Browsing by Subject "intersectionality"

Now showing 1 - 11 of 11
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    An intersectional exploration of the motherload among black mothers in professional occupations in South Africa
    (2025) Somo, Moletlo; Jaga, Ameeta
    Recent work-family research has begun recognising the most invisible aspects of unpaid care work to be the physical, cognitive and emotional care load placed on women. The concept of the motherload, which describes the “highly gendered, often invisible, and undervalued work that those who perform mothering undertake hindering their economic security, safety and wellbeing”, was explored through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 11 Black mothers in professional occupations in South Africa. The data were analysed through an intersectional analytical lens to understand how motherhood, race and professional occupation shapes the experiences of the motherload. The study's findings revealed the ways in which the Black working mothers experienced the motherload as they navigated the cultural expectations in the household and community, as well as their professional workplace identity. Three key themes were analysed which underscored the cultural care load placed on Black women and how that shapes the motherload through (1) Jostling between tradition and modernity: Black women navigating the motherload, (2) Black tax and caring beyond the household, and (3) Cultural dissonance and carrying the motherload. Recommendations were presented for improving the retention and attraction of Black working mothers through recognising the motherload within the workplace.
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    Breastfeeding as foodwork in the workplace among black, low-income women in South Africa
    (2022) Farista, Feranaaz; Jaga, Ameeta
    Return to work is cited as a key reason for women ceasing breastfeeding due to the conflict between the labour of bodywork required for jobs, and breastfeeding as a labour of foodwork. Through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 33 black low-income mothers in Cape Town, South Africa, this study gives meaning to the labour of foodwork that these mothers perform. The data were analysed through an intersectional analytic lens to understand how race, class, and gender shape foodwork experiences. The study findings underscored the struggles, exacerbated by financial constraints, that low-income women endured balancing the demands of being a good mother and a good worker. Four key themes emerged that illustrate the compromised ability to enact foodwork: (1) foodwork experiences and precarity in the workplace, (2) structural inequalities and foodwork, (3) gender norms and social class: shaping child care and foodwork and, (4) local knowledges and foodwork. With these findings, recommendations for improving workplace support for low-income mothers foodwork activities are presented.
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    Exploring the role of family on the career development of Xhosa-speaking graduates
    (2021) Madyaka, Anela; Jaga, Ameeta
    This study explored the role of family on the career development of Xhosa-speaking graduates in South Africa. There are multiple environmental and individual influences on career development. However, this study focused specifically on family. The Xhosa culture, like other African cultures, endorses cultural values of deference and strong familial connections with extended family. Data from fourteen semi-structured in-depth interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The key themes that emerged were (1) cultural beliefs, (2) social support and (3) the notion of black tax. The findings suggested that there is a strong relation between a family's cultural beliefs, family responsibilities and the perceived social support on graduate's career development. The understanding of ‘western' career aspirations with familial cultural expectations and support in forming a coherent self-concept could be considered a significant challenge in the career development of these Xhosa graduates. The findings supported the familial influences on graduates' career development and contributed new insights on how family influence is perceived and maintained from an intersectional perspective. The implications for career development in diverse contexts are offered.
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    Intersectionality in corporate South Africa: the experiences of African black female leaders
    (2025) Mbatha, Siphiwe Wendy; April, Kurt
    Research on gender inequality focuses on the two main biases against women: (1) agentic deficiency (perceptions that women have minimal leadership potential); and (2) agentic penalty (a backlash against counter-stereotypical behaviour from certain women). There has generally been an assumption that the stereotypes upon which these biases are based are comparable for women across racial groups. South Africa, despite having significant racial and ethnic diversity, suffers from a lack of research that targets respondents by race and gender. This naïve gender-biased approach does not fully consider the critical intersectional differences that exist for women. In studies specific to South Africa, the lenses of both race and gender are often used to examine the perceptions of women as leaders. These views, which are limited to only gender and race, do not completely represent Black women, however, because gender intersections introduce simultaneous processes for identity and interdependent systems of disadvantage. These theories also do not elaborate on the lived experiences of South African Black women in corporate leadership roles. The researcher conducted a qualitative research study and interviewed 25 Black females who held various senior leadership positions in different industries in South Africa. The researcher applied a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to uncover the lived experiences of the group of respondents. The aim was to document their lived experiences and establish how those experiences related to constructs from existing literature on the leadership dynamics of race, gender, class, and intersectionality. The research findings capture the essence of the lived experiences of professional Black females and provide context as to why there continues to be a gap in the representation of this group in senior leadership positions, despite the efforts of affirmative action policies from the government. The findings highlight and demonstrate how this group is challenged and sometimes held back by the dynamics of intersectionality, class, race, gender, and other processes of identity. The research goes on to describe further research opportunities on how identity and interdependent systems of disadvantage impact Black female leadership performance over time. There is an opportunity to further explore how human resource policies and educational frameworks can contribute towards harnessing and developing this group, to increase their capacity and greater participation in senior- and executive-level roles.
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    Mindsets: lived experiences of black actuarial science students
    (2025) Ntombana, Sixolile; Peters, Simone; Zungu, Thomzonke
    This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews and an intersectionality lens to explore the experiences of six black actuarial science students at the University of Cape Town (UCT). With the underrepresentation of black African students in South Africa's actuarial science exacerbating societal imbalances, the research aims to unveil their experiences and factors shaping these students' mindsets. Mindsets are influenced by parental feedback, socioeconomic status, background, and socialisation, among other factors. At historically white UCT, challenges faced by black African actuarial science students stem from a clash between their diverse mindsets and the prevailing white-oriented academic environment. The study reveals that academic excellence and the desire to uplift families' socioeconomic status motivate students amid challenges tied to socioeconomic factors, language barriers, and disparate educational backgrounds. The mindset analysis reveals that prevalent discouragement, external expectations, and self-doubt rooted in predetermined negative beliefs foster a fixed mindset among these students. Conversely, factors fostering a growth mindset include resilience, determination, and socioeconomic motivations. Positive role models, supportive lecturers, and optimistic career prospects contribute to a growth-oriented perspective, emphasising individual agency, positive influences, and socioeconomic considerations. The findings underscore the urgent need for universities and actuarial science programmes to implement targeted support mechanisms addressing the unique challenges black actuarial science students face. The study advocates for increased racial representation, linguistic inclusivity, and socioeconomic equity within actuarial science, highlighting the importance of fostering a supportive, inclusive learning environment. Furthermore, it urges academic institutions to invest in mental health services to alleviate the emotional toll associated with actuarial science studies.
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    Race and identity of Brazilians in South Africa: an ethnographic study on racialization, habitus, and intersectionality
    (2018) Campos, Anita; Morreira, Shannon; Macdonald, Helen
    Despite recurrent academic interest in the study of race in both South Africa and in Brazil, little work has been done in Anthropology about the two countries of the Global South in relation to each other. This thesis is situated in that gap and presents an ethnographic study about the racialised experiences of Brazilian migrants in South Africa, in order to explore the different processes of racialization that occur in South Africa and Brazil. The first part of the investigation focuses on the conflictual encounter between informants’ internalized racial habitus as learned in Brazil with the one they encounter in South Africa. The second part examines the impact that such racialization has on the racial identity of Brazilian individuals. Informants found themselves in situations of racial ambiguity in which they did not fit perfectly in any of the local racial categories, and were classified by South Africans in different (and sometimes multiple) racial categories from their previous one in Brazil. I use the theoretical lens of intersectionality to explore informants’ reflections on 'what they are’ as they socially adapted to South African racial categorisations and habitus.
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    Survivors narratives of intimate partner violence in Cape Town, South Africa: A life history approach
    (2019) Chikwira, Rene; Boonzaier, Floretta; van Niekerk, Taryn
    Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a problem that is present and pervasive globally and in South Africa. In the South African context, IPV exists within a larger context of high levels of interpersonal violence and violence against women. Understanding the context in which IPV occurs from the perspective of survivors is important for informing effective intervention and prevention programs to counteract its effects. This study explores the life histories of South African women who have experienced IPV. Framed through the lens of intersectionality, it gauges the broader context within which IPV emerges and is sustained, and explores how experiences of IPV are shaped at the intersection of women’s identity markers of race, class and gender. This study is one of a few studies that have used life history methods with women to explore their life contexts and experiences of IPV. Purposive sampling was used to recruit a sample of 11 women based in a Cape Town women’s shelter for abused women and children. Two semi-structured qualitative life history interviews were conducted with each participant. The interviews were transcribed and analysed through thematic narrative analysis, where four noteworthy narrative themes emerged, namely An unsteady and violent beginning, No place called home: A search for belonging and survival, IPV: The unanticipated cost of love and belonging, and Normalisation of IPV experiences: The effects of withdrawal from support. The findings and their relation to existing literature as well as recommendations for future IPV research are discussed. One of the key findings of the study was that the childhood context of the participants was the first point of identifying intersectional oppression and marginalisation that may have shaped a vulnerability to the women’s later experiences of IPV. Another key finding was recognising the value that women place on love and belonging in the context of a difficult, violent and low socioeconomic childhood background, and how this could have an impact on the vulnerability of women to IPV. The use of a life history approach framed by intersectionality thus demonstrated significant benefits in tracking the contextual experiences of women who have experienced IPV. These benefits are of significance because they made it possible to identify points of intervention and prevention of IPV amongst marginalised South African women.
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    The lived experience of transgender individuals living in Cape Town, South Africa
    (2025) Batts, Jaymion; Kessi, Shose
    This study examined the lived experiences of those who identify as transgender residing in Cape Town, South Africa. The study aimed to understand how those who identify as transgender are treated within a particular context based on their social identities (gender, sex, race and class) making use of a feminist theory—intersectionality. To explore this phenomenon, the researcher used a critical qualitative research methodology. The researcher interviewed 15 male-to-female self-identified transgender participants through a semi-structured interview schedule. The data was analysed using thematic narrative analysis. The results indicated that those who identify as transgender experience extreme forms of prejudice, ostracisation, stigmatisation, marginalisation, discrimination, and varied forms of violence (verbal, sexual and physical), because of their social identities. Furthermore, the participants reported experiencing neglect and being verbally, physically and sexually abused because of not conforming to gender norms. The participants revealed that the perpetrators inflicting these painful experiences were men. These forms of violence ultimately led to them becoming homeless and relying on external structures for support as young and vulnerable children. This had significant implications for the trajectory of those who identify as transgender, placing them at an even greater disadvantage in accessing resources. In conclusion, interventions should focus on psychoeducation and training within the following key systems: family, community, school, healthcare and the legal system. These interventions can help reduce prejudice, ostracisation, stigmatisation, marginalisation, discrimination, and violence (verbal, sexual and physical) based one's social identities. Ultimately, individuals who identify as transgender continue to face harsh life consequences, even under South Africa's new laws that prohibit discrimination based on gender, sex, race and class.
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    Voices from the margins: amplifying the workplace realities of black child-free women in South Africa
    (2025) Acheampong, Nadine Borkor; Farista, Feranaaz
    The rising number of individuals identifying as child-free has sparked a growing interest in understanding this demographic's unique challenges and opportunities. Despite progress in South Africa's equality legislation, child-free black women remain marginalised, frequently confronting stereotypes and assumptions that challenge both their personal and professional identities. This study explores these specific dynamics through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 22 child-free black women in South Africa, exploring how ‘race', ‘gender', and ‘child-free' status intersect to shape their workplace experiences. All women were formally employed and resided in South Africa, identifying as black, and between the ages of 24 – 38, with at least two years of full-time working experience. Through an intersectional lens and the application of role theory, this paper provides a nuanced perspective on how child-free individuals navigate and negotiate their roles and identities. Thematic analysis was employed to explore the data, delving into participant's insights and perspectives to gain a thorough understanding of their lived realities. The study's findings revealed the opportunities and challenges faced by child-free black women in their workplace. Three key themes emerged that reflected child-free black women's lived experiences in the South African workplace: (1) The availability paradox: navigating time and identity in child-free lives, (2) Redefining family at work: child-free identities within organisational norms, (3) Unseen needs: fostering inclusive spaces for child-free workers. Through these findings, recommendations for improving workplace support for child-free black women are presented.
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    Women in senior leadership positions: higher education in eSwatini
    (2025) Dlamini, Annette; Malinga, Mandisa
    In recent years, there have been numerous changes in higher education institutions (HEI) in eSwatini. These changes include an increase in the number of women appointed to senior leadership positions. However, research indicates that despite the increase in the number of women who are senior leaders in HEIs, women still face certain barriers to not only their advancement, but also to fulfilling their roles as leaders of academic institutions. In order to understand the experiences of women in senior leadership positions in eSwatini's HEIs, this study adopted a qualitative research approach, using semi-structured face-to-face interviews as a way to document women's experiences. The data was analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis, which aligns with the intersectional feminist lens that informed the researcher's reading of the data. Findings suggest that a patriarchal culture dominates eSwatini, and that women's experiences in the workplace are determined by patriarchal norms. As a result, women's promotion to more senior roles have happened at a slower pace, and when they are promoted, women experience several barriers. These barriers include: a lack of institutional support, particularly in the form of mentorship programs and funding; lack of family support; and gender- and age-related stereotypes. The study also found that participants consider themselves to be more effective leaders than men because of qualities like emotional intelligence, introspective abilities, and empathy. This study highlights the importance of supporting women in senior leadership positions in HEIs, who are often the ones who take on the role of mentoring younger scholars, sharing the skills they have acquired. The goal of this study is to inform the implementation of institutional policies and programmes aimed at supporting women advance to senior leadership positions, and offer the support they need to successfully navigate their positions once promoted. Most importantly, there needs to be a change in the patriarchal institutional cultures that make it hard for women to lead effectively.
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    Women Shelter Residents' Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence: A Digital Storytelling Project
    (2022) Mabaso, Karabo; Boonzaier, Floretta
    Intimate partner violence and more generally gender-based violence (GBV) are worldwide issues that threaten the health of the public and people's rights, and South Africa is no exception. In the context of South Africa, IPV is especially prevalent in contexts of high levels of violence against women, shaped by intersectional factors such as race, class, and culture, and various forms of power that perpetrate and perpetuate inequality and dominance over women. Understanding the contextual factors behind IPV from the viewpoint of women survivors is critical to obtaining a thorough understanding of the various contexts in which it occurs. This is crucial for understanding the identities implicated in violent experiences. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of South African women in shelters who experienced violence. Using intersectionality theory as a lens, it examined how racial, cultural, and class-related identity markers influence and shape IPV. Participatory action research (PAR) methodologies and digital storytelling (DST) in visual and digital formats were used to explore the narratives and experiences of women exposed to IPV. Purposive sampling was used to recruit a sample of nine women residing at St Anne's Homes, a shelter for abused women and children situated in Cape Town. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with each participant. In addition, a half-day DST training workshop was conducted for the women where they were trained on DST. Thereafter, the women were asked to take images and videos that represented their narratives of violence. The interviews, images, and digital stories were transcribed and analysed through a thematic narrative analysis. Six themes around women's experiences of violence and the support received from the shelter were established. Themes covered: ‘narratives of loneliness and feeling stuck'; ‘narratives of control'; ‘drugs and alcohol: a cause and response to IPV'; ‘consequences of abuse'; ‘narratives of escaping'; and ‘shelter: refuge, empowerment, and independence'. A key contribution of this study was women's narration of the impact of structural inequalities on their experiences. Furthermore, the women constructed a variety of reasons for their experiences of abuse, notably with drug and alcohol abuse among them. Another key finding dealt with the women's identities as mothers and how this was central to their motivation to escape their abusive environments. By using DST to advance a social justice agenda, the method was able to create a space for particular narratives to emerge.