brenda bushell | University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo (original) (raw)

Papers by brenda bushell

Environment and Ecology Research, 2018

In 2015, Nepalese people faced two serious problems: a number of massive earthquakes, and a polit... more In 2015, Nepalese people faced two serious problems: a number of massive earthquakes, and a political crisis. After the end of the civil war in 2006, the Nepalese government worked for several years on drafting the new constitution; however, it could not be realized due to political disagreements. Triggered by a massive earthquake in April 2015, the general opinion was to establish the constitution, and it was finally ratified in September, 2015. However, it was not accepted by the Madhesi, one of the communities in Nepal that has its origins in India. As a result, the transportation of supplies from India was blocked at the border between India and Nepal for several months. Nepalese people could not buy gas, oil and other commodities. The media reported that the Nepalese economy was strongly impacted by the chain of these events, as a result of this political crisis. For contributing to the future development of Nepal, it is meaningful to properly evaluate and record the impact of such political turmoil on the economy and the lives of the general public. In this research, we investigate the influence and impacts of this crisis. It was not merely the lack of the new Nepalese Constitution that caused the political crisis, but by the lack of oil which paralyzed economic activities in Nepal. This situation strongly impacted the lives of all Nepalese. Through analysis of data from field interviews, we identify the influences of the political crisis on the daily life of Nepalese people in Kathmandu and Sauraha. Through the field interviews, the influences on the economic and social sectors are clarified. For example, we found that the political crisis made Nepalese feel some inconvenience in their lives, regardless of sex, job, caste, and etc. In addition, it became clear that there was an overall lack of citizens' consciousness of the parties leading up to the political crisis. Adding to these findings, this paper reports the recognition of the situation at the time in Nepal, clarified by the field survey. We discuss and consider the best solution for these problems from several different viewpoints.

武蔵工業大学環境情報学部情報メディアセンタージャーナル, Apr 1, 2005

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2016

Women continue to dominate the agriculture sector in most non-industrial, low income societies ar... more Women continue to dominate the agriculture sector in most non-industrial, low income societies around the world. Despite their significant contributions in agriculture, their work is undervalued and they are marginalised due to social norms and traditions. Based on this reality, the paper investigates the current socioeconomic status of women farmers through two descriptive case studies based in rural Jamaica and in rural Nepal. Thematic content analysis was employed to analyse the data, using the women's empowerment in agriculture index, including education, resources, production, income diversity, and workload. The findings reveal that access to education, resources and income diversity are crucial to improving the socioeconomic status of women farmers.

"Global Outlook" is a two-book series designed to introduce ESL/ELT students to the bas... more "Global Outlook" is a two-book series designed to introduce ESL/ELT students to the basic reading skills required for fluent, accurate reading in English. This series is designed for teachers who are experienced in teaching reading skills but looking for new ways to implement them and for teachers who are less experienced and need guidance on how to incorporate specific reading-skill development in their language classes. It features: provocative global topics centered around social issues; careful sequencing of reading skills; oral communication extension activities which encourage students to go beyond the reading text and consider how the issues impact their lives; and, interactive Journal Response assignments which provide opportunities for vocabulary recycling and closure for each unit.Students will: acquire reading skills which fluent readers of English use unconsciously; learn to use their background knowledge to understand a text; develop the ability to read chunks of information for general understanding instead of reading and translating word-for-word; and; expand their knowledge and build a global perspective of world issues and social trends.

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2016

Women continue to dominate the agriculture sector in most non-industrial, low income societies ar... more Women continue to dominate the agriculture sector in most non-industrial, low income societies around the world. Despite their significant contributions in agriculture, their work is undervalued and they are marginalised due to social norms and traditions. Based on this reality, the paper investigates the current socioeconomic status of women farmers through two descriptive case studies based in rural Jamaica and in rural Nepal. Thematic content analysis was employed to analyse the data, using the women's empowerment in agriculture index, including education, resources, production, income diversity, and workload. The findings reveal that access to education, resources and income diversity are crucial to improving the socioeconomic status of women farmers.

"Global Outlook" is a two-book series designed to introduce ESL/ELT students to the bas... more "Global Outlook" is a two-book series designed to introduce ESL/ELT students to the basic reading skills required for fluent, accurate reading in English. This series is designed for teachers who are experienced in teaching reading skills but looking for new ways to implement them and for teachers who are less experienced and need guidance on how to incorporate specific reading-skill development in their language classes. It features: provocative global topics centered around social issues; careful sequencing of reading skills; oral communication extension activities which encourage students to go beyond the reading text and consider how the issues impact their lives; and, interactive Journal Response assignments which provide opportunities for vocabulary recycling and closure for each unit.Students will: acquire reading skills which fluent readers of English use unconsciously; learn to use their background knowledge to understand a text; develop the ability to read chunks of information for general understanding instead of reading and translating word-for-word; and; expand their knowledge and build a global perspective of world issues and social trends.

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2005

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2013

The concept of promoting women's economic empowerment is gaining greater attention in developing ... more The concept of promoting women's economic empowerment is gaining greater attention in developing countries around the world. Provided access to economic resources, education and management training, women can ultimately contribute to their country's economic growth and sustainable development. Involvement in the economy also enables women to play a larger, direct social role and contributes to a more balanced and equitable society. In Nepal, women's cooperatives have the potential to provide a supporting environment for the growth of women's enterprise and leadership, however, many fail. Using the MAIR model, this research examines the structures of women's enterprises and the problems women entrepreneurs face, based on a survey and interviews with 25 women working in or leading women's enterprises. Findings reveal the need for building cooperative and collaborative capacities, access to specific leadership and skill-training programmes, alternative financing, networking systems, and most important of all, social acceptance.

1. Overview. A Gloomy Picture. Shopping Malls, Consumerism Cited as a Major Environmental Threat.... more 1. Overview. A Gloomy Picture. Shopping Malls, Consumerism Cited as a Major Environmental Threat. 2. Overpopulation. Women and Population. Girl Babies in China. 3. Hunger. The Real Cause of Hunger: The Myths Unfold. Refugees Dying in "One of the Most Miserable Spots on Earth." 4. Pollution. Forms of Pollution. Taking Recycling to the Limit. 5. Deforestation. Harvesting the Forests. Slash-and-Burn Farmers Become Guardians of the Forest. 6. Extinction. Vanishing Wildlife. Australian Zoos Lead the Way in Conservation. 7. Global Warming. The Heat Is On. Greenhouse Effect Might Be Useful if We Settle on Mars. 8. Greening. The Promise of Rio. Local Know-How Works Wonders. Appendix. Bibliography. Glossary.

Attempts to enact legislation and develop a sustainable waste management system in the capi-tal c... more Attempts to enact legislation and develop a sustainable waste management system in the capi-tal city Kathmandu,Nepal has stalled over the past two decades,mainly due to an unstable political situation and a lack of commitment among various stakeholders.As solid waste poses an increas-ing threat to public health and the environment,neighborhoods in Kathmandu have recognized the need for capacity building among stakeholders.This article reports on a recycling initiative led by women in one community of Kathmandu and presents the findings from a pilot survey focusing on awareness level and attitudes towards collaboration at the community level.A total of 50 re-spondents were sampled using a structured questionnaire.Mean age of the respondents was 26.5 years with a standard deviation of 8.80.It was revealed that most of the respondents have basic awareness about environmental degradation and believe in the need for initiating joint efforts from all sectors.However,behavioral action is s...

Journal of international women's studies, 2017

In many respects it is Jamaican women who play a pivotal role in small-scale farming, particularl... more In many respects it is Jamaican women who play a pivotal role in small-scale farming, particularly in marketing farm produce. More highly educated than men, and gender-wise, women farmers are highly self-reliant; however, their socio-economic strength is not fully capitalized through cooperative endeavors to foster productivity on their farms. This research examines women’s cooperatives and the operations of women farmers in two remote rural communities using focus group discussion and targeted on-site investigation approaches. We find that over the years, small farming cooperatives are unsustainable because of their land-tenure problem, and lack of decision-making power at the grassroots level. The research suggests that the potential of women farmers in rural Jamaica has not been well utilized to foster their farming cooperatives. Crucially needed is the promotion of grassroots-based farming groupings to ensure the durability of cooperatives, as well as a multi-sector approach in ...

東京都市大学環境情報学部情報メディアセンタージャーナル, Apr 1, 2010

This paper reports on a pilot study carried out by students and teachers on how to create effecti... more This paper reports on a pilot study carried out by students and teachers on how to create effective multimedia educational content. As one of the post-field study activities connected to the Nepal field study program, an accredited study abroad course offered at Tokyo City University, multimedia educational content, authored by three students, was piloted at three private Japanese universities. Results from the research identify the effective design features that should be adopted when creating multimedia content for Japanese university students. In addition, the findings support the shift from a teacher-centered model to a learner-centered model of pedagogy as a way to enrich student learning in the future.

This paper introduces the Cyber Nepal Project, adopting the various systems of information techno... more This paper introduces the Cyber Nepal Project, adopting the various systems of information technology available at the Faculty of Environmental and Information Studies (FEIS) at Musashi Institute of Technology (MI-Tech). In particular, the campus virtual studio system was used to create learning materials through the collaboration of MI-Tech students, staff and teachers together with students and teachers from Nepal, producing DVDs of presentations from data gathered in Nepal, as well as creating web pages and mailing lists in "cyberspace " (Internet). The details of these activities are described in this paper and the effectiveness from the viewpoints of both environment and information education is analyzed. From a questionnaire and interview with students, we can conclude that a synergy effect for both environment and information education can be generated. In conclusion, we point out the problems to be overcome in our future work.

Japanese Journal of Environmental Education, 2014

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2014

In recent years, the tourism industry is developing rapidly in Nepal, due to political stabilisat... more In recent years, the tourism industry is developing rapidly in Nepal, due to political stabilisation and government policy. However, the rapid progress of tourism development and increase of tourists may destroy important tourist resources, such as rich nature, culture and species of wild animals. Sustainable development in the tourist industry is therefore, very important. This research aims to identify the consciousness of local people regarding the development of tourist businesses in their communities. The paper analyses regional characteristics between communities in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, and communities in Chitwan district, well-known for Chitwan National Park. Through a questionnaire, regional characteristics are analysed, and the relevance between the three sectors of economy, society and environment are analysed. Additionally, the awareness of local residents regarding long-term influences of various factors on tourism development are identified, as well as polices and efforts they think local communities should make in the future.

Environment and Ecology Research, 2018

In 2015, Nepalese people faced two serious problems: a number of massive earthquakes, and a polit... more In 2015, Nepalese people faced two serious problems: a number of massive earthquakes, and a political crisis. After the end of the civil war in 2006, the Nepalese government worked for several years on drafting the new constitution; however, it could not be realized due to political disagreements. Triggered by a massive earthquake in April 2015, the general opinion was to establish the constitution, and it was finally ratified in September, 2015. However, it was not accepted by the Madhesi, one of the communities in Nepal that has its origins in India. As a result, the transportation of supplies from India was blocked at the border between India and Nepal for several months. Nepalese people could not buy gas, oil and other commodities. The media reported that the Nepalese economy was strongly impacted by the chain of these events, as a result of this political crisis. For contributing to the future development of Nepal, it is meaningful to properly evaluate and record the impact of such political turmoil on the economy and the lives of the general public. In this research, we investigate the influence and impacts of this crisis. It was not merely the lack of the new Nepalese Constitution that caused the political crisis, but by the lack of oil which paralyzed economic activities in Nepal. This situation strongly impacted the lives of all Nepalese. Through analysis of data from field interviews, we identify the influences of the political crisis on the daily life of Nepalese people in Kathmandu and Sauraha. Through the field interviews, the influences on the economic and social sectors are clarified. For example, we found that the political crisis made Nepalese feel some inconvenience in their lives, regardless of sex, job, caste, and etc. In addition, it became clear that there was an overall lack of citizens' consciousness of the parties leading up to the political crisis. Adding to these findings, this paper reports the recognition of the situation at the time in Nepal, clarified by the field survey. We discuss and consider the best solution for these problems from several different viewpoints.

武蔵工業大学環境情報学部情報メディアセンタージャーナル, Apr 1, 2005

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2016

Women continue to dominate the agriculture sector in most non-industrial, low income societies ar... more Women continue to dominate the agriculture sector in most non-industrial, low income societies around the world. Despite their significant contributions in agriculture, their work is undervalued and they are marginalised due to social norms and traditions. Based on this reality, the paper investigates the current socioeconomic status of women farmers through two descriptive case studies based in rural Jamaica and in rural Nepal. Thematic content analysis was employed to analyse the data, using the women's empowerment in agriculture index, including education, resources, production, income diversity, and workload. The findings reveal that access to education, resources and income diversity are crucial to improving the socioeconomic status of women farmers.

"Global Outlook" is a two-book series designed to introduce ESL/ELT students to the bas... more "Global Outlook" is a two-book series designed to introduce ESL/ELT students to the basic reading skills required for fluent, accurate reading in English. This series is designed for teachers who are experienced in teaching reading skills but looking for new ways to implement them and for teachers who are less experienced and need guidance on how to incorporate specific reading-skill development in their language classes. It features: provocative global topics centered around social issues; careful sequencing of reading skills; oral communication extension activities which encourage students to go beyond the reading text and consider how the issues impact their lives; and, interactive Journal Response assignments which provide opportunities for vocabulary recycling and closure for each unit.Students will: acquire reading skills which fluent readers of English use unconsciously; learn to use their background knowledge to understand a text; develop the ability to read chunks of information for general understanding instead of reading and translating word-for-word; and; expand their knowledge and build a global perspective of world issues and social trends.

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2016

Women continue to dominate the agriculture sector in most non-industrial, low income societies ar... more Women continue to dominate the agriculture sector in most non-industrial, low income societies around the world. Despite their significant contributions in agriculture, their work is undervalued and they are marginalised due to social norms and traditions. Based on this reality, the paper investigates the current socioeconomic status of women farmers through two descriptive case studies based in rural Jamaica and in rural Nepal. Thematic content analysis was employed to analyse the data, using the women's empowerment in agriculture index, including education, resources, production, income diversity, and workload. The findings reveal that access to education, resources and income diversity are crucial to improving the socioeconomic status of women farmers.

"Global Outlook" is a two-book series designed to introduce ESL/ELT students to the bas... more "Global Outlook" is a two-book series designed to introduce ESL/ELT students to the basic reading skills required for fluent, accurate reading in English. This series is designed for teachers who are experienced in teaching reading skills but looking for new ways to implement them and for teachers who are less experienced and need guidance on how to incorporate specific reading-skill development in their language classes. It features: provocative global topics centered around social issues; careful sequencing of reading skills; oral communication extension activities which encourage students to go beyond the reading text and consider how the issues impact their lives; and, interactive Journal Response assignments which provide opportunities for vocabulary recycling and closure for each unit.Students will: acquire reading skills which fluent readers of English use unconsciously; learn to use their background knowledge to understand a text; develop the ability to read chunks of information for general understanding instead of reading and translating word-for-word; and; expand their knowledge and build a global perspective of world issues and social trends.

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2005

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2013

The concept of promoting women's economic empowerment is gaining greater attention in developing ... more The concept of promoting women's economic empowerment is gaining greater attention in developing countries around the world. Provided access to economic resources, education and management training, women can ultimately contribute to their country's economic growth and sustainable development. Involvement in the economy also enables women to play a larger, direct social role and contributes to a more balanced and equitable society. In Nepal, women's cooperatives have the potential to provide a supporting environment for the growth of women's enterprise and leadership, however, many fail. Using the MAIR model, this research examines the structures of women's enterprises and the problems women entrepreneurs face, based on a survey and interviews with 25 women working in or leading women's enterprises. Findings reveal the need for building cooperative and collaborative capacities, access to specific leadership and skill-training programmes, alternative financing, networking systems, and most important of all, social acceptance.

1. Overview. A Gloomy Picture. Shopping Malls, Consumerism Cited as a Major Environmental Threat.... more 1. Overview. A Gloomy Picture. Shopping Malls, Consumerism Cited as a Major Environmental Threat. 2. Overpopulation. Women and Population. Girl Babies in China. 3. Hunger. The Real Cause of Hunger: The Myths Unfold. Refugees Dying in "One of the Most Miserable Spots on Earth." 4. Pollution. Forms of Pollution. Taking Recycling to the Limit. 5. Deforestation. Harvesting the Forests. Slash-and-Burn Farmers Become Guardians of the Forest. 6. Extinction. Vanishing Wildlife. Australian Zoos Lead the Way in Conservation. 7. Global Warming. The Heat Is On. Greenhouse Effect Might Be Useful if We Settle on Mars. 8. Greening. The Promise of Rio. Local Know-How Works Wonders. Appendix. Bibliography. Glossary.

Attempts to enact legislation and develop a sustainable waste management system in the capi-tal c... more Attempts to enact legislation and develop a sustainable waste management system in the capi-tal city Kathmandu,Nepal has stalled over the past two decades,mainly due to an unstable political situation and a lack of commitment among various stakeholders.As solid waste poses an increas-ing threat to public health and the environment,neighborhoods in Kathmandu have recognized the need for capacity building among stakeholders.This article reports on a recycling initiative led by women in one community of Kathmandu and presents the findings from a pilot survey focusing on awareness level and attitudes towards collaboration at the community level.A total of 50 re-spondents were sampled using a structured questionnaire.Mean age of the respondents was 26.5 years with a standard deviation of 8.80.It was revealed that most of the respondents have basic awareness about environmental degradation and believe in the need for initiating joint efforts from all sectors.However,behavioral action is s...

Journal of international women's studies, 2017

In many respects it is Jamaican women who play a pivotal role in small-scale farming, particularl... more In many respects it is Jamaican women who play a pivotal role in small-scale farming, particularly in marketing farm produce. More highly educated than men, and gender-wise, women farmers are highly self-reliant; however, their socio-economic strength is not fully capitalized through cooperative endeavors to foster productivity on their farms. This research examines women’s cooperatives and the operations of women farmers in two remote rural communities using focus group discussion and targeted on-site investigation approaches. We find that over the years, small farming cooperatives are unsustainable because of their land-tenure problem, and lack of decision-making power at the grassroots level. The research suggests that the potential of women farmers in rural Jamaica has not been well utilized to foster their farming cooperatives. Crucially needed is the promotion of grassroots-based farming groupings to ensure the durability of cooperatives, as well as a multi-sector approach in ...

東京都市大学環境情報学部情報メディアセンタージャーナル, Apr 1, 2010

This paper reports on a pilot study carried out by students and teachers on how to create effecti... more This paper reports on a pilot study carried out by students and teachers on how to create effective multimedia educational content. As one of the post-field study activities connected to the Nepal field study program, an accredited study abroad course offered at Tokyo City University, multimedia educational content, authored by three students, was piloted at three private Japanese universities. Results from the research identify the effective design features that should be adopted when creating multimedia content for Japanese university students. In addition, the findings support the shift from a teacher-centered model to a learner-centered model of pedagogy as a way to enrich student learning in the future.

This paper introduces the Cyber Nepal Project, adopting the various systems of information techno... more This paper introduces the Cyber Nepal Project, adopting the various systems of information technology available at the Faculty of Environmental and Information Studies (FEIS) at Musashi Institute of Technology (MI-Tech). In particular, the campus virtual studio system was used to create learning materials through the collaboration of MI-Tech students, staff and teachers together with students and teachers from Nepal, producing DVDs of presentations from data gathered in Nepal, as well as creating web pages and mailing lists in "cyberspace " (Internet). The details of these activities are described in this paper and the effectiveness from the viewpoints of both environment and information education is analyzed. From a questionnaire and interview with students, we can conclude that a synergy effect for both environment and information education can be generated. In conclusion, we point out the problems to be overcome in our future work.

Japanese Journal of Environmental Education, 2014

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2014

In recent years, the tourism industry is developing rapidly in Nepal, due to political stabilisat... more In recent years, the tourism industry is developing rapidly in Nepal, due to political stabilisation and government policy. However, the rapid progress of tourism development and increase of tourists may destroy important tourist resources, such as rich nature, culture and species of wild animals. Sustainable development in the tourist industry is therefore, very important. This research aims to identify the consciousness of local people regarding the development of tourist businesses in their communities. The paper analyses regional characteristics between communities in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, and communities in Chitwan district, well-known for Chitwan National Park. Through a questionnaire, regional characteristics are analysed, and the relevance between the three sectors of economy, society and environment are analysed. Additionally, the awareness of local residents regarding long-term influences of various factors on tourism development are identified, as well as polices and efforts they think local communities should make in the future.

Leadership education for young women has the potential to not only empower them to embark on path... more Leadership education for young women has the potential to not only empower them to embark on paths of personal leadership development, but also to shape a better destiny for women around them. This paper offers insight into how leadership education can respond to a call to lead. The research reports on a field survey conducted by female students and their instructor as part of a leadership program at Africa Rural University, Kagadi, Uganda. Thirty women market vendors were interviewed with the aim of giving them voice in identifying the issues they face in the marketplace. An important objective of the research was to provide a tangible opportunity for the students to build on their leadership skills and realize their potential to support women in their community, through analysis, insight and problem-solving.