SOCIAL SCIENCE WEEK 8 POST RESPONSE 2

WEEK 8 POST RESPONSE 2

Week 8 Discussion - Jasmine Miller

Jasmine Miller posted Oct 4, 2024 19:24

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For my research, I studied the topic of double consciousness in the context of South Africa, focusing on the enduring racial inequality and identity challenges that stem from the apartheid regime. The apartheid system, although officially ended in 1994, left a long-lasting impact on the social, economic, and political structures of the country, which continues to affect Black South Africans today. My research explores how individuals in post-apartheid South Africa navigate their racial identity while confronting the legacies of this oppressive system (Ruiz, Horowitz, & Tamir, 2020).

I applied W.E.B. Du Bois' concept of double consciousness to analyze the internal struggles that Black South Africans face. Du Bois' theory describes the internal conflict of marginalized individuals who must reconcile their self-perception with the dominant societal views that label them as "other" (Du Bois, 2018). In South Africa, Black South Africans experience this "twoness" as they balance their African identity with the lingering societal norms established by a white-dominated system. The theory helped frame the ongoing identity struggles within the broader context of historical and systemic racism in the country (Brannon, Markus, & Taylor, 2015).

The solution I examined in my study focuses on addressing both the psychological and structural dimensions of racial inequality. While Du Bois’ theory highlights the internal tension, I also explored how individuals and communities resist and reshape their identities to combat the lingering effects of apartheid. This involves societal efforts to decolonize education, address economic disparities, and foster a more inclusive national identity that celebrates African heritage while acknowledging the need for systemic reform (Yamashiro, 2013).

References

Brannon, T. N., Markus, H. R., & Taylor, V. J. (2015). “Two Souls, Two Thoughts,” Two Self-Schemas: Double Consciousness Can Have Positive Academic Consequences for African Americans.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(4), 586–609.  https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038992

Du Bois, W. E. B. (2018).  The souls of black folk: Essays and sketches. University of Massachusetts Press.  https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e025xna&AN=1842601&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Ruiz, N. G., Horowitz, J. M., & Tamir, C. (2020, July 1). Many Black and Asian Americans say they have experienced discrimination amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Pew Research Center.  https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/07/01/many-black-and-asian-americans-say-they-have-experienced-discrimination-amid-the-covid-19-outbreak/

Yamashiro, J. H. (2013). The Social Construction of Race and Minorities in Japan.  Sociology Compass, 7(2), 147–161.  https://doi-org.ezproxy.umgc.edu/10.1111/soc4.12013

WEEK 8 POST RESPONSE 2

Week 8 Discussion - Jasmine Miller

Jasmine Miller posted Oct 4, 2024 19:24

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For my research, I studied the topic of double consciousness in the context of South Africa, focusing on the enduring racial inequality and identity challenges that stem from the apartheid regime. The apartheid system, although officially ended in 1994, left a long-lasting impact on the social, economic, and political structures of the country, which continues to affect Black South Africans today. My research explores how individuals in post-apartheid South Africa navigate their racial identity while confronting the legacies of this oppressive system (Ruiz, Horowitz, & Tamir, 2020).

I applied W.E.B. Du Bois' concept of double consciousness to analyze the internal struggles that Black South Africans face. Du Bois' theory describes the internal conflict of marginalized individuals who must reconcile their self-perception with the dominant societal views that label them as "other" (Du Bois, 2018). In South Africa, Black South Africans experience this "twoness" as they balance their African identity with the lingering societal norms established by a white-dominated system. The theory helped frame the ongoing identity struggles within the broader context of historical and systemic racism in the country (Brannon, Markus, & Taylor, 2015).

The solution I examined in my study focuses on addressing both the psychological and structural dimensions of racial inequality. While Du Bois’ theory highlights the internal tension, I also explored how individuals and communities resist and reshape their identities to combat the lingering effects of apartheid. This involves societal efforts to decolonize education, address economic disparities, and foster a more inclusive national identity that celebrates African heritage while acknowledging the need for systemic reform (Yamashiro, 2013).

References

Brannon, T. N., Markus, H. R., & Taylor, V. J. (2015). “Two Souls, Two Thoughts,” Two Self-Schemas: Double Consciousness Can Have Positive Academic Consequences for African Americans.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(4), 586–609.  https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038992

Du Bois, W. E. B. (2018).  The souls of black folk: Essays and sketches. University of Massachusetts Press.  https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e025xna&AN=1842601&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Ruiz, N. G., Horowitz, J. M., & Tamir, C. (2020, July 1). Many Black and Asian Americans say they have experienced discrimination amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Pew Research Center.  https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/07/01/many-black-and-asian-americans-say-they-have-experienced-discrimination-amid-the-covid-19-outbreak/

Yamashiro, J. H. (2013). The Social Construction of Race and Minorities in Japan.  Sociology Compass, 7(2), 147–161.  https://doi-org.ezproxy.umgc.edu/10.1111/soc4.12013