Local Community Members Research Articles

Experiments in Care as a Reciprocal Act

Care is complex: something that must be thoughtfully evoked; that is not necessarily comfortable; that is humbling, vulnerable, and negotiated. Examining the stakes of care in participatory performance, this article traces lines of inquiry around care as labour, as duty, as risk, as choice, as participation, and as an exchange of power requiring consent. Reflecting on the precarity and interdependence of participatory performance, I argue this genre is not only uniquely positioned to foster reciprocal care—it requires it. I outline a model of reciprocal care, defining it as the act of all participants attending to something together—in this case the performance—and collectively creating the conditions of coexistence necessary for this tending. To make these ideas tangible, I refer to two participatory performances I directed. Trophy is a performance installation featuring local community members sharing personal stories of change, housed in glowing tents that transform over the course of the performance. The second, Remixed, is a hybrid deep listening experience, accessed via a progressive web app, that contemplates how we instigate change in our lives, communities, and world. Both productions are tentative experiments in reciprocal care, extending its duty beyond the artist and exploring the conditions through which it is sustained by all participants. I conclude by envisioning the possibilities of reciprocal care as a vital way to operate in the uneven precarity that is our standard collective condition and to be in the unknown together.

Efficacy of a culturally tailored screening campaign to tackle cervical cancer disparities among Hispanic patients.

e13697 Background: Cultural barriers have been identified as drivers of cervical cancer disparities. Hispanic patients specifically experience a higher incidence of cervical cancer and are more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages than non-Hispanic White patients, mediated by multiple factors including cultural perceptions. To tackle cultural barriers in cervical cancer screening, this study assessed the efficacy of a community-based media campaign to increase Pap tests within a predominantly Hispanic community in east Los Angeles (LA). Methods: The campaign was implemented through a collaboration of local community members, design and communication experts, and cancer researchers. Prior to campaign design, focus groups were conducted with at-risk Hispanic women aged 18-45. Learnings from these focus groups and additional study of the visual culture of east LA led to selection of the jacaranda tree, which blooms for a short time in LA each spring, as a visual cue to pursue screening. This imagery was accompanied by a scheduling phone number and messaging (“It’s time.” and “You can prevent cervical cancer.”) in Spanish and English. Campaign materials were displayed on bus benches, billboards, and light post banners throughout east LA. To analyze campaign efficacy, intercept surveys were conducted from 2015-2018 by trained interviewers at locations throughout the community. In their preferred language, female participants (n=770) were asked standardized questions assessing campaign recall, message interpretation, and likelihood of scheduling a Pap test after viewing the campaign. Results: Among participants, mean age was 47.4 years, 88.7% primarily spoke Spanish at home, 25.2% were uninsured, 80.6% had not been vaccinated against HPV, and 12.5% had not had a Pap test in the last 3 years. 25.7% of participants recalled having seen campaign materials prior to survey, with 71.7% interpreting the message as a call to prevent and/or get screened for cervical cancer. 89.3% of participants stated that they were Likely or Extremely Likely to schedule a Pap test after viewing the campaign, including 87.2% of those who had not had a Pap test in the last 3 years. Conclusions: These findings support the efficacy of a community-based strategy to increase cervical cancer screening. This campaign showed high screening intent in a sample of participants who were disproportionately uninsured (25.2% v. 8.5% overall in the US in 2018), with similar efficacy among those who were overdue for recommended screenings. These results emphasize the benefit of culturally tailored messaging to improve screening uptake within underserved populations.

Assessment of Indigenous Knowledge on Using of Traditional Medicinal Plants to Cure Human Diseases in South Omo Zone Baka Dawla Ari District, Kure and Bitsmal South Ethiopia

This ethnobotanical study aims to investigate and document the indigenous knowledge on using traditional medicinal plants to cure human diseases in southern Ethiopia, south Omo zone Baka dawla Ari district at Kure and Bitsmal community. In this study, 77 plant species that belong to 68 genera and 35 plant families were identified by 110 local community members and 10 traditional healers of the study area to treat 32 human diseases. According to the analyzed result of the study three families (Lamiaceae, Solanaceae, and Fabaceae) are equally leading families each with nine species (11.69%) followed by Euphorbiaceae with five species (6.5%) and Asteraceae with four species (5.2%) in the study area. The result of this study also shows that most of the traditional medicines were taken in the mouth (oral) at 61.5% followed by topical (26,4%) and inhalation form (12.1%). The findings of this study show that most traditional plants were collected from the forest (45.5%) followed by the backyard (26%) and herbs are the most popular (59%) followed by shrubs (27%) plant habits. According to the result of this study, leaves are the dominant traditional medicinal plant parts used (55%) followed by roots (11.2%). preference ranking of medicinal plants in the study shows Solanum incanum ranked first indicating that it was the most effective in curing stomach pain followed by Verbena officinalis and the highest informant consensus factor value (0.57) was recorded by Malaria, Evil eye, snake bite, sudden disease categories.

Ethnobiological methods enhance our capacity to document potential climate sentinels: a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) case study

The accelerated pace of climate-driven shifts is surpassing the temporal scope of conventional field research, potentially leading to a disconnect between ecosystem changes and scientific data collection. Climate change is producing rapid transformations within dynamic marine ecosystems, with a pronounced effect on high trophic-level species such as loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). We present a new model for data collection using ethnobiological methods, emphasizing how local community members can contribute to expanding scientific knowledge via context-informed observations, to document species occurrences beyond their anticipated habitats during climatic anomalies. In rapidly changing conditions, local expert knowledge can complement conventional scientific methods, providing high-quality data with extensive coverage—especially for elusive species—and yielding insight into potential emerging phenomena that may otherwise go unnoticed. Conventional methods for predicting distribution shifts in rare species are vulnerable to spatial biases, favoring predictions based on the most probable habitats. We present the case study of a live sea turtle sighting by a local expert in Monterey Bay, California, USA, identified post hoc as a loggerhead, to illustrate methods which can be transferred and applied to other rare and highly migratory marine species such as marine mammals, sharks, and seabirds. This emerging framework incorporates diverse knowledge sources and methodologies in monitoring climate-driven ecological shifts, enriching conservation strategies, enhancing our understanding of complex ecosystems, and contributing to robust evidentiary standards for rare species observations.

Utilizing Cow Manure Waste (Bos Taurus) as Organic Fertilizer in Labuan Lelea Village, Labuan District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi

This community service activity has been conducted in Labuan Lelea Village, Labuan District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, in collaboration with the local farming community. They face challenges regarding how to utilize cattle manure waste as environmentally friendly organic fertilizer. The objective of this community service is: 1) To provide knowledge to the farming community in Labuan Lelea Village on how to utilize cattle manure waste as organic fertilizer, as a substitute for inorganic fertilizers, which are known for their chemical content, scarcity, and fluctuating prices annually; 2) To promote organic fertilizers as an environmentally friendly alternative to inorganic fertilizers in agricultural lands; 3) To enhance the knowledge of farming communities regarding the effective utilization of cattle manure waste as organic fertilizer for both food crops and horticultural plants. The method employed in this activity is a participatory approach, wherein a team including Community and Student Service Learning Program (KKN) participants and local community members actively collaborate in fostering good cooperation between extension workers and farmers. The primary target audience of this training is farming communities engaged in plantation, food crops, and horticultural cultivation. The outcomes of this community service activity include increased awareness of how to utilize cattle manure waste (Bos Taurus). This process requires minimal investment as cattle waste, sawdust, and rice husks are all freely available materials, thus serving as a substitute for inorganic fertilizers which contain chemical substances and are environmentally unfriendly.

Sustaining local opposition to Big Science: A case study of the Thirty Meter Telescope controversy

Big Science projects, which are extremely costly and typically revolve around large and complex instruments, are increasingly common in research. Proponents often frame Big Science as a “win-win” for all stakeholders, including for local communities. Yet local opposition to Big Science projects is common, although it is often either short-lived or fails to raise wider awareness. The story is different for the kiaʻi mauna (protectors of the mountain), a group largely composed of Native Hawaiians. This group has sustained opposition to the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on Mauna Kea, Hawaiʻi Island, since 2011 and has raised widespread attention for its advocacy. Combining social movement theory and the concept of place attachment, I investigate why the kiaʻi have been able to sustain such momentum. Based on 16 interviews that I conducted with Native Hawaiians, local community members, policymakers, and astronomers, I argue that six factors have been decisive for the resilience of opposition: multi-generational leaderful organization, grassroots resources, versatile tactics, anti-science counterframing, local and national political opportunity, as well as place attachment-driven commitment.

A Study on Waste Disposal Management at Government Hospital in Up

The management of waste disposal in government hospitals across Uttar Pradesh (UP) is a critical issue that significantly impacts public health and environmental sustainability. This research paper aims to explore the current state of waste disposal practices in these facilities, identifying challenges, and proposing sustainable solutions. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data analysis with qualitative interviews to gather insights from hospital staff, waste management professionals, and local community members. Key findings reveal significant gaps in waste segregation, collection, transportation, and treatment processes, leading to improper waste disposal and potential health risks. The research also highlights the lack of awareness among hospital staff about the importance of waste segregation and the absence of effective policies to manage biomedical waste. Recommendations include the implementation of comprehensive waste management training programs for hospital staff, the establishment of dedicated waste management units within hospitals, and the promotion of community-based waste segregation initiatives. This study underscores the urgent need for improved waste disposal management in government hospitals in UP to safeguard public health and the environment.

Local perspectives on marine ecotourism development in a water-insecure island region: the case of Bocas del Toro, Panama

As a dimension of a blue economy, marine ecotourism should, in theory, not only increase economic viability and environmental sustainability but, most importantly, pursue socially equitable outcomes. In tropical and sub-tropical island regions, where substantial tourism development is often coupled with widespread strains on public infrastructure and services, including water access, there exists a need to better understand the expansion of this industry is felt at the community level; more importantly by individuals who are reliant on these infrastructures and services. Through a case study of the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, where water insecurity is becoming acute, we draw on and mobilize stories from local community members, alongside non-participant observations and document collection, to 1) document the experience of some community members with water insecurity and shortages, including how they perceive the roles played by the central government and marine ecotourism sector, and 2) examine how community members feel about how communities feel about policies and investment priorities of the central government regarding water insecurity, including the extent to which they view marine ecotourism development as undermining or promoting local needs. Our results underline the complex nature of marine ecotourism governance and infrastructure development outcomes in a resource-insecure island region, demonstrating that current issues are greatly impacted by historical and social underpinnings of neo-colonialism and systemic racism, misalignments of community vs. government development priorities, and eroded political trust, that shape local experiences with sustainable development and local residents’ perceptions of the ability of marine ecotourism to address issues of water insecurity. Moreover, while our focus is on the marine ecotourism industry, the significance of these findings contributes to a growing body of literature that places local experiences at the forefront of research into the implications of sustainable development in island regions.

Local community participation in Tanzania's natural gas sector: A dissection of policies and the regulatory frameworks

The discovery of significant natural gas reserves in Tanzania prompted the government to develop policies and regulatory frameworks for better management of this sector. Nevertheless, knowledge of how these policies and regulatory frameworks facilitate local community participation in the sector is scant and attention to these issues is limited. We use qualitative data and the Context Interaction Theory (CIT) as our lens to analyse the sectoral policies and regulatory frameworks to understand whether and how they facilitate local community participation. Our analysis revealed that the natural gas policies and frameworks have to some extent facilitated local community participation through provision of employment opportunities, participation in the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility projects and protection of the gas infrastructures. However, meaningful local community participation is constrained by various factors including inadequate qualified and skilled individuals among the locals; misinformation to local community members; and insufficient awareness on the natural gas policies and regulatory frameworks. We recommend policies and regulatory frameworks that support local capacity development and empower local government authorities to develop their capacity for translating policies into practice on local community participation. These measures should involve ‘policy learning” from countries that have been successful in developing inclusive participation policies and responsive institutions.

Training & Community Involvement for Remote Housing Projects in Australia Northern Territory

Abstract—Construction of houses in remote communities faces a range of challenges, many of which would be reduced by the involvement of local community members during the construction. Remote housing demand is high and under-resourcing in existing houses impacts on the health of the occupants. This research investigates and evaluates ways to improve community engagement in remote housing projects. Builders with experience delivering remote housing projects were asked to provide insight relating to the potential training and involvement of community members during construction. It was found that builders have major challenges with work ethics, poor numeracy and literacy and language barrier in remote areas which hinder community engagement in remote projects. Some building techniques such as slab on ground and steel wall framing were found more effective for community engagement. Results also show that training of community members could be improved by setting benchmark goals to be achieved throughout a project. This means there is an opportunity for housing projects in remote communities to improve on essential training and employment through better involvement of local community members during construction, in turn this will lead to better maintenance and understanding of houses.

Investigating consumers' experiences with community supported agriculture: Convergent parallel design methods.

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) represents a collaborative model where local farms and community members form partnerships to facilitate the direct delivery of fresh produce from farms to consumers. This study primarily investigates the experiences of current CSA members, focusing on the key factors influencing their retention intentions. Employing a convergent parallel mixed methods approach, this study gathers and analyzes both quantitative data (such as factors affecting members' retention intentions) and qualitative data (derived from interviews reflecting members' perceptions of their CSA experiences). The integration of these datasets provides a comprehensive understanding of the factors that shape CSA membership dynamics. The research findings underscore that Convenience, Product Quality, and Positive Interactions are pivotal factors that contribute to members' Intentions to continue their CSA memberships. These insights are crucial for enhancing the services provided to CSA members and hold significant implications for the broader scope of CSA membership research. This study not only fills a critical gap in understanding the Chinese CSA context but also contributes to the global discourse on sustainable agriculture practices and community engagement.

Intangible Cultural Heritage and Tourism - Sketches on Identity

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) within the cultural tourism framework has opened up space for reconsideration of the ways in which living heritage, the tourist market, and target tourist groups are intertwined, and how their interaction affects the identity constructs of members of local communities. By including specific domains of living cultural practices in tourist offers, a kind of seesaw has emerged, with economic interests leading to the improved existence of practiced heritage on one side and the fact that ICH becomes a commodity primarily driven by the need of every tourist to literally experience heritage in the same way, becoming an exceedingly marketable commodity, on the other. The living tissue of tourism and ICH, in any case, represents one of the significant resources within which it is possible to realize UNESCO's guiding idea of heritage as a global point of encounter for different cultures. Both of these concepts are in constant processes of reconsidering what has been achieved and are attempting, through upcoming activities, to avoid dead ends and poorly implemented solutions.

Community relations under pressure: Local residents’ perceptions of corporate crisis communication

ABSTRACT High-risk organizations, such as chemical companies, are urged to engage in long-term, dialogic community relations with local residents. Community engagement can establish organizational legitimacy and help to address local concerns. However, stakeholders may be skeptical toward communication efforts made by high-risk organizations, especially during crisis situations. This qualitative study explores whether two Belgian communities are skeptical of the communication efforts made by chemical companies regarding pollution crises, what motives they attribute to the crisis communication, and which communication characteristics shape those attributions. In-depth interviews with 47 local community members reveal that the crisis communication efforts were considered self-serving and attributed to corporate concerns over (a) legitimacy, (b) financial consequences and (c) legal liability. Interviewees believed that these self-serving motives took precedence over public interests. This study also describes communication cues that triggered or strengthened suspicions. Practical recommendations are proposed for chemical companies to improve relationships with local communities.

Community-managed forests can secure forest regrowth and permanence in human-modified landscapes

Deforestation can impair ecosystem functions, reduce biodiversity, and accelerate climate change. One strategy proposed to decrease deforestation and promote recovery of degraded areas involves community management of forests: entrusting local communities to manage forest reserves. However, the effectiveness of this strategy remains poorly understood. Here, we assess the impact of community forest management in the Village Land Forest Reserves (VLFRs) of the Greater Gombe Ecosystem (GGE), Tanzania, using Landsat satellite images from multiple dates (2006, 2013, and 2021) to assess the extent to which 16 VLFRs promoted forest regrowth and permanence. We detected a 66 % forest cover increase in VLFRs but a 22 % decrease in identified areas not under any form of protection (unprotected area) in the village land. The Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) statistical analysis showed that assigning an area as a VLFR was associated with a 24.3 % forest-cover gain compared to unprotected village land (β = 0.243, SE = 0.0761, P<0.001). Patrolling by local community members, following village regulations, has a positive impact (β=0.04, 95% CI: [0.02, 0.06]) on promoting forest cover persistence. Nonetheless, of land reforested between 2006 and 2013 in the VLFRs, 11 % suffered re-clearing by 2021. Ensuring further forest regeneration and persistence of these reserves thus requires additional measures.

Social Technologies for Social Inclusion in Traditional Communities in the Amazon

There is a widely recognized consensus in contemporary society and the academic community that education is crucial for a nation's socioeconomic development. This paper presents the research experience, outreach, and curricular internship of the Grupo de Pesquisa Interação, employing the Interaction Method (Action-Research) approach to train professionals for working with riverside communities in the Amazon region. The research employs a comprehensive set of data collection techniques, such as bibliographic and documentary research, semi-structured surveys, interviews with key informants, and both group and individual dynamics with domestic-family groups to encourage participation from local community members and institutions. The results aim to provide community organizations and domestic-family groups with environmentally sustainable innovations and social technologies. Additionally, they offer qualified support to regional public policy institutions for developing affirmative actions geared towards citizenship and social inclusion.

Infrastructuring Community Fridges for Food Commoning

Beginning in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic repercussions exacerbated food insecurity in the United States. Government-led infrastructure was depleted as a result of a dramatic increase in the number of individuals requesting basic necessities and food aid, and grassroots attempts to alleviate the resource shortage increased. The Community Fridge movement was one of these initiatives that combated food insecurity and food waste. It consisted of local community members sharing surplus food with neighbors via a shared refrigerator placed on a sidewalk. We conducted semi-structured interviews with its 17 users to understand how they practice information, human, and social infrastructuring work, as well as how their core values shaped norms for managing refrigerators and surplus food as the commons in local communities. We discuss how the concepts of commoning and infrastructuring may complement one another, which can help design value-embedded interventions to promote infrastructuring practices that build resilience and sustain commoning practices.

Penyuluhan Pendirian Koperasi Moderasi Beragama Di Desa Kutorojo Kecamatan Kajen Kabupaten Pekalongan

This community service project focuses on organizing workshops to establish moderate religious cooperatives in Kutorojo Village, Kajen District, Pekalongan Regency. The significance of this topic lies in addressing the economic challenges faced by the community while promoting religious moderation and social cohesion. The objective is to empower the community economically through the establishment of cooperatives while fostering interfaith understanding and cooperation. The methodological approach involves collaborative efforts between university students, local community members, and government agencies to organize and deliver informative sessions on cooperative formation, legal foundations, and principles. Additionally, discussions and interactive sessions are conducted to encourage active participation and address any concerns or questions. The results indicate a high level of community engagement and enthusiasm towards establishing cooperatives, as well as an improved understanding of the significance of moderation in religious discourse. The workshops serve as a stepping stone towards achieving economic empowerment and social harmony within Kutorojo Village, serving as a potential model for similar initiatives in other communities.

Navigating the Science-Collaboration Interface for Watershed Management in Aotearoa, New Zealand

Collaborative partnerships around the world address environmental challenges from a local perspective. At the same time, many of these efforts are based on scientific information. Local and scientific information are not always compatible, and numerous challenges arise at the science-policy interface in collaboration. This study identifies key factors affecting the science-policy interface, including credibility, salience, legitimacy, and communication, as well as two-way interactions and compatibility with local knowledge that are important in collaborative governance. The importance of these factors is illustrated in a case of collaborative watershed management in the Canterbury Region of Aotearoa New Zealand. The case tells the story of local community members’ contestation of science used by the government to determine the health risks of recreational swimming and the role of collaboration in bridging experiential and scientific knowledge. Evidence from meeting observations, documents, and interviews indicates points of contention and how the collaborative forum successfully served as a boundary spanner to navigate the science-policy interface.

Ending “domestic helicopter research”

"Helicopter research" refers to a practice where researchers from wealthier countries conduct studies in lower-income countries with little involvement of local researchers or community members. This practice also occurs domestically. In this Commentary, we outline strategies to curb domestic helicopter research and to foster equity-centered collaborations.

Education and training of prehospital first responders in low- and middle-income countries

Prehospital emergency medical services play a vital role in providing essential emergency medical and trauma care. However, in many low- and middle-income countries, there is a significant lack of adequate emergency medical services coverage, a problem compounded by a profound deficit of first responder training programs. The African Federation of Emergency Medicine classifies prehospital emergency care into 2 categories: tier-1, which includes laypersons, and tier-2, consisting of professionals equipped with dispatch capabilities. Both tier-1 and tier-2 first responders require protocolized training, integration, and coordination to varying degrees, with tier-1 programs focusing primarily on immediate stabilization and hospital transportation and tier-2 programs dedicating increased focus toward formal dispatch and advanced life support interventions. Training for both tiers of emergency medical services typically involves in-person didactic lectures with practical skills sessions. However, the content of these courses is highly context-dependent, and there is no international consensus regarding pedagogical methods or curriculum content for first responder training in low- and middle-income countries.Similarly, there is a lack of consensus in monitoring and evaluating training programs, including assessment methods, passing scores, and certification requirements. Although many programs use knowledge or skills acquisition testing, the content and depth of these examinations vary greatly, and long-term follow-up reporting is limited. As such, the educational landscape of both tier-1 and tier-2 emergency medical services in low- and middle-income countries remains highly varied and often faces a dual challenge of lacking clear international guidelines while still maintaining local appropriateness. Modular curricula developed in conjunction with standardized needs assessments, accompanied by the adoption of the training of trainers model, may present a pathway for local adaptability by leveraging local community members to inform and proliferate training. Although there have been notable improvements in prehospital training programs in resource-limited settings during the past 3 decades, challenges related to maintaining fidelity in monitoring and evaluation, expanding programs within resource constraints, and adapting to specific contexts continue to offer opportunities for further development in the future.