The lived experiences of women in backyard dwellings: a Cape Town case study

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dc.contributor.advisorScheba, Suraya
dc.contributor.advisorScheba, Andreas
dc.contributor.authorAbrahams, Hayley
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-03T07:44:39Z
dc.date.available2026-07-03T07:44:39Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.date.updated2026-07-02T13:39:20Z
dc.description.abstractBackyarding has grown rapidly in South Africa, and it remains poorly understood. This study explores the embodied experiences of women residing in informal backyard dwellings, and how their infrastructural conditions shape their citizenship rights. This study makes use of the example of the Wesbank community in Kuilsriver, Cape Town. Through semi-structured interviews, focus groups discussions and non-participant observations, this study reveals how women struggle to practise their citizenship rights through everyday negotiations within their landlords, and makes visible how emotions are a fundamental component of the intricate ways in which individuals acquire and utilise resources that are vital to their basic life. By revealing these experiences, the work adds to a more thorough knowledge of the lived reality of these women and provides insights into the gendered dynamics of informal backyard dwelling.
dc.identifier.apacitationAbrahams, H. (2026). <i>The lived experiences of women in backyard dwellings: a Cape Town case study</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Environmental Humanities. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43458en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationAbrahams, Hayley. <i>"The lived experiences of women in backyard dwellings: a Cape Town case study."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Environmental Humanities, 2026. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43458en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationAbrahams, H. 2026. The lived experiences of women in backyard dwellings: a Cape Town case study. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Environmental Humanities. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43458en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Abrahams, Hayley AB - Backyarding has grown rapidly in South Africa, and it remains poorly understood. This study explores the embodied experiences of women residing in informal backyard dwellings, and how their infrastructural conditions shape their citizenship rights. This study makes use of the example of the Wesbank community in Kuilsriver, Cape Town. Through semi-structured interviews, focus groups discussions and non-participant observations, this study reveals how women struggle to practise their citizenship rights through everyday negotiations within their landlords, and makes visible how emotions are a fundamental component of the intricate ways in which individuals acquire and utilise resources that are vital to their basic life. By revealing these experiences, the work adds to a more thorough knowledge of the lived reality of these women and provides insights into the gendered dynamics of informal backyard dwelling. DA - 2026 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Cape Town KW - backyard housing KW - gender KW - lived experience KW - infrastructure KW - citizenship LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2026 T1 - The lived experiences of women in backyard dwellings: a Cape Town case study TI - The lived experiences of women in backyard dwellings: a Cape Town case study UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43458 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/43458
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationAbrahams H. The lived experiences of women in backyard dwellings: a Cape Town case study. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Environmental Humanities, 2026 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43458en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentEnvironmental Humanities
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectCape Town
dc.subjectbackyard housing
dc.subjectgender
dc.subjectlived experience
dc.subjectinfrastructure
dc.subjectcitizenship
dc.titleThe lived experiences of women in backyard dwellings: a Cape Town case study
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
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