This article argues that existing biographies of Nelson Mandela are constructed on archaic colonial stereotypes of African societies as 'tribes', 'premodern' and 'pagan'. In none of the biographies do we learn anything about such vital aspects of Mandela's life story as his Thembu royal family's pragmatic policy of co-operation with colonial governments, the centra...

This article argues that existing biographies of Nelson Mandela are constructed on archaic colonial stereotypes of African societies as 'tribes', 'premodern' and 'pagan'. In none of the biographies do we learn anything about such vital aspects of Mandela's life story as his Thembu royal family's pragmatic policy of co-operation with colonial governments, the centra...

This article argues that existing biographies of Nelson Mandela are constructed on archaic colonial stereotypes of African societies as 'tribes', 'premodern' and 'pagan'. In none of the biographies do we learn anything about such vital aspects of Mandela's life story as his Thembu royal family's pragmatic policy of co-operation with colonial governments, the centra...

This article argues that existing biographies of Nelson Mandela are constructed on archaic colonial stereotypes of African societies as 'tribes', 'premodern' and 'pagan'. In none of the biographies do we learn anything about such vital aspects of Mandela's life story as his Thembu royal family's pragmatic policy of co-operation with colonial governments, the centra...