Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Identity has been a contentious issue in South Africa for many years. This created many
problems including, among others, discrimination against people on the basis of race and
gender. When the new government came to power in 1994, it promised to make valuable
changes, and hence programmes such as affirmative action and black economic
empowerment were introduced. This study investigates perceptions of students at
Stellenbosch University (US) towards identity politics of race and gender after 1994.
The subject of investigation includes, inter alia, student accommodation, language of tuition,
relationship between students, class participation, sexual harassment and politics (affirmative
action and black economic empowerment). This research investigates the university's
treatment of students and how students themselves treat each other.
Information was collected through a survey using a questionnaire in four selected residences,
viz. Concordia, Goldfields, Huis DeViIIiers and Lobelia.
The findings of this study indicate that there still are some problems as far as identity politics
of race and gender at the US are concerned. For example, this study came to the following
conclusions:
• The majority of students from the three racial groups who participated in this study
have a perception that racial divisions still exist at the US in three areas (classroom,
residences and the student centre). The perception is these divisions are caused by the
fact that students come from different cultural backgrounds. Language differences
also play a role in this respect;
• The majority of students also have a perception that black students are less likely to
speak in class because they feel intimidated;
• The majority of black and coloured students support the ANC (African National
Congress), while the majority of white students support the DA (Democratic
Alliance). Although this is the case, this research also finds that many students at the
US do not want to indicate their political support;
• Black and coloured students are positive about the role of Affirmative Action (AA)
and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), whereas white students have a different
view;
• Women students at the US have a perception that South Africa is still confronted by a
problem of gender inequality;
• The majority of students have a perception that white men are the worst affected
group by AA and BEE;
• Most students, regardless of their race or gender, feel protected at the US. There is a
perception that there is no gender discrimination by their lecturers;
• Men and women students view sexual harassment differently; for example, women
students view sexist jokes and wolf-whistling as constituting sexual harassment while
men students have a different view. They all have perception that women students are
the one who experience more of these forms of sexual harassment than their male
counterparts do. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Identiteit is reeds vir baie jare in Suid-Afrika 'n omstrede kwessie. Dit het baie probleme
veroorsaak, waaronder, diskriminasie teen mense gegrond op ras en geslag. Tydens die
totstandkoming van die nuwe regering in 1994, is beloftes gemaak om veranderinge teweeg
te bring. Gevolglik is programme soos regstellende aksie en swart ekonomiese bemagtiging
ingestel. Hierdie studie ondersoek die persepsie van studente, verbonde aan die universiteit
van Stellenbosch (US), jeens die identiteitspolitiek van ras en geslag na 1994.
Die onderwerp van die studie sluit ondermeer die volgende in: studente-akkommodasie, die
onderrigstaal, die verhouding tussen studente, klasdeelname, seksuele teistering en politiek
(regstellende aksie en swart ekonomiese bemagtiging). Dit ondersoek die universiteit se
hantering van studente en die behandeling van studente se optrede teenoor mekaar.
Die inligting is ingesamel deur 'n meningspeiling verkry deur die verspreiding van vraelyste
in vier geselekteerde koshuise, naamlik Concordia, Goldfields, Huis de Villiers en Lobelia.
Die bevindinge van die studie toon dat daar steeds baie probleme bestaan wat betref die
politieke identiteit van ras en geslag aan die US. Die studie het byvoorbeeld tot die volgende
gevolgtrekkings gekom:
• Die meerderheid van studente, uit drie rassegroepe, wat aan die studie deelgeneem
het, het die persepsie dat rasse-verdeeldheid steeds in drie areas voorkom (die
klaskamer, koshuise en die studente sentrum). Die persepsie word voorgehou, onder
andere, dat die verdeeldheid versoorsaak word deur die feit dat studente van
verskillende kulture afkomstig is, asook dat taalverskille 'n rol speel.
• Die meerderheid studente het ook die persepsie dat swart studente neig om minder te
praat in die klas omdat hulle geïntimideerd voel.
• Die meerderheid swart en bruin studente steun die ANC (African National Congress),
terwyl die meerderheid wit studente die DA (Demokratiese Alliansie) steun. Hoewel
dit die geval blyk te wees, het die studie ook gevind dat baie studente aan die US nie
hulle politieke steun bekend wil maak nie.
• Swart en bruin studente is positief oor die rol van regstellende aksie en swart
ekonomiese bemagtiging, teenoor wit studente wat 'n ander uitkyk hierop het.
• Vroue studente aan die US het die persepsie dat Suid-Afrika steeds gekonfronteer
word met die probleem van geslagsongelykheid.
• Die meerderheid studente het die persepsie dat wit mans die ergste geraak word deur
regstellende aksie en swart ekonomiese bemagtiging.
• Meeste studente, ongeag hul ras of geslag, voel beskermd by die US. Die persepsie
bestaan dat geen geslagdiskriminasie deur lektore toegepas word nie.
• Mans- en vroue-studente sien seksuele teistering verskillend. Vroue-studente,
byvoorbeeld, sien seksistiese grappe en wolwefluite as seksuele teistering, teenoor
mansstudente wat dit nie so sien nie. Almal het wel die persepsie dat vrouestudente
meer geraak word deur seksuele teistering as hulle manlike eweknieë.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/49984 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Dumiso, Phazamile |
| Contributors | Gouws, Amanda, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xi, 95 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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