Women,Coping Strategies,and Social Change: Eastern Cape South Africa

Apartheid had a devastating impact on the entire
social and political climate in South Africa.
However, South African women were severely affected
by the extreme, harsh policies to such an extent
that in post-apartheid South Africa, many of the
African people who participated in this study
reflect, "nothing has changed." This monograph
provides a concise exploration of the changing
structures in the social organization in Eastern
Cape South Africa. Focusing on the target
population, Xhosa women who live in rural
communities, Dr. Jones explores the cultural and
political historical landscape in post-apartheid
society. Utilizing cross-disciplinary approaches,
including standard anthropological research methods,
such as ethnographic oral histories, surveys, and
gender analysis, she conceptualizes the attributing
socio-political factors affecting the mental and
physical health conditions amongst the women and
their families. Theoretical models, that is, Selyean
stress theory, dependency theories, and social
support/buffer theories are used to interpret the
data obtained during fieldwork.