Browsing by Author "Nadar, Sarojini."

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Beyond compassion towards just engagement : exploring moral exclusion of people living with HIV in local church contexts in Chitipa District of Malawi.
(2016) Kasirye, Stella Nagitta.; Nadar, Sarojini.
Four decades into the AIDS pandemic, stigmatization and discrimination of People living with HIV is highlighted annually as a leading obstacle in mitigating the impact of the pandemic. This persistence is occurring within a context of global commitment to getting to zero stigma. Historically, the church has contributed greatly in changing the trajectory of the AIDS pandemic at both a micro and macro level and is expected to play a pivotal role in making the Zero Discrimination Goal a reality. Yet, the church is still ranked among the most stigmatizing institutions. While there is extensive research on HIV and AIDS related stigma and discrimination, there is a shortage of context-specific empirical studies that have applied stigma reduction strategies; particularly so within religious spaces. In spite of the agreement in the literature that stigma and discrimination are socially constructed and hence need to be understood within the broader context of society, power, and culture, current dominant research models and conceptualizations tend to be individualized and stereotyped with the discourse occurring within disciplinary silos. Applying Pierre Bourdieu’s social cultural theory, Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Foucault’s theory of knowledge and power within a liberation theology framework, this study examined the extent to which the moral exclusion of people living with HIV (PLWHIV) from full participation in church life impedes the global commitment to eliminate stigma and discrimination and impacts on the church’s calling to be an agent of justice in the response to the AIDS pandemic. The storied experiences of moral exclusion of PLWHIV gathered through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and participant observation, within local church contexts in Chitipa District of Malawi, are critically analysed using a social structural conceptualisation of stigma. Hence the study explored the social and structural factors contributing to the legitimation of persistent moral exclusion of PLWHIV from full participation in church life and identified liberating theological resources within the church setting that could become part of a framework for praxis against moral exclusion. The findings revealed that the nature of stigma in the church settings takes on moral, social, cultural, spiritual and economic dimensions. Gender inequalities, patriarchy, symbolic power, symbolic violence, religious prejudice and moral policing were structures of injustice linked to the reproduction and legitimation of stigma within the Chitipa Church setting. Another revelation from the portraits was that the collective efficacy and solidarity was resulting in the creation of authentic communities emerging into new ways of being and doing church. The study concludes that moving the discourse on HIV and AIDS related stigma and discrimination from the compassion towards the justice framework warrants the interrogation of the power structures underlying moral exclusion, through inter- disciplinary dialogue. That from within its own polity, the church has access to theological resources that have the potential to move the discourse on stigma and discrimination into the justice space. These liberating theologies of mission, leadership, community, people and culture provide a framework that the church can use either to pursue an intentional destigmatizing culture or measure the extent to which its structures legitimate the moral exclusion of PLWHIV. As a contribution to the lack of stigma reduction tools, the study developed a liberative hermeneutic for missional justice that the church could adopt to create an enabling environment within which a culture of inclusion, participation and just engagement can be nurtured.
Challenging violent masculinities : a critical feminist investigation of the relationship between domestic violence and religion.
(2012) Partab, Rubeena.; Nadar, Sarojini.
When something is about masculinities it is not always about men. Kosofsky-Sedgwick (1995 :12) Any society that is lauded for its exemplary National Constitution that asserts and affords their citizens basic human rights is accountable for how those rights are translated into the "lived experiences" of its citizens. In South Africa, a pronounced and violent identity has become notoriously established by the blatant disrespect for women's rights, a reality predominantly present within the marital dyad. Unfortunately, even after eighteen years of political liberation and some fourteen years after the promulgation of the much-lauded Domestic Violence Act No. 116 of 1998, the culture of human rights has not demonstrably translated into women's rights as countless women continue to be challenged in their marriages by the dictates and privileges of hegemonic masculinities that their husbands subscribe to. In order to engage with this prevailing and destructive state of disharmony and abuse in marriages, this study concentrates on a simple yet logical question of "why do men do what they do?" centred as it is within the compass of their violent relationships with their wives. This exploratory research project afforded an in-depth understanding and examination of seven married men who were afforded an opportunity to engage in four focus group discussions to describe and detail their subjective narratives of their violent relationships. This research provided spaces for men's reflective accounts of their violence, thereby offering insightful interpretations of the contours of the contradictions contained in the social construction of masculinities which in South Africa is multi-faceted. The sample frame comprised of men who reside in Phoenix, a large township, north of the city of Durban. According to racial profile, all were South African Indian. Their ages ranged from 34 to 61 years, while their wives were between 35 to 60 years of age. Years of marriage ranged from 3 to 35. Three respondents were in their first marriage, while four were married for the second time. Five respondents had matriculated; while one possessed a post-matriculation qualification and one had completed Standard Six (present High School Grade 8). Concerning their religious affiliation, six of the respondents were Christian and one was Muslim. Utilising critical, freminist and masculinity theories, the 'authoritative discourses' offered by the respondents were meaningfully interrogated, examined and analysed. In particular, the study paid careful attention to the inextricable links between the constructions of masculinities, domestic violence and the sociology of religion. Emergent meta-themes that emanated from the extensive narratives of the men on their violent relationship with their wives included the priveleges of patriarchy; religion and male privelege, and finally the clash between religious belief and the South African criminal justice system. It is within the acknowledged space of the "web of associated factors" which contribute to domestic violence, that conclusions were reached. The study logically concludes that a deliberate, coherent, sustained, and spiritual ethos is needed in South Africa so as to ameliorate the damaging and destructive effects that are presently and overwhelmingly dictated by the presence of hegemonic masculinities.
Channeling justice? a feminist exploration of North American televangelism in a South African constitutional democracy.
(2016) Boesak, Elna.; Nadar, Sarojini.
In this dissertation I argued that despite the South African Bill of Rights many women and persons with non-conforming gender and sex/sexual identities and orientations remain marginalised and vulnerable in this country. The same hegemonies that denied them their rights in a pre-democratic South Africa are still the root causes of their disempowerment. I proposed that during Apartheid the preservation of white, Western, heterosexual male domination (political, social and economic) was a main priority and that strategic mass media communication (―the media‖) played a significant role in protecting and maintaining such dominance. This role continues in different guises in South Africa in an era of globalisation. Globalised strategic Christian mass media communication, such as transnational religious broadcasting, is one example. My study of how gender is mediated in samples of North American televangelism that exhibits a profile in a South African constitutional democracy, was theoretically framed through intersectional, decolonial feminist lenses. In this regard I took a pan-African stance. I did Comprehensive Critical Rhetorical Discourse Analysis (CCRDA) to examine three DVD teachings each of the African American New Evangelical/Fundamentalist televangelists Bishop T.D. Jakes and Prophetess Juanita Bynum. This situated my enquiry within an ethico-political paradigm. The intersection between media/strategic mass media communication (―the media‖), religion and gender was investigated in an interdisciplinary fashion as I drew from, and built on, media and communication, gender and feminist, theological, and political science theories. I identified and deconstructed the themes in their content and the rhetorical processes and methodologies that Jakes and Bynum apply in their messaging. I then investigated how their communication challenges or upholds hegemonies that fuel gender power imbalances. My analysis revealed that both televangelists construct gender in a fashion that justifies and maintains various manifestations of hegemonic dominance. Their use of specific communication biasing frames and other methods reinforce the ideological content of their rhetoric, obstructing the potentially transformative power of the South African Constitution. In order to address these problems I proposed that such globalised mainstream New Evangelical/Fundamentalist televangelism is an imperialist tool used for the re-colonisation of the religious convictions of African Christians. It should be recognised that in a New Media Age, transnational electronic churches have, in their reach, become omnipresent. They have the potential to manufacture consensus around harmful beliefs, values, norms and practices that hamper gender equality and justice and ―radical‖ reconciliation in South Africa. It is my argument that such ―media‖ constitutes sanctification communication. This term refers to strategic religious communication that is distributed in a purposeful fashion and carries mediated messaging that originates from authoritative figures. As the interpretations therein is ―sanctified‖ through an association with the divine, it has enhanced value and thus power. The sanctification communication in question is combatant and defensive and has a political agenda. It should be critically engaged as an enlistment and mobilisation tool for a global fundamentalist Christian movement that challenges human rights.
“Construction sites”: exploring queer identity and sexuality at the intersections of religion and culture in Zambia.
(2016) Phiri, Lilly.; Nadar, Sarojini.
The purpose of this study was to examine how Queer Christians construct their identities and sexualities within the social contexts of religion and culture. Framed within a qualitative and critical research paradigm, this study sought to interrogate the agency of gay Christians‘ formulation of their identities and sexualities and the role of religion and culture in the construction process. Data was produced from primary sources which utilized focus group discussions, individual interviews and observation of Queer Christians, focusing primarily on gay Christians, in urban Lusaka, Zambia. Findings show that religion and culture, acting independently or together, do inform how the study participants ―self-construct‖ their identities and sexualities. The participants constructed their identities and sexualities amidst ambiguities of regarding the Bible as infallible whilst holding biblical hermeneutics as fallible; belonging and not belonging within Zambian churches, and upholding personal piety over belonging to the institutional Church. To show the influence of global culture in the construction of gay identities and sexualities, participants identified with Christianity‘s motif of creation of humanity in God‘s image and not African Traditional Religions‘ aligning gay identities with the inhabitation of ancestral spirits. In the construction process, silence and discretion are evident, while ambiguities of constructing identities in masculine and feminine rites of passage were highlighted. In relation to gender and sexual roles, the study showed elements of homopatriarchy exhibited through physical violence among some sexual partners, as well as ambiguities of identifying as male, female and woman. This study makes four major arguments, first, that participants are agents in their ―selfconstruction‖ of identities and sexualities. Second, the gender binary model is restrictive in understanding gay identities and sexualities. Third, the ―coming-out‖ model is not suitable for study participants due to personal choice, security reasons and the veiled nature of sexuality discourses. Fourth, the concept of masculinities does not fully capture varieties of identities and sexualities among gay Christians in Zambia.
The contribution of Catholic Church theologies on 'Imago Dei' to the vulnerability of Catholic single women to HIV.
(2011) Billy, Bangirana Albert.; Nadar, Sarojini.
This is an exploratory study that seeks to establish the extent to which traditional theologies on 'imago Dei' may contribute to the vulnerability of Catholic single women to HIV and AIDS. It employs a feminist framework of study to critically analyse how androcentric theologies on imago Dei informed by the Greek philosophies of Plato and Aristotle and advanced by the Church fathers do contribute to the dehumanisation of women. Argued in this study, is that these teachings could be responsible for single women‟s vulnerability in the context of HIV and AIDS. Following extensive research done on women, HIV and AIDS, this study also presents cultural, social, economic and religious factors as players in women‟s susceptibility to HIV and AIDS. However, in a unique and particular way, this study seeks and presents a possible connection between the Catholic Church‟s teachings on imago Dei and the vulnerability of Catholic single women to HIV and AIDS.
A critical study of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's (EOTC) HIV and AIDS prevention and control strategy : a gendered analysis.
(2011) Tesfaye, Ayalkibet Berhanu.; Nadar, Sarojini.
This research study is a qualitative appraisal of the HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Strategy of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC). It critically analyses the strategy in order to ascertain its gender consciousness or gender sensitivity in the context of HIV and AIDS in Ethiopia. The basic motivation for this study is based on the idea that many if not most of the responses aimed at dealing effectively with the HIV and AIDS pandemic in Ethiopia have so far not addressed the underlying problems related to gender which are fuelling the spread of the HI virus. The study is guided by an overarching feminist ecclesiology, the gendered conceptual intervention to HIV and AIDS proposed by Geeta Rao Gupta, and Orthodox and feminist Trinitarian theology as a theoretical framework within feminist theology. These approaches were chosen because of their common focus on the unity and equality of humanity regardless of gender, social and religious differences. One of the major highlights of this study is that it has succeeded in bringing forth links between gender issues and HIV and AIDS; poverty and HIV and AIDS, and economic, social and cultural factors that fuel the spread of the HI virus; as well the historical, philosophical and cultural influences that perpetuate the oppression of women. Another important highlight of this study is the identification of theologies within EOTC that can help diffuse the tension created by the above mentioned negative influences. These theologies include the Trinitarian theology for example, and are life affirming for women because they transform and empower women to ensure their full humanity and equality, giving them the means to avoid being infected by the HI virus, and/or allowing those who are already infected and affected to live with dignity.
"Don't touch me on my psychology and religion!" : feminist backlash in a wearable cloak and different voice.
(Agenda., 2010) Potgieter, Cheryl.; Nadar, Sarojini.
In this article it is argued that feminist successes in South Africa are being ‘overshadowed’ by movements which are essentially anti-feminist and brazenly patriarchal, but which go unchallenged because these movements are protected by the freedom of religion clause in the Constitution. Further, these movements and the messages they preach are drawing large numbers of educated men and women of all ages under the guise of what Nadar (2009) has labeled Palatable Patriarchy and what Nadar and Potgieter (2010) have labeled Formenism. This article draws on the online advice column run by Gretha Wiid (one of the many ‘services’ offered by her) as material for a feminist rhetorical discursive textual analysis, and illustrates how these growing movements are challenging and negating feminist successes with very little (if any) challenge from feminist intellectuals, feminist organisations and especially the State. Two rhetorical discourses emanating from the movement are identified – termed psychologisation and pastoralisation. These movements are offering a space whereby everyday challenges (bankruptcy, global economic crisis, unemployment, marriage problems, crime) of persons from a range of backgrounds are being addressed in “ways” and by people who they identify with and aspire to. In conclusion the article engages with how feminists could respond to these challenges.
The effects of biblical and cultural patriarchy on the lives of married Damara women in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN)
(2007) Gaomas, Nokokure Rogate.; Nadar, Sarojini.
This study aims to analyse the links between patriarchy in the bible, the Damara culture, and the ecclesiological practices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCN). Using empirical research (interviews) and socio-historical methodology, the study demonstrates how biblical patriarchy affects married Damara women and evaluates the consequent roles of women in the religious context of the church, in the light of the biblical and cultural patriarchy which Damara women are subjected to.
An exploration of how Zulu gay men negotiate their Christian and cultural beliefs in the process of coming out.
(2017) Chamane, Thembani Bright.; Reddy, Sarasvathie.; Nadar, Sarojini.
Struggles with sexuality vary from person to person depending on their unique circumstances and experiences, but those who are attracted to people of the same sex, arguably experience greater struggles. These struggles are most visible in the coming-out experiences of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI). Literature especially in the African religious and cultural contexts portrays gay men as victims of discrimination, homophobia and violent crimes. This study aimed to understand the experiences of Zulu gay men in this regard. What were their experiences of discrimination and marginalisation from religion and culture in the process of coming out was an underlying question. The participants of the study were purposefully selected initially and thereafter through a snowballing technique. Phenomenological interviews as well as a focus group discussion were held in private settings. The data was produced and analysed through the lenses of Gender Performativity, Queer theory and Queer Theology. While the experiences of the participants confirmed the literature in the field regarding the struggles and complexities of the coming-out process faced by gay men, the remarkable agency shown by this group of men also shone through, thereby demonstrating the importance of resilient and taking ownership in creating a conducive and supportive environment for each other. This study showed the power of such resilience and agency in the face of religious and cultural discrimination. Despite the challenges faced by Zulu gay men, participants from the research affirm that negotiating the boundaries of their Christian and cultural identity and their sexuality is possible by re-conceptualizing their sexuality within a religious and cultural context that emphasizes the concepts of love and compassion as characteristics associated with God. Spiritual fulfilment and a relationship with God and the ancestors become more important than adhering to congregational doctrine, conservative biblical interpretation and other rules which exclude homosexuals. Zulu gay men are reclaiming space and visibility by not divorcing their Christian faith and their cultural beliefs but rather they continue to find their own meaningful contribution by reconciling both their religious and cultural beliefs with their sexual identity.
"For healing and transformation" : a feminist ecclesiological study on the gap between gender policy and practice in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA)
(2011) Sprong, Jenette Louisa.; Nadar, Sarojini.
The main premise of this study is that while gender justice is enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa and in the declared statements of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA), in practice gender justice receives minimal attention in this church. The existing ‘gender policy’ of the MCSA, which is a mere recommendation, endorses an equitable representation of women, youth and men at every level of Church governance. Since this ‘policy’ is couched in the language of ‘recommendation’, this study argues that a gap continues to exist between policy and practice in the MCSA. Using Letty Russell’s (1993) ‘Table Fellowship’ analogy in her book Church in the Round – Feminist Interpretation of the Church, and Musimbi Kanyoro’s subsequent (1997) In Search of a Round Table: Gender Theology and Church Leadership, the discussions in this thesis focus on ‘the Table’ of the Church. The research question this study seeks to address is: Why does the MCSA continue to marginalise and exclude women, even though its mission is to be a church of healing and transformation and its gender policy is meant to prevent such marginalisation and exclusion? Hence, the objectives of this study are firstly, to demonstrate the ways in which the MCSA continues to be patriarchal in its ecclesiological practices and secondly, to analyse the reasons why the MCSA remains steeped in patriarchy. In order to respond to the research question this study utilises a feminist ecclesiological theoretical framework, which examines and analyses the MCSA’s source documents, its liturgies and its hymns. The theoretical framework is also used to consider the stories of five Methodist women from a narrative perspective. The Wesleyan Quadrilateral – Sacred Scripture, Church Tradition, Human Reason and Personal Experience – was engaged in this research, when deemed relevant. Transformative models of being church, that will enhance and enable the healing and transformation that the MCSA has declared to be its mission, are proposed in the conclusion, thus fulfilling the third objective of this study. It is here where the hope for gender-healing in the MCSA is expressed, along with a dream that this study will be ‘one more voice’ that is heard. Key Terms: African Feminist Theology; African Feminist Ecclesiology; Gender Justice; Gender Policy; Women in Ministry; Church Women’s Organisations Community; Healing and Transformation; Women’s Narratives; Feminist Leadership Principles; Ecclesiological Practices; Alternative Models of Being Church; Circle Leadership Styles; The Methodist Church of Southern Africa.
For the Bible tells me so? An explorative study of children's critical and theological ability to engage with the Bible, using a contextual Bible study, on the Widow's offering in Mark 12 as a case study.
(2012) Fabian, Alice Kathleen.; Nadar, Sarojini.
The flat narratives presented in Children’s Bibles typify the assumption that children are incapable of engaging theologically and critically with the Biblical texts. The manner in which Biblical stories are told to children during their formative years can have negative repercussions as children perceive the Scriptures as static and irrelevant. By denying children the chance to explore the dynamic text, they will never discover the depth and potential of the life-giving message of the Bible and can become despondent with Christianity, perceiving it as immaterial as the Biblical narratives show no resemblance to reality. Developing a habit of blindly accepting Christian teachings can also develop a faith which allows unhealthy indoctrination and oppressive beliefs into the Christian’s life. This thesis explores what is necessary to enable and encourage children to critically and theologically engage with the Bible. Using the story of the Widow’s Offering in Mark 12 as an example, the traditional readings present in Children’s Bibles were compared to a critical reading of the text. A Contextual Bible Study was then conducted with two case studies from grade 1 and 4 at Scottsville Primary in order to determine whether children are able to critically and theologically engage with the concepts of Christian Humanism and textual criticism. The findings reveal that this is an important area of research that requires urgent further investigation.
God's image or man's glory? : a Kenyan postcolonial feminist reading of 1 Corinthians 11:1-16.
(2011) Mwaniki, Lydia Muthoni.; Nadar, Sarojini.
This study uses a postcolonial feminist analysis to show how a biblical text (1 Cor 11:1-16), because of its patriarchal and imperial background, excludes women from the image of God. It demonstrates how this text has been taken up, developed and appropriated to support the subordination of women throughout the Christian tradition from the Church Fathers to the reformers and right up to the present day postcolonial Kenyan Church context. While this text has been used for a long time to oppress women, this study argues that a critical reading of the text from a postcolonial feminist perspective shows that gender disparity exists in this and in other gender-biased Pauline and post-Pauline texts because they were based on the existing patriarchal and imperial structures, which subordinated women to men. Further the study demonstrates that the texts have continued to subordinate women to men throughout the history of Christian tradition. Most churches, such as the Anglican Church, express belief in the Scriptures. Yet such churches like the Anglican Church of Kenya, which seemingly supports gender equality through its gender inclusive article in its Constitution, does not offer guidance about how such texts are to be read and appropriated by Christians. The study offers a method to fill this gap. It is hoped that the academy and the church will avail themselves of this method in their reading practices of the Bible. It takes into account the history of gender and imperial biases in the construction of texts such as 1 Cor 11:1-16 that exclude women from the image of God.
In search of indigenous knowledge systems for ecological justice : a gendered ecological reading of Genesis 1-3 in the context of the Tonga people in Zambia.
(2014) Kangwa, Jonathan.; Nadar, Sarojini.
The emergence of climate change and the current ecological crisis in recent decades, has prompted research on the role of religious and cultural traditions as well as sacred texts in either supporting or discouraging “anti-nature” attitudes. With regard to the use of sacred texts such as the bible, numerous techniques have been employed in the task of interpretation, moving away more recently from attempts to identify the text’s original community and its functions therein, towards an examination of its literary, rhetorical structure. This study sought to explore what insights an indigenous gendered ecological reading of Genesis 1-3 can provide in the context of the current ecological crisis. This objective was achieved in the following steps. First, the study examined indigenous Tonga culture and the biblical myths of origin. Critical examination of both worldviews uncovered their complementary emphases on human responsibility toward planet Earth. Further, both worldviews uncovered leadership roles of women in social and religious rituals which promoted ecological wellbeing. Second, the interconnectedness of the elements of the universe in African cosmologies was explored through the Plateau Tonga and the Tonga of the Gwembe valley traditions and cultures. In line with other studies, it was found that in Africa an interdependent, participatory relationship exists between humans, nonhuman forms of life and the Creator. In discussing the annual Lwiindi (rain-calling) ceremony of the Tonga people of Zambia and the Lesa cult, the study explored gendered and ecological overtones of African indigenous culture. Such rituals illustrated the involvement of women, ancestors and the creator God in maintaining ecological integrity. Third, a gendered ecological reading of Genesis 1-3 was offered. Across Genesis 1-3, it was found that the myths emphasise the value of life and the interrelatedness of human beings and nonhuman forms of life. Further, the myths exhibited the belief that the equality of man and woman is from God. The study found that a complementary reading of the biblical myths of origin that supports the equality of man and woman and the interrelatedness of humans and nonhuman forms of life can foster human responsibility to the Earth. Fourth, the traditional ethical principles of ubuntu, buumo, mwandanshi, mukowa, hikaumba and musio-tunya were examined. The study concluded that such gendered and ecological cultural concepts in indigenous African culture should be retrieved to advocate for ecological emancipation. Fifth, the study recognised that over many centuries the motifs in the biblical myths of origin have been altered to promote the patriarchal interests of the writers and editors. An indigenous African gendered ecological interpretive framework, woven together with gendered and ecological values in African culture was presented as a means to counter the dominant patriarchal interpretations of the text. The study concluded that a biblical interpretive model informed by ecological and gendered values in African culture can promote human responsibility to the natural world and help ameliorate the impact of the ecological crisis.
Indigenous knowledge, beliefs and practices on pregnancy and childbirth among the Ndau people of Zimbabwe.
(2017) Hlatshwayo, Anniegrace Mapangisana.; Nadar, Sarojini.; Kaya, Hassan Omari.
Framed within a postcolonial indigenous research paradigm, the study used a phenomenological analysis drawing on the case study of the Ndau people of south-eastern Zimbabwe, to explore the contribution of African indigenous knowledge systems on pregnancy and childbirth. The study is based on the argument that currently the dominance of Western knowledge systems, including biomedicine, created a situation that even reproductive beliefs and practices in African local settings tend to be conceptualized from Western ways of knowing and value systems. Limited number of studies have focused on the socio-cultural context of pregnancy and childbirth. People live in diverse cultural and ecological settings which influence their knowledge systems including reproductive social and cultural practices. The case of the Ndau women of south-eastern Zimbabwe reflected the agency and centrality of African women in managing pregnancy and childbirth using their own community-based knowledge systems which are culturally and ecologically relevant, affordable and sustainable. The research study also advances the theoretical premise that while it is important to acknowledge the power relations in knowledge production and the centrality of African cultural interests in every social practice and analysis, as propagated by the advocates of Afrocentric paradigms including Postcolonial African feminism, it is crucial to recognise that we are living in a poly-epistemic world composed of different and diverse knowledge systems which are supposed to be complementary rather than competitive. As a contribution to knowledge production, the research brought a new approach to the analysis of the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the research participants. These have been investigated as statistical variables without looking at their socio-cultural significance to the research community in relation to the research problem. An analysis of the Indigenous Knowledge, Beliefs and Practices on Pregnancy and Childbirth among the Ndau People of Zimbabwe showed that socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the research participants such age groups, marital status, gender, etc. have community-based cultural meanings attached to them. Research findings also demonstrated the significance of understanding and appreciating the historical impact of colonialism on Ndau indigenous beliefs and practices on pregnancy and childbirth. This led to a critical analysis of Ndau cosmological belief systems before and after colonialism. This was important in creating the basis for re-covering, re-awakening, and re-claiming of Ndau indigenous knowledge, beliefs and practices on pregnancy and childbirth. The findings reflecting the continued use of indigenous modes of managing pregnancy and childbirth despite the medicalisation of antenatal care, demonstrates the need to create a dialogue between biomedical and indigenous models on managing pregnancy and childbirth. The research demonstrated that the preservation of IKS is critical as it ensures the prolongation of communities and their knowledge systems. The indigenous oral modes of preserving IKS for posterity have been affected by modernisation which is characterised by rural-urban migration and family disintegration resulting in loss of time and space for elders to pass family traditions to the younger generations. In view of such, documentation, archiving, use of information technology and establishment of indigenous knowledge centres (IKCs) were viewed as alternate methods of preserving IK for posterity. The study recommended more research to be done on indigenous pharmacopoeias, their perceived therapeutic properties and associated rituals on promoting safer health care models for managing pregnancy and childbirth.
Liberated through submission? The Worthy Woman's Conference as a case study of Formenism.
(Indiana University Press, 2010) Nadar, Sarojini.; Potgieter, Cheryl.
In this article, Nadar and Potgieter use the Worthy Women’s Conference as a case study, describing and analyzing how this movement creates and maintains what they call the formenist position. Formenism, like masculinism, subscribes to a belief in the inherent superiority of men over women, but unlike masculinism it is not an ideology developed and sustained by men, but an ideology designed, constructed, and sustained by women. Like its phonetics suggests, this is a concept for men—that is to say, men are the chief beneficiaries of the hierarchical social positioning that it advocates. They conduct their evaluation of the movement through a feminist analysis of the discourses presented in various sources. Nadar and Potgieter argue that the complementarian “liberation through submission” discourse created through the formenist position seems palatable for at least three reasons: (1) because it relies on a power that is not forceful (sovereign) but disciplinary à la Michel Foucault’s notion of power, (2) because patriarchal bargaining pays a dividend of increased responsibility for men that ultimately reduces the burdens of family life that women have traditionally carried, and (3) because it aids in the reduction of existential anxiety caused by radical changes in South Africa. Nadar and Potgieter assert that while the formenist discourse might seem liberatory and harmless, when one views it through a feminist lens, a number of drawbacks come into focus—drawbacks that can ultimately put women’s well-being and fundamental freedoms at risk.
Mediating human rights and religio-cultural beliefs : an African feminist examination of conceptualisations of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) in the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) documents.
Owino, Tania Missa.; Nadar, Sarojini.
Worldwide prevalence estimates that between 140 million girls and women have undergone female genital cutting (FGC). Of this estmate, more than 125 million girls and women have been cut in 29 countries in Africa (WHO 2008, UNICEF 2013:2-3, WHO 2014). It is estimated that over 3 million girls are at risk of undergoing the procedures every year (World Health Organisation 2008). A significant focus in the literature on FGC shows an over-emphasis made by the international community that the practice is a violation of human rights. However, the implementation of legislation against FGC in various African countries where the practice has been prevalent has not led to the end or eradication of FGC. In this regard, various United Nations (UN) agencies and international organisations such as OHCHR, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNECA, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIFEM and WHO collaborate to engage in FGC prevention measures within local communities in Africa. This study: Mediating Human Rights and Religio-Cultural beliefs: An African Feminist Examination of Conceptualisations of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) in the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Document, focuses to engage with the work of UNICEF in related programmes that address FGC in Africa. This study applied two theoretical frameworks—the reproductive rights framework and the reproductive justice framework within a critical feminist discourse analysis. This approach was applied to analyse how UNICEF frames, conceptualises, addresses and has responded to the practice of FGC in Africa. The study illustrates how discourses on human rights and religio-cultural beliefs are mediated and represented in the UNICEF documents. The study adopted a qualitative methodology that applied a systematic review of literature. In this case, using a critical feminist discourse analysis to examine how UNICEF mediates and represents FGC in its documents reveals several shifts that have taken place over this period of ten years. First, the study shows the reasons for the shift from the use of the term ‘female genital mutilation’ FGM to the application of the term ‘female genital mutilation/cutting’ in the UNICEF documents. Second, an overemphasis on harmful health consequences resulting from FGC that led to the ‘medicalisation’ of the practice brought a shift which underlined FGC as a human rights violation in the 1990s. Third, the study reveals a shift from simply understanding of FGC as a blanket human rights violation to recognising the cultural values attached to the rite which then explains the prevalence of the practice by focusing on religion and culture. This study makes an important conclusion that addressing FGC from a human rights perspective is not enough and might not achieve UNICEF’s intention of eliminating FGC. The findings of the study are that there is a need to address FGC from a collective approach within practicing local communities. Second, the study highlights the need to change mind sets and attitudes regarding FGC. While recognising the important place which cultural rites takes in African communities, the study suggests the need to explore alternative rites of passage through which local communities could still retain the benefits of passing traditional teachings during the transition from childhood to adulthood.
Negotiated feminism? a study of married Bemba women appropriating the Imbusa pre-marital 'curriculum' at home and workplace.
(2016) Kaunda, Mutale Mulenga.; Nadar, Sarojini.
Imbusa spaces (anthropologists refers to it as initiation rites) are often perceived as cultural spaces for uneducated, rural women, yet, even educated Bemba (Zambian) women undergo these rites as well. Imbusa teachings (consisting of sacred emblems/visual aids handed to brides) are important for the Bemba people and essential to the marriageability of a woman in almost similar ways that education qualifies one to be employable. This empirical study focused on Bemba married career women, living in the Copperbelt province of Zambia. The objectives of this study were first, to discuss the imbusa teachings regarding Bemba career women. Second, to determine how career married women learn, negotiate, and resist amafunde yambusa in their homes and at places of work. Third, I analyzed why Bemba married career women negotiate, engage or resist amafunde yambusa in their homes and at places of work in the way that they do. The study was framed through Nnaemeka’s (2003) feminist postcolonial concept of Nego-feminism. Snowball sampling was used and seventeen Bemba married career women were interviewed using feminist interviewing to produce data concerning the indigenous imbusa teachings of the Bemba people in the Copperbelt province of Zambia. African cultural hermeneutics and community of practice theories were used as tools for analyzing the produced data. Findings established that Bemba women, like women from other ethnic groups within Zambia, have been progressing in careers and education, while they are given a teaching that has remained static in some of its content. At the same time, the teachings received at imbusa have been tainted with cultural aspects from various cultures that the Bemba people encountered upon migrating to the Copperbelt. I have demonstrated how women move and live between two parallel worlds – the public and private spheres – and hence have a conflictive consciousness with regard to their identity in the two worlds. This implies a need to a revisit the traditional syllabus or curriculum so that it is in line with current debates on women’s issues. The study concludes with a proposal for a progressive curriculum for career women that is inclusive of teachings on gender justice, masculinities and femininities, and involves men as part of certain aspects of the teachings, since currently it is only women who are taught in imbusa.
Power, ideology and interpretation/s : womanist and literary perspectives on the book of Esther as resources for gender-social transformation.
(2003) Nadar, Sarojini.; West, Gerald Oakley.
This study argues that literary and womanist perspectives on the book of. Esther can be used as resources for gender-social transformation in the South African Indian Pentecostal community. It maintains that Biblical scholarship cannot be confined only to the academy, while the Bible is used in the community to oppress women. When culture and interpretation both collude in the oppression of women, putting their lives at risk, it is imperative, this study argues, for those working in the field of liberation hermeneutics to not restrict their work to the academy. Hence, this study seeks to find ways to read the Bible in ways that liberate rather than oppress. The dissertation is divided into two sections. An examination of the ways in which ideology, plot, narrative time and characterization elucidate the theme of power in the narrative of Esther, form the first section of the dissertation. Each chapter of the first section focuses on the literary details of the text, but always with a hermeneutic of transformation in mind. In the second section, an analysis of how these critical interpretations contribute to the process of gender-social transformation is undertaken. This is done through a process of an analysis of a series of Bible studies conducted by the author with South African Indian Pentecostal women from the Durban area. Issues of representation and the scholar's role in the process of the transformation and conscientization of the community are also examined in this second section. The conclusion is a reflection of the implications of this study both to the academy and to the community. It reiterates that the collaboration between scholars and the community is a vital one, and the challenge that remains is for more organic intellectuals to use the opportunities which they have been given through their privileged access to education, to empower those in the community who have afforded them the opportunity.
A quest for a liberatory learning ethos : a case study of the women's associations in the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa.
(2011) Dibeela, Cheryl Natalie.; Nadar, Sarojini.; De Gruchy, Steve M.
This study was sparked by a concern abou t the impact of economic and social injustices and ecological destruction on the livelihoods of communities in Southern Africa. While the churches’ responses to th ese injustices have been palliative and benevolent, the study argues th at the church has not done enough to critically engage the oppressive systems which maintain these in justices. One of th e key questions that this study seeks to answer is: What is needed in order to develop a culture of ‘critical engagement’ given that the church has oppo rtunities, means and infrastructure to enable a critical and liberatory ethos, for the community at large? In order to answer this que stion, a case study with the Wo men’s Associations of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) was pursued. This case study allowed for an intensive investigati on of the Women’s Associations in the church through which pertinent questions we re asked of how and why things happen in the way that they do. The research question therefore was “In the light of the enormous challenges faced by women in church and society in the twenty-first century in Southern Africa, do the Women’s Associations in the UCCSA offer a liberatory learning ethos to enable individual and communal empowerment for its members?” The study first establishes principles of a liberatory learning ethos that could be empowering to women. These principles for a liberatory learning ethos are drawn from two theoretical frameworks, namely, Village learning and African Women’s theologies. Thereafter, the study describes the current challenges faced by women in Southern Africa so as to explain why a liberatory learning ethos is a necessity in the Women’s Associations of the UCCSA. A survey of the prevalent learning ethos is undertaken in order to demonstrate some of the limitations the Women’s Associations and the UCCSA experience in responding to the challenges faced by women. The study concludes with an exploration to establish the extent to which African culture and theological resources developed in Southern Africa can assist to construct a liberatory learning ethos for the Women’s Associations of the UCCSA. Such an ethos ought to enable individual and communal empowerment for its members. Key Terms: African and Black Theology; African Traditional Culture; African Women’s Theology; Apartheid Education; Ba tswana; Bible; Biblical hermeneutics; Botho; Council for World Mission; Feminist Theology; Jesus Movement; Kairos Theology; Liberatory Learning Ethos; Missionary Education; Mukti Barton; Paulo Freire; Southern Africa; Steve Biko; Tswana Learning; United Congregational Church of Southern Africa; Village learning; World Alli ance of Reformed Churches; Women’s Associations; World Council of Churches.
Reclaiming the value of indigenous female initiation rites as a strategy for HIV prevention : a gendered analysis of Chisungu initiation rites among the Bemba people of Zambia.
(2011) Kangwa, Jonathan.; Nadar, Sarojini.
Almost all African societies have female initiation rites to mark the process of growing up. Initiation rites signal the transition from one stage in life to another. Between the two levels is “the camp,” the liminal phase, in which the initiate is secluded in order to be initiated into the mysteries of life. Through female initiation rites, positions of power and social relations within the society are demonstrated. The Bemba people of Zambia perform the Chisungu female initiation rites in which young women are initiated into adulthood through the ritual process. Chisungu female initiation rites remain an important source of traditional education on sex and the social and religious leadership roles of women in Zambia although they are now being modified and performed in a shortened form. This study builds on the scholarly work undertaken by African women theologians particularly in the last decade, to engage theologically with the subject of HIV and AIDS on the African continent. Their theoretical insights and analysis provide the critical lenses for this thesis. The objective of the thesis is to offer a gendered analysis of Chisungu initiation rites among the Bemba people, in order to retrieve the values of indigenous female initiation rites which can critique patriarchy in the context of HIV and AIDS. This objective is achieved in the following steps. Firstly the function, the form and the practices of indigenous female Chisungu initiation rites are explained. Secondly, the gendered cultural values of indigenous female Chisungu initiation rites are demonstrated while simultaneously providing details of the symbolic meaning of the rites and the interpretation of the initiation songs and the sacred emblems (imbusa). Thirdly, how gendered cultural values of indigenous Chisungu initiation rites can be retrieved for HIV prevention is illustrated. Finally the importance of inculturating the values of indigenous female Chisungu initiation rites in the UCZ with regards to empowering women in the context of HIV and AIDS is explored.