Identity construction in adolescent girls: the context dependency of racial and gendered perceptions

This study examines the life world of school-going adolescent girls in Johannesburg and their construction of identity. It outlines the socio-historical background of concepts relating to identity such as race and culture and their use and misuse in the South African context. In South Africa, race/culture/identity have been historically conflated for political purposes. This article considers 'being Black' and 'being White' as 'invisible' and pre-constituted categories and shows how these categories are best understood as being context-bound. These varied contexts are perceived by girls as being related to class location, geographical areas, socialization, religion, views on marriage speaking English, generational differences and the secrecy around racist discourse as well as the hopes for reconciliation between Black and White people. For White girls, the simultaneous confidence in and ambiguity of their 'being White' is inscribed in its negation and a world of dwindling privilege. Although race is a significant strand in Black girls' identity, socio-economic factors emerge as the most important formative feature of identity.