This thesis provides a theoretical framework that brings the unity of Kierkegaard’s ‘middle period’ into relief. I will analyse Kierkegaard’s writings between 1846 and 1852 when, I argue, the socially constructive dimension of his thought comes to prominence, involving two dialectical aspects of religiousness identified by Kierkegaard: the edifying and the polemical. How these two aspects come together and get worked out in the lives of individuals form the basis of what can be called a Kierkegaardian ‘social praxis’. I conclude that the tension between the edifying and the polemical can be coherently maintained in a communicative life that is also characteristic of a militant faith. This militant faith and life is presented as a critical guard against absolutisms, fundamentalisms, and intellectual aloofness; but the ‘militant’ individual is also utterly dependent, in need of edification and critique, and therefore chooses the risk of encountering others, seeking relationships out of a commitment to the development of persons and communities in co-operation. Therefore, not only does this dialectic provide readers with an important theoretical framework for understanding Kierkegaard’s ‘middle period’, but it is also a valuable resource for a constructive analysis of active social living suitable for theology in the twenty-first century.

The problem I investigated in this research is the extent to which participation in a secondary school musical production contributes curricularly and pedagogically towards equipping learners for meaningful and successful living in a rapidly changing and transforming society within a life skills education programme. The importance of creating a dialogic space where secondary school learners may practise life skills within the Life Orientation curriculum has been my main focus. My aim was to investigate and discuss the Life Orientation potential of the secondary school musical production as dialogic educative space for life skills attainment. I specifically employed a hybrid epistemology, namely constructivist hermeneutic phenomenology. In this qualitative study a small number of participants were interviewed individually and in focus groups because of their particular knowledge and lived experience regarding the research topic and the musical The Green Crystal as the chosen case study. This enabled me to construct and interpret their subjective reality and construct meaning within the particular social context of the secondary school musical production. The data I generated, coded and interpreted validate the notion that the secondary school musical production is a hybrid genre which is essentially a practise ground for life skills attainment through the media of music, movement and drama. It also emerged from the data that the secondary school musical production provides a dialogic and educative space to and for all participants to practise life skills within the subject Life Orientation. The participants indicated that their participation in the productions have been life-changing events. A notable contribution from the data was the confirmation that life skills learnt and practised during the musical production are transported into adult life. The life skills learnt through participation in a secondary school musical production are embedded in the memory of the participants and the lessons learnt purify over time. These individual and psychosocial life skills gained, honed and practised by participants assisted them in adapting to a changing and transforming society as functional and contributing adults (self-in-society). / MEd (Learning and Teaching), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

The problem I investigated in this research is the extent to which participation in a secondary school musical production contributes curricularly and pedagogically towards equipping learners for meaningful and successful living in a rapidly changing and transforming society within a life skills education programme. The importance of creating a dialogic space where secondary school learners may practise life skills within the Life Orientation curriculum has been my main focus. My aim was to investigate and discuss the Life Orientation potential of the secondary school musical production as dialogic educative space for life skills attainment. I specifically employed a hybrid epistemology, namely constructivist hermeneutic phenomenology. In this qualitative study a small number of participants were interviewed individually and in focus groups because of their particular knowledge and lived experience regarding the research topic and the musical The Green Crystal as the chosen case study. This enabled me to construct and interpret their subjective reality and construct meaning within the particular social context of the secondary school musical production. The data I generated, coded and interpreted validate the notion that the secondary school musical production is a hybrid genre which is essentially a practise ground for life skills attainment through the media of music, movement and drama. It also emerged from the data that the secondary school musical production provides a dialogic and educative space to and for all participants to practise life skills within the subject Life Orientation. The participants indicated that their participation in the productions have been life-changing events. A notable contribution from the data was the confirmation that life skills learnt and practised during the musical production are transported into adult life. The life skills learnt through participation in a secondary school musical production are embedded in the memory of the participants and the lessons learnt purify over time. These individual and psychosocial life skills gained, honed and practised by participants assisted them in adapting to a changing and transforming society as functional and contributing adults (self-in-society). / MEd (Learning and Teaching), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012