Societies in Southern Africa remain largely gift economies, their art conceived as an infrastructure within everyday life, and yet art from the region continues to be read within the values of mimetic art where art is conceived as part of the superstructure of restricted Western economic and social thinking. My research on how the problematic of the gift and Bataille’s theory of the gift, the ‘general economy’, animates various aspects of my art praxis has set out to correct this discrepancy. It includes a re-examination of the general economy of the modern African society, which Achille Mbembe has described as the ‘postcolony’, and how it has impacted on the development of my work as an artist. My research is reflexive and practice-led. The specific praxis considered has included a body of work – published novels, films, installations, multimedia artwork and personal experiences – stretching back to 2000, when I made my first conceptual work of art, as a professional artist in Malawi. The problematic of the gift within my work has been explored alongside contemporary African art with a focus on Meschac Gaba’s Museum of Contemporary African Art, and contemporary art at large with a focus on Situationist theory and praxis. I grew up in Malawi, a Chewa, and my research identifies the aesthetic sensibility in my art praxis as being directly influenced by the Nyau gift giving tradition which manifests in Chewa everyday life through play and a robust masquerading tradition, Gule Wamkulu, now a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This thesis compares aspects of the animastic and all-encompassing Chewa Nyau philosophy to Situationism as rooted in Dada and Surrealism. In light of the recent marginalisation of Gule Wamkulu in modern Chewa society, my research identifies the contemporary artist after Situationism as the new creative elite, Gule, akin to Gule Wamkulu in the heyday of Chewa prestation society. In my praxis, Nyau philosophy identifies the ‘cinema of attractions’ (manifest in the Malawi of my childoood as ‘Nyau Cinema’), the internet and the internet bureau, as new bwalo, arenas, to orchestrate play and invariably gift giving within the liminal spaces of modern spectacular cultures and commercial networks in what Negri and Hardt have described as the age of Empire. My thesis is presented as a ‘general writing’, a form of gift giving described by Derrida, and is communicated through an intellectual panegyric with an extensive appendix documenting the nature of my art and research as praxis. The appendix includes a detourned Facebook timeline (2011-16) and legal documents from a Venetian court regarding my installation Sanguinetti Breakout Area at the Venice Biennale 2015. The panegyric is what has united the theoretical and practice components of my research into one on-going inquiry into the problematic of the gift within everyday life.

This project seeks to trace the power of social media in serving as a virtual civil society in the Arab world, focusing on Egypt as a case study. This study aims to explore the role of social media in mobilising Egyptian activists across generations, and particularly in reaching out to people under the age of 35 who constitute around 50 per cent of the population. Studies preceding the 2011 uprising reported that young Egyptians were politically apathetic and were perceived as incapable of bringing about genuine political changes. Drawing on a range of methods and data collected from focus groups of young people under the age of 35, interviews with activists (across generations and gender), and via a descriptive web feature analysis, it is argued that online action has not been translated into offline activism. The role of trust in forming online networks is demonstrated, and how strong ties can play a pivotal role in spreading messages via social media sites. Activists relied on social media as a medium of visibility; for those who were not active in the political sphere, social media have been instrumental in raising their awareness about diverse political movements and educating them about the political process, after decades of political apathy under Mubarak’s regime. The most important benefit of using social media is the increased political knowledge and information available regarding the political situation in Egypt, despite many young people still confining their political activities to passive acts of ‘share’, ‘like’ or ‘post’ on social media. Activists have used social media to ensure visibility of their actions, not only nationally, but also regionally and internationally. There remains a strong need for offline organization and activism by using social media as a communication avenue, not necessarily as a catalyst for changing the political process. A number of problems associated with the use of such media in political deliberations concerning Egypt are highlighted, notwithstanding the positive effects of social media on the political socialisation of young Egyptians. One such problem is the lack of sustainability in online campaigns which should ideally convert into offline collective action. It can be argued that a sustainable civil society and a truly diverse public sphere rests on more sustainable, offline action, which can indeed bring about significant changes in the Egyptian political sphere.

This study is based on the everyday lives as Alain Mabanckou describes them through the different characters of the novel Verre Cassé (2005). This novel describes the African society during the postcolonial period. In this society, leaders are struggling to stay in power as long as possible, while the people live in poverty and utter misery. Many people experience life without taking action. Everyone must fight for his survival. In this work, I will investigate how the life of ordinary citizens during the postcolonial period in African cities and the place of women in man's relationship is describe in Mabanckou’s novel. I focus on the link between postcolonialism and feminism. At the end of this work, I found that the Mabanckou’s novel Verre Cassé demonstrates that life of many citizens in African cities is still difficult despite the independence. These newly independent countries face many new problems like dictatorship, corruption and poverty. Many women prostitute themselves to meet their needs in this novel. Alain Mabanckou points out in his novel that men continue to assert their superiority over women in this postcolonial society.

Magister Legum - LLM / South Africa has seen a spike in medical malpractice litigation, including the number and size of claims instituted against healthcare practitioners. This has led to a backlog in medical malpractice court cases throughout South Africa and a strain on both the public and private healthcare sectors, affecting an already burdened healthcare system. The surge in medical malpractice litigation is not a new phenomenon in developed countries. Most have curbed this through alternative dispute resolution (ADR). This has been facilitated by effectively introducing efficient legal frameworks that promote ADR. Unfortunately, this is not the case in a developing country such as South Africa. To date, much research and literature has attributed blame for the large-scale increase in medical malpractice litigation to legal practitioners. This has been aided by comments made by the former Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi (Dr Motsoaledi). In as much as this may be the common perception, there appears, to the contrary, to be systematic problems in the South African healthcare system. The legal profession is only a minor contributing factor to the increase in medical malpractice litigation. The strained financial resources and shortage of healthcare staff in public hospitals contributes to the increased risk of medical malpractice cases. Furthermore, when considering the South African legal system, contingency fee arrangements have, in certain circumstances, increased vexatious litigation and, as such, it is on this basis that medical malpractice litigation has been on the increase in South African courts. This study seeks to analyse the current state of the South African healthcare system, and in light of the increasing number of medical practice claims and litigation, propose ADR mechanisms that offer efficient, cost effective, and expeditious channels to resolving these issues and to ensure that parties recognise the full benefits of ADR. This study proposes legal reform in medical malpractice litigation in South Africa. This thesis compares the experiences, legislative and policy frameworks in Australia and the United States of America (USA), in order to learn lessons that could assist South Africa in framing legislation and best practices for ADR. It contends that, in order to effectively develop and implement ADR to address medical malpractice litigation, it requires the involvement of the government, legislature, judiciary, legal profession and the public. It has identified court- iv annexed mediation as the appropriate ADR mechanism in addressing medical malpractice litigation.

This study records the history and activities of the South African Society of Music Teachers (SASMT) from its founding in 1922 until 2015, concentrating on the contribution it has made to music education in South Africa and the extent to which it has adapted to changing socio-political circumstances. Within the context of South African history and its education system, a study of the SASMT's Constitution, journal and other archival material was undertaken. The SASMT's reaction to changing trends in music education, including multiculturalism and the praxial philosophy, was contrasted with the activities of the South African Music Educators' Society (SAMES) and comparable overseas organisations. The mission and activities of ISME and PASMAE were used as a yardstick for determining the extent to which the SASMT fulfills the music educational needs of post-apartheid South Africa. Initially the SASMT provided a link between Europe and South Africa, focusing almost exclusively on Western Art Music. With an arguably colonial-based outlook, the organisation helped to unite music teachers by means of various projects and activities, as well as through its magazine and by forming a strong relationship with the overseas examining bodies and Unisa. Throughout its history, the SASMT has grappled with determining exactly what aspects of music education it represents, and consequently who should be admitted to membership. This became particularly pertinent in the 1980s with the formation of the South African Music Educators' Society, which highlighted the need for a more open organisation in the context of the fragmented education system of the times. The SASMT has a long, stable history, with a network of centres and institutional members, and in the late 1990s was appointed as the National Affiliate of ISME. Currently the SASMT is characterised by reduced participation in its activities and a membership that does not adequately reflect South Africa's demographics. The study concludes with recommendations as to how the SASMT might transform its vision to serve fully the needs of South African music education. / Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Musicology)

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No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Marcello Felisberto Morais de Assunção - 2017.pdf: 4043751 bytes, checksum: 17a47fefc7608b8600bcb04e41b44fc0 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-09 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The aim of this study is to analyze the colonial project of the Portuguese-African Society in Rio de Janeiro through the analysis of the twenty editions of its Bulletin (1931-1939), as well as books, booklets and other types of publication made by the members of the Society. In order to do so, we initially investigate the conditions from which the “imperial nationalism”, of which the Bulletin is a strong expression, emerged. In the following chapters, we seek to understand the many peculiarities of the Bulletin by evidencing the trajectory of the Portuguese-African Society in Rio de Janeiro in its two main moments: from the veiled criticism to the Salazar government and the search for a strong “panluso coalition” (1931-1934), to the rejection of the Estado Novo in the final years of the Bulletin (1935-1939). We grasp these transformations by inspecting varied sources, mainly the editorials of the Bulletin. Next, we explore the political senses of the “pan-lusitanism” within the larger logic of the “pan-ethinicisms”, also discussing the pan-lusitan discourse shown in the “Cartilha Colonial” by Augusto Casimiro and in the Bulletin. After that, we analyze the colonial project of the republican military-administrators and correspondent members of the Society, emphasizing the criticism these people made to the colonial practices of the Salazarism and the idealized mirroring in the “Norton de Matos model”. Finally, we investigate the relationship between the historiography of colonialism and the Africanist studies with the ideology of “imperial vocation”, present in the hegemonic colonial knowledge in the 30s. All in all, the careful examination of the discourse of the Bulletin and other publications by the Society allow us to visualize the particularities of the republican colonialism in the middle of the Salazarist political hegemony in the 30s. This discourse can be considered a vanguard of the colonial reformism, which will become stronger in the 50s. The defeat of the project of the colonial reformism in the 30s is an expression of the fact that, in times of Estados Novos, the “democratic” rhetoric (even if restricted to discourse) has no place. / Nosso objetivo principal nessa tese é analisar o projeto colonial da Sociedade LusoAfricana do Rio de Janeiro, tendo como fonte primordial de estudo os vinte volumes do seu Boletim (1931-1939), como também os livros, cartilhas e outras produções oriundas dos membros da Sociedade. Para realizar esse intento, num primeiro momento (capítulo I) analisamos as condições de emergência do “nacionalismo imperial” do qual o boletim é somente uma das expressões. Nos outros quatro capítulos, buscamos entender as diversas especificidades do Boletim. No capítulo II evidenciamos a trajetória da Sociedade Luso-Africana do Rio de Janeiro em suas duas grandes fases: da crítica velada ao salazarismo e a busca por uma grande “coalização panlusa” (1931-1934) até a repulsa ao Estado Novo dos últimos anos (1935-1939), apreendendo essas transformações a partir de diversas fontes, mas primordialmente através dos editoriais do Boletim. No III capítulo buscamos explorar os sentidos políticos do “panlusitanismo” no seio do contexto mais global dos “pan-etnicismos”, abordando também a partir do boletim e da obra “Cartilha Colonial”, de Augusto Casimiro” o discurso panlusitano. A frente, no capítulo IV, fizemos uma análise do projeto colonial dos gestoresmilitares republicanos e sócio-correspondentes da Sociedade Luso-Africana do Rio de Janeiro, dando ênfase as críticas que estes faziam às práticas coloniais do salazarismo e o espelhamento idealizado no “modelo Norton de Matos”. Por fim, no capítulo V, perscrutamos as relações entre a historiografia do colonialismo e os estudos africanistas com um ideário de “vocação imperial” tão presente no saber colonial hegemônico nos anos 30. Em suma, o exame destes discursos permitem visualizar no seio do Boletim, e das publicações da Sociedade, a particularidade do colonialismo republicano em meio à hegemonia política salazarista nos anos 30. Estes irão ser uma vanguarda do reformismo colonial que só ganha força nos anos 50. A derrota do seu projeto nos anos 30 é uma expressão de que em tempos de Estados Novos a retórica “democrática” (mesmo que restrita ao discurso) não tinha espaço.

The story of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11: 1-9) has been interpreted in various ways down through the centuries. However, most commentators have ignored the genre of the text, and have not sought to interpret it within its mythological framework - therefore most interpretations are nothing short of babble. A working text is ascertained, and the complexity of the text investigated. The text is then identified as 'myth': within its mythological framework the tower is seen as a temple linking heaven and earth, ensuring the continuation of the royal dynasty (i e 'making a name'). When used by the Yahwist Levites during the Babylonian Exile, our story was inserted in the great Pre-History as polemic against the Babylonian concept of creation, temple, and dynasty; and served as both a warning and an encouragement to the Exiles. The post-exilic Priestly Writer re-interpreted our story as a warning to the returning exiles that their society, and their temple, should be reconstructed as YHWH determines. Interpreting the story as myth enables it, finally, to speak clearly into our context today, especially that of South Africa. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D. Th. (Old Testament)

The most popular paradigm for Jesus is 'Jesus as the Divine Saviour'. This image is inadequate for understanding the historical Jesus, because it is also inaccurate as an image for the Christian life. Marcus J Borg claims that the Christian life is about a relationship with God that involves us in a journey of transformation. In advocating the 'Third Quest', Borg develops an alternative image of 'Jesus as Jewish mystic ', contrary to the idea of 'Jesus as Jewish/Christian Messiah '. The image of Borg involves five universal religious personality types. The paradigm shift from 'Jesus as the Divine Saviour' to that of 'Jesus as Jewish mystic' is investigated as well as the relevance and consequences of this, for everyday religion and the conventional church. A plea for a positive assessment of the issue of the historical Jesus is presented. This could have existential implications for South African society as a whole. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.Th. (New Testament)

The story of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11: 1-9) has been interpreted in various ways down through the centuries. However, most commentators have ignored the genre of the text, and have not sought to interpret it within its mythological framework - therefore most interpretations are nothing short of babble. A working text is ascertained, and the complexity of the text investigated. The text is then identified as 'myth': within its mythological framework the tower is seen as a temple linking heaven and earth, ensuring the continuation of the royal dynasty (i e 'making a name'). When used by the Yahwist Levites during the Babylonian Exile, our story was inserted in the great Pre-History as polemic against the Babylonian concept of creation, temple, and dynasty; and served as both a warning and an encouragement to the Exiles. The post-exilic Priestly Writer re-interpreted our story as a warning to the returning exiles that their society, and their temple, should be reconstructed as YHWH determines. Interpreting the story as myth enables it, finally, to speak clearly into our context today, especially that of South Africa. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D. Th. (Old Testament)

The most popular paradigm for Jesus is 'Jesus as the Divine Saviour'. This image is inadequate for understanding the historical Jesus, because it is also inaccurate as an image for the Christian life. Marcus J Borg claims that the Christian life is about a relationship with God that involves us in a journey of transformation. In advocating the 'Third Quest', Borg develops an alternative image of 'Jesus as Jewish mystic ', contrary to the idea of 'Jesus as Jewish/Christian Messiah '. The image of Borg involves five universal religious personality types. The paradigm shift from 'Jesus as the Divine Saviour' to that of 'Jesus as Jewish mystic' is investigated as well as the relevance and consequences of this, for everyday religion and the conventional church. A plea for a positive assessment of the issue of the historical Jesus is presented. This could have existential implications for South African society as a whole. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.Th. (New Testament)