Overcoming Intolerance in South Africa

Experiments in Democratic Persuasion
Erscheinungsjahr 2007
ISBN: 978-0-521-81390-7
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 280 Seiten, Format (B × H): 157 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 609 g

Reihe: Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology

Overcoming Intolerance in South Africa investigates the degree to which the political culture of South Africa - the beliefs, values, and attitudes toward politics held by ordinary people - impedes or promotes the consolidation of democratic reform. One set of values is of particular concern in this study - political tolerance. The authors contend that political tolerance is a crucial element of democratic political cultures in general, but that in the South African case, tolerance is perhaps more important than any other democratic value. Since South Africa is one of the most polyglot countries in the world, the only viable strategy for survival is tolerance toward the political views of others. The overwhelming emphasis throughout this book is on finding ways to enhance the willingness of South Africans to 'put up with' their political enemies, to allow open and widespread political competition, and to coexist in their diversity.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Gibson, James L.

Gouws, Amanda

Fachgebiete

• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften Interdisziplinär Regionalwissenschaften, Regionalstudien
• Sozialwissenschaften Psychologie Psychologie / Allgemeines & Theorie Psychologie: Allgemeines
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Systeme Demokratie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

List of tables and figures; Preface; Part I. Introduction: 1. Political tolerance in the New South Africa; 2. The South African context; Part II. South African Intolerance as It Is: 3. The nature of political intolerance in South Africa; 4. Social identities, threat perceptions and political intolerance; 5. Making tolerance judgements: the effect of context, local and national; Part III. South African Intolerance as It Might Be: 6. The persuasibility of tolerance and intolerance; 7. The law and legal institutions as agents of persuasion; 8. Becoming tolerant? Short-term changes in South African political culture; 9. Conclusions: experimenting with tolerance in the New South Africa; Appendix: research design and methodology; References; Index.

Über Autor(innen)

Gibson, James L.
James L. Gibson is Sidney W. Souers Professor of Government at Washington University in St. Louis. He has published four books and numerous articles on mass behavior and democratization in the United States, Europe, and Africa. He has recently held visiting research and teaching positions at the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa), the Institute for Social Justice and Reconciliation (South Africa), and the Russell Sage Foundation.

Gouws, Amanda
Amanda Gouws is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Stellenbosch. She has been involved in numerous survey research projects in South Africa and has published academic articles on political tolerance, the electoral system, and gender politics in South Africa.