Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the complex and contested processes of drawing boundaries and
negotiating identities in the post-Apartheid South African context by analysing how
residents in a new residential suburb of Cape Town are working to carve out a new
position for themselves in a changing social order.
Drawing on data gathered through participant observation, individual and focus group
interviews, and household surveys between November 1998 and December 2000, the
study examines how residents draw and negotiate boundaries in their search for stability,
status, and community in a society characterised by social flux, uncertainty, ambiguity
and contradiction. It explores the construction and shifting of identities believed to be
embodied in those boundaries, at the levels of the individual, the household and the
community. A range of everyday social and spatial practices - including streetscape
design, its use and contestation, neighbourliness and sociality, .household livelihoods and
strategies, home maintenance and improvements - are shown to reveal residents' own
conceptualisations of boundaries, their practical significance and symbolic power, as well
as their permeability and transgression. The marking and maintenance of boundaries
convey how social relationships, practices and power in the suburb are structured and
continually negotiated. By analysing these actions and responses, the study illustrates
some of the ways in which recent changes in South African society have unsettled the
relationship between class, race and space to construct new boundaries and shape new
identities.
The fmdings suggest that although social differentiation among the residents is
increasingly being restructured around class, race remains a salient variable in residents'
constructions of themselves and each other. Ethnic-religious prejudice is also shown to
influence local conflict and constructions of community.
The study draws out four discourses through which residents contemplate and formulate
circumstances and processes in their neighbourhood. The first emphasises racial
integration, the second middle class suburban living, the third safety from crime, the
fourth distrust and disorder. The discourses are significant, not only in their practical
manifestation in everyday interaction but also because they suggest some of the ways in
which connections and disconnections with the past, with (he old identities and the old
affiliations, are managed in a new, post-Apartheid South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie verken die komplekse en betwiste prosesse van die trek van grense en die
onderhandeling van identiteite in die Suid-Afrikaanse post-Apartheid konteks, deur te
analiseer hoe inwoners in 'n nuwe Kaapstadse residensiële voorstad te werk gaan om 'n
nuwe posisie in 'n veranderende sosiale orde vir hulself daar te stel.
Op grond van data bekom deur deelnemende observasie, onderhoude met indiwidue en
fokusgroepe, en opnames in huishoudings tussen November 1998 en Desember 2000,
ondersoek die studie hoe inwoners grense trek en onderhandel in hulle soeke na
stabiliteit, status, en gemeenskap in 'n samelewing gekenmerk deur sosiale vloeibaarheid,
onsekerheid, dubbelsinnigheid en teenstrydigheid. Dit verken die konstruksie en die
verskuiwing van identiteite wat gesien word as dat dit binne hierdie grense tuis hoort, op
die vlakke van die indiwidu, die huishouding en die gemeenskap. 'n Reeks alledaagse
sosiale en ruimtelike praktyke - insluitende omgewingsbeplanning, die benutting en
betwisting daarvan, buurskap en gemeenskapsin, huishoudelike bestaansmiddele en
strategieë, huisonderhoud en verbeterings - toon inwoners se eie voorstellings van grense,
hulle praktiese betekenis en simboliese invloed, sowel as hulle deurdringbaarheid en
oorskryding. Die afbakening en handhawing van grense deel mee hoe sosiale
verhoudings, praktyke en mag in die voorstad gestruktureer en voortdurend onderhandel
word. Deur hierdie optredes en reaksies illustreer die studie sommige van die wyses
waarop onlangse veranderings in die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing die verhouding tussen
klas, ras en ruimte beïnvloed het om nuwe grense te konstrueer en nuwe identiteite te
vorm.
Die bevindings suggereer dat, hoewel sosiale differensiasie tussen die inwoners
toenemend geherstruktureer word wat klas betref, ras 'n duidelik waarneembare
onderliggende veranderlike in inwoners se siening van hulleself en mekaar bly. Etniesgodsdienstige
vooroordeel word ook getoon 'n invloed op plaaslike konflikte en die
konstruksie van gemeenskappe te wees.
Die studie onthul vier diskoerse waardeur inwoners omstandighede en prosesse in hulle
omgewing bedink en te kenne gee. Die eerste beklemtoon rasse-integrasie, die tweede
voorstedelike middelklas lewenswyse, die derde misdaadsbeveiliging, die vierde
wantroue en wanorde. Die diskoerse is betekenisvol, nie slegs in hulle praktiese
manifestering in die daaglikse omgang nie, maar ook aangesien hulle sommige van die
wyses waarop koppelings en ontkoppelings met die verlede, en sy ou identiteite en ou
affiliasies, in 'n nuwe, post-Apartheid, Suid-Afrika hanteer word, suggereer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52353 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Broadbridge, Helena Tara |
| Contributors | Frankental, S., Bekker, S., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 294 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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