Portrait of a female sojourner academic: reconstructing professional identity in a xenophobic context

ABSTRACT

This study set out to explore how the resettlement of an African female immigrant academic in a new country and her repositioning in a foreign academic context influenced the reconstruction of her professional identity. A qualitative constructivist lens and a phenomenological case study approach was utilised. Data capture included a mix of semi-structured interviews, field notes, and a researcher journal and was analysed by means of the content analysis method. Findings revealed the use of language as an instrument of exclusion; and, the juxtaposition between a continental identity and rejection. This study recommends that induction programmes intended for sojourner academics at higher education institutions should be thoughtfully designed and that the complete journey of sojourner academics should be taken into consideration to ensure proper management thereof through appropriate policies.

KEYWORDS:

• African female immigrant academic
• professional identity
• reconstruction
• South Africa
• xenophobia

Data availability statement

Data is vested with authors and available upon request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. A form of this literature review first appeared in Vandeyar, S, 2019. Migrating Selves: Reconstructing and renegotiating Black immigrant academic identities. Higher Education Research and Development, (in press).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Saloshna Vandeyar

Saloshna Vandeyar is a full professor in the Department of Humanities Education and the Director of the Centre for Diversity and Social Cohesion in the Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria. She is a National Research Foundation C rated scientist. Her research is in the field of social/cultural/cognitive justice education;addressing all kinds of (in)equalities, with a particular focus on identity, race and culture, that are produced and reproduced in educational spaces by educational processes, discourses and practices.  She has won numerous international, national, provincial, institutional and community awards for research and teaching excellence. Vandeyar has published widely and serves on a number of international and national editorial boards.  She has numerous international networks and has presented many invited international keynote addresses.

Thirusellvan Vandeyar

Thirusellvan Vandeyar is a senior lecturer in the Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education in the Faculty of Education.  He holds a teacher degree (BA); Diploma in Datamatrix, Masters and PhD degree in Computer Integrated Education.  His main research interests include, best practices in the use of ICT in teaching and learning; e-learning; ICT education policy implementation; and social, cultural cognitive justice education. He has published numerous papers in these research foci.

Annelise Wissing

Annelise Wissing graduated as a Phd student at the University of Pretoria.