Perspectives on masculinity, femininity and the South African military : gender relations with specific focus on the impact of the South African Army Women's College and the SADF (1971-1998).

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African Army Women's College (1971 – 1998) has largely been ignoredby many books that have been written about the history of the South African Defence Force.It is necessary to investigate why this institution's history has been ignored, despite itsrelevance as marking the first time that women were accepted into the Permanent Force ofthe SADF; let alone the roles played many women in other aspects of the SADF. Femaleparticipation in conflict is often reduced to the roles of either victim or caring nurse, despitemany examples to the contrary. This thesis seeks to address the ways in which women havebeen integrated into the military context in the past and how the presence of women hasaffected notions surrounding gender norms in the strongly masculine world of the military.The experiences of the women of SAAWCOL as women in the male-dominated world of themilitary will be examined in particular as a window into the larger context of the SADF. Thiswill be achieved by examining four main aspects. These are, firstly, looking at what gendernorms are and how they are created and maintained in the military; secondly, the history ofwomen's roles in various military engagements in South African history; thirdly, theformation and history of SAAWCOL during this period; and finally, the lived experiences ofwomen who entered into the 'man's world' of the SADF.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University