Pluralistic System Research Articles

Modelling Maltese noun plural classes without morphemes

ABSTRACT Word-based models of morphology propose that complex words are stored without reference to morphemes. One of the questions that arises is whether information about word forms alone is enough to determine a noun's number from its form. We take up this question by modelling the classification and production of the Maltese noun plural system, using models that do not assume morphemic representations. We use the Tilburg Memory-Based Learner, a computational implementation of exemplar theory and the Naive Discriminative Learner, an implementation of Word and Paradigm, for classification. Both models classify Maltese nouns well. In their current implementations, TiMBL and NDL cannot concatenate sequences of phones that result in word forms. We used two neural networks architectures (LSTM and GRU) to model the production of plurals. We conclude that the Maltese noun plural system can be modelled on the basis of whole words without morphemes, supporting word-based models of morphology.

Erratum: Mulesa et al. Pluralistic Seed System Development: A Path to Seed Security? Agronomy 2021, 11, 372

The authors would like to make the following correction to the published paper [...]

Traditional medicinal knowledge and practices among the tribal communities of Thakht-e-Sulaiman Hills, Pakistan

BackgroundLittle is known about the medical material and practices of tribes in the western border areas of Pakistan. The local population has inhabited this remote and isolated area for centuries, and gained medicinal knowledge with personal experiences and knowledge learned from forefathers. Due to the geographical isolation of the communities in the Sulaiman hills of Pakistan and their unique culture, the area is of importance for exploration and assessment.MethodsA total of 116 informants were interviewed in five foothill villages and the associated migratory mountain villages during 2010–2012 and 2015. Information was gathered mainly through semi-structured interviews and freelisting. Local diseases were categorized based on symptoms and affected organs. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.ResultsDepending on the type of illness, typically a pulse diagnoser or a religious specialist is consulted. Medicinal plant knowledge and use is mostly known and advised by elders within the family. A total of 44 plant species from 32 families (588 use reports), 7 animal species and 6 minerals and other sources (384 use reports) were documented as materia medica. Among the plants, the Lamiaceae is the most dominantly used plant family, followed by Pinaceae. The most frequently reported single species was Teucrium stocksianum. The most often mentioned diseases and treatments fall into the categories of gastrointestinal, ritual, and musculoskeletal diseases. The use of goat and sheep skin as medicine was pivotal in the local medicinal system. Remedies from animal parts and other biological and non-biological sources were mainly used for musculoskeletal ailments and ritual treatments. Overall, people rely on both traditional and biomedical medication and treatments and combination of these systems.ConclusionThis paper provides insight into the pluralistic medication system of rural communities of northwest Pakistan. It highlights the materia medica most commonly in use. A considerable part of the documented materia medica and local practices is part of an oral tradition and cannot be found in written sources or scientific articles. The gaining of new medicinal knowledge in the area was the good sign of continuation of traditional medicinal practices.

Ethnic Federalism in Ethiopia: Reflecting on Diversity and Ethnic Identity

Ethiopia formed an ethnic federal system in 1991, which recognized ethnic autonomy entirely while ensuring the country’s unity. The new Constitution established a federal structure focused primarily on ethnic territorial units. The constitution ambitions to achieve ethnic freedom and equality by maintaining the state. Ethiopian politics has shifted to a federal liberal and plural system since the military dictatorship ended, as ethnic groups sought to exist under a federal structure that could preserve the country’s stability and diversity. The federal arrangement is noteworthy because its Constitution allows for the inheritance of every ethnic group. It supports an ethicised federal state with a secession mechanism and allows political parties to unite along ethnic lines. It is a worthwhile case study because it is an exception to the general trend in Africa. This paper examines how ethnic Federalism is a vital part of the Ethiopian Constitution and gives ethnic autonomy and identity in Ethiopian politics. Theoretical understanding of Federalism and ethnic Federalism in Ethiopia.

Gender and access to justice in Burundi: conflicting norms, gaps in the law and the role of judges

Like many other African countries, Burundi has a pluralistic legal system, where on the one hand written laws coexist with uncodified customary laws and on the other hand informal justice institutions are still used in the day-to-day conflict resolution by many Burundians despite a provision in the Constitution that makes the mission of rendering justice the monopoly of the state courts. Both before the state courts and out-of-court forums for adjudicating disputes and justice mechanisms, women face challenges that limit their access to justice, compared to men. This paper argues three main points. First, that while there is a relationship between women’s limited access to justice and the pluralistic nature of Burundi’s legal system, the challenges faced by women in accessing justice should not be excessively associated with legal pluralism, thus hiding the impact of extra-legal factors. Second, that while Burundi’s constitutional framework is progressive with respect to gender equality and most laws are gender neutral, some shortcomings still exist in the overall legal framework, thus limiting the potential of the constitutional legal framework with respect to gender equality. Third, that by increasing gender diversity in the judiciary, and with much more positive activism and training, Burundian judges could ensure equal access to justice for women by using the potential of existing national and international legal frameworks.

Local Judicial Practices in a Quilombola Territory in Marajó, Pará, Brazil

This article analyzes the socio-judicial organization of a Quilombola community in the state of Pará, Brazil. Using a pluralistic judicial systems approach, we seek to understand how Quilombolas define who has local land rights and to what capacity they can use the territory. The analysis was based on ethnographic field research in the community of Bairro Alto, on Marajó island, in Pará state, Brazil. Methods included: participant observation, interviews and questionnaires. The results showed that order in the territory is maintained through local judicial practices constructed during land occupation processes, and later reorganized on the basis of social relationships involving large-scale farmers, ranchers, neighboring Quilombola communities, and the State. Judicial tenets, intrinsic to the community, guide residents’ current land struggles where they are fighting to restore lands expropriated by ranchers that pertain to their original territory. Local legal practices converge with principles of article 68 of the Federal Constitution, making possible the correction of historical injustices related to land struggles in Quilombola communities.

Kaniuwatewara (when we get sick): understanding health-seeking behaviours among the Shawi of the Peruvian Amazon

BackgroundDetailed qualitative information regarding Indigenous populations’ health-seeking behaviours within Peru’s plural healthcare system is lacking. Such context-specific information is prerequisite to developing evidence-based health policies and programs intended to improve health outcomes for Indigenous populations. To this end, this study aimed to characterize health-seeking behaviours, factors affecting health-seeking behaviours, and barriers to obtaining healthcare in two Indigenous Shawi communities in Peru.MethodsCommunity-based approaches guided this work, and included 40 semi-structured interviews and a series of informal interviews. Data were analysed thematically, using a constant comparative method; result authenticity and validity were ensured via team debriefing, member checking, and community validation.ResultsShawi health-seeking behaviours were plural, dynamic, and informed by several factors, including illness type, perceived aetiology, perceived severity, and treatment characteristics. Traditional remedies were preferred over professional biomedical healthcare; however, the two systems were viewed as complementary, and professional biomedical healthcare was sought for illnesses for which no traditional remedies existed. Barriers impeding healthcare use included distance to healthcare facilities, costs, language barriers, and cultural insensitivity amongst professional biomedical practitioners. Nevertheless, these barriers were considered within a complex decision-making process, and could be overridden by certain factors including perceived quality or effectiveness of care.ConclusionsThese findings emphasize the importance of acknowledging and considering Indigenous culture and beliefs, as well as the existing traditional medical system, within the professional healthcare system. Cultural competency training and formally integrating traditional healthcare into the official healthcare system are promising strategies to increase healthcare service use, and therefore health outcomes.

Co-governance, Transregional Maritime Conventions, and Indigenous Customary Practices Among Subsistence Fishermen in Ende, Indonesia

This article presents a case study of a fishery in the port-town community of Ende, Flores, a former littoral hub located at the periphery of major commercial systems in the Indo-Pacific region. The article argues that more attention be paid to the role of transregional maritime networks, nautical conventions, and navigational practices embedded within local tenure systems to understand the apparent absence of formal control of marine and coastal resources. Through ethnographic and archival research, this study identifies the presence of indigenous institutions for fishing grounds regulation and documents the existence of broader transregional norms dictating proper fishing and navigation. Exploring the interactions between more pluralistic customary systems that exist in port-towns such as Ende and recent fishery development policies, the article discusses some of the obstacles to implementing sustainable co-management strategies. While the Indonesian central government is strongly promoting co-governance approaches for resource management, these institutional models are based on geographically narrow definitions of tradition and customary law which can lead to management failures, such as elite capture and local fishers’ disenfranchisement. In this case, policies emphasize the formation of cooperative groups without considering transregional beliefs about independence and pre-established systems of obligations. As a result, disputes among the fishermen, conflicts with local fishery officers, and the use of non-sustainable practices continue. For example, embodying predominant Southeast Asian beliefs, Endenese are known for their entrepreneurial nature and strong self-sufficiency ethos. Yet, these notions are ignored by local government agencies that view the fishermen as selfish and disorganized. In order to formulate true participatory solutions, a careful assessment of the role played by transregional perspectives that go beyond geographically localized understandings of customary practices is needed. The article concludes with a consideration of the role played by decentralization processes, subsidies, and aid programs in entrenching poverty and inequality among local communities.

Exploring the Utility and Personal Relevance of Co-Produced Multiplicity Resources with Young People

Multiplicity, the experience of more than one self in the body, is an under-researched area of young people’s mental health. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of experts-by-experience within a community sample regarding two specific resources: a co-produced self-help guide about multiplicity for adolescents, and a set of guidelines for supporting someone who identifies as ‘multiple’. 34 participants (Mage= 22.06, 2.26 SD; 15F, 1M, 18NBG) completed an online survey consisting of open-ended and Likert scale questions to assess the language, utility, transferability and therapeutic impact of the materials. Descriptive statistics and a Foucauldian-informed Narrative Analysis were employed to analyse responses, producing a summary of utility and two narrative chapters. The emergent chapters, ‘Breaking the Stigma’ and ‘Recognising the Many’, highlight the need for greater understanding and awareness of multiplicity, with psychoeducation materials viewed as helpful. Inclusive language can reduce stigma and normalise multiplicity as a response to trauma. With greater understanding, practitioners and researchers can collaborate with young people through trauma wise care, providing multiplicity sensitive language and support. Overall, the term ‘parts’ was viewed as problematic by the participants as it could imply the plural system is not coexisting as a whole. Additionally, opinions varied as to how much diagnostic language could and should be used to describe multiplicity; linguistically and conceptually. Importantly, compassion was seen as particularly essential for younger selves within the system; older in their years and presence, but often more vulnerable within the societies in which the system resides.

Conflicts of interest: an invisible force shaping health systems and policies

Conflicts of interest: an invisible force shaping health systems and policies

Beyond Rational Systems: Managing Organizational Conflicts From Pluralistic, Open Systems and Stakeholder Perspectives

This paper examines organizational conflict in the context of rationalist, pluralist, open systems and stakeholder approaches. It argues that the prevailing rational and unitary approaches which dominate organizational analysis are inadequate theoretical tools for understanding the dynamics of organizational conflicts in a pluralistic society. Methodologically, the research approach is built on meta-synthesis. A meta-synthesis is a research approach that brings together qualitative data to form a new interpretation of a research field. From this approach, the paper critically examines three of the dominant approaches in organizational theorizing (the rational, pluralist and open systems perspectives) and their implications for understanding and managing organizational conflict. A synthesis of the literature combines the three perspectives to propose a framework for managing conflicts in organizations. The paper suggests that the open system perspective, in line with a pluralist perspective, is an appropriate framework for studying the relationship between stakeholder management and conflict management and for understanding the dynamics and the forces shaping conflicts in organizations. A stakeholder approach for understanding interests and sources of organizational conflicts is presented including stakeholders’ sources of power and legitimacy. Finally, a framework encompassing strategies for managing organizational conflicts by applying principles of stakeholder management are suggested.

Linguistic multi-competence in the community: the case of a Japanese plural suffix -tachi for individuation

Abstract Applied linguists have investigated the nature of linguistic multi-competence (LMC) as a consequence of languages in contact in the minds of individuals and have observed that our first language is more amenable to change than once thought. However, LMC can manifest itself in not only an individual language user but also a linguistic community. This study explores the manifestation of LMC at the community level from historical and socio-cognitive perspectives with special focus on the use of a Japanese plural marker -tachi. It is a suffix usually attached to humans, but is frequently observed with animals and even inanimate nouns such as hon-tachi ‘books,’ which is conventionally considered unacceptable. This study analyzes over 100 -tachi cases collected from narrations and commentaries in public broadcasts. The analysis investigates the type of nouns to which -tachi is attached and the contexts where -tachi is used. The findings suggest that while retaining its original plural system, Japanese has accomplished the integration of a certain grammatical feature of English into Japanese. We argue that this innovative expressive means embedded in LMC as an integrated system in the community enables Japanese users, when necessary, to realize discrete objects, irrespective of whether they are living things or not, as individuated entities in the cognitive foreground with conceptually characteristic profiles.

Advisor understanding of their roles in the advisory system: a comparison of governance structures in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, and New Zealand

ABSTRACT Purpose Explore advisor understanding of their roles in advisory systems characterised by differing mixes of public and private funding and delivery. Methodology A systems perspective of advisory system governance is combined with an individual perspective of advisor roles. Data from a survey of 38 Australian, 19 New Zealand, 606 Argentine and 279 Brazilian respondents were analysed for statistical differences. Findings In all contexts, advisor priorities reflect state or industry goals. Where there is more private funding and delivery, advisors also prioritise farmer commercial goals. Under public extension funding and delivery, group methods and capacity building are emphasised to reach many farmers and realise public goals. Practical implications Advisors play a crucial role in reconciling competing national, industry and farmer goals at the farm-level. This emphasises participatory methods and intermediary positions in the advisory system to facilitate dialogue and support farmers to realise competing goals. A policy implication is public and industry funding is needed for advisors to engage with public and industry organisations to understand and contribute to policies and objectives they will be advising on. Theoretical implications Combining a systems perspective of country-level advisory system governance with an individual perspective of advisor roles highlights that advisor understanding of their roles are related to the public governance context in which they operate. Originality/value The advisor understanding of their roles in the advisory system is related to different governance of pluralistic advisory systems. This contributes to articulating advisory policies and practices to support coordination and inclusion in pluralistic advisory systems.

Revisiting the EU Legal System: Substantive & Procedural Loyalty for the Judicial Enforcement of the Rule of Law

Aiming to foster reflection on the role of the EU regarding the enforcement of the rule of law, this essay revisits, in a normative fashion, the Union’s legal system with references to recent and established case law and literature. It understands the judicial enforcement of the rule of law as a synonym of effective judicial protection and analyses the pluralistic system of the Union as being overarched by loyalty. It then introduces three specific components of the rule of law related to its judicial enforcement. The first concerns its material aspect: the standards of protection of rights and principles. The contribution opines that the systemic analysis of the Union excludes conflicts of standards. The second component refers to judicial control. It is argued that the related structural obligations of the Member States are enforceable by individual claims grounded on a self-standing right. The last component is organic and relates to the judge. The contribution posits that the national judge is empowered by her European mandate to enforcing the rule of law. While the technique of exceptional circumstances as part of the mechanism of the European arrest warrant confirms this position, cases of constitutional conflicts suggest the procedural deficiency. EU legal system, rule of law, effective judicial protection, judicial enforcement of the rule of law, multidimensional legal system, substantive loyalty, standards of protection, procedural loyalty, duties of the Member States, individual claims, European mandate of the national judge, judicial cooperation, preliminary ruling, exceptional circumstances, constitutional conflicts

Pattern borrowing and hybridization in Mubi (East Chadic): The importance of congruence

The plural system of Mubi (East Chadic, Afroasiatic) stands out cross-linguistically within Chadic and worldwide for its extensive use of pattern morphology, fixing the output's vowel qualities and shape while preserving the input's consonants. This paper demonstrates that, while some elements of this system may be conserved from earlier stages of Afroasiatic, others reflect the influence of Chadian Arabic, the regional lingua franca. The process of influence, however, turns out to involve not just straightforward pattern morpheme borrowing (exemplified here by the iambic pattern BaCaaDiFe), but also the reshaping of inherited patterns. The most frequent quadriliteral plural pattern, BuCooDuF, reflects Arabic influence in its shape – mediated by a change in mapping directionality – but Chadic inheritance in its distribution. This result supports the hypothesis that pattern morphology is more easily transferred between related languages.

“I think Canadians look like all sorts of people”: ethnicity, political leadership, and the case of Jagmeet Singh

AbstractResearch into the impact of a politician's sociodemographic profile on vote choice in Westminster-style systems has been hindered by the relative sociodemographic homogeneity of party leaders. Past research has focused mainly on the evaluation of local candidates in the American context, but given that elections in plurality systems are far less candidate-oriented , the evaluation of local candidates tells us little about the prevalence of affinity or discrimination in other contexts. This article investigates the effect of political leaders' ethnicity on political behavior by looking at the case of Jagmeet Singh in Canada, the first federal party leader of color in the country's history. While the literature has shown that the gender of leaders in Canada can matter, little is known about the attitudes of Canadians toward party leaders of color specifically. We are interested in the evaluations of Singh and his party, as well as the shifts in voting intentions between elections in 2015 and 2019. We uncover affinity-based behaviors from individuals who identify as Sikh, as well as a negative reception of Singh's candidacy in Quebec.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEM OF NIGERIA AND THE GAMBIA

This study focuses on the analysis of Nigeria and The Gambia National extension policies and system. The study discussed three main themes (mission and goals, approach and functions, and clienteles). The study found that both two countries does not adopt legislated or formal national extension policy rather implied policies which were garnered, feasible, for the two countries through their government publications and published researched studies from academic and recognized developmental institutions. Generally, the analysis found that the two countries extension missions and goals focused on improving profitability of agricultural business and increasing output volumes; market share in achieving to enhancing quality of life and agricultural development. In terms of approaches and functions, the study observed that public sector extension in the two countries is undergoing transformation including decentralization and outsourcing extension services in the context of adopting a pluralistic system of extension delivery. While up to six models of extension are a commonly applied in the two countries, the dominant context is pluralism around public, private and NGO-based services. The dominant clientele was stated to be women and small- and medium-scale farmers. However, main barriers limiting women’s participation are still insufficiently addressed. The study concludes that it is important for the two countries authorities, perhaps supportively, to develop and establish formal extension policies that will manifest their vision, mission, goals and methods to provide a stable agenda within which targeted clientele and be purposively supported in the pursuit of sustainable agricultural development.
 Keywords: Extension, Extension Policy, Nigeria, The Gambia, Mission and Goals, Approach and Function, Clientele.

Countering the “Sweep Effect”

One of the well-known properties of multimember plurality systems is their propensity toward producing the so-called “sweep effect,” manifesting itself in that the strongest party in a majority of districts sees its full slate of candidates elected even if the margin of plurality is small. Despite this property, and mostly for technical reasons, this system remains rather widely employed for conducting local elections both in democracies and in electoral authoritarian regimes. This article employs the evidence from the 2019 municipal elections in St. Petersburg to examine how increased strategic coordination of opposition voters became instrumental in countering the sweep effect and thus reducing the scope of political monopoly in an overtly authoritarian context. The analysis shows that this goal was achieved primarily by enabling opposition-minded voters to cast a greater number of votes than it otherwise would have been.

Protecting Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Africa: The Land Rights of Abuja Peoples of Nigeria and Ogiek Peoples of Kenya in Comparative Perspective

Abstract This paper examines the treatment of customary land rights of indigenous peoples by State law in Nigeria and Kenya. Nigeria is chosen as a case study and Kenya has on-going legal reforms in relation to customary land rights. Both Kenya and Nigeria have plural legal systems. The objective is to demonstrate how Kenya has responded to the challenges of protecting customary land rights and how other African States, like Nigeria, should respond to similar challenges.

Mobile App-Reported Use of Traditional Medicine for Maintenance of Health in India During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Questionnaire Study.

BackgroundIndia follows a pluralistic system for strategic and focused health care delivery in which traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and homoeopathy (AYUSH) coexist with contemporary medicine, and this system functions under the Ministry of AYUSH (MoA). The MoA developed a mobile app, called AYUSH Sanjivani, to document the trends of the use of AYUSH-based traditional and holistic measures by the public across India. Analysis of the data generated through this app can help monitor the extent of the use of AYUSH measures for maintenance of health during the COVID-19 pandemic and aid effective health promotion and communication efforts focused on targeted health care delivery during the pandemic.ObjectiveThe purpose of the study was to determine the extent of use of AYUSH measures by the public in India for maintenance of health during the COVID-19 pandemic as reported through the AYUSH Sanjivani mobile app.MethodsCross-sectional analysis of the data generated through the Ayush Sanjivani app from May 4 to July 31, 2020, was performed to study the pattern and extent of the use of AYUSH-based measures by the Indian population. The responses of the respondents in terms of demographic profile, use pattern, and benefits obtained; the association between the use of AYUSH-based measures and symptomatic status; and the association between the duration of use of AYUSH-based measures and the outcome of COVID-19 testing were evaluated based on bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.ResultsData from 723,459 respondents were used for the analysis, among whom 616,295 (85.2%) reported that they had been using AYUSH measures for maintenance of health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these 616,295 users, 553,801 (89.8%) either strongly or moderately agreed to have benefitted from AYUSH measures. Ayurveda and homeopathic measures and interventions were the most preferred by the respondents across India. Among the 359,785 AYUSH users who described their overall improvement in general health, 144,927 (40.3%) rated it as good, 30,848 (8.6%) as moderate, and 133,046 (40.3%) as slight. Respondents who had been using AYUSH measures for less than 30 days were more likely to be COVID-19–positive among those who were tested (odds ratio 1.52, 95% CI 1.44-1.60). The odds of nonusers of AYUSH measures being symptomatic if they tested positive were greater than those of AYUSH users (odds ratio 4.01, 95% CI 3.61-4.59).ConclusionsThe findings of this cross-sectional analysis assert that a large proportion of the representative population practiced AYUSH measures across different geographic locations of the country during the COVID-19 pandemic and benefitted considerably in terms of general well-being, with a possible impact on their quality of life and specific domains of health.