Understanding popular resistance to xenophobia in South Africa: ‘people think’ and the possibility of alternative politics
- Authors: Parker, Jemima
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Xenophobia -- South Africa , Nationalism -- South Africa , Lazarus, Sylvain -- Political and social views , Political culture -- South Africa , Social change -- South Africa -- Political aspects , Discourse analysis -- South Africa -- Political aspects , South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1994- , Political science -- Philosophy , Political sociology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115006 , vital:34069
- Description: This thesis is concerned with the crisis of xenophobia in South Africa. It argues, firstly, that xenophobia itself is not primarily a reaction to poverty, inequality, or any other set of social conditions. Rather, xenophobia must be considered to be a collective political discourse which has arisen in post-apartheid South Africa from an exclusionary conception of state nationalism. Where this work may be distinguished from the majority of research on xenophobia in South Africa is in the fact that its particular focus is on instances where ‘ordinary’ South Africans have challenged and resisted xenophobic violence in their communities through collective political mobilisation. I suggest that these sites of resistance deserve careful consideration in their own right. I argue that they may demonstrate a subjective break with the oppressive politics of state nationalism through the affirmation of alternative political conceptions. Drawing on the political theory of Sylvain Lazarus, and his principal thesis that people are capable of thinking politics in ways which can subjectively think beyond the social and the extant (underscored by his political and methodological axiom, people think), this thesis argues that these sites of resistance show that people – and especially those who are considered to be marginalised from the domain of legitimate politics – can and do think politically, and it is in the thought of people that new and potentially emancipatory visions of politics may emerge.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Parker, Jemima
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Xenophobia -- South Africa , Nationalism -- South Africa , Lazarus, Sylvain -- Political and social views , Political culture -- South Africa , Social change -- South Africa -- Political aspects , Discourse analysis -- South Africa -- Political aspects , South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1994- , Political science -- Philosophy , Political sociology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115006 , vital:34069
- Description: This thesis is concerned with the crisis of xenophobia in South Africa. It argues, firstly, that xenophobia itself is not primarily a reaction to poverty, inequality, or any other set of social conditions. Rather, xenophobia must be considered to be a collective political discourse which has arisen in post-apartheid South Africa from an exclusionary conception of state nationalism. Where this work may be distinguished from the majority of research on xenophobia in South Africa is in the fact that its particular focus is on instances where ‘ordinary’ South Africans have challenged and resisted xenophobic violence in their communities through collective political mobilisation. I suggest that these sites of resistance deserve careful consideration in their own right. I argue that they may demonstrate a subjective break with the oppressive politics of state nationalism through the affirmation of alternative political conceptions. Drawing on the political theory of Sylvain Lazarus, and his principal thesis that people are capable of thinking politics in ways which can subjectively think beyond the social and the extant (underscored by his political and methodological axiom, people think), this thesis argues that these sites of resistance show that people – and especially those who are considered to be marginalised from the domain of legitimate politics – can and do think politically, and it is in the thought of people that new and potentially emancipatory visions of politics may emerge.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Xenophobia in South Africa: a socio-legal analysis
- Authors: Sibanda, Samukeliso
- Date: 2011-04
- Subjects: Xenophobia -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25548 , vital:64334
- Description: The ways in which xenophobia continues to express itself in South Africa deserve to be noted at an advanced study. Over the past 15 years the expressions of xenophobia have been accompanied by increased deaths, more discrimination, increase of stereotyping of people of African descent and increased violence towards non-nationals, especially in the poorer parts of South Africa. Many of such xenophobic expressions have gone unnoticed and where they have been noticed, they have received little attention, leading to the exacerbation of the problem. The researcher of this study dwelt on a socio-legal analysis of xenophobia in South Africa. Appreciating the legal connotations and the expressions of xenophobia in South African society is a major concern of this study. To fulfill the objectives of this study, the researcher explores the extent and expression of xenophobia, in addition to analyzing and assessing the efficacy of legislative and other measures aimed to protect non-nationals in South Africa. The study investigates the role of state organizations, government and civil society and evaluates the impact of xenophobia on the enjoyment of human rights by non-nationals. A central objective of this study was to suggest alternative ways of explaining and understanding xenophobia and the responses to it. Empirical research was conducted to explore the extent of xenophobia in South Africa and how and why it is manifested in the way it is. Through in-depth face-to-face interviews it was revealed that the extent and manifestation of xenophobia differs in relation to particular communities, economic set ups and social settings; with poor communities being the most vulnerable to violent xenophobic attacks. Further, it was interesting to note that people have no firm understanding of what xenophobia entails as a social, legal, political and economical phenomenon. Again, it became evident that xenophobia still manifests in a country founded on values of equality, dignity and justice. Moreover, it was established that there is a weak link between law, human action and human behavior. It also became evident that education and sensitization need to be employed if xenophobic perceptions and behaviors are to be sufficiently dealt with. Recommendations were provided upon completion of the study. These included developing the law consciously, thus ensuring that the law has public legitimacy; effective law enforcement and prosecution; human rights education and training (especially in government departments, civil society organizations and institutions of learning); use of media and other communication channels to advocate for non discrimination, equality and respect for human rights, values and integration. Finally, the fight against xenophobia, racial discrimination and other related forms of intolerance needs to be taken up by all members of South African society and Africa at large. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, 2011
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011-04
- Authors: Sibanda, Samukeliso
- Date: 2011-04
- Subjects: Xenophobia -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25548 , vital:64334
- Description: The ways in which xenophobia continues to express itself in South Africa deserve to be noted at an advanced study. Over the past 15 years the expressions of xenophobia have been accompanied by increased deaths, more discrimination, increase of stereotyping of people of African descent and increased violence towards non-nationals, especially in the poorer parts of South Africa. Many of such xenophobic expressions have gone unnoticed and where they have been noticed, they have received little attention, leading to the exacerbation of the problem. The researcher of this study dwelt on a socio-legal analysis of xenophobia in South Africa. Appreciating the legal connotations and the expressions of xenophobia in South African society is a major concern of this study. To fulfill the objectives of this study, the researcher explores the extent and expression of xenophobia, in addition to analyzing and assessing the efficacy of legislative and other measures aimed to protect non-nationals in South Africa. The study investigates the role of state organizations, government and civil society and evaluates the impact of xenophobia on the enjoyment of human rights by non-nationals. A central objective of this study was to suggest alternative ways of explaining and understanding xenophobia and the responses to it. Empirical research was conducted to explore the extent of xenophobia in South Africa and how and why it is manifested in the way it is. Through in-depth face-to-face interviews it was revealed that the extent and manifestation of xenophobia differs in relation to particular communities, economic set ups and social settings; with poor communities being the most vulnerable to violent xenophobic attacks. Further, it was interesting to note that people have no firm understanding of what xenophobia entails as a social, legal, political and economical phenomenon. Again, it became evident that xenophobia still manifests in a country founded on values of equality, dignity and justice. Moreover, it was established that there is a weak link between law, human action and human behavior. It also became evident that education and sensitization need to be employed if xenophobic perceptions and behaviors are to be sufficiently dealt with. Recommendations were provided upon completion of the study. These included developing the law consciously, thus ensuring that the law has public legitimacy; effective law enforcement and prosecution; human rights education and training (especially in government departments, civil society organizations and institutions of learning); use of media and other communication channels to advocate for non discrimination, equality and respect for human rights, values and integration. Finally, the fight against xenophobia, racial discrimination and other related forms of intolerance needs to be taken up by all members of South African society and Africa at large. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, 2011
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011-04
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