Planning undermines land reform
LAND REDISTRIBUTION IN Southern Africa has had significantly different impacts on poverty reduction and improvement in livelihoods. Research at sites in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe finds that planning approaches have been informed by a model of farm viability drawn from large-scale commercial agriculture. As a result, project plans and support systems are poorly aligned to the needs and aspirations of beneficiaries and allow for little flexibility in implementation. Positive
impacts, where found, have often been the result of beneficiaries abandoning official plans. There is an urgent need, researchers conclude, to radically rethink the notion of viability in land reform.
i Let’s talk about it…
HOW DO PEOPLE in the UK feel about talking about their emotions? Research based on a survey of more than 2,000 adults’ views and experiences of emotional distress and support suggests that Britain is now characterised by a relative openness to talking about emotions. Yet, while attitudes towards
‘emotions talk’ are more positive, people are still not comfortable with the idea of discussing their problems with a therapist or counsellor and would prefer to turn to friends or family for support.
Over half of those surveyed said they found it easy to talk about their feelings and two thirds felt that people in Britain now are more comfortable talking about feelings than they were. But differences by age and sex are evident with women under 45 the most positive towards ‘emotions talk’. Findings also highlight the significance of non talk-based responses to emotional difficulties including listening to music, exercising and keeping things to
ourselves as well as the continuing importance of privacy in our everyday emotional lives – features which, Dr Julie Brownlie suggests, are often overlooked because of the assumption that our culture is now uniformly characterised by disclosure and unburdening. She concludes that “we need a more nuanced understanding of contemporary emotional culture in Britain – and of how people ‘get through’ emotionally difficult times – rather than one necessarily defined by a sense of vulnerability.” A number of issues for policy and practice are raised, including whether the balance is right between talk- and non talk-based services. More fundamentally, researchers argue, it asks how we should view ‘not talking’. Is it a sign of resilience or of emotional failing; is it something to be encouraged or overcome? n
i
Contact Dr Julie Brownlie, University of Stirling Email
julie.brownlie@
stir.ac.uk Telephone 01786 467980 ESRC Grant Number RES-062-23-0468
Contact Dr Ben Cousins, University of the Western Cape, South Africa Email
bcousins@uwc.ac.za ESRC Grant Number RES-167-25-0037 ESRC/DFID Joint Programme
NETWORKS FOR HEALTH What is the nature and extent of social networks for maternal and child health in England and how are these shaped by ethnicity, religious identity, social class and gender? Infant mortality among some UK minority groups and teenage mothers is significantly higher than the average. This research will identify women’s social networks for health and gaps in support. ESRC Grant Number RES-061-25-0509
LIFETIME VIEW ON TAX How do financial incentives to work change over the lifecourse? How is the tax burden shared over the population and over the lifecourse? How do changes in taxes/benefits affect the distribution of lifetime income? New research will provide a richer understanding of the UK tax system and its effects on individuals’ decisions to invest in human capital and work, lifetime income and well-being. ESRC Grant Number RES-194-23-0016
EXPERIENCING COURT Fieldwork at two Crown Courts will inform research into the public’s experience of the criminal justice process. The study will examine how far victims, defendants and witnesses understand court proceedings, perceive them to be fair and believe that they are treated respectfully by the court. Researchers will identify the factors that determine levels of understanding and perceptions of fair and respectful treatment. ESRC Grant Number RES-062-23-2493
SPRING 2011 SOCIETY NOW 9
IN BRIEF
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