“I’m Not Afraid of Dying Because I’ve Got Nothing to Lose”: Young Men in South Africa Talk About Nonfatal Suicidal Behavior

First-person narratives of suicidal behavior may provide novel insights into how individuals with lived experience of suicide understand and narrate their behavior. Our aim was to explore the narratives of young men hospitalized following nonfatal suicidal behavior (NFSB), in order to understand how young suicidal men construct and understand their actions. Data were collected via narrative interviews with 14 men (aged 18–34 years) admitted to hospital following an act of NFSB in Cape Town, South Africa. Narrative analysis was used to analyze the data. Two dominant narratives emerged in which participants drew on tropes of the “great escape” and “heroic resistance,” performing elements of hegemonic masculinity in the way they narrated their experiences. Participants position themselves as rational heroic agents and present their suicidal behavior as goal-directed action to solve problems, assert control, and enact resistance. This dominant narrative is incongruent with the mainstream biomedical account of suicide as a symptom of psychopathology. The young men also articulated two counter-narratives, in which they deny responsibility for their actions and position themselves as defeated, overpowered, wary, and unheroic. The findings lend support to the idea that there is not only one narrative of young men’s suicide, and that competing and contradictory narratives can be found even within a dominant hyper-masculine account of suicidal behavior. Gender-sensitive suicide prevention strategies should not assume that all men share a common understanding of suicide. Suicide can be enacted as both a performance of masculinity and as a resistance to hegemonic gender roles.

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Involuntary Circumcision of Males in Illegal Initiation Schools in South Africa: A Violation of African Customary Human Rights?

Southern African Public Law ◽

10.25159/2522-6800/2950 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Porsche Makama

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Human Rights ◽

Cultural Beliefs ◽

Young Men ◽

Cultural Tradition ◽

Constitutional Rights ◽

Topical Issue ◽

Community Members ◽

Human Right ◽

Traditional Practice

The incidence of deaths associated with the practice of forced and botched circumcisions at initiation schools has become a topical issue in South Africa. In recent times, the number of deaths and injuries among initiates has risen at an alarming rate, most of them occurring at illegal initiation schools. The continuous rise in the number of injuries among initiates at these schools has elicited mixed reactions among community members, some referring to it as genocide in the case of fatalities and calling for its abandonment, while others argue that this traditional practice should be allowed to continue. The majority of young men who go to initiation schools do not make the decision on their own, nor do they have a choice in the matter. Instead they are compelled by parents or guardians, influenced by friends, and also coerced by others in the community who insist that they have to ‘go to the mountain’, as initiation schools are generally referred to in South Africa. It has been argued by those against circumcision that this practice infringes constitutional rights and contravenes the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. There have been numerous instances where young and even mature males have been taken from the streets, or even from the comfort of their homes, and forced into circumcision camps with or without their consent. This begs the question whether the continued practice of a cultural tradition that violates the fundamental human right and freedom to choose religious and cultural beliefs is justifiable.

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TRANSITORY MOBILITY, CULTURAL HETEROGENEITY, AND VICTIMIZATION RISK AMONG YOUNG MEN OF COLOR: INSIGHTS FROM AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Criminology ◽

10.1111/1745-9125.12025 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 51 (4) ◽

pp. 967-1008 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

MARIE ROSENKRANTZ LINDEGAARD ◽

JODY MILLER ◽

DANIELLE M. REYNALD

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Cape Town ◽

Young Men ◽

Ethnographic Study ◽

Cultural Heterogeneity ◽

Victimization Risk ◽

Men Of Color

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Health(care) in the Crisis: Reflections in Science and Society on Opioid Addiction

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18010341 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 341

Author(s):

Roxana Damiescu ◽

Mita Banerjee ◽

David Y. W. Lee ◽

Norbert W. Paul ◽

Thomas Efferth

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Narrative Analysis ◽

Opioid Abuse ◽

Societal Implications ◽

Public Health Approach ◽

Opioid Misuse ◽

Post Surgery ◽

Patient Narratives ◽

The Relationship

Opioid abuse and misuse have led to an epidemic which is currently spreading worldwide. Since the number of opioid overdoses is still increasing, it is becoming obvious that current rather unsystematic approaches to tackle this health problem are not effective. This review suggests that fighting the opioid epidemic requires a structured public health approach. Therefore, it is important to consider not only scientific and biomedical perspectives, but societal implications and the lived experience of groups at risk as well. Hence, this review evaluates the risk factors associated with opioid overdoses and investigates the rates of chronic opioid misuse, particularly in the context of chronic pain as well as post-surgery treatments, as the entrance of opioids in people’s lives. Linking pharmaceutical biology to narrative analysis is essential to understand the modulations of the usual themes of addiction and abuse present in the opioid crisis. This paper shows that patient narratives can be an important resource in understanding the complexity of opioid abuse and addiction. In particular, the relationship between chronic pain and social inequality must be considered. The main goal of this review is to demonstrate how a deeper transdisciplinary-enriched understanding can lead to more precise strategies of prevention or treatment of opioid abuse.

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Accelerating the implementation of SDG 4: stakeholder perceptions towards initiation of sustainable community engagement projects by higher education institutions

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education ◽

10.1108/ijshe-04-2020-0123 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Lombuso Precious Shabalala ◽

Sisa Ngcwangu

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

South Africa ◽

Community Engagement ◽

Narrative Analysis ◽

Qualitative Methodology ◽

Higher Education Institutions ◽

Reciprocal Relationship ◽

Stakeholder Perceptions ◽

Content Type ◽

Sustainable Community

Purpose This paper aims to present the results of an investigation on how a reciprocal relationship between the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) in South Africa and the surrounding communities can be used to accelerate the implementation of sustainable development goal 4 (SDG 4). The aim of this paper is to establish stakeholder perceptions on the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the development and implementation of sustainable community engagement (CE) projects geared towards the acceleration of SDG 4. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology was adopted. This consisted of a presentation at UMP, an educational tour of the campus and discussion sessions with 3 education officials and 19 high schools representatives from Ehlanzeni District Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Content and narrative analysis were used to analyse the data obtained during the discussions. Findings The key findings indicate that a reciprocal relationship between HEIs and their surrounding communities can be used to accelerate the implementation of SDG 4 by positioning HEIs to take the lead with initiatives and implementation of CE projects. Research limitations/implications For HEIs to be in a better position to take a leading role in CE, they must guide without imposing, else it may lead to stakeholders losing interest. Practical implications The importance of a mutual working relationship between HEIs and communities becomes paramount, as it may lead to the realisation and acceleration of SDG 4 through CE. It is suggested that HEIs prioritise CE and also involve communities from the conceptualisation of any project. Originality/value The paper raises awareness and demonstrates the importance and possibilities of using CE towards the acceleration of the implementation of SDG 4 by HEIs.

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Allan Boesak, Black Theology and Apartheid: A theological-historical approach

STJ | Stellenbosch Theological Journal ◽

10.17570/stj.2018.v4n2.a23 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Eugene Fortein

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Lived Experience ◽

South African ◽

Historical Perspective ◽

Black Theology ◽

Reciprocal Relationship ◽

South African Context ◽

Historical Approach ◽

African Context ◽

American Black

In this article I will give specific attention to the reciprocal relationship between Black Theology and Allan Boesak based on his lived experience of apartheid from a theological-historical perspective. It is my presupposition that Boesak’s experience of apartheid made him prone to the influence of Black Theology and that he in turn adapted American Black Theology so that it could be made applicable to the South African context. Black Theology unlocked an entire new theological paradigm for Boesak which enabled him to speak prophetically to the challenges and injustices that occurred under apartheid in South Africa. Attention will be given to the emergence of Black Theology in South Africa, how Boesak was challenged by it and how Black Theology, through Boesak, impacted the theological landscape.

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My Sister, Our Stories: Exploring the Lived Experience of School Leavers through Narrative and Poetics

The Qualitative Report ◽

10.46743/2160-3715/2012.1751 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

C. Davis ◽

Jennifer Pepperell

Keyword(s):

Social Class ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Adult Female ◽

Narrative Analysis ◽

Life Experiences ◽

Educational Experiences ◽

Sibling Relationship

The purpose of this study was to explore the educational experiences of two adult female siblings who are both school leavers. Through the use of thematic narrative analysis, sibling narratives and poetic re-presentations, their stories were developed. These stories represent the participants’ experiences of prior schooling and their current commitments to education. While each story conveyed a profound similarity in terms of prior schooling, contrasting narratives were illustrated through description of transitional moments and sibling relationship. The analysis also explored the intersections of race, gender, and social class within educative moments of the life experiences of the participants.

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Learning to Resist: Educational Counter-Narratives of Black College Reentry Mothers

Teachers College Record ◽

10.1177/016146811311500403 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 115 (4) ◽

pp. 1-31 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz

Keyword(s):

Academic Success ◽

Black Women ◽

Narrative Analysis ◽

Sense Of Self ◽

Original Study ◽

Black College ◽

Black Mothers ◽

Reentry Women ◽

Individual Interviews ◽

Counter Narratives

Background College reentry women are often older than the traditional college student, and in this study are distinguished from other students because of their parental status as mothers (Johnson-Bailey, 2000; Sealey-Ruiz, 2007). As one of the the fastest growing populations in colleges and universities across the nation, it is alarming that many Black college reentry women, despite their educational gains, continue to face stereotypes about who they are socially, politically, and educationally. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the schooling experiences of Black college reentry mothers (n = 5) and explicate the ways in which they theorize and make meaning of the complexities of their lives, particularly in regard to the intersections of race, college reentry, and motherhood. Research Design Employing qualitative case study and narrative analysis methods, the larger study from which some data for this article derive (Sealey-Ruiz, 2005) examined the educational narratives of Black college reentry women. The original study investigated the influence the participants’ college reentry had on their lives and their daughters’ educational choices. The study reported in this article, then, includes data from individual interviews with the 5 mothers from the original study as they focus on their college reentry experience and motherhood. Findings/Results Contrary to what some researchers assert about schools not providing welcoming spaces for Black women to develop an optimistic sense of self, the reentry mothers in this study viewed college enrollment as a crucial step toward positive self-definition. Their efforts to become educated represent their resistance to public stereotypical images of themselves as Black mothers. In other words, they believed their college reentry served as counterpoint to the three stereotypes about Black mothers discussed in this article: the mammy, the matriarch, and the welfare mother/welfare queen. Conclusions/Recommendations The counter-narratives these mothers offered to the three stereotypes suggest that there are psychological barriers (fear of belonging, self-doubt, fear of marginalization, racism, sexism, negative stereotyping) to their academic success. This conclusion has the strong potential to move educational researchers toward a deeper investigation of challenges to the college reentry experienced by Black mothers, in the hope of creating institutional support structures, systems, and policies that can propel the academic success of this population.

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Gangs: Spatialities and Socialities in South Africa

Politeia ◽

10.25159/2663-6689/8336 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Godfrey Maringira

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Emotional Support ◽

Young Men ◽

Gang Membership ◽

Gang Violence ◽

Gang Members ◽

Social And Emotional ◽

Black Township

The “making” of gang relationships has remained at the periphery of research, yet it is critical in understanding the continuity and sustainability of gangsterism in different contexts. This paper examines the ways in which young men involved in gang violence forge and sustain their relationships in the streets of a black township in South Africa. I argue that the “making” of gang relationships is never easy; rather, it is characterised by violence within and outside gang membership. The article asserts that, within gangs, violence is a technique which sustains their relationships, as it acts as a source of social and emotional support—especially in a context characterised by fractured families as well as social and economic marginalisation. The paper draws from an ethnography of walking the township streets, being in gang streets, talking to gang members, engaging with and observing young men involved in gang violence.

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“From Dachau with Love”

Caging Borders and Carceral States ◽

10.5149/northcarolina/9781469651231.003.0013 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 355-384

Author(s):

Dan Berger

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

South America ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Cultural Memory ◽

Prison System ◽

Time And Space ◽

New Era ◽

Black Liberation ◽

Prison Guards

The chapter explores how memorial constructions of George Jackson’s resistance against California’s prison system provide a discursive symbol of prisoner liberation that stretches across time and space. Writing between traditions that have both excoriated Jackson as criminal and celebrated Jackson as an intellectual, the chapter takes up Jackson’s activism within the framework of his lived experience as a California prisoner whose choices were always restricted by prison’s bondage. To break free of prison’s metaphorical and physical walls, Jackson’s activism was rooted in a transnational struggle for Black Liberation that equated the prisoners’ plight alongside Marxist movements for national revolution and independence in Vietnam, Cuba, South Africa, and South America. After his 1971 death at the hands of California prison guards, Jackson became a cultural martyr and a palimpsest as a memorial and symbolic inspiration to future abolitionist and protest campaigns against carceral regimes. Drawing on the transnational cultural memory of Jackson as ardent prison abolitionist, the chapter discerns a new era of prison protest where California’s prison hunger strikes in 2012 and 2013 share Jacksonian inspiration with the first-ever national prison work strike in 2016.

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