Binge drinking as one of the alcohol consumption patterns, affects the quality of life of the drinker, significant others and the society in general. It contributes to negative social, economic and health effects on social support networks. This sub-study of the five year trans-disciplinary Alcohol study analysed the existing quantitative data of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. The broad aim of the Alcohol study is to gain a better understanding of the alcohol consumption patterns and the causes and consequences of binge drinking amongst South African. The overarching aim of this sub-study was to identify the socioeconomic effects of binge drinking on support networks with a view to contributing to a development of a relevant, integrated and coherent strategy to address alcohol abuse and misuse in the selected areas of the study. The study adopted a mixed methods approach by combining the qualitative and quantitative paradigms to understand the phenomenon of binge drinking and its effects on support networks more adequately. A literature study was undertaken to firstly understand the broader context of the social aspects of alcohol abuse in South Africa, and secondly, to understand social support, social support networks and social network analysis in relation to binge drinking from a conceptual and theoretical framework. Unpacking of the concepts social support, social support networks and social network analysis provided a base to argue that social support networks are affected by binge drinking because the drinker and networks such as family and service providers are interrelated and interdependent. Relevant theoretical frameworks that support this view that person and environment are related and cannot be separated because one affects the other as well, were used to substantiate the argument. Binge drinking was further cross tabulated with other relevant variables to further understand the alcohol consumption patterns. The profile of social problems from the PURE data provided a picture of the challenges in the demarcated areas. As such poverty, low educational level and income were used as markers of socio-economic position. Having identified binge drinking as one pattern of alcohol consumption used in the communities, the study further identified the socio-economic effects experienced by support networks through semi-structured interviews with a schedule and focus groups. The family members and service providers as key informants were identified as support networks. The identified family support network representatives were children, spouse, parents and a sibling and they explained their experiences with a binge drinker. Specific themes of social support were used to describe their experiences of support. These themes are: types of support provided; recipient perception, reciprocal support and behaviour of the provider. The results indicated that support networks are negatively affected by binge drinking because social support is not provided as expected. Performance of roles is compromised and binge drinkers socially constructed views of being justified to abuse of alcohol in that they themselves were exposed to the same situation as children, thus the children are expected to accept their drinking and the socio-economic situation. The community support networks were interviewed to obtain information on the alcohol abuse and socio-economic conditions in the selected communities and to identify the intervention strategies employed to combat the alcohol abuse problems. Suggestions to enhance intervention strategies are proposed focusing on assessment of risk and risk environment, targeted interventions, multi-level synergistic intervention and multi-disciplinary roles and partnerships. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo abordar as experiências de haitianas e haitianos residentes na cidade de Porto Alegre. Com o propósito inicial de dar visibilidade para os novos fluxos migratórios que chegam ao Brasil, foi realizada uma etnografia na Vila Esperança Cordeiro e seu entorno, na Zona Norte da cidade, entre os anos de 2014 e 2016. Neste trabalho, a migração é problematizada como uma forma de resistência, em que o ato de migrar pode ser compreendido como uma ação adotada em face das vivências no país de origem e estando relacionada à luta por direitos humanos tanto na relação mantida com o Haiti como na inserção no Brasil. Abordo como a noção de resistência permeia a esfera local, nacional e global, sendo inicialmente pensada a partir da sua presença na história haitiana e na relação com a diáspora haitiana. Destaco que as noções de agência e de resistência são elementos que perpassam todo o campo etnográfico. A ideia de resistência é problematizada a partir das contribuições de Scott, que destaca as estratégias de resistência cotidianas. Inspirada pela antropologia da experiência, principalmente a partir de Das e de Fassin, abordo a importância de dialogar com os interlocutores ressaltando suas vozes através das histórias de vida, dos testemunhos e narrativas. Neste ponto, a partir das contribuições de Spivak, destaco as especificidades das experiências das mulheres haitianas, compreendendo quais são as dinâmicas de solidariedade existentes nas suas relações que se contrapõem à imposição do silenciamento e invisibilidade da mulher. Acompanhei ao longo da pesquisa etnográfica os espaços que eram percorridos e as relações que iam se formando, a partir das quais pude perceber a formação de diferentes redes de apoio. A noção de rede abordada neste trabalho tem como inspiração as contribuições de Latour sobre o movimento de seguir os atores e suas inovações e de Ingold acerca da compreensão dos fluxos e contra-fluxos. Acompanhando as redes percorridas pelos(as) migrantes em campo foi possível elaborar um “mosaico” destas redes, percebendo que ao longo do trajeto estas redes vão se cruzando e não estão isoladas. É a partir destas questões que esta dissertação busca compreender alguns aspectos vivenciados por haitianas e haitianos em Porto Alegre, destacando, porém, as suas contribuições enquanto uma etnografia que dialoga com uma realidade específica e localizada. Por fim, este trabalho incita a reflexão sobre estratégias voltadas para a inserção e o respeito à dignidade humana das e dos migrantes. / This dissertation aims to approach the experiences of Haitian dwellers in Porto Alegre city. With the initial purpose of standing out the new migratory flows that have achieved Brazil, there was performed an ethnography work at Vila Esperança Cordeiro and its surroundings in the north zone of Porto Alegre between 2014 and 2016. In this work, migration is problematized as a way of resistance, in which the act of migrating can be understand as a chosen action regarding to the individuals’ experiences in the mother country. The resistance is related to the fight for human rights as much in the relationship kept with Haiti, as in the insertion in Brazil. I seek the approaching of how the resistance notion permeates the local, national and global spheres, initially being conceived from its presence in Haitian history and in the relation with the Haitian diaspora. I highlight that the ideas of agency and resistance are elements that pervade the whole ethnographic work. The conception of resistance is problematized regarding to the contributions of Scott about everyday resistance strategies. Inspired by the anthropology of experience, specially by Das and Fassin, I approach the importance of dialoguing with the interlocutors while stressing their voices through their life stories, their testimonies and narratives. At this point, and from the contributions of Spivak, I emphasize the specificities of Haitian women experiences, realizing which are the existent dynamics of solidarity among their relationships that stands as opposition against the pressures to make them mute and invisible. During the ethnographic research, I observed the spaces in which the individuals went through, as well as the relationships they stablished. According to that observations, I could realize the shaping of distinct social support networks. The conception of network approached in this work has as inspiration the contributions of Latour about the movement of following the actors and their innovations. Besides of Latour, the contributions of Ingold about the comprehension of flows are also considered. Following the networks roamed by the migrants in field, it was possible to build a “mosaic” of that networks and perceive that, along the paths, they intersect each other and are not isolated. It is based in all the issues exposed that this dissertation aims to understand some aspects experienced by Haitian individuals in Porto Alegre. I highlight the contributions of this research as an ethnography that dialogues with a specific and localized reality. Lastly, this dissertation encourages the reflection about strategies directed to the insertion and respect regarding to the human dignity and to migrants.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo abordar as experiências de haitianas e haitianos residentes na cidade de Porto Alegre. Com o propósito inicial de dar visibilidade para os novos fluxos migratórios que chegam ao Brasil, foi realizada uma etnografia na Vila Esperança Cordeiro e seu entorno, na Zona Norte da cidade, entre os anos de 2014 e 2016. Neste trabalho, a migração é problematizada como uma forma de resistência, em que o ato de migrar pode ser compreendido como uma ação adotada em face das vivências no país de origem e estando relacionada à luta por direitos humanos tanto na relação mantida com o Haiti como na inserção no Brasil. Abordo como a noção de resistência permeia a esfera local, nacional e global, sendo inicialmente pensada a partir da sua presença na história haitiana e na relação com a diáspora haitiana. Destaco que as noções de agência e de resistência são elementos que perpassam todo o campo etnográfico. A ideia de resistência é problematizada a partir das contribuições de Scott, que destaca as estratégias de resistência cotidianas. Inspirada pela antropologia da experiência, principalmente a partir de Das e de Fassin, abordo a importância de dialogar com os interlocutores ressaltando suas vozes através das histórias de vida, dos testemunhos e narrativas. Neste ponto, a partir das contribuições de Spivak, destaco as especificidades das experiências das mulheres haitianas, compreendendo quais são as dinâmicas de solidariedade existentes nas suas relações que se contrapõem à imposição do silenciamento e invisibilidade da mulher. Acompanhei ao longo da pesquisa etnográfica os espaços que eram percorridos e as relações que iam se formando, a partir das quais pude perceber a formação de diferentes redes de apoio. A noção de rede abordada neste trabalho tem como inspiração as contribuições de Latour sobre o movimento de seguir os atores e suas inovações e de Ingold acerca da compreensão dos fluxos e contra-fluxos. Acompanhando as redes percorridas pelos(as) migrantes em campo foi possível elaborar um “mosaico” destas redes, percebendo que ao longo do trajeto estas redes vão se cruzando e não estão isoladas. É a partir destas questões que esta dissertação busca compreender alguns aspectos vivenciados por haitianas e haitianos em Porto Alegre, destacando, porém, as suas contribuições enquanto uma etnografia que dialoga com uma realidade específica e localizada. Por fim, este trabalho incita a reflexão sobre estratégias voltadas para a inserção e o respeito à dignidade humana das e dos migrantes. / This dissertation aims to approach the experiences of Haitian dwellers in Porto Alegre city. With the initial purpose of standing out the new migratory flows that have achieved Brazil, there was performed an ethnography work at Vila Esperança Cordeiro and its surroundings in the north zone of Porto Alegre between 2014 and 2016. In this work, migration is problematized as a way of resistance, in which the act of migrating can be understand as a chosen action regarding to the individuals’ experiences in the mother country. The resistance is related to the fight for human rights as much in the relationship kept with Haiti, as in the insertion in Brazil. I seek the approaching of how the resistance notion permeates the local, national and global spheres, initially being conceived from its presence in Haitian history and in the relation with the Haitian diaspora. I highlight that the ideas of agency and resistance are elements that pervade the whole ethnographic work. The conception of resistance is problematized regarding to the contributions of Scott about everyday resistance strategies. Inspired by the anthropology of experience, specially by Das and Fassin, I approach the importance of dialoguing with the interlocutors while stressing their voices through their life stories, their testimonies and narratives. At this point, and from the contributions of Spivak, I emphasize the specificities of Haitian women experiences, realizing which are the existent dynamics of solidarity among their relationships that stands as opposition against the pressures to make them mute and invisible. During the ethnographic research, I observed the spaces in which the individuals went through, as well as the relationships they stablished. According to that observations, I could realize the shaping of distinct social support networks. The conception of network approached in this work has as inspiration the contributions of Latour about the movement of following the actors and their innovations. Besides of Latour, the contributions of Ingold about the comprehension of flows are also considered. Following the networks roamed by the migrants in field, it was possible to build a “mosaic” of that networks and perceive that, along the paths, they intersect each other and are not isolated. It is based in all the issues exposed that this dissertation aims to understand some aspects experienced by Haitian individuals in Porto Alegre. I highlight the contributions of this research as an ethnography that dialogues with a specific and localized reality. Lastly, this dissertation encourages the reflection about strategies directed to the insertion and respect regarding to the human dignity and to migrants.

This dissertation investigates how very recent, recent, and established immigrants who use e-government service platforms in Canada experience and circumvent digital inequalities. Employing a Capabilities Approach perspective, this study focuses specifically on the challenges encountered by very recent, recent, and established Nepali immigrants to Canada in using federal-, provincial-, and municipal-level e-government service platforms. To meet this objective, an explanatory sequential design mixed-methods approach involving a survey with 261 respondents and five focus group meetings with 25 Nepali immigrants to Canada was used to gather the requisite data. In contrast with dominant narratives in much digital divide literature, the findings revealed no statistically significant differences in the use of e-government service platforms by very recent, recent, and established Nepali immigrants other than very recent immigrants were found to be using the federal-level e-government service platform more frequently than their recent and established immigrant counterparts. The lack of observable differences between the two groups was found to be linked to the participants' reliance on their social support networks of family and friends who provide the material and immaterial resources needed to mitigate the effects of digital inequalities. The implications of these unexpected findings are important for understanding the evolving on-the-ground dynamics with which immigrants must contend and, specifically, how their lived experiences contrast with stereotypical perceptions and understandings of their encounters with digital inequalities. The findings also contribute to advancing the knowledge both in terms of theory and practice. At the level of theory, the findings suggest the presence of two conversion factors — social support networks, and perceptions of convenience — that up to now have not received much attention in the Capabilities Approach literature. At the level of practice, the findings suggest a need to reconsider the ways in which the ubiquity of ICT devices and the pervasiveness of Internet connections along with changing immigration criteria are contributing to a transformation in how very recent, recent, and established immigrants experience digital inequalities.

No description available.

In recent years, a multitude of literature have discussed the turbulent nature for young adults to navigate the difficulties of suicide bereavement with lack of support. This experience can be further cumbersome when the bereavement is co-occurring within an academic profession, such as attending university. This study explored three participants experience of suicide bereavement support at a university level, utilizing a phenomenological arts-based approach for inquiry. Data analysis revealed eight common themes that reflect the university students' lived experiences of the phenomenon discussed: Acknowledgment of the communicated loss by faculty, provision of academic support, lack/absence of practice, reluctance, emotional response, non-faculty support, recall, omission. The findings within this study highlight the unique nature of arts expression and the use of it as a communicative tool to those experiencing a death loss. Results suggest a reluctance to disclose for fear of a further loss of professionalism within the University setting and the absence of a solidified grievance plan that left individuals feeling further unsupported. Furthermore, individuals spoke to a heightened need for meaning making of the experience to facilitate the bereavement process and a reliance on the self rather than community due to previous fears of disclosure. Our understanding of suicide bereavement would benefit from an inclusion of non-art affiliated participants, a wider sample size and individuals that associate outside of the female identification for a more diverse range of experiences.

dc.contributor.author Kamara, Abu dc.description.abstract The international student population in Canada has increased significantly in the last decade. While we know a lot about the experiences of international students in general, we don’t know a lot about the specific experiences of international students in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Given that universities in the region have identified international student recruitment as part of their internationalization strategies, expanding our knowledge about international students’ experiences in Halifax not only has strong implications for universities, but also for provincial and local governments who see them as potential immigrants. Consequently, key research objectives for this study were to expand our understanding of the personal experiences of international students in Halifax, and to identify gatekeepers whose actions impact the experiences of international students. Two studies were designed using qualitative methodology. Study I investigated the personal experiences of international students in Halifax, Nova Scotia, while the main objective for Study II was to identify gatekeepers in the city whose actions are shaping the contexts of international student experiences. Interviews were conducted with international students from Saint Mary’s University, Mount Saint Vincent University, and Dalhousie University using a semi structured, open-ended interview method. The data was transcribed and coded using grounded theory method. Results from Study I suggest that while international students regularly turn to formal support networks, such as the international student center for immigration and employment related assistance, the majority of students interviewed for this dissertation also expressed strong preference for informal support networks. Specific individuals identified by study participants as belonging to informal support networks included friends, family members, and members of on-and off-campus organizations. Results from Study II suggest that internationalization in Canada is providing new ways for universities to help address local economic and demographic concerns. In sum, results from Study I suggest that international students rely on both formal and informal support networks to address the challenges they are facing in Canada, while findings from Study II suggest that demographic needs, and the expansion of the knowledge economy will continue to push universities to bigger and more central roles in the growth of cities.

Nos últimos anos temos lido e ouvido com certa frequência que redes de apoio são importantes aos usuários de drogas, às mulheres grávidas de baixa renda, aos profissionais que trabalham com pacientes idosos, ao público-alvo da educação especial. Contudo, no âmbito da educação, pouco se sabe sobre o que são e como se efetivam redes de apoio, uma vez que essa discussão é ainda escassa em nosso país, principalmente na área da educação especial. Após revisão de literatura formalizamos, para fins deste trabalho, um sentido de redes de apoio compreendendo-o como a articulação de diversas instâncias públicas e privadas, que possuem interface com a educação especial, por meio da institucionalização de trabalho intersecretarial para planejamento, implantação e avaliação de políticas públicas em prol da inclusão escolar de alunos com deficiência, transtornos globais do desenvolvimento e altas habilidades/superdotação. Uma vez compreendido esse conceito, procedemos aos objetivos deste estudo que foram investigar as formas com que o município de São Paulo, por meio de suas diferentes secretarias, organiza atendimentos a esse públicoalvo e averiguar se tais ações se constituíram como redes de apoio, segundo o sentido dado em nossa análise. Para tanto, esta pesquisa de caráter exploratório combinou alguns procedimentos afeitos à abordagem qualitativa tais como: análise de fontes documentais, com enfoque principal na legislação municipal de educação especial; levantamento de planos e programas das secretarias que possuem interface com essa modalidade; e de depoimentos colhidos com profissionais que atuam na educação especial no âmbito municipal. Os resultados evidenciaram que os documentos legais analisados das Secretarias Municipais da Saúde, Assistência Social e da Pessoa com Deficiência e Mobilidade Reduzida estabeleciam ações articuladas com a educação. Localizamos também, algumas redes de apoio pontuais que atenderam uma parcela restrita da população, não garantindo a cobertura e acesso aos direitos sociais do público-alvo da educação especial como um todo, e outras mais estruturadas, por parte da Secretaria Municipal de Educação de São Paulo. Concluímos também que este município vem tratando de fortalecer a política de atendimento complementar e suplementar de apoio ao processo de inclusão a esse alunado, por meio da regulamentação dos convênios com instituições privadas, ampliação de serviços, recrutamento e constituição de suas equipes, e pelo movimento percebido de formulação de políticas que fomentem ações intersetoriais e intersecretariais, embora constatemos a necessidade de aprimorá-las bem como investimento em dispositivos para sua efetivação, que consolidem, dessa forma, aquilo que compreendemos como redes de apoio, de forma extensiva e não pontual. / For the last years we have frequently heard and read that support networks are very important to drug addicts, to low wages pregnant women, to professionals who work with elders and to special education students. However, in the field of education, very little is known about what these support networks are and how they are formed, because this discussion is not frequently held in our country, particularly in the area of special education. After literature revision we established, for this work, a support network concept that defines it as an articulation of several public and private instances which have interfaces with the special education, by institutionalization of inter secretarial work for planning, implementation and evaluation of public policies for school inclusion of students who have disabilities, global development disorders and high skills/gifted. Once this concept was understood, we present the goals of this study which were to investigate how the municipality of São Paulo, by its secretaries, is organizing support to those students and investigate if the current actions are aligned with the idea of a support network as we have stated here. In order to achieve that, this exploratory research has combined some procedures related to the qualitative approach such as: document analysis with emphasis on special education legislation; a search of public programs that have interfaces with this approach; and interviews with special education professionals who work for the municipality. The results bring evidences that all legal documents from Health, Social and Disability Secretaries established articulated actions with education. We have also found some localized support networks which served only a restrict portion of the population, not guaranteeing coverage and access of social rights for all the population in need of special education, and others more structured by the São Paulo Municipal Secretary of Education. We also concluded that this municipality has been trying to strength the complementary and supplementary serving policies to support the inclusion process to those students, through the regulation of agreements with private institutions, enlargement of services, hiring personnel to form their crew, and for some polices development which stimulate intersetorial and intersecretarial actions, although we have also perceived the need to improve them, as well as investment in order to make it effective to consolidate what we understand as support networks, in a complete and not specific way.

The capacity for online learning environments to provide quality learning experiences for students has been the focus of much speculation and debate in the higher education sector from the late 1990s to the present day. In this area, 'quality' has become synonymous with engaging students in a learning community. This study reports on a qualitative research project designed to explore the significance of community for students when they study in online learning environments. This project used three case studies to explore tertiary students' thoughts and expectations about community in the online environment. The research was constructed iteratively. Data from the initial case suggested the need to explore the relationship between the constructed online learning environment and the development of learning communities or what I have termed Social Learning Support Networks (SLSN). To explore this issue further, the project was expanded and subsequent cases were chosen that included fundamentally different types of online learning environments. The project had two significant results. Firstly, students not only confirmed popular educational theories on the value of learning communities, but also described how this form of social connection might practically benefit their learning. Secondly, the project found that certain forms of synchronous online environments provided enhanced opportunities for students to form social connections that supported their learning. This project provides new evidence of the benefit of community for students studying online and argues that future online learning environments should be shaped by five key principles designed to foster a sense of social connection between students.

Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of Family Studies and Social Work, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 34-36).