Alice Evans

The evolution of weed beet in sugar beet crops

SummaryThe extent of the weet beet problem in Eastern England is described and the factors to the evolution of weed beet are outlined. Some preliminary experiments designed to distinguish between wild, weed and cultivated populations of beet are described. The response of salt (sodium chloride) solution is a potentially useful discriminating character whereas variation in morphometric characters was not so conclusive. Preliminary results on variation in cytological characters suggest that chiasma frequency is lower in weed than in wild populations and cultivars ofBeta vulgaris. Finally the possible role of crop-related weeds in breeding is discussed.ZusammenfassungEs wird die Verbreitung des Problems der Unkrautrüben im östlichen England beschrieben und die Faktoren, die die Evolution der Unkrautrübenpopulation beeinflussen, werden umrissen. Einige vorläufige Versuche zur Unterscheidung zwischen Wild-, Unkraut- und kultivierten Populationen werden beschrieben. Die Reaktion auf Salzlösung (Natriumchlorid) zeigte sich als eine brauchbare Trennmethode, während die Variation in der morphometrischen Charakterisierung nicht so überzeugend war. Vorläufige Ergebnisse über die Unterschiede in der cytologischen Charakterisierung weisen darauf hin, daß die Chiasmafrequenz in Unkrautrüben geringer ist, als in Wildpopulationen und Kultursorten vonBeta vulgaris. Abschließend wird die mögliche Bedeutung der den Kulturpflanzen verwandten Unkräuter für die Züchtung diskutiert.Краткое содержаниеРассматривается про блема распространен ия сорных формBeta в посевах культ урной сахарной свëклы в вос точной Англии и факто ры, которые способствуют эволюции популяций э тих сорняков. Описыва ются некоторые предварит ельные опыты, на основании ко торых можно установи ть различия между дикорастущими, сорняковыми и культу рными популяциями. Реакция на соляной раствор (хл ористый натрий) оказа лась приемлемым признако м для выявления различ ий, в то время как морфометрический ме тод давал мало убедительные резуль таты. Предварительны е цитологические иссл едования показали, что частота хиазм у сорной свëклы оказалась ниже, чем у дикорастущ их популяций и у культур ных сортовBeta vulgaris. В заключ ение обсуждаются связи и возможности и спользования в селек ции сорняков, являющихся сородичами культурн ых растений.

Looking for the one(s): young love and urban poverty in The Gambia.

This paper explores the strategic use of sexual relationships in bolstering the economic well-being of young low-income women and men in The Gambia, West Africa. While other studies of sexuality in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond have demonstrated the importance of intimate (and often cross-generational) relationships for young women as a means of accessing resources, less is known in this regard about their male counterparts. This study points to the increasingly prominent place of cross-generational relationships, related to international tourism, in the livelihood strategies of young men struggling for employment in a constrained labour market. For poor young Gambian women and men, resource scarcity seems to be associated with a prioritization of the instrumental and material over the affective or recreational value of sexual partnerships, often resulting in multiple, concurrent relations. However, manifold considerations come into play in the relationship decisions of young women and men, indicating the importance of close attention to social and cultural as well as economic factors.

History lessons for gender equality from the Zambian Copperbelt, 1900–1990

This article explores the historical causes and consequences of gender divisions of labour in the Zambian Copperbelt. Male breadwinner and female housewife stereotypes appear to have emerged as a product of imported Christian ideologies, colonial–capitalist concerns and an economic climate that largely enabled men to financially provide for their families. Reliant upon husbands for status and economic support, many urban women had little conjugal bargaining power. Gender divisions of labour also meant that people lacked first-hand evidence of women’s equal competence in employment and politics, who they thus often underrated and overlooked. Such perceptions seem to have perpetuated women’s exclusion from prestigious positions – a pattern sustained by macro-economic circumstances in the early decades of Independence. Compliance with the gender status inequalities promoted in pre-marital traditional initiation thus became necessary to marital and economic security, as well as respectability, which was not previously the case. While there were exceptions to these trends, the historical record illustrates the interplay between patterns of resource access, internalised gender stereotypes and cultural expectations.

‘Women Can Do What Men Can Do’: The Causes and Consequences of Growing Flexibility in Gender Divisions of Labour in Kitwe, Zambia

Economic insecurity has catalysed growing flexibility in gender divisions of labour in Kitwe, Zambia. Peoples resulting exposure to, as well as collective reflection about, a critical mass of women performing work that was previously presumed to be beyond their capabilities, and valorised because of its association with masculinity, appears to erode gender stereotypes relating to competence and status. It is this weakening of gender beliefs, rather than womens increased access to resources per se, that appears to have directly undermined gender-status inequalities. This articles portrayal of growing gender egalitarianism contrasts with (though does not dispute the empirical claims of) earlier accounts of economic crisis in Zambia, which emphasised womens increased burdens. Some domains, such as unpaid care work, continue to be marked by persistent inequalities; however, drawing on ethnographic research (comprising life history narratives, group interviews and observation), it is argued that this is not necessarily an indicator of womens low status generally.

The Decline of the Male Breadwinner and Persistence of the Female Carer: Exposure, Interests, and Micro–Macro Interactions

Although female labor force participation is rising across the world, mens share of unpaid care work has not increased commensurately. Why has there been a major change in one domain of gender relations yet marked continuity in another? This article tries to answer this question by doing three slightly unusual things. It uses the same theoretical concepts (exposure and interests) to analyze change and continuity across different domains of gender relations. It examines long-term processes of social change through ethnographic (rather than social survey) data from Zambia. Additionally, it explores commonalities in the Global North and South—thereby bringing together silos of knowledge. The argument is that flexibility in gender divisions of labor increases when there is a shift in both interests and exposure. This has occurred in the case of paid work: A decline in mens incomes and job security has led many to regard womens employment as advantageous. The resulting critical mass of women performing socially valued, masculine roles seems to have undermined gender ideologies, relating to competence and status—fostering a positive feedback loop. Few people are exposed to men sharing care work, however, as this mostly occurs in private spaces. Accordingly, many assume that such practices are neither common nor socially accepted. These norm perceptions furnish men with self-interested reasons to shun housework. These micro- and macrolevel interactions perpetuate asymmetric flexibility in gender divisions of labor.

Social Assistance and the 'Dependency Syndrome'

This policy brief discusses: Social assistance is critical to counter the insecurity and vulnerability experienced by chronically poor people. Evidence shows that as well as preventing people from sliding into poverty, social assistance supports human development, helps people to access opportunities to exit poverty, and interrupts the intergenerational transmission of poverty; An obstacle to progress on social assistance involves arguments around the ‘dependency syndrome’ – concerns about recipients becoming permanently dependent on ‘handouts’ and losing any inclination to improve their circumstances as a result of it. An associated assumption is that if poor people are given social assistance they will inevitably ‘waste’ it on negative purchases (e.g. alcohol), as opposed to using it constructively; Concerns around the propensity for social assistance to induce ‘dependency’ in Southern countries are largely based on anecdotal evidence, rather than empirical realities; Empirical research shows that social assistance supports savings, human capital development, investment, and enterprise; improves labour-market participation and reduces dependence on adverse contractual employment arrangements; and far from crowding out informal systems of support, it can help improve social networks and support private (informal) forms of protection; Evidence from the global South overwhelmingly finds that social assistance is affordable, that recipients make rational choices to improve their circumstances, and that social assistance reduces dependency in the long-term. In other words, social assistance is an important response to chronic poverty; Children overall tend to be the main beneficiaries of social transfers – not just child benefit.

Patriarchal unions = weaker unions? Industrial relations in the Asian garment industry

Abstract This paper explores how gender ideologies shape industrial relations in the Asian garment industry. Drawing on ethnographic research, it illustrates how widespread norm perceptions of acquiescent women and assertive men reinforce patriarchal, authoritarian unions. Even if privately critical, women may be reluctant to protest if they anticipate social disapproval. Such beliefs reinforce patriarchal unions, curbing women workers’ collective analysis, engagement, and activism. This weakens the collective power of labour to push for better working conditions. Tackling norm perceptions and building more inclusive unions may help strengthen the labour movement. Video abstract Read the transcript Watch the video on Vimeo

Amplifying Accountability by Benchmarking Results at District and National Levels

This multi†level ethnography of the Zambian health system illustrates the importance of top†down accountability, and how it has emerged in a historically neglected sector. Maternal healthcare indicators are prioritized when they are benchmarked, at district and national levels. The realization that Zambia was lagging behind African countries in making progress towards Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 (to reduce the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters) appears to have evoked reputational concerns and revealed inspirational possibilities. Growing prioritization also stems from a change in incentives, with some partner funding being conditional on the proportion of deliveries attended by skilled health personnel.

Cities as Catalysts of Gendered Social Change? Reflections from Zambia

Across the world, people in urban rather than rural areas are more likely to support gender equality. To explain this global trend, this article engages with geographically diverse literature and comparative rural–urban ethnographic research from Zambia. It argues that people living in interconnected, heterogeneous, densely populated areas are more likely to see women performing socially valued, masculine roles. Such exposure incrementally erodes gender ideologies, catalyzing a positive feedback loop and increasing flexibility in gender divisions of labor. Women in densely populated areas also tend to have greater access to health clinics and police and so are more able to control their fertility and secure external support against gender-based violence. The urban is not inevitably disruptive, though. Experiences of the urban are shaped by international and national policies, macroeconomic conditions, and individual circumstances. Through this comparative ethnography, this article contributes to literature on the drivers of change and continuity in gender ideologies.