Category / Journal Articles / Publications
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Exclusionary cohesion? Rethinking the nexus between social cohesion and xenophobic violence in South Africa
For years, social cohesion has been championed as a remedy for violence and division. But what happens when the very bonds that unite communities also mobilise them against outsiders? This new publication by Dr Jean-Pierre Misago (ACMS) draws on nearly two decades of multi-case qualitative research across South Africa, this article challenges the conventional wisdom.…
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PRESS RELEASE: Xenophobic Discrimination is a Regular Reality in South Africa
Xenophobic discrimination in South Africa is not a series of isolated incidents, it is a regular, ongoing reality. 406 verified incidents recorded between 2022 and 2025. 151 in 2025 alone. PRESS RELEASE AVAILABLE HERE.
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“This fight is for all of us” – Movement Building for (Migrant) Rights in South Africa – Culmination Research Report
South Africa’s migrant rights sector is navigating a period of intense pressure and political volatility. Rising inequality, austerity, and deteriorating public services intersect with securitised migration reforms and xenophobic populism, creating a hostile environment for migrants and those who support them. While constitutional guarantees remain strong on paper, bureaucratic barriers, vigilante mobilisation, and exclusionary policy…
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Outsider Resentment, Public Disengagement and other Factors Affecting Social Cohesion and Collective Violence in Orange Farm
This report presents findings of research conducted by the African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS) in Orange Farm, City of Johannesburg, in April and October 2022. Conducted as part of -and for- the Kagisano programme, this research builds on -and updates- an original study conducted in the same area in 2017. The 2017 study…
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Deprivation, Governance Deficit and the Dudula Movement: Understanding Social Cohesion and Collective Violence in Alexandra
This report presents findings of research conducted by the African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS) in the Alexandra Township (Johannesburg, South Africa) in April and October 2022. Conducted as part of -and for- the Kagisano programme, this research builds on -and updates- an original study conducted in the same area in 2017. The output…
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Gang Rule and other Factors Affecting Social Cohesion and Collective Violence in Mamelodi
This report presents findings of research conducted by the African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS) in April and October 2022 in Mamelodi East (Wards 15 and 18), in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng Province. Conducted as part of -and for- the Kagisano programme1, this research builds on -and updates- an original study…
