Engaging with society:
meeting the challenges of a changing world
Only study guide for
EWS2601
University of South Africa
Pretoria
,© 2010 University of South Africa
All rights reserved
Printed and published by the
University of South Africa
Mucklneuk, Pretoria
EWS2601/1/2011–2014
98748327
InDesign
EWS_Style
, CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION vii
Theme 1: “US AND THEM”: IDENTITY AND DIFFERENCE 1
1 THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF IDENTITY 4
1.1 What is identity? 4
1.2 Categories of identity 5
1.3 Ascribed and achieved identity attributes 11
Conclusion 13
2 SIGNALLING IDENTITY AND ASSERTING DIFFERENCE 14
2.1 Marking identity 15
2.2 Tangible markers of identity 16
2.3 National symbols 21
Conclusion 22
3 “TO BE OR NOT TO BE ...”:
PERSPECTIVES ON IDENTITIES IN MOTION 23
3.1 Case study: the “retraditionalisation” of Maputaland 24
3.2 Unravelling “retraditionalisation” 26
3.3 Critical questions regarding retraditionalisation 27
Conclusion 29
4 IDENTITY, DIFFERENCE AND CONFLICT 32
4.1 What is xenophobia? 33
4.2 Explaining xenophobia 35
Conclusion 41
Theme 2: WEALTH AND STATUS 43
5 SOCIAL CLASS 45
5.1 The role of income and occupation in establishing class situation 47
5.2 The income and wealth dimension of class situation 49
5.3 The occupation dimension of class situation 50
5.4 Class and social closure 50
5.5 The social relations of production as a basis for class 52
(iii) EWS2601/1
, Contents
5.6 The social relations of consumption and class 52
5.7 The reproduction of class position over time and across the
generations 56
Conclusion 58
6 POVERTY AND INEQUALITY IN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD 59
6.1 The 1995 and 2000 StatsSA surveys 60
6.2 The controversy concerning post-apartheid trends in income and
poverty 62
6.3 Trends in household welfare between 1993 and 2005 65
6.4 Vulnerable households 66
6.5 Social inequality on a global scale 68
Conclusion 71
7 THE CHANGING DISTRIBUTION OF LIFE CHANCES: FROM
APARTHEID TO GLOBALISATION 72
7.1 Class and race as factors in poverty and inequality in
South Africa 73
7.2 Globalisation and poverty in South Africa 76
7.3 The impact of financialisation on poverty and inequality
in the world 82
Conclusion 89
Theme 3: SOCIETY AND THE CHALLENGE OF CRIMINALITY 91
8 THE CONCEPTS OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT 96
8.1 The concept of crime 97
8.2 Why we have rules 100
8.3 The determiners and enforcers of rules 101
8.4 Sources of rules 102
8.5 The changing boundaries of crime 104
8.6 The changing nature of punishment 107
Conclusion 109
9 HUMANS AND THEIR ENCOUNTERS WITH CRIME 110
9.1 Forms of and trends in crime 111
9.2 The incidence of crime 119
Conclusion 123
10 THE EFFECT OF CRIME ON HUMANITY 124
10.1 The consequences of crime 125
10.2 Responses to crime 131
Conclusion 137
(iv)
meeting the challenges of a changing world
Only study guide for
EWS2601
University of South Africa
Pretoria
,© 2010 University of South Africa
All rights reserved
Printed and published by the
University of South Africa
Mucklneuk, Pretoria
EWS2601/1/2011–2014
98748327
InDesign
EWS_Style
, CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION vii
Theme 1: “US AND THEM”: IDENTITY AND DIFFERENCE 1
1 THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF IDENTITY 4
1.1 What is identity? 4
1.2 Categories of identity 5
1.3 Ascribed and achieved identity attributes 11
Conclusion 13
2 SIGNALLING IDENTITY AND ASSERTING DIFFERENCE 14
2.1 Marking identity 15
2.2 Tangible markers of identity 16
2.3 National symbols 21
Conclusion 22
3 “TO BE OR NOT TO BE ...”:
PERSPECTIVES ON IDENTITIES IN MOTION 23
3.1 Case study: the “retraditionalisation” of Maputaland 24
3.2 Unravelling “retraditionalisation” 26
3.3 Critical questions regarding retraditionalisation 27
Conclusion 29
4 IDENTITY, DIFFERENCE AND CONFLICT 32
4.1 What is xenophobia? 33
4.2 Explaining xenophobia 35
Conclusion 41
Theme 2: WEALTH AND STATUS 43
5 SOCIAL CLASS 45
5.1 The role of income and occupation in establishing class situation 47
5.2 The income and wealth dimension of class situation 49
5.3 The occupation dimension of class situation 50
5.4 Class and social closure 50
5.5 The social relations of production as a basis for class 52
(iii) EWS2601/1
, Contents
5.6 The social relations of consumption and class 52
5.7 The reproduction of class position over time and across the
generations 56
Conclusion 58
6 POVERTY AND INEQUALITY IN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD 59
6.1 The 1995 and 2000 StatsSA surveys 60
6.2 The controversy concerning post-apartheid trends in income and
poverty 62
6.3 Trends in household welfare between 1993 and 2005 65
6.4 Vulnerable households 66
6.5 Social inequality on a global scale 68
Conclusion 71
7 THE CHANGING DISTRIBUTION OF LIFE CHANCES: FROM
APARTHEID TO GLOBALISATION 72
7.1 Class and race as factors in poverty and inequality in
South Africa 73
7.2 Globalisation and poverty in South Africa 76
7.3 The impact of financialisation on poverty and inequality
in the world 82
Conclusion 89
Theme 3: SOCIETY AND THE CHALLENGE OF CRIMINALITY 91
8 THE CONCEPTS OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT 96
8.1 The concept of crime 97
8.2 Why we have rules 100
8.3 The determiners and enforcers of rules 101
8.4 Sources of rules 102
8.5 The changing boundaries of crime 104
8.6 The changing nature of punishment 107
Conclusion 109
9 HUMANS AND THEIR ENCOUNTERS WITH CRIME 110
9.1 Forms of and trends in crime 111
9.2 The incidence of crime 119
Conclusion 123
10 THE EFFECT OF CRIME ON HUMANITY 124
10.1 The consequences of crime 125
10.2 Responses to crime 131
Conclusion 137
(iv)
