Anthropology
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Browsing Anthropology by Author "Gordon, R. J."
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Item Open Access Carrots and sticks: a discourse on interspecies partnership and culture in dog sport(University of the Free State, 2015-02) Reynolds, Candice; Gordon, R. J.English: Dogs are not only good to think but good to live and become with. In this study I explored the overarching concerns of interspecific relations among “schutzhund people”: an emerging multispecies sub-culture in South Africa pertaining to a German dog sport called schutzhund. Four predominant areas of investigation developed: dog training philosophy, dog-human communication, interspecies partnership, and multispecies culture. The aim of this study was to conduct an ethnographic enquiry into the culture (i.e. minds and lives) of dog-handler partners in the multispecies total institution of schutzhund. A blend of multiple techniques was used to gather information, including in-depth interviews, participant observation, photography, and kinesics. Data was collected from multiple sites and analysed by means of triangulation. An attempt was made at combatting the “problem of voice” so common in human-animal studies by including dogs in the research process as subjects rather than objects. Primary findings revealed firstly, that dog-training philosophy has a direct impact on how humans perceive dogs. Three key training philosophies were identified, namely: carrots (positive reinforcement), sticks (compulsion), and motivational training (a combination method). Secondly, the components and requirements for dog-human conversations were described in the form of a toolkit. The concept of speaking bodies emerged as dog and human co-created their own “third language” in training. Thirdly, research portrayed the interspecies partnership between dog and handler as a dance; an attempt at synchronized negotiations of power, control, and leadership. Various interactive restrictions were exposed such as ambiguity, inconsistency, and anthropomorphism. I argue here that the relational boundaries between humans and animals are markedly blurred by mutual embodiment. Finally, dogs were characterized as agents of empire who were discovered to be coconstructers of the social and cultural realities humans share with them. Findings also pointed to schutzhund as serious leisure and in conflict with many “real-life” commitments which raised various political and feminist concerns.Item Open Access The makings of field rangers in Limpopo province: An exploratory ethno-perceptive study(University of the Free State, 2022) Haupt, Naomi; Gordon, R. J.; Esterhuyse, P.; Marks, S.Field rangers are the first and last line of defense in environmental protection, working on the ground to ensure the integrity of conservation areas. In the previous decade, the ranger’s responsibilities have shifted from a conservation-based outcome to para-militarization in protecting high-value species, such as the rhino. Increasingly, rangers are drawn into law enforcement responsibilities and away from the breadth of other duties relating to biodiversity and conservation. Recruits often originate from communities living around protected areas, lacking alternate employment opportunities. Rangers often live among those connected to transnational wildlife trafficking networks, making them targets for intimidation and corruption. This further contributes to the social and familial pressures rangers face from hostile or co-opted community members involved in poaching or actively supporting poaching networks. Due to these circumstances, rangers may place their lives at risk daily in carrying out their work and may face increasingly significant challenges. Although some literature is available on rangers’ activities in preserving biodiversity globally, little is known about the rangers themselves. This narrative is not an exhaustive work on them but instead offers a glimpse, lifting the veil for the reader to see and experience a moment in the lives of the rangers. The research focuses not on military perspectives but on the human dimension behind firearms and uniforms.