Monitoring Perceptions of Social Progress and Pride of Place in a South African Community

Abstract

A social indicators community project was conducted in 2007 to monitor living standards and quality of life in Rhini, a low-income suburb of Grahamstown, Makana Municipality, South Africa. Since 1994, under democratic rule, considerable progress has been made in service delivery to the formerly disadvantaged in South African society in terms of access to housing, infrastructure, and a social safety net to mitigate the high rate of unemployment. A representative cross-sectional household study (n 1020) conducted in 2007 in Rhini found that a positive assessment of the household's situation and personal life satisfaction did not reflect better living conditions. Lack of income and employment opportunities appeared to dilute gains from higher living standards. The project also inquired into attitudes to place names and a proposed name change for the city under discussion at the time of the survey. It is argued that a place name with which one can identify may be as important as service delivery to enhance community satisfaction and overall quality of life. Dissatisfied residents who had limited access to services and expressed less civic pride were more likely than others to opt for a proposed name change for the city of Grahamstown that would better reflect the country's new identity and multicultural heritage. It is concluded that a useful pursuit for community quality-oflife studies in countries undergoing social transformation will be to inquire into the complex combination of factors that drive perceptions of material and symbolic progress.

Method to Elicit Local Wisdom in Perceiving the Transformation of Historical Living Environment

“…The rebuilding city identity is one of making the place assets promotes city's specific advantage and attractiveness and civic pride. (Gospodini, 2004;Inn, 2004;Moller and Radloff, 2010) It is very important and advantageous for a place to rebuild its identity. The locality derived from the distinctiveness or uniqueness of the character of the place brings up the civic pride of their place.…”

Poverty and happiness: An examination of the factors influencing happiness among the extreme poor in rural Ghana

“…It is a well-documented fact that one single factor may not be able to influence happiness in its entirety (Ebrahim et al 2013;Diener and Selicman 2006;Møller and Radloff 2010;Tella and MacCulloch 2008;Van Boven 2005;Buchanan and Csikszentmihalyi 1991;Lynn and Steel 2006). Many scholars have examined the individual relationships between various demographic, sociological, psychological, and behavioural characteristics and self-assessments of happiness (Borrero et al 2013).…”