Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Pennsylvania, 1922. / Reprinted from The journal of delinquency, Sept.-Nov. 1922. Bibliography: p. 329-333.

Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 1970. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: no abstract available / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: geen opsomming

Thesis (DPhil) (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 1967.

Thesis (MA (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 1964.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Discourse about the human world has, since Socrates, been structured around the assumption that one view of a given matter is better than competing views, and that argumentation, if carried out correctly and systematically, will favour the view which has the preponderance of reasons and evidence on its side. If this supposition were dropped, the nature of social scientific inquiry would change significantly. For many commentators in the social sciences the ineliminable interpretative dimension of social inquiry and the standpoint-bound character of interpretation lead to the conclusion that we have to abandon any notion of objective truth in the social sciences. The central question raised in this thesis is whether this abandonment is inevitable or even plausible. Is it plausible to conflate objectivity and truth? Is objectivity a possible characteristic of the individual researcher or a characteristic of the scientific research process? Does the cultural environment of the researcher impact on the validity of research findings? If science is a social phenomenon, are scientific beliefs different from other beliefs? How do the interests of the individual researcher or the formal organisation of scientific practice impact on the validity of findings? What role does power play in the shaping of knowledge? These are the questions that will be addressed in the following thesis. The methodology of Max Weber serves as a point of departure and divergences and similarities to the work of Weber are explored in the writings of Kuhn, the Edinburgh School, Latour, Foucault, Habermas, as well as contemporary postmodernist and feminist writers. The analysis of these various concepts and approaches is not presented chronologically, but rather as an exposition of the contributors of various commentators in the fields of both the sociology of science and knowledge, and the philosophy of science. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Diskoers oor die menslike wêreld is, sedert Socrates, gestuktureer rondom die aanname dat een siening van 'n gegewe saak beter is as mededingende sienings, en dat argumentasie, indien korrek en sistematies uitgevoer, ten voordeel sal wees van die siening wat gesteun word deur die oormaat van redes en bewyse. As ons hierdie aanname sou laat vaar, sal die stand van sosiaal wetenskaplike ondersoek ingrypend verander. Vir menige kommentator in die sosiale wetenskappe lei die onafwendbare interpretatiewe dimensie van maatskaplike ondersoek, en die standpunt-gebonde aard van interpretasie, tot die gevolgtrekking dat ons enige opvatting van objektiwiteit in die sosiale wetenskappe moet laat vaar. Die kernvraag in hierdie tesis is of hierdie verskuiwing onvermydelik of selfs aanneemlik is. Is dit geldig om objektiwiteit en waarheid saam te snoer? Is objektiwiteit 'n moontlike eienskap van die individuele navorser, of 'n eienskap van die navorsingsproses? Watter impak het die kulturele omgewing van die navorser op die geldigheid van die navorsingsbevindinge? As wetenskap 'n sosiale fenomeen is, is wetenskaplike oortuigings enigsins anders as ander oortuigings? Watter impak het die belange van 'n individuele navorser, of die formele organsiasie van wetenskaplike praktyk, op die geldigheid van bevindings? Watter rol speel mag in die vorming en skepping van kennis? Hierdie is die vrae wat aangespreek word in dié tesis. Die metodologie van Max Weber dien as vertrekpunt, en ooreenkomste tot en afwykings van die sienings van Weber word ondersoek in die werk van Kuhn, die "Edinburgh School", Latour, Foucault, Habermas, sowel as kontemporêre postmoderne en feministiese skrywers. Die analise van hierdie verskeie konsepte en benaderings word nie kronologies aangebied nie, maar eerder as 'n uiteensetting van die bydraes van verskeie kommentators op die gebied van die sosiologie van die wetenskap en van kennis, sowel as die filosofie van wetenskap.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the construction, at local level, of collective identities in two Western Cape towns: Stellenbosch and Wellington. Identities are understood to refer to residents' construction of meaning for themselves. The approach was qualitative and used interview and focus group techniques with probes that allowed participants to speak freely about their lives in these towns. Under apartheid, residents were divided by race in these towns. The study aims to identify changes in local identity after apartheid. New identities revolving around issues of security and language appear to be emerging. Simultaneously, old racial identities persist. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing ondersoek die konstruksie, op plaaslike vlak, van kollektiewe identiteite in twee Wes-Kaapse dorpe, Stellenbosch en Wellington. Onder identiteite verstaan ons verwysing na die inwoners se konstruksie van betekenis vir hulleself. Daar is vanuit 'n kwalitatiewe benadering gewerk en die onderhoud en fokusgroep- tegniek met dieptepeilings is gebruik, wat dit vir deelnemers moontlik gemaak het om geredelik oor hulle lewe in hierdie dorpe te praat. Tydens apartheid is inwoners van hierdie dorpe op grond van ras verdeel. Hierdie navorsing is daarop gemik om veranderinge in plaaslike identiteit ná apartheid te identifiseer. Nuwe identiteite wat om kwessies van sekuriteit en taal wentel, skyn na vore te kom. Tegelyk bly ou rasse-identiteite voortbestaan.

Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The concern of this study is primarily with insights, either acquired or original, which may be gleaned from the works of Michael Quinn Patton, especially his seminal book, “Utilization-Focused Evaluation” with regards to utilisation of evaluation. The importance of utilisation of evaluation processes and findings cannot be overemphasised. Use is critical to the success of multiple development programmes in South Africa which collectively will ultimately determine the country’s accomplishment of its developmental goals. The study is an analysis of the relevant literature on utilisation of evaluation; comparing and contrasting Patton’s writings with those of other scholars on this topic of utilisation. The process of understanding these insights involves a brief biography of Patton to get a glimpse into the factors which influenced the development of his ideas and to learn from them as well as from his innovative ideas. The major theme of utilization-focused approach to evaluation is utility and actual use of evaluations. The study therefore devotes special attention to these concepts in order to find out how he defines them, his motivation to focus on them and his perceptions of the purposes of evaluation. These determine his conception of the evaluation field; and his success in promoting evaluation utilisation is measured against them. The study also contains a detailed discussion of the so-called “paradigms debate” between the quantitative and qualitative paradigms in the educational and social sciences in the 1960s and 1970s. This debate was necessary to quell the division triggered by the domination of the quantitative paradigm over qualitative one in these fields and to promote understanding of the need to prioritise research questions by designing studies to answer to them instead of research problems being fitted into “onesize- fits-all” readymade designs, the study argues. The role played by Patton in turning evaluation into a profession is also discussed at length. His works on this subject include a contribution towards enhancing quality and credibility of evaluation, major input on the Standards of Excellence for Evaluation as well as assisting in the development of methods for evaluation. The inevitability of politics in evaluation is highlighted together with the importance of their ethical conduct. The debates in the American Evaluation Association are very illuminating and Patton’s involvement in them is detailed in the study. They cover a range of issues which are useful to deepening of understanding of evaluation conduct and particular factors which affect use. The study ends with a critical analysis of Patton’s contribution to utilisation of evaluations by programme decision makers and its significance to South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van dié studie het hoofsaaklik te doen met insigte, hetsy oorspronklik of ontleen aan ander bronne, wat afgelei kan word van die werk van Michael Quinn Patton, veral van sy invloedryke boek, “Utilization-Focused Evaluation,” ten opsigte van die toepassing van program-evaluasie. Die belangrikheid van die toepassing van evalueringsprosesse en -bevindings, kan nie oorbeklemtoon word nie. Toepassing is krities tot die sukses van veelvuldige ontwikkelingsprogramme in Suid-Afrika wat gesamentlik uiteindelik sal bepaal of die land sy ontwikkelingsdoelwitte sal bereik. Die studie is ’n analise van die tersaaklike literatuur oor die toepassing van evaluering; wat Patton se werk met dié van ander skrywers oor die onderwerp van toepassing vergelyk. Die proses om dié insigte te verstaan, behels ’n kort biografie van Patton ten einde ’n vlugtige blik te kry oor die faktore wat tot die ontwikkeling van sy idees aanleiding gegee het en om van hulle, sowel as van sy innoverende idees, te leer. Die hooftema van die toespitsing op die toepassingsbenadering vir evaluering, is sy veelsydigheid en die werklike gebruik van evaluasies. Derhalwe le die studie hom dus veral op dié konsepte toe ten einde vas te stel hoe hy hulle gebruik het, wat sy motivering was om daarop te fokus en sy siening rondom die doelwitte van evaluasie. Dít bepaal sy begrip van die gebied van evaluasie, en sy sukses ten einde die toepassing van evaluasie te bevorder, word hierteenoor gemeet. ’n Uitvoerige bespreking oor die sogenaamde “ paradigma-debat’’ tussen die kwantatiewe en kwalitatiewe paradigmas in die opvoedkundige en sosiale wetenskappe van die 1960’s en 1970’s word ook hierin saamgevat. Verder voer die studie aan dat die debat noodsaaklik was ten einde die verdeeldheid te oorkom wat deur die oorheersing van die kwantitatiewe oor die kwalitatiewe paradigmas op dié terreine veroorsaak is, en om begrip te bevorder betreffende die behoefte om navorsingsvrae voorrang te gee deur studies te ontwerp wat dié vrae beantwoord, in plaas daarvan om navorsingsprobleme in ’n klaargemaakte een-grootte-pas-almal ontwerp te plaas. Patton se rol om program-evaluasie in’n professie te omskep, word breedvoerig bespreek. Sy werk oor die onderwerp sluit ’n bydrae in om die gehalte en geloofwaardigheid van evaluasie te verhef, belangrike insette ten opsigte van die Standaarde van Uitnemenheid vir Evaluasie, sowel as om met die ontwikkeling van evaluasiemetodes te help.

Thesis (DSc (Sociology and Social Anthropology. Centre for Research on Science and Technology))—University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study the fundamental question about the technical relationship is investigated. The term ‘technology’ was found to be misused out of contexts by various disciplinary authors. Some authors used it for the notion that could better be described as artefacts. Consequently what was called ‘technology transfer’ was little more than artefactual transfer. Others concentrated on production and design that could better be described by techno-practice. Still others confused so-called ‘technological knowledge’ with what could be described as techno-knowledge and techno-literacy. A survey of notions of the authors in the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS), especially those that focussed on technology was done and it was found that the following elements were identifiable: Techno-practice for the ‘practice’ of the making, forming, designing and maintaining of artefacts. For this was required Technoknowledge, for the know-how and experience in making, and maintaining these artefacts. Furthermore the element of Techno-science for the technical science that was recording knowledge from different sciences like mathematics, physics and electronics etc. to help in the solutions of techno-practice was identified. Lastly technoliteracy was distinguished from techno-knowledge, indicating the capability to use artefacts without necessarily having the knowledge to fix them. Driving a car but not being able to fix it sounds like a good example. The result of techno-practice is normally an artefact. What was interesting, is that many saw the result of technology as technology. Many associate an artefact with the process of techno-practice under the term ‘technology’. An amazing paradigmparalysis was found that could not distinguish the technical from the technological and cannot be better illustrated than by the biased statement: “Clearly computers are technology…” where-as clearly computers are artefacts, the result of a technical design and production process. Lastly the transcendental empirical method was used to consider the ontic (transcendental) conditions required for this technical relationship and it was described in an ontological, anthropological and societal framework. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die studie is die grondvraag na die tegniese verwantskap ondersoek. Daar is gevind dat die term ‘tegnologie’ buite konteks misbruik word deur verskeie vakwetenskaplike outeurs. Sommige gebruik dit vir wat beter aangedui kan word met die term artefakt. Gevolglik is wat genoem was ‘tegnologie-oordrag’ eintlik beter beskryf met die terme artefakt oordrag. Ander het konsentreer op produksie en ontwerp wat eintlik beter beskryf kan word met die term tegno-praktyk. Sogenaamde ‘tegnologiese kennis’ is verder verwar met wat eintlik beter beskryf kan word as tegniese kennis en tegniese geletterdheid. ‘n Oorsig van terme en gebruike van outeurs in die veld van wetenskap en tegnologie studies (STS) veral diegene wat op ‘tegnologie’ gekonsentreer het, het die volgende elemente ge-identifiseer. Tegno-praktyk vir die praktyk van vervaardiging, ontwerp en instandhouding van artefakte. Tegniese kennis (tegno-kennis) vir die ondervinding van vorming en instandhouding van die artefakte. Tegniese wetenskap (tegno-wetenskap) vir die wetenskap wat kennis aangaande die tegniese proses byeenbring uit ander wetenskappe soos wiskunde, fisika en elektronika, byvoorbeeld om tegniese probleme op te los en moontlikhede te skep. Laastens was tegniese geletterdheid onderskei van tegniese kennis soos om ‘n motor te kan bestuur sonder om dit noodwendig te kan herstel. Die gevolg van tegno-praktyk is gewoonlik ‘n artefakt. Wat interessant was is die feit dat verskeie die resultaat van ‘tegnologie’ as ‘tegnologie’ beskou het. Baie gevalle van waar ‘n artefakt gelykgestel was aan die proses van tegno-praktyk was opgemerk natuurlik onder die term ‘tegnologie’. ‘n Verbasende paradigma versteendheid was gevind waar outeurs nie die onderskeid tussen die tegniese en tegnologiese kon onderskei nie. In ‘n sekere sin kan dit nie beter geïllustreer word as die volgende bevooroordeelde stelling dat dit tog ‘…duidelik is dat rekenaars tegnologie is…’ terwyl dit ewe-eens duidelik is dat rekenaars eintlik artefakte is, die resultaat van ‘n ontwerp en vervaardigingsproses. Laastens is die transendentaal empiriese metode gebruik om die onties (transendentale) struktuurvoorwaardes vir die tegniese verwantskap in ag te neem en daarna is dit beskryf in ‘n ontologiese, (wysgerig) antropologiese en samelewingsraamwerk.

The context of this study is the introduction of a new national quality assurance system for South African higher education by an agency of the Department of Education. The purpose of the study is to conduct a critical policy analysis of the Council of Higher Education’s Higher Education Quality Committee’s policy formulation process. In doing so, the study seeks to understand how the quality of teaching and learning practice might be enhanced through quality assurance. In order to answer this question the study examines the literature on quality assurance in higher education and proposes a simple conceptual framework for mapping different approaches to quality assurance. The framework is based on a normative judgment that communicative action is more likely to result in the improvement of teaching and learning practice than instrumental action. Approaches to policy analysis and evaluation research are explored and it is argued that policymaking is a complex multi-faceted process requiring a pluralist research design. This is attempted in the study where a range of research methods are employed from within a critical social science paradigm. The study analyses data gathered at each of the policy stages: setting the policy agenda, policy formulation, policy adoption and policy reformulation, but stops short of researching policy implementation in any depth. The study is therefore classified as a formative, clarificatory evaluation. It seeks to evaluate the conceptualization and design of instruments for quality assurance, stakeholder contribution to policy development and stakeholder response to policy proposals. In particular the study seeks to uncover the different values, discourses and ideologies that stakeholders subscribe to in the policymaking process. The findings of the study show that the HEQC did attempt to work communicatively and consultatively with the higher education community and that it was, in part, due to its consultative efforts, that the final policy instruments were greatly improved. But the study also shows that the consultative process was only partially successful, with serious differences still existing between the HEQC and some stakeholder groups. Different stakeholder approaches to quality assurance are traced to deeper historical, cultural and ideological differences. The study suggests that these factors are likely to hinder the smooth implementation of the HEQC’s policies. The findings of the study also suggest that the challenge of designing a model of quality assurance that caters adequately for both the improvement and accountability purposes of quality assurance was not entirely met in this policymaking process. Furthermore, the study suggests that because the HEQC’s policies were, from the outset, conceived of as a means of furthering the state’s transformation agenda, its idea of quality and its quality assurance procedures are beginning to work ideologically. This has the effect of politicizing the implementation process and undermining the HEQC’s efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning practice in South African higher education.

Thesis (DPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The aim of the study was to design an alcohol abuse prevention program for the workplace that was based on a sound program theory. Ultimately the study aimed to indicate an approach to the improvement of social service programs by the incorporation of program theory in the design, implementation and evaluation of social service programs. In the first phase of the study the program theory was developed. Literature studies on the prevention of alcohol abuse and on program evaluation were done. This was followed by a survey in the workplace to determine alcohol consumption and abuse, factors contributing to alcohol consumption, workplace factors contributing to abuse and attitudes towards the responsible consumption of alcohol. The survey was complemented by focus group discussions. Eight hundred and fifteen respondents completed the survey. The most important findings were that 46% of respondents indicated that they drink alcohol, nine percent could be classified as alcohol dependent according to the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (Selzer, 1971) and 24% of men and 15 % of women drank at risky levels. The most important factors contributing to alcohol consumption were social problems, social drinking and dependence. Workplace factors contributing to alcohol consumption were the lack of control, availability of alcohol, social pressure to drink and the quality of work. The program theory was formulated from the results of the literature study, the survey and the focus group discussions. The all-inclusive program theory was that life skills training will lead to a reduction in frustration and therefore a reduction in the abuse of alcohol, within a positive work environment. In the following phase the program was implemented and evaluated. The program consisted of life skills training, supervisor training and the revision of the alcohol policy. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to test the program theory and evaluate the program. The life skills program was tested by means of an experimental design. The experimental groups showed an improvement in psychosocial functioning, but the differences were not statistically significant. The intervention had no significant effect on the consumption of alcohol. Respondents’ knowledge about the moderate drinking of alcohol improved significantly, but attitudes towards moderate drinking were not affected. Supervisor training was done to improve relationships at work and to lower frustration. Supervisors improved their knowledge of managing a troubled employee significantly and felt more comfortable in managing troubled employees after the training. The substance abuse policy of the workplace was revised successfully. The study contributes significantly to the methodological improvement of substance abuse prevention programs in the workplace and illustrates the importance of program theory in the design and evaluation of social programs. The study also illustrates how a process of formative evaluation can be used to improve social programs. More specifically the value of a systematic process of program development and program evaluation has been demonstrated, including that an in depth problem analysis has been done, an intensive and collaborative process of theory development has been undertaken and a rigorist evaluation design (with quantitative and qualitative components) has been applied.