South Africa’s Democracy at the Crossroads
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- ISBN 9781802629286
- Weight: 440g
- Dimensions: 152 x 229mm
- Publication Date: 18 Apr 2022
- Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
- Language: English
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Since the first elections of 1994, the South African constitution officially guarantees and promotes a wide range of political and civil rights and institutionalizes the separation of powers with an independent judiciary. This has made South Africa a political symbol of change, hope and democracy in Africa and around the world. However, since the introduction of free and fair electoral processes and with ANC dominating the presidency and the parliamentary seats, the political scene has been scattered by democratic challenges. South Africa remains a flawed democracy, combining free elections and respect for basic civil liberties with problems of governance, an underdeveloped political culture, and low levels of public participation.
Today, South Africa stands at a crossroads. While the constitutional democracy has survived, South African democracy seems to have weakened by state capture, internal ANC implosion, corruption, societal polarization, social exclusion, xenophobia, and threats of state economic bankruptcy. South Africa faces growing discontent symbolized in intensified societal and political debates, protests and demonstrations providing for the question if this is a sign of dissatisfied citizens demanding deeper democracy or activities questioning the established constitutional democracy from an anti-democratic, populist, and radical point of view.
South Africa´s Democracy at the Crossroads explores the question; what are the challenges to future democratization in South Africa?
Daniel Silander is Associate Professor of Political Science at Linnaeus University, Sweden. His main areas of interests are international security and democratization.
Charlotte Silander is Senior Lecturer of Political Science at Linnaeus University, Sweden. Her research focus is on gender equality in higher education.
Herman Van der Elst is Associate Professor of Political Studies and International Relations at the School of Government Studies, Vaal Triangle Campus, North West University, South Africa.
Pieter Heydenrych is Senior Lecturer in the School of Government Studies at the Potchefstroom Campus, North West University, South Africa.
