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Using art therapy to address the protective false self when working with queer identity.
Get PDFThe exploration of one’s queer identity can prove significant for queer-identifying people. A result of exploring the multiple layers and aspects of queerness that comprise one\u27s identity is being able to engage in society from the perspective of one’s most authentic self, or as psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott termed it, the ‘true self’. In this paper, I contend that for a queer person to explore their identity, they must first address their protective \u27false self\u27, the self that develops from having to comply with the external world. I draw on findings from my dissertation study, which used qualitative methodologies, of an eight-session group art therapy intervention for queer-identifying individuals that aimed to determine whether art therapy can be used to foster self-acceptance. Each session resulted in the creation of an artwork followed by a discussion prompted by the artworks. Many artworks featured bodies and parts of bodies as representations of self and revealed an ambivalence between the true self that wanted to be witnessed and the false self that wanted to conceal the true self. One of the core findings from my dissertation was that the false self only began emerging into the consciousness of the participants at the end of the intervention. In this article, I focus on the artworks created by two participants who attended the group most regularly and tracked the false self in their artworks. This paper argues that there is value in the false self’s protective function as a defence mechanism for the queer population and concludes by highlighting the importance of making visible the false self, through art therapy, before exploring the multiple layers of queer identity
Fostering quantity surveying student success through academic engagement: an interactive qualitative analysis
Get PDFThis research paper delves into the multifaceted aspects influencing student engagement in higher education, specifically focusing on Bachelor of Science (Quantity Surveying) Honours (QS) students at Nelson Mandela University, South Africa. This study aims to develop a group systems influence diagram (SID) for factors influencing student engagement according to QS students since it enhances student success and persistence. The objectives are to identify the key factors that drive student engagement and understand their interrelationships. This study used an interpretivist paradigm, which emphasises participants\u27 subjective experiences, to navigate this complex landscape. Methodologically, a blend of inductive and deductive approaches was employed for theory building. The interactive qualitative analysis (IQA) strategy anchored this multi-method qualitative design. Central to this approach was creating a student SID, a visual tool designed to map out and represent the myriad factors influencing student engagement. Data collection was a two-pronged process, encompassing focus group discussions and subsequent individual interviews with students. This strategy ensured a rich tapestry of insights, capturing both collective sentiments and individual narratives. In response to the question, "Tell me about what influences your academic engagement at Nelson Mandela University?" the QS students produced 41 items in the focus group through inductive coding. These items were grouped into seven themes by means of axial coding: physical environment, external realities, lecturer attributes, subject matter, teaching methods, personal factors, and student interaction. Subsequently, a composite SID identified the physical environment and external realities themes as the primary drivers, while the lecturer attributes and subject matter themes were secondary drivers. During phase two, the themes were verified through individual semi-structured interviews. It was established that these interviews substantiated the focus group findings. The findings underscore the need for educational institutions to consider a holistic approach to student engagement, which includes creating conducive physical learning environments, understanding and addressing external challenges students face, and ensuring that teaching methods are engaging and adaptable. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of lecturer attributes in shaping student engagement, suggesting targeted professional development and support for educators. By tackling the drivers of student engagement, the Department of Quantity Surveying at Nelson Mandela University can foster an environment where students are more attentive, motivated, and actively involved in their learning experiences, ultimately leading to improved academic success
Silences and Vulnerabilities: Sex Work and Gender- Based Violence in South Africa and Sweden
Get PDFIn 1999, Sweden introduced legislation that prohibits and criminalises the purchase of sex – while continuing to decriminalise the selling of sex. Referred to as the ‘Swedish model’, or the ‘Nordic model’ after neighbouring countries followed suit, this legal framework is built on an understanding of ‘prostitution’ as exploitation and a form of violence against women. Examined through this lens, the selling of sex can never be regarded as work. Through its feminist foreign policy platform (in place between 2014 and 2022), Sweden declared that it would engage in ‘persistent and robust commitment and agency’ to encourage other countries to adopt similar legal frameworks. Yet, evidence of the presumed success of the Swedish model is scant at best, with recent research raising concerns over how the Sex Purchase Act in conjunction with immigration law and third-party regulation has contributed to increasedvulnerability of migrant sex workers – who make up the majority of people selling sex in the Nordic region (Vuolajärvi, 2019).In South Africa, both the selling and buying of sex is criminalised, in spite of the country being party to several international treaties that recognise the right to free choice of work. As decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa is currently high on the public agenda,and the ‘Swedish model’ is one of the alternatives discussed, critically examining the possible consequences of adopting this model is crucial. In this paper, we draw on research and activist interventions in Sweden and South Africa to examine the possible implications of the adoption of the ‘Swedish model’ in South Africa – a country with markedly different historical and demographic trajectories, migratory patterns, and a much less extensive and supported social welfare system. We caution that such a move may not achieve the aim of reducing sex workers’ vulnerability and exposure to violence. Furthermore, framing the selling of sex as violence rather than work may risk silencing causes for social justice by stripping sex workers of their agency and autonomy, while simultaneously casting them as victims
British Colonial Post- War Fiscal Policies in Benin, Nigeria: 1945–1960
Get PDFThis paper focuses on post-war fiscal and economic policies in colonial Benin between 1945 and 1960. It was the period of British economic reconstruction occasioned by the effect of the Second World War. The paper therefore examines the impact of the post-war fiscal reforms on tax and expenditure patterns of the British authorities in Benin. It gives a robust analysis, as a background, of the goal and effect of the British economic reforms in her colonies. The study argues that the main objective of the British was to promotefiscal policies in order to revamp the metropolitan economy battered by the Second World War. Thus, at the Benin protectorate or division, the tax assessment rate was relatively high compared to the level of income paid by the colonial authorities, in order to create surplus for expenditure. This created discontents and petitions from different local communities against the assessment rate. Thepaper shows that the expenditure level, especially on social services, was low compared to the tax revenue generated. It adopts the historical method of research which utilised data obtained from both primary and secondary sources for interpretation and analysis. It’s on aspects of the Benin Division in Benin Province, created in 1914, as one of the administrative divisions, by the British which comprises of the Benin speaking people of southern Nigeria. It subsequently became part of the Western Region in 1945 following theconstitution of regional government in Nigeria
Design and construction of an Arduino-based load-shedding management system for improving electricity consumption in a medium-sized creative office building
Get PDFStandalone energy generation is revolutionizing electricity production and consumption by offering decentralized and sustainable options, benefiting communities, enhancing resilience, and reducing dependence on traditional power grids. Nevertheless, standalone electricity systems can face overloading issues when demand varies or exceeds capacity, necessitating careful control and adaptable solutions. The scalability of standalone electricity systems is limited by infrastructure, technology, and cost, hindering easy capacity expansion to accommodate higher loads. This paper explores the feasibility of managing load shedding in an office building with a standalone energy source, assessing its impact on optimizing electricity consumption and contributing to operational efficiency, sustainability, and resilience. A hardware prototype has been developed for a programmable interface designed to automatically manage various loads from the distribution board in a controlled manner. This includes controlling lighting, heating, cooling, security devices, and essential office gadgets. The system is implemented and validated through experiments utilizing the Arduino Mega control board. Operators can input load-shedding times flexibly using a 4x4 matrix keypad synchronized with the real-time clock (RTC). The microcontroller then instructs the relay to shed the specified load, displaying the shedding time on the LCD. The results indicate that the programmable interface exhibits a high dynamic response speed, highlighting its effectiveness and flexibility in load-shedding management. Comparing the cost of building the device with the long-term cost of overloading a standalone electricity generator, considering accelerated wear and tear, increased maintenance expenses, reduced operational lifespan, potential premature equipment failure, and overall decreased reliability, underscores the high-cost efficiency of adopting this device in office buildings. Additionally, implementing the system in an office building with an energy consumption of 23 kWh resulted in a discernible annual energy saving of 2.52 kWh by shedding off unnecessary loads at estimated timings
Revisiting Middle Stone Age hunting at ≠GI, Botswana: A tip cross-sectional area study
Get PDF≠Gi was excavated almost half-a-century ago. Despite no formally published analyses of its lithic and faunal assemblages, the site has been important to discussions about technological development during the Middle Stone Age (MSA). Dating to ~77 ka, ≠Gi has been pitched as one of the earliest contexts in southern Africa where the spearthrower-and-dart may have been used as a mechanically projected weapon system. Here we provide a brief history of lithic-point research pertaining to the site, and report on a tip cross-sectional area (TCSA) analysis conducted on 359 Middle Stone Age points excavated from ≠Gi. Based on the TCSA approach, we hypothesise that the use of stabbing spears in ambush hunting, perhaps in tandem with lightweight javelin hunting, was the most likely scenario for the MSA hunters who used the site
Comparing morphological variability in handaxes from Penhill Farm and Amanzi Springs, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Get PDFRecent excavations at Penhill Farm and Amanzi Springs have reinvigorated interest in the Acheulean archaeological record of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. While this research now provides valuable detail on hominin adaptations in environments that differ from the interior, few Acheulean assemblages in this region have been recorded or thoroughly analysed. Here we compare Acheulean handaxes from Penhill Farm and the Amanzi Springs Area 1 locality to help characterise the expression of this technocomplex in the Eastern Cape. We employ a multivariate analysis of allometry to highlight the relationship between shape variance in relation to the size of handaxes, which further provide perspective on shaping processes. Results demonstrate high levels of techno-morphological variability that may distinguish Acheulean handaxes in the Eastern Cape region from sites elsewhere. We further argue that morphological variation in handaxes from Penhill Farm and Amanzi Springs may have also been influenced by site function, discard behaviours and group mobility patterns. These data refute the notion that the Acheulean technocomplex represents a single, homogenous technological entity, but rather was a flexible tradition that was influenced by region-specific factors
Women’s Leadership Role in the Apostolic Faith Mission Church of South Africa
Get PDFWomen’s advancement into executive leadership in the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) church in South Africa (SA) has not been able to keep pace with women’s movement into the workforce. As part of a resolution passed at the AFM of SA’s National Leadership Forum (NLF) meeting, a task team was appointed in March 2020 to determine what prevents women from being elected to leadership positions in the church. This team consisted of three women ordained as pastors in the church. A questionnaire was distributed by the team to women in the AFM assemblies in nine provinces of SA asking why women were not advancing in leadership in the church and what could be done to change the phenomenon. A sample of 89 participants responded to both closed and open-ended questions. The open-ended questions were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings illustrated that a change in perceptions and bias toward women in leadership is needed. Women require support from church leadership, training, mentorship, and intentional changes to policy and practice. Finally, women require representation on all levels of leadership in the church
Swedish Foreign Policy, 1809-2019
Get PDFReading Graeme D. Eddie’s book – Swedish Foreign Policy, 1809–2019: A Comprehensive Modern History – is a remarkable history lesson. And don’t get me wrong, it is in no way like the boring, never-ending, tedious history lectures held by a dull teacher whotalks way too slowly; it’s something else. While being a historical review, the book is a real page turner! It’s detailed, it’s informative, yet gripping. In the current reality, where Sweden is joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and where the SwedenDemocrats, a populist right-wing party, are now the second largest party, it is relevant to look back in order to understand the present. Reading this book is an excellent start
Essop Pahad
Get PDFWhilst many will speak today of the historic and invaluable contributions of Essop Pahad to our country’s liberation struggle and at the dawn of democracy, it is often forgotten that this came at great pain for him to live a life in exile, isolated from family and friends. Such was the often silent struggle that happened parallel to the struggle for freedom. Though this was an immensely politically active time for him, it was also incredibly taxing. It was in this time that Essop clung to the promise of a free and democratic South Africa. As the Greek tragedian Aeschylus once said: ‘I know how men in exile feed on dreams.’ So desperate was his dream for a better tomorrow that he worked tirelessly with members of the international community to bring attention to the plight of those he left behind. Throughout his life, he continued to cling onto this dream as he fought for justice and equity long beyond the advent of democracy. He once said: ‘Our march to a better life requires that each and every South African should put shoulders to the wheel – all of us as partners in transforming ours into a society that cares. We must know our rights and exercise them, in the same measure as we take on our collective responsibility to build South Africa into a nation of our dreams.’