Blue Lagoon: race, class, space and the making of Indian masculinities

In contemporary, South Africa space continues to remain highly racialised despite shifts and changes brought about by the end of apartheid in 1994. The recreational space of the Blue Lagoon, the focus of this study, and in close proximity to the Indian Ocean was historically demarcated for the use of Indians only. In this article, the ways in which a selected group of Indian men in Durban give meaning to the changing face of Blue Lagoon are examined. By drawing on focus group discussions, the article highlights the interaction between race, space and the construction of masculinities through which male power is expressed and inequalities are produced. The study finds that the Blue Lagoon is an important space through which Indian masculinities are produced and consolidated. However, the Blue Lagoon functions to express race and class inequalities through the investment made in the car and the construction of a racialised other. The article concludes with some implications for challenging inequalities and the exclusion it supports.