Nation formation and social cohesion : an enquiry into the hopes and aspirations of South Africans

Author / Creator

Oliphant, Andries Walter

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Summary

"Nation Formation and Social Cohesion: An Enquiry into the Hopes and Aspirations of South Africans examines different interpretations and meanings that diverse social actors attach to the calls and...

"Nation Formation and Social Cohesion: An Enquiry into the Hopes and Aspirations of South Africans examines different interpretations and meanings that diverse social actors attach to the calls and prospects for nation formation and social cohesion. It links theories of nation formation and social cohesion to actual practises, both focused on the attainment of a just society founded on the irreducible equality of all its members on the one hand, and the factors militating against achieving this, on the other. Ethnographic research in four provinces provides the substance or practise to the theoretical framing of the discourse. The study proceeds by interrogating the theoretical suppositions of nation formation and social cohesion and this serves as a starting point for a thorough reflection on these two processes. Thus a synthesis, and not a conceptual position is arrived at, where the interdependence of nation formation and social cohesion, specifically for postcolonial societies, (and South Africa in particular) can be interrogated effectively and critically. It is intended to add to the debate and stimulate new thinking around the difficult processes that are being sought to build a South African nation in the 21st century."--MISTRA website.

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