Malose Langa

Contested multiple voices of young masculinities amongst adolescent boys in Alexandra Township, South Africa

Objective: In this paper, the author explores how adolescent boys negotiate multiple voices of masculinity in Alexandra Township, a historically working-class and black community in Gauteng, South Africa. Method: Thirty adolescent boys were recruited and provided with disposable cameras to take 27 photos under the theme ‘my life as a boy’ in the new South Africa. Arrangements were made for photos to be collected and processed. In the follow-up interviews, boys were asked to give a description of each photo and why and how they had decided to take that photo to represent aspects of their masculinity. Results Some of the photos taken depict books, cars, boys smoking, gambling, fighting and reading books at school. Conclusion: This study reveals that being a boy is not a homogeneous phenomenon. All the participants agreed that there are different ways of being a boy and that some boys are more popular than others, which often depends on the context in which the boys find themselves. The interviews revealed recurring allusions to different ‘types’ of boys at schools in Alexandra Township—namely, tsotsi boys and academic boys. However, it is important to note that boys do not fit neatly into each of these categories. The findings of the study reveal some interesting complexities on how adolescent boys simultaneously accept and reject certain practices of township masculinity in their daily lives, depending on the time and space in which they find themselves. Some positions are more dominant than others and this reveals how adolescent boys ‘police’ each other as part of a process of conforming to idealised norms of township masculinity as lived out in the township context of Alexandra.

The intractability of militarised masculinity : a case study of former Self-Defence Unit members in the Kathorus area, South Africa

The study explores the struggle to maintain and transform a ‘masculine’ identity acquired primarily as a consequence of serving as part of a township-based paramilitary force in the pre-democratic South Africa. Based on accounts of former Self-Defence Unit (SDU) members from the Kathorus region (a group of townships on the perimeter of Johannesburg), the article explores some of the forces that influenced young men to become involved in political violence, the status this bestowed upon them, and how aspects of their ‘militarised identity have come into conflict with new constructs of masculinity in a post-apartheid South Africa’. Although the experiences of South African ex-combatants have been documented in a number of reports and articles (Gear, 2002; Marks, 2001; Mashike & Mokalobe, 2003; Xaba, 2001), this article seeks to highlight the intractability of a particular form of masculine identity attained during the pivotal stage of early and late adolescent development. The negative consequences of this weddedness to a militarised masculinity for both the men themselves and the broader society are explored, together with some of the dimensions that appear to make this identity so compelling and so difficult to transform. The article draws upon theoretical understandings that suggest that gender and masculinity are socially constructed, and is based on data collected by means of individual interviews and focus groups conducted, with former combatants. The interviews reveal that images of militarised masculinity were popularised and dominant during the liberation struggle against apartheid, particularly amongst urban youth who were recruited into resistance activities. Young combatants were expected to be strong, brave, tough, fearless, aggressive, and violent. In many urban townships, young boys who were not part of the liberation struggle and youth politics were constructed as lacking in masculinity. Post 1994, virtually overnight, young combatants were expected to relinquish their militarised roles and to adopt new forms of masculinity without the facilitation of any demilitarisation programme to address the complexities of this transformation in their social and personal identity. The interviews reveal that many of these former combatants feel betrayed, forgotten, and alienated in post-apartheid South Africa. Some have carried their militarised masculinities into the new democracy, continuing to be involved in violent activities and risk-taking behaviours. Although many of them appear to be suffering from symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other aspects of war trauma, attending counselling is seen as a sign of weakness and as an insult to militarised masculinity. The article argues that interventions to assist with identity transformation and greater social integration of such marginalised young men need to take account of these dynamics.

Teenage mothers talk about their experience of teenage motherhood

abstract This article explores how teenage mothers talk about their subjective experience of teenage motherhood and their motivation to complete schooling after their pregnancy. Individual interviews were conducted with teenage mothers aged 15 to 19 years who attended an inner-city public school in Johannesburg, South Africa. Discursive analysis was used to identify and analyse key themes that emerged from the study. The findings indicate that despite the challenges of being a teenage mother, the participants were able to persevere towards achieving their academic goals and future aspirations. This was due to a heightened sense of responsibility and maturity, as well as great motivation to continue schooling so as to be able to provide a better future for their children. These findings are contrary to the existing mainstream literature, in which teenage mothers are often associated with high drop-out rates at school, poor academic performance and inadequate parenting skills. Recommendations are made for policy making and school interventions to acknowledge and celebrate teenage mothers’ sense of agency and heightened sense of growth post-pregnancy, rather than seeing them as a source of social ills.

Violent masculinities and service delivery protests in post-apartheid South Africa: A case study of two communities in Mpumalanga

abstract For the past few years, violent service delivery protests have been spreading across South Africa over access to basic services, such as water, electricity, housing and job opportunities. This Article draws on two case studies in which in-depth group and individual interviews were conducted with key male informants about their involvement in violent service delivery protests. It provides a gendered analysis of these events by focusing on Connells (1995) notion of hegemonic masculinity, which refers to dominant cultural stereotypes in which men are expected to aspire to power, status, and wealth, and how these expectations are implicated in service delivery protests. In the interviews, the participants complained bitterly about the black elite men who drive flashy expensive cars, have money and as a result, are able to attract multiple girlfriends, while they are not able to do the same due to their poor economic status. Thus violence was used by the working-class men to deal with their sense of disempowerment and emasculation. This violence was also directed at women in politics within local councils. In conclusion, the Article argues that the current socio-economic pressures seem to be influencing young men to become involved in violent service delivery protests as a way of imagining and reimaging new forms of masculinities in post-apartheid South Africa.

To Be or Not to Be a Mother: Exploring the Notion of Motherhood among University Students

We explored the notion of motherhood among female university students. Unstructured individual interviews were conducted with seven final-year female students at the University of the Witwatersrand. The data were analysed and various themes were categorised into manageable units. The findings suggest that many female students are ambivalent about motherhood and becoming mothers, with preferences for being career mothers set against preferences for establishing a career first. This conflict was further evident in sentiments of motherhood as being natural and obligatory.

South African Psychology and Gender: An Analysis of the SAJP and PINS Journals 1994–2009

Drawing on a content analysis of selected articles from the South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP) and Psychology in Society (PINS) between 1994 and 2009, we reflect on the extent to which South African Psychology resonates with pertinent gender developments in post-apartheid South Africa. Our analysis of these journals therefore seeks to explore the continuities, shifts, developments, and gaps that characterize psychology’s engagement with gender and feminist work in particular, with a concentrated focus on the prominent sociopolitical developments of gender that have arisen post-94 and South African Psychology’s own engagement with these developments. More specifically, the chapter explores South African Psychology’s engagement with gender and feminist work in relation to three specific areas of investigation that have been at the forefront of sociopolitical, cultural, and economic change in South Africa: HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, and masculinity.

Responsible Teenage Fatherhood in a South African Historically Disadvantaged Community

This study explored the meaning of teenage fatherhood in a historically disadvantaged South African community. Open ended interviews on teenage fatherhood were conducted with sixteen teenage fathers aged between 16 and 21 years. The data were analysed using thematic content analysis. Key findings suggest that many of these early fathers were actively involved in their childrens lives. Those with a history of absent fathers sought in their parenting to be ‘good’ fathers as compared to their absent fathers. In conclusion, their narratives suggest they embraced a diverse range of roles including emotional care, love and nurturance for their children.

The fathers of Destiny: Representations of fatherhood in a popular South African magazine

This study utilised textual analysis to characterise the representation of fatherhood in the eight issues of Destiny Man magazine published in 2014. Stories that pertained to fatherhood and that were related to aspects of contemporary family construction, work, and identity formation were included for detailed text analysis. Our findings suggest that fatherhood is defined by access to wealth, and is inextricably linked to features of modern-day neoliberal capitalism with its bias towards wealth accumulation and economic standards of identity. Additionally, matters such as race and origin seem to be the primary classification criteria when it comes to self-identification as a father figure. From these data, we conclude that the notion of fatherhood is fluid; it changes continuously depending on the social class position of the incumbent male.

Race-ing xenophobic violence: Engaging social representations of the black African body in post-apartheid South Africa

abstract Intra-African migration to South Africa continues to be plagued by xenophobic violence and negative sentiments against black foreign bodies. The end of apartheid, exacerbated by regional and broader economic and political tensions on the continent, as well as general support of the anti-apartheid struggle by many African countries, has facilitated greater movement across and within the region. South African migration and economic isolation has in significant ways characterised the myriad forms of social group integration brought about by this transition. In this article we utilise the postcolonial theories of Frantz Fanon and Steve Biko to understand and critique the predominantly negative social representations of black foreign nationals. These social representations are used in the legitimation of xenophobia and other violent attacks against this group. We argue that the politics of race, language, gender and class underpin these incidences of xenophobia. We conclude with an argument for increased engagement with postcolonial contexts of intergroup relations using postcolonial approaches that are able to critically engage with the psychosocial aspects of a postcolonial State.

Izikhothane: Class and Masculinities of Black Male Youths in Katlehong Township, South Africa

ABSTRACT This article reports on a study that explored a subculture called izikhothane that has taken root among black male youths in South African townships. Focus group discussions were conducted with young black males who are involved in this subculture and a thematic content analysis was used to analyse themes in the study. The findings showed that izikhothane are primarily concerned with music, fashion, dance and linguistic prowess. Social constructions of masculinity and class also seem to play a role in the meanings that the participants attach to being izikhothane. It appears that the changing identities among izikhothane are influenced by neoliberal and socioeconomic conditions, characterised by the consumerist culture in which the izikhothane find themselves in post-apartheid South Africa.