Introduction-ANC-Anti Apartheid Movement- Cultural Sociology

Cultural Sociology of the Middle East, Asia & Africa

  • Encyclopedia edited by Edward Ramsamy.

  • Published in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, and Washington DC.

Part III: 1900 to Present

African National Congress (ANC)

  • Formation: Established in 1912 as the South African Native Congress (SANC); renamed ANC in 1923.

  • Founders: Composed of Christian mission-educated African lawyers, clergy, traditional leaders, and businesspeople.

  • Purpose: Unify Africans and protect rights against discrimination.

    • Pixley Ka Seme emphasized the need for unity and defense of rights.

Early Years

  • Initially conservative; African women excluded from membership until mid-1940s.

  • Moved towards alliances with other racial groups and radical organizations (e.g., South African Communist Party).

  • Doctor's Pact (1947): Joint declaration for cooperation between African and Indian political leaders.

  • Freedom Charter (1955): Guiding document against apartheid, supported by multiracial coalitions.

Shifting Strategies

  • Early approach emphasized nonviolence through petitions, but results were limited as apartheid intensified.

  • ANC Youth League (1944): Formed to engage younger members and push for a more aggressive stance.

  • Defiance Campaign (1951): Mass protests against segregation laws; led to increased visibility and arrests of thousands for opposing apartheid.

Pan-African Congress (PAC)

  • Formation: Split from ANC in 1959, led by Robert Sobukwe, advocating for African-led struggles.

  • Sharpville Massacre (1960): Police fired on peaceful demonstrators, killing 69, marking a turning point.

  • Post-massacre actions: ANC and PAC forced underground due to repressive government measures.

Military Wing: Umkhonto we Sizwe

  • Formation: Established in 1961 after recognizing the futility of peaceful opposition.

  • Leadership captured in 1963; ANC had to operate in exile, with military activities increasing throughout the 1980s.

  • International Context: Political pressures influenced by global dynamics and negotiations began in earnest by the late 1980s.

End of Apartheid

  • Nelson Mandela's release in 1990 and unbanning of ANC, PAC led to democratic elections in 1994.

  • Mandela becomes the first black president; significant social and economic progress noted post-1994.

  • Despite achievements, issues of socio-economic inequality and neoliberal policies under ANC continued to challenge the society.

African Studies

  • Definition: Scholarly inquiry into the African continent across multiple disciplines.

  • Growing prominence in 1960s/70s as part of area studies movement post-WWII.

  • Diverse perspectives shaped by various ideological frameworks, resulting in differing interpretations of African identity and history.

Anti-Apartheid Movement

  • Major global solidarity network against apartheid focused on support for liberation movements.

  • Key Campaigns: Included government sanctions and grassroots civil society actions.

  • Notably, India and Soviet bloc provided support; sports and cultural boycotts became effective strategies.

Apartheid System

  • Definition: Rigid racial segregation system formalized in 1948 to maintain white supremacy.

  • Policies: Included Population Registration Act, Group Areas Act, and forced removal of non-whites to designated areas.

  • Consequences: Severe socio-economic disparities; systematic suppression of rights and freedoms.

Resistance to Apartheid

  • Major protests and uprisings occurred in the 1970s, notably the Soweto Uprising in 1976.

  • International responses gradually increased, leading to a series of sanctions that isolated South Africa.

  • Nelson Mandela's release signaled broader negotiations that ultimately dismantled the apartheid regime.