African Studies Institute - Seminar Papers

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End date: 1979Subject: search.filters.subject.South Africa. Race relations

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    Afrikaner nationalism, white politics and political change in South Africa
    (1974-03) Van Zyl Slabbert, H.
    By political change is meant a change in the constitution of groups and individuals who effectively control political decision-making in South Africa, The size and diversity of such groups and number of individuals can either decrease, - in which case there is an increase in authoritarianism, - or increase, - in which case there is a move towards a decentralization or diffusion of political control. A clear distinction must in this case be made between interest groups, socio-economic and demographic processes, external or internal to South Africa, that exert direct or indirect influenoe on the taking of political decisions and the groups and individuals who effectively control and are responsible for such decisions. This is simply another way of stating that more often than not there is a discrepancy between the pressures for change and the decisions taken to cope with such pressures..... This paper would like to emphasize the strategic significance of Afrikaner Nationalists in relation to the problem of political change in South Africa. As a group they control effective political decision-making within White politics and therefore within South Africa in general...
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    Major patterns of group interaction in South African society
    (1974-03) Savage, Michael
    Although recent historians have stated "the central theme of South African history is interaction between peoples of diverse origins, languages, technologies, Ideologies and social systems, meeting on South African soil", scant attention has been paid to such interaction by social scientists. Instead, most work in such disciplines has been segmentary, and focuses on the Internal arrangements or attitudes of one group rather than on the relationships that that group has to other groups or to the wider society. This in itself may be one reflection of the polarities of the society that have influenced the pattern of social research itself. The result however, is that outside of the work of historians, there has been insufficient study of the consequences of interaction between the different groups in the population. Yet, such interaction is one vital key to an understanding of the social structure. In this paper, an attempt will be made to overview the most important patterns of group interaction across the lines - ( political, ethnic, economic and class - that so clearly demarcate the major groups in South African society. The primary focus in this exploration of the contact and cleavages between such groups will be the present, with some attempt to indicate emerging trends.
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    The Indian contribution to the development of the history of South Africa.
    (1974-08) Pachai, Bridglal
    The historical context of time, place and circumstances helps to place the Indian factor in South African history in perspective. Within this context it is possible to periodize as well as to characterize this factor so as to identify its outstanding features in a convenient and meaningful way. The periods as well as their outstanding features may be listed as follows; 1860-1902, arrival and settlement; 1902-1910, beginnings of political mobilization; 1910-1924, a place in the new unified state; 1924-1948, an appeal to internal and external diplomacy; 1948—1974, accommodation on the basis of a permanent stake in the country. The chronology represents landmarks in South African history which were neither shaped nor influenced by the Indian factor which has always been limited by relative numerical insignificance as well as by economic and political restrictions. The first period ended with the establishment of British paramountcy; the second with the creation of Union; the third with the advent of Hertzogism and Afrikaner ascendancy; the fourth with the appearance of the Nationalist doctrine of Apartheid and the last with the contemporary scene of the balkanization of the South African peoples and polities.