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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | The Notion of the Nation-State in Southern Africa: A Theoretical Exploration |
Author: | Matlosa, Khabele |
Year: | 1999 |
Periodical: | African Journal of International Affairs (ISSN 0850-7902) |
Volume: | 2 |
Issue: | 1 |
Pages: | 11-29 |
Language: | English |
Notes: | biblio. refs. |
Geographic terms: | South Africa Southern Africa |
Subjects: | political systems nation Politics and Government nationalism politics South Africa--Politics and government Nation-state |
Abstract: | The 'nation-State' is a contested term in the vocabulary of students of international political economy. This makes it a daunting task to apply the concept to an analysis of developments in the political economy of a region such as southern Africa. Three paradigms, namely liberalism, Marxism and realism are dominant in existing attempts at a theoretical exploration of the notion of 'nation-State'. A close scrutiny of the modern 'nation-State' project in southern Africa, in terms of its historical metamorphosis, suggests that its roots are weak and fragile, because it emerged as a colonial imposition. The 'nation-State' is currently besieged by nationalist impulses and economic decline from within, and by the twin processes of globalization and regionalization from without. These processes and factors have combined to pose serious challenges to the 'nation-State' in southern Africa, putting its future in doubt. Bibliogr., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract] |