Abstract
M.A. (Communication Studies)
South Africa finds itself facing a dilemma: on one hand it is a rainbow nation composed of various racial groups; on the other hand, it faces an upsurge of xenophobia which has attracted public attention in the country and abroad. Xenophobia is described as “the fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers personified in discriminatory attitudes and behaviour that often result in violence, violation of human rights and exhibitions of hatred” (Mogekwu, 2005: 5-6). The literature on xenophobia suggests that the phenomenon is caused by issues that include poverty, unemployment, and scapegoating, as well as relative deprivation or remnants of apartheid. Although outbreaks of xenophobic attacks have been common in the lower end of the income-generation spectrum, the literature shows that in recent years international students in institutions of higher learning have increasingly become victims at the hands of South African citizens.
Within this context, this study explores how local and international students at the University of Johannesburg’s Auckland Park Kingsway Campus articulate their attitudes and perceptions towards xenophobia. The Fanonian theory of national consciousness and critical race theories are used to develop a theoretical framework for the analysis. I argue that the patterns of colonialism and racism are reoccurring and manifesting themselves within South African society. Through xenophobia, previously oppressed black South Africans are espousing the master-slave relationship with the so-called Makwerekwere and the Amandia. Data was gathered from a sample of 30 students at the University of Johannesburg’s Auckland Park Kingsway Campus using interviews. These data were analysed through qualitative research methods.
The findings of the study support the argument that contextual particularities need to be taken into consideration in studying xenophobia. It is concluded that though most students argue that xenophobia does not exist at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), there is still a substantial number of students who believe that it does – although in subtle forms, including language barriers, discrimination, aggression, negative attitudes, and abuse. The findings of this study show that issues of xenophobia are normally experienced by students who are black and are coming from elsewhere on the African continent, as opposed to white international students from Europe, the Americas, and Asia, who are considered favourably. It is recommended that future studies of xenophobia at higher education institutions consider quantitative methods that...