No description available.

Despite the rationalism implicit in contemporary thinking, in many parts of the world like South Africa, belief in witchcraft exists and is a core belief, influencing the world-view of many people. In these contexts, witchcraft is believed to be responsible for every social experience including, illnesses, sickness and death. The witch-figure, imbued with jealousy, is believed to derive power to harm others with witchcraft through supernatural capacity and an association with the Devil. Witchcraft, it seems represents a theory of misfortune guiding the interactions between people and provides explanations, steeped in the supernatural, for almost every misfortune. Extending on the commonly held notion of violence against women, this doctoral study reflects witchcraft accusations and its violent consequences as an under-represented facet thereof. This follows the fact that historic and contemporary accounts of witchcraft position women as primary suspects and victims. Accused of witchcraft, many women face torture and ultimately death, even today. In this study it is argued that witchcraft accusations result from within a social context, supporting gendered relations that are powered. To this end, I apply a feminist psychological approach as a theoretical lens, allowing us to see witchcraft accusations as one strategy among those supporting male domination. In the first chapter, I outline the feminist psychological approach as an appropriate lens to view witchcraft-related violence. The understanding of witchcraft accusations gained through the application of feminist psychological theory is then applied in the second chapter, focusing on news reports. A focus on the newspaper representations of witchcraft violence is vital, given the media’s influential role in the lives of many. Attention is then focused on understanding of witchcraft held by community members, usually responsible for the violent attacks on those accused. The final chapter locates the witchcraft experience with women so accused. The purposeful repetition of theoretical points made in each chapter was essential. The repetition enabled me to apply the theoretical lens appropriately for each paper and to elaborate on the fundamental premise the PhD argues towards. The reader’s attention is drawn towards awareness of this purposeful repetition of the theoretical lens. It is imperative as together and separately, the chapters in this PhD, function to accentuate on an expression of gendered violence, steeped in a tradition supporting male domination. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil.

Despite the rationalism implicit in contemporary thinking, in many parts of the world like South Africa, belief in witchcraft exists and is a core belief, influencing the world-view of many people. In these contexts, witchcraft is believed to be responsible for every social experience including, illnesses, sickness and death. The witch-figure, imbued with jealousy, is believed to derive power to harm others with witchcraft through supernatural capacity and an association with the Devil. Witchcraft, it seems represents a theory of misfortune guiding the interactions between people and provides explanations, steeped in the supernatural, for almost every misfortune. Extending on the commonly held notion of violence against women, this doctoral study reflects witchcraft accusations and its violent consequences as an under-represented facet thereof. This follows the fact that historic and contemporary accounts of witchcraft position women as primary suspects and victims. Accused of witchcraft, many women face torture and ultimately death, even today. In this study it is argued that witchcraft accusations result from within a social context, supporting gendered relations that are powered. To this end, I apply a feminist psychological approach as a theoretical lens, allowing us to see witchcraft accusations as one strategy among those supporting male domination. In the first chapter, I outline the feminist psychological approach as an appropriate lens to view witchcraft-related violence. The understanding of witchcraft accusations gained through the application of feminist psychological theory is then applied in the second chapter, focusing on news reports. A focus on the newspaper representations of witchcraft violence is vital, given the media’s influential role in the lives of many. Attention is then focused on understanding of witchcraft held by community members, usually responsible for the violent attacks on those accused. The final chapter locates the witchcraft experience with women so accused. The purposeful repetition of theoretical points made in each chapter was essential. The repetition enabled me to apply the theoretical lens appropriately for each paper and to elaborate on the fundamental premise the PhD argues towards. The reader’s attention is drawn towards awareness of this purposeful repetition of the theoretical lens. It is imperative as together and separately, the chapters in this PhD, function to accentuate on an expression of gendered violence, steeped in a tradition supporting male domination. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Thesis (Ph.D. (History)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / The subject of traditional leadership has been, and will always be, the subject of academic debate in various disciplines and varying objectives throughout the years. However, it is in South Africa to a large extent, but Venḓa specifically, that this study focuses on the discussion on the controversial subject of vhuhosi (traditional leadership) within the homeland system. This study specifically identifies vhuhosi and institutions of Vhavenḓa as a topic for research given its muddied history during the dark days of colonial subjugation and apartheid oppression and suppression. It is for this reason that this study explores South Africa’s homeland policy with specific reference to vhuhosi of Vhavenḓa and institutions (1898-1994). In order to do this the study starts by describing the nature of the relationship between the South African government and vhuhosi of Vhavenḓa on the eve of homeland policy as a way of setting the tone of the Afrocentric exploratory paradigm. The objective is to expose the gradual political and socio-economic changes that vhuhosi and institutions of Vhavenḓa were subjected to during South Africa’s political development. The study then analyses the development of ethnicity vis-à-vis the influence of ethnic identity during the period surrounding the establishment of Vhavenḓa homeland. Given this background it then describes the changing power relations between the South African government and mahosi within the Venḓa homeland. Significantly, the study examines the impact of Vhavenḓa homeland on the internal relations among mahosi of Vhavenḓa as well as Vhavenḓa’s cultural conception of royalty and governance. The current researcher identifies the Afrocentric theory as a vehicle to embark on the explorative nature of this study. Unlike other theoretical paradigms that conducted research on vhuhosi and institutions for colonial and apartheid objectives, the Afrocentric approach was preferred as it puts African values at the centre. Therefore the Afrocentric theory was preferred as a way of debunking the Eurocentric/Western and liberal research on African subjects such as vhuhosi and institutions. Hence oral interviews played an important role to complement the written and archival material available.

On the Blacklist: Hollywood Reds and Witch Hunting in the American Motion Picture Industry (1947-1960) Abstract At the beginning of the Cold War, the American motion picture industry was struck with a "witch-hunt" that led to establishment of the so-called blacklist. Due to this controversial policy, three hundred "Reds" (actual or perceived members of the U.S. Communist Party) were shut out from work in Hollywood during 1947-1950. The first explanation of this phenomenon can be seen in the bipolarity of the post-war world where the United States took leadership in a crusade against the Soviet Union. One result of this seemingly international crusade was that it also became domestic-followers of the U.S. Communist Party became actual public enemies. A deeper analysis of whole issue, however, requires that other elements must be seriously taken into account. The microcosm of Hollywood, some principles of American thinking and the activities of the Reds themselves provide crucial insights into comprehensively understanding the complexity of blacklisting. Experience with the Hollywood blacklist included many different aspects. First of all, it was a political battle with the "inquisitors" from the House Committee on Un-American Activities who helped establish the anti-Communist policy in American motion...

No description available.