Fostering quality in project management to build a research and innovation ecosystem, 2023
Sea level rise and the impact of hydro-metrological events exacerbated by climate change make coa... more Sea level rise and the impact of hydro-metrological events exacerbated by climate change make coastal settlements in the Caribbean highly vulnerable. Thus, there is a need to enhance resilience by developing the regional capacity to identify vulnerabilities, anticipate climate change influences, and plan for the implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures. Improving the quality of regional research and innovation would allow for the employment of indigenous solutions to tackle climate change issues. The actions to employ indigenous solutions will require the actors in the research and innovation ecosystem as it relates to urban planning and management to collaborate so that there are more cohesive policies to guide decision making towards effective resilience planning
Generally in the Caribbean region, development and innovation projects have been funded through external grants, with implementation criteria that reflect donor perspectives and prescriptions. This can force enhancements in the implementation of projects including strengthening of the institutional internal processes and culture. This paper draws on the experience of implementing the first regional grant programme managed by The UWI and its partners to create innovations that can improve planning and management of coastal communities. It examines approaches used to improve capacity in writing effective proposals, create complementary financial management systems, develop a documentation management system, and enhance communication, visibility and stakeholder engagement towards a robust long-lasting project management culture. Central to these approaches are the embedding of monitoring and evaluation in its processes and experiential learning. The authors will thus examine the issues of quality within a grant funded research and innovation ecosystem drawing on the principles of quality management systems.
Universities are considered an actor in the creation and facilitation of ideas, knowledge, and da... more Universities are considered an actor in the creation and facilitation of ideas, knowledge, and data thus, contributing to improving social and economic prospects through their institutional activities and efforts in the societies and communities they serve. Measurement of the impact of universities can be used for decision making to improve their effectiveness and as a gauge for accountability. The THE (Times Higher Education) University Impact Rankings, which was started in 2019, captures universities’ success in delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in four broad areas: teaching, research, stewardship and outreach.
The UWI is one of two Anglophone Caribbean Universities to be ranked. It provided data for three of the optional ranked SDGs - SDG3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG5: Gender Equality, and SDG13: Climate Action – and the compulsory SDG17: Partnership for the Goals. Other participating universities from the Caribbean region were: The University of Puerto Rico, the Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (Dominican Republic) and Universite Queensland (Haiti). Universities are physical spaces and its design and layout play an important role in the practical, emotional and intellectual life of students, staff and visitors on the campus. However, no Caribbean university provided data for SDG11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and as such, the impact of universities on and to the built environment is not verified by an independent instrument. THE goes beyond the traditional approach of sustainability as being about stewardship of resources and considers the role of a university in sustaining and preserving the heritage of communities.
This paper seeks to provide an overview of the performance of universities in the 2022 THE University Impact Rankings; contextualise the UWI’s performance against other universities; provide the data requirements for SDG11 and other related SDGs on the built environment. It is hoped that this paper will encourage other universities to pursue participation in the rankings especially, for the optional SDG11. The paper will also highlight a suite of indicators across several sustainability rankings focussing on the built environment. Consequently, the paper argues to encourage institutional awareness and effectiveness on the built environment a university will need to identify clear goals, measure progress to guide any interventions for continuous improvement especially, in light of changes to the operating environment.
Second Canada-Caribbean Institute (CCI) Symposium, 2023
A Research and Innovation (R&I) ecosystem speaks to the “transformation of inputs into outputs th... more A Research and Innovation (R&I) ecosystem speaks to the “transformation of inputs into outputs through activities performed by agents or actors interacting with an environment” (Granstrand and Holgersson 2020, 91). Universities are continuously engaged in the exchange of ideas, data, and knowledge (Altbach 2008) such that a R&I ecosystem is central to a university’s research mission and universities are often central to national and regional R&I ecosystems.
According to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UNESCO UIS 2022) Latin America and the Caribbean had lower but stable (0.66% in 2010 and 0.67% in 2017) investments in R&I in comparison to the rest of the world (1.62% in 2010 and 1.72% in 2017). The limitations of regional R&I funding combined with reduced public funds within the academy creates a funding vacuum. This deficit pushes universities to rely on research grant funding from donor countries or agencies located in the Global North, such as the European Union, to drive knowledge production and capacity-building to produce meaningful results on developmental issues. By relying on external research funding universities are pushed to identify and submit projects that meet donor eligibility criteria which may or may not align with local developmental priorities and needs. However, changes to the funding governance in which the balance of power shifts from the Global North to the Global South can lead to strategies which may have more profound capacity building benefits in support of R&I.
This paper considers whether the European Union is evolving its strategies to allow more local control of the management of resources and if this more equitable structure may result in greater capacity building, improved implementation of research and innovation activities. Drawing on several qualitative sources the authors will present an experience-driven case study based on a comparison of two European Union - Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (EU-OACPS) projects implemented by The University of the West Indies. The first is the completed Strengthen Research Development and Uptake Capacity In Urban, Land And Municipal Management In The Caribbean [NSUS Network for the application of STI to the Urban Sector] (NSUS) (2009-2013) while the second is the ongoing Harnessing Innovative Technologies to support Resilient Settlements on the Coastal Zones of the Caribbean (HIT RESET Caribbean).
The paper also questions if it is possible to decolonise external research grants for projects to the extent that it adequately includes local priorities or if there should be complementary indigenous national and institutional financing for R&I driven projects.
World Indian Diaspora Conference - A Virtual Event - Theme: Post Indentureship Movements and Trends, 2020
Over 147,000 Indians arrived in Trinidad during 1845 and 1917. While there is consensus on the br... more Over 147,000 Indians arrived in Trinidad during 1845 and 1917. While there is consensus on the broad patterns of the demographic and social characteristics of these labourers, there is a limited focus on interrogating the same characteristics of various sub-populations. This has led to inconsistencies when reporting on data for sub-populations. This paper extends the earlier work by Kassim and Polar (2018) and seeks to rectify gaps specific to Muslims by mining the Ship Registers/Emigration Passes for the period 1892-1901. Data are presented for the two five-year period and the geographical and social patterns are then considered for 1887 to 1891, 1892 to 1896, and 1897 to 1901.
The findings for 1892-1901 show that an estimated 22,680 recruits left from Calcutta in 36 ships and 22,313 arrived in Trinidad as indentured labourers. Muslims represented 9.6% of landed immigrants. Muslims were predominantly classified as “Muselman’ (over 70%). There was a sex imbalance in favour of males and most recruits were between the ages of 16 and 30. Over the period 1892-1896 to 1897-1901, heights of males and females increased by almost one centimetre. Bodily scars were observed on both males and females. There was a decline of Muslim recruits accompanied by family member on the same ship between 1892-1896 and 1897-1901. There were 24 Muslim deaths aboard the ship and two births. Of the over 65 estate categories identified, Muslims were most assigned to Caroni, Orange Grove, and Waterloo over the combined period. There were 108 persons considered as second indentures in 1892-1896 with 93.5% having previously indentured in the Caribbean (including Trinidad). There were no notations on the immigration passes to indicate second indentures in 1897-1901 period.
Findings suggest that the patterns for Muslims are generally consistent with the findings in the literature for the overall Indian migrants.
Key words: Muslims, Trinidad, indentured labour, social and demographic data
he tertiary education sector is characterised by efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, perfo... more he tertiary education sector is characterised by efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, performance, outputs and outcomes. In this neo-liberal and managerialism model, tertiary education institutions (TEIs) (i.e. universities, colleges, and research and training institutes) have focussed on the development and implementation of strategic plans, performance indicators, and partnerships or collaboration with other TEIs and/or the private sector in conjunction with delivery on their tri-mission of (teaching, research and service). This ethos has implications for organisational structures, administrative policies and systems, and how TEIs structure and effect their teaching and learning, research and knowledge transfer and public engagement agenda. This has led institutions to (re)align their priorities and foci to drive their knowledge creation, information and idea generation activities to impact regional sustainable economic and social development. Yet, they are faced with ‘wicked’, ‘stubborn’, multiple and interlocking economic, social and technological challenges and pressures that test their resilience and adaptability and thus, their effectiveness and relevance. Yet, TEIs are not divorced from associating with other social, educational or economic entities based on previously shared experiences, interactions, influences, capacities, and collaborations. This is especially so, in the CARICOM region where The University of the West Indies (UWI) is a regional university and is an Associate Institution of CARICOM (Caribbean Community, an inter-governmental organisation – with a presence on 17 of 20 Full and Associate Member States). In this context, the regional and associated CARICOM regional institutions (RIs) determine their relationships and associations based on coordinated actions and resources thereby creating a complex network of relationships. The paper acknowledges there is a plurality of actors who are functioning in a highly competitive and complex space impacted by economic, political and social changes that increasingly drive the knowledge economy and forms of engagement. To understand the environment within which these actors are operating and the opportunities available for collaborative relationships and associations, it is useful to understand institutional and inter-institutional roles, functions, practices and characteristics. However, within the region there is a dearth of comprehensive robust regional data and analysis on the short-to-medium term future of institutions, their characteristics and institutional capabilities and capacities, and capacity building needs and stakeholder engagement processes and features. This deficit hampers institutions from responding effectively to those with ‘wicked’ and ‘stubborn’ challenges or maximising opportunities to enable further social change and inclusion and drive economic growth, competitiveness and innovation. This offers opportunities for multi-stakeholder collaboration to identify the most appropriate solutions to catalyse development in the region. It is in this transactional context that TEIs have with their peers and that the UWI has with other RIs, that this paper investigates.
It is well known that over 147,000 Indentured Indians arrived in Trinidad during a 70-year period... more It is well known that over 147,000 Indentured Indians arrived in Trinidad during a 70-year period (1845-1917), however, less detail is known about specific religions and castes. This paper examines the characteristics of the Muslims (Mouselman and Pathans) recorded in the General Registers who came between 1887-1891. An estimated 14237 Indians left the port of Calcutta in 24 ships and 13936 of those were indentured labourers, of these 1404 were Muslims (10.1% of the landed Indian population). Most of Indian immigrants were Men (57.3 %) followed by Women (25.3%), Boys (7%), Girls (5.7%) and Infants (4.7%) with the Muslims following a similar distribution except the proportion of Men was slightly lower and females slightly higher. Overall, Males (61.1%) outnumbered Females (38.9%), however relative to the similar categories in the Indian landed population, there was a greater percentage of Women and Girls followed by Boys, Men and Infants. Approximately 75% of the Muslim Males and 72% of the Muslim Female populations were between the ages of 16-30. Muslim Male (161.3 cm) and Female (141.2 cm) heights were generally constant. Bodily makers were recorded for almost all Muslims and these were arks, mainly scars and to a lesser extent, warts, tattoos, moles and pock marked face. Approximately 45% of Muslims has a family member accompanying them on the ship and 194 family units were identified. Mothers (no accompanying husband) with children was the largest category (62) if couples without children (56) and couples with children (49) are treated separately. Although there is missing data for four ships, there were 261 recorded deaths and 112 recorded births on the ship with 21 deaths and one birth attributable to Muslims. Muslims went to 98 estate categories with the most popular being Caroni, Orange Grove and Waterloo. There were 116 persons who we considered second indentured with 88% having previously indentured in the Caribbean (including Trinidad) and the rest from Borbon, Fiji, Natal and Mauritius). After their indentureship, 337 Muslims returned to India while a few left for Demerara or the Spanish Main. These data suggest that the patters for sub-group Muslims are consistent with the findings in the literature for the overall Indian migrants and further research is required to determine if recruiting requirements also considered sub-groups. Further research is also required to determine if the patterns for Muslims continue between 1892-1917.
Over the past few decades the teaching and image of various subject areas in the Humanities have ... more Over the past few decades the teaching and image of various subject areas in the Humanities have been experiencing serious challenges at many colleges and universities. This problem has been compounded by government policies in some countries which may be overtly or more subtly antithetical to the existence of the humanities. In many departments and faculties enrolments have been declining, in the face of an increasingly inimical discourse about the relevance of the humanities compared to the sciences, technology and business related subjects, to graduate employability, and national socio-economic development. Underscoring these developments is a privileging of narrow pathways for students leading to professional and vocational qualifications, as opposed to the graduating of students who are well-rounded and possess the range of competencies, skills, knowledge and attitudes critical to their personal development, ambitions, and productive participation in society. While many of these issues and challenges have become more pronounced in the Caribbean over the last couple decades, higher education institutions have tended to adopt uncoordinated piecemeal solutions rather than fundamental transformations needed to breathe new life into the humanities.
This paper offers preliminary findings and recommendations of an ongoing mixed method study into the condition (including teaching and learning, funding, graduates skills sets and employment, stakeholder perceptions and attitudes, role in public policy etc), and future of the humanities at the University of the West Indies (UWI). It offers suggestions for charting new directions for sustainable and invigorating futures for the humanities within the UWI family of disciplines and does so on the belief that vibrancy in the humanities is critical to the Caribbean’s sustainable development strategy, and the overall health and well-being of regional societies and economies.
This paper presents a more historical than contemporary overview of some developments within the ... more This paper presents a more historical than contemporary overview of some developments within the community in Trinidad; however, it is by no means comprehensive. It pinpoints the Muslim migration streams and briefly traces the development of the community and identifies the identities within the community. The aim is to look at the historical pattern of development and identify some practices that may be useful for other communities now establishing themselves or pitfalls that can hopefully be avoided. It also hints at the need for more research both within the numerically smaller Muslim communities and a deeper understanding of how the larger Muslim community positions itself within the political economy and the international religious community.
Kamola (2014) contends that higher education remains generally absent from the conversations on i... more Kamola (2014) contends that higher education remains generally absent from the conversations on international relations and world politics. Universities are important for circulating ideas, subject expertise, and people and thus, contribute to knowledge creation and transmission. This paper draws on examples relating to research management, collaborative relationships and staff and student mobility from two tertiary level institutions, namely the University of Trinidad and Tobago and The University of the West Indies that contribute to diasporic bonding. While these collaborations may appear to be ad hoc, they provide good examples of the potential to promote academic and research excellence, and support internationalisation, which in turn can help to create ‘world class universities’. The Indian Diaspora, which totals over 25 million in 130 countries is an unexploited resource that can help increase the international dimension of higher education institutions (Yeravdekar and Tiwari 2014, 377). It can facilitate the development and enhancement of collaborative relationships that strengthen research management, and facilitate the mobility of diaspora academics and student mobility. Based upon the research, a framework for research management will be proposed.
The presentation considered the importance of sustainability to higher education institutions, pr... more The presentation considered the importance of sustainability to higher education institutions, provide examples of university green rankings and looks at the performance of the UWI in one green ranking. It also identifies some recommendation and participants to consider the data gathering process for ranking data, relevance and appropriateness of indicators to campus setting, and possible pilot projects on energy efficiency.
Trinidad and Tobago is a diverse society and there is tolerance for diverse religious beliefs and... more Trinidad and Tobago is a diverse society and there is tolerance for diverse religious beliefs and practices. Muslims comprise five percent of the total population but are heterogeneous in their beliefs and practices. Public higher education institutions (HEIs), although secular-oriented with their own institutional culture, are microcosms of the wider society. It would not be unreasonable to assume that Muslims would form part of the staff complement given their presence in the society however, the extent to which they practice their rituals in the workplace compared to outside the workplace may reflect a complex decision making process influenced by a variety of factors including their religious fervour, extent of Islamic conscious, personal practice and the coherence of their sub-community within the HEI. This paper explores how Muslim, men and women, at the micro-level accommodate to and are accommodated by their higher education workplace in relation to prayer areas, pre-prayer cleansing rituals, dietary restrictions, and holidays and observances. The study also examined the supportive mechanisms present and the perception of awareness of Islam on campuses which may influence the choices made by individuals. This exploratory paper provides another layer to understanding the perspectives, practices and needs of the various sub-communities present in the workplace. The findings suggest that Muslims make surface-level religious adjustments (practical aspects of the religion) in the workplace and at the same time, the workplace makes some moderate accommodative actions to the sub-group. It can also assist in creating a narrative on cultural engagement and cross-cultural engagement. Recommendations are made for further research on various forms of faith/spirituality expressions in the higher education sector as well as the private sector.
This paper will examine the formal and non-formal modes of education that co-existed in the Musli... more This paper will examine the formal and non-formal modes of education that co-existed in the Muslim community post-indenture. It will evaluate the persistence of the old culture and the attempts at acculturation. There will be an examination of maktabs (religious schools), Indic language schools, and literary and debating societies as examples of the non-formal mode of knowledge transmission. Early attempts at formal schooling will also be explored. These two types of educational systems will demonstrate the schizophrenic nature of the Indo-Muslim community. There will be a probing into the competitive struggles that evolved among the Indo-Muslim middle class and the Indian middle class to support the increase of literacy. The paper will conclude on the note that the Indo-Muslims acculturation was self-imposed.
Trinidad Islam is essentially a collage of the faith that originated in Arabia. The second phase ... more Trinidad Islam is essentially a collage of the faith that originated in Arabia. The second phase of Islam that entered Trinidad from 1845 to 1917 was a result of the arrival of East Indian indentured immigrants. Of the aggregate 15% of Muslims that arrived in the colony the majority were Sunni with a few Shi'ites and even fewer Wahabbis. From as early as 1914 Muslim missionaries began to arrive which affected the Islam that had evolved here-island Islam. The stage was therefore set. Conflict and tension ensued as island Islam clashed with introduced Islam.
The Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, has said that low g... more The Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, has said that low gender gaps are directly correlated with high economic competitiveness. Women and girls must be treated equally if a country is to grow and prosper. We still need a true gender equality revolution, not only to mobilize a major pool of talent both in terms of volume and quality, but also to create a more compassionate value system within all our institutions." 1 The 2010 Human Development Report also underscored countries with low human development scored highest for the Gender Inequality Index (GII). Interestingly, in World Values Survey (2005) Trinidad and Tobago were given a rating of-1.83 for traditional/secular-rational values and-0.26 for survival/self-expression values. No other CARICOM country was rated in this measure which is concerned major areas of human concern, from religion to politics to economic and social life. 2 At the same, it is Jamaica; Trinidad and Tobago; and G...
The Muslim community as a minority group and as a subset of the Indian community was precariously... more The Muslim community as a minority group and as a subset of the Indian community was precariously placed to face the threat of assimilation of aspects of its identity. Yet, the community's religious beliefs insulated them providing them with a strength to defy assimilation. Of necessity change would occur, a consequence of time and contact. This paper will acknowledge that aspects of the Muslim community's identity was subsumed, at times, under the rubric of the Hindu community, by virtue of its numbers, and at other times, by the wider/mainstream society. Hence, this paper will review the issues of gender and education as particular areas in which the Muslim community found their identities intersecting with powerful forces that was internal to and external to the society in which it inhabited. These forces while destroying the 'pure' heritage the immigrants introduced into their host society may have contributed to the community's survival (rather than their as...
The Gender Equity Scorecard is seen as an accountability measure that seeks to build awareness of... more The Gender Equity Scorecard is seen as an accountability measure that seeks to build awareness of the magnitude of the problem (if it exists), interpret the meaning of the (in) equities and move to action. It may be regarded as a supportive mechanism to the development and implementation of a Gender Policy as articulated in The UWI Strategic Plan, 2012-2017. This exploratory paper proposes a framework and methodology for a Gender Equity Scorecard in Higher Education Institutions using staff and student data from The University of the West Indies for the period 2007/2008 to 2011-2012 to build a Gender Equity Scorecard.
The Muslim community in the post-indenture Caribbean witnessed several changes that affected the ... more The Muslim community in the post-indenture Caribbean witnessed several changes that affected the character of its practices. As a way of institutionalizing the faith, the community had established masajid (mosques), schools and other organisations. As these physical manifestations and legal entities were being inserted into the local space, foreign missionaries who visited imposed their brand of Islam on the local landscape. The tension which arose resulted in the splintering of the Muslim community. Each strain, Sunnism and Ahmaddiyaism, vied for supremacy – territoriality - by supporting missionary visits from India and later Pakistan, and embarking upon da’wah (invitation to...). As these streams of Islam collided or solidified, organisations, either at the community or national levels, were established.
As part of forging the ummah (community) Muslim leaders established links with South American Islamic bodies, principally those of British Guiana and Suriname. This development of Islamic consciousness and cooperation culminated with a regional conference in 1950 in Trinidad that involved Muslims from Trinidad, British Guiana, Suriname and Barbados. This conference was the highlight of Islamic consciousness in the Caribbean and preceded the departure of two eminent Islamic scholars, Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui and Dr. Fazl-ur Rahaman Ansari.
This paper, therefore, takes a look at the above issues and rethinks them in the context of interconnected networks and sometimes, through the lens of the local-global nexus. It views it as a noble attempt by the Muslims to assert the ummah beyond national boundaries and a forerunner to other efforts in the later twentieth century.
The paper looked at configurations of feminist forms in the Indo-Muslim community of Trinidad usi... more The paper looked at configurations of feminist forms in the Indo-Muslim community of Trinidad using secondary sources and conversational narratives. Drawing upon historical and contemporary examples of Muslim women’s presence/absence in the religious public sphere, and the use of social media and declaration of Muslim identity, women’s experiences in religious spaces were examined. The paper argues that: (i) the Muslim community though a minority is heterogeneous, (ii) the consciousness and practice of Islam is quite nuanced, and (iii) Muslim women (and men) developed a bicultural identity by selecting and adding aspects of local/Western culture to their Muslim identity (or the inverse may apply). As such, the paper concluded that Muslim females were not only beneficiaries of a changing social and technological order and that community social spaces reinforced certain cultural beliefs, practices and attitudes, but also that Muslim women draws together the strands of their religious identity and politics to exercise and extend their ownership of choice and express their empowerment within the sub and wider community.
(Turning Tides: Caribbean Intersections in the Americas and Beyond Conference jointly held by Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut and The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine held in February 2016, at St Augustine Campus. )
Caribbean Quality Culture Persistent Commitment to Improving Higher Education, 2021
Total quality management (TQM) is “an administrative approach geared toward[s] long-range success... more Total quality management (TQM) is “an administrative approach geared toward[s] long-range success through customer satisfaction” and can be linked to an institutional strategic plan, employee empowerment and teamwork, continuous process improvement (CPI), collaborative work, and the use of a scientific approach to process analysis (Holmes 1996, 33). While TQM concerns itself with the entire organization, continuous quality improvement (CQI), a subset of TQM, may focus on improvement efforts in a single area or department. It can be defined as a system of “incremental and innovative improvements in processes, products, and services” (Grandzol and Gershon 1998, 101). Support for CQI stakeholder engagement is critical. By embracing stakeholders in their conduct of business, institutions are provided with the means to pursue a change agenda that makes them more competitive, relevant and connected to societal needs. Additionally, stakeholder engagement demonstrates that the institution is more agile, thus creating for itself opportunities for cooperation as the institution is seen as a natural partner by stakeholders in their pursuit of the development agenda, such as those contained in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Notwithstanding the opportunities and benefits of stakeholder engagement, consultations with multiple actors bring with them challenges such as managing competing and conflicting expectations and matching stakeholders’ outlooks with the institution’s goals and vision. The Caribbean public tertiary education sector, through its creation and dissemination of knowledge, capacity building and training, plays an important role in national and regional development. By that token, it serves multiple constituents with different expectations and requirements. This provides unique challenges in the implementation of CQI. This chapter unpacks the use of stakeholder engagement from within a higher education setting of an institution in the process of change using a case-study approach. The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has developed five strategic plans in its seventy-year plus history. These are examined from the viewpoint of stakeholders who have a vested interest in own-institution development alongside The UWI as a facilitator or contributor to public development. Beginning with content analysis the chapter considers the use of the word “stakeholder” and related words in the strategic plans and subsequently, the process of stakeholder input into the plans and stakeholders as beneficiaries of the plans.
Turning Tides: Caribbean Intersections in the Americas and Beyond. Edited by Heather Cateau and Milla Cozart Riggio, 2019
Using secondary sources and conversational narratives, this paper looks at micro-level configurat... more Using secondary sources and conversational narratives, this paper looks at micro-level configurations of feminist forms in the Indo-Muslim community of Trinidad. Historical and contemporary examples of Muslim women’s presence/absence in the religious public sphere are examined. The paper builds on the premise that the Muslim community, though a minority, is heterogeneous, and the consciousness and practice of Islam are nuanced. The paper concludes that Muslim females have not only been beneficiaries of a changing social and technological order and that community social spaces reinforce certain cultural beliefs, practices and attitudes, but also that Muslim women draw together the strands of their religious identity and politics to own their choices and express their empowerment within the sub- and wider community. How is feminism configured and expressed within the Muslim community? Indeed, is Islamic or Muslim feminism even possible within a westernised/secular society?
Fostering quality in project management to build a research and innovation ecosystem, 2023
Sea level rise and the impact of hydro-metrological events exacerbated by climate change make coa... more Sea level rise and the impact of hydro-metrological events exacerbated by climate change make coastal settlements in the Caribbean highly vulnerable. Thus, there is a need to enhance resilience by developing the regional capacity to identify vulnerabilities, anticipate climate change influences, and plan for the implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures. Improving the quality of regional research and innovation would allow for the employment of indigenous solutions to tackle climate change issues. The actions to employ indigenous solutions will require the actors in the research and innovation ecosystem as it relates to urban planning and management to collaborate so that there are more cohesive policies to guide decision making towards effective resilience planning
Generally in the Caribbean region, development and innovation projects have been funded through external grants, with implementation criteria that reflect donor perspectives and prescriptions. This can force enhancements in the implementation of projects including strengthening of the institutional internal processes and culture. This paper draws on the experience of implementing the first regional grant programme managed by The UWI and its partners to create innovations that can improve planning and management of coastal communities. It examines approaches used to improve capacity in writing effective proposals, create complementary financial management systems, develop a documentation management system, and enhance communication, visibility and stakeholder engagement towards a robust long-lasting project management culture. Central to these approaches are the embedding of monitoring and evaluation in its processes and experiential learning. The authors will thus examine the issues of quality within a grant funded research and innovation ecosystem drawing on the principles of quality management systems.
Universities are considered an actor in the creation and facilitation of ideas, knowledge, and da... more Universities are considered an actor in the creation and facilitation of ideas, knowledge, and data thus, contributing to improving social and economic prospects through their institutional activities and efforts in the societies and communities they serve. Measurement of the impact of universities can be used for decision making to improve their effectiveness and as a gauge for accountability. The THE (Times Higher Education) University Impact Rankings, which was started in 2019, captures universities’ success in delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in four broad areas: teaching, research, stewardship and outreach.
The UWI is one of two Anglophone Caribbean Universities to be ranked. It provided data for three of the optional ranked SDGs - SDG3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG5: Gender Equality, and SDG13: Climate Action – and the compulsory SDG17: Partnership for the Goals. Other participating universities from the Caribbean region were: The University of Puerto Rico, the Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (Dominican Republic) and Universite Queensland (Haiti). Universities are physical spaces and its design and layout play an important role in the practical, emotional and intellectual life of students, staff and visitors on the campus. However, no Caribbean university provided data for SDG11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and as such, the impact of universities on and to the built environment is not verified by an independent instrument. THE goes beyond the traditional approach of sustainability as being about stewardship of resources and considers the role of a university in sustaining and preserving the heritage of communities.
This paper seeks to provide an overview of the performance of universities in the 2022 THE University Impact Rankings; contextualise the UWI’s performance against other universities; provide the data requirements for SDG11 and other related SDGs on the built environment. It is hoped that this paper will encourage other universities to pursue participation in the rankings especially, for the optional SDG11. The paper will also highlight a suite of indicators across several sustainability rankings focussing on the built environment. Consequently, the paper argues to encourage institutional awareness and effectiveness on the built environment a university will need to identify clear goals, measure progress to guide any interventions for continuous improvement especially, in light of changes to the operating environment.
Second Canada-Caribbean Institute (CCI) Symposium, 2023
A Research and Innovation (R&I) ecosystem speaks to the “transformation of inputs into outputs th... more A Research and Innovation (R&I) ecosystem speaks to the “transformation of inputs into outputs through activities performed by agents or actors interacting with an environment” (Granstrand and Holgersson 2020, 91). Universities are continuously engaged in the exchange of ideas, data, and knowledge (Altbach 2008) such that a R&I ecosystem is central to a university’s research mission and universities are often central to national and regional R&I ecosystems.
According to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UNESCO UIS 2022) Latin America and the Caribbean had lower but stable (0.66% in 2010 and 0.67% in 2017) investments in R&I in comparison to the rest of the world (1.62% in 2010 and 1.72% in 2017). The limitations of regional R&I funding combined with reduced public funds within the academy creates a funding vacuum. This deficit pushes universities to rely on research grant funding from donor countries or agencies located in the Global North, such as the European Union, to drive knowledge production and capacity-building to produce meaningful results on developmental issues. By relying on external research funding universities are pushed to identify and submit projects that meet donor eligibility criteria which may or may not align with local developmental priorities and needs. However, changes to the funding governance in which the balance of power shifts from the Global North to the Global South can lead to strategies which may have more profound capacity building benefits in support of R&I.
This paper considers whether the European Union is evolving its strategies to allow more local control of the management of resources and if this more equitable structure may result in greater capacity building, improved implementation of research and innovation activities. Drawing on several qualitative sources the authors will present an experience-driven case study based on a comparison of two European Union - Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (EU-OACPS) projects implemented by The University of the West Indies. The first is the completed Strengthen Research Development and Uptake Capacity In Urban, Land And Municipal Management In The Caribbean [NSUS Network for the application of STI to the Urban Sector] (NSUS) (2009-2013) while the second is the ongoing Harnessing Innovative Technologies to support Resilient Settlements on the Coastal Zones of the Caribbean (HIT RESET Caribbean).
The paper also questions if it is possible to decolonise external research grants for projects to the extent that it adequately includes local priorities or if there should be complementary indigenous national and institutional financing for R&I driven projects.
World Indian Diaspora Conference - A Virtual Event - Theme: Post Indentureship Movements and Trends, 2020
Over 147,000 Indians arrived in Trinidad during 1845 and 1917. While there is consensus on the br... more Over 147,000 Indians arrived in Trinidad during 1845 and 1917. While there is consensus on the broad patterns of the demographic and social characteristics of these labourers, there is a limited focus on interrogating the same characteristics of various sub-populations. This has led to inconsistencies when reporting on data for sub-populations. This paper extends the earlier work by Kassim and Polar (2018) and seeks to rectify gaps specific to Muslims by mining the Ship Registers/Emigration Passes for the period 1892-1901. Data are presented for the two five-year period and the geographical and social patterns are then considered for 1887 to 1891, 1892 to 1896, and 1897 to 1901.
The findings for 1892-1901 show that an estimated 22,680 recruits left from Calcutta in 36 ships and 22,313 arrived in Trinidad as indentured labourers. Muslims represented 9.6% of landed immigrants. Muslims were predominantly classified as “Muselman’ (over 70%). There was a sex imbalance in favour of males and most recruits were between the ages of 16 and 30. Over the period 1892-1896 to 1897-1901, heights of males and females increased by almost one centimetre. Bodily scars were observed on both males and females. There was a decline of Muslim recruits accompanied by family member on the same ship between 1892-1896 and 1897-1901. There were 24 Muslim deaths aboard the ship and two births. Of the over 65 estate categories identified, Muslims were most assigned to Caroni, Orange Grove, and Waterloo over the combined period. There were 108 persons considered as second indentures in 1892-1896 with 93.5% having previously indentured in the Caribbean (including Trinidad). There were no notations on the immigration passes to indicate second indentures in 1897-1901 period.
Findings suggest that the patterns for Muslims are generally consistent with the findings in the literature for the overall Indian migrants.
Key words: Muslims, Trinidad, indentured labour, social and demographic data
he tertiary education sector is characterised by efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, perfo... more he tertiary education sector is characterised by efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, performance, outputs and outcomes. In this neo-liberal and managerialism model, tertiary education institutions (TEIs) (i.e. universities, colleges, and research and training institutes) have focussed on the development and implementation of strategic plans, performance indicators, and partnerships or collaboration with other TEIs and/or the private sector in conjunction with delivery on their tri-mission of (teaching, research and service). This ethos has implications for organisational structures, administrative policies and systems, and how TEIs structure and effect their teaching and learning, research and knowledge transfer and public engagement agenda. This has led institutions to (re)align their priorities and foci to drive their knowledge creation, information and idea generation activities to impact regional sustainable economic and social development. Yet, they are faced with ‘wicked’, ‘stubborn’, multiple and interlocking economic, social and technological challenges and pressures that test their resilience and adaptability and thus, their effectiveness and relevance. Yet, TEIs are not divorced from associating with other social, educational or economic entities based on previously shared experiences, interactions, influences, capacities, and collaborations. This is especially so, in the CARICOM region where The University of the West Indies (UWI) is a regional university and is an Associate Institution of CARICOM (Caribbean Community, an inter-governmental organisation – with a presence on 17 of 20 Full and Associate Member States). In this context, the regional and associated CARICOM regional institutions (RIs) determine their relationships and associations based on coordinated actions and resources thereby creating a complex network of relationships. The paper acknowledges there is a plurality of actors who are functioning in a highly competitive and complex space impacted by economic, political and social changes that increasingly drive the knowledge economy and forms of engagement. To understand the environment within which these actors are operating and the opportunities available for collaborative relationships and associations, it is useful to understand institutional and inter-institutional roles, functions, practices and characteristics. However, within the region there is a dearth of comprehensive robust regional data and analysis on the short-to-medium term future of institutions, their characteristics and institutional capabilities and capacities, and capacity building needs and stakeholder engagement processes and features. This deficit hampers institutions from responding effectively to those with ‘wicked’ and ‘stubborn’ challenges or maximising opportunities to enable further social change and inclusion and drive economic growth, competitiveness and innovation. This offers opportunities for multi-stakeholder collaboration to identify the most appropriate solutions to catalyse development in the region. It is in this transactional context that TEIs have with their peers and that the UWI has with other RIs, that this paper investigates.
It is well known that over 147,000 Indentured Indians arrived in Trinidad during a 70-year period... more It is well known that over 147,000 Indentured Indians arrived in Trinidad during a 70-year period (1845-1917), however, less detail is known about specific religions and castes. This paper examines the characteristics of the Muslims (Mouselman and Pathans) recorded in the General Registers who came between 1887-1891. An estimated 14237 Indians left the port of Calcutta in 24 ships and 13936 of those were indentured labourers, of these 1404 were Muslims (10.1% of the landed Indian population). Most of Indian immigrants were Men (57.3 %) followed by Women (25.3%), Boys (7%), Girls (5.7%) and Infants (4.7%) with the Muslims following a similar distribution except the proportion of Men was slightly lower and females slightly higher. Overall, Males (61.1%) outnumbered Females (38.9%), however relative to the similar categories in the Indian landed population, there was a greater percentage of Women and Girls followed by Boys, Men and Infants. Approximately 75% of the Muslim Males and 72% of the Muslim Female populations were between the ages of 16-30. Muslim Male (161.3 cm) and Female (141.2 cm) heights were generally constant. Bodily makers were recorded for almost all Muslims and these were arks, mainly scars and to a lesser extent, warts, tattoos, moles and pock marked face. Approximately 45% of Muslims has a family member accompanying them on the ship and 194 family units were identified. Mothers (no accompanying husband) with children was the largest category (62) if couples without children (56) and couples with children (49) are treated separately. Although there is missing data for four ships, there were 261 recorded deaths and 112 recorded births on the ship with 21 deaths and one birth attributable to Muslims. Muslims went to 98 estate categories with the most popular being Caroni, Orange Grove and Waterloo. There were 116 persons who we considered second indentured with 88% having previously indentured in the Caribbean (including Trinidad) and the rest from Borbon, Fiji, Natal and Mauritius). After their indentureship, 337 Muslims returned to India while a few left for Demerara or the Spanish Main. These data suggest that the patters for sub-group Muslims are consistent with the findings in the literature for the overall Indian migrants and further research is required to determine if recruiting requirements also considered sub-groups. Further research is also required to determine if the patterns for Muslims continue between 1892-1917.
Over the past few decades the teaching and image of various subject areas in the Humanities have ... more Over the past few decades the teaching and image of various subject areas in the Humanities have been experiencing serious challenges at many colleges and universities. This problem has been compounded by government policies in some countries which may be overtly or more subtly antithetical to the existence of the humanities. In many departments and faculties enrolments have been declining, in the face of an increasingly inimical discourse about the relevance of the humanities compared to the sciences, technology and business related subjects, to graduate employability, and national socio-economic development. Underscoring these developments is a privileging of narrow pathways for students leading to professional and vocational qualifications, as opposed to the graduating of students who are well-rounded and possess the range of competencies, skills, knowledge and attitudes critical to their personal development, ambitions, and productive participation in society. While many of these issues and challenges have become more pronounced in the Caribbean over the last couple decades, higher education institutions have tended to adopt uncoordinated piecemeal solutions rather than fundamental transformations needed to breathe new life into the humanities.
This paper offers preliminary findings and recommendations of an ongoing mixed method study into the condition (including teaching and learning, funding, graduates skills sets and employment, stakeholder perceptions and attitudes, role in public policy etc), and future of the humanities at the University of the West Indies (UWI). It offers suggestions for charting new directions for sustainable and invigorating futures for the humanities within the UWI family of disciplines and does so on the belief that vibrancy in the humanities is critical to the Caribbean’s sustainable development strategy, and the overall health and well-being of regional societies and economies.
This paper presents a more historical than contemporary overview of some developments within the ... more This paper presents a more historical than contemporary overview of some developments within the community in Trinidad; however, it is by no means comprehensive. It pinpoints the Muslim migration streams and briefly traces the development of the community and identifies the identities within the community. The aim is to look at the historical pattern of development and identify some practices that may be useful for other communities now establishing themselves or pitfalls that can hopefully be avoided. It also hints at the need for more research both within the numerically smaller Muslim communities and a deeper understanding of how the larger Muslim community positions itself within the political economy and the international religious community.
Kamola (2014) contends that higher education remains generally absent from the conversations on i... more Kamola (2014) contends that higher education remains generally absent from the conversations on international relations and world politics. Universities are important for circulating ideas, subject expertise, and people and thus, contribute to knowledge creation and transmission. This paper draws on examples relating to research management, collaborative relationships and staff and student mobility from two tertiary level institutions, namely the University of Trinidad and Tobago and The University of the West Indies that contribute to diasporic bonding. While these collaborations may appear to be ad hoc, they provide good examples of the potential to promote academic and research excellence, and support internationalisation, which in turn can help to create ‘world class universities’. The Indian Diaspora, which totals over 25 million in 130 countries is an unexploited resource that can help increase the international dimension of higher education institutions (Yeravdekar and Tiwari 2014, 377). It can facilitate the development and enhancement of collaborative relationships that strengthen research management, and facilitate the mobility of diaspora academics and student mobility. Based upon the research, a framework for research management will be proposed.
The presentation considered the importance of sustainability to higher education institutions, pr... more The presentation considered the importance of sustainability to higher education institutions, provide examples of university green rankings and looks at the performance of the UWI in one green ranking. It also identifies some recommendation and participants to consider the data gathering process for ranking data, relevance and appropriateness of indicators to campus setting, and possible pilot projects on energy efficiency.
Trinidad and Tobago is a diverse society and there is tolerance for diverse religious beliefs and... more Trinidad and Tobago is a diverse society and there is tolerance for diverse religious beliefs and practices. Muslims comprise five percent of the total population but are heterogeneous in their beliefs and practices. Public higher education institutions (HEIs), although secular-oriented with their own institutional culture, are microcosms of the wider society. It would not be unreasonable to assume that Muslims would form part of the staff complement given their presence in the society however, the extent to which they practice their rituals in the workplace compared to outside the workplace may reflect a complex decision making process influenced by a variety of factors including their religious fervour, extent of Islamic conscious, personal practice and the coherence of their sub-community within the HEI. This paper explores how Muslim, men and women, at the micro-level accommodate to and are accommodated by their higher education workplace in relation to prayer areas, pre-prayer cleansing rituals, dietary restrictions, and holidays and observances. The study also examined the supportive mechanisms present and the perception of awareness of Islam on campuses which may influence the choices made by individuals. This exploratory paper provides another layer to understanding the perspectives, practices and needs of the various sub-communities present in the workplace. The findings suggest that Muslims make surface-level religious adjustments (practical aspects of the religion) in the workplace and at the same time, the workplace makes some moderate accommodative actions to the sub-group. It can also assist in creating a narrative on cultural engagement and cross-cultural engagement. Recommendations are made for further research on various forms of faith/spirituality expressions in the higher education sector as well as the private sector.
This paper will examine the formal and non-formal modes of education that co-existed in the Musli... more This paper will examine the formal and non-formal modes of education that co-existed in the Muslim community post-indenture. It will evaluate the persistence of the old culture and the attempts at acculturation. There will be an examination of maktabs (religious schools), Indic language schools, and literary and debating societies as examples of the non-formal mode of knowledge transmission. Early attempts at formal schooling will also be explored. These two types of educational systems will demonstrate the schizophrenic nature of the Indo-Muslim community. There will be a probing into the competitive struggles that evolved among the Indo-Muslim middle class and the Indian middle class to support the increase of literacy. The paper will conclude on the note that the Indo-Muslims acculturation was self-imposed.
Trinidad Islam is essentially a collage of the faith that originated in Arabia. The second phase ... more Trinidad Islam is essentially a collage of the faith that originated in Arabia. The second phase of Islam that entered Trinidad from 1845 to 1917 was a result of the arrival of East Indian indentured immigrants. Of the aggregate 15% of Muslims that arrived in the colony the majority were Sunni with a few Shi'ites and even fewer Wahabbis. From as early as 1914 Muslim missionaries began to arrive which affected the Islam that had evolved here-island Islam. The stage was therefore set. Conflict and tension ensued as island Islam clashed with introduced Islam.
The Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, has said that low g... more The Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, has said that low gender gaps are directly correlated with high economic competitiveness. Women and girls must be treated equally if a country is to grow and prosper. We still need a true gender equality revolution, not only to mobilize a major pool of talent both in terms of volume and quality, but also to create a more compassionate value system within all our institutions." 1 The 2010 Human Development Report also underscored countries with low human development scored highest for the Gender Inequality Index (GII). Interestingly, in World Values Survey (2005) Trinidad and Tobago were given a rating of-1.83 for traditional/secular-rational values and-0.26 for survival/self-expression values. No other CARICOM country was rated in this measure which is concerned major areas of human concern, from religion to politics to economic and social life. 2 At the same, it is Jamaica; Trinidad and Tobago; and G...
The Muslim community as a minority group and as a subset of the Indian community was precariously... more The Muslim community as a minority group and as a subset of the Indian community was precariously placed to face the threat of assimilation of aspects of its identity. Yet, the community's religious beliefs insulated them providing them with a strength to defy assimilation. Of necessity change would occur, a consequence of time and contact. This paper will acknowledge that aspects of the Muslim community's identity was subsumed, at times, under the rubric of the Hindu community, by virtue of its numbers, and at other times, by the wider/mainstream society. Hence, this paper will review the issues of gender and education as particular areas in which the Muslim community found their identities intersecting with powerful forces that was internal to and external to the society in which it inhabited. These forces while destroying the 'pure' heritage the immigrants introduced into their host society may have contributed to the community's survival (rather than their as...
The Gender Equity Scorecard is seen as an accountability measure that seeks to build awareness of... more The Gender Equity Scorecard is seen as an accountability measure that seeks to build awareness of the magnitude of the problem (if it exists), interpret the meaning of the (in) equities and move to action. It may be regarded as a supportive mechanism to the development and implementation of a Gender Policy as articulated in The UWI Strategic Plan, 2012-2017. This exploratory paper proposes a framework and methodology for a Gender Equity Scorecard in Higher Education Institutions using staff and student data from The University of the West Indies for the period 2007/2008 to 2011-2012 to build a Gender Equity Scorecard.
The Muslim community in the post-indenture Caribbean witnessed several changes that affected the ... more The Muslim community in the post-indenture Caribbean witnessed several changes that affected the character of its practices. As a way of institutionalizing the faith, the community had established masajid (mosques), schools and other organisations. As these physical manifestations and legal entities were being inserted into the local space, foreign missionaries who visited imposed their brand of Islam on the local landscape. The tension which arose resulted in the splintering of the Muslim community. Each strain, Sunnism and Ahmaddiyaism, vied for supremacy – territoriality - by supporting missionary visits from India and later Pakistan, and embarking upon da’wah (invitation to...). As these streams of Islam collided or solidified, organisations, either at the community or national levels, were established.
As part of forging the ummah (community) Muslim leaders established links with South American Islamic bodies, principally those of British Guiana and Suriname. This development of Islamic consciousness and cooperation culminated with a regional conference in 1950 in Trinidad that involved Muslims from Trinidad, British Guiana, Suriname and Barbados. This conference was the highlight of Islamic consciousness in the Caribbean and preceded the departure of two eminent Islamic scholars, Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui and Dr. Fazl-ur Rahaman Ansari.
This paper, therefore, takes a look at the above issues and rethinks them in the context of interconnected networks and sometimes, through the lens of the local-global nexus. It views it as a noble attempt by the Muslims to assert the ummah beyond national boundaries and a forerunner to other efforts in the later twentieth century.
The paper looked at configurations of feminist forms in the Indo-Muslim community of Trinidad usi... more The paper looked at configurations of feminist forms in the Indo-Muslim community of Trinidad using secondary sources and conversational narratives. Drawing upon historical and contemporary examples of Muslim women’s presence/absence in the religious public sphere, and the use of social media and declaration of Muslim identity, women’s experiences in religious spaces were examined. The paper argues that: (i) the Muslim community though a minority is heterogeneous, (ii) the consciousness and practice of Islam is quite nuanced, and (iii) Muslim women (and men) developed a bicultural identity by selecting and adding aspects of local/Western culture to their Muslim identity (or the inverse may apply). As such, the paper concluded that Muslim females were not only beneficiaries of a changing social and technological order and that community social spaces reinforced certain cultural beliefs, practices and attitudes, but also that Muslim women draws together the strands of their religious identity and politics to exercise and extend their ownership of choice and express their empowerment within the sub and wider community.
(Turning Tides: Caribbean Intersections in the Americas and Beyond Conference jointly held by Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut and The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine held in February 2016, at St Augustine Campus. )
Caribbean Quality Culture Persistent Commitment to Improving Higher Education, 2021
Total quality management (TQM) is “an administrative approach geared toward[s] long-range success... more Total quality management (TQM) is “an administrative approach geared toward[s] long-range success through customer satisfaction” and can be linked to an institutional strategic plan, employee empowerment and teamwork, continuous process improvement (CPI), collaborative work, and the use of a scientific approach to process analysis (Holmes 1996, 33). While TQM concerns itself with the entire organization, continuous quality improvement (CQI), a subset of TQM, may focus on improvement efforts in a single area or department. It can be defined as a system of “incremental and innovative improvements in processes, products, and services” (Grandzol and Gershon 1998, 101). Support for CQI stakeholder engagement is critical. By embracing stakeholders in their conduct of business, institutions are provided with the means to pursue a change agenda that makes them more competitive, relevant and connected to societal needs. Additionally, stakeholder engagement demonstrates that the institution is more agile, thus creating for itself opportunities for cooperation as the institution is seen as a natural partner by stakeholders in their pursuit of the development agenda, such as those contained in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Notwithstanding the opportunities and benefits of stakeholder engagement, consultations with multiple actors bring with them challenges such as managing competing and conflicting expectations and matching stakeholders’ outlooks with the institution’s goals and vision. The Caribbean public tertiary education sector, through its creation and dissemination of knowledge, capacity building and training, plays an important role in national and regional development. By that token, it serves multiple constituents with different expectations and requirements. This provides unique challenges in the implementation of CQI. This chapter unpacks the use of stakeholder engagement from within a higher education setting of an institution in the process of change using a case-study approach. The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has developed five strategic plans in its seventy-year plus history. These are examined from the viewpoint of stakeholders who have a vested interest in own-institution development alongside The UWI as a facilitator or contributor to public development. Beginning with content analysis the chapter considers the use of the word “stakeholder” and related words in the strategic plans and subsequently, the process of stakeholder input into the plans and stakeholders as beneficiaries of the plans.
Turning Tides: Caribbean Intersections in the Americas and Beyond. Edited by Heather Cateau and Milla Cozart Riggio, 2019
Using secondary sources and conversational narratives, this paper looks at micro-level configurat... more Using secondary sources and conversational narratives, this paper looks at micro-level configurations of feminist forms in the Indo-Muslim community of Trinidad. Historical and contemporary examples of Muslim women’s presence/absence in the religious public sphere are examined. The paper builds on the premise that the Muslim community, though a minority, is heterogeneous, and the consciousness and practice of Islam are nuanced. The paper concludes that Muslim females have not only been beneficiaries of a changing social and technological order and that community social spaces reinforce certain cultural beliefs, practices and attitudes, but also that Muslim women draw together the strands of their religious identity and politics to own their choices and express their empowerment within the sub- and wider community. How is feminism configured and expressed within the Muslim community? Indeed, is Islamic or Muslim feminism even possible within a westernised/secular society?
Indentured Muslims in the Diaspora: Identity and Belonging of Minority Groups in Plural Societies, 2016
The Indo-Muslim community in Trinidad were among the second wave of Muslim migrants to arrive in ... more The Indo-Muslim community in Trinidad were among the second wave of Muslim migrants to arrive in the colony and adapted to the new environment by applying and integrating cultural and religious beliefs into their new context. Communities, families and individuals came under considerable stress to make these adjustments and at the same time the interconnectivity among those factors reinforced the high religiosity of the community. External influences impacted and interacted with the internal Muslim group dynamics that created particular identities and the development of organisations within the Muslim community in the early to mid twentieth century. This paper builds on the historical narrative and examines the global pressures and influences that impacted on the community as well as the more recent examples of personal and group identity challenges experienced by the Muslim community. It also assesses the culturally charged issues relating to personal and group identity that demonstrates that acculturation is an ongoing but dynamic and complex process based upon environment, social and geopolitical processes.
Key words: inter-culturality, plural society, women, marriage (nikah), carnival, fatwa, believers/non-believers, Sunnis, Ahamdis, purist Islam, liberal Islam, modernity.
NOTE: A version of this paper was presented at the "Legacy of Slavery and Indentured Labour - Past, Present and the Future Conference on Bonded Labour, Migration, Diaspora and Identity Formation in Historical and Contemporary Context." Suriname. June, 2013.
Crescent over Another Horizon: Islam in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latino USA, 2015
This chapter seeks to provide an exploratory assessment of young Muslim adults' use of SNS in the... more This chapter seeks to provide an exploratory assessment of young Muslim adults' use of SNS in the construction of their identity in Trinidad. Rather than argue that SNS is a medium that necessarily competes with or substitutes for "traditional" Muslim spaces, this chapter demonstrates that SNS provides an additional arena to continue and build on debates or conversations that are part of this wider Islamic public sphere. This chapter seeks to understand the place of religion in the lives of young Muslim adults through their use of SNS. It contributes to understanding young Muslim adults' presence on the Internet and their participation in the production of online content through extended conversations about religion and religiosity.
Book chapter in Crescent over Another Horizon: Islam in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latino USA. edited by María del Mar Logroño-Narbona, Paulo G. Pinto, and John Tofik Karam. University of Texas Press, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-4773-0229-3
The tertiary education sector in the CARICOM Region which has expanded rapidly from the 1980s as ... more The tertiary education sector in the CARICOM Region which has expanded rapidly from the 1980s as a result of the global liberalisation of education and the increase demands for access to a wide range of products facilitated by the information and knowledge economy. This saw the growth of national, private and offshore tertiary institutions with a diversity of institutional structures and degrees. Consequently, the tertiary education sector is characterised by fragmentation, insufficient resources and inadequate cooperation that impacts on its effectiveness and its ability to realise economies of scale and scope. In the last three years there have been several calls for the establishment of a policy framework to facilitate structural reforms aimed at achieving coherence within the sector. With that in mind, the proposal for a CARICOM Tertiary Education Council is seen as a positive step of a coordinated approach to the tertiary education sector. This paper, will therefore, explore the scale and scope of the tertiary education sector, the relevance and value of a Tertiary Education Council and examine the governance and financing associated with the development of the Council. KEY WORDS: finance, governance, models, tertiary education, tertiary education institutions Published in Quality Higher Education in the Caribbean. edited by Anna Kasafi Perkins, UWI Press, 2015. ISBN: 978-976-640-512-0.
The Construction of An Indo-Caribbean Diaspora, 2004
This chapter seeks to briefly review the attempts by the East Indian intelligentsia to put in pla... more This chapter seeks to briefly review the attempts by the East Indian intelligentsia to put in place a system of education which reflected some of their cultural values in what was essentially a Western-education syllabi. This paper suggests that the both Hindus and Muslims were united in their cause to acquire an education space uniquely theirs’ and one that reflected their religious perspective. They supported their intention to have an educational system suitable to their people with the establishment of religious classes and linguistic schools that existed side by side with the secular. Eventually, these efforts culminated in a cooperative effort by the Hindus and Muslims in Woodford Lodge Village, Chaguanas in 1929. This paper re-examines the efforts that led to the establishment of that Hindu-Muslim school and its resultant demise. The paper briefly examines the effect that this school had on the psyche of the community; it questions whether this set the tone for separateness w...
This paper considers the widening access and participation agenda, its implications for higher ed... more This paper considers the widening access and participation agenda, its implications for higher education institutions (HEIs) and contends that it must be underpinned by strategic measurement and monitoring. Access is viewed through of the following lenses: (i) supporting participation, and (ii) facilitating equity. Using mixed methods, the paper draws on data from The University of the West Indies (UWI) and provides examples from key plans and initiatives over 20 years to showcase how the UWI has increased access. Concurrently, the need for more nuanced and complex datasets to assess the extent of equity is highlighted with metrics drawn from the Times Higher Education University Impact Ranking. The authors argue that the strategic use and management of data can promote public accountability associated with access and boost institutional reputation. However, universities will have to be innovative and accelerate measures to survive/thrive in the post-pandemic environment by identifying their institutional scope and “system of interest” in widening access.
. Indenture Papers: Studies on Girmitiyas, 1(1): 111-151, 2021
Over 147,000 Indians were brought to Trinidad between 1845 and
1917. While there is consensus on ... more Over 147,000 Indians were brought to Trinidad between 1845 and 1917. While there is consensus on the broad patterns of the demographic and social characteristics of these labourers, there is a limited focus on interrogating the same characteristics of various subpopulations. This paper extends the earlier work by Kassim and Polar (2018) and seeks to rectify gaps specific to Muslims by mining the Ship Registers/Emigration Passes for the period 1892-1901. Data are presented for two five-year periods and the geographical and social patterns are then considered; the periods are 1892-1896, and 1897- 1901. Findings suggest that the patterns for Muslims are generally consistent with the findings in the literature for the overall Indian migrants.
In Journal Educación Superior y Sociedad (IESALC-UNESCO) Vol. 31 Núm. 31 (2019).pp. 42-57. , 2019
This article provides an analytical framework for assessing and facilitating productive collabor... more This article provides an analytical framework for assessing and facilitating productive collaborations between the higher education sector and the private sector in the Caribbean. It argues that such partnerships can be crucial to economic growth, innovation and inclusive development in the region. The paper however points to certain challenges which must be tackled if meaningful and lasting benefits for the region are to be derived and maximised. These include addressing the lack of clarity in definition of the private sector as well as tackling the weak institutional capacities and the paucity of effective strategic partnerships among Caribbean higher education institutions.
Journal of Arts Science and Technology Vol 12 Special Issue 1, 2019
Tertiary education institutions (TLIs) are seen as essential to knowledge creation, information, ... more Tertiary education institutions (TLIs) are seen as essential to knowledge creation, information, and idea generation, thereby contributing to sustainable economic growth, societal development, and individual success. Yet, TLIs are faced with ‘wicked’, ‘stubborn’, multiple and interlocking economic, social, and technological challenges and pressures that test their resilience and adaptability. To understand those challenges comprehensive robust regional data and analysis is required. This paper provides the context for institutional developments by examining the findings of a survey undertaken in 2017/2018 on the functions, resources, knowledge, and skills of public TLIs to support capacity building and reform. Moreover, TLIs are functioning in a highly competitive and complex space impacted by economic, political, and social changes that increasingly drive the knowledge economy. This suggests that institutions identify and implement a set of strategies to support their mission. There will thus be an exploration of the characteristics of regional TLIs and the relevance of trends in the sector based on the findings of another 2017/2018 survey of reginal institutions. Finally, the paper will make a case for how institutions can better respond to their mandate and to support national and regional development priorities. Building on the results, recommendations will be made in support of the higher education modernisation project on institutional issues related to governance, funding, research and knowledge transfer, internationalisation and public engagement.
This article offers some insights into reviving the humanities at The University of the West Indi... more This article offers some insights into reviving the humanities at The University of the West Indies (UWI), on the basis that vibrancy in the humanities is critical to the overall health and well-being of regional societies and economies.
The Indo-Muslim community in Trinidad were among the second wave of Muslim migrants to arrive in ... more The Indo-Muslim community in Trinidad were among the second wave of Muslim migrants to arrive in the colony and adapted to the new environment by applying and integrating cultural and religious beliefs into their new context. Communities, families and individuals came under considerable stress to make these adjustments and at the same time the interconnectivity among those factors reinforced the high religiosity of the community. External influences impacted and interacted with the internal Muslim group dynamics that fostered particular identities and organisations within the Muslim community in the early to mid twentieth century. This paper builds on the historical narrative and examines the global pressures and influences that impacted on the community as well as the more recent examples of personal and group identity challenges experienced by the Muslim community. It also assesses the culturally charged issues relating to personal and group identity that demonstrates that acculturation is an ongoing but dynamic and complex process based upon environment, social and geopolitical processes.
Key words: inter-culturality, plural society, women, marriage (nikah), carnival, fatwa, believers/non-believers, Sunnis, Ahamdis, purist Islam, liberal Islam, modernity.
This paper examines the formal and non-formal modes of education that co-existed in the Muslim co... more This paper examines the formal and non-formal modes of education that co-existed in the Muslim community in the post-indentureship period. It evaluates the persistence of the old culture and the attempts at acculturation. It examines maktabs (religious schools), Indic language schools, and literary and debating societies as examples of the non-formal mode of knowledge transmission. It also explores early attempts at formal schooling. Likewise, it probes into the competitive struggles that evolved among the Indo-Muslim middle class and the wider Indian middle class to increase their literacy rate. While this paper provides an insight into the pattern of development within the Muslim community, it is more concerned with the effects these institutions had on the community. It concludes that the acculturation of the Indo-Muslims was occasioned to a significant extent by a conscious attempt on their part to achieve more meaningful integration into Trinidadian society and in this sense mi...
This paper examines Indo-Muslim females’ access to education and participation in formal work ove... more This paper examines Indo-Muslim females’ access to education and participation in formal work over three decades, 1930–1960. In particular, it acknowledges that access to primary and secondary education at the micro level was attained in circumstances of negotiation and collusion and in circumstances where there was a growing recognition of the universalistic-achievement values. Increasing female access to education is assumed to enable empowerment. As such, this paper also examines the employment opportunities available to young women. For young Indo-Muslim females, opportunities were
generally limited to private and what can be termed the “semi-public” sphere. The existing patriarchal norms which operated served to ensure that marriage and motherhood, though not explored in this paper, were the means by which these young
females were fully accepted by society. Using both written sources and interviews with Indo-Muslim females growing up between the 1920s and 1950s, this paper focuses on their education and labour market participation experiences as representatives of the
Muslim community. These experiences in the school and in the labour market led to a reimagined and reshaped social order that added layers to their Muslim identity.
“Speak Out” against injustices is the doctrine that guides Feroza Rose Mohammed, a woman many kno... more “Speak Out” against injustices is the doctrine that guides Feroza Rose Mohammed, a woman many know simply as Rose. It is this belief that brought her the glare of publicity and created a storm of controversy in October 2007, when she protested on Eid day
against the placing of wooden barriers to separate men and women at the TML mosque. The words of Muhammad Ali (1942-), “service to others is the rent you pay here for your room on earth”, underpin the philosophy of Rose as wife, mother and citizen. Guided by the dictates of her faith, Islam, and the admonitions of the Qur’an—“You are the best people ever raised for the good of mankind because you have been raised to serve others; you enjoin what is good and forbid evil and believe in Allah.” (3:111)—she firmly believes in the promotion of good which would lead to the improved welfare of Trinidadian society. If one is to be defined by labels, Rose would want the following ascribed to her: Muslim, Trinidadian, passionate, simple, humble, service-oriented, empathetic and tolerant. Most of all, Rose embodies the elusive spirit of the transformative leader.
The Muslim community in the Caribbean in the post-indenture period witnessed several changes that... more The Muslim community in the Caribbean in the post-indenture period witnessed several changes that affected the character of its practices. The Islam of the Indo-Muslim immigrants had to undergo changes within this new environment. Hindu elements further entered into the Islamic faith as the religion continued to be re-constituted in a new atmosphere. To further solidify and maintain the faith, the community began establishing itself into bodies. These organized bodies also sought to rejuvenate the faith by inviting missionaries from India to visit the Caribbean. Some of the missionaries who arrived from India, began preaching varying messages of Islam, that opposed the acculturated forms that existed here. Others, however, gave credence to what was present in the local setting. The community, as a result of being exposed to varying forms of Islam, came under threat. Each form drew crowds and as interest began to expand in the alternative form. The tension which arose resulted in the...
This paper examines Indo-Muslim females’ access to education and participation in formal work ove... more This paper examines Indo-Muslim females’ access to education and participation in formal work over three decades, 1930–1960. In particular, it acknowledges that access to primary and secondary education at the micro level was attained in circumstances of negotiation and collusion and in circumstances where there was a growing recognition of the universalistic-achievement values. Increasing female access to education is assumed to enable empowerment. As such, this paper also examines the employment opportunities available to young women. For young Indo-Muslim females, opportunities were generally limited to private and what can be termed the “semi-public” sphere. The existing patriarchal norms which operated served to ensure that marriage and motherhood, though not explored in this paper, were the means by which these young females were fully accepted by society. Using both written sources and interviews with Indo-Muslim females growing up between the 1920s and 1950s, this paper focu...
This chapter presents a case study for understanding Islam in the Caribbean, which primarily focu... more This chapter presents a case study for understanding Islam in the Caribbean, which primarily focuses on the particularity of the population in Trinidad and Tobago. The Muslim population is representative of the multiethnic nature of the society, especially since it comprises descendants from African slaves, Indian indentured laborers, and the Syrian-Lebanese community. The chapter also considers the perception of halal food assurance among selected Muslim food businesses in a multireligious society from a Muslim perspective. The findings indicate the contentions between the Muslim and non-Muslim understanding and appreciation of halal, and between trust and visible assurance systems. The chapter reveals how the findings added to the emerging corpus of work on the halal food assurance industry
The presentation gives a broad sweep of the Indo-Muslim community covering:
(a) Planting the seed... more The presentation gives a broad sweep of the Indo-Muslim community covering: (a) Planting the seeds: migration patterns of Muslims during the indenture (b) Germination and growth: establishment of structures (c) Flowering: expressions of identity.
Presentation to the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago.
On May 30th, we celebrated 175 years of the arrival of Indians aboard the Fatel Rozack. We also ... more On May 30th, we celebrated 175 years of the arrival of Indians aboard the Fatel Rozack. We also commemorated on January 1st this year, what some have termed ‘Deliverance Day’ (Lal 2015) , 100 years since the official ending of indenture. The narratives surrounding these historic moments relate to the beginning vs the ending of a system of seventy-plus years of exploitation and suffering. Regardless of the historic date observed (arrival or deliverance), it reminds us of the hierarchies of power and agency that dominated the lives of indentured labourers and their descendants. But it also provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the presence of our fore parents who were actively engaged or supported religious and cultural reconstitution, community building and nationhood. It further situates the indentured and post-indentured narrative within the context of empire consolidation and the imperial rhetoric on hierarchies of labour based on intersectionalities of ethnicity, gender, class, and religion.
Address to commemorate Indian Arrival Day looking at the contributions of Muslims in the developm... more Address to commemorate Indian Arrival Day looking at the contributions of Muslims in the development of their community. It also celebrate the Book Launch of Imam’s Iqubal Hydal’s “Bedtime Conversations with Nana” (May 30, 2017, Gasparillo Mosque)
This paper explores mechanisms for building political will and accountability and places emphasis... more This paper explores mechanisms for building political will and accountability and places emphasis on developing quality leadership and the accountability starting at the individual level and moving upwards to institutions.
DESCRIPTION This paper reviews the "Evaluation of National Initiatives on Violence against W... more DESCRIPTION This paper reviews the "Evaluation of National Initiatives on Violence against Women in the OECS States Sub-Regional Report" as submitted by the Project Consultant (Sept 2014) which examined inter alia state and non-state actions to address and mitigate violence against women.
The paper examines the examples of community building of business and social responsibility in th... more The paper examines the examples of community building of business and social responsibility in the Muslim community of Trinidad and Tobago.
This paper (unpublished) was prepared on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the death of... more This paper (unpublished) was prepared on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Haji Ruknudeen Sahib. It records his contributions to the consolidation and propoagation of Islam in Trinidad during the years 1893 to 1963.
The Caribbean has seen two waves of Muslim migration, the first wave of which was comprised of sl... more The Caribbean has seen two waves of Muslim migration, the first wave of which was comprised of slaves from Africa. Indentured labourers of India, who came to theshores between 1845 and 1917, formed the second. The article examines the influx of missionaries and shift from accord to discord in the Muslim community.
This paper considers the widening access and participation agenda, its implications for higher ed... more This paper considers the widening access and participation agenda, its implications for higher education institutions (HEIs) and contends that it must be underpinned by strategic measurement and monitoring. Access is viewed through of the following lenses: (i) supporting participation, and (ii) facilitating equity. Using mixed methods, the paper draws on data from The University of the West Indies (UWI) and provides examples from key plans and initiatives over 20 years to showcase how the UWI has increased access. Concurrently, the need for more nuanced and complex datasets to assess the extent of equity is highlighted with metrics drawn from the Times Higher Education University Impact Ranking. The authors argue that the strategic use and management of data can promote public accountability associated with access and boost institutional reputation. However, universities will have to be innovative and accelerate measures to survive/thrive in the post-pandemic environment by identif...
This article provides an analytical framework for assessing and facilitating productive collabor... more This article provides an analytical framework for assessing and facilitating productive collaborations between the higher education sector and the private sector in the Caribbean. It argues that such partnerships can be crucial to economic growth, innovation and inclusive development in the region. The paper however points to certain challenges which must be tackled if meaningful and lasting benefits for the region are to be derived and maximised. These include addressing the lack of clarity in definition of the private sector as well as tackling the weak institutional capacities and the paucity of effective strategic partnerships among Caribbean higher education institutions.”..
On May 30th, we celebrated 175 years of the arrival of Indians aboard the Fatel Rozack. We also c... more On May 30th, we celebrated 175 years of the arrival of Indians aboard the Fatel Rozack. We also commemorated on January 1st this year, what some have termed ‘Deliverance Day’ (Lal 2015) , 100 years since the official ending of indenture. The narratives surrounding these historic moments relate to the beginning vs the ending of a system of seventy-plus years of exploitation and suffering. Regardless of the historic date observed (arrival or deliverance), it reminds us of the hierarchies of power and agency that dominated the lives of indentured labourers and their descendants. But it also provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the presence of our fore parents who were actively engaged or supported religious and cultural reconstitution, community building and nationhood. It further situates the indentured and post-indentured narrative within the context of empire consolidation and the imperial rhetoric on hierarchies of labour based on intersectionalities of ethnicity, gender, class, and religion.
Address to commemorate Indian Arrival Day looking at the contributions of Muslims in the developm... more Address to commemorate Indian Arrival Day looking at the contributions of Muslims in the development of their community. It also celebrate the Book Launch of Imam’s Iqubal Hydal’s “Bedtime Conversations with Nana” (May 30, 2017, Gasparillo Mosque)
Kamola (2014) contends that higher education remains generally absent from the conversations on i... more Kamola (2014) contends that higher education remains generally absent from the conversations on international relations and world politics. Universities are important for circulating ideas, subject expertise, and people and thus, contribute to knowledge creation and transmission. This paper draws on examples relating to research management, collaborative relationships and staff and student mobility from two tertiary level institutions, namely the University of Trinidad and Tobago and The University of the West Indies that contribute to diasporic bonding. While these collaborations may appear to be ad hoc, they provide good examples of the potential to promote academic and research excellence, and support internationalisation, which in turn can help to create ‘world class universities’. The Indian Diaspora, which totals over 25 million in 130 countries is an unexploited resource that can help increase the international dimension of higher education institutions (Yeravdekar and Tiwari 2014, 377). It can facilitate the development and enhancement of collaborative relationships that strengthen research management, and facilitate the mobility of diaspora academics and student mobility. Based upon the research, a framework for research management will be proposed.
Abstract This chapter considers the commitment of gender equality at universities and how it is e... more Abstract This chapter considers the commitment of gender equality at universities and how it is expressed and measured via a gender equality scorecard. The Gender Equality Scorecard is seen as an accountability measure that seeks to build awareness of the magnitude of the problem (if it exists), interpret the meaning of the (in)equities, and move to action. It is regarded as a supportive mechanism to the development and implementation of a Gender Policy as articulated in The UWI Strategic Plan, 2012–2017. The development of a Scorecard is also seen as an example of collaborative governance in action that fosters engagement, commitment, and action across an institution. The proposed model draws upon the experiences of the Gender Equity Scorecards used by international development agencies and other higher educational institutions. The chapter proposes a framework and methodology using staff and student data from The University of the West Indies for the period 1990–1991 to 2011–2012 to build a Gender Scorecard. Finally, the Scorecard is seen as a tool to track performance related to the creation and enhancement of relevant structures and processes to institutionalize gender equality into the functions, operations, and governance of institutions.
DESCRIPTION [Lecture prepared for the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Haji Ruknudeen’s de... more DESCRIPTION [Lecture prepared for the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Haji Ruknudeen’s death, Tunupuna Masjid (Back Street, Tunupuna); 06/2013] This lecture, A Young Soldier of Islam: Haji Ruknudeen Sahib, examines the contributions made by this indentured immigrant who came to these shores some 120 years ago and spent 75 years in service to the Muslim community. A humble man, dedicated to the cause of Islam he joins the legions of other men such as Syed Abdul Aziz, Yacoob Ali Meer Hassan, Beekham Syne, Zahoor Khan, Ishmile Khan, Hafiz Naziruddeen, Baboo Meah, Abdul Ghany (Gany), Yacoob Khan, Subrate Meah, Mohammed Ibrahim, John Mohammed, etc. who made sterling contributions to the consolidation and propagation of Islam in Trinidad and whose stories also need to be written and understood by my generation and younger generations. Like many of my generation, had it not been for the legacy I grew‐up surrounded by, the trials, the tribulations and the triumphs of the Muslim comm...
Definition and Historical BackgroundEducation within the Muslim community facilitated controlled ... more Definition and Historical BackgroundEducation within the Muslim community facilitated controlled acculturation.1 Education is defined as the transmission of knowledge through learning and socialization,2 which take place in the formal, non-formal, or informal "space". Drawing from Jayaram's typology of education systems in India, education "spaces" can be defined as follows: "formal education [refers to] the teaching of certain knowledge or instruction in a particular branch of learning or trade, in a structured and programmed way. Non-formal education refers to the programmed (i.e., consciously organized and patterned) and purposeful instruction in certain areas of knowledge and skill or some other element of culture, which takes place outside the 'school' or similarly designed institutions."3The formal education model was associated with secular educational institutions administered by the state and/or Christian denominational educational ...
Contribute to the Repository We are seeking early adopters of the repository at the St. Augustine... more Contribute to the Repository We are seeking early adopters of the repository at the St. Augustine campus. If you wish to start a community or collection, you can contact the DSpace development team at The Alma Jordan Library, St. Augustine, at extensions ...
The Muslim community in the post-indenture Caribbean witnessed several changes that affected the ... more The Muslim community in the post-indenture Caribbean witnessed several changes that affected the character of its practices. As a way of institutionalizing the faith, the community had established masajid (mosques), schools and other organisations. As these physical manifestations and legal entities were being inserted into the local space, foreign missionaries who visited imposed their brand of Islam on the local landscape. The tension which arose resulted in the splintering of the Muslim community. Each strain, Sunnism and Ahmaddiyaism, vied for supremacy – territoriality-by supporting missionary visits from India and later Pakistan, and embarking upon da'wah (invitation to...). As these streams of Islam collided or solidified, organisations, either at the community or national levels, were established. As part of forging the ummah (community) Muslim leaders established links with South American Islamic bodies, principally those of British Guiana and Suriname. This development...
At the Millennium Summit in 2000, all Member States of the United Nations reaffirmed their commit... more At the Millennium Summit in 2000, all Member States of the United Nations reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable development and eliminating poverty by the adoption of the Millennium Declaration that is internationally accepted as a common global development framework. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), consists of eight goals, 18 targets and 48 indicators, of which three goals are related to health, two to development, one each to education, empowerment and the environment. They frame the achievement of developmental goals in a time-bond inter-related, inter-dependant and complementary/mutually reinforcing manner. It seeks to mobilise developmental efforts involving national governments and development partners and thus, provide an opportunity for achieving the commitments made at UN Summits in 1980s and 1990s. The MDGs, therefore, provide an excellent example of “global governance” which can be defined as a set of “collective efforts to identify, understand or address wo...
First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. ... more First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me (Pastor Martin Niemöller [1892– 1984], as quoted in Mohammed 2009). “Speak Out” against injustices is the doctrine that guides Feroza Rose Mohammed, a woman many know simply as Rose. It is this belief that brought her the glare of publicity and created a storm of controversy in October 2007, when she protested on Eid day against the placing of wooden barriers to separate men and women at the TML mosque. The words of Muhammad Ali (1942-), “service to others is the rent you pay here for your room on earth”, underpin the philosophy of Rose as wife, mother and citizen. Guided by the dictates of her faith, Islam, and the admonitions of the...
The Gender Equity Scorecard is seen as an accountability measure that seeks to build awareness of... more The Gender Equity Scorecard is seen as an accountability measure that seeks to build awareness of the magnitude of the problem (if it exists), interpret the meaning of the (in) equities and move to action. It may be regarded as a supportive mechanism to the development and implementation of a Gender Policy as articulated in The UWI Strategic Plan, 2012-2017. This exploratory paper proposes a framework and methodology for a Gender Equity Scorecard in Higher Education Institutions using staff and student data from The University of the West Indies for the period 2007/2008 to 2011-2012 to build a Gender Equity Scorecard.
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Generally in the Caribbean region, development and innovation projects have been funded through external grants, with implementation criteria that reflect donor perspectives and prescriptions. This can force enhancements in the implementation of projects including strengthening of the institutional internal processes and culture. This paper draws on the experience of implementing the first regional grant programme managed by The UWI and its partners to create innovations that can improve planning and management of coastal communities. It examines approaches used to improve capacity in writing effective proposals, create complementary financial management systems, develop a documentation management system, and enhance communication, visibility and stakeholder engagement towards a robust long-lasting project management culture. Central to these approaches are the embedding of monitoring and evaluation in its processes and experiential learning. The authors will thus examine the issues of quality within a grant funded research and innovation ecosystem drawing on the principles of quality management systems.
The UWI is one of two Anglophone Caribbean Universities to be ranked. It provided data for three of the optional ranked SDGs - SDG3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG5: Gender Equality, and SDG13: Climate Action – and the compulsory SDG17: Partnership for the Goals. Other participating universities from the Caribbean region were: The University of Puerto Rico, the Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (Dominican Republic) and Universite Queensland (Haiti). Universities are physical spaces and its design and layout play an important role in the practical, emotional and intellectual life of students, staff and visitors on the campus. However, no Caribbean university provided data for SDG11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and as such, the impact of universities on and to the built environment is not verified by an independent instrument. THE goes beyond the traditional approach of sustainability as being about stewardship of resources and considers the role of a university in sustaining and preserving the heritage of communities.
This paper seeks to provide an overview of the performance of universities in the 2022 THE University Impact Rankings; contextualise the UWI’s performance against other universities; provide the data requirements for SDG11 and other related SDGs on the built environment. It is hoped that this paper will encourage other universities to pursue participation in the rankings especially, for the optional SDG11. The paper will also highlight a suite of indicators across several sustainability rankings focussing on the built environment. Consequently, the paper argues to encourage institutional awareness and effectiveness on the built environment a university will need to identify clear goals, measure progress to guide any interventions for continuous improvement especially, in light of changes to the operating environment.
According to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UNESCO UIS 2022) Latin America and the Caribbean had lower but stable (0.66% in 2010 and 0.67% in 2017) investments in R&I in comparison to the rest of the world (1.62% in 2010 and 1.72% in 2017). The limitations of regional R&I funding combined with reduced public funds within the academy creates a funding vacuum. This deficit pushes universities to rely on research grant funding from donor countries or agencies located in the Global North, such as the European Union, to drive knowledge production and capacity-building to produce meaningful results on developmental issues. By relying on external research funding universities are pushed to identify and submit projects that meet donor eligibility criteria which may or may not align with local developmental priorities and needs. However, changes to the funding governance in which the balance of power shifts from the Global North to the Global South can lead to strategies which may have more profound capacity building benefits in support of R&I.
This paper considers whether the European Union is evolving its strategies to allow more local control of the management of resources and if this more equitable structure may result in greater capacity building, improved implementation of research and innovation activities. Drawing on several qualitative sources the authors will present an experience-driven case study based on a comparison of two European Union - Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (EU-OACPS) projects implemented by The University of the West Indies. The first is the completed Strengthen Research Development and Uptake Capacity In Urban, Land And Municipal Management In The Caribbean [NSUS Network for the application of STI to the Urban Sector] (NSUS) (2009-2013) while the second is the ongoing Harnessing Innovative Technologies to support Resilient Settlements on the Coastal Zones of the Caribbean (HIT RESET Caribbean).
The paper also questions if it is possible to decolonise external research grants for projects to the extent that it adequately includes local priorities or if there should be complementary indigenous national and institutional financing for R&I driven projects.
The findings for 1892-1901 show that an estimated 22,680 recruits left from Calcutta in 36 ships and 22,313 arrived in Trinidad as indentured labourers. Muslims represented 9.6% of landed immigrants. Muslims were predominantly classified as “Muselman’ (over 70%). There was a sex imbalance in favour of males and most recruits were between the ages of 16 and 30. Over the period 1892-1896 to 1897-1901, heights of males and females increased by almost one centimetre. Bodily scars were observed on both males and females. There was a decline of Muslim recruits accompanied by family member on the same ship between 1892-1896 and 1897-1901. There were 24 Muslim deaths aboard the ship and two births. Of the over 65 estate categories identified, Muslims were most assigned to Caroni, Orange Grove, and Waterloo over the combined period. There were 108 persons considered as second indentures in 1892-1896 with 93.5% having previously indentured in the Caribbean (including Trinidad). There were no notations on the immigration passes to indicate second indentures in 1897-1901 period.
Findings suggest that the patterns for Muslims are generally consistent with the findings in the literature for the overall Indian migrants.
Key words: Muslims, Trinidad, indentured labour, social and demographic data
This paper offers preliminary findings and recommendations of an ongoing mixed method study into the condition (including teaching and learning, funding, graduates skills sets and employment, stakeholder perceptions and attitudes, role in public policy etc), and future of the humanities at the University of the West Indies (UWI). It offers suggestions for charting new directions for sustainable and invigorating futures for the humanities within the UWI family of disciplines and does so on the belief that vibrancy in the humanities is critical to the Caribbean’s sustainable development strategy, and the overall health and well-being of regional societies and economies.
As part of forging the ummah (community) Muslim leaders established links with South American Islamic bodies, principally those of British Guiana and Suriname. This development of Islamic consciousness and cooperation culminated with a regional conference in 1950 in Trinidad that involved Muslims from Trinidad, British Guiana, Suriname and Barbados. This conference was the highlight of Islamic consciousness in the Caribbean and preceded the departure of two eminent Islamic scholars, Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui and Dr. Fazl-ur Rahaman Ansari.
This paper, therefore, takes a look at the above issues and rethinks them in the context of interconnected networks and sometimes, through the lens of the local-global nexus. It views it as a noble attempt by the Muslims to assert the ummah beyond national boundaries and a forerunner to other efforts in the later twentieth century.
(Turning Tides: Caribbean Intersections in the Americas and Beyond Conference jointly held by Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut and The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine held in February 2016, at St Augustine Campus. )
Book chapters
Support for CQI stakeholder engagement is critical. By embracing stakeholders in their conduct of business, institutions are provided with the means to pursue a change agenda that makes them more competitive, relevant and connected to societal needs. Additionally, stakeholder engagement demonstrates that the institution is more agile, thus creating for itself opportunities for cooperation as the institution is seen as a natural partner by stakeholders in their pursuit of the development agenda, such as those contained in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Notwithstanding the opportunities and benefits of stakeholder engagement, consultations with multiple actors bring with them challenges such as managing competing and conflicting expectations and matching stakeholders’ outlooks with the institution’s goals and vision.
The Caribbean public tertiary education sector, through its creation and dissemination of knowledge, capacity building and training, plays an important role in national and regional development. By that token, it serves multiple constituents with different expectations and requirements. This provides unique challenges in the implementation of CQI.
This chapter unpacks the use of stakeholder engagement from within a higher education setting of an institution in the process of change using a case-study approach. The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has developed five strategic plans in its seventy-year plus history. These are examined from the viewpoint of stakeholders who have a vested interest in own-institution development alongside The UWI as a facilitator or contributor to public development. Beginning with content analysis the chapter considers the use of the word “stakeholder” and related words in the strategic plans and subsequently, the process of stakeholder input into the plans and stakeholders as beneficiaries of the plans.
Generally in the Caribbean region, development and innovation projects have been funded through external grants, with implementation criteria that reflect donor perspectives and prescriptions. This can force enhancements in the implementation of projects including strengthening of the institutional internal processes and culture. This paper draws on the experience of implementing the first regional grant programme managed by The UWI and its partners to create innovations that can improve planning and management of coastal communities. It examines approaches used to improve capacity in writing effective proposals, create complementary financial management systems, develop a documentation management system, and enhance communication, visibility and stakeholder engagement towards a robust long-lasting project management culture. Central to these approaches are the embedding of monitoring and evaluation in its processes and experiential learning. The authors will thus examine the issues of quality within a grant funded research and innovation ecosystem drawing on the principles of quality management systems.
The UWI is one of two Anglophone Caribbean Universities to be ranked. It provided data for three of the optional ranked SDGs - SDG3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG5: Gender Equality, and SDG13: Climate Action – and the compulsory SDG17: Partnership for the Goals. Other participating universities from the Caribbean region were: The University of Puerto Rico, the Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (Dominican Republic) and Universite Queensland (Haiti). Universities are physical spaces and its design and layout play an important role in the practical, emotional and intellectual life of students, staff and visitors on the campus. However, no Caribbean university provided data for SDG11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and as such, the impact of universities on and to the built environment is not verified by an independent instrument. THE goes beyond the traditional approach of sustainability as being about stewardship of resources and considers the role of a university in sustaining and preserving the heritage of communities.
This paper seeks to provide an overview of the performance of universities in the 2022 THE University Impact Rankings; contextualise the UWI’s performance against other universities; provide the data requirements for SDG11 and other related SDGs on the built environment. It is hoped that this paper will encourage other universities to pursue participation in the rankings especially, for the optional SDG11. The paper will also highlight a suite of indicators across several sustainability rankings focussing on the built environment. Consequently, the paper argues to encourage institutional awareness and effectiveness on the built environment a university will need to identify clear goals, measure progress to guide any interventions for continuous improvement especially, in light of changes to the operating environment.
According to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UNESCO UIS 2022) Latin America and the Caribbean had lower but stable (0.66% in 2010 and 0.67% in 2017) investments in R&I in comparison to the rest of the world (1.62% in 2010 and 1.72% in 2017). The limitations of regional R&I funding combined with reduced public funds within the academy creates a funding vacuum. This deficit pushes universities to rely on research grant funding from donor countries or agencies located in the Global North, such as the European Union, to drive knowledge production and capacity-building to produce meaningful results on developmental issues. By relying on external research funding universities are pushed to identify and submit projects that meet donor eligibility criteria which may or may not align with local developmental priorities and needs. However, changes to the funding governance in which the balance of power shifts from the Global North to the Global South can lead to strategies which may have more profound capacity building benefits in support of R&I.
This paper considers whether the European Union is evolving its strategies to allow more local control of the management of resources and if this more equitable structure may result in greater capacity building, improved implementation of research and innovation activities. Drawing on several qualitative sources the authors will present an experience-driven case study based on a comparison of two European Union - Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (EU-OACPS) projects implemented by The University of the West Indies. The first is the completed Strengthen Research Development and Uptake Capacity In Urban, Land And Municipal Management In The Caribbean [NSUS Network for the application of STI to the Urban Sector] (NSUS) (2009-2013) while the second is the ongoing Harnessing Innovative Technologies to support Resilient Settlements on the Coastal Zones of the Caribbean (HIT RESET Caribbean).
The paper also questions if it is possible to decolonise external research grants for projects to the extent that it adequately includes local priorities or if there should be complementary indigenous national and institutional financing for R&I driven projects.
The findings for 1892-1901 show that an estimated 22,680 recruits left from Calcutta in 36 ships and 22,313 arrived in Trinidad as indentured labourers. Muslims represented 9.6% of landed immigrants. Muslims were predominantly classified as “Muselman’ (over 70%). There was a sex imbalance in favour of males and most recruits were between the ages of 16 and 30. Over the period 1892-1896 to 1897-1901, heights of males and females increased by almost one centimetre. Bodily scars were observed on both males and females. There was a decline of Muslim recruits accompanied by family member on the same ship between 1892-1896 and 1897-1901. There were 24 Muslim deaths aboard the ship and two births. Of the over 65 estate categories identified, Muslims were most assigned to Caroni, Orange Grove, and Waterloo over the combined period. There were 108 persons considered as second indentures in 1892-1896 with 93.5% having previously indentured in the Caribbean (including Trinidad). There were no notations on the immigration passes to indicate second indentures in 1897-1901 period.
Findings suggest that the patterns for Muslims are generally consistent with the findings in the literature for the overall Indian migrants.
Key words: Muslims, Trinidad, indentured labour, social and demographic data
This paper offers preliminary findings and recommendations of an ongoing mixed method study into the condition (including teaching and learning, funding, graduates skills sets and employment, stakeholder perceptions and attitudes, role in public policy etc), and future of the humanities at the University of the West Indies (UWI). It offers suggestions for charting new directions for sustainable and invigorating futures for the humanities within the UWI family of disciplines and does so on the belief that vibrancy in the humanities is critical to the Caribbean’s sustainable development strategy, and the overall health and well-being of regional societies and economies.
As part of forging the ummah (community) Muslim leaders established links with South American Islamic bodies, principally those of British Guiana and Suriname. This development of Islamic consciousness and cooperation culminated with a regional conference in 1950 in Trinidad that involved Muslims from Trinidad, British Guiana, Suriname and Barbados. This conference was the highlight of Islamic consciousness in the Caribbean and preceded the departure of two eminent Islamic scholars, Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui and Dr. Fazl-ur Rahaman Ansari.
This paper, therefore, takes a look at the above issues and rethinks them in the context of interconnected networks and sometimes, through the lens of the local-global nexus. It views it as a noble attempt by the Muslims to assert the ummah beyond national boundaries and a forerunner to other efforts in the later twentieth century.
(Turning Tides: Caribbean Intersections in the Americas and Beyond Conference jointly held by Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut and The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine held in February 2016, at St Augustine Campus. )
Support for CQI stakeholder engagement is critical. By embracing stakeholders in their conduct of business, institutions are provided with the means to pursue a change agenda that makes them more competitive, relevant and connected to societal needs. Additionally, stakeholder engagement demonstrates that the institution is more agile, thus creating for itself opportunities for cooperation as the institution is seen as a natural partner by stakeholders in their pursuit of the development agenda, such as those contained in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Notwithstanding the opportunities and benefits of stakeholder engagement, consultations with multiple actors bring with them challenges such as managing competing and conflicting expectations and matching stakeholders’ outlooks with the institution’s goals and vision.
The Caribbean public tertiary education sector, through its creation and dissemination of knowledge, capacity building and training, plays an important role in national and regional development. By that token, it serves multiple constituents with different expectations and requirements. This provides unique challenges in the implementation of CQI.
This chapter unpacks the use of stakeholder engagement from within a higher education setting of an institution in the process of change using a case-study approach. The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has developed five strategic plans in its seventy-year plus history. These are examined from the viewpoint of stakeholders who have a vested interest in own-institution development alongside The UWI as a facilitator or contributor to public development. Beginning with content analysis the chapter considers the use of the word “stakeholder” and related words in the strategic plans and subsequently, the process of stakeholder input into the plans and stakeholders as beneficiaries of the plans.
Key words: inter-culturality, plural society, women, marriage (nikah), carnival, fatwa, believers/non-believers, Sunnis, Ahamdis, purist Islam, liberal Islam, modernity.
NOTE: A version of this paper was presented at the "Legacy of Slavery and Indentured Labour - Past, Present and the Future Conference on Bonded Labour, Migration, Diaspora and Identity Formation in Historical and Contemporary Context." Suriname. June, 2013.
Book chapter in Crescent over Another Horizon: Islam in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latino USA. edited by María del Mar Logroño-Narbona, Paulo G. Pinto, and John Tofik Karam. University of Texas Press, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-4773-0229-3
KEY WORDS: finance, governance, models, tertiary education, tertiary education institutions
Published in Quality Higher Education in the Caribbean. edited by Anna Kasafi Perkins, UWI Press, 2015. ISBN: 978-976-640-512-0.
1917. While there is consensus on the broad patterns of the demographic and social characteristics of these labourers, there is a limited focus on interrogating the same characteristics of various subpopulations. This paper extends the earlier work by Kassim and Polar
(2018) and seeks to rectify gaps specific to Muslims by mining the
Ship Registers/Emigration Passes for the period 1892-1901. Data are
presented for two five-year periods and the geographical and social
patterns are then considered; the periods are 1892-1896, and 1897-
1901. Findings suggest that the patterns for Muslims are generally
consistent with the findings in the literature for the overall Indian migrants.
Keywords: engagement, capacity building, cooperation, tertiary education institutions, UWI, CARICOM.
Key words: inter-culturality, plural society, women, marriage (nikah), carnival, fatwa, believers/non-believers, Sunnis, Ahamdis, purist Islam, liberal Islam, modernity.
generally limited to private and what can be termed the “semi-public” sphere. The existing patriarchal norms which operated served to ensure that marriage and motherhood, though not explored in this paper, were the means by which these young
females were fully accepted by society. Using both written sources and interviews with Indo-Muslim females growing up between the 1920s and 1950s, this paper focuses on their education and labour market participation experiences as representatives of the
Muslim community. These experiences in the school and in the labour market led to a reimagined and reshaped social order that added layers to their Muslim identity.
against the placing of wooden barriers to separate men and women at the TML mosque. The words of Muhammad Ali (1942-), “service to others is the rent you pay here for your room on earth”, underpin the philosophy of Rose as wife, mother and citizen. Guided by the dictates of her faith, Islam, and the admonitions of the Qur’an—“You are the best people ever raised for the good of mankind because you have been raised to serve others; you enjoin what is good and forbid evil and believe in Allah.” (3:111)—she firmly believes in the promotion of good which would lead to the improved welfare of Trinidadian society. If one is to be defined by labels, Rose would want the following ascribed to her: Muslim, Trinidadian, passionate, simple, humble, service-oriented, empathetic and tolerant. Most of all, Rose embodies the elusive spirit of the transformative leader.
on the particularity of the population in Trinidad and Tobago. The Muslim population is representative
of the multiethnic nature of the society, especially since it comprises descendants from African slaves,
Indian indentured laborers, and the Syrian-Lebanese community. The chapter also considers the
perception of halal food assurance among selected Muslim food businesses in a multireligious society from a Muslim perspective. The findings indicate the contentions between the Muslim and non-Muslim understanding and appreciation of halal, and between trust and visible assurance systems. The chapter reveals how the findings added to the emerging corpus of work on the halal food assurance
industry
(a) Planting the seeds: migration patterns of Muslims during the indenture
(b) Germination and growth: establishment of structures
(c) Flowering: expressions of identity.
Presentation to the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago.