Magister Philosophiae - MPhil (Women and Gender Studies)

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Browsing by Author "Faculty of Arts"

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    The construction of masculinity and risk-taking behaviour among adolescent boys in seven schools in the Western Cape
    (University of the Western Cape, 2006) Jeftha, Alethea; Shefer, Tamara; Women and Gender Studies; Faculty of Arts
    The term, risk-taking, has often been used to describe some of the behaviours and their associated negative outcomes occurring during adloscence. Statistics have shown that South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection in the world, with most infections occurring during adolescence. The central aim in this study was to explore the relationship between current constructions of masculinity and risk-taking behaviours among a group of young South African men. It was an exploratory study, focused on exploring how young men construct their masculinities, and how this intersects with or impacts on adolescent male risk-taking behaviours. A key conclusion drawn at the end of this project was that some traditional notions of manhood still held sway, and these tied in strongly with how these participants constructed their masculinity.
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    An exploratory study of women's experiences and place in the church: a case study of a parish in the Church of the Province of Southern Africa (CPSA), diocese of Cape Town
    (University of the Western Cape, 2006) Sparrow, Isabel; Clowes, Lindsay; Ryan, Mary; Women and Gender Studies; Faculty of Arts
    This mini-thesis is a small-scale exploratory case study into the experiences of eight mature women members of a particular parish in the Church of the Province of Southern Africa (CPSA) situated in the Diocese of Cape Town. Using qualitative feminist research methodologies, this study sets out to explore how this group of non-ordained women perceives their roles in the church structure. The study examines what initially attracted the participants to this parish and what motivates them, despite the challenges, to continue performing their voluntary licensed and unlicensed roles in the church. It then goes on to consider the contradictory ways in which their roles as individuals, gendered as women, serve to simultaneously reinforce and challenge the patriarchy of the church. In this respect the participants often held conflicting views within themselves, thus demonstrating the complexities surrounding such issues. Upon reflection the researcher acknowledges that, similar to the participants, she also holds contradictory views on some of these issues. The research therefore identifies and explores three main themes in this regard, firstly the reasons why women originally joined the parish church, secondly the ways in which these women are active in the church and lastly the ways in which women’s activities simultaneously challenge and reinforce the patriarchy and continued male domination of church.
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    Gender-aware policy and planning: a feminist analysis of aspects of the Mental Health Care Bill, 2000 and the Skills Development Act, 1998
    (University of the Western Cape, 2000) Orner, Phyllis; Potgieter, Cheryl; Rendall-Mkosi, Kirstie; Women and Gender Studies; Faculty of Arts
    No abstract available.
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    Women Parliamentarians perceptions of political influence in the South African Parliament
    (University of the Western Cape, 2006) Angevine, Sara; Clowes, Lindsay; Women and Gender Studies; Faculty of Arts
    In this study, I examine how women Parliamentarians understand their political influence within the South African Parliament and what environmental factors contribute to this understanding. Currently, South Africa is a global leader for the amount of women in Parliament and has been since the 1994 democratic transition. This study examines the formal and informal factors that South African women parliamentarians discuss as helping and hindering their political effectiveness.Aside from the work of Hassim (2003) and Pandor (1999), little academic research explores the experiences of women within South Africa’s Parliament. Considering this lack of research regarding women’s experiences within government, I selected a research method that would allow an open space for communication: semi-structured interviews with a qualitative feminist analysis. This study explores the opportunities and obstacles that the women perceived as affecting their political influence.The participant’s responses indicate that they perceive a high level of political influence, with some reservations. Four themes emerged as the leading environmental factors in contributing to the participant’s political efficacy: the 1994 democratic transition, the Parliament structure (formal and informal), the political party, and the role of gender.The informal structures of Parliament, such as socializing spaces, and gender stereotypes, such as the responsibility of women Parliamentarians for ‘women’s issues’, were discussed as the primary obstacles that hinder the women Parliamentarian’political influence.The participants felt that the attitudes of political parties regarding women’s role in Parliament was critical in facilitating their influence on the political agenda. The women Parliamentarians credited primarily the African National Congress (ANC) political party for framing and developing an atmosphere that mandated women’s strong participation in government and their positive perceptions of political influence.