Дисертації з теми "Sociology of sub-Saharan retirees"

Comment les représentations fondées sur le passé et le futur organisent-elles et transforment-elles le rapport au travail des retraités subsahariens en France et en Belgique ? En d'autres termes, quelles sont les images associées au travail pour ces derniers ? Ces questions au croisement d'une socio-histoire des migrations, d'une sociologie du travail et du vieillissement, visent à asseoir une sociologie des retraités en France et en Belgique. Dès lors, notre recherche s'appuie sur une méthodologie mixte combinant entretiens biographiques (n=50), analyse secondaire de données statistiques et analyse documentaire. Au terme de l'analyse du matériau, nous défendons la thèse suivante : plus l'accès au marché du travail devient complexe, plus les travailleurs immigrés sont maltraités et moins ils envisagent de retourner dans leur pays d'origine
How do representations based on the past and the future organize and transform the relationship to work of sub-Saharan retirees in France and Belgium? In other words, what images are associated with work for them? These questions, at the crossroads of a socio-history of migration and a sociology of work and ageing, aim to establish a sociology of retired people in France and Belgium. Our research is therefore based on a mixed methodology combining biographical interviews (n=50), secondary analysis of statistical data and documentary analysis. At the end of our analysis of the material, we put forward the following thesis: the more complex access to the labour market becomes, the worse immigrant workers are treated and the less likely they are to consider returning to their country of origin

Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest rates of electrification and some of the worst education statistics worldwide. In the absence of strong infrastructure for a reliable grid system and quality universal primary schooling, the poor suffer significantly. Though substantial research has been done on both issues separately, the relationship between the two has yet to be explored. This thesis uses social justice theories to introduce the connections between energy poverty and an individual’s education capabilities through a case study in Zambia. Case study research was carried out in the urban low-resource settlements of Lusaka, Zambia over a period of two months with Lifeline Energy, using methods of participant observation.

Drawing on trends discovered in survey responses, interviews and feedback from a distribution of renewable technologies, this study demonstrates that a lack of modern forms of energy detracts from education. By synthesizing the data with Martha Nussbaum's capabilities approach and Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir’s scarcity theory, the research reveals that energy poverty hinders an individual’s ability to study and gain a quality education and diminishes their available cognitive capacity to learn by tunneling attention to the resource deficit. Furthermore, it supports the claim that energy poverty is not gender neutral. The research concludes that the scarcity caused by energy poverty can be lessened by the investment in and use of small-scale renewable technologies which alleviates some of the daily stress and grind of poverty. This thesis lays the groundwork to recognize energy poverty as an injustice.

Keywords: Energy Poverty, Education, Gender, Sub-Saharan Africa, Scarcity, Capabilities Approach.

This thesis explores the association between the age gap between parents and health outcomes for children in Sub-Saharan Africa. An average man-older age gap between partners has been observed all over the world and is the largest in many Sub-Saharan African countries. A large age gap is common in patriarchal societies and has been associated with less female autonomy and impeded decision-making for the couple, resulting in less contraceptive use and a possible higher risk of interpersonal violence. This thesis examines another association with age gaps by focusing on the health outcomes for children in families with large and small age gaps between the mother and her partner. It is hypothesized that children will have worse health outcomes in families where the age gap between the mother’s partner and the mother herself is larger than average. Using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), multilevel logistic regression is run to test the association between three health indicators while controlling for confounding variables such as mother’s age, education level and wealth. The health indicators are treatment of fevers, vaccination against measles and underweight. The results show some statistically significant associations, with all three variables supporting the hypothesis that children in age heterogamous families are doing worse. Children of couples with a larger than average age gap have lower likelihood of being treated for fever or cough, and a higher likelihood of being underweight, and children of couples with a smaller than average age gap have a higher likelihood of having received the first measles vaccination. The results show that the age gap between parents is a factor to take into consideration when studying child health and family structures in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The current hermeneutic qualitative phenomenological study explored the impact of Harambee tradition of philanthropy on the philanthropic activities of Kenyan immigrants in the Twin Cities. The face to face interviews of 12 Kenyan immigrants yielded six themes which illustrated that harambee; skews towards social needs limited to Kenyans and other similar groups, conform to familiarity and comfort, espouse shared responsibility, enhance community participation and mobilization, maintain continuity of philanthropy and harmonizes altruistic behavior and satisfaction. Two subthemes that emerged indicate that harambee is for common good and is not easy to replicate in other settings. The findings of this study show that first-generation Kenyan immigrants continue to practice harambee years after migration. It is recommended that a Kenyan cultural community center be established in the Twin Cities to preserve the Kenyan history and culture as well as to provide avenues for research on Kenyan immigrant issues and other similar groups in the United States.

Among the multitude of interventions to address the worst forms of child labor (WFCL), one of the responses to the presence of WFCL has been the institution of child labor monitoring (CLM). While systems to systematically monitor children with respect to their exposure and risks have been implemented, the degree of their efficacy and ultimately their effect on the targeted populations begs academic scrutiny. This dissertation seeks to provide an empirical view of the community-level dynamics that emerge in response to a community-based CLM program and their effects, in turn, on the CLM itself.

An embedded multiple case study methodology, surveying longitudinally at two points in time using a mix of purposive and probability sampling techniques, was employed for this study. Two communities, Ahokwa in the Western Region, and Dwease in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, were selected as cases.

The study finds that between the two points of observation – before and after the introduction of CLM – a profound reduction of WFCL is observed in Dwease, whereas much less reduction was observed in Ahokwa. A point-by-point analysis within and between the two villages reveals that individual, social and institutional factors worked together to transform behavior in Dwease. The principal change catalysts in Dwease were (a) a heightened awareness of child work hazards and a deepened parental investment in child education working at the individual level, coupled with (b) new norms created by the town's opinion leaders and the emergence of peer accountability at the social level, and (c) monitoring carried out by the Community Data Collection (CDC) and enforcement carried out by the Community Child Protection Committee (CCPC) – the two new institutions constituting CLM at the community-level. The underlying social dynamic proved to be decisive: a tipping point was crossed in Dwease whereby progressive opinion leaders in the community, who, once sensitized to recognize the pejorative effects of CL/WFCL, created new social norms and spurred a critical mass of community members to rid their community of CL/WFCL.

This study shows that with sufficient local ownership, and if properly instituted, the tandem operation of child protection committees and child labor monitoring enables a community to effectively detect, police and mitigate the practice of child labor and WFCL.

Without exception, healthcare systems in the Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, face many challenges. Difficulties in Ghana’s healthcare system stem from many factors, but the most notable one is professional migration, which has crippled the former British colony since 1980. Statistical data demonstrate the yearly migration of healthcare workers from Ghana and its impact on healthcare services (the doctor/nurse population ratio). This study used a quantitative multiple regression research method to examine and empirically analyze the relationship between healthcare workers, technological innovations, and changes in healthcare services in Ghana from 1990 to 2010. The main result was that technological innovations had a significant impact on healthcare services in Ghana during the observed period. Also, regional disparities in the number of medical doctors and nurses were largely explained by the degree of urbanization and economic development. Therefore, the pooled regression analysis from the panel data consistently showed that technological innovations significantly impacted the healthcare system in Ghana during the observed period. However, the numerical impact of the technological innovation coefficients was relatively lower in Ghana during the observed period.

The objectives of this explorative case study investigated a multistakeholder conflict in Tanzania Africa, using stakeholder theory as the theoretical foundation. While stakeholder theory has evolved and gained prominence as a method for reviewing conflict resolution processes it was important to conceptualize any discrepancies that could establish a framework for resolving conflicts in practice and in strategy. The research design analyzed five factors of framing, reframing, managing, power and trust with four different stakeholders involved in higher education loan conflicts. The results of the study showed distinct differences compared to previous research findings focused on multistakeholder conflicts. One primary distinction was characterization of the conflicts followed other studies however the lack of motivation to change was complex. There was a strong risk aversion which blocked a link for long-term solutions. Though like other studies competitive, collaboration and coalition for managing the conflicts were identified, risk aversion precipitated an unpredictable mixture of these management processes. Furthermore power imbalances and trust were identified as important aspects of multistakeholder conflicts; however this study linked the impact of results when risk aversion is included in the conflict. Finally, like other studies barriers to a strong conflict resolution process were related to normative values. However, this study enhanced the impact of a lack of societal values for motivating stakeholders to include normative values. It is recommended that further research be conducted to explore the implications of the multistakeholder conflict resolution model.

Master of Arts
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work
Matthew R. Sanderson
Food crises in Kenya are recurring phenomena. Despite widespread and perennial famines, Kenya is exporting food while importing food aid. This study focuses on the concept and question of food security in Kenya. If Kenya can produce and even export food products, why does the country still import food aid every year? Why is the country classified as food insecure? And why does the country still suffer from recurrent famines? Drawing on social science theory from the political economy of food and agriculture, this study postulates that the contradiction between exporting food and importing food aid is related to Kenya‟s subordinate position in the world economy. Using a comparative-historical, in-depth case study research design, this research descriptively explores the relationship between trends in food aid, trade, production and food security. The study finds that the relationship between food trade and aid with food security is mixed in Kenya. Aid and trade have not strongly enhanced food security in Kenya, but food insecurity in Kenya has not gotten markedly worse.

Le paysage associatif français de lutte contre le VIH/sida voit émerger dès la fin des années 1990 un ensemble d'associations d'immigrant-e-s, en particulier porté par des personnes nées en Afrique Subsaharienne. Lourdement affectées par l'épidémie et longtemps oubliées des programmes de lutte contre le VIH/sida, les femmes immigrantes devenues une cible prioritaire des autorités sanitaires y occupent une position particulière. L'objectif de cette thèse est d'éclairer le rôle spécifique joué par les femmes nées en Afrique Subsaharienne dans la lutte contre le VIH/sida en France et d'analyser les conséquences d'un tel engagement associatif sur les différentes sphères de leur vie. Une enquête socio-ethnographique a été réalisée en Île-de-France, entre 2011 et 2013, à partir de l'observation du quotidien de six associations, d'actions et d'événements associatifs divers. Quatre-vingt-six entretiens ont été conduits auprès de femmes rencontrées dans douze associations, afin de reconstituer leur trajectoire biographique, et auprès de médecins et assistantes sociales hospitalières pour saisir leurs représentations de ces actrices associatives. Le care et l'agency forment le cadre analytique émergeant des matériaux empiriques. L'enquête montre que les projets associatifs menés par les femmes nées en Afrique Subsaharienne répondent de manière sensible aux besoins des immigrant-e-s les plus vulnérables mais également aux besoins de soutien des professionnel-le-s de l'action sociale et de santé. Majoritairement féminins, ces collectifs s'inscrivent dans une grammaire associative du care reposant sur l'auto-support et la rencontre entre deux profils : les usagères en situation de liminalité et les aidantes aux ressources diverses. Les usagères puisent dans ces espaces les supports nécessaires à la sortie du statut liminal, tandis que les aidantes développent une expertise du terrain qui leur permet de s'insérer dans les sphères professionnelles et politiques du VIH/sida. Les analyses pointent le processus d'agence des femmes engagées au sein de ces associations. Les usagères négocient les modalités de leur insertion sociale en France en recourant de manière tactique aux associations qu'elles fréquentent. Les aidantes s'appuient sur la lutte contre le VIH/sida pour dépasser la place traditionnellement réservée aux immigrant-e-s en France et accéder à l'espace public. De plus, le positionnement spécifique des femmes aux sein des associations d'immigrant-e-s leur offre une opportunité particulière de s'approprier stratégiquement les normes de genre intégrées au fil de leur socialisation. Cependant, les enjeux sociaux de la lutte contre le VIH/sida articulés à la position sociale de ces femmes dans le contexte migratoire freinent la voix/e différente qui semble leur être ouverte par la lutte contre l'épidémie en France
The French associative landscape against HIV/AIDS sees at the end of the 1990s the emergence of a set of immigrant organizations, especially led by persons born in sub-Saharan Africa. Heavily affected by the epidemic and long forgotten by the programs to combat the epidemic, immigrant women became a priority target of the health authorities and now occupy a particular position within immigrant organizations. The objective of this thesis is to shed light on the specific role played by women born in sub-Saharan Africa in the fight against HIV/AIDS in France and to analyze the consequences of such an associative commitment on various spheres of their lives. A socio-ethnographic survey was conducted in the Ile-de-France region, between 2011 and 2013, from the observation of the daily lives, actions and events of six organizations. Eighty-six interviews were conducted among women met in twelve organizations, in order to reconstruct their biographical trajectory, and among doctors and hospital social workers in order to seize their representations of these associative players. Theories of care and agency form the analytical framework emerging from the empirical materials. The survey shows that the associative projects led by women born in sub-Saharan Africa respond sensitively to the needs of the most vulnerable immigrants but also to the needs of the social and health professionals. Predominantly female, these groups fit into an associative grammar of care based on self-support and the meeting between two profiles: the female users in a liminal position and the caregivers with diverse resources. The female users draw on these spaces the necessary supports to get out of the liminal status, while the caregivers develop a field expertise which allows them to fit into HIV/AIDS policies and professional spheres. The analyses point out the agency process of the women engaged within these organizations. The female users negotiate the mode of their social integration in France tactically resorting to the associations they frequent. The caregivers rely on the fight against HIV/AIDS to exceed the position traditionally assigned to immigrants in France and to have access to the public space. Furthermore, the specific positioning of women within immigrant organizations offers them a special opportunity to strategically appropriate the gender norms integrated over their socialization. However, HIV/AIDS social issues linked to the social position of women in the migration context hamper the different voice/way which seems to be open to them in the fight against the epidemic in France

This dissertation is an Investigation into the Tuareg involvement in violent conflict in the Sahara and the Sahel of North Africa from a sociological psychological perspective of unmet human needs. The research begins by establishing the structure and texture of the sociological, psychological, and emotional life patterns of their existence when not involved in violent conflict. This is followed by an examination of the pathology of Tuareg social structures that are engaged in intra and inter communal violence as perpetrators, victims, and bystanders. The first part of the research establishes normal conditions of the sociological life cycle and highlights natural areas of conflict that arise from exposure to rapid and/or external changes to their physical and social environment. The second part establishes parameters of expected damage from trauma, extended conflict, and failure to adapt to rapid environmental, social and political changes. The research methodology relies on a case study format that uses collaborative ethnography and phenomenological inquiry to answer the research questions and validate propositions made from existing literature and pre]existing research. The research questions focus on aspects of the sociological structure and failing psychological and emotional needs that are relevant to the subjectfs involvement in violent conflict. The research propositions are in part shaped from existing knowledge of tribal sociological structures that are related to the Tuareg by ethnicity, environment, and shared psycho]cultural attributes. The expected contribution of this research is the development of an alternative praxis for tribal engagement and village stability operations conducted by the United States Special Operations Command.

This dissertation investigates the notion of bourgeoisification, the bourgeois, and the bourgeoisie in African Francophone literature of the colonial and post-colonial periods. The origins of the African bourgeoisie can be traced to the Western colonialist project. Three institutions have been especially implicated in its creation: the Western colonial educational system, commercial activities, and the modern town and the trend toward urbanization. These three came together to engender new forms of human relationships in Africa. Such relationships destabilized and tended to displace, the traditional family and communal structures, as well as the caste system. In this new society which would be marked by extreme alienation, new human types were born: the 'haves' and the 'have-nots.' The 'haves,' who constitute the center bolt of the present study, we can characterize as the African bourgeoisie My project is not intended as a critique of the bourgeoisie and its discursive practices. Rather, it is a critical analysis of the representation of the bourgeois(ie). Therefore, any less-than-positive picture of the class and/or its members that may seem to emanate from my analysis should be understood as a reflexion of a generally negative pattern of representation in the texts under consideration. My real goal is to examine the strategies used by certain novelists and playwrights in their efforts to paint a portrayal of the class and its members. Furthermore, my analysis of such strategies will help to reveal each writer's attitudes toward the class, for it is my view that representation of any universe of discourse is never an entirely innocent activity. My study will also provide a historiographical perspective not only on the origin and development of the bourgeoisie in Francophone sub-Saharan Africa, but also on the evolution of its figurations in literary texts My dissertation is divided into four chapters. In Chapter I, I examine the issue of the literary invention of the African bourgeoisie and its relationship to the reality that it draws upon as well as points to. I focus mainly on the use by African writers of such devices as metaphor as a privileged instrument of representation. Chapter II considers another side of invention, that is historical invention. It focuses on the French colonial school as the birthplace of what later came to be known as the Sub-Saharan bourgeoisie. Chapter IV studies the elaboration in certain novels of what I call an African discourse of transgression. It puts into deeper perspective the bourgeoisification of lower castes in the colonial school and the impact this has on contemporary African political reality. Chapter III presents a case study of a specific bourgeois type: the arriviste. This is the type most encountered in African anti-bourgeois literature, and widely considered to be a negative presence on the African sociopolitical and economic scene. An important aspect of this chapter is the making of the bourgeois arriviste in Africa
acase@tulane.edu

This dissertation aims to enrich understanding of issues affecting the care and protection of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in sub-Saharan Africa. The social risks and resources of OVC in selected contexts is examined using both quantitative and qualitative data and multiple datasets. Results pertaining to OVC's sexual risk, marginalization, available social support and reasons for limited support are presented. Chapter 1 investigates the onset of sexual behavior and sexual risk among orphans and non-orphans in South Africa. The sample for this analysis consists of 1694 Black African youth age 14-18. The analyses found both male and female orphans significantly more likely to have engaged in sex as compared to non-orphans (49% vs. 39%). Among sexually active youth, orphans reported younger age of sexual intercourse with 23% of orphans having had sex by age 13 or younger compared to 15% of non-orphans. Chapter 2 focuses on a sample of 692 youth-headed households (YHH) in Rwanda age 13-24 and describes their degree of marginalization and available social support. Most youth reported significant caring relationships: 73% reported access to trusted adult who offers them advice and guidance, and most indicated close peer relationships. However, many youth also perceived a lack of community support, with 86% feeling rejected by the community and 57% feeling the community would rather hurt them than help them. Chapter 3 expands upon the results presented in Chapter 2 to gain further insight into the marginalization and limited community support reported by YHH. The socio-cultural factors that influence the level of support Rwandan communities provide to OVC is explored through a triangulation of multiple methods and perspectives. The analyses cast light on the importance of three factors affecting community support and marginalization: stigma, NGO assistance and community discord. Overall, this dissertation enriches understanding of how OVC's vulnerability and social networks impact their care and protection. Data such as this should be used to inform efforts to support OVC. In hopes of achieving this aim, discussion throughout lends particular attention to the programmatic implications of these results
acase@tulane.edu

On s’accorde à dire que les adolescents constituent l’avenir quel que soit le temps et l’espace considéré. Il est également reconnu que le développement de leur capital humain et social, nécessaire pour une vie adulte de qualité, dépend des conditions dans lesquelles ils vivent et de l’environnement dans lequel s’opérera la transition vers cette vie adulte. Plus que dans toute autre partie du monde, ce constat est encore plus d’actualité en Afrique sub-Saharienne où, à la situation socio-économique déjà précaire, s’ajoutent d’importants problèmes de santé sexuelle et reproductive auxquels font face les adolescents en particulier le VIH. Conscients de l’enjeu majeur que représente la santé des adolescents, les gouvernements en Afrique sub-Saharienne, aidés en cela par les organismes non-gouvernementaux et toute la communauté internationale, ont inscrit la promotion de stratégies efficientes en santé sexuelle et reproductive des adolescents comme haute priorité dans leurs agendas. Mais force est de constater que l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre de telles stratégies supposent la production de connaissances sans cesse actualisées ainsi que la formulation de politiques innovatrices basées sur des données probantes et éprouvées en matière de santé sexuelle et reproductive, ce qui n’est pas toujours le cas. De plus, le fait que ce segment particulier de la population ne constitue pas un groupe homogène pose un défi supplémentaire quant à l’élaboration de stratégies généralisables. Fort de ce qui précède, le présent travail, qui porte sur le Burkina Faso, le Ghana, le Malawi et l’Ouganda, fait d’abord le point sur les problèmes majeurs de santé sexuelle et reproductive auxquels fait face cette frange spécifique de la population, tout en jetant un regard critique sur les efforts déployés par les sciences sociales pour les analyser. Il apporte ensuite des réponses à des questions spécifiques de recherche que nous nous sommes posées à travers les trois articles qui constituent l’ossature de cette thèse et dont l’essentiel de l’analyse empirique peut être résumé comme suit : Dans le premier article, nous sommes partis du constat suivant : dans les quatre pays étudiés, une importante proportion des adolescents qui se déclarent non encore sexuellement actifs pensent paradoxalement que leurs chances de contracter le VIH sont très grandes. Face à un tel constat, la question que l’on est en droit de se poser est celle de savoir pourquoi sont-ils si préoccupés? Quels sont les facteurs qui déterminent cette perception du risque? Les résultats confirment ce que certaines études ont déjà démontré à savoir que les individus élaborent leur propre définition du risque qui peut ne pas se résumer nécessairement à une opposition binaire «risque/aucun risque», mais est plutôt fonction des caractéristiques individuelles mais aussi du contexte social et épidémiologique dans lesquels ils vivent. Le deuxième article de la thèse analyse le contexte dans lequel s’opère la transition vers le premier rapport sexuel chez les adolescentes des quatre pays étudiés. Il part du constat selon lequel les recherches ont très souvent abordé les comportements sexuels des adolescents sous un angle marqué par la dichotomie entre les «sexuellement actifs» et les «non encore sexuellement actifs». Or le calendrier de l’entrée en sexualité et le contexte dans lequel elle a lieu (dans l’union ou hors union) sont non seulement des marqueurs des comportements sexuels à risque vis-à-vis du VIH, mais ils conditionnent aussi et surtout la qualité de la transition vers l’entrée dans la vie adulte. Les résultats montrent ici également que le contrôle parental est significativement associé à une faible probabilité pour les adolescents d’initier la sexualité hors de l’union. Quant au troisième article, il se penche sur un cas précis de comportement à risques chez les adolescents: le multipartenariat sexuel aggravé par la non utilisation systématique du condom, pourtant le seul moyen pour l’instant (en dehors de l’abstinence) de se protéger contre les infections sexuellement transmissibles et le VIH/SIDA. Les résultats montrent entre autres que le contrôle parental est significativement associé à une faible probabilité de comportement sexuel à risque, défini ici comme étant la co-occurrence de plusieurs partenaires sexuels au cours de 12 derniers mois et la non-utilisation systématique du condom avec chacun des partenaires. Sur un plan programmatique, ce résultat est plutôt encourageant car il prouve que l’autorité parentale jadis considérée comme érodée, demeure une pierre angulaire dans les stratégies de prévention du VIH chez les adolescents.
Adolescent girls and boys represent key segments of the population for the future in all societies across the world. The readiness of these young people to assume adult roles and responsibilities in the future, both for themselves and for their countries, depends in large part on how successfully they manage their critical transitions to adulthood and on the support they receive from their families, communities and governments during this period of their lives. Investment in adolescent sexual and reproductive health is likely to be of enormous importance to the development prospects of sub-Saharan Africa and the future wellbeing of African populations, as it enables adolescents to grow into healthy and productive adults. While protecting the health of young Africans is recognized as a priority at the community, national and international levels, policies and programs, if they are to be effective, need to be evidence-based and appropriate to each local context. This thesis focuses on the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents in four sub-Saharan African countries: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda. It aims to expand the knowledge base needed to develop and implement programs and policies that will increase adolescents’ ability to prevent HIV and contribute to the creation of a safe and supportive environment essential to their growth and development. The research is organized around three empirical articles along with introductive chapters and a general conclusion, and is designed to answer a number of questions of policy importance. The first article deals with the perceptions of HIV risks by adolescents who are not yet sexually active. The topic is of considerable interest because of its potential importance for HIV prevention programs, particularly when sexually inexperienced adolescents report high levels of concern over their likelihood of contracting HIV over time. Findings show that there is no single influence on adolescents’ HIV risk perception, but rather a range of determinants that operate at the individual, environmental and community levels. This finding suggests that programs and policies should take into account factors that extend beyond the characteristics of adolescents when addressing their sexual and reproductive health needs. The second article of the thesis examines the context in which adolescent girls’ transition to first sexual intercourse occurs in the four countries. Going beyond the usual dichotomy of sexual experienced versus inexperienced adolescents, it analyzes simultaneously the factors associated with sexual initiation before and within the first union for adolescent girls aged 12-19. The results show that a high level parental monitoring is significantly associated with a decreased risk of adolescents’ becoming sexually active prior to marriage. A policy recommendation of this study is that public and nongovernmental organizations need to more fully integrate parents into their programs on adolescent sexual and reproductive health. The third article examines two specific aspects of sexual risk behaviour among adolescents: multipartnership and condom use. Our findings show that adolescents who report high levels of parental control are less likely to have multiple sexual partners. In terms of policy and programmatic implications, this result again suggests that parents’ influence over their children’s behavior, widely assumed to have declined over time, remains important to reproductive health interventions in diverse contexts in sub-Saharan Africa.

The development of resources above and below ground simultaneously involves and impacts a variety of stakeholders worldwide, including states, corporations and local populations. Land use issues are important to investigate in developing countries, such as in sub-Saharan Africa where most nations have opted for either agriculture or mining to boost their economies in the aftermath of political independence in the 1960s. Company-community conflicts in mining have been widely researched, but mining land-use issues are still commonplace globally. There are limitations to the understanding about the broader issue because most studies have focused on conflicts that are not land related. This thesis focuses on a case study in Côte d’Ivoire, where coexistence between agriculture and mining is increasingly a challenge. Côte d’Ivoire is rich in both agricultural and mineral resources, but the country was predominantly reliant on an agricultural-based economy until 2010, when mine operators were invited to expand operations in order to diversify national development. However, this economic policy shift has been problematic, making land a central subject of stakeholder conflicts. This challenge is expected to continue into the future, with a continued expansion of mining in rural settings where land remains the most important economic asset, source of livelihoods, and also a cultural asset, for local populations. The aim of this research was to advance understanding of mining land-use conflicts in a developing nations context, using a case study site, Bonikro Gold Mine (BGM) from the Côte d’Ivoire. This single case study provided two rare opportunities to reflect critically on the broader phenomena. First was the fact that BGM’s operation is located in an area of higher agriculture value with a varying history of mining land-use issues. The other insight comes from the student’s position as an employee of BGM with professional position in Social Performance and working on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in mining from the corporate perspective. The research is based on three main components including: a set of conceptual frameworks and theoretical perspectives; a desk review of specific available literature; and field investigations for qualitative and quantitative data collection. The conceptual frameworks identified for this study included a universal conceptual model developed to provide a comprehensive understanding of interaction between the causes and the effects of conflicts worldwide, and a specific contextual framework for the case study in the Côte d’Ivoire. The described theoretical approaches included social contract theory, legitimacy theory, stakeholder theory, theory of exchange, power dynamics and conflict resolution theory. Of these, stakeholder theory and the theory of conflict resolution were identified as being particularly valuable in understanding the challenges presented by mining land-use conflicts and what exactly the nature of the problems are. Additionally, a theoretical six-nine (69)-hypothesis was proposed as a new way to explain the power dynamism in mining stakeholder relationships, which is a novel contribution to extending power dynamics theory. The desktop study indicated that mining land-use conflicts exist because of a variety of root causes, involving different stakeholder perspectives across government, company and community. Primary and secondary data were collected from both participants and the case study site to populate the research with context-specific and nuanced information. The field survey reflects the responses of 511 participants from mining-affected community groups and government officials across the study scope region. The survey was conducted using interview questions and survey questionnaires, and a total of 411 interviews and 100 surveys were held in person. Fieldwork was completed between November 2016 and August 2017. The results enabled the identification of four primary conflict drivers: discrepancy between national land-mining laws and local contexts; benefit sharing issues that include local employment, lost asset compensation and social investment; challenges in relation to stakeholder engagement and consultation; and mining-induced changes such as disruption of local structures, economic displacement and human resettlement, environmental degradation and quality of life concerns. Bringing the theoretical and practical perspectives of the thesis together, the key finding of the study is that solutions to conflicts require a balanced resource governance system, an adapted industry driven approach and a good negotiation capacity of local communities. A balanced resource governance system should normally provide a strong platform for establishing good relationships between mining stakeholders via property rights, approvals process, operating conditions and closure planning. Furthermore, mine operators have the potential to reduce impact of mining on local communities with industry driven processes such as CSR and social license to operate (SLO). CSR approaches can be adapted to the needs of communities in terms of managing stakeholder engagement and environmental nuisances, sharing benefits and resolving conflicts once they occur. The SLO can be used to acknowledge social acceptance towards mining activities, and can be measured through community perception surveys, which can help to avoid or resolve problems. Moreover, effective community capacity to negotiate local level agreements can help generate more positive impacts and improve the quality of stakeholder relationships. These individual solutions can be applied in tandem, or in a sequence depending on specific challenges that stakeholders face, but the combination of the strengths of different solutions can provide a more successful outcome to reduce mining land-use conflicts. The thesis concludes with recommendations on practical strategies that could be adopted by different stakeholders to reduce and manage conflict, as well as suggestions for future research activity that could extend this work in terms of both theoretical and practice outcomes. Overall, this research focused on a single case study, but it was useful to build theory on and contribute to the understanding of mining land-use conflicts, and the insights derived hold relevance throughout Côte d’Ivoire as well as in other developing countries.

La thèse porte sur la relation entre l’environnement familial et le comportement sexuel des adolescents vivant dans un contexte de socialisation. L’environnement familial est mesuré par le type de famille de résidence, le type d’union du chef de ménage, la survie des parents, la cohabitation avec les grands-parents et le nombre de personnes de moins de 20 ans par adulte dans le ménage. Le comportement sexuel est opérationnalisé par l’entrée en sexualité prémaritale, l’utilisation du condom au premier rapport sexuel, le nombre de partenaires sexuels, le recours au partenaire sexuel occasionnel et l’utilisation systématique du condom au cours des douze derniers mois. Les données proviennent d’enquêtes transversales. Elles ont servi à établir des associations entre les indicateurs des deux concepts. Les résultats sont présentés dans trois articles (Chapitres III à V). Une analyse descriptive de l’environnement familial au Burkina Faso montre qu’une majorité des enfants de 0 à 14 ans (78,4% en 1993 et 77,6% en 2003) et des adolescents de 12 à 19 ans (61,1% en 2004) vit auprès des deux parents, en union monogame ou polygame. Cependant, certains enfants et adolescents résident avec les parents dans des ménages dirigés par d’autres personnes. Le décès des parents (7,7% en 1993 et 7,3% en 2003 pour les enfants; 16,5% en 2004 pour les adolescents), la pratique du confiage (10,4% en 1993 et 8,9% en 2003 pour les enfants; 26,9% en 2004 pour les adolescents) et la monoparentalité (11,2% en 1993 et 13,6% en 2003 pour les enfants; 12% en 2004 pour les adolescents) affectent amplement l’environnement familial. C’est dans l’adolescence que les individus sont plus nombreux à être privés de la présence des deux parents. Il existe une association statistique significative entre l’environnement familial et le comportement sexuel des adolescents du Burkina Faso. Cette relation varie en fonction de l’indicateur de comportement à l’étude et du sexe des adolescents ciblés. Par exemple, l’absence des deux parents dans le ménage n’est pas systématiquement associée au comportement sexuel à risque. S’agissant des indicateurs de comportement sexuel, l’âge au premier rapport sexuel est associé significativement aux autres indicateurs des garçons et des filles. Une entrée précoce en sexualité (avant 14 ans) est associée à une plus grande probabilité d’adoption de comportement sexuel à risque. Toutefois, elle est moins susceptible d’être associée au recours à plusieurs partenaires sexuels. Les résultats ont conduit à des recommandations pour les politiques et les programmes de santé sexuelle et reproductive. Au Burkina Faso, la priorité des futures actions devrait viser la sensibilisation des parents, des tuteurs et des adultes du ménage pour l’éducation, le soutien et le suivi de tous les adolescents, sans exception de sexe et de statut dans la sexualité. Les institutions extrafamiliales, comme l’école, devraient être mises à contribution pour appuyer l’effort des membres de la famille. Une stratégie combinée de promotion du report de l’entrée en sexualité et de l’éducation sexuelle pourrait être un moyen plus sûr et plus sécuritaire pour protéger la santé dans l’adolescence.
The objective of this thesis is to examine the relation between family environment and sexual behavior of adolescents within the context of socialization. The family environment is measured by type of family, union status of the household head, parents’ survival, cohabitation with grandparents and the ratio of people aged less than 20 years to adults in the household. Sexual behavior is captured by the existence and timing of premarital first sexual intercourse, use of condom at first sexual intercourse, number of sexual partners, having a casual sexual partner and systematic use of condom during the last twelve months. Data come from cross-sectional surveys. The findings are presented in three articles (Chapters III to V). A descriptive analysis of family environment in Burkina Faso shows that the large majority of children aged from 0 to 14 years (78.4% in 1993 and 77.6% in 2003) and of adolescents aged from 12 to 19 years (61.1% in 2004) live with both parents who are in either monogamous or polygamous unions. However, some of these children and adolescents also live with parents in households headed by other people. The death of parents (7.7% in 1993 and 7.3% in 2003 for children; 16.5% in 2004 for adolescents), child fostering (10.4% in 1993 and 8.9% in 2003 for children; 26.9% in 2004 for adolescents) and single parenthood (11.2% in 1993 and 13.6% in 2003 for children; 12% in 2004 for adolescents) can affect the nature and quality of the family environment, and the risk for being deprived of the presence of both parents increases during adolescence. There exists a significant statistical association between variables capturing aspects of the family environment and adolescents’ sexual behavior in Burkina Faso. This relation varies according to the specific sexual behavior under study as well as by the adolescents’ gender. For example, we find that the absence of both parents in the household is not systematically associated with more risky sexual behavior. Age at first sexual intercourse is significantly associated with others indicators of sexual behavior of boys and of girls. An early first sexual intercourse (before 14 years) is associated with a greater likelihood of several subsequent more risky sexual behaviors. However, it is less likely to be associated with more sexual partners. The findings lead to recommendations for sexual and reproductive health policies and programs. In Burkina Faso, the priority of future actions should aim at raising of parents’ and guardians’ awareness for the education, support and monitoring of all adolescents, notwithstanding their gender and sexual status. Extra-familial social institutions, such as school, should contribute to support parents’, guardians’ and family members’ effort. A combined strategy of postponing first sexual intercourse and improving sexual education could contribute to protecting sexual and reproductive health in adolescence.

La santé des enfants demeure une question prioritaire en Afrique sub-saharienne. Les disparités en matière de mortalité entre pays et au sein des pays persistent et se sont fortement accrues durant la dernière décennie. En dépit de solides arguments théoriques voulant que les variables contextuelles soient des déterminants importants de la santé des enfants, ces facteurs, et particulièrement les influences du contexte local, ont été étudiées beaucoup moins souvent que les caractéristiques individuelles. L'objectif principal de la présente thèse est d’identifier les déterminants individuels et contextuels associés à la mortalité des enfants de moins de 5 ans en Afrique sub-saharienne. L’analyse systématique est basée sur les données les plus récentes des enquêtes démographiques et de santé (DHS/EDS). Deux questions spécifiques sont examinées dans cette thèse. La première évalue la mesure dans la quelle le contexte local affecte la mortalité infanto-juvénile, net des caractéristiques individuelles. La seconde question est consacrée à l’examen de l’effet du faible poids à la naissance sur le risque de décès avant 5 ans. Par rapport à la première question, les analyses multi-niveaux confirment pour plusieurs pays étudiés l’importance simultanée de l’environnement familial et du contexte local de résidence dans l’explication des différences de mortalité infanto-juvénile. Toutefois, par comparaison au contexte familial, l’ampleur de l’effet de l’environnement local paraît assez modeste. Il apparaît donc que le contexte familial reste un puissant déterminant de la mortalité des enfants de moins de 5 ans en Afrique sub-saharienne. Les résultats indiquent en outre que certains attributs du contexte local de résidence influencent le risque de décès des enfants avant 5 ans, au-delà des facteurs individuels dans plusieurs pays. Cette thèse confirme l’effet contextuel de l’éducation sur la mortalité des enfants. Cet effet s’ajoute, dans certains pays, à l'effet positif du niveau individuel d’éducation de la mère sur la survie de l'enfant. Les résultats montrent aussi que le degré d’homogénéité ethnique de la localité influence fortement la probabilité de mourir avant 5 ans dans certains pays. Globalement, les résultats de cette thèse suggèrent que le défi de réduire la mortalité des enfants va au-delà des stratégies visant uniquement les facteurs individuels, et nécessite une meilleure compréhension de l’influence des facteurs contextuels. Par rapport à la deuxième question, les résultats montrent également que les facteurs individuels restent aussi très importants dans l’explication des différences de mortalité des enfants dans plusieurs pays étudiés. Nos résultats indiquent que les différences de mortalité selon le poids à la naissance sont significatives dans tous les pays inclus dans l’analyse. Les enfants nés avec un faible poids (moins de 2500 grammes) courent presque 2 à 4 fois plus de risques de mourir au cours des cinq premières années de vie que les enfants de poids normal, même après correction pour l’hétérogénéité non observée. Ce résultat suggère qu’en plus des mesures visant à réduire la pauvreté et les inégalités de revenus, la réduction de l’incidence du faible poids à la naissance pourrait apporter une contribution majeure aux Objectifs du Millénaire pour le développement; spécialement comme une stratégie efficace pour réduire le niveau de mortalité parmi les enfants de moins de cinq ans.
Child health remains a priority area for health policy in sub-Saharan Africa. Disparities in child mortality between and within countries have persisted and widened considerably during the last few decades. While researchers have devoted considerable attention to the impact of individual-level factors on child mortality, less is known about how community characteristics and institutions affect health outcomes for children, even though they have a prominent role in theoretical models. The aim of this thesis is to identify individual and contextual effects of child mortality by using data from the latest round of Demographic Health Surveys for all countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Two sets of questions are addressed in this research. First, we evaluate the impact of contextual factors on the risk of dying before age 5 net of the effect of individual factors. The results indicate that some attributes of the community influence the mortality risks of children, over and above the intermediate factors included in this investigation. For instance, in half of the countries under study a 1% increase in the proportion of children fully immunized in the community is associated with a decrease of 17-79% in the odds of dying before age 5. The proportion of women in the community completing secondary school also significantly increases child survival. This effect is, in some countries, in addition to the positive individual-level effect of the child’s own mother being educated. Net of individual and household characteristics, higher community-level ethnic homogeneity is associated with decreased odds of dying before age 5 in some countries. Overall, the results of this study therefore suggest that the challenge to reduce under-five mortality goes beyond addressing individual factors, and requires a better understanding of contextual factors. Second, the study exploits recent national survey data for nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa to investigate the association of LBW and mortality not only in infancy but also during childhood, using a standardized methodology to adjust missing birth weight data from household surveys while accounting for unobserved family-level factors (genetic or behavioral) that may modify the relationship between birth weight and under-five-years mortality. We find evidence of the impact of birth weight on the risk of dying not only in infancy but also during childhood, which remains strong and significant in all countries even after controlling for potential confounding factors. The main policy implication of our findings is that reducing the incidence of LBW may be an important prevention strategy to combating child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa countries.

Bien que la relation entre l’état de santé perçu et les mesures de santé physique et mentale soit bien documentée dans les pays développés, très peu d’études ont examiné cette association dans le monde en développement, particulièrement en Afrique subsaharienne. De même, les études menées dans divers contextes sociaux ont documenté que les femmes et les personnes de plus faible statut socioéconomique (SSÉ) sont les plus susceptibles de porter un lourd fardeau des incapacités et de la mauvaise santé perçue, mais il n’est pas connu si ces associations existent aussi dans les pays africains. L'objectif général de cette recherche doctorale était d’aboutir à une meilleure compréhension de la stratification sociale de la santé en Afrique subsaharienne. Plus spécifiquement, cette étude visait à: 1) Examiner les associations entre la santé perçue et les mesures de santé physique et mentale (maladies chroniques, incapacités et dépression) parmi les adultes à Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, et évaluer comment ces associations varient selon le sexe, le niveau d’éducation et l'âge; 2) Analyser les différences en matière d’incapacité cognitive et physique entre les hommes et les femmes âgés de 50 ans et plus à Ouagadougou et évaluer la mesure dans laquelle les différences observées pourraient être attribuables aux inégalités de genre en matière de conditions sociales et de santé à travers le cycle de vie; 3) Examiner la relation entre le SSÉ et une multitude de mesures d’incapacités parmi les adultes âgés de 18 ans et plus dans 18 pays d’Afrique subsaharienne et déterminer si les différences socioéconomiques dans les incapacités sont caractérisées par une divergence, convergence ou stabilité à travers l’âge. Les résultats de nos analyses sont présentés sous forme de trois articles scientifiques, qui se sont appuyés sur les données de l'Enquête santé réalisée en 2010 dans l'Observatoire de Population de Ouagadougou (OPO) et de la World Health Survey réalisée en 2002-2004 par l’OMS. Dans le premier article, nous avons trouvé que la mauvaise santé perçue était fortement associée aux maladies chroniques et aux incapacités, mais pas à la dépression. L’effet des incapacités sur la mauvaise santé perçue s’intensifiait avec l’âge et avec la diminution du niveau d’éducation. Par contre, l’effet des maladies chroniques semblait diminuer avec l’âge. Aucune variation selon le sexe n’était observée dans les associations de la santé perçue avec les maladies chroniques, les incapacités et la dépression. Ces résultats suggèrent que les différentes sous-populations définies selon le niveau d'éducation et l'âge pondèrent différemment les composantes de santé dans la santé perçue à Ouagadougou. Les résultats du second article indiquaient que le genre féminin était positivement associé à des niveaux plus élevés de détérioration cognitive et de mobilité réduite. L'excès des femmes dans ces incapacités était seulement partiellement expliqué par les inégalités de genre dans l’état nutritionnel, le statut matrimonial et, dans une moindre mesure, l'éducation. Ces résultats suggèrent que l’amélioration de l'état nutritionnel et des opportunités d'éducation à travers le cycle de vie pourrait prévenir la détérioration cognitive et la mobilité réduite et réduire partiellement l'excès féminin dans ces incapacités. Dans le troisième article, nous avons montré que le manque d'éducation était positivement associé à des niveaux plus élevés d'incapacités, et le différentiel d’état de santé fonctionnel entre les différents niveaux d'éducation restait stable à travers l'âge. Ces résultats suggèrent qu’en Afrique subsaharienne, comparativement aux individus hautement éduqués, les personnes faiblement éduquées ont moins de ressources économiques et sociales et de saines habitudes de vie qui ont des effets bénéfiques, constants sur la santé fonctionnelle selon l’âge.
Although the relationship between self-rated health (SRH) and physical and mental health is well documented in developed countries, very few studies have analyzed this association in the developing world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, research in various social contexts has documented that disability and poor SRH are more common among women and persons with lower socioeconomic status (SES), but it is unclear whether these associations also hold in sub-Saharan African settings. The general objective of the present thesis was to better understand the social stratification in health in sub-Saharan Africa. More specifically, this study aimed to: 1) To examine the associations of SRH with measures of physical and mental health (chronic diseases, functional limitations, and depression) among adults in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and how these associations vary by sex, education level, and age; 2) To analyze differences in cognitive impairment and mobility disability between older men and women in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and to assess the extent to which these differences could be attributable to gender inequalities in life course social and health conditions; 3) To examine the relationship between SES and multiple disability measures among adults aged 18 and older in 18 sub-Saharan African countries and to determine whether socioeconomic differences in disability are characterized by an increase, decrease or stability with increasing age. The results of our analyses are in three scientific research articles, which rest upon data taken from a cross-sectional interviewer-administered health survey conducted in 2010 in areas of the Ouagadougou Health and Demographic Surveillance System, and the World Health Survey conducted in 2002-2004 by the World Health Organization (WHO). In the first article, poor SRH was strongly associated with chronic diseases and functional limitations, but not with depression. The effect of functional limitations on poor SRH intensified with age and with decreasing education level. In contrast, the effect of chronic diseases appeared to decrease with age. No variation by sex was observed in the associations of SRH with chronic diseases, functional limitations, and depression. These findings suggest that different subpopulations delineated by age and education level weight the components of health differently in their self-rated health in Ouagadougou. The results of the second article indicated that female gender was positively associated with higher levels of cognitive impairment and mobility disability. The female excess in these disabilities was only partially explained by gender differences in nutritional status, marital status and, to a lesser extent, education. These results suggest that enhancing nutritional status and educational opportunities throughout life span could prevent cognitive impairment and mobility disability and partly reduce the female excess in these disabilities. In the third article, we found that the lack of education was positively associated with poorer functional health, and the health gap between educational levels remains static with increasing age. These findings suggest that, in sub-Saharan Africa, compared to the well educated, the undereducated have fewer economic and social resources and health-promoting behaviors which have beneficial, albeit constant effects on functional health over the life course.

Les immigrants à Montréal (Québec, Canada) connaissent des difficultés d’insertion en emploi. Parmi eux, ceux originaires de l’Afrique subsaharienne constituent des «groupes racisés» et, à ce titre, sont susceptibles d’éprouver davantage de discriminations et de difficultés que les autres (Hadiri, 2008; Nikuze, 2011). Grâce à une sociologie des "trajectoires de réussites" et grâce à des questions mobilisant l'apport de plusieurs disciplines dans une perspective de résolution de problèmes pratiques, cette thèse a pour but de proposer de possibles solutions aux différents problèmes de ces immigrants montréalais. La recherche de terrain, basée sur des entretiens compréhensifs au sens où l’entend Kaufmann (1996, 2008), propose une sociologie qualitative des "trajectoires de réussites", soit des expériences socioprofessionnelles vécues comme « valorisantes » ou « valorisées. » L’échantillon a été formé d’immigrants africains vivant de telles expériences. À travers leurs différentes trajectoires, la recherche a reposé sur cet objectif appliqué premier : partir du questionnement central sur les facteurs de réussite, rechercher des solutions et des instruments d'intervention destinés à une meilleure intégration socioéconomique des nouveaux immigrants, ou même des anciens immigrants qui connaissent encore des difficultés d’insertion en emploi. Les résultats laissent entrevoir trois catégories de facteurs contributifs à la base de la «réussite socioprofessionnelle», tous rangés au titre de « valeurs », ou façons de voir le monde capables de contribuer à cette « réussite » en s’harmonisant mieux au contexte québécois : il s’agit de valeurs personnelles, d’apports socioculturels africains ou encore de ressources socioculturelles de type québécois. Si les valeurs personnelles relèvent des caractéristiques propres à chacun, les ressources socioculturelles africaines et québécoises résulteraient plutôt de traditions ou de mœurs inhérentes aux cultures des pays concernés. L’analyse et l’interprétation de ces facteurs propices à l’intégration socioprofessionnelle des immigrants ont révélé plusieurs pistes capables de faciliter l’insertion en emploi des immigrants et cette thèse en fait état. Il demeure certain, face à des résultats qui mettent en évidence surtout le facteur individuel, que la « réussite » et l’insertion « réussie » ou vécue comme telle demeurent aussi fonction des actes des autorités publiques : quelles que soient les valeurs et les dispositions individuelles des immigrants, ces facteurs positifs demeurent sans effets si lois et politiques du domaine de l’immigration font obstacle de quelque façon.
Immigrants in Montreal, Quebec, Canada are experiencing job integration difficulties. Some racialized groups are experiencing even more problems, and specifically those from sub-Saharan Africa are considerate as "racialized groups" which opens the door to greater discrimination and other difficulties (Hadiri 2008; Nikuze, 2011). Drawing from a sociology of "success trajectories" through questions and mobilizing the contribution of several disciplines with a view to solving practical problems, I seek to propose possible solutions to various problems of these immigrants. Field research, based on comprehensive interviews of Kaufmann (1996, 2008), offers a qualitative sociology of "trajectory of success" or socio-professional experiences as "rewarding " or " enhanced." The sample was composed of African immigrants living through such experiences. Through their different paths, the research was based on this primary objective: begin with the central question of the success factors; search for solutions and policy instruments for better socio-economic integration of new immigrants; or even less-recent immigrants’ still experiencing difficulties integrating into employment. The results suggest three categories of contributing factors to the base of the "social and professional success," all arranged under "values," or ways of seeing the world can contribute to this "success" in better harmonizing the Quebec context. This includes personal values, African sociocultural contributions, and Quebec sociocultural resources. If personal values are drawn from an individual’s specific characteristics, African and Quebec sociocultural resources would result from inherent traditions or customs of the cultures of the countries concerned. The analysis and interpretation of these factors conducive to the socio-professional integration of immigrants revealed several tracks that can facilitate employment integration of immigrants as this thesis reported. It remains certain in the face of results that highlight especially the individual factor, the "success" and inserting "successful" or experienced as such remain a function of the actions of public authorities: whatever the values and provisions of individual immigrants, these positive factors remain without effect if laws and policies in the field of immigration impede in any way.