Identity, nationalism and successful governance: with reference to South Sudan
- Authors: Poggi, Giovanni Corrado
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Identity politics -- South Sudan , Nationalism -- South Sudan
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8333 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020579
- Description: The study seeks to delineate the African socio-political environment through an analytical contextualisation of repetitive authoritative systems, which perpetuate exclusion and the formation of politicised identity. Through a process of historical evaluation of African politics since the majority of states became independent, the study attempts to test a constructed triangular supposition that explains why identity disputation persists at almost every level of African governance. Bearing in mind the almost natural progression of African politics towards identity contestation, the second overriding objective seeks to evaluate the secession of South Sudan as a possible preventative model for identity politicised conflict. In this fashion, the study delves into the politics of a previously unified Sudan; and the events that led South Sudan to eventually seek secession. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the assumption that territorial secession in Africa is able to quell identity contestation and promote an opportunity for equitable democratic governance. To meet the above objectives, a comprehensive outlay of African socio-politics and governance will be utilised to frame the analysis. Firstly, the study seeks to elaborate on the historiography of African colonial legacy as providing the foundations of identity exclusive politics on the continent. In this way, considerable investigative reverence must be given to the respective policies of colonial administration, namely indirect rule and direct rule. The effects of either of these policies contend a type of socio-political conditioning of African elites and civil society that still persists at time of writing. The concentration of this endeavour will be focused towards indirect colonial policy most famously implemented by British colonialism. The effects of the British policy of ethnic and ethno-religious categorisation is vitally important to a greater understanding of the majority of examples studied in the literature, including the formation of identity contestation in the case of the Sudan. Secondly, to further understand the complex dynamism of African politics which lead to identity based disputation, the study will turn to an analysis of the rhetoric of African independent governance and ideology. The primary objective here will be to detail how differing enactments of African ideology, including the advent of Pan-Arabism to the case of Sudan, ultimately continued the tradition of exclusive citizenship and dominance of some groups over others on the continent. This leads the study to uncover the deeper reasons for why socio-political exclusion continues to the present day. The final dimension of the triangular process suggests that exclusion has been maintained in Africa to prevent access of subverted groups to governance structures and more importantly to the limited resources of African states. Finally, the case of the secession of South Sudan is interpreted through the analytical lens of politicised identity that forms in the face of inadequate state structures to provide legitimate democratic access to the state. The third facet of the proposed theoretical triangle suggests that conflict and contestation is a product of grievances expressed from political exclusion. In this way, it is pivotal to the study to assess whether secession, as in the case of South Sudan, provides a valid alternative platform for suppressing identity contestation and promoting effective democratic consolidation. By all accounts, there is overwhelming evidence already to suggest that secession may be a successful way to repress identity politicisation. However, there remain substantial hurdles for many African states, including a now autonomous South Sudan, in order to finally dissolve the enduring problems of socio-political exclusion. Propositions and possible solutions will be posited for these states as an ad hoc objective.
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- Date Issued: 2014
Relative contribution of wild foods to individual and household food security in the context of increasing vulnerability due to HIV/AIDS and climate variability
- Authors: Abu-Basutu, Keitometsi Ngulube
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa , Food supply -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- South Africa , HIV infections -- Social aspects -- South Africa , Chronically ill -- South Africa -- Economic conditions , Chronically ill -- South Africa -- Social conditions , Food -- Social aspects -- South Africa , Food -- Economic aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4774 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1010864 , Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa , Food supply -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- South Africa , HIV infections -- Social aspects -- South Africa , Chronically ill -- South Africa -- Economic conditions , Chronically ill -- South Africa -- Social conditions , Food -- Social aspects -- South Africa , Food -- Economic aspects -- South Africa
- Description: Wild foods are an integral component of the household food basket, yet their quantified contribution to food security relative to other sources in the context of HIV/AIDS, climate change and variability remains underexplored. This study was carried out in Willowvale and Lesseyton which are rural communities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Willowvale is a relatively remote, medium-rainfall coastal community, while Lesseyton is a peri-urban low rainfall inland community. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data from 78 HIV/AIDS afflicted households with 329 individuals and 87 non-afflicted households with 365 individuals in the two study sites. Households were visited quarterly over 12 months to assess food acquisition methods, dietary intake and quality, and levels of food security, and to determine strategies employed by households to cope with droughts. The wild foods investigated were wild meat, wild birds, wild fish, wild mushrooms, wild leafy vegetables and wild fruits. Diets were moderately well-balanced and limited in variety, with cereal items contributing 52 % to total calorie intake. Mid-upper arm circumference measurements showed that all respondents were adequately nourished. The bulk of the food consumed by households was purchased, with supplementation from own production, wild vegetables and wild fruits. In Willowvale, wild vegetables comprised 46 % of overall vegetable consumption for afflicted households and 32 % for non-afflicted households, while own fruit production comprised 100 % of fruit consumption. In Lesseyton, wild vegetables comprised only 6 % and 4 % of vegetable consumption for afflicted and non-afflicted households, while wild fruit comprised 63 % and 41 % for afflicted and non-afflicted households. More than 80 % of respondents from both afflicted and non-afflicted households had sufficient daily kilocalories, although the majority of afflicted households felt they were food insecure and sometimes collected wild foods as one of their multiple coping strategies. Hunting and gathering of wild foods was associated with site, household affliction status, gender, age and season. More than 80 % of respondents ate wild vegetables and said they were more drought tolerant than conventional vegetables, making them the most consumed wild food and approximately 16 % of respondents ate wild birds, making them the least consumed wild food. Approximately 14 % of respondents from afflicted households in Willowvale sold wild fish, whilst 34 % of respondents from afflicted households and 7 % from non-afflicted households sold wild fruits in Lesseyton. Strategies adopted by households to cope with droughts were different between the two study sites, and households in Willowvale used a wider range of strategies. Given the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS coupled with the drawbacks of climate change and variability on food security, wild foods represent a free and easy way for vulnerable households to obtain food.
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- Date Issued: 2014