Research Activities

This research project will explore various aspects of social transformation in “post-transition” South Africa. Although the unequal character of South African society has its origins in the apartheid era, the social problems the country is now facing cannot be explained by the “legacies of apartheid” alone, and a closer look at the dynamics of social transformation in “post-transition” era, i.e. the period after political transition from apartheid to non-racial democracy, is warranted. For this purpose, we will explore both domestic and international/transnational aspects, as they intertwine with each other and shape South African society. Topics that will be covered by the project include (1) the formation and change of the power base of the governing party, ANC, and its impact on policies, (2) changing patterns of economic and diplomatic relations between South Africa and the rest of the world (especially other African countries and China), and (3) the inflow of immigrants to and globalization of South African cities.

April 2009-February 2012