Experiences of newly qualified south african psychologists dealing with suicidal behaviour
- Authors: Cramer, Ryan
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Suicidal behavior , Suicide Psychotherapy Suicide -- Prevention
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5677 , vital:20962
- Description: Suicidal behaviour is a phenomenon encountered the world over. Recognising and adequately dealing with such behaviours, in a professional setting, is a role expected of a psychologist. Working with suicidal behaviour is influenced by a variety of factors on the part of the psychologist. These may include, inter alia, experiences they may have had with suicidal behaviour, the training they have received in order to deal with such behaviours and their subjective experience of self-efficacy in dealing with such behaviours. The current qualitative study sought to explore and describe the experiences of recently qualified South African psychologists in dealing with suicidal behaviour through semi-structured interviews. The focus was on newly qualified clinical psychologists who received their masters training at a university in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study aimed to understand how confident, equipped, and ready newly qualified psychologists perceived themselves in dealing with suicidal behaviour. Three major themes emerged from the data. The first describes the strategies psychologists used in order to recognise potential suicidal behaviour, the second was how newly qualified psychologists managed suicidal behaviour, and the final theme described how psychologists could be prepared for their role to deal effectively with these behaviours. Investigating their experiences enabled the participants to contribute towards creating knowledge in this crucial area of psychological practice and allowed for the discovery of invaluable insights which could benefit the future training of psychologists.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Cramer, Ryan
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Suicidal behavior , Suicide Psychotherapy Suicide -- Prevention
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5677 , vital:20962
- Description: Suicidal behaviour is a phenomenon encountered the world over. Recognising and adequately dealing with such behaviours, in a professional setting, is a role expected of a psychologist. Working with suicidal behaviour is influenced by a variety of factors on the part of the psychologist. These may include, inter alia, experiences they may have had with suicidal behaviour, the training they have received in order to deal with such behaviours and their subjective experience of self-efficacy in dealing with such behaviours. The current qualitative study sought to explore and describe the experiences of recently qualified South African psychologists in dealing with suicidal behaviour through semi-structured interviews. The focus was on newly qualified clinical psychologists who received their masters training at a university in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study aimed to understand how confident, equipped, and ready newly qualified psychologists perceived themselves in dealing with suicidal behaviour. Three major themes emerged from the data. The first describes the strategies psychologists used in order to recognise potential suicidal behaviour, the second was how newly qualified psychologists managed suicidal behaviour, and the final theme described how psychologists could be prepared for their role to deal effectively with these behaviours. Investigating their experiences enabled the participants to contribute towards creating knowledge in this crucial area of psychological practice and allowed for the discovery of invaluable insights which could benefit the future training of psychologists.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The design of a research centre for the study of indigenous medical plants, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha
- Authors: Dabula, Xola
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: College buildings , Research institutes -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Designs and plans , Architecture -- Technological innovations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Architecture, Modern
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18718 , vital:28710
- Description: This treatise is preoccupied with the design of an Indigenous Medicine Research Institute within the region of (the former) underdeveloped Transkei. The interest in the matter developed out of a concern for a medical system which finds itself in jeopardy of depletion due to over-harvesting which is endangering the ecosystem and its dependents. This is as a resultant lack of development due to its informal nature, and loss of impact of traditional knowledge. Indigenous medicine forms part of the cultural, religious, medical and socio-economical back bone of the region, research will create opportunities for the discovery of new medicinal plants and exploring the applications of age-old remedies in contemporary times. Thus developing and promoting indigenous medicine of the region to a wider user group, in a sustainable method which will protect the environment. Architecturally, the design seeks to respond to an in-depth quest to identify the appropriate nurturing of the relationship between learning and the natural environment, while accommodating the necessary programmatic components which will satisfy the needs of the Institute; namely education, conservation and research. Central to the design is the development of an architecture that addresses the fundamental challenges of education, conservation and the research of plants, in a manner that provides opportunities for collaborative learning practices and an interchange between the user-groups and the plants to be studied, resulting in a building that is at harmony with nature. Through this collaboration of the diverse components, an effective scheme has evolved which offers a singular co-operative environment for the indigenous medical system, in a particular effort to transform the learning environment and extend of the knowledge, as a catalyst for further development and reconciliation with nature. Set in the academic context of the Walter Sisulu University Campus, a once major university in Transkei renowned for its medical department, the Research Institute facility re-establishes the University's medical status in a manner that truly represents its region. The built form will integrate itself into the existing campus conditions in a contemporary way that sets up a response which is conducive to the discovery, preservation and sharing of knowledge pertaining to indigenous medicine.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Dabula, Xola
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: College buildings , Research institutes -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Designs and plans , Architecture -- Technological innovations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Architecture, Modern
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18718 , vital:28710
- Description: This treatise is preoccupied with the design of an Indigenous Medicine Research Institute within the region of (the former) underdeveloped Transkei. The interest in the matter developed out of a concern for a medical system which finds itself in jeopardy of depletion due to over-harvesting which is endangering the ecosystem and its dependents. This is as a resultant lack of development due to its informal nature, and loss of impact of traditional knowledge. Indigenous medicine forms part of the cultural, religious, medical and socio-economical back bone of the region, research will create opportunities for the discovery of new medicinal plants and exploring the applications of age-old remedies in contemporary times. Thus developing and promoting indigenous medicine of the region to a wider user group, in a sustainable method which will protect the environment. Architecturally, the design seeks to respond to an in-depth quest to identify the appropriate nurturing of the relationship between learning and the natural environment, while accommodating the necessary programmatic components which will satisfy the needs of the Institute; namely education, conservation and research. Central to the design is the development of an architecture that addresses the fundamental challenges of education, conservation and the research of plants, in a manner that provides opportunities for collaborative learning practices and an interchange between the user-groups and the plants to be studied, resulting in a building that is at harmony with nature. Through this collaboration of the diverse components, an effective scheme has evolved which offers a singular co-operative environment for the indigenous medical system, in a particular effort to transform the learning environment and extend of the knowledge, as a catalyst for further development and reconciliation with nature. Set in the academic context of the Walter Sisulu University Campus, a once major university in Transkei renowned for its medical department, the Research Institute facility re-establishes the University's medical status in a manner that truly represents its region. The built form will integrate itself into the existing campus conditions in a contemporary way that sets up a response which is conducive to the discovery, preservation and sharing of knowledge pertaining to indigenous medicine.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Assessing authentic leadership and workplace trust amongst managerial government employees in Lesotho
- Authors: Damane, Likeleko
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Leadership -- Moral and ethical aspects , Industrial management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/9033 , vital:26458
- Description: In today‘s world, characterised by highly competitive global economies, organisations have realised the need for a positive approach in order to remain competitive, sustainable and to attract and retain talent. A positive approach to leadership and an organisational environment characterised by trust has been one of the fundamental tools towards achieving this goal. The main objective of the present study was to assess the existence of positive organizational approaches (authentic leadership and workplace trust) within the government of Lesotho, especially at a time when the country was facing difficulties. The study was descriptive in nature, and followed a non-experimental quantitative approach. The survey made use of a sample of 153 civil servants occupying positions from supervisory to senior management. Data was acquired through the use of an electronic questionnaire made up of two scales: one was a self-assessment instrument on authentic leadership adopted from Walumbwa and associates, and the other scale was on workplace trust developed by Natalie Ferres. The analysis of data involved descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, post hoc tests and Cohen‘s d. The results of the study provided evidence that there were high levels of the authentic leadership and trust in the workplace. Demographic variables were not found to influence the outcome of authentic leadership scores, however, education and managerial level were found to have an influence on organisational trust. The findings of the study provoked the researcher to call for an implementation of policy on positive training for management and for further research in this area.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Damane, Likeleko
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Leadership -- Moral and ethical aspects , Industrial management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/9033 , vital:26458
- Description: In today‘s world, characterised by highly competitive global economies, organisations have realised the need for a positive approach in order to remain competitive, sustainable and to attract and retain talent. A positive approach to leadership and an organisational environment characterised by trust has been one of the fundamental tools towards achieving this goal. The main objective of the present study was to assess the existence of positive organizational approaches (authentic leadership and workplace trust) within the government of Lesotho, especially at a time when the country was facing difficulties. The study was descriptive in nature, and followed a non-experimental quantitative approach. The survey made use of a sample of 153 civil servants occupying positions from supervisory to senior management. Data was acquired through the use of an electronic questionnaire made up of two scales: one was a self-assessment instrument on authentic leadership adopted from Walumbwa and associates, and the other scale was on workplace trust developed by Natalie Ferres. The analysis of data involved descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, post hoc tests and Cohen‘s d. The results of the study provided evidence that there were high levels of the authentic leadership and trust in the workplace. Demographic variables were not found to influence the outcome of authentic leadership scores, however, education and managerial level were found to have an influence on organisational trust. The findings of the study provoked the researcher to call for an implementation of policy on positive training for management and for further research in this area.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The design of a new opera house for Port Elizabeth: as a catalyst for a harbour waterfront development
- Authors: Davidson, Michael James
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Theaters -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Designs and plans Centers for the performing arts -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Theater architecture -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18696 , vital:28708
- Description: This document records the research and design process the author undertook during the treatise project. The project stems from the author’s interest in the architecture of opera houses and the potential for the design of a new iconic opera house in Port Elizabeth. Initial research begun with an analysis of the historical development of the opera house typology and the underlying principles of contemporary opera houses. Research was then directed towards the possibility of building a new opera house in Port Elizabeth, and what basis there might be for such a venture. This led to an exploration of urban catalyst buildings, particularly those initiating the regeneration of former industrial waterfronts. That Port Elizabeth has a notable industrial harbour, which may potentially be developed into a waterfront precinct was a key informant in choosing to formulate the project as an opera house that would be a catalyst for such a development. The vision for the building is one of beauty and grandeur. As an iconic attractor to the Port Elizabeth harbour, the opera house should delight visitors by its sculptural quality and spatial experience alongside the water’s edge. It should provide positive public space with activities that can be used by non-theatre patrons so that the building will attract large numbers of people, which will stimulate more development, in line with the theory of urban catalytic development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Davidson, Michael James
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Theaters -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Designs and plans Centers for the performing arts -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Theater architecture -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18696 , vital:28708
- Description: This document records the research and design process the author undertook during the treatise project. The project stems from the author’s interest in the architecture of opera houses and the potential for the design of a new iconic opera house in Port Elizabeth. Initial research begun with an analysis of the historical development of the opera house typology and the underlying principles of contemporary opera houses. Research was then directed towards the possibility of building a new opera house in Port Elizabeth, and what basis there might be for such a venture. This led to an exploration of urban catalyst buildings, particularly those initiating the regeneration of former industrial waterfronts. That Port Elizabeth has a notable industrial harbour, which may potentially be developed into a waterfront precinct was a key informant in choosing to formulate the project as an opera house that would be a catalyst for such a development. The vision for the building is one of beauty and grandeur. As an iconic attractor to the Port Elizabeth harbour, the opera house should delight visitors by its sculptural quality and spatial experience alongside the water’s edge. It should provide positive public space with activities that can be used by non-theatre patrons so that the building will attract large numbers of people, which will stimulate more development, in line with the theory of urban catalytic development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The contributions of phonological awareness and naming speed to the reading fluency, accuracy, comprehension and spelling of Grade 3 IsiXhosa readers
- Authors: Diemer, Maxine Nichole
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3245 , vital:20404
- Description: This thesis contributes to reading research in isiXhosa, where the role of various cognitive skills in reading has not yet been examined. One of the current debates in reading research centers on the contribution of cognitive skills, namely phonological awareness and naming speed, to reading. The exact relation between phonological awareness and naming speed, and their relation to literacy in different languages are also disputed. In this study, the contribution of phonological awareness and naming speed to literacy is examined in 52 Grade 3 isiXhosa speaking children. Measures for literacy included oral reading fluency, silent reading, comprehension and spelling. Phonological awareness was the biggest contributor to reading fluency, accuracy, comprehension and spelling, confirming that phonological processing is important for reading in all languages studied to date. The role of naming speed was narrower, contributing to the fluency and accuracy of reading only in the group with poor phonological awareness. The results can inform the teaching of reading isiXhosa where an approach that explicitly emphasises orthography-phonology relations at the phoneme level may be well suited especially since there are many letter groups to learn. This would enable higher accuracy in orthography-phonology correspondences and should also improve automaticity, which was lacking in the group with low levels of phonological awareness. The Psycholinguistic Grain Size Theory of reading can adequately inform the understanding of reading in isiXhosa, and findings from other languages with similar requirements can inform the teaching of reading in isiXhosa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Diemer, Maxine Nichole
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3245 , vital:20404
- Description: This thesis contributes to reading research in isiXhosa, where the role of various cognitive skills in reading has not yet been examined. One of the current debates in reading research centers on the contribution of cognitive skills, namely phonological awareness and naming speed, to reading. The exact relation between phonological awareness and naming speed, and their relation to literacy in different languages are also disputed. In this study, the contribution of phonological awareness and naming speed to literacy is examined in 52 Grade 3 isiXhosa speaking children. Measures for literacy included oral reading fluency, silent reading, comprehension and spelling. Phonological awareness was the biggest contributor to reading fluency, accuracy, comprehension and spelling, confirming that phonological processing is important for reading in all languages studied to date. The role of naming speed was narrower, contributing to the fluency and accuracy of reading only in the group with poor phonological awareness. The results can inform the teaching of reading isiXhosa where an approach that explicitly emphasises orthography-phonology relations at the phoneme level may be well suited especially since there are many letter groups to learn. This would enable higher accuracy in orthography-phonology correspondences and should also improve automaticity, which was lacking in the group with low levels of phonological awareness. The Psycholinguistic Grain Size Theory of reading can adequately inform the understanding of reading in isiXhosa, and findings from other languages with similar requirements can inform the teaching of reading in isiXhosa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Perceptions of quality of work-life: a study of the research fieldworkers in the Western Cape
- Douw-Jack, Nomfundo Princess
- Authors: Douw-Jack, Nomfundo Princess
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Quality of work life -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Performance standards -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Research -- Methodology , Work environment -- South Africa -- Western Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7005 , vital:21190
- Description: Yadav & Khanna (2015) argue that quality of work life (QWL) defines the life at work and the life at home with family members. The work of research-fieldworkers is an exceptional work in that it requires them to frequent households and commercial businesses, unlike other occupations where the work is conducted at the workplace of the employer. The private households by their very nature, and the locations where these households are based present risky conditions to the research-fieldworkers. In order for remedial measures to be suggested that can be implemented to improve the QWL of the research-fieldworkers of the agency, the perceptions of the QWL need to be investigated. Research objectives: To address the research problem, research objectives and questions were established. The main objective of the study is to investigate the perceptions of the QWL of the research-fieldworkers of the research agency in the Western Cape with the goal of improving employee performance through the cost effective interventions that will be implemented. Research questions: Three research questions were established and these were; What is the QWL among the research-fieldworkers in the Western Cape? Do some groups, distinguished by gender, age, work experience, working hours and location experience significantly different levels of QWL? Which measures can be recommended for maximizing QWL among the research-fieldworkers in the Western Cape Province? Research design: The nature of this research is descriptive in nature. The study used a self-administered questionnaire to collect work-related quality of life information from research-fieldworkers. Major findings: The results above show that research-fieldworkers perceptions of the QWL were more affected by the location, working hours and age sub-groups. Gender, family responsibility and marital status did not have much impact on the perceptions of research-fieldworkers on the QWL. Differences were observed with regards to control at work, stress at work, home-work interface against sub-groups. Lastly, the fieldworkers’ perceptions about the working conditions were negative for all the sub-groups. For example, the results show that there are poor working conditions for research-fieldworkers of the agency. This was evident irrespective of gender, age, family responsibility, hours of work and location.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Douw-Jack, Nomfundo Princess
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Quality of work life -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Performance standards -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Research -- Methodology , Work environment -- South Africa -- Western Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7005 , vital:21190
- Description: Yadav & Khanna (2015) argue that quality of work life (QWL) defines the life at work and the life at home with family members. The work of research-fieldworkers is an exceptional work in that it requires them to frequent households and commercial businesses, unlike other occupations where the work is conducted at the workplace of the employer. The private households by their very nature, and the locations where these households are based present risky conditions to the research-fieldworkers. In order for remedial measures to be suggested that can be implemented to improve the QWL of the research-fieldworkers of the agency, the perceptions of the QWL need to be investigated. Research objectives: To address the research problem, research objectives and questions were established. The main objective of the study is to investigate the perceptions of the QWL of the research-fieldworkers of the research agency in the Western Cape with the goal of improving employee performance through the cost effective interventions that will be implemented. Research questions: Three research questions were established and these were; What is the QWL among the research-fieldworkers in the Western Cape? Do some groups, distinguished by gender, age, work experience, working hours and location experience significantly different levels of QWL? Which measures can be recommended for maximizing QWL among the research-fieldworkers in the Western Cape Province? Research design: The nature of this research is descriptive in nature. The study used a self-administered questionnaire to collect work-related quality of life information from research-fieldworkers. Major findings: The results above show that research-fieldworkers perceptions of the QWL were more affected by the location, working hours and age sub-groups. Gender, family responsibility and marital status did not have much impact on the perceptions of research-fieldworkers on the QWL. Differences were observed with regards to control at work, stress at work, home-work interface against sub-groups. Lastly, the fieldworkers’ perceptions about the working conditions were negative for all the sub-groups. For example, the results show that there are poor working conditions for research-fieldworkers of the agency. This was evident irrespective of gender, age, family responsibility, hours of work and location.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Pitched
- Authors: Du Plessis, Jana
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:6002 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021209
- Description: Pitched is a novella made up of short stories. It is about breaking in, breaking down and breaking out of the advertising industry. My protagonist loves and hates this confusing world she lives in. She is tough but also emotional and anxious, often trapped between her strong desires and her strong morality. She finds herself both attracted to and repulsed by the people who inhabit this world - sexy wolf-like men, and prickly female execs alike. I have been inspired by the work of Lidia Yuknavitch, Kate Zambreno, Michelle Tea and Chris Kraus to create a universal woman I can identify with.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Du Plessis, Jana
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:6002 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021209
- Description: Pitched is a novella made up of short stories. It is about breaking in, breaking down and breaking out of the advertising industry. My protagonist loves and hates this confusing world she lives in. She is tough but also emotional and anxious, often trapped between her strong desires and her strong morality. She finds herself both attracted to and repulsed by the people who inhabit this world - sexy wolf-like men, and prickly female execs alike. I have been inspired by the work of Lidia Yuknavitch, Kate Zambreno, Michelle Tea and Chris Kraus to create a universal woman I can identify with.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
A review of local government performance from 2004 - 2008: Sakhisizwe Local Municipality
- Authors: Dyani, Christopher Sidima
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6271 , vital:21064
- Description: Loosely defined as “political units or instruments constituted by law (the peculiar or unique characteristics of which is their subordinate status to the central government) which have substantial control over local affairs and likewise have the power to tax” (Nyalunga, 2006: 15), local governments, and municipalities in particular, have been in existence since the early history of Anglo-Saxon England (post 1870). As political units, local governments have defined areas, defined populations, organised administrative structures and the authority to undertake and the power to carry out public activities within such defined areas (Nyulunga, 2006: 15). In the three-tiered form of government that is dominant world-wide, local government is the lowest sphere of government and, as such, “is often the first point of contact between an individual and a government institution” (Thornhill, 2008: 492). Although a number of different forms and structures of local government exist in the world, as it evolved, three critical matters defined the nature of local government in any particular country. Firstly, local government is defined by the extent of local self-government. Secondly, it is the autonomy and discretionary powers of the municipality and, thirdly, it is the extent to which the municipality is a momentous force in the lives of the people within a given area (Nyulunga, 2006: 16). Therefore, a consideration if these three defining factors provide clarity in terms of the nature of local government in a particular country. Due to the form of the South African state, which is a unitary state, South Africa established a system of local government aimed at governing various areas throughout the country. For the greater part of the country‟s history prior the 1994 democratic elections, what distinguished the South African local government system from the rest of the world was its relationship with the people it sought to govern. While in the majority of cases around the world municipalities were concerned with the welfare of all their citizens, in South Africa, the successive apartheid regimes worked tirelessly at the adoption and systematic enforcement of draconian policies that effectively brought misery to the majority of the South African population. Pieces of legislation, such as the various Natives Acts, the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act, and the Group Areas Act, implemented through local government – the form of government closest to the people – ensured that South Africa experienced gross human rights violations, the economic exclusion of the majority of the populace, separate and unequal development and, in effect, an absolute monopoly of social, economic and political power by the white minority (Landsberg and Mackay, 2006: 1). Given the immediate impact municipal policies had on the people they sought to govern - this as a direct result of the proximity of this sphere of government to the people - it is not surprising that this level of government was the first casualty in the apartheid resistance campaign led by various liberation movements in the country. With systematic protests against various local government actions, coupled with boycotts of municipal rates and taxes, local government increasingly became detached from the population it served and consequently, was rendered dysfunctional. The election of F.W. De Klerk as the president of South Africa in 1989 proved to be a turning point in the historical trajectory of the country. Understanding the deleterious effects that the repressive policies had on the country‟s social structure, both economically and politically, De Klerk embarked on a road less travelled by opening channels for negotiation between government (and by extension the National Party) and the liberation movements in the country (particularly the African National Congress). As such, from 1990, various political organisations, such as the African National Congress (ANC), the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) among others, which had, for many years, been banned on the basis of them being seen as terrorist organisations, were unbanned. This was accompanied by the unconditional release of political prisoners, including South Africa‟s first democratically elected President, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. One of the key outcomes of the negotiations that took place in the early 1990s was the development of the Interim, or Transitional, Constitution, Act 200 of 1993. This was an important document in that it provided a „historic bridge‟ between the apartheid state and the democratic dispensation that millions of South Africans aspired to. Additionally, this document provided a framework for the continued governance of South Africa pending the country‟s first democratic elections. The continued governance that the Interim Constitution provided for meant balancing human rights and the continued existence of the state and/or government. This was an important matter, particularly for local government, in that “a fragmented and incoherent range of local authorities cannot be transformed in one process as the negotiators for a democratic system of government wanted to ensure continuity in service provision” (Thornhill, 2008: 494). The temporal reprieve provided by the Interim Constitution allowed the negotiators to deal with the details of what would be the post-apartheid local government system of South Africa. The democratic government that emerged after the watershed event of 1994, under the stewardship of Nelson Mandela, had the immediate task of dismantling the apartheid legacy that had defined the country for many years and moving the country closer to achieving the democratic promise of a better life for all citizens. Practically, and importantly for the transformation of local government, this meant instilling democratic values and principles that would ensure that local government was responsive to the needs of the people and that it remained accountable to the electorate (the Presidency, 2003: 11). The ideal of the incoming democratic government was to transform this sphere of government into one that would ensure inclusive growth and development and equitable redistribution of the wealth of the country such that all people would have equal opportunity for a better life. It is important to note that the elections that were held on 27 April 1994 were only national and provincial elections. Local government elections could not be held at this point, simply because the new constitutional dispensation had not been finalised (Thornhill, 2008: 495). All parties to the negotiations agreed that the process of finalising the Constitution would be done through a democratically elected Constitutional Assembly. It was only after the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 (the Constitution), was finalised, that the first local government elections could be held.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Dyani, Christopher Sidima
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6271 , vital:21064
- Description: Loosely defined as “political units or instruments constituted by law (the peculiar or unique characteristics of which is their subordinate status to the central government) which have substantial control over local affairs and likewise have the power to tax” (Nyalunga, 2006: 15), local governments, and municipalities in particular, have been in existence since the early history of Anglo-Saxon England (post 1870). As political units, local governments have defined areas, defined populations, organised administrative structures and the authority to undertake and the power to carry out public activities within such defined areas (Nyulunga, 2006: 15). In the three-tiered form of government that is dominant world-wide, local government is the lowest sphere of government and, as such, “is often the first point of contact between an individual and a government institution” (Thornhill, 2008: 492). Although a number of different forms and structures of local government exist in the world, as it evolved, three critical matters defined the nature of local government in any particular country. Firstly, local government is defined by the extent of local self-government. Secondly, it is the autonomy and discretionary powers of the municipality and, thirdly, it is the extent to which the municipality is a momentous force in the lives of the people within a given area (Nyulunga, 2006: 16). Therefore, a consideration if these three defining factors provide clarity in terms of the nature of local government in a particular country. Due to the form of the South African state, which is a unitary state, South Africa established a system of local government aimed at governing various areas throughout the country. For the greater part of the country‟s history prior the 1994 democratic elections, what distinguished the South African local government system from the rest of the world was its relationship with the people it sought to govern. While in the majority of cases around the world municipalities were concerned with the welfare of all their citizens, in South Africa, the successive apartheid regimes worked tirelessly at the adoption and systematic enforcement of draconian policies that effectively brought misery to the majority of the South African population. Pieces of legislation, such as the various Natives Acts, the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act, and the Group Areas Act, implemented through local government – the form of government closest to the people – ensured that South Africa experienced gross human rights violations, the economic exclusion of the majority of the populace, separate and unequal development and, in effect, an absolute monopoly of social, economic and political power by the white minority (Landsberg and Mackay, 2006: 1). Given the immediate impact municipal policies had on the people they sought to govern - this as a direct result of the proximity of this sphere of government to the people - it is not surprising that this level of government was the first casualty in the apartheid resistance campaign led by various liberation movements in the country. With systematic protests against various local government actions, coupled with boycotts of municipal rates and taxes, local government increasingly became detached from the population it served and consequently, was rendered dysfunctional. The election of F.W. De Klerk as the president of South Africa in 1989 proved to be a turning point in the historical trajectory of the country. Understanding the deleterious effects that the repressive policies had on the country‟s social structure, both economically and politically, De Klerk embarked on a road less travelled by opening channels for negotiation between government (and by extension the National Party) and the liberation movements in the country (particularly the African National Congress). As such, from 1990, various political organisations, such as the African National Congress (ANC), the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) among others, which had, for many years, been banned on the basis of them being seen as terrorist organisations, were unbanned. This was accompanied by the unconditional release of political prisoners, including South Africa‟s first democratically elected President, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. One of the key outcomes of the negotiations that took place in the early 1990s was the development of the Interim, or Transitional, Constitution, Act 200 of 1993. This was an important document in that it provided a „historic bridge‟ between the apartheid state and the democratic dispensation that millions of South Africans aspired to. Additionally, this document provided a framework for the continued governance of South Africa pending the country‟s first democratic elections. The continued governance that the Interim Constitution provided for meant balancing human rights and the continued existence of the state and/or government. This was an important matter, particularly for local government, in that “a fragmented and incoherent range of local authorities cannot be transformed in one process as the negotiators for a democratic system of government wanted to ensure continuity in service provision” (Thornhill, 2008: 494). The temporal reprieve provided by the Interim Constitution allowed the negotiators to deal with the details of what would be the post-apartheid local government system of South Africa. The democratic government that emerged after the watershed event of 1994, under the stewardship of Nelson Mandela, had the immediate task of dismantling the apartheid legacy that had defined the country for many years and moving the country closer to achieving the democratic promise of a better life for all citizens. Practically, and importantly for the transformation of local government, this meant instilling democratic values and principles that would ensure that local government was responsive to the needs of the people and that it remained accountable to the electorate (the Presidency, 2003: 11). The ideal of the incoming democratic government was to transform this sphere of government into one that would ensure inclusive growth and development and equitable redistribution of the wealth of the country such that all people would have equal opportunity for a better life. It is important to note that the elections that were held on 27 April 1994 were only national and provincial elections. Local government elections could not be held at this point, simply because the new constitutional dispensation had not been finalised (Thornhill, 2008: 495). All parties to the negotiations agreed that the process of finalising the Constitution would be done through a democratically elected Constitutional Assembly. It was only after the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 (the Constitution), was finalised, that the first local government elections could be held.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Supra-maximal speed interval training effect on a 40m standing start sprint and timed 3000m running performance in moderately trained female runners: Alterg anti-gravity treadmill running
- Authors: Ellerbeck, Tim
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Interval training , Women runners , Running -- Training
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6772 , vital:21140
- Description: The purpose of this study was to explore what the supra-maximal speed interval training effect was on a 40m standing start sprint and timed 3000m running performance was for two separate study groups when using either the AlterG® anti-gravity treadmill, or downhill running as a training intervention, for moderately trained female runners. The level of delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) after each supra-maximal speed interval session was also captured. Data from 20 women was collected during initial pre-intervention testing; involving the 40m standing start sprint and 3000m timed trial run. During a four week training intervention the level of DOMS experienced by participants at increments of 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours, in each respective training group was recorded. Post-intervention testing was performed to once again measure the participants 40m standing start sprint and 3000m timed trial run values, results were analysed and compared to pre-intervention data.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Ellerbeck, Tim
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Interval training , Women runners , Running -- Training
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6772 , vital:21140
- Description: The purpose of this study was to explore what the supra-maximal speed interval training effect was on a 40m standing start sprint and timed 3000m running performance was for two separate study groups when using either the AlterG® anti-gravity treadmill, or downhill running as a training intervention, for moderately trained female runners. The level of delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) after each supra-maximal speed interval session was also captured. Data from 20 women was collected during initial pre-intervention testing; involving the 40m standing start sprint and 3000m timed trial run. During a four week training intervention the level of DOMS experienced by participants at increments of 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours, in each respective training group was recorded. Post-intervention testing was performed to once again measure the participants 40m standing start sprint and 3000m timed trial run values, results were analysed and compared to pre-intervention data.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
A case study of democratic debate on People's Choice (PC) FM "Thahameso" and Harvest FM "Tsa Mabatooa" in Lesotho
- Falatsa, Mamolise Martha, Thipa, Henry
- Authors: Falatsa, Mamolise Martha , Thipa, Henry
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Radio addresses, debates, etc. -- Lesotho , Radio broadcasting -- Lesotho , Mass media -- Political aspects -- Lesotho , Civil rights -- Lesotho
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7281 , vital:21314
- Description: The study investigates the role of media in promoting free debate in Lesotho: A case study of democratic debate on People’s Choice (PC) FM “Thahameso” and Harvest FM “Tsa Mabatooa in Lesotho. Firstly, the study looked at the democratic communication in the volatile democracy of Lesotho, by providing historical factors of pre-independence and authoritarian governments, democrocatic governments prevailing and the dependence on South Africa. Secondly, the study provided literature on the role of broadcast media in different forms of government globally. Thirdly, it provides the analysis and transcription of one month’s recordings of the two political talk shows in Sesotho and identifies the communicative strategies used in this live on-air political discussion by talk show hosts, guests and callers. In these talk shows the researcher identifies the caller, host and guest behaviour and attitudes in discussions that relate the current political situation to the historical development of democracy in Lesotho alongside the economic and political influences from South Africa. The researcher also identifies that the talk show, guests and callers in the challenging political climate use traditional figurative expressions and biblical quotations to express their views. This leads the researcher to conclude that the political talk shows indeed facilitate participatory communication.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Falatsa, Mamolise Martha , Thipa, Henry
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Radio addresses, debates, etc. -- Lesotho , Radio broadcasting -- Lesotho , Mass media -- Political aspects -- Lesotho , Civil rights -- Lesotho
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7281 , vital:21314
- Description: The study investigates the role of media in promoting free debate in Lesotho: A case study of democratic debate on People’s Choice (PC) FM “Thahameso” and Harvest FM “Tsa Mabatooa in Lesotho. Firstly, the study looked at the democratic communication in the volatile democracy of Lesotho, by providing historical factors of pre-independence and authoritarian governments, democrocatic governments prevailing and the dependence on South Africa. Secondly, the study provided literature on the role of broadcast media in different forms of government globally. Thirdly, it provides the analysis and transcription of one month’s recordings of the two political talk shows in Sesotho and identifies the communicative strategies used in this live on-air political discussion by talk show hosts, guests and callers. In these talk shows the researcher identifies the caller, host and guest behaviour and attitudes in discussions that relate the current political situation to the historical development of democracy in Lesotho alongside the economic and political influences from South Africa. The researcher also identifies that the talk show, guests and callers in the challenging political climate use traditional figurative expressions and biblical quotations to express their views. This leads the researcher to conclude that the political talk shows indeed facilitate participatory communication.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Eye of a needle
- Authors: Fick, Cornelia
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:6003 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021210
- Description: Most of my stories are about interpersonal relationships between the sexes, as well as intrapersonal processes, such as growing old. I have a deep connection to such themes because of my background as a general nurse and midwife; meeting too many abused women in hospitals, and the broader community. Because patterns of abuse tend to become invisible, I use experimental forms of storytelling as well as sharp, ironic and dark humour as a way to make this side of life more visible. My reading has shown me how experimental forms can render seemingly timeless or ageless topics in a fresh, vital way.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Fick, Cornelia
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:6003 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021210
- Description: Most of my stories are about interpersonal relationships between the sexes, as well as intrapersonal processes, such as growing old. I have a deep connection to such themes because of my background as a general nurse and midwife; meeting too many abused women in hospitals, and the broader community. Because patterns of abuse tend to become invisible, I use experimental forms of storytelling as well as sharp, ironic and dark humour as a way to make this side of life more visible. My reading has shown me how experimental forms can render seemingly timeless or ageless topics in a fresh, vital way.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The design of a football academy and community sports centre for Kwazakhele, Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Fijac, Jason Andrew
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sports facilities -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Designs and plans Urban renewal -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , City planning -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18684 , vital:28706
- Description: Most youth from disadvantaged groups in South Africa’s townships lack adequate social facilities to spend time. This situation also prevails in the Ibhayi townships on the periphery of Port Elizabeth. This treatise emerged out of the author’s interest in the township of Kwazakhele (one of thirteen townships which constitute Ibhayi) and his concern for the poor sense of urban space prevailing in the area. To this end, the research conducted in this treatise investigated the nature of Kwazakhele from a macro scale to a precinct scale in terms of the township’s location, connectivity, spatial organisation, organisation of activities, lateral urban sprawl, built fabric, and socio-economic condition. From this investigation, it was determined that Kwazakhele functions as an enclaved system within the greater system of Ibhayi. The major issues affecting Kwazakhele were identified as fragmentation, disconnection, dispersal of activities, urban sprawl, and a lack of urban legibility. The issue of dispersed activities in Ibhayi had been identified as one of the major contributors to the poor urban environment. Because addressing this issue has been recognised as an effective way of improving the urban environment, the aim of this treatise is to address this issue and provide an architectural and urban response which attempts to reduce the dispersal of activities in Ibhayi in general and particularly in Kwazakhele. Through the interrogation of the nature of dispersed activities in Ibhayi, it was observed that, while activities are mostly dispersed throughout the townships, there are areas where higher concentrations of certain activities have emerged. Therefore, in response to this, a conceptual strategy has been proposed to consolidate the activities in these areas into concentrated centres of activities which are connected via a series of pedestrian movement paths. Kwazakhele had been identified as having a higher (yet inadequate) intensity of sporting facilities and had therefore been proposed as a concentrated centre of sporting and recreational activities. An appropriate site was then selected to be developed as the heart of this centre, based on a number of criteria. The resultant programme was a Football Academy and Community Sports Centre. This result was based on the needs of the community and the aims of the conceptual urban strategy. The role of the facility was then interrogated and it was determined that it should function as a major structuring element in the township. This lead to an investigation into the nature of positive urban space in a township through the interrogation of three precedents. The principles established from this interrogation were used to help structure the nature of the proposed facility in terms of its response to the public realm and its level of urban integration. The resulting building is responsive to its urban environment and sensitive to the needs of the community it serves. It plays a key role in structuring the urban environment of Kwazakhele and therefore it increases the urban legibility, while addressing the predetermined urban and architectural issues.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Fijac, Jason Andrew
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sports facilities -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Designs and plans Urban renewal -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , City planning -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18684 , vital:28706
- Description: Most youth from disadvantaged groups in South Africa’s townships lack adequate social facilities to spend time. This situation also prevails in the Ibhayi townships on the periphery of Port Elizabeth. This treatise emerged out of the author’s interest in the township of Kwazakhele (one of thirteen townships which constitute Ibhayi) and his concern for the poor sense of urban space prevailing in the area. To this end, the research conducted in this treatise investigated the nature of Kwazakhele from a macro scale to a precinct scale in terms of the township’s location, connectivity, spatial organisation, organisation of activities, lateral urban sprawl, built fabric, and socio-economic condition. From this investigation, it was determined that Kwazakhele functions as an enclaved system within the greater system of Ibhayi. The major issues affecting Kwazakhele were identified as fragmentation, disconnection, dispersal of activities, urban sprawl, and a lack of urban legibility. The issue of dispersed activities in Ibhayi had been identified as one of the major contributors to the poor urban environment. Because addressing this issue has been recognised as an effective way of improving the urban environment, the aim of this treatise is to address this issue and provide an architectural and urban response which attempts to reduce the dispersal of activities in Ibhayi in general and particularly in Kwazakhele. Through the interrogation of the nature of dispersed activities in Ibhayi, it was observed that, while activities are mostly dispersed throughout the townships, there are areas where higher concentrations of certain activities have emerged. Therefore, in response to this, a conceptual strategy has been proposed to consolidate the activities in these areas into concentrated centres of activities which are connected via a series of pedestrian movement paths. Kwazakhele had been identified as having a higher (yet inadequate) intensity of sporting facilities and had therefore been proposed as a concentrated centre of sporting and recreational activities. An appropriate site was then selected to be developed as the heart of this centre, based on a number of criteria. The resultant programme was a Football Academy and Community Sports Centre. This result was based on the needs of the community and the aims of the conceptual urban strategy. The role of the facility was then interrogated and it was determined that it should function as a major structuring element in the township. This lead to an investigation into the nature of positive urban space in a township through the interrogation of three precedents. The principles established from this interrogation were used to help structure the nature of the proposed facility in terms of its response to the public realm and its level of urban integration. The resulting building is responsive to its urban environment and sensitive to the needs of the community it serves. It plays a key role in structuring the urban environment of Kwazakhele and therefore it increases the urban legibility, while addressing the predetermined urban and architectural issues.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Dating in the dark: a phenomenological study of the lived experience of online relationships
- Authors: Froneman, Carmen Michelle
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Online dating , Online dating -- Case studies , Internet -- Social aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5462 , vital:20847
- Description: Online relationships are becoming increasingly popular due to the availability, accessibility, and affordability of online social networking and dating sites. Individuals are progressively moving from meeting romantic partners face to face to meeting and engaging with individuals online. There is ample evidence to support the view that individuals do initiate romantic relationships online and often these relationships progress offline. The primary focus of online research had been conducted by communication and linguistic scholars while very little research has been conducted into the psychological conceptualisation of online relationships. In addition, there is a lack of available research pertaining to the development of romantic relationships online and more so in South Africa. The current study utilised Sternberg’s Triangular model of love and the Johari window as a framework for understanding the concepts involved in online romantic relationships. The study specifically aimed to explore and describe the lived experiences of individuals who engage in online dating. The parameters of the study included the elements that comprise the online relationship, the subjective meaning attached to the relationships, and the processes these relationships encompass. The study moreover aimed to explore the progression of the online relationship. The study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach using snowball sampling and semi structured interviews to collect data. Tesch’s model of content analysis was used during data analysis while incorporating the four major processes in phenomenological research, namely (1) epoche, (2) phenomenological reduction, (3) imaginative variation and, (4) synthesis. The findings of the study generated a greater understanding of the complexities of online dating. Themes including online relationship development, the dynamics of online relationships, how love, according to the triangular model of love, is perceived online and, self-disclosure online were identified through the participants narratives. These findings ultimately can be used for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Froneman, Carmen Michelle
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Online dating , Online dating -- Case studies , Internet -- Social aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5462 , vital:20847
- Description: Online relationships are becoming increasingly popular due to the availability, accessibility, and affordability of online social networking and dating sites. Individuals are progressively moving from meeting romantic partners face to face to meeting and engaging with individuals online. There is ample evidence to support the view that individuals do initiate romantic relationships online and often these relationships progress offline. The primary focus of online research had been conducted by communication and linguistic scholars while very little research has been conducted into the psychological conceptualisation of online relationships. In addition, there is a lack of available research pertaining to the development of romantic relationships online and more so in South Africa. The current study utilised Sternberg’s Triangular model of love and the Johari window as a framework for understanding the concepts involved in online romantic relationships. The study specifically aimed to explore and describe the lived experiences of individuals who engage in online dating. The parameters of the study included the elements that comprise the online relationship, the subjective meaning attached to the relationships, and the processes these relationships encompass. The study moreover aimed to explore the progression of the online relationship. The study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach using snowball sampling and semi structured interviews to collect data. Tesch’s model of content analysis was used during data analysis while incorporating the four major processes in phenomenological research, namely (1) epoche, (2) phenomenological reduction, (3) imaginative variation and, (4) synthesis. The findings of the study generated a greater understanding of the complexities of online dating. Themes including online relationship development, the dynamics of online relationships, how love, according to the triangular model of love, is perceived online and, self-disclosure online were identified through the participants narratives. These findings ultimately can be used for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
An investigation into the discursive contructions of childhood masculinity and femininity in BEN 10
- Authors: Gharbaharan, Leah
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3384 , vital:20477
- Description: This thesis investigates the representation of gendered childhood in popular children’s television series Ben 10. The series focuses on ten year old Ben who is granted alien powers, deciding to use them to protect innocent people from danger. Alongside Ben is his ten year old female cousin, Gwen, presented as his foil and guide throughout the series. As the characters develop the series presents particular gendered ways of performing childhood and adolescence and responses to the challenges of growing up. Before charting the trajectories of masculinity and femininity of the series I provide a theoretical framework drawing on the work of Foucault for his conceptualisation of discourse, discursive regimes and discursive subjects. The discursive approach is further explored by outlining particular concepts posited by Connell and Butler who argue for the discursive construction and performativity of gender. Similarly, I employ a social constructionist approach to childhood, arguing for children as active meaning makers – albeit constrained by broader discourses. They are constantly learning behaviours which shape their social practice, indicating the significance of studies on children’s media. Consistent with a constructivist approach, this study employs a qualitative methodology to undertake a Critical Discourse Analysis of select episodes, also informed by narrative theories. These ideas underpin the textual analysis of each purposively sampled episode of the three series to present the progression of masculinity and femininity from childhood through early and later adolescence through the characters Ben and Gwen. The analysis serves to demonstrate that Rousseau’s gendered notions of childhood still have considerable purchase in the twenty-first century, particularly in relation to the female character. This study’s findings propose a shift in children’s televisual representations to espousing more liberal views of masculinity, wherein boys are permitted space to feel fear and anxiety. Unsurprisingly, the series continues to uphold traditional ideals of heteronormativity and a hegemonic masculinity which uses physicality to demonstrate dominance. Furthermore, despite the modern conception of self-actualising females the series expects its female characters to work doubly hard without fundamentally challenging patriarchal ideals. That conventional, patriarchal gender roles are rehearsed and privileged in this popular series has implications in terms of persistent gender inequalities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Gharbaharan, Leah
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3384 , vital:20477
- Description: This thesis investigates the representation of gendered childhood in popular children’s television series Ben 10. The series focuses on ten year old Ben who is granted alien powers, deciding to use them to protect innocent people from danger. Alongside Ben is his ten year old female cousin, Gwen, presented as his foil and guide throughout the series. As the characters develop the series presents particular gendered ways of performing childhood and adolescence and responses to the challenges of growing up. Before charting the trajectories of masculinity and femininity of the series I provide a theoretical framework drawing on the work of Foucault for his conceptualisation of discourse, discursive regimes and discursive subjects. The discursive approach is further explored by outlining particular concepts posited by Connell and Butler who argue for the discursive construction and performativity of gender. Similarly, I employ a social constructionist approach to childhood, arguing for children as active meaning makers – albeit constrained by broader discourses. They are constantly learning behaviours which shape their social practice, indicating the significance of studies on children’s media. Consistent with a constructivist approach, this study employs a qualitative methodology to undertake a Critical Discourse Analysis of select episodes, also informed by narrative theories. These ideas underpin the textual analysis of each purposively sampled episode of the three series to present the progression of masculinity and femininity from childhood through early and later adolescence through the characters Ben and Gwen. The analysis serves to demonstrate that Rousseau’s gendered notions of childhood still have considerable purchase in the twenty-first century, particularly in relation to the female character. This study’s findings propose a shift in children’s televisual representations to espousing more liberal views of masculinity, wherein boys are permitted space to feel fear and anxiety. Unsurprisingly, the series continues to uphold traditional ideals of heteronormativity and a hegemonic masculinity which uses physicality to demonstrate dominance. Furthermore, despite the modern conception of self-actualising females the series expects its female characters to work doubly hard without fundamentally challenging patriarchal ideals. That conventional, patriarchal gender roles are rehearsed and privileged in this popular series has implications in terms of persistent gender inequalities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Gender possibilities in the African context as explored by Mariama Ba's So long a letter, Neshani Andrea's The purple violet of Oshaantu and Sindiwe Magona's Beauty gift
- Authors: Goremusandu, Tania
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Women and literature Feminist fiction -- History and criticism Women authors, African
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/6469 , vital:29739
- Description: Gender oppression has been a significant discussion to the development of gender, cultural and feminist theories. The primary focus of this study is to investigate how patriarchal traditions, colonialism, and religious oppression force women to struggle under constrictions oppositional to empowerment. Thus, the project provides a comparative analysis of three texts from different African postcolonial societies by three African female writers: Mariama Bâ, Neshani Andreas and Sindiwe Magona. The author‟s biographies and historical context of their novels will be analyzed, as well as a summary of their stories will be included in order to provide the context for gender criticism. These writer‟s work; So Long a Letter, The Purple Violet of Oshaantu and Beauty‟s Gift depict patriarchal, cultural and religious laws which exist in Senegal, Namibia and South Africa, respectively, that limit the position of women. Therefore, this study will interrogate the experience of African women as inscribed in these selected texts, uncovering the literary expressions of gender oppression as well as the possibilities of empowerment. The selected texts will be analyzed through the lens of Gender studies, African feminism and Cultural studies. From these theories, the focus of the study is on the struggles of the female characters living in patriarchal societies as well as on the idea that gender is constructed socially and culturally in the African context. In conclusion, the emergence of these renowned female African writers together with the emancipation of African countries from colonial supremacy has opened a space for women to compensate and correct the stereotyped female images in African literature and post- colonial societies. Most contemporary African writers like Buchi Emecheta, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Sindiwe Magona, Mariama Bâ and Neshani Andreas have shown that women are seeking to attain empowerment. As a result, this study can be viewed as an opportunity to highlight such experiences by continuing to interrogate the writings of African women writers and to explore their gender-based themes so as to inform and or inspire the implementation of women empowerment. It will broaden and encourage further academic discussion in the field of Cultural studies and gender criticism of women‟s literature within the African context.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Goremusandu, Tania
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Women and literature Feminist fiction -- History and criticism Women authors, African
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/6469 , vital:29739
- Description: Gender oppression has been a significant discussion to the development of gender, cultural and feminist theories. The primary focus of this study is to investigate how patriarchal traditions, colonialism, and religious oppression force women to struggle under constrictions oppositional to empowerment. Thus, the project provides a comparative analysis of three texts from different African postcolonial societies by three African female writers: Mariama Bâ, Neshani Andreas and Sindiwe Magona. The author‟s biographies and historical context of their novels will be analyzed, as well as a summary of their stories will be included in order to provide the context for gender criticism. These writer‟s work; So Long a Letter, The Purple Violet of Oshaantu and Beauty‟s Gift depict patriarchal, cultural and religious laws which exist in Senegal, Namibia and South Africa, respectively, that limit the position of women. Therefore, this study will interrogate the experience of African women as inscribed in these selected texts, uncovering the literary expressions of gender oppression as well as the possibilities of empowerment. The selected texts will be analyzed through the lens of Gender studies, African feminism and Cultural studies. From these theories, the focus of the study is on the struggles of the female characters living in patriarchal societies as well as on the idea that gender is constructed socially and culturally in the African context. In conclusion, the emergence of these renowned female African writers together with the emancipation of African countries from colonial supremacy has opened a space for women to compensate and correct the stereotyped female images in African literature and post- colonial societies. Most contemporary African writers like Buchi Emecheta, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Sindiwe Magona, Mariama Bâ and Neshani Andreas have shown that women are seeking to attain empowerment. As a result, this study can be viewed as an opportunity to highlight such experiences by continuing to interrogate the writings of African women writers and to explore their gender-based themes so as to inform and or inspire the implementation of women empowerment. It will broaden and encourage further academic discussion in the field of Cultural studies and gender criticism of women‟s literature within the African context.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Dialogues of sexualities: An action research project
- Authors: Graham, Nicola Susan Jearey
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3275 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021271
- Description: Risky and abusive sexual behaviours, stemming largely from inequitable gendered norms, are a pervasive feature of the South African socio-sexual landscape. Literature shows that sexuality education programmes can be effective in reducing risky sexual practices, but South African school sexuality education has been shown to be largely inadequate. The question arises as to how to engage with high school learners about sexualities in meaningful ways. In an attempt to answer this, I implemented a dialogical sexuality action research project at a lower middle class urban high school. Freirian principles of critical consciousness and dialogical pedagogy were utilized, and these were infused with feminist post-structural understandings of a discursively constituted subject. The initial consultative process started in 2012 with two projects at the school. Data from these projects, and a further consultation with the school principal, provided baseline information on the gendered norms and the sexuality education in the school. I then instituted a dialogical sexuality intervention with a group of Grade 10 learners, aiming to bring gendered and sexual norms to visibility, to trouble them (thereby promoting participants’ critical consciousness around gendered norms), and to provide recognition for participants in a variety of subject positions. Ten sessions were conducted, with the focus of each session being planned by the group. The action research project attempted to promote understandings of the processes required to facilitate such aims. The dialogical format of the group generated curiosity and engagement, and there were suggestions that some participants were taking up safe-sex messages in a reflexive manner. A partial normalisation of some ‘hidden’ aspects of sex, particularly around issues pertaining to female sexuality, was enabled, and critical consciousness around the gendered inequities in ‘cheating’ was promoted. However, abstinence was relatively silenced, and male same-sex remained heavily stigmatised. No substantial action component beyond the group meetings was generated. Participant feedback indicated that they placed great value on the dialogical processes in the group, and that they enjoyed being able to talk about sexual and other personal aspects of their lives. I theorise that the value of the group was in the recognition that participants received as they were positioned in a variety of subject positions. Whilst dialogue was shown to be extremely valuable, there were suggestions that other, non-dialogical modes of recognition were also needed by participants.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Graham, Nicola Susan Jearey
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3275 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021271
- Description: Risky and abusive sexual behaviours, stemming largely from inequitable gendered norms, are a pervasive feature of the South African socio-sexual landscape. Literature shows that sexuality education programmes can be effective in reducing risky sexual practices, but South African school sexuality education has been shown to be largely inadequate. The question arises as to how to engage with high school learners about sexualities in meaningful ways. In an attempt to answer this, I implemented a dialogical sexuality action research project at a lower middle class urban high school. Freirian principles of critical consciousness and dialogical pedagogy were utilized, and these were infused with feminist post-structural understandings of a discursively constituted subject. The initial consultative process started in 2012 with two projects at the school. Data from these projects, and a further consultation with the school principal, provided baseline information on the gendered norms and the sexuality education in the school. I then instituted a dialogical sexuality intervention with a group of Grade 10 learners, aiming to bring gendered and sexual norms to visibility, to trouble them (thereby promoting participants’ critical consciousness around gendered norms), and to provide recognition for participants in a variety of subject positions. Ten sessions were conducted, with the focus of each session being planned by the group. The action research project attempted to promote understandings of the processes required to facilitate such aims. The dialogical format of the group generated curiosity and engagement, and there were suggestions that some participants were taking up safe-sex messages in a reflexive manner. A partial normalisation of some ‘hidden’ aspects of sex, particularly around issues pertaining to female sexuality, was enabled, and critical consciousness around the gendered inequities in ‘cheating’ was promoted. However, abstinence was relatively silenced, and male same-sex remained heavily stigmatised. No substantial action component beyond the group meetings was generated. Participant feedback indicated that they placed great value on the dialogical processes in the group, and that they enjoyed being able to talk about sexual and other personal aspects of their lives. I theorise that the value of the group was in the recognition that participants received as they were positioned in a variety of subject positions. Whilst dialogue was shown to be extremely valuable, there were suggestions that other, non-dialogical modes of recognition were also needed by participants.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Selfhood, identity and madness in the works of Milan Kundera and Peter Carey
- Authors: Graven, Ashley Holm
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3904 , vital:20554
- Description: Despite all the critical attention Milan Kundera’s and Peter Carey’s fiction has received, relatively little has been said about the way in which these authors problematise selfhood. In this study, I argue that these two writers share a preoccupation with the strictures placed on the individual by his/her location in language and discourse. I show that they deconstruct subjectivity with a view to intimating the possibility of momentarily transcending discursive control, and thereby inhabiting authentic selfhood. In addition, I demonstrate that both authors draw attention to the nature of language through their thematisation of madness, and I then trace the implications of this nexus between language and madness for the reader, who of course is a subject in language. My contention in this regard is that Carey and Kundera seek to instil in the reader a self-reflexive awareness of the ways in which his/her location in language shapes his/her perception of others. In turn, this awareness charges the reader with the responsibility of questioning his/her judgements, and thereby enables him/her to negotiate a measure of authenticity from his/her position in language.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Graven, Ashley Holm
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3904 , vital:20554
- Description: Despite all the critical attention Milan Kundera’s and Peter Carey’s fiction has received, relatively little has been said about the way in which these authors problematise selfhood. In this study, I argue that these two writers share a preoccupation with the strictures placed on the individual by his/her location in language and discourse. I show that they deconstruct subjectivity with a view to intimating the possibility of momentarily transcending discursive control, and thereby inhabiting authentic selfhood. In addition, I demonstrate that both authors draw attention to the nature of language through their thematisation of madness, and I then trace the implications of this nexus between language and madness for the reader, who of course is a subject in language. My contention in this regard is that Carey and Kundera seek to instil in the reader a self-reflexive awareness of the ways in which his/her location in language shapes his/her perception of others. In turn, this awareness charges the reader with the responsibility of questioning his/her judgements, and thereby enables him/her to negotiate a measure of authenticity from his/her position in language.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Rethinking biokinetics: a philosophical critique concerning the roles and responsibilities of practitioners and patients
- Authors: Greene, Mark A
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Holistic education -- South Africa Physical education and training -- South Africa -- History Exercise therapy -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/10381 , vital:26743
- Description: The specialist responsible for providing prescribed exercise as a form of medicine to the South African population is the biokineticist. Biokinetics is a relatively new profession developed in response to empirical research supporting exercise as medicine. Although the role of the biokineticist is clearly defined by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), there is still confusion concerning this profession and its services. At present, the dominant medicalscientific and capitalist-economic discourses offer a narrowly mechanistic and instrumental understanding of the human body and its treatment, which contributes to this confusion. This dissertation proposes a new point of departure, enriched by historical and philosophical understandings of the human body, from which the biokineticist can begin to redefine him/herself. The study aims to shift biokinetics as a practice away from the reductionist and dehumanising influences of instrumentalist, scientific and neoliberal capitalist-economic discourses, and to restore to biokineticists, and their clients, the ability they need to interact as relatively autonomous individuals. The study draws on the ideas of Michel Foucault, specifically on his notions for ‘discipline’, ‘docility’, and ‘the care of the self’ (1991; 2005), as well as Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari and their ideas of ‘becoming’ and ‘rhizomatic thinking’ (1983; 1987); ultimately presenting a philosophically enriched, holistic representation of the human body. From here recommendations for best practice in contemporary biokinetics are suggested that encourage interactions and connections between the professional and his/her patients, which move beyond the mere physiological interpretations currently dominating health discourse.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Greene, Mark A
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Holistic education -- South Africa Physical education and training -- South Africa -- History Exercise therapy -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/10381 , vital:26743
- Description: The specialist responsible for providing prescribed exercise as a form of medicine to the South African population is the biokineticist. Biokinetics is a relatively new profession developed in response to empirical research supporting exercise as medicine. Although the role of the biokineticist is clearly defined by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), there is still confusion concerning this profession and its services. At present, the dominant medicalscientific and capitalist-economic discourses offer a narrowly mechanistic and instrumental understanding of the human body and its treatment, which contributes to this confusion. This dissertation proposes a new point of departure, enriched by historical and philosophical understandings of the human body, from which the biokineticist can begin to redefine him/herself. The study aims to shift biokinetics as a practice away from the reductionist and dehumanising influences of instrumentalist, scientific and neoliberal capitalist-economic discourses, and to restore to biokineticists, and their clients, the ability they need to interact as relatively autonomous individuals. The study draws on the ideas of Michel Foucault, specifically on his notions for ‘discipline’, ‘docility’, and ‘the care of the self’ (1991; 2005), as well as Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari and their ideas of ‘becoming’ and ‘rhizomatic thinking’ (1983; 1987); ultimately presenting a philosophically enriched, holistic representation of the human body. From here recommendations for best practice in contemporary biokinetics are suggested that encourage interactions and connections between the professional and his/her patients, which move beyond the mere physiological interpretations currently dominating health discourse.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
A text-critical analysis of potentially conflict-provoking genres of the Christian bible
- Authors: Grigor, Pierre
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Church history , Transformation groups , Conflict management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11289 , vital:26906
- Description: This dissertation wants to understand the church history regarding the divide which resulted in the so called fundamentalist and the liberal movements in the church being birthed in identifying the reasons for the conflict between the aforementioned groups. It then presents principles of conflict transformation and management in order to understand and to help transform and manage potential confrontational situations between the aforementioned groups effectively. It further propose alternative interpretations to potential conflict-generating Bible texts by extrapolating new information from those texts in order to stir the potential of birthing a second naïve love for the discredited texts by offering new meanings to those same texts. Unfortunately, this objective can’t effectively be measured within the scope of this dissertation, but will nevertheless remain as an objective of hope.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Grigor, Pierre
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Church history , Transformation groups , Conflict management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11289 , vital:26906
- Description: This dissertation wants to understand the church history regarding the divide which resulted in the so called fundamentalist and the liberal movements in the church being birthed in identifying the reasons for the conflict between the aforementioned groups. It then presents principles of conflict transformation and management in order to understand and to help transform and manage potential confrontational situations between the aforementioned groups effectively. It further propose alternative interpretations to potential conflict-generating Bible texts by extrapolating new information from those texts in order to stir the potential of birthing a second naïve love for the discredited texts by offering new meanings to those same texts. Unfortunately, this objective can’t effectively be measured within the scope of this dissertation, but will nevertheless remain as an objective of hope.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The promotion of ethical egoism through morality mechanics in mass effect, fable III & fallout new vegas: a role-playing video game exploration
- Authors: Grobler, Carli
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Egoism , Ethics Altruism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7699 , vital:23393
- Description: The aim of this study is to determine whether or not ethical egoism is promoted during gameplay of three role-playing video games namely Mass Effect, Fable III and Fallout New Vegas. The rapid expansion of the video gaming industry as well as game studies as an academic field have made it necessary to understand what effects video games may have on society. This study shows that gamers come into contact with various ethico-moral dilemmas during gameplay and act in an egoistic manner in order to complete video games. Firstly, an explanation of game and gameplay are provided as well as an outline of two game studies methodologies, namely narratology and ludology. These two methodologies are then combined into a hybrid approach which is used to analyse the video games from both a narrative and gameplay point of view which allows for a more comprehensive analysis of each respective game. Thereafter, a discussion of B.F. Skinner's behaviourism is given in order to better understand gamer behaviour. Skinner's concepts of positive reinforcement, schedules of reinforcement and operant conditioning are then linked to video games to show behaviourism's influences on game design. Ethical egoism, as theorised by Thomas Hobbes and Jesse Kalin, provides the ethico-moral theory necessary for the analysis of the morality mechanic in each game. Ethico-moral dilemmas identified within each game are discussed with regards to the hybrid approach which details both narrative and gameplay consequences of in-game ethico-moral decision making. The study concludes that gamers are ethical egoists when engaged in gameplay, due to their desire to complete the video game. However, during gameplay, gamers are exposed to altruism which is often promoted through the narrative and the nature of in-game objectives. Suggestions for further studies are also given for example a more detailed analysis of gamer behaviour, a qualitative study of in-game ethico-moral actions as well as a study of games that are non-violent in nature.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Grobler, Carli
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Egoism , Ethics Altruism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7699 , vital:23393
- Description: The aim of this study is to determine whether or not ethical egoism is promoted during gameplay of three role-playing video games namely Mass Effect, Fable III and Fallout New Vegas. The rapid expansion of the video gaming industry as well as game studies as an academic field have made it necessary to understand what effects video games may have on society. This study shows that gamers come into contact with various ethico-moral dilemmas during gameplay and act in an egoistic manner in order to complete video games. Firstly, an explanation of game and gameplay are provided as well as an outline of two game studies methodologies, namely narratology and ludology. These two methodologies are then combined into a hybrid approach which is used to analyse the video games from both a narrative and gameplay point of view which allows for a more comprehensive analysis of each respective game. Thereafter, a discussion of B.F. Skinner's behaviourism is given in order to better understand gamer behaviour. Skinner's concepts of positive reinforcement, schedules of reinforcement and operant conditioning are then linked to video games to show behaviourism's influences on game design. Ethical egoism, as theorised by Thomas Hobbes and Jesse Kalin, provides the ethico-moral theory necessary for the analysis of the morality mechanic in each game. Ethico-moral dilemmas identified within each game are discussed with regards to the hybrid approach which details both narrative and gameplay consequences of in-game ethico-moral decision making. The study concludes that gamers are ethical egoists when engaged in gameplay, due to their desire to complete the video game. However, during gameplay, gamers are exposed to altruism which is often promoted through the narrative and the nature of in-game objectives. Suggestions for further studies are also given for example a more detailed analysis of gamer behaviour, a qualitative study of in-game ethico-moral actions as well as a study of games that are non-violent in nature.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016