The South African situation, language and identity, and being a world citizen

Fresh from my study abroad to South Africa, I am faced with a question: How can the South African situation broaden students’ notions of language and identity as they become “world citizens”? This question is multi-faceted; in fact, it has three parts which must be explored before answering the entire question. One: what is “the South African situation”? Two: how are language and identity linked in South Africa? And three: what does being a “world citizen” mean?

What is “the South African situation”?

The term ‘South African situation’ is incredibly vague and could refer to any number of things. For the purposes of our study abroad, the situation at hand is their transition away from apartheid toward what Nelson Mandela calls a “new South Africa”. This is a South Africa in which Afrikaners and Zulus and Xhosas and blacks and whites live together with peace and cohesion: a South Africa with a “national identity”. The problem with this arises only after thoroughly observing South Africa’s people and how they coexist. South Africa still has 11 official languages. The different speakers of these tongues cannot possibly come together as a unified group of South Africans when they don’t even speak each other’s language. I asked a student at the University of Johannesburg what the national identity meant to her, and she said South Africans are “unified in their differences”. The national identity is a conglomeration of many diverse groups, coming together while celebrating their unique culture. Given all of this, the South African situation is complex and confusing. The situation is that South African citizens are attempting to move forward from the horrors of apartheid and come together while trying to honor the many cultural backgrounds they come from. This article from CapeTownMagazine.com about “Freedom Day” points out that apartheid may be over but the equal rights war is not: http://www.capetownmagazine.com/whats-the-deal-with/Freedom-Day/125_22_17065

How are language and identity linked in South Africa?

Language and identity are interchangeable. Without language, many aspects of identity are lost. In South Africa especially, with eleven official languages, language is an extremely important index of who someone is. Language is not as important to Americans because there is no official language; it is something of a non-issue.
The concept of unilingualization--“the practice, in South Africa, of using English as the sole medium of communication in virtually all the organs of state” (Kamwangamalu)--seems to threaten the link between language and identity in terms of South Africa’s diversity. However, this unilingualization can identify someone as a prominent businessman or politician.

What does being a “world citizen” mean?

A world citizen is someone who has a drive to learn about new cultures and, more importantly, understand them. A world citizen is tolerant and open to exposure of the good and bad aspects of a culture.

~Kelly Dunnigan