Sociology Assignment: The Impact of Racial Equity & Diversity on UFS Campus
Question
Task:
The topic for the research proposal prepared in this sociology assignment in this module is “The impact of racial equity and diversity on campus”.
Answer
Introduction
Experiencing discrimination provokes stress responses that are similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. As focused in the present segment of sociology assignment, students experiencing discrimination are more likely to adopt a negative attitude and have poor performance in academic to a high risk of dropping out. The practices of racial diversity and equality within the campus are helpful in promoting creative deeper learning critical thinking as well as motivation to the students; the campus promoting diversity and equity is providing a platform to the students irrespective of their race to experiences cooperative learning. The research paper will be focusing on the evaluation of the impact of racial equity and diversity on the UFS campus.
Background
The UFS has swept racism under the rug for years with the implication of superficial changes for the black student. The increasing frustration in the campus, as well as increasing levels of activism among the students who are black on UFS, is evident (Baillie et al., 2019). The protest among the students and the transforming measures are determined to be effective but would take time. It is essential to have a reflective idea about the behaviours of the students within the campus. Wane (2009) mentioned that the feminism of the women with racially oppressed or marginalised has to experience isolation. Gender plays a vital role in discrimination that is faced by the individuals on the educational campus. It is thus essential to develop a transparent idea about the views of the students to extract outcomes of transformation that are experienced by UFS.
Pereira et al. (2020) mentioned that the concept of racism has a close connection with the attitude they acquire and the execution of effective behaviour approaches. For the student of sociology, racial discrimination is a topic of interest as it provides an insight into the thinking behaviours of the individual and thus provides an idea about the social structures that exist within the society. The university campuses of UFS have been the centre of diversity and racial protest, and thus the selection of the campuses of UFS is perfect for the selected setting. Tight (2021) opined that globalisation is encouraging students to move abroad and seek education from top universities. The racial discrimination that they have to face is acting as a constraint to the effective impartation of education. The concern about the partial treatment of student is evident, and there are a number of protests all over the world to swipe their unethical practices and encourages racial equity and diversity. Mass protest like #feesmustfall in South Africa has been prominent in the movement led by students to stop increasing student fees as well as demand for increasing the government funding been done (Files.eric.ed.gov, 2021).
It is evident that not much research is conducted on the aspects of the impact of racial equity and diversifies on campus. The topic brings narrow and focusing of just UFS has the potential to outline the behaviours of the student and their views towards the education environment that prevail within the campuses. The reach paper with the use of primary qualitative data would seek to bridge the existing literature gap and thus enlighten the issue that is still existing within the educational institute, hampering the mental stability of the minors group students.
Problem statement
In recent times, the issues of racial discrimination and unequal treatment toward minor groups are evident. As evident in the year 2016, UFS was temporarily closed after the black protesters who have been disrupted a rugby match and were beaten up by the white students (Bbc.com, 2021). It has been the reason for the race-related protests that have hit the Campuses of South Africa. Khatoon (2021) mentioned that the Apartheid, which has been a legalised racial discrimination against the black population who were in the minority, ended in the year 1994 from South Africa with the election of Nelson Mandela. Hoverers, the distinct outlook among the white and the black student still exist. The racial description has increased a state of uncertainty among the black student, and they are unable to express their views and are experimenting with drawbacks as in both academic and career opportunities in South Africa. To understand the impact of racial equity and diversity within the UFS campus, it is a must to impact the ideas and views of students. The study will be focusing on the student of the UFS campus so that the current ideologies of the students so that the essential measures to curve the unethical practice can be pointed out for the smooth education of the educational practices.
Research questions
The research will be seeking to answer the below-stated question that is helpful in developing a better idea about the impact of equity and diversity within the campuses.
- What are the racial issues that are faced by university students of UFS?
- What are the measures taken by the authorities to provide racial equity and a diverse learning environment to the students?
- What is the importance of the racial equity and the diversity in the campus on the student’s behaviours?
- What are the measures that the campus of UFS adopts to ensure equal treatment to all the students irrespective of race, caste or gender?
Aims and objectives
Research aim
The research seeks to investigate the impact of racial quality and diversity among the students of UFS campuses.
Research objectives
- To evaluate the recent racial issues that are faced by individuals
- To inspect the impacts of the practices of diversity and racial equality on the campus students of UFS
- To understand the needs of eradicating discrimination in the educational institute
- To recommendation the measures that UFS campus can be adopted in such a manner that the execution of equal treatment to all practices.
Literature review
|
Article |
Purpose |
Key concepts |
Key finding |
Evidence |
Strength/Limitation |
Significances to the topic |
|
Black Canadian feminist thought: perspectives on equity and diversity in the academy |
The study is based on women belonging to African ancestry in Canada. The article highlights the racial discrimination among black and white women and how the women believe that education is the key to reducing racial discrimination within society. |
The article outlines that black women are fetching success by the agents of knowledge (Wane, 2009). |
The progressive mindset is the tool that encourages equality and freedom within society. |
In the process of constraints description, the black women have formed sisterhood as the world support to resist oppression. This has allowed them to understand their own interlocking system. |
The study is too descriptive. |
The topic is helpful in highlighting the need for education and awareness to reduce discrimination in clearing environments. |
|
Research brief on race and equality in South Africa |
The articles point out that there are 749 equity-related complaints in South Africa, out of which 2/3rd are for racial discrimination (South African Human Rights Commission, 2018). |
The socio-economic and poverty in South Africa is directly interesting with race due to the legacy of apartheid. |
The rise in the income statuses of the minor’s racial grounds has the ability to reduce racial discrimination within the society. |
Commission for Restitution of Land Rights Annual Report 2015/16 is done to present the authentic facts towards existing racial discrimination. |
The quantities data used in the study is accurate to portray the real scenario of racial discrimination. |
The study highlights that the increase in work status and income can be helpful in reducing discrimination in society. |
|
Racial diversity, representative bureaucracy, and equity in multiracial school districts |
The article outlines the policy inequality in the educational centres that are experienced by the minor groups (Rocha et al., 2009). |
Second-generation discrimination is highlighted in which the students are discriminated against from one racial or ethical group are separated from the other. |
Students from Latinos and African American origin are subjected to second-generation discrimination, and encouragement to diversification is needed. |
African Americans are more likely to be affected by the academic groups |
The study is effective in ensuring the racial origin of teachers are also essential in controlling educational discriminations |
The study will be benefited as it points out the importance of the teachers and their role in controlling discrimination in educational institutes. |
|
Social capital, racial diversity, and equity: Evaluating the determinants of equity in the United States |
The article outlines the concepts of social capital, which is considered to be the simplest form of connection among individuals. |
Civil engagement is helpful in increasing political tolerance (Hawes et al., 2011) |
The discrimination among the racial group decrease with the increase in diversity. |
diversity is related to increasing equality is highlighted |
The concepts of socio-economic controls and the significance of diversity is locally presented |
The concepts of interactions of social groups and their impact on diversity are reflected that can be argued in the context of UFS as well. |
|
Moving beyond a culture of niceness in faculty hiring to advance racial equity |
The article's research that racial equity acts as the action-oriented organisational efforts in the process of creating hiring structures which is equitable (Liera, 2020). |
The faculty of the educational institute plays vital roles in increasing racial diversity as well as racial literacy. |
The use of a socio-cultural lens is a must for the development of critical knowledge among the faculty. |
Whiteness is determined to be embedded in the cultural fabrics within the White service institutes. |
The focus of the study is limited to white’s services educational institutes. |
The facts are helpful in auguring that mindset of the faculties heading the educational institute is also essential. |
|
Non-Racialism: The New Form of Racial Inequality in a Neo-Apartheid South Africa. |
The concepts of Non-racialism are not the effect of post-apartheid legal order but are the outcome of capitalism and its cruel form. |
The practice of the racial description and apartheid in particles is the personal interest of the individual. The progressive realisation of rights is reflected in this study (Ruiters, 2021). |
The concepts of use failures and exchange values are determined to be essential in constraints of unethical societal practices. |
A different fact in thematic forms has been presented that showcase the diversity doe not incur simply. |
The use of critical and logical arguments arte done |
The concert of racial inequality can be used to investigate the students of UFS, and the collection of better information can be done. |
|
Achieving racial equity from the bottom-up? The student equity policy in the California community colleges |
The prospect of the higher education settings in America is examined with the arguments and reflection of the policies of educational equity for the student of racial minorities (Chinq et al., 2020) |
The institute of higher education is executing strategic measures that are helpful for the students from lower racial and income groups to get an education and compete. |
The inaction of policy profile has been effective in the proliferation of the efforts devoted to student equity in the new campus roles. |
Equity-Minded Policy has been used as the evidence for arguments |
The data collection and analysis methods are confusing |
The Equity-Minded Policy is helpful in developing a better idea about the institute taken by the management to ensure equity and diversity. |
|
Grasping the regimes of language, space and identity in the visual of post-apartheid higher education in South Africa |
The study is discuses on the university campuses of UFS. The measures are taken to understand the diversity existence. |
Cultural advancement has led the young black academic students caught in the crossfire (Baillie et al., 2019). |
The visual artwork reflected the discrimination among the student within the UFS. It has been effective in summarising the social condition. |
The observation and the first-hand evidence are presented |
The logical presentation of the fear factor and the challenging elements that evoke faculty and students if UFS are presented. |
As the study is on UFS, it is huge literature support. |
Theoretical framework
The use of Du Bois’ theory of “Veil” will be taken into consideration for the execution of the research topic on the impact of racial equity and diversity on the campuses. Lister (2018) Du Bois argued that the main problem with the 20th-century is the colours line. In "The soul of the black flock", WEB Du Bois has pointed taken the initiative of combining history, music and philosophy to combat racism. The use of langue’s and ideas to hammer out the strategies of political equality and to develop the sound depth to the black experiences in the slavery aftermath is portrayed. The deep religious feeling for the real Negro hearts has been done to show the mastery that the people from African origins has to face in South Africa (Lister, 2018). On the other hand, Winant (2004) mentioned the use of the term veil, which has an association with the bible. It has been argued by Di Bios that racism abs segregation practices are executing black from the main statement of American life. The Negro is thus tagged to be having a divine Soule as well as a double self, and thus there is reference as Double consciousness. Lister (2018) also argued the liberal education had helped Du Bios to relate the black with emphatic and thus execute the idea of leadership. The theoretical framework is helpful in enriching the study on how racial discrimination is a drawback to the progressive societal and its I must to impact education among the standards to ensure that unethical practice like racism is discarded and the execution of an education system that is encouraged racial equity and diversity to encourages equal treatment to all the students irrespective of their race or gender.
Research methodology
The research methodology is considered to be essential as the resection of an effective method is needed for the development of better strategic measures and ensuring the success of the research paper. The use of the research online is done is that the selection of the research methods that will be best for the meeting the estimated research objective by developing a coherent idea in extracting evidence for the better demonstrating of the outlined research problem.
|
Research philosophy |
Positivism research philosophy |
|
Research approaches |
Deductive research approaches |
|
Research design |
Exploratory research design |
|
Data type |
Primary quantitative |
|
Data collection methods |
Online Survey |
|
Data sampling techniques |
Simple Random sampling |
Research philosophy
Vázquez-Alonso and Manassero-Mas (2019) mentioned that the research philosophy is considered to be the beliefs about the process in which the data collection, analysis and implication needs to be practised. It is considered to be the true facts that are exciting within the societal settings. The most used research philosophy includes pragmatism, positivism, interpretivism as well as realism. In this research paper, the implication of the positivism research philosophy will be taken into consideration by discarding the other most relating research philosophy. Positivism research philosophy is the factual evaluation that is gained with the help of observation. In this research paper, the knowledge’s about the impacts of equity and diversity within the campuses can be identified with the help of the observation of the behaviour of the respondent. The positivism philosophy is helpful in evaluating the existing assumption about the discriminative practices and thus evaluations its current situation within UFS campuses in an effective manner.
Research approaches
Gaus (2017) mentioned that the research approach is the plan as well as the procedures that consist of the steps for the valid assumptions, including the detailed method of addressing the research problem. The research approaches are broadly divided into three that include the deductive research approaches, Inductive research approaches as well as Adductive research approaches. In this research paper, the use of the deductive research approaches will be taken into consideration. The implication of the deductive research approach is helpful in exploring the known theory and test for the given circumstances. In this case, the facts on discrimination and the positive impacts of equalled treatment will be implicated with the arguments and facts to understand the attitude of the campus students and thus understanding their behaviour on the racial equity and diversification currently practised in the UFS campuses.
Research design
Sileyew (2019), the research design is the framework that is selected by the researcher for the success of their study. The most commonly used research design includes descriptivism, correlation, diagnostic exploratory as well, as experimental. In this research paper, the use of the exploratory research design will be used. The exploratory design will allow the research to investigate the various concepts and the needs of diverse clearing environmental. It, at the same time, will ensure that the research questions are addressed with the observation and statistical implication using exploratory design.
Research site and Participants
The research will be based on primary quantitative data collections. The focus will be on the campuses of UFS. The measures will be taken to target the student of the university to participate in the research so that the study can outline their behaviours towards racism and discrimination can be evaluated for the better argument in the findings. The selection of the 500 students to take part in the survey will be requested so that the ground level evidence can be collected. Happy et al. (2017) stated that the selection of the effective sample size is measured from the targeted participants so the quantities data can be extracted without any barrier. The evaluation of the behaviour of the student of UFS will be the main focus of the study, so the use of the campus students is done as the core participants.
Data collection
The study will be focused on the primary quantitative data. The use of quantitative first-hand data is helpful in understanding the students and their attitude practice of equity and diversity within the campus. The framing of the survey questioners with close-ended multiple-choice questions will be framed using Google form. The link of the form will be sent to the respondents for the collection of the evidence for this research study [Refer to appendix].
Sampling
In the process of ensuring that the collected information is not biased, the use of Simple random sampling technologies will be taken into consideration. In the research paper, the random selection of 500 students from the campuses within UFS will be done, and no personal preferences will be considered in the process of collecting primary quantitative data.
Data analysis and discussion
Ong and Puteh (2017), the partying of the collected information’s in a logical manner is considered to be productive in fetch success to the research study. In this study, the use of the graphical presentation of charts and graphs will be done to portray the thinking behaviour of the respondent respecting the students of UFS campuses and thus highlight the impact of racial quality and diversity upon the student.
Limitations
Data collection is a time-consuming task. In the research time of the pandemic, it is not possible to collect face to face data from all the 500 selected respondents. Thus the implication of the online survey with the help of the Google Form will be done so that the better extraction and evaluation of primary facts can be conducted.
Ethical aspects
The research papers will not include any questions that might hurt the sentiments of the respondent. The use of the Privacy policy will be done to ensure that the personal information of the student participating in the research paper is not revealed under any circumstances. Moreover, the respondents will be allowed to skip the question by not answering it if they are not comfortable in answering it. The use of the consent forms will be done to take the person from the respondent before sending the link for the sorbet. Moreover, the information’s collected will not be used for any personal benefit during the survey.
Communicating the results
The college portal will be used to upload the research paper so that the outcomes can be used to make aware the student of the behaviour that excites among them and the need to practising equity and diversity to encourage a productive learning environment. The portraying of collected facts and evidence to different students groups with the help of presentation will be executed so that the better impartation of the importation about the results of the reassert can be done. These can be outstanding measures to encourage a positive learning environment by discarding the practices of discrimination within the university campuses.
Significance of Research
The research will play an essential role in developing a transparent idea of the behaviours of the student within the UFS. This will be at the same time helpful in fetching a better understanding of the impact of racial equity and the diversity experienced by the university authorities on the students. The perspectives of the students themself acts as the core information that allows the better execution of the research paper and thus develop a coherent idea about the current issues. The survey will be productive in buildings a correlation between the practice of racial equity and diversification with the positive learning environment. The concepts of racial discrimination and practices that have been experienced within UFS and the claims by the management of taking strict actions to manage the unethical racial discriminations can be investigated with the help of the selected research topic. It will be a great source of information and thus will bring the existing literature gap with its evidence of UFS campus.
Reference List
Baillie, G., Duker, M. and Nsele, Z., 2019. Grasping the regimes of language, space and identity in the visual of post-apartheid higher education in South Africa. Journal of Student Affairs in Africa, 7(1), pp.123-143.
Bbc.com (2021), Racial discrimination in UFS Available at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35641359 [Accessed on 10.11.2021]
Ching, C.D., Felix, E.R., Fernandez Castro, M. and Trinidad, A., 2020. Achieving racial equity from the bottom-up? The student equity policy in the California community colleges. Educational Policy, 34(6), pp.819-863.
Files.eric.ed.gov (2021), Students protest Available at https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1229011.pdf[Accessed on 10.11.2021]
Gaus, N., 2017. Selecting research approaches and research designs: A reflective essay. Qualitative Research Journal.
Hall, S., 2003. Tearing down the veil. The Guardian, Saturday, 22.
Happy, S.L., Mohanty, R. and Routray, A., 2017, August. An effective feature selection method based on pair-wise feature proximity for high dimensional low sample size data. In 2017 25th European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO) (pp. 1574-1578). IEEE.
Hawes, D.P. and Rocha, R.R., 2011. Social capital, racial diversity, and equity: Evaluating the determinants of equity in the United States. Political Research Quarterly, 64(4), pp.924-937.
Khatoon, Y., 2021. The Racial Conflict Global Agenda in South Africa. Pakistan Journal of International Affairs, 4(2).
Liera, R., 2020. Moving beyond a culture of niceness in faculty hiring to advance racial equity. American Educational Research Journal, 57(5), pp.1954-1994.
Lister, T., 2018. The Soul of Black Opera: WEB Du Bois’s Veil and Double Consciousness in William Grant Still’s Blue Steel.
Ong, M.H.A. and Puteh, F., 2017. Quantitative data analysis: Choosing between SPSS, PLS, and AMOS in social science research. International Interdisciplinary Journal of Scientific Research, 3(1), pp.14-25.
Pereira, L.M., Santos, F.C. and Lenaerts, T., 2020. To regulate or not: A social dynamics analysis of an idealised ai race. Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 69, pp.881-921.
Rocha, R.R. and Hawes, D.P., 2009. Racial diversity, representative bureaucracy, and equity in multiracial school districts. Social Science Quarterly, 90(2), pp.326-344.
Ruiters, G., 2021. Non-Racialism: The New Form of Racial Inequality in a Neo-Apartheid South Africa. Sociology assignment Journal of Asian and African Studies, p.0021909620949900.
Sileyew, K.J., 2019. Research design and methodology. In Cyberspace. IntechOpen.
South African Human Rights Commission, 2018. Research brief on race and equality in South Africa, 2013–2017.
Tight, M., 2021. Globalisation and internationalisation as frameworks for higher education research. Research Papers in Education, 36(1), pp.52-74.
Vázquez-Alonso, Á. and Manassero-Mas, M.A., 2019. Scientific Thinking and Critical Thinking: A Keystone for History, Philosophy and Sociology of Science Teaching. Re-introducing science Sculpting the image of science, p.272.
Wane, N.N., 2009. Black Canadian feminist thought: perspectives on equity and diversity in the academy. Race Ethnicity and Education, 12(1), pp.65-77.
Winant, H., 2004. Dialectics of the veil. The new politics of race: Globalism, difference, justice, pp.25-38.
Appendix: Questionnaires
- What is your sex?
- Female
- Male
- Other (Please specify)___________
- What is your racial group
- Black African
- White
- Asian
- Other (Please specify)___________
- Select the box as per your experiences within the UFS, and your agrees of agreement with the adjectives within the university campus.
- How often do you think that you have been concerned about the physical safety on the campus in the last 1 year?
- Very Often
- Often
- Never
- Seldom
- How often in the last year you have meet people with the following aspects within the UFS campus
- Did you feel discriminated in the UFS campus?
- Yes
- No
- How far do you agree that you are fairly attested on the campus?
- Strongly agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Strongly Disagree
- Disagree
- How far do you agree that the authorities of UFS are taking strict actions towards racial discrimination practices?
- Strongly agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Strongly Disagree
- Disagree
- Do you agree that the campuses of UGFC are safe for students belonging to racial minorities?
- Strongly agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Strongly Disagree
- Disagree
|
Adjectives |
Strongly agree |
Agree |
Neutral |
Strongly Disagree |
Disagree |
|
Racist |
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Sexist |
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Disrespectful |
|||||
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Unwelcoming |
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Elitist |
|||||
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Unsupportive |
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Homophobic |
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Very often |
Often |
Sometimes |
Seldom |
Never |
|
People with different religious belief |
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People with different political opinion |
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People with Different nationality |
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People with different races and ethnicity |
