3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/45
Browse
11 results
Search Results
Item Masculinities in relation to male-on-male violence: exploring male perceptions of safety and vulnerability in public spaces(2023) Mveng, Angeline AmomboThis research is concerned with men’s vulnerability to violence victimization. Through viewing their talk as ‘small stories’, discourse analysis was deployed to discover the men’s construction’s regarding safety & threat in public space. Most research concerned with violence and masculinity tends to frame masculinity in terms of being indicative of perpetrating violence. There is scant research which considers male vulnerability to violence inflicted by other males. This has influenced dominating social discourse which fails to acknowledge the vulnerability which men experience in relation to violence. This study interviewed seven black men who reside in South Africa, aged between 23 and 30 years old, querying them on their experience of vulnerability when navigating public space. Affective experiences of anxiety emerged in the men’s constructions of vulnerability and safety in space. The study found that all the men experienced themselves as vulnerable to violent victimization, even though they tended to make invisible their experience of this in their daily livesItem The shifting dynamics of the relations between institutionalisation and strike violence: a case study of Impala Platinum, Rustenburg (1982-2012)(2016-03-08) Chinguno, CrispenThis dissertation explores the shifting patterns of institutionalisation of industrial relations and violence in strikes over a period of thirty years, shaped by the transition from apartheid to democracy. It draws from an ethnographic study of Impala Platinum mine between 1982 and 2012 and some analysis of the Lonmin Platinum strike in 2012. It traces the trajectory of institutionalisation from the period of apartheid despotism, the transition to inclusive and participatory industrial relations system, through to the second decade after the democratic transition. The overriding aim of this study which is informed by theories of institutionalisation of industrial relations is to understand how workplace order is attained, sustained, challenged and change overtime. This dissertation argues that the institutionalisation of industrial relations is highly unstable, precarious and generates new forms of conflict and worker solidarity. It is continuously being (re)configured, and violence is part of this making, remaking and unmaking of order. This cycle informs the nature and repertoires of strike violence. This thesis shows the ambiguity of institutionalisation of industrial relations as a source of power. It simultaneously empowers and dis-empowers. It confers rights and at the same time constrains how the rights may be exercised. The broader context shaping the South African labour relations before the democratic transition was informed by apartheid which produced a despotic labour regime and an insurgent trade unionism characterised by various forms of violence. This resulted in institutionalisation of negotiations and recognition of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) at Impala Platinum in Rustenburg. This process of institutionalising industrial relations and bureaucratisation of the union happened in the context of broader national democratic transition and shift to an industrial democracy. The NUM evolved into a dominant and highly institutionalised union at Impala Platinum and nationally. The industrial relations shifted from non-hegemonic to a hegemonic system in which class relations were sustained through consent. Consequently, insurgent trade unionism was institutionalised but ironically crystallised into a class compromise which undermined the attainment of union goals. This simultaneously generated some elements of insurgent trade unionism from below by 2009. The study observed that insurgent trade unionism characterised by informal structures and networks challenging the institutionalisation of industrial relations was renewed or reinvigorated reasserting resistance to the co-option of the union by 2012. The primary contribution of this thesis is that it develops a typology explicating the variations of institutionalisation of industrial relations and violence in strikes over time, capturing different and complex power relations: ‘ideal institutionalisation’, ‘de-institutionalisation’ and ‘re-institutionalisation’. Ideal institutionalisation of industrial relations crystallizes a particular balance of organisational and institutional power and when this is disturbed it may be (re)configured. Ideal institutionalisation is attained and sustained where organisational power commensurate with institutional power. Moreover, if the balance dissipates and or is not sustained, there is bound to be a shift/backlash towards de-institutionalisation or unmaking of institutionalisation of industrial relations. The transition of institutionalisation of industrial relations is a function of power play between capital and labour mediated by the state and tied to worker agency. This thesis sheds light on how worker agency continually changes shaping the industrial relations and how a diverse workforce attempts to overcome divisions and fragmentation through forging solidarity including utilising coercive means, conceptualised as a ‘violent solidarity’. Key words: institutionalisation, strike violence, industrial relations, trade union, insurgent unionism, violence.Item Constructions of intimate partner violence in gay male relationships.(2014-06-12) Moodley, YolandranAlthough prevalence rates of gay intimate partner violence (IPV) appear to equal heterosexual IPV rates, gay male IPV does not feature strongly in public anti-‐violence messaging. This relative silence appears to hold even within the LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) community. This study addresses this silence. In-‐depth qualitative interviews were conducted and a critical discourse analysis informed by Ian Parker’s (1992) perspectives, was used to analyse the results. A review of mainstream and critical discourses of violence show that IPV is usually constructed as an exclusively heterosexual phenomenon and these influenced participants’ constructions. Findings indicated that a range of discourses intersect to produce constructions of gay IPV as ‘not violence’, normative, un-‐ harmful, unintimidating, ‘anti-‐gay’, erotic, cathartic and intimate. All of these formations can result in gay IPV being silenced and it was shown that gay mens’ constructions of IPV were inextricably bound in gendered, power asymmetry. The study demonstrates how particular configurations of discourse are necessary for violence to become intelligible at all. The implications of these findings are discussed and possibilities for important community intervention suggested.Item Discourses of whiteness and masculinity in conscripts' talk about the South African 'border war'.(2014-02-25) Caforio, DaniloThe primary aim of this research was to explore the experiences of formerly white conscripted combat veterans during the ‘border war’ and furthermore, to uncover discourses of whiteness and masculinity embedded in their recounted experiences. This research made use of a qualitative research design. This study drew on the experiences of white male South Africans who were exposed to some form of active combat during the ‘border war’. The sample consisted of 8 white South Africans who were born roughly between the 1960s and 1970s. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using discourse analysis. For the purpose of this research, a hybridised version of discourse analysis was used. This contained elements of critical as well as the discursive approaches to discourse analysis. This study concluded that both whiteness and masculinity are unstable constructs with no absolute definition. This study also found that many of the participants seemed conflicted and unsure of where to position themselves in relation to the ‘border war’, apartheid and contemporary South Africa as white men. For many it would seem it is easier to simply ignore those years of their lives. In terms of the intersectionality of whiteness and masculinity this research confirms the fact that both whiteness and masculinity, as socially and culturally constructed categories, work together and interact on multiple levels to either empower or marginalize individuals. However, in some instances it was also found that these discourses also function independently of each other. Ultimately it can be said that white masculinity exists in a space that is both troubled and unsettled. This study has illustrated that white men in South Africa have gone from a position of omnipotent power during apartheid to one of contested instability in present South African society. It is evident from this research that whiteness and masculinity are both complex and diffuse constructs that still warrant a great deal of exploration. That said, the future prospects for these individuals are both challenging and possible.Item The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the persistance of the crisis in the Kivus(2014-02-18) Mumwi, Simon MarcoThis study sets out to examine the causes for the continued conflicts in the Kivu particularly after the establishment of a transitional government in the DRC in 2004 and the elections in 2006. Three factors appear to account for the continued conflicts. First is the ethnic divide between the local population and the Kinyarwanda speakers that have settled in the region overtime. This conflict is mostly centered on the land issues which were not addressed in the final agreements for the establishment of the transitional government in Kinshasa, at Sun City in 2002. It should not be surprising that this sparked new fighting in 2006 after the elections. Second is the continued existence of a central power vacuum. This is mainly because the national army is neither strong nor disciplined enough to establish its hegemony in the area. Its task was made more difficult by the continued Rwandan interests in the area, which went beyond security concerns. Thus the Nkunda rebellion was only successful because of Rwandan support. Third is the continuation of the war economy centered on the exploitation of natural resources that are abundant in the area. This has helped to fund the war in the Kivus, and as long as there are profits to be made from natural resources exploitation, conflicts and violence in the area will continue. The conclusion from this study is that peace in the Kivus needs the establishment of a central administration with both military power to secure the area, in particular the mining areas and judicial authority to prosecute the warlords and armed groups that continue to benefit from the continuation of conflicts and violence in the area.Item Monitoring and evaluation for crime prevention: the 16 days of no violence against women and children campaign(2014-01-02) Bosilong, Kgomotso Pearl.South Africa has the highest levels of violent crime in the world and is home to high levels of violence against women and children. In response to the challenge imposed by the high level of crime and violence, the South African Government initiated the development of the National Crime Prevention Strategy(NCPS). One of the goals of the NCPS is to identify and implement programmes to prevent crime and to support, protect and empower victims of crime and violence, with special focus on women and children. Responding to the international call to prevent and act against women and child abuse and within the ambit of the NCPS, the 16 Days of No Violence against Women and Children Campaign (referred to as the 16 Days Campaign in this research) was established in1999. The main aim of the 16 Days Campaign is to generate an increased awareness of the negative impact of crime and violence on women and children thus contributing to the prevention of crime and violence against women and children. The first impact assessment of the 16 Days Campaign was undertaken by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 2009. The CSIR report states that the 16 Days Campaign has not yet showed a positive impact due to the lack of proper planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system tofacilitate the assessment of its impact. The majority of Government departments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that participated in this research (99%) do not know the tools used to monitor and evaluate the 16 Days Campaign. Each department or participating NGO works in silos and does not share good practice on M&E of the 16 Days Campaign, rendering planning, implementation inadequate and subsequently M&E inconsistent. This research demonstrates that the GCIS Tracker Survey and Exit Reports are not effective M&E Tools for the 16 Days Campaign. It proposes a iii comprehensive M&E Framework based on the insight from the literature review, good practice and inputs from participants. The M&E Framework facilitates the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and impact assessment of the 16 Days Campaign.Item Context, culture and disability : a narrative inquiry into the lived experiences of adults with disabilities living in a rural area.(2013-11-05) Neille, Joanne FrancesThis thesis documents the everyday experiences of adults with disabilities living in a rural area of South Africa. Given South Africa’s tumultuous history, characterised by human rights violations incurred through cultural, political and racial disputes, and the country’s current state of socio-economic and political turmoil, violence has come to represent a core feature in the lives of many South Africans. This, together with the impact of unemployment, food insecurity and unequal power distribution, has significantly affected the ways in which many people make sense of their life experiences. Despite the fact that exposure to unequal power dynamics, violence, marginalisation and exclusion are documented to dominate the life experiences of people with disabilities, little is understood about the ways in which these aspects manifest in the interpretation and reconstruction of experiences. Previous research into the field of disability studies has depended primarily on quantitative measures, or on the reports of family members and caregivers as proxies, perpetuating the cycle of voicelessness and marginalization amongst adults with disabilities. Those studies which have adopted qualitative measures in order to explore the psychosocial experiences of disability have focussed largely on the limitations imposed by physical access, and have relied predominantly on the medical and social models of disability, or on the World Health Organisation’s International Classification on Functioning, Disability and Health (WHO ICF, 2001). These models consider the psychosocial experience of disability to be universal, and do not adequately take into account the impact of cultural and contextual variables. This has negatively impacted on the establishment of a research repository upon which evidence-based practice has been developed. This thesis aimed to explore and document the lived experiences of 30 adults with a variety of disabilities, living in 12 rural villages in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. A combination of narrative inquiry and participant observation was employed in order to examine the relationship between personal and social interpretations of experience. Data analysis was conducted using a combination of Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) Three Dimensional Narrative Inquiry Space, Harré’s Positioning Theory (1990, 1993, & 2009), and Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Results revealed that narratives were plurivocal in nature, giving rise to a complex relationship between personal and social interpretations of experience. The findings highlighted the impact of cultural norms, values and roles on making sense of experiences associated with disability. Four new types of narrative emerged, none of which conformed to the current interpretations of lived experience as reported in the literature. All of the narratives were pervaded by the embodied experience of violence, including evidence of structural, physical, psychological and sexual violence, as well as violence by means of deprivation. This gave rise to a sense of moral decay and highlighted the ways in which abuse of power has become woven into lived experience. In this way insight was gained into the complex interplay between impairment, exclusion, high mortality rates, violence, and poverty in rural areas. Narrative inquiry proved to be a particularly useful tool for providing insight into disability as a socio-cultural construct, drawing attention to a variety of clinical, policy and theoretical implications. These gave rise to a number of broader philosophical questions pertaining to the role of memory, vulnerability and responsibility, and the ways in which all citizens have the potential to be complicit in denying the reality of lived experience amongst vulnerable members of society. These findings demand attention to the ways in which governments, communities and individuals conceive of what it means to be human, and consequently how the ethics of care is embraced within society.Item Patterns of interpersonal violence presenting to a level one trauma centre in Johannesburg(2012) Asbury, Sarah LouiseTrauma and intentional injury form a major burden of disease in South Africa. This study examines the patterns of injury resulting from interpersonal violence presenting at a Level One trauma centre serving an urban population. This was a cross-sectional analysis of patients attending the Johannesburg Hospital Trauma Unit, over a period of forty-one consecutive days. In keeping with the worldwide experience of trauma care, the study showed the burden of trauma rests heavily upon young males. A majority of the incidents involved a weapon, used for penetrating or blunt injury. In cases where the weapon was documented, it was more commonly a weapon carried by one of the individuals involved such as a firearm or knife, than an item obtained spontaneously during the conflict. Patients subjected to weapon-based violence were significantly more likely to require advanced or invasive radiology, admission and operation. Weapon type influenced the pattern of injury sustained and the need for specialist consultation. It did not significantly affect admission or operation rates. Although blunt assault without a weapon may cause multiple injuries, they tended to be superficial injuries either allowing for discharge from the emergency room immediately or following a period of observation. This study showed the presence of a weapon greatly increases the morbidity resulting from the event for the patient and increases the subsequent cost to the healthcare system.Item The claim for urban space and the problem of exclusion: the perception of outsiders' rights by communities affected by xenophobic violence in contemporary South Africa(2012-08-21) Ogunyemi, SamsonThis research is located in the broader body of literature and activity that have sought to comprehend the xenophobic violence of 2008 in South Africa and the persistence of this phenomenon, especially in poor locales of the main urban areas. The primary objective is to explore the perceptions that South Africans have of the rights of those people designated as outsiders and/or foreigners who live in areas that have experienced xenophobic violence targeting foreigners as well as people of South African minority ethnic groups. This study attempts to unpack the discourse of insider versus outsider rights within South African communities in relation to South Africa’s recent history - the xenophobic violence of 2008. Notably, it examines the challenge brought about by the crushing of space and time as an effect of globalization and how this has contributed to the process of multi-culturalism and multi-ethnicity that local communities are largely unprepared to cope with. This study contributes to the understanding of “otherness” as a key issue to design and implement better policies and practices that are necessary to promote the social and spatial inclusion of international migrants in Africa and the world. The empirics of this study give credence to the view that migrants’ rights operate at the rhetorical level, largely due to the lack of political will to translate them into actual benefits. The study specifically looks at two communities affected by xenophobic violence - Tembisa and Alexandra. Focusing on South Africans, the study draws on information gathered through in-depth semi-structured interviews and group discussions carried out from July through October 2011. The findings are examined through thematic content analysis.Item An audit of injuries resulting from interpersonal violence at the Leratong Provincial Hospital, in 2009(2012-01-17) Saimen, AmashneeInterpersonal violence is a global health issue, the impact of which filters through every facet of society. Studies have shown that more than 1.6 million people die annually across the world as a result of violence; injured survivors may suffer from a range of physical, sexual, reproductive and mental health problems.3 The aim of this study is to describe the trends and profile of violence-related injuries originating in a South African community, with regard to the hospital records of an urban emergency department and crisis centre. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted by reviewing patient files at Leratong Provincial Hospital. Relevant clinical information such as victim’s age and gender; time, date and day of hospital attendance; nature of injury; presence/absence of alcohol; and nature of weapon (if any) was extracted. Each patient record was given a unique study number and patient confidentiality was maintained at all times. The extracted information was recorded on a data sheet and analysed statistically. Results: Leratong Hospital sees a large number of patients with injuries due to interpersonal violence throughout the year, with an increase in May, November and December. Higher numbers of patients present in the last week of the month, and as found in other studies Saturday and Sundays experience the most hospital attendances due to interpersonal violence. Victims were predominantly male (64%), except in the case of sexual assault where the victims were all (100%) female; females also suffered more blunt injuries than penetrating injuries. Blunt injuries were the most frequent type of injury in the overall sample, although over the weekend males sustained more penetrating injuries than blunt injuries. Young males were noted to be the main victims of interpersonal violence, and possibly also the main perpetrators. Conclusion: This study highlights the trends in interpersonal violence injuries seen at Leratong Provincial Hospital. Young adults, especially males, are noted to be significantly affected by interpersonal violence.