Professor Frank S. Arku

Frank S. Arku is passionate about improving the quality of life of the poor in developing countries. He does so with an appreciation of the psychological and sociological influences on how individuals define their aspirations for various elements of quality of life (e.g., economic, social, cultural and spiritual), and how each of them speaks to their well-being. He has a background in geophysics, physical and human geography and rural political and socio-economic development.

• His research interests are community participation, rural community revitalization, water and resource management and sustainability planning, within a gender and multi-disciplinary perspective.

Articles in Referred Journals

Frank, S. Arku., & Arku, C. (2016). Reconciling cultural practices and progress: Childbirth in Dove, Ghana. Development in Practice, 26 (4): 492-502

Tenkorang, E., & Arku, F. S. (2015). Africa’s development quandary: The long arm of colonialism. Applied Research Journal, 1(3): 12-26

Arku, F., Omari, S., Adu-Okoree, B., & Abduramane, A. (2015). Harvested rainwater: Quality, adequacy, proximity in Ghanaian rural communities. Development in Practice, 25(8), 1160-1169

Arku, F. S., Angmor, E. N., & Tetteh, I. K. (2014). Girl-child education outcomes: A case study from Ghana. Educational Research Quarterly, 38(1): 3-26

Wiafe, E. D., & Arku, F. S. (2014). The role of women in community based resource management on the Afadjato Mountain Ecosystem, Ghana. Applied Research Journal, 1(1), 1-11.

Kwakwa, P. A., Arku, F. S., & Aboagye, S. (2014). Environmental degradation effect of agricultural and industrial growth in Ghana. Journal of rural and Industrial Development, 2(2), 22-29

Arku, F. S., Arku, C. (2013). No pending national elections, who cares? What newspaper publications reveal about local efforts towards Millennium Development Goal 3. Educational Research Quarterly, 37(1), 59-84

Arku, F. S. (2013). Local creativity for adapting to climate change among rural farmers in the semi-arid region of Ghana, International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 5 (4), 418 – 430

Arku, F. S., Angmor, E. N., & Seddoh, J. (2013). Toilet is not a dirty word: Close to meeting the MDGs for sanitation? Development in Practice, 23(2), 184-195.

Arku, F. S. & Fiasorgbor, D. (2013). Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on sanitation and water: The advocates and the rural-urban differentials in Ghana through the media. International Journal of Community Development, 1(1), 44-47

Arku, F. S. & Arku, C. (2013). What has housing structure got to do with it? Men’s involvement in housework within different housing structures in peri-urban communities in Ghana, European Journal of Social Sciences, 36(3), 307-315

Arku, F. S. (2012). Rainfall data as a case for investigation into Climate Change in Ghana. International Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 1(4), 347-362

Wiafe, E. D. & Arku, F. S. (2012). Victims perspectives of Lowe’s Monkeys’ (Cercopithecus ampbelli lowei) crop raiding events in Ghana: A case of Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences, 2 (2), 1-8

Arku, F. S., Lomotey O. A. &Angmor, E. N. (2011). The dilemma of engaging community-wide in development: Has Konko’s (Eastern Region, Ghana) water and sanitation committee taken over decision making at the community’s will? International NGO Journal, 6(9), 203-210

Arku, C., & Arku, F. S. (2011). Development Constructs and Gender Relations: Assessing Rural Gender Relations within the Context of Dependency Theory and Globalization, Journal of Research in Peace, Gender and Development Studies, 1(2), 28-33.

Arku, F. S. (2011). The modelled solar radiation pattern of Ghana: Its prospects as alternative energy source. Journal of African Studies and Development 3(3), 45-64.

Arku, F. S. and Arku, C. (2011). Development Studies discourse: How gender-sensitive are Sustainable Livelihood Frameworks?” International Journal of Peace and Development Studies 2(3): 67-74.

Arku, F. S. and Arku, C. (2011). “Conceptualizing Rural Communities in the face of Globalization: The African Perspective” Journal of Current Issues in Globalization 2(2&3): 183-192

Arku, F. S. and Arku, C. (2011). “The up and down sides of oil and gas development in the Wood Buffalo Region of Alberta, Canada: Positioning Ghana for progressive gains” International NGO Journal 6(1): 1-9.

Arku, C. and Arku, F. S. (2010) “In the rugged journey of bettering lives abroad: Does the driver matter?” International NGO Journal 5(8): 177-184.

Arku, F. S. (2010) “May be more intricate than you think: Making rural toilet facilities possible using Demand Responsive Approach” Journal of African Studies and Development 2(7): 168-174.

Arku, F. S. (2010). “Time savings from easy access to clean water: Implications for rural men’s and women’s well-being” Progress in Development Studies 10 (3): 233-246

Arku, F. S. and Arku, C. (2010) “I cannot drink water on an empty stomach: A gender perspective on living with drought” Gender & Development 18 (1): 115-124.

Arku, C., Hambly Odame, H., and Arku, F. S. (2010). “Seeing through the eyes of clients: The linkage between microfinance and well-being in rural Ghanaian households” Journal of Current Issues in Finance, Business and Economics 2 (4): 333-350

Arku, C. and Arku, F. S. (2009). More money, new household cultural dynamics: Women in micro-finance in Ghana. Development in Practice, 19 (2), 200-213.

Arku, F. S., Filson, G. C. & Shute, J. (2008). An empirical approach to the study of well-being among rural men and women in Ghana. Social Indicators Research, 88 (2), 365-387

Nkrumah, M. K., Markain, S. J. & Arku, F. S. (1999). Community participation in afforestation project. Bulletin of the Ghana Geographical Association 21, 137-142

Chapters in Books

Adu-Okoree, B. I., & Arku, F. S. (2014). Reciprocity in social networks of migrants: A study of migrants in Tema, (Chapter 21, 373-386) In Roscoe, C. (Ed.), Ghana: Social, Economic and Political Issues. New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Arku, F. S., Arku, C. and Seddoh, John-Engelbert (2011) What agro-processing can do to the social conditions of rural subsistent farmers: The case of Milenovisi gari processing association, Ghana, (Chapter 6, 119-134) In Baird, C. M. (Ed.) Social Indicators: Statistics, Trends and Policy Development. New York: Nova Science.

Arku, F. S., Filson, G. C. & Arku, C. (2009) Social Capital: A catalyst for Social and Rural Development in Ghana? (Chapter 11, 213-225) In Tripp, G., Payne, M. & Diodorus, D. (Eds.), Social Capital. New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Encyclopaedia

Arku, F. S. (2014). Rural men and women well-being in Ghana. In Michalos, A. C. (Ed.). Encyclopedia of quality of life and well-being research. Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer, pp 5616-5618.

Published Conference Proceedings

Arku, F. S. (2002). The effectiveness of Participatory Development and Demand Responsive Approaches to Rural Water Supply and Management in sub-Saharan Africa. The Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Rural Studies Conference, University of Guelph, Guelph, from October 14-18, 2002. Available on December 2015 at: www.uoguelph.ca/~rsconf/files_2002papers/session1A_Arku_paper_pdf.pdf

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