South African Indians in Natal: The question of belonging, lived histories, and portraits

dc.contributor.advisorChaturvedi, Ruchi
dc.contributor.authorSadhai, Pushpaganthie
dc.date.accessioned2024-07-04T14:11:58Z
dc.date.available2024-07-04T14:11:58Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.date.updated2024-06-03T08:33:31Z
dc.description.abstractThis thesis draws on the life histories of eight South African Indian individuals, (six of whom grew up in Natal during the 1960s/1970s and two of whom grew up in the 1930s/1940s), to understand how they lived through, navigated and resisted the apartheid social order. Based on interviews and oral accounts, I create vivid portraits of their lives to discuss survival strategies of materially deprived South African Indian families, and forms of reciprocity and mutuality they lived by in the age of apartheid. Apartheid, for many South African Indian working-class families brought deep deprivation but also petty benefits, and relatively greater opportunities to access education and obtain social mobility. Mindful of that history, I mobilize family and individual portraits to address the so-called “Indian question” and reflect on their sense of belonging in South Africa. As we know, the divide and rule legacy of the colonial state, the grave hardships faced by the majority of South Africans and populist politics of othering, continue to fuel racial tensions between Black South Africans and South African Indians. Against this background, I describe the everyday lives and constructive contributions of South African Indians, to chart a meaningful and ethical mode of living, in the only place they call home. I conclude that, notwithstanding the many contradictions that exist in our 28-year-old democracy, South Africa remains as per the freedom charter, our country (all races), and that we have the power to effect changes in our everyday lives, though small acts of compassion and care—through Ubuntu.
dc.identifier.apacitationSadhai, P. (2023). <i>South African Indians in Natal: The question of belonging, lived histories, and portraits</i>. (). ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Sociology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40356en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationSadhai, Pushpaganthie. <i>"South African Indians in Natal: The question of belonging, lived histories, and portraits."</i> ., ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Sociology, 2023. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40356en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSadhai, P. 2023. South African Indians in Natal: The question of belonging, lived histories, and portraits. . ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Sociology. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40356en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Sadhai, Pushpaganthie AB - This thesis draws on the life histories of eight South African Indian individuals, (six of whom grew up in Natal during the 1960s/1970s and two of whom grew up in the 1930s/1940s), to understand how they lived through, navigated and resisted the apartheid social order. Based on interviews and oral accounts, I create vivid portraits of their lives to discuss survival strategies of materially deprived South African Indian families, and forms of reciprocity and mutuality they lived by in the age of apartheid. Apartheid, for many South African Indian working-class families brought deep deprivation but also petty benefits, and relatively greater opportunities to access education and obtain social mobility. Mindful of that history, I mobilize family and individual portraits to address the so-called “Indian question” and reflect on their sense of belonging in South Africa. As we know, the divide and rule legacy of the colonial state, the grave hardships faced by the majority of South Africans and populist politics of othering, continue to fuel racial tensions between Black South Africans and South African Indians. Against this background, I describe the everyday lives and constructive contributions of South African Indians, to chart a meaningful and ethical mode of living, in the only place they call home. I conclude that, notwithstanding the many contradictions that exist in our 28-year-old democracy, South Africa remains as per the freedom charter, our country (all races), and that we have the power to effect changes in our everyday lives, though small acts of compassion and care—through Ubuntu. DA - 2023 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Sociology LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2023 T1 - South African Indians in Natal: The question of belonging, lived histories, and portraits TI - South African Indians in Natal: The question of belonging, lived histories, and portraits UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40356 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/40356
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationSadhai P. South African Indians in Natal: The question of belonging, lived histories, and portraits. []. ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Sociology, 2023 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40356en_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066Eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Sociology
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.subjectSociology
dc.titleSouth African Indians in Natal: The question of belonging, lived histories, and portraits
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
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