An Article Summary of Vandeyar, S. & Vandeyar, T.

, 2014, Opposing Gazes: Racism and

Xenophobia in South African Schools, Journal of Asian and African Studies 2017, Volume 52

(1), page 68-81.

Thahirah binti Ashiq

1527380

Section 2

Dr Alizi bin Alias

 In this article, a research study was carried out by Vandeyar and Vandeyar to further

comprehend the discrimination that immigrant students are experiencing from their interactions

with South African students. In addition to that, the researchers were also interested in the

prejudice immigrant students have towards Black South African students. The researchers were

interested in how to interpret the two forms of prejudice and discrimination. This research study

is done on the grounds of recognizing the problem, whether the tensions between South African

and immigrant students stem from racism or xenophobia, according to Hassim et al (2008) or if it

is just competition between them, besides creating a better state for finding solutions.

The intended population for this study were Black immigrant school-going students. This

research design was qualitative in nature and the case study method and particularly the narrative

inquiry method were adopted for this study. Burke (2005) mentions that narrative inquiry was

particularly helpful as it focuses on how the individual present accounts of themselves and their

experiences.

Data was gathered through various techniques, namely semi-structured interviews,

observations, field notes and researcher journals. For the semi-structured interview, a purposive

sample of 15 black immigrant students from Grades 8-10 were used. Over a period of 6 months in

2011, the total number of students that were interviewed totaled up to 45. Not only were the

students interviewed but the principals, school management teams, school governing bodies and

selected teachers and parents as well. Next, the researchers observed after school activities,

classroom practice, activities during break periods as well as assemblies and other school activities.

Both the researchers had analyzed the data by utilizing the content analysis, as per Mayring

(2000) and Sandelowski (2000) findings. Vandeyar and Vandeyar (2014) had relied on previous

analysis done by other researchers previously besides revisiting the data with a different lens. The
lens is more discursive to identify the words the words immigrant students use to describe the

treatment of South African students towards them as well as what they are saying about South

African students.

Findings – treatment of immigrant students can be clustered into 4 broad themes:

categorizations and prototypes; practiced stereotypes; academic and social exclusion and work

ethics.

Reducing researcher bias –

Ensuring validity of findings –

Ethical issues that were considered and addressed –