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Paul Auster's representation of invisible characters in selected novelsGous, Joané Facqueline January 2012 (has links)
In this dissertation I argue that invisible characters, as they appear in Paul Auster’s novels, serve a very specific function within the interpretative framework of a text and that they should be considered to play a functional role, in order to arrive at a more holistic interpretation of the text and a more accurate analysis of said texts. I argue that Auster knowingly includes these characters in his novels as part of his narrative technique, in order for them to serve specific functions and to contribute to the structure of postmodern fiction. I make use of a contextualized close reading of five of Auster’s novels and attempt a hermeneutic interpretation of these novels to arrive at a hermeneutic circle when combining these novels into an integrated whole, individual, work of fiction. Certain parallels can be drawn between Auster’s various novels and these parallels contribute to the various motifs and themes found throughout his work. The importance of space in Auster’s novels is also highlighted with emphasis on liminality which serves as an instigator for transgression to occur between different fictive worlds. / Thesis (MA (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.
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Castaways and colonists from Crusoe to Coetzee / Susanna Johanna Smit-MaraisSmit-Marais, Susanna Johanna January 2012 (has links)
Generic transformation of the castaway novel is made evident by the various ways in
which the narrative boundaries that separate fiction from reality and history, the past
from the present, and the rational from the irrational, are reconfigured in Umberto
Eco’s The Island of the Day Before (1994), J.M. Coetzee’s Foe (1986) and Yann
Martel’s Life of Pi (2002). The dissolution of boundaries reflects the dominant shift
that has occurred in the castaway novel from the 18th century literary context to the
present postmodern, postcolonial context. In this regard, the narrative utilizes various
narratological strategies, the most significant being intertextuality, metafiction,
historiographical metafiction, allegory, irony, and the carnivalesque. These
narratological strategies rewrite, revise, and recontextualize those generic conventions
that perpetuated the culture of masculinity and conquest that defines colonialism and
the traditional castaway novel epitomized by Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe (1719).
From a postcolonial perspective, the castaway’s state of being reflects on the
condition of the colonized as well as the colonizer: his/her experience of displacement
is similar to colonized peoples’ separation from their cultural, spiritual and personal
identities; simultaneously, processes of appropriation, adaptation and control of space
resemble colonization, thereby revealing the constructed nature of colonial space. As
such, space is fundamental to individual orientation and social adaptation and
consequently, metaphorically and metonymically linked to identity.
In the selected postmodernist and postcolonial texts, the movement from the position
of castaway to colonist as originally manifested in Robinson Crusoe is therefore
reinterpreted and recontextualized. The postmodernist and postcolonial contexts
resist fixed and one-dimensional representations of identity, as well as the
appropriation and domination of space, that characterize shipwreck literature from
pre-colonial and colonial periods. Rationalist notions of history, reality and truth as
empirically definable concepts are also contested. The castaway identity is often
characterized by feelings of physical and spiritual displacement and estrangement that
can be paralleled to postmodernist themes of existential confusion and anxiety. / Thesis (PhD (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013
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Paul Auster's representation of invisible characters in selected novelsGous, Joané Facqueline January 2012 (has links)
In this dissertation I argue that invisible characters, as they appear in Paul Auster’s novels, serve a very specific function within the interpretative framework of a text and that they should be considered to play a functional role, in order to arrive at a more holistic interpretation of the text and a more accurate analysis of said texts. I argue that Auster knowingly includes these characters in his novels as part of his narrative technique, in order for them to serve specific functions and to contribute to the structure of postmodern fiction. I make use of a contextualized close reading of five of Auster’s novels and attempt a hermeneutic interpretation of these novels to arrive at a hermeneutic circle when combining these novels into an integrated whole, individual, work of fiction. Certain parallels can be drawn between Auster’s various novels and these parallels contribute to the various motifs and themes found throughout his work. The importance of space in Auster’s novels is also highlighted with emphasis on liminality which serves as an instigator for transgression to occur between different fictive worlds. / Thesis (MA (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.
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Verhalende weergawe van volwasse enkel-tweelinge na die verlies van hul mede-tweeling / A narrative account of adult twinless twins following the loss of their twinBotes, Anna Elizabeth 02 1900 (has links)
Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal hoe volwasse enkel-tweelinge hul lewens ervaar na die verlies van hul mede-tweeling. ‘n Kwalitatiewe empiriese ondersoek is gedoen met die doel om die behoeftes van enkel- tweelinge tydens die hantering van tweelingverlies en die rouproses te bepaal. Literatuur toon aan dat die oneffektiewe hanteringsvaardighede wat gebruik word tydens tweelingverlies kan lei tot emosionele, kognitiewe, identiteits-, verhoudings- en gedragskwessies. Die literatuur dui verder aan dat daar agt temas is wat bepaal of hierdie kwessies tydens die lewe van die enkel-tweeling gaan voorkom. Die agt temas is naamlik die effek van
ouerlike gesindheid, negatiewe aspekte om ‘n tweeling te wees, skuldgevoelens, polarisasie, die tweelingband, versagtende omstandighede en die effek van die verlies op die verhouding met ander.
‘n Meervoudige gevallestudie met ‘n narratiewe analitiese proses is in die studie gevolg. Agt deelnemers het ‘n self-opgestelde vraelys voltooi. Daarna is semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gevoer om die temas wat verband hou met die vraelys verder te ondersoek. ‘n Opvolg in-diepte onderhoud is ‘n maand later met elke deelnemer gevoer waartydens hulle hul ervaring as enkel-tweeling bespreek het.
Die eerste verwagte uitkoms was om die behoeftes van die enkel-tweeling wat tweelingverlies hanteer, te verstaan. Die tweede verwagte uitkoms was om by te dra tot kennis oor tweelingverlies en rou by die enkel-tweeling. Die bevindinge toon aan dat vier onverwagse temas vanuit die studie na vore gekom het, naamlik geheimhouding rakende die bestaan van ‘n mede- tweeling, voel soos ‘n aangenome kind, die kwessie van geloof as prominente faktor in die genesingsproses en die tweeling identiteit wat behou wil word. Riglyne is aan opvoedkundige sielkundiges gegee om hul toe te rus om die enkel-tweeling se verlies en rou te verstaan. ‘n Bydrae ten opsigte van kennis oor tweelingverlies en rou by enkel-tweelinge is gemaak. / The purpose of this study was to determine how adult twinless twins experience life following the loss of their co-twin. A qualitative empirical investigation was conducted in order to establish the needs of twinless twins in dealing with twin loss and the bereavement process. Literature indicates that ineffective coping mechanisms used in the loss of a twin, could result in emotional, cognitive, identity, relationship and behavioural issues. The literature further indicates that there are eight themes which determine whether these problems will culminate during the life of the twinless twin. These eight themes are: the effect of parental attitude, negative aspects of being part of a twin, feelings of guilt, polarisation, the twin connection, mitigating circumstances and the effect of loss on the relationship with others.
The study followed a multiple case study research design with a narrative analytical approach. Eight participants completed a self-structured questionnaire. Thereafter semi-structured interviews were conducted to further explore themes related to the questionnaire. A follow-up in-depth interview was conducted with each participant one month later during which they described their experiences of being a twinless twin.
The first anticipated outcome was an understanding of the needs of a twinless twin in dealing with loss of his or her twin. The second expected outcome was to add to the body of knowledge about twin loss and bereavement in twinless twins. The findings show that four unexpected themes emerged from the study, namely: secrecy regarding the existence of a co-twin; feeling like an adopted child; the issue of faith as a prominent factor in the healing process, and maintaining a twin identity. Guidelines are given to equip educational psychologists to understand twin loss and bereavement in twinless twins. The study contributed towards knowledge of twin loss and bereavement in twinless twins. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)
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Manlike identiteit: `n begeleidingsraamwerk vir vaders en hul seuns / Male identity : a guiding framework for fathers and their sonsGrobler, Hermanus Bosman 30 November 2006 (has links)
Text in Afrikaans / This study is aimed at the development of a guiding framework for fathers and their adolescent sons by focusing on male identity as the main binding factor in the relationship between father a and son. The establishment, as well as the confusion regarding male identity, have been stated as starting point and problem statement of the study. The need regarding the way in which the father and son can be guided within this dynamic relationship in order to establish male identity, has been stated as motivation for the study. The need regarding the guidance of fathers and their sons was thus the primary aim with the research question, namely what the most applicable factors in a guiding framework should be that would guide fathers and their sons in order to support the formation of male identity within the sons.
The research methodology that has been followed, was from a Gestalt perspective as meta theoretical assumption from which qualitative, explorative and descriptive strategies were followed. The qualitative strategy consisted of an auto-ethnography and semi-structured interviews. The trustworthiness of the research has been strengthened by a quantitative component of the research by utilizing questionnaires, after which data was collected and analysed. A purposive sample was drawn that included respondents from the Drakenstein municipal area in the Boland district.
Categories that were identified from data from the semi-structured interviews, as well as indicators from the questionnaires, have been integrated, from which propositions were constructed. Six themes and resulting guiding strategies were presented in the form of a guiding framework. / Hierdie studie is gerig op die ontwikkeling van 'n begeleidingsraamwerk vir
vaders en hulle adolessente seuns deur te fokus op manlike identiteit as die
samebindende faktor in die verhouding tussen vader en seun. Die vestiging,
asook die verwarring ten opsigte van manlike identiteit, is as vertrekpunt en
probleemstelling vir die studie gestel. Die behoefte ten opsigte van die manier
waarop vader en seun binne hierdie dinamiese verhouding begelei kan word
ten einde manlike identiteit te vestig, is as motivering vir die studie gestel. Die
behoefte aan begeleiding vir vaders en huile seuns was dus die primere doel
met 'n navorsingsvraag, naamlik wat die mees toepaslike faktore sal wees wat
in 'n begeleidingsraamwerk aan vaders en hulle seuns leiding sal bied ten
einde die vorming van manlike identiteit by die seuns te ondersteun.
Die navorsingsmetodologie wat gevolg is, was vanuit die Gestaltperspekief as
metateoretiese aanname waaruit kwalitatiewe, verkennende en beskrywende
strategies gevolg is. Die kwalitatiewe strategie het bestaan uit 'n outoetnografie
en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude. Die vertrouenswaardigheid
van die navorsing is deur 'n kwantitatiewe komponent van die navorsing
versterk deur vraelyste te benut waarna data ingesamel en geanaliseer is.
'n Doelgerigte steekproef is getrek, wat respondente ingesluit het uit die
Drakenstein munisipale gebied in die Boland distrik.
Kategoriee wat vanuit die data van die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude
geidentifiseer is, asook indikatore vanuit die vraelyste, is geintegreer waaruit
proposisies saamgestel is. Ses temas en voortspruitende
begeleidingstrategiee is aangebied in die vorm van 'n begeleidingsraamwerk. / Social Work / D.Diac. (Spelterapie)
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Literatuur en maatskappykritiek : problematisering van seksualiteit in Tom Lanoye se ̀Monstertrilogie'Joubert, Christiaan Johannes 03 1900 (has links)
This dissertation is a report on how Tom Lanoye, a contemporary Flemish
author who explores themes of social relevance, deconstructs the sexual
identity of his characters within the context of a postmodernist culture. The
manifestation of this deconstruction process is described within those
theoretical paradigms of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler that link sexual
identity and social mores. For the purpose of this research Tom Lanoye‘s
‘Monster’ Trilogy was selected. Set against the backdrop of Belgium society
during the late nineties of the twentieth century and highlighting the moral
downfall of the Deschryver patriarchy, Lanoye’s novels address an assortment
of contemporary gender and social political issues in his trilogy. These include
the following: political corruption; incest; homosexuality; racism; the sexual
abuse of minors; the relation between language and identity, volatile childrenparent
relationships; the subversion of gender norms and sexual
transformation. / In hierdie verhandeling word verslag gedoen van die wyse waarop Tom
Lanoye as hedendaagse eksponent van die Vlaamse versetprosa die seksuele
identiteit van sy karakters binne die konteks van 'n postmodernistiese
verwysingsraam dekonstrueer. Die manifestasie van hierdie
dekonstruksieproses word beskryf binne die teoretiese paradigmas met
betrekking tot die verband tussen seksuele identiteit en maatskappy van
Michel Foucault en Judith Butler. Vir die doel van hierdie ondersoek is
Lanoye se 'Monstertrilogie' geselekteer. Gesitueer teen die agtergrond van die
Belgiese maatskappy in die laat negentigerjare van die twintigste eeu en
gefokus op die morele ondergang van die Deschryver-patriargie, sny Lanoye
se trilogie 'n verskeidenheid van aktuele gender-en sosio-politieke kwessies
aan. Hierdie kwessies sluit in: politieke korrupsie; bloedskande;
homoseksualiteit, rassisme; die seksuele misbruik van minderjariges; die
verhouding tussen taal en identiteit; onbestendige ouer-kind-verhoudings; die
ondermyning van gendernorme en die kwessie van seksuele transformasie. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / M.A. (Afrikaans)
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Die onontkombaarheid van die verlede (Afrikaans)Kemp, Anna Francina 22 February 2010 (has links)
AFRIKAANS : In die studie word gepoog om aan te dui op watter ingrypende maniere die Afrikaner se problematiese verlede altyd weer opduik in die hede, en op watter maniere hierdie verlede die groei en ontwikkeling van ’n nuwe Suid-Afrikaanse identiteit kan verhinder, of andersins, hoe ’n grondige en bewuste Auseinandersetzung met die verlede kan lei tot beter begrip, nie alleenlik van die verlede nie, maar ook van die hede en (ideaalgesproke) van die toekoms. Daar word geredeneer word dat ’n proses van bewuste konfrontasie met die verlede noodsaaklik is vir die ontwikkeling van ’n lewensvatbare identiteit. Hierdie proses sluit in ’n bewuswording en ontleding van die houdings van skuld (ook kollektiewe skuld), verlies en melancholie jeens die verlede. ’n Belangrike newe-komponent van die verhandeling is om hierdie proses te koppel aan verhaaltegniese middele wat aangewend word in die bundel vertellings onder bespreking. Daar word gepoog om ’n noodwendige verband te lê tussen tematiek en narratiewe tegnieke. In die verhandeling word aandag gegee aan die temas van skuld en verlies in die verhale, asook die vele motiewe wat gekoppel kan word aan hierdie twee temas. Daar word ook aandag gegee aan verteltegnieke soos tydsvorme, assosiatiewe skryfwyse, vertellingstrant en die stem van die verteller, wat aangewend word om die konfrontasie met en houdings jeens die verlede uit te beeld. Daar word geargumenteer in die verhandeling dat die prosa in hierdie bundel as vertellings gereken moet word, eerder as kortverhale (of meer spesifiek, short stories), en wel omdat die temas en die verteltegnieke bymekaar aansluit met die oog op ’n spesifieke leserrespons wat ’n grondige konfrontasie met en bestekopname van die verlede behels. ENLISH : The study focuses on the inescapable presence of a problematic past in contemporary South Africa, and the ways in which this past prevents the development of a new South African identity. It argues that a fundamental reckoning with the past will lead to a better understanding of the present and the future, and is essential to the development of a viable South African identity. This process of reckoning with the past involves an awareness and analysis of attitudes towards the past, which includes guilt (also collective guilt), loss and melancholy. The process of Auseinandersetzung with the past is then linked to specific narrative techniques which are employed in the collection of short prose under discussion. It is argued that there exists a connection between theme and narrative technique. Narrative techniques under discussion include tense (past and present tense), associative writing, narration and voice. It is argued that the short prose in the collection under discussion should be defined as (oral) narratives (vertellings), rather than Short Stories. The reader response towards an (oral) narrative differs from the response towards a Short Story, and the difference is essential in the process of confrontation with the problematic past/history. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Afrikaans / unrestricted
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Die konstruering van die Christen-Afrikaanse vroue-ideaal : ʼn analise van twee Afrikaanse, Christelike vrouetydskrifte in Suid-Afrika (Afrikaans)Mans, Hettie 27 July 2012 (has links)
ʼn Visuele analise van twee Afrikaanse, Christelike vrouetydskrifte het ten doel om die aard van ʼn hedendaagse Christen-Afrikaanse vroue-ideaal te ondersoek, soos dit in alledaagse kultuur gekonstrueer word. Hierdie studie bestaan uit ʼn visuele analise wat fokus op populêre media, naamlik die Afrikaanse, Christelike glansvrouetydskrifte Finesse en Lééf. Die tiende verjaardaguitgawe van Finesse in Mei 2008 dui op ʼn mylpaal vir Christen-Afrikaanse vroulikheid. Daarom ag hierdie studie die Christen-Afrikaanse vroue-ideaal as ʼn waardige onderwerp om te bestudeer. Die studie stel ondersoek in na die agtergrond rondom die Christen-Afrikaanse vroue-ideaal, wat insluit: die sosio-politieke konteks rondom die Afrikaner/Afrikaanses, ʼn Godsdienstige kultuurgeskiedenis, en die bydrae van vrouetydskrifte tot die konstruering ʼn vroue-ideaal. Hierdie visuele analise bepaal dat die Christen-Afrikaanse vroue-ideaal subtiel gekonstrueer word deur sekere kodes wat met vroulikheid geassosieer word. Dit sluit onder meer in: visuele tekens wat ʼn denkbeeldige gemeenskap simboliseer, teekoppies, inskrywings, mooimaaksessies, vrugte, see, skoenlappers en skoonheid. Hierdie tekens simboliseer mitiese vroulikheid wat vergestalt in die Christen-Afrikaanse vroue-ideaal, wat deur die raamwerk van Finesse en Lééf ondersteun word. ʼn Kritiese, visuele analise van Finesse en Lééf volg, met spesifieke verwysing na visuele beelde waar ʼn vrou as individu in ʼn foto verskyn. Hierdie analise eien sekere karaktereienskappe wat die Christen-Afrikaanse vroue-ideaal voorhou, terwyl sekere tekens of kodes wat bepalend is tot haar uiterlike voorkoms, uitgelig word. Die studie bepaal dat die rolle wat die Christen-Afrikaanse vroue-ideaal voorhou, dié van eggenote en moeder insluit en word ondersteun deur die visuele analise. Die belang van iii haar rolle lei waarskynlik tot die Christen-Afrikaanse vroue-ideaal se beperking tot die huislike sfeer. Die huislike sfeer in die betrokke tydskrifte word visueel uitgebeeld aan die hand van resepte en dekor. Deur middel van die visuele analise van Finesse en Lééf bepaal hierdie studie die aard van Christen-Afrikaanse vroulikheid soos dit tydens 2008 in alledaagse kultuur weerspieël word. ENGLISH : The aim of a visual analysis of two Christian, Afrikaans, women's magazines is to explore the nature of the contemporary Christian-Afrikaans feminine ideal, as it is constructed in popular culture. Therefore, this study consists of a visual analysis which focuses on popular media, in this case the Christian, Afrikaans, glossy women's magazines, Finesse and Lééf. This coincides with the tenth birthday celebration of Finesse, which represents a milestone for Christian-Afrikaans femininity. Therefore, this research regards the Christian-Afrikaans feminine ideal as a significant topic to be studied. The construction of the Christian-Afrikaans feminine ideal is considered in terms of: the social-political context surrounding the Afrikaner/Afrikaanses; a religious cultural history; and the contribution of women's magazines to the construction of a feminine ideal. From the visual analysis it is clear that the Christian-Afrikaans feminine ideal is subtly constructed by codes that may be associated with femininity. These include: visual signs that symbolise an imagined community, tea cups, subscriptions, make-overs, fruit, the sea, butterflies and beauty. These signs, which are supported by the frameworks of Finesse and Lééf respectively, work together to construct not only a myth of femininity, but more importantly to this study, the Christian-Afrikaans feminine ideal. The critical visual analysis of Finesse and Lééf focuses on photographs of individual women in these magazines. This allows the study to pinpoint specific characteristics that form part of the persona of the Christian-Afrikaans feminine ideal. Signs and codes that contribute to the physical appearance of the Christian-Afrikaans feminine ideal are also pointed out. This study discovers that the various roles expected from the Christian-Afrikaans feminine ideal include that of wife and mother. These two primary roles then lead to the association of the Christian-Afrikaans feminine ideal with the private sphere. The visual analysis reveals that the private sphere is constituted by articles on decor and recipes in both magazines. Through a visual analysis of Finesse and Lééf, this study explores the nature of Christian-Afrikaans femininity as it was portrayed in 2008 in two popular magazines. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Visual Arts / unrestricted
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Lee Teng-Hui’s political cross-straits policy and mainland china’s reactionChi, Chia-Lin 08 October 2004 (has links)
By the end of the twentieth century, there were many secessionist groups, but, the move towards Taiwanese secessionism has arguably been the most significant of these. It triggered the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, which resulted in a historical military confrontation between Mainland China and the US. As will be shown, from 1988 to 2000, Lee Teng-hui, as president of Taiwan, manipulated the political Cross-Straits relationship to promote what was ultimately a secessionist policy. This caused Mainland China to react strongly and triggered sharp tension between Taiwan and Mainland China. This thesis considers what motivated Lee Teng-hui to implement a secessionist Cross-Straits policy and why he supported unification while adopting a substantive secessionist policy. It looks at how he was able to instigate Taiwanese hostility towards Mainlanders, to transform the hostility into a sense of Taiwanese national identity and ultimately into Taiwanese secessionist ideology. A historical approach was used in exploring the origins of secessionism, and descriptive and analytical methods to review systematically and comprehensively political developments in the ROC and its civil war, and to study Lee Teng-hui’s life; the national identity of Taiwan and Mainland China; the implementation of Lee Teng-hui’s political Cross-Straits policy; and the reaction of Mainland China. The study showed that the main cause of Taiwanese secessionism was ethnic conflict between Taiwanese and Mainlanders. It originated from the 228 Incident of 1947, in which Mainlander-led troops slaughtered many Taiwanese. Soon after, the Mainlander-led government fled to Taiwan from Mainland China, and many Taiwanese (including Mainlanders) were killed during the State of Emergency in the 1950s and 1960s. Since the Mainlander-led government fled to Taiwan in its original central government form, the Mainlander élite occupied key positions in the government during the 1950s and 1960s. It resulted in unfair power-sharing for Taiwanese, and caused the Taiwanese élite to believe that they had to establish their own government (nation). Lee Teng-hui had participated in the CCP and had been under political surveillance by the Mainlander-led government for over twenty years. He weathered these political difficulties, but by reasonable inference, there was a close relationship between the political oppression by the Mainlander-led government and his secessionist political Cross-Straits policy. Because Taiwanese residents were indoctrinated by Chiang Ching-kuo and his father, Chiang Kai-shek’s administration for about 40 years, Chinese ideology was dominant and Lee Teng-hui initially paid lip-service to Cross-Strait unification whilst working towards secessionism as reflected in the Chingdao-Lake Incident (1994); the private dialogue between Lee Teng-hui and Shiba Ryotaro (1994); the address at Cornell University (1995); and his two-state theory (1999). However, due to strong pressure from Mainland China, he did not reach his secessionist goal during his presidential term (1988-2000). In conclusion, this thesis shows that Taiwan Island’s geopolitical importance is at the heart of the US’ support for Taiwan’s secession from the Mainland. Therefore, Lee’s secessionist Cross-Strait policy aside, US national interests lie in containing Mainland China and it has, therefore, always played an important role in the secessionist issue and always will. From the perspective of Mainland China, either in terms of nationalism or national security, Taiwan’s secession is a life-and-death issue. If Taiwanese authorities were to declare independence, the only option for Mainland China would be to launch a unification war. For the US, Taiwan is only a pawn that it uses to contain Mainland China. Therefore, in the Cross-Strait issue, the US has more options than Mainland China, namely, to use military intervention in the future to deter Chinese unification or to decide to share common peaceful international relations with Mainland China by accepting Cross-Strait unification. / Thesis (DPhil (International Relations))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Political Sciences / unrestricted
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An exploration of the experiences of adolescents living with HIVPienaar, L.L. (Louisa Leanie) 16 August 2011 (has links)
The research endeavoured to voice the told and untold stories of adolescents living with HIV undergoing continual disease management at the Kalafong Hospital Paediatric HIV Clinic. Through the telling of their stories the adolescents had the opportunity to make sense of their illness experiences. Some of the participating adolescents had limited opportunities to discuss their experiences with friends or family members. The research was completed within the qualitative social constructionist narrative approach. Six adolescents from the clinic participated voluntarily in the research. The participants attended the clinic regularly for disease management and were on ART. The study explored the experiences of the adolescents by means of two semi-structured individual interviews. Expressive art in the form of drawings and poetry were used to aid storytelling. Through collaborative exploration of the adolescents‟ stories, it became possible to co-construct the meanings that they attached to their experiences of HIV, which informs their identity. The interview transcripts were analysed, re-storied, and placed within a narrative framework of understanding, based on the three-dimensional space approach by Clandinin and Connelly (2000). The framework of understanding aided the researcher to look at the different contexts, identities, and social significant aspects found in the adolescents‟ stories. Multiple identities were constructed in their stories such as patient, scholar, friend, family, and athlete identities. These were constructed based on their experiences in the family and cultural, school and social, and medical contexts. The adolescents attributed different meanings to their stories of living with HIV such as that of normality, sameness, realism, and difference. The unique and similar aspects that were found in the adolescents‟ stories were identified and discussed with reference to various concepts such as disclosure, adherence, and ART. It was found that status disclosure was done by staff at the clinic and it occurred during young adolescence. All the adolescents, except one who was not aware of her status, showed insight into the chronic nature of their disease. Five adolescents‟ statuses have not been disclosed to anyone outside the families. In only one instance, the family was not aware of his status. Most adolescents assumed primary responsibility for ART. They expressed conflicting ideas about the role of ART. Some adolescents had to cope with side effects, the possibility of accidental status disclosure and non-adherence, and fears of rejection. The research, employing a narrative approach, endeavours to contribute to create a holistic understanding of HIV/AIDS in the context of health care. Lack of communication and impersonal staff interactions with patients were identified as barriers to disease management. The research recommends that the clinic should provide ongoing support to the adolescents with regards to disclosure of their status to friends, family, and partners, and adherence to medication. The social significant aspects found in the adolescents‟ stories will be disseminated to the staff at the clinic. This will assist the multi-disciplinary team to gain a better understanding of the reality of the adolescent and how these experiences inform their identity. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Psychology / unrestricted
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