This thesis focuses on current Cuban medical cooperation in Mozambique. It begins by placing this form of cooperation within the emergent field of South-South relations, whereby two nations from...Show moreThis thesis focuses on current Cuban medical cooperation in Mozambique. It begins by placing this form of cooperation within the emergent field of South-South relations, whereby two nations from the Global South maintain an autonomous link throughout the decades. The socialist island of Cuba has long been regarded as a world leader in health, one that, in place of sending substantial revenues, delivers human resources. Its main tactic has been to place Cuban professionals at a grassroots level, in order to work within the local healthcare system. This has been the case in Mozambique, a nation with a healthcare system often described as fragmented and heavily dependent on foreign aid, and in this sense Cuba may represent a more horizontal alternative. From a macro perspective this is an interesting topic within international relations, one that adds various perspectives to the field of medical aid worldwide. However, this paper suggests a further analysis of the different layers within this phenomenon. Beyond merely being a governmental agreement, this is a particular Transatlantic route where women and men move between continents, facing tangible and intangible borders in order to collaborate within the medical field. Under these circumstances, individuals must cope with new environments, re-establishing their lives in other societies, thus modifying their lives and those of their communities. Behind such dynamics, solidarity stands as a remarkable principle to sustain the historical and contemporary mobilization of people in the Global South. Using an ethnographic perspective based on life stories collected throughout six months of fieldwork, this thesis unwraps the multiple layers that go into constructing this phenomenon in order to understand how solidarity is embodied in the daily lives of Cubans and Mozambicans. The aim is to present the “human face” of contemporary South-South mobility, especially in the field of health and medicine, in order to highlight how political discourses on solidarity are deconstructed to be personally internalized within this intercultural encounter.Show less
This paper analyses the underwater timber salvation project that will remove timber from submerged forests in the Volta Lake. It will frame this by evaluating how the project can enhance...Show moreThis paper analyses the underwater timber salvation project that will remove timber from submerged forests in the Volta Lake. It will frame this by evaluating how the project can enhance development for Ghana. Kwame Nkrumah’s Volta River Project is primarily assessed as this led to the flooding of the Volta Lake. Nkrumah’s aspirations for Ghana at its independence set the scene for the course of development taken over the last 60 years. Later chapters discuss the underwater timber logging project and the far-reaching impacts it has on Ghana’s sustainable development. Issues such as illegal fishing and logging, deforestation and the Government of Ghana’s protocol for development are analysed. These chapters investigate the implications of the underwater timber harvest on the environment and local communities, special emphasis is placed on discussing the potential of this project to improve inland water transportation on the Volta Lake. Finally some recommendations are made in an attempt to enhance further sustainable development in Ghana. These recommendations are directed towards the Government of Ghana, the underwater timber salvation company and wider subsidiaries involved in increasing safety on the Volta Lake.Show less
The purpose of this thesis was to broaden understanding of the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASM) formalisation experience in Côte d’Ivoire. The research was focussed on how the formal...Show moreThe purpose of this thesis was to broaden understanding of the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASM) formalisation experience in Côte d’Ivoire. The research was focussed on how the formal regulatory framework for ASM is connected to the informal status of the sector in the country. The research has presented different findings. Firstly, due to a long period of political instability and a high international gold price, the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector has experienced a strong growth over the 1999-2011 period in Côte d’Ivoire. In a response to the strong growth and the negative social and environmental impacts of the sector the government of Côte d’Ivoire presented the PNRO in 2013 for the effective regulation of the sector. While the program was aimed to end in 2016, the implementation of the process is still ongoing. The direct results of the program and experiences of different stakeholder in the field present an image of a formal regulatory framework that was ineffective: no (or very limited) authorisations have been handed out, no geologically viable ASM corridors have been identified and the negative impacts of the ASM sector, including LSM-ASM conflicts, have not decreased. This narrow focus, together with the bureaucratic procedures and costs to obtain an authorisation, the private control of informal gold mines by high ranking politicians, the prioritization of large scale mining and a lack of capacity by the government, have contributed to the design and implementation of an ineffective formal regulatory framework for the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector in the country. A consequence of this, is that with the current approach the sector is deemed to stay informal and increases the likelihood of ASM-LSM conflicts. This scenario is unwanted, because it leaves the ones that most need an effective regulatory framework left in informality, it increases problems with insecurity for mining companies and creates a huge losses of tax revenues for the government. The sole actors that profit from an informal ASM sector are the ones that benefit from the illicit trade of gold.Show less
The effects of climate change are evident for communities living in the Limpopo River valley in southern Mozambique. The floods in this region will most likely become more frequent, and increase in...Show moreThe effects of climate change are evident for communities living in the Limpopo River valley in southern Mozambique. The floods in this region will most likely become more frequent, and increase in intensity, while the overall population continues to grow. Permanent migration to the resettlement site of Chiaquelane is an option many people of the community in Chókwè have chosen, in order to adapt to the Limpopo River flood risk. Through qualitative research in both Chókwè and Chiaquelane, over a three month fieldwork period, this study was aimed at uncovering the implications of permanent migration as an adaptation strategy, using theories of livelihood sustainability and natural disaster risk resilience. Semi-structured interviews, group interviews, and field observation are the main research methods that were deployed. Main findings include, among others, that permanent migration to Chiaquelane brings about absolute safety from the Limpopo River floods, but it also entails a decrease in livelihood opportunities; the soils are less fertile, there are little to no employment opportunities and it is hard to start a (lost) business from scratch. The decision to stay in (or return to) Chókwè entails that people better preserve their social networks, can rely on pre-existing employment opportunities, are surrounded by more and better facilities, and most importantly, can continue to work on their machambas and sell the surplus on the market. The results of this study furthermore suggest that, in its current state, the resettlement programme tends to reinforce existing inequalities within the Gaza Province. Secondly, the results suggest that permanent migration is not a fully voluntary decision; it heavily depends on (1) the amount of received government assistance and (2) the assets – social as well as material – that are available to someone.Show less
This thesis attempts to give a description of the forms of demonstratives in Amharic, a language spoken in Ethiopia. Demonstratives are a part of deixis, which are words referring or pointing to...Show moreThis thesis attempts to give a description of the forms of demonstratives in Amharic, a language spoken in Ethiopia. Demonstratives are a part of deixis, which are words referring or pointing to other words. Works like Leslau and Appleyard give a good overview of demonstratives in Amharic. In this thesis I looked at those demonstratives and compared them to demonstratives I found in interviews I took with Amharic speakers. I discuss differences in proximal and distal demonstratives and also in nominal and locative demonstratives. Most demonstratives that are used are masculine. I also discuss a morpheme-ን -n which meaning I couldn’t find in certain situations in the literature I read.Show less
