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Urban foraging of wild plants in two medium-sized South African towns: People, perceptions and practices

  • Authors: Garekae, Hesekia , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2020
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/176333 , vital:42685 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2020.126581
  • Description: Urban ecosystems provide goods and services critical to livelihood sustenance, environmental protection and sustainability. However, the potential role of some urban ecosystem services such as the provisioning services, to promote liveable cities and livelihood resilience is seldom considered. This study reports on the prevalence and pattern of wild plant foraging and uses in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa, based on a random sample of 374 households. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysing data. Foraging wild plants was integral to livelihoods and traditions and provided household energy, dietary diversity, health, and cultural affirmation, among others. About 68 % of the respondents reported foraging wild plants, albeit at varying degrees between and within towns.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Urban foraging: land management policy, perspectives, and potential

  • Authors: Sardeshpande, Mallika , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2020
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/149384 , vital:38845 , https://0-doi.org.wam.seals.ac.za/10.1371/journal.pone.0230693
  • Description: Gathering of uncultivated food from green spaces, also known as foraging, is observed in urban areas across the world, but the literature focuses predominantly on the global north. Our study examines the existing urban land management structure and its approach to urban foraging in the eastern coastal region of South Africa. Through interviews with municipal officials in nine cities, we identified different stakeholders and their roles in urban green space management. We then used network analysis to represent interactions and influence of these stakeholders, and environmental worldviews to determine organisational and perceptual barriers to and enablers of foraging in urban green spaces. The policy on urban green space management, as well as land managers themselves are amenable to the concept of foraging in public spaces. Lack of knowledge on wild indigenous species and sustainable offtake, ambiguous, coarse, or lacking policy, and normative views of pristine nature may hinder foraging. We recommend pathways for policy and stakeholder partnerships to incorporate sustainable foraging in their biodiversity conservation and land stewardship strategies.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Urban nature and biocultural realities:

  • Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Cocks, Michelle L
  • Date: 2020
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/175709 , vital:42617 , ISBN 9781000215182
  • Description: There is no longer any doubt that an important component of and contributor to human wellbeing is the natural environment in which people live, work and relax (Summers et al. 2012). Whilst initial ideas of human wellbeing, early in the second half of the 20th century, focussed on objective measures that could be quantified and contribute to humans’ basic needs, they have evolved a great deal since, despite the lack of consensus on a precise definition of human wellbeing (Summers et al. 2012). Over the last five decades the conceptions of human wellbeing have become more complex and inclusive of the more subjective and less tangible components of human existence, including the natural environment (King et al. 2014).
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Urban Nature: Enriching Belonging, Wellbeing and Bioculture

  • Authors: Cocks, Michelle L , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2020
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/175698 , vital:42616 , ISBN 9781000215182
  • Description: This book showcases the diversity of ways in which urban residents from varying cultural contexts view, interact, engage with and give meaning to urban nature, aiming to counterbalance the dominance of Western depictions and values of urban nature and design. Urban nature has up to now largely been defined, planned and managed in a way that is heavily dominated by Western understandings, values and appreciations, which has spread through colonialism and globalisation. As cities increasingly represent a diversity of cultures, and urban nature is being increasingly recognised as contributing to residents' wellbeing, belonging and overall quality of life, it is important to consider the numerous ways in which urban nature is understood and appreciated. This collection of case studies includes examples from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, and reflects on the multi-dimensional aspects of engagements with urban nature through a biocultural diversity lens.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Urbanisation reshapes gendered engagement in land-based livelihood activities in mid-sized African towns:

  • Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Drescher, Axel W , Schlesinger, Johannes
  • Date: 2020
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/176346 , vital:42686 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.104946
  • Description: Most sub-Saharan African countries are experiencing accelerating rates of urban migration, which bring with it many opportunities and challenges for migrating households, urban planners, governments and local and national economies. At the household level urbanisation may drive changes in the allocation of household labour and consequently social and economic relations. Yet how these are manifest in land-based livelihood strategies of arable cropping, livestock husbandry and the collection of wild products in urban settings has rarely been considered. Here we examine the changing participation rates in land-based livelihood activities by male- and female-headed households along the rural–urban continua of six sub-Saharan African secondary towns. To capture the gendered changes in land-based livelihood strategies along the urban–rural continuum, 1156 randomly selected households were sampled along transects radiating out from the urban through the periurban to rural surrounds. Participation in different land-based livelihood strategies was recorded by means of a questionnaire.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Urbanisation, foraging and household food security in urban South Africa

  • Authors: Garekae, Hesekia
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Food sovereignty -- South Africa , Food security -- South Africa , Urban density -- South Africa , Urban agriculture -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Sustainable urban development -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Sociology) -- South Africa , Nutrition surveys -- South Africa -- Potchefstroom , Nutrition surveys -- South Africa -- Thabazimbi , Wild plants, Edible -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167054 , vital:41433
  • Description: Over the past several decades, the world’s population has been rapidly urbanising, which has resulted in a marked shift of global population from rural to urban areas. About half of the global population now reside in urban areas and is projected to increase to two-thirds by the year 2050. However, the majority of the future urban population growth is projected to be largely concentrated in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the economic prospects normally synonymous with urbanisation, the current speed and scale of urban transformation comes with formidable challenges to contemporary urban society in these two continents. Urbanisation may presents social, economic, health and environmental challenges in urban areas, not least being a shift of the locus of food insecurity from rural to urban areas, leading to poor dietary diversity among many urban dwellers. Similarly, urbanisation alters key ecosystem services and drives habitat alteration and fragmentation, biodiversity loss, proliferation of non-native species and changes on species diversity and richness. The aforementioned changes can result in a deterioration of living conditions and decline on the quality of life for the urban dwellers. However, on the other hand, urban green infrastructure is posed as vital tool in promoting liveable cities and enhancing livelihood resilience. Against this backdrop, this study portrays wild plants, a component of urban green infrastructure, as a key resource in promoting food security and dietary diversity, thereby promoting livelihood resilience and reduced vulnerability, especially of the urban poor. Framed under the ‘right to the city’ approach, this study examined urban foraging practices and their potential contribution to dietary diversity and how they are shaped by and respond to urbanisation in two medium-sized South African towns. The study was conducted in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa. An explanatory sequential mixed method design was employed for data collection. Multi-stage sampling was employed in selecting the study participants. Firstly, the study towns were stratified into four socio-economic zones: informal, reconstruction and development programme, township and affluent. These zones resemble high density (informal, reconstruction and development programme), medium density (township) and low density (affluent) areas. Then, a total of 374 households were randomly sampled across the socio-economic zones for the main survey (Chapter 3 and 5). A subset of this sample, i.e. 72 participants was considered for dietary recalls, alongside with a random sample of 65 non-foragers (Chapter 4). An inventory of plant species available in a given foraging space was conducted from a total of 136 plots spread across different urban spaces (Chapter 2). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 81 participants (sub population of the main survey) for elucidating data on urban dynamics (Chapter 6). Lastly, complementary in-depth interviews with 46 participants were conducted. The findings showed that different urban spaces were constituted by diverse vegetation, with 262 distinct plant species encountered across the spaces. The majority (60.7%) were indigenous to South Africa. Species composition and diversity varied with space type, being significantly high in protected areas as compared to the other space types. About half (53%) of the identified plant species had at least one documented use, with medicine, food and firewood being modal, in order of frequency. Species composition and diversity differed between forageable and non-forageable species, being significantly high for forageable species. Urban foraging was widespread, about 68% of the respondents reported foraging. Foraging provided food, fuel energy, medicine, and cultural affirmation, among others. Despite the high prevalence rate of foraging, the study did not find any meaningful contribution of wild foods to overall diets. Nonetheless, wild foods demonstrated a substantial contribution in diversifying diets within particular food groups consumed such as vegetables, thus emerging essential in mitigating monotonous urban diets, particularly of the urban poor. Besides, the prevalence of foraging differed significantly between and within towns, being high for Thabazimbi (54.7%) and residents in the outskirts of town (86.2%) than Potchefstroom (45.3%) and residents in the inner part of town (33.3%). Participation in foraging was primarily a function of childhood (91.8%) exposure and experience with foraging, positive perceptions (79%) towards practice, resident in the outskirts of town (86.2%) and low household income (49.2%). The findings indicated that foraging was driven by multifaceted motivations, with culture (91.8%), health (88.7%), livelihoods needs (75.0%) and leisure (73.8%) being the most common. Vacant spaces (54.7%), riparian areas (30%), and domestic gardens (17.9%) were the most preferred foraging spaces, albeit with differences within towns. Similarly, the mean frequency of access varied with foraging spaces, being slightly high for vacant spaces than riparian areas and domestic gardens. The majority of the respondents were unaware of both formal and informal regulations managing urban landscapes, with those acknowledging some awareness falling short of articulating on the specificities of the regulations. Besides, the findings showed that foraging practice was threatened by urban transformation. Foragers perceived that the practice has changed over time, in terms of spaces, participants and regulations. There was a decreasing trend on the number and size of foraging spaces as well as shifting demographic trends of foragers. Moreover, urban transformation brought about a new set of regulations used for managing certain spaces within the urban landscape. However, some regulations prohibited or restricted access and rights to certain spaces for foraging. Hence, this prompted foragers to devise adaptation strategies to cope with the said changing dynamics. Exploring new foraging sites within and outside forager’s neighbourhoods and negotiating access entry were the most frequently mentioned adaptation strategies. This study contributes to the emerging body of knowledge on urban foraging, which has being seldom understood in the Global South.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Use of a non-hepatic cell line highlights limitations associated with cell-based assessment of metabolically induced toxicity:

  • Authors: Weyers, Carli , Dingle, Laura M K , Wilhelmi, Brendan S , Edkins, Adrienne L , Veale, Clinton G L
  • Date: 2020
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160290 , vital:40431 , DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2019.1585869
  • Description: Metabolically induced drug-toxicity is a major cause of drug failure late in drug optimization phases. Accordingly, in vitro metabolic profiling of compounds is being introduced at earlier stages of the drug discovery pipeline. An increasingly common method to obtain these profiles is through overexpression of key CYP450 metabolic enzymes in immortalized liver cells, to generate competent hepatocyte surrogates. Enhanced cytotoxicity is presumed to be due to toxic metabolite production via the overexpressed enzyme. However, metabolically induced toxicity is a complex multi-parameter phenomenon and the potential background contribution to metabolism arising from the use of liver cells which endogenously express CYP450 isoforms is consistently overlooked. In this study, we sought to reduce the potential background interference by applying this methodology in kidney-derived HEK293 cells which lack endogenous CYP450 expression.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Use of eco-art education in supporting the establishment of sustainability competencies in basic education: an interventionist case study

  • Authors: Da Silva, Juliana Schmidt
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Environment (Art) , Environmental education -- Brazil , Sustainable development -- Brazil , Education -- Curricula -- Brazil , Eco-art education
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/166127 , vital:41331
  • Description: Recent socioecological approaches in Environmental Education acknowledge the complexity of “real-world situations”, which include environmental problems. One response to the challenge of enabling people to develop sustainability is the key competencies in sustainability framework. It can be faced as a guide to planning Environmental Education actions. On the other side, art practices hold potential to expand learning in varied ways. Art can offer the strategies employed in learning processes directed to sustainability, constituting the field of eco-art education. This research aims to investigate the integration of the visions of the key competencies in sustainability and the eco-art education in an Environmental Education project at high school level. Horta and Gastronomia (Vegetable Garden and Gastronomy) is an extra-curricular activity which happens every year at Irmão Jaime Biazus high school in Porto Alegre, Brazil. It addresses food security and sustainability associating the garden, the kitchen and exploration of sustainability issues using eco-art strategies. Action research approach is used, defining two research cycles to explore the effectiveness of eco-art for the development of key competencies in sustainability. The first cycle focuses on the eco-art activities applied in Horta and Gastronomia (2017 group) while the second cycle deals with a post-project intervention designed to observe indicators of the sustainability competencies and further explore eco-art strategies. This study adds to the field of sustainability competencies by exploring teaching strategies through eco-art education. Insight into key competencies in sustainability is given by presenting the investigation of the group of students about a situation of their reality. The activities implemented, classified according to their objectives, are contextualized regarding the competencies and in learning sequences. This research also contributes to the development of the sustainability competencies framework by applying the theory to a basic education level, adapting the work originally proposed to higher education contexts.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Using a spatial resilience lens to understand alignments and misalignments in South Africa’s marine governance system

  • Authors: Hardisty, Shannon
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa , Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa -- Management , Marine parks and reserves -- Government policy -- South Africa , Table Mountain National Park (South Africa) , Spatial ecology -- South Africa , Coastal zone management -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164649 , vital:41152
  • Description: In marine protected areas (MPAs), the radically open nature of marine ecosystems, the seemingly contradictory short-term goals of fisheries management (resource use) and conservation efforts (biodiversity protection), the variety of stakeholders, and the inherently political nature of space ha ve contributed to a disconnect between policy and practice. Many groups operate in an MPA at various spatial and socio-political scales, from national government bodies to local community groups, as such an MPA can be viewed as a complex, multi-scale and multi-level social-ecological system (SES). A greater understanding of the multi-scale processes driving the spatial resilience of SES can help address scale mismatches between continuous ecological change and the long-term governance of a seascape. South Africa has a long history of spaces and natural resources being politicised and faces high levels of unemployment and political frustration. Marine governance has been characterised as being siloed, lacking transparency regarding government processes and even between departments, and not properly addressing the needs of local communities; resulting in scale and level mismatches throughout the multi-scale processes (from national policies to local regulations)therefore, it is pertinent to understand the interactions between various national policies, their implementation, and their impacts. Using a spatial resilience lens, I set out to understand scale alignment in South Africa’s marine governance systems as it relates to MPAs. A spatial resilience lens emphasises analysis of both spatial and temporal scales, thus highlighting the multi-scale variables and interactions that occur within a system. I first sought to understand the policy and management across national and regional scales by conducting a series of semi-structured interviews with experts which were analysed using thematic analysis. I then approached the question of alignment from a local to national scale by using the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area as a case study, here I carried out a series of workshops and interviews with line fishers, women’s groups, and eco-tourism operators from three different communities. Experts identified six themes when describing the structure of gove rnance in South African MPAs; they consisted of: government departments and marine legislation, management level factors, communication and information sharing, local level factors, biophysical factors, and scale. Communication and information sharing was the most mentioned referenced theme (40.26 %). The relationships between the communities and other actors (i.e. how communities are impacted, or impact on, the Department of Environmental Affairs , the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, and Park Authorities) contributed 67.27 % to the total number of mentions, 91 % of which were from the following themes: communication and information sharing, local level factors, biophysical factors, and scale. My results indicate that weak, top-down relationships dominate the governance system in South Africa. During the Cape Town workshops I applied the spatial resilience lens in three ways. Firstly, the participants collaborated on a mapping exercise discussing the existing zone types within the MPA, as well as developing their own. There was an 87.87 % overlap of community designed zones on the existing MPA zones, however the types of zones designed by the community were different. Secondly, I carried out a document analysis and used information from the workshops to analyse the status and rights designation of important species for different user groups. The results show that the various stakeholder groups, while all active in the marine environment, interact with the ecosystem at different scales and with differing species. The differing interactions between groups result in challenges such as representation and complicated power dynamics between user groups. Finally, I asked participants to discuss factors that affect their ability to gain a livelihood from the sea. The external elements and their effects differed between the user groups, identifying important socio-political interactions. Whilst the external elements were all geographically distinct and localised, the spatial resilience lens allowed for a cross-scale, and to a certain extent cross-sector, understanding of these elements thus producing a more holistic understanding. My thesis shows that user groups operate on different spatial scales within the marine environment as a result of social, economic, and political influences leading to several scale-based challenges. The identified scale-based challenges have contributed to misalignments in marine governance in South Africa. My study shows that scale mismatches have important implications for understanding how marine policy influences user groups and identified pathways that affected policy implementation , and identifies future research application of a spatial resilience lens within social-ecological systems, for example it’s potential use in understanding the gendered nature of MPAs
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Using action cameras to estimate the abundance and habitat use of threatened fish in clear headwater streams:

  • Authors: Hannweg, B , Marr, S M , Bloy, Lesley E , Weyl, Olaf L F
  • Date: 2020
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148911 , vital:38785 , DOI: 10.2989/16085914.2019.1701404
  • Description: Snorkel and electrofishing surveys are the traditional baseline methods for fish surveys in clear headwater streams. However, action cameras provide a non-harmful alternative to monitor freshwater fish populations to develop informed conservation management initiatives. In this paper, estimates from photographs and videos from action cameras are compared with snorkel survey estimates of the density of a threatened endemic minnow species in a headwater stream, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Photograph-based relative abundances of fish summed over five microhabitats in each pool returned equivalent results to snorkel surveys, whereas the equivalent video-based abundance estimates were approximately 50% greater than the snorkel estimates. Therefore, photograph-derived estimates could be used as an alternative to snorkel surveys for fish population monitoring and habitat use studies in clear headwater streams.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Using HIV/AIDS interventionist research in a university context to improve women’s sexual and reproductive health awareness

  • Authors: Kidia, Nitasha
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: HIV infections -- Prevention -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- Prevention -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Health education (Higher) -- South Africa , Sex instruction -- South Africa , College students -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa , Sex instruction for women -- South Africa , Women college students -- Psychology -- South Africa , Women -- Health and hygiene -- South Africa , Women -- Diseases -- Prevention -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165743 , vital:41277
  • Description: Background: Young women in South Africa are a vulnerable group, with HIV prevalence almost twice that of men, limited preventive behaviour, and many challenges in negotiating sex. However, there is a paucity of in-depth research to understand how these challenges play out and what can be done to promote positive sexual and reproductive health in this population. Methods: To understand the effects of the Auntie Stella Activity card intervention (developed and used in Zimbabwe), this study used a mixed methods participatory action research design. Five focus group discussions among female Rhodes University students between the ages of 18- 23 were conducted with the activity cards as a basis for engagement. Additionally, pre-and postintervention sexual and reproductive health awareness levels were also measured by a customized questionnaire. Based on participants’ responses to the cards and post-exposure reflections on their learning, possible impacts on behaviour change were explored. Thematic analysis of transcripts was used to draw out major themes in the qualitative data. Results and conclusions: Themes that emerged were: 1) women’s self-esteem; 2) lack of knowledge; 3) peer pressure and male dominance; and 4) alcohol and substance use. Results of the pre- and post- intervention questionnaire found a positive change in knowledge and behaviour amongst the participants. However, the intervention in its current format focused too much on teenage rather than adult scenarios. To make it more useful for this population, further modifications that account for the target age group are needed. Overall, the challenges in sexual and reproductive health faced by university-aged women in South Africa are deeply concerning, but this study’s findings show that an intervention like the ASAC has the potential to be used widely in Southern Africa, if appropriately tailored.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Using sound localization to gain depth perception for the visually impaired through sensory substitution

  • Authors: De Klerk, James Carmichael
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: People with visual disabilities Directional hearing--Physiological aspects
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50779 , vital:42674
  • Description: The visually impaired do not have the visual ability to localize objects in three-dimensional space, rather, they rely on their other senses to gain depth perception. Sensory substitution is the concept of substituting one sense for another, normally substituting an impaired sense with a functioning sense. Visual-to-auditory sensory substitution substitutes an impaired visual sense with a functioning auditory sense. This research aimed to investigate and develop techniques for visualto-auditory sensory substitution – using sound localization as a sensory substitution for depth perception. The research started by investigating the characteristics of human audition with a particular focus on how humans localize sounds. It then looked at existing visual-to-auditory sensory substitution systems and the techniques they used. From the existing systems, a system known as MeloSee was chosen as a baseline for developing and evaluating further sensory substitution prototypes. The baseline prototype (𝑃0) was then implemented and a preliminary study performed. Based on the knowledge gained from the preliminary study, baseline implementation and the background research, a set of improvement recommendations were generated. The next iteration – Prototype 1 (𝑃1) – was then developed based on the recommendations. A comparative study between 𝑃0 and 𝑃1 was then performed. Based on the study, another set of improvement recommendations were generated. From the recommendations, a final prototype was developed – Prototype 2 (𝑃2). The last comparative study was then performed between 𝑃0 and 𝑃2, with a third set of recommendations being generated as a result. From the studies it was found that participants using 𝑃0 were able to identify when they were approaching large objects such as walls. 𝑃1 built on that, improving the ability to identify the quadrant of a nearby isolated object. 𝑃2 built on 𝑃0 and 𝑃1, achieving similar results to 𝑃1 for identifying the quadrant of nearby isolated objects, and improving on 𝑃0 and 𝑃1 with regard to depth discrimination – especially for navigation tasks where there were no obstacles. Based on the three sets of recommendations and what was learnt over the course of the research, a set of visual-to-auditory sensory substitution techniques were presented. The techniques aim to be useful for implementing visual-to-auditory sensory substitution systems, which would provide the visually impaired with the visual ability to localize objects in three-dimensional space through sound.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Using Translanguaging in Higher Education to Empower Students' Voices and Enable Epistemological Becoming

  • Authors: Asfour, Fouad , Ndabula, Yanela , Chakona, Gamuchirai , Mason, Paul , Oluwole, David O
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/453268 , vital:75235 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.29086/2519-5476/2020/sp31a4"
  • Description: This article is based on research conducted by a group of plurilingual postgraduate students from different disciplines who facilitated writing groups at the Centre for Postgraduate Studies at Rhodes University over the past two years. It is based on self-reflective writing of language biographies and aims to raise attention about, and to open up a discussion on, the impact of social and personal language practices. We approach the role of language not only as complex interrogation of academic identity, but also as sense of embodied self, an active element in the formation of geo- and body-politics of knowledge which has been highlighted in recent literature focussing on translanguaging in education and decolonising the curricula of Higher Education. Following selfguided research, we engaged in a critical reflection on the use of home languages in education and consulted relevant literature that argues for the inclusion of translanguaging practices in Higher Education. Our research, therefore, focuses on new epistemologies afforded by a shift away from the monolingual habitus and from the concept of multilingualism towards plurilingualism and translanguaging. Our data suggests that a plurilingual approach towards teaching and learning in Higher Education can afford epistemological access to learners across faculties and disciplines in Higher Education, and we argue that the role of languages of tuition in curricula need to be strategically re-evaluated.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Using Translanguaging in Higher Education to Empower Students' Voices and Enable Epistemological Becoming

  • Authors: Asfour, Fouad-Martin , Ndabula, Yanela , Chakona, Gamuchirai , Mason, Paul , Oluwole, David O
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/425506 , vital:72251 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.29086/2519-5476/2020/sp31a4"
  • Description: This article is based on research conducted by a group of plurilingual postgraduate students from different disciplines who facilitated writing groups at the Centre for Postgraduate Studies at Rhodes University over the past two years. It is based on self-reflective writing of language biographies and aims to raise attention about, and to open up a discussion on, the impact of social and personal language practices. We approach the role of language not only as complex interrogation of academic identity, but also as sense of embodied self, an active element in the formation of geo- and body-politics of knowledge which has been highlighted in recent literature focussing on translanguaging in education and decolonising the curricula of Higher Education. Following selfguided research, we engaged in a critical reflection on the use of home languages in education and consulted relevant literature that argues for the inclusion of translanguaging practices in Higher Education. Our research, therefore, focuses on new epistemologies afforded by a shift away from the monolingual habitus and from the concept of multilingualism towards plurilingualism and translanguaging. Our data suggests that a plurilingual approach towards teaching and learning in Higher Education can afford epistemological access to learners across faculties and disciplines in Higher Education, and we argue that the role of languages of tuition in curricula need to be strategically re-evaluated.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Uthelekiso Lwelizwi leMbongi KwisiHobe sikaZolani Mkiva noMzwakhe Mbuli

  • Authors: Makhenyane, Lukhanyo
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: African languages , Language and languages , South African poetry
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters/Doctoral , Degree
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/18020 , vital:42004
  • Description: Despite the vast research on African poetry by scholars like Qangule (1979), Ntuli (1984), Sirayi (1985), Bokoda (1994), Mtumane (2000), Bobelo (2008) and Jadezweni (2013), there is a paucity of extended research on the aesthetic works of African poets in South Africa in the post-apartheid era. In a quest to redress this imbalance, I undertook a comparative study of two prominent African poets in the post-apartheid era in South Africa. This study adds nuance to our understanding of African poetry as it would define African poetry further from an African perspective. Swanepoel (1990) challenges scholars of African literature to have a critical look on the developments of neighbouring literatures as comparing these literatures produces new and useful ideas about African literature. In addition, scholars such as Gerard (1981) and Perera (1991) advocate for the creation and adoption of a comparative methodology for the study of African literature. This led scholars such as Mdaka (2002) to test comparative methodology in assessing ideology and aesthetics in South African isiXhosa novels and Kenyan novels written in English. Likewise, Cutalele (2007) uses comparative methodology in investigating similar themes in the aesthetics works of S.E.K. Mqhayi and Zolani Mkiva. In responding to Swanepoel’s challenge, this study aims to investigate and evaluate the importance of the voice of imbongi in articulating current and burning issues in the post-apartheid South Africa as well as the solutions they propose to some of the problems facing the country. In this study, the methodology swings on the hinges of Ngara’s Marxist theory. The choice of Ngara’s Marxist theory is based largely on its theoretical insights on ideology, form and communication in analysing poetry. Ngara divides ideology into three sub-themes: dominant ideology, which refers to the beliefs, set of values, thoughts and actions of a people in a particular era, authorial ideology that refers to the set of values espoused by the poet and aesthetics ideology, which is the literary convention and stylistic of the poet. Using the comparative method, the voice of imbongi in Mbuli and Mkiva’s poetry is compared over three ideologies – protest, patriotism and revolution. Under the theme of protest, I compare Mkiva and Mbuli’s poetry under two sub-themes, socio-political protest and socio-cultural protest. Mbuli and Mkiva’s protest agitates for change in the political and cultural spheres of the post-apartheid South Africa. Page viii of 290 They comment on issues like leadership and social welfare of South Africans, burning issues of this era. In the theme of patriotism, I examined poetry that displays love and loyalty for one’s country. In displaying their love and loyalty for their country, it is clear that to Mbuli and Mkiva, country refers to Africa, not just South Africa. Furthermore, under the theme of revolution I examined poetry that praises struggle heroes as well as the one that introduces the new struggles of the people of South Africa. In praising revolutionary leaders, Mbuli and Mkiva parade good leadership skills for the new breed of leaders to learn. In discussing the revolutionary theme, they speak of economic freedom as one of the struggles of the new South Africa. In investigating and evaluating their poetry in post-aparthied South Africa, I discovered that in their protest and their revolutionary ideology they express the theme of disillusionment. They speak against corruption in leadership while they question those who violate children and women’s right to life. Such issues were thought to be buried with the death of apartheid. Furthermore, they introduce us to neo-revolution by showing how the struggle for freedom still continues as freedom without economic freedom falls short of freedom.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2020

Utility of construction automation and robotics in South Africa

  • Authors: Mkunqwana, Khungelwa Sandisiwe
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Construction industry -- Automation , Construction industry -- South Africa -- Automation Robotics -- South Africa Robotics
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/46174 , vital:39511
  • Description: The construction industry demands active construction organisation, efficient construction processes and innovative construction techniques to effectively compete under increasing market competition and technological advancements in the twenty first century. The problems associated with construction, such as poor quality and slow productivity, labour shortages, occupational health and safety, and inferior working conditions, have opened the possibility of more revolutionary solutions within the industry. One such solution espoused as having tremendous potential to improve construction productivity whilst alleviating the problems associated with construction is Construction Automation and Robotics. Automation and robotics technologies encompass a wide range of innovative technologies using technologically advanced machinery to improve the speed and efficiency of a given process. The aim of this study is to analyse the extent of utility of construction automation and robotics in the South African construction industry. The research adopted the quantitative methodology and online survey to collect data. A detailed quantitative (statistical) data analysis was performed, using web-based software “QuestionPro,” including data analysis for investigating possible relationships between variables. Through this study it has been established that one of the prospective solutions to the problems associated with construction is in the implementation and utility of innovative technologies in construction such as automation and robotics. Moreover, the research found that automation and robotics in South Africa is at an interesting point whereby organisations are taking strides in accepting and implementing the technologies. It is envisaged that the utility of construction automation and robotics would improve the industry in terms of productivity, health and safety and quality.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Visualising Chinese presence: an analysis of the contemporary arts of Zambia and Zimbabwe

  • Authors: Zhang, Lifang
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Art, Modern -- 21st century , Art, Modern -- 21st century -- Chinese influences , China -- Relations -- Zambia , China -- Relations -- Zimbabwe , Art and society -- Zambia , Social practice (Art) -- Zambia , Art and globalization -- Zambia , Art and society -- Zimbabwe , Social practice (Art) -- Zimbabwe , Art and globalization -- Zimbabwe
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146618 , vital:38542
  • Description: With the revival and rapid growth of relations between China and African countries in the present century, the “China-Africa relationship” has become a topic of close attention globally and the media and politicians have been dominating the mainstream discourses with dichotomised narratives. China-Africa engagement has also spurred academic research, most of which is oriented toward large-scale economic, political, and strategic concerns. In this context, it is significant to conduct in-depth research exploring specific engagement between Chinese and African people on the ground. Contemporary artists based in Africa have started to represent, through artworks and performances, their experiences and expressions of relations between China and various African countries. However, an examination of twenty-first century connections between Africa and China in relation to the contemporary visual arts is a new area of study and only a limited number of scholarly works exist. To contribute to the research in this area, this thesis explores the ways in which artists engage with specific realities and lived-experiences of Chinese presence through their artistic practices, with a focus on a selection of artists from Zambia and Zimbabwe. Through visual analysis, interviews and field work, this thesis provides a systematic investigation of contemporary arts of Zambia and Zimbabwe in relation to Africa- China encounters, engaging with four aspects: the discursive field, the material presence, individual experiences of encounters, and the broader relational connections within the arts. This thesis argues that, motivated by the histories and realities of African societies, artists from Zambia and Zimbabwe, through their artistic practices, form part of the Africa-China engagement and insert their agencies in the south-south relations between Africans and Chinese. Therefore, this thesis demonstrates the value in approaching the broader discussion on Africa-China engagements from the perspective of contemporary art, arguing that, with the social concerns of the artists and the expressive capacity of creative forms, visual arts are able to embrace diversity, dynamics, complexities and contradictions, and, therefore, can develop the topic beyond the stereotypical narratives about Africa-China relations to a more nuanced understanding of African-Chinese encounters in specific contexts.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Visualising the Psyche: Perspectives on mental health in the medium of comics

  • Authors: Solomon, Tayla Shan
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Spiegelman, Art -- Maus , Kelly, Joe, 1971- -- I kill giants , Niimura, J M Ken -- I kill giants , Brosh, Allie -- Hyperbole and a half , Comic books, strips, etc. -- Psychological aspects , Comic books, stripa, etc. -- Therapeutic use
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MFA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148413 , vital:38737
  • Description: The field of Psychology is constantly shifting in its understanding of mental health. Scholars have been critiquing Psychology’s narrow perspective of what constitutes ‘normal’. Many dealing with mental health issues fear that they will be misunderstood and are confronted with systems and institutions that they find unempathetic. This mini-thesis conceptualises creative empathy as a solution to these problems. It is based on the idea that every experience is unique and therefore cannot be wholly understood without engaging in an imaginative process. The appropriateness of the comics medium as a tool for promoting this strategy is explored with a focus on the use of visual imagery to tell stories of distressing experiences. It looks at Tayla Shan Solomon’s The Adventures of Apparently-Anyone-Can-Do-It-If-TheyJust-Try Bug! (2019), Art Spiegelman’s Maus (I & II) (1986), Joe Kelly and JM Ken Niimura’s I Kill Giants (2011), and Allie Brosh’s Hyperbole and a Half: unfortunate situations, flawed coping mechanisms, mayhem, and other things that happened (2013). This mini-thesis analyses various techniques employed by comics artists to create compelling stories of idiosyncratic experiences, including the use of symbolic imagery and framing.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Vocational education and training for African development: A literature review

  • Authors: McGrath, Simon , Ramsarup, Presha , Zeelen, Jacques , Wedekind, Volker , Allais, Stephanie , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila , Monk, David , Openjuru, George , Russon, Jo-Anna
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/182418 , vital:43828 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2019.1679969"
  • Description: The SDGs mark the clearest global acceptance yet that the previous approach to development was unsustainable. In VET, UNESCO has responded by developing a clear account of how a transformed VET must be part of a transformative approach to development. It argues that credible, comprehensive skills systems can be built that can support individuals, communities, and organisations to generate and maintain enhanced and just livelihood opportunities. However, the major current theoretical approaches to VET are not up to this challenge. In the context of Africa, we seek to address this problem through a presentation of literatures that contribute to the theorisation of this new vision. They agree that the world is not made up of atomised individuals guided by a “hidden hand”. Rather, reality is heavily structured within political economies that have emerged out of contestations and compromises in specific historical and geographical spaces. Thus, labour markets and education and training systems have arisen, characterised by inequalities and exclusions. These specific forms profoundly influence individuals’ and communities’ views about the value of different forms of learning and working. However, they do not fully define what individuals dream, think and do. Rather, a transformed and transformative VET for Africa is possible.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Volatility spillovers and determinants of contagion: a case of BRICS equity and foreign exchange markets

  • Authors: Nyopa, Tšepiso
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Uncatalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MCOM
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164590 , vital:41146
  • Description: Thesis (MSc)--Rhodes University, Faculty of Commerce, Economics and Economic History, 2020
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  • Date Issued: 2020
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