Network Analysis of Immigrants’ Social Interaction in Diaspora. A Case Study of Zimbabweans at University of Fort Hare Alice Campus South Africa

Abstract

Zimbabwean students ‘populace at the University of Fort Hare consists of the Shona, Ndebele, Kalanga, Nambya, Tonga, Shangani and Venda. However, Shona speaking students are the majority. The Ndebele- Shona relations are cordial due to the factors such as academic interactions, church relations, drinking and partying relations and some other factors related to the University context of communication. Ndebele- Shona trouble relations are minimised by academics, hostel relations, church relations found at University of Fort Hare. The fact that many Zimbabweans are sponsored by one sponsor (the Zimbabwean Presidential Scholarship) means that, they share common financial and academic challenges. However some of the Ndebele- Shona differences remain buried and unattended. Some of the Ndebele associate better with South Africans rather than their fellow Zimbabwean- Shona speaking people. The cause being that communication between a Shona and Ndebele is still problematic because most of the Shona cannot speak Ndebele, yet the Ndebele can speak Shona. Some of the Ndebele mentioned that Shona people do not want to learn the Ndebele language yet they (the Shona) want the Ndebele to speak their language.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p1541