Volume 4, Number 1, 2024
An Appraisal of Availability and Use of Protective Clothing for Workers in Ghana
Abstract
The study aimed to examine the availability of protective clothing and its usage among workers at the University of Cape Coast in the central region of Ghana. It used the Accident-Proneness Theory and the Theory of Reasoned Action to achieve the study's objectives. The study adopted the positivist research paradigm.
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The study aimed to examine the availability of protective clothing and its usage among workers at the University of Cape Coast in the central region of Ghana. It used the Accident-Proneness Theory and the Theory of Reasoned Action to achieve the study's objectives. The study adopted the positivist research paradigm. The study used a descriptive design with mixed methods. The study population comprised all workers and supervisors whose work demands the use of protective clothing at the University of Cape Coast. The study used multistage sampling techniques (stratified, purposive, proportional and Systematic random sampling techniques) to select one hundred and ninety-six departmental workers and five (5) supervisors in the University. The main instruments for data collection were a Semi-structured questionnaire and an unstructured interview guide. Mean and standard deviation, frequency count, and percentages were used to analyse the quantitative data. The qualitative data was analysed through the development of data categories and themes. The study concluded that “not all the protective clothing for the various departments were available. The University ensured that workers used what was in stock at the department. The protective clothing supplied to the various departments was insufficient, so their continuous use of the existing ones got them defaced, bringing about shortages. The study also revealed that workers used protective clothing most often, but not all used it because safety laws were relaxed. The study recommended that the University ensure a regular and adequate supply of PPC, insist on its usage, and enforce the use of PPC by all workers whose work demands it.Full article
Article
From Designed Object to Designed Context: Changes in Environmental Discourse in the First Twenty Years of the International Design Conference in Aspen
Abstract
Through an in-depth discussion of the International Design Conference in Aspen from 1951 to 1970, this paper explores how environmental discourse underwent a shift in its connotations in the field of design during the conference. Of particular importance in this process of discursive transformation was the 1970 conference. This year's
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Through an in-depth discussion of the International Design Conference in Aspen from 1951 to 1970, this paper explores how environmental discourse underwent a shift in its connotations in the field of design during the conference. Of particular importance in this process of discursive transformation was the 1970 conference. This year's conference erupted into a conflict over the connotations of environmental discourse as environmental discourse outside of design impacted on and transformed the environmental discourse within design. This article examines the different concepts of the term 'environment', as presented by speakers and participants at the International Design Conferences in Aspen from 1951 to 1970, and especially focuses on the debates surrounding 'environment' at the 1970 conference. The article concludes by exploring the implications of this event and summarises the role of the 1970 International Design Conference in Aspen at this crucial turning point in environmental discourse. The aim is to explain and strengthen the significance of discourse a design conferences in the history of design, and to explore a new direction of design history research.Full article
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Article
Digital Design as a Tool for Assessing Attitudes
Abstract
This study investigated the use of digital design as a tool for assessing attitudes among male sex offenders by exploring how artistic expression can reveal complex emotional landscapes related to their crimes. The study utilized digital paintings, a type of digital design that involves creating artwork using digital tools and
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This study investigated the use of digital design as a tool for assessing attitudes among male sex offenders by exploring how artistic expression can reveal complex emotional landscapes related to their crimes. The study utilized digital paintings, a type of digital design that involves creating artwork using digital tools and software. Digital painting tools allowed the researcher to simulate traditional painting techniques, while benefiting from the flexibility and versatility of digital media. It is essential to comprehend and address offenders’ attitudes towards sexual crimes to create prevention and rehabilitation plans that work. The effectiveness of digital paintings that illustrate the consequences of sexual crimes on offender, victim and the offender’s family was examined in this study. The study examined whether exposure to these visual representations could result in a quantifiable decrease in supporting attitudes toward sexual crimes by comparing participants' pre-test and post-test attitudes using the Crime Pics II tool. There is little research on how visual cues can change offenders' attitudes and perceptions, despite the urgent need for creative evaluation techniques in this delicate field. This study adds to the continuing conversation on crime prevention and offender rehabilitation by demonstrating how well digital design can change perceptions of sexual crimes. A total of 61 male convicts of defilement and rape were purposively sampled for the study. The study utilized an art exhibition and Rapid Serial Visual Presentation format to repeatedly display digital paintings to participants aged 18-45. The artwork produced in both monochrome and polychrome schemes and in realist and surrealist styles was designed to elicit immediate emotional and cognitive responses. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the participants' responses and reflections provided important insights into their attitudes, including sentiments of regret and guilt as well as a sophisticated awareness of the wider effects of their behaviour. Monochrome paintings tended to portray darker emotions, whereas polychrome paintings showed a wider range of emotions, including hope and recognition of the harm done. The findings demonstrate that digital design can effectively support offenders' emotional processing and self-reflection, demonstrating its potential as a helpful tool in rehabilitative and assessment contexts.Full article
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Article
Symbolic Splendour: Integrating Adinkra Symbols in Ghana’s Most Beautiful Set Design
Abstract
This study explores the integration of Adinkra symbols into the set design of Ghana’s Most Beautiful (GMB), a popular beauty pageant and reality TV show that has aired on TV3; a private television station in Ghana. GMB showcases beauty, intelligence, cultural knowledge, and traditional values, celebrating Ghana's rich cultural heritage
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This study explores the integration of Adinkra symbols into the set design of Ghana’s Most Beautiful (GMB), a popular beauty pageant and reality TV show that has aired on TV3; a private television station in Ghana. GMB showcases beauty, intelligence, cultural knowledge, and traditional values, celebrating Ghana's rich cultural heritage through female contestants representing the country's diverse ethnic groups. In response to the lack of coherent Ghanaian artistic elements in previous set designs, this study employed an artistic methodology to incorporate four Adinkra symbols, Okɔdeɛ Mmɔwerɛ, Duafe, Dweninimmɛn, and Mate Masie, into the set design for the show’s eighth season. These symbols, signifying beauty, strength, wisdom, and unity respectively, were creatively integrated into a crown-like set design for the grand finale, harmonizing aesthetic trends with cultural significance. The design process was informed by rigorous research and stakeholder interviews, ensuring that the selected symbols conveyed the intended cultural messages. The results highlight the potential of traditional symbols to enhance both the cultural relevance and visual appeal of television productions. The project enriches the cultural depth of GMB production and offers a blueprint for incorporating indigenous symbols into contemporary set design. The study recommends that future productions continue exploring traditional symbols to deepen the appreciation of Ghanaian heritage and strengthen cultural identity through visual arts.Full article
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Article
Louis Henri Sullivan and His National Architecture
Abstract
As an important pioneer in the implementation and promotion of American organic functionalism in the field of architecture, Louis Sullivan's slogan “Form Follows Function” and his "organic functionalism" are often misunderstood intentionally or unintentionally, resulting in his organic architecture being divided into the opposite camp of modern functionalism and Art
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As an important pioneer in the implementation and promotion of American organic functionalism in the field of architecture, Louis Sullivan's slogan “Form Follows Function” and his "organic functionalism" are often misunderstood intentionally or unintentionally, resulting in his organic architecture being divided into the opposite camp of modern functionalism and Art Nouveau. To some extent, this makes people ignore the credit of his architectural ideas for giving high-rise commercial buildings the American national spirit at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Through an analysis of the background of Sullivan's architectural thought and the causes of misunderstanding, this paper reveals the free, democratic and innovative American spirit conveyed by Sullivan's organic architecture, and explores how his practices contribute to the development of a positive architectural culture that shapes national self-confidence and identity. This discussion is particularly instructive given that architecture is becoming template-based processes in the modern world.Full article
Communication
Bead Jewellery Industry in Ghana: Problems and Solutions
Abstract
Bead jewellery is common in all Ghanaian communities. Bead jewellers are well-known for their important bead jewellery production and have advanced to the Master craft level. The industry can be utilized if the industry's difficulties are discovered and remedied. The study area for the research includes Ghana's Eastern, Ashanti, and
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Bead jewellery is common in all Ghanaian communities. Bead jewellers are well-known for their important bead jewellery production and have advanced to the Master craft level. The industry can be utilized if the industry's difficulties are discovered and remedied. The study area for the research includes Ghana's Eastern, Ashanti, and Greater Accra Regions. The study's population included bead jewellers, bead jewellery firms, bead dealers, bead aficionados, clients, and bead makers. With a sample size of 30, data was gathered mostly through direct observations, interviews, and document reviews. The study went over the procedure for securing land for a bead jewellery workshop. According to a survey conducted by the Ghanaian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCII), Ghanaian bead jewellers should use qualified designers. Cost pooling in legal services, accounting, and consulting is likely to save money.Full article
Case Study
Ethical assessment of the cultural clash as a universal occurrence
Abstract
The debate on culture clash necessitates a theoretical framework, and three perspectives that merit attention are homogenization, polarization, and hybridization theories. These intersecting paths lead to the hypothesis that all civilizations could assimilate into the Western model as it is currently conceived. Culture clash is approached from multiple angles due
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The debate on culture clash necessitates a theoretical framework, and three perspectives that merit attention are homogenization, polarization, and hybridization theories. These intersecting paths lead to the hypothesis that all civilizations could assimilate into the Western model as it is currently conceived. Culture clash is approached from multiple angles due to the widely held belief that rejecting culturally novel concepts is unethical. However, imposing new rules and customs will inevitably encounter innate resistance, as evidenced by numerous examples. The exchange of behavioral models does exist, with one of globalization's main tenets being the universality of values – including the uprooting of what we refer to as primitive manners. Nevertheless, anthropology and cultural research have witnessed intergenerational and long-term survival of elements that contemporary civilization believed it had overcome or at least suppressed deep within the subconscious mind. This article will offer an essayistic approach to certain forms of culture clash.Full article
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Essay
ISSN: 2831-5111
DOI prefix: 10.31586/jad
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