All-embracing nationalism is being challenged by narrow ‘nations’

Can 2024 birth a South African nationalism?

16 June 2024 - 00:00 By FM Lucky Mathebula

The rarely discussed the matter about African liberation movements is the intricate nature of their nationalism post-liberation. In the case of South Africa, the struggle against apartheid was a pivotal moment in the nation’s history, and the significance of post-liberation nation-building is widely acknowledged. However, there remains a lack of consensus on the definition of this nationalism. While there is a shared understanding of what is not African nationalism during the struggle, significant challenges arise when the opportunity to shape it emerges. This is simply because it quickly becomes a bottom-of-the-tray issue as the trough rises...

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