The Cambridge Companion to Nelson MandelaRita Barnard 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 Companion, 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. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Antinomies of Nelson Mandela | 29 |
Mandela the Emotions and the Lessons of Prison | 50 |
Politics as Enchantment | 70 |
Nelson Winnie and the Politics of Gender | 92 |
Mandela and Tradition | 115 |
Mandela and the Law | 134 |
Mandela on War | 162 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
African National Congress Afrikaner Ahmed Kathrada ANC’s anti-apartheid apartheid armed struggle Authorised Comic Book autobiography become bildungsroman Biography black South African campaign Cape Town chapter citizenship colonial court interpreter cultural death democracy democratic edited elected emerged emotions figure film gender global Hahlo human rights Ibid icon Invictus Johannesburg jurisprudence Kathrada Klerk leader leadership liberation live Long Walk Mac Maharaj Madiba Madikizela-Mandela Mbeki military modern movement narrative nationalist negotiations Nelson Mandela Foundation ofthe Oliver Tambo one’s Oxford person postcolonial president prison Qunu racial reconciliation regime release resistance revolutionary Rivonia Rivonia trial Robben Island role Rolihlahla rugby Sampson sense social South Africa Soviet speech story symbolic Tambo Thabo Mbeki Thembu tion tradition trial Umlando Wezithombe University Press violence visual Walk to Freedom Walter Sisulu Western Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Winnie Mandela Witwatersrand women Xhosa Young Mandela Youth League Zuma