Life Aspirations Research Articles

Coping with cancer pain: a qualitative study to explore pain perception and self-coping strategies of patients with cancer in Sri Lanka

Pain is one of the most debilitating symptoms of cancer, substantially diminishing one’s quality of life. The level of pain experienced is eventually determined by the pain coping strategies adopted...

A crisis of authenticity: Becoming entrepreneurial and the quest for “cultural appropriateness” among the Mapuche

AbstractBased on multisite ethnographic work between 2018 and 2020, this article examines entrepreneurship promotion policies developed by the Chilean state directed at Mapuche people. We direct attention to how the notion of authenticity works as a hinge between Mapuche people, historical heritage, nongovernmental organizations, and public policymakers in their promotion of microentrepreneurship as a form of overcoming poverty and achieving full inclusion of Indigenous people in Chilean society. The negotiation processes concerning authenticity bring together people's aspiration to become entrepreneurs as authentic Mapuche and those seeking to initiate a “proper Mapuche business.” Authenticity, its recognition and contestation, appears as a central tenet in the formation of a particular entrepreneurial self that combines entrepreneurs' aspirations for a better life with a simultaneous seeking of an appropriate sense of being Mapuche, with acknowledgment from others. In the process, the meaning of authenticity goes beyond a primordialist understanding of the term, acquiring polysemy and affecting the arena of Indigenous entrepreneurship, as other aspects of contemporary Mapuche lives.

REFLECTION ON KEY ELEMENTS AND CHALLENGES OF TRIBES OF KERALA IN HIGHER EDUCATION: ROLE OF POLITICS AND ECONOMY

One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world. Education is education. We should learn everything and then choose which path to follow. Education is neither Eastern nor Western, it is human. Malala Yousafza (2014). Education is the root of development and is the must tool to ensure equality of opportunity following this philosophy, the central and state governments have been making various efforts to educate the masses. Even after intensive programmes and policies offered by the central and state government, the development hasnt reached the education sector among the tribal community. According to Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2016-17 about 19.6% of students belong to Scheduled Castes at the primary level, but this fraction falls to 17.3% at the higher secondary level. These enrolment drop-offs are more severe for Scheduled Tribes students (10.6% to 6.8%), and differently-abled children (1.1% to 0.25%), with even greater declines for female students within each of these categories. The decline in enrolment in higher education is even steeper. (National Education Policy, NEP,2020). Weak academic performance and the increasing dropout rate are even today common among Scheduled Tribe communities. Politics, economy, community, and gender are correlated with ones life aspirations, overall learning skills, and adjustment to the educational institution.

Comparing the South African and Brazilian student uprisings (2015–2016): Similarities, Circulations, and Distance

ABSTRACT South Africa and Brazil are notorious for having some of the highest levels of (racialised) inequality on the planet, and dysfunctional education systems failing millions in their aspirations for a better life. Over 2015-16, student protests erupted across Brazilian and South African schools and universities, challenging these conditions through strikes, occupations, on-campus and street protests, and intellectual production. This paper builds on a World-Systems theoretical framework to understand the similarities, circulation, and distance between the two contemporaneous movements. In Brazil, the ‘Primavera Secundarista' high school occupations dealt primarily with local political dynamics, such as school closures, and intersectional forms of oppression. In South Africa, the ‘Fallist' university mobilisations demanded free, decolonised education, alongside addressing issues of outsourcing and institutional racism. In the first section, I give a comparative overview of these student movements’ similarities, situating them in their context and highlighting the key concerns and political and pedagogical practices of student activists in each. While these movements did not generally engage with each other, there were some important points of interaction, discussed in the second section. While highlighting these points of connection, I also advance an argument in the third section for why there was nevertheless relatively little direct engagement between these contemporaneous movements that otherwise had so much in common. The points of connection and disconnection between these similar movements offers insights about the functioning of the contemporary World-System and the modes of transnational circulation between movements therein, with lessons for transnational understandings of social movements, especially South-South movements.

Exploring the Evolution of Aspiration of Life in Scientific Literature: A Bibliometric Analysis (2015-2024)

Objective: This bibliometric analysis explores the scholarly landscape of "Aspirations of Life" publications from 2015 to 2024, shedding light on trends, gaps, and key insights in this evolving field. The primary objective of this study is to identify the trajectory of research on aspirations, particularly focusing on the Nepalese context. Methodology: Utilizing bibliometric analysis, this study examined online scholarly articles published in Dimension.ai, employing statistical techniques to analyze publication trends, citations, and research patterns. This method provided a comprehensive overview of the research landscape by scrutinizing authors, keywords, citations, and publication years. Key Findings: The analysis revealed a significant increase in publications on "Aspirations of Life" over the past decade, peaking in 2023 with 532 publications. This surge underscores the growing scholarly interest in aspirations, with a notable rise in citations between 2020 and 2023, indicating increasing recognition and relevance in academic circles. However, a decline in the percentage of cited publications and fluctuating citation ratios suggest a need for more consistent impact and recognition of individual research contributions. Conclusion & Recommendation: The study highlights the escalating importance and relevance of research on "Aspirations of Life," emphasizing the need for enhanced impact and quality in scholarly articles. To bolster research influence, increasing the publication of high-quality articles in international peer-reviewed journals is crucial. Furthermore, addressing research gaps, such as longitudinal studies on aspiration changes over time and exploring cultural variations, can enrich our understanding and inform more effective interventions in this critical area of study.

‘Because I am a woman, an old woman, I have no voice’: gendered ageism and disempowerment of older women in three African countries

Background and objectives: Gendered ageism refers to the intersectionality of age and gender bias and discrimination. It is widely prevalent and leads to inequality, injustice, oppression, exploitation and disempowerment of older women. In this study, we explore the impacts of gendered ageism on three areas of older women’s lives in three African countries. These areas are: (1) participation in public and political life and access to justice and law enforcement; (2) family relations, inheritance, and land and property ownership; and (3) violence, abuse and neglect. Research design and methods: Eighteen women aged 54–85 years were interviewed for this study. Thematic analysis was undertaken to identify and explore disempowering impacts of gendered ageism on their lives and rights. Results: In all areas of the participants’ lives, their lack of voice in their inability to make choices, to claim their rights and to participate meaningfully in decision-making were highlighted. These manifested in the suppression of their interests, opinions and aspirations in public life; denial of justice; prejudice and discrimination within family settings; exploitation, harassment, abandonment and violence; and an overall devaluation, dehumanisation and silencing of older women. Discussion: Women often outlive men and experience marginalisation for a greater proportion of their lives. Yet, their lived experiences receive limited acknowledgement and redressal. In developing countries, older women face multiple forms of oppression arising from gendered ageism. This study highlights such experiences with the expectation that this will generate awareness, garner support from stakeholders and help inform policies for the protection and equal treatment of older women.

Socio-Economic Condition and Aspirations in Life of Out-of-School Youths

Socio-Economic Condition and Aspirations in Life of Out-of-School Youths

Pemetaan Pandangan dan cita-cita Hidup Warga Muhammadiyah di Eks Karesidenan Surakarta

This research aims to produce a mapping of the ideological strength of Muhammadiyah in terms of its perspectives and aspirations within the former Surakarta residency area. The study employs a quantitative approach, focusing on respondents' perceptions regarding Muhammadiyah's views and life aspirations. A total of 208 respondents participated in the study, and data collection utilized a measurement tool for Muhammadiyah's ideological strength developed by Subando, Samsuri, and Muslimin. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The research findings indicate that the Muhammadiyah Regional Leaders (Pimpinan Daerah Muhammadiyah, PDM) of Klaten achieved the highest score (4.77), indicating the most favorable assessments of Muhammadiyah's perspectives and aspirations. They were followed by PDM Sukoharjo (4.26), PDM Boyolali (4.25), PDM Surakarta (4.19), and PDM Karanganyar with the lowest score (3.99). Based on these findings, PDM Karanganyar could benchmark against other PDMs and adopt the internalization pattern of strengthening Muhammadiyah's ideology in the Klaten region as a model.

Well-being amid (im)mobility struggles: Youth’s experiences in Casamance, Senegal

BackgroundLarge numbers of young people worldwide, especially in the Global South, wish to migrate but lack the capacity to do so, with potentially detrimental consequences for their well-being and mental health. Termed ‘involuntary immobility’, this phenomenon is numerically larger than migration, but remains for now a largely underexplored area of research. Focusing on young Senegalese living in Casamance, this paper contributes to the limited literature on the implications of immobility for subjective well-being. It does so by (i) considering different degrees and types of involuntary immobility and their intersections, (ii) laying out the implications of (interacting) social and spatial immobilities for well-being with particular attention to youth’s agency in navigating a lack of capabilities, and (iii) by accounting for heterogenous experiences taking a gendered approach.MethodsFor this study, 35 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18- to 39-year-olds in Ziguinchor region, recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Thematic analysis was employed on verbatim transcriptions of audio-recorded interviews.ResultsOur study reveals a nuanced reality where aspirations to (temporarily) move abroad coexist with aspirations to stay in Casamance. Participants’ life aspirations and overarching projects clash, however, both with a lack of capabilities to move abroad and to enact these locally. This pervasive immobility decreases life satisfaction and generates negative emotions, such as stress, anxiety, discouragement, and distress. Despite these obstacles, our findings also underscore the agency and resourcefulness displayed by the youth as they navigate their limited control over life choices and paths.ConclusionsInvoluntary spatial immobility exacerbates the dominant experience of social immobility, magnifying its effect on youth’s well-being, revealing a previously unacknowledged phenomenon. Our findings further emphasize the pressing need for a more cohesive alignment between migration policies and information campaigns on one hand and the real experiences and challenges encountered by their intended audience on the other.

Living together but gates apart: aspirations and place caring practices among residents living outside a gated community in Peri-urban Accra.

Global capital investment in the housing sector has transformed major African cities such as Accra into segregated clusters of high-rise buildings and ultramodern residential areas. The development of housing projects, such as Gated Communities (GCs), in peri-urban areas has resulted in a contrasting phenomenon of residents living in traditional housing units alongside modern housing complexes. This paper maps the impacts of Ayi Mensah Park, a privately built gated community in peri-urban Accra, Ghana. Specifically, it explores the perceptions, emotions and attitudes of residents living in the immediate environs of this gated community and how these opinions shape their life aspirations, particularly regarding housing. Using semistructured interviews and drawing on the concepts of ‘peripheral urbanisation’ and ‘care’, we found that residents express varied emotions (happiness, excitement, admiration, pride, disappointment, anger, apathy, and frustration) towards the presence of the gated community. Some of these emotions resulted in action, such as pulling down old buildings and constructing new modern apartments in their places. We conclude that the presence and aesthetic characteristics of gated communities in peri-urban areas invoke contrasting affective elements of both aspirations and despair among residents, resulting in new practices of care for the community and future generations.

An Analysis of Innovative Contributions to the Important Discourse on the Development of New Quality Productivity

The discourse on developing high-quality productivity marks a significant theoretical innovation, which is conducive to the modernization and sinicization of Marxism. It refines our understanding of “new quality productivity,” defining it as an advanced form driven by innovation, embodying “high technology, efficiency, and quality,” with the aim of comprehensively enhancing productivity. It elucidates the necessity of cultivating such forces, asserting that they are crucial for achieving high-quality development, securing a leading position in global technology, and fulfilling the aspirations for a better life. Moreover, it outlines a new implementation route, emphasizing strategies such as fostering technological autonomy, nurturing emerging industries, integrating education and talent in technology, adopting a “build through challenges” approach, adjusting solutions locally, and providing categorized guidance, all of which are based on the ongoing comprehensive reforms.

Tree of Life Model and other Africa-centred interventions

The Tree of Life is a four-part process which involves drawing trees and then there is a second part of the methodology which is about the Forest of Life. So, Tree of Life begins with inviting people to draw their tree. And each part of the tree represents something specific about their lives, their roots, where they come from, their history, their heritage, their ancestry, the ground where they live, who they live with, what they like to do when they’re at home, favourite places, favourite songs or dances. The trunk – the skills and their knowledges, the things they’re good at, the things that people tell them they’re good at. The leaves of their tree – most important people in their lives, people who care for them and support them. And then the branches – your hopes, your dreams for both the near and the distant future. And then the fruits are the gifts that you’ve received and that you’ve been given. And so, people are invited to come up with a tree and then they are supported to tell stories around these aspects of their lives by somebody who has been trained, who knows how to help them to thicken their stories, because we want people to stand firmly in the second stories of their lives and the alternative stories – the stories about your hopes, your dreams, your skills, the people that are important to you, your aspirations in your life. HOW TO REFERENCE USING ASWDNET STYLE Ncube-Mlilo N. (2024). Tree of Life Model and other Africa-centred interventions. African Journal of Social Work, 14(3), 149-154. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i3.6 Visit journal website: https://ajsw.africasocialwork.net

‘Europe was a dream for me. This dream came true but remains unfulfilled at the same time’: Navigating life aspirations among forced migrants in Austria and Italy

Abstract In this article, we analyse the interplay between forced migrants’ retrospective expectations and their current experiences in the host country, and how this interaction informs their aspirations in relation to their potential life trajectories. By zooming in on the Austrian and Italian cases derived from qualitative data, this article investigates forced migrants’ retrospective perspectives on the ‘good life’ in (imagined) Europe and their experienced-informed perspectives of the host country context—reception policies—after migration by tracing individuals’ self-reported perceptions of life aspirations over the course of their migration journey. By applying the aspirations-capability framework, our analysis traces what ‘happens’ after people have submitted their asylum applications. In this way, this research sheds light on the process of adapting to a new context with gravely restricted capabilities and how this affects people’s life aspirations. By doing so, we demonstrate that aspirations are not only dynamic and flexible, but capabilities also change due to the structural confines of national asylum procedures. This study therefore brings an innovative perspective to study life aspirations and capabilities by showing the importance of reflecting not only aspirations but also the (in)capability of acting in the present which informs the process of revisiting original life aspirations for individuals seeking asylum. This process begins after the arrival, based on changes in their capabilities, specifically the national asylum structures that confine them.

Role of key demographic factors in consumer aspirations and luxury brand preference

The desires of consumers as individuals are largely shaped by their aspirations in life, which play a crucial role in deciding their brand preference, but very few studies have focused on the demographic difference in aspirations and its relationship with brand preference, especially in the context of luxury brands, for the consumers in the emerging markets. This paper aims to empirically assess the role of key demographic factors (gender, age, and income) in influencing the aspirations of consumers in India, an emerging market, and their preference for luxury branded products. The hypotheses were developed based on the review of the extant literature and tested through t-test and ANOVA along with the moderation test using PROCESS extension in SPSS 22.0. The study included data collected from 915 Indian consumers, in Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities, with prior experience of buying luxury branded products in the fashion segment through a self-administered questionnaire. The results demonstrate that the aspirations, both intrinsic (F = 8.185; p = 0.004) and extrinsic (F = 7.14; p = 0.007) and luxury brand preferences (F = 5.762; p = 0.017) of males and females differ significantly. However, demographic factors of gender (R2 = 0.137; p > 0.05), age (R2 = 0.130; p > 0.05), and income (R2 = 0.132; p > 0.05) were not found to have any moderating effect on the relationship between luxury brand preference and aspirations. The results of the study would help luxury brand marketers to develop their strategic plans for marketing activities by providing insights into the differences in the desires and preferences of their customers.

Jung Personality Complexes: Evidence from Mahabharata Characters

Purpose: The research paper is an interesting blend of social science and mythology. The researchers explain how Jung personality complexes to Professional & Psychology students with the help of characters from Mahabharata. As the personality grows person develops some complex in their personality and which guides person’s behavior and aspirations in life. Each individual has different personalities and different type of complexes in them with different level of intensity. Thus, the outcome of the research helps individual personalities to discover them as well as to understand basic individual personality complexes. Objectives: The researchers have set the following primary objective and the current study investigates 1 broad research question: To interpret characters from Mahabharata to explain Jung personality complexes. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study is based on both secondary & primary evidence. Hypotheses are stated for the various variables selected and analyzed to prove or disprove the same without any errors. Findings/Result: There were correlations between Jung personality complexes & from Mahabharata characters to individuals with the ancient Indian texts. As much as individuals behave differently in different situations, our behavioural reactions can be clubbed into personality complexes as similar reactions across ages and cultures. To conclude, we can say that each one of us is uniquely different yet distinctively similar as well. Research Limitations/Implications: In the present research an attempt is made by the researchers to understand the research gap in the area hence a conceptual idea is proposed and the research goes further to advance significance to discover the degree of relationship to interpret characters from Mahabharata to explain Jung personality complexes. Originality/Value: Many of the earlier studies have proved the soul of Indian mythology is beyond simple good and evil. If one cares to dig deep, there’s an interesting story at each and every step. Psychologists explain this by segregating personality into a private and public persona. Private is the ‘real’ inner person, while public is the way that the individual presents themselves to the outside world. We may be confident and outgoing in some situations and less sure of ourselves and more retiring in other situations. A case where a shy reserved person joins an organization but eventually becomes an arrogant and stubborn boss. This fits the explanation of how our personalities differ situationally. Paper Type: The study is based on both secondary & primary evidence. There are many characters in the Mahabharata, with each one having good and bad qualities. Many characters are similar in personality complexes but differ in their ethical characteristics. Hence researchers have tried to identify and give the major characters in the research. However, this is not a definitive list.

Challenges Faced by Junior High School Students in the Study of Araling Panlipunan and its Impactto their Academic Performance: A Foundation for Intervention Initiatives

Education is the foundation upon which people can build better lives, achieve their dreams and aspirations in life and contribute to society. The Philippine government has recognized the importance of education by enshrining the right to education. Thus, the Department of Education has implemented many integrated schools in far-flung areas so that students can have access to education and offer junior high school classes for Grades 7,8,9, and 10. The study explored the challenges faced by the junior high school students along with their study of Araling Panlipunan subject and how it can help impact their academic performance, a foundation for intervention initiatives. This study used the descriptive methodologyto obtain sysMtematic information from a phenomenon, situation, and population. One hundred (100) participants answered the survey questionnaire. Using the statistical treatment, the result revealed that the computed r was 0.69 having a moderate correlation between two variables, namely; the challenges faced by junior high school students in Araling Panlipunan and their academic performance. It was further tested using the z- test. It resulted to a computed value of 6.87 which is greater than the tabular value of 2.284 thereby rejecting the hypothesis. It was proven that there is a significant relationship between the two variables. With the study′s findings, an intervention plan was proposed to help the Junior High School Students overcome the challenges they faced in the study of Araling Panlipunan and attain their full potential. This will be the basis for the administrators and teachers in formulating intervention initiatives.

Problems and Perspectives of Foreign Migration in Rural Nepal: A Case Study of Narja, Nuwakot

International migration stands as a significant livelihood strategy for individuals in developing countries such as Nepal. The primary objective of this study is to comprehend the underlying factors that drive foreign migration in Narja, Nuwakot. Employing a mixed-method approach, this study combines surveys with qualitative insights gathered through direct questionnaires and interviews conducted with respondents. Data collection took place in September 2023. Our findings revealed that foreign migration has emerged as a noteworthy phenomenon in Nuwakot, propelled by a combination of push and pull factors, including economic opportunities, unemployment, poverty, and aspirations for a better life. These factors collectively influenced the decision of Narja residents for international migration. In our study, a higher percentage of labor migrants were observed in the Gulf states, followed by Malaysia, Australia, USA, and Japan. The majority of these labor migrants were male and predominantly within the age group of 20-40 years. A significant portion of applicants obtained their visas through Recruiting Agencies/Consultancies. Our results demonstrated that over 60.0% of migrants earned an income ranging from Rs. 50,000 to 1,00,000 per month and sent remittances to support their families' livelihoods. While these remittances play a crucial role in sustaining the local economy and enhancing living standards for families, in the long term, they may pose serious threats to the country's human resource and economy.

Causal Model of Autonomous Motivation to Modify Dietary Behavior among People with Early-stage Chronic Kidney Disease

Dietary behavior is significant for delaying chronic kidney disease progression but is difficult to modify. Autonomous motivation is one of the key concepts that seem to be useful for behavior modification. Thus, this descriptive cross-sectional study was purposed to develop and test a causal model of autonomous motivation to modify dietary behavior among people with early-stage chronic kidney disease. Participants comprised 308 people with early-stage chronic kidney disease from ten tertiary hospitals in Thailand. Data collection employed a demographic and health information form, the Regulation of Eating Behaviour Scale: Autonomous Motivation Subscale, the General Causality Orientation Scale: Autonomy Orientation Subscale, the Health Care Climate Questionnaire Short-Form, the Importance Domain of the Aspiration Index: Intrinsic Life Aspiration Subscale, the Importance Domain of the Aspiration Index: Extrinsic Life Aspiration Subscale, and the Basic Need Satisfaction in General Scale. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling using M-plus.The results showed the final model explained 57% of the variance in autonomous motivation to modify dietary behavior. Intrinsic life aspiration, autonomy support from healthcare providers, and autonomy orientation had a positive direct effect on autonomous motivation and an indirect effect through basic psychological need satisfaction. Basic psychological need satisfaction had a positive direct effect on autonomous motivation. On the other hand, extrinsic life aspiration had neither a direct nor an indirect effect on autonomous motivation. Nurses can use these findings to design and test nursing interventions by integrating autonomy orientation, autonomy support from healthcare providers, and intrinsic life aspirations for enhancing autonomous motivation to modify the dietary behavior of this population.

Spherical model of vocational interests – verification of the concept and measurement method

Introduction: The Spherical Model of Interests and Competence Beliefs (Tracey, Rounds, 1996a, 1996b) integrates Holland’s (1985, 1997) RIASEC theory and the People/Things Data/Ideas dimensions by Prediger (1982), supplementing them with a third dimension of vocational interests: prestige. The aim of the study was to verify the spherical model of vocational interests in a sample of Polish adults and to present the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Personal Globe Inventory – Short (Tracey, 2002). The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using measures of internal consistency. The theoretical validity was examined through confirmatory factor analysis, randomization test of hypothesized order relations, and correlations with other measures of vocational interests and life aspirations. Method: The study involved 513 students and working individuals aged 18 to 58 (M = 24.5; SD = 9.1). Among the participants, 67% were women. To assess the criterion validity of the adapted tool, the Multi–Aspect Assessment of Vocational Preferences (Paszkowska-Rogacz, 2013) and the Kasser and Ryan Index of Life Aspirations (2005) in the Polish adaptation by Górnik-Durose and Janiec (2010) were used. Results: The obtained results confirm the satisfactory psychometric properties of polish version of PGI–S. Eight basic interests were found to be positively and significantly statistically related to their corresponding interest areas according to Holland's concept. High prestige was positively associated with life aspirations such as image, popularity, self-acceptance, spirituality, and hedonism. Low prestige correlated positively with self-acceptance and health, and negatively with security. The results also indicated the existence of differences in the structure of interests between women and men. Conclusions: The obtained results confirm the spherical structure of vocational interests in the examined sample. Further research on occupational prestige and cultural differences in its perception seems warranted.

Shaanbei Cloth Art—A Pioneer of Non-Heritage Cultural Creation for College Students

Shanbei Cloth Art is one of the representatives of folk handicrafts in Sanqin Land, a unique folk handicraft in northern Shaanxi, which mainly uses cloth, silk and satin as the main raw materials. It usually aims to express the beautiful aspirations of folk life and convey the meaning of life fullness. And one of the most distinctive when it comes to a series of tiger shoes products, tiger shoes production techniques as early as some years ago has been included in China’s intangible cultural heritage, since the “Dictionary” on the “tiger shoes” interpretation for: the end of the Qing Dynasty, women in the Palace of the women’s embroidered shoes, which are embroidered with a first head, called the tiger head shoes.