Constructions and explanations of patterns of racialised social interactions among post-apartheid adolescents.
Date
2010-03-15T09:32:08Z
Authors
Keizan, Anastasia Clare
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Abstract
This research report explores patterns of social integration and segregation and their
constructed meanings for post-apartheid adolescents. The research was conducted in two
phases. The first phase of the research involved naturalistic observation of the patterns of
social integration and segregation, primarily on the basis of ‘race’, occurring among a
group of post-apartheid adolescents during ‘free’ time at a desegregated co-educational
private high school. While both integration and segregation were observed, a dominant
pattern of social self-segregation on the basis of ‘race’ was noted. Integration primarily
occurred around sports. ‘White’ female learners were seen to be most likely to selfsegregate,
while ‘black’, ‘Indian’ and ‘coloured’ learners were frequently seen to be
racially integrated with each other. The second phase of the research involved a focus
group discussion with eight adolescents at a different desegregated co-educational private
high school. In the focus group discussion the adolescents confirmed the racialised
nature of the dominant pattern of social self-segregation at the school in which
observations were conducted (as reflected to them in photographs) as well as in their own
social experiences. This research report highlights and attempts to explain these patterns
and then goes on to discuss and analyse the numerous ways in which the adolescents
explained and made sense of these patterns. Explanations and justifications for selfsegregation
were full of contradictions and included the racialisation of interests, the
naturalisation of segregation, homophily, socialisation, and the avoidance of conflict or
threat. The use of psychological defenses and positive self-presentation strategies, as
well as the numerous contradictions noted in their explanations, highlighted the highly
complex affective nature of the topic and the ideological dilemmas that seemed to
characterise their social experiences and everyday realities.