Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2007. Graduate Programme in Social Anthropology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 333-354). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR29345

D.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / In the Republic of South Africa, there is a growing consciousness of the importance of sex education, and specifically of relationship education, for the youth. Research indicates that the peer group and the media are the main sources of information regarding heterosexual relationships. That these sources are not very reliable, is indicated by the fact that South Africa has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies (among all population groups) in the world. The additional threat of AIDS has shifted the responsibility for guidance regarding heterosexual relationships increasingly towards institutions of education, such as schools, colleges and universities. Bearing this in mind, it stands to reason that student teachers should be equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes regarding heterosexual relationships. This would not only aid their personal growth, but would be of immense value to them as teachers. The problem is that up to now only a few Colleges of Education in the R.S.A. have been offering limited training in family education. No college, however, offers a course exclusively directed to student teachers' own heterosexual relationships. Research was therefore undertaken to investigate the attitudes of student teachers in respect of those facets of heterosexual relationships which featured prominently in the literature studied, namely self concept, sexuality, sex roles, empathy and communication. The empirical component of the investigation was based on the implementation of a questionnaire, which was completed by all the students of an Afrikaans medium College of Education.

This study examines the involvement of youth leadership particularly at the University of Durban Westville, in promoting public awareness about HIV/AIDS and in HIV/AIDS awareness initiatives. The aim of the study was to investigate the contributions of the student leaders in initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS. Accordingly, interviews were conducted with leaders of various student organisations at the university. The aim was to test the student leadership's general understanding of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, types of HIV/AIDS programmes and their involvement in them. The study is based on a random sample of 15 of 35 student's clubs and societies and the Student Representative Council at UDW. In addition, five organisations from the university structures were interviewed for the purpose of this study. These included: the Student Counsellor from the Wellness Centre, the Academic Registrar from the University Management, Deputy President of the Combined Staff Association, President of the Academic Staff Association and the Director of the Centre for Educational Research, Evaluation and Policy at University of Durban-Westville. The general finding of the study is that the role of the student leadership and its involvement on HIV/AIDS initiatives has been minimal and unorganised. In response this study presents a number of recommendations to address this problem. The key recommendation revolves around the need for the student leaders and the university management to collectively design a framework from which all HIV/AIDS initiatives will be administered. This includes policy formulation and discussions on AIDS. In the final analysis, it is imperative to note that this study was not done only for the benefit of the UDW community, but other institutions such as the government departments, particularly the Education Department, NGO's, Youth Commission and other youth organisations. / Thesis (M.A)-University of Durban-Westville, 2003.

This paper is based on the youth culture and the language in Tsakane which in situated in Gauteng Province. It uncovers the lifestyle of both young females and males in the area mentioned above. It looks at how "Tsotsitaal" is used by both sexes and also look at different activities in which the youth are involved, ranging from the perception of the youth towards their given names and how they change their original names. The paper also looks at the world view of the youth, the youth have their own view of the world, for example, they don't see themselves as the "lost generation" as the media has in the past constructed them to be. The paper also reflect the youth involvement in politics both at the local, provincial and national level and again covers the participation of the youth in the 1995 local elections. Other topics covered are how the youth generate income for their survival, the eating habits both at homes and outside homes. It also covers the tendency to undermine or underestimate the adults and the rural youth. The involvement in love affairs as well sexual habits are also covered. In a nutshell the whole paper covers the youth lifestyle on a daily basis. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1996.

Within the context of debates concerning the impact of global media on local youth, this study explores how a sample of South African youth responds to texts which were produced internationally, but distributed locally. Recognising the profound rootedness of media consumption in everyday life, the research examines the way these youth, differentially embedded in the South African economic and ideological formation, use these texts as part of their ongoing attempts to make sense of their lives. The study rejects the 'either/or' formulations that often accompany competing structuralist and culturalist approaches to text/audience relationships. Instead, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, it seeks to highlight the interplay between agency and structure, between individual choice and the structuring of experience by wider social and historical factors. The findings of the study point to the complex individual and social reasons that lie behind media consumption choices, and the diverse (and socially patterned) reasons why local audiences are either attracted to, or reject, global media. These and other findings, the study argues, highlight the deficiencies of the media imperialism thesis with its definitive claims for cultural homogenisation, seen as the primary, or most politically significant, effect of the globalisation of media. As such, this study should be read as a dialogue with those schools of thought that take a more unequivocal point of view on the impact of globalised media culture.

The impact of intervention strategies to reduce gang related violence by Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the community at large has so far not attracted much attention or support from provincial and national authorities. Helenvale and its surrounding areas plays an integral part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality as the economic-hub of the Eastern Cape Province. But its gang problem has evolved over decades of socio-economic difficulties and struggle for a better life in the predominantly Coloured community. In order for this problem to be overcome a more strategically focused intervention strategy is required by local, provincial, and national authorities. This research study evaluates the gang intervention strategies in the Helenvale area and seeks to provide a primary research base from which key policies and strategies could be developed to address this challenge in an effort to bring about peace and stability in this community and other affected areas within close proximity of the area of study. At the heart of providing possible solutions to practices of gangsterism amongst mostly the youth, should be a well-coordinated intergovernmental high impact intervention strategy in partnership with NGO’s, civil society and other sectors of the community. Further solutions are the investment by authorities in rehabilitation centres, with skills development and job-creation opportunities as a key exit strategy for those involved in gangs. Acknowledgement that the enhancement and development of mediation skills of community based structures through the sharing of critical conflict theory and mediation practices, could make a substantial contribution to greater peace and stability in our communities.

Years of political unrest, forced removals, migrant labour and overly rapid urbanisation have had a negative effect on the lives of many South Africans and poverty, unemployment and the HIV/AIDS pandemic have increased the challenges facing young people in South Africa. With 54 per cent of South Africa’s population younger than 24 years and two-thirds of South Africans between the ages of 18 and 35 years unemployed, youth development is an urgent and critical social investment. Current research stresses the importance of an integrated and developmental approach that recognises young people’s optimism and resilience and builds on their strengths. Of the various youth developmental interventions being implemented in African countries, including South Africa, an initiative that is being used increasingly, is the international broad-base programme known as the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP). Using an experiential approach honed by over 35 years’ of working mostly in prisons in more than 35 countries, AVP teaches the attitudes and strategies (such as self-awareness, empathy and community-building) needed to transform conflict nonviolently and addresses the important psychological need for intimate connection with others. This study investigates how the experience of an AVP workshop can influence so-called ‘at-risk’1 young South African adults’ perceptions of personally-experienced conflict situations. The study was conducted in partnership with a local youth development project and used a narrative analysis approach to explore the pre- and post-AVP workshop conflict narratives of a group of Xhosa-speakers from the Eastern Cape. To support the analysis of the conflict narratives, focus groups were conducted three months later and again after six months with a selected sample of volunteers. Participation in the study was wholly voluntary and by informed consent.

PhD (Economics) / Department of Economics / See the attached abstract below

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / This research has shown that young people of different cultural groups have had and still have limited contact due to the history of our country. This contributed to the fact that there were, and still are, very few opportunities to build relationships. An introductory chapter in which the research methodology is explained, is followed by a discussion utilizing recent literature, of the question how the building of relationships can take place within the context of a diverse youth ministry (chapter 2). It became clear that the church, in its ministry to diverse youth groups, should create opportunities where the quality of relationships can be enhanced. In the research it was found that experiential learning activities, such as initiative activities, could have a positive influence on interpersonal skills in intercultural relationships (chapters 3 and 4). In chapter 5, firstly, certain conclusions were drawn. Secondly, recommendations were made and guidelines formulated regarding the building of relationships in the ministry to diverse youth groups. / Die navorsing vir hierdie studie het getoon dat jeugdiges van verskillende kultuurgroepe vanwee ons land se geskiedenis beperkte kontak gehad het en nog steeds het. Dit het meegebring dat geleenthede om verhoudinge te bou min was en steeds is. Na 'n inleidende hoofstuk waarin die navorsingsmetodologie uiteengesit word, volg 'n bespreking, aan die hand van resente literatuur oor die vraag hoe verhoudingsbou kan plaasvind in 'n diverse jeugbedieningkonteks (hoofstuk 2). Daaruit het dit duidelik geword dat die kerk in sy bediening aan diverse jeuggroepe geleenthede behoort te skep waartydens die kwaliteit van verhoudinge verbeter kan word. Die navorsing het bevind dat ervaringsleeraktiwiteite, byvoorbeeld inisiatiefaktiwiteite, 'n positiewe invloed kan he op interpersoonlike vaardighede in interkulturele verhoudinge (hoofstukke 3 en 4). In hoofstuk 5 is eerstens bepaalde gevolgtrekkings gemaak. Tweedens is aanbevelings gedoen en riglyne geformuleer met die oog op verhoudingsbou in die bediening aan diverse jeuggroepe. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Youth Work)

A PhD Thesis to the Anthropology Department, Faculty of Humanities: University of the Witwatersrand. / This study will argue that; (i) that the evolution of hip-hop arises out of the need by young people to give expression and meaning to their day-to-day socio-political and economic struggles and the harsh realities of urban life, and (ii) that hip-hop has become the audible and dominant voice of reason and a platform that allows youth to address their plight, as active citizens, and (iii) that, as a music expression, the hip-hop narrative can be used as an unsolicited yet resourceful civic perception survey to gauge the temperature and the mood of society at a point in time. My research question is premised on the argument that the youth looks at society and their immediate surroundings through the lens of rap music and the hip-hop culture. It presupposes that it is this hip-hop lens that has become the projector through which the youth views and analyses society and then invites the world to peep through, to confirm and be witnesses to what they see. It is not the purpose of this research to argue how much influence hip-hop has on young people, but instead to look at how youth is using hip-hop to express their discontent and what the various sites are where their relentless desire for a better life is being crafted and articulated. In my investigation, I have argued that it is at these social sites that open or discreet creative expressions are produced/created by the hip-hop generation as the subordinate group and directed to those perceived to be the gatekeepers to their aspirations and their rites of passage. In my investigation I have explored how, out of indignation and desire, the hip-hop generation has employed creative ways to highlight and vent their frustration at a system that seems to derail their aspirations. This is the story of hip-hop where Watkins (2005) argues that the youth have crafted "a vision of their world that is insightful, optimistic and tenaciously critical of the institutions and circumstances that restrict their ability to impact on the world around them" (p. 81) With regard to hip-hop in South Africa critical questions and a central thesis to this paper begin to emerge as to whether hip-hop, as an artistic expression and a seemingly dominant youth culture, has found long-hidden voices through which young people now engage with this art form to address and reflect on their socio-economic and political conditions as active citizens in search of a meaningful social contract. By investigating the triangular relationship between commerce, politics and hip-hop, this study looks at how creative, adaptive people with unrealised potential, who find themselves trapped by illusion and exploitation (realistic or perceived), always try to find a meaning to make sense of their worlds. / AC2018