Contemporary South African Jazz and the Politics of Place

Abstract

Drawing on popular music scholarship on music and place, as well as interviews with jazz musicians, scholars, and journalists active on the jazz scenes in Durban and Johannesburg, this article considers how locales are perceived to uniquely influence music-making. Extending Bakhtin's notion of “utterance” to music, it argues that the musical character of recent South African jazz subtly registers demographic, political, economic, and environmental specificities peculiar to contemporary Durban and Johannesburg. It is argued that contemporary South African jazz, as it is experienced by its performers and listeners, may be profitably conceptualised as speaker and addressee of locale.     

Unconventional political participation and political confidence in South Africa: A longitudinal analysis using data from the world values study

Money‐go‐rounds: The Importance of Rotating Savings and Credit Associations for Women edited by Shirley Ardener &; Sandra Burman. Oxford, Berg, 1993

Illicit Union: Scientific Racism in Modern South Africa by Saul Dubow. Johannesburg, Witwatersrand University Press, 1995.

Christianity and Democracy: A Theology for a Just World Order by John W. De Gruchy. Cape Town, David Philip, 1995.

African Women and Development: a History edited by Margaret C Snyder and Mary Tadesse. Johannesburg, Witwatersrand University Press, 1995.

Rethinking South African Literary History, edited by Johannes Smit, Johan van Wyk and Jean‐Philippe Wade. Durban, YPress, 1996.     

Donald Molteno and South African liberalism

Donald Molteno: “Dilizintaba ‐ He‐Who‐ Removes‐Mountains” by David Sher, Johannesburg: The South African Institute of Race Relations and The Donald Molteno Memorial Committee, 1979.     

Anxious urbanity: xenophobia,the native subject and the refugee camp

G. Lewis, Between the Wire and the Wall; A history of South African ‘Coloured’ politics, (Cape Town, David Philip, 1987)

Ian Goldin, Making Race: The politics and economics of Coloured identity in South Africa (Cape Town: Maskew Miller Longman, 1987).

Gavin Lewis, Between the Wire and the Wall: A History of South African ‘Coloured’ Politics (Cape Town: David Philip, 1987).

Women in African Literature Today, No. 15, James Curry Limited, London: 1987.

Left‐Radical Movements in South Africa and Namibia 1900–1981 A Bibliographical and Historical Study, compiled by Elizabeth W. Böhmer. 2 vols. Cape Town: South African Library, 1986 and 1987.

South African Review 4. Edited and compiled by Glenn Moss and Ingrid Obery for the Southern African Research Service (SARS). Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1987, 599 pp., R24,95

The Rise and Decline of Apartheid: A study of political movements among the coloured people of South Africa, 1880–1985, R.E. van der Ross, (Cape Town, Tafelberg, 1986)

Setiloane, Gabriel M. African Theology ‐An Introduction. Johannnesburg. Skotaville 1986.

Pass Controls and the Urban African Proletariat, by Doug Hindson, Johannesburg, Ravan Press, 1987.

Class, Community and Conflict: South African Perspectives, edited by Belinda Bozzoli (Ravan, Johannesburg, 1987).     

Social Capital and Livelihoods in Johannesburg: Differential Advantages and Unexpected Outcomes among Foreign‐Born Migrants,Internal Migrants,and Long‐Term South African Residents

Foreign‐born migrants – a group rarely compared with both internal migrants and long‐term residents – are often positioned as the most disadvantaged South African urban population. We use data from a 2008 cross‐sectional household survey conducted in Johannesburg to compare a contextually relevant measure of social capital and livelihood advantages between foreign‐born migrants, internal migrants, and long‐term South African residents. Our findings are counterintuitive and emphasize the need to explore the heterogeneity of urban migrant populations, and the mechanisms in which they better their lives, by showing that (1) foreign‐born migrants have better urban livelihood outcomes, and (2) indicators of social capital are not necessarily associated with improved livelihood outcomes.     

Warriors without spears: Africans in the South African War, 1899–1902

Black People in the South African War 1899–1902, by Peter Warwick. Johannesburg, Ravan Press, 1983. Pp. xiv & 224: maps, tables.     

JOURNAL REVIEW

Hidden Struggles in Rural South Africa: Politics and Popular Movements in the Transkei and Eastern Cape, 1890–1930 by W. Beinart and C. Bundy. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1987.

The Rise and Fall of the South African Peasantry, 2nd edition, by C. Bundy. Cape Town: David Philip, 1988.

War and Society: The Militarisation of South Africa edited by Jacklyn Cock and Laurie Nathan. Cape Town: David Philip, 1988.

White Tribe Dreaming: Apartheid's Bitter Roots as Witnessed by Eight Generations of an Afrikaner Family by Marq de Villiers. New York: Viking Penguin, 1988.

Home Truths by Basil Du Toit and Spoils of War by John Eppel. Cape Town: Carrefour Press, 1988 and 1989.

Because They Chose the Plan of God: The story of the Bulhoek Massacre by Robert Edgar. History Workshop Topic Series I. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1988.

Brewers, Beerhalls and Boycotts: A History of Liquor in South Africa by Paul la Hausse. History Workshop Topic Series 2. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1988.

Detention and Torture in South Africa: Psychological, Legal and Historical Studies by Don Foster, with contributions by Dennis Davis and research assistance by Diane Sandier. Cape Town: David Philip, 1987.

State Resistance and Change in South Africa edited by Philip Frankel, Noam Pines and Mark Swilling. Johannesburg: Southern Book Publishers, 1988.

Building Tomorrow Today; African Workers in Trade Unions 1970–1984 by Steven Friedman. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1987.

Facing The Storm: Portraits of Black Lives in Rural South Africa by Tim Keegan. Cape Town: David Philip, 1988.

History of Southern Africa by J.D. Omer‐Cooper. London: James Currey, 1987.

Journey Continued: An Autobiography by Alan Paton. Cape Town: David Philip, 1988.

The Dead Will Arise: Nongqawuse and the Great Xhosa Cattle Killing Movement of 1856–7 by J.B. Peires. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1989.

The Blood of Our Silence by Kelwyn Sole. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1988.     

Xhosa Oral Poetry: Aspects of a Black South African Tradition by Jeff Opland. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1985. Pp. xii & 303. Bibliography,Index. (Price: pb R9.95).

Voices Made Night by Mia Couto. London: Heinemann, 1990.

Bones by Chenjerai Hove. London: Heinemann, 1990.

The Theory of African Literature by Chidi Amuta. London: Zed, 1989.

Spring is Rebellious. Edited by I. de Kok and K. Press. Cape Town: Buchu Books.

The Shaping of South African Society 1652–1840 edited by R. Elphick and H. Giliomee. Cape Town: Maskew Miller Longman, 1989.

Creating Order: The Image of the Homestead in Mpondo Social Life by Heinz Kuckertz, Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press, 1989.

The Angry Divide: Social and Economic History of the Western Cape edited by Wilmot James and Mary Simons. Cape Town and Johannesburg: David Philip, 1989.

Modernizing Super‐Exploitation. Restructuring South African Agriculture by Tessa Marcus. London: Zed Books, 1989.

Chains of Thought by Wally Morrow. Johannesburg: Southern Books: 1989.

SA Review 5 edited by Glen Moss and Ingrid Obery. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1989.

A People's Voice: Black South African Writing in the Twentieth Century by Piniel Viriri Shava. London: Zed Press, 1989.

SOUTH AFRICA: An Annotated Bibliography with Analytical Introductions by Newell M. Stultz. Ann Arbor: The Pierian Press, 1989.

Asking for trouble: the autobiography of a banned journalist (London: Penguin, 1987) and Biko (London: Penguin, 1987) by Donald Woods.     

Grouping theories: a response to the Johannesburg Workshop in Theory and Criticism (JWTC) panel on “Confusion as a Form”

White power and the liberal Conscience: Racial Segregation and South African Liberalism 1921–60 by Paul Rich. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1984. Pp. viii &; 192. R12,50     

Usefulness and Reliability of Tanner Pubertal Self‐Rating to Urban Black Adolescents in South Africa

Self‐rating of pubertal development is the recommended method to assess puberty in large community‐based surveys of adolescent development and behavior. The aim of this study was to validate for the first time pubertal self‐assessment using the sexual maturation scale developed by Tanner among Black South African adolescents (n=182) aged between 10 and 18 years who were recruited and assessed at public schools in Soweto—Johannesburg. There was significant concordance between adolescents' and same sex health professional's assessment of pubic hair growth and breast development in females (κ coefficients .71 and .76, respectively; p<.0005), and pubic hair growth and genital development in males (κ coefficients .63 and .60, respectively; p<.0005). We conclude that the Tanner pubertal self‐rating appears to be a reasonably valid instrument to use among black South African youth. The tool can be administered in school or other community‐based settings with moderate confidence provided the procedure is thoroughly explained to the participant through the developed tutorial in the language of choice, and privacy and confidentiality are assured.     

Strategies for work–family balance in a South African context

ABSTRACT

Finding and maintaining work–family balance has become an increasingly difficult challenge for South African families due to various factors, including economic, political, social and cultural changes that can impact negatively on family well-being. While pathways and strategies for work–family balance have been identified in other contexts, there is little available research on the topic in a South African context. Considering the knowledge that South African social workers have in this regard as a result of their training, qualifications and role in the South African context, South African social workers were selected as participants. The aim of this study was therefore to explore and describe, from the perspective of a group of South African social workers, strategies for work–family balance that can potentially contribute to family well-being in a South African context. A narrative inquiry research design was implemented. Thirteen female social workers between the ages of 23 and 46 who work in different social work contexts across South Africa were recruited by means of purposive and snowball/network sampling. Data were collected by means of written narratives and analysed by thematic analysis. The findings identify the following strategies: Setting clear boundaries, open communication in work and family domains, strengthening personal and professional support systems, planning, time management and prioritising, self-care, reasonable work environment and continuous personal and family assessment. While the findings share similarities with work–family balance strategies identified in other contexts, this study’s significance lies in the fact that it identifies strategies specifically for the South African context and that it does so from the perspective of South African social workers.     

Encyclopaedic Desire: A Response to Gates

“We Spend Our Years as a Tale That Is Told”: Oral Historical Narrative in a South African Chiefdom by Isabel Hofmeyr. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann; Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press; London: James Currey, 1994.

Liquor and Labour in Southern Africa, edited by Jonathan Crush and Charles Ambler. Athens: Ohio University Press; and Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press, 1992.

Politics and performance: Theatre, Poetry, and Song on Southern Africa, edited by Liz Gunner, Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press, 1994.

In the Wake of the Affluent Society: An Exploration of Post‐Development by Serge Latouche; translated and introduced by Martin O'Connor &; Rosemary Arnoux; London: Zed, 1993.     

Rituals of complicity,the ‘humanities’ rhetoric,and the closing of the South African mind

A mail survey undertaken in 1977 showed that a clear majority (64%) of final year students polled at the University of the Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, answered in the affirmative to a question asking them whether they would permanently settle in a country other than South Africa. Almost all the respondents in the survey were desirous of change to the socio‐political structure of this country; in particular the Apartheid, pass laws, job reservation, educational and residential policies; although students expressing attitudes favourable to emigrating seemed to be slightly more concerned in this regard. Thus it appears that South Africa may lose many of those of its citizens who, if they remained, would be most likely to contribute to peaceful change.     

Talent,the Staying Power of Racism,and Transformation: Trans-Atlantic Observations

Abstract

This paper argues that the transformation of universities will not happen until the central issue of racial discrimination is consciously addressed at Predominantly White Universities (PWUs) in South Africa. The paper makes a concerted effort to address issues that reveal why Black faculty members in North American and South African academies have had to struggle to make their presence felt as far back as the beginning of the twentieth century. It does this by looking initially at the history of intelligence testing the early pioneering South African Black faculty members, and by comparing the current contemporary scenes of both societies insofar as what African American and Black South African faculty members undergo. The paper concludes by positing that only in the event of a strong anti-racist agenda will genuine transformation of the PWUs be possible without alienating Black talent.     

Zebra crossing: walking in two continents sharing and celebrating difference through music

I use the metaphor zebra crossing in my reflective narrative to describe my plight and struggle as a non-white person growing up and working in Johannesburg, South Africa, during the apartheid era. This article considers and compares the notions of culture, diversity and identity as I now work in a tertiary institution in Melbourne, Australia. I reflect on my teaching of African music and position myself as ‘the other’ at zebra crossings, as I create a space in multicultural Australia. By engaging in meaningful dialogue with music and culture, I contend, we do have opportunity to explore, experience and express music making and sharing globally. The inclusion and embracing of non-western music can serve as a dais for understanding and celebrating cultural difference not as distant experiences but as integral aspects of our daily lives.     

The South African Feature Film Industry: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Although the South African film industry has the required competency to become a significant player in the international film market, few South African films enjoy commercial success. This paper examines why South African films are not more successful and assesses what government and other stakeholders can do to promote a sustainable and successful film industry. The paper draws on the experiences of the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries to argue that the South African government should not focus solely on the cultural aspects of the film product but should attach more importance to distribution, promotion and audience development.     

Women bankers in black and white: exploring raced,classed and gendered coalitions

ABSTRACT

Black women constitute the majority of the population but they lag significantly behind white women and other groups in their participation in the labour market. Intersectionality requires that we recognise the differences in experience between black women and white women. This is not for the purposes of what some have called the “oppression Olympics” but to research the stratifications of social asymmetries in a manner that allows for an understanding of the complexity of inequality. Based on interview data and observations, we use employment equity discourses to explore the differential positions of black women and white women managers in a major bank’s headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa. A historical analysis of black women and white women’s experience illustrates the systemic and institutional aspects of intersectionality as well as the difficulties in forming coalitions between black women and white women. In the final analysis we argue that the mutual advancement of women requires historicisation and renewed commitment to partnerships to eradicate sexism and racism.     

Review essay

Crime and Punishment in South Africa, edited by JAMES MIDGLEY, JAN H. STEYN and ROLAND GRASER. Johannesburg: McGraw‐Hill, 1975 R10.50.