The Emergence of the South African Metropolis: Cities and Identities in the Twentieth Century

by Vivian Bickford-Smith

Overview

Focusing on South Africa's three main cities - Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban - this book explores South African urban history from the late nineteenth century onwards. In particular, it examines the metropolitan perceptions and experiences of both black and white South Africans, as well as those of visitors, especially visitors from Britain and North America. Drawing on a rich array of city histories, travel writing, novels, films, newspapers, radio and television programs, and oral histories, Vivian Bickford-Smith focuses on the consequences of the depictions of the South African metropolis and the 'slums' they contained, and especially on how senses of urban belonging and geography helped create and reinforce South African ethnicities and nationalisms. This ambitious and pioneering account, spanning more than a century, will be welcomed by scholars and students of African history, urban history, and historical geography.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781316557402
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	05/16/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	13 MB
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About the Author

Vivian Bickford-Smith is Extraordinary Professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa and Visiting Fellow in the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction; 2. Inventing British cities in Africa; 3. More Babylon than Birmingham?; 4. Selling sunlit cities; 5. Bitter cries and black Baudelaires; 6. Remembrance of things past.

Editorial Reviews

‘A great strength of this book is that it is enriched throughout by a serious consideration of the role of art, literature, poetry, architecture, and cinema in creating and/or mediating this difficult world … It also provides an enlightening and sophisticated introduction to an important body of history, analysis, and literature for those not in South African or African studies.’ Belinda Bozzoli, The American Historical Review

'… this work is a real contribution not only to the historical literature on South Africa, but also to that on the modern city. It is an original, incisive and impressively erudite account of the politics of discursive struggles around urbanism and urbanization.' Jonathan Hyslop, Global Urban History

From the Publisher