Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Nyathi'

One of the responsibilities of every government is to make provisions of basic needs for its citizens. The situation in Omay resembles people living during the dark ages when there was no constitutional government. The government should in accordance with the priorities of its people be seen to be improving the lives of its citizens by providing health, education, roads, communication facilities, and participation in decision making especially on issues that have a bearing on their lives. The human needs theory postulates that one of the most ideal ways of resolving protracted conflicts is by helping people meet their needs. Human needs are not for trading according to conflict scholar John Burton, implying that if one does not meet his or her needs he/she might do anything to strive to meet them. The people of Omay have been deprived of their needs in all facets; first the previous government relocated them to create Lake Kariba for the hydroelectric plant. They were not compensated. They were dumped on very arid, tsetse fly infested mountainous areas adjacent to game reserves and national parks where they have to make do with wildlife; some that destroy their few crops (elephants) and others that kill them or their animals (lions). As a minority group they have been engaged in social unrest and small skirmishes with government and other, bigger ethnic groups as a form of resistance. A deliberate affirmative action to channel funds towards raising their living standards and develop their area so that they meet their needs could be the panacea to the social unrest.

Many protected areas around the world face degradation in the face of poverty, maladapted agricultural practices and population growth in their surroundings. This research uses a multidisciplinary approach to study this complex problem in the context of a montane ecosystem. The study area comprises Ngel Nyaki and Kurmin Danko Forest Reserves on the Mambilla Plateau in Eastern Nigeria and the surrounding landscape, comprising pastoral lands, farmland, villages and homesteads. Ongoing degradation of the Forest Reserves through their illegal use as grazing areas by the local Fulani pastoralists indicates that the exclusionary protection of the forest is not working. It may be that a participatory forestry approach to conservation would be more successful. The research presented in this thesis uses a variety of methods (interviews, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) and ecological monitoring) to evaluate the current situation in the study area with the aim of determining the likelihood of such a participatory approach to conservation being successful. Satellite images from the years 1988, 2000 and 2009 were used to quantify changes in forest cover to measure deforestation and regeneration rates. Interviews were used to understand the Fulani's pastoral management systems, land ownership status, cattle movements and living situation. Data from interviews and observations as well as from satellite imagery were combined in a GIS to approximate stocking rates and property boundaries and to identify the level of livelihood diversification the different Fulani families have undergone. As grass and water availability have been identified as the main environmental factors determining grazing and cattle movements, environmental data was collected to determine changes in the rates of grass productivity and streamflow over the course of one dry season. The study found that the extent of natural forest is decreasing all over the study area, on privately owned properties, commonly owned properties and in the Forest Reserves. Evidence of human impacts such as charred grassland by late burning and cattle tracks were clearly visible throughout the reserves, with the exception of the core forest area, indicating ongoing intensive use and management of the reserve for cattle grazing. The stocking rates in dry and wet seasons have been found likely to exceed carrying capacities, which results in overgrazing and a reduction in vegetation cover. The Fulani in the study area have already undergone a transition from relying purely on livestock and livestock products to relying on a mix of livestock, agriculture and silviculture. This transition shows potential for forest transition according to the 'forest transition theory', which, supported by the right policy incentives could be transformed into landscape scale conservation of endemic flora and fauna. xii Biomass productivity and water availability in wet and dry seasons were found to be highly asymmetric, which seriously restricts the number of suitable cattle management systems. Data indicate that tall riverine vegetation may have effects on stream water availability during the dry season. The findings of this section point to the need of carefully reassessing the current management of tall riverine vegetation on the Mambilla plateau, also in view of the sustainability of the water supply for pastoral livelihoods.

Due to high levels of exploitation, habitat loss and habitat degradation, Pan troglodytes has experienced such a significant population reduction over the past 20 to 30 years that it is now on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List of Endangered Species. The Nigerian chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes ellioti (Gray 1862), is the most endangered of the four subspecies of chimpanzee. It has the smallest distribution and smallest population size, estimated in 2011 to be between 3,500 – 9,000 individuals. P. t. ellioti was first recognized as a distinct subspecies in 1997, and in 2008 an Action Plan Study Group was set up with the goal to determine the priority sites for its conservation and the actions that should be taken to ensure its long-term survival. The Action Plan was published in 2011 and this thesis is timely as it begins to answer some of the questions deemed important in the action plan. The overall aim of this study was to explore the ecology and behaviour of a small, isolated montane population of P. t. ellioti with the aim of making a useful contribution to future recommendations for the management and conservation of this subspecies. Specifically, I estimated the density of chimpanzees in Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, Taraba State, Nigeria and investigated their nesting ecology, elementary technology, diet, seed dispersal and the viability of seeds dispersed by the chimpanzees. I estimated chimpanzee density by using a combination of direct (direct observation) and indirect methods using nest counts. My investigation of nesting ecology concentrated on identifying habitat variables that influenced choice of nesting site. I assessed elementary technology by locating and describing both manufactured artefacts and unmanufactured objects, and I then located evidence from the surrounding environment to establish details about their presence or absence. Chimpanzee diet was assessed using evidence from faecal samples and artefacts. In order to identify preferences and agents involved in removal of various seed species ingested and dispersed by chimpanzees I set-up a series of experiments using plots into which seed piles were added. Lastly, I compared the rate of germination of conspecific seeds which had been passed through a chimpanzee gut with those that had not been dispersed.

This essay examines how the factors that inspire Tambudzai and Nyasha to counter the patriarchy are portrayed and how these factors contribute to the formation of hybrid identities among the younger generation of women in Nervous Conditions (1988) by Tsitsi Dangarembga. Both characters are faced with different predicaments which makes it necessary to divide the factors in regard to each character. The factors that are connected to Tambudzai are the following: the death of Nhamo, the patriarchal male figures, and the will to obtain an education. Meanwhile, the factors that are connected to Nyasha are the relationship with her patriarchal father, the desire for liberation and gender equality. Postcolonial and feminist criticism are applied. The main focus of the essay is hybridity, or double identity, where the specific term cultural hybridity is used in order to analyze the effect that the struggle against the patriarchy has had on Tambudzai's and Nyasha's emerging hybrid identities. The feminist-psychoanalytic approach is used to analyze the factors that inspire Tambudzai and Nyasha to counter the patriarchy.  The results show that the factors that inspire Tambudzai and Nyasha to counter the patriarchy have been visible and crucial to the formation of their hybrid identities. The struggle that Tambudzai and Nyasha have to face when going against the patriarchal system brings certain predicaments in their lives that affect them and their identity tremendously. One of these predicaments is the realization that patriarchy is universan and, hence, something you cannot escape.

The thesis outlines the impacts produced on local indigenous people by the protection of the Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve in Taraba State, eastern Nigeria. After locating my work in various fields of literature and providing detailed background information on the area in which I conducted my fieldwork and the people who inhabit that area, I proceed onto the core of my thesis, which is two-fold. Firstly, I outline the impacts produced on the local people who inhabit the settlements surrounding the reserve. I elucidate the social, cultural, psychological, economic, and residential impacts of protecting the reserve. Second, I show how local people have adapted to these profound impacts. I show that they have negotiated the effects in various ways, including migration, livelihood diversification and shifting economic dependencies.

Abstract The restoration of degraded landscapes has become one of our most valuable tools for conservation, however there are many factors which can restrict natural regeneration and impede active restoration attempts. The purpose of this study was to investigate three key processes which commonly limit the establishment of forest tree species into abandoned pasture in tropical forests: i) dispersal limitation, ii) seed predation, and iii) competition from the grass sward. Seed dispersal I identified 59 species of birds that were using the grassland habitat. Through 216 hours of focal tree observations I established that isolated trees in the grassland that had larger canopies, and those that were providing a food source (i.e. flowers or fruit) had significantly higher bird visitation rates and average stay lengths. I found evidence of the “perch effect” as patches of remnant trees encouraged more birds into areas of grassland, and the density of seedlings under tree canopies was significantly positively correlated with bird visitations. 95% of the seedlings found beneath tree canopies in grassland were of a different species to that of the tree canopy above them, demonstrating the dispersal of seeds from elsewhere into these microhabitats. 98% of these seedlings are grassland or forest edge species showing forest core species are still dispersal or microsite limited despite the effect of these trees. Seed predation Removal rates of seeds from experimentally laid out seed piles varied among seed species, the habitat the pile was in, and the predator guild able to access the piles. Preliminary results indicate that these trends are driven by the ecology of the seed predator. Removal of seeds by vertebrates was highest in the core forest, while ant predation was constant across all habitats. Vertebrates removed the larger seeds (Entandrophragma angolense and Sterculia tragacantha) while ants preferred the smaller Celtis gomphophylla and Croton macrostachyus. Overall predation rates in grassland were lower than those in the forest, and the presence of remnant trees did not influence predation rates, a positive sign for regeneration and the survival of seeds dispersed into these areas. Competition from the grass sward While the grass sward provides shade for seedlings of forest tree species it is also a harsh environment for them, as the grass competes with seedlings for water. Removing the grass and covering planted seedlings with artificial shading structures significantly increased both the survival and growth of these seedlings. Recommendations From this study I was able to make recommendations for a low input restoration program at Ngel Nyaki. Planting seedlings in small „islands‟ takes advantage of the natural increase in dispersal of seeds under isolated trees, while low seed predation rates increase the chance of survival of these seeds to germination. Planting these seedlings under shade will lead to increases both their growth rates and their survival. Once the secondary forest develops, under-planting seedlings of core forest trees will introduce them to the system, as the natural establishment of these seeds appears to be limited in the current environment. This study has also served to remind us how little we know about this particular forest-grassland system, and has led to the development of ideas for further investigations into several more aspects of regeneration.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:12:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AmandaSFP_DISSERT.pdf: 654256 bytes, checksum: b4f10e1b559371eca5e0c4d71310de30 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-04-18<br>Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior<br>The dialog between the East philosophy and the Western thinking allow us to think the problems inherent to our time from several point of views. Nishitani Keiji, from the Kyoto School, sees the contemporaneity, or the time of the technic, for Heidegger, as derivation and as an immediate consequence of perspective introduced in the modern era form the Cartesian s cogito which creates a barrier that separates man and world. Scientific thinking that dominates our era was created from the thinking that ennobles human reason to the detriment of the others things in the world, determining that the knowledge just can be produced by the man himself and his set of rational powers. However, alerts us Nishitani, this point of view derived from modern thought which imposes subjectivity egocentric type besides not apprehend things in their truth, neither achieves the true self of man. In an attempt to overcome the abuses produced in modernity and that reverberates in our way of be until today, our philosopher will propose the point of view of the nothingness (&#347;&#363;nyat&#257;) as a way to trans-descendance, that is, to overcome the traditional thinking overvalues the reason for the encounter with the original face of man, which by no longer impose its cognitive power can know all things in their true, in the tathat&#257;<br>O di?logo estabelecido entre a filosofia Oriental e o pensamento Ocidental nos permite pensar os problemas inerentes ao nosso tempo a partir de ponto de vistas diversos. Nishitani Keiji, representante da Escola de Kyoto, percebe a contemporaneidade, o tempo da vig?ncia da t?cnica, nas palavras de Heidegger, como deriva??o e consequ?ncia imediata da perspectiva introduzida na era moderna a partir do cogito cartesiano a qual cria uma barreira que separa homem e mundo. O pensamento cient?fico que domina a nossa Era nasceu de uma constru??o de pensamento que enobrece a raz?o humana em detrimento das demais coisas do mundo, determinando que o conhecimento somente deve ser produzido a partir do pr?prio homem e seu conjunto de compet?ncias racionais. No entanto, nos alerta Nishitani, este ponto de vista derivado do pensamento moderno que imp?e uma subjetividade do tipo egoc?ntrica al?m de n?o apreender as coisas em sua verdade, tamb?m n?o alcan?a o verdadeiro eu do homem. Na tentativa de suplantar os abusos gerados na modernidade e que reverberam em nosso modo de ser at? hoje, nosso pensador, ir? propor o ponto de vista da vacuidade (&#347;&#363;nyat&#257;) como um caminho de trans-descend?ncia, ou seja, de supera??o do pensamento tradicional que supervaloriza a raz?o para o encontro com o rosto original do homem, o qual ao n?o mais impor seu poder cognitivo pode conhecer todas as coisas em sua verdade, em seu tathat&#257;

Within the field of comparative religion, the methodological problem of comparing traditions that differ in their histories, theologies, and linguistic constructs persists. Rather than immediately establishing a cognitive bridge between two differing traditions, this study adopts the approach that a typology, specifically a typology of negativity, allows for a nuanced analysis into the comparative possibilities in Buddhism and Christianity. Within the larger scope of a typology of negativity, the teaching of emptiness, or śūnyatā, is examined in various traditions to have a better understanding of how it informs Buddhism; in a similar way, apophatic theology is examined in Christianity in order to show how it informs Christian thought. What binds these two traditions together herein is not a generalized or anecdotal connection, but rather a commitment to negativity, to examining how negation works in the language of these two traditions. The typology of negativity allows for a very specific “route” with which to establish a context of comparison. However, neither the typology nor the examination of negativity through emptiness in Buddhism and apophaticism in Christianity are enough to support a full comparison. An analytical bridge fills out the typology of negativity to help bring the concepts together and, more importantly, to find new comparative routes within the traditions themselves. This is attempted with Derridean deconstruction, specifically through différance in Buddhist emptiness and khôra in Christian apophaticism. Derridean différance and khôra provide a fluid language whereby problems of binary oppositions are bracketed and examined within the specific structures of sacred texts within the traditions. Furthermore, Derridean deconstruction provides the crux of the analytical argument because a deconstructed language of negativity, as it applies to a specific context within Buddhism and Christianity, opens new avenues of analysis and comparison.

Abstract The thesis analyses the music of Albert Nyathi to ascertain how he uses the medium of music to engage with the socio- political issues in Zimbabwe. Using theories of popular culture and popular music, the paper examines how Nyathi uses music for the purpose of communicating his sentiments about the challenges facing the country. The songs to be analysed have been selected from the artists’ albums on a thematic basis. The analysis will focus on the message that the songs communicate and also on how the message is communicated. While emphasis has been placed on the lyrics as the main carriers of the message of the songs, the music will also be analysed to ascertain how it is used to enhance the message in the songs.

My mini-dissertation gives the autobiography of Talent Nyathi, who was born in rural Zimbabwe in 1961. Talent was unwillingly conscripted into the Zimbabwean Liberation Struggle. On her return to Zimbabwe, she has worked tirelessly for the education of her compatriots. Talent's story casts light on subject-formation in conditions of difficulty, suffering and victimization. Doubly oppressed by her race and gender, Talent has nevertheless shown a remarkable capacity for self-empowerment and the empowerment of others. Her story needs to be heard because it will inspire other women and other S/subjects and because it is a corrective to both the notions of a heroic Struggle and the `victim' stereotype of Africa. Together with Talent's autobiography, my mini-dissertation offers extensive notes that situate her life story in the context of contemporary postcolonial, literary and gender theory and further draws out the significance of her individual `history-from-below'.<br>English Studies<br>M.A.

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting the central nervous system, primarily, the substantia nigra. It is characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the nigro-striatal pathway, and ultimately patients with Parkinson’s disease may lose up to 80% of their dopamine-producing cells in the brain. Symptoms include bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, resting tremor and impaired postural balance. Symptomatic relief is obtained by using levodopa and various adjunct therapy including dopamine agonists, catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors and monoamine oxidase B inhibitors. Levodopa is used as the gold-standard for treatment of this disease. It effectively controls motor symptoms, however, motor complications that impair the quality of life develop with continued levodopa use. No treatments currently available can halt disease progression, therefore novel drugs that can slow down or stop disease progression are urgently required. The monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B enzymes are flavoenzymes that play an important role in the oxidative degradation of amine neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and epinephrine. Early attempts to block dopamine metabolism in the brain using nonselective MAO inhibitors was effective but led to side effects such as hypertensive crisis, thus they lost favor. The MAO-B enzyme is of particular importance in Parkinson’s disease because it is more active than MAO-A in the basal ganglia, and is thus primarily responsible for the catabolism of dopamine in the brain. Selegiline and rasagiline, both irreversible, selective MAO-B inhibitors have proven efficacy in symptomatic treatment of Parkinson’s disease, but due to the irreversible nature of their binding, it can take several weeks after treatment termination for the enzyme to recover. Use of reversible inhibitors such as lazabemide and safinamide do not have this disadvantage, and have safer side effect profiles. Unfortunately, clinical trials for lazabemide use in Parkinson’s disease have been discontinued. Therefore, due to the lack of disease modifying agents for Parkinson’s disease, as well as safety concerns of current PD therapy, an urgent need exists for novel, safe and efficient MAO inhibitors. Current research is thus aimed at designing selective or non-selective reversible inhibitors that bind competitively to the enzyme. The MAO inhibitory potential of chromone derivatives has been illustrated previously. Evaluation of C6- and C7-alkyloxy substituted chromones, for example revealed that these compounds were potent, selective and reversible MAO-B inhibitors. It has further been shown that chromone 3-carboxylic acid is a potent selective, irreversible MAO-B inhibitor. Phenylcarboxamide substitution in position 3 of chromone 3-carboxylic acid also results in potent, selective MAO-B inhibitory activity. Therefore, further evaluation of the effect of substitution with flexible side chains in the 3-position to evaluate MAO-B inhibition is of importance. The chromone ring system is thus a privileged scaffold for the design of inhibitors that are selective for MAO-B and has the additional advantages of generally exhibiting low mammalian toxicity and ease of synthesis. AIM The aim of this study was to design, synthesize and evaluate novel chromone derivatives as inhibitors of monoamine oxidase. RESULTS Design and Synthesis 3-Aminomethylene-2,4-chromandiones and ester chromone derivatives were synthesized by coupling several aromatic and aliphatic amines and alcohols, to chromone 3-carboxylic acid, in the presence of CDI (carbonyldiimidazole). 15 Compounds were successfully synthesized and characterized by using NMR and IR spectroscopy, as well as mass spectrometry. X-ray crystallography was used to obtain a crystal structure for the 3-aminomethylene-2,4- chromandione derivative, 46, in a bid to verify the structures of the synthesized compounds. Melting points of all compounds were determined, and the purity determined using HPLC techniques. MAO inhibition studies A fluorometric assay was employed using kynuramine as substrate, to determine the IC50 (50% inhibition concentration) values and SI (selectivity index) of the synthesized compounds. Generally, the esters exhibited weak MAO-A and MAO-B inhibition, while the 3- aminomethylene-2,4-chromandione derivatives showed promise as selective MAO-B inhibitors, with IC50 values in the micromolar range. Compound 38, 3- [(benzylamino)methylidene]-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-2,4-dione, was the most potent MAO-B inhibitor with an IC50 value of 0.638 μM and a SI of 122 for MAO-B inhibition. Interesting trends were revealed through analysis of the structure activity relationships, for example, for the 3-aminomethylene-2,4-chromandione derivatives, the presence of a chlorine moiety in the side chains of the compounds resulted in a decrease of MAO-B inhibition activity. Chain elongation further also resulted in weakening the MAO-B inhibition activity, while chain elongation in the ester derivatives led to a slight increase in MAO-B inhibition activity. Reversibility studies The reversibility of binding of the most potent compound in the 3-aminomethylene-2,4- chromandione series, 38, was evaluated. None of the synthesized inhibitors were potent MAO-A inhibitors, therefore reversibility of MAO-A inhibition was not examined. Recovery of enzyme activity was determined after dialysis of the enzyme-inhibitor complexes. Analysis of the kinetic data obtained showed that MAO-B catalytic activity was recovered to 115% of the control value. This suggests that compound 38 is a reversible inhibitor of MAO-B. Mode of inhibition A set of Lineweaver-Burk plots were constructed to determine mode of inhibition of compound 38. The results show linear lines that intersect at a single point just to the left on the y-axis. This indicates that compound 38 interacts competitively with the MAO-B enzyme. In conclusion, chromone derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of MAO. Compound 38 was the most potent MAO-B inhibitor with an IC50 value of 0.638 μM. The effect of chain elongation and introduction of flexible substituents in position 3 of the chromone 3-carboxylic acid nucleus was explored and the results showed that 3- aminomethylene-2,4-chromandione substitution is preferable over ester substitution.<br>MSc (Pharmaceutical Chemistry), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

碩士<br>國立高雄師範大學<br>性別教育研究所<br>106<br>This study focuses on Malaysian sexual minorities Mak Nyah’s life experiences. By understanding the social discrimination and stigma against them, this study investigates their survival strategies. "Mak Nyah" comes from the Malay language and it refers to sexual minorities who are Malay and Muslim; their sex is male, but gender identity is female, close to the "Male to Female, MTF", concept in "Transgender" group. In Malaysia, Islam is an official religion and Syariah law is added to the law. At the same time, the Constitution of Malaysia stipulates that the Malays were born in Muslims and must obey by the norms of Syariah law. The Syariah law formulates men and women must be the "normal" gender, otherwise will be punished by the Syariah law. Based on 15 interviews with Mak Nyah, I analyze Mak Nyah’s life experiences and their gender performances. This research shows that the subject of Mak Nyah is constructed with multiple identities such as gender, religion, and race. Even every Mak Nyah must face the conflict between religion and gender identity, but they still believe that the Islam is the most important belief in their life. Under the shackles of Islam beliefs and Syariah laws, most of Mak Nyah chose to take hormones and dress up to show their gender identity, however, some people chose to participate in surgery. In addition, this study explores that even though the behavior of Mak Nyah must be opposed by their family, but they are still willing to negotiate to hope to be good with their family. On the other side, Mak Nyah’s sisterhood and their own insistence made them be strong to endure difficulties. In conclusion, gender education cannot be delayed anymore, the result indicates that gender discrimination has always been on campus and workplace.

M.Sc. (Zoology)<br>The construction of the Pongolapoort Dam in 1974 has altered conditions downstream of the Phongolo River in terms of hydrology, geomorphology, water quality, and ecosystem services. Activities along the Phongolo River permit anthropogenic compounds such as pesticides used in disease control to enter the aquatic environment. This alteration of natural environmental conditions creates a need for a monitoring programme. This study aims to assess the use of Hydrocynus vittatus as an indicator organism of pollution in the Nyamithi Pan and Phongolo River. Water and sediment samples were analysed for a variety of metal elements. The physical characteristics of water samples were determined using a WTW Multi 340i multimeter. Nutrients in water were analysed using a Merck Spectroquant™ Pharo 100 Spectrophotometer. Sediment analysis was based on the standard protocols of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2001). Physiological stress responses in Hydrocynus vittatus were determined using acetylcholine esterase, catalase, cellular energy allocation, 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase, malondialdehyde, metallothionein, superoxide dismutase, and protein carbonyls. Employing standard techniques H. vittatus was analysed for metals and organics using ICP-MS, ICP-GS and ICP-OES. Results for biological responses and bioaccumulation show significant differences between sites related to the environmental concentrations of elements. Organisms in the Phongolo River have elevated concentrations of DDT and the metabolites indicating recent exposure. Organisms from the Phongolo River are seen to be responding based on up or down regulated concentrations of biological markers. In particular, concentrations of CAT, MDA and PC are elevated in the Phongolo population with decreased AChE responses indicating toxicant exposure. Data accumulated in this study will contribute to the establishment of baseline chemical, physical and biological knowledge of the effects of contamination in South African waters.

The study sought to explore possibilities of harmonising Shona-Nyai cross-border varieties in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Emerging from the responses were problems of attitudes, ignorance of what the harmonisation project entails and the different levels of development among the varieties to be harmonised. Participants believed that the challenges they faced could be resolved and they proposed some intervention strategies. Results from the questionnaire, the interview and documents analysed affirmed the generally held view that, the future of Shona-Nyai as a language and culture is securely in the hands of the speakers’ initiatives. The argument of the study has been that, the success of such a harmonisation project depends on the presence of favourable and conducive political and economic conditions through enabling language engineering activities. Information collected from the questionnaires was mainly presented in tables and information from interviews and document analysis was presented qualitatively in words. The language as a right and the language as resource orientations of language planning guided this study. The intention was to show that the preservation of linguistic diversity is important in the maintenance of group and individual identity and harmonisation should further this cause. Findings from this thesis indicate that for a successful harmonisation project to take place there is need for research in the documentation of underdeveloped Shona-Nyai varieties so that they have some presence in the education domain. The study recommends that people’s mindsets must be changed by packaging the harmonisation project in a way which they understand and appreciate. A holistic approach in solving the language problem can be achieved through a mixed approach of language policy formulation.<br>African Languages<br>D. Litt. et Phil. (African languages)

Proponents of Middle Way (Sanskrit: Madhyamaka) Buddhist philosophy argue that all phenomena lack inherent nature. This dissertation provides an analysis of the meaning of inherent nature and the lack of inherent nature in the basic physical character of non-living physical phenomena as indicated by certain interpretations of ancient and contemporary Middle Way Buddhist philosophy, contemporary Western analytic metaphysics, philosophy of science, and physics. The primary intellectual focus in the dissertation is Madhyamaka. I explicate an interpretation of Madhyamaka that is both amenable to discourse and dialogue with the other disciplines, and also consistent with at least some extant Madhyamaka interpretations. The discourse and dialogue with other disciplines results in a revision of some of the arguments of Madhyamaka—specifically making it consistent with modern physics. However, that revision does not deny the foundational view of Madhyamaka that there is no inherent nature in phenomena, but rather supports it within the revised interpretation. Additionally, I also find that this foundational view provides at least heuristic guidance in development of a generic interpretive framework (‘contextualization’ and Physics Pluralism) that I then apply in criticism and revision of some arguments in modern analytic metaphysics and in philosophy of science.That generic interpretive framework is used within this dissertation in examination of Western analytic metaphysics and philosophy of science. While I find independent support for that framework within contemporary philosophy, the framework also reflects an interpretation of Madhyamaka that I develop as a variation of the classic two truths view of Madhyamaka. My interpretation of the classical expression of the two truths is that there is relative existence of inherent nature that may be reflected in our conventions of discourse and habit, while ultimately no inherent nature can be found when the phenomena are analyzed more fully. In my modified interpretation of the two truths that corresponds to modern physics, for some phenomena inherent nature is found within specific (‘local’) contexts of discourse or domains of physics theory applicability, yet when we take a ‘global’ view that acknowledges many domains and relationships between domains we find an ultimate relationality rather than inherent nature.