Faculty of Humanities (ETDs)

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37922

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.Adaptation

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Genre and Narrative in Adaptation: Romance in Heartstopper from comic to live-action series
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Odura, Twumwaa; Geyser, Hanli; Randle, Oluwarotimi
    This dissertation examines the impact of romance genre conventions on a comic narrative through utilising Heartstopper by Alice Oseman as an instrumental bound case study. This will be done by utilising the five-step “Transmedial Analysis Framework”, as set out by Bruhn and Schirrmacher in “Transmediation”. Through analysing how the narrative of the source media object, the webcomic Heartstopper, was transmediated and changed into the version in the target source media object, the Heartstopper Netflix show, we can see how various romance genre conventions have shifted and remained consistent. Due to Oseman's strong presence within both versions of Heartstopper, it is easier to understand her contributions. In the second step, we see how the transmedial shifts were done in a way that increases the presence of the side characters within the narrative by utilising Thomas Leitch's adjustment strategies. By contextualising what changes and similarities between both versions of Heartstopper are present due to medium-specific necessity, the larger presence of side characters in the Netflix show can be understood through the necessity of television storytelling. Even with medium-specific changes, we see how those changes work to take advantage of romance conventions, particular teen romance conventions, when expanding on the narrative. Genres are also understood by an audience through a perceived sense of expectations, meaning the ways in which a media object is marketed plays a large role in how it will be understood. As Heartstopper is a queer romance narrative, it is important to take into account how the teen romance tropes reflect on its existence as a queer story and how the Netflix show increases the presence of other side characters that also have queer identities. 6
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Experiences of grade eight learners in transitioning from primary to secondary school settings: A case of learners at a secondary school in Soweto
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Jantjies, Aphelele
    For learners, transitioning from primary to secondary school is an important turning point that affects their academic performance as well as their social and emotional development. This stage is marked by a transition towards more difficult subjects, more independence, and more accountability. This qualitative research explores the experiences of Grade eight learners at a Soweto secondary school as they move from primary to secondary school. Fifteen eighth grade learners were chosen for the study using a convenience selection technique, and four of the learners took part in the pretesting of the research instrument. Data was gathered through individual interviews utilizing a structured interview guide; recurrent themes were found using thematic data analysis. The findings show that learners had substantial personal growth throughout this period, highlighting the need of recognizing and encouraging learners' psychological development. The study also emphasizes how important it is for learners to receive help throughout this transition, especially emotional and social support as they deal with the difficulties of adjusting to a new academic setting. Additionally, the study shows that most learners struggle with academic adjustment, with many finding it difficult to match the increased demands of secondary school. Social workers can be extremely helpful in managing academic challenges, assisting with emotional and mental health needs, directing the building of networks and connections, and promoting good identity formation and personal development. The school can play its role by establishing a thorough introduction program for eighth-grade learners that includes briefings with educators and school tours. Additionally, learners can get mentoring, specialized support networks, and vital resources from social development programs. According to the findings, social workers, schools, parents and guardians as well as social development organizations must work together to serve the various requirements of eighth graders at this crucial time.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Climate change and food security: Exploring factors of food production in Mozambique and Zimbabwe (2001-2019)
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Ramos, Dominic Carlos; Small, Michelle
    Climate change has emerged as a severe security threat which has worsened poverty, inequality and more importantly sustainable development throughout the global south. Southern African countries have been especially susceptible to climate change with severe weather patterns such as drought, land degradation, flooding and severe tropical cyclones that disproportionately affect poor communities. The effects of the impact of climate change on development and poor communities is observed with stubbornly high levels of food insecurity throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and by extension Southern Africa. Changing climates have forced farmers to undertake drastic measures to produce food for themselves and their communities with limited external support. In Mozambique and Zimbabwe alone around 3.5 million and 1.5 million subsistence and smallholder farmers respectively, are responsible for more than 70% of total food production (FAO 2011, World Bank 2019, INE 2014). This study explores the impact of climate variation and climate change on food production and food accessibility throughout Mozambique and Zimbabwe through a person-centred human security approach . The study further complements the challenges of food security by assessing the response of small-holder farmers in adapting and reacting to climate change. This study relied substantially on secondary sources such as regional reports, bulletins and journal articles alongside publications from NGOs, government departments and international organisations. The data was analysed through thematic and content analysis. The findings suggest that Mozambique and Zimbabwe remain highly vulnerable to climate change negatively affecting food insecure communities. Furthermore, while small-holder farmers have desperately undertaken various methods of adaptation they are unable to cope with extreme weather patterns. The findings underscore the necessity for interventions aimed at enabling farmers and vulnerable communities to adapt to climate change or, at the very least, mitigate its effects. This is crucial for preventing recurrent food and humanitarian crises.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Adaptation strategies against drought: The case of rain-fed subsistence crop farmers in Mphego village in the Vhembe District of Limpopo province, South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Ntuli, Nokutenda Chantelle; Mukwedeya, Tatenda
    South Africa’s Limpopo province is recognized as one of the drought prone regions of the country. Incessant droughts in Limpopo are compromising agricultural productivity in both the large-scale commercial and smallholder farming sectors. Regardless, smallholder farmers, especially those located in historically marginalized settings (former homeland areas) that experience socio-economic deprivation at the hands of the state, and practice rain-fed subsistence agriculture bear the disproportionate burden of drought. These farmers lack adequate finances, agri-mechanization as well as state support to sufficiently cushion them against drought. Such is the plight of rain-fed subsistence in Mphego village, a former homeland area of the Venda Bantustan now known as Vhembe district. This study contributes to understanding how drought is impacting the practices of rain-fed subsistence crop farmers in the rural community of Mphego. Attention is placed on investigating the ways in which drought intersects with existing politically engineered social and economic constraints experienced by subsistence farmers in Mphego village to exacerbate systemic vulnerabilities. Moreover, it explores the adaptation strategies that are being employed by these subsistence farmers to cope with drought impacts. Qualitative interviews were used to investigate these dynamics, and the data was analysed using the thematic approach. The results obtained from Mphego revealed that drought vulnerabilities experienced by subsistence farmers should be understood in light of other converging state orchestrated socio-economic structures of deprivation in local rural communities that shape outcomes in the smallholder agricultural sector. The state is contributing to the expansion of agri-capitalist practices and its drought relief support is biased towards large-scale commercial farmers at the expense of subsistence livelihoods. Given these circumstances, subsistence farmers in Mphego have been employing their own agency to adapt to drought conditions. The livelihood capitals possessed by the farmers were found to play a significant role in influencing and shaping their choice of adaptation practices.