Prof Juanita Meyer is an associate professor in the Department Practical and Missional Theology. Her research focuses on the concept of ‘masculinity’ and how its development is influenced by various factors such as father absence and other socio-economic challenges. She also investigated how this developed masculinity and in turn influence men’s relationship with women, their sense of accountability as husbands and fathers; the development of a specific spirituality/ religiosity and their view of God.
She coordinates and leads a research project titled, Masculinity and Religiosity/Spirituality in Africa: An Intercultural, Pastoral Theological Research Perspective. This study aims to explore the relationship between the development of a masculine identity amidst father-absence and other psychosocial ailments influenced by rapid colonisation in the context of a specific religion and culture; and to reflect on some of the narratives of the research participants that relate specifically to the theme of ‘what it means to be a real man, eliciting the dominant discourses around masculinity and femininity in Africa, informed by religion, traditional and pop culture. This study postulates that religiosity in Africa is not removed from the social function and performance of the social constructs of masculinity, cultural values and parental involvement. These constructs especially interact with each other to produce what we come to know as the [South] African man.
Prof Meyer's Scopus' index of 4 refers to the influence of her work by measuring the number of citations for each of her articles. H-indexes differ between platforms like Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, and different subject fields.
One of her most influential articles, Restructuring the Christian fatherhood model: A practical theological investigation into the ‘male problematic’ of father absence, was cited 8 times since 2018.
Her chapter A practical theological narration of the spiritual narratives of adolescent orphaned boys in South Africa in the construction of a spiritual self was published in an open access book: Powers, inequalities and vulnerabilities: Impact of globalisation on children, youth and families and on the mission of the church.
"Don't be driven by funding and donors. Be driven by yourself when doing research."
- Prof Juanita Meyer