Crafting anti-stereotypes : creating space for critical engagement through art

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Xenophobia and Afrophobia attacks in South Africa and the corresponding reactions of African countries to these discriminatory and stereotypical perceptions of foreigners remain in the news. This study provides a timely contribution to the discourse on these phobias by highlighting the impact of discrimination in the school environment. The Botswana Government, as many other African governments, values multiculturalism in schools and officially supports an educational system that encourages a tolerance for diversity among people. However, the results from this study point towards learners’ and teachers’ intolerance for diversity and the other. Within this context, the aim of this study was to explore visual arts in a school in Botswana’s South East Region as a tool for learners to negotiate social and cultural meanings and to inform understandings of the self. Accordingly, the main research question was to explore the extent to which art processes can facilitate safe spaces for learners to openly engage in dialogue about stereotypes and discrimination. A qualitative approach to research was used for this study and a case study design was conducted through a process of using various methods of data collection that obtained a holistic and meaningful understanding of 75 learners’ real-life circumstances. Interpretive analysis was used to gain insight into the nature of the impact of social, political and historical contexts at school on the ways in which learners navigate their spaces of learning in a world of difference. The data revealed that learners were exposed to various forms of discrimination, or were themselves discriminating against others. These behaviour types manifested mainly as acts of bullying, which were mostly aimed at stereotypical views of tribal features that included both physical features such as skin colour and cultural features such as language. In this regard, tribal discrimination is similar to racial discrimination and reflects the ingrained mindsets left behind by colonialism. Discrimination furthermore occurred in terms of social class and income as well as sexual orientation. Accordingly, stereotyping was outlined as a technique used to discriminate against the other. Through carefully chosen art projects that encouraged reflection and collaboration, the art classroom accommodated victimised learners and the art processes facilitated engagement to express visually and/or verbally what has been unsaid or hidden. Art practices enabled a safe space for marginalised voices by creating a meeting place for two opposing processes: between rigid judgements associated with stereotypes on the one hand and ongoing, non-judging engagement on the other hand. The anticolonial and postcolonial perspectives that were introduced helped all learners to uncover social and institutional injustices. To this end, social justice education with specific reference to the role that art pedagogies can play is shown as a necessary stepping stone towards multicultural education and towards change that will dismantle the discriminatory hierarchical structures in schools in order to enable more equal opportunities for all learners.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Xenofobiese en Afrofobiese aanvalle in Suid-Afrika en die gevolglike reaksies van Afrikalande op hierdie diskriminerende en stereotipiese persepsies van buitelanders is steeds in die nuus. Hierdie studie bied ʼn tydige bydrae tot die diskoers oor hierdie fobies deur klem te lê op die impak van diskriminasie in die skoolomgewing. Die Botswana-regering, soos talle ander Afrikaregerings, heg waarde aan multikulturalisme in skole en ondersteun amptelik ʼn onderwysstelsel wat verdraagsaamheid van diversiteit onder mense aanmoedig. Die resultate van hierdie studie toon egter op leerders en onderwysers se onverdraagsaamheid teenoor diversiteit en mekaar. In hierdie konteks was die doel van hierdie studie om visuele kuns in ʼn skool in Botswana se suidoostelike streek te ondersoek as ʼn instrument vir leerders om sosiale en kulturele betekenisse te bewerkstellig en begrip van die self te rig. Die hoofnavorsingsvraag was gevolglik om die mate waarin kunsprosesse ruimtes vir leerders kan fasiliteer waarin hulle openlik aan dialoog oor stereotipes en diskriminasie kan deelneem, te ondersoek. ʼn Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is vir die studie gebruik en ʼn gevallestudie-ontwerp is uitgevoer deur verskeie data-insamelingsmetodes om holistiese en betekenisvolle begrip te verkry van 75 leerders se werklike omstandighede. Interpretatiewe ontleding is gebruik om insig te verkry in die aard van die impak van sosiale, politieke en historiese kontekste by die skool op die maniere waarop leerders hul leerruimtes in ʼn wêreld van verskille navigeer. Die data het getoon dat leerder aan verskeie vorme van diskriminasie blootgestel is, of self teen ander diskrimineer. Hierdie soorte gedrag het as afknouing gemanifesteer, wat hoofsaaklik gerig was op stereotipiese sienings van stam-kenmerke wat sowel fisiese eienskappe soos velkleur as kulturele eienskappe soos taal ingesluit het. In hierdie opsig is stam-diskriminasie soortgelyk aan rassediskriminasie wat die ingewortelde geestelike ingesteldhede wat deur kolonialisme nagelaat is, weerspieël. Diskriminasie het voorts voorgekom rakende sosiale klas en inkomste asook seksuele oriëntasie. Stereotipering word vervolgens beskryf as ʼn tegniek wat gebruik word om teen die ander te diskrimineer. Deur sorgvuldig gekose kunsprojekte wat besinning en samewerking aanmoedig, het die kunsklaskamer geviktimiseerde leerders tegemoetgekom en die kunsprosesse het betrokkenheid in die hand gewerk om visueel en/of verbaal uitdrukking te gee aan dít wat onuitgesproke of versteek is. Kunspraktyke het ʼn veilige ruimte vir gemarginaliseerde stemme gebied deur ʼn ontmoetingsplek vir twee teenstellende prosesse te skep: tussen streng veroordelings geassosieer met stereotipes aan die een kant en voortgesette, onbevooroordeelde betrokkenheid aan die ander kant. Die antikoloniale en postkoloniale perspektiewe wat bekendgestel is, het al die leerders gehelp om sosiale en institusionele ongeregtighede oop te vlek. Met dié doel word klem gelê op sosialegeregtigheid-onderwys met spesifieke verwysing na die rol wat kunspedagogieë kan speel as ʼn noodsaaklike middel tot multikulturele onderwys en verandering wat die diskriminerende hiërargiese strukture in skole kan afbreek ten einde meer gelyke geleenthede vir alle leerders te verseker.Doctora