Understanding academic identity within subjectivity and agency in selected South African universities

Abstract: This study is an exploration of how individuals in the pursuit of an academic career produce subjectivities which allow for a greater sense of academic identity. It highlights the complex process of becoming an academic by examining the conditions of possibility and the dynamics of such a process. The study discusses subjectivities produced by both discourses of the academic career and practical experiences, and tries to understand the individual identities that emerge from the process. It is based on case studies of selected South African universities with a focus on academic staff members, including junior and senior lecturers, professors, head of departments and deans of faculties which were interviewed. Documentary analysis provided an understanding of the content and assumptions underpinning the policy documents at the national and institutional levels, and the implications for the academic practice in South Africa...D.Phil. (Education

SOCIAL CHALLENGES ON LOW-COST HOUSING

MM - P&DMSouth Africa is faced with housing problems as a result of a legacy of poverty and inequality. This paper examine what has arguably become a salient features on the delivery of the low-cost housing in Alexandra Township. It focuses on the low-cost housing delivery as part of the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP) in order to obtain an understanding of the delivery process. The research makes use of qualitative methodology in order to collect in-depth information from various informants. The purpose of this research is to examine the underlying reasons which affect the delivery of low-cost housing and find out how the delivery process could be improved. It is also aimed at describing a deeper understanding of the relevance of ARP in the delivery process. The research shows that ARP has played a prominent role for the delivery of low-cost housing in Alexandra Township. However, its momentum will take a long time as the majority of the marginalized people in Alexandra still looking for shelter and basic services such as electricity and wate