Theses and dissertations (Management Sciences)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/14
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Item Engaging high school students in the development of more peaceful communities : a case study in Honduras(2024-05) von Eck, Vaughan Bruce; Harris, Geoffrey ThomasHonduras is a country fraught by inequality and injustice, which has a detrimental effect an all spheres and socio-economic sectors of the population. According to the World Bank, Honduras has registered the second highest economic growth rates in Central America, only behind Panama, yet the country is still steeped in high levels of poverty and inequality. This is not helped by the high levels of criminal activity spearheaded by organized crime, gangs and aided by high levels of systemic corruption. This research is a participative approach with 10th and 11th grade students in order to evaluate the need for peacebuilding actions at a school level. A participative action research approach was used ensuring that the youth were fully involved in analysing the different aspects and levels of conflict and violence in their communities. The process involves using surveys, interviews and discussions in order to collect the necessary data. Although numerous events impeded the implementation of the experience gained there was an opportunity share some of which was learnt with students and observe a change in their outlook on conflict and violence and their appreciation for peacebuilding.Item Post-war peacebuilding for development in Ganta City, Liberia(2023) Yorlay, Teeko T.; Kaye, Sylvia Blanche; Harris, Geoffrey ThomasGanta City, with a population of about 62,000 and located approximately 200 miles from Monrovia, is a post-war multi-ethnic community entangled in inter-ethnic land disputes attributable to the roles played and the sides supported by the various ethnic groups during the Liberian civil wars from 1989 to 2003. These land disputes are about returning Mandingo refugees claiming that their parcels of land have been occupied by people from the Dan and Mah ethnic groups. This situation has undermined tranquillity and harmony in the city, fractured relationships, and is retarding progress and development. This situation needs to be resolved to ensure peace and tranquillity amongst the Dan, Mah, and Mandingo people, as well as the other residents in this major business hub outside Monrovia in Liberia. The Government of Liberia has applied two major efforts to resolve the issues. These efforts and the courts have resolved some of the issues, but they have not restored peace and improved the relationships among those ethnic groups. As a result, the peace in Ganta City is fragile, with underlying conflicts owing to the lack of genuine efforts to repair the broken relations. Based on the above, I used an action research approach and qualitative research methodology to collect qualitative data from eight focus groups, between twenty-five to fifty interviews, and at least ten observations. I analysed the same using thematic analysis, with the specific objectives of measuring the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of the land disputes in Ganta City. My research participants and I examined the issues around the inter-ethnic land conflict in the city, and I used the theoretical framework of conflict transformation including peacebuilding, indigenous knowledge, and the asset-based approach to community development to resolve the conflicts and improve the relationships among the three ethnic groups. I experimented with the local peace committee concept and formed an action committee that has implemented a peacebuilding intervention to resolve the local conflicts and promote peaceful coexistence. The overarching aim of my research has been to contribute to communal harmony, resulting in sustainable community development in the post-conflict multi-ethnic Ganta City. A locally driven peacebuilding mechanism has been used to contribute to the peacefulness of the city. The local peace structure that has been created has worked on improving the relationships among the three ethnic groups. The relationships have improved, and the foundation necessary for peace has been laid to address the conflictual issues surrounding the land disputes in Ganta City.Item Peace education as a peacebuilding tool in the Western Sahara region(2023) Bibee, Justin D.; Kaye, Sylvia Blanche; Harris, Geoffrey ThomasPeacebuilding is a profound challenge in societies that experience decades-long protracted conflict. The Western Sahara Conflict is considered such a profound peacebuilding challenge. Located in the Maghreb region on the North-West coast of Africa, the Western Sahara is considered the Most Inaccessible Place on Earth, the Least Economically Integrated Region on Earth, and the Last Colonised Place on Earth. The conflict is known as Africa’s Longest Conflict, Africa’s Forgotten Conflict, and the World’s Oldest Conflict, and Western Sahara as the Most Heavily-Mined Place on Earth which has produced the Most Protracted Refugee Situation Worldwide. The Western Sahara has a long history of violent conflict. In 1991, Morocco and the Polisario agreed to a UN-brokered ceasefire for a future self-determination referendum, which has yet to take place. Morocco rejects a vote including independence as an option, considering Western Sahara integral to the kingdom. The ceasefire was broken in late 2020, resuming violent conflict. For 48 years, from 1975 to 2023, all peacebuilding efforts have failed. This protracted conflict has divided communities along a "berm," the second-largest man-made defensive barrier in history, leading to polarization, animosity, and negative attitudes between the groups. This study employs an action research approach and peace education as a key tool to implement a peacebuilding intervention in Laayoune, Western Sahara. The interdisciplinary methodology seeks to understand the complexities of relationships between Moroccans and Sahrawis in the region. Research findings show that peace education workshops effectively promote reconciliation and peacebuilding by providing a safe space for dialogue, fostering mutual understanding and empathy among participants, and facilitating transformative changes in relationships, trust, and cooperation, while also contributing to personal growth and development among participants. This study makes significant contributions to the field of peacebuilding by highlighting the often-overlooked effectiveness of peace education as an intervention in the Western Sahara Conflict and emphasizing the vital role of action research in ensuring the sustainability of peacebuilding efforts.Item Promoting political tolerance among youth in Masvingo, Zimbabwe(2023) Phillimon, Rumutsa; Harris, Geoffrey ThomasThis study aimed at promoting political tolerance via a dialogue initiative in Masvingo, Zimbabwe, where political broadmindedness, tolerance and trust are problematic. This research was underpinned by conflict transformation theory, complemented by intergroup contact theory. It was carried out with 16 participants from Mucheke, who participated in interviews and focus group discussions. The overall aim of this study was to promote political tolerance among youth in Mucheke in Masvingo, Zimbabwe, with the specific objectives being to explore the nature, extent, causes and consequences of youth involvement in political violence; to identify previous and current attempts in Mucheke to reduce this involvement and their effectiveness; to plan and implement interventions to reduce this involvement; and to evaluate the short-term outcomes of the intervention. The study established that political competition is the main cause of political violence in Masvingo. and that a dialogue initiative could be an effective strategy that can build relationships between political rivals. The study concluded that attitudes cannot change in a short period of time, a finding that calls for ongoing intervention to promote positive peace.Item Utilising action research to build peace at Njobokazi village, Kwazulu-Natal(2023-04) Shozi, Dizline Mfanozelwe; Harris, Geoffrey ThomasThe rural community of Njobokazi at the remote border of the EThekwini Metro has been the scene of violent conflict for decades. Many people have been killed and many houses and community assets destroyed. Much of the violence was driven by a conquest mentality, informed by ubunsizwa, an aggressive form of masculinity where the winning faction is not satisfied with defeating their opponents but instead would drive them out of the village altogether. Violence has seeped into every aspect of life and was the only way people knew to deal with any dispute or difference. Using an action research approach with strong participation from community members, my aim was to try to build peace in the community. The intervention involved training in conflict resolution skills and psychological support to handle trauma from past violence. People who used to fight before came together in groups; as a result, many relationships were repaired. A full evaluation conducted roughly a year later showed that the group training had a powerful effect in reducing violence in the community. A key factor in this was the contribution of women, who are a major resource for bringing peace.