Browsing by Author "Macdonald, Christine Alison."
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Item The effect of paid employment outside the household upon married women's gendered identity : (a case study of married white women in Pietermaritzburg)(1999) Sundell, Sabine Else.; Macdonald, Christine Alison.This research explores how formal employment outside the household affects the gendered identity of married women. A comparison of ten married white women who are not gainfully employed and ten married white women who are gainfully employed has been used to determine whether or not formal employment has an impact on gender identity. Tajfel's social identity construction theory argues that member of devalued social groups will strive to construct positive self-concepts by either reinterpreting the prevailing beliefs surrounding social categories or by challenging these beliefs. I focus on the division of women and men into the private and public spheres according to 'innate' abilities. Patriarchal ideology has devalued the social category 'women' and the domestic sphere. This research aimed to determine whether or not these gainfully employed married women were challenging patriarchal ideology and therefore renegotiating their gendered identities. This study focuses on three aspects: the role of work in the formation of a positive self concept; the experience of motherhood; and the double-shift. It was found that gainful employment although not altering a woman's gendered identity did result in a more positive self-concept because of public recognition and financial rewards. However, the experience of motherhood for employed married women remains integral to their gendered identity as women and they experience guilt and anxiety because they do not remain at home. Lastly, the household chores remain primarily a woman's responsibility, even when she is employed outside the household, resulting in a double-shift. The interviews for this study demonstrate that married women who are employed ful-time outside the household do not challenge the patriarchal ideology which shapes their gendered identity.Item An evaluation of the Hirgigo Fishing Training Centre : the role of training in socio-cultural development of traditional fisheries in Eritrea.(2005) Alamin, Hassan Hassaballah.; Macdonald, Christine Alison.In a bid to support the harvesting of marine resources amongst the rural coastal communities and fishing sectors of Eritrea; the traditional fishermen of the coastal and island communities of this country have been involved in formal training regarding their fishing skills. The training programmes are intended to transfer fishing knowledge to the traditional fishermen of coastal communities and to introduce appropriate basic fishing skills through the Hirgigo Fishing Training Centre (HFTC). This study analyses the perceived role of the fishing training programme in improving fishing activities. The study further evaluates the HFTC programme, from the perspective of its 'traditional fishermen' target audience. Criteria for the observation and the focal point of the analysis, is to reveal ways in which to best contribute to the development of the fishing villages. This research therefore poses the following question: Is the current training sufficient to develop fishing livelihoods in rural coastal fishing communities, so improving the lives of the people in the fishing villages of Eritrea - or is a greater socio-cultural understanding of the fishing communities required, complimented by subsequent grass-roots development? In order to answer this question, the study will depend upon the perceptions of key informants and trained fishermen - which are used to examine the impact of the training centre and its programmes. In order to evaluate the HFTC training programme, the study applies a mixture of evaluative social research using the 'naturalistic model' as well as 'Participatory Rural Appraisal' (PRA) research methodologies. The data collection and analysis of the research study is based upon qualitative research methods. Traditional Eritrean coastal fishing life is based upon traditional knowledge, customs, religion, culture and behavioural experiences that emphasise the flexibility of livelihoods amongst rural shore inhabitants - over many generations. It is suggested that, as a consequence, the training and development programme faces difficulties in penetrating the inherent characteristics of traditional fishing. The study shows that while the training programme curricula and instructors' teaching methods are appropriate for the traditional fishermen, they cannot adequately address the everyday constraints experienced by these individuals and their communities. Traditional fishermen are dependent upon multiple livelihoods. While the research participants perceived fishing as a very important way of making a living (as opposed to other livelihoods) they are not willing to rely exclusively on fishing. This study further shows that Eritrean fishing communities are rooted in traditional attitudes and have unique socio-cultural characteristics. As a research area, the social and cultural milieu of coastal communities is fascinating and requires further social research studies; as does the context of social organisations in coastal and island communities, their indigenous knowledge, culture and ecology. These require special attention to assist rural coastal and island communities and develop academic social and cultural studies.Item The impact of urbanization on household livelihood strategies : a comparative study of Maputsoe and Fobane.(2001) Monts'i, Daniel Ratlala Palo.; Macdonald, Christine Alison.Most of the arable land in the lowlands of Lesotho including Maputsoe is under infrastructural development of residential settlements, large scale industries, roads and slum settlements which includes shacks and roadside spaza shops. These settlements have large human populations that derive their livelihood through wide range of activities. These activities comprised of subsistence agriculture in the form of crop production, livestock and vegetable production, formal work in both primary and secondary labour market, informal work such as niche markets in the service sector, petty commodity production and others. This thesis attempts to shed light on the impact of urban development on household livelihood strategies in the lowlands of Lesotho with specific focus to Maputsoe town. Although literature review indicates livelihood and urbanisation as two broad subjects that need special research on their own, the aim of this research focuses on impact of urbanisation on livelihood strategies. To achieve this the study looks at the activities entitled to households to generate livelihood as well as social and economic characteristics determining household livelihood strategies. To determine whether urban development has an effect to household livelihood strategies, the study compares household livelihood strategies in urban household sample (Maputsoe) to rural household sample (Fobane). The basis for choosing these two settlements was based on the understanding that household perceptions and opinions on impact of urbanisation on livelihoods will be different since Maputsoe is located in urban and Fobane in the rural area. To gather household perceptions, survey was conducted in both urban and rural area. Survey questions were formulated so as to determine factors affecting livelihood strategies as well as activities entitled to households to generate livelihood strategies. The analysis of results suggests three mam points influencing household livelihood strategies (they include household characteristics and social structure among both urban and rural households in the sample. They further include opportunities to employment among urban and rural households in a sample as well household assets among both urban and rural households. They show that both two samples are liable to less diverse livelihood strategies but due to conducieve environment favouring urban location. Maputsoe narrowly has more livelihood strategies per household than did Fobane. The results further prove the contention that urban development is likely to affect household livelihood strategies negatively or positively.Item The implications of emerging policy discourses in South Africa : a case study of the KwaZulu Natal Land Reform Pilot Programme.(1999) Macdonald, Christine Alison.; Marcus, Tessa.This study is an exploration of the discourses which ha emerged in the KwaZulu Natal Land Reform Pilot Programme. It aims to identify the implications of these discourses for addressing poverty and inequality and for constructing the relationship between the state and society. It is hypothesized that there are some discourses that are privileged at the expense of others with major social consequences. This hypothesis has been tested through a discourse analysis of the proceedings of the KwaZulu Natal Land Reform Pilot Programme Steering Committee for the period March 1995 to August 1996. This study uncovers three dominant discourses in the KZN LRPP. Firstly, discourses of historical, racial injustice which draw on notions of tradition. Secondly, discourses of 'economic development' which highlight the need for productive, agricultural use of land. Lastly, discourses of participation are used to construct and contest the role and authority of the state as well as that of 'community' spokespersons. I argue that these discourses might have constrained the capacity of the KwaZulu Natal Land Reform Pilot Programme to address poverty and inequality, and that these discourses have constructed relationships between the state and society which privilege elite sectors of rural society at the expense of others. An unintended outcome of this study is that it has allowed me to explore the limits and possibilities of discourse analysis as a research method.Item Locating the African Renaissance in development discourse : a critical study.(2001) Nyirabega, Euthalie.; Macdonald, Christine Alison.The concern of this study is "locating the African Renaissance in development discourse: a critical study" and aims to investigate how the South African President Thabo Mbeki has conceptualized the African Renaissance. Through this the author has discovered the meaning of Mbeki's African Renaissance discourse with regard to its context in African development and how it is located in historical conceptions of development in Africa. Through this what innovation to development in Africa is presented by the discourse of the African Renaissance has been identified. Therefore this study is based primarily on an extensive literature research on conception of development and the African Renaissance. In comparison with other discourses on development, the study finds that Mbeki's African Renaissance discourse has been inspired by Pan-Africanist discourses such as self-reliance and African regeneration combined with dominant political and economic discourses such as globalization, good governance, structural adjustment and democracy. The study finds that the great contribution of Mbeki's African Renaissance is to call again on the Africans to realize their self-rediscovery and to restore the African's self esteem without which Africans will never become equipped for African development. However Mbeki stops short of attempting to suggest practical strategies to do so. The study finds that Mbeki' s Arican Renaissance discourse is moralistic and can no longer challenge global economic inequalities.