In an assessment of Michael MacGarry's work 'Race of Man' I research the element of violence related to whiteness in the light of Galtung's theory about violence, Mbembe's theory of the post-colony...Show moreIn an assessment of Michael MacGarry's work 'Race of Man' I research the element of violence related to whiteness in the light of Galtung's theory about violence, Mbembe's theory of the post-colony, and in comparison to two other works that deal with violence: Mohau Modisakeng's 'Ke Kgamo ya moshate' as related to violence and blackness, and Jane Alexander's 'Butcher Boys' as related to history and apartheid.Show less
This Master thesis tries to argue South Africa’s uncertain future as regional leader on the African continent. It builds on Geldenhuys’ description of South Africa as ideational leader almost a...Show moreThis Master thesis tries to argue South Africa’s uncertain future as regional leader on the African continent. It builds on Geldenhuys’ description of South Africa as ideational leader almost a decade later. South Africa’s intended withdrawal from the ICC’s jurisdiction of which they notified the world in October 2016, will be used as a case study to substantiate this argument. The intended withdrawal was a political move which at the time caused international chaos, but now 2 years have passed, there needs to be a reassessment of what has changed and what impact this decision had. Therefore, this thesis subsequently serves the purpose of creating a chronological overview of the events between 2002 and 2018 regarding the ICC, the African Union and South Africa.Show less
This bachelor thesis seeks to identify the relevant actors in the medical and muti markets for organs in South Africa. Firstly a theoretical background is presented, in order to identify the...Show moreThis bachelor thesis seeks to identify the relevant actors in the medical and muti markets for organs in South Africa. Firstly a theoretical background is presented, in order to identify the relevant theories and concepts needed to understand organ markets. A brief overview of the two markets to be compared is also given. This background serves to support the central research question: Who are the relevant actors in the medical and muti markets for organs in South Africa and how do the respective actors interact and how do these interactions flow? A methodology for answering the above question is also presented. The method used in this bachelor thesis consisted of a review of the relevant literature and media sources in order to build an overview of actors in each market. These overviews are then used to construct actor network diagrams for each of the markets. The overviews and diagrams are then discussed. The study has shown that the markets are indeed comparable, and that they share a similar flow of organs. However, the muti market is a decentralized one with a strong linear flow from the source person to the recipient. The medical market on the other hand was found to be a distributed network, with organs and interactions flowing between and through a number of actors rather than from one side to another.Show less
The 1970’s are commonly known as a period of détente, or ease of tensions during the Cold War. But despite that, existing nuclear powers as the United States were still developing new weaponry and...Show moreThe 1970’s are commonly known as a period of détente, or ease of tensions during the Cold War. But despite that, existing nuclear powers as the United States were still developing new weaponry and enlarging their nuclear arsenal whilst new nuclear powers such as South Africa entered the world stage. This created a situation in which large groups of peoples felt the need to start protesting the nuclear developments again, and a new wave of anti-nuclear protests started halfway through the 1970’s. A particular group of peoples participated in these protests: black anti-nuclear protesters. But to what extent were racism and anti-nuclear protests interconnected in the United States and South Africa between 1976 and 1981? This thesis provides a comparison of the black protest movements in these two countries to provide a starting point for an international research on the interconnection between racial discrimination and anti-nuclear protests. There is an interconnection between racial discrimination and anti-nuclear protests. Both African Americans and black South Africans felt a feeling of injustice and felt racially discriminated due to the nuclear policies of their countries. For the African American protesters, the investments in the nuclear programme were unacceptable because they had very poor living conditions, much worse than white Americans. For the South African black protesters, the nuclear developments by the white minority government had to be stopped since this provided much military strength for the government. In their opinion, the racist apartheid laws could never be ended if the government gained such a strong position in Africa. David Meyer’s theory of Political Opportunity Structure explains that successful protest groups in the past managed to become part of the political system and step into the political space, instead of just showing their dissatisfaction with the government policy. Being well institutionalized in society would make it easier to step into the political space that was present in the détente period. But for the South African protesters this was much harder than for the American protesters since they could only institutionalize themselves in a revolutionary organization such as the ANC, or in church organisations such as the AACC. This resulted in a great difference in the way the protest movements were organized in the United States and South Africa, and in the protest methods they used. Both the American and the South African protesters were aware that the nuclear developments in their countries were dependent on foreign allies or enemies, and although the movements were very different, both relied heavily on international allies. There was also contact between the South African and the American protesters, but this did not result in a clear transfer of ideas.Show less
This thesis tackles the position taken by the jewish Board of Deputies in South Africa vis-a-vis apartheid. Using the theoretical framework developed by Peter Medding this thesis seeks to position...Show moreThis thesis tackles the position taken by the jewish Board of Deputies in South Africa vis-a-vis apartheid. Using the theoretical framework developed by Peter Medding this thesis seeks to position,contextualise and understand the SAJBD actions.Show less
Language policy has always been a topic of heated debate in South Africa. In recent months, however, disputes with regards to such specific policy have intensified as the nation witnesses numerous,...Show moreLanguage policy has always been a topic of heated debate in South Africa. In recent months, however, disputes with regards to such specific policy have intensified as the nation witnesses numerous, sometimes even violent, student protests at particular universities across the land. Target universities, such as Stellenbosch University, are those higher education institutions which still practise a bilingual medium of instruction by teaching in both Afrikaans and English. The aforementioned debate is, however, mostly surrounded around the former language rather than the latter. Indeed, the protesters have one specific goal; to remove Afrikaans as a medium of instruction at the few varsities which wholeheartedly try to preserve the academic status of the language.Show less
In international relations theory, nuclear weapons are frequently discussed as a form of deterrence in a world of realist predicaments. Throughout the Cold War this framework was used to explain...Show moreIn international relations theory, nuclear weapons are frequently discussed as a form of deterrence in a world of realist predicaments. Throughout the Cold War this framework was used to explain the behaviour of various states, mainly in the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. However, other states also sought to acquire nuclear weapons, with some even succeeding in such endeavour. South Africa and Iran employed nuclear programmes to elevate their domestic but especially their international legitimacy. This thesis combines aspects of international relations theory and thereby constructs a new framework to assess how the active pursuit of nuclear weapons was perceived in the West. It consequently highlights that, even though similarities between the two cases existed, the West's treatment of South Africa/Iran occurred through different lenses, serving the interests of the United States‘ government.Show less
This study assesses Early Childhood Development in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Personal collected data is used to assess the quality of twelve different ECD centres within the uMzinyathi...Show moreThis study assesses Early Childhood Development in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Personal collected data is used to assess the quality of twelve different ECD centres within the uMzinyathi district. The findings are compared and contrasted with existing studies on ECD in South Africa and placed within the larger context of South Africa's troubled and divided education system.Show less
Research master thesis | African Studies (research) (MA)
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This master thesis explores expressions of identity among gay men in Cape Town, South Africa by analysing and discussing vestimentary codes and issues around gender and identity. Four chapters...Show moreThis master thesis explores expressions of identity among gay men in Cape Town, South Africa by analysing and discussing vestimentary codes and issues around gender and identity. Four chapters focusing on various aspects of gay social life in Cape Town; The ‘gay-village’ of De Waterkant, the annual celebration of LGBTQI Pride, the yearly costume party MCQP (Mother City Queer Project) and the more obscure ‘Gat Parties’ of the northern suburbs of Cape Town, paints a picture of gay life in Cape Town, both contemporary and historically. Theoretical influences such as Roland Barthes, Judith Butler and Anne Fausto-Sterling alongside writers on gay lives in South Africa such as Mark Gevisser and Bradley M. Rink provide a strong backbone to this thesis, while questions surrounding gender, sexuality and identity are always at the forefront.Show less
The Bachelor Thesis depicts the theory of Securitization applied to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa. It looks towards the societal effects of securitizing certain high risk groups in the...Show moreThe Bachelor Thesis depicts the theory of Securitization applied to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa. It looks towards the societal effects of securitizing certain high risk groups in the epidemic, such as sex workers and men who have sex with men. The societal effects are mostly the discrimination and stigmatization of these groups.Show less
Advanced master thesis | Political Science (Advanced Master)
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Economic diplomacy is now a standard practice. However, the strategies that countries use differ. This thesis examines if countries in the same income category, low middle, upper middle and high...Show moreEconomic diplomacy is now a standard practice. However, the strategies that countries use differ. This thesis examines if countries in the same income category, low middle, upper middle and high-income have similar strategy. It would follow from the literature that based on high-income status a more advance and integrated strategy is used. Research in this thesis concludes that especially the countries in the upper middle-income category are still traditional in their policy development and management, but when it comes to economic aid donors these countries have innovative programs in place.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
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Migrant children are an unexamined subject, even though they experience several interesting processes in adapting to a new society. Migrant children who are residing in Rosettenville have...Show moreMigrant children are an unexamined subject, even though they experience several interesting processes in adapting to a new society. Migrant children who are residing in Rosettenville have integrated well into the South African society and enjoy living in South Africa. The research showed a pattern among the migrant children which is connected with the relationship the children have with their country of origin. The children either choose to keep a connection with their home country or not to maintain a bond with their home country, which determines the way children acculturate in the society and develop a sense of belonging. Coherent to this is the division between home and school, whereby some children who value their home situation more, compared with children who are more interested in everything outside their home situation, including school, friends and the South African society. This again is related to the relationship the children have with their country or origin, whether they choose to value home or school. Even though they have migrated to a new country, the country of origin will always play a role in the lives of migrant children.Show less
The South African Border War 1966 – 1989 was a war fought between South Africa, Cuba and Angola. Battles were mainly fought in southern Angola but within South West Africa SWAPO attempted to mount...Show moreThe South African Border War 1966 – 1989 was a war fought between South Africa, Cuba and Angola. Battles were mainly fought in southern Angola but within South West Africa SWAPO attempted to mount an insurgency against South Africa. This saw the introduction of several unique South African unconventional units and managed to win many battles but this did not result in South African political success. This thesis looks at these units in depth and analyses their impact by describing some of the operations in which the Recces, 32 Bn, 44 Parachute Brigade and Koevoet were involved. In the introduction the background of the war is looked at, followed by an introduction to each of the four units in question. The main part of the thesis consists of various South African operations during the war, followed by an analysis and lastly a conclusion is reached regarding the political outcome.Show less
