Fertility lies at the heart of Life: it re-invigorates and regenerates. It is one of the most intimate areas of human existence. Worldwide, infertility is on the increase. However, advances in biomedical technologies, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) give hope to those who are suffering from infertility. At the same time it brings the question of moral responsibility into focus. The availability of donor sperm and eggs, coupled with greater recognition of the rights of lesbians and gays to become parents either by adoption, utilising donor material, or openly exercising their rights as already existing parents, have complicated previous more conservative understandings of what ‘family’ means. The epistemological point of departure of this research is described in Chapter 3 and is positioned within postfoundational practical theology, with an emphasis on critical emancipative feminism. The underlying research methodology is the narrative approach, embedded in social constructionism. The research explores the narratives of four couples. These co-researchers, affected by infertility and childlessness, share their stories of surrogacy, secondary infertility, gay parenting and miscarriage that are presented in Chapters 4 to 7. In Chapter 2 the researcher includes her story as someone living with infertility. Particular attention was paid to understand and develop insights concerning preferred lives of fruitfulness in spite of infertility and childlessness. The explored narratives revealed varying discourses that are introduced through out the thesis, but are specifically integrated in Chapter 8. In the final chapter the author reflects critically on the research and writing process as a whole. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

This study explores the experiences of infertile married African women in South Africa. The study explores the women’s emotional experiences, their experiences of their relationships and the possible ways in which their culture may have influenced their experiences. The literature review gives an overview of female infertility, motherhood and feminism- from its conception to its current status in South Africa. The study is carried out in a clinical setting where the participants are already attending an infertility clinic for treatment. Six black women participate in this study and they are all married and experiencing primary infertility. This study does not include women experiencing secondary infertility because although they may presently be infertile, they have previously experienced one or more successful pregnancies. Therefore, primary infertility is chosen as the focus of this study because unlike secondary infertile women, primary infertile women have never experienced pregnancy and childbirth and thus their infertility is more noticeable and severe. The study is qualitative in nature and it is conducted within a feminist social constructionist research paradigm. This research paradigm is deemed to be more relevant in researching an issue pertaining to women, because feminist research enables social scientists to explore women’s social history, women’s perception of their own situation, their own subordination and their own resistance (Mies, 1993). Through social constructionism, the women are each able to make meaning out of their experiences and to include the influences of their culture, gender and social context in the construction of their experiences. Furthermore, since feminist research perspectives have supported the process of telling sensitive human stories as research, a narrative approach is employed in gathering information regarding the women’s experiences of being infertile. Thus, through telling their own self-narratives, the women are able to relate their experiences as well as the events that took place in their lives regarding their infertility. Structural narrative analysis as well as content narrative analysis are employed in the analysis of the women’s narratives. What emerges from their stories is the hope and the subsequent disappointment that follows from their countless visits and consultations with different health professionals, both western and traditional, as they search for pregnancy. It also emerges that in addition to their personal experiences, these women’s marital and familial relationships, as well as their extended social relationships, also contribute to the emotional distress that they experience as a result of their infertility. Although most of the women mainly report negative experiences, there are also some who report positive experiences and some form of support in their lives. It is hoped that the results obtained from this study will enable psychologists to intervene effectively and to work collaboratively with other health professionals towards delivering services aimed at assisting infertile African women medically, socially and psychologically. / Dissertation (MA (Clinical Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

At the beginning of the 21st century, the multidimensional nature of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic makes it one of humanity’s greatest challenges. Although the HIV/AIDS pandemic has an impact not only on health but on all aspects of the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS, forgiveness has not received much attention in the HIV/AIDS context. Despite the fact that forgiveness has been praised for centuries by most societies and cultures as valuable of adoption, using the word does not necessarily imply that people understand its meaning. The aim of this study is to describe the conceptualisation, meaning for and use of forgiveness of the research participants as people living with HIV. The study draws on social constructionism as a research method. Social constructionism implies that personal constructions regarding forgiveness and unforgiveness are informed by the prevailing social discourses related to forgiveness and HIV/AIDS. For that reason, there are continuous references to social discourses concerning forgiveness and HIV/AIDS that may inform these conceptualisations. Furthermore, the research report is presented as a conversation between the research participants, the researcher, discourses and literature concerning forgiveness and HIV/AIDS. Therefore, the readers are continuously invited to take part in the conversation. So, the study also aims to provide readers with an opportunity to draw on their existing constructions regarding forgiveness and unforgiveness, and to co-create their own constructions regarding the issues under discussion. These descriptions and co-constructions emerged against the backdrop of South African society. The findings of the study are presented as “new constructions”. These new constructions refer to the conversations that developed between the research participants and the researcher, and the conversations that they elicited with the literature. Finally, the researcher evaluates the legitimacy of the study, makes recommendations for further research, and reflects on how she was influenced by the study. / Dissertation (MA (Counselling Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Psychology / MA / unrestricted

The co-construction of helping services in the community of Ennerdale is a study that explores men’s reluctance to make use of helping and psychological services. Academic and informal literature informs us that men are often unwilling to seek medical or psychological assistance and that the male stereotypes view these services as utilised only by the weak and powerless. A great part of men’s unwillingness is furthermore related to historical male roles and the perception that the helping, and specifically the psychological services, are for the weak and insane. This research study was conducted in the Community of Ennerdale, a community south of Johannesburg. A focus group was conducted with adult male volunteers from the community and individual interviews were conducted with two psychologists, one medical doctor, and one church minister. The study was conducted from a social constructionist epistemology that falls within the qualitative research framework. The social constructionist epistemology views our (individuals) understanding and views of our world as a uniquely social process that is influenced by our gender, culture, language, and history. A discourse analysis was utilised to analyse the information obtained from both the focus group and individual interviews. The results from this research study indicate that a great part of men’s reluctance is related to the dominant male discourses and male scripts that construct men as superior and proud individuals who are not supposed to display weakness or inability. The helping and psychological services are constructed as services that assist the weak, insane and powerless, constructing an identity of weakness and insanity which men wait to avoid. The most common indicator for men’s reluctance is the historical constructs of the helping services and the historical constructs and discourses related to masculinity and appropriate male behaviour. / Dissertation (MA (Counselling Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted

Please contact the author directly for a DVD that accompanies the thesis In this thesis we consider how one may use the arts in narrative practise. The use of the word narrative practise as oppose to narrative therapy extends the grounding metaphor’s reach beyond its use in therapy to facilitation and all other disciplines that adopts the use of this metaphor. The arts in a contemporary perspective include dance, drama, fine arts, music and multimedia. The choice for the arts is found in the research gap, which emphasise that most conventional psychological therapies including narrative therapy has a conversational/ verbal approach. In contrast an exploration into the arts acknowledge the importance of being physically and creatively involved in the construction of meaningful realities. The exploration of the arts in light of possible interaction with narrative practise is not confined to professional voices but is inclusive of recreational skills in the arts and crafts. The risk involved in extending the scope of the narrative metaphor beyond therapy, which may render an unmanageable amount of data, is minimized by a positioning in a pastoral perspective; pastoral in this sense, the discipline of practical theology is situated in a (one) faith community. Chapter one considers questions of positioning relating to the arts and theology. These are informed by a certain epistemology. While methodological concerns and a positioning therein is all ready found in chapter one, chapter two is reserved for method and practical methodological concerns. Our research participants will be introduced here. Everything that this study says about the arts and its consideration in narrative practise is found in chapters three and four. Chapter three refers to all exposure from conferences attended to numerous individual conversations based on the highly reflective research design found in chapter two. In chapter three all the arts that this study was confronted with are included. Chapter four focuses in on story as art. I regard the differentiation between arts as therapy as opposed to arts in therapy as the most profound consideration. A distinction is advocated, drawing on narrative social constructionist epistemology, between story as tool versus story as grounding metaphor; telling narratives versus performing narratives, human story telling versus narrative identity. It is important to notice that this thesis is not presented according to themes. It is my intention that through the way in which this thesis is presented (especially so chapter three) fragments of the story of the research process will be evident. For this reason chapter five is included, giving the reader a better understanding of the ways in which the arts were found to function. Chapter six entails a personal and critical reflection on the research; it has the purpose of sayingwell, I don’t assume that this study is at the pinnacle of academic achievement nor is it the ultimate truth. I have myself wondered about the numerous addenda and I’m not sure that it is in an explorative study something one can too easily do without. Some addenda fit its conventional use while others contain highly relevant information. Since I did not want to force these into arguments I present them in addenda. What I hope the reader finds is a truthful reflection on what has to me been a meaningful research journey on the use of the arts in narrative practise; a journey accounted for in academic yet participant informed language; language about ways of being with people that at times can transcend the boundaries of the spoken word. / Thesis (PhD (Pastoral Family Therapy))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

This research covers the story of four persons from different backgrounds brought together by their faith in God, fellowship in the same church, residing in the same community and sharing the experience of living with HIV and AIDS: either as infected and/or affected individually. I am one of these persons due to the fact that I lost my sister to HIV and AIDS, thus I am affected. Though I only appear in the story as the researcher, it is my own loss that made it possible for me to empathise with my co-researchers. While one co-researcher was affected due to the fact that her husband was infected, became ill and died of HIV and AIDS-related sicknesses, the other two women were both infected by their husbands and at the same time were affected because they had to nurse the same husband who infected them. This was one of the cruelest moments in their lives but they forgave their husbands and cared for them to the end. In order for my research to reach the holistic insight into these women’s stories, I used the postfoundationalist practical theology approach. The reason for this is that this approach is contextual and relevant to people’s everyday life. One does not have to import knowledge to try to solve problems emanating from a particular context, but one needs to engage the locals and from that engagement, people start to reflect positively on their problems. Other lessons learnt is that one needs more than just a religious experience to play a role in solving the problem of HIV and AIDS; one needs more of the other disciplines to work together. In places like Mozambique, HIV and AIDS is not regarded as one of the health problems, but is classified as an interdepartmental or multi-sectoral problem. This means that HIV and AIDS do not affect only the Health Department, but all the departments. As such, each department is expected to have its own HIV and AIDS budget. It is here that I propose the Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) composed of professionals from different disciplines working together to help solve the problem at hand. HIV and AIDS also help us to revisit our own understanding of God. While some people see the pandemic as the punishment from God for promiscuity, the truth is that we are all created in His image and this loving God does not destroy His own creation through HIV and AIDS. In His loving care, He reaches out to the unreached and cares for all His people: whether they are infected with HIV and AIDS, cancer or just are as healthy as they could be. The process of this research has empowered and enabled me to contribute to those who are infected and affected to be resilient and to stand, having hope in the goodness of God, working with others to bring a lasting solution to those infected and affected. Being resilient helps one to reclaim the marred Image of God in oneself and to reflect that image to impact onto our communities. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

As a Euro-African I wish to explore the validity of the idea that worldview factors are fundamental in determining the praxis of administration. From observation and experience, problems with the practice of administration appear to be generic, rather than primarily personal. (It was noted, however, that personality and temperament also play a role.) The enquiry focuses on Shona and Ndebele Christians in Zimbabwe. As the field of study is Practical Theology and to give a theological foundation for and, perhaps, at least a partial solution to some of the perceived problems, a nascent theological approach to administration is presented, together with proposed training courses in administration and leadership for Bible colleges. Because the notion of administration is somewhat abstract, a fivefold framework was used comprising Planning, Organising, Leading and Controlling, all performed within Time. Questions on the connections, values, perceptions, expectations and use of these components by Shona and Ndebele Christians were discussed in light of their worldviews. Although the intended research approach was social construction, the need for the framework undercut this approach somewhat. I also came from a moderately soft postfoundationalist viewpoint, using narrative practical theology. Six Christian leaders as co-researchers – three Shona and three Ndebele; three Pentecostal and three non-Pentecostal – shared their multicultural insights through personal anecdotes and narrative interaction. Chapter One, in two parts, begins with a personal anecdote and other illustrations highlighting some of the difficulties experienced with administration and its processes in a multicultural African context. The research question – whether worldview shapes the praxis of administration – together with sub-problems, is then outlined. The second section explains the research methodology. Chapter Two defines worldview and administration from both the natural and Christian perspectives, to clarify their nature and praxis. Some underlying problems are introduced. Chapter Three explores what constitutes administration in Christian ministry. Here, values and tasks are itemised to reveal the actual content of administration (at least from a local church pastor’s perspective) and some assumptions behind it. Chapter Four presents individual conversations with the six co-researchers. These personal responses begin to highlight the connection of worldview to administrative praxis and some initial issues arising there from. Chapter Five reflects group dialogues, which allow for cross-cultural and cross-theological views. Gender is introduced as a woman para-church ministry leader replaces a pastor. This provides further fusion of views. From there, Chapter Six examines the Shona, Ndebele and Christian worldviews in more depth. Two case studies are explored narratively, to identify how worldview factors impact the praxis of administration in specific settings. Chapter Seven discusses the group’s understanding of the Biblical perspective of administration. A tentative theological approach to administration is offered. And lastly, Chapter Eight summarises the findings, identifies the issues and presents some solutions. The focus for the latter is on possible administration courses for Bible colleges. Although not directly social constructionist, the team affirmed this approach. The intention here is to enhance this training and thus improve administration in Christian ministry for the wider benefit of the Church community. / Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Practical Theology / PhD / unrestricted

The focus of this dissertation is to explore contextually relevant ideas through conversation around behaviour problems, specifically bullying, experienced in primary schools situated in the township of Mamelodi. The study explores the relationship around bullying between the members of the school staff involved with the children, the children identified as manifesting bullying behaviour, their families and any relevant community system or individuals as identified by the research participants themselves through conversation. It focuses on providing a description of experiences around bullying behaviour facing the participants by exploring their own perspectives and meanings around their situation and any possible solutions that they may offer. The focus is of an exploratory and descriptive nature to provide a basis for an intervention that is contextually relevant to this community by acknowledging these locally constructed discourses. An ecological approach within a postmodern social constructionist theoretical backdrop is chosen for this study. It is an approach that emphasises the importance of context and the social constructionist influence emphasises the importance of language. Three primary schools in the Mamelodi Township were approached to participate. One ecological case study from one of the three schools is used in the analysis to explore the aims of this research. Data was gathered through semi-structured open-ended interviews. Discourse analysis is used to construct the various discourses emerging from the conversations resulting from the interviews. Through the discourse analysis the various meanings, experience or understanding around bullying are constructed. The interaction of these various discourses and influence that they have on each other are also considered. The possible influence of background discourses of the wider community and society are included. These discourses are presented not as truths but as a plausible a construction of an ecology of bullying grounded in background and events. Using theses discourses some of the possible implications for a contextually and locally relevant intervention programme and further ideas for research are suggested. As the study focuses on contextual relevance, arguments around indigenous psychology, cross cultural research and the role of interpreters are also considered. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

The aim of this study is to explore some of the ways in which masculinity is constructed in relation to HIV/AIDS. A review of literature about masculinity describes a normative masculinity where being a man is often associated with harmful practices. The review also shows that such a normative conceptualisation of masculinity has been contested through a call for less rigid and simplistic descriptions of what it means to be a man. The literature review also shows that research that specifically addresses the intersection between masculinity and HIV/AIDS tends to provide a marginalising and negative account of men’s position in the epidemic. However, it also shows a growing awareness of the inadequacy of such an approach. The present study aims to critically explore the ways in which masculinity is constructed by a group of men living with HIV. More specifically it explores how men living with HIV experience their masculinity and whether their HIV status impacts on their views of themselves as men. The study is located in a social constructionist framework and utilises a qualitative methodological approach. Discourse analysis was used to analyse the text produced during focus group discussions with a group of black South African men who are living with HIV. From the discourse analysis, six discourses were identified as operating in the text. The first three discourses can be described as contributing to an idealised or normative construction of masculinity. This idealised masculinity is constructed by the participants as something that is valued and to which men need to conform. At the same time it is also constructed by the participants as something that men cannot always attain and that they experience as a burden in that they continually need to engage in actions that affirm their position as ‘real’ men. This tension is constructed as a sense of not being able to ‘live up to’ hegemonic notions of masculinity that participants describe as being valued by their partners, family members and others in their community. </p > This construction of masculinity was spoken of as operating in a restrictive manner, where men are limited in the kind of actions available to them, such as seeking support or acknowledging their vulnerability to HIV. Specific discursive acts were mentioned as contributing to this idealised masculinity, such as getting married, having children, being a financial provider, having multiple sexual partners and being in a position of authority in the home. In the last three discourses that were identified the manner in which HIV contributes to constructions of masculinity became a more prominent feature of the discourses. Participants constructed HIV as a life event that interferes with conforming to notions of a normative masculinity. This emerged in talk of how illness or other periods of vulnerability disrupts the notion of men being invulnerable. It also emerged in talk of how living with HIV complicates attaining traditional signifiers of masculinity, such as getting married or having children. The final discourse that emerged from the text relates to a transformed masculinity, where men living with HIV reconstruct their masculinity in the face of the challenges that HIV poses. Living with HIV is constructed as requiring of men to re-evaluate and change their masculinity as conforming to normative constructions of masculinity is perceived as restrictive and harmful. Such an idealised masculinity prevents men from accessing the support they need in managing their health and men therefore look towards change. The study contributes to the growing body of research that explores masculinity as fluid and constructed in relation to various influences, rather than viewing masculinity as a fixed identity. It presents an account of how men living with HIV challenge and resist dominant constructions of masculinity, thereby indicating that there are possibilities for change. This has implications for interventions that aim to increase the potential positions men can assume in promoting responsible sexual practice as well as deconstructing notions of masculinity that limit the courses of action available to men living with HIV when seeking support. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

To create a successful development in sports, gender equality is required. The lack of gender equality within the sport as an organization is therefore a problem and historically, sports is characterized by a gender structure where women is subordinate to men. The purpose of this essay is therefore to increase the knowledge of  the position of women within the field of ice hockey, and to open up for an analyzis of the gender equality within the rules of ice hockey using the theory of social constructionism. The theory makes it possible to highlight the meaning of commonly used concepts within the gender equality debate such as masculinity and femininity as social constructions depending on culture and history and how they change over time. This leads to the question of how the level of gender equality in the rules of ice hockey can be understood by using a social constructive theory. In order to achieve the purpose, the essay has the legal analyzis method as a basis to make the analyzis more nuanced. Interwiew as a method has also been used to create additional support for the conclusions. The study shows that there are significant differences in the rules of ice hockey that causes a problem with gender equality, but if you look under the surface, you could find that what seems to be natural, really is not. The rules of ice hockey, and the problem of gender equality are social constructions that changes under influence by the social environment.