5 - The Impact of Gender and Residential Background on Racial Integration: Evidence from a South African University
Corresponding Author(s) : Josephine Morolake Adeagbo
African Sociological Review,
Vol. 22 No. 1 (2018): African Sociological Review
Abstract
South Africa is one of those countries that openly rejected racism and this is entrenched in its Bill of rights. Despite the acceptance and incorporation of racial integration into the South Africa Constitution, the implementation within some sectors, most especially the educational sector, seems difficult. Recent occurrences of racism in some higher institutions of learning in South Africa are indications that racial integration/ racial transformation is still farfetched in the country’s higher educational sector.It is against this background that this study was conducted to understand how gender and residential background influence racial integration in a South African university which was predominantly a white Afrikaner institution.Using a quantitative method to test the attitude of different categories of undergraduate students at theuniversity, this study found that the factors- residential background and gender- used in measuring student’s attitude do not necessarily have a significant relationship towards racial integration. However, this study concludes with a call for more research with a range of other factors in order to better understand how racial integration can be promoted in South African institutions of higher learning
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- Alesina, A. and Ferrara, E.L. 2004. Ethnic and Economic performance. National bureau of Economic research working paper 10313. Cambridge: Harvard University.
- Alexander, G. 2011. ‘Dealing with the complexities of interaction in cultural diverse rural school communities in South Africa’. The Online Journal of New Horizons in Education, 1(1): 10-22.
- Alexander, L. and Tredoux, C. 2010. The Spaces between Us: A spatial analysis of informal segregation at a South African University. Journal of Social Issues, 66(2): 367-386.
- Binikos, E. & Rugunanan, P. 2015. Racial integration among students at the University of Johannesburg. Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 6(1): 45-63.
- Butler, J. 1990. Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. New York:Routledge.
- Department of Education (DoE). 2001. Educating for our common future: Building schools for an integrated society. Pretoria.
- Durrheim, K., Trotter, K., Piper, L., and Manicom, D. 2004. From Exclusion to Informal Segregation: The Limits to Racial Transformation at the University of Natal. Social Dynamics: A Journal of African Studies, 30(1): 141-169.
- Eiselen, R., Uys, T., Potgieter, N. 2005. Analysing Survey Data using SPSS 13: A workbook. Eiselen, R. and Uys, T. 2015. Analysing Survey Data using SPSS version 22: A workbook Eckel, P.D. and Kezar, A.J. 2003. Taking the Reins: Institutional Transformation in Higher American Council on Education and Praeger Publishers.
- Radloff, T.D. and Evans, N.J. 2003. “The Social construction of prejudice among black and white college students.” NASPA Journal, 40(2), 1–16.
- Ritter, W.G., Jensen, C.N., Kisida, B., Bowen, D.H. 2012. Choosing charter schools: how does parental choice affect racial integration? Department of Education Reform, University of Arkansas.
- Scott, G. and Letseka, M. 2010. ‘Student inclusion and exclusion at the University of the Witwatersrand’. In Leseka, M., Cosser, M., Breier, M., Visser, M. Graduate Destination. Higher education & labour market access and success. Cape Town: HSRC Press.
- Spaul, N. 2012. Poverty & Privilege: Primary school inequality in South Africa. Stellenbosch Economic Working Papers: 13/12. Matieland, University of Stellenbosch.
- Spencer, M.L., Reno, R., Powell, J.A., Grant-Thomas, A. 2009. The benefits of racial and economic integration in our education system: why this matters for our Democracy. Kirwan Institute for the study of race and ethnicity: The Ohio State University.
- Soudien, C. 2004. Constituting the class: an analysis of the process of ‘integration’ in South African schools in changing class: Educational and Social Change in Post-Apartheid South Africa,HSRC Press.
- Soudien, C. 2008. The intersection of race and class in the South African university: Student experiences. South African Journal of Higher Education, 22(3): 662–678.
- South African Human Rights Commission. 2013. Human rights and inclusivity in the curriculum; a resource book for educators. Johannesburg.
- South African Human Rights Commission. 2012. Commentaries on Equality: Race, Gender, Disability and LGBTI Issues. Johannesburg.
- Suransky, C. and Van der Merwa, J. C. 2014.Transcending apartheid in higher education: transforming an institutional culture. In Race, Ethnicity and Education. 8(2): 1-22.
- Walker, M. 2005. Rainbow nation or new racism? Theorizing race and identity formation in South African higher education. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 8(2): 129-146
- Van der Berg, S. 2007. Apartheid’s enduring legacy: inequalities in education. Journal of African Economies, 16 (5): 849-880.
- Vandeyar, S. 2010. Responses of South African teachers to the challenge of school integration.
- South African Journal of Education, 30(1): 343-359.
- Wolpe, H. 1995. The debate on University transformation in South Africa: the case of Western Cape. Comparative Education, 31(2): 275-292.
References
Alesina, A. and Ferrara, E.L. 2004. Ethnic and Economic performance. National bureau of Economic research working paper 10313. Cambridge: Harvard University.
Alexander, G. 2011. ‘Dealing with the complexities of interaction in cultural diverse rural school communities in South Africa’. The Online Journal of New Horizons in Education, 1(1): 10-22.
Alexander, L. and Tredoux, C. 2010. The Spaces between Us: A spatial analysis of informal segregation at a South African University. Journal of Social Issues, 66(2): 367-386.
Binikos, E. & Rugunanan, P. 2015. Racial integration among students at the University of Johannesburg. Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 6(1): 45-63.
Butler, J. 1990. Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. New York:Routledge.
Department of Education (DoE). 2001. Educating for our common future: Building schools for an integrated society. Pretoria.
Durrheim, K., Trotter, K., Piper, L., and Manicom, D. 2004. From Exclusion to Informal Segregation: The Limits to Racial Transformation at the University of Natal. Social Dynamics: A Journal of African Studies, 30(1): 141-169.
Eiselen, R., Uys, T., Potgieter, N. 2005. Analysing Survey Data using SPSS 13: A workbook. Eiselen, R. and Uys, T. 2015. Analysing Survey Data using SPSS version 22: A workbook Eckel, P.D. and Kezar, A.J. 2003. Taking the Reins: Institutional Transformation in Higher American Council on Education and Praeger Publishers.
Radloff, T.D. and Evans, N.J. 2003. “The Social construction of prejudice among black and white college students.” NASPA Journal, 40(2), 1–16.
Ritter, W.G., Jensen, C.N., Kisida, B., Bowen, D.H. 2012. Choosing charter schools: how does parental choice affect racial integration? Department of Education Reform, University of Arkansas.
Scott, G. and Letseka, M. 2010. ‘Student inclusion and exclusion at the University of the Witwatersrand’. In Leseka, M., Cosser, M., Breier, M., Visser, M. Graduate Destination. Higher education & labour market access and success. Cape Town: HSRC Press.
Spaul, N. 2012. Poverty & Privilege: Primary school inequality in South Africa. Stellenbosch Economic Working Papers: 13/12. Matieland, University of Stellenbosch.
Spencer, M.L., Reno, R., Powell, J.A., Grant-Thomas, A. 2009. The benefits of racial and economic integration in our education system: why this matters for our Democracy. Kirwan Institute for the study of race and ethnicity: The Ohio State University.
Soudien, C. 2004. Constituting the class: an analysis of the process of ‘integration’ in South African schools in changing class: Educational and Social Change in Post-Apartheid South Africa,HSRC Press.
Soudien, C. 2008. The intersection of race and class in the South African university: Student experiences. South African Journal of Higher Education, 22(3): 662–678.
South African Human Rights Commission. 2013. Human rights and inclusivity in the curriculum; a resource book for educators. Johannesburg.
South African Human Rights Commission. 2012. Commentaries on Equality: Race, Gender, Disability and LGBTI Issues. Johannesburg.
Suransky, C. and Van der Merwa, J. C. 2014.Transcending apartheid in higher education: transforming an institutional culture. In Race, Ethnicity and Education. 8(2): 1-22.
Walker, M. 2005. Rainbow nation or new racism? Theorizing race and identity formation in South African higher education. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 8(2): 129-146
Van der Berg, S. 2007. Apartheid’s enduring legacy: inequalities in education. Journal of African Economies, 16 (5): 849-880.
Vandeyar, S. 2010. Responses of South African teachers to the challenge of school integration.
South African Journal of Education, 30(1): 343-359.
Wolpe, H. 1995. The debate on University transformation in South Africa: the case of Western Cape. Comparative Education, 31(2): 275-292.