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The experiences of diversity, equity and inclusion specialists in South African independent schools
Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867614013959962624 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Dlamini, Nokukhanya Nonqubeko |
| author2 | Damons, Lynne |
| author_browse | Damons, Lynne Dlamini, Nokukhanya Nonqubeko |
| author_facet | Damons, Lynne Dlamini, Nokukhanya Nonqubeko |
| author_sort | Dlamini, Nokukhanya Nonqubeko |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135745 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:17.761Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135745 The experiences of diversity, equity and inclusion specialists in South African independent schools Dlamini, Nokukhanya Nonqubeko Damons, Lynne Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Dlamini, N. N. 2026. The experiences of diversity, equity and inclusion specialists in South African independent schools. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/b26d71bb-6142-475e-b2b1-f30591114681 This study explores the lived experiences of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) specialists working in South African independent schools, a sector shaped by the legacies of apartheid and contemporary pressures for transformation. The emergence of these roles intensified following the #yousilenceweamplify movement in 2020, yet they remain under-researched and often lack formal professional pathways. Guided by an interpretivist paradigm and a social constructivist lens, the study employed narrative inquiry with seven specialists. Data were generated through semi-structured and dyadic interviews, alongside document analysis of policies and digital activism. Thematic analysis identified five domains: specialist identity and role, practices and challenges, institutional and societal barriers, digital influence and activism, and sustainability of DEI work. Findings reveal that DEI specialists often enter the field through lived experience rather than formal training, constructing professional identities at the intersection of personal history, demographic identity, and institutional expectations. Specialists described navigating institutional resistance, representative burden, and emotional labour while sustaining their work through resilience and peer networks. Digital activism amplified their influence but also increased pressure and vulnerability. The study contributes to scholarship on professional identity and social justice leadership while highlighting the need for institutional accountability, systemic support, and professionalisation of DEI roles in South African independent schools. Masters 2026-04-09T07:55:49Z 2026-04-09T07:55:49Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135745 en Stellenbosch University 109 pages : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Dlamini, Nokukhanya Nonqubeko The experiences of diversity, equity and inclusion specialists in South African independent schools |
| title | The experiences of diversity, equity and inclusion specialists in South African independent schools |
| title_full | The experiences of diversity, equity and inclusion specialists in South African independent schools |
| title_fullStr | The experiences of diversity, equity and inclusion specialists in South African independent schools |
| title_full_unstemmed | The experiences of diversity, equity and inclusion specialists in South African independent schools |
| title_short | The experiences of diversity, equity and inclusion specialists in South African independent schools |
| title_sort | experiences of diversity equity and inclusion specialists in south african independent schools |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135745 |
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