found that blended care has the potential to improve the experience and outcomes of patients because it offers the ability to increase the needs of autonomy (although findings were rather limited for this), competence and relatedness. As such, this study concludes that there is a need for greater reflection and inclusion of blended methods in e-health.Show less
This thesis identifies the political possibilities to establish a war crimes court in contemporary Liberian society and the role of civil society in this process.
Several studies have shown that media play a huge role in constructing national identities. These studies are often carried out in the context of ‘othering’, since a collective dissociation of ‘the...Show moreSeveral studies have shown that media play a huge role in constructing national identities. These studies are often carried out in the context of ‘othering’, since a collective dissociation of ‘the other’ in many cases strengthens the feeling of nationalism. Studies on how African media play a role in the formation of national identities are scarce, however. A regularly used example of ‘the other’ is the refugee and one of the largest refugee-hosting countries world-wide is Uganda. This thesis therefore studies how the New Vision, one of the biggest Ugandan newspapers, covers news on refugees and how the New Vision then contributes to the construction of a national identity in Uganda. Three methods were used: a participatory research in the form of an internship, a discourse analysis of text and finally a discourse analysis of pictures. The results show that the New Vision focuses on the idea that the government does everything in its power to help refugees and portrays ‘the Ugandan’ as very welcoming towards refugees.Show less
This research examines how entrepreneurship can influence Mauritian women entrepreneurs’ sense of empowerment. It seeks to shed light on the empowerment of women entrepreneurs in a fast-developing,...Show moreThis research examines how entrepreneurship can influence Mauritian women entrepreneurs’ sense of empowerment. It seeks to shed light on the empowerment of women entrepreneurs in a fast-developing, ethnically diverse country. A critical approach was adopted, in which an analysis was made on the different areas in life (dimensions) in which women feel (more) empowered by their business or not. Furthermore, it recognized women as a heterogeneous group and researches how personal and entrepreneurial background influence sense of empowerment. During a fieldwork period of six months in Mauritius, data was collected. A mixed-methods approach was adopted and two datasets were created in order to both demonstrate (quantitative data) and explain (qualitative data) differences in empowerment. A main conclusion that can be drawn is that women generally do feel empowered by their business. However, entrepreneurship affects women’s areas of life in different ways, which can partly be explained by the woman’s background. Also, it was found that a sense of community and collective groups of women entrepreneur contributed enormously to women’s sense of empowerment in multiple ways. This research thus contributes to discussions about women’s empowerment through entrepreneurship by emphasizing that empowerment is an inherent individual process and that women have different backgrounds and entrepreneurial experiences, which in turn influences the way they feel empowered by their own business.Show less
In the 2006 Care Reform Initiative (CRI), Ghana’s Department of Social Welfare (DSW) called for the deinstitutionalization of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and sought to move vulnerable...Show moreIn the 2006 Care Reform Initiative (CRI), Ghana’s Department of Social Welfare (DSW) called for the deinstitutionalization of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and sought to move vulnerable children towards a range of integrated family and community-based care services. The initiative is currently on its third five-year road map for 2017 to 2021 with specific targets and yet still children are in orphanages. Over a decade after the official launch of the initiative a myriad of challenges persist, especially the uncertainty over whether families are prepared to welcome OVC into their homes. Set in Central Region Ghana, using Country-Side Children’s Welfare Home (CCWH) as the main case study, this thesis investigates the underlying factors that are preventing families in the Bawjiase and surroundings from opening their homes and hearts to vulnerable children. Qualitative data was obtained through forty interviews; people interviewed included community leaders, men and women with an active profession in education, banking and informal trading sectors. The views of teenagers from two RHC were also examined through focus group discussion. The study shows that although financial means are often cited as a deterrent for adoption and fostering, the sluggishness in emptying orphanages in Ghana is often due to the lack of training of would-be foster parents and the complicated system of legal adoption. On top of that, the idea of being moved to a family triggers different attitudes among the children involved. The predisposition of OVC towards the idea of reintegration into family life is often conditioned by their memories of their initial experience of family life, or lack thereof. Most of them display a lackadaisical attitude because of their negative experiences of family life, whereas a small number are driven by the prospect of earning a living and being independent even when they are not necessarily looking forward to being integrated into families. This study brings to light the agency of children under care and shows the importance of the psychological and emotional state of OVC involved in deinstitutionalization which could be an influencing factor to be taken into account when taking measures to reintegrated children into a family or community.Show less
This master thesis attempted to research the kinds of socio-economic dynamics of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) on rural communities in Kenya. To do this, the Kenyan branch of the SNV...Show moreThis master thesis attempted to research the kinds of socio-economic dynamics of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) on rural communities in Kenya. To do this, the Kenyan branch of the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation hosted me to analyse the impacts of three SNV-initiated PPP projects focusing on the fields of agriculture, dairy and water management. Research was conducted directly in the field by interviewing twenty different smallholder farmers who are using products or services of one of the five different analysed SNV business partners taking part in the PPP projects. The history of PPPs in Africa and particularly Kenya was summarised while simultaneously elaborating as to why PPPs are an increasingly more prevalent means of development in the country. My methodology was then outlined including information about the relevant Kenyan counties and the different SNV PPPs and business partners. The results of the twenty different interviews were then detailed and critically discussed showing the strengths and shortcomings of the collected data while highlighting key findings. It was found that the farmers I interviewed were primarily very pleased with the products and services they were using through SNV’s PPP projects, being fairly hesitant in sharing any critiques or points of improvement. Upon further analysis this could have been due to shortcomings in my methodology meaning that it is important to always critically evaluate gathered qualitative data before coming to a definitive conclusion since various unintended consequences could still negatively impact rural communities even though interviewed farmers remain positive. For future research there is room for improvement by looking into different factors that may introduce bias into data gathering, requiring adjustments to the methodology, as well as increasing the sample size of conducted interviews. Additionally, future interviews should include questions about specific quantitative figures in order to have a clear manner to measure changes in production and income.Show less
AIM: It is the aim of this study to understand how and why South Sudanese women living in refugee settlements in Adjumani look for treatment in regard to Tuberculosis (TB), by answering the main...Show moreAIM: It is the aim of this study to understand how and why South Sudanese women living in refugee settlements in Adjumani look for treatment in regard to Tuberculosis (TB), by answering the main question ‘What are the health beliefs and health-seeking behaviour within the South Sudanese community in Adjumani district in regard to Tuberculosis?’. The sub-questions focus on different factors that influence health-seeking behaviour and health beliefs. METHODS: Focus group discussions (FGDs) (15) and individual interviews (3) with South Sudanese women were held in different refugee settlements in the Adjumani district in Northern Uganda. These were transcribed and analysed through ‘open’, ‘axial’ and ‘selective’ coding. Also, respondents were asked to draw something TB related, to make a visual interpretation of their knowledge about TB. By using Seale’s (2008) scheme, factors that influence health beliefs and health-seeking behaviour were formulated to answer the main question. Additionally, the district TB focal person was interviewed. RESULTS: The main health beliefs were that TB is a contagious disease which is mainly transmitted through sharing a cup with an infected person and that it is curable. Still, in more than half of the FGDs respondents said TB is caused by other factors (such as heavy work or fear) and in about one third of the FGDs no respondents mentioned the early symptoms of TB. In more than half of FGDs respondents said they would isolate someone with TB. The health-seeking behaviour of the respondents was commendable, since all respondents sought to find treatment when necessary. However, the majority would end up looking for treatment at a private clinic or a distant health facility, since the closest health facility would not provide them with medicine or the treatment they were expecting. In one in five of the FGDs a respondent mentioned self-treatment in the form of finishing old medication or using local herbs. The main factors that influence health beliefs about TB in this study are body perception, perception of susceptibility, supernatural beliefs, levels of education and familiarity with TB. The main factors that influence health-seeking behaviour are experiences with health care in Uganda, distance to the health facility, familiarity with TB, compliance and identity. CONCLUSION: To conclude, even though the health beliefs and perceptions about TB among the South Sudanese women were often different from medical or professional points of view, the health seeking behaviour was very much present and the South Sudanese women were willing to find treatment whenever they considered it necessary. Nevertheless, due to bad experiences with the health facilities, which was mainly about frequent drug-stock-outs, bad attitude of health workers, lay-professional rivalry and inappropriate testing machines, the South Sudanese mothers believe that the district’s health facilities are often unable to make a proper diagnosis. With the insecurity of how the conflict in South Sudan will continue, it will be important for the district to more strongly monitor the spread of TB and include the perspective of the South Sudanese community in order to understand why and where people look for treatment. Recommendations for the district health office and for future research were formulated.Show less
