Browsing by Subject "communication"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Exploring Community Creation: Conversations of Young Black Women
    (University of Cape Town, 2024) Ngandi, Asemahle; Bennett, Jane; Hurst Ellen
    In order to showcase the significance of the often-trivialised act of women talking to each other, the purpose of this research project was to explore how young black women use talking to create community with each other. The purpose of this research is to explore how young black South African women talking to each other, having conversations with each other, work to create bonds and ultimately community with each other – or, in bell hooks' (2000) terms, a Sisterhood. This act of women talking – black women, no less – to each other goes against the grain, it is a revolutionary act that they have been conditioned against precisely because of its revolutionary nature and because of the power that lies in the unpredictability of it. Along with staying silent, women are conditioned into not having bonds or relationships with each other because they are natural enemies, because all that would come from such relations would be unimportant, because they would tear each other down – as such, women cannot and should not bond with each other (hooks; 2000:43). This is reflected in the literature, particularly literature on Africa. The literature available on the socio-linguistic study of language and language varieties is expansive on the embodiment of these varieties by young African men. This solidifies the notion that [young African] women are not talking – not to young men, not to each other, not to anyone. Due to the COVID-19 induced travel restrictions, the research used virtual ethnography principles applied to past synchronous one-one-one WhatsApp chats to collect data. Using a Speech Act Analysis on the emojis used in the chats, it was discovered that these play various roles in these conversations, including mitigating serious conversations, to contextualise seemingly negative messages and to convey emotions between the interlocutors. Additionally, focussing on and analysing the code switches that occurred in the conversations revealed that switches were also used to provide comedic relief in heavy conversations and/or to make the other person laugh and code switches did friendship maintenance work. From the WhatsApp conversations, one can therefore deduce that these young black women's use of language and linguistic matter – albeit in a virtual space – play an important role in creating community in that both emojis and code switches insist on the fragility of the people in conversation and create a community that not only accommodates this fragility, but one that allows and accepts it.
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    A Guide to Reading and Writing at University
    (2015-12-19) Ojiambo, Melina; Chinaka, Michelle; Karigambe, Frank
    At University you will be expected to write well thought out texts (or written assignments). The goal of writing is to communicate ideas clearly and concisely. Right from the beginning, the reader should have a good understanding of what your text is about and why you are writing it. They should be able to see the central idea (or argument) of your text (assignment) and be able to identify the main ideas or points in your argument. Therefore, your text needs to have a clear structure from the beginning to the end with a strong introduction, a well-structured body (with paragraphs) and a clear conclusion. The ideas in your assignment should flow logically from one to the next and support your central argument. At university you will also be expected to integrate the thoughts and ideas of other authors in your texts (assignments). It is therefore important to know how to select, read and understand different kinds of academic texts (e.g. journal articles and textbooks). It is also important to know how to integrate the ideas of other authors in your text. The first two chapters of this workbook look at these key issues. The chapters that follow look at how to achieve clarity in your writing and begin by looking at how to plan your assignments (chapter 3) and how to develop a strong argument (chapter 4). Following this, chapter 5 discusses how to write strong introductions and conclusions, while chapter 6 looks at how to structure the body of your assignments and improve the flow of ideas within your text. The final chapter in this workbook (chapter 7) looks at how you can make your thoughts (or opinions) clear to the reader as you write texts.
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    I found it on the internet preparing for the e-patient in Oman
    (Sultan Qaboos University, 2010) Masters, Ken; Ng'ambi, Dick; Todd, Gail
    In the Information Age, the communication patterns between doctor and patient are changing. Using Everett Rogers' theory of Diffusion of Innovations, this paper begins by examining the diffusion of the Internet in the world and in Oman. It then considers the emergence of e-patients. The characteristics of e-patients are described in some detail. The paper ends by describing steps that should be taken when teaching medical students in Oman so that they can be prepared for e-patients.
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    Political violence as a form of communication: understanding marginalised voices in South Africa through content analysis
    (2025) Mavuso, Sibonelo; Ndlovu, Musawenkosi
    Violence elicits profound emotional responses and serves as a potent medium of communication in societies grappling with systemic inequities and historical grievances. In South Africa, political violence has persisted as a troubling legacy, complicating the nation's democratic transition. While much of the existing research has focused on the manifestations of violence—such as interpersonal, criminal, and public unrest—this study explores violence as a form of communication within the South African socio-political landscape. Grounded in an interpretivist framework, this research investigates how marginalized communities employ violence to express grievances, assert political demands, and navigate systemic exclusions. By employing qualitative content analysis of media reports, the study reveals the symbolic and strategic dimensions of violence. Key findings highlight the role of media in amplifying violent narratives, the intersection of socio-economic inequalities with identity-based violence, and the limitations of traditional communication channels in addressing grievances. This study contributes to the broader discourse on political violence by framing it as a communicative act that reflects and perpetuates power dynamics and systemic inequalities. It offers practical recommendations for fostering non-violent political dialogue through inclusive policymaking, community engagement, and media reform. By situating South Africa's experience within a global context, the research underscores the need for nuanced, context-specific interventions that address the root causes of violence and promote sustainable social cohesion.
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    TEDI 2 Week 2 - Interview: Facilitating Development in the Deaf Learner
    (2019-06-01) Hille, Jeanette; Swift, Odette
    In this video, Odette Swift interviews Jeanette Hille on the role of teachers of deaf children in facilitating the social and emotional development of deaf children in the classroom. She discusses the teacher’s pivotal role in building the deaf child’s self-esteem and provides tips on how to do so. She underscores first hand experiences and for constant communication between school and home as valuable for deaf learners. This video lecture 7/11 of week 2 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.
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    The profile of people reporting with low back pain to a resource poor clinic in Cape Town
    (2010) Jelsma, Jennifer; Parker, Romy; Yates, Deborah Lilian
    In order to provide targeted information regarding understanding and management of low back pain (LBP), it is necessary to understand the life situation of patients. The objective of this study was to develop a profile of patients with LBP seeking care in an under-resourced area of Cape Town.The subjects were all patients attending a community health centre with a primary diagnosis of LBP. A self-designed questionnaire was used to gather relevant information such as BMI, smoking, physical activities at home and work and potentially stressful life events. Questions about perceptions of LBP, the role of health personnel, income and employment were included. Subjects could also identify which information they would like to be given by their health care providers. Fifty subjects were interviewed, 74% were female. The mean ages were 50.7 years (SD 14.0) and 54.1 years (SD 15.1) for males and females respectively. There was a high prevalence of smoking and obesity, low levels of education, and many reported high stress levels. There were a high percentage of manual workers and the nature of their activities could put them at risk for development and exacerbation of LBP. Few people knew what to expect with regard to the likely outcome of their pain and the majority identified the need for communication about the duration, prognosis, implications and management of LBP. Conclusion: A profile developed of the typical LBP patient in this community provided valuable information, which can be utilized to develop appropriate intervention strategies.