Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in South Africa
Date
2024-03
Authors
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Despite concerted efforts to combat it, COVID-19 continues to pose a significant challenge to numerous governments worldwide. The global distribution of various COVID-19 vaccines marked a pivotal juncture in the battle against the pandemic, yet formidable obstacles persist, notably vaccine hesitancy and skepticism. This study seeks to deepen our understanding of vaccine hesitancy within the South African context, with a specific focus on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Furthermore, it aims to scrutinize the power dynamics between the South African government and its populace and how these dynamics influence health-related behaviors. Thus, this research posits that vaccine hesitancy in South Africa is intricately entwined with the power relations between the governing authorities and the people, the country's historical narrative, and the diverse currents of vaccine information dissemination, all viewed through the analytical lenses of Michel Foucault's theories of biopolitics, biopower, and governmentality. Employing a literature review methodology, this investigation elucidates possible rationales for vaccination reluctance in South Africa, specifically pertaining to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, encompassing factors such as body politics, historical vaccination experiences, and governmental mistrust, among others. This research was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period marked by ongoing vaccine distribution efforts in South Africa. Consequently, some arguments and trends generated by this study may have evolved over time. Nevertheless, it is worth emphasizing that this study represents a pioneering in the context of vaccine hesitancy in South Africa, contributing to an emerging field of scholarship on this critical subject. Future inquiries into vaccine reluctance within the South African context may delve further into the lived experiences of individuals during pandemics and epidemics, shedding light on how these experiences may have contributed to vaccine skepticism.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar nie.
XHOSA ABSTRACT: Ngaphandle kweenzame ezininzi zokuyiphelisa, i-COVID-19 ihleli iliva enyameni yoorhulumente abaninzi kwihlabathi liphela. Usasazo lwehlabathi logonyo oluninzi lwe-COVID-19 lwenzekile kwinqanaba elibalulekileyo kumzabalazo wobhubhane. Nangona kunjalo, ijongene nemiqobo emininzi, kubandakanya ukuthandabuza ngogonyo kunye nokuthandabuza. Injongo yolu phononongo ibikukuqonda ngcono ukuthandabuza kwisitofu sokugonya ngokomxholo waseMzantsi Afrika, kugxininiswa ngakumbi kukuthandabuza kogonyo lwe-COVID-19. Okwesibini, uphononongo lufuna ukuphonononga ubudlelwane bamandla phakathi kukarhulumente waseMzantsi Afrika kunye nabantu bakhe, kunye nokuba bayichaphazela njani imikhwa yezempilo. Ke, olu phononongo lubonisa ukuba ukuthandabuza ngogonyo eMzantsi Afrika kusekelwe kubudlelwane bamandla phakathi kukarhulumente kunye nolawulo, amava embali yelizwe, kunye neendlela ezahlukeneyo zolwazi lwesitofu sokugonya olusasazwa xa luvavanywa ngeelensi zeethiyori zikaMichelle Foucault zebiopolitics, biopower, kunye. urhulumente. Ngolu phononongo, kwafunyaniswa, kusetyenziswa indlela yokujonga uncwadi, ukuba iingcaciso ezibambekayo zokuthingaza kugonyo eMzantsi Afrika, ngakumbi ukuthandabuza kugonyo lwe-COVID-19, kubandakanya ipolitiki yomzimba, amava ogonyo lwangaphambili, kunye nokungathembani kurhulumente, phakathi kwezinye. Uphononongo olongezelelweyo malunga nokuthandabuza kogonyo eMzantsi Afrika lunokungena kumava abantu abaphila ngexesha lendyikityha kunye nobhubhane, nto leyo enokuba negalelo kwintandabuzo yesitofu sokugonya.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar nie.
XHOSA ABSTRACT: Ngaphandle kweenzame ezininzi zokuyiphelisa, i-COVID-19 ihleli iliva enyameni yoorhulumente abaninzi kwihlabathi liphela. Usasazo lwehlabathi logonyo oluninzi lwe-COVID-19 lwenzekile kwinqanaba elibalulekileyo kumzabalazo wobhubhane. Nangona kunjalo, ijongene nemiqobo emininzi, kubandakanya ukuthandabuza ngogonyo kunye nokuthandabuza. Injongo yolu phononongo ibikukuqonda ngcono ukuthandabuza kwisitofu sokugonya ngokomxholo waseMzantsi Afrika, kugxininiswa ngakumbi kukuthandabuza kogonyo lwe-COVID-19. Okwesibini, uphononongo lufuna ukuphonononga ubudlelwane bamandla phakathi kukarhulumente waseMzantsi Afrika kunye nabantu bakhe, kunye nokuba bayichaphazela njani imikhwa yezempilo. Ke, olu phononongo lubonisa ukuba ukuthandabuza ngogonyo eMzantsi Afrika kusekelwe kubudlelwane bamandla phakathi kukarhulumente kunye nolawulo, amava embali yelizwe, kunye neendlela ezahlukeneyo zolwazi lwesitofu sokugonya olusasazwa xa luvavanywa ngeelensi zeethiyori zikaMichelle Foucault zebiopolitics, biopower, kunye. urhulumente. Ngolu phononongo, kwafunyaniswa, kusetyenziswa indlela yokujonga uncwadi, ukuba iingcaciso ezibambekayo zokuthingaza kugonyo eMzantsi Afrika, ngakumbi ukuthandabuza kugonyo lwe-COVID-19, kubandakanya ipolitiki yomzimba, amava ogonyo lwangaphambili, kunye nokungathembani kurhulumente, phakathi kwezinye. Uphononongo olongezelelweyo malunga nokuthandabuza kogonyo eMzantsi Afrika lunokungena kumava abantu abaphila ngexesha lendyikityha kunye nobhubhane, nto leyo enokuba negalelo kwintandabuzo yesitofu sokugonya.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.