Racial relations in selected faculties in English language historically white universities in South Africa

• Published in: Society in transition 2002-01, Vol.33 (1), p.134-151
• Main Author: Gwele, N S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Black White Differences; College Faculty; Racial Relations; Racism; Social Perception; South Africa; Student Attitudes; Universities
• ISSN: 1028-9852
• DOI: 10.1080/21528586.2002.10419055

In the late 1990s, accusations of racism and the refusal of English language historically white universities (HWUs) in South Africa to transform, despite their long-standing status as non-racist and democratic institutions, began to surface. As a result, from 1996 to 1997 a comparative descriptive study to examine racial and gender relations was conducted in selected faculties of all English language HWUs. The aim of the study was to establish baseline empirical data on racial relations in order to provide a basis for future appraisals of racial integration at these institutions. The study found that black 1 academics differed significantly from their white colleagues in their perceptions regarding racism on campus. Most of them expressed feelings of alienation and believed that black students felt equally alienated. A number of them alluded to a system of 'outsiders ' and 'insiders', which they perceived to be in existence in HWUs and tended to see themselves as outsiders in the prevailing 'Oxbridge' 2 white, male culture of these institutions. Negative perceptions about racial relations at departmental level were largely attributed to predominantly black student populations in departments where the teaching staff was predominantly white. The number of black academics with perceptions of covert and/or unconscious racism at this level was significant. The results of this study paint a picture of institutions with serious, though covert, problems with racial relations, which is clearly not conducive to healthy working relationships. The question is: will South African universities transcend racial tension and transform themselves into truly South African institutions?