RESEARCH STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Are You in a Blesser Relationship?
HEARD is looking for UKZN female students who have been or who are in a relationship with a ‘Blesser’ to participate in a qualitative research study. This research explores the distinctions that render the relationships between a ‘blesser’ and ‘blessee’ as an indicator of social shifts within the South African society and the social meanings and aspirations attached to this controversial and often times misunderstood phenomenon.
What we’re trying to understand:
- The following broader four open-ended research questions will be explored using in-depth interviews with willing participants:
- What is the nature, extent and distinctive characteristics of a ‘blesser’ and ‘blessee’ relationship?
- What are the aspirations and motivations for young women to enter into these relationships?
- What are women’s experiences of the ‘blesser relationship’ (actual) and how do women perceive and enact agency in such relationships?
- What are the familial and social expectations concerning ‘blesser relationships’ that foster or discourage the arrangement?
STUDY DETAILS
Interview: A one-on-one interview with a researcher from HEARD, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal or an alternative suitable venue.
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes
Permission: The researcher will ask your permission for the interview to be recorded with an audio recorder.
Confidentiality & Anonymity:
- You will be allowed to participate on an anonymous basis. This means you will not give us your name or any identifying details.
- We will not share any information you provide us to any third party.
- The research reports and publications from this study will not reveal any identifying characteristics of those who participated in the study, as, again, we will not collect identifiers such as your name.
- The recordings from the interviews will be stored in a secure location and only the study researchers will access them
Compensation: At the completion of the interview, you will receive a DISCHEM voucher to the value of R100 as compensation for your time.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Female students interested in participating in this study or who have any questions or queries about the study should please contact the researcher, Dr Gavin George on 031-260 1476 (office), 083 331 3070 (cell/WhatsApp) or email: georgeg@ukzn.ac.za