Volume 47, Issue 3, 2007
Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe - Volume 47, Issue 3, September 2007
Volume 47, Issue 3, September 2007
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 285 –287 (2007)
Misdaad bly wêreldwyd 'n ernstige probleem en 'n bron van kommer. Daarvan getuig die deurlopende aandag aan die samestelling van polisiemagte, die opleiding van polisiebeamptes en die instelling van allerlei maatskaplike bestrydings- en voorkomingsprogramme. In sekere wêrelddele verdiep die misdaadprobleem weens plaaslike sosiaal-maatskaplike en politieke toestande. Sulke situasies verg spesiale aandag van die betrokke owerhede en van diegene wat in die omgewing van die probleem moet (oor)leef. Die huidige situasie in Irak is 'n voorbeeld hiervan. Weens sy besondere strydgeskiedenis teen apartheid, veral sedert 1976, kan Suid-Afrika ook nog in hierdie geledere getel word. Die land en sy mense ly veral sedert 1994 onder 'n lae-profiel misdaadgolf; alles is oënskynlik normaal en rustig, maar onder die oppervlak kook dit van allerlei vorme van misdaad. 'n Mens hoef maar net 'n koerant oop te slaan om te verneem van kinders wat ontvoer, verkrag en gedood word, van dwaalkoeëls wat mense tydens 'n rooftog op 'n motorhawe of winkelsentrum dood, van gyselaarsdramas, van byna weeklikse plaasmoorde gepaard met gruwelike geweld - onder meer op bejaardes, van kindermishandeling, gesinsmoorde, verontagsaming van verkeersreëls en dies meer.
Die "dissiplineprobleem" in skole : 'n rentmeesterskapsbenadering
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 288 –300 (2007)
Die dissiplinedilemma in post-apartheid Suid-Afrikaanse hoërskole : 'n kwalitatiewe ontleding
Authors: Jo Badenhorst, Miemsie Steyn and Lukas Beukes
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 301 –319 (2007)
Skoolgeweld en portuurgroepviktimisering in openbare skole in Tshwane-Suid
Authors: Johan Prinsloo and Jan Neser
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 320 –330 (2007)
Riglyne vir die voorkoming van bullebakkery in 'n skoolkoshuis
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 331 –348 (2007)
Die oorsprong vir hierdie gevallestudie was die kommer van 'n ouerpaar oor die viktimisasie waaraan hulle hoërskoolseun in 'n Oos-Kaapse skoolkoshuis blootgestel is. Die doel van hierdie artikel is eerstens om oor die ondersoek na die kosgangers se belewing van bullebakkery te rapporteer, en tweedens om breë riglyne vir die ontwikkeling van 'n antibullebakprogram vir die betrokke koshuis te verskaf. Ter bereiking van diß doelstellinge is die Delaware Bullying Questionnaire, wat aangepas is om voorsiening vir die Suid-Afrikaanse koshuissituasie te maak, gebruik om inligting in te samel oor kosgangers se blootstelling aan bullebakkery. Voorts is deelnemers aan 'n werkswinkel, wat onder andere kosgangers, diensdoende personeellede, die koshuissuperintendent en ouers ingesluit het, gevra om strategieë ter bekamping van bullebakkery aan die hand te doen. Op grond van Olweus se antibullebakprogram, die bevindinge van die vraelyste en die aanbevelings van die deelnemers aan die werkswinkel, word algemene riglyne vir die ontwikkeling van 'n antibullebakprogram vir die Oos-Kaapse koshuis verskaf. Die suksesvolle implementering van die program vereis die betrokkenheid van alle rolspelers op individuele en breë koshuisverband.
Guidelines for the prevention of bullying in a school hostel
The origin of this case study was rooted in the concern of a set of parents about the victimisation which their secondary-school son had been exposed to in an Eastern Cape school hostel. The aim of this article is to report on an investigation into hostel pupils' experience of bullying and to provide general guidelines for the development of an anti-bullying programme for the said hostel. In order to fulfil the aims, the Delaware Bullying Questionnaire, which was adapted to make provision for the South African hostel situation, was implemented to gain information about hostel pupils' exposure to bullying. Furthermore; participants, which included, amongst others, hostel pupils, staff on duty, the hostel superintendent and parents, were requested to propose strategies for the prevention of bullying. Based on elements of Olweus's anti-bullying programme, the results of the questionnaires, as well as recommendations by the participants to the workshop, general guidelines were provided for the development of an anti-bullying programme for the Eastern Cape school hostel. The successful implementation of the programme requires the involvement of all role players, both at a general hostel level and an individual level.
'n Leerderperspektief op dissipline in histories swart sekondêre skole : 'n kwalitatiewe ontleding
Authors: Charl Wolhuter and Louisa Meyer
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 349 –358 (2007)
Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om 'n leerderperspektief op dissipline by histories swart sekondêre skole bloot te lê. 68 leerders van vier histories swart hoërskole het opstelle oor dissipline by hulle skole geskryf. Die navorsingsmetode wat tydens die verwerking van die ingesamelde inligting toegepas is, is inhoudsanalise. Leerders besef die noodsaaklikheid van dissipline, ofskoon hulle konseptualisering van die begrip dissipline op 'n konvensionele vlak van morele oordeelsvorming lê. Milieugeremdheid en die ontoereikende kognitiewe ontwikkeling wat daaruit voortspruit, verhinder waarskynlik die ontwikkeling van 'n opvoedkundig gewenste dissiplinebegrip op die vlak van postkonvensionele morele oordeelsvorming. Volgens die getuienis van leerders is die stand van dissipline by hul skole nie na wense nie en het dit 'n ongunstige uitwerking op hul skoolwerk. Dissiplinehandhawingsmetodes is feitlik uitsluitlik van 'n reaktiewe aard, terwyl die opvoedkundig verkose metodes van voorkomende dissiplinemaatreëls feitlik ontbreek. Ten slotte is aanbevelings ten opsigte van praktykverbetering en vir verdere navorsing aan die hand gedoen.
A learner perspective on discipline at historically black secondary schools: a qualitative analysis
Aim of research: The aim of this research was to construct the perspective of learners on discipline at historically black secondary schools. An attempt was made to determine what learners understand by the term discipline; their views regarding the levels of discipline at their schools; the effect that the state of discipline at their schools has on them; their views regarding the causes of (good or poor) discipline at their schools; and their views on the methods used to maintain discipline at their schools.
A convenient sample of 68 grade 8 to 10 learners wrote essays on the theme "Discipline at my school". Creswell's hybrid of a quantitative and qualitative research design was used. The essays were subjected to a content analysis.
It was determined that twenty two learners associated the concept "discipline" with respect paid to teachers; two with respect paid to teachers and fellow-learners; thirteen with particular behavioural traits; eight with order so that teaching and learning can take place; five with obedience to rules; two with responsibility; and one with character traits. Six learners explicitly stated in their essays that discipline is essential in a school set-up, although only three motivated their views. From a further twenty seven essays it seemed that learners realised the need for discipline. Six learners wrote that their schools/classes were disciplined; twenty two wrote that their classes/schools were not disciplined and two wrote that the discipline was occasionally good and occasionally poor. From a further eighteen essays the deduction could be made that the level of discipline was not good, from two the message was that the discipline was good and from seventeen no conclusion could be drawn as to the levels of discipline in the schools involved.Learners complained about the following forms of misbehaviour: noise; lack of respect given to teachers; smoking, disruptive behaviour; late-coming; and learners who leave the school premises during school hours. Thirty four learners (i.e. half of the sample) complained that the state of discipline at their schools had a negative effect on their school work.
Opvoeders se persepsie van die effektiwiteit van dissiplinemetodes in Vrystaatse, Oos-Kaapse en Vaaldriehoekskole
Authors: Izak Oosthuizen and Johann Van Staden
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 359 –371 (2007)
Leerderdissipline is die afgelope tyd een van die hoofbrandpunte in die media se beriggewing oor onderwys. Verskeie navorsingsverslae is in Suid-Afrika sowel as in die buiteland ter tafel gelê, maar 'n wetenskaplike perspektief oor hoe Suid-Afrikaanse opvoeders leerderdissipline in skole ervaar, ontbreek nog. 'n Literatuurstudie het onthul dat leerdergedrag diepgesetel is in gemeenskapstrukture soos die gesin, skool en omliggende samelewing. Op hierdie basis kan faktore wat leerderwangedrag veroorsaak, gekategoriseer word as skoolverwant, gesinsverwant en gemeenskapsverwant. Die invloed van elkeen van dié faktore op leerdergedrag, asook die hantering van wangedrag, is ondersoek. Die primêre doelstelling van die empiriese navorsing was om opvoeders se ervaring van die effektiwiteit van verskillende metodes om dissipline te handhaaf, te bepaal. Terselfdertyd is gepoog om vas te stel hoedanig die ervaring van opvoeders aan histories swart skole met dié van histories blanke skole verskil. Die studiepopulasie het bestaan uit opvoeders aan primêre en sekondêre skole in die Oos-Kaap, Vaaldriehoek en Vrystaat. Vooruitspruitend uit die bevindinge, word aanbevelings gemaak vir die verbetering van dissipline in skole asook vir verdere navorsing.
Educators' perception of the effectiveness of disciplinary measures in schools of the Free State, Eastern Cape and Vaal Triangle
For the past decade, South African schools have been finding themselves in a new socio-political and education law context, where past methods of the maintenance of discipline can no longer be used. Although quite a number of studies on learner discipline have been published during the past few years, a scientific perspective on educators' experience of the disciplinary situation is still lacking. As it is educators who are at the receiving end of learner disciplinary problems, a reflection of educators' experience of the state of learner discipline is needed. The aim of this research was to determine how educators judge the effectiveness of methods they employ to maintain discipline.Secondly, an attempt was made to determine similarities and differences between educators at historically black and historically white schools regarding their judgements of the effectiveness of various methods used to maintain discipline. An availability sample of 405 educators in schools in the Free State, Vaal Triangle and Eastern Cape completed a questionnaire in which they had to rate the effectiveness of 22 methods of maintaining discipline.
The following were rated as the five most effective methods: proper lesson preparation by the teacher, thorough subject knowledge by the teacher, consultation with the parents of learners, positive discipline and a system of class rules. The following methods were also judged as being effective: emphasis on values, regular prayers in class by educator, encouragement of pride among learners, referral to the school governing body's disciplinary committee, encouragement of traditions, referral to school principal, extra work, reprimanding and withholding of privileges for negative behaviour. The following were rated as the five most ineffective methods: isolation outside classroom, isolation in classroom, merit-demerit point system, detention and corporal punishment. A comparison between the responses of educators from historically black schools and those from historically white schools could not find any significant differences in their rating of the effectiveness of various methods of discipline.
The article concludes that the most effective methods centre around the quality and commitment of teacher activity. The educator's approach appears to be decisive too: it is namely evident that proactive measures by the educator are much more effective than reactive steps. Based on the findings of the research, certain recommendations are made regarding further research on the maintenance of discipline in schools.
Fonologiese bewustheid by graad 0-leerders as voorspeller van latere leessukses
Authors: S.G. Le Roux, A.J. Hugo, H. Muller and N.M. Nel
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 373 –385 (2007)
MIV-positiewe huiswerkers se ervarings van hul MIV-status binne 'n werkgewersgesin
Authors: Irma Eloff, Liesel Ebersohn and Kobie Barnard
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 386 –398 (2007)
Die artikel rapporteer oor 'n studie wat die ervarings van MIV-positiewe huiswerkers binne hulle werkgewersgesinne verken het. 'n Grondslagteoretiese benadering is gevolg om die data te analiseer wat tydens in-diepte onderhoude met 14 huiswerkers gevoer is. Die bevindinge van die studie dui aan dat die deelnemers in hierdie studie hulle ervaring rondom vier temas konstrueer, naamlik : i) beperkte gesprekvoering rakende MIV & VIGS; ii) beperkte kennis rakende MIV & VIGS; iii) veranderde houdings van werkgewers en gepaardgaande wysigings aan werksladings; en iv) onveranderde houdings by die kinders in die werkgewersgesinne. Die studie beklemtoon die weerloosheid van MIV-positiewe huiswerkers in Suid-Afrika en ook die belangrikheid van voortgaande bekendmaking van toepaslike inligting rakende MIV-positiewe diagnoses.
HIV-positive domestic helpers' experience of their HIV-status within their families of employment
This article reports on a study that explored the experiences of HIV-positive domestic helpers in their families of employment in South Africa. A primary theoretical assumption for the study was to acknowledge the domestic helper as an integral part of the extended family of the employer. A grounded theory approach was utilised to analyze the data generated during in-depth interviews with fourteen domestic helpers (n=14). Responses captured in audio recordings were transcribed and analysed. The textual data was then analysed and interpreted based on open, axial and selective coding. From this coding process four themes emerged as the ways in which HIV positive domestic helpers construct their experiences within the families. Findings indicate that the participants in this study construct their experiences around the following main themes that emerged, e.g. sparcity of conversations about HIV & AIDS, limited knowledge about HIV & AIDS, changed attitudes of employers with resulting change in work-related responsibilities and unchanged attitudes in the children in the families of employment. A particularistic scrutiny of the data and research results indicates that participants who experience visible symptoms of HIV & AIDS may forewarn employers when domestic helpers are HIV-positive. The domestic helpers in this study experienced fluctuating negative attitudes, reduction of job content and retrenchment with concomitant financial repercussions for them and their biological families. However, the participants in this study indicated that the attitude of employers' children towards them remained positive after diagnosis. This significant finding served an affirming purpose for the participants in the study.
Die lesse van die Irakse oorlog en insurgensie : 'n Suid-Afrikaanse perspektief
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 399 –421 (2007)
Baie is geskryf en gesê oor die lesse van die oorlog in Irak. Dié stuk is egter die eerste poging om sekere lesse spesifiek vanuit 'n Suid-Afrikaanse perspektief te trek. Suid-Afrika is immers diep betrokke by vredesteun-operasies in Afrika wat by tye ooreenkomste met die situasie in Irak kan vertoon. Die artikel word in twee hoofkomponente verdeel, te wete die lesse van die konvensionele fase in Maart-April 2003, en dié van die daaropvolgende insurgensiefase. Die lesse van die eerste fase sluit in die noodsaak vir realistiese oorlogsdoelwitte, akkurate inligting, die mikrobestuur van die oorlog van ver af, die noodsaak om internasionale steun vir militêre ingryping in die buiteland te verwerf, die omhulling van die media in operasionele eenhede, en die voordele van gesamentlikewapens-eenhede. Wat die insurgensiefase betref, word aandag gegee aan die noodsaak vir 'n radikale kopskuif vergeleke met die veg van 'n konvensionele oorlog, die feit dat die swaartepunt nie die vyandelike magte is nie, maar die lojaliteit van die plaaslike bevolking, die veelfasettige benadering van komplekse oorloggevegte, om voldoende troepe beskikbaar te hê, inligtingsoperasies, en die steun van pantser.
The lessons of the Iraq war and insurgency: a South African perspective
A lot has been written and said about the lessons of the war in Iraq, both the conventional invasion in March, 2003, and the subsequent insurgency phase, which was at the time of writing still not over. This is, however, the first attempt to distil some lessons specifically from a South African perspective. This country's interest in the Iraq War lessons is primarily driven by the fact that it is heavily involved in peace support operations in Africa, a type of operation which may at times have similarities with an insurgency war such as the one in Iraq. The article is divided into two chief components, namely the lessons of the conventional phase of March and April 2003 (Operation Iraqi Freedom), and those of the subsequent insurgency phase. The lessons of the first phase include the need for realistic war aims (the USA's aims - inter alia, to force a Western-style liberal democracy on a people who had very little notion of it - were far too ambitious); accurate intelligence (the raw intelligence was shamelessly cherry picked and managed by the politicians to get the result which suited their invasion plans, instead of letting the intelligence speak for itself); micromanaging the war from afar (especially Donald Rumsfeld forced the military to invade with far too few troops, which directly led to the helplessness of the Army and Marines to stem Iraq's rapid slide into anarchy); the need for international support (George W. Bush's arrogant negation of his allies and subsequent international isolation and humiliation); the embedding of the media in military units (which worked reasonably well, although not without problems); and the advantages of combined-arms units (in other words, a mixture of tanks, mechanised infantry and artillery down to battalion or even company level). As far as the insurgency phase is concerned, attention is given to the need for a radical mind-shift compared to fighting a conventional war (most soldiers are trained to use maximum force, while an insurgency is more akin to a police action with minimum force); the fact that the point of gravity in the case of a conventional conflict is the enemyâ??s armed forces, while the local population's hearts and minds are the targets in an insurgency conflict (the Americans seem to have realised this only late in the war); the multi-faceted approach of complex war fighting (military force is, in fact, a rather subsidiary part of the war); having sufficient troops available (the Americans have continually tried to fight the war on the cheap); information operations (winning the information war is probably even more important than winning the military clashes); and the supporting role of armour (even though the infantry take the place of honour in an insurgency war, there is always a need for the heavy punch that only tanks and other armoured vehicles can provide). In conclusion, the Prussian and German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck is quoted as saying that fools learn from their own experience, and that it is better to learn from others'. That is what this article has endeavoured to do.
Openbare gesprek en wêreldlikheid. Aspekte van die politieke filosofie van Hannah Arendt (1906-1975)
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 422 –430 (2007)
Volgens Hannah Arendt is openbare gesprek (diskussie) en "wêreldlikheid" twee van die konstitutiewe elemente van of grondliggende voorwaardes vir 'n gesonde en lewenskragtige politieke lewe tussen die burgers van 'n samelewing, wat op sy beurt weer onontbeerlik is vir 'n sinvolle en waarlik menslike bestaan. Hierdie artikel ondersoek Arendt se opvattings in dié verband. Besondere aandag word gegee aan haar beroemde opstel oor Lessing (gepubliseer in Men in Dark Times) en haar onsentimentele opvatting van burgerlike vriendskap of onderlinge respek tussen burgers, wat sterk herinner aan Aristoteles se begrip philia politiké. In Arendt se eie woorde kom dit neer op "'n soort 'vriendskap' sonder intimiteit en sonder nabyheid; dit is eerbied vir die persoon op 'n afstand, dié afstand wat die ruimte van die wêreld tussen ons skep, en hierdie eerbied is onafhanklik van watter kwaliteite ons ook al mag bewonder of welke prestasies ons ook al hoog mag aanskryf" (HC 243).
Public discourse and worldliness. Aspects of the political philosophy of Hannah Arendt (1906-1975)
According to Hannah Arendt public discourse and "worldliness" are two of the constitutive elements of or basic conditions for a healthy and flourishing political life amongst the citizens of a polity, which in turn is indispensable for a meaningful and truly human existence. This article explores Arendt's views in this regard. Particular attention is given to her famous essay on Lessing(published in Men in Dark Times) and her unsentimental view of civil friendship or respect between citizens, which is reminiscent of the Aristotelian philia politiké. In Arendt's own words this is "a kind of 'friendship' without intimacy and without closeness; it is a regard for the person from the distance which the space of the world puts between us, and this regard is independent of qualities which we may admire or of achievements which we may highly esteem." (HC 243)
Disorganisasiebelewenisse van vroulike laatadolessente selfmoordagtergeblewenes
Author Willem A. Hoffman
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 431 –444 (2007)
Hierdie artikel fokus op die disorganisasiebelewenisse van vroulike laat-adolessente selfmoordagtergeblewenes in die weke en maande na die voltooide selfmoord van 'n betekenisvolle ander. Dit is deel van 'n groter navorsingsprojek waarin drie patroongroepe van langtermynbelewenisse by hierdie selfmoordagtergeblewenes na vore getree het, naamlik "stukkend breek", "disorganisasie" en "heelmaking". Die studie is gedoen vanuit 'n fenomenologies-sielkundige benadering. Die primêre data-insamelingsmetode was aangesig-tot-aangesig fenomenologiese onderhoude met vroulike navorsingsdeelnemers tussen 17 en 22 jaar oud. Die data is geanaliseer aan die hand van Giorgi se fenomenologiese metode. Die disorganisasiepatroongroep word gekenmerk deur sewe spesifieke geleefde belewenisse, naamlik 1) leë en gevriesde tyd; 2) verlange om die rede(s) vir die selfmoord te verstaan; 3) frustrasies; 4) emosionele pyn; 5) veranderinge in gesin se verhoudingsdinamika; 6) oneffektiewe sosiale ondersteuning; en 7) onbeantwoordbare vrae. Die negatiewe invloed van disorganisasiebelewenisse plaas selfmoordagtergeblewenes in 'n kwesbare sielkundige posisie. Effektiewe postvensie word benodig om die integrasie en heelmaking van hierdie belewenisse te fasiliteer.
Disorganisation experiences of female late adolescent suicide survivors
This contribution focuses on the disorganisation experiences that female late adolescent suicide survivors experience in the weeks and months following a significant other's completed suicide. The study followed a phenomenological psychological approach in which data collection consisted primarily of face-to-face phenomenological interviews with female late adolescents (17 to 22 years old). The data was analysed according to Giorgi's phenomenological method. Three main experience clusters emerged, namely "falling apart", "disorganisation" and "healing" experiences. This article reports only on the disorganisation experience cluster that encompasses the long-term negative experiences of survivors who struggle to adapt to their changed lives. The following lived experience themes characterise this experience cluster: 1) empty and frozen time; 2) longing to understand the reason(s) for the suicide; 3) frustrations; 4) emotional pain; 5) changes in family relationship dynamics; 6) ineffective social support; and 7) unanswerable questions. The negative impact of disorganisation experiences places suicide survivors in a psychologically vulnerable position that requires effective postvention to facilitate the integration and healing processes.
"Om te sing, is om te loop met voete van klank" - 'n blik op die metodologie van die sangpedagoog Sarie Lamprecht (3 Mei 1923 - 13 Mei 2005)
Author Hanna Van Niekerk
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 445 –460 (2007)
Sarie Lamprecht het 'n uitsonderlike bydrae gelewer tot die ontwikkeling van sanguitvoering en -opleiding in Suid-Afrika. Benewens haar vormende invloed op talle soliste en vokale ensembles, verdien haar lewenslange bevordering van die Afrikaanse Kunslied ook vermelding. Nieteenstaande hierdie feite bestaan daar 'n groot leemte in die dokumentering van Lamprecht se lewe en werk. Hierdie gebrek dui op 'n ondersoek en definisie van haar benadering - des te meer omdat haar werkswyse geskoei was op 'n unieke, selfs onortodokse sangfilosofie : haar stellings was gebaseer op 'n intuïtiewe lewenservaring en 'n meedoënlose selfondersoek op pedagogiese gebied. Hierdie artikel ondersoek aspekte van Lamprecht se benadering tot sangpedagogiek en fokus op van die meer kontroversiële insigte wat sy met haar studente gedeel het. Daar word getrag om haar sienings te evalueer aan die hand van ander gesaghebbende pedagogiese benaderings, en om die oënskynlik paradoksale vraag na haar sukses in oorweging te neem. Die gevolgtrekkings wat in hierdie verband gemaak word, is gebaseer op persoonlike onderhoude met Lamprecht, asook gesprekke met verskeie van haar studente uit verskillende tydperke van haar loopbaan as onderwyser.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 n.C.) - 'n stoïsyn vir ons eie tyd
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 461 –484 (2007)
Uitgaande van die skrywer se onlangse (literêre) vertaling van Cleanthes se Himne aan Zeus en Marcus Aurelius Antoninus se Meditasies in Afrikaans, beskryf hierdie studie Marcus Aurelius as die laaste Stoïsyn, in 'n groot mate verskuldig aan sy voorganger, Epictetus. Hierdie skuld loop so diep as die driedelige sisteem van persoonlike dissipline (askesis) wat Epictetus in sy Diskoerse bekendgestel het. Hadot se interpretasie (in sy La citadelle intérieure, 1986) van Marcus se Meditasies en sy outentieke identifikasie van die asketiese dissipline word in die betoog van hierdie studie met verwysing na die Afrikaanse vertaling vertolk. Die studie sluit af met 'n verkenning van Marcus se gedagtes oor die vreugde wat 'n deugsame lewe inhou, sy opvatting van die "gemeenskap", en van keiserlike gesag en verpligting. Deurentyd word gepoog om Marcus se persoonlike filosofie en unieke etiese insigte vir die Afrikaanse leser toeganklik te maak en om sodoende die integrasie van die nuwe vertaling by die leser se literêre erfenis en tradisie moontlik te maak.
Keerpunte in die Geskiedenis, Bill Nasson (Red.) : book review
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 485 –495 (2007)
Op Vrydagaand 23 Maart 2007 is die Afrikaanse weergawe van die nuwe gidsreeks - Keerpunte in die Geskiedenis - vir die onderrig van Geskiedenis in die hoërskool bekend gestel. By die bekendstelling het die adjunkminister van onderwys, Enver Surty, dit geloof as 'n eerlike, verantwoordelike en opregte poging om 'n gebalanseerde weergawe van die Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis aan te bied. Dit moet ons help "na die aanneming en aanvaarding van ons gedeelde identiteit" want dan sal "die stereotipe opvatting van kultuur en identiteit van die ander begin wegval". Die Afrikaanse rubriekskrywer Martie Meiring het dit verwelkom omdat dit "so 'n ander soort geskiedenis" is, dit onbekende verhale bevat en "en baie lesers ouer as leerders 'n boel nuwe insigte gee". Interessant genoeg het die opvoedkundige en historikus prof. Richard van der Ross net een bladsy verder in dieselfde koerant met verwysing na 'n artikel van prof. Hein Willemse oor roerende stories oor die verlede dit nodig gevind om te waarsku teen die romantisering van die verlede na aanleiding van al die tranetrekkende stories wat oor die slawe en die stamvaders van die Khoi geskryf word.
Bidsprinkaan : 'n ware storie, André P. Brink : book review
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 496 –498 (2007)
Verhale oor die avonture van jagters en ontdekkingsreisigers, smouse en sendelinge vorm deel van die oertekste van kolonies en kolonisering. Ook in die Afrikaanse prosa is hierdie tekste aanwesig, hoewel op veel kleiner skaal as wat 'n mens sou verwag. Veral die dowwe fokus op die sendelingfiguur hou waarskynlik verband met die Afrikaner se ambivalente posisie as sowel kolonis en gekoloniseerde en die gevolglike konfliksverhouding met die moederland. Die hoogty vir die bedrywighede van Europese sendinggenootskappe was in die laat agtiende en vroeg negentiende eeu (dus voordat Afrikaans as letterkundige taal vorm gekry het), maar by die grensboere en hulle nageslag het die persepsie bly voortduur dat sendelinge hulle kwaadgesind was en nie hulle werklikheid begryp het nie, en 'n algemene skeptisisme omtrent die kerstening van die inheemse volke het bygedra om die sendeling as bedenklike fiksionele karakter te brandmerk. Dit is eers die romans van Elsa Joubert (Bonga, Die Missionaris) en Karel Schoeman (Die uur van die Engel, Verkenning), en in 'n mindere mate dié van Anna M. Louw (Vos), wat met 'n nuwe postkoloniale insig die komplekse verhouding tussen die waardes van die Christelike geloof, die verkondigers van daardie geloof en die bekeerlinge tot die geloof oortuigend kon verwoord het.
Aweregs : politieke essays, Dan Roodt : book review
Source: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 47, pp 499 –500 (2007)
Aweregs is 'n versameling van 'n 120-tal "politieke" essays deur Dan Roodt, alombekende letterkundige, skrywer, polemikus, politieke heethoof en aktualiteitskrywer-generaal. Die essays het volgens die skrywer reeds verskyn in dag- en weekblaaie in Suid-Afrika, sowel as op die webwerwe van Praag en LitNet. Van die essays het onstaan as geleentheidstoesprake wat Roodt in die hele Suid-Afrika gelewer het.