Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts / Thesis (MA (VA)) -- Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Cultural evolution & genre: an investigation of three South African graphic
narratives of the South African Border war (1975-1988)
Magister in Fine Arts thesis, Department of Fine Arts, Stellenbosch University
This study analyses three South African graphic narratives in the context of culture
evolving in the Darwinian sense. It is deemed necessary to consider evolutionary theory
in such a study of graphic narratives as it considers the development of culture as
resulting from a process of evolution akin to natural selection. Special attention is paid to
the theory of memetics, in the field of evolutionary epistemology, and its proposal to
model cultural evolution. While this model relies on evolutionary theory, the
development of culture is seen as evolving separately from biological evolution.
This evolutionary perspective on culture is combined with the concepts of discourse and
genre in social semiotics and media studies to investigate the changes in the depiction of
the Border war in South African graphic narratives. As such this study focuses on the
strategic viewpoint of cultural evolution, the role of memes in genre and its interaction
with the evolution of discourse. This approach is offered as a useful method to analyse
cultural artefacts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kulturele evolusie & genre: 'n ondersoek van drie grafiese verhale van die Suid-Afrikaanse Grensoorlog (1975-1988)
Magister in Beeldende Kunste tesis, Oepat1ement Beeldende Kunste, Universiteit van
Stellcnbosch
Hicrdie studic ontleed drie Suid-Afrikaanse graficse verhale in die konteks van kultuur
wat evolueer in die Oarwinistiese sin. Oit word belangrik gereken om evolusieteorie in so
'n studie van grafiese verhale in ag te neem aangesien die ontwikkeling van kultuur as die
resultaat van 'n proses van evolusie, verwand aan natuurlike seleksie, geag word.
Spesiale aandag word geskenk aan die teorie van meme, in die veld van evolusieepistemologie,
en die teorie se voorstel om kulturele evolusie te modelleer. Terwyl so 'n
teorie op evolusieteorie steun, word die ontwikkeling van kultuur beskou as 'n
afsonderlike proses van natuurlike seleksie.
Hierdie evolusienere perspektief op kultuur word verenig met die konsepte van diskoers
en genre in sosiale semiotiek en media studies om die veranderende uitbeelding van die
Grensoorlog in Suid-Afrikaanse gratiese verhale na te vors. Sodanig fokus hierdie studie
op die strategiesc oogpunt van kulturele evolusie, die rol van meme in genre en die
interaksie met die ontwikkeling van diskoers. Hierdie benadering word aangebied as 'n
waardevolle metode om kulturele artefakte te ontleed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/21512 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Du Plessis, Daniel Marthinus |
| Contributors | Kannemeyer, Anton, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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