Faculty of Humanities (ETDs)
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Item Interrogating Playboy: Has the Discourse Changed? A Qualitative Inquiry of Intimate Citizenship(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-07) Govender, Danet; Baro, GillesThis dissertation interrogates the evolving discourse of Playboy, focusing on the representation of gender, queerness, and fatness within the brand's online content from 2021 to 2023. Employing a constructionist paradigm and multimodal critical discourse analysis (MCDA), the research examines the semiotic resources and embedded ideologies in Playboy's Instagram content. Findings reveal a complex narrative on the significant shifts in representation, with the brand adopting more inclusive portrayals of marginalised identities while navigating its historical legacy of exclusion, objectification, gender stereotypes and fatphobia. However, these changes are juxtaposed against the persistence of gender stereotypes, policing of fat bodies (hourglass ideal), and alienation of queer people; sustaining a matrix of domination. The study situates these shifts within the broader theoretical frameworks of gender studies, queer theory, and fat studies, highlighting how Playboy reflects and contributes to contemporary socio-cultural debates on identity and intimate citizenship. Ultimately, this research provides insights into Playboy's shifts as a socio-political and cultural agent, revealing both progress and persistent tensions in its discourse.Item Caregiver Checklist for Dysphagia Risk (CCDR) development and preliminary evaluation: a pilot study(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025) Seedat, Zaakirah; Seedat , Jaishika; Kater , Kelly-AnnBackground: The potential risk for dysphagia may be a concern in the elderly population and can often lead to aspiration pneumonia. Due to a shortage of speech therapists in South Africa, nurses and caregivers within care facilities are typically the individuals who are responsible for monitoring eating and drinking of the residents at the care facilities. This makes them ideal for early identification of individuals at risk of dysphagia. Method: The aim of this study was twofold 1) to document current tools used to identify dysphagia in the elderly in care facilities by way of a scoping review and 2) to establish the preliminary diagnostic accuracy, validity, and reliability of a researcher-developed tool, the Caregiver Checklist for Dysphagia Risk (CCDR) as informed by the scoping review. The study used the scoping review methodological framework and quantitative cross-sectional correlational design for its respective parts. The caregivers and residents from a care facility were recruited using convenient and purposive sampling, respectively. The CCDR was, completed by caregivers, thereafter the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) was administered by the researcher to residents with and without suspected risk of dysphagia for a total sample of 32 residents (n=32). Data Analysis: Data was analysed using thematic analysis for the scoping review and, descriptive and inferential statistics for data pertaining to the CCDR. Content validity was established using a scoping review that assisted with the content of the CCDR. The reliability was measured using Cronbach’s Alpha to determine internal consistency. Concurrent validity of the CCDR was established by correlating the results against the results of the EAT-10. Diagnostic accuracy in the form of sensitivity and specificity were assessed. Results: The scoping review identified tools currently being used to identify dysphagia with the elderly and confirmed that no tool exists for this population in the South African residential care context. A lack of one appropriate tool led to the development of the CCDR. Preliminary results of the CCDR indicated a strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0,815), moderate positive correlation (Pearson’s r(30) = 0.499, p < 0,001; Spearman’s Rank Order r(30) = 0.454, p < 0,001), a high sensitivity (0,90) and specificity (0,82) indicating promise in its use. Implications: Clinical implications reveal that the CCDR can identify dysphagia risk in elderly residents in care facilities. Theoretically, this tool adds to existing dysphagia resources in the scientific world by providing a tool, to identify dysphagia risk. Further research may include multiple research sites as well as explore caregiver feedback and investigate feasibility of the use of the CCDR with community-dwelling elderly.Item Beyond Cultural Work: An exploration of the place of various professionals in solo exhibitions of established visual artists in Johannesburg(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Moloi, Tumelo; Chatikobo, MunyaradziThis research report is an exploration of the place of various professions in solo exhibitions of established visual artists in Johannesburg. Using a qualitative approach within the constructivist ontology paradigm, the central question to be answered in this study is: How do solo exhibitions of established visual artists in Johannesburg bring on board cultural and non-cultural professions. This study is important to the visual arts sector because it provide a theoretical knowledge useful for gaining a deeper understanding about different professions in solo exhibitions of established visual artists of Johannesburg. Deploying the value chain concept ,cultural employment and protean and boundaryless career concepts, I expostulate that solo exhibitions of established visual artists of Johannesburg bring on board cultural and non-cultural professions based on the value they bring to different stages of an exhibition.Item Exploring the Livelihood Strategies of Migrant Drivers in the e-hailing Sector(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-01) Gama, Kwanele; Landau, LorenThere is a growing body of research documenting the experiences of gig workers; couriers and drivers connecting with clients through apps, across the globe (Webster 2020; Dubbelman 2021; Oatway 2021; Macmillan 2022; Marcano 2018). Displaying that despite its predicted benefits, the rise of technology-based companies has been found to present unexpected forms of precarity for labourers. What has not yet been captured by research are the livelihood experiences of migrants in the transport industry, especially in the highly competitive and often violent public transport industry of South Africa. Another wanting aspect of migration literature is the comparison of international migrants and domestic migrants in a given industry, something which can help shed some much-needed light as xenophobic ideas become institutionalised in the country. Therefore, migrants in South Africa’s public transport industry, not only face taxi violence but also xenophobia, and precarity brought forth by app-based employment. Their experiences provide an interesting area of study. Accordingly, this paper seeks to answer these two questions; “What are the livelihood strategies of e-hailers in Johannesburg?” and “How does migration status affect livelihood outcomes in this industry?”. The objective is to highlight how drivers in Johannesburg make a living through Uber/Bolt and the challenges they face in forging a sustainable livelihood. The secondary objective is to find out if international migrants have different livelihood outcomes even in an emerging economy that is neither formal nor informal. This work is done in an environment where migrants are often accused of stealing jobs, literature (Weda and de Villiers 2019) also suggests that they face numerous obstacles in entering the South African labour market. However, there are also indications that migrants may have certain competitive advantages over citizens in the form of entrepreneurial dexterity (Lamb, Kunene, and Dyili 2019). This paper explores these competing claims, giving deeper context to such studies by observing the livelihood strategies of two migrant groups in the same employment type. Two major observable survival strategies used by drivers involved avoidance out of fear of crime and harassment by taxi operators, and the second being side jobs as e-hailing was not a substantial income stream. International Migrants had better livelihood outcomes than Domestic Migrants as they reported higher earnings and Job Security.Item Performative Materiality: Exploring Meanings and Expressions in the Artworks of South African Contemporary Artist Sikhumbuzo Makandula(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025-02) Davids, Sisanda Victoria Hillary; Akoi-Jackson, Nontobeko NtombelaThis research addresses the absence of a structured framework for analysing the interplay between performativity and materiality in contemporary South African art. It introduces Performative Materiality, a novel analytical framework, to examine the dynamic relationship between artistic actions and material forms in the work of contemporary South African artist Sikhumbuzo Makandula. His practice integrates performance, ritual, and material culture to engage with South Africa’s socio-political history and spiritual narratives. The study challenges traditional distinctions between passive objects and active performance, arguing that they exist in a reciprocal relationship shaping cultural expression and critique. A multi-layered qualitative approach combines visual analysis and artist interviews, incorporating Feldman’s Critical Analysis Model and the Janice Mason Art Museum’s Four Steps in Art Criticism, with Performative Materiality as the primary theoretical framework. This framework consists of six key criteria—Material Dynamism, Performative Impact, Reciprocal Influence, Contextual Embeddedness, Transformative Interaction, and Embodied Interaction—which together facilitate a nuanced analysis of how performative and material elements actively shape meaning and socio-political engagement. Findings reveal that Makandula’s practice disrupts static historical interpretations by merging embodied actions with symbolic materials, re-signifying cultural memory and resistance. His use of ritual, ephemeral materials, and historic spaces challenges dominant narratives, offering new ways of engaging with identity, colonial legacies, and spirituality. The study demonstrates Performative Materiality’s effectiveness as a structured and adaptable analytical tool in contemporary South African art, highlighting its potential for refinement in addressing temporality, audience engagement, and digital materiality. Ultimately, this research positions Performative Materiality as an essential framework for decoding the complex interplay between performative acts and material agency, reinforcing its significance in contemporary artistic discourse in South Africa and beyond.Item Exhibiting Memory: Investigating the use of multi-sensory elements to communicate diasporic experiences in contemporary art exhibitions(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025) Davids, Lemeeze; Valley, Greer; Cloete, NicolaThis dissertation investigates the use of multi-sensory and immersive curatorial strategies as a tool to communicate complex postcolonial identities in contemporary art exhibitions. Through analyses of four recent exhibitions – Indigo Waves (2022) at Zeitz MOCAA, The Waiting Gardens of the North (2023) at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, (ka) pheko ye – the dream to come (2024) at Migros Museum, and Sueño de la Madrugada (2024) at South London Gallery – the study explores how engaging multiple senses can create liminal spaces that allow for the expression of hybrid, ambiguous cultural experiences. This enquiry can be broken down into these parts: multisensory elements are used as a curatorial tool, the tool is used to make immersive space, the purpose of that space is to encourage ambiguity, and the reason one would want to increase ambiguity is that it allows for a nuanced understanding of complex narratives, like postcolonial identity. Drawing on postcolonial concepts, affect theory and curatorial practice, this dissertation examines how multisensory approaches can productively unsettle dominant narratives and make space for layered perspectives on diaspora, migration, and cultural memory. By advocating for exhibition models that embrace sensorial encounters/confrontations and ambiguity, this study contributes to ongoing debates about decolonisation in contemporary art institutions. It argues that multi-sensory curatorial strategies act as navigational and proto-linguistic tools for communicating the complexity of postcolonial identities and thereby fostering greater cross-cultural understanding.Item Determining the relationship between the n-Back Task, Symbol Span subtest, Digit Span subtest and Symbol Digits Modality Test(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Cameron, Johanna Annette; Cockcroft, KateResearch in cognitive psychology has highlighted the importance of working memory and information processing speed in cognitive functioning (Chai et al., 2018; van der Fels et al., 2015). While the n-back test is widely considered a measure of working memory, its construct validity remains debated, with some evidence suggesting it may also reflect processing speed (Andrade, 2002; Jaeggi et al., 2010). This study examined the relationship between the n-back test, two established measures of working memory (Digit Span and Symbol Span), and a processing speed measure (Symbol Digit Modality Test) to investigate the n-back’s concurrent and construct validity. Additionally, the influence of biological sex and socioeconomic status (SES) on cognitive performance was explored. A sample of 70 young adults (ages 18-25) completed these cognitive assessments. Results indicated that processing speed (SDMT) was the strongest predictor of n-back performance, suggesting that the n-back test may rely on cognitive mechanisms beyond core working memory. SES significantly influenced processing speed and higher-order working memory tasks, while biological sex differences emerged in the Digit Span Backward and 3-back tasks, with males showing an advantage. These findings contribute to the ongoing debate about the n-back test’s validity as a pure working memory measure and emphasize the need to consider demographic factors when interpreting cognitive assessments. Future research should further examine the interplay between working memory, processing speed, and demographic influences in more diverse and larger samples.Item Fast Food and Slow Change: A Preliminary Look into the Evolution of Dining and Consumer Culture in Johannesburg(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025-02) Bousfield, Jacquelene Linda; Macdonald, AndrewThis research project examines the evolution of fast food in South Africa, focusing on Johannesburg’s early dining scene, and the subsequent shift toward a fast food culture similar to that of the United States. It explores the introduction of American dining influences, particularly through the emergence of local fast food chains like Steers, and Spur, and how they reshaped previous dining habits. This research contributes to understanding the impact of globalisation—specially American consumer culture—on South African food trends from the mid-20th century onward. It suggests that food serves as a societal marker, reflecting broader socio-political and economic shifts in both South Africa and globally, and that our food choices reveal underlying social attitudes. The main objective of this research is to analyse the transformation of South African dining spaces by looking at the factors behind the adoption of fast food and the broader cultural implications thereof. It explores three key phases: Early dining spaces in Johannesburg under British political influence, the preliminary phases before the adoption of a modern fast food system, and the development of local fast food chains that catered to new consumer desires and aspirations. The research emphasizes the role of socioeconomic factors, urbanisation, and consumer culture throughout this process. The methodology involves making use of comprehensive review of available historical and contemporary sources, including restaurant records, advertising materials, and news articles and secondary literature on South African food culture and globalisation. Additionally interviews with former industry leaders and various examples of digital ephemera offered insights into the lasting impact of fast food chains on South African society. The implications of this research are significant, and reveal how fast food has become ingrained in South African culture, shaping dietary habits, social practices, and economic development. By exploring these shifts, the research project encourages further discussion on the broader effects of globalised food systems and their influence on local cultures, providing a framework for understanding the complexities of food identity in a rapidly evolving society.Item The news consumption habits of Generation Z in Johannesburg(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025-02) Ben, Siyathemba Zimkhitha; Sethusa, PheladiUnderstanding Generation Z’s news consumption habits is pivotal in comprehending the evolving media landscape and its implications for news dissemination and engagement. This generation’s unique habits, preferences, and behaviours are reshaping the media industry, influencing public discourse, and impacting how news is produced and consumed. This study set out to explore the news consumption habits of South African Generation Z audiences, focusing on their preferred news formats and platforms, the influence of societal events, and their perceptions of news credibility and trustworthiness. Using a focus group, the research uncovered clear preferences for digital-first news, particularly via social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Respondents also cited News24 as a trusted and frequently accessed source. Findings show that Generation Z gravitates toward short-form, visual content and appreciates concise, engaging news formats. However, while social media is a dominant source, credibility remains critical. Participants expressed the need for verified sources and transparent reporting, with concerns about misinformation and bias often shaping their engagement with the news. Societal events such as the Israel-Palestine conflict, gender-based violence, and COVID-19 were shown to significantly impact how Generation Z engages with news, often leading to emotional fatigue or news avoidance. Overall, the study highlights the importance of accessible, trustworthy, and empathetic journalism in engaging younger audiences, offering valuable insights for news organisations seeking to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving media landscape.Item Exploring the phenomenology of the embodiment of the virtual self, using immersive virtual reality(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025-03) Ajodhya, Sachin Adarsh; Besharati, Sahba; Alcock, StephanieImmersive Virtual Reality (IVR) has emerged as a novel tool to experimentally study the sense of body ownership (feeling that my body belongs to me) and bodily self-awareness (agency, I am the initiator of my actions) using virtual worlds and bodies (i.e. avatars). Recent studies have shown that embodiment of a White participant in a Black avatar can reduce implicit racial bias. However, no study to date has drawn on a sample of Black participants to explore and measure embodiment experiences or changes in attitude using IVR. Furthermore, only a handful of IVR studies have used qualitative methods to explore the in-depth subjective experience of virtual embodiment. Guided by Embodied Cognition Theory, this study aimed to explore subjective experiences of female and Black-identifying participants (n=8) embodying another raced virtual body using IVR. Semi-structured qualitative interviews and quantitative psychological questionnaires were used following an IVR experience. Quantitative data was (only) used at superficially level to aid in qualitative descriptions. Drawing on Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, three main themes were identified, namely: (1) self-awareness; (2) embodiment experiences; and (3) other-awareness. Participants reported a complex interplay between embodiment experiences and emotion in creating a sense of self in the context of the other in the virtual environment. Interestingly, topics around race were not organically shared by the participants during the interviews. Furthermore, qualitative accounts elicited much richer narratives on embodiment compared to the quantitative questionnaire to include experiences around the ‘digital divide’ (i.e., first-time experiences with IVR), place illusions (i.e., strong illusion of being in a specific place despite not being there), plausibility illusions (i.e.., illusion that IVR and events are real) and hybrid racial identities (i.e., the “coconut effect”). The results of the study call for increased diversity in IVR research to include more representative samples and to integrate qualitative methods to understand the complex processes involved in studying embodied self-awareness using IVR.