Apartheid Nostalgia: The Politics of Longing and Frustration in Contemporary South Africa

• In Event: 033 - Section on Political Sociology Paper Session. Political Discourse

Abstract

The democratic transition in South Africa marked a dramatic shift: the elimination of the authoritarian and racist apartheid regime, and the extension of rights to the black majority. While this transition is celebrated internationally, within the black townships of South Africa it is not uncommon to find apartheid nostalgia: a fond remembrance of and longing for the security and prosperity created by the apartheid state, combined with a deep frustration about the failures of the post-apartheid state. What forms does this surprising nostalgia take, and how may we explain it? Drawing from 23 months of ethnography and 104 interviews with community members, this study identifies three primary forms of apartheid nostalgia: employment nostalgia for an era of jobs; community nostalgia for an era of development and public services; and immobility nostalgia for an era of restricted movement. I argue that each expression may be understood as a reflection of two reinforcing processes: deepening economic insecurity, and an emphasis on the welfare and security functions of the state over the protection of equal rights.

Author

• Marcel Paret, University of Utah