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Global Majority: A Journal of Student Research

The Global Majority E-Journal (ISSN 2157-1252) is a biannual journal publishing on critical issues in the lives of the global majority: the more than 80 percent of the world's population living in developing countries. Topics discussed include poverty, population growth, access to safe water, climate change, and agricultural development. All articles are based on research papers written by AU undergraduate students (mostly freshmen) as one of the course requirements for AU's General Education Course: Econ-110, The Global Majority.

Current Issue Volume 15, Number 1, June 2024

Read the or browse abstracts and articles below.

The Journey to Clean Water: Kenya’s and Ghana’s Lack of Water and Sanitation Service

By Alyssa Apuzzo

This article addresses the lack of water and sanitation practices in both Kenya and Ghana. These countries are both found in Africa however, Kenya is found in East Africa while Ghana is found in the west. Ghana has a tropical climate while Kenya's climate has more variations depending on location. Although there has been great improvement in both countries when it comes to people having access to basic drinking water services, they are still not at the level of other developing countries. This is a concern, especially in the rural areas of these countries. Sanitation-wise, less than half of each country's population has access to handwashing facilities. This article dives into the various solutions each government has implemented to improve sanitation and access to clean drinking water.

Read the full article: The Journey to Clean Water

Inequality in Egypt and Algeria: How Much Progress Since the Arab Spring?

By George Lahoud

This article explores economic inequality in two prominent Arab North African Nations: Egypt and Algeria. This topic has gained interest due to the Arab Spring revolts that started in Tunisia in 2010 but then spread across the Arab World, with significant protests also occurring in Algeria and Egypt. Although Egypt’s and Algeria’s levels of inequality have improved over the past few decades, especially within Algeria after the colonial French Era, it is clear that both countries continue to battle with economic inequality. This article explores why this is the reality for two nations who have fought against inequality and explores possible solutions to remedy this problem.

Read the full article: Inequality in Egypt and Algeria

Urban Shift: The Impact of Urbanization on Poverty in Thailand and Vietnam

By Kexin Li

In Thailand and Vietnam, two developing countries, which are in close proximity to each other, the rate of urbanization has been low in the last century. Only in recent decades has there been a gradual shift from a traditional agricultural economy to a modern industrial and commercial economy, tourism, and urban society. However, during this period of social and political upheaval, there is a specific focus on the ethical impacts on the poorer segments of the population. The interests of these groups vary as the social structure changes. There is an imbalance in the distribution of resources and wealth between Thailand and Vietnam and how these resources are utilized by the poor in these two countries. This article provides a better understanding of the impact urbanization has on the poor and the contrasting moral issues faced by the poor in these two countries.

Read the full article: Urban Shift

Climate Change in Senegal and Uganda: Historical Responsibility for Loss and Damage

By Jamie Minden

This article looks at historical responsibility for climate change in reference to losses and damages from climate change related disasters in Uganda and Senegal. Senegal and Uganda are highly at risk to climate change caused disasters despite having historically contributed very little to global carbon emissions. Both countries will soon be further exploited for dangerous new fossil fuel projects that will export fossil fuels to European countries that have built their wealth from colonization and fossil fuel use. Senegal and Uganda must explore different solutions to their respective losses and their fossil-recolonization.

Read the full article: Climate Change in Senegal and Uganda

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