Host Community Residents Research Articles

“Economic exclusion and the health and wellbeing impacts of the oil industry in the Niger Delta region: a qualitative study of Ogoni experiences”

BackgroundWhen managed effectively, oil wealth can drive economic development and improve wellbeing. Conversely, as has been the experience in Ogoniland in the Niger Delta, the presence of the oil industry can lead to environmental degradation and social and economic vulnerabilities with negative impacts on health and wellbeing. Few studies have explored the experiences and perceptions of these impacts among residents of host communities themselves.MethodsThis qualitative study explored Ogoni residents’ experiences and perceptions of oil-industry related economic exclusion and associated impacts on health and wellbeing. In-depth interviews with 22 participants from four Local Government Areas (LGAs) were analyzed with open (inductive) coding. Guided by constructivist philosophy, interpretation of emerging themes was informed by the concept of social exclusion which recognizes that multi-dimensional processes can deprive individuals or groups of resources, rights, goods, and services, thus limiting broader societal participation.ResultsFindings highlight the exclusionary impacts of the oil industry at the intersection of i) damaged livelihoods and family income, that increased economic vulnerability and reduced participants’ ability to meet basic needs including ability to pay for healthcare; ii) lack of progress on environmental remediation and non-transparent benefit sharing schemes that exacerbate economic displacement and contribute to ongoing exposures to air and water pollution; and iii) insufficient of investment in economic development and essential health services, limiting employment opportunities and ability to access adequate healthcare.ConclusionAddressing these issues requires integrated policy interventions focusing on equitable resource distribution, environmental restoration, and inclusive economic development to promote sustainable community resilience.

Host Community Willingness and Perceived Constraints to Peer-to-Peer Accommodation in South West Nigeria

Peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation is a form of sharing economy which incorporates the host community residents with the tourists. However, Idanre hills, Ikogosi warm spring and Olumirin waterfalls which were randomly chosen as destinations from Ondo, Ekiti and Osun State representing 50% of the South West, Nigeria. Both qualitative and quantitative research method were used to generate data.342 structured questionnaires were administered. SPSS was used to analyzed the data collected while inferential and descriptive statistical tools were adopted for the demographic data. Study revealed that 58.2% of the respondents were Male and 41.8% Female, 63.5% were Single while 24% were Married. Majority of the respondents are within the age range of 35-44(33.6%), 36.3% were farmers, 28.9% were Civil Servants and 48.8% had secondary school certificate. Majority of the respondents are willing to participate in P2P accommodation, IH (99.60%), IWS and OWS (100%) respectively as residents welcomed the idea of sharing their homes with tourists (mean=4.69). However, security challenge and lack of inter-personal trust between the hosts and guests (mean=4.70) were the major perceived constraints to P2P accommodation in the selected communities. The sociodemographic characteristics of respondents such as age, occupation, religion, education and income were significantly related to their perception of P2P accommodation. Meanwhile, gender, marital status and ethnicity are not significantly related. The study concluded that P2P accommodation is essential for collaborative consumption at ecotourism destinations of South West, Nigeria.

Assessing coal mine closures and mining community profiles for the just transition' in South Africa

Growing global concern over the impacts of climate change, attributable largely to fossil fuel energy sources, has led to the widely shared goal for a 'just transition' to cleaner energy and reduced dependence on carbon-based fuels. As the world's 14th biggest CO2 emitter and being particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, South Africa must embark on a just transition pathway. This paper reviews expected coal mine closures and associated community vulnerabilities and local governance challenges in South Africa. Decommissioning schedules for all coal-fired power stations and operating coal mines are plotted, and 69 mining host communities and 21 municipalities are mapped, classified, and described. Community socio-economic profiles are measured using a set of SDG indicators and census data and municipalities assessed through financial audits. Our research shows that five coal-fired power plants (8.9 GW) and 15 coal mines (29.5 Mt/a) willprobably close by 2030, and a further four plants (14 GW) and 23 mines (106 Mt/a) by 2040. Thus, the shift to cleaner energy will likely occur without the premature closures implied by the just transition. The impact of mine closure on the 2.5 million residents of host communities will be significant, particularly as levels of income, employment, and education are already very low and many municipalities are in financial distress. The South African approach to the just transition needs to take local realities into account and the narrative must support an effective transition that does not undermine energy security and economic growth. Keywords: just transition, South Africa, coal mining, mining communities, energy, mine closure

Quality of Life Subjective Expectations and Exchange from Hosting Mega-Events

This study examined residents’ quality of life contexts due to the mega-events (F1 Korean Grand Prix 2010 and 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics) based on an insider’s perspective (emic approach). The study investigated the residents’ quality of life contexts due to hosting the mega-events, which are suitable for understanding changes in social patterns among residents. Specifically, the study investigated diverse phenomena surrounding two mega-events and their relation to the quality of life with qualitative methods of participant observation and in-depth interviews. The phenomenon for the quality of life represented socioeconomic effect, educational impact on the local community, infrastructure development, recreational and cultural experience, emotional use of life, community spirit, and direct economic exchange. The subject phenomenon of quality of life examined the Residents’ Perception of Quality of Life, Subjective Expectations and Exchange, and the Relationship Model. The relationship model shows that the mega-event host community residents’ daily life experience from the individual or collective social exchanges influences their perception of the quality of life and the areas of life. Meanwhile, the factors, including individual social interaction, recreational and cultural experience, and the emotional use of life, positively or negatively influence the residents’ perception of the quality of life. Finally, the standards and procedures of the perception of the quality of life appear different depending on the type of residents and whether they have direct economic exchange experience.

Does Changing the Narrative Improve Host Community Attitudes Toward Climate Migrants? Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh

A number of studies suggest that prevailing narratives about the situation of the poor and vulnerable affect how they are viewed and treated. Theoretically, a potentially powerful way to make host communities more welcoming of climate migrants is to shift the blame for their situation away from the migrants themselves and onto other forces or agents. We present results from a randomized field experiment conducted among long-term residents of host communities in the Satkhira district of Bangladesh that exposed three treatment groups to narratives that shift responsibility for climate migration toward natural forces, Western countries, and local authorities, respectively. Despite statistical power to detect reasonably small effects, we find no positive effects of these narratives on host-community attitudes toward climate migrants. On the contrary, the local authorities treatment had a borderline negative effect on host-community attitudes. Our results suggest caution in attempting to influence attitudes toward migrants through attribution of blame to outside forces or third parties. Such narrative interventions may shift responsibility away from not just migrants but also the treated host-community residents and increase social identification between host-community members relative to outsiders.

Sport Mega-Events and Displacement of Host Community Residents: A Systematic Review.

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic literature review to understand how empirical data have informed the knowledge about the relationship between hosting sport mega-events and displacement of host community residents. Following the PRISMA protocol, we conducted a search of academic and gray literature in sport, social sciences, and humanities databases. We excluded conceptual papers, conference abstracts, and works that discuss urban transformation or displacement but are not related to sport events. We also excluded works that associate sport mega-events with urban transformations but are not related to resident displacement. From the initial 2,372 works reviewed, 22 met the inclusion criteria. In empirical studies, displacement of residents has been studied exclusively in the context of the Olympic Games, since Seoul 1988, but with a higher frequency in most recent Games (Beijing, London, and Rio). The gigantism and the sense of urgency created by the Olympic Games may explain why this event has been frequently associated with resident displacement. Findings showed that residents suffered either direct, forced evictions or indirect displacements. The selected studies show a contradiction between the discourse of sport mega-events guardians for supporting the United Nations Sustainable Goals (SDG) and the practice of human rights within host cities of such events.

SOCIAL VULNERABILITY OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS AS THE BASIS OF SOCIAL WORK WITH THEM

The article deals with basing of the necessity of social work with internally displaced persons (IDPs) in modern Ukraine, as not all of the problems of these people that have arisen as a result of forced resettlement have been resolved. The problem is in difference of the life trajectories of IDPs: some of migrants are in higher levels of income in the social hierarchy than residents of host communities, while others still live in collective housing in need of humanitarian assistance. Social differentiation within IDPs raises debates about the need to maintain common approaches to their social protection and social work with them. The purpose of this article is to prove the presence of signs of vulnerability in internally displaced persons, which necessitates the provision of social support by specialists working in the field of social work. To achieve this goal, the method of theoretical generalization and the method of deduction were used. The results of the study are the identification of such features of the social position of IDPs in Ukraine and features of their socio-psychological state, which evidence the presence of indicators of vulnerability, and therefore are the reason of social work with them in different areas. The presence of dual vulnerabilities in IDPs (the status of an orphan or a child deprived of parental care, a child or a person with a disability, a member of a family with many children, etc.) increases the need for social support from social services professionals.

English

Oil, being the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy has continuously generated controversies at various levels, particularly between government, exploration companies and host communities. One useful method of dousing such tension is to display a sense of empathy, creating some level of ownership mindset in natives and residents of host communities and the nation at large. This study probes into the volume of coverage of Nigeria’s oil industry CSR activities by selected newspapers; the directions given to the reportage of Nigeria’s oil industry CSR activities by the selected national dailies and issues of Nigeria’s oil industry CSR activities that received the greatest coverage by the selected national dailies. Content analysis, employing multi-stage and purposive sampling techniques was utilized for this study. Editions of The Guardian, The Nation, Vanguard and Punch for the year 2016 were analysed for this study. Data collected using the coding sheet was analyzed using Chi-Square and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). This study posits those stakeholders and practitioner in NNPC’s Public Relations and CSR arm should proactively engage the media, to boost confidence and goodwill in the oil and gas industry, thereby minimizing potential conflicts and mitigating the effects of lingering ones.   Key words: Corporate social responsibility, goodwill, public relations, newspaper coverage, oil and gas.

Belief in group interdependence: Facilitating evacuee–host interactions after the Fukushima nuclear accident

AbstractAfter the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, intercultural friction and aversion arose between evacuees and host community residents in relocation areas. We examined whether a belief in group interdependence—the extent to which an individual believes that group function is realized through interdependence with related other groups—is consistent with positive interactions between evacuees and hosts. A door‐to‐door survey of 77 evacuees and 75 hosts revealed that residents with an integrated social identity interacted favorably with both ingroup and outgroup members, and that a belief in group interdependence was consistent with the integration of social identity between the evacuee and host communities. Those findings suggest that a belief in group interdependence can reduce intercultural conflict by allowing both immigrants and host residents to acquire an integrated social identity without the dilemma of internalizing different cultures into an individual's mind.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Organisational Image of Selected Asian-owned Firms in Lagos State, Nigeria

This article examined Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) and Organizational Image of selected Asianowned manufacturing firms in Lagos state, Nigeria. Specifically, the CSR benefits enjoyed by local communities within which Asian firms operate were documented; the social determinants of CSR beneficiary were investigated and the perceived influence of these CSR programmes on the organizational image was examined. The Symbolic Interactionist theory was adopted to theoretically engage issues of interest. A total of 211 copies of questionnaire and 12 in-depth interviews were used to gather quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The responses from the questionnaire administration were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, while that of the qualitative responses were thematically analyzed. Findings revealed that majority of the residents claimed to have enjoyed all four CSR programmes of interest, aside from that of the scholarship. Those who never benefitted from these programmes were either unaware that such programmes were available or that those who benefitted from the programmes accessed them through the insider factor. Also, the study revealed that the highest educational qualification, duration of being a resident and sex were preconditions for benefitting in certain CSR programmes. Lastly, results revealed that the provision of scholarship and employment programmes enhanced the organizational image. Therefore, the article concluded that certain investment made by Asian-owned firms towards giving back to the society is a critical ingredient for organizational image building. It was, therefore, suggested that Asian-owned firms could give scholarships and create employment opportunities for residents of host communities, as this could promote their reputation, which is a prerequisite for business performance.

Integration of internally displaced persons into host communities in the context of contemporary socio-cultural challenges

The article deals with the problems of integration of internally forced migrants in Ukraine in the context of a protracted military and political conflict. The definition and essence of the concept “integration of migrants” in the context of forced internal migration in Ukraine are considered. The state of forced migration in the country as a result of a long-term military and political conflict is analyzed. Internally displaced person (IDP) is considered as a specific category of internal forced migrants. The main indicators of IDP integration are identified as employment opportunities, access to health care and social services, availability of housing, access to education and training for children and adults, communication and social contacts, and the opportunity to vote. The nature, content and participants of the actual process of integration of internally displaced persons are established. It is specified that the success of integration is determined by the combined active interaction of three main factors: government policy on IDP integration; the willingness of the local community to accept IDPs and the desire of IDPs to integrate into the local community. Indicators and aspects of forced relocation, which should be taken into account by the Government’s policy in the process of developing tools for the integration of migrants, are formulated. The challenges faced by migrants as well as residents of host communities are analyzed. Teachers of the displaced university are considered as a specific focus group for a sociological survey of IDP integration. Indicators of forced migrants’ self-assessment of their integration level into local communities are analyzed. The indicators of integration of teachers in the relocated university are compared with similar indicators in Ukraine as a whole. An assessment of the level of trust of displaced teachers in the local community and migrant colleagues is made. The main reasons for the lack of full trust of migrants in local residents are identified. A sociological survey of displaced teachers of the relocated university shows a lack of their integration into the local community and a negative social and psychological state. The inability to restore the pre-crisis level of well-being, unsatisfactory living conditions, latent social conflicts on political and cultural grounds and a low level of trust in local residents hinder the integration process. Ways to strengthen and deepen the integration of migrants into host communities are identified. The migrants are suggested to be considered a valuable human resource that has professional knowledge and experience, the initiator of starting a new business and a carrier of culture.

Do residents differentiate between the impacts of tourism, cruise tourism, and Airbnb tourism?

Tourism impacts the quality of life of host community residents in myriad ways. Most research seeking to understand those impacts has either focused on tourism in general or a single specific type of tourism. Little is understood about how residents attribute perceived impacts to different forms of tourism when they are present in the same community. We surveyed 995 residents of the island of São Miguel in the Azores archipelago to examine perceptions of tourism’s quality of life impacts using Andereck and Nyaupane’s Tourism Quality of Life Impacts scale in relation to tourism in general, cruise tourism, and Airbnb tourism. While confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed poor fit of the measurement model across all forms of tourism, repeated measures ANOVA analysis of individual impact questions revealed that residents did differentiate between the impacts of various types of tourism in their community. Residents thought that tourism in general was the most detrimental to urban issues like traffic and crowding and that cruise tourism provided the least positive impacts to their community across all other TQOL variables. These findings indicate that future research on resident perceptions of tourism impacts should seek to measure impacts related to the specific forms of tourism.

Sociocultural Sustainability and the Formation of Social Capital from Community-based Tourism

Favorable resident perceptions of the development of social capital resulting from hosting community-based tourism is an important issue for the Chinese authorities. This study aimed to develop and test a multidimensional scale to evaluate the perceived social impacts from tourism on social capital from sustainable community-based tourism in China. A questionnaire was distributed to host community residents (430) in Fanhe village, Guangdong Province. Analysis from this survey resulted in the development of a six-factor model incorporating 20 items in the six groups. This allowed the researchers to assess perceived social impacts on social capital: covering collective efficacy, community belonging, traditional social regulations, community cohesion, social networking, and community competence. The study reveals the multidimensional nature of perceived tourism social impacts on social capital in the Chinese tourism community and contributes to a better understanding of how residents view the social capital associated with community-based tourism as part of sustainable development.

Airbnb and neighbourhoods: an exploratory study

PurposeThis study aims to identify residents’ perceptions of the impacts of Airbnb through an exploratory study that accounts for 94 residents in Lisbon, Portugal, in neighbourhoods with a high number of accommodations listed on the Airbnb platform.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research was conducted. A questionnaire was designed and administered within the selected neighbourhoods. Factor analysis using the principal component methods is used to reduce the items evaluated.FindingsThe study reveals that residents have perceptions of both agreement and disagreement towards the impacts of the sharing economy in economic, environmental and sociocultural aspects. Positively perceived impacts refer to interactions with tourists, natural preservation and increase in business and job opportunities. Conversely, the growth of rent prices, the increase in noise issues, the change in the local culture and the threat of losing authenticity and traditions are the dimensions that may lead to negatively perceived impacts towards Airbnb.Research limitations/implicationsIn spite of being the largest network for sharing accommodation, Airbnb is not the only one. Research on individual perceptions analyses the understandings of each person, which can be built and shaped by the context. In spite of the potential of the Likert scale, qualitative research should be added to enrich future studies.Practical implicationsThis study identified several challenges for Airbnb and other sharing platforms, including residents’ concerns over noise, the threat of losing identity, changes in the local culture and rise in rent prices.Originality/valueThe study is dedicated to analyzing the host community residents and identifying their perceptions of impacts of the sharing economy. The use of residents’ perceptions provides useful insights that may be considered when planning, developing and implementing local policies.

Does tourism really cause stress? A natural experiment utilizing ArcGIS Survey123

ABSTRACT Tourism related stress has recently been revealed as an issue for tourism host community residents. Prior studies have relied on directly asking residents if tourism caused them stress, resulting in possible participant priming. This study utilized the ArcGIS Survey123 app to collect data on resident stress from a community with high levels of tourism visitation and a community with low levels of tourism visitation. During the study, researchers never mentioned tourism. Half of study participants in the community with high tourism visitation discussed tourism directly as a stressor, accounting for almost 5% of all stressful experiences, while no participants in the community with low tourism visitation mentioned tourism as a stressor. Geospatial data revealed that tourism related stressors occurred outside of the ‘tourism zone’ in the community with high tourism visitation, and tourism related stressors mirrored perceived tourism impacts measured in a post experiment survey of study participants.

Correlates of Migratory and Spatial Patterns of Fulani Herdsmen Settlements Within Ogbomoso Region, Nigeria

Migration presents and remains a quandary for policy makers in Nigeria as a Result of cultural heterogeneity of the country. Consequently, an urgent consciousness of looming dangers attached to uncontrolled internal migration is crucial for nomadic development. The paper thus examines migratory and spatial patterns of nomads within Ogbomoso Region. The selection of nomadic settlement was determined using geographic coordinates and use of structured questionnaire as a means of data collection. Accidental sampling method was used to select ten Fulani settlements for focus group discussion. X, Y, Z coordinates was utilized for all identified Fulani settlements to analyse spatial pattern of nomadic Fulani settlement while six hundred and forty seven (647) residents of immediate native host communities were randomly selected based on the building population of the selected host communities for questionnaire administration. Content Analysis was employed to analyse reports of Focus Group Discussion while complete spatial randomness Index Analysis was used to determine the spatial pattern of nomadic Fulani Settlement. Likert Scale was used to analyse the perception of residents of host communities on factors contributing to nomadic Fulani migratory and spatial patterns in the study area. The findings revealed that Fulani’s are becoming permanent settlers within the study area with their length of stay ranging from Thirty three (33) years to three (3) years. Also a clustered spatial pattern of nomadic Fulani Migratory as indicated by residents are easy land acquisition (MFI, 5.01%) availability of grazing area (MFI,5 %.01) good dairy market(MFI, 4.98) and peaceful environment (MFI, 9.93). The study recommends formulation of appropriate nomadic migration policies and establishment of Ogbomoso Nomadic Development Authority in order to enhance the development of the region through nomadic Fulani Migration DOI : 10.7176/JCSD/51-01 Publication date :September 30 th 2019

Quality-of-life indicators as performance measures

This paper makes an argument supporting the notion that quality of life (QOL) indicators can also be treated as performance indicators, independently or in nested forms with conventional performance indicators in tourism. QOL indicators are reviewed and discussed in relation to three selected stakeholders, namely tourists, residents of host communities, and employees of tourism and hospitality firms. Specific examples of QOL indicators are described with case illustrations. The paper argues that there is a reciprocal relationship between conventional performance measures and QOL indicators. QOL indicators assist not only in gauging the level of destination competitiveness but also in ensuring sustainability of efficient and effective use of resources.

Social identity threats following the Fukushima nuclear accident and its influence on psychological distress

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of social identity on psychological distress in areas where residents had been evacuated to after the Fukushima nuclear accident. In a door-to-door survey, we surveyed 74 evacuees and 81 host community residents in a relocation area in Fukushima to evaluate whether social support mitigated evacuees’ and hosts’ distress and whether the social identity of each community affected distress. Social support mitigated distress in both evacuees and hosts. The construction and effect of social identity differed between groups: Evacuees had high original community (ingroup) identity, and their host community (outgroup) identity decreased their distress. Hosts had high host community (ingroup) identity but low evacuee community (outgroup) identity. Hosts with high ingroup identity who integrated outgroup identity had increased distress. These results suggest that management of social identity in addition to social support is important for mitigating psychological distress after the nuclear accident, and that support for individuals should be focused on management of both host and evacuee communities in relocation areas.

Tourism impacts, emotions and stress

Emotions and stress play an important role in individuals' quality of life and lived experience. Tourism can have a significant impact on the emotions and stress experienced by host community residents. In this study, the interrelationships between perceived tourism impacts, emotions from tourism, and tourism related stress were examined. Two mediated models were tested to examine the interdependence of stress and emotions. Several perceived tourism impacts predicted the experience of emotions from tourism and tourism related stress, while emotions and stress partially mediated relationships in both models. Host communities need to consider psychological outcomes such as emotions and stress when planning for the development of tourism.

Factors that Influence Residents’ Support for Environmental Development along the Haeparang Trail, South Korea

The Korean government established Haeparang Trail, a 770-km paved trail that intersects 10 cities in Korea’s eastern region. The trail is frequented by residents, domestic visitors, and international tourists, which has enhanced the local and regional economies. The purpose of this study is to examine the interrelationship among host community residents’ attitudes toward the government’s tourism planning, perception of tourism impact, quality of life, and support for environmental development within the context of this trail. A conceptual model was empirically tested based on data collected from 496 residents in four cities. Findings indicate that residents’ attitudes toward the government’s tourism planning positively enhance their perceptions of tourism’s impact and quality of life. Consequently, residents’ support for environmental development is significantly influenced by their perceptions of tourism’s impact and quality of life. Overall, the results identify the factors that influence community residents’ support for environmental development initiatives, which can assist the government in planning and policy formulation. Subscribe to JPRA