An investigation of affect responses drawn from South African tertiary level visual communication students by means of illustrating the corporeal feminine through comic book art.
| dc.contributor.advisor | Alexander, Neeske | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Hunter, Katherine | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-02-20T13:13:36Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-04-17T08:14:10Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-02-20T13:13:36Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-04-17T08:14:10Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019-04 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2019. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sequential narratives, generally referred to as comics, which directly address the nature of the female body and its flows, have both been censured and praised. These comics have resulted in affecting their readers in different ways, leading to feelings of excitement, interest, repulsion or even intense anger. The intention of this research was to investigate the way in which corporeal feminism may generate affect responses through the comic book, Shapes of flow. The case of corporeal feminism has been seen by feminists from both a positive and a negative perspective, depending on whether feminists view biological sex as an empowering or marginalising force. Many aspects of this topic are viewed as taboo subjects in a socio-cultural environment, which has further strengthened the hesitation to theorise the female body. Affect theory ties well into this debate, as it can be employed as a tool to investigate human reactions toward disputed topics. The theoretical themes that were analysed also included difference feminism and South African feminism. Elizabeth Grosz (1994:xii) suggested the image of a Mobius strip to approach ‘dualist pairs’ that are believed to result in essentialism and marginalisation, such as sex/gender and self/other. The Mobius strip concept has potential to bridge these gaps. Another powerful feminist theory that emerged from the research, is Bracha Etinger’s matrixial borderspace (Ettinger 2006:220). A case study was employed to collect qualitative data from eleven tertiary level students, who study Visual Communication at a design institution in the Western Cape region. A naturalistic research paradigm was utilised to collect qualitative data by means of semi-structured interviews, field observations and a group discussion. An interpretive and inductive approach was employed to analyse the collected data. The study found that there still seems to be discomfort amongst both men and women to discuss the body and issues relating to it. The discomfort was especially significant in response to matters concerning menstruation. Several of the participants recalled personal experiences in which they felt ashamed or embarrassed as a result of the natural functions of their bodies. Similarly, the corporeal feminine has been suppressed and silenced in discourse for a long time, even in feminist discussions. The comic that was presented to the participants was able to introduce silenced ‘taboo’ topics into everyday discussions. In addition, affect is formed within a cultural framework. This means that affect can be utilised to enforce dominant power regimes, but it can also be used to dismantle them. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Opeenvolgende narratiewe, ook bekend as strokiesprente, wat direk die natuur van die vroulike liggaam en die vloeiing wat daarmee gepaard gaan aanspreek, is al beide gekritiseer en aangeprys. Hierdie strokiesprente het lesers op verskeie maniere geaffekteer, wat gelei het tot gevoelens van opgewondenheid, belangstelling, walging en selfs intensiewe woede. Die doel van hierdie navorsingsprojek was om ondersoek in te stel na die wyse waarop liggaamlike feminisme in die strokiesverhaal, Shapes of flow, affek-reaksies kan voortbring. Feministe beskou ligaamlike feminisme uit beide ‘n positiewe en negatiewe perspektief, afhangende daarvan of die feministe biologiese geslag as maggewend of verswakkend beskou. Verskeie aspekte van hierdie onderwerp word as taboe beskou in ‘n sosiokulturele omgewing. Hierdie siening het veroorsaak dat daar steeds aarseling is om oor die vroulike liggaam te teoretiseer. Affek-teorie sluit goed aan by hierdie debat, aangesien dit aangewend kan word as ‘n instrument om menslike reaksies teenoor ongemaklike onderwerpe te ondersoek. Die teoretiese temas wat ontleed is, sluit verskil-feminisme en Suid-Afrikaanse feminisme in. Elizabeth Grosz (1994:xii) het voorgestel dat die konsep van ‘n Mobius-strook gebruik kan word om tweevoudige pare (byvoorbeeld seks/geslag en self/ander) te benader. Daar word geglo dat sodanige pare kan lei tot essensialisme en diskriminasie. Die konsep van die Mobius-strook het die potensiaal om hierdie gapings te oorbrug. Nog ‘n belangrike feministiese teorie wat uit die ondersoek na vore gekom het, is Bracha Ettinger se matriksgrensruimte (Ettinger 2006:220). ‘n Gevallestudie is aangewend om kwalitatiewe data te versamel. Die deelnemers het bestaan uit elf universiteitsvlak-studente wat Visuele Kommunikasie studeer by ‘n instituut van ontwerp in die Weskaap. ‘n Naturalistiese navorsingsparadigma is gebruik om die data in te samel deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, veldwaarneming en groepbesprekings. ‘n Interpretatiewe en induktiewe benadering is aangewend om die data te ontleed. Die studie het ontdek dat daar nog ongemak onder mans sowel as vrouens bestaan om die liggaam en kwessies wat daarmee verband hou, te bespreek. Die ongemak was veral opmerkbaar toe sake rakende menstruasie bespreek is. ‘n Paar van die deelnemers het persoonlike ervarings onthou waartydens hulle skaam en verleë gevoel het as gevolg van die natuurlike funksies van hulle liggame. Die onderwerp van die vroulike ligaam word al lank in diskoers onderdruk en verswyg - selfs in feministiese debatte. Die strokiesverhaal wat aan die deelnemers voorgelȇ is, het bespreking van die taboe-onderwerpe gestimuleer. Affek word in ‘n kulturele raamwerk gevorm, wat beteken dat dit gebruik kan word om dominante magsregimes te versterk. In teenstelling hiermee kan affek egter ook gebruik word om sulke regimes te vernietig. | af_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | viii, 65 pages | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/105818 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Feminist theory -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Human body -- Social aspects | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Human body (Philosophy) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Gender identity -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Women -- Comic books, strips, etc. -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Students tertiary education -- Comic books, strips, etc. -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | |
| dc.title | An investigation of affect responses drawn from South African tertiary level visual communication students by means of illustrating the corporeal feminine through comic book art. | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |