UJ Press Journals
Not a member yet
2155 research outputs found
Sort by
Morphological and functional variability of the geometric microlithic backed tools from the late Holocene at Pomongwe Cave (Matobo, western Zimbabwe)
Get PDFMicrolithic backed tools are a key feature of the Later Stone Age late Holocene period in southern Africa. These tools were widely distributed and produced in various geometric shapes and sizes. Despite extensive study and classification, questions remain regarding whether their morphological variability was driven by functional, technological, or stylistic factors. This study investigates the variability of microlithic backed tools from Pomongwe Cave in Matobo, western Zimbabwe, during the Amadzimba phase (ca. 5800 to 2300 BP). We classified the microlithic backed tools into three main morpho-functional categories, which we interpret as reflecting different hafting designs and tool functions. We propose that microlithic backed tools were part of a composite system and likely served as projectile weapons. The creation of specialised tools for specific tasks demonstrates a high level of innovation and provides insight into hunter-gatherer hunting strategies during the late Holocene in Matobo
The Brazilian Presidency of BRICS in 2025
Get PDFBrazil chairs the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) in 2025 after taking up the mettle of presiding over the G20 in 2024. This is an amazing show of diplomatic and technical strength on the part of Brazil. Brazil chose - Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance- as the theme.
Sustainability and Expectations in Client-Public Relations Agency Relationships: A Bi-directional Perspective
Get PDFThe sustainability of public relations agencies is often heavily dependent on positive and vibrant relationships with their clients. Such relationships are crucial during challenging economic conditions and intense competition prevalent within the sphere. Public relations agencies in South Africa face a challenge to prove that they are able to contribute positively to their clients’ bottom line by meeting these expectations. Good relationships lead to higher client retention for agencies, improvement in the client’s return on their investment and it also contributes towards organisational sustainability for the benefit of both parties. This article investigates expectations of client‒public relations agency relationships in South Africa as key elements influencing the relationship between the parties. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted. It involved in-depth interviews with six client representatives and six senior public relations consultants from three prominent public relations agencies operating in Johannesburg. The findings indicate that expectations, competencies and communication inform perceptions of how clients and public relations agencies view the relationship and then try to achieve relationship outcomes. To maintain or expand their client base, public relations agencies need to create value for the client organisations and build relationships and mutual understanding with their clients
Editorial
Get PDFOn September 28 and 29, 2023, the University of Johannesburg’s Department for Strategic Communication hosted an international conference in conjunction with its sister department at Lund University, Sweden. Under the headline Reflect, Rethink and Reimagine: A Decade of Strategic Communication more than 120 scholars gathered physically and virtually to look back as well as forward, to take stock of past achievements as well as think about the future. The contributions from all over the continent, and indeed the world, spanned all levels of investigation: the tricky details on micro-level, the organizational dynamics on meso-level, the convoluted and complex issues on macro-level. Eminent practitioners joined the event. Some provided inspirational and visionary highlights; others, equally important, sobering reality-checks. Last but not least, UJ’s very own ‘Gallery of Talent’ challenged the participants with music, performances and poetry
Community-Engaged Research in Teaching Research Methods
Get PDFThis article presents a community-engaged project integrated into a research methods course. The goal of the course was to engage students in research on a transitional housing program for homeless veterans and develop their understanding of veteran homelessness. While students learned the basic concepts, theoretical paradigms, and methods of qualitative research from assigned readings, class lectures, and discussions, they engaged in research activities such as data collection, analysis, and dissemination in real world settings. Toward the end of the semester, the students in the course shared their research findings and recommendations for further improvement with the program stakeholders. The research outcomes were utilized to support the program development. During the research process, both student researchers and community partners gained benefits by building mutual trust and creating positive relationships. The students who completed the community-engaged project demonstrated greater knowledge of veteran homelessness and suggested ways to help them integrate back into society.
Revisão do livro: "Diálogos com Eugène Enriquez: a propósito da obra "Da Horda ao Estado – Psicanálise do vínculo social"
No full text"Dialogues with Eugène Enriquez: On the Work: From the Horde to the State – Psychoanalysis of the Social Bond" is a collection organized by Vanessa Andrade Barros, Teresa Cristina Carreteiro, Jacyara Rochael Nasciutti, and José Newton Garcia de Araújo, celebrating the 40th anniversary of Eugène Enriquez’s seminal work, De la horde à l’État. The book brings together contributions from various scholars who revisit and expand on Enriquez’s ideas, integrating theoretical and practical perspectives that bridge the individual and the collective. The work is divided into two main parts: the first, "Freud and the Social Bond," explores the foundations of Enriquez’s thought, addressing themes such as myth, political power, religion, and violence. The second part, "Social Bond, Domination, and Power," examines issues of gender, culture, modern power, and contemporary challenges, such as the fragility of community ties and democratic regression. This work is essential for understanding the relevance of Enriquez’s thought and its applications in analyzing current issues, making it a must-read for researchers interested in social dynamics and power structures."Diálogos con Eugène Enriquez: Sobre la obra: De la horda al Estado – Psicoanálisis del vínculo social" es una colección organizada por Vanessa Andrade Barros, Teresa Cristina Carreteiro, Jacyara Rochael Nasciutti y José Newton Garcia de Araújo, que celebra el 40º aniversario de la obra seminal de Eugène Enriquez, De la horde à l’État. El libro reúne contribuciones de diversos académicos que revisan y amplían las ideas de Enriquez, integrando perspectivas teóricas y prácticas que conectan el individuo con lo colectivo. La obra está dividida en dos partes principales: la primera, "Freud y el Vínculo Social", explora los fundamentos del pensamiento de Enriquez, abordando temas como el mito, el poder político, la religión y la violencia. La segunda parte, "Vínculo Social, Dominación y Poder", examina cuestiones de género, cultura, poder moderno y desafíos contemporáneos, como la fragilidad de los lazos comunitarios y la regresión democrática. Esta obra es esencial para comprender la relevancia del pensamiento de Enriquez y sus aplicaciones en el análisis de problemas actuales, convirtiéndola en una lectura obligada para investigadores interesados en las dinámicas sociales y las estructuras de poder."Dialogues avec Eugène Enriquez : Sur l\u27œuvre : De la horde à l\u27État – Psychanalyse du lien social" est une collection organisée par Vanessa Andrade Barros, Teresa Cristina Carreteiro, Jacyara Rochael Nasciutti et José Newton Garcia de Araújo, célébrant le 40e anniversaire de l\u27œuvre séminale d\u27Eugène Enriquez, De la horde à l\u27État. Le livre rassemble des contributions de divers universitaires qui revisitent et élargissent les idées d\u27Enriquez, intégrant des perspectives théoriques et pratiques qui relient l\u27individu au collectif. L\u27ouvrage est divisé en deux parties principales : la première, "Freud et le lien social", explore les fondements de la pensée d\u27Enriquez, abordant des thèmes tels que le mythe, le pouvoir politique, la religion et la violence. La deuxième partie, "Lien social, domination et pouvoir", examine des questions de genre, de culture, de pouvoir moderne et de défis contemporains, tels que la fragilité des liens communautaires et la régression démocratique. Cette œuvre est essentielle pour comprendre la pertinence de la pensée d\u27Enriquez et ses applications dans l\u27analyse des problèmes actuels, en faisant une lecture incontournable pour les chercheurs intéressés par les dynamiques sociales et les structures de pouvoir."Diálogos com Eugène Enriquez: Sobre a obra: Da Horda ao Estado – Psicanálise do Vínculo Social" é uma coletânea organizada por Vanessa Andrade Barros, Teresa Cristina Carreteiro, Jacyara Rochael Nasciutti e José Newton Garcia de Araújo, celebrando o 40º aniversário da obra seminal de Eugène Enriquez, De la horde à l’État. O livro reúne contribuições de diversos acadêmicos que revisitam e ampliam as ideias de Enriquez, integrando perspectivas teóricas e práticas que conectam o indivíduo ao coletivo. A obra está dividida em duas partes principais: a primeira, "Freud e o Vínculo Social", explora os fundamentos do pensamento de Enriquez, abordando temas como mito, poder político, religião e violência. A segunda parte, "Vínculo Social, Dominação e Poder", examina questões de gênero, cultura, poder moderno e desafios contemporâneos, como a fragilidade dos laços comunitários e a regressão democrática. Esta obra é essencial para compreender a relevância do pensamento de Enriquez e suas aplicações na análise de problemas atuais, tornando-se uma leitura obrigatória para pesquisadores interessados nas dinâmicas sociais e nas estruturas de poder
Seductive Spirit: Deliverance, Demons, and Sexual Worldmaking in Ghanaian Pentecostalism by Nathanael Homewood
No full textIcisungu – Divining Mother Earth in the Bemba Puberty Rite
No full textBemba culture celebrates two distinct rites for young women. The first rite is celebrated at puberty (icisungu) and the second is celebrated at marriage (imbusa). This article focuses on the first rite called icisungu when the girls reach puberty. The significance of icisungu rite is its centrality in possible promotion of female agency and reproductive health awareness among Bemba girls. This is vital as it establishes a solid connection between the cultural practices and their relevance in contemporary discussions about sexual reproductive health. Young girls are separated during icisungu in order to receive instruction on their journey into womanhood and how to safeguard themselves from early childhood debut into sexual activity. Icisungu is a safe space for young girls to learn agency and comprehensive sexuality education. Using African feminist cultural hermeneutics and mothering as a framework, this article demonstrates how the divine, mother earth and Bemba women offer agency
A Proposed Framework for the Adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies in Municipal Water Governance in South Africa
No full textThe Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which focuses on ensuring universal access to water for all, remains at the center of the sustainable development agenda; however, its realisation continues to be hindered by the persistent water governance challenges. This is particularly concerning given the critical role that effective governance plays in addressing the global water crisis. The advent of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies offers transformative potential to strengthen municipal water governance systems. Yet, the adoption and implementation of these technologies, especially within South African rural municipalities, has been notably slow. Using a selected district municipality in the Eastern Cape in South Africa, the paper aims to develop a framework to facilitate the adoption of 4IR technologies in municipal water governance. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study purposively selected participants from the municipal officials, stakeholders, and experts who provided insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with 4IR adoption. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. The findings reveal a slow uptake of 4IR innovations, underpinned by capacity, infrastructure, and policy gaps. The paper, therefore, proposes a contextually grounded framework designed to guide and accelerate digital transformation within rural municipalities. Thus, the framework provides a roadmap and direction in accelerating the integration of 4IR technologies to strengthen municipal water governance, foster inclusive technological advancement, and ensure that rural communities are not excluded from the benefits of digital innovation. The paper, therefore, underscores the urgency of this shift by highlighting that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is rapidly transforming all sectors. Consequently, the failure of rural water service authorities to adopt 4IR technologies risks deepening existing disparities and leaving rural municipalities further behind.
Unveiling the Voices and Examining the Phases of Reportage in Online News Stories of the Coronavirus Pandemic in Ghana
No full textThis article examines media coverage of the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana, specifically focusing on four selected Ghanaian news portals (myjoyonline.com, citinewsroom.com, peacefmonline.com and gna.org.gh) from 12 March 2020 to 24 March 2021. The study underpinning the article examined news sources, attributions and reportage phases. The study was guided by the Agenda Setting and Framing theories within a content analysis approach that sampled and analysed 208 news stories. The findings highlight the central role of various sources, including government officials and politicians, medical experts, health organisations, affected communities, corporate executives and international media in shaping the media narrative about the pandemic. These sources provided information, insights and perspectives that informed the media’s reporting and helped disseminate crucial information to the public. In addition, the study underpinning the article unveiled a five-phased approach adopted by the media, from early responsiveness to resilience and recovery, each marked by different frames such as political, public health crisis, social, economic and on-the-brighter-side frames. This dynamic approach allowed the media to adapt to the evolving nature of the pandemic and cater to the diverse information needs of the audience. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of media coverage during health crises and offers valuable insights for media professionals, policymakers and the public