Graduation - 2024 - December (Open Access)

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    BEYOND CRITICAL REALISM? REVISITING J. WENTZEL VAN HUYSSTEEN’S RATIONALITY
    (Stellenbosch University, 2024-12) Lange, Hans-Christoph Thapelo; Vosloo, Robert; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Systematic Theology & Ecclesiology.
    The apparent tension between religion and science was exacerbated by the rise of the logical positivist ideal of science. The pathos of much of the work of South African theologian J. Wentzel van Huyssteen was to develop a credible way to reestablish theology as a rational discipline within the wider academic community and culture. Motivated by contextual factors, van Huyssteen therefore proposed his critical realist approach in contrast to positivist theology via a metaphoric referential theory. In attempting to ascertain how his approach develops, an analysis of a selection of his works was undertaken. Writing from Princeton, van Huyssteen engaged the philosophical roots of modernity and postmodernity in foundationalism and nonfoundationalism respectively, finally proposing a postfoundational model for rationality as a third way. In his Gifford lectures—for which he refigured the directives with which the Gifford lectures were decreed— he sets out on the interdisciplinary quest of developing a nuanced doctrine on human uniqueness. The philosophical framework for this quest was given in van Huyssteen’s earlier work on postfoundationalism. For this reason, the disciplines of cognitive epistemology, paleoanthropology, neuroscience, and evolutionary psychology were investigated in terms of the perspectives they can provide on what makes humans unique. Their influence on the theology with which van Huyssteen participates in the interdisciplinary conversation was analysed. The salient features of van Huyssteen’s work and consequent development are thus outlined and highlighted. Moreover, his proposed theology was analysed for consistency with his own criteria of critical realism. It was found that van Huyssteen remains consistent with his intent and largely—though not fully—conforms to these criteria. A remaining positivist influence on critical realism was identified, but was nuanced by considering van Huyssteen’s chosen audience and also the potential theologies that a postfoundational rationality could host.
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    Potenzial ästhetischer Medien für kulturbezogene Lernprozesse im DaF-Unterricht anhand der Analyse der Graphic Novel Madgermanes von Birgit Weyhe
    (Stellenbosch University, 2024-12) Lange, Emily Rebecca; dos Santos, Isabel; Schier, Carmen; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Modern Foreign Languages.
    This master thesis explores the potential of aesthetic media, specifically graphic novels, to enhance culture-related learning in the context of teaching German as a foreign language. In response to recent developments in cultural studies, which have revised the concept of culture and reshaped foreign language teaching objectives, this research investigates how aesthetic media can promote a semiotic and performative understanding of culture. Central to this investigation is the concept of “discourse," which leads to a reassessment of the role of literature and aesthetic media in cultural learning practices. The primary research question examines how complex developments in cultural studies and media didactics can be integrated into foreign language through literature and aesthetic media. This thesis hypothesizes that aesthetic media, through their reflective engagement with power dynamics and their integration of diverse media forms, can meet the needs of contemporary cultural didactics. To demonstrate this, the study focuses on an analysis of the graphic novel Madgermanes by Birgit Weyhe. It argues that the novel's multimodal nature effectively fosters culture-sensitive and power-reflective learning processes, which are essential in today's globalized educational contexts. The analysis examines four key aspects of the novel, showing how its aesthetic and multimodal structure can be utilized to engage learners in discourse, enhance their symbolic competence, and promote their participation in diverse cultural narratives. The findings suggest that the graphic novel, as an aesthetic medium, supports culture-related learning processes by enabling learners to critically engage with cultural discourses, thus fostering competencies such as multiliteracies, discourse ability, and symbolic competence. The study concludes that Madgermanes is particularly effective in this role, highlighting the value of integrating aesthetic media into the foreign language curriculum to develop a more reflective and inclusive approach to cultural education.