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achieve the capability for sense, imagination and thought. The internal capabilities, which are the mature conditions of readiness (Nussbaum, 2000a, p. 84), like the capability for reasoned thought, can be prevented from functioning if the external conditions are not suitable “for the exercise of the function” (Nussbaum, 2000a, p.85).
This Nussbaum (2000a) called the combined capability which includes the internal capability with the external conditions in which the capability has to function.
I have highlighted how the participants have internal capabilities, and the development of these capabilities depends on the support of the surrounding environment
(Nussbaum, 2000a, p. 84). For example, the participants had the internal capability to communicate with others, but, if the external environment did not support open communication, like the educator who enforced silence through abuse, then the capability was not realised. When there are obstacles or barriers in the environment, that do not promote the realisation of a capability, then a woman has a weak capability set. If there are factors that promote the achievement of the capability, through
freedom and opportunity, then she displays a strong capability set. My findings are that the participants developed weak and strong capability sets in their formative and schooling years because of external conditions in the environment, either the family or school, and at different stages and in different contexts, the capabilities were either threatened or promoted.
The development of the participants‟ capabilities, through the years, enabled them to make choices concerning their careers. Although, the women participants experienced many barriers in their educational lives, they still decided to pursue teaching as a career. The participants had various reasons for following this route and these will be discussed in the next section.
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According to Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara & Pastorelli (2001, p. 187), the choices made during the formative years of development, help to shape the course of lives.
The choices made “determine the aspects of their potential that people cultivate and which remain undeveloped” (Bandura et al., 2001, p. 187). Being able to choose a career reinforces the agent role of the women participants and their self-efficacy.
Bandura et al. (2001, p. 187) state that people will only act or persevere to act if they believe they can produce desired outcomes by their actions. This is their self-efficacy.
Therefore, perceived self-efficacy is central in career choice and development (Bandura, 2001). The participants had chosen their own careers that were guided by various factors within the social context. As women have been socialised into the caring and nurturing role, the career choices they make are limited to careers that entail care for others. This is noted in the following extracts:
I wanted to do archaeology, but it wasn‟t a profession women went into back then. (Gene, interview, 17 September)
I applied for teaching, social work and nursing, and then at the beginning of the year, the first thing that started was teaching. (Irene, interview, 20 August)
I enjoyed seeing my mother marking her children‟s work, and my younger sister getting into teaching, although the elder three are all nursing sisters. ... I decided I liked children; let me go with that (Thembi, interview, 29 July)
I did not want to be dependent on anyone and the House of delegates was offering bursaries for people who wanted to be teachers. So I swopped my BSc Degree for a B. Paed (teaching degree) because I realised that I wanted to teach (Rita, interview, 19 April)
There were few jobs available at the time...and I saw no security with a general BSc.... I incorporated my credits into a B. Paed (Neelam, interview, 1 April)
I got into teaching because of the incident with the teacher who would pick on me daily. She expected me to be a failure at things but I needed to show her that I could do it...and you know up to today I can‟t tell you why she felt that way. ... you have to be so careful how you handle children... even your facial expressions.... You don‟t realise how much of power you have as an educator (Valerie, photo-elicitation interview, 23 August)
Most of the participants chose teaching as a career as it was considered a suitable career choice for women. Many women perceive that they are confined to professions like, social work, nursing and teaching, which are seen as the “traditional” career choices for women. This was the case for Gene. She limited her career choice to teaching, because she believed that she would not be able to produce the desired outcomes in a male-dominated career like archaeology. The other participants too considered stereotypically “feminine” vocations that entailed a caring and nurturing role. According to Bandura et al. (2001, p. 188), women base their occupational
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preferences more strongly on their perceived efficacy, than on the benefits the career may provide. Therefore, not many women choose occupations that are dominated by men, like science, such as archaeology in this case, and technology, as women are restricted by a sense of inefficacy in these particular occupations (Bandura et al., 2001). Rita, Neelam and Gene initially considered occupations that were male dominated; however, all three chose teaching for their various reasons. One of the reasons was that “there were few jobs available at the time”. This indicates that even if women were qualified and competent for certain jobs that were dominated by men, they would still be marginalised. Therefore, the women participants showed a high preference for occupations that are traditionally held by females in the social services and a low affinity for occupations that are dominated by males. Because women are disinclined to enter occupations in scientific and technical fields that favour males, there are fewer women role models for other women to emulate.
Even when women follow a career path that is dominated by men, certain barriers constrain the advancement of women in these occupations. Family responsibilities may constrain women‟s ability to function effectively in certain occupations that are dominated by males, as these occupations may not be sensitive to the needs of women.
Women who are successful in entering male-dominated vocations may not be able to function in these occupations, because they lack the freedom to flourish and therefore unable to achieve a sense of well-being. Occupations that are not gender-sensitive pay little attention to the needs of working mothers. The conflicting roles of parent and worker can form barriers to women‟s progress in certain occupations. Some Women, therefore, abandon the idea of careers that are competitive and male-dominated and enter vocations that are considerate of and support their gendered needs. This is reflected in the following capsule:
I had completed a degree in Law, then I was married and had both my children, and I thought, rather than pursue a career in Law to instead just do the Higher Education Diploma. At that point because I had young children, I thought it would give me more time to be with them. I think many mothers think that way. ... It seemed such a noble thing to do (Arthi, photo- elicitation interview,12 July).
The narrative highlights the perception some women have of teaching as being a suitable career because it supports their role as mother and homemaker. The working hours in teaching make it possible for women to have sufficient time to care for their children and families. The narrative also highlights the role of women as being the
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homemaker and responsible for the caring and nurturing of family members. The caring role of the women participants extends from the home to the school, and therefore they consider a career that meets this need as a suitable choice. The self- efficacy of the women participants reflects that women‟s agency assists in the making of choices concerning their careers. Although, the women participants may have had a smaller bundle of career choices, the choices they made have given them a sense of well-being, because they were able to reflect positively on the choices they make.