Re-thinking freedom: selected Life-Writings of South African Born-frees
- Authors: Mpendulo, Mashumi
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Born-Frees , Freedom of expression , Post-apartheid era -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Masters theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/3400 , vital:43339
- Description: Ideas of freedom in post-apartheid South Africa cannot be understood in isolation from the lived experiences of the people we often consider as the future of South Africa. Freedom is a time-bound value whose meaning keeps changing as time goes by, and our understanding of freedom before 1994 cannot be the same as today. With close reference to the selected life writings of South African born-frees, this study examines ideas of freedom as expressed in these texts written from the perspectives of ordinary young black people in post-apartheid South Africa. It unpacks the youth’s rejection of the tag ‘born-free’ by bringing out the difficulties of their upbringing in poverty and inequality. This work argues that poverty, inequality, unemployment, and dilapidated infrastructure in public schools are still very much a feature of post-apartheid South Africa, and that the government is yet to fully transform the lives of ordinary black people who much as they try to do so themselves, are still faced with structural inequalities, physical and symbolic violence. Through decolonial theory, the selected texts are analysed to trace the legacies of colonialism and apartheid and how notions of freedom have changed over time. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
- Authors: Mpendulo, Mashumi
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Born-Frees , Freedom of expression , Post-apartheid era -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Masters theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/3400 , vital:43339
- Description: Ideas of freedom in post-apartheid South Africa cannot be understood in isolation from the lived experiences of the people we often consider as the future of South Africa. Freedom is a time-bound value whose meaning keeps changing as time goes by, and our understanding of freedom before 1994 cannot be the same as today. With close reference to the selected life writings of South African born-frees, this study examines ideas of freedom as expressed in these texts written from the perspectives of ordinary young black people in post-apartheid South Africa. It unpacks the youth’s rejection of the tag ‘born-free’ by bringing out the difficulties of their upbringing in poverty and inequality. This work argues that poverty, inequality, unemployment, and dilapidated infrastructure in public schools are still very much a feature of post-apartheid South Africa, and that the government is yet to fully transform the lives of ordinary black people who much as they try to do so themselves, are still faced with structural inequalities, physical and symbolic violence. Through decolonial theory, the selected texts are analysed to trace the legacies of colonialism and apartheid and how notions of freedom have changed over time. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021
Versions of masculinity in Zukiswa Wanners work
- Authors: Scina, Nontsikelelo
- Date: 2018-07
- Subjects: Gender , Zukiswa Wanner , Masculinity in literature , Sex roles
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/6708 , vital:47459
- Description: Traditional notions of masculinity which give power and authority to one dominant form of masculinity in the contemporary era are under scrutiny as they are constantly being challenged through the emergence of alternative forms of masculinity. Through the use of Wanner’s novels, this work examines how South African masculinities are constructed, how they are challenged, and how alternative forms are negotiated. It unpacks Wanner’s depiction of hegemonic, thwarted, complicit and marginalised masculinities as it traces the diversity and fluidity of masculinities in these literary texts and the resultant alternative masculinities these novels propose. Furthermore, this work foregrounds the often taken-for-granted role of women and portrays it as the centre around which masculinities are constructed. This is achieved by probing deeper into the familial unit and looking at the traditional gender roles of women, taking into consideration that the South African constitution allows them either to stick to these roles or to choose from an array of career choices presented to them. It is suggested that instead of viewing masculinity as a standard uniform entity, it is profitable to perceive it as a heterogeneous entity, comprising of different versions which are determined by different factors. It is further suggested that the role of women in the construction of masculinities should be given recognition, as they seem to play a significant role in either inhibiting or promoting the transformation of masculinities through the choices they make. , Thesis (M.Arts) -- Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, 2018
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018-07
- Authors: Scina, Nontsikelelo
- Date: 2018-07
- Subjects: Gender , Zukiswa Wanner , Masculinity in literature , Sex roles
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/6708 , vital:47459
- Description: Traditional notions of masculinity which give power and authority to one dominant form of masculinity in the contemporary era are under scrutiny as they are constantly being challenged through the emergence of alternative forms of masculinity. Through the use of Wanner’s novels, this work examines how South African masculinities are constructed, how they are challenged, and how alternative forms are negotiated. It unpacks Wanner’s depiction of hegemonic, thwarted, complicit and marginalised masculinities as it traces the diversity and fluidity of masculinities in these literary texts and the resultant alternative masculinities these novels propose. Furthermore, this work foregrounds the often taken-for-granted role of women and portrays it as the centre around which masculinities are constructed. This is achieved by probing deeper into the familial unit and looking at the traditional gender roles of women, taking into consideration that the South African constitution allows them either to stick to these roles or to choose from an array of career choices presented to them. It is suggested that instead of viewing masculinity as a standard uniform entity, it is profitable to perceive it as a heterogeneous entity, comprising of different versions which are determined by different factors. It is further suggested that the role of women in the construction of masculinities should be given recognition, as they seem to play a significant role in either inhibiting or promoting the transformation of masculinities through the choices they make. , Thesis (M.Arts) -- Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, 2018
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- Date Issued: 2018-07
Literary representations of Zimbabwean migrants’ lives in selected texts
- Authors: Mpofu, Tarisai
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Human rights -- Zimbabwe , Homelessness in literature , African diaspora in literature
- Language: English
- Type: Masters theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/3402 , vital:43340
- Description: It has been nearly two decades since Zimbabwe has been engulfed in both political and economic crises which have had untold hardships to the majority of ordinary people. As the hardships worsened it pushed Zimbabweans to migrate to “greener pastures” as a survival strategy. Due to the sheer numbers of people who left the country, migration became a social phenomenon in the country that even literary writers also explored. It is the purpose of this study to analyse literary reactions to migration in Zimbabwe from the turn of the new millennium to date, with particular reference to selected Zimbabwean fiction in the form of the short story and novel. The dissertation examines how Zimbabwean literature represents life in Zimbabwe in the context of this economic malaise that emerged after the year 2000 and the resultant lives of migrants who left the country as a result of this political and economic crisis. Similar to the majority of African literatures, Zimbabwean literature emerges from specific historical events and this study therefore sought to describe literary representations of people’s responses to the crisis and the life of Zimbabwean migrants in the margins of host communities. This study reveals the intricate relationship between literary responses and the conditions that most migrants found themselves in especially as they fled the country and what obtained in host countries. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, 2018
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Mpofu, Tarisai
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Human rights -- Zimbabwe , Homelessness in literature , African diaspora in literature
- Language: English
- Type: Masters theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/3402 , vital:43340
- Description: It has been nearly two decades since Zimbabwe has been engulfed in both political and economic crises which have had untold hardships to the majority of ordinary people. As the hardships worsened it pushed Zimbabweans to migrate to “greener pastures” as a survival strategy. Due to the sheer numbers of people who left the country, migration became a social phenomenon in the country that even literary writers also explored. It is the purpose of this study to analyse literary reactions to migration in Zimbabwe from the turn of the new millennium to date, with particular reference to selected Zimbabwean fiction in the form of the short story and novel. The dissertation examines how Zimbabwean literature represents life in Zimbabwe in the context of this economic malaise that emerged after the year 2000 and the resultant lives of migrants who left the country as a result of this political and economic crisis. Similar to the majority of African literatures, Zimbabwean literature emerges from specific historical events and this study therefore sought to describe literary representations of people’s responses to the crisis and the life of Zimbabwean migrants in the margins of host communities. This study reveals the intricate relationship between literary responses and the conditions that most migrants found themselves in especially as they fled the country and what obtained in host countries. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, 2018
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
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