Xenophobia has reared its ugly head again in the Rainbow Nation. African nations have had enough

[Soo Young Ahn]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/07/africa/south-africa-xenophobia-attacks-mckenzie-intl/index.html

[Mary Frances Kocurek]

I am shocked to read that there are such high tensions in South Africa and that the attitudes of racism and xenophobia are so openly accepted. It is disturbing to me that so many people are experiencing violence just because of where they were born. This article states that South Africans, while they do project violence onto foreigners coming into their country, also experience this violence and these xenophobic attitudes elsewhere. It is sickening to see that there is such a lack of respect between the countries of Africa, Nigeria, Zambia, and many others and that even the efforts of leaders to stop the horrible violence and discrimination is not yet enough to get the violence under control.

On Monday, September 30, 2019 at 11:46:22 PM UTC-5, Soo Young Ahn wrote:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/07/africa/south-africa-xenophobia-attacks-mckenzie-intl/index.html

[Rachel Walker]

 

This article focuses on the xenophobic tendencies between different countries within Africa, typically coming from South Africans. Due to the oversight of specific countries in Africa and the common reference to anywhere in Africa as just “Africa”, I am both unphased and shocked by the xenophobia occurring throughout the continent. I am unphased because of how common it is to reference Africa as a whole, but shocked because I did not expect these tendencies to be internal. It is unfortunate to see the diplomatic tensions caused by South Africa’s isolation.

[Evelyn Gomez]

In this article, David McKenzie, a native South African, recalls his experience when letting people know that he is traveling outside of South Africa. Critically, McKenzie points out the negativity and confusion that people respond with and notices that this is mostly the response of his fellow South Africans. Implicitly, he sheds light to the ethnocentrism that South African posses and this can be seen with their violent reaction to Africans from other nations. One thing that really stood out to me was this is not South Africa’s first time with violent acts of xenophobia. It’s written in their history.  

On Mon, Sep 30, 2019 at 11:46 PM Soo Young Ahn <luca...@apis.seoul.kr> wrote:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/07/africa/south-africa-xenophobia-attacks-mckenzie-intl/index.html

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[Adeline Mobarak]

After ten people were killed in a series of xenophobic attacks in South Africa during early September, educated South Africans are searching for answers.  Most of the violence and crime targeted foreign African migrants from countries such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Zambia, and Kenya.  South African writer Sisonke Msimang believes the problem may relate to South Africa’s isolation from the rest of Africa during apartheid.  South Africa is a country where racism is universally condemned due to the history of apartheid, but prejudice against foreigners is out in the open.  For some reason, many people in South Africa are willing to turn to violence against other African immigrants even though they were themselves victims of racism for many years.  All of the years living under apartheid appears to have led to a belief and feeling within South Africa that South Africans are not truly the brothers of other African nations. 

On Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at 11:52:00 PM UTC-5, Evelyn Gomez wrote:

In this article, David McKenzie, a native South African, recalls his experience when letting people know that he is traveling outside of South Africa. Critically, McKenzie points out the negativity and confusion that people respond with and notices that this is mostly the response of his fellow South Africans. Implicitly, he sheds light to the ethnocentrism that South African posses and this can be seen with their violent reaction to Africans from other nations. One thing that really stood out to me was this is not South Africa’s first time with violent acts of xenophobia. It’s written in their history.  

On Mon, Sep 30, 2019 at 11:46 PM Soo Young Ahn <luca...@apis.seoul.kr> wrote:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/07/africa/south-africa-xenophobia-attacks-mckenzie-intl/index.html

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[Charlie C]

This article focuses on the South African viewpoint toward other countries in Africa from the perspective of a South African.  The author, David McKenzie, discusses his experience with the separation between South Africa and the rest of the continent.  South Africa is essentially culturally isolated, with targeted xenophobic violence toward people of other African nationalities.  Not only are these tensions between individuals and groups of people, but as a result, there are tensions diplomatically between these nations as well.  Though this article was short and broad, I appreciated its focus on the dwindling hope of the South African state.  Its more anecdotal perspective gave a better understanding of how many South Africans understand their current social and political situation.

[Nathan Guzmán]

I think it's interesting how South Africans don't consider themselves African. Or at least African in the way the rest of the world sees the continent. they have the same misconceptions and prejudices towards African countries as other countries overseas have. The acts of Xenophobia are unacceptable and it's sad to see them being frequent. Something should be done to punish this behavior.

[Evan R]

This article brings light to the reality that a major reason South Africa is so xenophobic is because they tend not to see themselves as African at all. The toxic South African mindset likely has to do with a significant white population in the country as well as a high GDP that makes them feel "different". It is clearly problematic to view the rest of Africa as somehow lesser, and is the opposite of the Pan-Africanism solution to xenophobia. South Africa's "geographic dissonance" is a large problem facing the continent today.