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This article examines the ways in which ethnic and cultural diversity is concretely managed in the city of Marseille, a metropolitan area located in France, a country that academic literature defines as assimilationist. Based on a series of 26 semi-structured interviews and on the analysis of municipal archives, it reveals that ethnic, cultural and religious organizations are essential actors in local political life in Marseille. On one hand, in order to manage their culturally heterogeneous city, municipal officials rely on alliances with community leaders to maintain legitimacy among the local population. On the other hand, community leaders demand symbolic gestures of cultural recognition from the mayor in exchange for their political support. This paper, inspired by conceptual tools developed by Pierre Bourdieu, builds an innovative theoretical framework for analysis of the 'social field of multiculturalism.' In the process, it sheds light on strategies of negotiation and competition among different local actors in the daily management of diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractEducating coastal residents on the dangers of storm surge is one of the core missions of coastal community leaders. Virtual reality (VR) can help communicate risks by simulating storm surge events as if they are happening at the moment and allowing participants to virtually practice mitigation behaviors. However, VR must first be accepted and adopted by community leaders prior to implementation at large. Guided by the technology acceptance model, forty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with coastal community leaders after they experienced a VR education module of a hurricane-induced storm surge event. Themes pulled from the analysis revealed that attitudes and adoption potential of VR centered on perceptions of ease of use and usefulness. Media features that emerged as relevant in their decision-making process included VR hardware and content’s emotional impact, novelty, ability to be distributed, and customizability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local resistance to proposed developments can be divisive, costly in time and delays, and damage reputations. We use typologies of process sheriff and enlightened resistance to explore community opposition to a proposed beachfront development in South East Queensland, Australia. Content analysis of protest signs, submissions to government, and interviews with community leaders uncovered community values and coherent themes of concern for transparent governance, environment, lifestyle, and identity. Our research reinforces the importance of genuine public consultation, demonstrates legitimate concerns often dismissed as NIMBYism, and contributes practical ways to acknowledge community values in planning decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of research has documented how gun violence can affect mental and physical health outcomes among adults. Likewise, the literature is also beginning to reveal negative psychological effects related to distress and hypervigilance and sociological implications around diminished community engagement and economic opportunity. However, there remains a need to fully explore the role of fear related to the experience of gun violence. Through a qualitative inquiry consisting of community resident focus groups and community leader interviews, this study examined how participants' perceptions of fear related to their exposures to and experiences of gun violence. The findings highlight the pervasive emotional experience of existing in a fearful, distressed, and/or anxious state within certain communities, and how civic disengagement, neighborhood disconnection, and economic disenfranchisement exist in communities that disproportionately experience violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores community flood preparedness in Ibadan, Nigeria. The qualitative method was adopted, and key informant interviews with community leaders in selected flood-prone communities were undertaken. Findings indicate that communities are not adequately prepared for floods, but cooperation associated with collectivism help flood victims cope with floods. Pervasive negative outcome expectancy and trust in flood structural protection measures are significant influences on communities' poor flood preparedness. While assistance associated with collectivism has been helpful, it will not suffice in the event of mega-floods. These underline the urgency of taking early action to strengthen the Ibadan communities' resilience to flood risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nigeria has a significant burden of NTDs with more than 120 million people at risk of the dominant NTDs namely Lymphatic Filariasis, Onchocerciasis, and Schistosomiasis. Control efforts have involved the four levels of governance with programs focused on vector control, preventive chemotherapy, water, sanitation and health education. However, the coordination across these levels and with multiple stakeholders remains unclear especially in states like Taraba that have received significant funding from local non-governmental organisations. Methods: This study evaluated NTD control effectiveness across national, state, local, and community levels in Nigeria. Eighty-two stakeholders were interviewed across the 4 governance levels. Results: Findings showed distinct roles of the different stakeholders: the National government sets policies, states adapt and strategise, local governments implement programs, and community leaders drive engagement. There is also some multi-sectoral collaboration and coordination among stakeholders. Challenges included inconsistent drug distribution, inadequate Community Drug Distributor (CDD) incentives, and limited cross-sector coordination. Discussion: NTD control progress has been notable, but to meet WHO's 2030 targets, Nigeria needs expanded partnerships, increased private sector involvement, improved drug distribution, enhanced CDD support, and integrated programs with cross-border collaboration. Conclusion: Strengthening multi-sectoral partnerships, improving resource allocation, and engaging community leaders are crucial for advancing NTD elimination in Nigeria. A coordinated approach is essential for sustainable disease control and achieving global health objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To evaluate the impact of a novel design "Star Home" on the incidence of malaria, respiratory tract infections and diarrheal diseases among children, randomly selected households in Mtwara, Tanzania were offered a free, new Star Home. Drawing on longitudinal qualitative research that accompanied the Star Homes study, this article describes the experiences of residents and the wider community of living with these buildings. Methods: A total of four rounds of face-to-face interviews were undertaken with residents of Star Homes (n = 37), control (wattle/daub) homes (n = 21), neighboring households n = 6), community members (n = 17) and community leaders (n = 6). The use of Star Homes was also observed over these four time periods between 2021 and 2023. Interviews were conducted in Swahili, transcribed, and translated into English for thematic analysis. Results: Star Homes residents appreciated several aspects of the Star Homes, including overall comfort, access to water and electricity, and clean toilets. There were concerns about some design elements, such as poorly closing doors, stoves perceived as inefficient, and the façade, which was susceptible to rainwater ingress. The houses were not always used as intended by their developers, for example, residents were sleeping downstairs instead of upstairs because of cold floors or difficulties using the stairs. Star Homes residents described how the structures triggered praise but also envy from other community members. Conclusions: The findings highlight the need for close attention to the use of novel design houses and careful sensitization around the potential benefits of dwellings to ensure that the intended health impacts of interventions are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian manufacturing sector saw the exit of the automotive industry in 2017 arising in mass retrenchment across its assembly plants and supply chain firms. In 2019, a large-scale program of research was launched to investigate the impacts of the closures on workers and community including a dedicated stream of qualitative work which took place in 2021. This work took the form of in-depth interviews that investigated the experiences of automotive workers as they underwent retrenchment, reskilling, re-employment and retirement. A further set of interviews took place in 2023 to investigate the experiences of community leaders in the areas affected by the assembly plant closures as they navigated a changing economic landscape. This dataset is designed to aid researchers and policy makers understand the complexities of individual experiences that complement the quantitative data collected during the broader program of work. In total, 73 automotive workers and 33 community leaders were interviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explored awareness and knowledge of CSR water initiatives in Narok, Kenya. It assessed stakeholder awareness and knowledge and aimed to identify gaps in CSR communication in water issues. A descriptive design was used, and data was collected from purposively selected key informants and focus group discussions (FGDs) across the vast county. The findings revealed limited awareness by individuals and beneficiary groups on corporate social responsibility activities through local community leaders, local media, interactions, and friends and acquaintances. Community members were not informed about CSR water project efforts and their impact, limited awareness of CSR in water issues, engagement, awareness and misconceptions about CSR goals, benefits, and stakeholder roles. The study concluded that there was low knowledge and awareness of community water projects in Narok. It recommended targeted awareness campaigns through social media, radio, and print media, educational programs, regular feedback for transparency and trust, sharing impact reports and success stories for project value and local partnerships for awareness, training and empowerment. Recognising active members, conducting thorough monitoring and evaluation, respecting customs and cultural values, and involving minority groups will enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of CSR community water projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunization plays a substantial role in reducing the under-five mortality rate. However, Tanzania still has a significant number of zero-dose and under-vaccinated children and was ranked among the top ten African countries with the highest numbers of zero-dose children in 2022. The human-centered design (HCD) approach is more ethical and effective at addressing public health challenges in complex sociocultural settings. This study aimed to use the HCD approach to aid in identifying, prioritizing, and implementing community-centric interventions in Tanzania, particularly in the Ilala District of Dar es Salaam, to increase vaccine demand and close the zero-dose gap by at least 50%. Methods: The study involved co-creation workshops with 483 participants to identify, design, and test solutions. The study followed the UNICEF Journey to Health and Immunization framework to identify barriers and enablers influencing stakeholders in adopting and sustaining health- and immunization-related actions. Results: The study identified the causes of under-five defaulting and the zero-dose gap, i.e., the inadequate support of local community leaders in under-five vaccination sensitization and surveillance; poor infrastructure to new settlement areas; hesitancy and unwillingness of parents/guardians; absence of house numbers; limited/time-constrained availability of resources to facilitate mobile immunization services, etc. The participants were able to come up with 309 ideas, which were refined through multiple iterations using the impact–-effort matrix and skimmed down to three (3) solutions: (i) having health facilities to notify and alert local leaders about vaccination dates; (ii) using parents, kids, and grownups who got vaccinated to influence others; (iii) using local government leaders and house representatives for vaccine advocacy. Of these, the solution involving local government leaders and house representatives for vaccine advocacy was implemented. An advocacy strategy was used to enhance the collaboration of the District Commissioner, Council leaders, and community leaders. A home-to-home interpersonal sensitization approach accompanied by the household delivery of vaccination services was employed. The findings reveal that the HCD framework was impactful in increasing collaborations/cooperation with local government leaders and community ownership of the under-five vaccination initiative. As a result, 67,145 houses, equal to 104%, were reached, surpassing the initial target of 64,800 houses, and 131,088 families, equal to 83% of the targeted 156,995 households, were sensitized through a home-to-home campaign approach. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to adopt the HCD approach when addressing public health challenges, especially in complex sociocultural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Using relationality and relational accountability as both a conceptual and methodological framework, this study explored the leadership practices of educational leaders in a community that a Wampanoag Tribe has called home for 12,000 plus years. It asked if and how leaders were exercising relationality and relational accountability in their engagement practices with Wampanoag and other Indigenous families and community members. Research Methods: Drawing from an exploratory case study that included 30 participants, 10 months of participant observation, 45 semi-structured conversations and interviews, and two talking circles, this article shares findings from observations, conversations, and interviews with six school and district leaders and five Indigenous parents and community leaders. Wilson's (2008) Intuitive logic and Braun's and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis were used to identify the results that are presented in this article. Findings: Town and school history have been major barriers to building trusting and accountable relationships with Wampanoag families. Leaders nonetheless hoped to build relationships by creating opportunities for families to engage for what they called “community purposes” and through “open” and “reciprocal” communication. A newly formed Tribe-District Partnership held the most promise for building trusting and accountable relationships with Tribal members. Implications of Research and Practice: Relationality and relational accountability are powerful Indigenous protocols with the potential of disrupting colonial leadership practices that have perpetuated legacies of Indigenous erasure. Leadership towards relationality and relational accountability positions educational leaders to support Indigenous communities in their efforts to revitalize and sustain what legacies of colonization and colonial schools have disrupted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disasters create and intensify stress for communities, with many factors contributing to how that stress results in mental health outcomes. Guided by the stress process model, this article presents findings from a qualitative investigation of the meaning of stress among community leaders in the context of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six community leaders in Flint and analyzed using grounded theory techniques. Secondary stressors such as necessary changes to everyday routines, being discredited by government officials, and perceptions of a lack of government action and accountability were perceived to impact the community’s mental health, with potentially more influence than the impact of the primary stressor of contaminated water. Findings indicate that both stressors and coping resources evolve with profound intrapersonal impact, such that proposed social coping resources become stressors when they do not meet individual or community needs or expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]