An Analysis of Satirical Cartoons During the Xenophobic Violence in South Africa
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An Analysis of Satirical Cartoons during the Xenophobic Violence in South Africa By SIMONE GOVENDER (Reg no. 209522615) Thesis submitted to the College of Humanities In the School of Arts University of KwaZulu-Natal (Howard College Campus) In fulfillment of the requirements For the degree Master of Arts In Media and Cultural Studies Supervisor: Professor J-P Wade March 2018 DECLARATION The Registrar Academic UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL (Howard Campus) Dear Sir I, SIMONE GOVENDER REG NO: 209522615 Hereby declare that the thesis entitled: An Analysis of Satirical Cartoons during the Xenophobic Violence in South Africa (i) The research reported in this dissertation, except where otherwise indicated, is my original work. (ii) This dissertation has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other university. (iii) This dissertation does not contain other persons’ data, pictures, graphs or other information, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other persons. (iv) This dissertation does not contain other persons’ writing, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other researchers. Where other written sources have been quoted, then: a) Their words have been re-written but the general information attributed to them has been referenced; b) Where their exact words have been used, their writing has been placed inside quotation marks, and referenced. ii (v) Where I have reproduced a publication of which I am an author, co-author or editor, I have indicated in detail which part of the publication was actually written by myself alone and have fully referenced such publications. (vi) This dissertation does not contain text, graphics or tables copied and pasted from the Internet, unless specifically acknowledged, and the source being detailed in the dissertation and in the References sections. ________________________ _________________ Signature Date iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to the following people and animals. Firstly to Professor Wade for guiding me through this process of writing. Thanks for always thoroughly checking my work and giving me excellent feedback. You always treat your students with the utmost respect and kindness and I hope I can emulate the same qualities to those around me. To my Mummy and Daddy, thank you for always supporting me in everything I do. Your sacrifices have given me a head start in life. Thank you for always ‘reminding’ me to do my research. You have taught me that persistence and being goal orientated is key to achieving success. To my Grandma, I will miss all the tasty food and cups of tea you made for me while I was writing this thesis. You alleviated me of many “daughterly duties” which allowed me time to complete this research. Thank you Gran! Rest in peace. To my friends and family for your unwavering support during this entire process. You all encouraged me to keep working on this research until it was complete. Thanks for always listening to my concerns and offering awesome advice. I am truly blessed to have you all in my life. To my furry companions Blair Vladimir and the late Snowy Bison- thanks for helping me create excuses to take a break from writing when you ‘instructed’ me to take you for walks. Blair- ‘thanks’ for walking across the keyboard and ‘editing’ my work. To God, who makes all things possible. Thank you for giving me the grace to complete this research. DURBAN MARCH 2018 iv CONTENTS Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………ix Table of Figures……………………………………………………………………….x CHAPTER ONE NATURE OF RESEARCH 1.1. INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………..1 1.2. Context …………………………………………………………………………...1 1.3. Motivation …………………………………………………………………..........2 1.4. Research Focus, Aims and Objectives……………….…………………………...4 1.5. Methodology.……………………………………………………………………..4 1.5.1. Data Collection.…………………………………………………………………4 1.6. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK.…………………………………………….....5 1.6.1. Xenophobia Theory.……...……………………………………………………..5 1.6.2. Elements of Cartooning.……………………………………………...................5 1.6.3 Carnivalesque …………………………………………………………………...5 1.7. STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY…………………………………………………6 1.7.1. Chapter one……………………………………………………………………..6 1.7.2. Chapter two……………………………………………………………………..6 1.7.3. Chapter three……………………………………………………………………6 1.7.4. Chapter four……………………………………………………………………..7 1.7.5. Chapter five……………………………………………………………………..7 1.8. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...7 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE ON XENOPHOBIA THEORY, ELEMENTS OF CARTOONING AND BAKHTIN’S THEORY OF THE CARNIVALESQUE 2.1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………...8 2.2. XENOPHOBIA THEORY………………………………………………………..9 2.2.1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………….....9 2.2.2. Defining Xenophobia…………………………………………………………...9 2.2.3. Apartheid and its Effects on Xenophobia……………………………………..11 2.2.4. Attitudes towards Non-nationals………………………………………............14 2.2.5. Media and Xenophobia………………………………………………………..19 2.2.6. Xenophobia vs New Racism…………………………………………………..20 2.3. Elements of Cartooning ……………………………………………………........22 2.3.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………22 2.3.2. What is a Cartoon……………………………………………………………...23 2.3.3. History of the editorial cartoon………………………………………………..24 2.3.4. Satire, Irony and Humour……………………………………………………...34 2.3.5. Artists Point of View…………………………………………………………..36 v 2.3.6. Visual Literacy and Interpretation………………………………………..........38 2.3.7. Dangers associated with cartooning humour………………………………….40 2.3.8. Xenophobia and Cartoons……………………………………………………..42 2.4. BAKHTIN’S CARNIVALESQUE……………………………………………...43 2.4.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………43 2.4.2. INTRODUCING THE CARNIVALESQUE………………………………….43 2.4.2.1. Folk culture: 1. Festive Folk Laughter (ritual spectacles)…………………...46 2.4.2.2. Festive Folk Culture: 2. Comic Verbal Compositions………………………47 2.4.2.3. Festive Folk Culture: 3. Billingsgate………………………………………...48 2.4.2.4. The Material Bodily Principle and Grotesque Realism……………………..49 2.4.3. Carnival and Hierarchy………………………………………………………..52 2.4.4. Asserting agency at the carnival………………………………………….........57 2.4.5. Bakhtin’s carnival and Stalinism………………………………………………60 2.4.6. Carnivalesque features in other areas of culture………………………………61 2.5. CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………….62 CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.1. Introduction………………..…………………………………………………….64 3.2.Research Design………………….........................................................................64 3.2.1. Research Aims and Objectives………………………………………………...65 3.2.2. Lens One: Xenophobia Theory………………………………………………..65 3.2.3. Lens Two: Elements Of Cartooning…………………………………………...66 3.2.4. Lense Three: Bakhtin’s Carnivalesque………………………………………..67 3.2.5. Multi-lens Analysis……………………………………………………………67 3.3. What is Qualitative Research……………………………………………………68 3.4.What will this study Encompass…………………………………………………69 3.4.1. Method of Data Collection…………………………………………………….69 3.4.2. Macro Context: Xenophobia in South Africa…………………………………70 3.4.3. Micro Context…………………………………………………………………70 3.5 Sampling Technique……………………………………………………………...71 3.5.1. Satirical Chroniclers…………………………………………………………...71 3.5.2. Selecting the cartoons………………………………………………………….72 3.6. Reliability and Validity………………………………………………………….73 3.7. What are the limitations to this study……………………………………………73 3.8. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………74 CHAPTER FOUR DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 4.1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………….........75 4.2. LENS ONE: XENOPHOBIA THEORY………………………………………..76 4.2.1. “THE UNABRIDGED BIRTH CERTIFICATE” BY BRANDAN REYNOLDS……………………………………………………………76 4.2.1.1. Father: weak economic growth……………………………………………...77 vi 4.2.1.2. Place of birth: post- apartheid South Africa…………………………………79 4.2.1.3. Parents of xenophobia……………………………………………………….80 4.2.1.4. Xenophobia’s mother: regional instability (external causes)………………..80 4.2.1.5. Also known as……………………………………………………………….81 4.2.1.6. War…………………………………………………………………………..81 4.2.1.7. Robert Mugabe………………………………………………………………81 4.2.1.8. Date of birth: 2008…………………………………………………………..82 4.2.1.9. Who initiated the xenophobic attacks?...........................................................82 4.2.2. “MANDELA AND THE RAINBOW NATION VERSUS THE MIGHTY ZULU WARRIOR” BY NANDA SOOBBEN………………………………………83 4.2.2.1. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela aka Tata Madiba……………………………….83 4.2.2.2. “Knitting” the rainbow nation……………………………………………….84 4.2.2.3. The powerful Zulu shield and spear…………………………………………84 4.2.3. “A NATIONAL DISGRACE” BY MGOBHOZI……………………………..86 4.2.3.1. The bloodbath………………………………………………………………..86 4.2.3.2. Weapons of warfare: the machete and the axe………………………………87 4.2.3.3. The gravest threat to man……………………………………………………87 4.2.3.4. “Hot news: a national disgrace……………………………………………... 88 4.3. LENS TWO: ELEMENTS OF CARTOONING ……………………………….89 4.3.1. “XENOPHOBIA MUST STOP… BUT WE WONT LET THOSE **** BUY OUR LAND” BY JERM……………………………………………………………..89 4.3.1.1. A caricatured president………………………………………………………89 4.3.1.2. The power suit and the podium……………………………………………...90 4.3.1.3. Zuma’s “frame” of mind…………………………………………………….90 4.3.1.4. Font matters………………………………………………………………….92 4.3.1.5. Power dynamics..............................................................................................92 4.3.2. “WE ARE NOT FOREIGNERS…WE ARE EARTHLINGS!” BY NANDA SOOBBEN…………………………………………………………………………...93 4.3.2.1. Out of this world………………………………………………………….....93 4.3.2.2. “We are Earthlings”………………………………………………………....94 4.3.3. “XENOPHOBIA SUCKS” BY MGOBHOZI………………………………...95 4.3.3.1. The forefront………………………………………………………………...95 4.3.3.2. Family…………………………………………………………………….....96