Problematizing unemployment : the competing representations of unemployment and the implications thereof
Date
2013-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Unemployment has been recognized as one of the most important social problems
worldwide as most countries suffer from some unemployment. South Africa’s high
unemployment rate has led to an abundance of research on the topic. A vast majority of
the research available on unemployment in South Africa is positivist in nature. This study
instead uses an interpretivist approach to analyse the problem of unemployment in South
Africa. The study uses Carol Bacchi’s approach to provide a different way of analysing
the problem of unemployment in South Africa.
Bacchi’s approach allows the analyst to focus on problem representations and how these
representations shape what is discussed and what is not discussed about the topic. This
study demonstrates the application of Bacchi’s approach and focuses on the problem
representations of the significant actors involved with unemployment, namely the South
African government, business, COSATU and the SACP. The study focuses on the effects
of the problem representations of unemployment, in particular the discursive and political
effects. This study argues that Bacchi’s approach is a useful tool for the analysis of
unemployment. It is also argued in this study that the approach provides insights into the
problem of unemployment by highlighting what is not discussed in the problem
representations of the significant actors. By sensitizing individuals to what is excluded in
the problem representations, it is argued that solutions which negate the negative effects
of such representations can be found.
Bacchi’s approach highlighted a number of problem representations of unemployment.
The study found that some problem representations were shared by one or more actors
and that divergence exist between the representations of other actors. The shared and
divergent representations focused on the tripartite alliance due to the significance of the
alliance in South African politics. The shared and divergence representations were
demonstrated to either help to towards improving the relationships between actors or, in
the case of divergence, increase the tensions in the actor’s relationship with one another.
The study also found that the non-government actors’ problem representations of unemployment direct attention to government’s responsibility for dealing with
unemployment while minimising their role and contribution to unemployment. The study
also demonstrated that the interests of different actors can be identified in the dominant
problem representations.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Werkloosheid is ‘n belangrike probleem wat meeste lande raak. Baie navorsing is al in Suid-Afrika gedoen weens sy besonderse hoë werkloosheidyfer. Die meerderheid hiervan is positivisties in benadering. Hierdie navorsing gebruik egter ‘n interpretiewe benadering. Carrol Bacchi se benadering word gebruik as ‘n alternatiewe raamwerk om Suid-Afrika se werkloosheidsprobleem te analiseer. Bacchi se benadering laat die navorser toe om te fokus op hoe die probleem beskou word en hoe hierdie beskouing die keuse van wat ingesluit is en wat nie is nie, beïnvloed. Hierdie navorsing fokus op die sleutelfigure in die werkloosheidsprobleem, naamlik die Suid-Afrikaanse regering, die SACP en COSATU. Die studie benadruk die diskursiewe en politiese effek van die probleembeskouing van werkloosheid. Die studie argumenteer dat Bacchi se benadering waardevolle insigte kan lewer, spesifiek deur onbespreekte kwessies rakende die sleutelfigure uit te lig. Dit word aangevoer dat deur waardering te kweek vir hierdie kwessies, oplossings vir hierdie probleembeskouings gevind kan word. Bacchi se benadering het ‘n paar probleembeskouings uitgelig. Die studie het gevind dat daar ooreenstemming is by sommige figure, terwyl ander s’n uiteenlopend is. Hierdie sienings het gelei tot samegorigheid in die eersgenoemde geval, maar tot verhoogde vlakke van wantroue en spanning in die laasgenoemde geval. Die fokus van hierdie sienings is die drieparty-alliansie, weens sy belangrikheid in SA-politiek. Die studie vind ook dat nieregeringsorganisasies se probleembeskouings die rol van die regering benadruk en hul eie verantwoordelikheid onderspeel.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Werkloosheid is ‘n belangrike probleem wat meeste lande raak. Baie navorsing is al in Suid-Afrika gedoen weens sy besonderse hoë werkloosheidyfer. Die meerderheid hiervan is positivisties in benadering. Hierdie navorsing gebruik egter ‘n interpretiewe benadering. Carrol Bacchi se benadering word gebruik as ‘n alternatiewe raamwerk om Suid-Afrika se werkloosheidsprobleem te analiseer. Bacchi se benadering laat die navorser toe om te fokus op hoe die probleem beskou word en hoe hierdie beskouing die keuse van wat ingesluit is en wat nie is nie, beïnvloed. Hierdie navorsing fokus op die sleutelfigure in die werkloosheidsprobleem, naamlik die Suid-Afrikaanse regering, die SACP en COSATU. Die studie benadruk die diskursiewe en politiese effek van die probleembeskouing van werkloosheid. Die studie argumenteer dat Bacchi se benadering waardevolle insigte kan lewer, spesifiek deur onbespreekte kwessies rakende die sleutelfigure uit te lig. Dit word aangevoer dat deur waardering te kweek vir hierdie kwessies, oplossings vir hierdie probleembeskouings gevind kan word. Bacchi se benadering het ‘n paar probleembeskouings uitgelig. Die studie het gevind dat daar ooreenstemming is by sommige figure, terwyl ander s’n uiteenlopend is. Hierdie sienings het gelei tot samegorigheid in die eersgenoemde geval, maar tot verhoogde vlakke van wantroue en spanning in die laasgenoemde geval. Die fokus van hierdie sienings is die drieparty-alliansie, weens sy belangrikheid in SA-politiek. Die studie vind ook dat nieregeringsorganisasies se probleembeskouings die rol van die regering benadruk en hul eie verantwoordelikheid onderspeel.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
Bibliography
Bibliography
Keywords
South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1994-, Theses -- Political science, Dissertations -- Political science