Abstract
International literature recognizes belonging as a need for respect, integration and connectedness to one’s community and country. In South Africa’s (SA’s) transition to democracy after apartheid, attempts were made to foster belonging, social cohesion, unity and identity. Although the literature confirms that SA remains an unequal society in which people have difficulty negotiating experiences of belonging, its exploration of how South Africans engage with and construct belonging has been limited. A more nuanced understanding of how belonging has been constructed by ordinary South Africans in the post-apartheid context was sought in this research. A body of research analyzing media discourses and themes acknowledges that newspapers may serve as ideological repositories from which constructions may develop. A qualitative approach was used for collecting data from national news publications, which was then analyzed using Critical Thematic Analysis within a social constructionist theoretical framework. The results of the research highlight constructions of belonging as being susceptible to fragmentation and inequality, capable of inspiring action and as a symbol of hope for a more equitable and inclusive SA. Furthermore, the results reveal opportunities to expand the scope of this study and the need for research focused on how ordinary South Africans construct belonging through participant research.
Keywords: Belonging, post-apartheid, South Africa, Critical Thematic Analysis, social constructionism, national news publications, inequality,