Over the years, economy, politics, sociology and law has been the driving force for migration to occur in societies (Kerstin, 2009). After facing poverty or inequality, or any other given factor, immigrants would generally turn to a society that has the opportunities for a better livelihood (Pamir, 1997:2). With South Africa being in its crucial transition phase, the subject of social integration amongst locals and immigrants becomes valid (Boulding, 1990). Durban is currently faced with a major challenge which is the rapid influx of immigrants from surrounding rural areas, provinces and most importantly surrounding African countries. This study intends looking at the social integration aspects of African national’s and the diverse cultures migrants bring into Durban’s society and how architecture can contribute to enhancing this social integration of people from different societies and ethnic backgrounds.
Peri Pamir, in her journal titled “Nationalism, Ethnicity and Democracy” describes a person’s ethnic background as the consciousness of a certain community having different identit...
Ethnic Identity and Culture.’ New Tribalisms: The Resurgence of Race and Ethnicity. New York University Press. 1998
Throughout the years, humans have constructed many unique civilizations; all which follow a distinct social, economic, and political structure. Even so, there is one characteristic that prevails among these societies, the concept of nationalism. In short, nationalism refers to the feelings people have when identifying with their nation. This simple notion possesses the ability to divide or unite collective groups, and has played an important role in many historical events.
I do not consider myself Paki-American. I am too "Americanized" to be Pakistani. (although by birthright, I am American), and I am not quite up to par with the American way of life. So what does all this have to do with my culture, what does a label really matter to cultural identity? It matters much. I believe that this seemingly trivial confusion over labels reveals the even greater confusion that surrounds my cultural identity: Am I a bridge between these two multifaceted cultures, or have I become a mosaic displaying colors from here and there, and elsewhere too? Perhaps both, and I could be a colorful bridge, or perhaps neither. Whatever the case, I cannot seem to separate these absolutely disparate realities within me. Their forces are still clashing, coming together within me, creating a wonderful confusion out of me. I believe that to truly analyze my culture, the roots of this confusion must be explored. In the span of this essay, I must try to encompass the widths of two worlds, their unique interactions within me... which I hope constitute what is called culture.
There are two ideal types of nationalism: ethnic and civic. Ethnic nationalism is based on a notion of belonging through shared ancestry and descent. It derives its puissance from the fact that a nation is made up of members that share a common blood line- historically, linguistically, and culturally (Muller, 2008) . Civic nationalism is characterized by the adherence to a nation’s democratic principles and political foundations and institutions. It offers a belonging that is open to anyone willing to accept these values, in addition to birth and naturalization ( Stilz, 2009) . However, there may be other emerging forms of nationalism being observed in the Québécois context.
He suggests that many citizens now live in large and dense settings that require contacts with each other in a regular basis, thus social and cultural diversity is one of the key elements of city life (Leeuwen 2010: 632). Through the concept of ‘cosmopolitan citizenship’ he suggests that city life is formed by presence of people from different culture and social groups who have their own foundation of identity, which results in the rise of differences between social groups. He adds that such encounter with differences are viewed in terms of excitement or adventure (2010: 633). This could imply that the people in city are willing to contact the strange and unknown to develop their intercultural skills. This outlook represents the city as an ideal place for acceptance, building connections and respecting other cultures by getting engaged with differences. In contrast to the cosmopolitan citizenship, which is unrealistic as we discussed harmony doesn’t exist by mutual agreement with each other, he introduced another concept of ‘agonistic citizenship’ which suggests that acknowledge the fact that tensions between different social group occurs in a diverse cultural society. Therefore, this notion of
The negation of the Diaspora has a mythical character, which functions to legitimize social and political practices and mobilize action and identification with a cause. Gordon establishes this myth of identity through anchoring of the present in the diasporic past and actualization of the diasporic past in the present in the Yishuv.
The most important value of nationalism to democracy lies in the fact that it has the capacity to unite individual citizens into a single entity with shared beliefs. Democracy requires a definition of demos or who are included in the game and who are not (Nodia 6). Wherever the boundaries of the playing field are in dispute, democratic institutions (such as participation, representation, or cooperation) simply cannot function. Thus, for democracy to o...
Ethnicity is an intrinsic part of one’s life as its the basis of what assists in personal development. Within society today ethnicity continues to denote a form of unity and commonality
Source A gives a view on the South African governments control over its people and racial discrimination. It is a biased view and makes the South African government seem cruel and racist. It states that the governments "politics are determined by the colour a persons skin". As this is a statement it gives the impression that it is a fact and by giving this impression it also communicates the idea that the South African government IS racist, rather than the South African government COULD be racist. This comes as no real surprise as the advert has been paid for by the ANC (African National Congress), who are a very anti - South African government organization.
...s that Bhabha only views hybridity through the lens of the individual who wishes to adopt and synthesize his personal identity and does not account for the normativization of fluidity and change and the recognition that certain aspects of cultures cannot be blended. He also claims that Bhabha does not address the infinite ability to question and renegotiate identity; the idea that identity formation is exclusively individualistic and not related to notions of community inclusion or exclusion. Kompridis’ essay enlightens the reader’s understanding of how hybridity has been used to render conceptually and normatively, indefensible the political claims of culture by skewing the social understanding of cultural identity. Kompridis’ analysis is important because it demonstrates how Othering discourse fails to recognize the identity and nonidentity of cultural categories.
Harassing or mistreating an individual based on his color or race is violating his or her rights. In essence, ethnic and racial discrimination, and superiority based on racial differences are morally and scientifically false, dangerous, as well as socially unjust. Further, there can be no justification either practically or theoretically concerning racial discrimination. The article by Nadine Gordimer (1975) in "Country Lovers" and Alice Walker (1970) in "The Welcome Table" explored the theme of racism and apartheid in different contexts.
Aziz, Mahir. The Kurds of Iraq: Ethnonationalism and National Identity in Iraqi Kurdistan. London: Tauris Academic Studies, 2010. Print.
This creates debates about which factors scholars should focus on for any given form of nationalism. Should scholars take a primordialist approach and focus on kinship ties, myths of ancestry, and instinctual loyalty? Or, should scholars take a situationalist approach focus upon changing economic and political factors which influence the rational decisions of individuals? Or, should scholars study nationalism as an ideology and explain the role of the state as an ideological enforcer and the role nationalism plays in securing the insecure masses? In certain cases people may think it is adequate to take all of the separate theories into considerations, mixing primordialist ideas of instinctual loyalty and myths of homeland with constructivist ideas of constructed national identity. Others argue that it is necessary to not combine the three separate approaches but to study each one to attempt to figure out which one can provide the deeper understanding. This means that when analyzing nationalism, the frameworks for nationalism are always being compared and contrasted to figure out which one can offer a better and deeper understanding; alluding to nationalist theories having different utilities in separate situations. However, when discussions of nationalism mix primordialist ideas of instinctual loyalty, situationalist ideas of rational interest and constructivist ideas
the ban on the ANC, the PAC and the SACP, he announced the release of
The strength of a nation is not established by the force of its military, economic standing, or government, but rather how its citizens are regarded. In order to attain strength, a nation must respect the principle of solidarity; the power of one voice. For without a defined sense of unity, a society is likely to crumble. Unfortunately, as seen throughout history, civilization has often made it their mission to seek out the differences in one another instead of accepting them. This fear of the unknown has led to humankind’s most despicable behavior; the separation of individuals due to their physical attributes. “Racism is mans gravest threat to man...the maximum of hatred for a minimum reason -Abraham Heschel .” Not only has racism allowed unproven ideologies to spread, but it has also lead to the disintegration of civilizations. Sadly, such tragic events have been a prevalent part in the history of Africa. Perhaps, one of the most blatant forms of racism occurred in South Africa, during the period of Apartheid. From 1948 to 1994 non-white Africans were subjected to horrific treatment, enforced by the South African National Party. The repulsive forms of racial segregation in South Africa, resulting from race and color, not only oppressed the colored majority group, but also denied them of any rights or human dignity.