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Racial Discrimination In South Africa

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Since the abolishment of apartheid in 1994 South Africa has been in era of attempting to rectify racial inequality. White anti-racism is one of the issues that has presented itself in this attempt at achieving equality posing both possibilities and challenges. The issues of whiteness and white privilege have emerged as one of the greatest challenges in this proves of restoration. This essay will first provide a brief historical background to white anti-racism in post apartheid South Africa as well as introducing the concept of whiteness and white privilege. In order to demonstrate the challenges and possibilities relating to whiteness a few ideological discourses will be discussed. The findings of the research done by Wale and Foster will also …show more content…
During this period known as the apartheid the white racial group was dominant in society and a white racism existed between whites and other racial groups. After the abolishment of the apartheid era in 1994, legal racial equality was established. However this period of overt racism has set up a legacy of racism and segregation that still perpetuates the country. The dominance exerted by the white racial group during the apartheid although legally lifted has not necessarily been socially lifted (Matthews, 2012). The previous racism of the white racial group has had to develop into white anti-racism in the post apartheid era (Matthews, 2012). This white anti racism comes with its own set of challenges but also many possibilities for racial equality. Psychological research has suggested that the interrogation of the idea of whiteness by white citizens of the country could lead to significant change in racial inequality (Matthews, …show more content…
Through using this strategy some white people often see admission or confession weather it is direct or indirect as an anti-racist act with the belief that those who are truly racist are unaware of their behavior (Ahmed, 2004). The last strategy identified is called Charitable racism which refers to the process when a white individual of privilege acknowledges their position of privilege therefore feeling compelled to perform a charitable act towards someone who is disadvantaged due to their race, these types of charitable acts do not contribute significantly to achieving equality but rather confirm the current state of inequality through the possible personal gain that one can be given through these acts of charity (Hook, 2011). For example: a wealthy white business owner who has become successful due to being white during the apartheid decides to donate a portion of his profit to a program dedicated to funding the education of previously disadvantaged children, through doing this his company can publicly announce that they are doing so for self-promotional purposes however it is not directly contributing to equality with the intention of making significant changes (Hook,

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