Kevin CAPS- #1

            Everyday you can see different identities from many different people and each of those identities have developed over time and for a variety of reasons. In this week’s reading the book focused on the types identities, where they come from, and the role society and culture play in forming those identities. When it comes to looking at what identity means there are here major ways to study it. There is the social science approach, interpretive, and critical. The social science approach looks as identity as being self-created through what groups you associate with and use three types of identity, individualized, familial, and spiritual. The second is the interpretive method, which uses avowal ascription and core symbols. Finally there is the critical approach it is similar to the interpretive approach however the critical also “emphasizes the contextual and often the conflictual elements of identity development” (167)

Mamphela Ramphele

            Each of these approaches can be used but often are used for different situations. I believe that the article I looked at can best be described using the interpretive approach. Currently in South Africa they are gearing up for an election and the candidate for one party has just been announced. The announcement of Mamphela Ramphele as a candidate also is tied with the unification o two parties, the Agang South Africa party and the Democratic Alliance (DA). Mamphela Ramphele helped found the Agang South Africa party and now has agreed to be the candidate for the DA. With this announcement there are now two major parties in South Africa, the DA and the African National Congress (ANC), which was founded by Nelson Mandela. The ANC has not taken kindly to Ramphele’s candidacy calling her a “rent-a-black”. The reason is behind this is that the DA has often been seen as the “white” party and therefore the ANC see Ramphele’s (a black woman) selection as the DA’s candidate as a ploy to help get the black vote in South Africa.

            Clearly one of the major identities that come into play is the racial identity, but there is also the political identity. When it comes to the racial identity clearly the ANC either sees Ramphele as not black or a black person who is knowingly or unknowingly being used. The context is the history of the apartheid regime that ruled there for many years. However Ramphele’s racial identity is not the only one under question but so is her political identity. Along with the idea that a black person should not be part of the DA there is this underlying notion that a black person could not possible align with a predominantly white political party.

When looking at how this example is applicable to intercultural communication we must look at the role the apartheid played. Since the white minority oppressed the black majority for so long people in South Africa, especially those who remember the apartheid are hesitant of whites coming into power. Therefore even though Ramphele’s social identity may have been black throughout her life as of late she has been seen as more white or at the very least being used by the whites to gain power. This is a very important lesson in communication. It shows that even with a well-defined social identity that identity is still very subjective given the context.

 Source: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/140131/south-africa-where-its-okay-call-opponent-rent-black