The current study is a psychobiography. The subject was chosen through purposive sampling based on the researcher’s personal interest and the remarkable impact this woman had within her society. Ellen Kuzwayo also meets the requirements of a psychobiography in that she is historically well known, inspirational, and her life has been completed. The study applies a qualitative research method in the form of a psychobiography, which aimed to describe Ellen Kuzwayo`s life accordingto Daniel Levinson`s Life Structure Theory of Adult Development. Levinson`s theory divides the lifespan into four developmental eras, each with its own biopsychosocial character. Each era in turn is divided into shorter periods of development. Levinson`s theory was chosenbecause it is specifically relevant to the development of women. The findings of the study indicate that Kuzwayo’s life was consistent with the pattern of development which Levinson (1996) identified. Kuzwayo was relatively successful in resolving the life tasks and transitional periods proposed by Levinson. This research study has given a positive demonstration of the value of development theory to investigate a particular human life. Furthermore, it emphasized the uniqueness of individuals in coping with the challenges of life. As a result it has opened up the possibility of perceiving people and their actions in a different way. Consequently, recommendations are offered in order to extend psychobiographical research on the life of Ellen Kuzwayo.

The study consists of a psychobiography of the American entrepreneur and innovative co-founder of Apple Computers, Steven Paul Jobs (1955 – 2011). The psychobiographical research method qualitatively considers the lived life of an individual in an attempt to understand the psychological development in the context of applied psychological theory. A theoretical integration of Adler‘s Individual Psychology and Antonovsky‘s Sense of Coherence was utilized in the present study. This integrative approach facilitated a dynamic and holistic picture of the individual‘s functioning in illuminating not only personality but also the individual‘s social context, choice making capacity, general resistance resources and the individual‘s ‗meaning making‘ capacity in the strive towards health and superiority. Steven Paul Jobs revolutionised personal computing. Ranked as Forbes‘ seventeenth most powerful person and Man of the Year by The Financial Times in 2010, Jobs‘ contribution to modern technology is widely acknowledged and revered. To ensure the accurate description of the lived life of Steven Paul Jobs, extensive data was examined by utilizing Alexander‘s model of identifying salient themes. The study considered the nature and methodology of psychobiography, the theories of Alfred Adler and Aaron Antonovsky and the life of Steven Paul Jobs that resulted in an integrated psychological description of the subject. The findings of this study indicate that Steven Paul Jobs‘ unique context (environment and constitutional attributes) was valuable in light of the theoretical frameworks that the present study is grounded upon as it illustrated an individual‘s self-determination and capacity to exercise choice in response to life challenges. The study highlighted that the individual is not necessarily a passive bystander to his life events but rather is driven by an internal forward striving. Key concepts: Aaron Antonovsky, Alfred Adler, Apple Computers, Individual Psychology, Psychobiography, Sense of Coherence, Steven Paul Jobs.

Psychobiographies use psychological theory as a paradigm within which to re-awaken an individual’s life story. The psychobiographical approach historically tended to be neglected within the South African context. The aim of the current study was to explore and describe the life of Ralph John Rabie through the use of psychobiography. Ralph John Rabie (1960 – 2002) was a South African Afrikaans singer-songwriter, journalist and playwright, also known as Johannes Kerkorrel. He challenged the cultural system and the government and was arguably the most prominent member of the Alternative Afrikaans Movement until his suicide on 12 November 2002. To some he betrayed the identity of post-apartheid Afrikanerdom and to others he became an icon in the homosexual community. No existing literature to date has adopted a psychological stance on this controversial South African figure. His own writings and published material by others were utilized to illuminate his life and its many dimensions. Richard C. Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems Model (1995) was used to analyze the multiplicity and inner workings of Rabie’s personality. The influence of external systems is also discussed. The data collection and analysis were conducted according to Yin’s (1994) analytic generalization, which consists of using theoretical guidelines as a framework to select relevant data and develop a matrix as a descriptive framework for organizing and integrating the data. Alexander’s (1988) nine proposed guidelines assisted in the process of data analysis, together with the Internal Family Systems Model (1995). The findings of the study indicate that subpersonalities in different roles could be identified in Rabie’s life as described by Schwartz (1995). The different subpersonalities interacted with each other and assumed roles to protect Rabie. The findings of the study also indicated that these subpersonalities used stories to obtain power and influence within Rabie’s personality structure. The subpersonalities were successful in making Rabie influential and famous within the Afrikaans music industry and they helped Rabie change rigid Afrikaans cultural beliefs that were present within the Apartheid system. The findings further indicate how important it is for subpersonalities to work together and how a fragmented system is difficult to contain.

Psychobiographies offer the illuminating experience of uncovering the story of an individual’s life through the lens of a psychological theory. Psychobiographies offer the chance to gain a deeper understanding of what makes that individual unique. This study aimed to explore and describe the emotional intelligence of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu according to Goleman’s (1998) theory of Emotional Intelligence. Tutu was chosen as a subject for this study because of his extraordinary life and accomplishments, and because he is regarded as a prominent figure of moral leadership in South Africa. A qualitative psychobiographical research method was utilised. Data was collected from both primary and secondary sources to enhance internal validity, and was then analysed according to Miles and Huberman’s (1994) approach. The findings suggest that Tutu applied all of the twenty five emotional intelligence capacities during his life, and that at times, some were used more extensively than others. This study is groundbreaking in that it is the first psychobiography on Desmond Tutu, and it is the first psychobiography undertaken at the University of Fort Hare. Psychobiographies offer an opportunity to evaluate the psychological theory which is applied. It was found that Goleman’s (1998) theory of Emotional Intelligence is supported by this study.

Protesting is a common tactic used by social movements and the outcomes are widely researched in social movement studies. This thesis examines the biographical consequences of protest participation on individuals’ life-course patterns from a gendered and intergenerational perspective. The study employs regression analysis and a longitudinal dataset collected from the Swedish Level of Living Survey, which includes six panel waves in total stretching from 1968 to 2010. It consists of a nationally representative sample of the Swedish population between the ages of 15–75, in which the last two panel waves include the respondents’ children in the ages of 10–18. The results show that protest participants are likely to become more educated than non- participants and that they continue to remain active in political and union activities. Further, there is evidence of gender-based differences between protesters as women do not continue to uphold the same level of involvement in political organisations in comparison to men. No support is given to the expectation that protesting will have intergenerational effects. The results show that participating in protests may have long-lasting consequences for individuals and that there seems to be gender-based differences between protesters, which might have implications for individuals’ further involvement in political activities.

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The documented legacy of South African architect Norman Musgrave Eaton (1902– 1966), as preserved at the University of Pretoria, provides the material for a contemporary analysis and extrapolation of his domestic oeuvre through the construction of a biographical-disciplinary context and chronology. Why and how Eaton’s domestic architecture expresses its lineage of forms, space, material, and detail are explored in this study. Eaton’s architectural oeuvre demonstrates a rare encounter between the Modern Movement and Africa. The residential architecture of Eaton, he being based in Pretoria, draws strongly on the African monumental past, while denoting both a regional and universal consciousness. Local influences are drawn from diverse sources: Cape Dutch architecture, Great Zimbabwe, Eastern Africa and the unselfconscious architectural endeavours of the Ndebele. Through the systematization of his records, the researcher is able to set up a biography within context in order to capture the critical moments in Eaton’s development and his designer’s mind. The chronological study of his domestic drawings further allows for the tracing of African and other influences in relation to his travels and their translation into architectural expression. Typological plan compositions and motifs emerge with clarity to aid in providing a critical appraisal of his domestic work. / Dissertation (MArch)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Architecture / Unrestricted

This thesis is concerned with twenty-four hours for elderly family members from the perspective of the primary caregiver. The aim of this work is the understanding of home care, not as an isolated activity usually practiced by women in the private sphere, but as an aktivity, which is affected family relationships or deciding provide/not provide home care etc. For this reason I used as the theoretical basis of this work feminist ethics of care, which does not care define "natural" / spontaneous female activity, and enable to reveal the gender line of care. That is the main topic of this thesis. For a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of home care I used biographical interview. It's main characteristic is the emphasis on stories from participants, which was an important aspect that helped me put the care in a broader social context Key words: home care, feminist ethic of care, biographical interviews.

This study explores a little researched question by the scholars of social movements - why activists disengage before the movement’s goals have been attained. Based on interviews with former and current activists of the Fridays For Future movement in Västerås, this study argues that disengagement occurs due to four reasons, either combined or separately. These are biographical unavailability as a result of other commitments in life, perceived collective inefficacy, emotions of hopelessness either in relation to the movement or climate change, and psychological pressure as a consequence of participation. The results are important as the reasons for disengagement also could illustrate the obstacles for the movement to reach its goals. Without activists who can or want to mobilize, the future of the FFF movement runs the risk of losing the ability to put pressure. On a general notion, the result is also of importance as it manifests the difficulties for all citizens to participate in constitutionally protected political actions as only certain citizens have the opportunity to exercise their freedom of expression.

Thesis (M. A.(English Studies)) --University of Limpopo, 2019 / This study explores a literary comparative examination of crime between Africa and Scandinavia, with special attention to Botswana and Norway. Smith’s and Nesbo’s selected novels are used as primary texts for analysis. The novels are, therefore, set in two different areas. These writers depict crime from the African and European perspectives. Chapter One deals with a brief introduction, and the aim and objectives of the study. It also expands on the theoretical background and provides definitions of terms that are used in this paper. Chapter Two presents views from various scholars on crime. This study is based on an Afro-Western approach of literary analysis. In other words, there are thoughts by both African and Western writers which assist in determining possible and noticeable similarities and differences, on the issue of crime. Chapter Three analyses crime from an African perspective while Chapter Four discusses crime from a Western point of view. Each of these chapters reflects on crime through character portrayal and depiction within its context. Chapter Five is a comparative analysis of both novels. The chapter identifies possible similarities and differences, mainly of the depiction of crime in different settings – Africa and Scandinavia, committed by blacks and whites. However, the structural and linguistic approaches of both the novels are also reviewed, assisting in discovering the life, in comparison, of the authors. The last chapter (Chapter Six), is a conclusion of the study and future suggestions. Basically, the study argues that blacks only should not be portrayed as perpetrators, but that whites too can be culprits. Again, there should be an equal of measurement on the weight and honour of the two races. Lastly, the moral is that without considering skin colour, financial and social backgrounds, justice must be served equally. Hence, whoever is caught in any form of wrongdoing, they must be given the appropriate punishment – regardless of race, colour, religious creed, gender, financial and social background. Key Words: Crime, Afro-Western, Marxism, suspense, detective, identity, puzzle, fix, accumulation, class, characterisation and setting