Responsible Mothering in Limpopo, South Africa: Perspectives of Adolescents

Mothering is recognized as important in shaping adolescent children’s identity cross-culturally, but how people understand and practice mothering varies between social contexts. In postapartheid South Africa, the institution of the family is undergoing changes that affect mothering. This study aimed to explore how 22 adolescents in the Mankweng area in the impoverished Limpopo Province understand mothering. Through focus group discussions, diaries, photographs and interviews, we explored adolescents’ experiences of being mothered and the adolescent women’s future aspirations about becoming a mother. Interpretative phenomenological analysis supported the analysis, and we identified three main themes: responsible mothering; trusting relationships; and aspirations about responsible mothering. Responsible mothering involved being present, providing and guiding. Trusting relationships meant that the mother was the primary confidant of and a role model for their future lives. The aspirations about future mothering emphasized values related to gender equality and represented a break with their own experiences of family life

Family values of young people in Limpopo, South Africa: A sociocultural psychological study on perceptions and experiences of reproduction and parenthood

Background: The institution of the family in South Africa is commonly described as being in a state of crisis, and young people’s family values are key in learning about how to break the negative trends in the institution of the family in the country (Holborn & Eddy, 2011). The aim of this thesis was to improve understanding of values related to reproduction and family life among young people in poverty-ridden communities in South Africa. Methods: The research problem was approached in a sociocultural psychological perspective. Family values were studied through attitudes towards having children and experiences of and expectations towards parenthood among adolescent men and women in the Limpopo Province. A mixed-methods approach comprising of three phases: 1) quantitative methods, 2) qualitative methods, and 3) mixing the two methods in an overall discussion of the findings, were used. In the quantitative phase, a cross-sectional design was used to measure attitudes towards reproduction in three generations of women (n=516). In the qualitative phase, a phenomenological design was used to explore how adolescent men and women (n=22) conceptualize parenthood. Results: The continuity and changes in attitudes towards reproduction through the three generations of women (Paper I) were better understood through knowledge about how young people conceptualized fatherhood (Paper II) and motherhood (Paper III). While motherhood was understood in terms of responsibility, single parenthood, and availability, fatherhood was understood in terms of irresponsibility, unavailability, and absence. The conceptualizations of fatherhood and motherhood in the young people indicated a desire to change from their parent generation, especially the young men. The young men and women expressed similar and compatible parenthood agendas were gender equality arises as a very central family value. 10 Conclusions: This thesis contributes to the debate about the family described as “being in a state of crisis” in South Africa by giving voice to disenfranchised young people in their transition to adulthood. Their urge for gender equality in the family certainly indicates a family institution in transition, which is an important input to future debates and policy making

Mothering in Socioeconomically Marginalized Communities in South Africa: A Conceptual Development

From a sociopsychological perspective, mothering is variously described in the research literature. This theory synthesis research design study aims to integrate our current understanding of “the familiar” phenomenon of mothering by asking: (i) how mothering is understood across diverse realities within socioeconomically marginalised contexts in South Africa; and (ii) how the domain of mothering in the South African context integrates across theoretical perspectives of motherhood. From the present analysis, findings suggest that mothering needs to be viewed across contexts of being lone, absent, replaced, shared, marginalised, and disrupted. In conclusion, “collective” mothering presents a source of resilience in family functioning in socioeconomically marginalised South African communities

Balance Artists on Social Networking Sites – Young Women with Migrant Backgrounds and their Self-presentations.

Sosiale nettverkssider (SNS) er viktige sosiale arenaer i unges hverdagsliv. SNS gir unge med migrasjonsbakgrunn muligheter til å holde kontakt med venner og familie i transnasjonale nettverk og samtidig knytte bånd i ungdomsmiljø hvor de bor. Aktiviteter på SNS innebærer risiko knyttet til synlighet og eksponering, og kan gjenskape eller forsterke marginaliseringsprosesser. Med dette utgangspunktet spør vi derfor om hvilke vurderinger unge kvinner med migrasjonsbakgrunn gjør seg når de publiserer innhold på SNS. Vi rekrutterte 15 kvinner i alderen 16 til 26 år gjennom frivillige organisasjoner til å delta i fokusgruppediskusjoner. Deltakernei studien kommer fra Midtøsten og fra Afrikas Horn. Vi brukte kvalitativ tematisk analyse med både åpen og lukket koding. Sentrale teoretiske perspektiver for analysen har vi hentet fra kommunikasjonsfeltet og fra symbolsk interaksjonisme. Funnene tydeliggjør at interaksjonene på SNS innebærer komplekse vurderinger om anonymitet, synlighet og vedvarenhet. De unge kvinnene skreddersydde selvpresentasjonene sine mot ulike publikum og de fryktet “kontekstkollaps”, hvor innhold ment for et publikum lekker til et annet. Når skillelinjer mellom ulike kontekster og roller blir utydelige kan det oppstå normbrudd i presentasjonsmaterialet. Dette diskuteres i lys av hva kvinnene opplever å risikere og hvilke strategier som tas i bruk.Social networking sites (SNS) represent central social arenas in the everyday life of young people. SNS give young people with migrant backgrounds opportunities to keep in touch with family and friends in transnational networks. At the same time, SNS create opportunities to establish and participate in “digital neighbourhoods” with youth in Norway and elsewhere. Activities on SNS involve risk in relation to visibility and exposure and may reproduce and even reinforce processes of marginalisation. Thus, we have asked young women with migrant backgrounds about their considerations when they publish content on SNS.We group interviewed 15 young women aged 16 to 26. The women have lived in Norway for several years and originate from the Greater Middle East and the Horn of Africa. We draw upon perspectives from the field of communication and from symbolic interactionism. Our analysis suggests that the young women present themselves in carefully tailored ways according to the affordances of SNS, such as anonymity, visibility, and persistence. Self-presentations were managed towards several particular yet, large and diverse audiences.  When borders between the various social groups on SNS become blurry, the young women experience the risk of “context collapse”. However, the young women reveal several strategies to deal with such challenges

Community work in digital neighbourhoods:Three perspectives from young women with migrant backgrounds and their conditions for participation on social networking sites.

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