Local Organizations Research Articles

Implementation of Eco Friendly in the Housekeeping Department of the Conrad Bali Hotel

Eco-friendly is a simple environmentally friendly activity that aims to reduce the impact of waste, especially hotel industry waste. Eco-friendly is a growing trend in the hotel industry, but its implementation still faces several obstacles, including limited understanding regarding the importance of waste management, lack of consistency in implementing Eco-friendly programs and obstacles in changing organizational culture. The aim of this research is to determine the implementation of Eco-friendliness in the housekeeping department at the Conrad Bali hotel. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques through interviews, observation and documentation studies related to supporting documents such as the Tri Hita Karana certificate and certificates of collaboration with other organizations. Based on the results of research in the field, the Conrad Bali hotel is considered a sustainable hotel, this can be seen from the policies and full support by the management, collaboration with local organizations and communities, the use of more environmentally friendly chemicals, recycling activities, energy and water efficiency. , as well as implementing programs related to Eco-friendliness and consistently following the Tri Hita Karana certification.

Analysis of the Development of Rural Aqueduct Organizations in the Central Zone of Colombia: A View from Sustainable Livelihoods

Within the framework of sustainability analysis regarding the processes developed by man, water resources in rural scenarios have been a priority due to the impact generated by population growth and climate changes in tropical regions. In Colombia, the shortage of drinking water from aqueducts has become a problem especially in rural areas, even though its administration has been set and led by local community organizations. In this sense, in this research, the aim was to understand the dynamics of sustainable livelihoods in rural areas and their relationship with water resources in Boyacá, Colombia. For this purpose, surveys were carried out in two rural aqueducts in the municipalities of Boyacá and Oicatá paying special attention to the variables that affect human, social, technical, physical, natural, and financial capital. According to the results, the water supplied by community organizations directly affects the daily activities of family units, as well as the agricultural production systems. In addition, significant relationships were identified between human and financial capital, as well as social and technical capital; however, population increment and the accentuation of dry seasons have become a threat in these regions in Colombia. In conclusion, the analysis of the work developed by the organizations of rural aqueducts allows us to understand that water plays a fundamental role in the construction of society.

The Role of Ngos in Localizing UN-REDD+ In Sulawesi Tengah, Indonesia

This study explores the role of national and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in localizing the UNREDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) norm in Sulawesi Tengah, Indonesia. UN-REDD+ aims to mitigate climate change by promoting sustainable forest management in developing countries. Sulawesi Tengah was selected as a pilot province due to its extensive forest cover and relatively undisturbed deforestation activities. However, despite international support, the initiative encountered resistance from local communities, influenced by national and local NGOs. This research examines the complex interactions among international, national, and local NGOs by applying Acharya's norm localization theory. While international NGOs provided technical expertise, local NGOs significantly shaped the community perspective. These local NGOs raised concerns about the potential exploitation of forests and disruption to indigenous cultural values, fuelling opposition to the program. Consequently, the localization failed, and UN-REDD+ was discontinued in Sulawesi Tengah in 2012. The findings highlight the importance of considering local actors and their concerns in global environmental governance. Local NGOs, closely connected to communities, played a decisive role in rejecting the program, underscoring it, and addressing local values and governance issues.

Creating demand for unmet needs: Agile Storytelling.

The translational gap from the discovery of evidence-based solutions to their implementation in healthcare delivery organizations derives from an incorrect assumption that the need for change among executive, administrative, or clinical personnel is the same as the demand for change. For sickle cell disease (SCD), implementation of evidence-based guidelines is often delayed or obstructed due to lack of demand. This challenge allows for the persistence of resource limitations and care delivery models that do not meet the community's unique needs. Agile Storytelling is a process built on the scientific foundations of behavioral economics, complexity science, and network science to create local demand for the implementation of evidence-based solutions. Agile Storytelling includes a design phase and a testing phase. The design phase converts the evidence-based solution into a minimally viable story of a hero, a villain, struggle, drama, and a resolution. The testing phase evaluates the effectiveness of the story via a series of storytelling sprints in the target local healthcare delivery organization. The efficacy of Agile Storytelling was tested in an iterative n-of-1 case study design. Agile Storytelling was used in a large, urban, healthcare system within the United States to facilitate implementation of national SCD best-practice guidelines. After repeated failures attempting to use national and local data regarding the high societal need to hire a SCD-specific social worker, an Agile change conductor using Agile Storytelling was able to create demand for the new position within a week. This decision has ultimately improved patient outcomes and led to the adoption of a specialized collaborative care team for SCD within the health network. Agile Storytelling can lead to structured, effective, and informed storytelling to create local demand within healthcare delivery organizations.

The role and value of professional membership for emergency nurses: What are the key elements?

Granovetter (1973) wrote on the ‘Strength of Weak Ties’, even though published all those years ago, there was value and recognition placed on the strength of smaller group interactions and how they can impact on more macro level patterns, the same sociological theory holds true today. There are strengths in professional memberships, whether they are conducted on a small or large scale. They are powerful vessels for nurses to have impactful interactions. We recognize that professional memberships for nursing are available globally, whether that is through a local, national, or international organization. They offer a broad range of opportunities including education, bursaries, conferences, networking, and leadership opportunities. They are seen to connect and engage with peers and in some countries professional organizations also drive change, politically lobby, or even offer professional indemnity insurance or union support. Despite a strong presence in nursing professional organizations, the evidence shows that membership is declining or staying stagnant, and it is growing more difficult to bring nurses together through these channels. So, the question must be asked, ‘Why do nurses not strongly engage with professional organizations?’ This study focuses on emergency nurses to gain a greater understanding of drivers for professional membership and engagement.

The 1st World Congress of Nuclear Medicine and Biology held in Japan: a historical review with personal reminiscences.

The 1st World Congress of Nuclear Medicine and Biologywas held from September 30 to October 4 1974 in Japan. This was an epoch-making event in the history of Nuclear Medicine in Japan as well as in the World. The huge success of the meeting contributed a lot to the rapid and remarkable progress of nuclear medicine thereafter. The author served as a secretary of the local organizing committee for the Congress. The author would like to record the event summarizing the publications made by the local organization committee. The author would like to share with nuclear medicine professionals of younger generations the unforgettable experiences which he has kept in memory for the past half a century. The author believes this historical review will help to pave the future way of nuclear medicine by recalling how the World Federation and Congress was started with the great efforts of the excellent minds of predecessors.

Street-level coaches and the question of ‘semi-professionalized’ volunteers in Swedish youth football: a Lipskian case study

Coaches in youth sport stand as crucial actors in the implementation of policies and rights. But there are expectations, stresses, and pressures on the coaches from parents, the culture, sport governance, local organizations, as well as the children, that work implicitly or explicitly, either as supports or obstructions. Thus, the vital aim of this article is to present and discuss the dilemmas in acting as a coach in youth football, at a minor level – at a ‘street-level’, Hence, Michael Lipsky’s study on several professions (in service and welfare) and, especially, his thesis on ‘street-level bureaucracy’ stands basically as the important influence in the design, presentation and final discussion and statements. The article is grounded in an empirical study, labelled as FC Countryside, which embodies and exemplifies a large number of Swedish football clubs in the lower divisions. These coaches in youth sports are regularly recruited and engaged as volunteers. Despite this position, due to sport policies, demands on skills and knowledge and the implementation of rights, they are subject to an increasing professionalization process of football in general. The discussion, due to the empirical findings, present the coaches as semi-professionals, and as ‘street-level coaches’, in the perspectives of Lipsky.

Perception and Attitude of Consumer Patronage of Ghana-Grown Rice: Evidence from Kumasi, Ghana

Increasing human population, urbanization, and changing consumer trends have contributed to the emergence of rice as the leading staple food in Ghana. Despite its importance in the Ghanaian diet, patronage and consumption of locally grown rice are not yet widespread. This study investigates consumer patronage of locally grown rice in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana, and fills a critical gap in understanding the specific factors that influence consumer preferences in urban settings. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 120 respondents across different income categories using a multistage sampling technique and analyzed using descriptive statistics, a Probit model, and Kendall's coefficient of concordance. The study found that cooking quality, palatability, colour, and fragrance were the primary attributes that influenced consumer preferences. Probit analysis revealed that income and the frequency of rice consumption significantly influenced the likelihood of purchasing locally grown rice. Specifically, a higher income decreases, while frequent rice consumption increases the likelihood of choosing local rice. Key constraints identified include perceived high cost, limited availability, and concerns about the quality of rice. This study recommends that local rice producers, agricultural organizations, and government bodies should make efforts to improve the sensory and culinary qualities of locally grown rice through improved processing techniques, increased promotion, and campaigns to ensure the commodity is readily available to consumers. These strategies aim to boost local rice consumption and support agricultural sustainability and food security in Ghana.

Protamine-Mediated Tangles Produce Extreme Deoxyribonucleic Acid Compaction.

In sperm cells, protamine replaces histones to compact DNA 10-20 times more than in somatic cells. To characterize the extreme compaction, we employed confocal microscopy and optical tweezers to determine the conformations and stability of protamine-bound λ-DNA. Confocal images show increasing compaction of λ-DNA at increasing protamine concentration. In the presence of protamine, single λ-DNA molecules form tangles that withstand forces strong enough (∼55 pN) for strand separation and shorten the contour length by up to 40% even at high forces, as well as bends and loops that rupture at 10-40 pN forces. Strand separation nucleates tangles, implicating protamine interactions with DNA bases. Molecular dynamics simulations show that Arg sidechains of protamine each form hydrogen bonds with multiple bases, frequently in the form of a wedge between the two strands of DNA. Protamine may participate in both local and higher-order chromatin organization, leading to extreme compaction and global transcription silencing.

Digital health literacy of adults with low reading and writing skills: A mixed-methods study

Abstract Background Around 12% of the adult population living in Germany have low reading and writing skills. Little is known about their digital health literacy and use of digital health technologies. The objectives of the Liter@te study were to assess the digital health literacy of adults with low reading and writing skills and to explore which digital tools they used in everyday life. Methods A cross-sectional survey (n = 96) and five focus groups (n = 39) were conducted with adults aged 18-64 years with low reading and writing skills. Digital health literacy was measured using the eHEALS scale and compared with results from a nationwide sample. Focus group participants completed a task course on digital health information and then discussed their experiences. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Qualitative content analysis was applied to analyze the focus group data. Results Survey participants were on average 44 years old, 72% were female and 92% were not born in Germany. Compared to the nationwide survey, use of digital health technologies and digital health literacy were lower. In addition, use of digital health technologies was associated with higher digital health literacy. Lack of technical skills, language problems, and searching and finding health information online were most challenging for focus group participants (mean age 43 years, 87% female). Focus group participants reported that they prefer videos when searching for health information online and seek support from family members or local organizations if they cannot find a solution to their health issue. Conclusions Adults with low reading and writing skills search for health information online, but have difficulties to find the appropriate information. Interventions to promote digital health literacy are needed to ensure that persons with low reading and writing skills are not further left behind. Key messages • Adults with low language skills have a low digital health literacy. • Reading and writing requirements and lack of technical skills make it difficult for them to search health information online.

Involving stakeholders in planning the scale-up of a health promotion intervention: a practical example

Abstract Scaling up health promotion interventions is complex. Despite the potential effects and impact on society, factors related to the intervention itself, potential adopters or implementers, and contextual factors can hinder or promote widespread scale-up. Frameworks such as the PRACTIS (PRACTical planning for Implementation and Scale-up) guide and approaches such as Design Thinking offer practical guidance for researchers to increase the likelihood for successful scale up. SuperFIT is an integrated intervention approach aiming to promote healthy energy balance-related behaviours in children aged 2-4 years. To date, SuperFIT has been implemented in over one hundred childcare locations, reaching at least 1800 children per day. A local PA-providing organisation is responsible for the implementation of SuperFIT. The aim of this project was twofold: to identify the needs of future adopters and implementers of SuperFIT (i.e. What information and materials do you need?) and to develop the relevant tools and implementation strategies. We used a co-creation approach, combining stakeholder interviews (n = 6) based on the PRACTIS guide to identify gaps and needs, with creative sessions (participants n = 8) and multiple thinking-out-loud sessions (participants n = 6) to generate solutions that would be relevant to implementers. Stakeholders included researchers with experience in SuperFIT and implementation science, implementers and managers of the current and new PA-providing organisations. Gaps were identified and summarised under three main themes: 1) a lack of clarity what SuperFIT entails, 2) SuperFIT adaptations to new implementation contexts, 3) the skills and implementation capacity required to ‘train the trainer’. Creative sessions assisted the generation of prototype tools. We have learnt the value of patience and perseverance, as some obstacles need time to be overcome.

Targeted initiatives to tackle health inequalities, integrating the Leeds Health and Care Workforce

Abstract Deprivation and poor health are significant challenges in Leeds, with the poverty gap growing in parts of the city. The Leeds One Workforce approach to narrowing inequalities (NI) was co-designed in 2021 building on the innovative partnership approach already visible in the city. Its phased approach has seen interventions put in place to boost the opportunities for people from marginalised communities to develop their skills and remove barriers to careers in health and care and has global relevance for other localities experiencing high deprivation. The overall NI approach is supported by a long-term and wide-reaching evaluation plan which mobilises our partner organisations and intends to amplify best practice in getting people into careers and supporting this group to develop within the health and care workforce. We will present findings from embedded evaluations of initiatives across the city, and individual case studies, from those who have accessed NI interventions in Leeds. These will explore the relationships and contributions of partnership organisations and presence of any unexpected barriers or facilitators to these interventions. Linking with third-sector organisations and creating accessible pre-employment opportunities to develop core working skills is a vital part of the Leeds approach to recruiting people from priority wards. Additionally, supporting people into careers in health and care which suit their values, interests and personal circumstances, in addition to employing organisations with flexibility and openness towards their employees at their core is a strong factor in recruiting and retaining from areas of deprivation. Partnership working is essential to tackling health inequalities in places of high deprivation to address individual and systemic barriers to securing employment, ensure the best chance of success for community outreach programmes, and maximise efficiencies by combining the efforts of local organisations. Key messages • Leeds, UK is transforming approaches to narrowing health inequalities through partnership working across health and social care education and employment. • Current and future best practice will be explored to demonstrate transferable NI approaches.

Big bang in the middle of a storm: Lessons from implementing health system reform in Finland

Abstract Introduction Finland is often defined as a Nordic welfare state, characterised by universal access to healthcare and an emphasis on national and local politics in the governance of the system. In 2023, the Finnish health system was reformed by centralising organisation (purchasing and service delivery) to regional entities, as well as funding and overall governance to the state from 200 local organisations. The aims of the reform were to improve accessibility, decrease inequities, promote population health and curb growing costs. In the Finnish health system, as in other fields of society, we “find a huge number of very small changes, and a very small number of huge changes” (Cairney 2016). This makes the Finnish health system reform a rare opportunity to use a large-scale reform as a context for a study on reform implementation. Methods This research is based on document analysis and interview data collected from top regional managers. The data was analysed using a political determinants of health framework and thematic analysis. Findings The Finnish reforms were introduced by a left-centre government but implemented by a right-wing government with strong opposition to the reforms, which made full implementation challenging. The results highlight the importance of political commitment to implementation, demonstrate that reforms shape power relations at all levels of the health system and highlight how health system reforms are essentially about redistributions of power between different actors. The results also highlight the importance of contextual factors and suggest that large-scale reform should be treated as a system shock for which health systems need to prepare. Conclusions Understanding the political determinants of health and political commitment to reform is essential to implementation, as is the importance of resilience and preparedness to unexpected circumstances either due to reform-related factors or to external and contextual factors.

Specialized contact sites regulate the fusion of chlamydial inclusion membranes

The intracellular bacterial pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis replicates within a membrane-bound compartment called the inclusion. Upon infection with several chlamydiae, each bacterium creates its own inclusion, resulting in multiple inclusions within each host cell. Ultimately, these inclusions fuse together in a process that requires the chlamydial protein IncA. Here, we show that inclusions form unique contact sites (inclusion contact sites, ICSs) prior to fusion, that serve as fusogenic platforms in which specific lipids and chlamydial proteins concentrate. Fusion depends on IncA clustering within ICSs and is regulated by PI(3,4)P2 and sphingolipids. As IncA concentrates within ICSs, its C-terminus likely interacts in trans with IncA on the apposing membrane, securing a high concentration of IncA at fusion sites. This regulatory mechanism contrasts with eukaryotic or viral fusion systems that are either composed of multiple proteins or use a change in pH to initiate membrane fusion. Thus, our study demonstrates that Chlamydia-mediated membrane fusion is primarily regulated by specific structural domains in IncA and its local organization on the inclusion membrane, which is affected by the host cell lipid composition.

Uncovering the role of English language teaching coursebooks in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage / Explorando el rol de los libros de texto de inglés para salvaguardar el patrimonio cultural inmaterial

UNESCO and local organizations raise concern over the threats towards Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and continue their efforts to get help from any field possible for introducing ICH elements and raising awareness. Education is one of those fields. Considering the relation between culture and English language teaching, ICH can be incorporated into English classrooms. Besides, being the primary source of input in a language classroom, ELT coursebooks can serve as a bearer of culture. In this regard, this paper discusses the role of English language teaching coursebooks in the safeguarding of ICH by revealing the representation of ICH elements in locally produced coursebooks from 16 different countries: Bulgaria, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Norway, Republic of Korea, Romania, Türkiye, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Findings from the study supported the idea that ELT coursebooks can be utilized as a medium for safeguarding ICH while improving the learners’ language skills.

Infodemics and Vaccine Confidence: Protocol for Social Listening and Insight Generation to Inform Action.

In the fall of 2020, the COVID-19 infodemic began to affect public confidence in and demand for COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. While polls indicated what consumers felt regarding COVID-19 vaccines, they did not provide an understanding of why they felt that way or the social and informational influences that factored into vaccine confidence and uptake. It was essential for us to better understand how information ecosystems were affecting the confidence in and demand for COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established an Insights Unit within the COVID-19 Response's Vaccine Task Force in January 2021 to assist the agency in acting more swiftly to address the questions, concerns, perceptions, and misinformation that appeared to be affecting uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. We established a novel methodology to rapidly detect and report on trends in vaccine confidence and demand to guide communication efforts and improve programmatic quality in near real time. We identified and assessed data sources for inclusion through an informal landscape analysis using a snowball method. Selected data sources provided an expansive look at the information ecosystem of the United States regarding COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC's Vaccinate with Confidence framework and the World Health Organization's behavioral and social drivers for vaccine decision-making framework were selected as guiding principles for interpreting generated insights and their impact. We used qualitative thematic analysis methods and a consensus-building approach to identify prevailing and emerging themes, assess their potential threat to vaccine confidence, and propose actions to increase confidence and demand. As of August 2022, we have produced and distributed 34 reports to >950 recipients within the CDC and externally. State and local health departments, nonprofit organizations, professional associations, and congressional committees have referenced and used the reports for learning about COVID-19 vaccine confidence and demand, developing communication strategies, and demonstrating how the CDC monitored and responded to misinformation. A survey of the reports' end users found that nearly 75% (40/53) of respondents found them "very" or "extremely" relevant and 52% (32/61) used the reports to inform communication strategies. In addition, our methodology underwent continuous process improvement to increase the rigor of the research process, the validity of the findings, and the usability of the reports. This methodology can serve as a diagnostic technique for rapidly identifying opportunities for public health interventions and prevention. As the methodology itself is adaptable, it could be leveraged and scaled for use in a variety of public health settings. Furthermore, it could be considered beyond acute public health crises to support adherence to guidance and recommendations and could be considered within routine monitoring and surveillance systems.

Assessing the role of non-state actors in health service delivery and health system resilience in Myanmar

BackgroundDue to the weaknesses of the public health system and its low reach, especially in border areas, provision of health services by non-state actors (NSAs) has historically played an important role in Myanmar. NSAs include local and international NGOs and civil society organisations (CSOs), but also Ethnic Health Organisations (EHOs) in the border areas, as well as the private (for profit) sector. This study aims to understand the changing role of NSAs in the shifting political environment of Myanmar between 2010 and 2022, and to explore their contribution to health system resilience.MethodsOur study includes three main components: a documentary review (n = 22), key informant interviews (KIIs) at central level (n = 14) and two township-level case studies (13 KIIs, 4 FGDs). Mostly qualitative data were collected in 2022 and synthesized, using a health system resilience framework to structure the analysis.ResultsDuring the transition period (2010–2014) and the new political era (2015–2020), while the country gradually transitioned to a democratic system, the government increasingly recognized NSAs. Initially, engagement with NSAs remained focused on disease-specific activities and government oversight was limited, but later it expanded to health system strengthening, including the start of a “convergence” with ethnic health systems. Progress was relatively slow, but defined by a clear vision and plans. The military coup of February 2021 brought a halt to this progress. Collaboration between government and NSAs was interrupted, and NSAs restored previous practices and parallel systems. Initially, most health service provision stopped, but with time coping strategies emerged, which showed the capacity of NSAs to absorb the shocks (focusing on basic services; using informal communication channels; maintaining buffer stocks of supplies) and adapt (changing modes of delivery and supply chains, and adjusting HRH training).ConclusionsThe study highlights the role of NSAs during crises, and provides insights on how the resilience capacities built over time by NSAs to provide services in adverse circumstances have informed the response to the latest crisis. While strategies of absorption and adaptation are noted in the study, we did not identify any transformation strategy – which might indicate the difficulty of NSAs to introduce radical changes when subjected to multiple shocks and a hostile political environment.

Distinct Neuron Types Contribute to Hybrid Auditory Spatial Coding.

Neural decoding is a tool for understanding how activities from a population of neurons inside the brain relate to the outside world and for engineering applications such as brain-machine interfaces. However, neural decoding studies mainly focused on different decoding algorithms rather than different neuron types which could use different coding strategies. In this study, we used two-photon calcium imaging to assess three auditory spatial decoders (space map, opponent channel, and population pattern) in excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the dorsal inferior colliculus of male and female mice. Our findings revealed a clustering of excitatory neurons that prefer similar interaural level difference (ILD), the primary spatial cues in mice, while inhibitory neurons showed random local ILD organization. We found that inhibitory neurons displayed lower decoding variability under the opponent channel decoder, while excitatory neurons achieved higher decoding accuracy under the space map and population pattern decoders. Further analysis revealed that the inhibitory neurons' preference for ILD off the midline and the excitatory neurons' heterogeneous ILD tuning account for their decoding differences. Additionally, we discovered a sharper ILD tuning in the inhibitory neurons. Our computational model, linking this to increased presynaptic inhibitory inputs, was corroborated using monaural and binaural stimuli. Overall, this study provides experimental and computational insight into how excitatory and inhibitory neurons uniquely contribute to the coding of sound locations.

A lokális média kérdőjelei. A székelyföldi nyomtatott sajtóorgánumok néhány jellemzője

In this study, I analyze the connection between local media organizations and the rural areas these local media organizations are operating, assuming that these rural media organizations contribute to the formation of representations about the region in which the respective media organizations operate. Therefore, in the case of Szeklerland, the local Romanian and Hungarian-language media organizations contribute to the development and distribution of different images of Szeklerland. In this article, I present some features of the Romanian and Hungarian media ecosystem in Romania, an ecosystem a part of which are the local, rural media organizations, therefore the media outlets operating in Szeklerland as well. I present some of the characteristics of the media ecosystem – ownership system, demographic characteristics of journalists, professional self-image of journalists, the perception of journalism among journalists and readers, general characteristics of media discourse – based on the Romanian and Hungarian literature published in the last more than three decades in Romania.

State of Reciprocity: The “Looping Effect” in the Circular Production of Colonial Knowledge, Social Customs, and Tax Policy in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Indonesia

Abstract This article traces Hacking's “looping effect” in colonial policies and practices of taxation, coerced labour, and governance in Indonesia. It argues that knowledge production for the purpose of taxation was a two-way, interactive process which was in particular influenced by complexes of local indigenous social organization, institutions, mentalities, and behaviour as expressed through adat (Indonesian systems of political-social norms and customary law). Such patterns and systems, the article reveals, were internalized into and started working reciprocally with colonial policy, knowledge production, and administrative practices. Taxation made up and changed people, but underlying strategies to categorize and “make known” subjects were also recognized and actively used, evaded, or influenced by these subjects and by local intermediaries. Consequently, colonial knowledge created an institutional framework that reoriented the self-perception of these subjects and intermediaries, which then changed and reconditioned popular responses to the colonial state. Systems of colonial knowledge were thus modified to eventually fit the realities they were supposed to describe, influence, and legitimize, creating a looping effect between colonial, “made up,” and actual social realities.