The mental health effects of social media on young adult South Africans in the COVID-19 pandemic: a thematic analysis of social media posts by Rhodes University students
- Authors: Jubase, Hlumelo
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- , Social media and college students South Africa Makhanda , College students Mental health South Africa Makhanda , Social media Influence , Action theory
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/425122 , vital:72212
- Description: The COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa has been mainly discussed in terms of its socioeconomic effects and loss of life. While these are important, its mental health effects are given attention in this dissertation. In particular, this is explored through social media platforms, which saw increased usage as a result of regulations on movement to slow the Virus’ spread. This is explored during the hard lockdown (or ‘Alert Level 5’) and further, focuses on young adults, key users of social media platforms. Max Weber’s ‘social action theory’ and Michel de Certeau’s ‘theory of everyday life’ are drawn on, which help to analyse social relations from an individual level; and are used to explore the kinds of expressions made on a social media platform, and what can be said in mental health terms. These theoretical frameworks are applied to a university “Confessions” page, used mostly by young adults, where submissions were made anonymously. Findings indicate a great deal of trauma associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, but also evidence of the emergence of collective responsibility. They show the immense sacrifices made by participants for the opportunity of an education, and provide a window into the kinds of subjectivities experienced by South African young adults. Further, they show the importance of having more substantive mental health discussions in South Africa, a country familiar with traumatic experiences. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
A panacea for public participation during Covid-19 and beyond in Matjhabeng Local Municipality
- Authors: Mofolo, Malefetsane
- Date: 2021-08-18
- Subjects: Mthatha Research and Innovation Day , COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-
- Language: English
- Type: lecture , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/6295 , vital:45356
- Description: Since the inception of Covid-19 in 2020 in South Africa and the subsequent lockdown levels that were introduced in order to mitigate the effects of this pandemic, public participation in municipalities has experienced a serious knock. Public participation forms the most important legislative principle for good governance in the South African government. While,the literature is showing that Covid-19 has affected the South African public sector in numerous ways, the tension that was created by the challenges inclined to public participation in the South African municipalities during the pandemic has not gained much attention. Apparently,communities were not even aware of the measures that were introduced to conduct public participation during this period of Covid19.
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- Date Issued: 2021-08-18
Making sense of the unknown: a narrative analysis of COVID-19 stories as told by WSU research students
- Authors: Jayakrishnan, Lakshmi , van der Spuy, Alicia
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Mthatha Research and Innovation Day , COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-
- Language: English
- Type: lecture , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/6254 , vital:45365
- Description: The original objectives of this research was to find a research project for third year students which they could do during lockdown (National Diploma: Journalism). To find a research project for Advanced Diploma in Public Relations Management that they can do during lockdown. To introduce Year 1 Communication students to the basic principles of research through a project that they can relate to. to use the online platform for teaching and to discover people’s personal stories of their COVID-19 experiences.
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- Date Issued: 2021