Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships
| dc.contributor.advisor | Makama, Refiloe | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ndhlovu, Sizakele | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-01-13T13:29:06Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-01-13T13:29:06Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2026-01-13T12:29:19Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | The initiation of romantic relationships has undergone significant transformation, especially with the rise of online platforms that have reshaped traditional courtship practices. Despite these evolving methods, gender roles continue to shape relationship formation, with societal expectations positioning men as initiators and women as responders. This qualitative study explored how men navigate the initiation of romantic relationships to see whether their approaches will reinforce or challenge dominant discourses of masculinity. Through focus group discussions with thirty male university students (ages 18-35) at the University of Cape Town, the research found that relationship initiation has shifted from formal, structured processes to more casual, everyday interactions. While participants acknowledged the potential benefits of equal participation in relationship formation, they also expressed resistance to changes in established gender practices, particularly regarding emotional expression and financial responsibilities. Young men experience significant pressure to conform to societal expectations of masculinity, both in face-to-face interactions and on digital platforms. These findings highlight how young men both reinforce and challenge dominant masculine discourses during relationship initiation, underscoring the tensions between evolving social norms and persistent gender expectations. | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | Ndhlovu, S. (2025). <i>Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42566 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | Ndhlovu, Sizakele. <i>"Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42566 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Ndhlovu, S. 2025. Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42566 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Ndhlovu, Sizakele AB - The initiation of romantic relationships has undergone significant transformation, especially with the rise of online platforms that have reshaped traditional courtship practices. Despite these evolving methods, gender roles continue to shape relationship formation, with societal expectations positioning men as initiators and women as responders. This qualitative study explored how men navigate the initiation of romantic relationships to see whether their approaches will reinforce or challenge dominant discourses of masculinity. Through focus group discussions with thirty male university students (ages 18-35) at the University of Cape Town, the research found that relationship initiation has shifted from formal, structured processes to more casual, everyday interactions. While participants acknowledged the potential benefits of equal participation in relationship formation, they also expressed resistance to changes in established gender practices, particularly regarding emotional expression and financial responsibilities. Young men experience significant pressure to conform to societal expectations of masculinity, both in face-to-face interactions and on digital platforms. These findings highlight how young men both reinforce and challenge dominant masculine discourses during relationship initiation, underscoring the tensions between evolving social norms and persistent gender expectations. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Romantic relationships LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships TI - Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42566 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42566 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | Ndhlovu S. Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42566 | en_ZA |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.language.rfc3066 | eng | |
| dc.publisher.department | Department of Psychology | |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Faculty of Humanities | |
| dc.publisher.institution | University of Cape Town | |
| dc.subject | Romantic relationships | |
| dc.title | Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships | |
| dc.type | Thesis / Dissertation | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters |