Xenophobia: A complex, cyclical conflict
THERE is a benefit in taking a classical conflict management approach to our alleged xenophobia — the question of whether it is in fact advantageous for a country to allow immigration need not be definitively answered before we can move on and start making measurable progress.
While I am convinced of the commercial and moral wisdom of following an enlightened immigration policy, it is of tremendous strategic (and hence political) value not to have to first deal with this debate before we start working on the project itself.
To solve the problem, we do not need to allocate a winner in the current debate, not that such a project would have any chance of success in any event.
So let's look at a few practical measures, taking this specialised conflict resolution approach, that we can bring to our immigration debate.
Assess and confront the causes and triggers of conflict
Here we need to avoid an understandable tendency to deny the problem of xenophobia in South Africa. These efforts can be seen and heard from political rallies to social media.
Where incidents of xenophobia occur, we must call them out and deal with them according to our laws as they are in place already.
We do ourselves as a country, and those suffering from the conflict the most, no favours by denying the extent of the conflict.
On the macro level, this of course means that government should create jobs, revive the economy and renew confidence in social structures, but of course individuals and communities can start addressing this at a grassroot level.
Change and manage the narrative
South Africans often take offence at being termed xenophobic.
This tag simply brings up the defences, which leads to either a never-ending or unproductive debate about preferences, relative rights, the loyalty of politicians, and so on.
Accept the legitimacy of the concerns at the negotiating table and work from there. Break the us-versus-them paradigm, and discourage politicians and public figures from manipulating this as a tool of division. Focus on, develop and publicly discuss the joint goals and interests South Africans may have with immigrants (shared skills, employment creation, skills transfer etc).
We can all change the way we look at this, speak of it and approach actual incidents in our lives.
Use the correct tools for the job
Most organisations and individuals in South Africa that participate in the immigration debate still mainly use a fact-based argument for their respective points of view.
Statistics and spreadsheet approaches are used, and these facts are arrayed against each other in the various instances of the conflict. While such facts are, of course, important at a relatively minor level, such a strategy uses the wrong tool (fact-based arguments) in a conflict that is essentially one of values and identity.
Here, case studies and research show convincingly that such factbased arguments simply entrench people even further and cause further polarisation and cyclical conflict, despite the parties' objective accuracy and best intentions in using such strategies.
The arguments we often see on social media and political platforms lead to further harm and conflict.
The persuasive tools to be used in identity/value-based conflicts are very different, and those involved in these debates and conflicts need to become competent in applying them. Bluntly put, it is simply not good enough, or of any meaningful use, to take a stand on the political spectrum and to argue the matter from there.
Build and enable community structures
Xenophobic violence is often caused by feelings of localised helplessness, a feeling of being isolated and disregarded or disrespected, a community's sense of having run out of options, with no reasonable alternatives left to them.
Government and other able organisations or individuals should create community-level structures that can effectively deal with the specifics of an escalating conflict.
This should include a certain level of organisation and coherence, persons skilled (at some level) in a practical understanding of the causes and triggers of xenophobia, being able to mediate successfully and to approach these escalations as joint problem-solving demands, not as acts of war to be retaliated against.
Teach such groups basic conflict resolution skills and ensure transfer and practical application of that in that specific community.
These informal structures need not be standardised nationally, and effective models that respectfully deal with local customs and problems can be engineered and even resourced by government or anyone who sees such a structure's value.
It need not even be new structures, as this function can simply be incorporated into existing structures such as community forums, faith-based organisations, etc. Government may serve its own purposes well by playing a limited role in the education and maintenance of such local groups.
Ensure all parties are heard
A large part of xenophobic violence that we see is the result of a period of pent-up frustration, of individuals and communities concluding that their voices are not being heard. The skilful management of this, immediately, effectively and consistently, will prevent or reduce much of these conflicts.
Communicate better — create small victories, create hope
Government, these community structures, and anyone involved at the grassroot level in these conflicts must seek to break the established thought patterns of despair and hopelessness prevalent in that community. This must not be done with clichés and polite rhetoric, but actual examples of hope and progress — small successes in creating employment, collaborations between citizens and “the other” that benefited the community, examples where dialogue brought about resolution and so on.
This momentum must be built, maintained and effectively communicated. The country's problems need not be solved overnight — for now, just our street, our community, including strangers among us. It is here where the provisional acceptance of all views will be tested, and in time stand or fall.
Academic or intellectual arguments in favour of immigrant integration and against xenophobia will be stillborn if the success and mutual benefits of such integration cannot be shown to work over time.
Other conflict strategies
A conflict resolution approach to the problem can be as integrated or as localised as people may want to engineer it.
Local conditions, histories and perspectives can be accommodated respectfully and weaved into short and long-term solutions.
In the beginning, teams of trained mediators can work with communities to transfer the skills necessary for such communities to take these projects further themselves. Several models for such work exist already (for example the mutual obligations approach advocated by Michael Emerson and George Yancey), and existing principles and techniques can be adapted easily for local conditions.
As several historical examples have shown, such a campaign against xenophobia can show very successful results if built around or supported by a charismatic figure or respected local leaders. Campaigns can be built around sport and entertainment figures.
Inspiring work is being done with storytelling and identity integration with children and adults. Much of the tools engaged in establishing and propagating this "othering" so inherent in xenophobia can be used to reverse such harm.