Scholarship on David Foster Wallace understandably tends to focus on addiction in his novel Infinite Jest, as well as on his stated desire for a literary movement that transcends the recursive, ironic loop of the postmodern. This essay, however, explores issues of trauma and perversion in Wallace's fiction – primarily beginning with Infinite Jest, chronologically speaking – demonstrating Wallace's concern with the freedom of choice. A palpable friction exists between conservatism and sexual taboos, and this friction characterizes much, if not most, of Wallace's fictional oeuvre. A principally psychoanalytic reading of the sexual elements at play in Infinite Jest, as well as in several stories from Brief Interviews with Hideous Men and Oblivion, cultivates a more thorough understanding of the addiction theme present in his work.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1993. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 250-265).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 450-472). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (M.A.)--The Master's College, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [117]-121).

Thesis (M.A.)--The Master's College, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [117]-121).

Text in Afrikaans / This thesis offers a case illustration where autonomy as explanatory construction is described from ecosystemic thinking. Certain important constructions with the emphasis on autonomy are discussed. The focus is on a family in which incest occurred. Some possible patterns in such families are discussed. The content is presented in the form of a play in four acts, namely: Act 1 : The incest relationship Act 2: The disclosure of the secret Act 3: The involvement of the people concerned Act 4: The involvement of the helping professions The autonomy of the incestuous family and the way in which conservation is manifested is described. The research applies the theory to describe the process of an incest drama in one family. Conclusions and recommendations are applied to the general social work practice. / Hierdie verhandeling bied 'n illustrasie waar outonomie as verduidelikende konstruksie vanuit ekosistemiese denke in 'n gevallestudie beskryf word. Sekere belangrike konstruksies van ekosistemiese denke, met die klem op outonomie, word bespreek. Die fokus is verder ook op 'n gesin waarin · bloedskande voorkom en enkele moontlike patrone in hierdie gesinne word bespreek. Die inhoud word in die vorm van 'n drama wat in vier bedrywe uitgespeel word, aangebied, naamlik: Die 1e Bedryf: Die Bloedskande-verhouding Die 2e Bedryf: Die Bekendmaking van die geheim Die 3e Bedryf: Die Reaksie van die persone betrokke Die 4e Bedryf: Die Betrokkenheid van die helpende professies Die outonomie van die bloedskandegesin en hoe daar konservering in bogenoemde vier bedrywe voorkom, word beskryf. Daar word ook gefokus op die outonomie van die navorser en die professionele persone betrokke. Die teorie is toegepas in die navorsing om die proses van 'n bloedskandedrama van een Die teorie is toegepas in die navorsing om die proses van 'n bloedskandedrama van een gesin volledig te beskryf. Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings dui op die bruikbaarheid in die algemene maatskaplike werk praktyk. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Sciences)

M.A. / "Child abuse and neglect is a serious and growing problem. In 1994, the South African Police Service's Child Protection Unit dealt with 22911 cases of child abuse, which represents a 36% increase over the previous year" (Staatskoerant, no. 18166:60). Seksuele mishandeling van kinders is 'n verskynsel wat wereldwyd voorkom en was onlangs in die plaaslike nuus toe 'n vader, wat sy veertienjarige dogter verkrag het, net sewe jaar tronkstraf gekry het omdat - volgens die regter - die samelewing nie teen hom beskerm hoef to word nie (Beeld, 1999/10/07: 11). Die rede wat regter Foxcroft aangevoer het, was dat verkragting binne gesinsverband nie so ernstig is soos verkragting deur 'n vreemdeling nie. Die feit dat 'n kind seksueel deur sy eie ouers mishandel word is egter soveel erger, want, indien 'n kind deur 'n vreemdeling verkrag word, het die kind steeds familielede wat ondersteuning bied. Maar indien die kind deur sy/haar ouers seksueel misbruik word, kan by/sy nerens gaan vir ondersteuning nie. Nog 'n skokkende gebeurtenis wat die voorblaaie van menige plaaslike koerante gehaal het, was die verkragting van 'n nege maande oue baba deur ses mans tussen die ouderdom van 23 en 66 jaar (Beeld, 2001/10/29: 2). Enkele dae later is die verkragting van 'n veertien maande oue baba dogtertjie van Tweeling in die Oos Vrystaat aangemeld. Sy is vermoedelik deur twee mans, onderskeidelik 34 en 37 jaar oud, verkrag (Beeld, 2001/10/31: 2). Ten spyte van die openbare en professionele aandag wat seksuele mishandeling ontvang het, is daar steeds baie min Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing aangaande die fenomeen gedoen (McKendrick en Hoffman, 1991:227-228). Die navorser is van mening dat, indien door inligting ingesamel word aangaande die seksueel mishandelde kind, kan kinders wat 'n risiko loop om deur hul ouers seksueel mishandel te word, vroegtydig geidentifiseer word. In hierdie verhandeling goon daar gefokus word op die seksuele mishandeling van kinders soos dit in akademiese literatuur na yore tree. 'n Klein komponent van die studie behels onderhoude oor hierdie verskynsel wat gevoer is met agt hulpverleners by Johannesburgse kinderhuise en hierdie inligting is gebruik om die mate van kongruensie tussen literatuur en enkele Suid- Afrikaanse empiriese voorbeelde, te bepaal. Die onderhoude is dus gevoer met die doel om, aan die hand van die persepsies van hulpverleners in enkele kinderhuise, te sien in welke mate die Suid Afrikaanse situasie ooreenstem met die literatuur. Met behulp van hierdie inligting hoop die navorser om 'n duideliker beeld daar te stel van kinders wat 'n risiko loop om seksueel mishandel te word en dot die teoretiese gevolgtrekkings wat gemaak is uit die studie, gebruik kan word in opleidingsprogramme vir hulpverleners en moontlik ook as basis vir verdere navorsing. Verder moet dit bydra tot kennis vermeerdering in die veld van Sosiologie. Verder sal dit ook bydra tot sosiologiese teorie en konsepte.

M.A. / “Child abuse and neglect is a serious and growing problem. In 1994, the South African Police Service’s Child Protection Unit dealt with 22911 cases of child abuse, which represents a 36% increase over the previous year” (Staatskoerant, no. 18166:60). / Prof. A. Senekal Dr. E. Oliphant

Childhood incest and sexual abuse was explored in depth to determine the coping skills used by victims, based upon their descriptive recall of these events. Eighteen adult women, who were group therapy members and leaders, were interviewed about their experiences as sexually abused children and adolescents. The critical incident technique was used to identify what hindered or facilitated the victims coping in the eighty-one abuse experiences collected. Each incident was categorized according to the identifiable stress, and the type of coping method used. Three categories of identifiable stress emerged from the data which were labelled offenders, significant others, and victims. Of these, the largest number of incidents related to stress created by offenders. In this sample, victims utilized direct action, inhibition of action, and intrapsychic coping methods, but not information seeking. Of these, direct action was most frequently employed. Independent judges found these categories reliable. Results are examined according to theoretical frameworks in coping theory and current perspectives on sexual abuse. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

Although there is an increasing amount of literature on the area of child sexual abuse, there is a dearth of information on the experiences of mothers following disclosure. Illuminating the issues of mothers following disclosure is necessary in formulating therapeutic procedures with these women and their families. This qualitative study explored the experiences of five mothers whose children were sexually abused by a father or step father. One and a half to two hour videotaped interviews were conducted utilizing a general interview guide. The findings were categorized into three areas: Reaction to Disclosure, Changing Social Relationships, and Healing Process. Emerging from these three categories were two themes that appeared to link the categories. These themes were the importance these women placed on their role as protector of their children, and the struggles with role or relationship disruptions. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate