Dr Johnson's critical assumptions in the preface to Shakespeare: an essay in descriptive method
- Authors: Gouws, John Stephen
- Date: 1973
- Subjects: Johnson, Samuel, 1709-1784 -- Criticism and interpretation , Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2298 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012073 , Johnson, Samuel, 1709-1784 -- Criticism and interpretation , Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Description: "His criticism may be considered as general or occasional. In his general precepts, which depend upon the nature of things and the structure of the human mind, he may doubtlessly be safely recommended to the confidence of the reader: but his occasional and particular positions were sometimes interested, sometimes negligent, and sometimes capricious." With certain qualifications, it would be the opinion of those critics who share a great admiration of the man that this statement might well have been made of Johnson himself. There are those, however, whose esteem of Johnson is perhaps not so great. One thus finds Alan Tate writing: "One is constantly impressed by Johnson's consistency of point of view, over the long pull of his self-dedication to letters. There is seldom either consistency or precision in his particular judgements and definitions -- a defect that perhaps accounts negatively for his greatness as a critic: the perpetual reformulation of his standards, with his eye on the poetry, has done much to keep eighteenth century verse alive in our day. His theories (if his ideas ever reach that level of logical abstraction) are perhaps too simple for our taste and too improvised; but his reading is disciplined and acute." Tate is eager to perpetuate the notion of Johnson as a critic with a massive common sense and little more, an imputation which Johnson would not only resent, but dismiss as short-sighted. Intro., p. 1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1973
The place of man and nature in the shorter poems of William Wordsworth, 1793-1806
- Authors: Mirkin, Barry
- Date: 1974
- Subjects: Wordsworth, William, 1770-1850 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2285 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007656 , Wordsworth, William, 1770-1850 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Description: Introduction: This present essay is an analysis of the place of man and nature in [Wordsworth's] poetry ... I have been concerned essentially with trying to discover how Wordsworth used his two most prominent poetic subjects. I have attempted to trace Wordsworth's development from the poet of nature, to the poet of man, and finally to the poet of man and nature. What I have hoped would emerge from this essay is an understanding of Wordsworth's relationship with nature and his attitude to it in the poems. I have attempted to stress that man and humanity were not always important to Wordsworth as a poet, and that their importance does not eventually equal that of nature. For by 1807 man, the mind of man and humanity in general are very much more important and much more vital as poetic subjects than is nature. I have tried to show that Wordsworth was at different times a poet of landscape descriptions, a poet interested only in man and humanity, and finally a poet interested in man within nature.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1974
Restoring democratic governance in Zimbabwe: a critical investigation of the internet as a possible means of creating new sites of struggle for positive democratic change by Zimbabwean media and activists in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Vennard, Francisca Caroline
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Zimbabwe -- Politics and government -- 1980- , Internet in publicity , Press and politics -- Zimbabwe , Freedom of the press -- Zimbabwe , Digital media
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2837 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003047 , Zimbabwe -- Politics and government -- 1980- , Internet in publicity , Press and politics -- Zimbabwe , Freedom of the press -- Zimbabwe , Digital media
- Description: This thesis is a reaction to the state of utter lawlessness and the abuse of human rights by those in power in Zimbabwe over the past two years and it investigates the possibility of restoring democratic governance in that country by increasing the freedom of expression and media freedom, which is considered to be one of the most valuable elements in advancing democratization. Its aim is to establish the Internet as the best means possible to increasing media freedom and creating new ‘sites of struggle’ for activists in a context where the substantive freedom of expression does not exist. This in turn is shown to advance levels of democracy. To this end, the value of the freedom of expression to media freedom and the value of the latter to increasing levels of democracy is developed and the lack of democracy in Zimbabwe at all levels of society is considered. The Internet is seen to increase the freedoms of speech and association in new and interesting ways and it is discussed in various examples in which it has already been instrumental in evading the censorship of the media and increasing the ability of activists to express themselves freely and to organize more efficiently. Finally, the resources that Internet technology makes available to African journalists and activists are considered along with lessons gleaned from international examples of successful Internet use and it is shown to already be of use to Zimbabwean journalists and activists as they create to new cyberspaces in which they can struggle for positive democratic change in Zimbabwe. The Internet is also shown to have tremendous potential for future use in that country.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
Identity, nationalism and successful governance: with reference to South Sudan
- Authors: Poggi, Giovanni Corrado
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Identity politics -- South Sudan , Nationalism -- South Sudan
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8333 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020579
- Description: The study seeks to delineate the African socio-political environment through an analytical contextualisation of repetitive authoritative systems, which perpetuate exclusion and the formation of politicised identity. Through a process of historical evaluation of African politics since the majority of states became independent, the study attempts to test a constructed triangular supposition that explains why identity disputation persists at almost every level of African governance. Bearing in mind the almost natural progression of African politics towards identity contestation, the second overriding objective seeks to evaluate the secession of South Sudan as a possible preventative model for identity politicised conflict. In this fashion, the study delves into the politics of a previously unified Sudan; and the events that led South Sudan to eventually seek secession. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the assumption that territorial secession in Africa is able to quell identity contestation and promote an opportunity for equitable democratic governance. To meet the above objectives, a comprehensive outlay of African socio-politics and governance will be utilised to frame the analysis. Firstly, the study seeks to elaborate on the historiography of African colonial legacy as providing the foundations of identity exclusive politics on the continent. In this way, considerable investigative reverence must be given to the respective policies of colonial administration, namely indirect rule and direct rule. The effects of either of these policies contend a type of socio-political conditioning of African elites and civil society that still persists at time of writing. The concentration of this endeavour will be focused towards indirect colonial policy most famously implemented by British colonialism. The effects of the British policy of ethnic and ethno-religious categorisation is vitally important to a greater understanding of the majority of examples studied in the literature, including the formation of identity contestation in the case of the Sudan. Secondly, to further understand the complex dynamism of African politics which lead to identity based disputation, the study will turn to an analysis of the rhetoric of African independent governance and ideology. The primary objective here will be to detail how differing enactments of African ideology, including the advent of Pan-Arabism to the case of Sudan, ultimately continued the tradition of exclusive citizenship and dominance of some groups over others on the continent. This leads the study to uncover the deeper reasons for why socio-political exclusion continues to the present day. The final dimension of the triangular process suggests that exclusion has been maintained in Africa to prevent access of subverted groups to governance structures and more importantly to the limited resources of African states. Finally, the case of the secession of South Sudan is interpreted through the analytical lens of politicised identity that forms in the face of inadequate state structures to provide legitimate democratic access to the state. The third facet of the proposed theoretical triangle suggests that conflict and contestation is a product of grievances expressed from political exclusion. In this way, it is pivotal to the study to assess whether secession, as in the case of South Sudan, provides a valid alternative platform for suppressing identity contestation and promoting effective democratic consolidation. By all accounts, there is overwhelming evidence already to suggest that secession may be a successful way to repress identity politicisation. However, there remain substantial hurdles for many African states, including a now autonomous South Sudan, in order to finally dissolve the enduring problems of socio-political exclusion. Propositions and possible solutions will be posited for these states as an ad hoc objective.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Lurking or listening? an ethnographic study of online and offline student political participation through the #MustFall protests at Rhodes University
- Authors: Govender, Carissa Jade
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: #Feesmustfall , #Rhodesmustfall , Social media -- Political aspects -- South Africa , Social movements -- South Africa , Political participation -- South Africa , Online social networks -- Political aspects -- South Africa , Student movements -- South Africa , Rhodes University -- Students
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/35123 , vital:24330
- Description: The way media is created and consumed plays an important role in political participation as it provides information, guides thinking and allows citizens to make informed political choices. It can also interrogate the status quo and challenge existing systems or power relations. This thesis discusses the use of social media by Rhodes University students in the context of the 2015 #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall protests in South Africa. This thesis interrogates the concept of slacktivism, a term used to describe online or digital activism which is considered to be less active and not as effective as physical activism. Furthermore, the thesis acknowledges that even when digital political participation is recognised, the emphasis and value is placed on those who speak and create content. The thesis examines the notion of participation and what counts as active citizenship. In particular, the majority of social media users who merely lurk and never contribute to content creation or online discussions are further investigated. The qualitative methodological approach used for this thesis involved three parts which looked at student activity on Facebook, student engagement offline, and how students made sense of their online and offline involvement. Firstly, a cyberethnographic investigation was done in order to understand the cyber world in which students are present. Thereafter, a participant observation was carried out to immerse myself in the offline spaces that students engaged in politically, to get a better sense of how their online presence influenced or supplemented their offline activity. Finally, individual interviews were carried out with lurkers to determine why they did not participate in traditional ways, both online and offline. The findings suggest that lurkers are in fact doing more than just being passively present. The high levels of attention paid to content posted by others on social media, as well as the way that the content influences their offline lives suggest that the choice to lurk is far more active than assumed. Students are consciously deciding to lurk for a multitude of reasons, one of which is for the opportunity to learn. Social media is a fast developing; increasingly used form of communication and how political communication across social media platforms is framed affects what we consider to be active engagement. By using theories of listening and emotion talk, the thesis provides new ways of understanding lurking by Rhodes University students on social media, which in turn can lead to better listening, better understanding and greater political participation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
“Unexpected vicissitudes”: a discursive biography of Noni Jabavu
- Authors: Erskog, Mikaela Nhondo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Jabavu, Noni , Jabavu, Noni. The ochre people , Jabavu, Noni. Drawn in colour: African contrasts , Authors, South African , Woman authors, Black -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/46259 , vital:25594
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Disrupting the familiar family in postcolonial literature
- Authors: Laubscher, Emma Kate
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Postcolonialism in literature , Families -- Fiction , Interpersonal relations in literature , Families in literature , Gender identity in literature , Gappah, Petina, 1971- -- Criticism and interpretation , Enright, Anne, 1962- -- Criticism and interpretation , Owuor, Yvonne Adhiambo
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/153757 , vital:39516
- Description: Anne Enright’s The Green Road, Petina Gappah’s The Book of Memory and Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor’s Dust offer various disruptive representations that challenge the normative family, and allow for an excavation of the potency and pervasiveness of the notion of family as an organising social principle, in a postcolonial context. Through these novels’ depictions of unorthodox families, it becomes possible to unpack the metaphorical architecture that underpins the normative family – by which I mean that social formation which enables and relies upon gender binaries, heteronormative constructions of sexuality and exclusionary racial structures. Additionally, I will attempt to examine the role that the normative family plays in shaping the subject, and determining its avenues of association, through encountering the disruptive possibilities portrayed in Gappah, Owuor and Enright’s works. My analysis is concerned with how the family orientates the subject in particular ways that regulate and delimit the subject’s means of relating to herself, those who surround her and the historic and mnemonic pasts in which she is embedded. In representing alternate kinship structures, these novels expand the aesthetic and imaginative landscape of the family and allow for new forms of relation to emerge. These transgressive and radical ways of being, knowing and loving have disruptive consequences for those social formations which are structured by, and draw on, the family – in particular the nation state. This reworking of the nation state, as well as the destabilisation of the relations between nations states, provides new avenues for inhabiting the postcolonial world. In particular, my reading argues that representations of the unfamiliar family offer different ways of receiving and relating to the self, others, and the past within a social order ruptured by the violent legacies of colonisation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Where dreams become reality: professionalism in flight training in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Allison, Martin
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Professional socialization , Flight training -- South Africa , Flight schools -- South Africa -- Case studies , Air pilots -- Training of -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/95376 , vital:31150
- Description: This study explores the construction of the identity of professional pilots through a case study of a flying school in South Africa. Here, a 15-20-month period of intensive study and training of students, fresh from school or college, leads in most cases to the attainment of a Commercial or Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence. The construction of identity is a continuous process and a lifelong project and hence this study can only reflect upon the factors influencing the early stages of a pilot’s career, until the point where the licenced Pilot leaves the Air School and enters full time employment with a commercial undertaking, but it is argued that this is a crucial step in the formation of professional identity, habitus in Bourdieu’s terms. The culture of the air School reflects the military background of the founders of the school and the staff employed in senior positions. The school, which is residential, observes a strict regime of Ground School and Practical Flying Training and a high standard of performance and personal conduct is demanded, both during training and in off duty hours and excessive consumption of alcohol and smoking are discouraged, and drug use absolutely taboo. Progress with training at the school is closely monitored and a disciplined environment maintained by surveillance cameras, house monitors and security guards; in Foucauldian terms, a modern version of the Panopticon, but somewhat less than Goffman’s Total Institution. It was found that the construction of a flying identity for most of the students entering the air school commenced in childhood or early adulthood, through the influence of friends and relatives and they enter the school with the firm intention of becoming Professional pilots. Full participation of the author in the Ground School revealed how professionalization is implemented through the discipline and rigor of the training methods employed. Through mastery of a complex body of theoretical knowledge in the Ground School and the practical skill of learning to fly in a one-on-one relationship with an instructor, the students gain confidence and efficacy which contributes to their self-respect and maturity. The international reputation of the school, confers prestige upon its graduates and they benefit from membership of a profession which commands respect and a high level of income. In large measure, the thesis shows, the success of the School is a function of the founders’ ‘invention of tradition’ focusing on the wartime training school that existed on the site and the many echoes of those times in the (re)construction of its buildings and facilities, continuing in the approach of the multinational that now owns the School.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019