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- ItemAfrikan contribution to international relations theory: an Afrocentric philosophical enquiry(University of Zululand, 2012) Mvulane-Moloi, Tshepo; Koenane, M.L.J.The academic field of IR has been haunted by its Westerncentric philosophical founding masters. This has consequently led almost the overall (if not the entire) literature, of this particular academic discipline, to have become a typical platform wherein the Eurocentric driven masternarratives have become consolidated, as the norm. The interrogation of pedagogy thus led to concerns of indoctrination, as a direct result of the dogmatic views (as specifically derived and driven by the literature of Western philosophy), which overtime has informed the bulk of IR (theory) literature. Themes of racism, dynamics introduced by the role of language, sexism, (Feminism, gender, patriarchy) even the age factor of authoritative IR theorists, amongst other factors, are thus brought afore and engaged in detail, hopefully not in an overly complex manner. Within this study, concepts such as Worldview are interrogated and stripped of their implied scholarly innocence. When studied closer, expressions (which have led to the formation of Mainstream IR theories), as located within the bulk of IR literature, reveal that what is presented as nuanced and structured thought, may specifically be traced back, and realized as mere rhetorical echoes of pioneering Western philosophers. From such an Eurocentric/Westerncentric foundation, as specifically located in the suspected scholarly body of Western Philosophy, this exploratory study, has thus inevitably placed an enormous question mark, on what may possibly be / have been the contribution of the other (non-Eurocentric / non-Westerncentric) IR theories. Particular investigative focus would hopefully, be placed upon securing a possible existence of an Afrikan philosophical Worldview, as may possibly be / have been informed by the doctrine of Afrocentricity. It should thus be understood that this particular study, is mainly interested, in what may currently be or have been Afrikan contribution to IR theory. The specific employment of Afrocentricity should hopefully be read, as an effort by the author of this study, to secure the sought Afrikan contribution to IR, from a local/from below (Afrikan) narrative perspective. Such an effort, may hopefully within this study, be linked to the chief aim(s) of Afrikan philosophy.
- ItemGrief counselling : community intervention practices(2000) Selepe-Madima, Molago Cathrine; Edwards, S.D.Loss through death is an inevitable part of life. Not only does it separate families from their loved ones; it also threatens community cohesion and solidarity. In most cultures, the painful road from loss to healing concerns not only the immediate family, but the community at large. In other words, grief is a shared experience. The disposal of the dead and the accompanying mourning rituals are a social, if not a public affair. Though it is never solicited, support subsequent to bereavement is expected from friends, relatives, and the community at large. This is well expressed in the Zulu poetic saying, "umuntu umuntu nga bantu/" (broadly translated as ''Only through you do I become"). Community psychology as a discipline cannot afford to give casual attention to alternative support services offered in communities, including, grief counselling. This study therefore explores community intervention practices in grief counselling. The research seeks to clarify the experiences of people who experience grief with the objective of understanding how they are supported. Grief counselling, as practised in communities in this study, has been found to be an informed process. It takes the bereaved step-by-step from the initial stage of informing them about the death, through the shock and denial and ushers them into the awareness of loss phase. Burial ceremonies accentuate the departure of the deceased from among the living, while they also offer solace, support and solidarity to the bereaved as they are confronted with the reality of death. Not much was found to be done in terms of post-burial support except for the purification rites and traditional inquests with healers and prophets. Of the ten participants that were interviewed, eight attributed the death of their loved ones to bewitchment. The wearing of mourning clothes marked the transitional period and facilitated for the withdrawal of the bereaved for purposes of their healing over time. This transitional period culminated into the re¬incorporation celebration. This progression has, as delineated above, been recommended to form guidelines for the development of a psycho-educational grief counselling programme in order to recycle resources.
- ItemAspekte van oorganklikheid in Afrikaans(1995) Zulu, Sylvia Phiwani; Klopper, R.M.Afri: = In bierdie verbandeling word bepaalde aspekte van oorganklikbeid in Afrikaans ontleed. Hoewel akademiese bandboeke, pedagogiese grammatikas en woordeboeke infonnasie oor oorgankl~eid bevat, word die begrip nfu-ens sistematies uiteengesit me. In die eerste boofstuk word On prinsipiele verantwoording gemaak vir die bestudering van oorganklikbeid in Afrikaans. Nadat daar in die ·tweede boofstuk On saaklike uiteensetting gegee is van die prinsipes waarop die kognitiewe grammatika berus, bied die derde boofstuk On oorsig van die sienings wat gevestigde Engelse en Afrikaanse grammatikabronne buldig oor oorganklikbeid. Die vierde en vyfde boofstukke gee onderskeidelik uiteensettings van die rolgrammatika as benadering om oorganklikbeid te bestudeer en die gestaltgrondslag waarvolgens entiteite binne On gebeure-opset waargeneem word tydens die aansetfase van roltoekenning. In die sesde boofstuk word die onoorganklike en oorganklike werkwoorde van letterlike gebeure bebandel. In boofstuk sewe word die gevolgtrekkings van die ondersoek aangebied. = Engl: Various aspects of transitivity in Afrikaans are analyzed in this dissertation. While academic handbooks, pedagogic grammars and dictionaries contain information regarding transitivity there is no source where it is presented systematically. The first chapter motivates the need for such a research project on transitivity in Afrikaans. The second chapter sketches the tenets underlying cognitive grammar. The third chapter reviews the way in which various English and Afrikaans textbooks approach transitivity. The fourth chapter details the way in which transitivity is dealt with in cognitive grammar. The fifth chapter deals with the gestalt perceptions that people form of entities during the onset phase of semantic role designation. Chapter six deals with Afrikaans intransitive and transitive verbs of literal events while the conclusions arrived at in the course of this project arc presented in chapter seven.
- ItemA philosophical inquiry into the problem of democracy in Africa(2011) Olatunji, Cyril-Mary Pius; Wait, E. C.The study acknowledges that there have been attempts by scholars of African politics to explain the problems impeding the smooth running and consolidation of democracy in Africa. The acknowledgement of these previous efforts notwithstanding, the thesis sets out to show the value of a philosophical reaction to the positions of scholars on the issue, as a shift towards a better approach to it. It makes an examination, which exposes the inadequacy of the previous approach to the explanation of the problems militating against the democratic project in Africa. The thesis is not therapeutic. It is primarily diagnostic. Therefore, it did not set out to prescribe some procedural steps to change the ailing political system in Africa. Rather, it has identified the shortcomings of previous approaches to the problem of democracy in Africa, which, has portrayed Africans as mere effects of causes, and incapable of taking control of their own life situations. In the analysis, the scholars had argued that the unstable state of democracy in Africa has been caused by some internal and external factors. That is, by implication, Africa has been caused to be what it is. This study rejects the causal model of explanation taken uncritically from the Newtonian physics by the scholars of African politics in their explanations of the political challenges of Africa. This study argues that by applying the causal explanation, the scholars have implied that Africa is not more than a mere effect of causes, and therefore, incapable of a self-motivated and a free action. They have also implied that their own analyses were either caused or false Consequently, the study proposes that any reliable explanation of the problems militating against the democratic project in Africa must be non-causal in structure. That is, an explanation in which my explanations, as an African, are my own wilful actions. By so doing, the study has initiated a new consciousness of who I am as an African. It initiated the consciousness of the fact that such factors as colonialism and corrupt leadership in Africa may have had serious influences on the trajectory of my own history as an Africa, but they do not determine my situation in the deterministic cause and effect relation in the manner in which the scholars intended.