African Biblical Interpretation of Matthew 20:1-15 in relation to social justice for workers in Cameroon

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest Van Eck ◽  
Godlove S Ntem

After the colonial era in the early sixties, the practice of employing and paying workers in Cameroon both in the civil service and in the private sector became very crucial, considering the fact that the situation of unemployment is so endemic to Cameroon as a paradigm for Africa’s unemployment. From an economic perspective, Cameroon has a booming labour force, but this robust manpower has been underutilized due to the provocative unemployment that is experienced in all sectors in the country. As an agrarian economy, the weakness of industrialization in Cameroon does not offer mass employment alternatives. Those who have the privilege to be employed are not satisfied with their remunerations to the extent that they try to use unorthodox means to add to their pay through corruption. This article highlights the desperate nature of Cameroonian workers through the lenses of Matthew 20:1-15. It is a society of unfair distribution of resources and this creates an imbalanced society between the privileged and non-privileged peasantry.

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Silva ◽  
Charles L. Slater ◽  
Gema Lopez Gorosave ◽  
Victoria Cerdas ◽  
Nancy Torres ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of school leaders to provide social justice in three contexts: Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study was conducted under the interpretative tradition characterized by a search for an understanding of the social world from the point of view of a school director from each of the three countries. Interviews were conducted to determine their views on social justice, the actions they took, and the obstacles they confronted. Findings The directors conceived of education as a right and believed in equal educational opportunity, and fair distribution of resources. They used a variety of methods to promote social justice, increase social cohesion, and provide emotional education. Obstacles came from educational authorities who tried to control rather than support their efforts. They were committed to working in schools with marginalized populations, but their efforts had taken a toll on their personal and professional lives. Research limitations/implications The research looked at just three principals whose experiences were unique to their context. However, the study has the advantage of looking at schools not typically included in educational research. Practical implications The work of these school directors underscores the need for preparation in skills, knowledge, and values to work for social justice. Originality/value The value of this research is to illuminate the narratives of school leaders. Working across borders can provide insights about the possibilities of change and strength to persevere.


Author(s):  
Gavin Silber ◽  
Nathan Geffen

Brandon Huntley was granted asylum in Canada earlier this year based on the argument that whites are disproportionately affected by crime in South Africa. The decision was generally condemned, but it did receive support from various groups and individuals including Afriforum, the Freedom Front and James Myburgh (editor of Politicsweb). In this article we show the flaws in Huntley's argument by presenting evidence from several sources that demonstrate that black and poor people are disproportionately the victims of violent crime in South Africa. We are concerned that painting whites as the primary victims of South Africa's social ills is unproductive, ungenerous and potentially hampers the appropriate distribution of resources to alleviate crime. Furthermore, in order to move the debate on crime in South Africa into a more productive direction, we also describe the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) – a relatively new community based organisation that aims to mobilise communities around improving safety and security for all in South Africa, regardless of race or income. Campaigning for novel pragmatic and coordinated community and government responses to the broader lack of safety and security in the country, the SJC focuses on the introduction and development of basic infrastructure and services as a means of reducing crime.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-245
Author(s):  
LEIGH CALDWELL

AbstractThe application of behavioural insights to public policy has been a success story of recent years, in academia and in the civil service. Alongside this, a parallel group of practitioners has emerged, using the same underlying research to pursue commercial and marketing goals. Although the objectives are mostly different, many of the approaches are similar. This article contrasts public and private sector approaches and highlights lessons each group can learn from the other.


2005 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-227
Author(s):  
Gene Swimmer ◽  
C. B. Williams

The purpose of this study is to determine the nature and magnitude of any relationship between wage and salary changes in specified occupational classifications within the Alberta Civil Service and wage and salary changes in similar occupational classes in Alberta industry. In particular, the possibility of the « leader » role that public service wage and salary changes may play in the determination of occupational wage and salaries in other employment sectors within the Province of Alberta will be articulated.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (259) ◽  
pp. 15-38
Author(s):  
Clara Keating

Abstract This article presents a historical analysis of discourses about language and literacy that have emerged during different periods in the political and cultural history of Portugal. It covers six periods, from the colonial era to the present, and it considers different geopolitical spaces, including the Portuguese mainland, the Atlantic archipelagos, former Portuguese colonies and diasporic spaces created as a result of emigration from Portugal. The article traces three kinds of discursive shift: (1) shifts in discourses in Portuguese society regarding the goals of language and literacy education, along with associated discourses about appropriate language and literacy pedagogies; (2) shifts in discourses about the specific nature and significance of literacy in Portuguese; and (3) shifts in discourses about the value and symbolic power of standardized forms of spoken and written Portuguese. It shows how each historical period has been characterized by distinctive political and ideological currents which have, in turn, shaped and re-shaped ways of thinking about the role of language and literacy education in the definition of citizenship and national identity, in the construction of heritage, in the creation of a “modern” democratic state and, more recently, in the retooling of human resources to create a flexible labour force.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 969-983
Author(s):  
Abdulla Al-Mutairi ◽  
Kamal Naser ◽  
Fatema Fayez

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify factors discouraging Kuwaiti nationals from participating in the private sector labour force (Kuwaitization). Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was distributed to a sample of Kuwaiti nationals to identify the main reasons that prevent them from joining the private sector labour force. Findings The study revealed that low expectations of private sectors’ employers regarding Kuwaiti nationals discourage them from joining the sector. Kuwaiti nationals believe that the private sector employers look for high standards of communication and computing skills. They avoid working for the private sector because some jobs require working for two shifts and long working hours, and they cannot obtain frequent leave. Other factors that appeared to affect Kuwaiti nationals’ participation in the private sector labour force were lack of job security, fewer holidays, difficulty to obtain special pay leave or early retirement at lucrative terms, uncertainty about the prospect of promotion and job insecurity. Research limitations/implications The current study targets Kuwaiti national employees. To formulate a clear picture about the main factors that influence the success or otherwise of the Kuwaitization policy, it is of paramount importance to explore the opinion of the private sector employers. Practical implications The outcome of this study would be used by policymakers to promote Kuwaitization and increase Kuwaiti nationals’ participation in the private sector labour force. This will increase the country’s reliance on its national labour force and ensure sustainable economic and social development. Originality/value The outcome of this study is expected to assist the Kuwaiti authorities in reformulating the current Kuwaitization policies to achieve its objectives. The study is expected to draw some lessons applicable to other Gulf Cooperation Council countries.


2020 ◽  
pp. 001041402095766
Author(s):  
Jordan Gans-Morse ◽  
Alexander Kalgin ◽  
Andrei Klimenko ◽  
Dmitriy Vorobyev ◽  
Andrei Yakovlev

Drawing on experimental games and surveys conducted with students at two universities in Russia, we compare the behavioral, attitudinal, and demographic traits of students seeking public sector employment to the traits of their peers seeking jobs in the private sector. Contrary to similar studies conducted in other high-corruption contexts, such as India, we find evidence that students who prefer a public sector career display less willingness to cheat or bribe in experimental games as well as higher levels of altruism. However, disaggregating public sector career paths reveals distinctions between the federal civil service and other types of public sector employment, with federal government positions attracting students who exhibit some similarities with their peers aspiring to private sector careers. We discuss multiple interpretations consistent with our findings, each of which has implications for the creation of effective anti-corruption policies and for understanding of state capacity in contexts where corruption is widespread.


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