- Title
- The making of masculinities: the hidden curriculum about Gender-Based Violence and Rape Culture at an elite private school in South Africa
- Creator
- Talbot, Alexandreo Zinhle
- ThesisAdvisor
- Magadla, S.
- Subject
- Uncatalogued
- Date
- 2024-10-11
- Type
- Academic theses
- Type
- Master's theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466038
- Identifier
- vital:76679
- Description
- This study examines the formation of ‘ruling class’ masculinities and their relationship to gender-based violence (GBV) and rape culture at an elite private school (called Blue School for the purposes of this study). Through interviews with alumni, the research explores the recollections and narratives of young men in terms of how they navigated and experienced masculine identity formation in the school context during their adolescence, and also deciphers their awareness regarding GBV and rape culture. The findings demonstrate that identity formation within the school studied is complex and often reflected as a Western-centric masculinity drenched in heteronormativity. This is captured through the shared experiences alumni of the school regarding their adherence to traditional values, submission to hierarchical structures, collective mockery of vulnerability and the instillation of competitive individualism. The alumni speak to the ways in which boyhood and gender are conceptualised through the taught curriculum, contrasted with the hidden scripts of masculinities in the boarding school environment. The complex interplay between institutional culture and the formation of gender identities shows a superficial adherence to progressive ideals, unveiling the entrenched hegemonic practices that reinforce restrictive norms. Most alumni expressed a sense of living in an isolated bubble, where wrongdoings are swept under the carpet. Through these practices, elite private schools depict institutional blindness as an entangled strategy to protect institutional reputation and capital. Insinuating irrelevance of GBV within elite private boys’ schools emphasises the racist and homophobic discourses that deem who is capable of performing and experiencing gendered and sexual violence. By drawing on African feminism and Foucault, the study provides insight into the pervasive disciplinary mechanisms and their lasting impact on the alumni’s personal and social embodiment of masculinity. This highlights the urgent need for a reimagined approach to masculinity that is inclusive and cognizant of historical and socio-political nuances. The thesis calls for a systemic examination of the elite private school system across South Africa and African-centred pro-feminist educational strategies to address the genealogical discourses embedded in these institutions.
- Description
- Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Political and International Studies, 2024
- Format
- computer, online resource, application/pdf, 1 online resource (139 pages), pdf
- Publisher
- Rhodes University, Faculty of Humanities, Political and International Studies
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Talbot, Alexandreo Zinhle
- Rights
- Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons "Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike" License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/)
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details | SOURCE1 | TALBOT-MA-TR24-230.pdf | 1 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details |