Diachronic and synchronic identities of multicultural groups in South Africa

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Mare, Estelle Alma

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Art Historical Work Group of South Africa

Abstract

Indigenous ethic groups and White settlers in South Africa historically established their various identities by means of their settlement patterns and architecture, in an indigenous, or compromised European way. During the past century this diachronic diversity has become obsolete, especially in the present rapidly urbanising post-apartheid country. Population growth and the accelerating rate of integration of all ethnic groups are presently transforming most urban sectors, giving rise to the extremes of secluded affluent suburbs and informal settlements on the outskirts of cities or overcrowding in run-down urban areas. It is proposed that the current cultural chaos and loss of identity of South African peoples may be countered by the restructuring of built environments in order to harmonise the diachronic and synchronic life worlds of various groups, affording them a choice of habitat - a freedom not previously granted by institutionalised segregation.
Inheemse etniese groepe en blanke setlaars het histories hulle onderskeie identiteite by wyse van hulle nadersettingspatrone en argitektuur gevestig, in ’n inheemse of gekomprimenteerde Europese wyse. Sodanige diachroniese veskeidenheid het gedurende die afgelope eeu uitgedien geraak, veral in die huidige post-apartheid-land waarin verstedeliking teen ’n versnellende tempo plaasvind. Bevolkingsaanwas en die toenemende tempo van die integrasie van alle etniese groepe transformeer tans die meeste stedelike sektore, wat aanleiding gee tot die uiterste verskynsels van afgeslote welgestelde voorstede en informele nedersettings aan die buitewyke van stede of die oorbewoning van vervalle stedelike gebiede. Daar word voorgestel dat die huidige kulturele chaos en identiteitsverlies van die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking gestuit kan word deur die herstrukturering van beboude omgewings ten einde die diachroniese en sinchroniese lewenswêrelde van onderskeie groepe te harmoniseer, ten einde hulle ’n keuse van woongebied te bied - ’n vryheid wat nie voorheen deur geïnstitusionaliseerde segregasie moontlik was nie.

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South Africa, Diachronic and synchronic identities, Multicultural groups, Life worlds

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Mare, EA 2013, 'Diachronic and synchronic identities of multicultural groups in South Africa', South African Journal of Art History, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 117-132. [http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_sajah.html]