Education is a crucial site and primary driver of elite status maintenance and reproduction. Decades of research highlight how elite colleges and universities use various forms of gatekeeping to admit and represent the interests of dominant groups. This body of research explains that most elite private schools served White, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant upper-class children, preparing them to be the country's future leaders. These schools and colleges work together, creating well-trodden pipelines for young elites. However, there is limited research considering how parents think about securing their child's place in elite schools or how organizations external to the educational institutions facilitate this decision-making process. What logics of justification and frameworks do parents and organizations use to secure their child's place in the proven pipeline for elites? This dissertation investigates how parents and organizations decide to socialize children in elite independent schools, beginning at preschool or kindergarten. The empirical context for this work is the early admissions process for independent schools in New York City. I draw on 52 interviews with parents, ten interviews with expert service providers, and 24 months of ethnographic fieldwork at a for-profit educational consulting firm that supports families in the elite independent school admissions process. By centering parents and early childhood admissions, I examine a critical moment when parental decision-making and organizational maneuvering have the potential to impact life-long outcomes. I also highlight how social positions of race, class, and gender complicate parental and organizational logics. The first chapter introduces this dissertation’s motivating research questions and situates it within the broader literature on elites, parental investments during early childhood, rising inequalities and the fear of downward mobility, and the literature on educational admissions. In Chapter 2, I examine the parenting logics of justification during the early childhood admissions process. I argue that parents have "speculative projects" for their children, defined as ideas parents have about their children's imagined futures that underlie parents' day-to-day choices. I examine how parents allocate resources to these speculative projects and how education shapes the projects. Chapter 3 illustrates how organizations facilitate and influence parental decisionmaking. I present research on how brokers of the educational marketplace – in this case, educational consultants – regularly realign the moral boundaries of their work to justify profiting off their chosen commodity – in this case, the potential outcomes of young children. I also demonstrate how educational consultants make tremendous non-economic gains through their line of work, gaining trust and being seen as “experts” in a high-status social field. Chapter 4 examines how parents feel about their decisions one year later. I review their range of outcomes and show how other social positions mediate their ability to access privileged spaces and identities. Finally, I end with Chapter 5, highlighting the broader implications of this work and directions for future research. Together, these chapters illuminate how parents of young children attempt to understand, navigate, and manage elite educational admissions processes under conditions of uncertainty. This work has broader implications for understanding the cultural meaning and the social value of children in the 21st century, a time when parents are placing a premium on education amidst a landscape of unprecedented economic inequality.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The Ideology of Stadium Construction seeks to define the application of community power in the process of building sports stadiums. Using data culled from a literature review, this project examines the recent construction of sports venues and the political, economic, and social ideas driving their proliferation. A three dimensional approach to applied power provides a theoretical tool to illustrate and analyze the blueprint of stadium construction. Taking a more broad view of the culture of business in the United States suggests the public funding of stadium construction arching towards Antonio Gramsci’s sense of hegemony. Beyond attempting to merely define the political process driving stadium construction as a significant social problem, this project introduces potential alternatives to the organizational method currently in place.

The study focuses on the important issue of young adult female sexuality in an age of HIV/AIDS. The research question explores the influence of the parental home, the church and young black women's own belief on their sexual behaviour. Sexuality is influenced by societal voices that override religious and parental voices. Parents are hesitant to speak out, the church is burdened with an antiquated and unworkable sexual ethics and the young women's belief is overpowered by social discourses. Male domination and infidelity exacerbate female vulnerability and contribute to the powerlessness of young women in sexual relationships. Feminist theology puts forward an embodied theology that demands integrated embodiment and full humanity for women. This can be achieved when relationships are mutual, reciprocal and empowering. This study proposes an accountable sexual ethics that will renew and recreate the lives and relationships of young people in a confusing and perilous environment. / Sys Theology & Theol Ethics / MTH (SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY)

Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)

Thesis (MA (Political Science))--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Over the past few decades the secular world has witnessed an increasing assault, specifically from the monotheistic religious fundamentalist community, on their beliefs and values. The undeniable intolerance shown by the religious fundamentalist community has often translated into violent terrorist attacks against the secular world. The fact that religious beings can resort to such atrocious acts of violence has certainly baffled many onlookers. It surely comes as no surprise that religious fundamentalism is generally viewed as a ''hard-to-understand‟ phenomenon. This literature review will describe the ''hard-to-understand‟ phenomenon that is religious fundamentalism by employing social identity theory. The social identity of religious fundamentalists is generally derived from sacred texts and what they consider to be absolute truths. These presumed absolute truths not only provide ample opportunity for the development of the ''us‟/''them‟ duality, but also provide a platform for an intense intolerance of the ''other‟, also referred to as the out-group. Of course, the ''us‟/''them‟ duality can be created on many social dimensions, but religion has proven to bring quite an extensive, even murderous, intolerance to in- and out-group characterizations. The ever increasing actions of religious fundamentalist groups over the past few decades have certainly illustrated this point with some conviction. The importance of social identity has been recognised in many major traditions of the social sciences, not excluding political science. Social identity forms the basis of any group‟s actions or reactions. Therefore, its significance stretches far beyond simply providing an identity to a social group. Social identity also acts as a preamble to how a social group, in this case religious fundamentalists, chooses to deal with invidious comparisons. By employing social identity in this particular way we can go beyond investigating how religious fundamentalists act and react to the point of understanding why they act and react the way they do. In this study it was found that although a number of options to deal with invidious comparisons are available to social groups, only a few of these options are likely to be pursued by religious fundamentalists in order to remain a relevant and competitive social group within the social hierarchy. This approach will provide important insights into a formerly ''hard-to-understand‟ phenomenon namely religious fundamentalism. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oor die laaste paar dekades het die sekulêre wêreld 'n toenemende aanslag op sy oortuigings en waardes waargeneem, spesifiek vanaf die monoteïstiese godsdienstige fundamentalistiese gemeenskap. Die onloënbare onverdraagsaamheid wat deur hierdie godsdienstige fundamentalistiese gemeenskap getoon word ontaard dikwels in geweldadige terroriste aanvalle op die sekulêre wêreld. Die feit dat godsdienstige individue hulself begwewe tot sulke wreedaaardige dade van geweld het verseker baie toeskouers verydel. Dis is sekerlik dan nie 'n verrassing dat godsdienstige fundamentalisme gesien word as 'n ''moelik-om-te-begryp‟ fenomeen nie. Hierdie literatuur oorsig sal die ''moelik-om-te-begryp‟ fenomeen wat godsdienstige fundamentalisme is beskryf deur gebruik te maak van die sosiale identiteits teorie. Die sosiale identiteit van godsdienstige fundamentaliste spruit oor die algemeen uit heilige teks en absolute waarhede. Hierdie absolute waarhede bied nie slegs ruim geleenthede vir die ontwikkeling van die ''ons‟/''hulle‟ dualiteit nie, maar bied ook 'n platform vir 'n intense onverdraagsaamheid van die 'ander‟, wat ook verwys word na as die buite-groep. Natuurlik kan die ''ons‟/''hulle‟ dualiteit op grond van baie ander sosiale dimensies ontwikkel word, maar godsdiens het telke male al gedemonstreer dat dit 'n omvattende, selfs moordadige, onverdraagsaamheid na binne- en buite-groep karakterisering bring. Die al ewige toenemende aksies van godsdienstige fundamentalistiese groepe oor die laaste paar dekades illustreer sekerlik hierdie punt met oortuiging. Die belangrikheid van sosiale identiteit word erken deur verskeie tradisies van die sosiale wetenskappe en politieke wetenskap word nie hier uitgesluit nie. Sosiale identiteit vorm die basis van enige groep se aksies en reaksies. Vir hierdie rede strek die betekenisvoheid ver verby die feit dat slegs 'n identiteit aan 'n sosiale groep verskaf word. Sosiale identiteit tree op as 'n voorrede vir die manier waarop 'n sosiale groep, in ons geval godsdienstige fundamentaliste, verkies om onbenydenswaardige vergelykings te hanteer. Deur sosiale identiteit op hierdie besondere manier aan te spreek kan ons verder gaan as om slegs ondersoek in te stel in hoe godsdienstige fundamentaliste optree en reageer tot die punt waar ons kan verstaan hoekom hulle optree en reageer op hierdie spesifieke manier. In hierdie studie is gevind dat alhoewel daar 'n aantal opsies beskikbaar is vir sosiale groepe om onbenydenswaardige vergelykings te hanteer, is daar slegs 'n paar van hierdie opsies wat mees waarskynlik nagestreef sal word deur godsdienstige fundamentaliste ten 'n einde 'n relevante en kompeterende sosiale groep binne die sosial hïerargie te wees. Hierdie benadering sal belangrike insigte bring tot die voormalige 'moeilik-om-te-begryp‟ fenomeen genaamd godsdienstige fundamentalisme.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Institutions of higher learning have always had relationships with their surrounding communities. The current study focuses on the research relationship that the University of Venda has with its surrounding community. The literature shows that although the nature of the relationship takes different forms, each university has a certain kind of a relationship with the surrounding community. In this study, I used the qualitative approach and I conducted one focus group and four individual interviews. I explored the research needs of the communities surrounding the University of Venda and the ways in which they think the university could address those needs. The findings of this study revealed that the communities are not at all happy with the services that are rendered by the university. They show that instead of benefiting from its existence within their communities, they are even more disadvantaged by its presence. The respondents also identified certain schools and departments at the University of Venda that they felt could be of assistance to the surrounding communities if they redirected their research projects into applied research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoër onderwysinstellings het nog altyd Onbepaalde verhouding met hulle omliggende gemeenskappe gehad. Die huidige studie fokus op die navorsingsverhouding wat die Universiteit van Venda het met sy omliggende gemeenskap. Die literatuur wys daarop dat alhoewel die aard van die verhouding verskillende vorme kan aanneem, elke universiteit ° n sekere vorm van verhouding het met die omliggende gemeenskap. In hierdie studie is die kwalitatiewe benadering gebruik. Ek het navorsing onderneem na die navorsingsbehoeftes van die gemeenskappe in die nabyheid van die Universiteit van Venda en ook na die maniere waarop respondente dink die universiteitsgemeenskap hierdie behoeftes kan aanspreek. Die bevindinge van die studie toon dat die gemeenskappe nie gelukkig is met die dienste wat deur die universiteit verskaf word nie. Daar word onder meer getoon dat in plaas van voordeel trek uit die bestaan van die universiteit binne hulle gemeenskappe, hulle eintlik meer nadelig beinvloed word. Die respondente het ook sekere skole en departemente aan die Universiteit van Venda geidentifiseer wat tot hulp kan wees vir die omliggende gemeenskappe indien hulle navorsingsprojekte omskep word in toegepaste navorsing.

Thesis (DPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 1994. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is an empirical, qualitative study of racially-mixed urban churches (congregations) as social institutions, which includes a practical-theological perspective. Research was motivated by the rareness of mixed congregations, compared to the profusion of homogenous congregations. My purpose was to uncover social factors which support the formation, maintenance, and functioning of mixed congregations. A New Testament section is included because of the normative value that these texts hold for contemporary Christians and church structures. My theoretical base is informed by history, theology, biblical studies, sociology, and anthropology. The development of relevant aspects in these fields are sketched. Special attention is given to assimilation, pluralism, and multi-culturalism as forms of inter-ethnic interaction based on structure and culture. My methodological base incorporates congregational studies and social-scientific literary analysis. The historical development of both is sketched by means of an overview of relevant literature. The general qualitative analytical social and literary techniques that I apply are indicated, including participant-observation, semi-structured interviews, structured questionnaires, and document-analysis. A social history of South African congregations shows that the ideal of mixed congregations existed since the start, but was gradually repressed by several factors. Some studies of mixed congregations are discussed, and various mixed US and South African congregations are outlined. Three contemporary Johannesburg congregations are introduced, including Johweto, an independent charismatic church in the black city of Soweto; St. Francis Xavier, a Roman Catholic church on the borders of coloured and white suburbs in western Johannesburg; and Central Methodist Mission, an inner-city Protestant church. The Johannesburg congregations are idiographically and empirically analysed in terms of their context, identity, process, and programme. Social factors contributing to their ethnic mix are indicated. The insights from the contemporary research are applied to early Christian congregations in a social scientific reconstruction of the social world of appropriate New Testament texts. The purpose is to discover the role of ethnicity in their composition and functioning, and to show whether ethnically-mixed congregations were normative. I suggest a theory concerning the effects of ethno-cultural factors on the structures and functioning of Pauline congregations between AD 30 and 70. I conclude with a summary of the theoretical and practical implications of the study's results, and an evaluation of goals and methods. Practical strategies are suggested for dealing with commonly indicated difficulties in the formation of mixed congregations. A theory of the influence of social factors on formation is supplied, and a dynamic model of formation constructed. I posit three types of mixed churches according to the processes by which they are formed: contextual, inclusive, or intentional. These are evaluated as formation strategies, and a two-tiered typology in terms of internal structure is also proposed. The types are illustrated with reference to congregations from the US and South Africa. Segregated and integrated congregations are evaluated in theological, social and political terms and I indicate why mixed congregations are preferable. An overall theory of the formation and functioning of mixed congregations is put forward. Assimilation is seen as a contributive cause, but modified where counter-status quo and multi-cultural strategies are employed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie is 'n empiriese en kwalitatiewe studie van ras- en etnies-gemengde kerke (gemeentes) as sosiale instellings, wat prakties-teologiese perspektiewe insluit. Navorsing is gemotiveer deur die skaarsheid van gemengde gemeentes, in vergelyking met die groot aantal gemeentes waartoe slegs een rasgroep behoort. My doelwit was om sosiale faktore te ontdek wat bydra tot die vorming, instandhouding, en funksionering van gemengde gemeentes. 'n Nuwe Testamentiese afdeling is ingesluit weens die normatiewe waarde van hierdie vroeg-Christelike tekste vir hedendaagse Christene en kerke-strukture. Die teoretiese begronding van die studie word toegelig deur die geskiedenis, teologie, bybelkunde, sosiologie, en antropologie. Ek skets die ontwikkeling van relevante aspekte binne hierdie velde. Spesiale aandag word geskenk aan assimilasie. pluralisme, en multikulturalisme as vorme van inter-etniese interaksie rondom struktuur en kultuur. My metodologiese grondslag word gevorm deur gemeentestudie en sosiaal-wetenskaplike letterkundige analise. Die historiese ontwikkeling van beide hierdie gebiede word geskets deur middel van 'n oorsig van relevante literatuur. Die oorkoepelende kwalitatiewe analitiese tegnieke wat ek aanwend word aangedui, insluitend deelnemende-waarneming, semi-gestruktureerde vraelyste, gestruktureerde vraelyste, en dokumentontleding. 'n Sosiale geskiedenis van Suid-Afrikaanse gemeentes dui aan dat die ideaal van gemengdheid van die begin gehuldig is, maar in die praktyk verdwyn het onder aanslag van sekere faktore. 'n Paar studies van gemengde gemeentes word bespreek, en bondige opsommings van verskeie gemengde gemeentes in die VSA en Suid-Afrika verskaf. Drie Johannesburgse gemeentes word bekendgestel, insluitend Johweto, 'n onafhanklike charismatiese kerk wat in die swart stad Soweto byeenkom; St Francis Xavier, 'n Rooms Katolieke kerk op die grens van bruin en wit voorstede in westelike Johannesburg; en Central Methodist Mission, 'n Protestantse kerk in die middestad. Die insigte van die kontemporere navorsing word aangewend in 'n sosiaal-wetenskaplike rekonstruksie van die sosiale wereld van toepaslike Nuwe Testament-tekste. Die doelwit is om die rol van etnisiteit in die ontstaan en funksionering van vroee Christelike gemeentes te ontdek, en om aan te dui of etnies gemengde gemeentes normatief was. Ek stel 'n teorie voor oor die gevolge van etnies-kulturele faktore vir Pauliniese gemeentes tussen 30 en 70 n.C. Ek sluit af met 'n opsomming van die teoretiese en praktiese implikasies van die navorsingsresultate, en 'n evaluasie van doelwitte en metodes. Praktiese antwoorde word aangedui op algemene vraagstukke rondom die vorming van gemengde gemeentes. 'n Teorie word voorgestel oor die invloede van sosiale faktore op die ontstaan van sulke kerke, en 'n dinamiese model van onstaansfaktore opgestel. Ek stel ook drie tipes gemengde kerke voor na aanleiding van die prosesse waardeur hulle gevorm word: kontekstueel, inklusief, of doelbewus. Die tipes word evalueer as ontstaans-strategiee, en 'n twee-vlak tipologie in terme van interne organisasie word voorgestel. Die tipes word bespreek met verwysing na voorbeelde van gemeentes in die VSA en Suid-Afrika. Homogene en gemengde gemeentes word evalueer in teologiese, sosiale, en politiese terme, en ek dui aan waarom gemengde gemeentes verkieslik is. 'n Oorkoepelende teorie oor die ontstaan en funksionering van gemengde gemeentes word ter tafel gebring. Assimilasie word gesien as bydraende faktor, wat aan bande gele word tot die mate waartoe anti-status quo en multikulturele strategiee aangewend word binne 'n gemengde kerk.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Transformation of South Africa's historically white universities IS evidenced by a diversification of their student and staff populations. The transition from exclusion to inclusion of minority cultures in these university campuses has not been without its challenges for those students. This study provides a record of the experiences of five coloured women who are undergraduate students at Stellenbosch University (SU), a predominantly white institution. The approach used is feminist, grounded participatory action research. Despite institutional policy initiatives, the Coloured undergraduate students in the study did not experience the university environment as inclusive. What emerged was that the women had an acute awareness of othernesses and their own minority status. Factors such as the small number of minority students and the absence of symbols or icons that reflect and acknowledge the presence of diverse cultures exacerbate their feeling of being in the minority or 'tolerated otherness'. The women experienced SU as a university where established practices and traditions continue despite the changing demographics of the student population. This type of organisational culture in which covert and overt resistance to transformation is the norm acts as a constraint on the political will to move from policy to practice and entrenches the marginalisation of minority groups. The study found that integration is left largely to personal initiative. Personal variables such as resilience, strategies for coping with stress and the resolution of identity issues, appear to playa key role in academic success. However, academic success is not always accompanied by successful social integration. Social isolation was found to have a negative impact on personal and academic confidence. Although the women in the study have had relatively negative experiences of transformation, their willingness to engage in reflexive praxis and dialogue could serve as a challenge to SU to engage in a process which acknowledges the concerns, resistance and experience of all role-players. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die transformasie van histories-blanke Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite word gekenmerk aan die diversifisering van hulle studente en personeel. Hierdie proses vind plaas deur die geleidelike wegbeweeg van die algehele uitsluiting van die minderheidsgroepe op die betrokke kampusse tot hulle volledige insluiting by aIle bedrywighede. Die proses is nie sonder uitdagings vir die betrokke studente nie. In hierdie studie word die ervaringe beskryf van vyf bruin vroulike voorgraadse studente aan die SteIlenbsoch Universiteit (US), 'n oorwegend-blanke tersiere instelling. Vir hierdie studie is 'n feministiese benadering wat gebaseer is op deelnemende aksienavorsing gebruik. Ten spyte van institusionele beleidsinisiatiewe om genoemde transformasie te bespoeding, het die voorgraadse bruin studente wat aan hierdie studie deelgeneem het, nie die universiteitsomgewing as inklusief ervaar nie. Dit het eerder duidelik geword dat die dames baie bewus was van hulle andersheid en hulle minderheidstatus. Faktore soos die klein aantal minderheidstudente en die afwesigheid van simbole of ikone wat die teenwoordigheid van diverse kulture reflekteer en erken, het hulle ervaring as behorende tot 'n minderheidsgroep versterk. Die dames het die US ervaar as 'n universiteit waar ingewortelde praktyke en tradisies voortgesit word ten spyte van die veranderende demografie van die studentebevolking. Hierdie soort organisatoriese kultuur waar bedekte en openlike teenstand tot transformasie die norm is, plaas 'n demper op die politieke gewilligheid om van beleid na praktyk te beweeg en verdiep die marginalisering van minderheidsgroepe. Die bevindings van die studie is dat integrasie grootliks oorgelaat word aan persoonlike inisiatiewe. Persoonlikeheidseienskappe soos gedetermineerde optrede, die benutting van strategiee om stres te hanteer en identiteitskrisisse op te los, speel blykbaar 'n sleutelrol in akademiese sukses. Akademiese sukses loop egter nie altyd hand aan hand met sosiale integrasie nie. Daar is bevind dat sosiale isolasie 'n negatiewe impak op persoonlike en akademiese vertroue het. Alhoewel die ervarings van die dames wat aan die studie deelgeneem het relatief negatiewe was ten opsigte van transformasie, was hulle tog gewillig om deel te neem aan die reflektiewe praksis en dialoog. Hierdie feit dien as 'n uitdaging aan die Stellenbosch Universiteit om betrokke te raak by 'n proses waarin die bekommemisse, weerstande en ervaringe van aIle rolspelers hanteer word.

This thesis analyses the gender dimensions of work-life balance policies in the UK. It focuses on three related questions: firstly, to what extent are work-life balance policies framed by 'diversity'; secondly, how does this impact on the conceptualisation and implementation of work-life balance policies (in government and in organisations); and thirdly, what are the implications for gender equality? Through analysing published research, the UK Government's work-life balance agenda and data generated from three selected case study organisations, the prominent dimensions of diversity that shape the conceptualisation and implementation of work-life balance policies are presented. This thesis argues that the concept of diversity - as defined by the feminist literature - offers the potential to progress gender equality through overcoming the same-difference dichotomy, and by recognising multiple aspects of identity. However, this theoretical potential is not necessarily reflected in practice. With the emphasis on the individual worker and choice, diversity has been primarily defined as 'managing diversity', and has a significant affect on how work-life balance policies have been applied in both government policy and organisational practice. The UK Government states that work-life balance policies are meant to provide everyone with opportunities to balance work with other aspects of life. The current policy framework targets parents and in particular mothers, potentially limiting the choices that men and women have to 'work' and 'care'. Locating work-life balance policies within the context of 'managing diversity' supports and facilitates women's employment, but does not necessarily challenge fundamental gender disparities such as occupational segregation and gender pay gaps. Analysis of the UK Government's current agenda and organisational case studies show that despite progressive equality, diversity and worklife balance agendas, work-life balance policies are limited in challenging persistent structural gender inequalities.

M.A. / South Africa is currently experiencing a process of transformation impacting on the welfare, economical, physical and political areas. This process of transformation and socio-economic change has created a number of problems for example - unemployment. During the past decade the South African economy has been unable to provide opportunities for its economically active population. Unemployment in South Africa has undergone a transformation and, currently, the problem cannot, as in the past, be attributed to irresponsibility and instability. External factors are currently causing a situation where stable and self supporting individuals and families are becoming unemployed. Unemployment does not only have socio-economic implications for the country but also psycho-social implications for individuals, the family and the community. Retrenchment can lead to poor self-image, the loss of confidence, limited or even no future vision, internal struggle, depression, tension in the family and other psycho-social conditions...