Doctoral Degrees (Sociology and Social Anthropology)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Sociology and Social Anthropology) by browse.metadata.advisor "Heinecken, L. P. T."

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    Masculinities and gender-based violence in South Africa: a study of a masculinities-focused intervention programme
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03) Graaff, Karen De Villiers; Heinecken, L. P. T.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology & Social Anthropology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa as a country experiences extremely high rates of violence and gender-based violence (GBV). A wide range of interventions have been implemented as a means to respond to these, including legislative changes from government, and women-focused reactive interventions which act as support for survivors of incidents of violence. However, these have had not a significant impact on reducing levels of GBV in the country, and this suggests that alternative methods need to be investigated. This research therefore focuses on a specific alternative – masculinities-focused interventions – in the hope of understanding how to improve the effect of these as a GBV reduction strategy. A review of the literature focusing on causes of GBV point to a number of different opinions, ranging from individual aspects (such as substance abuse, or witnessed or experienced abuse) to more societal-level aspects (such as culture, and strain theories). However, few of these focus on the fact that it is overwhelmingly men who perpetrate violence in all regions and cultures. I therefore argue that an important aspect to understand when looking at GBV is the impact of hegemonic masculinities on men. Certain versions of masculinity, such as hypermasculinities and those associated with the military, have a specific emphasis on violence as a means of achievement, and societies where these forms of masculinity are prevalent and praised are therefore likely to display high levels of GBV. The majority of GBV interventions in South Africa are reactive and survivor-focused. However, the literature suggests that these are not effective at reducing levels of GBV, resulting in attempts to focus specifically on men and masculinities in order to do so. While masculinities-focused interventions have a number of positive effects, little attention has thus far been paid to the way in which these effects are achieved. This research therefore aims to help understand how such interventions influence participants, and also those factors which motivate them to join and remain involved in the intervention, in order to contribute to the knowledge on how to improve these interventions in the future. These questions were investigated through participant observation of workshops, focus group discussions with workshop participants, and one-on-one interviews with workshop participants, facilitators and practitioners in the field of GBV. Four focus groups were conducted, and one-on-one interviews with seven workshop participants and nine workshop facilitators and practitioners. This study showed that the primary reason for participants joining is through a desire to be involved in community improvement, rather than a specific interest in GBV prevention. Supporting the notion that socialisation is heavily influenced by a person’s peers, the Stellenbosch aspects which were noted as having the biggest effect both during and after the intervention were the presence of a supportive peer group, and facilitators who acted as positive role models. These aspects motivated participants to want to shift their behaviour and become role models themselves. This study therefore highlights issues to consider in the improvement of GBV interventions as well as the implications for addressing GBV more broadly.
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    Military internal security operations in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria : Ameliorating or exacerbating insecurity?
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-12) Musa, Sallek Yaks; Heinecken, L. P. T.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary responsibility of a state is the protection of its citizens against external aggression and internal violence and disturbances. Conventionally, the latter is normally the duty of the police. However, in Nigeria as in many African states, as violence erupts and the security situation worsens, government often relies on deploying the military to enforce orderliness and the return of peace. This action is largely due to the inability of the police to contain violent conflicts, especially where the security of the citizenry is threatened by armed groups. This is the situation in Plateau State, Nigeria where the military is used for military internal security operations since violence broke out between Christians and Muslims in Jos, on 7 September 2001. Several studies have indicated support for the use of the military as a ‘necessary evil’ to enforce ceasefires and ensure the return to peace. However, this study finds that using the military evokes several challenges which undermine both the legitimacy of the military mission and its professional image. Along with this is the concern that the conduct of soldiers adds to worsen the security situation of the citizenry, which in turn strains civil-military relations (CMR). Two factors were identified as responsible for the problems: a lack of military professionalism, and the cultural disposition of soldiers in terms of the unsuitability of military habitus with civilian values. Whereas the problems could be addressed with effective civil control of the military, the study argues that civil control is weak in Nigeria, despite the existence of a legal framework that could ensure this. To understand the problem, the study reviewed the separation, integration, agency, and concordance theories, and it argues that they are limited in scope and application. As such, they are unable to fully explain CMR in Nigeria. In this regard, a quadrumvirate interaction theory which upholds aspects of concordance theory explanation of CMR was proposed to fill the void. The theory contends that CMR is a tripartite relationship, with interactions among the partners occurring as a quadrumvirate along a major intersecting level and three different subunits. The theory introduced a typology indicating that the citizenry can exert agency in CMR in four different ways: compliance, contestation, collaboration, and confrontation against demands, policies, actions or inactions of the other partners. The aim of the study was to understand whether the Nigerian State is exercising adequate civil control of the military to ensure that it does not become a threat to the citizenry and exacerbate insecurity. 55 one-on-one interviews with civilians across different social categories were conducted in six local government areas in Plateau State to understand this. The study found that the military acts unprofessionally and soldiers abuse of civilians is a recurring phenomenon, hence civilians are dissatisfied with the military. This has affected CMR, and civilians are exerting their agency including using confrontation that has resulted to the killing of some personnel, because they see the military as exacerbating insecurity
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    The physical and social benefits of urban agriculture projects run by non-governmental organisations in Cape Town
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-04) Olivier, David William; Heinecken, L. P. T.; McLachlan, M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Urban agriculture (UA) has always been practised in African urban centres. Only since the turn of the twentieth century, however, have development researchers turned their attention to its potential as a sustainable source of food security. Notwithstanding the initial optimism in this regard, many have questioned whether UA is viable and whether it does deliver the benefits that many espouse. This is because most of the benefits are evaluated in terms of their economic viability or amount of produce grown to sustain a family, and often ignore what benefits may be found beyond this. What this dissertation argues is that there are a range of physical and social benefits that accrue from UA that cannot necessarily be measured. Research on the ground suggests that the benefits of UA are more complex than supposed, as confirmed by a number of qualitative case studies on UA in Africa. Much attention is given to the food security and income dimensions of UA. There are, however, also ecological, empowerment and gender dimensions. Throughout Africa, UA is used primarily for food and economic security, through eating produce and trading it on the informal market. The economic benefits of UA, however, are least available to the poor and to women, due primarily to resource limitations, tenure insecurity and patriarchal cultures. While such findings suggest that the benefits of UA bypass those who need them most, it is found that these limitations may be overcome with support from non-governmental organisations (NGOs). NGOs play a key role in promoting sustainable livelihoods. This is achieved through injections of resources and investing in human and social capital. In Cape Town, UA has been supported by NGOs for many years. More recently, local government has supported this effort with a UA policy that legitimises public support through resource donations and the provision of land. The question this dissertation sought to investigate was to what extent UA is contributing to the livelihoods of those living in Cape Town‟s largest low-income area, the Cape Flats. As many of the UA projects in Cape Town are run by NGOs, the focus was on a selection of these projects. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were held with NGOs and cultivators throughout the Cape Flats. Four different types of cultivation feature, namely home cultivators, cultivation groups, institutional cultivators and garden centres. Home cultivators operate on a small scale on the property around their dwelling, while cultivation groups and institutional cultivators use larger tracts of land. Cultivation groups operate independently, usually on council land, while institutional cultivators cultivate on behalf of the institution whose land they use. All cultivators are supported by the NGO‟s garden centres, the administrative hub of their UA programme. The findings show that some benefits of UA relate largely to the type of UA being practised. For home cultivators, UA strengthens relationships and expands networks. Institutional plots teach children to care for the environment. The economic and food security benefits of UA are evident in formal groups, and NGO-led local garden centres play a supportive role for all cultivators. Other benefits are felt by all cultivators. For example, cultivators from all types stated that UA had taught them to eat healthily and to care for the environment, and all cultivators felt an increased sense of self-worth. Furthermore, all cultivators gave produce away to those around them. A prerequisite for these benefits, however, is successful cultivation, which is only possible with the training and support offered by the NGOs. The findings suggest that NGOs are vital both for ensuring that UA has the greatest impact in low-income areas and for avoiding the limitations of UA that are evident throughout Africa. Nevertheless, the uptake and sustainability of UA in Cape Town are limited by bureaucratic hurdles to land access, limitations of donor funding and widespread attitudes of dependency in its target areas. It is therefore likely that the expansion of UA in Cape Town will remain slow until such limitations are addressed.