Controversy, Conflict and Struggle in South Africa

Abstract

".... The Ohio short histories of Africa series is a great idea. It offers concise, nicely laid-out, small books written by leading scholars. The four volumes I discuss in this article are part of a strong South African bias - 12 of the 15 titles to date are on South African topics - though the bias is sure to be balanced over time. The order in which I review them is due to the historical specificity of their subject matter. First up, for example, is a grand sweep of 'human rights' history in South Africa; the last is a biography of one of the foremost intellectual figures in the African National Congress (ANC). While the ANC looms large, it is not the overriding theme in this review essay. ...."