Meaning in life and sense of coherence in HIV-positive adults
- Authors: Nolte, Coenraad B
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9857 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1562
- Description: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is highly prevalent in South Africa and inevitably leads to an acute stage of the disease referred to as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Individual variations in the rate of HIV-disease progression are, amongst others, a function of the psychological reactions to an HIV-positive diagnosis and the prevalence of psychosocial stressors. This study was conducted in the context of the salutogenic paradigm and the existential psychological theory of Viktor Frankl. Sense of coherence is a key salutogenic concept and previous studies have suggested a positive correlation between the sense of coherence and the wellbeing of HIV-positive individuals. The objectives of this research were to explore and describe the search for meaning in life, the presence of meaning in life, the sense of coherence and the potential relationships among these concepts in HIV-positive adults. The research sample consisted of 62 participants recruited from an HIV wellness clinic in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area. Key findings included the following: Levels of search for meaning in life and presence of meaning in life were not found to be elevated or suppressed in the research sample. No significant relationship was found between the levels of search for meaning in life and presence of meaning in life. The level of sense of coherence of the sample was found to be lower than the level of sense of coherence obtained in previous studies from healthy, mixed populations in South Africa. A statistically significant relationship was found between the levels of presence of meaning in life and the sense of coherence. In conclusion it was proposed that presence of meaning in life is a fortifier of the sense of coherence.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Nolte, Coenraad B
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9857 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1562
- Description: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is highly prevalent in South Africa and inevitably leads to an acute stage of the disease referred to as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Individual variations in the rate of HIV-disease progression are, amongst others, a function of the psychological reactions to an HIV-positive diagnosis and the prevalence of psychosocial stressors. This study was conducted in the context of the salutogenic paradigm and the existential psychological theory of Viktor Frankl. Sense of coherence is a key salutogenic concept and previous studies have suggested a positive correlation between the sense of coherence and the wellbeing of HIV-positive individuals. The objectives of this research were to explore and describe the search for meaning in life, the presence of meaning in life, the sense of coherence and the potential relationships among these concepts in HIV-positive adults. The research sample consisted of 62 participants recruited from an HIV wellness clinic in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area. Key findings included the following: Levels of search for meaning in life and presence of meaning in life were not found to be elevated or suppressed in the research sample. No significant relationship was found between the levels of search for meaning in life and presence of meaning in life. The level of sense of coherence of the sample was found to be lower than the level of sense of coherence obtained in previous studies from healthy, mixed populations in South Africa. A statistically significant relationship was found between the levels of presence of meaning in life and the sense of coherence. In conclusion it was proposed that presence of meaning in life is a fortifier of the sense of coherence.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Mediating factors in the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and HIV Sexual risk behaviour among men who have sex with men
- Authors: Heusser, Shelly Lucien
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Adult child sexual abuse victims -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa , Sexually transmitted diseases -- Psychological aspects , Risk-taking (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9873 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1398 , Adult child sexual abuse victims -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa , Sexually transmitted diseases -- Psychological aspects , Risk-taking (Psychology)
- Description: Previous studies have indicated an association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and an increased risk of engaging in unsafe behaviours during adulthood, including risky sexual practices. This study examined the relationship between CSA and adult HIV sexual risk behaviour among a sample of South African men who have sex with men (MSM). Potential pathological long-term mental health outcomes of CSA, including dissociation, sex-related substance abuse, depression, sexual compulsivity, impaired interpersonal communication, and over-reliance on submissive sexual scripts, were treated as variables mediating the relationship between CSA and sexual risk behaviour. Men frequenting a gay internet dating site were randomly selected to complete an electronic version of the anonymous survey. Results indicate that one-fourth of participants reported a history of CSA. Men with a history of unwanted sexual activity during childhood were more likely to report recreational substance abuse, sex-related substance abuse, sexual compulsivity, and adult revictimisation experiences. Men who were abused were also more likely to engage in unprotected anal intercourse compared to those who were not abused. Mediation analyses revealed that MSM who are survivors of CSA are particularly susceptible to drug abuse, sex-related drug abuse, and sexual compulsivity, and these sequelae in turn predict higher reported numbers of male sexual partners. The current data suggest that CSA is widespread among men at high risk for HIV infection, and that it may have a devastating influence on the quality of life and health risk behaviour of these men. These results also highlight the importance of mental health services and new approaches in HIV prevention for MSM who have been sexually abused as children. Further research is needed into the contextual factors of the childhood abuse experience which account for the variability in longterm negative mental health outcomes of CSA survivors.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Heusser, Shelly Lucien
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Adult child sexual abuse victims -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa , Sexually transmitted diseases -- Psychological aspects , Risk-taking (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9873 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1398 , Adult child sexual abuse victims -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa , Sexually transmitted diseases -- Psychological aspects , Risk-taking (Psychology)
- Description: Previous studies have indicated an association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and an increased risk of engaging in unsafe behaviours during adulthood, including risky sexual practices. This study examined the relationship between CSA and adult HIV sexual risk behaviour among a sample of South African men who have sex with men (MSM). Potential pathological long-term mental health outcomes of CSA, including dissociation, sex-related substance abuse, depression, sexual compulsivity, impaired interpersonal communication, and over-reliance on submissive sexual scripts, were treated as variables mediating the relationship between CSA and sexual risk behaviour. Men frequenting a gay internet dating site were randomly selected to complete an electronic version of the anonymous survey. Results indicate that one-fourth of participants reported a history of CSA. Men with a history of unwanted sexual activity during childhood were more likely to report recreational substance abuse, sex-related substance abuse, sexual compulsivity, and adult revictimisation experiences. Men who were abused were also more likely to engage in unprotected anal intercourse compared to those who were not abused. Mediation analyses revealed that MSM who are survivors of CSA are particularly susceptible to drug abuse, sex-related drug abuse, and sexual compulsivity, and these sequelae in turn predict higher reported numbers of male sexual partners. The current data suggest that CSA is widespread among men at high risk for HIV infection, and that it may have a devastating influence on the quality of life and health risk behaviour of these men. These results also highlight the importance of mental health services and new approaches in HIV prevention for MSM who have been sexually abused as children. Further research is needed into the contextual factors of the childhood abuse experience which account for the variability in longterm negative mental health outcomes of CSA survivors.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Mental health care practitioners' perceptions of mental illness within the isiXhosa cultural context
- Authors: Lombo, Nocawa Philomina
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Mental illness -- South Africa , Mental health personnel , Psychiatric nursing , Xhosa (African people) -- Psychology , Xhosa (African people) -- Social life and customs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9997 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1179 , Mental illness -- South Africa , Mental health personnel , Psychiatric nursing , Xhosa (African people) -- Psychology , Xhosa (African people) -- Social life and customs
- Description: This study sought to explore the perceptions of mental health care practitioners’ perceptions on mental illness within the isiXhosa cultural context. A qualitative exploratory descriptive and contextual design was used for the study. A non-probability purposive sampling method was used to select eight participants from Komani Hospital in Queenstown. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The services of an Independent Interviewer were used to avoid any bias as interviews took place where the researcher is employed. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and the data collected was analyzed according to Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis as described in Cresswell (1994:155). The researcher utilized services of an Independent Coder who verified the identified major themes. Four major themes emerged from the analysis of the interview: Mental health care practitioner’s perceptions of mental illness, perception of the causes of mental illness within the isiXhosa cultural context, mental health care practitioners’ views in the management and treatment of mental illness and suggestions put forward to improve the services to mental health care users. The major findings of this study were the lack of knowledge of culture of mental health care users. It is recommended that it would be proper if there could be co-operation between mental health care practitioners and traditional healers by working together as a team.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Mental health care practitioners' perceptions of mental illness within the isiXhosa cultural context
- Authors: Lombo, Nocawa Philomina
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Mental illness -- South Africa , Mental health personnel , Psychiatric nursing , Xhosa (African people) -- Psychology , Xhosa (African people) -- Social life and customs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9997 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1179 , Mental illness -- South Africa , Mental health personnel , Psychiatric nursing , Xhosa (African people) -- Psychology , Xhosa (African people) -- Social life and customs
- Description: This study sought to explore the perceptions of mental health care practitioners’ perceptions on mental illness within the isiXhosa cultural context. A qualitative exploratory descriptive and contextual design was used for the study. A non-probability purposive sampling method was used to select eight participants from Komani Hospital in Queenstown. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The services of an Independent Interviewer were used to avoid any bias as interviews took place where the researcher is employed. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and the data collected was analyzed according to Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis as described in Cresswell (1994:155). The researcher utilized services of an Independent Coder who verified the identified major themes. Four major themes emerged from the analysis of the interview: Mental health care practitioner’s perceptions of mental illness, perception of the causes of mental illness within the isiXhosa cultural context, mental health care practitioners’ views in the management and treatment of mental illness and suggestions put forward to improve the services to mental health care users. The major findings of this study were the lack of knowledge of culture of mental health care users. It is recommended that it would be proper if there could be co-operation between mental health care practitioners and traditional healers by working together as a team.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Modelling and control of combustion in a high velocity air flame (HVAF) thermal spraying process
- Authors: Barth, Dominic
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Metal spraying , Combustion
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9644 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1266 , Metal spraying , Combustion
- Description: Thermal spraying is a technology, which is used for coating of components and structures in order to achieve certain tribological characteristics, or for protection against corrosion, excessive temperature and wear. Within thermal spray, there are processes, which utilise combustion of liquid fuel to obtain high velocities flows providing, therefore, good adhesion of coating materials to substrates. These include High Velocity Oxygen Flame (HVOF) and High Velocity Air Flame (HVAF) process, of which the former one is widely used as it has been developed for at least two decades, while HVAF is less common. However, some studies indicate that HVAF has a number of advantages over HVOF, including the economic benefits. The thermal spray gun, based on the HVAF process, has been developed before, but the system was controlled manually. Therefore, there is a need to develop a fully automated controller of an HVAF thermal spray system. Process control of thermal spraying is highly complex as it involves simultaneous control of a number of processes, including; ignition process, combustion process, spraying material melting, as well as control and monitoring of auxiliary equipment. This paper presents the development of a control system for an HVAF thermal spray system, based on a Microchip PIC microcontroller. The designed control system was applied for controlling of thermal spraying of carbides powders, and provided a reliable ignition and stable combustion process, powder feeding and all other functions of control.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Barth, Dominic
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Metal spraying , Combustion
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9644 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1266 , Metal spraying , Combustion
- Description: Thermal spraying is a technology, which is used for coating of components and structures in order to achieve certain tribological characteristics, or for protection against corrosion, excessive temperature and wear. Within thermal spray, there are processes, which utilise combustion of liquid fuel to obtain high velocities flows providing, therefore, good adhesion of coating materials to substrates. These include High Velocity Oxygen Flame (HVOF) and High Velocity Air Flame (HVAF) process, of which the former one is widely used as it has been developed for at least two decades, while HVAF is less common. However, some studies indicate that HVAF has a number of advantages over HVOF, including the economic benefits. The thermal spray gun, based on the HVAF process, has been developed before, but the system was controlled manually. Therefore, there is a need to develop a fully automated controller of an HVAF thermal spray system. Process control of thermal spraying is highly complex as it involves simultaneous control of a number of processes, including; ignition process, combustion process, spraying material melting, as well as control and monitoring of auxiliary equipment. This paper presents the development of a control system for an HVAF thermal spray system, based on a Microchip PIC microcontroller. The designed control system was applied for controlling of thermal spraying of carbides powders, and provided a reliable ignition and stable combustion process, powder feeding and all other functions of control.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Nature, narrative and language in Marlene van Niekerk's Agaat
- Authors: Moore-Barnes, Shannon-Lee
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Van Niekerk, Marlene. Agaat , Narration (Rhetoric) , Storytelling , Women and literature -- South Africa , Afrikaans fiction -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8453 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1235 , Van Niekerk, Marlene. Agaat , Narration (Rhetoric) , Storytelling , Women and literature -- South Africa , Afrikaans fiction -- 21st century
- Description: Conrad Aiken’s observation that the “landscape and the language are the same, and we ourselves are language and are land,” depicts the material terrain we inhabit as necessarily informing the language we speak. An important corollary to Aiken’s observation is language itself writes the land. I argue that the binary division between culture and nature, as well as the attempts to universalise languages, abstracts discourse from necessary situated knowledges, alienating the land from the language it embodies. The severing of culture and nature as implied by Aiken’s observation is indicative of humanity’s progressive isolation from the land through language, as well as from their embodied natures. Remoteness results in what Marlene van Niekerk’s novel Agaat (2006) terms a “poverty disease” (2006: 251). Michiel Heyns confirms that the character Agaat relates this barrenness of spirit to her “diagnosis of spiritual ills through human dealings with the soil” (2009: 132). I illustrate the novel’s revitalisation of language as an act of ecological recuperation that alleviates dis-eased consciousnesses by potentially recognising, valuing and responding to situated knowledges revealed in land narratives.1 My argument therefore uncovers the challenges that the novel directs at an unreformed and universal Western2 To this end I use critiques of colonialism that reveal culture’s assimilation of the Other, rationalist discourse that continues to appropriate nature as resource for a hierarchical culture. 3 By combining this literary analysis with a wider eco-theoretical enquiry I position my study in an interdisciplinary field of investigation. This is in response to the damaging consequences of the inherited and fragmentary nature of specialisation. In addition, by detailing literary and feminist especially the work of Val Plumwood, Donna Haraway and Nicole Brossard. I use these critiques to analyse self/Other oppositions that Western culture constructs and patrols to maintain a defensive culture of domination. I show how nature and all those feminised and marginalised by Western discourses that hierarchise culture have been consistently overlooked and under-represented by those who purport to ‘control’ the environment and privilege the symbolic language as the carrier of culture. Agaat provides fruitful terrain for the reflection of marginalised voices; voices that confirm the environment and language as necessarily both feminist and social justice issues. 1 My preference for the hyphenated usage of the word ‘dis-ease’ signals the equation between discomfort or unease and disease or sickness. 2 While I am concerned over emphasising words such as Western and Apartheid by capitalising them, I have decided to retain this form so as not to diminish the magnitude of the effect these discourses have had on global and regional communities. 3 When referring to Others I, like Karen J. Warren, capitalise the term. Warren defines Others as all earth Others subjected to “unjustified domination-subordination relationships” (2005: 252). responses to Western patriarchal discourse and its impact on nature, I show the ways in which literature negotiates the possible re-conceptualisation of our collective cultural imagination. Van Niekerk’s novel offers a sustained critique of the oppressive Western conceptual frameworks that have dominated Others through hegemonic constructions. Furthermore, I investigate what this writer might offer as an alternative to systems of social, political and ecological control and the violence it inflicts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Moore-Barnes, Shannon-Lee
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Van Niekerk, Marlene. Agaat , Narration (Rhetoric) , Storytelling , Women and literature -- South Africa , Afrikaans fiction -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8453 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1235 , Van Niekerk, Marlene. Agaat , Narration (Rhetoric) , Storytelling , Women and literature -- South Africa , Afrikaans fiction -- 21st century
- Description: Conrad Aiken’s observation that the “landscape and the language are the same, and we ourselves are language and are land,” depicts the material terrain we inhabit as necessarily informing the language we speak. An important corollary to Aiken’s observation is language itself writes the land. I argue that the binary division between culture and nature, as well as the attempts to universalise languages, abstracts discourse from necessary situated knowledges, alienating the land from the language it embodies. The severing of culture and nature as implied by Aiken’s observation is indicative of humanity’s progressive isolation from the land through language, as well as from their embodied natures. Remoteness results in what Marlene van Niekerk’s novel Agaat (2006) terms a “poverty disease” (2006: 251). Michiel Heyns confirms that the character Agaat relates this barrenness of spirit to her “diagnosis of spiritual ills through human dealings with the soil” (2009: 132). I illustrate the novel’s revitalisation of language as an act of ecological recuperation that alleviates dis-eased consciousnesses by potentially recognising, valuing and responding to situated knowledges revealed in land narratives.1 My argument therefore uncovers the challenges that the novel directs at an unreformed and universal Western2 To this end I use critiques of colonialism that reveal culture’s assimilation of the Other, rationalist discourse that continues to appropriate nature as resource for a hierarchical culture. 3 By combining this literary analysis with a wider eco-theoretical enquiry I position my study in an interdisciplinary field of investigation. This is in response to the damaging consequences of the inherited and fragmentary nature of specialisation. In addition, by detailing literary and feminist especially the work of Val Plumwood, Donna Haraway and Nicole Brossard. I use these critiques to analyse self/Other oppositions that Western culture constructs and patrols to maintain a defensive culture of domination. I show how nature and all those feminised and marginalised by Western discourses that hierarchise culture have been consistently overlooked and under-represented by those who purport to ‘control’ the environment and privilege the symbolic language as the carrier of culture. Agaat provides fruitful terrain for the reflection of marginalised voices; voices that confirm the environment and language as necessarily both feminist and social justice issues. 1 My preference for the hyphenated usage of the word ‘dis-ease’ signals the equation between discomfort or unease and disease or sickness. 2 While I am concerned over emphasising words such as Western and Apartheid by capitalising them, I have decided to retain this form so as not to diminish the magnitude of the effect these discourses have had on global and regional communities. 3 When referring to Others I, like Karen J. Warren, capitalise the term. Warren defines Others as all earth Others subjected to “unjustified domination-subordination relationships” (2005: 252). responses to Western patriarchal discourse and its impact on nature, I show the ways in which literature negotiates the possible re-conceptualisation of our collective cultural imagination. Van Niekerk’s novel offers a sustained critique of the oppressive Western conceptual frameworks that have dominated Others through hegemonic constructions. Furthermore, I investigate what this writer might offer as an alternative to systems of social, political and ecological control and the violence it inflicts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Negotiating sexuality in Grahamstown East: young black women's experiences of relationships in the context of HIV risk
- Authors: Clüver, Frances Rose Mannix
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: HIV infections -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Man-woman relationships -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Intimacy -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Sex -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth, Black -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Sexual behavior HIV infections -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth, Black -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Attitudes Reproductive health -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Health education -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth, Black -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Health and hygiene Phenomenological psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2951 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002460
- Description: Adolescent sexual health has been identified as a significant health and development problem facing South Africa. Limited amounts of research on sexual interactions have been undertaken, with information on adolescents’ romantic relationships being particularly scarce. Qualitative research needs to foster an understanding of the dynamics of sexual interactions in specific settings, and with emphasis in the past on cognitive health psychology models, very little is thus known about how adolescents negotiate and make sense of their sexual experiences. This highlights the need to investigate the complexities of human sexuality in a contextual manner. In response, this study explores the lived experiences of four young black women as they negotiate their agency and sexuality in a local context. By way of in-depth qualitative interviews, which were analysed for recurrent themes using interpretative phenomenological analysis, this project examines the participants’ experiences regarding sex, relationships, communication, sexual health care, as well as HIV and pregnancy prevention. The results reveal that communication about sexuality in the participants’ homes was limited if not absent altogether. When seeking sexual health care, they found clinic nurses to be judgemental and rude. Regarding sexuality and HIV education, the participants stressed the need for outside educators to teach in more practical ways to increase efficacy. In their dating relationships, most participants revealed their boyfriends had a great deal of influence over their sexual initiation. Unwanted pregnancy surfaced as a greater fear than HIV in their accounts due to pressure to finish their education and attain well-paying jobs in the future. The participants felt unable to stop their boyfriends’ infidelity and had limited agency when facing sexual demands. Their accounts revealed that they negotiate their agency in an atmosphere of coercion and the threat of rape. However, areas of agency included their consistent condom use even when facing pressure to have unprotected sex, and their active accessing of sexual health services for hormonal contraception. These insights serve to better inform sexual and reproductive health education and intervention programmes for young women. Moreover, educators, researchers and programme developers alike may gain useful insights from the personalised accounts derived from this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Clüver, Frances Rose Mannix
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: HIV infections -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Man-woman relationships -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Intimacy -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Sex -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth, Black -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Sexual behavior HIV infections -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth, Black -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Attitudes Reproductive health -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Health education -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth, Black -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Health and hygiene Phenomenological psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2951 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002460
- Description: Adolescent sexual health has been identified as a significant health and development problem facing South Africa. Limited amounts of research on sexual interactions have been undertaken, with information on adolescents’ romantic relationships being particularly scarce. Qualitative research needs to foster an understanding of the dynamics of sexual interactions in specific settings, and with emphasis in the past on cognitive health psychology models, very little is thus known about how adolescents negotiate and make sense of their sexual experiences. This highlights the need to investigate the complexities of human sexuality in a contextual manner. In response, this study explores the lived experiences of four young black women as they negotiate their agency and sexuality in a local context. By way of in-depth qualitative interviews, which were analysed for recurrent themes using interpretative phenomenological analysis, this project examines the participants’ experiences regarding sex, relationships, communication, sexual health care, as well as HIV and pregnancy prevention. The results reveal that communication about sexuality in the participants’ homes was limited if not absent altogether. When seeking sexual health care, they found clinic nurses to be judgemental and rude. Regarding sexuality and HIV education, the participants stressed the need for outside educators to teach in more practical ways to increase efficacy. In their dating relationships, most participants revealed their boyfriends had a great deal of influence over their sexual initiation. Unwanted pregnancy surfaced as a greater fear than HIV in their accounts due to pressure to finish their education and attain well-paying jobs in the future. The participants felt unable to stop their boyfriends’ infidelity and had limited agency when facing sexual demands. Their accounts revealed that they negotiate their agency in an atmosphere of coercion and the threat of rape. However, areas of agency included their consistent condom use even when facing pressure to have unprotected sex, and their active accessing of sexual health services for hormonal contraception. These insights serve to better inform sexual and reproductive health education and intervention programmes for young women. Moreover, educators, researchers and programme developers alike may gain useful insights from the personalised accounts derived from this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Participatory human development in post-apartheid South Africa: a discussion of the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project
- Authors: Kulundu, Injairu M
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Spirals Trust (South Africa) Community development -- South Africa -- Citizen participation Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Citizen participation Youth in development -- South Africa Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa Post-apartheid era -- South Africa South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1994-
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2791 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003001
- Description: This thesis relates the work of a non-governmental organisation, The Spirals Trust, to discussions on human and participatory development. The focus of the study is one of The Spirals Trust’s projects, the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project, which is discussed in relation to theoretical material on human development and participatory development. Collectively these perspectives are defined in this thesis as ‘participatory human development’. The 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project illustrates some of the challenges that face the practice of participatory human development. Workshops and focus group interviews were conducted with participants who were part of the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project in order to draw out their experiences of the project. Questions were created from themes that emerged from the participants’ discussion of their experiences and these questions were then posed to members of staff of The Spirals Trust. The experiences of both the participants and the staff members are discussed in order to explore issues that emerge in the practice of participatory human development in the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project. The results highlight the challenges of putting into action the tenets of participatory human development. Feedback showed that a focus on personal development can help cultivate the ethic of participation. The effort that this entailed on the part of facilitators is discussed. The importance of exposing and continually working with power dynamics that may emerge in projects of this nature is revealed and the eroding influence of bureaucratic compliance in projects like this one is explored. The study also suggests that there is a need to promote development initiatives that challenge the political status quo rather than just finding ways to incorporate the marginalised more effectively into current systems. New questions that the research poses to the practice of participatory human development are considered in conjunction with suggestions for further research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Kulundu, Injairu M
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Spirals Trust (South Africa) Community development -- South Africa -- Citizen participation Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Citizen participation Youth in development -- South Africa Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa Post-apartheid era -- South Africa South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1994-
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2791 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003001
- Description: This thesis relates the work of a non-governmental organisation, The Spirals Trust, to discussions on human and participatory development. The focus of the study is one of The Spirals Trust’s projects, the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project, which is discussed in relation to theoretical material on human development and participatory development. Collectively these perspectives are defined in this thesis as ‘participatory human development’. The 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project illustrates some of the challenges that face the practice of participatory human development. Workshops and focus group interviews were conducted with participants who were part of the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project in order to draw out their experiences of the project. Questions were created from themes that emerged from the participants’ discussion of their experiences and these questions were then posed to members of staff of The Spirals Trust. The experiences of both the participants and the staff members are discussed in order to explore issues that emerge in the practice of participatory human development in the 2006/7 Tantyi Youth Empowerment Project. The results highlight the challenges of putting into action the tenets of participatory human development. Feedback showed that a focus on personal development can help cultivate the ethic of participation. The effort that this entailed on the part of facilitators is discussed. The importance of exposing and continually working with power dynamics that may emerge in projects of this nature is revealed and the eroding influence of bureaucratic compliance in projects like this one is explored. The study also suggests that there is a need to promote development initiatives that challenge the political status quo rather than just finding ways to incorporate the marginalised more effectively into current systems. New questions that the research poses to the practice of participatory human development are considered in conjunction with suggestions for further research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Perceived need and willingness of a sample of registered casualty unit nurses to engage in supplementary counselling skills training
- Authors: Leonard, Warren Leon
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Counseling -- Training skills , Counseling , Nursing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9888 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1176 , Counseling -- Training skills , Counseling , Nursing
- Description: In 2002 there were an estimated 1.5 million people admitted into casualty emergency units within the Republic of South Africa. Many of these admissions dealt with events that were traumatic for both families and practitioners and these traumatic events have effects on the biological, psychological and social wellbeing of these individuals. Coupled with this is an ever increasing demand for mental health services and a worldwide shortage of qualified individuals to provide these services. Registered nurses in casualty units deal with the majority of these issues and the effect of these traumatic events. The crisis intervention model may provide these registered nurses with the necessary skills to deal with these problems not only for patients but possibly for themselves. Furthermore the biopsychosocial model of health allows these registered nurses to assess the impact of these events on the individuals. Yet, some registered nurses feel that they lack the necessary skills to deal with and assess these problems and intervene in these crisis situations. This study was exploratory descriptive in nature and aimed to examine whether there was a perceived need for registered casualty unit nurses to engage in supplementary counselling skills training. These perceptions were obtained through purposively sampled interviews and analysed qualitatively, using Tesch’s model of content analysis. Findings indicated that the registered nurses do perceive a need for supplementary counselling training, both for use with the patients and for themselves, and are willing to engage in this training although there are problems that inhibit this willingness. Recommendations regarding the implementation of a supplementary counselling skills training course as well as future research in the field were made.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Leonard, Warren Leon
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Counseling -- Training skills , Counseling , Nursing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9888 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1176 , Counseling -- Training skills , Counseling , Nursing
- Description: In 2002 there were an estimated 1.5 million people admitted into casualty emergency units within the Republic of South Africa. Many of these admissions dealt with events that were traumatic for both families and practitioners and these traumatic events have effects on the biological, psychological and social wellbeing of these individuals. Coupled with this is an ever increasing demand for mental health services and a worldwide shortage of qualified individuals to provide these services. Registered nurses in casualty units deal with the majority of these issues and the effect of these traumatic events. The crisis intervention model may provide these registered nurses with the necessary skills to deal with these problems not only for patients but possibly for themselves. Furthermore the biopsychosocial model of health allows these registered nurses to assess the impact of these events on the individuals. Yet, some registered nurses feel that they lack the necessary skills to deal with and assess these problems and intervene in these crisis situations. This study was exploratory descriptive in nature and aimed to examine whether there was a perceived need for registered casualty unit nurses to engage in supplementary counselling skills training. These perceptions were obtained through purposively sampled interviews and analysed qualitatively, using Tesch’s model of content analysis. Findings indicated that the registered nurses do perceive a need for supplementary counselling training, both for use with the patients and for themselves, and are willing to engage in this training although there are problems that inhibit this willingness. Recommendations regarding the implementation of a supplementary counselling skills training course as well as future research in the field were made.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Perceptions of psychologists regarding the use of religion and spirituality in therapy
- Authors: Naicker, Samantha
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Psychology and religion , Psychiatry and religion , Counseling -- Religious aspects , Psychotherapy -- Religious aspects , Spirituality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9875 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1363 , Psychology and religion , Psychiatry and religion , Counseling -- Religious aspects , Psychotherapy -- Religious aspects , Spirituality
- Description: Religion and spirituality are acknowledged coping resources, yet for many years, the use of religion and spirituality was not practiced in therapy. Psychologists were once branded the least religious of all academicians; however there is evidence of an integration of psychology with religion and spirituality. Recently, studies have been conducted to prove the success of using religion and spirituality to cope with psychological disorders, prevent unhealthy behaviours and promote resilience. Despite this, very little research to date has explored South African psychologists’ perceptions on this matter. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of psychologists in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality area about the use of religion and spirituality in therapy. Purposive sampling was employed to obtain a sample and focus groups were used to the collect data. The data was analyzed using Tesch’s model of qualitative content analysis. Many themes emerged from the data analysis process. The participants indicated that they perceive the definitions of religion and spirituality as difficult to define and reach consensus on. Nevertheless, the participants recognized that religion and spirituality are important aspects of their clients’ lives and that they cannot be ignored in therapy. Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that religion and spirituality are coping mechanisms for both clients and psychologists. Most of the participants indicated that they were willing to discuss religion and spirituality with their clients if they brought it up. The participants highlighted specific factors that made it possible for them to engage with their clients on religious and spiritual levels, and factors that made it difficult for them to do so. The value of the research was discussed. Limitations of the study were also highlighted and based on these, recommendations for future research were outlined.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Naicker, Samantha
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Psychology and religion , Psychiatry and religion , Counseling -- Religious aspects , Psychotherapy -- Religious aspects , Spirituality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9875 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1363 , Psychology and religion , Psychiatry and religion , Counseling -- Religious aspects , Psychotherapy -- Religious aspects , Spirituality
- Description: Religion and spirituality are acknowledged coping resources, yet for many years, the use of religion and spirituality was not practiced in therapy. Psychologists were once branded the least religious of all academicians; however there is evidence of an integration of psychology with religion and spirituality. Recently, studies have been conducted to prove the success of using religion and spirituality to cope with psychological disorders, prevent unhealthy behaviours and promote resilience. Despite this, very little research to date has explored South African psychologists’ perceptions on this matter. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of psychologists in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality area about the use of religion and spirituality in therapy. Purposive sampling was employed to obtain a sample and focus groups were used to the collect data. The data was analyzed using Tesch’s model of qualitative content analysis. Many themes emerged from the data analysis process. The participants indicated that they perceive the definitions of religion and spirituality as difficult to define and reach consensus on. Nevertheless, the participants recognized that religion and spirituality are important aspects of their clients’ lives and that they cannot be ignored in therapy. Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that religion and spirituality are coping mechanisms for both clients and psychologists. Most of the participants indicated that they were willing to discuss religion and spirituality with their clients if they brought it up. The participants highlighted specific factors that made it possible for them to engage with their clients on religious and spiritual levels, and factors that made it difficult for them to do so. The value of the research was discussed. Limitations of the study were also highlighted and based on these, recommendations for future research were outlined.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Perspectives of managers regarding the effectiveness of programmes at Nerina one stop youth justice centre for addressing yout re-offending
- Authors: Agaba, Gary
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Recidivists -- South Africa , Juvenile delinquents -- South Africa , Programmed instruction -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9993 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1460 , Recidivists -- South Africa , Juvenile delinquents -- South Africa , Programmed instruction -- South Africa
- Description: The aim of the study was to explore and describe causes of re-offending and the management’s perspective of the effectiveness of programmes being implemented at Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre in dealing with re-offenders. Youth re-offending involves breaking of the law and crime. Offending if repeated then develops to be re-offending which is the breaking of the law more than once and this is a dilemma in South Africa as the increase of crime is a challenging issue. A qualitative approach was utilized following an exploratory, descriptive research design as the researcher sought to understand the perspective of the managers at Nerina regarding causes of re-offending and the effectiveness of the intervention programmes aimed at addressing this phenomenon. The researcher conducted face to face interviews with the mangers at Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre. For the purpose of this study the population was the total complement of the management staff at the One Stop Youth Justice Centre, this included the personnel of the departments of Justice, Social Development, and South African Police Service who are all involved in rendering services at Nerina. The method of data collection was one on one semi structured interviews and data analysis undertaken according to the steps for qualitative data analysis as proposed by Tesch in Creswell (1994). Guba’s model (Krefting, 1991) was employed for assessing the trustworthiness of the qualitative data. Some of the important findings included the causes of re-offending which included loss of parents, alcohol and drug abuse, inadequate parent role, role of peers and inadequate facilities. Further more from the study suggestions for improving programmes at the One Stop Youth Justice Center were discussed and these include involvement of community, involve more role players, training staff and increasing staff.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Agaba, Gary
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Recidivists -- South Africa , Juvenile delinquents -- South Africa , Programmed instruction -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9993 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1460 , Recidivists -- South Africa , Juvenile delinquents -- South Africa , Programmed instruction -- South Africa
- Description: The aim of the study was to explore and describe causes of re-offending and the management’s perspective of the effectiveness of programmes being implemented at Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre in dealing with re-offenders. Youth re-offending involves breaking of the law and crime. Offending if repeated then develops to be re-offending which is the breaking of the law more than once and this is a dilemma in South Africa as the increase of crime is a challenging issue. A qualitative approach was utilized following an exploratory, descriptive research design as the researcher sought to understand the perspective of the managers at Nerina regarding causes of re-offending and the effectiveness of the intervention programmes aimed at addressing this phenomenon. The researcher conducted face to face interviews with the mangers at Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre. For the purpose of this study the population was the total complement of the management staff at the One Stop Youth Justice Centre, this included the personnel of the departments of Justice, Social Development, and South African Police Service who are all involved in rendering services at Nerina. The method of data collection was one on one semi structured interviews and data analysis undertaken according to the steps for qualitative data analysis as proposed by Tesch in Creswell (1994). Guba’s model (Krefting, 1991) was employed for assessing the trustworthiness of the qualitative data. Some of the important findings included the causes of re-offending which included loss of parents, alcohol and drug abuse, inadequate parent role, role of peers and inadequate facilities. Further more from the study suggestions for improving programmes at the One Stop Youth Justice Center were discussed and these include involvement of community, involve more role players, training staff and increasing staff.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Policies, procedures and practices contributing to tensions between labour and management
- Authors: Basson, Jerome Godfrey
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa , Human capital -- South Africa , South Africa -- Politics and government , South Africa -- Constitution
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9427 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1267 , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa , Human capital -- South Africa , South Africa -- Politics and government , South Africa -- Constitution
- Description: The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa guarantees the right of education to all citizens of the country. The Eastern Cape Department of Education went a step further by adopting a vision to ensure quality public education that will result in the positive transformation of all schools. Education is therefore a very important part of the life of any society and needs to be protected at all costs. It is therefore important that all obstacles in the way of providing quality public education be removed. It is no secret that the Eastern Cape Department of Education has had a number of battles with some of its social partners. These battles have negatively impacted on the education system. This Department also received the largest slice of the taxpayers’ money. It is time to take serious steps to halt the waste of time and resources. It is against this background that this study wanted to consider policies, procedures and practices that generated tension between the management and labour in the Eastern Cape Department of Education. It is my belief that if tension between the different social partners can be reduced, we would have gone a long way in achieving the vision of the Department of Education. The research methodology that was followed for this study comprised the following: • Literature was reviewed that dealt with labour relations and human resources. • A questionnaire was designed to collect information from the different participants. • The information in the questionnaire was incorporated into the main study where findings were identified and recommendations were formulated.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Basson, Jerome Godfrey
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa , Human capital -- South Africa , South Africa -- Politics and government , South Africa -- Constitution
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9427 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1267 , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa , Human capital -- South Africa , South Africa -- Politics and government , South Africa -- Constitution
- Description: The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa guarantees the right of education to all citizens of the country. The Eastern Cape Department of Education went a step further by adopting a vision to ensure quality public education that will result in the positive transformation of all schools. Education is therefore a very important part of the life of any society and needs to be protected at all costs. It is therefore important that all obstacles in the way of providing quality public education be removed. It is no secret that the Eastern Cape Department of Education has had a number of battles with some of its social partners. These battles have negatively impacted on the education system. This Department also received the largest slice of the taxpayers’ money. It is time to take serious steps to halt the waste of time and resources. It is against this background that this study wanted to consider policies, procedures and practices that generated tension between the management and labour in the Eastern Cape Department of Education. It is my belief that if tension between the different social partners can be reduced, we would have gone a long way in achieving the vision of the Department of Education. The research methodology that was followed for this study comprised the following: • Literature was reviewed that dealt with labour relations and human resources. • A questionnaire was designed to collect information from the different participants. • The information in the questionnaire was incorporated into the main study where findings were identified and recommendations were formulated.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Prohibition & resistance: a socio-political exploration of the changing dynamics of the southern African cannabis trade, c. 1850 - the present
- Authors: Paterson, Craig
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Cannabis -- Government policy -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 19th century Cannabis -- Government policy -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century Cannabis -- Law and legislation -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century Drugs -- Government policy -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 19th century Drugs -- Government policy -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century Drugs -- Law and legislation -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 19th century Drugs -- Law and legislation -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century Drug traffic -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 19th century Drug traffic -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century Substance abuse -- Social aspects -- Africa, Southern
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2551 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002403
- Description: Looking primarily at the social and political trends in South Africa over the course of the last century and a half, this thesis explores how these trends have contributed to the establishment of the southern Africa cannabis complex. Through an examination of the influence which the colonial paradigm based on Social Darwinian thinking had on the understanding of the cannabis plant in southern Africa, it is argued that cannabis prohibition and apartheid laws rested on the same ideological foundation. This thesis goes on to argue that the dynamics of cannabis production and trade can be understood in terms of the interplay between the two themes of ‘prohibition’ and ‘resistance’. Prohibition is not only understood to refer to cannabis laws, but also to the proscription of inter-racial contact and segregation dictated by the apartheid regime. Resistance, then, refers to both resistance to apartheid and resistance to cannabis laws in this thesis. Including discussions on the hippie movement and development of the world trade, the anti-apartheid movement, the successful implementation of import substitution strategies in Europe and North America from the 1980’s, and South Africa’s incorporation into the global trade, this thesis illustrates how the apartheid system (and its collapse) influenced the region’s cannabis trade.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Paterson, Craig
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Cannabis -- Government policy -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 19th century Cannabis -- Government policy -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century Cannabis -- Law and legislation -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century Drugs -- Government policy -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 19th century Drugs -- Government policy -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century Drugs -- Law and legislation -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 19th century Drugs -- Law and legislation -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century Drug traffic -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 19th century Drug traffic -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century Substance abuse -- Social aspects -- Africa, Southern
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2551 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002403
- Description: Looking primarily at the social and political trends in South Africa over the course of the last century and a half, this thesis explores how these trends have contributed to the establishment of the southern Africa cannabis complex. Through an examination of the influence which the colonial paradigm based on Social Darwinian thinking had on the understanding of the cannabis plant in southern Africa, it is argued that cannabis prohibition and apartheid laws rested on the same ideological foundation. This thesis goes on to argue that the dynamics of cannabis production and trade can be understood in terms of the interplay between the two themes of ‘prohibition’ and ‘resistance’. Prohibition is not only understood to refer to cannabis laws, but also to the proscription of inter-racial contact and segregation dictated by the apartheid regime. Resistance, then, refers to both resistance to apartheid and resistance to cannabis laws in this thesis. Including discussions on the hippie movement and development of the world trade, the anti-apartheid movement, the successful implementation of import substitution strategies in Europe and North America from the 1980’s, and South Africa’s incorporation into the global trade, this thesis illustrates how the apartheid system (and its collapse) influenced the region’s cannabis trade.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Psychologists' perceived influences of early strategies on the psychosocial response to those affected by disasters
- Authors: Blackburn, Nerina June
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Disasters -- Psychological aspects , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Disaster victims -- Mental health , Disasters
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9872 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1416 , Disasters -- Psychological aspects , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Disaster victims -- Mental health , Disasters
- Description: Currently some confusion exists as to how health professionals should best respond to the psychological needs of those affected by disasters. Some have argued that early psychological intervention is essential and others have argued that early formal psychological interventions have no useful role in post trauma response. This study highlights the importance of considering both counselling and non-counselling factors as potentially influencing the psychosocial response of disaster victims. Although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not the only mental disorder that can develop as a result of exposure to disasters, it is probably the most frequent and debilitating psychological disorder associated with traumatic stress. In this exploratorydescriptive study the researcher aimed to explore and describe psychologists’ perceived influences of early strategies on the psychosocial response to those affected by disaster. The researcher used non-probability snowball sampling to access participants. The sample consisted of 5 participants. Semi structured interviews were conducted. Content analysis was used to analyse the data obtained from interviews. Results that emerged from the data suggest that there are many factors that influence the psychosocial response to those affected by disasters. These factors include the screening process, needs of survivors, the method of choice for treatment, the timing of intervention, pharmacology, the South African context, training and planning. The study makes a contribution to the growing knowledge of early strategies in response to those affected by disasters.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Blackburn, Nerina June
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Disasters -- Psychological aspects , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Disaster victims -- Mental health , Disasters
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9872 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1416 , Disasters -- Psychological aspects , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Disaster victims -- Mental health , Disasters
- Description: Currently some confusion exists as to how health professionals should best respond to the psychological needs of those affected by disasters. Some have argued that early psychological intervention is essential and others have argued that early formal psychological interventions have no useful role in post trauma response. This study highlights the importance of considering both counselling and non-counselling factors as potentially influencing the psychosocial response of disaster victims. Although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not the only mental disorder that can develop as a result of exposure to disasters, it is probably the most frequent and debilitating psychological disorder associated with traumatic stress. In this exploratorydescriptive study the researcher aimed to explore and describe psychologists’ perceived influences of early strategies on the psychosocial response to those affected by disaster. The researcher used non-probability snowball sampling to access participants. The sample consisted of 5 participants. Semi structured interviews were conducted. Content analysis was used to analyse the data obtained from interviews. Results that emerged from the data suggest that there are many factors that influence the psychosocial response to those affected by disasters. These factors include the screening process, needs of survivors, the method of choice for treatment, the timing of intervention, pharmacology, the South African context, training and planning. The study makes a contribution to the growing knowledge of early strategies in response to those affected by disasters.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Resilience in families living with child diagnosed with cerebral palsy
- Authors: Small, Renée Frances
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Resilience (Personality trait) , Cerebral palsy , Adjustment (Psychology) , Adaptability (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9876 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1362 , Resilience (Personality trait) , Cerebral palsy , Adjustment (Psychology) , Adaptability (Psychology)
- Description: Cerebral Palsy is a complex, non-progressive condition that manifests in various forms of motor impairments. This life-long condition holds numerous challenges for the entire family throughout the family life-cycle. While the challenges that these families have to face are many, families seem to have the ability to "bounce back" and to be resilient. Research on the construct of resilience and more specifically family resilience has increased in recent times. South African family resilience research is relatively limited. This study aimed to identify, explore and describe the resiliency factors that facilitate adjustment and adaptation in families that include a child living with Cerebral Palsy. The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation was used to conceptualise the level of family adaptation. The study was triangular in nature, with an exploratory, descriptive approach. Non-probability purposive and snowball sampling techniques were employed. The sample consisted of 30 female caregivers. Biographical questionnaires with two open-ended questions, in conjunction with seven structured questionnaires were used to gather the data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the biographical information. Correlation and regression analysis was used to analyse the quantitative data, while content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. The results of the quantitative component of the study indicated five significant positive correlations with the FACI8. These variables were family hardiness (measured by the FHI), family time together and routines (measured by the FTRI), social support (measured by the SSI), relative and friends support (measure by the RFS), and spiritual support (measured by the F-COPES). The results of the qualitative analysis revealed that social support, the caregivers' acceptance of the condition, and spirituality and religion were the most important strength factors that contributed to the families' adjustment and adaptation. Although the sample was small and the study has limitations, it could be used as a stepping-stone for future research on resilience in families living with a child with a physical disability and will contribute to the broader context of family resilience research in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Small, Renée Frances
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Resilience (Personality trait) , Cerebral palsy , Adjustment (Psychology) , Adaptability (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9876 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1362 , Resilience (Personality trait) , Cerebral palsy , Adjustment (Psychology) , Adaptability (Psychology)
- Description: Cerebral Palsy is a complex, non-progressive condition that manifests in various forms of motor impairments. This life-long condition holds numerous challenges for the entire family throughout the family life-cycle. While the challenges that these families have to face are many, families seem to have the ability to "bounce back" and to be resilient. Research on the construct of resilience and more specifically family resilience has increased in recent times. South African family resilience research is relatively limited. This study aimed to identify, explore and describe the resiliency factors that facilitate adjustment and adaptation in families that include a child living with Cerebral Palsy. The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation was used to conceptualise the level of family adaptation. The study was triangular in nature, with an exploratory, descriptive approach. Non-probability purposive and snowball sampling techniques were employed. The sample consisted of 30 female caregivers. Biographical questionnaires with two open-ended questions, in conjunction with seven structured questionnaires were used to gather the data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the biographical information. Correlation and regression analysis was used to analyse the quantitative data, while content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. The results of the quantitative component of the study indicated five significant positive correlations with the FACI8. These variables were family hardiness (measured by the FHI), family time together and routines (measured by the FTRI), social support (measured by the SSI), relative and friends support (measure by the RFS), and spiritual support (measured by the F-COPES). The results of the qualitative analysis revealed that social support, the caregivers' acceptance of the condition, and spirituality and religion were the most important strength factors that contributed to the families' adjustment and adaptation. Although the sample was small and the study has limitations, it could be used as a stepping-stone for future research on resilience in families living with a child with a physical disability and will contribute to the broader context of family resilience research in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Revolt as a strategy of de-reification in contemporary performance practice
- Authors: Smit, Sonja
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Mantero, Vera Bouwer, Jaco, 1973- Performance art -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2147 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002379
- Description: This thesis investigates the concepts of revolt and de-reification and how these can be perceived and implemented within the context of performance. The argument focuses on the ability of revolt to question and unsettle processes of reification which in turn manifest a strategy of de-reification. I investigate the potential in contemporary performance practice to challenge prevailing modes of perception and restore the production of desire to the spectator through strategies of de-reification. This research is approached through a qualitative process which entails a reading and application of critical texts to the analysis. This reading/application is engaged in a dialogue with the interpretative and experiential aspects of the two works selected for analysis. Chapter One functions as an introduction to the concept of reification and the necessity of a process geared towards de-reification through revolt. I argue that revolt is already embedded in avant-garde artistic practices through an experimental and questioning approach to artistic practice and the production of meaning. Chapter Two is an analysis of Vera Mantero’s solo work, one mysterious Thing said e.e cummings* (1996). This is structured around two identifiable elements, one being the resistance to signification (designification), which is argued as a strategy of revolt within the piece. The second is the notion of abjection, which works doubly to aid the resistance to signification as well as working as a strategy of revolt by its implication in the work. Chapter Three analyses Jaco Bouwer’s Untitled (2008), specifically dealing with the notion of absence as a strategy of revolt and de-reification. The discussion is focused on the potential complication of desire through absence as enacting a larger project of revolt. As in Chapter Two, this is similarly related to the fragmentation of signs through designification which emphasises the strategy of absence. This thesis concludes with the idea that meaning-making in performance can be considered a process. Instead, the lack or failure of meaning within these selected performance practices enables a return to the individual (performer and spectator) as the agent of desire.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Smit, Sonja
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Mantero, Vera Bouwer, Jaco, 1973- Performance art -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2147 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002379
- Description: This thesis investigates the concepts of revolt and de-reification and how these can be perceived and implemented within the context of performance. The argument focuses on the ability of revolt to question and unsettle processes of reification which in turn manifest a strategy of de-reification. I investigate the potential in contemporary performance practice to challenge prevailing modes of perception and restore the production of desire to the spectator through strategies of de-reification. This research is approached through a qualitative process which entails a reading and application of critical texts to the analysis. This reading/application is engaged in a dialogue with the interpretative and experiential aspects of the two works selected for analysis. Chapter One functions as an introduction to the concept of reification and the necessity of a process geared towards de-reification through revolt. I argue that revolt is already embedded in avant-garde artistic practices through an experimental and questioning approach to artistic practice and the production of meaning. Chapter Two is an analysis of Vera Mantero’s solo work, one mysterious Thing said e.e cummings* (1996). This is structured around two identifiable elements, one being the resistance to signification (designification), which is argued as a strategy of revolt within the piece. The second is the notion of abjection, which works doubly to aid the resistance to signification as well as working as a strategy of revolt by its implication in the work. Chapter Three analyses Jaco Bouwer’s Untitled (2008), specifically dealing with the notion of absence as a strategy of revolt and de-reification. The discussion is focused on the potential complication of desire through absence as enacting a larger project of revolt. As in Chapter Two, this is similarly related to the fragmentation of signs through designification which emphasises the strategy of absence. This thesis concludes with the idea that meaning-making in performance can be considered a process. Instead, the lack or failure of meaning within these selected performance practices enables a return to the individual (performer and spectator) as the agent of desire.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Risk management
- Authors: Derrocks, Velda Charmaine
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Risk management -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- South Africa , Financial risk management -- South Africa , Risk management -- South Africa -- Decision making
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8633 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1480 , Risk management -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- South Africa , Financial risk management -- South Africa , Risk management -- South Africa -- Decision making
- Description: The objective of the study is to establish a perspective of risk management by doing an assessment of current risk management practices, especially in the aftermath of the 2008/2009 global financial crisis. Risk management, as a component of corporate governance, was analysed by addressing the following: - The nature of value-creating assets in business; - The primary challenges for risk management over the next three years; - The changing approaches towards risk management; - The role of legislation and external stakeholders; - The role of risk management in strategic planning; - The cost of risk management; and - The benefits of improved risk management capabilities. A survey was conducted in the form of a questionnaire in order to obtain primary information from business owners on the current role of risk management in their organisations as well as their view on the role of risk management going forward. Businesses operating in the Port Elizabeth and surrounding area with an existing relationship with Absa Business Banking Services participated in the study. Quantitative techniques were used to analyse the data that were obtained from the sample group. The study revealed that the role of risk management in enterprises is evolving into an integrated, enterprise wide risk management function that can be utilised as a source of competitive advantage, from both a funding perspective for Banks and a business perspective for business owners. Capitalising on risk management as a competitive advantage will ultimately lead to long term sustainability and profitability of South African business enterprises and the South African Banking system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Derrocks, Velda Charmaine
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Risk management -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- South Africa , Financial risk management -- South Africa , Risk management -- South Africa -- Decision making
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8633 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1480 , Risk management -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- South Africa , Financial risk management -- South Africa , Risk management -- South Africa -- Decision making
- Description: The objective of the study is to establish a perspective of risk management by doing an assessment of current risk management practices, especially in the aftermath of the 2008/2009 global financial crisis. Risk management, as a component of corporate governance, was analysed by addressing the following: - The nature of value-creating assets in business; - The primary challenges for risk management over the next three years; - The changing approaches towards risk management; - The role of legislation and external stakeholders; - The role of risk management in strategic planning; - The cost of risk management; and - The benefits of improved risk management capabilities. A survey was conducted in the form of a questionnaire in order to obtain primary information from business owners on the current role of risk management in their organisations as well as their view on the role of risk management going forward. Businesses operating in the Port Elizabeth and surrounding area with an existing relationship with Absa Business Banking Services participated in the study. Quantitative techniques were used to analyse the data that were obtained from the sample group. The study revealed that the role of risk management in enterprises is evolving into an integrated, enterprise wide risk management function that can be utilised as a source of competitive advantage, from both a funding perspective for Banks and a business perspective for business owners. Capitalising on risk management as a competitive advantage will ultimately lead to long term sustainability and profitability of South African business enterprises and the South African Banking system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Robert Herrick's self-presentation in Hesperides and his Noble numbers
- Authors: Faull, Lionel Peter
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Herrick, Robert, 1591-1674 Criticism and interpretation Herrick, Robert, 1591-1674. Hesperides Herrick, Robert, 1591-1674. Noble numbers English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700 -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2207 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002250
- Description: Literature has tended to be cut from the moorings of its authorial origins under the influential literary criticism of the past forty years. This thesis is an attempt to re-moor a work of literature to its authorial origins; particularly a work of literature in which the author-poet‘s self-referential markers are so overtly and persistently present as is the case in Hesperides and His Noble Numbers. Although there is a significant overlap between the real-life Herrick and the Hesperidean Herrick, the two figures cannot be regarded as identical. Instead, Herrick‘s deployment of specific genres and not of others, his chosen conventions for ordering a collection of miscellaneous poems, and his adoption of certain conventional poetic stances provide him with a semi-fictionalised way of declaring who he understands himself to be and how he wants himself to be understood. At the same time, the rich classical mythological associations of Herrick‘s title, Hesperides, declare his status as an inheritor of the classical literary tradition, whose hallmark during the Renaissance was the melding of classical, Christian and secular associations into new and complexly polyvalent literary works. For example, Herrick‘s appropriation of the classical mythological figure of Hercules provides him with both a narrative way and an allegorical way of reconciling the so-called secular, or profane poetry of Hesperides with the so-called religious, or divine poetry of Noble Numbers. In Noble Numbers, Herrick reveals new facets of his self-presentation to the reader, whilst also making explicit the theological congruencies between the two works. Herrick‘s religious self-presentation demonstrates his expansive scholarly interests, as well his instinct to include, rather than to exclude, the religious beliefs of others within his syncretistic sense-of-self. Finally, the placement of Noble Numbers after Hesperides is not a signal that Herrick privileged the former, or took his religion less seriously than he did his love for classical poetry, but rather that in Herrick‘s understanding of his world, man‘s fleeting glimpses of God in the secular sphere give way to a fuller comprehension of Him in the divine sphere.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Faull, Lionel Peter
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Herrick, Robert, 1591-1674 Criticism and interpretation Herrick, Robert, 1591-1674. Hesperides Herrick, Robert, 1591-1674. Noble numbers English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700 -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2207 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002250
- Description: Literature has tended to be cut from the moorings of its authorial origins under the influential literary criticism of the past forty years. This thesis is an attempt to re-moor a work of literature to its authorial origins; particularly a work of literature in which the author-poet‘s self-referential markers are so overtly and persistently present as is the case in Hesperides and His Noble Numbers. Although there is a significant overlap between the real-life Herrick and the Hesperidean Herrick, the two figures cannot be regarded as identical. Instead, Herrick‘s deployment of specific genres and not of others, his chosen conventions for ordering a collection of miscellaneous poems, and his adoption of certain conventional poetic stances provide him with a semi-fictionalised way of declaring who he understands himself to be and how he wants himself to be understood. At the same time, the rich classical mythological associations of Herrick‘s title, Hesperides, declare his status as an inheritor of the classical literary tradition, whose hallmark during the Renaissance was the melding of classical, Christian and secular associations into new and complexly polyvalent literary works. For example, Herrick‘s appropriation of the classical mythological figure of Hercules provides him with both a narrative way and an allegorical way of reconciling the so-called secular, or profane poetry of Hesperides with the so-called religious, or divine poetry of Noble Numbers. In Noble Numbers, Herrick reveals new facets of his self-presentation to the reader, whilst also making explicit the theological congruencies between the two works. Herrick‘s religious self-presentation demonstrates his expansive scholarly interests, as well his instinct to include, rather than to exclude, the religious beliefs of others within his syncretistic sense-of-self. Finally, the placement of Noble Numbers after Hesperides is not a signal that Herrick privileged the former, or took his religion less seriously than he did his love for classical poetry, but rather that in Herrick‘s understanding of his world, man‘s fleeting glimpses of God in the secular sphere give way to a fuller comprehension of Him in the divine sphere.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Rural livelihoods and food security in the aftermath of the fast track land reform in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Jowah, Eddah Vimbai
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Land reform -- Zimbabwe Food security -- Zimbabwe Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe Right of property -- Zimbabwe Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions Rural development -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3302 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003090
- Description: Land reforms are back on the development agenda. Different types of land reforms have been adopted globally in recent years, but by far the most controversial and most radical has been the fast track land reform pursued by the Government of Zimbabwe from 2000. There is general scholarly agreement that the fast track process has been accompanied by various socio-economic and political challenges, including an increase in levels of food insecurity. This thesis examines fast track reform in specific relation to the livelihoods of smallholder households and household food security amongst land beneficiaries. It argues that the problem of food insecurity in Zimbabwe is a complex social, political and economic issue, which cannot be simplistically reduced to the failures of fast track. Understanding household food insecurity post-2000 needs to go beyond the notion that the nation‟s food security hinges on overall levels of production alone. In particular, livelihoods and food security need to be conceptualised at community and household levels. Therefore, while addressing the broad macro-level analysis and discourse around the process of fast track, the study also adopts a micro-level analysis to look at the varied impact of fast track on the actual beneficiaries. The research focuses on small-scale beneficiaries in the Goromonzi District of Zimbabwe and, through the use of the sustainable livelihoods framework, looks at how their local contexts have been influenced by the wider socio-economic and political processes, and how beneficiaries have sought ways of coping with the challenges they face.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Jowah, Eddah Vimbai
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Land reform -- Zimbabwe Food security -- Zimbabwe Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe Right of property -- Zimbabwe Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions Rural development -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3302 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003090
- Description: Land reforms are back on the development agenda. Different types of land reforms have been adopted globally in recent years, but by far the most controversial and most radical has been the fast track land reform pursued by the Government of Zimbabwe from 2000. There is general scholarly agreement that the fast track process has been accompanied by various socio-economic and political challenges, including an increase in levels of food insecurity. This thesis examines fast track reform in specific relation to the livelihoods of smallholder households and household food security amongst land beneficiaries. It argues that the problem of food insecurity in Zimbabwe is a complex social, political and economic issue, which cannot be simplistically reduced to the failures of fast track. Understanding household food insecurity post-2000 needs to go beyond the notion that the nation‟s food security hinges on overall levels of production alone. In particular, livelihoods and food security need to be conceptualised at community and household levels. Therefore, while addressing the broad macro-level analysis and discourse around the process of fast track, the study also adopts a micro-level analysis to look at the varied impact of fast track on the actual beneficiaries. The research focuses on small-scale beneficiaries in the Goromonzi District of Zimbabwe and, through the use of the sustainable livelihoods framework, looks at how their local contexts have been influenced by the wider socio-economic and political processes, and how beneficiaries have sought ways of coping with the challenges they face.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Self-efficacy and social support of academy cricketers
- Authors: Cowan, Jenna
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Self-efficacy , Control (Psychology) , Social networks , Cricket players
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9859 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1556 , Self-efficacy , Control (Psychology) , Social networks , Cricket players
- Description: Self-efficacy is considered to be a significant variable for enhancing all aspects of human performance (Druckman, 2004). Social support may influence self-efficacy through each of the four channels of self-efficacy information which consist of performance accomplishments, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion and physiological responses (Bandura, 1997). The primary aim of this study was to explore and describe the nature of change that occurred in selfefficacy and received social support of university-age academy cricketers over the duration of an academy programme. The secondary aim was to explore and describe the relationship between the two constructs, self-efficacy and social support. Sixty-five male, university-age (18-25 years) provincial academy cricketers completed a social support measure and a self-efficacy measure specifically designed for the purposes of this study. These measures were based on Rees and Freeman’s (2007) items and Cox, Martens and Russell’s (2003) revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2 - Martens, Burton, Vealey, Bump & Smith, 1990) respectively. The perceived pre- and post-academy personal ratings of self-efficacy and social support, obtained prior to the start of the South African Interprovincial Academy Cricket week, referred to participants’ perceptions before and after attending their respective provincial academies. An inferential pre-experimental post-pretest design was used. The results included significant changes found in self-efficacy, esteem social support, informational social support and tangible social support over the academy season. There were no differences attributed to the length of time a cricketer had spent at the academy or to the cricketer’s highest level of achievement in cricket. The only significant correlation that existed between self-efficacy and social support was the correlation between self-efficacy and x informational social support. This study provided an initial insight into the role of self-efficacy and social support in talented cricketers, especially in a South African context.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Cowan, Jenna
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Self-efficacy , Control (Psychology) , Social networks , Cricket players
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9859 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1556 , Self-efficacy , Control (Psychology) , Social networks , Cricket players
- Description: Self-efficacy is considered to be a significant variable for enhancing all aspects of human performance (Druckman, 2004). Social support may influence self-efficacy through each of the four channels of self-efficacy information which consist of performance accomplishments, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion and physiological responses (Bandura, 1997). The primary aim of this study was to explore and describe the nature of change that occurred in selfefficacy and received social support of university-age academy cricketers over the duration of an academy programme. The secondary aim was to explore and describe the relationship between the two constructs, self-efficacy and social support. Sixty-five male, university-age (18-25 years) provincial academy cricketers completed a social support measure and a self-efficacy measure specifically designed for the purposes of this study. These measures were based on Rees and Freeman’s (2007) items and Cox, Martens and Russell’s (2003) revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2 - Martens, Burton, Vealey, Bump & Smith, 1990) respectively. The perceived pre- and post-academy personal ratings of self-efficacy and social support, obtained prior to the start of the South African Interprovincial Academy Cricket week, referred to participants’ perceptions before and after attending their respective provincial academies. An inferential pre-experimental post-pretest design was used. The results included significant changes found in self-efficacy, esteem social support, informational social support and tangible social support over the academy season. There were no differences attributed to the length of time a cricketer had spent at the academy or to the cricketer’s highest level of achievement in cricket. The only significant correlation that existed between self-efficacy and social support was the correlation between self-efficacy and x informational social support. This study provided an initial insight into the role of self-efficacy and social support in talented cricketers, especially in a South African context.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Sexy sports: a reception study of the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Olympics website coverage of women's beach volleyball at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
- Authors: Tajdin, Wafa Mohamed
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Olympics National Broadcasting Company Sports journalism Mass media and sports Volleyball for women Beach volleyball Feminism and mass media Cyberfeminism Sexism in mass media Women athletes Sports for women Sex role in mass media Women in mass media
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3486 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002941
- Description: Sexy Sports: A reception study of the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Olympics website coverage of women’s beach volleyball at the 2008 Beijing Olympics involves an examination of the sporting media and its reportage of the female athlete. The thesis will focus on the reception of the NBC Olympics website coverage of women’s beach volleyball at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by viewing groups constituted by the researcher. The reason for this is that it would be difficult to find naturally constituted audiences for this website, but its reception is never-the-less of research interest. My hypothesis is that the nature of the images and text on the website is overdetermined by the construction of women on other popular texts such as men’s magazines etc. In focusing on the meanings obtained from the content of the website (texts and images), the study will investigate how these meanings are naturalised in specific moments of production as well as through their intertextual relationships with similar texts involved in the glamorisation of female athletes. Specifically the study explores the meanings obtained from the content of the website (texts and images) and how in turn these meanings are naturalised by the consumers of the website. The study will utilise a qualitative research design to unpack the content of the website through the use of qualitative content analysis, focus group interviews and individual in-depth interviews. The research will be informed via a theoretical framework that draws from feminist theory, sport feminism, the concept of intertextuality between media texts, ideology and Stuart Hall’s model of preferred reading. Increasingly mainstream media uses the image of a woman’s body to sell almost anything from men’s razors to margarine and in so far as the reporting of women’s sports is concerned this holds true. Through the research I intend to account for the connotative power of other texts i.e. the men’s magazines and pornography, and how this is likely to be carried through into shaping the meanings that are read off the website. Arguably the production of the NBC texts and images are overdetermined by the existence of similar texts already in transmission in the circuit of culture.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Tajdin, Wafa Mohamed
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Olympics National Broadcasting Company Sports journalism Mass media and sports Volleyball for women Beach volleyball Feminism and mass media Cyberfeminism Sexism in mass media Women athletes Sports for women Sex role in mass media Women in mass media
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3486 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002941
- Description: Sexy Sports: A reception study of the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Olympics website coverage of women’s beach volleyball at the 2008 Beijing Olympics involves an examination of the sporting media and its reportage of the female athlete. The thesis will focus on the reception of the NBC Olympics website coverage of women’s beach volleyball at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by viewing groups constituted by the researcher. The reason for this is that it would be difficult to find naturally constituted audiences for this website, but its reception is never-the-less of research interest. My hypothesis is that the nature of the images and text on the website is overdetermined by the construction of women on other popular texts such as men’s magazines etc. In focusing on the meanings obtained from the content of the website (texts and images), the study will investigate how these meanings are naturalised in specific moments of production as well as through their intertextual relationships with similar texts involved in the glamorisation of female athletes. Specifically the study explores the meanings obtained from the content of the website (texts and images) and how in turn these meanings are naturalised by the consumers of the website. The study will utilise a qualitative research design to unpack the content of the website through the use of qualitative content analysis, focus group interviews and individual in-depth interviews. The research will be informed via a theoretical framework that draws from feminist theory, sport feminism, the concept of intertextuality between media texts, ideology and Stuart Hall’s model of preferred reading. Increasingly mainstream media uses the image of a woman’s body to sell almost anything from men’s razors to margarine and in so far as the reporting of women’s sports is concerned this holds true. Through the research I intend to account for the connotative power of other texts i.e. the men’s magazines and pornography, and how this is likely to be carried through into shaping the meanings that are read off the website. Arguably the production of the NBC texts and images are overdetermined by the existence of similar texts already in transmission in the circuit of culture.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010