Browsing by Author "McCracken, Donal Patrick."

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An analysis of brand positioning of male condoms among students of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2013) Nkwei, Emile Saker.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
HIV/AIDS is a global pandemic; and for South African Authorities it is still a huge concern. 17 per cent of the population aged 15 to 49 live with the HIV virus and KwaZulu-Natal remains the area most affected by the pandemic. In order to prevent the disease’s expansion among university students, the health authorities have make available across all campuses and for free Choice and Love condoms.This study explores the perception of the positioning of these government brands compared to the other commercial condoms available among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The study is in part a survey, using research questionnaire administered to more than 200 students at the Westville and Howard College and Nelson Mandela Medical School campuses to determine their perceptions of the competing condom brands. The study primarily makes use of the marketing theory of brand positioning to address the issue; a perceptual map is designed indicating the respective positions of the competing brands. The survey revealed that the Love brand is not very well known by students, and confirmed that the Choice brand is perceived as poor. One reason provided is the negative association of the South African government with the brand. Many students complained of experiencing a bad smell after using Choice. That led to the variant of scent being used in the study as an essential component for condom preference.
Biodiversity messaging to generation Y students at the Durban University of Technology, KwaZulu-Natal.
(2016) Foley, Jonathan Bernard.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.; Baijnath, Himansu.
This study deals with the intersection of three global influences that are rapidly changing our world; the first a looming environmental crisis or loss of biodiversity, the second the growing influence of a new generation of students (Generation Y) who possess the ability and power to reshape the socio political, economic and cultural landscape and finally the phenomenal power and penetration of multimedia communication platforms. Mindful of these global themes and context this particular research focuses on a relatively new area of study not yet covered in the literature, that of South African university students perceptions of nature. The study involved establishing the extent of the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of South African students (Generation Y) toward Nature, discovering how they connect with local biodiversity and determining the best communication modes for reaching this audience. The work posited that Generation Y students may be unfamiliar with the exact meaning and significance of the term biodiversity but could respond positively when exposed to nature based experiences at accessible botanic gardens, and protected urban green spaces. Student opinions (n= 428) at the Durban University of Technology were sampled statistically using an appropriate survey instrument. The resultant quantitative data revealed significant student levels of concern for biodiversity loss and a strong cultural bias in terms of personal linkages with medicinal plants. Visitor frequency to nature reserves was low however the use of botanic gardens proved more popular. Visual modes of communication such as television were preferred over text modalities and while the influence of multimedia electronic platforms was acknowledged the possible use of nature apps received a limited response. Qualitative data gathered from four focus groups involved guided discussion on the relevance of biodiversity, and local field visits to Pigeon Valley Nature Reserve and the Durban Botanic Gardens. Students produced response posters which revealed high levels of personal empathy and connection to nature, emphasizing existing cultural connections with local plants. A biodiversity communication model for South African university students was presented building on these findings.
Bleaching Durban: forced removals of formal Black urban settlements in central Durban (1963-1985)
(2019) Rosenberg, Leonard Glenn.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
The living, cultural, political and commercial urban space, occupied by the collective of African, Indian and Coloured people, referred to as a Black presence in this study, was distinct yet “invisible” as possible to the privileged racial group, during the colonial and apartheid periods. This invisibility is reflected in Durban’s urban history narrative, particularly its spatial development and built environment. The urban space and built environment perceived to be for Whites, has been documented, visually illustrated, its heroes celebrated and architecture preserved, whilst the “invisible” Black presence was first marginalised, then finally “bleached” from central Durban by the process of forced removals. This omission and marginalisation creates the general impression that Blacks did not occupy urban space and were not part of the evolution of this port city, apart from the Grey Street “Indian quarter”. The “bleaching” or forced removals in central Durban, conceived as urban space for Whites, started in earnest in the 1960s and continued until the mid-1980s, yet this socio-spatial re-organisation of the city has been neglected and thus largely undocumented. Although some studies have since examined Durban’s multicultural character and composition during the colonial and apartheid periods, these studies have focused on either the African or Indian urban experience, with a paucity of information on Coloureds and the subject of forced removals. In addition, these studies focused on specific aspects such as residential, traders or workers’ issues, resulting in a racially fragmented and incomplete picture of what a collective Black urban presence consisted of, before and after forced removals. Built environments are shaped by a past which celebrated some of its “monuments and markings”, whilst omitting some of that past (Knowles 2003: 97). “Race making is a spatial practice, and space contains important information about racial grammar as forms of social practice to which race gives rise” (Knowles, 2003: 80). This study examines the spatial evolution of Durban and demonstrates the connection between space and race. The spatial practice of ‘race making’ is demonstrated by an examination of White attitudes and legislation introduced that enabled the spatial clustering of Blacks into undesirable spaces, during the development of Durban from the 1870s to the 1980s. Various legislative measures are identified over different periods in the city’s development, which enabled the spatial practice of separating Blacks from White settlers, socially and spatially, before finally being removed from the central city from the 1960s. Different legislative measures were used to control the entry and occupation of urban space by Africans and Indians, and similarly, their removal was also achieved by the use of different legislation. The contribution that this thesis makes to Durban’s urban history is to identify the previously “invisible” living, educational, commercial, religion, sports and political space, occupied by Blacks. The Black presence is made visible by identifying, describing and illustrating what this space consisted of, where, when and how it was created and removed from the White city. Also, of importance to the urban history narrative of Durban, is the use of maps, diagrams and photographic material, which not only depict the character and architectural qualities of the urban Black presence, but also integrates it within the spatial development of the city until the mid-1980s.
Blending deaf and hearing cultures.
(2015) Ebrahim, Sana.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
Sign language practice is gaining prominence as inclusive eco-art interventions assist with integrating the Deaf into wider society in the City of Durban. Urban-nature adventures that attract both Deaf and hearing participants include Deaf Theatre, Silent Cinema, Skywriting Poetry and Board Gaming at pavement cafés and Deaf-friendly spaces in Durban. Skywriting is a term originated by the Green Heart Movement to illustrate the ‘mirroring of sign language to writing in the sky or Air’. The idea introduces an imaginative and accessible terminology to describe the term ‘sign language’ and encourages the hearing to become familiar with Deaf culture and its visual language. Eco-arts offer entry points into social solidarity and inclusiveness. The activations hone poetry skills and encourage interaction through sensitised socialisation. The self-generative poetry sessions assist multi-cultural groups from across the age spectrum to form a dynamic community of practice. Active citizenship showcases participants performing poetry in eco-cultural spaces across the City. The theoretical framework is informed by the Syntactic Theory of Visual Communication (Lester, 2006), Intergroup Contact Theory (Pettigrew, 1998) and Communities of Practice (Lave and Wenger, 1991). Central to the study are visual culture and two disparate social groupings. The research design incorporated ‘arts-based critical auto-ethnography’ (Taylor, 2014) as a focusing lens to achieve a holistic understanding of the complexity and convergences of Deaf and Hearing Worlds. Through action inquiry the researcher explored ways of facilitating interaction between Deaf and hearing participants. The study sample comprised eight Deaf and eight hearing respondents who participated in arts and ecology interventions that featured sign language. Data production tools included conversation notebooks that provide a record of written dialogue between Deaf and hearing participants, focus groups, interviews, participant observation, and a video titled ‘The Durban Deaf Room’. Narrative inquiry was employed to reflect on the data and represent the outcomes of the study. There is minimal literature associated with the South African experience of mixed media practice and its potential for value-added engagements that combine Deaf and hearing cultures. The study contributes to the literature by providing a lived ethnographic account of ways that Deaf culture and eco-arts act as progressive enablers in advancing mutually-beneficial social programmes for Deaf and hearing communities.
Constructing the tourist gaze in KwaZulu-Natal: the production and representation of “Zuluness”. A study of cultural villages (PheZulu and Ecabazini) and tour operators (Vuka Africa and 1st Zulu Safaris).
(2017) Dlamini, Nokulunga Zamantshali Portia.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
This research study explores the production of contemporary tourism brochures, as it constructs the tourist gaze. Representation within contemporary brochures mirror post-colonial history depicting stereotypical dynamics of ethnic separateness and racial dominance commoditizing Zulu culture to sustain tourism business. Myths and legends are incorporated, telling the story about cultural villages (PheZulu and Ecabazini) and cultural tours (Vuka Africa and 1st Zulu Safari). This study arises from recognising that tourism representation post-apartheid is still grounded on postcolonial discourse where ‘othering’ is still a notion where ‘Zuluness’ is commodified and transacted for maximising profits. Taking a cultural approach, this study employs the ‘encoding’ model (Hall et al., 2013) expounding on how ‘Zuluness’ as a discourse is negotiated and encoded on contemporary tourism brochures. Cultural imperialism and Orientalism have been used as frameworks to deploy the research study. In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the tourism professionals who are key in the production of brochures from (PheZulu Cultural Village and Ecabazini Cultural Homestead) and (Vuka Africa tours and 1st Zulu Safari). An in-depth semiotic analysis of four brochures respectively, was also examined to establish encoding processes engaged in constructing the tourist gaze. The interviews and the semiotic analysis of brochures demonstrated the intentional portrayals of Zulu identities, landscapes and Zulu culture within a capitalist perspective. The production process highlights a relationship of those who have the means (financial resources) and the voice (legitimate means) to control, determine and authorises the cultural heritage that is exhibited on media promoting destinations. This dissertation acknowledges the appropriate and suitable construction of the tourist gaze as embedded on myths of ‘Zuluness.’ What remains a contentious issue in this study is that, if ‘Zuluness’ is a fluid phenomenon, why then does tourism representation in the democratic era not illustrate continuity and transformation by embracing the new myth which accentuates the Rainbow Nation, endorsing social cohesion?
Examining the evolving representation of female characters in Zimbabwean films: a case study of Neria (1993) and Sinners (2013)
(2020) Pasipanodya, Isabel.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
The broad research question for this study was to investigate if the advocation for females’ equality globally has produced any positive results towards the upliftment of females from the restrictive political and social inferioties impacted on them by patriarchal societies in Zimbabwe. The thesis investigates the positive transition in the way females are portrayed in Zimbabwe between the 1993s and the 2013 period using a case study of two films Neria (1993) and Sinners (2013). The films where shot in different socio-economic contexts of Zimbabwe, but both films were based on true life events. In an attempt to map out the evolving representation of females in Zimbabwe, the thesis pays specific attention to how female lead actresses are represented in the two case studies selected. Drawing a comparative analysis of the manner in which female lead actresses are portrayed on screen between the different decades in which the films where produced. In order to achieve the goals of the study a qualitative method was applied. The research is centred within the Feminist Film Theory which proposes, critiques and acknowledges that females are represented as objects for male gratification. Who are naturally immoral, intellectually inferior to men, malicious and weak. The Feminist Film Theory is rooted within the ahistoricism thinking which is built upon semiotics, psychoanalysis and monolithic concepts of ideology defined as patriarchal and predicated upon rigid binary oppositions. Which evidently shows that females’ recognition and character is outlined in relation to that of males. The project’s data was collected mainly from watching the purposively selected scenes from the two case studies selected. A semiotic analysis was used to analyse the data as it explores and discovers the arrangement and use of content bringing out what it communicates (Ballaster, 1991:29). Together with the semiotic analysis, textual analysis was also applied to analyse the data. This is so because films make use of a sophisticated and knowledgeable style that is dominated by many ways like the mis-en-scene, narrative structure, lightning and sound.
Facebook usage in political communication in Ghana: the case of two political parties.
(2019) Boateng, Akwasi Bosompem.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
The emergence and spread of social media are changing activities in many walks of life. These technologies have ushered in a digital era that has transformed communication, engagements and relationships. Social media have revolutionised how political communication and politics, particularly electoral processes are also done. This study is centred in Ghana and investigated how Facebook is used in intra-party elections by New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress. Since the New Patriotic Party took over the reign of political power in 2017, there has been a considerable rise in political vigilantism in Ghana, which some have attributed to lack of direct access to parties and officials due to limited time given to stakeholders during “phone-in” segments on political programmes in traditional media. There are also debates as to whether social media have improved political communication and participation in Africa. More so, studies conducted on political use of social media in Ghana have not explored their appropriation in intra-party elections. The purpose of this study is to shed new light on the debate regarding social media usage in political communication in Africa, examining how Facebook is appropriated by political parties in Ghana. The study employed qualitative and quantitative techniques (mixed methods approach) in sequential triangulation of interviews and content analysis. Underpinned by interpretative and pragmatic paradigms, this study conducted interviews with communication officials of New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress. Contents of Facebook posts of the parties were analysed to corroborate or dispute data collected from interviews. Observations were also made from visits and activities of parties during data collection. The transcribed data was thematically organised for the study to analyse and present in narrative forms. Data from content analysis of Facebook was also coded and put into figures, numbers and tabular formats. This study anchored on the theories of technology appropriation, relationship management, and agenda setting. Generally, this study indicated that political parties in Ghana particularly New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress use social media especially Facebook in political communication and intra-party elections. However, the parties were particularly using Facebook for public information purposes instead of establishing mutually beneficial relationships through interactive engagements and two-way symmetrical communication on the social networking site, or perhaps not making good use of Facebook especially in internal elections. Parties considered and delivered social media communication on ad-hoc value without concerted efforts and political public relations strategies to maximise potentials. Inasmuch as political parties in Ghana demonstrated the desire to establish relationships by creating pages on vii Facebook to get closer to stakeholders and the public, they could not achieve this. They have focused their attention on passive traditional communication without reconsidering their activities to improve social media use especially “Facebooking” for interactions and mutually beneficial engagements and relationships. This study suggests that political parties improve interactions and conversations with stakeholders. Parties need to create political public relations units of communication professionals with expertise and skills to advice and manage social media engagements as specialised activities to extend mutually beneficial relationships. Communication officials of parties have to be trained in political public relations and social media for more knowledge and understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with these new forms of communication technologies to harness their utility.
Female identity construction on facebook among humanities students at Howard College, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2017) Lubaba, Hilde.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
Abstract available in PDF file.
Hidden migration, livelihoods, identities and citizenship : Malawians in the city of Durban.
(2004) Vawda, Mehmood Shahid Essop.; McCarthy, Jeffrey J.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
This thesis is an investigation into the undocumented migration of Malawians to the city of Durban, and the influences on their livelihoods, identities and continued links to Malawi. In this context the thesis raises the issue of migration and citizenship. In the past Malawians were involved in contract migration system tightly controlled by the mining industry and the state, and in which their freedom of movement and association was circumscribed. This thesis argues that there is a new, emerging new form of migration, which may be termed transnational migration that has taken root since the early 1990s. It involves a web of links and networks created by transmigrants between Malawi and Durban. For a variety of reasons this transnational migration pattern is less visible, and largely hidden from the official gaze of the state. The reasons for migrating to Durban are mainly, through not exclusively economic ones, that is, about creating a livelihood, or multiple livelihoods. Malawian migrants become enmeshed in a series of livelihood itineraries as part of the chain of migration from towns and villages en route to, and in Durban. In pursuing their livelihood itineraries they begin to use their networks and other resources such as their ethnic and religious identities, family and friendship ties, nationality, accumulated experiences, skills and entrepreneurship to insert themselves in the city, and in the process, seek, find or create work in both the formal and informal sectors of the local economy. In this context they develop a sense of belonging to and being part of the city and begin to institutionalise their presence, contributing in many ways, both socially and economically to the city. The thesis argues that their presence, practices, dispositions and accomplishments in the city of Durban, and continued links to Malawi raise pertinent issues around the question of citizenship and migration.
History, identity, representation : public-private-community partnerships and the Batlokoa community.
(2013) Sathiyah, Varona.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
This dissertation explores how a public-private-community partnership impacts on the operation of a community-owned Lodge. The case study focuses on the Batlokoa community at the Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge establishment, who collaborate with the tourism operating company, Transfrontier Parks Destinations (TFPD), and the National Department of Tourism (NDT). Collaborative partnerships are necessary in developing countries as the community sector often lacks the economic resources necessary for the operation of a successful tourism operation (DEAT 2011). This study is pertinent to the post-apartheid South African context which fosters community initiatives in tourism contexts (DEAT 1996) as it illustrates the possible challenges that are encountered when tourism operating companies, communities and government departments collaborate. The research is informed by Critical Indigenous Qualitative Research (Denzin, Lincoln and Tuhiwai-Smith 2008: 2), an interpretative approach that places emphasis on the indigenous community’s perceptions and interpretations. It aimed to ascertain how the Mountain Lodge establishment featured in the Batlokoa community’s sense of history, group identity and representation. It is necessary to focus on the ‘grassroots’ community perceptions as this study is situated within the field of cultural studies which places precedence of the marginalized aspects of society, in this case, the indigenous Batlokoa community. Moreover, there is a scarcity of texts that focus on the plight of indigenous communities (Hall 1997, Denzin et al. 2008). The findings of this study suggest that the Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge enterprise is viewed by the Batlokoa community as being primarily a place of employment and secondarily a place of heritage.
An investigative study into the knowledge and perceptions of illicit drug trafficking into and within Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2016) Moodley, Livasha.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
Studies have shown that drug traffickers and organised crime syndicates form transnational networks. They source drugs from one continent, traffic them to another and market them on the third. The drug trade is non-discriminant in its location. However, other than occasional media stories or annual police reports, little is known about the drug trade in South Africa, and particularly in Durban, South Africa‟s major port. Though drug abuse seems to be on the rise, gaps remain in knowledge concerning exactly where these drugs come from and how they are distributed. This study specifically addressed the knowledge of and perceptions about illicit drug trafficking in Durban. Theoretically, drugs could be received by air, sea, road or rail. This study was an attempt to establish exactly who brought illicit drugs into and distributed them within Durban, where this happened, and how it was accomplished. The investigation included the implications and the prevailing perceptions of this phenomenon. Additionally, an examination was conducted on the efficacy of existing local and national policy as well as regulatory frameworks dealing with illicit drug trafficking. The study employed a threefold mixed-method methodology, consisting of semi-structured interviews, ethnographic research (i.e., in Chatsworth) and a focus group interview that was conducted in Kharwastan. The interview participants ranged from police officers and the Organised Crime Unit personnel to airport and harbour officials, a drug dealer, an informant, and a pharmacist. The study site was located in Inanda, Chatsworth, Durban Harbour, King Shaka Airport (Cargo terminal), Phoenix, and Pietermaritzburg. A variety of themes were uncovered. The main thematic outcomes were the following: monetary reward is a motivating factor for trafficking in drugs; foreign residents are the main perpetrators of drug trafficking; a lack of proper boarder control in South Africa contributes to drug trafficking; unemployment is a contributing factor; a lack of family values and non-existent or weak parental influences are social and economic contributors to the drug trafficking phenomenon; and policies and legislation on drugs are met with a mixed response. Moreover, several participants spoke strongly of the need for a designated drug unit in South Africa. Due to the ever-changing nature of the drug market, it is vital that interventions be pliable and qualitative in nature. The scarcity of data on illicit drug trafficking in Africa, and particularly in South Africa, stands in the way of societies fully understanding the nature of this crime. Better data will result in better policies.
Leslie McCracken and Charles Bethune Horsbrugh: collecting birds’ eggs in Northern Ireland in the 1920s and early 1930s.
(Edinburgh University Press for The Society for the History of Natural History., 2012) McCracken, Donal Patrick.
This paper is a case-study of a school-boy’s egg collection in Northern Ireland in the 1920s and early 1930s. The collection and Leslie McCracken’s friendship with Charles Bethune Horsbrugh, an established naturalist, not only expanded McCracken’s consciousness far beyond the boundaries of his rural existence but also reveal, through the specimens given to McCracken by Captain Horsbrugh, the considerable extent of amateur egg-collecting and the interchange of eggs both within Ireland and Great Britain, and further afield, then and in previous generations. A socio-historic sketch is provided, together with an account of the more interesting bird’s eggs, their collectors, and the location of collection.
A marketing perspective on the value of the social network site (SNS) relationship between selected South African Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and 'Digital Native' prospective students.
Gevers, Milena.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
The landscape for Higher Education offers prospective students extensive choice when it comes to furthering their education and this competition makes it essential for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to market themselves via multiple platforms, including online. The use of Social Network Sites (SNSs) as a marketing platform has become increasingly necessary to engage the Digital Native prospective student. The value of engaging this sector of the prospective student market can be significant as a large portion of the young generation seeking to further their education fall within the Digital Native generational group, and also utilise SNSs such as Facebook and/or Twitter. This study focused on the South African context of SNS marketing communication and the opportunities to build relationships with the Digital Native market, especially in understanding the value for HEIs to recruit prospective students via their SNS page. Ten different HEI SNS pages were selected for analysis, both public and private across a wide geographical spread in South Africa. Both thematic and reception analyses were conducted to understand the recurring patterns and user responses to the marketing content. While the majority of the data was qualitative, there were also quantitative data considered to understand which HEI posts and what types of subjects attract high or low user engagement. The findings reveal that for an HEI to build meaningful and continuous relationships with their market and to gain the recruitment value from it, commitment and investment of time and resources are required due to the demanding nature of SNS marketing. It is important for HEIs to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the platform and then decide on their strategy, design their post content and have skilled staff to execute and manage it in order to effectively engage prospective student users on the page. A suggestion for further research in this field would be through access to the HEI’s applicant databases to track the success rate of SNS marketing communication to actual recruitment results. The nature of SNSs is that they change, as would users’ demands and needs, therefore these platforms should be continuously researched and analysed to optimise on any new marketing opportunities that emerge.
News covering in the online press media during the ANC elective conference of December 2017.
(2019) Muringa, Tigere Paidamoyo.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
Online press plays an imperative role in the legitimation of ideas, individuals, events and interpretations. Evidence suggests that news media play a significant role in legitimising and de-legitimising political candidates, particularly in the period leading to and after elections. There is increased interest in recent studies in the field of media framing, legitimation and de-legitimising of political candidates. While scholars provide useful insights on prospective media use of frames to de-popularise political leaders, up to now, studies have not gone beyond explaining the frames used by the news media. Little effort has been made to understand the relationship between media frames and the different discursive practices that affect the construction of such frames. Drawing on Van Gorp's (2007) framing theory and Foucault's (1980) concept of discourse power/knowledge to investigate news coverage in the South African online press, this thesis examined the frames used by News24 and IOL to legitimise and de-legitimise election candidates during their reporting of the 54th National Congress of the African National Congress. Using the national congress as a case study in point, qualitative archival data consisting of 100 news articles were retrieved from online archives of New24 and IOL. The information was analysed to assess how the content reported was framed to legitimise or de-legitimise Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dhlamini-Zuma's political leadership qualities both at the national and political party level. Through a critical discourse analysis approach, six broad frames were thematically organised and presented as evidence on how news frames were constructed through culturally constituted communication artefacts. The study found that the reports by both, News24 and IOL were heavily influenced by the prevailing societal discourses that shaped politics and economy in the period of their construction. Notably, this thesis reveals how both presses used similar frames in their reporting. Even though they used similar frames, there were significant differences in approaches that were used by IOL and News24 in reporting on Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa. As a result, this study contributes to the body of knowledge, by confirming how the press evokes cultural discourses when reporting on political candidates, to remind readers and allow them to interpret issues and topics using the culturally constructed reality as a frame of reference.
Questioning notions of authenticity : Zulu beadwork as cultural tourism.
(2013) Ngema, Luthando Ngazile.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
Questioning notions of authenticity through the dynamics of Zulu culture as expressed by Zulu beadwork in the cultural tourism industry, allows this study to evaluate the historical perspectives of Zulu culture. It further provides a genealogical perspective of Zulu beadwork, and explains the nature of Zulu beadwork within the tourism industry of KwaZulu-Natal. The literature of this dissertation specifically evaluates the historical foundations of Zulu cultural history and heritage and further gives an evaluation of the literature related to issues of authenticity and cultural tourism. This dissertation is framed in the theories of identity and culture; borrowing from cultural anthropology studies; tourism studies and cultural communication studies. The dynamics of cultural tourism, which are created in the relationship between the bead makers and their prospective consumers (the tourist), are also to be the focus of this study as this will work to facilitate unpacking the reasons which add to tourism destinations offering cultural experiences and as well focus on development strategies that are in place for developing cultural tourism for economic gain. This study will employ a qualitative research methodology, which is concerned with non-statistical information about the notions of authenticity in cultural tourism; used as a medium to Zulu beadwork symbolism, as viewed by Zulu bead makers and the cultural tourists based in the Durban South and North beach regions. The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the notions of authenticity as applied through the tourism process that occurs in the KwaZulu-Natal, Durban’s beach front; through the stall keeping that occurs in the area, where Zulu beadwork is one of the key items sold to the tourist.
Regional newspapers and their diverse readers: a case study of the South Coast Herald and its reception in rural, township and suburban areas.
(2023) Mboyisa, Mlondolozi Cedric.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
Employing the Stuart Hall Encoding/Decoding Communication Model as a theoretical framework, the qualitative study looked into the phenomenon of regional (community) newspapers and their diverse readers, using the South Coast Herald newspaper as a case study to establish its reception in rural, township and rural areas. Furthermore, the inquiry sought to determine the approach of the newspaper to news coverage or reportage to cater for its diverse readership. The almost century old regional newspaper is located on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. Areas which were the focal point of the inquiry were the rural village of Murchison, the township of Gamalakhe and the suburb of Margate. All study participants are regular readers of the newspaper. Initially, the technique for collection of data was through focus groups, with respondents selected purposively. However, due to the devastating Covid-19 pandemic and strict concomitant lockdown, the researcher had to resort to dispatching the mainly open-ended two questionnaires to both readers and editor of the South Coast Herald via e-mail. Similarly, the responses from respondents/participants were received by e-mail. The original research design envisaged that a total of 30 participants would be drawn from these three identified communities in an equitable manner of 10 from each selected place. In the end, however, the inquiry received 25 out of 30 responses. In other words, a response rate of 83.3%. There was a 100% (10/10) response rate from Gamalakhe while Margate stood at 90% (9/10) and six out of 10 (60%) of Murchison’s participants returned responses. One of the main findings shows that the overwhelming majority (67.78%) of participants feel that the South Coast Herald is blatantly biased in favour of the white readers, and to an extent, towards the Indian readership as well. Furthermore, while the newspaper insists its approach to news is premised on the concept of hyper-local news, another finding reveals that respondents aver that the South Coast Herald lacks diverse content. The majority of the participants feel that the newspaper is systematically focusing on suburban news while neglecting stories or content from rural and township areas. The inquiry proffers reflections which hopefully might serve as a catalyst to address the newspaper’s identified challenges. Furthermore, these proposals could be useful in eliminating factors which could be construed as being currently inimical to ensuring the South Coast Herald becomes a truly transformed newspaper.
The sustainability of a free press in Zambia’s Third Republic: a case of the Zambia Daily Mail and The Post newspapers.
(2015) Hamusokwe, Basil Nchimunya.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
This study sets out to explore the sustainability of a free press in Zambia. The main objective is to contribute to the debate on factors affecting the political and economic sustainability, advertising in particular and independence of newspapers in a small media market. For this purpose, the study uses a case of the Zambia Daily Mail and The Post newspapers. Using political economy analysis, the thesis uncovers the nature and form of the media system; the factors influencing the independence and freedom of the press; the type, the extent, resources required for the sustainability of a free press and the role and impact of policy interventions for creating an enabling environment for a free press in Zambia. The thesis acknowledges that global transformations are pushing media systems around the world towards the liberal system of market-driven de-regulated, convergence and commercialism. Similar claims are made that, like any other, the Zambian media market is not immune to these trends, and is in transition to integrate with the global trends. It, however, stresses that the degree and extent to these transformations varies from region to region, and country to country. However, irrespective of some signs of evidence of this transformation, Zambia is a small country with a small media market, subjecting it to different influences from affluent Western countries. It has therefore been argued that country-specific conditions in the media and communication environment such as a country’s media and communications infrastructure, and more rudimentary characteristics including market size, growth rate, profitability and competition should be taken into consideration. In this vein, the thesis also contends that the influence of the global trends in the political economy of communication on the Zambian media system has not been subjected to adequate academic examination. In fact, this observation is extended to most third world African countries. As a result, this has led such countries to either be left in the margins or be subjected to sweeping generalisations made about Western societies. Therefore, the thesis advocates evidence-based approaches for conceptualising the political economy of communication.
Television engagement with followers on Facebook: a case study of nation television during the 2016 elections in Uganda.
(2020) Alina, Marion Olga.; McCracken, Donal Patrick.
This study investigates how traditional media of television struggles to retain hegemony in the online public sphere, where other players such as ordinary citizens co-produce content- initially a preserve of traditional media. The study is anchored in the theory of the public sphere as espoused by Jurgen Habermas (1989), as well as the agenda setting theory of McCombs and Shaw (1972). The context of the study is the 2016 elections in Uganda, part of which period social media was shut down in the country, to prevent what government described as an intention to use the platform for spreading lies. This effectively integrates the state in the struggle for hegemony on social media. The study therefore presents an interpretation of how each of these three entities: ordinary citizens, herein referred to as followers, the media and the state struggle to retain control of the Facebook communicative space. This study applies a combination of netnography and in-depth interviews to bring to empirical scrutiny the use of Facebook in Uganda. It concludes with the argument that traditional media‘s agenda setting role is in conflict with the discursive nature of Facebook as a public sphere. The study further draws a connection to the clamped down radio talk shows in Uganda, commonly known as ebimeeza, to argue that Facebook is Uganda‘s new ebimeeza. A new term, FaceBimeeza, is coined to explain this relationship.