Rhodes University

Regime Shifts and Transformations in Social-Ecological Systems: Advancing Critical Frontiers for Safe and Just Futures

Current research challenges in sustainability science require us to consider nonlinear changes—shifts that do not happen gradually but can be sudden and difficult to predict. Central questions are therefore how we can prevent harmful shifts, promote desirable ones, and better ant...

Ecological quality assessment of the Keta Lagoon, Ghana: integrating water quality, sediment quality, and benthic macroinvertebrates

Coastal lagoons are ecologically and socioeconomically valuable ecosystems, yet they are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures. This study assessed the ecological quality of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site (KLCRS), Ghana, by integrating water physicochemical parameters...

Rural women and coping with extreme heat in South Western Zimbabwe: livelihoods, water and energy

This article focuses on rural women’s agency and innovation in the context of the global acceleration of climate change-induced extreme heat. Specifically, it considers the intersecting challenges encountered in relation to livelihoods, water, and energy, as well as the coping st...

Impressions of writers of isiXhosa texts about the United States of America and Magona’s bridging role

The article presents impressions of writers of isiXhosa literary texts about the United States of America during the colonial and apartheid eras. A qualitative research methodology, which allows content and textual analysis, is employed. General Marxist literary theory is the too...

Restoring microbial relations and landscapes: a relational conceptual framework for fermentation, culture, and health equity

Introduction: Biodiversity decline in both external environments and internal human microbiomes indicates disrupted relationships between humans, microbes, food systems, and ecological landscapes. These interconnected landscapes are important for global health and sustainability...

Early Childhood Singing in Diverse Socioeconomic Backgrounds in South Africa

Abstract Research highlights the benefits of singing in early childhood for the development of cognitive, language, emotional and social skills. Grounded in this theoretical framework, this article draws on data from Statistics South Africa’s, The General Household Survey (2023),...