The Cambridge Companion to Nelson Mandela
The Cambridge Companion to Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela was one of the most revered figures of our time. He committed himself to a compelling political cause, suffered a long prison sentence, and led his violent and divided country to a peaceful democratic transition. His legacy, however, is not uncontested: his decision to embark on an armed struggle in the 1960s, his solitary talks with apartheid officials in the 1980s, and the economic policies adopted during his presidency still spark intense debate, even after his death. The essays in this <i>Companion</i>, written by experts in history, anthropology, jurisprudence, cinema, literature, and visual studies, address these and other issues. They examine how Mandela became an icon during his lifetime and consider the meanings and uses of his internationally recognizable image. Their overarching concerns include Mandela's relation to "tradition" and "modernity," the impact of his most famous public performances, the oscillation between Africanist and non-racial positions in South Africa, and the politics of gender and national sentiment. The volume concludes with a meditation on Mandela's legacy in the twenty-first century and a detailed guide to further reading.
- Investigates every aspect of Mandela's life, work and legacy using a rigorous and comprehensive interdisciplinary framework
- Assembles original essays from distinguished scholars working in the fields of history, anthropology, jurisprudence, cinema, literature and visual studies
- Critically engages with Mandela's social, political and economic policies as President of South Africa, and their lasting effects
Reviews & endorsements
"This book of twelve essays (almost entirely by South Africans) with an excellent introductory essay by Rita Barnard is inaugural … His life story will be revised, his politics reinterpreted like Gandhi’s. Like Gandhi, it will take time for reasoned, critical (and perhaps even deconstructive) judgments to arise. This book is a superb start."
Daniel Herwitz, Critical Inquiry
Product details
January 2014Hardback
9781107013117
348 pages
235 × 158 × 23 mm
0.6kg
14 b/w illus.
Available
Table of Contents
- Introduction Rita Barnard
- Part I. The Man, the Movement, and the Nation:
- 1. The antinomies of Nelson Mandela Philip Bonner
- 2. Mandela, the emotions, and the lessons of prison David Schalkwyk
- 3. 'Madiba magic': politics as enchantment Deborah Posel
- 4. Nelson, Winnie, and the politics of gender Brenna Munro
- Part II. Reinterpreting Mandela:
- 5. Mandela and tradition Zolani Ngwane
- 6. Mandela and the law Adam Sitze
- 7. Mandela on war Jonathan Hyslop
- 8. Mandela's presidential years: an Africanist view Sifiso Mxolisi Ndlovu
- Part III. Representing Mandela:
- 9. Mandela writing/writing Mandela Daniel Roux
- 10. Mandela in film and television Litheko Modisane
- 11. The visual Mandela: a pedagogy of citizenship Lize van Robbroeck
- 12. Mandela's mortality Sarah Nuttall and Achille Mbembe
- Guide to further reading
- Index.
