Faculty of Arts and Design
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Item “Just shut up and take it” : South African university students on sexual harassment(Durban University of Technology, 2024) Hamlall, Vijay; Jagath, SaharaSexual harassment and gender-based violence have become pervasive and normal within South African society. This trend is of grave concern at colleges and universities. Drawing on the social construction of the gender theory approach, this study explored the perceptions and experiences of sexual harassment among students at a South African university. The nature and causes of sexual harassment were examined. Twenty undergraduate students—twelve females, five males, one queer and two bisexual students—participated in this study. Data was generated using individual interviews and focus group discussions. Sexual harassment was prevalent at the university in the form of verbal, non-verbal and physical harassment. We argue that harassment stems from broader constructs of masculinity and patriarchal power that challenge and effectively silence victims. Non-reporting of harassment largely sanctions sexual harassment at the university. Female students were the main victims of gender-based violence with male students being the main perpetrators. LGBTQIA students were found to be vulnerable to harassment, mainly because of their sexual preference. The study revealed the need to create better awareness of what constitutes sexual harassment and gender-based violence and suggests that victims, perpetrators and university staff collaborate to tackle the scourge. We propose the necessity for focused and ongoing education and awareness campaigns on campus.Item Fault lines : homophobic visual perceptions of masculinity(2017) Thomas, Nathan; Kethro, Philippa; Carey, PiersThis study explores connections between masculinity and homophobia in a Faculty of Arts and Design at a South African university. Connections between masculinity and homophobia may have consequences for the visual representation of the male body in graphic design. Literature suggests that gender is socially constructed and performed, and that masculinity and homophobia are connected. As such understanding this connection might assist graphic designers who are often tasked with visually representing gendered bodies. The study uses critical theory as the research orientation for inquiry, which is then related to masculinity studies. Photo elicitation using context-free images of male body language in focus groups is the main data generation strategy. Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis with particular reference to participants’ personal stake and interest in masculinity are employed as analytical tools. Overall, the research data reveals four discursive ‘positions’ in relation to visual perceptions of body language: human or situational performance of masculinity, socially gendered performance of masculinity, effeminate or ‘gay’ performance of masculinity, and homosexual performance of masculinity. However, in the data these positions overlap and combine when participants manage their stake or interest in masculinity. The thesis of this study is therefore that homophobic visual perceptions of masculinity may permeate gender performance as ‘fault lines’. Although the study finds these homophobic fault lines in visual perceptions of masculinity, there is also evidence of acceptance of non-mainstream forms of masculinity.