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Racial Integration among Students at The University of Johannesburg
E. Binikos and P. Rugunanan
University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, Gauteng, South Africa E-mail: [email protected] , [email protected]
KEYWORDS Transformation. Higher Education Institutions. Gender. Religiosity.
ABSTRACT One of the objectives of restructuring the South African higher education sector following the transition to democracy was to address the racial imbalances within the sector. Since then, studies have examined the impact of transformation on individual universities and various aspects of the sector as a whole. However, less attention has been paid to how it affects integration among students within these institutions. As a ‘transformed’ higher education institution, and a place of socialisation for young adults, the University of Johannesburg is an appropriate place to explore to what extent racial integration is occurring in higher education. A survey was used to investigate to what extent students consider themselves to be racially integrated, and also to provide insight into their attitudes regarding racial integration. The findings show that racial integration is limited and occurs in less intimate situations, and, that there are also some contradictions between the attitudes and behaviour towards racial integration.
INTRODUCTION universities1’ (HWUs) and disadvantaged ‘his- torically black universities’ (HBUs). The merg- Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and ers were seen as a necessary compromise in the Transition to Democracy in South Africa moving towards an equitable and racially inte- grated system of education and a non-racial so- By the end of apartheid, South Africa’s his- ciety. It was aimed at correcting the structural torical system of racial oppression and discrim- inequalities, primarily those of race and class, at ination had left a legacy of a deeply entrenched a macro level of society. system of racially, ethnically and regionally di- Despite substantial resistance initially (Jan- vided Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) (CHE sen and Taylor 2003: 11; Kampsteeg 2008: 435; 2000). These institutions were characterised by Mouton et al. 2013), partly due to concerns of gross differences in teaching, student intake and state intervention within the sector, the merging outputs, curriculum, and access to funds and of institutions proceeded in the early 2000s. The other resources (NCHE 1996; CHE 2000). One of arrangement of 36 racially (and class) divided the immediate priorities after the transition to institutions (colleges, technikons, universities) democracy, was the overhauling of the educa- across the country, was reconfigured into 21 in- tion system in South Africa. This was, regarded stitutions (universities, comprehensive univer- by the post-democratic government, as a crucial sities and universities of technology) in order to step in bringing about social transformation not allow for greater integration of student bodies, only within the education system itself, but more reflective of the diversity of the South African broadly in South African society as a whole (De- society.Some institutionsremainedas they were partment of Education 1997). As part of the var- (typically, these were the major HWUs and also ious national initiatives that the restructuring of HBUs from the former ‘homelands2’), and oth- the Higher Education system would include, was ers were recreated into new comprehensive in- the merging of advantaged ‘historically white stitutions through the merging of HWUs, HBUs and technikons. Address for correspondence: For the most part, the student profiles of P. Rugunanan universities have indeed changed since the trans- Department of Sociology, formation. Although it appears at the outset that University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, the first democratically elected government may 2006, Gauteng, South Africa. have achieved structural and systemic changes Telephone: +27 11 559 4020 of the higher education sector, studies show that Fax: +27 11 559 3788 racial integration occurs mostly within the mid- 2 E. BINIKOS AND P. RUGUNANAN dle classes (Morrow 2008) and that racism is a creating an environment of unequal continued feature in the everyday lives of South transformation.Data released by Higher Educa- African university students, in new and subtle tion South Africa (HESA) showing the head- forms (Walker 2005a, b). Following from this, the count enrolments at HEI by race support this researchers explore to what extent we are able to view (UJ Annual Report 2011; Stumpf 2013; Nar- claim that racial integration, based on the princi- see 2014). The proportional representation of ples of non-racism, has occurred at onecompre- race by headcounts from 2000 to 2011, reflects a hensive university in South Africa. The research- steady increase of Black student enrolment ers examine what attitudes towards racial inte- across all institutions with a decline in numbers gration exist among students, and to what ex- for white students and almost no change in In- tent their behaviours reflect meaningful racial dian/Asian and Coloured student enrolments. integration. In the year 2000, 58% of the enrolments were This study looks at racial integration at one African. In 2006 it increased to 61% and in 2011 comprehensive university in South Africa, name- it further increased to 69% (Stumpf 2013). White ly the University of Johannesburg (UJ). As a student enrolments, which were at 30% in 2000, comprehensive Higher Educational Institution dropped to 25% in 2006, and 19% in 2011 (Stumpf (HEI), UJ was reconstituted as a result of the 2013). Indian/Asian and Coloured student en- merger between a former HWU, HBU and a Tech- rolments has remained more or less the same. In nikon. The merger brought about a culturally 2000, the enrolments of Indian/Asian and Co- diverse and multiracial student population, com- loured students was 7% and 5% respectively, in prising in 2011 of approximately 50527 students 2006 it was 7% and 7%, and in 2011, 6% and 6% (UJ Annual Report 2011). In order to understand respectively (Stumpf 2013). to what extent racial integration/redress has oc- Secondly, and related to the first point, since curred at this comprehensive institution, this the transformation of the higher education sec- study explored the attitudes towards racial inte- tor, the institutional landscape of education in gration and behaviours indicating the extent to South Africa has settled into new patterns of which students believe themselves to be inte- race and class relations, rather than the eradica- grated. tion of such. The intention of the sector’s re- structuring was to create an environment in Race, Racism and Racial Integration at Uni- which universities may become institutions of versities in South Africa non-racism and non-discrimination on the grounds of class, gender or disability. They were Since the transformation of Higher Educa- intended to be important vehicles of socialisa- tion Institutions, numerous studies have been tion for South Africa’s future leaders in this re- conducted to observe and reflect on ‘race’, rac- spect. However, the picture that has emerged, is ism, diversity and racial integration among stu- that overall, apartheid’s race and class cleavag- dents on university campuses in South Africa es between (and within) institutions continue to (among the many studies conducted are Jansen exist, but the lineaments are more complex than and Taylor 2003; Schrieff et al. 2005; Walker 2005 before. This is clearly portrayed in Morrow’s a, b; Erasmus 2006; Robus and Macleod 2006; (2008) chapter on race, redress and historically Moguerane 2007; Cross and Johnson 2008; Sou- Black institutions in South Africa following the dien 2008; Sharp and Vally 2009; Alexander and transformation of the sector. Morrow argues that Tredoux 2010; Pattman 2010; Cakal et al. 2011 the former HWU campuses have not only be- may be cited). From these studies, the research- come multiracial but also middle class (2008: 264) ers identify three important problems that exist whereas, the former HBUs have remained over- in universities today. Firstly, while the former whelmingly Black with student bodies that come HWUs and merged and comprehensive univer- from the poorest and least privileged sections sities have become multiracial, the former HBUs of the Black population (2008: 266). Merged and have remained predominantly Black (Morrow comprehensive institutions (consisting of former 2008: 266) and at the same time, it appears that HWUs and HBUs) are more complex as their the former Afrikaner HWUs have retained (if not composition has resulted in the racial and so- increased) White student enrolments. Racial in- cio-economic inequalities embedded within the tegration appears to have become asymmetrical institutions themselves (Morrow 2008: 267) - al- ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF STUDENTS 3 though this is not to say that other universities sons why opportunities for racial interaction are free of the same internal challenges in deal- have been limited, is because residential areas ing with integration. Morrow (2008: 284) argues and schools, still remain largely segregated along that: racial lines reminiscent of the apartheid road- “in class terms the intake [of students at map (Seekings 2008: 8). It is claimed that “Most Black universities] has for the most part moved African children attend schools in townships or down the social scale, with the Black middle rural areas where all of the others are also Afri- class now, as in the school sector, moving to the can. It is only a small and fortunate minority that ex-White institutions leaving the HDIs [histor- is able to get access to better schools found in ically disadvantaged institutions] populated formerly Coloured and, especially, formerly with students from poorer and less advantaged White areas” (Seekings 2008: 15). It appears that backgrounds”. few South African children attend multiracial Morrow (2008: 266) also asserts: schools or mature in environments in which con- “those [students] who lose out, relatively tact with other race groups is frequent or com- speaking in higher education tend to be those monplace (Seekings 2008: 15). Despite twenty who go to the still existing Black universities, years of democracy, class discrepancies still pre- desegregated in theory, but in fact catering to vail in urban townships and rural areas. In the the poorer or less qualified Black students. case where universities campuses are located in Those [students who are] benefitting most are townships which today are still inhabited by those, Black and White, who with good educa- mostly disadvantaged Black people, students tional backgrounds and some financial resourc- remain in predominantly desegregated environ- es, are in a position to take advantage of the ments – unless they are able to afford fees at best higher education available”. multiracial campuses in cities where a diversity The conclusion one draws is that racial inte- of middle class students would be found. It gration within the transformed higher education would not be inconceivable therefore for uni- sector appears to be taking place within the mid- versity students to arrive at university and be dle classes, irrespective of colour, and in the faced with the first ever fully multiracial envi- former White universities. The former Black ronment. Racial integration at university is limit- universities, although “desegregated in theo- ed again by class (Bhana 2014) with the poorer ry”, remain segregated and disadvantaged. How- segments of the Black population having had ever, less is known of the merged and compre- few experiences of racial integration. This re- hensive universities and it is worth exploring lates to the third problem encountered at post- how these institutions fit into this scenario. The transformed universities in South Africa. Trans- situation described by Morrow (2008) paints a formation appears to have occurred without the worrying picture of how macro-level restructur- deconstruction of ‘race’, which allows for not ing towards the goal of racial integration has only the reproduction of somewhat mutated race had the unintended consequence of reproduc- class divisions and limited racial integration, but ing racialised class inequalities in education and also the reproduction of new forms of racism. has been limited to certain classes3. Interesting- Racism at universities in South Africa, ly, this is not unlike patterns of racial integration was thrown into the public consciousness in within the broader the South African society. 2007 when 4 White male students at the Reitz The overall sentiment from general research Residence of the University of Free State (UFS) of race, racism and racial integration is that “seg- produced a videoin which Black female (and regation continues to dominate the urban land- one male) middle aged cleaners were subjected scape” (Durrheim and Dixon 2010: 274) along to various forms of degradation. The video dem- lines of race and class. Generally it is found that onstrated acts of White supremacy (Lewins middle class South Africans display more inte- 2010: 127; Naidoo 2010: 121), direct and indirect gration in their neighbourhoods and schools forms of discrimination and inequalities based than lower class South Africans (Seekings 2008). on race, class and gender (Lewins 2010: 127). Opportunities for racial interaction are therefore The video was created as part of the Reitzresi- limited among the impoverished who remain dence initiation ceremony, in protest to the uni- marginalised and in racially homogenous areas versity’s action to racially integrate White resi- (Durrheim and Dixon 2010: 274). One of the rea- dences (Soudien Report 2008: 23). As a result of 4 E. BINIKOS AND P. RUGUNANAN this video and incident that sparked outrage ing on the implications of Mogeurane’s (2007) through-out South Africa and beyond, the Min- study,others point out that UP’s handling of istry of Education commissioned an investiga- transformation at residences at the university tion into discrimination in higher education which have had the unfortunate outcome of the height- also included an enquiry into ‘the nature and ening racial identity in social interactions among extent of racism and racial discrimination in pub- students (Sharp and Vally 2009: 3), as well as lic higher education, and in particular university apartheid-like class divisions between Black and residences (Soudien Report 2008: 8). This in- White students. Sharp and Vally (2009: 6) point vestigation was also motivated by a number of out that the discourse of ‘culture’ is not only a other concerns related to university transforma- euphemism for ‘race’, but for class as well. tion in South Africa, including concern over the These views perhaps best explain a more re- slow pace of transformation at universities cent incident of alleged racism at the UP cam- (Lewins 2010: 127). It was deemed a necessary pus. In August 2014, two White female students inquiry despite the various structural initiatives posted pictures of themselves on social that had already taken place (such as the merg- media,dressed up as Black domestic workers ers of historically disadvantaged and advan- replete with skirts, headgear, with their bodies taged institutions) and that were ongoing (such painted in brown paint with added padding to as admission criteria, fee structures, employment their bottoms. The university immediately took equity, curriculum design). The report conclud- disciplinary steps against the students for bring- ed that ‘discrimination in particular with regard ing the university into disrepute. However, the to racism and sexism, is pervasive in our institu- ongoing incidents of racist behaviour at univer- tions’ (Soudien 2008: 13), and that problems with sities are a major cause for concern. The Soudi- integration were arising in various forms within en Report (2008: 83) details an incident at UJ, residences at universities (Soudien 2008: 83-99). and in 2014 at least two more incidents were As Pattman (2010: 953) argues, had it not been reported at the UP and one at the UFS. In re- for the incident at UFS, there would have been sponse to the racist attacks against Black stu- no investigation into racism (and sexism) at uni- dents at South African universities, the South versities and neither would the issue have had African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) such a presence in the public domain. proclaimed its concern about the lack of trans- The UFS incident has sparked a flurry of formation at South African universities twenty concern over racism at universitiesresulting in a years into democracy, and was even more per- number of studies (Moguerane 2007; Sharp and turbed about the increase in racist attacks, par- Vally 2009). These studies show that although ticularly against Black students (Narsee 2014). structural transformation may have occurred, If racism among students is a persistent various manifestations of institutional and per- issue among students at university, then it is sonal racism continue within the higher educa- likely that they are not well integrated.A number tion sector in South Africa (Moguerane 2007). of studies have explored the extent of intergroup For example, in a study conducted at a former contact and racial segregationamong students Afrikaans HWI, the University of Pretoria (UP), in informal settings at universities by observing the university handled transformation at the res- their behaviour on campuses and in informal idence by allocating rooms according to ‘cul- settings such as dining halls (Schrieff et al.2005; ture’ based on their group differences. This ‘strat- Cross and Johnson 2008; Alexander and Tre- egy’ served to maintain segregation between doux 2010). These studies show that there is students in the residences by keeping different little racial integration among students and that cultures from sharing intimate spaces and privi- ‘people of different races tend to cluster togeth- leging White students over Black students by er in homogenous groups in the so-called inte- allocating them better accommodation (Sharp grated places’ (Dixon et al. 2008 cited in Dur- and Vally 2009: 5). Moguerane (2007: 59) the au- rheim and Dixon 2010: 275). These studies show thor of the study argues, “that it is through the that segregation on campuses is spatially con- use of a discourse of ‘culture’ that…ongoing figured according to race groups. racism and racial ordering are legitimised and These are but a few of the many studies that sustained…that the discourse around ‘cultural make a tremendous contribution to understand- differences’ is a ‘silencing of race’”. Comment- ing race, racism and racial integration in the high- ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF STUDENTS 5 er education sector in post-apartheid South Af- tudes and divisions unchallenged, rendering the rica. They open further avenues for research of envisaged outcome of transformation of a non- racial integration at universities in post-apart- racist society redundant. As the studies show, heid South Africa. It is argued that “South Afri- racism is left unchecked and intact and there- cans continue to see themselves in the racial fore efforts at transformation make no or little categories of the apartheid era, in part because impact on the already formed identities of stu- these categories have become the basis for post- dents. This makes the goal of non-racialism very apartheid ‘redress’ and in part because they re- difficult to achieve. tain cultural meaning in everyday life” (Seek- The definition that we adopt in this paper ings 2008: 1). Students enter universities with therefore reflects a broader conceptualisation racial identities shaped by their environments of integration - thatwhich goes beyond the dem- and are likely to act in accordance with their onstration of the representativity of ‘race’ groups beliefs, especially if they go unchallenged. How- in student bodies. We make use of a definition ever, in South Africa today, people are less likely of integration offered by Gouws (2008), Mogu- to express racist attitudes or behave in overtly erane (2007) and Pattman (2010), that integra- racist ways and therefore new and subtle forms tion must be more than the co-existence with of racism (Walker 2005 a, b;Durrheim et al. 2011) others, but also the voluntary mingling between and racial segregation emergedespite whatever race groups (Gouws 2008), the”engagement and broader transformation may have occurred. friendship between students of different ‘rac- ‘Whiteness’ too remains present as a hegemon- es’” (Pattman 2010: 954) and the “sharing of in- ic structure (Steyn 2001; Vice 2010), operating timate spaces, such as bathrooms and kitchens silently and invisibly, maintaining barriers to ra- in residential places” (Moguerane 2007: 43). Fol- cial integration. Even though institutional lowing this definition, we also suggest that inte- change may have occurred within the higher gration should extend further than social con- education sector, institutional cultures may still tact and friendships, and include dating and require attention in fostering equity and interac- marriage. Integration should also encompass tion especially in former White universities. In- positive attitudes. Without positive attitudes, stitutional restructuring on its own may not nec- integration is less likely to occur in any mean- essarily be accompanied by a culture of support ingful way. for transformation so that “making a former This paper explores attitudes towards racial White South African university function in a integration among students at a comprehensive way that is not racist is not easy and cannot be university made up of the merger between a achieved solely through putting in place appro- former White and a former Black university and priate policies and procedures… in post-segre- a technikon. It also explores the behaviours of gationist settings (that is, places where there students with regard to racial integration in or- was official segregation, but that has now been der to ascertain to what extent there is integra- removed), racism often operates in subtle ways” tion between attitudes and behaviours. The at- (Matthews 2013). Is it enough therefore to state tention in this paper is directed at what is occur- that racial integration is achieved by accepting ring at an interpersonal level among students. revised student profiles without investigating Transformation is an ongoing process and it the attitudes and behaviours of students to- appears that there is still much work to be done. wards racial integration? While many studies on racism and racial inte- It is against this backdrop of institutional gration have been conducted at different uni- transformation that our study of racial integra- versities in South Africa (discussed above), a tion within the higher education sector in South study is still to be done at the University of Africa is conducted. In our view, integration is Johannesburg. In response to the UFS incident, more than macro restructuring which rearranges Gouws called for more analyses “of the limited the public face of higher education. Racial inte- nature of integration at historically Afrikaans gration should include micro restructuring of universities, but also the meaning of integra- attitudes and behaviours in order to achieve true tion” (2008: 1).Since UJ includes one former Af- transformation on the grounds of non-racism. rikaans university, ahistorically Black universi- Transformation, without addressing the mean- ty, and a technikon geared more towards White ing of race and racism leavescurrent racial atti- students, this study addresses a gap and pro- 6 E. BINIKOS AND P. RUGUNANAN vides important insights into understanding the ‘diverse’ student body isvisible at UJ - one that relationship between racial integration, context was not evident at anyof the former, racially- and higher education institutions in working segregated institutions that now constitute towards a democratic society. UJ.At the same time, although UJ may be said to have a diverse student composition, most of the UJ, Transformation and Racial Integration students today in terms of enrolments are Black (UJ Annual Report 2011: 12).In terms of context, UJ is the ‘product’ of an institutional merger all of the abovementioned dynamics are inter- (between the former Rand Afrikaans University esting for understanding the minority-majority (RAU), Vista University and the Technikon Wit- group relations. UJ provides an interesting case watersrand). RAU was an Afrikaans university study, therefore, for racial integration among stu- which today is referred to as a historically White dents. As a microcosm of the broader South Af- university (HWU). It was located in a former rican society, UJ is ideally placed for a study White, urban suburb in Johannesburg namely related to racial integration. Auckland Park, and it was predominantly aimed It is also relevant to consider that UJ may be at upskilling the Afrikaner working class. Vista the first opportunity for students of different University was created as a university catering racial backgrounds to mix socially and romanti- to the needs of specifically urban Black stu- cally. As already mentioned, many neighbour- dents, and would today be referred to as a his- hoods, and consequently schools in South Af- torically Black university (HBU). Vista Univer- rica are still not desegregated or as desegregat- sity consisted of a number of campuses,mainly ed as one would have hoped. Students may have in townshipsclose to large cities such as Johan- attended schools in which many race groups nesburg and Pretoria, and each campus was in- are present, but it is still possible today (given corporated into specific institutions in the re- the location of the campuses) that some stu- gion where they were located during the restruc- dents come from an environmentin which there turing of HEIs during 2003-2005. The Sowetoand is very little meaningful and ongoing contact East Rand campuses of Vista University were with members of other race groups. Entering paired up with RAU. The Technikon Witwa- university may present a number of possibilities tersrandwas a vocational Higher Education In- for interaction that students may not have had stitution catering to the needs of White, English- before, including opportunities for romantic re- speaking middle class students and consisted lationships. While we are long past the days in of 2 campuses in different parts of the city. By which romantic relationships across racial lines 2005, UJ had emerged as a new and comprehen- are prohibited, it is still of significance to exam- sive Higher Education Institution with four cam- ine what students believe is acceptable today in puses located in three different parts of the Jo- terms socialising, dating and marriage as it re- hannesburg metropolis: the KingswayCampus veals attitudes to racism and racial integration. in Auckland Park (the main campus), the Bunting Differences in attitudes between males and fe- Road Campus also in Auckland Park, the Doorn- males are of particular interest to this study. UJ fontein Campus in Johannesburg, and the new- is also a religiously diverse place of higher ly expanded Soweto Campus in the Soweto town- learning,which also provides an opportunity to ship. The East Rand Campus was closed down see to what extent the level of religiosity and in 2006 and students were transferred from the racial integration is correlated. East Rand to the main Kingsway Campus. Each campus is ‘connected’ to a former historical in- Religiosity, Racial Prejudice and Integration stitution with a racialised and spatially segre- gated history. What seems to be absent in South African Today, in post-apartheid South Africa, each sociological studies of racial integration, is campus has a different racial composition to that whether religiosity impacts on results. In order of its past.The student composition that has to understand the relationship between religi- emerged at UJ is as a result of the consolidation osity and racial integration, we turn to social of the different campuseswith a student body psychological studies on racial prejudice (as comprising of many different nationalities, race, opposed to racial integration) as more has been ethnic, class,and religious backgrounds. A new, written on the topic in relation to religiosity. ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF STUDENTS 7
Studies have shown that the association Among students at UJ, attitudes towards between religion and racial prejudice have not racial integration are independent of race, gen- produced consistent findings. Some studies der and level of religiosity. have shown that religion exacerbates racial prej- udice by creating in-group versus out-group METHODOLOGY dynamics (Smith et al. 2007: 264), while other studies have shown that religion overrides ra- During 2011, a large survey was undertaken cial prejudice by uniting individuals together by the Department of Sociology on all of the within a common framework (Smith et al. 2007). University of Johannesburg campuses, the fo- At the same time, studies also shown that reli- cus of which was “Student Communities”. A gious people tend to prefer other religious peo- detailed quantitative questionnaire was devel- ple rather than non-believers, and that non-be- oped to obtain demographic information about lievers tend to show prejudice towards the reli- both undergraduate and postgraduate students gious (Smith et al. 2007). However, the nature of studying at UJ. The questionnaire focused on a an individual’s religiousness is important in ex- number of pertinent issues directly related to plaining that result. Furthermore, in considering students’ views and attitudes on issues relating the relationship between religion and racial prej- to UJ and their lives, such as issues on racial udice, it must be remembered that both are di- integration, religiosity, gender, sex, sexuality and rectly and indirectly influenced by a number of politics, among others. The focus of this paper other variables such as education, socio-eco- is on racial integration and attitudes towards nomic conditions, culture, social values, nation- racial integration against race, gender and level alism, ethnic identity (Smith et al. 2007: 264), his- of religious practice among undergraduate stu- torical circumstances and political ideology. dents. The interviews were conducted during Therefore, the relationship between both reli- October and November of 2011 and only under- gion and racial prejudice is not straightforward. graduate students were surveyed across all four When these variables interface with religion and of the UJ campuses. The participants completed race, both separately and together, the outcome the questionnaire in personal interviews with a may be either a positive or negative association researcher. between religion and racial prejudice (Smith et Stratified random sampling was used to iden- al. 2007). Ultimately, these studies highlight that tify respondents. The variables that were includ- the association between religion and racial prej- ed in the sampling frame included campus, fac- udice is complex, context-specific and depen- ulty, gender, race and year of study.The types of dent on the nature of the religiousness that has questions asked to assess attitudes and behav- been examined (Smith et al. 2007). iours regarding racial integration included “To This paper explores to what extent students what extent do you socialise with people from at UJ report to be racially integrated and have another racial group?”, “To what extent do you favourable attitudes towards racial integration. have friends who are members of a different ra- Gender, race and levels of religiosity are vari- cial group?”,”To what extent do you feel com- ables against which racial integration, and atti- fortable about attending lectures / participating tudes to racial integration, are tested. Apart from in a study group / sharing accommodation but the abovementioned contextual, historical, reli- not the same room / sharing a room / being gious and political factors, as a place of sociali- friends with / and dating somebody of a differ- sation for young adults, UJ is an appropriate ent race group?”. Other attitudinal questions place to test to what extent racial integration is included “It is okay for people from different occurring.It has been more than nine years since racial groups to attend social functions (parties, the merger, andit would be interesting to explore weddings, funerals etc.) together”, “It is okay to what interactions we find between different stu- associate mostly with your own race group at a dent groups at UJ, and whether there is any dif- mixed social function”, “It is okay for people ference between their behaviour and fromdifferent racialgroups to dateeach other”, attitudes.The hypotheses were: and “People should be free to marry whoever Among students at UJ, racial integration is they want to marry regardless of their race”. independent of race, gender and level of religi- Initially the survey sought to interview 2 600 osity. students on all of the UJ campuses, due to a 8 E. BINIKOS AND P. RUGUNANAN number of constraints, such as examinations tak- and 4.2% of the students stated they were Mus- ing place, data collection was deemed sample lim. The remaining 6.5% of the student body sufficient once 1214 students had been inter- affiliated with Judaism (1%), Hinduism (2.3%), viewed. While the majority of undergraduate Traditional African (2%), and Other (1.2%). students were interviewed at the Auckland Park While religious affiliation does not mean level Campus (590), significant samples were achieved of religiosity of a person, the fact that93.9% re- at the Bunting Road Campus (255), the Doorn- ported some form of religious affiliation, is worth fontein Campus (215) and 154 students at the exploring further. Soweto Campus. These samples are considered From the 1140 students who affiliated them- representative of the student population regis- selves with a religion,68.0% consideredthem- tered in 2011, in terms of race and gender and selvesto be a religious person, 20.0% remained across the different campuses. The majority of neutral and 12.0%did not consider themselves the students in the sample were of South Afri- to be a religious person. More female students can origin (92.8%), while 5.1% came from other appeared to consider themselves to be religious SADC countries, 1.9% from the rest of Africa than male students. Among females, 74.9% con- and only 0.3% came from outside Africa. sidered themselves to be religious, 17.5% re- The sample consisted of 53.1% female and mained neutral and only 7.7% considered them- 46.9% male respondents. Black students made selves to not be religious. Among male students, up 80.2 % of the sample, 12.2% were Whites, 60.1% considered themselves to be religious, 5.5% were Indian/Asian and Coloured students 22.8% remained neutral and 17.1% stated they accounted or 2.1%. The socio-economic back- were not religious. grounds ofthe students were largely working However, when looking at student respons- class. In response to a question asking whether es with regard to their religious practices it was they had enough money to cover their basic noted that 50.1% said that they participate in needs, 14% said ‘‘never/rarely’’, 52% said ‘‘some- religious activities with others, and 57.9% said times/usually” and a minority (34%) said ‘‘al- that they practiced religious activities privately.A ways”. This finding is consistent with Morrow’s small percentage (18.6%) belonged to a religious (2008) argument that historically Black institu- student association / society at UJ. However it tions have remained Black and consist of stu- is not known how many belong to religious as- dents from lower economic categories – al- sociations / societies outside of UJ. Being reli- though UJ is a merger of a HWU and HBU. gious is subjective and needs to be understood Of the neighbourhoods that students come further, as the results indicate that there is a gap from, 60.3% came from mainly Black suburbs, in perception and activity around level of religi- 14.0% came from mainly White suburbs, 4.0% osity. However, the level of religiosity in this from Indian/Asian, and 2.1% from mainly Co- paper was accepted as whether the students loured suburbs. 18.7% claim to be from mixed defined themselves to be a religious person or suburbs. This shows that the majority of stu- not. dents (80.4%) come from predominantly racially Data analysis was carried out using STATA homogenous and segregated neighbourhoods. (version 11) as a statistical programme.Chi2 tests Students were surveyed across all nine fac- were used. The dependent variables were Lik- ulties at UJ. 24% of the students surveyed were ert-type questions and the independent vari- from the Faculty of Management; 20.2% from ables were race, genderand religiosity. the Faculty of Economic and Financial Scienc- es; the Faculty of Engineering and Built Envi- RESULTS ronment accounted for 17.5% of the sample, while Humanities 13.7%; Education (5.5%); Science Students mostly felt that “Racism is a big (5.5%) and Arts, Design and Architecture, Health problem in South Africa”. 64.5% agreed to vary- Sciences, and Law made up 5.4%, 4.9% and 3.4% ing extents with this statement, 28.6% remained of the sample respectively. neutral and 8.7% disagreed. Regarding racism It is interesting to note that 100% of the sam- on campus, 48.1% of the students “Strongly ple reported on religious affiliation. Of this, 83.2% agree” / “Agree” with the statement that good described themselves as Christian, 6.1% of the race relations exist on campus. 34.8% of the stu- students said they had no religious affiliation, dents remained neutral and 17.1% “Strongly Dis- ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF STUDENTS 9 agree” / “Disagree” with the statement. On the 85.1% of the students have friends from differ- issue of racism, Table 1 indicates that students ent racial group to some extent, and 14.9% of felt that racism is a bigger problem in South Af- the students reported here that they do not rica than it is at UJ. However, less than half of have friends of a different racial group. At the the students (48.1%) agreed that race relations outset, it appears from these two statements were good, indicating that there are perceptions that most students are racially integrated in that an improvement in race relations is required terms of social activities and friendships.While at UJ. the majority of the students socialise and have friends with people from different racial groups, Student activities indicating racial integration it can be seen that more students socialise with, rather than become friends with people from a A total of 1207 students answered the ques- different race group. However, the survey does tion “To what extent do you socialise with peo- not interrogate what kinds of socialising stu- ple from another racial group?”. Student re- dents do together, nor the nature of their friend- sponses show that the majority of the students (97.9%) socialised with people from another race ships, and therefore there could be variances to some extent. Only 2.1% of the students said in meaning. that “to no extent” do they socialise with people In both responses, there was no difference from another racial group (Fig. 1) . between male and female students, and whether Following this, students were asked “To or not the students are religious. Race did how- what extent do you have friends who are mem- ever provide some variations in the results. The bers of a different racial group?” All 1214 stu- racial spread in the results of “To a large / very dents in the survey answered the question. large extent”is evident in Table 2.
Fig. 1. Student responses towards socialising and being friends according to race
Table 1: Comparison of responses to racism and race relations in South Africa and UJ
Strongly agree / Neutral Strongly disagree / Total Agree Disagree
Racism is a big problem in South Africa 64.5% (779) 28.6% (345) 8.7% (105) 100% (1207) Good race relations exist on campus 48.1% (582) 34.8% (422) 17.1% (207) 100% (1211) 10 E. BINIKOS AND P. RUGUNANAN
Table 2: Comparison of socialising and friends with another racial group
To a large / very large extent Black White Indian/Asian Coloured Socialise with people from another racial group 48.6% 54.7% 85.1% 80.8% Friends with people from another racial group 36.5% 49.3% 82.1% 80.8%
With regard to socialising with people from sults in each case were slim- 1.7% and 3.5% re- another racial group, Table 2 shows that 85.1% spectively). These two activities have less of the Indian/Asian students reported that they choice and are more impersonal. Lectures at UJ are comfortable “To a large extent”/ “to a very tend to be made up of very large classes at un- large extent” with doing so. This is 80.8% among dergraduate level and are therefore the most im- Coloured students, 54.7% among White stu- personal activity in the range presented. The dents, and 48.6% among Black students. It extent to which ‘participating in a study group’ should however be noted that the number of is personal, depends on the size of the class, the Coloured students surveyed was 26 and the nature of the study group task, and the duration number of Indian/Asian students included in over which the group is formed. Race, gender this survey was 67. and level of religiosity did not alter the results Similarly, 82.1% of the Indian/Asian students here in anyway. In contrast, it is interesting to and 80.8% of the Coloured students reported to note how the results change once more intimate be comfortable “To a large extent”/”to a very activities are engaged with. large extent” with being friends with somebody From the bar graph (Fig. 2), it is evident that from a different race. This was 49.3% among more intimate activities, and those that offer White students and 36.5% among the Black stu- greater exercise of choice, alter the results. This dents. result refers to when students are presented with The results show that the smallest minority a scenario such as sharing accommodation but groups (Indian/Asian and Coloured students) not the same room, sharing a room and dating displayed the most positive responses on this members of other race groups. Out of these three issue, followed by White students. Black stu- activities, students are mostcomfortable with dents indicated the least positive responses on sharing accommodation but not the same room both issues. (61% “To a very large” / “To a large extent”). Students were also asked a set of questions Interestingly, students feel more comfortable relating to situations at university in which they dating someone of another race group (49% “To would be integrating with others. The activities a very large” / “To a large extent”) than sharing range from those in which students have no a room (36% “To a very large / large extent”). choice but to be integrated (for example, attend This does not seem to make sense. Perhaps stu- lectures together), have some choice over their dents feel they need to portray themselves as integration (for example, participate in a study more comfortable with dating than they really group together), to scenarios where they may are and in all likelihood want to be seen to be have complete choice over their actions (for ex- ‘politically correct’ in their answers. ample, share a room, share accommodation but Race and religiosity influence the results of not the same room, being friends and dating). the more intimate activities mentioned. The re- This range also moves from less intimate (imper- sults indicate that sharing accommodation (be it sonal) to more intimate (personal) activities. The a room or not) and dating are dependent on race. range of activities across choice and intimacy Comfort levels also seem to depend on the provides a greater depth to what extent students level of religiosity, as the results in Table 3 dis- are prepared to integrate. play that those who are not religious have high- The majority of the students are comfortable er levels of comfort than those who are neutral with attending a lecture(84.4% to a very large / or religious when it comes to sharing accommo- large extent) and participating in a study group dation (be it a room or not). The extent to which (72.3% “To a very large” / “To a large extent”) students consider themselves to be religious with other race groups (the “To no extent” re- appears to have some influence on the extent to ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF STUDENTS 11
Fig. 2. Student responses towards various activities in which integration may occur.
Table 3: Comparison of responses towards sharing accommodation but not the same room’, ‘Sharing a room’ and ‘Dating’ by race
Sharing acco- Sharing the same Dating mmodation but room not the same room
To a large / very large extent Black 63.3% 39.7% 56.4% Coloured 57.7% 42.3% 42.3% Indian / Asian 47.8% 19.4% 16.4% White 51.4% 21.1% 15.4% which students are comfortable with sharing dents who remained neutral with regard to them accommodation but not a room with somebody being religious. from a different racial group. 72.6% of the peo- The extent to which students consider them- ple who do not consider themselves to be reli- selves to be religious does not influence to what gious, report that they are comfortable with shar- extent they are comfortable with dating some- ing accommodation”To a large extent”/”To a body from a different race group. Dating is not very large extent”. For studentswho are neutral affected by the level of religiosity. with regard to religion, this is 54.8% and for peo- Gender makes no difference tosharing accom- ple who consider themselves to be religious this modation (be it a room or not). Gender does how- is 60.5%. ever make a difference to dating. Male and fe- Similarly, as to the statement ‘sharing accom- male students differ in terms of being comfort- modation but not a room’, students who do not able with dating someone from a different racial consider themselves to be religious are more group (p=0.009). The data suggests that male comfortable with sharing a room than other stu- students are more comfortable than female stu- dents. 50% of the students who do not consider dents in terms of dating someone from a differ- themselves to be religious were comfortable “To ent racial group. 53.3% of the male students re- a large extent”/”To a very large extent” with shar- ported that they are comfortable “To a large ex- ing a room with someone from a different race. tent” / “To a very large extent” with dating some- This was 35.6% amongst students who consid- body from a different race group, whereas this is er themselves religious and 30.3% of the stu- 45.1% among the female students. A further 12 E. BINIKOS AND P. RUGUNANAN
21.6% of the female students reported that they okay for people from different racial groups to were “To no extent” comfortable with dating attend social functions (parties, weddings, fu- somebody from a different racial group, this was nerals, etc.) together”, “It is okay to be associat- 16.2% among the male students. ed mostly with your own racial group at a mixed Finally, a comparison of “To what extent do social function”, “It is okay for people from dif- you have friends who are members of a different ferent racial groups to date each other”, and racial group?” and “To what extent do you feel “People should be free to marry whoever they comfortable with “Being friends” with somebody want to marry regardless of their race”.The former of a different race” (Fig. 3), revealed that while two statements were analysed as “socialising” students are mostly comfortable with having and the latter two statements as “intimate rela- friends with members of another race group tions”. (80%), their behaviour shows that they do this less (42%). The “To no extent” category is equal- Socialising at Events ly revealing of this difference in attitude and behaviour. 3% said that they were “to no ex- tent” comfortable with having friends from a dif- The results for racial integration at social ferent race group, while 15% said that they “to events is shown in Table 4. The majority of the no extent” agreed with the statement that they students, 90.4%, agree / strongly agree that it is have friends who are members from a different okay for people from different racial groups to race group. This indicates that people who do attend social functions together, while 3.3% dis- not object to having friends from a different ra- agreed or strongly disagreed. However, only cial group, do not necessarily actually have 38.7% agreed / strongly agree that it is okay to friends from a different racial group. Race, gen- associate mostly with your own racial group at a der and level of religiosity do not appear to alter mixed social function, and 35.1% disagreed / these results. strongly disagreed. At the same time, 35.1% of the students do not agree that it is okay for peo- Attitudes towards Racial Integration ple to mostly associate with their own racial group, and 26.2% remained neutral on the mat- A number of statements were used to test ter. This indicates that while students agree that the attitudes towards racial integration: “It is mixed social events are okay, they are hesitant
Fig. 3. Differences between “feeling comfortable with” and “having friends” with people of other racial groups. ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF STUDENTS 13
Table 4: Comparison of attitudes to racial integration
Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Total disagree N(n) N(n) N(n) agree N(n) N(n) N(n)
It is okay for people 1.2% (14) 2.1% (25) 6.4% (77) 30.1% (365) 60.3% (731) 100% (1212) of different racial groups to attend social functions It is okay to be 14% (169) 21.1% (255) 26.2% (317) 21.6% (261) 17.1% (207) 100% (1209) associated mostly with your own race group at mixed social functions to have a strong opinion about whether or not dents are statistically different from each other one can actually mix at these events and raises (p=0.000). the possibility that students may still feel more The second statement posed to the respon- comfortable to mix among their own race group dents (with regard to socialising) was “It is okay at a mixed event.It would be worthwhile under- to associate mostly with your own racial group standing what students believe ‘socialising’ with at a mixed social function”. The responses to other race groups means in real terms. this statement are presented in Table 6 and show The level of religiosity did not impact on the that 34.5% of White students “Strongly Agree” results, but race did. with this statement, while 16.4% of Indian/Asian Regarding attitudes towards different racial students, 14.7% of Black students, and 11.5% groups attending social functions together (Ta- of Coloured students strongly agree. Among the ble 5), 94% of the Indian/Asian students White students, 67.6% agreed to some degree “Agree”/”Strongly Agree” with the statement with the statement, but this was 34.8% among that it is okay to associate mostly with your own Black students.However, for the statement: “It race group at a social function. This was 90.6% is okay to associate mostly with your own racial among Black students, 88.5% among White stu- group at a mixed social function male and female dents, and 84.6% among Coloured students. students have the same views on this statement. With regard to gender (not in Table), female students (66.2%) “Strongly Agree” with the The responses for Black and White students statement “It is okay for people from different are statistically different from each other racial groups to attend social functions (parties, (p=0.000). weddings, funerals, etc) together’, compared to In both cases, race influenced views on so- 53.7% of the male students. 93.3% of the female cialising at mixed events. Students were more students “Agree” / “Strongly agree” with the assured about socialising at a mixed event, rath- statement compared to 87.2% of the male stu- er than socialising outside of their own group at dents. The responses of male and female stu- a mixed event.
Table 5: Attitudes towards different racial groups attending social functions together
It is okay for people Race of different racial groups to attend Black White Indian/Asian Coloured Total social functions together
Strongly disagree 1.3% (13) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 3.8% (1) 1.2% (14) Disagree 2.2% (21) 1.4% (2) 1.5% (1) 3.8% (1) 2.1% (25) Neutral 5.9% (57) 10.1% (15) 4.5% (3) 7.7% (2) 6.4% (77) Agree 30.8% (299) 27.7% (41) 23.9% (16) 34.6% (9) 30.1% (365) Strongly agree 59.8% (581) 60.8% (90) 70.1% (47) 50.0% (13) 60.3% (731) 100.0% (971) 100.0% (148) 100.0% (67) 100.0% (26.0) 100.0% (1212) 14 E. BINIKOS AND P. RUGUNANAN
Table 6: Attitudes towards associating mostly with your own race group at mixed social functions
It is okay to Race associate mostly with your own Black White Indian/Asian Coloured Total race group at mixed social functions
Strongly disagree 15.8% (153) 2.0% (3) 16.4% (11) 7.7% (2) 14.0% (169) Disagree 22.9% (222) 4.7% (7) 28.4% (19) 226.9% (7) 21.1% (255) Neutral 26.4% (256) 25.7% (38) 22.4% (15) 30.8% (8) 26.2% (317) Agree 20.1% (195) 33.1% (49) 16.4% (11) 23.1% (6) 21.6% (261) Strongly agree 14.7% (142) 34.5% (51) 16.4% (11) 11.5% (3) 17.1% (207) 100.0% (968) 100.0% (148) 100.0% (67) 100.0 (26) 100.0% (1209)
Intimate Relations to race and overall more support for interracial marriage was found. Next students were asked how they felt about Dating: 82.5% of Black students “Agree”/ the following two statements: “It is okay for “Strongly Agree” with this statement. This people from different racial groups to date each was 69.2% for Coloured students, 63.6% other”, and “People should be free to marry for the Indian/Asian students, and 43.9% whoever they want to marry regardless of their among White students. The responses for race”. Both these statements drew favourable Black and White students are statistically results. Interestingly, the students are more pos- different from each other (p=0.000). itive towards interracial marriages than they are Marriage: 87.7% of Black students towards interracial dating. 83.7% of the students “Agree”/ “Strongly Agree” with this state- agree that people should be free to marry who- ment. This was 84.6% for Coloured stu- ever they want regardless of their race and 76.4% dents, 67.2% for the Indian/Asian students, of the students agree that it is okay for people and 64.2% among White students. The re- from different racial groups to date each other. It sponses for Black and White students are is odd that there is a difference in the two atti- tudes. Perhaps interracial dating represents a statistically different from each other response to the students’sense of (dis)comfort (p=0.000). in the present tense, compared to marrying some- The level of religiosity however did not make one from another race in the future, something an impact on the results. But, an interesting and which they may not need to address right now. unexpected finding emerged from the data relat- For both these statements, gender and race ing to religion and dating and marriage. Indian/ did make a difference to the results.For both Asian students are mainly Muslim (59.7%) and statements, female students (42%) were more Hindu (34.3%). Coloured students are predomi- favourable compared to males (34.4%) with re- nantly Christian (88.6%) and 11.5% of the Co- gard to interracial dating.This was similar for in- loured students are Muslim. The majority of the terracial marriage,where females accounted for White and Black students are Christian: Black (46%) compared to males at (37.7%). 89.7% and White 74.3% students. 17.6% of the Dating: 79.3% of the female students White students reported that they do not have “Agree”/ “Strongly agree” with the state- a religious affiliation. While White, Coloured, ment compared to 73.3% of the male stu- and Black students are predominantly Chris- dents (p=0.000). tian, it is not possible to compare these as the Marriage: 86.6% of the female students question on affiliation does not distinguish be- “Agree” / “Strongly agree” with the state- tween different Christian groups, such as Cath- ment compared to 80.3% of the male stu- olics, Protestants, Evangelicals. However, the dents. The responses of male and female Indian/Asian students are indeed religiously students are statistically different from different from the other groups. If we compare each other (p=0.000). the above statement referring to dating with re- Similar results are found when interracial ligion, it can be seen that for the questions where dating and interracial marriage were tested race appeared to influence the responses of stu- against race. Views were delineated according dents so did religion. Students who are Hindu ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF STUDENTS 15 are less comfortable with dating somebody from difference in the response concerning that he/ a different race group. They are on average more she is prepared to date a person of another race. comfortable than other students about being Does this result indicate that students feel that friends with somebody from a different racial they should portray what they believe is politi- group, than dating. This pattern repeated itself cally correct on sensitive issues? A university in other situations (not presented in this paper) environment provides the freedom to experiment and would be worthy of further qualitative in- and perhaps dating a person outside of one’s vestigation. Furthermore, research into the dif- racial groupis seen as more acceptable than mar- ferent Christian groups that exist may also yield riage. Since marriage may be seen as a long-term an insight into whether it is race that is at play or commitment, it may be more difficult for students religion – or even interplay of these two factors. to accept, and/or hold challenging social con- sequences which they may not want to face. DISCUSSION The greatest discrepancies in responses exist- ed for Coloured students who found it less ac- From the responses on how comfortable stu- ceptable to date outside of their group (69.2%), dents are with various scenarios of racial inte- but this increased to 84.6% for intermarriage. gration (activities they are prepared to do), a For White students this discrepancy was even number of patterns were observed. The more more obvious, only 43.9% of White students intimate the scenarios became, the lower the “Agree”/ “Strongly Agree” with interracial dat- comfort levels among some groups of students. ing. For interracial marriage, this figure increas- This was evident in the fact that students were es to 64.2%. The discrepancies in answers indi- less comfortable to share a room with or date a cateeither some inconsistency in the data, or person from another race group, than any of the that perhaps students were not altogether hon- other scenarios. It was also evident that stu- est/consistent in their reporting. dents preferred friendships (79.8%) with mem- Comparing what students were prepared to bers of another race group, to dating (48.9%). do versus what they feel is acceptable, also re- There was also an interesting result showing veals interesting results. If dating as an action that sharing a room had the highest level of dis- versus dating as an attitude is considered, one comfort, indicating that spatially students may finds that again students displayed a difference still have deeply entrenched ideas around seg- in opinion. While 76.4% agreed that interracial regation. Based on these scenarios, while over- dating was acceptable, only 48.9% were com- all students seem to be comfortable with racial fortable to date a person from another race integration,it seems that there are limits around group. Furthermore, student attitudes were more intimacy as the more impersonal the activities favourable towards dating (76.4%) rather than (and the less choice students have in participat- marriage (61.5%), but given that only 48.9% are ing in these activities), and perhaps the more comfortable with dating indicates that either, 1) spatially demarcated they are, the more comfort- students are providing politically correct an- able they feel. These findings support the views swers in terms of attitudes, and/or 2) the atti- in literature that show that students of different tudes are not altogether internally integrated, races are more comfortable within their homoge- and 3) there is greater acceptance about what nous groups, rather than in the sharing of inti- others choose to do, without it being a choice mate spaces such as sharing a room or even one enacts oneself. dating a person from another race group. From the above results, there appears to be When analysing the social acceptability of some discord between what students do and racial integration (attitudes), similar conclusions what students believe is acceptable. This sug- can be drawn. Again, it is noted that students gests that while students’ attitudes are liberal in are more comfortable with less intimate socialis- terms of socially acceptable behaviour around ing than with more intimate relations such as racial integration, the behaviour tends to be more dating and marriage. However, there is one con- conservative. This point seems to be especially tradiction - interracial dating seems to be less true for friendships, dating (and marriage).If one acceptable than interracial marriage which is considers Morrow’s (2008) argument that the strange, since if one is prepared to marry a per- unintended goal of racial integration has repro- son of another race, then there should be no duced racialised class inequalities, given the 16 E. BINIKOS AND P. RUGUNANAN working class background of respondents in this and marrying, and White students (while over- sample, and the racial composition of their all supportive) are considerably less so than any neighbourhoods,it may be possible to argue that other race group suggesting that White stu- students at UJ come from segregated environ- dents’ attitudes still have room to adjust further. ments and replicate the conservative attitudes Looking at the responses that students gave of their home environments. These findings are to the questions on socialising with, having worthy of deeper investigation, perhaps through friends from and dating members of another race in-depth qualitative methods. group, the following observations can be made. It can be seen that while the majority of the stu- Race, Gender, Religiosity and Racial dents socialise and have friends with people from Integration different racial groups, a difference in response in this statement can be seen. More students The level of religiosity made no difference to socialise with, than become friends with people most of the variables in the study. It impacted from a different race. Race appears as a factor of only on two variables, both of which relate to difference. In both cases here, Indian/Asian and residence (sharing accommodation but not a Coloured students were most comfortable and room, and sharing a room). Is this finding attrib- White and Black students less so. Black stu- utable to either the intimacy of the issue or the dents were the least comfortable with socialis- level of religiosity? It is a curious finding and ing and being friends with individuals of other should be followed up with qualitative research race groups. to understand the result further – especially since The study produced interesting results that the understanding of what it means to be reli- could be examined further in qualitative research, gious is not explored in the survey. and it raises concerns of whether racial segrega- Gender did however impact on certain vari- tion is a continuing reality among students. In a ables. Students may be inclined to feel comfort- complex and comprehensive institution such as able dating, but while socialising and being UJ, the research raises interesting questions friends with are not impacted on by gender and about the extent of racial integration at both a religiosity, it is not the case with dating. With macrolevel and a micro level, and to what extent dating, males are more comfortable with interra- the university itself has dealt with racial and cial relations than females. However, when look- class socio-economic inequalities that Morrow ing at attitudes towards socialising with, dating (2008) refers to. and marrying other race groups, females tend to be in greater support than males. Why is this CONCLUSION the case? And, why does this result contradict the earlier result that shows that males are more This paper explores UJ students’ attitudes comfortable with interracial dating than females? towards racial integration on campus and com- With regard to dating, student views differ pares the results to their behaviours. The de- further according to race. Indian/Asian and Co- pendent variables (racial integration and atti- loured students were the least comfortable, while tudes towards racial integration) were tested White and Black students the most comfort- against religion (expressed as religious affilia- able. It should be noted that the influence of tion and level of religious observance – which race may well come from religious convictions. also makes provision for none), race and gen- While differences in levels of religiosity did not der. Racial integration is relevant, given the par- feature, there were other noteworthy observa- ticular history of the institutions which merged tions relating to religion. into the UJ, and also because of the transition Race is also notable in variances in other from our past into our contemporary society.The responses for attitudes to racial integration. If results indicate that while some level of integra- one examines the results carefully, it becomes tion exists at UJ, on close, personal and intimate clear that there is racial differences in responses levels, the comfort levels of students were low- between socialising with others at functions, and er, in particular to sharing a room or accommo- socialising outside of one’s own race groups at dation, or interracial dating. Students also pre- functions compared to dating and marriage. ferred to have friendships across races (79.8%) Black students are most supportive of dating compared to interracial dating (48.9%). Twenty ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF STUDENTS 17 years into democracy, these results are signifi- tion. Whether Whiteness is still hegemonic, can cant in that they still reveal deeply held beliefs only be revealed if tested for in future research about race and racial integration. This was also on racism on campus. apparent in the contradictory results with regard Students at UJ are seen to be integrating to to interracial marriage, particularly among Co- some extent; however, the variances in their be- loured and White students. This alludes to stu- haviour and the attitudes to behaviour need to dents either not being totally honest in their re- be investigated further in order to explain the sponses, or under pressure to be ‘politically results.The literature indicates that not enough correct’ in their responses. Nevertheless, what attention has been paid to the intersection of it does imply is that at intimate levels, interracial race and class in student experiences at univer- relationships are not as easily accepted by stu- sities. This study could benefit by doing so. dents at UJ. These views are not isolated to UJ. Furthermore, experiences of racism were not ex- As a former study on transformation of residenc- plored and it is not our intention in this paper to es at the UP reveal (cited earlier) how the strate- imply that it is or is not happening at UJ. Simply, gy of keeping different cultures from sharing we cannot comment much on racism at UJ as it intimate spaces might be reinforcing racist dis- was not included in the survey. Future research courses, as evidenced by the latest incident of should also address this to understand more the students racist portrayal and stereotyping fully what the social environment ‘feels’ like to of African women. the student when it comes to racial relations. Beside the Reitz Residence at the UFS, twen- In terms of methodological recommenda- ty years into democracy racism at South African tions, sample sizes among Indian/Asian, Co- universities still persists, indicative of fissures loured and White students were so small that a within society that have not been addressed. At true reflection of what each group feels about a national and institutional level, the govern- race, racism, and integration at various levels, ment intends to implement several measures to may not be accurately reflected. If this research curb racism and discrimination at educational is to be extended, we recommend increasing the institutions. The current Higher Education Min- number of contributions of the minority group ster, Blade Nzimande, intends setting in place a responses. The survey could be stratified on social inclusion policy framework that aims to race in order to ensure better sample sizes for eradicate ‘racism and patriarchy’ that the minister the different race groups. Moreover, the vari- finds is still rife in institutions of higher learning. able religion could be refined by including dif- ferent Christian categories, and the notion of RECOMMENDATIONS religiosity further explored by using multiple questions in order to derive Likert-type scale UJ may be said to have resulted in a racially data. diverse student composition, but the main pop- The transformation of a university through ulation group today in terms of enrolments is the merger of four historically and geographi- Black students.However, the dominant institu- cally different institutions is no easy feat. It may tion around which the merger took place was be argued that UJ has been thorough in all its the former advantaged White institution of RAU attempts to create a wholly integrated multira- and while UJ does not resemble its former pre- cial institution characterised by equal opportu- decessor, it is relevant to question whether nities. However, transformation initiatives ‘Whiteness’ continues to persist as a hegemon- should place more emphasis on interpersonal ic feature within the institution, and whether this relations among students. For example, UJ does is transmitted into the student body. This sur- have diversity programmes in place to help fos- vey did not test for ‘Whiteness’, so we would ter greater positive interactions between stu- not be able to say whether this is a factor that dents, and one such programme is Diversity influences the result. However, given the per- Week which takes place in September every year. ception that good relations on campus is less It is recommended that more effort at micro-level than 50% and that Black students seem to be initiatives such as Diversity Week, be devoted socialising with other race groups the least, it to the larger student body in an effort to increase would suggest that students are aware of some- levels of integration and promote diversity on thing more impacting on the levels of integra- all of the campuses. 18 E. BINIKOS AND P. RUGUNANAN
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