Violence as Routine. Transformations of Local-level Politics in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Keywords

dynamics of collective violence, conflict resolution, political anthropology, local politics

Countries

South Africa

Objectives

This study investigates collective violence in the local arena in KwaZulu/Natal after 1994. In the course of one year of fieldwork it became evident that despite a decrease in media coverage and public attention a substantial number of people were killed in the post-apartheid era. Hence, the main argument is that violence became a routine means of acting which is existent even today or at least remains an omnipresent option in local-level politics. Processes of revenge are discerned as a key motive in the reproduction and routinisation of collective violence.

Methodology

one year field research, qualitative interviews, participant observation, archival research

Team Members

Mario Krämer<!-- #EndEditable -->

Partner Institutions / Funding Organizations

ZEF

Publications

Krämer, Mario, (2004): Labile Lage. Politische Gewalt in KwaZulu/Natal, in: Afrika Süd, (2004) 2, S. 10-14.

Krämer, Mario, (2004): True Peace or Routinisation of Collective Violence? Local-level Politics in KwaZulu/Natal in the Post-apartheid Era, in: ZEF news, No. 15 (April), S. 5 (http://www.zef.de/zefnews/no15-04-2004-eng.pdf).

Krämer, Mario, (2003): Changing Dynamics of Collective Violence. A Case Study of a Peri-Urban Community in KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa, in: Entwicklungsethnologie 12 (2003) 1+2, S. 284–309.

Workshops / Conferences

Duration of the Project

Completed

Contact

Mario Krämer