Hoërskoolseuns se belewing van kruiskulturele kontak in die skool en koshuis

Hierdie studie wou vasstel hoe die Suid-Afrikaanse jeug die kruiskulturele-kontak in hulle skole beleef. 'n Kwalitatiewe en eksploratiewe ondersoek is gedoen om antwoorde op hierdie vraag te kry. Daar is met vyf leerders in die hoerskool wat vir byna drie jaar saam skool gegaan het en saam in 'n koshuis gewoon het, gesprekke gevoer. Die interpretatiewe metode is gebruik om die inligting te verwerk. Die leerders kom uit die wit en bruin gemeenskappe van die platteland en praat almal Afrikaans. Die resultaat van die gesprekke dui daarop dat die wit leerders die kruiskulturele-kontak baie negatief ervaar - selfs traumaties. Daarenteen ervaar die bruin leerder dit baie positief. Geen noemenswaardige kruiskulturele vriendskappe is gevorm nie. Afstand en verwydering het eerder groter geword. Kontak maak dus nie outomaties 'n positiewe bydrae tot die verwydering van rassevooroordeel nie. Daarom sal die kruiskulturele-kontak in skole en koshuise sorgvuldig bestuur moet word. As dit nie gedoen word nie, mag die konflik tussen die rasse eerder verhoog. This study sought to establish how the youth of South Africa are experiencing cross-cultural contact in their schools. A qualitative and explorative investigation was launched to obtain answers to these questions. Five learners from a high school, who had been at school and in hostel together for three years, were interviewed. The interpretive method was used to process the information. The learners all come from a rural environment and they all speak Afrikaans. The result of the discussions indicates that the white learners are experiencing the cross-cultural contact very negatively - even traumatically. In contrast, the brown learners regarded it as a positive experience. No significant cross-cultural friendships had been formed. Distance and alienation had, in fact, increased. Contact, therefore, does not necessarily automatically make a positive contribution towards the eradication of racial prejudice. For this reason, cross-cultural contact in schools and hostels will have to be managed carefully. If this is not done, conflict between races might even increase.