Overcoming Intolerance in South Africa: Experiments in Democratic Persuasion (Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology)

Overcoming Intolerance in South Africa investigates the degree to which the political culture of South Africa - the beliefs, values, and attitudes toward politics held by ordinary people - impedes or promotes the consolidation of democratic reform. One set of values is of particular concern in this study - political tolerance. The authors contend that political tolerance is a crucial element of democratic political cultures in general, but that in the South African case, tolerance is perhaps more important than any other democratic value. Since South Africa is one of the most polyglot countries in the world, the only viable strategy for survival is tolerance toward the political views of others. The overwhelming emphasis throughout this book is on finding ways to enhance the willingness of South Africans to 'put up with' their political enemies, to allow open and widespread political competition, and to coexist in their diversity. Analyzing South Africa's Political Culture During The Initial Years Of The Country's Experiment With Democracy, Overcoming Intolerance In South Africa Provides The First Comprehensive Study Of Intolerance Ever Conducted Outside The Developed World (and The First Outside The United States In Nearly Twenty Years). In A Field So Heavily Dominated By Research On Stable Democracies, This Book Is A Refreshing Reminder That Political Tolerance Is Crucial To Successful Democratic Politics In Every Corner Of The Globe. The Research Of Gibson And Gouws Creates A New Agenda For The Study Of Political Tolerance By Going Far Beyond Simply Reconsidering The Questions Normally Investigated By Scholars In The West. Instead, The Overwhelming Focus Of This Research Is On Change: How The Tolerance And Intolerance Of South Africans Respond To Both Short-term And Long-term Political, Economic, And Social Forces. Thus, The Emphasis Of This Book Is Not Merely On What Is In South Africa, But What Might Be As Well.--jacket. Political Tolerance In New South Africa -- The South African Context -- South African Intolerance As It Is -- The Nature Of Political Intolerance In South Africa -- Social Identities, Threat Perceptions, And Political Tolerance -- Making Tolerance Judgments: The Effect Of Context, Local And National -- South African Intolerance As It Might Be -- The Pliability Of Tolerance And Intolerance -- The Law And Legal Institutions As Agents Of Persuasion -- Becoming Tolerant? Short-term Changes In South African Political Culture -- Conclusions: Experimenting With Tolerance In New South Africa. James L. Gibson, Amanda Gouws. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 237-252) And Index. In Overcoming Intolerance In South Africa, Gibson And Gouws Investigate The Degree To Which The Political Culture Of South Africa The Beliefs, Values, And Attitudes Toward Politics Held By Ordinary People Impedes Or Promotes The Consolidation Of Democratic Reform. One Set Of Values Is Of Particular Concern For Their Research Political Tolerance. The Authors Contend That Political Tolerance Is A Crucial Element Of Democratic Political Cultures In General, But That In The Case Of Polyglot South Africa, Tolerance Is Perhaps More Important Than Any Other Democratic Value. James L. Gibson and Amanda Gouws investigate the degree to which the political culture of South Africa and the beliefs, values, and attitudes of ordinary people affect democratic reform. One set of values is of particular concern for their research: political tolerance. Gibson and Gouws contend that political tolerance is a crucial element of democratic political cultures in general. And it is perhaps more important than any other democratic value in polyglot South Africa. Investigates the degree to which the political culture of South Africa impedes or promotes the consolidation of democratic reform. The authors contend that political tolerance is a crucial element of all democratic political cultures, but that in polyglot South Africa, tolerance is perhaps more important than any other democratic value.