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    Living with(out) maids : a Foucauldian discourse analysis : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Geyer, Kayleigh
    Domestic work in the South African context is a socially normalised employment option for predominantly women of colour, that when taken outside of ‘common knowledge,’ becomes questioned. The political transformations of South Africa from the Apartheid social order to the ‘Rainbow Nation’ of today, has seen a dramatic increase in immigration of South Africans since the late 1980’s to countries such as New Zealand. This raises questions as to how South Africans construct and constitute their ideas and beliefs around domestic work, in a country where the slavery and servitude of the Indigenous population is not rooted in similar historical contexts. Using Foucault’s genealogical method of discourse analysis, the knowledge and truth claims of eight South Africans living in New Zealand are deconstructed and explored, to address the research question of; how do South Africans now living in New Zealand construct Domestic Work? The analysis of these eight interviews is centred around the integral issues of race, gender, social class and political structures, to direct attention to the social, moral, political and economic institutions that sustain or contradict assumptions and claims. The dominant discourses of Race and Hierarchy, The Domestic Worker Employment Paradox, and Tension are identified from the analysis and explored, decentring South African race and gender relations in the New Zealand sphere. Power and knowledge as a circular concept promotes an “ethics” of the self for all who have immigrated, to engage in practical consciousness, critical self-awareness and reflexivity into the legitimacy of social knowledge.
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    The role of personality and coping on the well-being of South African immigrants : a thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2000) Pietersen, Clara
    This thesis explores and researches the outcome variables of loneliness, depression, well-being and anxiety in terms of immigration. It investigates the impact and relationships of demographics, personality and coping on these outcome variables. The research sample consisted of South African immigrants who had lived in New Zealand for six years or less. The research collected quantitative data through a questionnaire. Participants were acquired through the South African New Zealand Trust (SANZ) and by word of mouth, using a snowballing technique. The questionnaire was distributed by post to willing participants. The questionnaire consisted of six scales: the revised UCLA Loneliness scale, the General Health Questionnaire, the Beck's Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the NEO-FFI and a coping scale consisting of items from the Cybernetic Coping Scale and the Cope Scales. In addition to the scales it included questions concerning demographics. Overall, these immigrants experienced normal levels of loneliness, anxiety, depression and well-being. Significant differences in the outcome variables were found for gender, marital status, employment status, pertinent job skills/qualifications, being a member of SANZ, involvement in community activities and distribution of friends. Significant differences were also found for demographics in terms of personality and coping. The predictive ability of personality and coping towards the outcome variables was evaluated. Neuroticism was found to be a significant predictor of the outcome variables, whereas the other personality traits and coping were not significant predictors of the outcome variables.
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    The impact of immigration on the anxiety, self-esteem and attitudes towards school and friends of South African immigrant children : a thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1997) Mason, Lesleyanne
    This study is an attempt to explore any psychological and emotional difficulties South African immigrant children may encounter in New Zealand. Use was made of both qualitative and quantitative data. Anxiety and self-esteem scales were administered together with various semantic differential examining attitudes towards and perceptions of friends and schools. Two questionnaires were designed to explore aspects of the South African children's immigration experience, including reasons for their immigration, how they feel about it, what they like and do not like about South Africa, and what they like and do not like about New Zealand. One of these questionnaires was completed by the South African children's parents and the other by the South African children. The sample consisted of 36 South African children who had volunteered from three North Shore Intermediate schools. The control group consisted of 36 New Zealand children who had volunteered from a North Shore Intermediate school. All of the children completed the anxiety, self-esteem scales and the semantic differentials. Only the South African children and their parents completed the questionnaires. Results indicated no significant difference in State and Trait anxiety and global self worth for South African children and New Zealand children based on gender. A significant difference was found in social acceptance for the New Zealand children based on gender. New Zealand girls have significantly higher self-esteem (social acceptance) than do New Zealand boys. South African immigrant children had significantly higher State anxiety than did New Zealand children. Anxiety and self- esteem was measured in relation to various demographic variables. It was found that South African immigrant children who knew another child at the first school attended in New Zealand had greater self-esteem (global self worth) than children who did not. South African immigrant children who were happy to be living in New Zealand had lower State anxiety and higher self-esteem (global self worth) than children who were not happy to be living in New Zealand. South African immigrant children have significantly more negative attitudes and perceptions of school in New Zealand than school in South Africa. They also have more negative attitudes and perceptions of their friends in New Zealand than New Zealand children have.