Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Man-woman relationships – South Africa'

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Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Intimate heterosexual relationships play a vital role in shaping the lives of many people, and have therefore become an important topic of research within psychology. The South African population is also currently faced with many prevalent psychosocial problems, such as HIV/Aids, rape, violence against women and divorce, which need to be contextualised within the context of intimate heterosexual relationships. Research on intimate heterosexual relationships has therefore become a priority. In order to determine directions and priorities for such research, the objective of this assignment was to provide a review of selected international and South African research on intimate heterosexual relationships. This review focused on: the definition and operationalisation of intimate heterosexual relationships; the salient theoretical frameworks used; the characteristics of participants; as well as the methodologies employed by relationship researchers. The review highlighted the following: A variety of terms is used by relationship researchers to conceptualise intimate heterosexual relationships which makes it difficult to integrate intimate heterosexual relationship research. Although theoretical frameworks like the social learning theory, cognitive behavioural theory and some metatheoretical perspectives such as postmodernism, feminism and social constructivism are utiiised, South African relationship researchers mostly have an atheoretical approach to research. A review of the research participants revealed that most participants in South African relationship studies are married adults. While the male-female ratio of the participants was balanced, the diversity of the South African population was not well represented in these studies. Researchers mostly used qualitative research strategies and employed the survey method of data gathering. Based on these findings, it was recommended that relationship researchers should recognise the need to clarify the relationship concepts used in their studies; attempt to incorporate better-known relationship theories; ensure that the South African population is well represented; and to combine qualitative research strategies with quantitative research strategies.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMINGE: Intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings speel 'n deurslaggewende rol in die vorming van baie mense se lewens en het daarom 'n belangrike navorsingsonderwerp in sielkunde geword. Die SuidAfrikaanse populasie staar tans verskeie psigososiaie probleme so os MIVNigs, verkragting, geweld teen vrou en egskeiding in die gesig, wat almal binne die konteks van intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings gekonseptualiseer behoort te word. Navorsing oor intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings het daarom 'n prioriteit geword. Ten einde rigtings en prioriteite vir sulke navorsing te bepaal, was die doel van hierdie werksopdrag om 'n oorsig te voorsien van selektiewe internasionale en Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing oor intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings. Hierdie oorsig het gefokus op: die definisie en operasionalisering van intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings; die prominente teoretiese raamwerke wat gebruik is; die karaktereienskappe van die deelnemers; so wei as die metodologiee wat deur verhoudingsnavorsers gebruik is. Die oorsig het die volgende duidelik gemaak: 'n Verskeidenheid van terme word deur verhoudingsnavorsers gebruik om intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings te konseptualiseer en die die integrasie van intieme heteroseksuele verhoudingsnavorsing word daardeur bemoeilik. Alhoewel teoretiese raamwerke soos die sosiale leerteorie, kognitiewe gedragsteorie en sekere metateoretiese perspektiewe soos postmodernisme, feminisme en sosiale konstruktivisme gebruik word, het Suid-Afrikaanse verhoudingsnavorsers grotendeels 'n ateoretiese benadering tot navorsing. 'n Oorsig van die deelnemers van die studies het getoon dat die meeste deelnemers in Suid-Afrikaanse verhoudingstudies getroude volwassenes is. Terwyle die manvrou ratio van die deelnemers gebalanseerd was, is die diversiteit van die Suid-Afrikaanse populasie nie goed verteenwoordig in die studies nie. Navorsers gebruik meestal kwalitatiewe navorsingstrategiee en gebruik grotendeels die opame-metode van dataherwinning. Op grond van hierdie bevindinge, is daar aanbeveel dat verhoudingsnavorsers die behoefte aan die verheldering van verhoudingskonsepte in hulle studies moet herken; moet poog om meer bekende verhoudingsteoriee te inkorporeer; te verseker dat die Suid-Afrikaanse populasie goed verteenwoordig is; en kwalitatiewe navorsingsstrategiee met kwantitatiewe navorsingstrategiee moet kombineer.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Current mainstream theories of intimacy were derived from studies with primarily White, middle class participants living in developed countries. However, as social contexts shape people’s definitions, meanings and behaviours, it cannot be assumed that mainstream intimacy conceptualisations would apply to other populations. Studies of intimacy should be located in its social and historical context. Previous South African studies of Black and Coloured couples mainly emphasised HIV/Aids, interpartner violence and gender inequality, and neglected to investigate positive aspects of intimate lives of poorer communities. A lack of such context-specific data on how South African men and women construct and experience intimate relationships hinders appropriate and effective interventions. This study addressed this research gap by exploring intimacy experiences of long-term heterosexual adult Coloured couples living in a low-income semi-rural community. The objective of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of how the participant couples expressed and experienced intimacy. The participants were 15 couples (i.e. 30 participants), between the ages of 23 and 66 years, who had been married or living together for a minimum period of two years. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore: (i) how couples understand intimacy, and (ii) how intimacy is expressed and experienced in committed adult heterosexual relationships. Theoretically, this study was informed by social constructionism and interviews were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis method. The following themes were identified: (i) closeness means being together, (ii) sex and intimacy (iii) closeness in talking (iv) expressions and experiences of intimacy/closeness through acts of care, (v) alcohol disrupts closeness (vi) family of origin and the constructions of intimacy; and (vii) community constructions and norms. Although much of the international literature suggests that mutual self-disclosure is the foundation for intimacy, self-disclosure did not feature prominently in the narratives of this study’s narratives. Closeness was expressed through sharing in practical and tangible ways. Gender was pertinent to these couples’ experiences and gender roles were fundamental to their intimacy perceptions and behaviours. Despite some contestations of hegemonic masculinity and femininity constructions, most of the participants did not demonstrate an active awareness or resistance regarding learned gender roles. They did not seem to consider these gender roles as problematic, limited or limiting, nor did they indicate alternative gender ideas. This was attributed partly to poverty and low education levels, which constrain people’s access to alternative gender perspectives. Religion and community influences also play an important role in their understanding of their role as partner. Although Christianity endorses traditional gender ideas, the participants themselves felt that their religious beliefs and practices facilitated intimate experiences, and prevented alcohol abuse and domestic violence. In conclusion, implications for policy and practice in terms of gender inequality and alcohol abuse are discussed, as are the limitations of the study.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Huidige hoofstroom teorieë van intimiteit is afgelei van studies met hoofsaaklik Wit, middelklas-deelnemers. Aangesien sosiale konteks mense se definisies, betekenis en gedrag met betrekking tot intimiteit vorm, kan dit egter nie aanvaar word dat die hoofstroom konseptualisering van intimiteit ook van toepassing sal wees op ander bevolkingsgroepe nie. Studies van intimiteit moet geleë wees in die sosiale en historiese konteks. 'n Gebrek aan sodanige konteks-spesifieke data oor hoe verskillende groepe Suid-Afrikaanse mans en vroue intieme verhoudings verstaan en beleef, kan toepaslike en effektiewe verhouding ingrypings belemmer. Verder het vorige Suid Afrikaanse studies oor Swart en Kleurling paartjies hoofsaaklik gefokus op HIV/VIGS, paartjie geweld en geslags ongelykhede en het nagelaat om positiewe aspekte van die intieme lewe van paartjies in arm gemeenskappe te ondersoek. Hierdie studiehet hierdie navorsing leemte aangespreek deur te verken hoe hoe langtermyn, heteroseksuele, volwasse paartjies in 'n lae-inkomste semi-landelike gemeenskap intimiteit verstaan, beleef en uitdruk. Die deelnemers was 15 paartjies (d.w.s 30 deelnemers), tussen die ouderdomme van 23 en 66 jaar, wat getroud was of saamgewoon het vir 'n tydperk van ten minste twee jaar. Kwalitatiewe semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer om die volgende te verken: (i) hoe paartjies intimiteit verstaan, en (ii) hoe intimiteit betoon en ervaar word in toegewyde volwasse heteroseksuele verhoudings. Die studie is teoreties geskoei op sosiale konstruktiwisme en onderhoude is ontleed met behulp Braun en Clarke se tematiese analise metode. Die volgende temas is geïdentifiseer uit die onderhoude: (i) nabyheid beteken om saam te wees, (ii) seks en intimiteit, (iii) nabyheid deur gesels (iv) uitdrukkings en ervarings van intimiteit deur dade van sorg, (v) alkohol ontwrig saamwees, (vi) die invloed van die familie van oorsprong op die konstruksie van intimiteit, (vii) gemeenskap konstruksies en norme. Alhoewel die internasionale literatuur aandui dat wedersydse selfonthulling die grondslag vir intimiteit vorm, het self-onthulling nie prominent in die deelnemers se vertellings voorgekom nie. Nabyheid is eerder beleef en betoon deur praktiese en tasbare dade en gebare. Geslagsrolle was fundamenteel in paartjies se belewing en uitvoering van intimiteit. Ten spyte daarvan dat sommige individuele deelnemers hegemoniese geslagsrolle bevraagteken het, het die meerderheid deelnemers nie ‘n aktiewe bewustheid of weerstand getoon rakende geleerde geslagsrolle nie. Hulle het skynbaar nie hierdie geslagsrolle as problematies, of beperkend gesien nie. Hulle het ook nie aangedui dat hulle alternatiewe geslagsrol idees het nie. Dit word gedeeltelik toegeskryf aan armoede en lae vlakke van onderrig wat mense se toegang tot alternatiewe geslagsrolle en perspektiewe beperk Godsdiens en gemeenskap invloede speel ook 'n belangrike rol in hul begrip van hul rol as lewensmaat. Alhoewel Christenskap tradisionele geslag idees onderskryf, het die deelnemers gevoel dat hulle godsdienstige oortuigings en praktyke intieme ervarings fasiliteer, asook die misbruik van alkohol en huishoudelike geweld verhoed. Dit impliseer dat godsdiens bydra by tot die skepping en instandhouding van manlikheid en vroulikheid idees in hierdie gemeenskap. Ten slotte, is implikasies vir beleid en praktyk in terme van geslagsongelykheid en alkoholmisbruik bespreek, asook die beperkinge van die studie.

Adolescent sexual health has been identified as a significant health and development problem facing South Africa. Limited amounts of research on sexual interactions have been undertaken, with information on adolescents’ romantic relationships being particularly scarce. Qualitative research needs to foster an understanding of the dynamics of sexual interactions in specific settings, and with emphasis in the past on cognitive health psychology models, very little is thus known about how adolescents negotiate and make sense of their sexual experiences. This highlights the need to investigate the complexities of human sexuality in a contextual manner. In response, this study explores the lived experiences of four young black women as they negotiate their agency and sexuality in a local context. By way of in-depth qualitative interviews, which were analysed for recurrent themes using interpretative phenomenological analysis, this project examines the participants’ experiences regarding sex, relationships, communication, sexual health care, as well as HIV and pregnancy prevention. The results reveal that communication about sexuality in the participants’ homes was limited if not absent altogether. When seeking sexual health care, they found clinic nurses to be judgemental and rude. Regarding sexuality and HIV education, the participants stressed the need for outside educators to teach in more practical ways to increase efficacy. In their dating relationships, most participants revealed their boyfriends had a great deal of influence over their sexual initiation. Unwanted pregnancy surfaced as a greater fear than HIV in their accounts due to pressure to finish their education and attain well-paying jobs in the future. The participants felt unable to stop their boyfriends’ infidelity and had limited agency when facing sexual demands. Their accounts revealed that they negotiate their agency in an atmosphere of coercion and the threat of rape. However, areas of agency included their consistent condom use even when facing pressure to have unprotected sex, and their active accessing of sexual health services for hormonal contraception. These insights serve to better inform sexual and reproductive health education and intervention programmes for young women. Moreover, educators, researchers and programme developers alike may gain useful insights from the personalised accounts derived from this study.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A combined quantitative and qualitative methodology was employed in order to explore the intimate heterosexual context of coloured* pregnant adolescents as a determinant of their sexual risk-taking behaviour. Structured questionnaires were completed by forty young women attending prenatal clinics in the Stellenbosch area, and unstructured open-ended interviews subsequently conducted with ten selected respondents. It was found that the heterosexual relationships in which these girls were involved, tended to be intense emotional attachments based upon a foundation of friendship and trust, and reinforced by cultural notions of romantic love. In the wake of working class socioeconomic circumstances these relationships became a primary source of meaning-giving in respondents' lives, pervading all aspects of their everyday existence and guiding their future prospects. And it is in this context that sex prevailed as a means of deepening the emotional experience and pursuing relationship maintenance. Reproductive health interventions for coloured female adolescents would have to acknowledge these complexities and act upon them in ingenuous ways.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Gekombineerde kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe metodologie is geïmplementeer ten einde te bepaal op welke wyse die intieme heteroseksuele konteks van kleurling* swanger adolessente hulle seksueel riskante gedrag beïnvloed. Gestruktureerde vraelyste is voltooi deur veertig jong vroue wat prenatale klinieke in die Stellenbosch area bygewoon het, waarop ongestruktureerde nie-leidende onderhoude met tien geselekteerde respondente gevoer is. Dit is bevind dat hierdie meisies se heteroseksuele verhoudings meestal intense emosionele verbintenisse was, wat gebaseer is op 'n grondslag van vriendskap en vertroue, en wat versterk is deur kulturele opvattings van romantiese liefde. In die lig van werkersklas sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede, het hierdie verhoudings 'n primêre bron van betekenis in respondente se lewens geword. Dit het alle aspekte van hulle daaglikse bestaan beïnvloed en hulle toekomsvooruitsigte gerig. En dit is binne sodanige konteks wat seks beoefen is. Dit was instrumenteel ten einde verdieping van die emosionele ervaring en voortsetting van die verhouding te probeer bewerkstellig. Reproduktiewe gesondheidsintervensies vir kleurling vroulike adolessente sal erkenning moet gee aan hierdie kompleksiteite en vindingryke oplossings daarvoor moet genereer.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Community-Based Counselling Psychology, June 2017
The purpose of the study was to speak to the dynamics involved in the construction of extramarital affairs in South African news media. At the core of the study was the need to understand and deconstruct the discourses that trail behind the emergence and chaos that follows a publicised marital affair. In this process, the investigation was based on the critical analysis of newspaper articles and their portrayal of the man, the wife and the mistress in light of an extra-marital affair. The design of the study was qualitative and used thematic discourse analysis to comb through the narratives and the style of reporting so as to draw out what was both said and left unsaid concerning the marital affair. Major findings in this study showed an unchanged perception of the mistress and the wife as history carries the mistress as an object for the pleasure of the man, whilst the wife is to ensure that the dignity and purity of her marriage remains untainted. Additionally, the study also showed the pardon of men and the rendering of their masculinity as fragile. The affair is seemingly a result of a seductress who uses her sexual prowess to lure a sexually vulnerable man. From this, it can be concluded that men hold sexual privilege over women and indeed in the reporting of the affair, it takes a gendered tone in favour of the man- normalising their response and reactions, whilst crucifying the mistress for contributing to the disintegration of the marriage. The wife gains sympathy from the social audience which gives her a renewed strength to fight for her marriage.
XL2018

Thesis in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English.
Sosiale diskoerse kan moontlik 'n bepalende invloed op 'n individu se manier van lewe he. Hierdie studie bring enersyds, deur van die narratiewe gespreksbenadering gebruik te maak, 'n aantal diskoerse na vore wat op vyf wit Afrikaanssprekende mans in die Ned Geref Gemeente Vereeniging-Oos se manier van lewe 'n invloed gehad het of nog het. Die diskoerse wat deur die studie navore gebring word is: (a) 'n man is as broodwinner die primere versorger in die gesin; (b) 'n man is doelgerig en op sukses gefokus; (c) 'n man is dominant en aggressief; (d) 'n man fokus nie op emosies en verhoudings nie en (e) 'n man verander nie maklik nie. Andersyds toon die studie ook dat mans ten spyte van die sosiale diskoerse wat moontlik 'n invloed op hul lewens kon he, self alternatiewe wyses van manwees kon ontwikkel en dus nie noodwendig dlenooreenkomstig die sosiale diskoerse hoef te leef nie.
Social discourses may have a decisive influence on an individual's way of life. By means of a narrative conversational approach, this study introduces a number of discourses that had or still have an influence on five white Afrikaans-speaking men in the Dutch Reformed Congregation Vereeniging-East. The discourses are: (a) a man is as breadwinner the primary provider for the family; (b) a man is goal~oriented and focused on success; (c) a man is dominant and aggressive; (d) a man does not value emotions and relationships and (e) a man does not change easily. On the other hand the study indicates that men are able to develop alternative ways of being men in spite of social discourses influencing them.
Practical Theology
M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
Disappointments in romantic relationships can have distressing and prolonged cognitive, emotional and behavioural effects. This study explored such disappointments in the form of betrayal, rejection and the accompanying beliefs, emotions and behaviours using the Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy theoretical framework. A theory-building positivistic case study design was implemented. Five participants completed a quantitative measure of REBT beliefs, the Shortened General Attitudes and Beliefs Scale, and participated in a semistructured interview. The experience of a romantic betrayal or rejection elicited greater irrational than rational beliefs, and more dysfunctional than functional outcomes (emotions and behaviours) for each participant. The implications for clinical practice are discussed using the REBT theoretical framework.

This study is a cultural investigation into rape, with specific focus on the role of African men. With more than 70 000 cases of rape and sexual violence reported in a year in South Africa, and estimations that this may reflect one ninth of the actual number only, South Africa has been labelled the “rape capital” of the world. The study seeks to explain the root causes of rape, its ontological make-up and possibilities for resolving the issue by identifying cultural aspects, factors and manifestations that either justify or sanction rape. Four concepts, namely, rape, masculinity, culture and rage, serve as the thematic lens for identifying and interrogating cultural conditions through multidisciplinary and Africancentred perspectives. The analyses contained in the study are based on a mapping process involving comparing the data from a wide range of literature and also focus group interviews. Highlighting the multi-layered complexities of rape as phenomena, the study then outlines recommendations for transformative work in research, cultural institutions, communities, families and men
Educational Studies
M. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

This study is a cultural investigation into rape, with specific focus on the role of African men. With more than 70 000 cases of rape and sexual violence reported in a year in South Africa, and estimations that this may reflect one ninth of the actual number only, South Africa has been labelled the “rape capital” of the world. The study seeks to explain the root causes of rape, its ontological make-up and possibilities for resolving the issue by identifying cultural aspects, factors and manifestations that either justify or sanction rape. Four concepts, namely, rape, masculinity, culture and rage, serve as the thematic lens for identifying and interrogating cultural conditions through multidisciplinary and Africancentred perspectives. The analyses contained in the study are based on a mapping process involving comparing the data from a wide range of literature and also focus group interviews. Highlighting the multi-layered complexities of rape as phenomena, the study then outlines recommendations for transformative work in research, cultural institutions, communities, families and men
Educational Studies
M. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

Submitted in the partial fulfilment for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of African Literature University of the Witwatersrand, March 2017
This research reads the popular literature genre, chick lit, as a site for the elaboration of new forms of womanhood in post-Apartheid South Africa and through an analysis of the novel Happiness is a Four-Letter Word seeks to discover how new constructs of black female identity in the genre of chick lit disrupt as well as extend earlier representations of female experience in South Africa. The literary aspect of this research is essentially a genre study that attempts to identify how we recognize genre. Chick lit was initially read as a homogenously white normative genre, it was imagined, theorized and researched through the western gaze to the exclusion of other races and classes. This research rejects this essentialism of gender and as such recognizes that when addressing gender in Africa not only race and class need to be contextualized but further historical and cultural contexts are fundamental when constructing the black woman’s subjectivity. Postfeminism is understood as a modern social sensibility declaring that women are ‘now empowered,’ and celebrating and encouraging their consequent ‘freedom’ to return to normatively feminine pursuits. There is a growing field of research around postfeminism and chick lit pertaining to black African women and this is where this research locates itself. By positioning existing western literature, on chick lit, in dialogue with scholarship around chick lit in Africa, a transnational analytic and methodological approach to the critical study of chick lit and postfeminism can be made. Chick lit signals a transition for black women living in post-Apartheid South Africa, one of upward social mobility. This research looks at the contradictory space that black middleclass women occupy in this transition. There is a spectral ‘other’ that restricts black women in fully expressing their agency in the private sphere despite the progress made for women on a national scale. This I have called ‘the Ghost of the Township.’ I explore the extent to which the narrative opens up alternative avenues for writers to represent women’s interests. The author, Cynthia Jele, like other authors writing chick lit about black African women, illustrates how women writers can rethink and reposition the roles of women as they continue to live in patriarchal societies that marginalize and oppress them. In this research, I endeavor to explore if and how these new roles for women create contradictory zones for women by at once empowering and oppressing them. I also ask to what extent things have changed for black women and examine the effects of these changes.
XL2018

The phenomenon of age-disparate relationships between younger men and older women is relatively under- researched and therefore open to misunderstanding. The common assumption is that the younger men enter these relationships with a view to benefiting in terms of money or material goods. This qualitative study explored the experiences of five young men from around Pretoria who are in relationships with older women to understand their motivations for entering into those relationships and their experiences in the relationships. The in-depth interviews were thematically analysed and themes that emerged indicated that, unlike what has previously been found among young women who are in relationships with older men (namely that the young women are often coerced and therefore do not have much power in their relationships), the young men entered the relationships willingly and rely on cultural norms that allow them to navigate and negotiate their roles in the relationships. It is therefore recommended that age-disparate relationships not be discouraged; instead, interventions should focus on assisting young people develop agentic power in such relationships.
Psychology
M.A. (Psychology)

This study investigated coercive and high risk sexual practices in South African adolescent dating relationships. Quantitative and qualitative information was collected from secondary school learners in a community near Johannesburg. Of 928 learners surveyed, 23.5% of females and 53.7% of males ever had sex. Of these, 57.8% of females and 44.2% of males reported sexual victimisation, and 46.8% of females and 50% of males reported perpetrating sexual coercion in a relationship. Significantly more males engaged in risky sex than females. Among females, sexual coercion was significantly linked to risky sexual behaviour. Among males, alcohol and perpetration of sexual coercion were significantly associated with risky sexual behaviour. Focus group data reveal how dominant constructions of gender normalise male coercion and contribute to risky sexual practices. Recommendations for sexual health initiatives include introducing alternative discourses of female sexual desire and male sexual responsibility as a means for building healthier adolescent dating relationships.
Psychology
M.A. (Psychology)

This study examines the experiences of young adult women raised in non-resident father households in Tlokwe Local Municipality, North West. Focus groups and face- to-face interviews were conducted with 34 young women between the ages 18-25. Five important, nuanced themes emerged, these are: a) fathers who are physically present but emotionally absent, b) fathers who are physically present but uninvolved, c) fathers who are physically absent but involved, d) fathers who are physically present and involved and e) fathers who are absent and uninvolved. Non-resident fatherhood remains a challenge in the Tlokwe Municipality, most of the participants had never met their biological fathers. The study revealed the frustration young women feel towards their mothers and maternal grandparents for caring more about maintenance than they do about a healthy father-daughter relationship. The study further revealed a deep- seated need for close proximity and an involved type of fathering among the young women.
Sociology
M.A.(Sociology)

Text in English
This study explored the lived experiences of black African men who grew up in absent-father homes. A phenomenological approach and qualitative exploratory design were used. The research participants were recruited in the Pretoria, South Africa through purposive sampling. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the information. The findings of this study indicate the following: the participants experienced various challenges in growing up in absent father homes. These included financial challenges, feelings of rejection, lack of guidance and protection. They had to rely on their single mothers for provision as well as the extended family and the community for support. These men were self-reliant, persevered and worked hard to achieve their goals in life. Resilience also played a role in making them thrive. They in turn wanted to be good fathers and husbands to their wives and children. Further research on resilient men who grew up in absent-father homes is recommended.
Psychology
M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

“The power of sex to dominate and the ability of power to obtain sex in order to dominate” is at the crux of the researchers’ investigation. The researcher problematizes the usage of power for the attainment of sexual favours. At the heart of this research is the question, what is at the root of the exploitation and “sexifying” of power by either the granter or the recipients of sexual favours. The researcher utilises various lenses in exploring the research problem. Such lenses include a social lens which zooms in at the social power possessed by men over women in society and a theological lens which zooms in on the domination of men over women in scripture. In an attempt to explore the subject at hand, the author explores the role of patriarchy, unequal opportunities between men and women and poverty as some of the primary proponents for those who offer themselves as sex objects to those in power. In most cases, it is women who are at the suffering end of poverty; it is also women who are forced to use their bodies for sex, this, therefore, means that women are doubly oppressed. Part of the socialised “sexual oppression” of women is the notion that women were created for marriage, work, labour and the pleasure of men. Anthropologically, men and women are the crown of creation and are worthy of dignity. It is, therefore, a necessity for women to reclaim their dignity. The researcher is aware of the complex nature of sex which varies from negative to positive experiences depending on the individual. In a society that views sex as a commodity and is permissive in its perception of sex, in a society that has a high rate of pornography, swinging and swapping. The researcher probes the “humanising” of sex so that it is not just a physical activity but an intimate act of love and affection. The principles for the above involves viewing sex as personal and relational; sex as exclusive and unique; sex as fruitful and productive; sex and selfless and sacrificial and an acknowledgement of sex as multi-dimensional. Though the writer comes from a religious background and is the Wesleyan tradition, though she converses with a faith community in Eersterust as part of her quantitative research; she does not evade confronting the reality of the bible as a document flawed with patriarchy, clothed in culture and set in a particular context. The author who is Wesleyan draws from this rich heritage and compares the times of John Wesley which were characterised by, “Champagne, dice or a neighbour’s spouse” to the South African context. She utilises the Wesleyan quadrilateral to draw these parallels. All these findings led the author to the conclusion that conversations, training, safe space and capacitating of those in power, those abusing power, those attracted to power must be held for the restoration of human dignity with particular reference to women. The church remains a powerful and efficient platform for the above. The Church can no longer evade her role in rectifying the damage caused by patriarchy as assumedly condoned by the bible. The church can no longer evader her role in the restoration of human dignity.
Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology
M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, 2008.
Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 46-06, page: 3258. Adviser: Dorothy K. Waller. Includes bibliographical references.

Text in English
Early migration across borders predominantly involved movement by males for work. While changing times have seen a considerable increase in the number of female migrants as principal migrants solely for independent employment, women still move as passive participants, who have to play an often obscure supporting role beside men. Through a qualitative, exploratory research design, this thesis explored the lived experiences of accompanying immigrants, particularly women from other African countries, accompanying their immigrant spouses in South Africa. Data collection was conducted through individual face-to-face unstructured in-depth interviews with eight female accompanying spouses. The data were thematically analysed and yielded seven overarching themes, namely: motivation to relocate and power dynamics; effects of migration; how accompanying immigrant status is experienced by the female accompanying spouse; challenges immigrants that hold accompanying spouse status face; meaning-making, adaptation; and strategies deployed to cope. These were discussed in terms of the construction of the ‘accompanying spouse status’ and how this powerful social discourse impacts women’s wellbeing. Participants reported education, socioeconomic factors and related life aspects were amongst the motivations for their relocation to South Africa, in addition to citing both positive and negative effects of their migration. From the study results, accompanying spouses recounted how they encountered various adversities, including how accompanying spouse status fundamentally reduces the holder to a dependent, whose being revolves around the principal migrant spouse. Notwithstanding participants’ struggles, the study results show how the participants have, through it all, learnt to live with their status, deployed methods of coping against all odds, and today still stand.
Psychology
Ph. D.(Psychology)

This study aimed at exploring the impact of emotional and physical abuse that a male partner experiences “at the hands” of his female partner within a marriage or cohabitating relationship. This is accomplished by giving each respondent a “voice” with which he shares his victimisation experiences. Each case is individually analysed and interpreted according to an integrated systems model of abuse of the male victim of domestic violence which forms the theoretical foundation for this study. Through a process of in-depth personal interviews with the participants, researcher was able to compile a qualitative study, using the purposive snow ball sampling method. This information was used in collaboration with supportive literature to assist researcher in gaining a deep understanding of this form of domestic violence. It is hoped that this study will contribute to further research initiatives with regards to the male victim of domestic violence in South Africa. It is also researcher’s aim to inform victimology students and the helping professions about male battering and the unique circumstances surrounding it.
Criminology
Thesis (D. Litt. et Phil. (Criminology)