State of the (South African) Nation

The Human Sciences Research Council has published the fourth annual edition of State of the Nation, a vibrant collection of essays asessing all facets of South Africa's still young democracy. State of the Nation rewpresents a successor to the South African review, whioch operated in different times under far different conditions. What makes the State of the Nation so vital is that it is strongly supportive of the ideals of the South African Constitution and thus of the expressed goals of the ANC yet is unflinching in its criticism of the governing party. As a consequence the HSRC is maybe the most respected observer of South African life and politics operating today.

Roger Southall, who wrote the article linked above, is one of the most visible members of the HSRC, is founding editor of State of the Nation, is a prolific student of African politics, and was a long-time politics professor at Rhodes University. I know Roger, mostly from my time at Rhodes, though I doubt very much that he remembers who I am.