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Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this research explores Zimbabwean literary and other cultural texts within the broader context of the construction of identities and the politics of inclusion and exclusion in nationalist and oppositional discourses. It also analyzes two texts by major non-Zimbabwean African writers to examine the thematic links between Zimbabwean and other African writing. Through combining historical, anthropological and political approaches with postcolonial, postmodern and feminist critical theories, the thesis explores the ways in which African writing and performance represent alternative histories to official versions of the nation. It further investigates questions of gender and their significance in nationalist discourses and shows how writing on war, trauma and healing informs and develops readers’ understanding of the relationship of the past to the present. Considered together as a coherent body of work, the published items submitted in this thesis explore how Zimbabwean and other African writers, through re-visioning history and writing from oppositional or marginal positions, intervene in political debates and suggest new transformative ways of constructing and negotiating identities in postcolonial societies.

The first year postpartum is often a challenging time for romantic partners. During this time, couples tend to experience less relationship intimacy and sexual satisfaction, which may be further exacerbated by individual stressors and vulnerabilities. Little is known about whether a maternal history of adverse life events and mental health prior to the infant’s birth negatively interfere with postpartum relationship and sexual well-being. Accordingly, the current study examined whether maternal trauma history, prenatal posttraumatic stress, and prenatal depressed mood were risk factors for poor postpartum couple adjustment. It also investigated whether perceiving a partner as motivated to meet one’s interest and disinterest in sexual activity, referred to as sexual communal strength for having sex (SCS for having sex) and sexual communal strength not having sex (SCS for not having sex), were buffers to relationship deterioration among mothers with this history of adversity. One hundred and sixty women (N = 160) who had completed an earlier study during pregnancy participated in a subsequent online survey between six and twelve months postpartum. Using path analysis to investigate the prospective relationships between maternal trauma history, prenatal mental health difficulties, and postpartum relationship and sexual well-being, trauma history was found to significantly predict sexual satisfaction and desire. Specifically, childhood maltreatment predicted poorer sexual well-being following childbirth, whereas adult sexual victimization predicted improved sexual well-being. No other pathways in the model were significant. Additionally, contrary to predictions, sexual communal strength did not moderate associations between maternal prenatal adversity and postpartum relationship outcomes in the primary analyses. However, follow-up analyses including only mothers who reported some symptoms of PTSD revealed that SCS for having sex moderated the association between these symptoms and relationship satisfaction. Results from this research highlight that childhood maltreatment likely has enduring detrimental implications for women’s sexual well-being as they transition- either again or for the first time - to motherhood. Further implications and directions for future research in this area are discussed. / Graduate

Research suggests that trauma has an impact on eating disorders. While prior research has demonstrated that the trauma from abuse has a significant impact on eating disorders, research has failed to explore other types of trauma. In addition, previous studies have stopped short of examining the impact trauma has on functioning among individuals with an eating disorder. This study aimed to address that gap in the literature. The purpose of this study is to examine whether traumatic life events impact psychosocial functioning among individuals living with an eating disorder. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify which traumas are shown to have the strongest impact on psychosocial functioning. A quantitative design was used for this investigation, using measurement scales that have been shown to be valid and reliable in measuring the constructs of trauma and psychosocial functioning among individuals with an eating disorder. Participants completed a single survey of the combined measurement scales. A non-random purposive sample was collected from online social media cites Tumblr, Facebook, eating disorder message boards, and an outpatient eating disorder treatment center. Using a study sample of N= 2,319 descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted using SPSS. Based on the results of correlation and multiple regression analyses, a statistically significant relationship was found between traumatic life events and psychosocial impairment among those with eating disorders. The findings of this study have the potential to impact the way social work policies address the relationship between trauma and eating disorders, and influence the way social work clinicians implement strategies to treat both trauma and eating psychopathology.