Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African society presents a complex and diverse environment to social scientists.
Within immense economic stratification; a multitude of cultures and classes; languages and
their dialects; and varied racial groups, researchers attempt to produce information that
contributes constructively to policy, programs and a host of services. Beneath the surface
also lay complex power issues informed by both political and cultural histories. Many
contexts in which researchers find themselves continue to be marginalised and oppressed
due to factors such as illiteracy and low-levels of education, age, gender and poverty. These
groups often include women and children, in particular adolescents. Qualitative visual
methods may provide researchers with a tool by which to address many of the concerns
raised in the literature surrounding research carried out under such conditions. Visual
methods may remove inherent power imbalances, as well as traditional barriers, such as
culture and language, that stem from more 'conservative' research methods. Images may
allow participants to vocalise the taken-for-granted in their lives in an empowering manner.
The recognition and use of visual images in research with marginalised and oppressed
groups is being increasingly recognised by the larger research community. A preliminary
overview of the available literature highlights existing disagreement surrounding the
theoretical underpinnings of visual methods. This is particularly seen in the various and
confusing levels of abstraction presented in the literature. The primary aim of this study is
therefore, to gain clarity and understanding as regards the methodological and
epistemological underpinnings of visual research methods within the social sciences. As
such, a comprehensive literature review has been conducted. A second aim of the study is to
set out a typology of methods that would be relevant for use in marginalised communities.
The third aim of the study is empirical in nature and aims to highlight the role and/or
possibilities of visual research methods within the South African social sciences research
context. This is achieved by means of a case study which explores how motherhood is
experienced by five teenagers in a sub-economic community outside of Cape Town. It does
this by providing participants cameras with which to visually express their understanding and
experiences of motherhood. Processed photographs in this case study have been analysed
by means of informal discussion, directed by the images, with the participants themselves.
These discussions were recorded and transcribed. The results of the interviews were then
analysed using grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). The results emerging from this
have been compared with relevant literature. In this way, results are also triangulated, adding
to their reliability (Lucchinni, 1996). Consequently, results of this case study provide a
comparative component by which to assess the applicability of visual methods in the South
African research context. Both the literature review as well as experiences of the case study
also form the basis of suggestions for further exploration. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskap bied 'n komplekse en diverse omgewing aan sosiale
wetenskaplikes. Binne hewige ekonomiese stratifikasie; 'n verskeidenheid kulture en klasse;
tale en dialekte en diverse rassegroepe, poog navorsers om inligting te verskaf om 'n
konstruktiewe bydrae te maak aan riglyne, programme en 'n legio dienste. Onder die
oppervlakte lê daar ook komplekse magstryde afkomstig van beide 'n kuitereie en politieke
geskiedenis. Vele omstandighede waarin navorsers hulself vind word steeds oorheers deur
marginalisasie en onderdrukking as gevolg van faktore soos ongeletterdheid, lae vlakke van
opvoeding, ouderdom, geslag en armoede. Hierdie groepe bestaan dikwels uit, onder
andere, vroue en kinders. Kwalitatiewe visuele tegnieke mag navorsers van die nodige
metodes voorsien waarmee verskeie probleme wat in die literatuur uitgelig word aangaande
hierdie navorsing, aangespreek kan word. Visuele tegnieke mag inherente
magsongelykhede, sowel as tradisionele struikelblokke, soos kultuur en taal wat afkomstig is
uit meer 'konserwatiewe' navorsingstegnieke, verwyder. Uitbeeldings mag deelnemers
toelaat om die vanselfsprekende in hullewens in 'n opbouende wyse te vokaliseer. Die
identifisering en gebruik van visuele uitbeeldings in navorsing met gemarganaliseerde en
onderdrukte groepe word tot 'n toenemende mate erken deur die uitgebreide
navorsingsgemeenskap. 'n Voorlopige oorsig van die beskikbare literatuur beklemtoon
bestaande onenigheid met betrekking tot die teoretiese fondamente van visuele tegnieke. Dit
is veral duidelik sigbaar in die uitgebreide en verwarde vlakke van abstraktheid wat in die
literatuur voorgestel word. Die primêre doelwit van hierdie studie is dus om groter helderheid
en insig met betrekking tot die metodologiese en epistemologiese grondbeginsels van
visuele metodes, soos dit in die sosiale wetenskappe voorkom, te verkry. Met hierdie doel
voor oë is 'n uitgebreide literatuurondersoek onderneem. 'n Tweede doel van die studie is
om 'n tipologie van metodes uiteen te sit wat relevant kan wees in gemarginaliseerde
gemeenskappe. 'n Derde doel van die studie is empiries van aard en beoog om die rol en/of
moontlikhede van visuele tegnieke binne die Suid-Afrikaanse sosiale wetenskaplike
navorsings konteks te beklemtoon. Dit word bereik deur middel van 'n studie wat ondersoek
hoe moederskap ondervind word deur vyf tieners in 'n sub-ekonomiese gemeenskap in die
buitewyke van Kaapstad. Dit word uitgevoer deur deelnemers te voorsien van kameras
waarmee hul begrip en ondervindings van moederskap visueel uitbeeld. 'n Verdere analise
van hierdie studie is deur middel van informele besprekings uitgevoer met die deelnemers,
begelei deur die uitbeeldings. Sodanige besprekings is opgeneem en getranskribeer. Die
resultate verkry vanuit die onderhoude is daarna geanaliseer deur middel van begronde
teorie (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Die resultate wat hieruit afkomstig was, is vergelyk met
relevante literatuur. Op hierdie wyse is resultate bevestig, wat ook verder tot hul
betroubaarheid gespreek het (Lucchinni, 1996). Die gevolg is dat die resultate van hierdie
studie 'n vergelykende komponent verskaf waarmee die toepaslikheid van visuele tegnieke in
die Suid-Afrikaanse navorsingskonteks gemeet kan word. Beide die literatuurstudie, asook
die ondervindings vanuit die gevallestudie vorm die basis vir aanbevelings vir verdere
ondersoek.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50532 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Liebenberg, Linda |
| Contributors | Mouton, Johann, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ix, 386 pages : illustrations |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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