Politics and society in South Africa : a critical introduction

`Darryl Glaser supplies an illuminating overview of the scholarship since 1970 on South Africa′s political history. His emphasis is on the debates between liberals, Marxists, and to a lesser extent'post-structuralists'about the origins and the course of South Africa′s racial order′ - Tom Lodge, University of Witwatersrand `A well-researched, well-argued, readable, interesting, informative and competent study′ - Capital and Class Providing a wide-ranging and critical introduction to contemporary South Africa, this book uses an interdisciplinary lens to introduce the student to the main debates, historical context, and issues that have characterized the study of South Africa over the last three decades. Key topics include: the role of colonialism, capitalism and modernity in the formation of the racial order; changes in the South African state; questions of class, race and ehtnicity; black resistance; and the transition to democracy. A number of underlying debates are critically evaluated. For exmple, the contribution of materialist and class-analytic approaches, the application of post-structuralism and theories of modernity, and the prospects for democratic liberalism and socialism in post-apartheid South Africa.

Providing a wide-ranging and critical introduction to contemporary South Africa, this book uses an interdisciplinary lens to introduce the student to the main debates, historical context, and issues that have characterized the study of South Africa over the last three decades.

Key topics include: the role of colonialism, capitalism and modernity in the formation of the racial order; changes in the South African state; questions of class, race and ehtnicity; black resistance; and the transition to democracy.

A number of underlying debates are critically evaluated. For exmple, the contribution of materialist and class-analytic approaches, the application of post-structuralism and theories of modernity, and more.

Cover 1 Summary of Contents 6 Contents 8 Glossary of Acronyms 10 Chronology 11 Maps 15 Tables 18 Acknowledgements 20 Introduction 22 Chapter 1 - Colonialism and the Racial Order 26 Chapter 2 - Capitalism and Racial Domination 53 Chapter 3 - Modernity and Racial Oppression 80 Chapter 4 - South African States 91 Chapter 5 - The Continuing Significance of Class 131 Chapter 6 - South African Ethnicities 153 Chapter 7 - Narratives of Resistance 182 Chapter 8 - The Dynamics of Transition 221 References 257 Index 290 `Darryl Glaser supplies an illuminating overview of the scholarship since 1970 on South Africa's political history. His emphasis is on the debates between liberals, Marxists, and to a lesser extent "post-structuralists" about the origins and the course of South Africa's racial order' - Tom Lodge, University of Witwatersrand This critical introduction to the main debates, historical context and issues surrounding contemporary South Africa includes topics such as the role of colonialism, capitalism and modernity in the formation of the racial order and democracy