Mandela's World: The International Dimension of South Africa's Political Revolution

by James Barber

Overview

The demise of apartheid, the release of Nelson Mandela, and a new constitution leading to a democratic government elevated South Africa’s status during the 1990s. Mandela’s World describes and analyzes South Africa's international development during this momentous decade in which Nelson Mandela stamped his personality on his nation and on the international stage.

Despite upheavals and political mistakes, the new South Africa succeeded in making a positive contribution both in Africa and in the global community. Focusing on the international relations of a society undergoing fundamental transformation at home, author James Barber sheds light on one of the most profound events in modern history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780821415658
Publisher:	Ohio University Press
Publication date:	05/17/2004
Edition description:	1
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

James Barber is a member of the Centre of International Studies at Cambridge University. He has written widely about international relations and Southern Africa.

Editorial Reviews

James Barber’s book supplies a more coherent interpretation of South Africa's policies than the existing scholarship, not least because of its helpful exploitation of international relations theory…. In general this is a compelling and persuasive analysis of modern South African foreign policy. Ostensibly limiting itself to Mandela's world, Barber's analysis supplies useful insights into the policies pursued by his successor.”—African Affairs


“In this meticulously crafted book, James Barber adds a rich vein to the analytical coalface of South Africa's transitional dynamics…. The canvas Barber has chosen is indeed a large one but he fills it with punctilious detail such that this book represents one of the most complete pictures of the subject matter. This is a very satisfying work: it is well written, cogently argued, neatly structured and thematically coherent…. It should be of abiding interest to students of South African politics and international affairs.”—South African Historical Journal

From the Publisher

Barber, a long-time analyst of South African affairs, has written an insightful account of the country's foreign policy during the late 1980s and 1990s, when it was undergoing its dramatic transition from apartheid to black majority rule. As the book's title suggests, Nelson Mandela is the key figure in this story, and his personality and immense international reputation shaped the political outcomes within the country as well as its international relations. Given its birth in the crucible of tremendous idealism, the new regime faced the weight of huge expectations but also could count on substantial international support. Barber's narrative ably describes the process by which South Africa became a less exceptional and a more normal country, with the institutionalization of its foreign policy apparatus, the redefinition of its national interests, and the carving out of pragmatic policies to defend them. The book is particularly insightful regarding the internal pressures on the government and the contradictory impulses that shaped policy outcomes.

Foreign Affairs