The primary objective of this research was to determine if a specific set of reflective practices enhance university undergraduate students’ abilities to: 1) reflect on their thinking processes to become more aware of their own intellectual habits and how they form; 2) inquire with open-minded curiosity, including suspension of assumptions long enough for them to be challenged; and 3) generate justifiable, contextual understandings and judgments, individually and in collaboration. “Reflective practices” refers to a specific set of reflective learning activities introduced to undergraduates in two courses: mindfulness practice extended into journal writing, listening, inquiry and dialogue. The purpose of the reflective practices in this research was to support independent, critical thinking: well-reasoned, evaluative judgments based on evidence, contextual understanding, and respect for others. Students were instructed in both individual, introspective activity as well as in paired and group interaction while preserving a degree of mindfulness. Indicators of the dispositions for critical thinking were developed using grounded theory methods to study students’ experiences, as well as those dispositions previously identified in the research literature. Qualitative results showed increased self-confidence, engagement with multiple points of view, and an unexpected sense of connectedness that was stronger between students who disagreed with each other than between students who found easy agreement in their interaction. Quantitative results showed statistically significant gains in the average number of indicators of critical thinking dispositions appearing in student journals comparing week 1 to week 11. There was also positive correlation between final essay exam scores graded for critical thinking skills and the total number of indicators found in students’ journals. / This thesis presents primary research on the impacts of mindfulness applied to introspective and interactive learning activities in undergraduate university courses.

A qualitative approach was taken to explore Canadian Congolese refugees’ experience of war trauma recovery. Six volunteers (three men and three women), who self-identified as traumatized by their experience of war in Congo and had lived in Canada for less than ten years, participated in in-depth interviews. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach to analysis, a core construct of Surviving War was identified. A hierarchical model of surviving war was developed that subsumed all other categories. By extrapolating principles from this model, a theory of Surviving War was developed which identifies factors that contribute to surviving war. Limitations of the current research are presented along with suggestions for further research. Recommendations for professionals working with a refugee population are also presented.

A qualitative approach was taken to explore Canadian Congolese refugees’ experience of war trauma recovery. Six volunteers (three men and three women), who self-identified as traumatized by their experience of war in Congo and had lived in Canada for less than ten years, participated in in-depth interviews. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach to analysis, a core construct of Surviving War was identified. A hierarchical model of surviving war was developed that subsumed all other categories. By extrapolating principles from this model, a theory of Surviving War was developed which identifies factors that contribute to surviving war. Limitations of the current research are presented along with suggestions for further research. Recommendations for professionals working with a refugee population are also presented.

The state of moral decline has recently come under scrutiny in South Africa and abroad. Moral development is nurtured and developed by moral teaching. South Africa has put in place various avenues for moral education in order to curb moral degeneration. However, due to the continuing social ills that are experienced in the country further avenues of moral education ought to be explored. Due to the multicultural nature of the South African population, moral considerations should consider the strengths that cultural diversity in moral education can contribute toward a moral society. Moral teachings have been explored through education and religious chastity; however, the indigenous knowledge systems of South Africans have not been tapped in this regard. This is partly because the scientific world has not seen it fit to accommodate these knowledges in the knowledge production sphere. The study employed a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore the role of traditional teachings in Batswana female initiation schools and how the traditional teachings contribute to morality and the construction of womanhood. A decolonial epistemic perspective, the African epistemology and social constructionism were used as concepts that formed a framework to allow the critiquing of main stream theories and to allow a grounded theory to emerge from a Batswana female initiation context. Unstructured interviews with initiation instructors as primary data sources were conducted. Secondary data sources included initiation songs and dance; conversations with people who are involved in initiation schools, people who are knowledgeable in Setswana culture and the cultural celebration that the researcher attended were used. The textual data was analysed using the Attride Sterling model of thematic networks. Womanhood as a particular identity and female morality as mainly determined by context are the main themes in the study. Womanhood and morality are intertwined within this context that determines womanhood according to acceptable behaviours. An ethic of responsibility was the overarching theme when analyzing how female morality and womanhood is constructed in the context of initiation schools in Taung. / Psychology / M.A. (Research Consultation)

Statistics on the gender profile of academics in South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) reveal women academics are still concerted at the junior levels of the hierarchy with a small number of women at professorship. By the time of this report, in South Africa there were 4034 associate professors and professors. Of this 4034, 2174 (54%) were full professors. Of this 2174, only 534 (25%) were female professors. The fundamental aim of this research was to tell the story behind these statistics by exploring, describing and giving explanation to the subjective experiences of women academics. The objectives of the research were broken down into: (1) to examine studies that explain discourses for women in academia, identify success and inhibiting factors to career development of women academics, identify gaps in knowledge and explain how this research seeks to address the gaps identified, (2) to investigate models and theories of career development, particularly in so far as they affect women, (3) to explore, describe and explain the career development trajectories of senior women academics in HEIs in SA, and (4) to develop a substantive career development theory that explains career trajectories of women in academia. Utilizing data from 13 in-depth interviews with women professors and associate professors in a diversity of higher educational institutions in South Africa and different fields of study, this research situates the senior women academics’ experiences within the social constructivist context. I posed the question: “Tell me how your career journey as an academic started, up to the level where you are now”. The questioning revolved around family background; social context; educational history; career development trajectory; professional experiences; and work-family integration. All interviews were audiotaped and then transcribed. The analysis and interpretation of data was informed by the theoretical underpinnings of the study, which is located within feminism and social constructivism. The mean age of the participants was 53 years; years in service, 10 years and more. The findings revealed four themes associated with the career success of women academics: enabling and constraining factors; intrapsychic factors, behavioural patterns and differentiated career development trajectories. All these factors are inextricably linked and mutually affect the career success of women academics. The study ended up with a career development theory that came up with five phases and explained preoccupations at each phase. The phases are career exploration, career establishment, career maintenance, work life adjustment and disengagement. These phases are neither age related, nor cyclical at all times, but they are related to the stage in career development, and the needs of women academics / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Problemformulering: Hybridarbete, att kombinera arbete på arbetsplatsen med distansarbete, har blivit det vanligaste arbetssättet bland kontorsanställda efter pandemin, men som omfattande fenomen är det outforskat hur hybridarbete kan utformas för att främja medarbetarnas hälsa. Syfte: Att utforska, förstå och förklara hur en organisation med hybrida arbetssätt kan skapa förutsättningar för ett hållbart och hälsofrämjande kontorsarbete. Metod: Konstruktivistisk grundad teori har använts för urval och analys av organisationsdokument samt semistrukturerade individuella intervjuer med åtta medarbetare, två chefer och en HR-partner. Huvudresultat: Studien har resulterat i en ny teoretisk modell som visar att organisationer med hybrida arbetssätt kan skapa förutsättningar för ett hållbart och hälsofrämjande kontorsarbete genom individuellt utformade arbetssätt i ständig förändring. Förutsättningar skapas genom organisatorisk tydlighet och tillitsbaserad organisationskultur, säkerställda praktiska och sociala förutsättningar, hybridanpassat ledarskap, samt främjande av medarbetarnas autonomi, flexibilitet och självledarskap. Slutsats: Organisationers och medarbetares behov och förutsättningar är i ständig förändring. För att klara dessa förändringar behöver hybridarbetet individanpassas och medarbetarnas självledarskap och autonomi stärkas. I en ny teoretisk modell med tillhörande checklista tydliggörs de förutsättningar som organisationer behöver bidra med för att möjliggöra ett hälsofrämjande och hållbart hybridarbete. Checklistan gör resultaten tillgängliga och implementerbara och bidrar därmed till det praktiska arbetsmiljöarbetet i organisationer med hybridarbetssätt. / Purpose: To explore, understand and explain how an organization with hybrid working methods can create conditions for sustainable and health-promoting office work. Methods: Constructivist Grounded Theory was used for sampling and analysis of data from organizational documents and semi-structured interviews, conducted with eight employees, two managers and one HR-partner. Main results: A new theoretical model showing that organizations with hybrid working methods can create conditions for sustainable and health-promoting office work through individually designed working methods in constant change. Conditions are created through organizational clarity and a health-promoting hybrid culture, ensuring practical and social conditions, hybrid-adapted leadership, promotion of employee autonomy, flexibility and self-leadership. Conclusions: The needs and conditions of organizations and employees are constantly changing. To cope with these changes, the hybrid work needs to be individually adapted and the employees' autonomy and self-leadership strengthened. Organizations with hybrid working methods need to contribute with conditions which are presented in a new theoretical model and associated checklist. The checklist makes the results implementable in organizations, and thus contributes to the practical work environment management in organizations with hybrid working methods.

L’intimidation entre infirmières constitue une menace pour la santé et le bien-être de ces professionnelles de la santé et pour la qualité des soins. En dépit des efforts déployés jusqu’à présent pour lutter contre ce fléau, il existe peu d’actions efficaces pour le contrer. Or, pour que les acteurs concernés puissent s’engager à intervenir, il est essentiel d’appréhender les réalités entourant ce type d’intimidation et de renforcer l’assise théorique actuelle qui fait défaut dans les écrits, notamment en sciences infirmières. Cette étude vise à coconstruire une théorie des situations d’intimidation entre infirmières, selon le point de vue d’infirmières et d’infirmiers québécois les ayant vécues à titre de cibles ou de témoins dans le cadre de leur pratique. Cette étude s’inscrit dans le paradigme constructiviste social/constructionniste social inspiré de la pensée de Charmaz (2014) et est guidée par la perspective théorique interactionniste critique (Burbank et Martins, 2010; Martins et Burbank, 2011; Sandström et Fine, 2003). Elle prend appui sur une approche méthodologique interprétative/qualitative exploratoire qui résulte de la convergence entre la théorisation ancrée constructiviste (Charmaz, 2014), l’analyse situationnelle (Clarke et al., 2015) et l’analyse dimensionnelle (Schatzman, 1991; Schatzman et Strauss, 1973). Cinquante-deux infirmières et infirmiers répartis dans dix régions du Québec ont pris part à cette étude. Ils exerçaient différentes fonctions dans divers secteurs d’activité. Les données ont été recueillies à l’aide d’échanges informels, d’entretiens individuels et dyadiques de type conversationnel, de e-témoignages, de matériel invoqué et d’un questionnaire sociodémographique autoadministré. Le processus itératif de la collecte et l’analyse des données a permis de porter attention aux processus, aux actions, aux interactions sociales, aux structures sociopolitiques, aux contextes et aux discours sociaux dominants. Les résultats proposent une coconstruction théorique qui témoigne d’une conception multidimensionnelle des situations d’intimidation sous-jacentes à la pratique infirmière. Cette coconstruction théorique révèle la nature plurielle et évolutive de telles situations. Elle met en évidence quatre regroupements dimensionnels interdépendants : 1) des conditions situationnelles (antécédents) qui s’articulent autour des dimensions : contextes sociaux et conditions micro et macrosociologiques, 2) un processus de création des situations d’intimidation qui se déroule en cinq phases. Les trois premières phases a) la situation initiale : ç’a commencé comme ça ! b) l’ancrage : ça continue ! et c) l’impasse : être dedans ! s’inscrivent dans la tolérance et le statu quo, alors que les deux dernières phases d) la mobilisation de ressources de soutien et e) la rupture sont ancrées dans une perspective d’action vers le changement, 3) des conséquences sur l’état de santé et de bien-être personnel et professionnel de l’infirmière intimidée ou témoin et sur la qualité des soins et, 4) un continuum espace-temps inhérent aux situations d’intimidation. La coconstruction théorique dévoile le cycle de vie des situations d’intimidation sous-jacentes à la pratique infirmière permettant ainsi de mieux comprendre comment et pourquoi ce type de situations naissent, se produisent, se transforment et se terminent. Les résultats de cette étude révèlent, entre autres, des moments propices aux transitions professionnelles pouvant marquer le début de situations d’intimidation, la formation d’alliances informelles (en cliques), des divisions internes au sein de la profession, l’adaptation de la pratique de l’infirmière intimidée à son environnement de travail toxique et la dénonciation de son vécu d’intimidation prenant appui sur des principes semblables à l’advocacy et à la parrhèsia. Des conséquences sur la santé, le bien-être, la vie sociale, la dignité, l’identité professionnelle et le parcours de carrière de l’infirmière intimidée ou témoin sont constatées. Cette étude doctorale a permis d’appréhender de manière novatrice un sujet sensible et tacite comme des situations d’intimidation. Elle propose des recommandations pour les différents champs de la pratique infirmière et fournit des leviers de réflexion et d’action permettant de promouvoir des environnements de travail sains. Or, tout en contribuant au développement des connaissances en sciences infirmières, la présente étude offre un cadre de compréhension des situations d’intimidation sous-jacentes à la pratique infirmière. Les pistes de réflexions et d’actions proposées pourraient permettre des avancées dans la lutte contre cette forme de violence qui sévit dans certaines organisations de santé et, potentiellement, dans d’autres domaines du monde du travail. / Bullying among nurses poses a threat to the health and well-being of these health professionals and to the quality of care. Despite the efforts made to date to combat this scourge, there are few effective actions to counter it. However, so that the actors concerned can commit to intervening, it is essential to understand the realities surrounding the bullying situations underlying nursing practice and to strengthen the current theoretical basis, which is lacking in the literature, particularly in nursing sciences. This study aims to co-construct a theory of bullying situations between nurses, according to the point of view of Quebec nurses who have experienced them as targets or witnesses in the context of their practice. This study is part of the social constructivist/social constructionist paradigm inspired by the thought of Charmaz (2014) and is guided by the critical interactionist theoretical perspective (Burbank et Martins, 2010; Martins et Burbank, 2011; Sandström et Fine, 2003). It is based on an exploratory interpretive/qualitative methodological approach which results from the convergence between constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2014), situational analysis (Clarke et al., 2015) and dimensional analysis (Schatzman, 1991; Schatzman et Strauss, 1973). Fifty-two nurses spread across ten regions of Quebec took part in this study. They performed different functions in various sectors of activity. Data were collected using informal exchanges, individual and dyadic conversational interviews, e-testimonies, invoked material and a self-administered sociodemographic questionnaire. The iterative process of data collection and analysis allowed attention to processes, actions, social interactions, socio-political structures, contexts, and dominant discourses. The results propose a theoretical co-construction which demonstrates a multidimensional conception of bullying situations underlying nursing practice. This theoretical co-construction reveals the plural and evolving nature of such situations. It highlights four interdependent dimensional groupings: 1) situational conditions (antecedents) which revolve around the dimensions: social contexts and micro and macrosociological conditions, 2) a process of creating bullying situations which takes place in five phases. The first three phases a) the initial situation: it started like that! b) anchoring: it continues! and c) the impasse: being in it! are part of tolerance and the status quo, while the last two phases d), the mobilization of resources and e) the rupture are anchored in a perspective of action towards change, 3) consequences on the state of health and personal and professional well-being of the bullied or witness nurse and on the quality of care and, 4) the space-time continuum inherent in bullying situations. The theoretical co-construction reveals the life cycle of bullying situations underlying nursing practice, thus allowing us to better understand how and why this type of situation arises, occurs, transforms, and ends. The results of this study reveal, among other things, moments conducive to professional transitions which can mark the beginning of situations of intimidation, the formation of informal alliances (cliques), internal divisions within the profession, the adaptation of the practice of the bullied nurse to her toxic work environment and the denunciation of her experience of bullying which is based on principles similar to advocacy and parrhesia in order to protect herself and ensure the safety of patients. Consequences on the health, well-being, social life, dignity, professional identity and career path of the bullied nurse or witness are noted. This doctoral study made it possible to approach a sensitive and tacit subject such as bullying situations in an innovative way. It offers recommendations for the different fields of nursing practice and provides levers for reflection and action to promote healthy work environments. However, while contributing to the development of knowledge in nursing sciences, the present study offers a framework for understanding the bullying situations underlying nursing practice. The proposed avenues of reflection and action could allow progress in the fight against this form of violence, which is rife in certain health organizations and, potentially, in other areas of the world of work.

Abstracts in English, Zulu and Afrikaans / This Grounded Theory study focused on understanding how South Africa’s two numerically-dominant political parties, the African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA), used micro-blogging site, Twitter, as part of their electioneering arsenal in the 2016 municipal elections to promote party-political digital issue ownership within an urban context. Using each party’s 2016 election manifesto and corpus of tweets, this three-phased study found that while both the ANC and DA used Twitter as a digital political communication platform to communicate their election campaigns, the DA notably leveraged the social networking site for intense ‘focused’ messaging of its negative campaign against the ANC while simultaneously promoting positive electoral messages around its own ‘core’ issues and metro mayoral candidates. ‘Battleground’ metros were identified by the DA in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay, leading to an emphasised urban campaign here to either activate the party’s own support base and/ or to suppress the ANC’s turnout in these highly-contested areas. Additionally, it was found that both the ANC and DA used Twitter for explicit and implicit partypolitical issue ownership claiming in the 2016 municipal elections. Lastly, this study also culminated in the proposal of three but interconnected different elements of a conceptual framework for digital political communication that political parties could use to promote digital party-political issue ownership within a pronounced urban electioneering setting. These elements – ‘coordinating and managing how an election is tweeted’, 'focus' messaging the election’ and ‘audience-segmenting as a message-tailoring strategy’ – when used in unison can help political parties communicate better and ultimately more effectively in a highly mediatised technological media landscape / Hierdie Gegronde Teorie Studie fokus op die verduideliking hoe Suid-Afrika se twee numeriese dominante politieke partye, die African National Congress (ANC) en Demokratiese Alliansie (DA), van die mikro-blog platform, Twitter, gebruik gemaak het tydens hulle verkiessingsstrategie in die 2016 munisipale verkiessings om die party politieke digitale kwessie rondom eienaarskap binne ‘n stedelike verband te bevorder. Deur elke party se 2016 verkiessings manifesto en arsenaal van twiets te gebruik, het hierdie drie-fase studie bevind dat beide die ANC en DA, Twitter gebruik het as ‘n digitale politieke kommunikasie platform. Die DA het egter die sosiale media netwerk kenmerkend gebruik vir ‘n intense gefokusde negatiewe veldtog teen die ANC terwyl hulle terselfdertyd ‘n positiewe verkiessings boodskap rondom die party se eie kernkwessies en metro burgermeesters kandidate gesentreer het. ‘Oorlogsgebied’ metros is deur die DA in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane en Nelson Mandela Bay geidentifiseer wat ‘n defnitiewe stedelike veldtog tot gevolg gehad het om die party se eie ondersteuningsbasis te bevorder en/of die ANC se ondersteuning in hierdie hoogs betwiste areas te onderdruk. Daar was ook bevind dat beide die ANC en DA van Twitter gebruik gemaak het vir eksplisiete en implisiete party politieke kwessies rondom eiernaarskap tydens die 2016 munisipale verkiessings. Hierdie studie kan saamgevat word in drie onderskeie maar verwante elemente om ‘n raamwerk te vorm van die digitale politieke kommunikasie wat politieke partye kan gebruik om digitale party politieke kwessies binne ‘n stedelike verkiessings omgewing te bevorder. Wanneer hierdie elemente – ‘koordinering en bestuur van hoe twiets tydens ‘n verkiesing gebruik word’, ‘’die focus van die boodksap tydens die verkiessing’ and ‘die gehoorsegmentasie can ‘n boodskap strategie’ – in ‘n eenheid gebruik word kan dit politieke partye help om beter en meer effektief te kommunikeer binne ‘n baie kompiterende en tegnologiese medialandskap. / Inkcazo-bungcali yesisifundo ibigxile ekuqondeni ukuba uMzantsi Africa lo unamaqela amakhulu amabini ezopolitiko, ukutsho, iAfrican National Congress (ANC) kunye ne Democratic Alliance (DA), la maqela asebenzise iwebhusayithi encinane uTwitter, njengenxalenye yezixhobo zonxibelelwano kunyulo loo masipala ngo-2016. Bekwenza oku ngelikhuthaza amaqela ezopolitiko nebango lawo kwimiba yezinto abathi bazithethe kwisithuba sedijithali,kumxholo wendawo zase dolophini. Esi sifundo sisebenzisa imanifesto kunye nothotho lwe tweets zeqela ngalinye, nesenziwe ngokwezigaba ezithathu, sifumanise ukuba nangona iANC kunye ne DA zisebenzise uTwitter njenge qonga lonxibelelwano lwezopolitiko zedijithali (ngokolwimi lwasemzini) ukunxibelelana namaphulo onyulo, iDA izibonakalise amandla kwindawo yokuncokola kwiqonga uTwitter,ngokuthi imiyalezo yayo igxile kwaye itsole. Miyalezo leyo ithe yagxila ngokungafanelekanga kumkhankaso weANC. Ngaxeshanye, imiyalezo yayo yona iDA ibeyeyakhayo, kwaye incedisana nephulo layo kwimiba ephambili kunye nabagqatswa bosodolophu bo masipala abambaxa. Oomasipala abambaxa abathi babenongquzulwano bachongwe yiDA Ekurhuleni, eRhawutini, eTshwane nase Bhayi. Lonto ibangele ukuba bagxininise ekukhokeleni iphulo ledolophu ukuze bavuselele inkxaso ye DA apho okanye bacinezele ukuvela kwe-ANC kwezi ndawo kuphikiswana kakhulu ngazo. Ukongeza, kufumaniseke ukuba iANC kunye neDA zisebenzise uTwitter ngokwendlela ecacileyo nengathanga ngqo kwimeko yobunini bemicimbi yepolitiki ukuze bafumane ibango kunyulo loomasipala lwango 2016. Okokugqibela, esisifundo sigqibele kwisindululo sezinto ezintathu azahlukeneyo kodwa ezidityaniswe yinkqubosikhokelo eqingqiweyo kunxibelelwano lwezopolitiko zedijithali. Ezi zinto zizinto ezisenakho ukusetyenziswa ngamaqela ezopolitiko ukukhuthaza ubunini bemicimbi yezopolitiko ngaphakathi kulungiselelo lonyulo lwedolophu olubhengeziweyo. Ezi zinto- 'ukulungelelanisa nokulawula indlela unyulo luthunyelwe ngayo kusetyeziswa uTwitter', 'kugxilwe' kwimiyalezo yonyulo kunye nokuhlukaniswa kwabaphulaphuli okanye ababukeli njengecebo lokulungisa umyalezo '- xa zisetyenziswa ngazwinye zinokuwanceda amaqela ezopolitiko anxibelelane ngcono kwaye ekugqibeleni ngokuyimpumelelo kakhulu kuxhamlo olunamandla kakhulu kubume beendaba kumhlaba wetekhnoloji (ngokolwimi lwesiNgesi). / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / This Grounded Theory study focused on understanding how South Africa’s two numerically-dominant political parties, the African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA), used micro-blogging site, Twitter, as part of their electioneering arsenal in the 2016 municipal elections to promote party-political digital issue ownership within an urban context. Using each party’s 2016 election manifesto and corpus of tweets, this three-phased study found that while both the ANC and DA used Twitter as a digital political communication platform to communicate their election campaigns, the DA notably leveraged the social networking site for intense ‘focused’ messaging of its negative campaign against the ANC while simultaneously promoting positive electoral messages around its own ‘core’ issues and metro mayoral candidates. ‘Battleground’ metros were identified by the DA in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay, leading to an emphasised urban campaign here to either activate the party’s own support base and/ or to suppress the ANC’s turnout in these highly-contested areas. Additionally, it was found that both the ANC and DA used Twitter for explicit and implicit partypolitical issue ownership claiming in the 2016 municipal elections. Lastly, this study also culminated in the proposal of three but interconnected different elements of a conceptual framework for digital political communication that political parties could use to promote digital party-political issue ownership within a pronounced urban electioneering setting. These elements – ‘coordinating and managing how an election is tweeted’, 'focus' messaging the election’ and ‘audience-segmenting as a message-tailoring strategy’ – when used in unison can help political parties communicate better and ultimately more effectively in a highly mediatised technological media landscape. / Hierdie Gegronde Teorie Studie fokus op die verduideliking hoe Suid-Afrika se twee numeriese dominante politieke partye, die African National Congress (ANC) en Demokratiese Alliansie (DA), van die mikro-blog platform, Twitter, gebruik gemaak het tydens hulle verkiessingsstrategie in die 2016 munisipale verkiessings om die party politieke digitale kwessie rondom eienaarskap binne ‘n stedelike verband te bevorder. Deur elke party se 2016 verkiessings manifesto en arsenaal van twiets te gebruik, het hierdie drie-fase studie bevind dat beide die ANC en DA, Twitter gebruik het as ‘n digitale politieke kommunikasie platform. Die DA het egter die sosiale media netwerk kenmerkend gebruik vir ‘n intense gefokusde negatiewe veldtog teen die ANC terwyl hulle terselfdertyd ‘n positiewe verkiessings boodskap rondom die party se eie kernkwessies en metro burgermeesters kandidate gesentreer het. ‘Oorlogsgebied’ metros is deur die DA in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane en Nelson Mandela Bay geidentifiseer wat ‘n defnitiewe stedelike veldtog tot gevolg gehad het om die party se eie ondersteuningsbasis te bevorder en/of die ANC se ondersteuning in hierdie hoogs betwiste areas te onderdruk. Daar was ook bevind dat beide die ANC en DA van Twitter gebruik gemaak het vir eksplisiete en implisiete party politieke kwessies rondom eiernaarskap tydens die 2016 munisipale verkiessings. Hierdie studie kan saamgevat word in drie onderskeie maar verwante elemente om ‘n raamwerk te vorm van die digitale politieke kommunikasie wat politieke partye kan gebruik om digitale party politieke kwessies binne ‘n stedelike verkiessings omgewing te bevorder. Wanneer hierdie elemente – ‘koordinering en bestuur van hoe twiets tydens ‘n verkiesing gebruik word’, ‘’die focus van die boodksap tydens die verkiessing’ and ‘die gehoorsegmentasie can ‘n boodskap strategie’ – in ‘n eenheid gebruik word kan dit politieke partye help om beter en meer effektief te kommunikeer binne ‘n baie kompiterende en tegnologiese medialandskap. / Inkcazo-bungcali yesisifundo ibigxile ekuqondeni ukuba uMzantsi Africa lo unamaqela amakhulu amabini ezopolitiko, ukutsho, iAfrican National Congress (ANC) kunye ne Democratic Alliance (DA), la maqela asebenzise iwebhusayithi encinane uTwitter, njengenxalenye yezixhobo zonxibelelwano kunyulo loo masipala ngo-2016. Bekwenza oku ngelikhuthaza amaqela ezopolitiko nebango lawo kwimiba yezinto abathi bazithethe kwisithuba sedijithali,kumxholo wendawo zase dolophini. Esi sifundo sisebenzisa imanifesto kunye nothotho lwe tweets zeqela ngalinye, nesenziwe ngokwezigaba ezithathu, sifumanise ukuba nangona iANC kunye ne DA zisebenzise uTwitter njenge qonga lonxibelelwano lwezopolitiko zedijithali (ngokolwimi lwasemzini) ukunxibelelana namaphulo onyulo, iDA izibonakalise amandla kwindawo yokuncokola kwiqonga uTwitter,ngokuthi imiyalezo yayo igxile kwaye itsole. Miyalezo leyo ithe yagxila ngokungafanelekanga kumkhankaso weANC. Ngaxeshanye, imiyalezo yayo yona iDA ibeyeyakhayo, kwaye incedisana nephulo layo kwimiba ephambili kunye nabagqatswa bosodolophu bo masipala abambaxa. Oomasipala abambaxa abathi babenongquzulwano bachongwe yiDA Ekurhuleni, eRhawutini, eTshwane nase Bhayi. Lonto ibangele ukuba bagxininise ekukhokeleni iphulo ledolophu ukuze bavuselele inkxaso ye DA apho okanye bacinezele ukuvela kwe-ANC kwezi ndawo kuphikiswana kakhulu ngazo. Ukongeza, kufumaniseke ukuba iANC kunye neDA zisebenzise uTwitter ngokwendlela ecacileyo nengathanga ngqo kwimeko yobunini bemicimbi yepolitiki ukuze bafumane ibango kunyulo loomasipala lwango 2016. Okokugqibela, esisifundo sigqibele kwisindululo sezinto ezintathu azahlukeneyo kodwa ezidityaniswe yinkqubosikhokelo eqingqiweyo kunxibelelwano lwezopolitiko zedijithali. Ezi zinto zizinto ezisenakho ukusetyenziswa ngamaqela ezopolitiko ukukhuthaza ubunini bemicimbi yezopolitiko ngaphakathi kulungiselelo lonyulo lwedolophu olubhengeziweyo. Ezi zinto- 'ukulungelelanisa nokulawula indlela unyulo luthunyelwe ngayo kusetyeziswa uTwitter', 'kugxilwe' kwimiyalezo yonyulo kunye nokuhlukaniswa kwabaphulaphuli okanye ababukeli njengecebo lokulungisa umyalezo '- xa zisetyenziswa ngazwinye zinokuwanceda amaqela ezopolitiko anxibelelane ngcono kwaye ekugqibeleni ngokuyimpumelelo kakhulu kuxhamlo olunamandla kakhulu kubume beendaba kumhlaba wetekhnoloji (ngokolwimi lwesiNgesi). / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)