Yes / This paper looks into the issues around renewable energy with a view to identify the opportunities for Nigeria and critically review the nation’s renewable energy policy vis-`a-vis the efforts and achievement of governments and indigenous practitioners. It identified the inherent opportunities of renewable energy resources at ameliorating the incidents of climate change and global warming and also surveyed international statistics on the relationships between energy and renewable energy adoption, national development, population explosion, job creation and rural-urban integration. It found out that for Nigeria to sustain economic growth especially as it relates to agriculture and food security, renewable energy for power generation must be included in the nation’s rural development plan. It also demonstrated that renewable energy poses an opportunity for mitigating the nation’s contributions to anthropogenic climate change. / This work was supported by the British Academy Global Challenges Research Fund under Grant number GCRFNGR3\1541 and Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.

The purpose of this study was to examine counselor's self- perceived multicultural counseling competency (MCC) between counselors working in rural, suburban and urban communities across the Commonwealth of Virginia. The study compared professional counselors' perceptions of their own multicultural counseling competence based on the counselor's geographic area of origin, current geographic practice setting, and counselors' intersections of identities to better understand counselor MCC as it relates to cultural diversity. Sample data was collected through professional counseling organizations in Virginia. Participants completed a demographic survey as well as the Multicultural Awareness Knowledge Skills Survey-Counselor Edition-Revised (MAKSS-CE-R) to measure self-perceived MCC. Results indicate that there was no difference in self-perceived MCC among professional counselors in Virginia based on their practice location or area of origin (i.e. hometown). However, counselor's identified race/ethnicity were predictor's of self-perceived MCC. Findings suggest that training programs may be providing adequate opportunities for counselors to develop MCC. Allowing innovative approaches through technology, consultation, and adherence to the ACA Code of Ethics (2014) could be sufficient in counselor MCC regardless of geographic practice location. / Doctor of Philosophy / The purpose of this study was to understand how counselors in Virginia perceived their cultural competence. The researcher examined how counselors rated their own cultural competence in relation to the geographic location in which they grew up, currently work, as well as general demographic characteristics, to better understand counselors’ competence when working with diverse peoples. Participants completed a demographic survey as well as the Multicultural Awareness Knowledge Skills Survey-Counselor Edition-Revised (MAKSS-CE-R), which measures counselor cultural competence. Results indicate that there was no difference in perceived cultural competence among professional counselors in Virginia based on the geographic area where they worked or grew up. However, counselors who identified as a racial/ethnic minority also perceived themselves as having greater cultural competency. Findings suggest that training programs may be providing adequate opportunities for counselors to develop cultural competence. Allowing creative approaches through technology, consultation, and implementation of counselor’s professional codes of ethics could be enough for counselors to feel competent when working with diverse peoples, regardless geographic practice location.

This dissertation consists of three essays studying the determination and evolution of labor supply in China. The analysis especially focuses on the labor market behavior of the wage workers with urban registration (Hukou). The first chapter outlines the dissertation by briefly discussing the motivations, methods, and main findings in each of the following chapters. Chapter two examines the evolution of female labor supply in urban China. Female labor force participation rate in China has been declining rapidly over the last three decades. Using a time series of cross-sections from the Chinese Household Income Project Series (CHIPS), this chapter attempts to systematically relate the decrease in female labor force participation to the socio-economic changes happening in China during the same period, and assess their respective contributions. Adopting both linear and non-linear decomposition techniques, the results show that during 1988-1995, changes in population age distribution and family size both contribute, during 1995-2002, age effect dominates, and during 2002-2007, non-labor income effect dominates in explaining the decreasing trend in female labor force participation. Chapter three investigates the impact of social norms on married women's labor supply decision in China. Using data from the China General Social Survey (CGSS) and the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), we find a strong and robust positive correlation between the labor supply behavior of a married woman and the former work experience of her mother-in-law. Our estimation results indicate that being raised by a working mother influences both a man's attitude toward gender roles and his household productivity, and therefore married women whose mothers-in-law were not working are themselves significantly less likely to participate in the labor force. The last chapter evaluates the labor market consequence of rural-to-urban migration in China. Starting from the mid-1990s, there is a remarkable increase in the number of migrant workers in cities, from around 39 million in 1997 to 145 million by 2009 (Meng et al. 2013). Chapter four intends to explore how does this important economic event affect the labor market conditions of urban residents. Specifically, we estimate the possible employment and earnings displacement effects of rural-to-urban migration on urban residents by exploiting regional variation in the rural migrant share of education-experience cells. We use multiple sets of instrumental variable to address the potential endogeneity problems associated with the rural migrant ratio in a city. The estimation results are consistent with the predictions of the textbook model of a competitive labor market, indicating the inflow of rural migrants reduces the wage and labor supply of competing urban residents. / Ph. D.

Submitted by admin tede (tede@pucgoias.edu.br) on 2017-08-30T17:56:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ROBERVAL AMARAL NETO.pdf: 2110521 bytes, checksum: d650a468d23af75c8688d533d36763e2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-30T17:56:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ROBERVAL AMARAL NETO.pdf: 2110521 bytes, checksum: d650a468d23af75c8688d533d36763e2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-06-27 / The phenomenon of contemporary slavery: the slave labor in Goias and Maranhao is the object hatholds this dissertation. Thus, from the experience of debt bondage of rural workers, in Goias and Maranhao, he sought to understand economic processes, social and political insist on keeping contemporary slavery in all Brazilian regions. The research target is the goianos workers and maranhenses subjected to debt bondage, from 1995 to 2015. In this analysis, I seek first to highlight the phenomenon of slavery in contemporary Brazil, showing the limits of government policies in combating slavery during the twentieth century, academic discussions about the slave labor of the problem and the decisive role of civil society organizations in combating today's slavery. Then, the analysis holds Goiás, their singularities, political and domestic economic processes and the instruments created by society to fight slavery. Soonafter, analyzes the maranhense slave labor, as political and economic options of the Sarney oligarchy amid the process of modernization of theAmazon, the partners sequele caused by extreme concentration of Maranhão income, conflicts and migration of Maranhao in th emiddle extreme poverty of rural workers who have been expelled from their lands, seeking better days in other states, but they do so within a logic and a resistance strategy within the margins of freedom they have. And to finish the dissertation we seek convergences and divergences between Goias and Maranhao slave labor aimed at finding the connections that enables deep understanding of slavery phenomenon in contemporary Brazil. / O fenômeno da escravidão contemporânea: o trabalho escravo em Goiás e no Maranhão é o objeto de que se ocupa esta dissertação. Assim, a partir da experiência da escravidão por dívida dos trabalhadores rurais, em Goiás e Maranhão, procurou-se compreender os processos econômicos, sociais e políticos que teimam em manter a escravidão contemporânea em todas as regiões brasileiras. A investigação tem como alvo os trabalhadores goianos e maranhenses submetidos à escravidão por dívida, no período de 1995 a 2015. Nesta análise, busco primeiramente salientar o fenômeno da escravidão no Brasil contemporâneo, mostrando os limites das políticas de Estado no combate à escravidão durante o século XX, as discussões acadêmicas em torno da problemática do trabalho escravo e o papel decisivo da sociedade civil organizada no combate à escravidão hodierna. Em seguida, a análise se detém a Goiás, suas singularidades, processos políticos e econômicos internos, assim como os instrumentos criados pela sociedade para combater a escravidão. Logo depois, analisa-se o trabalho escravo maranhense, como as opções políticas e econômicas da oligarquia Sarney em meio ao processo de modernização da Amazônia Legal, as sequelas sociais provocadas pela extrema concentração da riqueza maranhense, os conflitos no campo e a migração dos trabalhadores rurais que sem alternativas concretas, buscam melhores dias em outros estados, mas o fazem dentro de uma lógica e de uma estratégia de resistência dentro das margens de liberdade que possuem. E por fim, busca-se as convergências e divergências entre o trabalho escravo goiano e maranhense, visando, assim, encontrar as conexões que possibilitam a profunda compreensão do fenômeno da escravidão contemporânea.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T18:15:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FABELIS MANFRON PRETTO.pdf: 4994185 bytes, checksum: d55da3e69dd7c79dc5d0d7da3babd70b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-04 / This dissertation discusses the concept of rural cultural heritage. A study from the social actors who experience the rural district of Guaragi in the county of Ponta Grossa - PR. It was sought to understand from the experiences of permanent and summering residents of the district what represents this heritage category. In the first part of the research it was done a theoretical discussion, where it was shown some reflections about the current context of the relations between country and city, rural and urban, to understand how the new dynamics and configurations among these spaces can reflect on the social identity of the actor who lives in the countryside and also on issues related to cultural heritage in a larger context and more specifically about the rural cultural heritage. In the second part, it was done the presentation and discussion about the data obtained in the field research and a discussion about the intangible cultural heritage as well as the final discussions and conceptual contributions. It was discussed concepts such as culture, identity, relationship between country and city, rural and urban, landscape, memory and heritage, to understand and, thus, to collaborate on the expansion and discussion of the concept of rural cultural heritage. / Essa dissertação discute sobre o conceito de patrimônio cultural rural. Um estudo a partir dos atores sociais que vivenciam o espaço rural do distrito de Guaragi no município de Ponta Grossa – PR. Buscou-se compreender a partir das vivências dos moradores permanentes e de veraneio do distrito o que constitui essa categoria patrimonial. Na primeira parte da pesquisa é feita uma discussão teórica, onde são apresentadas reflexões sobre o atual contexto das relações entre campo e cidade, rural e urbano para entender como as novas dinâmicas e configurações entre esses espaços refletem na identidade do ator social que vive no campo e também sobre questões referentes ao patrimônio cultural num contexto amplo e mais especificamente sobre o patrimônio cultural rural. Na segunda parte, é feita a apresentação e discussão dos dados obtidos em campo e uma discussão sobre o patrimônio cultural imaterial, bem como as discussões finais e contribuições conceituais. Discutiu-se conceitos como cultura, identidade, relação campo e cidade, rural e urbano, paisagem, memória e patrimônio para compreender e, com isso, colaborar com a ampliação e discussão a respeito do conceito de patrimônio cultural rural.

Urbanisation and the associated nutrition transition have been linked with the recent rise in osteoporotic fragility fracture incidence in many countries. Predictions indicate that hip fracture incidence will increase 6-fold in Africa and Asia by 2050, partially attributed to demographic transition and population ageing. Differences in areal bone mineral density (aBMD) between rural and urban locations indicate that urban regions of high-income countries (HIC) have lower aBMD and a higher incidence of hip fracture. The few studies conducted in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) provide inconsistent results; in contrast to HIC, most have found higher aBMD in urban populations. To investigate the impact of migrating to an urban environment, detailed studies of bone phenotype and factors affecting bone health have been conducted in two groups of pre-menopausal Gambian women: urban migrant (n=58) and rural (n=81). Both groups spent their formative years in the same rural setting of Kiang West, urban women were known to have migrated to coastal districts, concentrated in Brikama and Kanifing, when aged ≥16 years. Bone phenotype (bone mineral content (BMC); bone area (BA); aBMD, and size-adjusted BMC (adjusted for height, weight and BA) of the whole-body, lumbar spine and hip) was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), with further characterisation by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). Data were also collected on anthropometry, body composition, food and nutrient intakes, physical activity, socio-demographic characteristics, vitamin D status, and 24hr urinary mineral outputs (Na, K, P, and Ca). Mean age and height of rural and urban migrant groups were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Urban migrant women were significantly heavier (p < 0.01). Significant differences in BMC and aBMD were found between groups at all skeletal sites, with urban women having higher BMC and aBMD; BA was not significantly different. The greatest difference in BMC was found at the lumbar spine (8.5% ± SE 3.0, p < 0.01), a meaningful difference, equivalent to 0.76 of rural SD. T- Scores were also calculated using a young adult (white, female) reference population, mean T- scores were -1.03 and -0.22, for rural and urban groups respectively. After adjusting for size, differences in whole-body and hip BMC were mostly attenuated (p > 0.05), but difference in spine BMC remained significant (6.2% ± SE 2.1, p < 0.01). These results indicate that rural-to-urban migration is associated with higher BMC; BA and height were similar, and difference in body weight could not fully account for higher BMC at the lumbar spine. Calcium intakes were low in both groups, urban migrant 294mg/d (IQR: 235 to 385) and rural 305mg/d (IQR: 222 to 420). Urban women had significantly lower intakes of potassium, magnesium and dietary fibre (p < 0.01), related to lower consumption of fruit, green leafy vegetables and groundnuts. 25-hydroxy vitamin D status was good in both groups, urban migrant 64.0 ± 14.2nmol/L and rural 68.3 ± 15.7nmol/L (M ± SD, p > 0.05). Implications for bone health of the nutrition and demographic transition, principally future fracture risk and other non-communicable diseases require further research in LMICs. ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION TO KNOWLEDGE To my knowledge, this is the first study investigating the impact of rural-to-urban migration on bone health to be conducted in sub Saharan Africa. It is the first study of bone health and determinants of bone health in an urban population in The Gambia.

Rural migration process resulted in both spatial and social problems in large Turkish cities. Squatter housing transformation constitutes the spatial dimension of the problem. On the other hand, rural migration has led to social problems such as non-integration, social exclusion and urban poverty of the migrant groups. This dissertation which believes the necessity of searching rural migration as a socio-spatial process attempts to explore the relationship between squatter housing transformation and social integration of rural migrants into the urban life. Within this framework, this study attempts to answer three major research questions: (1) What are the rural migrants&amp / #8217 / perceived attributes of urban integration? (2) Which attributes significantly explain urban integration of rural migrants? (3) Does the urban integration of rural migrants differentiate according to where they live &amp / #8211 / squatter housing neighborhoods, transformed squatter housing neighborhoods via improvement plans, and transformed squatter housing neighborhoods via urban transformation project model&amp / #8211 / ? I design this exploratory study as a case study since a case study method is an appropriate methodology for holistic and in-depth investigations. I conduct the case study of this thesis in Dikmen that includes different rural migrant settlements. I conduct in-depth interviews with rural migrants to collect the data, and apply multivariate analysis techniques to answer the research questions of this study. Thesis findings provide that urban integration is a multi-dimensional phenomenon / and multiple relationships exist between dimensions of urban integration, between dimensions and evaluations of urban integration, and urban integration and squatter housing transformation.

Links between the pond and surrounding land for horticulture is a distinctive feature of farming households in Bangladesh. It was hypothesised that the role of fishponds in integrated aquaculture systems has potential towards improving livelihoods and poverty alleviation. Rural and peri-urban settlements in Mymensingh District, Bangladesh were selected for assessing the importance and role of pond-dike systems on the livelihoods of households of different socio-economic level. The study was carried out in view of the sustainable livelihood approaches of the Department for International Development, U.K. Participation of all levels of stakeholders was ensured in the first and last phase of the study. The combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis at community and household level was a major strength and challenge of the study, and was used to explore the potential of integrated farming and factors that undermine such potential to contribute to a sustainable livelihood. The research commenced with a comprehensive situation appraisal and baseline survey to explore the context and characterize farming systems, followed by a longitudinal household survey to understand the effect of seasons on livelihoods. Households with access to ponds were identified as active or passive integrators based on a simple set of criteria and their resources and livelihoods assessed in comparison with non-pond households. During the last phase of the study a farmer participatory research (FPR) trial, based on a priority issue identified during the 1st phase of the study, was launched to investigate the potential of the integrated systems. The situation appraisal conducted within four communities revealed the effects of gender, well-being and location on farmers' regular activities and food consumption patterns. Fish culture was equally important as an enterprise among richer and poorer men, whereas vegetable cultivation was more important to men than women but wealth and location also affected its importance. Lack of knowledge was a particular problem for farmers growing fish and vegetables in the rural areas. Fish disease, high price of input, lack of money were also identified as constraints by fish producers. The expected use and current use of ponds, problems and benefits associated with fish culture were also found to be affected by groups emphasising vegetable, orchard and fish culture within their systems. The role of the pond for family use, which was a major objective for pond construction, was found to be significantly different between rural and peri-urban areas. Fish culture is now the dominant use of ponds for households irrespective of their focus on vegetable, orchard or fish production and they are utilised less for general domestic use. Ponds are relatively more important as a source of irrigation water in rural than in peri-urban communities. Significant differences were observed between locations and well-being categories for the percentage of fish retained for consumption and that sell. Rice bran was the most commonly used pond input (80% of all pond households) but active integrated farmers applied rice bran more frequently than passive groups (91 compared to 63 times/season). ‘Ease of production’ was a major incentive for farmers to integrate fish and vegetable production and this opinion was related to household type i.e. active integrators were more aware and confident about the practice. The literacy levels of household heads, access to information and capital and contact with formal and informal institutions of active producers and the better-off households was significantly higher than other groups and poorer households respectively. It is revealed from the longitudinal households’ analysis that the consumption pattern in terms of food types and amount are linked with income, expenses and food availability in different well-being categories between seasons across locations. The empirical analysis showed that as active households’ income increased, expenditure on food purchases, agricultural labour, pond inputs and poultry per household also increased. However, on-farm contributions as a source of fish and vegetables were important during the lower income and least productive months. Performance of integrated farming systems varied by location. Resource base, accessibility to market and information played key roles in the development of integrated farming system in the study area. Active integrated households in peri-urban areas, in response to higher demand in the nearby market, produced significantly more fish and vegetables than those in the rural areas. The result showed clearly the need for due consideration of these factors while promoting IAA systems in Bangladesh. Farmer participatory research showed that production of fish could be increased by a substantial level through increasing pond nutrient inputs rather than stocking an additional species (tilapia), although this may be related to the ‘improved’ nutrition used by farmers still being well below the level required for optimal tilapia performance. Rural households benefited more than peri-urban through direct consumption of both fish and vegetables; in contrast peri-urban households benefited more through cash sales of both fish and vegetables than rural households. Higher production did not lead to increased consumption, rather households benefited financially through selling fish. Similar production levels of vegetables between groups followed different levels of fish culture practices suggesting that increased investment in fish production is complementary rather than competitive with associated vegetable production. It could be concluded that considerable potential exists for further integration and development of pond-dike systems, which could contribute towards improved livelihoods of both better off and worse off people.

Background. Pregnant women need adequate antenatal care (ANC) and delivery care fortheir own health and for healthy children. Availability of such care has increased in Vietnam but maternal mortality remains high and variable between population groups. Aims. The general aim of this thesis is to describe and discuss the use of antenatal and delivery care in relation to demographic and socio-economic status and other factors in two health and demographic surveillance sites (HDSS), one rural and one urban. One specificaim of the thesis is to present experiences of running the urban HDSS. Methods. Between April 2008 and December 2009, 2,757 pregnant women were identifiedin the sites. Basic information was obtained from 2,515 of these. The use of ANC was followed to delivery for 2,132. Three indicators were used. ANC was considered overall adequate if the women started ANC within the first trimester, used three or more visits and received all the six recommended core services at least once during pregnancy. Delivery care was studied for all the 2,515 women. Main Findings. Nearly all 2,132 participants used ANC. The mean numbers of visits were 4.4 and 7.7 in the rural and urban areas. Mainly due to less than recommended use of core ANC services, overall ANC adequacy was low in some groups, particularly in the rural area (15.2%). The main risk factors for not having adequate ANC were (i) living in a rural area,(ii) low level of education, (iii) low economic status and (iv) exclusive use of private ANC providers. Rural women accessed ANC mainly at commune health centers and private clinics. Urban women accessed ANC and gave birth at central hospitals and provincial hospitals. Caesarean section (CS) was common among urban women (38.5%). Good socioeconomic condition and male babies were associated with delivery in hospitals and CS births. Almost all women had one or more antenatal ultrasound examination, the mean was about 4.5. Rural women spent 3.0% and 19.0% of the reported annual household income percapita for ANC and delivery care, respectively, compared to 6.1% and 20.6% for urbanwomen. The relative economic burden was heaviest for poor rural women. Conclusion. The coverage of ANC was high in both contexts but with large variations between population subgroups. The major concerns are that poor women in the rural area received incomplete services according to recommendations and that many women, particularly the well-off, in the urban area appeared to overuse technology, ultrasound scanning, delivery in highlevel health care and CS delivery. National maternal healthcare programs should focus on improving ANC service content in rural areas and controlling technology preference in urban. The pregnant women with relatives and friends as well as ANC providers share the responsibility for a positive development. All parties involved must be targeted to improve knowledge, attitudes and practices.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.