Zugl.: Bonn, Univ., Diss., 2007/2008

Religious and cultural discourses shape relationships/marriages. The constructed nature of relationships/marriages opens the possibility for alternative relational realities. Positioning relationships/marriages in alternative discourses assisted the couples to construct a preferred relationship narrative. Three couples embarked on this feminist participatory action research journey - a couple from the Jehovah's Witnesses tradition,' a couple from the Dutch Reformed Church and a couple from a Gay Refonned Church. Conversations with the participating couples deconstructed their relationships. It also enabled the couples to co-author alternative, preferred realities of their relationships/marriages and to provide rich descriptions of these. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

This dissertation compares the family and marriage traditions of the Ashantis of Ghana and Ancient Hebrews. Some common features characterize the two societies, principal among which is the idea that having children is the key purpose of marrieage above love and intimacy. Others are the low status of the wife in the domestic context; endogamy rules based on consanguinity; and payment of bride price. However, the two traditions differ in important areas. For example, the Ashantis follow kinship system based on matrilineal descent, succession and inheritance and the girl child is preferred. The patriarchal system of the Ancient Hebrews invest all authority in the father and the male heirs is preferred. Other defining factor in Ashanti and Pentateuchcal marriage is their religion and belief systems. Much of the marriage traditions seem to be cultural references rather than religious imperatives binding on Christians today. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / Thesis (M.Th.)

The study investigates the role of religious education in the promotion of girls’ educational rights in peri-urban schools in Chingola district, Zambia. Fifteen schools were involved in the study and are all in the outskirts of Chingola town. Data was collected through oral interviews, questionnaires and observations. Questionnaires were given to 260 girls ranging from grade 5 to 9. Five questionnaires were distributed to each class. Besides the school girls, six instructresses were interviewed on cultural beliefs and practices that hinder girls’ progress in education. In addition, 15 teachers were also interviewed specifically to identify topics in Religious Education and their relevance in the promotion of self-confidence and self-esteem among girls as well as various teaching methods which promote learner-centredness. The Religious Education curriculum at primary, secondary and college levels of education was evaluated to assess its relevance to the promotion of girls’ education. Furthermore, contributions by some Non-Governmental Organisations and Religious Education towards gender equity in education and the Zambian government policy on gender were highlighted. The findings of the study were in four categories namely: cultural beliefs and practices that hinder girls’ progress in education, other problems affecting girl-child education besides cultural norms, freedom to enable girls to make their own constructive decisions, and topics in Religious Education which have the potential to promote self-confidence and self-esteem among the girls. The cultural beliefs and practices highlighted were the initiation ceremonies, early pregnancies and early marriages. The other problems hindering girls’ progress and advancement which came out vividly were long distances from home to school, poverty, boys jeering at girls when they got wrong answers and household chores. Further findings identified topics in Religious Education and their relevance towards the promotion of girls’ educational rights despite the influence of cultural beliefs and practices in the peri-urban schools. Some of the topics were ‘Advantages of having a friend’ taught in grade 1, ‘Growing in responsibility’ taught in grade 2, ‘Bravery and courage’ taught in grade 4, ‘Happiness’ taught in grade 5, ‘Development and co-operation’ taught in grade 6, ‘Marriage and family life’ taught in grade 7, ‘How people make choices’ taught in grade 8, ‘The talents people have’ taught in grade 8, ‘How people develop’ and ‘How religion helps people’ taught in grade 8, ‘Freedom and community’ as well as ‘Ambitions and hopes’ taught in grade 9. In conclusion, the research study has revealed that Religious Education as a subject has the potential to promote the girls’ educational rights and advancement in the peri-urban schools. Other subjects taught like Mathematics, Science and Technology are experimental subjects. They were rigid and cannot be bent while Religious Education leaves room for freedom in making concrete decisions. It deals also with emotions, values, and feelings. Mathematics imposes the facts without query. / Religious Studies / M.A. (Religious studies)

In recent times, the incidence of single-parent families has increased rapidly with the principle cause being the rising divorce rate. The vast majority of these single-parent families are headed by women and a predominantly common factor in these households is the extent to which they are financially impoverished after divorce. This situation has given rise to the phenomenon known as the feminisation of poverty, where women are seen to make up the majority of the poor. This study examines the many varied factors contributing to this phenomenon and discusses some of the general solutions offered world-wide to address these poverty-stricken households. An assessment is then made of those legal solutions most appropriate for South Africa / Law / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie is 'n verkennende studie wat die Tsonga se persepsies omtrent seksualiteit ondersoek. Daar is gekonsentreer op die etiese en sosio-kulturele aspekte van die seksualiteit ten einde riglyne aan die Christelike kerk te verskaf. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gebruik. In hoofstukke twee en drie word breedvoerig verlag gedoen oor die Tsonga se seksuele persepsies en gebruike. Eerstens word gekyk na die nie-Christelike Tsonga en dan na die Christelike Tsonga. Die nie-Christelike Tsonga se seksualiteit is deurspek van rnitiese gebruike en gelowe. Die Christelike Tsonga het minder van die rnitiese maar toon weinig konforrnasie tot die tradisionele Christelike waardes. Uit die tradisionele Afrikareligie is 'n bepaalde etiek oorgeerf. Hierdie etiese beginsels verskil aansienlik van die Christelike etiek. Die Christelike etiek is 'n normatiewe etiek waar die motief vir 'n bepaalde handeling net so belangrik is as die handeling self. Die oorgeerfde Afrika-etiek stel minder belang in die intensies van die persoon wat die handeling uitvoer. Wat saak maak is die gevolge van 'n handeling. Die vraag word gevra waarom die Christelike Tsonga nie nader aan die aanvaarde Christelike norme beweeg het nie. Daar word bevind dat oorgelewerde sosiale tradisies, gebruike en waardes groter invloed op die seksualiteit uitoefen as godsdiens. Die is veral die proses van vervreemding, wat die Tsongakultuur tans ondergaan, wat lei tot 'n toestand van kontakarmoede en 'n gebrek aan singewing. Kan die kerk enige bydrae lewer tot die seksualiteit van die Tsonga? Daar is bevind dat die Christelike sending 'n fasiliterende bydrae daartoe kan lewer dat die Tsonga-gelowige, 'n lokale teologie van die seksualiteit tot stand kan bring. Dit is belangrik dat die Tsongagemeenskap self die teoloog moet wees. Op hierdie manier kan die Christelike godsdiens wel 'n verrykende bydrae lewer tot die seksualiteit by die Tsonga. / This is a investigative study that researches the Tsonga perception of sexuality. Emphasis has been placed on the ethical and socio­ cultural aspects of sexuality in order to provide guidelines to the Christian church. The qualitative method of research was used. In chapters two and three a detailed account of the Tsonga's sexual perceptions and practices is given. Firstly the non-Christian Tsonga was studied and then the Christian Tsonga. The non-Christian Tsonga's sexuality is interspersed with mythical practices and beliefs. The Christian Tsonga have less of the mythical but show little conformation to the traditional Christian values. From the traditional African religions a specific ethic was inherited. These ethical principles differ substantially from the Christian ethics. The Christian ethic is a normative ethic where the motive for an action is as important as the action itself. The inherited African ethic is less interested in the intentions of the person doing the action. The consequence of the action is what matters. The question is asked why the Christian Tsonga did not move closer to the accepted Christian norms. It was found that the inherited social traditions, uses and values exert more influence on the sexuality than the religion. It is above all the process of alienation that the Tsonga culture is presently enduring, that leads to a situation of poor contact and a lack of purpose. Can the church deliver any contribution towards the sexuality of the Tsonga? It was found that the Christian mission could make a facilitating contribution towards the Tsonga believers, enabling them to bring about a local theology of sexuality. It is important that the Tsonga community should be its own theologian. In this manner the Christian religion can make an enriching contribution towards the sexuality of the Tsonga. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / Th. D. (Sendingwetenskap)

Generally, traditional "marriages" according to Islamic custom are void in South African law because they are potentially polygynous and do not comply with the formalities prescribed by the Marriage Act 25 of 1961 . A valid concern for those who oppose polygyny is that it may enforce and promote gender inequality in that it is practised in patriarchal Muslim societies. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996 contains numerous provisions aimed at combating gender inequalities, and these could be used to justify the policy of non-recognition. On the other hand, the Constitution has ushered in an era of tolerance and empathy; and the equality and religion clauses could be used to ensure that polygynous marriages are no longer ignored. This study will examine the tensions between Muslim personal law and clauses in the Constitution which have led to calls for the reformation and codification of Muslim personal law. / Private Law / LL. M.

Magister Legum - LLM / This by implication would mean that the best way to prevent child abduction is to desist from international marriages and moving abroad.The modern reality is that relationships are being formed internationally. In the same breath, relationships are easily un-formed and the family fractured. The emotional impact of any breakup is usually tense, and it follows by implication that this will be exacerbated if a child is involved. For reasons that will be expounded on in the thesis, many caregivers, usually mothers have opted to abduct their children. Some have opted to apply formally to relocate. Relocation disputes are widely regarded as one of the most controversial and difficult issues in family law internationally. These disputes usually arise pursuant to a relational breakdown, when the resident parent (usually the mother) seeks to relocate with the children either domestically or internationally. This causes a significant impact on contact arrangements with the other parent (usually the father). Depending on the country in which they find themselves and the laws applicable to relocation with the child, mothers are faced with the decision to remove the child either lawfully or wrongfully. International family law jurisprudence has been developed over time to assist with custody and relocation disputes. ‘Much has been written on the Hague Convention – its flaws and its successes, its effectiveness and utilization. This thesis aims to look specifically at relocation disputes within the context of international parental child abduction; more specifically, it sets out to explore whether there is a link between those phenomena, and whether the Hague Convention is sufficient for dealing with relocation disputes. I hope to make a convincing argument that if there were an international instrument regulating relocation, there would be uniformity and consistency. People’s confidence in the legal processes would be restored, motivating them to apply formally to relocate and, in doing so, the incidence of child abductions would be reduced. / South Africa

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The diploma thesis deals with the Jewish Council of Elders in Prague, whose existence is defined in the years 1943-1945. The administrative body, which was formally established by renaming the wartime Jewish Community of Prague in February 1943, was obliged to carry out orders from superior authorities and act as an intermediary between the Nazi leadership and the persecuted Jewish population. Earlier emigration, retraining and care activities were replaced by the liquidation tasks and the management of other activities, which in consequence were to lead to the complete destruction of Jewish life in the occupied Bohemia and Moravia. The diploma thesis focuses on the historical and organizational development of the above-mentioned Jewish council from its inception to liquidation in the post-war period, as well as on the activities of departments and the fates of some employees. The organization is set in the context of the final phase of Jewish persecution, which in the period under review focused mainly on so-called Mischlinge and Jews from mixed marriages, and the Nazi policy of liquidation of Jewish communities and establish of Jewish councils. The thesis is based on the use and comparison of archival sources, periodicals, source editions or memories of contemporary witnesses. The main part of...