Xenophobia is a political discourse. As such, its historical
development as well as the conditions of its existence must be
elucidated in terms of the practices and prescriptions that
structure the field of politics. In South Africa, its history is
connected to the manner citizenship has been conceived and fought
over during the past fifty years at least. Migrant labour was
de-nationalised by the apartheid state, while African nationalism
saw it as the very foundation of that oppressive system. However,
only those who could show a family connection with the
colonial/apartheid formation of South Africa could claim
citizenship at liberation. Others were excluded and seen as
unjustified claimants to national resources. Xenophobia's current
conditions of existence are to be found in the politics of a
post-apartheid nationalism were state prescriptions founded on
indigeneity have been allowed to dominate uncontested in condition
of passive citizenship. The de-politicisation of a population,
which had been able to assert its agency during the 1980s, through
a discourse of 'human rights' in particular, has contributed to
this passivity. State liberal politics have remained largely
unchallenged. As in other cases of post-colonial transition in
Africa, the hegemony of xenophobic discourse, the book shows, is to
be sought in the character of the state consensus. Only a
rethinking of citizenship as an active political identity can
re-institute political agency and hence begin to provide
alternative prescriptions to the political consensus of
state-induced exclusion.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
