Overview

This extensive history of South Africa was written by some of the country's most prominent historians such as Hermann Giliomee, Jan Visagie, David Scher and Fransjohan Pretorius. Its broad scope includes South Africa's pre-colonial history, slavery, Afrikaner nationalism, an environmental history and an analysis of a post-apartheid South Africa. Chapters included are: The Anglo-Boer War - Fransjohan Pretorius The establishment of apartheid, 1948-1966 - David Scher Apartheid: A different view- Hermann Giliomee The democratic puberty, 2004-2011 - Jan-Jan Joubert Two chapters are about the struggle against the Afrikaner and focus on the black resistance movement. The author said in a recent interview: We did not try and justify apartheid, but one has to know what it was all about . Prof Hermann Giliomee also poses the question in his chapter: Was apartheid all bad? The author emphasises that the book is an effort to understand people's behaviour in the history of this country.

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9781869199081

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The Republic of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of Africa. It has 2,798 kilometers of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian oceans. To the north lie the neighboring countries of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; and within it lies Lesotho, an enclave surrounded by South African territory. South Africa is the 25th-largest country in the world by land area, and with close to 53 million people, is the world's 25th-most populous nation. South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution's recognition of 11 official languages, which is among the highest number of any country in the world. Two of these languages are of European origin: English and Afrikaans, the latter originating from Dutch and serving as the first language of most white and colored South Africans. Though English is commonly used in public and commercial life, it is only the fourth most-spoken first language. Compiled and edited by Fransjohan Pretorius (Professor of History, University of Pretoria), A History of South Africa: From the Distant Past to the Present Day is a 706 page compendium presenting a comprehensive overview of the history of South Africa presented in twenty-nine informative articles beginning with South Africa's primeval past, to the Dutch era, to the coming of the British, to the struggle against apartheid, to the current era of developing trade unions, and the establishment of a democracy. Of special note is Elize S. van Eeden's article 'An environmental history of South Africa'. Enhanced with the inclusion of maps, a bibliography, and a comprehensive index, A History of South Africa: From the Distant Past to the Present Day is a remarkable work that should be a part of every academic library's World History collection in general, and the supplemental studies reading lists for students of South African history in particular.--Midwest Book Review

The Republic of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of Africa. It has 2,798 kilometers of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian oceans. To the north lie the neighboring countries of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; and within it lies Lesotho, an enclave surrounded by South African territory. South Africa is the 25th-largest country in the world by land area, and with close to 53 million people, is the world's 25th-most populous nation. South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution's recognition of 11 official languages, which is among the highest number of any country in the world. Two of these languages are of European origin: English and Afrikaans, the latter originating from Dutch and serving as the first language of most white and colored South Africans. Though English is commonly used in public and commercial life, it is only the fourth most-spoken first language. Compiled and edited by Fransjohan Pretorius (Professor of History, University of Pretoria), A History of South Africa: From the Distant Past to the Present Day is a 706 page compendium presenting a comprehensive overview of the history of South Africa presented in twenty-nine informative articles beginning with South Africa's primeval past, to the Dutch era, to the coming of the British, to the struggle against apartheid, to the current era of developing trade unions, and the establishment of a democracy. Of special note is Elize S. van Eeden's article 'An environmental history of South Africa'. Enhanced with the inclusion of maps, a bibliography, and a comprehensive index, A History of South Africa: From the Distant Past to the Present Day is a remarkable work that should be a part of every academic library's World History collection in general, and the supplemental studies reading lists for students of South African history in particular.-- Midwest Book Review

Author Information

Fransjohan Pretorius is a professor in History at the University of Pretoria and has written or edited eight books about the Anglo-Boer War. His book Life on Commando during the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 was the runner-up in the Sunday Times Alan Paton Award. He has also won numerous awards for his contributions about the Anglo-Boer War.

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