Erasmus, Piet2018-04-092018-04-092009Erasmus, P. (2009). The unbearable burden of diversity. Acta Academica, 41(4), 40-55.0587-2405 (print)2415-0479 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/11660/8148English: Events relating to the management of diversity and transformation on the campus of the University of the Free State led to a national and international outcry when the existence of the so-called “nauseating Reitz video” came to light. The ensuing debates to a large extent centred on the meaning and content of concepts such as racism, diversity and transformation. This article offers anthropological perspectives on the abovementioned concepts. Various semantic layers are exposed. It also points out the way in which underlying power issues tend to distort the appropriation of these concepts as well as the way in which they come to serve as guises for racism.Afrikaans: Gebeure op die kampus van die Universiteit van die Vrystaat wat verband hou met diversiteit en transformasie het nasionale en internasionale rimpelings veroorsaak toe die bestaan van die sogenaamde Reitz walg-video bekend geword het. Daaropvolgende debatte het grootliks gesentreer rondom die inhoud en betekenis van begrippe soos rassisme, diversiteit en transformasie. Hierdie artikel bied antropologiese perspektiewe op die genoemde konsepte. Verskeie semantiese inhoude word blootgelê en die wyse waarvolgens onderliggende magskwessies die gebruik van hierdie konsepte verwring, word uitgewys. Daar word ook aangetoon hoedat hierdie terme as dekmantels vir rassisme dien.enUniversity of the Free StateReitz videoDiversity and transformationRacismAnthropological perspectivesArticleUniversity of the Free State