This thesis is concerned with civil society organisations (CSOs) and the challenges of facilitating sustainable societal transformation in Africa, focusing on the case of Ethiopia. The thesis underlines the fact that the conceptualisation of civil society is controversial. Some western scholars argue that the Enlightenment period in Europe provided the bedrock for the foundation of „modern‟ CSOs. As a result, they believed that the life patterns and „traditional‟ social organising practices of Africans, Asians and other societies of the world are incompatible with the civilised world. This outlook constitutes the mainstream view that has played an uncontested role in the decades of development in Africa. Proponents of African and „traditional‟ perspectives of civil society, however, argue that many nations in Africa have centuries-old humanism and a history of volunteerism and civic institutions, which form the backbone of their social fabric. They argue that Africa has its own rich culture and civilisation which is the bedrock for generating and developing healthy human societies and effectively functioning CSOs on the continent. These African civic cultures nurture character and intellect within communities and social spaces despite the challenges of colonialism, globalisation and other external pressures. For this reason, they challenge western-based perspectives on „modern‟ CSOs. Given the predominance of and the tension in these two perspectives, this thesis calls for a re-examination of the concepts, meanings and practices of CSOs and the exploration of the role of „traditional‟ CSOs in facilitating societal transformation in contemporary Ethiopia, Africa. In so doing, it critically examines how the tensions in various international development agendas have led to the legitimisation and proliferation of „modern‟ and western-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) interventions in Africa, and then discusses the way the civil society sector, particularly „traditional‟ CSOs, is side-lined owing to the funding formulas that regard western-based NGOs as preferred development partners. For this, the thesis takes a case-based approach to the study of „traditional‟ CSOs in Ethiopia, and examines their goals and practices leading to social transformation experiences by reviewing the political history, genesis and civic functions of CSOs and the social changes at grassroots levels. The thesis also analyses the ways in which local communities organise their „traditional‟ associations and collectively engage in social action to transform their communities. It also highlights the negative implications of the neoliberal theoretical discourses and the developmental state approaches in relation to „traditional‟ African CSOs. In conclusion, the thesis suggests critical pathways for harnessing the role of „traditional‟ African CSOs in the future societal transformation process in Africa. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

This dissertation examines the representations of Casablanca in Moroccan cinema and their articulation of postcolonial subjectivity since the 1990s. To overcome a deep economic recession and simmering social unrest in the early 1980s, Morocco embarked on a comprehensive programme of structural adjustment policies under the aegis of the International Monetary Fund. Market reforms ushered in novel forms of spatial development and social relations in Moroccan cities over the next decades. In the cultural field, a popular cinema emerged in the early 1990s and has projected the complex structures of everyday life in urban space. The New Urban Cinema (NUC) has anchored national cinema in the everyday life and affective economy of a society in transition. The country’s largest city, Casablanca, is the setting for some of NUC’s most original portrayals of the Moroccan subject under globalisation. Taking space, affect and violence as intertwined sites of film analysis, my research project closely examines the new forms of postcolonial subjectivity that have evolved in Morocco through this cinema. Twenty films are read against the backdrop of neoliberal Casablanca and the social, economic as well as political transformation of Morocco and the world under globalisation. The dissertation combines close textual analysis with a cultural studies perspective, which situates films in their historical contexts of production and reception in Morocco and beyond. Drawing on postcolonial, film and urban studies, my aim is to contribute to interdisciplinary scholarship on cinematic responses to neoliberal globalisation, and to a social history of contemporary Morocco.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The 1994 election seems to stand as a clear divide between past and present in South Africa. But while it was believed that this election would catapult South Africa into a promising new era of democracy and equality, it has become all too clear that the transition was unfortunately limited to the political sphere. Despite some progress being made in the economic sphere, we still have a visible correlation between race and class – a correlation that certainly stems from the apartheid era, signifying a definite continuity of an era long past. In the social sphere we have also struggled to achieve complete integration. We find that racial categories of old have remained an important part of the ‘new’ South Africa. While we were promised a non-racial country, government policies such as Affirmative Action and Black Economic Empowerment have been a constant reminder of supposed racial differences – signifying another continuity of apartheid. While the post-apartheid period can be summarised as a period of change, we find that it can also be summarised by the continuities of the past. It was found that, specifically in my research area, a rural farmers’ community, the continuities of the past are visible in the everyday structures of society. For my research subjects, white Afrikaners, it was found that the 1994 election proved to be no ‘road to Damascus’ regarding beliefs about the racial other. I found that interracial social interaction is still governed by fixed racial boundaries that are rarely crossed and, if crossed, this is done so conditionally. These boundaries seemed to be reinforced by the active socialisation of a community. While many argue that the post-apartheid period has brought on an identity crisis for white Afrikaners, I found that my research subjects have failed to encounter such a crisis, as they have held on to fixed racial boundaries in an attempt to preserve and protect their identity. We find ourselves in a time where we are urged to move beyond our apartheid past, yet many are unable to do so. But the question remains: given our past, should this come as a surprise to anyone? / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verkiesing van 1994 staan as ‘n duidelike skeiding tussen die verlede en die hede in Suid-Afrika. Maar al is daar geglo dat hierdie verkiesing Suid-Afrika in ‘n belowende nuwe era van demokrasie en gelykheid sou inskiet, het dit al hoe meer duidelik geraak dat die oorgang ongelukkig tot die politieke sfeer beperk was. Ten spyte van vordering in die ekonomiese sfeer, vind ons nog steeds dat daar ‘n sigbare ooreenkoms tussen ras en klas is – ‘n ooreenkoms wat seer seker geërf is vanaf apartheid en dui op ‘n definitiewe voortsetting van ‘n era wat lankal verby is. In die sosiale sfeer sukkel ons ook om volkome integrasie te bereik. Ons vind dat die rasse-kategorieë van ouds steeds ‘n belangrike deel van die ‘nuwe’ Suid Afrika bly. Hoewel ‘n nie-rassige land belowe is, dien regeringsbeleide soos Regstellende Aksie en Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging as ‘n konstante herinnering aan sogenaamde rasseverskille – nog ‘n voortsetting van apartheid. Terwyl die post-apartheid tydperk opgesom kan word as ‘n tydperk van verandering, vind ons dat dit ook opgesom kan word deur voortsettings van die verlede. Veral in my navorsingsgebied, ‘n plattelandse boeregemeenskap, het ek gevind dat die voortsettings van die verlede sigbaar was in die alledaagse strukture van die samelewing. Vir my navorsingssubjekte, blanke Afrikaners, is dit gevind dat die 1994-verkiesing geensins gedien het as ‘n ‘pad na Damaskus’ in terme van oortuigings aangaande die ‘ander’ ras nie. Ek het gevind dat interrassige sosiale interaksie steeds regeer word deur gevestigde rasse grense wat selde oorgesteek word, en indien wel oorgesteek, word dit voorwaardelike gedoen. Dit wil voorkom of hierdie grense versterk word deur die aktiewe sosialisering van die gemeenskap. Terwyl baie outeurs argumenteer dat die post-apartheidtydperk ‘n identiteitskrisis vir blanke Afrikaners tot gevolg gehad het, het ek gevind dat my navorsingssubjekte nie so ‘n krisis ervaar het nie omdat hulle vasklou aan gevestigde rassegrense in ‘n poging om hul identiteit te bewaar en beskerm. Ons vind onsself in ‘n tyd waar ons aangespoor word om verby ons apartheid verlede te beweeg, maar steeds is baie mense nie in staat om dit te doen nie. Die vraag bly staan: gegewe ons verlede, kom dit vir enigiemand as ‘n verrassing?

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The positioning of Stellenbosch University in a rapidly changing higher education context necessitates transformation, the promotion of diversity, and social integration among all students on campus. Although a vast variety of recruitment and support initiatives are in place to diversify the student population and to enhance student success, it is not sufficient to simply widen access for African, coloured and Indian students to Stellenbosch University. Change with regard to the institutional culture and social climate of the institution also needs to be effected. One intervention aimed at achieving this is the Listening, Living and Learning programme, promoting social change among students. The Listening, Living and Learning (LLL) programme is a senior student housing programme, and a co-curricular living-learning community, and is the first of its kind in South Africa. The students in the LLL houses are ideally a diverse group of students, learning to live together, hosting conversations with guest speakers about the theme of their house and participating in a small project. The initiative aims to develop students as agents of change. Since its establishment in 2008, the outcomes of the LLL programme have not yet been evaluated. This study is embedded in a broader programme evaluation of the LLL initiative and evaluated only one of the programme outcomes: increased levels of interaction among students in a LLL house lead to reduced stereotyping and diminished bias. All the students enrolled in LLL for 2013 (N=99) participated in the study. An applied, quantitative approach was followed. A web-based, electronic survey (Student Attitude Questionnaire) was conducted in a one-group pre-test post-test design that was completed by 79 students. The questionnaire measured tolerance towards five constructs of ‘the other’ – gender, race, language, socio-economic status and nationality. The results indicated for all five constructs – gender, language, race, socio-economic status and nationality – a change in senior students’ stereotypical and discriminatory attitudes, increasing to a more intolerant level from the pre-test to the post-test. The changes were not statistically significant. The deduction can be made that increased levels of interaction among students in a LLL house, over a five-month period, did not lead to reduced stereotyping and diminished bias. The short timespan between measurements and the adjustment, as well as developmental processes of the students, impacted the results. However, valuable information was gathered in terms of students’ interpersonal and intrapersonal development; as well as feedback on the programme content and outcome. This research study contributes, firstly, to a starting point for discussion to allow HEIs to consider learning communities as part of the co-curricular sphere in South Africa. Secondly, the research indicated the vital role learning communities play in students’ in-class and out-of-class development. Thirdly, the study highlights the need for discussion and research on the integration of curricular and co-curricular learning in South Africa, as well as the establishing of partnerships between all role players in student affairs and faculty. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Universiteit van Stellenbosch se posisie in die vinnige veranderende konteks van hoër onderwys noodsaak transformasie, bevordering van diversiteit en sosiale integrasie van alle studente op kampus. Al is ’n groot verskeidenheid werwing- en steuninitiatiewe in plek om die studentepopulasie te diversifiseer en studentesukses te bevorder, is dit nie genoeg om slegs toegang na die Universiteit van Stellenbosch vir swart, bruin en Indiër studente te vergemaklik nie. Daar moet ook veranderinge aan die institusionele kultuur en sosiale klimaat van die inrigting teweeggebring word. Een intervensie wat daarop gemik is om dit te bereik deur sosiale verandering onder studente te bevorder, is die Luister-, Leef- en Leerprogram. Die Luister-, Leef- en Leerprogram (LLL) is ’n behuisingsprogram vir senior studente en ’n ko-kurrikulêre leefgemeenskap, die eerste van sy soort in Suid-Afrika. Die studente in die LLL-huise is idealgesproke ’n diverse groep studente wat leer om saam te leef, gasheer speel vir gesprekke oor hulle huis se tema met sprekers van buite en deelneem aan ’n klein projek. Die inisiatief het ten doel om studente as veranderingsagente te ontwikkel. Sedert dit in 2008 begin is, is die uitkomste van die LLL-program nog nie geëvalueer nie. Hierdie studie is gesetel in ’n breër programevaluering van die LLL-initiatief en evalueer slegs een van die program se uitkomste: hoër vlakke van interaksie tussen studente in ’n LLL-huis lei tot die vermindering van stereotipering en bevooroordele. Al die studente wat in 2013 vir LLL ingeskryf is (N=99), het aan die studie deelgeneem. ’n Toegepaste, kwantitatiewe aanslag is gevolg. ’n Webgebaseerde, elektroniese opname (“Student Attitude Questionnaire”) is gemaak volgens ’n eengroep-voortoets-natoets-ontwerp wat deur 79 studente voltooi is. Die vraelys meet verdraagsaamheid teenoor vyf konstruksies van ‘die ander’ – geslag, ras, taal, sosio-ekonomiese status en nasionaliteit. Die resultate dui op ’n verandering in senior studente se stereotiperende en diskriminerende houdings in al vyf konstruksies – geslag, taal, ras, sosio-ekonomiese status en nasionaliteit – met ’n verhoging na ’n meer onverdraagsame vlak vanaf die voortoets na die natoets. Die veranderinge was nie statisties beduidend nie. Die afleiding kan gemaak word dat die verhoogde vlakke van interaksie tussen studente in ’n LLL-huis oor ’n periode van vyf maande nie gelei het tot verminderde stereotipering en bevooroordele nie. Die kort tydperk tussen opnames en die aanpassing sowel as die ontwikkelingsprosesse van die studente het ’n impak op die resultate gemaak. Waardevolle inligting is egter ingesamel oor studente se interpersoonlike en intrapersoonlike ontwikkeling sowel as terugvoer op die program se inhoud en uitkomste. Hierdie navorsingstudie dra eerstens by tot ’n beginpunt vir die bespreking dat inrigtings vir hoër onderwys leergemeenskappe as deel van die ko-kurrikulêre terrein in Suid-Afrika beskou. Tweedens dui die navorsing op die belangrike rol wat leergemeenskappe in studente se binne- en buiteklasontwikkeling speel. Derdens beklemtoon die studie die behoefte aan bespreking en navorsing oor die integrasie van kurrikulêre en ko-kurrikulêre leer in Suid-Afrika, sowel as die behoefte aan vennootskappe tussen alle rolspelers in studentesake en fakulteite.

Syftet med avhandlingen är att undersöka den sammantagna livssituationen för ett begränsat urval individer (en primär kohort av 19 män och en utökad kohort av ytterligare 42 män, det vill säga totalt 61 män) i ett familjesammanhang. Det handlar närmare bestämt om att så långt källorna tillåter söka kvalitativt förstå och karaktärisera socioekonomiska villkor, familjeliv och hälsa, såsom de gestaltar sig i den vardagliga livsföringen och i relation till den specifika tiden och den lokala stadsmiljön. Gemensamt för dessa utvalda individer är att de företrädesvis tillhörde det undre samhällsskiktet och flyttade till staden under början av 1800-talet, innan inflyttningen till städerna blev fri. I denna skärningspunkt mellan individen och den yttre omgivningen undersöks såväl möjligheter som begränsningar, händelser och handlingar med ett mikrohistoriskt angreppssätt. I syftet ingår således också att gestalta själva det lokala samhället i förändring och dess förhållande till nya invånare och grupper, för att ge underlag för fortsatt forskning kring social förändring. Vidare karaktäriseras den utökade kohorten i förhållande till stadens demografiska profil. Studiens huvudmaterial utgörs av kyrkböckerna, det vill säga husförhörslängder, födelse- och dödböcker samt vigsel- och flyttlängder. Detta material kompletteras med ett flertal andra källor såsom sjukhusjournaler, saköreslängder, fattigvårdens protokoll, bouppteckningar, landshövdingens femårsberättelser, sockenstämmoprotokoll och lokala tidningar i syfte att få en så bred bild som möjligt. Individerna följs genom sina livskurser i staden under flera decennier och analyseras i nära kontakt med den lokala kontexten. Det senare innebär också en analys av de lokala auktoriteternas syn på och hantering av inflyttningsfrågan i staden under 1800-talets första hälft, det vill säga innan inflyttningen till staden, eller landsbygdens socknar, blev fri 1847. Staden var inte redo för detta arbetsfolk som valde att bo kvar där och skaffa familj. Det var ett ovanligt val, sett i förhållande till migrationsmönstret, och de gjorde det på eget bevåg, det vill säga de bosatte sig utanför husböndernas hushåll och tog därmed risken att inte få ett patriarkalt beskydd. Fattigvården tog också formellt avstånd från dessa arbetsfolkfamiljer och sökte hindra deras inträde i staden. Det visar sig i flera fall att fattigvården agerade utan lagligt stöd då de försökte fatta beslut kring inflyttning baserat på framtida försörjningsprognoser och antal barn i familjen att föda. Överhuvudtaget var dock stadens inflyttningsrestriktioner hårdare på pappret än de var i verkligheten. Relativt få fall blev ovillkorligen nekade inflyttning och de flesta som prövades individuellt fick flytta in med villkoret att de kunde visa försvar och/eller borgen. Staden var på så vis kluven inför arbetsfolket på ett sätt som tolkas som typiskt för den förändring som låg i tiden. Borgarna behövde det unga, ogifta tjänstefolket som arbetskraft men ville inte behålla det i staden när det skulle bilda familj. Männen i kohorterna, och deras familjer, behövde för sin del finna en ny plats att stadga sig på när landsbygdens möjligheter till försörjning började sina. Livet i staden blev för många av dem ett liv mitt emellan två samhällen. Det karaktäriserades, för många, av en svår försörjningssituation med inslag av en dold ekonomi men med sämre förutsättningar än på landsbygden och där till exempel tiggeriet troligen spelade en betydande roll. Det innebar ett begynnande arbetarliv men baserat på en mager lön som egentligen skulle räcka till en person, snarare än fem-sex stycken. Männens livsföring var i många fall tärande och de fick ta del av det ”urbana straffet” i form av hög dödlighet i den sena medelåldern. Nöden spred sig inom familjerna. Arbetsfolket i staden blev en länk mellan torparlivet och arbetarlivet. Många familjer bodde tillfälligt utökade och hyste släkt och familjemedlemmar utanför kärnfamiljen, vilket tolkas som ett sätt att tackla en svår situation. Genom sina livsval medverkade dessa individer till en betydande social förändring. / The purpose of the dissertation is to investigate the overall living situation for a selected group of individuals(one primary cohort of 19 men and one extended cohort of another 42 men, i.e. a total of 61 men) in a familycontext. This means, as far as the sources allow, trying to qualitatively understand and characterise socioeconomicconditions, family life and health, as it appears in the everyday life and in relation to the specifictime and the local urban environment. These individuals mainly belong to the lower social strata and havemoved to Linköping in the early 19th century before the regulations made it free to move into town. Possibilitiesand limitations, as well as events and acts are investigated in the intersection between individual and theenvironment, from a micro-historical point of view. In the purpose is thus also included to picture the localsociety in change and its relation to newcomers, as a foundation for further research regarding social change.Furthermore, the extended cohort is characterised from a micro-demographic perspective. The basic sources for this study are church books, i.e. records of catechetical meetings, records of births and deaths, records of weddings and migration. These sources are completed by several other sources like hospital records, records of fines, the chronicles of the county governor, records of the parish assembly and poor relief committee and the local newspapers, to get as rich a picture as possible. The individuals are followed throughout their life courses in town for several decades and are analysed in close connection to the local context. The latter also means that the local authorities are analysed in regard to their attitude and policy towards the migrants to town during the first half of the 19th century, i.e. before the 1847 legislation made migration free in the country. The town was not yet ready for these labourers who chose to stay there and start a family. They did thison their own responsibility, i.e. they settled outside the master´s household and risked being without thepatriarchal protection. The poor relief committee in town also rejected these families and tried to prevent theircoming into town. It is shown that the poor relief committee sometimes acted without legal support when ittried to make decisions regarding migration, based on estimated future incomes and the amount of children tofeed. Overall, the migration restriction was stricter in writing than it was in reality. Relatively few people weredenied access to the town and most who were tried individually got permission to move in on condition thatthey could show that they hade an employment and/or a personal guarantee. In this sense, the town was dividedin its attitude towards the servants and labourers in a manner typical of the situation. The burghersneeded the young, unmarried servants as labour force but were not interested in their staying in town to startfamilies. The men in the cohorts, and their families, on the other hand needed to find a new place to settlewhen the countryside ran out of opportunities. The life in the town became, for many of them, a life betweentwo societies. It was characterised by a constant struggle to support oneself, with a strain of a hidden economywhere for example begging was most likely important. This also meant a labourer´s life but with a meagresalary, sufficient only for one person, not for five or six. Many of the men in the cohorts were struck by the“urban penalty” with high mortality in late midlife. These labourers became a link between the crofter´s lifeand the labourer´s life. Many families were temporarily extended when they housed relatives and familymembers beyond the nuclear family and this is interpreted as a way of handling a tough situation. By their lifechoices these men and families contributed to an important social change.

No description available.

Depuis la fin du XIXe siècle, des dynamiques sociales diverses – holocauste du caoutchouc, colonie pénale, missions catholiques, présence d’institutions gouvernementales et non gouvernementales — ont reconfiguré les formes d’organisation sociale des habitants du moyen fleuve Caquetá, dénommés Gens de centre. Nous nous arrêterons en particulier sur l’effet de ces changements sur leurs formes d’autonomie. Avec la reconnaissance par l’État, au cours des années 1980 et 1990, des peuples indigènes en tant que minorités ethniques, surgit une dichotomie entre ce qui est « traditionnel » autochtone, par opposition à ce qui est « moderne », étant donné les processus d’acculturation et inclusion de ces groupes dans la société majoritaire. Dans le présent travail, on établit une comparaison des figures « d’autorité traditionnelle » et de « leader », une différenciation faite dans la région du moyen fleuve Caquetá. Dans un premier temps, on donne un aperçu théorique de la figure de chef dans les terres basses de l’Amérique du Sud et sa validité et pertinence dans la situation du moyen fleuve Caquetá. Puis, l’on présente comment se forme l’autorité traditionnelle et ses champs d’action. On montre, de la même façon, les différents processus qui ont donné lieu à l’apparition de la figure de leader et les espaces où celle-ci évolue. La relation entre les deux figures est à la fois contradictoire et complémentaire. Finalement, on expose, avec des exemples concrets, les rapports entre les Gens de centre et les institutions gouvernementales et la remise en question de l’autonomie accordée aux groupes minoritaires dans la Constitution politique de la Colombie de 1991. / The inhabitants of the Middle Caquetá river, called People of the Center, have experienced a series of varying impacts since the late nineteenth century –rubber holocaust, Penal Colony, catholic missions, presence of governmental and non-governmental institutions. These reshaped their forms of social organization. In this particular case, their forms of “self-government”. With the recognition of the indigenous people as ethnic minorities in the 1980s and 1990s, a dichotomy arose between what is “traditional” in relation to the indigenous as opposed to the “modern”, given the processes of acculturation and inclusion of these groups into mainstream society. In this sense, this work compares the figures of “traditional authority” and “leader”, as differentiated in the context of the inhabitants of the Middle Caquetá River. The first part is a theoretical revision of the figure of the chief in the lowlands of South America and its validity and relevance in the context of the Middle Caquetá River. Next, the context of formation of a traditional authority and its contexts of action are presented. Likewise, the different processes leading to the emergence of the figure of leader and the spaces in which it operates are shown. The relationship between these two figures is at once contradictory and complementary. Finally, some contexts that illustrate the relationship between the People of the Center and governmental institutions are considered. This leads to a questioning of the autonomy of minority groups recognized in the Colombian Political Constitution of 1991. / Los pobladores del medio río Caquetá, denominados Gente de Centro, vivieron desde finales del siglo XIX diferentes dinámicas –holocausto cauchero, Colonia Penal, misiones católicas, presencia de instituciones gubernamentales y no gubernamentales- que reconfiguraron sus formas de organización social; para este caso particular, sus formas de “gobierno propio”. Con el reconocimiento de los pueblos indígenas como minorías étnicas entre las décadas de 1980 y 1990 por parte del Estado colombiano, se plantea una dicotomía entre lo que es “tradicional” en relación a lo indígena, por oposición a lo “moderno”, dados los procesos de aculturación e inclusión de estos grupos a la sociedad mayoritaria. En este sentido el presente trabajo muestra de manera comparativa las figuras de “autoridad tradicional” y “líder”, diferenciación que se hace en la región del medio río Caquetá. En un primer momento se hace una revisión teórica de la figura del jefe en las tierras bajas de Suramérica y su vigencia y pertinencia en el contexto del medio río Caquetá. Acto seguido, se presenta el contexto de formación de una autoridad tradicional y sus contextos de acción. De la misma manera, se muestran los diferentes procesos que llevaron a la aparición de la figura de líder y los espacios donde se desenvuelve. La relación entre estas dos figuras es a la vez contradictoria y complementaria. Finalmente, se exponen algunos contextos donde se muestra la relación entre la Gente de Centro y las instituciones gubernamentales, contextos donde se pone en cuestión la autonomía reconocida para los grupos minoritarios, en la Constitución Política Colombiana de 1991.

Sierra Leone is in transition to peace and development, from a previous decade long civil war. Educated Muslim women appear to have a great deal of expression, interest and passion to offer the process. The study investigates the new emerging social sub group of professional Muslim women in Sierra Leone society and explores their views and experiences of identifying and attempting to overcome the burdens of patriarchy, oppression and exploitation perpetrated by religious, social and cultural beliefs. The research and thesis consider in what ways these women and their views ‘fit’ in or challenge society and their perceptions of the potential they have as models to impact on the lives of Sierra Leonean Muslim women nationwide. Using feminist influenced research practices in order to focus on the stories and voices of these women, the study contributes to the growth of knowledge related to the emergent changing roles and perceptions of Muslim women in present day Sierra Leone. This qualitative and interdisciplinary research develops a critical focus and deliberately combines literary sources in an informative context, with feminist research methods of interviews and focus groups on issues of gender equality and empowerment. Through the interviews and focus group discussions conducted, the research portrays the perceptions of the emerging social sub group of professional Muslim women, a cross section of grass-root Muslim women and a selection of male Muslims regarding empowerment, knowledge, culture, independence and oppression. These are also illustrated as the ways the participants embrace the concept of feminism and adapt it by drawing on their Sierra Leonean, Islamic, cultural and social traditions. The research examines the various ideologies that stifle the growth of Sierra Leonean Muslim women from their perspective and it analyses the strategies used by the professional women to tackle the oppressive and repressive customs and stand up against patriarchy. It was discovered through the findings that the research gives an insight into the determination and the conviction of professional Muslim women in advocating for social change and in making their voices heard. As an outcome, it is evidenced that this emerging social sub group of Muslim women appear to be inspiring self-development moves and changes not only among the uneducated grass-root majority, but in the fold of their Muslim men-folk, resulting in a visible impact of self development and self empowerment among Sierra Leonean Muslim women.

Réalisé à l'aide de données harmonisées par le Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS). / Ce mémoire de maîtrise propose une réévaluation de la question désormais centenaire de la « fission » ou « nucléarisation » du ménage joint hindou (MJH). En utilisant la perspective dite « atomiste » développée par Michel Verdon (1998), nous jetons les bases d’une nouvelle modélisation de la formation et de la composition des ménages au Maharashtra postcolonial. Le mémoire sera divisé en quatre sections. La première introduit les principaux éléments de la perspective « atomiste », qu’elle opposera, dans la seconde section, aux axiomes « collectivistes » et aux explications « culturalistes » généralement rencontrés dans l’analyse ethnographique des ménages en Inde occidentale. La troisième section fournit une application qualitative de la perspective atomiste, et ce, en dressant un bref portrait ethnographique du ménage au Maharashtra pour les trois décennies suivant l’indépendance de l’Inde. La quatrième section offre une application statistique de la perspective atomiste en utilisant des données socioéconomiques et sociodémographiques rassemblées dans cinq rondes des National Sample Surveys (NSS) indiens; combinant nos hypothèses atomistes avec les « taux d’autonomie résidentielle » développés par Ermisch et Overton (1985), nous quantifions les tendances et divers déterminants de la composition des ménages au Maharashtra durant les années 1983 à 2004. Nos résultats ne montrent aucun signe d’une nucléarisation du MJH durant les années couvertes par les NSS, et indiquent qu’il s’est même produit une intensification de la subordination résidentielle et domestique des jeunes couples basés au Maharashtra entre 1993 et 2004. / This M.Sc. thesis offers a reappraisal of the century-old issue of the ‘fission’ or ‘nuclearization’ of the hindu joint household (HJH). Using Michel Verdon’s ‘atomistic perspective’ (1998), we provide a new modelling of household formation and composition in postcolonial Maharashtra. The thesis is divided into four major sections. In the first section, we introduce the main lineaments of the ‘atomistic’ perspective and we oppose it, in the second section, to the ‘collectivistic’ set of axioms and the ‘culturalist’ explanations generally used in ethnographic analyses of household formation and composition in Western India. In the third section, we apply Verdon’s atomistic framework by presenting a brief qualitative portrait of the household in Maharashtra for the first three decades after India’s independence. The fourth section offers a statistical application of the atomistic perspective using socioeconomic and demographic data available in five separate samples of India’s National Sample Surveys; combining atomistic hypotheses with Ermisch and Overton’s (1985) ‘loneship ratios’, we quantify the effects of several determinants of residential autonomy and household composition in Maharahstra for the years 1983-2004. Our results show no sign of a nuclearization of the HJH in Maharashtra, and indicate that there was even a rise in the residential and domestic subordination of young Maharashtrian couples from 1993 to 2004.

This thesis is an ethnographic account of social change, triggered by the civil war in Nepal (1996-2006). Based on an ethnographic fieldwork in the village of Thabang, the war-time capital of the Maoist base area, this thesis explores the transformative impact of the conflict on people’s everyday lives and on the constitution of key hierarchies structuring Nepali society. Rather than focusing on violence and fear – the commonly researched themes in warzones – the thesis examines people’s everyday social and embodied practices during the war and its aftermath, arguing that these remain central to our understanding of war-time social processes and the ways in which they shape the contours of post-conflict society. By focusing on mundane practices – such as meat-eating and alcohol-drinking, raising livestock and worshipping gods – the thesis demonstrates how change at the micro-level is illustrative of a profound transformation in the social structures constituting Nepali society. Theoretically, the thesis seeks to understand how the situation of war re-orders society: in this case, how people in the Maoist base area interiorized formerly transgressive norms and practices, and how these practices were normalized in the post-conflict environment. The research revealed that much of the change triggered by the conflict came as a result of the ‘exceptional’ times of war and the necessity to follow ‘rules that apply in times of crisis’. Thus, in adopting transgressive practices during the conflict, people were responding to the expediency of war-time rather than following Maoist war-time policies or ‘propaganda’. Furthermore, while adopting hitherto unimaginable practices and making them into habitual action, people transformed the rigid social structures, without necessarily intending to do so. The thesis puts particular stress on the centrality of unintended consequences in social change, the power of embodied practice in making change real, and the ways in which agency and structure are mutually constitutive.