The Validity of Cross’s Model of Black Racial Identity Development in the South African Context

Abstract

W.E. Cross's theoretical model for Black racial identity development has had substantial empirical validation. However, this validation has occurred exclusively in the United States; the applicability of the model to Black populations outside the United States remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the Cross model in the South African context. South Africa was specifically chosen because of: a) the unique importance and salience of race in the country, b) the greater degree of societal discrimination based on race, and c) its indigenous African context and the omnipresent influences of African heritage. Considerable support for Cross's stages of Black racial identity development was found among Black South Africans, as were some marked differences. Modifications to Cross's model and the development of an indigenous African framework are recommended to account for all aspects of Black racial development in the South African context.

Recognition and development of hope for South African organizational leaders

“…However, to date in South Africa, little empirical research has been devoted to understanding the differences among the various racial groups. For example, although Hocoy (1999) investigated the role of racial identity, this study failed to consider the variety of black ethnic groupings as well as white and other cultural groupings in the country.…”

Identity and Oppression: Differential Responses to an In‐Between Status

“…There are important questions about the processes of ethnic identity development for different groups in South Africa. Hocoy (1999) have begun this process by assessing the applicability of Cross's theory (Cross, 1991) to that context. He stated that the theory is useful but needs to be contextualized in social-politicalhistorical realities to capture the South African experience.…”

Discourse on African American/Black Identity: engaging the expanded nigrescence theory with a diasporic consciousness

“…Hocoy ( 1999 ), who studied racial identity development in South Africa, offers three important features when discussing racial identity outside of the U.S. These are: the unique importance and salience of race in the country, the greater degree of societal discrimination based on race, and South Africa’s indigenous African context and the omnipresent influences of African heritage” (131).…”

“…The concern with NT-E is that the traditional markers used to attain reference group orientation (RGO) do not fully engage the cultural expressions of FGAs and other Africana identities ( Hocoy 1999 ). The proposed augmented framework is comprised of elements drawn from Africana critical theory ( ACT; Rabaka 2010 ), double consciousness ( Du Bois 1986 ), third-person consciousness ( Fanon 1967a ) and differential consciousness ( Sandoval 2000 ).…”