Abstract: | A dramatic outburst of xenophobic violence in May 2008 spotlighted South Africa's place among countries of immigration. While a plethora of policy studies have examined many microlevel dynamics in these attacks, surprisingly little attention has been paid to underlying political causes. By applying the comparative 'immigration State' literature, the present author offers a counter-intuitive, two-part explanation for the complex and often contradictory mix of South African migration policies. First, the historical absence of a 'rights-markets' coalition allows for the persistence of exclusionary and protectionist legislation. Second, postapartheid international commitments to 'rights-markets' norms have contributed to significant reforms, especially regarding refugees, but these pressures have not fully counterbalanced the predominant exclusionary and protectionist coalition. Democratization in the absence of a liberal 'rights-markets' coalition has reinforced xenophobia and will continue to produce only incremental policy reforms. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract] |