Ukushela: Teenage Girls and Boys Negotiating Courtship at School

Zibane, Sibonsile

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-69988-8_7

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Ukushela was a constant feature of the interactions I had with the young men throughout the fieldwork. It is a gendered and culturally laden process through which young men propose and initiate a love relationship; a young woman's acceptance of this proposal is termed ukuqoma (Hunter, 2004(Hunter, , 2010Zibane, 2021). Despite researchers noting that the translation of the term ukushela denotes a burning for one's love or to burn with desire, little research has explored how young men navigate the intensities that are part of the experience of ukushela.…”

Section: Ukush Ela: Playing With Words and Speaking From The Heartmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although studies have mainly highlighted enactments of ukushela as constraining young women's agency and even coercive (Hampshire et al, 2011;Ngidi, 2022), the enactment that Lubabalo referred to resists this and presents an alternative love doing that is invested in passion and persuasion (Mvune et al, 2019). This resonates with the notion of ukudlala ngenkotha (literally: to play with tongue), which is a form of sweet-talking undertaken by young men as part of ukushela (Zibane, 2021). From this perspective, Lubabalo suggested that, among young men, one possible capacity is a particular kind of love doing that 'plays with words.'…”

Section: Ukush Ela: Playing With Words and Speaking From The Heartmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Importantly, the proverb reinforces particular gender and cultural scripts that necessitate particular performances from young men. In addition to being the active proposer of love (Hunter, 2010), a young man also has to, discursively and materially, cultivate love (Mvune et al, 2019;Zibane, 2021). Through the proverb, ukushela as the doing of love is thus further coded as an active (re)negotiation of a cultural and gendered terrain, which produces a young woman's favourable response (ukuqoma), thus becoming a girlfriend.…”

Section: Ukush Ela: Playing With Words and Speaking From The Heartmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

I Show Her My Feelings: Young Black Men and the Doing of Love in a South African Township

Dlamini

2023

Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics

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Love in the lives of young black men in South Africa has received particularly limited attention in literature. Although there has been a steady increase in love scholarship in Africa, these studies have mostly focused on the love experiences of young women. In that context, studies on love often focus on the disproportionate vulnerabilities experienced by young women, such as intimate partner violence. However, this characterisation of love in South African literature has, perhaps inadvertently, promoted a narrow understanding of young black men as being violent and emotionally inept. The article moves beyond these limited conceptualisations of young black men and explores love as a productive force in their lives. Drawing on empirical findings generated from interviews with 34 young men between the ages of 16 and 21, the article shows how love and the young men’s emerging masculinities were experienced as mutually constitutive. Their negotiations of love were experienced as opportunities to resist normative masculinities, demonstrated through ukushela and emotional reflexivity. These young black men’s investment in their relationships suggests the progressive possibilities of love in their lives.

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Section: Ukush Ela: Playing With Words and Speaking From The Heartmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ukush Ela: Playing With Words and Speaking From The Heartmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ukush Ela: Playing With Words and Speaking From The Heartmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

I Show Her My Feelings: Young Black Men and the Doing of Love in a South African Township

Dlamini

2023

Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics

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Masculine Norms, Sugar Daddies and Violence Against Women in South Africa: Exploring the Interconnections

Jeawon

2023

SAJSWSD

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Violence against women, which remains one of South Africa’s greatest concerns, is a widespread challenge that has negative consequences on various facets of life. Deeply rooted in patriarchy, toxic masculinities often lead to violence against women which manifests in various ways including domestic and intimate partner violence, sexual violence (including rape), sexual harassment or coercion and emotional or psychological violence. The ravaging impact of HIV/AIDS is one of the reasons leading to the current interest in sugar daddy relationships. However, in this study, I explore the interconnection between masculine norms and violence against women in sugar daddy relationships. In the article, I discuss the issue of sugar daddy relationships in South Africa and the ways in which these are closely linked with toxic masculine norms and violence against women. I used an exploratory qualitative approach and conducted the study with Zulu men based in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Twenty-two participants were purposively sampled. The findings indicate that the participants linked their definition of manhood and masculinity to power, dominance and their sexual conquests, which included dating many women, younger women in particular. The findings also indicate that sexual coercion is one of the manifestations of violence against women in the sugar daddy relationships. In this article, I recommend some awareness-raising activities for women that include self-development and entrepreneurial skills which could serve as preventive measures. In addition, I recommend that work be done with men to change their behaviour and attitude by raising awareness about toxic relationships of patriarchy and power.

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Ukushela: Teenage Girls and Boys Negotiating Courtship at School

Cited by 2 publications

References 28 publications

<i>I Show Her My Feelings</i>: Young Black Men and the Doing of Love in a South African Township

<i>I Show Her My Feelings</i>: Young Black Men and the Doing of Love in a South African Township

Masculine Norms, Sugar Daddies and Violence Against Women in South Africa: Exploring the Interconnections

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