Abstract The democratic theory of Claude Lefort, a French philosopher, is established on the idea of a society in continuous construction. According to Claude Lefort, a society is not determined in advance. The forms that it can take continuously change. From this point of view, Lefort attempts to understand modern democracy as it emerges from the breakdown of the monarchy. The monarchistic mutation of the 18th century provokes a new perception of power, because of the death of the king, the guarantor and representative of the unity of the kingdom. Because of the fact that power was embodied in the prince, and therefore gave society a body, an effective knowledge of what one meant to the other existed through the social. From this point of view, Lefort draws a revolutionary and unprecedented conclusion concerning democratic society. In democratic society, the locus of power becomes an empty place. That means power belongs to none or to everyone. The point is that the institutional apparatus prevents governments from appropriating power for their own ends, from incorporating it into themselves. The exercise of power is subject to the procedures of periodical redistribution. It represents the outcome of a controlled contest with permanent rules. This phenomenon implies an institutionalization of conflict, i.e. of competition. The empty place of power refers to the idea that it cannot be occupied – it is such that no individual and no group can be consubstantial with it – and it cannot be represented. In this sense, then, democracy is a politico-social form in which the “openness” or the “indeterminacy” of the social is institutionally registered. Concretely, the legitimacy of power emanates from popular suffrage, as long as it is recognized that the identity of the People itself changes over time. Through this approach, I try to consider the “Conférence Nationale Souveraine” (CNS) and the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) of the earlier 1990’s – in ex-Zaire and in South Africa – as important events in terms of the definition of new social visions. My assumption is that these events are genuine foundations of democratic societies. Through the Constitutions adopted in these two negotiating forums, it seems clear that the break between the past and the future is established. From the processes of negotiating to the agreed constitutions, all the elements conducive to build a democracy (in Lefort’s terms) are combined.

Thesis (Ph. D. (Education )) -- University of the North, 2003 / Refer to the document

The driving force for this study was firstly to gain insight into young children's understanding of their rights and responsibilities in democratic South Africa. Secondly, to identify whether the participating learners were educated about and had insight into their rights and responsibilities. Thirdly, I explored gaps in participating learners' knowledge of their rights and responsibilities and determined areas that can be improved by the education policy and practice related to children's rights. The main purpose of this research was to contribute to the growing body of knowledge and in so doing, improve the education of the young child in general. The aim of this research was to assist and guide educators and all adults working with children on all levels to transform education related to the rights and responsibility of the young child. Fourthly, I to give children a voice in society. Empowering them with knowledge could ultimately assist adults working with children to raise strong, well-adjusted learners through knowing and understanding their rights. It was imperative for this study that I closely listen to and heard the participant children's voices. Giving children the opportunity to be heard empowers them to be participating citizens rather than being passive and reliant on others. The right to be heard can be referred to as a self-improving or self-regulating right. Children are knowledgeable regarding their own lives and their rights to self-expression, citizenship and their sense to fit in. Being knowledgeable makes children experts in their life-world. This is why it is very important to know how the South African child understands his or her rights and responsibilities. South Africa became a democracy in 1994. The children in this study live in South Africa and were born into the democracy of South Africa. The participant children were accustomed to living in democratic South Africa and voiced their opinions contextually and accordingly. This research design is of a qualitative nature, utilising case study as a method and took place in the natural environment of the participants where data was collected. Multiple case studies were utilised and viewed from an interpretivist perspective. This enabled the researcher to provide a construct of young children's understanding of their rights and responsibilities in democratic South Africa. The research context was the school grounds as well as the classroom of the participants. Data concerning the understanding that young children have of their rights and responsibilities was gathered through observations, interviews, discussions, artefacts made by the participants, photographs taken by the participants, stories and narratives in the form of text written by the participants and analysed by the researcher. The analysis of visual artefacts was instrumental in gathering data for this study. Data gathering took place in a Grade 3 classroom. The 17 research participants for this study were selected via convenience sampling. I examined the data collected to find and discover young learners' perceptions of their rights and responsibilities. I chose an independent school where the participants had diverse backgrounds regarding language, ability, socio-economic background, race and religion. This independent school had a high standard of education. According to the UNCRC children's ages ranges from birth to 18 years of age. The general age of Grade 3 children is nine years. This is right in the centre of childhood and therefore considered it an appropriate age to obtain an understanding of what the child has come to know and understand as his or her rights and responsibilities. A conceptual framework was developed during this study for children's rights and responsibility. By combining the social constructivist theory, the three p's and the ladder of participation, it assisted me in understanding the phenomenon under study. My findings are that the participant children had a certain amount of insight and possessed promising potential in participating. However, misperceptions occur and inadequate knowledge disappoints children to participate at their full potential. Rights education is crucial, as it will assist our children to understand their rights more clearly in order to become future citizens that will have the ability to participate in democratic processes. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Early Childhood Education / MEd / Unrestricted

This study sets out to contribute to the expansive development of Systematic Theology and Black Theology, particularly in the struggle for economic justice in the democratic South Africa. The liberation of black people in South Africa and across the globe is the substantive reason for Black Theologies‘ existence and expression. The study‘s reflections on economic justice and Black Theology as sites of the intellectual focus and analysis is central to understanding the conditions of existence for the majority of South Africa‘s citizens, as well as understanding whether the fullness of life based on dignity and freedom as articulated in biblical witness, particularly John 10:10 is manifest for black people in South Africa. The study also seeks to identify, describe, analyse and understand the emancipatory theories and praxis, which entail a plethora of efforts they undertake to liberate themselves. Understanding and engendering the nexus of social practice and theological insights in the articulation of Black Theology as a particular expression of systematic theology, and drawing attention to the ethical foundations undergirding Black Theology, are important in demonstrating Black Theology‘s role and task as a multi-disciplinary discipline which encompass and engender dialogue within and between theory and praxis, and theology and ethics. This study thus suggests that since the locus of Black Theology and spirituality is embedded in the life, (ecclesial and missional) work (koinonia) and preaching (kerygma) of black churches, they have the requisite responsibility to engage in the efforts (spiritual and theological) in the struggle to finding solutions to the triple crises of unemployment, inequality and poverty which ravage the quality and dignity of life of the majority black people in post-apartheid South Africa. This study therefore concludes by asserting that, there are a variety of viable options and criteria relevant for facilitating economic justice in South Africa. These strategies include transformational distribution of land to the majority of South Africans, the implementation of heterodox economic policies which engender market and social justice values in the distribution of economic goods to all citizens. It also entails prioritization of the social justice agenda in economic planning and economic practice. In theological language, economic justice must involve the restoration of the dignity and the wellbeing of the majority of South Africans, who remain poor, marginalised and disillusioned. It also entails promoting justice as a central principle in correcting the remnants of apartheid injustices, which limit transformational justice which enables and facilitates equality, freedom and economic justice for all South African citizens. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This study sets out to contribute to the expansive development of Systematic Theology and Black Theology, particularly in the struggle for economic justice in the democratic South Africa. The liberation of black people in South Africa and across the globe is the substantive reason for Black Theologies‘ existence and expression. The study‘s reflections on economic justice and Black Theology as sites of the intellectual focus and analysis is central to understanding the conditions of existence for the majority of South Africa‘s citizens, as well as understanding whether the fullness of life based on dignity and freedom as articulated in biblical witness, particularly John 10:10 is manifest for black people in South Africa. The study also seeks to identify, describe, analyse and understand the emancipatory theories and praxis, which entail a plethora of efforts they undertake to liberate themselves. Understanding and engendering the nexus of social practice and theological insights in the articulation of Black Theology as a particular expression of systematic theology, and drawing attention to the ethical foundations undergirding Black Theology, are important in demonstrating Black Theology‘s role and task as a multi-disciplinary discipline which encompass and engender dialogue within and between theory and praxis, and theology and ethics. This study thus suggests that since the locus of Black Theology and spirituality is embedded in the life, (ecclesial and missional) work (koinonia) and preaching (kerygma) of black churches, they have the requisite responsibility to engage in the efforts (spiritual and theological) in the struggle to finding solutions to the triple crises of unemployment, inequality and poverty which ravage the quality and dignity of life of the majority black people in post-apartheid South Africa. This study therefore concludes by asserting that, there are a variety of viable options and criteria relevant for facilitating economic justice in South Africa. These strategies include transformational distribution of land to the majority of South Africans, the implementation of heterodox economic policies which engender market and social justice values in the distribution of economic goods to all citizens. It also entails prioritization of the social justice agenda in economic planning and economic practice. In theological language, economic justice must involve the restoration of the dignity and the wellbeing of the majority of South Africans, who remain poor, marginalised and disillusioned. It also entails promoting justice as a central principle in correcting the remnants of apartheid injustices, which limit transformational justice which enables and facilitates equality, freedom and economic justice for all South African citizens. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)