In this paper the authors make use of Erikson's psychosocial theory and Bulhan's analysis of identity development within oppressed social groups, and explore how black adolescents may be attempting to negotiate the developmental challenges facing them within the changing socio-historical contexts of post-apartheid South Africa. It explores the impact of apartheid-capitalism on black adolescent identity development, as well as the impact of several ideological, economic and socio-political factors on these adolescents' attempts at attaining identity integration and congruence in post-apartheid South Africa. More specifically, the paper firstly argues that both the apartheid and post-apartheid socio-historical contexts have had contradictory and multiple impacts on the development of black adolescent identities and secondly, that the increasing shift from collectivist ideals to individualist ideals amongst many black adolescents, represents one possible response to these shifting socio-historical contexts.
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