Title: National identity in post-apartheid South Africa
Abstract: South Africa has experienced one of the most dramatic regime changes in modern history - from a racialized autocratic regime to that of an inclusive democratic regime. Given that many authors argue that national identity is borne from individual-level interactions and relationships with the state, South Africa is an ideal testing ground to examine the ways in which political institutions can affect national identity. Using statistical analysis, this study disaggregates the South African population by race to examine similar and dissimilar predictors of national identity. The paper explores to what extent the post-apartheid governing party’s (ANC) program of nation building, and its emphasis on inclusive citizenship as represented by both political and economic freedoms and equity, has influenced the development of national identity. Findings indicate that the factors that inform national identity are not uniform across all races, neither in type nor degree; however, certain indicators prove significant across all races. Certain elements of the ANC nation building discourse, such as the perception of political freedom, affect national identity more than other elements, such as economic equity and equality before the law.
Publication Year: 2011
Publication Date: 2011-02-22
Language: en
Type: article
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