Target Village Research Articles

Community Organization of the Village Settlement and Service Area of Religious Centres: Si-Miao, in Konghinglie (Singdyam City, Taiwan)

The objective of this paper is to consider the space formation of the village settlement of Konghinglie (Singdyam city), which is a typical traditional village in Taipei basin. The study is based on the analysis of the interrelations between the religious service area of si-miao (Buddhist and Confucian temples) and village organization. The target village of the study was the frontier settlement in the period of migration from Mainland China that still preserves a traditional way of life. Several building types can be observed in the space formation of village of Hang tribe in Taipei basin. The paper firstly clarifies the distribution of building types in the village and analyzes the community organization with respect to the religious service areas of si-miao. It was found that there are two types of si-miao—the indigenous type and the foreign origin type. The service area of indigenous type is formed on the traditional community organization but the foreign origin type has no such organization in the village. Finally this paper points out the process of the destruction of traditional community organization, which is a key to understand the urbanization process of Taiwan.

新店市広興里の集落組織の構成と寺廟の祭祀圈

The objective of this paper is to consider the space formation of the village settlement of Konghinglie (Singdyam City) which is a typical traditional village in Taipei Basin. The study is based on the analysis of the interrelations between the religious sevice area of Jibyo (Buddhist and Confucian temples) and village organization. The target village of the study was the frontier settlement in the period of migration from mainland China that still preserve a traditional way of life. The several buidling types can be observed in the space formation of village of Hang tribe in Taipei Basin. The paper firstly clearify, the distribution of building types in the village and compare the community organization with the religious service areas of Jibyou. It was found that there are twe types of Jibyous, that is, Indigenous type and Outside origin type. The service area of Indigenous type is formed on the traditional community organization but the Outside origin type has no such organization in the village. Finally this paper points out the process of the destruction of traditinoal community organization which is a key to understand the urbanization process of Taiwan.

Outcomes of a community-based HIV/AIDS education programme for rural older women in Botswana

This article describes the experience and outcomes of a community-based educational programme to prevent HIV infection in older rural women in Botswana and to utilize the women as resources to educate members of their communities in the prevention of the disease. The programme used the primary health-care approach to develop and test gender-specific and culturally-relevant materials for the older women. Programme evaluation employed a quasiexperimental design with older women in a second village serving as a control group. Six months after programme implementation, the older women in the target village were more knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS than those in the control village. The sexually-active women were practising safer sex, and all were collaborating with health personnel in community activities for HIV/AIDS prevention and care. These activities are continuing and are being sustained by the village health committee.

Population dynamics and drought: A village in Niger

Summary The paper reports the results of demographic research in a rural village of about 1500 Hausaspeaking farmers in southern Niger, during the winter of 1973-74. The research site lies at the heart of the Sahel-sudanic zone just to the south of the Sahara, where drought, and in some areas, famine have exacted a heavy human, animal, and economic toll since 1968. The study was designed to measure and explain the change in the size and structure of the population during the years 1969-73. Social anthropological field techniques were used to ensure full and accurate reporting by community residents on all census topics. Data on rainfall and crop yields, on health and sanitary conditions, and on the political economy, social organization, and culture of the village were gathered in order to interpret the demographic situation The analysis of this data yields the following conclusions: 1. The population of the village appears younger (mean age: 15 years) and growing faster (mean doubling time: 23 years) than reported for Niger as a whole in 1972. 2. Contrary to what the researchers expected, the crude death rate, while relatively high to begin with, actually declined during the drought period (mean: 14.81); the crude birth rate remained very high (mean: 46.01), and the crude rate of increase rose from 1969 to 1973. 3. There was virtually no family out-migration from the target village during the drought, although the number of adult males participating in seasonal migrations to large West African towns rose from 35 per cent in 1969-70 to 75 per cent in 1973-74. 4. Problems of food production and distribution were acute, but thanks to the availability of donated foods, these were sufficiently short-lived during this drought cycle to make no discernible impact on population, although prolonged protein/calorie malnutrition among the very young may affect future fecundity.