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(Un)desirable immigrants: the perpetuation of colonial perspectives in South African immigration policies in the twentieth century

University of British Columbia

This thesis examines the history of immigration policy in South Africa and provides valuable insights into the development of modern immigration in the wake of colonialism, with a particular look into British imperialism, a global phenomenon that at its height encompassed countries colonized and ruled by the United Kingdom, resulting in widespread political, cultural, and linguistic similarities. A history of early diffusion of knowledge enabled the spread of colonization within South Africa from both Afrikaners and British populations, impacting those that were seen as ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’ within the population. This trend can be seen throughout the twentieth century through the examination of immigration policies as desirable immigrants were sought while those considered undesirable were excluded. Starting in the late nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, imperialist citizenship and nationalist citizenship have been at the forefront of immigration policy within the dominions. Colonial ideas of a white, Anglo-Saxon ruling class in the settler countries permeated despite many subjects in the British Empire being non-white. While Britain maintained on an international stage a level of equality, nationalist ideas in the dominions dominated. As a result, many of the countries within the British Empire began adopting subtle and not so subtle restrictive policies, learning from one another and adapting the policy for themselves. The colonial ideas were not only spread at a domestic level but also internationally through bodies such as the United Nations. This thesis examines the case study of the Mozambique refugee immigration in South Africa from 1980 until 1996 to help further my argument. From 1948 until 1994, South Africa was under apartheid rule, which did not develop a refugee policy. Yet, they allowed indigenous, Mozambican refugees to settle within the rural areas along the border. In 1994, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) implemented a Voluntary Repatriation Programme in South Africa and although it was supposed to be protective, it created exclusionary boundaries for Mozambicans seeking citizenship. The lingering legacy of colonization has had enduring effects on immigration policy in South Africa, resulting in repercussions for immigration today.

Text

2020-07-29

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/75313

Interdisciplinary Studies

University of British Columbia

UBCO

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/