Recent years have seen an unprecedented paradigm shift wherein pathologizing approaches to caring for trans children have been contested by efforts to accept and affirm trans children as their self-determined gender. This has resulted in a mainstreaming of gender affirming and de-pathologizing approaches to caring for trans children. While gender affirming care undoubtedly benefits many trans children, this research analyzes the ways in which practices and delivery of gender affirming care can be exclusionary of children who do not fit within a normative, binary, medicalized, white, and middle-class conceptualization of trans childhood. Applying critical social citizenship as a theoretical framework, this research argues that care for trans children is shaped through a complex interweaving of normative liberal citizenship regimes, professional and social care practices, and relational care practices that seek to recognize and create space for children to belong as their self-determined gender. Using a community-based research methodology to engage with trans youth and supportive parent caregivers around their experiences of care, this study sought to a) better understand how the contested landscape of care impacts the lives of trans children and b) offer possibilities for transforming care for trans children. Centring the voices and experiences of trans youth and parents, this research argues that trans children face exclusions and barriers when accessing care. This research then discusses what relational care practices, as shared in participant narratives, offer for envisioning care possibilities that centre trans children’s agency and gender self-determination. The outcome of this research is a vision of care for trans children that is rearticulated through a critical theorization of trans children’s citizenship. / Graduate

Thesis (MA(VA))--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The notion of critical citizenship has become a diverse phenomenon in both South African and global contemporary societies. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the teaching and learning of critical citizenship can be improved in the South African context through participation in art-making processes. This was done by following a qualitative approach and a case study design. The following themes were explored in this study: conceptual abilities; the technicalities of practice; art and emotional development; and collaborative art making. The findings in this investigation showed that involvement in art-making processes certainly contributes to the development of a learner’s ability to become more intelligent, self initiated and critical thinkers. The investigation also shows that the visual arts learning area is recognized as an educational practice that encourages critical thinking and the ability to conceptualize, but the implementation of critical citizenship in both the practical and theoretical teaching of art-making processes is currently lacking. It is suggested that a holistic understanding of both practical and theoretical components in the grade 9 visual arts learning area should be maintained on an equal footing. The emotional development of learners is also identified as a source of concern, since it influences a learner’s adherence to participation with others. It is further suggested that collaborative art making urges learners to engage with the ideas of others in the classroom and therefore can encourage tolerance towards other members of the group. Critical citizenship education in the teaching and learning of the visual arts learning area can have more robust impact on the future of a democratic society if it is implemented more directly in the classroom environment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die idee van kritiese burgerskap het ‘n diverse verskynsel in beide die Suid-Afrikaanse en globale eietydse samelewings geword. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te ondersoek hoe die onderrig en aanleer van kritiese burgerskap in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks verbeter kan word deur deelname aan kunsskeppende prosesse. Dit is gedoen deur gebruik te maak van ‘n kwalitatiewe benadering en ‘n gevallestudie-ontwerp. Die volgende temas is in hierdie studie ondersoek: konseptuele vermoëns; die tegniese aspekte van kunspraktyk; kuns en emosionele ontwikkeling; en gesamentlike kunsskepping. Die studie se bevindinge het gewys dat betrokkenheid in kunsskeppende prosesse bydra tot die ontwikkeling van ‘n leerder se vermoë om ‘n meer intelligente, self-geïnisieerde en kritiese denker te word. Die ondersoek het ook gewys dat die visuele kuns leerarea erken word as ‘n opvoedkundige praktyk wat kritiese denke en die vermoë om te konseptualiseer aanmoedig, maar dat die implementering van kritiese burgerskap in beide die praktiese en teoretiese onderrig van kunsskeppende prosesse tans gebrekkig is. Daar word aanbeveel dat ‘n holistiese begrip van beide die praktiese en teoretiese komponente in die Graad 9 visuele kuns leerarea op ‘n gelyke grondslag gehandhaaf word. Die emosionele ontwikkeling van leerders is ook geïdentifiseer as ‘n bron van kommer, aangesien dit ‘n leerder se samewerking met ander beïnvloed. Daar word verder daarop gewys dat gesamentlike kunsskepping leerders kan aanspoor om met ander persone se idees in aanraking te kom, en sodoende verdraagsaamheid teenoor ander lede van die groep te bevorder. Kritiese burgerskap opvoeding in die onderrig en aanleer van die visuele kuns leerarea kan meer robuuste gevolge vir die toekoms van ‘n demokratiese samelewing inhou indien dit meer direk in die klaskamer aangewend word.

<p>The principal aim of this study is to examine attitudes and values, through questionnaires, among students and teachers in the last grade of primary school (grade 8) regarding issues related to authoritarianism, democracy, human rights, children rights, conflict resolution and legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A second aim is to explore and analyze the role of the international community in the democratization and education processes in the light of globalization in this country through secondary sources of data, site visits and observations.</p><p>Analysis of the student sample reveals suspicion towards democracy, especially when democracy was associated with politics and politicians. When the issue of democracy was de-contextualized from Bosnia and Herzegovina realities in the questionnaire, students showed more positive attitudes towards it. Students generally agreed with very strong authoritarian statements. High achieving students were more democratic, more socially responsible, more tolerant regarding attitudes towards religion, race and disabilities, and less authoritarian compared to low achievers. High achievers felt that they had influence over daily events, and were positive towards social and civil engagement. High achievers viewed politics negatively, but had high scores on the democracy scale. High achievers also agreed to a larger extent that it is acceptable to break the law. The more authoritarian students were somewhat more prone to respond that it is not acceptable to break the law.</p><p>The major findings from the teacher sample show that teachers who agreed with non-peaceful mediation, and had a non-forgiving and rigid approach to interpersonal conflicts, also agreed with strong authoritarian statements and were less democratic. In general, teachers valued students who behave respectfully, have a good upbringing and are obedient. They were very concerned about the general status of education in society, which they felt was becoming marginalized. Teachers were not happy with the overloaded curricula and they showed an interest in more knowledge and skills to help children with traumatic war experiences. When asked about positive reforms, teachers were highly critical of, and dissatisfied with, the educational situation.</p><p>Bosnia and Herzegovina is undergoing a transition from a state-planned economy and one party system to a market economy and a multi party system. During this transition, the country has become more involved in the globalization process than ever. Today the country is a semi-protectorate where international authorities intervene when necessary. The International community is attempting to introduce western democracy and some of the many complexities in this process are discussed in this study. Globalization processes imply contradictory demands and pressures on the education system. On one hand, economic liberalization has affected education policies —a closer alignment between education and economic competitiveness. On the other hand, there is a political and ideological globalization process underlying the importance of human rights, and the inclusiveness of education for all children. Students and teachers are caught between two opposing ideals — competition and cooperation.</p>

The principal aim of this study is to examine attitudes and values, through questionnaires, among students and teachers in the last grade of primary school (grade 8) regarding issues related to authoritarianism, democracy, human rights, children rights, conflict resolution and legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A second aim is to explore and analyze the role of the international community in the democratization and education processes in the light of globalization in this country through secondary sources of data, site visits and observations. Analysis of the student sample reveals suspicion towards democracy, especially when democracy was associated with politics and politicians. When the issue of democracy was de-contextualized from Bosnia and Herzegovina realities in the questionnaire, students showed more positive attitudes towards it. Students generally agreed with very strong authoritarian statements. High achieving students were more democratic, more socially responsible, more tolerant regarding attitudes towards religion, race and disabilities, and less authoritarian compared to low achievers. High achievers felt that they had influence over daily events, and were positive towards social and civil engagement. High achievers viewed politics negatively, but had high scores on the democracy scale. High achievers also agreed to a larger extent that it is acceptable to break the law. The more authoritarian students were somewhat more prone to respond that it is not acceptable to break the law. The major findings from the teacher sample show that teachers who agreed with non-peaceful mediation, and had a non-forgiving and rigid approach to interpersonal conflicts, also agreed with strong authoritarian statements and were less democratic. In general, teachers valued students who behave respectfully, have a good upbringing and are obedient. They were very concerned about the general status of education in society, which they felt was becoming marginalized. Teachers were not happy with the overloaded curricula and they showed an interest in more knowledge and skills to help children with traumatic war experiences. When asked about positive reforms, teachers were highly critical of, and dissatisfied with, the educational situation. Bosnia and Herzegovina is undergoing a transition from a state-planned economy and one party system to a market economy and a multi party system. During this transition, the country has become more involved in the globalization process than ever. Today the country is a semi-protectorate where international authorities intervene when necessary. The International community is attempting to introduce western democracy and some of the many complexities in this process are discussed in this study. Globalization processes imply contradictory demands and pressures on the education system. On one hand, economic liberalization has affected education policies —a closer alignment between education and economic competitiveness. On the other hand, there is a political and ideological globalization process underlying the importance of human rights, and the inclusiveness of education for all children. Students and teachers are caught between two opposing ideals — competition and cooperation.

Thesis (MA(VA))--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The challenges that have occurred within the South African education context could be ascribed to the country’s political history. This is a history that includes more than three hundred and fifty years of colonialism, which has had a direct influence on the more recent Apartheid regime. Colonial and apartheid history have remained deeply ingrained in the mind-sets of South African citizens, where a sense of strict binary and hierarchal thinking is present. Feeding on the ideologies of the past, it manifests and perpetuates itself specifically within spaces of learning. The purpose of this study is to investigate how 'Othered' identity is described and experienced within spaces of learning at the Visual Arts Department at Stellenbosch University. The study is approached from a qualitative perspective, utilizing an interpretative process of collecting and analyzing data. A case study was conducted and the process involved interviews with four lecturers and eight students at the Visual Arts Department at Stellenbosch University. The investigation of ‘Othering’ within spaces of learning at the Visual Arts Department highlighted themes of ‘Othering’ and social and economic circumstances; ‘Othering’ and feelings of discomfort and pretence; ‘Othering’ and language; and ‘Othering’ and culture. Strategies regarding ‘Othering’ also emerged from the data highlighting two themes, bridging courses and diversity within spaces of learning. My findings include that ‘Othering’ is still prevalent within spaces of learning at the Visual Arts Department. Most lecturers and students seemed to be in agreement that ‘Othering’ should be addressed. It is suggested that promoting and combining processes of critical citizenship and reflective thinking within spaces of learning may encourage a necessary dialogue between lecturers and students. By improving the dialogue between lecturers and students, it may facilitate a relationship founded on mutual trust necessary for personal growth and growth within spaces of learning. It is further suggested that creating spaces of learning that are more diverse could contribute to this and provide enriching learning experiences for both lecturers and students. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die uitdagings binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks kan toegeskryf word aan die land se politieke geskiedenis. Dit is ‘n geskiedenis wat bestaan uit meer as driehonderd en vyftig jaar van kolonialisme, wat ‘n direkte invloed op die meer onlangse Apartheid regering gehad het. Koloniale en apartheids geskiedenis is diep gewortel binne die denkwyses van Suid-Afrikaners, waar streng binêre denkwyses en hierargie heers. Na aanleiding van die verskeie ideologieë van die verlede, word hierdie denkwyse spesifiek manifisteer en herhaal binne leerruimtes. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te ondersoek hoe ‘Othered’ identiteit beskryf en ervaar word binne leerruimtes by die Visuele Kunste Departement van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Die studie is vanaf ‘n kwalitatiewe hoek benader en maak gebruik van ‘n interpretatiewe proses deur data versameling en analise. ‘n Gevallestudie was as navorsingsmetode gebruik en die proses het bestaan uit onderhoude met vier dosente en ag studente by die Visuele Kunste Departement van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Die ondersoek van ‘Othering’ binne leerruimtes by die Visuele Kunste Departement het temas van ‘Othering’ en sosiale en ekonomiese omstandighede, ‘Othering’ en gevoelens van ongemak en voorgee; ‘Othering’ en taal; en ‘Othering’ en kultuur identifiseer. Strategieë ten opsigte van ‘Othering’ is ook vanaf die data identifiseer, waarvan twee temas spruit, naamlik oorbruggings kursusse en diversiteit binne leerruimtes. My bevindings sluit in dat ‘Othering’ nogsteeds binne die leerruimtes van die Visuele Kunste Departement ondervind word. ‘n Groot aantal dosente en studente stem ooreen dat dit baie voordelig sou wees om ‘n kombinasie van kritiese en refleksiewe denk prosesse binne leerruimtes in te sluit, soos ‘n nodige dialoog tussen dosente en studente. Deur die dialoë tussen dosente en studente te verbeter, kan dit ‘n verhouding fasiliteer wat gevestig is op gemeenskaplike vertroue, nodig vir persoonlike groei en groei binne leerruimtes. Dit word verder aangeraai dat leerruimtes wat meer divers is, ‘n bydrae kan maak tot verrykende leer ervarings vir beide dosente en studente.