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UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS OF SOUTH AFRICA APARTHEID AND THE U.S. MEXICO SECURITY FENCE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY By TYLER JAMES THORNTON Norman, Oklahoma 2015 COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS OF SOUTH AFRICA APARTHEID AND THE U.S. MEXICO SECURITY FENCE A DISSERTATION APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION BY ______________________________ Dr. Eric Mark Kramer, Chair ______________________________ Dr. Sean O’Neill ______________________________ Dr. Clemencia Rodriguez ______________________________ Dr. Elaine Hsieh ______________________________ Dr. Justin Reedy © Copyright by TYLER JAMES THORNTON 2015 All Rights Reserved. Acknowledgements Elder Todd Christofferson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints described how I feel about finishing this project. He said, “Anything I may achieve will be by virtue of the power and the grace and the gift of God. I am not, in Isaiah’s words, the axe that shall “boast itself against him that heweth therewith”; I am not the saw that shall “magnify itself against him that shaketh it.” (Isaiah 10:15.) With Nephi, I know in whom I have trusted. (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi, 4:19). God and I knew that I would need amazing guidance. That guidance came from Dr. Eric Mark Kramer. I will never forget when we studied chivalry as described by Joseph Campbell. Eric shared a unique insight about his relationship with his dad, and shed a few tears. Dr. Kramer provided me with the same kind of unconditional love that his father showed him. Where I had my doubts along the way, Dr. Kramer listened and offered great insight. Like any great mentor, Dr. Kramer pushed me in the right direction, but let me struggle to forge a path that is uniquely mine. Eric: thank you for your hard work and friendship on my behalf. I also appreciate the teaching and editorial reviews from committee members Dr. Hsieh, Dr. Rodriguez, and Dr. O’Neil. To Dr. Reedy, thank you for stepping in at the last minute to provide important feedback on the project. I also must thank the late Dr. Michael Pfau for his strong influence on my doctoral work. Dr. Pfau prepared us for academic rigor, and expected us to be excellent communication scholars. Dr. Pfau taught an extremely difficult Introduction to Graduate Studies course. I passed the course, but more importantly, I obtained Dr. Pfau’s respect and a recommendation to become a full time doctorate student with the department in 2006. iv I would like to thank a close colleague, Kevin Blake who started his studies at the same time in 2005. Kevin can attest to the love Dr. Kramer has for his students, and that Dr. Pfau’s class was indeed incredibly difficult! Kevin: Thanks for being there every step of the way buddy! This journey was not possible without your encouragement, long talks, and many visits to O’Connell’s and the Library! This project was finished due to the wonderful support of family and friends. McKaylee Elizabeth Dreher Thornton watched me struggle through meetings, edits, and many weekends of hard work. She supported me like an angel! Thank you for your love and companionship. Thank you also to Lucy Adele for your love and smiles that make life a joy! Thanks Dad and Mom. Your love and sacrifices for me are overwhelming. Thank you. Thank you to Tad and Katie, my closest friends, and your families for supporting me no matter what life brought on! Thank you to my other family everywhere! Thank you Ron and Faith for your incredible support and your permission to marry McKaylee! Thank you to the Draytons, the Norman University Ward, and the Holmgrens, Hughes, and Helms families. Thank you to the college debate world and many dedicated teachers and students at several universities who helped me succeed. Finally, I would like to thank the brave people in the FBI and the U.S. Intelligence Community. I have the great privilege to work with you in protecting everything this nation stands for. One friend gave me extra encouragement that pushed me to finish the job in the right way. I will not forget your support! Last, but certainly not least, I thank the staff of the FBI Academy Library. You had what I needed the minute I needed it, every time, without fail. You are an amazing resource to this organization and I cannot thank you enough! v Table of Contents List of Tables & Figures .............................................................................................. vii Abstract ....................................................................................................................... viii Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................................. 1 Chapter Two: Literature Review ................................................................................. 12 Chapter Three: Structuration Theory, Dimensional Dissociation & Accrual ............ 59 Chapter Four: Methodology & Research Design ....................................................... 98 Chapter Five: The Apartheid Wall ........................................................................... 111 Chapter Six: U.S. Mexico Border ............................................................................. 152 Chapter Seven: Conclusions ..................................................................................... 237 References ................................................................................................................ 244 vi List of Tables & Figures Table 1- "Main characteristics of rules relevant to general questions of social analysis" (Giddens, 1984, p.22) ................................................................................... 66 Table 2- “The Dimensions of the Duality of Structure” (Giddens, 1984, p. 29) ......... 69 Table 3- “Principles of Institutions” (Giddens, 1984, p. 31) ....................................... 70 Table 4- Humpty Dumpty Binary Opposition Terms ............................................... 104 Table 5- Research & Hermeneutic Background ................................................ 106-107 Table 6- Definitions of the meanings of "walls" ................................................ 108-109 Table 7- Apartheid Binary Opposition Terms .......................................................... 113 Table 8- White Burger Binary Opposition ............................................................... 115 Table 9- European Values Binary Opposition .......................................................... 117 Table 10- Dutch Culture and Language Binary Opposition ..................................... 119 Table 11- Binary Opposition Terms about the Security Fence ......................... 154-155 Table 12- Binary Opposition Terms in Federal Immigration Law ........................... 161 Table 13- Binary Opposition Terms on Physical Fence Characteristics .................. 199 Table 14- A Macro View of the Security Social Structure after 9/11 in America ... 226 Figure 1- The Duality of Structure in a National Security Ideological Social System ................................................................................................................................... 227 vii Abstract Powerful semiotic signs like the Great Wall of China and the Berlin Wall served significant communicative functions. The modern culture of nation state wall building continues despite the fact that the security fences are obsolete. Wall advocates argue that security fences deter undocumented immigrants from trying to cross the border illegally. The walls also function to stop terrorism or other criminal threats. This paper applies semiotic and hermeneutic methods to examine and compare the communication functions of South African apartheid with the U.S. Mexico border wall. Structuration Theory (ST),and Dissociation and Dimensional Accrual (DAD) are applied to discuss the consequences to communication from such barriers. viii Communication functions of South Africa Apartheid and the U.S. Mexico Security Fence Throughout time, humans have created enormous physical structures such as walls, dams, buildings, and cultural artifacts for a variety of reasons. Some of these may include showing ingenuity, creativity, and skill of an individual or group. Nations have used these structures to show off new technologies, gain political advantage over rival nations, or attempt to control the mobility of peoples. Other structures illustrate the need to overcome and control nature. All of these structures are signs and/or messages that gain cultural meaning through social interaction. Without such interaction, they would be nothing more than concrete, steel, dirt, and stone. The presence of these walls says something about the individuals, communities, or nations that built them. Historically humans have built all kinds of walls that came in many shapes and sizes, using everything from stones and mud to metal, wood, and concrete. Walls serve a variety of purposes including providing safety from the elements, providing security from attacking enemies, separating people from communities or serving as an ideologically or symbolically powerful symbol. Beyond the physical structures themselves, walls communicate social and cultural meanings. Walls define a friend, a criminal, an illegal alien, or a terrorist. They can potentially have political, social, economic, and other meanings depending on the context in which people build them, and the other circumstances