Context Of Settlement Research Articles

Affordances of in-School Video Production for a Plurilingual Adolescent with Interrupted Formal Education and Refugee Experiences: A (Hopeful) Case Study

As Canada is increasingly committing to refugee resettlement, there is a critical need to understand how youth from refugee backgrounds can be supported to achieve their full potential in Canadian schools. This multi-year qualitative ethnographic case study explores the affordances of in-school video production for one plurilingual adolescent learner with significantly interrupted formal education and refugee experiences. Youth from refugee backgrounds have been shown to utilize digital multimodal composing (DMC), defined as the use of digital tools to make meaning in multiple modes (e.g., languages, images, sounds, gestures), including video production, to express their identities and strengthen relationships. However, few studies have explored the affordances of DMC specifically for youth from refugee backgrounds with interrupted formal education, at school in their settlement contexts. Guided by sociocultural and multimodal approaches to literacy, as well as an identity investment perspective on participation in learning, the study identifies three thematic patterns of video-production affordances: (1) overcoming the language barrier; (2) showcasing fluency; and (3) countering deficit perceptions. The study helps educators and teacher-educators better understand the affordances of in-school video production for youth from refugee backgrounds with significantly interrupted formal education.

Flavours of Pictish life: using starch grains and phytoliths to trace late Roman and early medieval culinary traditions

Understanding the seasonal and daily aspects of late Roman and early medieval life in northern Britain has been hugely challenging due to a dearth of excavated sites and poor preservation of settlement features where identified. This problem has been compounded by a very limited historical record for this era and region. But a new generation of archaeological data has begun to illuminate the Picts, a group first mentioned in late Roman sources and one that went on to become the dominant kingdom of early medieval northern Britain. These new datasets include innovative microbotanical analyses that can shed light on Pictish foodways, including culinary traditions, and specific plant foods consumed. This study employs non-destructive microbotanical analysis of pot sherds from Pictish settlement contexts and human teeth from Pictish burials, examining the presence of starch grains and phytoliths from six prominent sites spanning the Pictish period (AD∼300 – 900). Our research confirms that cereals such as oats and barley were the primary plants cultivated, cooked, and consumed in northeast Scotland during the late Roman Iron Age and early medieval period. These microbotanical residues add detailed evidence to previous studies of isotopic, pollen, and trace macrobotanical proxies, but also offer fresh insights into the potential composition of specific Pictish meal types. The approaches outlined here have greatly expanded and enriched our understanding of the dietary habits and lifestyle of the Picts, an important, but under-researched group.

Stone axes throw new light on Baltic stone age mortuary rites

Despite their ubiquity, Mesolithic lithic tools given as funerary offerings have rarely been studied in detail. Whereas personal ornaments (e.g. beads, pendants) are commonly interpreted as markers of social identity and status, archaeologists have struggled to understand the stone tools, commonly regarded as “utilitarian” items. As a result, this class of grave goods has not received the same level of attention, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of Mesolithic mortuary behaviours. Our research challenges long-lasting perceptions of lithic tools as strictly utilitarian objects and draws on studies of one of the most substantial stone axe funerary collections from one of the largest Stone Age cemeteries in Europe–Zvejnieki, Latvia. Evidence suggests the selection of unused axes as grave offerings, while unusual wear traces on an axe found in a female grave (no 57) raises questions about its use in the burial rites. Using a multi-proxy approach, we compare life histories of axes placed in burials to those recovered from contemporary, nearby settlement contexts. Finally, a strong correlation between axes and women and children at Zvejnieki challenges gendered stereotypes of stone tools, historically regarded as possessions of the adult male members of Stone Age societies.

At Home in the Arctic: The Making of Muslim Lives and Places in the Canadian North

Abstract: How do Muslims make places in arctic surroundings? How do they feel at home where Islamic ritual practices are severely complicated by extreme geographic conditions? This article takes up the case of mosque communities in the Canadian Arctic. The construction of three purpose-built mosques in northern Canada in recent years, with a fourth currently underway, reflects aspirations for rootedness, visibility, and most importantly the desire to feel at home. The mosque thereby fulfills different functions of home. It serves as a community home for gatherings, celebrations, and educational and leisure activities, a spiritual center and safe space for individuals, and a place of interaction with the local population. In exploring these themes, this study also adopts a historical lens, considering the broader context and historiography of Muslim settlement and community-building in the Canadian north. The diversity of individual members of Arctic Muslim communities today raises questions regarding religious authority and the interpretation of Islamic traditions across various ethnicities, generations, genders, and branches of Islam. This article examines religious practice at a communal level and the intricate interplay of local and transnational influences within these highly heterogenous Muslim communities. With a stress on rural and northern lived experience of Muslims, this article addresses a significant gap in the study of Islam in Canada and the Western hemisphere in general. Employing concepts of space and place alongside frameworks from Islamic and religious studies, anthropology, migration studies, and social geography, it expands the geographical scope of the study of Muslims. Empirically, this article draws on extensive mapping efforts utilizing diverse sources such as local news outlets, social media, census data, archival sources, and semi-structured interviews with community members from Yellowknife and Inuvik.

Measuring refugees’ capabilities: translation, adaptation, and valuation of the OxCAP-MH into Juba Arabic for use among South Sudanese male refugees in Uganda

BackgroundForcibly displaced populations are highly vulnerable to psychosocial distress and mental disorders, including alcohol misuse. In an ongoing trial that seeks to develop a transdiagnostic intervention addressing psychological distress and alcohol use disorders among conflict-affected populations, we will carry out a cost-effectiveness evaluation using a capability-based Oxford Capabilities Mental Health (OxCAP-MH) measure. The OxCAP-MH is a 16-item questionnaire developed from the Capability Approach, that covers multiple domains of functioning and welfare. The aim of the current paper is to present the results of the translation, cultural adaptation and valuation of the OxCAP-MH into Juba Arabic for South Sudanese refugees living in Uganda.We adhered to the official Translation and Linguistic Validation process of the OxCAP-MH. To carry out the translation, the Concept Elaboration document, official English version of the OxCAP-MH, and the Back-Translation Review Template were used. Four independent translators were used for forward and back translations. The reconciled translated version was then piloted in two focus group discussions (N = 16) in Rhino refugee settlement. A most important to least important valuation of the sixteen capability domains covered in the OxCAP-MH was also done.ResultsThe Juba Arabic version of the OxCAP-MH was finalized following a systematic iterative process. The content of the Juba Arabic version remained unchanged, but key concepts were adapted to ensure cultural acceptability, feasibility, and comprehension of the measure in the local context of Rhino refugee settlement. Most participants had low levels of literacy and required support with filling in the tool. Participants suggested an additional capability that is currently not reflected in the OxCAP-MH, namely access to food. Furthermore, discussions around the valuation exercise of the sixteen domains led to two separate importance scales, which showed relevant differences.ConclusionsIn this context, the OxCAP-MH was considered culturally acceptable. The valuation exercise proved cognitively demanding. Participants voiced confusion over how to answer the questions on the OxCAP-MH instrument due to low levels of literacy. These concerns invite consideration for future research to consider how measures such as the OxCAP-MH can be made more accessible to individuals with low literacy rates in resource poor settings.

Sensitivity of insectivorous bat foraging guilds to urbanization and implications for sustainable development

Substantial urban expansion is expected in global biodiversity hotspots over the next decade, especially in Asia. One such hotspot is Sulawesi, Indonesia, which hosts a diverse array of wild mammals, including bats. While urbanization may threaten some bats, species are not uniformly sensitive to urbanization. Many bat species’ sensitivity to urbanization is associated with their foraging strategies (or foraging guild), but information from Asia, generally, is severely lacking. Here we address this knowledge gap regarding urban sensitivity among insectivorous, echolocating bats within the context of urban informal settlements around the city of Makassar, South Sulawesi. Globally and in Makassar, informal settlements often exist on the fringe of cities, forming an urban-undeveloped land interface. Consequently, they may present opportunities to support conservation for some bats, given a growing focus on nature-based sustainable development solutions to improve the lives of informal settlement residents. We examined how, among informal settlements across Makassar, relative activity of bat sonotypes (in lieu of taxonomic species) from different foraging guilds was related to environmental factors associated with urban expansion. We found bat activity was influenced by processes interacting across multiple spatial scales ranging from the landscape- (e.g., spatial location relative to dense development in the urban core) to local-level (e.g., particular environmental features within 500 m). Broadly, we found some foraging guilds had lower overall relative activity, as well lower activity within the urban core compared to the peri-urban zone, indicating differential sensitivity to urbanization among Makassar’s bats that matches findings elsewhere. However, intensity of both urban and peri-urban informal settlement habitat use by particular bats was driven by a combination of landscape- and local-scale features. At the local scale, tree cover and inland water area frequently influenced sonotype activity in settlements, including urban core habitat use by urban-sensitive bats. Our work demonstrates that, especially if coordinated across broader spatial scales, local nature-based upgrades in informal settlements incorporating diverse green and blue spaces have the potential to enhance suitability of urban zones for both bats and for people.

WTO Dispute Settlement and Trade Sanctions as Permissible Third-Party Countermeasures under Customary International Law

Abstract The requirements for invoking WTO security exceptions as expounded in recent WTO dispute settlement cases are notably stricter than previously thought by WTO members. Consequently, not all WTO members who have imposed trade sanctions against Russia will be able to invoke these exceptions to justify their actions when accused by Russia of violations of their WTO obligations. This article considers whether WTO members who may be unsuccessful in invoking security exceptions may nonetheless be able to justify their measures within the context of WTO dispute settlement under the customary international law on third-party countermeasures. It does so by exploring the scope of the relevant provisions within the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU) as well as competence of WTO adjudicative bodies (i.e., WTO panels and the Appellate Body) to look beyond the four corners of the WTO covered agreements.

Intergenerational Contact in Refugee Settlement Contexts: Results from a Systematic Mapping Review and Analysis

The purpose of this article is to map research literature on intergenerational contact in refugee and international migration contexts. Using database searches on Scopus, Medline, CINAHL, PsycInfo and Education Research Complete, we identified 649 potentially relevant studies, of which 134 met the inclusion criteria and are mapped in the article by themes, date of publication, geographical distribution, study design, and targeted population. The review has been developed with input from migrant and refugee charities, and it identifies research trends in the field as well as multiple gaps in the literature. The results highlight the complex ways in which intergenerational contact impacts psycho-social wellbeing and integration, health, and education outcomes for both refugees and other migrant groups. Much of the research to date has focused on relationships within families. Studies exploring the potential tensions and benefits of intergenerational contact between refugees/migrants and members of the broader community are lacking.

Late‐Holocene counterpoint deposition in the Lower Rhine River

ABSTRACTChannel deposits from meandering rivers have proven to be far more complex than the well‐known lithofacies model consisting of coarse‐grained channel, gravelly channel‐lag and fine‐grained overbank deposits. Sharp bends in rivers are subject to different hydraulic processes than bends with lower curvatures, enabling erosion of inner banks and deposition of fine‐grained sediments in the outer bend, resulting in downstream migration of river bends. This phenomenon is known as counterpoint deposition, forming counterpoint bars. This research investigates whether scroll bars associated with a sharp bend in the Lower Rhine River, The Netherlands, are such a counterpoint‐bar deposit. A counterpoint bar is expected based on: (i) the surface morphology of the scroll bar; (ii) the confinement of the river course by an ice‐pushed ridge resulting in a sharp bend; and (iii) the archaeological context of successive Roman settlements atop the ice‐pushed ridge, potentially moving downstream with the migrating river bend. This hypothesis is tested through detailed borehole descriptions combined with optically stimulated luminescence dating, the latter being a novel approach to identifying counterpoint deposits. The deposits consist of clays and sandy clays with fine sand laminations, and sporadic larger sand bodies. Further upstream these deposits grade into channel deposits dominated by coarser sands with gravels. These lithologies are explained using earlier proposed mechanisms for counterpoint formation; substrata match those described in previously studied counterpoint deposits and their point bar counterparts. Optically stimulated luminescence dates indicate that the Lower Rhine River bend migrated downstream, confirming counterpoint deposition. A migration rate of 1.93 m/year was established through weighted linear regression. This study demonstrates the potential of optically stimulated luminescence dating to investigate counterpoint bar presence. The identified counterpoint bars and associated bend migration provide insight into meandering river dynamics that is crucial for river management and in aiding river restoration and rewilding initiatives.

The regeneration policy and housing issue. The Italian case read through the history of Foggia (IT)

Urban regeneration is aimed at improving settlement contexts, and indirectly at solving the housing issue. In Italy there is no national regulation on urban regeneration, but many policies from 2000 up to now have resorted to it with the aim of intervening and containing the housing problem. The work examines the city of Foggia, in southern Italy, an area in a demographic contraction, but equally characterized by “high housing tension”, indeed there are numerous eviction proceedings, in the private and public sector of the house, and, as a consequence, phenomena of illegal occupation housing, abandoned buildings, informal settlements. The research will look at how in the last 20 years various national public funding (among these, the last PNRR—Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza derived from the Next Generation EU) and regional ones have resorted to urban regeneration strategies to address the problem, reporting failures, gaps and relevant issues.

Zoomorphic imagery and social process during the Early Bronze Age

Through the agency of animals, we think about our identity, landscape and society, and therefore animal imagery holds a special place in approaches to human thought. Through a study of the zoomorphic figurine assemblage recorded at the Early Bronze Age site of Koçumbeli-Ankara, we argue that the zoomorphic figurines of this time period were produced through a meaningful linking of particular images and raw materials to particular use contexts. For example, the ambiguously sexed zoomorphic figurines of clay are usually found within the settlement contexts, whereas the rest of the zoomorphic imagery, in the form of elaborately decorated and often male-sexed metal statues and standards, are found in ‘elite’ burials located in cemeteries. This occurs on the background of an emergent form of ritual control, which was negotiated through the separation of cemetery and settlement. In these contexts, the authority of the past was invoked via ancestral imagery through the careful employment of new raw materials, such as metals, that equally became agential in the separation of age, gender and class-based differences within society, at the eve of the centralization process in Anatolia.

Navigating new gender roles: impacts of cultural origins, context of settlement, and religious beliefs on gender attitudes among immigrant origin youth across five European countries

ABSTRACT Gender roles have become a symbol of cultural division between Western Europe and its growing immigrant population. To what extent immigrants and their children from more gender-conservative backgrounds will adopt more egalitarian attitudes has thus become a key question. However, different host countries offer distinct contexts of reception regarding the institutional support for gender equality, and the diverse compositions of immigrant populations across Europe pose challenges to simultaneously control the influences of cultural origins and settlement contexts. We overcome these challenges by comparing immigrant youth living in five different European countries, originating from countries with comparable levels of gender inequality, as assessed by three distinct global gender inequality indices. Analysing CILS4EU and CILS-NOR data, we found that the extent of gender inequality in parental countries of origin exerts a lasting impact on gender attitudes among immigrant-origin youth. Additionally, our findings showed that religion, particularly among Muslims, plays a role in preservation of conservative attitudes. Nevertheless, immigrant origin youth to a large extent adapt their perspectives to the context of reception, and even the most conservative groups of immigrant adolescents living in Scandinavia have more gender-egalitarian beliefs than immigrants – and to some extent natives – in continental Europe.

Metallic Idiophones 800 BCE–800 CE in Central Europe: Function and Acoustic Influence

Our project is focused on metal sound objects of the Early Iron Age (Hallstatt Culture), the Romanperiod, and the period of the Avar Khanate in the Carpathian Basin (Early Middle Ages). The idiophonesoriginate from burial and settlement contexts. Our goal is to gain new information on their function, on tonal influence on ancient peoples’ daily lives, and their impact on society. This interdisciplinary project combines archaeological, metallurgical, acoustical, psychoacoustical, ethnomusicological, and psychological methods supported by experimental archaeology and handcraft experience, as well as by ancient written and iconographic sources. In this article we report on the status of our current results. We present three case studies, one for each period, and an acoustic and psychoacoustic overview of all currently investigated sound objects. Analyses of textile remains adhering to pellet bells complete this paper.

The impact of migration and settlement context on Iranian Women's agency in accessing and using reproductive healthcare services in Australia: A qualitative study.

This qualitative study aimed to understand how immigration and settlement context shape Iranian immigrants' agency in accessing and using reproductive healthcare services (RHCS). Twenty-one Iranian women of reproductive age (18-49 years) living in Australia were recruited in 2022 through social media platforms. The findings highlighted that although Iranian women's utilisation of RHCS in Australia is highly constrained by established sociocultural beliefs and values of their origin country, they become agents of making changes over their reproductive choices, reformulating beliefs and values, and taking control of reproductive health because of Australian sociocultural norms and context. This suggests a tension between the impacts of sociocultural contexts in their origin country and becoming agents of change after migrating to Australia. These findings need to be included in healthcare policy and practice to support greater consideration of cultural sensitivities and specific needs of immigrant women when accessing Australian RHCS.

Changing Dynamics of Urbanization and Social Inequality: A Case Study of Informal Settlements in Bangkok, Thailand

The research embarked on a journey to unravel the intricate relationship between urbanization dynamics and social inequality within the context of informal settlements in Bangkok. Using a mixed methods approach, this research combines a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. Demographic data is collected through a survey, which captures a socio-economic profile. Qualitative insights were obtained from in-depth interviews and observations, which provide a different understanding of residents' life experiences. This research not only illuminates the interplay between urbanization and social inequality within Bangkok's informal settlements but also amplifies the call for inclusive urban development that ensures the benefits of progress reach every corner of the city, irrespective of socio-economic background.

Developing an intervention to improve the quality of childcare centers in resource-poor urban settings: a mixed methods study in Nairobi, Kenya.

Globally, 350 million under-5s do not have adequate childcare. This may damage their health and development and undermine societal and economic development. Rapid urbanization is changing patterns of work, social structures, and gender norms. Parents, mainly mothers, work long hours for insecure daily wages. To respond to increasing demand, childcare centers have sprung up in informal settlements. However, there is currently little or no support to ensure they provide safe, nurturing care accessible to low-income families. Here, we present the process of co-designing an intervention, delivered by local government community health teams to improve the quality of childcare centers and ultimately the health and development of under-5 children in informal settlements in Kenya. This mixed methods study started with a rapid mapping of the location and basic characteristics of all childcare centers in two informal settlements in Nairobi. Qualitative interviews were conducted with parents and grandparents (n = 44), childcare providers, and community health teams (n = 44). A series of 7 co-design workshops with representatives from government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community health teams, and childcare providers were held to design the intervention. Questionnaires to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of community health volunteers (n = 22) and childcare center providers (n = 66) were conducted. In total, 129 childcare centers were identified -55 in Korogocho and 77 in Viwandani. School-based providers dominated in Korogocho (73%) while home-based centers were prevalent in Viwandani (53%). All centers reported minimal support from any organization (19% supported) and this was particularly low among home-based (9%) and center-based (14%) providers. Home-based center providers were the least likely to be trained in early childhood development (20%), hence the co-designed intervention focused on supporting these centers. All co-design stakeholders agreed that with further training, community health volunteers were well placed to support these informal centers. Findings showed that given the context of informal settlements, support for strengthening management within the centers in addition to the core domains of WHO's Nurturing Care Framework was required as a key component of the intervention. Implementing a co-design process embedded within existing community health systems and drawing on the lived experiences of childcare providers and parents in informal settlements facilitated the development of an intervention with the potential for scalability and sustainability. Such interventions are urgently needed as the number of home-based and small center-based informal childcare centers is growing rapidly to meet the demand; yet, they receive little support to improve quality and are largely unregulated. Childcare providers, and government and community health teams were able to co-design an intervention delivered within current public community health structures to support centers in improving nurturing care. Further research on the effectiveness and sustainability of support to private and informal childcare centers in the context of low-income urban neighborhoods is needed.

A Carolingian Helmet from Pohansko near Břeclav (Czech Republic): Its Archaeological Context and Social Interpretation

THIS PAPER PRESENTS THE REMAINS of an early medieval helmet found in 2015 at Pohansko near Břeclav (Czech Republic), one of the most important central places of an early medieval polity called Great Moravia. It is the first Carolingian helmet from Central Europe to be discovered in a settlement context during a conventional archaeological excavation. The helmet is dated by stratigraphic and radiocarbon methods, and placed in a broader European context based on the collected analogies. The authors also attempt a social interpretation of this extraordinary artefact and propose a hypothesis about the owner of this valuable piece of armour.

Stone hammer-axes in the context of the Early Bronze Age features in Moravia

Finds of stone hammer-axes are relatively uncommon in the context of the Early Bronze Age, not just in Moravia. They are more frequently encountered in the funeral environment while their occurrence in settlement contexts can be described as exceptional. The two newly presented boat-shaped doubleedged hammer-axes originate from both a settlement site (Držovice, ‘Díly odvrahoviční’) and a grave (Olomouc-Slavonín, ‘Horní lán’) of the Únětice culture in central Moravia. What had been a common and significant male attribute in graves of the Corded Ware culture (and partially in the EpiCorded complex) became a rarity during the Early Bronze Age. This was especially in the milieu of the Únětice culture, as the stone industry gradually gave way to the metal industry. Finding analogies to the custom of depositing a stone hammer axe in settlement pits or graves as an offering is not uncommon in Moravia, Bohemia and the neighbouring regions. This is usually the heritage of the Corded Ware culture and it remains speculative whether these were clearly secondarily used objects (archaics) or contemporary imitations of earlier models. Both of the recently found hammer-axes differ from those of the Corded Ware culture, raising questions about Únětice’s own production, as local materials (siltstone, sandstone) were used in their making. The archaeological assemblage from the Držovice settlement is dated to the earlier period and the inhumation grave from Olomouc-Slavonín to the classical period of the Únětice culture. The practical function and the symbolic role of these artefacts are not yet precisely understood. Their finds are not abundant, but they come from diverse archaeological contexts, ranging from common settlement pits to modestly equipped graves and even rich male burials.

Harmonizing Dispute Resolution Mechanisms: Enhancing Efficiency and Synergy between WTO and ISDS System

This research article explores aligning and optimizing dispute resolution mechanisms in international law, particularly within the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) contexts. Addressing challenges arising from the "spaghetti bowl effect" of multiple treaty regimes, it examines the interplay between WTO and ISDS systems, aiming for harmonization and reduced jurisdictional inconsistencies. Traditional coordination methods are evaluated, revealing limitations in adapting to this evolving paradigm. Instead, an "articulation clause" and the "principle of comity" are proposed as innovative approaches for rationalizing dispute resolution. These strategies aim to transcend rivalry between WTO and ISDS mechanisms, expediting impasse resolution in the WTO Appellate Body. The study promotes a strategic shift, encouraging stakeholders to view dual mechanisms as mutually advantageous. This pragmatic outlook empowers informed decision-making, enhancing the global rule of law's predictability, efficiency, and integrity. The ultimate goal is strengthening the WTO's dispute resolution framework and ISDS mechanism, contributing to a more streamlined and cohesive international dispute resolution landscape. The qualitative research methodology has been applied to the following article.

Social distinctions during the south Indian Neolithic: changing mortuary practices in a late prehistoric cemetery at Maski

Human burials have been recovered from a wide variety of intra- and extramural settlement contexts at Neolithic period sites (3000–1200 BC) in southern India, yet formal cemeteries remain virtually unknown from this period. Research at MARP-79 in the Raichur District of the south Indian state of Karnataka, near the type-site of Maski, documents a large Neolithic cemetery, now with the largest number of radiometrically dated burials of any archaeological site in southern India. The cemetery demonstrates considerable, previously undocumented variation in mortuary ritual, involving new materials, technologies and burial practices, which challenge culture-historical models, pointing instead towards long-term incremental developments that alter how we understand the emergence of Neolithic social differences.