1. No category

4th International Postgraduate
Conference
Development:
What Now?
Abstract Book
9-10-11 October 2014
Department of Applied Social Sciences
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
CONTENT
Organisers and Programme Committee..................................................................................
3
Contact Us...............................................................................................................................
4
Foreword.................................................................................................................................. 5
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.................................................................................
8
Department of Applied Social Sciences..................................................................................
9
Conference Programme..........................................................................................................
10
Keynote Speakers...................................................................................................................
11
Panel with NGOs in Hong Kong: Civic Exchange, UNHCR; World Vision.............................
15
Conference Panels..................................................................................................................
17
Conference Abstracts..............................................................................................................
20
Location Map...........................................................................................................................
42
Transportation Map.................................................................................................................
43
Campus Café & Dining...........................................................................................................
44
Memo......................................................................................................................................
45
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
ORGANISERS AND PROGRAMME COMMITTEE
The International Postgraduate Conference is an annual event organized by the research
students at the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) at the Hong Kong Polytechnic
University (PolyU).
This 4th edition intends to explore the theme of development, especially in light of the 2015
deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. It aims to answer a simple
but important question for the future of development: “What Now?”
Organisers
Mr. Cristian TALESCO, PhD Student (APSS, PolyU)
Mr. Sai Kit NG, MPhil Candidate (APSS, PolyU)
Supervisor
Dr. David IP, Associate Professor and Associate Head (APSS, PolyU)
Administration and logistics
Ms. Fanny CHENG (APSS, PolyU)
Ms. Amy CHU (APSS, PolyU)
Ms. Ritaa LAM (APSS, PolyU)
Programme Committee
Mr Hangying CHEN, PhD Student (APSS, PolyU)
Mr Jin GONG, MPhil Candidate (APSS, PolyU)
Ms Martyna K. NOWAK, PhD Student (APSS, PolyU)
Ms Francesca OLIVOTTI, PhD Student (APSS, PolyU)
Guest Speakers
Prof. Robert J. HOLTON (Trinity College Dublin and The University of South Australia)
Prof. Damien KINGSBURY (Deakin University, Australia)
Hong Kong-Based Organisations:
Civic Exchange
UNHCR
World Vision Hong Kong
Ms Yan-yan YIP
Chief Executive Officer
Ms Maggie CHUM
Communication Officer
Ms Peggy CM TU
Public Education Manager
Dr Joyce TK CHING
Health Technical Specialist
Address:
23/F, Chun Wo Commercial
Centre, 23-29 Wing Wo
Street, Central, Hong Kong.
E-mail:
[email protected]
Address:
Room 911, 9 Floor, Yau Ma
Tei Carpark Building,
250 Shanghai Street,
Kowloon, Hong Kong
E-mail:
[email protected]
3
Address:
2/F, Mayfair Centre, 4 Anchor
Street, Taikoktsui, Kowloon,
Hong Kong
E-mail:
[email protected]
[email protected]
4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
CONTACT US
Conference organizers
Mr Cristian TALESCO
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr Felix Sai Kit NG
E-mail: [email protected]
Supervisor
Dr. David IP
E-mail: [email protected]
Conference e-mail:
[email protected]
Conference Address:
Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS)
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2766 5773
Fax: (852) 2772 6558
Website : http://myweb.polyu.edu.hk/~apsspgc/
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
FOREWORD
Welcoming Message
Professor James LEE
Head, Department of Applied Social Sciences,
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Congratulations on launching the 4th APSS International Postgraduate Conference.
APSS always believes in building a vibrant research degree program where PhD
students can experience truly international exchanges with their peers coming from
different continents and regions. The postgraduate conference has been one of the key
venues where students can realize this objective in the past years. I understand the
conference has invited two distinguished speakers this year: Emeritus Professor Holton
from Trinity College, Dublin, and Professor Kingsbury from Deakin University, to share
with participants the most current debates on the future of development. While we
acknowledge that this is indeed a trying time for the globe and capitalism, it has also
presented research students a most exciting opportunity to observe and analyze many
real world issues in development through many various social science perspectives. I am
looking forward to the many interesting interactions and discussions in this conference.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
FOREWORD
Welcoming Message
Dr. David IP Fu-keung,
Associate Head, and Chair, Departmental Research
Committee
Department of Applied Social Sciences,
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
On behalf of the Departmental Research Committee, a big to welcome to all participants
of the 4th Annual Postgraduate Conference at APSS! I am particularly excited by the
theme for this year’s conference is on exploring development, its many promises,
possibilities and perspectives, in the current contexts of global connectivity and
uncertainties. The fact that it has attracted more than 40 papers from postgraduate
students from so many countries, ranging from Australia to Brazil, from Canada to
Germany, and from Indonesia to Nigeria, is indication that development as a field of
academic inquiry and an issue of human concern remains as timely as ever. I am further
gratified to know that two eminent scholars in the field, Emeritus Professor Robert Holton
and Professor Damien Kingsbury, have accepted the invitation from our conference
organizers, to run two master classes, ensuring our students and conference participants
not only informed of the current state of the art in the field, but also have the opportunity
to appreciate and debate on the many issues confronting researchers and practitioners in
development. The additional presence and sharing of field experiences by some of the
most well-known international NGOs in Hong Kong, including UNHCR; World Vision and
Civic Exchange will no doubt make this an even more cherished occasion.
This has been mostly a student-led initiative and it is gratifying to see it coming together.
The organizers as well as the supporting committee members should be congratulated
for bringing the conference from paper to reality.
On behalf of APSS, I wish you a superb conference experience and a pleasant stay in
Hong Kong.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
FOREWORD
Welcoming Message from the Organisers
Mr Cristian TALESCO
PhD Student
Mr Sai Kit NG
MPhil Candidate
As the chairs and conveners this year’s postgraduate conference and on behalf of the
entire Conference Organising Committee, it is our pleasure to warmly welcome you to the
4th International Postgraduate Conference at the Department of Applied Social Sciences
at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
This 4th edition intends to explore the theme of development, especially in light of the
2015 deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. It aims to
answer a simple but important question for the future of development: “What Now?”
Development has become a buzzword worldwide, and as a result many wealthy
countries, emerging donors and international organisations are doing things to advance
this agenda.
However, while in 2000 the main concern was to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger,
achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and improve health,
today’s challenges appear more complex. People demand more than just having a meal
or meeting basic needs. The Arab spring, the riots in Ukraine, the mass protests in the
European Union, in Thailand, South America, South Africa, and the weekly rallies and
protests in Hong Kong, are clear signs of people wanting to have democracy, security,
peace, good governance, rule of law, equality, human rights and freedom of speech in
place rather than rhetoric. All these have suggested it is time to re-examine, rethink and
reconfigure what development means in an age of post-globalised rapid economic growth
and affluence, and we hope the conference engenders conversation around this vision.
We would like to express our deep gratitude to the presence of the world-renowned
scholars as keynote speakers including Prof. Robert J. Holton from Trinity College Dublin
and University of South Australia and Prof. Damien Kingsbury from Deakin University, the
support of the Hong Kong-based organisations, including Civic Exchange, UNHCR and
World Vision, the dedication of the organizing and programming committees, and last but
not least the contribution of all presenters and attendants as your active participation
mean a lot to the success of the Conference.
We welcome you to Hong Kong and to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and
wish you a memorable stay!
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University:
“To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind”
The story of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University can be traced back to the founding of
the Government Trade School in 1937. Situated in Wood Road, Wanchai, the School
was the first publicly funded, post-secondary technical institution in Hong Kong. Under Mr
G. White, the then principal, it ran classes in marine wireless operating, mechanical
engineering and building construction.
After World War II, the School became the Hong Kong Technical College in 1947,
offering both full-time and part-time courses. In 1956, backed by a $1 million donation
from the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association, the Government provided a similar sum
and a site in Kowloon to support the construction of a new building for the College.
Officially opened in 1957 by Sir Alexander Grantham, the then Governor of Hong Kong,
the college in Hung Hom started off a new phase of techincal education in Hong Kong.
In 1965 Dr Sze-yuen Chung (now Sir Sze-yuen Chung), in a speech to the Legislative
Council, said that the time has come to consider establishing a polytechnic-type
institution in Hong Kong. A Polytechnic Planning Committee was later set up in May 1969
under the chairmanship of the late Dr Tang Ping-yuen.
Following the Government’s acceptance of the Committee’s Final Report, the Hong Kong
Polytechnic Ordinance came into force on 24 March 1972, and the first Board of Directors
of the Polytechnic (renamed “Polytechnic Council” in 1978) was formed under the
chairmanship of Dr Chung. Upon the invitation of the Board, the Governor Sir Murray
MacLehose agreed to be the first President of the Polytechnic. Mr Charles Old was
appointed the Polytechnic’s first Director.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic was formally established on 1 August 1972, taking over the
campus and staff of the Hong Kong Technical College. Its mandate was to provide
application-oriented education to meet the community’s need for professional manpower
resources. In the academic year 1971/72, before its handing over to the Polytechnic, the
Technical College had just over 1,700 full-time day, 740 part-time day release and 9,340
part-time evening students in eight teaching departments.
With most of the College’s courses at technician and craft levels already transferred to
the Morrison Hill Technical Institute established in 1969, the new Polytechnic started off
focusing on achieving teaching standards appropriate to a Polytechnic. Since then, the
Polytechnic has undergone extensive development and rapid expansion. The Institution
launched its first five degree programmes in 1983, and introduced its first MPhil and PhD
programmes in 1986 and 1989 respectively.
With approval from the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee for selfaccreditation of degree programmes, the Institution assumed full university status on 25
November 1994, changing its name to “The Hong Kong Polytechnic University”.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
An Introduction to the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS)
The Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic
University is one of the largest and most vibrant centers in the Asia-Pacific region
dedicated to the education and training of professional social workers, social policy and
welfare administrators, psychologists and counselors in Hong Kong.
The Department started as the Institute of Social Work Training in 1973. It joined the
Hong Kong Polytechnic in 1977 and became its School of Social Work. The School was
eventually renamed in 2000 as the Department of Applied Social Sciences. This was six
years after the Polytechnic converted to become a university.
We believe that education, research, and service for the community are inter-related and
we see them as mutually enhancing commitments.
In our teaching, we firmly believe that students are central to the education process and
we strive to nurture human service professionals who are competent, versatile, reflective,
humanistic, culturally sensitive, and possess a strong sense of vocation to social
betterment.
In our academic pursuits, we strive to inter-relate theory and practice, to contextualize
practice, and to develop indigenous knowledge and theories relevant to the Chinese
society. In our research and scholarly programmes, we strive to bridge the theoryproactive gap through our activities. Our emphasis is on applied research which is
relevant to the contemporary society and can influence social policies.
In our community service, we work in partnership with the community for the betterment
of our society, facilitating social care, social responsibility and social justice through our
collaborative endeavors.
In order to enhance the all-round development of students, particularly in the area of
global outlook, our department has lined up numerous student exchange and
international exchange programs in overseas countries and in Mainland China. In the
recent academic years, more than 200 full-time and part-time students as well as alumni
had joined various exchange programs and study tours.
Formal connections on student exchange have been established with different
universities including the University of Nottingham, UK; University of Queensland,
Australia; University of California at Berkeley, USA; Washington University at St. Louis,
USA; York University, Canada; Peking University and Yunnan University, Mainland
China.
In the 2013/14 academic year, the Department has a total of 267 members which
includes 95 academic staff, 18 part-time fieldwork instructors, 121 research and project
staff and 33 administrative and supporting technical staff etc.
The APSS offers nearly 20 programmes for Higher Diploma, Degree, Postgraduate,
MPhil and PhD students. There are currently about 1,600 students enrolled in the various
APSS programmes and we have graduated 16,062 students over the years. In the
academic year of 2012 - 2013, we graduated 589 students.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
Thursday
9 October 2014
Friday
10 October 2014
Saturday
11 October 2014
Room GH201
Room GH201
Room GH204
9:00 - 9:30
On-site Registration
9:00 – 9:30
On-site Registration
9:00 – 9:30
On-site Registration
10:00– 11:00
Keynote Speaker:
9:30 – 11:00
Keynote Speaker:
09:30 – 10:45
Panel 8
Prof. Robert J. Holton
Prof. Damien Kingsbury,
Urban and Rural Development
Trinity College Dublin
University of South Australia
Deakin University - Australia
11:00 – 11:15
Health/Coffee Break
11:15 – 11:45
Discussion
11:00 – 11:15
Health/Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:30
Panel 5
10:45 – 11:00
Health/Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:15
Panel 9
Foreign Aid and Development
Cooperation
Governance, Diplomacy and
Health in Development
12:30 – 14:00
Lunch Break
12:15 – 13:15
Panel 10
9:30 - 9:45
Opening Ceremony
12:00 – 13:30
Lunch Break
Sociology and Diversity in
Psychology, Literature and
Advertising
13:30 – 14:45
Panel 1
Empowering People, Climate
Change and Education in
Development
14:45 – 16:00
Panel 2
14:00 – 15:45
13:15 – 13:30
Panel with the Hong Kongbased organisations:
Concluding Remarks
Civic Exchange;
World Vision HK;
UNHCR;
Poverty Reduction
16:00 – 16:15
Health/Coffee Break
15:45 – 16:00
Health/Coffee Break
16:15 – 17:15
Panel 3
16:00 – 17:00
Panel 6
Gender Studies
Security and Transnationality
17:15 – 18:15
Panel 4
17:00 – 18:15
Panel 7
Human Rights, Wellbeing and
Climate Change in Development
Economic Development
Free Evening
Free Evening
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
“Global Inequalities:
Challenges for Development”
Professor Robert J. HOLTON
Emeritus Professor and Fellow
Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Adjunct Professor, Hawke Research Institute
University of South Australia
Abstract
The world is a very unequal place. The gap between the rich and the poor is getting
wider rather than narrowing. Wealthy individuals and households from business,
politics, and celebrity culture live in a comfortable elite world of pleasure, prestige, and
power. Meanwhile millions of children starve, tens of thousands of women experience
domestic violence, and poorly paid workers struggle to survive. Behind these stark
interpersonal contrasts lie powerful institutions, customs, and ideologies, each strongly
implicated in structures of inequality. Inequality, is clearly global rather than simply
national in scope.
This state of affairs generates anguish and misery, social criticism and conflict, and for
many, a strong sense of moral outrage. But is the world really this bleak? Are there no
grounds for optimism? What light can scholarly analysis shed on this situation? Which
theoretical and conceptual resources are most useful to understanding global
inequality? Is there one unitary structure of inequality, or a more complex set of multiple
inequalities? And what does a systematic approach to empirical evidence tell us? Are
some dimensions of inequality declining, while others are increasing? Is the position
more complex than usually portrayed?
And which bodies of thought provide the best guide through complexity? Does
economics alone provide the key? Or are there more complex and subtle discourses
available that have greater intellectual and political purchase on qualitative as well as
qualitative dimensions of inequality? Should we look to sociology alone to chart a
course through the issues involved or is a more multi-disciplinary approach required?
Finally, is the polarized ideological battle between neo-liberal free marketeers and
advocates of radical social reconstruction the only terrain on which political debates
over global inequality can take place?
My presentation today tackles these questions, drawing on my new book Global
Inequalities to be published by Palgrave Macmillan later in December. The presentation
deals with three main issues:11
4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
What is inequality- why does it matter?
Human welfare: economic development or human development
Surveying global inequality: quantitative and qualitative issues
Biography
Professor Robert J. Holton is Emeritus Professor and Fellow, Department of Sociology,
at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, where he previously held the Chair of Sociology. He is
also Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the Hawke Research Institute, University of
South Australia, and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. He is a
leading historical sociologist and is widely published in the field of globalisation. His
books include the successful titles Global Finance (2012), Globalization and the NationState (2011), Cosmopolitanisms (2009), and Global Networks (2007). Forthcoming:
Global Inequalities (Dec. 2014), Palgrave Macmillan.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
“Democracy, its Costs and
Benefits: Democratic
Aspiration in Hong Kong and
China’s Responses”
Professor Damien Kingsbury
Director of the Centre for Citizenship,
Development and Human Rights
Deakin University, Australia
Abstract
‘The nominating committee shall nominate two to three candidates for the office of Chief
Executive in accordance with democratic procedure’: National People's Congress Standing
Committee, 31 August 2014.
‘You can have any color so long as it is black’: Henry Ford, attrib.
In 2012, the Chinese government announced that, in 2017, the eligible residents of
Hong Kong could elect its chief executive through universal suffrage. Previously, Hong
Kong’s chief executive was chosen by an ‘election committee’ of between 800 and 1200
individuals most of whom were trusted by the government in Beijing.
The expectation created by the 2012 announcement was that Hong Kong would change
its system so that its residents could elect its chief executive through a democratic
process. On 31 August 2014, the Chinese government announced that while the people
of Hong Kong could vote for a chief executive, candidates for election would be chosen
by a ‘nominating committee’, instituting a screening process of potential candidates.
This proposed candidate selection system has to be approved by two-thirds of Hong
Kong’s legislature, meaning it may not be approved and thus leading to a political stalemate or, worse, a showdown over Hong Kong’s political future.
This paper will consider the idea of democracy, its strengths and weaknesses, and the
expression of and responses to democratic aspiration in Hong Kong. In particular, the
paper will analyse the meaning of the often abused term ‘democracy’, including
electoral models that do not comply with the term in a meaningful sense. The definition
of democracy is variously interpreted and has many applications in practice. The paper
discuss at what point democracy can or cannot be said to exist and why.
The paper will then consider the costs and benefits of democracy. The negatives of a
genuine democracy will consider the claim that citizens care more for material wellbeing than political freedoms, that voters are instinctively irrational; and that regular
elections produce a cyclical form of government which precludes long term planning.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
This then implies that successful democratic governments are therefore populist rather
than providing good leadership.
It has also been noted that democracies can be unstable, often comprising coalitions in
order to govern and thus introducing contradictions of purpose within government. In
order to secure a voter base, there is also the potential for democracies to slip into
majoritarian forms of rule, in which a political majority is rewarded at the expense of a
political minority, which may in turn lead to internal conflict. Related to this is the issue
of patron-client relations, favoritism and corruption. All of this then has been shown to
lead to democracy’s failure and subsequent political and economic turmoil.
Yet democracy also has many positives, the first of which is that political freedom
implied by such a system is a good in itself. Democracy also implies transparency in
political relations, freely choosing political representatives, accountability, removal of
vulnerability to coercive relations and exclusion from economic choices and protections,
and the free flow of ideas which are conventionally understood to be a prerequisite for a
flourishing economy.
The paper will conclude with noting that, due to its flaws, (paraphrasing Churchill)
democracy may be the worst political system, except for all the other political systems
that have been tried from time to time.
Biography
Professor Damien Kingsbury is director of the Centre for Citizenship, Development and
Human Rights at Deakin University.
His research interests include the politics and development of South-East Asia,
particularly Indonesia, East Timor and Sri Lanka Politics; the role of the military in
politics; security and terrorism; post-colonial political structures and nation formation;
assertions of self-determination and civil and political rights. He has written and edited
or co-edited a number of books, including: The Politics of Timor-Leste (2012), Sri Lanka
and responsibility to protect (2011), International Development: Issues and Challenges
(2008), Political Development (2007), The Politics of Indonesia (2005), South-East Asia:
A Political Profile (2001). Prof. Kingsbury is also a frequent commentator for and
contributor on regional political affairs to domestic and international media.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
PANEL WITH THE HONG KONG-BASED ORGANISATIONS:
Civic Exchange, World Vision, UNHCR
Policy Changes in Hong Kong:
Role of a Public Policy
Think Tank
Yan-yan YIP
Chief Executive Officer
Abstract
The presentation will give a brief introduction of Civic Exchange, a Hong Kongbased independent non-profit public policy think tank. How Civic Exchange has
contributed to policy deliberation and policy changes? The presenter will use a
few examples related to social development (such as equal opportunities and
general well-being) to showcase Civic Exchange’s work and approaches.
Keywords
Inclusive society, equal opportunities, social development
Post-2015 Development
Framework Targeting at
Improving Child Well-being
Peggy CM TU
Public Education Manager
Joyce TK CHING
Health Technical Specialist
Abstract
As we approach the end of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), we have
the chance to build on the extraordinary progress that has been made in reducing
extreme poverty and improving child well-being, and to set the direction for
ensuring a fairer world for all children.
World Vision believes that to build a fairer future for every child, the post-2015
development agenda must aim to reach the world’s most disadvantage and
vulnerable children, which have been neglected by the MDGs. They include
children in their first 1,000 days, children at risk of violence, and children in fragile
and conflict-affected states. We have to ensure that success is measured through
the impact it has on them and to transform the systems and social practices that
keep them poor.
Prioritizing children is a universal obligation, a strategy for eliminating poverty,
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
and an investment that yields sustainable benefit, both for individual children and
societies. Research shows that a 5% improvement in child survival raises
economic growth by 1% per year over the subsequent decade. Therefore,
sustainable development could not be achieved without a clear and compelling
investment in all children, especially the hardest to reach.
In order to accomplish the goals, the post-2015 framework must include
mechanism for people mobilization and the engagement of new partnerships with
the private sector, government, multilateral institutions and civil society. In
addition, World Vision is adopting an innovative and integrated approach for
intervention programs, which requires the implementation of improved health,
education and social protection systems that are sustainable.
Keywords
Post-2015, Cross-sector partnership, integration, innovation, sustainability
UNHCR: An introduction to
international refugee protection
Ms Maggie CHUM
Communication Officer
Abstract
Every day, hundreds and thousands of people are being forced from their homes
by war, conflict, and hopelessness. The issue of forced displacement has been
prominent throughout human history and continues to raise urgent humanitarian
crises across the globe. As the agency mandated by the United Nations General
Assembly to lead and co-ordinate international action in these situations and with
a presence in over 125 countries across the world, the UNHCR strives to serve
and protect the rights of some of the most vulnerable people in the world.
The presentation will introduce the international protection mandate of the
UNHCR and its various operations in the face of mounting challenges in providing
refugee protection in the modern world. The speaker will touch upon the major
humanitarian crises affecting the international community today and provide an
overview as to how the Agency is responding to immediate and urgent needs,
while working to achieve long-term and durable solutions as the ultimate goal.
The history of the UNHCR in the region and the recent developments in refugee
protection in Hong Kong will be explored, with a further discussion on the role that
the Hong Kong people can play in this increasingly interconnected world.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
CONFERENCE PANELS
Panel 1 - Empowering People, Climate Change and Education in Development
Chair: Allan Bahroun
Elfiondri; Zulherman;
Bung Hatta University,
Local Empowerment through Traditional
Haryani
Indonesia
Knowledge on Land as Key to a
Successful Development Agenda of the
Indigenous Communities Post-Disaster:
Case Study of Siberut
Irit EGUAVOEN
University of Bonn,
Translators of an uncertain future. Climate
Germany
change and university education in West
Africa
Obasesam OKOI
University of Manitoba,
The Struggle for Development in Nigeria
Canada
and Prospects for a Stable Social Order
John MERCURIO
Laguna State Polytechnic
Empowering the Relocated Poor to Build
University, The Philippines Sustainable Communities
Panel 2 - Poverty Reduction
Chair: Ronald Tsz Hin HUNG
Alberto OLIVEIRA;
Federal University of Rio
Gilberto Abrantes
de Janeiro, Brazil
Filho
Ronald Tsz Hin
The Hong Kong
HUNG
Polytechnic University,
Hong Kong
Wiraphong
Walailak University,
PANYATHANAKHUN Thailand
Panel 3 - Gender Studies
Chair: Jin Gong
Wai Hung TSANG
The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University
Martyna NOWAK
Jin GONG
The Challenges of Brazilian Labor Market:
Long Term Unemployment and Inactivity
Does Tourism Really Help Reduce Poverty?
A Panel Cointegration Analysis of
Developing Countries in Latin America
Funeral Funds as a Key Development
Agent for Burmese Migrant Workers in
Thailand: a Case Study of Ranong Province
New Initiative in tacking violence against
women: Rebuilding positive fatherhood of
the male abusers of intimate partner
violence in Hong Kong
Gender inequalities in the post-reform
China
Calculating Gambling: Calculation,
Development Discourse and Rural Women
Participating in Underground Lottery
The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University
The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University
Panel 4 - Human Rights, Wellbeing and Climate Change in Development
Chair: Sophie B. Valentine
Yee Kai Ling, Phoebe Chulalongkorn University, Christian Faith-Based Development: A
Thailand
Case Study of World Vision Foundation of
Thailand in Karen Hill tribe Communities
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
Sophie B.VALENTINE
Shahab SHABBIR
Kavyanjali SHUKLA
Monash University,
Australia; the University of
Trento, Italy
Aligarh Muslim University,
India
Academic and Research
Publication House, India
Refugee Law for Foreign Domestic
Workers- the Neglected Backbone of First
World Economies
Where Sustainable Development meets
Human Rights: a Review of Environmental
Justice as an Alternative for Environmental
Sustainability
Development: Meaning in Terms of
Environmental Health, a Futuristic
Approach
Panel 5 - Foreign Aid and Development Cooperation
Chair: Cristian Talesco
Katarzyna
Poznan University of
Models of Development Cooperation
ANDRZEJCZAK
Economics, Poland
Arkadiusz Maciej
Nicolaus Copernicus
The Polish Aid: examples of projects in
DUSZYNSKI
University, Poland
Timor-Leste, Afghanistan and Ukraine
Cristian TALESCO
The Hong Kong
Foreign Aid in Timor-Leste and the rise of
Polytechnic University,
China
Hong Kong
Michael Mitchell
Xiamen University, PRC
Momentum for Wealth Creation: Why
Omoruyi EHIZUELEN
African Economic Transformation Exceed
Aid
Panel 6 - Security and Transnationality
Chair: Sai Kit Ng
Robert CHRISMAS
University of Manitoba,
Canada
David Amon
NEEQUAYE
Sai Kit NG
Lingnan University, Hong
Kong
The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University
Panel 7 - Economic Development
Chair: Martyna Nowak
A. SANKARAN;
Pondicherry Central
P. RAJKUMAR
University, India; Madurai
Kamaraj University, India
Oluwaseyi Olubunmi
University of Malaya,
SODIYA
Malaysia
Mega Nisfa
University of Indonesia;
MAKHROJA; Erica
Bogor Agricultural
Fera JUWITA
Institute, Indonesia
Oluwasola Emmanuel Xiamen University, PRC
OMOJU
18
Canadian Policing in the 21st Century: a
Frontline Officer on Challenges and
Changes
Investigative Interviewing: an Alternative
Route to Security
Examining Cosmopolitanization and Its
Implication for Future Development
Estimating the Long-Run Relationship
between Sector Shares and Economic
Growth: Econometric Evidence from India
The Effects of Youth Sports Investment on
Economic Development
Can the Inclusive Growth be Implemented
on Palm Industry in Indonesia?
Does Increasing Public Spending Reduce
Poverty in Developing Countries?
Evidence from Nigeria
4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
Panel 8 - Urban and Rural Development
Chair: John Tsz Chun Tsui
Shiu Hung WONG;
The Hong Kong
Chau San SHEK
Polytechnic University,
Hong Kong
Nirmala VELAN,
Priyanka SAHU
Pondicherry Central
University, India
Evi Aprianti
SYAMSUDDIN
University of Malaya,
Malaysia
Doan TRANH
Duy Tan University,
Vietnam
Urban developmentalism of Hong Kong
and its effect on sustainable development
in a compact city-state: its present and
future. A comparative case study on
recent development projects in Hong Kong
Self Help Group Scheme: A Panacea for
Sustained Development in Rural
Jharkhand, India
The Effectiveness of Urban Heat
Mitigation programs: Towards a
Comfortable Living of Outdoor
Environment
Good Practices for Hydropower
Development: Fieldwork Researches in
the River Basins of the Central Vietnam
Panel 9 - Governance, Diplomacy and Health in Development
Chair: David A. Neequaye
Chenguang SUN
City University of Hong
Self-Government Facilitated by
Kong
Participation: Prospect of Community
Environmental Governance in the Context
of Low-Carbon City Construction on the
Basis of an Empirical Research in
Chengyang District, Qingdao
Nhu Ha NGUYEN
City University of Hong
Can Bad Governance Become Good and
Kong
Better? A Study of Youth Integrity and AntiCorruption Education in Vietnam.
Firouzeh
Australian National
Redefining Development Diplomacy: Role
KHOSHNOUDIPARAS
University, Australia
of International Organisations (IOs) in
Development
Titilope Fisayo
University of
Correlates of Contraceptive Non-Use
POPOOLA
Witwatersrand, South
among Married Women in Nigeria
Africa
Panel 10 - Sociology and Diversity in Psychology, Literature and Advertising
Chair: Francesca Olivotti
Francesca OLIVOTTI
The Hong Kong
Advertising Colors and Identity in
Polytechnic University
Postcolonial Hong Kong
Hyunok CHO, Ki young Hannam University,
A Study on “What Is Human” in Literature
HONG, Sheung-jie JI
South Korea
Focused on Mary Shelley Frankenstein and
Film Splice
Hyunhee SONG
Hannam University,
Possibility of New Family Model Through
South Korea
Children’s Literature
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
ABSTRACTS
Panel 1 - Empowering People, Climate Change and Education in
Development
Elfiondri; Zulherman; Haryani (Bung Hatta University - Indonesia)
“Local Empowerment through Traditional Knowledge on Land as Key to a
Successful Development Agenda of the Indigenous Communities Post-Disaster:
Case Study of Siberut”
The indigenous-based traditional knowledge (TK) on land on Siberut island, Mentawai,
Indonesia becomes more crucial issue because Indonesian government policy on
developing the island post 2010-disaster got in touch much with the indigenous land. The
land plays important role in the policy. Previous studies paid less attention to the role.
The government resettlement projects on the island in 1975 failed due to ignoring the
indigenous TK. The paper examined TK on the land-use (LU) and land-ownership (LO) in
relation to the policy. The result was that LU and LO could be known and understood
through oral stories of the indigenous families so-called family stories. The indigenous are
communities with many clans, more than 100 clans. Their concept is that land is land only
– not including any things on the land. The land belongs to the clans; with the communal
right in the hand of Sikebukkat Uma. The clans keep increasing in number depending on
conflict. The more conflicts they have, the more clans they have. The conflict can also
cause LO or LU to change and the owner to have or to miss a plot of land. LO system is
based on occupying, grant, and fine. The ownership is mentally bordered to be stored in
the family story – until now there is no yet physical map of LO. The land can be used for
clan members as fine, dowry, farm, revenge compensation, etc. Other parties like other
clans and government may use the land conditionally. The other clans have right to use
the land only, but not for other uses. Government may use the land to develop public, not
private interest. Land for settlement should follow uma-concept where houses are long
and big, each of which is built for the same clan on the communal land of the clan. Its
vicinity are hunting-ground, farm, and river. Developing public facilities should not ruin
the uma-concept. Condition for the development, most of the indigenous are willing to
surrender their land to government, and some want to sell it. The government policy on
developing the indigenous should be based on the LO and LU system.
Irit Eguavoen (University of Bonn, Germany)
“Translators of an Uncertain Future. Climate Change and University Education in
West Africa.”
Reducing knowledge uncertainties about climatic futures and providing useful
recommendations for adaptation in the West African region are central to the political and
academic mandate of the West African Science Service Center for Climate Change and
Adapted Land Use (WASCAL, www.wascal.org). It has ten member countries and was
ratified by seven West African countries. In 2013, it became a research institute with
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
international legal status. The paper will discuss the establishment of climate expertise by
discussing the need for and politics of climate change translation before introducing the
six WASCAL PhD and four master programs.
The paper focuses on the program “Climate Change and Education” at the University of
The Gambia. The graduates are expected to turn into experts for the competent and
creative translation of climate projections, risk & uncertainty of anticipated global change,
as well as of potential adaptation options. The purpose of the training as well as the
future job description, however, are still contested and range somewhere between
communication officer, knowledge broker, scientist and agent for transformation.
The paper uses an organizational ethnography approach applying participant
observation, teaching experience, and interviews, as well as the analysis of the curricular
in order to learn about the establishment of expertise and communication practices on
climate change.
Obasesam Okoi (University of Manitoba, Canada)
“The Struggle for Development in Nigeria and Prospects for a Stable Social Order”
Nigeria has been characterized as being in the grip of two great transformations. In the
first transformation, the interests of dominant ethnic groups and imperial powers intersect
to shape the geopolitics of underdevelopment. The second transformation – more visible
in our daily headlines – is where unresolved contradictions have pushed thousands of
marginalized youths into the ranks of militants. But a third transformation, grossly ignored
by scholars, and less understood by political activists, is unfolding. This is reflected in an
empowerment trap in which the largest youth cohort in Nigeria’s modern history is unable
to break their chains and shape the future as conscious citizens in democratic society,
and as potential actors in nation building.
This paper examines what conditions are needed to move beyond the Nigerian tragedy
and achieve a peaceful and stable social order, how ideas about empowerment may
transform young people’s scope of action as participants in nation building. The research
objective is to promote a comprehensive understanding of the material struggles of young
Nigerians, which are bound up in larger questions of empowerment, yet largely ignored in
Nigeria’s development discourse. It is argued that academic scholarship has neglected a
discourse that may ascribe autonomous agency to citizens that may affect their
propensity to make reflected choices of action as participants in national development.
Therefore considerations of strategic discourses and attendant practices and institutions
focused on the transformation of young people’s scope of action through empowerment
are central to both the imagining of a shared national future and the achievement of a
stable social order. Positioning this study in terms of a transformational political analysis
comprises an effort to understand what conditions are needed to achieve a stable social
order.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
Collaborative work at the Laguna State Polytechnic University, Master in Public
Administration. Group supervised by Prof. John A. Mercurio
Agad, Marisa F.; Bautista, Edwin S.; Bautista, Florette Laarni C.; Diola, Marydol P.;
Duller, Caroline C.; Estillero, Reigi P. ; Florento, Dante S.; Galay, Lucy; Gapunuan,
Serafin T.; Garibay, Rossel R.; Larano, Catherine E.; Magat, Cecille A.; Mendoza,
Anna Marie G.; Rizaldo, Michelle S.; Tibuc, Lindley; Tuiza, Ryan F.
“Empowering the Relocated Poor to Build Sustainable Communities”
Some perspectives on sustainable development require housing illegal settlers--often the
poor--away from emerging cities. For this reason, large scale relocation projects are
rolled out by the Philippine government to address the environmental and social impacts
of Metro Manila’s ballooning population. This study assesses the National Housing
Authority’s housing projects in Calauan, Laguna, a second-class municipality south of
Metro Manila with a population density of 1100 per square kilometer. It considers key
areas of interest for project sustainability, namely, education and health, water and
sanitation, peace and order, governance, and social protection. Structured field
interviews were designed and conducted to elicit issues and concerns from the project
beneficiaries in these key areas. Responses are categorized, tabulated and compared
across two groups of beneficiaries from (i) NHA-led and (ii) NHA-led and NGO-assisted
projects. From these responses, conclusions about the beneficiaries’ overall resilience
and satisfaction level are made. Comparison between two groups generates two streams
of insights about what the government is doing right (or wrong) in its housing projects for
the urban poor, and what the roles of NGOs or civil society are in helping the
government promote resilience among project beneficiaries and ultimately build
sustainable communities. Empowering the poor in relocation projects is a key to building
sustainable communities outside emerging cities. Policies that are geared to strengthen
their voice and participation should be embraced by the government to help them achieve
greater resilience, while asserting their entitlements to a decent living.
Panel 2 - Poverty Reduction
Alberto Oliveira (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brasil); Gilberto
Abrantes Filho (Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Brazil)
“The challenges of Brazilian labor market: long-term unemployment and inactivity”
In 2000's the recovery of Brazilian economy allowed the decline of the unemployment
rate. However, a relevant number of working-age people still outside of labor market in
Brazil. Why is it happen? Don't they want to work or they aren't able to get a job? The
mainstream defends that the labor market equilibrium is defined by the supply and
demand of work but in backward economies such as Brazil the high heterogeneity implies
in many gray areas in labor market. Despite the personal characteristics such as
education and age, other important elements can define the success to get a job. The
aim of this work is to show how the combination of different elements such as educational
level, age, race, family structure, macroeconomic dynamic and place of residence can
define the people condition in labor market.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
The working age people were divided into three categories: (1) workers in employment
and those in short-term unemployment; (2) the long-term unemployed and (3) people who
were inactive. Adopting the parameters used in the specialized literature, the long-term
unemployed was defined as people who had been searching for a job for at least twelve
months. The first category (employed and short-term unemployed) was taken to be the
baseline category for the model as it represents persons who were regularly inserted in
the labor market whenever it is performing as expected. The identification of the
characteristics of individuals in situations of economic inactivity or long-term
unemployment was achieved by applying logit loglinear analysis which is based on a
multinomial distribution instead of the normal distribution associated to multiple linear
regression.
In conclusion, the main contribution made by this paper has been to bring together
quantitative elements that reinforce the idea that the conditions individuals have to face in
the labor market are not exclusively associated to their personal characteristics. The
chances of an individual’s managing to get a place in the labor market seem to result
from a combination of multiple factors which overlap one another and either boost or
attenuate individual, family-related or geographic conditioning factors, in addition to those
associated to the macro-economic context. That leads to the conclusion that employment
policies and social protection systems need to be re-thought in such a way that they can
make space for dialogue between them, opening the way for the construction of public
policy models capable of comprehending individuals, simultaneously, from different points
of view.
Ronald Tsz Hin Hung (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
“Does Tourism Really Help Reduce Poverty? A Panel Cointegration Analysis of
Developing Countries in Latin America.”
This study examined the relationship between tourism, non-tourism development and
absolute poverty reduction in four developing countries in Latin America (Argentina,
Brazil, Costa Rica and Honduras). “To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger” is high on
the agenda about the millennium development. At the same time, a wave of literatures
supported that tourism development could be an important channel of relieving poverty.
Croes (2008) used Modified Kaldorian Model to show that tourism could solve absolute
poverty in Nicaragua, but this policy implication may not be generalized to other
developing countries. This study applied Panel Johansen-Fisher Cointegration test and
Vector Error Correction Model to investigate the direct, indirect and dynamic effects of
tourism on poverty relief. Statistical results demonstrated that neither tourism nor nontourism development could reduce poverty individually. Nevertheless, the codevelopment could be conducive to poverty alleviation in the long run.
Wiraphong Panyathanakhun (Walailak University - Thailand)
“Funeral Funds as A Key Development Agent for Burmese Migrant Workers
in Thailand: A Case Study of Ranong Province”
Thailand has an estimated 2.5 million migrant workers from neighboring countries. 80%
of those are from Myanmar. Sharing border with Myanmar in the south of Thailand,
Ranong Province is among Burmese Migrants’ most populous cities in Thailand with an
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
overall estimated number of 130,000 people. The immigration is mainly caused by the
low income in their homeland and big gap in wage rates between the countries. Mainly
employed in fishery and sea food processing industries, Burmese migrants are the
dominant group that lies at the bottom of the local economy.
Living with non-citizenship, Burmese immigrant workers, especially the undocumented,
face with a number of enormous problems regarding the access of social welfares and
justice, and enforcement of workplace rights. These obstacles directly push them to think
about the way to deal with the problems by themselves. For this, the funeral funds were
set up with the total number of 17 groups found currently.
Based on the field survey and interview, the presentation examines the features of the
funeral funds’ organizational structure and management. In particular, it seeks to
investigate the roles of funeral funds in advocating the upgradation of Burmese migrants’
quality of life. Further, it also analyzes some challenges facing them for the fulfillment of
their jobs.
The presentation concludes that the organizational structure of funeral funds in general is
characterized as horizontal organization with informal style of management. In terms of
tasks, besides the funeral undertaking as the main objective, some funeral funds have
expanded their missions to cover different fields of activities such as religion, education,
philanthropy, and justice assistance. It is also found that the lack of participation and
transparency could be major challenges for them to achieve their goals in a sustainable
way.
Panel 3 - Gender Studies
Tsang Wai Hung (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
“New Initiative in Tacking Violence Against Women: Rebuilding Positive
Fatherhood of the Male Abusers of Intimate Partner Violence in Hong Kong”
Violence against women and children is a world-wide social and public health problem,
and is one of the concern areas of Millennium Development Goals. Thus, counseling for
the male abusers is crucial in domestic violence prevention work.
Based on clinical practice for the male abusers of intimate partner violence, those male
abusers still have their yearnings for rebuilding their relationship with their children even
though the marital and father-child relationship have been ruined by their violent
behavior. With this yearning, these abusive fathers have their motivation to stop their
violence against their intimate partners. Therefore, rebuilding positive fatherhood for
male abusers is one of the crucial elements of abusers counseling.
Grounded on this, group treatment of positive fathering for male abusers is the recent
development of abusers counseling service in Hong Kong. Apart from enhancing the
fathers’ awareness of child-centered fathering, the group strives to stop their abusive
behavior and to motivate their practice of co-parenting with their partners. Ultimately, the
treatment can facilitate those abusive fathers to build up healthy and non-violent
environment for their children to grow up.
For the past several years, a total of 96 group sessions were conducted for 84 fathers
who had the history of violence against their intimate partners or children. Quantitative
outcome measurement using the ‘Stage of Change’ questionnaire indicated 66% of the
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
fathers reached the participation stage of which they had concrete ways to try childcentered fathering approach. Results from Conflict Tactic Scale (CTS-2) revealed that
68% & 72% of the fathers reduced in their physical violence and psychological violence
against their intimate partners and their children respectively.
This new initiative for abused fathers is recommended for further promotion in Chinese
community so as to prevent the intergenerational cycle of violence.
Martyna Nowak (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
“Gender inequalities in the Post-Reform China”
The necessity of the market reforms initiated in China in 1978 under the leadership of
Deng Xiaoping was explained by the rationale of the need for development and
modernization. This change has influenced all of the aspects of the Chinese social reality
and led to multiple changes in the social stratification in China.
Although era of Mao Zedong leadership is often consider as a period of almost absolute
egalitarianism, this picture is far from the reality. Inequalities in the pre-reform China,
although marginal while considering economic capital, grow significantly while analyzing
the cultural capital, which can be directly translated to the access to the redistributive
system. Similarly, the picture of gender equality is often painted in a rather flat way and
supports the conviction that Chinese women “hold up half the sky” and hence blur the
possibility of oppressiveness of the welfare state.
The transition to the market economy (with socialist characteristics, as is euphemistically
added by Chinese leadership) did not lead to the collapse of the rule of the Communist
Party, as it has done in the post-socialist transition in the Eastern and Centre Europe.
The Party in China has hence entered the path of rapid development, legitimizing its rule
over the New China.
Chinese women did not end up as big ‘winners’ in the new social stratification, but rather
on the opposite end of it, suffering from unemployment and lack of access the previously
commonly available services, such as retirement funds and medical care packages. But,
since China is, officially, still a socialist country, the quest for gender equality cannot be
openly abandoned. However, the deeper analysis allow us to understand how those who
are in power can easily hijack ideologies and concepts such as gender equality, using
them as tools to benefit themselves.
Jin Gong (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
“Calculating Gambling: Calculation, Development discourse and Rural Women
Participating in Underground Lottery”
In this article, I scrutinize the everyday experiences of women underground lottery
players in rural China, and analyze how women work to justify their lottery consumption.
As underground lottery proliferated for the past decade in rural China, most researches
on gambling in rural China has dubious presupposed that gamblers are disadvantaged
male trying to escape from poverty. This article serves as an antithesis to the existing
androcentric knowledge on gambling. Based on fieldwork with women gamblers in a
southwestern Chinese village, this article argues that women’s gambling experience is
embedded in gendered domestic routines. Contrary to the public accusation of rural
gamblers as reckless speculators, those women creatively use different strategies to
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
calculate and deduce the right number to bet on while drawing hints from their daily
encounters. By locating women’s calculated strategies of picking numbers into the
discourse of suzhi and self-development, I conclude that women's participation in
underground lottery reflects their everyday practices to become “respectable”, where the
dominant development discourse is negotiated with local knowledge of mystery and luck.
Panel 4 - Human Rights, Wellbeing and Climate Change in Development
Kai Ling Phoebe Yee (Chulalongkorn University - Thailand)
“Christian Faith-Based Development: A Case Study of World Vision Foundation of
Thailand in Karen Hill tribe Communities”
Increasingly, it is recognised that development studies has to engage with people’s
understanding of the world in light of their beliefs because religion has a strong influence
on how people interpret the world. Similarly, there is a need to understand how faithbased development organisations (FBDOs) express their religious identity, values and
beliefs in practice when interacting with the communities that they work with. Using World
Vision Foundation of Thailand (WVFT) as a case study, this paper analyses how
Christian values, beliefs and identity shape the organisation’s understanding of its
development programme with Karen hill tribe communities in Mae Sariang, northern
Thailand.
This paper studies World Vision’s concept of ‘transformational development’ (TD) in
practice, where development is not only the improvement of material well-being of the
poor, but their experience with God and spiritual development. Due to World Vision’s
efforts to align its Christian identity and purpose globally and to maintain a balance
between keeping its Christian values and pursuing development goals, ‘Christian
Witness’ has become key to its organisational mission. The extent of these efforts in
influencing the development programmes and organisational culture at WVFT is
examined.
Data collection is from both primary and secondary sources. An actor-oriented
ethnographic approach is employed to understand the construction of knowledge relating
to the religious beliefs of WVFT staff vis-à-vis that of the organisation; the patterns of
behaviour of WVFT staff; and relationships between WVFT staff and community
members. Secondary sources, like theological documents which guide WVFT’s values
and beliefs; and programme documents were studied.
This paper concludes that due to reasons of sensitivity in the Thai context, adaptations
and interpretations of development by field workers, WVFT’s Christian values, beliefs and
identity has been reproduced as a variation of international guidelines, which falls short of
its potential for community transformation.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
Sophie B. Valentine (Monash University, Australia; the University of Trento, Italy)
“Refugee Law for Foreign Domestic Workers- the Neglected Backbone of First
World Economies"
The motives behind why a person makes the decision to perilously leave their loved ones
and home behind in the search for a better life in a distant land, are often not that
dissimilar for both foreign domestic workers and refugees, particularly persecuted and
economic refugees.
Yet, depending on the path chosen, and the people paid to assist in the individual’s
endeavour for that brighter future (be it people smugglers or expensive placement
agencies) the immigrant’s future, their freedom, their enjoyment of life, and the rights the
host state affords the individual: are poles apart. Foreign domestic workers (FDW) are
heavily relied upon in many countries, add significant value to both their host and home
economies, and pay taxes- consequently contributing to government revenue. On the
other hand, refugees are habitually considered to be liabilities rather than value adders to
an economy; often because they arrive needing financial support and welfare benefits.
Regaining the value invested in refugees can be a laborious and doubtful
burden. However, despite the burden refugees place on states, they are granted far more
fundamental rights than FDWs. Oftentimes, host states grant refugees numerous core
rights before they even arrive– without them yet having contributed anything to the host
state- not even their physical presence.
FDWs are handled in a completely different manner. Many prominent and relevant states
voted in favour of the 2011 Domestic Workers Convention. Yet recently passed national
laws from the UK, the Gulf nations and to Hong Kong, completely undermine even basic
human rights: leaving FDWs at such a set-back, they now have fewer rights than
refugees. The heart-wrenching sacrifices, pitiable treatment and back-breaking workloads
of FDWs continue to be overlooked as though they are unworthy of rights or
representation, and are even required to pay to be subjected to such terrible treatment;
seeing them viewed as completely replaceable commodities at the disposal of wealthier
nations.
Based on which, this paper asserts that whichever way the situation is considered: the
injustices, deplorable treatment, abuse, judgement and inferior rights endured by FDWs is fundamentally unfair and equate the situation to modern day slavery. Accordingly, as
an absolute starting point, the rights of refugees- at a minimum- should be those afforded
to the value adders which are foreign domestic workers.
Shahab Shabbir (Aligarh Muslim University, India)
“Where Sustainable Development meets Human Rights: A review of Environmental
Justice as an alternative for Environment Sustainability”
Environment is a totality of human life. It means that it is a source of food, shelter,
clothing and all those necessities, which a human life requires to sustain on earth. The
denial of environmental protection could bring about the denial of some basic and
fundamental rights. Thus, the environment should be properly managed in order to make
it favourable to human life. There has developed a concept of environmental protection in
the recent years where the human interests are being seen at the centre of all the
developmental activities. They are being taken under the aegis of the human rights
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
mechanisms. Earlier human rights issues had never environmentalism as their subject.
Ever since the technological advancement arrived, there have been concerns for a
development without hampering the interests of the generations to come. This concern
and action for the environment sustainability is going through hard times. It has multiple
challenges like the justifiability of development, conflict between developmental effort and
environment protection, burden of proof, lack of international legal instruments,
negligence of states, weak political will, ignorance of masses and imbalance in burden
sharing. The human rights as environmental justice and the ongoing developmental and
technological advancements with reasonability towards the environment as the
environment sustainability are the two concepts that have evolved to provide new,
exciting and challenging directions for public policy and planning. Whether it provides the
solution to the question of focusing on environmental strategies for development or on
environmental justice is another key issue. This paper deals with such challenges by
scanning the imperatives and viabilities of enviro-human rights jurisprudence in the light
of various international instruments. Further, this paper appraises the potentials of new
horizons of environmental justice and gives suggestions for protecting environmental
rights and promoting justice over sustainability.
Kavyanjali Shukla (Academic and Research Publication House, New Delhi, India)
“Development: Meaning in Terms of Environmental Health, a Futuristic Approach”
Today's "developed nations" during late 1960s, had a fear that protecting the environment
could restrain a country’s economy. However, the developing countries can easily learn
this lesson that a well-protected environment is compatible with strong economic
development as well. It's high time that we stop measuring a nation's progress via
quantitative economic parameters like gross domestic product (GDP) and per capita
income (PCI). We have to realize that we have had enough of it. Now is the time for both
developed and developing nations to work together to help acquire the targets of "healthy
living". For us to realize this concept of "healthy living" we need to identify our individual
roles and responsibilities in order to create a world where we live in harmony with the
environment. We need to frame new goals, where "health for all" is the target,
introducing novel strategies to reach these targets and new methods and parameters to
measure it. These new parameters may comprise of burden of death, disease and
disabilities, women empowerment, maternal health, gender equality, quality education, to
name a few. Since the past few decades, there has been an increase in flow of
information regarding environmental health problems from developed countries, that has
contributed in a considerable growth of public awareness across the globe, especially
towards various health hazards caused due to increasing industrialization and
urbanisation of a nation. Such kind of worldwide multidirectional communication is
necessary in order to cooperate and make progress in terms of global environmental
health. The developed nations should also keep in mind that whatever strategies they are
going to imply to protect the environment should not harm the developing countries in any
way. This document attempts to focus on identifying some of growing problems that
might hinder the development and our future.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
Panel 5 - Foreign Aid and Development Cooperation
Katarzyna Andrzeiczak (Poznan University of Economics - Poland)
“Models of Development Cooperation”
Development cooperation has been identified as one of the possible sources of
technology transfer to Sub-Saharan Africa. However, the poorest region of the world and
the biggest recipient of Official Development Assistance, Sub-Saharan Africa is also the
least advanced technologically. Seeing in technology development an opportunity to
stimulate economic development and convergence, the issue of development
cooperation mechanisms for increasing the use of technology in economies of the
countries from the region is approached. The goal of this paper is to define three general
models of cooperation: traditional, socially responsible, and horizontal. These models are
based not only on the historical background of development relations between the so
called donor and recipient, but also on the structure of aid and the recipient catalogue.
Main characteristics of identified models will be analyzed with special regard to aid quality
and selection of aid channels. Several dimensions of the cooperation have been
identified. They are: colonial experience, history, language&culture, democracy, natural
resources, moral obligation, partner relations, trade interests, international obligation. The
discussion on aid effectiveness and the motivation of donor create a context for a critical
evaluation of the models of development cooperation that emerge from the half century
experience. Although the models apply to general development aid comportment, the
context of technology transfer possibility is addressed in this paper, since it has been
assumed a crucial element to eliminate development disparities. Both literature review
and statistical data analysis will be applied. Methods of comparative and system analysis
will be adopted in order to elaborate theoretical foundations for the studied models.
Arkadiusz Maciej Duszyński (Nicolaus Copernicus University - Poland)
“The Polish Aid: examples of projects in Timor-Leste, Afghanistan and Ukraine”
Polish Aid became an important tool of development aid especially in selected countries
and regions of the world. The emphasis was put on regions which were covered by
priorities of Polish foreign policy. Thus, it was natural to look out to the Eastern
neighbours of Poland, within its reach of influence. The aid was offered first of all to
Ukraine, Belarus, Russian Federation (Kaliningrad oblast), Moldova, Georgia and to
lesser extent also Kazachstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Kirgistan and
Turkmenistan, which later became so called “Eastern Partnership” (of the EU) states,
were beneficiary countries.
Also, countries like Afghanistan (where Poland had sent its troops as part of international
operation and was responsible for the stability and development of Ghazni province) or
Palestine were among priority countries for Polish aid.
To lesser extent, in the agenda of Polish Aid were distant, smaller underdeveloped
countries of the world. Thus, in coutrties such as Indonesia, Polish Aid was present and
even relatively big grants and projects were given. However, there were also countries
like Myanmar or the smallest countries as Timor-Leste, where the first even so called
small grant of Polish Aid was given recently, in case of Timor-Leste as late as in 2013.
However, thank to small grants of Polish Aid, the program found its flexibility and spread
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
around the world, even thought it was not as generous as the programs of major global
development donors.
The presentation and the paper will tell more about the history of Polish Aid, its past,
present and future goals, as well as about its scope and acomplishments. It will examine
Polish Aid in qualitative and quantitative mode, focusing on projects in Afghanistan,
Timor-Leste and Ukraine (plus other “Eastern Partnership” countries) and will bring closer
to the international scholar community the very sense of Polish Aid and its major features.
The Polish Aid paper shows also an interesting transformation story of a country which
became an international donor short after being verious development aid programs
beneficary. It describes it not only from the position of scholar, but also from practicioner
point of view.
Cristian Talesco (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
“Australia’s Foreign Aid to Timor-Leste and the Rise of China”
Foreign aid forms an important part of a state’s identity within the international system.
The established dichotomy saw developed countries giving aid, while developing
countries were receiving it. Nevertheless, China’s ‘rise’, along with that of other ‘emerging
economies’, changed such a dualist view; or at least undermined the traditional concept
of aid giving. China is becoming a world power, it is the second largest economy, yet it is
still within the group of developing countries. However, it provides a considerable amount
of foreign aid worldwide. This is destabilizing the established understandings of aid
regimes, as set by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors since the
1950s. In particular, the rise of China in Timor-Leste as an important aid contributor, but
working outside the leading aid regime, is affecting the most prominent donor in the
country, Australia. Moreover, the rapidly growing presence of China in Timor-Leste
seems well received by the local government, although criticism arose amongst the
population. Thus, this paper requires different levels of analysis. Firstly, it will analyze
how China managed to “break” the monopoly of Australian aid by accessing Timor-Leste.
It will then explicate the principles and the practice of Chinese aid, and will attempt to
establish whether Chinese aid has produced a positive impact on Timor-Leste and its
people. Finally, this paper suggests that Chinese aid is not challenging, neither
threatening the Australian aid assistance in Timor-Leste; rather Chinese aid offers an
alternative way of giving aid, which can also inform the Australian aid regime with the
possibilities of establishing mutual benefits and effective partnerships with the recipient
countries.
Michael Mitchell Omoruyi Ehizuelen (Xiamen University - PRC)
“Momentum for Wealth Creation: Why African Economic Transformation Exceed
Aid”
There has been continuous and inconclusive debate on the role and impact of foreign aid
in Africa’s economic development. While some development experts believe that aid is
crucial for Africa development, others argue that it undermines economic self-reliance.
This paper surveys the manifold social and economic problems currently facing Africa,
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
and argues that aid is necessary but insufficient for economic development in the
continent. It posits that Africa’s economic transformation rest not on ‘foreign aid’ but
momentum for ‘wealth creation’ which can be viewed from these pillars: knowledge,
entrepreneurship, technology and governance. The continent needs to think outside the
box when instituting and utilizing these pillars. However, to enable these pillars function
well, development issues have to be examined from a long-term perspective. Perceptions
have to be transformed from over-reliance on aid to more responsible means of capital
flow such as borrowing and investment. Efforts should also be geared towards ensuring
that the benefit of economic development permeates all groups and classes in the society
up to the community level. New players such as the business class and Africans-inDiaspora should be actively involved in the process of formulation and implementation of
development policies. In addition, immigrant entrepreneurs in Africa, especially Asians
and precisely the Chinese, must be encouraged to channel their investments to diverse
significant sectors. There should also be initiatives to facilitate collaboration between
immigrant and local entrepreneurs to foster knowledge-sharing and innovation. Active
participation in international trade, radical infrastructural development and good
governance are the key for a sustainable and inclusive transformation in Africa.
Panel 6 - Security and Transnationality
Robert Chrismas (University of Manitoba, Canada)
“Canadian Policing in the 21st Century: A Frontline Officer on Challenges and
Changes”
How can police remain effective and vital in an era of unprecedented technological
advances, access to information, and the global transformation of crime? Written by a
long-serving officer, Canadian Policing in the 21st Century offers a rare look at streetlevel police work and the hidden culture behind the badge. Robert Chrismas shares
experiences from his years of service to highlight areas where police can more effectively
enforce laws and improve relations with the communities they serve. He proposes tactics
for addressing widespread social issues such as gang and domestic violence and
strategies for cooperating in international networks tackling human trafficking, internetbased child exploitation, organized crime, and terrorism. Chrismas stresses how
changing demographics related to age, gender and racial diversity, and increased
dangers and demands, require intensified training and higher education in policing. He
highlights the need for more effective collaborative relationships between police and
local, provincial, and federal governments, non-government agencies, and their
communities. While the principles and goals of policing remain largely unchanged, police
challenges, tools, and strategies have evolved dramatically. Chrismas' vantage point as
an officer and a scholar provides an illuminating account of the Canadian justice system,
and road-maps to future success.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
Sai Kit NG (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
“Examining Cosmopolitanization and its Implication for Future Development”
Cosmopolitanism is not a novel idea as its history could go back 2000 years when it was
first advocated by scholars in Greece and Rome, calling on people to uphold moral
universalism. In doing so, it was argued that, as world citizens, we should belong and be
loyal to the world instead of our own communities, and take care of strangers in the world
regardless of the differences we have in nationalities, race, cultures and languages. This
moral ideal has never become very popular, as people seldom see why they should
abandon their roots in order to embrace the world. Over the past one to two decades,
however, the idea of cosmopolitanism has regained much attention, particularly sparked
by the works of Ulrich Beck, David Held, Gerard Delanty and Kwame Appiah, who have
re-conceptualized it as a “both/and” perspective, highlighting the interplay of the global
and the local. Triggered by global risks together with technological advances, first, social
developments have become increasingly transnationalized or glocalized, which provides
a pre-condition for actualizing cosmopolitanism. As well, cosmopolitan core values have
been gradually reflected in certain human behaviors, including anti-war protests, the
pursuit of human rights, the popularity of green living, and a proliferation of transnational
organizations. What we are lacking is a framework for understanding this inner process of
cosmopolitanization. This presentation will first concentrate on the process of
cosmopolitanization, after which its implication to the post-2015 development agenda will
be discussed.
David Amon Neequaye (Lingnan University, Hong Kong)
“Investigative interviewing: An alternative route to security”
In recent years the world has been on the receiving end of spates of violence perpetuated
against innocent victims; Boko Haram in North-eastern Nigeria, Al-Shabaab in Somalia,
Isis in the Middle-east and so on. These threats to world stability have overarching
consequences not only for security of citizens but also for development in general.
Obviously, these security threats have deterrent effects not only on investment but these
terrorist groups, in carrying out their activities, destroy infrastructure that have taken
years to build and maintain. So what preventive or defensive measures are we taking to
combat these terrorist groups? The present discussion seeks to draw attention to a novel
psychological field of enquiry that examines investigative interviewing techniques,
particularly, that which involves gleaning information out of persons that may have
information pertinent to furthering our defenses against terrorist organizations. In light of
human right issues, such as the unfortunate incidents at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo
bay, newly developed investigative interview techniques such as the evidence framing
matrix, inquisitorial interviewing and the schraff technique may just be the new found
torches we need, that may point us toward humane investigative interviewing practices
with best results for security.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
Panel 7 - Economic Development
A. Sankaran (Pondicherry Central University, India); P. Rajkumar (Madurai Kamaraj
University, India)
“Estimating the Long-Run Relationship between Sector Shares and Economic
Growth: Econometric Evidence from India”
Right from the contributions of Classical economists, there is a concern in connection
with how to speed up and sustain economic development so as to attain both high real
income per head and social well-being(André Nassif. et.al, 2013). Social scientists in this
world have been discussing the causes of economic growth and the mechanisms behind
it. Particularly in the last few decades, a fascinating interest on this topic arose with the
contribution of ‘new growth’ models, after Romer (1986, 1990) and Lucas (1988). More
than three decades ago, Nicholas Kaldor(1963), Simon Kuznets(1971) and Angus
Maddison(1980) highlighted the interrelationship between the sectors, pattern of
structural transformation and its importance in the economic development in advanced
countries. They demonstrate the perceptible shifts of output and labour from agriculture to
industry and from industry to services. Further, it is well-documented that economic
growth is a long term process, it includes noticeable shifts in the sectoral structure of
output, employment, and expenditures (Kuznets, 1957). From the sharp of the above
mentioned dimensions the present study tries to investigate the long run relationship
between sector shares and economic growth in India. To attain the above mentioned
target, time series data have been used for the period from 1952 to 2013, Co-integration,
Error Correction and Granger causality test models are administered. The preliminary
results of these econometric estimation shows that the unidirectional causality runs from
GDP to agriculture.
Oluwaseyi Olubunmi Sodiya (University of Malaya, Malaysia)
“The effects of youth sports investment on Economic Development”
The lack of alternatives models for development in our societies shown by our various
governments, have contributed a lot to higher rates of unemployment and poverty around
the globe. The alternative most of our government chose to eradicate poverty and
developing the economy are not yielding any changes, rather than building a wide gap
between the rich and poor. Solving the issues such as this have to look into some
strategies that will have positive impact on the people at the grassroots level, the
alternative model that can work out will be a model with a solid foundation like a tree
rooted to the ground and yielding many branches. A major concern for our societies is
the lack of alternatives models for development which looks into issues such as
unemployment of youth, unavailability of quality and complete education, and higher rates
of health issues among the youth. This paper will examine the role of the effects of youth
sports investment on economic development, which can empower an individual by
providing lifelong learning with employment opportunity to eradicate poverty, a means of
effective changes, support for local economic development and job creation. By exploring
the past literature on role of sports as an important economic sector, I am aiming to
investigate the transformative role of youth sports investment as one of the means of
alternatives models for development by looking through models of the relationship
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
between sport, social life and economic Outcomes.
Mega Nisfa Makhroja (University of Indonesia); Erica Fera Juwita (Bogor
Agricultural Institute, Indonesia)
“Can the Inclusive Growth be Implemented on Palm Industry in Indonesia?”
Inclusive growth is a strategy to achieve better model of development. Currently, states
only focus on growth without recognizing other factors that impact on development.
Indonesia, as an emerging market, has strongly economic rising with GDP more than 5%
per year. The government managed to reduce poverty to 500,000 people under the
poverty line in 2012-2013, but inequality is still at an high level 0.4% (gini-ratio). Hence, it
is important to implement inclusive growth based on several combined factors: economic
freedom, social inclusiveness, and social safety in development process. As a developing
country, Indonesia’s development faces trade-off of resources management. However,
the resources impact on GDP but still have to balance with sustainability.
This paper argues resources management, in the case of Palm industry, contributes to
impact on inclusive growth supported by state, business and society. The first focus is on
inclusive growth as development model in Indonesia. The second is an analysis of policy
implementation for palm industry. The research applies mixing methodology in descriptive
analysis approach. This paper will be structured into three parts: literature review on
inclusive growth model; second an analysis of inclusive growth in palm industry; third
discuss findings and conclusion.
Oluwasola Emmanuel Omoju (Xiamen University, PRC)
“Does Increasing Public Spending Reduce Poverty in Developing Countries?
Evidence from Nigeria”
Increase in public expenditure is expected to lead to reduction in poverty level. This
assertion has, however, not been true for Nigeria as data shows increase in poverty
levels despite substantial increase in public spending. The high rate of poverty despite
consistent increase in public spending has raised questions on the effectiveness and
impacts of public expenditure in Nigeria. This anomaly calls for further comprehensive
studies on the relationship between public expenditure and poverty in Nigeria. The
objective of this paper is to examine the dimension of poverty and the impact of public
expenditure on poverty incidence at the aggregate level in Nigeria during the period
1980-2011 using trend analysis and error correction model. From the analysis, the trend
and dimension of poverty in Nigeria shows that poverty is prevalent among rural dwellers,
large families, households whose heads have little or no formal education as well as
people engaged in agricultural activities. Econometrics analysis shows that capital
expenditure has a negative but insignificant relationship with poverty in the short run,
while deficit-GDP ratio and inflation rates exert positive but insignificant relationship with
poverty. It was also discovered that while poverty responds to local government
expenditure quickly, it takes about five years for state and federal government
expenditure to have significant impact on poverty. Based on this finding, efforts to reduce
the level of poverty in Nigeria should among other things, focus on agriculture and rural
development, family planning and population control, and increased access to education.
In addition, ensuring price stability and increased efficiency of public expenditure
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
management via increase in index of capture and reduction in fiscal deficits should be
key priorities of the government with respect to poverty reduction. Moreso, local
governments should be given more capacity and resources to initiate public expenditure
and execute development projects.
Panel 8 - Urban and Rural Development
Shiu Hung WONG, Chau San SHEK (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
"Urban developmentalism of Hong Kong and its effect on sustainable development
in a compact city-state: its present and future. A comparative case study on recent
development projects in Hong Kong."
As an upshot of the rapid economic integration between the HKSAR and Mainland China
in recent years, there have been multiple infrastructural projects in the New
Territories(NT) of Hong Kong that are designed to strengthen regional economic
integration in the post-handover era. We have seen an unprecedented pace of this
transition in the past few years in which the burgeoning idea of urban developmentalism
serves economic purposes, at the expense of diverse social development and
encouraging a homogenous economic structure, which puts the sustainable development
of Hong Kong on the unfavourable side. This article explores why the dominant
development ideology of Hong Kong, as a unique city-state adjacent to an economic
power, prevails at this particular juncture, and attempt to discuss why it is no longer
working. The largest town development, the North-east New Territories Development
Area and other infrastructural projects in the NT will be introduced as examples to
illustrate the latest development, and invite us to rethink the future of urban
developmentalism in Hong Kong.
Evi Aprianti Syamsuddin (University of Malaya, Malaysia)
“The Effectiveness of Urban Heat Mitigation Programs Towards a Comfortable
Living of Outdoor Environment”
Semarang and Bandung are developed urban areas in Indonesia, like other cities in a
tropical environment faces serious environmental degradation of urban heat island,
atmospheric pollution, traffic congestion and high energy consumption due to its rapid
development and urbanization. The outdoor living comfort is seriously affected by
accumulation of heat and generation of dust and smoke. The aims of study are to provide
a basis for understanding and create awareness on the importance of comfortable
outdoor living environment for comfortable human life and living with serious attention on
issues of urban heat as well as the effective use of natural elements such as plants and
water as heat ameliorator. Initial stage of the research is to make the application
prerequisite form UHI mitigation by way of content analysis on UHI mitigation precedent,
previous UHI research and legal aspects. The results showed that the temperature and
humidity readings taken at vegetated and densely built-up areas in Semarang city,
showed a difference of an increase of 5°C to 8°C temperature and a reduction of 10% to
14% humidity. In addition, Bandung maximum air temperature increased from 33 0C to
350C in the last 30 years, while the surface temperature above 30 0C undergoing
expansion in 1994-2001. The general public displayed a lack of understanding and
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
awareness on the impact of heat to their outdoor comfort. Further research recommends
continuous massive tree-planting programs, encouragement of more vertical landscape
or rooftop gardens and more moving water features to be the basis to ameliorate the
urban heat while the professionals should integrate the their built environment with
sustainable natural eco system. Political leaders, policy makers and the public needs to
understand and be more aware of the issue of the outdoor living comfort and how nature
can help to comfort mankind and sustain a good outdoor living environment.
Nirmala Velan; Priyanka Sahu (Pondicherry Central University, India)
“Self Help Group Scheme: A Panacea for Sustained Development in Rural
Jharkhand, India”
Empowering women socially and economically is crucial for the sustenance of
development and achieving gender equality, which is one of the major aims of the MDGs.
Given the multiplicity and spill-over of benefits of women’s empowerment in poverty and
inequality reduction, countries around the world have launched several policy measures
to achieve this end. One such attempt is the initiation of Self-Help Groups micro-credit
programme in India since the 1990s. The study assesses the impact of SHG scheme on
socio-economic development of rural poor tribal women of Khunti district in Jharkhand
state. The determinants of income generation have also been investigated, in addition to
examining the perceived benefits and suggestions for improved implementation of the
scheme. It also analyses the difference in economic status and income distribution of the
respondents. The data for the study have been collected from a random sample of 118
poor women during December 2013-January 2014. The objectives are analysed using
simple averages, percentages, ratios, multiple regression, Lorenz curve and Garret
ranking technique.
The findings reveal that the sample respondents belong to socially and economically
backward class. The SHG microcredit loans have resulted in their financial inclusion.
Significant improvement was observed in their post-SHG credit employment, income,
savings and borrowings. The Lorenz curve shows a decline in income inequality among
the respondent households. The factors positively and significantly contributing to income
generation of the respondents are increase in labour days, credit availability and degree
of cohesion among the group members. Further, although most decisions on political,
social and economic matters are jointly made by the couple, the women make decisions
on spending their own earnings. The main perceived benefits ranked are better social
status, assets and housing, and increased food expenditure respectively. The major
suggestions for improved performance of SHGs given by the respondents are more
training, loan amount, employment and recognition in the society. Thus, the SHGs
programme appears to be contributing towards women’s empowerment in rural
Jharkhand. Further improvement in their awareness and capabilities would also help in
achieving sustained growth of the area.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
Doan Tranh (Duy Tan University, Vietnam)
“Good Practices for Hydropower Development: Fieldwork Researches in the River
Basins of the Central Vietnam”
The Central and Highlands Regions of Viet Nam are the second-highest potential source
of hydroelectric power in the nation. During the last few years, many projects have gone
into operation and contributed significantly to economic and social development.
However, many such projects have resulted in population displacement and resettlement,
flooding, deforestation and increases in downstream salinity, which have adversely
impacted local economic growth and living standards. Based on research in the Vu GiaThu Bon Basin, Central Viet Nam, this paper makes observations and suggestions on
good practices for developing socially and environmentally sustainable hydropower
projects.
Panel 9 - Governance, Diplomacy and Health in Development
Chenguang Sun (City University of Hong Kong)
“Self-government Facilitated by Participation: Prospect of Community
Environmental Governance in the Context of Low-carbon City Construction - on the
Basis of an Empirical Research in Chengyang District, Qingdao”
Mainland China’s urbanization process is being retarded by environmental issues which
consist of industrial pollution, energy crisis and traffic congestion. Embedded in such
social context, the development pattern of “low-carbon city” highlighting “sustainability”
has been in the limelight of public opinion. Particularly, the ultimate orientation of such
development should be aimed at the low-carbonized transformation in each urban
community, which maintains the long-term vitality of a low-carbon city. The writer aims to
empirically investigate the current situation of community participation in Qingdao by:
examining its demonstration district—Chengyang, exploring factors and mechanisms
related to this participation, and identifying its successful experiences as well as
weaknesses.
Assisted by the method of logistic regression, different effect levels of factors can be
found in diverse circumstances. On this basis, it is argued that Chinese urban residents
generally have strong low-carbon consciousness, whereas their participation patterns
which can be classified as two types (passive and rational) stagnate at a relatively low
level. In addition, governmental planning still remains a predominant position in lowcarbon affairs. The function and impact of civil society are refrained temporarily, with
sporadic efforts for citizens to enhance their discourse power. Finally, suggestions which
accord with the demands of China’s urban management innovation are proposed to
prompt the process of community participation, in terms of cultivating low-carbon culture,
transforming government’s function, improving interior motivation mechanisms,
supporting the growth of civil society, and bewaring of the side effects of consumerism.
Overall, this article is expected to provide evaluative insights about the broader impacts
of low-carbon urban policies and lifestyles in Chinese cities.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
Nhu Ha Nguyen (City University of Hong Kong)
“Can bad governance become good and better? A study of youth integrity and anticorruption education in Viet Nam”
For development researchers and practitioners worldwide, good governance and
development are not an easy puzzle. They hold different beliefs in the ambiguous
correlation between good governance and development and remain far from consensus
on methodology and interference. Grindle thus introduced “good enough governance”
concept that can fill the gap between concept and practice and suggest which institutions
matter most and which interventions will most likely to promote development in a specific
individual country or region. In his definition, “good enough governance” refers to “the
minimal conditions of governance necessary to allow political and economic development
to occur” (Grindle 2007, p.554). With heavy considerations of limited resources of money,
time, knowledge, and human and organizational capacity; “good enough governance”, as
supposed by Grindle, can help countries to limit the agenda of “things that must be done”
and use it to target fewer, more useful, and more feasible interventions.
This paper has a two-folded purpose. First, it introduces and discusses further the idea of
“good enough governance” as a “tailor-made approach” that can deal with varying
governance problems of countries internationally and authoritarian regimes in particular.
Apparently, the road to good governance is “a long, stony and uphill path” in every
country in the world and it becomes even more daunting in some contexts than the others
that one should not hope for revolutionary changes as quick solutions (Leisinger 2003,
p.41-44). Second, it applies “good enough governance” concept to studying growing
concerns and practices towards youth integrity and anti-corruption education in Viet Nam
such as “black or white” and “I truly learn” campaigns run by “For A Clean Education” or
FACE club of Hoa Sen University in partnership with Live&Learn, Rosa Luxemburg
Stiftung and Towards Transparency in the past few years. The author argues that this
theoretical approach suits Vietnam’s mixed performance of governance that is prone to a
limited number of small but important institutional, policy and practical changes created
by different social actors. Moreover, these initiatives imply a possibility for Vietnam to
grow “its ways out of corruption” and to achieve “a uniquely Vietnamese solution to policy
questions surrounding corruption, good governance and economic development” (Record
2005, p.15).
Firouzeh Khoshnoudiparast (Australian National University)
“Redefining Development Diplomacy: Role of International Organisations (IOs) in
Development”
Development does not take place simply between states but wherever people live in
different groups. This paper aims to argue that the demand for utilising diplomacy for
development is on the rise. In contrast the mainstream international relations theories that
strive to make sense of sole state base developments; this argument focuses on the
significant role of diplomatic actors (e.g., international organisations, non-states actors
and private individuals) in development process. It contributes to the big theoretical and
practical debates in international development arena.
Non-state diplomatic actors (e.g., IOs) are essential in shaping relations between various
international development actors. They perform as a venue for development diplomacy,
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
to bring issues to the attention of the international community to be resolved peacefully
through diplomatic activity. Interconnectedness of development in matters such as
international security, scientific development, technology, environment and economic
development which primarily was considered as domestic concern, however it gradually
becomes one of the major international concerns of modern world affairs. The IOs (e.g.,
the United Nations) as a venue- not necessarily as political actors- play a crucial role in
development diplomacy encounter.
In modern development diplomacy, IOs have the capacity to: exert development
cooperation (multilateral development diplomacy), hampering diplomats’ ability to
successfully negotiate development-related issues, redefine the behaviour of states,
influencing State conduct by both “creating strong incentives for cooperation whilst at the
same time implementing disincentives”1, for instance trade and sanctions.
Titilope Fisayo Popoola (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa)
“Correlates of Contraceptive Non-Use among Married Women in Nigeria”
Contraceptive non-use which could lead to unintended pregnancies has been one of the
problems of reproductive health. Outcomes of unintended pregnancies have been shown
to include; abortion, obstetric complications, maternal morbidity and mortality among
others. This study examined the factors influencing non-use of contraception among
Nigerian married women. The target population comprised all females between ages 1549 years in Nigeria. The sample size was 23,954 married women in the country. The
outcome variable was measured using current contraceptive use which was
dichotomized: not using contraceptive coded as (1) and using contraceptive coded as (0).
Logistic regression was used for the analysis. Results showed that 20,983 married
women (88%) reported that they are contraceptive non-users. Of these, the following
characteristics had higher odds of contraceptive non-use. Women who want more
children within 2years, unsure of timing and undecided had higher odds (2.17), women
who are 35 years and above (1.80), women who are from North West, North East and
North Central (5.35, 2.95, 1.64) respectively, and women who are Muslims (1.43). the
association between contraceptive non-use and wealth index, number of living children,
occupation, and place of residence, partner’s education and educational level of women
was found to be statistically significant. These findings indicate areas that reproductive
health policies and programmes should focus in order to increase contraceptive uptake
among married women in Nigeria.
Panel 10 - Sociology and Diversity in Psychology, Literature and
Advertising
Hyunok CHO, Ki Young HONG, Sheung-jie JI (Hannam University - South Korea)
“A Study on “What Is Human” in Literature Focused on Mary Shelley Frankenstein
and Film Splice”
Through this presentation, I’m planning to compare Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the
movie Splice (2009) and discuss how far we can consider a living thing as a human being
based on the theory of French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan. In the movie based on
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
Mary Shelley’s novel, Victor is considered as the father who created the monster and in
Splice, Elsa is more of a mother genetic engineer. These two stories are similar in
creating a living thing but in Splice “Dren” attempts to “cease from being the offspring.” As
follows, I’m going to look into the independence of the living thing that human tries to
create. Let’s examine if we can call the living thing that human creates called ‘human’ and
how far is the human criteria, and lastly what is the desire of human and is the new
creation also the being of desire.
Francesca Olivotti (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
“Are women in Hong Kong racists? A study of how the Chinese development has
affected the relations between Hong Kong women and Chinese women”
Despite its westernized appearance, Hong Kong has a very strong Chinese identity. In
the context of the mainland Chinese economic development, Hong Kong finds itself in an
odd position. During the Maoist era, and throughout the period during which it was still a
British colony, it used to hold a strong economic position, but nowadays the mainland has
not only reached Hong Kong, but it runs at an even faster pace. This extremely fast
development has caused a turn in the relations of power between Hong Kong and the
PRC. The once poor albeit huge neighbor holds now a political and economic force
based on a high purchasing power. This has generated new and difficult relations that
have been exacerbated by Hong Kong’s political demands.
The aim of this paper is to analyze how the mainland Chinese fast development has
affected the relations between Hong Kong women and mainland Chinese women in Hong
Kong. Emerged from its decolonization, the racial discourse carried out in Hong Kong is
cultural, rather than biological, being the majority of Hong Kong’s population of Han
ethnicity.
Much attention has been given to issues of racism in Hong Kong towards foreign
communities such as Filipino and Indonesian domestic helpers, but little attention has
been instead given to how racism manifests itself towards mainland Chinese
communities. In fact, Hongkongers and mainlanders both share the same cultural
background, the same physical appearance, and most of all the peculiarity of this kind of
racism is that the victims are the strongest, at least politically and economically.
A kind of racism that manifests itself not against “the other” but against someone who is
so similar, bears a uniqueness that deserves a detailed attention.
Hyunhee Song (Hannam University – South Korea)
“Possibility of New Family Model Through Children’s Literature”
The purpose of this paper is to recognize the influence about meaning of various families
in contemporary society. Stonewall Book Awards are a new trend in children’s literature.
There are so many books related with that awards especially LGBT (Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender). Even though we know this meaning and kind of books have a
power of influence for our widening mind, it’s very hard to find them in Asia. Asian has a
strong hierarchy about the structure of family from the ancient. Bur our society already
has a various families in dark parts that they don’t want to reveal their pure nature for
their kids. I try to research and analyze these and then want to give a positive light to
show their own more than hide with double-sidedness. Author Michael Willhoite uses a
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
very positive insight the homosexuality in Daddy’s Roommate. He prove a positive energy
that gay partner (young boy has his own father and a daddy’s male partner after his
parent divorce) give lots of happiness to their son and each other. I can find the term of
Single mom, Single dad in Korea recently. Maybe the more various families exist in Korea
including Asia. I want to re-confirm of this meaning using this very simple story. This work
is going to be very developmental change in the new light of various family in oriental
culture.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
LOCATION MAP
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
TRANSPORTATION MAP
Mass Transit Railway (MTR)
Get off at Hung Hom station at Exit A and follow the signage directing to The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University.
Bus
1. Tunnel Bus (from Hong Kong Island)
Take any tunnel bus passing Hong Kong Cross Harbour Tunnel, get off at the bus stop right after
crossing the Tunnel from the Hong Kong Island. Take the footbridge leading to the podium of the
University, and follow the directional signage for Jockey Club Auditorium on campus.
2. Tunnel Bus (from Kowloon or New Territories)
Take any tunnel bus passing Hong Kong Cross Harbour Tunnel, get off at the last bus stop
before crossing the Tunnel in Hung Hom, Kowloon. Take the footbridge leading to the podium of
the University, and follow the directional signage for Jockey Club Auditorium on campus.
Available Bus Routes*: 101, 101R, 102, 102P, 102R, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111,
112, 113, 115, 116, 117, 118, 170, 171, 171P, 182, 307
3. Other Buses
Take any of the bus routes stopping at Cheong Wan Road, get off at PolyU’s Cheong Wan Road
entrance, and follow the directional signage for Jockey Club Auditorium on campus.
Available Bus Routes*: 5, 5C, 8, 8A, 26, 28, 41A, 98D, 98P, 215X, 81C, 87D, 973
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
CAMPUS CAFE & DINING
Eating outlets
Opening hours
Location
Type of food
Lawn Cafe
Mon-Fri: 8.00-20.00
Sat, Sun and Public
holidays: 9.00-18.00
G/F & 1/F
Block N
Halal Food: Sandwiches, toasties,
salads, soups, potatoes and combo
set.Choices for vegetarian available.
Olive oil is used for cooking
Student
Mon-Sat: 11.00-17.30
Canteen I
Sun: closed
(also known as
the Old CAN)
G/F. VA
Building
Fast food items, breakfast/lunch/tea
set/dinner of Chinese & Western
style. Drinks, snacks, sandwiches,
pastries & bakery, Japanese rameinin-soup, etc.
Choices for vegetarian available.
Soya bean oil is used for cooking
Student
Mon-Sat: 11.00-17.30
Canteen II
Sun: closed
(also known as
the New CAN)
3/F, Shaw Fast-food items, Chinese BBQ pork
Communal and soy-sauce chicken, noodles,
Building
burgers, bakery items, Chinese &
Western set meals from a number of
signature kiosks.
Choices of Muslim and vegetarian
meals are available, and olive oil is
used for cooking
Theatre
Lounge
Mon-Sat: 10:30am8:30pm
Sun: Closed
G/F, Block
A, Chung
Sze Yuen
Building
Chinese, Western, Japanese and
Southeast Asian set menus.
Lib Café
Mon-Sat:
8.30 - 22.45
Sunday:
12:00 – 21:45
Closed on Public
Holiday
Counter take-out
service opens at 7.30
Pao Yuk
Kong
Library
Bakeries, pastries, sandwiches,
paninis, wraps, salads, pastas,
savoury, desserts, espresso-based
beverages, cold and bottled
beverages, organic/fair-trade coffee,
tea and juices
Collegiate
Caffé
Mon-Fri: 8.00-20.00
Saturday: 8.00-20.00
Sunday and public
holiday: 9.00-19.00
FGHJ
Courtyard
Muffins, scones, brownies,
croissants, cupcakes, sausage
rolls, gourmet sandwiches, salads,
soup, espresso drinks, coffee and
tea, cioccolata, iced fruit tea,
habiccino
Café G
Mon-Sat: 10.00-19.30
Sunday and public
holiday: closed
Podium of
Block VA
Taiwanese noodles, toasts,
bakeries, Taiwanese snacks,
flavoured crushed ice and
Taiwanese drinks.
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
MEMO
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4th International Postgraduate Conference – Development: What Now? 9-10-11 October 2014
46
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