Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (CRSA) (1996) ushered in a new dispensation with regard to the human right to ‘religious freedom’. Inclusivity in a school context of religious diversity underpins the Religion and Education Policy (2003) which is in turn informed by, and supportive of, the CRSA (1996). To date, the Policy (2003) has not been substantially implemented. In classroom praxis there has been little or no substantial cascading to teachers (and therefore also to learners), of the intention and substance of the Policy (2003). A possible cause of this is that many teachers do not necessarily understand the meaning of the human right to ‘religious freedom’. As a result, they have resisted a multireligion approach to education. The aim of this study was to investigate how teachers construct their understanding of the human right to ‘religious freedom’ and how they voice this understanding in a context of religious diversity in schools. Integral to the investigation was an interrogation of the influence of their biographical context in shaping their personal religious identity. The study also considered the impact of the school context in which teachers taught. This study anticipated the theoretical clarification of how teachers construct their social identities, and in particular their religious identities. This theoretical framework informed what emerged from the empirical research that was conducted. The key concepts of ‘religious freedom’ and voice were described and clarified by the sources employed in the literature review. It was clear from the literature review that while useful research had been undertaken in aspects relating to the acceptance of, or resistance to, the Policy (2003), no research had grappled sufficiently, if at all, with teachers’ understanding of the human right to ‘religious freedom’ and how they constructed this understanding. In order to conduct this study, an empirical, qualitative research design, including elements of small-scale ethnography, using a case study approach, was employed. Research methods included the use of semi-structured individual and focus group interviews and self-administered questionnaires. The data were triangulated. From the research it emerged that teachers’ biographical context and school context do indeed influence the construction of their understanding of the human right to ‘religious freedom’. The way in which they give voice to this understanding varied. It became apparent that many teachers lacked understanding of religions other than (and in some cases, including) their own. The Policy (2003) was also poorly understood as was the implementation thereof. Recommendations relating to the problems and shortcomings identified by the research have been made. These include possible intervention strategies by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and Culture; Human Rights Values Education as a teaching approach; and the empowering of teachers by affording them opportunities to engage in emancipatory discourse. Further research possibilities that can be influenced by this research include issues relating to teacher identity formation; further interrogation of the impact of the teacher’s voice; and the inclusion of parents and the school community in the implementation of policy relating to Religion and Education.

Women have been abused from the beginning of time and it would appear that a patriarchal system has facilitated this abuse. Churches, in general, and Seventh-Day Adventists, in particular, have been silent on the issue of Abuse. It is my thesis that a predominantly confessional Seventh-Day Adventist's view and use of Scripture are foundational to this silence on human rights issues. Adventist eschatology is predominantly apocalyptic in nature, focussing on end-time events, thus, the present is viewed secondary. Human rights issues are marginalised with the focus on evangelism. Thus, relationships are secondary and abused women have not been accommodated within the Seventh-Day Adventist framework of worship and caring. / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

Women have been abused from the beginning of time and it would appear that a patriarchal system has facilitated this abuse. Churches, in general, and Seventh-Day Adventists, in particular, have been silent on the issue of Abuse. It is my thesis that a predominantly confessional Seventh-Day Adventist's view and use of Scripture are foundational to this silence on human rights issues. Adventist eschatology is predominantly apocalyptic in nature, focussing on end-time events, thus, the present is viewed secondary. Human rights issues are marginalised with the focus on evangelism. Thus, relationships are secondary and abused women have not been accommodated within the Seventh-Day Adventist framework of worship and caring. / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

O presente estudo tem como objetivo perceber o impacto da crise da pós-modernidade entre os militantes católicos em defesa dos Direitos Humanos do Recife, no período histórico de 1980 a 2000. Como perceber a militância, após a saída e Dom Helder? Fazendo o uso das teorias de Gramsci para construir o universo de pesquisa, e assim perceber o alcance da crise da pós-modernidade entre os católicos engajados. Tal universo foi composto por professores Curso de Teologia da Universidade Católica, que participaram de pastorais e movimentos no período histórico da presente pesquisa. Utilizando entrevistas pessoais, foi possível concluir que, assim como todos os que compõem a sociedade e seus estamentos, os militantes sofreram os efeitos da pós-modernidade, o que refletiu em sua atuação / The present study it has as objective to perceive the impact of the crisis of the after-modernity on the catholic militants in defense of the Human Rights in Recife, in the historical period of 1980 the 2000. How to perceive the militancy after the exit and Dom Helder? Making the use of the theories of Gramsci to construct the research universe, and thus to perceive the reach of the crisis of after-modernity in the militant ones. The universe of the research was composed for professors of course of Theology of the Catholic University who had militated in the historical period of the present research. Using personal interviews, it was possible to conclude that, as well as all the ones that compose the society and its estamentos, the militant ones had suffered the effect from after-modernity, what it reflected in its performance

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:12:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jose Roberto Castro_Dissert.pdf: 681114 bytes, checksum: a247da217bdadefb195cd966ed865dab (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-08-30 / The present study it has as objective to perceive the impact of the crisis of the after-modernity on the catholic militants in defense of the Human Rights in Recife, in the historical period of 1980 the 2000. How to perceive the militancy after the exit and Dom Helder? Making the use of the theories of Gramsci to construct the research universe, and thus to perceive the reach of the crisis of after-modernity in the militant ones. The universe of the research was composed for professors of course of Theology of the Catholic University who had militated in the historical period of the present research. Using personal interviews, it was possible to conclude that, as well as all the ones that compose the society and its estamentos, the militant ones had suffered the effect from after-modernity, what it reflected in its performance / O presente estudo tem como objetivo perceber o impacto da crise da pós-modernidade entre os militantes católicos em defesa dos Direitos Humanos do Recife, no período histórico de 1980 a 2000. Como perceber a militância, após a saída e Dom Helder? Fazendo o uso das teorias de Gramsci para construir o universo de pesquisa, e assim perceber o alcance da crise da pós-modernidade entre os católicos engajados. Tal universo foi composto por professores Curso de Teologia da Universidade Católica, que participaram de pastorais e movimentos no período histórico da presente pesquisa. Utilizando entrevistas pessoais, foi possível concluir que, assim como todos os que compõem a sociedade e seus estamentos, os militantes sofreram os efeitos da pós-modernidade, o que refletiu em sua atuação