- Title
- Exploring livelihood strategies of rural households: the meanings and experiences of isidima se khaya at Gwiligwili Village, Eastern Cape
- Creator
- Dyantyi, Phila
- Subject
- Proverbs, African -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Subject
- Ethnology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Date Issued
- 2021-04
- Date
- 2021-04
- Type
- Master's theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/52446
- Identifier
- vital:43643
- Description
- This research study explores how rural households under harsh socio-economic rural life in the Eastern Cape, South Africa define the different meanings of Isidima se khaya, which translates in English as household dignity. The research uses isintu (IsiXhosa-Nguni) languages with African proverbs and idioms to understand the complexity of the African household in rural areas and to show how rural households’ livelihood strategies influence Isidima se khaya beyond work. The study objectives include assessing the different meanings of Isidima se khaya among the rural population in Eastern Cape. To assess the position of women in definitions of Isidima – Gendered connotations of Isidima se Khaya; establish from the community members where Isidima se khaya is found in the household; establish the links between livelihood strategies of the home and Isidima se khaya. The study focused mainly on the evolution of the rural economy as it relates to the quality of life and dignity in rural areas. Conducted through an ethnographic study at Gwiligwili village, Keiskammahoek, the data was collected using both participant observations and life history with semi-structured questionnaire interview methods. The data collection and analysis processes were grounded in principles of Constructivist Grounded Theory, which seeks to centre data in building concepts. Findings show legacies of apartheid persist in former South African homelands with many rural households relying on government safety nets as stable and reliable livelihood strategies. It argues that these safety nets, such as public work and social protection, serve as the tools only to conceal the economy of shame and restore Isidima se khaya in precarious rural poor communities and broader South Africa. The study concludes with an interrogation of the concept of personhood attached to Isidima beyond the legalistic and human rights definitions of dignity.
- Description
- Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, 2021
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- Format
- 1 online resource (viii, 118 pages)
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Humanities
- Language
- English
- Rights
- rights holder
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
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NMU School of Music, Art and Design
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Dyantyi, P.pdf | 1 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |