This research project was aimed at identifying the perceptions of adolescent boys
and girls with regard to the role function of men and women in society. Quantitative
and qualitative methods, and a hybrid form of sampling were employed in this
research project. The sample for this study was drawn from 5 secondary schools
and comprised 65 boys and 65 girls. The adolescents' perceptions were analysed
and interrogated critically against the yardstick provided by the non-sexist values
of the South African constitution. An attempt was made to identify the extent to
which the adolescents' perceptions are in synch with rigid patriarchy, sexism and
the gendered division of labour, and the extent to which the adolescents'
perceptions are in synch with the non-sexist South African constitution. The
analysis of the adolescents' perceptions were informed inter alia by the theories of
essentialism and constructivism.
The research revealed, inter alia, that most of the adolescents reject rigid
patriarchy; reject the gendered division of labour in some spheres ; accept the
gendered division of labour in some spheres ; accept and favour the economic
empowerment of women ; believe that sex should be negotiated ; believe that men
are more suited to be leaders than women ; are against the perpetration of violence
by either of the sexes and are homophobic and heterosexist • It was also evident
that while both boys and girls rejected rigid patriarchy; girls were decidedly more
receptive to the empowerment of women than boys. The study revealed that while
there has been an erosion of the rigid division of the masculinized public sphere and
the feminized domestic sphere, the public sphere is perceived as one in which men
should dominate while the domestic sphere is deemed more suitable for women
than men with women and men playing supportive, subdued albeit ever increasing
roles in the public and domestic spheres respectively - the researcher as termed the
existing perception the yin-yang worldview and the emergent perception the
yanging-yin-yining-yang worldview. The study also highlighted that perceptions are
not determined entirely by knowledge and ideals and served to bring home
forcefully, the overriding potency of social realities and conditioning in shaping and
regulating perceptions.
In short the study demonstrated that the adolescents have not fully embraced the
non-sexist values of the new constitution. The findings of the study were utilized by
the researcher as a diagnostic instrument to produce recommendations and
solutions - based on Freirean praxis - for the elimination of sexist, patriarchical
perceptions. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2003.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/3308 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Chetty, Adhis. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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