Perspectives on African Political Economy & Sociology
Emeritus Professor Portfolio & Publication Index
Welcome to the official research and publication index dedicated to the scholarly work of Professor Roger Southall. Explore a comprehensive archive of books, peer-reviewed journal articles, and contemporary political commentaries focusing on democratic transitions, trade unionism, and state power across Southern Africa.
Professor Roger Southall
Roger Southall is Emeritus Professor in Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. He lectured in Politics and International Relations at the National University of Lesotho (1975-80), Carleton University (1980-82) and University of Ottawa (1983-85) in Canada and University of Leicester (UK) before moving to Rhodes University in South Africa in 1989, where he became Professor of Political Studies before moving to the Human Sciences Research Council as Executive Director of its Democracy and Governance programme in 2001, before he moved to Wits. During his career, he has written extensively on politics and sociology in Africa, southern Africa and notably, South Africa, numerous of his contributions appearing in the media.
Whites and Democracy in South Africa (2022)
"In this pioneering book, Roger Southall provides a timely, rigorous, and nuanced analysis of the political, economic, and social positioning of white South Africans post-1994. Moving beyond simplistic generalizations, he critically examines how white identities, privileges, and political attitudes intersect with the consolidation of South African democracy.
Scholarly Review Excerpt
"BOOKS'"
Discover a curated selection of core academic books and analytical monographs exploring democracy, class shifts, and state dynamics in Southern Africa.
The New Black Middle Class in South Africa (2016)
A scholarly masterpiece in its disciplinary eclecticism... Roger Southall delivers a rich, multi-tiered examination of South Africa's black middle class in both its historical and contemporary contexts. By breaking down class dynamics beyond simple consumption patterns, Southall grounds this transformation in a rigorous analysis of the state, capital, and the complex realities of democratic post-apartheid society."
Academic Review Excerpt
Liberation Movements in Power: (2013)
An important and essential comparative study tracking the experiences of ZANU-PF, SWAPO, and the ANC in government. Southall provides a sober, realistic, and highly detailed analysis of how former liberation movements evolve into ruling political parties, examining the complex tension between their emancipatory goals and authoritarian tendencies.
Strategic Review for Southern Africa Excerpt
Resources
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