This article was derived from my doctoral thesis, ‘Post-apartheid racism among Afrikaans speaking urban adolescents: A narrative-pastoral reflection’. The impetus for this study was the seemingly increasing occurrences of racism amongst post-apartheid Afrikaans-speaking urban adolescents in South Africa by taking a narrative practical theological perspective on the matter to help build meaningful cross-cultural dialogue. This study explored the level of dialogue of the participants using a postfoundational paradigm. Two questions guided the investigation: (1) How deeply embedded are objectifying of cross-cultural relationships? (2) How can we instigate honest dialogue aiding us in being more aware of our biases to embrace diversity and going forward as a unity in diversity? This study was conducted in 2016 amongst white Afrikaans-speaking urban adolescents living in Pretoria-East, South Africa. I had four group conversations (A, B, C and D) with my co-researchers (research participants), with six to eight adolescents per group. I made use of certain empirical research methods, such as narrative interviewing and group discussions. From an epistemological perspective, a postfoundational, social constructionist perspective, including an auto-ethnographical approach, was followed. The research indicated that Afrikaner adolescents could live life unquestioned from a position of power and objectivity that was culturally inherited. It was found that by objectifying relationships (
I was born and bred in South Africa. My earliest memories are being a carefree youngster on a farm. My best buddy was Kenith, our domestic worker’s son. At that point in time, I did not realise that, although we lived shared lives, domestic workers were treated as inferiors in many ways. Later we moved to a town. It was the turbulent period of unrest in townships and the transition from apartheid to democracy. The greater part of my family was fearful racists. Instead of appreciating and celebrating South African diversity (Giliomee
After my theological studies, I was called to the Dutch Reformed Church Lux Mundi as a youth minister. Here I had the opportunity of doing and living practical theology (Heitink
Enrolling for a doctoral thesis on this sensitive topic of racism, the opportunity arose to deconstruct racism in my ministered constituency. The result of this endeavour was my thesis, ‘Post-apartheid racism among Afrikaans speaking urban adolescents: A narrative-pastoral reflection’.
This study was carried out within the philosophical guidelines of narrative therapy (Besley
From an epistemological perspective, a postfoundational, social constructionist perspective, including an auto-ethnographical approach, was followed. This supports the research design which was based on the principles of narrative practical theology.
The research indicated that Afrikaner adolescents could live life unquestioned from a position of power and objectivity that was culturally inherited. It was found that by objectifying relationships (
Consequently, this article advocates for a dialogical (
How deep are
The importance of dialogue and listening is well documented by Müller (
We can create new imaginative possibilities through narrative approach – possibilities that point beyond the obvious context, including diverse stories that inspire and help as they benefit from each other (
In this study, I position myself within the overarching paradigm of postfoundational theology as described by Müller (
[
I think it would be unrealistic to say that my theological positioning would not have any influence on my relationship with the context and
Hence, we as practical theologians could make a meaningful contribution by facilitating the variety of stories where different story cultures are met (Müller
[
This is a journey where the co-researcher’s contextuality was upfront contributing in listening to in-context experiences and interpreting it together.
The co-researchers in this research led me towards a primary focus on the work of Martin Buber and specifically on his concepts of
The research clearly showed that by objectifying relationships (
‘[
According to Hycner (
The co-researchers expressed rather explicit objectifying attitudes (
D1-17-M: ‘On our farm the blacks just take everything they want, they steal wire cables and even though we take such good care of them. My father is currently in a court case after he shot and killed a farm worker for stealing his shoes and got in a scuffle with my dad when he reprimanded him. There is no respect for us [
(Long silence)
D5-17-F: ‘Our family also has a farm and we did everything for the farm workers. We gave them maize meal, housing and everything, but it was never enough. They always wanted more and that is frustrating’.
D1-17-M: ‘Obviously, certain white people did harm to blacks in the past, but can’t we just move on with our lives. Most white people are good to them [
D1-17-M: ‘They [
(Silence)
D1-17-M: ‘Apartheid was meant well and tried to uplift the country’.
D6-16-F: ‘Most of them are just so stupid and then they still get the work or the university exemption and that is unfair’.
D1-17-M: ‘We [
(Silence)
D1-17-M: ‘The culture of white people is that of more civilised because we [
Maluleke (
One way to recognise
[
During conversations with co-researchers, they explicitly accused black people of oppressing them rather than the other way around. They did this because the object (black people) stood in their way of achieving goals and not one of togetherness. With this I do not state at all that black people cannot oppress other races, but we were specifically focusing on Afrikaner adolescents in this study:
A4-17-M: ‘I think blacks and whites look down on one another both ways. I mean, look at all the discrimination against whites these days. Blacks are using every means that they can get to advance themselves even if they don’t deserve it. I cannot study what I am entitled to study because of excellent grades in school because my skin colour is white. They [
A2-18-M: ‘I won’t be able to get work one day because the blacks are pushed in front of us [
A5-17-M: ‘I agree, they [
During conversation with group B, it led to discussing the attitudes of black people, and again it was evident that black people were expected to do all bad things in life and that they were, in a sense, viewed as objects of sin (Fanon
[
In group B’s conversation, it was said that:
B5-16-F: ‘What strikes me from what B6 just said is that, yes, it is not in their [
B4-18-M: ‘Because we [
It was also evident that the co-researchers looked upon other races, and especially black people, differently. If, for instance, an incident took place where a white adolescent would not be benefitted or even be in worst condition than previously, it was evident from this conversation in group B that the adolescents would react differently in the same situation because of benefactor’s race:
B2-16-F: ‘If a white person were to benefit from a situation where I myself would not, then I would refer to it as being unfair. If it is a black person benefiting from me that would be discrimination as they do not deserve it’.
B4-18-M: ‘I agree, I have much more sympathy with people from my own ethnicity’.
B6-19-F: ‘Like I mentioned before, my mother begged me to not marry a black person as it would be a downgrade for me in life’.
Obviously, the adolescents didn’t have the terminology for this conversation and they were not familiar with Buber’s philosophy, but it was clear that black people were viewed, in some instances, as objects and white people more as subjects. The
In the conversation with group C, a discussion emerged about the system in which the world operates and the co-researchers in this group felt that it was the system itself that had created unfairness towards other groups. Almost all of them said that they had no idea about race or differences in society until they went to primary school (a system):
C2-17-M: ‘There will always be hate towards others as long as the system is unfair and treats people unfairly’.
Researcher: ‘Do you think this hate you are talking about is
C2-17-M: ‘I think so, because it seems that they [
C3-17-F: ‘Yes, I treat the workers [
The
It was the perfect example of the
Group D had more or less the same conversations on this topic as we had in group C:
D6-16-F: ‘I really do not know what the big deal is. I mean most of them [
D5-17-F: ‘I agree; we were not even born in the apartheid era, why should we take so much discrimination against us [
It was clear at this stage of the conversation that the
In contrast to ‘Thou’, the
Buber (
During conversations with co-researchers of group A, some of the participants were ranting about how much better white people were and that they had better education and had come from a better ancestry. This was a real
‘I hear what you say, but is that really so important? I mean when we go to Mozambique on holiday, for instance, I cannot help but to notice the pure joy and laughter I witness from children there. Yes, they don’t have what I have, but I don’t have what they have. This makes me wonder about our world we live in and if it really is that superior’. (Participant A4, age 17, male)
These remarks made by A4-17-M changed the direction of our conversation almost as if the
A8-17-M: ‘What you just said made me think that blacks are not that bad actually. I cannot begin to describe the caring and sharing most of them have in my school. One day I did not have any food at school and a black student saw this and offered to buy me a sandwich from the tuck shop. That was pretty cool. The other thing that I notice from black children in my school is the respect they treat their parents with. I mean us whites are so cheeky and demanding towards our parents most of the time and I think they set a great example to follow’.
A4-17-M: ‘I agree with you A8. I would actually like to ride in a minibus taxi sometime. My mom will have a heart attack, but I want to do it sometime. This conversation is making me rather curious about black people and maybe we can even learn from them. The thing is that we get so bombarded at home and through white society that blacks are bad, but what if… it is not so, what if… we dare to know them, what if… we can get along?’
I sensed that things had started to move ahead among the co-researchers and I did not want to interfere too much so I simply asked, ‘after hearing these stories of black people that we just heard, I am curious what the rest of you think about this?’
Then A3-16-F started talking. A3-16-F was the person who stated that white people were cleaner, that they had a better culture, that they managed better, and that these things were just like second nature to white people:
‘I do hip-hop dancing as you all know. This is terrible, but I must admit blacks are so much friendlier than whites. I learn a lot from blacks in dancing, they have so much more rhythm than us whites and they never hesitate to help me. I think I label some black people unfairly and I assume stereotypes, I don’t feel too good now about what I said before’. (Participant A3, age 16, female)
I could sense that A3-16-F was not in a good space at this stage being confronted with her own attitude. I asked some externalising questions to give A3-16-F a sense of the real problem and that she was not the problem. This helped her to grasp the problem, rather than feeling embarrassed. A5-17-M was still sticking to his guns at this point, saying ‘that black people are lazy and he won’t talk to a black person unless they were like him’.
I think some comments made in group B were relevant to this topic. We were discussing their parents and the effect that their parents’ thinking and upbringing had on them and on the way they talk in front of their parents and then talk differently to the outside world:
B6-19-F: ‘There is no doubt that we whites are just being politically correct. We talk differently to the outside world and I don’t think that is a good thing. Are we being hypocrites, liars or what are we doing here? We cannot go on like this; we need to have a hard look towards our attitude. The worst of all is that we are so-called Christians’.
B2-16-F: ‘I think God’s heart is breaking when he sees how we work with other people. It’s like backstabbing God. It’s like we love others, but with conditions’.
B5-17-F: ‘Ok, I hear what you are saying. We are actually all lost, it is like we love others but with certain criteria that fits us. I think this is how we approach God sometimes, almost like ticking off criteria on the Jesus list and I don’t think God is like that at all’.
B1-17-M: ‘What would Jesus say about all the things we said?’
B6-19-F: ‘That is a good question. Obviously, he is a God of love and forgiveness and I know he has so much grace over all of us, but I think we are missing something here. Maybe, I need to look at my relationship with God afresh and why I am a Christian’.
B5-16-F: ‘Yes, we are different as humans but why can’t we be one in humanity? This is heavy stuff, but it makes sense. B6, I think we all need to look at our relationship with God afresh’.
In the conversation with group D, something happened by mistake from my side but it revealed something else. This was the last group I had a conversation with, and they were talking about how black people were so much better in the old days and they were happy with minimal and not like today’s black people who just demand. All other groups – A, B and C – invited Jesus in their conversation spontaneously, but for some reason my guard slipped and in group D I said, ‘we will get back to that topic again later on when I am going to invite someone into this conversation’. I assumed they wanted to talk about Jesus like the other three groups. I meant inviting Jesus, but all co-researchers thought I was going to invite a black person. At this stage, many bad things were said about black people, and they thought I was going to expose them in front of a black person. There was a physical reaction in all of them, moving chairs and sitting up straight with big eyes. I immediately realised my mistake and corrected it and apologised to the group for assuming a topic, but I was now curious about the reaction that took place in the room. I then asked, ‘I am curious as to what this reaction that just happened is saying to us?’
D4-17-M: ‘I really thought you were going to bring in a black person and I was thinking about all the things we already said up until this point. I got a big scare and I just realised something… [
D3-16-F: ‘I agree; I now realise this more than I have ever realised it’.
D1-17-M: ‘I agree; I am actually shocked thinking back on what we said’.
D3-16-F: ‘I feel guilty; I have the guts to say things behind the backs of people but not in front of them’.
D6-16-F: ‘This is as un-Christian as can be’.
D5-17-F: ‘Maybe inviting Jesus into this conversation is not such a bad idea after all. Maybe we are looking just too shallow on our own and need Jesus to help us look deeper into this’.
D6-16-F: ‘Jesus sees more than just a human being’.
D4-17-M: ‘Jesus doesn’t see skin colour. I am now thinking of that poem that Bouwer Bosch wrote –
Researcher: ‘You are more than welcome to do so’.
(Silence)
D4-17-M: ‘Here it is…’ [
(Reading it to the group)
… (Silence)
D4-17-M: ‘So Jesus didn’t die on a cross for the colour of your skin. I can’t sit here and claim that I am a Christian and a racist. It simply does not resonate’.
D5-17-F: ‘I know you [
D1-17-M: ‘That just blew me away, I don’t know what to say now’.
Researcher: ‘What is the first thing that jumps to your mind?’
D1-17-M: ‘That I am sorry, that I need to stand in the shoes of a black man before I do anything’.
D4-17-M: ‘This helps me; I got some distance from myself. Looking at it from another perspective – God’s perspective, perhaps. We are actually so well equipped as Christians to deal with these things. Why are we not dealing with this? Jesus guides us and we don’t even see it. We just look at ourselves and miss him completely. We just went on and on in this conversation’.
D3-16-F: ‘This conversation made me realise serious things in my own life that need work. However, I don’t actually feel that guilty because forgiveness is what God is all about. I just have this urge now to live out that which I claim to believe – God’s love. It is almost as if Jesus touched me now. I actually want to embrace God’s love with all people. That’s what Jesus did. It’s going to be hard though, but possible’.
D5-17-F: ‘I feel so much more aware now’.
D2-17-F: ‘I am not a racist, but they do still make me angry. I think a little different now’.
D6-16-F: ‘Some of us whites are actually very stupid, I can’t believe I said that of blacks. I want to make a difference but I don’t know how. I will sit with Jesus like D4 said and I believe he would guide me in this’.
D4-17-M: ‘I agree; one needs to address this’.
D2-17-F; D1-17-M; D3-17-F; D6-16-F: ‘Yes’.
The assumption I made during the conversation with group D fortunately turned out to be something real and made all of us realise how objectively, rather than subjectively, we could look at people. In group D and through an honest mistake, the moment of
Buber’s (
If we are to understand and analyse the Trinity as three separate entities, for example, we would completely miss the unity and fluidity and dialogue of this subject-to-subject-to-subject. Many people would refer to God as love. Love, as a relation between
We saw some movement from
It is important to differentiate the
[
The reality of this is that we need to be open to, and want this experience to occur, yet not trying to force it (Hycner
Racism is alive and well in South Africa and does not exclude the so-called ‘freeborn’; yes, it needs deconstruction, and this research wants to put a way (not the way) forward in advancing one step closer in achieving this. Deconstructing racism lies in the efforts of individuals and systems to become bridges to truly connect with ‘others’ (
This research indicates that if we sacrifice our ‘little will’, which is unfree and ruled by things, and drives to our ‘great will’, we move away from being determined to find destiny. In essence, this research shows that our greatest enemy in this life is small-selves (false-self) that we usually think we are. Through Buber’s philosophy, this research amounts to an incisive critique of the systemic imbalances and pathologies that run through many of our Afrikaner adolescents, but it also offers the paradigm of a powerful and compelling alternative to us. Perhaps in the final analysis the central question is whether in our way of life where so much draws us further and further into the world of ‘It’ we can nonetheless find within ourselves the sensitivity to detect the opportunity to enter into a real relationship with each other and then have the courage to actively do so – a question that plays out across our lives both individually and socially.
The author declares that he has no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced him in writing this article.
S.v.D. is the sole contributor of this article, which was derived from his doctoral thesis under the supervision of Prof. J. C. Müller (Department of Practical Theology, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria).
The author obtained research ethics approval for the research of his doctoral thesis as described and quoted in this work. The author declares that he observed the ethical standards required in terms of the University of Pretoria’s code of ethics for researchers and the policy guidelines for responsible research.
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated agency of the author.