Institutions, Ethnicity, and Political Mobilization in South Africa

by J. Piombo

Overview

An investigation of post-apartheid South Africa, which is notable for a history of politicized ethnicity, a complicated network of ethnic groups and for an expectation that ethnic violence would follow the 1994 political transition that did not occur following democratization.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780230617346
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan US
Publication date:	10/13/2009
Edition description:	2009
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

JESSICA PIOMBO is an Assistant Professor and Regional Coordinator for Sub-Saharan Africa in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), USA.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations ix

Acknowledgments xi

List of Abbreviations xv

1 Introduction: Ethnic Mobilization during Democratization 1

2 Shaping Strategies of Political Mobilization 21

3 South Africa's Political Institutions and Social Divisions 37

4 Electoral Politics in South Africa, 1994-2004 63

5 The African National Congress: Playing to Win 79

6 The New National Party: Transforming into Irrelevance 103

7 From Democratic Party to Democratic Alliance: Mobilizing Minority Power? 125

8 The Inkatha Freedom Party: Turning away from Ethnic Power 143

9 Conclusion: The Contingent Nature of Political Mobilization 163

Notes 183

Bibliography 215

Index 247

Editorial Reviews

'Jessica Piombo offers an innovative and provocative explanation for why post-apartheid South Africa has avoided the siren song of ethnic politics that so many scholars predicted would emerge to dominate its new democracy. Rather than any shifts in the social identifies of its citizens, the incentives implied in its new political institutions have (perhaps unwittingly) led its major political parties to de-emphasize the activation of ethnic identities or the courting of regional minorities, and concentrate instead on the pursuit of national power through broad-based campaign appeals. The irony, however, is that these same institutions also work to insulate the countries elected leaders from day to day citizen influence. Piombo thus offers a new, theoretically rooted perspective on a fundamental conundrum of South Africa's emerging democracy.' - Robert Mattes, Professor of Political Studies at the University of Cape Town and Director of the Centre for Social Science Research

From the Publisher