European University Institute Library

Contradictions of democracy, vigilantism and rights in post-apartheid South Africa, Nicholas Rush Smith

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

index present

non fiction

Contradictions of democracy

electronic resource

dictionariesbibliography

1078420389

Nicholas Rush Smith

Oxford scholarship online.

vigilantism and rights in post-apartheid South Africa

Despite being one of the world's most vibrant democracies, vigilantism is regularly practiced in South Africa. In any given year, police estimate between 5 and 10 percent of the country's murders result from vigilante violence. Vigilantism is also frequent in other democracies across Latin America, Asia, and Africa. High rates of vigilantism are particularly puzzling in South Africa, though, given that it underwent a celebrated transition to democracy, has a lauded constitution, and enacted massive reforms of the state's legal institutions following democratization. 'Contradictions of Democracy' asks why vigilantism is prevalent in South Africa, asks what South Africa reveals about vigilantism in other emerging democracies, and uses vigilantism to explore contradictions of democratic state formation generally.--, Provided by publisher

specialized