Women working in male-dominated professions and environments face experiences that are unique to their counterparts in more gender-balanced and female-dominated professions. The nature of these experiences affects women’s integration and potential success in male- dominated professions. To enhance employment equity in historically male-dominated professions and environments, an understanding of women’s experiences in such environments is beneficial. The purpose of this research was to explore the challenges and coping strategies of women working within male-dominated professions and environments. This was an exploratory qualitative study conducted within the interpretive research paradigm. A purposive sample consisting of five women working in identified male-dominated professions and environments was utilised. In-depth interviews were conducted and data was analysed using grounded theory. The main findings indicate that the central theme pertinent to women working in male-dominated professions and environments pertains to the types of challenges inherent in their work settings. The main challenges found were as follows: discrimination and bias; physical and health-related difficulties experienced; negative emotions resulting from working in male-dominated environments; lack of real transformation; and work/life balance. This study provides current insight into the plight of women working in male-dominated professions and environments in South Africa. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This paper examines the causes for socioeconomic variation between African Americans and West Indians in the United States, focusing primarily on New York City. Nearly 2 million African Americans live in New York, 30 percent of whom are black immigrants, and likely another 15 percent that are the children of these foreign-born individuals. I provide an overview of the socioeconomic positions of both groups, focusing especially on residential patterns, labor market participation, and educational attainment. I then compare leading theories used to explain West Indian success, arguing that selective United States immigration practices account for most variation both between the two groups and also within the West Indian immigrant population itself. The success of many black immigrants, including West Indians, is attributed to their motivation and ability to leave their home country and pursue opportunities abroad, rather than by virtue of being born of their individual culture. Selective immigration practices have privileged many West Indians who’ve settled in the country, especially in regard to educational attainment. Critiquing current affirmative action programs, I offer policy suggestions to ensure restitution for African Americans who remain persistently disadvantaged by the legacies of slavery.

This thesis is primarily concerned with the distribution of quotas in higher education and public employment within identified beneficiary groups. In a system of quotas based on preferential treatment of groups, the question about which members of the group must benefit over others is a crucial one. One of the main themes in the thesis is to critically analyse the judicial understanding about the nature of these groups. The homogeneity (in backwardness) that is attached to beneficiary groups in differing degrees is challenged in the thesis using the examples of Scheduled Castes and Muslims within the Other Backward Classes category. The differences within beneficiary groups have great significance for the fairness of India’s reservation policies. By ignoring internal differences, the most marginalised groups are left behind in terms of accessing the benefits of reservations. I have argued that any attempt to address the issue of sub-classification must begin by recognising multiple axis of marginalisation within the framework of intersectionality. This lack of sufficient engagement with the issue of sub-classification highlights the failure of the Supreme Court of India to develop a normative framework within which reservations might be viewed. This lack of normative clarity informs spheres of reservations like higher education and public employment along with according homogenous treatment to beneficiary groups internally. The Supreme Court has viewed reservations in higher education and public employment as essentially performing the same function. I have argued that reservations in these spheres perform different functions and the resulting obligations on the state in terms of constitutional justifications must also differ. While the demands for sub-classification present an opportunity to make distribution of reservations fairer, it also exposes the limitation of reservations as a tool of social transformation.

À l’été 2010, le gouvernement canadien a annoncé le remplacement du formulaire long obligatoire par l’Enquête nationale auprès des ménages, un questionnaire facultatif. Ce changement a causé beaucoup de réactions, parce que cela affectera la qualité et la continuité des données recueillies, qui servent à appliquer différents programmes et lois, et qui sont utilisées par de nombreux groupes dans leurs fonctions de recherche et de représentation. Le présent mémoire a pour objectif de comprendre pourquoi le recensement devient parfois le centre d’un conflit politique, quels acteurs sont impliqués, et pour quelles raisons. À l’aide d’une analyse comparative de cas antérieurs dans différents pays, nous identifions trois éléments nécessaires pour que la méthodologie du recensement devienne un enjeu politique. Il s’agit de la présence: (1) d’un aspect identitaire; (2) d’une dimension idéologique qui concerne particulièrement le rôle de l’État et l’action positive; et (3) de programmes ou d’objectifs gouvernementaux qui dépendent directement des données du recensement. Pour évaluer si ces trois facteurs sont également présents au Canada en 2010, nous avons effectué des entrevues avec les groupes qui ont contesté la décision de l’annulation du formulaire long obligatoire. Ces groupes ont contesté la décision devant les tribunaux, et ont évoqué les risques de non-respect du gouvernement envers ses obligations légales, notamment envers la Charte des droits et libertés. L’analyse de ce conflit nous permet aussi d’évaluer les relations entre le gouvernement canadien et la société civile, et le manque de ressources et d’opportunités auquel font face les groupes d’intérêt et les représentants de minorités à la recherche d’équité. / In 2010, the Canadian government announced the cancelation of the long-form mandatory census of 2011. It was replaced by the non-mandatory National Household Survey. Many protests were heard, because the data will be less accurate and there will be no continuity with the previous censuses. This data has many purposes, like the application of laws or governmental programs. Different groups also use it in research and advocacy activities. This master’s thesis analyses different situations of controversy over the census methodology, in various countries, to understand how it becomes a political conflict, who are the actors that get involved and why they do so. We find that 3 conditions are necessary to turn a census into a political battlefield. It is : (1) an identity concern; (2) an ideological dimension, about the role of the State and of affirmative action; and (3) the presence of laws or programs that depend directly on the census data. To test this affirmation, we interviewed groups that contested the decision of the cancelation of the mandatory long-form census in Canada in 2010. They took the case in front of the Courts, and think that the government has now the opportunity to escape from some of its obligations, one of which is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This controversy’s analysis shows patterns in the relations between the Canadian government and the civil society. Interest groups and minorities now face very little opportunity of doing advocacy activities before the federal government.

This thesis explores the constitutionality of compulsory electoral quotas for women imposed by law. The central question this thesis attempts to answer is what makes these quotas constitutional or unconstitutional in a given jurisdiction. A double methodology was employed to answer this question: theoretical and comparative. From a theoretical perspective, it is proposed that the constitutionality of electoral quotas for women depends on the approach that domestic legal orders adopt to four issues: political representation, equality, affirmative action and political rights. An additional crosscutting factor that influences the constitutionality of these quotas is gender, mainly through its effects on the understanding of political representation and equality. From the comparative law perspective, three jurisdictions were analysed: France, Spain and Mexico. After exploring these systems' approaches to political representation, equality, affirmative action and political rights, the process of adoption of electoral quotas for women is discussed, particularly the constitutional litigation about quota laws. Finally, the relationship between the theory and the practice of assessing the constitutionality of electoral quotas for women is analysed, concluding that although courts use a theoretical framework formed by political representation, equality, affirmative action and political rights, they adopt a somewhat simplistic approach to these issues, using only one of these theoretical factors as the primary determinant, often side-stepping the most controversial issues connected with these factors, and almost completly ignoring the particularities of the target group (women). Additionally, in each jurisdiction the decisions of the courts are also influenced by domestic political and legal factors.

This thesis deals with education of socially handicapped people in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia. It presents approaches and supporting disposals in both countries. The attention is devoted to actual situation in education of socially handicapped children at various degrees of schools. It describes affirmative actions, such as preliminary classes, education assistants in the Czech Republic or zero grades, education assistants and daylong education system in Slovakia. The thesis also sums up several projects focused on socially handicapped, one project focused on Roma children support realized in the Czech republic, three projects focused on education of socially handicapped, their parents' and educators' support, realized in middle Slovakia in years 2011-2015. KEYWORDS education, social handicap, Roma people, affirmative action, preliminary class, education assistant, daylong education system

This study presents the research of an investigation into communication challenges that affected the implementation of Black Economic Empowerment and the communication strategies/policies used to inform and communicate with employees in businesses. To achieve this aim questionnaires were administered to seven BEE compliant organizations in KwaZulu-Natal. Mersham’s communication model for development provides a basis for evaluation of the BEE communication challenges. This study reviewed theories and literature relevant to the implementation of Black Economic Empowerment and Communication Strategies. The perceptions gained from the literature review were used to interpret the results which were obtained through a qualitative paradigm. The findings revealed that communication is a pivotal pillar in any organization and both employers and employees need to maintain the strength that binds these pillars and brings the organization together. South Africa has faced many challenges since the apartheid era. The BEE policy therefore, aims to iron out unfair practices in businesses, which is why communication is extremely important to this process. / M

A research report submitted to the faculty of humanities, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Applied Ethics for Professionals / The following paper examines the moral justification for affirmative action within South African sport, more specifically the forms pertaining to “preferential treatment” and “reverse discrimination”. The paper begins with an articulation of the nature of our sport as well as that of affirmative action, which in turn lays the foundation for my moral justification. South African sport, it seems, must share centre stage in our country’s reconciliation and nation-building process if we are to faster realise a substantively equal and non-racial society. I argue that by appropriately bringing about the right kind of integration in South African sport we can create a better country for all by reducing, inter alia, our racial and class disparities, racial prejudices and racism. That said, there appears to be a greater moral significance that comes from using “preferential treatment” and “reverse discrimination” in South African sport, as opposed to their complete absence. / MT2018

Orientador: Dagoberto José Fonseca / Banca: Márcia Teixeira de Souza / Banca: Maria Teresa Micelli Kerbauy / Banca: Helio de Souza Santos / Banca: Ricardo Costa de Oliveira / Resumo: O estudo enfatiza a Lei Nº 14.274 - 24/12/2003, que institui a reserva de 10% das vagas para afrodescendentes em todos os concursos públicos do Estado do Paraná. Busca-se à luz de teorias sobre "relações raciais" no Brasil e no Paraná, de "políticas públicas", "ações afirmativas", analisar as experiências e estratégias formais e informais vigentes neste processo e o significado da presença de negros (pretos e pardos) nos serviços públicos do Paraná. As questões norteadoras foram: as características das relações raciais no Paraná; conjuntura social e política que possibilitou a aprovação da Lei; papel do Movimento Social Negro local na construção e aplicação da referida Lei; forma de gerir este programa nos diversos órgãos onde aconteceram concursos de 2004 a 2009; e apreensão dos beneficiados (cotistas). Consideram-se, ainda, indicadores sobre a presença de negros em diversos órgãos públicos do Paraná, assim como em empresas de economia mista do Estado. A partir de uma análise "qualitativa", os resultados revelam a possibilidade que - dada a complexidade das relações raciais no Brasil -, ações potencialmente inovadoras, como é o caso da Lei 14.274 de 2003, tenham sido orientadas por percepções e valores tradicionais, isto é, gestadas a partir da ideia, por exemplo, de "democracia racial" e da invisibilidade da população negra no Estado e pouco tenham alterado a sub-representação de negros nos diversos espaços / Abstract: The study emphasizes the Law No. 14274 - 24/12/2003 establishing a reserve of 10% quota for Afro-descendants in all procurement of Paraná State. Search in light of theories about "race relations" in Brazil and Parana, "public policy", "affirmative action" to analyze the experiences and strategies in formal and informal existing process and significance of the presence of (black and mulatto), public services do Paraná. The questions were: the characteristics of race relations in the Paraná, social and political situation that led to the approval of the law, the role of Black Social Movement in the local construction and application of this Act; way of managing this program in various organs where they occurred contests 2004 to 2009, and seizure of beneficiaries (unitholders). Still considered as indicators of the presence of blacks in various public agencies of Paraná, as well as companies in the Mixed Economy of the State. From an analysis of "qualitative", the results reveal the possibility that - given the complexity of race relations in Brazil - potentially innovative actions, such as the practice of Law 14,274 of 2003 have been guided by traditional values and perceptions, ie gestated from the idea, for example, of "racial democracy" and invisibility of the black population in the state and slightly altered the under-representation of blacks in several areas / Doutor

A presente dissertação analisa o racismo no Brasil e busca investigar, sob a ótica sociológica, jurídica e justrabalhista, as contradições no conteúdo das legislações com o que ocorre de fato nas relações empregatícias, tentando elucidar formas de combater a discriminação racial como modo de afirmar os direitos fundamentais no âmbito laboral. Para tanto, inicialmente, será feita uma explanação histórico-social do processo de fixação do racismo no pensamento intelectual e suas consequências sociais pós-abolição. Consecutivamente, avaliar-se-á o racismo na Constituição da República, dando-se ênfase aos instrumentos legais e políticos complementares, implementados em nome da dignidade humana e da igualdade dos indivíduos perante a lei. Partindo destes dois aspectos (histórico-social e jurídico-legislativo), o estudo estará voltado para as ações afirmativas como meio de combate à discriminação racial no ambiente de trabalho mostrando, através de dados estatísticos, que valores e comportamentos discriminatórios ainda são presentes em nosso país, mas que a fundamentabilidade do direito ao trabalho deve prevalecer. / This dissertation examines racism in Brazil and aims to investigate, from the perspective sociological, legal and justrabalhista, the contradictions in the content of the laws with what actually occurs in employee relations, trying to elucidate ways to combat racial discrimination as a way of affirming the fundamental rights in the workplace. For that, initially, there will be a socio-historical explanation of the process of fixation of racism in intellectual thought and its social consequences after abolition. Consecutively, an assessment will be racism in the Constitution, giving emphasis to the legal instruments and complementary policy implemented in the name of human dignity and equality of individuals before the law. Based on these two aspects (historical, social, legal and legislative), the study will focus on affirmative action as a means of combating racial discrimination in the workplace by showing, through statistical data that discriminatory values and behaviors are still present in our country, but the fundamental right to work must prevail.