Narratives of Xenophobia at a South African University

Abstract Many studies have examined xenophobia in South African townships and inner cities, but few have interrogated how xenophobia manifests itself in other South African contexts, such as tertiary education environments. The study presents the results of a qualitative study undertaken to explore the perceptions and experiences of students regarding xenophobia at the University of Johannesburg Auckland Park Kingsway Campus (UJAPK). The results indicate that most students have perceptions or have experienced xenophobia at UJ—although in subtle forms including language discrimination, anti-migrant attitudes, and social and academic exclusion. There are, however, traces of non-perception or experiences of xenophobia observed in the responses of some students. The findings further reveal that African foreign nationals (the so-called makwerekwere) are the primary targets of xenophobia rather than non-nationals from outside the continent. I argue that patterns inherited from South Africa’s colonial and apartheid past persist in post-apartheid South Africa, manifesting through the politics of race, nationalism, and fear of the other. I propose dialogue sessions where students (local and international) can openly communicate their perceptions of xenophobia and its consequences and find potential ways to mitigate the phenomenon.