Journal of Policy and Society

Description

Journal of Policy and Society (JPS) is a fully open access peer-reviewed journal covering a broad range of topics in Public Policy and Administration. It publishes themed sections that encourage in-depth, critical analyses of specific policy areas. The journal welcomes scholarly papers - both theoretical and empirical - which analyse any aspect of social policy and its relationships with society from different angles. Contributions on teaching and learning issues within the discipline are also welcome.

Latest Articles

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 141

Rethinking higher education for the 4th Industrial Revolution: Synergetics in global social transformations and society building
by Dhanjoo N. Ghista, Ravi S. Sharma

Journal of Policy and Society, Vol.1, No.1, 2023; 272 Views, 241 PDF Downloads

This paper highlights the need for our Rethinking Education towards a global common good and cultivating New Era Universities for the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). 4IR represents a fundamental change in the way we live, work, and relate to one another. It is a new chapter in human development, enabled by extraordinary technological advances commensurate with those of the first, second and third industrial revolutions. Indeed, the 4th Industrial Revolution measures up with the Post-Capitalist Society, involving policies catering to human living needs, enabling people to have a Neo-humanist outlook, and come together to form a universal and more evolved society. This evolved societal state can also come about through implementation of SDGs. 4IR requires a new vision and mission for universities as agents of social transformation and society building, which is what we as humanity must now embark upon.

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Open Access

Article

Article ID: 284

Environmental challenges associated with disposal of baby diapers in Hwange town, Zimbabwe
by Kudakwashe Muringaniza, Karen Madhara, Tatenda Musasa, Oshneck Mupepi

Journal of Policy and Society, Vol.1, No.1, 2024; 118 Views, 88 PDF Downloads, 0 Untitled Downloads

The rapid increase in the use of disposable baby diapers in urban areas is associated with a number of environmental challenges. This study assesses the environmental challenges of disposable baby diapers in Hwange, Zimbabwe. Questionnaires, interviews, and field observations were used for data collection in this study. Data collected from the field was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 and Microsoft Excel. The study findings show that pollution, diseases, and odours are the major challenges of poor waste management associated with disposable baby diapers in Hwange ZPC residential areas. The study recommends the involvement of responsible authorities in conscientious recycling and education on waste management. The research also recommends the need to conduct longitudinal research to establish the position of local and central government in the bid to promote a safe and healthy environment in mining towns such as Hwange, as they are overlooked.

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Open Access

Article

Article ID: 290

COVID-19 induced DV in Zimbabwe’s Southlea Park residential area in Harare
by Oshneck Mupepi, Mark Matsa

Journal of Policy and Society, Vol.1, No.1, 2024; 38 Views, 19 PDF Downloads

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/jps.v1i1.290

COVID-19 affected various communities across the globe in different ways. The study assessed the impacts of COVID-19 lockdown on domestic violence in Southlea-Park residential area in Harare. A mixed methods research design was adopted as it allowed use of both qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches. Questionnaires, interviews and observations were employed for data collection. The research showed that DV in Southlea Park residential area emanated from drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, and conflicts over decision- making between parents, prostitution and food insufficiency among others. The study indicated that most dominant forms of DV in Southlea Park during the COVID-19 lockdown period included physical, emotional and verbal violence. The findings from this study indicated that males suffered more from verbal and psychological violence whilst females suffered more from physical, economic, sexual and emotional violence. The research concludes that COVID-19 had massive influence on domestic violence, however, the Zimbabwe Republic Police should ensure deployment of police officers in temporally camps within or close to residential areas that are far from police stations to ensure public safety during situations that trigger domestic and other forms of violence in residential areas and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in Zimbabwe should ensure availability of agents responsible for ensuring against vulnerability of people to gender, domestic and other forms of violence in all communities of the country especially during situations that trigger violence.

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Open Access

Article

Article ID: 285

Land use/cover change and transormations in Upper Runde Sub-catchment area in Zimbabwe
by Oshneck Mupepi, Rumbidzai Chinyemba

Journal of Policy and Society, Vol.1, No.1, 2024; 32 Views, 18 PDF Downloads

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/jps.v1i1.285

The study assessed land use/cover changes in Upper Runnde sub-catchment in Zimbabwe between 2000 and 2020 using GIS and remote sensing techniques with the support of interviews and field observations. Faster land use/cover changes were experienced within the 2000–2010 decade when compared to the 2010–2020 decade for instance bare land increased by 92.1% between 2000–2010 compared to 16.5% between 2010–2020. Major land cover transformations included change from forest land to bare land, grassland and shrub land, change from grassland to bare and shrub land to grassland. The results confirmed conversion of forests to agricultural lands and settlements following the fast track land reform program in 2000 and livestock increase induced overgrazing as major human activities driving land cover changes. There is a need for serious attention from resource management stakeholders before depletion of critical resources like water and woodlands. Therefore, The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority may consider strict auditing of land uses and water resource use in catchment areas to guard against encroachment of agriculture and other land uses in protected lands and fragile ecosystems like water bodies and wetlands.

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The rapid increase in the use of disposable baby diapers in urban areas is associated with a number of environmental challenges. This study assesses the environmental challenges of disposable baby diapers in Hwange, Zimbabwe. Questionnaires, interviews, and field observations were used for data collection in this study. Data collected from the field was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 and Microsoft Excel. The study findings show that pollution, diseases, and odours are the major challenges of poor waste management associated with disposable baby diapers in Hwange ZPC residential areas. The study recommends the involvement of responsible authorities in conscientious recycling and education on waste management. The research also recommends the need to conduct longitudinal research to establish the position of local and central government in the bid to promote a safe and healthy environment in mining towns such as Hwange, as they are overlooked.

COVID-19 affected various communities across the globe in different ways. The study assessed the impacts of COVID-19 lockdown on domestic violence in Southlea-Park residential area in Harare. A mixed methods research design was adopted as it allowed use of both qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches. Questionnaires, interviews and observations were employed for data collection. The research showed that DV in Southlea Park residential area emanated from drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, and conflicts over decision- making between parents, prostitution and food insufficiency among others. The study indicated that most dominant forms of DV in Southlea Park during the COVID-19 lockdown period included physical, emotional and verbal violence. The findings from this study indicated that males suffered more from verbal and psychological violence whilst females suffered more from physical, economic, sexual and emotional violence. The research concludes that COVID-19 had massive influence on domestic violence, however, the Zimbabwe Republic Police should ensure deployment of police officers in temporally camps within or close to residential areas that are far from police stations to ensure public safety during situations that trigger domestic and other forms of violence in residential areas and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in Zimbabwe should ensure availability of agents responsible for ensuring against vulnerability of people to gender, domestic and other forms of violence in all communities of the country especially during situations that trigger violence.

The study assessed land use/cover changes in Upper Runnde sub-catchment in Zimbabwe between 2000 and 2020 using GIS and remote sensing techniques with the support of interviews and field observations. Faster land use/cover changes were experienced within the 2000–2010 decade when compared to the 2010–2020 decade for instance bare land increased by 92.1% between 2000–2010 compared to 16.5% between 2010–2020. Major land cover transformations included change from forest land to bare land, grassland and shrub land, change from grassland to bare and shrub land to grassland. The results confirmed conversion of forests to agricultural lands and settlements following the fast track land reform program in 2000 and livestock increase induced overgrazing as major human activities driving land cover changes. There is a need for serious attention from resource management stakeholders before depletion of critical resources like water and woodlands. Therefore, The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority may consider strict auditing of land uses and water resource use in catchment areas to guard against encroachment of agriculture and other land uses in protected lands and fragile ecosystems like water bodies and wetlands.