Xenophobia, Citizenship and Identity in South Africa, Essay Example

Stereotypes can vary in terms of the grouping or social class that one ascribes to. While most of the grouping is based on origin, some of the stereotypes are based by the ideology and concept of class. Racial stereotypes are by far the most destructive. These stereotypes are difficult to overcome and usually leads to ethnocentrism. Where an individual perceives their race superior to others.

A salient example is the current state of South Africa’s international relations with member African states. The country has been home to a growing number of fellow African expatriates who come in to take up employment opportunities requiring highly specialized skills (Adam & Moddley, 2013). This has created a stereotype amongst native south Africans, that foreign African have come to take over their wealth. This has led to massive xenophobia within the country, causing an international scandal.

Human being are naturally programmed to seek companionship and a social structure. The human race has been built on its ability to find companionship and find a common general goal, prosperity. In order to do so, it entails making friends and avoiding enemies. As such, man is naturally tuned to impress their kind so as to gain social collateral within a society.

Social groupings are founded on social structures. Within these structures, individuals are ranked by their social collateral, apart from wealth and financial status (Harvey & Allard, 2012). Showing off one’s best aspects and features is best designed to gain social collateral. I believe most people like to show off so as to gain social collateral within a social grouping.by showing off one’s best cuisines, they gain social collateral as their guest olds their culture in high regard. This is regardless of the fact that each culture has its own negative aspects. The guest is focused on their rich cuisine.

References

Adam, H., & Moddley, K. (2013). Imagined liberation : xenophobia, citizenship and identity in South Africa, Germany and Canada. Stellenbosch: Sun Press.

Harvey, C. P., & Allard, J. M. (2012). Understanding and Managing Diversity (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson.