“Swimming upstream”: White privilege and racial justice activism in education in South Africa

Abstract

This research aims to examine what motivates “white” people working to bring more racial justice to South Africa through education to become involved in this work. Using theories of narrative identity and social action, as well as drawing on previous studies of white identity in South Africa and the USA, this qualitative study explores the narratives of white racial justice activists from a South African perspective. The analysis revealed three large narratives that guided the sense of self of participants. The three big stories are as follows: “People Are People”, “Following God”, and “Quality Education for All”, which provided the underlying framework for the motivations and moral action of participants. These narratives highlight a move away from overt prejudice and is a sincere attempt to positively engage with the “new South Africa”, however by not engaging with race at all, it could be viewed as avoiding the guilt of continued racial privilege.

Keywords

• whiteness
• race
• narrative identity
• racial justice
• education