The Making of Modern South Africa

Book excerpt: Recent events in South Africa have taken on renewed interest for historians and general readers alike. In this third edition of The Making of Modern South Africa, Nigel Worden provides a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to the key themes and debates central to an understanding of the region. The book examines the major issues in South Africa's history, from the colonial conquests of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, through the establishment of racism, segregation and apartheid; the spirit of reform, resistance and repression of the 1980s and up to the present day. In this new edition, Worden brings events up to the second democratic election of 1999, and incorporates new material published since 1990. With the break up of institutional apartheid, perspectives on recent South African history have undergone a significant shift. Nigel Worden examines these changes and assesses developments within the new South Africa in a wide historical context, providing a sharp, analytical overview for all those interested in modern South African history and politics.