25th Annual Student Research Conference
Xenophobia in South Africa: A Step Towards the Past
Dylan C. Terry
Dr. Elaine McDuff, Faculty Mentor
South Africa has become known as the bastion of democracy and economic success in Africa. Since the end of apartheid, the country has opened to refugees and those seeking asylum, creating a mixture of legal and illegal, voluntary and involuntary immigrants. As migration grows, anti-immigrant sentiment develops as well. Xenophobia, the fear or hatred of foreigners, plagues the country despite the recent end of apartheid. The black threat ideology, spread during the heyday of apartheid, is now applied to all immigrants, specifically those from other parts of Africa. Xenophobia against migrants has taken the form of extreme violence, institutionalized anti-immigrant sentiment in laws, and general stereotypes that inhibit cross-national relations. The attitudes of the South African people, often reinforced by government policies and media, have inhibited strides to protect migrants and refugee rights.
Keywords: Africa, Democracy, Immigration, Refugee, Rights, Discrimination
Topic(s):Democracy and Human Rights in South Africa
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 101-2
Location: VH 1324
Time: 8:10