The Politics of Evil: Magic, State Power and the Political Imagination in South Africa [Hardcover]

In The Politics of Evil, Clifton Crais provides a unique interpretation of South African history, power, culture and resistance.The Politics of Evil offers a new way of understanding political history in the colonial world. Clifton Crais combines a cultural history of state formation with an analysis of African conceptions of power and the moral problems of evil. He explores the role of ideas, held by Africans and Europeans alike, in shaping political society throughout South Africa's history, and demonstrates how Africans understood and contested one of the great evils of the twentieth century: apartheid. He discusses colonialism, resistance, nationalism, violence, and the challenges to creating democracy.The Politics of Evil offers a new way of understanding political history in the colonial world. Clifton Crais combines a cultural history of state formation with an analysis of African conceptions of power and the moral problems of evil. He explores the role of ideas, held by Africans and Europeans alike, in shaping political society throughout South Africa's history, and demonstrates how Africans understood and contested one of the great evils of the twentieth century: apartheid. He discusses colonialism, resistance, nationalism, violence, and the challenges to creating democracy.South Africa historian Clifton Crais combines a cultural history of state formation with an analysis of African conceptions of power and the moral problem of evil. He explores the role of ideas held by Africans and Europeans in shaping political society throughout South Africa's history. He demonstrates how Africans contested one of the great evils of the twentieth century: apartheid. Crais discusses colonialism, resistance, nationalism, violence, and the challenges to creating democracy.Introduction; Part I. Cultures of Conquest: 1. The death of hope; 2. Ethnographies of state; 3. Rationalities and rule; Part II. States of Emergency: 4. Prophecies of nation; 5. Government acts; 6. ConfllÎ