Who helps women cope? : women's agency in households, families and communities

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorOldfield, Sophieen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorNomdo, Christinaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-05-13T14:11:49Z
dc.date.available2015-05-13T14:11:49Z
dc.date.issued2005en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractWomen’s experiences of poverty in post-apartheid South Africa are made real in their struggles to access resources and assets to survive. They survive sudden shocks and entrenched poverty by constructing and drawing on social support networks that provide access to adequate housing, secure tenure and sufficient income to sustain households. The social support networks of households, families and communities are investigated in the adjacent but diverse townships of Manenberg and Guguletu - resettlement areas for those who were forcibly removed from the city centre of Cape Town. Theoretical perspectives on: the South African context of support; reciprocity; social networks; and the morality inherent in networks, fail to provide information of the complexities and nuances in the lives of the women. Women are required to negotiate gender roles and position in every relationship in order to be eligible for support. Discourses on how the South African city shaped reciprocity and gender identity within households and families provide insight into the context in which support is negotiated. Drawing on these sets of literature an analysis of life histories (constructed from a semi-structured, open ended questionnaire) is conducted of fifteen women from each township that document their struggles, frustrations, joys and aspirations. The evidence from the case studies suggests that women's experiences of poverty are actualised in their marginalisation from adequate housing, secure tenure and sustainable livelihoods. Moreover, the mechanisms they employ to bridge these challenges, their support networks, further entrenches gender inequalities and the inferior position of women in society. A detailed analysis of their relationships reveals that in order to access support women sublimate their challenges of traditional gender identities in order conform to normative behaviour and access resources and assets required for survival. A comparison of the configuration, utilisation and value of strategic relationships within women's households, families and communities demonstrates their agency. The women interact with their context, making strategic decisions and choices that influence not only the social fabric of their communities but also their own identity.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationNomdo, C. (2005). <i>Who helps women cope? : women's agency in households, families and communities</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12782en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationNomdo, Christina. <i>"Who helps women cope? : women's agency in households, families and communities."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12782en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNomdo, C. 2005. Who helps women cope? : women's agency in households, families and communities. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Nomdo, Christina AB - Women’s experiences of poverty in post-apartheid South Africa are made real in their struggles to access resources and assets to survive. They survive sudden shocks and entrenched poverty by constructing and drawing on social support networks that provide access to adequate housing, secure tenure and sufficient income to sustain households. The social support networks of households, families and communities are investigated in the adjacent but diverse townships of Manenberg and Guguletu - resettlement areas for those who were forcibly removed from the city centre of Cape Town. Theoretical perspectives on: the South African context of support; reciprocity; social networks; and the morality inherent in networks, fail to provide information of the complexities and nuances in the lives of the women. Women are required to negotiate gender roles and position in every relationship in order to be eligible for support. Discourses on how the South African city shaped reciprocity and gender identity within households and families provide insight into the context in which support is negotiated. Drawing on these sets of literature an analysis of life histories (constructed from a semi-structured, open ended questionnaire) is conducted of &#64257;fteen women from each township that document their struggles, frustrations, joys and aspirations. The evidence from the case studies suggests that women's experiences of poverty are actualised in their marginalisation from adequate housing, secure tenure and sustainable livelihoods. Moreover, the mechanisms they employ to bridge these challenges, their support networks, further entrenches gender inequalities and the inferior position of women in society. A detailed analysis of their relationships reveals that in order to access support women sublimate their challenges of traditional gender identities in order conform to normative behaviour and access resources and assets required for survival. A comparison of the con&#64257;guration, utilisation and value of strategic relationships within women's households, families and communities demonstrates their agency. The women interact with their context, making strategic decisions and choices that influence not only the social fabric of their communities but also their own identity. DA - 2005 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2005 T1 - Who helps women cope? : women's agency in households, families and communities TI - Who helps women cope? : women's agency in households, families and communities UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12782 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/12782
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationNomdo C. Who helps women cope? : women's agency in households, families and communities. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, 2005 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12782en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Environmental and Geographical Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherEnvironmental, Society and Sustainabilityen_ZA
dc.titleWho helps women cope? : women's agency in households, families and communitiesen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMAen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
thesis_hum_2005_nomdo_c.pdf
Size:
8.08 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
Masters