A hermeneutic exploration of men's narratives of manhood
- Authors: Brown, Jade Draylene Thelma
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Men -- Identity Hermeneutics Men -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13620 , vital:39685
- Description: Manhood is a construction which must be ‘achieved’ by men and boys (Gilmore, 1990). A male child must learn to perform these constructions early in life, and then sustain this performance throughout life (Gilmore, 1990; Hurley, 2004). Booth (2012) argues that manhood is a subjective concept particular to each man’s unique set of identifications. This includes the influences of various contexts upon these life performances. Within South African historical and cultural contexts, the impact of apartheid upon manhood has to be acknowledged (Vandello, Bosson, Burnaford & Weaver, 2010; Morrell, 2001 & 2005). This study qualitatively takes a look into what manhood is perceived to mean, within various social contexts. A hermeneutic methodology is utilised within a poststructuralist framework to unpack the meaning and unique identifications of each participant interview. The data findings emphasise that there are multiple modes of manhood, which are enacted by different men as well as by the same men within different situations. Gender identity is therefore significantly flexible in principle although it is formed into specific categories under certain historical and cultural conditions (Barker, 2012). Manhood in South Africa can therefore be understood to be influenced by different historical and cultural elements. South African men may live within a conflictual space between historical and cultural discourses of manhood as well as western discourses of manhood.
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- Authors: Brown, Jade Draylene Thelma
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Men -- Identity Hermeneutics Men -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13620 , vital:39685
- Description: Manhood is a construction which must be ‘achieved’ by men and boys (Gilmore, 1990). A male child must learn to perform these constructions early in life, and then sustain this performance throughout life (Gilmore, 1990; Hurley, 2004). Booth (2012) argues that manhood is a subjective concept particular to each man’s unique set of identifications. This includes the influences of various contexts upon these life performances. Within South African historical and cultural contexts, the impact of apartheid upon manhood has to be acknowledged (Vandello, Bosson, Burnaford & Weaver, 2010; Morrell, 2001 & 2005). This study qualitatively takes a look into what manhood is perceived to mean, within various social contexts. A hermeneutic methodology is utilised within a poststructuralist framework to unpack the meaning and unique identifications of each participant interview. The data findings emphasise that there are multiple modes of manhood, which are enacted by different men as well as by the same men within different situations. Gender identity is therefore significantly flexible in principle although it is formed into specific categories under certain historical and cultural conditions (Barker, 2012). Manhood in South Africa can therefore be understood to be influenced by different historical and cultural elements. South African men may live within a conflictual space between historical and cultural discourses of manhood as well as western discourses of manhood.
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Land and agrarian reform, and rural livelihoods in post-apartheid South Africa : a study on the Ehlanzeni District in Mpumalanga Province
- Authors: Maduna-Mafu, Nqobani
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Land reform -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga Land use, Rural -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4514 , vital:28346
- Description: The study examines land and agrarian reforms in democratic South Africa focusing on projects implemented under the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) since 2009. Focusing on Bushbuckridge municipal area, the study reviews wide ranging transformative efforts initiated to address agrarian sector inequalities and rural poverty. The review illustrates that modest achievements have been made in restructuring the apartheid political geography manifesting in high levels of asset poverty amongst rural populations and vulnerability to food insecurity. While several factors are explored to explain this, it is discernible that a disjuncture exists between the social justice imperatives and the neoliberal development ideology adopted since transition to democracy. Adopting the sustainable livelihoods approach, the study examines whether the CRDP is adequate to address the needs for land equity in redistribution and to improve rural livelihoods in Mpumalanga, with particular focus on Bushbuckridge municipal area. Furthermore, the study examines the extent to which the implementation of CRDP has met the objective of equitable land redistribution as specified in the policy and also explores the outcomes of implementation, whether necessary conditions to promote the small-scale agricultural sector have been created; for instance, investments in agricultural infrastructure, support services such as credit measures, inputs and capacity building programmes for subsistence sector farming. Through a qualitative inquiry challenges are identified regarding the achievement of equity in land distribution and sustainable livelihoods. The conclusive chapter argues for paradigm shifts in land acquisition, public engagement, gender equity, funding models for subsistence farming, intersectoral co-operation, funding of rural infrastructural projects particularly markets and agro-processing facilities.
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- Authors: Maduna-Mafu, Nqobani
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Land reform -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga Land use, Rural -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4514 , vital:28346
- Description: The study examines land and agrarian reforms in democratic South Africa focusing on projects implemented under the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) since 2009. Focusing on Bushbuckridge municipal area, the study reviews wide ranging transformative efforts initiated to address agrarian sector inequalities and rural poverty. The review illustrates that modest achievements have been made in restructuring the apartheid political geography manifesting in high levels of asset poverty amongst rural populations and vulnerability to food insecurity. While several factors are explored to explain this, it is discernible that a disjuncture exists between the social justice imperatives and the neoliberal development ideology adopted since transition to democracy. Adopting the sustainable livelihoods approach, the study examines whether the CRDP is adequate to address the needs for land equity in redistribution and to improve rural livelihoods in Mpumalanga, with particular focus on Bushbuckridge municipal area. Furthermore, the study examines the extent to which the implementation of CRDP has met the objective of equitable land redistribution as specified in the policy and also explores the outcomes of implementation, whether necessary conditions to promote the small-scale agricultural sector have been created; for instance, investments in agricultural infrastructure, support services such as credit measures, inputs and capacity building programmes for subsistence sector farming. Through a qualitative inquiry challenges are identified regarding the achievement of equity in land distribution and sustainable livelihoods. The conclusive chapter argues for paradigm shifts in land acquisition, public engagement, gender equity, funding models for subsistence farming, intersectoral co-operation, funding of rural infrastructural projects particularly markets and agro-processing facilities.
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Recycled water usage in peri-urban agriculture : an examination of its socio-economic and environmental benefits in Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Makinana, Anazo
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Water reuse -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Water reuse -- Economic aspects -- South Africa Water reuse -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5719 , vital:29367
- Description: This study examines whether recycled water (specifically grey water) is used in peri-urban agriculture in greater Port Elizabeth. It also investigates the socio-economic as well as environmental benefits of using recycled water in peri-urban agriculture. Community perceptions and narratives about the use of recycled water for farming purposes were also investigated. Study respondents were purposively selected from Motherwell and Uitenhage in Port Elizabeth. A qualitative research methodology and methods were used. This involved using purposive sampling to sample, select and interview 22 respondents and eight key informants. All the respondents were interviewed using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The study found that while many respondents have heard about water recycling, they are however not using recycled grey water for their peri-urban farming activities. Instead, peri-urban farmers continue to use water supplied by the municipality. Recycled water is mostly used for watering sport fields around Port Elizabeth. This continued usage of municipal water (instead of recycled water) is not only costly to the municipality but the individual farmers as well. The respondents were however aware of the benefits of using recycled water. These include economic (money saved from not paying irrigation water bills), environmental (nutrient contents found in recycled water) and socio-economic (conserving fresh available for use in other community purposes). The study recommends that the Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality should do more (through educational and environmental campaigns) to encourage peri-urban farmers to use recycled water in their farming activities.
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- Authors: Makinana, Anazo
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Water reuse -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Water reuse -- Economic aspects -- South Africa Water reuse -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5719 , vital:29367
- Description: This study examines whether recycled water (specifically grey water) is used in peri-urban agriculture in greater Port Elizabeth. It also investigates the socio-economic as well as environmental benefits of using recycled water in peri-urban agriculture. Community perceptions and narratives about the use of recycled water for farming purposes were also investigated. Study respondents were purposively selected from Motherwell and Uitenhage in Port Elizabeth. A qualitative research methodology and methods were used. This involved using purposive sampling to sample, select and interview 22 respondents and eight key informants. All the respondents were interviewed using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The study found that while many respondents have heard about water recycling, they are however not using recycled grey water for their peri-urban farming activities. Instead, peri-urban farmers continue to use water supplied by the municipality. Recycled water is mostly used for watering sport fields around Port Elizabeth. This continued usage of municipal water (instead of recycled water) is not only costly to the municipality but the individual farmers as well. The respondents were however aware of the benefits of using recycled water. These include economic (money saved from not paying irrigation water bills), environmental (nutrient contents found in recycled water) and socio-economic (conserving fresh available for use in other community purposes). The study recommends that the Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality should do more (through educational and environmental campaigns) to encourage peri-urban farmers to use recycled water in their farming activities.
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The role of agricultural co-operatives in food security in the Eastern Cape, Province of South Africa: the case of the Nkonkobe Local Municipality
- Authors: Dyalvane, Ncumisa
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Agriculture, Cooperative -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2867 , vital:28110
- Description: This study highlights the contribution of agricultural co-operatives in promoting food security in the Nkonkobe Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.Although the dawn of democracy saw the government making efforts to address food insecurity and provide solutions to the challenges related to it a lot remains to be done. As a result, food insecurity remains a fundamental concern in South Africa in particular among villagers in the Nkonkobe Local Municipality. Consequently, the study focuses on the state of Agricultural Co-operatives in the Nkonkobe Municipality and their role in food security. Therefore, this dissertation therefore discusses problems plaguing Agricultural Co-operatives in Nkonkobe. This study highlights the contribution of agricultural co-operatives in promoting food security in the Nkonkobe Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.Although the dawn of democracy saw the government making efforts to address food insecurity and provide solutions to the challenges related to it a lot remains to be done. As a result, food insecurity remains a fundamental concern in South Africa in particular among villagers in the Nkonkobe Local Municipality. Consequently, the study focuses on the state of Agricultural Co-operatives in the Nkonkobe Municipality and their role in food security. Therefore, this dissertation therefore discusses problems plaguing Agricultural Co-operatives in Nkonkobe. The qualitative methodology was used because it seeks to dig out in-depth information so as to understand the causes of food insecurity despite agricultural co-operatives and government assistance being in place. The food security situation was analysed using the sustainable livelihoods and basic needs approaches. The findings of the study reveal that agricultural co-operatives face a number of challenges. These include inadequate funds, poor market places, transport problems, shortage of farming equipment and insufficient water supply. In addition, the ability of agricultural co-operatives to make a worthy contribution to food security is being adversely hindered by poor implementation capacity and financial management. This in turn makes them unable to strengthen and expand their business operations. The study suggests that the government or the municipality should build sustainable water sources like dams as well as provide taps in the community to boost productivity all year round in the agricultural cooperatives hence guaranteeing food security in Nkonkobe Local Municipality,the Eastern Cape and South Africa at large.
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- Authors: Dyalvane, Ncumisa
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Agriculture, Cooperative -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2867 , vital:28110
- Description: This study highlights the contribution of agricultural co-operatives in promoting food security in the Nkonkobe Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.Although the dawn of democracy saw the government making efforts to address food insecurity and provide solutions to the challenges related to it a lot remains to be done. As a result, food insecurity remains a fundamental concern in South Africa in particular among villagers in the Nkonkobe Local Municipality. Consequently, the study focuses on the state of Agricultural Co-operatives in the Nkonkobe Municipality and their role in food security. Therefore, this dissertation therefore discusses problems plaguing Agricultural Co-operatives in Nkonkobe. This study highlights the contribution of agricultural co-operatives in promoting food security in the Nkonkobe Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.Although the dawn of democracy saw the government making efforts to address food insecurity and provide solutions to the challenges related to it a lot remains to be done. As a result, food insecurity remains a fundamental concern in South Africa in particular among villagers in the Nkonkobe Local Municipality. Consequently, the study focuses on the state of Agricultural Co-operatives in the Nkonkobe Municipality and their role in food security. Therefore, this dissertation therefore discusses problems plaguing Agricultural Co-operatives in Nkonkobe. The qualitative methodology was used because it seeks to dig out in-depth information so as to understand the causes of food insecurity despite agricultural co-operatives and government assistance being in place. The food security situation was analysed using the sustainable livelihoods and basic needs approaches. The findings of the study reveal that agricultural co-operatives face a number of challenges. These include inadequate funds, poor market places, transport problems, shortage of farming equipment and insufficient water supply. In addition, the ability of agricultural co-operatives to make a worthy contribution to food security is being adversely hindered by poor implementation capacity and financial management. This in turn makes them unable to strengthen and expand their business operations. The study suggests that the government or the municipality should build sustainable water sources like dams as well as provide taps in the community to boost productivity all year round in the agricultural cooperatives hence guaranteeing food security in Nkonkobe Local Municipality,the Eastern Cape and South Africa at large.
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WISC-IV test performance of grade 3 Xhosa-speaking children : an extension of a prior South African normative database
- Authors: Bickell, Alexa
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Children -- Intelligence testing -- South Africa Education, Elementary -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5730 , vital:29368
- Description: Introduction. A well-recognized problem exists when commonly employed tests developed in the United States (US) or United Kingdom (UK) are accepted unconditionally for use on local relatively disadvantaged populations, as these tests have questionable validity and therefore incur a high risk of misdiagnosis. Cross-cultural normative research has been conducted in South Africa on some of the Wechsler intelligence scales with respect to participants stratified for level and quality of education, age, race and language, including a study on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) for learners with Grade 7 education (age 12 to 23). The aim of the current study was to conduct a partial duplication of the earlier WISC-IV South African norming study that specifically targeted a younger group of educationally disadvantaged children at a lower level of education. Method. Participants were Black Xhosa-speaking Grade 3 learners in the age range 8 to 9 (N =32 ), who were being schooled in the disadvantaged educational setting of the former Department of Education and Training (former-DET) schools. The WISC-IV results of the current study were statistically compared with the WISC-IV results from Shuttleworth-Edwards, Van der Merwe et al. (2013) study. Results. There was a significant lowering of between 20 to 30 IQ points relative to the UK standardisation on WISC-IV scores for this sample of Grade 3 Xhosa-speaking learners, replicating the earlier outcome for Grade 7 Xhosa-speaking learners relative to the UK standardisation. No differences were in evidence within the WISC-IV sample for the female and male participants on any of the indices. There was equivalence between the Grade 3 and Grade 7 Xhosa-speaking learners on all subtest and Index scores with the exception of the Digit Span subtest. Conclusions. The results confirm prior research indications of the negative impact of educational disadvantage on IQ test results and the need for this to be taken into account by the availability of socio- culturally relevant norms.
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- Authors: Bickell, Alexa
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Children -- Intelligence testing -- South Africa Education, Elementary -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5730 , vital:29368
- Description: Introduction. A well-recognized problem exists when commonly employed tests developed in the United States (US) or United Kingdom (UK) are accepted unconditionally for use on local relatively disadvantaged populations, as these tests have questionable validity and therefore incur a high risk of misdiagnosis. Cross-cultural normative research has been conducted in South Africa on some of the Wechsler intelligence scales with respect to participants stratified for level and quality of education, age, race and language, including a study on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) for learners with Grade 7 education (age 12 to 23). The aim of the current study was to conduct a partial duplication of the earlier WISC-IV South African norming study that specifically targeted a younger group of educationally disadvantaged children at a lower level of education. Method. Participants were Black Xhosa-speaking Grade 3 learners in the age range 8 to 9 (N =32 ), who were being schooled in the disadvantaged educational setting of the former Department of Education and Training (former-DET) schools. The WISC-IV results of the current study were statistically compared with the WISC-IV results from Shuttleworth-Edwards, Van der Merwe et al. (2013) study. Results. There was a significant lowering of between 20 to 30 IQ points relative to the UK standardisation on WISC-IV scores for this sample of Grade 3 Xhosa-speaking learners, replicating the earlier outcome for Grade 7 Xhosa-speaking learners relative to the UK standardisation. No differences were in evidence within the WISC-IV sample for the female and male participants on any of the indices. There was equivalence between the Grade 3 and Grade 7 Xhosa-speaking learners on all subtest and Index scores with the exception of the Digit Span subtest. Conclusions. The results confirm prior research indications of the negative impact of educational disadvantage on IQ test results and the need for this to be taken into account by the availability of socio- culturally relevant norms.
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