Intergenerational research aims to promote greater understanding and respect between generations and contribute to building more cohesive communities. Intergenerational relationships form part of our social make–up as they affect social interactions, the use of local spaces, opportunities to take part in public life on an equal basis with others, the degree to which people participate in community life as well as efforts to improve such life. Research indicates that what matters most for young adults and older people is the quality of the interactions taking place between them. Very little is known about the nature of the intergenerational relationships between young adults and older people in an African context. The aim of the study was therefore to explore the intergenerational relationships between young adults and older people in a rural African community. A qualitative research method was used in the study. Two groups of participants were selected though availability sampling method. The group consisted of 11 male participants between 20 to 35 years of age, 6 participants were over the age of 60 (one male and five female). The younger participants were asked to make visual representations of how they perceive the older generation by means of using the Mmogo–method. After the younger participants described their visual representations, the older participants were asked to reflect on the descriptions given by the younger participants. The older people assumed an active listening position while the young adults shared their representations. Informal group discussion was used to facilitate a process of sharing and comparing of perceptions among the participants. The data obtained from the group discussions and applying the Mmogomethod were analysed on the basis of thematic and visual analysis. The trustworthiness of the study was ensured through crystallisation. The results indicate that the relationships between young adults and older people consist of the ambivalent perceptions of the young adults and mostly extreme negative perceptions of older people. As a result, the relationships between the young and old generations seem to be dissatisfying for both generations. Both young and old discover essential tensions in the relationships they create and sustain across generations. Intergenerational tensions may not be so easily identified or concretely observable in everyday behaviour, attitudes, and emotions. But, consistent with the dialectical framework, it is part of all intergenerational relationships at some level. Identifying these underlying tensions is important so that we do not glorify or idealise the interactions of young and old whenever and wherever they occur. Solidarity is not the only outcome of intergenerational relationships; ambivalence as well as conflict is a part of the theory that has often been neglected. In view ofthe importance of intergenerational relationships between the young adults and the older people, intergenerational interventions should be planned to promote the effective negotiation of intergenerational relationships between older persons and the younger generation. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Intergenerational research aims to promote greater understanding and respect between generations and contribute to building more cohesive communities. Intergenerational relationships form part of our social make–up as they affect social interactions, the use of local spaces, opportunities to take part in public life on an equal basis with others, the degree to which people participate in community life as well as efforts to improve such life. Research indicates that what matters most for young adults and older people is the quality of the interactions taking place between them. Very little is known about the nature of the intergenerational relationships between young adults and older people in an African context. The aim of the study was therefore to explore the intergenerational relationships between young adults and older people in a rural African community. A qualitative research method was used in the study. Two groups of participants were selected though availability sampling method. The group consisted of 11 male participants between 20 to 35 years of age, 6 participants were over the age of 60 (one male and five female). The younger participants were asked to make visual representations of how they perceive the older generation by means of using the Mmogo–method. After the younger participants described their visual representations, the older participants were asked to reflect on the descriptions given by the younger participants. The older people assumed an active listening position while the young adults shared their representations. Informal group discussion was used to facilitate a process of sharing and comparing of perceptions among the participants. The data obtained from the group discussions and applying the Mmogomethod were analysed on the basis of thematic and visual analysis. The trustworthiness of the study was ensured through crystallisation. The results indicate that the relationships between young adults and older people consist of the ambivalent perceptions of the young adults and mostly extreme negative perceptions of older people. As a result, the relationships between the young and old generations seem to be dissatisfying for both generations. Both young and old discover essential tensions in the relationships they create and sustain across generations. Intergenerational tensions may not be so easily identified or concretely observable in everyday behaviour, attitudes, and emotions. But, consistent with the dialectical framework, it is part of all intergenerational relationships at some level. Identifying these underlying tensions is important so that we do not glorify or idealise the interactions of young and old whenever and wherever they occur. Solidarity is not the only outcome of intergenerational relationships; ambivalence as well as conflict is a part of the theory that has often been neglected. In view ofthe importance of intergenerational relationships between the young adults and the older people, intergenerational interventions should be planned to promote the effective negotiation of intergenerational relationships between older persons and the younger generation. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Social and demographic changes have a tremendous effect on the care for older people to the effect that caring for older people might have become a rare commodity. Increased life expectancy during the past century has prolonged the period in which older people need care and has made family care giving an increasingly recurrent activity for adult children. After the demolition of the apartheid area in South Africa, most research focused on previously disadvantaged groups, namely Black and Brown people which resulted in a research gap regarding older White people. Little is known about older White people’s experiences of care in South Africa, as older White people are viewed as the minority group who were not previously disadvantaged. However, older White people’s vulnerability is increasing because poverty is currently escalating amongst older White South African people as a result of early retirement and retrenchment because of employment equity and the conversion goal of Black Economic Empowerment. The aim of this study was to explore older White people’s experiences of giving care to and receiving care from their children. A qualitative research approach with an explorative and descriptive nature was utilized for this study as the research question was aimed at understanding a subjective phenomenon. This research design allows the participants to give meaning to their own experiences. A case study design was followed during this research study in order to provide an in-depth description of older White people’s experience of care. The specific population for this study consisted of all White people older than 60 years, co-residing with their adult children and living in the Midvaal area of the Vaal Triangle, Gauteng. Data were collected through journaling and semi-structured interviews, with 10 older White people. Interviews were conducted on a one-on-one basis at the office of the researcher or at the houses of the participants. This ensured the preservation of the participants’ relationship with their children. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Data were reduced through thematic data analysis and emerging themes and categories were identified. The principles and strategies for enhancing the trustworthiness of the data were done through crystallization and neutrality. The results indicated that older White people’s experience of care can be summarized by means of physical, emotional and financial care. Most of the participants in this study were still physically independent from their children and they could attend to their own physical care. Emotional care was identified by the participants as the ultimate indicator of caring and this component contributed profoundly to their psychological well-being. The financial care component highlighted that older White people’s vulnerability is increasing and that poverty is more prevalent in older White people than what is reflected in current research. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Social and demographic changes have a tremendous effect on the care for older people to the effect that caring for older people might have become a rare commodity. Increased life expectancy during the past century has prolonged the period in which older people need care and has made family care giving an increasingly recurrent activity for adult children. After the demolition of the apartheid area in South Africa, most research focused on previously disadvantaged groups, namely Black and Brown people which resulted in a research gap regarding older White people. Little is known about older White people’s experiences of care in South Africa, as older White people are viewed as the minority group who were not previously disadvantaged. However, older White people’s vulnerability is increasing because poverty is currently escalating amongst older White South African people as a result of early retirement and retrenchment because of employment equity and the conversion goal of Black Economic Empowerment. The aim of this study was to explore older White people’s experiences of giving care to and receiving care from their children. A qualitative research approach with an explorative and descriptive nature was utilized for this study as the research question was aimed at understanding a subjective phenomenon. This research design allows the participants to give meaning to their own experiences. A case study design was followed during this research study in order to provide an in-depth description of older White people’s experience of care. The specific population for this study consisted of all White people older than 60 years, co-residing with their adult children and living in the Midvaal area of the Vaal Triangle, Gauteng. Data were collected through journaling and semi-structured interviews, with 10 older White people. Interviews were conducted on a one-on-one basis at the office of the researcher or at the houses of the participants. This ensured the preservation of the participants’ relationship with their children. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Data were reduced through thematic data analysis and emerging themes and categories were identified. The principles and strategies for enhancing the trustworthiness of the data were done through crystallization and neutrality. The results indicated that older White people’s experience of care can be summarized by means of physical, emotional and financial care. Most of the participants in this study were still physically independent from their children and they could attend to their own physical care. Emotional care was identified by the participants as the ultimate indicator of caring and this component contributed profoundly to their psychological well-being. The financial care component highlighted that older White people’s vulnerability is increasing and that poverty is more prevalent in older White people than what is reflected in current research. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships in the asset-based approach. This study forms part of a longitudinal asset-based community intervention research project. A qualitative approach was followed, guided by a phemenological epistemology. Informed by theories on relationships, the systems theory and literature on the asset-based approach I constructed a conceptual framework on relationships in the asset-based approach. In this conceptual framework relationships within the asset-based approach were described in terms of personal needs of the individual, the influences of relationships, the nature of relationships and the context within which asset-based relationships occur. Purposeful sampling was applied to select eight educators from three schools in the communities of Soshanguve, Eersterust and Oshoek as participants. Data was collected by means of semi-structured phenomenographical interviews used together with observations (documented as visual data, field notes and personal reflections). Based on the literature review I conceptualised relationships in the asset-based approach, thus adding to the literature on relationships and on the asset-based approach. Five prominent categories of description emerged subsequent to the phenomenographic data analysis. These categories were visually presented in a phenomenographical outcome space. Teamwork emerged as the main category. The two categories care and support and communication were included in the teamwork category. The participants experienced barriers in the asset-based intervention process but overcame them in order to achieve positive changes due to relationships. This study contributed to the knowledge base of relationships in the asset-based approach. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Abstracts in English, Zulu and Afrikaans / This Grounded Theory study focused on understanding how South Africa’s two numerically-dominant political parties, the African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA), used micro-blogging site, Twitter, as part of their electioneering arsenal in the 2016 municipal elections to promote party-political digital issue ownership within an urban context. Using each party’s 2016 election manifesto and corpus of tweets, this three-phased study found that while both the ANC and DA used Twitter as a digital political communication platform to communicate their election campaigns, the DA notably leveraged the social networking site for intense ‘focused’ messaging of its negative campaign against the ANC while simultaneously promoting positive electoral messages around its own ‘core’ issues and metro mayoral candidates. ‘Battleground’ metros were identified by the DA in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay, leading to an emphasised urban campaign here to either activate the party’s own support base and/ or to suppress the ANC’s turnout in these highly-contested areas. Additionally, it was found that both the ANC and DA used Twitter for explicit and implicit partypolitical issue ownership claiming in the 2016 municipal elections. Lastly, this study also culminated in the proposal of three but interconnected different elements of a conceptual framework for digital political communication that political parties could use to promote digital party-political issue ownership within a pronounced urban electioneering setting. These elements – ‘coordinating and managing how an election is tweeted’, 'focus' messaging the election’ and ‘audience-segmenting as a message-tailoring strategy’ – when used in unison can help political parties communicate better and ultimately more effectively in a highly mediatised technological media landscape / Hierdie Gegronde Teorie Studie fokus op die verduideliking hoe Suid-Afrika se twee numeriese dominante politieke partye, die African National Congress (ANC) en Demokratiese Alliansie (DA), van die mikro-blog platform, Twitter, gebruik gemaak het tydens hulle verkiessingsstrategie in die 2016 munisipale verkiessings om die party politieke digitale kwessie rondom eienaarskap binne ‘n stedelike verband te bevorder. Deur elke party se 2016 verkiessings manifesto en arsenaal van twiets te gebruik, het hierdie drie-fase studie bevind dat beide die ANC en DA, Twitter gebruik het as ‘n digitale politieke kommunikasie platform. Die DA het egter die sosiale media netwerk kenmerkend gebruik vir ‘n intense gefokusde negatiewe veldtog teen die ANC terwyl hulle terselfdertyd ‘n positiewe verkiessings boodskap rondom die party se eie kernkwessies en metro burgermeesters kandidate gesentreer het. ‘Oorlogsgebied’ metros is deur die DA in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane en Nelson Mandela Bay geidentifiseer wat ‘n defnitiewe stedelike veldtog tot gevolg gehad het om die party se eie ondersteuningsbasis te bevorder en/of die ANC se ondersteuning in hierdie hoogs betwiste areas te onderdruk. Daar was ook bevind dat beide die ANC en DA van Twitter gebruik gemaak het vir eksplisiete en implisiete party politieke kwessies rondom eiernaarskap tydens die 2016 munisipale verkiessings. Hierdie studie kan saamgevat word in drie onderskeie maar verwante elemente om ‘n raamwerk te vorm van die digitale politieke kommunikasie wat politieke partye kan gebruik om digitale party politieke kwessies binne ‘n stedelike verkiessings omgewing te bevorder. Wanneer hierdie elemente – ‘koordinering en bestuur van hoe twiets tydens ‘n verkiesing gebruik word’, ‘’die focus van die boodksap tydens die verkiessing’ and ‘die gehoorsegmentasie can ‘n boodskap strategie’ – in ‘n eenheid gebruik word kan dit politieke partye help om beter en meer effektief te kommunikeer binne ‘n baie kompiterende en tegnologiese medialandskap. / Inkcazo-bungcali yesisifundo ibigxile ekuqondeni ukuba uMzantsi Africa lo unamaqela amakhulu amabini ezopolitiko, ukutsho, iAfrican National Congress (ANC) kunye ne Democratic Alliance (DA), la maqela asebenzise iwebhusayithi encinane uTwitter, njengenxalenye yezixhobo zonxibelelwano kunyulo loo masipala ngo-2016. Bekwenza oku ngelikhuthaza amaqela ezopolitiko nebango lawo kwimiba yezinto abathi bazithethe kwisithuba sedijithali,kumxholo wendawo zase dolophini. Esi sifundo sisebenzisa imanifesto kunye nothotho lwe tweets zeqela ngalinye, nesenziwe ngokwezigaba ezithathu, sifumanise ukuba nangona iANC kunye ne DA zisebenzise uTwitter njenge qonga lonxibelelwano lwezopolitiko zedijithali (ngokolwimi lwasemzini) ukunxibelelana namaphulo onyulo, iDA izibonakalise amandla kwindawo yokuncokola kwiqonga uTwitter,ngokuthi imiyalezo yayo igxile kwaye itsole. Miyalezo leyo ithe yagxila ngokungafanelekanga kumkhankaso weANC. Ngaxeshanye, imiyalezo yayo yona iDA ibeyeyakhayo, kwaye incedisana nephulo layo kwimiba ephambili kunye nabagqatswa bosodolophu bo masipala abambaxa. Oomasipala abambaxa abathi babenongquzulwano bachongwe yiDA Ekurhuleni, eRhawutini, eTshwane nase Bhayi. Lonto ibangele ukuba bagxininise ekukhokeleni iphulo ledolophu ukuze bavuselele inkxaso ye DA apho okanye bacinezele ukuvela kwe-ANC kwezi ndawo kuphikiswana kakhulu ngazo. Ukongeza, kufumaniseke ukuba iANC kunye neDA zisebenzise uTwitter ngokwendlela ecacileyo nengathanga ngqo kwimeko yobunini bemicimbi yepolitiki ukuze bafumane ibango kunyulo loomasipala lwango 2016. Okokugqibela, esisifundo sigqibele kwisindululo sezinto ezintathu azahlukeneyo kodwa ezidityaniswe yinkqubosikhokelo eqingqiweyo kunxibelelwano lwezopolitiko zedijithali. Ezi zinto zizinto ezisenakho ukusetyenziswa ngamaqela ezopolitiko ukukhuthaza ubunini bemicimbi yezopolitiko ngaphakathi kulungiselelo lonyulo lwedolophu olubhengeziweyo. Ezi zinto- 'ukulungelelanisa nokulawula indlela unyulo luthunyelwe ngayo kusetyeziswa uTwitter', 'kugxilwe' kwimiyalezo yonyulo kunye nokuhlukaniswa kwabaphulaphuli okanye ababukeli njengecebo lokulungisa umyalezo '- xa zisetyenziswa ngazwinye zinokuwanceda amaqela ezopolitiko anxibelelane ngcono kwaye ekugqibeleni ngokuyimpumelelo kakhulu kuxhamlo olunamandla kakhulu kubume beendaba kumhlaba wetekhnoloji (ngokolwimi lwesiNgesi). / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / This Grounded Theory study focused on understanding how South Africa’s two numerically-dominant political parties, the African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA), used micro-blogging site, Twitter, as part of their electioneering arsenal in the 2016 municipal elections to promote party-political digital issue ownership within an urban context. Using each party’s 2016 election manifesto and corpus of tweets, this three-phased study found that while both the ANC and DA used Twitter as a digital political communication platform to communicate their election campaigns, the DA notably leveraged the social networking site for intense ‘focused’ messaging of its negative campaign against the ANC while simultaneously promoting positive electoral messages around its own ‘core’ issues and metro mayoral candidates. ‘Battleground’ metros were identified by the DA in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay, leading to an emphasised urban campaign here to either activate the party’s own support base and/ or to suppress the ANC’s turnout in these highly-contested areas. Additionally, it was found that both the ANC and DA used Twitter for explicit and implicit partypolitical issue ownership claiming in the 2016 municipal elections. Lastly, this study also culminated in the proposal of three but interconnected different elements of a conceptual framework for digital political communication that political parties could use to promote digital party-political issue ownership within a pronounced urban electioneering setting. These elements – ‘coordinating and managing how an election is tweeted’, 'focus' messaging the election’ and ‘audience-segmenting as a message-tailoring strategy’ – when used in unison can help political parties communicate better and ultimately more effectively in a highly mediatised technological media landscape. / Hierdie Gegronde Teorie Studie fokus op die verduideliking hoe Suid-Afrika se twee numeriese dominante politieke partye, die African National Congress (ANC) en Demokratiese Alliansie (DA), van die mikro-blog platform, Twitter, gebruik gemaak het tydens hulle verkiessingsstrategie in die 2016 munisipale verkiessings om die party politieke digitale kwessie rondom eienaarskap binne ‘n stedelike verband te bevorder. Deur elke party se 2016 verkiessings manifesto en arsenaal van twiets te gebruik, het hierdie drie-fase studie bevind dat beide die ANC en DA, Twitter gebruik het as ‘n digitale politieke kommunikasie platform. Die DA het egter die sosiale media netwerk kenmerkend gebruik vir ‘n intense gefokusde negatiewe veldtog teen die ANC terwyl hulle terselfdertyd ‘n positiewe verkiessings boodskap rondom die party se eie kernkwessies en metro burgermeesters kandidate gesentreer het. ‘Oorlogsgebied’ metros is deur die DA in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane en Nelson Mandela Bay geidentifiseer wat ‘n defnitiewe stedelike veldtog tot gevolg gehad het om die party se eie ondersteuningsbasis te bevorder en/of die ANC se ondersteuning in hierdie hoogs betwiste areas te onderdruk. Daar was ook bevind dat beide die ANC en DA van Twitter gebruik gemaak het vir eksplisiete en implisiete party politieke kwessies rondom eiernaarskap tydens die 2016 munisipale verkiessings. Hierdie studie kan saamgevat word in drie onderskeie maar verwante elemente om ‘n raamwerk te vorm van die digitale politieke kommunikasie wat politieke partye kan gebruik om digitale party politieke kwessies binne ‘n stedelike verkiessings omgewing te bevorder. Wanneer hierdie elemente – ‘koordinering en bestuur van hoe twiets tydens ‘n verkiesing gebruik word’, ‘’die focus van die boodksap tydens die verkiessing’ and ‘die gehoorsegmentasie can ‘n boodskap strategie’ – in ‘n eenheid gebruik word kan dit politieke partye help om beter en meer effektief te kommunikeer binne ‘n baie kompiterende en tegnologiese medialandskap. / Inkcazo-bungcali yesisifundo ibigxile ekuqondeni ukuba uMzantsi Africa lo unamaqela amakhulu amabini ezopolitiko, ukutsho, iAfrican National Congress (ANC) kunye ne Democratic Alliance (DA), la maqela asebenzise iwebhusayithi encinane uTwitter, njengenxalenye yezixhobo zonxibelelwano kunyulo loo masipala ngo-2016. Bekwenza oku ngelikhuthaza amaqela ezopolitiko nebango lawo kwimiba yezinto abathi bazithethe kwisithuba sedijithali,kumxholo wendawo zase dolophini. Esi sifundo sisebenzisa imanifesto kunye nothotho lwe tweets zeqela ngalinye, nesenziwe ngokwezigaba ezithathu, sifumanise ukuba nangona iANC kunye ne DA zisebenzise uTwitter njenge qonga lonxibelelwano lwezopolitiko zedijithali (ngokolwimi lwasemzini) ukunxibelelana namaphulo onyulo, iDA izibonakalise amandla kwindawo yokuncokola kwiqonga uTwitter,ngokuthi imiyalezo yayo igxile kwaye itsole. Miyalezo leyo ithe yagxila ngokungafanelekanga kumkhankaso weANC. Ngaxeshanye, imiyalezo yayo yona iDA ibeyeyakhayo, kwaye incedisana nephulo layo kwimiba ephambili kunye nabagqatswa bosodolophu bo masipala abambaxa. Oomasipala abambaxa abathi babenongquzulwano bachongwe yiDA Ekurhuleni, eRhawutini, eTshwane nase Bhayi. Lonto ibangele ukuba bagxininise ekukhokeleni iphulo ledolophu ukuze bavuselele inkxaso ye DA apho okanye bacinezele ukuvela kwe-ANC kwezi ndawo kuphikiswana kakhulu ngazo. Ukongeza, kufumaniseke ukuba iANC kunye neDA zisebenzise uTwitter ngokwendlela ecacileyo nengathanga ngqo kwimeko yobunini bemicimbi yepolitiki ukuze bafumane ibango kunyulo loomasipala lwango 2016. Okokugqibela, esisifundo sigqibele kwisindululo sezinto ezintathu azahlukeneyo kodwa ezidityaniswe yinkqubosikhokelo eqingqiweyo kunxibelelwano lwezopolitiko zedijithali. Ezi zinto zizinto ezisenakho ukusetyenziswa ngamaqela ezopolitiko ukukhuthaza ubunini bemicimbi yezopolitiko ngaphakathi kulungiselelo lonyulo lwedolophu olubhengeziweyo. Ezi zinto- 'ukulungelelanisa nokulawula indlela unyulo luthunyelwe ngayo kusetyeziswa uTwitter', 'kugxilwe' kwimiyalezo yonyulo kunye nokuhlukaniswa kwabaphulaphuli okanye ababukeli njengecebo lokulungisa umyalezo '- xa zisetyenziswa ngazwinye zinokuwanceda amaqela ezopolitiko anxibelelane ngcono kwaye ekugqibeleni ngokuyimpumelelo kakhulu kuxhamlo olunamandla kakhulu kubume beendaba kumhlaba wetekhnoloji (ngokolwimi lwesiNgesi). / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)