Academic Xenophobia: African Scholars in South African Universities

"This is a provocative and timely book...At its heart are debates over the meaning of progressive transformation and the role of political and social borders in that process. In the editors' words, at stake here is 'who is the quintessential African?'. This is not only about who is employed, but about the narratives of belonging and justice that will shape future generations of thought leaders, businesspeople, and politicians." - Loren Landau, Professor of Migration and Development, University of Oxford, UK  and University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

"Academic Xenophobia offers an intriguing and insightful exploration of the challenges faced by immigrant African academics in South African universities. Drawing on rich narratives and interviews, the book presents a nuanced critique of the political economy of xenophobia." - Anthony Kaziboni, Senior Researcher, Centre for Social Development in Africa, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

This book explores the layered experiences of Black African faculty members at the 26 public universities in South Africa. Through rich narrative case studies and detailed policy analysis, the authors examine the manifestations of xenophobia within the academic context, including its impact on individuals, institutions, and policies. The book will be valuable to scholars, policymakers, and practitioners interested in understanding the evolving landscape of xenophobia, tertiary education, and immigration in South Africa.

Precious Simba is a lecturer in the Department of Education Policy Studies at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Cyrill Walters (1979-2023) was a research fellow in Higher Education at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Jonathan D. Jansen is Distinguished Professor of Education at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.