Anthropology

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Open Access
The role of culture in the development of eating disorders with special attention to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa
(University of the Free State, 2002) Bauchinger, Iris Maria; Esterhuyse, Petro
𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 This study is an exploratory, empirically based investigation into the connection between culture and anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa as found in three selected female groups. The specific objectives of the research were to obtain perceptualconceptual information concerning the individual's experience of her self and the body image; to investigate the influence of familial factors such as the family environment, parent-child relationship, parental styles, discourses on weight, food consumption, and lifestyle present in the family; and to examine popular cultural influences, like the pressure for thinness expressed by peer groups and the visual as well as printed media. The literature study included subjects such as the relationship between food and culture; the history, characteristics of and approaches to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa; beauty standards and the fear of obesity in the Western culture; and the nature and influence of socialisation agents. The empirical research was carried out among 24 Caucasian females between the ages of 14 and 28. Three different groups were formed with Group 1 consisting of females already diagnosed with an eating disorder; Group 2 comprising young females working part-time or full-time for a model agency; and Group 3 comprising young females who are members of a dance school. Quantitative research information was obtained through the use of three standardised questionnaires, namely the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), the Socio-cultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ), and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT 40). However, the main emphasis in data gathering was qualitative in nature. For this purpose, a structured questionnaire was drawn up to obtain information on cultural influences. This was followed by semi-structured, in-depth interviews with all the research participants. Results of the analysed data revealed that the participants have a thorough knowledge on calorie intake, dieting and various methods of controlling weight. All the participants are preoccupied and dissatisfied with their body size and shape. They have an almost irrational fear of obesity and go to extreme lengths to maintain a slim and slender physique. Consciously or unconsciously, they all acknowledge the ideological influence of the Western ideal of thinness, which is transmitted, in equal intensity by family, peers and the media. Assumptions that women should eat less than men and watch their weight are rooted in the family experiences of most participants. This deep-seated belief in restraining women consequently influences the participants to model weight conscious behaviours practised in the family home. In order to conform to the societal pressure to be thin and to attract male counterparts, the participating girls also encourage each other to lose weight by suggesting dieting behaviour. Competitions are held between peers regarding the most attractive female physique and teasing behaviour is said to occur in the event of girls not achieving the ideal. In addition to family and peer influences, the media also enhances behavioural modelling by presenting a largely unattainable ideal of the thin, beautiful, successful superwoman. Participants idealise and glorify the slender ideal and stars' and fashion models' bodies presented on television and in magazines are the ultimate in preferred physiques. In addition, dietary products advertised by the media are often bought and seen as the last solution in the ongoing struggle to be slim. The essential conclusion is that eating/body problems among Western women cannot be understood outside the cultural settings in which they occur and will not be solved unless cultural agents like the family, peers and the media undergo a paradigm shift regarding the dangerous side of the slender female body ideal. ___________________________________________________________________
Open Access
Women in patriarchy in Lesotho: a deconstructive study
(University of the Free State, 2005) Molapo, Ethel Lea 'M'ajonathane; Erasmus, P. A.
𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 The motivation for this study was a realization of the need to seek from the perspectives of both males and females the different meanings and experiences of patriarchy. Through reviewing existing feminist theories and explanations in Anthropology it became clear that the focus is, to a large extent, only on female views and experiences. The phenomena of patriarchy can thus not be understood and interpreted in terms of the total socio-cultural context which encompasses it. As is suggested by the title of the thesis, Lesotho was chosen as the research area. Lesotho has a pre-industrial, migrant labour driven, subsistence economy where traditional values seem still very much reflecting on gender relations. The study was conducted in Peka, in the Leribe district, where six villages were selected. The research took as its point of departure an insider perspective. The emphasis, therefore, was on data collecting by means of unstructured interviewing, participant observation and life histories. Regarding the analysis and interpretation of the qualitative data, an inductive analytical strategy was followed. Apart from that, an important emphasis was placed on deconstruction. Surprisingly handbooks on social research are not dealing with the topic and guidelines for practical application almost do not exist. Therefore, it was necessary to develop an own methodological approach. The deconstruction of ethnographic texts provided access to the mode in which patriarchy is/was constructed, constituted and entrenched in Basotho customs, beliefs, practices, social relations, family life and institutions. It detects the shifted, deferred and concealed meanings of patriarchy, it reveals that patriarchy hinders gender equality and that it has several facets, and that male and female informants viewed, understood, explained and experienced patriarchy differently. In conclusion, the possibilities, on the one hand, for future research on the methodological refinement of the deconstruction of ethnographic texts, as well as on the other hand, the challenges to the Basotho government and society in order to address gender discrepancies and inequalities, are adumbrated. ___________________________________________________________________
Open Access
Female initiation: becoming a woman among the Basotho
(University of the Free State, 2006-05) Du Plooy, Shirley; Erasmus, P. A.; Van Rensburg, H. C. J.
The aim of this study was to investigate and report on female initiation among the Basotho of the rural eastern Free State and Lesotho. Triangulating the data gleaned with multiple methods and techniques (participant observation, the use of key informants, in- depth interviews, life histories), a descriptive account of the initiation process was possible. With the empirical evidence, a number of issues could be addressed. Firstly, the lacuna in the existing Southern African ethnographic literature concerning initiation, particularly that of girls is filled. Secondly, applying Van Gennep’s (1909) tripartite scheme for rites of passage, a theoretical framework, unlike abstaining only with a detailed ethnographic description, on the one hand was used particularly in the evaluation and analysis of the data, and on the other offered an opportunity to verify the applicability of said scheme. Thirdly, not only did this study attempt to answer the question of the occurrence of female circumcision among the Basotho, it argues that the existing literature does not clearly distinguish between the two actions ‘to initiate’ and ‘to circumcise’, thereby placing their credibility in question.
Open Access
The socio-cultural contexts of patients undergoing antiretroviral treatment in Petrusburg: an anthropological perspective
(University of the Free State, 2010-05) Serekoane, Motsaathebe; Erasmus, P. A.; Van Rensburg, H. C. J.
English: Although antiretroviral (ARV) medicines do not provide a cure for HIV and AIDS and are associated with other problems such as side effects and drug resistance, they can increase the length and quality of life, as well as the productivity of patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Antiretroviral regimens have improved survival rates and lowered the incidence of opportunistic infections in people with AIDS. Strict adherence to ART is crucial in order to maintain a low viral load and to prevent the development of drug resistant strains of the virus. However, some patients do not return for follow-up on schedule and the likely outcome for such patients is sub-optimal adherence to prescribed ARV regimens and possible treatment failure. Anthropological studies have shown that patients‟ explanatory models are necessary additions to the treatment criteria used by health providers (Kleinman, 1980 & 1988; Nanda & Warms, 2002). Kleinman et al. (1978) introduced the concept of the explanatory model in applying anthropological insight to clinical practice. They maintain that, in the health care encounter, patients and practitioners may be working with different and competing models. If not properly managed, such divergent and incongruent models may result in ineffective treatment or non-compliance (cf. Jones et al., 1998). If Eisenberg‟s (1977) assumption that, „a patient suffers illnesses, and doctors diagnose and treat disease‟ is correct then Kleinman‟s (1980) pursuit to reconcile the social and medical constructs of ill health is a worthy endeavour. Unfortunately, such a comprehensive approach is for the most part, lacking in the literature. In line with Kleinman‟s view, this study argued that, HIV and AIDS, ARV medication adherence, prevention programmes and treatment readiness training cannot be studied and understood without taking into account the individual‟s explanatory models (situated within and constrained by social context), as well as how individuals construct an understanding of and imposes meaning on the world around them. Given the importance of proper adherence management, the aim of this study was to conduct an ethnographic inquiry into the nature and role of individuals‟ socio-cultural contexts in treatment adherence/non-adherence regardin antiretroviral treatment. In order to achieve this aim, three integrated ethnographic data collection methods, i.e., participant observation, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were employed to better understand the socio-cultural context and experiential understanding of patients on ARV. The results reinforced several important facts related to HIV and AIDS, ARV medication adherence, prevention programmes and treatment readiness training, and shed additional light on other areas of patient social interaction that might add value to current discourse/practices. The study concluded that patients‟ socio-cultural context provides crucial information that can be used not only to identify causal reasoning, understanding of ill health, treatment readiness training, prevention programmes and adherence to treatment, but to assist in ascertaining the most effective means of intervention within a particular society or community.
Open Access
Afrikaner values in post-apartheid South Africa : an anthropological perspective
(University of the Free State, 2011-07-27) Van der Merwe, Jan Petrus; Erasmus, P. A.
English: The aim of this study is to conduct an investigation from an anthropological perspective, on the impact that post-apartheid South Africa has had on the Afrikaner’s judgement of value, as well as on his identity-formation. Afrikaner values comprise therefore the central theme of three of the main articles, while narratives, myths, religion and identity represent the focus of incidence of the other two articles. Up to and including 1990, an official Afrikaner identity existed, which was largely determined by a grand narrative that was constructed around church membership, an association with political power and party membership, as well as membership of cultural organisations such as the Broederbond. After 1994, the loss of this official identity, has marginalised Afrikaners and plunged them into an existential crisis. In this regard, this study will point out two factors, namely that the Afrikaners’ emotional and intellectual ties with the Afrikaans culture, churches, politics and the Afrikaans language in the post-Apartheid dispensation are in a process of changing, even becoming attenuated; that Afrikaners are increasingly pursuing a new, cosmopolitan identity and way of life. Although commentators differ regarding the question as to what effect the post-apartheid dispensation had, and is still having on Afrikaners, it is undoubtedly true that the political and social transformations that South Africa has undergone since 1994 have indeed been far-reaching in nature and that these transformations largely took the great majority of Afrikaners by surprise. Afrikaners clearly were not prepared for the changes that ensued, with the result that after a period of fifteen years they are being confronted with the dire necessity to reflect on their values, their solidarity, their identity, as well as their role and place in the “new” South Africa. Recent anthropological information on the Afrikaner is limited – Afrikaans anthropologists have largely neglected the study of the changes that the culture and identity of Afrikaners have undergone since 1994. As a result, the contributions of Afrikaans-speaking anthropologists to the discourses surrounding current issues that affect the Afrikaner (religion, morality, identity, narratives and myths), and the characteristics of the so-called “new” Afrikaner, are relatively limited. In this regard the broad aim of the current study is to conduct a comprehensive ethnographic investigation into the current tendencies in Afrikaner culture and identity. Afrikaner values would thus be used as the point of departure from which the ethnographic material will be explored.
Open Access
Inside African anthropology: Monica Wilson and her interpreters by Andrew and Leslie J Bank
(University of the Free State, 2014) Williams, Christian
Abstract not available
Open Access
Isak Niehaus, witchcraft and a life in the new South Africa
(University of the Free State, 2014) Du Plooy, S.
Abstract not available
Open Access
What is telling “if telling is all there is?”
(University of the Free State, 2015) Gordon, Rob; Williams, Christian
Abstract not available
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.
Open Access
Socio-cultural dynamics of a rainwater harvesting project in rural Thaba Nchu
(University of the Free State, 2015-07) Goitsemodimo, Relopile Gosiame; Esterhuyse, P.
English: Rural poverty is a major crisis across the world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where the majority of the population reside in rural areas. South Africa is no exception, with a rural population that exceeds 40% and is characterised by widespread poverty (unemployment, food insecurity, environmental degradation and resource shortage, particularly water). The study focuses on the largely rural town of Thaba Nchu, with 42 villages, in the Free State Province about 60 km east of Bloemfontein. Water shortage is a major constraint in this semi-arid town with low and erratic rains of about 500 mm per annum, as it affects many of the livelihood strategies practised in the rural areas such as crop production and livestock breeding, which rely mostly on rainwater. The majority of the households are therefore dependent on social grants as the main source of income and the support they receive from their social networks (relatives, friends, neighbours and other acquaintances). In order to enable households in the area to enhance food security and well-being, the Rainwater Harvesting and Conservation project introduced the Infield Rainwater Harvesting (IRWH) technique. However, the acceptance and sustainability of the project as well as the technique applied have been affected by various factors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the socio-cultural dynamics and livelihoods in the villages of Potsane and Rietfontein (Thaba Nchu), in order to gain an insight into the impact of the rainwater harvesting and conservation technique on sustainability and food security. Ethnographic research methods such as participant observation, in-depth interviews with key informants, focus group discussions with selected members of the communities and case studies with leading members of the Rainwater Harvesting and Conservation (RWH&C) project were employed in the study. These techniques were favoured because they tend to forge a closer relationship between the researcher and the participants, who are viewed as valuable members of the research.
Open Access
After the triumph: an anthropological study into the lives of elite athletes after competitive sport
(University of the Free State, 2015-12) Grundlingh, Susanna Maria; Gordon, Robert
English: The decision to retire from competitive sport is an inevitable aspect of any professional sportsperson’s career. This thesis explores the afterlife of former professional rugby players and athletes (road running and track) and is situated within the emerging sub-discipline of the anthropology of sport. I consider the elite sports culture within which athletes apply their sporting trade and show how the everyday life of elite athletes is shaped by the mass media and a culture of individualism. The elite sports culture informs how athletes perceive their bodies after sports retirement. By drawing on the notion of the sports body as a machine I show that professional rugby players disregard the potential future ailments that they may live with once their rugby careers are over. The importance of social networks established during their sporting careers is also explored with specific reference to the role that schools and universities play in promoting social capital. The research, moreover, hopes to contribute to knowledge about the afterlife of sportspeople by considering the interconnectedness between elite athlete’s private decision to retire from sport and the public representation of their sporting lives through sport heritage practices. The study of sports heritage in South Africa has been a largely neglected and hitherto closed field of study. The study concludes that the material culture of South African former sport heroes enables them to live on near perpetuity, as they become symbolically immortalised through sport heritage practices Conceptually this thesis draws on the theory of social capital, the body, the notion of symbolic immortality, and the politics of memory and heritage practices. Empirically, sport museums as expressions of heritage are investigated with specific reference to the preservation of South African rugby heritage at the Springbok Experience Museum in Cape Town and an analysis of the Comrades Marathon House museum in Pietermaritzburg. Besides these, I also visited places where the material culture of former South African sport heroes are exhibited. These included the houses of sports collectors, community sport museums, corporate sport museum, sport stadia and sport heritage exhibitions at prominent South African rugby schools and universities. Semi – structured interviews were conducted with former professional rugby players, athletes and sport heritage practitioners. Participant observation at sport events that commemorated sportspeople of the past also substantiate the findings. Primary sources drawn from the South African Rugby Board’s archives contributed to the understanding of rugby heritage practices prior to the professional era.
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.

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