Living With Floods: A Comparative Assessment of Resilience to Floods in Tal and Diara Regions of Malda District, West Bengal

Tal and Diara regions of Malda district are extremely prone to floods, still, report higher population density than the state's average density. This indicates that the local population has learned to live with floods by developing resilience to the flood threat through better preparedness, coping, and adaptive strategies. Such micro-level strategies developed by the local people can be useful to policymakers and social scientists alike in terms of better mitigating the flood menace and associated vulnerability. This paper attempts to measure and compare the level of flood resilience of the local people living in Tal and Diara at the household level. Furthermore, the article aims to analyse whether the distance from the major flood-causing rivers, viz. Fulhar in Tal and Ganga in Diara play a role in the degree of resilience of the population to floods. The paper is empirical, where information has been collected from sample households and focus group discussion with village elders in two sets of villages, i.e., Maniknagar and Ratua in Tal and Gopalpur and Nurpur in Diara. The UNDP technique has been used to compute the composite Resilience Index (RI) consisting of Preparedness Index (PI), Immediate Coping Index (ICI), and Adaptive Index (AI). The findings suggest that the villages located in and around the levees of major flood-causing rivers, viz. Maniknagar in Tal and Gopalpur in Diara records a higher level of resilience to floods in comparison to the interior villages, viz. Ratua in Tal and Nurpur in Diara. The paper concludes that in both Tal and Diara, people have learned to cope and adapt to floods and that the closer the distance from the major flood-causing rivers, the higher the villagers' resilience to flood hazards.

Community Training and Sensitization as a Flood Mitigation Strategy Influencing Household Livelihood in NyandoFlood Plains, Kisumu County

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence community participation in training and sensitization on household livelihood in Kano Plains in Nyando Sub-County, Kisumu County. The study adopted descriptive survey design and targeted household heads in Nyando plains, village elders and chiefs of the locations under study, local government authority representatives, District Disaster management officer representative in Nyando and the NGOs. A sample size of 385 was sufficient for a target population of 11,050. Multistage sampling was used to sample locations and sub locations while proportional sampling was used to sample the number of selected household where the households were grouped into different classifications. The sample size was 370 household heads plus 15 officers were working in Nyando flood plains. Purposive sampling was used to identify the 4 village elders and 4 chiefs, 1 Sub-County Local Authority Management Officer who represented the government, 1 Disaster Management Officer, and 5 managers from the NGOs. Questionnaires for household heads and interview schedules key informants were used for primary data collection. The study found that majority of the households had never attended training and sensitization programmes concerning floods with 42.1% and that the training and sensitization received was not of high quality (60.6%).The study found a strong positive correlation R = 0.582 which was statistically significant as p<0.01 (p < 0.001) between community participation in training and sensitization and household livelihood and that community participation in training and sensitization accounts up to 33.8% (R2 = .338) of variance in the outcome. The study concluded that community participation in training and sensitization influenced household livelihood. However, trainings and sensitization programmes were not regularly done due to financial constraints to facilitate the trainings.The study recommends that more training and sensitization should be conducted to the communities in flood prone areas on how to mitigate floods to ensure improvement of their household livelihood.

Nature of Conflicts and Their Resolution in Korogocho Slums, Nairobi, Kenya

Majority of the households in slums are female headed and have very low incomes. Survival for these women exposes them to illegal income generating activities including prostitution, hawking and making illegal local brews. This results in conflicts not just among themselves for competition over the shared resources but also with the law enforcement agencies. The study sought to establish the nature of conflicts prevalent in Korogocho slum, Nairobi Kenya. The study employed the Liberal Feminism Theory to conceptualize and analyze the nature of conflicts and focused on two ideals, equality and liberty to explain the consequence of the push factors leading women into slum life. The study respondents were women, local administrators and leaders, village elders, clinical staff and officers from Civil Society Organizations selected through simple random sampling procedure and purposive sampling. Data was collected using a standard questionnaires with both open and closed ended items. There was also a focused groups and key informants interviews. Quantitative data was exported to Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) while qualitative data was thematically analyzed. Findings showed that most of the conflicts were: over competition for scarce resources. The conflicts resulted in physical battery. The slum vigilante groups led in the resolution of the conflicts with limited police intervention. Given that the groups were male dominated, women got little justice. The study recommends the need for the government and development partners to build inclusive community agencies to identify and respond to the common problems facing women in the slums instead of leaving the slum residents to solve them on their own.

CHARACTER EDUCATION IN THE ACEHNESE IDIOMS OF KUALA BATEE COMMUNITY OF SOUTHWEST ACEH

This study is entitled "Character Education in the Acehnese Idiom in the Kuala Batee Community of Southwest Aceh”. The Acehnese idiom was used as a support in advising and as a means of maintaining existing norms in the society. A Society is one of the most influential molders of character education because of its interactions. The values of traditional culture are recognized by all levels of the society in the regions and nationalities that become national identities. Not only culture, local languages also need to be used in daily interactions in society so that they do not experience a serious decline, which will eventually disappear over the time. In this case, the Acehnese Idiom became a medium to spread the value of character education to the next generation. The purpose of this study is to describe the Acehnese expressions that contain the values of character education in the community of Kuala Batee Southwest Aceh. The method of this research is a descriptive qualitative. Interview was used as an instrument. In this study, 8 subjects are chosen using purposive sampling that consist of tuhapheut and village elders in the community. The location of this study is in Kuala Batee District, Southwest Aceh. There are 18 character values in the Acehnese Idiom in the community of Kuala Batee, Southwest Aceh which consists of; religious, honest, tolerance, discipline, hard work, creative, independent, democratic, curiosity, national spirit, love of the homeland, respect for achievement, friendly/communicative, love peace, love to read, care for the environment, social care and responsibility. The expressions found in the Kuala Batee community are in the form of one line, two lines, three lines and four lines. The Acehnese idiom in the community of Kuala Batee Southwest Aceh is in the oral form which has its own meaning and use as an advice relating to divinity, self, others and the environment. Based on the above conclusions, the author suggests the community to preserve the Acehnese idiom so that it becomes a legacy for the next generation. To the government, it is hoped that they will support to publish references related to Acehnese idioms and other types of folklore related to Acehnese culture so that they can add references to other studies.

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS IN THE TRADITIONAL CULTURE OF ETHNIC MINORITIES IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS – THE CASE STUDY OF THE BA NA ETHNIC GROUP, KON TUM PROVINCE, VIETNAM

Kon Tum is not only a countryside with many revolutionary traditions but also a land of multi-ethnic cultural identities with 28 ethnic groups living together, in which ethnic minorities account for over 53% with 7 ethnic groups in the locality, including Xo Dang, Ba Na, Gia Rai, Gie Trieng, Brau, Ro Mam, Hre (Hre) [2, p.1]. Each ethnic group has its own traditional cultural identity, which has been handed down through generations. Cultural values such as language, writing, festivals, architecture, traditional costumes, etc. create the unique value of each community, are the link that connects each individual in the community, and also are the door to exchange, develop and integrate with other communities. Ba Na ethnic culture is an important component in the rich Kon Tum culture, imbued with national identity. Through the process of researching and surveying the opinions of artisans, village elders and experts on the Ba Na ethnic group in Kon Tum province, we found that the culture of ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands in general and Ba Na ethnic group in Kon Tum province has the basic characteristics of forest culture, upland farming culture, and gong culture. Those characteristics have created the unique and the charming in their traditional culture. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0871/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Continuity and Transformation of Rural Communal Temples in Vietnam: A Case Study of Tân Chánh Village, Long An Province

Vietnamese communal temples (đình làng) were primarily established with two functions: (1) as a state-patronised institution to organise and control the village politically and culturally and (2) as a place of worship of village deities and meritorious predecessors. Both functions interact and complement each other – in many cases, the second serves as both a “means” and “technique” to deploy the first. However, nowadays the administrative role is no longer available; instead, the spiritual aspects are on the rise as a response to the increasing interaction of Buddhism, Caodaism, and folk beliefs as well as the impact of economic development and urban migration. Village elders learn to organise the temple into a communal socio-cultural institution, whereby cross-village temples have formed a cultural nexus of “power”. This study finds that while several transformed into the form of “temple of heroes”, Tân Chánh temple has been mobilised and transformed into a civic “religious and socio-cultural centre” at the grassroots level. The socio-economic background of the area has caused such transformation. While the practical demand for communication and emotional exchanges among village members vividly ensures the continuity of the temple’s tradition, the loss of direct state control paves the way for its transformation. Both continuity and transformation govern the current religious activities of Tân Chánh temple but there is always a challenge to compromise and integrate these two directions. However, the remaining function of god worship by which rituals are performed as “cultural agents” still binds the villagers together and gives them access to crossing boundaries.

Íhé Ńkètá and Òkè: concepts and practice of indigenous cultural heritage management in the Igbo cultural area of south-eastern Nigeria

PurposeThis study explored an alternative understanding of heritage through the lens of the Igbo cultural group in Nigeria. It used the Igbo concept of “Ihe Nketa” or “Oke” to examine the complex relationship between indigeneity, attachment and sustainability in the context of heritage management and conservation.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach was used, and ethnographic methods of data collection that include interviews and focus-group discussions (FGD) applied. The interview participants included village chiefs and the elderly (men and women), and the FGD comprised village elders (men and women) and youths. The interview guide contained demographic questions to determine age and occupation, followed by interactive open-ended questions stemming from the study's objectives. The interviews were conducted in the language most preferred by the respondents such as the Igbo language, Nigerian Pidgin English and the English language. The evidence generated was thematically analysed in a descriptive and interpretive manner.FindingsThe study found that while the Igbo understanding of heritage have related meaning with the definitions offered by the United Nations, their approach to heritage conservation takes a different turn through the concepts of “Ihe Nketa” or “Oke,” which recognises the ephemerality of tangible heritage resources with particular focus on the preservation of intangible heritage–knowledge over objects. The Igbo approach describes the framework for the acquisition, use and transfer of heritage resources in the Igbo society.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the understanding of the concept of heritage through the lens of the Igbo of Nigeria. Against the centralised national management approach to heritage, this paper argues that achieving sustainable heritage management in a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria requires the recognition of the principles that conserve(d) and manage(d) heritage among the indigenous/local peoples.

THE INSTITUTE OF VILLAGE ELDERS IN CHUVASHIA: HISTORY OF FORMATION AND ACTIVITY

The article deals with the issues concerning formation of the institute of the elders and the role of village elders in the functioning of the local government system in modern Chuvashia. For a region where the share of rural population in the total population is quite high, the study of this topic is in demand. The article briefly covers the main aspects in the development of the rural community and the state policy in rural areas. The analysis of this topic coverage in domestic and regional historiography is carried out. The main attention is paid to the history of forming the institute of village elders, the characteristics of the legal status and functions of village elders, and the main forms of their activities are shown. The village elders and organization of their activities in the 1990s were caused by the need to represent the interests of the population in the authorities of different levels. At the first stages, their functioning was initiated by the residents of villages themselves. Subsequently, the regional authorities and municipalities also began to deal with the organization and legal regulation of village elders’ activities. Legislative formalisation of village elders’ institute at the state and regional level took place in 2018. The practical activities of Chuvashia village elders cover most issues of developing and improving rural territories, they are the main assistants of local authorities and guarantee of public territorial self-government in rural areas. At the same time, alienation of rural residents from solving issues of rural society was noted, for this purpose, the materials of a sociological population survey were used. It is shown that formation of the institute of elders and regulation of their activities in the republic took place on the basis of rural elders’ practical work, the analysis of the experience of interaction with local self-government bodies and taking into account the experience of other regions. At present stage, interaction with the republican authorities at various levels is being improved. The empirical basis of the article is made up of official documents, legislative acts, media materials, and the results of public surveys.

Kearifan Lokal Kabumi: Media Internalisasi Nilai-Nilai Karakter Masyarakat Tuban Jawa Timur

Kearifan lokal berperan penting dalam kehidupan masyarakat, utamanya di tengah gencarnya arus modernisasi. Hal ini berdampak terhadap perubahan sosial di masyarakat. Kabumi sebagai salah satu kearifan lokal menjadi media penting bagi internalisasi nilai-nilai karakter masyarakat. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan kearifan lokal kabumi sebagai media internalisasi pendidikan karakter bagi masyarakat di Desa Bader, Kecamatan Jatirogo, Kabupaten Tuban. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah kualitatif deskriptif. Penelitian dilakukan di Desa Bader, Kecamatan Jatirogo, Kabupaten Tuban. Subjek penelitian ini adalah kepala desa, sesepuh desa, dan masyarakat Desa Bader. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara, observasi, dan studi dokumentasi. Teknik analisis data menggunakan model Miles dan Hubberman. Uji keabsahan data menggunakan triangulasi sumber. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa proses internalisasi nilai-nilai karakter dilakukan melalui lima tahapan, yaitu penerimaan nilai, respon, seleksi nilai, internalisasi, dan aktualisasi. Di sisi lain, nilai-nilai karakter yang muncul sebagai bentuk internalisasi kearifan lokal kabumi antara lain nilai religius, gotong royong, toleransi, dan peduli lingkungan. Local wisdom plays an important role in people's lives, especially in the midst of modernization. This phenomenon has an impact on social change in society. Kabumi as one of the local wisdoms is an important medium for internalizing character values ​​in society. This study aims to describe the local wisdom of Kabumi as a medium for internalizing character education for the community in Bader Village, Jatirogo District, Tuban Regency. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. This research was conducted in Bader village, Jatirogo district, Tuban district. The subjects in this study were the village head, village elders and the Bader village community. Data collection was carried out by interview, observation, and documentation. The data analysis technique used the Miles and Hubberman technique. The data validity test used source triangulation. The results showed that the process of internalizing character values ​​was carried out in five stages, namely acceptance of value, providing response, value selection, internalization and actualization. On the other hand, the character values that appear as a form of internalization through local Kabumi wisdom include religious values, mutual cooperation, tolerance, and environmental care.