Single mothers employed in the formal work sector in Germany and South Africa

This article seeks to disrupt the dominant discourses of victimhood related to single-mother family status. Drawing on a sustainable livelihood framework, we present data from in-depth interviews held with 25 single mothers sampled in Hagen, Germany, and in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces in Sou...

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Main Authors: Raniga, Tanusha, Boecker, Michael, Mthembu, Maud
Format: Article
Language:Afrikaans
Published: Stellenbosch University 2019-10-01
Series:Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk
Subjects:
Online Access:http://socialwork.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/758
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author Raniga, Tanusha
Boecker, Michael
Mthembu, Maud
author_facet Raniga, Tanusha
Boecker, Michael
Mthembu, Maud
author_sort Raniga, Tanusha
collection DOAJ
description This article seeks to disrupt the dominant discourses of victimhood related to single-mother family status. Drawing on a sustainable livelihood framework, we present data from in-depth interviews held with 25 single mothers sampled in Hagen, Germany, and in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces in South Africa. We discuss how participants engaged in positive human capital development, building social capital and tapped into multiple income streams for economic security. Given the intersectional injustices that single mothers face, the strengths the women drew on in their lives is worth noting. We conclude that single mothers have created a new narrative for themselves beyond a pathological one.
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spelling doaj.art-788130d4538c42ee8aa12c96395e842d2022-12-22T01:17:47ZafrStellenbosch UniversitySocial Work/Maatskaplike Werk0037-80542312-71982019-10-0155437939010.15270/55-4-758Single mothers employed in the formal work sector in Germany and South AfricaRaniga, Tanusha 0Boecker, Michael 1Mthembu, Maud 2University of JohannesburgDortmund University of Applied SciencesUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalThis article seeks to disrupt the dominant discourses of victimhood related to single-mother family status. Drawing on a sustainable livelihood framework, we present data from in-depth interviews held with 25 single mothers sampled in Hagen, Germany, and in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces in South Africa. We discuss how participants engaged in positive human capital development, building social capital and tapped into multiple income streams for economic security. Given the intersectional injustices that single mothers face, the strengths the women drew on in their lives is worth noting. We conclude that single mothers have created a new narrative for themselves beyond a pathological one.http://socialwork.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/758Single motherssustainable livelihoodshuman capitalsocial capitaleconomic capitaleconomicsexperiences
spellingShingle Raniga, Tanusha
Boecker, Michael
Mthembu, Maud
Single mothers employed in the formal work sector in Germany and South Africa
Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk
Single mothers
sustainable livelihoods
human capital
social capital
economic capital
economics
experiences
title Single mothers employed in the formal work sector in Germany and South Africa
title_full Single mothers employed in the formal work sector in Germany and South Africa
title_fullStr Single mothers employed in the formal work sector in Germany and South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Single mothers employed in the formal work sector in Germany and South Africa
title_short Single mothers employed in the formal work sector in Germany and South Africa
title_sort single mothers employed in the formal work sector in germany and south africa
topic Single mothers
sustainable livelihoods
human capital
social capital
economic capital
economics
experiences
url http://socialwork.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/758
work_keys_str_mv AT ranigatanusha singlemothersemployedintheformalworksectoringermanyandsouthafrica
AT boeckermichael singlemothersemployedintheformalworksectoringermanyandsouthafrica
AT mthembumaud singlemothersemployedintheformalworksectoringermanyandsouthafrica