3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions

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    Affirmative action in South African sport : a moral game for all
    (2017) Johnson, Craig Virgil
    The following paper examines the moral justification for affirmative action within South African sport, more specifically the forms pertaining to “preferential treatment” and “reverse discrimination”. The paper begins with an articulation of the nature of our sport as well as that of affirmative action, which in turn lays the foundation for my moral justification. South African sport, it seems, must share centre stage in our country’s reconciliation and nation-building process if we are to faster realise a substantively equal and non-racial society. I argue that by appropriately bringing about the right kind of integration in South African sport we can create a better country for all by reducing, inter alia, our racial and class disparities, racial prejudices and racism. That said, there appears to be a greater moral significance that comes from using “preferential treatment” and “reverse discrimination” in South African sport, as opposed to their complete absence.
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    "Coconuts": self-identification and experiences of black people proficient in English only
    (2016) Letshufi, Bonolo
    This thesis explores the different ways that identities are negotiated and renegotiated in different spaces. It intends to unearth the contradictions, tensions and complexities that occur as a result of racialised subjectivities. This study unpacks the socially constructed term "Coconut" and challenges the existing dominant discourses that speak of "Coconuts" as inauthentic Black people who have lost touch with their heritage.What it means to be Black today in South Africa is being contested and there is resistance towards binary and rigid understandings and conceptualizations of blackness. In the intersection of race and class, class is often the silent signifier of distinction and difference post-apartheid but proves to be significant in understanding the different nuanced lived experiences of the Black subject. This thesis is specifically interested in how the inability to comprehend or communicate in an African language further complicates and adds another layer of complexity to not only the lived experiences of Black monolinguals proficient in English only, but also to their personal sense of self. Being a "Coconut" is experienced in conflicted and precarious ways. On the one hand it is experienced with alienation and rejection and in other contexts, it holds significant value and serves as social cultural capital necessary for maneuvering social, political and economic spaces. Key words: Identity, Coconut, Blackness, Class, Cultural capital, Monolinguals, Language, Accent, Racial subjectivity
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    Through our eyes : an action research project exploring the identities and experiences of NEETs in a South African township
    (2016) Haynes-Rolando, Hayley
    The study sought to give voice to the subjective experiences of NEETs (youth not in employment, education or training), often viewed as risk taking, apathetic and a strain on the economy and to think about their identities differently. The aim was also to provide ways to forge new versions of themselves in the future, allowing the participants an opportunity to ‘read the world’ differently and to think about new possibilities, through recollecting the past and exploring their present place in the world. This study utilised participatory action research and narrative inquiry to explore the experiences of a group of NEETs in a township in South Africa, and together with the researcher were involved in active engagement with their social worlds, through photographic documentation and in-depth interviews. The data were analysed using thematic and narrative analysis. The focus of the narrative analysis was to understand the meaning that the participants made of their own experiences, and the thematic and visual analysis focussed on understanding their context, their interaction with place and people in forming their identities, and the opportunities and versions of identities that they thought were possible in the future. The significance of these findings points to the past and the effects of South Africa’s history on youth identity. However, despite the structural constraints that impact on youth growing up in disadvantaged townships, and the impact that these constraints have on their identities, these youth have found ways to challenge the stereotypes that define their lives, and in different ways offer glimmers of hope for their futures. Their identities, though impacted by their interaction with their environment and the people in their context, are remarkably complex and encouraging. Furthermore, this study provided insight into the issues facing ‘at risk’ youth, and allows for new possibilities for their issues and concerns to be addressed.
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