A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Arts
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
for the Degree of Master of Arts. / Thesis examines cultural expressions and community
attachment, and their relation to each other, in the
creation and maintenance of urban identity. In examining
this, the thesis considers a number of key cultural forms
in Sharpeville such as boxing, football, musicial
performance, youth. gangs, and styles of dress. It argues
that, conceptually, "community" is never static; rather
it is a state of existence, a perception, for a grouping
of people. At a given time they may consider themselves
to be collectively part of or constitute a community; at
another, their attachments may be to a different entity -
the local neighbourhood, for example.
The empirical data was derived mainly from primary
sources although due to the historical time-period
examined - namely 1943 to 1985 - there was some reference
to secondary sources. The research involved mainly
in-depth interviews and participant observation. By
administering a questionnaire, "key" informants within
the various cultural areas examined were identifed and
interviewed at length, sometimes more than once.
The thesis argues that "communities" only gain a sense of
cohesion, "identity" and unity at certain specific
historical moments; at other times the cultured focus
within them may in fact express quite other meanings than
those of "community" for their members. This identity is
seen thus as both a product of the structural features
which inform, influence and even dictate its direction as
well as the responses and actions of the residents
themselves, in shaping its outcome. / Andrew Chakane 2018
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/25709 |
| Date | January 1991 |
| Creators | Jeffrey, Ian |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf, application/pdf |
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