Migrant comunities' coping with socio-political violence: a case study of Zimbabwe Action Movement in Johannesburg, South Africa

摘要

Abstract This dissertation is based on a qualitative study conducted in Johannesburg to explore theudmeanings that a group of Zimbabwean migrants attach to experiences of socio-politicaludviolence, called Gukurahundi. Violence has been shown to have traumatic consequences, butudthe meaning of the trauma is mediated by the context in which it occurs further on meaningsudhave been shown to be central to the healing strategies and mechanisms employed to copeudwith the effects of the violence. Text from in-depth interviews and songs composed byudparticipants in this study formed the narrative text of experiences of violence that wasudanalysed using narrative methods. Key interpretations of the Gukurahundi violence found inudthis study were framed in political terms and coping strategies employed were also political.udCoping is linked to the meanings attached to experiences and thus responding to socioudpolitical violence requires a consideration of the context and the meanings attached if it is toudbe relevant.