Staking out a Place Amidst Shifting Soils Understanding Contemporary South Africa Through Social Memory
Awarded Theses 2016/2017 Richard Raber Staking Out a Place Amidst Shifting Soils Understanding Contemporary South Africa Through Social Memory EMA, The European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation Supported by RICHARD RABER STAKING OUT A PLACE AMIDST SHIFTING SOILS UNDERSTANDING CONTEMPORARY SOUTH AFRICA THROUGH SOCIAL MEMORY RICHARD RABER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Arriving in South Africa in mid-2015, little did I know that this country would soon both capture me and feel like home. Here I am, in July 2017, completing my Master’s thesis centring around the pulse of the nation. I suppose it is true, unyawo alunampumlo, your feet have no nose. I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who helped make this work possible. Firstly, thank you to uGogo Sizani Ngubane, without her I would never have come to South Africa in the first place. She continues to be a model of hard-work, creativity, leadership and integrity. Secondly, thank you to all the interviewees for their time and honesty. Without all of you, this work would not have been possible. I would also like to thank all that have engaged me in enthralling conversations about South Africa’s contemporary political dynamics. This begins with everyday strangers in taxis to close friends of mine, particularly uMchana Lwandile Noludwe, Pearl Lebogang Nicodemus, Thalib ‘Dada’ Mugen, Sobantu Mzwakali, Ntska Mateta and Tshepo Diseko. Moreover, I feel very fortunate to have friends that are willing to read and honestly critique my work, this includes those just mentioned but also Sergio ‘Satélite’, Manvinder Gill, Francesco Fanti Rovetta, Alexander Gowrliuk, Emma Douglas, Zak ‘Tommie Boi’ Johnson, Nereya Otieno and Ari ‘IQ’ East.
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