Abstract There has been an increase in land grabbing in the world over the years and the trend seems to be increasing in the same direction. Whereas, the phenomenon is said to be happening across all continents except Antarctica, in this Africa is the primary target. Uganda too has not been spared and the discovery of oil in 2006 added an insult to an injury. Though, the phenomenon has lived with the world for some good time, it continues to happen with less efforts being made to curb it. As a result, a study was carried out to gain a deeper understanding of the drivers of land grabbing in Uganda’s Albertine Graben. It was a desk study and employed an abductive approach though some primary data was also collected to back it up. The political economy approach was employed to understand the different political and economic dynamics involved in land grabbing. The study found out the issue of absentee land lords and the discovery of oil in 2006 as the main reasons that explain the occurrence of the phenomenon something that is different from the many scholars’ view that agricultural reasons are the main cause. Land grabbing was further seen as mainly negative as it leads to loss of economic livelihoods, lack of cooking energy, displacement of people among others. The study learned that massive sensitization of the people about their rights; strict implementation of the existing laws by the government would help to reduce or solve the problem. Key words, Land grabbing, land acquisition, Albertine Graben, Bunyoro, political economy approach.

This paper will examine the role of government in the policy area of public training. Specifically it will look at the three major training initiatives undertaken by the three most recent governments of Ontario. Political Economy Theory will be used to explain the relationship between the state and the labour market, and it can best account for why the particular political ideology of the party in power cannot, and has not independently determined the design or commitment to public training policy in Ontario. Furthermore, the Political Economy Approach will demonstrate that although it may appear to be in the best interest of government to provide the public training to those aged 45+, the type of policies that emerge are ultimately determined by the particular political, economic and social conditions of the time. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)