School of Postgraduate Studies and Research

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Browsing School of Postgraduate Studies and Research by Author "Nakabo, Robinah S."

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    Dialectics of Followership and Leadership in Relation to Globalization: A Case of Uganda
    (The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, 2022) Nakabo, Robinah S.
    We cannot deny the complex, multidimensional and uneven nature of the globalization process1 which is considered in different perspectives according to the benefits and risks it imposes on humanity. Some perceive it as widening and deepening the flow of economy, finance and communication, 2 global interactions or the assumed connection between peoples of the world and the fading of natural and artificial barriers. 3 However, the perception for the majority in a country like Uganda is rather the oneway flow of all these aspects, for this widening and deepening means for the least developed countries the export of cheap labor and the erratic consumption of global products. Natural and artificial barriers are not shrinking but rather thickening. Cultural influences for some countries are unidirectional, making many of them experience globalization only from the receiving end (mostly of the risks) instead of actively participating in the various opportunities of exchange. Why is this so? The answer I suggest is the nature of followership in some of these countries because this followership has led to various external influences, from the pre-colonial period, through colonialism to the present. Unless followership is active, effective and exemplary,4 Uganda will continue to go through globalization reaping only risks. Meaningful participation in globalization is hindered by leadership that takes precedence over followership. If the two move in tandem, all people can benefit from globalization opportunities. Followership in this context means the capacity and power with which every citizen is endowed so that she/he can act upon that capacity or exercise her/his power to keep leadership in check. According to Gautam Sen, the major actors in the globalization move are governments and multinational corporations.5 In Uganda, governments are a composition of a few leaders and are in most cases not representatives of the general will of the people. For instance, the Over the Top Tax (OTT) imposed on mobile money transfer and access to social media on July 1, 2018 and the constant modification of the constitution of Uganda, illustrate the conflicting interests between those entrusted with the responsibility of making laws, and those most affected by the same laws. The general reaction towards the mentioned laws suggested displeasure with the decisions, but leaders insisted that these are important measures. The question is, important for whom? This is why in all situations where decisions have to be taken to link Uganda to the global community, in this case mobile money transfer and access to social media, followers ought to be very keen and actively engaged in discussions and deliberations leading to such decisions. A representative government demands that the people be consulted. However, this aspect is overlooked or where consultation takes place, it is a formality which fails to collect representative views of the people.6 This paper is divided into four sections starting with a discussion of the pitfalls of globalization as an outward approach to development, the opportunities promised by globalization, a history of globalization in Uganda, and lessons learnt from elsewhere.
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    Liberated Followership and Philosophical Reflective Thought for Meaningful Feminist Engagement
    (Lit Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 2021) Nakabo, Robinah S.
    Philosophy and feminism in Uganda are subjects to be discussed with reservation. Arguments about feminism mostly collapse into one category – radical feminism. Even with this common speech that refers to feminism as radical feminism, it is not clear whether those who hold such a conception of feminism understand what exactly radical feminism is, or even what feminism is all about. Philosophy, which ought to be a discipline that aids in understanding concepts such as these, their usage and implications, is avoided at all costs by most Ugandans. It is common for someone to say that philosophy is a complex subject for confused individuals and there is no sense in one setting time aside for philosophical study. With such attitudes, one wonders why and whether Ugandans meaningfully participate in globally-uniting phenomena, for instance the annual “Women’s Day” celebrations set for 8 March. It is also intriguing that if they do, they do not yet engage in any discourse about perceptions of 8 March for females and males. What do they celebrate and how does it impact on their lives the rest of the year? The argument here is that in order to understand feminism and all it represents, philosophy is an important tool without which, Ugandan’s wallow in endless prejudices and contradictions that do not help better interaction between women and men or to equally participate in globally discussed issues. In this paper, I attempt to answer: Why is philosophy not appealing to women in Uganda and what can be done to have changed attitudes?