Emerging patterns of social identification in post-apartheid South Africa

Abstract

Theorists acknowledge the possibility of multiple group identification where groups are imbedded in hierarchical structures that can change as the environment changes. This article investigates national, subnational, and supranational identification and the possible impact of social and political change on identity structures in South Africa. The results of three surveys conducted in 1994, 1998, and 2001 are discussed. While national and African identities have apparently strengthened among Blacks since 1994, national identification seems to have diminished among Afrikaans-speaking Whites in favor of ethnic identification. Some potential consequences of and directions for future research are discussed.