Constructing the gap between past and present literacy practices in the South African Police Service

Arend, Abdul Moeain

Constructing the gap between past and present literacy practices in the South African Police Service

Master Thesis

2002

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

School of Education

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

The study seeks to answer the research question: "What constructs the gap between past and present literacy practices in the South African Police Service (SAPS)?" To answer the research question, ethnographic methods were employed to gather data in a police station on the Cape Flats, renamed Phatisanani police station. In researching the gap between past and present literacy practices of police officers in the station, the effects the shift in institutional discourses from the early years of the South African Police (SAP), to after the 1994 democratic elections in South Africa had on police officers' professional discourses and their associated literacy practices were illuminated. The study suggests that institutional discourses after 1994 are conflicting with the professional discourse and associated literacy practices of police officers at Phatisanani police station. The research argues that the conflict between contemporary institutional discourses in the SAPS and the professional discourse of police officers in the station is leading to 'disorder of discourses' (Wodak, 199B). Drawing on theories from the New Literacy Studies the research concludes that the gap between past and present literacy practices in the SAPS is embedded in the 'disorder' between contemporary institutional and professional discourses, the 'disorder' between the social roles of 'insiders' and 'outsiders'; and the recontextualisation of literacy practices across various sites of practice in the SAP prior to 1994.

Description

Bibliography: leaves 160-164.

Keywords

Education

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